without fear Having past this gate under a chain that went a cross from the brest of one of these divels to the other we entred into a very fair street both for bredth and length inclosed at either end with many arches diversly painted on the top whereof were all along two rows of idols to the number of five thousand Now we could not well judg of what matter these idols were made howsoever they were guilt all over and upon their heads they wore myters of sundry inventions At the end of this street was a great square place paved with black and white stone and compassed about with four rows of gyants in brass each of them fifteen foot high with halberds in their hands and their hair and beards all guilt which was not only a very pleasing object to the eye but also represented a kind of majestical greatness At the end of this place was Quiay Huyan the god of rain which idol was so huge that with his head he touched the battlements of the tower being above twelve fathom high he was likewise of brass and both from his mouth head and brest at six and twenty several places came out streams of water Having past between his legs which stood stradling at a great distance one from another we entred into a large room as long as a Church where there were three ships set upon very big and high pillars of Jasper all along the walls thereof on both sides were a many of idols great and little in divers forms all guilt fitted and disposed in such order as they took up all the bredth and length of the walls and seemed at first sight to be all gold At the end of this room or temple upon a round Tribunal whereunto one ascended by fifteen winding stairs was an altar proportionable to the same Tribunal whereon stood the image of Nacapirau in the likeness of a very fair woman with her hair hanging upon her shoulders and her hands lifted up to Heaven Now for that she was guilt all over with fine gold and that with a great deal of art and care she glistered in that manner as it was unpossible to continue looking on her so dazled were a mans eyes with the rayes that darted from her Round about this Tribunal on the first four stairs were the Statues of twelve Kings of China in silver with crowns on their heads and maces on their shoulders a little lower were three rows of idols guilt kneeling on their knees and holding up their hands and all about hung a number of silver candlesticks with seven branches apiece When we were out of this we went through another street all arched like that by which we entred in and from this we pâ—ssed through two other streets full of very stately buildings and so came to a gate that stood between four high towers where there was a Chifuu with thirty Halberdiers and two Registers which wrot down the names of all that went in and out as they did ours and so we gave them about a groat for our passage out CHAP. XXXVI Of an Edifice scituated in the midst of the river wherein were the hundred and thirteen Chappels of the Kings of China with the publique Granaries established for the relief of the poor TO give an end to the matter whereof I intreat which would be infinite if I should recount every thing in particular amongst the great number of marvellous buildings which we saw the most remarkable to my seeming was an inclosure seated in the midst of the river of Batampina containing some league in circuit in an Island and invironed with fair hewed stone which on the out-side was about eight and thirty foot high above the water and on the in-side even with the ground being encompassed with two rows of ballisters of lattin whereof the outermost were but six foot high for the commoditie of such as would rest themselves there and the innermost were nine foot high having six Lyons of silver standing upon huge bowls which are the arms of the King of China as I have said elsewhere Within the inclosure of these ballisters stood in very goodly order an hundred and thirteen Chappels after the fashion of Bulwarks all round in each of which was a rich Tomb of Alabaster placed with much art upon the heads of two silver Serpents which in regard of the many boughts wherein they were entertained seemed to be snakes though they had the visâ—ges of women and three horns on their heads the explication whereof we could not possibly learn In each of these Chappels were thirteen branched Candlesticks with seven great lights a piece in them so that to compute the whole the candlesticks of these hundred and thirteen Chappels amount to a thousand four hundred thirty and nine In the midst of a great place invironed round about with three rows of winding stairs and two ranks of idols was a very high tower with five steeples diversly painted and silver Lions on the top of all Here the Chineses told us were the bones of those hundred and thirteen Kings that had been transported thither from these Chappels below And it is the opinion of these brutish people that these bones which they hold for great reliques do feast one another at every new Moon in regard whereof these Barbarians use on that day to offer unto them a great Charger full of all kind of fowl as also Rice Beef Pork Sugar Hony and all other sorts of victual that one can name wherein their blindness is such as in recompence of these meats which the Priests take unto themselves they imagine that all their sins are forgiven them by way as it were of a plenory indulgence In this tower likewise we saw an exceeding rich Chamber covered on the inside all over from the top to the bottom with plates of silver In this Chamber were the Statues of those hundred and thirteen Kings of China all of silver where in each of them were the bones of each several King inclosed Now they hold according as they are made to believe by their priests that these Kings thus assembled together converse every night one with another and pass away the time in sundry sports which none is worthy to see but certain Bonzes whom they term Cabizundes a title amongst them of the most eminent dignity such it may be as the Cardinals of Rome To this beastly ignorance the wretches adde many other blind tales which they are assuredly perswaded are very clear and manifest truths Within this great inclosure we counted in seventeen places three hundred and forty bells of cast mettal namely twenty in each place which are all rung together on those days of the Moon wherein they say these Kings do visit and feast one another Near to this tower in a very rich Chappel built upon seven and thirty pillars of fair hewed stone was the image of the goddess Amida made of silver having her hair of gold and seated upon a
not be applied to his wound but because he was hurt just in the heart there was no hope of recovery so that he died within a very short time after Presently they seized on the Page whom they put to torture by reason of some suspitions which they had upon this accident but he never confessed any thing and said nought els save That he had done it of his own free will and to be revenged of the blow which the King had given him on his head by way of contempt as if he had struck some dog that was barking up and down the streets in the night without considering that he was the son of the Pate Pondan Lord of Surebayaa The Page then was impaled alive with a good big stake which was thrust in at his Fundament and came out at the nape of his neck As much was done to his Father to three of his brothers and to threescore and twelve of his kinsmen so that his whole Race was exterminated upon which so cruell and rigorous an execution many great troubles ensued afterwards in all the country of Iaoa and in all the Islands of â—ale Tymor and Madura which are very great and whereof the Governors are Soveraigns by their Lawes and from all antiquity After the end of this execution question was made what should be done with the Kings body whereupon there were many different opinions amongst them for some said that to bury him in that place was as much as to leave him in the power of the Passeruans and others that if he were transported to Demaa where his Tomb was it was not possible but that it would be corrupted before it arrived there whereunto was added that if they interred him so putrified and corrupted his soul could not be received into Paradisâ— according to the Law of the country which is that of Mahomet wherein he died After many contestations thereupon in the end they followed the counsell which one of our Portugals gave them that was so profitable to him afterwards as it was worth him above ten thousand duckats wherewith the Lords rewarded him as it were in vye of one another for a recompence of the good service which he did then to the deceased This counsell was that they should put the body into a Coffin full of Lime and Camphire and so bury it in a Junck also full of earth so that albeit the thing was not so marvellous of it self yet left it not to be very profitable to the Portugals because they all found it very good and well invented as indeed the successe of it was such as by means thereof the Kings body was carried to Demaa without any kind of corruption or ill savour As soon as the Kings body was put into the Iunck appointed for it the King of Zunda Generall of the Army caused the great Ordinance and the ammunition to be imbarqued and with the least noyse that might be committed to safe custody the most precious things the King had together with all the treasures of the Tents But whatsoever care and silence was used therein the enemy could not be kept from having some inkling of it and from understanding how things went in the Camp so that instantly the King marched out of the Town in person with only three thousand souldiers of the past confederacy who by a solemn vow caused themselves to be annoynted with the oyle which they call Minhamundi as men resolved and that had vowed themselves to death Thus fully determined as they vvere they went and fell upon the enemies whom finding busie in trussing up their baggage they intreated so ill as in lesse then half an hours space for no longer lasted the heat of the fight they cut twelve thousand of them in pieces Withall they took two Kings and five Pates or Dukes prisoners together with above three hundred Turks Abyssines and Achems yea and their Caâ—ismoubana the Soveraign dignity amongst the Mahometans by whose counsell the Pangueyran was come thither There vvere also four hundred ships burnt vvherein vvere the hurt men so that by this means all the Camp vvas neer lost After this the King retreated into the Tovvn vvith his men vvhereof he lost but four hundred In the mean time the King of Zunda having caused the remainder of the Army to be re-imbarqued vvith all speed the same day being the nineth of March they set saile directly for the City of Demaa bringing along with them the body of the Pangueyran vvhich upon the arrivall thereof vvas received by the people vvith great cries and strange demonstrations of a universall mourning The day after a revievv vvas taken of all the men of vvar for to knovv hovv many vvere dead and there vvas found missing an hundred and thirty thousand vvhereas the Passeruans according to report had lost but five and tvventy thousand but be it as it vvill and let fortune make the best market that she can of these things yet they never arrive but the field is died vvith the bloud of the vanquishers and by a stronger reason vvith that of the vanguished to vvhom these events do alvvayes cost far dearer then to the others The same day there vvas question of creating a nevv Pangueyran vvho as I have said heretofore is Emperor over all the Pates and Kings of that great Archipelago vvhich the Chineses Tartar Iapon and Lequio Historians are vvont to call Raterra Vendau that is to say the eye-lid of the world as one may see in the Card if the elevation of the heights prove true Novv because that after the death of the Pangueyran there vvas not a lavvfull successor to be found that might inherit this Crovvn it vvas resolved that one should be made by election for vvhich effect by the common consent of all eight men vvere chosen as heads of all the people to create a Pangueyran These same assembled then together in a house and after order had been taken for the pacifying of all things in the City they continued seven vvhole daies together vvithout being able to come to any agreement about this election for vvhereas there vvere eight pretendents of the principall Lords of the Kingdome there vvere found amongst these Electors many different opinions vvhich proceeded from this that the most part or all of them vvere meerly allied to these â—ight or to their kinsmen so that each one laboured to make him Pangueyran vvhich vvas most to his mind Whereupon the inhabitants of the City and the souldiers of the Army making use of this delay to their advantage as men vvho imagined that this affair vvould never be terminated and that there vvould be no chastisement for them they began shamelessly to break out into all kind of actions full of insolency and malice And forasmuch as there vvas a great number of Merchants Ships in the Port they got aboard them and fell pell-mell to rifling both of strangers and those of the country vvith so much licentiousnesse as it vvas said
morning as also the day following from one til three During this trembling it was a dreadful thing to hear the terrible noise which the stormes and thunder made After all this such an horrible inundation of waters borke forth out of the center of the earth as in an instant all the Country about was swallowed up threescore leagues round without the saving of any living creature from perishing but only of one child of seven years of age and which was for a great wonder presented to the King of China In the mean time this news was no sooner come to the City of Cantan but all the inhabitants thereof were terrifyed with it yea and all ours were so amazed at it that holding it for an unpossible thing fourteen of our company would needs go thither to know the truth thereof which they immediately put in execution and at their return affirmed that the matter was very certain whereof an attestation was made signed by fourteen ocular witnesses who had been upon the place which attestation was afterwards sent by Francisco Toscano to the King of Portugal Don Ioano the third of glorious memory This prodigious event so affrighted the inhabitants of the City of Cantan that all of them generally testified a world of repentance and although they were Gentiles yet must it be acknowledged that they confounded us Christians who saw how far their devotion extended For on the first day when the newes thereof arrived there Proclamations were made throughout all the Principall streets of the City by six men on horseback who in long mourning robes and with a sad and lamentable voice rode crying out these words Miserable creatures as you are that cease not from offending day by day the Lord of all things Heare O heare the most lamentable and dreadfull adventure that ever was For you are to know that for our sins God hath drawn the sword of his Divine Iustice against all the people of Cuy and Sansy overwhelming pell mell with water fire and tempests from Heaven all that great Province of China none being saved but one only Child which is carried to the Son of the Sun And thereupon they rung a little bell thrice which they had in their hands Then all the people prostrating themselves on the ground said with fearfull cryes God is Iust in all that he doth After this was past all the inhabitants retired into their houses which were shut up for five daies together so that the City was so desolate as there was not a living creature seen stirring in it At the end of the five daies the Chaem and the Anchassis of the government together with all the rest of the people wherein the men only vvere comprehended for as for the vvomen they hold them incapable of being heard of God by reason of the disobedience of the first sinne committed by Eve vvent as it vvere in procession thorow the principall Streets of the Citie while their Priests which vvere above five thousand in number cryed with a loud voyce that pierced the very skies O marvellous and pitifull Lord have no regard to our wickednesse for if thou takest account of them we shall remain dumb before thee Whereunto all the people with an other fearfull cry answered Lord we confesse our faults before thee And so the Procession continuing still going on they at length arrived at a magnificent Temple called Nacapyrau whom they hold for the Queen of Heaven as I have heretofore related From thence they went the next day to another Temple called The God of Iustice and in this sort they continued fourteen dayes during which were great Alms generally bestowed and many prisoners freed also divers Sacrifices were made of the odoriferous perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin There were many others too wherein there was good store of blood shed and wherein many Kine Stags and Swine vvere offered vvhich were all distributed in almes to the poor In pursuance whereof during the three months that we abode there they continued in doing many other good works which were performed vvith so much charge and charity as it is to be beleeved that if the Faith of Jesus Christ had been added thereunto they would have been acceptable unto him We heard afterwards and this report was universall over all the Country that during the three dayes of that Earth-quake at Sansy it had still rained blood in the City of Pequin vvhere the King of China's Court was at that time vvhich made the most part of the inhabitants to forsake it and the King to fly to Nanquin vvhere it was said he gave great alms and set at liberty an infinite many of Slaves amongst the which were five Portugals vvho had been retained prisoners in the Town of Pocasser above twenty yeers together When these came to Cantan they recounted unto us divers marvellous things and amongst others they told us that the almes which the King had given upon this occasion amounted to six hundred thousand Duckats besides the magnificent Temples which he built to appease the vvrath of God amongst the which hee made one in that very City very sumptuous and of great majesty under the title of The Love of God CHAP. LXXIX Our arrival in the Kingdome of Bungo and that which pass'd there THe season being come vvherein vve might continue our Voyage vve parted from this Island of Lampacau the seventh day of May One thousand five hundred fifty and six after vve had imbarqued our selves in a Ship vvhereof Don Francisco de Mascarenhas surnamed Pallia vvas Captain So vve proceeded on in our course for fourteen dayes together at the end whereof vve discovered the first Islands at the height of five and thirty degrees and vvhich by gradation regard the West North-vvest of Tanixumaa vvhereupon the Pilot knowing that it vvas ill sailing there steered to the South-vvest to finde out the point of the Mountain of Minatoo We coasted Tanoraa then and still ran along this coast to the Port of Finugaa And forasmuch as in this Climate the windes are Northerly and that the current of the vvater vvas contrary to them the Pilot had a very bad opinion of his Navigation so that vvhen he came to know his fault although out of an accustomed obstinacy of Mariners he vvould not confess it vve vvere already past threescore leagues beyond the Port vvhere vve meant to arrive by reason vvhereof we vvere fain to tack about for the recovery of it fifteen dayes after though with travell enough for that the vvindes were crosse and without lying our goods and lives were in no little jeopardy by reason all this Coast was risen up against the King of Bungo our Friend and the inhabitants who vvere greatly inclined to the Law of the Lord vvhich had formerly been preached unto them At length after that by the mercy of God vve had got to the Town of Fucheo vvhereof I have oftentimes spoken which is the capitall of the Kingdom of Bungo where the chiefest Christians
of the said Solyman Draguâ— that had taken us was Governor who with all the Inhabitants waited the coming of his Son-in-law at the entry into the Port to receive and welcome him for his Victory In his Company he had a certain Cacis who was Moulana the chiefest Sacerdotal dignity and because he had been a little before in pilgrimage at the Temple of their Prophet Mahomet in Mecca he was held by all the people for a very holy man This Impostet rode up and down the Town in a triumphant Charret covered all over with Silk Tapestry and with a deal of Ceremony blessed the people as he went along exhorting them to render all possible thanks unto their Prophet for the Victory which Solyman Draguâ— had obtained over us As soon as they arrived at this place we nine that remained alive were set on shore tyed altogether with a great chain and amongst us was the Abissin Bishop so pitifully wounded that he dyed the next day and in his end shewed the repentance of a true Christian which very much encouraged and comforted us In the mean time all the Inhabitants that were assembled about us hearing that we were the Christians which were taken Captives being exceedingly transported with choller fell to beating of us in that cruel manner as for my own part I never thought to have escaped alive out of their hands whereunto they were especially incited by the wicked Cacis who made them believe that they should obtain the more favor and mercy from their Mahomet the worse they intreated us Thus chained all together and persecuted by every one we were led in triumph over all the Town where nothing was heard but acclamations and shouts intermingled with a world of musick as well of instruments as voyces Moreover there was not a woman were she never so retired that came not forth then to see us and to do us some outrage for from the very least children to the oldest men all that beheld us pass by cast out of the windows and balcons upon us pots of piss and other filth in contempt and derision of a name of a Christian wherein every one strived to be most forward in regard their cursed Priest continued still preaching unto them that they should gain remission of their sins by abusing us Having been tormented in this sort until the evening they went and layd us bound as we were in a dark Dungeon where we remained seventeen days exposed to all kind of misery having no other victual all that time but a little oatmeal which was distributed to us every morning to serve us all the day Sometimes they gave us the same measure in dry Peason a little soaked in water and this was all the meat we had CHAP. IV. A Mutiny happening in the Town of Mocaâ— the occasion thereof that which befell thereupon and by what means I was carried to Ormuz as also my sailing from thence to Goa and what success I had in that Voyage THe next day in regard that we had been so miserably moiled and our hurts that were great but ill looked unto of us nine there dyed two whereof one was named Nuno Delgado and the other Andre Borges both of them men of courage and of good families The Jaylor which in their language is called Mocadan repairing in the morning to us and finding our two companions dead goes away in all haste therewith to acquaint the Gauzil which is as the Judg with us who came in person to the prison attended by a great many of Officers and other people Where having caused their irons to be striken off and their feet to be tyed together with a rope he commanded them so to be dragged from thence clean through the Town where the whole multitude to the very children pursued and palted them with staves and stones until such time as being wearied with harrying those poor bodies in such fashion they cast them all battered to pieces into the Sea At last we seven that were left alive were chained all together and brought forth into the publique place of the Town to be sold to them that would give most There all the people being met together I was the first that was put to sale whereupon just as the Cryer was offering to deliver me unto whomsoever would buy me in comes that very Cacis Moulana whom they held for a Saint with ten or eleven other Cacis his Inferiors all Priests like himself of their wicked Sect and addressing his speech to Heredrin Sofo the Governor of the Town who sate as President of the Portsale he required him to send us as an alms unto the Temple of Mecqua saying that he was upon returning thither and having resolved to make that pilgrimage in the name of all the people it were not fit to go thither without carrying some offering to the Prophet Noby so they termed their Mahomet a thing said he that would utterly displease Razaadat Moulana the Chief Priest of Medina Talnab who without that would grant no kind of grace or pardon to the Inhabitants of this Town which by reason of their great offences stood in extream need of the favor of God and of his Prophet The Governor having heard the Cacis speak thus declared unto him that for his particular he had no power to dispose with any part of the booty and that therefore he should apply himself to Solyman Dragut his Son-in-law who had made us slaves so that in right it appertained only unto him to do with us as he pleased and I do not think added he that he will contradict so holy an intention as this is Thou hast reason for it answered the Cacis but withall thou must know that the things of God and the alms that are done in his name lose their value and force when they are sifted through so many hands and turmoiled with such humane opinions for which very cause seldom doth any divine resolution follow thereupon especially in a subject such as this is which thou mayst absolutely dispose of as thou art soveraign Commander of this people Moreover as there is no body can be displeased therewith so I do not see how it can bring thee any discontent For besides that this demand is very just it is also most agreeable to our Prophet Noby who is the absolute Lord of this prize in regard the Victory came solely from his holy hand though with as much falshood as malice thou goest about to attribute the glory of it to the valor of thy Son-in law and the courage of his Soldiers At this instant a Ianizary was present Captain of one of the three Gallies that took us a man that for his exceeding valor was in great esteem amongst them called Copa Geynal who netled with that which he heard the Cacis speak so much in contempt both of himself and the rest of the Soldiers that had carried themselves very valiantly in the fight with us returned him this
perceived a great many sails which invironed the Fort on all sides Some affirmed that it was the Governor newly come from Goa to make peace for the death of Sultan Bandur King of Cambaya that was slain a little before Others said that it was the Infant Brother to the King Dom Iovan lately arrived there from Portugal because he was every day expected in the Indiaes Some thought that it was the Patâ—marcaa with the King of Cabicuts hundred Foists of Camorin And the last assured us how they could justifie with good and sufficient reasons that they were the Turks As we were in this diversity of minds and terrified with that which we discerned before our eyes five very great Gallies came forth of the midst of this Fleet with a many of banners flags and streamers which we saw on the tops of their Masts and the ends of their sail-yards whereof some were so long that they touched even the very water These Gallies being come forth in this sort turned their prows towards us in such a couragious and confident manner that by their sailing we presently judged them to be Turks Which we no sooner knew to be so indeed but we clapt on all our cloth for to avoyd them and to get into the main Sea not without exceeding fear leâ—t for our sins we should fall into the like estate from whence I was so lately escaped These five Gallies having observed our flight took a resolution to pursue us and chased us till night at which time it pleased God that they tacked about and returned to the Army from whence they came Seeing our selves freed from so great a danger we went joyfully on and two days after arrived at the Town of Chaul where our Captain and the Merchants only landed for to visit the Captain of the Fort named Simon Guedez unto whom they reported that which had befallen them Assuredly said he you are very much bound to give God thanks for delivering you from one of the greatest perils that ever you were in for without his assistance it had been impossible for you ever to have declined it or to tell me of it with such joy as now you do Thereupon he declared unto them that the Army they had incountred was the very same which had held Antonio de Silveyra twenty days together besieged being composed of a great number of Turks whereof Solyman the Bassa Vice-roy of Caire was General and that those Sails they had seen were eight and fifty Gallies great and small each of which carried five Pieces of Ordnance in her prow and some of them were Pieces of Battery besides eight other great Vessels full of Turks that were kept in reserve to succor the Army and supply the places of such as should be killed Moreover he added that they had great abundance of victuals amongst the which there was twelve Basilisks This news having much amazed us we rendered infinite praise to the Lord for shewing us such grace as to deliver us from so imminent a danger We stayed at Chaul but one day and then we set sail for Goa Being advanced as far as to the River of Carapatan we met with Fernand de Morais Captain of three Foists who by the command of the Vice-roy Dom Garcia de Noronha was going to Dabul to the end he might see whether he could take or burn a Turkish Vessel which was in the Port laden with Victuals by order from the Bassa This Fernand de Morais had no sooner gotten acquaintance of our ship but he desired our Captain to lend him fifteen men of twenty that he had for to supply the great necessity he was in that way by reason of the Vâ—câ—-roys hastening him away upon the sudden which said he would much advance the service both of God and his Highness After many contestations of either part upon this occasion and which to make shorâ— I will pass under silence at length they were agreed that our Captain should let Fernand de Morais have twelve of fifteen men that he requested wherewithall he was very well satisfied Of this number I was one as being always of the least respected The ship departing for Goa Fernand de Morais with his three Foists continued his Voyage towards the Port of Dabul where we arrived the next day about nine of the clock in the morning and presently took a Patach of Malabar which laden with Cotton Wool and Pepper rode at anchor in the midst of the Port. Having taken it we put the Captain and Pilot to torture who instantly confessed that a few days before a ship came into that Port expresly from the Bassa to lade Victuals and that there was in her an Embassador who had brought Hidalcan a very rich Cabaya that is a garment worn by the Gentlemen of that Country which he would not accept of for that thereby he would not acknowledg himself subject to the Turk it being a custom among the Mahumetans for the Lord to do that honor to his Vassal and further that this refusal had so much vâ—xed the Embassador as he returned without taking any kind of provision of Victuals and that Hidalcan had answered he made much more esteem of the King of Portugals amity then of his which was nothing but deceit as having usurped the Town of Goa upon him after he had offered to ayd him with his favor and forces to regain it Moreover they said that it was not above two days since the ship they spake of parted from the Port and that the Captain of her named Cide Ale had denounced War against Hidalcan vowing that as soon as the Fort of Diu was taken which could not hold out above eight days according to the estate wherein hâ— had left it Hidalcan should lose his Kingdom or life and that then he should to his cost know how little the Portugals in whom he put his confidence could avail him With these news Captain Morais returned towards Goa where he arrived two days after and gave accompt to the Vice-roy of that which had past There we found Gonçallo vaz Coutinho who was going with five Foists to Onor to demand of the Queen thereof one of the Gallies of Solymans Army which by a contrary wind had been driven into her Ports Now one of the Captains of those Foists my special friend seeing me poor and necessitous perswaded me to accompany him in this Voyage and to that end got me five duckets pay which I very gladly accepted of out of the hope I had that God would thereby open me a way to a better fortune Being imbarqued then the Captain and Soldiers pitying the case I was in bestowed such spare clothes as they had upon me by which means being reasonably well pieced up again we parted the next morning from the Road of Bardees and the Monday following we cast anchor in the Port of Onor where that the inhabitants of the place might know how little account we made of that
mighty Army we gave them a great peal of Ordnance putting forth all our fights beating our Dâ—ums and sounding our Trumpets to the end that by these exterior demonstrations they might conclude we regarded not the Turks awhit CHAP. V. Gonçallo vaz Coutinho's Treaty with the Queen of Onor his assaulting of a Turkish Galley and that which hapned unto us as we were upon our return to Goa OUâ— Fleet making a stand upon the discharging of our peal of Ordnance the General Gonçallo vaz Coutinho sent Bento Castanho a very discreet and eloquent man to the Queen of Onor to present her with a Letter from the Vice-roy and to tell her that he was come to complain of her for that she had sworn a peace and amity with the King of Portugal and yet suffered the Turks mortal enemies to the Portugals to abide in her Ports Hereunto she returned this answer That both himself and his company were very welcome that she greatly esteemed of them because they were Vassals to the King of Portugal and as touching that he said of the peace which she had with the King and his Governors it was most true and that she desired to maintain it as long as she lived For that which he said of the Turks she took her God to witness how much against her will she had received and suffered them in her Ports but that finding her self too weak for to resist such powerful enemies she was constrained to dissemble which she would never have done had she been furnished with sufficient forces furthermore to clear her self the better unto them she offered both her power and people for to râ—pâ—l them out of her Ports and whereas he had brought men enough to chace them thence she requested him to do it wherein she would assist him all that possibly she could which she confirmed with oaths swearing by the golden Sandals of the Soveraign God whom she adored To this speech she added that she should be as well pleased if God would give him the victory over them as if the King of Narsinguâ— whose slave she was should set her at the table with his wife Gonçallo vaz Coutinho having received this Embassage and other complements from the Quâ—en though he had little hope of any performance on her part yet did he wisely dissemble it Afterwards being fully informed by the people of the Country of the Turks intention of the place where they were and what they did at that instant he called a Councel thereupon and having throughly debated and considered all things it was unanimously concluded that both for the King of Portugal their Masters honor and his own it was expedient to set upon this Galley either for to take or fire it wherein it was hoped that God for whose glory we â—ought would be assisting to us against those enemies of his holy Faith This resolution being made and signed by us all he entered some two faulcons shot within the River where he had sâ—â—rcâ— anchored when as a little Boat which they call an Almadia came aboard us with a Brachman that spake very good Portuguâ—ze This man delivered a message from the Queen unto our Captain whereby she earnestly desired him that for the Vice-roys sake he would desiâ—â— from the enterprize he had undertaken and not to assault the Turks any manner of way wâ—ich said she could not be done without great disadvantage for that she had been advertised by her Spies that they had fortified themselves with a good Trench which they had cast up near the place where they had moored their Galley in regard whereof it seemed to her almost impossible for him with no more Forces then he had to be able to prevail in so great an attempt wherefore she took her God to witness how much she was troubled with the fear she was in lest some mis-fortune should betide him Hereunto our Captain returned an answer full of wisdom and courâ—â—sie saying that he kissed her Highness hands for the extraordinary favor she did him in giving him so good advice but as for his Combat with the Turks he could not follow her counsel and therefore would proceed in his determination it being always the custom of the Portugals not to enquire whether their Enemies were few or many since the more they were the more should be their loss and the greater his profit and honor Thus was the Brachman dismissed our Captain bestowing on him a piece of green Chamlet and an Hat liâ—ed with red Sattin wherewith he returned very well contented The Brachman dismist Gonçallo vaz Coutinho resolved to fight with the Turks but before hâ— proceeded any further he was advertised by Spies what stratagems the Enemy would use against us and that the precedent night by the favor of the Queen they had moored up the Galley and by it raised up a platform whereupon they had flanked five and twenty Pieces of Ordnance but all that stayed him not from advancing towards the Enemy Seeing himself then within a Cannon shot of them he went out of his Foist and with fourscore men only landed the rest which he had brought with him from Goa for this enterprize being but an hundred more he left for the guard of the Foists So after he had set his men in Battel array he marched couragiously against his adversaries who perceiving us making towards them valiantly resolved to defend themselves to which end they sallied some five and twenty or thirty paces out of their Trenches where the fight began on either side with such fury that in less then a quarter of an hour five and forty lay dead in the place amongst the which there was not above eight of ours Hereupon our General not contented with this first charge gave them a second by means whereof iâ— pleased God to make them turn their backs in such sort that they retired pell-â—ell as men routed and in fear of death Mean while we pursued them to their very Trenâ—hes where they turned upon us and mâ—de head anew in the heat hereof we were so far engaged and intangled together that we knocked one another with the pummels of our swords Mean while our Foists arrived which were come along by the shore to succor us and accordingly they discharged all their Ordnance upon our Enemies to such good purpose as they killed eleven or twelve of the valiantest Ianizaries which wore green Turbants as a mark of their Nobility The death of these so terrified the rest that they presently forsook the field by means whereof we had leasure to set the Galley on fire upon the express command of our General Gonçallo so that having cast into her five pots of powder the fire took hold on her with such violence as it was apparant it could not be long before she were utterly consumed for the mast and sail yards were all of a flame had not the Turks knowing the danger she was in most couragiously quenched the fire but we laboâ—ed
all that possibly we could to hinder them from it and to make good that we had so bravely begun which the enemies perceiving as their last refuge they gave fire to a great Piece of Ordnance which charged with stones and other shot killed six of ours whereof the principal was Diego vas Coutinho the Generals son besides a dozen others were hurt that put us quite in disorder Whereupon the Enemies finding how they had spoiled us fell to shouting in sign of Victory and to rendring of thanks to their Mahomet at the naming of this their false Prophet whom they invoked our General the better to encourage his Soldiers Fellows in arms said he seeing these Dogs call upon the Devil to ayd them let us pray unto our Saviour Iesus Christ to assist us This said we once more assaulted the Trench which the Enemies no sooner perceived but they craftâ—y turned their backs and took their flight towards the Galley but they were instantly followed by some of ours who within a while made themselves Masters of all their Trenches in the mean time the Infidelâ— gave fire to a secret myne which they had made a little within their Trenches and blew up six of our Portugals and eight Slaves maiming many others besides Now the smoak was such and so thick as we could hardly discern one another in regard whereof our General fearing least some greater loss then the former should befall him retreated to the water side carrying along with him both the dead bodies and all the hurt men and so went where his Foists lay into the which every one being imbarqued we returned with strength of rowing to the place from whence we came where with extream sorrow he caused the slain to be interred and all that were hurt to be drest which were a very great number The same day that was so fatal to us a list being taken of all the surviving Soldiers that so it might be known how many had been lost in the lâ—st fight upon assaulting of the Trench we found that of fourscore which we were there was fifteen slain fifty four hurt and nine quite maimed for ever The rest of the day and the night following we kept very good watch to avoyd all surprizes of the Enemy As soon as the next morning appeared there came an Embassador from the Queen of Onor to the General Gonçallo with a Present of Hens Chickens and new layd Eggs for the relief of our sick men Now though we had great need of those things yet in stead of receiving our General utterly refused them and shewing himself very much displeased with the Queen he could not forbear lashing out some words that were a little more harsher then was requisite saying that the Vice-roy should ere long be advertised of the bad Offices she had rendred the King of Portugal and how much he was obliged to pay her that debt when occasion should serve Further he bid him tell her that for an assurance of that which he said he had left his son dead and buried in her Land together with the other Portugals who had been miserably slaughtered through her practises by assisting the Turks against them and in a word that he would thank her more fully another time for the Present she had sent the better to dissemble what she had executed against him for which he would one day return her a recompence according to her merit The Embassador very much terrified with this speech departed and being come to the Queen his Mistress he so throughly represented Gonçallo's answer unto her as she greatly doubted that this Galley would be an occasion of the loss of her Kingdom wherefore to decline so great a mischief she thought it necessary to seek by all means possible to maintain the League with our General to which end she assembled her Councel by whose advice she dispatched another Embassador unto him who was a Brachman a grave and reverent personage and her nearest kinsman At his arrival where our Foists lay our General gave him very good entertainment and after the ordinary ceremonies and complements the Brachman having demanded permission to deliver his Embassage Signior said he to our Governor if you will give me audience I will declare the cause of my coming hither from the Queen of Onor my Mistress Hereunto Gonçallo replyed That Embassadors had always assurance for their persons and permission freely to deliver the particulars of their Embassy so that he might boldly say what he would The Brachman having thanked him Verily continued he I am not able to express unto you how sensible the Queen my Mistress is of the death of your son and of those other Portugals that were yesterday slain in the fight And without lying I swear unto you by her life and by this string of a Brachman that I wear the mark of my Priestly dignity and only proper to those which are of that profession wherein I have been exercised from my youth that she was so exceedingly afflicted at the notice of your disaster and the unluckie success of your conflict as she could not have been more vexed if she had been made to eat Cows flesh which is the greatest sin committed amongst us at the principal gate of the Temple where her father is interred Whereby you may judg Signior what a share she bears of your sorrow But since there is no remedy for things done she desireth and very instantly beseecheth you to confirm the Peace unto her anew which other Governers have always granted her heretofore Whereunto she the rather intreats you because she knows of what power you are with the Vice-roy Now that confirmed unto her she assures you and faithfully promiseth within four days to burn the Galley that hath put you to so much pain and turn the Turks out of the limits of her Kingdom which is all that she can do and which you may be most confident she will not fail to execute accordingly Our General knowing of what importance this affair was presently accepted of the Brachmans offer and told him that he was contented that the League should be renewed betwixt them according whereunto it was instantly published on either part with all the ceremonies accustomed in such cases Thereupon the Brachman returned to the Queen who afterwards labored all she could to make good her word But because Gonçallo could not stay the four days which she had demanded in regard of the extream danger he should thereby have exposed our hurt men unto he resolved to be gone and so the same day after dinner we departed Howbeit he first left one namâ—d Georgio Neogueyra there with express order exactly to observe all that was done concerning that affair and thereof to give certain intelligence to the Vice-roy as the Queen her self had requested CHAP. VI. What passed till such time as Pedro de Faria arrived at Malaca his receiving an Embassador from the King of Batas with his sending me to that King
the victory against this Tyrant of Achem and to permit us to regain that from him which with such notable treachery he hath taken from us in those places of Jacur and Lingua we will always most faithfully and sincerely acknowledg thee according to the Law of the Portugals and according to that holy Verity wherein consists the Salvation of all that are born in the world Furthermore in our Country we will build fair Temples unto thee perfumed with sweet odours where all living Souls shall on their bended knees adore thee as it hath been always used to be done unto this present in the Land of Portugal And hear what besides I promise and swear unto thee with all the assuredness of a good and faithful servant that the King my Master shall never acknowledg any other King then the great Portugal who is now Lord of Malaca Having made this protestation he presently imbarqued himself in the same Lanchara wherein he came thither being accompanied with eleven or twelve Balons which are small Barques and so went to the Isle of Vpa distant not above half a league from the Port. There the Bandara of Malaca who is as it were chief Justicer amongst the Mahometans was present in person by the express commandment of Pedro de Faria for to entertain him And accordingly he made him a great Feast which was celebrated with Hoboys Drums Trumpets and Cymbals together with an excellent consort of voyces framed to the tune of Harps Lutes and Viols after the Portugal manner Whereat this Embassador did so wonder that he would often put his finger on his mouth an usual action with those of that Country when they marvel at any thing About twenty days after the dâ—parture of this Embassador Pedro de Faria being informed that if he would send some Commodities from the Indiaes to the Kingdom of Batas he might make great profit thereof and much more of those which should be returned from thence he to that effect set forth a Iurupango of the bigness of a small Carvel wherein he ventured a matter of some ten thousand duckets In this Vessel he sent as his Factor a certain Mahometan born at Malaca and was desirous to have me to accompany him telling me that thereby I should not only much oblige him but that also under pretext of being sent as Embassador thither I might both see the King of Batas and going along with him in his journey against the Tyrant of Achem which some way or other would questionless redound to my benefit Now to the end that upon my return out of those Countries I might make him a true relation of all that I had seen he prayed me carefully to observe whatsoever should pass there and especially to learn whether the Isle of Gold so much talked of was in those parts for that he was minded if any discovery of it should be made to write unto the King of Portugal about it To speak the truth I would fain have excused my self from this Voyage by reason those Countries were unknown to me and for that the inhabitants were by every one accounted faithless and treacherous having small hope besides to make any gain by it in regard that all my stock amounted not to above an hundred duckets But because I durst not oppose the Captains desire I imbarqued my self though very unwillingly with that Infidel who had the charge of the Merchandise Our Pilot steered his course from Malaca to the Port of Sorotilau which is in the Kingdom of Aaru always coasting the Isle of Samatra towards the Mediterranean Sea till at length we arrived at a certain River called Hicandure After we had continued five days sailing in this manner we came to an Harbor named Minhatoley distant some ten leagues from the Kingdom of Peedir In the end finding our selves on the other side of the Ocean we sailed on four days together and then cast anchor in a little river called Gaateamgim that was not above seven fathom deep up the which we past some seven or eight leagues Now all the while we sailed in this River with a fair wind we saw athwart a Wood which grew on the bank of it such a many Adders and other crawling creatures no less prodigious for their length then for the strangeness of their forms that I shall not marvel if they that read this History will not beleeve my report of them especially such as have not travelled for they that have seen little beleeve not much whereas they that have seen much beleeve the more All along this River that was not very broad there were a number of Lizards which might more properly be called Serpents because some of them were as big as an Almadia with scales upon their backs and mouths two foot wide Those of the Country assured us that these creatures are so hardy as there be of them that sometimes will set upon an Almadia chiefly when they perceive there is not above four or five persons in her and overturn it with their tails swallowing up the men whole without dismembering of them In this place also we saw strange kind of creatures which they call Caquesseitan They are of the bigness of a great Goose very black and scaly on their backs with a row of sharp pricks on their chins as long as a writing pen Moreover they have wings like unto those of Bats long necks and a little bone growing on their heads resembling a Cocks spur with a very long tail spotted black and green like unto the Lizards of that Country These creatures hop and fly together like Grashoppers and in that manner they hunt Apes and such other beasts whom they pursue even to the tops of the highest Trees Also we saw Adders that were copped on the crowns of their heads as big as a mans thigh and so venomous as the Negroes of the Country informed us that if any living thing came within the reach of their breath it dyed presently there being no remedy nor antidote against it We likewise saw others that were not copped on the crowns nor so venomous as the former but far greater and longer with an head as big as a Calves We were told that they hunt their prey in this manner They get up into a tree and winding their tails about some branch of it let their bodies hang down to the foot of the tree and then laying one of their ears close to the ground they harken whether they can hear any thing stir during the stillness of the night so that if an Ox a Boar or any other beast doth chance to pass by they presently seize on it and so carries it up into the tree where he devours it In like sort we descryed a number of Baboons both grey and black as big as a great Mastiff of whom the Negroes of the Country are more afraid then of all the other beasts because they will set upon them with that hardiness as they have much ado to resist
please God it might be brought to pass CHAP. IX The Arrival of an Embassador at Malaca from the King of Aaru to the Captain thereof his sending me to the said King my coming to Aaru and that which happend to me after my departing from thence FIve and twenty days after my coming to Malaca Dom Stephano de Gama being still Captain of the Fortress an Embassador arrived there from the King of Aaru for to demand succor of men from him and some munitions of War as Powder and Bullets for to defend himself from a great Fleet that the King of Achem was setting forth against him with an intention to deprive him of his Kingdom and so be a nearer neighbor unto us to the end that having gained that passage he might afterwards send his forces the more easily against our Fortress of Malaca whereof Pedro de Faria was no sooner advertised but representing unto himself how important this affair was for the service of the King and preservation of the Fortress he acquainted Dom Stephano de Gama with it in regard his Command of the place was to continue yet six weeks longer howbeit he excused himself from giving the succor which was required saying that the time of his Government was now expiring and that his being shortly to come in the duty of his charge did oblige him to take care of this business and to think of the danger that menaced him Hereunto Pedro de Faria made answer that if he would relinquish his Government for the time he had yet to come in it or give him full power to dispose of the publique Magazins he would provide for the succor that he thought was necessary In a word and not to stand long on that which past betwixt them it shall suffice to say that this Embassador was utterly denyed his demand by these two Captains whereof the one alledged for excuse that he was not yet entered upon his Charge and the other that he was upon the finishing of his whereupon he returned very ill satisfied with this refusal and so far resented injustice which he thought was done unto his King as the very morning wherein he imbarqued himself having met by chance with the two Captains at the gate of the Fortress he said aloud before them publiquely with the tears in his eyes O God! that with a soveraign Power and Majesty raignest in the highest of the Heavens even with deep sighs fetch'd from the bottom of my heart I take thee for Iudg of my cause and for witness of the just occasion I have to make this request to these Captains here and that in the name of my King the faithful Vassal of the great King of Portugal upon homage sworn by his Ancestors to the famous Albuqueâ—que who promised us that if the Kings of our Kingdom did always continue true and loyal Subjects to his Master that then both he and his successors would oblige themselves to defend them against all their enemies as belonged to their soveraign Lord to do wherefore since we have continued still loyal to this day what reason have you my Masters not to accomplish this obligation wherein your King and you are so deeply engaged especially seeing you know that only in respect of you this perfidious Tyrant of Achem takes our Country from us For there is nothing he so much reproacheth us withall as that my King is as good a Portugal and Christian as if he had been born in Portugal and yet now that he desires you to succor him in his need as allyes and true friends ought to do you excuse your selves with reasons that are of no validity The succor we require of you for to secure us and to keep this faithless wretch from seizing on our Kingdom is a very small matter namely forty or fifty Portugals that may instruct us in the military art together with four barrels of Powder and two hundred Bullets for field Pieces a poor thing in comparison of that you have Now if you can yet be perswaded to grant us this little ayd you shall thereby so much oblige our King as he will ever remain a faithful slave to the mighty Prince of Portugal your Master and ours in whose name I beseech you once twice nay an hundred times that you will perform that appertains unto your duty to do for this which I thus publikely demand of you is of so great importance that therein consists not so much the preservation of the Kingdom of Aaru as the safety of this your Fortress of Malaca which that Tyrant of Achem our enemy so extreamly desires to possess and to that purpose he hath gotten the assistance of divers strange Nations but because he finds that our Kingdom is a let to the execution of his design he endeavors to usurp it upon us and then he intends to guard this Straight in such sort as he will quite exclude you from all Commerce with the Spices of Banda and the Molucques and from all the Trade and Navigation of the Seas of China Sunda Borneo Timor and Jappon and this his own people stick not to boast of even already being also further manifested by the accord which he hath lately made with the Turk through the interposâ—ure of the Bassa of grand Cairo who in consideration thereof hath promised to ayâ— him with great Forces Wherefore at length give ear unto the request which I have made unto you in the name of my King and that so much concerns the service of yours for since you may yet give a remedy to the mischief which you see is ready to fall I desire you to do it speedily And let not one of you excuse himself by alledging that the time of his Government is almost at an end nor the other that he is not as yet entered upon his Charge for it is sufficient that you know you are both of you equally obliged thereunto Having finished this speech in form of a request which availed him nothing he stooped down to the ground from whence taking up two stones he knocked with them upon a Piece of Ordnance and then the tears standing in his eyes he said The Lord who hath created us will defend us if he please and so imbarquing himself he departed greatly discontented for the bad answer he carried back Five days after his departure Pedro de Faria was told how all the Town murmured at the small respect that both he and Dom Stephano had carried to that poor King who had ever been a friend both to them and the whole Portugal Nation and continually done very good offices to the Fort for which cause his Kingdom was now like to be taken from him This advice causing him to see his fault and to be ashamed of his proceeding he labored to have palliated it with certain excuses but at last he sent this King by way of succor fifteen quintals of fine Powder an hundred pots of Wild-fire an hundred and fifty Bullets for
that would buy me Hereat he seemed to be much astonished so that musing a pretty while by himself Know stranger said he unto me that I am but a poor Merchant all whose wealth amounts not to above an hundred Pardains which are worth two shillings a piece of our mony with which I trade for the rows of Shads thereby hoping to get my living Now I am assured that I might gain something at Malaca if so be the Captain and the Officers of the Custom-house there would not do me the wrong which I have heard say they do to many Merchants that come thither to traffique wherefore if thou thinkst that for thy sake I should be well used there I could be contented to redeem thee from the fishermen and go thither with thee Thereunto I answered him with tears in mine eyes that considering the state I was in at the present it was not likely he could give credit to any thing I said because it was probable that to free my self out of my miserable captivity I would prize my person at a far higher value then it would be esteemed for at Malaca howbeit if he would lend any belief to my oaths since I had no other assurance to give him I would swear to him and also set it under my hand that if he would carry me to Malaca the Captain should do him a great deal of honor for my sake and besides the exempting of his Merchandise from paying of custom he should receive ten times as much as he should disburse for me Well replyed the Mahometan I am contented to redeem and reconduct thee to Malaca but thou must take heed that thou speakest not a word of that we have concluded on for fear thy Masters hold thee at so dear a rate as I shall not be able to draw thee out of their hands though I would never so fain whereupon I gave him my faith to do nothing but what he would have me do especially in that particular which I held to be most necessary for the better effecting of our desire Four days after this agreement the Mahometan Merchant that he might the more easily redeem me used the interposure of a man born in the Country who under hand went to the fishermen and carried the business so cunningly with them as they quickly consented to my redemption for they were already very weary of me as well in regard that I was sickly as for that I could no way stand them in any stead and therefore as I delivered before they had turned me out of doors where I had continued a month and better so by the means of this third person whom the Mahometan had employed the fishermen sold me to the Merchant for the sum of seven mazes of gold which amounts in our mony to seventeen shillings and six pence The Mahometan as soon as he had redeemed me brought me to his house where I was five days out of the tyranny of these fishermen and in a far better captivity then the former At the end whereof my new Master went five leagues off to a place named Sorobaya where he got his Merchandise aboard which as I said before was nothing but the rows of Shads For there is such great abundance of them in that River as the Inhabitants do therewith every year lade above two thousand Vessels which carry at least an hundred and fifty or two hundred Barrels whereof each one contains a thousand rows the rest of the fish not yielding them a peny After that the Mahometan had laden a Lanchara with this commodity he presently set sail for Malaca where within a while he safely arrived and carrying me to the Fortress presented me to the Captain relating unto him what agreement we had made together Pedro de Faria was so amazed to see me in such a lamentable plight as the tears stood in his eyes whereupon he bade me speak out aloud that he might know whether it was I that he beheld for that I did not seem to be my self in regard of the strange deformity of my face Now because that in three months space there had been no news of me and that every one thought me to be dead there came so manyfolks to see me as the Fortress could scarce hold them Here being demanded the occasion of my mis-fortune and who had brought me into that miserable case I recounted the adventures of my Voyage just in the same manner as I have already delivered them whereat the whole company were so astonished that I saw some go away without speaking a word and others shrink up their shoulders and bless themselves in admiration of that which they had heard from me but in conclusion their compassion towards me was such that with the very alms they bestowed on me I became far richer then I was before I undertook that unlucky Voyage As for Pedro de Faria he caused threescore duckets to be given to the Mahometan Merchant that brought me besides two pieces of good China Damask moreover he freed him of all the duties he was to pay for the custom of his Merchandise which amounted to very near a like sum so as he remained exceeding well satisfied of the bargain he had made with me After this to the end I might be the better used and looked unto the Captain commanded me to be lodged in the Registers house of the Kings Customs where for that he was married there he thought I might be better accommodated then in any other place as indeed I was very well entreated by him and his wife so that having kept my bed about the space of a month it pleased God to restore me unto my perfect health When I had recovered my health Pedro de Faria sent for me to the Fortress where he questioned me about that which had past betwixt me and the King of Aaru as also how and in what place I was cast away whereupon I made him an ample relation thereof But before I proceed any further it is requisite I should here report what was the success of the War between the Kings of Aaru and Achem to the end that the desolation which I have so often foretold of our Fortress of Malaca may the more evidently appear it being a matter of too much importance for to be so neglected as it is by those who ought to have more care of it For this is certain that either the power of the King of Achem is utterly to be ruined or by it we shall be miserably expelled out of all the Countries we have conquered all along the Southern Coast as Malaca Banda Maluco Sunda Borneo and Timor and Northwards China Iapan and the Lâ—qmos as also many other parts and Ports where the Portugals are very much interessed by reason of the Traffique which they dayly use there and where they reap more profit then in any other place that is yet discovered beyond the Cape of good hope the extent thereof being so
and Royal House of rich Achem the very day of this thy Embassadors arrival whom I have presently sent away without further seeing or hearing of him as he may tell thee upon his return to thy presence The King of Iantana's Embassador being dismissed with this Answer the very same day that he arrived which amongst them they hold for a mighty affront carried back the Present which the Tyrant would not accept of in the greater contempt both of him that sent and he that brought it and arrived at Compar where the King of Iantana was at that instant who upon the understanding of all that had past grew by report so sad and vext that his servants have vowed they have divers times seen him weep for very grief that the Tyrant should make so little reckoning of him Howbeit he held a Councel there upon the second time where it was concluded that at any hand he should make War upon him as on his mortal Enemy and that the first thing he should undertake should be the recovery of the Kingdom of Aaru and the Fort of Panetican before it was further fortified The King accordingly set forth a Fleet of two hundred Sails whereof the most part were Lanchares Calaluses and fifteen tall Juncks furnished with Munition necessary for the enterprize And of this Navy he made General the great Laque Xemena his Admiral of whose valor the History of the Indiaes hath spoken in divers places To him he gave two thousand Soldiers as also four thousand Mariners and gally slaves all choyce and trained men This General departed immediately with his Fleet and arrived at the River of Panetican close by the Enemies Fort which he assaulted five several times both with scaling ladders and divers artificial fires but perceiving he could not prevail that way he began to batter it with four hundred great Pieces of Ordnance which shot continually for the space of seven whole days together at the end whereof the most part of the Fort was ruined and overthrown to the ground whereupon he presently caused his men to give an assault to it who performed it so valiantly that they entered it and slew fourteen hundred Achems the most of which came thither but the day before the Fleet arrived under the conduct of a Turkish Captain Nephew to the Bassa of Caire named Mora do Arraiz who was also slâ—iâ—â— there with four hundred Turks he had brought along with him whereof Laque Xemena would not spare so much as one After this he used such diligence in repairing that which was fallen wherein most of the Soldiers labored that in twelve days the Fort was rebuilt and made as strong as before with the augmentation of two Bulwarks The news of this Fleet which the King of Iantana prepared in the Ports of Bintan and Compar came to the Tyrants ears who fearing to lose that which he had gotten put instantly to Sea another Fleet of fourteen hundred and twenty Sails Foists Lanchares Galiots and fifteen Galleys of five and twenty banks of oaâ—s a piece wherein he caused fifteen thousand men to be imbarqued namely twelve thousand Soldiers and the rest Mariners and such as were for the service of the Sea Of this Army he made the same Heredin Mahomet General who had before as I have already declared conquered the Kingdom of Aaru in regard he knew him to be a man of a great spirit and fortunate in War who departing with this Army arrived at a place called Aapessumhee within four leagues of the River of Panetican where he learnt of certain fishermen whom he took and put to torture all that had past concerning the Fort and the Kingdom and how Laque Xemena had made himself Master both of the Land and Sea in expectation of him At this news it is said that Heredin Mahomet was much perplexed because intruth he did not bâ—lieve the Enemy could do so much in so little time By reason whereof he assembled his Councel where it was concluded that since both the Fort and Kingdom were regained and all the men he had left there cut in pieces as likewise for that the Enemy was very strong both at Sea and Land and the season very unfit for their design therefore they were to return back Neverthâ—less Heredin Mahomet was of a contrary opinion saying that he would rather dye like a man of courage then live in dishonor and that seeing the King had made choyce of him for that purpose by the help of God he would not lose one jot of the reputation he had gotten wherefore he vowed and swore by the bones of Mahomet and all the Lamps that perpetually burn in his Chappel to put all those to death as Traytors that should go about to oppose this intent of his and that they should be boiled alive in a Cauldron of Pitch in such manner as he meant to deal with Laque Xemena himself and with this boiling resolution he parted from the place where he rode at anchor with great cries and noise of Drums and Bells as they are accustomed to do upon like occasions In this sort by force of oars and sails they got into the entry of the River and coming in sight of Laque Xemena's Navy who was ready waiting for him and well reinforced with a great number of Soldiers that were newly come to him from Pâ—ra Bintan Siaca and many other places thereabout he made towards him and after the discharging of their Oâ—dnance afar off they joyned together with as much violence as might be The fight was such that during the space of an hour and an half there could no advantage be discerned on either part until such time as Heredin Mahomet General of the Achems was slain with a great shot that hit him just in the brest and battered him to pieces The death of this Chieftain discouraged his people in such manner as laboring to return unto a Point named Baroquirin with a purpose there to unite and fortifie themselves until night and then by the favor thereof to fly away they could not execute their design in regard of the great currant of the water whâ—ch separated and dispersed them sundry ways by which means the Tyrants Army â—ell into the power of Laque Xemena who defeated it so that but fourteen Sails of them escaped and the other hundred threescore and six were taken and in them were thirteen thousand and five hundred men killed besides the fourteen hundred that were slain in the Trench These fourteen Sails that so escaped returned to Achem where they gave the Tyrant to understand how all had past at which it is reported he took such grief as he shut up himself for twenty days without seeing any body at the end whereof he struck off the heads of all the Captains of the fourteen Sails and commanded all the Soldiers beards that were in them to be shaved off enjoyning them expresly upon pain of being sawed asunder alive to go ever
will rely on thy word although the course thou hâ—ldest may well divert me from it in regard it is no way conformable to the Christian Law which thou hast profest in thy Baptism An answer that rendred Antonio de Faria so confounded and amazed as he knew not whaâ—â—o reply Howbeit he caused him to come neâ—rer to him and questioned him gently without any further threatâ—ning This old man then sat him down by Antonio de Faria who seeing him white like unto us asked him whether he were a Turk or a Persian whereunto he answered that he was neither but that he was a Christian born at Mount Sinai Antonio de Faria thereupon replyed how he wondred much being a Christian as he said that he lived not amongst Christians To which the old man answered that he was a Merchant of a good family named Tome Mostanguo and that riding one day at anchor in a Ship of his in the Port of Iudaa in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and eight Soliman the Bassa Vice-roy of Cairo took his and sevâ—n others Ships to carry Victual and Munition for his Army of threescore Galleys wherewith he went by the Command of the grand Signior to restore Sultan Bandur to his Kingdom of Cambaya which the great Mogul had deprived him of And that at the end of the Voyage going to demand the freight which they had promised him the Turks that were ever cruel and faithless took his wife and a young daughter he had and forced them before his face and because his son wept at the sight of this injury they threw him bound hand and foot into the Sea as for himself they layd him in Irons and continually scourging him they stript him of all his goods to the value of six thousand duckets and better saying that it was not lawful for any to enjoy the blessings of God but the holy and just Moussâ—limans such as they were And that his wife and daughter dying not long after he found means one night to cast himself into the Sea with that little boy which was his son at the mouth of the River of Diu from whence he went by Land to Surrat and so to Malaca in a ship of Garcia de Saas Captain of Bacaim then how by the commandment of Estevano de Gama going to China with Christovano Sardinha which had been Factor at the Molucques one night as they rode at anchor in Cincaapura Quiay Taijano Master of the Junk surprized them and killed the said Sardinha together with six and twenty Portugals more as for him because he was a Gunner they saved his life At this report Antonio de Faria striking himself on the brest as a man amazed at this discourse Lord Lord said he this seems to be a dream that I hear then turning himself to his Soldiers that stood about him he related the life of this Quiay unto them and further affirmed that he had slain at times in strayed Vessels above an hundred Portugals and despoyled them of an hundred thousand duckets at least And though his name was such as this Armenian delivered to wit Quiay Taijano yet after he had killed Christovano Sardinha in Cincaapura in a vain-glory of that which he had done he caused himself to be called Captain Sardinha Whereupon having demanded of the Armenian where he was he told us that he was very sore hurt and hidden in the hold of the Junk amongst the Cables with five or six others Hereat Antonio de Faria arose and went directly to the place where this Dog was hidden followed by the greatest part of his Soldiers which opened the scuttle where the Cables lay to see whether the Armenian spake true or no in the mean time the Dog and the six others that were with him got out at another scuttle and most desperately fell upon our men who were above thirty in number besides fourteen boys Then began there so furious and bloody a fight that in less then a quarter of an hour we made a clean dispatch of them all but in the mean while two Portugals and seven boys were slain besides I know not how many hurt whereof Antonio de Faria received two downright blows on his head and one on his arm which put him to very much pain After this defeat and that the wounded men were drest he set sail for fear of the forty Junks that were in the River So getting far from Land about evening we went and anchored on the other side of Cauchenchina where Antonio de Faria causing an Inventory to be taken of all that was in this Pyrats Junk there was found in her five hundred Bars of Pepper after fifty quintals to the Bar forty of Nutmegs and Mace fourscore of Tin thirty of Ivory twelve of Wax and five of Wood of fine Aloes which might be worth according to the rate of the Country seventy thousand duckets besides a little field Piece four Faulcons and thirty Bases of Brass the greatest part of which Artillery had been ours for this Mahometan had taken them in the ships of Sardinha Oliveyra and Bartolemeu de Matos There were also found three Coffers covered with Leather full of Silk quilts and the apparel of Portugals with a great Bason and Ewer silver and guilt and a Salt-seller of the same two and twenty Spoons three Candlesticks five guilt Cups eight and fifty Harquebuzes twelve hundred twenty and two pieces of Bengala Cloth all which were Portugals goods eighteen quintals of Powder and nine Children about seven or eight years of age chained together by the hands and the feet most lamentable to behold for that they were so weak and lean that one might easily through their skins have counted all the bones in their bodies CHAP. XVI Antonio de Faria's Arrival at the Bay of Camoy where was the fishing of Pearls for the King of China the Relation made to him of the Isle of Ainan with that which happened to him by the means of a renegado Pyrat and otherwise THe next day after noon Antonio de Faria parted from the place where he rode at anchor and returned towards the Coast of Ainan by the which he kept all the rest of that day and the next night with five and twenty or thirty fathom water In the morning he came to a Bay where there were many great Boats fishing for Pearls and being unresolved what course to take he bestowed all the forenoon in counsel with his company thereabout whereof some were of the opinion that he should seize upon the Boats that were fishing for Pearls and others opposed it saying it was a safer way to treat with them as Merchants for that in exchange of the great store of Pearls which were in that place they might easily put off the most part of their Commodities This appearing to be the best and safest advice Antonio de Faria caused the Flag of Trade to be hung out according to the Custom of China so that instantly there
came two Lanteaas from Land to us which are Vessels like to Foists with great abundance of refreshments and those that were in them having saluted us after their manner went aboard the great Junk wherein Antonio de Faria was but when they beheld men such as we were having never seen the like before they were much amazed and demanded what people we were and wherefore we came into their Country Whereunto we answered by an Interpreter that we were Merchants born in the Kingdom of Siam and were come thither to sell or barter our Commodities with them if so be they would permit us To this an old man much respected of all the rest replyed that here was no Traffique used but in another place â—urther forward called Guamboy where all strangers that came from Cantan Chincheo Lamau Comhay Sumbor Liampau and other Sea-coast Towns did ordinarily trade Wherefore he counselled him to get him suddenly from thence in regard this was a place destined only to the fishing of Pearls for the Treasure of the house of the son of the Sun to the which by the Ordinance of the Tutan of Comhay who was the soveraign Governor of all the Country of Cauchenchina no Vessel was permitted to come but only such as were appointed for that service and that all other ships which were found there were by the Law to be burnt and all that were in them but since he as a stranger and ignorant of the Laws of the Country had transgressed the same not out of contempt but want of knowledg he thought fit to advertise him of it to the end he might be gone from thence before the arrival of the Mandarim of the Army which we call General to whom the Government of that fishing appertained and that would be within three or four days at the most being gone not above six or seven leagues from thence to a Village named Buhaquirim for to take in Victual Antonio de Faria thanking him for his good advice asked him how many Sails and what Forces the Mandarim had with him Whereunto the old man answered that he was accompanied with forty great Junks and twenty five Vancans with oars wherein there were seven thousand men namely five thousand Soldiers and the rest Slaves and Mariners and that he was there every year six Months during the which time was the fishing for Pearls that is to say from the first of March to the last of August Our Captain desiring to know what duties were payd out of this fishing and what revenue it yielded in those six Months the old man told him that of Pearls which weighed above five Carats they gave two thirds of the worser sort hâ—lf less and of seed Pearl the third part and that this Revenue was not always alike because the fishing was sometimes better in one year then in another but that one with another he thought it might yield annually four hundred thousand Taâ—is Antonio de Faria made very much of the old man and gave him two cakes of Wax a bag of Pepper and a tooth of Ivory wherewith both he and the rest were exceedingly well pleased He also demanded of them of what bigness this Isle of Ainan might be whereof so many wonders were spoken Tell us first replyed they who you are and wherefore you are come hither then will we satisfie you in that you desire of us for we vow unto you that in all our lives we never saw so many young fellows together in any Merchants ships as we now see in this of yours nor so spruce and neâ—t and it seems that in their Country China Silks are so cheap as they are of no esteem or else that they have had them at so easie a rate as they have given nothing near the worth for them for we see them play away a piece of Damask at one cast at Dice as those that come lightly by them A speech that made Antonio de Faria secretly to smile for that thereby he well perceived how these fishermen had a shrewd guess that the same were stollen which made him tell them that they did this like young men who were the sons of very rich Merchants and in that regard valued things far under that they were worth and had cost their fathers dissembling then what they thought they answered in this manner It may very well be as you say Whereupon Antonio de Faria gave a sign to the Soldiers to leave off their play and to hide the pieces of Silk that they were playing for to the end they might not be suspected for Robbers by these folks which immediately they did and the better to assure these Chineses that we were honest men and Merchants our Captain commanded the scuttles of the Junk to be opened that we had taken the night before from Captain Sardinha which was laden with Pepper whereby they were somewhat restored to a better opinion then they had of us before saying one to another Since now we find that they are Merchants indeed let us freely answer to their demand so as they may not think though we be rude that we know nothing but how to catch fish and Oysters The old man desiring to satisfie Antonio de Faria's demand Sir said he since now I know what you are and that only out of curiosity you fairly require to learn this particular of me I will clearly tell you all that I know thereof and what I have heard others deliver concerning it that have been elder then my self and which have a long time governed this Archipelague They said then that this Island was an absolute State under a very rich and mighty King who for an higher and more transcendent title then other Monarchs his Contemporaries carried caused himself to be stiled Prechau Gamâ—u He dying without heirs so great a discord arose amongst the people about the succession to the Crown as encreasing by little and little it caused such effusion of blood that the Chronicles of those times affirm how only in four years and an half sixteen Lacazaas of men were slain every Lacazaa containing an hundred thousand by means wheroof the Country remained so deserted of people that unable to defend it self the King of Cauchin conquered it only with seven thousand Mogores which the King of Tartarie sent him from the City of Tuymican that then was Metrapolitan of all his Empires This Island of Ainan being conquered the King of Cauchin returned into his Country and for Governor thereof left behind him a Commander of his named Hoyha Paguarol who revolted from him for certain just causes as he pretended that invited him thereunto Now to have the assistance and support of the King of China he became his Tributary for four hundred thousand Taeis by the year which amount to six hundred thousand duckets in consideration whereof the King of China obliged himself to defend him against all his enemies whensoever he should have need This accord continued beâ—ween them the space
heed Now when the day began perfectly to appear it pleased God that Mem Taborda's and Antonio Anriquez Junks discovered us and presently coming up close to us they that were in her threw us a great many staves tyed to cords to the end we might fasten our selves to them as we presently did and therein an hour was spent with much ado by reason of the extream disorder amongst us every man desiring and striving to be first saved by which occasion twenty men were drowned whereof five were Portugals for whom Antonio de Faria was more grieved then for the loss of the Junk and all the goods that were in her although the value thereof was not so small but that it amounted to above an hundred thousand Taâ—is and that in Silver alone for the greatest part of the booty taken from Coia Acem had been put into Antonio de Faria's Junk as that which was held to be freer from danger then all the rest Thus after we had with much peril and pain gotten into Taborda's Junk we past all that day in continual lamentation for our ill success without hearing any news of our consorts Nevertheless it pleased God that about evening we discovered two Sails which made so many short turnings from one side to another as one might well guess they did it of purpose to spend time whereby we were perswaded that they were of our company Now because it was almost night we thought it not fit to go to them for some reasons given thereupon but having made them a sign they answered us presently with the like according to our desire and about the end of the last watch they approached so near unto us that after they had sadly saluted us they demanded how the Captain General and the rest did whereunto we replyed that as soon as it was day we would tell them and that in the mean time they should retire from thence till the next morning that it was light for that the waves then went so high as some disaster might otherwise ensue thereupon The next day as soon as the Sun began to appeared two Portugals came to us from Quiay Panians Junk who seeing Antonio de Faria in the case he was in aboard Mem Taborda's Junk and understanding the bad success of his fortune they recounted theirs unto us which seemed to be little better then ours for they declared that a gust of wind had caught up and thrown three of their men a stones cast from the Vessel into the Sea a thing never seen nor heard of before Withall they delivered how the little Junk was cast away with fifty men in her almost all Christians amongst the which were seven Portugals and the Captain named Nuno Preto an honorable man and of great courage and wisdom whereof he had given good proof in the former adversities Aâ— this relation Antonio de Faria was very much grieved but much more when a little after one of the two Lanteas of whom no news had been heard of till then arriving told us what dangers they had ran and that the other having broken their cables and left their anchors in the Sea was in their sight battered all to pieces on the Sea shoar all that were in her being drowned saving thirteen persons whereof there were five Portugals and three servants Christians whom those of the Country had made Slaves and carried to a place called Nouday so that by this unlucky Tempest two Junks and one Lantea or Lorch were cast away wherein above an hundred men were lost besides Slaves Apparel Commodities Silver Jewels Ordnance Arms Victual and Munition worth in all above two hundred thousand Duckets in so much thaâ— both our General and every one of us Soldiers found our selves destitute of all manner of relief having nothing left us but what was upon our backs We learnt afterwards that such-like fortunes at Sea do ordinarily happen on this Coast of China more then in any other part so that it is impossible to sail there a whole year together without shipwrack unless upon the Conjunction of the new Moons one fly into the Ports for shelter which are there so many and so good that without fear of any thing one may enter them easily because they are all very clear except those of Lamau and Sumbor which have certain Rocks lying some half a league Southward from the mouth of the River CHAP. XXII Antonio de Faria hath news of the five Portugals that were made Captives his Letter to the Mandarin of Nouday about them and his assaulting the said Town AFter this furious Tempest was wholly asswaged Antonio de Faria incontinently imbarqued himself in the other great Junk that he had taken from Coia Acem whereof Pedro de Silva was Captain and setting sail he departed with the rest of his Company which consisted of three Junks and one Lorch or Lantea as the Chineses term them The first thing he did then was to go and anchor in the Haven of Nouday to the end he might learn some news of the thirteen Captives that were carried thither being arrived there about night he sent two small Barques called Baloes well man'd to spy the Port and sound the depth of the River as also to observe the scituation of the Country and to learn by some means what Ships were riding there together with divers other matters answerable to his design For which effect he commanded the Mariners to endeavor all they could for to surprize some of the Inhabitants of the Town that by them he might be truly informed what was become of the Portugals by reason he was afraid they were already carried further up into the Country These Baloes went away about two hours after midnight and arrived at a little Village seated at the mouth of the River on a little stream of water called Nipaphau There it pleased God that they behaved themselves so well as they returned before day aboard our Junk bringing along with them a Barque laden with earthen vessel and Sugar canes which they had found lying at anchor in the midst of the River In this Barque there were eight men and two women together with a little child some six or seven years old who seeing themselves thus in our power became so transported with the fear of death that they were in a manner besides themselves which Antonio de Faria perceiving labored all he could to comfort them and began to speak them very fair but to all his questions he could draw no other answer from them then these words following Do not kill us without cause for God will require an account of our blood from you because we are poor folks and saying thus they wept and trembled in such sort as they could scarce pronounce a word Whereupon Antonio de Faria pitying their misery and simplicity would importune them no further Howbeit the better to compass his intent he intreated a Chinese woman that was a Christian and came along with the Pilot to
kind of ceremony or complement which these Gentiles so much use amongst themselves And this Antonio de Faria did of purpose to the end that by the sharpness of this Letter the Mandarin might know he was displeased and resolved to execute what he had written But before I proceed any further I will only relate the two main points of the contents of the Letter which were the cause of the utter ruine of this business The first was where Antonio de Faria said that he was a Merchant stranger a Portugal by Nation that was going by way of Traffique towards the Port of Liampoo where there were also many other Merchants strangers like himself who duly payd the usual Customs without committing any manner of ill or injustice The second point was where he said that the King of Portugal his Master was allyed in a brotherly amity with the King of China by reason whereof they traded in his Country as the Chineses used to do at Malaca where they were entertained with all favor and justice duly ministred unto them Now though both these points were distastful to the Mandarin yet the last wherein he mentioned the King of Portugal to be brother to the King of China was that which put him so out of patience that without any regard at all he commanded them that brought the Letter not only to be cruelly scourged but to have their noses cut off and in that pickle he sent them back to Antonio de Faria with an answer written on a scurvy piece of torn pâ—pâ—r where these words were written Stinking carrion begotten of vile flies in the filthiest sink that â—ver was in any dungeon of a lothsom prison what hath made thy baseness so bold as that thou darest undertake to meddle with heavenly things Having caused thy Petition to be read whereby like a Lord as I am thou prayest me to have pity on thee which art but a poor wrâ—tch my greatness out of its generosity was even deigning to accept of that little thou presentedst me withall and was also inclining to grant thy request when as my ears were touched with the horrible blasphemy of thy arrogance which made thee tâ—rm thy King Brother to the son of the Sun the Lion crowned by an incredible Power in the Throne of the World under whose feet all the Diadâ—ms of those that govern the Vniverse are subjected nay all Scepters do â—â—rve but as latches to his most rich sandals as the Writers of the golden Temple do certifie under the Law of their Verities and that through the whole habitable Earth Know then that for the great Heresie thou hast uttered I have caused thy Paper to be burnt thereby representing the vile effigies of thy person which I desire to use in like manner for the enormous â—rime thou hast committed wherefore I command thee to be speedily packing that the River which bears thee may not be accursed So soon as the Interpreter had read the Letter and expounded the contents thereof all that heard it were much vexed therewith but no man was so sensible of it as Antonio de Faria who was exceedingly grieved to see himself thus wholly deprived of all hope of recovering his Prisoners wherefore after they had well considered the insolent words of the Mandarins Letter and his great discourtesie they in the end concluded to go ashoar and attaque the Town in hope that God would assist them seeing their intentions were good For this effect they instantly prepared Vessels to land with which were the â—our fishermens great Barques they had taken the night before Whereupon taking a muster of the Forces he could make for this enterprize he found the number to be three hundred whereof forty were Portugals the rest were Slaves and Mariners besides Quiay Panians men amongst whom were an hundred and threescore Harquebusiers the others were armed with Pikes and Lanceâ— he had also some Pieces of Ordnance and other things necessary for his design The next morning a little before day Antonio de Faria sailed up the River with three Junks the Lorches and the four Barques he had taken and so went and anchored at six fathom and an half of water close by the walls of the Town Then causing the sails to be taken down without any noise or discharge of Ordnance he displayed the Banner of Trade according to the fashion of China to the end that by this demonstration of peace no complement should rest unperformed although he was perswaded that nothing would prevail with the Mandarin Hereupon he sent another Messenger unto him never making shew that he had received any ill usage from him by whom with a great deal of complement he demanded the Prisoners and offered him a round sum of mony for their ransom with a promise of perpetual correspondence and amity But so far was this Dog the Mandarin from harkening thereunto that contrariwise he made the poor Chinese that carried the Letter to be hewed in pieces and so shewed him from the top of the wall to the whole Fleet the more to despight us This tragical act wholly deprived Antonio de Faria of that little hope which some had given him for the deliverance of the Prisoners hereupon the Soldiers being more incensed then before said unto him that since he had resolved to land he should no longer defer it because further delay would but give his Enemies leasure to gather more strength This counsel seeming good to him he presently imbarqued with them he had chosen for the action having first given order to his Junks to shoot continually at the Town and the Enemy wheresoever they perceived any â—tore of people assembled howbeit with this caution to forbear till they saw them together by the ears with them Having landed then about a Faulcon shot below the Rode he marched without any leâ— along the shoars side directly to the Town In the mean time a number of people appeared upon the walls with divers ensigns of different colours where these Barbarous made a mighty noisâ— Fifes Drums and Bells and withall hooting at us made us signs with their caps to approach thereby intimating the little reckoning they made of us Now by that time we were come within a Musket shot of the walls we discerned some thousand or twelve hundred men as we guessed sally out at two several gates of which some sixscore were mounted on horses or to say better on lean carrion Tits that were nothing but skin and bone wherewith they began to course up and down the field in a skirmishing manner wherein they shewed themselves so untoward as they often ran one upon another and tumbled down together which when Antonio de Faria saw he was exceeding glad and encouraging his men to the fight he stood firm attending the Enemy who continued still wheeling about us being perswaded it seems that that would suffice to skare us and make us retire to our vessels But when they perceived us remain unmoved
without turning our backs as they beleeved and as it may be they desired we would doe they closed themselves into one body and so in very ill order they made a stand without advancing on But then our Captain seeing them in this posture caused all his Muskettiers to discharge at one instant who till that time had not stirred which succeeded with such effect as it pleased God that he most part of this goodly Cavalry fell to the ground with feare we taking this for a good presage ran and lustily pursued them invoking to our aid the name of Jesus whose good pleasure it was though his divine mercy to make our enemies slye before us so amazed and in such disorder as they tumbled pell mell one upon another in which manner arriving at a bridge that crost the town ditch they were so pestered together as they could neither go forward nor backward in the mean time our forces coming up to them discharged their shot to such purpose amongst them that we laid three hundred of them on the earth which in truth was a pittifull sight to behold because there was not one of them that had the heart so much as to draw a sword whereupon hotly pursuing the first point of this victory we ran to the gâ—te where we found the Mandarin in the front of six hundred men mounted upon a good Horse having on â— cuirasse lined with purple Velvet which had belonged as we knew afterwards to a Portugal named Tome Perez whom King Don Emanoel of glorious memory had sent as Ambassador to China in Fernando Perez his ship at such time as Lopo Suarez d' Albergaria governed the Indies At the entrance into the gate the Mandarin and his people made head against us so that there was a shrewd bickering between us this enemy shewing another manner of courage then we had met with on the bridge but by good hap it fortuned that one of our servant hit the Mandarin just in the breast with an Harquebusse shot and overthrew him dead from his Horse wherewith all the Chinesses were so terrified as they presently turned their backs and in great disorder retired within the gate not one of them having the wit to shut it after them so that we chased them before us with our Lances as if they had been a drove of cattell In this sort they fled pell mell together quite through a great street and issued out at another gate which was on the lands from whence they got all away not so much as one remaining behind Thereupon Antonio de Faria assembling his men into one body for fear of some disorder marched with them directly to the prison where our companions lay who seeing us coming gave a great cry saying Lord have mercy upon us straightway the doors and iron grates were broken up and our poor fellows irons knocked off their legs which being done and they set at liberty all our company had leave to make what purchase they could to the end that without speaking afterwards of partition every one might be Master of what he had gotten Howbeit Antonio de Faria desired them to perform it suddenly and therefore he gave them but half an houres time for it whereunto they all condescended very willingly and so â—ell to ransacking the houses In the mean space Antonio de Faria went to that of the Mandarin which he took for his part where he met with eight thousand Taeis in silver together with eight great vessels full of Muske and that he caused to be reserved for himself the rest he left to the servants that were with him who moreover found there a great deal of raw Silke Sattin Damask and fine Pourcellain whereof every one took as much as he could carry so as the four Barques and the three Champanaes that brought our men on shore were four several times laden and unladen aboard the Juncks insomuch that the meanest Marriner amongst us spake not of this booty but by whole cases besides what each one concealed in his particular But when Antonio de Faria perceived that an hour and half had been spent in pillaging he commanded a surcease thereof but his company were so hot upon the spoil that by no means they would be drawn from it wherein the persons of qualitie were most saulty in which regard our Captain fearing least some disaster might happen by reason the night approached he caused the Town to be set on fire in eleven or twelve places Now for that most of it was built of Firr and other wood it was in such a flame within a quarter of an hour as to see it burn so one would have taken it for a pourtraiture of Hell This done and all our company retired Antonio de Faria embarqued without any impediment every man being well satisfied and contented onely it was great pittie to behold a number of handsome maids lead away tied four and four and five and five together with the matches of their Muskets weeping and lamenting whilst our people did nothing but laugh and sing CHAP. XXIII Antonio de Faria's Navigation till he came to the Port of Liampoo his arrival and gallant reception there by the Portugals AFter that Antonio de Faria had embarqued his men the first thing he did was â—o give order for the dressing of those that were hurt which were in number fiftie whereof eight of them were Portugals and the rest slaves and Mariners He also took care for the burial of the dead that were not above nine of which onely one was a Portugal All that night we kept good watch and placed Sentinels in sundry parts for fear of the Junks that were upon the River The next morning as soon as it was day our Captain went to a little Town that was on the other side of the water where he met not with any Inhabitant they being all fled howbeit he found a great deal of Merchandise in their houses together with good store of Victuals wherewith he had laded the Junks fearing leaâ—t that which he had done in this place should be the occasion of barring him from being furnished with any in the Ports where he should happen to arrive Furthermore by the advice of his company he resolved to go and winter during the three moneths he had yet to make his voyage in at a certain desart Island distant some fifteen leagues from the Sea of Liampoo called Pullo Hinhor where there was a good road and good water whereunto he was chiefly induced because he thought that going directly to Liampoo his voyage thither might bring some prejudice to the traffique of the Portugals who wintered there peaceably with their goods And indeed this advice was so approved of every one as it was generally applauded Being departed then from Nouday after we had sailed five dayes between the Isles of Comolem and the continent we were set upon on Saturday about noon by a Pirate named Premata Gundel a sworn enemy to the
be 〈◊〉 tâ—keâ— â—s Similau had assured us we should then proceed on otherwise that we should 〈◊〉 wiâ—h the current of the water which would bring â—s directly to the Sea with its ordinary course This resolution taken and approved of every one we went on with no less confusion then fear for in so manifest a danger we could not chuse but be very much perplâ—â—ed the night following about break of day we discovered a little Bâ—rque â— heâ—d of us riding at 〈◊〉 in the midst of the River her we boarded with as little noise as might be and took five men asleep in her whom Antonio de Faria questioned each one apart by himself to see how they would agree in that they said To his demands they answered all of them that the Country wherein we were was called Temquilâ—m from whence the Island of Calâ—mplâ—y was distant but ten leagues and â—o many other questions propounded 〈◊〉 â—heâ— for our common securitie they answered likewise separately one from the other to very good purpose wherewith Antonio de Faria and his whole company were exceedingly well satisfied but yet it grieved us not a little to think what an inconvenience the lack of Similau would prove to us in this attempt however Antonio de Faria causing the five Chineses to be arrested and chained to oares continued his course two dayes and an half more at the end whereof it pleased God that doubling a cape of land called Guimai Tarâ—â— we discovered this Island of Calâ—mpluy which we had been fourscore and three dayes seeking for with extream confusion of pains and labour as I have before related CHAP. XXV Our Arrival at Câ—lempluy and the description thereof what hapned to Antonio de Faria in one of the Hermitages thereof and how we were discovered HAving doubled the Cape of Cuimai Tarâ—â— two leagues beyond it we discovered a goodly levell of ground scituated in the midst of a River which to our seeming was not above a league in circuit whereunto Antonio de Faria approached with exceeding great joy vvhich yet vvas intâ—rmingled vvith much fâ—â—r because he knew not to vvhat danger he and his were exposed about twelve of the clock at night he anchored vvithin a Canon shot of this Island and the next morning as soon as it vvas day he sate in Councell with such of his company as he had called to it there it was concluded that it was not possible so great and magnificent a thing should be without some kind of guard and therefore it was resolved that with the greatest silence that might be it should be rounded all about for to see what advenues it had or what Obstacles we might meet with when there was question of landing to the end that accordingly we might deliberate more amply on that we had to do With this Resolution which was approved by every one Antonio de Faria weighed anchor and without any noyse got close to the Island and compassing it about exactly observed every particular that presented it self to his sight This Island was all inclosed with a platform of Jasper six and twenty spans high the stones whereof were so neatly wrought and joyned together that the wall seemed to be all of one piece at which every one greatly marvelled as having never seen any thing till then either in the Indiaes or elsewhere that merited comparison with it this Wall was six and twenty spans deep from the bottome of the River to the Superficies of the water so that the full height of it was two and fifty spans Furthermore the top of the Platform was bordered with the same stone cut into great Tower-work Upon this wall which invironed the whole Island was a Gallerie of Balisters of turn'd Copper that from six to six fathom joyned to certain Pillars of the same Mettal upon each of the which was the figure of a Woman holding a bowl in her hand within this gallery were divers Monsters cast in mettal standing all in a row which holding one another by the hand in manner of a dance incompassed the whole Island being as I have said a league about Amidst these monstrous Idols there was likewise another row of very rich Arches made of sundry coloured pieces a sumptuous work and wherewith the eye might well be entertained and contented Within was a little wood of Orange Trees without any mixture of other plants and in the midst an hundred and threescore Hermitages dedicated to the gods of the year of whom these Gentiles recount many pleasant Fables in their Chronicles for the defence of their blindness in their fâ—lâ—â— belief A quarter of a league beyond these Hermitages towards the East divers goodly great Edifices were seen separated the one from the other with seven fore-fronts of Houses built after the manner of our Churches from the top to the bottome as far as could be discerned these buildings were guilt all over and annexed to very high Towers which in all likelihood were Steeples their Edifices were invironed with two great streets arched all along like unto the Frontispieces of the Houses these Arches were supported by very huge Pillars on the top whereof and between every arch was a dainty Prospective now in regard these buildings towers pillars and their chapters were so exceedingly guilt all over as one could discern nothing but Gold it perswaded us that this Temple must needs be wonderfull sumptuous and rich since such cost had been bestowed on the very Walls After we had surrounded this whole Island and observed the advenâ—es and entries thereof notwithstanding it was somewhat late yet would Antonio de Faria needs go ashore to see if he could get any Intelligence in one of those Hermitages to the end he might thereupon resolve either to prosecute his design or return back So having left a guard sufficient for his two Vessels and Diego Lobato his Chaplain Captain of them he landed with fourty Souldiers and twenty slaves as well Pikes as Harquebuses He also carried with him four of the Chineses which we took a while before both for that they knew the plaâ—e well as having been there at other times and likewise that they might serve us for truthmen and guides Being got to the shore unespied of any one and without noise we entred the Island by one of the eight Advenues that it had and marching through the middest of the little wood of Orange-trees we arrived at the gate of the first Hermitage which might be some two Musket-shot from the place we dis-imbarqued where that hapned unto us which I will deliver hereafter Antonio de Faria went directly to the next Hermitage he saw before him with the greatest silence that might be and vvith no little fear for that he knew not into what danger he was going to ingagâ— himself which he found shut on the inside he commanded one of the Chineses to knock at it as he did two or three times vvhen at last he heard one speak in
low built weak and without Mariners we were reduced to such extremity that out of all hope to escape we suffered our selves to be driven along the coast as the current of the water would carry us for we held it more safeto venture our selves amongst the Rocks then to let us be swallowed up in the midst of the Sea and though we had chosen this design as the better and lesse painful yet did it not succeed for after dinner the winde turned to the North-west whereby the Waves became so high that it was most dreadful to behold Our fear then was so extream as we began to cast all that we had into the Sea even to the Chests full of Silver That done we cut down our two Masts and so without Mâ—sts and Sails we floated along all the rest of the day at length about midnight we heard them in Antonio de Faria's Vessel cry Lord have mercy upon us which perswaded us that they were cast away the apprehension whereof put us in such a fright as for an hour together no man spake a word Having past all this sad night in so miserable a plight about an hour before day our Vessel opened about the Keel so that it was instantly full of water eight spans high whereupon perceiving our selves to sinke we verily beleeved it was the good pleasure of God that in this place we should finish both our lives and labours As soon then as it was day we looked out to Sea as far as possibly we could discern but could no way discover Antonio de Faria which put us quite out of heart and so continuing in this great affliction till about ten of the clock with so much terror and amazement as words are not able to expresse at last we ran against the coast and even drowned as we were the Waves rouled us towards a point of Rocks that stood out into the Sea where we were no sooner arrived but that all went to pieces insomuch that of five and twenty Portugals which we were there were but fourteen saved the other eleven being drowned together with eighteen Christian Servants and seven Chinese Mariners This miserable disaster hapned on a Munday the fifth of August in the year one thousand five hundred forty and two for which the Lord be praysed everlastingly We fourteen Portugals having escaped out of this shipwrack by the meer mercy of God spent all that day and the night following in bewailing our misâ—fortune and the wretched estate whereunto we were reduced but in the end consulting together what course to take for to give some remedy thereunto we concluded to enter into the Country hoping that far or neer we should not fail to meet with some body that taking us for slaves would relieve us with meat till such time as it should please Heaven to terminate our travels with the end of our lives With this Resolution we went some six or seven leagues over rocks and hills and on the other side discovered a great Marsh so large and void as it past the reach of our sight there being no appearance of any land beyond it which made us turn back again towards the same place where we were cast away being arrived there the day after about Sun-set we found upon the shore the bodies of our men which the Sea had cast up over whom we recomenced our sorrow and lamentations and the next day we buried them in the sand to keep them from being devoured by the Tygers whereof that Country is full which we performed with much labour and pain in regard we had no other tools for that purpose but our hands and nails After these poor bodies were interred we got us into a Marsh where we spent all the night as the safest place we could chuse to preserve us from the Tygers From thence we continued our journey towards the North and that by such Precipes and thick woods as we had much adoe to pass through them Having travelled in this manner three dayes at length we arrived at a little straight without meeting any body over the which resolving to swim by ill fortune the four first that entred into it being three Portugals and a young youth were miserably drowned for being very feeble and the straight somewhat broad and the current of the water very strong they were not able to hold out any longer when they came to the midst so we eleven with three servants that remained seeing the infortunate successe of our companions could do nothing but weep and lament as men that hourly expected such or a worse end Having spent all that dark night exposed to the winde cold and rain it pleased our Lord that the next morning before day we discovered a great fire towards the East whereupon as soon as the day broke we marched fair and softly that way recomending our selves to that Almighty God from whom alone we could hope for a remedy to our miseries and so continuing our journey all along the River the most part of that day at last we came to a little wood where we found five men making of coals whom on our knees we besought for Gods sake to direct us to some place where we might get some relief I would said one of them beholding us with an eye of pitie it lay in our power to help you but alas all the comfort we can give you is to bestow some part of our Supper on you which is a little rice wherewith you may passe this night here with us if you will though I hold it better for you to preceed on your way and recover the place you see a little below where you shall finde an Hospital that serves to lodge such Pilgrims as chance to come into these quarters Having thanked him for his good addresse we fell to the Rice they gave us which came but to two mouthfuls a piece and so took our leaves of them going directly to the place they had shewed us as well as our weakness would permit About an hour within night we arrived at the Hospital where we met with four men that had the charge of it who received us very charitably The next morning as soon as it was day they demanded of us what we were and from whence we came Thereunto we answered that we were strangers natives of the Kingdom of Siam and that coming from the Port of Liampoo to go to the fishing of Nanquin we were cast away at sea by the violence of a storm having saved nothing out of this shipwrack but those our miserable and naked bodies Whereupon demanding of us again what we intended to do and whither we would go we replyed that we purposed to go to the City of Nanquin there to imbarque our selves as rowers in the first Lanteaa that should put to sea for to pass unto Cantan where our countreymen by the permission of the Aito of Panquin exercised their traffique under the protection of the son of the Sun
and Lyon crowned in the throne of the world wherefore we desired them for Gods cause to let us stay in that Hospital until we had recovered our healths and to bestow any poor clothes of us to cover our nakednedness After they had given good ear unto us It was reason answered they to grant you that which you require with so much earnestness and tears but in regard the House is now very poor we cannot so easily discharge our duties unto you as we should howbeit we will do what we may with a very good will Then quite naked as we were they lead us all about the Village containing some forty or fifty fires more or less the inhabitants whereof were exceeding poor having no other living but what they got by the labour of their hands from whom they drew by way of alms some two Taeis in mony half a Sack of rice a little meal aricot beans onions and a few old rags wherewith we made the best shift we could over and above this they bestowed two Taeis more on us out of the Stock of the Hospital But whereas we desired that we might be permitted to stay there they excused themselves saying that no poor might remain there above three days or five at the most unless it were sick people or women with child of whom special care was to be had because in their extremities they could not travel without endangering their lives wherefore they could for no other persons whatsoever transgress that Ordinance which had of ancient time been instituted by the advice of very learned and religious men nevertheless that three leagues from thence we should in a great Town called Sileyiacau find a very rich hospital where all sorts of poor people were entertained and that there we should be far better looked unto then in their house which was poor and agreeable to the place of its scituation to which end they would give us a letter of recommendation by means whereof we should incontinently be received For these good offices we rendred them infinite thanks and told them that God would reward them for it since they did it for his sake whereupon an old man one of those four taking the Speech upon him It is for that consideration alone we do it answered he and not in regard of the world for God and the World are greatly different in matters of works and of the intention which one my have in the doing of them For the world being poor and miserable as it is can give nothing that is good whereas God is infinitely rich and a friend to the poor that in the heâ—ghth of their afflictions praise him with patience and humility The world is revengeful but God is suffering the world is wicked God is all goodness the world is gluttonous God is a lover of abstinence the world is mutinous and turbulent God is quiet and peaceable the world is a lyar and full of dissimulation to them that belong to it God is always true free and merciful to them that invoke him by prayer the world is sensual and covetous God is liberal and purer then the light of the Sun or stars or then those other lamps which are far more excellent then they that appear to our eyes and are always present before his most resplendent face the world is full of irresolution and falshood wherewith it entertains it self in the smoak of its vain glory whereas God is constant in his truth to the end that thereby the humble may possess glory in all sincerity of heart In a word the world is full of folly and ignorance contrarily God is the fountain of wisdom wherefore my friends although you be reduced to so pitiful an estate do you not for all that distrust his promises for be assured he will not fail you if you do not render your selves unworthy of his favours in regard it was never found that he was at any time wanting to his albeit they that are blinded by the world are of another opinion when as they see themselves oppressed with poverty and despised of every body Having used this Speech to us he gave us a letter of recommendation to the Brotherhood of the other Hospital whither we were to go and so we departed about noon and arrived at the town an hour or two before sun-set The first thing we did was to go to the house of the repose of the poor for so the Chineses call the Hospitals There we delivered our letters to the Masters of that Society which they term Tanigories whom we found altogether in a chamber where they were assembled about the affairs of the poor After they had received the letter with a kind of compliment that seemed very strange to us they commanded the Register to read it whereupon he stood up and read thus to them that were sitting at the Table We the poorest of the poor unworthy to serve that Sovereign Lord whose works are so admirable as the Sun and the stars that twinckle in the skie during the darkness of the night do testifie Having been elected to the succession of this his house of Buatendoo scituated in this Village of Catihorau with all manner of respect and honour do beseech your humble persons admitted to the service of the Lord that out of a zeal of charity you will lodg and favour these fourteen strangers whereof three are tawny the other eleven somewhat whiter whose poverty will manifestly appear to your eyes whereby you may judg how much reason we have to present this request unto you for that 〈◊〉 have been cast away with all their merchandise in the impetuous waters of the sea that with their accustomed fury have laid the execution of the Almighty hand upon them which for a just punishment doth often permit such like things to happen for to shew us how dreadful his judgments are from which may it please him to deliver us all at the day of death to the end we may not see the indignation of his face This letter being read they caused us presently to be lodged in a very neat chamber accommodated with a Table and divers Chairs where after we had been served with good meat we rested our selves that night The next morning the Register came along with the rest of the officers and demanded of us who we were of what Nation and whereabout we had suffered shipwrack whereunto we answered as we had done before to those of the Village from whence we came that we might not be found in two tales and convinced of lying whereupon having further enquired of us what we meant to do we told them that our intention was to get our selves cured in that house if it pleased them to permit us in regard we were so weak and sickly as we could scarce stand upon our legs To which they replyed that they would very willingly see that performed for us as a thing that was ordinarily done there for the service of God for
the goodliest things in this Country whereof the least is worth above a hundred thousand Taeis and bestowed them on thee but thou art of a humour more inclined to hunt a Hare then to retain this vvhich I novv tell thee The young Gentleman made no reply but smiling looked upon his Sisters Then the old man caused meat to be brought unto us before him and commanded us to fall to it as vve most vvillingly did whereat he took great pleasure in regard his stomack was quite gone with his sickness but his young daughters much more who with their brother did nothing but laugh to see us feed our selves with our hands for that is contrary to the custome which is observed throughout the whole Empire of China where the Inhabitants at their meat carry it to their mouthes with two little sticks made like a pair of Cizers After we had given God thanks the old man that had well observed us lifting up his hands to heaven with tears in his eyes Lord said he that livest raigning in the tranquility of thy high wisdome I laud thee in all humility for that thou permittest men that are strangers come from the farthest end of the world and without the knowledge of thy doctrine to render thee thanks and give thee praise according to their weak capacity which makes me beleeve that thou wilt accept of them with as good a will as if it were some great offering of melodious musick agreeable to thine eares Then he caused three pieces of linnen cloth and four Taeis of Silver to be given us willing us withall to passe that night in his house because it was somewhat too late for us to proceed on our journey This offer we most gladly accepted and with complements after the manner of the Country we testified our thankfulness to him wherewith himself his wife and his son rested very well satisfied CHAP. XXVII Our arrival at the Town of Taypor where we were made Prisoners and so sent to the Citie of Nanquin THe next morning by break of day parting from that place we went to a Village called Einginilau which was some four leagues from the old Gentlemans house where we remained three dayes and then continuing travelling from one place to another and from Village to Village ever declining the great Towns for fear lest the Justice of the country should call us in question in regard we were strangers in this manner we spent almost two months without receiving the least damage from any body Now there is no doubt but we might easily have got to the Câ—tie of Nanquin in that time if we had had a guide but for wâ—nt of knowing the way we wandred we knew not whither suffering much and running many hazards At length we arrived at a Village named Chaucer at such a time as they were a solemnizing a sumptuous Funeral of a very rich woman that had disinherited her kindred and left her estate to the Pagod of this Village where she was buried as we understood by the Inhabitants We were invited then to this Funeral as other poor people were and according to the custome of the Country we did eat on the grave of the deceased At the end of three dayes that we stayed there which was the time â—he funeral lasted we had six Taeis given us for an Alms conditionally that in all our Oraisons we should pray unto God for the soul of the departed Being gone from this place we continued on our journey to another Village called Guinapalir from whence we were almost two months travelling from country to country untill at last our ill fortune brought us to a Town named Taypor where by chance there was at that time a Chumbrin that is to say one of those Super-intendents of Justice that every three years are sent throughout the Provinces for to make report unto the King of all that passeth there This naughty man seeing us go begging from door to door called to us from a window where he was and would know of us who we were and of what Nation as also what obliged us to run up and down the World in that manner Having asked us these questions in the presence of three Registers and of many other persons that were gathered together to behold us we answered him that we were strangers Natives of the Kingdom of Siam who being cast away by a storm at Sea went thus travelling and begging our living to the end we might sustain our selves with the charity of good people until such time as we could arrive at Nanquin whither we were going with an intent to imbarque our selves there in some of the Merchants Lanteaas for Canton where the shipping of our Nation lay This answer we made unto the Chumbim who questionless had been well enough contented with it and would have let us go had it been for one of his Clarks for he told them that we were idle vagabonds that spent our time in begging from door to door and abusing the alms that were given us and therefore he was at no hand to let us go free for fear of incurring the punishment ordained for such as offend in that sort as is set forth in the seventh of the twelve books of the Statutes of the Realm wherefore as his faithful servant he counselled him to lay us in good and sure hold that we might be forth-coming to answer the Law The Chumbim presently followed his Clarks advice and carried himself toward us with as much barbarous cruelty as could be expected from a Pagan such as he was that lived without God or religion To which effect after he had heard a number of false witnesses who charged us with many foul crimes whereof we never so much as dreamt he caused us to be put into a deep dungeon with irons on our hands and feet and great iron collars about our necks In this miserable place we endured such hunger and were so fearfully whipped that we were in perpetual pain for six and twenty days together at the end whereof we were by the sentence of the same Chumbim sent to the Parliament of the Cheam of Nanquin because the Jurisdiction of this extended not to the condemnation of any prisoner to death We remained six and twenty days in that cruel prison whereof I spake before and I vow we thought we had been six and twenty thousand years there in regard of the great misery we suffered in it which was such as one of our companions called Ioano Roderiguez Bravo died in our arms being eaten up with lice we being no way able to help him and it was almost a miracle that the rest of us escaped alive from that filthy vermine At length one morning when we thought of nothing less loden with irons as we were and so weak that we could hardly speak we were drawn out of that prison and then being chained one to another we were imbarqued with many others to the number of thirty or forty
that having been convicted for sundry hainous crimes were also sent to the Parliament of Nanquin whâ—â—e as I have already declared is always residing a Chaem of Justice which is like to the Sovereign Title of the Vice-roy of China There is likewise a Parliament of some five and twenty Gerozemos and Ferucuas which are as those we call Judges with us and that determine all causes as well civil as criminal So as there is no appeal from their sentence unless it be unto another Court which hath power even over the King himself whereunto if one appeals it is as if he appealed to heaven To understand this the better you must know that although this Parliament and others such like which are in the principal Cities of the Realm have an absolute power from the King both over all criminal civil causes without any opposition or appeal whatsoever yet there is another Court of Justice which is called the Court of the Creator of all things whereunto it is permitted to appeal in weighty and iâ—portant matters In this Court are ordinarily assisting four twenty Menigrepos which are certain religious men very austere in their manner of living such as the Capuchins are amongst the Papists verily if they were Christians one might hope for great matters from them in regard of their marvellous abstinence sincerity There are none admitted into this rank of Judges under seventy years of age are elected thereunto by the suffrages of their chiefest Prelates most incorruptible men so just in all the causes whereof there are appeals before them as it is not possible to meet with more upright for were it against the King himself andagainst all the powers that may be imagined in the world no consideration how great soever is able to make them swerve never so little from that they think to be justice Having been imbarqued in the manner I spake of the same day at night we went lay at a great tower called Potinleu in one of the prisons whereof were mained nine days by reason of the much rain that fell then upon the conjunction of the New-moon There we happened to meet with a Russian prisoner that received as very charitably of whom demanding in the Chinese tongue which he understood as well as we what countrey-man he was and what fortune had brought him thither he told us that he was of Moscovy born in a town named Hiquegens and that some five years past being accused for the death of a man he had been condemned to a perpetual prison but as a stranger he appealed from that sentence to the tribunal of the Aytau of Batampina in the City of Pequin who was the highest of the two and thirty Admirals established in this Empire that is for every Kingdom one He added further that this Admiral by a particular Jurisdiction had absolute power over all strangers whereupon he hoped to find some relief from him intending to go and die a Christian among the Christians if he might have the good hap to be set at liberty After we had passed those nine days in this prison being reinbarqued we sayled up a great river seven days together at the end whereof we arrived at Nanquin As this City is the second of all the Empire so is it also the Capital of the three Kingdoms of Liampoo Fanius and Sambor Here we lay six weeks in prison and suffered so much pain and misery as reduced to the last extreamities we died incensibly for want of succour not able to do any thing but look up to heaven with a pitiful eye for it was our ill fortune to have all that we had stoln from us the first night we came thither This prison was so great that there were four thousand prisoners in it at that time as we were credibly informed so that one should hardly â—it down in any place without being robbed and filled â—ull of lice having layn there a month and an half as I said the Anchacy who was one of the Judges before whom our cause was to be pleaded pronounced our sentence at the Suit of the Atturny General the tenor whereof was That having seen and considered our process which the Chumbin of Taypor had sent him it appeared by the accusations laid to outcharge that we were very hainous malâ—factors though we denied many things yet in justice no credit was to be given unto us therefore that we were to be publickly whipped for to teach us to live better in time to come and that withall our two thumbs should be cut off wherewith it was evident by manifest suspicions that we used to commit robberies and other vile crimes furthermore that for the remainder of the punishment we deserved he referred us to the Aytau of Bataupina unto whom it appertained to take cognisance of such causes in regard of the Jurisdiction that he had of life and death This Sentence was pronounced in the prison where it had been better for us to have suffered death then the stripes that we received for all the ground round about us ran with blood upon our whiping so that it was almost a miracle that of the eleven which we were nine escaped alive for two of our company died three days after besides one of our servants After we had been whipped in that manner I have declared we were carried into a great Chamber that was in the prison where were a number of sick and diseased persons lying upon beds and otherways There we had presently our stripes washed and things applyed unto them whereby we were somewhat eased of our pain and that by men much like unto the fraternity of mercy among the Papists which only out of charity and for the honour of God do tend those that are sick and liberally furnish them with all things necessary Hereafter some eleven or twelve days we began to be pretily recovered and as we were lamenting our ill fortune for being so rigorously condemned to lose our thumbs it pleased God one morning when as we little dreamt ofit that we espied two men come into the chamber of a good aspect clothed in long gowns of violet coloured satin carrying white rods in their hands As soon as they arrived all the sick persons in the Chamber cried out Blessed be the Ministers of the works ofGod whereunto they answâ—red holding up their rods May it please God to give you patience in your adversity whereupon having distributed clothes and money to those that were next to them they came unto us and after they had saluted us very courteously with demonstration of being moved at our tears they asked us who we were and of what countrey as also why we were imprisoned there whereunto we answered weeping that we were strangers nativâ—s of the Kingdom of Siam and of a country called Malaca that being Merchants and well to live we had imbarqued our selves with our goods and being bound for Liampoo we had
iustice that conducted us they took their leaves of us in most courteous manner The next morning as soon as it was day they sent us the Letter sealed with three Seals in green Wax the Contents whereof were these Ye servants of that high Lord the resplendent mirrour of an uncreated light before whom our merits are nothing in comparison of his we the least servants of that holy house of Tauhinaâ—el that was founded in favour of the fifth prison of Nanquin with true words of respect which we owe unto you we give your most humble persons to understand that these nine strangers the bearers of this Letter are men of a far country whose bodies and goods have been so cruelly intreated by the furie of the sea that according to their report of ninety and five that they were they only have escaped shipwrack being cast by the tempest on the shore of the Isles of Tautâ—a upon the coast of the Bay of Sumbor In which pitious and lamentable case as we have seen them with our own eyes begging their living from place to place of such as charitie obliged to give them something after the manner of good folkes it was their ill fortune without all reason or justice to be apprehended by the Chumbin of Taypor and sent to this fifth prison of Faniau where they were condemned to be whipped which was immediatly executed upon them by the Ministers of the displeased arm as by their Process better appeareth But afterwards when as through too much crueltie their thumbs were to be cut off they with tears besought us for that Soveraign Lords sake in whose service we are imployed to be assisting unto them which presently undertaken by us we preferred a Petition in their behalf whereunto this Answer was made by the Court of the crowned Lyon That mercy had no place where justice lost her name whereupon provoked by a true zeal to Gods honour we addressed our selves to the Court of those four and twenty of the austere life who carried by a blessed devotion instantly assembled in the Holy House of the remedy for the poor and of an extream desire they had to succour these miserable creatures they interdicted that great Court from proceeding any further against them and accordingly the success was agreeable to the mercy of so great a God for these last Iudges revoking the others first Sentence sent the cause by way of Appeal to your Citie of Pequin with amendment of the second punishment as you may see more at large by the proceedings In regard whereof most reverend and humble Brethren We beseech you all in the Name of God to be favourable unto them and to assist them with whatsoever you shall thinke necessary for them that they may not be oppressed in thier right which is a very great sin and an eternal infamy to us who again intreat you to supply them with your Alms and bestow on them means to cover their nakedness to the end they may not perish for want of help which if you do there is no doubt but that so pious a work will be most acceptable to that Lord above to whom the poor of the earth do continually pray and are heard in the Highest of Heavens as we hold for an Article of Faith On which earth may it please that divine Majestie for whose sake we do this to preserve us till death and to render us worthy of his presence in the house of the Sun where he iâ— seated with all his Written in the Chamber of the zeal of Gods honour the ninth day of the seventh Moon and the three and twentieth year of the Raign of the Lyon crowned in the Throne of the World CHAP. XXVIII The Marvels of the Citie of Nanquin our departure from thence towards Pequin and that which hapned unto us till we arrived at the Town of Sempitay THis Letter being brought to us very early the next morning we departed in the manner before declared and continued our voyoge till Sun-set when as we anchored at a little Village named Minhacutem where the Chifuu that conducted us was born and where his Wife and Children were at that time vvhich vvas the occasion that he remained there three dayes at the end whereof he imbarqued himself vvith his family and so we passed on in the company of divers other Vessels that went upon this River unto divers parts of this Empire Now though we vvere all tyed together to the bank of the Lauteaa where vve rowed yet did we not for all that lose the view of many Towns and Villages that were scituated along this River whereof I hold it not amisse to make some descriptions To which effect I will begin with the Citie of Nanquin from whence we last parted This City is under the North in nine and thirty degrees and three quarters scituated upon the river of Batampina which signifies The flower of fish This river as we were told then and as I have seen since comes from Tartaria out of a lake called Fanistor nine leagues from the City of Lancama where Tamberlan King of the Tartarians usually kept his Court Out of the same lake which is eight and twenty leagues long twelve broad and of a mighty depth the greatest rivers that ever I saw take their source The first is the same Batampina that passing through the midst of this Empire of China three hundred and threescore leagues in length disimbâ—ques into the sea at the bay of Nanquin in thirty six degrees The second named Lechuna runs with great swiftness all along by the mountains of Pancruum which separate the Country of Cauchim and the State of Catebenan in the height of sixteen degrees The third is called Tauquida signifying the Mother of waters that going North-west traverseth the Kingdom of Nacataas a Country where China was anciently seated as I will declare hereafter and enters into the sea in the Empire of Sornau vulgarly stiled Siam by the mouth of Cuy one hundred and thirty leagues below Patana The fourth named Batobasoy descends out of the Province of Sansim which is the very same that was quite overwhelmed by the sea in the year 1556. as I purpose to shew else-where and renders it selâ— into the sea at the mouth of Cosmim in the Kingdom of Pegu The fifth and last called Leysacotay crosseth the Country by East as far as to the Archipelago of Xinxipou that borders upon Mocovye and fals as is thought into a sea that is not navigable by reaâ—on the clymate there is in the height of seventy degrees Now to return to my discourse the City of Nanquin as I said before is seated by this river of Batampina upon a reasonable high hill so as it commands all the plains about it The climate thereof is somewhat cold but very healthy and it is eight leagues about which way soever it is considered three leagues broad and one long The houses in it are not above two stories high and all built
of wood only those of the Mandarins are made of hewed stone and also invironed with walls and ditches over which are stone bridges whereon they passe to the gates that have rich and costly arches with divers sorts of inventions upon the towers all which put together make a pleasing object to the eye and represent a certain kind of I know not what Majesty The houses of the Chaems Anchacys Aytaâ—s Tuâ—oâ—s and Chumbims which are all Goveâ—nours of Provinces or Kingdoms have stately towers six or seven stories high and guilt all â—ver wherein they have their magazines for arms their Wardrobes their treasuries and a world of rich housholdstuff as also many other things of great value together with an infinite of delicate and most fine porcelain which amongst them is prised and esteemed as much as precious stone for this sort of porcelain never goes out of the Kingdom it being expresly forbidden by the laws of the Country to be sold upon pain of death to any stranger unlesse to the Xatamaas that is the Sophyes of the Persians who by a particular permission buy of it at a very dear rate The Chineses assured us that in this City there are eight hundred thousand fires fourscore thousand Mandarins houses threescore and two great market placâ—s an hundred and thirty butchers shambles each of them containing fourscore shops and eight thousand streets whereof six hundred that are fairer and larger then the rest are compassed about with bâ—llisters of copper we were further assured that there are likewise two thousand and three hundred Pagodes a thousand of which were Monestaries of religious persons professed in their accursed Sect whose buildings were exceeding rich and sumptuous with very high steeples wherein there were between sixty and seventy such mighty huge bels that it was a dreadful thing to here them rung There are moreover in this City thirty great strong prisons each whereof hath three or four thousand prisoners and a charitable Hospital expresly established to supply the necessities of the poor with Proctors ordained for their defence both in civil and criminal causes as is before related At the entrance into every principal street there are arches and great gates which for each mans security are shut every night and in most of the streets are goodly fountains whose water is excellent to drink Besides at every full â—nd new moon open fayrs are kept in several places whither Merchants resort from all parts and where there is such abundance of all kind of victual as cannot well be exprest especially of flâ—sh and fruit It is not possible to deliver the great store of fish that is taken in this river chiefly Soles and Mullets which are all sold alive besides a world of sea-fish both fresh salted and dried we were told by certain Chineses that in this City there are ten thousand trades for the working of silks which from thence are sent all over the Kingdom The City it self is invironed with a very strong wall made of fair hewed stone The gates of it are an hundred and thirty at each of which there is a Porter and two Halberdiers who are bound to give an account every day of all that pâ—sses in and out There are also twelve Forts or Cittadels like unto ours with bulwarks and very high towers but without any ordinance at all The same Chineses also affirmed unto us that the City yeilded the King daily two thousand Taeis of silver which amount to three thousand duckats as I have delivered heretofore I will not speak of the Pallace royal because I saw it but on the outside howbeit the Chinesâ—s tell such wonders of it as would amaze a man for it is my intent to relate nothing save what we beheld here with our own eyes and that was so much as I am afraid to write it not that it would seem strange to those that have seen and read the marvels of the Kingdom of China but because I doubt that they which would compare those wondrous things that are in the countrys they have not seen with that little they have seen in their own will make some question of it or it may be give no credit at all to these truth because they are not confoâ—mable to their understanding and small experience Continuing our course up this river the first two days we saw not any remarkable town or place but only a great number of Villages and little hamlets of two or three hundred fires a piece which by their buildings seemed to be houses of fisher men and poor people that live by the labour of their hands For the rest all that was within view in the countrey was great woods of Firr Groves Forrests and Orange trees as also plains full of wheat rice beans pease millet panick barley rye flax cotton wool with great inclosures of gardens and goodly houses of pleasure belonging to the Mandarins and Lords of the Kingdom There was likewise all along the river such an infinite number of cattel of all sorts as I can assure you there is not more in Aethiopia nor in all the dominions of Prester Iohn upon the top of the mountains many houses of their Sects of Gentiles were to be seen adorned with high Steeples guilt all over the glistering whereof was such and so great that to behold them a far off was an admirable sight The fourth day of our voyage we arrived at a town called Pocasser twice as big as Cantano compassed about with strong wals of hewed stone and towers and bulwarks almost like ours together with a key on the river side twice as long as the shot of a falconet and inclosed with two rows of iron grates with very strong gates where the Junks and vessels that arrived there were unladen This place abounds with all kinds of merchandise which from thence is transported over all the Kingdom especially with copper sugar and allum whereof there is very great store Here also in the middest of a carrefour that is almost at the end of the town stands a mighty strong castle having three bulwarks and five towers in the highest of which the present Kings Father as the Chineses told us kept a King of Tartaria nine years prisoner at the end whereof he killed himself with poyson that his subjects sent him because they would not be constrained to pay that ransome which the King of China demanded for his deliverance In this town the Chifuu gave three of us leave to go up and down for to crave the alms of good people accompanied with four Hupes that are as Sergeants or Bailiffs amongst us who led us chained together as we were through six or seven streets where we got in alms to the value of above twentâ— duckats as well in clothes as mony besides flesh riceâ— meal fruit and other victuals which was â—â—stowed on us whereof we gave the one half to the Hupes that conducted us it being the custom so to do Afterwards we were
proceeded as they told us from her head where fire was continually kept that in like manner came out of the said face below By this Figure these Idolaters would demonstrate that she was the Queen of the fiery sphear which according to their belief is to burn the earth at the end of the World The fourth Monster was a man set stooping which with great swoln cheeks as big as the main sail of a Ship seemed to blow extreamly this Monster was also of an unmeasurable height anâ— of such an hideous and gastly aspect that a man could hardly endure the sight of it the Chineses called it Vzanguenaboo and said that it was he which raised Tempests upon the Sea and demolished Buildings in regard whereof the people offred many things unto him to the end he should do them no harm and many presented him with a piece of money yearly that he might not drown their Junks nor do any of theirs hurt that went by Sea I will omit many other abuses which their blindness makes them beleeve and which they hold to be so true as there is not one of them but would endure a thousand deaths for the maintenance thereof The next day being gone from the Town of Pocasser we arrived at another fair and great Town called Xinligau there we saw many Buildings inclosed with walls of Brick and deep ditches about them and at one end of the Town two Castles very well fortified with Towers and Bulwarks after our fashion at the gates were draw Bridges suspended in the air with great Iron chains and in the midst of them a Tower five Stories high very curiously painted with several Pictures the Chineses assured us that in those two Castles there was as much Treasure as amounted to fifteen thousand pieces of silver which was the revenue of all this Archipelage and laid up in this place by the Kings Grandfather now raigning in Memorial of a Son of his that was born here and named Leuquinau that is to say The joy of all those of the Country repute him for a Saint because he ended his dayes in Religion where also he was buried in a Temple dedicated to Quiay Varatel the God of all the Fishes of the Sea of whom these miserable Ignorants recount a world of Fooleries as also the Laws he invented and the precepts which he left them being able to astonish a man as I will more amply declare when time shall serve In this Town and in another five leagues higher the most part of the Silks of this Kingdome are dyed because they hold that the waters of these places make the colours far more lively then those of any other part and these Dyers which are said to be thirteen thousand pay unto the King yearly three hundred thousand Taeis Continuing our course up the River the day after about evening we arrived at certain great plains where were great store of Catâ—le as Horses Mares Colts and Cows guarded by men on Horsback that make sale of them to Butchers who afterwards retail them indifferently as any other flesh Having past these plains containing some ten or eleven Leagues we came to a Town called Iunquileu walled with Brick but without Battlements Bulwarks or Towers as others had whereâ—f I have spoken before at the end of the Suburbs of this Town we saw divers houses built in the water upon great Piles in the form of Magazines Before the gate of a little street stood a Tombe made of stone invironed with an Iron grate painted red and green and over it a steeple framed of pieces of very fine Pourcelain sustained by four pillars of curious stone upon the top of the Tombe were five Globes and two others that seemed to be of cast iron and on the one side thereof were graven in Letters of gold and in the Chinese language words of this substance Here lyes Trannocem Mudeliar Vncle to the King of Malaca whom death took out of the World before he could be revenged of Captain Alphonso Albuquerque the Lyon of the robberies of the Sea We were much amazed to behold this Inscription there wherefore enquiring what it might mean a Chinese that seemed more honourable then the rest told us that about some fortie years before this man which lay buried there came thither as Embassador from a Prince that stiled himself King of Malaca to demand succour from the son of the Sun against men of a Country that hath no name which came by Sea from the end of the World and had taken Malaca from him this man recounted many other incredible things concerning this matter whereof mention is made in a printed Book thereof as also that this Embassador having continued three years at the Kings Court suing for this succour just as it was granted him and that preparations for it were a making it was his ill fortune to be surprised one night at Supper with an Apoplexie whereof he dyed at the end of nine dayes so that extreamly afflicted to see himself carried away by a suddain death before he had accomplished his business he expressed his earnest desire of revenge by the Inscription which he caused to be graven on his tombe that posterity might know wherefore he was come thither Afterwards we departed from this place and continued our voyage up the river which thereabouts is not so large as towards the City of Nanquin but the Country is here better peopled with Villages Boroughs and Gardens then any other place for every stones cast we met still with some Pagode Mansion of pleasure or Countrey house Passing on about some two leagues further we arrived at a place encompassed with great iron gates in the midst whereof stood two mighty Statues of brass upright sustained by pillars of cast mettal of the bigness of a bushel and seven fathom high the one of a man and the other of a woman both of them seventy four spans in heighth having their hands in their mouths their cheeks horribly blown out and their eyes so staring as they affrighted all that looked on them That which represented a man was called Quiay Xingatalor and the other in the form of a woman was named Apancapatur Having demanded of the Chineses the explication of these figures they told us that the male was he which with those mighty swoln cheeks blew the fire of hell for to torment all those miserable wretches that would not liberally bestow alms in this life and for the other monster that she was Porter of hell gate where she would take notice of those that did her good in this world and letting them fly away into a river of very cold water called Ochilenday would keep them hid there from being tormented by the Divels as other damned were Upon this Speech one of our company could not forbear laughing at such a ridiculous and diabolical foolery which three of their Priests or Banzoes then present observing they were so exceedingly offended therewith as they perswaded the
or marshes they set forth Planks penning the doors of those cages they beat three or four times upon a Drum which they have expresly for that purpose whereupon all these fowl being six or seven thousand at the least go out of the boat with a mighty noise so fall to feeding all along the waters side Now when the Owner perceives that these fowl have â—ed sufficiently and that it is time to return them he beats the drum the second time at the sound whereof they gather all together and re-enter with the same noise as they went out wherein it is strange to observe that they return all in again not so much as one missing That done the Master of the boat parts from that place and afterwards when he thinks it is time for them to lay he repairs towards land and where he finds the grounds dry and good grass he opens the doors and beats the drum again at which all the fowl of the boat come forth to lay and then at such time as the Master judges that these fowl have laid he beats his drum afresh and suddenly in haste they all throng in to the boat not so much as one remaining hehind Thereupon two or three men get ashore with baskets in their hands whereinto they gather up the egs till they have gotten eleven or twelve baskets full and so they proceed on their voyage to make sale of their war which being almost spent to store themselves anew they go for to buy more unto them that breed them whose trade it is to sell them young for they are not suffered to keep them when they are great as the others do by reason as I have said before no man may deal in any commodity for which he hath not permission from the Governors of the Towns They that get their living by breeding of Ducks have neer to their Houses certain Ponds where many times they keep ten or eleven thousand of these duckings some bigger some lesser Now for to hatch the Eggs they have in very long galleries twenty and thirty furnaces full of dung wherein they bury two hundred three hundred and five hundred Eggs together then stopping the mouth of each furnace that the dung may become the hotter they leave the Eggs there till they think the young ones are disclosed whereupon putting into every several furnace a Capon half pulled and the skin stript from off his brest they leave him shut up therein for the space of two dayes at the end whereof being all come out of the shell they carry them into certain places under ground made for that purpose setting them bran soaked in liquor and so being left there loose some ten or eleven dayes they go afterwards of themselves into the ponds where they feed and bring them up for to sell them unto those former Merchants who trade with them into divers parts it being unlawfull for one to trench upon anothers traffick as I have before related so that in the Markets and publique places where provisions for the mouth are sold if any that sell Goose Eggs do chance to be taken seazed with Hens Eggs and it is suspected that they sell of them they are presently punished with thirty lashes on the bare Buttocks without hearing any justification they can make for themselves being as I have said found seazed of them so that if they will have Hens Eggs for their own use to avoid incurring the penalty of the Law they must be broken at one end whereby it may appear that they keep them not to sell but to eat As for them that sell Fish alive if any of their Fish chance to die they cut them in pieces and salting them sell them at the price of salt-fish which is lesse then that of fresh-fish wherein they proceed so exactly that no man dares passe the limits which are prescribed and ordained by the Conchalis of the State upon pain of most severe punishment for in all this Country the King is so much respected and Justice so feared as no kinde of person how great soever dares murmur or look awry at an Officer no not at the very Huppes which are as the Bayliffs or Beadles amongst us CHAP. XXXI The order which is observed in the moving Towns that are made upon the Rivers and that which further befell us WEe saw likewise all along this great River a number of Hogs both wilde and domestick that were kept by certain men on horseback and many herds of â—ame red Deer which were driven from place to place like Sheep to feed all lamed of their right legs to hinder them from running away and they are lamed so when they are but Calves to avoid the danger that otherwise they might incur of their lives We saw also divers Parks wherein a world of Dogs were kept to be sold to the Butchers for in these Countries they eat all manner of Flesh whereof they know the price and of what creaturâ—s they are by the choppings they make of them moreover we met with many small Barques whereof some were full of Pigs others of Tortoises Frogs Otters Adders Eeeles Snails and Lizards for as I have said they buy there of all that is judged good to eat now to the end that such provisions may passe at an easier rate all that sell them are permitted to make traffick of them in several fashions true it is that in some things they have greater Franchises then in others to the end that by means thereof no Merchandise may want sale And because the Subject I now treat of dispences me to speak of all I will relate that which we further observed there and whereat we were much abashed judging thereby how far men suffer themselves to be carried by their Interests and extream avarice you must know then that in this Country there are a many of such as make a trade of buying and selling mens Excrements which is not so mean a Commerce amongst them but that there are many of them grow rich by it and are held in good account now these Excrements serve to manure grounds that are newly grubb'd which is found to be far better for that purpose then the ordinary dung They which make a trade of buying it go up and down the streets with certain Clappers like our Spittle men whereby they give to understand what they desire without publishing of it otherwise to people in regard the thing is filthy of it self whereunto I will adde thus mâ—ch that this commodity is so much esteemed amonst them and so great a trade driven of it that into one sea port sometimes there comes in one tyde two or three hundred Sayls laden with it Oftentimes also there is such striving for it as the Governours of the place are fain to enterpose their authority for the distribution of this goodly commodity and all for to manure their grounds which soyled with it bears three crops in one year We saw many boats likewise laden
with dryed orange pills wherewith in victualing houses they boyl dogs flesh for to take away the rank savour and humidity of it as also to reader it more firm In brief we saw so many Vaucans Lanteaas and Barcasses in this river ladâ—n with all kinds of provision that either the sea or land produces and that in such abundance as I must confess I am not able to expresse it in words for it is not possible to imagine the infinite store of things that are in this Country of each whereof you shall see two or three hundred Vessels together at a time all full especially at the Fairs and Markets that are kept upon the solemn festival days of their Pagodes for then all the fairs are free and the Pagodes for the most part are scituated on the banks of rivers to the end all commodities may the more commodiously be brought thither by water Now when all these vessels come to joyn together during these Fairs they take such order as they make as it were a great and fair Town of them so that sometimes you shall have of them a league in length and three quarters of a league in bredth being composed of above twenty thousand vessels besides Balons Guedees and Manchuas which are small boats whose number is infinite For the Government hereof there are threescore Captains appointed of which thirty are to see good order kept and the other thirty are for the guard of the Merchants that come thither to the end they may sail in safety Moreover there is above them a Chaem who hath absolute power both in civil and criminal causes without any appeal or opposition whatsoever during the fifteen days that this Fair lasts which is from the new to the full Moon And indeed more come to see the policy order and beauty of this kind of Town then otherwise for to speak the truth the framing of it in that manner with vessels makes it more to be admired then all the Edifices that can be seen upon the land There are in this moving Town two thousand streets excâ—eding long very strait inclosed on either side with ships most of which are covered with silks and adorned with a world of banners flags and streamers wherein all kind of commodities that can be desired are to be sold In other streets are as many trades to be seen as in any Town on the Land amidst the which they that traffique go up and down in little Manchuas and that very quietly and without any disorder Now if by chance any one is taken stealing he is instantly punished according to his offence As soon as it is night all these streets are shut up with cords athwart them to the end none may passe after the retreat sounded In each of these streets there are at least a dâ—zen of lanthorns with lights burning fastened a good heighth on the Masts of the vessels by means whereof all that go in and out are seen so that it may be known who they are from whence they come and what they would have to the end the Chaem may the next morning receive an account thereof And truly to behold all these lights together in the night is a â—ight scarce able to be imagined neither is there a street without a Bell and a Sentinel so as when that of the Chaems ship is heard to ring all the other bels answer it with so great a noise of voices adjoyned thereunto that we were almost besides our selves at the hearing of a thing which cannot be well conceived and that was ruled with such good order In every of these streets even in the poorest of them there is a Chappel to pray in framed upon great Barcasses like to Gallies very neat and so well accommodâ—ted that for the most part they are enriched with silks and cloth of gold In these Chappels are their Idols and Priests which administer their sacrifices and receive the offerings that are made them wherewith they are abundantly furnished for their living Out of each street one of the most account or chiefest Merchant is chosen to waâ—ch all night in his turn with those of his Squadron besides the Captains of the government who in Ballons walk the round without to the end no thiefe may escape by any avenue whatsoever and for that purpose these guards cry as loud as they can that they may be heard Amongst the most remarkable things we saw one street where there were above an hundred vessels laden with Idols of guilt wood of divers fashions which were sold for to be offered to the Pagodes together with a world of feet thighs arms and heads that sick folks bought to offer in devotion There also we beheld other ships covered with silk hangings where Comedies and other playes were represented to entertain the people withall which in great numbers flocked thither In other places Bils of exchaâ—ge for Heaven were sold wherâ—by these Priests of the Divel promised them many merits with great interest affirming that without these bils they could not possibly be saved for that God say they is a mortal enemy to all such as do not some good to the Pagodes whereupon they tell them such fables and lies as these unhappy wretches do often times take the very bread from their mouths to give it them There were also other vessels all laden with dead mens skuls which diveâ—s men bought for to present as an offering at the tombs of their friends when they should happen to dye for say they as the deceased is laid in the grave in the company of these skuls so shall his soul enter into Heaven attended by those unto whom those skuls belonged wherefore when the Porter of Paradise shall see such a Merchant with many followers he will do him honour as to a man that in this life hath been a man of quality for if he be poor and without a train the Porter will not open to him whereas contrarily the more dead mens skuls he hath buried with him the more happy he shall be esteemed There were many boats likewise where there were men that had a great many of Cages full of live birds who playing on divers instruments of musick exhorted the people with a loud voice to deliver those poor creatures of God that were there in captivity whereupon many came and gave them mony for the redemption of those prisoners which presently they let out of the cages and then as they flew away the redeemers of them cried out to the birds Pichau pitauel catan vacaxi that is Go and tell God how we serve him here below In imitation of these there are others also who in their ships kept a great many of little live fishes in great pots of water and like the sellers of birds invite the people for Gods cause to free those poor innocent fishes that had never sinned so that divers bought many of them and casting them into the river said Get ye gone and tell there below
side amazed to think how liberally it hath pleased God to heap up on this people the goods of the earth on the other side I am exceedingly grieved to consider how ungratefull they are in acknowledging such extraordinary favours for they commit amongst themselves an infinite of most enormous sins wherewithal they incessantly offend the Divine Goodness as well in their bruitish and diabolical Idolatries as in the abominable sin of Sodomy which is not only permitted amongst them in publique but is also accounted for a great vertue according to the instructions of their Priests CHAP. XXXII Our Arrival at the City of Pequin together with our imprisonment and that which moreover happened unto us there as also the great Majesty of the Officers of their Court of Iustice. AFter we were departed from that rare and marvellous Town whereof I have spoken we continued our course up the river until at length on Tuesday the nineteenth of October in the year 1541. we arrived at the great City of Pequin whither as I have said before we had been remitted by Appeal In this manner chained three and three together we were cast into a prison called Gofaniauserca where for our welcom we had at the first dash thirty lashes a piece given us wherewith some of us became very sick Now as soon as the Chifuu who conducted us thither had presented the process of our sentence sealed with twelve seals to the Justice of the Aytao which is their Parliament the twelve Chonchalis of the criminal Chamber unto whom the cognisance of our cause appertained commanded us presently away to prison whereupon one of those twelve assisted by two Registers and six or seven officers whom they term Hupes and are much like our Catchpoles here terrified us not a little as he was leading us thither for giving us very threatning speeches Come said he unto us By the power and authority which I have from the Aytao of Batampina chief President of the two and thirty Iudges of strangers within whose brest are the secrets of the Lyon crowned on the throne of the world inclosed I enjoyn and command you to tell me what people you are as also of what country and whether you have a King who for the service of God and for the discharge of his dignity is inclined to do good to the poor and to render them justice to the end that with tears in their eyes and hands lifted up they may not addresse their complaints to that Soveraign Lord which hath made the bright Enamel of the skies and for whose holy feet all they that reign with him serve but for sandals To this demand we answered him that we were poor strangers natives of the Kingdom of Siam who being imbarqued with our Merchandise for Liampoo were cast away in a great storm at sea from whence we escaped naked with the loss of all that we had and how in that deplorable estate we were fain to get our living by begging from door to door till such time as at our arrival at the Town of Taypor the Chumbim then resident there had arrested us for prisoners without cause and so sent us to the City of Nanquin where by his report we had been condemned to the whip and to have our thumbs cut off without so much as once daigning to hear us in our justifications by reason whereof lifting up our eyes to Heaven we had been adviced to have recourse with our tears to the four and twenty Judges of austâ—er life that through their zeal to God they might take our cause in hand since by reason of our poverty we were altogether without support and abandoned of all men which with an holy zeal they incontinently effected by revoking the cause and annulling the judgment that had been given against us and that these things considered we most instantly besought him that for the service of God he would be pleased to have regard to our misery and the great injustice that was done us for that we had no means in this Country nor person that would speak one word for us The Judg remained somtimes in suspence upon that we had said to him at length he answered that we need say no more to him for it is sufficient that I know you are poor to the end this affair may go another way then hitherto it hath done neverthertheless to acquit me of my charge I give you five days time conformably to the Law of the third Book that within the said term you may retain a Proctor to undertake your cause but if you will be advised by me you shall present your request to the Tanigores of the sacred Office to the end that they carryed by an holy zeal of the honour of God may out of compassion of your miseries take upon them to defend your right Having spoken thus he gave us a Taeis in way of alms and said further to us Beware of the prisoners that are here for I assure you that they make it their trade to steal all that they can from any one whereupon entring into another chamber where there were a great number of prisoners he continued there above three hours in giving them audience at the end whereof he sent seven and twenty men that the day before had received their judgment to execution which was inflicted upon them by whipping to death a spectacle so dreadful to us and that put us in such a fright as it almost set us besides our selves The next morning as soon as it was day the Jaylors clapt irons on our feet and manacles on ouâ— hands and put us to exceeding great pain but seven days after we had endured such misery being laid on the ground one by another and bewayling our disaster for the extream fear we were in of suffering a most cruel death if that which we had done at Calempluy should by any means chance to be discovered it pleased God that we were visited by the Tanigores of the house of mercy which is of the jurisdiction of this prison who are called in their language Cofilem Gnaxy At their arrival all the prisoners bowing themselves said with a lamentable tonâ— Blessed be the day wherein God doth visit us by the ministery of his servants whereunto the Tanigories made answer with a grave and modest countenance The Almighty and divine hand of him that hath formed the beauty of the stars keep and preserve you Then approaching to us they very courteously demanded of us what people we were and whence it proceeded that our imprisonment was more sensible to us then to others To this speech we replied with tears in our eyes that we were poor strangers so abandoned of men as in all that Country there was not one that knew our names and that all we could in our poverty say to intreat them to think of us for Gods sake was contained in a letter that we had brought them from the Chamber of the Society of the house
where the Tanigores spake to them again about us and recommending us unto them more then before the Monteo caused our names to be written down in a book that lay before him and said unto us I do this because I am not so good a man as to give you something of mine own nor so bad as to deprive you of the sweat of your labour whereunto the King hath bound you wherefore even at this instant you shall begin to get your living although you do not serve as yet for the desire I have that this may be accounted to me for an alms so that now you have nothing to do but to be merry in my house where I will give order that you shall be provided of all that is necessary for you Besides this I will not promise you any thing for the fear I am in of the shewing some vanity by my promise and so the Divel may make use thereof as of an advantage to lay hold on me a matter that often arrives through the weakness of our nature wherefore let it suffice you for the present to know that I will be mindful of you for the love of these holy brethren here who have spoken to me for you The four Tanigores thereupon taking their leave gave us four Taeis and said unto us Forget not to render thanks unto God for the good success you have had in your business for it would be a grievous sin in you not to acknowledge so great a grace Thus were we very well entertained in the house of this Captain for the space of two months that we remained there at the end whereof we parted from thence for to go to Quansy where we were to make up our time under the conduct of this Captain who ever after used us very kindly and shewed us many favours untill that the Tartars entred into the Town who did a world of mischief there as I will more amply declare hereafter Before I recount that which happened unto us after we were imbarqued with those Chineses that conducted us and that gave us great hope of setting us at liberty I think it not amiss to make a brief relation here of the City of Pequin which may truly be termed the capital of the Monarchy of the world as also of some particulars I observed there as well for its arches and policy as for that which concerns its extent its government the laws of the Country and the admirable manner of providing for the good of the whole State together in what sort they are paid that serve in the time of war according to the Ordinances of the Kingdom and many other things like unto these though I must needs confess that herein I shall want the best part namely wit and capacity to render a reason in what clymate it is scituated and in the heigth of how many degrees which is a matter the learned and curious most desire to be satisfied in But my designe having never been other as I have said heretofore then to leave this my book unto my children that therein they may see the sufferings I have undergone it little imports me to write otherwise then I do that is in a gross and rude manner for I hold it better to treat of these things in such sort as nature hath taught me then to use Hyperboles and speeches from the purpose whereby the weakness of my poor understanding may be made more evident Howbeit since I am obliged to make mention of this matter by the promise I have made of it heretofore I say that this City which we call Pequin and they of the Country Pequin is scituated in the heighth of forty and one degrees of Northerly latitude the walls of it are in circuit by the report of the Chineses themselves and as I have read in a little book treating of the greatness thereof and intituled Aquisendan which I brought since along with me into Portugal thirty large leagues namely ten long and five broad Some others hold that it is fifty namely seventeen in length and eight in bredth and forasmuch as they that intreat of it are of different opinions in that the one make the extent of it thirty leagues as I have said before and others fifty I will render a reason of this doubt conformable to that which I have seen my self It is true that in the manner it is now built it is thirty leagues in circuit as they say for it is invironed with two rows of strong walls where there are a number of towers and bulwarks after our fashion But without this circuit which is of the City it self there is another far greater both in length and bredth that the Chineses affirm was anciently all inhabited but at this present there are only some Boroughs and Villages as also a many of fair houses or castles about it amongst the which there are sixteen hundred that have great advantages over the rest and are the houses of the Proctors of the sixteen hundred Cities and most remarkable Towns of the two and thirty Kingdoms of this Monarchy who repair unto this City at the general Assembly of the Estates which is held every three years for the publique good Without this great inclosure which as I have said is not comprehended in the City there is in a distance of three leagues broad and seven long fourscore thousand Tombs of the Mandarins which are little Chappels all guilded within and compassed about with Ballisters of iron and latin the entries whereinto are through very rich and sumptuous arches near to these Chappels there are also very great houses with gardens and tufted woods of high trees as also many inventions of ponds fountains and aqueducts whereunto may be added that the walls of the inclosure are on the inside covered with fine porcelain and on the fanes above are many Lions pourtrayed in gold as also in the squares of the steeples which are likewise very high and embellished with pictures It hath also five hundred very great Palaces which are called the houses of the Son of the Sun whither all those retire that have been hurt in the Wars for the service of the King as also many other souldiers who in regard of age or sickness are no longer able to bear arms and to the end that during the rest of their days they may be exempted from incommodity each of them receives monthly a certain pay to find himself withall and to live upon Now all these men of War as we learned of the Chineses are ordinarily an hundred thousand there being in each of those houses two hundred men according to their report We saw also another long street of low houses where there were four and twenty thousand oar-men belonging to the King Panoures and another of the same structure a good league in length where fourteen thousand Taverners that followed the Court dwelt as also a third street like unto the other two where live a great number
of light women exempted from the tribute which they of the City pay for that they are Curtisans whereof the most part had quitted their husbands for to follow the wretched trade and if for that cause they come to receive any hurt their husbands are grievously punished for it because they are there as in a place of freedom and under the protection of the Tutan of the Court Lord Steward of the Kings house In this inclosure do likewise remain all the Landresses by them called Maynates which wash the linnen of the City who as we were told are above an hundred thousand and live in this quarter for that there are divers rivers there together with a number of wells and deep pools of water compassed about with good walls Within this same inclosure as the said Aquisendan relates there are thirteen hundred gallant and very sumptuous houses of religioâ—s men and women who make profession of the four principal Laws of those two and thirty which are in the Empire of China and it is thought that in some of these houses there are above a thousand persons besides the servants that from abroad do furnish them with victuals and other necessary provisions We saw also a great many houses which have fair buildings of a large extent with spacious inclosures wherein there are gardens and very thick woods full of any kind of game either for hawking or hunting that may be desired And these houses are as it were Inns whither come continually in great number people of all ages and sexeâ— as to see Comedies Playes Combates Bul-baitings Wrastlings and magnificent Feasts with the Tutons Chaems Conchacys Aytaos Bracalons Chumbims Monteos Lauteas Lords Gentlemen Captains Merchants and other rich men do make for to give content to their kindred and friends These houses are bravely furnished with rich hangings beds chairs and stools as likewise with huge cupbards of plate not only of silver but of gold also and the attendants that wait at the table are maids ready to be married very beautiful and gallantly attired howbeit all this is nothing in comparison of the sumptuousness and other Magnificences that we saw there Now the Chineses assured us there were some feasts that lasted ten days after the Carachina or Chinese manner which in regard of the state pomp and charge thereof as well in the attendance of servants and wayters as in the costly fare of all kind of flesh fowl fish and all delicacies in musick in sports of hunting and hawking in playes comedies tilts turnayes and in shews both of horse and foot fighting and skirmishing together do cost above twenty thousand Taeis These Inns do stand in at least a million of gold and are maintained by certain Companies of very rich Merchants who in way of commerce and traffique employ their mony therein where by it is thought they gain far more then if they should venture it to sea It is said also that there is so good and exact an order observed there that whensoever any one will be at a charge that way he goes to the Xipaton of the house who is the superintendant thereof and declares unto him what his designe is whereupon he shews him a book all divided into chapters which treats of the ordering and sumptuousness of Feasts as also the rates of them and how they shall be served in to the end that he who will be at the charge may chuse which he pleases This book called Pinetoreu I have seen and heard it read so that I remember how in the three first Chapters thereof it speaks of the feasts whereunto God is to be invited and of what price they are and then it descends to the King of China of whom it sayes That by a speciall grace of Heaven and right of Soveraignty he hath the Government of the whole earth and of all the Kings that inhabit it After it hath done with the King of China it speaks of the feasts of the Tutons which are the ten Soveraign dignities that command over the forty Chaems who are as the Vice-royes of the State These Tutons also are termed the beams of the Sun for say they as the King of China is the Son of the Sun so the Tutons who represent him may rightly be termed his beams for that they proceed from him even as the rayes do from the Sun But setting aside the bruitishness of these Gentiles I will only speak of the Feast whereunto God is to be invited which I have seen some to make with much devotion though for want of faith their works can do them little good CHAP. XXXIV The Order which is observed in the Feasts that are made in certain Inns and the State which the Chaem of the two and thirty Vniversities keeps with certain remarkable things in the City of Pequin THe first thing whereof mention is made in the Preface of that Book which treats of Feasts as I have said before is the Feast that is to be made unto God here upon earth of which it is spoken in this manner Every Feast how sumptuous soever it be may be paid for with a price more or less conformable to the bounty of him that makes it who for all his charge bestowed on it reaps no other recompence then the praise of flatterers and idle persons wherefore O my Brother saith the Preface of the said Book I counsel thee to imploy thy goods in feasting of God in his poor that is to say secretly to supply the necessities of good folks so that they may not perish for want of that which thou hast more then thou needest Call to mind also the vile matter wherewith thy father ingendred thee and that too which is far more abject wherewith thy mother conceived thee and so thou wilt see how much inferiour thou art even to the bruit beasts which without distinction of reason apply themselves to that whereunto they are carried by the flesh and seeing that in the quality of a man thou wilt invite thy friends who possibly by to morrow may not be to shew that thou art good and faithful invite the poor creatures of God of whose groans and necessities he like a pitiful Father taketh compassion and promiseth to him that doth them good infinite satisfaction in the house of the Sun where as an Article of faith we hold that his servants shall abide for evermore in eternal happiness After these words and other such like worthy to be observed the Xipaton who as I told you is the chief of them that govern this great Labyrinth shews him all the Chapters of the Book from one end to the other and bids him look what manner of men or Lords he will invite what number of guests and how many days he will have the feast to last for addeth he the Kings and Tutons at the feasts that are made for them have so many Messes of meat so many Attendants such Furniture such Chambers such vessel such plate such sports
are comparable unto it how famous or populous soever they be Nay I will say further that one must not think it to be like to Grand Cairo in Egypt Tauris in Persia Amadaba in Cambaya Bisnagar in Narsingua Goura in Bengala Ava in Chaleu Timplan in Calaminhan Martaban and Bagou in Pegu Guimpel and Tinlau in Siammon Odia in the Kingdom of Sornau Passarvan and Dema in the Island of Iaoa Pangor in the Country of the Lequiens Vsangea in the Grand Cauchin Lancama in Tartaria and Meaco in Iappun all which Cities are the Capitals of many great Kingdoms for I dare well affirm that all those same are not to be compared to the least part of the wonderful City of Pequin much less to the greatness and magnificence of that which is most excellent in it whereby I understand her stately buildings her inward riches her excessive abundance of all that is necessary for the entertaining of life also the world of people the infinite number of Barques and Vessels that are there the Commerce the Courts of Justice the Government and the State of the Tutons Chaems Anchacys Aytaos Puchancys and Bracanons who rule whole Kingdoms and very spacious Provinces with great pentions and are ordinarily resident in this City or others for them when as by the Kings command they are sent about affairs of consequence But setting these things aside whereof yet I intend to speak more amply when time shall serve I say that this City according to that which is written of it both in the Aquesendoo before mentioned and all the Chronicles of the Kingdom of China is thirty leagues in circuit not comprehending therein the buildings of the other inclosure that is without it and is invironed with a double wall made of good strong free-stone having three hundred and threescore gates each of which hath a small Forâ— composed of two high towers with its ditches and draw-bridges and at every gate is a Register four Porters with halberds in their hands who are bound to give account of all that goes in and out These gates by the Ordinance of the Tuton are divided according to the three hundred and threescore dayes of the year so that every day in his turn hath the feast of the invocation of the Idol whereof each gate bears the name celebrated with much solemnity This great City hath also within that large inclosure of her walls as the Chineses assured us three thousand and three hundred Pagodes or Temples wherein are continually sacrificed a great number of birds and wild beasts which they hold to be more agreeable unto God then such as are kept tame in houses whereof their Priests render divers reasons to the people therewith perswading them to believe so great an abuse for an article of faith The structures of these Pagodes whereof I speak are very sumptuous especially those of the orders of the Menegrepos Conquiays and Talagrepos who are the Priests of the four Sects of Xaca Amida Gizom and Canom which surpass in antipuity the other two and thirty of that Labyrinth of the Divel who appears to them many times in divers forms for to make them give more credit to his impostures and lies The principal streets of this City are all very long and broad with fair houses of two or three stories high and inclosed at both ends with ballisters of iron and lattin the entrance into them is through lanes that cross these great streets at the ends whereof are great arches with strong gates which are shut in the night and on the top of the arches there are watch-bels Each of these streets hath its Captain and officers who walk the round in their turns and are bound every ten dayes to make report into the Town-house of all that passeth in their quarters to the end that the Punchacys or Chaems of the Government may take such order therein as reason requires Moreover this great City if credit may be given to that which the said book so often before mentioned by me records hath an hundred and twenty Canals made by the Kings and people in former times which are three fathom deep and twelve broad crossing through the whole length and bredth of the City by the means of a great number of bridges built upon arches of strong free-stone at the end whereof there are pillars with chains that reach from the one to the other and resting places for passengers to repose themselves in It is said that the bridges of these hundred twenty Canals or Aqueducts are in number eighteen hundred and that if one of them is fair and rich the other is yet more as well for the fashion as for the rest of the workmanship thereof The said Book affirms That in this City there are sixscore Piatzues or publique places in each of the which is a Fair kept every month Now during the two months time that we were at liberty in this City we saw eleven or twelve of these Fairs where were an infinite company of people both on hors-back and on foot that out of boxes hanging about their necks sold all things that well neer can be named as the Haberdashers of small wares do amongst us besides the ordinary shops of rich Merchants which were ranged very orderly in the particular streets where was to be seen a world of silk stuffs tinsels cloth of gold linnen and cotton-cloth sables ermyns musk aloes fine pourcelain gold and silver plate pearl seed pearl gold in powder and lingots and such other things of value whereat we nine Portugals were exceedingly astonished But if I should speak in particular of all the other commodities that were to be sold there as of iron steel lead copper tin latin corral cornalin crystal quicksilver vermillion ivory cloves nutmegs mace ginger tamarinds cinnamon pepper cardamone borax hony wax sanders sugar conserves acates fruit meal rice flesh venison fish pulse and herbs there was such abundance of them as it is scarce possible to express it in words The Chineses also assured us that this City hath an hundred and threescore Butchers shambles and in each of them an hundred stalls full of all kinds of flesh that the earth produceth for that these people feed on all as Veal Mutton Pork Goat the flesh of Horses Buffles Rhinocerets Tygers Lions Dogs Mules Asses Otters Shamois Bodgers and finally of all other beasts whatsoever Furthermore besides the weights which are particularly in every shambles there is not a gate in the City that hath not its scales wherein the meat is weighed again for to see if they have their due weight that have bought it to the end that by this means the people may not be deceived Besides those ordinary Shambles there is not scarce a street but hath five or six Butchers shops in it where the choicest meat is sold there are withall many Taverns where excellent fare is alwayes to be had and cellers full of gammons of bacon dried tongues poudered geese and other
savoury viands for to relish ones drink all in so great abundance that it would be very superfluous to say more of it but what I speak is to shew how liberally God hath imparted to these miserable blinded wretches the good things which he hath created on the earth to the end that his holy Name may therefore be blessed for evermore CHAP. XXXV The Prison of Xinanguibaleu wherein those are kept which have been condemned to serve at the reparations of the wall of Tartaria and another inclosure called the Treasure of the dead with the revenues whereof this prison is maintained DEsisting now from speaking in particular of the great number of the rich and magnificent buildings which we saw in this City of Pequin I will only insist on some of the Edifices thereof that seemed more remarkable to me then the rest whence it may be easie to infer what all those might be whereof I will not make any mention here to avoid prolixity And of these neither would I speak were it not that our Lord may one day permit that the Portugal Nation full of valour and of lofty courage may make use of this relation for the glory of our great God to the end that by these humane means and the assistance of his divine favor it may make those barbarous people understand the verity of our holy Catholique faith from which their sins have so far esloigned them as they mock at all that we say to them thereof Hereunto I will adde that they are extravagant and senceless as they dare boldly affirm that only with beholding the face of the Son of the Sun which is their King a soul would be more happy then with all other things of the world besides which perswades me that if God of his infinite mercy and goodness would grant that the King of the people might become a Christian it would be an easie matter to convert all his Subjects whereas otherwise I hold it difficult for so much as one to change his belief and all by reason of the great awe they are in of the Law which they fear and reverence a like and whereof it is not to be believed how much they cherish the Ministers But to return to my discourse the first building which I saw of those that were most remarkable was a prison which they call Xinanguibaleu that is to say The inclosure of the Epiles the circuit of this prison is two leagues square or little less both in length and bredth It is inclosed with a very high wall without any battlements the wall on the outside is invironed with a great deep ditch full of water over the which are a many of draw-bridges that are drawn up in the night with certain iron chains and so hang suspended on huge cast pillars In this prison is an arch of strong hewed stone abutting in two towers in the tops whereof are six great sentinel bells which are never rung but all the rest within the said inclosure do answer them which the Chineses affirm to be above an hundred and indeed they make a most horrible din. In this place there are ordinarily three hundred thousand prisoners between seventeen and fifty whereat we were much amazed and indeed we had good cause in regard it is a thing so unusual and extraordinary Now desiring to know of the Chineses the occasion of so marvellous a building and of the great number of prisoners that were in it they answered us that after the King of China named Crisnago Docotay had finished a wall of three hundred leagues space betwixt this Kingdom of China and that of Tartaria as I have declared other where he ordained by the advice of his people for to that effect he caused an Assembly of his Estates to be held that all those which should be condemned to banishment should be sent to work in the repairing of this wall and that after they had served six years together therein they might freely depart though they were sentenced to serve for a longer time because the King pardoned them the remainder of the term by way of charity and alms but if during those years they should happen to perform any remarkable act or other thing wherein it appeared they had advantage over others or if they were three times wounded in the Sallies they should make or if they killed some of their enemies they were then to be dispensed with for all the rest of their time and that the Chaem should grant them a certificate thereof where it should be declared why he had delivered them and how he had thereby satisfied the Ordinances of War Two hundred and ten thousand men are to be continually entertained in the work of the wall by the first institution whereof defalcation is made of a third part for such are dead maimed and delivered either for their notable actions or for that they had accomplished their time And likewise when as the Chaem who is as the chief of all those sent to the Pitaucamay which is the highest Court of Justice to furnish him with that number of men they could not assemble them together so soon as was necessary for that they were divided in so many several places of that Empire which is prodigiously great as I have delivered before and that withall a long time was required for the assembling them together another King named Gopiley Aparau who succeeded to that Crisnago Dacotay ordained that the great inclosure should be made in the City of Pequin to the end that as soon as any were condemned to the work of this wall they should be carried to Xinanguibaleu for to be there altogether by which means they might be sent away without any delay as now is done So soon as the Court of Justice hath committed the prisoners to this prison whereof he that brings them hath a Certificate they are immediately left at liberty so that they may walk at their pleasure within this great inclosure having nothing but a little plate of a span long and four fingers broad wherein these words are engraven Such a one of such a place hath been condemned to the general exile for such a cause he entred such a day such a month such a year Now the reason why they make every prisoner to carry this plate for a testimony of their evil actions is to manifest for what crime he was condemned and at what time he entred because every one goes forth conformably to the length of time that shall be since he entred in These prisoners are held for duly delivered when they are drawn out of captivity for to go and work at the wall for they cannot upon any cause whatsoever be exempted from the prison of Xinanguibaleu and the time they are there is counted to them for nothing in regard they have no hope of liberty but at that instant when their turn permits them to work in the reparations for then they may be sure to be delivered according
the way were two rows of low houses like unto great Churches with steeples all guilt and divers inventions of painting Of these houses the Chineses assured us there was in that place three thousand all which from the very top to the bottom were full of dead mâ—ns skuls a thing so strange that in every mans judgment a thousand great shops could hardly contain them Behind these houses both on the one side and the other were two great Mounts of dead mens bones reaching far above the ridges of the houses full as long as the street and of a mighty bredth These bones were ordered and disposed one upon another so curiously and aptly that they seemed to grow there Having demanded of the Chineses whether any register was kept of these bones they answered there was for the Talagrepos unto whose charge the administration of these three thousond houses was commited enrolled them all and that none of these houses yieldâ—d less then two thousand Taeis revenue out of such lands as the owners of these bones had bequeathed to them for their souls health and that the rent of all these three thousand houses together amounted unto five millions of gold yearly whereof the King had four and the Talagrepos the other for to defray the expences of this Fabrick and that the four appertained to the King as their Support who dispenced them in the maintenance of the three hundred thousand prisoners of Xinanguibaleu Being amazed at this marvel we began to go along this street in the midst whereof we found a great Piazza compassed about with two huge grates of lattin and within it was an Adder of brass infolded into I know not how many boughts and so big that it contained thirty fathom in circuit being withall so ugly and dreadful as no words are able to describe it Some of us would estimate the weight of it and the least opinions reached to a thousand quintals were it hollow within as I believe it was Now although it was of an unmeasurable greatness yet was it in every part so well proportioned as nothing can be amended whereunto also the workmanship thereof is so correspondent that all the perfection which can be desired from a good workman is observed in it This monstrous Serpent which the Chinese call The gluttonous Serpent of the house of smoak had on the top of his head a bowl of iron two and fifty foot in circumference as if it had been thrown at him from some other place Twenty paces further was the figure of a man of the same brass in the form of a Gyant in like manner very strange and extraordinary as well for the greatness of the body as the hugeness of the limbs This Monster held an iron bowl just as big as the other aloft in both his hands and beholding the Serpent with a frowning and angry countenance he seemed as though he would throw this bowl at him Round about this figure was a number of little idols all guilt on their knees with their hands lifted up to him as if they would adore him All this great edifice was consecrated to the honour of this Idol called Mucluparon whom the Chineses affirmed to be the treasurer of all the dead mens bones and that when the gluttonous Serpent before mentioned came to steal them away he made at him with that bowl which he held in his hands whereupon the Serpent in great fear fled immediately away to the bottom of the profound house of smoak whither God had precipitated him for his great wickedness and further that he had maintained a combate with him three thousand years already and was to continue the same three thousand years more so that from three thousand to three thousand years he was to imploy five bowls wherewith he was to make an end of killing him Hâ—reunto they added that as soon as this Serpent should be dead the bones that were there assembled would return into the bodies to which they appertained formerly and so should go and remain for ever in the house of the Moon To these brutish opinions they joyn many others such like unto which they give so much faith that nothing can be able to remove them from it for it is the doctrine that is preached unto them by their Bonzes who also tell them that the true way to make a soul happy is to gather these bones together into this place by means whereof there is not a day passes but that a thousand or two of these wretches bones are brought thither Now if some for their far distance cannot bring all the bones whole thither they will at leastwise bring a tooth or two and so they say that by way of an alms they make as good satisfaction as if they brought all â—he rest which is the reason that in all these chunel houses there is such an infinite multitude of these teeth that one might lade many ships with them We saw in a great Plain without the walls of this City another building very sumptuous and rich which they call Nacapirau that is to say the Queen of Heaven for it is the opinion of these blinded wretches that our Lord above is married like the Kings here below and that the children which he hath had by the Nacapirau are the Stars we see twinkling in the Firmament by night and that when any exhalation comes to dissolve in the air they say that it is one of his children that is dead whereof his other brothers are so grieved that they shed such abundance of tears as the earth is watered therewith by which means God provides us of our living as it were in manner of alms bestowed for the souls of the deceased But letting pass these and other such like fooleries I will only intreat of such particulars as we observed in this great Edifice whereof the first was one hundred and forty Convents of this accursed Religion both of men and women in each of which there are four hundred persons amounting in all to six and fifty thousand besides an infinite number of religious servants that are not obliged to their vow of profession that are within who for a mark of their Priestly dignity are clothed in violet with green stars on them having their head beard and eye-brows shaven and wearing beads about their necks to pray with but for all that they crave no alms by reason they have revenue enough to live on The next was an inclosure within this huge building a league in circuit the walls whereof were built upon arches vaults of strong hewed stone and underneath them were Galleries invironed all about with ballisters of lattin within this inclosure at a gate through which we past we saw under most deformed figures the two porters of hell at least they believe so calling the one Bacharon and the other Quagifau both of them with iron clubs in their hands and so hideous and horrible to see to that it is impossible to behold them
to his hope so great an enterprise had been wherein hâ— had consumed so much treasure caused his Councel of War to be assembled in the which were present the seven and twenty Kings that accompanied him and likewise many Princes and Lords and the most part of the chief Commanders of the Army In this Councel it was resolved that in regard Winter was at hand and that the rivers had already overflowed their banks with such force and violence as they had ravaged and carried away mâ—st of the Trenches and Pallisadoes of the Camp and that moreover great numbers of the souldiers died daily of sickness and for want of victuals that therefore the King could not do better then to raise his Siege and be gone before Winter came for fear lest staying longer he should run the hazard of losing himself and his Army All these reasons seemed so good to the King that without further delay he resolved to follow this counsel and to obey the present necessity though it were to his great grief so that incontinently he caused all his Infantry and Ammunition to be imbarqued then having commanded his Camp to be set on fire he himself went away by Land with three hundred thousand Horse and twenty thousand Rhinocerots Now after they had taken an account of all the dead they appeared to be four hundred and fifty thousand the most of whom died of sickness as also an hundred thousand Horses and threescore thousand Rhinocerots which were eaten in the space of two months and an half wherein they wanted victual so that of eighteen hundred thousand men wherewith the King of Tartaria came out of his Country to besiege the City of Pequin before the which he lay six months and an half he carried home some seven hundred and fifty thousand less then he brought forth whereof four and fifty thousand died of sickness famine and war and three hundred thousand went and rendred themselves unto the Chineses drawn thereunto by the great pay which they gave them and other advantages of honour and presents which they continually bestowed on them whereat we are not to marvel seeing experience doth shew how that alone is of far more power to oblige men then all other things in the world After the King of Tartaria was gone from this City of Pequin upon a Munday the sevenâ—eenth of October with three hundred thousand horse as I have related before the same day about evening he went and lodged near to a river called Quaytragun and the next morning an hour before day the Aâ—my began to mâ—rch at the souâ—d of the Drums Fifes and other instruments of war acâ—ordâ—ng to the order prescribed them In this manner he arrived a little before night at a Town named Guiiampâ—a which he found altogether depopulated After his Army had reposed thereabout an hour and an half he set forth again and marching somewhat fast he came to lodg at the foot of a great mountain called Liampeu from whence he departed towards morning Thus marched he eight leagues a day for fourteen days together at the end whereof he arrived at a good Town named Guauxitim which might contain about eleven or twelve thousand fires There he was counselled to furnish himself with victuals whereof he had great need for which purpose therefore he begirt it round and skaliâ—g it in the open day he qâ—ickly mâ—de himself Master of it and put it to the sack with so cruel a Massacre of the inhabitants as my fellows and I were ready to swoond for very astonishment Now after that the wood and fire had consumed all things and that the Army was abundantly provided of ammunition and victual he depâ—rted at the break of day and though he past the next morning in the view of Caixiloo yet would not he attaque it for that it was a great and strong Town and by scituation impregnable having heard besides that there were fifty thousand men within it whereof ten thousand were Mogors Cauchins and Champaas resolute souldiers and much more warlike then the Chineses From thence passing on he arrived at the walls of Singrachirau which are the very same that as I have said heretofore do divide those two Empires of China and Tartaria There meeting with no resistance he went anâ— lodged on the further side of it at Panquinor which was the first of his own Towns and sâ—ated some three leagues from the said wall and the next day he marched to Psipator where he dismissed the most part of his people In this place he stayed not above seven days which he spent in providing pay for his souldiers and in the execution of certain prisoners he had taken in that war and brought along with him These things thus expedited he as a man not very well pleased imbarqued himself for Lançâ—me in sixscore Lanlees with no more then ten or eleven thousand men So in six dayes after his imbarquing he arrived at Lançame where not permitting any reception to be made him he landed about two hours within night The King abode in this City of Lançame until such time as all his forces as well horse as foot were arrived there which was within six and twenty days then having all his Army together he went on to another City far greater and fairer called Tuymicoa where he was visitâ—d by some Princes his Neighbours and hy the Ambassadors of many other Kings and Soveraigns of more remoter Countrys of which the chiefest were six great and mighty Monarchs namely Xataanas the Sophy of Persia Siamon Emperour of the Gueos whose Country borders on that of Bramaa and Tanguu the Calamiâ—ham Lord of the indomptable force of the Elephant of the Earth as I shall deliver hereafter when I come to treat of him and his State the Sournaâ— of Odiaa that names himself the King of Siam whose dominion râ—ns seven hundred leagues along the coast with that of Tanauserin and on Champaa side with the Malayos Berdios and Patanes and through the heart of the Country with Passioloqua Capioper and Chiammay as also with the Lauhos and Gueos so that this Prince alone hath seventeen Kingdoms within his State by reason whereof for to make himself the more redoubted amongst the Gentiles he causeth himself to be stiled The Lord of the white Elephant the fifth was the great Mogor whose State is within the heart of the Country near to the Corazones a Province bordering upon Persiu and the Kingdom of Dely and Chitor and the last an Emperour of a Country named Caran as we were informed there the bounds of whose Soveraignty are at the Mountains of Goncalidau sixty degrees further on where a certain people live whom they of the Country call Moscovites whereof we have some in this City which were fair of complection well shapen and apparelled with Breeches Cassocks and Hats like to the Flemings which we see in Europe the chiefest of them wearing Gowns lined with Sables and the rest with ordinary furs The Ambassador
deformity he was exceedingly well proportioned in all his limbs only his head was somewhat too little for so great a body This monster held in both his hands a bowl of the same iron being six and thirty spans about Beholding so strange and monstrous a thing we demanded of the Tartar Ambassadour the explication thereof who willing to satisfie our curiosity If you knew answered he what the power of this God is and how needful it is for you to have him to friend certainly you would think it well imployed if you presented him with all your means how great soever they might be and give them to him rather then to your own children for you must know that this great Saint which you see there is the Treasurer of the bones of all those that are born into the world to the end that at the last day when men come to be born again he may give to every one the same bones which he had upon earth for he knows them all and can tell in particular to what body each of those bones belong whereupon you are further to understand that he who in this life shall be so unadvised as not to honour him nor present him with something will be but in an ill case in the other world for this Saint will then give him some of the rottenest bones he can meet withal and one or two less then he should have by means whereof he will become deformed lame or crooked and therefore if you will follow my counsel you shall make your selves of his fraternity by offering something unto him and you will find by experience the good that will redound to you thereof hereafter We desired also to know of him what the bowle which this Monster held in his hand signified whereunto he answered us That he held it to fling it at the head of the gluttonous Serpent that lived in the profound Obism of the house of smoak when he should come thither to steal away any of those bones After this we enquired of him how this Monster was called and he told us that his name was Pachinavau du beculem Prinaufaque and that it was threescore and fourteen thousand years since he was begotten on a Tortois called Migama by a Sea-horse that was an hundred and thirty fathom long named Tybrem vucam who had been King of the Giants of Fanius he told us likewise many other brutish fooleries and absurdities which those of that Country believe as their Creed and wherewith the Divel precipitates them all into hell Moreover this Ambassadour assured us that the gifts which were presented to this Idol amounted to above two hundred thousand Taeis of yearly rent without comprising therein what came from Chappels and other foundations of obits from the principal Lords of the Country the Revenue whereof was far greater then that of the gifts For a conclusion he told us that this same Idol had ordinarily twelve thousand priests attending on his service who were maintained with mâ—at drink and clothing only to pray for the dead that is to say for those unto whom these bones appertained we were also assured that these priests never went out of this inclosure without the permission of their Superiours but that there was still without six hundred servants who took care for the providing of all things necessary for them And further that it was not lawful for these priests save once a year to break within this inclosure the vow which they had made of chastity but without the same they might whore their pleasure with whomsoever they would without committing any sin There was also a Serraglio there wherein many women appointed for that purpose were shut up whom their Governesses permitted to have to do with the priests of this beastly and diabolical Sect. Continuing our voyage from this Pagode or Monastery of Gentiles whereof we have spoken the next day we arrived at a very fair Town called Quanginau which stands on the bank of the river In this place the Ambassadours stayed three whole dayes for to furnish themselves with certain things they wanted as also for to see the feastings and joy that was made at that time upon the entry of the Talâ—picor of Echuna which is their Pope who was going then unto the King for to comfort him about the ill success he had in China Amongst other graces which this Tolapicor bestowed on the inhabitants of this Town in recompence of the charge they had been at for his reception he granted unto them that they might be all Priests and administer their sacrifices in what places soever they were and likewise that they might therefore receive the same entertainment and gifts that were accustomed to be given unto our Priests without any difference between them and those that upon examination had been promoted to that dignity Moreover he gave them power to grant Bills of Exchange for Heaven unto all such as should do them good here bâ—low To the Ambassador of Cauchinchina he granted as a most singular favor that he might legitimate any that would pay him for it also confer on the Lords of the Court titles and marks of honour as far forth as if he had been King whereof the foolish Ambassador was so proud as setting aside covetousnesse though it were a vice he was naturally inclined unto he imployed all that ever he had there in gifts upon those Priests and besides not contented therewith he for that end borrowed of us the two thousand Taeis the King had given us which aferwards he paid us again with interest after fifteen in the hundred After these matters the two Ambassadors resolved to continue their voyage but before their departure they went to visit the Talapicor in a Pagode where he was lodged for in regard of his greatness and that he was held for a Saint he might not abide with any man but with the King only Now as soon as he understood of the Ambassadors coming to him he sent them word not to go away that day because he was to preach at the Church of certain religious women of the Invocation of Pontimaqueu this they took for a great honour and incontinently went to the Pagode where the Sermon was to be At their arrival they found such a concourse of people that they were constrained to remove the Pulpit to another very great place which in less then an hour was invironed with Scaffolds hung about with silk stuff whereon the one side were the Ladies richly apparelled and on the other the Princess called Vanguenarau with all the Menigregues or religious women of the Pagode being in number above three hundred After the Talapicor was gone up into the Pulpit and that he had made an exterior shew of much holiness ever and anon lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven he began his Sermon in this manner Like as it is the property of water to clense all things and of the Sun to warm all creatures so
it is the property of God through a coelestial and divine nature to do good unto all wherefore we are all bound as well in general and particular to imitate this our Lord who hath created and doth nourish us by doing that unto those who stand in need of the good of this world as we would that they should do unto us for that by this work we are more pleasing unto him then by any other whatsoever For as the good Father of a Family rejoyceth to see his children made much of and presents given to them so our Heavenly Lord who is the true Father of us all rejoyceth at such time as with a zeal of charity we communicate one with another whereby it is evident that the covetous man who shuts his hand when the poor ask something of him which they want constrained thereunto by necessity and that turns him another way without assisting them shall be treated in the same manner by a just judgment of God and driven down into the bottom of the sink of the night where like a frog he shal croke without ceasing being tormented by the hunger of his covetousness This being so I do advise and enjoyn you all since you have ears to hear me that you do that which the Law of the Lord obligeth you to do which is that you give of that whereof you have too much to the poor who have not wherewith to feed themselves to the end God may not be wanting to you when you shall be at the last gasp of your life Go to then let this charity be so remarkable and universal in you that the very fowls of the air may taste of your liberality And this you ought to do to keep the poor having need of what you possess in excess from being forced by their necessity to rob other men of their goods whereof you would be no less blameable then if you killed an infant in the cradle I commend also unto your remembrance that which is written in the Book of our truth touching the good you are bound to do unto the Priests that pray for you to the end they may not perish for want of the good you ought to do unto them which would be as great a sin before God as if you should cut the throat of a little white heifer when she is sucking of her Dam by the death of whom a thousand souls would die which are buried in her as in a golden Tomb in expectation of the day which is to accomplish the promise that was made unto them wherein they shall be transformed into white pearls for to dance in Heaven like unto the moats which are in the beams of the Sun Having uttered these things he added many others thereunto and delivering a world of extravagancies and fooleries he bestirred himself in such manner as was a wonder to behold so that we eight Portugals were exceedingly amazed at the extream devotion of these people and how that in lifting up their hands to Hands to Heaven they ever and anon repeated this word Taiximida that is to say So we believe In the mean time one of our fellows named Vincent Morosa hearing the auditors so often use that word Taiximida said in imitation of them Such may thy life be and that with such a grace and so setled a countenance not seeming any way to jeer him that not one in the Assembly could forbear laughing He in the mean while continued still firm and more and more confirmed seeming even to weep out of an excess of devotion Now his eyes being always fixed on the Talapicor he whensoever he chanced to look on him could not chuse but do as the rest did so that upon the conclusion of his Sermon all that heard him fell to laughing out-right The Prioress her self and all the Menigregues of her Monastery could not contain themselves in their serious humour imagining that the faces which the Portugal made and his actions were so many effects of his devotion and good meaning For if one had thought it to be otherwise and that he had not done it out of derision no question but he had been so chastised as he should never have been able to mock again When the Sermon was ended the Talapicor returned to the Pagod where he lodged being accompanied with the most honourable of all the Assembly together with the Ambassadours unto whom all the way as he went he ceased not to commend the devotion of the Portugal Look said he there is not so much as these people who live like beasts and without the knowledge of our truth but see well enough that there is nothing but what is godly in that I have preached whereunto all answered that it was as he said The day after we parted from the Town of Quanginau and continued our voyage down the river for the space of fourteen dayes during the which we saw a number of Towns and great Boroughs on either side of us at the end whereof we arrived at a City called Lechuna the chiefest of the Religion of these Gentiles and such it may be as Rome is amongst us In this City was a very sumptuous Temple where there were many remarkable edifices in the which seven and twenty Kings or Emperours of this Monarchy of Tartaria have been buried Their Tombâ— are in Chappels wonderful rich as well for the excellency of their workmanship which is of an infinite cost as for that they are within covered all over with plates of silver wherein there are divers Idols of different forms made also of silver On the North side a little part from the Temple was an inclosure worthy the observation both for its extent and the fortification thereof within it were two hundred and fourscore Monasteries as well of men as of women dedicated to certain Idols and for the service of all these Pagodes or Temples there are ordinarily as we were assured two and forty thousand Priests and Menigrepes not comprising therein those which were lodged without the inclosure for the service of these false priests We observed that in these two hundred and fourscore houses there was an infinite company of pillars of brass and upon the top of each pillar are idols of the same mâ—ttal guilt besides thosâ— which lâ—kewise were there all of silver These Idols are the Statues of them whom in their false Sect they hold for Saints and of whom they recount such fopperies as would make a man wonder to hear them For they give unto each of them a Statue more or less rich and guilded according to the degrees of vertue which they have exercised in this life And this they do expresly that the living may be incited to imitate them to the end there may be as much done unto them when they are dead In one of these Monasteries of the Invocation of Quiay Frigau that is to say The God of the moats of the Sun was a sister of the Kings the widdow of Raiâ—
be the Kings Uncle This same being waited upon by divers great Lords was no sooner perceived by the Ambassadors but with a new kind of complement they kist the Scymiter that hung by his side whereupon he returned them the like together with an honour which is of no little estimation amongst them that was to hold his hand upon their heads so long as they were prostrated on the ground before him Then having caused the Tartar to rise and to march even check by jole with him he led him through a very long Hall to a door which was at the end thereof where after he had knocked three times one demanded of him who he was and what he would have whereunto answering very soberly Here is come said he out of an ancient custom of true amity an Ambassador from the great Xinarau of Tartaria to demand audience of Pâ—echau Guimian whom we all hold for the Lord of our heads This answer being returned the door was opened into which they presently entred the Prince marched fore-most with the Ambassador of Tartaria whom de held by the hand and a little behind them went the other belonging to the King with the Captain of the Guard then followed all the company by three and three Having gone through that room where there was none but certain of the Guard on their knees with Halberds in their hands we went into another room far more spacious and fair then the former in the which we saw threescore and four Statues of brass and nineteen of silver all tied by the neck with iron chains At so extraordinary a thing as this being much abashed we demanded of one of their Grepes or priests the reason of it who answered us That the Statues which we beheld there were the fourscore and three gods of the Tinocouhos whom the King in the late war had taken from them out of a Temple where they were placed for added he there is nothing in the world held in more esteem or for a greater honour by the King then to triumph over the gods of his enemies which he hath led away captive in despight of them whereupon enquiring further of him why they were set there he replyed that it was to have them in a readiness against the time that the King should make his entry inâ—o Vzamguee whither he purposed shortly to go for to make a shew of them so chained in his triumph as a special mark of the victory he had gained After we were at the end of this room where the Idols were we entred into another very great one where we saw a number of very fair women who were set all along some imployed in curious needle-works and others singing and playing upon certain instruments of musick very pleasing to hear Passing on we arrived at the door of the Kings Chamber where we found six women which were as it were porters there and carried silver Maces In this room was the King in the company of a few ancient men and a great number of young women to the tune of whose musick certain little girls sung very harmoniously The King was set on a Throne of eight â—teps high in the manner of an Altar over the which was a cloth of State supported by pillars all covered over with gold engraven near to him were six little children upon their knees with Scepters in their hands and a little further off stood a woman reasonably well in years which fanned him ever and anon and had a great Garland about her neck This Prince was about some five and thirty years of age and of a goodly presence He had full eyes auborn hair and beard a grave look and in all points the countenance of a generous King As soon as the Ambassadors came into the room they prostrated themselves three times on the ground and at the third time the Kings lay still flat all along whilest the Tartar passed on who being come near to the first step of the Throne where the King sate he said unto him with so loud a voice as all there present might hear him O thou the Prop of all the Forces of the Earth and the breath of the High God which hath created all things may the Majestical Being of thy greatness prosper for ever and ever so that thy Sandals may serve for hairs to the heads of Kings making thee like to the bones and flesh of the great Prince of the silver mountains by whose commandment I come to visit thee as thou mayst perceive by this his Letter sealed with his Royal arms When he had made an end of speaking thus the Cauchin beholding him with a smiling countenance May the Sun answered he put a conformity between the desires of the King thy Master and mine and that by the sweet heat of his amorous rayes to the end that the great amity which is betwixt us may endure and continue firm till the last noise the Sea shall make that so the Lord may be eternally praised in his peace At these words all the Lords that were in the room answered with one voice So grant it may be O Lord Almighty that givest a being to the night and the day Then the same women which played before beginning their musick again the King used no further speech but only in kindly entertaining the Ambassador I will said he read my brother Xinarau's Letter and return an answer thereunto according to thy desire to the end thou mayst go from me contented The Ambassador made him no reply but prostrated himself again at the foot of the Royal Throne laying his head three times on the uppâ—rmost â—tep where the Kings feet stood That done the Captain of the Guard took him by the hand and led him to his house where he lodged during the three days that he abode there at the end whereof the King departed thence for to go to Vzamguee In regard of the Kings journy to Vzamguee the Tartar Ambassador had audience but once by the way in the which he moved him about our particular according to the express commandment he had received from his Mâ—ster for that purpose and it was said that the King heard him very willingly answering that he would do what he desired and therefore willed him to put him in mind of it when the time should serve to the end we might not lose the opportunity of the season for our voyage With this good news the Ambassador acquainted us at his return and demanded of us for this good office he had done us that we would write him out some of those prayers which we made to our God whose slave he said he iâ—finitely desired to be in regard of the great excâ—llencies which he had heard us deliver of him This we not only granted him very readily but also gave him infinite thanks besides for this his great favour shewed unto us which we made more account of then all the benefits that had been propounded unto us by the
King of Tartaria if we would have continued in his service After the King was departed from the City of Fanaugrem he proceeded on in his journy travelling but only six leagues a day by reason of the great number of persons that he carried along with him The first day he dined at a little Town called Benau where he stayed until the evening and then went to lodge at a Monastery named Pamgatur The next morning he departed from thence and so with not above three thousand horse in his Train he prosecuted his journy for nine dayes together passing by many goodly Towns at least they seemed to be so without permitting any reception to be made him by any of them In this manner he arrived at the City of Lingator seaâ—ed on a river of fresh water which for the bredth and deepness of it is frequented with much shipping There he abode five days for that he found himself somewhat indisposod with the tediousness of the journy From this place he departed before day taking no greater company with him then thirty horse and so withdrawing himself from the communication of so much people as continually importuned him he spent most part of the time as he went by the way in hawking and hunting those of the Countryes by which he past providing game always ready for him In this sort going on he slept most commonly amidst very thick woods in Tents pitched for him to that purpose Being arrived at the river of Baguetor he passed down the same in certain vessels called Laulees and Iangoas which were there ready for him till he came to a Town named Natibasoy where about evening he landed without any kind of pomp The rest of his journy he made by land so that at the end of thirteen dayes he arrived at Vzamguee where he had a most magnificent reception At his entry thereinto there marched before him as it were in triumph all the spoyls which he had taken in the wars whereof the principal and those which he made most reckoning of were twelve Chariots laden with the Idols of whom I have spoken heretofore and whereof the forms were different as they use to have them in their Pagodâ— Of these Idols there were threescore and four of brass which seemed to be Gyants and nineteen of silver of the same Stature for as I havâ— delivered before these people glory in nothing so â—uch as to triumph over those idols that so they may say That in despight of their enemies he had made their gods his slaves Round about these twelve Chariots went divers Priests by three and three weeping and bound with iron chains After them followed forty other Chariots each of them being drawn by two Rhinocerots and full from the bottom to the top of an infinite company of Arms and trayled Colours In the tayl of them there were twenty more carrying each of them a very great Chest barr'd with iron and wherein as we were told was the treasure of the Tâ—nocouhos In the same order marched all other things which are used to be most esteemed of in such triumphant entries as two hundred Elephants armed with Castles and warlike Panoures which are certain swords that are fastened to their teeth when they fight and a great number of horses laden with sacks full of dead mens heads and bones so that in this entry this King of Cauchin presented to the view of his people all that he had gained from his enemies in the battail he had given them After we had been a full month in this City during which time we had seen a world of stately shews sports and several sorts of rejoycings accompanied with most costly feasts and banquets set forth and made not onely by the greater persons but by the common people also the Tartar Ambassadour that had brought us thither moved the King again about our voyage whereunto he gave us so gracious an ear that he presently commanded we should be furnished with a Vessel for to carry us to the Coast of China where we hoped to meeâ— with some Portugal ship that might transport us to Malaca and from thence to the Indiaes which accordingly was done whereupon without further delay we prepared all things necessary for our departure CHAP. XLIII Our Departure from the City of Uzamguee and our adventures till our arrivall at the Isle of Tanixumaa which is the first Land of Jappon with our going ashore there UPon the twelfth of Ianuary we departed from the City of Vzamguee exceedingly rejoycing at our escape from so many labours and crosses which we before had sustained and imbarqued our selves upon a river that was above a league broad down the which we went seven dayes together beholding in the mean time on either side thereof many fair Towns and goodly Boroughs which by the outward appearance we believed were inhabited by very rich people in regard of the sumptuousness of the buildings not only of particular houses but much more of the Temples whose steeples were all covered over with gold as likewise in regâ—rd of the great number of Barques and Vessels that were on this river abundantly fraught with all sorts of provisions and merchandise Now when we were come to a very fair Town called Quaâ—geparun containing some eighteen or twenty thousand fires the Naudelum who was he that conducted us by the express commandmâ—nt from the King stayed there twelve dayes â—o trade in exchange of silver and pearl whereby he confessed to us that he had gained fourteen for one and that if he had been so advised as to have brought salt thither he had doubled his mony above thirty times we were assured that in this Town the King had yearly out of the silver Minâ—s above fifteen hundred Picos which are forty thousand Quintals of our weight besides the huge revenue that he drew out of many other different things This Town hath no other fortification then a weak brick wall eight foot high and a shallow ditch some thirty foot broad The inhabitants are weak and unaâ—med having neither Artillery nor any thing for their defence so that five hundred resolute souldiers might easily take it We parted from this place on Tuesday morning and continued our course thirteen dayes at the end whereof we got to the Port of Sanchan in the Kingdom of China Now because there was no shipping of Malaca there for they were gone from thence nine dayes before we went seven leagues further to another Port named Lampacau where we found two Juncks of Malaya one of Patana and another of Lugor And whereas it is the quality of us Portugals to abound in our own sence and to be obstinate in our opinions there arose amongst us eight so great a contrariety of judgment about a thing wherein nothing was so necesâ—ary for us as to maintain our selves in peace and unity that we were even upon the point of killing one another But because the matter would be too shamefull to recount in
lost in the Gallion where Manael de Souzad Sepulveda also perished A little further to the Northward of this Island of Lequio there is a great Archipelago of small Islands from whence is drawn a great quantity of silver which in my opinion by what I gathered out of a petition which Ray Lopez de Vilhalobos General of the Castillians presented to Iorge de Castro at that time Captain of Ternate should be those whereof the Inhabitants had some knowledge and which they called the Islands of Silver and yet I cannot see with what reason that may be because both by what I have observed and read as well in the writings of Ptolomie as other Geographers not any one of them hath pierced into the Kingdom of Siam and the Island of Sumatra only our Cosmographers since the time of Alphonso d' Albuquerque have passed a little further and treated of the Selebres Pasuaas Mindanaus Champas as also of China and Iapon but not of the Lequios or other Archipelagoes which are to be discovered within the vast extent of that Sea From this brief relation which I have made of the Island of Lequios may be inferred both out of what I have heard and â—een that with two thousand men only this Island might be taken together with all the rest of these Archipelagoes whence more profit might be drawn then from the Indiaes and they might be conserved with less charge as well in regard of men as otherwise for we spake there with Merchants who assured us that the sole Revenue of three Custom houses and of the Island of Lequios amounted unto one million and an half of gold not comprising therein either the Mass of the whole Kingdom or the Mynes of Silver Copper Iron Steel Lead and Tin which are of a far greater revenue then the Customs I will not speak further of other particularities of this Island which I might here insert for that I hold this sufficient to awaken the courages of the Portugals and incite them to an Enterprise of so much service for our King and profit for themselves CHAP. XLIX My sayling from Liampoo to Malaca from whence the Captain of the Fortress sent me to the Chaubainhaa at Martabano and all that befâ—l us in our voyage thither BEing arrived at Liampoo we were very well received by the Portugals that lived there From whence within a while after I imbarqued my self in the Ship of a Portugal named Tristano de Gaa for to return unto Malaca with an intention once more to try my fortune which had so often been contrary to me as may appear by that which I have delivered before This Ship being safely arrived at Malaca I went presently unto Pedro de Faria Governour of the Fortress who desiring to benefit me somewhat before the time of his Government was expired he caused me to undertake the voyage of Martaban which was usually very profitable and that in the Junck of a Mahumetan named Necoda Mamude who had wife and children at Malaca Now the principal designe of this voyage was to conclude a peace with the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano as also to continue the commerce of those of that Country with us because their Juncks did greatly serve for the provâ—sions of our Fortress which at that time was unfurnished thereof by reason of the success of the Wars of Iaoa Besides I had a designe in this my voyage of no less consequence then the resâ— which was to get one called Lancarote Guâ—rreyro to come thither who was then on the Coast of Tanaucarim with an hundred men in four Foists under the name of a Rebel or Mutiner I was to require him to come to the succour of the Fortress in regard it was held for certain that the King of Achem was suddainly to fall upon it so that Pedro de Faria seeing himselfe destitute of all that was necessary for him to sustain a Siege and of men likewise found it fit to make use of these hundred men the rather for that they were nearest and so might be the sooner with him In the third place he sent me upon another important occasion namely to give advice to the Ships of Bengala that they should come all carefully in consort together left their negligence in their Navigation should be the cause of some distaster This voyage then I undertook very unwillingly and parted from Malaca upon a Wednesday the ninth day of Ianuary in the year one thousand five hundred forty and five being under Sail I continued my course with a good wind to Pullo Pracelar where the Pilot was a little retarded by means of the Shelves which cross all that Channel of the firm Land even unto the Island of Sumetra When we were got forth with much labour we passed on to the Islands of Pullo Sambillam where I put my self into a Manchua which I had very well equipped and sayling in it the space of twelve days I observed according to the order Pedro de Faria had given me for it all the Coast of that Country of Malaya which unto Iuncalan contains an hundred and thirty leagues entring by all the Rivers of Bartuhaas Salangor Panaagim Quedâ—m Parles Pendan and Sambilan Siam without so much as hearing any news at all of his enemies in any of them So continuing the same course nine days more being the three and twentieth of our voyage we went and cast anchor at a little Island called Pisandurâ—a where the Necoda the Mahometan Captain of the Junck was of necessity to make a cable and furnish himself with wood and water With this resolution going on shore every man applyed himself so the labour he was appointed unto and therein spent most part of the day Now whilest they were thus at work the Son of this Mahometan Captain came and asked me whither I would go with him and see if we could kill a Stag whereof there was great plenty in that Island I answered him that I would accompany him with all my heart so that having taken my Harquebuse I went along with him athwart the wood where we had not walked above an hundred spaces but that we espied a many of wild boars that were rooting in the earth near to a pond Having discovered this game we got as near to them as we could and discharging amongst them we carried two of them to the ground Being very glad of this good success we presently gave a great shout and ran straight to the place we had seen them rooting But so dreadful to behold in this place we found above a dozen bodies of men digged out of the earth and some nine or ten others half eaten Bâ—ing much amazed at this object we withdrew a little aside by reason of the great stanch which proceeded from these dead bodies Hereupon the Sarrazin told me that he thought we should do well to advertise his father of this to the end we might instantly surround this Island all about for to see whether
we could discover any vessels with Pirats for said he there may be some lye hidden behind yonder poynt whereby we may very well run the hazard of our lives as it hath often befallen other ships where mâ—ny mâ—n have been lost by the carelesness of their Captains This advice of the Sarrazin seemed so good unto me that we presently returned back unto the Rode where he gave an account to his father of that we had seen Now for that the Necoda was a very prudent man and scalded as one may say with the like inconveniences he straight way gave order to have the Island surrounded then causing the women children and linnen although it were but half washed to be imbarqued he himself being followed by forty men armed with Harquebuses and Lances went directly to the place where we had discovered those bodies and viewing them one after another with stopping our noses by reason of the stâ—nch which was insupportable he was so moved to compassion that he commanded the Marriners to dig a great pit for to bury them in But as they were about to render them this last duty and looking over them again there was found upon some of them little daggers garnished with gold and on others bracelets Whereupon the Necoda understanding well this mystery wished me with all speed to dispatch away the roving vessel that I had to the Captain of Malaca for that as he assured me those dead men which they saw there were Achems who had been defeated near to Tanauçarim whither their Armies ordinarily retired because of the war which they had with the King of Siam The reason he alledged to us for this was that those which we saw there lying dead having golden bracelets about them were Captains of Achem who had caused themselves to be buried without permitting them to be taken away and that he would lose his head if it were not so For a greater proof whereof he further added that he would make some more of them to be dis-enterred as incontinently he did and having digged some seven and thirty of them out of the earth there was found about them sixteen bracelets of gold twelve very rich daggers and many jewels so that thinking of no other but hunting we got a booty worth above a thousand Duckats which the Necoda had besides what was concealed but the truth is this was not altogether to our advantage for the most part of our men became sick with the extream stench of those bodies At the very instant I dispatched away the towing vessel that we had to Malaca and advertised Pedro de Faria of the whole success of our voyage Withall I certified him what course we had held as also into what Ports and into what Rivers we had entred without hearing any other news of his enemies then that it was suspected they had been at Tanauçarim where by the appearances of those dead bodies it was to be believed that they had been defeated whereunto I added for a conclusion that if I could light on any more assured news concerning them I would presently acquaint him with it in what part soever I were After I had dispatched away the rowing Vessel to Malaca with the Letters which I had directed to Pedro de Faria and that our Junck was furnished with all things necessary for her we sayled towards the Coast of Tanauçarim where as I said before I had order to land for to treat with Lancerote Guerreyro that he and the rest of the Portugals of his Company might come to the succour of Malaca which the Achems intended to besiege according to the report that went of it Being under Sail then we arrived at a little Island a league in circuit called Pulho Hinhor where a Parao came unto us in the which were six tawâ—y Moors poorly clad with red Bonets on their heads their Boat being come close to our Junck which was then under Sayl they saluted us in a way of peace whereunto we answered in the like mâ—nner That done they demanded of us if there were any Portugals amongst us we told them that there were but mistrusting it they desired to see one or two of them upon the hatches because added they it imports much that it should be so Whereupon the Necoda prayed me to come up which incontinently I did though at that time I was shut up in my Cabbin below somewhat indisposed in my health when I was on the deck I called to them that were in the Parao who had no sooner seen me and known me to be a Portugal but they gave a great shout and clapping their hands for joy they came abord our Junck Then one of them who by his countenance seemed to have more Authority then the rest began to say unto me Signior Before I crave leave of thee to speak I desire thee to read this Letter to the end it may induce thee the more readily to believe that which I am to say unto thee Thereupon out of an old filthy clout he took a Letter wherein after I had opened it I found this written Signiors Portugals which are true Christians this honourable man that shall shew you this Letter is King of this Island newly converted to the Faith and called Dom Lancerote He hath rendred many good Offices not only to them who have subscribed this writing but to us also that have navigated on these Coasts For he hath given us very important advertisements of the treasons which the Achems and Turks have plotted against us so that by the means of this honest man we have discovered all their designes withall God hath made use of him for to give us not long since a great victory against them wherein we have taken from them one Gally four Galliots and five Foists with the death of above a thousand Sarrazins Wherefore we intreat you by the wounds of our Lord Iesus Christ and by the merits of his holy passion not only to keep him from all wrong but to assist him with all your power as the manner is of all good Portugals that it may serve for an example to those which shall know this to do the like in imitation of you And so we kiss your hands this thirteenth day of November 1544. This Letter was signed by more then fifty Portugals amongâ—t whom were the four Captains that I sought for namely Lançerote Guerreyra Antonio Gomez Pedro Ferreyra and Cosmo Bernaldes When I had read this Letter I made a tender of my person to this petty King for otherwayes my power was so small as it could not reach further then to the giving him a bad dinner and a red Bonnet I had on which all worn as it was was yet better then his own Now after this poor King had made some Declaration to me of himself and of his miseries lifting up his hands to Heaven and shedding abundance of tears Our Lord Iesus Christ said he unto me whose slave I am doth know what great need
to pass in regard whereof it imports much to cherish and make esteem of them For eight months and more our hundred Portugals had scoured up and down this Coast in four well rig'd Foists wherewith they had taken three and twenty rich Ships and many other lesser Vessels so that they which used to sail in those parts were so terrified with the sole name of the Portugals as they quitted their Commerce without making any further use of their shipping By this surcease of Trade the Custom-houses of the Ports of Tanauçarim Iunçalan Merguim Vagaruu and Tavay fell much in their Revenue in so much that those people were constrained to give notice of it to the Emperor of Sornan King of Siam and soveraign Lord of all that Country beseeching him to give a remedy to this mischief whereof every one complained Instantly whereupon being then at the City of Odiaa he sent with all speed to the Frontire of Laâ—hos for a Turkish Captain of his named Heredrin Mahomet the same who in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and eight came from Suez to the Army of Soliman the Bashaw Vice-roy of Cairo when as the great Turk sent him to invade the Indiaes but it fell out that this man slipping from the body of the Army arrived in a Gally on the Coast of Tanauçarim where he was entertained by the Sornau King of Siam and for a Pention of twelve thousand Duckets by the year served him as a General of that Frontire Now for that the King held this Turk for invincible and made more account of him then of all others he commanded him from the place where he was with three hundred Ianizaries that he had with him and giving him a great sum of mony he made him General of all the Coast of this Sea to the end he might free those people from our incursions withall he promised to make him Duke of Banchaa which is an estate of great extent if he could bring him the heads of four Portugal Captains This proud Turk becomming more insolent by the reward and promises which the King made him posted presently away to Tanauçarim where being arrived he rigged forth a Fleet of ten Sails for to fight with us being so confident of vanquishing us as in answer of certain Letters which the Sornau had written unto him from Odiaa these words was found in one of them From the time that my head was esloigned from the feet of your Highness for to execute this small enterprize wherein it seems you are pleased I should serve you I continued my Voyage till at the end of nine days I arrived at Tanaucarim where I presently provided my self of such Vessels as were necessary for me and indeed would have had but only two for I hold it most infallible that those would suffice to chase away these petty Thieves howbeit not to disobey the Commission which Combracalon the Governor of the Empire hath given me under your great Seal I have made ready the great Gally as also the four little ones and the five Foists with which I purpose to set forth with all speed For I fear left these Dogs should have news of my coming and that for my sins God should be so much their friend as to give them leasure to fly which would be so great a grief unto me that the very imagination thereof might be my death or through an excess of despair render me like unto them but I hope that the Prophet Mahomet of whose Law I have made profession from mine infancy will not permit that it should so happen for my sins This Heredrin Mahomet being arrived at Tanauçarim as I have delivered before presently made ready his Fleet which was composed of five Foists four Galliots and one Gally Royal Within these Vessels he imbarqued eight hundred Mahometans men of combat besides the Mariners amongst the which were three hundred Ianizaries as for the rest they were Turks Greeks Malabares Achems and Mogores all choyce men and so disciplined that their Captain held the Victory already for most assured Assisted with these Forces he parted from the Port of Tanauçarim for to go in the quest of our men who at that time were in this Island of Pulâ—o Hinhor whereof the foresaid Christian was King Now during those levies of men of War this petty King going to the Town for to sell some dryed fish there as soon as he perceived what was intended against us he left all his Commodities behind him and in all haste returned to this Island of his where finding our men in great security as little dreaming of that which was in hand against us he related it all unto them whereat they remained so much amazed as the importance of the matter did require In so much that the same night and the next day having well caulked their Vessels which they had drawn ashore they lanched them into the Sea after they had imbarqued their provisions their water their artillery and ammunition So falling to their oars with a purpose as I have heard them say since to get to Bengala or to Racan for that they durst not withstand so great an Army but as they were unresolved thereupon and divided in opinion behold they saw all the ten Sails appearing together and behind them five great Ships of Guzarates whose Masters had given Heredrin Mahomet thirty thousand Duckets for to secure them against our Portugals The sight of these fifteen Sails put our men into a very great confusion and because they were not able at that time to make to Sea for that the wind was contrary they put themselves into a Creek which was on the South side of the Island and invironned by a Down or Hill where they resolved to attend what God would send them In the mean time the five Guzarat Ships shewed themselves with full sails at Sea and the ten Sails with oars went directly to the Island where they arrived about Sun-set Presently thereupon the Turkish Captain sent out Spies to the Ports where he was advertised that they had been and entered by little and little into the mouth of the Haven that so he might render himself more assured of the prize which he pretended to make with hope that as soon as it was day he should take them all and so bound hand and foot present them to the Sornau of Siam who in recompence thereof had promised him the State of Banchaa as I have said before The Manchua which had been at the Port to spy them out returned to the Fleet about two hours within night and told Hâ—redrin for news that they were fled and gone wherewith it is said this Barbarian was so afflicted that teering his hair I always feared said he weeping my sins would be the cause that in the execution of this enterprize God would shâ—w himself more a Christian then a Sarazin and that Mahomet would be like to these Dogs of whom I go in quest This said he fell down
which made them all to agree that it was not necessary they should go to Malaca After these things I desired Ioano Cayeyro to make me a Dâ—claration of all that had past in this business that it might serve me as it were for a Certificate at my return to our Fortress determining as soon as I had it to get me from this place for that I had nothing more to do there With this resolution I stayed there with Ioano Cayeyro in continual expectation to be gone when the Season should serve for the Junck to depart and remained with him at this Siege the space of six and forty days which was the chief time of the King of Bramaa his abode there of whom I will say something here in a few words because I conceive the curious would be well content to know what success the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano had in this war This Siege had lasted now six months and thirteen dayes in which space the City had been assaulted five times in plain-day but the besieged defended themselves always very valiantly and like men of great courage Howbeit in regard they were insensibly consumed with length of time and the success of war and that no succour came to them from any part their enemies were without comparison far more in number then they in such sort as the Chaubainhaa found himself so destitute of men as it was thought he had not above five thousand souldiers left in the City the hundred and thirty thousand which were said to be there at the beginning of the Siege being consumed by Famine or the Sword by reason whereof the Councel assembling for to deliberate what was to be done thereupon it was resolved that the King should sound his enemy by his Interest which he presently put in execution For that effect he sent to tell him that if he would raise the Siege he would give him thirty thousand Bisses of silver which is in value a million of gold and would become his Tributary at threescore thousand Duckets by the year The answer made by the King of Bramaa hereunto was that he could accept of no conditions from him if he did not first yield himself to his mercy The second time he propounded unto him that if he would suffer him to depart away with two ships in one of the which should be his Treasure and in the other his Wife and Children that then he would deliver him the City and all that was in it But the King of Bramaa would hearken no more to that then the former The third Proposition which he made him was this That he should retire with his Army to Tagalaa some six leagues off that so he might have liberty to go away freely with all his and thereupon he would deliver him the City and the Kingdom together with all the Treasure belonging to the King his Predecessour or that in lieu thereof he would give him three millions of gold But he also refused this last offer insomuch that the Chaubainhaa utterly dispairing of ever making his peace with so cruel an enemy began to meditate with himself what means he might use to save himself from him Having long thought upon it he found no better an expedient then therein to serve himself of the succour of the Portugals for he was perswaded that by their means he might escape the present danger He sent then secretly to tell Ioano Cayeyro that if he would imbarque himself in the night in his four ships and take him in with his wife and children and so save them he would give him half his treasure In this affair he very closely imployed a certain Portugal named Paulo de Seixas born in the Town of Obidos who at that time was with him in the City This same having disguised himself in a Pegu habit that he might not be known stole one night to Cayeyro's Tent and delivered him a Letter from the Chaubainhaa wherein this was contained Valiant and faithful Commander of the Portugals through the Grace of the great King of the other end of the world the strong and mighty Lion dreadfully roaring with a Crown of Majesty in the House of the Sun I the unhappy Chaubainhaa heretofore a Prince but now no longer so finding my self besieged in this wretched and infortunate City do give thee to understand by the words pronounced out of my mouth with an assurance no less faithful then true that I now render my self the Vassel of the great King of Portugal Soveraign Lord of me and my children with an acknowledgement of homage and such tribute as he at his pleasure shall impose on me wherefore I require thee on his behalf that as soon as Paulo Seixas shall present this my Letter unto thee thou come speedily with thy Ships to the Bulwark of the Chappel-key where thou shalt find me ready attending thee and then without taking further counsel I will deliver my self up to thy mercy with all the treasures that I have in gold and precious stones whereof I will most willingly give the one half to the King of Portugal upon condition that he shall permit me with the remainder to leavy in his Kingdom or in the Fortresses which he hath in the Indiaes two thousand Portugals to whom I will give extraordinary great pay that by their means I may be re-established in this State which now I am constrained to abandon since my ill fortune will have it so As for that which concerns thee and thy men I do promise them by the faith of my verity that in case they do help to save me I will divide my treasure so liberally among them that all of them shall be very well satisfied and contented And for that time will not suffer me to enlarge any further Paulo de Seixas by whom I send this unto thee shall assure thee both of that which he hath seen and of the rest which I have communicated unto him Ioano Cayeyro had no sooner received this Letter but he presently caused the chief of his followers secretly to assemble together in Councel Having shewed them the Letter he represented unto them how important and profitable it would be for the service of God and the King to accept of the offer which the Chaubainhaa had made them Whereupon causing an Oath to be given to Paulo de Seixas he willed him freely to declare all his knowledg of the matter and whether it were true that the Chaubainhaa his Treasure was so great as it was reported to be Thereunto he answered by the Oath that he had taken That he knew not certainly how great his Treasure was but that he was well assured how he had often seen with his own eyes an house in form of a Church and of a reasonable bigness all â—ull up to the very tyles of bars and wedges of Gold which might very well lade two great Ships He further said That he had moreover seen six and twenty Chests bound about with strong
it in the Kings head that you can be any ways profitable unto him It were fitter for you therefore to shave away your beards that you may not deceive the world as you do and we will have women in your places that shall serve us for our money Whereupon the Bramaas of the Guard being incensed against us drove us away from thence with a great deal of shame and contumely And truly not to lye never was I so sensible of any thing as this in respect of the honour of my Country-men After this the Chaubainhaa went on till he came to the Tent of the King who attended him with a Royal Pomp for he was accompanied with a great number of Lords amongst the which there were fifteen Bainhaas who are as Dukes with us and of six or seven others that were of greater dignity then they As soon as the Chaubainhaa came near him he threw himself at his feet and so prostrated on the ground he lay there a good while as it were in a swoon wiâ—hâ—ut â—peaking a word but the Rolim of Mounay that was close by him supplyed that defect and likâ— a religious man as he was spake for him to the King saying Sir Here is a Spâ—ctacle able to move thy heart to pity though the crime be such as it is Remember then that the thing most pleasing to God in this world and whereunto the effects of his mercy is soonest communicated is such an action and voluntary submission as this is which here thou beholdâ—st It is for thee now to imitate his clemency and so to do thou art most humbly intreated by the hearts of all them that are mollified by so great a misfortune as this is Now if thou grantest them this their request which with so much instance they beg of thee be assured that God will take it in good part and that at the hour of thy death he will stretch forth his mighty hand over thee to the end thou mayst be exempted from all manner of faults Hereunto he added many other speeches whereby he perswaded the King to pardon him at least-wise he promised so to do wherewith the Rolim and all the Lords there present shewed themselves very well contented and commended him exceedingly for it imagining that the effect should be answerable to that which he had ingaged himself for before all Now because it began to be night he commanded the most of them that were about him to retire as for the Chaubainhaa he committed him into the hands of a Bramaa Commander named Xemin Commâ—dau and the Queen his wife with his children and the other Ladies were put into the custody of Xemin Ansedaa as well because he had his wife there as for that he was an honourable old man in whom the King of Bramaa much confided The fear which the King of Bramaa was in left the men of war should enter into the City of Martabano and should pillage it now that it was night before he had done all that which I am hereafter to relate was the cause that he sent to all the gates of the City being four and twenty Bramaa Captains for to guard them with express Commandment that upon pain of death no man should be suffered to enter in at any of them before he had taken order for the performance of the promise which he had made to the strangers to give them the spoil of it howbeit he took not that care and used such diligence for the consideration he spâ—ke of but onely that he might preserve the Chaubainhaas treasure to which effect he spent two whole days in conveighing it away it being so great that a thousand men were for that space altogether imployed therein At the end of these two days the King went very early in the morning to an hill called Beidao distant from his quarters some two or three flight shoot and then caused the Captains that were at the Guard of the gates to leave them and retire away whereupon the miserable City of Martabono was delivered to the mercy of the Souldiers who at the shooting off of a Cannon which was the signal thereof entred presently into it pell-mell and so thronging together that at the entring into the gates it is said above three hundred were stifled for as there was there an infinite company of men of War of different Nations the most of them without King without Law and without the fear and knowledge of God they went all to the Spoile with closed eyes and therein shewed themselves so cruel minded that the thing they made least reckoning of was to kill an hundred men for a crown And truly the disorder was such in the City as the King himself was fain to go thither six or seven times in Person for to appease it The Sack of this City endured three days and an half with so much avarice and cruelty of these barbarous enemies as it was wholly pillaged without any thing left that might give an eye-cause to covet it That done the King with a new ceremony of Proclamations caused the Chaubainhaas Pallaces together with thirty or forty very fair rich Houses of his principal Lords and all the Pagods and Temples of the City to be demolished so that according to the opinion of many it was thought that the loss of those magnificent Edifices amounted to above ten millions of gold wherewith not yet contented he commanded all the buildings of the City that were still a foot to be set on fire which by the violence of the wind kindled in such manner as in that onely night there remained nothing unburnt yea the very Walls Towers and Bulwarks were consumed even to the foundations The number of them that were killed in this Sack was threescore thousand persons nor was that of the prisoners much less There were an hundred and forty thousand houses and seventeen hundred Temples burnt wherein also were consumed threescore thousand Statues or Idols of divers mettals during this Siege they of the City had eaten three thousand Elephants There was found in this City six thousand pieces of Artillery what of brass and iron an hundred thousand Quintals of Pepper and as much of Sanders Benjamin Lacre Lignum Aloes Camphire Silk and many other kinds of rich Merchandise but above all an infinite number of commodities which were come thither from the Indiaes in above an hundred vessels of Cambaya Achem Melinda Ceilam and of all the Streight of Mecqua of the Lequios and of China As for the gold silver precious stones and jewels that were found there one knows not truly what they were for those things are ordinarily concealed wherefore it shall suffice me to say that so much as the King of Bramaa had for certain of the Chaubainhaas Treasure amounted to an hundred Millions of gold whereof as I have said before our King lost the Moitie as well for our sins as through the malice and envy of wicked dispositions The next day after the
what he had to do The Rolim went herewith back to the City where he gave the Queen an account of all things saying That this Tyrant was a man without faith and replete with damnable intentions for proof whereof he represented unto her the Siege of Martabano the usage of the Chaubainhaa after he rendred himself unto him upon his word and how he had put him his wife his children and the chiefest Nobility of his Kingdom to a most shamefull death These things considered it was instantly concluded as well by the Queen as by all those of her Councel that she should defend the City till such time as succour came from her Father which would be within fifteen days at the furthest This resolution taken she being of a great courage without further delay took order for all things that were thought necessary for the defence of the City animating to that end her people with great prudence and a man-like Spirit though she was but a woman Moreover as she liberally imparted to them of her Treasure so she promised every one throughly to acknowledg their services with all manner of recompences and honours whereby they were mightily encouraged to fight In the mean space the King of Bramaa seeing that the Rolim returned him no answer within the time prefixt began the next day to fortifie all the Quarters of his Camp with double rows of Cannon for to batter the City on every side and for assaulting of the walls he caused a great number of Ladders to be made publishing withall throughout his whole Army that all Souldiers upon pain of death should be ready within three days to go to the Assault The time then being come which was the third of May 1545. About an hour before day the King went out of his Quarter where he was at anchor upon the river with two thousand vessels of choice men and giving the Signal to the Commanders which were on Land to prepare themselves they altogether in one Body assailed the walls with so great a cry as if Heaven and earth would have come together so that both sides falling to encounter pell-mell with one another there was such a conflict betwixt them as within a little while the air was seen all on fire and the earth all bloody whereunto being added the clashing of weapons and noise of guns it was a spectacle so dreadful that we few Portugals who beheld these things remained astonished and almost besides our selves This fight indured full five hours at the end whereof the Tyrant of Bramaa seeing those within defend themselves so valiantly and the most part of his Forces to grow faint he went to land with ten or eleven thousand of his best men and with all diligence re-inforcing the Companies that were fighting the Bickering renewing in such sort as one would have said it did but then begin so great was the fury of it The second trial continued till night yet would not thâ— Kâ—ng desist from the fight what counsel soever was given him to retire but contrarily he swore not to give over the Enterprise begun and that he would lie that night within the inclosure of the City walls or cut off the heads of all those Commanders that were not wounded at their coming off In the mean time this obstinacy was very pejudicial to him for continuing the Assault till the Moon was gone down which was two hours past midnight he was then forced to sound a Retreat after he had lost in this Assault as was the next day found upon a Muster fourscore thousand of his men besides those which were hurt which were thirty thousand at the least whereof many died for want of dressing whence issued such a plague in the Camp as well through the corruption of the air as the water of the river that was all tainted with blood and dead bodies that thereby about fourscore thousand more perished amongst whom were five hundred Portugals having no other buriall then the bellies of Vultures Crows and such like birds of prey which devoured them all along the Coast where they lay The King of Bramaa having considered that this first Assault having cost him so dear would no more hazaâ—d his men in that manner but he caused a great Terrace to be made with Bavins and above ten thousand Date-trees which he commanded to be cut down and on that he raised up a platform so high as it over-topped the walls of the City two fathom and more where he placed fourscore pieces of Ordnance and with them continually battering the City for the space of nine dayes together it was for the most part demolished with the death of fourteen thousand persons which quite abated the poor Queens courage especially when she came to understand that she had but six thousand fighting men left all the rest which consisted of women chidren old men being unfit and unable to bear Arms. The miserable besieged seeing themselves reduced to such extreamity assembled together in Councel and there by the advice of the chiefest of them it was concluded That all in general should anoint themselves with the Oile of the Lamps of the Chappel of Quiay Nivandel God of Battail of the field Vitan and so offering themselves up in sacrifice to him set upon the platform with a determination either to dye or to vanquish in vowing themselves all for the defence of their young King to whom they had so lately done homage and sworn to be true and faithful Subjects This resolution taken which the Queen and all her Nobility approved of for the best and most assured in a time wherein all things were wanting to them for the longer defending themselves they promised to accomplish it in the manner aforesaid by a solemn Oâ—th which they all took Now there being no further question but to see how they should carry themselves in this affair they first of all made an Uncle of the Queens the Captains of this resolute Band who assembling these six thousand together the same night about the first quarter of the watch made a sally out of the two gates that were neerest to the Terrace and platform and so taking courage from their despair and resolution to dye they fought so valiantly that in less then half an hour the whole Camp was put in disorder the Terrace gained the fourscore pieces of Cannon taken the King himself hurt the Pallisado burnt the Trenches broken and the Xenimbrum General of the Army slain with above fifteen thousand â—en more amongst the which were five hundred Turks there weâ—e moreover forty Elephants taken besides those that were killed and eight hundred Bramaas made prisoners so that these six thousand resolute men did that which an hundred thousand though valiant enough could hardly have effected After this they retreated an hour before day and upon a review they found that of six thousand which they were there was but seven hundred slain This bad success so grieved and incensed the
here with so much diversity of things that we never dreamt of as I know not where to begin for such a multitude of people of all the Nations of these Countries came flocking to this place as is not to be expressed howbeit the chiefest cause of their repair thither in such numbers is a Fair which is kept all the time of the Feast being fifteen dayes namely from the new to the full Moon In this Fair are all things to be sold which Nature hath created on the earth or in the Seâ— and that in so high a degree of abundance as there is not any one kind of thing whereof there are not whole Streets of Houses Cabbins or Tents so long that one can hardly see from one end to the other All these streets are replenished with very rich Merchants besides an infinite company of other people who are lodged all along the River which is above two Leagues broad and planted about with several sorts of Trees as Walnuts Chesnuts Cocos and Dates whereof every one takes what he pleaseth because it doth all belong to the Pagode The Temple of this Idol is a very sumptuous Edifice scituated in the midst of a Plain upon a little round hill more then half a league in circuit It is built all slope fifteen fathom high and from thence upward it hath a wall of free-stone of some three fathom with its Bulwarks and Towers after the fashion of ours Within the inclosure of this wall there is a platform made level with Battlements a stones cast in bredth which together with the wall extends round about the hill so that at first sight one would take it for a Gallery There are likewise all along an hundred and threescore Hospitals in each whereof are above an hundred houses which are low but very neat and convenient where the Pilgrimes Fucatous and Daroezes are entertained which come thither in troops like the Gipsies in our Europe with their Captains each company of them having two or three thousand persons some more some less according as the Kingdoms from whence they resort are nearer or further off now it is known of what Country they are by the devices which they carry in their Banners From the top to the bottom it is all invironed with Cypress-trees and Cedars where many fountains of most excellent water do continually flow forth and on the highest part of this hill almost a quarter of a league in circuit there are four Convents and in them very sumptuous and rich Temples namely two of men and as many of women in each of which as we were assured were very near five hundred persons In the midst of these four Monasteries there is a Garden compassed about with three inclosures of Ballisters of Lattin having very fair Arches of curious Masons-work and Steeples guilt all over with a number of little silver bels in them which â—ing continually with the moving of the air This Chappel of the Idol Tinagoogoo is of a round form all overlaid on the in-side with plates of silver wrought in flowers and garnished with a great many Branches for lights of the same mettal This Monster of whom we could not judge whether he were gold wood or copper guilt stood upright on his feet with his hands lifted up to Heaven and a rich Crown on his head round about him were many other little Idols on their knees and beholding him as it were amazed Below were two men made of brass in the fashion of Gyants seven and thirty spans high and very ugly and deformed whom they held for the Gods of the twelve months of the year Without this place also there were an hundred and forty Gyants who ranked in two Files inclosed it round about and were made of cast iron holding Halberds in their hands as if they had been the Guard of it so that all the Marvels of this Edifice put together made it appear so stately that looking upon it one could not sufficiently esteem the riches â—nd sumptuousness thereof But setting aside for this present the relation I could make of the buildings of this Pagode because that which I have said of it may me thinks suffice for the understanding of the rest I will intreat here of the Sacrifices which we saw to be made there on a festival day called by them Xipatilâ—â— signifâ—ing The refreshing of good people CHAP. LVI The great and sumptuous Procession made in this Pagode together with their Sacrifices and other particularities WHilest this Feast of these Gentiles as also the Fair which was kept all the time thereof endured for the space of fifteen days with an infinite concourse of Merchants and Pilgrims that came flocking thither from all parts as I have declared before there were many Sacrifices made there with different ceremonies not a day passing without some new thing or other For amongst many of great charge and very worthy of observation one of the chiefest was a Iubile after their manner which was published the fifth day of the Moon together with a Procession that was above three leagues in length as we could guess It was the common opinion of all that in this Procession there were forty thousand Priests of the four and twenty Sects which are in this Empire most of them were of different dignities and called Grepos Talagrepos Roolims Neepois Bicos Sacareus and Chanfarauhos Now by the ornaments they wear as also by the devices and ensigns which they carry in their hands they may be distinguished and so every of them is respected according to his dignity Howbeit these went not on foot as the other ordinary Priests for that they were as this day forbidden upon pain of great sin to â—read upon the ground so that they caused themselves to be born in Pallaquins or Arm-chairs upon the shoulders of other Priests their inferiors apparelled in green Sattin with their Stoles of Carnation Damask In the midst of the ranks of this Procâ—ssion were all the inventions of their Sacrifices to be seen as also the rich Custodes of their Idols for the which each of them had a particular Devotion They that carryed them were clothed in yellow having each of them a big wax candle in his hand and between every fifteen of those Custodes went a triumphant Charet all which Charets put together were in number an hundred twenty and six All these Charets were four and some five stories high with as many wheels on either side In each of them there were at the least two hundred persons what with the Priests and the Guards and on the top of all an Idol of Silver with a Miter of Gold on its head and all of them had rich chains of Pearl and precious stones about their necks round about every Charet went little Boys carrying Silver Maces on their shoulders and behind them were a many of Caskets full of exquisite perfumes as also divers persons with Censors in their hands who ever and anon censed
the Idol to the tune of certain Instruments of Musick saying three times with a lamentable voyce Lord asswage the pains of the dead to the end they may praise thee peaceably whereunto all the people answered with a strange noise Such may thy pleasure be and so may it come to pass every day wherein thou shewest us the Sun Each of these Charets was drawn by above three thousand persons who for that purpose made use of very long coards covered with silk and thereby gained to themselves plenary remission of their sins without restitution to be made of any thing at all Now that many might participate of this absolution by drawing the coard they set their hands to it one after and close to another continuing doing so to the very end in such sort that the whole coard was covered with hands and nothing else to be seen but that they also which were without might gain this indulgence they helped those that had their hands on the coard by puâ—ting theirs about their shoulders then they that were behind them did the like and so consequently all the rest In this manner throughout the whole lâ—ngth of the coard there were six or seven Ranks or Files and in each of them above five hundred persons This Procession was enviâ—oned with a great number of Horsemen that carryed staves with pikes at both ends who riding all about went crying to the people which were infinite in number that they should make way and not interrupt the Priests in their prayers Many times also they struck those so rudely whom they first met withall as they brat down three or four together or hurt them grievously no man daring to find fault with or so much as speak a word against it In this order this mervelous Procession passed through above an hundred streets which to that end were all adorned with boughs of Palms and Myrtle amongst the which were many Standarts and Banners of Silk planted There were also many Tables set up in divers places where all that desired it for Gods sake were admitted to eat of free cost yea and in other parts they had clothes and mony given them There likewise Enemies reconciled themselves one to another and the rich men forgave them their debts which were not able to pay In a word so many good works were done there more proper for Cristians then for Gentiles as I must needs conclude that if they had been done with Faith and Baptism for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and without any mixture of the things of this world assuredly they would have been acceptable to him But 〈◊〉 the best was wanting to them and that both for theirs and our sins Whilest this Procession together with the Charets wherein the Idols were passed along in this manner and that with a dreadful noise of Drums and other such instruments behold where out of certain wooden Sheds made expresly for that purpose six seven eight or ten men all besmeared with odors and wrapped up in silk wearing Gold Bracelets about their wrists start forth all at once and room being instantly made them by the people after they had saluted the Idol which was on the top of the Charet they went and layd themselves down athwart on the ground so that the wheels coming to go over them crush'd them all to pieces which the assistants beholding cryed out aloud together My Soul be with thine Presently whereupon nine or ten of the Priests descending from the Charet took up these blessed or rather accursed creatures that sacrificed themselves in this sort and putting the head bowels and all the other members so crushed in pieces into great bowls made for that purpose they shewed them to the people from the highest part of the Charet where the Idol stood saying with a pitiful voyce Miserable sinners fall ye to praying that God may make you worthy to be a Saint as this here is who hath now offered himself up as a sweet smelling Sacrifice Whereunto all the people prostrated on the ground answered with a fearful noise We hope that the God of a thousand Gods will permit to be so In this manner many other of these wretches sacrificed themselves to the number as we were told by certain Merchants worthy of credit of six hundred and more After these followed other Martyrs of the Devil whom they called Xixaporaus which sacrificed themselves before the said Charets by most mercilesly slâ—shing themselves with sharp Rasors that to behold them how they did it one could not think but that they were altogether insensible for they cut off great gobbets of their flesh and holding them on high at the end of Arrows as if they would shoot them up to Heaven they said That they made a Present thereof to God for the Souls of their Fathers of their Wives of their Children or of such a one for whose sake they did this wicked work Now wheresoever this gobbet of flesh chanced to fall there ran so much people to catch it up as oftentimes many were stifled in the press for they held it as a very great relique In this sort these miserable wretches stood upon their feet all bathed in their own blood without Noses without Ears and without any resemblance at all of man until at length they fell down stark dead on the Earth then came the Grepos in all haste down from the top of the Charet and cutting off their heads shewed them to all the people who kneeling on the ground and lifting up their hands to Heaven cryed out with a loud voyce Let us O Lord live to that time wherein for thy service we may do as this same here hath done There were others also whom the Devil drew thither after another manner Those same craving an Alms said Give me an Alms for Gods sake or if thou dost it not I will kill my self So that if they were not presently contented they would instantly cut their own throats with Rasors which they held in their hands or stab themselves in to the belly and so drop down stark dead whereupon the Grepos ran suddenly to them and having cut off their heads shewed them as before to the people who reverenced them prostrated on the ground We likewise saw some named Nucaramons men of a very ill look clothed with Tygers skins and carrying in their hands certain pots of Copper full of excrements and filthy corrupted urine the stench whereof was so horrible and insupportable as it was not possible for any nostril to endure it These craving an Alms of the people said Give me an Alms and that instantly otherwise I will â—at this ordure which the Devil eats and bespatter thee with it that so thou mayst be accursed as he is They no sooner uttered these words but that all ran hastily to give them an Alms for if they stay'd never so little they straightway set the pot to their mouths and taking a great sup of that stinking stuff they
the Scales he passed on through all the other quarters where were Comedies dancing wrastling and excellent consorts of all kinds of musick till at length we arrived at Tinagoogoo but with much labor and pain because the throng was so great as one could hardly break through it This Temple had but one â—sle that was very long and spacious and full of great wax lights each of them having ten or eleven wieks in it set up all about in Silver Candlesticks there was also great store of perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin As for the Image of Tinagoogoo it was placed in the midst of the Temple upon a stately Tribunal in the form of an Altar environed with a number of Silver Candlesticks and a many of Children attired in purple which did nothing but cense it at the sound of Instruments of musick whereon the Priests played reasonable well Before this Idol danced to the tune of the said Instrument 〈◊〉 in Ladies which were wonderful fair and richly clad to whom the people presented their alms and offerings which the Priests received for them and thâ—n layd them before the Tribunal of the Idol with a great deal of ceremony and complement ever and anon prostrating themselves on the ground The Status of this Monster was seven and twenty spans high having the face of a Gyant the hair of a Negro wide distorted nostrils mighty great lips and a very sowre and ill-favored countenance He had in his hand an Hatchet in the form of a Coopers Addis but with a far longer handle With this Addis as the Priests made the people believe this Monster the night before killed the gluttonous Serpent of the House of Smoke for that he would have stoln away the ashes of those that sacrificed themselves There also we saw the Serpent amidst the place before the Tribunal in the form of an Adder more horrible to behold then the wit of man can imagine and done so to the life as all that looked on it trembled for fear It was layd all along with the head cut off being eight fathom long and the neck of it as thick as a Bushel so lively represented that though we knew it to be an artificial thing yet could we not chuse but be afraid of it In the mean time all the assistants ran thronging about it some pricking it with the points of their Halberds and some with their Daggers every one with railing speeches cursing and calling it Proud presumptuous accursed infernal Mannor Pool of Damnation envious of Gods goodness hunger-starved Dragon in the midst of the night and many other names which they delivered in such extraordinary terms and so fitted to the effects of this Serpent as we could not but admire them That done they put into Basins which stood at the foot of the Idols Tribunal a world of alms of Gold Silver Jewels pieces of Silk fine Callicoes Mony and hundred other things in very great abundance After we had seen all these things we continued following the Embassador who went to see the Grots of the Hermits or Penitents which were at the utmost end of the Wood all cut out of the hard Rock and in such order as one would have thought that Nature rather then the hand of man had labored in it There were an hundred forty and two of them in some of the which remained divers men whom they held for Saints and that did very great and austere pennance They in the first Grots wore long Robes like the Bonzes of Iapan and followed the Law of an Idol that had sometimes been a man called Situmpor michay who during his life enjoyned those of his Sect to lead their lives in great austerity assuring them that the only and true way to gain Heaven was to subdue the flesh and that the more they labored to afflict themselves the more liberally God would grant them all they could demand of him They which accompanyed us thither told us that they seldom eat any thing buâ— herbs boyled a few Beans of Aricot rosted and wilde fruit which were provided for them by other Priests who as the Purveyors of a Cloister took care to furnish these Penitenâ—s with such things as were confortmable to the Law whereof they made profession After these we saw in a Grot others of a Sect of one of their Saints or rather of a Devil named Angâ—macur these lived in deep holes made in the midst of the Rock according to the Rule of their wretched order eating nothing but Flies Ants Scorpions and Spiders with the juyce of a certain Herb growing in abundance thereabout much like to sorrel These spent their time in meditating day and night with their eyes lifted up to Heaven and their hands closed one within another for a testimony that they desired nothing of this world and in that manner dyed like beasts but they are accounted greater Saints then all the rest and as such after they are dead they burn them in fires whereinto they cast great quantities of most precious perfumes the Funeral pomp being celebrated with great state and very rich offerings they have sumptuous Temples erected unto them thereby to draw the living to do as they had done for to obtain this vain glory which is all the recompence that the world gives them for their excessive pennance We likewise saw others of a Sect alâ—ogether diabolical invented by a certain Gileu Mitray These have sundry orders of pennance and are not much different in their Opinions from the Abissins of Ethiopia Now that their abstinence may be the more agreeable to their Idol some of them eat nothing but filthy thick â—pitings and snot with Grashoppers and Hens dung others clots of blood drawn from other men with bitter fruits and herbs brought to them from the wood by reason whereof they live but a short time and have so bad a look and colour as they fright those that behold them I will pass by them of the Sect of Godomem who spend their whole life in crying day and night on those mountains Godomem Godomem and desist not from it until they fall down stark dead to the ground for want of breath Neither will I speak of them which they call Taxilacons who dye more brutishly then the rest for they shut themselves up in certain Grots made of purposefor it that are very little and close stopped on all 〈◊〉 and then burning green â—histles and thorns in them they choke themselves with the smoke thereof Whereby one may see how by such rude and different ways of living these miserable creatures render themselves the Devils Martyrs who in reward thereof gives them everlasting Hell-fire and verily it is a pititiful thing to behold the great pains which these wretches take to lose themselves and the little that we do to be saved CHAP. LVII What we saw in the continuing of our voyage until we arrived at the City of Timplan AFter we had seen all these things with wonder enough
among the common people certain Magistrates like to our Aldermen of Wards do decide it and if contention happens to arise between persons of an higher quality then they submit to the judgment of certain religious men who are expresly deputed for that purpose and from them matters pasâ—e on in manner of appeal to the Queitor of Justice which is as the superintendent thereof from whose sentence there is no appeal how great and important soever the business be The Monarchy of these seven and twenty Kingdomes hath seven hundred Provinces that is six and twenty in every Kingdome and in the capitall town of each of those Provinces doth a Governor preside all of them being of like and equall power Now on every new Moon each Captain is bound to muster the souldiers that are under his charge which ordinarily are two thousand foot five hundred horse and fourscore fighting Elephants one of the which is called by the name of the capitall town of the same Province so that if one should make a just computation of all those men of war that are in those seven hundred companies of those Provinces they would appear to be seventeen hundred and fifty thousand whereof there are three hundred and fifty thousand horse and five and fifty thousand Elephants for in regard of the great number that there are of those beasts in that country this Emperor stiles himself in his titles Lord of the indomptable force of Elephants The revenue which the Monarch draws from his Royall Prerogatives by them called the price of the Scepter as also from his Mines amounts to twenty millions of gold without compâ—ising therein the presents which are given him by the Princes Lords and Captains and a great quantity of money that is distributed amongst the men of war according to every onâ—â— merit which are not of that accompt In all this country pearl amber and salt are very much esteemed of because they are things that come from the Sea which is far distant from the City of Timplaâ— but of all other commodities they have infinite store The Country of it self is very healthy the ayr very good and likewise the waters When they sneeze they use to say the God of truth is three and one whereby one may judge that these people have had some knowledge of the Christian Religion Being departed from the town of Bidor we held on our course down the great river of Pitâ—y and the same day at night we went and lodged at a certain Abby of the land of Quiay Iareno the God of married folks this Abby is seated on the bank of the river in a plain where are a great many of trees planted and very rich buildings here the Ambassador was well entertained by the Cabizondo and the Talagrepos then continuing our voyage seven dayes longer we arrived at a town named Pavel where we staid three dayes to furnish our vessells with some provisions which we needed in this place the Ambassador bought divers knacks of China and other commodities that were sold there at a very cheap rate as musk fine porcelains wrought silks Ermins and many other sorts of furs which are much used in that country because it is extreme cold there these wares were brought thither by great troops of Elephants and Rhinocero's from a certain far distant Province as the Merchants told us called Friouâ—araniaa beyond the which they said was a kind of people called Calogâ—â—s and Funcaos tawny men and great Archers having their feet like unto Oxen but hands like unto other men save that they are exceeding hairy they are naturally inclined to cruelty and have below at the end of the backbone a lump of flesh as big as ones two fists their dwelling is in mountains that are very high and rough on some parts where there are mighty deep pits or caves from whence are heard in winter nights most dreadfull cries and dolefull lamentations We were told likewise that not far from these people there were others called Calouhos Timpates and Bugems and a good way beyond them some named Oquens and Magores who feed on wild beasts which they catch in hunting and eat raw as also on all kind of contagious creatures as lizards serpents and adders they hunt those wild beasts mounted on certain animalls as big as horses which have three horns in the midst of their foreheads with thick short legs and on the middle of their backs a row of prickles wherewith they prick when they are angry and all the rest of the body is like â— great lizard besides they have on their necks instead of hair other prickles far longer and bigger then those on their backs and on the joynts of their shoulders short wings like to the sins of fishes wherewith they fly as it were leaping the length of five or six and twenty paces at a jump These creatures are called Banazes upon which these savage ride into the country of their enemies with whom they hold continuall war and whereof some pay them tribute in salt which is the thing they make most account of in regard of the need they have of it for that they are very far distant from the Sea We spake also with other men called Bumioens who live on high mountains where there are Mines of Alum and Lacre and great store of wood of this Nation we saw a troop conducting of above two thousand oxen on whom they had put pack-saddles and so made them to carry their Merchandise these men were very tall and had eys and beards like the Chineses We saw others likewise that had reasonable long beards their faces full of freckles and their ears and nostrills pierced and in the holes thereof small threds of gold made into clasps these were called Ginaphogaas and the Province whereof they were Natives Surobosay which within the mountains of the Laâ—hos are bounded with the lake of Chiammay and are cloathed with hairy skins going bare-foot and bare-headed certain Merchants told us that these had great richeâ— and that all their traffique was in silver whereof they had great store We spake also with another sort of men call d Tuparoâ—ns who are tawny great eaters and much addicted to the pleasures of the flesh these gave us better entertainment then all the rest and oftentimes feasted us Now because in a certain banquet where we nine Portugals were with the Ambassador one of us named Francisco Temuda challenged them to drink they taking it for a great affront caused the feast to continue the longer for the recovery of their honor but the Portugal set on them so lustily twenty that they were as he laid them all along drunk on the ground himself remaining still sober when they were out of their drink the Sapiton that was their Captain and in whose house the feast had been made called his company together which were above three hundred and whether the Portugal would or no made him to mount upon an Elephant and so lead him
live without so much as the least appreheâ—sion of any fear or shame But you must know O ye blinded of the world that God hath made you Kings to use clemency towards men to give them audience to content to chastise them but not to kill them tyrannically Neverthelesse O ye bad Kings in the condition whereunto you are raised you oppose your selves to the nature which God hath indued you with and take upon you many other different forms in apparrelling your selves every hour with some such livery as â—â—â—ms best unto you to the end you may be to the one very bloud-suckers that incessantly suck from them their goods and their lives never leaving them so long as they have one drop of bloud in their veins and to others you are dreadfull roaring Lions who to give a â—aâ—k and a colour to your ambition and avarice cause supreme Laws of death to be published for the least faults and all for to confiscate other mens goods which is the main end of your pretensions Contrarily if there be any that you love and unto whom you or the world or I know not what have given the name of Grandees you are so negligent in chastising their proud humors and so prodigall in inriching them with the spoils and undoing of the poor whom you have left naked and even flayed to the very quick as you cannot doubt but that they will one day accuse you before God for all these things when you will have no excuse to make so that there will be nothing left you but a dreadfull confusion to trouble you and to put you into an horrible disorder To these he added so many other remonstrances in favour of the poor subjects cried out so mainly and shed so many tears in their behalf as the King remained almost besides himself and was touched â—o neerly therewith that he instantly called Brazagaran the Governor of Pegu unto him and commanded him without all delay to dismisse all the Deputies of the Provinces of the Kingdome whom he had caused to be assembled in the Town of Cosmin for to demand of them a great sum of money that he might set upon the Kingdom of Savady on which he had newly resolved to make war Withall he sware publikely on the ashes of the defunct that during his raign he would never charge his subjects with imposts nor would make them to serve by force as he had formerly done yea and that for the future he would have a most speciall care to hear the poor and to do them justice against the misdemeanours of the great ones conformable to the merit of every one together with many other things very just and good which might well serve for a lesson to us that are Christians This Sermon being finished the ashes of the defunct which had been gathered up was distributed as a relique into fourteen golden basons whereof the King himself took up one on his head and the Grepos of chiefest quality carried the rest so the Procession going from thence in the same order as it came thither those ashes were conveyed into a very rich Temple which might be some flight shot from that place and named Quiay Dâ—cco that is the god of the afflicted of the earth there they were put into a shallow grave without other pomp or vanity for so had Aixequendoo the late Roolim commanded This grave then was invironed about with three iron grates and with two of silver and one of latten and upon three iron rods that crossed the whole bredth of the chappell hung seventy and two lamps of silver namely four and twenty on each of them all of great value and fastened together with great silver chains Furthermore there were placed about the steps whereby one descended into the grave thirty and six little perfuming pots with Benjamin Aloes and other confections wherein was great store of Ambergreece all which was not finished till it was almost night by reason of the many ceremonies used in this funerall all that day long they freed an infinite number of birds which had been brought thither in above an hundred cages these Gentiles being of the opinion that they were so many souls of deceased persons which before times had passed out of this life and that were deposited as it were in the bodies of those birds till the day of their deliverance should come at which time they were in all liberty to accompany the soul of the defunct The like they did with a great many of little fishes which had been transported thither also in certain vessells full of water so that to set them at liberty they cast them into the river with another new ceremony to the end they might serve the soul of him whose ashes were then buried There was also brought thither all kind of venison and foul which was distributed as an alms to all the poore that were present there whereof the number was almost infinite These ceremonies and other such like which were performed in this action being finished the King in regard it was neer night retired into his quarter where he had caused tents to be pitched for to lodge in and that in sign of mourning the like did all the great ones so that all the Assembly by little and little withdrew The next morning as soon as it was day the King made it to be proclaimed that all persons of what condition soever they were should upon pain of death dislodge speedily out of the Island and that they which were Priests should return to the attendance of their cures with this penalty in care of contravention to be degraded from their dignity Whereupon all the Priests went preâ—ently out of the Island ninety of them excepted who were deputed for the election of him that was to succeed in the place of the defunct These same then assembled in the house of Gangsparo to acquit themselves of their charge and for that in the two first daies which was the term limited to make this election it could not succeed by reason of the diversity of opinions and great contrariety that was found amongst them which were to give their votes the King thought fit that out of those deputed ninety there should nine be chosen who alone should make the election This resolution being taken these nine continued five daies and as many nights together in continuall prayer in the mean time a world of offerings were made and alms given a great number of poor people were also cloathed and tables prepared where all men that would might eat of free cost and all this was accompanied with processions in every quarter At last these nine being agreed in conformity of votes elected for Roolim one Manichae Mouchan who at that time was a Capizondo or Prelate in the town of Digum of a Pagode called Quiay Figrau that is to say god of the atomes of the Sun of whom I have oftentimes spoken he was a man of about threescore and eight years of
age accounted amongst them for an holy personage very knowing in the customes and lawes of those Sects of the Gentiles and above all exceeding charitable to the poor With this election the King and all the great ones of the Court remained very well satisfied The King then speedily dispatched away the Chaumigrem his foster-brother to whom he gave thereupon the title of Coutalanhaa which signifies the Kings brother to the end he might be the more honorably qualified with an hundred Lauleas wherein was the Flower of all the Bramaâ— Nobility together with the nine Electors for to go and fetch him which had been newly chosen to the dignity of Roolim And having brought him nine dayes after with a great deal of respect and honor to a place called Tagalaa some five leagues from the Isle of Mounay the King met him with all the great men of the Court besides a world of other people and above two thousand vessells with oars When he was come in this equipage where the new Roolim vvas he prostrated himself before him and kissing the ground three times O thou holy pearl said he unto him which art in the midst of the Sun breath forth upon me by an agreeable inspiration of the Lord of uncreated power that I may not dread upon earth the insupportable yoke of mine enemies At these vvords the nevv Roolim putting forth his hand to raise him from the ground spake thus unto him Labour my Son that thy works may be pleasing to God and I will pray for thee without ceasing Hereupon the King rising up the Roolim made him sit dovvn by him and stroked him three times vvith his hand on the head vvhich the King took for the greatest honor he could do him then having said something unto him vvhiâ—h vve could not hear for that vve vvere a little too far off he blovved three times on the Kings head vvhilest he vvas on his knees again before him and all the people laid flat on the earth This done he parted from that place amidst the applauses that vvere given him from all parts and the sound of bells and instruments of musick and imbarqued himself in the Kings Laulea where he was seated in a rich chair of gold set with precious stones and the King at his feet which was also taken for a great honor done him by the Roolim round about and a little distant from him were twelve little boys attired in yellow sattin with scarfes of silver Tinsell golden Maces and Scepters in their hands All along the sides of the vessell instead of Mariners stood the Lords of the Kingdom with guilt oars by them and as well in the Poop as the Prow were two Quires of young striplings apparrelled in carnation sattin and having divers sorts of instruments in their hands to the tune whereof they sung the praises of God Some of our company observed that one of their songs said thus Children of a pure heart praise this admirable and divine Lord for as â—or me being a sinner I am not worthy to do it and if that too be not permitted unto you let your eys weep before his feet that so you may render your selves agreeable unto him In the same manner they sung many other songs to the tune of their instruments and with so much ardor and zeal as if they had been Christians it would have been able to have stirred up the devotion of them that heard them After that the Rooliâ— was in this sumptuous â—ort arrived at the City of Martabano he did not go to Land as it had been resolved because it was night for it was not lawfull for him at any hand to touch the ground with his feet in regard of the great dignity of his person but stayed till the next morning at which time the King disimbarqued him first of all upon his own shoulders and so too did the Princes and great Lordsof the Kingdom carry him alternatively to the Pagodâ— of Quiay Ponuedea as being the greatest and most sumptuous of the whole City in the midst whereof was a Theater richly set forth of yellow sattin which is the livery of that soveraign dignity There out of a new ceremony being laid all along upon a â—ittle bed of gold he made as though he were dead and then at the sound of a bell which gave three toles the Bonzes prostrated themselves all with their faces on the ground for the space of half an hour during which time all the assistants for a sign of sadnesse held their hands before their eys in saying aloud Lord recall this thy servant to a new life to the end we may have one to pray for us Instantly thereupon they took him from thence and put him into a Tomb adorned with the same livery then chanting out certain I know not what very sorrowfull words with tears in their eys they left him after they had surrounded the Temple thrice in a grave made expresly for that purpose covered over with a cloth of black velvet and inviâ—oned about with dead mens heads This done they said certain prayers after their manner weeping which very much moved the King and then all the throng of people that made a strange noyse being commanded to silence they gave three toles with a great bell for a sign to all the rest of the bells in the City to answer them as they did with so horrible and dreadfull a din that the earth even trembled therewith After the ceasing of this noyse two Talagrepos men of great reputation amongst them and very well versed in their Laws went up into two Pulpits prepared expresly for them and that were hung with rich Turky Carpets where they entertained their Auditors with the subject of this ceremony and gave them the explication of every thing making an ample relation unto them of the life and death of the deceased Roolim and of the election of this same together with the excellent qualities with which he was indued for to be raised to so high a charge whereunto he was called by a particular grace of God to this they added many other things wherewith the people were exceedingly satisfied and contented then the same bell having tolled three times more the two Priests descended from their Pulpits which together with all their furniture were presently burned with another new kind of ceremony whereof I will forbear here making a relation because it seems unnecessary to me to lose time in these superfluities having said but too much already thereof After all things were peaceable and quiet and that for the space of five or six Credoes nothing had been spoken there appeared coming from the next Temple which was about a flight shot off a very rich and sumptuous Procession of little children attired all in white taffets for a mark of their innocency and purenesse they had about their necks a number of jewells chains of gold upon their legs in form of bracelets white wax lights in their hands and
bring them the sooner to land In this equipage and in this order the new Roolim parted from the City of Martabano two hours before day and continued his course amidst these Vessellâ— which made as I have delivered a kind of street and forasmuch as it was not yet day there were a great number of Lanterns of different fashions placed amongst the boughs As soon as he began to set forth a Canon was shot off three times at which sign there was such a noyse of Bells and great Ordnance as also of divers sorts of very strange Instruments intermingled with the cries and acclamations of the people as one would have thought that heaven and earth would have come together When he was arrived at the Kay where he was to land he was received with a solemn Procession by certain religious men that live in solitary places and are called Menigrâ—pos which are like to the Capucins in France whom these Gentiles infinitely respect by reason of their manner of living for according to the rule which they observe they use more abstinence by far then all the rest These same being some six or seven thousand in number were all bare foot and cloathed with black Mat to shew their contempt of the world upon their heads they wore the sculls and bones of dead men and great cords about their necks having all their faces dawbed over with dirt and a writing hanging upon them which contained these words Mire mire do not cast thine eye on thy basenesse but on the recompenses which God hath promised to those that vilifie themselves to serve him When as they were very neer to the Roolim who received them very affably they prostrated themselves with their faces down to the ground and after they had continued so some time the chiefest amongst them looking on the Roolim May it please him said he from whose hand thou hast newly received so great a blessing as to be the Head of all on the earth to rendâ—r thee so good and so holy a man that all thy works may be as pleasing unto him as the innocency of children which hold their peace when their mother gives them the dug Whereunto all the rest answered with a great noyse of confused voices Permit O Lord Almighty that it may be so Passing on then accompanied with this Procession which the King for the greater honor governed himself together with some of the principall personages whom he called unto him for that purpose he went directly to the place where the dead Roolim lay buried and being arrived at his Tomb he fell down flat with his face upon it then having shed a great many tears he said with a sad and dolefull voice as if he had spoken to the deceased May it please him who raigns in the beauty of the Stars to make me deserve the honor to be thy Slave to the end that in the house of the Sun where now thou recreatest thy self I may serve as a broom to thy feet for so shall I be made a Diamond of so high a price as the world and all the riches thereof together shall not be able to equall the value of it whereunto the Grepos answered God grant it Thereupon taking a pair of Beads which had belonged to the deceased and that was upon the Tomb he put it about his neck as a relique of great worth giving as an Almes six Lamps of silver two Censors and six or seven pieces of violet coloured Damask This done he retired unto his Palace accompanied still with the King the Princes and great Lords of the Kingdome as also with the Priests that were there assistant from whom he presently rid himself and then from out of the window he threw down upon the Assembly handfulls of Rice as amongst the Papists they use to cast Holy Water which all the people received upon their knees with their hands lifted up This Ceremony ended which lasted very neer three hours they gave three toles with a Bell upon which Signal the Roolim retired for altogether and so did the Vessells and they that came in them wherein all that day was wholly bestowed About evening the King took his leave of the Roolim and returned to the City making directly the next morning towards Pegu which was some eighteen leagues from thence where he arrived the day following two hours within night without making any entry or shew to testifie the extreme griefe he was in for the death of the late Roolim whom it was said he greatly affected CHAP. LXIII That which the King of Bramaa did after his arrivall at the City of Pegu together with his besieging of Savady TWo and twenty daies after the King of Bramaa arrived at the City of Pegu he perceived by the Letter which his Ambassador brought him from the Calaminham that he had concluded the League with him against the Siamon yet in regard the season was not fit for him either to commence that war or to assail the Kingdome of Avaa as he desired he resolved to send his Foster-brother unto whom as I have already declared he had given the title of lawfull Brother to the siege of Savady which was some hundred and thirty Leagues from thence to the North-East Having assembled an Army then of an hundred and fifty thousand men amongst whom were thirty thousand strangers of divers Nations and five thousand fighting Elephants besides three thousand others that carried the baggage and the victualls the Chaumigrem departed from Pegu with a Fleet of thirteen hundred rowing Vessells the fifteenth of the moneth of March Fourteen daies after he arrived in the sight of Savady and having cast Anchor neer to a great Plain called Gâ—mpalaor he remained there six daies in attending the five thousand Elephants which were to come to him by land who were no sooner arrived but he began to besiege the Town so that having begirt it round he assaulted it three times in the open day and retreated still with very great losse as well in regard of the notable resistance which they within made against him as of the extreme trouble his people were at in planting their ladders against the walls by reason of their bad scituation which was all of Slate whereupon consulting with his Commanders about what he should do they were all of opinion to have it battered with the Canon on the weakest side untill that by the overthrow of some part of the wall a breach might be made whereby they might enter with more ease and lesse danger This resolution was as soon executed as taken so that the Ingineers fell to making of two manner of bull-works on the outside upon a great Platform composed of great beams and bavins which in five daies they raised up to such an height as it surpassed the wall two fathom at the least This done they planted on each bulwark twenty great pieces of Ordnance wherewith they began to batter the Town so violently that in a little time they beat
down a pane of the wall and besides those pieces of battery there were above three hundred Falcons that shot incessantly with an intention only to kill those that were in the streets as indeed they made a great havock which was the cause that seeing themselves so ill-intreated and their people slain in that manner they resolved like valiant men as they were to sell their lives as dearly as they could so that one morning having sallied forth by the same breach of the wall which the Canon had made they gave so valiantly upon those of the Camp that in lesse then an hour they almost routed the Bramaas whole Army Now because it began to be day the Savadis thought it fit to re-enter into the Town leaving eight thousand of their enemies dead on the place After this they repaired the breach in a very little time by the means of a rampire of earth which they made up with bavins and other materialls that was strong enough to resist the Canon Hereupon the Chaumigrem seeing the bad successe he had had resolved to make war both upon the places neer about as also upon the frontiers that were furthest off from the Town for which purpose he sent Diosaâ—ay high Treasurer of the Kingdome whose Slaves we Portugals were Colonel of five thousand men to spoil a certain Borough called Valentay which furnished the besieged Town with provisions but this voyage was so infortunate unto him that before his arrivall at the designed place his forces were by two thousand Savadis whom he incountred by the way all cut in pieces in lesse then half an hour not one escaping with life that fell into the enemies hands Neverthelesse it pleased our Lord that amidst this defeat we saved our selves by the favour of the night and without knowing whither we went we took the way of a very craggy mountain where we marched in exceeding great pain three daies and an half at the end whereof we entred into certain Moorish Plains where we could meet with no path or way nor having other company then Tygers Serpents and other savage beasts which put us into a mighty fear But as our God whom incessantly we invoked with tears in our eys is the true guide of travellers he out of his infinite mercy permitted that at length we perceived one evening a certain fire towards the East so that continuing our course towards that place where we saw this light we found our selves the next morning neer to a great Lake where there were some Cottages which in all likelyhood were inhabited by very poor people howbeit not daring to discover our selves as yet we hid us all that day in certain hanging precipices that were very boggy and full of Horsleâ—ches which made us all gore blood As soon as it was night we fell to marching again untill the next morning whenas we arrived neer to a great river all alongst the which we continued going for five daies together At last with much pain we got to another Lake that was far greater then the former upon the bank whereof was a little Temple in the form of an Hermitage and there we found an old Hermite who gave us the best entertainment that possibly he could This old man permitted us to repose our selves two daies with him during which time we demanded many things of him that made for our purpose whereunto he alwaies answered according to the truth and told us that we were still within the Territories of the King of Savady that this Lake was called Oregâ—antâ—r that is to say the opening of the night and the Hermitage the God of succour Whereupon being desirous to know of him the signification of this abuse he laid his hand on an horse of brasse that stood for the Idoll upon the Altar and said that he often read in a book which intreated of the foundation of the Kingdome that some two hundred thirty and seven years before this Lake being a great Town called Oâ—umhaleu a King that was named Avaâ— had taken it in war that in acknowledgement of this victory his Priests by whom he was wholly governed counselled him to sacrifice unto Quiay Guaâ—or the God of war all the young male children which had been made captives and in case he did not so they would when they became men regain the Kingdome from him The King apprehending the event of this threatning caused all these children being fourscore and five thousand in number to be brought all into one place and so upon a day that was kept very solemn amongst them he made them to be put most inhumanely to the edge of the sword with an intent to have them burned the next morning in Sacrifice but the night following there came a great earthquake and such lightning and fire fell from heaven upon the Town as within lesse then half an hour it was quite demolished and all that was in it reduced to nothing so that by this just judgement of God the King together with all his were strucken dead not so much as one escaping and besides them thirty thousand Priests in like manner who ever since during all the New Moons are heard to cry and roar so dreadfully that all the inhabitants thereabouts were ready to go besides themselves with fear by reason whereof the Country was utterly depopulated no other habitation remaining therein save only fourscore and five Hermitages which were erected in memory of the fourscore and five thousand children whom the King had caused to be butchered through the evill counsell of his Priests CHAP. LXIIII. A continuation of the successe which we had in this voyage with my departure from Goa to Zunda and what passed during my abode there WE past two daies in this Hermitage where as I declared before we were very well entertained by the Hermite the third day after betimes in the morning we took our leave of him and departed from thence not a little afflicted with that which we had heard and so all the same day and the night following we continued on our way along by the river the next morning we arrived at a place where were a great many of sugar canes of which we took some for that we had nothing els to nourish us withall In this manner we marched still along by this river which we kept for a guide of our voyage because we judged that how long soever it were yet would it at last ingulfe it self in the Sea where we hoped that our Lord would raise us up some remedy for our miseries The day ensuing we arrived at a village called Pommiseray where we hid our selves in a very thick wood from being descried by passengers and two hours within night we continued our design in following the current of this river being resolved to take our death in good part if it should please God to send it us for to put an end to so many sufferings as we had undergone day and night and without lying
receive him who brought along with him an hundred and threescore Calaluzes and ninety Lanchares full of Luffons from the Isle of Borneo With all this company he arrived where the King of Zunda was who entertained him very courteously and with a great deal of honor Fourteen daies after our coming to this Town of Iapara the King of Demaa went and imbarqued himself for the Kingdome of Passarâ—an in a Fleet of two thousand and seven hundred sails amongst the which were a thousand high-built Juncks and all the rest were Vessells with oars The eleventh of February he arrived at the river of Hicandurea which is at the entrance of the bar and because the King of Panaruca Admirall of the Fleet perceived that the great Vessells could not passe unto the Port which was two leagues off by reason of certaine shelves of sand that were in divers parts of the river he caused all those that were in them to be disimbarqued and the other Vâ—ssells with oars to go and anchor in the road before the Town with an intention to burn the Ships that were in the Port which indeed was accordingly executed In this Army was the Emperor Panguâ—yran in person accompanied with all the grandeâ—s of the Kingdome the King of Zunda his brother-in-law who was Generall of the Army went by land with a great part of the forces and being all arrived at the place where they meant to pitch their Camp they took care in the first place for the fortifying thereof and for placing the Canon in the most commodious places to batter the Town in which labour they bestowed the most part of the day As for the night ensuing it was spent in rejoycings and keeping good watch untill such time as it was day whenas each Captain applied himself to that whereunto his duty obliged him all in generall imploying themselves according to the ingineers directions so that by the second day the whole Town was invironed with high Pallisadoes and their Platformes fortified with great beames whereupon they planted divers great pieces of Ordnance amongst the which were Eagles and Lions of metall that the Acheâ—s and Turks had cast by the invention of a certain Renegado born in the Kingdome of Algarâ—es appertaining to the Crown of Portugal and by reason this wicked wretch had changed his belief he called himself Coia Geinal for as for the name which he had before when he was a Christian I am contented to passe it over in silence for the honor of his Family being indeed of no mean extraction In the mean time the besieged having taken notice how ill-advised they had been in suffering the enemies to labour two whole daies together peaceably in fortifying of their Camp without any impeachment of theirs and taking the same for a great affront they desired their King to permit them to fal upon them the night following alledging how it was probable that men vvearied vvith labour could not make any great use of their arms nor be able to resist this first impetuosity The King who at that time commanded the Kingdom of Passaruan was young indued with many excellent qualities vvhich made him to be exeeedingly beloved of all his subjects for as it was reported of him he was very liberal no manner of Tyrant exceedingly affable to the common people a friend to the poor and so charitable towards Widovvs that if they acquainted him vvith their necessities he relieved them instantly and did them more good then they asked of him Besides these perfections that vvere so recommendable he possessed some others so conforâ—able to mens desires as there vvas not any one that vvould not have exposed his life a thousand times for his service if need â—ad been Furthermore he had none but choice men vvith him even the flovver of all his Kingdome besides many strangers upon vvhom he conferred much vvealth honor and many graces which he accompanied vvith good vvords that being indeed the means vvhereby the minds both of great and small are so strongly gained that they make them Lions of sheep vvhereas carrying ones self other vvayes of generous Lions they are made fearfull hares This King then examining the request vvhâ—ch his people made unto him and referring himself to the advice of the antientest and most prudent Councellors of his State vvhich vvere vvith him there vvas a great contention about the successe that the affairs might have but in the end by the counsell of all in generall it vvas concluded That in case â—ortune should be altogether adverse unto them in this sally which they mâ—ant to make against their enemies yet would it be a much lesse evill and lesse considerâ—ble affront then to see the King so besieged by vile people who against all reason would reduce them by force to quit their beliefe wâ—erein they had been bred by their Fathers to imbrace another new one by the suscitation of the Farazes who place their salvation in washing their parts behind in not eating of swines flesh and marâ—ying of seven wives whereby the best advised may easily judge that God was so much their enemy as he would not assist them in any thing seeing that with so great offence they would under pretext of Religion and with reasons so full of contradiction compell their King to become a Mahometan and render himself tributary to them To these reasons they added many others which the King and they that were with him found to be so good as they all with one common consent agreed thereunto which is en evident mark that it is a thing no lesse naturall for a good Subject to expose his life for his King then for a vertuous wife to conserve her chastity for the husband which God hath given her This being so said they a matter of so great importance was no longer to be deferred but we all in generall and each one in particular are by this sally to make demonstration of the extreme affection which we bear to our good King who we are assured will never be unmindfull of them that shall fight best for his defence which is all the inheritance we desire to leave to our children Whereupon it was resolved that the night following they should make a sally upon their enemies Whereas the joy which this designed sally brought to all the inhabitants of the Town was generall they never stayed till they were called but two hours after midnight and before the time which the King had appointed they assembled all in a great place which was not far from the Royall Palace and where they of the country had accustomed to keep their Fairs and to solemnize their most remarkable feasts on those principall dayes which were destined to the invocation of their Pagodâ—s The King in the mean time wonderfully content to see such heat of courage in them of seventy thousand inhabitants which were in the Town drew out twelve thousand only for this enterprise and divided them into four companies each
it had pleased him to shew me the grace that I had been so too that so I might not have offended him as I have done since for seeing my self continually pressed by thâ—se Gentiles to follow their pernicious errors I withstood them a long time but whereas the flesh is fraile being very poor far from my country and without hope of liberty my sins made me at their intreaties to yeeld to that which they desired of me with so much importunity by reason whereof this Kingâ— Father did me many great favours and being sent for yesterday from a place where I was to look unto two of the chiefest Gentlemen of this country it pleased God that I fell into the hands of these dogs to the end I should no longer be one for which the Lord be blessed for evermore This mans discourse exceedingly astonished us and as much as the novelty of so strange an accident required so that having comforted him as well as we could in such termes as we thought were necessaty for the time wherein we were we asked him whether he would go with us to Zunda and from thence to Malaca where God might shew him the grace to die in his service like a good Christian. Whereunto having made answer that he desired nothing more and that he had never had other design we gave him another habit because he was cloathed like a Pagan and kept him alwayes with us as long as the siege lasted CHAP. XLV The death of the King of Demaa by a very strange accident and that which arrived thereupon TO come again now to our history you are to understand that the Pangueyran of Pata King of Demaa being certified by some of the enemies whom his men had taken prisoners of the piteous estate whereunto the besieged were reduced the most part of them dead their ammunition failing and their King dangerously hurt all these things together carried him more ardently then ever to the assault which he had purposed with himself to give to the besieged Town He resolved then to scale it in plain day and to assault it with more violence then before so that instantly great preparations were made over all the Camp where divers Serjeants at Armes on horseback and carrying Maces on their shoulders went proclaiming aloud after the men of war had been made to assemble together with the sound of trumpets The Pangueyran of Pata by the power of him who hath created all things Lord of the Lands which inviron the Seas being willing to discover unto all in generall the secret of his soul doth let you know that nine daies hence he will have you be in a readiness to the end that with the courages of Tygers and redoubled forces you assist him in the assault which he intends to give unto the Town for a recompence whereof he liberally promiseth to do great favours as well in money as in honorable and remarkable titles those to the five souldiers which fiâ—st of all shall plant colours on the enemies walls or that shall perform actions which shall be agreeable to him Whereas contrarily they which do not carry themselves valiantly in this enterprise conformably to his pleasure shall be executed by the way of justice without any regard had to their condition This Ordinance of the Kings full of menaces being published over every part of the Camp put them into such an alarm as the Commanders began incontinently to make themselves ready and to provide all things necessary for this assault without scarce taking any rest either day or night making withall so great a noyse by intermingling their hues and cries with the sounds of drums and other instruments of war as it could not be heard without much terror In the mean time whereas of the nine daies destined for the purpose aforesaid seven were already pâ—st so as there rested no more but two at the end whereof an assault was to be given to the Towne one morning as the Pangueyran sate in Councell to resolve of the â—ffairs of this siege with the principall Lords of his Army as also of the means of the time and places whereby they were to assault the Town and of other necessary things it was said that from the diversity of opinions which the one and the other had there arose so great a contention amongst them as the King was constrained to take every ones advice in writing During this time whereas he had alwayes neer about him a young Page who carried Bethel an herb whose leaves are like unto Plantain which these Pagans are accustomed to chaw because it makes them have a sweet breath and also purges the humours of the stomack he asked this Page then for some of it who at first seemed not to hear him being much about twelve or thirteen years old for I hold it fit to make mention of his age in regard of that I am to say of him hereafter Now to return to the Pangueyran as he vvas continuing his discourse vvith his Councell of War thorough much speaking and somevvhat in choler his mouth became dry so that he asked the Page again for some Bethel which he ordinarily carried in a little box of gold but he heard him no more this second time then he had done the first insomuch as the King having asked him for some the third time one of the Lords that vvas neere to the Page pulled him by the sleeve and bid him give the King some Bethel vvhich immediately he did and falling on his knees he presented him vvith the box vvhich he had in his hands the King then took tvvo or three leaves of it as he used to do and vvithout being othervvise angry giving him a light touch vvith his hand on the head art thou deaf said he unto him that thou couldst not hear me and thereupon re-entred into discourse vvith them of his Councell Novv because these Iaoas are the most punctillious and perfidious Nation of the vvorld and that vvithall they of this country hold it for the greatest affront that can be done thena vvhen one gives them a touch on the head this young Page imagining that the King had touched him so out of a mark of so great a contempt as he should thereby be made infamous for ever though indeed none of the company took notice of it he went aside weeping and sobbing by himself and in the end resolved to revenge the injury which the King had done him so that drawing out a little knife which he wore at his girdle he stabbed the King with it into the midst of the left pap and so because the blow was mortall the King fell instantly down on the ground not able to say any more then these two or three words I am dead wherewithall those of the Councell were so frighted as it is not possible to expresse it After that this emotion was a little calmed they fell first unto looking to the King to see if some remedy might
neer a moneth in this Port of Zunda where a good number of Portugals were assembled together so soon as the season to go to China was come the three Vessells set sail for Chincheo no more Portugals remaining ashore but only two who went to Siam in a Junck of Patana with their Merchandise I bethought me then to lay hold on this occasion and put my self into their company because they offered to bear my charges in this voyage yea and to lend me some money for to try fortune once more and see whether by the force of importuning her she would not use me bâ—tter then formerly she had done Being departed then from this place in six and twenty daies we arrived at the City of Odiaa the Capitall of this Empire of Sarnau which they of this country do ordinarily call Siam where we were wonderfully well received and intreated by the Portugals which we found there Now having been a moneth and better in this City attending the season for the voyage to China that so I might passe to Iapon in the company of six or seven Portugals who had imbarqued themselves for that purpose I made account to imploy in commodities some hundred duckats which those two with whom I came from Zunda had lent me In the mean time very certain news came to the King of Siam who was at that time with all his Court at the said City of Odiaa that the King of Chiammay allied with the Timocouhos Laaos and Gueos people which on the North East hold the most part of that country above Capimpâ—r and Passilâ—â—o and are all Soveraignes exceeding rich and mighty in Estates had laid siege to the Town of Quiteruan with the death of above thirty thousand men and of Oyaa Capimper Governor and Lievtenant Generall of all that Frontire The King remained so much appalled with this news that without further temporising he passed over the very same day to the other side of the river and never standing to lodge in houses he went and incamped under Tents in the open field thereby to draw others to do the like in imitation of him Withall he caused Proclamation to be made over all the City That all such as were neither old nor lame and so could not be dispensed with for going to this war should be ready to march within twelve daies at the uttermost upon pain of being burned alive with perpetuall infamy for themselves and their descendants and confiscation of their Estates to the Crown To the which he added many other such great and dreadfull penalties as the only recitall of them struck terror not into them of the country but into the very strangers whom the King would not exempt from this war of what Nation soever they vvere for if they would not serve they were very expresly enjoyned to depart out of his Kingdome within three daies In the mean time so rigorous an Edict terrified every one in such sort as they knew not what counsell to take or what resolution to follow As for us Portugals in regard that more respect had alwayes been carried in that country to them then to all other Nations this King sent to desire them that they would accompany him in this voyage wherein they should do him a pleasure because he would trust them onely with the guard of his person as judgiâ—g them more proper for it then any other that he could make choice of and to oblige them the more thereunto the message was accompanied with many fair promises and very great hopes of pensions graces benefits favours and honors but above all with a permission which should be granted them to build Churches in his Kingdome which so obliged us that of an hundred and thirty Portugals which we were there were sixscore of us that agreed together to go to this war The twelve daies limited being past the King put himself into the field with an Army of four hundred thousand men whereof seventy thousand were strangers of divers Nations They imbarqued all in three hundred Sâ—roos Lauleas and Iangâ—s so that on the nineth day of this voyage the King arrived at a Frontire Town named Suropisâ—â— some twelve or thirteen leagues from Quitiruan which the enemies had besieged There he abode above seven daies to attend four thousand Elephants which came to him by Land During that time he was certified that the Town was greatly prest both on the rivers side which the enemies had seized upon with two thousand Vessels as also towards the Land where there were so many men as the number of them was not truly known but as it was judged by conjecture they might be some three hundred thousand whereof forty thousand were horse but no Elephants at all This news made the King hâ—sten the more so that instantly he made a review of his forces and found that he had five hundred thousand men for since his coming forth many had joyned with him by the way as also four thousand Elephants and two hundred carts with field pieces With this Army he parted from Suropisem and drew towards Quitiruan marching not above four or five leagues a day At the end of the the third then he arrived at a valley called Siputay a league and an half from the place where the enemies lay Then all these men of War with the Elephants being set in battell array by the three Masters of the Camp whereof two were Turks by Nation and the third a Portugal named Domingâ—s de Sâ—ixas they proceeded on in their way towards Quitiruan where they arrived before the Sun appeared Now whereas the enemies were already prepared in regard they had been advertised by their Spies of the King of Siaâ—s forces and of the design vvhich he had they attended him resolutely in the plain field relying much on their forty thousand horse As soon as they discovered him they presently advanced and with their vant-guard which were the said forty thousand horse they so charged the King of Siams rearward composed of threescore thousand foot as they defeated them in lesse then a quarter of an hour with the losse of three Princes that were slaine upon the place The King of Siam seeing his men thus routed resolved not to follow the order which he had formerly appointed but to fall on with the whole body of his Army and the four thousand Elephants joyned together With these forces he gave upon the battalion of the enemies with so much impetuosity as at this first shock they were wholly discomfited from whence ensued the death of an infinite company of men for whereas their prinâ—â—s â—ll strength consisted in their horse as soone as the Elephants sustained by the harqueâ—uses and the field pieces fell upon them they were defeated in lesse then an half hour so that after the routing of these same all the rest began instantly to retreat In the meane time the King of Siam following the honor of the victory pursued them to the rivers side
Bramaaes there in pieces and had withall seizâ—d on the principall places of the country At these news the King was so troubled that without further delay he raised the siege and imbarqued himself on a river called Pacaâ—au where he stayed but that night and the day following which he imployed in retiring his great Ordnance and ammunition Then having set fire on all the Pallisadoes and lodgings of the Camp he parted away one Tuesday the fifteenth day of October in the year a thousand five hundred forty and eight for to go to the Town of Marâ—abano Having used all possible speed in his voyage at seventeen days end he came thither and there was amply informed by the Chalagonim his Captain of all the Zemindoos proceedings in making himself King and seizing on his treasure by killing fifteen thousand Bramaaes and that in divers places he had lodged five hundred thousand men with an intention to stop his passage into the Kingdome This news very much perplexed the King of Bramaa so that he fell to thinking with himself what course he should take for the remedying of so great a mischief as he was threatned with In the end he resolved to tarry a while at Martabano to attend some of his forces that were still behind and then to go and fight a battell with his enemy but it was his ill luck that in the space of fourteen days only which he abode there of four hundred thousand men which he had fifty thousand quitted him For whereas they were all Pegâ—es and consequently desirous to shake off the Bramaaes yoke they thought it best to side with the new King the Zemindoo who was a Pegu as well as they and they were the rather induced thereunto by understanding that this Prince was of an eminent condition liberall and so affable to every one that he thereby won most men to be of his party In the mean time the King of Bramaa fearing lest the defection of his souldiers should daily more and more increase was advised by his Councell to stay no longer there in regard the longer he should tarry the more his forces would diminish for that a great part of his Army was Pegues which were not likely to be very faithful unto him This counsell was approved of by the King who presently marched away towards Pegu neer unto which he was no sooner arrived but he was certified that the Zemindoo being advertised of his coming was attending ready to receive him So these two Kings being in the view of one another incamped in a great â—laine some two leagues from the City of Pegu the Zemindoo with six hundred thousand men and the Bramaa with three hundred and fifty thousand The next day these two Armies being put into battell array came to joyn together one Friday the sixteenth of November the same year a thousand five hundred forty and eight It was about six of the clock in the morning when first they began their incounter vvhich vvas performed vvith so much violence as a generall defeat ensued thereupon yet fought they with an invincible courage on either part but the Zemindoo had the worse for in lesse then three hours his whole Army was routed with the slaughter of three hundred thousand of his men so that in this extremity he vvas forced to save himself only with six horse in a fortress called Battelor where he stayed but one hour during the vvhich he furnished himself with a little Vessell wherein he fled the night ensuing up the river to Câ—daa Let us leave him now flying untill we shall come to him again whenas time shall serve and return to the King of Bramaa who exceedingly contented vvith the victory vvhich he had gotten marched the next morning against the City of Pegu where as soon as he arrived the inhabitants rendred themselves unto him on condition to have their lives and goods saved Whereupon he took order for the dressing of them that were hurt as for those that he lost in this battell they were found to be threescore thousand in number amongst the which were two hundred and fourscore Portugals all the rest of them being grievously wounded Having already intreated of the successe which the King of Bramaas voyage had in the kingdom of Siam and of the rebellion of the Kingdom of Pegu me thinks it will not be amisse for me to speak here succinctly of the scituation extent abundance riches and fertility which I saw in this kingdom of Siam and in this Empire of Sornaâ— to shew that the conquest thereof would have been far more utile unto us then all the estates which now we have in the India's and that we might obtain it with a great deal lesse charge This kingdom as may be seen in the Map is seven hundred leagues in length and a hundred and threescore in bredth the most part of it consists in great plaines where are a world of corn grounds and rivers of fresh water by reason whereof the Country is exceeding fertile and abundantly stored with cattell and victualls In the most eminent parts of it are thick Forests of Angelin wood whereof thousands of ships might be made there are also many mines of Silver Iron Steel Lead Tin Saltpetre and Brimstone likewise great abundance of Silk Aloes Benjamin Lacre Indico Cotton wooll Rubies Saphires Ivory and gold There is moreover in the woods marvailous store of Brasill and Ebony wherewith an hundred Juncks are every year laden to be transported to China Hainan the Lequios Camboya and Campâ—aa besides Wax Honey and Sugar which divers places there do yeeld very plentifully The Kings yearly revenue is ordinarily twelve millions of gold over and above the presents which the great Lords make him that comes to a great matter In the jurisdiction of his territories there are six and twenty hundred populations which they call Prodou as cities and towns amongst us besides villages and small hamlets whereof I have no reckoning The most part of those populations have no other fortifications or walls then palisadoes of wood so that it would be easie for any that should attaque them to make themselves masters thereof the rather for that the inhabitants of those places are naturally effeminate and destitute of arms offensive and defensive This coast of this kingdom joyns upon the two North and South Seas on that of the Indiaes by Iunçalo and Tanauçarius and on that of China by Monpolocata Cuy Lugor Chintabu and Berdio The capitall City of all this Empire is Odiaa whereof I have spoken heretofore it is fortified with walls of brick and mortar and contains according to some foure hundred thousand fires whereof an hundred thousand are strangers of divers countries of the world for whereas the country is very rich of it self and of great traffick there passes not a yeare whereunto from the Provinces and Islands of Iaoa Bale Madoura Augenio Bâ—rneo and Solor there sailes at the least a thousand Iuncks besides other smaller vessells
wherewith all the rivers and all the harbors are full The King naturally is no way given to tyranny The customs of all the Kingdome are charitably destinated for the maintenance of certain Pagodes where the duties that are paid are very easie for whereas the religious men are forbidden to trade with money they take no more of Merchants then what they will give them out of almes There are in this Country twelve Sects of Gentiles as in the Kingdome of Pegu and the King for a soveraigne title causeth himself to be called Prechau Saliu which in our tongue signifies A holy member of God He shewes not himself to the people save only twice in the year but then with so much riches and majesty as he hath power and greatnesse and yet for all this that I say he less not to acknowledge himself the vassall and tributarie to the King of China to the end that by means thereof his subjects Juncks may be admitted into the port of Combay where ordinarily they exercise their commerce There is also in this Kingdome a great quantity of Pepper Ginger Cinamon Camphire Allume Cassia Tamarinds and Cardamon so as one may truly affirm that which I have often heard say in those parts namely that this Kingdom is one of the best countries in the world and easier to be subdued then any other Province how little soever I could here report likewise many more particularities of things which I have seen only in the city of Odiaa but I am not minded to make mention of them that I may not beget in them that shall read this the same grief which I have for the losse which we made of it through our sins and the gain we might make in conquering this Kingdom CHAP. LXXI A continuation of that which happened in the Kingdome of Pegu as well during the life as after the death of the King of Bramaa TO return now unto the history which heretofore I have left you must know that after the King of Bramaa had obtained that memorable victory neer to Pegu as I have declared heretofore by means whereof he remained peaceable possessor of the whole Kingdom the first thing he imployed himself in was to punish the offendors which had formerly rebelled for which effect he cut off the heads of a great many of the Nobility and Commanders all whose estates were confiscated to the Crown which according to report amounted unto ten millions of gold besides plate and jewells whereby that common Proverb which was common in the mouths of all was verified namely That one mans offence cost many men very deare Whilest the King continued more and more in his cruelties and injustice which he executed against divers persons during the space of two moneths and a half certain newes came to him that the city of Martabano was revolted with the death of two thousand Bramaas and that the Chalogomin Governour of the same city had declared himself for the Xemindoo But that the cause of this revolt may be the better understood by such as are curious I will before I proceed any further succinctly relate how this Xemindoo had been of a religious order in Pegu a man of noble extraction and as some affirmed neer of kin to the precedent King whom this Bramaa had put to death twelve years before as I have already declared This Xemindoo had formerly to name Xoripam Xay a man of about forty five years of age of a great understanding and held by every one for a Saint he was withall very wel verst in the Laws of their Sects false Religion and had many excellent parts which rendered him so agreeable unto all that heard him preach as he was no sooner in the Pulpit but all the assistants prostrated themselves on the ground saying at every word that he uttered Assuredly God speaks in thee This Xemindoo seeing himself then in such great credit with the people spurred on by the generosity of his nature and the occasion which was then so favourable unto him resolved to try his fortune and see to what degree it might arrive To this end at such time as the King of Bramaa was fallen upon the kingdom of Siam and had laid siege to the city of Odiaa the Xemindoo preaching in the temple of Conquiay at Pegu which is as it were the Cathedrall of all the rest where there was a very great assembly of people he discoursed at large of the losse of this Kingdom of the death of their lawfull King as also of the great extortions cruell punishments and many other mischiefs which the Bramaas had done to their Nation with so many insolencies and with so many offences against God as even the very houses which had been founded by the charity of good people to serve for Temples wherein the Divine Word might be preached were all desolated and demolished or if any were found still standing they were made use of either for stables lay-stalls or other such places accustomed to lay filth or dung in These and many other such like things which the Xâ—mindoo delivered accompanied with many sighs and tears made so great an impression in the minds of the people as from thenceforward they acknowledged him for their lawfull King and swore allegeance unto him so that instead of calling him as they did before Xoripam Xay they named him Xemindoo as a soveraigne title which they gave him above all others Seeing himself raised then to the dignity of King the first thing during the heat and fury of this people was to go to the King of Bramaas palace where having found five thousand Bramaas he cut them all in pieces not sparing the life of one of them the like did he afterwards to all the rest of them that were abiding in the most important places of the State and withall he seized on the Kings treasure which was not small In this manner he slew all the Bramaas that were in the Kingdom which were fifteen thousand besides the women of that Nation of what age soever and seized on the places where they resided which were instantly demolished so that in the space of three and twenty dayes onely he became absolute possessor of the Kingdom and prepared a great Army to fight with the King of Bramaa if he should chance to return upon the bruit of this rebellion as indeed he fought with him to his great damage being defeated by him as I have heretofore declared And thus having methinks said enough for the intelligence of that which I am to recount I will come again to my first discourse This King of Braâ—aa being advertised of the revolt of the Town of Martabano and of the death of those two thousand Bramaaes gave order immediately to all the Lords of the Kingdome for their repair unto him with as many men as they could levy and that within the teâ—m of fifteen daies at the furthest in regard the present necessity would not indure a longer
heaven O Lord Iesus Christ cried he my true Redeemer I beseech thee by the pains which thou hast suffered upon the Crosse to permit that the accusation of these hundred thousand hunger-starved dogs against me may serve to satisfie the chastisement of thy divine justice in my behalf to the end that the inestimable price which thou hast imployed for the salvation of my soule without any merit of mine may not be unprofitable unto me This said he ascended the staires which led to the market place and the Portugal that assisted him told mee how at every step he kissed the ground and called upon the name of IESVS at length when he was come to the top the Manbogoaa who held the Idoll in his armes animating the people with great cries said unto them Whosoever shall not for the honour of this God of the afflicted whom I have here in my armes stone this accursed Serpent let him for ever be miserable and let the braines of his children be consumed in the midst of the night to the end that by the punishment of so great a sinne the righteous judgement of the Lord above may be justified in them He had no sooner made an end of speaking thus but there fell so great a showre of stones on Diego Suarez as in lesse then a quarter of an houre he was buried under them and they that flung them at him did it so indiscreetly as the most part of them hurt one another therewith An houre after they drew forth the poore Diego Suarez from under the stones and with another new tumult of cries and voices they tore him in pieces with so much fury and hatred of the whole people in generall as there was not he which did not believe that he did a charitable and holy work in giving a reward to the most mutinous amongst those which dragged his members and entrailes up and downe the streets This execution done the King willing to confiscate his goods sent men to his house for that purpose where the disorder was so great in regard of the extreme avarice which these hungry dogs had they left not a tile unmoved and because they found not so much as they expected they put all his slaves and servants to torture with such an excesse of cruelty as eight and thirty of them remained dead in the place amongst which were seventeen Portugals who bore the pain of a thing whereof they were not guilty In all this spoile there were no more then six hundred bisses of gold found which are in value three hundred thousand duckats besides some pieces of rich houshold-stuffe but no precious stones nor jewells at all which perswaded men that Diego Suarez had buried all the rest howsoever it could never be found out notwithstanding all the search that was made for it and yet it was verified by the judgement of some who had seene him in his prosperity that he had in meanes above three millions of gold according to the supputation of the country Behold what was the end of the great Diego Suarez whom fortune had so favoured in this Kingdome of Pegu as she had raised him up to the degree of the Kings Brother the highest and most absolute title of all others and given him withall two hundred thousand duckats yearely rent vvith the charge of Generall of eight hundred thousand men and Soveraigne over all the other Governours or Vice-Royes of fourteene Kingdomes which the King of Bramaa had at that time in his possession But it is the ordinary course of the goods of this world especially of such as are ill gotten alwayes to serve for a way to disgraces and misfortunes I return now to the Xemindoo of whom I have not spoken a long time Wheras that Tyrant and avaritious King Xenim de Satan gave daily new increases to the cruelties and tyrannies which he exercised against all sorts of persons never ceasing killing and robbing indifferently those who were thought to have money nor sparing any thing on which he could lay his hands his rapines proceeded so far as it was that in the space of seven moneths only wherin he was peaceable possessor of this Kingdom of Pegu he put to death six thousand very rich Merchants besides many ancient Lords of the Country who by way of right of inheritance held their estates from the Crown These extortions rendered him so odious as the most part of those that were with him abandoned him to side with the Xemindoo who had for him at that time the towns of Digon Meideo Dalaa and Coulam even to the confines of Xaraa from whence he parted in hast to go and besiege this Tyrant with an army of two hundred thousand men five thousand Elephants When he was arrived at the city of Pegu where Xemin de Satan then kept his Court he invested it round about with palisadoes and very strong trenches yea and gave some assaults to it but he could not enter it so easily as he believed in regard of the great resistance he found from them within wherefore judging it requisite for him to alter his mind being prudent as he was he came very subti ly to a truce of twenty dayes with the Tyrant upon certain conditions whereof the principall was that if within the terme of those twenty dayes he gave him a thousand bisses of gold which are in value five hundred thousand Duckats he would desist from the pretension and right which he had to this Kingdome and all this he did as I have already said cunningly hoping by this means to bring him to his bow with lesse perill So the time of the truce beginning to run on all things remained peaceable on either side and the besiegers fell to communicate with the besieged During this pacification every morning two houres before day they of the Xemindooes Camp played after their manner upon divers sorts of instruments very melodiously at the sound whereof all they of the city ran to the walls to see what the matter was Whereupon those instruments ceasing to play a Proclamation was made by a Priest accounted by every man a holy personage who said these words with a very sad voice O ye people ye people unto whom Nature hath given eares to hear hearâ—en to the voice of the holy Captain the Xemindoo of whom God will make use for the restoring you to your liberty and former quiet in order wherunto he admonisheth you from Quiay Niuandel the god of battells of the field Vitau that none of you be so hardy as to lift up your hand against him nor against this holy assembly which he hath made out of a holy zeal towards these people of Pegu as brother that he is to the least of all the poor Otherwise whosoever shall come against the army of these servants of God or shall have the will to do them any harm let him be accursed for it and as deformed and vile as the children of the night who
foaming with poyson make horrible cries and be delivered into the burning jawes of the dragon of discord whom the true Lord of all the Gods hath cursed for ever whereas contrarily to those that shall be so happy as to obey this Proclamation as his holy brethren and allies shall be granted in this life a perpetuall peace accompanied with a great deale of wealth and riches and after their death their souls shall be no lesse pure and agreeable to God then those of the Saints which goe dancing amidst the beams of the Sun in the celestiall repose of the Lord Almighty This publication made the musick began to play again with a great noise as before which made such an impression in the hearts of them that heard it as in seven nights that it continâ—ed above threescore thousand persons went and rendred themselves to the Xemindoo for most of them which heard those words gave as much credit thereunto as if an Angell from heaven had spoken them In the meane time the besieged Tyrant seeing that these secret Proclamations of the enemy were so prejudiciall unto him as they could not chuse but turn to his utter ruine brake the truce at twelve dayes end and deliberated with his Councell what he should do who advised him by no means to suffer h mself to remaine any longer besieged for feare left the inhabitants should mutinie and fall from him to the enemy and that the best and surest way was to fight with the Xemindoo in the open field before he grew to any further strength This resolution being approved of by Zenim de Satan he prepared himself for the execution of it to which effect he two dayes after before it was day sallied out at five gates of the city with fourscore thousand men which then he had and charged the enemies with strange fury They then in the meane time who alwayes stood upon their guard received them with a great deale of courage whereupon insued so cruell a conflict between them that in lesse then halfe an houre for so long lasted the heat of the fight there fell on both sides above forty thousand men but at the end of that time the new King Zenim was born from his Elephant by an harquebuze shot discharged at him by a Portugall named Gonçalo Nâ—to which caused all the rest to render themselves and the city likewise upon condition that the inhabitants should have their goods and lives saved By this means the Xemindoo entred peaceably into it and the very same day which was a Saturday the three and twentieth of February a thousand five hundred fifty and one he caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu in the greatest Temple of the city As for Gonçalo Nâ—to he gave him in recompence for killing the Tyrant twenty Bisses of gold which are ten thousand Duckats and to the other Portugalls being eighty in number he gave five thousand Duckats besides the honors and prsviledges which they had in the country he also exempted them for three years from paying any custome for their merchandize which was afterwards very exactly observed CHAP. LXXIII That which the Xemindoo did after he was Crowned King of Pegu with the Chaumigrems the King of Bramaaes Foster-Brothers coming against him with a great Army and divers other memorable things THe Xemindoo seeing himself Crowned King of Pegu and peaceable Lord of all the kingdome began to have thoughts far different from those which Xemin de Satan had had being raised to the same dignity of King for the first and principal thing wherein he imployed himself with all his endeavour was to maintain his Kingdome in peace and to cause Justice to flourish as indeed he established it with so much integritie as no man how great so ever he was durst wrong a lesser then himself withall in that which concerned the government of the Kingdome he proceeded with so much vertue and equity as it filled the strangers that were there with admiration so that one could not without marvel consider the peace the quiet and union of the wills of the people during the happy and peaceable estate of this Kingdome which continued the space of a year and better at the end whereof the Chaumigrem foster-brother to the same King of Bramaa whom Xemin de Satan had slaine as I have before declared having received advertisement that by reason of the rebellions and warres which since his departure from thence had happened in the Kingdome of Pegu the principall men of the State there had lost their lives and the Xemindoo who then raigned was unprovided of all things necessary for his defence he resolved once again to adventure upon the same enterprise which had formerly been undertaken by his late King With this design he entertained into his pay a mighty Army of strangers unto whom he gave a Tincall of gold by the month which is five dackets of our mony when as he had prepared all things in a readinesse he departed from Tanguu the place of his birth On the ninth day of March a thousand five hundred fifty and two with an Army of three hundred thousand men whereof only fifty thousand were Bramaas and all the rest Mons Chaleus Calaminhams Sauâ—nis Pamâ—rus and Auaas In the mean time the Xemindoo the new King of Pegu having certain intelligence of these great forces which were coming to fall upon him made preparation to go and meet them with a design to give them battle for which effect he assembled in the same City where he was a huge Army of nine hundred thousand men which were all Pegues by nation and consequently of a weake constitution and lesse warlick then all the others whereof I have spoken and on Tueseday the fourth of April about noone having received advice that the enemies Army was incamped all along the river of Meleytay some twelve leagues from thence he used such expedition as the same day and the next night all his Souldiers were put into battle array for whereas they had prepared every thing long before and had also been trayned by their Capt. there needed no great ado to bring them into order The day ensueing all these men of warre begun about nine of the clock in the morning to march at the sound of an infinite company of warlick instruments and went and lodged that night some two leagues from thence neer to the river Potarâ—u The next day an hour before Sun-set the Bramaa Chaumigrem appeared with so great a body of men as it took up the extent of a league and an half of ground his Army being composed of seaventy thousand horse of two hundred and thirty thousand foot and six thousand fighting elephants besides as many more which carried the baggage and victuals and in regard it was almost night he thought fit to lodge himself all along by the mountain that he might be in the greater safety Thus the night past with a good guard and a strange noise that was made on
satisfied with the death which they have received in this last battell by your hands Behold how I earnestly intreat you as children that you are of my bowels that having regard to my good intention you will not kindle this fire wherein my soul will be burnt since you see well enough how reasonable that is which I desire of you and how unjust it would be for you to refuse it me Neverthelesse to the end you may not remain altogether without recompense I do here promise you to contribute thereunto all that shall seem reasonable to you and to supply this default in part with my own goods with my Person with my Kingdom and with my State Hereupon the Commanders of those six Nations hearing the Kings justification and the promise which hee made them yeelded to agree unto whatsoever he would do howbeit they prayed him above all things to have regard unto souldiers pretensions who were not at any hand to be discontented but greatly to be made account of Whereunto the King replyed That they had reason and that in all things he would endeavour to conform himself to whatsoever they should judg reasonable In the mean time to avoid disputes which might ensue hereupon it was concluded that they should referr themselves to Arbitrators for which effect the Mutiners were to name three on their side and the King three others on his which made six in all whereof three were to be Religious men and the rest Strangers that so the judgment might be given with lesse suspicion This resolution being taken between them they agreed together that the three Religious men should be the Menigrepos of a Pagode that was named Quiay Hifaron that is to say the God of Povertie and that for the other three Strangers the King and the Mutiners should cast lots to see who should chuse one or two of them on his side This Election being fallen to the King he made a choice of two Portugals of an hundred and forty that were then in the Citie whereof the one was Gonçalo Pacheco the King our Masters Factor for Lacre a worthie man and of a good conscience and the other a worshipful Merchant named Nuno Fernandez Teixeyra whom the King held in good esteem as having known him in the life time of the deceased King By the same means the Commanders of the Mutiners elected another stranger whose name I do not know Things thus concluded the Judges destined for the resolution of this Affair were sent for because the King was not willing to stirre out of the place where he was untill the matter was determined to the end he might dismisse them all peaceably before he entred into the Citie for fear lest if they entered with him they should not keep their word For this purpose then the King about midnight sent a Bramaa on horseback to the Portugals quarter who vvere in no lesse fear then the Pegues of being plundered and killed After that the Bramaa vvas come into the Citie and that hee had asked aloud for so they use to do vvhen they come from the King vvhere the Captain of the Portugals vvas he vvas presently conducted to his Lodging vvhere being arrived It is a thing said he to the Captain as proper to the nature of that Lord above who hath created the firmament and the whole heavens to make good men for the conversion of the wicked as it is ordinary with the pernicious Dragon to nourish in his bosome spirits of commotion and tumult to bring disorder unto the peace which conserves us in the holy Law of the Lord. I mean hereby continued he that amongst all those of your Nation there is one wicked man found vomiting out of his infernall stomack flames of discord and sedition by means wherof he hath caused the three strange Nations of the Chalons Meleytes and Savadis to mutinie in the King my Masters Army whereupon hath ensued so great a mischief that besides almost the utter ruine of the Camp three thousand Bramaaes have been slain and the King himself hath been in such danger as he was fain to retire into a Fort where hee hath remained three dayes and still is there not daring to come out because he cannot put any trust in those strangers Howbeit for a remedy of so great unquietnesse it hath pleased God who is the true Father of concord to inspire the Kings heart with patience to endure this injurie being prudent as he is to the end hee may by that means pacifie the tumult and rebellion of these three turbulent Nations who inhabit the most desert parts of the mountains of Mons and are the most accursed of God amongst all people Now to make an entry into this peace and union a Treaty hath been had between the King and the Commanders of the Mutiners whereby it hath been concluded on either part with an Oath That to exempt this Citie from the plundering which had been promised to the Souldiers the King shall give them out of his own estate as much as six men deputed for that purpose shall award of which number there are already four so that to make up the whole six there wants none but thee whom the King hath chosen for him and another Portugal whose name is written in this paper whereby thou shalt be ascertained of that which I have said unto thee Thereupon he delivered a Letter unto him from the King of Bramaa which Gonçalo Pacheco received upon his knees and laid upon his head with exterior complements so full of civilitie and courtesie as the Bramaa remained very much contented and satisfied therewith and said unto him Surely the King my Master must needs have a great knowledg of thee in that hee hath chosen thee for a Iudg of his Honour and Estate Hereupon Gonçalo Pacheco read the Letter aloud before all the Portugals who heard it standing with their hats in their hands The contents of it were to this effect Captain Gonçalo Pacheco my dear Friend and that appears before my eyes like a precious Pearl as being no lesse vertuous in the tranquillitie of thy life then the holyest Menigrepos which live in the Deserts I the ancient Chaumigrem and new King of fourteen States which God hath now put into my hands by the death of the holy King my Master do send thee a smile of my mouth to the end thou mayest be as agreeable to me as those whom I cause to sit at my table in a day of joy and feasting Know then that I have thought good to take thee for a Iudg of the Affair that is in question and therefore have sent for thee together with my good Friend Nuno Fernandez Teixeyra to come presently unto me for to give an end to this businesse which I wholly commit unto your trust And for so much as concerns the security of your persons in regard of the fear you may be in of the late Mutinie I do engage my word and swear to you by the
said he unto him I pray thee by the great goodness of that God in whom thou believest to pardon me that for which thou accusest me and to remember that it is not the part of a Christian in this painful estate wherein I see my self at this present to put me in mind of that which I have done heretofore for besides that thou canst not thereby recover the loss which thou sayest thou hast sustained it will but serve to afflict and trouble me the more Pacheco having heard what this fellow said commanded him to hold his peace which immediately he did whereupon the Xemindoo with a grave countenance made shew that this action pleased him so that seeming to be more quiet it made him to acknowledge that with his mouth which he could not otherwise requite I must confess said he unto him that I could wish if God would permit it I might have one hour longer of life to profess the excellency of the faith wherein you Portugals live for as I have heretofore heard it said your God alone is true and all other gods are lyers The Hangman had no sooner heard these words but he gave him so great a buffet on the face that his nose ran out with bloud so that the poor Patient stooping with his handsâ—downward Brother said he unto him suffer me to save this bloud to the end thou maist not want some to fry my flesh withall So passing on in the same order as before he finally arrived at the place where he was to be executed with so little life as he scarcely thought of any thing When he was amounted on a great Scaffold which had been expresly erected for him the Chirca of Justice fell to reading of his Sentence from an high Seate where he was placed the contents whereof were in few words these The living God of our heads Lord of the Crown of the Kings of Avaa commands that the perfidious Xemindoo be executed as the Perturbator of the people of the earth and the mortal enemy of the Bramaa Nation This said he made a sign with his hand and instantly the Hangman cut off his head at one blow shewing it to all the people vvhich vvere there vvithout number and divided his body into eight quarters setting his bovvels and other interior parts vvhich vvere put together in a place by themselves then covering all vvith a yellovv cloth vvhich is a mark of mourning amongst them they vvere left there till the going dovvn of the Sun at vvhich time they vvere burnt in the manner ensuing The eight quarters of the Xemindooes body vvere exposed from mid-day till three of Clock in the afternoon to the view of all the people whereof there was an infinite company there for every one came thronging thither as well to avoid the punishment wherewith they had been threatned as to gain in so doing the Plenary indulgence called by them Axiperan which their Priests gave them of their sins without restitution of any thing of all the Theeveries by them formerly committed After then that the tumult was appeased and that certain men on horseback had imposed silence on the people by making certain publications whereby the Transgressors therein were threatned with terrible punishments a bell was heard to toll five several times upon this signal twelve men clothed in black robes spotted all over with bloud having their faces covered and bearing silver Maces on their shoulders came out of a house of wood made expresly for that purpose and distant some five or six paces from the Scaffold after them followed twelve Priests which they call Talagrepos being as I have said the most eminent Dignities amongst these Pagans and held by them as Saints then appeared the Xemin Pocasser the King of Bramaaes Uncle who seemed to be near an hundred years old and was as the rest all in mourning and invironed with twelve little boyes richly apparelled carrying on their shoulders Courtelasses curiously Damasked After that the Xemin had with a great deal of Ceremonie prostrated himselfe three times on the ground in way of extraordinary reverence O holy flesh said he which art more to be â—steâ—med then all the Kingdomes of Avaa thou orient Pearle of as many Carats as there be Atomes in the beams of the Sun whom God hath placed in an height of Honour with a Scepter of Soveraign power above that of Kings I that am the least of thy meiny and so unlike thee through my baseness as I can scarcely see my self so little I am do most humbly beseâ—ch thee O thou Lord of my head by the fresh Meadow where thy soul doth now recreat thy self to hear that with thy sorrowful ears which my mouth sayes to thee in publick to the end thou maist remain satisfied for the offence which hath been done thee in this world Oretanan Chaumigrem thy brother Prince of Savady and Tanguu sends to intreat thee by me thy slave that before he departs out of this life thou wilt pardon him that which is past if he have given thee any discontent and withall that thou wilt take possession of all his Kingdomes because he doth even now yeild them up unto thee without reserving the least part thereof for himself withall he protests unto thee by me thy vassal that he makes this reconciliation with thee voluntarily to the end that the complaints which thou maiest prefer against him there above in heaven may not be heard of God Moreover for a punishment of the displeasure he hath done thee he offers to be for thee during this pilgrimage of life the Captain and Guardian of this thy Kingdome of Pegu for which he does thee homage with an oath to accomplish alwaies upon earth whatsoever thou shalt command him from heaven above upon condition that thou wilt bestow the profit which shall arise thereof upon him at an almes for his entertainment for he knowes very well that otherwise he should not be permitted to possess the Kingdome neither would the Menigrepos ever consent thereunto nor at the hour of death give him absolution for so great a sinne Upon these words one of the Priests that was present and that seemed to have more authoritie then all the rest made him answer as if the deceased himself had spoken Since I see O my Sonne that thou doest now confesse thy past faults and cravest pardon of me for them in this publick assembly I do grant it thee with all my hearâ— and it pleases me to leave thee in this Kingdome for the pastor of this my flock on condition that thou dost not violate the faith thou hast given me by this oath which would be as great an offence as if thou shouldst now come to lay hands on me without the permission of Heaven All the people having heard these words answered thereunto with joyfull voices Perform so much my Lord my Lord. After this the Priest being got into the pulpit began to speak thus to the assistants Present me with part
amounting to the number of seven or eight thousand men amongst the which were six and twenty Portugals of forty that were with the King But these ministers of Satan not contented with having committed so horrible a Treason went directly to the Queens lodging where having found her sick in her bed they most mercilesly butchered her with three of hâ—r Daughters and all the women they could meet withall After this with an inraged fury they set fire on the Town in six or seven places which kindling by the violence of the vvinde that was very high at that time it took hold of it in such sort as in lesse then two hours it was almost burnt down to the ground Whereupon vve seven and twenty Portugals that remained retired with much adoe to our Vessel vvhere we saved our selves as it vvere by miracle leaving our anchor in the sea and setting sail with all the speed we could The next morning the mutiners who were about ten thousand having sacked the Town divided themselves into two troops and retired to a hill called Canaphamaâ— there they fortified themselves with an intent to create a new Head that should govern them because the Fucarandono had been slain with the stroak of a lance which he had received in his throat together with all the rest of his kinsmen which had given a beginning to this Mutinie The same day after the end of this disorder advertisement was given thereof to the Prince the Kings Son who was at that time in the fort of Osquy some seven leagues from the town of Fucheo This young Prince extremely afflicted with this newes would presently have gone to the town with some of his favorites which were all the company that he had then with him but the Fingeindono his governor was utterly against it alledging many reasons to perswade him not to budge from that place until he had been more amply informed in what termes this affair stood for it was very credible that they who durst kill his father would not stick to dispatch him out of the way too since it lay in their power so to doe he not being in a condition to defend himself Wherefore he advised him to assemble all the forces he could to the end he might by their means subdue and chastise his enemies The Prince approved of this counsell and having taken order for that which he judged was most necessary according to the estate wherein he as he commanded some that were about him to go and wind the horn a thing observed in Iapan which caused such a hurly burly over all the country as words are not able to expresse it Now the better to understand this same you must know that by an ancient custome of this Kingdome of Iapan all the inhabitants in whatsoever place they lived from the least to the greatest are bound to have in their houses a horn of a great sea-winckles shell which they are forbidden at any time to winde upon pain of great punishment save in one of these four cases namely a tumult a fire a robberie and a treason so that if one winds a horn the cause of it is presently known because if it be a tumult one winds it once if a fire twice if a robberie thrice and if it be a treason four times insomuch that at the first winding of the horne all others are bound upon pain of death to wind theirs and in such sort as the first hath winded his to the end that it may be distinctly known what it is and that there may be no confusion Now because this signal of treason is not so ordinary as the others which arrive very often when it happens to be given all the people are so affrightrd with it as without further delay they run thronging to the place where the horn was first winded so that by this means the bruit passeth from one to another with such speed as within lesse then an hour one is advertised thereof above twenty â—eagues about But to return to that which I said but now as soon as the Prince had given order for that particular he retired into a Monastery of Religious persons which stood in the midst of a wood there he remained shut up three daies during the which he did nothing but bewail his Father Mother and Sisters and that vvith exceeding demonstrations of sorrovv testified by his sighs and tears At the end of that time in regard great numbers of his subjects vvere assembled unto him he went out of that Monastery to provide for that which he judged necessary as well for the safety of his kingdome as for the chastisement of the rebels vvhose goods and estates were immediately confiscated their houses demolished and such terrible Proclamations published against them as could not be heard without trembling Seven daies after this deplorable event the Prince was counselled in regard he had as already I have said great numbers come unto him to go and besiege the ten thousand Mutiners in the place of their retreat Whereupon he parted from the fort of Osquy and marched directly to the town with his Army which it was said consisted of very neer an hundred and thirty thousand men whereof seventeen thousand were horse and the rest foot all lusty and well armed and capable of executing any high enterprise Being arrived at the town he was vvonderfully vvell received by the people vvho â—estified a great deal of resentment for the death of the late King his father He vvould not go at first to the Roiall Palace but went before he past any further to the Pagode where his father was buried there he took care to make him a funerall Pomp with a great deal of cost and honor according to the manner of the country which lasted the two nights following In conclusion he was shewed the same robe all bloudy that his father had on when he was killed upon which he took a solemn oath never to pardon any of them that should be found guilty no not if they were Bonzes and to burn all the Temples whereinto those traitors had fled for sanctuary The fourth day after his entry into the town he was proclaimed King though but with little ceremony and magnificence in regard of the general mourning That done accompanied as he was with an hundred and threescore thousand men he marched directly to the place whither the mutiners were retired Now to the end he might the more easily take them and keep them from flying away he besieged them in the mountain where they were and that for the space of nine daies But whereas they saw that they could hold out no longer for lack of victuals and that they had no hope of succor they thought it was better for them to die like valiant men then to let themselves be besieged like cowards vvith this resolution under the favor of a very dark and rainy night they descended from the mountain by four severall waies and falling
on the Kings Army which was ready to receive them in battel array as having been advertised of their design there ensued so dreadfull and furious a fight betwixt them as it lasted two hours within day but at length the conflict ended with the death of seven and thirty thousand men amongst the which the ten thousand Mutiners were slain not one of them deigning to save himself upon any termes whatsoever In the mean time the death of his men greatly afflicted the King who after this punishment of the rebels retyring to the town the first thing he did was to provide for the curing of the hurt men wherein he spent a good time in regard they were very many and whereof a great number died afterwards CHAP. LXXVI Our passing from the Town of Fucheo to the Port of Hiamangoo and that which befell us there together with my departure from Malaca and arrival at Goa After that this revolt had taken an end by the death of so many men on the one and the other side we few Portugals that remained as soon as time would permit us got to the port of the town where seeing the Country desolated the merchants fled away and the King resolved to leave the town we lost all hope of selling our comodities yea and of being safe in this harbour which made us set sail and go ninety leagues further to another Port called Hiamangoo which is in the bay of Canguexumaa there vve sojourned tvvo months and an half not able to sell any thing at all because the country vvas so full of Chinese comodities as they fell above half in half in the price for there vvas not a Port or Read in all this Iland of Iapan vvhere there were not thirty or forty Iuncks at anchor and in some places above an hundred so that in the same very year at least two thousand merchants ships came from China to Iapan Now most of this merchandise consisted in Silk which was given at so cheap a rate that the peece of Silk which at that time was worth an hundred Taies in China was sold in Iapan for eight and twenty or thirty at the most and that too with much adoe besides the prices of all other commodities were so low as holding our selves utterly undone we knew not what resolution or counsell to take But whereas the Lord doth dispose of things according to his good pleasure by waies which surpasse our understanding he permitted for reasons only known to himself that on the new moon in December being the fifth day of the month there arose so furious a tempest of wind and rain as all those vessels saving a few perished in it so that the losse caused by this storm amounted unto a thousand nine hundred and seventy two Iuncks amongst the which were six and twenty Portugals ships wherein five hundred and two of our nation were drowned besides a thousand Christians of other Countries and eight hundred thousand duckets worth of goods cast away Of Chinese vessels according to report there were a thousand nine hundred thirty and six lost together with above tvvo millions of gold and an hundred and threescore thousand persons Now from so miserable a ship-wrack not above ten or eleven ships escaped of which number was that wherein I was imbarqued and that almost by miracle by reason whereof these same sold their commodities at what price they would As for us after we had uttered 〈◊〉 and prepared our selves for our departure we put to sea on a twelfth day in the morning and although we were well enough contented in regard of the profit we had made yet were we not a little sad to see things fall out so to the cost of so many lives and riches both of those of our nation and of strangers But when we had weighed anchor and hoisted our sailes for the prosecution of our course the ties of our main sail brake by which means the sail yard falling down upon the of the ship brake all to peices so that we were constrained by this accident to recover the port again and to send a shallop on shore to seek for a sail yard and shipwrights to fit it for us To this effect we sent a present to the Captain of the place that he might suddenly give us necessary succor as accordingly he did so that the very same day the ship was put into her former estate and better then before Neverthelesse as we were weighing anchor again the cable of our anchor broke and because we had but one more in the ship we were forced to indeavor all that we might for the recovery thereof by reason of the great need we stood in of it now to do this we sent to land for such as could dive who in consideration of ten duckets that we gave them fell to diving into the sea where they found our anchor in six and tvventy fathome depth so that by the means which we fastned unto it vve hoysted it up though vvith a great deal of labour vvherein vve all of us bestovved our selves and spent the most part of the night As soon as it vvas day vve set saile and parting from this river of Hiamangoo it pleased God that in fourteen daies vvith a good vvind vve arrived at Chincheo vvhich is one of the most renovvned and richest Ports of the Kingdome of China there vve vvere advertised that at the entrance of this river there lay at that time a famous Pirate called Cheopocheca vvith a mighty fleet vvhich put us into such a fear that in all hast vve got avvay to Lamau vvhere vve made some provision of victuals vvhich lasted us untill our arrivall at Malaca Having stayed some time at Malaca for the dispatch of certain affaires that I had there I imbarqued my self for Goa vvith an intent of length to return into Portugal if I could meet vvith shipping ready to depart from thence at that time but some fevv daies after my arrivall there it happened that a Portugal named Antonio Ferreyra brought a present of very rich peeces to the Vice-Roy Don Pedro Mascarenhas which the King of Bungo sent him from Iapan to getherwith a letter whereof the contents were these Illustrious Lord and of great majesty Vice-Roy of the limits of the Indiaes the dreadfull Lion in the flouds of the sea by the force of thy ships and artillerie I Yacatauandono King of Bungo Facata◠Omangucha and the Countries of the two seas Lord of the petty Kings of the Ilands of Tosa Xemenarequa and Miaygimaa do give thee to understand by this my letter that Father Francisco Xavier having been not long since in this Country preaching to them of Omangucha the new law of the Creator of all things I secretly promised to him that at his return into my Kingdome I would receive from his hand the name and water of holy Baptism howsoever the noveltie of so unexpected a thing might put me into bad terms with my subjects Whereupon he also
promised me on his side that if God gave him life he would come back again unto me as speedily as he could And for asmuch as his return hath been longer then I looked for I have sent thus expresly to know both of him and of you the cause of this retardment of his Wherefore my Lord I desire you that he may hasten away to me with all the speed that the first season which shall be proper for navigation will permit For besides that his arrivall in my Kingdome is greatly important for the service of God it will be also very profitable to my self for the contracting of a new league with the great King of Portugal to the end that by this amitie my country and his may hereafter be but one thing and that his subjects may in all our ports and rivers be as free as they are in your Cochim where you are wherefore your Lordship shall exceedingly oblige me by sending one unto me that may be witnesse of the desire I have to serve your King for I will do it as willingly as the Sun is ready to hasten his course from the morning to the night Moreover Antonio Ferreyra will give thee the very same armes wherewith I vanquished the Kings of Fiangaa and Xemenarequa and which I wore in the day of battel I am ready in all things to obey my elder Brother that invincible King of the other end of the world Lord of the treasures of great Portugal The Vice-Roy having read this Letter sent for one father Belquior Rector of the Colledg of the Jesuits and having imparted unto him the King of Bungoes desire he told him that in regard Father Xavier was dead he could wish that he would in his stead undertake this voyage to Iapan which in all probalitie would very much redound to the service of God and the propogation of the Christian faith The Rector upon the hearing hereof willingly imbraced the imployment wherewith the Vice-Roy was exceedingly well pleased and very much commended him for such his good and pious resolution After this the Vice-Roy consulting with some of his friends about the chusing of a man that in qualitie of his Ambassador might accompany the Father in this expedition I was nominated unto him as the fittest he could fix upon in regard of the knowledg I had both of the Country and of the then King thereof whereupon I was immediatly also sent for and the Vice-Roy acquainting me with the great desire he had that I should take this negotiation upon me which he said did so much import the honor of God and the King our Masters service he prest me so earnestly to it that I knew not how to refuse him although I must confesse I was very unwilling thereunto So that consenting to what I could not well avoide he commanded that all things necessary for our voyage should with all convenient speed be prepared CHAP. LXXVII Father Belquior's and my departure from the Indiaes to go to Japan and that which befell us till our arrivall at the Island of Champeiloo FOurteen dayes after namely on the sixteenth of April One thousand five hundred fifty and four Father Belquior and I set sail for Malaca in a ship wherein also was Don Antonio de Noronha Son to Don Garcia de Noronha who had been Vice-Roy of the Indiaes that was going to take possession of the Government of the Fortresse there from the which the Vice-Roy had sent order to displace Don Alvaro de Tayda who was Captain of it as well for that he would not obey his Commands as for many other misdemeanors which he had committed whereof I will not speak in particular here because they are altogether from my purpose at this time The fifth day of June following we and the new Captain arrived at Malaca where the Licentiat Gasper Iorge Superintendant Generall of the Indiaes who was the man that prosecuted this businesse caused the people of the Town to assemble together upon the tolling of a Bell and having read unto them the Vice-Roys Letters Patents whereby he displaced Don Alvaro he examined him upon divers Interrogatories whereof two Registers made a verbal process which was signed both by them and the said Superintendent and the new Captain After all this Don Alvaro was deposed from his Government made a prisoner and all his estate confiscated the like was done to all his partakers who had favoured him in the imprisoning of Gamboa Superintendent of the Treasure and in disobeying the Vice-Roys Commissions as also in many other disorders that had been committed thereupon vvhich was executed with so much rigour as the most part fled to the Mahometans whereby the Fortresse remained so bare of men as it was in danger of being undone had not the new Captain provided for it with a great deal of prudence granting a general Abolition unto all although they returned for all that but with an ill will These revolutions and this excesse of justice which put all the Country into an uproar were the cause that Father Belquior and I could not this year pass unto Iapan as we had resolved so that we were constrained to winter at Malaca until April following in the year One thousand five hundred fifty and five which was ten months During that time the Auditor Gaspar Iorge continuing the rigorous executions which he exercised day by day was a subject of great scandal to all the Country vvherewith not yet contented and relying on the large Commission vvhich the Vice-Roy had given him he would needs intermeddle with the Captain Don Antonio's Jurisdiction and indeed he incroached so far on his Authority as Don Antonio had no more but the name of it and was no other then as a guard of the Fortress Now though he was very sensible of this affront yet he did dissemble and endure it with a great deal of patience But these excessive rigours of this Auditor continuing for the space of four months during the which there vvere many discontentments vvhereof I will not treat here in particular because the discourse of it would be infinite One day Don Antonio seeing the time proper for the execution of that which he had formerly resolved on caused some whom he had destined for it to seise on him in the Fortress and carry him to a private house vvhere according to report he was stript stark naked and his hands and feet being bound with cords he was grievously whipped After which having drop'd scalding oyl on his bare flesh which had almost killed him and clapt irons on his legs and manacles on his hands they pluck'd off all the hair of his beard leaving him not so much as one and did many other such like things unto him as it was publickly spoken so that the poor Licentiat Gaspar Iorge who termed himself Auditor Generall of the Indiaes great Provisor of the deceased and Orphelins and Superintendent of the Treasure of Malaca and or the Countries of the South