so much harmony as we were not a little delighted therewith some also bestowed themselves in making of curious Needle-works and Gold-strings some in other things whilest their companions gathered fruit to eat and all this was done so quietly and with such order and good behavior as made us admire it At our going out of this Garden where the Monvagaruu would needs have the Embassador to stay awhile that he might there observe something worthy to entertain his King with at his return to Pegu we went into a very great Antichamber where many Commanders and Lords were sitting as also some great Princes who received the Embassador with new ceremonies and complements and yet not one of them stirred from his place Through this Antichamber we came to a door where there were six Gentlemen Ushers with Silver Maces by which we entered into another room very richly furnished in this was the Calaminhan seated on a most majestical Throne encompassed with three rows of Ballisters of Silver At the foot of the degrees of his Throne sat twelve women that were exceeding beautiful and most richly apparelled playing on divers sorts of Instruments whereunto they accorded their voyces On the top of the Throne and not far from his person were twelve young Damsels about nine or ten years old all of them on their knees round about him and carrying Maces of Gold in the fashion of Scepters amongst them there was also another that stood on her feet and fanned him Below all along the whole length of the room were a great many of old men wearing Myters of Gold on their heads and long Robes of Sattin and Damask curiously embroidered every one having Silver Maces on their shoulders and ranked in order on either side against the walls Over all the rest of the room were sitting upon rich Persian Carpets about two hundred young Ladies as we could guess that were wonderful fair and exceeding well favored Thus did this room both for the marvelous structure of it and for the excellent order that was observed therein represent so great and extraordinary a Majesty as we heard the Embassador say afterwards talking of it that if God would grant him the grace to return to Pegu he would never speak of it to the King as well for fear of grieving him as of being taken for a man that reports things which seem altogether incredible As soon as the Embassador was entâ—red into the room where the Calaminhan was accompanyed with the four Princes that conducted him he prostrated himself five times on the ground without so much as daring to behold the Calaminhan in sign of the great respect he carryed towards him which the Monvagaruu perceiving willed him to advance forward so that being arrived neer to the first degree of his Throne with his face still bending downward he said to the Calaminhan with so loud a voyce as every one might hear him The Clouds of the Ayr which recreate the fruits whereof we eat have published over the whole Monarchy of the World the great Majesty of thy Power which hath caused my King desiring to be honored with thy amity as with a rich pearl to send me for that purpose and to tell thee from him that thou shalt much oblige him if thou pleasest to accept of him for thy true Brother with the honorable obedience which he will always render to thee as to him that is the elder as thou art And for that end it is that he sends thee this Letter which is the jewel of all his treasure that he prizes most and wherein his eyes take mâ—re pleasure for the honor and contentment they receive by it then in being Lord of the Kings of Avaa and of all the precious stone of the mountain of Falent of Jatir and Pontau Hereunto the Calaminhan made him this answer following and that with a grave and severe countenance For my part I accept of this new amity thereby to give full satisfaction to thy King as to a son newly born of my intrals Then began the women to play on Instruments of Musick and six of them danced with little children for the space of three or four credoâ—s After that other six little girls danced with six of the oldest men that were in the room which seemed to us a very pretty fantasticalness This dance ended there was a very fine Comedy represented by twelve Ladies exceeding beautiful and gorgeously attired wherein appeared on the Stage a great Sea-monster holding in his mouth the daughter of a King whom the fish swallowed up before them all which the twelve Ladies seeing went in all haste weeping to an Hermitage that was at the foot of a Mountain from whence they returned with an Hermit who made earnest supplications to Quiay Patureu God of the Sea that he would bring this Monster to the shore so as they might come to bury the Damsel according to her quality The Hermit was answered by Quiay Patureu That the twelve Ladies should change their lamentations and complaints into so many consorts of musick that were agreeable to his ears and he would then command the Sea to cast the fish upon the strand to be done withall as they thought good whereupon comes on the Stage six little Boys with wings and crowns of Gold upon their heads in the same manner as we use to paint Angels and naked all over who falling on their knees before the Ladies presented them with three Harps and three Viols saying that Quiay Patureu sâ—nt them these Instruments from the Heaven of the Moon therewith to cast the Monster of the Sea into a sleep that so they might have their desire on him whereupon the twelve Ladies took them out of the hands of the little Boys and began to play upon them tuning them unto their voyces with so lamentable and sad a tone and such abundance of tears that it drew some from the eyes of divers Lords that were in the room Having continued their musick about half a quarter of an hour they saw the Monster coming out of the Sea and by little and little as it were astonished making to the shore where these fair Musicians were all which was performed so properly and to the liâ—e that the Assistants could hardly imagine it to be a Fable and a matter devised for pleasure but a very truth besides the Scean was set forth with a world of state and riches Then one of the twelve Ladies drawing out a Poignard all set with precious stones which she wore by her side ripped up the fish and out of the belly of it drew the Infanta alive which presently went and danced to the tune of their Instruments and so went and kissed the Calaminhans hand who received her very graciously and made her sit down by him It was said that this young Lady was his Niepce the Daughter of a Brother of his as for the other twelve they were all the Daughters of Princes and of the greatest Lords of
from the River of Tinlau with his ill success thereupon and the succor we met withall 73 CHAP. XXII Antonio de Faria hath news of the five Portugals that were made Captives his Letter to the Mandarin of Nouday about them and his assaulting the said Town 76 CHAP. XXIII Antonio de Faria's Navigation till he came to the Port of Liampoo his arrival and gallant reception there by the Portugals 81 CHAP. XXIV Antonio de Faria departs from Liampoo for to go and seek out the Island of Calempluy the strange things that we saw and the hazard we ran in our Voyage thither 87 CHAP. XXV Our arrival at the Island of Calempluy with the description thereof what happened to Antonio de Faria in one of the Hermitages there and how we were discovered 92 CHAP. XXVI Our casting away in the gulph of Nanquin with all that befell us after this lamentable shipwrack 97 CHAP. XXVII Our arrival at the Town of Taypor where we were made Prisoners and so sent to the City of Nanquin 103 CHAP. XXVIII The Marvels of the City of Nanquin our departure from thence towards Pequin and that which happened unto us till we arrived at the Town of Sempitay 107 CHAP. XXIX Our arrival at Sempitay our encounter there with a Christian woman together with the original and foundation of the Empire of China and who they were that first peopled it 112 CHAP. XXX The foundation of the four chief Cities of China together with which of the Kings of China it was that built the wall betwixt China and Tartaria and many things that we saw as we past along 116 CHAP. XXXI The order which is observed in the moving Towns that are made upon the Rivers and that which further befell us 122 CHAP. XXXII Our arrival at the City of Pequin with our imprisonment and that which moreover happened unto us there as also the great Majesty of the Officers of their Court of Iustice. 125 CHAP. XXXIII What past between us and the Tanigores of Mercy with the great favor they did us and a brief relation of the City of Pequin where the King of China keeps his Court. 131 CHAP. XXXIV The order which is observed in the Feasts that are made in certain Inns and the state which the Chaems of the two and thirty Universities keeps with certain remarkable things in the City of Pequin 134 CHAP. XXXV The Prison of Ximanguibaleu wherein those are kept which have been condemned to serve at the reparations of the wall of Tartaria and another Inclosure called the Treasure of the dead with the revenues whereof this Prison is maintained 137 CHAP. XXXVI Of an Edifice scituated in the midst of the River wherein were the hundred and thirteen Chappels of the Kings of China and the publique Granaries established for the relief of the poor 142 CHAP. XXXVII The great number of Officers and other people which are in the King of China's Pallace with our going to Quincay to accomplish the time of our Exile and what befell us there 144 CHAP. XXXVIII A Tartar Commander enters with his Army into the Town of Quincay and that which followed thereupon with the Nauticors besieging the Castle of Nixiamcoo and the taking of it by the means of some of us Portugals 149 CHAP. XXXIX The Mitaquer departs from the Castle of Nixiamcoo and goes to the King of Tartaria's Camp before Pequin with that which we saw till we arrived there and the Mitaquers presenting us unto the King 154 CHAP. XL. The King of Tartaria's raising his siege from before Pequin for to return into his Country and that which passed until his arrival there 158 CHAP. XLI In what manner we were brought again before the King of Tartaria with our departure from that Kingdom and all that we saw and befell us in our Voyage till our arrival at the Court of the King of Chauchinchina 160 CHAP. XLII The reception of the Tartarian Embassador by the King of Chauchinchina with the said Kings going to the City of Uzanguea and his triumphal entry thereinto 167 CHAP. XLIII Our departure from the City of Uzanguea and our adventures till our arrival at the Isle of Tanixumaa with our going a shore there 170 CHAP. XLIV The great Honor which the Nautaquin Lord of the Isle did to one of us for having seen him shoot with an Harquebuse and his sending me to the King of Bungo with that which passed till my arrival at this Court 172 CHAP. XLV The great mishap which befell the King of Bungo's son with the extream danger that I was in for the same and what followed thereupon 176 CHAP. XLVI My curing the young Prince of Bungo with my return to Tanixumaa and imbarquing there for Liampoo and also that which happened to us on land after the shipwrack we suffered by the way thither 178 CHAP. XLVII The carrying of us to the Town of Pungor and presenting us to the Broquen Governor of the Kingdom with that which ensued upon it 181 CHAP. XLVIII The King of Lequios sending a cruel sentence against us to the Broquen of the Town where we were Prisoners to the end he should put it in execution and that which further happened unto us till our arrival at Liampoo 184 CHAP. XLIX My sailing from Liampoo to Malaca with the sending me by the Captain of the Fortress there to the Chaubainhaa at Martibano and all that befell us in our Voyage thither 189 CHAP. L. The Continuance of our Voyage to the Bar of Martibano and certain memorable particularities happening there 195 CHAP. LI. In what manner the Chaubinhaa rendered himself to the King of Bramaa and the cruel prâ—ceeding against the Queen of Martabano and the Ladies her attendants 201 CHAP. LII In what manner the sentence of death was executed on the person of the Chaubinhaa King of Martabano Nhay Canatoo his wife and an hundred and forty women with that which the King of Bramaa did after his return to Pegu. 205 CHAP. LIII That which passed between the Queen of Prom and the King of Bramaa together with the first assault that was given to the City and the success thereof 209 CHAP. LIV. The King of Bramaa his besieging the Fortress of Meleytay with his going from thence to Avaa and that which passed there 282 CHAP. LV. Our going with the King of Bramaa's Embassador to the Calaminham with the course which we held until we arrived at the Temple or Pagode of Tinagoogoo and a description thereof 215 CHAP. LVI The great and sumptuous Procession made in this Pagode together with their Sacrifices and other particularities 218 CHAP. LVII What we saw in the continuing of our Voyage until we arrived at the City of Timplan 223 CHAP. LVIII The Magnificent Reception of the King of Bramaa his Embassador at the City of Timplan and that which passed betwixt the Calaminham and him 226 CHAP. LIX An ample Relation of the Empire of Calaminham and of the Kingdoms of Pegu and Bramaa
perceived a great many sails which invironed the Fort on all sides Some affirmed that it was the Governor newly come from Goa to make peace for the death of Sultan Bandur King of Cambaya that was slain a little before Others said that it was the Infant Brother to the King Dom Iovan lately arrived there from Portugal because he was every day expected in the Indiaes Some thought that it was the Patâ—marcaa with the King of Cabicuts hundred Foists of Camorin And the last assured us how they could justifie with good and sufficient reasons that they were the Turks As we were in this diversity of minds and terrified with that which we discerned before our eyes five very great Gallies came forth of the midst of this Fleet with a many of banners flags and streamers which we saw on the tops of their Masts and the ends of their sail-yards whereof some were so long that they touched even the very water These Gallies being come forth in this sort turned their prows towards us in such a couragious and confident manner that by their sailing we presently judged them to be Turks Which we no sooner knew to be so indeed but we clapt on all our cloth for to avoyd them and to get into the main Sea not without exceeding fear leâ—t for our sins we should fall into the like estate from whence I was so lately escaped These five Gallies having observed our flight took a resolution to pursue us and chased us till night at which time it pleased God that they tacked about and returned to the Army from whence they came Seeing our selves freed from so great a danger we went joyfully on and two days after arrived at the Town of Chaul where our Captain and the Merchants only landed for to visit the Captain of the Fort named Simon Guedez unto whom they reported that which had befallen them Assuredly said he you are very much bound to give God thanks for delivering you from one of the greatest perils that ever you were in for without his assistance it had been impossible for you ever to have declined it or to tell me of it with such joy as now you do Thereupon he declared unto them that the Army they had incountred was the very same which had held Antonio de Silveyra twenty days together besieged being composed of a great number of Turks whereof Solyman the Bassa Vice-roy of Caire was General and that those Sails they had seen were eight and fifty Gallies great and small each of which carried five Pieces of Ordnance in her prow and some of them were Pieces of Battery besides eight other great Vessels full of Turks that were kept in reserve to succor the Army and supply the places of such as should be killed Moreover he added that they had great abundance of victuals amongst the which there was twelve Basilisks This news having much amazed us we rendered infinite praise to the Lord for shewing us such grace as to deliver us from so imminent a danger We stayed at Chaul but one day and then we set sail for Goa Being advanced as far as to the River of Carapatan we met with Fernand de Morais Captain of three Foists who by the command of the Vice-roy Dom Garcia de Noronha was going to Dabul to the end he might see whether he could take or burn a Turkish Vessel which was in the Port laden with Victuals by order from the Bassa This Fernand de Morais had no sooner gotten acquaintance of our ship but he desired our Captain to lend him fifteen men of twenty that he had for to supply the great necessity he was in that way by reason of the Vâ—câ—-roys hastening him away upon the sudden which said he would much advance the service both of God and his Highness After many contestations of either part upon this occasion and which to make shorâ— I will pass under silence at length they were agreed that our Captain should let Fernand de Morais have twelve of fifteen men that he requested wherewithall he was very well satisfied Of this number I was one as being always of the least respected The ship departing for Goa Fernand de Morais with his three Foists continued his Voyage towards the Port of Dabul where we arrived the next day about nine of the clock in the morning and presently took a Patach of Malabar which laden with Cotton Wool and Pepper rode at anchor in the midst of the Port. Having taken it we put the Captain and Pilot to torture who instantly confessed that a few days before a ship came into that Port expresly from the Bassa to lade Victuals and that there was in her an Embassador who had brought Hidalcan a very rich Cabaya that is a garment worn by the Gentlemen of that Country which he would not accept of for that thereby he would not acknowledg himself subject to the Turk it being a custom among the Mahumetans for the Lord to do that honor to his Vassal and further that this refusal had so much vâ—xed the Embassador as he returned without taking any kind of provision of Victuals and that Hidalcan had answered he made much more esteem of the King of Portugals amity then of his which was nothing but deceit as having usurped the Town of Goa upon him after he had offered to ayd him with his favor and forces to regain it Moreover they said that it was not above two days since the ship they spake of parted from the Port and that the Captain of her named Cide Ale had denounced War against Hidalcan vowing that as soon as the Fort of Diu was taken which could not hold out above eight days according to the estate wherein hâ— had left it Hidalcan should lose his Kingdom or life and that then he should to his cost know how little the Portugals in whom he put his confidence could avail him With these news Captain Morais returned towards Goa where he arrived two days after and gave accompt to the Vice-roy of that which had past There we found Gonçallo vaz Coutinho who was going with five Foists to Onor to demand of the Queen thereof one of the Gallies of Solymans Army which by a contrary wind had been driven into her Ports Now one of the Captains of those Foists my special friend seeing me poor and necessitous perswaded me to accompany him in this Voyage and to that end got me five duckets pay which I very gladly accepted of out of the hope I had that God would thereby open me a way to a better fortune Being imbarqued then the Captain and Soldiers pitying the case I was in bestowed such spare clothes as they had upon me by which means being reasonably well pieced up again we parted the next morning from the Road of Bardees and the Monday following we cast anchor in the Port of Onor where that the inhabitants of the place might know how little account we made of that
in her quickly rendred themselves unto us That done Antonio de Faria went with all speed to succor Christovano Borralâ—o who was boarded by the other Junk and very doubtful of the victory in regard the greatest part of his men were hurt but at our approach the Enemies threw themselves all into the Sea where most of them were drowned and so both the Junks remained in our power After this we took a survey of our company the bâ—tter to understand what this victory had cost us and we found there was one Portugal five Boys and nine Mariners killed besides those that were hurt and on the Enemies part fourscore were slain and almost as many taken Having given order then for the dressing and accommodating of our wounded men in the best manner that could be Antonio de Faria caused as many Mariners to be taken up as could be saved and commanding them to be brought into the great Junk where he was he demanded of them what those Junks were how the Captain of them was named and whether he were alive or dead whereunto not one of them would make any answer but chose rather to dye in torments like mad dogs when as Christovano Borralho cryed out from the Junk where he was Signior Signior come hither quickly for we have more to do then we think of whereat Antonio de Faria accompanyed with fifteen or sixteen of his men leapt into his Junk asking what the matter was I hear a many talking together said he towards the prow which I doubt are hidden there hereupon opening the scuttle they heard divers cry out Lord Iesus have mercy upon us and that in such a woful manner as struck uâ— all with pity Antonio de Faria approaching to the scuttle and looking down could perceive some persons there shut up but not able to discern what they might be he made two of his boys to go down who a little after brought up seventeen Christians namely two Portugals five small children two girls and eight boys which were in such a lamentable case as would have grieved any heart to have beheld them The first thing he did was to cause their Irons to be strucken off and then he enquired of one of the Portugals for the other was like a man dead unto whom those children appertained and how they fell into the hands of this Pyrat as also what his name was Whereunto he answered that the Pyrat had two names the one Christian the other Pagan and that his Pagan name wherewith he used to be called of late was Necoda Nicaulem and his Christian name Francisco dâ— Saa being Christned at Malaca at such time as Garcia de Saa was Captain of the Fortress and for that he was his godfather and had caused him to be baptized he gave him that name and marryed him to an orphan maid a very handsom wench the daughter of an honorable Portugal to oblige him the more to our Religion and Country but in the year 1534. setting sail for China in a great Junk of his wherein there accompanyed him twenty of the wealthiest Portugals of Malaca as also his wife and arriving at the Island of Pullo Catâ—n they stayd two days to take in fresh water during which time he and his Company who were all Chineses like himself and no better Christians conspired the death of the poor Portugals for to despoyl them of their goods so that one night whil'st the Portugals were asleep and little dream'd of such Treason they killed them all with their little hatchets and their servants likewise not sparing the life of any one that bore the name of a Christian after which he perswaded with his wife to turn Pagan and adore an Idol that Tucan Captain of the Junk had concealed in his chest and that then being free from the Christian Religion he would marry her to Tucan who in exchangâ— would give him a sister of hiâ—to wife that was a Chinese and there with him But in regard she would neither adore the Idol nor consent to the rest the dog struck her over the head with his hatchet till her brains flâ—w out and then departing from thence went to the Port of Liampoo where the same year before he had traded and not daring to go to Patana for fear of the Portugals that resided there he wintered at Siam and the year following he returned to the Port of Chincheo where he took a little Junk that came from Suâ—da with ten Portugals in her all which he slew And because the wickedness that he had done us was known over all the Country doubting to encounter some Portugal forces he had retired himself into this straight of Caucheâ—china where as a Merchant he traded and as a Pyrat robbed those he met withall that were weaker then himself It being now three years since he had taken this River for a refuge of his Robberies thinking himself secure here from us Portugals by reason we have not used to traffique in the Ports of this straight and Island of Ainan Antonio de Faria asked of him whether those children belonged to the Portugals he had mentioned before whereunto he answered that they did not but that both they and the boys and girls were the children of Nuno Preto Gian de Diaz and of Pero Bâ—rges whom he had killed at Mompollacota near the mouth of the River of Siam in Ioano Oliveyra's Junk where he also put sixteen Portugals more to death only he saved their two lives because one was a shipwright and the other a Caulker and had carryed them along with him in this manner continually whipping and almost famishing of them further he said that when he set upon us he did not think we had been Portugalâ— but some Chinese Merchant like such as he had accustomed to rob when he found them at advantage as he thought to have found us Antonio de Faria demanded of him whether he could know the Pyrat amongst those other dead bodies Having replyed that he could the Captain presently arose and taking him by the hand went with him into the other Junk that was fastned to his and having made him view all that lay dead upon the hatches he said that it was none of them Whereupon he commanded a Manchuas which is a little boat to be made ready wherein he and this man went and sought for him amongst the other dead bodies that floated on the water where they found him with a great cut over his head and a thrust quite through the body so causing him to be taken up and layd upon the hatches he demanded of that man again if he were sure that this was he who answered how without doubt it was he Whereunto Antonio de Faria gave the more credit by reason of a great chain of gold he had about his neck to which was fastned an Idol of gold with two heads made in the form of a Lizard having the tail and paws enammelled with green and black and commanding
they concluded to acknowledge it unto him by all demonstrations of affection For which purpose they returned him a Letter signed by them all as the Resolution of a General Assembly and sent it him together with two Lanteaâ—â— full of divers refreshments and that by an ancient Gentleman named Ieronimo de Rego a Personage of great wisdome and authoritie amongst them In this Letter they gâ—ve him thanks in very courteous termes both for the exceeding favour he had done them by rescuing their goods out of the enemies hands and for the noble Tâ—stimonie he had given them of his affâ—ction by his extraordinary liberality towards them for which they hoped that God would throughly requite him As for the fear he was in touching his wintering there by reason of what had past at Nouday he might be confident that way because the Country was so full of trouble by occasion of a mighty uprore that was then amongst the people thereof as if he had razed the very Citie of Canton it self they would not much regard it wherefore he might well thinke they would care much lesse for that which he had done at Nouday which in China compared with many others was no greater then Oeyras in Portugal is being equally with Lisbon And concerning the good news he had sent them of his arrivall in their Port they earnestly desired him to continue still at anchor there six dayes longer that they might in the mean while make some fit preparation for his entertaiment seeing that thereby onely they should be able to testifie their good will unto him having not the power other wayes to acquit so many obligations wherein they stood ingaged unto him These words of kindness were accompanied with many other complements whereunto Antonio de Faria returned them a most curteous Answer and condescending to their desire he sent all his sick men on shore in the two Lanteaas which brought the refreshments whom those of Liampoo received with great shew of affection and charity for presently they were lodged in the richest houses of the Town and plentifully accommodated with all things necessary for them wanting nothing Now during the six dayes Antonio de Faria remained in that place there was not a man of any qualitie in all the Town but came and visited him with many presents and divers sorts of provisions refreshments and fruits and that in such abundance that we were amazed to behold them the more too for the good order and magnificence wherewith every thing was accompanied During the six dayes that Antonio de Faria continued in the Port according to his promise to them of Liampoo he never budgd from his Ships At length on Sunday morning before day which was the time limited for our going to the Town an excellent consort of Musick was heard both of Instruments and Voyces the harmony whereof was wonderfully pleasing and after that a Triumph of Drums and Trumpets together according to the manner of our own country Then some two houres before Sun-rising the night being very quiet and the Moon exceeding bright Antonio de Faria set sail with his whole Fleet having all his Ships decked with Silken Flaggs and streamers of sundry Colours and every scuttle both of the greater and lesser masts hung round about with cloth of Silver and many brave Standards of the same After these Vessels followed a number of row-Barges wherein were a great many of Trumpets Hoboyes Flutes Fifes Drums and other such Instruments each one of a several Invention When it was broad day the winde began to calm as we were within half a League of the Town whereupon there came presently to us some twenty Lanteaas very well set forth and full of Musicians that played on divers Instruments So in lesse then an hour we arrived at the Road but first there came aboard Antonio de Faria about threescore Boats and Manchaas adorned with Pavilions and Banners of Silke as also with Turkie Carpets of great value In these Boats were about three hundred men all richly apparrelled with chains of Gold and guilt Swords hanging in Belts after the fashion of Affrick every thing so well accommodated that we which beheld this Equipage were no lesse contented then astonished therewith With this train Antonio de Faria came to the Town where there stood ranged in excellent order twenty six ships and fourscore Junks besides a great sort of Vancons and Barcasses all in File one after another so making as it were a fair long street every where beautified with Pines Laurels and green Canes with many Triumphal Arches beset with Cherries Pears Lemons Oranges and sundry odoriferous green Herbs wherewith the Masts and Cordage were covered all over As soon as Antonio de Faria came neer the place which was prepared for his landing he saluted the Town with a great peâ—l of Ordnance which was instantly answered with the like by all the Ships Junks and Barques before mentioned in order a matter very pleasing and wherewith the Chinese Merchants were so taken as they demanded of us Whether this man unto whom we did so much honour was either the brother or kinsman of our King whereunto certain chief meâ— of the Town answered That his Father shod the Horses whereon the King of Portugal rode and that in that regard all this honour was done him adding withall That they thought themselves scarce worthy to be his slaves much lesse his servants The Chineses beleeving all this to be true said one to another as it were in admiration Verily there be great Kings in the world whereof our ancient Historians for want of knowledge of them have made no mention in their Writings and it seems that above them all the King of these Portugals is to be most esteemed for by that which is delivered to us of his greatnesse he must needs be richer more mighty and greater then either the Tartar or the Cauchin as is most apparent since be that shooes his horses which is but an ordinary and contemptible trade in every Country is so respected by those of his Nation Whereupon another that heard his Companion say thus Certainly said he this Prince is so great that if it were not a blasphemy one might almost compare him to the Son of the Sun The rest that were about him added It well appears to be so by the great riches which this bearded Nation get in every place where they come by the power of their armes wherewith they affront all the People of the world This salutation being ended on either part a Lanteaa came aboard Antonio de Faria's Junk gallantly equipped and covered all over with boughs of Chesnut trees full of their bristled â—ruit just as they grew and intermingled with delicate small green trees which those of the Country call Lechias stuck every where with most fragrant Roses and Violets all plashed so close together that we could not see the Rowers now upon the upper end of the Deck of this Vessel there was
question betwixt them and to pay him two thousand Picos of Silver for to defray the Charges of those strangers the Tartar had entertained in this War by this means China continued for a good while quiet but the King doubting lest the Tartar might in time to come return to annoy him again resolved to build a Wall that might serve for a Bulwark to his Empire and to that end calling all his Estates together he declared his determination unto them which was presently not onely well approved of but held most necessary so that to enable him for the performance of a business so much concerning his state they gave him ten thousand Picos of Silver which amount according to our account unto fifteen Millions of Gold after the rate of fifteen hundred Ducates each Pico and moreover they entertained him two hundred and fifty thousand men to labour in the work whereof thirty thousand were appointed for Officers and all the rest for manual services Order being taken then for whatsoever was thought fit for so prodigious an enterprise they fell to it in such sort as by the report of the History all that huge Wall was in seven and twenty years quite finished from one end to the other which if credit may be given to the same Chronicle is seventy Iaos in length that is six hundred and fifteen miles after nine miles every Iao wherein that which seemed most wonderfull and most exceeding the belief of man was that seven hundred and fifty thousand men laboured incessantly for so long a time in that great work whereof the Commonalty as I delivered before furnished one third part the Priests and Isles of Aynen another third and the King assisted by the Princes Lords Chaems and Anchacys of the Kingdom the rest of the building which I have both seen and measured being thirty foot in height and ten foot in breadth where it is thickest It is made of Lime and Sand and plaistered on the outside with a kind of Bitumen which renders it so strong that no Cannon can demolish it Instead of Bulwarks it hath Sentries or Watch-towers two stages high flanked with Buttresses of Carpentry made of a certain black wood which they call Caubesy that is to say Wood of Iron because it is exceeding strong and hard every Buttress being as thick as an Hogshead and very high so that these Sentries are far stronger then if they were made of Lime and Stone Now this Wall by them termed Chaufacan which signifies Strong resistance extends in height equal to the Mountains whereunto it is joyned and that those Mountains also may serve for a Wall they are cut down very smooth and sâ—eep which renders them far stronger then the Wall it self but you must know that in all this extent of land there is no Wall but in the void spaces from Hill to Hill so that the Hills themselves make up the rest of the Wall and Fence Further it is to be noted that in this whole length of an hundred and fifteen leagues which this Fortification contains there are are but onely 5 Entries whereby the Rivers of Tartaria do pass which are derived from the impetuous Torrents that descend from these Mountains and running above five hundred leagues in the Country render themselves into the Seas of China and Cauchenchina howbeit one of these Rivers being greater then the rest disemboques by the Bay of Cuy in the Kingdom of Sournau commonly called Siam Now in all these five Passages both the King of China and the King of Tartaria keep Garrisons the Chinese in each of them entertains seven thousand men giving them great pay whereof six thousand are Horse the rest Foot being for the most part strangers as Mogores Pancrus Champaas Corosones Gizares of Persia and other different Nations bordering upon this Empire and which in consideration of the extraordinary pay they receive serve the Chineses who to speak truth are nothing couragious as being but little used to the Wars and ill provided of Arms and Artillery In all this length of Wall there are three hundred and twenty Companies each of them containing five hundred Souldiers so that there are in all one hundred and threescore thousand men besides Officers of Justice Anchacis Chaems and other such like persons necessary for the Government and entertainment of these Forces so that all joyned together make up the number of two hundred thousand which are all maintained at the Kings onely charge by reason the most of them are Malefactours condemned to the reparations and labour of the Wall as I shall more amply declare when I come to speak of the Prison destined to this purpose in the City of Pequin which is also another Edifice very remarkable wherein there are continually above thirty thousand Prisoners the most of them from eighteen to forty five years of age appointed to work in this Wall Being departed from those two Towns Pacau and Nacau we continued our course up the River and arrived at another Town called Mindoo somewhat bigger then those from whence we parted where about half a mile off was a great Lake of Salt-water and a number of Salt-houses round about it The Chineses assured us that this Lake did ebb and flow like the Sea and that it extended above two hundred leagues into the Country rendring the King of China in yearly Revenue one hundred thousand Taeis onely for the third of the Salt that was drawn out of it as also that the Town yielded him other one hundred thousand Taeis for the Silk alone that was made there not speaking at all of the Camphire Sugar Pourcelain Vermilion and Quick-silver whereof there was very great plenty moreover that some two leagues from this Town were twelve exceeding long Houses like unto Magazines where a world of people laboured in casting and purifying of Copper and the horrible din which the Hammers made there was such and so strange as if there were any thing on earth that could represent Hell this was it wherefore being desirous to understand the cause of this extraordinary noise we would needs go to see from whence it proceeded and we found that there were in each of these Houses forty Fornaces that is twenty of either side with forty huge Anvils upon every of which eight men beat in order and so swiftly as a mans eye could hardly discern the blows so as three hundred and twenty men wrought in each of these twelve Houses which in all the twelve Houses made up three thousand eight hundred and forty workmen beside a great number of other persons that laboured in other particular things whereupon we demanded how much Copper might be wrought every year in each of these Houses and they told us one hundred and ten or sixscore thousand Picos whereof the King had two thirds because the Mines were his and that the Mountain from whence it was drawn was called Corotum baga which signifies a River of Copper for that from the
or marshes they set forth Planks penning the doors of those cages they beat three or four times upon a Drum which they have expresly for that purpose whereupon all these fowl being six or seven thousand at the least go out of the boat with a mighty noise so fall to feeding all along the waters side Now when the Owner perceives that these fowl have â—ed sufficiently and that it is time to return them he beats the drum the second time at the sound whereof they gather all together and re-enter with the same noise as they went out wherein it is strange to observe that they return all in again not so much as one missing That done the Master of the boat parts from that place and afterwards when he thinks it is time for them to lay he repairs towards land and where he finds the grounds dry and good grass he opens the doors and beats the drum again at which all the fowl of the boat come forth to lay and then at such time as the Master judges that these fowl have laid he beats his drum afresh and suddenly in haste they all throng in to the boat not so much as one remaining hehind Thereupon two or three men get ashore with baskets in their hands whereinto they gather up the egs till they have gotten eleven or twelve baskets full and so they proceed on their voyage to make sale of their war which being almost spent to store themselves anew they go for to buy more unto them that breed them whose trade it is to sell them young for they are not suffered to keep them when they are great as the others do by reason as I have said before no man may deal in any commodity for which he hath not permission from the Governors of the Towns They that get their living by breeding of Ducks have neer to their Houses certain Ponds where many times they keep ten or eleven thousand of these duckings some bigger some lesser Now for to hatch the Eggs they have in very long galleries twenty and thirty furnaces full of dung wherein they bury two hundred three hundred and five hundred Eggs together then stopping the mouth of each furnace that the dung may become the hotter they leave the Eggs there till they think the young ones are disclosed whereupon putting into every several furnace a Capon half pulled and the skin stript from off his brest they leave him shut up therein for the space of two dayes at the end whereof being all come out of the shell they carry them into certain places under ground made for that purpose setting them bran soaked in liquor and so being left there loose some ten or eleven dayes they go afterwards of themselves into the ponds where they feed and bring them up for to sell them unto those former Merchants who trade with them into divers parts it being unlawfull for one to trench upon anothers traffick as I have before related so that in the Markets and publique places where provisions for the mouth are sold if any that sell Goose Eggs do chance to be taken seazed with Hens Eggs and it is suspected that they sell of them they are presently punished with thirty lashes on the bare Buttocks without hearing any justification they can make for themselves being as I have said found seazed of them so that if they will have Hens Eggs for their own use to avoid incurring the penalty of the Law they must be broken at one end whereby it may appear that they keep them not to sell but to eat As for them that sell Fish alive if any of their Fish chance to die they cut them in pieces and salting them sell them at the price of salt-fish which is lesse then that of fresh-fish wherein they proceed so exactly that no man dares passe the limits which are prescribed and ordained by the Conchalis of the State upon pain of most severe punishment for in all this Country the King is so much respected and Justice so feared as no kinde of person how great soever dares murmur or look awry at an Officer no not at the very Huppes which are as the Bayliffs or Beadles amongst us CHAP. XXXI The order which is observed in the moving Towns that are made upon the Rivers and that which further befell us WEe saw likewise all along this great River a number of Hogs both wilde and domestick that were kept by certain men on horseback and many herds of â—ame red Deer which were driven from place to place like Sheep to feed all lamed of their right legs to hinder them from running away and they are lamed so when they are but Calves to avoid the danger that otherwise they might incur of their lives We saw also divers Parks wherein a world of Dogs were kept to be sold to the Butchers for in these Countries they eat all manner of Flesh whereof they know the price and of what creaturâ—s they are by the choppings they make of them moreover we met with many small Barques whereof some were full of Pigs others of Tortoises Frogs Otters Adders Eeeles Snails and Lizards for as I have said they buy there of all that is judged good to eat now to the end that such provisions may passe at an easier rate all that sell them are permitted to make traffick of them in several fashions true it is that in some things they have greater Franchises then in others to the end that by means thereof no Merchandise may want sale And because the Subject I now treat of dispences me to speak of all I will relate that which we further observed there and whereat we were much abashed judging thereby how far men suffer themselves to be carried by their Interests and extream avarice you must know then that in this Country there are a many of such as make a trade of buying and selling mens Excrements which is not so mean a Commerce amongst them but that there are many of them grow rich by it and are held in good account now these Excrements serve to manure grounds that are newly grubb'd which is found to be far better for that purpose then the ordinary dung They which make a trade of buying it go up and down the streets with certain Clappers like our Spittle men whereby they give to understand what they desire without publishing of it otherwise to people in regard the thing is filthy of it self whereunto I will adde thus mâ—ch that this commodity is so much esteemed amonst them and so great a trade driven of it that into one sea port sometimes there comes in one tyde two or three hundred Sayls laden with it Oftentimes also there is such striving for it as the Governours of the place are fain to enterpose their authority for the distribution of this goodly commodity and all for to manure their grounds which soyled with it bears three crops in one year We saw many boats likewise laden
with dryed orange pills wherewith in victualing houses they boyl dogs flesh for to take away the rank savour and humidity of it as also to reader it more firm In brief we saw so many Vaucans Lanteaas and Barcasses in this river ladâ—n with all kinds of provision that either the sea or land produces and that in such abundance as I must confess I am not able to expresse it in words for it is not possible to imagine the infinite store of things that are in this Country of each whereof you shall see two or three hundred Vessels together at a time all full especially at the Fairs and Markets that are kept upon the solemn festival days of their Pagodes for then all the fairs are free and the Pagodes for the most part are scituated on the banks of rivers to the end all commodities may the more commodiously be brought thither by water Now when all these vessels come to joyn together during these Fairs they take such order as they make as it were a great and fair Town of them so that sometimes you shall have of them a league in length and three quarters of a league in bredth being composed of above twenty thousand vessels besides Balons Guedees and Manchuas which are small boats whose number is infinite For the Government hereof there are threescore Captains appointed of which thirty are to see good order kept and the other thirty are for the guard of the Merchants that come thither to the end they may sail in safety Moreover there is above them a Chaem who hath absolute power both in civil and criminal causes without any appeal or opposition whatsoever during the fifteen days that this Fair lasts which is from the new to the full Moon And indeed more come to see the policy order and beauty of this kind of Town then otherwise for to speak the truth the framing of it in that manner with vessels makes it more to be admired then all the Edifices that can be seen upon the land There are in this moving Town two thousand streets excâ—eding long very strait inclosed on either side with ships most of which are covered with silks and adorned with a world of banners flags and streamers wherein all kind of commodities that can be desired are to be sold In other streets are as many trades to be seen as in any Town on the Land amidst the which they that traffique go up and down in little Manchuas and that very quietly and without any disorder Now if by chance any one is taken stealing he is instantly punished according to his offence As soon as it is night all these streets are shut up with cords athwart them to the end none may passe after the retreat sounded In each of these streets there are at least a dâ—zen of lanthorns with lights burning fastened a good heighth on the Masts of the vessels by means whereof all that go in and out are seen so that it may be known who they are from whence they come and what they would have to the end the Chaem may the next morning receive an account thereof And truly to behold all these lights together in the night is a â—ight scarce able to be imagined neither is there a street without a Bell and a Sentinel so as when that of the Chaems ship is heard to ring all the other bels answer it with so great a noise of voices adjoyned thereunto that we were almost besides our selves at the hearing of a thing which cannot be well conceived and that was ruled with such good order In every of these streets even in the poorest of them there is a Chappel to pray in framed upon great Barcasses like to Gallies very neat and so well accommodâ—ted that for the most part they are enriched with silks and cloth of gold In these Chappels are their Idols and Priests which administer their sacrifices and receive the offerings that are made them wherewith they are abundantly furnished for their living Out of each street one of the most account or chiefest Merchant is chosen to waâ—ch all night in his turn with those of his Squadron besides the Captains of the government who in Ballons walk the round without to the end no thiefe may escape by any avenue whatsoever and for that purpose these guards cry as loud as they can that they may be heard Amongst the most remarkable things we saw one street where there were above an hundred vessels laden with Idols of guilt wood of divers fashions which were sold for to be offered to the Pagodes together with a world of feet thighs arms and heads that sick folks bought to offer in devotion There also we beheld other ships covered with silk hangings where Comedies and other playes were represented to entertain the people withall which in great numbers flocked thither In other places Bils of exchaâ—ge for Heaven were sold wherâ—by these Priests of the Divel promised them many merits with great interest affirming that without these bils they could not possibly be saved for that God say they is a mortal enemy to all such as do not some good to the Pagodes whereupon they tell them such fables and lies as these unhappy wretches do often times take the very bread from their mouths to give it them There were also other vessels all laden with dead mens skuls which diveâ—s men bought for to present as an offering at the tombs of their friends when they should happen to dye for say they as the deceased is laid in the grave in the company of these skuls so shall his soul enter into Heaven attended by those unto whom those skuls belonged wherefore when the Porter of Paradise shall see such a Merchant with many followers he will do him honour as to a man that in this life hath been a man of quality for if he be poor and without a train the Porter will not open to him whereas contrarily the more dead mens skuls he hath buried with him the more happy he shall be esteemed There were many boats likewise where there were men that had a great many of Cages full of live birds who playing on divers instruments of musick exhorted the people with a loud voice to deliver those poor creatures of God that were there in captivity whereupon many came and gave them mony for the redemption of those prisoners which presently they let out of the cages and then as they flew away the redeemers of them cried out to the birds Pichau pitauel catan vacaxi that is Go and tell God how we serve him here below In imitation of these there are others also who in their ships kept a great many of little live fishes in great pots of water and like the sellers of birds invite the people for Gods cause to free those poor innocent fishes that had never sinned so that divers bought many of them and casting them into the river said Get ye gone and tell there below
are comparable unto it how famous or populous soever they be Nay I will say further that one must not think it to be like to Grand Cairo in Egypt Tauris in Persia Amadaba in Cambaya Bisnagar in Narsingua Goura in Bengala Ava in Chaleu Timplan in Calaminhan Martaban and Bagou in Pegu Guimpel and Tinlau in Siammon Odia in the Kingdom of Sornau Passarvan and Dema in the Island of Iaoa Pangor in the Country of the Lequiens Vsangea in the Grand Cauchin Lancama in Tartaria and Meaco in Iappun all which Cities are the Capitals of many great Kingdoms for I dare well affirm that all those same are not to be compared to the least part of the wonderful City of Pequin much less to the greatness and magnificence of that which is most excellent in it whereby I understand her stately buildings her inward riches her excessive abundance of all that is necessary for the entertaining of life also the world of people the infinite number of Barques and Vessels that are there the Commerce the Courts of Justice the Government and the State of the Tutons Chaems Anchacys Aytaos Puchancys and Bracanons who rule whole Kingdoms and very spacious Provinces with great pentions and are ordinarily resident in this City or others for them when as by the Kings command they are sent about affairs of consequence But setting these things aside whereof yet I intend to speak more amply when time shall serve I say that this City according to that which is written of it both in the Aquesendoo before mentioned and all the Chronicles of the Kingdom of China is thirty leagues in circuit not comprehending therein the buildings of the other inclosure that is without it and is invironed with a double wall made of good strong free-stone having three hundred and threescore gates each of which hath a small Forâ— composed of two high towers with its ditches and draw-bridges and at every gate is a Register four Porters with halberds in their hands who are bound to give account of all that goes in and out These gates by the Ordinance of the Tuton are divided according to the three hundred and threescore dayes of the year so that every day in his turn hath the feast of the invocation of the Idol whereof each gate bears the name celebrated with much solemnity This great City hath also within that large inclosure of her walls as the Chineses assured us three thousand and three hundred Pagodes or Temples wherein are continually sacrificed a great number of birds and wild beasts which they hold to be more agreeable unto God then such as are kept tame in houses whereof their Priests render divers reasons to the people therewith perswading them to believe so great an abuse for an article of faith The structures of these Pagodes whereof I speak are very sumptuous especially those of the orders of the Menegrepos Conquiays and Talagrepos who are the Priests of the four Sects of Xaca Amida Gizom and Canom which surpass in antipuity the other two and thirty of that Labyrinth of the Divel who appears to them many times in divers forms for to make them give more credit to his impostures and lies The principal streets of this City are all very long and broad with fair houses of two or three stories high and inclosed at both ends with ballisters of iron and lattin the entrance into them is through lanes that cross these great streets at the ends whereof are great arches with strong gates which are shut in the night and on the top of the arches there are watch-bels Each of these streets hath its Captain and officers who walk the round in their turns and are bound every ten dayes to make report into the Town-house of all that passeth in their quarters to the end that the Punchacys or Chaems of the Government may take such order therein as reason requires Moreover this great City if credit may be given to that which the said book so often before mentioned by me records hath an hundred and twenty Canals made by the Kings and people in former times which are three fathom deep and twelve broad crossing through the whole length and bredth of the City by the means of a great number of bridges built upon arches of strong free-stone at the end whereof there are pillars with chains that reach from the one to the other and resting places for passengers to repose themselves in It is said that the bridges of these hundred twenty Canals or Aqueducts are in number eighteen hundred and that if one of them is fair and rich the other is yet more as well for the fashion as for the rest of the workmanship thereof The said Book affirms That in this City there are sixscore Piatzues or publique places in each of the which is a Fair kept every month Now during the two months time that we were at liberty in this City we saw eleven or twelve of these Fairs where were an infinite company of people both on hors-back and on foot that out of boxes hanging about their necks sold all things that well neer can be named as the Haberdashers of small wares do amongst us besides the ordinary shops of rich Merchants which were ranged very orderly in the particular streets where was to be seen a world of silk stuffs tinsels cloth of gold linnen and cotton-cloth sables ermyns musk aloes fine pourcelain gold and silver plate pearl seed pearl gold in powder and lingots and such other things of value whereat we nine Portugals were exceedingly astonished But if I should speak in particular of all the other commodities that were to be sold there as of iron steel lead copper tin latin corral cornalin crystal quicksilver vermillion ivory cloves nutmegs mace ginger tamarinds cinnamon pepper cardamone borax hony wax sanders sugar conserves acates fruit meal rice flesh venison fish pulse and herbs there was such abundance of them as it is scarce possible to express it in words The Chineses also assured us that this City hath an hundred and threescore Butchers shambles and in each of them an hundred stalls full of all kinds of flesh that the earth produceth for that these people feed on all as Veal Mutton Pork Goat the flesh of Horses Buffles Rhinocerets Tygers Lions Dogs Mules Asses Otters Shamois Bodgers and finally of all other beasts whatsoever Furthermore besides the weights which are particularly in every shambles there is not a gate in the City that hath not its scales wherein the meat is weighed again for to see if they have their due weight that have bought it to the end that by this means the people may not be deceived Besides those ordinary Shambles there is not scarce a street but hath five or six Butchers shops in it where the choicest meat is sold there are withall many Taverns where excellent fare is alwayes to be had and cellers full of gammons of bacon dried tongues poudered geese and other
Tribunal fourteen steps high that was all overlaid with fine gold Her face was very beautiful and her hands were heaved up towards Heaven at her armpits hung a many of little idols not above half a finger long filed together whereupon demanding of the Chineses what those meant they answered us That after the waters of Heaven had overflowed the earth so that all mankind was drowned by an universal Deluge God seeing that the world would be desolate and no body to inhabit it he sent the goddess Amida the chief Lady of honour to his wife Nacapirau from the Heaven of the Moon that she might repair the loss of drowned mankind and that then the goddess having set her feet on a Land from which the waters were withdrawn called Calemphuy which was the same Island whereof I have spoken heretofore in the streight of Nanquin whereof Antonio de Faria went on land she was changed all into gold and in that manner standing upright with her face looking up unto Heaven she sweat out at her armpits a great number of children namely males out of the right and females out of the left having no other place about her body whence she might bring them forth as other women of the world have who have sinned and that for a chastisement of their sin God by the order of nature hath subjected them to a misery full of corruption and filthiness for to shew how odious unto him the sin was that had been committed against him The goddess Amida having thus brought forth these creatures which they affirm were thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three two parts of them females and the other males for so say they the world was to be repaired she remained so feeble and faint with this delivery having no body to assist her at her need that she fell down dead in the place for which cause the Moon at that time in memory of this death of hers whereat she was infinitely grieved put her self into mourning which mourning they affirm to be those black spots we ordinarily behold in her face occasioned indeed by the shadow of the earth and that when there shall be so many years ran out as the goddess Amida brought forth children which were as I have delivered thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three then the Moon will put off her mourning and afterwards be as clear as the day With these and such like fopperies did the Chineses so turmoil us as we could not chuse but grieve to consider how much those people which otherwise are quick of apprehension and of good understanding are abused in matter of Religion with such evident and manifest untruths After we were come out of this great place where we saw all these things we went unto another Temple of religious Votaries very sumptuous and rich where they told us the Mother of the then reigning King named Nhay Camisama did abide but thereunto we were not permitted to enter because we were strangers From this place through a street arched all along we arrived at a Key called Hichario Topileu where lay a great number of vessels full of pilgrims from divers Kingdoms which came incessantly on pilgrimage to this Temple for to gain as they believe plenary indulgences which the King of China and the Chaems of the Government do grant unto them besides many priviledges and franchises throughout the whole Country where victuals are given them abundantly and for nothing I will not speak of many other Temples or Pagodes which we saw in this City whilest we were at liberty for I should never have done to make report of them all howbeit I may not omit some other particulars that I hold very fit to be related before I break off this discourse whereof the first were certain houses in several parts of this City called Laginampurs that is to say The School of the poor wherein fatherless and motherlesâ— children that are found in the streets are taught to write and read as also some trade whereby they may get their living and of these houses or schools there are about some five hundred in this City Now if it happen that any of them through some defect of nature cannot learn a trade then have they recourse to some means for to make them get their living according to each ones incommodity As for example if they be blind they make them labour in turning of handmils if they be lame of their feet they cause them to make laces riband and such like manufactures if they be lame of their hands then they make them earn their living by carrying of burdens but if they be lame both of feet and hands so that nature hath wholly deprived them of means to get their living then they shut them up in great Convents where there are a number of persons that pray for the dead amongst whom they place them and so they have their share of half the offerings that are made there the Priests having the other half if they be dumb then they are shut up in a great house where they are maintained with the amerciaments that the common sort of women as oyster-wives and such like are condemned in for their scolding and fighting one with another As for old queans that are past the trade and such of the younger sort as by the lewd exercise thereof are becomâ— diseased with the pox or other filthy sickness they are put into other houses where they are very well looked unto and furnished abundantly with all things necessary at the charge of the other women that are of the same trade who thereunto pay a certain sum monthly and that not unwillingly because they know that they shall come to be so provided for themsâ—lves by others and for the collecting of this mony there are Commissioners expresly deputed in several parts of the City There are also other houses much like unto Monasteries where a great many of young maids that are Orpâ—ans are bred up and these houses are maintained at the charge of such women as are convicted of adultery for say they it is most just that if there be one which hath lost her self by her dishonesty there should be another that should be maintained by her vertue Other places there are also where decayed old people are kept at the charge of Lawyers that plead unjust causes where the parties have no right and of Judges that for favoring one more thâ—n another and corrupted with bribes do not execute justice as they ought to do whereby one may see with how much order and policy these people govern all things In the prosecution of my discourse it will not be amiss here to deliver the marvellous order and policy which the Kings of China observe in furnishing their States abundantly with provisions and victuals for the relief of the poor people which may very well serve for an example of charity and good government to Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths Their Chronicles
Streamers waving upon the Battlements The first Salutation between the besiegers and the besieged was with arrows darts stones and pots of wild-fire which continued about half an hour then the Tartars presently filled the ditch with bavins and earth and so reared up their ladders against the wall that now by reason of the filling up of the ditch was not very high The first that mounted up was Iorge Mendez accompanied with two of ours who as men resolved had set up their rest either to die there or to render their valour remarkable by some memorable act as in effect it pleased our Lord that their resolution had a good success for they not only entred fiâ—st but also planted the first colours upon the wall whereat the Mitaquer and all that were with him were so amazed as they said one to another Doubtless if these people did besiege Pequin as we do the Chineses which defend that City would sooner lose their honour then we shall make them to do it with all the forces we have in the mean time all the Tartars that were at the foot of the ladders followed the three Portugals and carried themselvâ—s so valiantly what with the example of a Captain that had shewed them the way as out of their own natural disposition almost as resolute as those of Iapan that in a very shâ—rt space above 5000 of them were got upon the walls from whence with great violence they made the Chineses to retire whereupon so furious and bloody a fight ensued between either party that in less then half an hour the business was fully decided and the Castle taken with the death of two thousand Chineses and Mogores that were in it there being not above sixscore of the Tartars slain That done the gates being opened the Mitaquer with great acclamations of joy entred and causing the Chineses colours to be taken down and his own to be advanced in their places he with a new ceremony of rejoycing at the sound of many instruments of war after the the manner of the Tartars gave rewards to the wounded and made divers of the most valiant of his followers Knights by putting bracelets of gold about their right arms and then about noon he with the chief Commanders of his Army for the greater triumph dined in the Castle where he also bestowed bracelets of gold upon Iorge Mendez and the other Portugals whom he made to sit down at table with him After the cloth was taken away he went out of the Castle with all his company and then causing all the walls of it to be dismantelled â—e razed the place quite to the ground setting on fire all that remained with a number of ceremonies which was performed with great cries and acclamations to the sound of diveâ—s instruments of war Moreover he commanded the ruines of this Castle to be sprinkled with the blood of his enemies and the heads of all of them that lay dead there to be cut off as for his own souldiers that were slain he caused them to be triumphantly buried and such as were hurt to be carefully looked unto this done he retired with a huge train and in great pomp to his tent having Iorge Mendez close by him on horsback As for the other eight of us together with many brave Noblemen and Captains we followed him on foot Being arrived at his tent which was richly hung he sent Iorge Mendez a thousand Taeis for a reward and to us but an hundred a piece whereat some of us that thought themselves to be better qualified were very much discontented for that he was more respected then they by whose means as well as his the enterprise had been so happily atchieved though by the good success thereof we had all obtained honour and liberty CHAP. XXXIX The Mitaquer departs from the Castle of Nixiamcoo and goes to the King of Tartary his Camp before Pequin with that which we saw till we arrived there and the Mitaquers presenting us unto the King THe next day the Mitaquer having nothing more to do where he was resolved to take his way towards the City of Pequin before which the King lay as I have delivered before To this effect having put his Army into battel aray he departed from thâ—nce at eight of the clock in the morning and marching leasurely to the sound of his warlike instruments he made his first station about noon upon the bank of a river whose scituation was very pleasant being all about invironed with a world of fruit trees and a many goodly houses but wholly deserted and bereaved of all things which the Barbarians might any way have made booty of Having past the greatest heat of the day there he arose and marched on until about an hour in the night that he took up his lodging at a prety good Town called Lantimay which likewise we found deserted for all this whole Country was quite dispeopled for fear of the Barbarians who spared no kind of person but wheresoever they came put all to fire and sword as the next day they did by this place and many other along this river which they burnt down to the ground and that which yet was more lamentable they set on fire and clean consumed to ashes a great large plain being above six leagues about and full of corn ready to be reaped This cruelty executed the Army began again to move composed as it was of some threescore and five thousand horse for as touching the rest they were all slain as well at the taking of Quinçay as in that of the Castle of Nixiamcoo and went on to a mountain named Pommitay where they remained that night The next morning dislodging from thence they marched on somewhat faster then before that they might arrive by day at the City of Pequin which was distant about seven leagues from that mountain At three of the clock in the afternoon we came to the river of Palamxitan where a Tartar Captain accompanied with an hundred horse came to receive us having waited there two days for that purpose The first thing that he did was the delivering of a letter from the King to our General who received it with a great deal of ceremony From this river to the Kings quarter which might be some two leagues the Army marched without order as being unable to do otherwise partly as well in regard of the great concourse of people wherewith the ways were full incoming to see the Generals arrival as for the great train which the Lords brought along with them that over-spread all the fields In this order or rather disorder we arrived at the Castle of Lautir which was the first Fort of nine that the Camp had for the retreat of the Spies there we found a young Prince whom the Tartar had sent thither to accompany the General who alighting from his horse took his Scymitar from his side and on his knees offered it unto him after he had kissed the ground five times
to his hope so great an enterprise had been wherein hâ— had consumed so much treasure caused his Councel of War to be assembled in the which were present the seven and twenty Kings that accompanied him and likewise many Princes and Lords and the most part of the chief Commanders of the Army In this Councel it was resolved that in regard Winter was at hand and that the rivers had already overflowed their banks with such force and violence as they had ravaged and carried away mâ—st of the Trenches and Pallisadoes of the Camp and that moreover great numbers of the souldiers died daily of sickness and for want of victuals that therefore the King could not do better then to raise his Siege and be gone before Winter came for fear lest staying longer he should run the hazard of losing himself and his Army All these reasons seemed so good to the King that without further delay he resolved to follow this counsel and to obey the present necessity though it were to his great grief so that incontinently he caused all his Infantry and Ammunition to be imbarqued then having commanded his Camp to be set on fire he himself went away by Land with three hundred thousand Horse and twenty thousand Rhinocerots Now after they had taken an account of all the dead they appeared to be four hundred and fifty thousand the most of whom died of sickness as also an hundred thousand Horses and threescore thousand Rhinocerots which were eaten in the space of two months and an half wherein they wanted victual so that of eighteen hundred thousand men wherewith the King of Tartaria came out of his Country to besiege the City of Pequin before the which he lay six months and an half he carried home some seven hundred and fifty thousand less then he brought forth whereof four and fifty thousand died of sickness famine and war and three hundred thousand went and rendred themselves unto the Chineses drawn thereunto by the great pay which they gave them and other advantages of honour and presents which they continually bestowed on them whereat we are not to marvel seeing experience doth shew how that alone is of far more power to oblige men then all other things in the world After the King of Tartaria was gone from this City of Pequin upon a Munday the sevenâ—eenth of October with three hundred thousand horse as I have related before the same day about evening he went and lodged near to a river called Quaytragun and the next morning an hour before day the Aâ—my began to mâ—rch at the souâ—d of the Drums Fifes and other instruments of war acâ—ordâ—ng to the order prescribed them In this manner he arrived a little before night at a Town named Guiiampâ—a which he found altogether depopulated After his Army had reposed thereabout an hour and an half he set forth again and marching somewhat fast he came to lodg at the foot of a great mountain called Liampeu from whence he departed towards morning Thus marched he eight leagues a day for fourteen days together at the end whereof he arrived at a good Town named Guauxitim which might contain about eleven or twelve thousand fires There he was counselled to furnish himself with victuals whereof he had great need for which purpose therefore he begirt it round and skaliâ—g it in the open day he qâ—ickly mâ—de himself Master of it and put it to the sack with so cruel a Massacre of the inhabitants as my fellows and I were ready to swoond for very astonishment Now after that the wood and fire had consumed all things and that the Army was abundantly provided of ammunition and victual he depâ—rted at the break of day and though he past the next morning in the view of Caixiloo yet would not he attaque it for that it was a great and strong Town and by scituation impregnable having heard besides that there were fifty thousand men within it whereof ten thousand were Mogors Cauchins and Champaas resolute souldiers and much more warlike then the Chineses From thence passing on he arrived at the walls of Singrachirau which are the very same that as I have said heretofore do divide those two Empires of China and Tartaria There meeting with no resistance he went anâ— lodged on the further side of it at Panquinor which was the first of his own Towns and sâ—ated some three leagues from the said wall and the next day he marched to Psipator where he dismissed the most part of his people In this place he stayed not above seven days which he spent in providing pay for his souldiers and in the execution of certain prisoners he had taken in that war and brought along with him These things thus expedited he as a man not very well pleased imbarqued himself for Lançâ—me in sixscore Lanlees with no more then ten or eleven thousand men So in six dayes after his imbarquing he arrived at Lançame where not permitting any reception to be made him he landed about two hours within night The King abode in this City of Lançame until such time as all his forces as well horse as foot were arrived there which was within six and twenty days then having all his Army together he went on to another City far greater and fairer called Tuymicoa where he was visitâ—d by some Princes his Neighbours and hy the Ambassadors of many other Kings and Soveraigns of more remoter Countrys of which the chiefest were six great and mighty Monarchs namely Xataanas the Sophy of Persia Siamon Emperour of the Gueos whose Country borders on that of Bramaa and Tanguu the Calamiâ—ham Lord of the indomptable force of the Elephant of the Earth as I shall deliver hereafter when I come to treat of him and his State the Sournaâ— of Odiaa that names himself the King of Siam whose dominion râ—ns seven hundred leagues along the coast with that of Tanauserin and on Champaa side with the Malayos Berdios and Patanes and through the heart of the Country with Passioloqua Capioper and Chiammay as also with the Lauhos and Gueos so that this Prince alone hath seventeen Kingdoms within his State by reason whereof for to make himself the more redoubted amongst the Gentiles he causeth himself to be stiled The Lord of the white Elephant the fifth was the great Mogor whose State is within the heart of the Country near to the Corazones a Province bordering upon Persiu and the Kingdom of Dely and Chitor and the last an Emperour of a Country named Caran as we were informed there the bounds of whose Soveraignty are at the Mountains of Goncalidau sixty degrees further on where a certain people live whom they of the Country call Moscovites whereof we have some in this City which were fair of complection well shapen and apparelled with Breeches Cassocks and Hats like to the Flemings which we see in Europe the chiefest of them wearing Gowns lined with Sables and the rest with ordinary furs The Ambassador
King of Tartaria if we would have continued in his service After the King was departed from the City of Fanaugrem he proceeded on in his journy travelling but only six leagues a day by reason of the great number of persons that he carried along with him The first day he dined at a little Town called Benau where he stayed until the evening and then went to lodge at a Monastery named Pamgatur The next morning he departed from thence and so with not above three thousand horse in his Train he prosecuted his journy for nine dayes together passing by many goodly Towns at least they seemed to be so without permitting any reception to be made him by any of them In this manner he arrived at the City of Lingator seaâ—ed on a river of fresh water which for the bredth and deepness of it is frequented with much shipping There he abode five days for that he found himself somewhat indisposod with the tediousness of the journy From this place he departed before day taking no greater company with him then thirty horse and so withdrawing himself from the communication of so much people as continually importuned him he spent most part of the time as he went by the way in hawking and hunting those of the Countryes by which he past providing game always ready for him In this sort going on he slept most commonly amidst very thick woods in Tents pitched for him to that purpose Being arrived at the river of Baguetor he passed down the same in certain vessels called Laulees and Iangoas which were there ready for him till he came to a Town named Natibasoy where about evening he landed without any kind of pomp The rest of his journy he made by land so that at the end of thirteen dayes he arrived at Vzamguee where he had a most magnificent reception At his entry thereinto there marched before him as it were in triumph all the spoyls which he had taken in the wars whereof the principal and those which he made most reckoning of were twelve Chariots laden with the Idols of whom I have spoken heretofore and whereof the forms were different as they use to have them in their Pagodâ— Of these Idols there were threescore and four of brass which seemed to be Gyants and nineteen of silver of the same Stature for as I havâ— delivered before these people glory in nothing so â—uch as to triumph over those idols that so they may say That in despight of their enemies he had made their gods his slaves Round about these twelve Chariots went divers Priests by three and three weeping and bound with iron chains After them followed forty other Chariots each of them being drawn by two Rhinocerots and full from the bottom to the top of an infinite company of Arms and trayled Colours In the tayl of them there were twenty more carrying each of them a very great Chest barr'd with iron and wherein as we were told was the treasure of the Tâ—nocouhos In the same order marched all other things which are used to be most esteemed of in such triumphant entries as two hundred Elephants armed with Castles and warlike Panoures which are certain swords that are fastened to their teeth when they fight and a great number of horses laden with sacks full of dead mens heads and bones so that in this entry this King of Cauchin presented to the view of his people all that he had gained from his enemies in the battail he had given them After we had been a full month in this City during which time we had seen a world of stately shews sports and several sorts of rejoycings accompanied with most costly feasts and banquets set forth and made not onely by the greater persons but by the common people also the Tartar Ambassadour that had brought us thither moved the King again about our voyage whereunto he gave us so gracious an ear that he presently commanded we should be furnished with a Vessel for to carry us to the Coast of China where we hoped to meeâ— with some Portugal ship that might transport us to Malaca and from thence to the Indiaes which accordingly was done whereupon without further delay we prepared all things necessary for our departure CHAP. XLIII Our Departure from the City of Uzamguee and our adventures till our arrivall at the Isle of Tanixumaa which is the first Land of Jappon with our going ashore there UPon the twelfth of Ianuary we departed from the City of Vzamguee exceedingly rejoycing at our escape from so many labours and crosses which we before had sustained and imbarqued our selves upon a river that was above a league broad down the which we went seven dayes together beholding in the mean time on either side thereof many fair Towns and goodly Boroughs which by the outward appearance we believed were inhabited by very rich people in regard of the sumptuousness of the buildings not only of particular houses but much more of the Temples whose steeples were all covered over with gold as likewise in regâ—rd of the great number of Barques and Vessels that were on this river abundantly fraught with all sorts of provisions and merchandise Now when we were come to a very fair Town called Quaâ—geparun containing some eighteen or twenty thousand fires the Naudelum who was he that conducted us by the express commandmâ—nt from the King stayed there twelve dayes â—o trade in exchange of silver and pearl whereby he confessed to us that he had gained fourteen for one and that if he had been so advised as to have brought salt thither he had doubled his mony above thirty times we were assured that in this Town the King had yearly out of the silver Minâ—s above fifteen hundred Picos which are forty thousand Quintals of our weight besides the huge revenue that he drew out of many other different things This Town hath no other fortification then a weak brick wall eight foot high and a shallow ditch some thirty foot broad The inhabitants are weak and unaâ—med having neither Artillery nor any thing for their defence so that five hundred resolute souldiers might easily take it We parted from this place on Tuesday morning and continued our course thirteen dayes at the end whereof we got to the Port of Sanchan in the Kingdom of China Now because there was no shipping of Malaca there for they were gone from thence nine dayes before we went seven leagues further to another Port named Lampacau where we found two Juncks of Malaya one of Patana and another of Lugor And whereas it is the quality of us Portugals to abound in our own sence and to be obstinate in our opinions there arose amongst us eight so great a contrariety of judgment about a thing wherein nothing was so necesâ—ary for us as to maintain our selves in peace and unity that we were even upon the point of killing one another But because the matter would be too shamefull to recount in
a review to be made of those that would fight but he â—ound them to be not above two thousand in all and they too so destitute of courage as they â—ould hardly have resisted feeble women Beholding himself then reduced to the last cast he communicated his mind to the Queen only as having no other at that time by whom he may be advised or that indeed could advise him The only expedient then that he could rest on was to render himself into the hands of his Enemy and to stand to his mercy or his rigor Wherefore the next day about six of the clock in the morning he câ—uâ—ed a white flag to be hung out over the wall in sign of peace whereunto they of the Camp answered with another like banner Hereupon the Xenimbrum who was as it were Marshal of the Camp sent an horseman to the bulwark where the flag stood unto whom it was delivered from the top of the wall That the Chaubainhaa desired to send a Letter to the King so as he might have a safe-conduct for it which being signified to the Xenimbrum he instantly dispatched away two of good quality in the Army with a safe-conduct and so these two Bramaaâ— remaining for hostages in the City the Chaubainhaa sent the King a Letter by one of his Priests that was fourscore years of age and reputed for a Saint amongst them The contents of this Letter were these The love of children hath so much power in this house of our weakness that amongst us who are fathers there is not so much as one that for their sakes would not be well contented to descend a thousand times into the deep pit of the house of the Serpent much more would expose his life for them and put himself into the hands of one that useth so much clemency towards them that shall do so For which reason I resolved this night with my wife and children contrary to the opinions that would disswade me from this good which I hold the greatest of all others to render my self unto your Highness that you may do with me as you think fit and as shall be most agreeable to your good pleasure As for the fault wherewith I may be charged and which I submit at your feet I humbly beseech you not to regard it that so the merit of the mercy which you shall shew me may be the greater before God and men May your Highness therefore be pleased to send some presently for to take possession of my person of my wife of my children of the City of the Treasure and of all the Kingdom all which I do even now yield up unto you as to my Soveraign Lord and lawful King All the request that I have to make unto you thereupon with my knees on the ground iâ— that we may all of us with your permission finish our days in a Cloister where I have already vowed continually to bewail and repent my fault past For as touching the honors and estates of the world wherewith your Highness might inrich me as Lord of the most part of the Earth and of the Isles of the Sea they are things which I utterly renounce for evermore In a word I do solemnly swear unto you before the greatest of all the Gods who with the gentle touch of his Almighty hand makes the Clouds of Heaven to move never to leave that Religion which by your pleasure I shall be commanded to profess where being freed from the vain hopes of the world my repentance may be the more pleasing to him that pardoneth all things This holy Grepo Dean of the golden House of Saint Quiay who for his goodnesse and austerity of life hath all power over me will make a more ample relation unto you of what I have omitted and can more particularly tell you that which concerns the offer I make you of rendring my self that so relying on the reality of his Speech the unquietness wherewith my soul is incessantly troubled may be appeased The King of Bramaa having read this Letter instantly returned another in answer thereunto full of promises and oaths to this effect That he would forget all that was past and that for the future he would provide him an estate of so great a Revenue as should very well content him Which he but badly accomplished as I shall declare hereafter These news was published throughout all the Camp with a great deal of joy and the next morning all the Equipage and Train that the King had in his quarter was set forth to view First of all there were to be seen fourscore and six Field-Tents wonderful rich each of them being invironed with thirty Elephants ranked in two Files as if they had been ready to fight with Castles on their backs full of Banners and their Panores fastened to their Trunks the whole number of them amounted unto two thousand five hundred and fourscore Not far from them were twelve thousand and five hundred Bramaas all mounted on horses very richly accoustred with the order which they kept they inclosed all the Kings quarter in four Files and were all armed in Corslets or Coats of Mayl with Lances Cymitars and guilded Bucklers After these Horse followed four Files of Foot all Bramaas being in number above twenty thousand For all the other Souldiers of the Camp there were so many as they could not be counted and they marched all in order after their Captains In this publique Muster were to be seenâ— world of Banners rich colours such a number of Instruments of war sounded that the noise thereof together with that which the Souldiers made was most dreadful and so great as it was not possible to hear one another Now for that the King of Bramaa would this day make shew of his greatness in the reddition of the Chaubainhaa he gave express Command that all the Captains which were strangers with their men should put on their best clothes and Arms and so ranged in two Files they should make as it were a kind of street through which the Chaubainhaa might pass this accordingly was put in execution and this street took beginning from the City gate and reached as far as to the Kings Tent being in length about three quarters of a League or better In this street there were six and thirty thousand strangers of two and forty different Nations namely Portugals Grecians Venetians Turks Ianizaries Iews Armâ—nians Tartars Mogores Abyssins Raizbutos Nobins Coracones Persians Tuparaas Gizares Tanacos Malabares Iaos Achems Moens Siams Lussons of the Island Borneo Chacomas Arracons Predins Papuaas Sâ—lebres Mindanoas Pegus Bramaas and many others whose names I know not All these Nations were ranked according to the Xemimbrums order whereby the Portugals were placed in the Vantgard which was next to the gate of the City where the Chabainhaa was to come After them followed the Armâ—nians then the Ianizaries and Turks and so the rest CHAP. LI. In what manner the Chaubainhaa rendred himself
what he had to do The Rolim went herewith back to the City where he gave the Queen an account of all things saying That this Tyrant was a man without faith and replete with damnable intentions for proof whereof he represented unto her the Siege of Martabano the usage of the Chaubainhaa after he rendred himself unto him upon his word and how he had put him his wife his children and the chiefest Nobility of his Kingdom to a most shamefull death These things considered it was instantly concluded as well by the Queen as by all those of her Councel that she should defend the City till such time as succour came from her Father which would be within fifteen days at the furthest This resolution taken she being of a great courage without further delay took order for all things that were thought necessary for the defence of the City animating to that end her people with great prudence and a man-like Spirit though she was but a woman Moreover as she liberally imparted to them of her Treasure so she promised every one throughly to acknowledg their services with all manner of recompences and honours whereby they were mightily encouraged to fight In the mean space the King of Bramaa seeing that the Rolim returned him no answer within the time prefixt began the next day to fortifie all the Quarters of his Camp with double rows of Cannon for to batter the City on every side and for assaulting of the walls he caused a great number of Ladders to be made publishing withall throughout his whole Army that all Souldiers upon pain of death should be ready within three days to go to the Assault The time then being come which was the third of May 1545. About an hour before day the King went out of his Quarter where he was at anchor upon the river with two thousand vessels of choice men and giving the Signal to the Commanders which were on Land to prepare themselves they altogether in one Body assailed the walls with so great a cry as if Heaven and earth would have come together so that both sides falling to encounter pell-mell with one another there was such a conflict betwixt them as within a little while the air was seen all on fire and the earth all bloody whereunto being added the clashing of weapons and noise of guns it was a spectacle so dreadful that we few Portugals who beheld these things remained astonished and almost besides our selves This fight indured full five hours at the end whereof the Tyrant of Bramaa seeing those within defend themselves so valiantly and the most part of his Forces to grow faint he went to land with ten or eleven thousand of his best men and with all diligence re-inforcing the Companies that were fighting the Bickering renewing in such sort as one would have said it did but then begin so great was the fury of it The second trial continued till night yet would not thâ— Kâ—ng desist from the fight what counsel soever was given him to retire but contrarily he swore not to give over the Enterprise begun and that he would lie that night within the inclosure of the City walls or cut off the heads of all those Commanders that were not wounded at their coming off In the mean time this obstinacy was very pejudicial to him for continuing the Assault till the Moon was gone down which was two hours past midnight he was then forced to sound a Retreat after he had lost in this Assault as was the next day found upon a Muster fourscore thousand of his men besides those which were hurt which were thirty thousand at the least whereof many died for want of dressing whence issued such a plague in the Camp as well through the corruption of the air as the water of the river that was all tainted with blood and dead bodies that thereby about fourscore thousand more perished amongst whom were five hundred Portugals having no other buriall then the bellies of Vultures Crows and such like birds of prey which devoured them all along the Coast where they lay The King of Bramaa having considered that this first Assault having cost him so dear would no more hazaâ—d his men in that manner but he caused a great Terrace to be made with Bavins and above ten thousand Date-trees which he commanded to be cut down and on that he raised up a platform so high as it over-topped the walls of the City two fathom and more where he placed fourscore pieces of Ordnance and with them continually battering the City for the space of nine dayes together it was for the most part demolished with the death of fourteen thousand persons which quite abated the poor Queens courage especially when she came to understand that she had but six thousand fighting men left all the rest which consisted of women chidren old men being unfit and unable to bear Arms. The miserable besieged seeing themselves reduced to such extreamity assembled together in Councel and there by the advice of the chiefest of them it was concluded That all in general should anoint themselves with the Oile of the Lamps of the Chappel of Quiay Nivandel God of Battail of the field Vitan and so offering themselves up in sacrifice to him set upon the platform with a determination either to dye or to vanquish in vowing themselves all for the defence of their young King to whom they had so lately done homage and sworn to be true and faithful Subjects This resolution taken which the Queen and all her Nobility approved of for the best and most assured in a time wherein all things were wanting to them for the longer defending themselves they promised to accomplish it in the manner aforesaid by a solemn Oâ—th which they all took Now there being no further question but to see how they should carry themselves in this affair they first of all made an Uncle of the Queens the Captains of this resolute Band who assembling these six thousand together the same night about the first quarter of the watch made a sally out of the two gates that were neerest to the Terrace and platform and so taking courage from their despair and resolution to dye they fought so valiantly that in less then half an hour the whole Camp was put in disorder the Terrace gained the fourscore pieces of Cannon taken the King himself hurt the Pallisado burnt the Trenches broken and the Xenimbrum General of the Army slain with above fifteen thousand â—en more amongst the which were five hundred Turks there weâ—e moreover forty Elephants taken besides those that were killed and eight hundred Bramaas made prisoners so that these six thousand resolute men did that which an hundred thousand though valiant enough could hardly have effected After this they retreated an hour before day and upon a review they found that of six thousand which they were there was but seven hundred slain This bad success so grieved and incensed the
his men amongst the which were threescore and two Portugals Now whereas this City was very strong as well in regard of the scituation of it as of the Fortifications which were newly made there it had besides within it twenty thousand Mons who it was said were come thither some five days before from the Mountains of Pondalâ—u where the King of Avaa by the permission of the Siamon Emperor of that Monarchy was levying above fourscore thousand men for to go and regain the City of Prom for as soon as that King had received certain news of the death of his daughter and son-in-law perceiving that he was not strong enough of himself to revenge the wrongs this Tyrant had done him or to secure himself from those which he feared to receive of him in time to come namely the depriving him of his Kingdom as he was threatened he went in person with his wife and children and cast himself at the Siamons feet and acquainting him with the great affronts he had received and what his desire was he made himself his Tributary at threescore thousand Bisses by the year which amount to an hundred thousand Duckets of our mony and a gueta of Rubies being a measure like to our pynt therewith to make a jewel for his wife of which Tribute it was said that he advanced the payment for ten years beforehand besides many other precious stones and very rich Plate which he presented him with estimated in all at two millions in recompence whereof the Siamon obliged himself to take him into his protection yea and to march into the field for him as often as need should require and to re-establish him within a year in the Kingdom of Prom so as for that effect he granted him those thirty thousand men of succor which the Bramaa defeated at Meleytay as also the twenty thousand that were then in the City and the fourscore thousand which were to come to him over whom the said King of Avaa was to be the General The Tyrant having intelligence thereof and apprehending that this above all other things he could fear might be the cause of his ruine he gave present order for the fortifying of Prom with much more care and diligence then formerly howbeit before his departure from this River where he lay at anchor being about some leâ—gue from the City of Avaa he sent his Treasurer named Dioçory with whom we eight Portugals as I have related before remained prisoners Embassador to the Calaminhan a Prince of mighty power who is seated in the midst of this region in a great and spacious extent of Country and of whom I shall say something when I come to speak of him The subject of this Embassage was to make him his Brother in Arms by a League and Contract of new amity offering for that effect to give him a certain quantity of Gold and precious stones as also to render unto him certain Frontier Lands of his Kingdom upon condition that the Spring following he should keep the Siamon in war for to divert him from succoring the King of Avaa and thereby give him means the more easily to take his City from him without fear of that assistance which that King hoped should serve for an obstacle to his design This Embassador departed then after he had imbarqued himself in a Laulea that was attended on by twelve Seroos wherein there were three hundred men of service and his guard besides the Watermen and Mariners whose number was little less The Presents which he carryed to the Calaminhan were very great and consisted in divers rich pieces as well of Gold as of precious stones but above all in the Harness of an Elephant which according to reports was worth above six hundred thousand Duckets and it was thought that all the Presents put together amounted to a Million of Gold At his departure amongst other favors which the King his Master conferred on him this same was not the least for us that he gave us eight unto him for to be his perpetual slaves Having clothed us then very well and furnished us abundantly with all things necessary he seemed to be exceedingly contented with having us along with him in this Voyage and ever after he made more account of us then of all the rest that followed him CHAP. LV. Our going with the King of Bâ—amâ—a's Ambassadour to the Calaminham with the Course which we held until we arrived at the Temple or Pagod of Timagoogoo and a Description thereof IT seems fit unto me and conformable to that which I am relaâ—ing to leave for a while this Tyrant of Bramaa to whom I will return again when time shal serve for to intreat here of the way we held for to go into Timplan the capital City of the Empire of the Calaminham which signifies Lord of the world for in their language Cala is Lord and Minhan the world This Prince also entitles himself The absoluâ—e Lord of the indomptable force of the Elephants of the Earth And indeed I do not think that in all the world there is a greater Lord then he as I shall declare hereafter This Ambassadour then departing from Avaa in the month of October a thousand five hundred forty and five took his course up the râ—ver of Queitor steering West South-East and in many places Eastward by reason of the winding of the water and so in this diversity of â—hombâ—s we continued our voyage seven days together at the end whereof we arrived at a Channâ—l called Guampanoo through which the Rhobamo who was our Pilot took his course that he might decline the Siamons Country being so commanded to do by the express Order of the King A while after we came to a great Town named Gataldy where the Ambassadour stayed three days to make provision of certain things necessary for his voyage Having left this place we wâ—nt on still rowing up through his Channel eleven dayes longer during which time we met not with any place that was remarkable only we saw some small villages the houses whereof were covered with thatch and peopled with very poor folks and yet for all that the fields are full of Cattel which seemed to have no Master for we killed twenty and thirty of them in a day in the sight of those of the Country no man so much as finding fault with it but contrarily they brought them in courtesie to us as if they were glad to see us kill them in that sort At our going out of this Channel of Guampanoo we entred into a very great river called Angegumaa that was above three Leagues broad and in some places six and twenty fathom deep with such impetuous currents as they drove us often-times from our course This river we coasted above seven dayes together and at length arrived at a pretty little walled Town named Gumbim in the Kingdom of Iangromaa invironed on the Lands side for five or six â—â—agues space with Forrests of Bâ—njamin as alâ—o with
there with all to bedashed such as they pleased in the mean time all others that beheld them so drest holding them accursed fell upon them and entreated them in such a strange fashion as the poor wretches knew not which way to turn themselves for there was not a man of the company that drove them not away with blows and that railed not at them saying That they were accursed for having been the cause that this holy man had eaten of that beastly filth which the Devil feeds upon and therefore was become stinking before God so that he could neither go into Paradise nor live amongst men Behold how strange the blindness of this people is who otherwise have judgment and wit enough I will pass by much other beastliness committed by them which is so far esloigned from all reason as they serve for a great motive unto us to render thanks without ceasing unto God for the infinite mercy and goodness that he shews us in giving us the light of true Faith for the saving of our Souls Of the fifteen days that this Feast was to last nine being past all the people which were there assembled feigning that the gâ—uttonous Serpent of the House of Smoke who is their Lucifer as I have said elsewhere was come for to steal away the ashes of them that were dead in these several Sacrifices and so to keep their Souls from going into Heaven there arose among them so great and dreadful a noise as words are not able to express it for to the confused voyces that were heard from every part there was adjoyned such a ringing of Bells and Basins beating of Drums and winding of Horns as it was not possible to hear one another and all this was done to fright away the Devil Now this noise endured from one of the clock in the afternoon till the next morning and it is not to be believed what a world of lights and Torches were spent that night besides the infinite number of fires that were kindled every where the reason hereof was as they said For that Tinagoogoo the God of thousand Gods was gone in quest of the gluttonous Serpent for to kill him with a Sword which had been given him from Heaven After the night had been past thus amidst this infernal noise and tumult as soon as it was day the whole Hill whereon the Temple was built appeared full of white Banners which the people beholding they fell straight to giving thanks unto God and to that end they prostrated themselves on the ground with great demonstrations of joy and then began to send presents one to another for the good news they received from the Priests by the shew of those white Banners an assured sign that the gluttonous Serpent was killed So all the people transported with incredible gladness fell to going up the hill whereon the Temple stood by four and twenty several accesses that there were unto it for to give thanks unto the Idol and chaunt his praises for the victory he had the night past obtained over the gluttonous Serpent and cutting off his head This throng of people continued three days and three nights so that during that time it was not possible to break through the press on the way but with much pain Now we Portugals having little to do resolved to go thither also for to see those abuses wherefore we went to ask leave of the Embassador but he denyed us for the present willing us to stay till the next day and that then we should wait on him thither for in his last sickness he had vowed to visit it hereat we were very glad because we thought that by this means we should the more easily see all that we desired The morrow after which was the third day of this Assembly the greatest croud being over we went along with him to the Temple of Tinagoogoo and at length arrived though with much ado at the Hill whereon it was built There we saw six very fair long streets all full of Scales hanging on great Rods of Brass In these Scales a number of people weighed themselves as well for the accomplishment of the vows they had made in their adversities and sickness as for the remission of all the sins they had committed till that present and the weight which each of them layd in the other Scale was answerable to the quality of the fault they had done So they that found themselves culpable of gluttony and had not all that year used any abstinence weighed themselves with Hony Sugar Eggs and Butter which were things not displeasing to the Priests from whom they were to receive absolution They that were addicted to sensuality weighed themselves with Cotton wool Feathers Cloth Apparel Wine and sweet Odors because say they those things incite a man to that sin They that were uncharitable to the poor weighed themselves with Coyn of Copper Tin and Silver or with pieces of Gold The slothful with Wood Rice Coals Pork and Fruit and the envious because they reap no benefit by their maligning the prosperity of others expiated their sin by confessing it publiquely and suffering a dozen boxes on the ear to be given them in the memory and praise of the twelve Moons of the year As for the sin of pride it was satisfied with dryed fish Brooms and Cow-dung as being the baâ—est of things And touching them that had spoken ill of their Neighbors without asking them forgiveness they put for that a Cow into the Scale or else an Hog a Sheep or a Stag so that infinite was the number of those which weighed themselves in the Scales that were in those six streets from whom the Priests received so much Alms as there were great piles of all sorts of things made up all along Now for the poor that had nothing to give for the remission of their sins they offered their own hair which was presently cut off by above an hundred Priests who for that effect sat in order one by another on low stools with Sizzars in their hands There also we saw great heaps of that hair whereof other Grepos which were a thousand at least and ranked also in order made Wreathes Tresses Rings and Bracelets which one or another bought for to carry home to their houses even as our Pilgrims use to do that come from Santiago de Compostella or other such places Our Embassador being amazed at the sight of these things enquired further of the Priests concerning them who besides other particulars told him that all those alms and other offerings which were given there during the fifteen days of this Assembly amounted to a great Revenue and that even of the hair of the poor alone there was raised every year above an hundred thousand pardanis of Gold which are fourscore and ten thousand Duckets of our Mony whereby one may judg what a world of wealth was made of all the rest After that the Embassador had stay'd sometime in the streets of
the Scales he passed on through all the other quarters where were Comedies dancing wrastling and excellent consorts of all kinds of musick till at length we arrived at Tinagoogoo but with much labor and pain because the throng was so great as one could hardly break through it This Temple had but one â—sle that was very long and spacious and full of great wax lights each of them having ten or eleven wieks in it set up all about in Silver Candlesticks there was also great store of perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin As for the Image of Tinagoogoo it was placed in the midst of the Temple upon a stately Tribunal in the form of an Altar environed with a number of Silver Candlesticks and a many of Children attired in purple which did nothing but cense it at the sound of Instruments of musick whereon the Priests played reasonable well Before this Idol danced to the tune of the said Instrument 〈◊〉 in Ladies which were wonderful fair and richly clad to whom the people presented their alms and offerings which the Priests received for them and thâ—n layd them before the Tribunal of the Idol with a great deal of ceremony and complement ever and anon prostrating themselves on the ground The Status of this Monster was seven and twenty spans high having the face of a Gyant the hair of a Negro wide distorted nostrils mighty great lips and a very sowre and ill-favored countenance He had in his hand an Hatchet in the form of a Coopers Addis but with a far longer handle With this Addis as the Priests made the people believe this Monster the night before killed the gluttonous Serpent of the House of Smoke for that he would have stoln away the ashes of those that sacrificed themselves There also we saw the Serpent amidst the place before the Tribunal in the form of an Adder more horrible to behold then the wit of man can imagine and done so to the life as all that looked on it trembled for fear It was layd all along with the head cut off being eight fathom long and the neck of it as thick as a Bushel so lively represented that though we knew it to be an artificial thing yet could we not chuse but be afraid of it In the mean time all the assistants ran thronging about it some pricking it with the points of their Halberds and some with their Daggers every one with railing speeches cursing and calling it Proud presumptuous accursed infernal Mannor Pool of Damnation envious of Gods goodness hunger-starved Dragon in the midst of the night and many other names which they delivered in such extraordinary terms and so fitted to the effects of this Serpent as we could not but admire them That done they put into Basins which stood at the foot of the Idols Tribunal a world of alms of Gold Silver Jewels pieces of Silk fine Callicoes Mony and hundred other things in very great abundance After we had seen all these things we continued following the Embassador who went to see the Grots of the Hermits or Penitents which were at the utmost end of the Wood all cut out of the hard Rock and in such order as one would have thought that Nature rather then the hand of man had labored in it There were an hundred forty and two of them in some of the which remained divers men whom they held for Saints and that did very great and austere pennance They in the first Grots wore long Robes like the Bonzes of Iapan and followed the Law of an Idol that had sometimes been a man called Situmpor michay who during his life enjoyned those of his Sect to lead their lives in great austerity assuring them that the only and true way to gain Heaven was to subdue the flesh and that the more they labored to afflict themselves the more liberally God would grant them all they could demand of him They which accompanyed us thither told us that they seldom eat any thing buâ— herbs boyled a few Beans of Aricot rosted and wilde fruit which were provided for them by other Priests who as the Purveyors of a Cloister took care to furnish these Penitenâ—s with such things as were confortmable to the Law whereof they made profession After these we saw in a Grot others of a Sect of one of their Saints or rather of a Devil named Angâ—macur these lived in deep holes made in the midst of the Rock according to the Rule of their wretched order eating nothing but Flies Ants Scorpions and Spiders with the juyce of a certain Herb growing in abundance thereabout much like to sorrel These spent their time in meditating day and night with their eyes lifted up to Heaven and their hands closed one within another for a testimony that they desired nothing of this world and in that manner dyed like beasts but they are accounted greater Saints then all the rest and as such after they are dead they burn them in fires whereinto they cast great quantities of most precious perfumes the Funeral pomp being celebrated with great state and very rich offerings they have sumptuous Temples erected unto them thereby to draw the living to do as they had done for to obtain this vain glory which is all the recompence that the world gives them for their excessive pennance We likewise saw others of a Sect alâ—ogether diabolical invented by a certain Gileu Mitray These have sundry orders of pennance and are not much different in their Opinions from the Abissins of Ethiopia Now that their abstinence may be the more agreeable to their Idol some of them eat nothing but filthy thick â—pitings and snot with Grashoppers and Hens dung others clots of blood drawn from other men with bitter fruits and herbs brought to them from the wood by reason whereof they live but a short time and have so bad a look and colour as they fright those that behold them I will pass by them of the Sect of Godomem who spend their whole life in crying day and night on those mountains Godomem Godomem and desist not from it until they fall down stark dead to the ground for want of breath Neither will I speak of them which they call Taxilacons who dye more brutishly then the rest for they shut themselves up in certain Grots made of purposefor it that are very little and close stopped on all 〈◊〉 and then burning green â—histles and thorns in them they choke themselves with the smoke thereof Whereby one may see how by such rude and different ways of living these miserable creatures render themselves the Devils Martyrs who in reward thereof gives them everlasting Hell-fire and verily it is a pititiful thing to behold the great pains which these wretches take to lose themselves and the little that we do to be saved CHAP. LVII What we saw in the continuing of our voyage until we arrived at the City of Timplan AFter we had seen all these things with wonder enough
arrows but they recovered in a short time without the maâ—â—ing of any one As soon as the fortress was gained all that were found within it were put to the sword not sparing the life of any but that of the Pyrat and sixscore others of his company which were led alive to the King of Bramaa who caused them to be cast to his Elephants that instantly dismembred them In the mean time the taking of this fortress was so advantagious to the Portugals that were sent thither as they returned from thence all very rich and it was thought that five or six of them got each of them the value of five and twenty or thirty thousand duckats a piece and that he which had least had the worth of two or three thousand for his share After that the Ambassador was cured at Martabanâ— of the hurts which he had received in the fight he went directly to the City of Pegu where as I have declared the King of Bramaas Court was at that time who being advertised of his arrivall and of the letter which he brought him from the Calaminham whereby he accepted of his amity and allied himself with him he sent the Chaumigrem his foster-brother and brother-in-law to receive him to which end he set forth accompanied with all the Grandees of the Kingdom and four battalions of strangers amongst the which were a thousand Portugals commanded by Antonio Ferreira born in Braguenca a man of great understanding and to whom this King gave twelve thousand duckats a year pension besides the Presents which he bestowed on him in particular that came to little less Hereupon the King of Bramaa seeing that by this new league God had contented his desire he resolved to shew himself thankfull for so great a favour wherefore he caused great feasts to be made amongst these people and a number of Sacrifices to be offered in their Temples where there was no spare of perfumes and wherein it was thought there were killed above a thousand stags cows and hogs which were bestowed for an alms among the poor besides many other works of charity as the cloathing of five thousand poor folks and imploying great sums of money in the releasing of a thousand prisoners which were detained for debt After that these feasts had continued seven whole days together with a most ardent zeal and at the incredible charge of the King Lords and people news came to the City of the death of the Aixquendoo Roolim of Mounay who was as it were their Soveraign Bishop which caused all rejoycings to cease in an instant and every one to fall into mourning with great expressions of sorrow The King himself retired the fairs were given over the windows doors and shops were shut up so that no living thing was seen to stir in the City withall their Temples and Pagods were full of penitents of all sorts who with incessant shedding of tears exercised such an excesse of repentance as some of them died therewith In the mean time the King departed away the same night for to go to Mounay which was some twenty leagues from thence for that he was necessarily to be assistant at this funerall pomp according to the antient custom of the Kings of Pegu he arrived there the next day somewhat late and then gave order for all that was necessary for his funerals so that the next day every thing being in a readiness the body of the deceased was about evening brought from the place where he died and laid on a Scaffold that was erected in the midst of a great place hung all about with white velvet and covered over head with three cloths of Estate of gold and silver tinsell in the middle of it was a Throne of twelve steps ascent unto it and an hearse almost like unto ours set forth with divers rich works of gold and pretious stones round about hung a number of silver candlesticks and perfuming pots wherein great quantities of sweet odours were burnt by reason of the corruption of the body which already began to have an ill savour In this manner they kept it all that night during the which was no little ado and such a tumult of cries and lamentations made by the people as words are not able to express for the only number of the Bicos Grepos Menigrepos Talagrepos Guimons and Roolims who are the chiefest of their Priests amounted to above thirty thousand that were assembled together there besides a world of others which came thither every hour When divers inventions of sorrow that were well accommodated to the subject of this mourning had been shown there came some two hours after midnight out of a Temple called Quiay Figrau god of the Motes of the Sun a procession wherein were seen five hundred little boys stark naked and bound about the neck and the middle with cords and chains of iron upon their heads they carried bundles of wood and in their hands knives singing in two Quires with a tone so lamentable and sad as few that heard them could hardly forbear crying In the mean time one amongst them went saying in this manner Thou that art going to enjoy the contentments of heaven leave us not prisoners in this exile whereunto another Quire answered To the end we may rejoyce with thee in the blessings of the Lord then continuing their song in manner of a Letany they said many otherthings with the same tone After that when they were all fallen on their knees before the Scaffold where the body lay a Grepo above an hundred years old prostrated on the ground with his hands lifted up on high made a speech to him in the name of these little boys whereunto another Grepo who was neer the hearse as if he had spoken in the person of the deceased came to answer thus Since it hath pleased God by his holy will to form me of earth it hath pleased him also to resolve me into earth I recommend unto you my children the fear of that hour wherein the hand of the Lord shall put us into the balance of his justice whereupon all the rest with a great cry replied in this sort May it please the most Almighty high Lord that raigns in the Sun to have no regard to our works that so we may be delivered from the pains of death These little boys being retired there came others about the age of ten or eleven years apparrelled in white Sattin robes with chains of gold on their feet and about their necks many rich jewels and pearls After they had with much ceremony done a great deal of reverence to the dead body they went and florished naked scymitars which they had in their hands all about the hearse as if they would chace away the divell saying aloud Get thee gone accursed as thou art into the bottom of the house of smoke where dying with a perpetuall pain without making an end of dying thou shalt pay without making an end also of paying the
bring them the sooner to land In this equipage and in this order the new Roolim parted from the City of Martabano two hours before day and continued his course amidst these Vessellâ— which made as I have delivered a kind of street and forasmuch as it was not yet day there were a great number of Lanterns of different fashions placed amongst the boughs As soon as he began to set forth a Canon was shot off three times at which sign there was such a noyse of Bells and great Ordnance as also of divers sorts of very strange Instruments intermingled with the cries and acclamations of the people as one would have thought that heaven and earth would have come together When he was arrived at the Kay where he was to land he was received with a solemn Procession by certain religious men that live in solitary places and are called Menigrâ—pos which are like to the Capucins in France whom these Gentiles infinitely respect by reason of their manner of living for according to the rule which they observe they use more abstinence by far then all the rest These same being some six or seven thousand in number were all bare foot and cloathed with black Mat to shew their contempt of the world upon their heads they wore the sculls and bones of dead men and great cords about their necks having all their faces dawbed over with dirt and a writing hanging upon them which contained these words Mire mire do not cast thine eye on thy basenesse but on the recompenses which God hath promised to those that vilifie themselves to serve him When as they were very neer to the Roolim who received them very affably they prostrated themselves with their faces down to the ground and after they had continued so some time the chiefest amongst them looking on the Roolim May it please him said he from whose hand thou hast newly received so great a blessing as to be the Head of all on the earth to rendâ—r thee so good and so holy a man that all thy works may be as pleasing unto him as the innocency of children which hold their peace when their mother gives them the dug Whereunto all the rest answered with a great noyse of confused voices Permit O Lord Almighty that it may be so Passing on then accompanied with this Procession which the King for the greater honor governed himself together with some of the principall personages whom he called unto him for that purpose he went directly to the place where the dead Roolim lay buried and being arrived at his Tomb he fell down flat with his face upon it then having shed a great many tears he said with a sad and dolefull voice as if he had spoken to the deceased May it please him who raigns in the beauty of the Stars to make me deserve the honor to be thy Slave to the end that in the house of the Sun where now thou recreatest thy self I may serve as a broom to thy feet for so shall I be made a Diamond of so high a price as the world and all the riches thereof together shall not be able to equall the value of it whereunto the Grepos answered God grant it Thereupon taking a pair of Beads which had belonged to the deceased and that was upon the Tomb he put it about his neck as a relique of great worth giving as an Almes six Lamps of silver two Censors and six or seven pieces of violet coloured Damask This done he retired unto his Palace accompanied still with the King the Princes and great Lords of the Kingdome as also with the Priests that were there assistant from whom he presently rid himself and then from out of the window he threw down upon the Assembly handfulls of Rice as amongst the Papists they use to cast Holy Water which all the people received upon their knees with their hands lifted up This Ceremony ended which lasted very neer three hours they gave three toles with a Bell upon which Signal the Roolim retired for altogether and so did the Vessells and they that came in them wherein all that day was wholly bestowed About evening the King took his leave of the Roolim and returned to the City making directly the next morning towards Pegu which was some eighteen leagues from thence where he arrived the day following two hours within night without making any entry or shew to testifie the extreme griefe he was in for the death of the late Roolim whom it was said he greatly affected CHAP. LXIII That which the King of Bramaa did after his arrivall at the City of Pegu together with his besieging of Savady TWo and twenty daies after the King of Bramaa arrived at the City of Pegu he perceived by the Letter which his Ambassador brought him from the Calaminham that he had concluded the League with him against the Siamon yet in regard the season was not fit for him either to commence that war or to assail the Kingdome of Avaa as he desired he resolved to send his Foster-brother unto whom as I have already declared he had given the title of lawfull Brother to the siege of Savady which was some hundred and thirty Leagues from thence to the North-East Having assembled an Army then of an hundred and fifty thousand men amongst whom were thirty thousand strangers of divers Nations and five thousand fighting Elephants besides three thousand others that carried the baggage and the victualls the Chaumigrem departed from Pegu with a Fleet of thirteen hundred rowing Vessells the fifteenth of the moneth of March Fourteen daies after he arrived in the sight of Savady and having cast Anchor neer to a great Plain called Gâ—mpalaor he remained there six daies in attending the five thousand Elephants which were to come to him by land who were no sooner arrived but he began to besiege the Town so that having begirt it round he assaulted it three times in the open day and retreated still with very great losse as well in regard of the notable resistance which they within made against him as of the extreme trouble his people were at in planting their ladders against the walls by reason of their bad scituation which was all of Slate whereupon consulting with his Commanders about what he should do they were all of opinion to have it battered with the Canon on the weakest side untill that by the overthrow of some part of the wall a breach might be made whereby they might enter with more ease and lesse danger This resolution was as soon executed as taken so that the Ingineers fell to making of two manner of bull-works on the outside upon a great Platform composed of great beams and bavins which in five daies they raised up to such an height as it surpassed the wall two fathom at the least This done they planted on each bulwark twenty great pieces of Ordnance wherewith they began to batter the Town so violently that in a little time they beat
that in four daies they took an hundred Juncks vvherein they killed above six thousand men vvhereof notice being given to the King of Panaruca Prince of Balambuam and Admirall of the Sea of this Empire he ran thither with all speed and of the number of those which were convicted of manifest robbery he caused fourscore to be hanged all along the shore to the terror of those that should behold them After this action Quiay Ansedeaa Pate or Duke of Cherbom who was Governor of the Towne and greatly in authority taking this which the King of Panaruca had done for a manifest contempt because he had said he little respected his charge of Governor was so mightily offended â—t it as having instantly got together about six or seven thousand men he went and 〈…〉 this Kings Palace with an intent to seize upon his person but the Panaruca resisted him with his followers and as it was said he endeavoured with many complements to justifie himself to him all that ever he could whereunto Quiay Ansâ—dâ—aa was so far from having any regard as contrarily entring by force into his house he flew thirty or forty of his men in the mean time so many people ran to this mutiny as it was a dreadfull thing to behold For whereas these two heads were great Lords one Admirall of the Fleet the other Governor of the Town and both of them allied to the principall families of the Country the devill sowed so great a division amongst them as if night had not separated the fight it is credible that not one of them had escaped neverthelesse the difference went yet much farther and ended not so for the men of war who were at that time above six hundred thousand in number coming to consider the great affront which Quiay Ansedeaa Governor of the Town had done to their Admirall they to be revenged thereof went all ashore the same night the Paâ—aruca not being of power enough to keep them from it notwithstanding he laboured all that he could to do it Thus all of them animated and transported with wrath and a desire of revenge went and set upon Quiay Ansedeaas house where they slew him and ten thousand men wherewith not contented they assaulted the Town in ten or eleven places and fell to killing and plundering all that ever they met with so that they carried themselves therein with so much violence as in three daies alone which was as long as the siege of this Town lastâ—d nothing remained that was not an insupportable object to the sight There was withall so great a confusion of howling weeping and heavy lamentation as all that heard it could think no other but that the earth was going to turn topsie turvy In a word and not to lose time in aggravating this with superfluous speeches the Town was all on fire which burnt to the very foundations so that according to report there were above an hundred thousand houses consumed above three hundred thousand persons cut in pieces and almost as many made prisoners which were led away slaves and sold in divers countries Besides there was an infinite of riches stollen whereof the value as it was said only in silver and gold amounted even to forty millions and all put together to an hundred millions of gold As for the number of prisoners and of such as were slain it was neer five hundred thousand persons and all these things arrived by the evill counsell of a young King bred up amongst young people like himself who did every thing at his own pleasure without any body contradicting him CHAP. LXVI That which befell us untill our departure towards the Port of Zunda from whence we sâ—â— sail for China and what afterwards happened unto us THree daies after so cruell and horrible a mutiny whenas all things were peaceable the principall Heads of this commotion fearing as soon as a Pangueyran should be elected that they should be punished according to the enormity of their crime they all of them set sail without longer attending the danger which threatned them They departed away then in the same Vessells wherein they came the King of Panaruca their Admirall being not possibly able to stay them but contrarily was twice in jeopardy of losing himselfe in endeavouring to do it with those few men that were of his party Thus in the space of two daies only the two thousand sailes which were in the Port went away leaving the Town still burning which was the cause that those few Lords which remained being joyned together resolved to pasâ— unto the Towne of Iapara some five leagues from thence towards the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea This resolution being taken they put it presently in execution to the end that with the more tranquillity for the popular commotion was not yet well appeased they might make election of the Panguâ—yran which properly signifies Emperor As indeed they created one called Patâ— Sudayâ— Prince of Sâ—rubayaa who had been none of those eight Pretendents of whom we have spoken but this election they made because it seemed to them necessary for their common good and the quiâ—t of the Country All the inhabitantâ—â—o were exceedingly satisfied with it and they immediately sent thâ— Panarutâ— for 〈◊〉 to a place some dozen leagues from thence called Pisammenes where he at that time lived Nine dayes after he was sent for he failed not to come accompanied with above two hundred thousand men imbarqued in fifteen hundred Calaluzâ—s and Iuripangos He was received by all the people with great demonstrations of jâ—y and a little after he was crowned with the accustomed ceremonies as Pangueyran of all the countries of Iaâ—a Bala and Madâ—ra which is a Monarchy that is very populous and exceeding rich and mighty That done he returned to the Towne of Demaa with an intent to have it rebuilt anew and to restore it to its former estate At his arrivall in that place the first thing he did was to give order for the punishing of those which were found attainted and convictâ—d of the sacking of the Town who proved not to be above five thousand though the number of them was far greater for all the rest were fled away some here some there Thâ—se wretches suffered onely two kinds of death some were impaled alive and the rest were burned in the very same ships wherein they were apprehended and of four daies wherein this justice was executed there past not one without the putting to death of a great number which so mightily terrified us Portugals that were there present as seeing the commotion very great still over the whole country and no likelyhood that things would of a long time be peaceable we humbly desired the King of Zunda to give us leave to go to our ship which lay in the Port of Bantâ— in regard the season for the voyage to China was already come This King having easily granted our request with an exemption of the customes of our Merchandise presented
said he unto him I pray thee by the great goodness of that God in whom thou believest to pardon me that for which thou accusest me and to remember that it is not the part of a Christian in this painful estate wherein I see my self at this present to put me in mind of that which I have done heretofore for besides that thou canst not thereby recover the loss which thou sayest thou hast sustained it will but serve to afflict and trouble me the more Pacheco having heard what this fellow said commanded him to hold his peace which immediately he did whereupon the Xemindoo with a grave countenance made shew that this action pleased him so that seeming to be more quiet it made him to acknowledge that with his mouth which he could not otherwise requite I must confess said he unto him that I could wish if God would permit it I might have one hour longer of life to profess the excellency of the faith wherein you Portugals live for as I have heretofore heard it said your God alone is true and all other gods are lyers The Hangman had no sooner heard these words but he gave him so great a buffet on the face that his nose ran out with bloud so that the poor Patient stooping with his handsâ—downward Brother said he unto him suffer me to save this bloud to the end thou maist not want some to fry my flesh withall So passing on in the same order as before he finally arrived at the place where he was to be executed with so little life as he scarcely thought of any thing When he was amounted on a great Scaffold which had been expresly erected for him the Chirca of Justice fell to reading of his Sentence from an high Seate where he was placed the contents whereof were in few words these The living God of our heads Lord of the Crown of the Kings of Avaa commands that the perfidious Xemindoo be executed as the Perturbator of the people of the earth and the mortal enemy of the Bramaa Nation This said he made a sign with his hand and instantly the Hangman cut off his head at one blow shewing it to all the people vvhich vvere there vvithout number and divided his body into eight quarters setting his bovvels and other interior parts vvhich vvere put together in a place by themselves then covering all vvith a yellovv cloth vvhich is a mark of mourning amongst them they vvere left there till the going dovvn of the Sun at vvhich time they vvere burnt in the manner ensuing The eight quarters of the Xemindooes body vvere exposed from mid-day till three of Clock in the afternoon to the view of all the people whereof there was an infinite company there for every one came thronging thither as well to avoid the punishment wherewith they had been threatned as to gain in so doing the Plenary indulgence called by them Axiperan which their Priests gave them of their sins without restitution of any thing of all the Theeveries by them formerly committed After then that the tumult was appeased and that certain men on horseback had imposed silence on the people by making certain publications whereby the Transgressors therein were threatned with terrible punishments a bell was heard to toll five several times upon this signal twelve men clothed in black robes spotted all over with bloud having their faces covered and bearing silver Maces on their shoulders came out of a house of wood made expresly for that purpose and distant some five or six paces from the Scaffold after them followed twelve Priests which they call Talagrepos being as I have said the most eminent Dignities amongst these Pagans and held by them as Saints then appeared the Xemin Pocasser the King of Bramaaes Uncle who seemed to be near an hundred years old and was as the rest all in mourning and invironed with twelve little boyes richly apparelled carrying on their shoulders Courtelasses curiously Damasked After that the Xemin had with a great deal of Ceremonie prostrated himselfe three times on the ground in way of extraordinary reverence O holy flesh said he which art more to be â—steâ—med then all the Kingdomes of Avaa thou orient Pearle of as many Carats as there be Atomes in the beams of the Sun whom God hath placed in an height of Honour with a Scepter of Soveraign power above that of Kings I that am the least of thy meiny and so unlike thee through my baseness as I can scarcely see my self so little I am do most humbly beseâ—ch thee O thou Lord of my head by the fresh Meadow where thy soul doth now recreat thy self to hear that with thy sorrowful ears which my mouth sayes to thee in publick to the end thou maist remain satisfied for the offence which hath been done thee in this world Oretanan Chaumigrem thy brother Prince of Savady and Tanguu sends to intreat thee by me thy slave that before he departs out of this life thou wilt pardon him that which is past if he have given thee any discontent and withall that thou wilt take possession of all his Kingdomes because he doth even now yeild them up unto thee without reserving the least part thereof for himself withall he protests unto thee by me thy vassal that he makes this reconciliation with thee voluntarily to the end that the complaints which thou maiest prefer against him there above in heaven may not be heard of God Moreover for a punishment of the displeasure he hath done thee he offers to be for thee during this pilgrimage of life the Captain and Guardian of this thy Kingdome of Pegu for which he does thee homage with an oath to accomplish alwaies upon earth whatsoever thou shalt command him from heaven above upon condition that thou wilt bestow the profit which shall arise thereof upon him at an almes for his entertainment for he knowes very well that otherwise he should not be permitted to possess the Kingdome neither would the Menigrepos ever consent thereunto nor at the hour of death give him absolution for so great a sinne Upon these words one of the Priests that was present and that seemed to have more authoritie then all the rest made him answer as if the deceased himself had spoken Since I see O my Sonne that thou doest now confesse thy past faults and cravest pardon of me for them in this publick assembly I do grant it thee with all my hearâ— and it pleases me to leave thee in this Kingdome for the pastor of this my flock on condition that thou dost not violate the faith thou hast given me by this oath which would be as great an offence as if thou shouldst now come to lay hands on me without the permission of Heaven All the people having heard these words answered thereunto with joyfull voices Perform so much my Lord my Lord. After this the Priest being got into the pulpit began to speak thus to the assistants Present me with part
them CHAP. VII What happened to me at Penaiu with the King of Batas expedition against the Tyrant of Achem and what he did after his Victory over him BY that time we had sailed seven or eight leagues up the River at the end we arrived at a little Town named Botterrendan not above a quarter of a mile distant from Panaiu where the King of Batas was at that time making preparation for the War he had undertaken against the Tyrant of Achem. This King understanding that I had brought him a Letter and a Present from the Captain of Malaca caused me to be entertained by the Xabandar who is he that with absolute power governs all the affairs of the Army This General accompanied with five Lanchares and twelve Ballons came to me to the Port where I rode at anchor Then with a great noise of Drums Bells and popular acclamations he brought me to a certain Key of the Town called Campalator There the Bendara Governor of the Kingdom stayed for me in great solemnity attended by many Ourâ—balons and Amborraias which are the noblest persons of his Court the most part of whom for all that were but poor and base both in their habit and manner of living whereby I knew that the Country was not so rich as it was thought to be in Malaca When I was come to the Kings Palace and had past through the first Court at the entrance of the second I found an old woman accompanied with other persons far nobler and better apparelled then those that marched before me who beckoning mâ— with her hand as if she had commanded me to enter Man of Malaca said she unto me Thy arrival in the King my Masters Land is as agreeable unto him as a sâ—owre of rain is to a crop of Rice in dry and hot weather Wherefore enter boldly and be afraid of nothing for the people which by the goodness of God thou seest here are no other then those of thine own Country since the hope which we have in the same God makes us believe that he will maintain us all together unto the end of the world Having said so she carried me where the King was unto whom I did obeysance according to the man-of the Country then I delivered him the Letter and the Present I had brought him which he graciously accepted of and asked me what occasion drew me thither Whereunto I answered as I had in commission that I was come to serve his Highness in the Wars where I hoped to 〈◊〉 the honor to attend on him and not to leave him till such time as he returned Conqueror of his Enemies Hereunto I likewise added that I desired to see the City of Achem as also the scituation and fortifications of it and what depth the River was of whereby I might know whether it would bear great Vessels and Gallions because the Captain of Malaca had a design to come and succor his Higness as soon as his men were returned from the Indiaes and to dâ—liver his mortal Enemy the Tyrant of Achem into his hands This poor King presently believed all that I said to be true and so much the rather for that it was conformable to his desire in such sort that rising out of his Thâ—one where he was set I saw him go and fall on his knees before the carcass of a Cows head set up against the wall whose horns were guilt and crowned with flowers Then lifting up his hands and eyes O thou said he that not constrained by any material love whereâ—nto Nature hath obliged thee dost continually make glad all those that desire thy milk as the own mother doth him whom she hath brought into the world without participating either of the miseries or pains which ordinarily she suffers from whom we take our Being be favorable unto the prayer which now with all my heart I offer up unto thee and it is no other but this that in the meadows of the Sun where with the payment and recompence which thou receivest thou art contented with the good that thou dost here below thou wilt be pleased to conserve me in the new amity of this good Captain to the end he may put in execution all that this man here hath told me At these words all the Courtiers which were likewise on their knees said three times as it were in answer How happy were he that could see that and then dye incontinently Whereupon the King arose and wiping his eyes which were all beblubbered with the tears that proceeded from the zeal of the prayer he had made he questioned me about many particular things of the Indiaes and Malaca Having spent some time therein he very courteously dismissed me with a promise to cause the Merchandise which the Mahometan had brought in the Captain of Malaâ—a's name to be well and profitably put off which indeed was the thing I most desired Now for as much as the King at my arrival was making his preparations for to march against the Tyrant of Achem and had taken order for all things necessary for that his Voyage after I had remained nine days in Panaiu the Capital City of the Kingdom of Batas he departed with some Troops towards a place named Turban some five leagues of where he arrived an hour before Sun-set without any manner of reception or shew of joy in regard of the grief he was in for the death of his children which was such as he never appeared in publique but with great demonstrations of sorrow The next morning the King of Batas marched from Turban towards the Kingdom of Achem being eighteen leagues thither He carried with him fifteen thousand men of War whereof eight thousand were Bataes and the rest Menancabes Lusons Andraguires Iambes and Bournees whom the Princes his neighbors had assisted him with as also forty Elephants and twelve Carts with small Ordnance namely Faulcons Bases and other field Pieces amongst the which there were three that had the Arms of France and were taken in the year 1526. at such time as Lopo Vaz dâ— Sampayo governed the State of the Indiaes Now the King of Batas marching five leagues a day came to a River called Quilem There by some of the Tyrants Spies which he had taken he learnt that his Enemy waited for him at Tondacur two leagues from Achem with a purpose to fight with him and that he had great store of strangers in his Army namely Turks Cambayans and Malabars Whereupon the King of Batas assembling his Councel of War and falling into consultation of this affair it was concluded as most expedient to set upon the Enemy before he grew more strong With this resolution having quit the River he marched somewhat faster then ordinary and arrived about ten of the clock in the night at the foot of a Mountain half a league from the Enemies Camp where after he had reposed himself a matter of three hours he marched on in very good order for which effect having
divided his Army into four Squadrons and passing along by a little hill when he came to the end thereof he discovered a great Plain sowed with Rice where the Enemy stood ranged in two Battalions As soon as the two Armies descryed one another and that at the sound of their Trumpets Drums and Bells the Soldiers had set up a terrible cry they encountred very valiantly together and after the discharge of their shot on both sides they came to fight hand to hand with such courage that I trembled with fear to behold their fury The Battel continued in this manner above an hour and yet could it not possibly be discerned which party had the better At last the Tyrant foreseeing that if he persisted in the fight he should lose the day because he perceived his men to grow faint and weary he retreated to a rising ground that lay South of the Bataes and about a Faulcons shot distant from them There his intention was to fortifie himself in certain Trenches which before he had caused to be cast up against a Rock in form of a garden or tilth of Rice But a brother to the King of Andraguire interrupted his design for stepping before him with two thousand men he cut off his way and stopt him from passing further in so much that the medly grew to be the same it was before and the fight was renewed between them with such fury as cruelly wounding one another they testified sufficiently how they came but little short of other Nations in courage By this means the Tyrant before he could recover his Trenches lost fifteen hundred of his men of which number were the hundred and threescore Turks that a little before were come to him from the Straight of Mecqua with two hundred Sarrazins Malabars and some Abissins which were the best men he had Now because it was about mid-day and therefore very hot the King of Batas retired towards the Mountain where he spent the rest of the day in causing those that were wounded to be looked unto and the dead to be buried Hereupon not being well resolved what to do in regard he was altogether ignorant of the Enemies design he took care to have good watch kept all that night in every part The next morning no sooner began the Sun to appear but he perceived the Valley wherein the Achems had been the day before to be quite abandoned and not one of them to be seen there which made him think the Enemy was defeated In this opinion the better to pursue the first point of his Victory he dismissed all the hurt men as being unfit for service and followed the Tyrant to the City where arriving two hours before Sun-set to shew that he had strength and courage enough to combat his Enemies he resolved to give them proof of it by some remarkable action before he would encamp himself To which effect he fired two of the Suburbs of the Town as also four Ships and two Gallions which were drawn on Land and were those that had brought the Turks from the Straight of Mecqua And indeed the fire took with such violence on those six Vessels as they were quite consumed in a very little time the Enemy not daring to issue forth for to quench it After this the King of Batas seeing himself favored by Fortune to lose no opportunity began to assault a Fort called Penacao which with twelve Pieces of Ordnance defended the entry of the River to the Scalado of this he went in person his whole Army looking on and having caused some seventy or eighty ladders to be planted he behaved himself so well that with the loss only of seven and thirty men he entred the place and put all to the sword that he found in it to the number of seven hundred persons without sparing so much as one of them Thus did he on the day of his arrival perform three memorable things whereby his Soldiers were so heartned as they would fain have assaulted the City the very same night if he would have permitted them but in regard it was very dark and his men weary he gave thanks to God and contented himself with that which he had done The King of Batas held the City besieged by the space of three and twenty days during the which two sallies were made wherein nothing past of any reckoning for there were but ten men slain on either part Now as victories and good success in War do ordinarily encourage the victorious so oftentimes it happens that the weak become strong and cowards so hardy as laying aside all fear they dare undertake most difficile and dangerous things whence also it as often falls out that the one prospers and the other is ruined which appeared but too evidently in that which I observed of these two Princes For the King of Batas seeing that the Tyrant had shut himself up in his City thereby as it were confessing that he was vanquished grew to such an height of confidence that both he and his people beleeving it was impossible for them to be resisted and trusting in this vain opinion that blinded them were twice in hazard to be lost by the rash and inconsiderate actions which they entred into In the third sally made by the inhabitants the King of Batas people encountred them very lustily in two places which those of Achem perceiving they made as though they were the weaker and so retreated to the same Fort that was taken from them by the Bataes the first day of their arrival being closely followed by one of the Kings Captains who taking hold of the opportunity entred pell-mell with the Achems being perswaded that the Victory was sure his own But when they were all together in the Trenches the Achems turned about and making head afresh defended themselves very couragiously At length in the heat of their medley the one side endeavoring to go on and the other to withstand them those of Achem gave fire to a Myne they had made which wrought so effectually as it blew up the Captain of the Bataes and above three hundred of his Soldiers with so great a noise and so thick a smoak as the place seemed to be the very portraiture of Hell In the mean time the Enemies giving a great shout the Tyrant sallied forth in person accompanied with five thousand resolute men and charged the Bataes very furiously Now for that neither of them could see one another by reason of the smoak proceeding from the Myne there was a most confused and cruel conflict between them but to speak the truth I am not able to deliver the manner of it sufficeth it that in a quarter of an hours space the time this fight endured four thousand were slain in the place on both sides whereof the King of Batas lost the better part which made him retire with the remainder of his Army to a Rock called Minacaleu where causing his hurt men to be drest he found them
report that a certain King great Grandfather to him that then raigned in China named Chausi-Zarao Panagor very much beloved of his people for his good disposition and vertues having lost his sight by an accident of sickness resolved to do some pious work that might be acceptable to God to which effect he assembled his Estates where he ordained that for the relief of the poor there should be Granaries established in all the Towns of his Kingdom for wheat and rice that in the time of dearth which many times happened the people might have wherewithall to nourish themselves that year and to that purpose he gave the tenth part of the Duties of his Kingdom by a Grant under his hand which when he came to signe accordingly with a golden stamp that he ordinarily used because he was blind it pleased God to restore him perfectly to his sight again which he enjoyed still as long as he lived By this example if it were true it seemed that our Lord Jesus Christ would demonstrate how acceptable the charity that good men exercise towards the poor is to him even though they be Gentiles and without the knowledge of the true Religion Ever since there have been always a great many of Granaries in this Monarchy and that to the number of an hundred and fourteen thousand As for the order which the Magistrates observe in furnishing them continually with corn is such as followeth A little before reaping time all the old corn is distributed â—orth to the inhabitants as it were by way of love and that for the term of two months after this time is expired they unto whom the old corn was lent return in as much new and withall six in the hundred over and above for waste to the end that this store may never fail But when it falls out to be a dear year in that case the corn is distributed to the people without taking any gain or interest for it and that which is given to the poorer sort who are not able to repay what hath been lent to them is made good out of the Rents which the Countries pay to the King as an alms bestowed on them by his special grace Touching the Kings Revenues which are paid in silver Picos they are divided into three parts whereof the first is for the maintenance of the King and his State the second for the defence of the Provinces as also for the provisions of Magazines and Armies and the third to be laid up and reserved in a Treasury that is in this City of Pequin which the King himself may not touch unless it be upon occasion for defence of the Kingdom and to oppose the Tartars Cauchins and other Neighbouring Princes who many times make grievous war upon him This Treasure is by them called Chidampur that is to say The wall of the Kingdom for they say that by means of this treasure being well imployed and carefully managed the King needs lay no impositions upon the people so that they shall not be any ways vexed and oppressed as it happens in other Kingdoms for want of this providence Now by this that I have related one may see how in all the great Monarchy the Government is so excellent the Laws so exactly observed and every one so ready and careful to put the Princes Ordinances in execution that Father Navier having well noted it was wont to say that if ever God would grant him the grace to return into Portugal he would become a Suter to the King for to peruse over the rules and ordinances of those people and the manner how they govern both in time of war and peace adding withall that he did not think the Romans ever ruled so wisely in all the time of their greatest prosperity and that in matter of policy the Chineses surpassed all other Nations of whom the Ancients have written CHAP. XXXVII The great number of Officers and other people which are in the King of China's Pallace with our going to Quincay to accomplish the time of our Exile and what befell us there OUt of the fear I am in left coming to relate in particular all those things which we saw within the large inclosure of this City of Pequin they that shall chance to read them may call them in question and not to give occasion also unto detractors who judging of things according to the little world they have seen may hold those truths for fables which mine own eyes have beheld I will forbear the delivery of many matters that possibly might bring much contentment to more worthy spirits who not judging of the riches and prosperity of other Countres by the poverty and misery of their own would be well pleased with the relation thereof Howbeit on the other side I have no great cause to blame those who shall not give credit to that which I say or make any doubt of it because I must acknowledge that many times when I call to mind the things that mine eyes have seen I remain confounded therewith whither it be the Grandeurs of this City of Pequin or the magnificence wherewith this Gentile King is served or the pomp of the Chaems and Anchacys of the Government or the dread and awe wherein all men are of these Ministers or the sumptuousness of their Temples and Pagodes together with all the rest that may be there for within the only inclosure of the Kings Pallace there are above a thousand Eunuchs three thousand women and 12 thousand men of his Guard unto whom the King gives great entertainment and pentions also twelve Tutons dignities that are Soveraign above all others whom as I have already declared the vulgar call The beams of the Sun Under these twelve Tutons there are forty Chaems or Vice-roys besides many other inferiour dignities as Judges Majors Governours Treasurers Admirals and Generals which they term Anchacys Aytaos Ponchacy Lauteas and Chumbims whereof there are above five hundred always residing at the Court each of them having at the least two hundred men in his train which for the most part to strike the greater terror are of divers Nations namely Megores Persians Curazens Moems Calaminhams Tartars Cauchins and some Braamas of Chaleu and Tanguu for in regard of valour they make no account of the Natives who are of a weak and effeminate complection though otherwise I must confess they are exceeding able and ingenious in whatsoever concerneth Mechanick Trades Tillage and Husbandâ—y they have withall a great vivacity of spirit and are exceeding proper and apt for the inventing of very subtle industrious things The women are fair and chaste and more inclined to labour then the men The Country is fertile in victual and so rich aboundâ—ng in all kind of good things as I cannot sufficiently express it such is their blindness as they attribute all those blessings to the only merit of their King and not to the Divine Providence and to the goodness of that Soveraign Lord who