they make of it a most mournfull repast This done they scrape the bones clean and perfume them with much ceremony and lap them up in linnen cloaths made of Arbeste which wil never consume by fire but grow whiter and cleaner nor rot under ground but will keep for ever I have got of the cloath in my Travels which I have shown to curious persons These Ceremonies ended and the bones laid in the Tombe every one drawes homeward Such is their strange manner of sepulture The Town of Siam stands upon the fair and large river of Mecan that springs from the famous Lake of Chiamay Sian is stately walled and conteines thirty thousand houses with a Castle strongly fortified built upon the water as Penivitan and Venice The Country breeds Elephants Rinocerots Giraffs Tygers Lions Leopards and all sorts of savage beasts the fairest Hermines of the East Camels Dromodaries and some say Unicornes which being very timerous beasts seldom appear in sight Some of them are found about Chyamay lake I will speak of them in another place This Lake is 200. miles about whence many great and famous rivers arise as Ava Caypumo Menan Cosmin and others they overflow like the Nilus This Lake is bounded Eastward with vast forrests and impassible Marshes and Fens and very dangerous prodigious Serpents are bread there with wings like bats which bear them from the ground and carry them with a strange swiftness flying they rest themselves upon the end of their tailes which are sharp they did once so swarm that they made a whole Province desert and desolate and without the juice of fig-leaves which was an antidote against their poison not one had escaped The Prince of those parts having armed his subjects made vast trenches and ditches in that Province and with the help of dogs tigers lions and other savage beasts trained up to hunting young and disguised in other skins he armed many other beasts against them he destroyed an innumerable number of those Serpents that cast themselves headlong into those ditches then he set a prize to be given to those that should kill any of them and by these meanes that breed was soon destroyed Notwithstanding there are some seen still in the forrest and I have seen of them of incredible length they prey upon sheep and other cattell There is another beast in the same Country faced like a man but all wricnkled which appeares by night only and is called Espaulouco This beast gets up upon the top of trees and makes a bewailing noise a purpose to catch something when she lights of no prey she feedes upon earth 'T is a very slow beast and there are of that kind in many places The Kingdom of Siam hath formerly suffered many changes some few yeares before we were there The King a most renowned and victorious Prince was by his own Queen poisoned who after married one of the stewards of her household with whom she had lived in adultery and made him King having likewise put to death her own son that succeeded his father since they were by conjurations both murthered at a feast and the Kingdom subject to continuall revolutions till Bramaa King of Pegu took occasion to besiege Odiaa but leaving his life in the siege hâ—r successor utterly demolished the Town and obtained the white Elephant I spoke of since that Siam hath revenged her self upon Pegu. Thus the Kingdomes of the Indies are very various never remaining long under the same condition or Government CHAP. XXVI Of the Kingdom of Martaban marvellous strength of Macaraou or the flowing of the sea Particularities of Pegu. FRom Siam we came to the Kingdom and Town of Martaban sometime subject to Pegu but since to the King of Syam It buts Westward upon the Gulfe of Bengale Northward upon Pegu Eastward upon Siam and Southward upon Tanasserim and Jangome The Fathers of St. Francis and those of the Society have built them Churches there The soyle is very fertile yielding ordinarily three crops the year there is plenty of Rice and other sorts of grain fruit trees sweet and medicinall hearbes of all sorts mines of all mettalls rubies and other stones and the aire is very wholesom The Capitall Town is Martaban sixteen degrees towards the North hath a good harbor and scituate upon the river Gaypoumo or rather upon an arme of the sea where the tide runs strangely toward Pegu for whereas ordinarily it flowes by degrees with an easie motion without violence here it fills that arme of the Sea or River on a sudden and flowes with such fury and impetuosity as it were mountains rolled up in water and the most rapid torrent in the world doth not parallel this in swiftnesse and by three passages fills the harbor and other receptacles with a most fearefull force and rapidity This arme is by the Indians called Macaroou which signifies beware the Tyger for the vehemence of the waves which I will more amply speak of in another place Martaban joynes to the Territories of Dougon the remotest Town of Pegu. The Inhabitants are given very much to trading and especially in Lacca a kind of gumm they draw out of trees very fine and better then that is made in Dalascia in Aethiopia which I have already spoken of They have many more Droggues as Galingall Turbith or Camomell Rubarb found upon the mountains of Pegu and is called Jubara The leafe is broad and bitter as gall they gather it in May which is the latter end of their winter the root is of a tan'd collour some is yellow purple and red according to the land that bears it Some season their meat therewith and 't is a preservative against many infirmities 't is sold very cheap and is mingled with perfumes there growes wood of Aloes red Sendal and Cittern upon the hills Women burn of all these to make concoctions and use them in their labours and delivered they seek for a black-headed lamb and carry the child to the Temple covered with flowers drugges and perfumes Then they begin their sacrifice delivering their child and lamb into the hands of the Banean or Priest called Satalico the skin head feet and entrals fals to his share this is done in honour of Castigay their Idol All those Flamins are great Magicians They cast the childrens nativities new-borne and set down what shall befall them during their lives This writing is carefully kept by the parents for to prevent the bad accidents For they esteem whatever those Baneans say infallible and when any person is sick they are consulted whether the party will dye or recover and when they have given their opinion 't is believed as Gospel One being once as I may say condemned or sentenced to death by a Wizard and left off was undertaken by one of our company and recovered in nine dayes which made them believe the Christians were more knowing then their Magicians the like
retiring No man hath accesse but upon extreme submissions and prostrating himself on the ground on six paces distance the Princes answers are briefe He delights at be decked with chains and stones as women are bestowes little and loves to be presented with all curiosities possible He keeps a great Pack or Seraglio of wives and some say he hath a guard of armed Ladies like Amazons and a number of fierce great dogges The capitall town where he keeps his Court is called Madrogan where he hath a stately Palace the houses are good building the materialls are wood and loome which being well tempered and whitened over are sufficiently gracefull and inhabitable The King must not go robed but after the manner of his Ancestors that is a Cassock of his own country silk for stuffes brought from forrain parts he wears not for fear of poyson over this a large and long scarfe like a womans mantle which comes betwixt his legs and is brought up to be tucked under his girdle with a rich handcherchief over his shoulders he hath buskins embroydered with gold and rich carkanets on his neck with a band about his hat interwoven with big pearles rubies and emeralds He makes great use of Elephants and of a beast called an Alsinge seldome ridden on which resembles a hart never using horses for that rhere are so few What is most remarkable in this place is that there is no sort of prison the reason because all matters of justice are finally concluded upon the place Here as in other parts 't is a crime capitall to deflowre a maid before her years of maturity because she ought to be capable of bearing children The Kings wives are most richly and artificially attired who live separate in several apartements without any knowledge of one another unlesse when through speciall grace he convokes them 'T is pain of death for him that but goes about the lodgeings of these Ladies Many Colledges likewise where youth is instructed in vertue The Ladies of quality held it an honour to dresse the Princes meat and wait by turnes taking charge of his diet at meals at which time he hath Musicians for his alacrity but they are hoodblinded that they may not view his face and when he drinks a great person calls out aloud Pray for the Kings health His drink is wine of distilled Dates with Manna Ambar and Musk. His odours and perfumes for each day come to two pound weight of gold provided him by certain Merchants The Tapers for his service are compounded with odours When he goes forth in a morning if the Sun with his rayes have not refined the ayre he hath four great perfumed torches borne before him himself being carried by foure Gentlemen in a Chaire Richly adorned with a Curtaine or Canopy over it an Umbrella enriched with jewells and a numerous Attendance of Nobility Before him goes a Guard of two hundered Mastiffs each lead by his keeper and amongst these for his desport a Buffon Upon the way he never gives audience to any one and goes not out of his Pallace whether on foot or mounted either on Horse Elephant or Alsigne but he bestrides some new-killed beast as I related of Monbase and being pas'd they raise a loud cry making inspection on the intralls to know if there be good or bad towards the Prince whereof their Flamins make report His Chaire-bearers are dawb'd all over with a red earth wherin they work folliage of divers sorts after the manner of the Mozambiques The Royall Pallace is very commodious flank'd with Towers without within furnish'd with cotton cloth of diverse colours gold tissue the floore costly pav'd with plates of gold cut in figures with great Candlesticks of ivory hung in chaines of silver Seats enriched with gold Folliage properly beautified with colours and Transparent Ennamell and foure Principall Gates sumptuously wrought and Guarded by those they call Sequender His Family is by a number of Officers very orderly govern'd who observe him with a most profound silence While he sits at Table you heare not a whisper nor the least noise His Vessell is Purcelan garnish'd and set round with sprigs of gold fashion'd like Corall The Captain of the Gate is called Cadira The Captain of the Guard Acar The Treasurer or he who disposes the Revennues Cabacada The Seniglaren is as 't were Constable or Lieutenant Generall who are all in array of Honour of cotton cloth or silke of diverse colours girdles inrich'd with stones guilt falchions or swords with hilts of Massie gold carv'd and enammell'd which is for ordinary on high dayes of Diamonds Rubies and other stones of inestimable price I saw there the pommell of an Alfange or cimeterre made of one fausell Ruby of extraordinary bignesse of one peice entire which was given for the Ransom of a Province For the Father of Tabachi who reigned at the time we were there having disburs'd a Masse of gold-ingotts to releive the King Vidarati the other gave him a Province for security and when he came to redeem it Tabachi chose rather this gorgious sword then all the gold they would restore him which was a great quantity When this King Marches to the Warr in Magnificence he weares a Robe of silke with hanging sleeves a girdle enchas'd with stones of peculiar vertues as the Magicians make him beleive a Poniard at his girdle and his sword borne before him by a Prince with a small casket of jewells Himself in a Littar born by Gentlemen called Singaro one Page marches before him with his Umbrella another with a fan of Austrich feathers which are here in abundance some as large as oxen The Princes and Gentry habited in the Turkish dress saving that for a Turban they weare little round bonnets all bravely mounted on Elephants or Horses which are bred and suckled by Cowes and train'd by Jaloses so expert at it that running at high speed they will throw a dart and riding catch it again so dexterously and with such agility that without stop they will stooping take a stone off the ground He hath with him a hundred Elephants caparison'd with the skins of Sea-oxen unpeirceable by any dart each carrying foure Eunukes with cross-bowes of farther reach then long-bowes Upon the neck sits the Besâ—gu who guides and commandes him and during the clamour and confusion layes his mouth to his eare hollowing to him that he may understand him and so docile is this creature that he will turn back his long eare to hearken and obey what he bids him This Besigu beares a bow and quiver a short sword and a coat of Sea-oxe In the Van of the Elephants march great Mastiffs cap'd in the same manner to each a keeper who hath him linked to his girdle with an iron chaine In summe t is of Faith with all of them that he who dies for his King gains salvation though in other points they embrace all sorts of Religions telling you they cannot be damn'd for that
wife children and all his allies to death to the great content of the people for the hatred he bore to this unfortunate Fratricide Then they imagined an ancient Prophecy which they kept amongst them was accomplished That the Lamb should kill both the Wolfe and his wife She was called Gildada and was drowned But the King of Dafila incensed with the death of his daughter and Son-in-law brought a most cruell warre upon the new King Nahi wherein fell numbers on both sides In the mean while amongst the Princes who had scap'd the truculent hands of their brothers one there was who strayed far off and got into the kingdome of Deli where contenting himself to live meanly as an unknown private person he purchased a small possession for his livelihood and betook himself to labour where taking a wife she brought him a son they called Alfondi who at seven or eight years of age gave the world great hopes of his person for the excellent parts which began to bud in him and which made him amiable to all men in so much that addicting himselfe to the words as yeares encreased his vigour he did wonders in the slaying of Lions Beares Tigars and other furious beasts and in all his actions appeared nothing but what was great and noble insomuch as hearing spoken on day how strenuous a war there raged betwixt Tahachi his unknown great Uncle and the King of Dafila he was transported with emulation to be a Party and being furnished with a good horse and Arms with the society of a Troop of brave young men he hasted to those parts where in the service of Tahachi he soon gave proofe of his Courage and abilities in warr but amongst others on one signall occasion which presented it selfe where with a small party of Souldiers he defeated the much more numerous Enemy and the King of Dafila admiring his Valour endeavoured under-hand to win him to his side by offering a Daughter of his in Marriage with a Province which he had taken from Tahachi To which Afondi seeming to give eare dexterously made use of the opportunity to seize upon the Towne of Amazen a most considerable place which exceedingly pleased Tahachi and heightned his affection to him feeling I know not what secret motion in his soul which pushed him on to this Dearnesse without any apprehension that he was his Nephew but Good blood as they say cannot dissemble At length Alfondi assisted with his Uncles Forces did such Atcheivements and Exploits that within six Months he delivered the Empire Zanzibar from the oppression of the Enemy which obliged Tahachi for recompense to give him one of his Daughters in Marriage without any deeper knowledg of him then his Heroick Actions and Noble Aspect forall the Orientall and Meridionall Princes regard more the Mind and Physiognomy of a Man then they do the extraction or Nobility of Blood Alfondi raised to so high a degree reflects upon his father the honest labourer whom he omitted not to send for who being arrived and having declared who he was begat an unparalleld joy in Tabochi and his whole kingdome every one shedding teares for his discovery rendring praise to God and his just providence for reducing things to so unhoped for a point and after so many years reposing the inheritance on him to whom of right it appertained For this Prince was immediately acknowledged by all even Tahachi himselfe who voluntarily released the Empire which he surrendred into the hands of his Daughter his Son-in-law and Nephew Alfondi who with the consent of the good man his Father to the general joy of all was received and crowned King and governed with so much equity and justice that he gained the hearts and suffrage of his people who adored him as a God nor failed he in rendring to his Father and Uncle while they lived a due honour and respect This Prince had reigned forty seven yeares when he arrived in the countrey Before I conclude my discourse of Tahachi and his condition I shall not omit another story which testifies the singular justice he dispenses with indifferency to all his subjects He had constituted in the Province of Quame one Abdalami a person of high quality his confident a gallant Cavalier and one who had done most signal services in the war with the King of Dafila but being inclined to avarice and hord up wealth he played the Tyrant and sacked the country to satiate his own humour and the desires of some women he gave entertainment to When Tahachi was informed thereof he was much displeased for 't was his rule to maintain equal justice peace and freedome amongst his subjects Notwithstanding he concealed his resentments for a while giving way to his proceedings as well for his great services as for that he had bestowed on him a kinswoman to wife called Abiasinda by whom he had children He admonished him often by letter to bear himselfe more temperately but perceiving his small regard by the constant intrusion of complaints that came to him he sent expresse command that he should repaire immediately to Court to give account of his actions upon pain of death and being proclaimed rebell and guilty of his treason Abdalami understanding his own wealth and power slighted this summons and fortified himself in the holds of his Government Whereupon the King caused his wife and children to be apprehended and brought prisoners to his city royall This Princesse with her best art excused her husband beseeching his Majesties mercy towards him for his former services adding withall that these complaints were but a calumny raised by the malice of his enemies The King covering his resentments mildely answered her that she should only procure her husband to come to Court but she fearing to bring his person in danger thought best only to advise him to send a certain Casket of rings and all sorts of rich jewels for a present to the Queen and by that means work his peace This he did and she having presented it the Queen shewed them to the King who wondred at so great a treasure where amongst others were five hundred pearles each being a Miticale or Crown and half in weight besides many other jewels of value sufficient to buy a kingdome 'T was much affliction to the Prince to see such treasures gotten at the price of his peoples blood and then he commanded the Princesse his kinswoman to bring her husband to Court by a day appointed or he would make feel the weight of his displeasure Poor Abdalami was amazed at the news and fearing not without cause the Kings incensement failed not to come accordingly and without calling on his wife and children went strait to the Palace where having sounded the Trumpet according to the custome as I observed before he unclothed himself and sitting on the ground stark naked only a linnen cloth before his concealed parts he attended in this manner the mercy of the King whereof notice being brought to his Lady
time he got to the middle of the Mast the winde had seiz'd him and he cryed out Juro a mi vida Senior que el Viente me despega las manos de las cuerdas I sweare to you Sirs the winde teares my hands from the ropes and with that crying Santiago he fell down upon the Deck he had better have falne besides it for he dyed within three houres after The Tempest continu'd and the Vessell being light could not uphold the Mast against the stupendous force of the storme and the waves which took some of our men over-board whereupon we down with the main Mast but in the fall the cordage broke and is tumbled into the sea and carried some men along with it the vessel reeling quite down on one side with the weight of the mast was immediately filled with water and recoyling to the other side very many were lost without possibility to relieve them the rest of us left desolate to sorrow and distresse The vessel being assaulted by so many several winds cannot move any way except some one wind be mightier than the rest For these vessels are not by half so able as ours are Besides these winds cause so unsufferable a frigidity that one cannot endure to look into the air cut like a razor and make ones limbs stiffe and immoveable as a piece of wood For my part my face was hard and strark as any stone I am of opinion the Devill comes in it for I believe that naturally no wind can break a strong cable as 't were a thread At last as it pleased our good God the tempest ceased and the ordinary Breezes return By good fortune we had one sayle left in reserve which we used to our advantage in the best manner we could scarce finding rope sufficient for it the tempest had so broken our cordage so we then sayled on 'T is true the sea was yet so turbulent and contumacious that we were as fearful as ever for this kind of storm is more dangerous in the end then the begining and we might behold the waves like two engaged armies plying one another with continual assaults without intermission But in fine it became a little calmer and we came in view of Cape S. Anthony a point of the Isle of Cuba discoverable a long way off till we arrived there the storm left us not nor do I know that I had so famous an encounter in all my voyages in Asia and Africa though in my travail to Alexandria three leagues off Candia our ship sunk in the depth of Winter and about mid-night which was nothing compar'd to these diabolical Vracanes for there we contest but with one wind here we are surrounded with all the winds at once whence it comes that few escape Cuba is one of the principal Islands of the Indies in 22. d. in circuit 630. miles 120. miles over 'T is the most fruitful in all America full of fruits of all sorts Mines of gold and brasse and hath Ravana one of the fairest and securest Havens of the world the coming in being narrow flanked on both sides with strong Towers and a town with an impregnable Cittadel Where the Fleets of Peru and Nombre de Dios put in for provisions the Isle abounding in all commodities and plentiful of all properties for maritime travail 'T is as 't were a suburbs to the Indies having not above 130. leagues off sea to S. John de Loua on the firm land in Nova Spania The Island abounds particularly in fish and amongst the rest in a sort of sea Breezes which Spaniards call Besée Espada who is very sanguinary and greedy of mans flesh So as no man dare bathe himselfe for fear of these ravenous creatures the teeth whereof cut like any rasor and upon their back have three Pikes like Partisans He is so greedy of mans flesh that he will follow a vessell three hundred leagues outright without appearing in hope of a corps They likewise call them Taburintes or Tiburins a Captain told me that coming from Florida one followed him 500. leagues without appearing and that arriving at Porâ—o Rico the fish was taken with a sheeps head horns in his belly which he had brought from Florida where 't was cast into the sea They go likewise up into the rivers As to their Crocodiles they are covered with skin so firm 't is impossible to pierce it except under the belly where he is easily vulnerable As I said before in the East Indies Ethiopia they make meat of them the flesh being very good but here they do not In like manner here is abundance of all other sorts of fish as well such as breed in our seas as others This Island was discovered by Columbus in his second navigation and called Juane afterwards Ferdinand and Isabella from Ferdinand King of Spain as before of Juane his daughter 'T is in length 230. leagues on the East it hath the Isle of Hispaniola or Hairi on the West Jucatan and the Gulf of Mexio on the South Jamaica or S. James and Northward the Lucayes and the channel of Bahama There we finde many townes and habitations of Spaniards who began to plant or rather to supplant in the year 1511. For they used such abominable cruelties that in a short time they almost extirpated all the Natives beginning with the King or Catique Haiuey whom they burnt alive for publishing to his subjects the cruelty used by the Spaniards in the Isle of Hairy or Hispaniola The Mines destroyed many of them and Las Cafas sayes that being there he saw in four moneths seven thousand children starved to death for both their fathers and mothers were held so strictly to their labour in the Mines they had not freedom to look after their families The Isle Hispaniola was discovered by the same Columbus in his first navigation in the year 1492. began to be inhabited in 1494. and was otherwise called Hairy Quisquera and Cipaugi or Cibai being in circuit about 400. leagues It abounds in fruit sugar cattle and Mines of gold and copper This Island had many Caciques or potent Kings amongst them the King of Magna or Magana that is Champion or the field was Paramount who is called Guarionexi These Kings lived peaceably without any great State Their chiefest expense was in Dancers Musicians and Wrestlers who were for his Majesties recreation both in his Palace and progresse He was carried by men upon a frame set with feathers of divers fine colours and those dancers danced before him The people held their King for a God and the meanest of them could raise an Army of sixteen thousand men armed with skins of wild beasts Clubbes of wood with a keen stone at the end which they called Courcoumachi they had likewise bows and arrows pil'd with bone Together they were able to raise fourscore thousand men holding good correspondence with one another interchanging visits at 80. or a hundred leagues distance without other
happened to another whose wife was by a Christian perswaded to shut out the Magician that had given his opinion of her husband he recovering was satisfied of the abuses and falsehoods of their Magicians Pagodes and Castigais and of their false Priests and was also instructed in the truth and purity of our Religion that he might leave his own Idolatries but Alas the poor creatures heart being hardened replyed I believe said he that thy God is great and more powerful then ours and that being so great and Majestical he will not vouchsafe to make himself known to such miserable simple creatures as we are and it would be very unfit to believe a God were not willing to command us Ours said he makes his will known to us which we all submit unto and obey but I shall never more trust the Baneans for they are false Prophets and upon these accidents many of them remove their habitations It were easie to perswade them to the truth they being simple and very credulous and besides they bear a great respect to the memorie of Saint Thomas but opportunities to destroy their Idols are wanting that they might see they have neither force nor motion 'T were dangerous to attempt it without a considerable strength Those deceitful Baneans do so enslave the people that they believe things strange and absurd beyond relation In their festivals when their Idols are carried in state upon chariots some of them through zeal throw themselves under the wheels and are broken in pieces Others thrust their heads into steel hoops keen as razers and cut their own throats putting their feet in a rope fastened thereunto and such are afterwards esteemed Saints and registred in their Temples others cut a hole in their sides and fasten a rope thereto and are dragged by the Chariot after their Idol then their friends say to them remember that I have ever been thy friend and believe he hath power to save them Parents are reverenced and if poor they are assisted upon the publick account They have a solemn feast wherein they reckon up the twelve moons or moneths with the twelve signes and make great jollity when they draw their Idols upon Chariots another of Virgins is drawn off one hand to incense and perfume it At Martaban there growes a fruit which opened represents the perfect figure of a Crosse At Martaban some years before we made our travels there a rich and potent King as the Portuguais relate named Chaubaina was besieged by Bramaa of Pegu and reduced to extremity he implored the assistance of Portugal offering great treasures which for some considerations was denied and the distressed Prince forced to deliver up himself wife and children to that inhumane Tyrant of Pegu who contrary to his promise put them all to cruel deaths and sack't that flourishing town and the Portuguais were much blamed for refusing their assistance There was a vast treasure and they say six and thirty thousand Merchants all strangers that repaired thither from fourty several nations of the Indies and other remoter places as Portuguais Greeks Venetians French English Abyssins Turks Jewes Arabians Armenians Tartars Mogors Corozans Persians Malabarians Javans and many others This Town had 24. gates We went from Martaban to Pegu four small dayes journey distant by land and no more by sea although 't is much further but their Frigates fleet sayling bring all to one and putting forth with the tyde if your ship strikes upon a Rock and is able to bear the shock it glides over like a Balon for no arrow flyes fleeter I have shot seven or eight times through the streight of Gibraltar against tyde but with full sayles and so you may stop in those seas without casting Anchor in expectation of better weather but in Macaraou the road to Pegu 't is impossible with the strongest winds against tyde to make a stand for the waves there over-powre the winds I have not seen the like fury of the seas in any place of the world as in Martaban and Pegu for there is a gulph of water and the tyde taking her course meets with those waters the one roling against the main body of the sea there is a terrible conflict they withstand each other for a time at length the weakest must yield the two bodies separate with such swiftnesse and vehemency that it seems a great hill overturned nor is there a courage so great it daunts not and where before a hollow was seen empty and dry covered over with ships on a suddain the Surges are so violent you would believe the infernal powers were all united to tosse those ships I never yet heard a reason given for it a search worthy the labour of the greatest wits in the world I remember that some yeares after meeting with a most famous Sea-Captain at Calis or Cales I related him this wonder of Macaraou saying that I should not be credited if I made any such relation in print he answered me that the words or little faith of ignorant persons could not prejudice the experience of knowing men and that he himself had he not seen could not have believed the impetuous and most violent encounter of two seas from the North and South in the streight of Magellan from the North the water entred 60. leagues within the streight from the South forty where meeting with an unconceivable fury they strike horrour and amazement into all beholders which made him believe the discourses and opinions of all natural Philosophers to be uncertain since his own experience so often contradicted them He told me he was very desirous to go witnesse what I related of Macaraou at Cambay and Pegu but since I have discovered that there is nothing liker to what I have said of Macaraou then the Mascaret of Bourdeaux That is well known to be a mountain of water gathered together in the River of Dourdonne while the waters are all quiet that mountain is framed on a sudden and rolles down the river overturning what boats soever are in the way which every man endeavours to avoyd making with all haste to the shoare I have asked the reason of the Inhabitants who have told me it proceeded from the height of the Seas meeting with the ebbe of the River and by that encounter this water gathers together but others agree not to this for if so the like would happen in the Garonne and in other places which I never heard of so that with more reason they attribute the cause to some ayre inclosed in some channel or spring under ground running from Garonne to Dourdonne which raises this mountain of water when the Sea flows but I know not whether the same reason might be given for Macaraou The Kingdom of Pegu is one of the largest richest and most potent of the Indies next to Mogor and China but to the two last are lately happened strange revolutions they are extremely fallen off from their state
between the Towns of Sian and Tinco is the last in subjection to the Empire of Pegu towards the North having Westward the Province or kingdome of Tazatay Northward the kingdom of Carforan South Pegu and Eastward Cauchinchine situate upon a pleasant river that comes from the lake Daracan The countrey is temperate enough except in the extreme heats of Summer when they must of necessity travel by night Here they have a Myne of Diamonds which they call Geay besides those of Gold and Silver in abundance and of the purest in the East abundance of grain and fruits of all sorts and Palm-wine which they call Serolle The people are insolent and proud of make and fashion like the Persians the women exceeding beautiful more then in other parts but something lascivious and affecting the coversation of strangers They love to dance to the musick of their Pan and delight much in melody and banquets they wear their hair at length in knots and platted with silk ribbands very quaintly in divers manners with rings and jewels according to their quality For none but Princesses and Ladies of the better rank may wear Diamonds set in gold rubies and other stones are for the rest of the nobility whom they call Canubi amongst whom are comprehended the whole Militia of the King For the vulgar they wear bracelets and rings of silver tin brasse and Ivory neatly made and enamel'd with all colours and they hold the same custom I have observed in other places to break them all in token of mourning at the death of their kindred If any one will wear jewels above his degree he must agree with the Kings Officers to be rank'd in the Nobility for there as in other places all is carried by money The women affect to be courted wear their gowns slash'd like the French and go habited like our Europeans quite different from the other Indians Women of what degree or condition soever are obliged to nurse and suckle their own children Adultery is there punished with death for which cause there are divers will never marry that they may live with more liberty for maids and widowes are subject to no law without any dishonour neverthelesse and having taken their pleasure they may marry without any mark of infamy and if she have had children by any others each Father is bound to take his own and breed it When the King goes into the field whether to chase or war he hath a Van-guard of a hundred women who carry Crosse-bowes wherein they will shoot so directly they will hit the breadth of a peny they call them Memeytas and succeed one another for their portion Royal which is great and honourable which they gain'd for a signal service they performed for King Bugunda great Grandfather to Amaous who reigned in our time They have this place for their valour and fidelity and are excellent in all things they keep slaves and may wear jewels as the nobility of the first rank They attend the Prince in his wars as well as the gallantest Cavaliers of his Court and they are more welcome to the Prince at his Table then any other esteeming them for their magnanimity Sometimes for his recreation armed with skins of beasts covered with scales they will enter the Palace four and four and present the King with a civil combat with sword buckler and cask of wood and all with such grace that the King will leave both meat and drink to judge of the blowes and addresse for they combat in order and measure without missing a single step to the purpose like a dance well consorted And they have their Masters to instruct them in the use of all sorts of arms which they practice diligently When they have performed any noble act of dexterity or feat of arms they are assured of a chain of gold from the King they are all lodg'd in the Kings Palace There was one that performed a combat once with such grace boldnesse and dexterity that the King could not forbear but taking off her cask upon the field he kissed her before all the Court and put about her neck a chain he wore himself of rubies pierced in form of pearls and garnished at the ends with fauset diamonds of inestimable value opinion was that after the King had so blandished her and given her such a gift without doubt he would marry her She was indeed one of the most amiable Ladies of the Indies of twenty years age her skin admirably white her hair dis-shevel'd black as jet her name was Langir and I asking mine host who the maid was and if 't were probable the King would marry her smiling he told me in my ear 't was surmis'd she was sister to the Prince himself so passionately his Father Amaycan lov'd her Mother Acosrias who was so gallant and valiant that at wrastling she had not her match and that she threw all the strangers she wrastled with and if they took it with disdain she would strangle them in the place she was a Lady of perfect beauty and was unfortunately slain by a Lion whereupon the King her lover was violently grieved he buried her with royall obsequies and mourned with solemnity a long time abstaining some dayes from eating Areca or Betel being shav'd in sign of grief and sorrow In his huntings the King takes great pleasure to see these women shoot in their crosbows whence they will discharge three arrows at a time with such celerity and vigour that lighting upon a tree they strike themselves so deep that they are not to be drawn out They use also fire-locks and other arms wherein they are well exercised These women are not at liberty to marry without the Princes license who allows them not but to Favourites who at the same time have charge or office at Court or some other place for they never displace any There are other guards called the Viluaires who bear no more before the King than the bow made of Indian cane or Palm-wood which never breaks The servitors and domestick Officers of the Palace are called the Lambri who are for carriage of all necessaries to the Palace and serve likewise in war being honourably habited and armed with great Indian canes which they know how to manage very well and these take orders from the King The Prince is very powerfull both in Foot and Horse being provided alwaies of a thousand Elephants and fifty thousand Horse which are lesse but stronger than the Persian whereof he keeps divers races for the Country hath the fairest and most fertile herbage of the world and abounds in all sorts of commodities This King is tributary to the great Emperour to whom he payes yearly so many horses the best in the Indies being indefatigable in travaile he is likewise exceeding carefull and breedes them of an extraordinary manner getting Mares from Persia when there is a number of foles of foure or five moneths old
wine They walked by us upon the River Bank and desired us we would stay and drink with them mean while one of them wrote a note to the Lord of Casima whereupon when we were arrived he ordered us very noble accommodation sent us divers sorts of fruits and a dozen of rabbets black and white exceeding small but of excellent taste With great courtesie he offered us any thing we had use of and on the morrow he invited us to dinner in his garden called the Motochon which word is vulgar Greek though used in Nubia This garden was made at the Princes charge with great art full of abundance of trees graffed with several kindes one above another which to the eye is delightful to see several variety upon the same stock as amongst others two several sorts of figs. The like I have seen in the Isle of Chio and at Zaure at the Convent of S. Francis for there on the one side I have seen fruit ripening on the other side fruit decayed and rotten out of which corruption certain knats take life which immediately go and peck the others which makes them presently perish which otherwise would endure for ever an admirable thing in nature neverthelesse most true There were besides certain trees which bear nuts as bigge as Estridge egges full of cotton as fine as silke There were other sorts of fruit which I never saw but there and one amongst the rest leav'd like the Siccamore with fruit like the golden apple but no gall more bitter and within five kernels as big as Almonds the juyce whereof is sweet as sugar betwixt the shell and the nut there growes a thick skin of Carnation colour which taken before it be throughly ripe they preserve with Date-vinegar and makes an excellent sweet meat which they present to the King as a great curiosity Another tree bears of the finest sort of Lacque for Painters Also they sow here Orient Auil or Indico an hearb that makes a dye of great price whereof they make great traffick and profit Besides they have another grain from which they draw an excellent oyle beyond that of Cinamon which they use for restoration of the spirits Then they have a tree like a Pomegarnat which bears a most soveraign balme as I have had the experience for I brought one of these nuts from thence which I had of this Governour in truck for a Turquese wherewith I did great cures amongst my friends I should never conclude if I should write but half the curiosities of this garden where there is a collection of all the Oriental singularities But that which seemed of all most rare and artificial was two hands of transparent Marble at the Fortal which held a bow bent when any one knock't at the gate the hands discharged arrowes upon them but the arrovves had no piles and the danger vvas not great all this done by springs dexterously set on vvork The beauty and excellence of this garden stay'd us tvvo vvhole dayes here in contemplation of the rarities In fine we took our leave of this worthy Lord whom they called Lebetera and bent our course for Misan through which vve vvere to enter Nubia a kingdom vvhich confronts the Deserts of Goran Egypt Ganga and Borno the bounds of Preste Johns Empire vvhich confines on that side on Nubia and Egypt We crossed many countries in a short space because Nile is more rapid and svvift here then in any other part for having reunited all his vvaters and meeting sometimes vvith open plain countries vvhere he spreads himself at length and breadth sometimes vvith rocks and mountains vvhich gird and straighten him he cannot so properly be said to glide or run as to precipitate himself headlong with falls that make such noyse it deafens the people round about There are the Cataracts so celebrated in antiquities the great and the lesse not far above the ancient Townes Elephantina and Siena or Asna CHAP. XVIII A prodigious History of a young Abissin Prince by name Joel by enchantment transformed into an Ape AS we passed along Nile in our Bark entertaining the day with various discourses one shewed me a book of many prodigious histories and amongst others this of Prince Joel of whom I had heretofore heard at Pegu where the story is represented in a Tapistry of the Kings after this manner In Janamira a Province of Ethiopia there lived a Prince called Rostan Sofar otherwise Fafarin who by a first wife had a son named Alarin Sofar but usually called Joel and by a second wife two Aman Sofar and another whose name I know not Not long before his death he made his will and left to Joel his eldest sonne his principial dominion and all his treasure betwixt the other two he divided the rest of his dominions The guardian-ship of young Joel he committed to a friend to whom he discovered the place where the greatest part of his treasure lay hid which he had inclosed in a stone that was laid in the bowels of a wall Three dayes after his decease this friend dyes with grief so as the treasure together with Joels person were left in the power of Rostans widow Joels step-mother who ambitious the succession should come to her own children out of a frantick malice resolved to send Joel upon a specious pretence far enough from his Palace to a sister of hers a most powerful Magician who to raze out all remembrance of him should by vertue of charms transform him to an Ape giving out that he was lost and could by no means be heard of They say the work was executed after this manner This Sorceresse was blind but on the Sabbath that darknesse left her and she could see as others do a On a Sabbath day she took Joel with her to sacrifice to Sathan and do him such homage as his professed servants use to do But he refusing to perpetrate such abhominable duties to the Prince of darknesse she resolved to dispatch him by murther but again moved to compassion by the gracious sweetnesse in his face she changed her designe She composed a Bath wherein she put him and by power of her inchantmens transformed him to an exceeding pretty and tractable Ape superinducing an Apes skin over his humane shape so abstracting his reason and sence that little more remained in him then was proportionable to a meer sensual creature notwithstanding which a knowledge was something more perfect though he had not the use of articulate speech and with a marvellous addresse to render those little services to them of the family who cherished him and fancied him exceedingly The deplorable Prince lived divers years in this condition at length he made his escape into the woods where he suffered great acerbities and often perplexed with illusions of the devill but was still assisted by an extraordinary flame of grace and the vigilancy of his guardian Angell who for his consolation appeared to him sometimes in the form of a dove
they are freinds with all the Gods in Heaven and cheifely with Runia Adula Isaten those are the Christian Gods In the Head of this Mastiffe-Regiment Marches a body of Musketteirs who do good service with their fire-clubs before them above two thousand chariots covered with leather drawn with six oxen which carry each fifteen men of those called Arbesrait with short guns like Carabins One part of the Army may shade by day under these Charrets which again will shelter them by night while the Mastiffs with their keepers lye in the Head under Tents who by turns stand centinell abroad The whole Army Marches divided in three Squadrons The Eunuques go clothed like women and do all sorts of service dress their Masters diet made of Rice Mill or the Root Igname whereof they make cakes which are heavy and offensive to the stomack and soon hurt it Their ordinary fare is powder'd beef milke a little turn'd their drink The King Great ones drink honnyed-wine which they keep in oxe-hornes as they do in Ethiopia The Vulgar are cloathed only from the girdle downwards casing up their privities in little purses or pumpions made hollow like sheaths when they go into the field by reason of certain venimous creatures which sting cruelly wherewith some have been sore handled All that belong to the Court are known by the priviledge they have to weare upon the shoulder the Talmassaca or Mantle of severall stuffs according to quality and of the sort the King wears it which is very costly and t is a high Honour to weare the Mantle of the Kings make Poyson is very common throughout the Empire and at deare rates there being some that is sold at a hundred Miticales or Sequins the ounce The reason so much is used is the rigour of the King and his Ministers of Justice who inflict such cruell punishments upon Offenders For no sooner hath a person committed a Crime but he is punished in the instant and if the Crime requires the Offender should be suspended some dayes to render his punishment more long and greivous he is tyed to a tree with strong guards there being no Prisons as I said before so as the Criminall seeing no possible escape the best remedy is to poyson himself by a speedy death to cut off the rigour of a long paine Nor will the Prince be clothed with any thing but what is made within his own Palace for fear of poyson There are certain trees called Coscoma which beare fruit like the golden apple of violet sent which tastes well but being eaten in any quantity purges so violently that it voids blood and at last is mortall There are those that ingross the poyson by Patent for which they pay a high excise to the Prince by reason there are so many who use it for there death to free themselves from the Torments of Justice for there is no pardon to be expected for offences If one injures another without cause he is cruelly bastinado'd as they are in Turky where I have seen Judges themselves for that they have failed in Justice punished in that manner They are laid naked upon the ground and the Officer or Executioner is to beat them with a cord knotted and buttond at the end and when the President gives the word then he doth his Office having done he gets up puts on his clothes again and gives thanks to the Judges and Executioner for their Justice without any disgrace for the matter and returns to his function as if no such thing had happened This makes the Judges candid in their sentences The greatest Lords and Magistrates find the like from the King as I observed before speaking of Melnida For he hath them castigated in his presence privately and then with instructions dismisses to their charge Justice thus severely executed without exception of persons preserves the Nation in firm Peace and Tranquillity and gets the King as 't were a Divine Adoration so really that as he passes thorough the streets the people praying for him cast themselves to the ground on their face not presuming so much as to look upon him There are some Princes and particular Lords fancy much to hang bells at their neck or leg conceiving it well becomes them At Court every man goes habited as pleases him best so as there are Courtiers but they are of the highest rank who over all weare a large cassock of a Lions skin made up unshapely enough as they use in Preste Johns Court but no man can weare this Lions garment but a Prince of the blood Others go to the wars in coats of sea-oxe covered with ivory to defend the thrust of a sword for 't is not their custome to cut They also use Swords and Bucklers faced with ivory or skins of sea-oxe or Crocodiles with which all their Rivers abound the flesh whereof they eat throughout all Africa and India as an excellent meat CHAP. VII The History and strange adventure of Prince Alfondie Another of the Amours of Princesse Abederane BEeing here we further came to understand that Alfumigarbachi one of the last who raigned in this Empire dying suddenly at the age of 47. years without leasure to call a prudent councell or settle the succession in the child that of all the rest he most desired amongst the sixty four sons and eleven daughters which he had by several wives whose name was Abditsinda his minion a gallant and generous Prince This change bred great tumults and dissentions at Court each of these wives striving to thrust her childs head under the crown so as to attain more easily to it and to gain the Peers and Officers of the Crown to purchase the Scepter they spared not whatsoever was dearest to them a cause of much blood and murther Of these sons there were four principal whose names were Abgarou Adala Corcut and Gulman who having seap'd some enterprises upon their persons united themselves against their other brothers of whom they put to death as many as they could lay hold on the rest saved themselves in several places flying the cruelty of those who proclaimed Offices and places of trust to whosoever brought in their heads During this state of things here raged great warres and many bloody encounters passed wherein two of the four brothers payed their lives and there remained only Corgut and Gulman who at last reconciled with a general peace and lived in great amity copartners in the royalty so as after the modell of Eteocles and Polinice those ancient Kings of Thebes each governed six moneths by turns This lasted for a time till Corcut took to wife the Princesse Dafila an ambitious Lady who six moneths after her nuptials perswaded her consort to murther his brother and reign without a partner which was done accordingly calling him to Court under pretence of communicating some affaires of consequence and so he became sole King and reigned thirteen years till an Uncle of his called Nahi in revenge put both him his