Earledome or Marquisate in acknowledgment of their deserts they reward them by subiecting so many persons vnto them as a certaine number of the Kings subiects and vassalls who in what part of the Kingdome soeuer they be are bound to acknowledge him for their Lord to whom the King hath giuen them to serue him with their Armes when he shall be occasioned to vse them as also to pay him all such duties as they payed before to the King And so as we say such a one is Lord of such a place Earledome or Marquisate they say such a one hath the command of fiue hundred men this other of a thousand the King hath increased this mans command to a thousand more and of the other to two thousand so augmenting their greatnesse their dignities riches and commodities by giuing of them more vassalls Of their Warres wee shall speake in the next Chapter There remaineth yet somewhat to be said concerning their Ciuill Gouernement First they dispatch all their affaires more readily rather according to the Martiall Law More belli then by pleadings at the Barre with Iudges Notaries and Procttors with their dilatory proceedings The Vice-Royes and Gouernours of Prouinces supplying all those offices and giuing publike audience foure houres euery day in a faire large Court within their Pallace two houres in the forenoone and two houres in the afternoone Thither goe all that haue controuersie to represent their pretensions and their plaints and the Vice-Roy or Gouernour leaning on a window vnderstandeth the grieuances of each one after the other And because the Gouernours are ordinarily men of good iudgement and experience in affaires questioning the parties to good purpose and obseruing also the apprehension of the assistants which they coniecture by their countenance and the approbation which they haue of the demandant or defendant they discouer easily the trueth of the businesse forthwith and pronounce their sentence aloud without delay which is presently executed without appeale or any other formality whether it bee death or banishment or whipping or pecuniary amends chastising euery offence as the Law requireth The crimes whereof they are most commonly accused which are seuerely chastised among them are many But aboue all they punish rigorously the false accusers Theeues and Adulterers When the first are conuicted to haue charged any falsly with a crime whereof he was not guilty hee is condemned without mercy to endure the same punishment which the other should haue suffered if he had committed that whereof he was accused And indeed experience hath made it appeare to be the best course of sifting out the trueth Their theeues are punished according to the proportion of the theft If they haue stollen any thing of great value they cut of their heads If of lesse consequence as a Hen they lose only a finger and for the second offence they cut off another If they be taken with a third they must loose an eare and for the fourth offence they cut off the necke The adulterers be they men or women are exposed to the Elephants who kill them in the manner ensuing The offender is conducted out of the Towne into a Plaine where in the presence of an infinite number of people he is brought into the midst of the place with his hands and feet tied neere vnto the Elephant vnto whom the sentence of the party that is to be put to death is read that he may execute it from point to point The order being this That first he shall seize on him take him and straine him with his trunke and hold him so suspended in the aire shewing him to all the world then that he cast him vp with violence and receiue him againe on the point of his teeth that by the heauy fall of his weight he may gage himselfe thereon and that then he dash him against the ground and that in the end hee tread him vnder his feet All which the Elephant doth without failing in any one point to the great astonishment and terrour of all that are present who by the punishment which they see inflicted on another doe learne that fidelity is to be kept betweene those that are married It will not be amisse being now discoursing of married folkes to relate some particularities concerning the marriages of that Countrey It hath not beene seene that the Cochin-Chinois though they be Gentiles haue contracted marriages within the degrees forbidden by Gods Law or the Law of Nature neither within the first degree of the collaterall Line of Brothers and sisters But in the other degrees marriage is permitted so that he haue but one wife It is true that the richer sort vnder the title of their greatnesse and liberality are accustomed to haue many Concubines taxing them with auarice and miserablenesse that doe not keepe as many as their reuenues will maintaine These are called their second third and fourth wiues which they tooke after the first which is accounted and is truly and really their wife and to her it appertaineth to choose the rest according to her liking and to giue them to her husband Yet their marriages are not indissoluble their Lawes permitting a diuorce though not altogether at the will of either party for they must first prooue the suggestion for which they would leaue one the other which being auerred it is lawfull for them to withdraw themselues from the first and to marry againe The husbands bring the Dowries and relinquish their owne houses to dwell with their wiues by whose meanes they are maintained and by whom all the houshold affaires are managed for there they beare the charge and gouernement of the Family whiles the husband keepeth himselfe within doores not putting himselfe to any paine contenting himselfe to be prouided of what is needfull for his food and raiment CHAP. VII Of the Forces of the King of Cochin-China and of the Warres he hath within his Kingdome IT hath beene touched already in the beginning of this History how that Cochin-China being a Prouince dismembered from the great Kingdome of Tunchim was vsurped vniustly by the Grandfather of the King that now reigneth who hauing the Gouernment rebelled against the King of Tunchim Whereunto he was not a little emboldened when hee saw himselfe suddenly furnished with diuers Pieces of Artillery recouered and gotten out of the Ship-wracke of sundry Ships of the Portugals and Hollanders against the Rockes which men afterwards gathered vp by those of the Countrey Whereof there are to be seene at this day threescore of the greatest in the Kings pallace alone yet remaining The Cochin-Chinois being now become so expert in the managing of them that they surpasse our Europeans For indeed they did little else euery day but exercise themselues in Shooting at a Marke Whereupon they became so fierce and so glorious and to haue so great an opinion of their owne valour that as soone as they perceiued any of our Ships of Europe to come towards their Ports the Kings Cannoniers presently
much more then of Sciences and the Chinois on the contrary esteemeth highly of the Siences and maketh no great reckoning of Armes The Cochin-Chinois not following the course of either of these nations doe not reiect or abandon the one as if they were wholly addicted to the other but are indifferently affected to either according to their occasions And accordingly doe recompence and preferre sometimes the Doctors and sometimes the Souldiers to the offices and dignities of their Kingdome Cochin-China hath many Vniuersities in which there bee Readers and Schooles and Degrees to which their Schollers are aduanced by examination as they are in China teaching the same Sciences vsing the same Bookes and Authors namely Zinfa or Confus as the Portugals call him being an Author of as sublime and profound Learning and Authority with them as Aristotle amongst vs and indeed more ancient These bookes are full of Erudition of rare Histories of graue Sentences of Prouerbes and such like all concerning good manners such as Seneca Cato or Cicero here with vs. Many yeeres labour is spent in learning the propriety of the Phrase Characters and Hieroglyphikes in which they are written But that part which they account most of and haue in greatest estimation is Morall Philosophy comprehending the Ethik Oeconomik and Politick And it is a goodly sight to see and vnderstand them in their Halls when they reade and pronounce their Lectures aloud as if they sang which they doe to accustome themselues and to get a habite to giue to euery word his proper accent of which they haue a great number that signifie many seuerall different things whereby may be gathered that to conuerse with them it is requisite to know the principles of Musicke and the Counter-point The Language which they vse in common speech is much differing from that in which they teach and reade in their Studies and in which their Bookes are written Euen as amongst vs our vulgar Languages common to all differ much from the Latine which is vsed in the Schooles Wherein also there is a difference betweene them and the Chinois who if they be Learned or Noble neuer speake but in one kind of Language which they call that of the Mandarins who are their Doctors Iudges and Gouernours And the Characters which they vse in their writing and in their printed books are aboue fourescore thousand diffring one from the other Whence it commeth to passe that the Fathers of the society of Iesus are eight or ten yeeres studying of these bookes before they become able to treat or capable to conuerse with them But the Cochin-Chinois haue reduced this great multitude of Characters to the number of three thousand at the most which they vse in their ordinary Discourse in their Letters in their Supplications Memorialls and other such things as haue not respect to their printed bookes which must of necessity be composed in the Characters of China The Iaponians haue yet beene more ingenious who albeit they endeauour in whatsoeuer concerning their written and printed bookes to conforme themselues to the Chinois haue notwithstanding handled the matter so well that for dispatch of their ordinary affaires they haue inuented eight and fourty Letters by the combination of which they expresse and declare what they will euen as well as wee doe with our A. B. C. Yet are the Characters of China still in such request and so great estimation in Iapan that those forty and eight Letters howsoeuer they be more commodious to expresse their Conceits are little regarded in comparison but by way of contempt are accounted and called the Womens Letters That most Ingenious and Exellent Inuention of Printing was practised in China and Cochin-China before wee had the knowledge thereof in Europe yet not in such perfection In regard that they doe not ioyne Letters with Letters or Characters with Characters but with a Punchion or Grauing-iron they graue and cut their Formes on a board or plancke euen as they intend to Print them in their Bookes Then they apply their Paper vpon the board that is so graued and cut putting it vnder the Presse in like manner as wee doe in Europe when we Print on a copper Plate or other such thing Besides those Bookes which treate of Morall Philosophie they haue also of Sacred matters as they call them concerning the Creation and beginning of the World of reasonable Soules of the Demons of Idols and of their different Sects these Bookes they call Sayc Kim to distinguish them from the profane which they terme Sayc Chiu Now albeit the Language of the Cochin-Chinois be therin like to that of the Chinois that they vse only words of one Syllable pronounced with diuersity of tones and accents yet they differ much in this that the Cochin-Chinois are more fruitfull and abounding in Vowells and therefore more sweet and pleasing richer in accents and in tones and so more melodious and harmonious in such sort that they haue their eare made for Musicke proper and apt to distinguish the variety of tones and accents The language of Cochin-China is to my seeming the most easie of all because it hath neither coniugations Verbes nor Declining of Nounes but with one only word adding therunto an aduerbe or a pronoune maketh knowne the time passed the time present and to come the singular number and the plurall and supplieth all the Moodes Tenses and persons as also the diuersity of Numbers and of Cases As for example this word Haue which in the Cochin-Chinois tongue is expressed by Co without other variation but adding a Pronoune will serue all occasions and so that whereas we should say by Coniugation I haue thou hast he hath they contenting themselues with the Pronoune without varying the Verbe would say I haue you haue he haue In like manner to supply the diuersity of the Tenses they will say in the Present I now haue for the passed I heretofore haue and for the future I hereafter or in time to come haue and so from one to the other without euer changing their Co whence it easily appeareth how easie this tongue is to be learned as indeede in six Moneths whiles I was there I learned as much as was sufficient to treate with them and to vnderstand their Confessions though I had not the perfect knowledge thereof for to say the truth foure whole yeeres were no more then requisite to make one exact and excellent therein But to returne to the course of my History I said the custome of the Cochin-Chinois was not onely to regard men of Learning recompencing their great knowledge by aduancing them to high and honourable degrees of dignity and assigning to them good rents and reuennues but that they had also in great estimation those that were Couragious Valorous and excellent in Armes Yet doe they gouerne themselues therein after another manner then is accustomed amongst vs. For in stead of giuing to their great and generous Captaines as they doe in these parts some Lordship
presented them with defiance But ours vnderstanding now that they were not comparable vnto them auoyded the Tryall as much as they could knowing well by experience they were growne more certaine to hit where they would with their Artillary then others are with the Harquebusse which also they are ready and well practised in going out daily by troopes into the Field to exercise it Moreouer that which further encouraged him much to that resolution of reuoulting and banding himselfe against his Prince was the sight of a hundred Gallies and more of his owne by which meanes being become to be powerfull at Sea as well as he was by his Artillary at Land it was easie for him to accomplish his designe against the King of Tunchim his Lord. Seeing also that his continuall commerce with Iapan had brought into his Countrey great store of Swords and Cemiters of that Countrey which are of an excellent temper Hee was also prouided with a great number of Horses which though they be but little are very seruiceable and generous on which they fight with darts and exercise themselues daily therein The power of this King is such that hee is able to bring threescore thousand men into the field Which notwithstanding hee is not without feare of the King of Tunchim whose forces are foure times more Therefore to keepe him in good termes and to maintaine good Intelligence with him he payeth him a Tribute of all his Kingdome doth yeeld that may be acceptable to him particularly of Gold and Siluer of Rice and further furnishing him with Boardes and other wood wherewith to build his Galleries Now the only occasion that made him resolue to make League with the Son of the late King who at this day hath the Gonernment of the last Prouince of Tunchim bordering vpon China was that hee remaining Vanquisher and making himselfe Master of all Tunchim Cochin-China might be discharged of the Tribute To vnderstand the same the better it must bee knowne that whiles I was in Cochin-China it was not the Son of the late King of Tunchim that tooke possession of the Kingdome but his Vnckle out of whose hands the Young Prince escaped to saue his life into the last Prouince of that Kingdome confining vpon China where being acknowledged to bee the Sonne of the King disceased the people chose him to be their Prince and by his good Gouernement he wan their hearts in such sort that the King of Tunchim his Vncle entred into great apprehension lest he should ioyne in League with the King of Cochin-China who possessed the other end of his Countrey and inclosing him betweene them dispossesse him of the Kingdome vsurped For preuenting whereof hee sent yeere by yeere a great and puissant Army against this Prince to defeate him But all in vaine for the Army being of necessity to passe fiue or sixe dayes Iourney through wayes where there was no other water to drinke but of certaine Riuers which descended out of the enemies Countrey they found those waters poysoned by the Prince his people with a certaine Hearbe in such sort that as well men as Horses that dranke thereof dyed Whereby the Armie was enforced to retire after much expence and great paines taken to little purpose Their Millitary discipline and manner of gouerning themselues in the Warres is much like that of Europe They obserue the same order in making their Sâ—uadrons in going to Skirmishes in Assaults and in Retreatings And this King hath Warre ordinarily in two places of his Kingdome For first it standeth him vpon to stand alwayes on his guard on that side next to the King of Tunchim who doth menace him vncessantly and alwayes maketh some onsets on his Confines Therefore the King of Cochin-China keepeth his residence in Sinuua being the furthest and last prouince of his Kingdome that he may be euer in readinesse with his Forces on the frontiers of Tunchim which is the entry to a very puissant Prouince that is ordinarily prouided of Gouernours of great experience and knowledge in the Warres Secondly he is kept in continuall Alarmes on the West-side in the last Prouince of his Kingdome called Renram by the king of Chiampa whose assaults he doth easily repell in regard he is not so mighty as himselfe and needeth no other forces thereunto but those of the same Prouince the Gouernour whereof with his Souldiers is sufficient to defend it Moreouer he is continually leuying and raising of armies to succour the King of Cambogia who hath married a naturall daughter of his furnishing him with Gallies and with men against the King of Siam In such sort that on all sides as well by sea as by land he maketh the glorious name and reputation of the Armes of the Cochin-Chinois to be renowned On the Sea he maketh warre with his Gallies each of which hath sixe pieces of Cannon and is also well furnished with Musket-shot And it will not be found strange that the King of Cochin-China hath alwayes more then an hundred Gallies well furnished in good readinesse if one know in what manner he prouideth for it For the Cochin-Chinois vse not to make Galli-slaues of their delinquents or others but when they are to put themselues to fight at Sea they furnish their Gallies with as many men as are requisite in this manner They send out secretly and suddenly many Seriants and Commissioners who going throughout all the Kingdome ere men are aware with the Kings authority doe seise and presse all such as they find fit to handle an Oare and bestow them in the Gallies vnlesse by reason of their birth and extraction or for some other consideration they be exempted and priuilidged And that course must not be thought so hard and difficult as at first it may seeme because they are as well intreated in the Gallies as any where else And yet better payd and besides their Wiues their Children and all their Familie is maintained at the Kings charge with whatsoeuer is needfull according to their rancke and condition during all the time that their Husbands are thus absent And they serue not onely to tug at the Oare but also to fight vpon occasion To which purpose they haue euery one his Harquebusse and Musket giuen him with Darts Coutelasse and Cemeters and as the Cochin-Chinois are hardie and valiant in their approaches with their Oares and with their Muskets and Iauelins they are no lesse in the encounter and close medly where they make rare proofes of their valour Their Gallies are not so great nor so large as ours but they are so brauely bedecked with Gold and Siluer that they are a glorious spectacle to behold The Fore-castle namely which they account the most honourable place is all of Gold This is the Captaines place and the chiefe of his company The reason they giue for it is that the Captaine being to be the formost vpon all occasions ought therefore to be in the most hazardous place of all the Gallie Amongst other
find sundry Relations of Portugals that haue penetrated into it And diuers Iesuits forty or fifty yeeres resident in it Besides that yeerely there is a Faire held at Canton where there is free accesse to Strangers of all Nations for certaine moneths But by this present Relation it appeareth to be cleane contrary in Cochin-China where they admit all Strangers of what Nation soeuer to haue Trade and Traffique which being so I finde not our owne Nation excluded Yet admit that there were no likelihood of accesse How sweete and pleasant how ingenious and ingenuous is the curious Inquisition and speculation of this admirable workmanship of the World and the nobler parts thereof I will take a Testimony or two both of Ancient and Moderne Authors Seneca enquiring after Happinesse affirmeth Curiosum nobis Natura Ingenium dedit Artis sibi pulchritudinis suae conscia spectatores nos tantis rerum spectaculis genuit fructum sui perditura si tam magna tam clara tam subtiliter ducta tam nitida et non vno genere formosa Solitudini oftenderet Vt scias illam spectari voluisse non tantum aspici And againe Ego terras omnes tanquam meas videbo meas tanquam omnium Ego sic viuam tanquam sciam alijs me natum Naturae rerum hoc nomine gratias agam Quo enim melius genere negotium meum agere potuit vnum me donauit omnibus vni mihi omnes Amongst other Moderne Authors Postellus himselfe a great Traueller saith Homo Natura praeter proprium loquendi munus quo differt a caeteris animantibus id etiam habet quod peregrina omnia admiratur ad insolita obstupescit atque externis potius quam domesticis capitur And another industrious Author of latter time Ingenium humanum est curiosum nouitatis atque varietatis auidum semper desiderat aliud genus remotum And a little after Quae noua quae rara vndeas Ingenium humanum afficiunt vt stolidus videri debeat qui de his talibus non aueat disserere neque secum ipse meditetur ea solicitet cum cura pernoscendi I haue therefore thought that happely there may be many others which finding the like affections in themselues may make vse of what is heere presented The Contents of the Booke CHAP. I. OF the Name Situation and Greatnesse of this Kingdome CHAP. II. Of the Climate and quality of the Countrey of Cochin-China CHAP. III. Of the Fertillity of the Land CHAP. IIII. Of the Elephants and Rhinoceros CHAP. V. Of the Temperament Manners and Customes of the Cochin-Chinois Of their manner of Liuing Clothing and Medicines CHAP. VI. Of the Ciuill and Politicke Gouernement of Cochin-China CHAP. VII Of the Forces of the King of Cochin-China and of the Warres he hath within his Kingdome CHAP. VIII Of the Commerce Ports and Hauens of Cochin-China A Relation of the Kingdome of COCHIN-CHINA CHAP. I. Of the Name Situation and Greatnesse of this Kingdome COchin-China being so named by the Portugals is called in the language of the Originarie inhabitants Anam which is the West in regard it is situate on the West of China in respect whereof the Iapaneses called it by the name of Coci which in their tongue hath the same signification that Anam hath with the Cochin-Chineses But the Portugals which trafique in Anam are they which of the Iaponian word Coci and of China haue made and compounded this word Cochin-China being as much to say as Cochin of China to distinguish it from Cochin a City of India frequented by them And whereas in many Mapps Cochin-China is commonly called or designed by the name of Cauchin-China or Cauchine or some other It proceedeth either of their 〈…〉 apting the proper name or else because the makers of the Mapps would signifie that this Kingdome is the entrance and beginning of China Cochin-China on the South confines with the kingdome of Chiampa about the 11. degree of Northerly Latitude on the North side yet somewhat Eastward it bordereth on Tunchim on the East side it hath the Sea of China and on the West Northwest the kingdome of Lays In length Cochin-China is held to extend aboue an hundred Leagues on the Sea coast from the kingdome of Chiampa in 11. degrees of Northerly Latitude reaching to the gulfe of Anam in the eleuation of about 17. degrees of the same where the estate of the King of Tunchim beginneth In breadth it is of no great extent being straitned within the space of twenty Italian miles all a plaine countrey bounded on the one side with the Sea and hemmed in on the other with a great ranke of mountaines inhabited by the Kemois which signifieth Saluages for although they bee Cochin-Chineses they will not acknowledge the King nor obey him in any thing cantoning and fortifying themselues in those mountaines almost inaccessible Cochin-China is diuided into fiue Prouinces The first where the King maketh his abode ioyneth vpon Tunchim and is called Sinuua The second is named Cacciam in which the Prince the Kings sonne doth reside as gouernour The name of the third is Quamguia The fourth Quignim to which the Portugals haue giuen the name of Pulucambis The fifth which bordereth on the Kingdome of Champa is called Renram CHAP. II. Of the Climate and quality of the Countrey of Cochin-China THis Kingdome being as hath beene said betweene the 11. and 17. degree of Northerly latitude it followeth consequently that the Countrey is rather hot then cold Yet it is not so hot as India though it haue the same eleuation of the Pole and bee likewise vnder the Torrid Zone The reason of which difference is because that in India there is no distinction of the foure Seasons of the Yeere In regard that there their Summer continueth for the space of nine Moneths together during which no cloud appeareth in the skie neither by day nor night in such sort that the Aire is alwayes scorched by reuerberation of the Sun-beames The other three Moneths they call Winter not because they are without heate but by reason of the continuall raines which are ordinary there both night and day at that season And notwithstanding it naturally seemes that such continuall raine should somewhat refresh the Aire Yet the same falling in the Moneths of May Iune and Iuly when the Sun is at his highest in the Zenith of India no windes then stirring but those that are very hot the Aire is thereby so stuffed and thickned that the heat is then sometimes lesse tollerable then in the midst of Summer it selfe during which there commonly come from the sea some gentle cooling windes to refresh the Land without which gracious particular Prouidence of God those Countreyes would be inhabitable This is not so in Cochin-China which enioying the foure seasons of the Yeere howsoeuer not so exactly distinguished as in Europe is much better tempered thereby For notwithstanding that in their Summer which comprehendeth the three
by a friend of mine bound and packed vp which he cast vpon the burning coales and assoone as their bands were burnt they marched faire and softly after their manner on the liue coales till such time as they felt the force of the fire which they indured for a while being of a very cold constitution but in the end they were rosted and broiled whereupon this friend of mine drew them to him and scraping away the burnt skin with a Knife found their flesh to be exceeding white which hee brayed and sod with a little sawce like vnto Butter and eate them as a most excellent meat inuiting me thereunto But I was contented with the sight of it Of all other things requisite for the intertainement of a mans life Cochin-China is also very sufficiently prouided As first for apparell there is such abundance of Silke that the handy-craft men and the baser sort of people weare it dayly By occasion whereof I haue diuers times taken pleasure to see the men and women trauell in carrying Stones Earth Lime and other like things without any regard taken of the tearing or fouling their faire and rich apparell which they weare Yet this will not seeme strange to any that shall know how these high Mulberry trees by whose leaues the Silke-wormes are nourished are as plentifull here in these large plaines as Hempe is with vs and no longer time in growing In such sort that in a few Moneths the Wormes come forth of them and nourish themselues in the Aire spinne out their Silke in due time and make their Codds Bladders and Bottomes in so great a quantity and abundance that not only the Inhabitants haue enough fot their owne necessary vses and occasions but they furnish Iapan also and send Silke to the Kingdome of Lais wherehence it is also carried into the Kingdome of Thibet For albeit the Silke be not so fine and delicate yet it is stronger and more substantiall then that of China Their Buildings and Houses are all of wood yet in regard thereof they need not enuy any other Prouince because that without any exaggeration the Wood and Timber of this countrey is the best of all the world by the iudgement of those that haue beene in many places Amongst that great number and exceeding great diuersitie of trees which they haue there are two sorts most commonly imployed in their Buildings which are so incorruptible that they are not endammaged by being in the water or vnder the earth They be so sollid also and so weighty that they will not swim on the water but serue for Anchors One of these kinds of wood is blacke yet not so blacke as the Ebeny The other is red being both of them so smooth and euen that when the Barke is taken away they need no plaining or smoothing These trees are called Tin and haply he should not much be deceiued that should be of opinion that the trees which Salomon vsed in the building of the Temple were of the same incorruptible Timber seeing wee know already by the Scripture that those which he imployed were called Ligna Thyine 2. Chro. 9. 10. 11. which approacheth very neere their name The mountaines of Cochin-China are couered all ouer with these trees which are exceeding straight and of such vnmeasurable height that they seeme to touch the clouds with their tops and therewith so thicke that two men cannot circle them about With these trees doe the inhabitants of Cochin-China build their houses of which it is lawfull for euery one to take on the mountaines as many as he will Their houses are built vpon pillars that are very high and sound and well vnderlaid vnto which they ioyne boards and plankes which they can take off and lay on againe as they list to change them with Grates or Lattices of Canes and Reeds which they interlace curiously to let in the Aire in times of heat partly also to giue the water free passage in and out and that their boats may haue egresse and regresse in the time of inundations They vse also a thousand deuises and inuentions to beautifie and adorne their houses caruing their boards and planks with curious workemanship and making their habitations delightfull with variety of garnishment Now whiles we are discoursing of Trees I will adde somewhat as concerning another kind of wood which is their most precious merchandise This is that renowned wood called Aquila and Calamba which are the same in regard of the wood yet much different in the reckoning made of them as also in their vertue and efficacie There is good store of these trees especially on the mountaines of the Kemois which are very great and very high If this wood be cut from a young trunke or stocke then they call it Aquila whereof there is such plenty that euery one may take as much as he will But when this wood is taken from an old tree this is the Calamba which were exceeding hard to be gotten if Nature had not holpen in that behalfe placing these trees at the top of the highest steepe and craggie mountaines where they may quietly grow without any wrong or violence done them There are falling from them from time to time some branches which breake of themselues from the body of the tree either by becomming blasted and withered or by extremity of old age which are found to be rotten and worme-eaten This is the high-prised and renowned Calamba which farre surpasseth the common Aquila in efficacie and sweetnes of scent Euery one may sell of the Aquila at his pleasure but the traffique of the Calamba is reserued to the King alone for the excellent odour and soueraigne vertue thereof And certainely in those places where it is gathered it is so sweet and so odoriferous that prouing certaine pieces of it which had beene giuen me I buried them more then fiue foot vnder ground yet notwithstanding they betrayed themselues by their sweet smell This Calamba where it is gathered is valued at fiue Ducats the pound yet at the Port of Cochin-China it yeeldeth more and scarcely to be had vnder sixteene Ducats the pound And being transported to Iapan it is valued at two hundred Ducats the pound But if one meet with a piece of such greatnes that a man may lay his head on it as on a pillow the Iaponeses will giue three or foure hundred Ducats the pound for it because they find by experiment as they say that it is better for health to haue some hard thing vnder ones head when he sleepeth then a soft pillow of feathers which because they hold to be vnwholsome they vse ordinarily a piece of wood for a Boulster to rest their head on which euery one according to his ability will haue as costly as he can get And if it be made of Calamba they account it a pillow for a Prince Now the Aquila howsoeuer it be of lesse estimation and value then the Calamba yet it is of such account and worth that