with the executing of my office with great trouble not onely of the body but also of the spirite made an end of this Booke with others the which I doe humbly offer vnto your Highnes whome God after manye and most fortunate yeares remayning in your place the Prince take and receiue you from the senurie of the earth vnto the ioyes of heauen Your Highnes most humble Orator Hernan Lopes de Castaneda ⧠How the King Don Joan the second of that name did send to seeke out by sea and by land the East India and of the newes that was brought him of the same Cap. 1. THIS King Don Ioan the second of that name of the Kings of Portingale the thirtéenth perceiuing that all the Spices Drugs Stones and other riches which came to Venice were brought out of a certaine Prouince of the East parte And as he was a Personage of an hautie stomacke and valiaunt minde so was he desirous to inlarge his Kingdome and increase the Christian faith and therefore he determined to discouer by Sea the Country from whence so great plentie of riches came that thereby his Subiects might be inriched and his Kingdome of Portingale enioy all such commodities as came from thence to Venice Moreouer to discouer the same Countrey he was the rather animated and enclined for that he was giuen to vnderstand that in the East India where Christians which were gouerned by a King of great power called Praesbiter Ioan with whom Don Ioan thought good to haue acquaintaunce and to know him by his Ambassadors and the rather for that he was reported to be a Christian Prince And therefore consulting with the Cosmographers of that time he gaue them in charge to procéede and goe forwarde by example of others which had sayled along the Coast of Guynee which Coast was before that time discouered by commaundement of the Prince his Vnckle Master of the Order of Christ who had sent for that purpose one Bartholome Dyas one of the Officers of his Storehouse in Lyshborne who did discouer that great monstrous Cape not knowen of our Auncestours which is now called the Cape of Buena esperansa And finding there matter of great terrour and daungers he passed beyond the same one hundred and fortie leagues where comming to a Riuer which he named Rio del infante from thence he retourned to Portingale In this voyage he gaue to the Ports Herbours and Riuers where he tooke in fresh water theyr names which at this present they doe retaine Likewise he erected there certaine markes with Crosses and with the roiall Armes of Portingale and the last that he erected was in a Rocke the which they named El pennol de la crus which standeth fiftéene leagues on this side the foresayde Riuer And from thence he retourned without hearing any newes or yet hauing any further intelligence of that India by reason all the Inhabitaunts along those Coasts bée almost a sauage and a wilde kinde of people and of coulour blacke This voyage and intelligence being intimated and reuealed to the King Don Ioan he foorthwith minded to 〈◊〉 couer that India by land albeit before that time he 〈…〉 and sent for the same discouerie intended 〈…〉 of the order of Saint Fraunces called Fryer 〈…〉 Lixbona by land in the company of a 〈…〉 two persons for want of the Arabian 〈…〉 trauaile those parts so that they went 〈…〉 Ierusalem from whence without 〈…〉 of that iourney they returned into Portingale The King neuerthelesse continuing to prosecute to effect his determination for discouerye of that India by lande did therevppon choose two of his owne seruauntes men of good knowledge and dilygent in whatsoeuer they were to be imployed the one called Pedro de Couillian borne in the saide Village and the other called Alonso de Payua borne in the Towne of Castil Blanco which did verye well vnderstande the language of Arabia to whome he tolde how that he had made choyce of them as of persons apt to execute his pretence which was to discouer by lande as well the Countrey of Presbiter Ioan as also that from whence the Drugges and Spices come to Venice Giuing them in charge and that earnestlye to make dilygent enquirye and gather certaine knowledge whether that from the Cape of Buena Esperansa forwarde there were anye Nauigation to the East India and that they shoulde set downe all thinges they founde necessarye to bée knowen or that they coulde by anye possible meane learne or gather of the same for certaintye Commaunding also a Sea Carde to bée giuen them which was taken out of a Maâ—pe of the whole worlde by a Maister of Arte called Calsadilla Bishoppe of Vyseu who was a good Astronomer Moreouer hée gaue them a Letter of credite whereby they might bée succoured and protected from and in daungers of death and in cases of necessitie and want of money in whatsoeuer Kingdomes and Countreyes theyr happe shoulde be to trauayle And for theyr charges hée commaunded to giue them foure hundreth Crownes out of the Chest of the Orcherd of Almeryn Of which summe they tooke as much as they déemed would suffice for theyr expence vntill they came to Valencia in Aragon putting the residue in the Baâ—cke of Bartelme Florentine to be deliuered them there and so he gaue them the blessing of God and his in the presence of the King Don Manuel who at that time was Duke of Vesa After this they departed from the Village of Santaren the seauenth day of May in the yeare of our Lord a thousand foure hundred foure score and seauen and came to Naples vpon Saint Iohns daye the same yeare from whence they were set forward on their way by Cosmo de Medicis sonnes and so went they from thence to the Rhoodes of which Religion wer then none other but Portingales And from the Rhoodes they went to Alexandria from thence to the Cayro as Merchaunts and from thence in the companie of certaine Moores of Feez and Tremencen they came to Toro which is a place that hath his harbour in the Straights of the red Sea in the Coast of Arabia at the foote of the Mountaine Sinay where they vnderstood mainie matters of the Indias and of the trade those places had out of the Straightes to Calicut and therevpon they trauailed to another place in the selfe same Sraightes of the Redde Sea ouer the Coaste of Aethiopia from whence they went to Edin And for that it was out of the waye to the Indies they parted companye and seuered themselues Alonso de Payua remained to go ouer by land to the Emperour of Aethiopia which is he whom we before haue named vpon errour Presbiter Ioan for the certaintie is this is he of whom Marco Paulo maketh mention in his booke who gouerneth all the Indies and whose Countrey ioyneth vnto the great Cam of Catayo where in a battaile betwéene them fought the saide Prester Ioan was vanquished and dyed And so thencefoorth finally ended
of that countrie for that the hands and féete of so many of them and also their gums in such sorte did swell that they could not eate and the same so rotted that the stinke which came out of their mouthes was so great and pestiferous that none could abide the sauour therof with this pestilent infection sicknes our men were greatly discomfited many of them dyed thereof which also put the rest of the companie in greate feare and perplexitie of minde Yea and further would haue increased and aggrauated their griefes of bodye and sorrowes of minde were it not that one De Gama a man of good nature and condition had taken speciall care and vsed greate dilligence for the recouerye of their healths and putting them in comfort who continually visited the sicke and liberally departed vnto them such wholesome and medicinable things as for his owne bodye hée had prouided and carried with him through whose good counsell giuen great pains taken and franke distribution of that he had many of our men were recouerd which would otherwise haue died and all the rest thereby were greatly recomforted ¶ How the Captaine Generall with all his Fleete came to the Iland of Monsambicke Chap. 5. THe Fléet béeing furnished and prouided of all things necessarie the Captaine Generall then mindfull of his voyage departed thence vpon the Saturday béeing the 24. day of Februarie and the same day and al the night following for that he was incalmed and to auoide the shore made way into the sea and vppon Sunday by Euensong time our men discried thrée Ilands a Seaboord all of them being but little or small they were distant one from another foure leagues Two of them were replenished with great woords the third was plaine to arriue to these Ilands the Generall was not willing for that he sawe or coniectured no cause to occasion the same therefore he still kept the sea staieng comming to an ankor alwaies as the night approched which manner of course order he vsed and continued the space of sixe daies And vppon the thursday being the first day of March towards euening our men came within sight of foure Ilands whereof two were néere the shore and the other two a Seaboord for that they would not that night fall with them they stil kept the Sea minding to passe betwéene them as indéede they did Wherevpon the Captaine Generall determined commaunded that Nicholas Coello by reason his ship was lesse then the others shuld go first so going vpon the friday within a certein harbour which was betwéene y e maine land one of the Ilands the said Nicholas missed y e channell and ranne on ground which daunger when our other ships sawe comming after they did cast then about went backe and as they were returned they perceiued comming out of that Iland seauen or eight little boates vnder saile béeing distant from Nicholas Coello a good league At sight of those boates comming towards them Nicholas Coello and those which were with him tooke great pleasure for ioye gaue a great crye and at their repaire to them Coello and they went to the General and saluted him to whom the same Coello sayd How say you sir héere is an other kinde of people wherevnto the Generall answered that hée was very glad of that good Fortune and therewith commanded to let them go a Seaboord with their boates for that his meaning was to beare with them to that Ilande from whence they came and there to come to an Ankor of purpose to vnderstand what land that was whether amongest those people he might heare or haue anye newes or certeine intelligence of the Indias yet notwithstanding y e generals cōmandement they in their boats followed our ships alwaies making signes and calling to our men therein to stay and tarrie for them wherefore the Captaine Generall with the other Captaines came to an Ankor and so they in their boates approched néere and came to our Fléete And then by view of their persons it appeared they were men of a good stature and somewhat blacke They were apparelled in linnen cloth of Cotten welted with sundry colours some girdeled vnto their knées and others carried the same vpon their shoulders as cloaks and vpon their heads they weare a certeine kinde of tucks or kerchiefe somewhat wrought with silke and gold thrid They haue swoords and daggers as the Moores doe vse them in their boates they brought with them their instruments called Sagbuts These men being thus come to our ships they forthwith came a boord the same with great opinion of assuraunce euen as though they had knowne our men a long time and immediatlye began to be conuersant and very familiar with them vsing their speaches which they vttered in the language of Algarauia and would not be knowne they were Moores The Generall commaunded to giue them meate they did both eate and drinke with a good wil of whatsoeuer was giuen them And béeing asked at commaundement of the General by one Fernan Aluares who could speake y t language what land that was they answered that it apperteined to a great king which was before how that Iland was called Mōsambicke and the towne there full of Merchantes which haue traficke with the Moores of the Indias who bring thether siluer linnen cloth pepper ginger siluer ringes many pearles and rubie stones and that out of another Countrie which remained behinde they doe bring them golde Declaring further that if our men would enter into the Harbour there they would bring them thether and they shuld perceiue and sée the truth and more at large touching those thinges they then gaue information of The Generall hearing this entered into counsell with the other Captaines debating the matter thereof and argued whether it were good to enter the Harbour and sée if those things were of truth which those Moores had imparted to them and also there to take some Pilottes to carrye them further since they were nowe destitute of such Vppon which consultation it was there determined that Nicholas Coello shuld first make an assay proofe for enterance and sounding of the barre by reason his ship was the least of the Fléete which accordingly he forthwith did And so going to enter he went and touched the point of the Iland and therewith brake his helme howbeit through God his goodnesse he perished not there although he was in great daunger and hasard thereof for as he went vpon the point vnwares so with quicke spéede and good fortune he gote of the same Neuerthelesse he perceiued and found y ◠the barre was good to enter and therfore he came to an anker two crosbow shot from the towne scituated in that Iland which is in fiftéene degrées towards y ◠South it hath a very good harbour and also great plentie of the victuals of that countrie the houses of that towne be made of strawe and the dwellers therein
and Fernan Martines the interpretour Iohn de Sala which was afterward Treasurer of the house of the Indias c. So that with him in all they were thirtéene They appointed also that in his absence ther should remaine for Captaine generall his brother Also hée gaue commaundement that he shoulde not suffer any man to come aboord his ship and all those that were desirous to goe aboord to commaund them to remaine in their boate or Almadias Moreouer he left order with Nicholas Coello that he should come euery day with his boate as néere vnto y e shore as he could These things being setled the next day after being Mundaye the xxviij of May the Captaine generall did imbark himself with those twelue before rehearsed they all being apparailed in the best attire that they had their boates furnished with much ordinaunce flagges and trumpets which went alwaies sounding vntill such time y t y e Captaine general came to land whereas y e Catual was tarrieng for him being accompanied with 200 Nayres which attended ther continually besids many others y ◠wer not of that company besides many also y t were of y t towne The Captaine generall being disimbarked was ioyfully receiued of y r Catuall of y e others y t did accompany him as though they were very glad of his comming after y t he was thus receiued he was taken into an Andor which y ◠King of Calicut had sent to bring him vpon for y t in this countrey they are not accustomed to goe a horsebacke but in these Andors which are like vnto a horslitter sauing y t they are wtout any couer ouer them almost plaine y e sides therof are also very low Each of these Andors when they will occupie y e same are caried w t 4. men vpon their sholders which also doth run post w t thē at such time as y e king noble men do make any great iourny or if so be y t they wil go a great ground in a small time for they may trauell in y e same either sitting or lieng as they wil themselues Also ther go with these certain footmen which carie with them hats wherwith to couer those y ◠go in these Andors which they do call Bueys so that by this meanes they are kept from y ◠sunne the raine ther are also other Andors y ◠which haue ouer thē a cane bowed like vnto a hoope which for y ◠they are made very slight may easily carie those 2. men The Captaine generall being moūted in this Andor departed w t the Catuall who was carried in another Andor to a town called Capocate but all y e rest of the cōpany went afoote the people of the country was cōmaunded by the Catuall to carie all such apparel as our mē had brought vp w t thē which was ther redeliuered vnto thē being in Capocate they staid to refresh themselues where the Captaine generall being in one house the Catuall in another they did eate to al our men was giuen to eat sodden fish w t rice butter besides fruits of y e countrey which differ from ours very much yet they are very good The one sort of these is called Lacas and the other Mangas howbeit they haue figs also The water y t they did drinke was very excellent as good as any in Portingal Thus after they had eaten they went againe to imbark themselues for that they shuld go vp a riuer which from thence runneth into the sea the Captaine generall did imbarke himselfe with his company into 2. Almadias lieng the one close to the other which in y ◠countrey they did call Ensangada The Catuall w t his traine were imbarked in many others and the people that came to the riuers side to sée and view our men were without number for so much as that countrey is well inhabited And after that they had gone in this riuer about a league and that along the shores side they saw lieng a ground many great ships the Captaine generall with the Catuall being disimbarked did returne to their Andors and following their waye there resorted alwayes about them thousandes of people to sée them wherein they tooke such a felicitie that the very women also with their children hanging at theyr backes did not féele the waye they went in following to féed their eyes From this place which I haue made mention of the Catuall did carrie him vnto a certaine Pagode of their Idolls into which when they were entred he told him that the same was a Church of great deuotion which the Captaine generall beléeued to be true to be some church of the Christians therfore he gaue the more credit therevnto the rather for that he saw y t ouer the principall dore therof there hanged seuen little bells afore the same there was a pillour made of wier the which was as high as the mast of a ship vpon the top thereof there stoode a wether cock made likewise of wier This church was as great as a good Monestary and was made all of frée stone and couered or vauted ouer with bricke which gaue an outwarde shewe as though within side it shoulde be of verye faire workmanshippe Our Captaine was very glad to sée the same for that he thought himselfe to be among Christians and entering within this Church with the Catuall they were receiued by certaine men naked from the girdle vpwarde and from thence downe to the knée couered with certaine linnen cloth made of cotten with y ◠which their arme holes were couered also without any thing vpon their heads and vpon their left sholders they had certaine number of thrids which came vnder their right shoulders much like as the Priests were wont to weare their stoles héere amongst vs when they went to Masse These men are called Cafres and are Gentiles which serue in Malabar in their Pagodes who with a sprinkle tooke water out of a certaine fountaine threw the same vpon the Captaine generall vpon the Catuall and on the rest of the companye After all this they gaue them Saunders in pouder to cast the same vpon their heads as they did héere their Ashes as also they shuld do y e like vpon y e brawns of their armes but they could not do so by reason of their apparrel which they had on but yet they did not let to doe it on their heads so going about this Church they saw many Images painted vpon y ◠wal wherof some ther wer y ◠had great téeth which appeared to be so monstrous y t they were of an inch of length without their mouth Others ther wer y t had foure armes therwith wer so ill fauoured that they séemed to be very diuells y t which sight made our men stand in doubt whether the same wer a Church of Christians or no. Being come afore the Chappel which stood
thence towards the Riuer called Ryo del infante vpon the Friday being the eight day of Nouember which was the Feast daye of the conception of our Lady and in sailing forward on their voyage ther arose so great a storme with a forewinde vpon the daye of Saint Luke that our whole Fléete did runne with there small sayles and that also verye low In this course they lost the company of Nicholas Coello howbeit the next night after they all met and ioyned together againe Now hauing past and sailed through this great storm or rather torment of wind which then was ceased the Captaine Generall vppon the sixtéenth daye of December did discouer lande which were certaine small Rockes being distaunt from the Harbour of Saint Blaze thréescore leagues and fiue leagues also from the other part of the Rocke called De la cruze where Bartholome Dyas did erect his last marke from which place to the Riuer Del Infante are fiftéene leagues This Countrey is very pleasant and sightly in viewe and in the same is great store of Cattell and the further our Fléete sayled on that Coast the better and higher the Trées were all which things our men might well perceiue and discerne by reason they went so néere the shore with their ships And vpon the Saterday they past hard by and within sight of the Rocke De la cruze and for that they were then come so far forward as the Riuer Del infante they were loath to passe the same and thereof taking counsell all the next night they went somewhat wide from the Coast with a fore-winde vntill Euensong time and then the Winde came to the East which was right against them wherefore the Captaine generall made to Seawarde going in such sort as sometime he kept the Sea and sometime droue towards the lande vntill the Tuesday being the twentith of December at the setting of the Sunne the winde then comming to the West which was a forewinde and whether to attayne to haue knowledge of the Lande they consulted all that night which were best to doe The next daye at tenne of the Clocke in the fore noone they came to the Rocke aforesayde which is thrée score leagues a stearne the place wherevnto they minded to goe This Rocke is the cause of the great Currents that are there and the selfe same daye the Fléete through passed the same Course with a great forewinde which had also indured them thrée or foure dayes and wherewith they ranne through those Currents which greatlye they feared and were in doubt to haue done These daungerous Currents thus safelye and happelye passed without losse or damage they all were very glad and ioyfull that theyr good Fortune was to haue passed the same in manner as Bartholome Dyas before that time had accordinglye done Wherefore the Captaine generall béeing animated and encouraged with this his great good lucke and Fortune and after thankes giuen to God for the same did then saye that hée verelye beléeued that it was Gods good will and pleasure that the Indias should be founde ¶ How the Captaine generall came to the Lande called La terra de la buena gente and after went to the Riuer called Ryo de las buenas sennales how hee brought theyr shippes on grounde and of the great sicknesse our people had after they arriued there Chap. 4. THus following their voyage they perceiued that vpon Christmas daye they had discouered along the Coast thrée score and tâ—nne leagues to the Eastward which was the waye he carryed with him in his Register and wherein the Indias are And héere the Fléete went along vpon the Sea without taking land so farre that they began to want and haue lacke of water for to drinke and were inforced to dresse their meate with salt water so that no man of that Fléete had then allowaunce of water to drinke more then one pinte a day Howbeit vpon the Friday being the eleuenth day of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord God 1498. drawing néere the lande they went out in their boates along the Coast to take view thereof and so passing by the same they saw many Nigroes with a great company of women all of them of great stature which went along the Sea side and when the Captain generall saw and perceiued that they showed themselues to bée a people flexible to ciuilitie and of a quiet disposition hée commaunded one of our men called Martin Alonso who coulde speake manye languages of the Nigroes and one other with him to leape out on Lande and to goe to them which immediatelye those two persons did and at theyr comming to the same blacke People they were of them verye well receyued and especiallye of the chiefe person or Gouernour of the same to whome our Generall viewing his and theyr manner of courtesie foorthwith sent a Iacket a payre of Hose and a Cappe beeing all redde and a Bracelet of Copper of which things he was very glad and rendered great thankes to the Generall for the same saieng that with a verye good will hée shoulde haue of gifte anye thing he would desire or had néede off that was to be had in his Countrey All which Martin Alonso vnderstanding theyr language tolde to the Generall who was verye ioyfull that by his interpretation those people and ours might of each other haue vnderstanding giuing also at that instant license to y e same Alonso one moe of our men to goe with those people for one night to their Towne at the request of the same gouernour who verie earnestly required the same The gouernour then apparelled himselfe with those Garments which the Generall gaue him and with great pleasure gaue commaundement to many of his chiefe men to goe before and receiue him when he came to their towne The people as they went viewed and beheld with greate pleasure and admiration those vestures which our General had giuen him clapping their hands for ioy thereof which manner of gladsome reioysing they vsed thrée or foure times before they came to their towne And after their entraunce therein they went round about the same to the end all the people and inhabitants thereof might sée and behold those giuen garments and straunge arraie Which béeing done the gouernour entered into his house where he commaunded Alonso and his companion to be well lodged and gaue to them for their supper a Hen euen such as ours bée and Pap made of Mylyo which is a kinde of graine of a yeolow coulour whereof also they make bread This night repaired many Nigroes to their lodging to sée them And the next daie after the gouernour sent them to their ships with certaine Nigroes of his loden with hens for the Captaine Generall who rendered thanks for the same and required by his interpretour those Nigroes to saie vnto their Gouernour that he now saw and perceiued him to be a noble man or king of that countrie forasmuch as the Generall and the rest
of our men in those fiue daies wherein they had houered vpon and viewed that Coast had no manner domage done or offered them and saw both many quiet and gentle people there also many noble men he gaue to this land an apt name calling it The Land of good people in the Towne where Martyn Alonso was theyr houses bée made all of strawe and verie well furnished within The owmen be more in number then the men for in the companie of fortie women there are no more but twentie men They carrie with them long bowes with arrowes and darts of yron and vpon their armes and legges they weare many braceléets of Copper and some péeces of them in their haires Also they carrie daggars the hafts or handles of Pewter and the sheathes of Iuorie so that it is manifest that they haue in that Countrie plentie of copper and tinne Moreouer they haue great store of Salt which they make of Salt water carrieng the same from the Sea side in gourds and putting it into certeine Caues where they make the Salt These kinde of people were so gladde of the linnen that our men carried with them and brought with them thether that they gaue for one shirt much Copper They also were so quiet amongest our men that they brought them water to their boates from a riuer which was two Crosbowe shotte from the place where our men tooke in the same which riuer they call Ryo de Cobio From this place our Fléete departed the fiftenth daye of Ianuarie and going vnder saile did discouer land of an other countrie which lyeth very lowe wherein were trées verie high and thicke and so procéeding forward they discouered or found a riuer which was verie open at the entering of the same And for that the Generall thought it necessarie to reknowledge or haue notice of that Countrie there to learne whether they might heare anye newes or intelligence of the Indias hée commaunded to come to an Ankor which was vpon the Thursday béeing seauen daies before the end of Ianuarie and the same night he with his brother Nicholas Coello entered the riuer and at the dawning of the daye did well perceiue the lande to bée lowe and couered with water hauing trées of great height and thicke loaden with sundrie sortes of fruites Our men then beholding the land which was verie pleasaunt they sawe also certeine boates at that present comming towardes them with men in the same whereof the Generall was very glad supposing vppon sight of those people and view of their countrie in that manner which argued they had some knowledge and experience of the Sea that therefore they were not farre of from the Indias or at leastwise could not then goe far but they should heare newes of the same when the people with their boates came néere to our Fléete our men perceiued they were all blacke people of good stature howbeit all naked sauing their priuie members which wer couered with little péeces of linnen made of Bomebast or Cotten they came neere and entered into our ships without any feare and in such sorte vsed themselues towardes our men as though they had ben of long acquaintance and familiaritie with them They were very well receiued of our people of the Fléet the Captaine Generall commanded the same and also that there shuld be giuen vnto them certeine little Bels other things he talked with them by signes for they did not vnderstand any of Martin Alonso his languages nor any other interpretour y t our men thē had After this their good interteinment they departed and as it séemed well liking of the same they and many others with them afterward returned in their boates to our ships bringing vnto them such victuals as their countrie yéeldeth They in appearance shewed themselues verie well contented with our men as they came by water so also did many others of those people repaire thether by land amongst them women of indifferent good beautie especially y ◠young maides which goe after the same sort that the men doe They haue in their lips thrée holes and in euery hole a péece of tinne which they estéeme as a thing very gallant and gaye They tooke with them certeine of our men to make merrie at a countrie towne there néere hand and where they fet water for our ships And after the thrée daies space that our Generall was in that riuer there came of curtesie two noble men of that countrie to visit him in their boates whose apparell was none other then of the rest sauing the péeces of lynnen wherewith they couered their members were farre greater then those the common sorte vsed and one of them ware vpon his head a tucke or kerchiefe wrought with silke and the other had a night cap of gréene Satten The Captaine Generall séeing those men somewhat addicted to cleanlinesse was verie glad thereof receiued them in curteous manner and commaunded to giue them meate and moreouer he gaue them apparell and certeine other things but it appeared by their countinaunces they smallye or nothing at all estéemed thereof Howbeit while they remained in our Shippes the Generall perceiued by tokens and signes which a young man that came with them then shewed that their countrie was farre of thence and that they had séene as great ships as ours were wherof he greatly reioysed and all our people in like manner as then verely hoping and thereby coniecturing that the Indias were néere to that place which their hope and coniecture was also farre the more augmented and confirmed for that after those noble men were gone to shore they sent to the Fléete certeine linnen cloth to sell which was made of Cotten vpon which also were certeine marks of Okar in respect of which good newes and intelligence héere found and likely to ensue the Captaine Generall gaue to this riuer a name calling it The Riuer of the good tokens or marks and caused there a marke to be erected calling the same San Raphael according with the name of the shippe wherein hée was and went that voyage And forasmuch as he perceiued by the signes of the young man that those noble men inhabited a Countrie farre thence and that they had séene shippes as greate as ours hée thereby and vppon other coniectures gathered that their Countrie was néere to the Indias and so consequently that the Indias was farre of from that riuer where our ships then lay wherefore consulting héereof it was by him and the other Captaines then determined vpon that all the shippes should be brought on ground which determination was executed accordinglye the same ships repaired dressed and trimmed in all points néedfull and necessarie In dooing whereof they spent and passed ouer two and thirtie daies in which time our men susteined and passed ouer great troubles and tormentes of minde by occasion of a sicknesse there happened amongest them which was thought to growe by meanes of the aire
ceremonie they may not know any mā These Kings sometimes haue warres one with another they in their owne persons goe into the fieldes yea and if néed so require they also fight when they die they be caried out from their pallaice into a plain field wher they be burned with great quantitie of wood of sanders a swéet wood called Aguila At this burning are alwaies present all his brothers néerest kinred and al the noble men of the countrey And they make staye of him from burning after his death thrée daies that they all may repaire thether come together to sée and viewe whether he came to his death naturallye or whether he were killed for if he dyed by force of anye mans hande then are they bounde to take reuenge thereof After hée is burned and all the ashes buryed they doe all shaue themselues without leauing any hayre yea euen of the least childe that is a Gentile All of them in generall doe then cease from eating of Betele during the space of thirtéene daies and he that doth eate the same infringeth their law and therefore they wil cut his lips and that by iustice In all this time the prince which shall succéed doth not command nor gouerne which is done of purpose to sée whether in that time anye man will come to saie or obiect any thing against him These things and daies thus done and past the noble men of the Countrie doe cause him to bée sworne to all those lawes customs which were made by his predecessour and to pay all his debts Also that hée shall trauaile to recouer whatsoeuer things of his kingdome before were lost This oath he taketh hauing his swoorde in his lefte hande and in the right hande a Candle burning which hath a ring of golde vppon it which he toucheth with two of his fingers and so taketh his oath This being done they throwe or powre vpon him a few graines of Rice with many such other ceremonies in dooing whereof they say many prayers and he worshippeth then the Sunne three times which so done the Caymayles that be Lords by parentage doe immediatly holding the selfe same Candle sweare to be true subiects vnto him The thirtéene daies béeing ended they all then doe eate Betele againe and flesh and fish as before the king onely except who then taketh thought and sorroweth for the death of his predecessour whose manner of mourning is thus He must not by the space of one whole yeare eate any flesh or fish or yet Betele neither must he shaue his beard nor cut his nailes nor eate but once in a daie and must wash himselfe all his bodie ouer before he doe eate and praie certeine houres in the daye After the yeare is past and ended he then vseth a certeine ceremonie for the soule of the king his predecessour which is much like to our Dirge whereat are assembled an hundreth thousand persons at which time he giueth great almes when this ceremonie is finished they then confirme the Prince for inheritour of the kingdome and so all the people do depart The king of Calicut and all the other kings of Malabar haue one especiall man that hath the charge for administration of iustice and doth command is obeyed in all other matters of gouernement as amplie as the king himselfe The men of warre which the king of Calicut the other kings haue are Nayres which be all Gentlemen and are appointed to no other office or affaires but to fight when néede requireth They be all Gentiles and carrie their armour wherewith they fight themselues which is bowes arrowes speares daggers made like a hooke and targets and march with them very honourably and gallantly but they goe naked carrieng onely certeine linnen cloth of cotten painted with the which they couer themselues from the girdle to the knée they are bare footed and weare vppon their heads certeine towels They all liue by the king and by the noblemen of the countrie of whome they haue ordinarie stipends and allowaunce for their maintenaunce They doe so greatly estéeme and make account of theyr gentrie and of their cleanlinesse that they will not touch any husbandman neither permit any of them to come into their houses The husbandmen are bound when they goe in the stréetes to crie with a lowde voyce and saye Hoo they goe for if these Gentlemen doe come and bid them goe out of the way and they doe not obey their commaundement therein then may they kill them The king cannot make Gentlemen except they be of the stocke of Gentlemen They serue very well and faithfully with them of whome they haue their interteinment and vnder whose obeysaunce they liue not sparing by night nor daie anye opportunitie of time for shewe of their best indeauour in seruice of the same nor making anye account of meat or of theyr person or of sléepe whensoeuer their trauell or dilligence may take effect or purpose of well doing They haue so small charge and occasion of expence that with halfe a crowne a péece which is their ordinarie allowance for one moneth they may very well and sufficiently mainteine themselues and each of them a boye to serue him The Nayres by the law of the country cannot marry and for that cause they haue no children certain but those which they haue are begotten of Lemmans with which thrée or fowre of them do lie by accord agréement had and determined amongest themselues hauing one woman onelye to serue that purpose vnlesse any cause or quarrell growe amongest them and euerye one of them shall be with her a whole daie accompting from the one halfe of the daye present wherein he commeth to the other halfe of the day next following at which time he departeth from hers and then commeth another who continueth the lyke time Thus they passe ouer and spend their life time without care and trouble of wife and children They mainteine their lemmans verie well according to their degrées and birth And if any of them will at any time leaue and forsake her they may at their pleasure doe it and likewise she maye refuse anye of them at her will These women are all Gentlewomen for the Nayres amye not take anye Countrie women and they also doe not marrie And for that there bée so many men to one women they take not them for theyr children which bée begotten of her although the same bée lyke vnto them and therefore theyr brothers children doe inherit their lands and haue their goods This lawe that these Gentlemen shoulde not marrie the king ordeined and made for that they hauing no wiues nor children on whom they should haue care and fixe their loue might the better indure the warres and liue at more libertie to serue in the same And because they are Gentlemen and that they should be the more animated and incouraged to liue in that order and to serue well they be so priuiledged that none of them
which words was vttered in y e Spanish tongue And after he asked him what way he had gone and trauailed that he was come to this place wherevnto the banished man aunswered told him shewing also how many ships the Generall had ther wherat Bontaybo meruailed and wondred how they could come by Sea thether Then he asked him what they sought so farre off And he aunswered that they came to séeke Christians and spices Moreouer Bontaibo asked why y e Kings of Fraunce and Spaine the Duke of Venice did not also sende thether Whereto the banished man made aunswere that◠y e King of Portingale would not giue his consent they should so doe Bontaybo replieng thereto sayde that he did well wisely therein Thus hauing talked a while he gaue him very good entertainment and commaunded to giue him certaine Cakes made of the flower of Wheate which the Malabars do call Apes and with the same honnie After be had well eaten Bontaybo aduised him to go to the ships said he would goe with him as indéede he did to see y e Captaine generall And being come to the Admirall which was then entered Bontaybo then began to say to the General in Spanish Good lucke good lucke many Rubies many Emeraulds thou art bound to giue great thankes to God for that he hath brought thée where there is all kinde and sorts of spices stones and all the riches of the worlde When they hearde him so saye they all meruayled greatlye thereat for they before woulde not haue beléeued that there hadde béene anye man so farre off from Portingale that coulde vnderstande theyr language Wherefore with wéeping teares which they then plentifully shed for ioye and pleasure they had conceiued as well for the same as also for their safe and happie arriuall there they then gaue to God most humble and heartie thankes through whose onely fauour good will and pleasure that good lucke and great good benefite had happened to them And then the Generall imbraced Bontaybo and caused him to sit downe by him asking him if he were a Christian and how he came to Calicut For aunswere whereto y ◠Moore told him of whence he was and what he was and how he came to Calicut by the way of Cayro also he shewed him by what meanes he came to knowledge of Portingals and that alwaies he had bene a friend to them for that in all respects at all times their doings manners appeared to him to be good and worthy of friendship Finally he sayde that as he had in time past bene a friend to them so would he now at this present continue his good will and was ready and would be to doe all that in him was to pleasure further them and the effect of their purpose in comming thether The Captaine generall gaue him great thankes and promised to recompence him very liberally in respect of that his good will and for any pleasure or friendship he shoulde thenceforth shew to him and his company he shuld be wel assured to be thankfully considered of Declaring also that he was the most ioyfull man of all the world to finde him there and to haue him for a friend and an ayde verely beléeuing that God had sent him thether to giue an ende to the enterprise of the voyage which he so desired in discouering of those Indias and had entered into and passed through so many daungers by long tract of time to attaine vnto the same and now notwithstanding his arriual ther he thought to haue but small fruite of his trauaile without his helpe friendly furtheraunce Then he requested him to declare what manner of man the King of Calycut was and whether he thought he would receiue him with good wil as an Embassadour from the King of Portingale 〈◊〉 Bontaybo aunswered that the King of Calycut was a very good man and of an honourable disposition and that he no doubt would receiue him gladly for Embassadour from a straunge king especially if his comming were to settle and intreate for establishment of tract or trade of merchaundise in Calicut and had brought with him anye kinde of Merchaundise for that purpose For said Bontaibo as there doth grow great aduauntage and profit by custome thereof to the king so is the same indéede the verye principall rents or reuenewes he hath for his mainteynaunce Moreouer he informed the Generall that the king at that instant was in a certaine village fiue leagues from Calicut scituated along the coast named Panane whether he aduised him to send vnto him to declare of his arriuall and comming thether The Generall very well liking of the speaches and aduise of Bontaybo did therefore giue vnto him certeine gifts and sent with him two of his men in message to the king of Calicut requesting Bontaybo to direct them on their waye to Panane which he accordingly did These messengers being nowe come before the king one of them whose name was Fernan Martyn by an interpretour which he had declared vnto him that he came from his Captaine who is arriued in the port of Calicut with certeine shippes and is come thether from the king of Portingale of purpose to bring him letters which the same Captaine is readie to come and present vnto him if it so stoode with his good liking and pleasure whereof to vnderstand he then had sent him and his fellowe there present The king hearing this message commaunded before he would make aunswere thereto to giue to each of them a certeine péece of lynnen cloth made of Cotten and two of silke whith were very good and euen such wherewith he was accustomed to girdle himselfe And after these péeces were so giuen them he then demanded of Fernan Martyn what king that was which hadde sent him those letters and how farre from thence his kingdome was wherevnto Fernan aunswered and fully informed him touching that demaund declaring also that he was a Christian prince that all those whom he had sent were christians hauing past many troubles and daungers vpon the sea before their arriuall there at Calicut The king hearing all the discourse of their voiage wherof Fernan Martynes somwhat at large informed him did greatly maruell at the same shewed himselfe to be right glad y ◠a Prince of so great a power as the king of Portingale was being also a christian would send an Ambassadour to him And therefore he sent word to the Generall that he and his cōpanie were hartelye welcome into his Countrie requiring him to bring his ships to an ankor néere to a village named Padarane which is somwhat beneath the place where they first came to an ankor being a far better harbour then that of Calicut which is an open roade very dangerous for the ships And appointed that from thence the General shuld go by land to Calicut wher he wold be to speak with him And therw t he sent a Pilot who conuaied the ships to the
25. AFter that the Captaine Generall was thus informed he would tarrie there no longer but immediatlye came to an Ankor at the Ilande of Ansandina the which was distaunt from thence as it were two Gunne shotte where it was tolde him there was excellent swéete water This Iland is but little and but a league of from the firme land There are in the same many woods and also two conduit heads made of frée stone of excellent sweete water the which are springs and do rise ther wherof one is sixe foote déepe Also in the sea about the sayde Iland is great store of fish Before that the Moores did vse to traficke to the Indias the same was inhabited by Gentiles in the which there were goodly buildings in especiall their Pagodes was a goodly thing And after that the Moores which came from the red sea began to saile that way they resorted thether alwayes to take in their water and wood and did so abuse the inhabitants that they could not wel abide the same so that they left their dwellings ther but before their going away they plucked downe almost all their Pagods so that they left nothing standing but the verye Chappell the lyke they did to all other their buildings yet for all that these Gentiles that wer of the firme land which belong to the king of Narsingas had to this Pagode such deuotion that from thence they would goe sundry times to make in the same their praiers vnto thrée black stones that were lieng in the middest of the said Chappell The Iland is called Ansandina which in the Malabars language is called the â—iue Ilandes for that rounde about the same there lye the other foure The Captaine Generall hauing come to an Ankor sent Nicholas Coello with his companye to discouer the same who founde it according as afore is declared and a goodlye place or grounde where they might newe graue their ships And for that the Captaine Generall had a great course to run and also for that he knew not when to finde so conuenient a place he consulted with the other Captaines to bring their shippes there a ground The first ship that they brought there a grounde was the Shippe the which they called Berâ—â—o And whilest they were thus occupyed there came many people to sell them victualls At which time there came two small Brickentines that hadde out theyr Standerds and Flagges in the toppes of theyr Mastes and within them theyr Trumpettes and Drumnies wherevppon they came playeng at theyr pleasure In these Brickentines there came manye men and they all at the Oare and along the shoare side there were other fiue which came to succour them if they shoulde haue anye néede The Captaine Generall after that hée hadde fight of them had warning giuen him by the Malabars to beware of them for that they were rouers and vnder a couloure of peace did robbe all that they coulde take And after that hée was entered into his shippe hée perceiued that hée might haue taken them if so bée that hée woulde haue consented to lette them to come aboorde him but hée woulde not agrée to the same And therefore as soone as they came within Gunne shotte commaunded all theyr Ordinaunce to be shot at them from those two shippes that were a floate They fearing this shotte gaue out a lowde voice crieng Tambarane Tambarane for so they doe call God and with this often shooting they fledde theyr way Nicholas Coello béeing as then in his Boate went after them alwayes shooting his Ordinaunce who pursued them so farre that the Captaine Generall was driuen to put vp his Flagge for a signe hée shoulde retourne and so he did The next daye after the Captaine Generall with all his men béeing a land working vpon the ship called Berrio there came in two litle Paraos to the number of twelue men of the Countrie the which in their apparel séemed to bée of some countenaunce who brought for a present a bundell of Sugar Canes and immediately as soone as they had deliuered the same they asked license to goe aboord and to sée the ships for that they neuer saw any before The Captaine generall was greatly offended with this their request for by that he feared least that they were spies and whilest they were in this talke there came thether other two Paraos with as many more men Those that came first séeing that the Captaine generall was somewhat growen in cholar did will those that came afterward not to come a lande but to returne againe The ship Berrio being made in a redinesse afterward that the Generalls ship was brought a ground to be new rigged and hauing a lande about hir all the other Captaines there came a man in a little Parao who séemed to be of the age of fortie yeares and not of that Countrey for that he had vpon him a Sabaco of fine Cotten which reached downe to his héeles and about his head a toocke or towell which also couered part of his face and at his gyrdell a Fawâ—â—in or Skeyne And assoone as he leapt a lande he went immediately to imbrace the Captaine generall as one that had séene him or knowen him before and after the selfe same sort he vsed the other Captaines telling them that he was a Christian and borne in Italy and that hée was brought into that Countrey of a childe and that his dwelling was with a Noble man that was a Moore called Sabayo the which was Lord of a certaine Iland called Goa lieng about twelue leagues from thence and had forty thousand horsemen within the sayd Iland And for that his habitation was amongst the Moores he obserued their lawe howbeit it was but for an outward shew but inwardly in his soule he was a Christian and being in Sabayos house it was tolde him that there was come by Sea to Calycut certaine men in ships whereof there was neuer séene y e like in the Indias and that there were none that vnderstoode their language and also that their bodies were couered ouer with cloathes And when he had vnderstanding of the same he immediatelye iudged them to be Frangnes for so they do call those that are Christians in that Countrey and for that he was desirous to sée them had therefore asked lycense of Sabayo saieng that if so be that he woulde not giue him license to goe and sée them that he knewe verye well that he should dye with very thought and anger by reason whereof he gaue him license by whome hée sent them word that if so be that there were in his Countrey anye thing y t they had néede of they shuld haue the same in especiall shippes and victualles And moreouer if they woulde come and dwell in his Countrey he would be very gladde thereof and would giue both them and theirs sufficient lyuing with the which they should liue very honourably After that he had ended thus his talke the Captaine generall asked him perticularly for
be deliuered by order And going in this necessitie and also with fowle weather the people began to fall sicke a disease in their gums as they did in the riuer De buenas Sennalâ—s when as they went to Calicut also their armes and legs did swell besides other swellings which did rise in their bodyes by reason of a pestilent stinking humour which did cast them into a laske and of this new infirmitie there dyed to the number of thirtie persons And after that they began once to die and had continued this kinde of weather vppon the Seas ther arose such a feare amongst those that did remain aliue that they fared in the same as it were men amazed and beléeued verely that they should neuer goe from thence for that as they thought this kinde of weather was alwayes durable there and that the same was the cause that it indured so long The Masters and Pilots of the Fléete were of the lyke opinion which made the rest beléeue it the sooner that by this meanes the crye of all those that were there as well of them that were sicke as of the other was great saieng that since the weather would not serue them to goe from thence yet they requested him not to be an occasion of their death but rather consent to retourne vnto Calycut or els to some other place in the Indias and béeing ther to receiue what God shuld appoint them rather then to dye in those seas of to terrible diseases for which ther was no likelihoode of any remedie in especiall hauing lacke of all other things as of victuals and water which as then they began to want by reason that by their long continuaunce in the said place was all spent The Captaine generall séeing the great feare that his men were in and for to animate them the more sayd vnto them all on this sorte requesting them to be content and not to beléeue that such weather as was there coursed by them on that sorte was alwayes lyke to continue for if so bée that it were so then there woulde be no Nauigation from the Goulph to the Strayghtes of Meca nor to Mylynde nor yet from anye other place by the which they shoulde passe And that it was not vnpossible but that they might somewhat digresse from their right course and therefore they met with these calmes and windes which they indured yet those he saide should haue an ende and with the same their troubles will lykewise ende But for all this the Marriners woulde not beléeue him for that in this trouble they had continued foure monethes and also that there were dead of theyr fellowes thirtie persons so that there were so fewe of them remayning that there was not to euery ship sixtéene persons left to gouerne the same and of them there were some that were verye sicke of the disease aboue sayde By this meanes they fell into such a desperation by reason that they thought they shoulde goe no further and as they doe affirme that Paulo de la Gama and Nicholas Coello béeing both of them Captaines made agréement each of them in theyr Shippes to the other that if so bée that there woulde come anye Winde by the which they might retourne into the Indias that then they woulde surelye doe so Béeing thus determined vppon a sodayne there came a fresh gale of Winde with the which the Fléete might goe forwarde and with the same in sixteene dayes they came within sight of lande béeing on a Wednesday the seconde of Februarye at the which the Marriners reioyced in such sort that by meanes of the same they had forgotten theyr troubles and daungers that they were past and gaue vnto God great thankes for all his gracious benefites And when that they hadde sight of the Lande they founde themselues so néere vnto it that the Captaine generall gaue commaundement to cast about into the Sea so much as might bée thought sufficient for to staye vntill the morning the which béeing come they went foorthwith for to reknowledge the Lande and for to sée where they were for that as now there was none that knewe the same although that one of the Moores sayde that they hadde then taken theyr Course directlye towardes Monsanbique which standeth betwéene certaine Ilandes standing ouer against them thrée hundred leagues of the shore whereas the people of the same Countrey are continually sicke of the same disease that our men were The morning being come he went to reknowledge the land and came before a goodly great Citie which was walled round about and within the same very faire and high houses and in the midst of the same there was a great Pallaice which stood very high and séemed to be of a goodly building all this they saw very well out of their ships This Citie is called Magadoxo which standeth at the ende of the said goulfe in the Coast of Aethiopia a hundred thirtéene leagues from Mylynde the scituation whereof I shall declare héereafter And for that the Captaine generall knew the same to bée a Citie of Moores when as hée went along the Coast hée commaunded to shoote of manye péeces of Ordinaunce and also for that he coulde not tell how farre hée was from Mylynde from thence forward he stayed in the night because he would not passe the same Foorthwith on Saturday being the fifth of Februarie lieng ouer against a village of the Moores which they call Pate being a hundred and thrée leagues from Magadoxo there came from thence eight Terradas which is a certaine kinde of Boates of that Countrey being all full of Souldiours and made theyr waye straight towarde our Fléete fromwhence we shot so many péeces of Ordinaunce that they thought themselues happy to haue escaped by running awaye Howbeit our men did not followe them for lacke of winde The next Mundaye following the Generall arriued at Mylynde and béeing there the King sent to visite the Captaine Generall with sundrye fresh victualls sending him word also how glad hée was of his comming The Generall aunswered him againe by Fernan Martines by whome hée sent him a Present and for because of those that were sicke whome hée was desirous to haue cured hée tarryed there fiue dayes in the which time there died of them many At this present by the kings license he caused to be set a land a marke in token of friendship And after that he had prouided himselfe of victuals he departed on a wednesday in the morning béeing the xvii of Februarie with an Embassadour whome the king did sende to the king of Portingale for a perpetuall confirmation of friendshippe betwéene them Of the death of the Captaine Generalls brother and of the burning of one of the ships called Saint Raphael also how he arriued in Portingale and of the honour the king gaue him at their meeting cap. 27. NOw for that the Captaine Generall had not men inough to gouerne the whole Fléete he thought good and
was come to Panane thether also came presentlye sundry noble men his subiects and others his friends whome he had sent for to aide and succour him in this enterprise Others there were that came before they were sent for For as soone they heard that the warres were begun and that for our sakes that remained in Coching of the which they were all glad hoping therby to hunt vs out of the Indias therfore they came with the better good wil to séeke the destruction of the king of Coching There were also of his owne subiects that arose against him and some of his nobilitye as the Caimall of Chirapipill and hée of Cambalane and also he of the greate Iland which is ouer against Coching who carryed with them all the power that they were able to make And béeing come into the presence of the king of Calycut he spake vnto them all IF that good workes doe engender friendshippe amongest men then I and you for my sake and generally all the Malabars ought to beare the same greatly vnto the Moores for that it is well knowne that it is sixe hundred yeare since they came into the Prouince of Malabar and in all this time yea to this daie there was neuer anie that euer receiued at theyr handes anye hurt or losse But hauing no sooner receiued straungers newly come into anye of our Countries immediatlye we receiue losse by them wheresoeuer they doe beginne to settle theyr trade But the Moores doe trade with the people with all friendship and loue as ought to doe one naturall neighbour with an other by whose meanes the Countrey hath béene alwayes well prouided of much victualls and merchaundise which hath béene a cause to enrich our Townes and that our rents are greatly increased in especiall within this our Citie For whilest the Moores are héere resident they haue made the same the greatest mart Towne that is in all the Indias For this cause I am bounde in conscience and haue greate reason to fauour them and to mislyke of the christians which to my greate hinderaunce yea and against my good will settle in my lande more for to take the same and to destroye mée then to bring mée anye profite or gaines as the Moores doe hauing giuen of themselues greate shewes and signes thereof within these few daies that they were héere as in taking of my Captaine Generall and my Embassadour prisoners in making of new lawes in my Citie to lade their shippes first and before the Moores shuld lade And vpon this they tooke an occasion to staye a certeine Shippe of the Moores which was the cause that the Moores did as you doe heare and as I maye iudge by the sequeale thereof was so ordeined of God for theyr pride of the which hée was in no fault Yet this notwithstanding they burnt ten of my shippes which lay within my harbour After all this they with theyr Ordinance destroyed my Citye so that I was driuen to runne awaye out of my pallaice Not contented with this they burnt me other two shippes which they woulde not haue done if so be that they had come to settle a trade But first of all since they found themselues agréeued they shoulde haue come and made theyr complaint to mée of the Moores and tarryed till I had punished them and not to doe as they haue done by which it was apparant that they are théeues and no Merchants as they name themselues to be that vnder this coulour they might conquere the whole Countrie Which things the king of Coching would neuer vnderstand nor giue credit vnto although I sent him worde And being as he is my subiect wel vnderstanding what they had done vnto mée yet he would not but receiue them giue them lading for their ships and now he hath giuen them a factorie I sending him word and praieng him many times that he wold not consent therevnto For this cause therfore I haue sent for you that you should ioyne your selues And also to request you to tell me your opinions whether I haue reason to reuenge my selfe or no This determination to them all séemed verie good and they praised his purposed intent but principally the Lord of Repelyn forsomuch as hée was a greate enimie to the king of Coching for that he had vsurped an Iland of his called Arraul also of the selfe same opinion were other principall Moores But against this his pretended iourney spake the kings brother called Nambeadarin which was the onely heire to the Kingdome after the death of his brother who immediatlye in the presence of them all sayde THE kindred that is betwéene thée and mée beside sundrie other thinges may certifie thée that I do desire more thine honour and profit then anye that bée héere present and therefore my councell ought to be of a more efficacie then anye others For as they are not so greatlye bound to giue thée the same as I am so as it appeareth they doe feede thy humour and councell thée according to thy will since thou art desirous to accept it and not according to good reason which thou hast to leaue it But if so bée that they without flatterye and thou without passion wouldest iudge or weigh the cause of these Christians thou shouldest finde that vnto this present time they haue giuen thée no cause but that they should be well receiued into thy Countrie and so into all the Prouince of Malabar and not to hunt them foorth lyke théeues which they cannot bée called although they were present And forasmuch as from all the places of the worlde men doe resorte hether and assemble themselues to buye those Merchaundise which they haue not in theyr Countryes and bring those hether which we haue not héere In the same sorte come these Christians and as the custome is of Merchauntes they brought thée in their kings behalfe the richest present that thou diddest yet euer receiue And besides theyr merchandise they brought much Golde and siluer made in coine which they doe not vse to bring which come to make warres And if so bée they hadde come in anye such sorte they woulde not haue dissimuled the running awaye that the Pleadges offered vnto them whome thou doest call Embassadours that were kepte in Prison for that theyr Captaine was a Lande But they reconciling themselues vnto thée went and tooke the shippe at thy request in the which was the greate Elephant and afterward did present thée therwith and with all that the same ship carried besides those that are théeues doe not vse so to doe nor yet paye so well nor vse so much truth as they did for all the time that they were in Calycut there was none that did complaine of them but onely the Moores which they did for that they are their enimies and being mooued with enuy to sée them pertakers of their profite did accuse them that they hadde taken greate store of Pepper from the owners against theyr wills they
and how the Apostle Saint Thomas came thether and there was martyred and Alonso de Alburquerque went and laded there and in what place did settle a Factorye Chap. 62. IMmediatly after this was the king of Calicut aduertised of the losse of those â—araos and also of all the successe that our men had in those wars for the knowledge wherof he vsed all diligence in respect of the great desire he had to turne vs out of the Indias for that naturally they could not abide vs. And fearing least that we shuld take their countrie from them they were so much the more desirous to hunt vs away This thing they procured with great instance and also were the occasion that we should haue no Pepper Making this account that if so be that we should goe without the same vnto Portingale it would be the occasion that we would not retourne againe to the Indias By this meanes therfore we were driuen to prouide for the Fléete in their riuers and that with such a number of men that we could neuer haue aboue a 1200. quintall of Pepper of 4000. Bahares that the Merchants had promised and yet this we got with great shot of Ordinaunce and hurt of our men and with infinit shedding of bloud of the enimies In the ende the king of Calycut found the meanes by merchants his friends to perswade with the merchants of Coching to giue to the Captaine general no more pepper excusing themselues with the warres Which thing was done in such sort that neither with the request of the king of Coching neither with anye gifte that was giuen them by Francisco de Alburquerque hée coulde moue or perswade them to giue them anye more Pepper Now the hope of our men for hauing the same anye more in Coching béeing past Alonso de Alburquerque with Pedro de Tayde and Antonio del Campo were driuen to séeke for the same at the citie of Coulan which they did the sooner for that they knew that the gouernours of y â— Towne were desirous of our factorie the which was offered to Pedro Aluares Cabrall and the Lorde Admerall Those that thus went thether were fully bent to make warres against them if so be that they woulde not giue them lading for theyr ships Alonso de Alburquerque béeing departed from Coching with certaine Captaines came into the port of the Citie of Coulan the which standeth twelue leagues from Coching and from Comarin xxiiii the which is beyond the same bearing toward the South This Citie as 〈◊〉 saye before that Calycut was builded was the principall of the Poruince of Malabar and the greatest and most principallest Port of all that Coast Notwithstanding as yet their houses be both greate and fayre and so are also theyr Pagodes and Chappell 's comparable to these of Calycut Their harbour or hauen is verie good they are well prouided of all sortes of victualls the people are in condition lyke vnto those of Calicut The inhabitants are Malabars Gentiles and Moores and the Moores are verie rich and greate merchauntes in especially since the warres beganne betwéene Calycut and vs for many merchauntes of Calycut lefte the same and nowe dwell there They doe trade in Coromandyll Ceilan in the Ilands of Maldyua Bengala Pegu â—â—matia and in Malaea The king of this countrie is Lorde of a greate Kingdome wherin are many great Cities and rich which haue belonging vnto them sundrye goodlye harbours by reason whereof his customes are great and for that cause they are riche of Treasure and are able to make a greate power of men of warre which are for the moste parte men but of lyttle stature He hath alwayes in his gard thrée hundred women which doe vse bowes and are very perfect in the skill of shooting They haue about their breasts certaine bands of lynnen of silke with the which they doe binde them so harde that they are no hinderaunce vnto them in their shooting This king hath for y e most part of his 〈◊〉 war with the king of Narsinga which is a great trouble vnto him He doth continually or for the most part remain◠〈◊〉 a Citie the which they doe call Calle The Gouernours of Coulan are as it were Aldermen in the which there is a certaine Church which y e Apostle Saint Thomas builded comming thether to preach the Catholike faith by reason wherof there were great numbers that turned Christians as well of the Gentiles as otherwise so that of them there are procéeded from generation to generation the number of twelue thousand householders that are scattered abroad in the Country wher they haue their Churches The King of Coulan séeing how many were daylye conuerted and the daunger thereof did banish him out of his Countrey who being thus gone went to a Citie called Malapur lyeng along that Coast and is parcell of the Kingdome of Narsingas And yet being there for y t he was so followed by y â— Gentiles and by y e Christians of Coulan did apart himselfe to y e Mountains wher they affirme y t he dyed from thence he was brought to be buried in Coulan in a vante y t was made in the foresaide Church This Church is now ouergrowen with bâ—shes and woodes for that the Citie is disinhabited onely there remaineth a poore Moore which doeth kéepe the same for that there are no Christians néere vnto it and there he liueth vppon the almes of all those y t commeth thether in Pilgrimage aswell of Christians as of the Gentiles for y e Moores doth not let to giue their almes likewise vnto him for that he was buried in their Countrey Alonso de Alburquerque being come to the harbor of this citie the Gouernours hauing knowledge therof they came to visite him a boord his ship where within the same there was setled a peace y â— which was made vpon condition that we should haue our Factory in the Citie also should haue as much lading of spices and other commodities as would lade presently those ships the which immediatly they went about to prouide In the meane while that our men were there and whilest that the one ship tooke in his lading the other two kept abroad in the sea to watch all such as past by from other places and those that they could discrie were brought some with their good wills and others there were brought against their wills to speake with Alonso de Alburquerque and to shew him obedience as to a Captaine general of y e king of Portingales He offered no hurt to any but onely to the Moores of the red sea for all such of them as he tooke he would cause their ships first to be ransacked and afterward to be burnt in reuenge of that they had done to Pedro Aluares Cabrall of the which those of Coulan were greatly afraid The house for the Factorie béeing finished and the shippes laden Alonso de Alburquerque lefte there for Factor one Antonio de Sala
in readinesse certein fireworkes y â— therwith they might burne y â— caruells if they could not burne y e same y â— then with these castles they might lay the said Caruel aboord As soone as the dwellers inhabitants of Coching heard of these castles they were therwith grealy afeard least y t the enimyes would take Coching with that did make themselues in a redinesse to flie from thence for the which the king of Coching was very sad supposing y â— indéed with these Castles his enimies wold take his country from him After this certeine of the inhabitants of Coching went to y e Captaine generall to aske him whether he was able with his caruells to defend himselfe from these castles Whervppon the Captaine answered askt of them wherefore they demanded y â— question séeing y â— they did well know that from a greater power then this he had made them flie with broken heads so he doubted not but he would doe againe With this answere y e inhabitants of Coching were fully satisfied so minded not to remoue themselues from thence vntill such time the battell were fought The Captaine general for to encourage them the more commaunded before them all to pitch a long staffe in the ground the which was made sharp at y â— one end The same amongst the Malabars is called Caluete vpon y e which they do execute iustice of death vnto the poorest or vilest people of the country insomuch y â— if they say to a Naire Naire Caluete they take the same for a greater reproch then any other This Caluete being pitched on this sort the Captaine generall did then sweare to spit vpon the same the king of Calicut if so be that he did fight with him so forthwith he commaunded in dispraise of the king of Calicut y â— all his men should say with a lowd voice Samurin Caluete At this sight the inhabitants meruailed to sée y e stoutnesse of y â— Captaine so minded to remaine kéep the towne But for all this the Captaine Generall was inwardly moued in spirit for feare y t indéed they wold lay his caruels a boord that for lacke of men Howbeit y e better to defend them from y e same he commanded to be made a certeine Caniso y e which was made w t certeine masts of ships ioyned the one to the other bound with great bolts and hoops of yron These masts wer of eight fathom of length as many of breadth were placed from y â— Caruels a good stones throw And for y â— the eb nor yet the floud should carry y e same away ther wer laid out sixe great ankors thrée of them vpon the floud the other vpon the eb y â— made the same the surer And for that the Caruels should remaine so high as y â— castles one Peter Rafâ—l considering these deuises deuised also to encounter with the height of those castles to make certeine turrets of halfe masts which were set vpright and made fast a boord the caruell in the which turrets seuen or eight men might fight at plesure in each of them This being done one morning before day ther came to visit the Captain general the king of Coching of whose coÌ„ming the Captaine was very glad for y t he had heard how fearfull he was therfore he gaue him a good countenance yet for all this the king could dissemble no loÌ„ger but presently his eies did run downe with water with y t he embraced the Captaine general coÌ„manded those noble men y t came with him to do y e like which was done with so sorrowfull a countenance as though it were y â— last time y t they should méet Afterward y e king did apart himself with y t captaine some of our men as a man out of his wits said vnto him The King of Calycut hath a great power and we are but few and that without any hope that I haue to defend Coching or any of my people who besides are ready to runne away if thou be ouercome And since that I am vndone I request thée that thou doe prouide for thine owne safetie whilst thou hast time for that afterwards I doubt thou shalt not haue the same and therewith as though he were stopped in the throte he spake no more The Captaine generall shewing himselfe to be angrye with this speach aunswered him somewhat with cholar asking him what weaknesse or cowardnesse he had séene in him that he should will him to prouide for his safetie And further said that there or in what place soeuer he was he was most assured to defend himselfe from the King of Calicut and also doubted not but to giue him the ouerthrow notwithstanding the great power he brought And diddest not thou tell me quod he all these times past that God did fight for the Portingales but now how dost thou doubt of the same I haue a hope in God that to morow thou shalt sée the King of Calycut put in that Caluete and of this I doe not doubt if he doe tarry me neither yet thou oughtest to haue any doubt if thou wouldest thinke vpon the victories that God hath giuen me so oftentimes the King of Calycut hauing the same aduantage that now he hath This thou oughtest to beléeue and not that which the Moores of Coching do tell thée for y t they all doe not loue vs neither yet the alteration of the Nayres should make thée apalde which are afeard of euery puffe of winde Repent thy selfe therefore of that thou hast told me and dispaire not but returne with good courage to Coching and there also to comfort and harten thy people shew thy selfe strengthened stay thy subiects from going away and let me alone with this Passage for I will giue thée a good accompt thereof The King minding not to encrease his cholar did shew himselfe recomforted with his words and comfortable answere trusting that we would defend the Passage according to the valyaunt mindes he had founde in vs and in our Captaine generall which he did affirme without any doubt of the defence thereof The Nayre and all the people of Coching vpon their alteration and determination they made for their departing beléeuing yet that our men should be ouerthrowen did therevpon prouoke the Moores to runne awaye but yet neuerthelesse they would not ¶ How the King of Calycut did giue the Battaile vnto the Captaine generall with his castells ow they were all ouerthrowen cap. 71. THe King of Coching being departed the Captaine generall went to his Caruell shewing himselfe grieued greatly to sée the King so faint hearted the which might bée the occasion that Coching might be disinhabited which he feared very much and being desirous to suppe with his men thether came Lorenso Moreno with those of the Factorie with whom he was accustomed to come for as I haue said there was neuer any found
all his trust commanding them to go to Coching with some dissimulation and there to trauaile all that they could to kill the Captaine general and all such of our men as they could méete withall And as the Naires are men inconstant and cannot kéepe counsel longer then they are bethinking themselues therof therfore immediatly their intent was knowne to the Captaine general who from thence forward had a better regard to himselfe and vnto the rest of his companye then he had before And the better to take those Naires which came as Spyes thether he appointed thervnto two companies of y ◠Naires of Coching commaunding the one to k pe dilligentlye a long the foord and the other a long the riuer who watched by quarters both by day and night Whilest this dilligence was vsed the Captaine Generall had knowledge that this spy was a Naire of Coching and of the house or stocke of the Leeros who had attendant vppon him certeine Nayres that were straungers which appeared to bée lyke those of Calicut Nowe hauing certeine knowledge héereof he so hande the matter and in such order that forthwith hée tooke them all prisoners and béeing brought before him he commaunded them to bée cruellye whipped in the presence of those Naires of Coching and afterwarde to bée hanged The inhabitauntes of Coching séeing this requested the Captaine Generall to giue them some other punishment since that they were Nayres and not to shewe them so great extremitie but notwithstanding hée wold not graunt vnto anye other punishment for that they had deserued the same Then all his Captaines sayde vnto him that first and before all he should call to remembraunce the greate troubles that the King of Coching hadde susteined for the onelye mainteining of them and also howe much it woulde grieue him to heare saye that such were hanged in his Countrie without his consent Also it woulde giue an occasion for such noble men as were with him to saye that he is a king but for a while since that his iurisdiction is nowe taken from him And forasmuch as hetherto he had vsed him alwayes with reuerence they wished that nowe at the ende he woulde haue him in a greater estimation then euer hée hadde before The Captaine Generall hauing considered theyr reasons did allowe of theyr good councell héerein and caused those Naires to be sent for that were gone to execution of the which there were two halfe dead but those that were liuing hée sent to the king of Coching aduertising him how that they hadde deserued death and also the cause why hée hadde not commaunded them to bée hanged The King hearing this tooke the same in greate honour and estimation that they were sent him and especiall for that there were present sundrye of the noble men of his Countrie and of other places yea and Moores also of the chiefest that dwelt in Coching which did not lette to saye vnto the king to afrunt him withall that our men were they that commaunded and did not obeye But from hence foorthe the Captaine Generall hadde such intelligence that the subtile dealinges of the king of Calycut tooke very small effect against him How the king of Calicut of pure heauinesse for the ill successe he had in the warres did put himselfe into a Torcull and within a small time after came foorth therof chap. 73. IVne béeing now ended and the winter beginning to increase the Captaine generall thought that it woulde be some cause that the king of Calicut would not tarrie there long And therfore he was fully minded to set vpon him at the remouing of his camp for that by experience he knew the small valour of his enimies by such victories as he had gotten in times past which did therefore animate him the more therevnto thinking that at such a time he might doe him much harme And being in a readinesse to vncheine his Mastes he was presently informed that the king of Calicut was reforming a new his Castles and preparing in a readinesse a greater Fléete then euer he had before that hée might giue him therewith once more the battaile This was but a fléeing newes that was commaunded to be giuen out by the king of Calycut who did surmise that at the raising of his Campe which hée was minded to doe and to goe his waye the Captaine Generall woulde sette vppon him And therefore hée determined that his departure should be so secretlye done that no man shoulde knowe thereof but onelye Nabeadarin For this cause therefore he gaue out that hée woulde giue the battaile in the passage of Palurte and also in the Foorde both together to the ende the Captaine Generall might occupie himselfe in defending them both and hée himselfe the better steale awaye as hée didde but hée gotte nothing thereby more then hée hadde gotten before After all this on Saterday in the Euening which was Saint Iohns euen on which day they gaue out that they would giue the battaile there appeared the whole army of the enimyes as they were accustomed to shew themselues The Captaine Generall hoping of theyr comming did tarrye there all that night but in the morning he saw no likelyhood thereof and meruailing what that shoulde meane was informed by two Bramenes that the king of Calycut was gone with his whole power vnto Repelyn and that at that present hée was there For this newes hée was very sorrie but yet for all that hée entered that present daye into Repelyn where hée fought with many of his enimyes slewe and hurt a greate number and so returned to the passage where he remained yet certeine dayes to ensure Coching the better which was yet afeard of the King of Calycuts returning fearing that he would not leaue this passage Howbeit the Captaine Generall was well assured that he would not come there by reason hée was fallen into such reproch and shame in the sight of all men because of his great losses So that immediatly after that he had past the riuers of Repelyn he apparted himselfe with his noble men which had accompanied him in these warres and said vnto them with wéeping eyes in this manner following FOR a man that is without shame as I am it is not much to shedde these teares as I doe the heauinesse of my losse béeing such as fetcheth the same from my hearte with the which I am so troubled that since it is so that I cannot doe it in publike forte I will goe into some place where I may do the same without any body that may sée mée I haue also another griefe which troubleth mée verye sore ouer and besides my dishonour which is for that I am not able to rewarde you for all the greate good will and seruice you haue done mee in these warres the which I take for so greate a duetye that if so be that I might sée my selfe discharged of the same I should bée better contented then with the getting of Coching But since it is not Gods