also of all the Citties and countries of the whole kingdome of Spaine in particular with their proper names and by-names so that a man may thereby both shape vnto himselfe a representation and memoriall of those rents as well in grosse as in seuerall and also vnderstand the number of Cities and countries throughout all Spaine Hoping that it will be accepted in as courteous sort as it will be dilectable to all those that are desirous of nouelties A note or instruction what sorts of monies are vsed in Spayne wherewith they make their accountes FIrst you must vnderstande for the better explanation of y e matter ensuing that in Spaine they vse to reckeÌ„ by Marauedies as wel in great sums is in little and when they passe aboue a hundred thousand in number that is to say tenne times a hundreth thousande they call it a Quento which is properly a million of Marauedies Vnder which two names and diuisions the saide rentes reuenewes c. shal be set downe and declared according to the ordinances and customes vsed in the Kinges Chambers of accountes throughout the whole Countrey of Spain and you must know that 34. Maranedies are a Spanish Ryall of siluer being vi d. English money and 11. Spanish Rials are a Ducket which is fiue shillings vi d. English money and euery Quento or million of Marauedies is 2673. Duckets 8. Ryals and 26. Marauedies which is 735. l. v. sÌ„ x. d. ½ English money These Marauedies shal be written and set down after the Spanish manner that is when the summe amounteth aboue hundreths of Marauedies then they set this marke V. before beginning from the thousandes vpwardes so that thereby you may the better and more easily know them at the first sight which for your more ease and better intelligence I haue set downe as hereafter followeth and this I trust shall suffice for instruction herein The 1. Chapter The rents demaines and reuenews of the King in his kingdomes of Spaine Naples Sicilie Aragon c. and in all his Lordshippes except the kingdome iurisdiction of the Crowne of Portingall which we will hereafter report by themselues THe Salinas that is the salt landes belonging to the Crowne of Spaine are yearely taxed to pay vnto y e King ninety thrée Quentos 93. Quentos For the tenthes of the sea for marchandises that come out of Biscay and the Prouinces of Guipiscoa with the 4. hilly townes lying on the sea coast they pay for all wares sent from thence by land into Castilia after the rate of one in euery ten and is paid in the custome houses of Victoria Horduna and Valmas Ceda amounting yearely for the King vnto the summe of seuentie Quentos â—0 Quentos The tenth of the sea for wares that passe through the kingdome of Leon by the hauens of Sanabria and Villa Franca yéelde yearely the summe of one Quento 1. Quento The tenth of the sea for wares that passe out of the principality of Asturias by the towne of Ouieda pay yearely the summe of Q. 375 V 000. The rentes of the Prouostes office within the towne of Bilbau which is for thinges that come into the towne pay yearely for the King Q. 490 V 000. The 2. Chapter A declaration of the Alcauales and third-pennies which are paid in Spaine TLl the Alcauales thirdes and other rentes which the king of Spaine hath in all the Prouinces Townes villages and Countries of al his kingdomes and Lordshippes as also what euery towne with their territorie and precinctes doe seuerally pay that you may the plainelier sée and vnderstand you must first learne what these rents of Alcauales are and what they do signifie namely of all goods marchandises houses lands and of all other thinges whatsoeuer they may be none excepted it is the custome in Spaine to pay y e tenth pennie to the king and that at euery time and as often as such goods wares houses lands or whatsoeuer els are sold froÌ„ one to another this tenth pennie is called Alcaual likewise all handie crafts men Mercers Haberdashers and other trades that buy and sell in their said trades as also Butchers Fishmongers Inkéepers or any other trade occupation victualling or hand worke whatsoeuer must euery man pay a tenth pennie of all thinges whatsoeuer they sell and as oftentimes as they doe sell any thing where vpon euerie Citie towne c. doth compounde and agrée with the king for a yearely somme to be paide into his coffers so that there are certain which do farme the same of the king pay it yearely accordingly which summes are receyued cleerely into the kings coffers all costes and charges deducted To the same end there are in euery chiefe towne and prouince of the countrey diuers receyuers appointed to take all accounts and summes of money in the kings behalfe that arise of the said Alcaualaos and again to pay out of the same the Iuros that is such summes of money as the king by warrant appointeth to be paide vnto certaine persons as also other assignations appointed likewise to be paide which paymentes the said receyuers doe set downe in account for their owne discharge and thereof as also of their receipts do make a yearely and general account into the kings Exchequer Now to vnderstand what y e third pennie is it is thus that many yeares past the Cleargie of Spaine did of their owne frée willes giue and graunt vnto the King the thirde pennie of all spirituall liuings rentes and reuenewes which they did towards the aide maintenance and defence of the Catholike and Romish religion which is likewise receyued by the said receyuers and officers of the Alcaual and as I said is called Tercias and are likewise rented out and farmed by the said receiuers in euery seuerall Cittie and iurisdiction some of these Alcauals the King hath sold and others he hath bestowed vpon some men for rewardes whereof mention shall bee made as time and place requireth THe towne of Burgos w t the iurisdiction therof payeth yearly for Alcauala and Tertias the summe of 17 Q. 329 V 880 The Bayliwicke of Burgos which is called Bureba and lyeth close by Burgos payeth yearly the summe of 2 Q. 646 V 000 The hill of Oca payeth yearely the summe of 34 V 000 The Bayliwicke of the Prouince of Rioxa payeth yearly 3. Q. 757 V 000 The Bayliwicke of Hebro payeth yearely 2 Q. 346 V 000 The Bayliwick called the Hook of Hebro payeth yearely 1 Q 402 V 000 The towne of Victoria payeth yearly 269 V 000 The Prouince of Guipiscoa payeth yearly 1 Q 181 V 000 The Iron of the same Prouince of Guispiscoa payeth yearely custome 150 V 000. The seuen Bayliwickes which are of olde Castilia on the hils pay yearly 942 V 000 The valley of Mena which is in the same old Castilia payeth yearely the summe of 229 V 000 The Prouince of the towne
pennie of all such goods passing to and fro 34 Q 155 V 000. The wolles that are yearely carried out of Spaine into other countries pay for euery sacke waighing about ten Aroben each Arobe bein 25. pound two duckats for such as are naturall all borne subiects of the land but a stranger payeth 4. duckets which amount vnto the yeare with the other 53 Q 586. V 000 The chiefe Almoxariffchay of Câ—la is larmed of the king for 10â— Q. 00 V 000. Marauedies yearely and is for the tenth pennie of all wares Marchandises of the Neatherlandes France England Portingale Italie c comming into Spaine and there to be discharged which one yeare with the other amount vnto 154 Q 309 V 000. The Almoxarifâ—hap of the Spanish Indies by the towne of Ciuillia hath farmed of the King which ariseth of all the wares that are laden in Ciuillia and sent into the Indies and are rated to pay the twentieth pennie arriuing in India the same wares doe pay yet a twentieth penny more and it is farmed out of the twentieth pennie due in Ciuillia yerely for the summe of 67 Q 000 V 000. The rent which the King receaueth by the mint in Spaine which is of euery marke of Siluer that is coyned in the said Mint each marke accounted sixe duckets in siluer one Riall of plate This rent is called El SeÌ„no reaxo de la moneda and the mint of Ciuill only riseth to as much as all the others this is yearely to the king 22 Q 000 V 000 The King hath farmed out the Master ships of Saint Iacob Calatraua Alcantara to the suckers of Ausburge and is the customes of corne wine oyle other things that are rated at a tenth pennie which in times past the said Masters vsed to haue In these customes are not comprehended nether Tercias nor Alcaualas but are receaued apart as I said before These Masterships are the cheiefe knights of the Crosse belonging to those thrée orders which vsed to haue chiefe rulers ouer them which were called Masters like the knights of Rhodes Malta or as in Cloysters and religious houses which were sworne to be true and obedient subiects and to obserue certaine orders prescribed as it is yet at this day which Masterships were in times past beeing offices of great estimation and account onely giuen vnto the blood Royall or els to some of the Kinges own children hauing certaine lands apointed to them and absolute commandement ouer them but of late yeares the kings of Spaine haue taken the same offices into their hands seruing or at the least presenting their places as Masters and commaunders ouer all knights of the Crosse of what order soeuer the farme whereof amounteth yearely vnto the sum of 98 Q 000 V 000. The king hath likewise rented out the pasturage of the lands of the said mastershippes yerely for the sum of 37 Q 000 V 000. He hath likewise found out the Quicksiluer of Almalen in the hil of Sierra Morena in the fieldes of Calatraua for yerely rent of 73 Q 000 V 000. The Bulles of the Popes of Rome which are called the Santa Crusada yeeld yearely to the king 200 Q 000 V 000. Which being reduced into English monie amounteth vnto the summe of one hundreth fortie seauen thousand fiftie and eight poundes and fiftéene shillings The rent called Subsedie which is thus all Priestes and spirituall persons that haue any benefices or spiritual rents of Churches Cloysters Chappels and such like must euerie man pay a certaine summe for a confirmation of his place or an enterance into his Stipendio Sallarus benefices and qualities which is like our first fruites This is giuen to maintaine warres against Infidels Heretickes for the which most Churches Cloysters haue agréed for a certaine summe yearely which cleare of al charges they must pay vnto the king this Subsedie is worth yearely 65 Q 000 V 000. Also all Bishops Churches of Spaine giue yearely vnto the king a certaine summe of monie towards his warres against Heritickes and Infidels which amounteth yearely 110 Q 000 V 000. These rentes are called El Excusado whereunto the Pope hath consented by his letters or Pattent Apostolica Romana so that the king may chuse a receauer out of euerie Chappell and Church to receaue the tenthes oâ— the spiritualty as of Corne Barley Wine Oyle c. and of all other thinges that are gathered of the ground and doe amount vnto as before The mine of Guadalcana lying in the countrie of Estremadura in the hilles of Sierra Morena were wont to be worth in siluer yerely gotteÌ„ out of the same 187 Q. 000 V 000 but what it now amounteth vnto it is not knowne as being of late yeares much diminished All the countries of Spaine giue vnto the king yearely a certaine rent called Excercitio towardes the keeping of Slaues maintenance and making of new Galleys the summe of 7 Q 750 V 000. The rent called de la Moneda Forera which is a reÌ„t raysing of euerie Heertsteede that payeth 7. Meruedies yearely of what quality or condition soeuer it be doth amount yearely to 6 Q 656 V 000. The rent or profit that commeth yearely out of the Indies to the kinges owne coffers is the summe of 300 Q 000 V 000 The kingdomes of Valencia Arragon and Catalonia giue yearely vnto the King besides other paymentes the summe of 75 Q 000 V 000. The Ilandes of Sardinia Maiorca and Minorca yéeld the king no profit for that the rents and reuenewes of the same are alwaies imployed to the defence and maintenance of the same Ilands against the enemy and sometimes more than is receaued The kingdome of Cicilia payeth yearely vnto the king 375 Q 000 V 000. The kingdome of Naples with the couÌ„tries of Pullia and Calabria doe yéeld yearely to the king 450 Q 000 V 000. The Dukedome of Millan payeth yerely 300 Q 000 V 000. The Prouinces of the Neatherlanders or Low countries with Burgondie vsed yerely to pay vnto the King the summe of 700 Q 000 V 000. But now in these wars and troublesome times there is no account therof to be made The farme of Cardes in Spaine is yerely worth vnto the king 20 Q 000 V 000. for that euery payre of cardes sold there payeth vnto the king halfe a riall and amounteth to as it is farmed 20 Q 000 V 000. The Rashes and clothes of Florence that are brought into Spaine are worth yearely 10 Q 000 V 000. for that euerie péece of Rash payeth sixe duckats custome to the king 10 Q 000 V 000. ALl these accounts tolles customes Alcaualas tenths and third pennies impostes contributions rents demaynes and reuenewes of the King of Spaine are gathered truely collected out of his exchequers of account in his said kingdomes and without any augmentation or diminishing set downe and recorded herein as they were farmed receaued and payde in the yeare of our Lord 1578.
before the said king of Spaine had any right in the kingdome of Portingal for the which cause it is not here set downe but shall hereafter follow particularly by it selfe together with the pettigrée of the kings of Portingale brieflie and truly described by coppies receiued from the officers of those countries the whole summe of all the rents reuenewes c. afore specified and set downe doe amount vnto yearely the summe of 47 31 Q. 329. V. 880. Spanish monie which amounteth in English monie to the summe of three millions foure hundreth thréescore and nintéene thousand nine hundreth and seauentéene pounds fiue shillinges and nine pence which is the full summe of all his receites Portingale excepted which now is in the said kinges handes as hereafter followeth The kingdomes that are comprehended vnder the name of Spaine or Castillia are these Leon Arragon Castillia Nauarre Granado Tolledo Valencia Seuillia Cordoua Murcien Iaen Gallicia Gibraltar and Catalonia which are 14. in number and in times past were euerie one a Kingdome apart yet hold the name the Kingdomes Prouinces and Townes which are called to any counsell or assemblie in the Court of Spaine and therein doe giue their voices are the Kingdomes of Leon Seuillia Tolledo Granado Cordoma Murcien and Iaen The townes called chiefe townes or Cities which are Bishoprickes are Burgos Saâ—amanca Segouia Soria Auila Cuenca Toro Zamora Guadalaxara the townes that are no chiefe townes nor Bishoprickes and are called townes whether they lie walled or not of these but two of them haue any voices which are Valla Dolid and Madrid the other kingdomes as Arragon Nauarre Valencia and Catalonia c. haue their Viceroyes Gouernours apart holding Parlements or Courts by themselues alwaies referred to the King of Spaines order and direction as the kingdomes of Naples and Cicilia with the Dukedome of Millan c. The 3. Chapter A briefe discourse of the notablest and memorablest things situation gouernment and reuenewes of the kingdome of Portingale called Lusitanea THe kingdome of Portingale is in coÌ„passe 285. miles that is on the sea coast 135 miles and by land 150. miles There are 1â— Townes in Portingale that are called Citties which title no Towne may beare but such as are Bishoprickes vnles it be by speciall licence from the King himselfe all the rest are called Townes whether they haue walles or not whereof there are many of these townes and Castles There are in Portingale 4â—0 besides villages it hath 3. principall hauens or riuers which are Lisbone Porto and Seruual and other thrée in the land of Algarue which is also vnder the Crowne of Portingale which are Tauilla Lagâ—s and Villa Noua the key or defence of the riuer and towne of Lisbone is the Castle of Saint Iulian by the Neatherlanders called Saint Gilles which lieth on the first enterance of the riuer called Tegio in latine Tagus one of the most famous riuers of all Europe The 4. Chapter Of the Iustice and gouernement in Lisbone and throughout all Portingale FIrst there is the Tribunale called the ciuill Court or Law whereof the chiefe Iudge is the Regidoer that is the ruler in the kinges behalfe with two other Iudges then the Tribunale or Court for criminall causes with two Iudges an Auditor or receauer of the kinges customes called the Alfandega a Iudge of Equitie for euerie mans proprieties or own reuenewes eight Iudges of the Weesen a Iudge of the Hospitals a chiefe Iudge called Correcteur of the thinges and causes of India Guinea Capo verde Saint Thomas and Brasilia from all these Courtes they may appeale to the ciuill law the Tribunale or Court of requests whose Iudges are called Desembargadores which is as much to say as dischargers these are of great authority and credit as the chiefe States and Presidents are in the Low Countries To this Court are brought the appellations that are made vnto the ciuill law their chiefe Iudge is called Correcteur of the requests two Iudges that are called Desembargadores da Fazenda which is as much to say as Auditors and Iudges of the Kinges causes and reuenewes these are they that minister Iustice betwéene the King and particular men and from them there is no appeale the councell of orders Tribunale Supremo or highest Court which are called Desembargadores of the pallace Tribunale or Court of Consciences Tribunale or Court of Veedores da Fazenda that is visitors and ouerseers of the Kinges reuenewes Tribunale or Court of the Kinges Exchequer which is vnder the courts of Veedores da Fazenda the Kinges Councell two Dukes one Marques ten Earledomes The fortresses which the Portingales hold in Africa or Barbaria are these Tanger Zepta Arzilla the Iland of Madera the Flemmish Islandes called as Ilhas dos Acores in those are comprehended Tercera S. Michael Santa Maria Saint Iorgie Pico Fayael Gratiosa the Ilandes of Flores and Coruo the Ilands of Cabo verde are S. Iacob O fogo Mayo Boa Vista S. Antonio and Saint Nicolaes Arguyn a fortresse in the Countrie of Guinea the Myne of Saint Iorgie the Castle lying on the same side of Aethiopia also on the same coast the Iland del Principe Saint Thomas Atâ—bâ—n the Kingdome of Congo and Angola on the same Coast of Aethiopia lieth vnder tribute of the Portingale the Iland Santa Helena on the other side of the cape de Bona Speranza the fortresse of Soffala the Iland of Mosambique the Iland of Ormus lying betwéene Persia and Arabia the towne and fortresse of Diu the towne and fortresses of Daman Bacayn Chaul Goa where the Viceroy is resident all lying on the Coast of India the townes and fortresses of Honor Barcelor Mangalor Cananor Cranganor Cochin and Coulan all lying on the same Coast of India called Malabar a fortresse in the Iland of Seylon called Columbo the townes Negapatan and S. Thomas on the coast of Choramandel the towne and fortresse of Malacca the Iands of Maluco which are Tarnate Tydor Banda and Amboyna the land and coast of Brasilia stretching 500. miles in length and deuided into eight Captaineships or gouernements from whence euery yeare is brought into Portingale about 150. thousand Arroben of sugar each Arroben waighing 32. pound the Hauen called de Todos os Santos or of all Saints where the Gouernour of Brasilia is resident The ordinarie rentes of the Crowne of Portingale are yearely one million of gold 100000. duckets the rents reuenewes of the Mastership of the knights of the Crosse the king being alwaies Master to whom belong the Ilands of Acores or Flemmish Ilands Madera those of Cabo verde Saint Thomas and de Princepe are yearelie 200000. Duckets the rent of the Mine belonging to y e Knight of the Crosse of Christ is yerely worth 100000. duckets Brasilia yéeldeth yearely 150000. Duckets the customes of spices and other goods receiued out of the East Indies is yearely 600000. Duckets the other rents profits and reuenewes of the Indies and their townes are spent and disbursed in
was called Coccolucio because such as were troubled therewith were no otherwise troubled then in the throat like vnto Hennes which haue the pip after the which followed many pestilent feuers with diuers strange fits which continued not aboue foure dayes Not long before the plague was so great in Portingale that in two yeres space there died in Lisbone to the number of 80. thousand people after the which plague the saide disease ensued which wrought great destruction throughout the whole Countrie of Spaine The fift day of August in the same yeare hauing some vnderstanding in the Spanish tongue I placed my selfe with a Dutch gentleman who determined to trauaile into Portingal to sée the countrie and with him stayed to take a more conuenient time for my pretended voyage Vppon the first of September following we departed from Siuill passing through diuers Townes and Villages within eight dayes after we ariued at Badaios where I found my other Brother following the Court. At the same time died Anne de Austria Quéene of Spaine Sister to the Emperour Rodulphus and Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian the Kings fourth and last wife for whom great sorrow was made through all Spaine her body was conuaied from Badaios to the Cloyster of Saint Laurence in Escuriall where with great solemnitie it was buried We hauing stayed certaine dayes in Badaios departed from thence and passed through a Towne called Eluas about two or thrée miles off being the first towne in the kingdome of Portingale for that betwéene it and Badaios the borders of Spaine and Portingale are limited from thence we trauailed into diuers other places of Portingale and at the last ariued at Lisbone about the twenty of September following where at that time wee found the Duke of Alua beeing Gouernour there for the King of Spaine the whole Cittie making great preparation for the Coronation of the King according to the custome of their countrie Wee beeing in Lisbone through the change of aire and corruption of the countrie I fell sicke and during my sicknes was seauen times let blood yet by Gods help I escaped and being recouered not hauing much preferment vnder the gentleman I left his seruice and placed my selfe with a Marchant vntill I might attaine to better meanes About the same time the plague not long before newly begunne began againe to cease for the which cause the King till then had deferred his enterance into Lisbone which wholly ceased vppon the first day of May Anno 1581 hee entred with great triumph and magnificence into the cittie of Lisbone where aboue all others the Dutchmen had the best and greatest commendation for beautiful shews which was a Gate a Bridge that stood vppon the riuer side where the King must first passe as hee went out of his Gallie to enter into the cittie being beutified and adorned with many costly and excellent thinges most pleasant to behold euery stréet and place within the cittie being hanged with rich clothes of Tapistrie and Arras where they made great triumphes as the manner is at all Princes Coronations The same yere the twelfth of December the Duke of Alua died in Lisbone in the kings pallace being high steward of Spaine who during his sicknes for the space of fourtéene dayes receaued no sustenance but only womens milke his body beeing seared and spicen was conuaied into his countrie of Alua The same month the King beeing yet at Lisbone died Don Diego Prince of Spaine and Portingale the kings eldest son his body béeing inbalmed was conuaied to Madril after whose death the king had but one Sonne named Don Phillip and two Daughters liuing About the same time there ariued at Lisbone the kings sister widdow to the deceased Emperour Maximilian and with her one of her daughters who beeing lame was after placed in a Monasterie of Nuns they with great triumph were likewise receaued into the cittie After the death of Don Diego the kings eldest sonne all the Lordes and States of Spaine and Portingale as well spirituall as temporal assembled at Lisbone and there in the kings presence according to the ancient custome and manner of the countrie tooke their oathes of faith and allegiance vnto Don Phillip the young Prince of Spaine and next heire and lawfull successor of the lung his Father in his dominions of Spaine Portingale and other landes and countries The next yeare Anno 1582. a great nauie of ships was prepared in Lisbone whose generall was the Marquesse de sancta Cruce accompanied with the principall gentlemen and captaines both of Spaine and Portingal who at their own costs and charges therein to shew the great affection and desire they had to serue their Prince sayled with the said Nauie to the Flemmish Ilandes to fight with Don Antonio that lay about those Iles with a Fléet of frenchmen whose Generall was one Phillip Strozzi These two Fléets méeting together fought most cruelly to the great losse of both parts yet in the ende Don Antonio with his French men was ouerthrowne and many of them taken prisoners among the which were diuers gentlemen of great account in France who by the Marquis commandement were all beheaded in the Island of Saint Michaels The rest being brought into Spaine were put into the Gallies Don Antonio himselfe escaped in a small ship and the General Strozzi also who béeing hurt in y e battail died of the same wound By this victory the Spaniards were so proud that in Lisbone great triumph was holden for the same and the Marquis de Sancta Crus receiued therin with great ioy which done and all thinges being pacified in Portingale the King left his Sisters sonne Don Albertus Cardinall of Austria Gouernour of Lisbone and the whole Countrie and with the saide Cardinals mother returned and kept Court at Madrill in Spaine The 2. Chapter The beginning of my voyage into the East or Portingale Indies STaying at Lisbone the trade of Marchandize there not beeing great by reason of the newe fresh disagréeing of the Spaniards and Portingales occasion being offered to accomplish my desire there was at the same time in Lisbone a Monke of S. Dominicks order named Don frey Vincente de Fonseca of a noble house who by reason of his great learning had of long time béene Chaplen vnto Sebastian King of Portingale who beeing with him in the battaile of Barbari◠where King Sebastian was slain was taken prisoner and from thence ransomed whose learning and good behauiour beeing knowne to the King of Spaine hee made great account of him placing him in his own Chappel and desiring to prefer him the Archbishopricke of all the Indies beeing voide with confirmation of the Pope he inuested him therewith although he refused to accept it fearing the long and tedious trauaile hee had to make thether but in the end through the Kings perswasion hee tooke it vpon him with promise within foure or fiue yeares at the furthest to recall him home againe and to giue him
Ryse such like are kept for those which are sicke yet they get but little thereof for that the officers kéepe it for themselues and spend it at their pleasures not letting much goe out of their fingers as for the dressing of their meate wood pots and pans euery man must make his owne prouision besides all this there is a Clarke and steward for the Kings souldiers that haue their parts by themselues as the saylers haue This is the order and manner of theyr voyage when they sayle vnto the Indies but when they returne againe they haue no more but each man a portion of Bisket and water vntill they come to the Cape de Bona Esperance and from thence home they must make their own prouisions The souldiers that are passengers haue nothing els but frée passage that is roome for a chest vnder hatches and a place for their bed in the or loope and may not come away without the Viceroyes passeport and yet they must haue béene fiue yeres souldiers in the Indies before they can haue licence but the slaues must pay fraught for their bodies custome to the King as in our voyage home againe we will at large declare The 15. of Aprill we espied the Iland of Madera and Porto Sancto where the ships vse to seperate themselues each ship kéeping on his course that they may get before each other into India for their most commodities and to dispatch the sooner whereby in the night and by tides they leaue each others company each following his owne way The 24. of Aprill we fell vpon the coaste of Guinea which beginneth at nine degrées and stretcheth vntill wee come vnder the Equinoctiall where wee haue much thunder lightning and many showers of raine with stormes of wind which passe swiftly ouer yet fall with such force that at euery shower we are forced to strike sayle let the maine yeard fall to the middle of the mast many times cleane down sometimes ten or twelue times eueryday there wee finde a most extreame heate so that all the water in the ship stinketh whereby men are forced to stop their noses when they drinke but when wee are past the Equinoctiall it is good againe the nearer wee are vnto the land the more it stormeth raineth thundreth and calmeth so that most commonly the shippes are at the least two monthes before they can passe the line Then they finde a winde which they name the generall winde and it is a South east winde but it is a side wind and we must alway lie side waies in the wind almost vntill wee come to the cape de Bona Speranza and because that vpon the coast of Brasillia about 18. degrées on the south side lieth great slakes or shallowes which the Portingales call Abraâ—hos that reach 70. miles into the sea on the right side to passe them the ships hold vp most vnto the coast of Guinea and so passe the said Flattes otherwise if they fall too low and keepe inwardes they are constrained to turne againe vnto Portingale and many times in danger to be lost as it hapned to our Admirall Saint Phillip which in the yeare 1582. fell by night vpon the Flats and was in great danger to be lost yet recouered againe sayled backe to Portingale and now this yeare to shunne the Flats shee kept so neare the coast of Guinea that by meanes of the great calmes and raynes shee was forced to driue vp and downe two months together before shee could passe the line came two months after the other ships into India Therefore men must take heed and kéepe themselues from comming too neare the coast to shun the calmes and stormes and also not to hold too farre of thereby to passe the Flats shallowes wherein consisteth the whole Indian Voyage The 15. of May being about fiftie miles beyond the Equinoctiall line Northwardes we espied a French ship which put vs all in great feare by reason that most of our men were sicke as it commonly hapneth in those countries through the excéeding heate further they are for the most part such as neuer haue beene at Sea before that time so that they are not able to do much yet we discharged certaine great shot at him wherewith he left vs after he had played with vs for a smal time and presently lost the sight of him wherewith our men were in better comfort The same day about euening wee discried a great shipâ— which wee iudged to bee of our Fleet as after wee perceiued for it made towards vs to speake with vs and it was the Saint Francisco wherewith wee were glad The â—6 of May wee passed the Equinoctiall line which runneth through the middle of the Iland of Saint Thomas by the coast of Guinea and then wee began to sée the south star and to loose the north star and founde the sunne at twelue of the clocke at noone to be in the north and after that wee had a south east wind called a general wind which in those partes bloweth all the yeare through The 29. of May being Whitsonday the ships of an ancient custome doe vse to chuse an Emperour among themselues and to change all the officers in the ship and to hold a great feast which continueth thrée or foure dayes together which wee obseruing chose an Emperour and being at our banket by meanes of certaine words that passed out of some of their mouthes there fell great strife and contention among vs which procéeded so farre that the tables were throwne downe and lay on the ground and at the least a hundred rapiers drawne without respecting the Captaine or any other for he lay vnder foote and they trod vpon him and had killed each other and thereby had cast the ship away if the Archbishop had not come out of his chaÌ„ber among them willing them to cease wherwith they stayed their hands who presently commaunded euery man on paine of death that all their Rapiers Poynyardes and other weapons should bee brought into his chamber which was done whereby all thinges were pacified the first and principall beginners being punished layd in irons by which meanes they were quiet The 12. of Iune we passed beyond the afore said Flats and shallowes of Brasillia whereof all our men were excéeding glad for thereby we were assured that we should not for that time put backe to Portingale againe as many doe and then the generall wind serued vs vntill wee came to the riuer of Rio de Plata where wee got before the wind to the cape de Bona Speranza The 20. of the same month the S. Fransiscus that so long had kept vs coÌ„pany was againe out of sight and the eleauenth of Iuly after our Master iudged vs to bee about 5â— miles from the cape de Bona Speranza wherefore he was desired by the Archbishop to kéepe in with the land that wee might sée the Cape It was then mistie weather so that as we
finished and standeth right against the first of the vnhabited little Ilands where the ships must come in and is one of the best and strongest built of all the Castles throughout the whole Indies yet haue they but small store of ordinance or munition as also not any souldiers more then the Captaine and his men that dwel therin But when occasion serueth the married Portingales that dwell in the Iland which are about 40. or 50. at the most are all bound to kéepe the Castle for that the Iland hath no other defence then onely that Castle the rest lieth open and is a flat sand Round about within the Castle are certaine whollie accustomed therunto as if they were Horses Moyles or Asses I haue spoken with men that came from thence and haue séen them and affirme it for a truth But returning to our matter of the gouernmement and vsage of the Portingales and their Captaine I say that the Captaine maketh the commoditie of his place within thrée yeares space that hee remaineth there which amounteth to the value of 300. thousand Duckets that is nine tunnes of golde as while we remained there the Captaine named Nuno Velio Perena himselfe shewed vs and it is most in gold that commeth from Sofala Monomotapa as I said before from Mossambique they carrie into India Gold Ambergris Eben wood and Iuorie and many slaues both men and women which are carried thether because they are the strongest Moores in all the East couÌ„tries to doe their filthiest and hardest labor wherein they onely vse them They sayle from thence into India but once euery year in the month of August till half September because that throughout the whole countries of India they must sayle with Monssoyns that is with the tides of the year which they name by the windes which blow certaine monthes in the yeare whereby they make their account to goe and come from the one place to the other the time that men may commonly sayle betwéene Mossambique and India is 30. dayes little more or lesse and then they stay in India till the month of Aprill when the winde or Monssoyn commeth againe to serue them for Mossambique so that euery yeare once there goeth and commeth one shippe for the Captaine that carrieth and bringeth his marchandise and no man may traffique from thence into India but only those that dwel and are married in Mossambique for that such as are vnmarried may not stay there by speciall priuiledge from the King of Portingall graunted vnto those that inhabite there to the end the Island should be peopled and therby kept and maintained Behind Mossambique lyeth the countrey of Prester Iohn which is called by them the countrey of Abexines wherevpon the coast of Mossambique vnto the red sea is commonly called the coast of Abex and diuers men of Prester Iohns land do send men of that country some being slaues and others tree into India which serue for Saylors in the Portingalles shippes that traffique in those countries froÌ„ place to place whose pictures counterfets as also their religioÌ„ maner of liuing and customes doeth hereafter follow in the pictures of India This coast of Abex is also by the Portingalles called the coast of Melinde because that vpon the same coast lyeth a towne and a Kingdome of that name which was the first towne and Kingdome that in the Portingals first discouerie of those countries did receiue them peaceably without treason or deceit and so to this day doth yet continue Wee stayed at Mossambique for the space of 15. dayes to prouide fresh water and victuails for the supplying of our wants in the which time diuers of our men fel sicke and died by reason of the vnaccustomed ayre of the place which of it selfe is an vnholsome land and an euill aire by meanes of the great and vnmeasurable heat The 20. of August wee set saile with all our companie that is our foure shippes of one fléete that came from Portingall and a shippe of the Captaines of Mossambique whose thrée yeares were then finished his name was Don Pedro de Castro in whose place the aforesaide Nuno Velio Pereira was then come The said Captain Don Pedro returned w t his wife family again into India for that the Kinges commandement and ordinance is that after the expiration of their thrée yeares office they must yet stay thrée years more in India at the commandement of the Vice Roy of India in the kings seruice at their owne charges before they must returne into Portingall vnlesse they bring a speciall patent from the King that after they haue continued thrée yeares in their office they may returne into Portingal againe which is very seldome séene vnlesse it be by speciall fauour and likewise no man may trauell out of India vnlesse hee haue the Vice Royes Pasport and without it they are not suffred to passe for it is very narrowly looked into The 24. of August in the morning wée descryed two Islandes which are called Insula de Comora and Insula de Don Ian de Castro The Islande Comora lyeth distant from Mossambique 60. miles Northwardes vnder 11. degrées on the South side is a very high land so high that in a whole dayes saile with a good winde wee could not lose the sight therof the same day the shippes seperated themselues againe according to the ancient manner for the occasions aforesaid The third of September we once againe passed the Equinoctiall line which runneth betwéene Melinde and Braua townes lying vppon the coast of Abex and the line is froÌ„ Mossambique Northwards 230. miles and from the line to the Cape de Quardafum are 190. miles and lyeth vnder 12. degrées on the North side of the Equinoctiall vpon this coast betwéene Mossambique and the Cape de Guardafum lyeth these townes Quiloa in time past called Rapta Mombassa which is a towne situate in a little Island of the same name which sheweth a farre off to be high sandie downes and hath a hauen with two fortes to defende it Melinde Pate Braua and Magadoxo each being a kingdome of it selfe holding the lawe of Mahomet the people are somewhat of a sallower colour then those of Mossambique with shining hayre gouerning their Citties after the manner of the Arabians and other Mahometanes This corner or Cape of Guardafum is the ende of the coast of Abex or Melinde and by this cape East Northeast 20. miles within the Sea lyeth the rich Island called Socotora where they find Aloes which taketh the name of the Islande being called Aloe Socotorina and is the verie best being close and fast and from thence is it carried and conueyed into al places By this corner and Island beginneth the mouth or enterance of the â—streito de Mecka for that within the same vpon the coast of Arabia lyeth the citie of Mecka where the body of Mahomet hangeth in the ayre in an iron chest vnder a sky made of Adamant stone which is greatly sought vnto
visited by many Turkes and Arabians This entery is also called the redde sea not that the water is redde but onely because there are certain redde hilles lying about the same that yéeld redde marble stones and because the sand in some places is redde it is the same sea which Moyses with the children of Israel passed through on dry land From the hooke or cape de Guardafum which lesseneth and is narrow inwardes towardes Sues in time past called Arsinoe which is the vttermost town where the narrownesse or straight endeth are 360. miles and from thence ouer land to the Mediterranean sea in Italie are 90. myles the straight or narrownes is in the entraÌ„ce also within the broadest place 40. miles and in some places narrower it hath also diuers Islands and on the one side inwarde by Sues Northward Arabia deserta on the other side south ward Aegipt where the riuer Nilus hath her course and somewhat lower towardes the Indian seas Arabia Felix and on the other side right against it the countrey of Abexynes or Prester Iohns land vpon the hooke or corner of Arabia Felix the Portingals in time past helde a fort called Aden but nowe they haue none whereby at this present the Turks come out of the straight or mouth of the redde sea with Gallies that are made in Sues and doe much hurt and iniurie vppon the coast of Abex or Melinde as when time serueth we shall declare Hauing againe passed the line we had the sight of the North Star whereof vpon the coast of Guinea from the Island of S. Thomas vntill this tyme wee had lost the fight The 4. of September wee espyed a shippe of our owne fléete and spake with him it was the S. Francisco which sayled with vs till the 7. day and then left vs. The 13. of September wee saw an other shippe which was the S. Iacob which sailed out of sight again and spake not to vs. The 20. of September we perceiued many Snakes swimming in the sea being as great as Eeles and other thinges like the scales of fish which the Portingals call Vintijns which are halfe Ryalles of siluer Portingall money because they are like vnto it these swimme and driue vpon the sea in great quantities which is a certain sign token of the Indian coast Not long after with great ioy we descried land and found ground at 47. fâ—dome déepe being the land of Bardes which is the vttermost ende and corner of the enterie of the Riuer Goa of being about thrée miles from the Citie it is a high land where the shippes of India do anker and vnlade and from thence by boates their wares are carryed to the towne That day we ankered without in the sea about thrée miles from the land because it was calme and the fludde was past yet it is not without danger and hath round about a faire and fast land to anker in for as then it beganne in those places to be summer The 21. being y e next day there came vnto vs diuers boats called Almadias which borded vs bringing w t theÌ„ all maner of fresh victuailes from the land as fresh bread fruit some of them were Indians that are christened there came likewise a Galley to fetch the Archbishoppe and brought him to a place called Pangijn which is in the middle way betwéene Goa and the roade of Bardes and lyeth vpon the same Riuer Here hee was welcommed and visited by the Vice Roy of India named Don Francisco Mascarenias and by all the Lordes and Gentlemen of the countrey as well spirituall as temporall The Magistrates of the towne desired him to stay there ten or twelue dayes while preparation might bee made to receiue him with triumph into the cittie as their manner is which hee granted them The same day in the afternoone we entred the Riuer into the roade vnder the lande of Bardes being the 21. of September Anno 1583. being fiue monthes and 13. dayes after our putting forth of the Riuer of Lisbone hauing stayed 15. daies at Mosambique which was one of the spéediest and shortest voyages that in many yeares before and since that time was euer performed There we founde the shippe named Saint Laurence which arriued there a day before vs The 22. day the S. Iacob came thither and the next day after arriued the S. Francis There dyed in our shippe 30. persons among the which some of them were slaues and one high Dutchman that had beene one of the King of Spaines garde euery man had beene sicke once or twice and let bloode This is commonly the number of men that ordinarily dyed in the ships sometimes more sometimes lesse About ten or twelue years since it chaunced that a Vice Roy for the King named Ruy Lorenso Detauora sayled for India that had in his shippe 1100. men and there happened a sicknes among them so that there dyed thereof to the number of 900. and all throwne ouer borde into the sea before they came to Mosambique the Vice Roy himselfe being one Which was an extraordinarie sicknesse and it is to be thought that the great number of men in the ship were the cause of bréeding the same therefore in these dayes the shippes take no more so many men into them for that with the number they carrie they haue stinking ayre and filth enough to clense within the shippe The 30. of September the Archbishoppe my maister with great triumph was brought into the towne of Goa and by the Gentlemen and Rulers of the countrey led vnto the cathedrall Church singing Te Deum laudamus and after many ceremonies and auncient customes they conuayed him to his pallace which is close by the Church The 20. of Nouember our Admirall S. Phillip arriued at Cochin without staying to land in any place hauing indured much miserie by the meanes before rehearsed hauing béene seuen monthes and twelue daies vnder saile The last of the same month of Nouember the shippes sayled from Goa to the coast of Malabar and Cochin there to receiue their lading of Pepper and other spices some take in their lading on the coast of Malabar as at Onor Mangator Cananor c. and some at Cochin which can alwayes lade two shippes with Pepper Cochin lyeth from Goa Southwarde about 90. miles The shippes vnlade all their Portingall commodities in Goa where the Marchantes and Factors are resident and from thence the ships do sayle along the coast to take in their lading in Pepper and to Cochin as it is said before Each shippe doeth commonly lade eyght thousande Quintales of Pepper little more or lesse Portingall waight euery Quintale is 128. pound Then they come to Cochin whither the Factors also do trauell and lade in them Cloues Sinamon and other Indian wares as in my voyage homewarde I will particularly declare together with the manner of the same In the monthes of Ianuary and Februarie Anno 1584. the shippes with their lading returned from Cochin some before
some after towards Portingall with whom my brother went because of his office in the shippe and I stayed with my maister in India certaine yeares to sée and learne the maners and customes of the said lands people fruites wares and merchandises with other thinges which when time serueth I wil in truth set downe as I my selfe for the most parte haue séene it with mine eyes and of credible persons both Indians and other inhabiters in those Countries learned and required to know as also the report and fame thereof is nowe sufficiently spread abroade throughout the world by diuers of our neighbour countries and landes which traffique and deale with them namely our countrey the East Countries England Fraunce c. which likewise are founde and knowne by the Portingalles themselues which dayly trafficke thither But before I beginne to describe Goa and the Indies concerning their manners traffiques fruites wares and other thinges the better to vnderstande the situation of the Countrey and of the coasts lying on the East side to the last and highest part of the borders of China which the Portingales haue trauelled and discouered together with their Ilandes I will first set downe a briefe note of the Orientall coastes beginning at the redde or the Arabian sea from the towne of Aden to Chinae and then the description of the coastes before named Chapter 5. The description of the coast of Arabia Felix or the red Sea to the Iland and fortresse of Ormus ADen is the strongest and fairest towne of Arabia Felix situate in a valley compassed about vpon the one side with strong mines on the other side with high mountaines there are in it fiue Castles laden with Ordinance and a continuall Garrison kept therein because of the great number of shippes that sayle before it the Towne hath about 6000. houses in it where the Indians Persians Aethiopians and Turkes doe trafique and because the Sunne is so extreame hotte in the daye time they make most of their bargaines by night About a stones cast from the towne there is a hill with a great Castle standing thereon wherein the Gouernor dwelleth In times past this towne stoode vpon the firme land but nowe by the labour industrie of man they haue made it an Iland Aden lieth on the North side at the entrie of the red Sea on the coast of Arabia Felix or fruitfull Arabia and reacheth 60. miles more inwards then the corner or Cape de Guardafum the farthest part or corner of Abex or Melinde as I said before but the coast of Arabia which taketh the beginning from Aden is much more inwarde Aden lieth vnder 13. degrées on the North side and from thence the coast lyeth Northeast and by East till you come to Cape de Rosalgate which lyeth vnder 22. degrées and is the further corner of the lande of Arabia Felix lying on the Indian Sea which is distant from Aden 240. miles the towne of Aden standeth by the hill called Darsira which men affirme to bee onely Cliffes of hard stones and red Marble where it neuer rayneth The people of this coast of Arabia are tawnie of colour almost like those of the coast of Abex or Melinde frō that Countrie they bring great numbers of good horses into India and also Frankensence Mirhe Balsam Balsam woode and fruite and some Manna with other swéete wares and Spices they hold the law of Mahomet after the Persians manner From the Cape of Rosalgate inwardes following the coast North-west to the Cape de Moncado in times past named Albora are 70. miles This point lyeth right against the Iland Ormus vnder 26. degrées There beginneth the entrance of the straights of Persia called Sinus Persicus and the Iland Ormus lyeth betwéene them both hauing on the one side Arabia and on the other side Northward the Countrie of Persia and is in breadth 20. miles From the Cape de Moncadon coasting the Arabian shore inwardes to the Iland of Barem are 80. miles and lyeth vnder 26. degrées a halfe There the Captaine of Ormus being a Portingal hath a factor for the King and there they fish for the best Pearles in all the East Indies and are the right orientall Pearle Coasting along this shore from Barem inwardes to the farthest and outermost corner of Persia or Sinus Persicus lyeth the towne of Balsora which are 60. miles this Towne lyeth vnder 30. degrées and a little about it the two ryuers Tigris and Euphrates do méete and ioyne in one and runne by Bassora into the aforesaide Sinus Persicus Thereabout do◠yet appeare the decayed buildings and auncient Ruines of old Babylon and as many learned men are of opinion thereabout stoode the earthly Paradice From the towne of Balsora the coast runneth againe Northward towards Ormus which is vnder the Dominion of the Persian this Sinus Persicus is about 40. miles broad not much more nor much lesse and hath diuers Ilands and in the mouth therof lyeth the rich Iland Ormus where the Portingales haue a Forte and dwell altogether in the I le among the naturall borne countrimen and haue a Captaine and other officers euery thrée yeares as they of Mossambique Chapter 6. Of the Iland and Towne of Ormus ORmus lyeth vpon the Iland Geru in times past called Ogyris and it is an Iland and a kingdom which the Portingales haue brought vnder their subiection whereas yet their King hath his residence that is to saye without the towne where the Portingales inhabite These people obserue Mahomets law and are white like the Persians And there they haue a common custome that he which is King doth presently cause al his brethren and his kinsmen of the Male kinde to haue their eyes put forth which done they are all richly kept and maintained during their liues for that there is a law in Ormus that no blinde man may bee their King nor Gouernour ouer them Therefore the King causeth them all to haue their eyes put out so to be more secure in their gouernmentes as also to auoide all strife and contention that might arise and to hold and maintaine their countrey in peace The Island is about thrée miles great very full of cliffes and rockes and altogether vnfruitfull It hath neyther gréene leafe nor hearbe in it nor any swéete water but onely rockes of salte stones whereof the walles of their houses are made it hath nothing of it selfe but only what it fetcheth from the firme lande on both sides as well out of Persia as from Arabia and from the Towne of Bassora but because of the situation and pleasantnes of the Iland there is al things therein to bee had in great abundance and greate traffique for that in it is the staple for all India Persia Arabia and Turkie and of all the places and Countries about the same commonly it is full of Persians Armenians Turkes and all nations as also Venetians which lie there to buy Spices and precious stones that in great abundance are brought
hath likewise a market euery day where all kind of thinges are to be bought as in Cananor but in greater quantities The land of Cochin is an Island and it is in many places compassed about and through the Isle with small Riuers Right ouer against Cochin Northwarde lyeth an other Island called Vaypiin which is likewise compassed about with water like the fortresse of Cranganor all these landes and Countries are low and flat land like the Countrie of Holland but haue no ditches nor downes but onely the flat shore vpon the Sea side and within the shore the Strand of the ryuer nor without any high ground or shelters and so it still continueth The Countrie is verye great and pleasant to behold full of woodes and trees it hath also woods of Cinamon trées which are called Canella de Maâ—es that is wilde CinamoÌ„ which is not so good as the Cinamon of Seyloâ— for when the Cinamon of Seyloâ— is worth 1â—0 Pardaâ—eÌ„ or Dollers that Cinamon is worth but 5 or 3â— Pardaâ—wen and is likewise forbidden â—o bee carried into Portingale notwithstanding There is euery yeare great quantitie thereof shipped but it is entred in the Custome bookes for Cinamon of Seylon whereby they pay the King his full Custome for the best Cochin hath also much Pepper and can euery yeare lade two ships full other shippes lade along the coast at the fortresse aforesaid vse to come vnto Cochin after they haue discharged all their Portingal wares and Marchandises at Goa and thether also come the Factors and Marchants and lade their wares as in my Voyage homewards I will declare Without Cochin among the Malabares there dwelleth also diuers Moores that belieue in Mahomet and many Iewes that are very rich and there liue fréely without being hindred or impeached for their religion as also the Mahometans with their churches which they cal Mesquiten the Bramanes likewise which are the Spiritualitie of the Malabares Indians haue their Idols and houses of Diuels which they call Pagodes These thrée nations doe seuerally holde maintaine their lawes and ceremonies by them selues and liue friendly and quietly together kéeping good pollicie and iustice each nation béeing of the Kinges counsell with his Naires which are his gentilmen and nobilitie so that when any occasion of importaunce is offered then al those thrée nations assemble themselues together wherein the King putteth his trust of the which King and his Naires Malabare and Baâ—amenes c. with their maners customes aparrell Idols pagodes and ceremonies in an other place I will shewe you more at large together with their pictures couÌ„terfetes and for this time I cease to speake thereof wil procéede in the description of the coasts which I haue already beguÌ„ From Cochin to Coulon are 12. myles and lyeth vnder 9 degrées it is also a fortresse of the Portingals where likewise euery yere they lade a ship with pepper from Couâ—on to the cape de Comori are 20. myles this corner lieth full vnder 7. degrées a half which is the end of the coast of Malabar of India The 12. Chapter The description of the kings the diuision of the land and coast of Malabar and their originall TO vnderstand the gouernment and diuisions of the laÌ„d of Malabar you must know that in tymes past but long sithence the whole land of Mâ—labar was ruled by one King being then but one kingdome where now are manie and as the Malabares saye the last king that ruled the whole couÌ„try alone was named Sarama Perimal in whose time the Arabian Mahometanes much frequented the couÌ„trie of Malabar because of the great trafique of Spices which as then were sent from thence to the red sea and so conueyed into all places of the world Those Arabians by their subtilties delt in such manner with the King that they perswaded him and many of his couÌ„try to beleue in the lawe of Mahomet as they did almost throughout whole India and other orientall couÌ„tries and Ilands which is one of the principalest occasions why they can hardly be brought to beleue in Christ but rather seeke by all meanes to ouerthrowe the Christians and to fight against the Portingales in those countries as in the Portingal Chronicles and Histories of the first discouery and conquest of the Indies is at large described But returning to our matter this King Sarama was so déepely rooted in his new sect of Mahometes law that he determined in him selfe to leaue his kingdome and goe on pilgrimage to Mecca to see Mahomets graue and there to ende his lyfe in so holy an exercise thinking thereby to be saued which in the end he brought to effect And because he had neither childreÌ„ nor heyres to possesse his kingdome he deuided the same among his chiefest best seruaÌ„ts frieÌ„ds giuing to one Cochin to an other Cananor to the third Chale to the fourth Coulon c. and so he delt with all the other places of his dominions making euery one of those places a kingdome The town of Calicut he gaue to one of his best beloued seruaÌ„ts together with the title of Samoriin which is as much to say as Emperour and chief of al the rest and commanded that they should all acknowledge him as their Soueraigne and they his vassalles and at his commandement whereby euen vntill this time the King of Calicut holdeth the name of Samoriin with the commandement and authoritie ouer the other kings throughout the whole countrie of Malabar by such means as you haue heard before which done the king weÌ„t on pilgrimage to Mecca wher he ended his dayes and the Samoriin with the other kings continued each man in his newe kingdome whose successors vntill this day doe continue and gouerne the said kingdomes onely the Samoriin is somewhat imbased and the king of Cochin exalted since the Portingals ariued in the Indies as it is said before These Malabares are excellent good soldiours and goe naked both men and women onely their priuy members couered and are the principallest enemies that the Portingals haue and which doe them most hurt and although commonlie they haue peace with the Samoriin and hold so many forts vpon the land as you haue heard before yet the Malabares haue their hauens as Chale Calicut Cunhale Panane and others from whence with boates they mak roads into the sea and doe great mischief making many a poore merchant The Samoriin likewise when the toy taketh him in the head breaketh the peace that by the counsell of the Mahometanes who in all things are enemies to the Christians séeke to do them mischief and because of the Malabares inuasions the Portingall fléet is forced euery yeare to put forth of Goa in the summer-time to kéepe the coast and to preserue the merchants that trauaill those couÌ„tries from y e Malabars for that the most traffique in India is in Foists like galleyes wherein they traffique from the one place to the other which is
India thether but also by the Peguans themselues whereof many dwell in India some of them being Christians which tell it and confesse it for a truth as also the neerenesse of place and neighbourhood maketh it sufficiently knowne The people of Aracan Pegu and Sian are in forme manner and visage much like those of China onely one difference they haue which is that they are somewhat whiter then the Bengalon and somewhat browner then the men of China The pictures songs after their manner whereby they are wondred at which maketh them proude and hee that dwelleth in India and can not speake the Malayans speach wil hardly with vs learne the French tongue their forme and figures are heere set downe together with those of the Ilands of Iaua whereof hereafter we will speake more The 19. Chapter Of the Iland of Sumatra in times past called Taprobana SVMATRA INSVLA RIght ouer against Malacca Southeast about 20. miles from the firme land by Malacca wher the straight is at the narrowest lieth the â—amous Ilande of Taprobana now called Sumatra by some Historiographers named Chersoneâ—o Aurea others affirme it to be Ophir from whence Salomon had his Golde as the Scripture rehearseth and say that in times past it was firme land and ioyned vnto the Countrie of Malacca The Iland beginneth from the first pointe which lyeth right against the Gulfe of Bengala vnder fiue degrees on the North side and stretcheth also before Malacca South Southeast vntill it passeth by the Iland called Iaua Maior where it endeth vnder 6. degrées on the South side and is in length 170 miles and in breadth 60. miles The Portingals dwell not therein in any place but deale and trafique in some places thereof yet very few for that the inhabitants themselues doe bring many of their commodities vnto Malacca Malachae incolae sermone et moribus quam reliqui Indi cultioribus et magis comes In woonders van Mallacka welcke alle andere Indianen in taele courtosije en amoreushcÿt te boven gaen Insulanus e Iava gens durae cervicis Een cÿlander wt â—ava welcks volck is hart neckich en opstinaet The Iland is very rich of mynes of Gold Siluer Brasse whereof they make greate Ordinance precious stones and other mettall of all kinde of Spices sweete woode rootes and other medicinable Herbes and Drugges it hath a hill of Brimstone that burneth continually and they saye there is a fountaine which runneth pure simple Balsame it hath likewise great store of Silke At the last besieging and troubles of Malacca the Kinge of Acheijn sent a péece of Ordinance such as for greatnes length and workmanship the like is hardly to bee found in all Christendome which hee gaue in marriage with his daughter to the King of Ior a town lying by Malacca vpon the coast of Sian but this péece with his daughter were taken vpon the way by the Portingals and brought into Malacca which péece was after laden in the Ship that sayleth euery yeare from Malacca to Portingale and sent vnto the King for a present being so heauie that they were forced to lay it in the Balast of the ship The same péece lyeth at this present in the I le of Tarcera because the said shippe stayed there being in our companie as I returned out of India also the Towne of Ior vpon the same occasion was by the Portingals besieged and at the last wonne and by them rased to the ground and for euer made wast wherin they found about 150. Brasse péeces smal great some of them beeing no greater then a Musket and some greater and so of all sorts verie cunningly wrought with Flowers and personages which I haue purposely set down to let you know that they haue other kindes of Mettals and know howe to handle them But returning to our matter There are some places in this Iland where the Portingales doe traffique which are those that vse to traffique to Malacca as a Towne called Pedir which lyeth 20. miles from Achejin vppon the coast right ouer against Malacca from whence commeth much Pepper and Golde from an other place called Campar which lyeth almost vnder the Equinoctiall line vppon the corner on the South side on the same side on the West coast of the Iland lyeth a place called Manancabo where they make Poinyards which in India are called Cryses which are very well accounted and estéemed of and is thought the best weapon in all the Orient whereof those of Iaua Malacca do make gret prouision for theÌ„selus The 20. Chapter Of the Iland of Iaua Maior with their wares Marchandises and trades waights myntes and prices thereof with other particularities IAVA MAIOR SOuth Southeast right ouer against the last point or corner of the I le of Sumatra on the south side of the Equinoctiall line lyeth the Iland called Iaua Maior or great Iaua where there is a straight or narrow passage betweene Sumatra and Iaua called the straight of Sunda of a place so called lying not far from thence within the I le of Iaua this Iland beginneth vnder â— degrées on the south side and runneth east and by south 150 miles long but touching the breadth it is not found because as yet it is not discouered nor by the Inhabitants themselues well knowne Some thinke it to be firme land and parcell of the countrie called Terra incognita which being so shoulde reach from that place to the Cape de Bona speraÌ„ce but as yet it is not certainly known therefore it is accouÌ„ted for an Iland the inhabitants say that within the land there is a Riuer wherin if any wood doth fal it turneth into stone Through this straight or narrowe passage Thomas Candish an Inglish captaine passed with his Ship as he came out of the south parts from Noua Spaigne This Iland aboundeth with Rice and all manner of victuals as oxen kyne hogges shéepe and hennes c. also Onyons Garlicke Indian nuttes and with al kind of Spices as cloues Nutmegges and mace which they carry vnto Malacca The principall hauen in the Iland is Sunda Calapa whereof the straight beareth the name in this place of SuÌ„da there is much Pepper and it is better then that of India or Malabar wherof there is so great quantitie that they could lade yearlie from thence 4 or 5 thousand kintales Portingale waight it hath likewise much frankinsence Beniom of Bonien called Folie Camphora as also Diamantes to which place meÌ„ might very well traffique without any impeachment for that the Portingales come not thether because great numbers of Iaua come themselues vnto Malacca to sell their wares And although it be besyde the matter yet doe I not esteeme it vnnecessary in briefe to shewe in what sort they vse to buy sell and deall with ware money and waight seing we are now in hand with the said Iland of Iaua You must vnderstand that in Sunda there is no other kind of money then certaine copper mynt called
Caixa of the bignes of a HollaÌ„des doite but not half so thicke in the middle whereof is a hole to hang it on a string for that commonlie they put two hundreth or a thowsand vpon one string wherewith they knowe how to make their accounts which is as followeth 200 Caixas is a Sata and â— Satas are 1000 Caixas which is as much as a Crusado Portingale money or 3 Keysars guilders Netherlandish money Pepper of Sunda is solde by the sacke and each sacke wayeth 45 Catten waight of China euerie Catte is as much as 20 Portingale ounces and euerie sacke is worth as it is solde there 5000 Caixas and when it is at the highest 6 or 7 thowsand Caixas Mace Cloues nutmegges white and blaâ—k Beniamin Camphora are solde by the Bhar each Bhar of Sunda weigheth 330 Catten of China Mace that is good is commonlie worthe 100 or 120 thowsand Caixas and good Cloues after the rate but bad or foule Cloues of Baston are worth 70 or 80 thowsand Caixas the Bhar Nutmegges are commonly worth 20 or 25 thowsand Caixas the Bhar white and black Benioin is worthe 150 and 180 thowsand Caixas 200 thousand the Bhar The wares that are there by them desired in barter for their spices are as hereafter followeth diuers and different sorts and colours of cotton lynnen which come out of Cambaia Choramandel and Bengala as Sarasles de Gâ—baâ—es and painted Tapen from S. Thomas of fyue elles the péece they are clothes so called out of Bengala white Cotton lynnen viz Sarampuras Cassas Sateposas blacke Satopasen and some browne vnbleached lynnen out of Cambaia black Cannequiins red Turiaes which are all clothes of cotton lynnen red Beyramen great and litle which is verie like vnto Cambricke and I am perswaded if Clothe of Holland were there to be soulde it would be more estéemed then Cotton lynnen out of India These Iauens are of a verie fretfull and obstinate Nature of colour much like the Malayers brown and not much vnlike the men of Brasilla strong and well set big limmed flatte faces broad thicke chéekes great eyebrowes smal eyes little beard not past 3 or 4 hayres vpon the vpper lippe the chinne the hayre on their heades very thyn and short yet as blacke as pitche whose picture is to be séen by the picture of the Mâ—layen of Malacca because they dwell trafficke much together Returning againe vnto the coast East by south about 25 miles beyond Iaua Maior beginneth the IlaÌ„d of Iaua Minor or litle Iaua and somewhat further the Iland Tâ—or wher sanders groweth in great abundance and a thousand other Ilands bordering all about which I can not particularly set down yet are they all inhabited and full of people and are like the Iauer From Malacca they trauell to the Ilandes of Molucca Banda Amboyna where the Portingales haue both sorts captaines and trafficke with them their way is from Malacca south east and by south aboue 100 miles betwéene many Ilands and thâ—â—ugh many shallowes so that they must anker euerie night to auoyd danger of sandes which continueth almost all the waye to Molâ—cca and hauing in that sort passed those hundreth miles they set their course eastward and east and by north 250 miles to the Iland called Banda which lyeth vnder 5 degrées on the south side In this Iland the Portingales doe trafficke for in it are the best Nutmegges Flowers There likewise they doe preserue nutmegges and make oyle thereof which is brought to Malacca and from thence into all other places the trafficke there consisteth most in bartering as it doth in SuÌ„da Iaua but they are not to be trusted you must kéep good watch and goe not on land but stay abord the shippe whether the Ilanders bring their marchandises and deale with men as I said before for it happeneth diuers times that they deceaue the Portingales which trust them ouer much for that one of my acquaintance and my friend being there for captaine in a shippe the shippe being cast away vpon that coast was with all his men taken put in prison where for the space of two yeares he indured a most miserable life and in the end was ransomed All these voyages to Banda Moluca those Ilands and also any other way whatsoeuer in India may no man make without licence and speciall fauour of the King of Portingall and their offices are giuen them in recompence of their seruice in the Indies as also all other offices as in an other place shall be declared About 20 miles beyond Banda North west lieth the Iland called Amboyna where the Portingales haue a small for t this Iland hath not much spice but the shippes that sayle from Malacca to Maluco doe stay there and take in fresh water From this Iland Northwarde 70 miles lyeth the Iland Tydor vnder one degrée â—th and iâ— the first Iland of the Molucaâ— â—xe miles northward lyeth Malaco not farre thence Tarnate and the Ilands of Cloues The 21. Chapter Of the Iland of Malucâ— THe Ilandes of Maluco are fiue viz. Maluco Tarnate Tydor Geloulo and an other where the Portingales haue 2 forts that is in Tarnate and Tydor which long since were discouered and wonne where they trafficke from Malacca out of India The Spaniards haue sought diuers meanes to haue traffique there and came from thence out of Noua Spaigne into the Iland called Tarnate where in a storme they lost their shippe and so could not get from thence againe whereby they were by the Portingales most of them slayne and the rest taken and sent prisoners into Portingale whereupon the King of Spaine and Portingale had a long quarrell and contention touching the diuision of their Conquests and discouery of the seas which by the Popes meanes at the last was ended in such sort that at this present onely the Portingale trafickes to those Ilands These Ilands haue no other spice then cloues but in so great abundance that as it appeareth by them the whole world is filled therewith In this Iland are found â—ie hilles they are very dry burnt land they haue nothing els but victuals of flesh and fish but for Rice Corne Onyons Garlicke and such like and all other necessaries some are brought from Portingale and some from other places thereabout which they take and barter for cloues The bread which they haue there of their owne baking is of wood or rootes like the men of Brasillia and their cloathes are of wouen strawe or herbes faire to the eye in these Ilands onlie is found the bird which the Portingales call passaros de Sol that is Fowle of the Sunne the Italians call it Manu codiatas the Latinists Paradiseas by vs called Paradice birdes for y e beauty of their feathers which passe al other birds these birds are neuer séene aliue but being dead they are found vpon the Iland they flie as it is said alwaies into the Sunne and kéepe themselues
whole kingdome are fairely paued and all along euen and smoth till you come to the hils and the entrance or Frontespicio of the Citties verie costly and workmanly built with thrée or foure Gates one by the other all stricken ouer full of Iron and the stréetes within the Citties and Villages very fairely paued and playned as straight as a line and euen in breadth so that if you stand at the ende of a stréete you may sée to the other ende by reason of the straightnes bee it neuer so long At the end of euery stréete are certaine Vaults made wherein are wares and marchandises of all costly things and prices that man can wish or desire Ouer euery stréete there are diuers Arches made of stone verie finely and cunningly Painted which are set in the stréetes because that all their feasâ—es pâ—ayes and spirituall ceremonies are done by night and then those Arches are placed full of lights and Torches which maketh a goodly shew The houses commonly haue three doores to goe in at whereof that in the middle is the greatest the other somewhat lesse they are commonly low without Sellers vnder grouÌ„d but within very large and broad with great roomes and faire Gardens full of all pleasure and delight The towne where the King is resident is called Xuntien or Taybjin which some men call Quinzay this name Xuntien is as much to say in Chinish speach as heauenly Cittie and lyeth in the Prouince of Paguia of the greatnesse whereof they write wonders for they affirme that within the walles the Towne is as long from the one end to the other as a man on horsebacke may ride vpon a day with a thousand other wonders which for breuitie I omit In this town the King hath his Palace with all pleasures that may or can bee deuised both for him selfe his wiues and his Courte His wiues little or neuer goe abroad so that they are seldome or neuer séene thereby to maintaine their authoritie as also fearing that any mischiefe should happen vnto them there are not in all the countrie any Noble men of name or title as Earles Dukes Viscounts or such like nor that haue any vassales commandements Iurisdictions or proprieties to themselues other then such as are giuen by the King and when they die it returneth againâ— vnto the King and if hee wil he may take it from the children but commonly hee letteth them haue it so they be fit for the place and that with a new giâ—â— and bond to serue the King In all the principall townes where the Viceroyes or Gouernours hold their states there hangeth a picture of the King couered with a Curtaine of cloth of Golde whereunto all Officers Commaunders Loiâ—as Mandorijns c. dayly resort and doe it all reuerence and honour such as belongeth to a King of such estate as if the King himselfe were there in person the Kings title is King and Lord of the world and Sonne of heauen No man throughout all China may beare any weapons nor yet haue them in his house but such as are appointed thereunto and receiue the Kings pay as souldiers whose children succeed their fathers in their places The men of China are great and cunning workemen as may well bee séene by the workmanship that commeth from thence They make and vse waggons or Cartes with sayles like Boates and with wheeles so subtilly made that being in the fielde they goe and are driuen forwards by the winde as if they were in the water they are verie wittie in buying and selling All the traders that kéepe shops haue a Table hanging at their doores wherein is written euery kind of ware they haue to sell All Officers or handicrafts men haue either of them a streete alone and dwell by themselues and their children must vse the like trade after their Fathers deaths whether they were souldiers Iustices or Gouernours When any man is very rich he is licenced not to work notwithstanding he must keepe workmen and keepe open shoppe the money that is vsed throughout all China is Golde and Siluer vnstamped but cut in smal peeces to the value of a penie and so receiued by waight and in like sorte payed Also all wares of what sort soeuer they bee not so much as Hennes Géese Fish and such like but are bought and solde by waight They haue one wife which they call their lawfull wife and as many other as they can well maintaine the sonne of the lawfull wife inheriteth most part of their goods and that which remaineth is equally deuided among the other children they marrie with whome they will except it be with their Sisters or their Vncles children The Bridegrome before he fetcheth the Bride home to his house must indowe her with certaine goods which he giueth to the Bride her selfe and shee giueth them vnto her Father or mother in recompence of their charges for bringing her vp in her youth which done shee goeth home with the Bridegrome and the parents may do what they wil with that which they haue so receiued for their daughters dowrie and spend it as they thinke good and what remaineth thereof after the parents are deade returneth againe vnto the daughter whose husband gaue the same for his wife so that he which hath most daughters is the richest as it is reported by the Pictures heereafter following you may see the forme and manner of those of Câ— as wel men as women as also of the Mandorijns and mightie men or Gouernours as they are carried in the stréetes and goe to sport vppon the ryuers where they refresh themselues with all kinds of dainties The men of China haue manie spéeches but in writing they vnderstand each other in euerie place for they write euerie thing with figures and characters whereof their alphabets are sundrie and innumerable these figures with their paper of diuers colours as also penne and inke you may see at D. Paludanus house so that men had need of a good memorie and long exercise before they can vnderstand them all and read what it is which is the cause that among them such as are learned are so much esteemed Their paper is like that of Auroâ—a but not so white but thinner and smoother they make also of all colors which is very saire they write with pennes of Reedes wherein there sticketh a pensell such as Painters vse Printing painting gun-powder with the furniture thereto belonging haue beene vsed in China many hundreth yeares past and very common so that it is with them out of memorie when they first began Their Chronicles shewe that their first king being a great Nigromancer who raigned manie thousand yeares past did first inuent great ordinance with all things belonging thereunto Printing is likewise very auncient with them for that there are bookes found in those countries of China which were printed at the least fiue or sixe hundreth yeares before printing was in vse with vs in Europe so that it is not founde when
we estéeme our Iewels precious stones And when we aske them why they estéeme them so much they aske vs againe why we estéeme so well of our precious stones iewels whereby there is not any profite to be had and serue to no other vse then only for a shewe that their things serue to some end Their Iustice and gouernment is as followeth Their kings are called Iacatay and are absolutely Lords of the land notwithstanding they kéepe for themselues as much as is necessary for them and their estate and the rest of their land they deuyde among others which are called Cunixus which are like our Earles and Dukes these are appointed by the King and he causeth them to gouerne rule the land as it pleaseth him they are bound to serue the King as well in peace as in warres at their owne cost charges according to their estate and the auncient lawes of Iapan These Cunixus haue others vnder them called Touis which are like our Lords and Lieutenants with whome likewise they deuide and part the land by the king giuen vnto them And these Toms doe yet deuide their parts among their friends such are their soldiers and take an oath to be redie at the commandement of their heads and chief gouernors as wel in peace as in warre at their own proper costes charges euery one must maintayne himself and be content with that part which is allotted vnto him wherewith euerie one of them according to his estate and qualitie may liue well and euerie one of them hath so much power and authoritie ouer those that are vnder him that he may punish banish and put them to death and doe with them if they offend as it best pleaseth him be it with right or with wrong without any appeale or answering before any man this power is not giuen onely to the Gouernors Captaines and Officers ouer their subiects Vassalles and Soldiers vnder their charges gouernments and offices as I said before but also to maisters of houses and fathers ouer their children seruants family so that they may kill beate â—acke hewe theÌ„ as they thinke good and at their pleasures without any resistance or correction for the same The rents and reuenues belonging to the King are very small and are nothing else but rice which is their liuing he hath euery yere onelie 500 thousaÌ„d packes or sackes of Rice and not any other customes rents and reuenues whereof he giueth to 10 or 12 Cunixuâ— each man 30 or 40 thousand sackes the rest is for his owne costes and charges to the maintenance of his estate and the Cunixus must distribute of their parts among the Toms and the Toms among the soldiers wherewith they maintaine themselues euery man in his estate Their spéech is different from the Chinish so that they vnderstand not each other but in writing they differ not for that they vse all the self same figures and characters they vse likewise manie kindes of vowels and in their writing manie courteous spéeches to euery man according to his estate calling with seuerall titles words whereby their spéech is hardly to be learned by a straunger Their religion is much like vnto those of China they haue their Idolles and their ministers which they call Bonses and hold them in great estimation but since the time of the Iesuites being among them there haue bene diuers baptised and become Christians which daylie doe increase among the which were 3 Kings that is the king of BuÌ„go which is one of the principallest kings of Iapan although there are many in the countrie wherewith the Portingales as yet haue had no conference the second the King of Arryma the third the King of Omura Those thrée Kings sent their sonnes and Nephewes with the Iesuites into India from thence to trauell into Portingale and so to Rome to submit themselues vnto the Pope and departing out of Iapan in anno 1582. they ariued in India in the citie of Goa An. 1583. the same yeare that I ariued in India so that we found them yet in Goa and the next yeare after they sayled vnto Portingal from thence to Madril where by the king nobles of Spaine they were with great triumph honour welcomed and receiued and presented with many gyftes From thence they trauelled to Rome vnto the Pope who likewise did them great honor and bestowed many presents vpon them as also all the Cardinals and Lords of Italie for that they trauelled throughout all Italie to Florence Venice Ferrara c. which being done they returned againe vnto Madril with letters from Pope Sixtus and some holie reliques of the crosse that Christ died vpon to present the same vnto the Christian Kings of Iapan as an holie present in the end they ariued in India againe during my being there which was in anno 1587 being with great ioy receiued and so set sayle vnto Iapan where they ariued again with great admiration of all the men of Iapan which the Iesuites did to the end as they said the better to moue the Iapans to be christened and to make them knowe the magnificence of the countrie of Europa because they would not beléeue it being shewed them but the principallest cause and intent of the Iesuites was thereby to reape great profit and to get much praise and commendation for that most of the gifts which the princes of Iapan had giuen them fell to their shares they likewise obtained of the Pope and the king of Spaine that no maÌ„ might dwell in Iapan either Portingale or Christian without their licence and consent so that in all Iapan there are no other orders of Munkes Fryers Priests nor any other religious persons remaining or resident there but Iesuites alone They haue onely among them certaine handie crafts men by them brought out of India with whome they haue to doe but for other men as marchants and others they may but goe and come and not stay there without the Iesuites licence They haue almost all the countrie vnder their subiection such I meane as are conuerted to the faith of Christ as well spirituall as temporall making the Iapans beléeue what they list wherby they are honored like gods for that the Iapans make so great account of them that they doe almost pray vnto them as if they were Saints They had obtained so much fauour of the Pope that hee granted them a Bishoppe of their order which is contrarie to their profession who came out of Portingale to be Bishop in Iapon but dyed in the way betwéene Portingale and India Since that they haue procured an other so that to conclude they haue all the praye vnder their clawes As likewise they doe enioy and possesse the principallest places of Religion in all India where they builde most princely houses which no man dareth withstand or refuse them neither any of the Religious orders haue the meanes or wealth to doe the like This
they know full well howe to bring to passe for that there is not any thing from whence they will not sucke or draw out some profit or aduantage or else they haue the slight and cunning how to get it as well from the King and from other Noblemen and estates as also from the common people it séemeth in a manner that they bewitch men with their subtill practises and deuises and are so wel practised and experimented in trade of marchandises that they surpasse all worldly men To conclude there is not any commoditie to be had or reaped thoroughout all India but they haue their part therein so that the other orders and Religious persons as also the common people doe much murmur thereat and séeme to dislike of their couetous humors A little beyond Iapon vnder 34. and 35. degrées not farre from the coast of China lyeth an other great Iland called Insula de Core whereof as yet there is no certaine knowledge neither of the greatnesse of the countrie people nor wares that are there to be found From Makau East Northeast distant aboue 90. miles lye certaine Ilandes called Lequeo Pequeno or little Lequeo and lye about 20. miles distant from the firme land of China and 90. miles farther in the same course lye other Ilands called Lequeo Maior or great Lequeo All these Ilandes are trauelled vnto and inhabited by those of China whereof we will now cease to speake till an other time hauing particularly made a briefe discourse in an other place of all their manners customes wares and marchandises according to the truest instructions I could find and so will returne againe to the description of Goa together with the places bordering about the same The 27. Chapter A short relation of the land lying behind Goa in the iurisdiction whereof lyeth the said towne of Goa and of the Originall of their Kings and Gouernours with their names by true information giuen by the inhabitants themselues together with their Histories BEfore I begin to write of the towne and Ilande of Goa with the coastes superstitions and other customes of the countrie lying behinde and rounde about Goa as well where the Portingales inhabit as where the natiue countrie men are resident I thought it conuenient to begin with the same somwhat further off then at the present time the better to vnderstand the originall of the people together with the principall causes of the diuisions of the same countries and nations as also their Kings names and surnames Then you must vnderstand that about 300. yeares past there was a mightie King of the countrie of Deli which lyeth within the land behind Goa on the Northside and bordereth vpon the land of Coracone belonging to the King of Persia wherein are made the rich Couerlets and hangings by the Portingales called Alcatyffas which land of Deli is verie colde and hath Snow and Ice in it like the Netherlands This king of Deli brought vnder his subiection all the countries bordering about him among the which were Decam Cuncam Ballagate and the lande of Goa At the same time the countrie of Cambaia which is distant from Goa about 100. miles Northward was ouerrunne and taken fâ—rcibly by the Moores Mahometans and brought the naturall countrimen called Reysbutos being heathens with great tyranie vnder their subiection The land of Ballagate and Decam was before inhabited by heathens that were verie mightie and of great power whose successors are now called Venesares and others that yet dwell within the countrie called Colles which Colles Venesares and Reysbutos of Cambaia doe yet liue by robbing and stealing and those of Cambaia pay tribute to the saide Reysbutos because they should not robbe and spoyle them but suffer them to liue in peace The Colles and Venesares also receiue tribute of the men of Decam and Ballagate for that the Kings could neuer as yet ouercome them although they make no shew thereof but still dissemble with them for that of what soeuer they robbe and steale they haue their parts After this King of Deli had brought all these kingdomes and countries vnder his subiection then came the Tartarians which the Indians call Mogoren and ouercame most part of the countrie of Deli. At the same time there dwelt in the kingdome of Bengalen a Noble Gentleman whose brother the King of Bengallen had wrongfully put to death whereby this Gentleman sought and deuised all the meanes hee could to bee reuenged and did not onely bring it to passe by bereauing the King of his life but also tooke the whole kingdome from him and brought it vnder his subiection and being in this sorte become absolute Lord and King of Bengalla was not therewith content but desiring to augment his kingdome and thereby to win great fame did inuade the countrie of Deli bordering vpon him with a great armie of men and by force draue the Tartarians or Mogoros out of the countrie and so conquered both that lande and all the countries bordering thereabouts as Decam Ballagate and Cuncam as farre as to the kingdome of Cambaia and for a time was the greatest Prince in all those quarters For the Indians affirme that hee had in Compasse vnder his subiection aboue 800. miles of land This King raigning for a time ouer al these lands and countries in the end desiring to liue quietly and to returne vnto his kingdom of Bengala thinking it too troublesome for him to rule so great a countrie did inuest one of his cosins with the countries of Decam Ballagate and Cuncam with the land of Goa and the countries bordering about the same which done he returned into his land of Bengala leauing his saide cosin King and commander of the aforesaid countries This man was alwaies a great friende and wel-willer to strange nations as Arabians Turkes Ruynes and Corasones parted his countries among Gouernours and Captaines to on whereof beeing called Idalham whome the Portingales call Hidalcam he gaue the Gouernment of Angedina which lyeth 12. miles from Goa Southwards stretching towards the North till you come to a place called Siffardan which are 60. miles wherein is contained the towne and Iland of Goa to an other Captaine called Nisa Maluco hee gaue the coast of Siffardan stretching Northwards to Negotana which are 20. miles and lyeth inwards to the land of Cambaia so that those two Captaines had their gouernments in the countrie of Cuncam which lyeth on the Sea coast and seperateth it selfe from the land of Decam by great and high hils called Guate These hils are verie high and haue many corners and hookes of land and doe stretch towardes Cambaia to the Cape de Comorin and from thence backe againe to the coast of Choramandel The hill of Guate is so high that men may easily sée it within Goa and all the coast along though commonly it is couered with clouds and it is the more to bee wondred at for this respect because all other hils are vneuen high and low
two men on foote the one with a great siluer or guilt vessell full of bread baked like cracklinges which in Portingall are called Rosquilhos and in the middle a great Ware candle well made and gilded thrust through with some peeces of money of golde and siluer for an offering to the Priest that baptiseth the childe and all ouer strowed and couered with Roses the other carryeth a great siluer or gilt saltseller in one of his handes and a lampe of the same stuffe in his other hande each with rich and costly Towels on their sholders after that followeth two Pallamkins on the one side y e Commere on the other side the Midwife with the child couered with a costly mantle made for the purpose and so the ceremonies of baptisme being ended in the Church it is againe in the like sort brought home and beeing there they haue the like manner of musicke and shalmes running and leaping with their horses before the window where the Commere sitteth with the same ceremonies as at the wedding This is the manner and custome of those that are married and keepe house But concerning the souldier that is vnmaried thus it is They goe in the summer time into the Armado lying on the water and being within the townes and on the land they are very stately apparrelled and goe verie grauely along the streets with their slaues or men hired for the purpose that beare a hatte ouer them for the sunne and raine for there are many IndiaÌ„s that are daily hired for the purpose and haue 12. Basarucos the day which is as much as two sâ—iuers or a stoter they serue such as haue no slaues and that will not keepe any to that end The souldiers dwell at least ten or twelue in a house where they haue among them a slaue or hiâ—ed Indian or two which serueth them and washeth their shirts and haue foure or fiue stooles with a table and euery man a Bedde Their meate is Rice sodden in water with some salt fish or some other thing of small value without breade and cleare fountaine water for their drinke wherewith they are well pleased They haue amongst them all one or two good sutes of apparell all of silke as the manner is there and when one goeth abroad the other stay at home for in the house they haue no néede of clothes but sit whosoeuer they bee in their shirts a paire of linnen bréeches and so as it were naked by reason of the great heate for if some of them haue occasion to goe out twenty times in one day they must so often lend him their apparel and hee must likewise put off his clothes as often as he commeth home againe Some souldiers haue a Gentleman or Captaine to their friendes which lendeth them monie to apparell themselues withall to the end when summer time commeth they may be ready to goe with them in Fléet to sea as also to haue their friendship by night and at other times to beare them company or to helpe them to bee reuenged of any iniury by them receiued as I said before for that he which in India hath most souldiers to his friends is most regarded and feared So that to bee short in this manner they doe maintaine themselues in common whereby they are able to come in presence of the best of the countrie Manie and most of them haue their chiefe maintenance from the Portingales and Mesticos wiues as also the Indian Christians wiues which doe alwaies bestow liberall rewardes and giftes vppon them to satisfie and fulfill their vnchaste and filthie desires which they know very well how to accomplish and secretly bring to passe There are some likewise that get their liuings by their friends trauelling for them from place to place with some wares and marchandises and they are called Chattims These doe giue ouer and leaue the office of a souldier in the Fléete and the Kinges seruice for as it is said there is no man compelled thereunto although their names be registred in the office yet doe they still keepe the name of souldier as long as they trauaile abroad and are not married The souldiers in these dayes giue themselues more to be Chattims and to deale in Marchandise then to serue the King in his Armado because the Captaines and Gentlemen begin to be â—lacke in doing good vnto them as in times past they vsed to doe Also they giue themselues to rest and pleasure wherefore if they can deuise any meanes for it they had rather trauaile deale in trade of Marchandise and to marie and be quiet in respect that the common souldiers in these dayes are but slackely paide for that when they haue at the least ten or twenty certificates to shew for their former seruices then haue they not the meanes to furnish themselues with prouision to make a voyage into Portingale or to take any presents with them there to bestow them for without such meanes they are neyther heard nor yet regarded and if it fall out that they doe procure the reuersion of any offices it is so long before the time commeth that they doe enioy them beeing many in reuersion that oftentimes they die before they can obtaine them Againe the long trauaile and great voyage maketh many to stay in India and to employ their time to other trades as they can best prouide themselues By these meanes the wars in India are not so hot nor so throughly looked into neyther any other countries sought into or founde out as at first they vsed to doe Now they doe onely striue to get praise and commendation and to leaue a good report behinde them and now likewise they are all giuen to scraping catching as well the Viceroy Gouernours and others as also the Church men and spiritualtie little passing or esteeming the common profit or the seruice of the King but only their particular profits making their account that the time of their abode is but thrée yeares wherefore they say they will not doe otherwise then those that were before them did but say that others which come after theÌ„ shall take care for all for that the King say they gaue them their offices thereby to pay them for their seruices in times past and not for the profit of the common wealth therefore there is no more countries in India won or new found out but rather heere and there some places lost for they haue enough to doe to hold that they haue alreadie and to defende it from inuasion as also that they doe scoure the Sea coastes and yet many Marchants haue great losses euery yeare by meanes of the sea rouers and together with the euill gouernment of the Portingales and it is to be feared it will bee worser euery day then other as it is euidently séene This shall suffice for the manners and customes of the Indian Portingales and their warlike gouernments which is commonly by sea for by land they cannot trauaile by
take their pleasure with their friends and the husband neuer know of it In which sort he continueth foure and twentie houres long but if they wash his féete with colde water hee presently reuiueth and knoweth nothing thereof but thinketh he had slept Deutroa of some called Tacula of others Datura in Spanish Burla Dora in Dutch Igell Kolben in Malaba Vumata Caya in Canara Datura in Arabia Marana in Persia and Turkie Datula Of the description of this hearbe and fruit you may read in the Herballes if any man receaueth or eateth but halfe a dramme of this feed hee is for a time bereaued of his wits taken with an vnmesurable laughter Virginis Lusitanae in India gestus et amictus Cleedinge en dracht van een Portugeesche Dochter ofte Maecht in Indien Matronarum et conjugatarum foras prodeuntium vestitus et ornatus Der Portugeesen gehoude Vrouwen habyt en cÿraet Viduarum Lusit amictus quem iterum nuptae deponunt resumpto nuptar habitu Cleedinge en dracht der Portugeescher We duwen welcke weder houwende afleggeÌ„ weder aen nemende der gehouder dracht Vestitus et comptus Mulierum cujus cunque ordinis et aetatis intra aedes Der Vrouwen cleedinge en hulsel binnen shuys van wat staet en ouder dom die zyn Lectuli quibus Vxores et Filiae Lusitanorum contecte gestantur Coetskens daer de Portugeesche Vrouwen en Dochters bedeckt in gedraegen worden Ratio qua coelo pluvio et alias Lusitanae gestantur comutantibus ante retro et utriumque famulis Mâ—aniere vandie Portugeesche vrouwen en dochters te draegen alst regent en oock op ander tyden met haer slaven en dienaers voor achter en besyden Lusitana templa noctu invisura comitata marito et servis Een Portugeesche vrouwe verselschapt met harc man en slaven des snachts die kercken besoeckende Cachunde in mâ— opinion is made of the mixtures called Galiae Moscatâ— with the sape of sweet wood they are blacke cakes whereon certaine characters are printed at the first very bitter of taste but in the end verie pleasant and sweet they streÌ„gthen the hart the mawe and make a sweet breath And they are not content therewith but giue their husbandes a thousand hearbs for the same purpose to eaâ—e they not knowing thereof thereby to fulfill their pleasuâ—es and to satisfie their desires which can not by any meanes be satisfied They are likewise much vsed to take their pleasures in Bathes by swimming therein which they can very well doe for there are very few of them but they would easilie swimme ouer a riuer of halfe a myle broad This shall suffice for their women now I will proceed to other matters And the better to vnderstand the shapes and formes of their women together with their apparell you may behold it here when they goe to Church and els where both wiues maids and widdows euerie one by themselues as also how they goe in their houses with their dish of Bettele in their hands being their daylie chawing worke also how they are carried in PallaÌ„kins through the stréet with their women slaues round about them also with their husbands and slaues by night going to anie sport or els to Church which they vse after y e maÌ„ner of pilgrimes for theÌ„ they go on foot whereby they thinke to deserue greater reward which by day is not permitted them for they are not so much trusted these visitatioÌ„s or night pilgrimages they hold estéem for a great recreation and fréedome for that they hope watch and looke for the same as children doe for wake-dayes and other playing times likewise the women slaues doe make some account thereof because they doe neuer go abroad but only at such times or to Church on festiuall dayes behind their Pallamkins vpoÌ„ the which dayes they aduertise their louers and leaue their mistresses in the Churches or slip into some shoppe or corner which they haue redie at their fingers endes where their louers méet them and there in hast they haue a sport which done they leaue each other and if she chance to haue a Portingal or a white man to her louer she is so proud that she thinketh no woman comparable vnto her and among themselues doe bragge thereof and will steale both from master mistresse to giue them with the which manie Soldiers doe better maintaine themselues then with the kinges pay and if it chaunceth that these slauish women be with child they are their maisters children who are therwith very wel content for so they are their captiues but if the father be a Portingale or some other frée man when the childe is borne he may within 8 dayes challenge it for his paying the maister a small péece of money for it as much as by law is thereunto ordemed and so the child shall euer after be frée but not the mother but if he stay aboue 8 or 10 dayes and within that time no man cometh to challenge it although it be a free mans child and he after that shall come to aske it then it is the mothers maisters slaue and he may hold it at as high a price as pleaseth him without constraint to sell it and it falleth out verie little or else neuer that the mother destroyeth her child or casteth it away or sendeth it to the father be she neuer so poore free or captiue for they delight more in their children and take more pleasure in carrying them abroad specially when it is a white mans child then in all the riches of the world and by no meanes will giue it to the father vnlesse it should be secretly stollen froÌ„ her and so conueyed away The nursing and bringing vp of the Portingales Mesticos children is that from the time of their birth they are kept naked onely with a little short shyrt like the womens Bain which they weare about their bodies and nothing else till they be of yeares to weare breches or other clothes Some of them are nurssed by their slaues and some by Indian women which they hire whose shape and forme you may sée following the Palamkin wherein the wife is carried euen as they goe bearing their children The 32. Chapter Of the Viceroy of Portingall and of his gouernment in India EVerie 3. yeares there is a new Viceroy sent into India and some time they stay longer as it pleaseth the King but verie few of them hee continueth in Goa which is the chiefe Cittie of India where he hath his house and continuall residence and from thence all other townes in India haue their direction and gouernment From Goa euerie yeare the Portingall armie is prepared and sent out as I said before he hath his counsell Nobles Chancerie and Iustices as they vse in Portingall and all lawes and Iustice are by him executed and fulfilled in the Kings namâ— yet if there be any matter of importante which concerneth the Ciuill lawes they may appeale to Portingall but in
dumbe beastes doe shew vs as it were in a glasse that wee should doe so as they doe not onley when they haue their sence and vnderstanding but which is more to bee wondred at when they are out of their wits starke mad whereas men many times hauing all their vnderstanding and their fiue wits souÌ„d do cast the benefits which they haue receiued behind their backs yea and at this day doe reward all good déedes with vnthankfulnesse God amend it The 47. Chapter Of the Abadas or Rhinoceros THe Abada or Rhinoceros is not in India but onely in Bengala and Patane They are lesse and lower than the Elephant It hath a short horne vpon the nole in the hinder part soÌ„what big toward the end sharper of a browne blew and whitish colour it hath a snout like a hogge and the skin vppon the vpper part of his body is all wrinckled as if it were armed with Shields or Targets It is a great enemie of the Elephant Some thinke it is the right Vnicorne because that as yet there hath no other bin found but only by hearesay and by the pictures of them The Portingales and those of Bengala affirme that by the Riuer Ganges in the Kingdome of Bengala are many of these Rhinoceros which when they will drinke the other beasts stand and waite vpon them till the Rhinoceros hath drinke thrust their horne into the water for he cannot drink but his horne must be vnder the water because it standeth so close vnto his nose and muzzle and then after him all the other beastes doe drinke Their hornes in India are much estéemed and vsed against all venime poyson and many other diseases likewise his teeth clawes flesh skin and blood and his very dung and water and all whatsoeuer is about him is much estéemed in India and vsed for the curing of many diseases and sicknesses which is very good and most true as I my selfe by experience haue found but it is to be vnderstood that all Rhinocerotes are not a like good for there are some whose hornes are sold for one two or thrée hundred Pardawes the péece and there are others of the same colour and greatnes that are sold but for three or foure Pardawes which the Indians know and can discerne The cause is that some Rhinocerotes which are found in certaine places in the countrie of Bengala haue this vertue by reason of the hearbes which that place only yéeldeth and bringeth foorth which in other places is not so and this estimation is not onely held of the horne but of all other things in his whole body as I saide before There are also by Malacca Sion and Bengala some goates that are wild whose hornes are estéemed for the best hornes against poyson and all venime that may bee found they are called Cabras de Mato y t is wilde Goates These hornes are of great account in India and much estéemed and are oftentimes by experience found to bee verie good wherof I my self am a good witnes hauing prooued the same In the yeare 1581. as king Phillip was at Lisbone there was a Rhinoceros and an Elephant brought him out of India for a present and he caused them both to be led with him vnto Madril where the Spanish Court is holden This shal suffice as touching beastes and birdes in those countries although there are many others which are not so well knowne therefore I haue heere set downe none but such as are dayly séene there in the land and well known by euery man in the countrie The 48. Chapter Of the Fishes and other beastes in the Seas of India FIsh in India is verie plentifull and some very pleasant and swéete The best Fish is called Mordexiin Pampano and Tatiingo There is a fish called Piexe Serra which is cut in round péeces as we cut Salmon and salt it It is very good and wil indure long to carie ouer sea in ships for victuals Most of their fish is eaten with rice that they séeth in broth which they put vpon the rice and is somewhat sowre as if it were sodden in gooseberries or vnripe grapes but it tasteth well and is called Carâ—iil which is their dayly meat the rice is in stead of bread there are also good Shads Soles and other sortes of fishes The Garnaten is the best greatest that euer I saw any for that with a dozen of them a man may make a good meale The Crabs and Creuishes are verie good and maruellous great that it is a wonder to tell and that which is more wonderful when the moone is in the full here with vs it is a common saying that then Crabbes and creuishes are at the best but there it is cleane contrarie for with a full moone they are emptie and out of season and with a new moone good and full There are also Muskles and such like shelfishes of many sorts oysters very many specially at Cochin from thence to the cape de Comoriin Fish in India is very good cheape for y e with the valew of a sâ—iuers of their money a man may buy as much fish and rice to it as will serue fiue or sixe men for a good meale after the Spanish manner which is very good cheape in respect of their victuals in Spaine and Portingall There is in the riuers and also in the Sea along the coast of India great store of fishes which the Portingalls call Tubaron or Hayen This fish doth great mischiefe and deuoureth many men that fish for pearles and therefore they dare not swimme in the riuers for feare of these fishes but doe vse to bath themselues in cesternes made for the same purpose as I said before As our ship lay in the Riuer of Cochin readie to sayle from thence to Portingall it hapned that as we were to hang on our rutter which as then was mended the master of the ship with 4 or 5. saylers went with the Boat to put it on and an other Sayler beeing made fast with a corde about his middle and tied to the Ship hung downe with halfe his body into the water to place the same vpon the hookes and while he hung in the water there came one of those Hayens and bit one of his legs to the middle of his thigh cleane off at a bit notwithstanding that the Master stroke at him with an oare and as the pore man was putting downe his arme to feele his wound the same Fish at the second time for another bit did bite off his hand and arme aboue the elbow and also a péece of his buttucke The Master and all the Saylers in the Boate not being able to help him although they both stroke and flang at it with staues and oares and in that miserable case the pore man was carried into the Hospitall where we left him with small hope of life and how he sped after that God knoweth for the next day we set sayle and put to Sea These and
vsed in India for many medicines caryed into al places Galanga is a roote with many â—nots being red both inwardly outwardly the knottes running about it smelling well and sharpe of taste for sauor and fashion like the Cyperus roote wherefore by some men it is esteemed for Cyperus of Babylon It heateth and dryeth in the third degree therefore it comforteth the stomake and driueth away the payne thereof proceeding of cold and windynesse It healeth a stincking breath it helpeth the beating of the hart being drunk with the iuyce of the leafe of Weghe it healeth the Colicke proceeding from wind it is good also against the windines of the Mother it increaseih lust heateth the kidneyes and euerie morning eating a little therof it healeth the head-ache which hath long indured Of these and such like herbes there are manie in India and in the Orientall parts the names and properties whereof are to mee vnknowne because they are not so common nor knowne among the meaner sort of people but onlie by Physitians Apothecaries and Herbalistes therefore I haue onlie spoken of such as are commonlie knowne and daylie vsed And this shall suffice for Spices Drugges and medicinable herbes The 84. Chapter Of all sorts of Pearles both great and small and of precious stones as Diamantes Rubies Topaces Saffires and other such like stones called Oriental stones and of the Bezers stone which is good against poyson and such like diseases and in what manner and place they are found PEarles by the Portingales are called Perolas that is such as are great and the small Alioffar in Latin Margaritas in Arabia Lulu in Persia and India Motu and in Malabar Mutiu The principall and the best that are found in all the Orientall countries and the right Orientall pearles are some betwéene Ormus and Bastora in the straights or Sinus Persicus in the places called Bareyn Catissi Iulfar Camaron other places in the said Sinus Persicus from whence they are brought into Ormus The King of Portingale also hath his Factor in Bareyn that stayeth there onlie for the fishing of pearles There is great trafficke vsed with them as well in Ormus as in Goa There are also other fishings for pearle as betwéene the Iland of Seylon and the Cape de Comriin where great numbers are yearelie found for that the King of Portingale hath a captaine there with certaine soldiers that looketh vnto it they haue yearlie at the lest aboue 3 or 4 thousaÌ„d duckers y t liue onlie by fishing for pearles and so maintaine themselues whereof euerie yeare many are drowned or deuoured by y e fishes called Tubarones or Hayen whereof I haue alreadie made meÌ„tion these pearls are not so good nor so much esteemed as the pearles of Ormus and are of a lower price which they know likewise how to discerne at the first sight There are also pearles found by the Iland of Borneo and the Iland of Aynon on the coast of Cauchinchina but those of Ormus surpasse them all They are fished for by dukers that diue into the water at the least 10 12 and 20 fadome déepe They grow in Oysters but the great pearls are found in the Oysters that swimme aloft and the smallest called Alioffar are commonly in the bottome of the sea The duckers are naked hauing a basket bound at their backes which being at the bottome to make the more hast they rake full of Oysters and durt together and then ryse vp againe and throwe them into boates that lie readie for the purpose with men in them which presentlie take the Oysters and lay them on land to drie where with the heate of the Sunne they open of themselues and so they find the pearles of Alioffar in the fish and when they haue made an end of fishing for that day all the Fishers with the Captaine Soldiers laborers and Watchmen for the King goe together and taking all the pearles that are caught that day they diuide them into certaine heapes that is one part for the King an other part for the Captaine and Soldiers the third part for the Iesuites because they haue their Cloyster in that place and brought the Countrie first vnto the Christian Faith and the last part for the Fishers which is done with great Iustice and equalitie This fishing is done in Summer tyme and there passeth not any yeare but that diuers Fishers are drowned by the Cape de Comoriin which is called the Kings fishing and manie deuoured by Fishes so that when the fishing is done there is a great and pitifull noyse and cry of women and Children heard vpon the land for the losse of their husbands and friends yet the next yeare they must to the same worke againe for that they haue no other meanes to liue as â—lso for that they are partlie compâ—lled thereunto by the Portingales but most part are content to doe it because of the gaine they get thereby after all the danger is past They finde sometimes many and sometimes but a few Pearles in one oyster sometimes two hundred graines and more The oysters that haue the best Pearles in them are thinne and white which the Indians call Cheripo wherof they make spoones and cups to drink in The Pearles are sold by siues which are made of mettell driuen into thin plate for that purpose whereof the holes are round There are many sorts of these siues the first hath small holes and the Pearles that passe through them are at one price the next siue hath greater holes and the Pearles that fall through it are at higher price and so foorth at the least seauen or eight siues The small stuffe that serue for no Pearles they call Alioffar and are sold by the ounce and vsed by Potticaries and Phisitions and to that end many of them are caried into Portingall Venice and are very good cheape To giue the Pearles a faire colour in India they vse rice beaten a little with salt wherewith they rub them and then they become as faire and cleare as christall and so continue There is yet an other sort of oysters by the Indians called Chaâ—lia by the Portingales Madre Perolâ— or in other of Pearle are of the shell fishes that wee call inkehornes which they know how to prepare and make cleane They bring many of them into Portingale to sâ—rue for to drinke in and to keepe for an ornament for pleasure specially those that come out of China and Bengalen some guilt and painted with colours very faire some wrought with branches and other figures as we dayly see them brought thether In India they make diuers thinges of them as deskes tables cubbards tables to play on boâ—es staues for women to beare in their hands and a thousand such fine deuises which are all inlaid and couered with this Chanco or Mother of Pearle very faire to beholde very workmanlike made and are in India so commoÌ„ that there is almost no place in those countries but they haue of them
of thirty yeares sent vnto them to vndermine and examine them wherein they behaued themselues so wel that they were holden esteemd for good and Catholick Romish Christians yet still suspected because they were strangers specially Englishmen The Iesuites stil told them that they shuld be sent prisoners into Portingal wishing them to leaue off their trade of marchandise to become Iesuites promising them thereby to defend them from all trouble the cause why they said so and perswaded them in that earnest maÌ„ner was for that the Dutch Iesuite had secretlie bene aduertised of great summes of money which they had about them and sought to get the same into their fingers for that the first vowe and promise they make at their entrance into their order is to procure the welfare of their said order by what means soeuer it be but although the Englishmen denyed them and refused the order saying that they were vnfit for such places neuerthelesse they procéed so farre that one of them being a painter that came with the other thrée for company to sée the countries and to séeke his fortune and was not sent thether by the English marchants partly for feare and partlie for want of meanes to relieue himselfe promised them to become a Iesuite and although they knew and well perceiued he was not any of those that had the treasure yet because he was a Painter whereof they are but few in India and that they had great néed of him to paint their church which otherwise would cost them great charges to bring one from Portingal they were very glad thereof hoping in time to get the rest of them w t all their money into their fellowship so y t to conclude they made this Painter a Iesuite where he continued certain daies giuing him good store of worke to doe and entertayning him with all the fauour and friendship they could deuise and all to win the rest to be a pray for them but the other thrée continued stil in prison being in great feare because they vnderstood no man that came to them nor anie man almost knew what they said till in the end it was told them that certaine Dutch men dwelt in the Archbishops house counsell giuen them to send vnto them whereat they much reioiced and sent to me and an other Dutch man desiring vs once to come and speake with them which we presentlie did and they with teares in their eyes made complaint vnto vs of their hard vsage shewing vs froÌ„ point to point as it is said before why they were come into the countrie with all desiring vs for Gods cause if we might by any means to helpe them that they might be set at liberty vpon Sureties being readie to indure what Iustice should ordaine for them saying that if it were found contrarie and that they were other then trauelling marchants and sought to find out further benefite by their wares they would be content to be punished With that wee departed from them promising them to do our best and in the ende we obtained so much of the Archbishoppe that he went vnto the Vice-roy to delyuer our petition and perswaded him so well that hee was content to set them at libertie and that their goods shuld be deliuered vnto them again vpon condition they should put in sureties for 2000. Pardawes not to depart the countrie before other order should bee taken with them Therupon they presently found a Citizen of the towne y t was their suretie for 2000. Pardawes where they paide him in hand 1300. Pardawes and because they say they had no more ready monie he gaue them credite séeing what store of marchandise they had whereby at all times if néede were hee might bee satisfied and by that meanes they were deliuered out of prison and hyred them selues a house and began to set open shoppe So that they vttered much ware and were presently well knowne among all the Marchants because they alwaies respected Gentlemen specially such as brought their wares shewing great curtesie and honor vnto them whereby they wonne much credite and were beloued of all men so that euerie man fauoured them and was willing to doe them pleasure To vs they shewed great friendship for whose sake the Archbishop fauoured them much and shewed them verie good countenance which they knew wel how to increase by offering him many presents although hee would not receiue them neither would euer take gift or present at any mans hands Likewise they behaued themselues verie Catholikely and verie deuoute euerie day hearing Masse with Beades in their hands so that they fel into so great fauour that no man caried an euill eye no nor an euill thought towards them Which liked not the Iesuites because it hindered them from that they hoped for so that they ceased not still by this Dutch Iesuite to put them in feare that they should bee sent into Portingall to the King counselling them to yéeld them selues Iesuits into their Cloyster which if they did he said they would defend them from all in troubles saying further that he counselled them therein as friend and one that knew for certaine that it was so determined by the Viceroyes priuie Counsell which to effect he saide they stayed but for shipping that should sayle for Portingall with diuers other perswasions to put them in some feare so to effect their purpose The English men to the contrarie durst not say any thing to them but answered that as yet they would stay a while and consider thereof thereby putting the Iesuites in good comfort as one among them being the principal of them called Ioâ—n Nuberye complained vnto me often times saying hee knew not what to say or thinke therein or which way he might be rid of those troubles but in the ende they determined with themselues to depart from thence and secretly by meanes of contrarie friends they imployed their money in precious stones which the better to effect one of them was a Ieweller and for the same purpose came with them Which being concluded among them they durst not make knowne to any man neither did they credite vs so much as to shewe vs their minds therein although they tolde vs all whatsoeuer they knew But on a Whitsunday they went abroad to sport themselues about thrée miles from Goa in the mouth of the ryuer in a countrie called Bardes hauing with them good store of meate and drinke And because they should not be suspected they left their house and shop with some wares therein vnsolde in custodie of a Dutch Boy by vs prouided for them that looked vnto it This Boye was in the house not knowing their intent and being in Bardes they had with them a Patamar which is one of the Indian postes which in winter times caryeth letters from one place to the other whom they had hyred to guide them because that betwéene Bardes and the Firm land there is but a little ryuer in manner halfe drie
they passed ouer it on foote and so trauelled by land being neuer heard of againe but it is thought they arriued in Aleppo as some say but they knew not certainely Their greatest hope was that Iohn Newbery could speake the Arabian tongue which is vsed in al those countries or at the least vnderstoode for it is very common in all places there abouts as French with vs. Newes being come to Goa there was a great stirre and murmuring among the people and we much wondered at it for many were of opinion that wée had giuen them counsel so to doe and presently their suertie seased vpon the goods remaining which might amount vnto aboue 200. Pardawes and with that and the money he had receiued of the English men he went vnto the Viceroye and deliuered it vnto him which the Viceroy hauing receiued forgaue him the rest This flight of the English men grieued the Iesuites most because they had lost such a pray which they made sure account of whereupon the Dutch Iesuite came to vs to aske vs if we knew thereof saying that if he had suspected so much he would haue dealt otherwise for that he said hee once had in his hands of theirs a bagge wherein was fortie thousand Veneseanders each Veneseander being two Pardawes which was when they were in prison And that they had alwayes put him in comfort to accomplish his desire vpon the which promise hee gaue them their money againe which otherwise they shoulde not so lightly haue come by or peraduenture neuer as hee openly said and in the ende he called them hereticks and spies with a thousand other rayling spéeches which he vttered against them The Englishman that was become a Iesuite hearing that his companions were gone and perceiuing that the Iesuites shewed him not so great fauour neither vsed him so well as they did at the first repented himselfe and séeing he had not as then made any solemne promise being counselled to leaue the house told that he could not want a liuing in the towne as also that the Iesuites could not kéepe him there without he were willing to stay so they could not accuse him of any thing he told them flatly that he had no desire to stay within the Cloyster and although they vsed all the meanes they could to kéepe him there yet hee would not stay but hyred a house without the Cloyster and opened shop where he had good store of worke and in the end married a Mesticos daughter of the towne so that hee made his account to stay there while he liued By this Englishman I was instructed of al the waies trades and viages of the countrie betwéene Aleppo and Ormus and of all the ordinances and common customes which they vsually hold during their Viage ouer land as also of the places and townes wher they passed And since those Englishmens departures froÌ„ Goa there neuer arriued any strangers either English or others by land in the sayde countries but onely Italyans which daylye traffique ouer land and vse continuall trade going and comming that way About the same time there came into Goa from the Iland of Iapan certaine Iesuites and with them thrée Princes being the children of certaine Kings of that country wholly apparelled like Iesuites not one of them aboue the age of sixtéene yeares being minded by perswasions of the Iesuites to trauel into Portingall and from thence to Rome to sée the Pope therby to procure great profit priueledges and liberties for the Iesuites which was onely their intent they continued in Goa till the yeare 1584. and then set sayle for Portingall and from thence trauelled into Spaine whereby the King and all the Spanish Nobilitie they were with great honour receiued and presented with many gifts which the Iesuits kept for themselues Out of Spaine they roade to sée the Pope where they obtained great priueledges and liberties as in the description of the Iland of Iapen I haue in part declared That done they trauelled throughout Italy as to Venice Mantua Florence and all other places and dominions of Italy wher they were presented with many rich presents and much honoured by meanes of the great report the Iesuites made of them To conclude they returned againe vnto Madril where with great honor they took their leaue of the King with letters of commendation in their behalfes vnto the Viceroye and all the Captaines and Gouernours of India and so they went to Lisbone and there tooke shipping in Ano. 1586. and came in the ship called Saint Philip which in her returne to Portingall was taken by Captaine Drake and after a long and troublesome Viage arriued at Mosambique where the ship receiued in her lading out of an other shippe called the Saint Laurence that had put in there hauing lost her Mastes being laden in India and bound for Portingall where the shippe was spoyled and because the time was farre spent to get into India the said Saint Phillip tooke in the lading of Saint Laurence and was taken in her way returning home by the Englishmen as I saide before and was the first ship that had beene taken comming out of the East Indies which the Portingales tooke for an euill signe because the ship bare the Kings owne name But returning to our matter the Princes and Iesuites of Iapan the next yeare after arriued at Goa with great reioycing and gladnesse for that it was verily thought they had all béene dead when they came thether they were all thrée apparelled in cloth of Golde and Siluer after the Italian manner which was the apparell that the Italian Princes and Noblemen had giuen them they came thether very liuely and the Iesuits verie proudly for that by them their Viage had beene performed In Goa they stayed till the Monson or time of the windes came in to sayle for China at which time they went from thence and so to China thence vnto Iapon where with great triumph and wondering of all the people they were receiued and welcomed home to the furtherance and credite of the Iesuites as the Booke declareth which they haue written and set foorth in the Spanish tongue concerning their Viage as well by water by land as also of the intertainment that they had in euerie place In the yeare 1584. in the month of Iune there arriued in Goa many Ambassadours as of Persia Cambaia and from the Samoriâ— which is called the Emperour of the Malabares and also from the King of Cochin and among other thinges there was a peace concluded by the Samorijn the Malabares with the Portingall vpon condition that the Portingales should haue a Fort vpon a certaine Hauen lying in the coast of Malabare called Panane ten miles â—rom Calâ—cut which was presently be 〈◊〉 built and there with great costs and changes they raysed and erected a Fort but because the ground is all Sandie they could make no sure foundation for it sunk continually wherby they found it best to
answered him and said I would be loath to make debate betwéene Parents Children but if it were my case séeing I could not obteyne my dowrie I would stay no longer there but rather hyre a house by my self and kéep better house alone with my wife then continue among so manie wher I could not be master In the end he resolued so to doe with much adoe tooke his wife Child w t his slaues and parted houshold hyred himselfe a house set vp his shoppe and vsed his trade so handsomely that hauing good store of worke he became reasonable wealthie But his mother in law that could not conceale her Morish nature after y e death of her husbaÌ„d whether it were for spight she bare to her sonne in law or for a pleasure she tooke therein counselled her daughter to fall in loue with a young Portingal Soldier whom the daughter did not much mislike which soldier was verie great in the house and ordinarilie came thether to meat and drinke and Frauncis trusted him as well as if he had bene his brother in so much that he would doe nothing without his counsell This Soldier called An honio Fragoso continued this beastlie course with Frauncis his wyfe with the helpe of her mother all the while that they dwelt with the mother and it is sayd that he vsed her company before shee was maried although shee was but young which is no wonder in India for it is their common custome in those countries to doe it when they are but eight yeres old and haue the slight to hide it so well that when they are maried their husbands take theÌ„ for very good maides This order of life they continued in that sorte for the space of foure yeares and also after that they had taken a house and dwelled alone by themselues for Antonio Fragoso kept his old haunt and although Francis vsed continually to shut his chamber dore yet was this Portingall oftentimes hidden therin he not knowing thereof where hee tooke his pleasure of his wife At the last one Diricke Gerritson of Enchuson in Holland béeing Godfather vnto Francis Kinges wife comming newly from China desired the said Francis and his wife to come and dine with him at his house without the towne where as then he dwelt and among the rest bad mee minding to bee merrie and made vs good cheare but because the honest Damsell Francis Kinges wife made her excuse that she might not with her credit come where Batchelers were for that they had no such vse in India he desired mée to hold him excused till another time They being there at this feast with the mother in law and her sonne their houshold of slaues that waited vpon them as the maner of India is After dinner was ended and they well in drinke they went to walke in the fieldes where not far from thence there stood a house of pleasure that had neyther dore nor window but almost fallen downe for want of reparations hauing on the backe side therof a faire garden full of Indian trées and fruites the house and garden Francis Kinges father in law had bought in his life time for a small peece of mony for as I say it was not much worth thether they went and caused their pots and their pans with meat and drinke to be brought with them being minded all that day to make merrie therein as indéede they did In the meane time it was my fortune with a friend of mine to walke in the fieldes and to passe by the house wherein they were not thinking any company had bin there going by Francis King being all drunken came forth and saw me wherewith he ranne and caught me by the cloke perforce would haue me in made me leaue my companion so brought me into the garden where their wiues and his mother in law with their slaues sate playing vpon certaine Indian Instruments being verie merrie but I was no sooner espied by them but the young woman presently went away to hide herselfe for her credits sake according to their manner as their manner is when any stranger commeth into the house Not long after supper was made ready of such as they had brought with them although the day was not so far spent and the table câ—oth was laid vppon a matte lying on the grâ—und for that as I said before there was neyâ—her table bench window nor dore within the house The meate being brought in euery man sate downe only Francis Kinges wife excused her selfe that I had shamed her and desired that she might not come in saying for that time shee would eate there with the slaues and although her husband would gladly haue had her come in among vs thereby to shew that he was not iealous of her yet shee would not so that séeing her excuse he let her rest saying it were best to let her stay there because thee is ashamed While we sate at supper where the slaues serued vs going and comming to and fro and bringing such thinges as we wanted out of the place where this honest woman was her husband thinking shee had taken pains to make it ready it was nothing so for that while we were merry together not thinking any hurt in came Antonio Fragoso with a naked Rapier vnder his cloake it being yet day light and in presence of all the slaues both theirs and mine without anie feare of vs lead her away by the hand into one of the chambers of the house hauing neyther doore flore nor window and there putting off the cloth that she had about her middle which he laid vppon the ground to kéepe her from fowling of her body not being once ashamed before the slaues neyther fearing any danger he tooke his pleasure of her but if any mischance had happened that any of the slaues had marked it and bewraied it the said Anthonie had tenne or twelue souldiers his companions and friendes not farre from thence which with a whistle or any other token would haue come to help him and so would haue slaine vs all and taken the woman with him which is their dayly proffit in India but we had better fortune for that hée dispatched his affaires so well with her that wée knew it not and had leysure to depart as he came without any trouble and she well pleased therewith and when the slaues asked her how thee durst bee so bold to doe such a thing considering what danger of life shee then was in shee answered them that shee cared not for her life so shée might haue her pleasure and saying that her husband was but a drunkard and not worthie of her and that she had vsed the company of that fine lustie youth for the space of foure yeres together and for his sake she said shee would not refuse to die yet had she not then beene married to Francis King full foure yeares neyther was shee at that time aboue fifteene or sixteene yeares of
passeth not one yeare ouer their heades but that in India there are at the least twentie or thirtie men poysoned and murthered by their wiues onely to accomplish their filthie desires Likewise there are yearely many women killed by their husbands being taken in adulterie but they care not a haire for it saying with great boldnes that there is no pleasanter death then to die in that manner for thereby they say they do shew that they die for pure loue And to shew that this honest woman was not of this badde inclination alone you shall vnderstande that a brother of hers being but fourtéene or fiftéene yeares of age was openly burnt in Goa for sodome or buggery which was done when Francis King and his father in lawe were liuing yet could not Frauncis thereby bee warned to take héede of his wife and that kindred for as it séemeth it was Gods will he should end his dayes in that manner The 16. of September 1588. there ariued in Goa a shippe of Portingall called the S. Thomas bringing newes of 4. shippes more that were in Mosambique all come from Portingall which not long after came likewise to Goa their names were Saint Christopher being Admirall S. Marie S. Anthony and our Lady of Conseprao By those shippes we receyued newes of the death of my Lord the Archbishoppe called Don Frey Vincente da Fonseca who died in his voyage to Portingall vpon the 4. day of August An. 1587. betwéene the Flemmish Islandes and Portingall eight daies before the ship came to land It was thought that he dyed of some poyson that he brought out of India or els of some impostume that sodainely brake within him for that an houre before his death he séemed to be as well as euer he was in all his life and sodainly he was taken so sick y t he had not the leasure to make his will but dyed presently and voyded at the least a quart of poyson out of his body To be short he was cloathed in his Bishops apparell with his Myter on his heade and rings vpon his fingers and put into a coffin and so throwne into the sea These newes made many sorrowfull hartes in India of such as were his welwillers and frindes and to the contrarie such as hated him were glad and reioyced because he had béene earnest to reprehend and correct them for their faultes but none lost more by it then wee that were his seruantes which looked for great preferment by him as without doubt hee ment to haue obtained it of the King as being one of the principallest occasions of his going into Portingal but death altred all And although at that time my meaning and intent was to stay the comming of my Lord Archbishop to continue longer there yea possible while I liued yet vpon those newes I was wholly altered in my purpose and a horrible feare came vpon me when I called to mind what I had passed touching the things I was desirous to bring to passe And although I had means enough there to get my liuing in good sort being as it were one of those countrimeÌ„ and so in all places well estéemed and accounted of yet those perswasions were not of force inough once to disswade mee froÌ„ the pretence and desire I had to sée my natiue countrey so that it séemed my God had opened mine eies and by my Lords death made me more cleare of sight to call my natiue soile vnto remeÌ„brance which before was so darkened that I had almost forgotten it and stood in hazarde neuer to see it more if my Lord had liued and returned home again But to auoide all occasions and inconueniences that might happen dayly offred themselues vnto me I resolutely determined to depart wherevnto I sought al the meanes necessary occasions I could find to bring it to passe that which perswaded me most thereunto was the losse of my brother William Tin that had béene with me in India who sailing from Seâ—ubal in Portingal towards Hamborough taking their course on the back side of England was cast away and neuer could be heard of neyther ship nor men Being in this resolution it chaunced that a shippe by authoritie of the Viceroy and at the request of the Farmers of Pepper was appointed to saile for Portingall because there was so great quantitie of Pepper to be laden that the Portingall ships at that time being there could not take it in and although the ships are purposely sent to lade Pepper with licence from the King that there may no more but fiue ships lade euerie yeare wherevnto the Factors do bind themselues yet if there bee any goods in India as Pepper other wares which the other ships can not take in then the Farmers of Pepper and the kinges officers may buy one or two ships and make them ready for the purpose to take it in so that there be ships found that bee sufficient which if the Factors refuse then the Viceroy and the kings officers may â—raight as many ships as they thinke good and as they find fit to take it in and lade theÌ„ with the Farmers pepper or any other goods that are there to be laden so it bee after the fiue shippes are laden by the farmers and all this for the profit of the King without let or hinderance of the said farmers In this sorte as I said before there was a shippe called the Santa Crus that was built in Cochijn by the King of the Malabares and called after the name of the towne of Cochiin that was likewise by y e Portingals called Santa Crus which the King of Malabares made in honor of the Portingalles because he hath brotherly allyance with them and is by the King of Portingall called our brother in armes The same ship he had sold vnto a Portingal that therwith had made a voiage into China and Iapan being of 1600. tunnes and because it was strong and good so fit to make a voiage into Portingall and because as I said before there was more pepper then the Portingall ships could take in the farmers of pepper were desirous to buy it besought the Viceroy to let them haue it according to the contentes of their composition and the Kings ordinance Wherevpon the Viceroy caused the farmers of the ships to be called together signified vnto theÌ„ what the request of the farmers of pepper was that is to say that the shippe should be bought according to the Kings ordinance for as much as necessity did so require it they had refused to vse it said that it was not fit for them so desired y e in respect of the Kings interest in the pepper the shippe might be bought accordingly Alwaies prouided y t the kings ordinance who granted theÌ„ their Priuiledge might be kept obserued viz. that their ships might first haue their lading and bee first dispatched And although they that had bought it of the owners for
ten thousand duckets readie money were in doubt that they should not finde wares enough to lade it withall yet in the end it was in a manner laden as well as the other ships were Nowe it was agréed by the owners that sold it that the Maister Gunner and chiefe Boteswaine shoulde kéepe their places stil within the shippe as they had when it sailed to China and Iapen The Gunners name was Diricke Gariâ—son of Enchusen who after he had beene 20. yeares in India was minded as then to saile in that shippe to Portingall with whome because of olde acquaintance and for his company I minded to sée if I could get any place within the shippe And because the farmers of pepper had their factors in India that were DutchmeÌ„ which lay there in the behalfe of the Foukers and Velsares of Ausburg who at that time had a part of the pepper laden in that ship and vse to send in each ship a Factor to whome the King alloweth a Cabine and victuails for the voyage This place of Factor in the said shippe called Santa Crus I did obtaine of the Farmers because they were of my acquaintance Whereupon I prepared my selfe to depart and got a Pasporte of the Viceroy without which no man may passe out of India as also a Certificat out of the Kinges chamber of accountes and out of the Matricola generall wherein all such as come into India are registred with a note of my paye which by the Kings commandement is appoynted to bee paide vppon certificate from thence and withall the time of my residence in India and what place I was imployed in there that when I came into Portingall I might haue recompence if I would aske it or minded to returne againe into India But although I had no such intent yet I must of force obserue this order to make them thinke I would returne againe and the easier to obtaine my Pasport which was easily graunted mée by the Gouernour as also the other Certificates and hauing obtayned them I tooke my leaue of all my friends and acquaintance not without great griefe as hee that was to depart out of his second naturall dwelling place by reason of the great and long continuance that I had made in those countries so that I was in a manner halfe disswaded from my pretended voyage But in the end the remembrance and affection of mâ— true natural countrie got the vpper hâ—nd and ouer ruled me making me wholy to forget my conceipt vnto the contrarie and so committing my selfe my affaires vnto God who onely can direct and helpe vs and giue good successe to all endeuours I entred into my new pretended course In the Month of Nouember 1588. the ships sayled againe from Goa to the coast of Mâ—lâ—baâ— Cochijn to take in their lading And the 2â— of the same month the Santa-Cruâ— set sayle to begin our Viage The 28. day we arriued in Honor a Fort belonging to the Portingals and the first they haue vpon the coast of Malabar which lyeth Southward from Goa eighteene miles in which place we were assigned to take in our lading of Pepper They vsed not before to lade any Pepper in that place so that we were the first that euer laded there but from thence forwards they minded yearely to lade one ship there because the Queene of Batticola that lay not farre from thence and Honoâ— being within her Iurisdiction or kingdom had bouÌ„d her selfe yearely to deliuer seauen or eight thousand Quintales of Pepper so that the Farmers paied her halfe y e mony for the same sixe Months before thee deliuered it and then shee would deliuer it at times For the which cause the Farmers haue their Factor in Honor to receiue it of her by waight and lay it vp till the time of lading commeth The like haue they in all the other Fortes vppon the coast of Malabar as at Mangalar Baâ—selor Cananor Cochijn Coulan c. Nowe to know the right manner of farming of the Pepper you must vnderstand that the Farmers take the same to Farme for fiue yeres and bind themselues euery yeare to send their stocke of readie money for thirtie thousand Quintales of Pepper so that the King will send ships to lade it in The King on the other side bindeth himselfe to performe and to send euerie yeare fiue ships the Farmers bearing the aduenture of the Sea both of their mony sending thether and of the Pepper brought from thence must lade it in India into the ships at their owne costs and charges which being brought into Portingall they deliuer al the Pepper to the King at the price of twelue Ducats the Quintall if any bee cast away or taken vpon the Sea it is at the Farmers charge for the King dealeth not but onely with that which is deliuered him in Portingall being drie and faire laide vp in the Kings store house in Lisbone for the which he payeth not any money vnto the Farmers vntill the said Pepper be sold with the mony wherof he payeth them so that the King without any hazard or disbursing any thing oâ— his owne hath alwaies his money for his Pepper without the losse of any one pennie And in that respect the Farmers haue great and strong priueledges first that no man of what estate or condition so euer he bee either Portingall or of any place in Indiâ— may deale or trade in Peper but theâ— vpon paine of death which is verie sharply looked vnto Likewise they may not for any occasion or necessitie whatsoeuer diminish or lessen the ordinarie stocke of money for the Pepper neither hinder or let them in any sorte concerning the lading thereof which is also verie strictly obserued For although the Pepper were for the Kings owne person yet must the Farmers Pepper be first laden to whome the Viceroy and other Officers and Captaines of India must giue al assistance helpe and fauour with watching the same and al other things whatsoeuer shall by the said Farmers bee required for the safetie and benefite of the saide Pepper For the lading and prouiding wherof the said Farmers are to send their Factors seruants and assistants of what nation so euer they bee except Englishmen Frenchmen and Spaniards vnto euery place to see it laden and dispatched away for other strangers may not goe into India without the speciall licence of the King or his counsell of India The Pepper commonly costeth in India 28. Pagodes the Bhar euerie Bhar is three Quintales and a halfe Portingall waight so that euery Quintall standeth them in twelue Pardawes Xeraâ—â—ius and foure â—angoes Euerie Quintall is 1â—8 pounds and euerie Pardawe thrée Testones or thirtie Stiuers heauie money and euery â—aâ—ga â—iâ—â—e Reijs or sixe Stiuers which is twelue Dollers of sixtie pence Flemish the peece after the rate of Portingall money and twentie foure Stiuers of the like money besides all charges aduenture of the Seas But the great quantitie maketh them gaine the
more specially if it come safe home The ships their frayghting with condition to builde them and the prouision of all necessaries for them are also farmed by themselues and all at the aduenture of the Farmers and if the ship come safe home they giue the King a certaine summe of money for euery ship and euery yeare furnish fiue shippes likewise at their owne charges but such Souldiers as are appointed to goe in them are bound to sayle for y e King and haue but onely meate and drinke at the Farmers charge the Officers and Saylers being placed therein by the Kings Admiraltie which the Farmers may not once denie or refuse so that the King aduentureth nothing neither in Pepper nor in ships but only if the ships be cast away he looseth the money that hee should haue had for the farme of euery ship if it had returned safe the gaine of the Pepper that should haue beene deliuered him at a certaine price Whereupon the Admiraltie of Portingall are now waren verie carelesse to see them well conueied as they vsed to be during the times of the Kings of Portingal when all the Pepper came for the Kings own accounts And although the king hath promised continually to send his Nauie by Sea as far as the Flemish Ilands there to stay for the comming of the Indian ships and from thence to conueye them vnto Lisbone yet since they were Farmed out there are few fleetes sent forth so that they are but little thought vpon but howsoeuer it is in the payment of the fée Farme for Pepper the King will not loose a pennie of his due nor once abate them any thing The sixth of December wee had taken in our lading of Pepper which was 67â—0 Quintales of the best that is in all Malabar and verie ful The same day we set sayle from thence keeping close vnder the coast because that ordinarily in that countrie euerie day from twelue of the clocke of the night till twelue at noone there bloweth an Easterly winde which commeth out of the land and then commeth a West wind out of the Sea to the land ward and with those two windes we performe our Viage but the East winde is alwaies mightier and stronger then the West and therefore the shippes keepe themselues close vnder the shore for when they put further into the Sea they can hardly get the coast againe because the West wind is not of so great force as it chanced vnto vs for that hauing put somewhat from the coast we had much to doe before wee could get the coast againe by the which meanes often times they loose their Viages into Portingal as by experience it hath béene found All the coast of Malabar is verie pleasant to behold for that they sayle so close vnto it that a man may tell euerie hill valley and trée that is therein being verie greene and faire land The eleauenth of December wee came to Cananor another fortresse of the Portingales as we haue told you in the description of this coast There we lay a day and a halfe to take in certaine Mastes with other prouision y t we were to vse which is there in great abundance so wee set sayle againe keeping along the coast and passed by Calecut Paâ—ane and certaine other places vntill the twentie foure of December when wee arriued at Cochijn where we lay till the twentie of Ianuarie after in Anno 158â— In the meane time our shippe was prouided of all things necessarie and then we stayed till our turne came to set sayle because the other shippes according to the contract were to set sayle before vs one after the other which custome I will here partly set down in briefe You shall vnderstand that as soone as the shippe hath taken in her lading of Pepper which is done with great care and diligent watch as well in the Kings behalfe as of the Farmers and is laden in the two nether Oorlopes that is vpon the Balast and in the Oorlop next ouer it laying Deale boords vpon the Balast and making certaine places and deuisions for the purpose with a hole ouer each place to shutte in the Pepper leauing roome by the maine Mast to passe by it so that there is at the least thirtie seuerall places which they call Payoos and all vnder the two lower Oorlopes as I said before Which beeing all filled with Pepper they shut the holes of those places verie close with Ocam and Pitch and so are marked with numbers how many there are and vpon ech place his waight of Peper These two Oorloppes being thus laden there is left a place aboute the maine Mast to bestow water wine woode and other necessaries for the shippe which are dayly vsed In the thirde Oorlop and on both sides therof there are diuers places seuerally made that belong vnto the Officers of the shippe as the Captaine Master Pilot Factor Purser c. and of all the rest of the Saylors that are allowed places which they sell or let out vnto the Marchants to lade goods therein whereof they make good profite Vpon the same Oorlop from the Mast vnto the sterne are the places wher they put their Poulder Bisket Sayles clothes and other prouisions for the ship The other Oorlopes aboue these are laden by the Marchants with all sorts of wares which are in Chestes Fattes Balles and Packes and are placed in this sort that is to say As soone as the Pepper is laden there is presently sent into the shippe two waiters and one that stoweth the goodes as a Porter on the Kings behalfe and he hath ten or twelue Porters vnder him that must onely lade and stow the goodes in the shippe the Master nor any other not once hauing any thing to doe with it sauing onely the chiefe Boteswaine who is to looke vnto it and yet commaundeth nothing No goods may bee laden whatsoeuer or how small so euer they bee but they must bee Registred in the Kinges bookes and they must bring a Billet from the Veador da Faâ—enda that is to saye the Surueighor of the businesse being chief Officer for the King wherein must be certified euerie kind of ware by peece meale which they lade together with y e name of the ship wherein it is to be laden for without that Certiâ—iâ—at the stowers and Porters will not take it in and although you haue your Billet yet must you bribe the waiters before you can get it abord the shippe and some thing must be giuen likewise to the porters besides their duties if you desire to stow your goods well otherwise they will let it stand and he that giueth most hath the best place in the shippe yea and they stow the ship so miserablie full that there is not a hole or an emptie place to be found but it is full stuffed and for all their profit it is often times seene that the chief Porter that doth onlie command and looke ouer the rest getteth for
whereof no newes or tidinges could euer be heard was that they were cast away vpon the sands euen as it chanced vnto him and to auoide the dangers thereof as also to winne the fauour of the King and the officers of the Admiraltie he was the first that tooke vpon him to discouer that way with the ship wherein my Lord the Archbishop sayled and is almost the same way that the shippes that come from Malacca do hold when they saile to Portingall where they sée neither Ilands nor Sandes nor any other thing but onelie the plaine sea so hee came into Portingale certifying the Admiraltie of that new way and although hee was cast in prison for the same cause yet by fauor he was presently released and the Admiraltie perceauing it to be so great a danger for the ships to saile amoÌ„gst the Islands and Sands which they thought to bée the chiefe cause of the losse of so manie ships haue expresly commanded that the Pilots should vse that new discouered way according to the saide Pilots information therby to auoide all danger but that is not the cause of their casting away although many times they are the means of much mischiefe but the chiefe reason is the vnreasonable lading and charging of the ships the vnskilfull seamen and the slacke visiting or searching of the ships to see if they bee fit to sayle and haue all thinges that they want By these and such like meanes the ships are dayly lost as in other places by examples and true witnesses I haue already declared and as the same Pilot that first founde this new way did well approue and verifie to bée true in the Saint Thomas that the Sands or Islands did him no hurt but onely the ouerlading of her wherewith the ship was by the Cape burst in péeces as hereafter I will shew Notwithstanding this way is not therefore to be disliked although it bee somewhat further about but it is a very good way and wholly out of all danger of Sandes and Islandes whereby they doe auoid the Island of Maldiua with other droughtes and sands about the same The 30. day of Ianuarie in the night we passed the Equinoctiall line and the next day after we discried a shippe which we thought to bée the Saint Thomas and the same day one of our Boyes fell ouerboard whome to saue wee made all the haste wee could to get out our small boate but because it stood full of thinges we could not so soone get it forth but that in the meane time the boy was cast at the least two miles behind vs and so was drowned The third of Februarie the ship we saw came close by vs and then wée knew it to be the Saint Thomas wherewith wee made towards it to speake with them but when they began to know our shippe by the ropes that were all white made of Indian Cairo and knowing that we were left behind them at Cochiin and thinking when they descried vs wee had béene one of the shippes that first set saile as also that their ship was accounted one of the best for sayle in all the fleete for very pride and high stomacke they would not stay to speake with vs but made from vs againe which our officers perceiuing did likewise winde from them euery one doing his best to get before the other By this and such like signes of pride the Portingales do often cast themselues away and as it may bee coniectured it was one of the chiefe causes of the losse of the saint Thomas for that they vsed all the meanes they could to sayle well and that they might passe the Cape before vs wherof they vse to brag when they meete at the Island of Saint Helena as if it were done by their wisedome for so it fell out with the Saint Thomas that comming to the cape de Bona Speranza it had a contrarie winde whereby they strucke all their sailes and so lay driuing against the waues of the sea which doe there fall against a shippe as if it stroke against a Hill so that if the Shippes were of hard stones yet in the end they would breake in péeces much more such Shippes as are made of wood and this is commonly their manner thereby the sooner to passe the Cape which our shippe could not beare so that we put backe againe with the winde yet as little as we might thereby to auoide the force of the sea as much as we could but because the Pilot of the saint Thomas trusted ouermuch in her strength did purposely meane to be before vs all thereby as hee thought to win the praise the ship did as it well appeared lie still and driue without any sailes which they call Payrar and so by the great force and strength of the seas together with the ouerlading was striken in péeces swallowed in the sea both men and all that was within her as wee might well perceiue comming vnto the Cape by the swimming of whole chests fats balles péeces of masts dead men tied vnto bords and such like fearefull tokens the other ships also that ariued in the Iland of Saint Helena told vs likewise that they had séene the like most pittifull sights which was no small losse of so great treasure and so many men so that we which beheld it thought our selues not frée from the like danger It was one of the richest ships that in many yeares had sayled out of India only by reason of the good report it had to be so good of sayle being but new for as theÌ„ it was but her second voyage so that euerie man desired to goe and to lode their wares in her In the same ship went Don Paulo de Lâ—ma Periera that raised the siege before Malacca had serued the king 30. yeares in India had obtained many braue victories thinking as theÌ„ to be in the top of his honor and to be much aduanced by the king He also carried with him a great treasure in Iewels and other riches as also his wife children and one of his brethren with many other gentlemen and souldiers that bare him company thinking to haue good fortune in their Voiage there were likewise 10 or 12. gentlewomen some of theÌ„ hauing their husbands in the ship others whose husbandes were in Portingall so that to conclude it was full of people and most of the Gentilitie of India in all our ships there were many that séeing vs in daunger would say they might haue gone safely in the Saint Thomas thinking it vnpossible that it should bee cast awaie Therefore it is manifestly séene that all the works and nauigations of men are but méer vanities and that wee must onely put our trust in God for that if God be not with vs in our actions all our labour is in vaine But returning to our matter each shippe did their best to be first vntill the seuentéenth of Februarie that we got before the S. Thomas being in
into the Iland as there doe and they may kill them with stones and staues by reason of the gret numbers of them Now for fruites as Portingall Figges Pomgranets Oranges Lemons Citrons and such like fruites there are so many that growe without planting or setting that all the valleyes are full of them which is a great pleasure to beholde so that it séemeth to bee an earthly Paradise It hath fruite all the yeare long because it raineth there by showers at the least fiue or six times euerie day and then againe the Sunne shineth so that whatsoeuer is planted there it groweth verie well but because the Portingales are not ouer curious of new things there groweth not of al sorts of fruites of Portingall and India in that Iland for assuredly without any doubt they would growe well in that land because of the good temperature of the ayre besides this they haue so great abundance of Fish round about the Iland that it séemeth a wonder wrought of God for with crooked nayles they may take as much Fish as they will so that all the shippes doe prouide themselues of Fish of all sorts in that place which is hanged vp and dried and is of as good a taste and sauor as any Fish that euer I eate and this euery man that hath beene there affirmeth to be true And the better to serue their turnes vpon the Rockes they find salt which serueth them for their necessarie prouisions so that to conclude it is an earthly Paradise for y e Portingall shippes and seemeth to haue been miraculously discouered for the refreshing and seruice of the same considering the smalnesse and highnesse of the land lying in the middle of the Ocean seas and so far from the firme land or any other Ilands that it séemeth to be a Boye placed in the midle of the Spanish Seas for if this Iland were not it were impossible for the shippes to make any good or prosperous Viage for it hath often fallen out that some shippes which haue missed thereof haue endured the greatest miserie in y e world and were forced to put into the coast of Guinea there to stay the falling of the raine and so to get fresh water and afterwardes came halfe dead and spoyled into Portingall It is the fashion that all the sicke persons that are in the shippes and can not wel sayle in them are left there in the Iland with some prouision of Rice Bisket Oyle and some Spices for Fish and flesh they may haue enough for when the ships are gone then all the beastes which by reason of the great number of people fly into the mountaines come downe againe into the valleyes where they may take them with their handes and kill them as they list those sicke men stay there till the next yeare till other ships come thether which take them with them they are commonly soone healed in that Iland as being a verie sound and pleasant countrie and it is verie seldome seene that any of them dyeth there because they haue alwaies a temperate ayre and coole winde and alwayes fruite throughout the whoâ—â— yeare The king will not suffer any man to dwell in it because they should not destroye spoyle the countrie and holde it as their owne but will haue it common for euerie man to take what he hath neede of In time past there dwelt an Hermet in the I le who continued there for certaine yeares vnder pretence of doing penance and to vphold the Church hee killed many of the Goates and Buckes so that euerie yeare hee sold at the least fiue or sixe hundred skinnes and made great profit therof which the King hearing caused him presently to bee brought from thence into Portingall Likewise vpon a certaine time two Caâ—â—ares or blacke people of Mosambique and one Iauer with two women slaues stoale out of the shippes and hid themselues in the Rockes of this Iland which are verie high and wilde whereby men can hardly passe them They liued there together and begot children so that in the ende they were at the least twentie persons who when the ships were gone ran throughout the Iland and did much hurt making their houses dweling places betweene some of the hilles where not any of the Portingales had beene nor yet could easily come at them and therein they hid themselues vntill the shippes were gone but in the end they were perceiued and the Portingales vsed all the meanes they could to take them but they knew so well how to hide and defend themselues that in many yeares they could not be taken in the end fearing that they might in time be hurtfull vnto them and hinder them much by expresse commaundement of the King after long and great labour they tooke them all and brought them prisoners into Portingall so that at this present no man dwelleth therein but onely the sicke men as I told you before When the ships come thether euerie man maketh his lodging vnder a trée setting a Tent about it for that the trees are there so thicke that it presently séemeth a little towne or an armie lying in the fielde Euerie man prouideth for himselfe both flesh fish fruite and woode for there is enough for them all and euerie one washeth Linnen There they hold a generall fasting and prayer with Masse euerie daye which is done with great deuotion with procession and thankesgiuing and other Himnes thanking God that hee hath preserued them from the danger of the Cape de Bona Speranza and brought them to that Iland in safetie There they vse oftentimes to Carus their names and markes in trees plants for a perpetuall memorie whereof many hundredth are there to be found which letters with the growing of the trées doe also grow bigger and bigger we found names that had been there since the yeare of the Lord 1510. 1515. and euerie yeare orderly following which names stoode vpon Figge trées euery letter being of the bignesse of a spanne by reason of the age and growing of the trées This shal suffice for the description of the Iland of Saint Helena The 21. of May being Saint Helenas day and Whitsunday after we had taken in all our fresh water and other necessaries we set sayle altogether in companie and directed Th◠〈…〉 Pâ—â—ntâ—d 〈◊〉 London by â—ohn Wolfe 〈◊〉 by William Rogers THE TRVE Description of the ISLAND of 〈◊〉 lyeiâ—g 〈◊〉 by â— degrees on y e Sâ—uth syde of y e Equinoctiall lyne Printed at London by Iohn Wolfe Gâ—â—uen by William Rogers our course towardes Portingall leauing about fiftéene sicke men in the Ilande some slaues that ranne out of the ships The 26. of May in the Euening wee spake with the Saint Mary and the next day with the Gallion of Malacca the same Morning and in the after noone with the Admirall who willed vs to follow him vnto the Iland of the Ascention The same day one of our slaues fell ouer bord although we vsed all the
the sea and so the Caruels borded vs telling vs that the men of the Island were all in armes as hauing receiued aduise from Portingall that Sir Francis Drake was in a readines and would come vnto those Islands They likewise brought vs newes of the ouerthrow of the Spanish Fléet before England and that the English men had béene before the gates of Lisbone wherupon the king gaue vs commandement that we should put into the Island of Tercera and there lie vnder the safetie of the Castle vntill we receiued further aduise what wee should doe or whether we should saile for that they thought it too dangerous for vs to goe to Liâ—bone Those newes put our fleet in great feare and made vs looke vppon each other not knowing what to say as being daÌ„gerous for them to put into the road because it lieth open to the sea so that the Indian ships although they had expresse commandement from the king yet they durst not anker there but only vsed to come thether and to lauere to and fro sending their boates on land to fetch such necessaries as they wanted without ankering but being by necessity coÌ„pelled thereunto as also by the kinges commandement and for that wee vnderstood the Earle of Cumberland not to bee farre from those Islands with certaine ships of war we made necessitie a vertue and entring the rode ankered close vnder the Castle staying for aduise and order from the king to performe our voyage it being then the 24. of July S. Iames day We were in al 6 ships that is 5. from East Indies one from Malacca lay in the rode before the Towne of Angra from whence we presently sent three or foure Caruels into Portingal with aduise vnto the king of our ariuall There we lay in great daunger and much feare for that when the month of August commeth it is very dangerous lying before that Iland for as then it beginneth to storme The shippes are there safe from all windes sauing onely from the South and Southeast windes for when they blow they lie in a thousand dangers specially the east IndiaÌ„ ships which are very heauily laden and so full that they are almost readie to sinke so that they can hardly be stéered The fourth of August in the night we had a South winde out of the sea wherewith it began so to storme that all the ships were in great danger to be cast away and to run vpon the shore so that they were in great feare and shot off their péeces to call for help The officers and most of the sailers were on land none but pugs and slaues being in the ships for it is a common custome with the Portingales that wheresoeuer they anker presently they goe all on land and let the shippe lie with a boy or two in it All the bels in the Towne were hereupon rung and there was such a noyse and crie in euerie place that one could not heare the other speak for those that were on land by reason of the foule weather could not get aboard and they in the Shippe could not come to land Our Shippe the Santa Crus was in great danger thinking verily that it shuld haue run vpon the sands but God holy them The ship that came from Malacca brake her Cables and had not men enough aboard the shippe nor any that could tell how to cast forth another anker so that in the end they cut their mastes droue vpon the Cliffes where it stayed and brake in péeces and presently sunke vnder the water to the vpper Dorlope and with that the winde came North West wherewith the storme ceased and the water became calme If that had not béene al the ships had followed the same course for that some of them were at the point to cut their Masts and Cables to saue their liues but God would not haue it so In that ship of Malacca were lost many rich and costly Marchandises for these ships are ordinarily as rich as anie ships that come from India as being full of all the rich wares of China Mâ—luco Laua and all those countries so that it was great pittie to sée what costly thinges as Silkes Damaskes clothes of gold and siluer such like wares fleeted vpon the sea and were torne in péeces There was much goods saued that lay in the vpper part of the ship and also by duckers as pepper Nutmegs and Cloues but most of it was lost and that which was saued was in a manner spoyled and little worth which presently by the kinges officers in the Island was seased vpon and to the Farmers vses shut vp in the Alsandega or Custome house for the Kinges custome not once regarding the poore men nor their long and dangerous Voiage that had continued the space of three yeares with so great miserie and trouble by them indured in Malacca as in another place I haue alreadie shewed so that they could not obtaine so much fauour of the king nor of his officers that of the goods that were saued and brought to land they might haue some part although they oâ—fered to put in suerties for so much as the custome might amount vnto or els to leaue as much goods in the officers hands as would satisfie them and although they made daily and pittifull complaintes that they had not where with to liue and that they desired vppon their owne aduentures to fraight certaine shippes or Caruels at their owne charge and to put in good suerties to deliuer the goods in the Custome house of Lisbone yet could they not obtaine their requests but were answered that the king for the assurance of his custome and of all the goods would send an Armado by sea to fetch the goods which fetching continued for the space of two yeares and a halfe and yet nothing was done for there came no Armado In the meane time the poore saylers consumed all that they had and desperately cursed both themselues the king and all his officers yet in the end by great and importunate sute of the Farmers of the pepper euery maÌ„ had licence to lade his goods in what ship hee would after it had laine there for the space of two yeares and a halfe putting in suerties to deliuer the goods in the custome house of Lisbone where they must pay the halfe more of the same goods for custome to the King without any respect of their hard fortune and great miserie during their long and dangerous Voyage and he that will be dispatched in the Custome house there must sée the officers otherwise it is most commonly three or foure monthes before the goods are deliuered vnto the owners and the best thinges or any fine deuise that the Marchants for their own vses bring out of India if the officers like theÌ„ they must haue them yet they will promise to pay for them but they set no day when so that the poore Marchants are forced to giue them rest and wel contented that
Fryday the Cardinall going to Masse all the Captaines and Commanders made so great intreaty for him that in the end they got his pardon This I thought good to note that men might vnderstand the bloodie and honest mindes of the Spaniardes when they haue men vnder their subiection The same two English shippes which followed the Spanish Admirall till he had got vnder the Fort of Tercera as I said before put into the sea where they met with an other Spanish ship béeing of the same Fléet that had likewise bene scatered by the storme and was onlie missing for the rest lay in the road this small shippe the Englishmen tooke and sent all the men on shore not hurting any of them but if they had knowne what had beene done vnto the foresaid English captiues I beleeue they would soone haue reuenged themselues as afterwards manie an innocent soule payed for it This ship thus taken by the English men was the same that was kept and coÌ„fiscated in the Iland of Tercera by the English men that got out of the Iland in a fisher boate as I sayd before and was sold vnto the Spaniardes that as then came from the Indies wherewith they sayled to S. Lucas where it was also arrested by the Duke and appointed to goe in company to fetch the siluer in Tercera because it was a shippe that sayled well but among the spaniardes fleet it was the meanest of the company By this meanes it was taken from the Spaniards and caryed into England and the owners had it againe when they least thought of it The 19 of Marche the aforesaid shippes being 19 in nuÌ„ber set sayle hauing laden the Kings siluer and receiued in Aluaro Flores de Quiniones with his company and good prouision of necessaries munition and soldiers that were fullie resolued as they made shewe to fight valiantly to the last man before they would yeeld or lose their riches and although they set their course for S. Lucas the wind draue them vnto Lisbon which as it seemed was willing by his force to helpe them and to bring them thether in safetie although Aluaro de Flores hoth against the wind and weather would perforce haue sayled to Saint Lucas but being constrained by the wind and importunitie of the Saylers that protested they would require their losses and damages of him he was content to sayle to Lisbone from whence the Siluer was by land carried into Siuilia At Cape Saint Vincent there lay a Fleete of twentie English shippes to watch for the Armada so that if they had put into Saint Lucas they had fallen right into their handes which if the wind had serued they had done And therefore they may say that the wind had lent them a happie Viage for if the Englishmen had met with them they had surely beene in great danger and possibly but few of them had esâ—â—ped by reason of the feare wherewith they were possessed because fortune or rather God â—as wholly against them Which is a sufficient cause to make y e Spaniards out of hart to the contrarie to giue the Englishmen more courage and to make them bolder for that they are victorious stout and valiant and seeing al their enterprises doe take so good effect that thereby they are become Lordes and masters of the Sea and neede care for no man as it well appeareth by this briefe discourse In the month of March 15â—â— There was a blasing Starre with a tayle seene in 〈◊〉 that continued foure nights together stretching the taile towards the South In the Month of May a Caruel of Fayâ— arriued at Tercera in the Hauen or Roade of Angra laden with Oxen sheepe Hennes and all other kinds of victuals and full of people which by a storme had broken her Ruther whereby the Sea cast her about and therewith shee sunke and in her were drowned three children and a Frier Franciscan the rest of the men saued themselues by swimming and by helpe from the shore but all the Cattle and Hennes came drowned to land the Frier was buried with a great procession and solemnitie esteeming him for a Saint because hee was taken vp dead with his Booke between his armes for the which cause euery man came to looke on him as a myracle giuing gret offerings to say Masses for his soule The first of August the Gouernour of Tercera reeceiued aduise out of Portingall and Spaine that two yeares before the date of 〈…〉 there were sayled out of England 〈◊〉 great shippes wel apointed with full resolution to take their fourme seuen of them into the Portingall Indies and the other fiue to Maâ— of the which fiue two were cast away in passing the Straightes of Magellaneâ— and three sayled to Malacâ—â— but what they had done there was as then not knowne The other seuen passed the Cape de Bona Speranza and arriued in India where they put into the coast of Malabar and there tooke sixe Foistes of the Malabares but let them goe againe and two Turkish Gallies that came out of the Straightes of Mecca or the redde Sea to whome likewise they did no hurt And there they laded their shippes with Spices and returned backe againe on their way but where or in what place they had laden it was not certainely knowne sauing onely that thus much was written by the Gouernour of India and sent ouer land to Venice and from thence to Madâ— The seuenth of August a Nauie of English shippes was seene before Tercera being 20. in number and fiue of them the Quéenes shippes their Generall was one Martin Furbuâ—her as wee after had intelligence They came purposely to watch for the Fleet of the Spanish Indies and for the Indian shippes and the ships of the countries in the West which put the Ilanders in great feare specially those of Fayâ—el for that the Englishmen sent a Trumpet to the Gouernour to aske certaine wine flesh and other victuals for their mony and good friendship They of Fayael did not onely refuse to giue eare vnto them but with a shot killed their messenger or Trumpeter which the Englishmen tooke in euill part sending them word that they were best to looke to themselues stand vppon their gard for they ment to come and visite them whether they would or no. The Gouernor made them answere that he was there in the behalfe of his Maiestie of Spaine and that he would doe his best to keepe them out as he was bound but nothing was done althogh they of Fayael were in no litle feare sending to Tercera for aide from whence they had certaine Barkes with poulder and munition for warre with some Bisket and other necessarie prouision The 3. of August we receiued very certaine newes out of Portingal that ther were 80. ships put out of y e Câ—â—â—nlâ—o laden with victuals Munition money and Souldiers to goe for Britaine to aide the Catholicks and Leaguers of Fraunce against the King of Nauarre At the same time two Netherland Hulkes comming
veneas that is I will haue thée to ouercome which being read by the Cardinall and other Gentlemen that to honour him brought him abord his shippe it was thought to be a point of exceeding folly but it is no strange matter among the Portingalles for they aboue all others must of force let the foole peepe out of their sleeues specially when they are in authoritie for that I knew the said Mathiâ—s d' Alburkeâ—k in India being a soldier and a Captaine where he was esteemed and accounted for one of the best of them and much honoured and beloued of all men as behauing himselfe courteously to euery man whereby they all desired that he might be Viceroy But when he once had receyued his Patent with full power and authority from the king to be Viceroy he changed so much froÌ„ his former behauior that by reason of his pride they al began to feare curse him that before he departed out of Lâ—sbâ—ne as it is often seene in many men that are aduanced vnto state dignity The 20. of Ianuarie Anno 1591. there was newes brought out of Portingall into Tercera that the Englishmen had taken a shippe that the king had sent into the Pâ—rtingall-Indie with aduise to the Viceroy for the returning again of the foure ships that should haue gone to India because the ships were come backe againe that ship was stuffed and laded as full of goods as possible it might bee hauing likewise in ready money 500. thousand duckets in Rials of 8. besides other wares It departed from Lisbone in the month of Nouember 1590. met with y e EnglishmeÌ„ with whom for a time it fought but in y e end it was takeÌ„ caried into England with men all yet wheÌ„ they came there the men were set at libertie returned into Lisbone where the Captaine was committed prisoner but he excused himselfe was released w t whom I spake my selfe he made this report vnto mee At the same time also they tooke a ship that came from the Mine laden w t gold 2. ships laden with Pepper and spices that were to saile into Italie the pepper onely that was in them being worth 170. thousand duckets all these ships were caried into England and made good prise In the month of Iuly an 1591. there happened an earthquake in the Iland of S. Michael which continued from the 26. of Iuly to the 12. of August in which time no man durst stay within his house but fled into the fields fasting praying w t great sorrow for y e many of their houses fel down a towne called Villa Franca was almost cleane razed to y e ground all the cloisters and houses shaken to the earth therein some people slain The land in some places rose vp and the cliffes remoued from on place to another some hils were defaced and made eueÌ„ with the ground The earthquake was so strong that the ships which lay in the road on the sea shaked as if the world would haue turned round there sprang also a fountaine out of the earth from whence for the space of 4. daies there flowed a most cleare water after that it ceased At the same time they heard such thunder noise vnder the earth as if all the Deuils in hel had been assembled together in that place wherewith many dyed for fear The Iland of Tercera shooke 4. times together so that it seemed to turne about but there happened no misfortune vnto it Earthquakes are common in those Ilandes for about 20. yeares past there happened another earthquake wherein a high hill that lyeth by y e same towne of Villa Franca fell halfe downe and couered all the towne with earth and killed many men The 25. of August y e kings Armada coÌ„ming out of Farâ—â— ariued in Tercera being in all 30. ships Biskaâ—es Portingals Spaniards 10. Dutch â—lieboats y t were arested in Lisbone to serue y e king besides other smal ships Pataros y t came to serue as messengers froÌ„ place to place to discouer the seas This nauie came to stay for conuoy the ships that shold come froÌ„ the Spanish Indies the â—lieboates were apointed in their returne home to take in the goodes y t were saued in y e lost ship y t came froÌ„ Malacca to câ—Ì„uoy it to Lisbon The 13. of September the saide Armado ariued at the Iland of Coruo where the Englishmen with about sixtéene shippes as then lay staying for the Spanish Fleete whereof some or the most parte were come and there the English were in good hope to haue taken them But when they perceyued the kings Army to be strong the Admirall being the Lorde Thomas Howard commaunded his Fléete not to fall vpon them nor any of them once to seperate their shippes from him vnlesse he gaue commission so to doe notwithstanding the Vice Admirall Sir Rychard Greenfield being in the ship called the Reuenge went into the Spanish fléete and shot among them doing them great hurte and thinking the rest of the company would haue followed which they did not but left him there and sayled away the cause why could not be knowne which the Spaniardes perceiuing with seuen or eight shippes they borded her but she withstood them all fighting with them at the least 12. houres together and sunke two of them one being a newe double Flie boat of 1200. tunnes and Admirall of the Flie boates the other a Biscaine But in the ende by reason of the number that came vppon her she was taken but to their great losse for they had lost in fighting and by drowning aboue 4â—â— men and of the English were slaine about a hundred Sir Rychard Greenfield himselfe being wounded in his braine whereof afterwardes hee dyed He was borne into the ship called the Saint Paule wherein was the Admirall of the fléet Don Alonso de Barsan there his woundes were drest by the Spanish Surgeons but Don Alonso himselfe would neither see him nor speake with him all the rest of the Captaines and Gentlemen went to visite him and to comfort him in his hard fortune wondring at his courage and stout heart for that he shewed not any signe of faintnes nor changing of colour But feeling the hower of death to approch hee spake these wordes in Spanish said Here die I Richard Grâ—enfield with a ioyfull and quiet mind for that I haue ended my life as a true soldier ought to do y t hath fought for his countrey Queene religion and honor whereby my soule most ioyfull departeth out of this bodie and shall alwaies leaue behinde it an euerlasting fame of a valiant and true soldier that hath done his dutie as he was bound to doe When he had finished these or such other like words hee gaue vp the Ghost with great and stout courage and no man could perceiue any true signe of heauinesse in him This Sir Richard Greenfield was a great and a
builde withall specially Stones for there are great store whereof may bee made whose Pillers and foure square peeces of fine redde Marble stone and there are such great peeces that a whole Church might bee hewed out of one of them Besides this marble there are hilles of iasper porphier or red marble nured with white and other colours which in Rome is called marble of Numidia Affrica and Ethiopia whereof many pillers are to be seene in Rome There is likewise found many grained stones among the which there are that are mixed with iacinths which maye bee taken foorth and separated from the other stones wherein they growe of those maye likewise pillars and other workes be made wherein might bee seene diuers sortes of stones There are also other strange stones mixed with mettall of diuerse colours as copper in shew greene and shining whereof they maye make Images and other princely workes so that want of substance to builde withall is not the cause of theyr small houses for neyther stone chalke wood nor beastes to drawe or carry them is wanting onelie they haue no masons carpenters nor brickelayers that shoulde make thâ—ir houses so that they dwel in little cotages Heere might be declared how this kingdome in the discouerie of the East Indies being in the yeare 1490. and 1491. was by the Portingales brought vnto the Christian faith also howe shamefully the countrey was left when golde beganne to faile I meane not by the decaying or diminishing of the golde but because the King of Congo was persuaded by a Portingale not to discouer the mine as also not mentioning the euill gouernement of the Bishoppes Priestes Moonkes and Friers that were sent thither as beeing sufficiently declared by Odoardus Lopez in his description thereof shewing that they desired not the health and saluations of mens soules but rather glory and rule and to satisfie their insatiable lustes and gréedinesse after golde Yet not long since the King of Congo now liuing hath twice sent his embassadors to the King of Spaine the Pope of Rome friendly hartily desiring them to send certaine preachers and teachers of the word of God to instruct his subiects withall offering to discouer the rich mines of gold that are within his countrey thereby to winne them to bring preachers to instruct his country but christendome hath other matters in hand as to hang suppres pursue and destroy their christen brethren which being beyond my profession is not for me to deale in But returning to the further description of the coast of Angola to the great cape de Bona Speranza first as touching Angola it is by report very populous and abundant in siluer copper and other mettall rich of al kinds of beasts and victualles specially kine yet the people rather eate dogs flesh which they buy and pay dearer for it than for any other flesh their mony is schulpens like theirs in Congo and are like in speech yet different in some words as Spanish and Portingale their king is an idolater or a Heathen They haue as many wiues as they will whereby they haue such aboundaunce of people that Angola alone can make a million of armed men all ready to serue theyr gouernours in the warrs They vse many glasse beades brought out of Venice beeing of diuerse colours which they weare for an ornament about their neckes and armes in their speech they doe call them Anzoles and being hanged on strings Mizanga Hauing passed the kingdome of Angola and the shoare of Kine called Seno delle Vache southward to the black cape or Out hooke the coast stretcheth about 220. Italian miles This coast is all one land like Angola and is vnder the gouernement of many lordes and from this blacke cape reacheth a line Eastward parting the hills called the colde hilles which also in some high places néerer to the Equinoctiall line are by the Portingales called the Snowe hilles which end at the foote of the Cristall hill taking her name from the great abundance of cristall found therein out of those Snow hilles the waters that make the lake haue their beginning by the Portingales called Dumbea Zocche and this cristall hil stretcheth further into the north toward the siluer hilles as farre as Malomba where the kingdome of Câ—ngo endeth beeing diuided by the riuer of Coari Coasting along the shoare from the kingdome of Angola to the cape de Bona Speranza you must passe by the kingdome of Climbebâ— wherein raineth king Matama this country reacheth to the riuer of Bauaghul springing out of the hill called Luna or the Moone and both together running into the riuer Magnice which floweth out of the lake aforesaide behind this lieth Tropicus Cancri and betweene this Tropicus Cancri and the cape de Bona Speranza there raigneth no king but diuerse seuerall Lords This land is compassed by high sharpe and colde unhabited hilles the people that are there liue in the fields like labourers in cotages apparelled in beasts skins wild rough people and not to be credited not induring or permitting anie traffike with straungers Their weapons are dartes and arrowes their meate fruites of the earth and flesh of beasts The ancient Writers thought the riuer Niâ—uâ— to haue her off spring in the hils of the Moone so that many to this day are likewise of the same opinion In this hil towardes the weast lieth a small lake called Gale out of the which lake floweth the Riuer Camilla by the Portingales called the fresh riuer which about the end of the falce cape de Bona Speranza runnes into the sea This Hooke is called the false or vnright Cape because the ships that saile from India to Portingale doe first discouer a great corner or hook of land called Deâ—li Aguâ—â—ie and after that this smaller hooke and therefore call it the Faise Cape beeing seperated from the right and great Cape The space betweene these two Hookes or Capes is 20 Dutch miles which bearing out like twoo hornes make an intercourse or gulfe where the Portingales at times take in water out of the fresh riuer aforesaide and the people dwelling about this riuer are blacke although the pole antartike is there at 35 degrees as also those that dwell in the colde hilles of the Moone so that it is not the heat of the Sunne but the nature of the Countrey that maketh them blacke And bicause this is the greatest hooke or cape and that reacheth furthest into the sea of any Cape whatsoeuer in al the world and very daungerous to passe as al other Capes are as also because that in this place the sea makes a most fearful noyse that the land windes comming downe make the sea thereabouts most rough and troublesome whereby so many Portingale ships haue there bin cast away and because by ancient Historiographers so litle hath bin said therof before and since the Portingales discouered the same thinke it good in this place to set downe the measure and certaine knowledge of the greatnesse
Portingales do yearely watch for the Turkish ships which saile with many costly wares not hauing licence of them they are boorded and spoyled of their wares by the Portingales presuming themselues to be lords of al the traffike in those coūtries not permitting any other to traffike therin but onely themselues or by theyr licence Hauing sailed about this Cape de Guarda Fuy and setting your course towardes the redde Sea there are other townes and hauens inhabited by the Mahometanes the first called Meth the other being somewhat further Barbora and there are the last white people from thence you finde al blacke people and beyond that you come to Ceila Dalaca Malaca Carachin which coast in their spéech is called Baragiam being al Moores and expert in armes their apparrell from the middle vpwarde being of cotten linnen The chéefe gouernours or nobles weare Cappoten which they cal Bermissi this countrey is rich of gold Iuory mettal and al kind of victuals From thence you come to the mouth of the red sea wherein lyeth an Island called Babelmandel on both sides wherof there runneth a channel into the red sea whereof the West side is almost fiftéene Italian that is three Duch miles broade through the which al the shippes doe passe both in and out the channel lying on the other side is shallow and ful of sandes and cliffes so that in al it is about sixe Duch miles broade whereof the one poynt lying in the Affrican shore is called Raibel and the other lying in the countrey of Arabia Felix is called Ara whereabouts also is the hauen of the rich towne of Aden in Arabia alreadie spoken of in this booke This water runneth inward vnto Swes being about 1200. Italian miles in lēgth on both sides altogether dry and verie shallow ful of Islandes déep only in the middle where the shippes do ordinarily saile which is onely by the great swift course of the water which scouring the channel kéepeth it cleane and déepe casting vp the sande on both sides Now to say something of Prester Iohn being the greatest and the mightiest prince in all Affrica his countrey beginneth from the enterance into the red sea and reacheth to the Island of Siene lying vnder Tropicus Cancri excepting the coast of the same sea which the Turke within these fiftie yeares hath taken from him so that his gouernment towards the Northwest and East lieth most part by the red sea and Northeast vpon Egypt and the desarts of Nubia and on the South side vpon Monomugi so that to set downe the greatnesse of all the countries which this Christian king hath vnder his commandement they are in compasse 4000. Italian miles The cheefe Cittie whereof and wherein he is most resident is called Belmalechi his gouernment is ouer many countries and kingdomes that are rich and aboundant in gold siluer and precious stones and al sorts of mettals his people are of diuers colours white blacke and betwéene both of a good stature and proportion The noblemen and gentlemen of the countrey apparrel themselues in silke Imbrodered with gold and other such like In this countrey they obserue lawes for wearing of apparrel by degrées as they do in Portingale for that some are not permitted to weare any other apparrel but Leather the people are Christians but hold certaine ceremonies of the Iewish lawe and vpon the day of the conception of the virgin Mary al the kings and Princes vnder his obedience do come vnto the saide towne of Belmalechi there to celebrate the feast euerie man bringing with him such treasor or yearely tribute as he is bound to pay and at the same feast the people come thither in pilgrimage to honour it wherevppon that day there is a great procession and out of the church from whence they come they bring an Image of the virgin Mary in form like a man of Massie gold and where the eyes should be it hath two great rubies the rest of the whole Image beeing wrought with excellent workmanship and set with many precious stones laying it on a beere of gold very cunningly wrought At this procession Prester Iohn himselfe is personally present either sitting in a Chariot of golde or riding on an Elephant most richly trapped himselfe apparrelled in most strange and costly cloth of golde al embrodered and set with pearles and stones most sumptuous to beholde to see this feast and Image the people runne in so great troupes that by reason of the prease many are thrust to death This Emperour Prestor Iohn is not rightly named for that his name is Belgian Bel signifying the highest perfectest and excellentest of all things and Gian Lorde or Prince which is proper to all that commaund or gouerne ouer others so then Belgian signifieth the chiefe or highest Prince which name being so ioyned is proper to none but to the king hauing also a surname of Dauid as our Emperours the name of Caesar or Augustus Here I must alittle discourse of the riuer Nylus which hath not her issue in Belgians land neither from the hilles of the Moone nor as Ptolomeus saith from the two lakes which he placeth in the midle between east and weast with the distance of almost foure hundred and fiftie Italian miles one from the other for that vnder the same pole wher in Ptolomeus placeth the saide two lakes lieth the two kingdoms of Congo and Angola towardes the weast and on the other side towards the east the kingdome of Monomotapa and Sofala with distance from the one sea to the other of about twelue hundred Italian miles and Odoardus saieth that in these countries there is but one lake which lieth on the bordures of Angola and Monomotapa which is in bignesse about a hundred ninety fiue Italian miles of the which lake wee are well assured and truely certified by those of Angola but on the east side of Sofala and Monomotapa there is no mention made of any other lake whereby it may be saide that vnder the same degrees there is no other lake True it is that there are yet two other lakes but they lie clean contrary to those whereof Ptolomeus writeth for hee as I saide before placeth his lakes right in the middle betweene east and weast and those whereof I speake lie right by direct line betweene north and south distant about foure hundred miles Some men in those countries are of opinion that Nilus springeth out of the first lake and then againe hideth it selfe vnder the earth and issue out againe in another place which some men deny and Odoardus saith that right the opinion therein is that Nylus passeth not vnder the earth but that it runneth through certayne fearefull and desart valleis where no man commeth or inhabiteth without anye certaine channell and so it is sayd that it runneth vnder the earth Therefore it is most certaine that Nyl◠floweth out of the first sake which lieth vnder twelue degrees by the pole antartike which lake is almost compassed
about with hils whereof those that lie eastward are called Caâ—ates with rockes of Saltpeeter and of siluer on the one side and on the other side hilles through the which Nylus descendeth about foure hundred miles right north and then runneth into an other lake that is greater which the inhabitantes doe call a Sea or Meere because it is greater than the other being in breadth about twoo hundred and twentie miles lying right vnder the equinoctiall line Of this second lake we are truely aduertised by the people of Arzichâ— the which bordure vppon Congo who traffiking in that country reporte that in that lake there are people that do saile in great shippes that can write vsing weights and measures which they haue not in the bordures of Congo which also build their houses of stone and chalke as it groweth in the earth much like the people of Portingale whereby it may be saide that Prestor Iohns land is not farre from thence Out of this second lake aforesaide the riuer Nylus runneth to the Island of Meroe being distant from the lake 240. Dutch miles whereunto other Riuers haue their course as the riuer of Colues c. lying on the bordures of Melinde and comming to the saide Island of Meroe it diuideth it selfe in two partes compassing about a high land called Meroe on the right side of Meroe towardes the east runneth an other riuer called Abagni springing out of the lake Bracina which riuer runneth through Prestor Iohns land to the saide Island and on the other side towardes the west runneth other riuers among the which is Saraboe This riuer entring into Nilus and running about the Island of Meroe runne together in a broder streame through Ethiopia which is called Ethiopia lying aboue Egypt and reacheth to the descending thereof where the riuer Nylus meeteth againe with both the streames together in a high valley and so with a great fall runs to the Island of Siene with so horrible a noyse that the people thereabouts by that means are most part deafe and thence running through Egypt it watereth al the countrey and maketh it fruitfull and from thence runneth into the Mediterranean sea right ouer against Cipres and that with two notable streames besides others whereof one at Rossetto a dayes iourny from Alexandria runneth into the sea the other at Pelusio now called Damiata so that hereby I conclude that the riuer Nylus in Egypt the riuer Zaire in Congo and the riuer Nigri in Eâ—â—iopia are the causes of the fruitfulnesse of those countries al at one time increasing and ouerflowing by meanes of the exceeding great raines that for the space of fiue moneths do continually fall in the countrie of Congo and the places borduring on the same Touching the coast of Aden the coast of Arabia Felix and the country running along by the gulfe of Persia vntil you come to Goa it is sufficiently already declared in this booke whereunto I refer you The description of America and the seuerall partes thereof as Noua Francia Florida the Islandes called Antillas Iucaya Cuba Iamaica c. with the situations degrees and length how farre they are distant one from the other likewise the fruitfulnes and abâ—undance of beasts birdes fishes and fruits of the same countreyes with the manners fashions apparrels and religions together with the principall actions of the people inhabiting therein When the authour of this booke as also the Printer had bestowed and vsed great labor and charges herein to set forth some perfect Cardes of America because that often times the Indian shippes in their sailing out or returning home do fall vpon those coasts specially Brasilia which herein is most discouered they thought it expedient therewith to place a briefe discription of the same countries thereby to shew the readers the principall places therein whereunto at this day most ships do traffike hoping they wil take it in good part THe fourth parte of the world which at this day we cal America or west India was because of the great distance vnknowne to the ancient Cosmographers til the yeare of our Lord 1492. that Christopherus Columbus a Geneuois discouered the same and fiue yeeres after that one Americus Vespacio by the King of Castilliaes commandement sailed thither and called al the countrey America after his owne name and for the greatnes therof is also called the new world reaching as Postillus is of opinion from the one pole to the other beeing diuided by the straigths of Magellana where it endeth vnder 52. degrees on the south side of the Equinoctial line This countrie by diuers men is diuersly parted some making it a parte of the whole worlde and cal it the fourth part by the name of America others make out of that countrey in generall two other parts of the world diuiding the world in sixe parts as Asia Affrica Europe Mexicana or the new Spaine Peruana and Magellanica as the sixt part which as yet is but litle discouered others diuide it into three parts in Peru newe Spain others Mexico new France They that first found it accounted it but for one part after that the Spaniardes discouering more land diuided it into two parts into Mexico or new Spaine and Peru after that the Frenchmen discouering more countreyes called that which they discouered Noua Frauncia which in time beeing by the Spanniardes woonne from the Frenchmen was accounted for a péece of newe Spaine at the last the straights of Magellana being founde out was by Petrus Plantius a minister of the worde of God added as a sixt parte but because our Card extendeth no further then to certaine limits of Noua Frauncia namely to the prouince or countrey of Florida we wil not speake much of the rest and proceede with the other partes with certaine Ilandes in our Carde called Antillas or foure landes because they lie before the firme lande defending and couering the same as a henne with her wings couereth her chickens The land then which stretcheth towards the pole Arcticum or northward is called new Fraunce for that in Anno 1524. Iohannes Verrazanus of Florence being sent by the King and Queene mother of France into the new world did almost discouer al that coast beginning from Propicus Cancri about 24. degrees til he came to 50. degrees and somewhat further into the north where he erected the French standard so that from thenceforth that countrey was called by the name of Noua Frauncia and Villagagno Frauncia Antarctica The breadth of this countrey is from 24. degrees to 54. degrees towardes the North. The length from 280. to 330. miles whereof the East part by the writers in these dayes is called Norumbega reaching to the gulfe Gamus where it is seperated from Canada About this land which is not lesse in compasse then Europa or whole Christendome lie diuers Islands among the rest Terra di Laborador stretching towards Groenland whether diuers ships both Spaniards French and English do often times resort seeking
to all that countrey This land is great and hath many people and countries vnder it but the principall and chiefe prouince which the Spanyardes holde therein is Mexicana also â—enustiran or Culhuacan as I saide before the other prouinces are Guatimala Xaliscus Hondura Cha'cos Taicâ— Chamoâ—la Claortomaca Huâ—cacholla and the kingdomes of Michuacan Tescuco Utazcalia Tenuacan Maxcalcinco and Mixâ—eâ—apan Mexico or Culhuacan was brought vnder the subiection of the kings of Spaine by Fernando Cortes Merches deila Valo in the yeere of our Lorde one thousand fiue hundred and eighteene which countrey is very rich of golde and siluer for that many riuers haue golde in the sand The Sea shore in those Countries yeeldeth manye pearles mustles or oysters wherein they finde the pearles whereof there is a great fishing and much traffike for them There are likewise in this countrey many lakes or meeres that are stil and haue no issue which by the heate of the Sunne tourne into salt There is likewise no lesse aboundance of Cassia Fistulâ— then in Egypt growing on trees with leaues like walnuts and yellow blossoms from whence the pipes or cases of Cassia do issue forth which are vsed to purge in hote feuers to coole and cleanse the gall and heart blood as also very good against the stone in the bladder and kidneys and other diseases There is likewise in that countrie a kinde of fruit that groweth in great abundance called Cacao altogether like an almond which is taken out of the huske and couered with a thinne skinne whereof the kernel is diuided into three or foure partes of a darke yellow with blacke veines being harsh in the mouth and of an euill taste but with them is much esteemed whereof being beaten with some of their countrey pepper they make a certaine drinke which they esteeme of great price giuing it vnto great Lordes and such as are their especiall friends as we esteeme of muscadel or maluesie The sea bordering vpon this countrey as also the riuers running through it are ful of fish wherein also they finde diuers Crocodiles as in Egypt the flesh whereof is so much esteemed before al other meates that they account it for a princely dish whereof some are aboue 20. foote long The country is full of hilles and stony rockes and great difference in their speeche so that they hardly vnderstand each other without Interpreters The places wherein the Spaniardes first placed their men were Compostella where the Bishop and the Kings counsell are resident and Colima which they call the Purification in new Galicia is the chiefe Guadalahara and the head or principall part of the kingdome Mecheocan also a Bishops sea Cacatula the towne of Angels a chiefe towne and bishopricke Mâ—xâ— a kingly citie and Queene of al cities in the new world lyeth vpon the border or side of a lake the market place of the Towne lying ful vpon the lake whereby they can not come at it but they must passe ouer bridges This lake is lâ—â—t and is in length sixe lucas or twelue miles and is in breadth tenne miles without fish onely a smal kind that may rather be called wormes than fishes from the which lake in summer time there ariseth such a stiâ—ke and infecteth the ayre in such manner that it is vnwholesome to dwel there notwithstanding it is inhabited by as many marchants as any towne in Europe the cittie is great at the least three miles in compasse wherein are so many temples that it is incredible the particularitte whereof before it be long shal be translated out of Spanish into our mother tongue by the author therof whereunto I referre you Not farre from this cittie lieth an other fresh lake very ful of fish whereon as also vpon the shore lie many townes When this towne was first taken by the Spaniards there raigned a king called Mâ—ntezâ—mâ— being the ninth in degree and as then the towne was but 140. yeares old which is to bee wondered at howe it is possible that so great a citie in so few yeers should be so famous The marchandises that are most carried out of this countrey are golde siluer pearle balsam cochenilia the white roote Macheocan which is good to purge Salla Pariglia and an other roote which maketh men sweate brimstone beasts skinnes and fish And thus much for new Spaine in generall and of Mexico in particular Not minding at this present time to make any longer discourse because that our Carde sheweth little thereof and now returning to our owne Carde you must vnderstand that the lower ende of Cuba hath an out Hooke called P. de Santa Anthonio which is very fitte for to take in fresh water and to calke and mend the shippes Sailing from this hooke sixtie fiue miles to the firme land you come to the hooke of Iucatan which runneth into the sea like a halfe Island Iectetan is in Indian speech I vnderstand you not for that vpon a time when certaine Spaniards put out of the hauen of Saint Anthony to discouer newe countries and arriued in that Island they made signes vnto the people to knowe the name of the country whereuppon the Indians answered them and saide O Tectetan Tectetan that is We vnderstand ye not and so the Spaniards corrupting the name Tectetan call that land Iucatan yet the furthest point therof in their spéech was called â—ecampi This point of Iucatan lyeth vnder 21. degrees vnder the which name a great countrey is comprehended by some called Peinsula that is a place almost compassed about with water for that the further this point reacheth into the sea the broader it is being in the narrowest part 80. or 90. Spanish miles broad for so farre it is from Xicalanco Therefore the sea Cardes that place this land nearer or smaller do erre much for that it is in length from East to West twoo hundred miles being discouered by Francisco Hernandez of Cordua in the yeare of our Lord 1517. but not al of it for that sailing from out of Cuba from Saint Iacobs to discouer new countries or as some say to fetch labourers to trauell in his mines he came about the Island Guanaxos herein called Caguan xâ— to the cape di Honduras where good honest ciuill and simple people dwelt being fishermen hauing no weapons nor vsed to the warres and proceeding further sayled to an vnknowne point of land where hee found certaine salt pannes whereunto he gaue the name of Donne that is women for that there were certaine stone towers with staires chappels couered with wood and straw wherein were placed diuerse Idols that shewed like women whereat the Spaniardes maruelled to finde stone houses which till then they had not seene and that the inhabitants were rich and well apparelled with shirtes and mantles of cotten white and coloured with plumes of feathers and iewels of precious stones sette in golde and siluer their women likewise appareled from the middle downewardes as also on the head and breast which
and therefore needelesse to rehearse Returning againe to the lake of Nicaragua therein are great fishes and amongest the rest a certaine kinde of fish in Spanish called Manâ— hauing finnes hard by their heades like two hands this fish is almost like an otter of 35. foote long and twelue foote thicke the head and tayle like an oxe small eies hard and hairie skinne of colour light blew with two feete like elophantes feete the sinnes standing out like Kopen feeding their yong ones with their dugges This fish feedeth both on land and in the water they are very familiar with men whereof the Indians tell a most wonderful thing which is that there was a king called Caâ—aâ—amavuis that had taken a yoong Mâ—nate which for the space of six and twenty yeres he kept and broght vp with bread in a lake called Guamabo that bordered vpon his house which fish in time became so tame that he surpassed the dolphin wherof we reade so many histories for that at what time soeuer the kings seruants called him Matto Matto which in Indian spéech is Manisecale or curteous hee would presently come out of the lake and eate meate out of their handes and woulde likewise come out of the water and goe into the house to fetch his meate and there woulde play with the children and when any man was desirous to go ouer the lake he would oftentimes take eight or tenne of them together and swimming beare them lightly on his backe ouer the water in which manner playing with him the Indians kept this fish long time til by some iniury done vnto him he became angry for that vppon a time as a Spaniard would prooue if his skinne were as hard as they reported it to be threw an arrow or dart at him and although it hurt him not yet he felt the sharp point of the arrow and from that time perceiuing that men with beards and in apparel were there they might wel call him but al in vaine for he would neuer come vp againe but in the end when the riuer Aâ—bunicus chaunced to flowe so high that it ranne ouer the bankes and so into the lake Guaniabo the fish folowed the streame and swamme into the sea these kindes of fishes are much seene and taken in that countrey for that their flesh is of a very good taste like hogs flesh which being salted is carried to Nombre de Dios and other places The lake of Nicaragua lyeth not farre from the south sea and about a hundred miles from the north sea running through a riuer that is ful of ships which the Spaniardes called Desaguadera that is falling of water therein Thereabouts in that riuer there are many crocadiles that lay their egges vpon the sands on the riuers sides as bigge as geese egs which being throwne against a stone wil bruised but not breake and in time of hunger are eaten by the spaniards their taste is like a Moschuâ— halfe rotten and by the Indians is accounted for an excellent kinde of meate by Nicaragua the country is rough and sharpe because of the thicke woodes and vneuen hilles where not onely horses but men can hardly passe ouer vnlesse it be with great paine and labour about this countrey for the space of foure months there are certaine Torteâ—ux that doe continue in the sea as also vppon the shoare which lay their egges as the crocadiles doe in the sand vppon the shoare whereof presently by reason of the great heate of the sunne there commeth yoong Torteaux the flesh of this beast being fresh is wholesome and pleasant to eate From Cabo de Gratias a dios to the Rio Grande or Desaguadera as I said before are seuenty miles from Desaguadera to Corobaro are fortie miles from Corobaro to Nombre de Dios fiftie miles betwéene Corobaro and Nombre de dios lieth Veragua and the riuer Swerus these 90. miles lie vnder nine degrees and ½ so that from the poynt of Iucatan to Nombre de Dios are 500. miles As touching the maners of the Indians of Sweren that are about the riuer Swerus dwelling by Veragua they are not much different from the rest onely that they eate no mans flesh in their countrey are many beares tigers and lions that are very fearfull and flee when they see a man there are likewise very great snakes but not venomous and many sea cats there is likewise an other kinde of beast called Cascui in a manner like a blacke pigge hairie with a hard skinne smal eies open eares like an elephant but not ful so open nor hanging down clouen feet and a litle snowt armed like an elephant and of so shril a voyce that it maketh men deafe and is of a good and sauory flesh There is likewise an other wonderful and straunge beast of Gesnerus called a Foxe apâ— on the belly whereof Nature hath formed an other belly wherein when it goeth into any place it hideth her young ones and so beareth them about her This beast hath a body and member like a foxe feete like mens hands or like sea cattes feete eares like a batte it is neuer seene that this beast letteth her yong ones come foorth but when they sucke or ease themselues but are alwayes therein vntil they can gette their own meate also there is another kind of beast called Iguanna or Iuanna not much vnlike our eftes hauing a thing hanging at his chinne like vnto a beard and on her head a combe like a cockes combe vpon his backe certaine sharpe quilles sticking vpright like thornes and amongest the rest some hauing teeth like a sawe with a sharp taile and stretching out sometimes winding like the adder This beast is accounted among the vnhurtfull snakes euery time it layeth it hath fortie or fiftie egs round and as big as a nut whereof the yellow is seperated from the white like hennes egs they are good to eate and very sauory flesh but not roasted either in oyle or butter onely in water this beast feedeth both on land and in the water it climeth trees and is fearful to behold specially to those that knowe not the nature thereof yet it is so gentle quiet that it maketh not any noyse and being taken and bound it liueth at the least tenne or twelue dayes without meate it is of a good and sauoury flesh and is kept for likorishnesse specially the women onely such as haue had the pox if they eate it their paine reneweth Nombre de Dios. NOmbre de Dios is a towne of traffike lying on the north sea so named by Diego de Niquesa a Spaniard that had indured some hard fortune and landing in that hauen with the rest of his men saide â—n Nombre de Dios that is in the name of God and so began his worke againe which before he did pretend and there erected certaine houses giuing the place the name aforesaid this towne lieth east and west vpon the sea side in the middle of a very
where they keepe their cattell their douehouses vineyards but no good grapes because of the grounde gardens of pleasure not onely full of all those countrie fruits but also of Spanish fruites as figges poundgarnats lemons oranges melons beanes pease and sugar canes all verie good and sauorie and better then in Spaine and to say the truth to passe a mans life in quietnesse were it not for the reporte that runneth of the Spaniards that they make warre against those people without a cause I thinke it the best and most pleasant place in all the world the aire being so temperate that all the yeare long there is no extremitie either of heate or cold and it was neuer heard that euer they had famine plague or any raine thunder or lightning but to the contrarie alwayes a cleare and faire skie it was builded by the Admirall Don Francisco Pizarro in the yeare of our Lord 1535. and was called 〈◊〉 Kings towne because they arriued therein vpon twelfe day by vs so called Touching victualles besides fish which they haue both out of the sea and the Riuer in great aboundance as also flesh and fruits of trees and of the earth as I saide before they haue no lesse quantitie of wheate and the foure moneths of summer in Spaine are winter with them onely somewhat colder then the summer in those soure moneths of winter there falleth euerie day in the forenoone a small dew or mist but not vnholsome as with vs for that those that haue any paine in their heades washing their heades therewith it healeth the ach it is verie likelie that this towne of Lima will daily increase in people and houses for many yeares together there were not aboue 500. houses therein yet the place is great inough to containe 2000. houses for the streetes are verie broade and the market as bigge as a great fielde euerie house is eightie foote broade and a hundred and sixtie foote long and because there is no conuenient woodde whereof to make chambers for that al their wood within two or three yeares is cleane consumed by wormes therefore the houses be but of one storie high yet verie costly and sumptuous with many chambers halles and parlers both fitte to dwell in and also to receiue strangers the walles of the houses are made of a certaine stuffe baked hard together and filled with earth They couer their houses with painted mattes or else with painted linnen and round about and aboue vppon the walles they make arbours of greene boughes wherein they sit to keepe themselues from the sunne for raine they neede not care for there it neuer raineth this Citie hath vnder it al these townes hereafter named where there are Bishops as Quito Cusco Guamanga Arequipa Pax Pâ—ata Trugillo Guanuco Chachapoâ—a Portus Vetus Guaiaquil Popatan Carchi Saint Michael and S. Francis Before it was saide that Peru is diuided into three prouinces in flat or plaine land on the sea coast in hillie lande that runneth through the middle of Peru in other lands lying beyonde the hilles touching the flat lande on the sea shore I haue hitherto spoken beginning from the line and the Cape Pasâ—ao hitherto so you must vnderstand that from Tumbez not onelie to Lima but also further southward the sea coast is full of many great droughts and wilde sandie places where for the space often miles it neuer thundereth lightneth nor raineth but beyonde that or all the space that is betweene those tenne miles and the hilles it thundereth lightneth and raigneth In this flatte land there are no fountaines nor welles but foure or fiue standing waters that are brackish because they are neare the sea the inhabitants vse the riuer waters that run out of the hilles which spring of the snow and raine that falleth on the hilles and not out of fountaines that stande among the hils The distance of these riuers are alreadie partly described lying seuen eight ten twelue fifteene and twentie miles one from the other yet most part seueÌ„ or eight wherby such as trauaile direct their course because they haue no other waters on both sides of these riuers about a mile broade or further and sometimes more or lesse according to the scituation of the countrey are diuers fruitfull trees and corne landes which are planted and sowed by the people of the countrey which they may do all the yeare long also there groweth about those riuers many wilde trees cotten reeds thistles and Lâ—s and since the Spaniards subdued the countrey they sowe wheate moystning the lande by certaine channels made out of the Riuers and because they runne with so great force out of the high hilles that without helpe men can hardly passe them and many are drowned such as trauaile in that flat countrey go so neare to the sea coast that they haue them alwayes in their sight when it is winter in the hilles and that it raineth much it is dangerous trauailing in those countries specially to passe the riuers which they must either do vpon drifts which they haue for the purpose or with a net which they fil with canworden or goords whereupon the trauailer must lie and one of the Indians swimmeth before him drawing the net or drift and an other behinde that steereth it The people in the flat land dwell in houses made of boughes the men weare shirts and cloathes vppon their knees and ouer it they cast an vpper garment or mantle the women weare a kinde of cotten pettiecoate from the head to the foot and although their manner of apparrel is in euerie place almost alike yet they vse certain differences in the attiring of their heades some wearing nothing but plaine hairelaces some double and wreathed others of one colour and some of diuers colours and there is no man but he weareth some thing vppon his head and all different according to the manner of the country Those Peruuians of the plaine countrie are diuided into three manner of people-ech hauing a different name wherof the first are called Iungas those are such as dwell in the hot country the second Tallanes and the third Mochicas ech hauing a seuerall speech only that the Lordes could speake the Cuscan speech as our Courtiers speake French the cause thereof is that their Kinges helde it for a dishonour vnto them to speake to their subiects by an interpreter for the which cause Guaynacapa father to Atabaleba commanded that all the ble men of the countrey shoulde send theyr children to his Court vnder pretence as he saide to serue him to learne that speech although his intent was none such but onely thereby to assure himselfe of his kingdome against such as might rise vp against him which they would not do he hauing theyr children in his power and by this same meanes al the noble men learned the speech commonly vsed in the Court wherewith a man may trauaile cleane through the countrie Of the windes that blow in the plain countrie of Peru also the
lie to catch fish about twoo miles further there is another Island hard by the firme lande where on the loofe side the ships may harber it is called Chulâ— from whence there are wares sent to Arequipa and is from Quilca nine miles it lyeth vnder seuenteene degrees and a halfe The way by lande from Lyma or Cidado de los Reâ—es to Arequipa DEparting from Lyma and following the coast about three spanish miles or twelue Italian miles you come to the vally of Pachacama in our card Pachamma a most pleasant place and wel known among the Peruuians because of the most statelie Temple that sometimes stood therein for riches exceeding al others in that countrey being placed vpon a litle hil made of square stones and earth in the which temple were many painted doores wals with formes of wilde beasts in the middle therof where the idoll stood were the priests that shewed themselues to be verie holie and when they offered sacrifice for all the people they turned their faces towardes the gates of the temple and their backs to the Image casting downe their eyes and ful of fearefull demonstrations made great stamping as some of the old Indians say like the maner of the sacrificators of the Idoll Apollo when the people staied to heare the prophesies Those old Indians likewise say that they vsed to offer many beastes and some men vnto this Idol at their cheefe feastes this Idol gaue them answere to their demaunds and what he sayd they beleeued in this temple there was great treasor of golde and siluer hidden and the priestes were greatly esteemed the Lords of the countrey being much subiect to their commaundements rounde about this temple were certaine houses made for Pilgrims and no man was esteemed worthie to be buried about that Church but onely their kings noblemen and the priests that came thither on pilgrimage bringing certaine offerings with them when they helde their greatest feast in al the yeare there assembled many people that according to their manner plaied on instruments when the kings of Casco subdued the vallie they hauing a custome throughout al their countries to erect temples in the honour of the sunne and beholding the greatnesse and auncientnes of that temple with the perswasion that the common people had of the holinesse of that place as also the great deuotion vsed therein they thought it not conuenient to destroy that church but appoynted another to be made by it in honour of the sunne which shuld be esteemed the greater which according to the kings commandement being finished be indowed it with great gifts sending thither certaine women wherwith the diuell of Pachacanâ—a was verie well pleased as it appeareth by the answere hée gaue vnto them being serued as well in the one temple as in the other and keeping the poore soules vnder his power and now although this temple is defaced yet hee ceaseth not secretly to speake with some of the Indians telling them that the same God which is preached by the Spaniards and hee are all one thereby to keepe them in obedience vnto him and not to become christians In steede of those Idols there are crosses erected as they think to please the diuel the name of the diuell was Creator of the world for Camac is creator and Pacha world but God permitting Francis Pizaâ—ius to take King Atabaliban prisoner he sent his brother Fernando Pizarrus to destroy the temple and to take away the treasure although the priestes before his comming had hidden part thereof which could neuer be founde yet a great part was carried away This vallie is verie fruitful rich and ful of trees abounding with kine and other cattel as also good horses From the vally Pachacama you come to Cilca where there is a notable thing to be noted for the strangenesse thereof for it neuer raineth there neither is there any riuer whereby they may conuay the water therwith to water their groundes yet the most part of this vallie is ful of Maiz and other rootes that are good to eate with fruitfull trees the meanes they haue to helpe themselues therein is thus that they make certaine deepe pits within the earth wherein they sow their Maiz and other rootes and other fruits and by reason of the cleare and pleasant aire as also the smal dew and moisture that falleth God sendeth them great aboundance of Maiz and other things but no other corne neither would that likewise grow therein if they did not throw one or two heades of the fish called Sardinia into the ground with euerie eare of corne which fish they take with nets in the sea and by that meanes it groweth in great aboundance whereby the people maintain themselues The water that they vse to drinke they take it out of great deepe pittes and for the better prouision of their corne they do euerie yeare fish for so many Sardines as they shal neede both to eate and sowe theyr corne There was likewise in that country many houses for prouision and munition belonging to the King of Peru therein to lodge and rest themselues when they trauaile through their countryes Two miles and a quarter from Ciâ—ca is the prouince of Mala where there runneth a faire riuer the coast whereof is ful of trees and not full foure miles further lyeth Goarco well knowne in that countrey being great and broade and ful of fruitful trees speciallie of Guuyas a certaine Indian fruit verie pleasant of smel and taste and also Guauas and Maiz in most great aboundance with al other things as wel Indian as Spanish fruites Besides this there are great numbers of Pigeons Turtle Doues and other kindes of foules in the woods and wilde countrey which make a good shadow in the vallie vnder the which there runneth certaine streames of fresh water The inhabitants of this country say that in times past that place was verie populous and that they ruled and hadde commandement ouer some of the hils and ouer plaine countries and when the Ingen or Kings of Peru or Cusco came to subdue them they held wars against him for foure yeares together minding not to loose the liberty which their predecessors before them had so long maintained During the which wars many strange things happened which are herein needlesse to rehearse because my meaning is not to make a History but onely to describe the coast and although the Kings of Peru in summer time because of the great heate withdrew themselues into Cusco yet they had their Captaines and Souldiours that helde continuall warres and because they might the better bring their affaires vnto effect the Ingen in this vally caused a newe Casco to be built whether he and his nobilitie repaired giuing the streetes and other places the names of the olde Cusco when he had subdued that people the saide residence of the King and the towne did both decay yet in steede thereof there remaineth a goodly Castle which he left in signe of victory situate
vpon a hil within a goodly vallie the foundation beeing of foure squared stones so cunningly closed together that it could not be perceiued how they were ioyned froÌ„ the which Castle there went a vast vnder the earth to the sea coast so that the waues beat against the entrie thereof with such force that it is wonderful to think how that péece of worke was made which Castle was most curiously painted and in it also there was a great part of the kings treasor the ruines whereof in regard of the Peruuians perpetual coÌ„mendations ought not further to be spoyled as being workes done by such people which vnto vs wold be altogether incredible if they had not bin seene a mile a half further vpward from the castle of Goarco there is a riuer called Lunaguana in our Card Laguna which vallie is altogether like the former and foure miles and a halfe from that is the great vallie of Chincha much esteemed in Peru specially by the auncient inhabitants In this vallie there is a cloyster of the order of saint Dominike At the spaniards ariual there were aboue 25000. men in that vallie where now there are scarce 5000. and were ouercome by Inga Iupangue of â—opaynga Iupangâ—e who had their gouernours therein with many houses of pleasure and the temple of the Sun yet the inhabitants lest not off to serue and honour their olde Idol called Cinciaycama the king hadde likewise in this vallie many pentioners and souldiers commaunding some of them for certaine moneths in the yeare to repaire vnto the Court and goe to warres with him This vallie of Cincia is one of the greatest vallies in all the countrey of Peru where it is a most pleasant sight to beholde the greene trees that grow in the waters that run vnder them with most sweete and pleasant Citrons not like the Spanish Citrons although in forme not differing much for that these being pilled are yellow and of a good taste and so pleasant that a man can neuer satisfie himselfe therewith in those woods there are many birds but beasts verie few because of the continuall warres in times past there was likewise many graues in this country wherein the Spaniards found much treasor Departing from this goodly prouince of Cincia and trauailing further ouer the plaine countrey you come to the pleasant vally Iâ—a which is no lesse inhabited then the former through the which also there runneth a riuer which in some times of the yeare is so small that they shuld want water but that they haue a channell of water that commeth out of the hilles heerein are many fruites there are likewise manie yong horses kine goates pigeons and turtle doues from thence you come to the vallie and riuer of Nasca otherwise called Caxa Malca which in times past was verie populous where they till their ground and water their fruits in manner before rehearsed These people for the most parte were spoyled and consumed by the disunion and contention of the Spaniards in it were many great places and houses of munition for the kings of Peru and diuers graues all spoyled and destroyed by the Spaniards the vallies of Nasca are many in number whereof one of them hath many canes that yeeld much sugar they haue likewise much sugar which they bring to sel in the townes bordering vpon them through all these vallies the kings great high way doth passe and in some sundrie places there are as yet certaine tokens or signes to shew the right way that men should not stray aside of the which way I meane to say more heereafter when I come to speake of the kings of Peru from this vally commonly called Nasca you goe to Hacary and then to Ocuna Icamanna and Iquilca where there are great riuers and although at this present there are but few inhabitants yet in times past they were no lesse populous then the first they are fruitfull and very fatte to feede cattel in the vallie of Quilca lyeth the hauen of Arequipa and the towne so that from Lima or the Kings towne to Arequipa are ninety Spanish miles or thrée hundred and sixtie Italian miles the town lyeth about eleuen miles within the vally of Quilca distant from the sea in the best and most pleasant place of all the vallie to bée built vpon where there is a verie good and temperate aire whereby it is commended for one of the most holsomest places in all Peru and the pleasantest to dwell in being a Bishopricke and vnder the Iurisdiction of Lyma hauing in it about thrée hundred Spanish houses the countrey thereabouts is verie fat and yéeldeth verie good Corne whereof they make bread the limites or Iurisdiction of the towne reacheth from the vallie of Hacari to Tarapaca and in the prouince or countrey of Condesuyo they haue likewise authoritie ouer certaine places which are vnder the Spanish gouernment those of Hubnas Ciqui Guanitta Quimistaca and Colagnas are all vnder the commandement of this towne in time past very populous and now most part destroyed by the Spaniards they pray to the sun as other Peruuians do and weare shirts and mantles most of their siluer and treasor is brought from Charcas and the mynes of Potoisi and Porco from thence it is carried to Lyma and so to Panama and Spaine about this towne there is a hill of Brimstone which burneth continually whereby it putteth the countrey in great feare doing great hurt vnto the countrey and the town sometimes by reason thereof they haue certaine earthquakes this towne was builded by Francisco Pizarro in his maiesties name in the yeare of our Lord 1536. Many Spanish wares as wine oyle oliues meale corne or wheate c. are brought thither therewith to serue the Countrey of Charcas and the mines of Potoisi Porco There also many of the Inhabitants of the pâ—â—ne countrey do come and traffâ—ke concerning the mines aforesaide wherby much siluer and treasor is brought thither to be conuayed froÌ„ thence into other places therabouts on the sea coast are many great Gieren that spread their wings at the least fiftéene or sixteene handfulles broade that liue vpon Sea Wolues which they take picking out theyr eyes and feeding of theyr bodyes There are likewise great numbers of Sea Mewes by the Spaniards called Alcatraces that likewise liue of sea fish and sea crabs and such like Their flesh is stinking and vnholsome so that many who for want of meate haue eaten them died therof And thus much for the first part of the plain countrey of Peru lying along the sea coast Nowe before I procéede further I will speake somewhat of the Peruuians dwelling vppon the hilles and of their townes withall not forgetting their kings that ruled ouer all those people and haue so rich a country of gold siluer Peru is in length 525. Spanish miles or 420. Duch miles which are 2100. Italian miles in breadth in some places 75. Spanish or 60. Dutch miles in some places broader and in
of her burthen These beastes are verie profitable and necessary no lesse then Cammels in Egypt Affrica and are fedde with a little Maiz and other meate specially those that they vse to ride vpon to labor and to carry burthens They goe likewise as Cammels doo foure or fiue dayes together without drinking and but little meate some of them called Pachos haue verie fine wool with long fleeces wiâ—h verie good holsome and sauorie flesh like our gammons of Bacon The hauen of Chile or S. Iacomo lieth vnder 32. degrees and 2 â— parts sayling further along the coast in the same course you come to the riuer of Calma distant from Chile eighteene miles it is here also to be considered that all the coast from Tumbez to this place is verie good to sayle by and a calme sea without tempestes or foule weather whereby the shippes may lye at anker where they think good Nine miles from Calma you see the poynt of the riuer called Manque or Mâ—ule in our card Maole and ten miles and a half further there is another riuer called Iâ—ata in our Carde Rio Tatuâ—a and so sailing south and southwest eighteene miles there is another called Biobio lying almost vnder eight and thirtie degrees in the same course kéeping along the shore full eleuen miles distant there is a great Island about foure miles distant from the firme land caled Lucengo and somwhat further beyond this Island is a great broad créeke called Valdiuia in our carde La Baldibia wherein there runneth a great riuer caled Ayntlendo in our Carde Rio Aymlendos this Créeke lieth vnder 39. degrées and â…” Following the same course further by the shore to south southwest you come to the Cape S. Maria lying vnder 42. degrées and 1 â— towards the south and from as the Pilots report the coast reacheth southâ—â—st to the straits of Magellana and betweene them lie many hauens and places needlesse to rehearse as being noted in the carde inwarde in the land there is the Countrey of Patagonen wherein there are Giantes of nine and of tenne foot high that paint their faces with diuerse colours made of hearbs pressing out the sap And heerewith making an end for the rest I referre the Reader to the Carde The end of the second booke THE THIRDE BOOKE The Nauigation of the Portingales into the East Indies containing their trauels by Sea into East India and from the East Indies into Portingall also from the Portingall Indies to Malacca China Iapon the Ilands of Iaua and Sunda both to and fro and from China to the Spanish Indies and from thence backe againe to China as also of al the coast of Brasilia and the Hauens thereof With a description of the Firme land and the Ilands of the Spanish Indies lying before it called Antillas together with the Nauigation of Cabo de Lopo Gonsalues to Angola in the coast of Ethiopia with all the courses Hauens Ilands Depthes Shallowes Sands Drougths Riffes and Cliffes with their situations also the times of the yeares when the winds blow with the true tokens and knowledge of the tides and the weather water and streames in all the Orientall coasts and Hauens as they are obserued and set downe by the Kings Pilots in their continuall and dayly Viages Translated out of Dutch by W. P. IEHOVA I Wolfe excu W Rogers sculp LONDON Printed by John VVolfe 1598. The third Booke The Nauigation of the Portingales into the East Indies containing their trauels by Sea into East India and from the East Indies into Portingall also from the Portingall Indies to Malacca China Iapon the Ilands of Iaua and Sunda both to and fro and from China to the Spanish Indies and from thence backe againe to China as also of all the coast of Brasilia and the Hauens thereof With a description of the Firme land and the Ilands of the Spanish Indies lying before it called Antillas together with the Nauigation of Cabo de Lope Gonsalues to Angola in the coast of Ethiopia With all the courses Hauens Ilands depthes shallowes Sands drougthes Riffes and Cliffes with their situations Also the times of the yeares when the winds blow with the true tokens and knowledge of the tydes and the weather water and stormes in all the Orientall coastes and Hauens as they are obserued and set downe by the Kings Pilotes in their continuall and dayly Viages THE I. CHAPTER Of the courses and Viages of the Portingales into the East Indies FIrst you must vnderstand that all Christendome lyeth on the North side of the Equinoctiall line and Lisbone vnder thirtie nine degrées and a halfe and lyeth with the Iland of Madera Northeast southwest the Viage being 172 Spanish miles and Madera lyeth vnder 32 degrées and is distant from the Iland la Palma which the shippes sayling to India may easily perceiue 63. miles The Iland la Palma lyeth vnder 28. degrées ¼ from thence you must sayle Southward as long as time will permit for commonly when you come vnder fiue or sixe degrées you find south eastwardes and then you must saile southwest as much as you can vntill you passe the cape of S. Agustine which lieth vnder 8 degrees ½ on the south side that is vpon the coast of Brasilia from the Ilande la Palma to this Cape of Saint Augustine are 900. miles the course lying Northeast and southwest when you are past the point you must sayle Southwest because the winde is there commonly south and southeast and from the Ilands of Tristan da Cunlia lying vnder 34. degrées on the south side of the Equinoctial you must hold southwest and when you thinke you haue passed these Ilands you must sayle till you come vnder 36. degrées and kéepe Eastward vntill you haue passed the Cape de Bona Speranza and then you must holde Northeast towardes the land and hauing knowne the land according to the place you then haue knowne you shall set your course to Mosambique or outward about the Iland of Saint Laurence from the Cape of Saint Austine to the Cape de Bona Speranza are 1060. miles which Cape de Bona Speranza lyeth full vnder 34 degrées and a halfe on the south side of the Equinoctiall and is East southeast and West Northwest with the Cape Das Agulhas which is 32. miles and Cape das Agulhas is full vnder 35. degrées lying with the Cape do Infante East and West and somewhat East and by North and West and by South the course is 26. miles Cabo do Infante is vnder 34. degrées and 2 â— and lyeth with the Cape Talhado East Northeast and West Southwest 19. miles Cabo Talhado is vnder 34 degrées lyeth with Bahija Fermosa East and West 1â— miles Bahija Fermosa is vnder the same hight of Cabo Talhado and lyeth with the Ilands Chanos East northeast and West Southwest 37. miles and with the first point called Punta Primiera Northeast and Southwest and somewhat Northeast and by East and southwest by West the course is 50.
defence maintenance of the said Countries and places so that the rents and reuenewes of the Crowne of Portingale doe amount vnto the sum of 220000 Duckets at 5. shillings 6. pence the Ducket amounteth vnto in English monie to the summe of sixe hundreth and fiue thousand poundes The 5. Chapter Of the yearely charges disbursed by the Kinges of Portingale THe fées and payments due to the ministers Iustices of the lawes and ordinances of the countrie of Portingale for the executing of their offices doth amount vnto yearely the summe of 100000 duckets The rentes which the King bestoweth yearely as giftes and rewardes vnto such as haue done him seruice which being dead returneth vnto him againe doe yerely amount vnto the summe of 300000 duckets The Iuros which are bought for monie and fee farme or continuall rents to bee paide out of the kinges reuenewes customes and other demaynes yearely and are neuer released but remaine from heire to heire are yerely 150000 Duckets The charges of Maintayning the castles and fortes in Africa and Barbarie doe yerely amount vnto the summe of 300000. duckets The charges of maintaining fiue Gallies yearely 50â—00 Duckets The charges of the armie that doth yerely conuay the Indian ships thither fetcheth them back againe amount vnto 300000. Duckets The Moradien that is the wages which the king payeth to his seruants called Mocos da Camara Caualheâ— Fidalgos and other titles as an honour to such as hee will shew fauour vnto or els in reward of anie former seruices or in respect their Ancetors were true and faithfull seruitors to the king with those titles they are called seruantes of the kinges house which is a great honour they doe receiue a yearely stipend although not much towardes their charges of finding prouision for their horses although they can hardly saue a paire of shooes and yet neuer come on horses backe all their life time but it is onely a token of the Kinges fauour and good will wherein the Portingales doe more glorie and vaunt themselues then of any thing in the world yet is it not of much importance and verie little paie it amounteth yearely to 80000. Duckets The charge of the king of Portingales house is yearely the summe of 200000. Duc. which was wont to be farmed as at this day it is for the charge of houshold of Don Alberto Cardinall of Austria Gouernour of Portingale for the defence and maintenance of the Castles and Forts of Portingale the summe of 200000. Duckets So that the charges aforesaid doe amount vnto in all the summe of 1680000. duckets at fiue shillinges sixe pence the ducket is in English monie the summe of foure hundereth sixtie and two thousand pounds which being deducted out of the receates of Portingale aforesaid that amount vnto 605000. poundes English monie there resteth yearely for the king of Spaine Coffers one hundreth fortie and three thousand pounds English monie The 6. Chapter Of the Towne of Lisbone THe towne of Lisbone hath â—2 parish Churches and aboue eleuen thousaÌ„d houses wherin there are aboue â—0 thousand dwelling places accounting the Court and the place thereunto belonging it hath in people aboue 120000. whereof 10000. of them at the least are Slaues and Mores which estimation is made according to the church bookes which the Parsons Vicars and Curats are bound to doe once euerie yeare euerie one in his parish among these are not accounted such as follow the Court neyther Cloysters Cobents Hospitalles nor any other houses of religion for that in all they would amount vnto as much as the houses of the citie also of other Churches Cloysters and Chappels of the virgin Marie and other Saints which are no parishes there are so many that they can not be numbred The Towne hath aboue 350. streetes besides crosse waies and lanes that haue no thorow fare which are likewise a great number The 7. Chapter A short discourse of the pettigrees of kinges of Portingale vntill Phillip now King of Spaine and Portingale Sonne of Charles the fift Emperour of Rome THe first king of Portingale was named Don Alfonso Henriques sonne of Earle Henry who as the Chronicles rehearse was sonne of the Duke of Lorraine others thinke hee was sonne of the king of Hungarie but the truest Histories doe report him to be of Lorrane and that he came into the King of Spaines Court being desirous to imploy himselfe in the warres of the Christians against the Mores which as then held the most part of the countrie of Spaine and the whole land of Lusitania or Portingale warring continually on the King of Spaine and other Christians bordering on the same in the which warres hee behaued himselfe so well and did so valiantly that the King knew not how or in what sort to recompence him better then by giuing him his daughter in mariage with her for a dowrie gaue him the countrie of Portingale that was as much as he had conquered and brought vnder his subiection with all the rest if he could win it with the name and title of Earle of Portingale his sonne aforesaid called Don Alfonzo was borne in Anno 1094. who wan the most part of the countrie of Portingale from the Mores after his fathers death was called Prince of Portingale which name and title he enioyed for the space of 27. yeares which title in Spaine no man may beare but the Kings eldest son and heire vnto the Crowne and being of the age of 45. yeares was crowned king of Portingale by the fauour speciall priuiledge of the Pope of Rome as then being by that meanes Portingale became a kingdome This first King maried when he was 52. yeares of age and had one sonne and 3. daughters and besides them one bastard son and a bastard daughter he raigned 46. yeres and died in the towne of Coyinbra his body being buried in the Cloyster of Santa Crus erected by him as also the Cloysters of Alcobaca and Saint Vincent without Lisbone called Saint Vincent de Fora This King first wonne the Towne of Lisbone from the Mores by the aide help of the Flemmings and Low countrimen which came thether with a Fleet of Ships being by stormie weather forced to put into the riuer that were sayling to the holy land whether for the furtherance of Christian religion they as then trauelled which as I suppose was about the time that the Christians won the great City of Damyate in the couÌ„trie of Palestina where those of Harlame did most valiantly defend themselues and shewd great valour as the Sword Armes as yet extant doe well bare witnes which Fleet being come thether at such time as the said king besieged the said towne of Lisbone hee vnderstanding that onely cause of comming was to imploy their forces against the Infidels and vnbeleeuing Christians friendly desired them séeing it was Gods will they should ariue there at so conuenient a time to aide him against his enemies shewing them that they might
as well imploy their forces there as in the holie land to increase the faith of Christ and ouerthrow the enemies of the same whome if it pleased God to prosper as he doubted not but by their helpes to haue the victorie they might as then fulfill their pretended voiage both to the glory of God their owne honors which in the ende they agréed vnto in the which seruice they so well imployed themselues that they not only holp him to winne Lisbone but many other places thereby placing the king in his kingly seat for which their good seruice the king acknowledging himselfe much bound and beholding vnto them in recompence thereof he indowed them with many priuiledges and fréedomes more than his natural subiects â—nioyed which hee bound both him and his successors kinges of that countrie to kéepe obserue one whereof was that all Dutchmen that would dwell within his Countrie or traffique with in the same should bee free of all impostes and excises for all things that they should vse and haue in their owne houses and for themselues and their familie that they might weare what sort of apparrell and Iewels they would and of what stuffe soeuer with their wiues and families although they were Portingale women which is forbidden to the naturall Portingales for that they haue a law concerning apparrell what kinde of stuffe euerie man according to his estate and qualitie shall weare also to goe by night and at vnaccustomed houres when occasion serued them in all places with fiue or sixe seruants with light or without and with what armes or weapons they would which is not permitted to the inhabitantes themselues that no Iustice should haue power to atach or arest any man in their house or execute any Iustice vpon them for what cause soeuer it were treasoÌ„ only excepted but onlie by their owne law by the king himselfe ordained appointed called Iuis dos-Alemaines or the Dutch law also that their houses might not be taken whether they were hired or their owne fée simples for the kinges seruice or any of his Court as all other his subiects houses are as néed requireth that they might not bee compelled to vse or serue any office in the countrie or for the king as the Portingales doe neyther yet rated to pay any contribution for the common profit of the countrie trauelling through the Countrie should for their monie be serued before any other man with many other such like priueledges which for breuitie I omit onely I haue set downe the principallest of them thereby to shew as their owne Chronicles declare through whome and by whose help the Portingales at this day doe possesse and enioy that which they hold in the said Countrie of Portingale which priuiledges are yet as they haue alwaies béene without anie deniall firmely holden and maintained and by all the kinges successiuely confirmed from time to time with dayly increasing of the same by meanes of the continuall pleasures done vnto the said kings of Portingale by the said Nation as it is well knowne Don Sancho Sonne of the aforesaid king was the second king of Portingale hee was borne in Anno 1154. and crowned king at the age of 31. yeares hee had issue 15. children Sonnes and Daughters and raigned twenty seuen yeares he died in the towne of Coymbra in the yeare of our Lord 1212. being 58. yeares of age and lieth buried in the Cloyster of Santa Crus by his Father Don Afonso the second of that name the third king of Portingale was crowned at the age of 25. yeares he had issue two sonnes in his time liued Saint Dominick Saint Francis and Saint Anthonie he died in anno 1223. lieth buried in the Cloyster of Alcobassa Don Sancho Capello his son fourth king of Portingale was crowned at the age of 16. yeres and died in the towne of Toledo in the yeare of our Lord 1247 and is buried in the great Church of Toledo After his death was chose King his brother the Earle of Bolonhien and was the fifth king of Portingale hee raigned 31. yeres and died in Lisbone in the yeare of our Lord 1279. and is buried in the Cloister of Alcobassa Don Deniis his sonne was Crowned in Lisbone the sixt king of Portingale being of the age of 18. yeares he raigned 46. yeres and died in the towne of Saint Arein in the yeare of our Lord 1325. the 20. of Ianuary being 64. yeares of age and lyeth buried in the Cloyster of Oliuellas which is about 2. miles from Lisbone which he in his life time had erected he maried with Donna Isabella daughter to Don Pedro king of ArragoÌ„ she was cannonised for a Saint her Sepulcher is in the towne of Coymbra which shee builded where her body doth many miracles After him raigned his sonne Don Afonso o Brauo which is the valiant hee was crowned in the towne of Arem at the age of 35. yeares and was the seuenth king of Portingale hee died in Lisbone in the month of May Anno 1356. he lieth buried in the high quire of the great Church hee ouercame the Mores in Salado fighting in aide of the king of Castille His Son Don Pedro was the eight king of Portingale and ruled the land with great Iustice temperante and peace died in the yeare of our Lord 1366. and lieth buried in the Cloyster of Alcobassa hee had issue one sonne called Don Ferdinand and before hee maried he had two bastard sonnes by Dona Ines or Agnes de Castro called Don Ioan and Don Denniis After the death of the aforesaid king Don Ferdinand his son was crowned king and was the ninth king of Portingale he maried Dona Lianor Gonsalues Telles whom he tooke by force from her husband called Larenca Vaaz da Cunha to whome shee was maried and banished him the land neuerthelesse he was verie louing to his subiectes and punished all offenders and vagabondes hée raigned 17. yeares and died without issue in the yeare of our Lord 1383. being of the age of 43 yeares and lieth buried in the quier of S. Francis Church in the towne of S. Arein After this kings death Don Ioan king of Castillia with his wife Dona Beatrix came into Portingale by force to possesse the Crowne of Portingale but Don Ioan bastard son of the aforesaid king Don Pedro bastard brother to Don Ferdinand the last king withstood him and fought with the said king of Castille whome he ouercame in the field called S. Ioris where for a perpetuall memorie of his victorie he erected a great rich Cloyster which hee called the Cloyster of the battaile or victorie because he won the field in the same place against the Castilians This bastard Don Ioan was Crowned king of Portingale being of the age of 31. yeares was the tenth king he liued 76 yeres and died in Anno 1433. the 14. of August and lieth buried in the same Cloyster of
the battaile by him erected hee wonne the Castle and towne of Septa from the Mores in Barbaria or Affrica and was Father to the Infant Don Ferdinand that is Canonized for a Saint After him raigned his sonne Don Duarte or Eduart and was the 11. king of Portingale he liued 42. yeares whereof he raigned 5. yeares king hee died in the Pallace of the couent of Thomar in Anno 1438. he lieth buried in the Cloyster of the battaile Don Alfonso his sonne was borne in S. Arein in the yeare of our Lord 1432. and because he was but 6. yeares of age wheÌ„ his Father died his vncle the Infant Don Pedro raigned in his place vntill the yeare of our Lord 1448. Then the said Don Afonso was himselfe crowned king was the 12 king of Portingale he died in S. Arein in y e same chamber where he was borne the 28 of August 1481. and lieth buried by his Ancestors in the Cloyster of the battaile After his death raigned his sonne Don Ioan the great called the seconde of that name being the 13. King of Portingal he was borne in Lisbone the 4. of May anno 1455. hee did openly himselfe being present cause Don Fernando Duke of Beâ—ganca vpon the market place of the towne of Euora to be beheaded on the 22. of Iune in An. 1483. with his owne hand with a Poynyard slew Don Domingos Duke of Begia brother to his wife Dona Lianor presently calling Don Manoel the said Dukes brother gaue him the same Dukedome with all that belonged therunto he liued 40. yeres and died at Aluor in the bath the 25. of October An. 1495. lieth buried in the Cloister of the battaile by his Ancestors died without issue By his last Wil and Testament he gaue the Crowne of Portingale vnto Don Manoel Duke of Viseu who was crowned king of Portingale was the 14. king hée was crowned in Alcacer do Sal the 27. of October An. 1495. he caused all the Iewes in his land eyther willingly or by force to such as refused it to be christened in the yere of our Lord 1499. and caused all the Mores that dwelt at Lisbone without the gate of Moreria to be banished whereof the gate to this day holdeth the name In the â—â—me of this king there happened an insurrection of Portingales in Lisbone against the new Christened Iewes whereby they slew certaine hundereths of them both men women and children burning some of them with a thousand other mischiefes robbing their houses shops and goods for the which the king did great Iustice and finding out the principall beginners of the same caused them to bée punished This king did first discouer and by his captaines souldiers conquered y e Countries and passages into the East Indies and y e orientall countries for spices also the hauens passages in Prester Iohns land hee likewise conquered the towns fortresses of Saffâ—in Azamor in Affrica he died in an 1521. vpon S. Luces day lieth buried in the Cloyster of Bethlehem by the dutchmeÌ„ called Roysters After his death raigned his son Don Ioan the 3. was the 15. king of Portingale he was borne in the month of Iune in Anno 1502. in the citie of Lisbone where he was crowned in anno 1521. he was simple curteous mild and a great friend vnto all religious persons as also to all students he fouÌ„ded the vniuersitie of Coymbra and other colledges died the 11. of Iune An. 1557. lieth buried in the Cloyster of Bethelem or Roysters After his death was crowned Don Sebastian and was the 16. king of Portingale he was son to the Prince of Portingale eldest sonne to the aforesaid Don Ioan that maried with Dona Ioana daughter to the Emperour Charles the fift and Sister to Phillip king of Spaine which Prince dying before his father left his wife great with childe of this Don Sebastian who after the death of his Grandfather was Crowned king of Portingale he was born on Sebastians day in the yeare of our Lord 1553. hee passed with a great armie into Africa to conquere the countrie in the yeare 1578. where hee with most of his Armie was slaine the rest taken prisoners and so died without issue After this ouerthrow and death of the said king Don Sabastian was Crowned Don Henricke a Cardinall vncle vnto the saide Don Sabastian and was the 17. King of Portingale and died without issue in Anno 1580. leauing by his last will and testament for heire of the Crowne of Portingale Don Phillip king of Spaine as lawfull successor vnto the same for that his Father Charles the 5. maried the eldest daughter of the king Don Manoel which was mother to Don Phillip king of Spaine and sister to the grandfather of Don Sebastian and of the aforesaid Don Henrick although there had bin another brother of the said don Henrick named Don Luiis who dying left a son called Don Antonio that was Prior de Ocrato of the order of the knightes of the Crosse of S. Iohns whome the Portingales chose for their king but by meanes of the great power and might of the king of Spaine who by monie had gotten the greatest part of the nobilitie of Portingale to hold with him partly by monie and partly by force he got the kingdome into his hands and subiection driuing Don Antonio out of the countrie so in anno 1581. he came into Portingale in Lisbon was crowned king in the cloyster of Thomar by all the 3 estates of the countrie that is the nobility spiritualtie and commons is the 18. king of Portingale who as yet liueth raigneth ouer the same countrie whereby the Crowne of Portingale is now fallen into the handes of the kinges of Spaine hauing continued in the handes of the kinges of Portingales for the space of 442. yeares which their successors till then inioyed being of the race and progenie of the house of Loraine Thus endeth the fourth Booke FINIS TYPVS ORBIS TERRARVM QVID EI POTEST VIDERI MAGNVM IN REBVS HVMANIS CVI AETERNITAS OMNIS TOTIVSQVE MVNDI NOTA SIT MAGNI TV DO CICERO Exacta acurata deliucatio cum orarum maritimarum tum etiam sororum terrestrium quae in regionibus China Cauchinchinâ— Cambojn siue Câ—ampa Syao Malaca Aracan Pegu una cum omnium vicinarum iusu latum descriptione ut sunt Samatra Java utraque Timora Molucca Philippinâ— Luconja de Leqveos dicta nec non insulae Japan Corece reliquaeque omnes adsacentes ubj etiam adnotauimus scopulos â—reviâ—i omniaque Vadosa loca siquce alia a quibus periculum navigantibus Qvemadmodum singula hoc aeâ—o à Lusitanis nauium gubernatoribus còmperta inaâ—â—gitata in tobulaâ— relaâ—a fuere Equoâ—um recentibus ac emen daâ—is tabulis perqà m studiose haec destribi ex primiâ— curavimus in eorum hominum coÌ„modum quibus ista usvi voluptatia