yet standeth with the mountaine that is made of the substance that hath fallen from it maketh a greater shew then you shall finde comming neere to it Babilon and Basora FRom Babilon I departed for Basora shipping my selfe in one of the barks that vse to go in the riuer Tigris froÌ„ Babilon to Basora and from Basora to Babilon which barks are made after the manner of Fusts or Galliots with a Speron and a couered poope they haue no pumpe in theÌ„ because of the great aboundance of pitch which they haue to pitch them withall which pitch they haue in abundance two dayes iorney from Babilon neere vnto the riuer Euphrates there is a citie called Ayit néere vnto which citie there is a great plaine full of pitch very meruelous to beholde and a thing almost incredible that out of a hole in the earth which continually throweth out pitch into the ayre with continual smoake which pitch is throwne with such force that being hot it falleth like as it were sprinkled ouer all the plaine in such aboundance that the plaine is alwayes full of pitch the Mores and the Arabians of that place say that that hole is the mouth of hell and in truth it is a thing very notable to be marked and by this pitch the people haue great benefite to pitch their barks which barks they call Daneck and Saffin When the riuer of Tigris is well replenished with water you may passe from Babilon to Basora in 8. or 9. daies and sometimes more and somtimes lesse we were halfe so much more which is 14 or 15. daies because the waters were lowe they may sayle day and night and there is some places in this way where you pay so many Madiens on a baâ—le if the waters be low it is 18. dayes iorney Basora BAsora is a Cittie of the Arabians which of osde time was gouerned by those Arabians called Zizarii but nowe it is gouerned by the great Turke where he keepeth an army to his great charges The Arabians called Zizarii haue the possession of a great Countrey and cannot be ouercome of the Turk because that the sea â—ath deuided their countrey into an Iland by channels with the ebbing flowing of the 〈…〉 for that cause the Turk cannot bring an army ag 〈…〉 neither by sea nor by land and another reason is the inhabitants of that Iland are verye strong and warlike men a daies iorney before you come to Basora you shall haue a little castel or fort which is set on that point of the land where the Riuers Euphrates and Tigris méete together and the castell is called Corna at this point the two riuers maketh a monsirous great riuer and runneth into the sea which is called the gulfe of Persia which is towards the South Basora is distant from the sea fiftéene miles and it is a cittie of great trade of Spices drugges which come from Ormus Also there is great store of corne Rice and Dates which the countrey dooth yéeld I shipped my selfe in Basora to go for Ormus and so we sailed through the Persian sea 600 miles which is the distance from Basora to Ormus and we sailed in small Ships made of boards bound together with small cords or ropes and in stéed of calking they lay betwéene euerie board certaine strawe which they haue and so they sowe board and board together with the strawe betwéene where through there commeth much water and they are very dangerous Departing from Basora we passed 200 miles with the sea on our right hand along the gulfe vntill at length we arriued at an Iland called Carichii from whence we sailed to Ormus in sight of the Persian shore on the left side and on the right side towards Arabia we discouered infinit Ilands Ormus ORmus is an Iland in circuit 25 or 30 miles and it is the most barrenest and most drie Iland in all the world because that in it there is nothing to be had but salt water and wood all other things necessarye for mans life is brought out of Persia 12 miles of and out of other Ilands néere therevnto adioining in such aboundance and quantitie that the citie is alwaies replenished with all manner of store there is standing néere vnto the waters side a verie faire castell in the which the captaine of the king of Portingale is alwaies resident with a good band of Portingales and before this castell is a verye fayre prospect in the citie dwelleth the married men Soldiers and Merchants of euery nation amongst whom there is Mores and Gentiles In this Citie there is verie great trade for all sorts of Spices drugs Silke cloth of Silke Brocardo and diuers other sorts of merchandize which come out of Persia and amongst all other trades and Merchandize the trade of Horsses is very great there which they carry from thence into the Indies This Iland hath a More king of the race of the Persians who is created and made king by the captaine of the castell in the name of the king of Portingale At the creation of this king I was there and saw the ceremonies that they vse in it which are as followeth The old King being dead the Captaine of the Portingales chooseth another of the blood Royall and maketh this election in the Castell with great ceremonies and when he is elected the Captaine sweareth him to be true and faithfull to the king of Portingale as his Lord and Gouernor and then he giueth him the Scepter Regall after this with great feasting and pompe with great company he is brought into the Roiall palace in the citie This king kéepeth a good traine and hath sufficient reuenues to maintaine himselfe without troubling of any bicause the Captaine of the Castell dooth maintaine and defend his right and when that the Captaine and he ride together he is honored as a King yet he cannot ride abroade with his traine without the consent of the captaine first had it behooueth them to doo this and it is necessarie bicause of the great trade that is in the citie their proper language is the Persian toong There I shipped my selfe to go for Goa a Cittie in the Indies in a Ship that had foure score horsses in hir this is to aduertise those Merchants that go from Ormus to Goa to ship themselues in those Ships that carrie Horsses because euery Ship that carrieth twentie Horsses or vpwards are priueleged that all the Merchandize whatsoeuer they carrie that they owe no custome whereas the Ships that carrieth not Horsses are bound to paâ—â— eight per cento of all the goods they bring Goa Dui and Cambaia GOa is the principallest Cittye that the Portingales haue in the Indies where is resident the Viceroy with his court and ministers of the king of Portingale froÌ„ Ormus to Goa is 990 miles distance in which passage the first Cittie that you come to in the Indies is called Dui and is scituate in
iurisdiction of the Captaine of the castell are these that euery yeare hee sendeth a small Ship to Timor to lande white Sandolo for all the best commeth from this Iland there commeth also from Color but that is not so good also he sendeth another small ship euerye yeare to Cochine China to lade there wood of Aleos for that all the wood of Aleos cōmeth from this place which is in the firme land néere vnto China and in that kingdome I could not knowe how that wood groweth by any meanes For that the people of the countrie will not suffer the Portingales to come within the land but onelye for wood and water and as for all other things that they wanted as victuals or merchandize the people bring y ◠a boord the ship in small barkes so that euery daye there is a mart kept in the Ship vntill such time as she be laden also there goeth another ship for the said Captaine of Malacca to Asion to lade Verzino all these voiages are for the Captaine of the Castell of Malacca and when he is not disposed to make these voiages he selleth them to another The Citie Sion SIon was the imperiall seate and a great Citie but in the yeare of our Lord God 1567 it was taken by the king of Pegu which king made a voyage or came by land foure moneths iourney with an armie of men through his land and the number of his armie was a Milion and foure hundreth thousand men of warre when he came to the Citie he gaue assault to it and besieged it twentye and one moneths before he could winne it with great losse of his people this I know for that I was in Pegu six monethes after his departure and sawe when that his officers that were in Pegu sent fiue hundreth thousand men of warre to furnish the places of them that were slaine and lost in that assault yet for all this if there had not béene treason against the Citie it had not béene lost for on a night there was one of the gates set open through the which with great trouble the king gat into the Citye and became gouernor of Sion and when the Emperor saw that he was betraid and that his enimie was in the Citie he poisoned himselfe and the wiues and children fréend and noblemen that were not slaine in the first affront of the entrance into the Citie were all carried captiues into Pegu where I was at the comming home of the king with his triumphes and victorie which comming home and returning from the warres was a goodlye sight to behold to see the Elephants come home in a square laden with Gold Siluer Jewels and with Noble men and women that were taken prisoners in that Citie Now to returne to my voyage I departed from Malacca in a great Shippe which went for S. Tome being a Cittie scituate on the coast of Chiriamandell because the captain of the castels of Malacca hauing vnderstanding proaduyzo that the king of Assi would come with a great armye and power of men against them therefore vpon this he would not giue licence that anye Ships should departe Wherefore in this Shippe we departed in the night without making anye prouision of our water and wee were in that shippe fower hundreth and odde men we departed from thence with Intention to goe to an Ilande to take in water but the windes were so contrary that they woulde not suffer vs to fetch it so that by this meanes wee were two and forty dayes in the sea as it were lost and we were driuen too and fro so that the first land that we discouered was beyonde Sainct Tomes more then fiue hundreth miles which were the mountaines of Zerzerline neere vnto the kingdome of Orisa and so we came to Orisa with manye sicke and more that weare deade for want of water and they that were sicke in fower dayes died and I for the space of a yeare after had my throate so sore hoarse that I coulde neuer fatisfie my thirst in drinking of water I iudge the reason of my hoarsenesse to be with soppes that I wette in vinnigar and Oyle wherewith I sustained my selfe many dayes there were not any want of breade neither of wine But the wines of that countrie are so hotte that without water they kill a man neither are they able to drinke them when we beganne to want water I sawe certaine Moores that were officers in the Ship that solde a smal dish full for a Duckat after this I sawe one that would haue giuen a Barre of Pepper which is two quintalles and a halfe for a little measure of water and he could not haue it Truely I beléeue that I had died with my slaue whom then I had to serue me which cost me very déere but to prouide for the daunger at hand I sold my slaue for halfe that he was worth because that I would saue his drinke that he drunks to serue my owne purpose and saue my life Of the Kingdome of Orisa and the Riuer Ganges ORisa was a faire Kingdome and trustye through the which a man might haue gone with Golde in his hand without any danger at all as long as the lawfull King reined which was a gentile which was in the citie called Catecha which was within the land sixe dayes Journey This King loued Strangers meruailous well and Marchants which came in and out in his Kingdome in such wise that he would take no custome of of them neither any other greeuous thing Onlye the Ship that came thither paide a small thing according to her portage and euery yeere in the port of Orisa laded 25. or 30. Ships great and small with Ryce diuers sortes of fine white bumbaste cloth Oyle of Zerzclnie which they make of a Séede and is very good to eate and to frye fishe withall great store of Butter Lacca long Pepper Ginger Mirabolany drye and condyt great store of cloth of hearbes which is a kinde of Silke which groweth amongst the woods without any labour of man only when the bole therof is growen round as big as an Orenge then they take care only to gather them About sixteene yeeres passed this King with his Kingdome were destroyed by the King of Patane which was also King of the greatest parte of Bengala and when he had got the kingdome he set custome there twenty pro cento as Marchants paide in his Kingdome but this tirant enioyed his kingdome but a small time but was conquered by another tirant which was the greate Magoll King of Agraa Dely and of all Cambaia without any resistance I departed from Orisa to Bengala to the harber Picheno which is distant from Orisa towards the Easte a hundreth and seauenty miles They goe as it were rowing alongst the coaste fiftie fower miles and then we enter into the Riuer Ganges from the mouth of this Riuer to a Citie called
merchants deuide themselues into companies according to their merchandice y â— they haue there either they buy or make a boat to carie them their goods to Babylon downe the riuer Euphrates with charge of a merchant and mariners to conduct the boat in the voiage these boats are in a manner flat bottomed yet they be verie strong and for all that they are so strong they wil serue but for one voiage They are made according to the sholdnes of the riuer because that the riuer is in many places ful of great stones which doth greatly hinder and trouble those that go down the riuer These boats serue but for one voiage downe the riuer vnto a village called Feluchia because it is impossible to bring them vp the riuer backe againe At Feluchia the merchants plucke their boates in peeces or else sell them for a small price For that at Bi r they cost the merchants forty or fiftie chickens apeece and they sell them at Feluchia for 7 or 8 chickens a peece because that when the merchants return from Babylon backe again if they haue merchandice or goods that oweth custome then they make their returne in fortie dayes through the wildernesse passing that way with a great deale lesser charges then the other way And if they haue not merchandise that oweth custome then they goe by the way of Mosule where it costeth them great charges both the Carauan and companie from Bi r where the merchantes imbarke them selues to Feluchia ouer against Babylon if the riuer haue good store of Water they shall make their voiage in fifteene or eightéene daies downe the Riuer and if the Water be lowe and it haue not rained then it is much trouble and it will bee fortie or fiftie dayes iourny downe because that when the barkes strike on the stones that be in the Riuer then they must vnlade them which is great trouble and then lade them againe when they haue mended their boat therefore it is not necessarie neither doe the merchants goe with one boate alone but two or three that if one boate split and bee lost with striking on the sholdes they may haue another redy to take in their goods vntil such time as they haue meÌ„ded the broken boate and if they drawe the broken boate a land to mend her it is harde to defend her in the night from the great multitude of Arabians y t wil come downe there to rob you in the riuers euery night wheÌ„ you make fast your boat to the banckside you must kéepe good watch against the Arabians which are theeues in number like to ants yet wheÌ„ they come to rob they wil not kil but steal run away hargubushes is a very good weapen against theÌ„ for y â— they stand greatly in feare of the shot as you passe the riuer Euphrates from Bi r to Feluchia there is certaine places which you must passe by where you pay custome certain madines vpon a bale which custom is belonging to the son of Aborise king of the Arabians and desart and hath certain Cities and villages on the riuer Euphrates Feluchia and Babilon FEluchia is a village where they that come from Bi r do vnbarke themselues and vnlade their goods and it is distant from Babilon a daies iorney a halfe by land Babilon is no great Cittie but it is very populous and of great trade of Strangers because it is a great through fare for Persia Turkia and Arabia and verye oftentimes there goeth out froÌ„ thence Carauans into diuers countries and the citie is verye copious of victuals which cometh out of Armenia downe the riuer of Tigris on certaine Zattares or Raffes made of blowne hides or skins called Vtrij This riuer Tigris dooth wash the walles of the citie these Raffes are bound fast together and then they lay boards on the aforesaid blowne skins and on the boards they lade the commodities so come they to Babilon where they vnlade theÌ„ being vnladen they let out the winde out of the skins and lade them on Cammels to make another voyage This Citie of Babilon is scituate in the kingdome of Persia but now gouerned by the Turkes On the other side of the riuer towards Arabia ouer against the citie there is a faire place or towne and in it a faire Bazarro for Merchants with verie manie lodges where the greatest part of the Merchants Strangers which come to Babilon doolye with their merchandize The passing ouer Tigris from Babilon to this Borough is ouer a long bridge made of boates chained together with great chaines prouided that when the riuer waxeth great with the aboundance of raine y â— falleth then they open the bridge in the middle where the on halfe of the bridge falleth to the walles of Babilon and the other to the brinkes of this borough on the other side of the riuer as long as the bridge is open they passe y â— riuer in small boates with great danger because of the smalnes of the boates and the ouer lading of them that with the fiercenes of the streame they be ouerthrowne or els the streame dooth carrie them awaie so that by this meanes many people are lost and drowned this waye by proofe I haue many times séene Of the Tower of Babilon THe Tower of Nembroth or Babel is scituate on y â— side of Tigris that Arabia is and in a very greate plaine distant from Babilon 7. or 8. miles which town is ruinated on euery side and with the falling of it there is made a great Mountaine so that it hath no forme at all yet there is a great parte of it standing which is compassed and almost couered with the aforsaid fallings this Tower was builded and made of fower square Brickes which Brickes were made of earth and dried in the Sun in maner forme following first they laid a lay of Bricks theÌ„ a Mat made of Canes square as the Bricks and in stead of lime they daubed it with earth these Mattes of Canes are at this time so strong that it is a thing wonderfull to beholde being of such antiquitie as it is I haue gone round about it and haue not found any place where there hath bin any doore or entrance it may be in my iudgement in circuit about a mile and rather lesse then more This Tower in effect is contrary to al other things which are seene a far off for they séeme small and the more néere a man commeth to them the bigger they be but this Tower a far off séemeth a very great thing and the neerer you come to it the lâ—sser My iudgment and reason of this is that because the Tower is set in a very great plaine and hath nothinge more about to make any show sauing the ruines of it which it hath made round about and for this respect that discrying it a far off that peece of the Tower which
downe and in the time I rested there I sawe manye strange and beastlye déedes doone of the Gentiles First when there is any noble man or woman dead they burne their bodies if a maried man die his wife must burne hir selfe aliue for the loue of hir husband and with the bodye of hir husband so that when anye man dyeth their wiues will take a monthes leaue two or thrée or as they will to burne themselues in and that daye being come wherein she ought to be burnt that morning she goeth out of hir house very earlye either on Horssebacke or one an Eliphant or else is borne by eight men on a small stage in one of these orders she goeth being apparrelled like to a Bride carried rounde about the Cittye with hir hayre downe about hir shoulders garnished with Jewels flowers according to the estate of the partye and they goe with as great ioye as Brides doo in Venis to the nuptials shée carryeth in hir left hand a looking Glasse and in hir right hand an arrow and singeth through the cittie as she passeth and saith that shee goeth to sléepe with hir déere spowse and husband She is accompanyed with hir kindred and fréends vntill it be one or two of the clocke in the after noone then they go out of the citie and going along the Riuers side called Nigondin which runneth vnder the walles of the cittye vntill they come to a place where they vse to make this burning of women being widowes there is prepared in this place a great square caue with a little pinnacle hard by it foure or fiue steps vp the aforesaid caue is full of dryed wood the woman being come thither accompanied with a number of people which come to sée the thing then they make readye a great banquet and she that shall be burned eateth with great ioye and gladnesse as though it were hir marriage daye and the feast being ended then they goe to dancing and singing a certaine time according as she will after this the woman of hir owne accord commandeth then to make the fire in the square Caue where the drye wood is and when it is kindled they come and certifie hir thereof then presently shee leaueth the feast and taketh the nearest kinsman of hir husband by the hand and they both go together to the banke of the aforesaid riuer where she putteth off all hir Jewels all hir clothes giueth them to hir parents or kinsfolke and couering hir selfe with a cloth bicause shee will not be séene of the people being naked she throweth hir selfe into the riuer saying Oh wretches that ye wash your sinnes Comming out of the water she rowleth hir selfe into a yellow cloth of 14 braces long and againe she taketh hir husbands kinsman by the hand and they goe both together vp to the pinacle of the square caue wherin the fire is made when she is on the pinacle she talketh and reasoneth with the people recommending vnto them hir children and kindred Before the pinacle they vse to set a Mat because they shall not see the fiercenes of the fire yet there is manye that will haue them plucked awaye shewing therein a heart not fearfull and that they are not afraid of that sight When this sillye woman hath reasoned with the people a good while to hir content there is another woman that taketh a pot with oyle and sprinckleth it ouer her head and with the same she annoynteth all hir body and afterwards throweth the pot into the Fornace and both the woman and the pot goeth together into the fire and presentlye the people that are round about the furnace throw after hir into the caue great péeces of wood so by this meanes with the fire with the blowes that she hath with the wood throwne after hir she is quickly dead and after this there groweth such sorowe and such lamentation amongst the people that all their mirth is turned into howling and wéeping in such wise that a man could scarse beare the hearing of it I haue seene many burnt in this manner because my house was néere to the gate where they go out to the place of burning when there dyeth anye great man his wife with all his slaues with whome hee hath had carnall copulation burne themselues together with him Also in this kingdome I haue séene amongst the base sort of people this vse and order that the man being dead he is is carried to the place where they will make his sepulcher and setting him as it were vpright sitting then commeth his wife before him on hir knées casting hir armes about his neck with imbracing and clasping him vntill such time as the Masons haue made a wall round about them and when the wall is as highe as their neckes there commeth a man behind the woman strangleth her then when she is dead the workmen finish the wall ouer their heads and so they lie buryed both together Beside these there is an infinite number of beastlye qualities amongst the which I haue no desire to write of them I was very desirous to know the cause whye these women would so wilfullye burne themselues against nature and lawe and it was tolde me that this lawe was of an ancient time to make prouision against the slaughters which women made of their husbands For in those daies before this lawe was made the women for euery little displeasure that their husbands had doone vnto them they would presentlye poyson their husbands and take other men and now by reason of this lawe they are more faithfull to their husbands and count their liues as deare as their owne bicause that after his death hir owne followeth presently In the yeare 1567. the people of Bezeneger for the ill successe that they had in that their Citie was sacked by the foure kings The king with his court went to dwell in a castell eight dayes iorneye vp in the lande from Bezeneger called Penegonde Also sixe daies iorney from Bezeneger is â—he place where they get Diamants I was not there but it was told me that it is a great place compassed with a wall and that they sell the earth within the wall for so much a Squadro the limits is set how déepe or howe lowe they shall dig those Diamants that are of a certaine sise and bigger then that sise all those be for the king it is many yeares agone since they got anye there for the troubles that hath béene in that kingdome the first cause of this trouble was because the sonne of this Temeragio had put to death the lawfull king which he had in prison for which cause the Barons and Noblemen in that kingdome would not acknowledge him to be their king and by this meanes there is manye kings and great deuision in that kingdome and the Citye of Bezeneger is not altogether destroyed yet the houses stand styll but
not so good as the other is and in these woods groweth much Pepper Negapatan FRom Zeyland within y e Iland to go with small ships to Negapatan within the firme land 72. miles of is a very great citie very populous of Portingales and Christians of the countrey and parte Gentiles it is a countrey of small trade neither haue they any trade there saue a good quantity of Rice and cloth of bumbast which they carry into diuers parts it was a very plentifull countrey of victuales but now a great deale lesse that abouÌ„dance of victuales caused many Portingales to go thither and build houses dwell there with small charge This Citie belongeth to a noble man of the kingdome of Bezeneger being a Gentile neuerthelesse the Portingales and other Christians are well intreated there haue their Churches there with a Monastery of S. Francis order with great deuotion and verye well accommodated with bouses round about yet for all this they are amongst tyrants which alwaies at their pleasure may doo them some harme as it happened in the yeare of our Lord God 1565 which I remember verye well how that the Naic that is to saye the Lord of the Citie sent to the Cittizens to demand of them certaine Arabian Horsses and they hauing denied them vnto him and gainesaid his demand it came to passe that this Lord had a desire to sée the Sea which when the poore Citizens vnderstood thereof they doubted some euill to heare a thing which was not woont to bee they thought that this man would come to sacke the Citie and presently they imbarked themselues the best they could with their mooueables merchandize Jewels money and all that they had and caused the ships to put from the shore when this was doone as their ill chauÌ„ce would haue it the next night following there came such a great storme which put all the ships a land perforce and brake them to péeces and all the goods that came a land and was saued was taken from them by the Soldiors and armye of this Lorde which came downe with him to sée the sea and were attendant at the Sea side not thinking any such thing to haue hapned Saint Thomas or san Tome FRom Nega patan sollowing my voyage towards the East a hundreth fiftie miles I found the house of blessed S. Thomas which is a Church of great deuotion and greatlye regarded of the Gentiles for the great miracles that they haue heard hath béene doone by that blessed Apostle néere vnto this Church the Portingales haue builded them a Citie in the countrie subiect â—o the king of Bezeneger which Cittye although it be not verye greate in my iudgement it is the fayrest in all that parte of the Indyes and it hath verye fayre houses and fayre Gardens in vacant places very well accommodated it hath stréetes large and straight with many churches of great deuotion their houses be set close vnto an other with little doores euery house hath his defence so that by that meanes it is of force suffitient to defend themselues against that countrey the Portyngales there haue no other possession but their Gardens and houses that are within the Cittie the customes belong to the king of Bezeneger which are very small and easye for that it is a Countrey of great riches and great trade there commeth euery yeare two or thrée great ships very riche besides many other small ships one of the two great ships goeth for Pegan and the other for Mallaca laden with fine bumbast cloth of euery sort painted which is a rare thing because those kind of clothes shew as they were gilded with diuers colours and the more they be washed the liuelier the colours wil shew also there is other cloth of bumbast which is wouen with diuers colours are of great valew also they make in Sane Tome great store of red Yarne which they dys with a roote called Saya and this colour will neuer wast but the more it is washed the more redder it will shew they lade this yarne the greatest parte of it for Pegan because that there they worke and weaue it to make cloth according to their owne fashion and with lesser charges It is a meruelous thing to them which haue not séene the laging and vnlading of men and marchaÌ„dize in S. Tome as they do it is a place so dangerous there a man cannot be serued with small barkes neither can they do their busines with the boates of the shippes because they would be beaten in a thousaÌ„d peeces but they make certain barkes of purpose highe which they call Masady they be made of little Boardes one Board sowed to another with small cordes and in this order are they made And when they are thus made and that they will embarke anye thing in them eythe men or goodes they lade them a land and when they are laden the Barke men shruste the boate with her lading into the streame and with greate spéede they make haste all that they are able to rowe out against the huge waues of the sea that are on that shore vntill that they carry them to thâ— Shippes and in like manner they lade these Masudies aâ— the Shippes with marchandize and men when they come néere the shore the Bark-men kéepe out of the Barke into the Sea to kéepe the Barke right that shée cast not thwart the shore being kept right the Suffe of the Sea setteth her lading drye a land without any burt or daunger and sometimes there is some of them that is ouerthrowne but there can bee no great losse because theâ— lade but a little at a time all the marchandize that they laâ— outwardes they emball it well with Oxe hides so that if â—â— take wette it can haue no great harme In my voyage returning in the yéere of our Lord God one thousand fiue hundred sixtye and sixe I went from Goa vnto Malacca in a Shippe or Galion of the King of Portingales which went vnto Banda for to lade Nutmegs and Maces from Goa to Malaca one thousand eight hundred miles we passed within the Iland Zeyland and went through the chanell of Nicubar or else through the channell of Sombrero which is by the middle of the Iland called Sumtara called Taprobana from Nicuber to Pigue is as it were a rowe or chaine of an infinite number of Ilandes of which many are enhabited with wilde people and they call those Ilandes the Ilands of Andeman and they call their people sauadge or wilde because they eate one another also these Ilandes haue warre one with another for they haue small Barkes and with them they take one an other and so eate one an other and if by euill thaunce any Ship be loste on those Ilands as many haue béene there is not one man of those Ships lost there that escapeth vneaten or vnstaine these people haue not any acquaintance with any other people neither haue
they trade with any but line onely of such fruites as those Ilands yeeldeth and if any Ship come néere vnto that place or coast as they paase y ◠way as in my voiage it happened as I came from Malaca through the channell of Sombrero there came two of theyr barckes neere vnto our shippe laden with fruite as with Mouces which we call Adams apples with fresh nuttes and with a fruite called Inany which fruite is lyke to our Turnops but is verye sweete and good to eate they would not come into the shippe for any thing that we could doo neither would they take any mony for theyr fruite but they would trucke for olde shirtes or peeces of olde linnen breches these ragges they let downe with a rope into their barke vnto them and looke what they thought those things to be worth so much fruite they would make fast to the rope and let vs hale it in and it was tolde me that at sonetimes a man shall haue for an olde shirte a good péece of Ambar Sumatra THis Iland of Sumatra is a great Iland and deuyded and gouerned by many Kinges and deuided into many channels where through there is passage vpon the head land towards the West is the kingdome of Assi and gouerned by a Moore King this king is of great force and strength as he that beside his great kingdome hath many foists and Gallies In his kingdome groweth great store of Pepper Ginger Beniamin he is an vtter enemie to the Portingale and hath diuers times beene at Malacca to fight against it and hath doone great harme to the bowroughes thereof but the Cittie alwaie defended him valientlie and with theyr ordinaunce dyd great spoyle to hys Campe at length I came to the Cittie of Malacca The Cittie Malacca MAlacca is a Cittie of merueitous great trade of all kind of Merchanbize Which commeth from diuers parts bicause that all the Ships that saile in these seas both great and small are bound to touch at Malacca to paye their custome there although they vnlade nothing at all as we do at Elsinor and if by night they escape away and pay not their custome then they fall into a greater danger after for if they come into the Indies and haue not the seale of Malacca they paye double custome I haue not passed farther then Malacca towards the East but that which I will speake of here is by good information of them that haue béene there The sailing from Malacca towards the East is not common for all men as China and Giapan and so forwards to goe who will but onlye for the king of Portingale and his nobles with leaue granted vnto them of the king to make such voiages or to the iurisdiction of the captaine of Malacca where he expecteth to know what voiages they make from Malacca thether and these are the kings voiages that euery year ether departeth from Malacca two Galions of the kings one of them goeth to the Mulluccos to lade Cloues and the other goeth to Banda to lade Nutmegs and Maces These two Galians are laden for the king neither doo they carrye anye particular mans goods sauing the portage of the Marriners and Soldiors and for this cause they are not voiages for Merchants bicause that going thether he shall not haue where to lade his goods of returne and besides this the Captaine will not carrye anye Merchant for either of these two places There goeth small Ships of the Mores thether which come from the coast of Iaua and change or guild their commodities in the kingdom of Assa and these be the Maces Cloues and Nutmegs which go for the straights of Meca The voiages that the king of Portingale granteth to his nobles are these of China and Giapan from China to Giapan and from Giapan to China and from China to the Indies and the voiage of Bengaluco Sonda with the lading of fine cloth and euery sort of Bumbast cloth Sonda is an Iland of the Mores neere to the roast of Giaua and there they lade Pepper for China The ships that goeth euerye yeare from the Indies to China is called the Ship of Drugs because she carieth diuers drugs of Cambaya but the greatest part of hir lading is siluer From Malacca to China is 1800. miles and from China to Giapan goeth euery yeare a great ship of great importance laden with silke which for returne of their silke bring bars of Siluer which they truck in China that is distant betwéene China an◠Giapan 2400 miles and in this waye there is diuers Ilands not very big in the which the Friers of S. Paule by the helpe of God make many Christians there like to themselues from these Ilands hether wards is not yet discouered for the great sholdnes of Sands that they find The Portingales haue made a small Citie neere vnto the coast of China called Macha whose church and houses are of wood and hath a Bishoprike but the customes are of the king of China and they go and pay it at a Cittie called Canton which is a Cittie of great importance and verye beautifull two dayes iorneye and a halfe from Macheo which people are Gentiles and are so iealious and fearefull that they would not haue a stranger to put his foote within their land so that when the Portingales goe thether to paye their custome and to buye their Merchandize they will not consent that they shall lye or lodge within the Cittie but sendeth them forth into the subburbs The countrie of China is in the kingdome of great Tartaria and is a very great countrye of the Gentiles and of great importance which may be iudged by the riche and precious merchandize that come from thence the which I beléeue are not better nor greater quantitie in the whole worlde then these are that come from thence First great store of gold which they carye to the Indies made in plates like to little Ships and in value 23 caracts a péece very great aboundance of fine Silke Cloth of Damaske and Taffitle great quantitie of Muske great quantity of Occom in bars great quantitie of Quicksiluer and of Cinaper great store of Camfora an infinite quantity of Procellane made in vessels of diuers sorts great quantitie of painted cloth and squares infinite store of the rootes of China euery yeare there commeth from China to the Indies two or three great Ships laden with most riche and precious Merchandize The Rubarbe commeth from thence ouer land by the waye of Percia because that euery yeare there goeth a great Carauan from Percia to China which is in going thether six moneths Carauan arriueth at a cittie called Lanchine the place where the king is resident with his court I spake with a Persian that was thrée yeares in that Cittie of Lanchine and he told me that it was a great Citie and of great importance The voiages of Malacca which are in the
which are as Counsellers of the Citie there they promised me on the Kings head or in the behalfe of the King that neither I nor my goods should haue anie harme but that we should be safe sure of which promise there was made publike notes and then I sent for my goods and had them a land and payd my custome which is in that countrie ten in the hundreth of the same goodes and for my more securitie I tooke a house right against the Retors house The Captain of the Portugalles and all the Portugal Merchants were put out of the Citie and I with twentie and two poore men which were officers in the Ship we had our dwelling in the Citie After this the Gentil◠deuised to be reuenged of the Portugales but they woulde not put it in execution vntill such time as our small Shippe had discharged all her goodes and then the nert night following came from Pegu fowre thousand souldiers with some Elyphants of Warre and before that they made anie rumor in the citie the Retor sent and gaue commaundement to all Portugales that were in the Citie that whē they heard anie rumor or noyse that for any thing they shoulde not goe out of their houses and as they tendered their own health Then fowre houres in the night I heard a great rumour and noyse of men of Warre with Eliphants which threwe downe the doores of the Ware-houses of the Portugalles and their houses of wood and strawe in the which rumour there were some Portugalles wounded and one of them slaine and others without making proofe of there manhoode which the daye before did so bragge at that time put themselues to flight moste shamefullye and saued them selues a boorde of little Shippes that were at an ancker in the harbour and some that were in their beddes fledde away naked and that night they caried away all the Portugalles goodes out of the suburbes into the Citie and those Portugalles that had their goodes in the suburbes with all After this the Portugalles that were fled into the shippes to saue themselues tooke a newe courage to themselues and came a lande and set fire on the houses in the suburbs which houses being made of boord and straw and a fresh winde in small time they were burnt and consumed with which fire halfe the Citie had like to beene burnt when the Portugalles had done this they were without all hope to recouer any part of their goodes againe which goods might amount to the summe of sixtéene thousande duckets which if they had not set fire to the towne they might haue had their goodes giuen them gratis then the Portugalles hauing vnderstanding that this thing was not done by the consent of the King but by his lifetenant and the Retor of the citie they were verie yll content knowing that they had made a greate fault yet the next morning following the Portugalles began to batter and shoote their ordinance against the Citie which batterie of theirs continued fowre dayes but all was in vaine for the shott neuer hit the Citie but light on the top of a small hill neere vnto it so that the Citie had no harme when the Retor perceiuing that the Portugalles made batry against the Citie he tooke twentie and one Portugalles that were there in the Citie and sent them foure miles into the Countrie there to tarrie vntill such time as the other Portugalles were departed that made the batterie who after their departure let them go at their owne libertie without any harme done vnto them I was alwayes in my house with a good guard appointed me by the Retor that no man shoulde doe mee iniurie nor harme me nor my goodes in such wise that hee perfourmed all that hee had promised mee in the name of the King but he would not let me depart before the comming of the king which was my hindrance greatly because I was twentie and one moneths sequested that I coulde not buy nor sell any kind of merchandire Those commodities that I brought thither was Peper Sandolo and Procellan of China so when the King was come home I made my supplication vnto him and I was licensed to depart when I would From Martauan I departed to goe to the chiefest Citie in the kingdome of Pegu which is also called after the name of the Kingdome which voyage is made by sea in three or foure dayes they may goe also by Land but hee that hath merchandire it is better for him to goe by sea and lesser charge and in this voyage you shal haue a Marcareo which is one of the meruellous things in the world y ◠nature hath wrought and I neuer sawe anie thing so hard to be beléeued as this The great encreasing and deminishing that the Water maketh there at one pushe or instant and with the horrible earth quake and great noyse that it maketh where it commeth We departed from Martauan in barks which are like to our Pylot boates with the encrease of the Water and they go as swift as an arrowe out of a bowe so long as the tide runneth with them and when the water is at the highest then they drawe themselues out of the Chanel towards some bancke and there they come to anker and when the Water is diminished then they rest a drye and when the barkes rest drie they are as high from the bottome of the Chanell as any house toppe is high from the ground They let their barks lie so high for this respect that if there should any shippe rest or ride in the Chanell with such force commeth in the Water that it would ouerthrowe ship or bark yet for all this that the barkes bee so farre out of the Chanell and though the Water hath lost her greatest strength and furie before it come so high yet they make fast their prowe to the streme and often times it maketh them verie fearfull if the Anker did not hold her prow vp by strength she woulde bee ouerthrowne and lost with men and goods when the Water beginneth to encrease it maketh such a noise and so great that you would thinke it an earthquake presently at the first it maketh 3. wanes So that the first washeth ouer the barke from stem to stern the second is not so furious as the first the third ratseth the anker and then for the space of six howres y ◠the water encreaseth they rolve with such swiftnesse that you woulde thinke they did flye in these tides there must be lost no iot of time for if you ariue not at the stagious before the tide be spent you must turne backe from whence you came For there is no staying at any place but at these stagious and there is more daunger at one of these places then at another as they bee higher and lower one then another When as you returne from Pegu to Martauan they goe but halfe the Tide at a time because they
and those berryes be graynes in Peper so that when they gather them they bee gréene and then they lay them in the Sunne and they become blacke The Ginger groweth in this wise the Land is tilled and sowen and the herbe is like to Panyzzo and the roote is the Ginger These two spices growe in diuers places The Cloues came all from y e Moluches which Moluches are two Ilands not verie great and the trée that they grow on is like to our Lawrell trée The Nutmegs and Maces which growe both together are brought from the Iland of Banda whose tree is like to our Walnut tree but not so big All the good white Sandolo is brought from the Iland of Timor Canfora being compound commeth all from China and al that which groweth in canes commeth from Bruneo and I think that this Canfora coÌ„meth not into these partes For that in India they consume great store and that is very deare The good Lignum aleos commeth from Chochinchina The Beniamen commeth from the kingdome of Assi and Sion Long Peper groweth in Bengala Pegu and Giaua Muske commeth from Tartaria which they make in this order as by good information I haue been told there is a certain beast in Tartaria which is wild as big as a wolfe which beast they take aliue beat him to death with small staues that his blood may be spread through his whole bodie then they cut it in péeces and take out all the bones and beat the flesh with the bloud in a morter verie small and drie it and make purses to put it in of the Skinne and these bee the coddes of muske Truely I knowe not whereof the Amber is made and there is diuers opinions of it but this is most certaine it is cast out of the Sea and throwne a land and found vpon the sea banckes The Rubyes Saphyres and the Spynelly they be gotten in the kingdome of Pegu. The Diamandes they come from diuers places and I know but three of theÌ„ That sort of Diamands that is called Chiappe they come from Bezeneger Those that bee pointed naturally come from the land of Dely and from Iaua but the Diamonds of Iaua are more waightie then the other I coulde neuer vnderstand from whence they that are called Balasy come Pearles they fish them in diuers places as before in this booke is showne From Cambaza as the Spodiom coniealeth in certaine canes I founde manye of them in Pegu when I made my house there because that as I haue saide before they make their houses there of wouen Canes like to mattes From Chianela they trade alongest the coast of Melyndy in Ethiopia within the lande of Caferaria on that coaste are many good harbors kept by the Moores Thither the Portugalles bring a kinde of Bombast cloth of a Lowe price and greate store of Paternosters or beads made of paltrie glasse which they make in Chiawle according to the vse of the Countrie from thence they carry Eliphants teeth for India Slaues called Caferi and some Amber and Golde On this coast the king of Portugall hath his castle called Mozenbich which is of great importaunce as any castle that he hath in all his Indies vnder his protection and the captaine of this castle hath certaine voiages to this Caferaria to which places no merchantes may go but by the agent of this Captaine and they vse to goe in small ships and trade with the Caferaries and their trade in buying and selling is without any spéeche one to the other In this wise the Portugalles bring their goods by litle and litle alongst the sea coast and lay it down and so depart and the Cafer merchants come see y e goods there they put down as much gold as they think the goods is worth and so goeth his way and leaueth his gold and the goods together then commeth the Portugal and finding the gold to his content he taketh it and goeth his way into his ship then commeth the Cafer and taketh away the goodes carieth it away and if hee find the golde there still it is a signe that the Portugalles are not contented and if the Cafeâ— thinke he hath put to little he addeth more as he thinketh the thing is worth and the Portugalles must not stand with them to strickt for if they doe then they will haue no more trade with them For they disdain to be refused when they think that they haue offered ynough for they be a peeuish people and haue dealt so of a long time by this trade the Portugals change their commodities into gold and cary it to the Castle of Mozonbich which is an Iland not farre distant froÌ„ the firm land of Caferaria on the cost of Ethiopia distant from y e India 2800 miles Now to return to my voiage wheÌ„ I came to Ornus I found ther M. Fra 〈◊〉 is Berettine of Venice wee fraighted a barke together to go for Basora for 70 duckets with vs there went other merchaÌ„ts which did ease our fraight very coÌ„modiouslie we came to Balzora ther we staied â—o days for prouiding a Carauan of barks to go to BabyloÌ„ becase they vse not to goâ— or 3 barks at once but 25 or 30 because in y â— night they caÌ„not go but must make theÌ„ fast to y e banks of the riuer then we must make a very good strong gard to be wel prouided of armor for respect safegard of our goods because y e number of theeues is great y â— come to spoil rob y e merchants when we depart froÌ„ Babylon we go a litle with our sail the voiage is â—8 or 40 days long but we were 50 dayes on it when we came to Babylon we staid ther 4 months vntil the Carauan was ready to go ouer the wildernes or desert for Alepo in this citie we were 6. merchants y â— accompanted together 5 Venecians a Portugal whose names were as foloweth Messez Florinasa w t one of his kinsmen Meser Andrea depolo the Portugall and M. Franses berettin and I so we furnished our selues with victuals beanes for our horses for 40 days we bought horses and Mewles for that they be verie good cheape there I my self bought a horse there for 11 akens and solde him after in Lepo for 30 duckets Also wee bought a Teant which did vs verie great pleasure we had also amongst vs 32 Camels laden w t merchandise for the which we paide 2 duckets for euery camels lading for euery ten camels they made 11 for so is ther vse custom We take also with vs 3 men to serue vs in the voiage which are vsed to go in those voiages for 5. Dd. a man bound to serue vs to Alepo so y â— we passed very wel without any trouble when the camels cal down to rest our pauilioÌ„ was
rariety of the thing The cittie where the king Zamallaco hath his being is within the land of Chiawle 7. or 8. dayes iorney which citty is called Abneger 70. miles from Chiawle towards the Indies is the porte of Dabull a Hauen of the king Zamallaco from thence to Goa is 150. miles Goa GOa is the principallest citie that the portingales haue in the Indies where in the Vizeroye with his royall court is resident and is in an Iland which may be in circuit 25. or 30. miles and the citie with his boroughs is resonable bigge and for a cittie of the Indies it is resonable fayre but the Iland is farre more fayrer for it is as it were full of goodly gardens replenished with diuers trées with the Palmer trées as is aforesaid This citie is of great trafique for all sorts of marchandize which they trade withall in those parts the fléete which coÌ„meth euery yeare from Portingale which are 5. or 6. great ships that come directly for Goa and they arriue there ordinarily the 6. or 10 of September there they remaine 40. or 50. daies from thence they goe to Cochin where they lade for Portingale and often times they lade one ship at Goa and the other at Cochin for portingale Cochin is distante from Goa 300. miles the cittie Goa is sciuate in the kingdome of Dialcam a king of the Mores whose chiefe citie is op in the countrey 8. dayes iorney and is called Bisapor this kinge is of great power for when I was in Goa in the yeere of our Lord 1570. this king came to giue assault to Goa being encamped néere vnto it by a Riuer side with an armie of 2 hundreth thousande men of war and he lay at this seige 14. moneths in which time there was peace concluded as report went amongst his people there was great calamitie and mortality which bred amongst them in the time of winter and also killed very many Elephants Then in the yeare of our Lord 1567. I went from Goa to Bezeneger the chiefe citie of the kingdome of Marsinga 8. daies iorney from Goa within the land in the company of two other Marchants which carried with them 300 Arabian Horses to that king because the Horses of that countrey are of a small stature and they paye well for the Arabian Horses it is requisite that the Marchants sell them well for that they stand them in great charges to bring them out of Persia to Ormus from Ormus to Goa where the ship that bringeth 20 Horses and vpwardes payeth no custome neither ship nor goods whatsoeuer whereas if they bring no Horses they pay 8. per cento of all their goods and at the going out of Goa the Horses pay custome 42. Pagodies for euery Horse which Pagody may be of starling money 6 shillings 8 pence they be peeces of gold â—f that valew so that the Arabian Horses are of greate valew in those countries as 300. 400. 500. Duckets a horse and to a thousand Duckets a horse Bezeneger THe cittie of Bezeneger was sacked in the yeare 1565 by 4 kinges of the Mores which were of great power might the names of these foure kings were these following The first was called Dialcan the second Zamaluc the third Cotamaluc the fourth Viridy and yet these foure kings were not able to ouercom this cittie the king of Bezeneger but by treason This king of Bezeneger was a Gentile and hauing amongst all other of his Captaines two which were notable and they were Mores and these two Captaines had either of them in charge 70 or 80 thousand men These two Captaines being of one Religion with the foure kings which were Mores wrought meanes with them to betray their owne king into their hands The king of Bezeneger estéemed not the force of the foure kings his enimies but went out of his Citie to wage battell with them in the fields which when the armies were ioined the battell lasted but a while not the space of foure houres because the two traytorous Captaines in the chéefest of the fight with their companies turne their faces against their king and made such disorder in his armie that as astonied they set themselues to flight thirtie yeares was this kingdome gouerned by thrée brethren which were tyrants the which kéeping the rightfull king in prison it was their vse euery yeare once to shew him to the people and they at their pleasures ruled as they listed These brethren were thrée Captaines belonging to the father of the king they kept in prison which when he died left his sonne verye yoong and then they tooke the gouernment to themselues the chéefest of these thrée was called Ramaragio and he sat in the roiall throne and was called king the second was called Temiragio and he tooke the gouernement on him the third was called Bengatre and he was captaine generall of the armie These thrée brethren were in this battell in the which the chéefest and the last were neuer heard of quicke nor dead Onely Temeragio fled in the battell hauing lost one of his eyes when the newes came to the cittie of the ouerthrow in the battell the wiues and children of these thrée tyrants with their lawfull king kept prisoner fled away spoiled as they were and the foure kings of the Mores entred the citie Bezeneger with great triumph and there they remained sirmoneths searching vnder houses and in all places for mony and other things that were hidden and theÌ„ they departed to their owne kingdomes because they were not able to maintaine such a kindome as that was so far distant from their owne countrie When the kings were departed from Bezeneger this Temiragio returned to the Citie and then began for to re-populate it and sent word to Goa to the Merchants that if they had anye Horsses to bring them to him and he would pay well for them and for this cause the aforesaid two marchants that I went in company withall carried those Horsses that they had to Bezeneger Also this Tyrant made an order or lawe that if anye Merchant had anye of the Horsses that were taken in the aforesaid battell or warres although they were of his owne marke that he would giue as much for them as they would and beside he gaue generall safe conduct to all that should bring them when by this meanes hee sawe that there were great store of Horsses brought thether vnto him hee gaue the Merchaunts faire wordes vntill such time as hee sawe they could bring no more Then he licensed the Merchants to depart without giuing them anye thing for theyr Horsses which when the poore men sawe they were desperate and as it were madde with sorrowe and greefe I rested in Bezeneger seauen moneths although in one moneth I might haue discharged all my businesse for it was necessary to rest there vntil the waies were cléere of théeues which at that time ranged vp and
séeke me whereas I thought I should not haue found so much goodnes in them because they were paid their money afore hand as is the vse I had thought to haue seene them no more before their comming I was determined to pluck the Cane wherin my Jewels were bidden out of my cowtch and to haue made me a walking staffe to carry in my hand to Goa thinking that I should haue gone thether on foote but by the faithfulnesse of my Falchines I was rid of that trouble and so in fower dayes they carried me to Goa in which time I made hard fare for y e théeues left me neither money golde nor siluer that which I did eat was geuen me of my men for gods sake and after at my comming to Goa I payde them euery thing rially all that I had of them from Goa I departed for Cochin which is a voyage of 300. miles and betwéene these two Cties are many holds of the Portingales as Onor Mangalor Barzelor Cananor The holde or forte that you shall haue in going from Goa to Cochin that belongeth to the Portingales is called Onor which is in the kingdome of the Quéene of Battacella which is tributary to the king of Bezeneger there is no trade there but onely a charge with the Captaine and company he kéepeth there and passing this place you shall come to another small Castell of the Portingales called Mangalor and ther is a very small trade onely for a little Rice and from thence you go to a little fort called Barzelor there they haue good store of Rice which is carried for Goa and from thence you shall go to a cittie called Cananor which is a Hargabush shot distant from the chiefest citie that the king of Cananor hath in his kingdome being a king of the Gentiles and he and his are a very naughty and malicious people alwayes hauing delight to be in wars with the Portingales and when they are in peace it is for the intrest to let their marchādize passe there goeth out of this kingdome of Cananor all the Cardomomo great store of pepper Ginger Honey Ships laden with greate Nuttes greate quantity of Archa which is a fruict of the biggnes of Nutmegges which fruict they eat in all those parts of the Indies and beyonde the Indies with the leafe of an hearbe which they call Bettell the which is like vnto our Juye leafe but a little lesser and thinner they eate it made in Plaister◠with the lime made of Oystershelles and thorowe the Indies they spend greate quantitie of money in this composition and is vsed dayly which thing I woulde not haue beléeued if I had not séene it The customers get greate profite by these Hearbes for that they haue custome for them when these people eate and chaw this in their mouthes it maketh theire Spittle to be redde like vnto blood and they saye that it maketh a man to haue a very good stomacke and a swéete breath but sure in my iudgement they eate it rather to fulfill theire filthy lustes and of a knauerye for this Hearbe is moyste and hote and maketh a very strong expultion From Cananor to Crangenor which is another small forte of the Portingales in the Land of the king of Crangenor which is another king of the Gentiles and a Countrey of small importaunce and of a hundreth and twenty miles full with theeeues being vnder the king of Callicut a king also of the Gentiles and a great enemie to the Portingales which when he is alwayes in warres he and his countrey is the Neast and resting for straunger théeues and these be called Moores of Carposa because they weare on theire heads long red Hattes and these théeues parte y e spoyles that they take on the sea with the king of Calicut for he geueth leaue vnto all that wil go a roauing liberally to go in such wise that all along that coast there is such a number of Théeues that there is no sayling in those Seas but with great Shippes and very well armed or elle they must goe in company with the army of the Portingales from Crangenor to Cochin is 15. miles Cochine COchine is next vnto Goa the chéefest place that the Portingales haue in the Indies and there is great trade of Spices drugs and all other sorts of Merchandize for the kingdome of Portingale and there with in the lād is the kingdom of Pepper which Pepper the Portingales lade in their ships by boulke and not in sacks the Pepper that goeth for Portingale is not so good as that which goeth for Meca bicause that in times passed the officers of the king of Portingale made a contract with the king of Cochine in the name of the king of Portingale for the prices of Pepper and by reason of that agréement betwéene them at that time made the prise can neither rise nor fall which is a verye lowe and base price and for this cause the Uillaines bring it to the Portingales gréene and full of filthe The Mores of Meca that giue a better price haue it cleane and drye and is better conditioned all the spices and drugs that is brought to Mecha is stolne from thence as Contrabanda Cochine is two cities one of the Portingales and another of the king of Cochines that of the Portingales is scituat néerest vnto the sea that of the kings of Cochin is a mile and a halfe vp higher in the land but they are both set on the banckes of one riuer which is very great and of a good depth of water which riuer commeth out of the mountains of the king of the Pepper which is a king of the Gentiles in whose kingdome are manye Christians of S. Thomas order the king of Cochine is also a king of the Gentiles and a great faithfull fréend to the king of Portingale and to those Portingales which are marryed and Cittizens in the Cittie Cochine of the Portingales and by this name of Portingales throughout all the Indies they call all the Christians that come out of the West whether they be Italians Frenchmen or Almaines and all they that mary in Cochine doo get an office according to the trade hee is of this they haue by the great priuilege the Cittizens haue of that City bicause there is two principall commodities that they deale withall in that place which are these the great store of silke that commeth from China and the great store of Sugar which commeth from Bengala the married Citizens paye not anye custome for these two commodities for all other commodities they pay foure per cento custum to the king of Cochine rating their goods at their owne pleasure those which are not married and strangers pay in Cochine to the king of Portingale eight per cento of all manner of merchandize I was in Cochine when the Uiceroye of the king of Portingale wrought what he could to breake the priuelege of the Citizens and
Satagan where the Marchants gather them selues together with their trade are â—â—20 miles which they rowe in 18. howers with the increace of the water in which Riuer it floweth and ebbeth as it dooth in the Themes and when the ebbing water is come they are not able to rowe against it by reason of the swiftnesse of the water yet their Barkes be light and armed with oares like to Foistes yet they cannot preuaile against that streame but for refuge must make them fast to the banke of the riuer vntill the next flowing water and they call these barkes Bazaras and Patuas they row as wel as a Gallyot or as wel as euer I haue séen any a good tides rowing before you come to Satagan you shall haue a place which is called Buttor and from thence vpwardes the Shippes doo not goe because that vpwards the Riuer is very shallowe and little water euerye yéere at Buttor they make and vnmake a Village with houses and shops made of Strawe and with all thinges necessary to their vses and this village standeth as long as the shippes ride there and depart for the Indies and when they are departed euery man goeth to his plotte of houses and there setteth fier on them which thing made me to meruaile For as I passed vp to Satagan I saw this village standing with a great number of people with an infinite number of Shippes and Bazars and at my returne comming downe with my Cartaine of the last ship for whome I tarried I was all amazed to sée such a place so soone rased and burnt nothing left but the signe of the burnt houses the Small Ships goe to Satagan and there they lade Of the Citie of SATAGAN IN the port of Satagan euery yéere ladeth 30. or 35. Shippes great and small with Ryce Cloth of Bombaste of diuers sortes Lacca great abundance of Suger Mirabolany dried and preserued long Pepper Oyle of Zerzeline and many other sorts of Marchandise The Citie of Satagan is a reasonable faire Citie for a Citie of the Moores abounding in all thinges and was gouerned by the King of Patane and now is subiect to the great Magoll I was in this Kingdome fowre monthes wheras many marchants did buye or fraight boats for their benefits and with these barkes they goe vp and downe the riuer of Ganges to Faires buying their commodity with a great aduantage because that euery daye in the Weeke they haue a Faire now in one place and now in another and I also hired a barke and went vp and downe the riuer and did my businesse and so in the night I sawe many straunge things The kingdom of Bengala in times past haue bene as it were in the power of Moores neuerthelesse there is great store of Gentiles among them alwayes whereas I haue spoken of Gentiles is to be vnderstood Idolaters and wheras I speak of Moores I meane Mahomets sect especially those people that bee within the lande doe greatly worshippe the riuer of Ganges for when any is sicke he is brought out of the country to the bancke of the riuer and there they make him a small cottage of Strawe and euery day they wet him with that Water whereof there is many that die and when they are dead they make a heape of stickes and boughes and lay the dead bodie thereon and putting fire thereunto they let the body alone vntill it be halfe rosted and then they take it off from the fire and make an empty iar fast about his neck and so throwe him into the riuer These things euerie night as I passed vp and downe the riuer I sawe for the space of two moneths as I passed to the fayres to buy my commodities with the Merchauntes and this is the cause that the Portugalles will not drincke of the water of the riuer Ganges yet to the sight it is more perfecter and clearer then that water of Nylus is From y â— port of Pechineo I went to Cochim and from Cochim to Malaca from whence I departed for Pegu eight hundred miles distant that voyage was woÌ„t to bee made in twentie fiue or thirtie dayes but wee were fowre moneths and at the end of thrée moneths our Shippe was without victualles The Pilot tolde vs that wee were by his altitude from a Citie called Tenassiry a Citie in the kingdome of Pegu and these his wordes were not true but we were as it were in y â— middle of manie Ilands and manie vninhabited rocks and there were also some Portugals that affirmed that they knew the Land knewe also where the Citie of Tenassiry was Which citie of right belongeth to the kingdome of Sion which is scituate on a great riuer side which commeth out of the kingdome of Sion and where this riuer runneth into the sea there is a village called Mergy in whose harbour euerie yere there ladeth some Shippes with Uerzina Nypa and Beniamin a few cloues nuts maces which come from the coast of Sion but the greatest merchandise there is verzing and nypa which is an excellent Wine which is had in the flowre of a tree called Nyper Whose liquor they distill and so make an excellent drincke cleere as Christall good to the mouth and better to the stomacke and it hath an excellent gentle virtue that if one were rotten with the french pocks drinking good store of this hee shall be whole againe and I haue séen it proued because that wheÌ„ I was in Cochin ther was a friende of mine that his nose began to droppe away with that diseaze and was counselled of the doctors of phisicke that he should goe to Tenassary at the time of the new wines and that he should drincke of the nyper Wine night and day as much as he could before it was distilled which at that time it is most delicate but after that it is distilled it is more stronger and drincke much of it it will fume into the heade with drunkennesse This man went thither and did so and I haue séene him after with a good colour and sounde This Wine is verie much esteemed in the Indies for that that it is brought so farre off it is very deare in Pegu ordinarily it is good cheape because it is neerer to the place where they make it and there is euerie yeere great quantitie made thereof and returning to my purpose I say being amongst these rockes and farre from the land which is ouer against Tenassary with great scarsitie of victualles and that by the saying of the pylate and two Portugalles holding then firme that we were in front of the aforesaide harbour we determined to goe thither with our boat and â—etch victualles and that the shippe shoulde stay for vs in a place assigned we were twenty and eight persons in the boat that went for victualles and on a day about twelue of the clocke we went from the Ship assuring our selues to be in the harbour before night
triumpheth and because it is worthy of the noting I think it méet to writ therof which is as followeth The king rideth on a triumphing Cart or Wagon all guilded which is drawn by sixteen goodly horses this Cart is very high with a goodly canapie ouer it behind the Cart goeth twenty of his Lordes Nobles with euerie one a rope in his hand made fast to the Cart for to holde it vpright that it fal not The King sitteth in the middle of the cart and vpon the same Carte about the King standeth fowre of his Nobles most fauoured of him and before this Carte wherein the King is goeth all his armie as aforesaide and in the middle of his armie goeth all his Nobilitie rounde about the Cart that are in his dominions a meruellous thing to sée so many people such riches and such good order in a people so barberous as they bee This King of Pegu hath one principall wife which is kept in a Seralyo he hath thrée hundreth Cōcubines of whō it is reported that hee hath ninetie Children This King sitteth euerie day in person to heare the suites of his Combacts but he nor they neuer speake one to another but by supplications made in this order The King sitteth vp alost in a great hall on a tribunall seate and lower vnder him sitteth all his Barons rounde about then those that demaunde audience enter into a great Court before the King and there set them downe on the grounde fortie paces distant from the Kinges person and amongst those people there is no difference in matters of audience before the King but all alike and there they sitte with their supplications in their handes which are made of long leaues of a Trée these leaues are thrée quarters of a yarde longe and two fingers broade which are written with a sharpe yron made for that purpose and in those leaues are their supplications written and with theire supplications they haue in their handes a present or gift according to the waightinesse of their matter Then come the secretaries downe and read these supplications and then take them after and reade them before the King and if the King thinke it good to doe to them that fauour or iustice that they demaund then hee commaundeth to take the present out of his hand but and if he thinke their demaunde bee not iustly or according to right hee commaundeth them away without taking of their giftes or presents In the Indies there is not any merchandise that is good to bring to Pegu vnlesse it bee at some times by chance to bring at sometimes Opium of Cambaia and if he bring monie he shall lose by it Nowe the commodities that come from S. Tome are the onely Merchandice for that place which is the great quantitie of cloth made there which they vse in Pegu which cloth is made of bombast wouen and painted so that the more that kinde of cloth is washed the more linelier they shewe their colours which is a rare thing and there is made of this kind of cloth which is of great importance so that a small bale of it will cost a thousande or two thousande Duckets Also from S. Tome they layde great store of red yarne of Bombast died with a roote which they call Saia as aforesaide which colour will neuer out With which merchandise euerie yere there goeth a great Ship from S. Tome to Pegu of great importance and they vsually depart from S. Tome to Pegu the 10. or 11. of September and if shee stay vntill the twelfth it is a great hap if she returne not without making of her voyage Their vse was to depart the sixt of September and then they made sure voiages and now because ther is great labour about that kinde of cloth to bring it to perfection and that it be well dried as also the gréedinesse of the captain that would make an extraordinarie gain of his fraight thinking to haue the winde alwayes to serue their turn they stay so long that at sometimes the Winde turneth For in those parts the windes blowe firmely For certaine times with the which they goe to Pegu with the winde in powpe and if they ariue not there before the Winde chaunge and get ground to anker perforce they must return back again for that the gales of the winde blow there for thrée or fowre moneths together alwayes in one place with great force But if they get the coast and anker there then with greate labor he may saue his voyage Also ther goeth another great Ship from Bengala euery yere laden with fine cloth of bombast of al sorts which ariueth in the harbour of Pegu when y e ship y ◠commeth from S. Tome departeth the harbour where these two ships ariue is called Cosmin frō Malaca to Martauan which is a part in Pagu there commeth many small ships great laden with peper Sadolo Procellam of China Camfora Bruneo other merchādice The ships y ◠come from Meca enter into the port of Pagu Cirion those ships bring cloth of Wooll Scarlets Ueluets Opium and Chickenes by the which they lose and they bring them because they haue no other thing that is good for Pegu but they estéeme not the losse of them for that they make such greate gaine of their commodities that they carie from thence out of that kingdome also the King of Assi his Shippes come thether into the same port laden with Peper from the coast of Saint Tome of Bengala out of the Sea of Bara to Pegu are thrée hundreth miles and they goe it vp the Riuer in fowre dayes with the encreasing Water or with the floud to a Citie called Cosmin and there they discharge their ships whether the customers of Pegu come to take the note and marks of all the goods of euerie man and take y ◠charge of the goods on them and conuey it to Pegu into the Kinges house wherein they make the custome of the merchandize when the customers haue taken the charge of the goods and put it into barkes the Retor of the citie giueth licence to the merchantes to take barke and goe vp to Pegu with their merchandize and so three or foure of them take a barke and goe vp to Pegu in company God deliuer euerie man that hee giue not a wrong note and entrie or thinke to steale any custome for if they doe for the least trifle that is he is vtterly vndone for the King doth take it for a most great afront to be deceiued of his custom and therfore they make diligent searches thrée times at the lading and vnlading of the goods and at the taking of them a land In Pegu this search they make when they go out of the ship for Diamonds Pearles and fine cloth which taketh little rome for because that all the Jewels that come into Pegu and are not founde of that countrie pay
the Indies often times there is not stormes as is in other countries but euerie ten or twelue yeeres there is such tempests and stormes that it is a thing incredible but to those that haue séene it neither doe they knowe certaine what yeere it will come Unfortunate are they that are at Sea in that yéere and time of Touffon because few there are that escape that daunger In this yéere it was our chance to bee at Sea with the like storme but it happened well vnto vs for that our Shippe was newly ouer-plancked and had not any thing in her saue victuall and balastes Siluer and Golde whiche from Pegu they carrie to Bengala and no other kinde of Merchandise This Touffon or cruell storme endured thrée dayes and thrée nightes In which time it caried away our sayles yardes and Rother and because the Shippe laboured in the Sea we cut our mast ouer boâ—rd which when we had done she laboured a greate deale more then before for when our Mast was gone the Shippe laboured worse then before in such wise that the Shippe was almoste full with Water that came in ouer the highest and so went downe and for the space of three dayes and three nightes sixtie men did nothing but bale out Water out of her in this wise twentie men in one place and twentie men in another place and twentie in another place and for all this storme the Shippe was so good that shée tooke not one iot of Water alowe through the sides but all ranne downe through the hatches that those sixtie men did nothing but cast the Sea into the Sea And thus driuing two and fro as the winde and Sea woulde wée were driuen in a darke night about fowre of the clocke and cast on a Sholde yet when it was day we coulde neither sée land on one side nor other knew not where wee were And as it pleased the deuine power there came a great waue of the Sea and so driue vs beyond the Shold And when we felt the Ship aâ—lote wee rose vp as men reuiued because the Sea was calme and smoth water and then sounding we found twelue fadome Water and within a while after we had but â—iâ—e Fadom and then presently we came to anckor with a small anckor that was left vs with the sterne for all our other were lost in y â— storme by and by the Shippe was a ground and stroke and then wée did prop her that shee shoulde not ouerthrowe When it was day the ship was all a drye and found the Shippe a good mile from the sea on drie Lande This Toffon béeing ended we discouered an Ilande not farre from vs and we went from the ship on the Sandes to see what Ilande it was and we founde it a place inhabited and to my iudgement the firtelest Ilande in all the Worlde the which is deuided into two pars by a chanel which passeth be twéen it w t great trouble we brought our ship into y â— chanell which parteth the Ilande with a flowing Water and there we determined to stay fortie dayes to refresh vs and when the people of y e Iland saw the Ship and that we were comming a lande presently they made a place of Bazar or a market with Shops right ouer against the Ship with all manner of prouision of victualles to eat which they brought downe in great abundance and solde it so good cheape that we were amazed at the cheapenesse thereof I bought many salted kine there for the prouision of the Ship for halfe a Larine a peece which Larine may be twelue shillinges sixe pence and verie good and fat and fowre wilde hogges ready dressed for a Larine a great fat henne for a Bizze a peece which is at the most a pennie and the people tolde vs that we were deceiued the halfe of our monie because we bought thinges so déere Also a sacke of fine Ryce for a thing of nothing and consequently all other things for humaine sustenance were in such abundance that it is a thing incredible but to them that haue seene it This Ilande is called Sondiua belonging to the kingdom of Bengala distant 120 miles from Chitigan to which place we were bound The people are Moores and the King a verie good man of a Moore king for if he had béene a Tyrant as others bee hee might haue robbed vs of all because the Portugall Captaine of Chitigan was in armes against the Retor of that place and euerie day there were some slaine at which newes wee rested there with no small feare kéeping good watch ward abroad euerie night as the vse is but the gouernour of the Towne did coÌ„fort vs and bad vs that we should feare nothing but that we should repose our selues securely without any danger although the Portugalles of Chitigan had slaine the Gouernour of that Citie and saide that wée were not culpable in that fact and more he did vs euerie day what pleasure he coulde which was a thing contrarie to our iudgementes considering that they and the people of Chitigan were both subiectes to one King We departed from Sondiua and came to Chitigan the great port of Bengala at the same time that the Portugalles had made peace and taken a truce with the gouernours of the Towne with this condition that the cheefe Captaine of the Portugalles with his Shippes shoulde depart without any lading for there were then at that time eightéene Shippes of Portugalles great and small This Captaine being a Gentleman and of good courage Yet for all this he was contented to depart to his greate hindrance rather then hee woulde séeke to hinder so manye of his freendes as were there as also because the time of the yéere was spent to goe to the Indies The night before he departed euerie Shippe that had any lading in them put it a boorde of the Captaine to helpe to ease his charge and to recompence his courtesies In this time there came a Messenger from the King of Rachim to this Portugall Captaine who saide in the behalfe of his King that hée had heard of the courage and valure of him desiring him gentlie that he woulde vouchsafe to come with this Shippe into his port and comming thither hee shoulde bee verie well entreated This Portugall went thether and verie well satisfied of this King This King of Rachim hath his seate in the middle coast betweene Bengala and Pegu and the greatest enemy hee hath is the King of Pegu which King of Pegu imagineth night and day to make this King of Rachim his subiect but by no meanes he is able to do it because the King of Pegu hath no power nor armie by sea And this King of Rachim may arme two hundreth Galleyes or Fusts by Sea and by Lande he hath certaine sâ—uses with the which when the king of Pegu pretendeth any harme towardes him hee may at his pleasure drowne a great part
of his Countrey So that by this meanes he cutteth off the way that the King of Pegu shoulde come with his power to hurt him From y e great port of Chitigan they carie for the Indies great store of ryce verie great quantitie of Bombast cloth of euerie sorte Sugar Corne and Money with other merchandise And by reason that Warres was in Chitigan the Portugall Shippes tarried there so late that they ariued not at Cochin to soone as they were wont to doe other yeares For which cause the fléete that was at Cochin was departed for Portugalle before they ariued there and I being in one of the small Shippes before the fléete in discouering of Cochin wee also discouered the last Shippes of the Fleete that went from Cochin to Portugall where shee made saile for which I was meruelouslie discomforted because that all the yeere following there was no goinge for Portugalles and when wee ariued at Cochin I was fully determined to goe for Venice by the way of Ormus and at that time the Citie of Goa was besieged by the people of Dâ—alâ—an but the Citizens forced not this assault because they supposed that it woulde not continue long For all this I imbarked my selfe in a Gallie that wente for Goa and there to Ship my selfe for Ormus but when we came to Goa the viceroy woulde not suffer any Portugall to depart by reason of the Warres And beeing in Goa but a small time I fell sicke of an infirmitie that helde mee fowre moneths which with Phisicke and diet cost mée eight hundreth Duckets and there I was constrayned to sell a small quantitie of Rubies to sustaine my néed and I solde that for fiue hundreth Duckets that was worth a thousande and when I began to waxe well of my diseaze I had but litle of that monie left euerie thing was so scarse For euerie Chicken and yet not good cost mee seuen or eight lyuers which is six shillings or six shillinges eight pence beside this great charges the Apothecaries with their medicines was no small charge to mée At the end of six moneths they raised the siedge then I began to worke for Jewels were risen in their prices for whereas before I solde a fewe of refused Rubies I determined to sell the rest of all my Jewelles that I had there and to make an other voyage to Pegu. And for this cause for that at my departure from Pegu Opium was in great request then I went to Cambaya to imploy a good rounde summe of money in Opium and there I bought sixtie percells of Opyum which cost me two thousand and a hundreth Duckets euerie Ducket at fowre shillings two pence and more I bought three bales of Bombast cloth which cost mee eight hundred Ducketts which was a good commoditie for Pegu when I had boughte these thinges the viceroy commanded that the custom of the opium should be paid in Goa and paying custom there they might carie it whether they would I shipped my 3 bales of cloth at Chiale in a ship that we wente for Cochin and I wente to Goa to pay to the aforesaid custome for my Opium and from Goa I departed to Cochin in a ship that was for the voyage of Pegu and went to winter then at S. Tomes when I came to Cochin I vnderstoode that the ship that had my 3. bales of cloth was cast away and lost so y â— I lost my 800 Seraffines or duckets and departing from Cochin to go from S. Tome I in casting about for the Ilande of Zeiland the Pilote was deceiued for that the cape of the Iland of Zeyland lieth far out into the sea and the Pilot thinking that he might haue passed hard abord the cape and paying remour in the night when it was morning we were farre within the cape and past all remedy to goe out by reason the windes blewe so fearcely against vs. So that by this meanes wee lost our voyage for that yere and we went to Manar with the ship to Winter there the Ship hauing lost her masâ—tes and with great diligence we hardly saued her w t great losses to the captaine of the Ship because hee was forced to fraight another Ship in S. Tomes from Pegu with great losses interest I with my frends agréed together in Manar to take a bark to cary vs to S. Tomes which thing we did w t al the rest of the merchants ariuing at S. Tomes I had news through or by the way of Bengala y â— in Pegu Opium was verie dear I knew that in S. Tome there was no Opium but mine to go from Pegu that yeere so that I was holden of all the Merchantes there to be verie rich and so it would approued if my aduerse fortunes had not beene contrarie to my hope which was this At that time there went a great shippe from Cambaya to the King of Assi with great quantitie of Opium and there to lade Peper in which voyage there came such a storme that the ship was forced with wether to go romor 800 miles by this means came to Pegu Wheras they ariued a day before me so that Opion which was before verie deare was now at a base price so that which was solde for fiftie Bize before was solde for two Bizze and halfe there was such quantitie came in that Ship so that I was gladde to stay two yeeres in Pegu vnlesse I would haue giuen away my commoditie and at the ende of two yéeres I made of my 2100 Duckets which I bestowed in Cambaya I made but a thousand Duckets Then I departed againe from Pegu to goe for the Indies and for Ormus with greate quantitie of Lacca and from Ormus I returned into the Indies for Chiall and from Chiall to Cochin and from Cochin to Pegu Once more I lost occasion to make mee ritch for wheras I might haue brought good store of Opion again I brought but a little being fearefull of my other voyage before In this small quantitie I made good profite And nowe againe I determined to goe from my Countrey and departing from Pegu I tarried and wintered in Cochin and then I left the Indies and came for Ormus I thinke it verie necessarie before I ende my voyage to reason somewhat and to shew what fruits the Indies doth yéelde and bring foorth First in the Indies and other East partes of India there is Peper and Ginger which groweth in all partes of India And in some partes of the Indies the greatest quantities of Peper groweth in amongst wilde bushes without any manner of labour sauing that when it is ripe they goe and gather it The trée that the Peper groweth on is like to our Juie which runneth vp to the toppes of trees wheresoeur and if it should not take hold of some tree it would ly flat and rotte on the grounde This Peper trée hath his flower and berry like in all partes to our Juie berry