pleased God to restore us to our perfect health so that this virtuous Dâ—me seeing us able to travel recommended us to a Merchant her kinsman that was bound for Patana with whom after we had taken our leave of that noble Matron unto whom we were so much obliged we imbarqued our selves in a Cataluz with Oars and sailing on a River called Sumhâ—chitano we arrived seven days after at Patana Now for as much as Antonio de Faria looked every day for our return with a hope of good success in his business as soon as he saw us and understood what had past he remained so sad and discontented that he continued above an hour without speaking a word in the mean time such a number of Portugals came in as the house was scarce able to contain them by reason the greatest part of them had ventuâ—ed goods in the Lanchara whose lading in that regard amounted to seventy thousand duckets and better the most of it being in silver coyn of purpose with it to return gold Antonio de Faria seeing himself stripped of the twelve thousand duckets he had borrowed at Malaca resolved not to return thither because he had no means to pay his Creditors but rather thought it fitter to pursue those that had robbed him of his goods so that he took a solemn Oath upon the holy Evangelists to part incontinently from that place for to go in quest of those Pyrats for to revenge upon them the death of those fourteen Portugals and thirty six Christians Boys and Mariners killed by them as aforesaid Adding withall that if such a course were not taken they should every day be used so â—ay far worse All the Assistants very much commended him valorous resolution and for the execution thereof there were many young Soldiers amongst them that offered to accompany him in that voyage some likewise presented him with mony and others furnished him with divers necessaries Having accepted these offers and presents of his friends he used such diligence that within eighteen days he made all his preparations and got together five and fifty Soldiers amongst whom poor unfortunate I was fain to be one for I saw my self in that case as I had not so much as a single token nor knew any one that would either give or lend me one being indebted besides at Malaca above five hundred duckets that I had borrowed there of some of my friends which with as much more that dog had â—obbed me of amongst others as I have related befoâ—e having been able to save nothing but my miserable carcass wounded in three places with a Javelin and my skull crackt with a stone whereby I was three or four times at the point of death But my companion Christovan Borralho was yet â—ar worse entreated then my self and that with more hurts which he received in satisfaction of five and twenty hundred duckets that he was robbed of as the rest CHAP. XV. Antonio de Faria's setting forth for the Isle of Ainan his arrival at the River of Tinacoren and that which befell us in this Voyage AS soon as Antonio de Faria was ready he departed from Patana on a Saturday the ninth of May 1540. and steered North North-west towards the Kingdom of Champaa with an intent to discover the Ports and Havens thereof as also by the means of some good booty to furnish himself with such things as he wanted for his haste to part from Patana was such as he had not time to furnish himself with that which was necessary for him no not with victual and warlike ammunition enough After we had sailed three days we had sight of an Island called Pullo Condor at the height of eight degrees and three quarters on the North Coast and almost North-west towards the mouth of the River of Camboia so that having rounded all the Coast we discovered a good Haven Eastward where in the Island of Camboia distant some six leagues from the firm Land we met with a Junk of Lequios that was going to the Kingdom of Siam with an Embassador from the Nautauquim of Lindau who was Prince of the Island of Tosa and that had no sooner discovered us but he sent a message by a Chinese Pilot to Antonio de Faria full of complements whereunto was added these words from them all That the time would come when as they should communicate with us in the true love of the Law of God and of his inâ—inite clemency who by his death had given life to all men and a perpetual inheritance in the house of the good and that they beleeved this should be so after the half of the half time was past With this complement they sent him a Courtelas of great value whose handle and scabbard was of gold as also six and twenty Pearls in a little Box likewise of gold made after the fashion of a Salt-seller whereat Antonio de Faria was very much grieved by reason he was not able to render the like unto this Prince as he was obliged to do for whâ—n the Chinese arrived with this message they were distant above a league at Sea from us Hereupon we went ashore where we spent three days in taking in fresh water and fishing Then we put to Sea again laboring to get to the firm Land there to seek out a River named Pullo Cambim which divides the State of Camboia from the Kingdom of Champaa in the height of nine degrees where arriving on a Sunday the last of May we went up three leagues in this River and anchored just against a great Town called Catimparu there we remained twelve days in peace during the which we made our provision of all things necessary Now bâ—cause Antonio de Faria was naturally curious he endevored to understand from the people of the Country what Nation inhabited beyond them and whence that mighty River took its souâ—ce whereunto he was answered that it was derived from a lake named Pinator dâ—stant from them Eastward two hundred and sixty leagues in the Kingdom of Quitirvan and that it was invironed with high mountains at the foot whereof upon the brink of the water were eight and thirty villages of which thirteen were very great and the rest small and that only in one of the great onâ—s called Xincaleu there was such a huge myne of gold as by the repâ—â—t of those that lived thereabout there was every day a bar and a half drawn out of it which according to the value of our mony makes two and twenty millions in a year and that four Lords had share in it who continually were in war together each one striving to make himself master of it I and that one of them named Raiahitau had in an inner yard of his house in pots under ground that were full to the very brims above six hundred bars of gold in powder like to that of Mexancabo of the Island of Samatra And thâ—â— if three hundred Harquebusiers of our Nation should go and assault it
his Subject with all the purity and affection which a Vassal is obliged to carry unto his Master I Angeessiry Timorraia King of Batas desiring to insinuate my self into thy friendship that thy Subjects may be inriched with the fruits of this my Country I do offer by a new Treaty to replenish the Magazins of thy King who is also mine with Gold Pepper Camfire Benjamon and Aloes upon condition that with an entire confidence thou shalt send me a safe conduct written and assigned with thine own hand by means whereof all my Lanchares and Jurupanges may navigate in safety Furthermore in favor of this new amity I do again beseech thee to succor me with some Powder and great Shot whereof thou hast but too much in thy Store-houses and therefore mayst well spare them for I had never so great need of all kind of warlike munitions as at this present This granted I shall be much indebted to thee if by thy means I may once chastise those perjured Achems the mortal and eminent Enemies of thy Malaca with whom I swear to thee I will never have peace as long as I live until such time as I have had satisfaction for the blood of my three children which call upon me for vengeance and that therewith I may asswage the sorrow of their noble Mother who having given them suck and brought them up hath seen them since miserably butchered by that cruel Tyrant of Achem in the Towns of Jacur and Lingua as thou shalt be more particularly informed by Aquarem Dabolay the Brother of those childrens desolate Mother whom I have sent unto thee for a confirmation of our new amity to the end Signior that he may treat with thee about such things as shall seem good unto thee as well for the service of God as for the good of thy people From Paniau the fifth day of the eighth Moon This Embassador received from Pedro de Faria all the honor that he could do him after their manner and as soon as he had delivered him the Letter it was translated into the Portugal out of the Malayan Tongue wherein it was written Whereupon the Embassador by his Interpreter declared the occasion of the discord which was between the Tyrant of Achem and the King of Batas proceeding from this that the Tyrant had not long before propounded unto this King of Batas who was a Gentile the imbracing of Mahometâ— Law conditionally that he would wed him to a Sister of his for which purpose he should quit his wife that was also a Gentile and married to him six and twenty years Now because the King of Batas would by no means condescend thereunto the Tyrant incited by a Cacis of his immediately denounced War against him So each of them having raised a mighty Army they fought a most bloody Battel that continued three hours and better during the which the Tyrant perceiving the advantage the Bataes had of him after he had lost a great number of his people he made his retreat into a Mountain called Cagerrendan where the Bataes held him besieged by the space of three and twenty days but because in that time many of the Kings men fell sick and that also the Tyrants Camp began to want Victuals they concluded a Peace upon condition that the Tyrant should give the King five bars of Gold which are in value two hundred thousand crowns of our mony for to pay his Soldiers and that the King should marry his eldest son to that sister of the Tyrant who had been the cause of making that War This accord being signed by either part the King returned into his Country where he was no sooner arrived but relying on this Treaty of Peace he dismist his Army and discharged all his Forces The tranquillity of this Peace lasted not above two months and an half in which time there came to the Tyrant three hundred Turks whom he had long expected from the Straight of Mecqua and for them had sent four Vessels laden with Pepper wherein also were brought a great many Cases full of Muskets and Hargebusezes together with divers Pieces both of Brass and Iron Ordnance Whereupon the first thing the Tyrant did was to joyn those three hundred Turks to some Forces he had still afoot then making as though he would go to Pacem for to take in a Captain that was revolted against him he cunningly fell upon two places named Iacur and Lingua that appâ—rtained to the King of Batas which he suddenly surprized when they within thâ—m least thought of it for the Peace newly made between them took away all the mistrust of such an attempt so as by that means it was easie for the Tyrant to render himself Master of those Fortresses Having taken them he put three of the Kings sons to death and seven hundred Ouroballones so are the noblest and the valiantâ—st of the Kingdom called This while the King of Batas much resenting and that with good cause so great a Treachery sware by the head of his god Quiay Hocombinor the principal Idol of the Gentiles sect who hold him for their god of Justice never to eat either fruit salt or any other thing that might bring the least gust to his palate before he had revenged the death of his children and drawn reason from the Tyrant for this loss protesting further that he was resolved to dye in the maintenance of so just a War To which end and the better to bring it to pass the King of Batas straightway assembled an Army of fifteen thousand men as well natives as strangers wherewithall he was assisted by some Princes his friends and to the same effect he emplored the Forces of us Christians which was the reason why he sought to contract that new amity we have spoken of before with Pedro de Faria who was very well contented with it in regard he knew that it greatly imported both the service of the King of Portugal and the conservation of the Fortress besides that by this means he hoped very much to augment the Revenue of the Customs together with his own particular and all the rest of the Portugals profit in regard of the great Trade they had in those Countries of the South After that the King of Batas Embassador had been seventeen days with us Pedro de Faria dismissed him having first granted whatsoever the King his Master had demanded and something over and above as fire-pots darts and murdering Pieces wherewith the Embassador departed from the Fortress so contented that he shed tears for joy nay it was observed that passing by the great door of the Church he turned himself towards it with his hands and eyes lift up to Heaven and then as it were praying to God Almighty Lord said he openly that in rest and great joy livest there above seated on the Treasure of thy Riches which are the spirits formed by thy Will here I promise thee if it may be thy good pleasure to give us
were Christians and descended of the Weaver in whose house the holy man was lodged of whom demanding whether that which the Chineses had told us was true they shewed us a book that contained the whole history thereof at large with many other wonders wrought by that holy man who they said was named Matthew Escandel and that he was an Hermit of Mount Sinai being an Hungarian by nation and born in a place called Buda The same book also related that nine days after this Saint was buried the said Town of Cohilouzaa where he was murthered began to tremble in such sort as all the people thereof in a mighty fright ran out into the fields and there continued in their tents not daring to return unto their houses for they cried out all with one common consent The blood of this stranger craves vengeance for the unjust death the Bonzes hath given him because he preached the truth unto us But the Bonzes rebuked and told them that they committed a great sin in saying so Nevertheless they willed them to be of good cheer for they would go all to Quiay Tiguarem God of the night and request him to command the earth to be quiet otherwise we would offer him no more sacrifices Immediately whereupon all the Bonzes went accordingly in procession to the said Idol which was the chiefest in the Town but none of the people durst follow them for fear of some earthquake which the very next night about eleven of the clock as those divelish monsters were making their sacrifices with odoriferous perfumes and other ceremonies accustomed amongst them increased so terribly that by the Lords permission and for a just punishment of their wickedness it quite overthrew all the Temples houses and other edifices of the Town to the ground wherewith all the Bonzes were killed not so much as one escaped alive being in number above four thousand as the book delivereth wherein it is further said that afterwards the earth opening such abundance of water came forth as it clean overwhelmed and drowned the whole Town so that it became a great lake and above an hundred fathom deep moreover they recounted many other very strange particulars unto us and also however since that time the place was named Fiunganorsee that is the chastisement of heaven whereas before it was called Cohilouzaa which signifies the flower of the field as I have declared heretofore After our Departure from the ruines of Fiunganorsee we arrived at a great Town called Iunquinilau which is very rich abounding with all kind of things fortified with a strong Garrison of Horse and Foot and having a number of Junks and Vessels riding before it Here we remained five days to celebrate the Funeral of our Chifuus wife for whose soul he gave us by way of alms both meat and clothes and withall freeing us from the oar permitted us to go ashore without irons which was a very great ease unto us Having leâ—t this place we continued our course up the river beholding still on either side a world of goodly great Towns invironed with strong walls as also many Fortresses and Castles all along the waters side we saw likewise a great number of Temples whose Steeples were all guilt and in the fields such abundance of cattel that the ground was even covered over with them so far as we could well discern Moreover there were so many vessels upon this river especially in some parts where Fairs were kept that at first sight one would have thought them to be populous Towns besides other lesser companies of three hundred five hundred six hundred and a thousand boats which continually we met withall on both sides of the river wherein all things that one could imagine were sold Moreover the Chineses assured us that in this Empire of China the number of those which levied upon the rivers was not less then those that dwelled in the Towns and that without the good order which is observed to make the common people work and to constrain the meaner sort to supply themselves unto trades for to get their living they would eat up one another Now it is to be noted that every kind of traffique and commerce is divided among them into three or four forms as followeth They which trade in Ducks whereof there are great quantities in this Countrey proceed therein diversly some cause their egs to be hatched for to sell the Ducklings others fat them when they are great for to sell them dead after they are salted These traffique only with the egs others with the feathers and some with the heads feet gizards and intrails no man being permitted to trench upon his companions sale under the penalty of thirty lashes which no priviledg can exempt them from In the same manner concerning hogs some sell them alive and by whole sale others dead and by retail some make bacon of them others sell their pigs and some again sell nothing but the chitterlings the sweet-breads the blood and the haslets which is also observed for fish for such a one sels it fresh that cannot sell it either salted or dried and so of other Provisions as flesh fruit fowls venison pulse and other things wherein such rigour is used as there are chambers expresly established whose officers have commission and power to see that they which trade in one particular may not do it in another if it be not for just and lawful couses and that on pain of thirty lashes There be others likewise that get their living by selling fish alive which to that purpose they keep in great well-boats and so carry them into divers countrys where they know there is no other but salt fish There are likewise all along this river of Batampina whereon we went from Nanquin to Pequin which is distant one from the other one hundred and fourscore leagues such a number of engines for sugar and presses for wine and oyl made of divers sorts of pulse and fruit as one could hardly â—ee any other thing on either side of the water In many other places also there were an infinite company of Houses and Magazines full of all kinds of provision that one could imagine where all sorts of flesh are salted dried smoaked and piled up in great high heaps as gammons of Bacon Pork Lard Geese Ducks Cranes Bustards Ostriches Stags Cows Buffles wild Goats Rhinoceroses Horses Tygers Dogs Foxes and almost all other creatures that one can name so that we said many times amongst our selves that it was not possible for all the people of the world to eat up all those provisions We saw likewise upon the same river a number of Vessels which they call Panouras covered from the poup to the prow with nets in manner of a cage three inches high full of ducks and geese that were carried from place to place to be sold when the Owners of those boats would have these fowl to feed they approach to the Land and where there are rich medows
wherewith all the rivers and all the harbors are full The King naturally is no way given to tyranny The customs of all the Kingdome are charitably destinated for the maintenance of certain Pagodes where the duties that are paid are very easie for whereas the religious men are forbidden to trade with money they take no more of Merchants then what they will give them out of almes There are in this Country twelve Sects of Gentiles as in the Kingdome of Pegu and the King for a soveraigne title causeth himself to be called Prechau Saliu which in our tongue signifies A holy member of God He shewes not himself to the people save only twice in the year but then with so much riches and majesty as he hath power and greatnesse and yet for all this that I say he less not to acknowledge himself the vassall and tributarie to the King of China to the end that by means thereof his subjects Juncks may be admitted into the port of Combay where ordinarily they exercise their commerce There is also in this Kingdome a great quantity of Pepper Ginger Cinamon Camphire Allume Cassia Tamarinds and Cardamon so as one may truly affirm that which I have often heard say in those parts namely that this Kingdom is one of the best countries in the world and easier to be subdued then any other Province how little soever I could here report likewise many more particularities of things which I have seen only in the city of Odiaa but I am not minded to make mention of them that I may not beget in them that shall read this the same grief which I have for the losse which we made of it through our sins and the gain we might make in conquering this Kingdom CHAP. LXXI A continuation of that which happened in the Kingdome of Pegu as well during the life as after the death of the King of Bramaa TO return now unto the history which heretofore I have left you must know that after the King of Bramaa had obtained that memorable victory neer to Pegu as I have declared heretofore by means whereof he remained peaceable possessor of the whole Kingdom the first thing he imployed himself in was to punish the offendors which had formerly rebelled for which effect he cut off the heads of a great many of the Nobility and Commanders all whose estates were confiscated to the Crown which according to report amounted unto ten millions of gold besides plate and jewells whereby that common Proverb which was common in the mouths of all was verified namely That one mans offence cost many men very deare Whilest the King continued more and more in his cruelties and injustice which he executed against divers persons during the space of two moneths and a half certain newes came to him that the city of Martabano was revolted with the death of two thousand Bramaas and that the Chalogomin Governour of the same city had declared himself for the Xemindoo But that the cause of this revolt may be the better understood by such as are curious I will before I proceed any further succinctly relate how this Xemindoo had been of a religious order in Pegu a man of noble extraction and as some affirmed neer of kin to the precedent King whom this Bramaa had put to death twelve years before as I have already declared This Xemindoo had formerly to name Xoripam Xay a man of about forty five years of age of a great understanding and held by every one for a Saint he was withall very wel verst in the Laws of their Sects false Religion and had many excellent parts which rendered him so agreeable unto all that heard him preach as he was no sooner in the Pulpit but all the assistants prostrated themselves on the ground saying at every word that he uttered Assuredly God speaks in thee This Xemindoo seeing himself then in such great credit with the people spurred on by the generosity of his nature and the occasion which was then so favourable unto him resolved to try his fortune and see to what degree it might arrive To this end at such time as the King of Bramaa was fallen upon the kingdom of Siam and had laid siege to the city of Odiaa the Xemindoo preaching in the temple of Conquiay at Pegu which is as it were the Cathedrall of all the rest where there was a very great assembly of people he discoursed at large of the losse of this Kingdom of the death of their lawfull King as also of the great extortions cruell punishments and many other mischiefs which the Bramaas had done to their Nation with so many insolencies and with so many offences against God as even the very houses which had been founded by the charity of good people to serve for Temples wherein the Divine Word might be preached were all desolated and demolished or if any were found still standing they were made use of either for stables lay-stalls or other such places accustomed to lay filth or dung in These and many other such like things which the Xâ—mindoo delivered accompanied with many sighs and tears made so great an impression in the minds of the people as from thenceforward they acknowledged him for their lawfull King and swore allegeance unto him so that instead of calling him as they did before Xoripam Xay they named him Xemindoo as a soveraigne title which they gave him above all others Seeing himself raised then to the dignity of King the first thing during the heat and fury of this people was to go to the King of Bramaas palace where having found five thousand Bramaas he cut them all in pieces not sparing the life of one of them the like did he afterwards to all the rest of them that were abiding in the most important places of the State and withall he seized on the Kings treasure which was not small In this manner he slew all the Bramaas that were in the Kingdom which were fifteen thousand besides the women of that Nation of what age soever and seized on the places where they resided which were instantly demolished so that in the space of three and twenty dayes onely he became absolute possessor of the Kingdom and prepared a great Army to fight with the King of Bramaa if he should chance to return upon the bruit of this rebellion as indeed he fought with him to his great damage being defeated by him as I have heretofore declared And thus having methinks said enough for the intelligence of that which I am to recount I will come again to my first discourse This King of Braâ—aa being advertised of the revolt of the Town of Martabano and of the death of those two thousand Bramaaes gave order immediately to all the Lords of the Kingdome for their repair unto him with as many men as they could levy and that within the teâ—m of fifteen daies at the furthest in regard the present necessity would not indure a longer
on the Kings Army which was ready to receive them in battel array as having been advertised of their design there ensued so dreadfull and furious a fight betwixt them as it lasted two hours within day but at length the conflict ended with the death of seven and thirty thousand men amongst the which the ten thousand Mutiners were slain not one of them deigning to save himself upon any termes whatsoever In the mean time the death of his men greatly afflicted the King who after this punishment of the rebels retyring to the town the first thing he did was to provide for the curing of the hurt men wherein he spent a good time in regard they were very many and whereof a great number died afterwards CHAP. LXXVI Our passing from the Town of Fucheo to the Port of Hiamangoo and that which befell us there together with my departure from Malaca and arrival at Goa After that this revolt had taken an end by the death of so many men on the one and the other side we few Portugals that remained as soon as time would permit us got to the port of the town where seeing the Country desolated the merchants fled away and the King resolved to leave the town we lost all hope of selling our comodities yea and of being safe in this harbour which made us set sail and go ninety leagues further to another Port called Hiamangoo which is in the bay of Canguexumaa there vve sojourned tvvo months and an half not able to sell any thing at all because the country vvas so full of Chinese comodities as they fell above half in half in the price for there vvas not a Port or Read in all this Iland of Iapan vvhere there were not thirty or forty Iuncks at anchor and in some places above an hundred so that in the same very year at least two thousand merchants ships came from China to Iapan Now most of this merchandise consisted in Silk which was given at so cheap a rate that the peece of Silk which at that time was worth an hundred Taies in China was sold in Iapan for eight and twenty or thirty at the most and that too with much adoe besides the prices of all other commodities were so low as holding our selves utterly undone we knew not what resolution or counsell to take But whereas the Lord doth dispose of things according to his good pleasure by waies which surpasse our understanding he permitted for reasons only known to himself that on the new moon in December being the fifth day of the month there arose so furious a tempest of wind and rain as all those vessels saving a few perished in it so that the losse caused by this storm amounted unto a thousand nine hundred and seventy two Iuncks amongst the which were six and twenty Portugals ships wherein five hundred and two of our nation were drowned besides a thousand Christians of other Countries and eight hundred thousand duckets worth of goods cast away Of Chinese vessels according to report there were a thousand nine hundred thirty and six lost together with above tvvo millions of gold and an hundred and threescore thousand persons Now from so miserable a ship-wrack not above ten or eleven ships escaped of which number was that wherein I was imbarqued and that almost by miracle by reason whereof these same sold their commodities at what price they would As for us after we had uttered 〈◊〉 and prepared our selves for our departure we put to sea on a twelfth day in the morning and although we were well enough contented in regard of the profit we had made yet were we not a little sad to see things fall out so to the cost of so many lives and riches both of those of our nation and of strangers But when we had weighed anchor and hoisted our sailes for the prosecution of our course the ties of our main sail brake by which means the sail yard falling down upon the of the ship brake all to peices so that we were constrained by this accident to recover the port again and to send a shallop on shore to seek for a sail yard and shipwrights to fit it for us To this effect we sent a present to the Captain of the place that he might suddenly give us necessary succor as accordingly he did so that the very same day the ship was put into her former estate and better then before Neverthelesse as we were weighing anchor again the cable of our anchor broke and because we had but one more in the ship we were forced to indeavor all that we might for the recovery thereof by reason of the great need we stood in of it now to do this we sent to land for such as could dive who in consideration of ten duckets that we gave them fell to diving into the sea where they found our anchor in six and tvventy fathome depth so that by the means which we fastned unto it vve hoysted it up though vvith a great deal of labour vvherein vve all of us bestovved our selves and spent the most part of the night As soon as it vvas day vve set saile and parting from this river of Hiamangoo it pleased God that in fourteen daies vvith a good vvind vve arrived at Chincheo vvhich is one of the most renovvned and richest Ports of the Kingdome of China there vve vvere advertised that at the entrance of this river there lay at that time a famous Pirate called Cheopocheca vvith a mighty fleet vvhich put us into such a fear that in all hast vve got avvay to Lamau vvhere vve made some provision of victuals vvhich lasted us untill our arrivall at Malaca Having stayed some time at Malaca for the dispatch of certain affaires that I had there I imbarqued my self for Goa vvith an intent of length to return into Portugal if I could meet vvith shipping ready to depart from thence at that time but some fevv daies after my arrivall there it happened that a Portugal named Antonio Ferreyra brought a present of very rich peeces to the Vice-Roy Don Pedro Mascarenhas which the King of Bungo sent him from Iapan to getherwith a letter whereof the contents were these Illustrious Lord and of great majesty Vice-Roy of the limits of the Indiaes the dreadfull Lion in the flouds of the sea by the force of thy ships and artillerie I Yacatauandono King of Bungo Facata◠Omangucha and the Countries of the two seas Lord of the petty Kings of the Ilands of Tosa Xemenarequa and Miaygimaa do give thee to understand by this my letter that Father Francisco Xavier having been not long since in this Country preaching to them of Omangucha the new law of the Creator of all things I secretly promised to him that at his return into my Kingdome I would receive from his hand the name and water of holy Baptism howsoever the noveltie of so unexpected a thing might put me into bad terms with my subjects Whereupon he also
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
them CHAP. VII What happened to me at Penaiu with the King of Batas expedition against the Tyrant of Achem and what he did after his Victory over him BY that time we had sailed seven or eight leagues up the River at the end we arrived at a little Town named Botterrendan not above a quarter of a mile distant from Panaiu where the King of Batas was at that time making preparation for the War he had undertaken against the Tyrant of Achem. This King understanding that I had brought him a Letter and a Present from the Captain of Malaca caused me to be entertained by the Xabandar who is he that with absolute power governs all the affairs of the Army This General accompanied with five Lanchares and twelve Ballons came to me to the Port where I rode at anchor Then with a great noise of Drums Bells and popular acclamations he brought me to a certain Key of the Town called Campalator There the Bendara Governor of the Kingdom stayed for me in great solemnity attended by many Ourâ—balons and Amborraias which are the noblest persons of his Court the most part of whom for all that were but poor and base both in their habit and manner of living whereby I knew that the Country was not so rich as it was thought to be in Malaca When I was come to the Kings Palace and had past through the first Court at the entrance of the second I found an old woman accompanied with other persons far nobler and better apparelled then those that marched before me who beckoning mâ— with her hand as if she had commanded me to enter Man of Malaca said she unto me Thy arrival in the King my Masters Land is as agreeable unto him as a sâ—owre of rain is to a crop of Rice in dry and hot weather Wherefore enter boldly and be afraid of nothing for the people which by the goodness of God thou seest here are no other then those of thine own Country since the hope which we have in the same God makes us believe that he will maintain us all together unto the end of the world Having said so she carried me where the King was unto whom I did obeysance according to the man-of the Country then I delivered him the Letter and the Present I had brought him which he graciously accepted of and asked me what occasion drew me thither Whereunto I answered as I had in commission that I was come to serve his Highness in the Wars where I hoped to 〈◊〉 the honor to attend on him and not to leave him till such time as he returned Conqueror of his Enemies Hereunto I likewise added that I desired to see the City of Achem as also the scituation and fortifications of it and what depth the River was of whereby I might know whether it would bear great Vessels and Gallions because the Captain of Malaca had a design to come and succor his Higness as soon as his men were returned from the Indiaes and to dâ—liver his mortal Enemy the Tyrant of Achem into his hands This poor King presently believed all that I said to be true and so much the rather for that it was conformable to his desire in such sort that rising out of his Thâ—one where he was set I saw him go and fall on his knees before the carcass of a Cows head set up against the wall whose horns were guilt and crowned with flowers Then lifting up his hands and eyes O thou said he that not constrained by any material love whereâ—nto Nature hath obliged thee dost continually make glad all those that desire thy milk as the own mother doth him whom she hath brought into the world without participating either of the miseries or pains which ordinarily she suffers from whom we take our Being be favorable unto the prayer which now with all my heart I offer up unto thee and it is no other but this that in the meadows of the Sun where with the payment and recompence which thou receivest thou art contented with the good that thou dost here below thou wilt be pleased to conserve me in the new amity of this good Captain to the end he may put in execution all that this man here hath told me At these words all the Courtiers which were likewise on their knees said three times as it were in answer How happy were he that could see that and then dye incontinently Whereupon the King arose and wiping his eyes which were all beblubbered with the tears that proceeded from the zeal of the prayer he had made he questioned me about many particular things of the Indiaes and Malaca Having spent some time therein he very courteously dismissed me with a promise to cause the Merchandise which the Mahometan had brought in the Captain of Malaâ—a's name to be well and profitably put off which indeed was the thing I most desired Now for as much as the King at my arrival was making his preparations for to march against the Tyrant of Achem and had taken order for all things necessary for that his Voyage after I had remained nine days in Panaiu the Capital City of the Kingdom of Batas he departed with some Troops towards a place named Turban some five leagues of where he arrived an hour before Sun-set without any manner of reception or shew of joy in regard of the grief he was in for the death of his children which was such as he never appeared in publique but with great demonstrations of sorrow The next morning the King of Batas marched from Turban towards the Kingdom of Achem being eighteen leagues thither He carried with him fifteen thousand men of War whereof eight thousand were Bataes and the rest Menancabes Lusons Andraguires Iambes and Bournees whom the Princes his neighbors had assisted him with as also forty Elephants and twelve Carts with small Ordnance namely Faulcons Bases and other field Pieces amongst the which there were three that had the Arms of France and were taken in the year 1526. at such time as Lopo Vaz dâ— Sampayo governed the State of the Indiaes Now the King of Batas marching five leagues a day came to a River called Quilem There by some of the Tyrants Spies which he had taken he learnt that his Enemy waited for him at Tondacur two leagues from Achem with a purpose to fight with him and that he had great store of strangers in his Army namely Turks Cambayans and Malabars Whereupon the King of Batas assembling his Councel of War and falling into consultation of this affair it was concluded as most expedient to set upon the Enemy before he grew more strong With this resolution having quit the River he marched somewhat faster then ordinary and arrived about ten of the clock in the night at the foot of a Mountain half a league from the Enemies Camp where after he had reposed himself a matter of three hours he marched on in very good order for which effect having
and gave it me as also a Letter directed to Pedro de Faria whereupon I took my leave of him with a promise that I would stay there a week longer howbeit getting speedily aboard my Iurupango I made not a minutes stay but instantly caused the Mariners to hoist sail and away still imagining that some were following to apprehend me by reason of the extream fear I was in having so lately escaped as I thought the danger of a most cruel death Being departed from the River of Parles on a Saturday about Sun-set I made all the speed that possibly I could and continued my course until the Tuesday following when it pleased God that I reached to the Isles of Pullo Sambalin the first Land on the Coast of Mallayo There by good fortune I met with three Portugal ships whereof two came from Bengala and the other from Pegu commanded by Tristan de Gaa who had sometimes been Governor of the person of Don Lorenzo son to the Vice-roy Don Francesco d' Almeda that was afterward put to death by Miroocem in Chaul Roade as is at large delivered in the History of the Discovery of the Indiaes This same Tristan furnished me with many things that I had great need of as tackle and Mariners together with two Soldiers and a Pilot moreover both himself and the other to ships had always a care of me until our arrival at Malaca where dis-imbarquing my self the first thing I did was to go to the Fortress for to salute the Captain and to render him an account of the whole success of my Voyage where I discoursed unto him at large what Rivers Ports and Havens I had newly discovered in the Isle of Samatra as well on the Mediterranean as on the Ocean Seas side as also what commerce the inhabitants of the Country used Then I declared unto him the manner of all that Coast of all those Ports and of all those Rivers whereunto I added the scituations the heights the degrees the names and the depths of the Ports according to the direction he had given me at my departure Therewithall I made him a description of the Rode wherein Rosado the Captain of a French ship was lost and another named Matelote de Brigas as also the Commander of another ship who by a storm at Sea was cast into the Port of Diu in the year 1529. during the raign of Sultan Bandur King of Cambaya This Prince having taken them all made fourscore and two of them abjure their â—aith who served him in his Wars against the great Mogor and were every one of them miserably slain in that expedition Moreover I brought him the description of a place fit for anchorage in Pullo Botum Roade where the Bisquayn Ship suffered shipwrack which was said to be the very same wherein Magâ—llan compassed the World and was called the Vittoria which traversing the Isle of Iooa was cast a way at the mouth of the River of Sonda I made him a recital likewise of many different Nations which inhabit all along this Ocean and the River of Lampon from whence the Gold of Menancabo is transported to the Kingdom of Campar upon the waters of Iambes and Broteo For the inhabitants affirm out of their Chronicles how in this very Town of Lampon there was anciently a Factory of Merchants established by the Queen of Sheba whereof one named Nausem sent her a great quantity of Gold which she carried to the Temple of Ierusalem at such time as she went to visit the wise King Solomon From whence some say she returned with child of a son that afterwards succeeded to the Empire of Aethiopia whom now we call Prester-Iohn of whose race the Abissins vaunt they are descended Further I told him what course was usually held for the fishing of seed pearl betwixt Pullo Tiquos and Pullo Quenim which in times past were carried by the Bataes to Pazem and Pedir and exchanged with the Turks of the Straight of Mecqua and the Ships of Iudâ—a for such Merchandise as they brought from Grand Cairo and the Ports of Arabia Foelix Divers other things I recounted unto him having learnt them of the King of Batas and of the Merchants of Panâ—iâ— And for conclusion I gave him an information in writing as he had formerly desiâ—ed me concerning the Island of Gold I told him how this Island is beyond the River of Calandor five degrees to the Southward invironed with many shelfs of sand and currents of water as also that it was distant some hundred and threescore leagues from the point of the Isle of Samatra With all which reports Pedro de Faria remained so well satisfied that he made present relation thereof to the King Don Iovan the Third of happy memory who the year after ordained Francesco d' Almeida for Captain to discover the Isle of Gold a Gentleman of merit and very capable of that charge who indeed had long before petitioned the King for it in recompence of the services by him performed in the Islands of Banda of the Molucques of Ternate and Geilolo But by ill fortune this Francesco d' Almeida being gone from the Indiaâ—s to discover that place dyed of a feaver in the Isles of Nicubar Whereof the King of Portugal being advertised he honored one Diego Cabral born at the Maderaes with that Command but the Court of Justice deprived him of it by express order from Martinez Alphonso de Sousa who was at that time Governor which partly proceeded according to report for that he had murmured against him Whereupon he gave it to Ieronimo Figuereydo a Gentleman belonging to the Duke of Braganca who in the year 1542. departed from Goa with two Foists and one Carvel wherein there were fourscore men as well Soldiers as Mariners But it is said that his Voyage was without effect for that according to the apparances that he gave of it afterward it seemed that he desired to enrich himself too suddenly To which end he passed to the Coast of Tanassery where he took certain Ships that came from Mecqua Adem Alcosser Iudaa and other places upon the Coast of Persia. And verily this booty was the occasion of his undoing for upon an unequal partition thereof falling at difference with his Soldiers they mutined in such fort against him as after many affronts done him they bound him hand and foot and so carried him to the Isle of Ceilan where they set him on Land and the Carvel with the two Foists they returned to the Governor Don Ioano de Castra who in regard of the necessity of the time pardoned them the fault and took them along with him in the Army which he led to Diu for the succor of Don Ioana Mascarenhas that was then straitly besieged by the King of Cambaya's Forces Since that time there hath been no talk of the discovery of this Island of Gold although it seems very much to import the common good of our Kingdom of Portugal if it would
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
Fortress where she was saluted with an honorable peal of Ordnance which lasted the space of a good hour Being landed and having seen certain things which Pedro de Faria desired to shew her as the Custom-house the River the Army the Manufactures stores of Powder and other particulars prepared before for that purpose she was lodged in a fair house and her people to the number of six hundred in a field called Ilher in Tents and Cabbins where they were accommodated the best that might be During all the time of her abode which was about a matter of five months she continued soliciting for succor and means to revenge the death of her husband But at length perceiving the small assistance she was likely to have from us and that all we did was but a meer entertainment of good words she determined to speak freely unto Pedro de Faria that so she might know how far she might trust to his prom ses To which end attending him one Sunday at the gate of the Fortress at such time as the place was full of people and that he was going forth to hear Mass she went to him and after some complements between them she said unto him Noble and valiant Captain I beseâ—ch you by the generosity of your race to give me the hearing in a few things I have to represent unto you Consider I pray you that albeit I am a Mahometan and that for the greatness of my sins I am altogether ignorant in the knowledg of your holy Law yet in regard I am a woman and have been a Queen you ought to carry some respect to me and to behold my misery with the eyes of a Christian. Hereunto at first Pedro de Faria knew not what to answer in the end putting off his cap he made her a low reverence and after they had both continued a good while without speaking the Queen bowed to the Church gate that was just before them and then spake again to Pedro de Faria Truly said she the desire I have always had to revenge the death of my husband hath been and still is so great that I have resolved to seek out all the means that possibly I may to effect it since by reason of the weakness of my sex Fortune will not permit me to bear arms Being perswaded then that this here which is the first I have tryed was the most assured and that I more relyed upon then any other as trusting in the ancient amity which hath always been betwixt us and you Portugals and the obligation wherein this Fortress is engaged to us passing by many other considerations well known to you I am now to desire you with tears in mine eyes that for the honor of the high and mighty King of Portugal my soveraign Lord and unto whom my husband was ever a loyal Subject and Vassal you will ayd and succor me in this my great adversity which in the presence of many noble Personages you have promised me to do howbeit now I see that in stead of performing the promises which you have so often made me you alledg for an excuse that you have written unto the Vice-roy about it whereas I have no need of such great Forces as you speak of for that with an hundred men only and such of my own people as are flying up and down in hope and expectation of my return I should be able enough though I be but a woman in a short space to recover my Country and revenge the death of my husband through the help of Almighty God in whose Name I beseech and require you that for the service of the King of Portugal my Master and the only refuge of my widowhood you will since you can assist me speedily because expedition is that which in this affair imports the most and so doing you shall prevent the plot which the wicked enemy hath upon this Fortress as too well you may perceive by the means he hath used to effect it If you will be pleased to give me the succor I demand of you say so if not deal clearly with me for that you will prejudice me as much in making me lose time as if you refused me that which so earnestly I desire and which as a Christian you are obliged to grant me as the Almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth doth well know whom I take to witness of this my request CHAP. XII The Queen of Aaru's departure from Malaca her going to the King of Jantana his summoning the Tyrant of Achem to restore the Kingdom of Aâ—ru and that which past between them thereupon PEdro de Faria having heard what this desolate Queen said openly unto him convinced by his own conscience and even ashamed of having delayed her in that fashion answered her that in truth and by the faith of a Christian he had recommended this affair unto the Viceroy and that doubtless there would some succor come for her ere it were long if so be there were no trouble in the Indiaes that might hinder it wherefore he advised and prayed her to stay still in Malaca and that shortly she should see the verity of his speeches Thereunto this Princess having replyed upon the uncertainty of such succor Pedro de Faria grew into choller because he thought she did not believe him so that in the heat of his passion he lashed out some words that were more rude then was fit Whereupon the desolate Queen with tears in her eyes and beholding the Church gate which was just against her and sobbing in such manner as she could scarcely speak The clear Fountain said she is the God which is adored in that house out of whose mouth proceeds all truth but the men of the Earth are sinks of troubled water wherein change and faults are by nature continually remaining wherefore accursed is he that trusts to the opening of their lips For I assure you Captain that â—ver since I knew my self to this present I have neither heard nor seen ought but that the more such unhappy wretches as my late husband was and my self now am do for you Portugals the less you regard them and the more you are obliged the less you acknowledg whence I may well conclude that the recompence of the Portugal Nation consists more in favor then in the merits of persons And would to God my deceased husband had nine and twenty years ago but known what now for my sins I perceive too well for then he had not been so deceived by you as he was But since it is so I have this only left to comfort me in my misery that I see many others scandalized with your amity as well as my self For if you had neither the power nor the will to succor me why would you so far engage your self to me a poor desolate widow concerning that which I hoped to obtain from you and so beguile me with your large promises Having spoken thus she turned her back to the Captain
and without harkening to what he might say she instantly returned to her lodging then caused her Vessâ—ls wherein she came thither to be made ready and the next day set sail for Biâ—tan where the King of Iantana was at that time who according to the report was made of it to us afterward received her with great honor at her arrival To him she recounted all that had past betwixt her and Pedro de Faria and how she had lost all hope of our friendship Unto whom it is said the King made this answer That he did not marvel at the little faith she had found in us for that we had shewed it but too much upon sundry occasions unto all the world Now the better to confirm his saying he recited some particular examples of matters which he said had befallen us conformable to his purpose and like a Mahometan and our Enemy he made them appear more enormous then they were So after he had recounted many things of us very ill done amongst the which he interlaced divers Treacheries Robberies and Tyrannies at length he told her that as a good King and a good Mahometan he would promise her that ere it were long she should see her self by his means restored again to every foot of her Kingdom and to the end she might be the more assured of his promise he told her that he was content to take her for his wife if so she pleased for that thereby he should have the greater cause to become the King of Achems Enemy upon whom for her sake he should be constrained to make War if he would not by fair means be perswaded to abandon that which he had unjustly taken from her Whereunto she made answer that albeit the honor he did her was very great yet she would never accept of it unless he would first promise as in way of a dowry to revenge the death of her former husband saying it was a thing she so much desired as without it she would not accept of the Soveraignty of the whole world The King condescended to her request and by a solemn Oath taken on a Book of their Sect confirmed the promise which to that effect he made her After that the King of Iantana had taken that Oath before a great Cacis of his called Raia Moulana upon a festival day when as they solemnized their Ramadan he went to the Isle of Compar where immediately upon the celebration of their Nuptials he called a Councel for to advise of the course he was to hold for the performance of that whereunto he had engaged himself for he knew it was a matter of great difficulty and wherein he should be forced to hazard much of his Estate The resolution that he took hereupon was before he enterprized any thing to send to summon the Tyrant of Achem to surrender the Kingdom of Aaru which in the right of his new wife belonged now unto him and then according to the answer he should receive to govern himself This Councel seemed so good to the King that he presently dispatched an Embassador to the Tyrant with a rich Present of Jewels and Silks together with a Letter containing these words Sibri Laya quendou pracama de Raia lawful King by a long succession of Malaca which by strong hand and the injustice of the faithless Kings of Jantana and Bintan hath been usurped from me To thee Siry Sultan Aaradin King of Achem and of all the Land of the two Seas my true Brother by the ancient Amity of our forefathers I thine Ally in flesh and in blood do give thee to understand by my Embassador that about the seventh Moon of this present year the noble Widow Anchesiny Queen of Aaru came to me full of grief and tears and prostrating her self on the ground before me she told me that thy Captains had taken her Kingdom from her as also the two Rivers of Lava and Panetican and slain Aliboncar her husband together with five thousand Amborraias and Ouroballons all men of mark that were with him and made three thousand children slaves which had never offended tying their hands behind them and scourging them continually without pity as if they had been the sons of unbelieving mothers Wherefore being moved with compassion I have received her under the protection of my faith to the end that I might with more certainty inform my self of the reason and right thou hadst so to do and perceiving by her oaths that thou hadst none I have taken her to my wife that I might the more freely before God demand that which is hers I desire thee then as being thy true Brother that thou wilt render that thou hast taken from her and thereof make her a good and full restitution And touching the proceeding that is to be held in this restitution which I demand of thee it is to be done according to the manner that Syribican my Embassador will shew thee And not doing thus conformable to what in justice I require of thee I declare my self thine Enemy in the behalf of this Lady unto whom I am obliged by a solemn Oath to defend her in her affliction This Embassador being come to Acheâ— the Tyrant received him very honorably and took his Letter But after he had opened it and read the contents he would presently have put him to death had he not been diverted by his Councel who told him that in so doing he would incur great infamy Whereupon he instantly dismissed the Embassador with his Present which in contempt of him he would not accept of and in answer of that he brought him he returned him a Letter wherein it was thus written I Sultan Aaradin King of Achem Baarros Pedir Paacem and of the Signories of Dayaa and Batas Prince of all the Land of the two Seas both Mediterranean and Ocean and of the Mynes of Menencabo and of the Kingdom of Aaru newly conquered upon just cause To thee King replenished with joy and desirous of a doubtful heritage I have seen thy Letter written at the table of thy Nuptials and by the inconsiderate words thereof have discerned the drunkenness of thy Councellors and Secretaries whereunto I would not have vouchsafed an answer had it not been for the humble prayers of my servants As touching the Kingdom of Aaru do not thou dare to speak of it if thou desirest to live sufficeth it that I have caused it to be taken in and that it is mine as thine also shall be ere long if thou hast married Anchesiny with a purpose upon that occasion to make claim to a Kingdom that now is none of hers wherefore live with her as other husbands do with their wives that tilling the ground are contented with the labor of their hands Recover first thy Malaca since it was once thine and then thou mayst think of that which never belonged to thee I will favor thee as a Vassal and not as a Brother as thou qualifiest thy self From my great
and Royal House of rich Achem the very day of this thy Embassadors arrival whom I have presently sent away without further seeing or hearing of him as he may tell thee upon his return to thy presence The King of Iantana's Embassador being dismissed with this Answer the very same day that he arrived which amongst them they hold for a mighty affront carried back the Present which the Tyrant would not accept of in the greater contempt both of him that sent and he that brought it and arrived at Compar where the King of Iantana was at that instant who upon the understanding of all that had past grew by report so sad and vext that his servants have vowed they have divers times seen him weep for very grief that the Tyrant should make so little reckoning of him Howbeit he held a Councel there upon the second time where it was concluded that at any hand he should make War upon him as on his mortal Enemy and that the first thing he should undertake should be the recovery of the Kingdom of Aaru and the Fort of Panetican before it was further fortified The King accordingly set forth a Fleet of two hundred Sails whereof the most part were Lanchares Calaluses and fifteen tall Juncks furnished with Munition necessary for the enterprize And of this Navy he made General the great Laque Xemena his Admiral of whose valor the History of the Indiaes hath spoken in divers places To him he gave two thousand Soldiers as also four thousand Mariners and gally slaves all choyce and trained men This General departed immediately with his Fleet and arrived at the River of Panetican close by the Enemies Fort which he assaulted five several times both with scaling ladders and divers artificial fires but perceiving he could not prevail that way he began to batter it with four hundred great Pieces of Ordnance which shot continually for the space of seven whole days together at the end whereof the most part of the Fort was ruined and overthrown to the ground whereupon he presently caused his men to give an assault to it who performed it so valiantly that they entered it and slew fourteen hundred Achems the most of which came thither but the day before the Fleet arrived under the conduct of a Turkish Captain Nephew to the Bassa of Caire named Mora do Arraiz who was also slâ—iâ—â— there with four hundred Turks he had brought along with him whereof Laque Xemena would not spare so much as one After this he used such diligence in repairing that which was fallen wherein most of the Soldiers labored that in twelve days the Fort was rebuilt and made as strong as before with the augmentation of two Bulwarks The news of this Fleet which the King of Iantana prepared in the Ports of Bintan and Compar came to the Tyrants ears who fearing to lose that which he had gotten put instantly to Sea another Fleet of fourteen hundred and twenty Sails Foists Lanchares Galiots and fifteen Galleys of five and twenty banks of oaâ—s a piece wherein he caused fifteen thousand men to be imbarqued namely twelve thousand Soldiers and the rest Mariners and such as were for the service of the Sea Of this Army he made the same Heredin Mahomet General who had before as I have already declared conquered the Kingdom of Aaru in regard he knew him to be a man of a great spirit and fortunate in War who departing with this Army arrived at a place called Aapessumhee within four leagues of the River of Panetican where he learnt of certain fishermen whom he took and put to torture all that had past concerning the Fort and the Kingdom and how Laque Xemena had made himself Master both of the Land and Sea in expectation of him At this news it is said that Heredin Mahomet was much perplexed because intruth he did not bâ—lieve the Enemy could do so much in so little time By reason whereof he assembled his Councel where it was concluded that since both the Fort and Kingdom were regained and all the men he had left there cut in pieces as likewise for that the Enemy was very strong both at Sea and Land and the season very unfit for their design therefore they were to return back Neverthâ—less Heredin Mahomet was of a contrary opinion saying that he would rather dye like a man of courage then live in dishonor and that seeing the King had made choyce of him for that purpose by the help of God he would not lose one jot of the reputation he had gotten wherefore he vowed and swore by the bones of Mahomet and all the Lamps that perpetually burn in his Chappel to put all those to death as Traytors that should go about to oppose this intent of his and that they should be boiled alive in a Cauldron of Pitch in such manner as he meant to deal with Laque Xemena himself and with this boiling resolution he parted from the place where he rode at anchor with great cries and noise of Drums and Bells as they are accustomed to do upon like occasions In this sort by force of oars and sails they got into the entry of the River and coming in sight of Laque Xemena's Navy who was ready waiting for him and well reinforced with a great number of Soldiers that were newly come to him from Pâ—ra Bintan Siaca and many other places thereabout he made towards him and after the discharging of their Oâ—dnance afar off they joyned together with as much violence as might be The fight was such that during the space of an hour and an half there could no advantage be discerned on either part until such time as Heredin Mahomet General of the Achems was slain with a great shot that hit him just in the brest and battered him to pieces The death of this Chieftain discouraged his people in such manner as laboring to return unto a Point named Baroquirin with a purpose there to unite and fortifie themselves until night and then by the favor thereof to fly away they could not execute their design in regard of the great currant of the water whâ—ch separated and dispersed them sundry ways by which means the Tyrants Army â—ell into the power of Laque Xemena who defeated it so that but fourteen Sails of them escaped and the other hundred threescore and six were taken and in them were thirteen thousand and five hundred men killed besides the fourteen hundred that were slain in the Trench These fourteen Sails that so escaped returned to Achem where they gave the Tyrant to understand how all had past at which it is reported he took such grief as he shut up himself for twenty days without seeing any body at the end whereof he struck off the heads of all the Captains of the fourteen Sails and commanded all the Soldiers beards that were in them to be shaved off enjoyning them expresly upon pain of being sawed asunder alive to go ever
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
aâ—ter being not able either to go forward or turn aside by reason of the bogs round about us all covered over with rushes In the mean time one of our companions dyed whose name was Bastian Anriques a rich man and that had lost eight thousand crownâ— in the Lanchara in so much that of all the company we were before there remained none but Christovano Borralho and my self that with tears sat lamenting over the poor dead mans body which we had covered with a little earth as well as we could for we were then so weak that we could hardly stir or almost speak so as we had set up our rest to make an end of those few hours we hoped to live in that place The next day being the seventh of our disaster about Sun-set we espyed a great Barque coming rowing up the River whereupon as soon as it was near us we prostrated our selves on the ground beseeching those that were aboard her to take us in They wondering at us presently made a stand seeming much amazed to see us so on our knees and our hands lift up to Heaven as though we were at our prayers nevertheless without speaking at all to us they made as if they would go on which constrained us afresh to cry aloud to them with tears that they would not suffer us for want of succor to dye miserably there Upon thosâ— our cries and lamentations an ancient woman came forth from under the hatches whose grave countenance represented her to be such as afterwards we found her to be she seeing us in so pitiful a plight moved with our misfortune and our wounds that we shewed her she took up a stick and therewith struck three or four of the Mariners because they would not take us in whereupon approaching to the bank five or six of them leapt on shore and by her commandment took us upon their shoulders and carryed us into the Barque This honorable woman much grieved to behold us so hurt and our shirts and linnen drawers all bloody and mired caused them straightway to be washed and having given each of us a linnen cloth to cover us withall she would needs have us to sit down by her where commanding meat to be brought us she her self presenting it to us with her own hand Eat eat said she poor strangers and be not afflicted to see yâ—ur selves reduced unto the estate you are in for I whom now you look upon and that am but a woman not having as yet attained to the age of fifty years have seen my self a slave and despoyled of above an hundred thousand duckets worth of goods Nor is that all for to this misfortune was the death of three of my sons adjoyned and that of my husband whom I held far more dearer then these eyes of mine these eyes alass wherewith I beheld both the father and the sons torn in pieces by the King of Siams Elephants together with two brothers and a son-in-law I had Ever since I have had a languishing life and to all these miseries have many others far greater succeeded for so implacable hath fortune been unto me that I have seen three daughters of mine ready to be marryed as also my father mother and two and thirty of my kinsmen nephews and cousins thrown into burning furnaces where their cries and lamentations could not chuse but reach unto Heaven for God to succor them in the violence of that insupportable torment but alass the enormity of my sins no doubt so stopped the ears of the clemency of the Lord of Lords that he would not heaâ— our request which seemed very just to me nevertheless I deceived my self since nothing is just but what it pleaseth his divine Majesty to ordain Hereunto we answered that the sins which we also had committed against him were the cause of our calamities Seeing it is so replyed she mingling her tears with ours it is always good in your adversities to acknowledg that the touches of the hand of God are evermore righteous for both in that as also in a confession of the mouth in a sorrow for having offended and in a firm resolution to do so no more consisteth all the remedy of your sufferings and mine Having entertained us thus with the discourse of her misfortune she enquired of us the occasion of ours and by what means we came to be in that miserable estate whereupon we recounted unto her all that had past and that we neither knew who it was that had so ill intreated us nor wherefore he did it Her people hearing us said that the great Junk whereof we spake belonged to a Mahometan a Guzarat by Nation named Coia Acem who the same morning went out of the River laden with Brazil and was bound for the Isle of Ainan Hereat the good woman smote her brest and seeming to be much moved Let me not live said she if it be not so for I have heard that Mahometan of whom you speak vaunt publiquely before all that would give ear unto him that he had sâ—ain a great number of the race of those of Malaca and that he hated them in such sort as he had promised to his Mahomet to kill more of them in time Being amazed hereat we desired her to declare unto us who that man was and why he was so much our enemy whereunto she answered that she knew no other reason but for that a great Captain of our Nation named Hector de Sylvâ—ira had killed his father and two of his brothers in a ship which he took from them in the straight of Mâ—cqua that was going from Iudas to Dabul Thus much did this good Matron tell us and many other things afterwards concerning the great hatred this Mahometan bore us as also what lyes he devised to render us infamous This honorable woman departing from the place where she found us went some two leagues up the River till she came to a little Village where she lay that night The next morning parting from thence she made directly to the Town of Lugor which was above five leagues further Arriving there about noon she landed and went to her house whither she carryed us with her and kept us there three and twenty days during which time we were very well looked unto and plentifully accommodated with all that was necessary for us This woman was a widow and of an honorable family as afterwards we learnt and that had been marryed to the Captain General which they call Xabandar of Prevedim whom the Pata of Lasapara King of Quaijuan had put to death in the Isle of Iaoa the year 1538. At the time she met with us as I have related she came from a Junk of hers that lay at the Road laden with Salt and because it was great and could not pass up by reason of the shelves she caused it to be unladen by little and little with thaâ— Barque By that time the three and twenty days I spake of were expired it
of thirteen years during the which the King of Cauchin was five several times defeated in open Battel At length this Hoyha Paguarol coming to dye without issue in regard of the good offices that in his life time he had received from the King of China he by his testament declared him for his Successor and lawful Heir so that ever since being now two hundred thirty and five years ago to this present this Isle of Ainan hath remained annexed to the Scepter of the great Chinese And touching that you have further demanded of me concerning the Treasures and Revenue of this Island I am able to say no more then what I have learnt of some ancient Personages who as I have related before have governed it in quality of Teutons and Chaems and I remember they said that all the Revenues thereof as well in Mynes of Silver Customs and otherways amounted unto two Millions and an half Taeis yearly And perceiving that our Captain was amazed to hear him speak of so mighty a riches continuing his discourse Truly my Masters said he laughing if you make such a matter of that little I have spoken of what would you do if you saw the great City of Pequin where the son of the Sun the name they give to their King with his Court is always resident and where the Revenues of two and thirty Kingdoms that depend on this Monarchy are received of which out of fourscore and six Mynes of Gold and Silver only is annually drawn above fifteen thousand Picos which according to our weight comes to twenty thousand quintals After Antonio de Faria had given him many thanks for satisfying him so fully in his demands he dâ—sired him to tell him in what Port he would advise him to go and sell his Commodities seeing the season was not proper to set sail for Liampoo Whereunto he answered that we were not to go into any Port of that Country nor to put trust in any Chinese whatsoever for I assure you said he there is not one of them will speak truth in any thing he says to you and believe me for I am rich and will not lye to you like a poor man besides I would wish you to go in this Straight always with the plummet in your hand for to sound your way because there are very many dangerous shelvs all along till you come to a River called Tanauquir and there is a Port where is very good anchoring and where you may be as safe as you can desire as also you may there in less then two days put off all your commodities and much more if you had them Nevertheless I will not counsel you to disimbarque your goods on land but to sell them in your Vessels in regard that many times the sight causeth desire and desire disorder amongst peaceable persons much more with them that are mutinous and of an evil conscience whose wicked inclination carries them rather to take away another mans goods from him then give of their own to the needy for Gods sake This said both he that spake and those that accompanyed him took leave of our Captain and us with many complements and promises whereof they are not ordinarily very sparing in those parts bestowing on Antonio de Faria in return of that he had given them a little Box made of a Tortoise shell full of seed-pearl and twelve pearls of a pretty bigness craving his pardon for that they durst not traffique with him in this place for fear lest if they should do so to be all put to death conformably to the Law of the rigorous justice of the Country and they again intreated him to make haste away before the Mandarims arrival with his Army for if he found him there he would burn both his Vessel and him and all his company Antonio de Faria unwilling to neglect the counsel of this man lest that which he told him should prove true he set sail immediately and passed to the other side towards the South and in two days with a Westerly wind he arrived at the River of Tanauquir where just over against a little village called Neytor he cast anchor We remained all that day and the next night at the mouth of the River of Tanauquir intending the next morning to sail up to the Town which was some five leagues from thence in the River to see if by any means we might put off our commodities there for our Vessels were so heavy laden with them as there was scarce a day wherein we ran not twice or thrice on some shelve or other which in divers places were four or five leagues long wherefore it was concluded that before we did any thing else we were to sell away our commodities so that we labored with all our might to get into the River whose current was so strong that though we had all our sails up yet could we prevail but very little against it As we were in this pain we perceived two great Junks in warlike manner come out of the River upon us which chaining themselves together for the more strength attaqued us so lively as we had scarce the leasure to defend our selves so that we were constrained to throw into the Sea all that stood in our way to make room for our artillery being that we had then most need of The first salutation we had from them was a peal of six and twenty pieces of Ordnance whereof nine were Falconets and field-pieces Antonio de Faria as a man verst in such affairs seeing them chained one to another perceived their drift and therefore made as though he fled as well to win time to prepare himself as to make them beleeve that they were no Christians whereupon they like cunning thieves desiâ—ing that the prey which they held to be surely their own should not escape out of their hands loosed themselves the one from the other the better to set upon us and approaching very near to us they shot so many arrows and darts into our Junk as no man was able to appear upon the deck Antonio de Faria to avoyd this storm retired under the half deck with five and twenty Soldiers and some ten or twelve others Slaves and Mariners there he entertained the Enemy with Harquebuse shot the space of half an hour in which time having used all their munitions of war some forty of them that seemed to be more valiant then the rest longing to finish their enterprize leaped into our Junk with a purpose to make themselves master of the prow but to hinder them from it our Captain was constrained to go and receive them so that there began a most bloody fight wherein it pleased God within an hour to give us the upper hand by the slâ—ughter of four and twenty of their forty in the place Thereupon twenty of ours pursuing this good success boarded the Enemies Junk where finding but small resistance by reason the principals were already slain all that were
him to be drawn towards the prow he caused his head to be chopt off and the rest of the body to be cut in pieces which were cast into the Sea Having obtained this victory in the manner I have before declared caused our hurt men to be drest and provided for the guard of our Captains we took an Inventory of the goods that were in these two Junks and found that our prize was worth forty thousand Taeis which was immediately committed to the charge of Antonio Borges who was Factor for the Prizes Both the Junks were great and good yet were we constrained to burn one of them for want of Mariners to man it There was in them besides seventeen pieces of brass Ordnance namely four Faulconets and thirteen small pieces the most part whereof had the Royal Arms of Portugal upon them for the Pyrat had taken them in the three ships where he killed the forty Portugals The next day Antonio de Faria went about once more to get into the River but he was advised by fishermen which he took a little before that he should beware of going to the Town because they were advised there of all that had passed betwixt him and the renegado Pyrat for whose death the people were in an uproar in so much that if he would let them have his commodities for nothing yet would they not take them in regard that Chileu the Governor of that Province had contracted with him to give him the third part of all the prizes he took in lieu whereof he would render him a safe retreat in his Country so that his loss now being great by the death of the Pyrat he should be but badly welcomed by him and to that purpose had already commanded two great Rafts covered with dry wood barrels of pitch and other combustible stuff to be placed at the entering into the Port that were to be kindled and sent down upon us as soon as we had cast anchor for to fire us besides two hundred Paraos full of shot and men of war were also in readiness to assault us These news made Antonio de Faria conclude to make away unto another Port named Mutipinan distant from thence above â—orty leagues towards the East for that there were many rich Merchants as well Natives as Strangers which came in great Troops from the Countries of Laubos Pafuaas and Guâ—os with great sums of mony So we set sail with the three Junks and the Lorâ—h wherein we came from Patana coasting the Land from one side to the other by reason of a contrary wind until we arrived at a place called Tilaumera where we anchored for that the current of the water ran very strong against us After we had continued so three days together with a contrary wind and in great want of victual our good fortune about Evening brought four Lanteaas unto us that are like unto Foysts in one of the which was a Bride that was going to a Village named Pandurea Now because they were all in jollity they had so many Drums beating aboard them as it was almost impossible to hear one another for the noise they made Whereupon we were in great doubt what this might be and wherefore there was such triumphing some thought that they were spies sent from the Captain of Tanauquir's Army who insulting for that we were already in their power gave this testimony thereof Antonio de Faria left his anchors in the Sea and preparing himself to sustain all that might happen unto him he displayed all his Banners and Flags and with demonstration of joy attended the arrival of these Lanteaas who when they perceived us to be all together imagining it was the Bridegroom that stay'd to receive them they came joyfully towards us So after we had saluted one another after the manner of the Country they went and anchored by the shore And because we could not comprehend the mystery of this affair all our Captains concluded that they were spies from the Enemies Army which forbore assaulting us in expectation of some other Vessels that were also to come In this suspicion we spent the little remainder of that Evening and almost two hours of the night But then the Bride seeing that her Spouse sent not to visit her as was his part to do to shew the love she bore him she sent her Uncle in one of the Lanteaas with a Letter to him containing these words If the feeble sex of a woman would permit me to go from the place where I am for to see thy face without reproach to mine honor assure thy self that to kiss thy tardy feet my body would fly as doth the hungry Faulcon after the fearful Heron But since I am parted from my fathers house for to seek thee out here come thy self hither to me where indeed I am not for I cannot see my self but in seeing thee Now if thou dost not come to see me in the obscurity of this night making it bright for me I fear that to morrow morning when thou arrivest here thou shalt not find me living My Vncle Licorpinau will more particularly acquaint thee with what I keep concealed in my heart for I am not able to say any more such is my grief to be so long deprived of thy so much desired sight Wherefore I pray thee come unto me or permit me to come unto thee as the greatness of my love to thee doth deserve and as thou art obliged to do unto her whom now thou art to possess in marriage until death from which Almighty God of his infinite goodness keep thee as many years as the Sun and Moon have made turns about the World since the beginning of their birth This Lanteaa being arrived with the Brides Uncle and Letter Antonio de Faria caused all the Portugals to hide themselves suffering none to appear but our Chinese Mariners to the end they might not be afraid of us To our Junk then they approached with confidence and three of them coming aboard us asked where the Bridegroom was All the answer we made them was to lay hold of them and clap them presently under hatches now because the most part of them were drunk those that were in the Lanteaa never heard our bustling with them nor if they had could they have had time to escape for suddenly from the top of our poup we fastned a cable to their mast whereby they were so arrested as it was impossible for them to get loose of us whereupon casting in some pots of powder amongst them the most of them leapt into the Sea by which time six or seven of our Soldiers and as many Mariners got into the Lanteaa and straight rendred themselves masters of her where the next thing they did was to take up the poor wretches who cryed out that they drowned Having made them sure Antonio de Faria went towards the other three Lanteaas that anchored some quarter of a league from thence and coming to the first
Whereupon Antonio de Faria seeing we were discovered cryed out to his company To them my Masters to them in the name of God before they be succored by their Lorches wherewith discharging all his Ordnance it pleased Heaven that the shot lighted to such purpose as it overthrew and tore in pieces the most part of the valiantest that then were mounted and appeared on the deck even right as we could have wished In the neck hereof our Harquebusiers which might be some hundred and threescore failed not to shoot upon the signal that had formerly been ordained for it so that the hatches of the Junk were cleared of all those that were upon them and that with such a slaughter as not an Enemy durst appear there afterwards At which very instant our two Junks boarded their two in the case they were in where the fight grew so hot on either side as I confess I am not able to relate in particular what passed therein though I was present at it for when it began it was scarce day Now that which rendred the conflict betwixt us and our Enemies most dreadful was the noise of Drums Basins and Bells accompanyed with the report of the great Ordnance wherewith the valleys and rocks thereabouts resounded again This fight continuing in this manner some quarter of an hour their Lorches and Lanteaas came from the shore to assist them with fresh men which one named Diego Meyrelez in Quiay Panians Junk perceiving and that a Gunner employed not his shot to any purpose in regard he was so beside himself with fear that he knew not what he did as he was ready to give fire to a Piece he thrust him away so rudely as he threw him down into the scuttle saying to him Away villain thou canst do nothing this business belongs to men such as I am not to thee whereupon pointing the Gun with its wedges of level as he knew very well how to do he gave fire to the Piece which was charged with bullets and stones and hitting the Lorch that came foremost carryed away all the upper part of her from Poup to Prow so that she presently sank and all that were in her not a man saved The shot then having past so through the first Lorch fell on the hatches of another Lorch that came a little behind and killed the Captain of her with six or seven more that were by him wherewith the two other Lorches were so terrified that going about to fly back to Land they fell foul one of another so as they could not clear themselves but remained entangled together and not able to go forward or backward which perceived by the Captains of our two Lorches called Gasparo d' Oliveyra and Vincentio Morosa they presently set upon them casting a great many artificial pots into them wherewith they were so fired that they burnt down to the very water which made the most of those that were in them to leap into the Sea where our men killed them all with their Pikes so that in those three Lorches alone there dyed above two hundred persons and in the other whereof the Captain was slain there was not one escaped for Quiay Panian pursued them in a Champana which was the Boat of his Junk and dispatched most of them as they were getting to Land the rest were all battered against the rocks that were by the shore which the Enemies in the Junks perceiving being some hundred and fifty Mahometans Luzzons Borneos and Iaos they began to be so discouraged that many of them threw themselves into the Sea whereupon the dog Coia Acem who yet was not known ran to this disorder for to animate his men He had on a Coat of Mail lined with Crimson Sattin edged with gold fringe that had formerly belonged to some Portugal and crying out with a loud voyce that every one might hear him he said three times Lah hilah hilah la Mahumed rocol halah Massulmens and true Believers in the holy Law of Mahomet will you suffer your selves to be vanquished by such feeble slaves as these Christian Dogs who have no more heart then white Pullets or bearded women To them to them for we are assured by the Book of Flowers wherein the Prophet Noby doth promise eternal delights to the Daroezes of the House of Mecqua that he will keep his word both with you and me provided that we bathe our selves in the blood of these dogs without Law With these cursed words the Devil so encouraged them that rallying all into one body they re-inforced the fight and so valiantly made head against us as it was a dreadful thing to see how desperately they ran amongst our weapons In the mean time Antonio de Faria thus exhorted his men Courage valiant Christians and whilest those wicked Miscreants fortifie themselves in their devilish Sect let us trust in our Lord Iesus Christ nailed on the Cross for us who will never forsake us how great sinners soever we be for after all we are his which these Dogs here are not With this ferver and zeal of faith flying upon Coia Acem to whom he had most spleen he discharged so great a blow on his head with a two-handed sword that cutting through a Cap of Mail he wore he layd him at his feet then redoubling with another reverse stroke he lamed him of both his legs so as he could not rise which his followers beholding they gave a mighty cry and assaulted Antonio de Faria with such fury and hardiness as they made no reckoning of a many of Portugals by whom they were invironned but gave him divers blows that had almost overthrown him to the ground Our men seeing this ran presently to his ayd and behaveâ—â—hemselves so well that in half a quarter of an hour forty eight of our enemies lay slaughtered on the dead body of Coia Acem and but fourteen of ours whereof there were not above five Portugals the rest were servants and slaves good and faithful Christians The remainder of them beginning to faint retired in disorder towards the foredeck with an intent to fortifie themselves there for prevention whereof twenty Soldiers of thirty that were in Quiay Panians Junk ran instantly and got before them so that ere they could render themselves Masters of what they pretended unto they were inforced to leap into the Sea where they fell one upon another and were by our men quâ—te made an end of so that of all their number there remained but only five whom they took alive and cast into the Hold bound hand and foot to the end they might afterwards be forced by torments to confess certain matters that should be demanded of them but they fairly tore out one anothers throats with their teeth for fear of the death they expected which yet could not keep them from being dismembered by our servants and after thrown into the Seâ— in the company of the Dog Coia Acem their Captain great Cacis of the King of Bintan the
the goodliest things in this Country whereof the least is worth above a hundred thousand Taeis and bestowed them on thee but thou art of a humour more inclined to hunt a Hare then to retain this vvhich I novv tell thee The young Gentleman made no reply but smiling looked upon his Sisters Then the old man caused meat to be brought unto us before him and commanded us to fall to it as vve most vvillingly did whereat he took great pleasure in regard his stomack was quite gone with his sickness but his young daughters much more who with their brother did nothing but laugh to see us feed our selves with our hands for that is contrary to the custome which is observed throughout the whole Empire of China where the Inhabitants at their meat carry it to their mouthes with two little sticks made like a pair of Cizers After we had given God thanks the old man that had well observed us lifting up his hands to heaven with tears in his eyes Lord said he that livest raigning in the tranquility of thy high wisdome I laud thee in all humility for that thou permittest men that are strangers come from the farthest end of the world and without the knowledge of thy doctrine to render thee thanks and give thee praise according to their weak capacity which makes me beleeve that thou wilt accept of them with as good a will as if it were some great offering of melodious musick agreeable to thine eares Then he caused three pieces of linnen cloth and four Taeis of Silver to be given us willing us withall to passe that night in his house because it was somewhat too late for us to proceed on our journey This offer we most gladly accepted and with complements after the manner of the Country we testified our thankfulness to him wherewith himself his wife and his son rested very well satisfied CHAP. XXVII Our arrival at the Town of Taypor where we were made Prisoners and so sent to the Citie of Nanquin THe next morning by break of day parting from that place we went to a Village called Einginilau which was some four leagues from the old Gentlemans house where we remained three dayes and then continuing travelling from one place to another and from Village to Village ever declining the great Towns for fear lest the Justice of the country should call us in question in regard we were strangers in this manner we spent almost two months without receiving the least damage from any body Now there is no doubt but we might easily have got to the Câ—tie of Nanquin in that time if we had had a guide but for wâ—nt of knowing the way we wandred we knew not whither suffering much and running many hazards At length we arrived at a Village named Chaucer at such a time as they were a solemnizing a sumptuous Funeral of a very rich woman that had disinherited her kindred and left her estate to the Pagod of this Village where she was buried as we understood by the Inhabitants We were invited then to this Funeral as other poor people were and according to the custome of the Country we did eat on the grave of the deceased At the end of three dayes that we stayed there which was the time â—he funeral lasted we had six Taeis given us for an Alms conditionally that in all our Oraisons we should pray unto God for the soul of the departed Being gone from this place we continued on our journey to another Village called Guinapalir from whence we were almost two months travelling from country to country untill at last our ill fortune brought us to a Town named Taypor where by chance there was at that time a Chumbrin that is to say one of those Super-intendents of Justice that every three years are sent throughout the Provinces for to make report unto the King of all that passeth there This naughty man seeing us go begging from door to door called to us from a window where he was and would know of us who we were and of what Nation as also what obliged us to run up and down the World in that manner Having asked us these questions in the presence of three Registers and of many other persons that were gathered together to behold us we answered him that we were strangers Natives of the Kingdom of Siam who being cast away by a storm at Sea went thus travelling and begging our living to the end we might sustain our selves with the charity of good people until such time as we could arrive at Nanquin whither we were going with an intent to imbarque our selves there in some of the Merchants Lanteaas for Canton where the shipping of our Nation lay This answer we made unto the Chumbim who questionless had been well enough contented with it and would have let us go had it been for one of his Clarks for he told them that we were idle vagabonds that spent our time in begging from door to door and abusing the alms that were given us and therefore he was at no hand to let us go free for fear of incurring the punishment ordained for such as offend in that sort as is set forth in the seventh of the twelve books of the Statutes of the Realm wherefore as his faithful servant he counselled him to lay us in good and sure hold that we might be forth-coming to answer the Law The Chumbim presently followed his Clarks advice and carried himself toward us with as much barbarous cruelty as could be expected from a Pagan such as he was that lived without God or religion To which effect after he had heard a number of false witnesses who charged us with many foul crimes whereof we never so much as dreamt he caused us to be put into a deep dungeon with irons on our hands and feet and great iron collars about our necks In this miserable place we endured such hunger and were so fearfully whipped that we were in perpetual pain for six and twenty days together at the end whereof we were by the sentence of the same Chumbim sent to the Parliament of the Cheam of Nanquin because the Jurisdiction of this extended not to the condemnation of any prisoner to death We remained six and twenty days in that cruel prison whereof I spake before and I vow we thought we had been six and twenty thousand years there in regard of the great misery we suffered in it which was such as one of our companions called Ioano Roderiguez Bravo died in our arms being eaten up with lice we being no way able to help him and it was almost a miracle that the rest of us escaped alive from that filthy vermine At length one morning when we thought of nothing less loden with irons as we were and so weak that we could hardly speak we were drawn out of that prison and then being chained one to another we were imbarqued with many others to the number of thirty or forty
of wood only those of the Mandarins are made of hewed stone and also invironed with walls and ditches over which are stone bridges whereon they passe to the gates that have rich and costly arches with divers sorts of inventions upon the towers all which put together make a pleasing object to the eye and represent a certain kind of I know not what Majesty The houses of the Chaems Anchacys Aytaâ—s Tuâ—oâ—s and Chumbims which are all Goveâ—nours of Provinces or Kingdoms have stately towers six or seven stories high and guilt all â—ver wherein they have their magazines for arms their Wardrobes their treasuries and a world of rich housholdstuff as also many other things of great value together with an infinite of delicate and most fine porcelain which amongst them is prised and esteemed as much as precious stone for this sort of porcelain never goes out of the Kingdom it being expresly forbidden by the laws of the Country to be sold upon pain of death to any stranger unlesse to the Xatamaas that is the Sophyes of the Persians who by a particular permission buy of it at a very dear rate The Chineses assured us that in this City there are eight hundred thousand fires fourscore thousand Mandarins houses threescore and two great market placâ—s an hundred and thirty butchers shambles each of them containing fourscore shops and eight thousand streets whereof six hundred that are fairer and larger then the rest are compassed about with bâ—llisters of copper we were further assured that there are likewise two thousand and three hundred Pagodes a thousand of which were Monestaries of religious persons professed in their accursed Sect whose buildings were exceeding rich and sumptuous with very high steeples wherein there were between sixty and seventy such mighty huge bels that it was a dreadful thing to here them rung There are moreover in this City thirty great strong prisons each whereof hath three or four thousand prisoners and a charitable Hospital expresly established to supply the necessities of the poor with Proctors ordained for their defence both in civil and criminal causes as is before related At the entrance into every principal street there are arches and great gates which for each mans security are shut every night and in most of the streets are goodly fountains whose water is excellent to drink Besides at every full â—nd new moon open fayrs are kept in several places whither Merchants resort from all parts and where there is such abundance of all kind of victual as cannot well be exprest especially of flâ—sh and fruit It is not possible to deliver the great store of fish that is taken in this river chiefly Soles and Mullets which are all sold alive besides a world of sea-fish both fresh salted and dried we were told by certain Chineses that in this City there are ten thousand trades for the working of silks which from thence are sent all over the Kingdom The City it self is invironed with a very strong wall made of fair hewed stone The gates of it are an hundred and thirty at each of which there is a Porter and two Halberdiers who are bound to give an account every day of all that pâ—sses in and out There are also twelve Forts or Cittadels like unto ours with bulwarks and very high towers but without any ordinance at all The same Chineses also affirmed unto us that the City yeilded the King daily two thousand Taeis of silver which amount to three thousand duckats as I have delivered heretofore I will not speak of the Pallace royal because I saw it but on the outside howbeit the Chinesâ—s tell such wonders of it as would amaze a man for it is my intent to relate nothing save what we beheld here with our own eyes and that was so much as I am afraid to write it not that it would seem strange to those that have seen and read the marvels of the Kingdom of China but because I doubt that they which would compare those wondrous things that are in the countrys they have not seen with that little they have seen in their own will make some question of it or it may be give no credit at all to these truth because they are not confoâ—mable to their understanding and small experience Continuing our course up this river the first two days we saw not any remarkable town or place but only a great number of Villages and little hamlets of two or three hundred fires a piece which by their buildings seemed to be houses of fisher men and poor people that live by the labour of their hands For the rest all that was within view in the countrey was great woods of Firr Groves Forrests and Orange trees as also plains full of wheat rice beans pease millet panick barley rye flax cotton wool with great inclosures of gardens and goodly houses of pleasure belonging to the Mandarins and Lords of the Kingdom There was likewise all along the river such an infinite number of cattel of all sorts as I can assure you there is not more in Aethiopia nor in all the dominions of Prester Iohn upon the top of the mountains many houses of their Sects of Gentiles were to be seen adorned with high Steeples guilt all over the glistering whereof was such and so great that to behold them a far off was an admirable sight The fourth day of our voyage we arrived at a town called Pocasser twice as big as Cantano compassed about with strong wals of hewed stone and towers and bulwarks almost like ours together with a key on the river side twice as long as the shot of a falconet and inclosed with two rows of iron grates with very strong gates where the Junks and vessels that arrived there were unladen This place abounds with all kinds of merchandise which from thence is transported over all the Kingdom especially with copper sugar and allum whereof there is very great store Here also in the middest of a carrefour that is almost at the end of the town stands a mighty strong castle having three bulwarks and five towers in the highest of which the present Kings Father as the Chineses told us kept a King of Tartaria nine years prisoner at the end whereof he killed himself with poyson that his subjects sent him because they would not be constrained to pay that ransome which the King of China demanded for his deliverance In this town the Chifuu gave three of us leave to go up and down for to crave the alms of good people accompanied with four Hupes that are as Sergeants or Bailiffs amongst us who led us chained together as we were through six or seven streets where we got in alms to the value of above twentâ— duckats as well in clothes as mony besides flesh riceâ— meal fruit and other victuals which was â—â—stowed on us whereof we gave the one half to the Hupes that conducted us it being the custom so to do Afterwards we were
brought to a Pagode whither the people flocked from all parts that day in regard of a very solemn feast that was then celebrated there This Temple or Pagode as we were told had somtime been a Pallace royal where the King then reigning was born now because the Queen his Mother died there in child-birth she commanded her self to be buried in the very same chamber where she was brought to bed wherefore to honour her death the better this Temple was dedicated to the invocation of Tauhinaret which is one of the principal Sects of the Pagans in the Kingdom of China as I will more amâ—ly declare when as I shall speak of the Labyrinth of the two and thirty laws that are in it All the buildings of this Temple together with all the gardens and walks that belong to it are suspended in the ayr upon three hundred and threescore pillars every one of the which is of one intire stone of a very great bigness These three hundred and threescore pillars are called by the names of three hundred and threescore days of the year and in each of them is a particular feast kept there with many alms gifts and bloody sacaifices accompanied with musick dancing and other sports Under this Pagode namely between those pillars are eight very fair streets inclosed on every side with grates of copper and gates for the passage of pilgrims and others that run continually to this feast as it were to a Jubilee The Chamber above where the Queen lay was made in the form of a Chappel but round and from the top to the bottom all garnished with silver the workmanship whereof was of greater cost then the matter it self In the midst of it stood a kind of Tribunal framed round like the Chamber some fifteen steps high compassed about with six graâ—es of silver on the top whereof was a great bowl and upon that a Lion of silver that with his head supported a shrine of gold three hand-bredths square wherein they said the bones of the Queen were which these blinded ignorants reverenced as a great relique Below this Tribunal in equal proportion were four bars of silver that traversed the Chamber whereon hung three and forty lamps of the same mettal in memory of the three and forty years that this Queen lived and seven lamps of gold in commamoration of seven sons that she had moreover at the entry into the Chappel just against the door were eight other bars of iron whereon also hung a very great number of silver lamps which the Chineses told us were offered by some of the Wives of the Chaems Aytaos Tutoens and Anchacys who were assistant at the death of the Queen so that in aknowledgment of that honour they sent those lamps thither afterwards without the gates of the Temple and round about six ballisters of copper that invironed it were a great many Statues of Giants fifteen foot high cast in brass all well proportioned with halberts or clubs in their hands and some of them with battle-axes on their shoulders which made so brave and majestical a shew as one could never be satisfied enough with looking on them Amongst these Statues which were in number twelve hundred as the Chineses affirmed there were four and twenty very great Serpents also of brass and under every one of them a woman seated with a sword in her hand and a silver crown on her head It was said that those four and twenty women carried the Titles of Queens because they sacrificed themselves to the death of this Queen to the end their souls might serve hers in the other life as in this their bodies had served her body a matter which the Chineses that draw their extraction from these women hold for a very great honour insomuch as they inrich the crests of their coats of arms with it round about this row of Giants was another of triumphant arches guilt all over whereon a number of silver bels hung by chains of the same mettal which moved with the air kept such a continual ringing as one could hardly hear one another for the noise they made Without these arches there were likewise at the same distance two rows of copper grates that inclosed all this huge work and among them certain pillars of the same mettal which supported Lions rampant mounted upon bowls being the arms of the Kings of China as I have related elsewhere At each corner of the Carrefour was a monster of brass of so strange and unmeasurable an heighth and so deformed to behold as it is not possible almost for a man to imagine so that I think it best not to speak of them the rather for that I confess I am not able in words to express the form wherein I saw their prodigies Howbeit as it is reasonable to conceal these things without giving some knowledg of them I will say as much as my weak understanding is able to deliver One of these Monsters which is on the right hand as one comes into the Carrefour whom the Chineses call the Serjeant Gluttom of the hollow or profound house of smoak and that by their histories is held to be Lucifer is represented under the figure of a Serpent of an excessive heighth with most hideous and deformed adders coming out of his stomack covered all over with green and black scares and a number of prickles on their backs above a span long like unto Porcupins quils each of these Adders had a woman between his jaws with her hair all dishevelled and standing an end as one affrighted The monster carried also in his mouth which was unmeasurable great a Vizard that was above thirty foot long and as big as a tun with his nostrils chaps so full of blood that all the rest of his body was besmeared with it this Vizard held a great Eliphant between his paws and seemed to gripe him so hard as his very guts came out of his throat and all this was done so proportionably and to the life that it made a man tremble to behold such a deformed figure and which was scarce possible for one to imagine His tail might be some twenty fathom long was entortilled about such another Monster that was the second of the four whereof I spake in the figure of a man being an hundred foot high and by the Chineses called Turcamparoo who they say was the son of that Serpent besides that he was very ugly he stood with both his hands in his mouth that was as big as a great gate with a row of horrible teeth and a foul black tongue hanging out two fathom long most dreadfull to behold As for the other two Monsters one was in the form of a woman named by the Chineses Magdelgau seventeen fathom high and six thick This same about the girdlesteed before had a face made proportionable to her body above two fathom broad and she breathed out of her mouth and nostrils great â—â—akes not of artificial but true fire which
proceeded as they told us from her head where fire was continually kept that in like manner came out of the said face below By this Figure these Idolaters would demonstrate that she was the Queen of the fiery sphear which according to their belief is to burn the earth at the end of the World The fourth Monster was a man set stooping which with great swoln cheeks as big as the main sail of a Ship seemed to blow extreamly this Monster was also of an unmeasurable height anâ— of such an hideous and gastly aspect that a man could hardly endure the sight of it the Chineses called it Vzanguenaboo and said that it was he which raised Tempests upon the Sea and demolished Buildings in regard whereof the people offred many things unto him to the end he should do them no harm and many presented him with a piece of money yearly that he might not drown their Junks nor do any of theirs hurt that went by Sea I will omit many other abuses which their blindness makes them beleeve and which they hold to be so true as there is not one of them but would endure a thousand deaths for the maintenance thereof The next day being gone from the Town of Pocasser we arrived at another fair and great Town called Xinligau there we saw many Buildings inclosed with walls of Brick and deep ditches about them and at one end of the Town two Castles very well fortified with Towers and Bulwarks after our fashion at the gates were draw Bridges suspended in the air with great Iron chains and in the midst of them a Tower five Stories high very curiously painted with several Pictures the Chineses assured us that in those two Castles there was as much Treasure as amounted to fifteen thousand pieces of silver which was the revenue of all this Archipelage and laid up in this place by the Kings Grandfather now raigning in Memorial of a Son of his that was born here and named Leuquinau that is to say The joy of all those of the Country repute him for a Saint because he ended his dayes in Religion where also he was buried in a Temple dedicated to Quiay Varatel the God of all the Fishes of the Sea of whom these miserable Ignorants recount a world of Fooleries as also the Laws he invented and the precepts which he left them being able to astonish a man as I will more amply declare when time shall serve In this Town and in another five leagues higher the most part of the Silks of this Kingdome are dyed because they hold that the waters of these places make the colours far more lively then those of any other part and these Dyers which are said to be thirteen thousand pay unto the King yearly three hundred thousand Taeis Continuing our course up the River the day after about evening we arrived at certain great plains where were great store of Catâ—le as Horses Mares Colts and Cows guarded by men on Horsback that make sale of them to Butchers who afterwards retail them indifferently as any other flesh Having past these plains containing some ten or eleven Leagues we came to a Town called Iunquileu walled with Brick but without Battlements Bulwarks or Towers as others had whereâ—f I have spoken before at the end of the Suburbs of this Town we saw divers houses built in the water upon great Piles in the form of Magazines Before the gate of a little street stood a Tombe made of stone invironed with an Iron grate painted red and green and over it a steeple framed of pieces of very fine Pourcelain sustained by four pillars of curious stone upon the top of the Tombe were five Globes and two others that seemed to be of cast iron and on the one side thereof were graven in Letters of gold and in the Chinese language words of this substance Here lyes Trannocem Mudeliar Vncle to the King of Malaca whom death took out of the World before he could be revenged of Captain Alphonso Albuquerque the Lyon of the robberies of the Sea We were much amazed to behold this Inscription there wherefore enquiring what it might mean a Chinese that seemed more honourable then the rest told us that about some fortie years before this man which lay buried there came thither as Embassador from a Prince that stiled himself King of Malaca to demand succour from the son of the Sun against men of a Country that hath no name which came by Sea from the end of the World and had taken Malaca from him this man recounted many other incredible things concerning this matter whereof mention is made in a printed Book thereof as also that this Embassador having continued three years at the Kings Court suing for this succour just as it was granted him and that preparations for it were a making it was his ill fortune to be surprised one night at Supper with an Apoplexie whereof he dyed at the end of nine dayes so that extreamly afflicted to see himself carried away by a suddain death before he had accomplished his business he expressed his earnest desire of revenge by the Inscription which he caused to be graven on his tombe that posterity might know wherefore he was come thither Afterwards we departed from this place and continued our voyage up the river which thereabouts is not so large as towards the City of Nanquin but the Country is here better peopled with Villages Boroughs and Gardens then any other place for every stones cast we met still with some Pagode Mansion of pleasure or Countrey house Passing on about some two leagues further we arrived at a place encompassed with great iron gates in the midst whereof stood two mighty Statues of brass upright sustained by pillars of cast mettal of the bigness of a bushel and seven fathom high the one of a man and the other of a woman both of them seventy four spans in heighth having their hands in their mouths their cheeks horribly blown out and their eyes so staring as they affrighted all that looked on them That which represented a man was called Quiay Xingatalor and the other in the form of a woman was named Apancapatur Having demanded of the Chineses the explication of these figures they told us that the male was he which with those mighty swoln cheeks blew the fire of hell for to torment all those miserable wretches that would not liberally bestow alms in this life and for the other monster that she was Porter of hell gate where she would take notice of those that did her good in this world and letting them fly away into a river of very cold water called Ochilenday would keep them hid there from being tormented by the Divels as other damned were Upon this Speech one of our company could not forbear laughing at such a ridiculous and diabolical foolery which three of their Priests or Banzoes then present observing they were so exceedingly offended therewith as they perswaded the
to age might expell him oâ—t of what he had injustly usurped upon them or at leastwise disturb him with Wars by reason of the right they pretended to the Kingdom he sent a Fleet of thirty Ienga's wherein as it is said were sixteen hundred men for to seek them out and destroy them whereof Nancaa receiving intelligence fell to consult what she should do and at length resolved by no means to attend these Forces in regard her Sons were but Infants her self a weak Woman her Men few in number and unprovided of all that was necessary to make any defence against so great a number of Enemies and so well furnished whereupon taking a view of her People she found that they were but thirteen hundred in all and of them onely five hundred Men the rest being Women and Children for all which company there were but three little Lanteaa's and one Iangaa in the whole River and they not able to carry an hundred persons so that Nancaa seeing no means to transport them away the History saith She assembled all her People and declaring the fear she was in desired them to advise her what she should do but excusing themselves they ingenuously confessed they knew not what counsel to give her in that extremity Whereupon according to their ancient custome they resolved to cast Lots to the end that on whom the Lot did fall to speak he should freely deliver what God would be pleased to inspire him with For which purpose they took three days time wherein with fasting cries and tears they would all with one voice cravâ— the favour and assistance of the Lord Almighty in whose hands was all the hope of their deliverance This advice being approved of all in general Nancaa made it to be proclaimed that upon pain of Death no person whatever should eat above once during those three days to the end that by this abstinence of the Body the Spirit might be carried with the greater attention towards God The three days abstinence being expired Lots were cast five times one after another and all those five times the Lot fell still on a little Boy of seven years of age named as the Tyrant was Silau whereat they were all exeedingly amazed in regard that in the whole Troop there was not another of this same name After that they had made their Sacrifices with all the accustomed Ceremonies of Musick Perfumes and sweet Odours to render thanks unto God they commanded the little Boy to lift up his hands unto Heaven and then to say what he thought was necessary for the remedying of so great an Affliction as that wherein they were Whereupon the little Boy Silau beholding Nancaa the History affirms he said these words O feeble and wretched Woman now that sorrow and affliction makes thee more troubled and perplexed then ever thou wert in regard of the small relief that humane understanding doth represent unto thee submit thy self with humble sighs to the omnipotent hand of the Lord Esloign then or at leastwise labour to esloign thy minde from the vanities of the Earth lifting up thine eyes with Faith and Hope and thou shalt see what the Prayers of an Innocent afflicted and pursued before the Iustice of him that hath created thee can do For assoon as in all humility thou hast declared the weakness of thy power unto the Almighty Victory will incontinently be given thee from above over the Tyrant Silau wherefore I command thee in his Name to imbarque thy self thy Children and all thy Followers in thine Enemies Vessels wherein amidst the confused murmur of the Waters thou shalt wander so long till thou arrivest at a placew here thou art to lay the Foundation of a House of that Reputation as the Mercy of the most High shall be published there from Generation to Generation by the Voice of a strange People whose Cries shall be as pleasing to him as those of sucking Children that lie in the Cradle This said the little Boy according to the History fell down stark dead to the ground which much astonished Nancaa and all hers The said History further delivers and as I have often heard it read that five days after the success the thirty Iangaas were one morning seen coming down the River in very good equipage but not so much as one man in them the reason hereof by the report of the History which the Chineses hold to be most true was that all these Ships of War being joyned together for to execute unmercifully upon Nancaa and her Children the cruel and damnable intentions of the Tyrant Silau one night as this Fleet rode at Anchor in a place called Catebasoy a huge dark Cloud came over them whereout issued such horrible Thunder and Lightning accompanied with mighty Rain the Drops whereof were so hot that falling upon them which were asleep in the Vessels it made them leap into the River so as within less then an hour they perished all And it is said that one drop of this Rain coming to fall upon a body it burnt in such sort as it penetrated to the very marrow of the bone with most insupportable pain no cloths nor arms being able to resist it Nancaa receiving this favour from the hand of the Lord with abundance of tears and humble thanks embarqued her self her children and all her company in the said thirty Iangaas and sailing down the River was carried by the strength of the current which for her sake the History saith redoubled then in seven and forty days to the very place where now the City of Pequin is built There she and all hers landed and doubting lest the Tyrant Silau whose cruelty she feared might still pursue her she fortified her self in this place the best she could CHAP. XXX The Foundation of the four chief Cities of China together with which of the Kings of China it was that built the Wall between China and Tartaria and many things that we saw as we past along THe said History delivers that few days after the poor Nancaa and her followers were setled on shore she caused them to swear fealty unto her eldest Son and to acknowledge him for their lawful Prince Now the very same day that he received the Oath oâ— Allegeance from these few Subjects of his he made election of the place where the Fortress should be erected together with the inclosure of the Wall Afterwards assoon as the first Foundations were laid which was speedily done he went out of his Tent accompanied with his Mother who governed all together with his Brothers and the chiefest of his company attired in festival Robes with a great stone carried before him by the noblest Personages which he had caused to be wrought aforehand and arriving at the said Foundations he laid his hand upon the Stone and on his knees with his eyes lifted up to Heaven he said to all that were present Brethren and worthy Friends know that I give mine own Name that is Pequin to
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
Streamers waving upon the Battlements The first Salutation between the besiegers and the besieged was with arrows darts stones and pots of wild-fire which continued about half an hour then the Tartars presently filled the ditch with bavins and earth and so reared up their ladders against the wall that now by reason of the filling up of the ditch was not very high The first that mounted up was Iorge Mendez accompanied with two of ours who as men resolved had set up their rest either to die there or to render their valour remarkable by some memorable act as in effect it pleased our Lord that their resolution had a good success for they not only entred fiâ—st but also planted the first colours upon the wall whereat the Mitaquer and all that were with him were so amazed as they said one to another Doubtless if these people did besiege Pequin as we do the Chineses which defend that City would sooner lose their honour then we shall make them to do it with all the forces we have in the mean time all the Tartars that were at the foot of the ladders followed the three Portugals and carried themselvâ—s so valiantly what with the example of a Captain that had shewed them the way as out of their own natural disposition almost as resolute as those of Iapan that in a very shâ—rt space above 5000 of them were got upon the walls from whence with great violence they made the Chineses to retire whereupon so furious and bloody a fight ensued between either party that in less then half an hour the business was fully decided and the Castle taken with the death of two thousand Chineses and Mogores that were in it there being not above sixscore of the Tartars slain That done the gates being opened the Mitaquer with great acclamations of joy entred and causing the Chineses colours to be taken down and his own to be advanced in their places he with a new ceremony of rejoycing at the sound of many instruments of war after the the manner of the Tartars gave rewards to the wounded and made divers of the most valiant of his followers Knights by putting bracelets of gold about their right arms and then about noon he with the chief Commanders of his Army for the greater triumph dined in the Castle where he also bestowed bracelets of gold upon Iorge Mendez and the other Portugals whom he made to sit down at table with him After the cloth was taken away he went out of the Castle with all his company and then causing all the walls of it to be dismantelled â—e razed the place quite to the ground setting on fire all that remained with a number of ceremonies which was performed with great cries and acclamations to the sound of diveâ—s instruments of war Moreover he commanded the ruines of this Castle to be sprinkled with the blood of his enemies and the heads of all of them that lay dead there to be cut off as for his own souldiers that were slain he caused them to be triumphantly buried and such as were hurt to be carefully looked unto this done he retired with a huge train and in great pomp to his tent having Iorge Mendez close by him on horsback As for the other eight of us together with many brave Noblemen and Captains we followed him on foot Being arrived at his tent which was richly hung he sent Iorge Mendez a thousand Taeis for a reward and to us but an hundred a piece whereat some of us that thought themselves to be better qualified were very much discontented for that he was more respected then they by whose means as well as his the enterprise had been so happily atchieved though by the good success thereof we had all obtained honour and liberty CHAP. XXXIX The Mitaquer departs from the Castle of Nixiamcoo and goes to the King of Tartary his Camp before Pequin with that which we saw till we arrived there and the Mitaquers presenting us unto the King THe next day the Mitaquer having nothing more to do where he was resolved to take his way towards the City of Pequin before which the King lay as I have delivered before To this effect having put his Army into battel aray he departed from thâ—nce at eight of the clock in the morning and marching leasurely to the sound of his warlike instruments he made his first station about noon upon the bank of a river whose scituation was very pleasant being all about invironed with a world of fruit trees and a many goodly houses but wholly deserted and bereaved of all things which the Barbarians might any way have made booty of Having past the greatest heat of the day there he arose and marched on until about an hour in the night that he took up his lodging at a prety good Town called Lantimay which likewise we found deserted for all this whole Country was quite dispeopled for fear of the Barbarians who spared no kind of person but wheresoever they came put all to fire and sword as the next day they did by this place and many other along this river which they burnt down to the ground and that which yet was more lamentable they set on fire and clean consumed to ashes a great large plain being above six leagues about and full of corn ready to be reaped This cruelty executed the Army began again to move composed as it was of some threescore and five thousand horse for as touching the rest they were all slain as well at the taking of Quinçay as in that of the Castle of Nixiamcoo and went on to a mountain named Pommitay where they remained that night The next morning dislodging from thence they marched on somewhat faster then before that they might arrive by day at the City of Pequin which was distant about seven leagues from that mountain At three of the clock in the afternoon we came to the river of Palamxitan where a Tartar Captain accompanied with an hundred horse came to receive us having waited there two days for that purpose The first thing that he did was the delivering of a letter from the King to our General who received it with a great deal of ceremony From this river to the Kings quarter which might be some two leagues the Army marched without order as being unable to do otherwise partly as well in regard of the great concourse of people wherewith the ways were full incoming to see the Generals arrival as for the great train which the Lords brought along with them that over-spread all the fields In this order or rather disorder we arrived at the Castle of Lautir which was the first Fort of nine that the Camp had for the retreat of the Spies there we found a young Prince whom the Tartar had sent thither to accompany the General who alighting from his horse took his Scymitar from his side and on his knees offered it unto him after he had kissed the ground five times
suffered by the way THe King of Bungo being extreamly grieved to see the disaster of his Son turned himself to me and beholding me with a very gentle countenance Stranger said he unto me try I pray thee if thou canst assist my Son in this peril of his life for I sware unto thee if thou canst do it I will make no less esteem of thee then of him himself and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt demand of me Hereunto I answered the King that I desired his Majesty to command all those people away because the coyle that they kept confounded me and that then I would see whether his hurts were dangerous for if I found that I was able to cure them I would do it most willingly Presently the King willed every one to be gone whereupon approaching unto the Prince I perceived that he had but two hurts one on the top of his forehead which was no great matter and the other on his right hand thumb that was almost cut off So that our Lord inspiring me as it were with new courage I besought the King not to be grieved for I hoped in lesâ— then a month to render him his Son perfectly recovered Having comforâ—ed him in this manner I began to prepare my self for the dressing of the Prince but in the mean time the King was very much reprehended by the Bonâ—oes who told him that his Son would assuredly die that night and therefore it was better for him to put me to death presently then to suffer me to kill the Prince out-right adding further that if it should happen to prove so as it was very likely it would not only be a great scandal unto him but also much alienate his peoples affections from him To these speeches of the Bonzoes the King replyed that he thought they had reason for that they said and therefore he desired them to let him know how he should govern himself in this extremity You must said they stay the coming of the Bonzo Teixâ—andono and never think of any other course for we assure you in regard he is the holiest man living he will no sooner lay his hand on him but he will heal him straight as he hath healed many othâ—rs in our â—ight As the King was even resolved to follow the cursed counsel of thâ—se servants of the Divel the Prince complained that his wounds pained 〈◊〉 in such sort aâ— he was noâ—â—ble to indure it and therefore prayed any handsome remedy might be instantly applied to them whereupon the King much distracted between the opinion of the Bonzoes and the danger that his Son was in of his life together with the extream pain that he suffered desired those about him to advice him what he should resolve on in that exigent not one of them but was of the mind that it was far more expedient to have the Prince drest out of hand then to stay the time which the Bonzoes spake of This counsel being approved of the King he came again to me and making very much of me he promised me mighty matters if I could recover his Son I answered him with tears in my eyes that by the help of God I would do it and that he himself should be witness of my care therein So recommending my self to God and taking a good heart unto me for I saw there was no other way to save my life but that I prepared all things necessary to perform the cure Now because the hurt of the right hand thumb was most dangerous I begun with that and give it seven stitches whereas peradventure if a Chirurgion had drest him he would have given it fewer as for that of the forehead I gave it but four in regard it was much slighter then the other that done I applyed to them tow wet in the whites of eggs and so bound them up very close as I had seen others done in the Indiaes Five days after I cut the stitches and continued dressing him as before until that at the end of twenty days it pleaâ—â—d God he was throughly cured without any other inconvenience remaining to him then a little weakness in his thumb For this cause after that time the Kâ—ng and all his Lords did me much honour the Queen also and the Princesses her daughters presented me with a great many Sutes of silks and the chiefest of the Court with Cymitars and other things bâ—sides all which the King gave me six hundred Taeis so that after this sort I received in recompence of this my cure above fifteen hundred Duckets that I carried with me from this place After things were past in this manner being advertised by letters from my two Companions at Tanixumaa that the Chinese Pirate with whom we came thither was preparing for his return to China I besought the King of Bungo to give me leave to go back which he readily granted me and with much acknowledgement of the curing of his Son he willed a Funce to be made ready for me furnished with all things necessary wherein commanded a man of quality that was attended by twenty of the Kings servants with whom I departed one Saturday morning from the City of Fucheo and the Friday following about Sun-set I arrived at Tanixumaa where I found my two Comrades who received me with much joy Here we continued fifteen days longer till such time as the Junck was quite ready and then we set Sail for Liampoo which is a Sea-port of the Kingdom of China whereof I have spoken at large heretofore and where at that time the Portugals traded Having continued our voyage with a prosperous wind it pleased God that we arrived safe at our desired Port where it is not to be believed how much we were welcome by the Inhabitants of the place Now because it seemed strange unto them that we had voluntarily submitted our selves in that sort to the bad faith of the Chineses they asked of us from what Country we came and where it was that we imbarqued our selves with them whereupon we freely declared unto them the truth of all and gave them an account of our Voyage as also of the new Land of Iapon that we had discovered the great abundance of silver that was there and the exceeding profit that might be made by carrying the commodities of China thither wherewith they were wonderfully contented and instantly ordained a general Procession to be made by way of thanksgiving unto God for so great a blessing But withall covetousness began in such sort to seize upon the hearts of most of the Inhabitants every one striving to be the foremost in this voyage as they came to divide themselves into troops and to make several parties so that even with weapons in their hands they went thronging to buy up the commodities of that Country which made the Chinese Merchants upon the sight of our unruly avarice set so high a price upon their wares that whereas a Pico of silk was at first not worth forty
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
accommodated with Idols of silver upon one of these Altars we saw the Statue of a woman as big as a Giant being eighteen spans high and with her arms all abroad looking up to Heaven This Idol was of silver and her hair of gold which was very long and spread over her shoulders There also we saw a great Throne incompassed round about with thirty Giants of brass who had guilded Clubs upon their shoulders and faces as deformed as those they paint for the Divel From this room we past into a manner of a Gallery adorned from the top to the bottom with a number of little Tables of Ebony inlayed with Ivory and full of mens heads under every one of the which the name of him to whom it belonged was written in letters of gold At the end of this Gallery there were a dozen of iron Rods guilt whereon hung a great many silver Candlesticks of great value and a number of persuming Pans from whence breathed forth a most excellent odour of Amber and Calambuco or Lignum Aloes but such as we have none in Christendom There on an Altar invironed all about with three rows of Ballisters of silver we saw thirteen Kings vissages of the same mettal with golden Mitars upon their heads and under each of them a dead mans head and below many Candlesticks of silver with great white wax lights in them which were stuffed ever and anon by little boys who accorded their voyces to those of the Grepos that sung in form of a Letany answering one another The Grepos told us that those thirteen dead mens heads which were under the vissages were the skulls of thirteen Calaminhams which in times past gained this Empire from certain strangers called Roparons who by Arms had usurped the same upon them of the Country As for the other dead mens heads which we saw there they were the skâ—ls of such Commanders as by their Heroick deeds had honourably ended their dayes in helping to recover this Empire in regard whereof it was most reasonable that though death had deprived them of the recompence which they had merited by their action yet their memory should not be abolished out of the world When we were gone out of this Gallery we proceeded on upon a great Bridg that was in the form of a Street rayled on either side with Ballisters of Lattin and beautified with a many of Arches curiously wrought upon which were Scutchions of Arms charged with several devices in gold and the Crâ—â—ts over them were silver Globes five spans in circumferences all very stately and majestical to behold At the end of this bridge was another building the doors whereof we found shut whereupon we knocked four times they within not deigning to answer us which is a ceremony observed by them in such occasions At the length after we had rung a bell four times more as it were in haste out comes a woman of about fifty years of age accompanied with six little girls richly attired and Scymitars upon their shoulders garnished with â—lowers wrought in gold This anciâ—nt woman having demanded of the Monvagaruu why he had rung the bell and what he would have he answered her with a great deal of respect That he had there an Ambassadour from the King of Bramaa the Lord of Tanguu who was come thither to treat at the feet of the Calaminham about certain matters much importing his service By reason of the great authority which this woman was in she seemed little to regard this answer whereat we wondred much because he that spake to her was one of the chiefest Lords of the Kingdom and Uncle to the Calaminham as it was said Nevertheless one of the six girls that accompanied her spake thus in her behalf to the Monvagaruu My Lord may it please your Greatness to have a little patience till we may know whether the time be fit for the kissing of the foot of the Throne of this Lord of the World and advertising him of the coming of this stranger and so according to the grace which our Lord will shew him therein his heart may rejoyce and we with him That said the door was shut again for the space of three or four Credoes and then the six Girls came and opened it but the anciant woman that at first came along with them we saw no more howbeit in stead of her there came a Boy of about nine years of age richly apparelled and having on his head an hurfangua of Gold which is a kind of Myter but that it is somewhat more closed all about and without any overture he had also a Mace of Gold much like a Scepter which he carryed upon his shoulder this same without making much reckoning of the Monvagaruu or of any of the other Lords there present took the Embassador by the hand and said unto him The news of thy arrival is come unto the feet of Binaigaa the Calaminhan and Scepter of the Kings that govern the Earth and is so agreeable to his ears that with a smiling look he now sends for thee to give thee audience concerning that which is desired of him by thy King whom he newly receives into the number of his brethren with a love of the son of his entrals that so he may remain powerful and victorious over his Enemies Thereupon he caused him together with the Kings Uncle and the other Governors that accompanyed him to come in lâ—aving all the rest without the Embassador then seeing none of his Train follow him looked three or four times back seeming by his countenance to be somewhat discontented which the Monvagaruu perceiving spake to the Queitor who was a little behind that he should cause the strangers to be let in and none else the doors being then opened again we Portugals began to go in with the Bramaas but such a number of others came thrusting in amongst us as the Gentlemen Ushers who were above twenty had much ado to keep the doors striking many with Battouns which they had in their hands and of those some that were persons of quality and yet could they not therewith neither with their cries nor menaces stop them all from entering Thus being come in we past along through the midst of a great garden made with such art and where appeared so many goodly things so divers and so pleasing to the eye as words are not able to express them For there were there many Alleys environed with Ballisters of Silver and many Arbors of extraordinary scent which we were told had so much sympathy with the Moons of the year that in all seasons whatsoever they bare flowers and fruits withall there was such abundance and variety of Roses and other flowers as almost passeth belief In the midst of this Garden we saw a great many young women very fair and well clad whereof some past away their time in dancing and others in playing on sundry sorts of Instruments much after our manner which they performed with
through all the town accompanied with a great multitude of people that followed him at the sound of trumpets drums and other such instruments the Captain himself as also the Ambassador and the rest of us together with all the Bramaas marching on foot after him with boughs in our hands and two men before him on horseback that rode crying O all ye people praise with gladness the beams which proceed from the midst of the Sun who is the God that makes our rice to grow for that you have lived to see a man so holy that knowing how to drink better then all the men of the world hath laid on the ground twenty of the principall drinkers of our troop to the end his renown may be daily more and more augmented Whereunto all the crowd of people that accompanied him answered with such cries and acclamations as the very noyse thereof frighted all that heard it In this equipage they lead the Portugal to the Ambassadors house where they set him down with a great deal of respect and many complements then on their knees they rendred him to the Ambassador desiring him to have a care of him as of an holy man or the son of some great King for said they it cannot be otherwise seeing God hath bestowed so great a gift on him as to know how to drink so well Whereupon having made a gathering for him they got together above two hundred lingots of silver which they gave him and untill the time that we departed he was continually visited by the inhabitants whereof many presented him with rich pieces of silk and other gifts as if they had made an offering to some Saint upon a solemn day of his invocation After these we saw other men that were very white named Pavilens great archers and good horsemen apparrelled in caslocks of silk like those of Iapon and that carried their meat to their mouths with little sticks after the manner of the Chineses these same told us that their Coyntry was called Binagorem and that it was distant from thence about two hundred leagues up the river their merchandize was store of gold in powder like to that of Menancabâ— of the Island of Suâ—atra as also lacre aloes musk tin copper silk and wax which they exchanged for pepper ginger salt wine and rice the wives of these men which we saw there are very white of better conversation then all the rest of those countryes well natured and exceeding charitable demanding of them what was their Law and what was the divinity that they adored they answered us That their Gods were the Sun the heaven and the stars for that from them they received by an holy communication all the good that they enjoyed upon earth and furthermore that the soul of man was but a breath which ended in the death of the body and that afterwards tumbling up and down in the ayr she mingled her self with the clouds untill such time as coming to be dissolved into water she died again upon the earth as the body had done before I omit an infinite many of such extravagances which were told us and that gave us good cause to wonder at the blindness and confusion of these wretches and doth also oblige us to render thanks continually unto God for delivering us from these errors and this false belief Now from the diversity of these unknown Nations which we saw in these parts it is easie to infer that in this Monarchy of the world there are many countries yet undivided and unknown to us CHAP. LX. Our arrivall at Pegu with the death of the Roolim of Mounay COntinuing our course from this town of Pavel we came the next day to a village called Luncor invironed about the space of three leagues with a great number of trees of Benjamin which from this place is transported into the Kingdoms of Pegu and Siam From thence we sailed for nine daies together down that great river all alongst the which we saw many goodly towns and then we arrived at another river called Ventrau thorough the which we continued our voyage to Penauchin the first Borough of the Kingdome of Iangumaa where the Ambassador registred his vessells and all that were within them because such was the custom of the country Being departed from thence we went and lay that night at the Rauditens which are two strong places belonging to the Prince of Poncanor Five days after we came to a great town called Magdaleu which is the country from whence lacre is brought to Martabano the Prince thereof during the time that we stayed there shewed the Ambassador a generall muster of all the men of war that he had levied against the King of the Lauâ—os with whom he was at difference because he had repudiated a daughter of his which he had married three years before intending to espouse a gentlewoman by whom he had had a son that he had legitimated and made choice of for heir of his Kingdom thereby frustrating his Nephew by his daughter of his right Passing on then thorough the streight of Madur wherein we sailed five days we arrived at a village called Mouchell the first place of the Kingdom of Pegu there one Chalagâ—niâ— a famous Pyrat that went up and down robbing in this place with thirty Ceroos well equipped and full of warlike men assailed us one night and fighting with us till it was almost day he handled us in such sort as it was the great grace of God that we escaped out of his hands nevertheless it was not without the loss of five of the twelve vessells that we had together with an hundred and fourscore of our men whereof two were Portugals The Ambassador himself had a cut on one of his arms and two wounds besides with arrow shot which had almost cost him his life all of us likewise were cruelly hurt and the Present which the Calaminham sent to the King of Bramaa being worth above an hundred thousand duckats was taken by the Pyrat together with a great deal of rich merchandize that was in the five vessells whereof he had made himself master In this sad equipage we arrived three days after at the City of Martabano from whence the Ambassador wrote the King a letter wherein he rendred him an accompt of all that had happened to him in his voyage as also in his disaster Whereupon the King sent presently away a Fleet of sixscore Ceroos with a number of choice men amongst which were an hundred Portugals in quest of this Pyrat This Fleet having by good fortune discovered him found that he had put on shore his thirty Ceroos wherewith he had assailed us and was with all his forces retired into a fortress which was full of divers prizes that he had taken in severall parts thereabout our men immediately attacqued the place and carried it easily at the very first assault only with the loss of some few Bramaas and one Portugal howbeit many were hurt with
arrows but they recovered in a short time without the maâ—â—ing of any one As soon as the fortress was gained all that were found within it were put to the sword not sparing the life of any but that of the Pyrat and sixscore others of his company which were led alive to the King of Bramaa who caused them to be cast to his Elephants that instantly dismembred them In the mean time the taking of this fortress was so advantagious to the Portugals that were sent thither as they returned from thence all very rich and it was thought that five or six of them got each of them the value of five and twenty or thirty thousand duckats a piece and that he which had least had the worth of two or three thousand for his share After that the Ambassador was cured at Martabanâ— of the hurts which he had received in the fight he went directly to the City of Pegu where as I have declared the King of Bramaas Court was at that time who being advertised of his arrivall and of the letter which he brought him from the Calaminham whereby he accepted of his amity and allied himself with him he sent the Chaumigrem his foster-brother and brother-in-law to receive him to which end he set forth accompanied with all the Grandees of the Kingdom and four battalions of strangers amongst the which were a thousand Portugals commanded by Antonio Ferreira born in Braguenca a man of great understanding and to whom this King gave twelve thousand duckats a year pension besides the Presents which he bestowed on him in particular that came to little less Hereupon the King of Bramaa seeing that by this new league God had contented his desire he resolved to shew himself thankfull for so great a favour wherefore he caused great feasts to be made amongst these people and a number of Sacrifices to be offered in their Temples where there was no spare of perfumes and wherein it was thought there were killed above a thousand stags cows and hogs which were bestowed for an alms among the poor besides many other works of charity as the cloathing of five thousand poor folks and imploying great sums of money in the releasing of a thousand prisoners which were detained for debt After that these feasts had continued seven whole days together with a most ardent zeal and at the incredible charge of the King Lords and people news came to the City of the death of the Aixquendoo Roolim of Mounay who was as it were their Soveraign Bishop which caused all rejoycings to cease in an instant and every one to fall into mourning with great expressions of sorrow The King himself retired the fairs were given over the windows doors and shops were shut up so that no living thing was seen to stir in the City withall their Temples and Pagods were full of penitents of all sorts who with incessant shedding of tears exercised such an excesse of repentance as some of them died therewith In the mean time the King departed away the same night for to go to Mounay which was some twenty leagues from thence for that he was necessarily to be assistant at this funerall pomp according to the antient custom of the Kings of Pegu he arrived there the next day somewhat late and then gave order for all that was necessary for his funerals so that the next day every thing being in a readiness the body of the deceased was about evening brought from the place where he died and laid on a Scaffold that was erected in the midst of a great place hung all about with white velvet and covered over head with three cloths of Estate of gold and silver tinsell in the middle of it was a Throne of twelve steps ascent unto it and an hearse almost like unto ours set forth with divers rich works of gold and pretious stones round about hung a number of silver candlesticks and perfuming pots wherein great quantities of sweet odours were burnt by reason of the corruption of the body which already began to have an ill savour In this manner they kept it all that night during the which was no little ado and such a tumult of cries and lamentations made by the people as words are not able to express for the only number of the Bicos Grepos Menigrepos Talagrepos Guimons and Roolims who are the chiefest of their Priests amounted to above thirty thousand that were assembled together there besides a world of others which came thither every hour When divers inventions of sorrow that were well accommodated to the subject of this mourning had been shown there came some two hours after midnight out of a Temple called Quiay Figrau god of the Motes of the Sun a procession wherein were seen five hundred little boys stark naked and bound about the neck and the middle with cords and chains of iron upon their heads they carried bundles of wood and in their hands knives singing in two Quires with a tone so lamentable and sad as few that heard them could hardly forbear crying In the mean time one amongst them went saying in this manner Thou that art going to enjoy the contentments of heaven leave us not prisoners in this exile whereunto another Quire answered To the end we may rejoyce with thee in the blessings of the Lord then continuing their song in manner of a Letany they said many otherthings with the same tone After that when they were all fallen on their knees before the Scaffold where the body lay a Grepo above an hundred years old prostrated on the ground with his hands lifted up on high made a speech to him in the name of these little boys whereunto another Grepo who was neer the hearse as if he had spoken in the person of the deceased came to answer thus Since it hath pleased God by his holy will to form me of earth it hath pleased him also to resolve me into earth I recommend unto you my children the fear of that hour wherein the hand of the Lord shall put us into the balance of his justice whereupon all the rest with a great cry replied in this sort May it please the most Almighty high Lord that raigns in the Sun to have no regard to our works that so we may be delivered from the pains of death These little boys being retired there came others about the age of ten or eleven years apparrelled in white Sattin robes with chains of gold on their feet and about their necks many rich jewels and pearls After they had with much ceremony done a great deal of reverence to the dead body they went and florished naked scymitars which they had in their hands all about the hearse as if they would chace away the divell saying aloud Get thee gone accursed as thou art into the bottom of the house of smoke where dying with a perpetuall pain without making an end of dying thou shalt pay without making an end also of paying the
rigorous justice of the Lord above This said they withdrew as if they would shew that by this action they had left the body of the deceased exempt from the power of the divell which besieged it before In the place of these same came in six and twenty of their principall Talagrepos being fourscore years old and upwards apparrelled in robes of violet coloured damask and carrying silver censors in their hands before whom for the greater gracing of them marched twelve gentlemen Ushers with Maces of the same metall as soon as these Priests had censed the hearse four severall times with many ceremonies they all prostrated themselves with their faces on the ground and then one of them began to say as if he had spoken to the dead man If the clouds of heaven were able to tell our grief unto the beasts of the fielâ— they would forsake their pasture for to help us to wail thy death and the great extremity whereunto we are reduced or els they would beseech thee Lord to imbarque us with thee into this deadly house where thou seest not us because we are not worthy of so great a favour but that all this people may be comforted in thee before the tomb shall hide thy body from us shew us Lord by figures of earth the peaceable joy and sweet contentment of thy repose that we may be all awaked out of the heavy sleep wherein the obscurities of the flesh doth wrap us and that we miserable wretches may be incited to imitate thee and follow thy steps for to behold thee in the joyfull house of the Sun at the last gasp of our lives To these words the people having made a very dreadfull cry answered incontinently The Lord grant us this grace Then the twelve gentlemen Ushers that carried the Maces going on afore to make way thorough the press though with much ado because the people would not withdraw there came forth of an house on the right side of the Scaffold four and twenty little boys richly apparelled with chains of gold and pretious stones about their necks who playing after their manner on divers instruments of musick and falling down on their knees in two ranks before the hearse they continued playing on their instruments to the tune whereof there were only two of them that sung whereunto five others answered from time to time in such a dolefull manner as made all the assistants shed abundance of tears yea some of them were so sensible of it as they could not forbear plucking of their hair and knocking their heads against the steps of the Throne where the hearse stood During this and many other ceremonies there performed six young gentlemen Grepos sacrificed themselves by drinking out of a golden cup a certain yellow liquor so venemous that before they had made an end of their draught they fell down stark dead on the ground this action of theirs brought these Martyrs of the divell into the number of their Saints so as they were envied by every one for it and presently their bodies were carried with a solemn procession to be burnt in a great fire that was made of Sanders Aloes and Benjamin where they were quickly reduced unto ashes The next morning the Scaffold was disgarnished of all the richest pieces about it and the hearse but the cloths of estate the hangings and banners as also many other moveables of great worth were not stirred and so with divers ceremonies fearfull cries and lamentations and a strange noyse of severall sorts of instruments they set fire on the Scaffold and all that was upon it anoynting it often with odoriferous liquors and confections of great price Thus was the body consumed to ashes in a very short time but whilst it was burning the King and all the Grandees of his Court which were then present cast in by way of alms many pieces of gold preâ—ious stones jewels and chains of pearl of exceeding great value all which so ill imployed were instantly consumed by the fire together with the body and bones of that wretched dead man so as we were certainly informed afterward that this funerall pomp cost above an hundred thousand duckets besides the garments which the King and the Grandees of the country gave to thirty thousand Priests that vvere assisting at it wherein was imployed an incredible quantity of stuffes of severall sorts witnesse the Portugals who mightily profited by so lucky an occasion because they sold at what price they would such as they brought from Bâ—ngala for which they were paid in lingots of gold and silver CHAP. LXI The election of the new Roolim of Mounay the grand Talagrepo of these Gentiles of the Kingdome of Pegu. THe next day between seven and eight in the morning which was the time when the ashes of the deceased began to be cold the King and all the great Lords of the Court came unto the place where the body had been burnt marching all in order after the manner of a stately procession and assisted by all the Grepos amongst whom there were an hundred and thirty with silver censors and fourteen with miters of gold on their heads they were apparrelled in long robes of yellow sattin as for all the rest to the number of ten thousand they were cloathed with taffeta of the same colour and with a kind of surpliss of fine linnen which was not done without a very great charge by reason of the number of them Being arrived at the place where the Roolim had been burnt after some ceremonies performed as is usuall with them according to the time and sence that every one had of it a Talagrepo of the Bramaa Nation and Uncle to the King as Brother to his Father whom the people held for the ablest of them all having been chosen to preach that day went up into the Pulpit for that effect The beginning of his Sermon was an Elegy touching the defunct whose life he commended with many speeches that made for his purpose wherein he grew so earnest and hot as turning himself to the King with tears in his eys and lifting up his voice somewhat louder to the end he might hear him the better he said unto him If the Kings in these times wherein we live do consider how little a time they have to live and with what rigour of justice they shall be chastised by the Almighty hand of the most high God for the crimes of their tyrannicall lives possibly it would be better for them to feed in the open fields like bruit beasts then to be so absolute in their will and to use it with so little reason even as to be cruel to the good and slack in punishing the wicked whom by their soveraign power they have put into greatnesse and authority and truly they are much to be lamented whose good fortune hath raised them up to an estate so dangerous as is that of Kings at this day by reason of the insolence and liberty wherein they continually
of them containing three thousand whereof an Unkle of the Kings was Generall a man whom experience had rendred very knowing in such undertakings and that marched in the head of the first company Of the second was Captain another of the principall Maâ—dacins Of the third a stranger a Champaa by Nation and born in the Island of Barneo and of the fourth one called Panbacaluio all of them good Commanders very valiant and exceeding expert in matters of war When they were all ready the King made them a Speech whereby he succinctly represented unto them the confidence which he had in them touching this enterprise After which the better to incourage them and assure them of his love he took a cup of gold and drunk to them all causing the chiefest of them to pledge him and craving pardon of the rest for that the time would not permit them to do the like This gracious carriage of his so incouraged the souldiers that without further delay the most part of them went and annoynted themselves with Miâ—hamundi which is a certain confection of an odoriferous oyle wherewith these people are accustomed to frote themselves with when they have taken a full resolution to die and these same are ordinarily called Aâ—acos The hour being come wherein this sally was to be made four of twelve gates that were in the Town were opened thorough each of the which sallied forth one of the four Captaines with his company having first sent out for Spies into the Camp six Orobalons of the most valiant that were about the King whom he had honored with new titles and with such speciall favours as use to give courage to them that want it and to increase it in them that are indued with some resolution The four Captains marched a little after the six Spies and went and joyned all together in a certain place where they were to fight with the enemies whereupon falling into the midst of them with a marvellous impetuosity they fought so valiantly that in lesse then an houres time which the fight indured the twelve thousand Passaruans left above thirty thousand enemies upon the place besides those that were wounded which were in a far greater number and whereof many died afterwards Furthermore they took prisoner three Kings and eight Pates which are as the Dukes amongst us the King of Zunda too with whom we forty Portugalls were could not so save himselfe but that he was hurt with a Lance in three places a number being killed in defending him Thus was the Camp put in so great disorder as it was almost destroyed the Paâ—gueyran himself being wounded with a dart and constrained to leap into the water where little lacked but that he had been drowned Whereby one may see what the force of a number of resolute and fearlesse men is against such as are surprised when least they think of it for before that the enemies could know what they did or the Commanders could put their souldiers into order they were twice routed The next morning as soon as the day gave them leave to know the truth of the businesse the Passeruans retired into the Towne where they found that they had not lost above nine hundred of their men nor more then two or three thousand hurt It is scarcely to be believed how much the King of Demaa was grieved with the disaster of the former day as wel for the affront which he received from those within by the losse of his people as for the bad successe of the beginning of this siege whereof he seemed in some sort to impute the fault unto our King of Zunda saying that this fortune had happened by the bad directions he had given to the Centinells Now after he had commanded that the wounded should be drest and the dead buried he called to Councell all the Kings Princes and Captains of the forces that he had both by Land and Water unto whom he said That he had made a solemn vow and oath upon the Mâ—zapho of Mahomet which is their Alcoran or the book of their Law never to raise the siege from before this Town untill he had utterly destroyed it or lost his own State therein Whereunto he added That he protested he would put to death whomsoever should oppose this resolution of his what reason soever he could alledge thereupon which begot so great a terror in the minds of all that heard him as there was not one that duâ—st contradict his will but contrarily they infinitely approved and commended it He used then all kind of diligence for the new fortifying of the Camp with good ditches strong Pallisadoes divers Bulworks made of stone and timber garnished on the inside with their Platformes where he caused a great many of Canons to be planted so that by this meanes the Camp was stronger then the Towne it selfe in regard whereof the besieged did often times jeere the Centinells without telling them That it must needs be concluded they were notorious cowards since instead of besieging their enemies like valiant men they besieged themselves like feeble women wherefore they bid them returnâ— home to their houses where it was fitter for them to fall to spinning then to make war These were the jeers which they ordinarily put upon the besiegers who vvere greatly offended vvith them This Tovvne had been almost three moneths besieged and yet had the enemies advanced but little for during all that time vvherein there had been five batteries and three assaults given to it with above a thousand ladders planted against the vvalls the besieged defended themselves still like valiant and couragious men fortifying them selves vvith counter-mires which they opposed to the breaches vvhich they made vvith pieces of timber taken from the houses so that all the power of the Pangueyran which as I have declared was about eight hundred thousand men whereof the number was much diminished was not able to give him entrance into it Hereupon the principall Ingineer of the Camp who was a Renegado of Maillorque seeing that this affair had not a successe answerable to what he had promised the King he resolved to take another far different course To that effect with a great amasse of earth and bavins he framed a kind of a Platform which he fortified with six rows of beames and wrought so that in nine dayes he raised it a fathom higher then the wall that done he planted forty great pieces of Canon upon it together with a number of Bases and Faulconets wherewith he fell to battering the Town in such sort as the besieged were therewith mightily damnified so that the King perceiving that this invention of the enemy was the only thing in the world that could most incommodate him in the Towne he resolved by the meanes of ten thousand Volunteers who had offered themselves unto him for that purpose and to whom for â— mark of honor he gave the title of Tygers of the world to attacque this Fort and they
that in four daies they took an hundred Juncks vvherein they killed above six thousand men vvhereof notice being given to the King of Panaruca Prince of Balambuam and Admirall of the Sea of this Empire he ran thither with all speed and of the number of those which were convicted of manifest robbery he caused fourscore to be hanged all along the shore to the terror of those that should behold them After this action Quiay Ansedeaa Pate or Duke of Cherbom who was Governor of the Towne and greatly in authority taking this which the King of Panaruca had done for a manifest contempt because he had said he little respected his charge of Governor was so mightily offended â—t it as having instantly got together about six or seven thousand men he went and 〈…〉 this Kings Palace with an intent to seize upon his person but the Panaruca resisted him with his followers and as it was said he endeavoured with many complements to justifie himself to him all that ever he could whereunto Quiay Ansâ—dâ—aa was so far from having any regard as contrarily entring by force into his house he flew thirty or forty of his men in the mean time so many people ran to this mutiny as it was a dreadfull thing to behold For whereas these two heads were great Lords one Admirall of the Fleet the other Governor of the Town and both of them allied to the principall families of the Country the devill sowed so great a division amongst them as if night had not separated the fight it is credible that not one of them had escaped neverthelesse the difference went yet much farther and ended not so for the men of war who were at that time above six hundred thousand in number coming to consider the great affront which Quiay Ansedeaa Governor of the Town had done to their Admirall they to be revenged thereof went all ashore the same night the Paâ—aruca not being of power enough to keep them from it notwithstanding he laboured all that he could to do it Thus all of them animated and transported with wrath and a desire of revenge went and set upon Quiay Ansedeaas house where they slew him and ten thousand men wherewith not contented they assaulted the Town in ten or eleven places and fell to killing and plundering all that ever they met with so that they carried themselves therein with so much violence as in three daies alone which was as long as the siege of this Town lastâ—d nothing remained that was not an insupportable object to the sight There was withall so great a confusion of howling weeping and heavy lamentation as all that heard it could think no other but that the earth was going to turn topsie turvy In a word and not to lose time in aggravating this with superfluous speeches the Town was all on fire which burnt to the very foundations so that according to report there were above an hundred thousand houses consumed above three hundred thousand persons cut in pieces and almost as many made prisoners which were led away slaves and sold in divers countries Besides there was an infinite of riches stollen whereof the value as it was said only in silver and gold amounted even to forty millions and all put together to an hundred millions of gold As for the number of prisoners and of such as were slain it was neer five hundred thousand persons and all these things arrived by the evill counsell of a young King bred up amongst young people like himself who did every thing at his own pleasure without any body contradicting him CHAP. LXVI That which befell us untill our departure towards the Port of Zunda from whence we sâ—â— sail for China and what afterwards happened unto us THree daies after so cruell and horrible a mutiny whenas all things were peaceable the principall Heads of this commotion fearing as soon as a Pangueyran should be elected that they should be punished according to the enormity of their crime they all of them set sail without longer attending the danger which threatned them They departed away then in the same Vessells wherein they came the King of Panaruca their Admirall being not possibly able to stay them but contrarily was twice in jeopardy of losing himselfe in endeavouring to do it with those few men that were of his party Thus in the space of two daies only the two thousand sailes which were in the Port went away leaving the Town still burning which was the cause that those few Lords which remained being joyned together resolved to pasâ— unto the Towne of Iapara some five leagues from thence towards the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea This resolution being taken they put it presently in execution to the end that with the more tranquillity for the popular commotion was not yet well appeased they might make election of the Panguâ—yran which properly signifies Emperor As indeed they created one called Patâ— Sudayâ— Prince of Sâ—rubayaa who had been none of those eight Pretendents of whom we have spoken but this election they made because it seemed to them necessary for their common good and the quiâ—t of the Country All the inhabitantâ—â—o were exceedingly satisfied with it and they immediately sent thâ— Panarutâ— for 〈◊〉 to a place some dozen leagues from thence called Pisammenes where he at that time lived Nine dayes after he was sent for he failed not to come accompanied with above two hundred thousand men imbarqued in fifteen hundred Calaluzâ—s and Iuripangos He was received by all the people with great demonstrations of jâ—y and a little after he was crowned with the accustomed ceremonies as Pangueyran of all the countries of Iaâ—a Bala and Madâ—ra which is a Monarchy that is very populous and exceeding rich and mighty That done he returned to the Towne of Demaa with an intent to have it rebuilt anew and to restore it to its former estate At his arrivall in that place the first thing he did was to give order for the punishing of those which were found attainted and convictâ—d of the sacking of the Town who proved not to be above five thousand though the number of them was far greater for all the rest were fled away some here some there Thâ—se wretches suffered onely two kinds of death some were impaled alive and the rest were burned in the very same ships wherein they were apprehended and of four daies wherein this justice was executed there past not one without the putting to death of a great number which so mightily terrified us Portugals that were there present as seeing the commotion very great still over the whole country and no likelyhood that things would of a long time be peaceable we humbly desired the King of Zunda to give us leave to go to our ship which lay in the Port of Bantâ— in regard the season for the voyage to China was already come This King having easily granted our request with an exemption of the customes of our Merchandise presented
his left a custome vvhich they alvvays observe in such a like ceremony Then Oya Passilico who was the highest in dignity in the Kingdome falling on his knees before this new King said unto him with tears in his eyes and so loud that every one might hear him Blessed child that in so tender an age doest hold from the good influence of thy Star the happinesse to be chosen by heaven there above for Governour of this Eâ—pire of Sornau see how God puts it into thy hand by me who am thy vassall to the end thou mayest take thy first oath whereby thou doest protest to hold it with obedience from his divine will as also to observe justice equally to all the people without having any regard to persons whether it be in chastising or recompencing the great or small the mighty or the humble that so in time to come thou mayest not be reproached for not having accomplished that which thou hast sworn in this solemn action For if it shall happen that humane considerations shall make thee swarve from that which for thy justification thou art obliged to do before so just a Lord thou shalt be greatly punished for it in the profound pit of the house of smoke the burning lake of insupportable stench where the wicked and damned howl continually with a sadnesse of obscure night in their entrails And to the end thou mayest oblige thy selfe to the charge which thou takest upon thee say now Xamxaimpom which is as much as to say amongst us Amen The Passilico having finished his speech the young Prince said weeping Xamxaimpom which so mightily moved all the Assembly of the people as there was nothing heard for a good while together but sighing and wailing At length after that this noyse was appeased the Passilico proceeding on with his discourse in looking on the young King This Sword said he unto him which thou holdest naked in thy hand is given thee as a Scepter of Soveraign power upon earth for the subduing of the rebellious which is also to say that thou art truly obliged to be the support of the feeble and poor to the end that they which grow lofty with their power may not overthrow them with the puffe of their pride which the Lord doth as much abhor as he doth the mouth of him that blasphemeth against a little infant which hath never sinned And that thou mayest in all things satisfie the fair enaâ—elling of the stars of heaven which is the perfect just and good God whose power is admirable over all things of the world say once again Xamxaimpom whereunto the Prince answered twice weeping Maxinau Maxinau that is to say I promise so to do After this the Passilico having instructed him in divers other such like things the young Prince answered seven times Xamxaimpom and so the ceremony of his Coronation was finished onely there came first a Talagrepo of a soveraign dignity above all the other Priests named Quiay Ponuedea who it was said was above an hundred years old This same prostrating himself at the feet of the Prince gave him an oath upon a golden bason full of rice and that done they put him into it after they had created him thus anew for time would not permit them to hold him there longer in regard the King his Father was at the point of death besides there was so universall a mourning amongst the people that in every place there was nothing heard but lamentations and wailing CHAP. XLVIII The lamentable death of the King of Siam with certain illustrious and memorable things done by him during his life 〈◊〉 many other accidents that arrived in this Kingdome WHenas the day and the night following had been spent in the manner that I have related the next morning about eight of the clock the infortunate King yeelded up the Ghost in the presence of the most part of the Lords of his Kingdome for the which all the people made so great demonstrations of mourning as every where there was nothing but wailing and weeping Now forasmuch as this Prince had lived in the reputation of being charitable to the poor liberall in his benefits and recompences pitifull and gentle toward every one and above all incorrupt in doing of justice and chastising the wicked his subjects spake so amply thereof in their lamentations as if all that they said of it was true we are to believe that there was never a better King then he either amongst these Pagans or in all the countries of the world Howbeit whereas I cannot assure that those things which they affirmed in their complaints were true because I did not see them I will only insist upon those which past concerning him in the time whilest I was trading in this Kingdome whereof I will report three or four amongst many others which I have seen him do from the year 1540. untill 1545. The first was that in the year 1540. Pedro de Faria being Governour of Malaca King Ioanâ— the Iohn the third of glorious memory wrote him a letter whereby above all things he recommended unto him his using all possible means for the redeeming of a certain Domingos de Seixas who for the space of three and twenty years had been a slave in the Kingdome of Siam adding that the doing thereof would be very important for Gods service and his in regard he was informed that from him rather then from any other he might be certified of the great things which were recounted to him of this Kingdome and in case he could redeem this Christian that he should send him incontinently to Don Garcia the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes to whom he had also written that he should imbarque him in the ship which was to part that year for to returne into Portugal Pedro de Faria had no sooner received this letter but seeing with how much care the King his Master recommended this affair unto him he sent us his Ambassador to Siam one Francisco de Crasto a noble and very rich man to the end he should treat about the ransome of this Domingos de Seixas and other sixteen Portugals which were also slaves there as well as he According to this Commission Francisco de Castro came to the City of Odiaa whilest I was there where he delivered his letter to the King of Siam who gave him a very good reception and after he had read it and questioned him concerning many new and curious things he answered him presently which was a thing he did not usually do to any Ambassador his answer contained this much As for Domingos de Seixas whom the Captain of Malaca sends to me for advertising me that I shall do the King of Portugal a great pleasure in releasing him I do most willingly grant to do it as also to deliver all the rest that are with him Whereupon Francisco de Crasto having had this dispatch from the King gave him most humble thanks for it and prostrated himself three severall times
himself absolute Lord of the Empire of Sâ—rnaâ— whereof the revenue was twelve millions of gold besides other comings in which amounted to as much more With all these inventions this Queen used so great diligence for the contenting of the desire which she had to raise her Favorite to the Royalty to marry her self to him and to make the illegitimate son which she had bad by him successor of the Crown as within the space of eight moneths fortune favouring her designes and hoping more fully to execute her wicked plot shee caused most of the great men of the kingdom to be put to death and confiscated all their lands goods and treasures which she distributed amongst such of her creatures as she daily drew to her party Now forasmuch as the young King her son served for the principall obstacle to her intentions this young Prince could not escape her abominable fury for she her self poysoned him even as she had poysoned the King his father That done she married with Vquumcheniraa who had been one of the Purveyors of her house and caused him to be crowned King in the city of Odiaa the eleventh of November in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty five But whereas Heaven never leaves wicked actions unpunished the year after one thousand five hundred forty and six and on the fifteenth day of January they were both of them slain by Oyaa Passilico and the King of Cambaya at a certain banquet which these Princes made in a Temple that was called Quiay Figrau that is to say the god of the atoms of the Sun whose solemnity was that day celebrated So that as well by the death of these two persons as of all the rest of their party whom these Princes also killed with them all things became very peaceable without any further prejudice to the people of the kingdom onely it is true that it was despoyled of the most part of the Nobility which formerly it had by the wicked inventions and pernicious practices whereof I have spoken before CHAP. LXIX The King of Bramaa's enterprize upon the Kingdom of Siam and that which past untill hiâ— arrivall at the city of Odiaa with his besieging of it and all that ensued thereupon THe Empire of Siam remaining without a lawfull successor those two great Lords of the Kingdom namely Oyaa Passiliâ—â— and the King of Cambaia together with four or five more of the trustiest that were left and which had been confederate with them thought fit to chuse for King a certain religious man named Pretiâ—m in regard he was the naturall brother of the deceased Prince husband to that wicked Queen of whom I have spoken whereupon this religious man who was Talagrepo of a Pagodâ— called Quiay Mitrau from whence he had not budg'd for the space of thirty years was the day after drawn forth of it by Oyaa Passilico who brought him on the seventeenth day of January into the city of Odiaa where on the nineteenth he was crowned King with a new kind of ceremony and a world of magnificence which to avoid prolixity I will not make mention of here having formerly treated of such like things Withall passing by all that further arrived in this Kingdom of Siam I will content my self with reporting such things as I imagine will be most agreeable to the curious It happened then that the King of Bramaa who at that time reigned tyrannically in Pegu being advertised of the deplorable estate whereinto the Empire of Sâ—rnau was reduced and of the death of the greatest Lords of the Country as also that the new King of this Monarchy was a religious man who had no knowledge either of arms or war and withall of a cowardly disposition a tyrant and ill beloved of his subjects he fell to consult thereupon with his Lords in the town of Anapleu where at that time he kept his Court. Desiring their advice then upon so important an enterprize they all of them told him that by no means he should desist from it in regard this Kingdome was one of the best of the world as well in riches as in abundance of all things thereunto they added that the season which was then so favourable for him â—romised it to him at so good a rate as it was likely it would not cost him above the revenue of one only year what expence soever he should make of his treasure besides if he chanced to get it he should remain Monarch of all the Emperors of the world and therewithall he should be honored with the soveraign title of Lord of the whiâ—e Elephant by which means the seventeene Kings of Capimper who made profession of his Law must of necessity render him obedience They told him moreover that having made so great a conquest he might thorough the same territories and with the succour of the Princes his Allies passe into China where was that great City of Pequin the incomparable pearl of all the world and against which the great Cham of Tartaria the Siamon and the Calaminham had brought such prodigious Armies into the field The King of Bramaa having heard all these reasons and many others which his great Lords alledged unto him wherein his interest was especially concerned which alwayes works powerfully on every man was perswaded by them and resolved to undertake this enterprise For this effect he went directly to Martabano where in lesse then two moneths and an half he raised an Army of eight hundred thousand men wherein there were an hundred thousand strangers and amongst them a thousand Portugals which were commanded by Diego Suarâ—z d' Albergaria called Galego by way of nick name This Diego Suarez departed out of the Kingdome of Portugal in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and eight and went into the Indiaes with the Fleet of the Vice-Roy Don Garcia de Noronha in a Junck whereof Ioano de Sepulveda of the town of Euora was Captain but in the time of which I speak namely in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty and eight he had of this King of Bramaa two hundred thousand duckats a yeare with the title of his brother and Governor of the Kingdome of Pegu. The King departed then from the Town of Marâ—abano the Sunday after Easter being the seventh of April 1548. His Army as I have already said was eight hundred thousand men whereof only forty thousand were horse and all the rest foor threescore thousand of them being Harquebuziers there were moreover five thousand warlike Elephants with whom they fight in those countries and also a world of baggage together with a thousand pieces of Canon which were drawn by a thousand couple of Buffles and Rhinocerots withall there was a like number of yoke of oxen for the carriage of the victualls Having taken the field then with these forces he caused his Army to march still on untill at length he entred into the Territories of the King of Siam where after five days he came to a
foaming with poyson make horrible cries and be delivered into the burning jawes of the dragon of discord whom the true Lord of all the Gods hath cursed for ever whereas contrarily to those that shall be so happy as to obey this Proclamation as his holy brethren and allies shall be granted in this life a perpetuall peace accompanied with a great deale of wealth and riches and after their death their souls shall be no lesse pure and agreeable to God then those of the Saints which goe dancing amidst the beams of the Sun in the celestiall repose of the Lord Almighty This publication made the musick began to play again with a great noise as before which made such an impression in the hearts of them that heard it as in seven nights that it continâ—ed above threescore thousand persons went and rendred themselves to the Xemindoo for most of them which heard those words gave as much credit thereunto as if an Angell from heaven had spoken them In the meane time the besieged Tyrant seeing that these secret Proclamations of the enemy were so prejudiciall unto him as they could not chuse but turn to his utter ruine brake the truce at twelve dayes end and deliberated with his Councell what he should do who advised him by no means to suffer h mself to remaine any longer besieged for feare left the inhabitants should mutinie and fall from him to the enemy and that the best and surest way was to fight with the Xemindoo in the open field before he grew to any further strength This resolution being approved of by Zenim de Satan he prepared himself for the execution of it to which effect he two dayes after before it was day sallied out at five gates of the city with fourscore thousand men which then he had and charged the enemies with strange fury They then in the meane time who alwayes stood upon their guard received them with a great deale of courage whereupon insued so cruell a conflict between them that in lesse then halfe an houre for so long lasted the heat of the fight there fell on both sides above forty thousand men but at the end of that time the new King Zenim was born from his Elephant by an harquebuze shot discharged at him by a Portugall named Gonçalo Nâ—to which caused all the rest to render themselves and the city likewise upon condition that the inhabitants should have their goods and lives saved By this means the Xemindoo entred peaceably into it and the very same day which was a Saturday the three and twentieth of February a thousand five hundred fifty and one he caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu in the greatest Temple of the city As for Gonçalo Nâ—to he gave him in recompence for killing the Tyrant twenty Bisses of gold which are ten thousand Duckats and to the other Portugalls being eighty in number he gave five thousand Duckats besides the honors and prsviledges which they had in the country he also exempted them for three years from paying any custome for their merchandize which was afterwards very exactly observed CHAP. LXXIII That which the Xemindoo did after he was Crowned King of Pegu with the Chaumigrems the King of Bramaaes Foster-Brothers coming against him with a great Army and divers other memorable things THe Xemindoo seeing himself Crowned King of Pegu and peaceable Lord of all the kingdome began to have thoughts far different from those which Xemin de Satan had had being raised to the same dignity of King for the first and principal thing wherein he imployed himself with all his endeavour was to maintain his Kingdome in peace and to cause Justice to flourish as indeed he established it with so much integritie as no man how great so ever he was durst wrong a lesser then himself withall in that which concerned the government of the Kingdome he proceeded with so much vertue and equity as it filled the strangers that were there with admiration so that one could not without marvel consider the peace the quiet and union of the wills of the people during the happy and peaceable estate of this Kingdome which continued the space of a year and better at the end whereof the Chaumigrem foster-brother to the same King of Bramaa whom Xemin de Satan had slaine as I have before declared having received advertisement that by reason of the rebellions and warres which since his departure from thence had happened in the Kingdome of Pegu the principall men of the State there had lost their lives and the Xemindoo who then raigned was unprovided of all things necessary for his defence he resolved once again to adventure upon the same enterprise which had formerly been undertaken by his late King With this design he entertained into his pay a mighty Army of strangers unto whom he gave a Tincall of gold by the month which is five dackets of our mony when as he had prepared all things in a readinesse he departed from Tanguu the place of his birth On the ninth day of March a thousand five hundred fifty and two with an Army of three hundred thousand men whereof only fifty thousand were Bramaas and all the rest Mons Chaleus Calaminhams Sauâ—nis Pamâ—rus and Auaas In the mean time the Xemindoo the new King of Pegu having certain intelligence of these great forces which were coming to fall upon him made preparation to go and meet them with a design to give them battle for which effect he assembled in the same City where he was a huge Army of nine hundred thousand men which were all Pegues by nation and consequently of a weake constitution and lesse warlick then all the others whereof I have spoken and on Tueseday the fourth of April about noone having received advice that the enemies Army was incamped all along the river of Meleytay some twelve leagues from thence he used such expedition as the same day and the next night all his Souldiers were put into battle array for whereas they had prepared every thing long before and had also been trayned by their Capt. there needed no great ado to bring them into order The day ensueing all these men of warre begun about nine of the clock in the morning to march at the sound of an infinite company of warlick instruments and went and lodged that night some two leagues from thence neer to the river Potarâ—u The next day an hour before Sun-set the Bramaa Chaumigrem appeared with so great a body of men as it took up the extent of a league and an half of ground his Army being composed of seaventy thousand horse of two hundred and thirty thousand foot and six thousand fighting elephants besides as many more which carried the baggage and victuals and in regard it was almost night he thought fit to lodge himself all along by the mountain that he might be in the greater safety Thus the night past with a good guard and a strange noise that was made on
lodging for him and there he will pay you for this affection which you testifie to have for him After this his wrath redoubled in such sort as instantly he caused this very Daughter to be killed in her Fathers arms which truly was more then a bruitish and savage cruelty in seeking to hinder the affections which nature hath imprinted in us Then no longer enduring the sight of the Xemindoo he commanded him to be taken from thence and to be carried to a close prison where he passed all the night following under a sure guard The next morning Proclamation was made over all the City for the people to be present at the death of the unhappy Xemindoo now the chiefest reason why the Bramaa did this was that the inhabitants seeing him dead might for ever lose all hope of having him for their King as all generally desired for whereas he was their Countryman and the Bramaa a Stranger they were in extreame fear least the Bramaa should become in time like unto him whom Xâ—min de Satan slew and that had been during his raign a mortall enemy to the Pâ—gues intreating them with such extraordinary cruelty as their scarcely passed a day wherein he did not execute hundreds of them and all for matters of small importance and which deserved no punishment had they been proceeded against by the waies of true Justice About ten of the clock the unfortunate Xemindoo was drawn out of the dungeon where he was in the manner ensuing Before him marched through the Streets by which he was to passe forty men on horseback with lances in their hands to prepare and clear the waies there were as many behind as before him which carried naked swords crying aloud to the people whereof the number was infinite to make roome After them followed about fifteen hundred harquebusiers with their matches lighted next to these last which they of the country use to call the avant coureurs of the Kings wrath went an hundred and threescore elephants armed with their Castles and covered with silk tapestry marching by five and five in a rank after them rode in the same order by five in a rank fifteen men on horseback which carried black ensignes all bloudy crying aloud as it were by way of Proclamation Let those miserable wretches which are the slaves of hunger and are continually persecuted by the disgrace of fortune hearken to the cry of the arm of wrath executed on them that have offended their King to the end that the astonishment of the pain which is ordained them for it may be deeply imprinted in their memory Behind these same were other fifteen clothed with a kind of bloudy garment which rendred them dreadfull and of a bad aspect who at the sound of five Bellâ— which they rung in haste said with so lamentable a voice as they that heard them were moved to weep This rigorous Iustice is done by the living God the Lord of all truth of whose holy body the hairs of our heads are the feet It is he that will have the Xemindoo put to death for usurping the Estates of the great King of Bramaa Lord of Tanguu These Proclamations were answered by a troupe of people which marched thronging before with such loud cryes as made one tremble to hear them saying these words Let him die without having pity on him that hath committed such an offence These were followed by a company of five hundred Bramaa horse and after them came another of foot whereof some held naked swords and buckleâ—s in their hands and the rest were armed with corselets and coats of maile In the midst of thâ—se came the poor patient mounted on a lean ill-favored jade and the hangman on the crupper behind him holding him up under both the armes This miserable Prince was so poorly clad that his naked skinne was every where seen withall in an exceeding derision of his person they had set upon his head a Crowne of straw like unto an Urinall case which Crowne was garnished with muscle-shells fastned together with blew thred and round about his yron coller were a number of onions tyed Howbeit though he was reduced to so deplorable an estate and that his face was scarce like to that of a living man yet lest he not for all that from having something of I know not what in his eyes which manifested the condition of a King There was besides observed in him a majesticall sweetnesse which drew tears from all that beheld him About this guard which accompanied him there was another of above a thousand horse men intermingled with many armed elephants Passing thus thorow the twelve principall streets of the City where there was a world of people he arrived at last at a certain street called Cabam Bainhaa out of which he went but two and twenty days before to go and fight with the Bramaa in such pomp and greatnesse as by the report of them that saw it and of which number I was one it was without doubt one of the most marvellous sights that ever hath been seen in the world whereof notwithstanding I will make no mention here either in regard I cannot promise to recount rightly how all past or for that I fear some will receive these truths for lies neverthelesse mine eyes having been the witnesses of these two successes if I do not speak of the greatnesse of the first I will at leastwise declare the miseries of the second to the end that by these two so different accidents happening in so short a time one may learn what little assurance is to be put in the prosperities of the earth and in all the goods which are given us by inconstant and deceitful Fortune Whenas the poor Patient had past that street of Cabam Bainhaâ— he arrived at a place where Gonçalo Pacheco our Captain was with above an hundred Portugals in his Company amongst the vvhich there was one of a very base birth and of a minde yet more vile vvho having been robbed of his goods some yeers before as he said at such time as the Patient raigned and complained to him of those who had done it he vvould not vouchsafe to give him audience so that thinking to be revenged on him for it now vvith extravagant and unseemly speech as soon as this poor Prince came where Gonçalo Pacheco was with all the other Portugals the witlesse fellow said aloud to him that all might hear him O Robber Xemindoo remember how when I complained to thee of those that had robbed me of my goods thou wouldst not do me justice but I hope that now thou shalt satisfie what thy works deserve for I will at supper eat a piece of that flesh of thine whereunto I will invite two dogs that I have at home The sad Patient having heard the vvords of this hair-brain'd fellow lifted up his eyes to heaven and after he had continued a while pensive turning himself vvith a severe countenance towards him that uttered them Friend
said he unto him I pray thee by the great goodness of that God in whom thou believest to pardon me that for which thou accusest me and to remember that it is not the part of a Christian in this painful estate wherein I see my self at this present to put me in mind of that which I have done heretofore for besides that thou canst not thereby recover the loss which thou sayest thou hast sustained it will but serve to afflict and trouble me the more Pacheco having heard what this fellow said commanded him to hold his peace which immediately he did whereupon the Xemindoo with a grave countenance made shew that this action pleased him so that seeming to be more quiet it made him to acknowledge that with his mouth which he could not otherwise requite I must confess said he unto him that I could wish if God would permit it I might have one hour longer of life to profess the excellency of the faith wherein you Portugals live for as I have heretofore heard it said your God alone is true and all other gods are lyers The Hangman had no sooner heard these words but he gave him so great a buffet on the face that his nose ran out with bloud so that the poor Patient stooping with his handsâ—downward Brother said he unto him suffer me to save this bloud to the end thou maist not want some to fry my flesh withall So passing on in the same order as before he finally arrived at the place where he was to be executed with so little life as he scarcely thought of any thing When he was amounted on a great Scaffold which had been expresly erected for him the Chirca of Justice fell to reading of his Sentence from an high Seate where he was placed the contents whereof were in few words these The living God of our heads Lord of the Crown of the Kings of Avaa commands that the perfidious Xemindoo be executed as the Perturbator of the people of the earth and the mortal enemy of the Bramaa Nation This said he made a sign with his hand and instantly the Hangman cut off his head at one blow shewing it to all the people vvhich vvere there vvithout number and divided his body into eight quarters setting his bovvels and other interior parts vvhich vvere put together in a place by themselves then covering all vvith a yellovv cloth vvhich is a mark of mourning amongst them they vvere left there till the going dovvn of the Sun at vvhich time they vvere burnt in the manner ensuing The eight quarters of the Xemindooes body vvere exposed from mid-day till three of Clock in the afternoon to the view of all the people whereof there was an infinite company there for every one came thronging thither as well to avoid the punishment wherewith they had been threatned as to gain in so doing the Plenary indulgence called by them Axiperan which their Priests gave them of their sins without restitution of any thing of all the Theeveries by them formerly committed After then that the tumult was appeased and that certain men on horseback had imposed silence on the people by making certain publications whereby the Transgressors therein were threatned with terrible punishments a bell was heard to toll five several times upon this signal twelve men clothed in black robes spotted all over with bloud having their faces covered and bearing silver Maces on their shoulders came out of a house of wood made expresly for that purpose and distant some five or six paces from the Scaffold after them followed twelve Priests which they call Talagrepos being as I have said the most eminent Dignities amongst these Pagans and held by them as Saints then appeared the Xemin Pocasser the King of Bramaaes Uncle who seemed to be near an hundred years old and was as the rest all in mourning and invironed with twelve little boyes richly apparelled carrying on their shoulders Courtelasses curiously Damasked After that the Xemin had with a great deal of Ceremonie prostrated himselfe three times on the ground in way of extraordinary reverence O holy flesh said he which art more to be â—steâ—med then all the Kingdomes of Avaa thou orient Pearle of as many Carats as there be Atomes in the beams of the Sun whom God hath placed in an height of Honour with a Scepter of Soveraign power above that of Kings I that am the least of thy meiny and so unlike thee through my baseness as I can scarcely see my self so little I am do most humbly beseâ—ch thee O thou Lord of my head by the fresh Meadow where thy soul doth now recreat thy self to hear that with thy sorrowful ears which my mouth sayes to thee in publick to the end thou maist remain satisfied for the offence which hath been done thee in this world Oretanan Chaumigrem thy brother Prince of Savady and Tanguu sends to intreat thee by me thy slave that before he departs out of this life thou wilt pardon him that which is past if he have given thee any discontent and withall that thou wilt take possession of all his Kingdomes because he doth even now yeild them up unto thee without reserving the least part thereof for himself withall he protests unto thee by me thy vassal that he makes this reconciliation with thee voluntarily to the end that the complaints which thou maiest prefer against him there above in heaven may not be heard of God Moreover for a punishment of the displeasure he hath done thee he offers to be for thee during this pilgrimage of life the Captain and Guardian of this thy Kingdome of Pegu for which he does thee homage with an oath to accomplish alwaies upon earth whatsoever thou shalt command him from heaven above upon condition that thou wilt bestow the profit which shall arise thereof upon him at an almes for his entertainment for he knowes very well that otherwise he should not be permitted to possess the Kingdome neither would the Menigrepos ever consent thereunto nor at the hour of death give him absolution for so great a sinne Upon these words one of the Priests that was present and that seemed to have more authoritie then all the rest made him answer as if the deceased himself had spoken Since I see O my Sonne that thou doest now confesse thy past faults and cravest pardon of me for them in this publick assembly I do grant it thee with all my hearâ— and it pleases me to leave thee in this Kingdome for the pastor of this my flock on condition that thou dost not violate the faith thou hast given me by this oath which would be as great an offence as if thou shouldst now come to lay hands on me without the permission of Heaven All the people having heard these words answered thereunto with joyfull voices Perform so much my Lord my Lord. After this the Priest being got into the pulpit began to speak thus to the assistants Present me with part
amounting to the number of seven or eight thousand men amongst the which were six and twenty Portugals of forty that were with the King But these ministers of Satan not contented with having committed so horrible a Treason went directly to the Queens lodging where having found her sick in her bed they most mercilesly butchered her with three of hâ—r Daughters and all the women they could meet withall After this with an inraged fury they set fire on the Town in six or seven places which kindling by the violence of the vvinde that was very high at that time it took hold of it in such sort as in lesse then two hours it was almost burnt down to the ground Whereupon vve seven and twenty Portugals that remained retired with much adoe to our Vessel vvhere we saved our selves as it vvere by miracle leaving our anchor in the sea and setting sail with all the speed we could The next morning the mutiners who were about ten thousand having sacked the Town divided themselves into two troops and retired to a hill called Canaphamaâ— there they fortified themselves with an intent to create a new Head that should govern them because the Fucarandono had been slain with the stroak of a lance which he had received in his throat together with all the rest of his kinsmen which had given a beginning to this Mutinie The same day after the end of this disorder advertisement was given thereof to the Prince the Kings Son who was at that time in the fort of Osquy some seven leagues from the town of Fucheo This young Prince extremely afflicted with this newes would presently have gone to the town with some of his favorites which were all the company that he had then with him but the Fingeindono his governor was utterly against it alledging many reasons to perswade him not to budge from that place until he had been more amply informed in what termes this affair stood for it was very credible that they who durst kill his father would not stick to dispatch him out of the way too since it lay in their power so to doe he not being in a condition to defend himself Wherefore he advised him to assemble all the forces he could to the end he might by their means subdue and chastise his enemies The Prince approved of this counsell and having taken order for that which he judged was most necessary according to the estate wherein he as he commanded some that were about him to go and wind the horn a thing observed in Iapan which caused such a hurly burly over all the country as words are not able to expresse it Now the better to understand this same you must know that by an ancient custome of this Kingdome of Iapan all the inhabitants in whatsoever place they lived from the least to the greatest are bound to have in their houses a horn of a great sea-winckles shell which they are forbidden at any time to winde upon pain of great punishment save in one of these four cases namely a tumult a fire a robberie and a treason so that if one winds a horn the cause of it is presently known because if it be a tumult one winds it once if a fire twice if a robberie thrice and if it be a treason four times insomuch that at the first winding of the horne all others are bound upon pain of death to wind theirs and in such sort as the first hath winded his to the end that it may be distinctly known what it is and that there may be no confusion Now because this signal of treason is not so ordinary as the others which arrive very often when it happens to be given all the people are so affrightrd with it as without further delay they run thronging to the place where the horn was first winded so that by this means the bruit passeth from one to another with such speed as within lesse then an hour one is advertised thereof above twenty â—eagues about But to return to that which I said but now as soon as the Prince had given order for that particular he retired into a Monastery of Religious persons which stood in the midst of a wood there he remained shut up three daies during the which he did nothing but bewail his Father Mother and Sisters and that vvith exceeding demonstrations of sorrovv testified by his sighs and tears At the end of that time in regard great numbers of his subjects vvere assembled unto him he went out of that Monastery to provide for that which he judged necessary as well for the safety of his kingdome as for the chastisement of the rebels vvhose goods and estates were immediately confiscated their houses demolished and such terrible Proclamations published against them as could not be heard without trembling Seven daies after this deplorable event the Prince was counselled in regard he had as already I have said great numbers come unto him to go and besiege the ten thousand Mutiners in the place of their retreat Whereupon he parted from the fort of Osquy and marched directly to the town with his Army which it was said consisted of very neer an hundred and thirty thousand men whereof seventeen thousand were horse and the rest foot all lusty and well armed and capable of executing any high enterprise Being arrived at the town he was vvonderfully vvell received by the people vvho â—estified a great deal of resentment for the death of the late King his father He vvould not go at first to the Roiall Palace but went before he past any further to the Pagode where his father was buried there he took care to make him a funerall Pomp with a great deal of cost and honor according to the manner of the country which lasted the two nights following In conclusion he was shewed the same robe all bloudy that his father had on when he was killed upon which he took a solemn oath never to pardon any of them that should be found guilty no not if they were Bonzes and to burn all the Temples whereinto those traitors had fled for sanctuary The fourth day after his entry into the town he was proclaimed King though but with little ceremony and magnificence in regard of the general mourning That done accompanied as he was with an hundred and threescore thousand men he marched directly to the place whither the mutiners were retired Now to the end he might the more easily take them and keep them from flying away he besieged them in the mountain where they were and that for the space of nine daies But whereas they saw that they could hold out no longer for lack of victuals and that they had no hope of succor they thought it was better for them to die like valiant men then to let themselves be besieged like cowards vvith this resolution under the favor of a very dark and rainy night they descended from the mountain by four severall waies and falling
for they demolished and burnt all that they could find they put to death withall twelve hundred Christians amongst the which were eight hundred Portugals who were all burned alive in five and twenty ships and two and forty Juncks It is said that in this common ruine there was lost to the value of two millions of Gold as well in Lingots Pepper Sandal Cloves Mace and Nutmeggs as in other Commodities and all these desasters arrived by the ill conscience and little judgment of an avaricious Portugal Now from this misfortune was another farre greater derived which was that we lost our credit and reputation so mightily over all the Country as the inhabitants would no longer endure the sight of us saying that we were divels incarnate ingendred by the malediction of the wrath of God for the punishment of sinners This hapned in the year one thousand five hundred forty and two Martim Alfonso de Sousa being Governor of the Indiaes and Ruy Van Pereyra Marramaque Captain of Malaca Two years after the Portugals desiring to make another new Colony in a Port called Chincheo in the same Kingdome of China five leagues lower then Liampoo with an intention to settle their trade there the Merchants of the Country coming to consider what great profit would redound to them thereby intreated the Mandarins to make shew of permitting it and obliged them thereunto with many great presents we had commerce then with those of the Country about two yeares and an half untill such time as by the expresse command of Simano de Mello Captain of the Fortresse there was sent into this place another man of the same humor as Lancerote Pereyra was of unto whom the said Simano de Mello gave a commission to be Governor of this Port of Chincheo and Provisor of the Deceased but the bruit went of him that the extream covetuousnesse wherewith he was possest made him lay hands on all things without any the least respect to ought whatsoever It hapned then that in his time there arrived in the Port of Chincheo a stranger by nation an Armenian who was held by every one for a very good Christian This man who had an estate of ten or twelve thousand duckets and being a Christian as I have said and a stranger as we were passed out of a Mahometans Junck wherein he was into the ship of a Portugal named Luis de Montaroyo Now having lived some six or seven months very peaceably amongst us and much respected and favored of every one he chanced to â—all sick of a feaver whereof he died but before he gave up the Ghost he declared by his Testament that he had a wife and children in a town of Armenia called Gaborem and that of his twelve thousand duckets estate he left two thousand to the Hospitall at Malaca and for the rest he desired it might be kept in safe hands untill there were an opportunity to have consigned it unto his children as to his lawfull heirs and in case they were dead he left it to the Hospitall Behold what was the Testament of this faithfull Christian who was no sooner buried but Ayrâ—z Botelho de Sousa Provisor of the dead seized on all his estate without making any Inventorie or other kind of accompt saying that before any farther proceeding therein they were to send to make enquiry in Armenia which was above two thosand leagues from thence to see whether there were not some ingagements or seizure of Justice upon it There arrived also at the same time two Chinese Merchants who had to the value of three thousand duckets in silk peeces of damaske musk and porcelaines appertaining to the deceased Armenian the Provisor arrested them all and not contented therewith he would needs make the Chineses beleeve that all the merchandise which they had belonged also unto the Armenian so that under the pretext thereof he took eight thousand duckets from them and bid them go to Goa and there demand justice of the Provisor Generall by reason he could do no otherwise then he did for that he was obliged to deal in that sort by the duty of his Charge Now not to stand upon the delivering of the reasons which in vain were alledged by them against this injustice of his I will only say that these two Merchants returning home without any of their merchandise went with their Wives and Children and casting themselves at the Chaems feet represented unto him in a Petition the whole businesse as it past informing him moreover that we were men quite-void of the fear of God The Chaem willing to do justice then to these Merchants and to many others which had formerly complained against us caused it to be every where proclamed that no man on pain of death should converse with us whereupon the scarcity of victuals came to be so great amongst us as that which was wont to be bought for six blanks was then worth above a ducket so that necessity constrained us to go unto certain hamlets whereupon ensued such disorders as all the Country rose up against us with so much hatred and fury that sixteen daies after we were set upon by an Army of an hundred and twenty very great Juncks which intreated us in that manner for our sins as ofthirteen ships which we had in the Port there was not one that was not burnt and of five hundred Portugals which were abiding in the Country thirty only escaped who had not the worth of a penny left them From these two sad histories recounted by me I inferre that it seemes the Affairs which we have now in China and the tranquillity and confidence wherewith we live there supposing that the treaties of peace which we have with them be firm and assured wil last but til our sins shal serve for motives to the inhabitants of the Country to mutine against us which God of his infinite mercy permit not for the time to come To return again now to my former discourse you must understand that after we were arrived at the Port of Lampacau as I have declared before we could not meet with any vessel that was bound for Iapan so that we were constrained to passe another year too in this Port with a design in May following which was ten months off to continue our voyage as we had resolved Father Belquior and I perceiving that there was no hope of going to Iapan this yeare as well for that the season was past as for other inconveniences that fell out we were forced to stay in this Iland till the time should serve for us to make our voyage thither Having continued there then til the seventeenth of Feb. following certain news came to us from Cantan that on the third day of the same month the Province of Sansy had been swallowed up in the manner ensuing The first day of Frebruary the earth fel a trembling from eleven til one of the clock at night and the next day from midnight til two in the