the cause that ships are many times cast upon Pazem by foul weather at Sea from which I pray God deliver thee for I assure thee that if thy ill fortune should carry thee thither the men of Achem would eat thee alive and the Tyrant himself would have the first bite at thee there being nothing in the world these Inhumanes so much vaunt of as to carâ—y on the crest of their Arms the device of Drinkers of the troubled blood of miserable Caâ—sers who they say are come from the end of the world calling them Tyrannical men and Vsurpers in a soveraign degree of other mens Kingdoms in the Indiaes and Isles of the Sea This is the title wherein they glory most and which they attribute particularly to themselves as being sent them from Mecqua in recompence of the golden Lamps which they offered to the Alcoran of their Mahomet as they use to do every year Furthermore although heretofore I 〈◊〉 often advised thy Captain of Malaca to take careful heed of this Tyrant of Achem yet do not thou omit to advertise him of it once more from me for know that he never had nor shall have other thoughts then to labor by all means to expel him out of the Indiaes and make the Turk Master of them who to that end promiseth to send him great succors but I hope that God will so order it as all the malice and cunning of this disloyal wretch shall have a contrary success to his intentions After he had used this language to me he gave me a Letter in answer to my Embassage together with a present which he desired me to deliver from him to Captain de Faria this was six small Javelins headed with Gold twelve Cates of Calambuca Wood every one of them weighing twenty ounces and a box of exceeding value made of a Tortoise shâ—ll beautified with Gold and full of great seed pearl amongst the which there were sixteen fair pearls of rich account For my self he gave me two Cates of Gold and a little Courtelâ—â—â— garnished with the same Then he dismissed me with as much demonstration of honor as he had always used to me before protesting to me in particular that the amity which he had contracted with our Nation should ever continue inviolable on his part Thus I imbarqued my self with Aquarem Dabâ—lay his Brother-in-law who was the same he had sent Embassador to Malaca as I have related before Being departed from the Port of Panaiu we arrived about two hours in the â—ight at a little Island called Apofingua distant some league and an half from the mouth of the River and inhabited by poor people who lived by the fishing of Shadâ— The next morning leaving that Island of Apofingua we ran along by the coast of the Ocean Sea for the space of five and twenty leagues until such time as at length we entered into the Straight of Minhagaruu by which we came then passing by the contrary coast of this other Mediterranean Sea we continued our course along by it and at last arrived near to Pullo Bugay There we crost over to the firm Land and passing by the Port of Iunçalan we sailed two days and an half with a favorable wind by means whereof we got to the River of Parles in the Kingdom of Queda there we rode five days at anchor in expectation of a fit wind to carry us on During that time the Mahometan and my self by the counsel of certain Merchants of the Country went to visit the King with an Odiaa or Present of divers things that we thought were convenient for our design which was received with much demonstration of being very well pleased therewith When we came to his Court we found that with a great deal of pomp excellent musick dancing and largess to the poor he was solemnizing the funerals of his Father whom he himself had poynarded of purpose for to marry his own mother after he had gotten her with child Wherewithall not being contented to decline the murmur which so wicked and horrible an act might provoke unto he had made proclamation that on pain of a most rigorous death no person whatsoever should be so daring as to speak a word of that which had past and it was told us there how for that cause he had most tyrannically put the principal Personages of his Kingdom and a number of Merchants already to death whose goods he had confiscated to his own use and thereby enriched his Coffers with two millions of Gold So that upon our arrival we perceived such a general fear to be amongst the people as not the most hardy of them all durst so much as make the least mention in the world of it Now in regard the Mahometan my companion named Coia Ale was a man liberal of his tongue and that would say any thing which came into his head he perswaded himself in regard he was a stranger and the Captain of Malaca's Factor that he might with more liberty then those of the Country talk what he listed and the King not punish him for it as he did his Subjects But he found himself far short of his account and this presumption cost him his life For being invited to a feast by another Mahometan like himself a Merchant stranger born at Patana when as they were both of them high with wine and meat as I learned since they began to talk boldly and without any respect of the Kings Brutality and Parracide whereof the King being incontinently advertised by Spies which he had in every corner for that purpose he caused the house to be presently invested and all the guests to be apprehended to the number of seventeen persons These poor wretches were no sooner brought bound before him but immediately without observing any form of Justice or hearing what they could say for themselves either good or bad he commanded them to be put to a most cruel kind of death called by them Gregoge which is to saw off the feet hands and heads of them that are condemned to it as I beheld afterwards my self This execution done the King feaâ—ing lest the Captain of Malaca should be offended for that he had executed his Factor thus with the rest and therefore might arrest some goods that he had at Malaca sent the night following for me to the Iurupango where I was sleeping and altogether ignorant of that which had past understanding the Kings pleasure away I went and coming about midnight to the Palace I perceived in the outward Court a great many men in arms the sight whereof I must confess put me into a mighty amazement and mistrust because I could not imagine what should be the cause of it and doubting lest it might be some such Treason as at other times they had practised against us I would fain have returned but they that accompanied me judging that my fear proceeded from the Soldiers which I beheld there bid me be afraid of nothing for these
with the continuance of our Voyage and what we saw during the same 241 CHAP. LX. Our arrival at Pegu with the death of the Roolim of Mounay 245 CHAP. LXI The Election of the new Roolim of Mounay the grand Talagrepo of these Gentiles of the Kingdom of Pegu. 248 CHAP. LXII In what manner the Roolim of Mounay was conducted to the Isle of Mounay and put into possession of his Dignity 252 CHAP. LXIII A continuation of the success which we had in this Voyage with my departure from Goa to Zunda and what passed during my abode there 255 CHAP. LXIV The expedition of the Pangueyram Emperor of Jaoâ— and King of Demaa against the King of Passervan and all that which passed in this War 258 CHAP. LXV The death of the King of Demaa by a very strange accident and that which arrived thereupon 263 CHAP. LXVI That which befell us until our departure towards the Port of Zunda from whence we set sail for China and what afterwards happened unto us 266 CHAP. LXVII My passing from Zunda to Siam where in the company of Portugals I went to the War of Chyamay and that which the King of Siam did until he returned into his Kingdom where his Queen poysoned him 269 CHAP. LXVIII The lamentable death of the King of Siam with certain illustrious and memorable things done by him during his life and many other accidents which arrived in that Kingdom 273 CHAP. LXIX The King of Bramaa's enterprize against the Kingdom of Siam and that which past until his arrival at the City of Odiâ—â— with his besieging of it and all that insued thereupon 278 CHAP. LXX The King of Bramaa's raising his siege from before the City of Odiaâ— with a description of the Kingdom of Siam and the fertility thereof 283 CHAP. LXXI A continuation of that which happened in the Kingdom of Pegu as well during the life as after the death of the King of Bramaa 286 CHAP. LXXII That which arrived in the time of Xemin de Satan and an abominable case that happened to Diego Suarez together with the Xemindooes expedition against Xemin de Satan and that which insued thereupon 289 CHAP. LXXIII That which the Xemindoo did after he was crowned King of Pegu with the Chaumigreâ—s the King of Bramaa's Foster-brothers marching against him with a great Army and divers other memorable things 295 CHAP. LXXIV The finding of the Xemindoo and bringing him to the King of Bramaa with the manner of his execution and death and other particularities concerning the same 301 CHAP. LXXV My imbarquing in the Kingdom of Pegu to go to Malaca and from thence to Japon with a strange accident which arrived there 305 CHAP. LXXVI Our passing from the Town of Fucheo to the Port of Hiamangoo and â—hat which befell us there together with my departure from Malaca and arrival at Goa 310 CHAP. LXXVII Father Belquiors and my departure from the Indiaes to go to Japon and that which befell us till my arrival at the Island of Champeiloo 312 CHAP. LXXVIII Our departure from the Island of Champeiloo and our arrival at that of Lampacau with a relation of two great disasters which happened in China unto two Portugal Colonies and of a strange accident besides that fell out in the Country 314 CHAP. LXXIX Our arrival in the Kingdom of Bungo and that which past thereupon 318 CHAP. LXXX My reception by the King of Bungo as Embassador from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes 321 CHAP. LXXXI What past after our departure from Zequa till my arrival in the Indiaes and from thence into the Kingdom of Portugal 323 THE Travels Voyages Adventures OF Ferdinand Mendez Pinto CHAP. I. After what manner I past my Youth in the Kingdom of Portugal until my going to the Indiaes SO often as I represent unto my self the great and continual Travels that have accompanied me from my birth and amidst the which I have spenâ— my first years I find that I have a great deal of reason to complain of Fortune for that she seemeth to have taken a particular care to persecute me and to make me feel that which is most insupportable in her as if her glory had no other foundation then her cruelty For not content to have made me be born and to live miserably in my Country during my youth she conducted me notwithstanding the fear I had of the dangers that menaced me to the East Indiaes where in stead of the relief which I went thither to seek she made me find an increase of my pains according to the increase of my age Since then it hath pleased God to deliver me from so many dangers and to protect me from the fury of that adverse Fortune for to bring me into a Port of safety and assurance I see that I have not so much cauâ—e to complain of my Travels past as I have to render him thanks for the benefits which until now I have received of him seeing that by his divine bounty he hath preserved my life to the end I might have means to leave this rude and unpolished Discourse unto my children for a memorial and an inheritance For my intention is no other but to write it for them that they may behold what strange fortunes I have run for the space of one and twenty years during the which I was thirteen times a captive and seventeen times sold in the Indiaes in Aethiopia in Arabia in China in Tartaria in Madagascar in Sumatra and in divers other Kingdoms and Provinces of that Oriental Archipalage upon the Confines of Asia which the Chineses Siames Guâ—os and Lecquios name and that with reason in their Geography the eye-lids of the World whereof I hope to entreat more particularly and largely hereafter Whereby men for the time to come may take example and a resolution not to be discouraged for any crosses that may arrive unto them in the course of their lives For no disgrace of Fortune ought to esloign us never so little from the duty which we are bound to render unto God because there is no adversity how great soever but the nature of man may well undergo it being favored with the assistance of Heaven Now that others may help me to praise the Lord Almighty for the infinite mercy he hath shewed me without any regard to my sins which I confess were the cause and original of all my mis-fortunes and that from the same divine Power I received strength and courage to resist them escaping out of so many dangers with my life saved I take for the beginning of my Voyage the time which I spent in this Kingdom of Portugal and say That after I had lived there till I was about eleven or twelve years old in the misery and poverty of my fathers house within the Town of Monte-mor Ovelho an Uncle of mine desirous to advance me to a better fortune then that whereunto I was reduced at that time and to take me from the caresses
Fortress because of the fear they were in of the Turkish Army which was every hour expected in the Indiaes by reason of the death of Sultan Bandur King of Cambaya whom the said Governor had put to death the Summer before In regard this affair was of great importance it was the cause that all the Captains assembled together to deliberate thereupon At length to meet with the present necessity they concluded that three of those five ships appertaining to the King should go to Diu conformable to the contents of the said Mandate and that the other two which belonged to particular Merchants should pursue their course to Goa The Kings three ships sailing to Diu and the other two Merchants towards Goa it pleased God to conduct them safe thither Now as soon as the Kings three ships came to the mouth of the River of the Port of Diu which fell on the fifth of September the same year 1538. Antonio de Silvâ—ra the Brother of Louys Silvera Earl of Sortelha who was Captain there at that time gave them all the testimony that possibly he could of the joy he took at this their arrival For proof whereof he bestowed liberally on every one keeping a set table for above seven hundred persons which they brought along with them besides his secret rewards and extraordinary gifts whereby he supplyed the necessities they had suffered during their Voyage Whereupon the Soldiers considering how this Captain entreated them very royally that he payed them before-hand distributed their pay and munition unto them with his own hands caused the sick to be carefully tended and shewed himself most ready to assist every one it so wrought upon them that of their own accord they offered to stay there for to serve him being no way constrained thereunto as they use to be in those Countries in all the Fortresses which expect a siege This done as soon as the three ships had sold the Merchandise they had brought they set sail for Goa carrying none with them but the Officers of the Vessels and some Seaâ—men to conduct them where they abode till such time as the Governor had given them dispatches for to go to Cochin where being arrived they took in their lading and returnâ—d all five safe into Portugal Seventeen days after we were arrived at the Fortress of Diu where at that time two Foists were ready prepared to go to the Streight of Mecqua for to discover and find out the design of the Turkish Army whose coming was greatly feared in the Indiaes because one of those Foists was commanded by a Captain that was a great friend of mine who gave me good hope of the Voyage he was bound for I imbarqued my self with him Relying then on the promises which the Captain made me that by his favor and means I should quickly be rich the only thing in the world that I most desired and suffering my self to be deceived by my hopes I imagined that I was already Master of great wealth never considering how vain and uncertain the promises of men are and that I could not reap much benefit by the Voyage I was going to undertake by reason it was dangerous and unseasonable for Navigation in that Country Now being departed from Diu we sailed in a time full of storms because it was about the end of Winter which seemed to begin anew so impetuous were the winds and so great was the rain Nevertheless how violent soever the Tempest was and dark the weather we letted not to discover the Isles of Curia Muria and Avedalcuria at the sight whereof we thought our selves quite lost and without hope of life Whereupon to decline the danger we turned the prow of our Vessel to the South-east knowing no other mean then that to avoyd shipwrack But by good fortune for us it pleased God that we let fall an anchor at the point of the Island of Socotora there we presently anchored a league below the place where Don Francisco d' Almeyda caused a Fortress to be built in the year 1507. when he came from Portugal as the first Victory that ever was in the Indiaes In the said place we took in fresh water and some provision of Victuals that we bought of the Christians of the Country which are the descendants of those whom the Apostle S. Thomas converted in those parts Being refreshed thus we parted from thence with a purpose to enter the Straight so that after we had sailed nine days with a favorable wind we found our selves right against Mazua There about Sun set we descryed a sail at Sea whereunto we gave so hard chace that before the first watch of the night we came up close to her and then to satisfie the desire we had for to learn something of the Captain by gentleness touching the Turkish Army we demanded of him whether it was parted from Sues or whether he had not met with it in any place and that we might be the better informed we spake aloud to all those that were in the ship But in stead of answer without speaking a word and in contempt of us they gave us a dozen pieces of Ordnance whereof five were small and the other seven field Pieces together with good store of Musquet shot And withall in a kind of jollity and as it were beleeving that we were already theirs they made all the ayr about resound again with their confused cries After this to brave and terrifie us the more they flourished a many flags and streamers up and down and from the top of their poop they brandished a number of naked Scymitars commanding us with great threatening to come aboard and yield our selves unto them At the first view of so many Rhodomontades and bravings we were in some doubt and amaze which caused the Captains of our Foists to call the Soldiers to Councel for to know what they should do and the conclusion was to continue shooting at them till the next morning that so by day-light they might be the better fought withall and invested it being agreed upon of all sides that they were not to be let go unpunished for their presumption Which accordingly was performed and all the rest of the night we gave them chace plying them with our Ordnance So morning come their ship being shot through and through in many places and cruelly battered all over they rendred themselves into our hands In the incounter there were threescore and four of their men killed and of fourscore that remained the most part seeing themselves reduced to extremity cast themselves into the Sea choosing rather there to be drowned then to be burnt in their ship with the artificial fires that we had hurled into her so that of all the fourscore there escaped but five very sore hurt whereof one was the Captain This same by force of torture whereunto he was exposed by the Command of our two Captains confessed that he came from Iudaa and that the Turkish Army was already departed
which the traytrous Cacis for the bar of gold he had received had left unguarded and forthwith put all the sick and hurt men that he found there to the sword amounting to the number of about fifteen hundred whereof he would not spare so much as one In the mean time the unhappy King of Aaru who thought of nothing less then the treachery of his Cacis seeing his Trench taken ran to the succoring of it being a matter that most imported him But finding himself the weaker he was constrained to quit the place so that as he was making his retreat to the Town ditch it was his ill fortune to be killed by a shot of an Haâ—quebuse from a Turk his enemy Upon this death of his ensued the loss of all the rest by reason of the great disorder it brought amongst them Whereat the Enemies exceedingly rejoycing took up the Corps of that wretched King which they found amongst the other dead bodies and having imbowelled and salted him they put him up in a Case and so sent him as a Present to the Tyrant who after many ceremonies of Justice caused him to be publiquely sawed into sundry pieces and then boiled in a great Cauldron full of Oyl and Pitch with a dreadful Publication the tenor whereof was this See here the Iustice which Sultan Laradin King of the Land of the two Seas hath caused to be executed whose will and pleasure it is that as the body of this miserable Mahometan hath been sawed in sunder and boiled here on Earth so his Soul shall suffer worse torments in Hell and that most worthily for his transgressing of the Law of Mahomet and of the perfect belief of the Musselmans of the House of Mâ—â—qua For this execution is very just and conformable to the holy Doctrine of the Book of Flowers in regard this Miscreant hath shewed himself in all his works to be so far without the fear of God as he hath incessantly from time to time betrayed the most secret and important affairs of this Kingdom to those accursed Dogs of the other end of the world who for our sins and through our negligence have with notorious Tyranny made themselves Lords of Malaca This Publication ended a fearful noise arose amongst the people who cryed out This punishment is but too little for so execrable a crime Behold truly the manner of this passage and how the loss of the Kingdom of Aaru was joyned with the death of that poor King who lived in such good correspondence with us and that in my opinion might have been succored by us with very small charge and pains if at the beginning of the War he had been assisted with that little he demanded by his Embassador Now who was in the fault hereof I will leave to the judgment of them which most it concerns to know it After that this infortunate King of Aaru had miserably ended his days as I have before related and that his whole Army was utterly defeated both the Town and the rest of the Kingdom were easily and quickly taken in Thereupon the General of the Achems repaired the Trenches and fortified them in such manner as he thought requisite for the conservation and security of all that he had gained which done he left there a Garison of eight hundred of the most couragious men of his Army who were commanded by a certain Lusan Mahometan named Sapetù de Raia and incontinently after departed with the rest of his Forces The common report was that he went to the Tyrant of Achem who received him with very much honor for the good success of this enterprize For as I have already delivered being before but Governor and Mandara of the Kingdom of Baarros he gave him the title of King so that ever after he was called Sultan of Baarros which is the proper denomination of such as are Kings amongst the Mahometans Now whilest things passed in this sort the desolate Queen remained some seven leagues from Aaru where being advertised and assured of the death of the King her husband and of the lamentable issue of the War she presently resolved to cast her self into the fire for so she had promised her husband in his life time confirming it with many and great oaths But her friends and servants to divert her from putting so desperate a design in execution used many reasons unto her so that at length overcome by their perswasions Verily said she unto them although I yield to your request yet I would have you know that neither the considerations you have propounded nor the zeal you seem to shâ—w of good and faithful Subjects were of power to turn me from so generous a determination as that is which I promised to my King my Husband and my Master if God had not inspired me with this thought that living I may better revenge his death as by his dear blood I vow unto you to labor as long as I live to do and to that end I will undergo any extremiâ—y whatsoever nay if need be turn Christian a thousand times over if by that means I may be able to compass this my desire Saying so she immediately got up on an Elephant and accompanied with a matter of seven hundred men she marched towards the Town with a purpose to set it on fire where incountring some four hundred Achems that were busie about pillaging of such goods as were yet remaining she so encouraged her people with her words and tears that they cut them all presently in pieces This execution done knowing her self too weak for to hold the Town she returned into the Wood where she sojourned twenty days during which time she made War upon the Townsmen surprising and pillaging them as often as they issued forth to get water wood or other necessaries so as they durst not stir out of the Town to provide themselves such things as they needed in which regard if she could possibly have continued this War other twenty days longer she had so famished them as they would have been constrained to render the Town But because at that time it rained continually by reason of the Climate and that the place was boggy and full of bushes as also the fruits wherewithall they nourished themselves in the Wood were all rotten so that the most part of her people fell sick and no means there to relieve them the Queen was constrained to depart to a River named Minhaçumbaa some five leagues from thence where she imbarqued her self in sixteen Vessels such as she could get which were fishermens Paroos and in them she went to Malaca with a belief that at her Arrival there she should not be denyed any thing she would ask Pedro de Faria being advertised of the Queens coming sent Alvaro de Faria his son and General of the Sea-forces to receive her with a Galley five Foists two Catures twenty Balons and three hundred men besides divers persons of the Country So she was brought to the
after attired in womens apparel playing upon Timbrels in all places where they went and that whensoever they made any protestation it should be in saying So may God bring me back my husband again as this is true or So may I have joy of the children I have brought into the world Most of these men seeing themselves inforced to undergo a chastisement so scandalous to them fled their Country and many made themselves away some with poyson some with halters and some with the sword A relation altogether true without any addition of mine Thus was the Kingdom of Aaru recovered from the Tyrant of Achem and remained in the hands of the King of Iantana until the year 1574. At which time the said Tyrant with a Fleet of two hundred Sails feigning as though he would go to take in Patava fell cunningly one night on Iantana where the King was at that time whom together with his wife children and many others he took prisoners and carried into his Country where he put them all to most cruel deaths and for the King himself he caused his brains to be beaten out of his head with a great club After these bloody executions he possest the Kingdom of Aaru whereof he presently made his eldest son King the same that was afterward slain at Malaca coming to besiege it in the time of Don Lionis Pâ—reyra son to the Earl of Feyra Captain of the Fortress who defended it so valiantly that it seemed to be rather a miracle then any natural work by reason the power of that Enemy was so great and ours so little in comparison of theirs as it may be truly spoken how they were two hundred Mahometans against one Christian. CHAP. XIII My departure from Malaca to go to Pan that which fortuned after my arrival there with the murther of the King of Pan and the cause thereof TO return unto the Discourse where I left I say that when I was recovered of the sickness which I got in my Captivity at Siaca Pedro de Faria desiring to find out some occasion to advance and benefit me sent me in a Lanchara to the Kingdom of Pan with goods of his to the value of ten thousand duckets for to consign them into the hands of a Factor of his that recided there named Tome Lobo and from thence to go to Patava which is an hundred leagues beyond that To that purpose he gave me a Letter and a Present for the King and an ample Commission to treat with him about the redemption of five Portugals who in the Kingdom of Siam were Slaves to Monteo de Bancha his Brother-in-law I parted then from Malaca upon this employment and the seventh day of our Voyage just as we were opposite to the Island of Pullo Timano which may be distant from Malaca some ninety leagues and ten or twelve from the mouth of the River of Pan a little before day we heard at two several times great lamentations at Sea and being not able in regard of the darkness of the night to know what it was we were all suspended into divers opinions for that we could not imagine what it should be in so much that to learn the certainty thereof I caused them to hoist up sail and row towards that part where we heard the lamentation every one looking down round about close to the water the better to discern and hear that of which we were in such doubt After we had continued a pretty while in this manner we perceived far from us a black thing that floated on the Sea and unable at first to discover what it was we advised together about it Now there being but four Portugals of us in the Lanchara we were all of different minds so that I was told how I was to go directly to the place whither Pedro de Faria had sent me that losing but an hours time I might endanger the Voyage and hazard the goods and so for want of performing the duty of my charge I might very much wrong him Whereunto I answered that happen what might I would not leave off laboring to know what it was and that if in so doing I committed any fault the Lanchara appertained to none but Pedro de Faria unto whom my self was to render an account of the goods in it and not they that had nothing else in the Vessel but their persons which were in no more danger then mine During this debate it pleased God that the day appeared by the light whereof we perceived pâ—ople that were cast away who floated pell-mell together upon planks and other pieces of wood Whereupon without further fear we turned our prow towards them and with force of sails and oars we made to them hearing them cry six or seven times without using any other speech Lord have mercy upon us At the sight of this strange and pitiful spectacle we remained so amazed that we were almost besides our selves and causing some of the Mariners to get with all speed into the Cock-boat they fetcht three and twenty persons of them into the Lanchara namely fourteen Portugals and nine Slaves which were all so dis-figured in the face as they made us afraid to look on them and so weak as they could neither speak nor stand After they had been thus taken up by us and entreated in the best manner we could we demanded of them the cause of their mis-fortune whereunto one of the company weâ—ping answered My Masters I am named Fernand Gil Porcalâ—o and the eye which you behold I want was strucken out by the Achems at the siege of Malaca when as the second time they came to surprize Dom Estâ—vano de Gama who desiring to do something for me because he saw me poor as I was at that time gave me leave to go to the Molucques where would to God I had never been since my Voyage was to have so bad a success for after I departed from the Port of Talagame which is the Roade of our Fort at Ternate having sailed three and twenty days with a favorable gale in a Junck that carried a thousand bars of Cloves worth above an hundred thousand duckets my ill fortune would that at the point of Surabaya in the Isle of Iaoa there arose so impetuous a North-wind that our Junck brake in the prow which constrained us to lighten the hatches So we passed that night by the shoar without bearing so much as a rag of sail by reason the Sea was exceedingly moved and the waves most insupportable The next day we perceived that our Junk sank so that of an hundred forty and seven persons that were in her there were saved but six and twenty and now it is fourtain days that we have been upon these planks having during all that time eaten nothing but a slave of mine that dyed with whom we have sustained our selves eight days and the very last night two Portugals more dyed on whom we would not feed although we were very much prest
in her quickly rendred themselves unto us That done Antonio de Faria went with all speed to succor Christovano Borralâ—o who was boarded by the other Junk and very doubtful of the victory in regard the greatest part of his men were hurt but at our approach the Enemies threw themselves all into the Sea where most of them were drowned and so both the Junks remained in our power After this we took a survey of our company the bâ—tter to understand what this victory had cost us and we found there was one Portugal five Boys and nine Mariners killed besides those that were hurt and on the Enemies part fourscore were slain and almost as many taken Having given order then for the dressing and accommodating of our wounded men in the best manner that could be Antonio de Faria caused as many Mariners to be taken up as could be saved and commanding them to be brought into the great Junk where he was he demanded of them what those Junks were how the Captain of them was named and whether he were alive or dead whereunto not one of them would make any answer but chose rather to dye in torments like mad dogs when as Christovano Borralho cryed out from the Junk where he was Signior Signior come hither quickly for we have more to do then we think of whereat Antonio de Faria accompanyed with fifteen or sixteen of his men leapt into his Junk asking what the matter was I hear a many talking together said he towards the prow which I doubt are hidden there hereupon opening the scuttle they heard divers cry out Lord Iesus have mercy upon us and that in such a woful manner as struck uâ— all with pity Antonio de Faria approaching to the scuttle and looking down could perceive some persons there shut up but not able to discern what they might be he made two of his boys to go down who a little after brought up seventeen Christians namely two Portugals five small children two girls and eight boys which were in such a lamentable case as would have grieved any heart to have beheld them The first thing he did was to cause their Irons to be strucken off and then he enquired of one of the Portugals for the other was like a man dead unto whom those children appertained and how they fell into the hands of this Pyrat as also what his name was Whereunto he answered that the Pyrat had two names the one Christian the other Pagan and that his Pagan name wherewith he used to be called of late was Necoda Nicaulem and his Christian name Francisco dâ— Saa being Christned at Malaca at such time as Garcia de Saa was Captain of the Fortress and for that he was his godfather and had caused him to be baptized he gave him that name and marryed him to an orphan maid a very handsom wench the daughter of an honorable Portugal to oblige him the more to our Religion and Country but in the year 1534. setting sail for China in a great Junk of his wherein there accompanyed him twenty of the wealthiest Portugals of Malaca as also his wife and arriving at the Island of Pullo Catâ—n they stayd two days to take in fresh water during which time he and his Company who were all Chineses like himself and no better Christians conspired the death of the poor Portugals for to despoyl them of their goods so that one night whil'st the Portugals were asleep and little dream'd of such Treason they killed them all with their little hatchets and their servants likewise not sparing the life of any one that bore the name of a Christian after which he perswaded with his wife to turn Pagan and adore an Idol that Tucan Captain of the Junk had concealed in his chest and that then being free from the Christian Religion he would marry her to Tucan who in exchangâ— would give him a sister of hiâ—to wife that was a Chinese and there with him But in regard she would neither adore the Idol nor consent to the rest the dog struck her over the head with his hatchet till her brains flâ—w out and then departing from thence went to the Port of Liampoo where the same year before he had traded and not daring to go to Patana for fear of the Portugals that resided there he wintered at Siam and the year following he returned to the Port of Chincheo where he took a little Junk that came from Suâ—da with ten Portugals in her all which he slew And because the wickedness that he had done us was known over all the Country doubting to encounter some Portugal forces he had retired himself into this straight of Caucheâ—china where as a Merchant he traded and as a Pyrat robbed those he met withall that were weaker then himself It being now three years since he had taken this River for a refuge of his Robberies thinking himself secure here from us Portugals by reason we have not used to traffique in the Ports of this straight and Island of Ainan Antonio de Faria asked of him whether those children belonged to the Portugals he had mentioned before whereunto he answered that they did not but that both they and the boys and girls were the children of Nuno Preto Gian de Diaz and of Pero Bâ—rges whom he had killed at Mompollacota near the mouth of the River of Siam in Ioano Oliveyra's Junk where he also put sixteen Portugals more to death only he saved their two lives because one was a shipwright and the other a Caulker and had carryed them along with him in this manner continually whipping and almost famishing of them further he said that when he set upon us he did not think we had been Portugalâ— but some Chinese Merchant like such as he had accustomed to rob when he found them at advantage as he thought to have found us Antonio de Faria demanded of him whether he could know the Pyrat amongst those other dead bodies Having replyed that he could the Captain presently arose and taking him by the hand went with him into the other Junk that was fastned to his and having made him view all that lay dead upon the hatches he said that it was none of them Whereupon he commanded a Manchuas which is a little boat to be made ready wherein he and this man went and sought for him amongst the other dead bodies that floated on the water where they found him with a great cut over his head and a thrust quite through the body so causing him to be taken up and layd upon the hatches he demanded of that man again if he were sure that this was he who answered how without doubt it was he Whereunto Antonio de Faria gave the more credit by reason of a great chain of gold he had about his neck to which was fastned an Idol of gold with two heads made in the form of a Lizard having the tail and paws enammelled with green and black and commanding
de Faria did with the Captain of the Pyrats Iunk that which past between him and the people of the Country with our casting away upon the Island of Theeves ANtonio de Faria having obtained this Victory in the manner I have related the first thing he did was to see his hurt men drest as that which chiefly imported him then being given to understand that the Pyrat Hinimilau the Captain of the Junk he had taken was one of the sixteen he had saved he commanded him to be brought before him and after he had caused him to be drest of two wounds that he had received he demanded of him what was become of the young Portugals which he held as Slaves Whereunto the Pyrat being mad with rage having answered that he could not tell upon the second demand that was made him with menaces he said that if first they would give him a little water in regard he was so dry as he was not able to speak that then he would consider what answer to make Thereupon having water brought him which he drunk so greedily as he spilt the most part of it without quenching his thirst he desired to have some more given him protesting that if they would let him drink his fill he would oblige himself by the Law of Mahomets Alcoran voluntarily to confess all that they desired to know of him Antonio de Faria having given him as much as he would drink questioned him again about the young Christians whereto he replyed that he should find them in the chamber of the prow thereupon he commanded three Soldiers to go thither and fetch them who had no sooner opened the scuttle to bid them come up but they saw them lie dead in the place with their throats cut which made them cry out Iesus Iesus come hither we beseech you Sir and behold a most lamentable spectacle hereat Antonio de Faria and those that were with him ran thither and beholding those youths lying so oâ—e upon another he could not forbear shedding of tears having caused them then to be brought upon the deck together with a woman and two pretty children about seven or eight years old that had their throats also cut he demanded of the Pyrat why he had used such cruelty to those poor innocents Whereunto he answered that it was because they were Traytors in discovering themselves to those which were such great Enemies to him as the Portugals were and also for that having heard them call upon their Christ for help he desired to see whether he would deliver them as for the two infants there was cause enough to kill them for that they were the childrâ—n of Portugals whom he ever hated with the like extravagancy he answered to many other questions which were propounded to him and that with so much obstinacy as if he had been a very Devil Afterwards being asked whether he were a Christian he answered no but that he had been one at such time as Don Paulo de Gama was Captain of Malaca Whereupon Antonio de Faria demanded of him what moved him since he had been a Christian to forsake the Law of Iesus Christ wherein he was assured of his salvation for to embrace that of the false Prophet Mahomet from whence he could hope for nothing but the loss of his Soul Thereunto he answered that he was induced so to do for that so long as he was a Christian the Portugals had always contemned him whereas before when he was a Gentile they called him Quiay Necoda that is to say Signior Captain but that respect immediately upon his Baptism forsook him which he verily believed did arrive to him by Mahomets express permission to the end it should open his eyes to turn Mahometan as after he did at Bintan where the King of Iantana was in person present at the ceremony and that ever since he had much honored him and that all the Mandarins called him brother in regard of the vow he had made upon the holy Book of Flowers that as long as he lived he would be a sworn Enemy to the Portugals and of all others that profest the Name of Christ for which both the King and the Cacis Moulana had exceedingly coÌ„mended him promising that his Soul should be most blessed if he performed that vow Being likewise demanded how long ago it was since he revolted what Portugal Vessels he had taken how many men he had put to death and what Merchandize he had despoyled them of He answered that it was seven years since he became a Mahometan that the first Vessel he took was Luiso de Pavia's Junk which he surprized in the River of Liampâ—o with four hundred Bars of Pepper only and no other spice whereof having made himself master that he had put to death eighteen Portugals besides their slaves of whom he made no reckoning because they were not such as could satisfie the Oath he had made That after this prize he had taken four ships and in them put to death above an hundred persons amongst whom there was some threescore and ten Portugals and that he thought the Merchandize in them amounted to fifteen or sixteen hundred Bars of Pepper whereof the King of Pan had the better moity for to give him a safe retrait in his Ports and to secure him from the Portugals giving him to that purpose an hundred men with commandment to obey him as their King Being further demanded whether he had not killed any Portugals or lent an hand for the doing thereof he said no but that some two years before being in the River of Choaboquec on the Coast of China a great Junk arrived there with a great many Portugals in her whereof an intimate friend of his named Ruy Lobo was Captain whom Don Estevan de Gama then Governor of the Fortress of Malaca had sent thither in the way of commerce and that upon the sale of his commodities going out of the Port his Junk about five days after took so great a leak as not being able to clear her he was constrained to return towards the same Port from whence he parted but that by ill fortune clapping on all his sails to get the sooner to Land she was overset by the violence of the wind so as all were cast away saving Ruy Lobo seventeen Portugals and some slaves who in their skiff made for the Island of Laman without sail without water or â—ny manner of victual That in this extremity Ruy Lobo relying on the ancient friendship that was between them came with tears in his eyes and pray'd him on his knees to receive him and his into his Junk which was then ready to set sail for Patana whereunto he agreed upon condition that therefore he should give him two thousand duckets for the performance whereof he bound himself by his Oath of a Christian. But that after he had taken them in he was counselled by the Mahometans not to trust unto the friendship of Christians lest he might
heed Now when the day began perfectly to appear it pleased God that Mem Taborda's and Antonio Anriquez Junks discovered us and presently coming up close to us they that were in her threw us a great many staves tyed to cords to the end we might fasten our selves to them as we presently did and therein an hour was spent with much ado by reason of the extream disorder amongst us every man desiring and striving to be first saved by which occasion twenty men were drowned whereof five were Portugals for whom Antonio de Faria was more grieved then for the loss of the Junk and all the goods that were in her although the value thereof was not so small but that it amounted to above an hundred thousand Taâ—is and that in Silver alone for the greatest part of the booty taken from Coia Acem had been put into Antonio de Faria's Junk as that which was held to be freer from danger then all the rest Thus after we had with much peril and pain gotten into Taborda's Junk we past all that day in continual lamentation for our ill success without hearing any news of our consorts Nevertheless it pleased God that about evening we discovered two Sails which made so many short turnings from one side to another as one might well guess they did it of purpose to spend time whereby we were perswaded that they were of our company Now because it was almost night we thought it not fit to go to them for some reasons given thereupon but having made them a sign they answered us presently with the like according to our desire and about the end of the last watch they approached so near unto us that after they had sadly saluted us they demanded how the Captain General and the rest did whereunto we replyed that as soon as it was day we would tell them and that in the mean time they should retire from thence till the next morning that it was light for that the waves then went so high as some disaster might otherwise ensue thereupon The next day as soon as the Sun began to appeared two Portugals came to us from Quiay Panians Junk who seeing Antonio de Faria in the case he was in aboard Mem Taborda's Junk and understanding the bad success of his fortune they recounted theirs unto us which seemed to be little better then ours for they declared that a gust of wind had caught up and thrown three of their men a stones cast from the Vessel into the Sea a thing never seen nor heard of before Withall they delivered how the little Junk was cast away with fifty men in her almost all Christians amongst the which were seven Portugals and the Captain named Nuno Preto an honorable man and of great courage and wisdom whereof he had given good proof in the former adversities Aâ— this relation Antonio de Faria was very much grieved but much more when a little after one of the two Lanteas of whom no news had been heard of till then arriving told us what dangers they had ran and that the other having broken their cables and left their anchors in the Sea was in their sight battered all to pieces on the Sea shoar all that were in her being drowned saving thirteen persons whereof there were five Portugals and three servants Christians whom those of the Country had made Slaves and carried to a place called Nouday so that by this unlucky Tempest two Junks and one Lantea or Lorch were cast away wherein above an hundred men were lost besides Slaves Apparel Commodities Silver Jewels Ordnance Arms Victual and Munition worth in all above two hundred thousand Duckets in so much thaâ— both our General and every one of us Soldiers found our selves destitute of all manner of relief having nothing left us but what was upon our backs We learnt afterwards that such-like fortunes at Sea do ordinarily happen on this Coast of China more then in any other part so that it is impossible to sail there a whole year together without shipwrack unless upon the Conjunction of the new Moons one fly into the Ports for shelter which are there so many and so good that without fear of any thing one may enter them easily because they are all very clear except those of Lamau and Sumbor which have certain Rocks lying some half a league Southward from the mouth of the River CHAP. XXII Antonio de Faria hath news of the five Portugals that were made Captives his Letter to the Mandarin of Nouday about them and his assaulting the said Town AFter this furious Tempest was wholly asswaged Antonio de Faria incontinently imbarqued himself in the other great Junk that he had taken from Coia Acem whereof Pedro de Silva was Captain and setting sail he departed with the rest of his Company which consisted of three Junks and one Lorch or Lantea as the Chineses term them The first thing he did then was to go and anchor in the Haven of Nouday to the end he might learn some news of the thirteen Captives that were carried thither being arrived there about night he sent two small Barques called Baloes well man'd to spy the Port and sound the depth of the River as also to observe the scituation of the Country and to learn by some means what Ships were riding there together with divers other matters answerable to his design For which effect he commanded the Mariners to endeavor all they could for to surprize some of the Inhabitants of the Town that by them he might be truly informed what was become of the Portugals by reason he was afraid they were already carried further up into the Country These Baloes went away about two hours after midnight and arrived at a little Village seated at the mouth of the River on a little stream of water called Nipaphau There it pleased God that they behaved themselves so well as they returned before day aboard our Junk bringing along with them a Barque laden with earthen vessel and Sugar canes which they had found lying at anchor in the midst of the River In this Barque there were eight men and two women together with a little child some six or seven years old who seeing themselves thus in our power became so transported with the fear of death that they were in a manner besides themselves which Antonio de Faria perceiving labored all he could to comfort them and began to speak them very fair but to all his questions he could draw no other answer from them then these words following Do not kill us without cause for God will require an account of our blood from you because we are poor folks and saying thus they wept and trembled in such sort as they could scarce pronounce a word Whereupon Antonio de Faria pitying their misery and simplicity would importune them no further Howbeit the better to compass his intent he intreated a Chinese woman that was a Christian and came along with the Pilot to
Portugals unto whom he had oftentimes done much damage as well at Patana as at Sunda Siam and many other places when he found himself the stronger This Rover beleeving that we were Chineses came and assailed us with two great Juncks wherein there were two hundred fighting men besides Mariners One of them being grappled to Mem Taborda's Junk had almost made her self Master of it which Quiay Panian perceiving who was a little before he turned upon her and with full sails running her on the Staâ—board side gave her so terrible a shock that they sank both together whereby Mem Taborda was delivered from the danger he was in howbeit Quia Panian was instantly and so opportunely succoured by three Lorches which Antonio de Faria had taken a little before at Nouday that all his men in a manner were saved but every one of the enemies were drowned In the mean time the Pyrate Premata Gundel setting upon the great Junk wherein Antonio de Faria was the first thing he did was to grapple her poop to prow with two great cramp-irons fastened to long chains whereupon began such a fight betwixt them as deserved to be seen which for half an hour was so couragiously maintained by the Enemie that Antonio de Faria and most of his men were hurt and himself besides in danger twice to have been taken neverthelesse it was his good hap to be relieved in time by three Lorches and a small Junck commanded by Pedro de Sylva by which means it pleased God that ours not onely recovered what they had loâ—t but pressed the Enemie in such sort as the fight ended with the death of fourscore and six Mahometans which were in Antonio de Faria's Junk and had held him up so strait that our men had nothing left them but the fore-deck in her After this we entred into the Pirates Junck and put all those to the edge of the Sword that we found there not sparing so much as one all the Mariners having cast themselves before into the Sea Howbeit we got not this victorie so cheap but that it cost seventeen mens lives whereof five were Portugals and of the best Souldiers we had besides three and fourty were hurt Antonio de Faria being one of them who had one wound with a dart and two with a sword The fight being ended in this sort an Inventorie was taken of all that was in the enemies Junck and this prize was estimated at fourscore thousand Taâ—is the better part whereof consisted in Lingots of silver of Iapan which the Pirate had taken in three Merchants Ships that from Firando were bound for Chincheo so that the Pirate had in this onely vessel to the value of sixscore thousand crowns and it was thought that the other Junck which was sunk was worth â—s much to the extream grief of all our company With this prize Antonio de Faria retired to a little Island called Buncalou which was three or four Leagues Westward from thence and much commended for good water and safe riding Having landed in this place we spent eighteen dayes there lodging in Cabbins that were made for the accommodation of our hurt men From this Island we sailed towards that part whither we had resolved before to go namely Antonio de Faria in the great Junk Mem Taborda and Antonio Anriquez in theirs Pedro de Sylva in the little Junk that was taken at Nouday and Quiay Panian with all his followers in the Pyrats last taken which was given him in recompence of his that he had lost together with twenty thousand Taeis out of the general booty wherewith he rested very well contented being done with the consent of the whole company at the request of Antonio de Faria Sailing in this manner we arrived six dayes after at the Ports of Liampoo which are two Islands one just against another distant three Leagues from the place where at that time the Portugals used their commerce There they had built above a thousand houses that were governed by Sheriffs Auditors Consuls Judges and six or seven other kinde of Officers where the Notaries underneath the publique Acts which they made wrote thus I such a one publique Notarie of this Town of Liampoo for the King our Soveraign Lord. And this they did with as much confidence and assurance as if this place had been scituated between Santarem and Lisbon so that there were houses there which cost three or four thousand Duckats the building but both they and all the rest were afterwards demolished for our sins by the Chineses as I hope to relate more amply hereafter Whereby one may see how uncertain our â—ffairs are in China whereof the Portugals discourse with so much curiosity and abused by apparances make such account never considering what hazard they hourly run and how they are exposed to infinite disasters Between these two Islands which the Inhabitants of the Country and they that sail in those Seas call the Ports of Liampoo there is a channel some two Harquebuse shot over and five and twenty fathom deep where in certain places is very good anchoring as also a pleasant River of fresh water which takes his beginning from the top of a mountain and passeth by thick woods of Cedar Oak and Firr trees whereof many Ships make their provision for Sail-yards Masts and Planks never costing them a penny At these Islands Antonio de Faria cast anchor on Wednesday morning and there Mem Taborda and Antonio Anriquez desired him to give them leave to go and advertise the Town of his Arrival as likewise to understand the news of the Country and whether there was any speech of that which he had done at Nouday For in case his coming should prove never so litâ—le prejudiciall to them he was resolved as I have formerly related to winter in the Isle of Pullo Hinhor concerning the which they promised with all diligence to advertize him so much as they could learn To this request of theirs Antonio de Faria condescended very willingly and withall sent certain Letters by them directed to the Principal Governours of the Town whereby he made them a brief Recitall of the successe of his Voyage and instantly desired them to advise him what they would have him to do being ready to obey them accordingly with many other complements of kindnesse from whence oftentimes much profit arises without any charge at all Antonio Anriquez and Mem Taborda departed about evening and within two hours of night they arrived at the Town where as soon as the Inhabitants heard the effect of their Message they presently assembled upon the ringing of a Bell at the Church of the conception of our Lady being the Cathedral of six or seven others in the Town there they deliberated upon the Letters which Antonio Anrqiuez and Mem Taborda had delivered and in the end having considered the great liberalitie that Antonio de Faria had used as well to them as to all the rest that had part in the Junk
side amazed to think how liberally it hath pleased God to heap up on this people the goods of the earth on the other side I am exceedingly grieved to consider how ungratefull they are in acknowledging such extraordinary favours for they commit amongst themselves an infinite of most enormous sins wherewithal they incessantly offend the Divine Goodness as well in their bruitish and diabolical Idolatries as in the abominable sin of Sodomy which is not only permitted amongst them in publique but is also accounted for a great vertue according to the instructions of their Priests CHAP. XXXII Our Arrival at the City of Pequin together with our imprisonment and that which moreover happened unto us there as also the great Majesty of the Officers of their Court of Iustice. AFter we were departed from that rare and marvellous Town whereof I have spoken we continued our course up the river until at length on Tuesday the nineteenth of October in the year 1541. we arrived at the great City of Pequin whither as I have said before we had been remitted by Appeal In this manner chained three and three together we were cast into a prison called Gofaniauserca where for our welcom we had at the first dash thirty lashes a piece given us wherewith some of us became very sick Now as soon as the Chifuu who conducted us thither had presented the process of our sentence sealed with twelve seals to the Justice of the Aytao which is their Parliament the twelve Chonchalis of the criminal Chamber unto whom the cognisance of our cause appertained commanded us presently away to prison whereupon one of those twelve assisted by two Registers and six or seven officers whom they term Hupes and are much like our Catchpoles here terrified us not a little as he was leading us thither for giving us very threatning speeches Come said he unto us By the power and authority which I have from the Aytao of Batampina chief President of the two and thirty Iudges of strangers within whose brest are the secrets of the Lyon crowned on the throne of the world inclosed I enjoyn and command you to tell me what people you are as also of what country and whether you have a King who for the service of God and for the discharge of his dignity is inclined to do good to the poor and to render them justice to the end that with tears in their eyes and hands lifted up they may not addresse their complaints to that Soveraign Lord which hath made the bright Enamel of the skies and for whose holy feet all they that reign with him serve but for sandals To this demand we answered him that we were poor strangers natives of the Kingdom of Siam who being imbarqued with our Merchandise for Liampoo were cast away in a great storm at sea from whence we escaped naked with the loss of all that we had and how in that deplorable estate we were fain to get our living by begging from door to door till such time as at our arrival at the Town of Taypor the Chumbim then resident there had arrested us for prisoners without cause and so sent us to the City of Nanquin where by his report we had been condemned to the whip and to have our thumbs cut off without so much as once daigning to hear us in our justifications by reason whereof lifting up our eyes to Heaven we had been adviced to have recourse with our tears to the four and twenty Judges of austâ—er life that through their zeal to God they might take our cause in hand since by reason of our poverty we were altogether without support and abandoned of all men which with an holy zeal they incontinently effected by revoking the cause and annulling the judgment that had been given against us and that these things considered we most instantly besought him that for the service of God he would be pleased to have regard to our misery and the great injustice that was done us for that we had no means in this Country nor person that would speak one word for us The Judg remained somtimes in suspence upon that we had said to him at length he answered that we need say no more to him for it is sufficient that I know you are poor to the end this affair may go another way then hitherto it hath done neverthertheless to acquit me of my charge I give you five days time conformably to the Law of the third Book that within the said term you may retain a Proctor to undertake your cause but if you will be advised by me you shall present your request to the Tanigores of the sacred Office to the end that they carryed by an holy zeal of the honour of God may out of compassion of your miseries take upon them to defend your right Having spoken thus he gave us a Taeis in way of alms and said further to us Beware of the prisoners that are here for I assure you that they make it their trade to steal all that they can from any one whereupon entring into another chamber where there were a great number of prisoners he continued there above three hours in giving them audience at the end whereof he sent seven and twenty men that the day before had received their judgment to execution which was inflicted upon them by whipping to death a spectacle so dreadful to us and that put us in such a fright as it almost set us besides our selves The next morning as soon as it was day the Jaylors clapt irons on our feet and manacles on ouâ— hands and put us to exceeding great pain but seven days after we had endured such misery being laid on the ground one by another and bewayling our disaster for the extream fear we were in of suffering a most cruel death if that which we had done at Calempluy should by any means chance to be discovered it pleased God that we were visited by the Tanigores of the house of mercy which is of the jurisdiction of this prison who are called in their language Cofilem Gnaxy At their arrival all the prisoners bowing themselves said with a lamentable tonâ— Blessed be the day wherein God doth visit us by the ministery of his servants whereunto the Tanigories made answer with a grave and modest countenance The Almighty and divine hand of him that hath formed the beauty of the stars keep and preserve you Then approaching to us they very courteously demanded of us what people we were and whence it proceeded that our imprisonment was more sensible to us then to others To this speech we replied with tears in our eyes that we were poor strangers so abandoned of men as in all that Country there was not one that knew our names and that all we could in our poverty say to intreat them to think of us for Gods sake was contained in a letter that we had brought them from the Chamber of the Society of the house
Tribunal fourteen steps high that was all overlaid with fine gold Her face was very beautiful and her hands were heaved up towards Heaven at her armpits hung a many of little idols not above half a finger long filed together whereupon demanding of the Chineses what those meant they answered us That after the waters of Heaven had overflowed the earth so that all mankind was drowned by an universal Deluge God seeing that the world would be desolate and no body to inhabit it he sent the goddess Amida the chief Lady of honour to his wife Nacapirau from the Heaven of the Moon that she might repair the loss of drowned mankind and that then the goddess having set her feet on a Land from which the waters were withdrawn called Calemphuy which was the same Island whereof I have spoken heretofore in the streight of Nanquin whereof Antonio de Faria went on land she was changed all into gold and in that manner standing upright with her face looking up unto Heaven she sweat out at her armpits a great number of children namely males out of the right and females out of the left having no other place about her body whence she might bring them forth as other women of the world have who have sinned and that for a chastisement of their sin God by the order of nature hath subjected them to a misery full of corruption and filthiness for to shew how odious unto him the sin was that had been committed against him The goddess Amida having thus brought forth these creatures which they affirm were thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three two parts of them females and the other males for so say they the world was to be repaired she remained so feeble and faint with this delivery having no body to assist her at her need that she fell down dead in the place for which cause the Moon at that time in memory of this death of hers whereat she was infinitely grieved put her self into mourning which mourning they affirm to be those black spots we ordinarily behold in her face occasioned indeed by the shadow of the earth and that when there shall be so many years ran out as the goddess Amida brought forth children which were as I have delivered thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three then the Moon will put off her mourning and afterwards be as clear as the day With these and such like fopperies did the Chineses so turmoil us as we could not chuse but grieve to consider how much those people which otherwise are quick of apprehension and of good understanding are abused in matter of Religion with such evident and manifest untruths After we were come out of this great place where we saw all these things we went unto another Temple of religious Votaries very sumptuous and rich where they told us the Mother of the then reigning King named Nhay Camisama did abide but thereunto we were not permitted to enter because we were strangers From this place through a street arched all along we arrived at a Key called Hichario Topileu where lay a great number of vessels full of pilgrims from divers Kingdoms which came incessantly on pilgrimage to this Temple for to gain as they believe plenary indulgences which the King of China and the Chaems of the Government do grant unto them besides many priviledges and franchises throughout the whole Country where victuals are given them abundantly and for nothing I will not speak of many other Temples or Pagodes which we saw in this City whilest we were at liberty for I should never have done to make report of them all howbeit I may not omit some other particulars that I hold very fit to be related before I break off this discourse whereof the first were certain houses in several parts of this City called Laginampurs that is to say The School of the poor wherein fatherless and motherlesâ— children that are found in the streets are taught to write and read as also some trade whereby they may get their living and of these houses or schools there are about some five hundred in this City Now if it happen that any of them through some defect of nature cannot learn a trade then have they recourse to some means for to make them get their living according to each ones incommodity As for example if they be blind they make them labour in turning of handmils if they be lame of their feet they cause them to make laces riband and such like manufactures if they be lame of their hands then they make them earn their living by carrying of burdens but if they be lame both of feet and hands so that nature hath wholly deprived them of means to get their living then they shut them up in great Convents where there are a number of persons that pray for the dead amongst whom they place them and so they have their share of half the offerings that are made there the Priests having the other half if they be dumb then they are shut up in a great house where they are maintained with the amerciaments that the common sort of women as oyster-wives and such like are condemned in for their scolding and fighting one with another As for old queans that are past the trade and such of the younger sort as by the lewd exercise thereof are becomâ— diseased with the pox or other filthy sickness they are put into other houses where they are very well looked unto and furnished abundantly with all things necessary at the charge of the other women that are of the same trade who thereunto pay a certain sum monthly and that not unwillingly because they know that they shall come to be so provided for themsâ—lves by others and for the collecting of this mony there are Commissioners expresly deputed in several parts of the City There are also other houses much like unto Monasteries where a great many of young maids that are Orpâ—ans are bred up and these houses are maintained at the charge of such women as are convicted of adultery for say they it is most just that if there be one which hath lost her self by her dishonesty there should be another that should be maintained by her vertue Other places there are also where decayed old people are kept at the charge of Lawyers that plead unjust causes where the parties have no right and of Judges that for favoring one more thâ—n another and corrupted with bribes do not execute justice as they ought to do whereby one may see with how much order and policy these people govern all things In the prosecution of my discourse it will not be amiss here to deliver the marvellous order and policy which the Kings of China observe in furnishing their States abundantly with provisions and victuals for the relief of the poor people which may very well serve for an example of charity and good government to Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths Their Chronicles
prisoner with us and two children of hers dâ—siring then to comfort her she discovered unto her all that she had learnt which she had no sooner understood but that extreamly afflicted at so sad a news she fell instantly to the ground in a swoon wherein she continued a long time speechless At length being come to her self again she fell to tearing of her cheeks so cruelly with her nails that all her face was nothing but gore bloud which for that it was a new and extraordinary thing in that Country was incontinently spread abroad throughout all the City insomuch that all the women being frighted with it the most part of them went forth with their children in their hands to the Broquens daughters house where thâ— Portugal woman was more ready to die then to answer to the questions one or another of them asked her being exceedingly moved with piâ—y to bâ—hold her so lamentably taking on drowned all in tears and blood which passion grief had drawn from her they all resolved to write a letter in favour of us to the old Queen the Kings Mother as accordingly they did and the contents of it were these Sacred pearl congealed in the greatest shell of the profoundest depth of the waters thou Star enammelled with rayes of fire thou tress of golden hair intermixed with a Garland of roses whose feet are so replenished with greatness that they rest upon the top of our heads like to rubies enchaced in gold whereof the price is inestimable We that are no other then the least and poorest of thy creatures the daughters and kinswomen of the Broquens wife together with the rest of thy captives that have set their hands to these presents do make our moan unto thee concerning a thing which we have seen with our eyes that is a poor woman a stranger who seems to have neither flesh nor face drowned as she is in a pool of blood beating her brest with such cruelty as would stir up even wild-beasts in the Forrest to compassion and strike fear into every one Moreover we have heard her cry so loud as we assure thee by the Law of all verity that if God should lend an ear unto her as we believe he will because he doth usually assist the poor that are despised of the world it is to be feared that some great chastisement of famine and fire will fall upon us wherefore the extream apprehension which we have of these things causeth us to joyn all our voyces together like little children hungry after their mothers and humbly beseech thee that casting thine eyes upon the soul of the deceased King thy Husbband for whose sake we beg this of thee thou wilt vouchsafe to make thy selfe like the Saints setting aside all respect of the flesh For the more thou shalt do for God the greater thou shalt be in his house where we verily believe thou shalt find the King thy Husband singing to the sound of the harp of those children that have never sinned the song of this charitable alms which for Gods sake and his we pray thee to obtaine of the King thy Son And this we hope shall be a means to move him both for the love of God and of thy self as also by the force of our tears and cries to take pity on these strangers and freely pardon them all the faults wherewith they are unjustly charged since as thou knowest they are not the Saints of Heaven that use to accuse us but men that are infamous and of an evil life to whom we are forbidden to lend an ear Conchenilau the fair Gentlewoman and well born but above all more honourable then all those of this City for having been bred up in thy service â—y her Aunt shall represent unto thee on the behalf of God and the King thy Husband for the love of whom we prefer this request unto thee all the other particularities of this affair as also the grievous tears and groaâ—s of these poor folks and the extream sadness and fear of all the inhabitants of this place who most earnestly beseech thee to present their humble Suit to the King thy Son cherished above all others on whom may it please the Lord of all good to bestow so much thereof as with that which only shall be resting to him all these people that inhabit the Land and Islands of the Sea may be replenished This letter signed by above an hundred of the chiefest women of the City was sent by a Gentlewoman the daughter of the Mandarin Comanilau Governour of the Island of Bancaa which is on the the South-side of that of the Lequios and good luck would have it that this young Damosel came thither but three dayes before the Sentence of death was to be put into execution upon us in the company of two of her brothers and ten or eleven Gentlâ—men her kinsmen This Gentlewoman being arrived at the City of Bintor where the King and the Queen his Mother were she went to the house of an Aunt of hers the chief Lady of honour to the Queen and that infinitely loved her to whom she rendred an account of the occasion of her coming and withall represented unto her how much it imported both her honour and credit seeing all the rest had made choice of her for this affair that her Highness should grant her the grace which all of them together made such suit unto her for The Lady having given her Neece the best welcome that possibly she could by all demonstrations of her affection she said unto her that since she perceived this business so much concerned her honour she would labour by all the means she could that she should not return discontented and frustrated of the hope of her request the rather for that the thing was just in it self and so earnestly sought for by so many great Ladies whereupon the Gentlewoman having given her very humble thanks besought her to dispatch the business with as much speed as might be in regard we had but two dayes more to live according to the tenour of our Sentence after which time all help would be in vain Since it is so answered her Aunt and that for want of requisite diligence the poor wretches are like to suffer the punishment whereunto the King hath destined them upon the Chineses report I will go and lay my self at the Queens feet as soon as she awakes which will be within an hour at the furthest to the end that this novelty not having done so these six years by reason of my indisposition may draw her to demand of me the cause of it Having said this she left her Neece behind her and went and opened a Gallery door whereof she alone had the key and so entred into the Chamber where the Queen lay A while after the Queen awaking found her lying at her feet whereupon she said unto her How now Nhay Meicamur for so was this Lady called what is it hath brought
you hither at this time certainly it is some extraordinary matter Madam answered she that which your Majesty sayes is very true and I assure my self that it will seem no less strange in your ears then it was to me to see my Neece arrive here lately with so much sorrow and grief that I am not able to express it in words The Queen having then commanded her to call her in she presently fetched her The first thing that this young Gentlewoman did was to prostrate her self before the Queen who was in her bed and so told her weeping the occasion that brought her thither and therewithall presented her with the letter which the Queen commanded her to read as accordingly she did and it is said the Queen was so moved with compassion at it that not induring to have her make an end of reading it she said many times unto her with tears in her eyes Enough enough I will hear no more of it at this time and since the business stands in the terms you speak of God and the Soul of the King my Husband for whose sake all these Ladies beg this boon of me forbid that these poor wretches should lose their lives so unjustly The false reports which the Chineses have made of them together with the miseries they have indured at Sea may serve them in stead of great punishments Wherefore rely upon me for your request and in the mean space withdraw your selves til to morrow morning betimes when we will go all three to the King my Son before it be day and then you shall read this letter to him as you have read it to me that being incited to pity he may make no difficulty to grant us that which we demand of him with so much reason This resolution taken the Queen was no sooner up the next day but carrying along with her only her chief Lady and the Gentlewoman her Neece she past through a Gallery to the Chamber of the King her Son whom she found still in bed and having rendred him an account of the occasion of her coming she commanded the Gentlewoman to read the letter as also to tell by word of mouth all that had happened in that affair which the Gentlewoman performed very exactly but not without mingling her tears with those of her Aunts as we knew afterwards In the mean time the King looking on his Mother Madam answered he unto her I must needs confess that I dream'd this night how I saw my self before a very angry Iudge who carying his hand three times to his face as if he had threatned me I promise thee said he unto me that if the blood of these strangers doth cry unto me for vengeance thou and thine shall satisfie my justice which makes me believe that assuredly this vision comes from God for whose sake I will do this alms to his praise giving them both life and liberty that so they may go where they will and moreover I will cause a vessel to be provided for them furnished with all things they shall need all at mine own charge The Queen gave thâ— King her Son thanks for this his great grace unto them and withall commanded her Lady and the Gentlewoman to kiss his feet as instantly they did and so the Queen retired to her own lodging Hereupon the King sent for the Chumbim to command him that the Sentence against us might be revoked telling him all that had past as well concerning his dream as the request the Queen his Mother had made unto him which he had granted her Then the Officers of Justice commending the King much for this action revoking the former drew up another Sentence in favour of us which contained words to this effect Broquen of my City of Pungor I the Lord of seven Generations and of the hairs of thy head do send thee the smiles of my mouth that thy reputation may be thereby augmented Considering the information which the Chineses had given me of the pernicious manner of living of thâ—se strangers assuring me by a solemn oath and upon the faith they owe unto their Gods that infallibly they were Pyrats and robbers who used no other trade then to steal away othermens goods and bathâ—e heir hands in the blood of those that would defend their own according to reason as they said was manifest to all the world which they have run over not leaving any Island Port of the Sea River nor Land that they have not invaded with fire and sword committing such enormous and horrible crimes as for fear of offending God I may not mention All which things have at first sight seemed unto me most worthy to be punished in justice according to the Laws of my Kingdom wherefore I sent their Proces to the principal officers of my Crown who all with one common consent swore unto me that these strangers deserved not only one but many deathâ— if it were possible so that relying upon their advice I wrote unto Nhay Peretanda that he should enjoyn thee from me not to fail within four dayes to put that Sentence of mine in execution Now forasmuch as the chiefest Dames of your City whom I hold for my kinswomen have been Suiters unto me since that I would be pleased to bestow their lives upon them by way of an alms alledging many reasons in their letters to that purpose whereby I might be induced not to deny but rather to accord them that grace the fear which I have least their cries should in case of refusal arrive at the highest of the Heavens where that Lord liveth raigning whose property it is to have pity on the tears which are truly shed by those that have a right zeal to his holy Law hath wrought so with me that freeing my self from that blind passion whereunto the flesh rendred me inclined I would not let my choller prevail over the blood of those wretches For which reasons I command thee that as soon as this fair Gentlewoman who is of noble extraction and my kinswoman shall present thee these letters signed with my hand wherewith I confess I am well contented in regard of the persons that have made this Suite unto me thou go unto the prison whither thou hast committed these strangers and that without all delay thou set them at liberty as also that thou furnish them with a vessel at my charge giving them moreover such alms as the Law of the Lord commandeth thee to bestow on them and that too with a liberal hand whereupon thou shalt tell them that they may go away without seeing my Person for which I will dispense with them as well because that labour would be to no purpose as for that performing as I do the Office of a King it is not fit for me to behold men who have a great knowledge of God and yet seem to make little account of his Law in that they accustom themselves to rob others of their goods Given at Bintor in the third
by the four women upon whom she leaned directly to the Gallows whereon she and her four children were to be hanged and there the Rolim of Mounay who was held amongst them for a holy man used some speeches unto her for to encourage her the better to suffer death whereupon she desired them to give her a little water which being brought unto her she filled he mouth with it and so spurted it upon her four children whom she held in her arms then having kissed them many times she said unto them weeping O my Children my Children whom I have conceived anew within the interior of my Soul how happy would I think my self if I might redeem your lives with the loss of mine own a thousand times over if it were possible for in regard of the fear and anguish wherein I see you at this present and wherein every one sees me also I should receive Death with as good an heart from the hand of this cruel Enemy as I willingly desire to see my self in the presence of the Soveraign Lord of all things within the repose of his celestial Habitation Then turning her to the Hangman who was going to bind her two little boys Good Friend said she be not I pray thee so voyd of pity as to make me see my children dye for in so doing thou wouldst commit a great sin wherefore put me first to death and refuse me not this boon which I crave of thee for Gods sake After she had thus spoken she took her children again in her arms and kissing them over and over in giving them her last farewell she yielded up the ghost in the Ladies lap upon whom she leaned not so much as once stirring ever after which the Hangman perceiving ran presently unto her and hanged her as he had done the rest together with her four little children two of each side of her and she in the middle At this cruel and pitiful spectacle there arose from amongst all this people so great and hideous a cry that the Earth seemed to tremble under the feet of them that stood upon it and withall there followed such a Mutiny throughout the whole Camp as the King was constrained to fortifie himself in his quarter with six thousand Bramaa Horse and thirty thousand Foot and yet for all that be thought not himself secure enough from it had not the night come which onely was able to calm the furious motions of these men of war For of seven hundred thousand which were in the Camp six hundred thousand were by Nation Pegu's whose King was the Father of this Queen that was thus put to death but this Tyrant of Bramaa had so disarmed and subjected them as they durst not so much as quich upon any occasion Behold in what an infamous manner Nhay Canatoo finished her days a Princess every way accomplished wife to the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano and the daughter of the King of Pegu Emperor of nine Kingdoms whose yearly Revenue amounted unto three millions of Gold As for the infortunate King her Husband he was the same night cast into the River with a great stone tyed about his neck together with fifty or threescore of his chiefest Lords who were either the Fathers Husbands or Brothers of those hundred and forty Ladies that were most unjustly put to such an ignominious death amongst the which there were three whom this King of Bramaa had demanded in marriage at such time as he was but a simple Earl but not one of their Fathers would condescend unto it whereby one may see how great the revolutions of time and fortune are After the Tyrant of Bramaa had caused this rigorous Justice to be done he stayed there nine whole days during the which many of the Inhabitants of the City were also execued At last he departed for to go to Pegu leaving behind him Bainhaa Chaque Lord Steward of his House to take order for all things that might conduce to the pacifying of that Kingdom and to provide for the repairing of what the fire had consumed to which purpose he placed a good Garison there and carryed with him the rest of his Army Ioano Cayeyro followed him also with seven hundred Portugals not above three or four remaining behind in the ruines of Martabano and those too not very considerable except it were one named Gonçalo Falcan a Gentleman well born and whom these Gentiles commonly called Crisna Pacan that is to say Flower of Flowers a very honorable Title amongst them which the King of Bramaa had given him in recompence of his services Now for as much as at my departure from Malaca Pedro de Faria had given me a Letter directed unto him whereby he desired him to assist me with his favor in case I had need of it in the affair for which he sent me thither as well for the service of the King as for his own particular as soon as I arrived at Martabano where I found him resident I delivered him this Letter and withall gave him an account of the occasion that brought me thither which was to confirm the ancient league of Peace that the Chaubainhaa had made by his Embassadors with them of Malaca at such time as Pedro de Faria was first Governor of it and whereof he could not chuse but have some knowledg adding moreover how to that effect I had brought the Chaubainhaa Letters full of great protestations of amity and a Present of certain very rich Pieces of China Hereupon this Gonçalo Falcan imagining that by means hereof he might insinuate himself much more into the good grace of the King of Bramaa to whose side he turned at the siege of Martabano quitting that of the Chaubainhaa whom formerly he served he went three days after the Kings departure to his said Governor and told him that I was come thither as Embassador from the Captain of Malaca to treat with the Chaubainhaa unto whom the Captain sent an offer of great Forces against the King of Bramaa in so much that they of the Country were upon the point of fortifying themselves in Martabano and chasing away the Bramaas out of the Kingdom whereunto he added so many other such like matters that the Governor sent presently to apprehend me and after he had put me into safe custody he went directly to the Junck in which I came from Malaca and seized upon all the goods that were in her which were worth above an hundred thousand duckets committing the Necoda Captain and Master of the Junck to prison as also all the rest that were in her to the number of an hundred threescore and four persons wherein comprized forty rich Merchants Malayes Menancabo's Mahumetans and Gentiles Natives of Malaca All these were incontinently condemned to a confiscation of their goods and to remain the Kings prisoners as well as I for being complices in the Treason which the Captain of Malaca had plotted in secret with the Chaubainhaa against the King of Bramaa Having
what he had to do The Rolim went herewith back to the City where he gave the Queen an account of all things saying That this Tyrant was a man without faith and replete with damnable intentions for proof whereof he represented unto her the Siege of Martabano the usage of the Chaubainhaa after he rendred himself unto him upon his word and how he had put him his wife his children and the chiefest Nobility of his Kingdom to a most shamefull death These things considered it was instantly concluded as well by the Queen as by all those of her Councel that she should defend the City till such time as succour came from her Father which would be within fifteen days at the furthest This resolution taken she being of a great courage without further delay took order for all things that were thought necessary for the defence of the City animating to that end her people with great prudence and a man-like Spirit though she was but a woman Moreover as she liberally imparted to them of her Treasure so she promised every one throughly to acknowledg their services with all manner of recompences and honours whereby they were mightily encouraged to fight In the mean space the King of Bramaa seeing that the Rolim returned him no answer within the time prefixt began the next day to fortifie all the Quarters of his Camp with double rows of Cannon for to batter the City on every side and for assaulting of the walls he caused a great number of Ladders to be made publishing withall throughout his whole Army that all Souldiers upon pain of death should be ready within three days to go to the Assault The time then being come which was the third of May 1545. About an hour before day the King went out of his Quarter where he was at anchor upon the river with two thousand vessels of choice men and giving the Signal to the Commanders which were on Land to prepare themselves they altogether in one Body assailed the walls with so great a cry as if Heaven and earth would have come together so that both sides falling to encounter pell-mell with one another there was such a conflict betwixt them as within a little while the air was seen all on fire and the earth all bloody whereunto being added the clashing of weapons and noise of guns it was a spectacle so dreadful that we few Portugals who beheld these things remained astonished and almost besides our selves This fight indured full five hours at the end whereof the Tyrant of Bramaa seeing those within defend themselves so valiantly and the most part of his Forces to grow faint he went to land with ten or eleven thousand of his best men and with all diligence re-inforcing the Companies that were fighting the Bickering renewing in such sort as one would have said it did but then begin so great was the fury of it The second trial continued till night yet would not thâ— Kâ—ng desist from the fight what counsel soever was given him to retire but contrarily he swore not to give over the Enterprise begun and that he would lie that night within the inclosure of the City walls or cut off the heads of all those Commanders that were not wounded at their coming off In the mean time this obstinacy was very pejudicial to him for continuing the Assault till the Moon was gone down which was two hours past midnight he was then forced to sound a Retreat after he had lost in this Assault as was the next day found upon a Muster fourscore thousand of his men besides those which were hurt which were thirty thousand at the least whereof many died for want of dressing whence issued such a plague in the Camp as well through the corruption of the air as the water of the river that was all tainted with blood and dead bodies that thereby about fourscore thousand more perished amongst whom were five hundred Portugals having no other buriall then the bellies of Vultures Crows and such like birds of prey which devoured them all along the Coast where they lay The King of Bramaa having considered that this first Assault having cost him so dear would no more hazaâ—d his men in that manner but he caused a great Terrace to be made with Bavins and above ten thousand Date-trees which he commanded to be cut down and on that he raised up a platform so high as it over-topped the walls of the City two fathom and more where he placed fourscore pieces of Ordnance and with them continually battering the City for the space of nine dayes together it was for the most part demolished with the death of fourteen thousand persons which quite abated the poor Queens courage especially when she came to understand that she had but six thousand fighting men left all the rest which consisted of women chidren old men being unfit and unable to bear Arms. The miserable besieged seeing themselves reduced to such extreamity assembled together in Councel and there by the advice of the chiefest of them it was concluded That all in general should anoint themselves with the Oile of the Lamps of the Chappel of Quiay Nivandel God of Battail of the field Vitan and so offering themselves up in sacrifice to him set upon the platform with a determination either to dye or to vanquish in vowing themselves all for the defence of their young King to whom they had so lately done homage and sworn to be true and faithful Subjects This resolution taken which the Queen and all her Nobility approved of for the best and most assured in a time wherein all things were wanting to them for the longer defending themselves they promised to accomplish it in the manner aforesaid by a solemn Oâ—th which they all took Now there being no further question but to see how they should carry themselves in this affair they first of all made an Uncle of the Queens the Captains of this resolute Band who assembling these six thousand together the same night about the first quarter of the watch made a sally out of the two gates that were neerest to the Terrace and platform and so taking courage from their despair and resolution to dye they fought so valiantly that in less then half an hour the whole Camp was put in disorder the Terrace gained the fourscore pieces of Cannon taken the King himself hurt the Pallisado burnt the Trenches broken and the Xenimbrum General of the Army slain with above fifteen thousand â—en more amongst the which were five hundred Turks there weâ—e moreover forty Elephants taken besides those that were killed and eight hundred Bramaas made prisoners so that these six thousand resolute men did that which an hundred thousand though valiant enough could hardly have effected After this they retreated an hour before day and upon a review they found that of six thousand which they were there was but seven hundred slain This bad success so grieved and incensed the
upon their heads bonnets imbroydered with silk and gold and set with Pearls Rubies and Saphirs in the middle of this Procession was a rich Canopy of cloth of gold which twelve of those little children carried invironed round about with perfuming pans and censors of silver from whence breathed forth excellent odors most pleasing to the sent These little children played on divers instruments of musick and went on singing praises to God and praying him to resuscitate this defunct to a new life When they were arrived at the place where the Roolim lay they drew to the shrine and taking away the cloth wherewith it was covered there came out of it a little child which could not be above three or four years old and although he was naked yet was not his nakednesse seen because he was all covered over with gold and pretious stones and appeared in the same fashion as we are accustomed to paint Angells he had also golden wings and a very rich Crown upon his head Whenas he was come from out the shrine the Assistants being prostrated on the ground fell to saying aloud with a voice that made those to tremble which heard them Thou Angel of God sent from heaven for our salvation pray for us when thou returnest thither again The King went instantly to this child and having taken him in his arms with a great deal of respect and a strange ceremony as if he would shew that he was not worthy to touch him in regard he was an Angell sent from heaven he set him on the brink of the grave where after the child had taken away the cloth of black Velvet that covered him whilest all were on their knees with their hands and eys lift up to heaven he said aloud as if he had spoken to him Thou which hast been conceived in sin amidst the misery and filthiness of the flesh God commands thee by me who am the least of his servants that thou do resuscitate to a new life which may be agreeable unto him alwayes dreading the chastisement of his mighty hand to the end that as the last gasp of thy life thou mayest not stumble like the children of the world and that from this place where thou art extended stark dead thou do rise up presently because it hath been so decreed by the greatest of the greatest in the Temple of the earth and come after me and come after me and come after me The King thereupon took this child again in his arms and then the Roolim rising up in the grave where he was as it were amazed with this vision fell on his knees before the child whom the King held and said I accept of this new grace from the hand of thâ— Lord conformably to that which thou hast told me from him obliging my self to be even till death an example of humility and the least of all his to the end the toads of the earth may not lose themselves in the abundance of the world This said the child rid himself again out of the Kings arms and going directly to the grave he lent the Roolim his hand to help him out of it Now he was scarce come forth whenas they gave five toles with a Bell which was a sign for all the people to prostrate themselves on the ground the second time saying Blessed be thou O Lord for so great a grace whereupon all the bells in the City began to ring and all the Ordnance that were on the land to shoot of as also those of above two thousand vessells that rode at Anchor in the Port from whence proceeded so strange a noyse as was most insupportable to the ears of them that heard it CHAP. LXII In what manner the Roolim was conducted to the Isle of Mounay and put into possession of his dignity THe new Roolim was conducted from that place in a chair of gold exceeding rich and set with Pretious Stones which the principall Lords of the Kingdome carried upon their shoulders the King in the mean time marched on foot before him bearing a rich Sâ—ymitar upright in his hand In this equipage he accompanied him to his Palace which was gorgeously furnished and where he was lodged three dayes during which time the preparations necessary for his entry was made in the Isle of Mounay Now whilest he abode in the City of Martabano there were many sorts of inventions of great charge made by the Princes Lordâ— and Inhabitants In two of those feasts the King himself was present in person with a most sumptuous entertainment which I shall not describe because to say the truth I do not know how it did passe The day being arrived wherein the new Roolim who is as I have already declared their Soveraign High Priest was to make his entry into the Isle of Mounay the whole Fleet of Seroos Iangoas Lauleas and such other vessells of divers sorts which were upon the river to the number of two thousand and better were ranked in two files some a league and half in length being the space between the City the Island so that of all those vessels joyned together was formed a street the fairest that possibly could be seen for every vessell was covered with boughs full of several dainty fruits together with all kind of flowers Tangets Standards and banners of silk each one striving in emulation of another to gain their pretended Jubilee and a plenary indulgence and absolution of all the robberies they had formerly committed without being subject to the restitution of any thing whatsoever This they did also to be absolved from an infinite of other abuses of their abhominable lives which I passe by in silence as a matter unfit for devout ears but conformable to their diabolicall Sects and the damnable intentions of those which have instituted them for their whole manner of living is nothing but dissolution and excesse in the lasciviousnesse of the flesh as in like manner are all other infidells and arch-heretiques In the Roolims company there were not above thirty Lauleas who were replenished with a great number of the Nobility as for him he was in a rich Seroo seated in a Throne of silver under a cloth of State of cloth of gold and the King at his feet as not being worthy to sit in a more eminent place round about him were thirty children on their knees attired in Crimson Sattin with silver Maces on their shoulders and twelve standing on their feet cloathed with white Damask having censors in their hands from whence breathed forth most delicate perfumes In the rest of the shipping followed two hundred of the most honorable Talagrepos such as Archbishops and other Prelates may be amongst us in the number of whom were also six or seven young Princes all the Sons of Kings comprehended Now because these Vessells were so full of people as one could not row they had fifteen Lauleas or little Skiffes wherein the Supreme religious men of those nine Sects did row to
down a pane of the wall and besides those pieces of battery there were above three hundred Falcons that shot incessantly with an intention only to kill those that were in the streets as indeed they made a great havock which was the cause that seeing themselves so ill-intreated and their people slain in that manner they resolved like valiant men as they were to sell their lives as dearly as they could so that one morning having sallied forth by the same breach of the wall which the Canon had made they gave so valiantly upon those of the Camp that in lesse then an hour they almost routed the Bramaas whole Army Now because it began to be day the Savadis thought it fit to re-enter into the Town leaving eight thousand of their enemies dead on the place After this they repaired the breach in a very little time by the means of a rampire of earth which they made up with bavins and other materialls that was strong enough to resist the Canon Hereupon the Chaumigrem seeing the bad successe he had had resolved to make war both upon the places neer about as also upon the frontiers that were furthest off from the Town for which purpose he sent Diosaâ—ay high Treasurer of the Kingdome whose Slaves we Portugals were Colonel of five thousand men to spoil a certain Borough called Valentay which furnished the besieged Town with provisions but this voyage was so infortunate unto him that before his arrivall at the designed place his forces were by two thousand Savadis whom he incountred by the way all cut in pieces in lesse then half an hour not one escaping with life that fell into the enemies hands Neverthelesse it pleased our Lord that amidst this defeat we saved our selves by the favour of the night and without knowing whither we went we took the way of a very craggy mountain where we marched in exceeding great pain three daies and an half at the end whereof we entred into certain Moorish Plains where we could meet with no path or way nor having other company then Tygers Serpents and other savage beasts which put us into a mighty fear But as our God whom incessantly we invoked with tears in our eys is the true guide of travellers he out of his infinite mercy permitted that at length we perceived one evening a certain fire towards the East so that continuing our course towards that place where we saw this light we found our selves the next morning neer to a great Lake where there were some Cottages which in all likelyhood were inhabited by very poor people howbeit not daring to discover our selves as yet we hid us all that day in certain hanging precipices that were very boggy and full of Horsleâ—ches which made us all gore blood As soon as it was night we fell to marching again untill the next morning whenas we arrived neer to a great river all alongst the which we continued going for five daies together At last with much pain we got to another Lake that was far greater then the former upon the bank whereof was a little Temple in the form of an Hermitage and there we found an old Hermite who gave us the best entertainment that possibly he could This old man permitted us to repose our selves two daies with him during which time we demanded many things of him that made for our purpose whereunto he alwaies answered according to the truth and told us that we were still within the Territories of the King of Savady that this Lake was called Oregâ—antâ—r that is to say the opening of the night and the Hermitage the God of succour Whereupon being desirous to know of him the signification of this abuse he laid his hand on an horse of brasse that stood for the Idoll upon the Altar and said that he often read in a book which intreated of the foundation of the Kingdome that some two hundred thirty and seven years before this Lake being a great Town called Oâ—umhaleu a King that was named Avaâ— had taken it in war that in acknowledgement of this victory his Priests by whom he was wholly governed counselled him to sacrifice unto Quiay Guaâ—or the God of war all the young male children which had been made captives and in case he did not so they would when they became men regain the Kingdome from him The King apprehending the event of this threatning caused all these children being fourscore and five thousand in number to be brought all into one place and so upon a day that was kept very solemn amongst them he made them to be put most inhumanely to the edge of the sword with an intent to have them burned the next morning in Sacrifice but the night following there came a great earthquake and such lightning and fire fell from heaven upon the Town as within lesse then half an hour it was quite demolished and all that was in it reduced to nothing so that by this just judgement of God the King together with all his were strucken dead not so much as one escaping and besides them thirty thousand Priests in like manner who ever since during all the New Moons are heard to cry and roar so dreadfully that all the inhabitants thereabouts were ready to go besides themselves with fear by reason whereof the Country was utterly depopulated no other habitation remaining therein save only fourscore and five Hermitages which were erected in memory of the fourscore and five thousand children whom the King had caused to be butchered through the evill counsell of his Priests CHAP. LXIIII. A continuation of the successe which we had in this voyage with my departure from Goa to Zunda and what passed during my abode there WE past two daies in this Hermitage where as I declared before we were very well entertained by the Hermite the third day after betimes in the morning we took our leave of him and departed from thence not a little afflicted with that which we had heard and so all the same day and the night following we continued on our way along by the river the next morning we arrived at a place where were a great many of sugar canes of which we took some for that we had nothing els to nourish us withall In this manner we marched still along by this river which we kept for a guide of our voyage because we judged that how long soever it were yet would it at last ingulfe it self in the Sea where we hoped that our Lord would raise us up some remedy for our miseries The day ensuing we arrived at a village called Pommiseray where we hid our selves in a very thick wood from being descried by passengers and two hours within night we continued our design in following the current of this river being resolved to take our death in good part if it should please God to send it us for to put an end to so many sufferings as we had undergone day and night and without lying
delay This done he parted the day following with a small train from the City of Pegu to give example to others to do the like and wept and lodged at a Town called Mouchan with an intention to tarry there those fifteen days he had limited the Lords to come unto him Now whenas six or seven of them were already past he was advertised that Xemin de Satan Governor of a Town so named had secretly sent a great sum of gold to the Zemindoo and had withall done him homage for the same Town where he commanded This news somewhat troubled the King of Bramaa who devising with himself of the means which he might use to meet with the mischief that threatned him he sent for Xemin de Satan who was then in the said Town of his Government with a purpose to cut off his head but he betaking himself to his bed and making shew of being sick answered that he would wait upon the King as soon as he was able to rise Now in regard he found himself to be guilty and misdoubting the cause wherefore he was sent for he communicated this affair to a dozen of his kinsmen that were there present with him who all of them concluded together how since there was no better way to save himself then in killing the King that without further delay it was to be put in execution so that all of them offering secretly to assist him in this enterprise they speedily assembled all their Confidents without declaring unto them at first the occasion wherefore they did it and withall drawing others unto them with many fair promises they made up of all being joyned together a company of six hundred men Whereupon being informed that the King was lodged in a certain Pagode they fell upon it with great violence and fortune was so favourable unto them that finding him almost alone in his chamber they slew him without incurring any danger That done they retired into an outward Court where the Kings Guard having had some notice of this treason set upon them and the conflict was so hot between them that in half an hours space or thereabout eight hundred men lay dead in the place whereof the most part were Bramaaes After this Xemin de Satan making away with four hundred of his followers went to a place of a large extent called Poutel whither all those of the country round about resorted unto him who being advertised of the death of the King of Bramaa whom they mortally hated made up a body of five thousand men and went to seek out the three thousand Bramaaes which the King had brought thither vvith him And forasmuch as these same vvere dispersed in severall places they vvere all of them easily slain not scarce so much as one escaping With them also vvere killed fourscore of three hundred Portugals that Diego Suarez had with him vvho together vvith all the rest vvhich remained vvith their lives saved rendred themselves upon composition and vvere received to mercy upon condition that for the future they should faithfully serve Xemin de Satan as their proper King vvhich they easily promised to do Nine days after this mutiny the Rebell seeing himself favoured by fortune and such a multitude of people at his devotion which were come to him out of this Province to the number of thirty thousand men caused himself to be declared King of Pegu promising great recompences to such as should follow and accompany him untill he had wholly gained the Kingdome and driven the Bramaaes out of the country With this design he retired to a fortresse called Tagalaa and resolved to fortifie himself there out of the feare he was in of the forces vvhich vvere to come to the succour of the deceased King thinking to find him alive having been advertised that many vvere already set forth from the City of Pegu for that purpose Now of those Bramaaes which Xemin de Satan had slain one by chance escaped and cast himself all woundeâ— as he vvas into the river and swimming over never left travelling all that night and the day follovving for fear of the Pegues untill he arrived at a place called Coutasarem where he incountred with the Chaumigrem the deceased Kings Foster-brother vvho vvas incamped there vvith an army of an hundred and â—ourscore thousand men vvhereof there vvere but only thirty thousand Bramaaes all the rest Pegues finding him then upon the point of parting from thence in regard of the heat that vvould be vvithin tvvo hours after he acquainted him vvith the death of the King and all that had past besides Now though this news greatly troubled the Chaumigrem yet he dissembled it for the present with so much courage and prudence as not one of his followers perceived any alteration in him But contrarily putting on a rich habit of Carnation Sattin imbroidered with gold and a chain of precious stones about his neck he caused all the Lords and Commanders of his Army to assemble before him and then speaking to them with the semblance of a joyfull man Gentlemen said he this fellow which you saw come to me but now in such hast hath brought me this Letter which I have here in my hand from the King my Lord and yours and although by the contents thereof he seemeth to blame us for our carelessâ—ness in lingering thus yet I hope e're long to render him such an accompt of it as his Highnesse shall give us all thanks for the service we have done him By this letter too he certifies me that he hath very certaine intelligence how the Zemindoo hath raised an army with an intent to fall upon the Towns of Cosmin and Dalâ—â— and to gain all along the rivers of Digon and Meâ—doo the whole Province of Danaplâ—â— even to Ansedaa wherefore he hath expresly enjoyned me that as soon as possibly I may I put into those places as the most important such forces as shall be able to resist the enemy and that I take heed nothing be lost through my nâ—gligence because in that case â—e will admit of no excuse This being so it seems to me very importanâ— and necessary for his service that you my Lord Xemiâ—brum go instantly without all delay and put your self with your forces into the Town of Dâ—laa and your brother-in-law Baâ—â—haa Quem into that of Digon with his fifteen thousand men as for Colonel Gipray and Monpocasser they shall go with their thirty thousand souldiers into Ansedaa and Danapluu and Ciguamcan with twenty thousand men shall march along to Xaraa and so to Mâ—lacou moreoâ—er Quiay Brazagaran with his brethren and kinsmen shall go for Generall of the Frontier with an Army of fifty thousand men to the end that assisted with those forces he may in person give order wheresoever need shall be Behold what the King hath written to me whereof I pray you let us make an agreement and all sign it together for it is no reason that my head should answer for your