liuing women burne themselues with their dead husbands what estate the Embassador of Hidaleam holdeth in Goa how he is caried in the stréets also a true description of the Canariin with his wife the manner how the Indian heathenish children are brought vp also of the soldier of Ballagate which is called Lascariin with the heathenish whore called Balliadera who is a dancer because shee is commonly vsed therevnto in any feast or open playes are ready to be hired for a small péece of mony whereof many of theÌ„ dwell in Goa with the maner of the dwellings houses of the Decaniins Canariins Corumbiins how they row in the riuers with their scutes whereby I haue placed the maner of the boats vsed by those of the Malabares in Cochin so that I shall not néede to make a seuerall Chapter of them by themselues The 40. Chapter Of the Arabians and Abexiins dwelling in India THere are many Arabians Abexiins in India The Arabians obserue Mahomets law the Abexiins some are Mahometans some christians after their manner for they are of Prester Iohns land which stretcheth behind Mosambique in Aethiopia vnto the red sea and the riuer Nilus in Egypt and by their common traffique and conference with the Moores and Mahometans there are diuers of them infected with the same sect There are many of them in India that are slaues and captiues both meÌ„ and women which are brought thether out of Aethiopia sold like other Oriental Nations the Abexiins that are christians haue on their faces 4. burnt markes in manner of a Crosse one ouer their nose in the middle of the forehead betwéene both their eyes on each of their chéekes one betwéene their eies and their eares and one vnder their neather lip downe to the chin and this is their Baptisme when they are made Christians which they vse in stead of water These Abexiins and Arabians such as are frée doe serue in al India for saylers and sea faring meÌ„ with such marchants as saile from Goa to China Iapon Bengala Mallaca Ormus and all the Oriental coast for that there they haue no other saylers nor there are no other because the Portingalles although they serue for Saylers in the Portingalles shippes that come into India and haue neuer bene other in Portingale but Saylers yet are they ashamed to liue in that order and thinke it a great discredite vnto them together with a great diminishing of their authorities estimations which they account themselues to hold in India so that they giue themselues out for maisters of shippes and by their captaines are also called Pilots and chief Botesonnes but not lower for if they should descend but one step lower it would be a great blot and blemish vnto them all their liues after which they would not indure for anie thing in the world These Abexijns and Arabians serue for small money and being hyred are verie lowlie and subiect so that often times they are beaten and smitten not as slaues but like dogs which they beare very patientlie not once speaking a word they coÌ„monlie haue their wiues and children with them in the shippe wherein they are hyred which continually stay with them what voyage soeuer they make and dresse their owne meat which is Rice sodden in water with salt fish among it The cause why the women sayle in the ship is for that in Summer and not else their shippes goe to sea wheÌ„ they alwayes haue calme water and faire weather with good windes they haue commonlie but one Portingale or two for Captaine maister and Pilote and they haue a chief Boteson which is an Arabian which they cal Mocadon and he is ruler of the Arabians Aberijns that are saylers whome he hath vnder his subiection euen as if they were his slaues or subiects This Mocadon is he that conditioneth and maketh bargaine with the owners of the ship to haue so manie saylers and he receiueth the monethlie money for their wages and accounteth with the saylers particularlie but for gouernment of the ship he hath not to doe neither troubleth himselfe therewith The shippes when they sayle vse no caske for water because there is not any throughout all India nor any made there saue onely such as come out of Portingall and vsed in the Portingall shippes but in stéed of pypes they vse a great foure cornered woodden cesterne y t staÌ„deth by the main maste at the very foote therof vpon the keele of the shippe which is verie well pitched and made fast wherein they lade as much water as they thinke will serue them for their voyage The captaine maister or Pilote Marchants and passingers haue euerie man their meat by themselues and their water in great Indian pots called Martauans whereof in y e description of Pegu I haue alreadie spoken These people are so seruiceable and willing to doe any thing that if there chanceth but a hat or any other thing to be blowen ouer or fall into the water they will presently leape cloathes and all into the sea to fetch it again for they swimme like fishes when the ships lie within the hauen or riuer and that they will all goe on land then they goe into the boate and so row to shore which done one of them roweth backe againe with the boate which he tyeth fast to the ship and swimmeth to land and when they will goe abord again if any of the saylers be vnwilling to swimme to fetch the boate they are by the Mocadon or the maister with strokes compelled to doe it but they coÌ„monlie neuer stay till it cometh so â—arre but rather striue who shall be first in the water to shew their diligence and when they doe any thing abord as hayling ropes and other things they sing answere each other very sweetlie so y t it séemeth to be very good Musick Their exercise on land is all the day to drinke and to sit in tipling houses with their wiues and children and then they goe hand in hand through the stréets réeling here and there making a great noise with singing and gaping after their manner there womeÌ„ weare breeches like the Arabians and Mahometans The 41. Chapter Of the blacke people of Mosambique which are called Caffares and of their manners and customes THe black people or Caâ—fares of the land of Mosambique and all the coast of Ethiopia and within the laÌ„d to the Cape de bona SperaÌ„za go al naked although those of Mosambique that is the women do a little couer themselues which they do by meanes of the daylie conuersation they haue with the Portingales who for Gold siluer and Iuory bones and such like doe exchange Cotton lynnen brought out of India that within the land and to the cape they vse in those countries otherwise they couer themselues with the like apparell that Adam and Eua did weare in Paradice They are all as black as pitch with curled and singed hayre both on their heads and beards
rich Gentleman in England and had great yearely reuenewes of his owne inheritance but he was a man very vnquiet in his minde and greatly affected to warre in so much as of his owne priuate motion hee offered his seruice to the Queene he had performed many valiant actes and was greatlie feared in these Islands and knowne of euery man but of nature very seuere so that his owne people hated him for his fiercenes and spake verie hardly of him for when they first entred into the Fleete or Armado they had their great sayle in a readinesse and might possiblie enough haue sayled away for it was one of the best ships for sayle in England and the Master perceiuing that the other shippes had left them and followed not after commaÌ„ded the great sayle to be cut that they might make away but Sir Richard Greenefield threatned both him and all the rest that were in the ship that if any man laid hand vppon it he would cause him to be hanged and so by that occasion they were compelled to fight and in the end were taken He was of so hard a complection that as he continued among the Spanish Captaines while they were at dinner or supper with him he would carouse three or foure glasses of wine and in a brauerie take the glasses betweene his teeth and crash them in peeces and swallow them downe so that often times the blood ran out of his mouth without any harme at all vnto him and this was told me by diuers credible persons that many times stoode and behelde him The English men that were left in the ship as the captaine of the souldiers the Master and others were dispersed into diuers of the Spanish ships that had taken the where there had almost a new fight arisen betweene the Biscaines and the Portingales while ech of them would haue the honour to haue first borded her so that there grew a great noise and quarrell among them one taking the chiefe ancient the other the flagge and the Captaine and euerie one held his owne The ships that had borded her were altogether out of order and broken and many of their men hurt whereby they were compelled to come into the Island of Tercera there to repaire themselues where being ariued I my chaÌ„ber fellow to heare some newes went abord on of the ships being a great at Biscaine and one of the twelue Apostles whose Captaine was called Bertandono that had bin Generall of the Biscaynes in the fleete that went for England Hee séeing vs called vs vp into the gallerie where with great curtesie hee receiued vs beeing as then set at dinner with the English Captaine that sate by him and had on a sute of blacke veluet but he could not tell vs any thing for that he could speake no other language but English and Latine which Baâ—tandano also could a little speake The English Captaine got licence of the gouernour that hee might come on land with his weapon by his side and was in our lodging with the Englishman that was kept prisoner in the Iland being of that ship wherof the saylers got away as I said before The Gouernour of Tercera bad him to dinner shewed him great curtesâ—e The Master likewise with licence of Bartandano came on land and was in our lodging and had at the least ten or twelue woundes as well in his head as on his body whereof after that being at sea betwéene Lisbone the Ilands he died The Captaine wrote a letter wherein he declared all the manner of the fight and left it with the English Marchant that lay in our lodging to send it to the Lord Admiral of England This English Captaine comming vnto Lisbone was there well receiued and not any hurt done vnto him but with good conuoy sent to Sentinial from thence sayled into England with all the rest of the Englishmen that were taken prisoners The Spanish armie stated at the Island of 〈◊〉 til the last of September to assemble the rest of the fleet together which in the end were to the number of 14â— saile of ships partly comming from India and partly of the Army being altogether ready vnto saile to 〈◊〉 in good company there sodainely rose so hard and cruell a storme that those of the Island did affirme that in mans memorie there was neuer any such seen or heard of before for it seemed the sea would haue swallowed vp the Islands the water mounting higher than the Cliffes which are so high that it amaseth a man to beholde them but the sea reached aboue them and liuing fishes were throwne vppon the land This storme continued not only a day or two with one wind but seauen or eight dayes continually the wind turning round about in all places of the compasse at the least twice or thrice during that time and all alike with a continuall storme and tempest most terrible to behold euen to vs that were on shore much more then to such as were at sea so that only on the coastes and Cliffes of the Iland of Tercera there were aboue twelue ships cast away and not only vppon the one side but round about it in euery corner wherby nothing els was heard but complayning crying lamenting and telling here is a shippe broken in peeces against the Cliffes there another and all the men drowned so that for the space of 20. dayes after the storme they did nothing els but fish for dead men that continually came driuing on the shore Among the rest was the English ship called the Reuenge that was cast away vpon a Cliffe nere to the Iland of Tercera where it brake in a hundred péeces and sunke to the ground hauing in her â—â— men Gallegos Biscaines and others with some of the captiue Englishmen whereof but one was saued that got vp vpon the Cliffes aliue and had his body and head all wounded and hee being on shore brought vs the newes desiring to be shriuen thervpon presently died The Reuenge had in her diuers faire brasse péeces that were all sunke in the sea which they of the Island were in good hope to waigh vp againe The next summer after among these shippes that were cast away about Tercera was likewise a Flie boat one of those that had bin arested in Portugall to serue the king called the white Doue The Master of her was one Cornelius Martenson of Schiedam in Holland and there were in her one hundred souldiers as in euerie one of the rest there was He being ouer ruled by the Captaine that he could not be Master of his owne sayling here and there at the mercie of God as the storme droue him in the end came within the sight of the Island of Tercera which the Spaniards perceiuing thought al their safety only to consist in putting into the road compelling the Master and the Pilot to make towards the Island although the Master refused to doe it saying that they were most sure
there to be cast away and vtterly spoyled but the Captaine called him drunkard and Heriticke and striking him with a staffe commanded him to do as he would haue him The Master séeing this and being compelled to doe it said well then my Masters seeing it is the desire of you all to bee cast away I can but loose one life and therwith desperately he sayled towards the shore and was on that side of the Island where there was nothing els but hard stones and rockes as high as Mountaines most terrible to behold where some of the Inhabitantes stood with long ropes and corke bound at the end thereof to throw them downe vnto the men that they might lay hold vpon them and saue their liues but few of them got so neere most of them being cast away and smitten in péeces before they could get to the wall The ship sayling in this manner as I said before towards the Island approching to the shore the master being an old man and ful of yeres called his sonne that was in the shippe with him and hauing imbraced one another and taken their last farewell the good old Father willed his sonne not to take care for him but seeke to saue himselfe for said he sonne thou art yong and may haue some hope to saue thy life but as for me it is no great matter I am old what become of me and therewith each of these shedding many teares as euerie louing father and kinde childe may well consider the ship sell vpon the Cliffes brake in peeces the father on the one side the sonne on the other side falling into the sea each laying hold vpon that which came next to hand but to no purpose for the sea was so high and furious that they were all drowned and onelie fourteene or fifteene saued theÌ„selues by swimming with their legges and armes halfe broken and out of ioint among the which was the Masters son and soure other dutch boâ—es the rest of the Spaniards and Saylers with the Captaine and Master were drowned whose heart would not melt with teares to behold so grieuous a sight specially considering with himselfe that the greatest cause thereof was y e beastlines and insolencie of the Spaniards as in this only example may wel bee seene whereby may be considered how the other ships sped as wee our selues did in part behold and by men that were saued did heare more aâ— laâ—â—e as also some others of our Countrimen that as then were in the like danger â—an well witnes On the other Islandes the losse was no lessâ— then in Terâ—eâ—â— for on the Island of Saint Georgâ— there were two ships cast away on the Island of 〈◊〉 two shippes on the Island Graâ—o three ships and besides those there came euerie where round about diuers peeces of brokâ— ships and other things fleeting towards the Islands wherewith the sea was all couered most pittifull to behold On the Island of S. Michaell there were foure â—hips cast away and betweene Tercera and S. Michaelâ— three more were sunke which were seene and heard to crie out wherof not one man was saued The rest put into the sea without Masts all torne and rent so that of the whole Fleete and Armado being 140. ships in al there were but 3â— or 33. ariued in Spaine and Portingall yea and those few with so great miserie paine labor that not two of them ariued there together but this day oâ—e and to morrow another next day the third and so one after the other to y e number aforesaid All the rest were cast away vpon the Islands and ouerwhelmed in the sea whereby may bee considered what great losâ—e and hinderance they receaued at that time for by many mens iudgementes it was esâ—â—med to be much more then was left by their armie that came for England and it may well bee thought and presumed that it was no other but a iust plague purposely sent by God vpon the Spaniards that it might truely bee said the taking of the Reuenge was iustlie reuenged vppon them and not by the might or force of man but by the power of God as some of them openly saâ— in the Isle of Tercera that they beleeueâ— verily God would consume them and that hee tooke part with Lutheranes and Heretickes saying further y t so soone as they had throwne the dead bodie of the Viceadmirall Sir Richard Greenfield ouer borde they verily thought that as he had a deuilish faith and religion and therefore y e deuils loued him so hee presently sunke into the bottome of the sea downe into Hell where he raysed vp all the deuilles to the reuenge of his death and that they brought so great stormes and tormentes vpon the Spaniardes because they onely maintained the Catholike and Romish religion such and the like blasphemies against God they ceased not openly to vtter without that any man reproued them therein â—or for their false opinions but the most part of them rather said and affirmed that of truth it must needes be so As one of those Indian Fleetes put out of Noua Spaigna there were â—â— of them by storme and tempest cast away and drowned in the sea being 5â— in all so that but 〈◊〉 escaped Of the fléete that came from Santo Domingo there were 14. cast away comming out of the channell of Hauana whereof the Admirall and Viceadmirall were two of them and from Terra Fiâ—ma in India there came two shippes laden with gold and siluer that were taken by the Englishmen and before the Spanish Armie came to â—oruâ— the Englishmen at time had taken at the least 20. shippes that came from S. Domingo India Brasilia c. and al sent into 〈◊〉 Whereby it plainly appareth that mâ—y end God wil assuredly plague the Spaniards hauing already blinded them so that they haue not the sence to perceiue it but still to remain in their obstinate opinions but it is lost labour to strâ—ue against God and to trust in man as being foundations created vppon the sands which with the wind are blome down and ouerthrowen as we dayly see before out eyes and now not long since in many places haue euidently obserued and therefore let euery man but â—ooke into his owne actions take our Low countries for an example wherein we can but blame our owne sinnes and wickednesse which doth so blind vs that wee wholly forget and reiect the benefites of God continuing the seruantes yoke slaues of Sathan God of his mercie euen our eyes and hearts that wee may know our onely health and sauiour Iesus Christ who 〈◊〉 can helpe gouerne and pâ—ue vs and â—e vs a happie ende in all our assures By this destruction of the Spaniardes and their euill successe the lading and shipping of the goods that were saued out of the shippe that came from Maâ—aâ— to â—ercera was againe put off and therefore we must haue patience till it please God to send a fitter time that
or rootes whereof they make bread and because it was late they returned againe vnto their shippe without doing any other thing for that day The next day the said Captaine with the aforesaide twelue men being Harquebushers rowed to land again and set two of their companie on shore with their vessels to fetch fresh water and by the place where they should fill their water there lay certaine Indians secretly hidden that fell vpon the two English men and tooke them which they in the boat perceiuing went out to helpe them but they were so assailed with stones and arrowes that all or the most part of them were hurt the Captaine himselfe béeing wounded with an arrowe on the face and will another arrowe in the head whereby they were constrained to turne backe againe without once hurting any of the Indians and yet they came so neare the boate that they tooke foure of their oares from them This done they set saile againe running along the coast with a South winde sailing so for the space of sixe miles passing by the Hauen called Saint Iago or Saint Iames where they put into a Hauen and there they tooke an Indian that lay fishing in a Scute or Canoa giuing him linnen and Butchers chopping kniues with other trifles and not long after there came an other Indian aboord their shippe called Felippe and hée spake Spanish hee gaue the English Captaine notice of a certaine shippe that lay in the Hauen of Saint Iago which they had left sixe miles behinde them with that intelligence the Indian béeing their guide the next day they set Saile and put to the aforesaide Hauen of Saint Iago and entring therein they tooke the saide Shippe wherein they found a thousand seuen hundred and 70. Bortigas of Spanish pots full of wine other thinges which hauing done they leapt on land where they tooke certaine sackes with meale with all whatsoeuer they could find they tooke likewise the ornaments and other Relickes out of the Church wherewith they departed from thence taking the aforesaid shippe with two menne that they found in her with them and so departed from that Hauen which lyeth vnder 32 degrées and ½ running along by the coast till they came vnder one and thirtie and thirty degrées which was the place where they had appointed to méet and there to stay for each other if by tempest or foule weather they chanced to be seperated and so loose each others company And comming vnder thirty degrées they found a very good Hauen wherein they entred and ankered at sixe fadome deepe the shotte of a great Péece from the Lande which was right ouer against a Riuer where they tooke in sixe Pipes of fresh water and to defend them that fetched the water they set twelue men vpon the Land and being busied in filling of their water they espied a company of men comming towards them wherof halfe of them were Spaniards being about two hundred and fifty horsemē and as many footemen but they had no sooner espied them but they presently entered into the Boat and escaped away loosing but one man The same night they set saile againe with both their Shippes running along the coast about ten miles further where they tooke in some fresh water but because they perceiued certaine horsemen they departed without lading any more water Frō thence they folowed on their course along the coast for the space of 30. myles where they entred into a desert or vnhabited Hauen yet they went not on Land for euery day they sawe people vpon the shore and there they made out a small pinnace the péeces whereof they brought readye framed out of England and hauing prepared it they launched it into the Water wherein the Captaine with fiftéene men entred with the cheefe Boatesman called Ian de Greicke being Maister of the shippe which they had taken in the Hauen of S. Iago wherewith they went to sée if they could finde the two Shippes that they had lost by stormy weather as I saied before and likewise thinking to goe on Land to fill certaine vessels with fresh Water they durst not venture for they sawe people on all side of the shoare so that in the end they returned againe without hearing of the other Shippes being there they tooke all the Ordinaunce out of their Shippe and newe dressed and rigged her which done they put a small péece of Ordinaunce into the Pinnace wherewith they set saile againe following on their course Hauing sayled thirtéene daies they came to an Island lying about the shot of a Base from the Lande where they ankered and there they found foure Indian Fishermen in two Canaos who tolde them that on the Firme Lande they might haue fresh water but they vnderstanding that there was not much and that it was somewhat within the Lande they would not spend any time about it but set sayle againe leauing the Fishermen with their Canaos following on their course along by the shore The next day being somewhat further they espied certaine Indian Fishermen that were vpon the Lande in their houses which the English Captaine perceauing presently entered into the Pinnace and rowed on Land where hee tooke three of the said Fishermen taking with him halfe of the Fish that lay packed vpon the shoare ready to bee laden with the which Indians and booty they came on boord againe The next day following they sawe a Barke laden with Fish that belonged to the Spaniards with foure Indians in it This Barke with the Indians and the Fish they tooke and bound the Spanish Shippe to their sterne and so drewe it after them leauing the said Indians within it who by night vnbound the Barke and secretly made away with Barke and Fish and were no more seene The next day the Captaine went into the Pinnace and because hee sawe certaine houses vppon the shoare hee made thither and beeing on Lande hee found two menne in them whereof one hee tooke leauing the other behinde and there hee found thrée thousand Pesoes of siluer euery Peso being the value of a Ryall of eight and seuen Indian Sheepe Hennes and all whatsoeuer they found wherewith they departed from thence following on their course and two dayes after they came by the hauen called Azijcka where they found two shippes the one laden with goods and Spanish wares out of the which they tooke only two hundred Bottigas or Spanish Pots with Wine and out of the other seuē and thirty Bharas of siluer which are péeces of tenne or twelue pound each Bharre and thinking to leape on shore with two Barkes that they found in the said Hauen with about seuen and thirty Harquebushes bowes they perceiued on the land certaine horsemen comming towards them whervpon they left off their pretence and tooke with them a Moore that they found within the Barkes with whome they retourned aboord The next day in the morning they burnt the shippe that was laden with the Spanish wares and tooke the other with
them passing forward with it on their course the Captaine sayling along the shore with his Pinnace and the Shippe keeping about a myle from him to Seaward to séeke for a shippe whereof they had intelligence and hauing in that manner sailed about fiue and forty myles they found the shippe that lay at anker in a hauen who about two houres before had beene aduertised of an English Pirate or Sea-rouer and had discharged eight hundred Bharres of siluer out of her and hidden it on the Land which siluer belonged to the King of Spaine of the which siluer the Englishmen had receiued some intelligence but they durst not goe on land because there were many Indians and Spaniards that stood to guard it and they found nothing in the ship but thrée Pipes of water the shippe they tooke with them and being about a mile in the Sea they hoised vp all her sailes let her driue doing the like with the Shippe that they had taken in Azijcka as also the other of Saint Iago which likewise they let driue following on their course with their owne ship and the Pinnace Being seuen or eight myles from the Hauen of Callan de Lyma they espied thrée Shippes and boording one of them they tooke thrée men out of her and so helde on their course towards Callan de Lyma where they entred being about two or thrée houres within night sayling in betwéene all the shippes that lay there being seuentéene in number and being among the ships they asked for the ship that had laden the siluer but wheÌ„ answere was made them that the siluer was laid on land they cut the cables of the ships and the masts of two of the greatest ships and so left them At the same time there arriued a Shippe from Panama laden with wares and Marchaundise of Spaigne that ankered close by the English Ship which was while the English Captaine sought in the other Shippes for the siluer As soone as the shippe of Panama had ankered there came a Boat from the shoare to search it but because it was in the night they let it alone till morning and comming to the English shippe they asked what shippe it was wherevpon one of the Spanish prisoners by the English Captaines commandement answered and said it was the shippe of Michiel Angelo that came from Chile which they of the boat hearing sent a man on boord who climbing vp light vpon one of the great Péeces wherewith hee was afraid and presently stept backe againe into the boate because the Shippes that lay there and that sayled in those Countries vsed to carry no great shotte and therewith they were abashed and made from it which the shippe of Panama hearing that was newely come in shee iudged it to bée a Rouer and therewith cutting her Cables shée put to Sea which the Englishmen perceiuing shipped certaine men in their Pinnace and followed her and being hard by her they baddde her strike which they of the shippe refused to doe and with a Harquebush shotte killed one of the Englishmen wherewith they turned againe into their shippe and presently set sayle following after the shippe which not long after they ouertooke which they of the Shippe perceiuing hoised out their Boate and leaping into it rowed to Land leauing the shippe with all the goods which the Englishmen presentlie tooke and with her sayled on their course The next day they sawe a boat with sayles making towards them whereby they presentlie mistrusted it to bee a Spye and not long after they perceaued two great shippes comming towards them which made the English thinke they came to fight with them wherevpon they let the Shippe of Panama driue therein leauing Iohn de Greicke With the two that they had taken the same day they entred into Callan de Lyma as I said before and presently hoised all their sailes and sailed forward not once setting eye againe vpon the aforesaid shippes for they made towards the shippe of Panama which the Englishmen let driue From thence they sayled againe along the coast following on their course and hauing sailed certaine dayes they met a Frigate that went towards Lyma laden with wares and Marchandises of the Countrey from whence the Englishmen tooke a Lampe and a Fountaine of siluer and asked the Pilote being a Spaniard if they met not with a Shippe that they vnderstoode should bee laden with siluer but the one Pilote said he met her not and the other said hee sawe her about thrée dayes before This Frigate came not to the shippe but to the Pinnace wherein the Captaine sayled for the Pinnace ranne close by the shoare and the shippe kept a myle and a halfe from the Lande wherewith they let the Frigate goe following on their course Two dayes after they came to the Hauen called Payta where they found a Shippe laden with Spanish wares which the Pinnace boorded and tooke it without any resistance for as soone as the Spaniards perceaued the Englishmen they presently made to Land with their Boat and two of them leapt into the Sea none staying in the shippe but the Maister Pilote and some Moores out of the which shippe the Englishmen tooke the Pilote and all the Bread Hens and a Hogge and so sayled forward with the Shippe but being about two Harquebush shotte to Seaward they let it goe againe not taking any thing out of it and asking after the shippe which they sought for they told them that about two daies before shee departed from that place wherewith they followed on their course and before night they met with a Shippe of Panama which they presently boorded but tooke nothing from her but onely a Moore and so left it holding on their course The next day being the first of February they met another Shippe that sayled to Panama laden with Fish and other victuals fortie Bharres of siluer and some golde but I knowe not howe much which they tooke and sent the passengers with two Friers that were in her in a boat to Land The next day they hanged a man of the Shippe because hee would not confesse two plates of golde that hée had taken which after they found about him which done they let the Shippe driue following on their course The first of March towards noone they espied the shippe laden with the siluer béeing about foure myles to Seaward from them and because the English Shippe was somewhat heauy before whereby it sayled not as they would haue it they tooke a company of Bottigas or Spanish Pots for Oyle and filling them with water hung them by ropes at the sterne of the Shippe to make her sayle the better and the shippe that sayled towards Panama made towards the English Shippe to knowe what she was thinking it to bee one of the shippes that vsed to saile along the coasts and to traâ—ficke in the country and being hard by her the English Captaine bad them strike but the other refusing to doe it with a great Peece
such like chances happen dayly by those fishes in India as well in the sea as in the Riuers specially among the Fishers for Pearles whereof many loose their liues In the Riuer of Goa in Winter time when the mouth of the Riuer was shut vp as commonly at that time it is the fishermen tooke a fish of a most wonderfull and strange forme such as I thinke was neuer seene eyther in India or in any other place which for the strangenes therof was presented to my Lord the Archbishop the picture whereof by his commandement was painted and for a wonder sent to the King of Spaine It was in bignes as great as a middle sized Dogge with a snout like a hogge small eies no eares but two holes where his eares should bee it had foure féet like an Elephant the tayle beginning somewhat vppon the backe broad and then flatte and at the verie end round and somewhat sharpe It ranne a a long the hall vppon the flore and in euerie place of the house snorting like a hogge The whole body head taile legs being couered with sâ—ales of a thumb breadth harder than Iron or steele Wee hewed and layd vppon them with weapons as if men should beate vpon an Anuill and when wee stroke vppon him hee rouled himselfe in a heape head and féete altogether so that hee lay like a round ball wee not beeing able to iudge where hee closed himselfe together neyther could wee with anie instrument or strength of hands open him againe but letting him alone and not touching him hee opened himselfe and ranne away as I said before And because I am now in hand with Fishes of India I will here declare a short and true Historie of a Fish although to some it may seeme incredible but it standeth painted in the Viceroyes Pallace in India and was set downe by true and credible witnesses that it was so and therefore it standeth there for memorie of a wonderfull thing together with the names and surnames of the ship Captaine day yere when it was done and as yet there are many men liuing at this day that were in the same shippe and aduenture for that it is not long since and it was thus That a ship sayling from Mosambique into India and they hauing faire weather a good fore winde as much as the Sayles might beare before the winde for the space of fourteene dayes together directing their course towards the Equinoctiall line euery day as they tooke the height of the Sunne in stead of diminishing or lessening their degrées according to the Winde and course they had and held they found them selues still contrarie and euery day further backewards then they were to the great admiration and wondering of them all and contrarie to all reason and mans vnderstanding so that they did not only wonder theraf but were much abasht beeing stedfastly perswaded that they were bewitched for they knew very well by experience that the streame or course of the water in those countries did not driue them backe nor withholde them contrarie to all Art of Nauigation whereupon they were all in great perplexity and feare standing still and beholding each other not once knowing the cause thereof At y e last the chiefe Boteson whoÌ„ they call the masters mate looking by chance ouerbord towards the beakhead of the ship he espied a great broad taile of a Fish that had winded it selfe as it were about the beake-head the body therof beeing vnder the keele and the heade vnder the Ruther swimming in that manner and drawing the shippe with her against the wind and their right course whereby presently they knewe the cause of their so going backewards so that hauing at the last stricken long with staues and other weapons vppon the fishes taile in the ende they stroke it off and thereby the fish left the ship after it had layne 14 dayes vnder the same drawing the ship with it against wind and weather for which cause the Viceroy in Goa caused it to be painted in his pallace for a perpetuall memory where I haue often read it with the day and time and the name both of the shippe and Captaine which I can not well remember although it bee no great matter There are many other fishes in those seas and riuers In the Riuer of Bengala called Gâ—aâ— and by Malacca there are Crocodiles and other sea Serpents of an vnspeakeable greatnes which often times doe ouerturne smal fisher boates and other sentes and deuoure the men that are therein and some of them creeping out of the water vnto the lande do snatch vppe diuers men which they hale after them and then kill them and eate them as it dayly happeneth in those Countries There are by Malacca certaine fish shelles found on the shore much like Scalop shelles so great and so heauie that two strong men haue enough to doe with a Leauer to draw one of them after them Within them there is a fish which they of Malacca do eate There were some of those shelles in the ballast of the shippe that came from Malacca kept company with vs from the Island of S. Hâ—lenâ— to the Islande of Tercera where the shippe was cast away and some of the shelles taken out of her which the Iesuites of Malacca had sent vnto Lisbone to set in the wals of their church and Cloyster which they there had caused to bee made and most sumptuously built The like happened to a shippe called S. Peter that sayled from Coâ— towardes Portingall that fell vpon a sande which at this day is called after the same ships name S. Peters sande lying from Goa South Southeast vnder 6. degrees vpon the South side where it was cast away but all the men saued themselues and of the woode of the shippe that was cast away they made a small Barke or Caruell wherewith they all arriued in India while they were busied about building of their ship they found such great Crabbes vpon that sand and in so great numbers that they were constrained to make a sconce and by good watch to defend themselues from theÌ„ for that they were of an vnreasonable greatnes so that whomsoeuer they got vnder their claws it cost him his life this is most true and not long since done for that in the same shippe wherein I came out of India into Portingal there were two of the Saylors that had beene in the same shippe called S. Peter and affirmed it for a truth as it is likewise paynted in diuers places in Goa for a perpetual memory which I thought good to set downe to shewe the strangenesse of those fishes and it is to be thought that there are many other fishes and sea monsters as yet to vs not known which are dayly found by such as continually vse to sea and doo often meete with them And this shall be sufficient for the fishes sea monsters of India The 49. Chapter Of all fruits trees plants and common hearbs
is verie dangerous therefore it is good reason they should shunne them and surely the Pilots ought to haue great care specially such as are in the Indian ships for that the whole ship and safetie thereof lyeth in their hands and is onely ruled by them and that by expresse commaundement from the King so that no man may contrary them They being thus betwéene the lands and by all y e Saylors iudgements hard by the drowthes of India the Pilot tooke the height of the Sunne and made his account that they were past the shallowes commaunding the Master to make all the sayle hee could and freely to sayle to Mosambique without any let or stay And although there were diuers Saylors in the shippe that likewise had their Cardes some to learne other for their pleasures as diuers Officers the Master and the chiefe Boatwayne that said it was better to keepe alooffe specially by night and that it would be good to hold good watch for y t they found they had not as then past the shallowes yet the Pilot saide the contrary and would needes shew that he only had skill and power to commaunde as commonly the Portingales by pride do cast themselues away because they wil follow no mans counsell and be vnder no mans subiection specially when they haue authoritie as it happened to this Pilot that would heare no man speake nor tak◠my counsell but his owne therefore commaunded that they should doe as he appointed them whereupon they hoysted all their Sayles sayled in that sort till it was midnight both with good wind faire wether but the Moone not shining they fell full vpon the Shallowes being of cleare white Corall and so sharpe that with the force of wynd and water that draue the shippe vpon them it cut the shippe in two peeces as if it had beene sawed in sunder so that the keele and two Oarlops lay still vpon the ground and the vpper part being driuen somewhat further at the last stuck fast the maste beeing also broken wherewith you might haue heard so great a crie that all the aire did sound therewith for that in the shippe being Admiral there was at the least fyue hundreth persons among the wich were 30. women with manie Iesuites and Fryers so that as then there was nothing else to bee done but euery man to shrifte bidding each other farewel and asking al men forgiuenes with weeping and crying as it may well be thought The Admirall called Fernando de Mendosa the Maister the Pylot and ten or twelue more presentlie entred into the small boate keeping it with naked Rapiers that no more should enter saying they would goe see if there were anie drie place in the shallowes whereon they might worke to make a Boate of the peeces of the broken shippe therein to sayle vnto the shore and so to saue their liues wherewith they put them that were behind in some small comfort but not much But when they had rowed about and finding no drie place they durst not returne again vnto the Shippe least the boate would haue beene ouerladen and so drowned and in the Shippe they looked for no helpe wherefore in fyne they concluded to row to land hauing about 12 boxes of Marmalade with a pipe of wine and some Bisket which in hast they had thrown into the boat which they dealt among them as néed required and so commending themselues to God they rowed forwardes towards the coast and after they had béene 17 daies vpon the sea they fell with great hunger thirst and labor on the land where they saued themselues The rest that stayed in the ship séeing the boate came not againe it may wel be thought what case they were in At the last one side of the vpper part of the ship betwéene both the vpper Oarlops where the great boat lay burst out and the Boate being halfe burst began to come forth but because there was small hope to be had and fewe of them had little will to proue masteryes no man layd hand thereon but euerie man sate looking one vpon an other At the last an Italian called Cyprian Grimoaldo rose vp and taking courage vnto him sayd why are we thus abashed Let vs seeke to helpe our selues and see if there be any remedie to saue our liues wherewith presentlie he leapt into the boat with an instrument in his hand and began to make it cleane whereat some others began to take courage and to helpe him as well as they could with such things as first came to their handes so that in the end there leaped at the least foure score and ten persons into it and many hung by the handes vppon the boat swimming after it amōg the which were some women but because they would not sinke the boate they were forced to cut off the fingers handes and armes of such as held thereon and let them fall into the sea and manie they threw ouer bord being such as had not wherewith to defend themselues Which done they set forwards committing themselues to God with the greatest cry and pitifullest noyse that euer was heard as though heauen and earth had gone together when they tooke their leaue of such as stayed in the Shippe In which manner hauing rowed certaine dayes and hauing but small store of victuals for that they were so manie in the boate that it was readie to sinke it being likewise verie leake and not able to hold out in the ende they agreed among themselues to chuse a Captaine to whome they would obey and doe as he commanded and among the rest they chose a gentle man a Mestico of India and swore to obey him hee presentlie commanded to throwe some of them ouer bord such as at that tyme had least meanes or strength to helpe themselues among the which there was a Carpenter that had not long before holpen to dresse the Boate whoe seeing that the Lot fell vpon him desired them to giue him a peece of Marmalade and a Cuppe of wine which when they had done he willingly suffered himselfe to bee throwne ouer bord into the Sea and so was drowned There was an other of those that in Portingale are called New Christians he béeing allotted to be cast ouer bord into the Sea had a younger Brother in the same Boate that sodainelie rose vp and desired the Captaine that hee would pardon and make free his Brother and let him supplie his place saying My Brother is older and of better knowledge in the world then I and therefore more fit to liue in the world and to helpe my sisters and friendes in their need so that I had rather die for him then to liue without him At which request they let the elder Brother loose and threwe the younger at his owne request into the sea that swōme at the least sixe howers after the boate And although they held vp their hands with naked rapiers willing him that hee shuld not once come to touch the Boate
hee shot her mast ouer boord and hauing wounded the maister with an arrowe the shippe presently yéelded which they tooke and sayled with her further into the Sea all that night and the next day and night making all the way they could The third day being out of sight of lande they began to search the shippes and to lade the goods out of her into their Shippe which was a thousand thrée hundred Bharres or peeces of siluer and foureteene chests with Ryals of eight and with golde but what quantity it was I knowe not onely that the passengers said that there was great store and that thrée hundred Bharres of the siluer belonged to the King the rest belonging to certaine Marchaunts that done they let the Shippe with the men sayle on their course putting the thrée Pilotes in her that they brought with them so that as then they had none but their owne men aboord being the sixt of March and from thence they helde their course towards the Lande of Nicaraga The thirtéenth of March either the day before or after in the morning they descried Land not being very high beeing a small Island two miles from the Firme land and there they found a small Baye wherein they ankered at fiue fadome déep close by the Lande and there they stayed till the second day Vpon the which day there passed a Frigate close by the Island which with their Pinnace they followed and taking her brought her to the English Shippe which Frigate was laden with Salsaperilla or Pocke-root and Bottigas or Pots with Butter and Honny and with other things The English Captaine went on boord and cast the Salsaperilla on the Lande leauing all the rest of the wares in the Frigate and then hee put all his Péeces into the Frigate that so he might lay his shippe on shore to new calke and trim her which continued till the thrée and twenty or foure and twenty of March which done and hauing made prouision of wood fresh water they helde on their course along by the coast sayling Westward taking the said Frigate and her menne with them and hauing sayled two daies they tooke their men out of her and set them in the Pinnace among the which were two Saylers that meant to sayle to Panama and from thence to China whereof one they tooke with the Letters and Sea-cardes that hee had about him among the which were the Letters of the King of Spaine sent to the Gouernour of China as also the Sea-cardes wherewith they should make their voyage and direct themselues in their course And so sailing on till the sixt of Aprill about euening they discouered a ship that held two miles to seaward from the land and before the next day in the morning they were hard by her and sodainely fell vpon her while her men slept presentlie made the mē enter into their ship among the which was one Don Francisco Caratte which done they followed on their course with the said ship out of the which they tooke certaine packes and other wares but I know not what it was They likewise tooke a Moore out of it and thrée dayes after they both let the Shippe and menne goe whether they would setting therein the two Saylers that should goe for China which they had taken in the Frigate kéeping onely one saylor to shew them where they should find fresh water to the which end they tooke the empty vessels with them to fill with water and so kept on their course to the hauen of Guatulco where they put in being vpon munday the thirtéenth of Aprill and hauing ankered they stayed there till the sixe and twenty of Aprill and being about thrée or foure houres in the night they set saile holding their course Westward and an houre or two before they let Nuno da Silua goe putting him into another shippe that lay in the Hauen of Guatulco From thence forward the Englishmen passed on their voyage to the Islands of Malucos and from thence they passed by the Cape De Bona Esperanza and so to England as it is well knowne so that this is only the description of the voyage that they made while the said Pilote Nuna da Silua was with them Hereafter followeth the Coppy of a Letter written by Sir Francis Drake beeing in the South Sea of newe Spaigne in his shippe called the golden Hart with the shippe of S. Iohn de Anton which hee had taken to his companions in the other shippes that were of his company and by foule weather seperated from him as I saied before The Contents whereof were these Maister Wouter if it pleaseth Godthat you should chance to méete with this shippe of S. Iohn de Anton I pray you vse him well according to my word and promise giuen vnto them and if you want any thing that is in this Shippe of S. Iohn de Anton I pray you pay them double the value for it which I wil satisfie again and command your men not to doe her any hurt and what composition or agréement wée haue made at my returne into England I will by Gods helpe performe although I am in doubt that this Letter will neuer come to your hands notwithstanding I am the man I haue promised to bee Beséeching God the Sauiour of all the world to haue vs in his kéeping to whome onely I giue all honour praise and glory This I haue written is not onely to you Maister Wouter but also to Maister Thomas Maister Charles Maister Caube and Maister Anthonie with all our other good friendes whome I commit to the tuition of him that with his bloud redéemed vs and am in good hope that wee shall bee in no more trouble but that hee will helpe vs in aduersitie desiring you for the Passion of Christ that if you fall into any danger that you will not despaire of Gods mercy for hee will defend you and preserue you from all daunger and bring vs to our desired Hauen to whom bee all honor glory and praise for euer and euer Amen Your sorrowfull captain whose heart is heauy for you Francis Drake An aduertisement to the Reader ALthough at the first it was my only intent to set downe the voyages and courses of the oriental coasts Islands and countries of the East parts with some other Nauigations of the places therabouts with the situations thereof as I haue already declared notwithstanding for that among other my Record I haue found the Nauigations of all the Hauens Riuers and Points of the coast of Brasilia and the voiages of the Portingales vnto the same together with the courses stretchings and situations of the Antillas or fore Islands of new Spaigne together with all the channels that runne betweene them and the Hauens as well of the aforesaid Islands as of the Firme Land of new Spaigne and likewise of the other side of the coast of Angola or Aethiopia I thought it not vnconuenient to set them downe in this place although it bee
pennie of all such goods passing to and fro 34 Q 155 V 000. The wolles that are yearely carried out of Spaine into other countries pay for euery sacke waighing about ten Aroben each Arobe bein 25. pound two duckats for such as are naturall all borne subiects of the land but a stranger payeth 4. duckets which amount vnto the yeare with the other 53 Q 586. V 000 The chiefe Almoxariffchay of Câ—la is larmed of the king for 10â— Q. 00 V 000. Marauedies yearely and is for the tenth pennie of all wares Marchandises of the Neatherlandes France England Portingale Italie c comming into Spaine and there to be discharged which one yeare with the other amount vnto 154 Q 309 V 000. The Almoxarifâ—hap of the Spanish Indies by the towne of Ciuillia hath farmed of the King which ariseth of all the wares that are laden in Ciuillia and sent into the Indies and are rated to pay the twentieth pennie arriuing in India the same wares doe pay yet a twentieth penny more and it is farmed out of the twentieth pennie due in Ciuillia yerely for the summe of 67 Q 000 V 000. The rent which the King receaueth by the mint in Spaine which is of euery marke of Siluer that is coyned in the said Mint each marke accounted sixe duckets in siluer one Riall of plate This rent is called El SeÌ„no reaxo de la moneda and the mint of Ciuill only riseth to as much as all the others this is yearely to the king 22 Q 000 V 000 The King hath farmed out the Master ships of Saint Iacob Calatraua Alcantara to the suckers of Ausburge and is the customes of corne wine oyle other things that are rated at a tenth pennie which in times past the said Masters vsed to haue In these customes are not comprehended nether Tercias nor Alcaualas but are receaued apart as I said before These Masterships are the cheiefe knights of the Crosse belonging to those thrée orders which vsed to haue chiefe rulers ouer them which were called Masters like the knights of Rhodes Malta or as in Cloysters and religious houses which were sworne to be true and obedient subiects and to obserue certaine orders prescribed as it is yet at this day which Masterships were in times past beeing offices of great estimation and account onely giuen vnto the blood Royall or els to some of the Kinges own children hauing certaine lands apointed to them and absolute commandement ouer them but of late yeares the kings of Spaine haue taken the same offices into their hands seruing or at the least presenting their places as Masters and commaunders ouer all knights of the Crosse of what order soeuer the farme whereof amounteth yearely vnto the sum of 98 Q 000 V 000. The king hath likewise rented out the pasturage of the lands of the said mastershippes yerely for the sum of 37 Q 000 V 000. He hath likewise found out the Quicksiluer of Almalen in the hil of Sierra Morena in the fieldes of Calatraua for yerely rent of 73 Q 000 V 000. The Bulles of the Popes of Rome which are called the Santa Crusada yeeld yearely to the king 200 Q 000 V 000. Which being reduced into English monie amounteth vnto the summe of one hundreth fortie seauen thousand fiftie and eight poundes and fiftéene shillings The rent called Subsedie which is thus all Priestes and spirituall persons that haue any benefices or spiritual rents of Churches Cloysters Chappels and such like must euerie man pay a certaine summe for a confirmation of his place or an enterance into his Stipendio Sallarus benefices and qualities which is like our first fruites This is giuen to maintaine warres against Infidels Heretickes for the which most Churches Cloysters haue agréed for a certaine summe yearely which cleare of al charges they must pay vnto the king this Subsedie is worth yearely 65 Q 000 V 000. Also all Bishops Churches of Spaine giue yearely vnto the king a certaine summe of monie towards his warres against Heritickes and Infidels which amounteth yearely 110 Q 000 V 000. These rentes are called El Excusado whereunto the Pope hath consented by his letters or Pattent Apostolica Romana so that the king may chuse a receauer out of euerie Chappell and Church to receaue the tenthes oâ— the spiritualty as of Corne Barley Wine Oyle c. and of all other thinges that are gathered of the ground and doe amount vnto as before The mine of Guadalcana lying in the countrie of Estremadura in the hilles of Sierra Morena were wont to be worth in siluer yerely gotteÌ„ out of the same 187 Q. 000 V 000 but what it now amounteth vnto it is not knowne as being of late yeares much diminished All the countries of Spaine giue vnto the king yearely a certaine rent called Excercitio towardes the keeping of Slaues maintenance and making of new Galleys the summe of 7 Q 750 V 000. The rent called de la Moneda Forera which is a reÌ„t raysing of euerie Heertsteede that payeth 7. Meruedies yearely of what quality or condition soeuer it be doth amount yearely to 6 Q 656 V 000. The rent or profit that commeth yearely out of the Indies to the kinges owne coffers is the summe of 300 Q 000 V 000 The kingdomes of Valencia Arragon and Catalonia giue yearely vnto the King besides other paymentes the summe of 75 Q 000 V 000. The Ilandes of Sardinia Maiorca and Minorca yéeld the king no profit for that the rents and reuenewes of the same are alwaies imployed to the defence and maintenance of the same Ilands against the enemy and sometimes more than is receaued The kingdome of Cicilia payeth yearely vnto the king 375 Q 000 V 000. The kingdome of Naples with the couÌ„tries of Pullia and Calabria doe yéeld yearely to the king 450 Q 000 V 000. The Dukedome of Millan payeth yerely 300 Q 000 V 000. The Prouinces of the Neatherlanders or Low countries with Burgondie vsed yerely to pay vnto the King the summe of 700 Q 000 V 000. But now in these wars and troublesome times there is no account therof to be made The farme of Cardes in Spaine is yerely worth vnto the king 20 Q 000 V 000. for that euery payre of cardes sold there payeth vnto the king halfe a riall and amounteth to as it is farmed 20 Q 000 V 000. The Rashes and clothes of Florence that are brought into Spaine are worth yearely 10 Q 000 V 000. for that euerie péece of Rash payeth sixe duckats custome to the king 10 Q 000 V 000. ALl these accounts tolles customes Alcaualas tenths and third pennies impostes contributions rents demaynes and reuenewes of the King of Spaine are gathered truely collected out of his exchequers of account in his said kingdomes and without any augmentation or diminishing set downe and recorded herein as they were farmed receaued and payde in the yeare of our Lord 1578.
a better place in Portingale with the which promise he tooke the voyage vpon him I thinking vpon my affaires vsed all meanes I could to get into his seruice and with him to trauaile the voiage which I so much desired which fell out as I would wish for that my Brother that followed the Court had desired his Master beeing one of his Maiesties secretaries to make him purser in one of the ships that the same yere should saile vnto the East Indies which pleased me well in so much that his said Master was a great friend and acquaintance of the Archbishops by which meanes with small intreatie I was entertained in the Bishops seruice and amongst the rest my name was written downe wee being in all forty persons because my Brother had his choise which ship he would be in he chose the ship wherein the Archbishop sayled the better to help each other and in this manner we prepared our selues to make our voyage being in all fiue ships of the burthen of fourtéene or sixtéene hundreth Tunnes each ship their names were the Admirall S. Phillip the Vize Admirall S. Iacob These were two new ships one bearing the name of the King the other of his sonne the other thrée S Laurence S. Francisco and our shippe S. Saluator Vpon the eight of Aprill beeing good Friday in the yeare of our Lorde 1583. which commonly is the time when their ships set sayle within foure or fiue dayes vnder or ouer wee altogether issued out of the Riuer of Lisbone and put to sea setting our course for the Ilands of Madera and so putting our trust in God without whose fauour helpe we can doe nothing and all our actions are but vaine we sayled forwards Chapter 3. The manner and order vsed in the ships in their Indian Voyages THe shippes are commonlye charged with foure or fiue hundred men at the least sometimes more sometimes lesse as there are souldiers and saylers to bée found When they go out they are but lightly laden onely with certaine pipes of wine oyle and some small quantitie of Marchandize other thing haue they not in but balast victuals for the company for that the most and greatest ware that is commonly sent into India are rials of eight because the principall Factors for pepper doe euery yere send a great quantitie of mony therewith to buy pepper as also diuers particular Marchants as being the least ware that men can carry into India for that in these rials of eight they gaine at the least forty per cento when the ships are out of the riuer and enter into the sea all their men are mustered as well saylers as souldiers and such as are founde absent and left on land being registred in the bookes are marked by the purser that at their returne they may talke with their suerties for that euery man putteth in suerties and the goods of such as are absent béeing found in the ship are presently brought foorth and prised and an Inuentorie thereof béeing made it is left to bee disposed at the captaines pleasure The like is done with their goods that die in the ship but little of it commeth to the owners hands being imbeseled and priuily made away The Master and Pilot haue for their whole voyage forth and home againe each man 120. Millreyes euery Millreyes being worth in Dutch money seauen guilders and because the reckoning of Portingale monie is onely in one sort of money called Reyes which is the smalest money to bee founde in that countrie and although it bee neuer so great a summe you doe receaue yet it is alwaies reckoned by Reyes whereof 160. is as much as a Keysers gilderne or foure rials of siluer so that two reyes are foure pence and one reye two pence of Holland money I haue thought good to set it downe the better to shew and make you vnderstand the accounts they vse by reyes in the countrie of Portingale But returning to our matter I say the Master and the Pilot doe receaue before hand each man twenty foure millreyes besides that they haue chambers both vnder in the ship and cabbins aboue the hatches as also primage certaine tunnes fraught The like haue all the other officers in the ship according to their degrées and although they receaue money in hand yet it costeth them more in giftes before they get their places which are giuen by fauour and good will of the Proueador which is the chiefe officer of the Admiraltie and yet there is no certaine ordinance for their payes for that it is dayly altered but let vs reckon the pay which is commonly giuen according to the ordinance and maner of our ship for that yeare The chiefe Boteswain hath for his whole pay 50. Millreyes and receaueth ten in ready money The Guardian that is the quarter master hath 1400. reyes the month and for fraught 2800. and receaueth seuen Millreyes in ready money The Seto Piloto which is the Masters mate hath 1200. reyes which is thrée duckets the month and as much fraught as the quarter Master two Carpenters two Callafaren which helpe them haue each man foure duckets a month and 3900. Millreyes fraught The Steward that giueth out their meate and drinke and the Merinho which is he that imprisoneth men aborde and hath charge of all the munition and powder with the deliuering forth of the same haue each man a Millreyes the month and 2340. reyes fraught besides their chambers and fréedome of custome as also all other officers saylers pikemen shot c. haue euery man after the rate and euery one that serueth in the ship The Cooper hath thrée duckets a month and 3900 reyes fraught Two Strinceros those are they which hoise vp the maine yeard by a wheele and let it downe againe with a whéele as néedis haue each man one Millreyes the month and 2800. reyes fraught Thirty thrée saylers haue each man one Millreyes the month and 2800. reyes fraught 37. rowers haue each man 660. reyes the moneth and 1860. reyes fraught foure pagiens which are boyes haue with their fraught 443. reyes the month one Master gunner and eight vnder him haue each man a different pay some more some lesse The surgion likewise hath no certaine pay The factor and the purser haue no pay but only their chambers that is below vnder hatches a chamber of twentie pipes for each man ten pipes and aboue hatches each man his cabbin to sléepe in whereof they make great profit These are all the officers and other persons which sayle in the ship which haue for their portion euery day in victuals each man a like as well the greatest as the least a pound and thrée quarters of Bisket halfe a Can of Wine a Can of water an Arroba which is 32. pound of salt flesh the moneth some dryed fish onyons and garlicke are eaten in the beginning of the voyage as being of small valew other prouisions as Suger Honny Reasons Prunes
dumbe beastes doe shew vs as it were in a glasse that wee should doe so as they doe not onley when they haue their sence and vnderstanding but which is more to bee wondred at when they are out of their wits starke mad whereas men many times hauing all their vnderstanding and their fiue wits souÌ„d do cast the benefits which they haue receiued behind their backs yea and at this day doe reward all good déedes with vnthankfulnesse God amend it The 47. Chapter Of the Abadas or Rhinoceros THe Abada or Rhinoceros is not in India but onely in Bengala and Patane They are lesse and lower than the Elephant It hath a short horne vpon the nole in the hinder part soÌ„what big toward the end sharper of a browne blew and whitish colour it hath a snout like a hogge and the skin vppon the vpper part of his body is all wrinckled as if it were armed with Shields or Targets It is a great enemie of the Elephant Some thinke it is the right Vnicorne because that as yet there hath no other bin found but only by hearesay and by the pictures of them The Portingales and those of Bengala affirme that by the Riuer Ganges in the Kingdome of Bengala are many of these Rhinoceros which when they will drinke the other beasts stand and waite vpon them till the Rhinoceros hath drinke thrust their horne into the water for he cannot drink but his horne must be vnder the water because it standeth so close vnto his nose and muzzle and then after him all the other beastes doe drinke Their hornes in India are much estéemed and vsed against all venime poyson and many other diseases likewise his teeth clawes flesh skin and blood and his very dung and water and all whatsoeuer is about him is much estéemed in India and vsed for the curing of many diseases and sicknesses which is very good and most true as I my selfe by experience haue found but it is to be vnderstood that all Rhinocerotes are not a like good for there are some whose hornes are sold for one two or thrée hundred Pardawes the péece and there are others of the same colour and greatnes that are sold but for three or foure Pardawes which the Indians know and can discerne The cause is that some Rhinocerotes which are found in certaine places in the countrie of Bengala haue this vertue by reason of the hearbes which that place only yéeldeth and bringeth foorth which in other places is not so and this estimation is not onely held of the horne but of all other things in his whole body as I saide before There are also by Malacca Sion and Bengala some goates that are wild whose hornes are estéemed for the best hornes against poyson and all venime that may bee found they are called Cabras de Mato y t is wilde Goates These hornes are of great account in India and much estéemed and are oftentimes by experience found to bee verie good wherof I my self am a good witnes hauing prooued the same In the yeare 1581. as king Phillip was at Lisbone there was a Rhinoceros and an Elephant brought him out of India for a present and he caused them both to be led with him vnto Madril where the Spanish Court is holden This shal suffice as touching beastes and birdes in those countries although there are many others which are not so well knowne therefore I haue heere set downe none but such as are dayly séene there in the land and well known by euery man in the countrie The 48. Chapter Of the Fishes and other beastes in the Seas of India FIsh in India is verie plentifull and some very pleasant and swéete The best Fish is called Mordexiin Pampano and Tatiingo There is a fish called Piexe Serra which is cut in round péeces as we cut Salmon and salt it It is very good and wil indure long to carie ouer sea in ships for victuals Most of their fish is eaten with rice that they séeth in broth which they put vpon the rice and is somewhat sowre as if it were sodden in gooseberries or vnripe grapes but it tasteth well and is called Carâ—iil which is their dayly meat the rice is in stead of bread there are also good Shads Soles and other sortes of fishes The Garnaten is the best greatest that euer I saw any for that with a dozen of them a man may make a good meale The Crabs and Creuishes are verie good and maruellous great that it is a wonder to tell and that which is more wonderful when the moone is in the full here with vs it is a common saying that then Crabbes and creuishes are at the best but there it is cleane contrarie for with a full moone they are emptie and out of season and with a new moone good and full There are also Muskles and such like shelfishes of many sorts oysters very many specially at Cochin from thence to the cape de Comoriin Fish in India is very good cheape for y e with the valew of a sâ—iuers of their money a man may buy as much fish and rice to it as will serue fiue or sixe men for a good meale after the Spanish manner which is very good cheape in respect of their victuals in Spaine and Portingall There is in the riuers and also in the Sea along the coast of India great store of fishes which the Portingalls call Tubaron or Hayen This fish doth great mischiefe and deuoureth many men that fish for pearles and therefore they dare not swimme in the riuers for feare of these fishes but doe vse to bath themselues in cesternes made for the same purpose as I said before As our ship lay in the Riuer of Cochin readie to sayle from thence to Portingall it hapned that as we were to hang on our rutter which as then was mended the master of the ship with 4 or 5. saylers went with the Boat to put it on and an other Sayler beeing made fast with a corde about his middle and tied to the Ship hung downe with halfe his body into the water to place the same vpon the hookes and while he hung in the water there came one of those Hayens and bit one of his legs to the middle of his thigh cleane off at a bit notwithstanding that the Master stroke at him with an oare and as the pore man was putting downe his arme to feele his wound the same Fish at the second time for another bit did bite off his hand and arme aboue the elbow and also a péece of his buttucke The Master and all the Saylers in the Boate not being able to help him although they both stroke and flang at it with staues and oares and in that miserable case the pore man was carried into the Hospitall where we left him with small hope of life and how he sped after that God knoweth for the next day we set sayle and put to Sea These and
the seas and did great hurt to the ships and marchants of Bassora that traffiqued in Ormus whereby the trafique to the saide towne of Ormus was much hindered to the great losse and vndoing of many a marchant With this commission they set forwarde with their Lieuetenant and being come to Nicola where they ran their fustes on shore so that they lay halfe dry vpon the sand euery man in generall leaped on land without any order of battaile as in all their actions they vse to doe which the Lieuetenant perceiuing would haue vsed his authoritie and haue placed them in order as in warlike affaires is requisite to be done but they to the contrarie would not obay him saying hee was but a Bore that they were better Gentlemen soldiers then he and with these and such like presumptuous spéeches they went on their course scattering here there in all disorders like shéepe without a shepheard thinking all the world not sufficient to containe them and euery Portingall to bee a Hercules and so strong that they could beare the whole world vpon their sholders which the Arabians being within the land and most on horsebacke perceyuing and séeing their great disorder knowing most of their Fustes to lie drie vpon the strand and that without great payne and much labour they coulde not hastily set them on floate presently compassed them about and being ringed in manner of a halfe Moone they fell vpon them and in that sorte draue them away killing them as they list till they came vnto their Fustes and because they could not presently get their Fustes into the water through fear and shame they were complled to fight where likewise many of them were slaine and not aboue fiftie of them escaped that had set foote on land and so being gotten into their Fustes they rowed away In this ouerthrow there were slayne aboue 800. Portingalles of the oldest best soldiers in all India and among them was a Trumpetter being a Netherlander who being in the thickest of the fight not farre from the Portingalles ensigne and séeing the Ensigne-bearer throw downe his Ensigne the easier to escape and saue his life and that one of the Arabians had taken it vp casting his Trumpet at his backe he ranne in great furie and with his rapier killed the Arabian that held it and brought it againe among the Portingals saying it was a great shame for them to suffer it so to bee carryed away and in that manner he held it at the least a whole hower and spoyled many of the Arabians that sought to take it from him in such manner that he stood compassed about with deade men and although hee might haue saued himselfe if hee woulde haue left the Ensigne yet he would not doe it till in the ende there came so many vpon him that they killed him where he yeéelded vp the Ghost with the ensigne in his armes and so ended his dayes with honour which the Portingalles themselues did confesse and often acknowledged it commending his valour which I thought good to set downe in this place for a perpetuall memorie of his valiant mind The Lieuetenant perceyuing their disorder and how it would fall out wisely saued himselfe and got into the Fustes where hee behelde the ouerthrow and in the ende with the emptie vessels he turned againe to Ormus without doing any thing else to the great griefe and shame of all the Indian soldiers being the greatest ouerthrow that euer the Portingals had in those countries or wherein they lost so many Portingalles together among the which was the Archbishoppes brotherâ— and many other young and lustie Gâ—tlemen of the principallest in all Porâ—ngall At the same time the Queene of Oâ—mus came to Goa being of Mahomet religion as all her auncesters had beene before her and as then were contributarie to the Portingall She caused her selfe to be christened and was with great solemnitie brought into the Towne where the Viceroy was her Godfather and named her Donna Phillippa after the King of Spaines name being a faire white woman very tall and comely and with her likewise a brother of hers being verie young was also christened and then with one Mathias Dalburquerâ—k that had beene Captain of Ormus she sailed to Portingall to present her selfe to the king She had married with a Portingall Gentleman called Anton Dazeuedo Conâ—nho to whome the king in regarde of his mariage gaue the Captaine shippe of Ormus which is worth aboue two hundred thousande duckets as I said before This Gentleman after hee had beene maried to the Queene about halfe a yeare liuing very friendly and louingly with her hee caused a shippe to bee made therewith to saile to Ormus there to take order for the rentes and reuenewes belonging to the Queene his wife but his departure was so grieuous vnto her that she desired him to take her with him saying that without him she could not liue but because he thought it not as then conuenient hee desired her to be content promising to returne againe with all the speede he might Wherevppon hee went to Bardeâ— which is the vttermost parte of the Riuer entering into Goa about thrée myles off and while hee continued there staying for winde and weather The Quéene as it is saide tooke so great gréefe for his departure that she dyed the same day that her husbande set saile and put to sea to the great admiration of all the Countrey and no lesse sorrowe because shee was the first Quéene in those countries that had béene christened forsaking her kingdome and high estate rather to die a Christian and married with a meane Gentleman then to liue like a Quéene vnder the lawe of Mahomet and so was buried with great honor according to her estate In the month of August 1586 there ariued a man of Mosambique in Goa y t came from Portingal in y e ship y t shold saile to Malacca that brought newes vnto the Viceroy how the ship called the Boa Viagen that in the yeare before sailed from India towards Portingall was cast away by the cape de Bona Speranza where it burst in peeces beeing ouerladen for they do coÌ„monly ouerlade most of their ships â— affirmed that the ship had at the least â— haÌ„dfull high of water within it before it departed froÌ„ Cochiin althogh before their ships set sayle they put the Master and other Officers to their othes therby to make them confesse if the ship be strong and sufficient to performe the voyage or to let them know the faults which vpoÌ„ their said oathes is certefied by a protestation made wherunto the Officers set their handes yet though the ship haue neuer so many faultes they will neuer confesse them because they will not loose their places and profit of the Voyage yea although they doe assuredly knowe the ship is not able to continue the Voyage for that couetousnes ouerthrowing wisedome pollicie maketh them reiect all feare but when they fall
ten thousand duckets readie money were in doubt that they should not finde wares enough to lade it withall yet in the end it was in a manner laden as well as the other ships were Nowe it was agréed by the owners that sold it that the Maister Gunner and chiefe Boteswaine shoulde kéepe their places stil within the shippe as they had when it sailed to China and Iapen The Gunners name was Diricke Gariâ—son of Enchusen who after he had beene 20. yeares in India was minded as then to saile in that shippe to Portingall with whome because of olde acquaintance and for his company I minded to sée if I could get any place within the shippe And because the farmers of pepper had their factors in India that were DutchmeÌ„ which lay there in the behalfe of the Foukers and Velsares of Ausburg who at that time had a part of the pepper laden in that ship and vse to send in each ship a Factor to whome the King alloweth a Cabine and victuails for the voyage This place of Factor in the said shippe called Santa Crus I did obtaine of the Farmers because they were of my acquaintance Whereupon I prepared my selfe to depart and got a Pasporte of the Viceroy without which no man may passe out of India as also a Certificat out of the Kinges chamber of accountes and out of the Matricola generall wherein all such as come into India are registred with a note of my paye which by the Kings commandement is appoynted to bee paide vppon certificate from thence and withall the time of my residence in India and what place I was imployed in there that when I came into Portingall I might haue recompence if I would aske it or minded to returne againe into India But although I had no such intent yet I must of force obserue this order to make them thinke I would returne againe and the easier to obtaine my Pasport which was easily graunted mée by the Gouernour as also the other Certificates and hauing obtayned them I tooke my leaue of all my friends and acquaintance not without great griefe as hee that was to depart out of his second naturall dwelling place by reason of the great and long continuance that I had made in those countries so that I was in a manner halfe disswaded from my pretended voyage But in the end the remembrance and affection of mâ— true natural countrie got the vpper hâ—nd and ouer ruled me making me wholy to forget my conceipt vnto the contrarie and so committing my selfe my affaires vnto God who onely can direct and helpe vs and giue good successe to all endeuours I entred into my new pretended course In the Month of Nouember 1588. the ships sayled againe from Goa to the coast of Mâ—lâ—baâ— Cochijn to take in their lading And the 2â— of the same month the Santa-Cruâ— set sayle to begin our Viage The 28. day we arriued in Honor a Fort belonging to the Portingals and the first they haue vpon the coast of Malabar which lyeth Southward from Goa eighteene miles in which place we were assigned to take in our lading of Pepper They vsed not before to lade any Pepper in that place so that we were the first that euer laded there but from thence forwards they minded yearely to lade one ship there because the Queene of Batticola that lay not farre from thence and Honoâ— being within her Iurisdiction or kingdom had bouÌ„d her selfe yearely to deliuer seauen or eight thousand Quintales of Pepper so that the Farmers paied her halfe y e mony for the same sixe Months before thee deliuered it and then shee would deliuer it at times For the which cause the Farmers haue their Factor in Honor to receiue it of her by waight and lay it vp till the time of lading commeth The like haue they in all the other Fortes vppon the coast of Malabar as at Mangalar Baâ—selor Cananor Cochijn Coulan c. Nowe to know the right manner of farming of the Pepper you must vnderstand that the Farmers take the same to Farme for fiue yeres and bind themselues euery yeare to send their stocke of readie money for thirtie thousand Quintales of Pepper so that the King will send ships to lade it in The King on the other side bindeth himselfe to performe and to send euerie yeare fiue ships the Farmers bearing the aduenture of the Sea both of their mony sending thether and of the Pepper brought from thence must lade it in India into the ships at their owne costs and charges which being brought into Portingall they deliuer al the Pepper to the King at the price of twelue Ducats the Quintall if any bee cast away or taken vpon the Sea it is at the Farmers charge for the King dealeth not but onely with that which is deliuered him in Portingall being drie and faire laide vp in the Kings store house in Lisbone for the which he payeth not any money vnto the Farmers vntill the said Pepper be sold with the mony wherof he payeth them so that the King without any hazard or disbursing any thing oâ— his owne hath alwaies his money for his Pepper without the losse of any one pennie And in that respect the Farmers haue great and strong priueledges first that no man of what estate or condition so euer he bee either Portingall or of any place in Indiâ— may deale or trade in Peper but theâ— vpon paine of death which is verie sharply looked vnto Likewise they may not for any occasion or necessitie whatsoeuer diminish or lessen the ordinarie stocke of money for the Pepper neither hinder or let them in any sorte concerning the lading thereof which is also verie strictly obserued For although the Pepper were for the Kings owne person yet must the Farmers Pepper be first laden to whome the Viceroy and other Officers and Captaines of India must giue al assistance helpe and fauour with watching the same and al other things whatsoeuer shall by the said Farmers bee required for the safetie and benefite of the saide Pepper For the lading and prouiding wherof the said Farmers are to send their Factors seruants and assistants of what nation so euer they bee except Englishmen Frenchmen and Spaniards vnto euery place to see it laden and dispatched away for other strangers may not goe into India without the speciall licence of the King or his counsell of India The Pepper commonly costeth in India 28. Pagodes the Bhar euerie Bhar is three Quintales and a halfe Portingall waight so that euery Quintall standeth them in twelue Pardawes Xeraâ—â—ius and foure â—angoes Euerie Quintall is 1â—8 pounds and euerie Pardawe thrée Testones or thirtie Stiuers heauie money and euery â—aâ—ga â—iâ—â—e Reijs or sixe Stiuers which is twelue Dollers of sixtie pence Flemish the peece after the rate of Portingall money and twentie foure Stiuers of the like money besides all charges aduenture of the Seas But the great quantitie maketh them gaine the
yearelie are sent thether out of Portingal there returneth not a hundreth again some â—ying there in the countrie others beeing cast away and slayne by diuers occasions and the rest by pouertie not able to returne againe and so against their willes are forced to stay in the Countrie If anie of them doe chance to come it is with some Viceroy Captaine or other Gentleman or person that hath borne office or authoritie and when such men come ouer they alwaies take some Soldiers with them to whome they giue meate and drinke and yet are such as are of their acquaintaÌ„ce and that long before had bene at their commandements which they doe for the most part vpon a certaine pryde and vaine glorie and in this sort there may yearelie come 20 or 3â— Soldiers ouer in each Shippe which haue their Slaues and Blacke Mores with them so that they come cleane and sweet home both for Linnen and other thinges because Linnen in India is verie good cheap and the Shippes when they returne home are cleaner then when they set out of Portingale because they haue fewer men in them and such as come out of India bring all their necessaries with them besides that the shippe is verie sweete by reason of the spice that is laden in it The partition of the ship is in this manner the Pilot hath his Cabbin aboue in the hinder part of the shippe on the right side where he hath two or thrée roomes and neuer commeth vnder hatches nor downe into the foreship but standeth only and commaundeth the Master of the ship to hoise or let fall the sailes and to looke vnto his course how they shall steere to take the height of the sunne euery day to write and marke what passeth and how they saile with what tokens winde and weather they haue euerie day the Master hath his Cabin in the same place behind the Pilotes Cabins on the left hand with as manie places and roomes as the Pylot hath where he standeth and commandeth with a siluer whistle looketh onlie to the Mayne Maste and her Sayles and so backwards yet he hath the care of all the Shippe and whatsoeuer belongeth to it and commandeth all thinges as to make mend the sayls which he cutteth out the saylers sow them he looketh also if there be any fault in the shippe and causeth it to be mended as need requireth to draw their Cannon in and againe to put it out If hee wanteth any thing as cloth for sailes nailes ropes or any such like thinges as are needful she must aske them of the Factor and purser of the shippe which presently are deliuered vnto him with a note of his hand in the booke to be accountable for it The chiefe Boteson hath his Cabbin in the forecastle and hath commandement and gouernement ouer the Fouke mast and the fore sayles hée hath also a siluer whistle like the master and taketh care for all thinges belonging to the Fouke maste and for the fast binding of the ankers The Guardian or quartermaster hath his Cabbin close by the great mast outward on the left hand for on the right hand standeth the scullerie and kitchin where they dresse their meat he weareth a siluer whistle and hath charge to sée the swabers pumpe to make the ship cleane to looke to the ropes cause them to bee mended and to the boate which he commonly ruleth the Gunner hath his Cabbin inward from the mast hard by the Ruther vnder the first Oorlope and must alwaies sit by the maine mast looking vppon the master both night and day that as the Master whistleth to will the Gunners to draw in their péeces or to thrust them out he may bée readie so to doe he likewise taketh caâ—e for the peeces and the thinges belonging to them when they haue cause to vse them the vnder Pilot doth nothing but helpe the chiefe Pilot watch his quarter they haue likewise two or three of the best saylers that doe nothing els but command in the Pilots roome wheÌ„ he sléepeth The saylers haue most of their Cabins in the forecastle and there abouts the Gunners behinde by the master Gunner vnder the vpper decke doe nothing els but with their instruments put the great peeces forth or draw them in as they are coÌ„manded the swabers must doe all whatsoeuer they are bidden to doe by the officers but neuer touch the Ruther for the saylers doe only stéere and rule the ship when néed requireth but not the pumpe neyther doe they hoyse vp the maine sayle for the souldiers and slaues vse to doe that the swabers pumpe the Carpenter doth such worke as is to bee done the Cooper in like sort and the Calker so that if the shippe were sincking not any of them will doe more than belongeth to his charge and what further is to bee done they will stand still looke vppon it the Captaine hath the Gallerie and the Cabbin behind he commandeth onely ouer the souldiers such as watch by night the Pilot Master and the Boteson are serued in very good sorte with their siluer lampes beakers cups bowles euery man by himselfe and are waited on by their slaues and seruants and haue enough of euery thing but the other saylers swabers haue not such store but indure more hardnes for euery man must prouide for himselfe as we told you before Now you must vnderstand that in their ships there is no aueridge for that when there happeneth any losse or that any goods are throwne ouer board hée standeth to the losse that oweth the goods without any more accounts and that commonly falleth out vpon the poore swabers for they vsually haue their chestes standing vppon the hatches because they haue nothing to giue vnto the Porters that they might haue a good place for them as the others of greater abilitie vse to doe and when any storme or hurt chanceth than they throw the thinges ouerboard that first comes to hand without respect of persons â—nye aueridge to bee made In this sort setting saile we held our course south south East for the space of 150. miles till we came to the Equinoctiall line from thence till we were vnder seauen degrées in the same course and from thence south West and by West vnto the cape de Bona Speranza which way was neuer vsed before that time for they vsed to saile from Cochiin south west and south west and by South betwéene the Islands of Maldiua and a thousand other Islands and sands vnto the Iland of Saint Laurence and so to the cape but after that the Pilot had lost the Saint Iames vpon the shallowes of India and escaped aliue and was now Pilot in the Saint Thomas béeing the best shippe in all our Fléete hee had the fore Voyage and kept aloofe two or thrée hundred miles out into the Sea cleane from all Islandes sandes or cliffes saying that the casting away of so many ships
the South vnder seuen de grées and from that time forwards we saw her no more but onely the tokens of y e casting of her away about the Cape de bona Speranza which after being at the Island of S. Helena was tolde vs more at large The same day we had a great storme of wind and raine so that the Ruther of our great maste by force of the Sea was broken And from the line we had a North and northwest wind with continuall raynes stormes and fowle weather neuer ceasing vntill wee came vnder 20. degrees which was vpon the 25. of Februarie and then wee had a Southeast wind with fayrer weather called by the Portingalles the generall wind which they commonly finde and looke for vnder 12. degrees but we had it not before we were vnder â—0 degrees the cause whereof wee thought to be for that we had put so farre into the sea out of the common way This wind commonly holdeth vnto 27. or 28. degrées little more or lesse and then they must looke for all kindes of windes and weathers vntill they come to the Cape de bona Speranza without any certainty of winds The 5. of March being vnder 25 degrées we had an East winde with a most great storme and exceeding raine so that our Ruther-staffe brake and two more that we had in the shippe one after the other being put vnto it broke likewise with the pinne and y e ioynt wherein the ende of the Ruther hung and we were forced to lie and driue without steering hauing stricken all our sayles and the shippe so toised by the waues on all sides that wee had not one drie place in all the ship In this sort wee lay driuing for the space of two dayes and two nights together with a continuall storme and fowle weather with rayne The same night we saw vppon the maine yarde and in many other places a certaine signe which the Portingalles call Corpo Santo or the holy body of brother Peter Gonsalueâ— but the Spaniards call it S. Elmo and the Greekes as ancient writers rehearse and Ouid among the rest vsed to call it Helle and Phryxus Whensoeuer that signe sheweth vpon the Maste or maine yarde or in any other place it is commonly thought that it is a signe of better weather when they first perceiue it the maister or the chiefe boteswaine whistleth and commaundeth euery man to salute it with a Salue corpo Santo and a misâ—ricordia with a very great cry and exclamation This constellation as Astronomers do write is ingendred of great moysture and vapors and sheweth like a candle that burneth dimly and skippeth from one place to another neuer lying still We saw fiue of them together all like the light of a candle which made mee wonder and I should haue hardly beleeued it but that I saw it and looked verie earnestly vpon it and although it was fowle weather whereby I had no great leasure to think vpon such curious thinges notwithstanding I came purposely from vnder the hatches to note it Those fiue lights the Portingals cal Coroa de nossa Seâ—liora that is deere Ladies Crowne and haue great hope therein when they see it And therewithall our men being all in great feare and heauines and almost out of hope began againe to reuiue and to be glad as if thereby they had beene fully assured of better comfort The seuenth of March wee had better weather and then we tooke counsell how to mend our Ruther some were of opinion we shoulde saile to Mosambique and rule the Ruther with a rope others were of contrary opinion and said we might mend it abord and so performe our voyage so that at the last we pulled certaine péeces out of the ships side for we had not brought one with vs as néede required but being pulled forth they were all too little and woulde not serue In the ende wee sound it conuenient to take one of the bosses in our shippe and thereof to make an Anuile and of two Oâ—e hydes a payre of bellowes wherewith wee went to worke and of a péece of an olde hooke or dragge wee tooke two or three ends whereof but one woulde serue and that halfe broken and the splinters wee bounde with an Iron hoope and so being fitter to the Ruther wee set forwards in the name of God This asked vs two dayes worke before wee could dispatch it theÌ„ we hoysed sayle again with great ioy gaue diuers almes to our Lady and the Saintes wâ—th many promises of better life as being in misery mâ—n commonly do The day after we tooke the height of the Sunne and found our selues to be vnder 28. degrees and two thirdes being in the height of the land called â—erra Dâ—natal although wee were at the least â—â—â— miles to seaward from the lande and there wee had good weather with a Southeast winde In this countrey called â—erra Doâ—â—â—aâ— which reacheth to 3â— degreesâ— and at the Cape de bona Spâ—â—anza and is the hardest passage that is in all the voyage and oftentimes they feare the land of Natal more thâ—n â—he â—ape for there commonly is stormy and fowle weather and many shippes haue â—eene spoyled and cast away as the Portingalles recordes can verie well shew In the same countrey also wee founde the signes of the casting away of the S. Thomas so that to to conclude commonly the shippes doe there pay tribute by casting some lading ouer bord or else leaue body and all behind and therefore it is called Terra Donatal that is to say the lande of Christmasse and for this cause they neuer passe it without great feare but with good watch and great foresight all their ropes being stiffe and well looked vnto the peeces drawne in and all chestes pottes fattes and other roomage that are not stowed vnder hatches being throwne ouer borde into the sea and euery thing setled and made ready in his place for that in this coast they haue one houre fayre weather and another houre stormie weather in such manner as if heauen and earth should waste and be consumed In that place likewise with a cleare and fayre weather there commeth a certayne cloude which in shew séemeth no bigger then a mans fist and therefore by the Portingals it is called Oâ—ho de Boy or Oxe eye and although as then it is cleare and calme weather and that the sailes for want of wind do beate against the mastes yet as soone as they perceyue that cloude they must presently strike all their sayles for that commonly it is vpon the ships before they perceyue it and with such a storme and noyse that without al doubt it would strike a shippe into the water if there be not great care had to looke vnto it as it chaunced to the second fléete after the Portingalles had discouered the Indieâ— there being ten or twelue shippes in company which in such a calme and fayre weather let all their sailes hang and regarded them not and
and desert as it sheweth and nothing but harde stones and rockes In good ground their Vines will not grow but onely in the wild stony places for that cause they are much esteemed The good groundes and plaine fieldes which in some places are verie many specially by villa da Prava are sowed with corne and woad they haue so much corne that they neede not bring any from other places although that besides their inhabitants natural borne Islanders They haue continually with them 14. companies of Spaniards which are all fed and nourished by the corne that groweth in the countrey vnlesse there chance to come a hard vnfruitfull yeare as oftentimes it doth for then they are forced to helpe themselues with forraine corne and that specially because of the soldiers that lie in the Iland yet it is strange that the corne and all other things in the Iland continue not aboue one yeare and that which is kept aboue a yeare is nought and nothing worth And therefore to keepe their corne longer then a yeare they are forced to bury it in the earth for the space of foure or fiue monthes together to the which end euery townseman hath his pit at one ende of the towne in the common high way which is appointed for the purpose and euery man setteth his marke vpon his pitte stone the Corne is but lightly buried in the earth the holes within are rounde and the toppes thereof so wide that a man may créep in wherunto there is a stone purposely made to couer it which shutteth it vppe very close Some of the pittes are so great as that they may holde two or thrée lastes of corne some greater some smaller as euery maÌ„ hath his prouision and as soone as the corne is reaped and fanned which is in Iuly euery man putteth his corne into those pittes laying straw vnder and round about it then they fill it ful or but half ful according as their quaÌ„titie is and so stoppe it vppe with the stone which they couer with earth so let it stande vntill Christmas when euery man that will fetch home his corne some let it ly longer and fetch it by little and little as they vse it but the corne is as good when they take it out as it was at thâ— first houre that they put it in and although that Cartes horses and men do commonly passe ouer it and also that the raine rayneth vppon it yet there entreth not any droppe of rayne or moysture into it and if the corne were not buried in that manner it woulde not continue good aboue foure monthes together but would bee spoyled and when it hath béene thus for a long time buried in the earth it will continue the whole yeare through and then they keep it in chestes or make a thing of mattes like a coope to preserue it in not once stirring or mouing it and so it continueth very good The greatest commoditie they haue in the land and that serueth their turnes best is their oxen I belieue they are the greatest fayrest y t are to be found in al Christendom wâ— vnmeasurable great and long horns Euerie Oxe hath his seuerall name like men and although there bee a thousande of them in a hearde and that one of them be called by his name hee presently commeth forth vnto his mayster that calleth him The land is verie high and as it séemeth hollow for that as they passe ouer a hill of stone the grounde soundeth vnder them as if it were a Seller so that it séemeth in diuers places to haue holes vnder the earth whereby it is much subiect to earthquakes as also all the other Ilandes are for there it is a common thing and all those Ilandes for the most part haue had mynes of brimstone for that in many places of Tercera and Saint Michael the smoke and sauour of Brimstone doeth still issue forth of the ground and the Countrey rounde about is all sindged and burnt Also there are places wherein there are fountaines and welles the water whereof is so hotte that it will boyle an egge as well as if it hung ouer a fire In the Iland of Tercera about three miles from Angra there is a fountayne in a place called Gualua which hath a propertie that all the woode which falleth into it by length of time conuerteth into stone as I my selfe by experience haue tryed In the same fountayne by the roote of a tree whereof the one halfe runneth vnder that water and is turned into as harde stone as if it were steele and the other parte of the roote which the water toucheth not is still woode and roote as it should bee The Iland hath great store and excellent kindes of woode specially Cedar trees which grow there in so great numbers that they make scutes Cartes and other grosse workes thereof and is the commonest woode that they vse to burne in those Countries whereby it is the wood that with them is least esteemed by reason of the great quantitie thereof There is another kinde of wood called Sanguâ—nlâ—o and is very fayre of a redde colour and another sorte that they call white woode being of it selfe as whyte as Chalke other that is pâ—râ—â—ite yellow and all naturall without any dying and therefore there are diuers good workemen in Tercera that are skilfull in Ioyners ocupation make many fine peeces of worke as Deskes Cubbordes Chestes and other such like thinges whereof many are caried into Portingall and much esteemed there as well for the beautie of the woode as for the workemanshippe and specially the Spanish Fleete which ordinarily refresh themselues in that Iland do carry much of it from thence for it is the best and finest that is made in all Spayne and Portingall although it be not comparable to the Seskes and fine workemanshippe of Nurenbergh and those countries but for wood it excelleth all other countries for that they haue in the Spanish Fleete besides their owne kindes of woodes at the least a thousande sortes of Woode of all colours that man can imagine or deuise and so fayre that more fayrer can not be paynted There is a certaine kinde of Woode in the Islande Pico situate and lying twelue miles from Tercera called Teâ—xo a most excellent and princely wood and therfore it is forbidden to be cut but only for the Kings owne vse or for his Officers The wood is as hard as Iron and hath a colour within as if it were wrought like red Chamlet with the same water and the older it is and the more vsed the fairer it is of colour so that it is worthie to be estéemed as in trueth it is All those Ilands are inhabited by Portingals but since the troubles in Portingall there haue bene diuers Spanish soldiers sent thether and a Spanish Gouernor that kéep all the Forts and Castles in their possessions although the Portingales are put to no charges nor yet hardly
met with an English shippe that after they had fought long together tooke them both About 7. or 8. Monthes before there had béene an English shippe in Tercera that vnder the name of a Frenchman came to traffique in the Iland there to lade woode being discouered was both shippe and goods confiscated to the Kings vse and all the men kept prisoners yet went they vp and downe the streetes to get their liuings by labouring like slaues being in déede as safe in that Iland as if they had beene in prison But in the end vpon a Sunday all the Saylers went downe behind the hils called Bresil wher they found a Fisher boate whereinto they got rowed into the Sea to the Earle of Cumberlands ship which to their great fortune chanced at that time to come by the Iland and Ankered with his shippes about halfe a mile from the Road of Angra hard by two small Ilandes which lye about a Bases shot from the Iland and are full of Goates Buckes and shéepe belonging to the inhabitants of the Iland of Tercera Those Saylers knew it well and thereupon they rowed vnto them with their Boates and lying at Anker that day they fetched as many Goates and shéepe as they had neede of which those of the towne and of the Iland well saw and beheld yet durst not once goe forth so there remained no more on land but the Master the Marchant of the said English ship This Master had a brother in lawe dwelling in England who hauing newes of his brothers imprisonment in Tercera got licence of the Quéene of England to set forth a ship therewith to sée if hee could recouer his losses of the Spaniards by taking some of them and so to redéeme his brother that laye prisoner in Tercera and he it was that tooke the two Spanish ships before the towne The Master of the ship aforesaid standing on the shore by me and looking vpon them for he was my great acquaintance the ships being taken that were worth 300. thousand Ducats he sent all the men on land sauing only two of the principal Gentlemen which he kept a borde therby to ransome his brother and sent the Pilot of one of the Indian ships that were taken with a letter to the Gouernour of Tercera wherein hee wrote that he should deliuer him his brother and hée would send the two Gentlemen on land if not he would sayle with them into England as indeed he did because the Gouernor would not doe it saying that the Gentlemen might make that suite to the King of Spaine himselfe This Spanish Pilot we bid to supper with vs and the Englishmen likewise wher hee shewed vs all the manner of their fight much â—â—mmending the order and manner of the Englishmens fighting as also for their curteous vsing of him but in the end the English Pilote likewise stole away in a French ship without paying any ransome as yet In the month of Ianuarie 159â— there arriued one shippe alone in Tercera that came from the Spanish Indies brought newes that there was a Fleete of a hundreth shippes which put out from y e Firm land of the Spanish Indies and by a storme were driuen vpon the coast called Florida where they were all cast away she hauing only escaped wherin there were great riches many men lost as it may well be thought so that they made their account that of 22â— ships that for certaine were knowne to haue put out of Noua Spaâ—gâ—a Santo Domingo Hauana Capoverde Brasilia Guinea c. In the yeare 1589. to sayle for Spaine and Portingall there were not aboue fourteene or fiftéene of them arriued there in safetie all the rest being either drowned burst or taken In the same Moneth of Ianuarie there arriued in Tercera 15 or 16 shippes that came from Siuilia which were most Flie-boates of the lowe countries and some Britons that were arrested in Spain these came full of soldiers and well appointed with munition to lade the siluer that lay in Tercera and to fetch Aluares de Flores by the kings commandement into Spain And because that tyme of the yeare there is alwaies stormes about those Ilandes therefore they durst not enter into the road of Tercera for that as then it blew so great a storme that some of their shippes that had ankered were forced to cut downe their mastes and were in danger to be lost and among the rest a shippe of Bâ—lcay ranne against the land and was striken in péeces but al the men saued theÌ„selues The other shippes were forced to keepe the sea and separate themselues one from the other where wind and weather would driue them vntill the 15 of March for that in all that time they could not haue one day of faire weather to anker in whereby they indured much miserie cursing both the siluer and the Iland This storme being past they chanced to meet with a small English ship of about 40 tunnes in bignes which by reason of the great wind could not beare all her sayles so they set vpon her and tooke her and with the English flagge in their Admiralles stern they came as proudly into the hauen as if they had conquered all the Realme of England but as the Admirall that bare the English flagge vpon her sterne was entering into the road there came by chance two English shippes by the Iland that payd her so well for her paynes that they were forced to cry Misericordia and without all doubt had taken her if she had bene but a myle further in the sea but because she got vnder the Fortresse which also began to shoot at the Englishmen they were forced to leaue her and to put further into the sea hauing slayne 5. or 6. of the Spaniardes The English men that were taken in the small shippe were put vnder hatches and coupled in boltes and after they had beene prisoners three or foure dayes there was a Spanish Ensigne-bearer in the shippe that had a brother slayne in the fleet that came for England who as then mynding to reuenge his death and withal to shew his manhood to the English captiues that were in the English shippe which they had taken as is aforesayd tooke a poinyard in his hand and went downe vnder the hatches where finding the poore Englishmen sitting in boltes with the same poinyard hee stabbed sixe of them to the heart which two others of them perceyuing clasped each other about the middle because they would not bee murthered by him threw themselues into the sea and there were drowned This act was of all the Spaniardes much disliked and verie ill taken so that they caryed the Spaniard prisoner vnto Lisbon where béeing ariued the King of Spaine willed he should bee sent into England that the Queene of England might vse him as shee thought good which sentence his friends by intreaty got to be reuersed notwithstanding he commanded he should without all fauor be beheaded but vpon a good
according to their manner and after many other wordes hee willed them to bring some Iron saying they should haue teeth for it which hauing done he brought forth his teeth This riuer as I saide is verie broad and full of Crocodiles and sea horses it hath many creekes and as they sailed from Crementun it lyeth Southeast where in the night they lauered 2. or 3. houres and came twice on ground and â—â— sayling forwardes they passed by an Island called Caraceâ—â—bo lying in the mouth of the riuer as there are many being verie low and flat land and ful of trees From that Island there came a Caâ—utien aboord their ship and in it eighteene persons and with them they had a smal drum of a hollow stocke whereon they played and being by the ship foure or fiue of them stept in whereof one of them vppon his face breast and armes was al white he bore a greene branch of a tree with a little bel and some whiting in his hand which hee strowed about the ship ringing the bel when they or any of our men spake hee made shewe as it were to consecrate and blesse the ship which done sirting downe and stammering in his words like a man possessed with some sprite or one that had a shaking feuer There was a great pot of Palme wine brought forth whereof they dranke one vnto the other which continued for the space of halfe an houre which done they went into their scâ—te rowed to land making signes to our men to come on shore and to barter with them for their wares which they did carrying them some Iron and other marchandise and went into the gouernors house being in a village where among other things they saw a little cottage about three foote high couered with straw and opeÌ„ on the side vnder the which stood a little gibet wheron hung a little horne with certaine stuffe therein which they would not lette them see by no meanes and vnder the gibet stood a staffe with a dead childes scul fixed vpon it hauing in the one eye a bone much like the bone that is founde in the head of a â—addocke whereof with vs they make horses bridles and collars for degs at the foote of the staff lay al sorts of bones both of fishes and beasts and among the rest the â—awes of a Prisâ—â— which in our countrey is called a sword fish without teeth which the master tooke away brought it vnto me our men asking what y t might signifie they said there lay a dead carcas and being in another village as they passed forwarde they sawe at the least twentie men sitting at the doore of one of their houses whereof some seemed to bee of the principal commanders and within that house there was a noyse of singing both by great and smal that it made them muse whereupon they asked what it meant they saide there was one dead The women being in trauel are not any thing ashamed but euery one both yong and old men and women run vnto her the doore standing wide open but one thing is to be wondered at that the children are al circumcised and yet they haue neither law order nor knowledge of God The countrey is fruitful and ful of al strange fruites and abounding in al kinds of beasts and birds of diners formes both great and smal There are some trees where vpon one branch there hang at the least 100. birdes nests altogether most pleasant to behold They hang by certaine strawes made fast vnto the boughes because snakes should not creepe in and suck their egges many of those nests were brought vnto me This shall suffice for the discription of the coast of Guinea after the which followeth the mightie kingdome of Congo The ancient writers helde opinion that this lande was not inhabited calling it Torriâ—â—am Zonam that is a place in the earth that through the heate of the sunne is burnt vp but they were altogether deceiued for as Odoardus Lopez a Portingale witnesseth hauing with many other Portingales long time inhabited therein There is good dwelling and the aire coÌ„trarie to al mens iudgements very temperate and that in winter there is no extreame cold but onely such weather as it is in haruest time at Rome They vse no linings nor shirte bandes nor change of clothes neither care they for the fire it is likewise no colder on the tops of the hilles then in the vallies but generally it is warmer with them in the winter then in the summer onely because of the continual raines specially about the middle of the day two houres before and as much after dinner which heat is very euill for our meÌ„ to endure The people of the countrie are black but part of the women fear what â—â—llow their haire for the most part is blacke and curled and some haue red haire they are of a mean stature therin not much vnlike the Portingales the balles of theyr eyes being of diuers colours blacke and sea colour their lips not so thicke as those of Nâ—bâ—a other Moores their faces of al proportions fat leane and indifferent betweene both like the Portingales and not like other Moores of Guinea that are foule and deformed The length of the day and night is in a maâ—er al one for that it differeth not one quarter of an houre to anie mans iudgement throughout the whole yeare their winter beginneth in our lent about the middle of March and their summer in the middle of September â— in winter it raigneth there continually for the space of fiue moneths that is Aprill May Iune Iuly August in which time there are but few faire daies and there the raine falleth in such great drops that it is wonderful which water is al dronke vp into the earth with the drienesse of the land in summer time wherein it raineth scarce once in sixe moneths with the raine likewise the riuer is filled with thick muddie water so that it floweth ouer the banks and moystneth the ground The windes that in summer doo continually blow in those countries are as Hippocrates and after him Iulius the first emperor of Rome naming them with a greek name Eâ—esâ—oâ— Northwest by the Portingales called Venâ—o Maestro or general wiâ—d as being ordinarie at that time of the yeare in all those countries which are likewise causes of the raines by driuing vp of mâ—stes and vapors vppon the tops of the hils which being there and resoluing into water doo fil the earth with raine and those continual raines are likewise causes of the growing and increasing of the great riuers that are in Egypt and Ethiopia as Niger and Nylus and al the riuers there abouts some running into the Mediterranean others into y e great Ocean seas by reason of their slime fattines and because in our sumer which is their winter for the most part it raineth throughout the countryes of Congo and Ethiopia it is not to be wondered at if the riuers be greater
Iland but they may fréelie vse them vpon the firme land and secretly in their houses thereby to shunne and auoid all occasions of dislike that might be giuen to Christians which are but newlie baptised but touching the worldly policie or good gouernement of the countrie and executing of iustice as also for the ruling of the townes men in the citie it is common to them all and they are vnder the Portingales law and he that is once christened and is after found to vse any heathenish superstitions is subiect to the Inquisition what so euer he be or for any point of Religion what so euer The Iland hath nothing of it self to nourish it withall but onely some cattle hennes goates doues c. but very fewe because of the barrennesse and euil situation of the place which is a most hillie barren and wild countrie and full of wast ground all their necessaries as beastes hennes hogges egges milke c. come from Salsette and Bardes but most part out of the firme land Corne Rice and other grayne also Oyle and all other necessaries come from other countries and are brought in by the Riuer as frō Cambaia on the North side and from the coast of Malabar and other places as in the description of the coast we haue in part declared of wyne called wyne of palme trées they haue inough and so much that they haue to spare for other places They haue but little fresh water but only one Well called Banganiin which stādeth about a quarter of a mile with out the Cittie wherewith the whole towne is serued which the slaues fetch in pots sel it in the towne and is verie good to drinke for water to dresse meat wash and doe other thinges withall they commonly haue Wels within their houses the land of it self is verie stonie and drie hauing a kinde of red earth so that some Italian Alchymistes haue promised to get Copper Gold out of the same which neither y e king nor Vice-roy would euer cōsēt vnto fearing least the report of such treasure would be occasion of greater troble vnto them by their enemies that are round about them through the desire that they haue of riches and therefore they haue deferred to séeke for it by the mappe hereafter following you may sée the situation of the Iland and Towne of Goa with all the stréetes Churches and places liuely described The 29. Chapter Of the customes of the Portingales and such as are issued from them called Mesticos or half countrimen as wel of Goa as of all the Oriental countries THe Portingales in India are many of them marryed with the naturall borne women of the countrie and the children procéeding of them are called Mesticos that is half countrimen These Mesticos are commonlie of yelowish colour notwithstanding there are manie women among them that are faire and well formed The children of the Portingales both boyes and gyrls which are borne in India are called Castisos and are in all things like vnto the Portingales onely somewhat differing in colour for they draw towards a yealow colour the children of those Castisos are yealow and altogether like the Mesticos and the children of Mesticos are of colour and fashion like the naturall borne Countrimen or Decaniins of the countrie so that the posteritie of the Portingales both men and womē being in the third degrée doe séeme to be naturall Indians both in colour fashion Their liuings and daylie traffiques are to Bengala Pegu Malacca Cambaia China and euerie way both North and South also in Goa there is holden a daylie assemblie or méeting together as wel of the Citizens and Inhabitants as of all nations throughout India and of the countries bordering on the same which is like the méeting vpō the burse in Andwarpe yet differeth much from that for that hether in Goa there come as well Gentlemen as marchants and others and there are all kindes of Indian commodities to sell so that in a manner it is like a Faire This méeting is onely before Noone euerie day in the yeare except Sondayes and holie dayes it beginneth in y e morning at 7. of the clocke and continueth till 9. of the clocke but not in the heate of the day nor after Noone in the principal stréete of the Citie named the straight stréete and is called the Leylon which is as much to say as an outroop there are certain cryers appointed by the Citie for y e purpose which haue of al things to be cryed and sold these goe all the time of the Leylon or outroop all behangd about with all sorts of gold chaines all kindes of costly Iewels pearles rings and precious stones likewise they haue running about them many sorts of captiues and slaues both men and women young and old which are daylie sould there as beasts are sold with vs where euerie one may chuse which liketh him best euerie one at a certaine price There are also Arabian horses all kinde of spices and dryed drugges sweet gummes and such like things fine and costly couerlets and many curious things out of Cambaia Sinde Bēgala China c. and it is wonderfull to sée in what sort many of them get their liuinges which euery day come thether to buy wares and at an other time sel them again And when any man dieth all his goods are brought thether sold to the last pennie worth in the same outroop who soeuer they be yea although they were the Viceroyes goods and this is done to doe right and iustice vnto Orphanes widdows and that it may be sold with the first where euerie man may sée it so that euerie yeare there is great quantitie of ware sold within that Citie for that there die many men within the Towne by meanes of their disordered liuing together with the hotenes of the coūtry the like assemblie is holden in all places of India where the Portingales inhabite There are some married Portingales that get their liuings by their slaues both men and women wherof some haue 12 some 20 and some 30 for it costeth them but little to kéepe them These slaues for money doe labour for such as haue néede of their helpe some fetch fresh water and sell it for money about the stréetes the women slaues make all sorts of confectures and conserues of Indian fruites much fyne néedle worke both cut and wrought workes and thē their maister send the fairest and the youngest of them well drest vp with their wares about the stréetes to sell the same that by the neatnes bewtie of the said women slaues men might be moued to buy which happeneth more for the affection they haue to the slaues to fulfill their pleasure with them then for any desire to the conserues or néedle workes for these slaues doe neuer refuse them but make their daylie liuing thereby and with the gaines that they by that meanes bring home their maisters may well kéepe and maintaine them There are others that
vse exchanging of moneyes and to buy money when it cometh as tyme serueth to fell it againe for they buy the Rials of eight when the shippes come from Portingale whereof some buy at the least 10 or 12 hundreth and kéepe them till the Moneth of April which is the time when the shippes sayle to China for then are the Rials of eight sought for to carry thether and are commonly worth 25 or 30 in the hundreth profite and then they receiue for them a certain money which at the same time is brought frō Ormus called Larriins that come out of Persia which they buy for 8 or 10 in the hundreth profite kéepe them til the Portingales on the moneth of Septēber come thether and so deliuer them againe for 20 or 25 in the hundreth profite in exchange for Rials of eight as I said before for they must haue these Larriins with them to Cochin to buy pepper and other wares for that it is the best and most profitable money There are yet other sorts of money called Pagodes Venetianers Santhones which are gold al which they doe likewise buy sel so y t there are manie that doe nothing els become rich speciallie he that hath a good stocke This exchange cometh most cōmonlie from the Spiritualtie who do secretly vse it by other mens meanes without any let or hinderance Some there are that liue vpon their rents which they haue by their palme trées whereon the Indian nut called Cocus doth grow whereof they may very well liue and haue well to maintaine themselues for that it is the principall commoditie of that Iland Indorum casae villae et vici circa Goam Indische hutte Lanthuÿsen en dorpen ontrent Goa Contenancijen en habyten der Portugeesers so burgers al 's Soldaten in oost Indien al 's se op die straten comen Hoc habitu qui e Lusitanis Nobilitate aut dignitate clariores in India fere conspiciuntur per plateas obequitant Op dese maniere ryden gemeenlick over stracten die Portugeesche Edellieden Regierders en̄ Raetsheeren Hac forma Lusitanorum nobiliores et qui opulentiores se gestari jubent Op dese maniere laeten haer die Portugeesen draegen die van affcomtste en vermoegen zÿn Fusten welcke die Portugeesen en haer vianden dic Malabaren gebruÿcken ter oorloch en om coopmanschap te voeren There are among them but two manner of people that is married men and soldiers for that all young men vnmarried are named soldiers which is the best name that a man can haue not that the soldiers are any waies bound or vnder the commandement and regiment of any Captain which throughout India is not vsed but when the Portingalles come into India out of Portingall and are ariued there euery man goeth where hee thinketh best although in Portingall euery mans name that goeth in the shippe is written and registred which is done in this sorte euery man is written vp both his name and sirname with a note what pay they receyue of the King whereof some beare the tytle of Fidalgo da Caza del Rey nossas Senor that is a Gentleman of the Kinges house which is the chiefest title there are others named Mozos Fidalgos which is also an honorable title and they are commonly Gentlemens sonnes or by the kinges fauour aduaunced therevnto There are yet others that are named Caualhiero Fidalgo which is not so much as the other two yet it is an honorable title and is the title of a knight who for some valiant act by him done is made knight which they do for a small matter for that if he do any act to be accounted of or bee in a manner at such an action doing presently he is of a Captaine or a Gentleman made a knight whereof they much boast themselues and it is nowe growne so common among them that very Cookes boyes and others as meane as they are made knightes there are others also that are named Mosos da Camara do Numero e do Seruiço which is seruantes to the King some of his chamber some of his accounts and some for his seruice this is the first title or degrée of credite whereby through their good seruice they attaine vnto better and are more glorious of their titles then of all the riches in the world There are also that are named Escuderos Fidalgos that is Esquires which is likewise a degrée of credit Others are named Hommes honorados which is mē of honor and the poorest among them which are not named by any title are set downe for soldiers which are the common and rascall sort these are euery man paide their wages according to their titles and may each man in his qualitie by long seruice or some good action but most by fauour rise to higher degrée for that according to their tytles their seruice is rewarded The Portingalles which saile for India being thus registred written downe the said Register at their arriuall there is deliuered to be kept by one of the kinges Officers therevnto appointed which euery three yeares is likewise changed as other offices are and is called the chiefe Clearke of the Matricola Generall and hath thrée or foure vnder Clearks at his commandement Now in India when summer time commeth and that it is néedefull or necessary to send out an armie for some expedition to be done or for to kéepe the coast to conuoy and safe-conduct the trauelling Marchants that dayly sayle to and from India thereby to defend them and to let the Malabares their enemies from issuing forth to hurt them as notwithstanding they yearly doe then against September which is the beginning of their Sommer the drum is stricken vp and it is proclaimed that whosoeuer will serue the king in his fléete by sea let him come to the Matricola Generall to receyue his money and then by the Viceroy there is ordained a chiefe Captaine and other vnder Captains for euery Fuste and Galley and in euery galley there is about a hundreth men and in euery Fuste thirtie men little more or lesse These are all paide by the Matricola according to their tytles euery man as they are registred when they come out of Portingal and this pay is made euery quarter each quarter contayning thrée monthes that is the common soldier seuen Pardawen called Xeraffins euery Pardawe thrée testones Portingall money and a man of honor nine Pardawen The Moso da Camara or seruant of the chamber eleuen Pardawen so by degrées which done the Captaines bidde their soldiers to a banket and of their own purses giue them something beside their pay for that euery Captaine séeketh to haue the best soldiers and buy much victuailes and other thinges at their owne charges thereby to haue their soldiers good willes and to vse them wel They sit altogether at one table in the Fustes or Gallies where the Captaine vseth the soldiers with great fauour and curtesie for otherwise they woulde not much estéeme him