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
then now we are through the unhappiness of our sins After we had been seven months and an half in this Country sometimes on the one side sometimes on the other from River to River and on both Coasts North and South as also in the Isle of Ainan without hearing any news of Coia Acem the Soldiers weary of so long and tedious travel assembled all together and desired Antonio de Faria to make a partition of that which had been gotten according to a promise before made to them by a note under his hand saying that thereupon they would return unto the Indiaes or where else they thought good whereby a great deal of stir arose amongst us At length it was agreed that we should go and winter in Siam where all the goods which were in the Junk should be sold and being reduced into gold division should be made of it as was desired With this accord sworn and signed by all we went and anchored in an Island called the Island of Thieves in regard it was the outermost Island of all that Bay to the end that from thence we might make our voyage with the first fair wind that should blow So having continued there twelve days with an earnest desire to effect the agreement we had made together it fortuned that by the conjunction of the new Moon in October which we had always feared there arose such a tempest of rain and wind as seemed to be no natural thing in so much that lying open to the South wind as we traverst the Coast the waves went so high that though we used all means possible to save our selves cutting down our Masts and all the dead works from poop to prow as also casting into the Sea even the most part of our merchandize reducing our great Ordnance into their places again out of which they had been toss'd and strengthening our Cables that were half rotten with ropes But all this was not able to preserve us for the night was so dark the weather so cold the sea so rough the wind so high and the storm so horrible that in these extremities nothing could deliver us but the meer mercy of God whom with continual cries and tears we called upon for help But for as much as in regard of our sins we did not deserve to receive this grace at his hands his divine justice ordained that about two hours after midnight there came such a fearful gust of wind as drove our four vessels foul one of another upon the shore where they were all broken to pieces so that four hundred and fourscore men were drowned amongst which were eight Portugals and it pleased God that the remainder being fifty three persons were saved whereof three and twenty were Portugals the rest slaves and Mariners After this lamentable shipwrack we got half naked and most of us hurt into a Marish hard by where we stay'd till the next morning and as soon as it was day we returned to the Sea side which we found all strewed with dead bodies a spectacle of that dread and horror as scarce any one of us could forbear swooning to behold it over them we stood lamenting a great while till such time an Antonio de Faria who by the mercy of God was one of those that remained alive whereof we were all very glad concealing the grief which we could not dissemble came where we were having on a scarlet coat that he had taken from one of the dead and with a joyful countenance his eyes dry and voyd of tears he made a short speech unto us wherein he remonstrated how variable and uncertain the things of this world were and therefore he desired us as Brethren that we would endevor to forget them seeing the remembrance of them was but a means to grieve us for considering the time and â—iâ—erable estate whereunto we were reduced we saw how necessary his counsel was And â—ow he hoped that God would in this desolate place present us with some good opportunity to â—ame our selves and how we might be assured that he never permitted any evil but for a greater good moreover how he firmly believed that though we had now lost five hundred thousand crowns we should ere it were long get above six hundred thousand for them This brief exhortation was heard by us all with tears and discomfort enough so we spent two days and an half there in burying the dead during which time we recovered some wet victuals and provisions to sustain us withall but they lasted not above five days of fifteen that we stayed there for by reason of their wetness they corrupted presently and did us little good After these fifteen days it pleased God who never forsakes them that truly put their trust in him miraculously to send us a remedy whereby we escaped out of that misery we were in as I will declare hereafter CHAP. XIX In what sort we escaped miraculously out of this Island our passage from thence to the River of Xingrau our incountring with a Chinese Pyrat and the agreement we made with him BEing escaped from this miserable shipwrack it was a lamentable thing to see how we walked up and down almost naked enduring such cruel cold and hunger that many of us talking one to another fell down suddenly dead with very weakness which proceeded not so much from want of victuals as from the eating of such things as were hurtful to us by reason they were all rotten and stunk so vilely that no man could endure the taste of them in his mouth But as our God is an infinite good there is no place so remote or desert where the misery of sinners can be hid from the assistance of his infinite mercy which I speak in regard that on the day when as the feast of S. Michael is celebrated as we were drowned in tears and without hope of any humane help according as it seemed to the weakness of our little faith a Kite came unexpectedly flying over our heads from behind a point which the Island made towards the South and by chance let fall a fish called a Mullet about a foot long This fish falling close by Antonio de Faria it somewhat amazed him till he perceived what it was so that having considered a little he fell on his knees and with tears pronounced these words from the bottom of his heart O Lord Iesus Christ the eternal Son of God I humbly beseech thee by the sorrows of thy sacred Passion that thou wilt not suffer us to be overwhelmed with the unbelief whereinto the misery of our weakness hath cast us for I hope and am almost assured that the same succor which thou didst send unto Daniel in the Lions den by the hand of thy Prophet Abacuc thou wilt grant us at this present out of thy infinite goodness and not only here but in every other place where a sinner shall invoke thy ayd with a firm and true faith Wherefore my Lord and
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
you may and cause us not to be all miserably slain with your further stay Howbeit little regarding or afraid of their words he went ashore only with six souldiers having no other arms but swords and targots and going up the stairs of the Key whither it were that he was vext for having lost so fair an occasion or carried thereunto by his courage he entered into the gallery that invironed the Island and ran up and down in it like a mad man without meeting any body That done and being returned abord his vessel much grieved and ashamed he consulted with his company about what they should do who were of opinion that the best course we could take was to depart and therefore they required him to put it accordingly in execution Seeing them all so resolved and fearing some tumults among the souldiers he was fain to answer that he was also of their mind but first he thought it fit to know for what cause they should fly away in that manner and therefore he desired them to stay for him a little in that place because he would trie whether he could learn by some means or other the truth of the matter whereof they had but a bare suspition for which he told them he would ask but half an hour at the most so that there would be time enough to take order for any thing before day some would have alledged reasons against this but he would not hear them wherefore having caused them all to take their oaths upon the holy Evangelists that they would stay for him he returned to land with the same souldiers that had accompanied him before and entering into the little wood he heard the sound of a bell which addressed him to another Hermitage far richer then that wherein we were the day before There he met with two men apparaled like Monks with large hoods which made him think they were Hermits of whom he presently laid hold wherewith one of them was so terrified as he was not able to speak a good while after Hereupon four of the six souldiers past into the Hermitage and took an Idol of silver from the altar having a crown of gold on its head and a wheel in its hand they also brought away three candlesticks of silver with long chains of the same belonging to them This performed Antonio de Faria carrying the two Hermits along with him went abord again and sailing away he propounded divers questions to him of the two that was least affraid threatning to use him in a strange fashion if he did not tell the truth This Hermit seeing himself so menaced answered That an holy man named Pilau Angiroo came about midnight to the house of the Kings Sepultures where knocking in haste at the gate he cryed out saying O miserable men buried in the drunkenness of carnal sleep who by a solemn vow have profest your selves to the honour of the Goddess Amida the rich reward of our labouâ—s hear hear hear O the most wretched men that ever were born There are strangers come into our Island from the further end of the World which have long beards and bodies of Iron these wicked creatures have entred into the Holy House of the seven and twenty Pillars of whose sacred Temple an holy man is keeper that hath told it me where after they had ransacked the rich treasures of the Saints they contemptedly threw their bones to the ground which they prophaned with their stinking and infectious spitting and made a mockerie of them like Devils obstinate and hardned in their wretched sins wherefore I advise you to look well to your selves for it is said that they have sworn to kill us all as soon as it is day Fly away then or call some people to your succour since being Religious men you are not permitted to meddle with any thing that may shed the blood of man Herewith they presently arose and ran to the gate where they found the Hermite laid on the ground and half dead with grief and wearinesse through the imbecillity of his age whereupon the Grepos and Meingrepos made those fires that you saw and withall sent in all haste to the Towns of Corpilem and Fonbana for to succour them speedily with the Forces of the Country so that you may be assured it will not be long before they fall upon this place with all the fury that may be Now this is all that I am able to say concerning the truth of this affair wherefore I desire you to return us both unto our Hermitage with our lives saved for if you do not so you will commit a greater sin then you did yesterday Remember also that God in regard of the continuall penance we perform hath taken us so far into his protection as he doth visit us almost every hour of the day wherefore labour to save your selves as much as you will yet shall you hardly do it For be sure that the earth the air the winds the waters the beasts the fishes the fowls the trees the plants and all things created will pursue and torment you so cruelly as none but he that lives in heaven will be able to help you Antonio de Faria being hereby certainly informed of the truth of the businesse sailed instantly away tearing his hair and beard for very rage to see that through his negligence and indiscretion he had lost the fairest occasion that ever he should be able to meet withall CHAP. XXVI Our casting away in the Gulf of Nanquin with all that befell us after this lamentable Shipwrack WE had already sailed seven dayes in the Gulf of Nanquin to the end that the force of the Current might carry us the more swiftly away as men whose safety consisted wholly in flight for we were so desolate and sad that we scarce spake one to another In the mean time we arrived at a Village called Susequerim where no news being come either of us or what we had done we furnished our selves with some Victual and getting Information very covertly of the course we were to hold we departed within two hours after and then with the greatest speed we could make we entred into a straight named Xalingau much lesse frequented then the gulf that we had past here we navigated nine dayes more in which time we ran an hundred and fourty leagues then entring again into the said Gulf of Nanquin which in that place was not above ten or eleven leagues broad we sailed for the space of thirteen dayes from one side to another with a Westerly winde exceedingly afflicted both with the great labour we were fain to indure and the cruel fear we were in besides the want we began to feel of Victuals In this case being come within sight of the mountains of Conxinacau which are in the height of forty and one degrees there arose so terrible a Southwind called by the Chineses Tufaon as it could not possibly be thought a natural thing so that our Vessels being
of this Emperor of Caran was more remarkable in his entry then all the rest He had for his Guard about sixscore men armed with â—â—rows and Partisans damasked with gold and silver and all attired alike in violet and green After them marched on horsback twelve Ushers carrying silver Maces before whom twelve horses were led that had carnation clothes on them bordered about with gold and silver They were followed by twelve huge tall men that seemed to be Giants clothed with Tygers skins as wild men are used to be painted of them holding in his hand a great Greyhound by a silver chain Then appeared twelve little Pages mounted on white Haâ—kneys having green velvet Saddles trimmed with silver lace and frenge they were all apparelled alike in crimson sattin Cassocks lined with marterns breeches and hats of the same and great chains of gold scarf-wise about them These twelve boys were all of one equal stature so fair of face so well favoured and of so sweet a proportion of body as I believe there have never been any seen more accomplished For himself he was seated in a Chariot with three wheels on each side garnished all over with silver Round about this Pirange for so was this Chariot called there were forty foot-men in jerkâ—ns and breeches of green and red cloth laced all over with carnation silk lace having swords by their side above three fingers bâ—oad with the hilts handles and chaps of silver and hunting horns hanging in silver chains bandrick-wise about thâ—m and on their heads they wore caps with feathâ—rs in them full of silver spangles Thus was the equipage of this Ambassador so sumptuous and stately that one might very well conclude he belonged to some very rich and mighty Prince Now going one day as attendants on the Mitaquâ—r who went to visit him from the King amongst other things that we saw in his lodging we observed there for one of the greatest rarities in that Country five Chambers hung all with very rich Arras such as we have in Christendom and no question brought from thence In each of these Chambers was a Cloth of State of gold or silver tinsel and under it a Table with a Bason and Ewer of silver of a very costly fashion also a Chair of State of rich violet stuff trimmed with gold frenge and at the foot of it a Cushion of the same all upon an exceeding large foot-pace of tapestry There was also a chaâ—ingdish of silver with a perfuming pot of the same out of the whâ—ch proceeded a most delicate odour At the door of each of those five Chambers stood two Halberdiers who permitted persons of quality to enter that came thither to see them In another very great room in form like to a Gallery there was upon a very high and large foot-pace a little table placed covered with a damask table-cloth edged about with gold-frenge and upon a silver plate a napkin with a fork and a spoon of gold as also two little salt-sellers of the same mettal Now about ten or eleven paces on the one side from this table were two cupbards of plate of all kind of fashions and other vessels of great value Moreover at the four corners of this table were four cisterns about the bigness of a bushel with their kettels fastened to them with chains all of silver as also two very great candlesticks of the same with white wax candles in them but not lighted There were also at the door of the room twelve handsome Halberdiers clothed in mantles like to Irish rug with Scymitars by their sides all covered over with plates of silver which Guard as ordinarily it is with them were very haughty and rude in their answers to all that speak to them Although this Ambassadour was come thither in the way of visit as the râ—st yet the principal subject of his Ambassy was to treat of a marriage between the Emperour of Caran and a sister of the Tartar named Meica vidau that is to say a rich Saphir a Lady about some thirty years of age but very handsom and exceeding charitable to the poor whom we saw divers times in this City at the chiefest Feasts which these people use to solemnize at certain times of the year after the manner of the Gentiles Howbeit setting aside all this whereof I had not spoken but that it seemed more remarkable unto me then all the rest I will return to my former discourse as well concerning our liberty as the voyage that we made even to the Islands of the Sea of China whether the Emperour of Tartaria caused us to be conveighed to the end that such as shall come after us may attain to the knowledge of a part of those things whereof it may be they have never heard spoken until this present CHAP. XLI In what manner we were brought again before the King of Tartaria with our departure from that Kingdom and all that we saw and befell us in our voyage till our arrival at the Court of the King of Cauchinchina AFter some time had been spent in the Celebrations of certain remarkable Feasts that were made for joy of the conclusion of a marriage betwixt the Princess Meica vidau the Kings sister and the Emperour of Caran the Tarâ—ar by the advice of his Captains resolved to return anew to the Siege of Pequin which he had formerly quitted taking the ill success that he had there as a great affront to his person To this effect then he caused all the Estates of his Kingdom to be assembled and also made a league with all the Kings and Princes bordering in his Dominions whereupon considering with our selves how prejudicial this might prove to the promise had been made us for the setting of us at liberty we repaired to the Mitaquer and represented unto him many things that made for our purpose and obliged him to keep his word with us To the which he returned us this answer Certainly you have a great deal of reason for that you say and I have yet more not to refuse you that which you demand of me with so much justice wherefore I resolve to put the King in mind of you that you may enjoy your liberty and the sooner you shall be gone from hence the sooner you shall be freed from the labours which the time begins to prepare for us in the enterprise that his Majesty hath newly undertaken by the counsel of some particulars who for that they know not how to govern themselves have more need to be counselled then the earth hath need of water to produce the fruits that are sowed in her but to morrow morning I shall put the King in mind of you and your poverty and withall I shall pâ—esent unto him how you have poor fatherless child ren as you have heretofore told me to the end he may be thereby incâ—ted to cast his eyes upon you as he is accustomed to do in like cases which is none of the least marks
that instant riding of horses and not knowing what to think of this novelty sent presently for Zeimoto just as he was shooting in the Marsh but when he saw him come with his Harquebuse on his shoulder and two Chineses with him carrying the fowl he wasso mightily taken with the matter as he could not sufficiently admire it for whereas they had never seen any Gun before in that Country they could not comprehend what it might be so that for want of understanding the secret of the powder they all concluded that of necessity it must be some Sorcery Thereupon Zeimoto seeing them so astonished and the Nautaquim so contented made three shoots before them whereof the effect was such that he killâ—d one Kite and two Turtle Doves In a word then and not to lose time by endeering the matter with much Speech I will say no more but that the Nautaquim caused Zeimoto to get up on the horses croupper behind him and so accompanied with a great croud of people and four Hushers who with Battouns headed with iron went before him crying aâ—l along the streets Know all men that the Nautaquim Prince of this Island of Tanixumaâ— and Lord of our heads enjoyns and expresly commands That all persons whatsoever which inhabit the Land that lies between the two Seas do honour thiâ— Chenchicogim of the further end of the world for even at this present and for hereafter he makes him his kinsman in such manner as the Jacharons are who sit next his Person and whosoever shall not do so willingly he shall be sure to lose his head Whereunto all the people answered with a great noise We will do so for ever In this pomp Zeimoto being come to the Pallace gate the Nautaquim alighted from his horse and taking him by the hand whilest we two followed on foot a prety way after he led him into his Court where he made him sit with him at his own table and to honour him the more he would needs have him lodg there that night shewing many other favours to him afterwards and to us also for his sake Now Zeimoto conceiving that he could not better acknowledge the honour which the Nautaquim did him then by giving him his Harquebuse which he thought would be a most acceptâ—ble present unto him on a day when he came home from shooting he â—endred it unto him with a number of Pigeons and Turtle-doves which he received very kindly as a thing of great value assuring him that he esteemed of it more then of all the treasures of China and giving him withall in recompence thereof a thousand Taeis in silver he desired him to teach him how to make the powder saying that without that the Harquebuse would be of no use to him as being but a piece of unprofitable iron which Zeimoto promised him to do and accordingly performed the same Now the Nautaquim taking pleasure in nothing so much as shooting in this Harquebuse and his Subjects perceiving that they could not content him better in any thing then in this wherewith he was so much delighted they took a pattern of the said Harquebuse to make others by it the effect thereof was such that before our departure whichwas five months an half after there was six hundred of them made in the Country nay I will say more that afterwards namely the lâ—st time that the Vice-roy Don Alphonso de Noroâ—ha sent me thither with a present to the Kâ—ng of Bungo which happened in the year 1556. those of Iappon affirmed that in the City of Fucheo being the chief of that Kingdom there were above thirty thousand whereat finding my self to be much amazed for that it seemed impossible unto me that this invention should multiply in such sort certain Merchants of good credit assured me that in the whole Island of Iappon there were above three hundred thousand Harquebuses and that they alone had transported of them in the way of trade to the Country of the Lequios at â—ix several times to the number of five and twenty hundred so that by the means of that one which Zeimoto presented to the Nautaquim in acknowledgment of the honour and good offices that he had done hâ—m as I have declared beâ—ore the Country was filled with such abundance of them as at this day there is not so small an hâ—mlet but â—ath an hundred at the least for as for Cities and great Towns they have them by thousands whereby one may perceive what the inclination of this people is and how much they are naturally addicted to the wars wherein they take more delight then any other Nation that we know We had been now three and twenty dayes in the Island of Tanixumaa where very contentedly we past away the time either in fishing fowling or hunting whereunto these people of Iappon are much addicted when as a vessel belonging to the King of Bungo a 〈◊〉 in that Port in the which were divers men of quality and certain Merchants whoâ—as â—oon as â—hâ—y were landed went to wait upon the Nautaquim with their presents according to the usual 〈◊〉 of the Country Amongst them there was an ancient man very well attâ—ndâ—d and unto whom the rest carried much respect that falling on his knees before the Nautaquim presented him with a letter and a rich Courtâ—lass garnished with gold together with a box full of veâ—â—iloes which the Nautaquim received with a great deal of ceremony Then having spent some time with him in asking of certain questions he read the letter to himself and thereupon having remained a prety while as it were in suspencâ— and dismissed the bearer thereof from his presence with an express charge unto those about him to see him honourably entertained he called us unto him and commanded the Truchman that was there by to use these words unto us My good Friends I intreat you that you will hear this letter read which is sent me from my Lord and Vncle and then I will let you know what I desire of you So giving it to a Treasurer of his he commanded him to read it which instantly he did and these were the contents of it Thou right eye of my face Hyascarangoxo Nautaquim of Tanixuma I Orgemdoo who am your Father in the true love of my bowels as he from whom you have taken the name and being of your Person King of Bungo and Facataa Lord of the great House of Fiancima Tosa and Bandou Chief Soveraign of the petty Kings of the Islands of Goto and Xamanaxequa I give you to understand my Son by the words of my mouth which are spoken of your person that some dayes since certain men coming from your Country have assured me that you have in your Town three Chenchicogims of the other end of the world men that accommodate themselves very well with those of Japan are clothed in silk and usually wear swords by their sides not like Merchants that use traffique but in the quality of
tears Whereupon turning him towards us who all this while lay prostrated on the ground with our hands lifted up as if we were worshipping God I must confess said he unto us that I have so great compassion of your misery and am so grieved to see you so poor as you are as I assure you in all verity that I had rather if it were the good pleasure of the King be like unto one of you as wretched as you are then to see my self in this office which questionless was conferred on me for my sins wherefore I would be loth to offend you but the duty of my place obliging me thereunto I must desire you as friends not to be troubled if I ask you some questions which are necessary for the good of Iustice and as touching your deliverance if God affords me life be assured you shall have it for I am most confident that the King my Masters inclination to the poor is truly Royal. These promises exceedingly contented us and to thank him for them we had recourse to our tears which we shed in abundance for our hearts were so full as we could not possibly bring forth a word to answer him The Broquen caused four Registers the two Peretandaos of the Court aforesaid and some eleven or twelve other Officers of Justice to come immediately before him Then rising on his feet he began with a severe countenance and a naked Scymitar in his hand to examine us speaking so loud as every one might hear him I Pinaquila said he Broquen of this City of Pungor by the good pleasure of him whom we all hold for the hairs of our heads King of the Nation of the Lequios and of all this Country of the two Seas where the fresh and salt waters divide the Mynes of his treasures do advise and command you by the rigour and force of my words to tell me clearly and with a clean heart what people and of what Nation you are as also where your Country is and how it is called To this demand we answered according to the truth that we were Portugals Natives of Malaca It is well added he but what adventure brought you into this Country and whither did you intend to go when as you suffered shipwrack We replied thereunto That being Merchants who make no other profession then of traffique we had imbarqued our selves in the Kingdom of China for to go from the Port of Liampoo to Tanixumaa where we had formerly been but that arriving near to the Island of Fire we were surprized by a mighty tempest so that not able to oppose the violence of the Sea we were constrained to lie at the mercy of the winds for the space of three dayes and three nights together and that at the end thereof our Junck ran her self upon the Sands of Taydican where of ninety and two persons that we were threescore and eight were drowned no more escaping of that great number but these four and twenty of us which stood before him all covered over with wounds that were saved as it were by miracle through the spâ—cial grace of God At these words standing a little in suspence By what tytle replied he did you possess so much riches and so many pieces of silk which were in your Iunck and that were worth above an hundred Taeis as I am informed Truly it is not credible that you could get so much wealth any other way then by theeving which being a great offence against God is a thing proper to the servants of the Serpent of the house of smoak and not to those of the house of the Sun where they that are just and of a pure heart do bathe themselves amidst perfumes in the great Pool of the most Almighty We answered hereunto that assuredly we were Merchants and not thieves as he was pleased to charge us because the God in whom we believed forbad us by his holy Law either to kill or to rob Hereupon the Broquen beholding them which were about him Doubtless continued he if that which these men affirm be true we may well say that they are like unto us and that their God is much better then all others as me thinks may be inferred from the truth of their words Then turning himself towards us he examined us as before with a stern countenance and the behaviour of a Judg that exerciseth his charge with integrity In this examination he bestowed almost an hour and in the last place said unto us I would fain know why those of your Country when as heretofore they took Malaca carried thereunto by extream avarice did kill our men with so little pity which is still made good by divers widdows who in these Countries have survived their husbands To this we made answer how that hapned rather by the chance of war then out of any desire of robbing which we had never used to do in any place wheresoever we came What is this you say replied he can you maintain that he that conquers doth not rob that he which useth force doth not kill that he which shews himself covetous is not a thief that which he oppresseth performs not the action of a Tyrant and lo all these are the goodly qualities which are given to you and whereof you are said to be culpable and that by the affirmation of verity it self whence it is manifest that Gods abandoning of you and permitting the waves of the Sea to swallow you up is rather a pure â—ffect of his justice then any injury that is done to you This said he arose out of the Chair where he was set and commanded the Officers to return us back to prison promising to give us audience according to the grace which it should please the King to shew us and the compassion that he would have of us wherewith we were very much afflicted and in great dispair of our lives The next day the King was advertised as well of our imprisonment as of the â—nswers we had made by the Broquens letters wherein he had intermingled something in favour of us by means whereof he did not cause us to be executed as it was said he had resolved to have done upon certain false reports which the Chineses had made to him of us In this prison we continued very near two months with much pain never hearing in all that time so much as any word spoken of that first proceeding against us Now forasmuch as the King desired to be more amply informed concerning us by other more particular inquiries then the letters of the Broquen he senâ— a certain man unto us named Randinaa for to come secretly to the prison where we were to the end that under the pretext of being a Merchantâ— stranger he might exactly learn the cause of ouâ— arrival in that place and that upon the report he should make thereof to the King he might proceed to do that which should seem just unto him Howbeit though this was closely
Chavequa of the first Mamoquo of the Moon in the presence of the Queen my Mother the Source of my right eye and Lady of all my Kingdom And signed a little below Hira Pitau Xinancor Ambulec the firm prop of all Iustice. As soon as the Gentlewoman had this Letter of the Kings in her hands she was never at quiet till she had left her Aunt and put her self upon her journey which she continued with such diligence that in a short space she arrived at the City and delivered the Letter to the Broquen who presently upon the reading of it caused all the Peretandas Chumbims and other Officers of Justice to assemble together and then went with them directly to the Prison where we were at that instant under a sure guard we no sooner saw them enter but all of us cried out three or four times together Lord have mercy upon us wherewith the Broquen and all that accompanied him whereof the prison was full were so moved as some of them could not forbear weeping out of the compassion they had of us In the mean time the Broquen fell to comforting us in such kind and loving terms as well expressed the greatness of his charity Withall he commanded the irons to be taken off from our hands and feet and drawing us into an outward Court he recounted unto us all that had past in our business whereof we had not any knowledge at all in regard of the strict watch that was set upon us all the while Then having caused the Kings Letters to be published My friends said he unto us now that God hath shewed you so much grace to deliver you as you see I have one request to make unto you which is that for my sake you will thank him from the bottom of your heart and praise him for it for if you make this acknowledgement unto him he will communicate to you from above whence all good doth proceed an agreeable repose which is a thing far more convenient for us then to live three or four days in the miseries of this world where there is nothing but labour grief great affliction and above all poverty which is the accomplishment of all evils and whereby ordinarily our souls are wholly consumed in the deep abyss of the house of smoak The Broquen moreover caused two Paniers full of clothes to be brought to that place and distributed to them amongst us according to each ones need That done he carried us home to his house where all the Ladies of the Town came to see us testifying by their countenances that they greatly rejoyced at the good success of our deliverance They comforted us also with great demonstration of pity which is an effect of the good nature of the women of this Country that is common to them all and not contented therewith they entertained us in their houses one after another during all the time we were there until our departure for we continued in this City afterwards the space of forty six dayes in which time we were furnished with all things necessary for us and that in such abundance as there was not one of us but carried above an hundred Duckets away with him As for the Portugal woman of whom I spake before she had above a thousand as well in mony as in other gifts which were given her by which means her husband in less then an year recovered himself of all the losses he had sustained After we had with a great deal of contentment past those forty six dayes there the season proper for our voyage being come the Broquen procured us passage in the Junck of a Chinese which was bound for the Port of Liampoo in the Kingdom of China according to the commandment that he had received of the King for that purpose buâ— first he caused the Captain of the Junck to put in good security for the safety of our persons during all the time of the voyage In this manner we departed from Pungor the capital City of the Island of Lequios of which I will here make a brief relation to the end that if it shall one day please God to inspire the Portugal Nation principally for the exaltation and increase of the Catholick faith and next for the great benefit that may redound thereof to undertake the Conquest of this Island they may know where first to begin as also the commodities of it and the easiness of this Conquest We must understand then that this Island of Lequios scituated in nine and twenty degrees is two hundred leagues in circuit threescore in length and thirty in bredth The Country is almost like that of Iapon saving that it is a little more mountainous in certain parts but in the middle it is plainer and more fertile It is rendred very agreeable by many large Plains that are watred with divers rivers of fresh water and from whence are gathered great provisions especially of Rice and Wheat It hath Mountains out of which is drawn such quantity of copper as in regard of the abundance thereof it is so common among those people that whole Ships are laden with it from thence in way of traffique to all the Ports of China Lamau Sumbor Chabaquea Tosa Miacoo and Iapon as likewise to all the other Islands on the South-side thereof as those of Sesirau Goto Fucanxi and Pollem Moreover in all this Country of the Lequios there is also great store of iron steel lead tin allum salt-peeter brimstone hony wax sugar and ginger far better then that which comes from the Indiaes It hath withall a world of Angelin-wood Chestnuts Trees Oak and Cedar wherewith thousands of Ships may be made On the East-side it hath five very great Islands where many Mynes of Silver are found as also Pearls Amber Frankincense Silk Ebony Brasil and a great abundance of a certain wood fit for Carpentry called Poytan It is true that there is not such store of Silk there as in China The Inhabitants of all this Country do as the Chineses cloth themselves with Linnen Cotten Silk and a kind of Damask-stuff which comes to them from Nanquin They are great eaters very much addicted to the delights of the flesh little inclined to arms and altogether unfurnished of them which induceth me to believe that they might be easily conquered and the rather for that in the year a thousand five hundred fiâ—ty and six a Portugal arrived at Malaca named Pero Gomez a' Almeyda servant to the Grand Master of Santiago with a rich Present and Letters from the Nautaquim Prince of the Island of Tanixumaa directed to King Iohn the third the Substance and Contents of his request was to have five hundred Portugals granted to him to the end that with them and his own Forces he might conquer the Island of Lequio for which he would remain tributary to him at five thousand Kintals of Copper and a thousand of Lattin yearly which Ambassy came to no effect because the Messenger was
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