for that they followed him an houre and a halfe And by reason of a showre of raine which came vpon a sodeine the Captaine Generall was driuen a sea boord with all his Fléete in the meane while the enimies fledde their waye and bearing his course towards Mylinde in great calmes that along the coast thought good conuenient although y e king of Calicut had abused him sundry waies that for the necessitie y ◠those that should returne to Calicut should haue of his friendship and fauour to receiue from thence theyr lading of Spices to vse as it were some friendship with them since that the king would be gladde thereof in especiall being exalted did therefore write vnto him a letter in the Arabian tongue which was penned in that language by Bontaybo in the which he did craue pardon for the carrieng awaye of those Malabars with him which was done for no other intent then that they shoulde be as witnesses of that the which he had discouered as before hée had sent him worde And for that he lefte no Factorie in Calycut the which he was sorrie for was for feare least that the Moores shoulde kill him which was also the occasion that he was not often times a land Yet for all that he did not leaue but woulde bée alwayes at his commaundement since that the king his Maister would be gladde of his friendshippe and also foorthwith woulde sende him in his Fléete greate abundaunce of all such merchaundise as he doth demaund for by the trade that from hence forth hée shoulde haue with the Portingales in his Citie would redound vnto him great profit This letter was deliuered vnto one of the Malabars to carry the same a land to the place where it was cōmāded to be deliuered And afterward he knew y t the same was deliuered to y e king of Calicut Then y e Captaine general going forward in his course that along the coast on the next Thursday after he fell amongst certeine rocks with all his Fléete and from one of them that was inhabited there came forth sundry Pinnaces with men within the same to sell them Fish and other victualls The Captaine Generall did receiue them very curteously who commaunded to giue them both shirts and other things of the which they were verye gladde wherevpon he tooke occasion to aske them whether they woulde be content that there shoulde be erected a marke with a crosse in the same with the royall armes of Portingale in token that the Portingals are theyr friends And they aunswered that they were contented and thereby they well knew that we were christians and so was the marke placed and since that time it is called El Padron de Sancta Maria. Now to this day by the foresaid name the rocke is called From hence as soone as the night drew on and that the winde began to blow of the shoare the Captaine Generall made saile and kéeping alwayes along the coaste on the Thursdaie after béeing the 19. of September hée fell with a goodly high lande and harde to the same there laye sixe little Ilandes and there he came to an Ankor and going a lande to take in water did there finde a young man which did demaund concerning the Captaine Generall whether he were a Moore or a Christian they aunswered him that hée was a christian This he did as it was thought with feare least that they should haue killed him forsomuch as in that place there were no christians This young man did carrie our men within a certeine riuer shewed them most excellent water the which issued out betwéene certeine rocks and so his paines they gaue him a red night cap. The next morning following there came from the land foure others in a small boate a boord the Captaine Generall which brought with them to sell many gourds and Cowcombers and they wer demaunded by the Generall whether there were in that Countrie any Cinamon or Pepper They aunswered that there was nothing but Cinamon and for that he was desirous to sée the same he sent with them two of his men the which at their return brought w t them two gréene boughs of certeine trées which they doe take to be the same reporting that thereof there was a great groue howbeit the same was wilde And at their retourne there came with them more then 20. of that Countrie men which brought to sell hens gourds Cowes milke Also they requested the Captaine Generall to send with them certeine of his men for that shortly after they should retourne with greate store of drie Cinamon Hogges and Hennes but for all their great offers he would let none of his men goe for that hée feared least the same was some treason The next daye after before dinner our men going a lande to cut woode somewhat farre of from the place where they were fell on a soddeine vppon two Boates the which laye harde by the shoare side The Captaine Generall woulde not immediatlye procure to knowe what they were till it was after Dinner for then he thought to know the same And being in a redinesse to depart did first commaund one of his Marriners to go vp to the top to sée whether that he could discry any other vessels a sea boord or not who being there tolde him that he had sight of eight great ships which wer incalmed with this newes he left his going to sée the others put himselfe in a readinesse the winde was in such sort that it might serue them both as they came within two leagues of our Fléete the Captaine Generall made toward them The enimies perceiuing that did immediatly flye toward the shoare And they bearing after this sorte was broken the Rudder of one of the same by reason whereof those that were within the ship were forced to go in their boats toward the lande Nicholas Coello who was next to this ship went immediatly and layde the same aboord thinking indéede to finde in it some greate shore of riches howbeit there was nothing els but Cocos and Melasus which is a certeine kinde of Sugar made of Palmes or Date trées Also he founde therein manye bowes arrowes swoordes speares and targats and the other seauen ranne themselues a ground and for that our men could not come néere vnto them with their ships they followed them in their boats and from thence did beate them with their ordinaunce so that their enimyes were driuen to leaue their shippes and béeing yet the next day at an Ankor there came vnto him seauen men of the country in an Almadias who tolde him that those eight ships were of Calicut the which the king had sent for to take him as by those that fled away they vnderstood How the Captaine Generall went to Ansandina to take in water also how he toke there a Moore prisoner which was seruant to the Lord of the Iland of Goa called Sabayo the which was taken for a spie cap.
of them shoulde happe to dye the other yet might remayne and serue theyr purpose and for that consideration our Generall required a couple After this time the Gouernour once more came to visit the General bringing with him both the Pilottes he had made promise of to each of which was giuen thirtie Crownes and a coate euery Crowne worth in money fiue shillings with this condition and from that day forward that when the one of them would goe to shore the other should remaine in ship for that our men would alwaies haue one of them on shipboord whilest they remained in Harbour ¶ How the Gouernour of Monsambicke vnderstanding that our Fleete was neither of the Turkes nor yet Moores would haue taken and killed them and how the Captaine generall vnderstood thereof and what further than followed Cap. 7. THese méetings and speaches thus had for assuraunce of friendship betwéene them the concourse of them being ended and the Gouernour departed yet then immediately after appeared that those Moores hauing had such company and long talke with our men had gathered and come to knowledge that they were Christians wherevpon all former good will and friendship of the Moores was now couerted into wrath and furie for they practised meanes to kill our men and so to take the ships The Gouernour had thereof consulted and made prouision for execution of their mischeuous enterprise which had bene likely to haue taken place and sorted to a sorrowfull hap and euent had not the Almightie of his diuine goodnesse moued the heart of one of the Moores which was receiued for Pilot to discouer the same to the Captaine generall who fearing least those Infidells should sodainlye indaunger him and his for that they were manie in number and with him were but a small companye did therefore determine to remaine no longer in that harbour And so vpon the Saterday being the tenth daye of March seuen dayes after his arriuall there he departed thence and went with his ships into the Sea and came to an Ankor harde by an Ilande in the same which was one league from that of Monsambicke and this was done to purpose that vppon Sunday they would heare Masse on lande confeâ—â— themselues and receiue the Sacrament which since 〈◊〉 comming from Lixborne they had not done After our shippes wer thus at an Anker the Captain general then perceiuing the same to be in place of assurance so as the Moores should not burne them whereof before he was greatly afrayde which now by their remooue was preuented and put out of doubt he then determined to retourne to Monsambicke in his boate to demaund the other Pilot that remayned on lande at their comming thence and so leauing his brother with the Fléete in order and readinesse to come and succour him if he should sée him in daunger he departed towardes Monsambicke carrieng with him Nicholas Coello in his boate and the other Pilot Moore Going in this sort they saw how there came bearing right with his boate sixe boates with many armed Moores hauing long bowes arrowes and also shieldes and speares who when they sawe our men beganne then to call vnto them willing them to come to the harbour of their Towne The Pilot Moore tolde the Generall what they meant by their signes and tokens they made and gaue him counsell to retourne thether for that otherwise the Gouernour woulde not delyuer the other Pilot which remained on the shore at which his speach the General was very angry supposing he gaue that counsell to the ende at their comming néere the shore hée might escape and runne away and therefore commaunded him to prison and caused foorthwith to shoote at theyr boats with their Ordinaunce which shot when Paulo de la Gama heard and beléeuing it had bene some further matter of daungers to the General then the cause thereof was indéed he immediately came forwarde with the ship called Berrio vnder saile which when the Nigroes perceiued they fied made away with great hast and so fast that the Captaine generall could not ouertake them therfore he returned with his brother to the other ships where they lay at Ankor The next day the Generall with all his men went on land heard Masse and receiued the Sacrament very deuoutlye being the night before confessed which being done they all went aboord their ships and made sayle the same day The Generall perceiuing no hope to remaine for recouerie of the other Pilot which was on shore in Monsambicke gaue them commaundement to release him that was in the ship committed to prison as before you haue heard whome they carried with theÌ„ on their voyage This Pilot minded to be reuenged vpon y â— Generall in stomacke of his imprisonment determined to cary theÌ„ to y â— Iland Quiloa which was peopled all with Moores and as it séemed meant to informe the King of that place that our shippes were of the Christians of purpose thereby to occasion him to kill and destroy them all and therefore subtillie to shaddowe his wicked intent he willed and perswaded the Captaine generall not to trouble himselfe with the want of the other Pilot for that he would carrie him to a great Iland which was from thence one hundreth leagues and inhabited as it were the one halfe by the Moores and the other by Christians which alwaies were at wars the one with the other from whence also he might furnish himselfe with Pilots to carry him to Calycut But as the Captaine generall had good liking of those speaches so yet gaue he no great credite to the man neuerthelesse he did promise him great giftes if he did carrie him to that Countrey and so went forward on his voyage with a small winde The Tuesdaye after being within sight of lande from whence he departed hée was incalmed which did indure Tuesdaye and Wensdaye the next night after with an Easterly wind being but smal he made way and went into the Sea and vpon Thursday in the morning founde himselfe and all the Fléete foure leagues backe behinde Monsambicke so going vntill the Euening the same day came then to an Anker hard to that Iland where the Sunday next following he heard Masse The winde thus being contrary to his purpose of Nauigation he therefore remained in that place eight daies to wait for such gale thereof as would serue to put him forward on his iourney In which time repaired to our ships a white Moore which was a Minister of the Moores of Monsâ—mbicke who comming on boord the ship of the Generall declared that the Gouernour of the same Towne greatlye did repent him of the breach of peace friendship he had made with him that he would gladly renew the same againe confirme it so remaine a friend To whom the Generall returned aunswere by that messenger to this effect that he would make no peace with the Gouernour neither would he be his friend vntill such time as
who was desirous to haue landed Howbeit for that they did not know the land he commaunded them to cast about a sea boord and so they passed along by the same vntill tewsdaie following at what time they came to perfect viewe and sight of the land perceiuing the same to lye lowe and that there was a great bay which as it was a conuenient place for the ships so he commanded them to fall to an anker there of purpose to take in water And afterward they named it the Iland of Sancta Haelena The people of the countrie within the said Iland as our men afterward found the same bée lyttle men ill fauoured in the face and of colour blacke and when they did speake it was in such manner as though they did alwayes sigh theyr apparell is of beastes skinnes made after the manner of the French Cloakes they truste vp and hide theyr members in certeine Cases made of woode verye well wrought They haue for armes or weapons certaine staues of an Oke trée bathed or toasted with fire at the endes whereof are hornes of beasts somwhat burnt or hardened with fire also seruing them for swoords and wherewith they do hurt their enimie These people doe mainteine themselues with rootes of hearbes with Sea Woulfes and Whale fish of which the countrie there hath great plentie and likewise of sea crowes and sea mewes Also they doe eate of beastes which they call Gazelas and of doues and other beasts and birds which they haue in the land They kéepe also dogs as those ben of Portingale barking after the same manner The Generall thus lyeng at Anker commaunded to goe rounde about the Ilande to sée if there were anie riuer of swéete water and finding none he then sent Nicholas Coello in his boate along the coast to séeke out water which he found fowre leagues of from thence the which he named Sancty Ago from whence the whole Fléete prouided themselues of fresh water The next day the Generall and the other Captaines and some of their companie went a shore intending to sée and view what manner of people they were that inhabited that countrie or land and whether they coulde informe him how farre from thence the Cape of Buena Esperansa was which he knew not neither was the head or chiefe Pilot of that voyage of any certeintie which it was for that in the voyage wherein hée went before with Bartholome Dyas he departed in the morning from the Cape into the Sea and past the same in the night with a fore-winde and at his first going came not néere the Shore By reason wherof he did not know the land notwithstanding hée coniectured and déemed it not aboue thirtie leagues distaunt from thence at the vttermost The Generall being disimbarked and come to land and walking there he ouertooke a man one of the inhabitaunts of the same who was going to gather honny at the foote of a bush where the Bées made the same without anie hiue with this man y e general returned vnto his ship right well contented thinking he had gotten by him an interpreter but it happened not so for ther was not any of that company could vnderstand him The Generall commaunded to giue him meate and he did both eate and drinke of all that was giuen him and when they saw he vnderstood none of their languages nor any of them had any vnderstanding of his he was the next daye set vppon the shore well apparelled from whence he went as it appeared amongst others his countrey men for that y ◠next day then following vpon shew of himselfe to them there came about the number of fiftéene of his Countrey men where our ships were At sight of which the Captaine generall went to lande carrieng with him Spice Golde and Pearle to make triall whether those people had any knowledge of the same or of any part thereof but by the lyttle estimation they seemed to make of those things it appeared they had no knowledge of the same Then they gaue them bells little rings of tinne and counters and of these things they wer very glad and from thence forward vnto the next Saterday following very many of them repayred to our Fléete and those people so returning to their Townes one of our men desirous to sée the same and to viewe the order and manner of their liues craued then licence of the Generall to goe with them whose petition albeit he was verye vnwilling to condescend vnto yet vanquished by importunitie he graunted the same Fernan Veloso for so was his name that was licensed then going in their company they tooke a Sea Woulfe which they rosted at the foote of a hill and supped altogethers after which it then appeared that they of that Countrey had armed themselues and practised treason against our men for so soone as they had supped they caused Fernan Veloso to returne to our Fléete againe which was hard by and when he was departed from them they followed and came after him a little and a little the manner whereof Fernan espieng fearing he therefore hasted to the water side and hailed to our ships The Generall then being at supper and hearing that call and looking out to landward sawe those sauage people comming after him and presently imagined they meant him harme and therefore foorthwith he commaunded the whole Fléete to put themselues in battaile araye and he himselfe with certaine others went to landward without anye weapons déeming verely that those blacke men meant him no harme nor would offer anye force and indéede when they sawe our boates comming to the shoreward they began to runne away with a great clamour and outcrie and so did manye others also which lay secretly hidden amongst certeine bushes there which policie they vsed to traine our men the rather to lande for when ours were disimbarked and landed they then returned and furiously set vpon them shooting their darts and vsing their other weapons in such sort as they inforced our men to retire to their boates and imbarke themselues and that in hast taking with them Fernan Veloso which being done the Negroes retourned to theyr townes hauing hurt the Captaine generall thrée others who afterward remaining in that road foure dayes coulde not sée any moe of those people and therefore could not vse any reuenge for the damage they had done them ¶ How the Captaine generall doubled the Cape of Buena esperansa and what hapned vntill they passed the Riuer called El Ryo del Infante Cap. 3. THE Fléete hauing taken in fresh water and flesh which they néeded the Generall and the rest then departed thence vpon the Thursday being the sixtéenth daye of Nouember in the forenoone of the same daye making their waye into the Sea with a South southwest winde and vpon the Saterdaye then next following in the euening he came within sight of the Cape of Buena esperansa and for that the winde was contrarye as being then
thence to Mombassa are seauentie seauen leagues they made way to goe thether and being then towards Euening they sawe a great Ilande scituated towards the North in which the Moores Pilots sayde there were two Townes one of Christians and the other of Moores as aforesayd Thus they sayd and inuented to the intent to bring our men in opinion and make them beléeue that there were in that Land and those Coasts many Christians In this sort our ships going vnder saile certayne dayes the ship called Saint Raphael by fortune one morning two houres before daye light came on ground vppon certaine shoells two leagues from the firme lande and as she strake on ground they within made signes to the other ships to take héede and beware wherevpon they shot by the shoells and came to an Ankor launching out their boats to giue succour to Paulo de la Gama Captaine in the Raphael and perceiuing when they came to the same that the water did ebbe the Generall was meruailous glad thereof for then he well knew that at the next floud the ship would be afloate againe so that now he lost the feare and iealousie he had conceiued vpon the doubt he had that she was lost Thus recomforted with the certaintie they saw of y â— safetie of the ship they foorthwith layed into the sea many ankers By this time it was daye lyght and after that it was a lowe water she then remained drye vpon the shore being a Sandie ground which was the cause she tooke no harme by striking vpon the same Our men placed their Ankers which were layd foorth right ouer against themselues and walked vpon the Sandes whilest the Ebbe endured So staieng for the floud and beholding and viewing that Ilande so farre as they coulde sée they gaue for name to those Sandes the Shoells of Saint Raphael in respect of the name the shippe there so hazarded did beare And to certayne great Ilandes and Hilles which were within the firme Land directly ouer against those shoells or sands they gaue the name of The Hills and Ilandes of Saint Raphael vpon the same consideration The shippe thus being drye our men sawe two boates and Moores of that Country in the same comming towards them to sée our shippes bringing manie swéete Orenges farre better then those of Portingale and gaue the same to our men saieng also to the Generall that in no wise hée should feare anye damage that coulde ensue to the shippe on grounde for that when it were full Sea she woulde then be on floate agayne so as at will and pleasure the same might passe on the intended voyage thereof with which speaches the Generall was very glad not onelye for the good comfort they gaue him but also in that they came in so good season and time opportune and therefore he gaue them certayne giftes which they accepted with manye thankes and certayne of them vnderstanding that our Fléete intended their Course to Mombassa they desired the Generall to carry them with him thether who graunted their requests permitted them to abide and remayne with him the others retourning from our Fléete to their Countrey And when it was a full Sea the shippe before on ground was afloat and so came off from the Sandes wherevpon the Captaine general returned and procéeded on his way with all his Fléete ¶ The description of the Iland and Citie of Mombassa and how the Captaine generall arriued there and what was the sequell that hapned him after he came thether Chap. 9. THe Generall following this voyage did vpon the Saterday béeing the seauenth day of Aprill about the going downe of the Sunne the same daye come to an Ankor without the Barre of the Iland of Mombassa which is harde by the firme lande and is verye plentie of victualls that is to saye Millyo Rice and Cattell as well great as lyttle but all well growne and fat chiefly their shéepe which be all without fayles Also they haue manye Hennes Moreouer the Ilande is verye pleasaunt hauing many Orchards wherein are planted and are growing great store of hearbes many sorts of fruites that is to saye Pomegranets Figges of the Indias Oreâ—ges both swéete and sower Lymons and Cidrons and in the same are manye excellent good waters In this Ilande there is a Citie bearing the selfe same name of the Ilande being in foure degrées on the South side it is a verye great Citie placed and scituated vppon an Hill which also is a Rocke wherevpon the Sea doth beate so that it cannot bée vndermined At the entering into the Protes or Heauen there is a Marke and at the enteraunce vppon the Barre there is planted or builded a lyttle Fort lowe and néere to the water The most parte of the houses in this Citie are builded with lyme and stone with the loftes thereof wrought with fine knottes of Plaister of Paris the stréetes therein are verye fayre They haue a King of themselues and the dwellers or inhabitaunts of the same are Moores whereof some bée white and some browne of coulour both men and women it appeareth they are good men on horsebacke They goe gallantly arayed especially the women which go apparelled in gownes of silke and be decked and garnished with Iewells of golde and precious stones In this Citie is great trade of all kindes of Marchandize There is also a good Harbour where alwayes are manye shippes lieng at Road and from the firme land commeth thether great plentie of Honnie Waxe and Iuorie the Captaine Generall thus come to the Barre of this Citie did not then enter foorthwith for that it was almost night when he came to an Ankor But he commaunded to put foorth the flagges and to toll their shippes reioycing and making great mirth for that their good fortune and hope they conceyued that in that Ilande there dwelled manye Christians and that the next daye they should heare Masse on the shore Moreouer they were greatly comforted as hauing such confidence that in this place they might and woulde cure and heale all such as were then sicke amongest them as in truth were almost all that were there present albeit in number but fewe for all the others were dead Yet such as remayned and had escaped the sicknesse and diseases past and were not dead of the great infirmities and troubles before in this voyage chaunced vnto them Being thus at an Ankor and the night almost approched our men saw about an hundred men in a great Barcke euery one of them hauing a Sworde and a Target who at their comming to our shippes woulde haue entered therein with all theyr weapons howbeit the Generall would not consent thereto neither permitted he anye more to enter then foure of them and those also without weapon declaring to them in their language that they shoulde pardon him since he was a straunger and therefore coulde not tell whom he might trust and vnto those whom he gaue license to enter aboorde his ship he gaue
araied withall his best apparell carrieng with him twelue of the most principall men of his shippes his brother onely except whom he left with charge of y e same The boates of each part being come néere together and the one making countenance of friendly salutation entertainment to the other the King then said to the Generall that he would speake with him in his owne boat of purpose to sée view him the better whervpon foorthwith he receiued him into his boat the King then giuing to the Generall as great honour curtesie as though he had also ben a King he very earnestly noted beheld him his men as a strange sight and matter to him and his people he required the Generall to tell him the name of his King and being tolde he commaunded the same to be then presently written he also inquired matter perticularly of him of his power whervnto the Generall aunswered and in euerye point satisfied his demaund declaring also for what cause y e king his master had sent him to discouer Calicut which was to haue from thence spices whereof in his dominion countrey was none And after he had thus talked with the King informed him somewhat of the same of the straights of y e red Sea the King then promised to him a Pilot to carry him to Calicut also very earnestly desired him to goe with him into his Citie there to take his pleasure solace himself in his Pallaice saieng it was néedfull necessary after so many troubles in so long a voyage sustained to vse some recreation and take some rest further then promising that if he would so do that afterward he in like manner would go with him to sée his ships make merry in the same whervnto the Generall aunswered that he had no license of the King his Master to go a shore therefore if he shuld varie from his Princes wil commaundement therein he shuld then giue an euill accompt of himselfe to which excuse the King replied saieng that if he shuld go to sée his ships what accompt should he then make to those of his Citie or what might they déeme adiudge of him therein yet notwithstanding he said y t it was a griefe to him y t he refused to go with him to his Citie which was shuld be at y e commandemēt of him of y e king his master to whom he wold send his Embassador or els write if he wold come y t way at his returne from Calicut The General yéelding thanks to the King promised him to returne y ◠way whilest they were thus talking there did send for those Moores which he had taken captiues and gaue them to the King saieng that if he could do him any further pleasure he would gladly doe the same with which gift the King was so content that he said he did more estéeme of the same then if he had giuen him such another Citie as that of Mylynde was Now hauing ended their talke and confirmed the friendship betwéene them the King then rowing amongst our ships and behelde the same with great pleasure and admiration out of which great store of shot of Ordinaunce passed wherewith they were greatlye delyghted all which time our Generall went with him to whom he declared that he neuer saw any men of whom he tooke so great pleasure as he did of those of Portingall whereof he woulde gladye haue some with him to helpe him in his warres which he hath sometime with his enimies for it well appeared they were men apt to offend their enimie and to abide and suffer any trauell or paine that should happen vnto them To which his speaches the Generall aunswered that if hée had experience of their doings he woulde then a great deale better lyke of them and further that they would helpe him if the King his Master would sende his ships of warre to Calicut as he doubted not but he would if it wer Gods good pleasure to permit the same to be discouered After the King had in this sort solaced himself he then desired the General that since he would not go with him to his Citie he shuld then let him haue two of his men to go and sée his Pallaice and for pledge of the same he would giue him his sonne and one of his chiefe Chaplaines the which they call Cacis wherevnto the Generall yéelded and appointed two of our men to go with the King who at his departure requested the Generall that the next day he would goe along in his boate hard by the shore where he shuld sée his horsmen running so they departed for that time the next day being Thursday the Captaine generall Nicholas Coello went in their boates armed along the shore the one somewhat distant from the other betwéene whom vpon the shore were many men on horsebacke skirmishing as our boats approched néere the shore there came certaine footemen downe certaine stayres of stone from the Kings house which was in sight where they tooke the King vp in a chaire and caried him verye néere to the Boate of the Generall to whom he spake verye louing wordes and once more requested him to enter vpon land and go to his Citie for that his father being a lame man was desirous to sée him and that whilest he should remaine on shoare both he and his children would enter and abide in his ships But our Generall fearing least vnder such sugred speach some bitter baite might lie couered did therfore still excuse himself for going on land alleadging hée must obey his Prince who gaue him no license or commission so to do at anie time And so taking his leaue of the king hée went a while hard by the ships of the Indias shooting off much Ordinaunce who when they sawe vs passe by lifted vp their hands saieng Christe Christe and that night with the kings license our men made them a great feast with much pastime also of Squibs Gunne shot and great and lowde cryes The Fléet thus lyeng in y e harbour there came vpon y e sundaie béeing the. 21. day of Aprill from the king a man that was in great credit with him to visite the Captaine Generall who at that instant was very sad and heauie for that it was then two daies since any man came to the Fléet from the Citie by reason whereof he feared least that the king were offended with him as taking occasion of offence for that he refused to go on shoare supposing also that he wold therevppon breake the peace and league made betwéene them for which he was sorrowfull especially since as yet he had no Pilots And when he sawe that he which was so great with the king did bring him no Pilots he then began to haue some iealousie and suspition of the king who being informed therof and knowing the Generall remained there for that cause did therefore forthwith send him
a Pilot a Gentile called in their language Gosarate whose name was Canaca making excuse that hée had not sent him sooner and so the king and the Generall remained friends and continued the peace before concluded vpon betwéene them ¶ How the Captaine Generall departed from Mylynde came to Calicut and of what greatnesse and noblenesse that citie is Cap. 13. THE Captaine Generall béeing thus prouided of all things necessarie for his voyage departed from Mylynde towards Calicut vpon the Tewsday being the 22. day of Aprill and from thence he began to cut ouer a goulfe which is of seauen hundreth and fiftie leagues for the land there doth make a certeine great valley which doth runne along the coast from the North to the South and our voiage in demaunding of Calicut lay to the Eastward in following whereof the next Sunday our men sawe the North which a long time before they had not séene and also they sawe the South of which good fortune they thanked God in that it represented as then to them winter of the Indias where alwaies in that goulfe are great stormes they now found none but rather faire weather The Fridaye being the .xvii. daye of May and xxiii daies next after their departing from Mylynde in which time they had séene no land they then discouered came to sight of land And the Fléete béeing viii leagues of seaboord from the shoare the land séemed high their Pilot whose name was Canaca did as then let fall the Plommet found fortie fiue fathom wherevpon to auoide and apart himselfe from that coast he made his way to the Southeast vppon the Saterday he made to landward howbeit he ranne not so néere the same as he might certainly knowe it but he perceiued by small showres of raine which fell as they made towards land y ◠they were on the coast of y e Indias for y ◠at y ◠present time of y e yere y ◠winter is euer in those Indias The sunday being y e xx day of May the Pilot sawe certeine high hils which were ouer the Citie of Calicut and came so néere to land that he did reknowledge the same and with great ioy and pleasure demaunded of the Generall Albrycias saieng that this was the land which he and his companie so greatly desired to sée and come to The General replenished with ioy of that good fortune gaue Canaca his demaund forthwith went to praier saieng the Salue wherein they gaue God greate thanks for this their happie and safe arriuall vppon that coast and in sight of the place which they so earnestly longed for to sée when praier was done they made great ioy and feasted on shipboord and the selfe same daie in the euening the Generall came to an Ankor two leagues from Calicut and immediatly came certeine people of that land in fowre boates called Almaydyas to our Fléete to vnderstand what ships these were hauing neuer before séene any of that making come to that cost These people came all naked sauing that their members were couered with little péeces of linnen cloath they are browne people At their comming to vs some of them entered into the Generalls shippe and albeit the Pilot Goserate tolde him that they were Fishermen a poore kinde of people for so they call all such as bee poore men in the Indias yet hée receyued them all well and commaunded his men to buye of their Fish which they brought with them And hauing some talke with them he did vnderstand that that towne was not Calicut for it was they said further off offered to carrie our Fléete thether Wherevpon the Generall required them so to doe and therewith departed thence and were brought by those Fishermen to Calicut which is a Citie scituated on the Coast of Malabar which is a Prouince of the second Indias that hath his beginning in the Mount Dely and endeth at the end of Comory which is in lentgh thréescore leagues and one and fiftéene in breadth All the Countrie lyeth lowe and is apt to be couered with water Ther be many Ilandes in the same it doth enter into the Sea Indico There is a verie high hill which diuideth the limits betwéene them and a great kingdome called Narsinga The Indians do report that this land of Malabar in olde time was maine Sea and ran as far as y e hill where now the Ilands of Maldiua are which were then firme land did couer discouer y e other of Malabar in which are many and pleasaunt Cities those also very rich by reason of y e trade they haue principaly with thē of Calicut which in riches vice doth excel al in our time whose foundation was on this sort This Prouince of Malabar was in the olde time gouerned altogether by one king who made his aboade in the Citie of Conlan and in the last kings daies of this land whose name was Saranaperimal and died sixe hundreth yeares agone the Moores of Meca discouered the Indias and came to the Prouince of Malabar the inhabitaunts wherof then were Gentiles and the king himselfe was a Gentile From the time of the comming of these Moores they beganne to account the yeares as we account from y e birth of our Lord God And after they came thether they grew into such familyaritie with this king and hée entered into such conference good opinion of their lawes that he renounced the manner of religion of his owne Countrie and minded thence forth to imbrace theirs and the loue and liking he had of this sect of Mahomet so déepely tooke roote and entered into his heart that he determined to goe and ende his lyfe in the house of Meca Thus béeing resolued for the loue he bare to that sect to abandon and leaue his kingdome for euer and goe with them before his departure he imparted to his kinred and diuided amongest them all his Lordships and territories and hauing distributed and giuen the same so farre forth that there remained to him no more but xii leagues of his Countrie which laye néere to the shoare where he meant to imbarke himselfe the which was neuer before inhabited therfore he then gaue y e same to a cosin of his which then serued him as his Page commaunding y ◠the same circuit shold be inhabited in perpetuall memorie of his imbarking there To the same his kinsman hée also gaue his swoord a towell after the Morisco sort as things apperteining and incident to the estate gaue commaundement to all the Gentlemen to whom he had giuen all the rest of his lands that they should be obedient true subiects vnto him and to take him for theyr Emperour the kings of Conlan and Canamor onely except whome also he commaunded and charged likewise al the others that they nor no other Lordes shoulde coine money in the Prouince of Malabar but onely the King of Calycut So hauing thus bestowed and giuen
his lands possessions and dignities as he thought good and set euery necessary thing in order for establishing his determinate will and pleasure he then imbarked himselfe there wher now Calicut is builded and scituated and for that the King did there imbarke himself to go towards y e house of Meca y e Moores then took such deuotion towards that place that they and all their posteritie euer since that time hitherto would not nor yet will take any lading but out of that Port. And from that time afterward they came no more to the Port of Coulan as vsually they did before by meane and occasion whereof the same grew to ruine and was destroyed especially when Calicut was once builded and that many Moores came and inhabited the same For as they were Merchaunts of great dealings so came they thether and made there the greatest and richest Faire or Marte of all the Indias finding there all the Spices Drugs Nutmegs and all other things that could be wished as all kindes of precious stones pearles séede of pearle Muske Saunders Aguila fine Dishes of earth Laker gylted Coffers and all the fine things of the Chyna Gold Amber Waxe Iuorie fine and couâ—se cotten as well white as dyed in colours much rawe silke silke twisted and all kinde of linnen cloth of silke and golde and cloth of golde and cloth of tissew chamlets graine scarlets carpets of silke Copper Quicksiluer Vermilion Allome coralls Rose waters and all kinde of Conserues so that ther is no kinde of Merchandise of all the world which coulde be demaunded but it should be found there Moreouer it was very quiet for that it was scituated along the Coast the which lieth almost open and very daungerous it is inuironed set round about with many Orchards in which are many sorts of fruits of that lande and many hearbes and excellent waters Also they haue many Palme trées and other sorts of trées In this lande there is but small store of Rice which is ther a principall victuall as amongst vs our Wheate is but there commeth from other places great aboundaunce thereof as in like manner there doeth of other victualls The Citie is great and all the houses be of straw onely the houses of their Idolls Chappels and the Kings houses except which are of lyme and stone and couered with tyle for none but they are permitted by theyr lawes to haue anye other manner of building then with strawe It was inhabited by Gentiles of sundry sects and by Moores which were great Merchaunts and so rich that some of them had fiftie ships There is no such season of Winter but that there may lye in that Harbour sixe hundred shippes They haue there a shore whether they do cary them with small trauaile for that they be made without nailes sowed with ropes of Cayro and pitched vpon they haue no quiell but are flat bottomed ¶ Of what great power the King of Calicut is and of his vse and custome likewise of the other Kings of Malabar and how the Nayres do liue Chapter 14. FOr that this Citie was of so great a trade and also the Countrey round about so inhabited which increased so largelye the Kings rents it came to passe that he grew to be so rich of money and so mightie in power by multitude of people that in one daye he was able to leauie and make in a readinesse thirtie thousand fighting men and in thrée dayes space one hundred thousand They called him Samoryn which in theyr tongue is Emperour for so he was among the Kings of Malabar and there were no more but two beside him that is to say the King of Coulan and the King of Canauor For albeit the others were called Kings yet were they not so This King of Calycut was a Bramene as others his Predecessours also were which amongst the Malabars are Priests and for that it is a custome and auncient order obserued that all the Kings doe dye in one Pagode which is the house of praiers to their Idolls he is elected for that cause for alwayes in the same house there must be and is a King to serue those Idolles and when he that serueth there doeth dye then must the King that then raygneth and gouerneth leaue his Empire and goe serue in that place as the other did and into his place and Kingdome they elect and put an other that shall so succeede him And if anye of them that is in possession of the Kingdome refuse to goe into the Pagode the King that then serueth in the same béeing dead they will then inforce him thereto which so refuseth although it be against his will These Kings of Malabar be browne men and goe naked from the gyrdell vpwarde and from thence downewarde they be couered with cloath of silke and of Cotten sometime they put vppon them shorte gownes which they doe call Basus of silke or cloath of golde and of scarlet with very rich stones and especiallye the King of Calycut excelleth in those attires and Iewells They be shauen leauing vpon the vpper lip as the Turkes vse the hayre vnshauen They be serued but with small estate especiallye at theyr meate whereof they haue but lyttle But the King of Calycut is serued with greater Estate These Kings doe not marrie nor obserue the Lawe of marriage but yet they maye haue a Lemman of the house of the Nayres which amongest the Malabars are Gentlemen and shée hath hir house by hir self neere to the Pallaice They doe allowe hir so lyberallye for hir charges and maintenaunce that she maye haue plentifullye of all thinges to hir contentation vppon that Stypende assigned hyr And when any disliking is had of hir by them they may alwayes leaue hir and such children as they haue by hir be not taken or accompted for theyrs neither doe they inherite the Kingdome nor anye thing of theyrs After they be men they are had in no more estimation then that is incident vnto them from the mothers bloud and parentage Their brothers doe inherite if they haue any if not then their sisters children shall who doe not marry neither yet haue any certaintie of their husbands They bée very frée and at libertie to choose those of whom they lyke and be such as are best estéemed of They haue verye great rents allowed them and when anye of them come to the age of ten yeares for at that time they are to be knowen of men their kinred then doe sende forth out of this kingdome for a young man Nayre and presenting him with gifts earnestly request the same to take hir virginitie who then receiueth hir with great ioy and after she is thus vsed doth tye about hir necke a Iewell which she doth carry and weare alwayes during hir life as a thing in great estimation for a token of the libertie giuen hir by that act to do with hir bodie afterward for euer what she will for without this manner of
that by the aduise of the other Captaines to burne one of those shippes and that the same should be Saint Raphael which they determined to doe the rather forsomuch as the same was al open and they had not brought him a grounde as they did the others and also determined to burne the same vppon the shoels of Saint Raphael vnto which place they came on the Sunday following where what for taking in of her furniture as also for burning the same he spent fiue daies and during that time from a village the which is called Tangata there were brought to sell many hens This béeing done the Captaine Generall departed hauing with him in his shippe his brother called Paulo de la Gama and on the .xx. of Februarie he found himselfe with onely Nicholas Coello in the Iland of Zenziber which standeth in the altitude of sixe degrées lieng but ten leagues from the firme land This Iland is verye greate with the other two that standeth néere vnto it whereof the one is called Pemba and the other Mofya and are verye fertill and haue in them great store of victualls Their groues are of Orenge trées which bringeth forth goodly Orenges They are inhabited by Moores which are but a weake kinde of people and they haue but small store of weapons howbeit they goe very well apparelled in silke and fine cloath made of Cotten the which they doe buye in Mombassa of Merchants of Cambayo The women haue store of iewells of golde from Sofala and of siluer from the Iland of Saint Larence They are merchants their trade is in the firme land and thether they do carry victuals to sell in litle boats Each of these Ilands hath a king of himselfe the which also doe obserue Mahomets lawe as all the rest of the subiectes doe As soone as the king of Zenziber hearde that the Captaine Generall was there arriued he sent to visit him and sent him great presents of the fruits of the country requesting him of his friendship to the which he agréed After all this he departed on the first of March and came to an Ankor before the Ilands of Saint George in Monsanbique and the next day after he sent a marke to be erected within that Ilande where at his going thether he heard Masse without any conuersation with those of Monsanbique he departed And on the third of March he came to the Iland of Saint Blase where he stayed to take in his water and to victuall himselfe of Sea woulfes and of Solitarius which they salted to eate whilest they were on the sea and for the same they gaue God great thanks After that they were departed from thence being once before putte back with westerly winds which blew right against them God of his goodnes sent them so prosperous a winde that on the twentith of March they hadde doubled the Cape of Buena Esperansa with great pleasure forsomuch as all those that came thether were all in health and verie strong and as they thought were all in good liking to arriue at Lishborne And finding héere a colde Winde which endured well twentye dayes did set them in a good forwardnesse towarde the Ilande of Santiago which by theyr Sea cardes was by the Pilots we known not to bée at the vttermost a hundred leagues from thence Some there were that thought themselues to bée with the same but it was not so Héere that goodly and fayre winde did faile them and forsomuch as the Captaine Generall would néedes knowe where that he was for that hée coulde not tell by reason there fell certeine showres which came from the landewarde he commaunded to make as much waye as they coulde possible And going after this sorte on Thursdaye being the xxv of Aprill he commaunded the Pilot to let fall his Plommet who founde that they were in xxv fathome Yet in all that daye sailing and kéeping the selfe same course the least water that they came to was at xx fathome and therefore the Pilottes iudged themselues to bée vppon the shoels Del zio Grands All the rest of this voyage perticularlye what aduentures the Captaine Generall did passe vntill such time as he came to the Ilande of Santiago I coulde not come to the knowledge thereof but only how that as they went néere to the same Nicholas Coello to carry the king newes of this discouerie did on a certeine night a parte himselfe from the Captaine Generall and followed his course vnto Portingale where hée arriued at a place called Cascais on the x. of Iuly in the yeare of our Lorde God 1499. who informed the king of all that the Captaine Generall hadde past in the discouery of the Indias and of the commodytyes that he had brought with him from thence Of whose discouery the king was so gladde to heare of and that they might trade into the Indias by sea as when he was proclaimed king of the kingdomes of Portingale Now after that the Captaine Generall founde missing Nicholas Coello hée went forwarde on his course towarde the Ilande of Santiago for because his Brother was verye sicke of a Tyssicke and also for that his Shippe made but small waye for that shée was all open and therefore hée did fraight there a Caruell which he found there for to carrye him to Portingale before that he should dye who left there Iohn de Sala for Captaine of his ship as I sayd before who as soone as the ship was new rigged had charge to bring the same to Portingale from the which place the Generall departed with his brother in the Caruell whose infirmitie did dayly increase in such sort that the Captaine Generall was driuen to beare with the Iland of the Terceras And béeing there arriued commaunded that his brother might be brought a lande where he was so cruellye handled with his disease that he dyed thereof who at his end shewed himselfe to be a good and perfect christian and a very honest Gentleman After that he was dead and buried the Captaine Generall departed toward Portingale who came to Belen in the moneth of September in the selfe same yere 1499. being two yere two moneths past after his departure frō Lishborne with 108. men of them came backe but fiftie aliue which considering theyr great trauaile and trouble that they had past was verye much After that the Captaine Generall had giuen God greate thanks for that he had escaped so many great daungers he sent word of his arriuall vnto the king of Portigale who for the great pleasure that he receiued of his comming sent Don Diego de la Silua de Menesis Lord of Portugalete with many other Gentlemen to receiue him as they did brought him vnto y e court w t an excéeding great number of people that came thether to sée so new rare a matter as that was of y e Captaine General not onely for that hée had done but also for that they tooke him for dead
commaunded to beare howbeit the Pilots did not knowe the same notwithstanding they found that it stoode in the altitude of xxvii degrées they were so néere vnto lande that the Shippes laye with their beake heads close to the same But the Captaine generall would not consent that anye of his men shoulde goe a lande yet from their shippes they might easilye perceiue that the same was well inhabited for the great number of people they did sée there and yet of all those there came none to the water side to sée what we were After that he sawe that there was no hope to haue anye refreshing from thence hée did afterwarde procure the same from the Sea where there was great plentie of fish where our men was driuen to fish for it Afterwarde the Captaine generall commaunded to weye their Ankors and to followe his course so néere vnto the shore that he might well sée great numbers and store of sundrye beastes which fed along the Riuer that entred into the Sea and also they sawe many people Now going on that sort the Captaine generall did passe vnto Sofala with the which as yet the Pilot was not acquainted and being néere to the same he sawe two Ilandes and right ouer against one of them there was riding at an Ankor two Shippes which as soone as they had discouered our Fléete did beginne to flye awaye towarde the shore And for that the Captaine generall sawe that they fiedde he commaunded to followe them which was done in such sort that our men did ouertake them and tooke some of them prisoners for that they did not defende themselues and concerning the chiefest person that was in these Shippes the Captaine Generall was aduertised that he was the King of Mylyndes néere kinsman and was going from Sofala laden with Golde to Mylynde Who confessed that when they had descryed our Ships they receiued such a feare as though they shoulde bée taken and that therefore they did throwe the most part of theyr Golde into the Sea and they themselues ranne a lande After that all this was done y e Captaine general told him that he was very sory for theyr so great mischance losse in especially for so much as the King of Mylynde was in so great a credite with the King of Portingale his Master which is the occasion that all Portingales are and shall bée alwayes at his commaundement And hauing shewed vnto him great courtesie he commaunded the Shippes to be retourned with all the golde they hadde founde in the same The Moore asked of him whether he had brought with him any Witches that they might with words of inchantment fetch vp such golde as was throwen into the Sea To whom the Captaine generall made aunswere that the Christians doe beléeue in the true God who hath and doth defende them so that they doe not vse nor beléeue in witchcraft and therefore they do not vse the same Of this Moore the Captaine generall was aduertised that he hadde somewhat ouer runne Sofala and for that he would not returne backe he did at this time leaue it and hauing dispatched the Moore followed his course and on the xx of Iuly arriued at Monsanbique where he tooke in his water and a Pilot to carry him to the Ilande of Quiloa toward the which he directed his course running along the Coast In this his voyage he saw sundry profitable Ilands which were belonging to the King of Quiloa which as I haue declared is a great Prince and is Lord from the Cape De las correntes almost vnto Mombassa y e which is welnéere foure hundred leagues of Coast in the which there doe enter the two Ilands that I haue spoken of before ouer and besides Sofala and other sundry Townes vnto Monsanbique and from thence as many more vnto Mombassa with an infinit number of Ilandes that doth yéeld him great rents Notwithstanding as touching his estate it is but small for he is not able to make many men of warre his abode is alwayes in Quiloa in a certaine Ilande which is a hundred leagues beyonde Monsanbique in the Coast of Aethiopia néere to the firme lande the which is verye fertill of Orchardes and Woodes that beare sundry sorts of fruites there are excellent good waters and also they doe ripe great store of Miso and other seedes which they doe sow and there is bred vp in the same great store of small Cattell In those Seas there is great plentie of Fish and that verye good So that what with the victualls that they haue in the lande and what there commeth from other places of the firme land the Citie is plentifully prouided which citie is compassed about with faire gardens on the one side with the sea on the other which causeth the same to shew very pleasant it standeth in ix degrées to the South is also greate and full of people Their houses are made of lime stone in the which there are goodly chambers Their king is a Moore and so are the inhabitants the naturall people of the Countrie are a kinde of blacke people and those that are strangers are white their common language is Algarauia They doe apparell themselues very richly in especiall the women for they carry alwaies vpon them great store of iewels of gold They are great Merchants for their trade is of the gold that commeth from Sofala and from this citie it is dispearsed to all the Countrie of Arabia Felix other places and therfore there resort thether many merchaunts frō other places Ther are alwaies in this port many ships which lyeth alwayes a ground when they haue no néed of thē These ships haue no nailes but are sowed together w t ropes made of Cairo pitched ouer with wildincense for because as in all y t countrie there is no other kind of pitch The winter in this countrie doth begin in Aprill maketh an end in September The Captaine Generall béeing come to the harbour of this Citie and hauing obteined of the king a safe conduct that hée might send him a messenger did send vnto him Alonso Hurtado who went accompanied with seauen of the principals of their ships and that they might shew themselues in more countenaunce authoritie they went in their best apparell Béeing come before the king he represented vnto him the message which the Captaine Generall gaue him which was to signifie vnto him y t he was come thether with y e king of Portingale his Maisters fléete to settle a trade in y e citie to the same end had brought with him great store of merchandise y ◠were conuenient to be spent in y ◠country therfore he was desirous to talk with him therin howbeit y e king his maister did countermand him y t in any wise he shuld not leap a land but make the agréement a sea boord forasmuch as that is the auncient custome which the Captaines doe alwaies obserue in his coūtry
those Moores that were aboorde the ten great ships and then commanded them to be set a fire also of the great destruction which he brought vpon the citie in reuenge of the death of those that were slaine therein Cap. 37. AFter that these newes were brought to the Captaine generall he was not onely very sorrowfull for the death of those that were slaine but also to sée how little preuailed the present which he gaue vnto the King of Calicut as also the taking of the ship in the which was the Elephant now thrée moneths were past that he had bene there and yet had laden no more then two ships nor yet could tell when to lade the rest fearing also least in Coching he shoulde not be well accepted for taking of the ship in the which was the Elephant And further waying with himselfe how little or none occasion at all there was giuen to vse such treason against our men he did therefore determine to reuenge himselfe vpon y e King of Calycut if so be that he did not vse some excuse for that which was past wherevnto if he would willingly yéelde then would he be content so that he might ther haue his lading But the King of Calycut was farre off from the matter for he was very glad of that which y e Moores had done and commaunded all such Merchaundize to be taken as were within the Factorie the which wer well worth foure thousand duckets also take all such of ours as wer found aliue for captiues although they were hurt of the which there were foure that died After all this the Captaine generall séeing that in all that daye the King of Calicut sent no messenger to excuse himselfe of the fact he put the matter in question wheras it was determined that he forthwith shuld reuenge those iniuries that were past for feare leastif he should delay so to doe that then the King might haue time to arme his Fléete which would not then be so easelye done This being determined our men put themselues in a readinesse to lay aboord x. great ships which lay in y ◠harbor full of Moores these at the first would haue defended themselues yet for all y t our men did ioyne with them fought with them so valyantly that they brake their order killing many of them and of those that remained some leaped into the water and were drowned others hid themselues in their ships and other were taken aliue whom the Captaine generall commaunded to prison that they might afterwarde serue for Mariners in the Fléet The ships being thus come into our mens possession they found within the same some Spices and other Merchaundize which were hidden within them also they found thrée Elephants which the Captaine generall commaunded to be killed and salted for their victualls he commaunded also those Moores that were slaine to be told and there was found of them 600. The ships being discharged of all that they had they wer set a fire before all the Citie in the sight of many that came to the water side to succor them whom being Moores as they were comming in their Almadias our men encountered and fought with them but they durst not goe forward for feare of the ordinaunce This was a wonder to those of the Citie to sée ten ships burnt together The King also was sory therefore for that he could not send to succour them But if that which was done this day was a wonder to the enimies to behold then y e next day was much more to be meruailed at for the Captaine generall not being contented with the burning of these ships commaunded his ships in the night to be brought as néere the shore as he could the one somewhat separated from the other They had also their boats before them that they might reach the most part of the Citie As soone as the morning began to appeare immediately all the great Ordinaunce went off amongst their houses which after that the enimies had séene and how néere our ships lay to the shore they began to shoote at thē with smal péeces which they had without hurting any of our men howbeit of our ordinance for that the enimies came running in flockes there was no péece that mist and by that meanes there were manye that fell and the others that drew towards the Citie where our ordinaunce also had made a great destruction as well in the Temples of their Gods as in their dwelling houses The feare was so great amongst the Citizens that the King of Calycut himselfe was driuen to leaue his Pallaice and to goe out of the Citie for that our men went thether to séeke him out with their pellets so that hard at his héeles they killed a Nayre which was a noble man and ouerthrewe part of the Kings Pallaice This destruction dured no more but this daye and whilest it was a doing there appeared two ships y t wer comming to the harbor which as soone as they had discried vs went their way therefore this fight ceased The Captain generall made after thē w t al his fléet to Panderane which is a Port not far off where there was other seuen néere to the land ready to succour them in which there came a multitude of Moores to defend them and for that our ships could not come néere vnto the shore they lefte them And the Captaine generall contenting himselfe with that which he had done in Calycut for that it was verye late to make his voyage toward Portingal went toward Coching ther concluded a peace to sée whether he might lade ther for y t he well knew it that ther was more Pepper then in Calicut ¶ How the Captaine generall arriued at the harbour adioyning to the citie of Coching ther he concluded a peace betweene him the King afterward began to lade his ships Cap. 37. GOing vnder saile along by this citie y e Captaine generall tooke two ships of y ◠Moores which after that they had discried our ships bare as néere the shore as they coulde for feare of our ships but our men tooke them and when they were discharged of certayne Rice which they carried the Generall caused them to be set a fire and so following his course he ariued at Coching the xx of December which standeth in the Prouince of Malabar xix leagues from that parte of Calycut going into the South and being in ix degrées toward the North. The scituation therof is along the riuer in the which the Sea doth enter by meanes whereof the Citie standeth as it were in an Ilande and that verye strong for that there is no comming to it but by certaine wayes It hath belonging vnto it a goodly great and a sure Port which lyeth before the mouth of this riuer The land round about is watry and low and made into Ilands they haue smal store of victuals but for all that those which they haue is
two orders of Palme trées and other strong timber firmely set into the ground and yoked together with hoopes of yron and nayled with great nayles Betwéene the two orders of trées they were rampered vp with much earth sande and at the ende of each of these Corners wer builded bulwarks which were replenished with Ordinaunce Also there was cast about the same a Caue or Ditch which alwaies was full of water The next daye after that this Fort was ended there was made a solemne Procession in the which went the Vicar of this Forte who rarried in his hande a Crucifix vnder a Canapie which the Captaine 's caried ouer him sounding before the same their Trumpets with great ioye With this solemnitie they entred into y e Castle which the Vicar did blesse And by commaundement of the Captaines they caused the same to be called Manuel in perpetuall memory of the King Don Manuel vnto whom all those that made the same were subiects The Fort being blessed ther was a Masse sang at y e which ther was also a Sermon made by Frier Gaston wherein was made mention how much they were bound to giue God great thankes y t would permit and condescend that from so small a kingdome as that is of Portingale and lieng on the cape of the Occident there should goe Portingales to a land so farre of as are the Indias and to make there a fort amongst such a multitude of enimyes vnto the Catholike faith And that by the clemencie of God this should be but a beginning of many others Also he made mention how greatly bound they wer to y â— king of Coching for y e good seruice y â— héerin he had done to the king theyr souereigne which words béeing brought to y e king of Coching he reioyced therat very much gaue y e generals thanks for y e same After all this they returned followed their warres against all such as were enimies to the king of Coching and beset certeine townes which wer along the coast fiue leagues from Coching the rather for that they were aduertised by their spies that those Nayres that should kéepe the same were but few in number They carried with them for that place seauen hundred men and departed two houres before day notwithstanding it was nine of the clocke before they came thether in the which townes there were more then sixe thousand soules ouer besides children and such Naires as were there in garison which were thrée hundred and those all bowmen Alonso de Alburquerque with other of the Captaines leapt a land hard by the first towne Francisco de Alburquerque w t the others into the other towns which were a Fawlcon shot off In the first they tooke the enimies vpon a sodeme with the feare thereof they made them runne awaie for that immediatly as soone as they landed they set fire vnto them all Our men seeing the enimies to runne awaie went after them and in ouertaking them there were many slaine of them and after that they were wery of following them they destroied the countrie In the meane while the larome was raised and for that this Ilande was well inhabited there was assembled together well nigh sixe thousande Nayres which did set vpon our men at theyr imbarking so that they were in greate daunger in especiall Edwarto Pacheco which found not his boat wher he had left the famâ— They followed him so narrowlye that with their Bowes and arrowes there were of his men hurt to the number of eight although they defended themselues valiauntly and killed many of their enimies But for that the enimyes were so many in number they had beene worse handled if so bâ— those Captaines Generalls which were inbarked had not disimbarked themselues and â—â—â—coured them The enymies séeing this and hauing lost their hope to reuenge their iniuries more then that they had done did runne awaye leauing behinde them the 〈◊〉 well couered ouer with dead men which fell with their bowes and hand guns in theyr hands The enimies 〈◊〉 gone after this force our men did set a fire fiftéene Paraos which were a ground and tooke other seauen which were a floate and so departed going their way alwaies hallowing and crieng as who shuld say they 〈◊〉 them which thing gréeued the Lord of Repelyn whose Ilande that was considering howe all they found the same prouided And they fearing least our men would 〈◊〉 vpon another towne which stoode a league from the same vp the riuer he sent certeine Naires thether immediatly How the Captaines Generall returned to Repelyn and afterward went to 〈…〉 what Edwarte Pacheco did in those two 〈◊〉 Chap. 60. THe Captaines generall hauing knowledge of these townes to the end ther shuld remaine nothing of the Lords of Repelyn y â— were not destroied they determined so follow them victory And therfore y t selfe same night they departed but before they would so do they rested themselues till it was midnight hard by y e castle y t they might by the dawning of the day come to the town whether they minded to 〈◊〉 And for at y â— it was dark yet they departed at y â— time although y e one of them could not see the other And Alonso de Alburquerque being 〈◊〉 to remaine behinde he commanded his men row a apacâ— by y t meanes he was the first that came to the towne that a great deale before day And being weary with staieng for the rest of his companye he commaunded to set fire to the towne with intent to burne the same for that the enimies were vnprouided for his coÌ„ming he supposed he might therfore doe the same the better and so he did The enimies séeing the fire arose forthwith to quench the same which our men perceiuing did set vpon them slew some the others ranne their wayes Thus they did for that they were of a base kinde of people and poore and without weapons The Naires knowing that it was our men that had set y e fire came thether all such of them as were in garison within y e towne which were more then two thousand who being together did set vpon our men very desperatly insomuch that Alonso de Alburquerque with his men was driuen to retire for that they were no more then fortie of y e which ther was one slaine of the others there were some hurt with their arrowes They had all of them hardly escaped if so be that they had not retired which was done not without great trouble And yet he could not haue done so much if the boys of the ships which remained in their boats had not set fire to a Fawlcon for feare of the which as soone as the same was shot of the enimies aparted themselues By this time it was day light at the which came thether Francisco de Alburquerque who wheÌ„ he had knowledge what had past commaunded to be shot of all the ordinance