thence foorth not haue anye occasion to murmure against our men he commaunded to be called afore him all his Noble men such as were with him and also certaine of the principall Nayres which were the occasion of all this trouble spake vnto them after this manner I Cannot but be verye heauie to sée so lyttle truth remayne in you For I meruayle nothing at all at the rusticall sorte of men whome oftentimes their pouertie enforceth to vse all kinde of villanye But of you I doe greatlye meruayle that are Nayres that haue bene alwaies true in your dealyngs that you now would haue me break my worde and promise that I haue alreadye giuen to the Captayne Generall concerning these Christians which was to kéepe his men to the vttermost of my power and to looke that no man shoulde doe them anye harme or vyolence but alwayes for to haue as good a regarde vnto them as vnto mine owne naturall subiects And therefore he left them in this my Citie which was done also by your consents And since you doe perceiue that the King of Calycut hath a fewe more men then I ye would perswade me to doe contarry to my promise so that if I were of so ill a nature as you would haue me to be then ought you of all other to abhorre me and crye out vpon me Be ye héerein your owne Iudges If you remained with anye other King vpon his word would you allow that as well done in him which you would haue me doe by these Christians In especiall counting him as we account of this man for our enimy hauing none occasion so to be as the King of Calicut and I your King hauing no occasion to deliuer you as I haue none to delyuer these Christians Which since it is so what is the councell that ye minde to giue me héerin that may not be reprhended in another If it be for that you are afeard of the King of Calycut then know this that it were better to dye an honourable death then to liue with dishonour then which there cannot happen greater to mée then to breake my word nor yet more infamie vnto you then to be subiects to a rusticall and a false King in especiall against these Christians who haue brought me so great profite as they haue done And as for the King of Calycut hée well knoweth that if he wold haue consented that the Factorie might haue bene setteled in his Citie he might haue kept them in his Countrey But now because they are gone he mooueth these warres the rather for that hée well knoweth my power is but small and therfore mindeth to reuenge on me the losse he hath receiued If his meaning be none other then to hunt these Christians out of the Indias and to fight with him whosoeuer receiueth them into his Countrey why then doth he not beginne his warres first with the King of Cananor But that is not the occasion onely but the enuie which he hath to sée me benefited and for that with his pride he supposeth that I am not able to resist him All this doe I very well vnderstand and moreouer I doe receiue comfort in preseruing of these Christians hoping in God that he therefore will giue me the victory against him And as touching you that are my friends I pray you therefore to stand to me Now all that were present héereby séeing this his determination meruailed greatlye at his constancie and craued pardon at his hands for the feare they found themselues to be in before promising all of them to lyue and dye in his seruice for the which he gaue them heartie thankes Immediately after this he commaunded the Factor to be called with the rest of our men vnto whom he tolde all what he had done and in their presence named for Captaine generall the Prince Naramuhin his brother and next inheritor to the Crowne commaunded euery man to obey him in as ample manner as his owne person His charge was set downe that he should march forward with fiue thousande fiue hundred Nayres entrench himselfe hard by the Foord by which waye he knew for most certaine that the King of Calycut was determined to enter into y t Iland of Coching whereas at an Ebbe the water commeth vp but to the knées ¶ How the Prince of Calycut made offer sundrye times to enter into the Iland of Coching by this Foord and how he was resisted by the Prince of Coching Chap. 53. NOw the King of Calycut hauing notice that Naramuhin had pitched his royall Armie hard by this Foord to resist thereby his entraunce into Coching he was somewhat feared therewith in especiall for that hée knew the foresaid Prince to be one of the valiantest Gentlemen that was accompted off in all that Prouince of Malabar the most fortunate in wars Somewhat therefore for this feare more then for anye good will that he ought to the King of Coching to vse any kinde of courtesie towards him he sent him this letter I Haue trauailed as much as I could to excuse this war with thée if so be that thou woldest temper thy pride doe y ◠which I haue requested thée being as it is so iust necessary and profitable vnto vs all And for that this our falling out might goe no further I giue thée to vnderstande that I am come to Repelyn with a great power for to enter thy Country there to take those Christians which are with thée withall their Merchandize yet notwithstanding I will first aduertise thee that my desire is that thou doe sende them vnto me which if thou wilt doe then will I forget the enuie and hatred I haue conceiued against thée for that which is past whereas otherwise I haue promised to take thy Countrey from thée put all those that are dwellers there to the sword Although now the King of Coching had very great lack of men and did well perceiue that it might come so to passe as the King of Calycut had written vnto him Neuerthelesse he neuer meant to moue his determination but did aunswere after this manner IF thou hadst demaunded of me after a ciuill order with louing wordes that which thou doest commaund with so great a pride I would not haue indged thée of lesse valour then that thou thinkest I might take thée to be off For where there is wisedome or strength there is no discurtesie shewed by meanes of ill bringing vp These be things that God is not pleased withall neither yet haue I so offended him that I should consent so much to my losse or think that the victory should not be mine and these valyant mens that are with me Thou shalt be welcome with all thy pride and I verely beléeue that with these few which I haue ouer and beside my iust quarrell shall suffice to defend me from thée and other mine enimies Thou shalt neuer finde mée so weake that I will doe anye
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
Paulo de la Gama did take foure Moores in a boate And although ther were other boats wherin many Moores were yet could not they be taken for making hast to the shore atteining the same they ran away leauing their boats as a pray to our men who found in y e same much linnen cloth made of cotten also books of their lawes of Mahoma which the Generall commanded to bee safely kept And albeit he went that day along and before the town in his boate as other his Captaines did in like manner in theirs yet could not they procure anie talke or speach with anye of the Moores of the towne and to goe on shoare he durst not for that he had but few men in number with him wherefore for that time hee departed thence and the next day retourned to shoare to take in water which without anye resistaunce was done Nowe beeing without all hope to recouer the Nigro and the two Indians the generall then determined to depart without them howbeit before his departure he ment to visit the town of Monsambick the dwellers therein with some sufficient reuenge by sending to the same such messengers as thereby they might deeme him their mortall enimy through the offence they had giuen him wherefore vpon the munday following hee went before the towne of the Moores with his Ordinaunce and shooting into the same destroied it in such sorte as the people thereof were inforced to abandon the same and flye into an Ilande within the country And so vpon the Tewsday being the xxvii daie of March our Fleet wayed Ankor departed from the Towne of Monsambicke so in going forwarde came to an Ankor hard by two little rocks of Saint George for so they named it after they came thether where they remained for that the winde was contrarie to their purpose Neuerthelesse hauing after a small winde they departed howbeit the same was so small and the currents there so great that they were cast backward Hovv the Captaine Generall after his departure from Monsambicke went tovvards the citie of Quiola hovv hee lost himselfe going to rhe Iland of Mombassa how the ship called S. Raphael stroke vpon the Flats the vvhich novv haue the same name Cap. 8. THe Captaine Generall following his voiage and being very glad that they had found that one of the foure Moores which Paulo de la Gama toke in the boate was a Pilolt could carry them to Calicut vpon the Sunday being the first daye of Aprill came to certeine Ilands which were very neere to the shore to the first whereof they gaue a name calling it the Ilande of the Asotado which they so named for that they there did whippe the Pilot Moore of Monsambicke by commaundement of the Generall as well for that he had told them those Ilands were firme land as also before that he wold not shew the Generall the water at Monsambick in the night when they fought for the same as before is declared and therefore now taking him with the lie as informed of those Ilands y â— Generall was very angrie with this Pilot supposing as it was likly that he did carrie them thether of intent the ships should be cast away amongst the same The Moore being cruellye whipped confessed y â— indeed he did cary train them thether of purpose they shuld there haue perished and bene cast vpon the daungers and rockes of the Ilands These Ilands were so manye and so neere together scituated that they coulde hardlye bee discerned one from another which when the Generall perceiued he made into the Seaward and vpon the Fridaye which was the fourth daye of Aprill made his way to the Northwest before the noone tide of the same had sight of a gâ—eat land and of two Ilandes neere to the same about which were many shoeâ—s now being come nere to y â— shore y â— pilots Moores did recknowledge y â— same howbeit they said y â— the Iland of the christians is that of Quiloa which was behind or a sterne vs 3. leagues wherwith the generall was much grieued beleeuing y â— certeinly they were Christians as the Pilots had informed him and that they had willingly lost their course for that the shippes should not arriue at that place The Pilottes shaddowing their treason made shew of a reasonable excuse saieng that as the winde was greate so were the currents swift by reason whereof the shippes had further made saile then they thought for But the truth was indéede that they more sorrowed their missing and passing by the Iland where they informed to be Christians then did our Captaine Generall For they were verely in hope to haue ben reuenged ther vpon our men by death of them all But GOD beholding the daunger and perill meant towards them of his diuine goodnesse and mercye deliuered them from the same and that by a great miracle For if our men had gone thether not one of them had escaped with lyfe since the Generall hauing such a beliefe opinion that there were Christians in that Iland as the Pilot had tolde him would no doubt haue gone presently on land at his arriuall there and so thereby runne headlong into a place where he and his people should haue bene put to slaughter The Generall thus sorrowing the misse of that Iland for that he supposed there to haue found Christians and the Pilots Moores in chafe with themselues for that they had missed their course thether for purpose afore said it was then on each part determined to goe back and assaie to finde the same neuerthelesse although they earnestly bent themselues to attaine vnto that desired Ilande and spent that daye in trauell to winne their purpose therein yet coulde they not preuaile thereto For still the winde was so contrarie and the currents so great as doe what they could they failed of their wills and were put off from arriuall there which no doubte was done by Gods prouidence and of his méere fauour and goodnesse towards our men as not willing they should receiue anie daunger or susteine crueltie or losse of lyfe amongest those Infidels and therefore miraculously he preserued our people from the effect and sequele of the malice of those two Pilots of the Moores of Monsambicke which had imagined in their mindes and trauailed to bring to finall and execution their diuellish intent The Captaine generall and the other Captaines thus tossing vp and downe to and fro as well with their ships as also in their mindes determined to beare towards the Ilande of Mombassa in which as those two Pilots gaue information wer two Townes peopled and inhabited as well with Moores as Christians which instructions these Pilots gaue to the intent to deceiue our men and to traine them thether of purpose there to kill them for that in déede that Ilande was altogether and whollye inhabited by Moores as in lyke manner all that Coaste is and therefore vnderstanding that from
can be imprisoned for any cause nor be put to death by any meane of ordinarie iustice Howbeit when one of them doth kill another or else doth kill a Cowe which amongst them is taken for a greate sinne for that they worshippe them or sléepe or eate with a countrie woman or speake euill of the king Then will the king hauing true information of any of these offences giue out his warrant in writing vnder his owne hand directed to one Nayre commaunding him therby that he with two or thrée other doe forthwith kill the Nayre that hath so offended and sinned contrarie to the Law By vertue of which warrant they hew and cut him with their swoords wheresoeuer they doe finde him and when he is dead they hang vpon him the kings writing to the end that all men may know and vnderstand wherefore they killed him These Nayres cannot take their weapons nor enter into any combat before they be armed knights when they atteine to the age of seauen yeares they bée forthwith set to learne to play at all weapons to the ende they should bée very perfect their Maisters doe hale and wrest the ioyntes of their armes and afterward they teache them their fence such as bée apt for the same The weaponnes that are most vsed amongest them be Swoords and Targets The Maisters which teach them be graduats in the weapons which they teach and they bée called in their language Panycaes They be reuerenced amongest the Nayres euery scholler of theirs whatsoeuer although he be olde or if hée be a great noble man shall at all times when he séeth him doe to him reuerence and worship and this by lawe is ordeined and further all of them are bound to take at their hands a lesson two monthes in euery yeare during theyr liues By reason whereof they be very perfect and skilful in theyr weapons and for that cause they greatly estéeme of themselues When any of them will be an armed knight hée then goeth well accompanied with all his kinred and friends presenteth himselfe before the king to whome he first offereth thréescore Fannons of golde which is a certeine kinde of money amounting to the value of thrée crownes Whervpon the king doth immediatly aske him whether he will kéepe and obserue the order and custome of the Nayres Wherevnto he aunswereth and saith yea Then hée commaundeth to put about him a swoorde and laieng his right hand vpon his head saith certaine words as though he wold pray ouer him which he vttereth so 〈◊〉 as none can heare the same Afterward he imbraceth him saieng in his language these words folowing which in our tongue doth signifie or meane Haue a regard to keepe these Braâ—â—â—es and their Kine This being done the Nayre doth fall down and worship the King and from thence forth he remaineth made Knight These Nayres when they yéelde themselues to liue and serue any King or Noble man they binde themselues to dye with him and for him which bond they doe so well obserue and inuiolably kéepe that if their Master in any warre or otherwise be slaine they will fight vntill they are killed which hath done the same acte and if at that instant they cannot accomplish their wills for that they were not present at the déede doing then will they goe afterward and séeke them out and neuer leaue them till they be killed by some manner of deuise They be great southsayers they haue good dayes and bad dayes they worship the Sun the Moone the fire and the Kine and the first that they do méet in going forth of their house in the morning they doe easily beléeue whatsoeuer vanitie The Diuell is oftentimes in them but they say it is one of their Gods or Pagodes for so they call him but whosoeuer or whatsoeuer it be it inforceth them to vtter terrible words speaches which the King doth beléeue And the Nayre in whome the Diuell is so entred goeth with a naked sword before the King altogether quaking trembling giuing himself cuts wounds saieng I am such a God and I am come to tell thée such a thing in this manner he vseth himselfe crieng out lyke a mad man and if the King make any doubt of that he saith doth not presently giue credite to his speache then doth he rore send forth greater cryes giue himselfe greater cuts vntill such time the King doe beléeue him There be other linages of people of y e Malabars which are of diuers sects customes whereof to speake were ouer tedious too long to declare all which doe obaye those Kings the Moores onely except which by reason of the great customes they paye for their Merchandise are in great estimation among them ¶ How the Captaine generall sent one of his banished men to Calycut and how a Moore of Tunis came and spake with him by whose meanes he sent a messenger to the King of Calycut and how he returned answere to the Generall cap. 15. THe Captaine generall being come to an Ankor without the Barre or Recife of Calycut he sent one of his banished men in the selfe same Almaydes or boats which they brought thether for two respects the one to sée what Countrey it was the other to make tryall how we should be receiued because we wer Christians beléeuing also y â— the people there wer christened when this banished man was landed ther came immediatly a great number of people to sée him as a stranger they asked of the Malabars which went with him what he was Who aunswered that they déemed him to be a Moore and that he came with those which are in the thrée shippes they doe sée without the Barre at Ankor Whereof they of Calycut greatly meruailed for that his apparrell was far different from that which the Moores y â— come from y â— straights doe vse to weare Thus flocked about him much people some that had the Algarauia tongue spake vnto him but he hauing no vnderstanding thereof could not nor did make any aunswere or speaches vnto them at which also they in like manner greatly meruailed for that being a Moore as they déemed he did not vnderstand the Algarauia language Neuerthelesse going with him in this manner and verelye yet beléeuing he was a Moore they caried him to the house of two Moores which were naturally borne in Tunys in Barbarie and were then come to dwell in Calicut To whom being brought one of them whose name was Bontaybo could speake the Spanish tongue did well knowe the Portingals as he said afterward hauing séene them in Tunys in the time of y e King Don Ioan in the ship called Lareyna which the same King sent thether manye times to séeke for such things as he and his subiects hadde néede of And as soone as the banished man was entered into their house the Moore spake vnto him and sayd I giue thee to the Diuell who brought thee hether
port of the same village howbeit when he had conducted them to the bar thereof the Generall woulde not enter so far within the same as y ◠Pilot would gladly haue had him to haue done fearing indéed that some thing might afterward happen to his preiudice if he shuld giue ouer farre credit to those people came within the compasse of anye their forces wherein he dealt very aduisedly and wisely preuented such iniury as was offered him How the king of Calicut sent for the Captaine Generall and after what sort he was carried to Calicut Cap. 16. THe Captaine being come néere to this harbour his dispatch was sent him from y ◠Catuall of Calicut in y e which there was signified y ◠he was come to Pandarane by the kings commaundement with other noble men for to beare him company vnto Calicut and therefore he might at all times when y ◠it should please him disimbarke himself But for y ◠the day was past y ◠Captaine General excused himselfe as at y ◠present also y ◠he would first take counsell of his Captaines other the principall of his Fléet touching his landing who being all ioyned together said vnto them y ◠he minded to go to sée y ◠king of Calicut to settle there a trade and perpetuall friendship Against the which his going his brother repugned alleadging y ◠it was not conuenient y ◠he shuld so doe For albeit y ◠they were christians yet y ◠ther were amongst them many Moores which were to be feared least thy wold procure his destruction since that they were his mortall enimies For when that they doe remember how those of Monsambicke and Mombassa for onely passing by theyr ports would haue killed them all What should they looke for of those of Calicut knowing that they will mixture themselues with you yours quoth he you séeking to haue the trade where they haue the same so to diminish this their profit and gaine He tolde him therefore that it is the sooner to be beléeued that they wold procure with all their force possible to destroy him yea although they knew that the beginning and end of the same did depend vppon his death and that therefore there woulde not lacke wayes to put the same deuice in execution who being once dead for all the griefe the king shoulde take therewith yet hée could not raise him againe to lyfe And that so much the more they béeing as it were naturall inhabitauntes there and he a méere straunger Moreouer who doth know what the king doth passe for his death and what shall become of them all after the same is procured And if so be that they shuld be cast away altogether then were all theyr trauaile lost To excuse all this and that they might remaine vppon this good assuraunce it were very good sayd hée that hée did not goe a shoare but that hee did sende one of them or some other who might doe that which he shoulde doe for those that are Captaines in especiallye Generalls shoulde not aduenture themselues in such daungers but where there were such great necessitie that they coulde not otherwise excuse themselues Of this minde were all the rest of the companie vnto whome the Captaine Generall aunswered that although he knew or did vnderstand y t by his comming it were present death vnto him yet he woulde not let but goe and visit the King of Calicut and the rather to sée whether he would settle a friendship and trade there and to haue out of his Citie Spices and other commodities for that the same at our arriuall in Portingale might represent as a witnesse the discouerie of Calicut For if so be that at the end of so long a time God did returne vs thether without then said he it would be hard to be beléeued that wée had discouered Calicut And our credit and honour woulde stand in suspence or ballance vntill such time there should come persons of credit from thence that shoulde declare that to bée true which we had affirmed Therefore doe you not thinke but y t I had rather die then suffer so long time as we haue spent and are lyke to spend and others shall come to discouer y e truth of our seruice so that in the meane while those that are enuious should iudge our trauaile as it shuld please them certeinly I had rather die then to tarrie vpon the same Much more friends I doe not aduenture my selfe to so great a daunger of death as you do surmise neither yet that they should remaine in so great danger as you doe presuppose for I goe to a Countrie where there are Christians and to talke with a king which is desirous that vnto his Citie should come many Merchants for the profit that doth arise thereby vnto him for the more Merchants that do resort vnto it the more wil be his profit I doe not goe thether to stay there many daies that the Moores shall haue any such time to vse anye treason against me And for so much as I doe minde to talke with the king it shall haue an end and that within thrée dayes and in this time you may be in a readinesse And as touching the honour and credit that I shall get by making or establishing this trade if it please God that he doe accept the same I will not giue it for any treasure And the king can settle the same with no other better then with me for that he will estéeme me and beare some reuerence towards me being once knowen vnto him that I am the Captaine generall of this Fléete and the King of Portingales Embassadour rather then with any other person whatsoeuer Furthermore whosoeuer he be that shall goe in my steede the King will thinke himselfe to be mockt or that I do not esteeme him as one that is worthy that I shoulde goe to speake with him or els that I doe not trust him on his word Besides all this I cannot giue so large instructions to him that I should send thether that he might doe in all things which is néedfull as much as I my selfe and if so be that for my sinnes he shoulde kill me or take me as a prisoner it were a great deale better for me that ther shuld chaunce to me all this for doing of my duetie then to remaine alyue and not to doe the same And you my friendes remaining in the Sea and in good ships as soone as you shal heare that any of these things shall chaunce vnto me get you hence and carrie newes of this our discouerie and as touching this let there be no farther talke for that I by the grace of God will goe to Calicut to sée the King When that his determination was perceiued they all assented that they were contented with his going and therevpon they appointed him twelue of his men to goe with him that is to say Diego Dias his Secretarie
those Moores that were aboorde the ten great ships and then commanded them to be set a fire also of the great destruction which he brought vpon the citie in reuenge of the death of those that were slaine therein Cap. 37. AFter that these newes were brought to the Captaine generall he was not onely very sorrowfull for the death of those that were slaine but also to sée how little preuailed the present which he gaue vnto the King of Calicut as also the taking of the ship in the which was the Elephant now thrée moneths were past that he had bene there and yet had laden no more then two ships nor yet could tell when to lade the rest fearing also least in Coching he shoulde not be well accepted for taking of the ship in the which was the Elephant And further waying with himselfe how little or none occasion at all there was giuen to vse such treason against our men he did therefore determine to reuenge himselfe vpon y e King of Calycut if so be that he did not vse some excuse for that which was past wherevnto if he would willingly yéelde then would he be content so that he might ther haue his lading But the King of Calycut was farre off from the matter for he was very glad of that which y e Moores had done and commaunded all such Merchaundize to be taken as were within the Factorie the which wer well worth foure thousand duckets also take all such of ours as wer found aliue for captiues although they were hurt of the which there were foure that died After all this the Captaine generall séeing that in all that daye the King of Calicut sent no messenger to excuse himselfe of the fact he put the matter in question wheras it was determined that he forthwith shuld reuenge those iniuries that were past for feare leastif he should delay so to doe that then the King might haue time to arme his Fléete which would not then be so easelye done This being determined our men put themselues in a readinesse to lay aboord x. great ships which lay in y ◠harbor full of Moores these at the first would haue defended themselues yet for all y t our men did ioyne with them fought with them so valyantly that they brake their order killing many of them and of those that remained some leaped into the water and were drowned others hid themselues in their ships and other were taken aliue whom the Captaine generall commaunded to prison that they might afterwarde serue for Mariners in the Fléet The ships being thus come into our mens possession they found within the same some Spices and other Merchaundize which were hidden within them also they found thrée Elephants which the Captaine generall commaunded to be killed and salted for their victualls he commaunded also those Moores that were slaine to be told and there was found of them 600. The ships being discharged of all that they had they wer set a fire before all the Citie in the sight of many that came to the water side to succor them whom being Moores as they were comming in their Almadias our men encountered and fought with them but they durst not goe forward for feare of the ordinaunce This was a wonder to those of the Citie to sée ten ships burnt together The King also was sory therefore for that he could not send to succour them But if that which was done this day was a wonder to the enimies to behold then y e next day was much more to be meruailed at for the Captaine generall not being contented with the burning of these ships commaunded his ships in the night to be brought as néere the shore as he could the one somewhat separated from the other They had also their boats before them that they might reach the most part of the Citie As soone as the morning began to appeare immediately all the great Ordinaunce went off amongst their houses which after that the enimies had séene and how néere our ships lay to the shore they began to shoote at thē with smal péeces which they had without hurting any of our men howbeit of our ordinance for that the enimies came running in flockes there was no péece that mist and by that meanes there were manye that fell and the others that drew towards the Citie where our ordinaunce also had made a great destruction as well in the Temples of their Gods as in their dwelling houses The feare was so great amongst the Citizens that the King of Calycut himselfe was driuen to leaue his Pallaice and to goe out of the Citie for that our men went thether to séeke him out with their pellets so that hard at his héeles they killed a Nayre which was a noble man and ouerthrewe part of the Kings Pallaice This destruction dured no more but this daye and whilest it was a doing there appeared two ships y t wer comming to the harbor which as soone as they had discried vs went their way therefore this fight ceased The Captain generall made after thē w t al his fléet to Panderane which is a Port not far off where there was other seuen néere to the land ready to succour them in which there came a multitude of Moores to defend them and for that our ships could not come néere vnto the shore they lefte them And the Captaine generall contenting himselfe with that which he had done in Calycut for that it was verye late to make his voyage toward Portingal went toward Coching ther concluded a peace to sée whether he might lade ther for y t he well knew it that ther was more Pepper then in Calicut ¶ How the Captaine generall arriued at the harbour adioyning to the citie of Coching ther he concluded a peace betweene him the King afterward began to lade his ships Cap. 37. GOing vnder saile along by this citie y e Captaine generall tooke two ships of y ◠Moores which after that they had discried our ships bare as néere the shore as they coulde for feare of our ships but our men tooke them and when they were discharged of certayne Rice which they carried the Generall caused them to be set a fire and so following his course he ariued at Coching the xx of December which standeth in the Prouince of Malabar xix leagues from that parte of Calycut going into the South and being in ix degrées toward the North. The scituation therof is along the riuer in the which the Sea doth enter by meanes whereof the Citie standeth as it were in an Ilande and that verye strong for that there is no comming to it but by certaine wayes It hath belonging vnto it a goodly great and a sure Port which lyeth before the mouth of this riuer The land round about is watry and low and made into Ilands they haue smal store of victuals but for all that those which they haue is
of Malabar staÌ„ding wtin y e couÌ„try at y e end of a riuer which coÌ„passeth y e same by some parts y e inhabitaÌ„ts therof saith he are both GeÌ„tiles christiaÌ„s also ther dwel amoÌ„gst theÌ„ many Iewes which are smally estéemed of ther are also many strangers amongst theÌ„ which are merchants of Surria of Aegipt of Persia Arabia by reason of y e great store of pepper which is there gathered this citie hath a king amongst theÌ„selues vnto whoÌ„ al such christians as dwel wtin this citie do pay certein tribute these dwel by theÌ„selues where they haue their church made after our order sauing they haue not in theÌ„ any Images of saints but only certein crosses they do not vse bels but when y e priests would haue theÌ„ come to diuine seruice theÌ„ they do obserue y â— order of y â— Gréeks The christiaÌ„s haue their Popes which haue 12. cardinals two patriaks many Bishops Archbishops all which do reside in Armenia for thether go y e bishops of GraÌ„galor to receiue their dignity he himself had ben ther w t a bishop which y e pope did consecrate he himself receiued at his hands orders of priesthood euen so he is accustomed to do vnto al others y â— are christians in y â— Indias in Caitaio also he is called catholike their Tonsura is made w t a crosse Of those two patriarks which they haue y t one remaineth in y e Indias y e other in Caitaio as for y â— bishops they are reposed in cities as is thought coÌ„uenient The cause why they haue a pope in those parts hath ben as is thought by theÌ„ for y t in S. Peters time he being in Antioch ther arose a great scisme of Simon Magus which was y e occasioÌ„ y â— he was called to Rome to ouerthrow y e same to help y e christians which wer in great trouble and séeing y â— he must depart froÌ„ Antioch for y t the church of y â— orient shuld not remaine wtout a shepheard he appointed a vicar to gouern who S. Peter being dead shuld remaine for pope those y â— succéeded him shuld alwaies assist him in Armenia but after y e Moores entred into Suria Asia for y e Armenia remained alwaies in the christian faith the Christians did therfore chuse to gouerne it by 12. cardinals Marco Paulo doth also make mentioÌ„ of this catholike pope wher he writeth of this Armenia in which he declareth there are two orders of Christians the one of those are Nestorians the other Iacobites their pope is also named Iacobite is hée whoÌ„ they cal y e catholike Ioseph Moreouer he told y e Captaine general y â— in Grangalor are priests whose crowns are not shauen as ours are but onely in y e midst of their heads they leaue certein haires al y â— rest is shauen also they haue deacons subdeacons They consecrate w t leuened bread with wine made of raisons for they haue no other in y â— couÌ„try Their childreÌ„ are not baptised vntil xl daies after their birth without they be sickly Those y â— are christians do coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues as we do they receiue y â— sacrament bury y e dead as we doe They doe not vse the holy Oyle but in stéede of the same they doe blesse them when that any die they gather many of themselues together and for the space of viii daies they doe eate abundantly and afterward they celebrate the obsequies of the dead They make their testament before they dy those y â— do not so â—he next heire shal inherit their lands and goods if so be that the husband die first the wife shal haue her dowrie on condition that she shall not marrie in one whole yeare after when that they enter in their churches they take holy water Their opinion is that there are sowre Euangelists whose writings they haue in great veneration They fast the Lent and the Aduent with greate solempnitie and take regard not to breake the same during this time they doe exercise themselues in praier on Easter euen they neither doe eate nor drinke any thing till the next day They doe vse to heare Sermons on holy Friday at night they obserue the day of the resurrection with great solempnitie with the two other daies following and also the sunday next following for that Saint Thomas on that day did put his hands into Christs side they do kéepe it with great solempnitie acknowledging thereby that the same was no fantasie or dreame Also they kéepe holy with great deuotion the Ascention day Trinitie Sunday the Assumption of our lady hir birth Candlemas day Christmas day all the Apostles Sundaies as wel the Christians as y e Gentiles And they with great deuotion kéep y â— first day of Iuly in the honour of S. Thomas they could yéelde no reason or cause why they doe obserue that daie They haue Fryers of Negroes which doe liue very chastly Also there are Nunnes of the same order Their Priests doe liuâ— verye chastly for if so be that they doe not so they are depriued from celebrating There can be no seperating of the man and woman but well or ill they must liue together till death doe separate them They receiue the Sacrament thrée times in the yeare they haue amongst them greate Doctours and open schooles in the which are read the Prophets and also there were in times past olde auncient doctors doctors which haue left the Scriptures of the olde newe Testament well expounded or interpreted Their apparell is after the order of y e Moores They haue their day which they do call Iâ—tercalor which is of 40. hoâ—â—s They know how the day passeth away by the Sun the night by the stars for they haue no clocks The Captaine generall was very glad of the companye of this Ioseph his brother to carry them to Portingale for whom he commanded a good cabine should be giuen them in his ship Of the great Fleet of ships that was sent out of Calicut to fight with the Captaine Generall and what was the cause that ours did not sight with them And also of his departure from Coching toward Portingale and how in his way he was driuen to Cananor Chap. 40. THe Captaine Generall being in this harbour ther came vnto him a messenger froÌ„ the king of Cananor also from the king of Coulaâ— they both being great princes in y â— kingdome of Malabar requesting him to come to their ports or harbours for y t they would giue him sufficient lading for his ships better cheape then in Coching with verye many other offers of friendship To whom he made answere by a messenger that he sent yéelding vnto them most hearty thanks certifieng them y â— at this present he could not go to lade at their ports for that he
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