them and to send to us those Traitors The Letters were dated the last of October 1652. after which the Great Duke sent another of the 5 of Ianuary 1653. to the same effect save that at the end of the Letter were added the lines following Since that time there came to us in the moneth of December last Peter Micklaf of Novogorod who hath informed us how that in pursuance of your Orders the said Traitor had been secured in your Ducal City of Neustat and that upon the Remonstrance made to you by the said Micklaf you had translated him to Gottorp to be there kept under a good and sure guard Wherefore we send back again unto you the said Micklaf with Letters from our Czaarick Majesty to entreat you to deliver up the said Traitor to him and Basili Spilki that he may have no further opportunity to escape and raise new troubles in the World In acknowledgement whereof our Czaarick Majesty shall serve your Highness in such occasions as shall present themselves This Robber and Traitor to our Czaarick Majesty named Timoska is of very mean Birth the son of a Linnen-Draper that dealt only in coarse cloaths named Demki Ankudina of the Suburbs of Vologda His Mother is called Salmaniska and his Son who is yet living Tereska Timoska was an under Officer in the Nova Zetvert and he hath robb'd our Treasury hath kill'd his Wife and with his own house hath burnt several other houses that were near his whereby many of our Subjects have been ruined Wherefore knowing that he could not avoid death otherwise than by flight he got away in the manner we have mentioned Given at our Czaarick residence of Moscou the third of January in the year of the Worlds Creation 7161. and of the birth of our Saviour 1653. After this he also writ a third Letter of the 17 of October the same year upon which the Prisoner was delivered up to those whom the Great Duke had appointed to receive him One of these Deputies was the same Spilki whom Timoska had cheated of his Wife's coller and Pearls To be Gossips is a great allyance in Muscovy besides they had been fellow-Officers in the same Employment wherefore Spilki desired his Highness would give him leave to see the Prisoner and to speak to him in the presence of some Officers of the Court But Timoska behaved himself as if he knew him not and would not speak the Muscovian but the Polish language purposely to gravel the other who could not speak it well Spilki asked him whether his name were not Timoska Ankudina and whether he had not robb'd the Great Duke's Treasury and committed several other enormous crimes Timoska made him answer that it might be Timoska Aukudina had robb'd the Great Duke's Treasury or converted his money to his own use but that he was not concern'd in it That his name was Iohannes Sinensis and in the Polish language Zuiski cunningly avoiding to hint at what he had said before to wit that he was Son to the Great Duke Iohn Basilouits Zuski But when Spilki ask'd him whether he remembred not his life past the other derided him gave him injurious language and added that he could not acknowledge him in the quality of a Poslanick since he was but a poor Shop-keeper and seller of Pins alluding to his name Spilki which signifies a Pin-maker Timoska would needs one day intreat his Highness of Holstein to appoint his Chancellor and some others of his Councel to receive from his own mouth the state of his affairs They askt him what house and family he was of and whether he were of kin to the Great Duke why the Great Duke persecuted him and wherein he could any way prejudice him He answer'd that it was known his name was Iohannes Sinensis and in the Polish language Zuski that at his Baptism he had been named Timotheus that he was the Son of Basili Domitian Suiski and that he had been so surnamed from a City in Muscovy called Suia That he was originally a Muscovite but born and brought up in Poland in the Province of Novogarka Severskhio and that he was hereditary Lord of Hukragina Severska upon the Frontiers of Muscovy That the Great Duke was not his Kinsman in as much as the Great Duke's Father had been but a Gentleman whereas his was a Prince born and that was the reason why the Great Duke persecuted him That the Cham of Tartary who was then ingaged in a War against the King of Poland would have employ'd him in a War against the Great Duke but he had a greater affection for the Country of his Predecessors than to trouble its quiet That it was in his power to send above a 100000 men into Muscovy but that God of his goodness had diverted his thoughts from doing any such thing He had written somewhat to that purpose to the Patriarch For the Poslanick who came from Sueden having enter'd into a Familiarity with him and advised him to write to the Patriarch as the most likely person to procure his pardon he resolv'd to do it and deliver'd his Letter to the Poslanick in which he writ to the Patriarch that he was indeed a Muscovite and at his Baptism had been named Timothy whereof the word Timoska is the diminutive That he had had a desire to enter Muscovy with an Army of 300000 men but that he had been diverted from that pernicious design by the Guardian Angel of Muscovy That thereupon he came to himself and was resolved to return into his Country whereas had he been minded to continue his wicked life it had been easie for him to get out of the prison at Neustat but that it was his intention to return into Muscovy voluntarily with those whom the Great Duke had appointed to conduct him The Poslanick who doubted not but that upon this Letter he would have made such a confession as night have convinc'd him open'd and read it in his presence But he had to do with a man whom so small a matter would not make to betray himself He would perswade them that the Poslanick was a cheat and that the Letter was counterfeited that he had never writ it and to make good what he said he writ another Letter of a Stile and Character so far different from that of the former that the Poslanick mad to see himself so abused flung it in his face Timoska took it up and tore it to pieces But the distraction of his conscience was but too apparent in the inconsistency of his depositions and the declarations he had made both by word of mouth and writing For one while he said he was Son to the Great Duke Basili Iuanouits Zuski and another he said his Fathers name was Basile Domitian though it was known that in that time there were but three Lords of the House of Zuski and not any of them was of that name Sometimes he would be thought a Polander and would confidently
had in it two or three fair Structures one whereof being over the Gate had many noble Appartments In the midst of the Garden there is a very high place within which was the Sepulchre of the Mahumetan who had founded it and was there buried with all his Family The Tomb was covered with Marble and had several Arabian Inscriptions There is not any place in all those parts that hath so noble a prospect as this not only towards the Sea-side but also towards the Land where a man hath the sight of the noblest Champion Country in the World This is so pleasant a place that the Mogul being one day at Cambaya would needs take up his Lodging in the Garden and caused the Stones of the Sepulchre to be taken away that his Tent might be pitch'd there While I was taking a particular view of that Structure came up to us two English Merchants who obligingly reproach'd me with the slurre I put upon their Nation in preferring the House of a Mahumetan before their Lodge as if I had been but poorly entertain'd at Suratta and other places where I had lodg'd among them They proffered me their company to walk and promised to carry me the next morning to a place where an Indian Widow was to be burnt with her own consent I went at night to my Lodging whither the Brocker brought several Alcatifs or pieces of Tapistry quilted Coverlets Silk-stuffes Cottons Vessels Handles for Knives Seals Bracelets Rings and Buttons of Agat Cornelian and Jasper c. of all sorts of colours which pleased me very well but not being in a condition to spare any money I only bought some few trifles to keep in favour with my Merchant The next day the English Merchants came to my Lodging whence we went together to the River side without the City where this voluntary execution was to be done The Womans Husband was a Rasboute and had been kill'd near Labor 200. Leagues from Cambaya As soon as she had heard of his death she would needs do his Obsequies by causing her self to be burnt alive but whereas the Mogul and his Officers are Mahumetans who endeavour by degrees to abolish this heathenish and barbarous Custom the Governour had a long time oppos'd her desires under pretence that the news of her Husbands death being uncertain he could not consent to the doing of an inhumane action whereof there would afterwards haply be cause to repent The Governours design was to see whether time would abate any thing of her passion and the earnestness she was in to follow her Husband into the other World but seeing she was daily more and more instant to do it he permitted her to comply with the Laws of her own Religion She was not above twenty years of age yet we saw her come up to the place of her execution with so much confidence and a chearfulness so extraordinary to those who go to present and inevitable death that I was much inclin'd to believe that she had dull'd her senses with a dose of Opium which is as commonly used in the Indies as in Pâ—â—sia In the front of the Procession marched the Country Musick consisting of Haw-boys and and Timbrels Then follow'd a great many Maids and Women singing and dancing before the Widow who was drest in her richest Cloathing and had her Fingers her Armes and Legs loaden with Rings Bracelets and Carkanets After her came a confused company of Men Women and Children and so concluded the Procession She made a stop at the Funeral Pile which had been purposely erected for the Ceremony The Woman had wash'd her self in the River that she might meet her Husband in a state of Purity in regard the body of the deceased being not upon the place she could not accompany it in its passage into the other World The Pile was of the wood of Apricock-trees among which they had put in some Sanders and Cinnamon Having look'd upon it with a certain contempt she took leave of her Kindred and Friends and distributed among them the Rings and Bracelets she had about her I was something near her on horseback with the two English Merchants and I think she perceiv'd in my countenance that I pitied her whence it came that she cast me one of her Bracelets which I had the good hap to catch and still keep in remembrance of so extraordinary an Action As soon as she was got upon the Pile they set fire to it which she perceiving pour'd on her head a Vessel of persum'd Oly which the fire immediately taking hold of she was smother'd in an instant so as that she was not perceiv'd to make the least wry face at it Some that were present cast upon her several Cruses of Oyl which soon reduc'd the body to ashes while the rest of the Assembly fill'd the Air with their cries and shouts such as must needs have hindred those of the Widow to be heard if she had the time to make any in the fire which had made a sudden dispatch of her as if it had been Lighting The Ashes were cast into the River I was told that this barbarous Custom had been introduc'd among the Pagans of those parts upon this account that Polygamy occasioning much heart-burning among the Women arising either from the little satisfaction they could have from a man who is oblig'd to divide his affections or the jealousie which is unavoidable among Rivals of that Sex it happened that the Women procur'd their Husbands death and 't was found that in one year there had been four Men buried for one Woman so that to oblige them to be careful of their Husbands lives it was ordered that such as were desirous to be accounted honest Women should be ingag'd to accompany their Husbands at their death and to be burnt together with their bodies Certain it is that the Persians and other neighbouring Nations have ever had so particular a veneration for the fire that it is not to be admir'd they should chuse rather to reduce their deceased to ashes then bury them I say this Obligation of dying with their Husbands was imposed only on those Women who stood upon the reputation of honesty yet so as they were engag'd thereto only by a principle of honour there being not any punishment to be inflicted on such as refused to follow them in that dreadful journey other then that they were not admitted into the company of Persons of quality as being looked on as infamous Women They who are not so scrupulous and stand not so much upon the punctilio of Honour and prefer their lives before their reputation do ordinarily strike in among the publick Dancers The Ceremony being over I went to see one of the chiefest Merchants of the City named Myrsabeg to whom I had Letters of recommendation from the Director of the Engglish Commerce at Amadabat He was not at home but I found him on the River side looking on some Workmen he had about
upon the stairs leading up to them several Figures of Wood Stone and Paper representing their deceased Kindred whose lives had been remarkable for some extraordinary good fortune They do their greatest Devotions in the moneth of August during which they mortifie themselves by so great abstinencies as might pass elsewhere for no less then miraculous it being certain that there are some who for the space of fifteen dayes or three weeks nay sometimes a moneth or six weeks live without taking any thing but water into which they put the scrapings or thavings of a certain bitter Wood which is conceived to have somewhat of nourishment in it I must confess this will not easily be credited but it is so acknowledged a Truth in the Indies that it is not disputed by their greatest Enemies They have also about that time many Assemblies in their Mosqueys where their discourse is concerning the lives of their departed Saints and there are read certain Legends the people standing about the Braman who sits down in the midst of them having his mouth cover'd with a Linnen-cloath As they go into the Mosquey they bestow their Charities casting them into a great Copper basin which they place before the Pagode and in requital they receive a mark with the Sandal-wood which is made in their Foreheads or upon their Clothes While they are discoursing about their Saints which lasts for the most part four or five hours they are entertain'd with Musick which is paid for out of the Charities that had been collected among them for the poor They burn the bodies of aged persons but bury those of Children who dye under three years of age Their Widows are not obliged to burn themselves with their departed Husbands but they promise perpetual Widowhood All that make profession of this Sect may be admitted to Priesthood Nay Women are receiv'd into that Function provided they be above twenty years of age but the Men are admitted into it at seven eight and nine years of age To become Priests all they have to do is to put on the habit to accustom themselves to the austerity of that kind of life and to make a vow of Chastity Any one of the married couple hath the priviledge to become a Priest and by that means to oblige the other to celibate for the remainder of his or her life There are some make a Vow of Chastity in the state of marriage but this is seldom seen and when it is those who make such Vows are not overstrict in the observance of them All the other Castes or Sects of the Benjanes have an aversion and contempt for this and condemn it so much that their Doctors continually exhort their Auditours to shun the Conversation of those people so that they will not only not eat or drink with them but they would not so much as set a foot in their Houses though it were to avoid an imminent and inevitable danger and such as are so unhappy as to touch them are obliged to do a publick and severe pennance The second Sect of the Benjans called Samarath hath this common with the former that it permits not the killing of any Creature or Insect that hath life nor the eating of any thing that hath had it This Sect consists of Lock-makers Smiths Farriers Carpenters Taylors Shooe-makers Furbishers and all other Tradesmen admitting among them even Souldiers Clerks and other Officers Their Religion is different from that of the former in that they believe that this World was created by a first cause which governs and preserves all with a soveraign and unchangeable power They call him in their Language Permiseer and assign him three Substitutes who have their several Functions under his Superintendency The first who is called Brama hath the disposal of all Souls which he sends into such Bodies as Permiseer appoints either of Men or Beasts The second whom they call Buffiuna teaches the World to live according to Gods Commandments which they have disposed into four Books He hath also the oversight of Provisions and advances the growth of Wheat Herbs and Pulse after Brama hath endued them with Souls The third named Mais exercises his power over the dead He is also Secretary to Permiseer and takes the good and bad works of the deceased into examination that he may make a report thereof to his Master who having examin'd both the one and the other sends the Soul into a Body where she doth more or less pennance proportionably to the good or ill she hath done in the former Those that are sent into the body of a Cow are accounted the most happy in regard that that Beast having something Divine in it according to their opinion they hope in a short time to be purified of the sins which they had committed during their continuance in the former body But those which are forc'd to take up their second habitations in the bodies of Elephants Camels wild Oxen Goats Asses Leopards Swine Serpents or any other unclean Beast are on the contrary thought most unhappy inasmuch as at their departure out of them they pass into the bodies of other Beasts either tame or less wild where they compleat the expiation of the Crimes for which they were condemned to those punishments The same thing happens also to those souls which are in the bodies of some Creatures that dye before they have compleated their Purification which being absolutely consummated Mais presents the Souls so purified to Permiseer who receives them into the number of his Servants They burn the bodies of the deceasâ—d save only those of Children under three years of age but they have this particular Ceremony that these Obsequies are performed on the side of a River or Brook whither they carry the sick persons when they are past hopes of recovery that they may expire there There is no Sect in which the Women sacrifice themselves so cheerfully to the memory of their Husbands as in this Sect of Samarath For they are perswaded that the promise which Buffiuna makes them in the Law he gave them from Permiseer is infallible to wit that if a Woman hath so great an affection for her Husband as to burn her self with him after his death she shall live with him in the other World seven times as long and shall enjoy him with seven times as much satisfaction as she had done in this which hope makes them look on death but as a passage through which they are to enter into a beatitude and bliss whereof they had in this world but a small earnest As soon as the Women are delivered there is presented to the new born Child an Inkhorn Paper and Pens and if it be a Boy they add a Bow and Arrows to signifie that Buffiuha will write his Law in his understanding and that one day he shall raise his Fortunes by the Wars For as we said before this Sect admits of Souldiers but those among
flaming Mount. Joartam Gerrici Surabaia Cidaye Taboan Cajam Japara Matram or Matavam Pati and Dauma Taggal Monucaon Jacattra Bantam The Kings Palace A Drum for a Clock The Guard of the town Market places Armourers Tuban The Javians Mahumetans Fasts Divers Wives Tourg â—â—â—riages Magistrate of Bantam The Kings Councel The train and state of the Nobility The qualities of the Javians Good Souldiers Javians Sophuticate their wâ—res How they imploy their Slaves Strongers commerâ—s there The trade of China Coin of Java The Portuguez Commerce Oysters of three hundred weight Crocodiles Civet Hens Rhinocerot Ants. Areca Mangas Ananas Samaca Tamarindâ— Tabaxir Boats of Canes Duriaons Lantor Cubebs Mangosthan Talasse Jaca Wild Cinnamon Carcapuli Costus Indicus Zerumbet Galanga Benjamin Sandale Ginger Anacardium Palo de cuebro Calamba Lacque Other Drugs in Java The Dutch fortifie in Jacatra Batavia Madura place of no trading Baly It s sâ—ituation 〈◊〉 Abounds in Rice Fowl Drugs Fish Gold Mines Pulo raza The Isle of Borneo Borneo the Town Bazar The Haven The Hollanders treat with the King of Sambas Celebes Islâ— Amboyna The inhabitants The discovery The Hollanders take Amboyna Castle Religion Consult with the Devil Superstitioâ—s Circumcision Marriage Oaths Sorcerers Their qualities Iâ—dotible Profaneness The Hollanders possess it intirely Banda Arms. They live long Nutmegs Maces The Oyl of Nutmeg The Hollanders Forts in Banda Prodigioâ—â— Serpents Molucques Sagu a sort of bread How they make bread of it Wine from the same Tree The Inhabitants Partly Mahumetans A particular policy The Clove â—ade The Portuguez seize it Dispossest by the Hollanders A difference between the Castilians and the Portuguez for the Moluccaes Grounded on a false supposition Magellan finds a new passage Ternate Gamma lamma Cloves The tree grows without planting Avicenna's errour What cloves the Moluccaes yields yearly The Mountain of Ternate But one season in the Moluccaes Cusos A Wood incombustible Leaves turn'd to Butterflyes Tidor Birds of Paradise King of Bachiam Machiam Philippins Manille Hunting of Crocodiles The Commerce of the Chineses and Spaniards in the Philippins The Archbishop of Manilla is Viceroy The City of Manilla It is doubted whether it be on Island or Continent The names and revenues of the Great Lords of Japan The Revenues of the Ministers of Stâ—te The Emperour of Japan's policy The Lords have three names Slaves dye with their Masters Their mannâ—r of ripping their bellies Their Mesquites The Cities of â—apan are not wall'd No Impositions in Japan The poweâ— of Masters over their Servants Gaming a Crime All the Relations of Offenders die with them A particular Punishment for Theâ—t The Crimes for which all the Kindred are put to death A horrid execution Lying punished with death The Emperours expence Jedo Castle The Palaces of the Kings The Emperours Retinue The Dayro The Emperours magnificence His Treasures The Emperour of Japan is a vice-roy Conâ—ines hiâ— Wife to a Castle How the Emperour of Japan came to thâ— Crown Ceremonies at the choic of a Nurse for the Dayro's son A revolution in Japan A Souldier of Fortune gets to be General of the Army And Soveraign Iâ— poyson'd Bestoâ— the Regency on one of the Lords Puts to death the Heir of the Cown The Emperour of Japan raises hâ—â— Armies upon the charge of h Subjects Can raise 368000. foot and 38800. horse Their Arms. Their Companies and Regiments The Council of State The expences of great Lords Provisions dear The 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 in their buildings Three years requisite to 〈◊〉 an entrance for the Emperour The Emperour marries all the great Lords The women kept in restraint Women never talk of business The generosity of a â—aponnese Wife An example of modesty in a 〈◊〉 Another example of modestie The reservedness of their conversotien They are jealous Adultery severely punished Fornication permitted They have no Devotion Their Pagodes and Priests Distinguished into several Sects A cruel kind of death Their opinion concerning the Soul No disputes about Religion They haâ—e Christians Diabolical inventions to put Christians to death Their Houses They are civil No drinking houses in Japan Their Musick Their Wine Tsia how prepared Their Marriages Their education of their Children Go not to School till seven or eight years of age Not swath'd The Japonneses tender in point of honour An Example of it Are good Friends What Forraigners trade thither The occasion of the rupture between the Chineses and the Japonneses Japan was not peopled by Chineses No Custom paid in Japan No correspondence between the Emperour of Japan and other Princes Their Arithmetick The Dayâ—ro writes the History of the Country The Money of Japan Japan well stored with Cottel and Fowl Their Physicians The riches of Japan A particular way of meltiâ—g Iron The Roman Catholâ—â—â— Religion planted in Japan The Spaniards baâ—ished it The Dutch established there The Air of Japan Have many good qualities Are distinguished into five Orders The principal Ministers of Japan The Procession of the Dayro and Emperour The Dayro's baggage The Ladies of Honour 27. Lords of the Dayro's Retinue 24. Gentlemen The Dayro's three Wives The chief Servants of those Ladies 68. Gentlemen The Emperour and his Word The greatest Lords of Japan The Dayro's Concubines He Sacretary His Musick The Dayro The Issâ— of Tayovang The Dutch settle there And 〈◊〉 new Zealand Fermosa An Anarchy The places possessed by the Dutch The Inhabitants of Fermosa Are civil and good natured Are ingenious 〈◊〉 Their Wine Their women go afishing How the 〈…〉 Their huntâ—â—g The manner of their 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The Island of Tugin Their Magistracy It s Authority Their punishments The Magistrate hath no power They have a respect for old Age. The Age of the men in order to marriage Their marriages A pleasant married life The Women bear no children till 35. years of Age. Divorce lawful among them Their houses Their sustenance Have no Festivals Dogshair-stuffs Their Funerals They neither bury nor burn the dead A mad ramedy against painful diseases Their Religion Their Sins Their Gods Women only employed about their Mysteries Their devotion 〈◊〉 Quakerisin The Kingdom of China Its Frontiers It s extent The Provinces whereof it consists The 〈◊〉 The Province of Peking Its Frontiers Its Cities The number of its Families Its Revenues Xuntien described The Palace The Province of Xansi Its Frontiers Its Cities Families Revenue The qualities of the Country The Province of Xensi Its Frontiers The number of its Families Its Revenues Gold Mines Rhubarb Musk. The great Wall By whom built The Province of Xantung Its Frontiers Silks Its Cities and Families It s Revenue The Province of Honan Its Frontiers Its Cities and Families It s Revenui The Province of Suchuen Its Frontiers Its Cities and Families It s Revenue Radix Sina The Province of Huquang Its Frontiers Its Families It s Revenue The Province of Kiangsi Its Frontiers Its Cities and Families Its Revenues Porcelane made in Kiangsi The Province of Nanking Its
stood in most need of his service and assistance It was also a very strange Adventure which made him find civil entertainment and hospitality at Surat made him subsist at the charge of others conducted him by Land to the Great Mogul's Court brought him safely back again to Surat preserv'd the ship he was in after so many tempests near the Cape of Good-Hope and miraculously deliver'd him at his first arrival into England when he was given over for irrecoverably lost in the very haven as may be seen neer the end of his Travels To these Mandelslo had a particular inclination and knew so well how to make his advantages thereof that Olearius himself makes no difficulty to confess that he met with in his Notes many things which might have been added to his Relation and have found a kind reception even among the more Curious had he been as forward to have his Travels publish'd as he had been to prosecute them But Mandelslo instead of giving the world that satisfaction and continuing with his Friend who might have further'd him in his design left the Court of Holstein where he found not employment proportionable to his merit and betaking himself to another Profession he got into a Regiment of Horse commanded by a German who purely by his Military accomplishments had rais'd himself to one of the greatest dignities of France He had therein the Command of a Troop and being a person of much courage and endu'd with all the qualities requisite to the making up of a great man was likely to have rais'd himself to a more than ordinary fortune when coming to Paris to pass away the Winter he there died of the small Pox. Being at Surat in December 1638. he made a kind of Will concerning his Papers which he put before the beginning of his Relation wherein he desir'd his Friend Olearius not to suffer it to be publish'd in regard he had not had the leisure to digest it into order or if he did that he would rather regard therein his reputation after his death than the friendship they had mutually promis'd one another and faithfully improv'd during the four years of their joynt-Travels Mandelslo was no great Scholar but could make a shift to understand a Latin Author which helpt him much in the attaining of the Turkish Language wherein he came to a considerable perfection His Friend taught him also the use of the Astrolabe so that he was able to take the Longitudes and Latitudes that are in several places of his Book and without which it had been impossible for him to be much skill'd in Geography which makes the most considerable part of this kind of Relations Olearius hath indeed been very much his Friend not only in reforming and refining his Style which could not be very elegant in a person of his Profession but also in making several observations and additions thereto printing it in Folio in a very fair character and adorning it with several pieces of Sculpture Olearius's kindness to his Friend in enriching his Relation with many excellent remarks taken out of Emanuel Osorio Maffaeus and the chief Voyages of the Dutch gave the French Translator thereof A de VVicquefort occasion to augment the said Book with whatever he found excellent in all those who have given the best account of the East-Indies So that it is to him we are oblig'd for the exact description of the Province of Guzuratta the Kingdoms of Pegu and Siam c. the state of the affairs of Zeilon Sumatra Iava the Molucca's and Iapan as also for the Religions of these people So that there is in this Edition of ours especially as to the Travels of Mandelslo a third part more than there is in the largest of the German Editions The Reader will find therein many things which will haply seem incredible to him as among others he may haply be astonish'd at the wealth of a Governour of Amadabah and at that of a King of Indosthan as also at the vast revenues of the Provinces and Lords of China and Iapan but besides that there is nothing of Romance in all this and that there is no comparison to be made between the wealth of Europe and that of Asia there are many persons in France and England that will justifie our Relation though it said much more than it does I might here trouble the Reader with what I find in the Learned Vossius's Observations upon Pomponius Mela Lib. 3. c. 5. v. 16. concerning the length and breadth of the Caspian Sea wherein he differs from our Author and prefers the measure of it by our Countryman Ienkinson before that of Olearius But I choose rather to referr the more critical to the place it self and leave them to satisfie their own curiosity by conferring what is there said by Vossius with the account given by Olearius of the said Sea pag. 190 191 192. of this English Edition of the Travels I havâ— only this to add that the French Translator de Wicquefort promises the world if it be not abroad already a Piece of his own which coming out under the authentick name of History will contain some thing beyond what may be expected from a Relation A JOURNAL OF THE TRAVELS of the Ambassadors from the Duke of Holstein into MUSCOVY TARTARY and PERSIA Which may serve for a Table to this Relation THE FIRST VOYAGE INTO MUSCOVY M.DC.XXXIII OCTOBER THe 22. the Ambassadors from the Duke of Holstein leave Gottorp the occasion of the Embassy the names and qualities of the Ambassadors their retinue Pag 1. NOVEMBER The 6. they leave Hamborough where they took order for their Voyage come the next day to Lubeck the 8. to Travemunde where they embark'd the 9. ibid The 10. they pass away neer the Iland of Bornholm and anchor the 12. at Cap de Domines in Courland the 18. come to Dunemunde p. 2. The same day come to Riga the Magistrates Present Riga described its foundation is made an Archbishoprick subject to Poland taken by the Swedes its Fortifications and Commerce p. 3 The Ambassadors continue there neer a month DECEMBER The 14. they leave Riga and come the 18. to Wolmar 3. daies 18. l. the 20. to the Castle of Ermes the 21. to that of Halmet the 22. to that of Ringen and the 23. to the City Torpat or Derpt p. 3 A description of Torpat where they pass over the Christmass holy-daies ibid. M.DC.XXXIV IANVARY The 3. having left Torpat the 29. of December the Ambassadors came to Narva ibid. There they continue 5. months JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL and MAY during which they send part of their Train to Novogorod and go themselves to Reuel where the Swedish Ambassadors met them in order to their going together into Muscovy p. 4 MAY. The 15. leave Reuel and return to Narva the 18. ibid. The 28. they leave Narva come to Gam-Fort Kapurga the civilities of the Muscovian Ladies come to Iohannestal or St. Iohn's Valley p. 5 IVNE
away our baggage The Ambassadors follow'd the next day and three days after viz. the 10. we came to Reuel vvhence we stirr'd not for the space of three weeks But considering at last that the Baltick Sea was not Navigable that time of the year and being withal unwilling to stay there the rest of the Winter vve conceiv'd it vvould be our best course to be gone thence with the soonest and to prosecute our journey by Land through Prussia Pomerania and Mecklenbourg The Ambassadors left Reuel Ian. 30. having tabled most of their retinue with Mr. Henry Kosen and vvith a retinue of ten persons took their way to Riga The two first nights vve pass'd over at Kegel a house belonging to Iohn Muller Counsellor of the City of Reuel my Father-in-law vvhere vve vvere very vvell entertain'd Feb. 2. vve came to Parnau at vvhich place God was pleased to favour me with a great deliverance vvhich vvas thus discharging their Canon at our entrance the Tampion which they had forgotten to take out of one of the pieces pass'd very near me and struck against the vvall of the City Gate where it broke the splinters of it flying about my head with such violence that being stunn'd thereby it was half an hour ere I recover'd my self The City of Parnau is but a small one but hath a good Castle built of wood and after the Muscovian fortification to which the Houses the Gates and the Churches are suitable It is seated upon the little River of Parnau of Parnou which gives it the name and which rising out of the great Forrest near the little River Beca and the Castle of Weissenstein and receiving in its passage the waters of the Rivers Fela and Pernkeia disembougues it self into the Baltick Sea near this City which is divided into two parts the Old and the New 'T is numbred among the Hanseatick Towns though it hath not in a manner any other Commerce than that of Wheat Eric K. of Sueden took it from the Poles in the year 1562. but they recovered it again by stratagem in the year 1565. The Muscovites became Masters of it Iuly 9. 1575. but it was re-united to the Crown of Poland with the rest of Livonia by the Treaty of Peace made between that Crown and the Great Duke In the year 1617. the Suedes took it and have kept it ever since We met there with the Countess Dowager La Tour named Magdalene of the house of Hardek in Austria The Ambassadors sent me with tvvo more of our retinue to complement her and to make proffers of service to her in their names She took it so kindly that not content to make us drink his Highnesse's health three times over she forc'd us to take the bovvls out of her ovvn hands and in the mean time entertain'd us vvith much excellent discourse in commendation of his Highness and that Embassy as also concerning the manners and Religion of the Muscovites vvith a svveetness and gravity vvhich cannot vvell be express'd She vvould needs have the young Counts Christian and Henry her sons go to the Inn vvhere the Ambassadors vvere Lodg'd to complement them vvhich the young Lords perform'd handsomly and to heighten their civility they also stay'd Supper vvith them The next day the Countess sent us all manner of Provisions and Letters for Count Mathew Henry de la Tour her father-in-lavv She sent also to desire the Ambassadors to recommend her sons to his Highness and to assure him of their services when they should be of an age and in a capacity to do him any As we were getting on hors-back our Host shew'd himself an honest man and refus'd to take our money telling us the Countess had sent in most of the Provisions for the Ambassadors Supper and that the rest was not worth the reckoning so that to require his sincerity we gave him twenty Crowns But we were not got a League off the City ere we were overtaken by a man he had sent to return us our money and to tell us the Present was too small in requital of the trouble we had given him We sent back our Harbinger with the Messenger who gave the Host twelve Crowns more wherewith he seem'd to be satisfy'd The 6. We enter'd Riga The next day the Governour visited the Ambassadors and the 10. he made a great Feast for them to which he invited the chiefest of the City Some days following were also spent in Feasting among some or other of our friends Febr. 13. The Ambassadors left Riga having in their Company a certain Ambassador of France who was called Charles de Tallerand and assum'd the quality of Marquess of Exidueil Prince of Chalais Count of Grignol Baron of Marueil and Boswille Lewis xiii King of France and Navarre had sent him with Iames Roussel upon an Embassy into Turky and Muscovy But Roussel his Collegue had done him such ill Offices with the Patriarch that the Great Duke sent him to Siberia where he continu'd three years a prisoner till such time as the malice and artifices of Roussel who endeavour'd nothing so much as to inflame the differences between the Princes being discover'd he was set at liberty after the Partiarch's death During his restraint his diversion had been to learn by heart the four first books of Vergil's Aeneids which he had as they say ad unguen He was a person of an excellent good humour aged about 36. years We took our way through Courland and came the 4. about noon to Mittau This little City is situated in that part of Courland which is called Semgalles six Leagues from Riga and it is the place where the Duke ordinarily resides The Dutchy of Courland was some time part of Livonia from which it is divided by the River Dune but all this Province having been miserably ruin'd by the Suedes and Muscovites and the Archbishop of Riga and the Master of the Teutonick Order having submitted to the Crown of Poland with all they were still possess'd of there Sigismond Augustus King of Poland rais'd Courland to a Dutchy and gave it to Godard Ketler of Nesselrot last Master of the Teutonick Order in Livonia to be held immediately from the Crown of Poland Godard dies May 17. 1587. leaving by Anne the Daughter of Albert Duke of Meklenbourg two sons Frederick who died without issue and William who succeeded his brother in the Dutchy of Courland This William having been dispossess'd by Sigismond III. and the States of Poland was forc'd to live in Exile till that upon the mediation of several Foreign Princes he was re-establish'd in the year 1619. During the first War between Poland and Sueden the City of Mittau was taken by the Suedes who fortifi'd it and restor'd it not to the Duke of Courland till oblig'd thereto by a Cessation agreed on between those two Crowns in the year 1629. William's son who now hath the Dutchy and assumes the quality
came to Desan and at night to Mokriza a Village 8 leagues from Tzuerin The 11. We came to Novogorod At the entrance of the City the Pristaf took precedence of the Ambassadors though they endeavour'd to hinder him But as soon as we were lodg'd he desir'd the Interpreter to excuse the incivility he had been guilty of and to satisfie the Ambassadors that what he had done was by express order from the Weywode who would have done him some ill Office about the Great Duke if he had not obey'd him From Narva to Novogorod are counted 40 German leagues thence to Plescou 36. and to Moscou 120. leagues Novogorod is situated upon the River Wolgda at 58 degrees 23 min. elevation Lundorp in his Continuation of Sleidan puts it at 62. and Paulus Iovius at 64 degrees but at the exact observation I made of it on the 15 of March 1636. I found that at noon the Sun was above the Horizon 33 degr 45 min. and that the declination of the Sun by reason of the Leap-year because of 55. degr was 2 degr and 8 min. which being substracted out of the elevation of the Sun that of the Equinoctial line could be but 31 degr 27 min. which taken out of 90 degr there remains but 58 degrees 23 minutes Which almost agrees with the calculation made of it by Bureus some time Ambassador for the Crown of Sueden in Muscovy who puts the City of Novogorod at 58 degrees 13 minutes It is seated in a spacious plain upon the River Wolgda or Wolchou which hath its rise out of the Lake of Ilmen half a league above this City and crossing the Lake of Ladoga does in its way pass through the River Niova near Notebourg and by the Gulf of Finland falls into the Baltick Sea It abounds with all sorts of fish especially Breme which are there excellent good and very cheap But the greatest advantage accrews to this City from this River is by Commerce For being Navigable from its very source and the Country abounding in Wheat Flax Hemp Honey Wax and Russia Leather which is better dress'd at Novogorod than in any other City of Muscovy the easiness of the transportation of these Commodities brought thither not only the Livonians and Suedes who are Neighbours but also Danes Germans and Flemmings who setled themselves there so well that it was without dispute the greatest City for Trade in all the North. The Hanseatick Towns had an Office of Address in this City which enjoying many great Privileges under its Prince who had no dependance on the Great Duke was grown so powerful that it grew into a Proverb Ochto Moschet stoiati protif Bocho dai welik Novogorod Who can oppose God and the great City of Novogorod Some would compare it for greatness with Rome but they are mistaken For though it be called Weliki Novogorod the great Novogorod yet can it not be compar'd to Rome It 's not unlikely it hath been greater than it is now not only because it was the greatest for Commerce of any in the North but also for that all about may be seen the ruins of Walls and several Steeples which no doubt had been part of the City The number of its Steeples promises yet somewhat more great and noble than what may be now seen since that coming to the City we see onely VValls of VVood and Houses built with Beams lay'd one upon another Vithold Great Duke of Lithuania and General of the Polish Army was the first that in the year 1427. oblig'd it to pay a considerable Tribute which some would have amount to 100000 Roubles which come to above 200000 Crowns The Tyrant Iohn Basili Grotsdin having after a seven years War gain'd a great victory over an Army rais'd by this City in the moneth of November 1477 forc'd the Inhabitants to submission and to receive a Governour from him but considering withall that he could not make himself as absolute as he would be there and that it would be hard for him to settle himself there by force he thought it best to go thither in person pretending some concernments of Religion and that he would prevent their embracing the Roman Catholick The Archbishop Theophilus who had most authority there was the most forward to promote his design and the first rewarded for his pains For no sooner was the Tyrant got into the City but he pillag'd it so that at his departure thence he carry'd away three hundred Wagons loaden with Gold Silver and Jewels besides the rich stuffs and other sumptuous moveables which he dispos'd into other Wagons and convey'd to Moscou whither he also transported the Inhabitants and sent Muscovites thither in their stead But nothing contributed more to the destruction of this Citie than the bruitish cruelty of Iohn Basilouits Great Duke of Muscovy This Tyrant upon a meer suspition he had conceiv'd of the Inhabitants of Novogorod enter'd the City in the year 1569. and caus'd to be kill'd or cast into the River 2770. persons without any respect of quality age or sex besides an Infinite number of poor people who were trampled to death by a party of horse A Gentleman sent by the King of Denmark to this Tyrant eight years after the taking of the City relates in his Itinerary that persons of quality had assur'd him that there were so many bodies cast into Wolgda that the River stopping overflow'd all the neighbouring fields The Plague which soon follow'd this cruelty was so great that no body venturing to bring in Provisions the Inhabitants fed on the dead Carcasses The Tyrant took a pretence from this inhumanity to cause to be cut in pieces all those who had escap'd the Plague Famine and his former cruelty which was no doubt more dreadful than all the other chastisements of God I shall allege onely two Examples relating to Novogorod The Archbishop of this place having escap'd the first fury of the Soldiery either as an acknowledgement of the favour or to flatter the Tyrant entertains him at a great Feast in his Archiepiscopal Place whither the Duke fayl'd not to come with his Guard about him but while they were at Dinner he sent to pillage the rich Temple of St. Sophia and all the Treasures of the other Churches which had been brought thither as to a place of safety After Dinner he caus'd the Archbishops Palace to be in like manner pillaged and told the Archbishop that it would be ridiculous for him to act the Prelate any longer since he had not to bear himself out in that quality that he must put off his rich habit which must thence-forward be troublesome to him and that he would bestow on him a Bagpipe and a Bear which he should lead up and down and teach to dance to get mony That he must resolve to marry and that all the other Prelates and Abbots that were about the City should be invited to the Wedding setting down the precise sum which it was his pleasure
be carried away But they have been since baptized and have embrac'd Christian Religion by the means of a Bishop of Vladimer which the late Great Duke sent among them with some Priests to instruct them The Author who hath here made one digression to speak of the Samojedes though not falling under the Subject of his Travels thinks he may make another to say somewhat of Groenland as well in regard of the consonancy there is between the people of that Country and those he had now spoken of and also the Tartars of whom he will have occsion to speak hereafter as for that he hath seen and discoursed with some Inhabitants of Groenland who have told such particularities as would not be undelightful if M. de la Pcreire had not said before himall that could be said of a Country which is as little known as those parts of the World that have not yet been discover'd The Treatise he hath publish'd upon this Subject is such that we shall not need to repeat what he hath clearly and elegantly express'd but only add together with the opinion of our Author who thinks Groenland is a Continent and borders upon Tartary towards the East on one side and on America Westward on the other That Frederick III. King of Denmark coming to the Crown in the year 1648. had besides all other Royal Vertues a great desire to advance the Trade of Groenland Henry Muller Farmer General of the outland customs of Denmark a curious person and rich undertook it and to that end set out a Ship in the year 1652. commanded by Capt. David Dannel one of the most experienc'd Masters of his time The first Voyage having had the success was expected from it the said Muller sent him again to Groenland the next year 1653. But as men of business how curious soever they may be are carried away with some other predominant passion there was nothing learnt in these two Voyages at least those employ'd in them neglected to make any relation thereof that ever could be seen but in the year 1654. a Ship was set out which going from Copenhagen in the beginning of the Spring arriv'd not on the Coasts of Groenland till the 28 of Iuly at a place where the mountains were still cover'd with snow towards the shore the waters frozen and the bottom so hard that it being impossible the Anchor should fasten they were forc'd to let the Ship float upon the water because there were Rocks all about As soon as this Ship appear'd upon the Coasts of Groenland the Inhabitants set out above a hundred Boats and came to view that strange structure which was much different from what they ordinarily saw At first they would by no means come near it but seeing they were intreated to come into the Ship they at last came and in a few days were so familiar that with their commodities which they truckt for such toies as we had they brought also their Wives out of an intention to make advantage of them by another kind of Commerce which though it be not less known elsewhere yet is not so publickly practis'd as among them where fornication is neither crime nor sin The Danes thought this freedom of the Groenlanders a good opportunity to carry away some of them The Ship being ready to set sail for its return and the Savages coming still aboard with their Commodities a VVoman that had a great mind to a pair of knives which one of the Sea-men wore at his Gâ—rdâ—e offer'd him for it a Sea-Dogs skin which the Sea-man refusing as too little she proffer'd him a kindness into the bargain The Sea-man had no sooner express'd his being well satisfy'd with the proffer but she begins to unty the point for they as well as the men wear Drawers and would have laid her self down upon the Deck But the Sea-man made her apprehend that he would not have all see what they did and that she must go under Deck The Woman having got her Father's leave follow'd the Sea-man with two other aged Women a young Boy and a Girl of about 12 years of age who were to be present at the consummation of the bargain But as soon as they were down the hatch was shut they laid hold also of another Man and set sail The Savages perceiving they were trappan'd made a hideous noise in the Ship Those who were upon the Deck got into their Boats and follow'd the Ship a great way into the Sea to see if they could recover the Prisoners The Boy who went down with the Women got out at one of the holes the Cable is put out at and swam ashore They also sent back one of the Women as being too old to be transported so that they had but four persons one Man two Women and a Girl The trouble they were in to be among people they knew not was extraordinary but at last the kindness and good cheer wherewith they were entertain'd won their hearts together with the hope they were put into that within a short time they should be brought back again into their Country so that when they came to Bergues in Norway their affliction seem'd to be quite over nay the Man thought the Women of the Country so handsome and was got into so good a humour that a Lady of quality being come out of curiosity to see these Savages he proffer'd to try what she had under her apron This man dy'd in the Ship before we came to Denmark His Daughter seeing him in the agony of Death bound up his head in his Casaque and so let him dy His name was Ihiob aged about 40 years The older of the two women aged about 45 years was called Kuneling she by whose means they were taken was about 25. her name Kabelau and the Girls name was Sigoka The Plague then very rife all over Denmark had oblig'd the King to retire to Flensbourg in the Dutchy of Holstein where these Groenlanders were presented to him He boarded them at a Chirurgeons and order'd them to be well entertain'd as that at their return to Groenland whither he intended to send them with the first opportunity they might have occasion to celebrate the liberality of his Majesty and the civil entertainment of his Subjects The King honour'd the Duke my master so far as to send them to him to Gottorp where they were lodg'd in my house for some days which I spent in sifting our their humour and manner of life They were all three low of stature but strong being well proportion'd in all parts save that their faces were somewhat too broad and their eyes little but black and very lively especially the more aged of the two women and the Girl their hands and feet short in all things else like the Samojedes or Tartars of Nagaia save that they were beyond comparison much more black those being of a brown Olive-like colour their bodies much more swarthy than their faces and their skins much
and will maintain it to the utmost extremity Of this we have an example at Notebourg where two men made their capitulation in the year 1579. The Poles who had besieg'd the Castle of Suikols set it a fire as they were giving the assault yet the Muscovites made good the breach and maintain'd it even when the fire reach'd their Cloaths At the siege of the Abbey of Padis in Livonia they held out till they became so weakned for want of Provisions that they were not able to keep Guard nor to meet the Suedes at the Gate They are not indeed so fortunate in the field and very seldom gain'd any battel against the Poles or Suedes their Neighbours who have alwayes almost had the better of them so that it prov'd a harder matter to pursue them than to avoid their blows But certain it is withall that these misfortunes happen to them through the want of experience and conduct in their Generals rather than of courage in their Soldiers For as to the disgrace the Muscovites receiv'd at the Siege of Smolensko in the year 1633. it is to be ascribed to the Generals perfidiousness who paid his Master for his imprudence in putting the command of his Army into the hands of a Stranger He was a Polander named Herman Schein who to curry favour with the Duke had been so low-spirited as to receive re-baptization The Army he commanded consisted of above a hundred thousand men among whom were above 6000. Germans and several Muscovian Regiments exercised according to the German discipline and commanded by strange Officers French Germans and Scots three hundred pieces of Cannon and all other things requisite to carry on the Siege against that place which the Poles had taken some time before from the Muscovites The reduction of it had been so much the easier â—n that the City is compass'd but with one simple wall without ditch or any kind of fortification Whence it came that the Germans who had made a reasonable breach in it propos'd to have it carried at the first assault But the General oppos'd it saying That he would never suffer it should be reproach'd to the Prince his Master that he had rais'd so vast an Army to besiege a place which a handful of Germans would have taken in so few dayes and then presently to disband it The Colonels that were Strangers on the other side considering that the Great Duke's reputation would suffer by that Siege and the Army it self be destroy'd if it were not employ'd resolv'd to give the assault and were in a manner Masters of the breach when the General commanding the great Guns to be discharg'd at them they were forc'd to retreat They complain'd of that procedure so far as to make some discoveries of their distrust of his fidelity but he sent them word that if they kept not within the respect due to their General he should find a way to chastise them and that he would treat them as Muscovites So that not daring to make any further attempt the Army continu'd there some time without doing any thing and gave the King of Poland time enough to get together a small body of 5000. men who possess'd themselves of all the avenues by which the Muscovites receiv'd their provisions so as that within a few dayes their Army was more straightly besieg'd than the City it self It had been easy for the Muscovian General to prevent the Poles from taking up those posts but he gave them the leasure so to fortify themselves in them that it had been impossible for him to force them in their quarters even if he had attempted it The Muscovian Army being reduc'd to this extremity the General to hinder it from starving was forc'd to capitulate with the Poles to come in with the whole Army at mercy and with all that Noble Artillery to leave hostages for the ransome of all the Officers and Soldiers which the Great Duke was oblig'd to pay The General was so impudent as to return to Moscou and shew himself at Court where he had friends enough to protect him notwithstanding the charges put in against him by the Officers and Soldiers but the people express'd themselves so mov'd at his treachery that to prevent an insurrection which threatned both City and State they were forc'd to execute him publickly in the market-place Most of the great Ones had a finger in his Treason but lest he might accuse any they perswaded him that he should not be startled at those proceedings that it was only by way of pageant to give the people some satisfaction and that before execution his pardon would be brought him Which he the more easily credited for that his changing Religion had gain'd him the affection and favour of the Patriarch But he had no sooner layd his head upon the block ere a sign was made to the Executioner to strike it off The same day was executed also his Son who had some command under his Father at the Siege of Smolensko He was brought into the open place before the Castle where he was stripp'd stark naked and whipp'd to death All the rest of his kindred were banish'd into Siberia This execution happened in Iune 1634. The Muscovites spend not much in house-keeping nor the Bojares as well as those of a lower condition It is not above thirty years that their Lords and chiefest Merchants have built their houses of stone for before they were no better lodg'd than the meaner sort in very poor wooden buildings Their houshold-stuff are suitable to their Lodgings and commonly consist only in three or four pots and as many wooden or earthen dishes Some have pewter but very few and unless it be some few drinking cups and gobelets there is not any of silver They know not what scowring means in so much that the Great Duke's plate looks little better than the Tavern-pots which are made clean but once a year The better sort hang their rooms but with mat and to set them out yet a little better they have only two or three Images wretchedly painted They have few feather-beds but are content with mattresses nay with chaff or straw and if not that to be had they lye upon their cloaths which in Summer they lay upon a bench or table in the Winter upon their stoves which are flat as in Livonia In this Country it is that Master and Mistress Men and Maids are shuffled all together into the same room nay in some places in the Country I have seen the Poultry and the Pigs had ordinarily the same Lodging with the Masters of the house They are not acquainted with our delicate meats and sawces Their ordinary food is coarse Meal Turneps Coleworth and Cowcumbers both fresh and pickled Their great delicacy is Salt-fish which being not well salted infects the places near it so that you may smell their Fish-market at a great distance They cannot want Beef and Mutton there being good pastures all over
hath the same signification and etymologie Whence it is that they would also imitate the Emperours of Germany in their great seal which had a Spread-Eagle but the wings not so large as the Imperial Eagle's having on the breast in an Escutcheon one on hors-back fighting with a Dragon representing the Archangel St. Michael or rather St. George The three Crowns which are above and between the Eagle's heads signifie Muscovy and the two Kingdoms of Tartary Cassan and Astrachan The Tyrant Iohn Basilouits first used these Arms as willing to be thought descended from the antient Roman Emperours The Great Dukes Interpreters and the Germans who live at Moscou call him in their language Kaysar that is to say Caesar or Emperour But it is certain the word Czaar signifies King which may be seen in their Bible where the Muscovites speaking of David and his Successors Kings of Iudah and Israel they call them Czaars The Great Duke is indeed King in effect since other Princes stick not to treat him with the word Majesty the title of Great Duke being much below what that great Prince deserves Nor accordingly does he take the quality of Great Duke when he assumes that of of Welikoi Knez but that of Grand Seigneur as well as the Emperour of the Turks with whom he may be parallel'd not only in respect of the extent of his Empire but also by reason of the absolute power he hath over his Subjects No people in the World have a greater veneration for their Prince than the Muscovites who from their infancy are taught to speak of the Czaar as of God himself not only in their acts and publick assemblies but also in their entertainments and ordinary discourse Thence proceed their submissive forms of speaking The honour to see the brightness of the eyes of his Czaarick Majesty Only God and the Czaar knows it All they have belong to God and the Czaar The Great Duke Iohn Basilouits reduc'd them to these submissions Now to continue them in this lowness of spirit and to keep them from seeing that liberty which other Nations about them enjoy the Muscovites are upon pain of death prohibited to go out of the Countrey without the Great Duke's express permission Iohn Helmes the Great Duke's Interpreter who died some three years since aged 97. years had got leave to send his son into Germany to study Physick where he afterwards grew famous but the young Gentleman having spent 10. or 12. years up and down Germany and England pleas'd with the sweetness of the climate and liberty would never return into Muscovy Whence it came that when Peter Miklaf a Merchant of Novogorod whom the Great Duke sent into Germany 3 years since in the quality of Poslanick desired his Majesty would permit him to leave his son in Germany neither the Czaar nor Patriarch would by any means consent thereto But indeed this despotical Government seems to be most suitable to their humour and disposition which is insensible of the advantages of Liberty as being unacquainted with it and so not fit to enjoy a happiness which they never heard of Yet are we not to attribute to the present time what may be read in the Baron of Hâ—bâ—rstein Paulus Iovius and Guagnin concerning the violent and tyrannical Government of the Great Duke for they writ during the reign of Iohn Basilouits whose Scepter was of Iron and his Government more cruel and violent than that of any Prince mentioned in History But the Great Duke that now is is a very mild Prince one that according to his Father's example instead of impoverishing his Subjects relieves them and allows sums of money out of his Exchequer to set up those whom a bad year or some other misfortune hath ruin'd Nay he hath the goodness to provide for such as are banish'd into Siberia for their Crimes allowing to persons of quality money finding employment for those that are capable of it and disposing Soldiers into some place where they have Pensions or ordinary pay during life So that what is most insupportable to them when they are out of favour is that they have not the honour to see the bright eyes of his Czaarick Majesty For were it no for that this is become so mild a punishment that many have in their exile got that wealth which they could not have hoped before When we said the state of Muscovy was Monarchical we presuppose that the Prince is a Monarch and hath alone all the prerogatives of Soveraignty He is not subject to the Laws he only makes them and all the Muscovites obey him with so great submission that they are so far from opposing his will that they say the Justice and word of their Prince is sacred and inviolable He only creates Magistrates and deposes them ejects them and orders them to be punish'd with such absolute power that we may say of the Great Duke what the Prophet Daniel says of the King of Babylon That he put to death whom he would and saved whom he would He appoints Governours and Lieutenants for the Provinces for the disposal of the antient Demesn and Administration of Justice who have joyned with them a Deak or Secretary and these take Cognizance of all matters give final and absolute judgement in all causes and cause their sentences to be put in execution without any appeal And in this the Great Duke follows the advice of the best Politicians who are so far from allowing a survivancy in Governments that they would have a Soveraign that it might be in his power to punish the miscarriages committed by great ones in their Governments and prevent their making intrigues to settle themselves in the Provinces to change the Governours from three years to three years He alone hath the power to make War and Peace with other Princes For though he takes the advice of his Knez and Bojares yet does he not always follow it but makes them know that notwithstanding the freedom he gives them to advise him he reserves to himself the power of doing what he thinks fit He only confers Honours and rewards the services that are done him with the qualities of Knez Bojares Dukes or Princes and whereas the Muscovites have heard that it is a mark of Soveraignty in Germany to make Doctors the Great Duke meddles with that also and grants Letters Patents to Physicians and Surgeons that are Strangers All the Great Duke's Mony who only hath the power to make any is of Silver of an oval form and little The greatest piece is worth but a peny and is called a Copec or Denaing For though in trading the Muscovites use the words Altin Grif and Rouble whereof the first is worth three the second ten the third a hundred Copecs yet is there no Coins of that kind the words being used only for the convenience of Commerce to avoid the multiplication of Copecs The Poluske is worth half the Mustofske the fourth part of
him over the head with a staff hoop'd with iron at the end so as that within five days after he died of it He had by the last Demetrius and dy'd the 28 of March 1584. feeling at his death some part of those afflictions which an infinite number of innocent persons had suffered through his means Foedor Iuanouits now eldest by his Brother's death was crown'd the last of Iuly the same year He was 22 years of age when he succeeded his Father but had so little understanding that being not fit for affairs the administration thereof with the Regency of the whoâ—e Kingdom was conferr'd on Boris Gudenou High-Steward of Muscovy and Brother in law to the Great Duke Salomon Henning in his Chronicle of Livonia says that this Foedor was so simple that he could find himself no greater divertisement than tolling of the Bells before Service On the contrary Boris Gudenou knew so well how to answer the good opinion conceived of him and to insinuate himself into the affection of the people that some stuck not to say that if God should be pleased to dispose otherwise of the two hereditary Princes it was not to be doubred but they would call in him who gave so many demonstrations of an excellent conduct During the regency Boris perceiving that Demetrius was the more likely to stand in his way resolv'd to remove him out of it This young Prince was but nine years old brought up in the City of Vglits whither a Gentleman belonging to Boris went and kill'd him with his own hands But instead of receiving the great reward he expected for his pains Boris caus'd him and all the Complices to be kill'd as soon as they were return'd to Moscou By this execution of the Murtherers he for some time kept undiscovered the true Author of the murther but to prevent the people from conceiving him any way engag'd in it by giving them a greater cause of affliction he caus'd several houses to be set a-fire and so consum'd a great part of the City while on the other side he ordered the Castle of Vglits to be demolish'd and banish'd the Inhabitants as if they had countenanc'd the murther and sheltred the murtherers The weakness of Foedor Iuanouits sensible though of nothing else yet of his own weakness left the management of all affairs to Boris who was in effect what the other had only the name and appearance of yet did he not think it fit to be over-forward but let some years pass on after which Foedor fell suddenly sick in the year 1597. and died without children having reigned twelve years Boris was presently look'd upon He to divert the popular jealousie was so crafty as in appearance to refuse the Royal Dignity and as we have said before to fly into a Monastery while his Election to the Dukedom was according to his secret instructions press'd by some friends by whose opportunity he seem'd to be overcome and to accept the Crown In the reign of Boris happened a very remarkable thing through the imposture of a Muscovian Monk named Griska Vtropoja born at Gereslau of a Noble house but not very rich one that had been thrust into a Monastery for his debauches and lew'd life He was a very handsome person and had an excellent Wit which qualities an old Monk of the same Monastery made his advantage of to put this Impostor into the World and advance him to the Throne The better to carry on his design he made him leave the Monastery and go into Lithuania where he was entertain'd by a Great Lord named Adam Wesnewetski into whose favour he in a short insinuated himself by his ingenuity and the constancy of his services One day his Master being angry with him call'd him Bledinsin or Son of a Whore and struck him Griska making his advantage of that disgrace fell a weeping and told his Master that if he knew who he was he would not call him Son of a Whore nor treat him in that manner The curiosity of the Polish Lord was so great as to press Greska to tell him who he was The Impostor made answer that he was lawful Son to the Great Duke Iohn Basilouits that Boris Gudenou would have murther'd him but the misfortune fell upon a Priest's Son very like him whom his friends had substituted in his place while he was convey'd away He thereupon shews a golden Cross beset with precious stones which he said was hung about his neck at his Baptism Adding that the fear of falling into the hands of Boris Gudenou had kept him from discovering himself till then Upon which he casts himself at his Lords feet and intreats him to take him into his protection enlivening his relation with so many circumstances and his actions with so much shew of sincerity that his Master perswaded he spoke nothing but truth immediately furnish'd him with Cloaths Horses and attendance befitting the greatness of a Prince of that quality The noise of it spreads over all the Country finds credit every where and the presumption grows so much the stronger by reason the Great Duke Boris Gudenou proffers a great sum of mony to any that should bring in that counterfeit Demetrius alive or dead His Master not thinking him safe at his house sends him into Poland where he is receiv'd by the Weywode of Sandomira who promises him a sufficient assistance to restore him to his Throne upon condition he would tolerate the Roman Catholick Religion in Muscovy as soon as he had setled himself in the Government thereof Demetrius not only accepted of that condition but being secretly instructed chang'd his Religion and promised to marry the Weywode's Daughter as soon as he should be establish'd The hope of so advantageous an allyance and the zeal the Weywode had for his Religion engag'd him to employ his credit and friends by whose means he got together a considerable Army enter'd Muscovy and declared a War against the Great Duke He took in several Cities debauch'd and corrupted most of the Officers employ'd by Boris against him and grew so prosperous that the grief Boris conceived thereat struck him so to the heart that he died of it Apr. 13. 1605. The Knez and Bojarâ—s who were at Moscou immediately caused his Son Foedor Borissouits to be crowned though very young but reflecting on the continual success of Demetriu's Arms their minds chang'd and deriving from his victories an ill presage against the new Great Duke they concluded that he must be the true Demetrius the lawful Son of Iohn Basilouits and that they did ill to take up arms against their natural Sovereign It was no hard matter to insinuate this into the people who presently cry'd Live Demetrius true Heir of the Kingdom and may his Enemies perish Whereupon they ran to the Castle seis'd upon the young Great Duke imprison'd him ransacked misused and forc'd away all the kindred and friends of Boris Gudenou and at the same time sent to
intreat Demetrius to come as soon as he pleas'd and take possession of the Kingdom of his Ancestors They also begg'd his pardon for what they had done through ignorance upon the instigation of Boris assured him of their affection and obedience and as a pledge of their fidelity they profer'd to put into his hands the deceased Duke's Son his Mother and all his Family to be disposed of as he should think it Upon these overtures Demetrius sent a Deak or Secretary named Iuan Bogdanou with order to strangle the Mother and Son and to give out that they were poison'd Which was accordingly executed the 10. of Iune 1605. in the second moneth of the reign of Foedor Borissouits The 16. of the same moneth Demetrius came to Moscou with his Army which strangely encreased as he came along The whole City went out to meet him and made him Presents He was Crown'd the 21. of Iuly with extrtordinary Ceremonies And that there might be no question made of the lawfulness of his birth he sent for the Mother of the true Demetrius whom Boris Gudenou had shut up in a Monastery at a great distance from Moscou He went to meet her with a Noble retinue of Courtiers lodg'd her in the Castle where he caused her to be treated with all magnificence visiting her every day and doing her all the honour a Mother could expect from a Son The good Lady knew well enough that Demetrius her Son had been kill'd but she cunningly dissembled it as well out of the resentment she had against the memory of Boris Gudenou and the fear she was in to be ill-treated by this counterfeit Demetrius as for that she was not a little pleas'd to see her self so much honour'd and enjoy the sweetness of a happy life after the miseries and afflictions she had endured in the Monastery since her Son's death But when the Muscovites found his manner of life different from that of the Great Dukes his predecessors that he was resolv'd to marry a Roman Catholick the Weywode of Sandomiria's daughter and ransack'd the Treasuries of the Kingdom to furnish her according to the advancement she expected they began to mistrust him and to perceive they had been mistaken One of the principal Knez named Vasili Zuski was the first that offer'd to speak of it to some other Lords as well Ecclesiastical as Secular and to remonstrate to them the danger whereto both the State and Religion were expos'd by the Alliance which that Counterfeit intended to make with a strange woman and of a contrary Religion adding that of necessity he was an Impostor and a lewd person Upon this it was resolv'd he should be dispatch'd out of the way but the Conspiracy being discover'd and Zuski taken Demetrius got him sentenc'd to death but sent him a pardon upon the point of execution hoping by that mildness to gain the affection of the Muscovites Accordingly all was quiet till the day of his marriage which was the 8. of May 1606. The Bride being arriv'd with a great number of Poles Armed and in a capacity to become Masters of the City the Muscovites began to open their eyes Zuski got to his own house several Knez and Bojares propos'd to their consideration the present State of Affairs the unavoidable ruine of both State and Religion and profer'd for the preservation thereof once more to expose his person and life They gave him thanks and promis'd to assist him with their Persons and Estates when there should be an opportunity to put their design in execution They had a fair one the last day of the Nuptial solemnity which was the ninth after the Wedding and the 17. of May. The Great Duke and his Company being got drunk and asleep the Muscovites caused all the Bells in the City to be rung as they are wont in case of fire to give an Alarm whereupon they immediately put themselves into Arms and set upon the Castle where having defeated the Polish Guards and forc'd the Gates they entred the Great Dukes Chamber who thought to avoid present death by leaping out at a window into the Court in hope to save himself among the Guards which were still there in Arms but he was taken and cruelly us'd The Castle was ransack'd Zuski addressing himself to the pretended Mother of Demetrius oblig'd her to swear by the Cross whether Demetrius was her Son or no to which having answer'd that he was not and that she never had but one Son who had been unfortunately murther'd they shot the Counterfeit Demetrius in the head with a Pistol They imprison'd the pretended Great Dutchess with her Father and Brother as also the Polish Ambassador The Ladies and Gentlewomen were abus'd and deflour'd and above 1700. men kill'd among whom were many Jewellers Merchants who had abundance of Jewels about them Demetrius's body was stripp'd and dragg'd to the place before the Castle where it lay expos'd for three whole days After which they buried it but it was immediately taken up again to be burnt and reduc'd to ashes This conspiracy thus succeeding the Muscovites chose into the place of Demetrius Knez Basilouits Zuski the Ring-leader of the Enterprise who was Crown'd Iune 1. 1606. But he was no sooner got into the Throne ere another Impostor disputed the possession of it His name was Knez Gregori Schacopski who at the pillaging of the Castle having found the Seals of the Kingdom fell into a League with two Polauders and made a shift to go into Poland He made use of the same invention as his Predecessor and took the name of Demetrius giving out where he came that he had escap'd the Massacre in the night time that they had kill'd another in his stead and that he was going into Poland to raise another Army to punish the Muscovites for their infidelity and ingratitude About the same time started up another Demetrius in the City of Moscou He was Clerk to one of the Secretaries of State got into the field made use of the same imposture as the two others and found abetters by whose assistance he became Master of many great Cities This occasion'd many other disorders which the Polanders countenanc'd out of their resentment of the affront they had receiv'd from the Muscovites The events of the War occasioned thereby prov'd so fatal and unhappy that the Muscovites quarrell'd at Zuski and look'd upon him as the sole cause of all their misfortunes They said his Government was unjust because unfortunate and that there must needs be something fatal in his person when victory seem'd to shun him to side with his Enemies Three Muscovian Lords Zacchary Lippanow Michael Molsaneck and Iuan Kesefski were the first that amus'd the people with these reports and perceiving they were well receiv'd among them proceeded in their design depriv'd Zuski of his Dignity shut him up in a Monastery and had him shaved Upon this the Knez and Bojares to avoid the jealousie which the
of St. Iohn and they go about it three times the Priest in the interim reading out of a Book That done the Priest askes the Godfathers the name of the Child who give it him in writing He puts the paper upon an Image which he holds upon the Child's breast and having muttered over certain prayers he askes the God-father whether the Child believes in God the Father Son and holy Ghost Then they all turn their backs to the Font to shew their aversion and horrour for the three questions which the Priest is to make them afterwards to wit whether the Child forsakes the Devil whether he forsakes his Angels and whether he forsakes his Works The Godfathers answer to every question yes and spet so many times upon the ground That done they face about to the Font and then the Priest having asked them whether they promise to bring up the Child in the true Greek Religion exorcises him by putting his hands upon the Child saying Get out of this Child thou unclean Spirit and make way for the holy Ghost and by blowing three times cross upon the Child to drive away the Devil by whom they believe Children are really possessed before Baptism I I have been told that now the exorcism is performed at the Church-door lest the Deuil when he comes out of the Child should profane the Church Then he cuts off a little of the Child's hair and puts it into a Book and having asked the Godfathers whether they bring that Child to be baptised he takes him being stark naked into his arms and dips him three times into the water pronouncing the ordinary words of the Sacrament I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost After the Baptism he puts a corn of Salt in the Child's mouth makes the sign of the Cross in the fore-head upon the hands the breast and the back with an Oil purposely consecrated for that use and putting a clean Shirt about him sayes Thou art as clean and as clear from thy Original Sin as this Shirt The Ceremonies are concluded with a little Cross of Gold Silver or Lead according to the ability of the Parents such as our Bishops wear which the Priest hangs about the Child's neck with so strict an Obligation to wear it all his life time that if it be not found about him at his death they would not bury the Carkass but drag it to the common Dung-hill The Priest does also assign the Child a particular Saint whose Image he delivers to the Godfathers and charges them to oblige the Child when he is come to years of discretion to have a particular devotion for his Patrone Then he embraces and kisses the Child and the Godfathers and exhorts them to love one another but above all things that they take heed of inter-marrying If it happens there are many Children to be Christned at the same time the Font is emptied so often as there are Children to be baptised and other water is consecrated it being their perswasion that the former being soil'd with the impurity of that Child 's Original Sin who had been baptised before is not fit to cleanse a second much less a third They will not by any means heat this water by fire but when it is very cold put it into a hot place to make it a little warmer Persons of age that are to be baptised such as Apostate Christians Turks and Tartars receive their Baptism in a Brook or River where they are plunged over head and ears be it as cold as it will nay sometimes they break the Ice to get them into the water Thus above all others are treated those whom they call Chaldeens or Chaldaeans These are a sort of rascally fellows who get leave of the Patriarch to disguise themselves by putting on Vizards and to run up and down the streets from the 18. of December till Twelve-tide with Fireworks wherewith they set fire in their hair and beards whom they meet Their main spleen is against the Peasants whom they force every time they are met to pay a Copec ere they get out of their hands and this they exact with such insolence that I have seen them set a load of Hay on fire and burn the Peasant's beard and face because he made some difficulty to give it them They are all disguis'd and have on their heads great wooden hats fantastically painted daubing their beards with honey that the sparkles might not fasten in them These artificial fires they make of a powder which they call Plaua made of a certain herb not known elsewhere It makes a noble and very delightful flame especially in the night But of these hereafter when we come to treat of the Persian Fire-works These men as they say represent those who heated the Oven into which Shadrach Mesak and Abednego were cast by the command of Nebuchadnezzar These people are treated as profane persons and are numbred among Pagans and Infidels so that being in a state of inevitable damnation they must necessarily be reconciled to God and enter into the Church by Baptisme To that end they pitch on Twelf-day as that on which sometimes happened the vocation of the Gentiles and afterwards they are as clean and become as holy as the best Christians who are ordinarily baptized but once whereas one of these Chaldaeans may have been baptised ten or twelve times The insolences committed by them occasioned the prohibitions made by the late Pattriarch that any should put on Vizards or disguise themselves Those who are to profess the Muscovian Religion are oblig'd to go for six weeks into a Monastery where the Monks instruct them and teach them their Prayers the manner of honouring the Saints of doing reverence to the Images and making the signs of the Cross. Then they are brought to the place where they are to be baptised where they are obliged to abjure their former Religion to detest it as Heretical and to spit as often as it is named After their Baptism they are clad in Muscovian habits being presented with a noble Vestiment from the Great Duke who also allows them a Pension suitable to their quality There is a great number of Apostates at Moscou where many forein Souldiers especially French were rebaptised after the War of Smolensko about 25 years since though they were not acquainted with the Language of the Countrey nor had any knowledge of the Muscovian Religion Which may in some measure be excusable in common Souldiers who mind not much what they are to expect in the other World but my wonder is how persons of Quality such as want neither Ingenuity nor Judgement should be induc'd to Apostatize and embrace a contrary Religion meerly for subsistence sake as the Baron de Raymond and Monsieur Groin French Gentlemen Colonel Alexander Lesley and Count Slakof This last came in the year 1640. to Holstein and thence went into Denmark where he pretended himself descended from the
Virtue hath left the Saints Body which they say is still intire but it is forbidden upon pain of death for any man to lift up the cloath which covers it In the Monastery of Troitza 12. leagues from Moscou they have another Saint named Sergius He was a very tall man a thing the Muscovites have a great veneration for and had sometime been a Soldier but the crimes and disorders he had committed in his youth touch'd his Conscience so to the quick that he forsook the World and turn'd Hermite He quitted that solitary kind of life and got into the Monastery of Troitza where he was soon chosen Igumine or Abbot and did there with his Disciple Nikon so many Miracles that dying in the year 1563. they were both Canonized They say their heads are there yet to be seen intire and that when the Polanders besig'd that Monastery the head of Sergius only forc'd them back in the midst of their assault and made them turn their arms against themselves Of which yet there is nothing to be found in the History of that time which speaks but of one siege of Troitza under Iohn Sapiha a Polish General who was indeed forc'd to raise it not upon the vigorous resistance of the Monks or by the assistance of Sergius but by the Suedish Army which came in to the relief of the Muscovites Since this Saint was buried there that Monastery hath been called Zergeofski Troitza though it be properly dedicated to the Trinity It is so rich that it maintains above 300. Monks and its revenue increases dayly through the Great Duke's liberality and the alms of those who go thither to perform their Vows they had made in their travels or sickness and settle Annuities for Service to be said after their death The Great Duke who goes thither twice a year lights off his Horse when he is come within half a league of the Monastery and so walks it Having ended his Devotions he spends some dayes there in Hunting during which the Abbot maintains him and his retinue both with Man's meat and Horse meat Some years since the Muscovites found an Image of the Virgin Mary at Casan and sent a copy of it to Moscou where there is a Church built for the reception of it in the Market-place near that street where the Cutlers have their shops The Church is called Precista Casanska the holy mother of Casan and many Pilgrimages are made to it They go also in Pilgrimage to the Monastery of Chutina a league and a half from Novogorod to the Sepulchre of their Saint Warlam who was born at Novogorod and buried at Chutina whence they call his Festival Prasnick Warlama Chutinskoga As to their Churches we said there were above two thousand Churches and Chapels in the City and Suburbs of Moscou Those which are of stone are round and vaulted because God's Houses ought to represent Heaven which is his Throne They have neither Seats nor Benches by reason none sit down but all say their prayers either standing or kneeling The late Great Duke who was much given to Devotion lay all along upon the ground when he said his prayers They have no Organs or other musical instruments in their Churches not using any out of this perswasion that things inanimate cannot glorify God That they were allow'd in the Paedagogy of the Law but that under the new Testament they were no more to be used than any other of the Jewish Ceremonies The Patriarch that now is hath shewn his enmity to Musick yet greater in prohibiting the use of all those musical instruments which the Muscovites were wont to make use of at their merry meetings Some four or five years since he caused all private houses to be search'd for Instruments and having loaden five Wagons with them he sent them over the River of Moscou where they were all burnt Only the Germans kept theirs nor could the Patriarch with all his Authority oblige the Bojar Boris Nikita Iuanouits Romanou to put away his Musicians There is no Stone-Church but hath in the midst of four Turrets a Tower form'd at the top much like the Knobs we set on Bedsteads having upon it a triple Cross by which they say they represent our Saviour as Head of the Church saying that the Cross being the Badge of Christianity it is necessary the Church of Christ should be known by it They hold they are prophaned by Strangers that is to say such as are not of their Communion upon which account it was that when at the beginning of our Travels we entred into them they came and thrust us out and many times they swept after us If it chance a Dog gets in they think it not enough to sweep the Church but they also Incense it and purify it with holy Water They have also very much respect for their Church-yards and suffer not that any should make their water in them Their Bells are not in steeples but in a certain Engine or Machine near the Church in the Church-yard and are for the most part so small that few of them are 150. or 200. pound weight They toll them at the beginning of service and at the Elevation of the Chalice for the Bread being put in immediately after Consecration they make but one Elevation The Rope is not fasten'd to the Bell but to the Clapper so that one man may toll three or four Bells at the same time if the Ropes be fasten'd to both his Elbows and both his hands which making a certain chiming the Muscovites are much taken with But this kind of chiming of the almost infinite number of Bells which they many times toll at the same time in all their Churches makes a very strange noise to their ears who are not accustomed thereto They think this chiming so necessary that without it the divine Service would be defective Upon which perswasion it was that a certain Pristaf who conducted the Suedish Ambassadors hearing that they were desirous to do their Devotions it being Michaelmas day told them that he could not imagine what shift they would make to do it since he had not by reason of the greatness of the Journey brought any Bells along with him There is no Church but hath an Image over the door and at every corner of a Street and upon all the Gates of the City there are Images before which the Muscovites make a halt to say their Gospodi They also address the Gospodi to the Crosses which are upon the Churches so that they goe through no Street but they make a short stay to do their Devotions The Ecclesiastical Government consists of a Patriarch several Metropolitans Arch-Bishops Bishops Arch-Deacons Protopopes and Priests The Patriarch among them hath the same authority as the Pope has in the Latine Church The Patriarch of Constantinople had heretofore the nomination of him In time he came to have only the confirmation of him but now of late he hath lost both Filaretes Nikitits
makes a shift to roast and boyl their meat with them In the Kitchin they have Kettles and Pots of Brass or of Copper tinn'd over which are commonly fasten'd to the Hearth as also earthen pots In many Provinces they are pretty well stor'd with VVood but there are others where they have only Loppings and many times they are forc'd to warm themselves with Cow or Camels-dung dry'd in the Sun Their Dishes are of Copper but so handsomely made and so well tinn'd over that Silver Plate cannot look better Some have Porcelane and the Country people are glad of earthen ware As to their meat they do not care for much as being satisfy'd with very little Which is contrary to what Bizarrus relates of them to wit that Butchers meat is dear in Persia by reason of the Gluttony of the Inhabitants which as he affirms is so great that aged persons there make four meals a day and consequently with much more reason the younger sort of people Nor does this agree neither with the account the antients give of them who generally affirm that the Persians were very temperate and contented themselves with little Meat but they lov'd Fruits Accordingly during the aboad we made in Persia I observ'd that one of their chiefest Vertues was Temperance and that the Persians seldome eat Flesh above once a day and that if they make another meal besides it consists for the most part of Butter Cheese and Fruits though I must confess there are some who make two set meals There is not any thing more ordinary in Persia than Rice soak'd in water They call it Plau and eat of it at all their Meals and serve it up in all their Dishes especially under boild Mutton They some times put thereto a little of the juyce of Pomegranates or Cherries and Saffron insomuch that commonly you have Rice of several Colours in the same Dish They serve it up also under Capons and broild Fish They also eat Sorrel Spinage and Cabbages white and green but they do not much care for the red They do not want small Birds and they have all sorts of Fowl in abundance Turkeys only excepted which are so scarce in this Country that a Georgian Merchant having brought thither some of them from Venice in the time of Schach-Abas he sold them at a Tumain that is near five pound sterl a piece Parridges and Feasants are common and at those places where they are to be had they may be bought cheap enough Though Rice serves them instead of Bread yet do they make some of several sorts of Wheat also The Komatsch are three fingers thick and a foot and a half in length The Lawasch are round and about the thickness of a man's finger The Peasekâ—ssche are half an Ell and they are bak'd in their Houses over the Tenurs on which they are set and with the five fingers of the hand they make them as many Horns whence they have their name The Sengek are made upon the pebbles wherewith some of their Ovens are covered so that this kind of Bread or Cakes is uneven and full of pits The Iaucha is like Wafers and as thinn as Parchment but in length and breadth they are half an Ell or better The Persians use them instead of Napkins to wipe their fingers wherewith they take up the Rice and pull their Meat to pieces for you shall seldome see them use any Knives When they have put the Iaucha's to this use they tear them into bits put a little Rice or a Morsel of flesh into one of them and so swallow it down or haply eat them without any thing with them All their Spoons even the King 's are of Wood made Oval-wise at the end of a very small handle but a foot and a half in length Their ordinary Drink especially that of the meanest sort of people is water into which they sometimes put a little Duschab and some Vinegar For though Wine be cheap enough there especially in the Provinces of Erak Aderbeitzan aâ—d Schiruan where the measure which they call Lullein and which contains near an English pottle costs but six pence Yet are there many who make a difficulty to Drink thereof because the use of it is forbidden by their Law especially the Hatzi who are such as have gone on Pilgrimage to Meca to Mahomet's Sepulchre and are to forbear it all their Lives after out of a perswasion they are of that all their merits would be effac'd by so enormous a sin But such as are lovers of Wine and the common prostitutes who have for the most part contracted a necessary habit of sinning Drink of it without any scruple out of a presumption that that sin will be pardoned them with the rest provided they do not make the Wine themselves Whence it comes they make no great entertainment but they drink very freely of it After meal there is warm water brought in for the washing of their hands Opium which they call Offouhn and Teriak is commonly used among the Persians They make pills of it of the bigness of a Pea and take two or three of them at a time Those who are accustomed thereto will take about an Ounce at a time There are some who take of it only once in two or three daies which makes them sleepy and a little disturbs their brains so as that they are as if they were a little entred in Drink There is abundance of it made in Persia especially at Ispahan and it is thus ordered The Poppy being yet green they cleave the Head of it out of which there comes a white Liquor which being expos'd to the Air grows black and their Apothecaries and Druggists trade very much in it All over the East they use this Drugg the Turks and Indians as well as the Persians insomuch that Bellon saies in his Observations that if a Turk hath but a peny he will spend a farthing of it in Opium that he saw above fifty Camels loaden with it going from Natolia into Turquey Persia and the Indies and that a Ianizary who had taken a whole Ounce of it one day took the next day two and was never the worse for it save that it wrought the same effect in him as Wine does in such as take too much of it and that he stagger'd a little It hath also this quality common with Wine that it does infuse Courage into those who have not much whence it comes that the Turks take of it before they go upon any design The Women do not ordinarily take any but those who are not able to bear with their untoward and imperious Husbands and preferr Death before the Slavery they live in do sometimes make use of Opium whereof they take a good quantity and drinking cold water upon it they by a gentle and insensible Death depart this World There is hardly any Persian what condition or quality soever he be of but takes Tobacco This they do
his commands This extremity forc'd them to follow the King into his Favourite's Chamber into which he got ere Murschidculi-Chan was awake so that the King having found him lying on his back with his mouth open gave him the first blow over-thwart the mouth The rest gave him each of them a stab but Murschidculi-Chan being a very stout man had the courage to get off his bed and put himself into such a posture as should have given them more fear than he had receiv'd hurt from them and no doubt he had dispatch'd some of his murtherers had it not been for one of his Grooms who coming in at the noise with a batle-axe in his hand the King said to him I would have the life of Murschidculi-Chan who is become my Enemy Go dispatch him and I will make thee a Chan. The Groom did his work as the king commanded went streight to his Master and dispatch'd him The next day the king put to death all the relations and friends of Murschidculi-Chan that so he might be absolutely eas'd of all the disturbances which their discontents might have given him and conferr'd on the Groom the Dignity of Chan with the Government of Herat. This Execution happened in the year 1585. which was the first of the reign of Schach Abas The first actions of Schach-Abas made a sufficient discovery of his abililities in order to Government and that there was no necessity of his being any longer under the Eye and Conduct of another All his thoughts were bent upon recovering the great Provinces which the Turks and Tartars had usurp'd from the Crown of Persia and he made an absolute resolution to declare a War against both those Nations upon that score Being one day at Caswin he took a walk out of the Citie and ask'd the Lords who follow'd him whether there could be a nobler Countrey than that where they then were There were some took the freedom to tell him that it was iudeed an excellent good Countrey yet was it not to be compar'd with the Province of Fars much less with that of Chorasan especially that part of the said Province which the Vsbeques had taken from Persia in the time of his Father's reign Upon this discourse he immediately resolv'd upon a War against the Tartars and having rais'd a powerfull Army he entred Chorasan Abdulla Prince of the Vsbeques met him and at first with some advantage over him in regard the Plague which was got into Abas's Army and the unseasonable weather kept it from being in action The two Armies were neer six moneths in sight one of the other but at last Schach Abas set upon Abdulla and forc'd him to retreat to Mesched Schach Abas continu'd three years in Chorasan Abdulla being not in a condition to disturb him in his new Conquest and when he attempted it he was so unfortunate that his Army was not onely defeated but also he himself with Tilem-Chan his Brother and his three Sons who were in the Army fell into the hands of Schach-Abas who order'd them all to have their heads cut off Afterwards Schach-Abas went to Ispahan and found it so excellently well situated and the Countrey about it so pleasant that he resolv'd to make it the Metropolis of the Kingdom beautifying it to that end with many Magnificent Structures and among others the Allacapi or Sanctuary and the Sumptuous Mosquey Mehedi of which we have given an accompt already In which Magnificence the Lords of the Court were desirous to imitate him by building many rich and noble Palaces After these victories he march'd against the Turks and having understood by his Spies that the Garrison of Tabris thought of nothing less than a War he got together with as little noise as might be a little Army with which he went in less than six dayes from Ispahan to Tabris though it be ordinarily eighteen dayes journey for the Camels Being come to the passage of Scibli within four leagues of Tabris where the Turks kept a party rather to receive the customs upon Commodities than to hinder the entrance of the Persians he with some Officers left the Army and advanc'd as far as the Turn-Pike The Turks imagining they were Merchants the Secretary of the Custom-house address'd himself to Schach-Abas and ask'd him for the duties Schach-Abas told him that he who carried the Purse was coming behind and having caus'd Dsulfakar-Chan to come up to him he bid him give the other some money but while the Secretary was telling it he order'd one to dispatch him made the Soldiers who kept the Post to submit and pass'd over his Army Aly Bascha Governour of Tabris having intelligence hereof got some Troops together at lest as many as the distraction of his affairs would permit him to do and went to meet Abas but there being a great inequality between the Forces on both sides he was overcome and fell into the hands of the Persians In the midst of the Citie there was a Citadel built by Hassan Padschach otherwise called Vssum Cassan which the Turks kept a moneth after but at last it was taken by intelligence and afterwards demolish'd Thence he went to Nachtzuan but the Turkish Garrison quitted the place upon the first news they receiv'd of the Persian Army's coming towards it and retreated to Iruan Schach-Abas ordered also the demolishing of the Citadel of Nachtzuan called Kischikalaban and went and lay before Iruan which he took after a siege of nine moneths This Conquest facilitated his reduction of all the other Cities and Neighbouring Provinces all which were reduc'd save onely the Fortress of Orumi the strong and advantageous situation whereof being on the point of a Rock putting him out of all hope of taking it by storm He besieg'd it eight moneths together but finding that the Kurdes did him more mischief than the Turks themselves though they were a free people and had no dependence on the Grand Seignor he gain'd the affections of the chiefest among them by Presents and Promises putting them in hope of all advantages on his side if they would help him to take in that place and promis'd them all the booty they should find there The Kurdes who live onely by Rapine were willing to serve him upon those terms But Schach-Abas having receiv'd that service from them and taken the Fort by their means sent to invite the chiefest among them to come and Dine with him He had his Tent made with so many turnings and windings and had those so done over with Cloaths that they who came in saw not such as were but six places before them He had planted two Executioners in the way who dispatch'd his Guests as they came into the Tent and this course he took with them out of an apprehension they might do the Turks the same services he had receiv'd from them He made Kahan Chan Governour of Orumi and the neighbouring Province and marching still on he became Master of all between the Rivers of Cyrus
that of Chan of Kesker but he could not avoid the punishment which so base a complyance too well deserv'd For the first journey the king made to Caswin after that we spoke of before he commanded Bebut to go and cut off with his own hands his Son's head and to bring it him He was forc'd to obey and Schach-Abas seeing him coming into the Room with his Son's head ask'd him how he did Bebut made answer Alass my Liege I think I need not tell you I have been forc'd with my own hands to kill my only Son whom I lov'd above any thing in the World the grief I shall conceive thereat will bring me to my Grave The king reply'd Go thy wayes Bebut and consider how great must have been my affliction when thou broughtst the news of my Son's death whom I had commanded thee to put to death But comfort thy self my Son and thine are no more and reflect that thou art in this equal to the King thy master Not long after this unhappy Paricide Bebut ended his life after an extraordinary manner For soon after he had taken possession of the Government of Kesker one of his servants giving him water to wash after Dinner according to the Persian custom pour'd it on so hot that it scalded his hands which incens'd him so that he threatned to have him cut to pieces but the Slave prevented him and considering that he who had been so barbarous as to murther his Prince and his own Son would make no great difficulty to rid the World of a servant he conspir'd with some of his Gamerades who expected no better treatment from their Master and kill'd him the night following in his drink Schach-Abas was not much troubled that that hatefull object was remov'd out of his sight and would not have prosecuted the Murtherers had not the other Chans represented to him that if they were not made examples no Lord could think himself secure among his servants after he had given them some theatning language But Schach-Abas's affliction and the regret he express'd for his Son's death how great soever they might be took not off the just apprehensions the Widdow conceiv'd that he had a design to put to death his Grand-Child Sain Myrsa Whence it came that she kept him a long time conceal'd and would not suffer him to be brought to Court though the King who saw his two younger Sons whose eyes he had caus'd to be put out were excluded the Government by the Laws of the Kingdom design'd that little Prince to succeed him 'T is reported he had a great tenderness for him and yet lest he should appear to soon and the vivacity of his spirit revive the affection which the people had express'd towards his Father he endeavour'd to have his senses dull'd and commanded there should be given him every day about the begness of a Pea of Opium the use whereof is very common in Persia as we have said elsewhere but that the Mother instead of giving him that Drug made him often take Treacle and several other preservatives against the poyson which she conceiv'd she had some cause to suspect might be given him While Schach Abas was in Kilan Tamaras-Chan taking advantage of his absence entred again with an Army into Georgia and recover'd all those places out of which he had been forc'd The King sent thither Aliculi-Ghan Mahumed-Chan Kasack and Mortusaculi Chan of Talisch and several other Chans who could do no good there but brought word back that they had found the Enemy so advantageously posted that they durst not set upon him The King punish'd their seeming prudence with death and went the next year in person into Georgia protesting at his departure that if he return'd victorious from that VVar he would sell the Georgians at an Abas or fifteen pence a head Upon which occasion they say it hapned that the King being Master of the Field and having taken a great number of Prisoners a Souldier came to him with two Abases in his hand and desir'd him to sell him two handsom young Maids who were among the Prisoners and that the King remembring his Oath permitted him to take his choice It was about this time that most of the Georgian Christians who liv'd at Ispahan at the time of our being there came out of their Country to settle themselves in the Metropolis of the Kingdom Much also about the same time was it that Schach-Abas receiv'd Letters from Bekirkcha who under the Grand-Seignor commanded the Garrison of Bagdat or Babylon This man dissatisfy'd with the Court upon his being deny'd the Government of that place at the Bassa's death under whom he had had the Lieutenancy proffer'd Schach-Abas to deliver up the City to him The King hearkned to that Proposition and immediately took his march with a good Army towards those parts but ere he got thither Bikirkeha's discontent was over so far that he sent Schach-Abas word that he had only Powder and Bullets at his service He was so netled at the affront that he protested not to return thence till he had taken the City though it should cost him his life Accordingly having pass'd over the Ditch after a siege of six months and having set fire to a Mine which work the Persians are very excellent at he caus'd an assault to be given entred the breach and became Master of the City without any composition Bikirkeha being found among the Prisoners was sown up in a raw Ox-Hide and in that condition plac'd near the High-way where the King order'd him to be sed till such time as the heat of the Sun having made the Hide shrink together he died a very painful death His Son cast himself at Schach-Abas's feet and satisfy'd him so far of his being wholly unconcern'd in his Father's proceeding that having begg'd his Pardon he by that submission obtain'd the Government of Schiras which Schach-Abas made no difficulty to bestow on him in regard that lying at a great distance from the Frontiers of Turkey he fear'd not his proving unfaithful to him The year following the Emperour of the Turks caus'd Bagdat to be besieg'd by the Bassa Hasis Ahmed but Abas forc'd him to raise the siege and continu'd eight moneths together in sight of the Turkish Army till such time as sickness having consum'd a great number of the Turks who were not so well able to endure the great heats as the Persians Hasis was oblig'd to retreat to Constantinople At his return from this expedition Schach-Abas began to build the Citie of Ferabath in the Province of Mesandran upon occasion of a Village named Tahona situated upon a pleasant River which not far thence falls into the Caspian Sea This Victory procur'd him but two years rest For the Turkish Emperour desirous to recover Bagdat sent Chalil Bassa with an Army of five hundred thousand men to reduce it Schach-Abas commanded Cartzschugai-Chan to march to the relief of the Citie with a small Brigade
but consisting of choice men and he follow'd him in person with the whole Army He himself got into the Citie and sent Kartzschugai-Chan to meet the Turk whom he wearied out with perpetual skirmishes for six moneths together At last he gave him battel disorder'd and defeated him forcing him to fly as far as Netzed Upon the first news of the Victory Schach-Abas left the Citie to go and meet Kartzschugai-Chan and being come neer him alighted and said to him My dearest Aga I have by thy means and conduct obtain'd so noble a Victory that I would not have desir'd a greater of God come get up on my Horse 't is fit I should be thy Lackey Kartzschugai was so surpriz'd at this discourse that he cast himself at his feet intreated his Majesty to look on him as his slave and not to expose him to the derision of all the World by doing him an honour so extraordinary as that it was impossible he could any way deserve it But notwithstanding all his intreaties he was forc'd to get up the King and the Chans following on foot onely seven paces Schach-Abas had many other Wars against the Turks but the most signal Victory he ever got over his Enemies was at the reduction of the Citie of Ormus which he recover'd from the Portuguez six years before his death Of that an account shall be given in the subsequent Travels of Mandelslo About the end of the year 1629. he took a journey to Ferabath in the Province of Mesanderan which was the place he most delighted in of any in his Kingdom but he there fell so ill that perceiving he should not escape he sent for four Lords of the chiefest of his Councel to wit Isa-Chan Kurtzibaschi Seiul-Chan Tuschmal or Councellor of State Temerbey Ouwogly or Lord High-Steward and Iusuf Aga chief Gentleman of his Chamber who being come to his Bed-side he told them That firmly believing the sickness he was then in would be his last it was his pleasure that his Grand-Child Sain Myrsa should succeed him and assume his Father's name obliging them all solemnly to promise him that after his death they would religiously execute his Last Will. The Astrologers had told Schach-Abas that Sain should reign but eight moneths at most but when these Lords would have spoke to him of that Prediction the King made answer Let him reign as long as he can though it were but three dayes it will be some satisfaction to me to be assur'd that he shall one day have on his head the Crown which was due to the Prince his Father 'T was conceiv'd he had had some poyson given him upon which presumption the Hakim Iusuf his Physician order'd him hot bathing for eight dayes together and for four dayes afterward another kind of Bath of Cows milk but all these remedies being either ineffectual or too weak he seriously prepar'd himself for death even to the appointing of the place where he would be interr'd But that the people might not certainly know it he commanded the Ceremonies of his Funeral should be Celebrated in three several places at the same time to wit at Ardebil Mesched and Babylon but the more general report is that the body was carried to Babylon and thence to the Netzef of Kufa neer the Sepulchre of Aly upon this accompt that Schach-Abas going to Kufa soon after the reduction of Babylon and looking on the Netzef said he had never seen a more delightfull place and that he should wish to be there interr'd after his death What ere became of his body certain it is that he dy'd in the year 1629. having liv'd 63. years and reign'd 45. He discover'd the strength of his memory and understanding in the order he took at his death that it might be kept secret till his Grand-Child were assur'd of the Succession commanding that they should expose his body every day in the same Hall where he was wont to administer Justice set in a Chair of State with his eyes open his back turn'd to the Hangings behind which stood Iusuf Aga who ever and anon made him lift up his Arm by means of a silk string and answer'd those things which were proposed by Temir-beg on the behalf of such as were at the other end of the Hall and who were thereby perswaded that Schach-Abas was still alive This was so well personated that his death was conceal'd for the space of six weeks While Temir-beg and Iusuf Aga expos'd at Ferabath the Carkase of Schach-Abas as we said before Seinel-Chan made all the haste he could to Ispahan whither he brought the news of the King's death to the Daruga Chofrou Myrsa and having consulted with him about the means they should use to advance Sain Myrsa to the Throne they went together to the Appartment of the Princess his Mother which is called Taberick-kale and intreated her to put the young Prince into their hands The Mother who still had before her eyes the violent death of her Husband believing it was some fiction and that they had order from Schach-Abas to Murther the Prince lock'd her self up in her Chamber and made all passages so fast that these two Lords being out of all hopes to perswade her and being afraid to let slip the opportunity of executing the deceas'd Kings last Will after they had lain three dayes at the Princesse's Chamber door sent her word that if she would not open they should be forc'd to break it Upon this message she at last opened the door and presented to them the Prince her Son but conceiving it was in order to his present execution with these words Go child to the same place where thy Father is here are the murtherers ready to dispatch thee But when she saw those Lords prostrate themselves and kissing the Prince's feet her fright was turn'd into perfect joy The Lords conducted the Prince to the Palace-Royal where they set him in the Divan-Chane upon a Table of stone on which were as many Carpets which they call Kalitse Ahdalet or Carpets of Justice as there had been Kings of Persia of his Family in as much as every King at his first coming to the Crown causes one to be made for him and having sent for all the Chans and Lords who were about Ispahan they Crown'd him kiss'd his feet and wishing him a long and happy Reign setled him in the Throne of his Ancestors Immediately after the Ceremonies of his Coronation he took the name of Sefi according to the desire of Schach-Abas and bestow'd on the Chosrou Myrsa the Dignity of Chan with the name of Rustam as desirous by that means to revive in his person the memory of the great Heroe so highly Celebrated in their Histories and Romances It is reported that Schach-Sefi came into the World with his hands all bloody and that Schach-Abas his Grand-Father hearing of it said that that Prince should often bath his hands in blood Accordingly till the time of our
were Ladies of the Seraglio others their servants and such as attended on them It was also much about the same time that a rumour was spread abroad that his Mother dy'd of the Plague but it is more likely the accompany'd the forty Ladies who had been buried alive as we said before He express'd when occasion requir'd courage enough and it is certain the beginning of his reign was remarkable for the great Victories he gain'd over his Enemies He defeated Karib-Schach in the Province of Kilan He forc'd the Turks to raise the siege of Bagdat and took by asâ—ault the Fortress of Eruan though to speak impartially the glory of these good successes be due to the Valour and Conduct of his Generals and to fortune rather than his prudence for he discover'd not much in any of his actions which were for the most part temerarious and without any dependence one of another To prove this we need onely instance the reduction of Eruan The King finding that after a siege of four moneths his affairs were little advanc'd fell into that impatience and despair that he would go in person upon the assault of the place saying he would rather dye in the in the attempt than with infamy rise from a place which the Turks had heretofore taken in three dayes He had already put on the Cloaths of one of his Foot-men that he might not be distinguish'd from others and had given order for the storming of the Place when the Lords who durst not contradict him intreated the Princess his Mother to represent to him how impossible it was to take a place before there was a breach made and that the danger whereto he would expose himself would have no other effect than his own death and ignominy with the destruction of the whole Army All the answer she could get to these representations was a good box o'th'ear the King being still bent upon his former resolution of assaulting the Place and to that purpose he had taken a Pole-Ax in his hand to lead them on But the principal Lords cast themselves at his feet and intreated him to grant them but one day more wherein they promis'd to do all that lay in the power of men against the Place They obtain'd their desire order'd the Whole Army to fall on even to the boys and carried the Place by storm but they lost in the action above fifty thousand men The good success which till that time had attended his designs soon chang'd after the executions of so many great persons as he had put to death and of this there was a remarkable instance in the loss of Bagdat which the Persians were not able to maintâ—ain against the Turks who recover'd it out of their hands twenty six years after they had taken it from them The onely good action he did during his whole reign is that he sent back to their several Habitations those poor people whom Schach-Abas had taken out of Eruan Nachtzuan Chaletz and Georgia to the number of seven thousand and had brought to Ferabath where they were employ'd in great buildings and liv'd in a miserable slavery yet were there not above three hundred that made their advantage of this good deed of his all the rest having perish'd through misery and been starv'd He took great pleasure in drinking and had a great kindness for such as bore him Company in that exercise but his ordinary divertisements were Women and Hunting not much minding matters of Government or the administration of Justice to his Subjects He had three lawfull Wives one whereof was the Daughter of a Colonel whose employment it had sometime been to drive the Mules which brought water to the King's Kitchin and came to be known to Schach-Abas by a service he did him one day while he was Hunting in helping him to some fair water the weather being extremely hot when no other could meet with any This service was requited by the Present the King made him of the Village of Bilou neer Nachtzuan where this Mule-driver had been born This was the first step or his advancement and what made him noted at Court where he found means to get an Office which is no hard matter in Persia for such as have money and having some time after taken an employment in the Wars he prov'd so fortunate therein that he got the command of a Regiment of a thousand men Schach-Abas thought his Daughter so handsom that he made a Present of her to his Daughter-law Sefi-Myrsa's Widdow and appointed her to be brought up in order to a Marriage between her and his Son Sain-Myrsa since named Schach-Sefi who at his coming to the Crown accordingly Married her The second Wife was a Christian the Daughter of Tameras-Chan a Prince of Georgia and this Marriage confirm'd the Peace which Schach-Abas made with that Prince The third was a Tartar of Circassia the Daughter of Bika and Sister to Prince Mussal of whom we have often spoken heretofore The Mother brought her as far as the River Bustrou at the time of our Travels and writ to Schach-Sefi that she sent him her Daughter not as a Concubine or Slave but as his lawfull Wife That is was her hope he would look on her as such and that she should find from him a kindness and affection equal to that she her self had express'd towards the Princess his Mother who though she had been her Slave and had often undress'd her even to her Stockins had been treated and look'd on by her as if she had been her own Daughter That on the contrary rather than her Daughter should be ill treated she wish'd her drown'd with all the misfortune that might happen to her in the River Bustrou Besides these lawfull Wives he had above three hundred Concubines for all the handsomest Maids all over Persia were brought to him The greatest Lords themselves Present him with the Maids they either have brought up in their own houses or are found among their relations Of this we had an instance in our time in the Calenter of Scamachie who having had some ill Offices done him at the Court recover'd the King's favour by presenting him with his own Neece one of the greatest beauties of the Countrey and a sum of money sent to the Chancellor The Armenians to prevent the searches which are often made amongst them for Maids of twelve years of age dispose of them in Marriage if they are handsom before they come to that age By reason of this great number of Concubines it happens that the King lies with some of them but once and then bestows them on those Lords of the Court who are most in his favour Schach-Sefi dy'd in the year MDCXLII in the twelfth year of his reign or to speak more truely his Tyranny 'T is conceiv'd his life was shortned by poyson as the onely remedy they could make use of against his cruelties which they must needs be afraid of who
do to their King He seldom appears in publick but all Addresses are made to a Noble man in whom the direction of Affairs lies He is intitled Quillor which is the same as Constable or Grand-Minister in other places He governs by divers other Persons of Quality who have their Divisions and Provinces to regulate according to Orders from him The Kings name is in such veneration amongst them that all the Subjects unanimously joyn in a moment to oppose any disturbance to the peace of the State As appear'd in the end of the last preceding Age in the person a Prince of the bloud who rising against the King and having some design upon the life of his Prince was immediately taken and condemn'd to death but the King in compassion chang'd his Sentence to perpetual exile in Pulo raza that is the desert Island where he stood confined with all his Complices who so well did cultivate it that divers other families have been since transplanted thither They retain the Pagan Religion they profess in the Isle of Baly and quit not that accursed custom for Women to burn themselves after the death of their Husbands The Isle of Borneo lyes more North then Iava and is one of the greatest in those parts 't is scituate under the Equinoctial Line but so as the greater part is on this side of it extending to six degrees towards the North. Some do assign it four hundred Leagues in circumference as Bartholomew Leonardo de Argensola who wrote the History of the Conquest of the Molucques and others but the Hollanders allow it but two hundred and fifty Leagues The principal Towns are Borneo Sâ—ccidava Landa Sambas and Benghemassin The City of Borneo from which the Island derives its name stands in a Marsh as Venice doth so as there is no passing from Street to Street but by boat The same Argensola sayes it contains 23000. Houses but the Dutch allow it but two thousand The best Camphire in the Indies is gotten in the Isle of Borneo Here is also Gold and Bezoar This Stone breeds in the Maw of a Sheep or Goat about a knot of Grass that stayes in the Maw and is often found within the Stone The Persians call these Beasts Bazans and the Stone Bazar which is a Market as by excellence proper for a Market or Fair and from the same word comes the Bazarucques the least Money that is sent to the Market The Stone is smooth and greenish and the more substantial and weighty it is the better it is and of the greater vertue In the Country of Pan near Malacca they find a Stone in the Gall of a certain Swine more highly esteem'd then the Bazar It is of a reddish colour as smooth and slippery in the feeling as Soap and exceeding bitter so that when it is to be used they only steep it in cold water and the water is a most soveraign Antidote against all poyson and an effectual cordial against all infectious Diseases Here they have likewise Diamonds Sapan-wood for dying as also Brasile Wax and good store of Pepper Frankincense Mastick and all other sorts of Gums The Island hath divers Havens and Roads but its Cities are not very populous Borneo is better then the rest and the Haven upon the mouth of a fair River is large and very commodious The Spaniards were once Masters of the Haven but they quitted it because the Air was so unhealthful they could not subsist Their Houses are of Timber but so sleightly built that they ordinarily pull them down to change their habitations or pass over to the other side of the River They are an ingenious and dexterous people but addicted to theft and great affecters of Pyracy so as sometimes they will cruze up and down the Sea as far as the Coasts of Pegu which is four hundred Leagues from that Island They use all sorts of Arms as Swords and Gosos which are Bucklers made of boyled Leather Lances Darts and a sort of Pikes they call Selihes the wood whereof is extreamly hard but withall so small and brittle that if it break in a Wound it leaves Splinters that render the part incurable The King is a Mahumetan as also the greatest part of the Islanders on the Sea coast but they that live in the heart of the Island are Pagans Their hue is rather black then tawny they are of compact well proportioned bodies and go habited near like the rest of the Indians with a Linnen about their loins and on their heads a little Turbant On the first of October in the year 1609. the Hollanders treated with the King of Sambas for establishing a Commerce of Diamonds which are to be found in the Mountains far within the Country and since have made one for Pepper with the King of Borneo with exclusion of all other Forreigners but the Borneans are no more faithful in the observance thereof then the other Indians Betwixt the Isle of Borneo and Molocques under the Equinoctial Line lies the Isle of Celebes and if credit may be given to Mercator this is one of the three Islands Ptolomy calls Sindas The chief City here is called Macassar and lies in the most Southerly part of the Island five degrees seventeen minutes beyond the Line It abounds in all sorts of Provisions particularly Rice wherewith in the moneths of March April and May the Territory is so entirely covered that 't is not to be imagined there is an inch untill'd and in effect besides what they convert to pasture for their Cattle and what they assign for their Cocoes there is not the least parcel lyes unsowed In the face they are like the people of Pegu and Siam and 't was but in the beginning of the present Age they deserted Paganisme and imbraced the Mahâ—umetan Religion 'T is said that in the time of Paganisme they were Anthropophagi and that the Kings of the Molucques sent their Malefactors to them to be devoured But it may be averr'd for truth that at this day the Indies have not a people so tractable as they yet they are couragious and irreconcileable where they once declare enmity Their chief Armes is Bow and Arrow whereof they impoyson the head to render the Wound mortal The Men are of a comely make carrying in their Prepuce a Ball or two of Ivory or a Fish-bone massie and not hollow like the Siameses and Peguans but this custom by degrees wears out as that amongst the Women to cut their Hair off for at present they let it grow and coif themselves as the Malayans do Women when they walk the Streets and Slaves have their Breasts open and wear Breeches that reach from the Navil to the Knee but when they bathe in their Cisterns or Wells in the Street they are stark naked The Houses of Macassar are built upon Piles and rais'd nine or ten foot above the ground by reason of the Rains which fall with the West and North-west Winds
their Mesquites they have many meetings where they eat together of what is brought thither by every one They have likewise some such Assemblies upon a Mountain which is in a Wood in the middle of the Island where the Inhabitants of Puldrim Puloway and Lantor their Allies meet them to consider of publick matters After they have treated of publick Affairs they sit down on the ground and they serve to every one upon a Banana leaf which serves them instead of a Trencher a Morsel of Sagu which is their Bread and a little Rice steep'd in broath which they eat by handfuls During the Feast the Gentlemen to entertain the Guests have a kind of Skirmish They are almost in continual war with their Neighbours and keep constant Guards upon the Coast as well to surprize others as to prevent their being surprized themselves Their Arms are the Cimetar with them called a Phahang and a Buckler of wood above four foot long They handle their Weapons with much address being train'd to it from their infancy They have likewise Fire-arms but in war they chiefly use a sort of Lance of eight or ten foot long made of an exceeding hard wood which they cast with such force that they will run a Man quite through with it Having cast their Lances for commonly they carry two they fall to their Sword which hangs at their left side under their Buckler or to another sort of Weapon which they dart and pull back with a string whereto they tye a short Truncheon having at the end a crooked iron that is exceeding sharp and dangerous Some use Corslets but these are Persons of Quality others contenting themselves with Casks of Steel and made like Cocks-combs Their Gallies are very light having on both sides in a manner even with the water two Scaffolds like wings where the Slaves are set to row They are three to every seat and every one hath an Oar which is properly but a deep wooden Shovel which they thrust as far as they can into the Sea and when they draw it back they bring it about their heads to cast out the water which they do so fast and with such sleight that a Ship must be a good Sailor that shall with a good wind take one of these Gallies In the Isle of Banda 't is no rarity to meet with people of sixscore years of age and above They believe that who fails to pray for the dead shall have no resurrection whereas otherwise with the Mahumetans they believe the resurrection of the dead Women that are present at the death of a friend cry out with all violence as if by this means they would fetch the Soul back again but seeing it comes not they interr the Corps which is born by ten or twelve persons on their Shoulders in a Biere or Coffin covered with white Linnen the Men going before the Women behind The Corps being laid in the ground they return to the house of the deceased where they dine together then they burn Incense over the Grave for four and twenty hours and at night set a burning Lamp over it in a Hut made for that purpose The Men mind nothing but their recreation and walking up and down and leave all the work to be done by their Wives whose chiefest business is to break the Nutmeg shell and dry the Nut and Mace wherein consists their greatest revenue This excellent fruit for ought I could ever learn grows only in the Isle of Banda which the Inhabitants call Bandan or rather in the six Isles 't is composed of that is Gunaxi Nera and Lantor betwixt which lies the Road for the Vessels that are bound thither Puloway Pulorim and Bassingin It is a thing to be admired that these six little Islands should furnish the whole World with Nutmegs if it were not certain that except a few Duriaons Nancan Bananas Oranges and Cocoes that grow there they produce not any thing else and the Islands are so covered with Nutmeg-trees that excluding only the fiery Mountain in the Isle of Gunapi there is not a foot of Land but is employed and the Trees at all times loaden with fruit and flowers green or ripe They chiefly gather them thrice a year that is in April August and December but that which ripens in April is the best The Tree is not unlike a Peach-tree only the leaves are more short and round The Fruit is covered with a husk as thick as that of our Wallnuts which being opened there appears a very thin leaf upon a hard shell yet does it not so cover it but that the shell is to be seen in several places and this is that they call the Nutmeg flower or Mace and the shell must be broken to come at the fruit The flower is of a lively carnation while the Nut is green but afterwards it changes and draws towards an Orange colour especially when it parts from the shell The Inhabitants preserve it in the shell with Salt or Sugar and make a very excellent Preserve The Natives call the Nutmeg Palla and Mace Bunapalla This Spice comforts the Brain helps the Memory expels Wind cleanses the Reins and stayes Looseness Mace hath almost the same vertues but 't is much more proper for Sauces Oyl of Nutmegs strengthens the Sinews procures Sleep stayes Defluxions and cures the pains in the Stomack and of powder of Nutmeg or Mace mixt with the Oyl of Roses they make an Unguent soveraign against such Griefs as proceed from Indigestion The Hollanders have built here two Forts which they call Nassau and Belgica where the Road is so good that Vessels come up within Musket-shot and ride safely at nine or ten fathom water The Island is inhabited with about ten or eleven thousand persons yet would it be hard to draw out five hundred Men fit to bear Arms. Here they drive a good round trade in Garments brought from Coromandel Rice Purcelane Velvet Damask Taffaty Scarlet Provisions and Ammunirion for the Forts The Inhabitants are obstinate and mutinous so as the Hollanders cannot assure the possession of this Isle but by force alone In their Relations of the Isle of Nera they report there are Serpents so great that one day the Author of the twentieth Relation observing his Poultry dayly to decrease and being told by the Natives there were Serpents that devoured them he had then watch'd so carefully that they took one which about midnight was crept into the Hen-roost and had made a strange havock The Servants who kill'd it found in the belly five Hens one Duck and a sucking Pig which they made no difficulty to eat of no more then they did of the Serpent it self Though some comprehend in the number of the Molucques many of the Islands that fill up this Oriental Archipelago yet properly there are called by the name of the Moluccaes but the five following Islands Ternate Tidar Motiel Machiam and Bachiam by the ancient
of is that of Guoffiquia which is built upon an Eminency with four Bastions of stone yet is it but a small one and irregular in regard that for want of place they could not make all the Bastions of the same bigness nor extend the Curtain as far as it should have been The Fort of Taffaso is also upon an ascent and hath four Bastions but it is bigger then the other and distant from the Sea about a hundred and sixty paces These two Forts have neither Wells nor Cisterns save that near the top of the ascent on which Taffaso stands there is a Well within a Half-moon which serves for a fifth Bastion to the place Tabillola hath but two Bastions so far one from the other that they cannot command all the Curtain so that there is no great account to be made thereof This Island is about seven Leagues in compass and subject to the King of Ternate It is very populous able to raise two thousand and two hundred fighting Men and it hath Sagu and other provisions sufficient for the Inhabitants and yields as much Cloves as any of the other Islands Besides the five Islands properly called the Molucques there are others to the number of seventy two subject to the King of Ternate scituate in the same Archipelago from Mindanao on the North-side and Bina and Corca which are on the South and between the Continent of New Guiny towards the East The chiefest are Motir Machiam Cajoa Xula Burra Na Noloa Meao Tufure Doe Saquite Totole Baol Guadupa Gorontano Ilibato Tamsne Manado Doudo Labague Iaqua Gabe Tobuquo Buto Sanguien c. amongst which some lye seventy Leagues from Ternate The Kings of all these Islands are Tributaries to the King of Ternate and tyed to find him such a number of Souldiers which the Author of the History of the Molucquez whom we mentioned before raises to sixscore thousand North of the Molucques lye the Isles now call'd the Philippins discovered by Ferdinand Magellanus when he compass'd the World in the year 1520. and had doubtless given them his own name had he lived till this new discovery Sebastian del Cano his Camerade in this stupendious Navigation not daring to hazard an establishment after the death of Magellanus who was slain in these Islands as we said before return'd for Spain After this there was no mention of these Islands till that in the year 1565. D. Luâ—â— de Valasco Viceroy of New Spain sent the Adelantado Michel de Laguaspe into this Sea where he put into haven in these Islands which in honour of King Philip the Second who then reigned in Spain he called by the name of Philippines His first Conquest was the Isle of Zebue where he remain'd six years after that he went to Luson now called Manille from its chief City whereof Velasco after a sleight opposition became Master This City lies in a Canton of Land incompassed all about with the Sea fourteen Degrees on this side the Line in the most Southerly part of the Isle which is in compass thee hundred and fifty Leagues On the North it hath China from which it is distant seventy Leagues on the North-East the Isle of Iapan which is two hundred and seventy Leagues distant from it Eastward the Ocean and towards the South the great Archipelago which is as it were divided into five Seas filled with so many Islands Kingdoms and Provinces that it may be said they are in a manner innumerable The Chineses who were heretofore possessed thereof have now deserted them but still trade thither The Inhabitants in their labour answer the fertility of the soyl which produces Corn Rice all sorts of Fruits and Drugs and it breeds Neat Buffler Deer Goats and Swine so as they want nothing necessary to livelihood and the Chineses take care they shall want nothing that is superfluous as Silk Purcelane and Lacque They have also Date-wine but they make it of a different manner to other places for they draw it from their Cocoes by cutting off one of the boughs whence there distils a Liquor which they suffer to work till it grows as strong as Spanish wine They have the best Lemmons and Oranges in the World and the most excellent Figs and Pears all sorts of Birds of prey and domestick Falcons Tercels Parrots Eagles c. but principally such abundance of Crocodiles that they are constrain'd to kill them to extirpate the breed for you have here Men of sufficient courage to encounter a Crocodile single though as big as an Oxe For the Combat they Gantlet their left Arm to the Elbow taking in that hand a Truncheon of a foot long pik'd at both ends and a Dagger in the other and in this posture they go into the River up to the Waste The Crocodile no sooner spies his Man but he comes on with open mouth to swallow him the Indian presents him his left hand and thrusting it down his throat hinders his jaws from shutting and in the mean time gives him so many wounds in his throat with his Poniard that he kills him This Creature is in form like a Lizard but covered with Scales so hard that he is invulnerable all over but in the throat and belly It layes abundance of Eggs which are so hard that they will not break with throwing against a Stone and to hatch them they thrust them into the Sand on a River side that heat and moisture the principles of Generation may hatch them These Islands breed more Tigers Lions Bears and other wild Beasts then Africk does but especially the Algalias which are the Creatures from which they get the Musks and Civet-Cats All these Islands are very populous and so rich that not only the Chineses continue their trading thither with great advantage but also the Spaniards who heretofore brought thither money from New Spain by which they gain'd two Marks of Gold for eight of Silver having given over that Trade in regard they make far greater advantages by their other Merchandizes the return whereof many times come to a thousand for a hundred by the traffick they have there with the Chineses who bring all sorts of Cottons and Silk-Stuffes Purcelane Gun-powder Sulphur Iron Steel Quicksilver Copper Meal Nuts of several kinds Bisket Dates Linnen-cloath Cabinets Ink-horns and things made of Lacque which the Spaniards come and snatch up to be carried into the West-Indies where they have money for nothing The Spaniards have in the City of Manilla an Arch-bishop who hath spiritual Jurisdiction over all the Philippine Islands which he exercises by three Suffragan Bishops and some Priests These are so highly respected by the Inhabitants who have not shaken off their Original simplicity that they govern the Country and keep it in subjection to the Spaniards They are indeed such absolute Masters of these Islands that though in several of them there is not so much as one Spaniard yet is there not one of the Inhabitants refuses
he took his march with a powerful Army raised in the Kingdom of Suruga towards the City of Ozacka where Fidery lived and after a siege of three months reduced him to so great extremities that Fidery sent his Wife who as we said before was Ongosschio's daughter to intreat her Father to grant him his life and to sign him such Lands in any Province of the Kingdom as he should think fit where he might live privately But Ongosschio would not see his daughter and continuing his siege he became at last Master of the Castle The unfortunate Fidery being got with his wives and several other persons of Quality in one of the Palaces Ongosschio ordered it to be compassed about with great piles of wood which being set on fire the Pallace and all within was reduced to ashes He put to death all the Lords who had sided or held any correspondency with Fidery and by that means established himself the sole Monarch of that State as Taycko his Predecessour had done before him Ongosschio died the year following and left the Empire in quiet to his Son Combo or Combosamme the Father of Chiongon who now Reigns It is no hard matter for the Emperour of Iapan to raise and keep an Army on foot in regard all his Subjects are obliged to bring in and maintain a certain number of Soldiers proportionably to their Revenue For he who hath a thousand Kockiens or four thousand Crowns per annum is obliged to maintain twenty foot and two horse-men and according to this accompt the Lord of Firando where the Dutch made their first establishment who hath sixty thousand Kockiens of yearly Revenue was tax'd at twelve hundred foot and one hundred and twenty horse besides the servants slaves and what else is consequent thereto So that by this means according to the Revenues of the Lords we mentioned before which amount to eighteen millions and four hundred thousand Kockiens the Emperour of Iapan may raise an Army of three hundred sixty eight thousand foot and thirty eight thousand eight hundred horse not accounting the hundred thousand foot and twenty thousand horse which he is able to maintain out of his own Revenue and which he keeps as a standing Army for the defence of his Castles and strong places and for his Guards Most of these Lords find it no great trouble to make their Levies for there are few of them but ordinarily maintain twice as many Soldiers out of an humour they have to make great showes especially upon those occasions wherein they expect to give some assurances of their courage or zeal they have for the service of their Prince Their Cavalry is armed with Corselets but the Foot have only Head-pieces The offensive Arms of the Horse are a sort of Fire-locks not much longer then our Pistols half-pikes Bowes Arrows and Cimitars The foot wear every man two Cimitars and have Muskets Pikes and Nanganets or half-pikes and every man hath about him a very broad Knife Their Companies consist but of fifty Soldiers who are commanded by a Captain a Lieutenant and ten Corporals to wit a Corporal for every five Soldiers Five Companies make a Body which is commanded by another Officer and every fifty Companies have their Colonel The Emperour of Iapan hath the same course taken to know every year how many persons there is in his Kingdom For every quarter of a City or Village is divided into Cantons consisting of five houses which are commanded by a certain Officer who keeps a Register or Catalogue of all those who die or are born within the five houses under his jurisdiction and reports the same to his superiours who give an account thereof to the Prince or Lord of the Province and these last to two Counsellors of State who are appointed for that purpose The Council of State consists of several Lords who have each of them his particular function excepting only the four chiefest who are every day punctually at Court to give the Emperour an account of affairs All the rest are so powerful and rich that some among them have above two millions of yearly Revenue others three or four hundred thousand Crowns others but forty or fifty thousand They are very reserv'd in the advice they give the Emperour to whom they speak not even of affairs if they find him not in a good humour to hear them but none will presume to speak to him twice of the same thing or renew his intreaties after a refusal This Council consists of such Lords as the Emperour may be the more confident of in regard they have commonly their education at the Court These have the management of all publick affairs but with such dependance on the Soveraign's pleasure that they do not only never resolve on any things of themselves but indeed they never speak to the Prince till he gives them some occasion to do it and that they have first consulted his eyes and studied his countenance to find what his sentiments are They ever approve what he says though never so prejudicial to himself even to the loss of a whole Province for the least contestation would cost them their fortunes if not their lives From what we said before it is evident that the Reyenues of these Lords are very great but their Expences are as great For first not one of them but is obliged to live one halfe of the year at Court and during that time to keep house in the chief City of Iedo where he who lives at the highest rate is most in favour with the Emperour The first six months in the year those Lords who have their Principalities and Lordships in the Easterly and Northerly Provinces of the Kingdom continue at the Court and the other six months those that live in the Western and Southern Provinces At their coming to the Court and their departure thence they make very considerable Presents to the Emperour and great Entertainments among themselves Their Journeys and their Expences at Court whither some Lords bring a Retinue of five or six thousand persons lie very heavy on the richest and ruine the rest The Lord of Firando who as we said was one of the meanest had in his Family above three hundred men and maintain'd in the two houses he had at Iedo above a thousand persons comprehending in that number the VVomen and Concubines he kept as did also the other Lords in one of his two houses Provisions are dear enough all over Iapan but at an excessive rate about the Court by reason of the abundance consumed by so great a number of persons of quality Another way to exhaust their Estates is their magnificence in Building there being still somewhat wanting in their appartments either as to Painting or Gilding or the like Most of their Domesticks go in Silk especially their Women and those of their own sex that wait on them so that there is hardly any Lord but spends more
divert him and to mind the education of his Children and that herein consists all her duty and that there are but too many Examples of the mischiefs happening through the excessive freedom heretofore allowed to women The Wives of Iapan have the reputation of being extreamly faithful to their Husbands and so modest and reserv'd that none any where else come near them Of this many instances might be produced but confining our selves to the relation of a particular man's Travels wherein these digressions must needs be thought tedious we shall here produce only two or three of many others that happend much about the time we speak of The King or Prince of the Province of Fingo hearing that a Gentleman of the Country had a very handsom woman to his wife got him dispatch'd out of the way and having sent for the Widdow some days after her Husband's death acquainted her with his desires She told him that though she had much reason to be glad and think her self happy in being honour'd with the friendship of so great a Prince yet was she resolved to bite off her Tongue and murder her self if he proffer'd her any violence but if he would grant her but one favour which was to spend one month in bewailing her Husband and then give her the liberty to make an Entertainment for the relations of the deceased to take her leave of them he should find how much she was his Servant and how far she would comply with his affection The Prince who thought himself sure enough of her made no difficulty to do what the Gentlewoman desired of him and having provided a very great dinner at the place where she desired it might be all the kindred of the deceased came thither but it was only to be witnesses of the fidelity which she expressed to her husband after his death For the Gentlewoman perceiving the King began to be warm in his wine out of the hope he was in to enjoy what had been promised him desired the liberty to withdraw into an adjoyning Gallery to take the Air but assoon as she was come into it she cast her self headlong down in the presence of the King and all her husbands Relations Much about the same time it hapned that a young gentlewoman being on her knees at the end of a Table waiting on her Master in the appartment of the Women and over-reaching her self to take a flaggon that stood a little too far from her she chanced to let wind backwards which she was so much asham'd of that putting her Garment over her head she would by no means shew her face after but with an enrag'd violence taking one of her nibbles into her mouth she bit it off with such fury that she died in the place Another Lord having had an exact search made for all the handsome young Damosels in his Province to be dispos'd into his Ladies service there was among the rest brought him one whom he was so much taken with that he made her his Concubine She was the Daughter of a poor Soldiers widdow who hoping to make some advantage of her daughters good fortune took occasion one day to write her a large letter wherein she express'd what a necessitous condition she was in and how she was forc'd to sue to her for relief While the Daughter was reading her Mother's Letter her Lord comes into the room but being asham'd to discover her Mothers poverty she endeavours to hide the Letter from him yet could she not convey it away so as that the other did not perceive it The disorder he observ'd in the Gentlewoman's countenance made him suspect there might be some design in it insomuch that he pressed her to shew him the Letter but the more importunate he was the more unwilling she was to satisfie him so perceiving there was no way to avoid it she thrust it into her mouth with so much precipitation that thinking to swallow it down it choaked her This so incensed the Lord that he immediately commanded her throat to be cut whereby they discovered only the Mothers Poverty and the Daughters innocence He was so moved thereat that he could not forbear expressing it by tears and it being not in his power to make any other Demonstrations of his affection to the deceased he sent for the Mother who was maintained among his other Ladies at the time we speak of with all imaginable respect They are generally so reserv'd in their conversation that their discourses are not only far from being guilty of any obscene or impertinent expression but also they will not so much as talk of marriage or ought relating thereto even in honourable terms in the presence of young people who when there is any such thing spoken of immediately rise and go out of the Room The Children have a great tenderness and respect for their Parents as being perswaded there is no sin more severely punished by the Gods then the disobedience of Children They have also a certain veneration for their memory after their decease for they religiously observe those fasting dayes they impose upon themselves of their own accord abstaining from whatever hath had life upon those dayes of the moneth on which their Parents departed this World As they are very severe in restraining their Wives and Concubines of even the least liberty so are they excessively cruel in punishing those which are not careful to preserve their honours or give the least suspition of their inclinations to be dishonest It is not long since that the Lord of Firando caused three Ladies to be put into so many Chests through which there were Nails struck in of all sides one for having prostituted her self to a Gentleman who ripp'd up his own belly as soon as their familiarity was discovered and the other two because they had been privy to their Loves and had not acquainted him therewith He who finds a Man lock'd up in the same Room with his Wife may kill them both and in the Husbands absence the Father Brother or any other Kinsman nay any one of the menial Servants may do as much and by this means they so avoid those scandals which are but too frequent elsewhere that a man seldom hears of Adultery among them in so much that I do not remember I ever heard of any more then one Example which being a remarkable one I shall not think it much to insert it here A certain Merchant who had some reason to suspect his Wife pretended to go into the Country but returning soon after surpriz'd her in the very act The Adulterer he killed and having ty'd his Wife to a Ladder he left her in that half-hanging posture all night The next day he invited all their Relations on both sides as well Men as Women to dine with him at his own house sending them word that the importance of the business he had to communicate to them excused his not-observance of the
they have no knowledge of the Worlds Creation so are they ignorant that there is a time appointed for its dissolution The most zealous among them make no scruple to convert their Pagodes into Drinking-houses for as they make choice of the most delightful places of the Country for the Pagodes so they walk in them and divert themselves in the presence of their Gods and have the company of their Priests drinking and debauching themselves to that height that it proves the occasion of many consequent disorders A man shall never in this Country meet with any Controversies about Religion nor ever find that a Iapponese conceives himself any way obliged to instruct his Neighbour or shew him his Errour but on the contrary their indifference for these concernments is generally so great that some among them will not stick to change their Religion for a hundred Crowns They have so irreconcilable an aversion for the Christians that perceiving they went chearfully to their deaths when they only cut off their Heads and crucified them after their death they have since found out such exquisite torments to procure their more painful departure that though they had resolution and constancy enough to endure them yet could they not express that insolence and insensibility as to receive so greivous a death with the same alacrity they had discover'd at the ordinary Executions There were indeed some who sung amidst the Flames but it would have been somewhat above humanity if they should not have groan'd in the torments they endured when they were broild with a gentle Fire upon Gridirons or suffer'd to languish â—or several dayes together Yet did not all these courses much diminish the number of those Wretches in so much that these Monsters of barbarisme perceiving that Death little frighten'd those who look'd on it but as a passage to a better life bethought themselves of other courses to be taken with them Young Maids of any Quality they caused to be stripp'd stark naked to be publickly violated made them go on all four through the Streets and dragg'd them through rugged and uneven places till their hands and knees were cut and their bodies torn in several places and after all put them into Vats full of Serpents which enter'd into their bodies at all the open places and so put them to a very painful death yet was this done with less horrour then when they fill'd the privy parts of a Mother or a Daughter with Match done over with Gun-powder and bound about those of a Son or a Father with the same and forced the Son to set fire to that of the Mother and the Father to that of his Daughter 'T was a kind of favour shewn them when they cover'd their bodies all over with Turfs and incessantly pour'd â—eething Water into their privy parts till they expiâ—'d amidst those torments which commonly dispatch'd them not in less then three or four dayes They drove great companies of them up and down the Country and into Forrests stigmatiz'd in the foreheads with prohibitions upon pain of death that any should give them any sustenance or entertainment Some were put into Cages upon the Sea-side that the Tide might come up to their chins and at the return of the water they might recover their spirits a little to endure the greater torment at the next Floud They bound the Fathers and Mothers to a Post and hood-winked them while they put the Children to inconceivable torments which they being not able to endure intreated their Parents with the most importunate expressions they could imagine at that age to deliver them out of their pains by renouncing This was one of the most insupportable punishments of any they invented and which brought many to death and abjuration Another torment they had for those poor Children was to pluck off their Nails and to prick them with Bodkins in the tenderest parts of their bodies To make a discovery of Christians they ordered that all the Inhabitants should once a year protest before their Pagodes and sign a certain Instrument whereby they renounced Christian Religion and by this means there passed not a year but a great number was discover'd Such as were hung up by the feet and were continued in that posture for ten or twelve dayes endured the greatest torment of any in regard the anguish of this punishment still increasing there is no pain not even that of fire it self comes near it These persecutions must needs have much diminish'd the number of Christians in Iapan but what most contributes to the destruction of Christian Religion is a course they have taken to put the Christians to death even though they proffer to renounce so that there is no way for any to avoid death but by discovering another Christian who may endure it in their stead and by that discovery they escape However there is an exact Register kept of these Renegadoes out of a design as it is conceiv'd one time or other to rid the Country of them when the Executions must cease for want of Christians About the same time there was a search made for Christians in all the Hospitals for Lepers where they found three hundred and eighty Christians whom they sent away in two Ships to the Philippine Islands as a Present to the Portuguez The Leprosie is so common a Disease in Iapan that a man shall meet there with many whose fingers and toes are so rotted that they fall off The Christians who are conducted to punishment are tied but the Priests whether Castilians Portuguez or Iaponneses are otherwise treated They shave off one half of their Heads and Beards which they paint over with a red colour put a Gag into their Mouths and a Halter about their Necks which is tied to the Horse-tail on which they are brought to the place appointed for their execution Most of their Houses are built of Wood sleightly enough in regard the Country is very much subject to Earthquakes They are all raised three or four foot from the ground boarded and matted and very handsom within especially those Rooms where they reveive their Visits They are for the most part but one story high in which they live and the rest serve for Corn-lofts They have places distinct from their Houses where they keep their Merchandises and what else they most esteem in regard their Houses are so apt to take fire that they are forc'd to have Fat 's full of Water alwayes ready against such Accidents which are very frequent among them The Houses of Gentlemen and Souldiers are divided into two partitions whereof one is taken up by the Wife who is never seen and the other by the Husband who hath his Chambers and Halls for the reception of his friends and his business The Wives of Citizens and Merchants appear in the Shops and have a care of the House but they are treated with so much respect that none durst let fall a free or equivocal expression in
is not of any certain weight save only in gross or when it amounts to such a sum from the value of seven pence to six shillings or better There is also a great difference in the value of the Caxias for of some of them a thousand are worth but Crown whereas of others the same number may amount to three Crowns and a half Much about the time of our Travels the Emperour had ordered them to be caried down intending to have a new Money made of Brass and that the poorer sort might not be ruined thereby he caused the bad Money to be called in and made good the value of it to such as brought it in This Country wants not any kind of Cattel but is so much the more abundant therein out of this respect that they do not geld any Creature Thence it comes they are well stor'd with Houses Bulls Kine Swine Deer wild Boars Bears Dogs c. as also with all sorts of Fowl as Swans Geese Ducks Herns Cranes Eagles Falcons Pheasants Pidgeons Woodcoocks Quails and all the other sorts of small Birds that we have in these parts There are also in this Country several sorts of Mineral Waters very good against divers Diseases Some have the taste and qualities of Copper others that of Saltpeter Iron Tin Salt and there is among others a Source of hot water which hath the taste of Tin and issues out of a Caye which is about ten foot diameter at the mouth and hath both above and below several picked Stones like Elephants teeth so that it somewhat resembles that figure by which some would represent the Jaws of Hell The Water which comes out of it in great bubbles day and night constantly is not so hot but that it may be endured as soon as it is out of the Source so that there is no need of mixing any other water therewith There is in this Country in a spacious Plain at the foot of a Mountain not far from the Sea-side another Source which gives Water but twice in four and twenty hours and that during the space of an hour at each time unless it be when the East-wind blows for then it gives water four times a day This water comes out of a hole which Nature hath made in the ground and which they have cover'd with several great Stones but when the time of its floud as I may call it is come the water is forced out with such violence amidst the Stones that it shakes them all and makes a cast twenty or twenty four foot high with such noise as would drown that of a great Gun It is so hot that it is impossible fire should raise ordinary water to so high a degree of heat as the earth gives this for it immediately burns the stuffes on which it falls and keeps its heat much longer then the water that hath been boil'd over the fire The Well is inclosed with a high Wall having at the bottom thereof several holes through which the water runs into certain Channels and so is brought into the houses where they bath themselves reducing it to such a degree of warmth as may be endured Some affirm that their Physicians are so able that there is no Disease which they cannot discover by the Pulse They are perfectly well skill'd in the vertues of Simples and Drugs especially those of the Radix Chinat and Rhubarbe whereof they make use in their Recipe's which for the most part consist in Pills with very good success They are also very fortunate in the curing of ordinary Diseases but Chirurgery is not as yet known among them The Mineral Waters we spoke of before are a sufficient demonstration that there are in Iapan Mines of all sorts of Metals Accordingly there is found Gold Silver Copper Tin Iron and Lead The Country brings forth also Cotton Flax and Hemp wherewith they make very fine Cloaths It produces also Silk and affords abundance of Goat and Deer skins the richest Works of Wood and Lacque of any in the World all sorts of Provisions and medicinal Drugs They have among others a particular Invention for the melting of Iron without the using of any fire casting it into a Tun done about on the inside with about half a foot of Earth where they keep it with continual blowing and take it out by Ladles full to give it what form they please much better and more artificially then the Inhabitants of Liege are able to do So that it may be said Iapan may live without its Neighbours as being well furnish'd with all things requisite to life The Portuguez came to the knowledge of Iapan by means of the Trade they drove in the Kingdom of Siam and Cambodia They found it no hard matter to settle themselves there in as much as the Iaponneses had not at first any aversion for their Ecclesiastical Ceremonies so that in a short time the Roman Catholick Religion got such footing there that they were permitted to build Churches in several places of the Kingdom and particularly at Nangasacky But the Spaniards too soon discover'd the Design they had to establish themselves there and had not the reservedness to smother that haughty homour which would reign all over the World which occasion'd the Iaponneses first to set upon and afterwards to burn their Ships in so much that in the year 1636. they banish'd them the Country with Prohibitions upon pain of Death not to return into it The Dutch have traded thither ever since the year 1611. and still continue it so much to their advantage that their Commerce to Iapan is worth what they carry on all over the rest of the Indies They affirm in the Relation of the Voyage they made thither in the year 1598. that the City of Meaco is one and twenty Leagues about but that it had been much ruined by the precedent Civil Wars That Ossacks and Boungo are Cities which for Wealth may be compared to any other in the Indies That the Emperours of Iapan were ordinarily interr'd in the City of Coyo of if they made choice of any other place for their Sepulture yet were some of their Bones carried thither though it were but a Tooth That the City of Piongo eighteen Leagues from Meaco was in some part ruined during the Civil Wars of Nobananga who was defeated by Faxiba the Predecessour of Taicko and that what remained of it was partly destroy'd by an Earthquake that happened in the year 1596. and partly by the fire which consumed the wretched remainders of it some time after The Cities of Sacay Voluquin Founay Tosam and several others are also very considerable ones The Air is good and healthy though more inclin'd to cold then heat and yet the Iaponneses sow their Corn at the beginning of May but cut not the Rice till September They have neither Butter nor Oyl and have an aversion against Milk out of an imagination that the Souls of Beasts
grey Every Order hath its General whom they call Tricon who lives in the City of Xuntien He hath under him Provincials who make Visitations within their several Jurisdictions to see that there be an observance of Discipline and that there be no remission of the rigour required by the Rules of the Order These have also the nomination of Superiours and Guardians in the several Monasteries The General continues in that dignity as long as he lives and when he dies the King names his successour making choice of him among those who are most deserving He is cloth'd in Silk but of the same colour as is worn by the Religious men of the Order and never goes out of his own house without a retinue of four Religious men who carry him in an Ivory Chair upon their shoulders He hath a particular Seal for such affairs as concern his Order and his Religious men never speak to him but on their knees The King allows him what may keep a plentiful house and contributes also to the subsistance of the Monks in the Monasteries and if they want any thing it is supplied by the liberality of private persons The Religious men are all clad in serge and all after the same fashion save that they are distinguished by the colour They all shave their heads and beards They use beads and say their Mattens and other Offices much after the same manner as our Monks in Europe do Those who enter into the Monastery make a feast for all the Monks but the eldest Son of a Family is not permitted to take the habit in regard the Laws of the Kingdom forbid it and would have him to be the comfort and support of the weak and decrepit age of his Father Their vows are not indispensable but they may quit the Monastery and marry The Chineses observe at their Funerals the following Ceremonies Assoon as any person is deceased they wash the body put about him his best cloathes well perfum'd and set him in the biggest Chair they can find in the house That done the Wife Children Brothers Sisters and afterwards all the Relations kneel down before him and take their leave of him That Ceremony over they put him into a Coffin of sweet-wood well closed and set him upon a Table or two tressels and they cover him with a Hearse-cloath reaching down to the ground upon which they draw the Picture of the deceased They leave him in that posture fifteen days during which time in some other Chamber or Hall there stand constantly set on a Table Wine Fruit and two wax Torches lighted for the Priests who spend the night there in singing and praying according to their way but especially in making divers inchantmeâ—ts against the evill Spirits and in burning several Images and fastning others to the Hearse-cloath which covers the Coffin which Images they ever and anon move with their hands thinking they by that means force the Soul to Heaven The fifteen days being over the body is carryed into the Country where the Priests interr it and commonly plant a Pine-tree neer the Sepulchre whence it comes that they have a particular venâ—ration for that Tree Their mourning is austere enough Sons continue it for a whole year and sometimes two during which time they are clad in a course cloth cover their heads with a Hat of the same and tie about their upper Garment with a cord Nay some quit the publick employments they have with the Kings consent and ever after live privately Remote kindred go in mourning for some months and friends put it not off till the body be laid in the ground From what we said before concerning the Wall which divides China from Tartary it may well be inferr'd that the Chineses have a dreadful enemy beyond it It must indeed be acknowledged that though we have not any Author that hath given a pertinent account of the Eastern part of Tartary which reaches from little Tartary and the Kingdom of Cascar to the Eastern Sea and the Streights of Anian above Iapan yet have we it for certain that out of those parts and the Kingdoms of Samahania Taniulth Niuche Niulhan c. came those Nations who over-ran several Provinces of Euâ—ope and in a manner all Asia under Tamerlaine and under other Chiefs possessed themselves of the Kingdom of China For in the year 1206 the Tartars whom the Chineses called Tata because they do not pronounce the Letter R. entred China with a powerful Army and after a War of seventy two years became Masters of it forc'd thence the Princes of the house of Sunga which then Reign'd and were peaceably possest of the whole Countrey for the space of near seventy years till a certain Priest's servant named Chu considering that the savageness of the Tartars was much abated by the delights of China undertook a War against them and forc'd them out of China in the year 1368. The aversion the Chineses had to be governed by a forreign power soon prevail'd with them to become subject to Chu who assumed the quality of Hugnus that is Great Warriour and was the first of the Royal Family of Teiming which reign'd in China even to our days Chu not thinking it enough to have forced the Tartars out of the Kingdom of Chiâ—a entred with an Army into that of Niuche whither the Tartars were retreated and forc'd them to acknowledge the Soveraignty of the Emperour of China and to pay him Tribute The Tartars divided themselves into seven Colonies which warred one against the other till they were reduced into one State under the name of the Kingdom of Niuche about the year 1600. About that time Raigned in China Vanlie who had succeeded his Father in the Empire in the year 1573. and lived in an absolute peace when the Governours of the Frontiers conceiving some jealousie at the great powerfulness of the Tartars would needs hinder their Merchants from trading into China opposed the match which the King of Nâ—uche would have made between his Daughter and the King of Tanyu took him and killed him The King of Nyuche's son desirous to revenge his Fathers Death raised an Army passed over the great wall entred China in the year 1616. and took the City of Gayven whence he writ in very respectful terms to Vanlie who was then living and represented to him the injury had been done him by the Governours of the Frontiers proffering to deliver up the City and go out of the Kingdom upon condition his complaints might be heard and Justice done him Vanlie instead of reflecting on the Justice of this demand returned the business to the Councel of State where it was not thought fit so much as to answer his Letters The Tartar on the other side was so incensed at this slighting of his Proposals that he vowed to sacrâ—fice two hundred Thousand Chineses to the Manes of his Father Accordingly having taken the City of Leaoyang by
only augmented the number of discontented and treacherous persons which were on both sides in so much that most of the Grandees minding only their private Affairs they either neglected sending the relief which the Governours of the Provinces required against the Tartars or maliciously dissembled the need they stood in thereof and by that means the Rebels had time to make sure work on their side Lizungzo so well knew how to make his Advantages of these Distractions that having settled all things relating to the Province of Xensi he without any obstruction crossed the River Hoangh or Croceus and entred the Province of Xansi where he took the great and rich City of Kiangcheu The other Cities of the same Province afterwards came in save only that of Thaiyuen which was taken by storm and plunder'd The Emperour hearing that the Rebels had passed the River Hoangh and fearing they might beset him in the City of Xuntien would have retreated to Nanking but he was perswaded to the contrary by his Council it being the intention of some by that means to keep up the reputation of his Armes of others to deliver him up to Lizungzo so that he sent against the Rebels a powerful Army under the Command of the Colao or President of the Council who prov'd so unfortunate in his business that out of despair he hung himself Lizungzo who had his Correspondents in the City of Peking or Xuntien understanding how things stood at Court sent some of his people into the City who under pretence of keeping a Tavern or opening Shops for Mercery were to make a Rising when they heard the Army was advanced near the City Some affirm he had corrupted him who had the Command of the City and that by his Order he found one of the Gates open at which he entred it in April 1644. and afterwards became Master of the Palace before the Emperour had any notice of his coming The Traitors who had kept him from hearing of it prevented him also from getting away so that perceiving Lizungzo was possessed of all the Avenues of the Castle and thinking it too great a dishonour to submit to the Commander of a sort of Robbers he with his own hands kill'd an only Daughter he had so to secure her honour which she could not have kept with her life and going into the Garden he took off one of his Garters and hung himself at a Plum-tree The Colao the Queen and some of his Eunuchs followed his example and hung themselves in the same Garden Zunchini left three Sons whereof the two youngest had their Heads cut off three dayes after the Fathers death but the eldest vanish'd and could not be found notwithstanding all the diligence Lizungzo used to get some account of him I shall forbear giving a relation of all the executions which this barbarous person ordered in the City where he put all the Officers to death only this I cannot omit that among others Persons of Quality there was an ancient man named Vs whose Son commanded the Chinese Army upon the Frontiers of Leaotung Lizungzo sent order to this Vs that he should write to his Son to this effect That if he with his Army would acknowledge him Emperour of China he would divide Fortunes with him threatning if he did it not to put him to death The Father writ to Vsanguei so was his Son called in such terms as he might infer from them what condition he was in but the Son generously made him answer that he could not own him for a Father who had been unfaithful to his King and that if he had so base a Soul as to advise him to be a Traitor he for his part had one so loyal as to persist in the resolution he had taken rather to die then obey a Highway-man Whereupon Vsanguei immediately sent to the Tartars to desire them to joyn and march along with him against that Usurper The Tartar thought it not amiss to make his advantage of the opportunity he then had to get into the Heart of the Kingdom and so marched with his Forces against Lizungzo This lewd Villain who had put so many innocent persons to death trembled at the first notice he received of the March of the Tartars left the City of Xuntien and retreats into the Province of Xensi intending to establish the Seat of his pretended Empire at the City of Sigan The Tartars pursued him to the River Croceus or Hoangh defeated part of the Rear-guard and had the Plunder of some part of the Baggage in which were all the Riches which the Emperours of China of the House of Tayming had been two hundred and eighty years getting together The Tartars would not cross the River as well because they would secure the Conquest of the Province of Peking as for that they were without any Prince ever since the death of Zungte who died when the Army began to march out of the Province of Leaotung He had left only one Son about six years of age whom he had recommended to the tuition of the eldest of his three Brethren who proved so faithful to his trust that the Tartars gave him the name of Amaban that is Father-King Vsanguei finding the Province of Peking and the Metropolis thereof deliver'd of those Robbers would have requited the service the Tartars had done China and obliged the Forreigners to leave the Kingdom But he who commanded the Tartarian Army told him that it was too soon to talk of any such thing as yet that Lizungzo was still alive and might re-enter Peking that there was a necessity of ruining him so as that it should be impossible for him to recover himself and that Vsanguei should go himself with his Army and some of the Tartarian Force against the Usurper and put the Rebels to an absolute Defeat As soon as the Tartars were intreated by Vsanguei to come into China they sent to invite all the other Tartars from the Eastern Sea to the River Wolga to come and participate of their Conquests in so much that no Colony of them but sent in some Forces which coming into China brought along with them that young Tartar King the Son of Zungte As soon as he was come the Tartars discover'd what their intentions were for they settled him upon the Throne and caused him to be proclaimed Emperour of China under the Regency of the eldest of his Uncles He took the name of Xunchi and ordered his Family to be called Taicing and they say that young Prince made so sensible a discourse at his inauguration as very much startled those who heard it and expected no such thing from one so young The same day that these Ceremonies were performed at Peking they sent away some Tartarian Regiments with Orders to establish Vsanguei King to give him the quality of Pingsi that is Pacifier of the West and that he should reside in the Province of Xensi He was
above three thousand Vessels His design was to get himself proclaim'd Emperour of China but knowing he should find too much opposition in the inclinations of the people as long as there were Princes to be chosen out of the Family of Tayming he was not sorry to see it extirpated by the Tartars with whom he held correspondence as we said before Upon the reduction of the Province of Fokien they gave him the Title of King under the name of Pingnam that is Pacifier of the South treating him highly and putting him in hopes that they would leave him the command of the two Provinces of Fokien and Quantung But the Prince who commanded the Tartarian Army in the Province being upon his departure towards the Court Chincilung who had left his Fleet in the Haven of Focheu desirous to accompany him to the place where he was to take leave of all the Officers the Tartar took his advantage of the opportunity pressed him to go along to Peking and finding him unwilling to do it secured him and brought him away by force and had it not been for his Brothers who were Masters of the Fleet the Tartars would have put him to death The other Army which was got into the Province of Quangsi met with so much resistance there that it was forced to dislodge thence and retreat into that of Quantung into which the Viceroy and Governour of the Province pursued them and to give the greater reputation to their designs they created an Emperour of the Royal Progeny who assum'd the name of Iunglie After their example several other Provinces revolted but all their attempts only confirmed the settlement of the Tartars who after the death of Kiang Governour of the City of Taitung in the Province of Xansi who took up Arms against them in the year 1649. and their reduction of the City of Quangcheu in the Province of Quangsi which was taken on the 24. of November 1650. have been possess'd of that vast Country without any disturbance rather through the cowardice of the Chineses then by the number of their own Souldiery in as much as it is impossible for any Army how numerous soever to conquer so powerful a State as that of China if the Inhabitants had ever so little courage to defend themselves Xunchi the Tartarian Emperour of China married the daughter of the King of Taayu in the Western Tartary in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and nine MANDELSLO'S TRAVELS INTO THE INDIES The Third Book WE gave the Reader an account in the precedent Book how that the calm which staid our Ship in a manner in fight of the Island of Ceylon occasioned the digression we have made wherein we have represented the State of the Indies even to the utmost extremities of Asia We continued at the Altitude of Ceylon till the 20. of February at which time the North-west-wind oblig'd us to take our course towards South-east Taking the Latitude about noon we found we were two minutes beyond the Aequinoctial Line I asked the Master of the Ship what he thought of their opinion who affirm that being under the Line a man may discover both the Poles but he made it appear to me that it was an errour and shewed me clearly that the Artick Pole is not to be seen within six Degrees of the Line and that the Artartick cannot be perceiv'd till a man comes to the eighth degree He shew'd me farther that at eight or ten degrees of the Line the wind seems to be as changeable as it is in our Seas on this side of it inasmuch as that of the North-west reigns there six months together and that of the South-east blows there as constantly for the other six moneths So that such as go into the Indies or come thence may regulate their Voyages accordingly In these parts we saw several sorts of Birds whereof some were white and not unlike our Pidgeons save that their Tails are longer and narrower Others were of sundry colours and somewhat like wild Ducks But among others we saw abundance of those Birds which the Portuguez call Garayos or Rabos foreados which are black and white as Mag-pies but somewhat bigger and have their Tails divided like a Taylors pair of Shears All these Birds live only by the Sea and feed on a certain flying Fish which to avoid the pursuit of the Albocores Bonitos and Dorados that continually prey upon them fly into the Air where they can abide no longer then while their wings are moist and where they are caught by these Birds or if for want of moisture they fall back into the Sea they are devour'd by those Fishes The Albocores are white all over and have no Scales no more then the Bonitos The former are much bigger then the latter and have but one bone in them which comes from the Head to the Tail Some of them are so large that if we may credit report one between five and six foot long hath dined sixty Seamen but the meat of it being not very good I conceive they were rather glutted then satisfied The Dorado which the English confound with the Dolphin is much like a Salmon but incomparably more delicate and hath smaller Scales We also took a certain Fish which had a mouth like the snout of a Hog the Portuguez call it Tonina and the French Marsouin a name which no doubt is deriv'd from the German word which signifies a Sea-hog The Hollanders in the Relation of their first Voyage affirm that out of curiosity they opened one of them and that they found within it not only flesh and fat and the intrails after the same manner as those of a Hog but also a young Pig in the belly of it which they cast into the Sea They are seen alwayes many of them together and when the Sea is rough they come near the Vessel and grunt as if they desired shelter against the Storm they perceive coming and whereof the Sea-men look upon them as an infallible sign The Sea hath not a more dangerous Fish then those which the Portuguez call Tuberones the Dutch Hayes and the English Shark It is a great Fish and hath much ado to swim whence it comes that many times when the Sea is clam it is seen floating above water It is never seen but there are fastened to the head of it seven or eight other Fish about the bigness of a Herring expecting to participate of what he takes Above all things they love mans flesh and there are many sad examples of it in Sea-men who have either lost arms or other limbs or have been devoured by them for their teeth are as sharp and close as those of a Saw Their mouth is below the head so that to take their prey they lie upon their backs and so catch it upwards That we took had the heart in the head and lived a good while after it was taken
Guiny we accordingly removed out of the bad weather which had much incommodated us before The 28. The wind came to North-east which is ordinary in those parts within the 10th and 20th degrees whereas from thence it changes as it does on our Seas on this side We got that day 30. Leagues The 29. The same wind carried us 31. Leagues and at noon we were got to 10 degrees Latitude The next day with the same wind and keeping on the same course we got 28 Leagues to 11. degrees 13. minutes Latitude The next with the same wind the weather rainy 23. Leagues November 1. The same wind continuing we advanced 26. Leagues The 2. The wind North-east we got 24. Leagues holding our course to the North-west The 3. We kept on with the same wind the same course and were about noon at 14. degrees 40. minutes and consequently near the Latitude of Capo Verde which is a point of the Land reaching from the Continent of Africk into the Sea between the Rivers of Gambea and Sanaga by Ptolomy called Promontorium Arsinarium The Inhabitants are black bulky and well-shaped but mischievous and dangerous They are for the most part Pagans whereof some invocate the Moon and others adore the Devil whom they call Cammaté Some among them profess themselves to be Mahumetans but all they have of that Religion is only the name and Circumcision They are in perpetual wars with their Neighbours and are expert enough at the mannagement of their Horses which are brought them out of Barbary and very swift Their Arms are the Bow and a kind of Lance or light Pike which they handle very advantagiously The most illustrious marks of their Victories are the Privy parts which having cut off from their Enemies they present them to their Wives who dispose them into Neck-laces and account them a greater Ornament then Pearls They marry several Wives whom they force to work like Slaves as well in the fields as at home where the Husband is served up alone with what his Wife hath provided for him and as soon as he hath din'd he reassumes his Arms and goes either a hunting or about his business The Women are accustomed to such hardness that as soon as they are delivered they go and wash the Child either in the Sea or the next River The Men are for the most part much subject to drunkenness and such lovers of Wine that some have been seen to take off a Bottle of Aqua vitae at a draught Their times of debauches are at the Funerals of their Friends at which they spend four or five dayes together in weeping and drinking by intervals so that they seldom part ere they get their Skins full of Drink The Entertainments are performed with the Drum and Pipe and there is set at the head of the deceased a Pot of Wine or Water which is changed twice a day and that for several years afterwards They believe the dead will rise again but that they shall be white and trade there as the Europeans do The French Spaniards and Dutch trade much there in the Hides of Oxen Bufflers and Elks Elephants teeth Wax Rice Ambergreece which is excellent there Here it was that Peter de la Brouck a Dutch Merchant bought in the year 1606. a piece of Amber of eighty pound weight We shall here say by the way that the Portuguez began their discoveries of this Coast of Africk in the year 1417. in the reign of Iohn I. who had been Master of Avis under the direction of the Infanto D. Eurique his third Son These first Voyages had not the success he expected till that in the year 1441. Anthony Gonsales having discovered the Cape del Câ—vellero brought away with him certain Negroes whom the Infanto sent to Pope Martin V. desiring him to promote the Zeal he had for the advancement of Christian Religion and to bestow on him the places he should discover upon those Coasts which he pretended were prossessed by such as had no right thereto The Pope was pleased to make him a Present of what cost him nothing and gave him all he should discover in Africk especially in those parts towards the Indies upon condition that at his death he left them to the Crown of Portugal The Infâ—nte had discovered all the Coast between Capo de Naom as far as a hundred Leagues beyond Cabo Verde and died in the year 1453. King Alfonso V. in the year 1457. bestowed all these Conquests on D. Ferand Duke of Viseo Heir to the Infanto D. Eurique and in 1461. the same King ordered the building of a Fort in the Island of Arguin for the safety of Commerce by Suero Mendez which the King D. Iohn II. caused to be rebuilt before his coming to the Crown as Lord of those Conquests and the Commerce of Guiny by gift from the King his Father This Prince in the year 1461. farm'd it out to one named Ferdinand Gomez upon condition he should every year discover a hundred Leagues of the Coast so that in the year 1479. they had discovered the Islands of Fernando del Po St. Thomas Anno Bueno those of del Principe and the Cape of St. Katherine The wars which happened between the King D. Alfonso and the Crown of Castile hindred him from spending his thoughts on these Conquests but the King D. Iohn II. being come to the Crown sent away in December 1481. Diego d' Azambuja who came to Mina Iannary 19. 1482. to a place called then Aldea de dos partes and where reigned at that time a King or Prince named Caramansa This place on which the Portuguez bestowed the name of Mina by reason of the abundance of Gold found there is seated upon the Coast of Guiny five degrees forty minutes South of the Aequinoctial Line between the Kingdoms of Axen and Cara where within the space of fifty Leagues is carried on the trade of almost all the Gold in those parts It hath on the North-west Comana and on the North-east Afuto small Countries subject to those of Abarambues The Fort is built upon an ascent which the scituation of the Country makes by little and little at the end of a skirt of Land which advances into the Sea like a Peninsula having on the North-side the Aethiopian Sea and on the South a little River which serves it for a Ditch It may be easily kept by five hundred men and the Town which is at the foot of the Fort hath about eight hundred Inhabitants But this place is so fenny and barren that such as have settled themselves there upon the account of Traffick are forc'd to buy Provisions of those of Camana and Afuto The Inhabitants are docile enough and better natured then the Negroes though not so rational as to matter of Religion They make Divinities of all they see that 's new and and extraordinary They had at that time enclosed with a Wall a great
defeated Cambaya described p. 31 Its Markets Inhabitants Commerce and Gardens an Indian widdow burnt with her own consent ibid. How that custom came up p. 32 The civility of an Indosthan Mahumetan Bettele Areca described much used by the Indians p. 33 Leaves Cambaya the 25. and returns to Amadabat the 27. ibid. Comes to the Village of Serguntra what they feed travelling Cattle with p. 34 Tschitbag Garden described ibid. Leaves Amadabath the second time the 29. and comes to Agra 160. Leagues p. 35 Agra described its Market-places Caravanseras Mosqueys the Sepulchre of a Giant ibid. Its Sanctuaries Baths the Mogul's Palace described p. 36 The Mogul's Throne the Seraglio Treasury a sort of Money of eight thousand Crowns the piece An Inventory of the Mogul's Treasure p. 37 No hereditary dignity in the Mogul's Country the chief Officers the Mogul's Revenue p. 38 The Armes of the Cavalry they observe no order in fighting their Artillery the order of their Armies p. 40 The Mogul's Guard the dignity of the Rajas the Mogul's ordinary Retinue he changes the place of his abode according to the seasons p. 41 How the Mogul celebrates the first day of the year the Mogul's birth-day another Mahumetan Feast p. 42 The Mogul descended from Tamerlane a pleasant story of him ibid. The Mogul's divertisement a combat between a Lyon and a Tiger another between a Lyon and a Man arm'd only with Sword and Buckler p. 43 Another between a Man and a Tiger Mandelslo discovered to have killed an Indosthan at Ispahan p. 44 He leaves Agra and comes to Lahor 70. Leagues p. 45 All the way from Agra to Lahor is planted on both sides with Trees which are full of Parrots and Apes Lahor described the Baths of the Mahumetans ibid. DECEMBER The 19. He leaves Amadabath with a Caravan of a hundred Waggons and comes to Surat the 26. p. 46 Persons of Quality have Banners carried before them an engagement with the Country people ibid. Another with the Rasboutes the English President resigns his charge p. 47 The Sulthan's entrance into Surat how the Mogul came to unite the Kingdom of Guzuratta to his Crown p. 48 The Governour of Amadabath is Vice-roy of Guzuratta disposes of the Revenue of the Kingdom what the Revenue of Guzuratta amounts to ibid. The administration of Iustice the other Cities of Guzuratta p. 49 The Inhabitants of Guzuratta their cloathing p. 50 Their Women their Cloathing they account black teeth a piece of beauty p. 51 The Benjans are ingenious their ceremonies of marriage Polygamy lawful their Religion they worship the Devil p. 52 Their Mosqueys Purification their God Brama their opinion concerning the Creation of the World ibid. Brama's Lieutenants the authority of the Bramans p. 53 They believe the immortality and transmigration of Souls a strange employment of the Bramans among the Malabars the Sects of the Benjans their cloathing their belief p. 54 Their Mosqueys their extraordinary abstinences their publick Assemblies the Sect of Samarath ibid. Their God and his Substitutes a particular ceremony about the dead the Women burn themselves at their Husbands death The sect of Bisnow their God p. 55 Their manner of life their firing their Wives are not burnt the Sect of the Goeghys their God p. 56 Their belief hold not the transmigration of Souls a strange manner of life the superstition of the Benjans p. 57 The Rasboutes their belief a story of five Rasboutes their charity towards Birds they marry their Children young a remarkable story p. 58 The Parsis their manner of life the seven Servants of God twenty six other Servants of God p. 59 They have no Mosqueys p. 60 The Badge of their Religion their houses fire accounted sacred among them they severely punish adultery their manner of burial ibid. The Indous Jentives their belief the Theers p. 61 The Marriage ceremonies of the Indian Mahumetans the effect of Opium Divorce lawful p. 62 The education of their children their interments are called Mussulmans their stature and complexion p. 63 Their habit their houses the ceremonies of their visits their expence ibid. Their Domesticks the condition of Tradesmen their Houses Merchants p. 64 The several Sects of the Mahumetans no lnne in Guzuratta their expertness at the Bow they have of Aristotle and Avicenna's works p. 65 Their Language the Diseases of the Country Winter begins in June the Commerce of Guzuratta the manner of making Indico p. 66 Salt-peter Borax Assa foetida Opium p. 67 The Drugs of Guzuratta precious Stones Weights Measures Money much counterfeit money in the Indies ibid. The fertility of Guzuratta their way of making Bread no Oats in the Indies their Seed-time and Harvest the Mogul Proprieter of the whole Country their Gardens Trees Horses Beef Mutton p. 68 Their Fowl Fish Ships their trade to the Red-sea to the Persian Gulf to Achin the Commerce of the Malabars in Guzuratta p. 69 The Commerce of the Portuguez p. 70 M.DC.XXXIX IANVARY The first he leaves Surat takes shipping for England and comes to Goa the eleventh following p. 71 The way from Goa to Visiapour the names and scituation of several Cities of Decam p. 72 Visiapour described the way from it to Dabul p. 73 The City of Dabul described the City of Rasiapour p. 74 The Inhabitants of Decam the Money of Decam p. 75 The King of Decam tributary to the Mogul the History of Chavas-chan he is made Regent of the Kingdom engages the State in a war the King implores the assistance of his Grandees against him ibid. He attempts the life of his Prince but is prevented and kill'd p. 76 His friends would revenge his death his ingratitude the Mogul concerns himself in Mustapha's fortunes the King of Decam able to raise two hundred thousand Men. p. 77 His Artillery ibid. The English President visits the Governour of Goa p. 78 The Jesuits of Goa treat him a Feast at the profess'd House of the Jesuits there with a Ball. p. 79 The advantage the Jesuits make of those divertisements in order to the propagation of Christian Religion Another Feast at the Jesuits Colledge the Sepulchre of St. Francis Xaverius p. 80 The Hospital of Goa the Monastery of the Augustines the Portuguez pay the English 45000. Crowns p. 81 The Viceroy's Presents to the President those of the General of the Gallions and the Jesuits ibid. He leaves Goa the 20. and comes the 29. near Ceylon Goa described how taken by the Portuguez p. 82 Its Inhabitants Winter begins in June the Diseases of those parts the Women of Goa love white men the Herb Doutry and its use the Women go not abroad p. 83 The jealousie of the Portuguez the Portuguez Souldiers their Marriages and Christnings their Slaves p. 84 The Inhabitants of the Country and their Houses the Decanins excellent Gravers c. p. 85 Their Women deliver'd without pain they live in perfect health to a hundred years of age the Jews of Goa the Mahumetans their Money the Customs upon
on one of the Lords who put to death the Heir of the Crown the Emperour of Japan raises his Armies upon the charge of his Subjects is able to raise three hundred sixty eight thousand foot and thirty eitht thousand eight hundred Horse p. 149 Their Arms their Companies and Regiments the Council of State the expence of great Lords p. 150 The magnificence of the Lords in their buildings three years requisite to provide an entertainment for the Emperour the Emperour marries all the great Lords Women kept in restraint p. 151 Women never talk of business the generosity of a Japponese Wife p. 152 An example of modesty in a Maid the reservedness of their Conversation the men jealous ibid. Adultery severely punished fornication permitted they have no devotion their Pagodes and Priests p. 153 The Ecclesiasticks divided into several sects the death they are put to for breach of Vows their opinion concerning the Soul no disputes about Religion p. 154 Thephate Christians their diabolical inventions to put them to death p. 155 Their houses their civility p. 156 No drinking houses in Japan their Musick Wine Tsia how prepared their marriages and education of children ibid. They go not to school till seven or eight years of age are not swath'd the Japonneses tender in point of honour p. 157 What Forreigners trade thither the occasion of the rupture between the Chineses and Japponeses Japan was not peopled by Chineses p. 158 No Custom paid in Japan no correspondence between the Emperour of Japan and other Princes their Arithmetick the Dayro writes the History of the Country p. 159 The money of Japan its store of Cattel and Fowl several sorts of Mineral waters p. 160 Their Physicians the riches of Japan a particular way of melting Iron the Roman Catholick Religion planted in Japan the Spaniards banish'd it the Dutch establish there the Air of Japan p. 161 The Japonneses distinguished into five Orders the principal Ministers of Japan the procession of the Dayro and the Emperour the Dayro's baggage the Ladies of Honour ibid. Twenty seven Lords of the Dayro's Retinue twenty four Gentlemen the Dayro's three Wives the chief servants of those Ladies threescore and eight Gentlemen p. 162 The Emperour and his Ward the greatest Lords of Japan the Dayro's Concubines his Secretary p. 163 His Musickâ— the Dayro himself the Emperours Presents to him p. 164 The Isle of Tayovang the Dutch settle there and call it New Zealand the Government is absolutely anarchical p. 165 The places possest there by the Dutch the Inhabitants of Fermosa are civil good-natur'd ingenious its Fruits ibid. Their Wine the Women go a fishing How the Men liveâ— their hunting p. 166 The manner of their War their Armes the Island Tugin p. 167 Their Magistracy and its authority their punishments p. 168 The Magistrate hath no power their respect for old age mens age in order to marriage p. 169 Their marriages a pleasant kind of married life the women not permitted to bear children till thirty five years of age p. 170 Divorce lawful among them their houses their sustenance have no Festivals Dogs-hair Stuffes their Funerals p. 171 They neither bury nor burn the dead a sure remedy in painful diseases their Religion their sins ibid. Their Gods women only imployed about Religious Mysteries their Devotion p. 172 The Kingdom of China its Frontiers Extent Provinces p. 173 The Province of Peking its Frontiers Cities Families Revenue Xuntien described c. p. 174 The Palaces the Provinces of Xansi and Xensi their Frontiers c. p. 175 The great Wall by whom built the Province of Xantung its Frontirrs Cities c. p. 176 The Provinces of Honan c. the Province of Suchuen c. Radix Sina the Province of Huguang c. the Province of Quangsi its Frontiers c. ibid. Porcelane made at Kiangsi the Province of â—anking c. the Prince of Checkiang c. p. 177 The City of Quinsay Mark Paulo vindicated the greatness of the City of Huncheu the Province of Fokien c. the Inhabitants of Fokien trade most out of the Kingdom p. 178 The Province of Quantung c. the industry of the Inhabitants the Province of Quangsi its Cities c. the Province of Quieucheu its Cities c. p. 179 The Province of Junan c. both black and white Chineses the difference of Fruits in China the Chineses hate idleness China Fruits better then ours Wax Honey Sugar p. 180 Flesh cheap their Fishing how they breed Ducks ibid. The Inhabitants their cloathing their women their money the provision made for the subsistance of the poor p. 181 Printing in China before we had it their way of writing their paper the dignity of Loytia the Chineses very Ceremonious p. 182 Their Feasts their Plate their New-years day the honour they do Embassadours p. 183 Their Weddings Polygamy lawful the Government of China Monarchial p. 184 Offensive war made defensive by a fundamental Law their King called Son of Heaven the Council of State Astrology requisite in Councellors of State Viceroys and Governours ibid. Other Officers of Provinces Officers of the Crown Debtors how treated an admirable Order their tortures Prisons p. 185 Their punishments the Visitours p. 186 The Religion of the Chineses their Divinities three China Saints the Fable of Quaniâ—a p. 187 The Fable of Neoma the Chineses use incantations they invoke the Devil ibid. Their belief concerning the Creation they believe the immortality of the Soul Purgatory p. 188 They believe the Metempsychosis their Religious men they use beads funeral Ceremonies their mourning the present state of China p. 189 The Tartars possess'd of China forced thence the Origine of the Royal House of Teimings the beginning of the Tartarian war Leaotung taken p. 190 Vanlie dies and is succeeded by Tayohang who forces away the Tartars but they re-enter Leagtung the Kings of China and Tartary die the Chineses betray their Country Thienâ—ung King of Tartary dies p. 191 Lizungzo enters the Province of Xansi takes the City of Peking p. 192 A Chinese calls the Tartars to his relief against the Rebels the Tartars will not depart China p. 193 They proclaim their King Emperour of China Usanguei made King the Southerly Provinces chose another Emperour the Tartars enter the Province of Nanking Hungquang strangled ibid. Several Chinese Lords retire to Hangcheu Another Emperour who is also strangled other Princes this division proves the ruine of China the Tartars reduce the Province of Fokien the treachery of a Chinese Pirate p. 194 An Emperour chosen in Quangsi the Tartars absolute Masters of China p. 195 FEBRVARY He leaves Ceylon the 20. and comes the second of July following to the Island of Madagascar where they stay six weeks The Voyage continued several sorts of Birds p. 196 Several sorts of Fish ibid. Very changeable weather near the Line p. 197 Maurice Island discover'd its Haven a prodigious Thorn-back No four-footed beasts in the said Island the story of a
Devil Their Mosqueys Their Purification Their God Brama Their opininion concerning the Creation of the World Brama's Lieutenants The Authority of the Bramanes Tâ—ey believe the immortality and transmigration of 〈◊〉 A strange imployment of the Bramans among the Malabares The Sects of the Benjans Their Cloathing Their Belief Their Mosqueys Their extraordinary â—bstinences Their publick Assemblies The Sect of Samarath Their belief Their God and his Substitutes A particular Ceremony about the dead The Women burn themselves at their Husbands death The reason of it The Sect of Bisnow Their God Their manner of life Their â—iring Their Wives are not burnt The Sect of the Goêghy Their God Their belief Hold not the transmigration of Souls A strange manner of living The superstition of the Benjans Rasboutes their belief A Story of five Rasboutes Their Charity towards Biâ—ds They marry their Children very young A remarkable Story The Parsis Their manner of life The seven Servants of God Twenty six other Servants of God They have no Mosqueys The bodge of their Religion Their Houses Fire is accounted sacred among them They severely punish Adultory Their manner of burial Drunâ—enness The Indous Jentives Their belief Theers The marriage Ceremonies of the Indian Mahumetans The effects of Opium They may be divorced They bring up their Children well Their Interments They are called Mansulmans or Mussulmans Their stature and complexion Their Habit Their Houses The Ceremonies of their Visits Their expence Their Domesticks The condition of Tradesmen Their Houses Merchants Patans Moguls Indosthanâ— Blotious No Inn in Guzuratta Their expertness at the Bow They have some of Aristotle's and Avicenna's Works Their Language The Diseases of the Country Winter begins in June The Commerce of Guzuratta The manner of making Indico Saltpeter Borax Assa foetida Opium The Drugs of Guzuratta Their precious Stones Their Weights Their Measures Their Money Much counterfeit money in the Indies The fertility of Guzuratta Their way of baking bread No Oats in the Indies Their seed-time and harvest The Mogul is really possessed of the whole Country The Gardens Trees Their Horses Their Beef and Mutton Their Fowl Fish Their Ships Their trading to the Red-sea To the Persian Gulf. To Achim The Commerce of the Malabares in Guzuratta The Commerce of the Portaguez IANVARY 1639. Mandelslo leaves Surat Comes to Daman The way from Goa to Visiapour Ditcauly Danda. The Mountain of Balagatta Herenekassi Berouly Werserée Outor Berapour Matoura Calingra Worry Attrowad Badaraly Kerwes Skeokory Rajebag Getteuy Graeen two Cities Baâ—â—ouwâ— Oâ—ren and Isselampour Taffet Cassegam Calliar Galoure Winge Qualampour Domo Tamba Werad The City of Dabul describ'd Rasapour Venesars a people of Decam The money of Decam The weights The King of Decam tributary to the Mogul The History of Chauas-Chan He 〈…〉 Regent of the Kingdom Engages the State 〈◊〉 war The King implores the assistance of his Grandees against him He attempts the life of his Prince But is prevented And kill'd His Friends would revenge his death Chauas's ingratitude towards his Benefactor The Mogul concerns himself in Mustafa's Fortunes The King of Decam able to raise 200000. men His Artillery Bacim Rasiapour Come to Goa The English President visits the Viceroy The Jesuits of Goa treat him A feast at the professed house of the Jesuits Another Feast at the Jesuits Colledge The Sepulchro of Francis Xavier The Hospital of Goa The Monastery of the Augustines The Viceroy's Presents to the President Mande â—lo leaâ—â—es Goa Goa described Goa hath no wâ—ll 〈…〉 The Portuguez of Goa prâ—uder then any other Winter begins in June The Diseases of those parts The Women go abroad The jealousie of the Portuguez The Portuguez Souldiers Their Marriages and Christnings Their Slaves The Inhabitants of the Country and their houses The Decanins excellent Gravers c. Their women delivered wiâ—hout pain They live in perfect health to 100. years of age The Jews of Goa Their money Customes upon Forreign Commodities The Viceroy of Goa Mandelsâ—c continues his Voyage Monteleone The Malabars Zamoriâ— Emperour of Calicutâ— and Cananor The priviledges of the Nayres The writing of the Malabars The order of succession in Calicuth Cochim described The power of the King of Cochim A great Priviledge of the Bramans The Zamorin of Calicuth was sometime Emperour of the Malabars An Engagement with the Malabar Pirates Pass in sight of Cochim The Cope of Comory The Isle of Ceylon The ancient Taprobane It s desâ—ription When discovered by the Portuguez The History of Fimala Derma King of Candy Derma murthers his Father and three Brothers Fimala declares against the Portuguez Gives Battle The second Battle given The treachery of a Portuguez Renegado The Hollanders ill treated in the Isle of Zeilon The Kingdom of Candy The Inhabitants The Women Victuals cheap Their Religion Kings tributary to the Portuguez Mines of Gold and Silver The Maldives The Coast of Coromandel The Inhabitants on the Coast of Coromandel are Christians A History of Saint Thomas Saint Thomas the Apostle martyr'd at Edessa The Town of Meliapour Orixa Masulipatam and Golcanda Bengala The Inhabitants Their superstition Pegu. Crocodiles in the Moat The Palace Royal. The Guard The Kings Forces He makes war upon his Vncle king of Auva A just execution but too sevâ—â—â— A single Combat betwixt two Kings The Idols The Peguans Arms. They are Pagans Adore the Devil Their Feasts How the Kings Corps are burnt The Church-men A strange Souce Other peculiar Customs The third part of all real Estates falls to the King Merchandizes of Pegu Siam Menam a River Overflows as Nile doth Siam very populous India Its houses The King of Siam of a very ancient Family Is absolute His manneâ— of life Hath but one Wife A magnificent Precession Procession upon the River The Revenue His Expences Their punishments Manners of Iustification The Militiâ— of Siam Their Armeâ— Both the Kings of Siam and Pegu pretend to Soveraignty The King of Siam friend to the Hollanderâ— Elephant hunting A white Elephant The occasion of the war between the Kings of Pegu and Siam Raja Hapi King of Siam The King a Pagan A Hierarchy Vow Chastity but may quit the priesthood Beguins Their belief Lights in the Mosqueys Prayers for the dead The Siamedes invoke the Devil Are well shâ—pâ—d Their qualities Their habits Their houses Their marriages Education of Children The Traffick of the City of India The King a Merchant The money of Siam Mâ—ney of Shels The settlement of the Hollanders at Siam The Pallace Royal. The Lords of Cambodia The Portuguezâ—â—cluded â—â—cluded the Hollanders Malacca When discovered Patana Description of Patana Its Inhabitants Swallows nests The Air of Patana Mahumetans Johor The soyl fertile Sumatra The Riches Contains many Kingdoms King of Achim The Town of Achim The Inhabitants Religion Their Victuals The mournful day-tree Cocoes Ships made of it as also Sails Cables c. How they make Wine Paper of this Tree Bananas Pepper Java Inhabitant The King of Bantam A
have time enough the hands and feet and sometimes they cut the whole body to pieces that every one may carry away his share and shew the marks of his courage at his return If the Country take the Alarm so as they cannot quite cut off the Head they think it enough to cut off the hair which they carry away as a noble Demonstration of their Victory which is accounted among them a very considerable one though that in an exploit of this nature there happens to be but one man kill'd Sometimes they venture so far as to enter into the Village and break open some house but in regard that cannot be done without noise they go upon such a Design with so much precipitation that lest they should be intercepted in their return they kill all they meet and fly for it They also use stratagems and make Ambushes according to their way and sometimes they engage in the open field where they fight with great animosity but the death of one man passes among them for an absolute Defeat and obliges those who have had that loss to an immediate Retreat The Pikes they use in the Wars are made of a different manner from those they hunt withall for the Iron at the top hath no Branches nor Hooks and is made fast enough to the body of the Pike Their Bucklers are so large that they almost cover all the whole body and their Swords on the contrary are short but broad They use also Knives made like those of the Iaponneses Bows and Arrows When several Villages make an Association among themselves to carry on a War jointly against some other Villages the Command of their Forces is not bestow'd on one Chief who hath Authority sufficient to force himself to be obey'd but such among them as have been so fortunate as to cut off divers heads upon several occasions find Volunteers enough to follow them in their military Exploits out of no other Consideration then that of participating of the Glory of their Commander Sometimes they engage in a War out of a pure frolick against the Inhabitants of the Island of Tugin which the Dutch call the Island of the Golden Lyon upon this account that the Captain and Master of a Ship of that name were there killed by the Islanders The Inhabitants of this place permit not any strangers to come within their Island nay they suffer not the Chineses who come thither every year upon the account of their Commerce to set foot on Land but they force them to stay in the Road whither the Islanders bring the Commodities they would truck with them with so much distrust on their side that they never let go any thing out of one hand till they have fast hold of what they would have in the other The Inhabitants of Fermosa especially those of the Village of Soulang having a Design to surprize them embarqu'd themselves not long since to the number of sixty disguiz'd like China Merchants and being come near the Island of Tugin sent to some of the Islanders to come and meet them with the Commodities of the Countrey but instead of receiving them from his hands who presented them therewith they laid hold of his arm and drew him aboard their Vessel where they cut him to pieces This was a great Victory to them for they think it enough to bring away the Hair or haply a Pike of the Enemies to make a solemn Triumph and appoint a day of publick Thanksgiving They carry the Heads in Procession all about the Village singing Hymns to their Gods and in their way visit their Friends who make them drink of the best Arac and accompany them to the Pagode where they boil the Head till there be nothing left but the Bones on which they sprinkle some Wine Sacrifice several Swine to their Gods and feast it for fifteen days together They do the like when they have brought home only the Hair or a Pike which as also the Bones of their Enemies they keep aâ—â—â—â—fully as we do Gold Silver or Jewels inasmuch as when a House is a-fire they abandon all to save their Relicks They tender so great respect to those who have had the good fortune to bring home an Enemies Head that no person comes near him but with a certain veneration for above fifteen days after his doing such an exploit nor speak to him but with such extraordinay submissions as that a Soveraign Prince could not expect greater There is no Lord in all that Island that hath a Superiority or advantage over the rest Their condition is equal save that in every Village there is a kind of Senate consisting of twelve persons which are changed every two years The two years being expir'd they who are to quit their places pull of their Hair off their Eye brows and on both sides of their Heads to shew that they have been Magistrates The Senators are chosen out of persons much about the same age which is that of forty years for though they have no Almanack and cannot count their years yet do they remember well enough the course of the Moon and take particular notice of such as are born within the same Month and about the same Year Not that this Magistrate hath any Authority to force himself to be obey'd or to put his Commands in execution for all the power they have is only to give order for an Assembly to be held concerning such Affairs as they think of importance to confer among themselves thereof and to invite all the Heads of Families to meet in one of their Pagodes where they propose to them how things stand discover what they think fit to be done and endeavour to bring the rest to be of the same judgment with them All the Senatours speak one after another and use all the Eloquence they have to press their Reasons the more home I say Eloquence for they really have of it For they will speak half an hour together in such high expressions with so much ease and with such apt gestures that what we are taught by Art comes not near what Nature hath bestow'd on these People who can neither write nor read While one speaks all the rest are so exactly silent that you shall not hear so much as a Cough though their Assemblies many times consist of a thousand persons When all the Senators have done speaking the rest put the business to deliberation with an absolute freedom of either complying with the judgment of the Senate or opposing it after they have considered the good or evil which may accrew to them thereby All the power they have consists in causing what their Priestesses command to be put in execution in preventing ought to be done which may offend the Gods and in punishing such as do offend them They also give reparations to private persons who have been injur'd by others not by causing the offenders to be imprison'd or punish'd with death or
other corporal punishment but in condemning them to pay a piece of cloth a Deerskin a certain quantity of Rice or a pot of their Aracque by way of satisfaction according to the quality of the crime There is a certain season of the year wherein they go stark naked and say they do it out of this consideration that were it not for that the Gods would not cause it to rain and the Rice would not grow insomuch that if during the said time the Senators meet with any one that hath ought about his waste the cloth or whatsoever it be is confiscated and he is adjudged to a penalty which at most is but two Deer-skins or a certain quantity of Rice amounting to the same value Whence it comes that it is one of the principal Functions of the Senatours to be during that time morning and evening about the avenues of the Village and to punish such as they find Delinquent There are other seasons wherein they are permitted to cover that part of the body which is never uncovered in other places but with this restriction that the garment or rather skarf wherewith it is covered must not be of Silk whence it also comes that the same Senatours are to take particular notice of it confiscate those Silk Garments and adjudge the offendours to pay a penalty as they do also the women who to make the greatest ostentation upon days of publick Ceremonies go otherwise then they are permitted to do The Senatours on the otherside are obliged to observe a certain manner of life about the time that the Rice grows ripe for during that time they are forbidden drinking to excess the eating of sugar and fat and chewing of Areca out of a perswasion that the people would not only slight them but also that the gods would send the Deer and wild Boars into the Rice to destroy it The Magistrate hath no power to punish murther theft or adultery but such as are injured do themselves Justice When the theft is discovered he who hath been robb'd goes accompanied by his Friends to find out the person who hath robb'd him and takes out of his house what he thinks sufficient to make him satisfaction by an accommodation he makes with the other but if he finds any Opposition he declares open hostility against him till such time as he hath made him satisfaction He who finds himself injured in his reputation by Adultery committed with his Wife revenges himself another way for he takes out of his house who hath had to do with his wife two or three Piggs as a satisfaction for the injury he hath received The Friends and Relations on both sides compose the differences arising between private persons in the case of murther and so regulate the civil concernment There is among them so great an equality of condition that they are yet ignorant of the names of Master and Servant Yet does not this hinder but that they render great honour one to another and express a great respect and submission one towards another not out of any consideration of a more eminent dignity or upon the accompt of wealth but only upon that of Age which is so considered among them that a young man is obliged to go aside to make way for an old man and turn his back to him by way of respect till he be passed by continuing in that posture even though the old man should stand still to speak to him No young man dares deny the doing of what the other commands him though he should send him three or four Leagues upon some business of his They are the ancient men who have the chiefest places and are the first served at Feasts As to their Marriages the men are not permitted to marry till they be twenty or twenty one years of age which they call Saat Cassiu wang Till they are sixteen or seventeen they are forbidden to wear long hair so that they cut it even with the tip of the Ear and in regard they have neither Cisers nor Rasors to do that work they make use of a Parring which is a kind of little chopping-knife lay down the hair upon a piece of wood and cut it as exactly as the most expert Barbers among us They draw forth the hair of their faces with little Pincers of Brass or Iron or with the string of a great Cane which they double and getting the hair fast between it they turn the string till the hair be taken out Being come to the seventeenth year of their age they let their hair grow and when it is come to its ordinary length they begin to think of marriage Maids never cut their hair and they are married assoon as they are marriageable Their marriages are contracted and continued after a pleasant manner The young gallant who hath an inclination to a Maid sends his Mother Sister or some Kinswoman to the relations of the Maid to shew them what he intends to bestow on his Mistress If they receive his addresses kiâ—rdly and are satisfied as to his estate the marriage is immediately concluded insomuch that the young man may consummate it the night following The wealth which the most able among them send to their Brides consists in seven or eight of these skarfs of Silk or Cotton wherewith the women cover themselves about the waste so many little wastcoats of the same stuffe three or four hundred bracelets of Canes ten or twelve Rings of Latten or Deers horn which are so broad that they hide half the Fingers and so thick that when the Ladies have them on they are rather a trouble then any ornament to them four or five Girdles of course Cloth ten or twelve little Vestments which they call Ethgrao and are made of Dogs-hair twenty or twenty five Cangas or China garments a bag of Dogs-hair as big as a man can well carry which they call in their Language Ayammamiang a kind of head-gear made like a Mitre of straw and Dogs-hair and lastly in four or five pair of stockins of Deer-skin so that all put together may amount to about forty Crowns at most Others who are not so rich give only three or four Bracelets and certain Garments all not amounting to above two or three Crowns The marriage being thus concluded the young Gallant goes in the Evening to his Bride at her Fathers house and endeavours to get in by stealth shunning both fire and light lest he should be seen and so creeps into the bed where the marriage is to be consummated This he does for many years after his marriage coming thence before day and returning at night to his Wife who still continues at her Fathers house concealing himself so from those of the houshold that to call to his Wife for Tobacco or ought else he stands in need of he only hems and permits her to return to the company she was in before as soon as she hath done what he desired Of