hath the same signification and etymologie Whence it is that they would also imitate the Emperours of Germany in their great seal which had a Spread-Eagle but the wings not so large as the Imperial Eagle's having on the breast in an Escutcheon one on hors-back fighting with a Dragon representing the Archangel St. Michael or rather St. George The three Crowns which are above and between the Eagle's heads signifie Muscovy and the two Kingdoms of Tartary Cassan and Astrachan The Tyrant Iohn Basilouits first used these Arms as willing to be thought descended from the antient Roman Emperours The Great Dukes Interpreters and the Germans who live at Moscou call him in their language Kaysar that is to say Caesar or Emperour But it is certain the word Czaar signifies King which may be seen in their Bible where the Muscovites speaking of David and his Successors Kings of Iudah and Israel they call them Czaars The Great Duke is indeed King in effect since other Princes stick not to treat him with the word Majesty the title of Great Duke being much below what that great Prince deserves Nor accordingly does he take the quality of Great Duke when he assumes that of of Welikoi Knez but that of Grand Seigneur as well as the Emperour of the Turks with whom he may be parallel'd not only in respect of the extent of his Empire but also by reason of the absolute power he hath over his Subjects No people in the World have a greater veneration for their Prince than the Muscovites who from their infancy are taught to speak of the Czaar as of God himself not only in their acts and publick assemblies but also in their entertainments and ordinary discourse Thence proceed their submissive forms of speaking The honour to see the brightness of the eyes of his Czaarick Majesty Only God and the Czaar knows it All they have belong to God and the Czaar The Great Duke Iohn Basilouits reduc'd them to these submissions Now to continue them in this lowness of spirit and to keep them from seeing that liberty which other Nations about them enjoy the Muscovites are upon pain of death prohibited to go out of the Countrey without the Great Duke's express permission Iohn Helmes the Great Duke's Interpreter who died some three years since aged 97. years had got leave to send his son into Germany to study Physick where he afterwards grew famous but the young Gentleman having spent 10. or 12. years up and down Germany and England pleas'd with the sweetness of the climate and liberty would never return into Muscovy Whence it came that when Peter Miklaf a Merchant of Novogorod whom the Great Duke sent into Germany 3 years since in the quality of Poslanick desired his Majesty would permit him to leave his son in Germany neither the Czaar nor Patriarch would by any means consent thereto But indeed this despotical Government seems to be most suitable to their humour and disposition which is insensible of the advantages of Liberty as being unacquainted with it and so not fit to enjoy a happiness which they never heard of Yet are we not to attribute to the present time what may be read in the Baron of Hâ—bâ—rstein Paulus Iovius and Guagnin concerning the violent and tyrannical Government of the Great Duke for they writ during the reign of Iohn Basilouits whose Scepter was of Iron and his Government more cruel and violent than that of any Prince mentioned in History But the Great Duke that now is is a very mild Prince one that according to his Father's example instead of impoverishing his Subjects relieves them and allows sums of money out of his Exchequer to set up those whom a bad year or some other misfortune hath ruin'd Nay he hath the goodness to provide for such as are banish'd into Siberia for their Crimes allowing to persons of quality money finding employment for those that are capable of it and disposing Soldiers into some place where they have Pensions or ordinary pay during life So that what is most insupportable to them when they are out of favour is that they have not the honour to see the bright eyes of his Czaarick Majesty For were it no for that this is become so mild a punishment that many have in their exile got that wealth which they could not have hoped before When we said the state of Muscovy was Monarchical we presuppose that the Prince is a Monarch and hath alone all the prerogatives of Soveraignty He is not subject to the Laws he only makes them and all the Muscovites obey him with so great submission that they are so far from opposing his will that they say the Justice and word of their Prince is sacred and inviolable He only creates Magistrates and deposes them ejects them and orders them to be punish'd with such absolute power that we may say of the Great Duke what the Prophet Daniel says of the King of Babylon That he put to death whom he would and saved whom he would He appoints Governours and Lieutenants for the Provinces for the disposal of the antient Demesn and Administration of Justice who have joyned with them a Deak or Secretary and these take Cognizance of all matters give final and absolute judgement in all causes and cause their sentences to be put in execution without any appeal And in this the Great Duke follows the advice of the best Politicians who are so far from allowing a survivancy in Governments that they would have a Soveraign that it might be in his power to punish the miscarriages committed by great ones in their Governments and prevent their making intrigues to settle themselves in the Provinces to change the Governours from three years to three years He alone hath the power to make War and Peace with other Princes For though he takes the advice of his Knez and Bojares yet does he not always follow it but makes them know that notwithstanding the freedom he gives them to advise him he reserves to himself the power of doing what he thinks fit He only confers Honours and rewards the services that are done him with the qualities of Knez Bojares Dukes or Princes and whereas the Muscovites have heard that it is a mark of Soveraignty in Germany to make Doctors the Great Duke meddles with that also and grants Letters Patents to Physicians and Surgeons that are Strangers All the Great Duke's Mony who only hath the power to make any is of Silver of an oval form and little The greatest piece is worth but a peny and is called a Copec or Denaing For though in trading the Muscovites use the words Altin Grif and Rouble whereof the first is worth three the second ten the third a hundred Copecs yet is there no Coins of that kind the words being used only for the convenience of Commerce to avoid the multiplication of Copecs The Poluske is worth half the Mustofske the fourth part of
which differs from the Soveraign only in time as that the King of Spain hath many Lords to gratifie with an Employment which enriches them sufficiently in that time For besides that his whole Court lies at the Kings charge he hath the disposal of all his Revenue and every year makes a Visit for sixty or eighty Leagues about which is worth to him very much But the Presents which the neighbouring Princes and the Governours and under Officers make him are not to be valued He hath his Council of State and his Courts of Law and Equity He is absolute Judge in all civil Causes the most important only excepted wherein there may appeal be made to the King Criminal Sentences are executed there notwithstanding the Appeal but it is not in the Viceroy's power to indict a Gentleman but he is oblig'd to send him with the Informations brought in against him to Portugal unless the King order some other course to be taken with him The Viceroy at his arrival into the Indies lands in the Island of Bardes or some other Haven on that side whence he immediately sends his Agents to Goa to take possession of his charge and what ever depends on it His Predecessour makes way for him upon the first news he receives of his Arrival unfurnishes the Palace and leaves him only the Guards and the bare walls Thus much we thought fit to say of the City of Goa Ianuary 22. about noon the President sent away the two Ships which came along with us from Surat and were to carry thither the money which had been received at Goa and after he had dismiss'd certain Iesuits and several other persons of quality of Goa who were come to visit him aboard we hoys'd sail yet expecting to come aboard our Ship the General of the Dutch Fleet whose name was Van Kenlen who had intreated him to convey some Letters to his Superiours But he came not In the Evening we saw all the Dutch Fleet under sail whence we imagin'd that the General intended to give us a visit but with the night we lost sight of them and having a reasonable good wind kept on our course Ian. 23. At break of day we had a sight of the Dutch Fleet again and then we conceiv'd they were going to relieve the King of Ceylon who had intreated the General to assist him against the Portuguez who had declar'd war against him About noon we were at thirteen degrees latitude and out of sight of land But in regard we intended to go towards the Coast of Malabar upon intelligence brought us that an English Ship coming from Bantam richly loaden with Spices had been set upon and spoil'd by the Malabar Pyrates the next day we chang'd our course and took it more Eastward so to get towards the land The Malabars had taken their advantage of the condition that Ship was in which was so over-burthen'd that she could make use of but six Guns they found indeed no great difficulty to enter her but they were no sooner in ere the English sent above six hundred of them with the upper Deck into the Sea They dispatch'd as many with the second but afterwards being themselves forc'd to go to the Stern to avoid the fire they yielded to the Malabars who with the Ship took the Captain the Masters Mate the Clark and fourteen others whom we intended to redeem About noon we pass'd in sight of Monteleone a high mountain from which the Malabars discover at a distance the Vessels they conceive they may set upon with advantage and at night we came to the Haven of Cananor where we found three English Vessels the Dragon the Catharine and the Seymour commanded by Captain Weddell one of the most experienced Sea-Captains of his time one that had been at the taking of Ormus and was then entertain'd into the service of a new Company erected not long before in England for the trade of the Indies Having fired some Guns to salute the Castle we sent to Captain Weddell to know what condition the English prisoners were in and hearing they were most of them set at liberty we would stay no longer on that Coast. The Portuguez have a Garrison in the Castle of Cananor but the City is inhabited by Malabars They call by that name all those people who live upon that Coast from the City of Goa as far as the Cape of Comory or Comorin The Country is very fertile and brings forth abundance of Spices but particularly the best Pepper in the Indies which is most esteem'd because the grain of it is bigger then it is any where else even then that which grows in Sumatra and Iava The Inhabitants go stark naked covering only those parts which Nature would not have seen even in Beasts They make holes in the tips of their Ears and are black but have not such great Lips as the Moors of Africk They tye up their Hair together upon the Crown of the Head and let their Beards grow to the full length without any ordering or trimming in so much that they are not unlike those figures under which we would represent the Devil Nor is their disposition unsuitable to this pleasant external shape for they understand nothing of civility nor are capable of any Commerce or Conversation They are for the most part Pyrates and Souldiers who may be said to have rashness rather then courage and are expert enough in the handling of their Armes which are Sword and Buckler Bows and Arrows They make also a kind of Muskets themselves and use them with advantage They obey neither the King of Cuncam nor the Viceroy of Goa but they have their particular King or Prince who also performs the functions of High-Priest and is of the Sect of the Bramans These were the most considerable enemies the Portuguez met with at the beginning of their establishment in the Indies but ever since they made a Treaty with them they have liv'd in very good correspondence Their Prince whom they call Zamorin is also King of Calicuth upon the same Coast. In the year 1604. the Dutch made a Treaty with him for the freedom of Trade but the Portuguez coming to be more powerful in those parts and the Dutch finding it easier to settle themselves in other places where they continue their Trade with greater advantage they have neglected the friendship of these Barbarians I observ'd at Cananor that there were some men among them who never par'd their Nails and that there were others who wore Bracelets and Rings about their Armes These are the Gentry of the Country whom they call Nayres that they may be distinguish'd from Persons of meaner condition whom they call Polyas The Nayres are very proud and conceited of themselves and permit not the Polyas so much as to touch them They alwayes go with their Sword and Buckler wherewith they make a noise in the Streets as they go and perpetually cry out Po Po that people
relations and friends of his Son in Law and the next day those of the Bride The Feasting being over the Husband delivers to his Wife in the presence of her kindred the Portion he promised her and she gives it her Father or Mother as a requital of the pains they had taken in her Education so that by this means such as have most Daughters are the happiest especially if they be handsom Maids are married very young and the Father may dispose of the Dower given his Daughter if any necessity oblige him thereto but if he keep it it is due to the Daughter all the other Children being excluded from having any benefit thereof Polygamy is lawful among them but incest severely forbidden in a direct line to infinitie and in a collateral to Sisters and Nieces The first is the only lawful Wife the rest Concubines insomuch that they do not only not live in the same Lodgings with the first but also her eldest Son Inherits as much of the Estate himself as all the rest put together If the first wife have no Son or having any if he die before the Father the eldest by the other wives succeeds him in his right and represents the heir apparent of the Family A man seldom hears of any Adulteries committed among them for the women are kept in such restraint that they are in a manner inaccessible The Husband hath the same power as in other places to kill the Adulteress and her Gallant if he take them in the Act but in regard it is a self-ended and self-conceited Nation they choose rather to make their advantage otherwise of such an accident then defame themselves by a severity which saves their reputation only in appearance The Government of the King the Emperour of China is Monarchical and it may be said to be in some respect despotical in as much as the Soveraign is so absolute that no Law checks his Power and yet his Government is so mild that there is not any Democracy where the Inhabitants are less burthen'd then they are in China Nothing is more destructive to a State and more obliges Princes to have recourse to extraordinary wayes to the cost of their Subjects then War Whence it comes that the Kings of China considering that no forreign War can be carried on but at the cost of the people and that by that means the foundations of a House are dig'd up to cover the roof of it have made it a Fundamental Law that no War should be made to extend the Frontiers of the Kingdoms And to the end their Subjects may give forreigners no occasion of making any War against their Countrey they are forbidden upon pain of Death to go out of it without express permission from the Prince or Governour of the Frontiers They call their Emperour Tie'neu that is Son of Heaven or Son of God not that they believe him descended from Heaven but being the chiefest of men they look on him as a gift of Heaven and a person dear to the Gods He assumes to himself the quality of Hoang which signifies Emperour of dirt or earth so to be distinguished from Xanhi who is the great Emperour of the Universe They say that he who first took the name of Hoangthir lived many ages before the birth of our Saviour and that his successours were desirous to continue the same name as they did who succeeded Iulius Caesar in the Empire That dignity is hereditary in the Family of him who now Reigns so as that the eldest Son only succeeds him the younger brothers being wholly excluded who yet have the Title of King and a Royal retinue with some City of their demean where they are lodg'd and treated as Kings but have so little Authority that the Governour who hath it wholly himself suffers them not so much as to go out of the City nay le ts them have their allowance but quarterly lest having it paid in altogether they might employ it in making friends to the disturbance of the Publick The Councel of State consists of twelve Councellours and a President who next the King hath most Authority Besides this there are in the City of Xuntien six other Councellours to wit one for the administration of Justice which they call Lyp'u The second for the Revenue which they call Hup'u The third for Ceremonies which are essential in that Kingdom and is also called Lyp'u The fourth for Military Affairs and is called Pingp'u The fifth for publick Structures called Cungp'u And the sixth for criminal affairs called Hingp'u The Councellours employed in these Counsels deliberate about those things whereof they are to take Cognizance and come to some resolution but they neither publish nor execute any thing without the Emperours express permission who reserves the decision thereof to himself as indeed he doth that of all other affairs of the Kingdom Once in three years he sends Visitors into all the Provinces who particularly inquire into the lives and actions of the Governours and the state of the Provinces whereof they make him a faithful report and by this means he perfectly knows what is done all over the Kingdom though he never stirs out of his place The members of that Councel of State which they call Colao or Caisiang that is Auxiliary Governours or Ministers of State are all Philosophers and most of them well skil'd in Astrology inasmuch as it is expected they should fore-see the Events of things not only by the help of civil Prudence but also by the course of the Stars which they think more infallible then those of reason grounded on experience The President of this Councel and in his absence the most ancient Councellour reports to the King the debates of the Councel speaking to him on his knees and looking down to the ground never lifting up his eyes though the audience should last two hours All the Provinces of China have a Viceroy whom they call Comon only Peking and Nanking excepted which are Royal Provinces and have only Governours whom they call Insuanto's and are as King's Lieutenants inasmuch as they have the chief Authority in the Province next the Viceroy yet each within his own jurisdiction which extends only over the great Cities where they reside and the lesser ones which depend on them These last have also their Governours whom they call Tutuam and the Portuguez Mandorines They call him who is receiver of the King's Revenue in a Province Ponchasi him who commands the Soldiery thereof Toloc The President for the Administration of Justice Anchasi and the chief of a Councel of War Aytao All these Officers have their several Counsels who all meet in the Vice-roys Palace who takes Cognizance of all Affairs passed therein and if they be of importance he sends an Express to give notice thereof to the President of the Councel of State The most eminent persons next the President whom they call Colao are
relieve his friends was struck over the head with an iron-bar which bruis'd the skull so as that he dyed the next day The Magistrate did all lay in his power to find out the Murtherer but to no purpose so that all the reparation was that the Senate together with the Ambassadors and their retinue accompany'd him to the grave Reuel is situated at 50. degr 25. min. latitude and 48. deg 30. min. longitude upon the Baltick Sea in the Province of Esthonie Waldemar or Wolmar II. King of Denmark laid the foundations of it about the year 1230. Wolmar III. sold it in the year 1347. together with the Cities of Narvan and Wesenberg to Gosuin d'Eck Master of the Order of Livonia for 19000. Marks of Silver About 100. years since Livonia groaning under a troublesome War against Muscovy this City put it self under the protection of Eric King of Sueden It was so strong in those times that it indur'd a notable Siege in the year 1570. against Magnus Duke of Holstein who commanded the Great Duke's Army and another in the year 1577. against the same Muscovites who were forc'd to raise it with loss The situation of its Castle is so much the more advantageous for that the Rock on which it is built is steepy on all sides unless it be towards the City which being fortify'd according to the modern fortification is almost as considerable a place as Riga whence it came that for some years it had the oversight of the College at Novogorod joyntly with the City of Lubeck It hath been these 300. years numbred among the Hanseatick Towns but its Commerce began not to be great till about the year 1477. and at that time it might well keep up its Traffick especially that of Muscovy by reason of her excellent Port and Haven which indeed are such as if God and Nature had intended it for the convenience of Commerce Had it not been ingross'd into few hands it had still continu'd in the same posture but having broken with the other Hanseatick Towns in the year 1550. and the Great Duke having taken Narva soon after the Muscovites establish'd there the Trading they before had at Reuel It still enjoyes the privilege of being a Mart and the Inhabitants have with the preference of the Merchandises discharg'd in their Port the power to hinder the Traffick of Livonia into Muscovy without their permission These privileges have been confirmed to it by all the Treaties that have been made between the Kings of Suoden and Dukes of Muscovy as in the year 1595. at Teusina in 1607. at Wibourg and in 1617. at Stoluoâ—s 'T is true it hath lost some of these advantages since the last War of Muscovy which were taken away left in imitation of several other of the Hanseatick Towns it should attempt a defection from its Prince yet does it still enjoy many other privileges which have been confirmed to it from time to time by the Masters of the Order while they were Lords of the Country and afterwards by the Kings their Successors It observes the same Customes with Lubeck and hath a Consistory and a Superintendent for Ecclesiastical affairs professing the Protestant Religion according to the Auspourg Confession as also a very fair School whence there come very good Scholars who consummate their studies at Derpt or some other Universities in those quarters The Government of the City is Democratical the Magistrate being oblig'd to summon the principal of several Professions and the most antient Inhabitants to consultations that concern affairs of Importance There are still to be seen within half a League of the City towards the Sea-side the ruins of a fair Monastery founded by a Merchant of that City at the beginning of the 15th age out of a particular devotion he had for St. Bridget under Conrad de Iungingen Grand Master of Prussia and Conrad de Vitinghof Master Provincial of Livonia It consisted of both Religious Men and Women and the Book I saw of the foundation of this Monastery pleasantly acquaints the Reader that the Friers and Nuns there had found out a way to express their meanings one to another by signs of which there is in it a little Dictionary Livonia hath on the East Muscovy on the North a Gulf of the Baltick Sea dividing it from Sueden and Finland on the West the same Baltick Sea and on the South Samogitia Lithuania and Prussia It is above 120. German leagues in length and about 40. in breadth and is divided into Esthonie Lettie and Courland The first of these Provinces is subdivided into five Circuits called Harrie Wirland Allentaken Ierwe and Wiecks it s chief City Reuel as Lettie hath Rigaâ— and Courland Goldingen By the Treaty concluded between the King of Poland and the Great Duke of Muscovy Jan. 15. 1582. the Duke restor'd to the Crown of Poland all the places of Livonia those excepted which the King of Sueden was possess'd of in Esthony Now it is in a manner all under the power of the Suede Livonia is in all parts very fertile and particularly in Wheat For though it hath suffered much by the Muscovites yet it is now more and more reduc'd to tillage by setting the Forests afire and sowing in the ashes of the burnt Wood and Turf which for three or four years produce excellent good Wheat and with great increase without any Dung Which is the more to be admir'd in that 't is known there remains to generative quality in the ashes So that it is to be conceiv'd that the Sulphur and Saltpeter which remain with the Cinders upon the earth leave behind them a heat and fatness able to produce as well as dung Which conceit is not disâ—onant from what Strabo says at the end of his fifth book where he speaks of the fertility of the Lands near the Mountain Vesuvius and Mont-gibel in Sicily There is also abundance of Cattel and Fowl so cheap that many times we bought a young Hare for four pence a Heath-Cock for fix and accordingly others so that it is much cheaper living there than in Germany The Inhabitants were a long time Heathens it being in the 12 age that the rayes of the Sun of righteousness began to break in upon them occasion'd by the frequentation of certain Merchants of Bremen and the Commerce they were desirous to establish in those parts About the year 1158. one of their Ships having been forc'd by a Tempest into the Gulf of Riga which was not yet known the Merchants agreed so well with the Inhabitants of the Country that they resolv'd to continue their Traffick there having withall this satisfaction that the people being very simple they thought it would be no hard matter to reduce them to Christianity Menard a Monk of Segeberg was the first that preach'd the Gospel to them and was made first Bishop of Livonia by Pope Alexander III. in the year 1170. Menard was succeeded in the Bishoprick of Livonia by
them and to send to us those Traitors The Letters were dated the last of October 1652. after which the Great Duke sent another of the 5 of Ianuary 1653. to the same effect save that at the end of the Letter were added the lines following Since that time there came to us in the moneth of December last Peter Micklaf of Novogorod who hath informed us how that in pursuance of your Orders the said Traitor had been secured in your Ducal City of Neustat and that upon the Remonstrance made to you by the said Micklaf you had translated him to Gottorp to be there kept under a good and sure guard Wherefore we send back again unto you the said Micklaf with Letters from our Czaarick Majesty to entreat you to deliver up the said Traitor to him and Basili Spilki that he may have no further opportunity to escape and raise new troubles in the World In acknowledgement whereof our Czaarick Majesty shall serve your Highness in such occasions as shall present themselves This Robber and Traitor to our Czaarick Majesty named Timoska is of very mean Birth the son of a Linnen-Draper that dealt only in coarse cloaths named Demki Ankudina of the Suburbs of Vologda His Mother is called Salmaniska and his Son who is yet living Tereska Timoska was an under Officer in the Nova Zetvert and he hath robb'd our Treasury hath kill'd his Wife and with his own house hath burnt several other houses that were near his whereby many of our Subjects have been ruined Wherefore knowing that he could not avoid death otherwise than by flight he got away in the manner we have mentioned Given at our Czaarick residence of Moscou the third of January in the year of the Worlds Creation 7161. and of the birth of our Saviour 1653. After this he also writ a third Letter of the 17 of October the same year upon which the Prisoner was delivered up to those whom the Great Duke had appointed to receive him One of these Deputies was the same Spilki whom Timoska had cheated of his Wife's coller and Pearls To be Gossips is a great allyance in Muscovy besides they had been fellow-Officers in the same Employment wherefore Spilki desired his Highness would give him leave to see the Prisoner and to speak to him in the presence of some Officers of the Court But Timoska behaved himself as if he knew him not and would not speak the Muscovian but the Polish language purposely to gravel the other who could not speak it well Spilki asked him whether his name were not Timoska Ankudina and whether he had not robb'd the Great Duke's Treasury and committed several other enormous crimes Timoska made him answer that it might be Timoska Aukudina had robb'd the Great Duke's Treasury or converted his money to his own use but that he was not concern'd in it That his name was Iohannes Sinensis and in the Polish language Zuiski cunningly avoiding to hint at what he had said before to wit that he was Son to the Great Duke Iohn Basilouits Zuski But when Spilki ask'd him whether he remembred not his life past the other derided him gave him injurious language and added that he could not acknowledge him in the quality of a Poslanick since he was but a poor Shop-keeper and seller of Pins alluding to his name Spilki which signifies a Pin-maker Timoska would needs one day intreat his Highness of Holstein to appoint his Chancellor and some others of his Councel to receive from his own mouth the state of his affairs They askt him what house and family he was of and whether he were of kin to the Great Duke why the Great Duke persecuted him and wherein he could any way prejudice him He answer'd that it was known his name was Iohannes Sinensis and in the Polish language Zuski that at his Baptism he had been named Timotheus that he was the Son of Basili Domitian Suiski and that he had been so surnamed from a City in Muscovy called Suia That he was originally a Muscovite but born and brought up in Poland in the Province of Novogarka Severskhio and that he was hereditary Lord of Hukragina Severska upon the Frontiers of Muscovy That the Great Duke was not his Kinsman in as much as the Great Duke's Father had been but a Gentleman whereas his was a Prince born and that was the reason why the Great Duke persecuted him That the Cham of Tartary who was then ingaged in a War against the King of Poland would have employ'd him in a War against the Great Duke but he had a greater affection for the Country of his Predecessors than to trouble its quiet That it was in his power to send above a 100000 men into Muscovy but that God of his goodness had diverted his thoughts from doing any such thing He had written somewhat to that purpose to the Patriarch For the Poslanick who came from Sueden having enter'd into a Familiarity with him and advised him to write to the Patriarch as the most likely person to procure his pardon he resolv'd to do it and deliver'd his Letter to the Poslanick in which he writ to the Patriarch that he was indeed a Muscovite and at his Baptism had been named Timothy whereof the word Timoska is the diminutive That he had had a desire to enter Muscovy with an Army of 300000 men but that he had been diverted from that pernicious design by the Guardian Angel of Muscovy That thereupon he came to himself and was resolved to return into his Country whereas had he been minded to continue his wicked life it had been easie for him to get out of the prison at Neustat but that it was his intention to return into Muscovy voluntarily with those whom the Great Duke had appointed to conduct him The Poslanick who doubted not but that upon this Letter he would have made such a confession as night have convinc'd him open'd and read it in his presence But he had to do with a man whom so small a matter would not make to betray himself He would perswade them that the Poslanick was a cheat and that the Letter was counterfeited that he had never writ it and to make good what he said he writ another Letter of a Stile and Character so far different from that of the former that the Poslanick mad to see himself so abused flung it in his face Timoska took it up and tore it to pieces But the distraction of his conscience was but too apparent in the inconsistency of his depositions and the declarations he had made both by word of mouth and writing For one while he said he was Son to the Great Duke Basili Iuanouits Zuski and another he said his Fathers name was Basile Domitian though it was known that in that time there were but three Lords of the House of Zuski and not any of them was of that name Sometimes he would be thought a Polander and would confidently
thereat nor perform it with the requisite Ceremonies which are as followeth They summon to Moscou not only all the Metropolitans Archbishops Bishops Knez and Bojares but also the Principal Merchants of all the Cities in the Kingdom The day appointed for the Coronation the Patriarch attended by the Metropolitans conduct the new Great Duke to the Church within the Castle where a Scaffold is erected three steps high cover'd with rich Persian Tapistry on which are set three Brocado Chairs at an equal distance one from the other One is for the Great Duke another for the Patriarch and upon the third are set the Ducal Cap and Robe The Cap is embroider'd with Pearls and Diamonds having upon the Crown a Tassel on which hangs a little Crown set as thick as may be with Diamonds and the Robe is of a rich Brocado lined with the best kind of Sables They say the Great Duke Demetri Monomach found it at the taking of Kaffa in Tartarie and that he immediately design'd it for the Coronation of the Princes his Successors As soon as the Czaar is come within the Church the Clergy begin to sing their Hymnâ— which ended the Patriarch prays to God to St. Nicholas and the other Saints desiring their presence at that day's Solemnity The prayer ended the Chief Counsellour of State taking the Great Duke by the hand presents him to the Patriarch and sayes to him Since the Knez and Bojares acknowledge the Prince here present to be the next of Kin to the late Great Duke and lawfull Heir to the Crown they desire that as such you immediately Crown him Whereupon the Patriarch leads the Prince up to the Scaffold and having seated him in one of the three Chairs he puts to his forehead a little Cross of Diamonds and blesses him Then one of the Metropolitans reads the following Prayer O Lord our God King of Kings who didst choose thy servant David by the Prophet Samuel and who didst cause him to be anointed King over thy people Israel hearken to our prayers which though unworthy we offer up unto thee Look down from the highest Heavens upon this thy faithful servant who is here seated upon this Chair and whom thou hast exalted to be King over thy people whom thou hast redeemed by the blood of thy Son Anoint him with the Oyl of gladness protect him by thy power set upon his head a precious Diadem grant him a long and happy life put into his hand a Royal Scepter and make him sit upon the Throne of Justice Make subject to him all barbarous Languages Let his heart and his understanding alwayes continue in thy fear In all the course of his life let him be constantly obedient to thy Commandement Suffer not any Heresie or Schism to come near his Person or Government Teach him to maintain and observe whatsoever the holy Greek Church commandeth and ordaineth Iudge thy people in Iustice and be merciful to the poor that when they leave this Valley of tears they may be received into eternal joys Which Prayer the Patriarch concludes with these words For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost be with us and remain with us The Prayer ended the Patriarch commands two Metropolitans to take the Cap and Robe and having caused some of the Bojares to come upon the Scaffold he commands them to put them on the Great Duke whom he blesseth a second time by touching his forehead with the little Cross of Diamonds Then he causes to be given to them the Ducal Cap to be set upon his head while he says In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and then blesses him the third time That done the Patriarch causes all the Prelates to approach who give the Benediction to the Great Duke but it is only with their hands That Ceremony ended the Great Duke and the Patriarch sit down but they immediately rise again to give order for the singing of the Letany whereof every verse ends with Gospodi pomiluy Lord have mercy upon us putting in ever and anon the great Duke's name After the Letany they sit down again and one of the Metropolitans comes up to the Altar and says singing God preserve our Czaar and Great Duke of all the Russes whom God hath out of his love bestow'd on us in good health and grant him a long and a happy life All that are present as well Ecclesiasticks as Laicks repeat the same words which make the Church echo again with the greatness of their joy Then the Bojares come up to the Great Duke smite their foreheads in his presence and kisse his hand That done the Patriarch comes up alone before the Great Duke and tells him That since through the Providence of God all the Estates of the Kingdom as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal have establish'd and Crowned him Great Duke over all the Russes and have entrusted him with a Government and Conduct of so great importance he ought to apply all his thoughts to love God keep his Commandments administer Iustice and protect and maintain the true Greek Religion That done the Patriarch gives him the Benediction and the whole Assembly goes out of that Church into that of St. Michael the Arch-Angel which is opposite to the other where they sing over the same Letanies which is done afterwards in that also of St. Nicholas where they conclude the Ceremonies and Dine in the Great Hall of the Duke's Palace After the Coronation Alexei Michaelouits Morosou chang'd the quality of Governour into that of Favourite and Chief Minister and had the same power in Affairs as he had over the Prince's person during his fathers life He began his establishment with the great Employments which he bestow'd on the Kinred of the Great Dutchess-Mother for whom the Prince had a great Veneration but under that pretence he kept them at a distance from Court which as also the chiefest places of publick trust he in the mean time fill'd with his own Kinred and Creatures who wholly depended on his fortune He permitted not any other to come near the Prince's person whom he would often get out of the Capital City under pretence of Hunting or some other divertisement so to beget in him an aversion to business that he might have the management of all things He thought the only way to make sure of him would be to get him a Wife and to that end he brought him acquainted with a Gentlemans Daughter who was an extraordinary Beauty but of mean extraction 'T was his design to marry her Sister by that means to interesse the Great Duke more nearly in his preservation These Gentlewomens Father was one Ilia Danilouits Miloslauski very much look'd upon by the Favourite not only upon the accompt of his two fair Daughters but also in regard of his constant attendance on him So that upon the confidence he had of his affection and
He had been five years in the King's service and growing weary of being so long among inâ—idels he was desirous to take the opportunity of our Embassy to return into his own Country He had to that end desired his Majesties leave to depart the Kingdom and the King who had an affection for him had promis'd him a Present of four hundred Crowns to oblige him to stay two years longer in Persia but that was so far from prevailing with him that on the contrary he continu'd his importunities for his departure and to that end got the Ambassadors to intercede for him In the mean time a House-breaker coming one night into his house out of a hope to find there the four hundred Crowns the Clock-maker who perceiv'd him fell upon him got him down and having hurt him in several places thrust him out of Doors Afterwards upon second thoughts repenting himself that he had suffered him to escape so he took a Pistol run after him and kill'd him The friends of the Deceas'd went immediately to the Ecclesiastical Judge and made complaints of the Murther committed by a Stranger and an Infidel upon one of the Faithful demanded Justice of him and desir'd that the Murtherer might be put into their hands in order to his Execution The Clock-maker who little thought he should be troubled for the death of a Robber got on horse-back the next day to go to the Court but he was taken in the street and immediately put into the Palenk which is a wooden Instrument which comes about the Arms and the Neck and very cruelly handled The Ambassadors us'd much solicitation on his behalf but the animosity of the Relations and the authority of the Spiritual Judge whom they call Mufti carried it against him so that he was condemn'd to dye with this Proviso nevertheless that if he would be circumcis'd and embrace the Religion of the Mussulmans it should be in the King's power to pardon him Most of the Lords who had a great respect for him upon the account of his Profession wherein he was Excellent press'd him very much to change his Religion at least in outward shew and for a time promising him those advantages which he could not expect in Germany He was two several times conducted to the place of execution in the Maidan before the Palace-Gate that he might see the horrour of death before his eyes out of an imagination that would oblige him to renounce but he equally slighted both promises and threats his constancy could not be shaken and he wav'd all they said to him with so resolute a courage that it is not to be doubted but it was supernatural and that his death was a kind of Martyrdom He told them that the King's favour should never make him lose that which Iesus Christ had done him by redeeming him from eternal death by his blood That being entertain'd into the King's service his Majesty might dispose of his body but that he would render up his Soul to him by whom it was created that he might be therein glorify'd both in this World and the next The Augustin Monks and the Carmelites endeavour'd all they could to oblige him to make profession of the Roman Catholick Religion but he continu'd firm to his former resolution and would die in the Reform'd Religion which he profess'd and wherein he was perfectly well instructed At last the Persians finding it impossible to overcome his courage either by fair or foul means left him to the Relations of the deceas'd who had the execution of him He among them who went out to give him the first blow with the Cimitar miss'd him and wounded his next neighbour the Leg the second struck into the Palenk which they had left about his neck the third struck him upon the neck and smote down that Martyr of Christ who afterwards receiv'd three other blows ere he expir'd the first in the head and the other two in the face The Ambassador Brugman who as I said before had a great kindness for this German's sister-in-law was so enrag'd at this execution that being at a loss of all judgement and not knowing what to do for madness he would needs divert himself by running at the Ring in the presence of two or three Gentlemen and the Canonier causing in the mean time the great Guns to be fired above a hundred times The body lay all that day expos'd to the sight of those that pass'd by in the place where the execution had been done till that in the evening the Ambassador Brugman with the King's permission caus'd it to be brought to our Lodgings with an intention to have it buried the next day But the King having appointed that day to go a-hunting and invited the Ambassadors to that Divertisement it was put off so that the Ceremonies of the enterment could not be performed till the 22. The Muscovian Ambassador the Governour of Armenia and his brothers most of the Armenians and those of the Sect of Nessera of which the Widdow of the deceas'd made profession and whereof we shall discourse hereafter as also of the other Europaean Christians honour'd his Funeral with their presence The Hunting we spoke of before began the 17. The night before the Mehemandar came to acquaint the Ambassadors that his Majesty had for their sakes appointed a Hunting that should last several dayes and that it was his pleasure they should have notice of it that they might be ready against the next morning It was imagin'd this was done out of design that the Ambassadors might not be in person at the interment of the Clock-maker but that hindred not the Ambassador Brugman from giving order that the body should be kept till his return The 17. betimes in the morning there were Horses brought for the Persons and Camels for the Baggage The Ambassadors got on Horse-back with Father Ioseph and about thirty persons of their Retinue The Mehemandar conducted them into a spacious Plain whither the King came soon after attended by above three hundred Lords all excellently well mounted and sâ—mptuously cloath'd The King himself was in a Vestment of Silver Brocado with a Turbant adorn'd with most noble Heron's Feathers and having led after him four Horses whereof the Saddles Harness and covering Cloaths were beset with Gold and precious Stones The King at his coming up very civilly saluted the Ambassadors and ordered them to march near him on his left hand The other Chans and great Lords march'd after the King with so little observance of order that many times the Servants were shuffled in among their Masters There was among the rest in the King's Retinue an Astrologer who alwayes kept very close to him and ever and anon observ'd the position of the Heavens that he might prognosticate what good or ill fortune should happen These are believ'd as Oracles We rode up and down that day above three Leagues the King taking occasion often to change his
After Dinner the Kurtzibachi or Lord high Chamberlain came and conducted the Ambassadors to the King of whom they took their leave The King delivered them himself the Answer he made to the Letters they had brought him with recommendations to his Highness our Master and promis'd that he would send to Visit him by an express Embassy The Ambassadors answer'd the Complement and thank'd the King for the honour he had done them and the noble Treatments they had received from him during the stay they had made in his kingdom and return'd to their lodgings observing the same order in their going from the Court as had been done at their going thither Decemb. 4. the Poslanick or Muscovian Ambassador Alexei Savinowits went to see the Chancellor who dismiss'd him in the Kings name that he might return in our Company The dayes following those Lords who had receiv'd any Presents from our Ambassadors sent theirs to them Decemb. 5. Chosru Sulthan sent the Ambassadors two â—â—orses The next day Tzanichan the Kurtzibaschi sent his Present to the Ambassadors but in regard he had done it by the Persian fugitive Rustan who had so basely left the Ambassadors to change his Religion they would not accept of it and sent him word that they much wondred that it being as they conceiv'd his design to do them an honour and to oblige them by the Present he made them he would send it by a person for whom they must needs have an aversion and one they could not endure to see Three dayes after he sent them by another Man two Horses a Mule and eighteen pieces of Stuff which they accepted and gave the person who brought the Present five Pistols The 10. the Chamberlian sent them two Horses the Chancellor two Horses a Mule and forty five pieces of stuffs among which there were several whereof the ground-work was Gold The same day the Mehemander came to give us notice that the King intended within eight days to goe for Kaschan and that if we could be ready against that time we might make our advantage of the convenience as far as that City Which oblig'd us to put all things in readiness for our journey and the 12. we made an entertainment in order to our departure whereto were invited the same persons who had been at the first save that the acquaintances which the Ambassador Brugman had made in the Suburbs of Tzulfa occasion'd his invitation of several Armenians to this who had not been at the former In the afternoon there was running at the Ring at which Divertisement was present also the Portuguez Agent who manag'd the Viceroy's affairs at the Court and a rich Iew who drove a great trade between the Indies and Constantinople The Walls windows and tops of the neighbouring houses were full of Persians and Armenians who came thither to see that Divertisement The noise of the Trumpets and Tymbrels continu'd all the time as did also that of our Artillery which the Ambassador Brugman ordered to be discharg'd at all the healths that were drunk and that so often that Father Ioseph our Interpreter who knew that they might hear every shot at the Kings Palace fearing his Majesty should take it ill was forc'd to represent to him the Tyrannical humour of that Prince and the danger whereto he expos'd not only his own person after the Ambassadors were departed but also all that belong'd to the Embassy He told him that it was no extraordinary thing to see that Prince exercise his cruelties upon all sorst of persons without any regard of their Quality or Character and intreated him to command that there should be no more shooting But all these Remonstrances prevail'd nothing with the Ambassador who ordered the Trumpets to sound and the Gans to be fir'd as much as at any time before We understood since that the King was so incens'd against the said Ambassador as well for this action as another whereof I shall presently give an account that he was upon the point of ordering him to be cut in pieces and it may be all of us with him if the prudence and moderation of the Chancellor had not prevail'd with him to forbear by representing to him that the Prince his Master who no doubt approv'd not the insolences of that Ambassador would be sure to punish them as soon as he were advertised thereof But what most incens'd the King was this following adventure Lion Bernoldi who had the Quality of a Gentleman in the Retinue of the Ambassadors was put into Irons by order of the Ambassador Brugman upon this account that being born at Antwerp whence he retir'd into Holland there were some jealousies conceiv'd of him upon the frequent Visits he made to the Dutch Agent from whom he receiv'd many little kindnesses However that the Agent might not take ought amiss and the more to smother the jealousie had of him it was given out that he had rob'd the Ambassadors He found means to make his escape and cast himself into the Sanctuary of the Persians which they call Alla-Capi which is part of the King's Palace The Ambassadors sent to intreat the King to return their Domestick into their hands but answer was brought that if what he was charg'd to have stolen were found about him it should be restor'd but that as to his person it was not in his power to force him out of the Sanctuary though he had committed some Crime against his Royal Dignity The Ambassador Brugman was so transported with passion at this answer that he said aloud that he would have him and would kill him though he took refuge and were found within the King's arms Nay not content to betray this sally of his passion he suborn'd an Armenian who was to perswade Bernoldi to get out of the Sanctuary in the night and to hide himself some where else while he sent above twenty persons a-foot and on horse-back Arm'd with Fire-locks and Muskets with match lighted to the Palace-Gate with express Order to kill him if he came out or to get him thence by force His Collegue endeavour'd all he could to prevent that violence and the Kings Guard oppos'd it but the insolence of the party he had sent out upon this design who did more than they were commanded to do was so great that making head against the Guard who would have thrust them back the King awak'd at the noise and desirous to prevent further disorder commanded that Gate through which there was an entrance into the Sanctuary to be shut which was more than had been seen in the memory of Man it being the deâ—â—gâ— of the Foundation that those unfortunate persons who are forc'd thither should find their way in at any hour The King was so incens'd at these proceedings that as soon as he got up the next morning he told the Lords of his Councel that being not safe even within his own Palace by reason of the Germans who
to discover him and invited him to Dine with her But instead of Meat there were brought up only great Basins full of Gold Silver and Precious Stones which she desir'd him to fall to and to make the best Cheer he could whereupon Alexander telling her that there was not any thing could satisfie his hunger she represented to him that it was for those useless trifles that he ruin'd so many Provinces and fruitfull Countries such as were able to produce what could maintain many Millions of People and shew'd him how that when he had Conquer'd all the World he must at last dye for want of Bread if he still continu'd the courses he then took and intreated him not to deprive her of her Kingdom Alexander did as she desired and they talk to this day of the great Wisdom of that Queen of whom they relate among other things that being very Rich she did not impose pecuniary Mulcts upon offenders but oblig'd them to make Graves for the Burial of the Dead and they say there are yet many of those made by her Command to be seen near Nechtzuan That thence Alexander went to Schiruam and built the City of Derbend causing it to be fortify'd on the side towards Persia and drawing a wall all along the Mountain as far as the black Sea and building Towers at a League distance one from another for Guards against the Invasion of the Tartars That afterwards he went into Persia became Master of almost all the Provinces thereof and engag'd against Darius who was then with an Army of two hundred thousand men in the Province of Kirman That Darius had the advantage in the three first Battels but was defeated in the fourth Alexander having drawn the Enemie's Army to a place where he had caus'd several pits to be made which he had covered with straw and that Darius was taken in one of them Afterwards he went into Chorasan and thence into the Indies where upon the intreaty of the Indians he caus'd to be made a Palizado of Iron against the Pigmèes which is to stand till the day of Judgment Afterwards he defeated the Vsbeques and after that he turn'd his Arms against the Hebbes who rebell'd against him That having so many Kings in his power he would needs be advis'd by Aristotle whether it were not the safest way to put them to Death But Aristotle having represented to him that some of their Children might come to revenge that cruelty he set them all at Liberty except Darius whom he poyson'd After this Alexander coming to understand that in the Mountain of Kef there was a great Cave very black and dark wherein ran the water of Immortality would needs take a Journey thither But being afraid to lose his way in the Cave and considering with himself that he had committed a great over-sight in leaving the more aged in Cities and fortify'd places and keeping about his Person only young people such as were not able to advise him he ordered to be brought to him some old Man whose counsell he might follow in the adventure he was then upon There were in the whole Army but two Brothers named Chidder and Elias who had brought their Father along with them and this good old Man bid his sons go and tell Alexander that to go through with the design he had undertaken his only way were to take a Mare that had a Colt at her heels and to Ride upon her into the Cave and leave the Colt at the entrance of it and the Mare would infalliby bring him back again to the same place without any trouble Alexander thought the advice so good that he would not take any other person with him in that Journey but those two Brothers leaving the rest of his Retinue at the entrance of the Cave He advanc'd so far that he came to a Gate so well polish'd that notwithstanding the great darkness it gave light enough to let him see there was a Bird fasten'd thereto The Bird ask'd Alexander what he would have He made answer that he look'd for the water of Immortality The Bird ask'd him what was done in the World Mischief enough replies Alexander since there is no Vice or Sin but Reigns there Whereupon the Bird getting loose and flying away the Gate opened and Alexander saw an Angel sitting with a Trumpet in his hand holding it as if he were going to put it to his Mouth Alexander ask'd him his name The Angel made answer his name was Raphael and that he only staid for a command from God to blow the Trumpet and to call the Dead to Judgment Which having said he ask'd Alexander who he was I am Alexander repli'd he and I seek the water of Immortality The Angel gave him a Stone and said to him go thy wayes and look for another stone of the same weight with this and then thou shalt find Immortality Whereupon Alexander asked how long he had to live The Angel said to him till such time as the Heavens and the Earth which encompass thee be turn'd to Iron or as others say into Gold and Silver Alexander being come out of the Cave sought a long time and not meeting with any stone just of the same weight with the other he put one into the Balance which he thought came very near it and finging but very litrle difference he added thereto a little Earth which made the Scales even it being God's Intention to shew Alexander thereby that he was not to expect Immortality till he himself were put into the Earth At last Alexander having one day a fall off his Horse in the barren ground of Kur or Ghur they laid him upon the Coat he wore over his Armour and cover'd him with his Buckler to keep off the heat of the Sun Others affirm that this Coat was Embroider'd with Gold and Silver and that his Buckler was cover'd with Plates of the same Mettal and that then he began to comprehend the Prophecy of the Angel and was satisfy'd the hour of his Death was at hand that accordingly he dyed and that his Body was carried into Greece They add to this Fable that these two Brothers Chidder and Elias drunk of the water of Immortality and that they are still living but invisible Elias upon the earth and Chidder in the Water wherein this latter hath so great power that those who are in danger of being destroy'd by water if they earnestly pray saying Ia Chidder Nebbs vowing a Sacrifice or Offering to him and firmly believing that he can relieve them shall escape the danger and save their Lives Whence it comes that if any one perish it is attributed to his Incredulity but if he escape they are of a certain perswasion that it is by the assistance of Chidder to whom those who escape Shipwrack or any other danger upon the Sea do every year upon the same day give solemn thanks and acknowledge the protection of this Saint These Ceremonies are performed in February
should make way for them As soon as they perceive them coming they close on both sides look down to the ground and do them reverence Some affirm that this punctilio of Honour whereby they pretend to a respect due to them from all that are not of their race was one of the things that most obstructed the Treaty which the Portuguez were ready to conclude with the King of Cochim at their first establishment in regard they would have the Portuguez do them the same submissions as the Polyas did The Portuguez on the other side who are as highly conceited of themselves as any Nation in the World refused to do it so that to decide the difference it was agreed that a Portuguez and a Nayre should fight for the honour of the two Nations upon condition that the Conquerour should give the Law to the conquered The Portuguez Champion had the advantage and by that means obtain'd the precedence for his Nation and ever since that time the Portuguez have the same honour done them by the Nayres as they have done them by the Polyas Many of these Nayres never marry in regard they have a certain priviledge to see the Wives and Daughters of their Camerades and to that end to go into their Houses at any time of the day When they go into any House upon that score they leave their Sword and Target at the Street-door which mark prohibits entrance to all others whatsoever nay the very Master of the House himself finding those Armes at his Door passes by and gives his Camerade full liberty to do what he please The Polyas are not so much honourâ—d as to have the Nayres visit their Wives who must be content with their own Husbands for it were a great crime in a Nayre to defile himself by conversing with the Wife of a common person The Nayres are all Souldiers made use of by the King both for his Guard and in his Wâ—rs On the contrary the Polyas are forbidden the bearing of Armes and so are either Tradesmen Husbandmen or Fishermen The Malabars write with a Bodkin upon the bark of the Cocos-tree which they cut very thin and in an oblong form like a Table-book drawing a String through the middle which hold the leaves together and comes twice or thrice about the box or case which is as it were a covering to it Their Characters have nothing common with those of the other Indians and are understood only by their Bramans for most of the common people can neither write nor read The King of Calicuth doth not eat any thing which had not been presented before to his Pagode and it is to be particularly observed that in this Kingdom it is not the Kings Son but the Kings Sisters Son who inherits the Crown it being the common perswasion that the Children born of the Queen are begotten rather by their Bramans then by the King himself As concerning the City of Cochim it is to be observed that there are two Cities of the same name in the Kingdom of Cochim one whereof lies upon a great River and belongs to the King of Cochim the other to the Portuguez This last whereof we now speak is seated upon the same Coast at ten degrees on this side the Line having on the West-side of it the Sea and on the Land-side a Forrest of black Trees whereof the Inhabitants of the Country make their Boats called Almadies These Trees they make hollow and so their Boat is all of one piece yet with these they make a shift to go along the Coast as far as Goa The Port is very dangerous by reason of the Rocks which make the entrance into it very difficult At the beginning of Winter there falls such abundance of Rain in the neighbouring Mountains that several Brooks are of a sudden by that means overflown and run with such violence that the Earth which they carry along and which is stopped by the Waves that are forc'd by the Wind against the Earth makes in that place a kind of Bank which so stops up the mouth of the Haven that 't is impossible to get into it or out of it during that time nor indeed till the Wind which changes with the season forces the Sea back again which carries along with it the filth which the Rain had left in that place The Portuguez carry on a great Trade in this place in Pepper which the King of Cochim sells them at a certain rate agreed upon with the Viceroy at his first coming to Goa but the Inhabitants of the Country and other Forreigners pay dearer for it The King of Cochim is one of the most powerful Princes of those parts it being certain that he is able to raise above a hundred thousand men the most part Nayres who are obliged to serve at their own charge either with Horse or Elephants As to their manner of life it is not fully so brutish as that of the Malabars but they observe the same Custom for the succession of their Kings and the Consummation of their Marriages which work is performed by their Bramans This sort of people is so highly respected amongst them that the Master of the House seeing a Braman coming into it makes him way retires and leaves him alone to do what he please with his Wife They make holes in their Ears and hang little weights of Lead at them which stretch them so much that in time they reach down to their Shoulders The principal Commerce of this place consists in Pepper Ginger and Cinnamon It is not long since all the Malabars had but one King but Sarama Perymal Monarch of all that Coast from Goa as far as the Cape of Comeri having imbrac'd the Mahumetan Religion and desirous to end his life in solitude near the Sepulchre of his great Prophet distributed his Territories amongst his Friends upon condition that the Kings of Cananor Cochim and Chaule should acknowledge the Soveraignty of the King of Calicuth on whom he bestowed the Dignity of Zamourin or Emperour but since the establishment of the Portuguez in those parts the power of Zamourin is grown so low that at the present the King of Cochim is more powerful then he Ianuary the 26. We left Cananor and saw going thence Captain Weddell who would gladly have come along with us into England had he not been obliged to go and dispatch some business he had to do at Cochim and Calicuth Captain Weddell cast Anchor there but we only fired some Guns and pursued our Voyage The next day we discover'd at a great distance eighteen Sail of Ships which coming directly towards us easily discover'd what their design was We had much ado to clear our Guns for the Ship was so loaden that every hole was full However we had the time to put our selves into a posture of receiving those Pyrats who had not the confidence to come within Cannon-shot of us while day-light might discover
of the Court is seated on the River Menam which makes an Island entirely taken up by that City having on the River-side a strong sufficient wall for about two Leagues in compass and the Suburbs on both sides the River as well built and adorn'd with Temples and Palaces as the Town it self Here are divers very fair Streets with Channels regularly cut but withall there are some which are neither large nor fair though the River crosses the Town in so many places that there is scarce a house but may be gone to by boat The Houses here as generally all over the Indies are but of ordinary building and for the most part covered with Tiles There are within the Town above three hundred fair Mosqueys or Chappels with gilt Steeples or Pyramides which at a distance yield a glorious prospect with abundance of Pagodes of all sorts of Metals The Palace which is as it were a City of it self within the other hath its Towers and Pyramides gilt so as the City of India may be said to be as beautiful as large and as populous as any City in India nevertheless I will not affirm what Fernando Mendez Pinto writes that it contains within its Circuit four hundred thousand Families whereof three quarters are Siamezes but thus much I can add that the City hath this advantage that it is impregnable for being of it self strong enough to indure any Siege for many moneths it hath an infallible relief which never fails at six moneths end by reason that the River overflowing no Line can withstand it nor no Camp can be so strong but must dislodge The King of Siam that now reigns and who amongst his other Titles takes that of Precau Salcu that is Sacred Member of God holds the Crown from his Ancestors who have possessed it for many Ages and next to the Mogul this Prince can reckon more Kings of his Family then any Prince of the Indies He is absolute Monarch in his Dominions solely disposing with an Independant Authority of all Affairs of his Kingdom He makes War and Peace imposes Taxes on his Subjects creates Magistrates sets value on Money and makes Laws and Statutes without the consent or advice either of States or Lords He allows them to consider of such Affairs as come to their knowledge and to offer him their Advice by way of Remonstrance but he reserves to himself the Power to approve or reject what he pleases These Noble men are called Mandorins and are there as the Privy Council a quality the King bestows on whom he pleases as he doth of all other Honours in the Kingdom without regard either to birth or merit because his Subjects are his Slaves and the King is Master of all they possess even their very lives whereof he hath power to dispose to his service and advantage 'T is true that in this as in deposing the Mandorins from their Dignities and reducing them to the rank of their fellow Subjects he observes some appearance of Equity by following in some measure the Laws of the Kingdom but being above the Law he explicates and executes it as he pleases The Prince is exceeding magnificent in his Apparel and Train but his State appears in nothing more then his manner of living For the people who seldom see him have a peculiar Veneration for his Person nor do the Grandees and Officers scarce ever come into his presence When he gives Audience he sits most gloriously habited on a Throne of Gold with a Crown on his head and at his feet the Officers and Gentlemen of the Houshold on their knees and not far from him a Guard of three hundred Souldiers No one speaks to him but on the knee and they who come for audience present themselves in this sort their hands being lifted above their head and making to him ever and anon most low reverences The continual inclinations that are made him and the Titles given him must likewise be accompanied with oblieging speeches and attributions beyond what either greatness or goodness can deserve His Answers are receiv'd as Oracles and his Orders executed without delay or dispute He hath in every Province of his Kingdom his Palaces and Gardens when he removes his Houshold he hath with him a number of Elephants loaden with Tents to be pitched when he comes to places fit to rest in He hath but one Wife to whom they give the Title of Queen but he hath an infinite number of Concubines which are chosen for him out of the fairest Virgins of the Kingdom He feeds very high but drinks only Water because the Laws both Civil and Ecclesiastical prohibit the use of Wine to Persons of Quality when he pleases to recreate himself upon the River he goes in a splendid gilt Barge under a Canopy of Brocadoe attended by some of his Domesticks and a Guard of three or four hundred in seven or eight other Barges which have each of them fourscore or a hundred Slaves to row The Noblemen who follow and are sometimes to the number of a thousand or twelve hundred have each their several Barge The like is done when the King goes from his Palace into the City Then he sits in a Chair of Gold born on the shoulders of ten or twelve Waiters having marching before him many Elephants and Horses richly harnessed in this sort marching with a slately and grave pace while the people prostrate themselves to him and render him the same honours they might do to God himself He appears particularly in his greatest Magnificence on a certain day in October designed for this Ceremony On this day he appears both in the City and upon the River to make a procession to one of his chiefest Mosquees whither he goes to sacrifice and to do his Devotions for the prosperity of the State In the head of this procession march about two hundred Elephants each of them carrying three arm'd Men then comes the Musick consisting of Hoboyes Tabours and Cimbals next come about a thousand Men compleatly arm'd divided into several Companies that have their Colours and Banners Next to these follow many Noble men on horseback and amongst them some with Crowns of Gold upon their Heads with a Train of fourscore or a hundred persons on foot Betwixt these Noble men and the Life-guard march two hundred Souldiers Iaponeses all very well cloath'd and go immediately before the Horses and Elephants which are for the Kings particular use their harness made with Buckles and Studs of Gold set with Diamonds and other precious Stones The Servants who bear the Fruits and other things for the Sacrifice march before certain Grandees of the Kingdom whereof one bears the Kings Standard the other the Scepter of Justice These walk on foot immediately before the King who sits mounted on an Elephant in a Chair of Gold The Prince his Son or some other Prince of the Bloud follows next after him and then comes the Queen and the Kings
other Women on Elephants but not to be seen as being in certain wooden Closets gilt The rest of the Houshold and six hundred of the Guard come in the Rear which by this means consists of fifteen or sixteen thousand persons As to their Procession upon the River they observe the order following First in the head of this Fleet march about two hundred Noble men each in his several Barge where they sit in a gilt Cabin and each Barge row'd by three or fourscore Slaves Then follow four Barges assign'd for the Musick and next follow about fifty Barks of State each having fourscore or fourscore and ten Rowers and after these come ten other gilt Barges in one of which the King is seated in a Throne of Gold attended by divers Noble men all upon their knees before him and amongst them one of the chiefest Mandorins who bears his Standard The Prince follows after him in another Barge and after him comes the Queen and the Concubines And lastly in a great number of other Barges the houshold Servants and the Guards so as that this Procession consists of twenty five or thirty thousand persons who come either to see the magnificence of the Ceremony or to adore their Prince Since the thirds of all real Estates fall to the King we may well suppose his Revenue to be very great but this advantage comes not near the profits accrewing to him by the Commerce which by Factours he holds with Strangers for his Rice Copper Lead and Salt-peter He hath in his Country good store of Gold and the Customs he hath of all Merchandizes both coming in and going out bring considerable sums besides the Presents which Governours of Provinces are obliged to make him every year A great profit likewise he raises by Commerce with ready Money into China and along the Coast of Coromandel which yields him yearly two thousand Cattys of Silver advantage He hath throughout his Kingdom abundance of Officers for managing of his Revenue and receiving his Moneys which as Mendez Pinto sayes amounts annually to twelve Millions of Duccats but principally in the City of India whither they repair from all other parts once a year to make their accounts The greatest charge the King is at next his Houshold is in building places and Mosquees rewarding Services and maintaining his Guards the rest comes into the Treasury which by this means swells almost to infinity Most Cities have their particular Jurisdictions and Judges for Administration of Justice to take an account whereof there is a Council appointed in the City of India consisting of a President and twelve Councellors who give a definitive Sentence and decide all differences brought before them by way of appeal 't is nevertheless allowed them sometimes to prevent these Sentences by a Review before the Privy Councel but this happens not frequently by reason the Charges are so great very few will undertake it They plead by Councellors and Atturneys both by word and writing but in presence of both parties who are to enter a Summary of the Plea in the Recorders Register But besides Counsellors and Atturneys you have here the Pettifogger who is inseparable so as Suits sometimes last whole Ages here as well as in other places In Criminal matters they have an extraordinary and summary way but much after the same form and manner used in France First They inform then imprison then examine the Parties are brought face to face and where evidence falls short they are put to the Rack upon pregnant presumptions The Steward records the whole and makes report to the Judges who upon the criminal Confession or Deposition of Witnesses give Judgment and cause the Sentence to be executed immediately without appeal save that they never put any to death without the Kings express Order in whose power it lyes to confirm the Sentence or pardon the Party as he pleaseth Their punishments are severe rather cruel The slightest Crime is punished with pecuniary Fines Banishment or Transportation For Theft they suffer amputation of Hands or Feet or are condemned to perpetual slavery The ordinary punishments of these Countries are unknown there but condemned persons are cast alive into boyling Oyle according to the atrocity of the Crime but alwayes with Confiscation of Goods for the benefit of the King and the Judges In want of sufficient Testimony they make use of certain extraordinary wayes for Conviction or Justification of the Criminal which they do by consent of all parties with the Judges permission who allows them to maintain what they say by Water by Fire or by boyling Oyl When they submit to the Tryal of Water the Accuser and the accused party are both let down along a great Pole which is planted in the River and he that stayes longest under water gains the day as he that patiently holds his Hand longest in boyling Oyl Others who chuse the tryal of Fire are to go five or six steps very slowly in a great Fire and that betwixt two Men who lean as hard as they can upon their shoulders But the way they hold most infallible for their justification is to swallow a Pill of Rice over which their Priests have pronounced some words of malediction which he that swallows without spitting is so clearly justified that his friends attend him in triumph to his habitation The Kings Armies consist chiefly of his Subjects for though besides five or six hundred Iaponeses who bear the reputation of Valour throughout the Indies he hires sometimes both Rasboutes and Malayes the number is notwithstanding so small that 't is inconsiderable The King now reigning had taken so great an aversion for the Iaponeses on suspition they had a design upon his person that he put some to death and expell'd the rest Yet since that he hath given way for their return to their ancient trust but as I said they exceed not the number of five or six hundred His Subjects are obliged to go to the Wars at their own charges so that according as occasion requires he calls out the hundredth the fiftieth the twentieth the tenth and sometimes the fifth man besides those the Noble men at their own charges bring along with them a sufficient Guard of their persons By this means he raises at a small charge a most puissant Army wherein there shall be sometimes three or four thousand Elephants though he seldom raise an Army of above fifty or threescore thousand men His Infantry are well enough disciplined but very ill armed only Bows and Arrows Swords Pikes and Bucklers without Fire-armes Nor are their Horse better appointed as being but poorly mounted so as his chiefest strength consists in his Elephants which are train'd to the work and carry each three arm'd men but many which are brought out with the Army are employed about the Baggage Great Artillery they have but manage them ignorantly Their Naval Forces are in as ill condition as their Land consisting in
the Wife who on her part is satisfied with this precedency knowing her Children who are only esteemed legitimate shall divide all leaving to the natural but a very small share The Estates of Persons of Quality are ordinarily divided into three parts one falls to the King one to the Ecclesiasticks they defraying the Funeral Charges which there are great and the third to the Children People of middle condition buy their Wives and consummate the Marriage after payment of the sum accorded on but have the same priviledge of Divorce as the others Their Children divide the inheritance equally except the eldest who hath some advantage Till they are five or six years of age they bring up their children with little care then they put them to the Ecclesiasticks to be taught to write and read and to be instructed in Religion during which time they see their children but very seldom but having learnt these first Rudiments they put them to a Trade or if they find them to be ingenious they continue them in their Studies to make them capable of the Priestly Function or fit for some imployments which among them are bestow'd according to merit and not sold for money Those who live in Cities subsist by Merchandize turn Courtiers or betake themselves to some Handy-craft or else become Fisher-men whereof there are very many along the Coast as there are also in those Cities which have the convenience of any River The Peasantry is very wretched living only on their labour employing themselves in dressing the Cocoes and in breeding Cattle and Poultry but Provisions are so exceeding cheap that they make very little advantage thereby In the City of India the principal Commerce consists in Stuffs brought from Suratta and the Coast of Coromandel all sorts of Chinese commodities precious Stones Gold Benjamin Wax Copper Lead Indico Calamba-wood Brasil-wood Cotton Saphires Rubies c. but above all Deer-skins whereof they furnish the Iaponeses with above fifty thousand every year It likewise yields a great trade of Rice which they transport to all the neighbouring Islands By reason of the abundance of these Commodities there is scarce a Nation throughout Asia that have not their Merchants in India besides the Portuguez and Hollanders who have some years since settled themselves in those parts The King himself likewise trades amongst them and for that purpose hath his Factors at Pegu at Auva at Iangoma at Lansiaugh upon the Coast of Coromandel and principally at China where he hath those priviledges which are not allowed to any other Prince The Money of this Country is very good by reason the King only hath power to stamp and so prevents variation of the value there are of it three sorts Ticals Mases and Foangs Two Foangs make a Mase and four Mases make a Tical worth about thirty Sols French money Four Ticals make a Tayl and twenty Tayls a Catly in Silver In Silver their least money is a Foang but they make use of a certain sort of Shells brought them from Manilles from Borneo and Lequeo whereof eight or nine hundred amount to a Foang without which they could not chaffer by reason Victuals are so cheap that a Man may buy more there for five of these Shells then in any part of Europe for a Farthing The Portuguez finding of what consequence the King of Siam's friendship is to them for supporting of their Trade with the Moluccas the Philipine Islands or Manilles have still a particular care to preserve a good correspondence by civilities from the Viccroys of Goa to the King at their arrival in the Indies and by Persons of Quality daily commission'd thither confirming themselves by this means so well in the Princes favour that he not only allows them to trade throughout his Dominions but imploys them in his most important Affairs permitted them to build a Church in his chief City and maintains one of their Priests at his own charge They enjoy'd all these priviledges till such time as the King of Siam began to favour the Hollanders whom he found less insolent and more sincere then the Portuguez who jealous of the affection of the King shewed to the Hollanders presently obstructed the Commerce the Siameses held at Saint Thomas and Negapatam and proceeded so far as at last in the year 1624. they set upon a Dutch Frigot upon the River Menam as we told you before whereat the King was so offended that the Bishop of Malacca having a Vicar Resident at India he forbad him to come to Court The Portuguez instead of making amends for this first fault in a conjucture when the Hollanders their profess'd enemies might have joyn'd with the King of Siam continued still to obstruct the Commerce of the Siameses in so much that the King perceiving their design was absolutely to destroy it was out of all patience and in the year 1631. stayed one of their Ships with all the Men but they finding means to make an escape contrary to their parole he put an Imbargo upon all the Portuguez Ships which were found in the Ports of Lygoar and Tanassary and put all the Men in prison out of which they were not set at liberty till two years after The Hollanders made their first establishment there at the beginning of his age though it is only since the year 1634. that they trade there with any profit they have made great advantages of the friendship of that King in order to the Commerce they have at Iava and Sumatra On the North-west side of the Kingdom of Siam lies that of Cambodia which on the other side hath nothing but the Sea The Metropolis from which it derives its name lies sixty Leagues from the Sea upon a pleasant River which rises out of a great Lake as do also all the other Rivers of the Kingdom But in that of Cambodia it is particularly observable that it overflows every year as the Nile doth and as doth also the River Menam in the Kingdom of Siam It begins to rise at the beginning of Iune and so rises by degrees to ten or twelve foot but in Iuly and August 't is not navigable for that it drowns the whole Country The City of Cambodia to prevent these Deluges is built upon an advantagious rising having but onely one street and is inhabited by Iaponeses Portuguez by Cochinchinez and Malayes The Portuguez carry Malacca-Stuffs thither and there load with Benjamin Lacque Wax Rice Brass Vessels and Bars of China Iron The King who is but a Vassal of the King of Siam's resides in the City of Cambodia in a Place fortified with a good Pallisado instead of a Wall where are some Pieces of China Artillery and about twenty four or twenty five pieces of Cannon which he recovered out of two Holland Ships wrack'd on that Coast all mounted on four-wheel'd-Carriages only painted blew except four which are mounted on ordinary Carriages varnish'd black with Ladles and other Utensils of
attracts all the moisture of the Earth lying about it nay its Fruit is so hot that if a Pitcher of Water be set in a Chamber within ten foot of a bag of Cloves they will so suck up the Water that within two or three dayes there shall not be a drop left which that they have done shall not be perceivable any way but by the weight The Inhabitants know this well enough and make their advantages thereof The Chineses have the same experiment in their raw Silks which do attract moysture in the same manner It is commonly affirmed that the Cloves grow only in the Moluccaes but this is said either in regard some comprehend under that name many other Islands near them or that the five we have named yield more then all the rest It is generally granted that they yield every year near six thousand barrels of Cloves allowing five hundred weight and a half to every barrel and it is certain withall that the Islands of Ires Meytarana Cavaly Sabugo Marigoran Gamoconora and Amboyna yield also very considerable quantities especially that of Veranula though they are not so fair as those of the neighbouring Islands In the middest of the Island of Ternate there is one of the highest Mountains in those parts covered all over with Palms and other Trees having at the top a hole so deep that it seems to reach the Center of the Earth Some have had the curiosity to make trial of the depth of it and have found that a Rope of five hundred fathom touched not the bottom but reach'd a fair Spring the water whereof was very clear yet hath there not yet been any that durst venture to taste of it Out of this Mountain there issues a sulphureous smell and by certain intervals a thick smoak and sometimes especially at the two Equinoxes it casts up flames and red Stones with such violence that some are carried not only as far as the City but even into the Islands of Meao and Cafures twenty Leagues distant from Ternate The smoak infects all the circum-ambient Air and the excrements which the Mountain casts forth do so corrupt the Springs and waters of those parts that no use can be made thereof The Mountain is green two third parts of its height but from thence upward it is insupportably cold and there is on the top of it a Spring of fair water but so cold that a man can drink but very little of it without taking breath From the top of it may be seen the Sea and all the Moluccas upon it a man hath a clear and serene Air which is never troubled with Mists or Clouds and there is a Lake of sweet water set about with Trees in which there is a great number of blew and yellow Lizards bigger then a mans arm which sink under the water as soon as any body comes near them There is no difference of Seasons in these Islands nor any certain time for Rain though it rains oftner with the North-west wind then it does with the South There are Serpents there thirty foot long and of a proportionable bigness but they are neither dangerous nor venemous no more then are those of Banda Some affirm that these Creatures not finding any thing to feed upon eat Grass and going to the Sea-side vomit up what they had eaten and by that means draw together a great many Fish which being intoxicated with the chew'd Grass flote upon the Water and so become the prey and food of these Serpents There is in this Island a kind of Beasts they call Cusos that keeps constantly in Trees living on nothing but Fruit. They resemble our Rabbets and have a thick curling and smooth hair between gray and red eyes round and fiery little feet and such strength in the tail that they will hang by it the better to reach the fruits The Forrests are full of wild Birds and except the Parrot there are few domestick at least of those known to us There are Crevisses that come ashore and creep under certain Trees the very shadow whereof is so virulent that no Grass grows near them I know not whether it be from that Tree they contract that venomous quality which lies in one part of them which is so dangerous that it kills in four and twenty hours those that eat it Others there are that resemble Grashoppers and lye in Rocks where they take them by night with fire-light near the tail in a bag they have a lump that is exceeding delicate for which they take them In the Moluccaes there is a certain Wood which laid in the fire burns sparkles and flames yet consumes not and yet a man may rub it to powder betwixt his fingers Near the Fort of Ternate grows a Plant by the Inhabitants call'd Catopa from which there falls a small Leaf the Stalk whereof turns to the Head of a Worm or Butterfly the Strings to the body and feet and the wings are made out of the finer part of the Leaf so as at last there is a compleat Butterfly Tidor is an Island as fruitful as that of Ternate but larger In a Signet of the Kings of this Island in Persian or Arabick Characters it appears this Island was called Tudura not Tidor and they say the word signifies Beauty and Fertility These people have the industry to prune and water the Clove-tree which by this means bears a fruit much fairer and stronger then that which owes its production only to nature The white Sandal-wood that grows here is doubtless the best of all the Indies Here they have Birds by the Inhabitants called Manu codiatas by the Spaniards Paxaros de l' Cielo those we call Birds of Paradise Many take them to have no feet but they are deceived for they that catch them cut off their feet so near the body that the flesh beginning to dry the skin and feathers joyn together so that there scarce remains any scar. The Dutch in Ternate possess the Town of Malaya regularly fortified and not far off the Fort of Taluco In Tidor they have the Fort Marieco In Motir again they have a Fort with Bastions of Stone In Machiam they have made three Forts At Taffaso Tabillola and Guoffiquia and in Bachiam the Fort Barâ—eveldt The King of Bachiam owns neither the King of Ternate nor Tidor for Superiour but is himself Soveraign and independent as to any Forreign Power His Territory is great where there grows great store of Sagou so as the Inhabitants subsist with little labour which makes them so idle and lazy that the Kingdom which heretofore was one of the most considerable of the Molucques is so sunk from that grandeur that at present it can hardly raise five hundred fighting men The Isle of Machiam was brought under the jurisdiction of the Dutch by Admiral Paul van Carden in the year 1601. The chiefest of the three Forts they are possessed
they put two other Canes much after the manner of a Lorrain-Cross whereto they fasten the Feet and the Hands and then the Executioner runs him through with a Pike from the right Side up to the left Shoulder and from the left Side to the right Shoulder so that being twice run through the heart he is soon dispatch'd Sometimes they only fasten the Malefactor with his Back to a Post and they make him stretch forth his Hands which are held out by two Men and then the Executioner standing behind him runs him in at the Neck and so into the Heart and dispatches him in a moment The Lords have such an absolute power over their menial Servants that there needs but a pretence to put them to death An example of this happened not long since a Servant had the insolence to address himself to a Gentleman to proffer his service to him but ask'd greater Wages then he knew the other was able to give purposely to abuse him The Gentleman perceiving the impudence of the Raskal was a little troubled at it but smother'd his indignation and only told him that his demands were very great but that he had so good an opinion of him that he must needs be a good Servant Accordingly he kept him a while but one day charging him with some neglect and reproaching him that when he should have been about his business he had been idling about the City he put him to death The Gentlemen and Souldiâ—rs are for the most part very poor and live miserably by being highly conceited of themselves most of them keep Servants though only to carry their Shoes after them which are indeed but as it were a pair of Soles made of Straw or Rushes having a hole towards the toe which keeps them on their feet The Crimes for which all of the Family or kindred are put to death are Extortion Coyning setting of Houses on fire ravithing of Women premeditated murther c. If a Mans Wife be guilty of any Crime her Husband is convicted of she dies with him but if she be innocent she is made a Slave Their punishments bear no proportion to the Crimes committed but are so cruel that it were not easie to express the barbarism thereof To consume with a gentle Fire or only with a Candle to crucifie with the Head downwards to boyl Men in seething Oyl or Water to quarter and draw with four Horses are very ordinary punishments among them One who had undertaken to find Timber and Stones for the building of a Palace for the King and had corrupted the Officers appointed by his Majesty to receive and register what he should send in was crucified with his head downwards The officers were condemn'd to rip up their bellies but the Merchant was put to the foresaid death He had the repute of an honest man and was one that had had occasion to obliege several Persons of Quality in so much that some resolved to petition the Emperour for his pardon though these intercessions for condemn'd persons be in some sort criminal and indeed the Emperour took it so ill that the Lords who had presented their Petition for him had no other answer thereto but the reproaches he made to them of their imprudence It happened in the year 1638. That a Gentleman on whom the King had bestowed the Government of a little Province near Iedo so oppressed the Country people that they were forc'd to make their complaints thereof to the Court where it was ordered that the said Gentleman and all his Relations should all have their bellies ripp'd up on the same day and as near as might be at the same hour He had a Brother who lived two hundred fourty and seven Leagues from Iedo in the service of the King of Fingo an Uncle who lived in Satsuma twenty Leagues further a Son who serv'd the King of Kinocuni a Grand-son who serv'd the King of Massamme a hundred and ten Leagues from Iedo and at three hundred and eighty Leagues from Satsuma another Son who serv'd the Governour of the Castle of Quanto two Brothers who were of the Regiment of the Emperours Guard and another Son who had married the only Daughter of a rich Merchant near Iedo yet were all these persons to be executed precisely at the same hour To do that they cast up what time were requisite to send the Order to the farthest place and having appointed the day for the execution there Orders were sent to the Princes of all the forementioned places that they should put to death all those persons upon the same day just at noon which was punctually done The Merchant who had bestowed his Daughter on that Gentlemans Son died of grief and the Widow starv'd her self Lying is also punished among them with death especially that which is said in the presence of the Judge The forementioned punishments are only for Gentlemen Souldiers Merchants and some other persons of mean quality but Kings Princes and great Lords are ordinarily punished more cruelly then if they were put to death For they are banished into a little Island named Faitsensima which lies fourteen Leagues from the Province of Iedo and is but a League about It hath neither Road nor Haven and it is so steepy all about that no doubt it was with the greatest danger imaginable that the first who got up to it made a shift to do it Those who first attempted to climb it up found means to fasten great Poles in certain places whereto they have tyed ropes with which they draw up those that are sent thither and make fast the boats which otherwise would split against the Rocks with the first Wind. There grows nothing in all the Island but a few Mulberry-trees so that they are obliged to send in provisions for the subsistance of the Prisoners They are relieved every moneth as is also the Garrison kept there but they are dieted very sparingly as being allow'd only a little Rice some roots and other wretched fare They hardly afford them a lodging over their heads and with all these miseries they oblige them to keep a certain number of Silk-worms and to make a certain quantity of Stuffs every year The expence which the Emperour of Iapan is at every year in his Court and what relates thereto to wit the sallaries and allowances of the Officers and Counsellours amounts yearly to four millions of Kockiens and the sallaries of Governours of places and Military persons together with the Pensions he gives amount to five millions of Kockiens They who speak of the Soveraign Prince of all Iapan give him the quality of Emperour in as much as all the other Lords of the Country on whom they bestow that of King depend on him and obey him not only as Vassals but as Subjects since it is in his power to condemn them to death to deprive them of their Dignities to dispossess them of their Territories to banish or send them
who have done their duty and tells them he shall not fail to report the same to his Majesty Then turning to those whom he hath found Delinquent he reproves them deprives them of the Marks of Magistracy which are the Hat and Girdle suspends or absolutely dispossesses them of their charges and puts others into them It is in his power to advance to the greatest dignities such as he judges capable thereof to brand with infamy those who have neglected their duty nay to punish them but not with death inasmuch as the Emperour only is Master of the lives of his Subjects As to the Religion of the Chineses it may be said to be Pagan though from the figure of one of their principal Divinities it might be imagined that they have heretofore had some apprehensions of Christianity and some would infer that three Heads which they make coming out of the Body of one of their Idols represent the blessed Trinity which makes the first and greatest Mistery of Christian Religion They adde hereto that St. Thomas the Apostle Preached the Gospel in China and that there are some Pictures to be found there wherein may be seen men dressed and shaped as the Apostles are painted among us and that some have seen their Images representing the blessed Virgin holding the Saviour of the World in her Armes But the se are only chimerical imaginations since that setting aside the establishments which the Portuguez and Spaniards have made there some years since there is not the least track to be seen of the Ancient Christian Religion They affirm that all things visible and invisible were made by Heaven And this they express by the first Letter of their Alphabet They also believe that the Heaven governs the Universe by a Vicegerent whom they call Laocon Tzautey For him it is they have the greatest veneration next the Sun and say it is an eternal Spirit who was not created They have the same opinion of another Divinity whom they call Cansay and to whom they Attribute an absolute power over all Sublunary things To these three Spirits they add three principal Ministers whom they call Tanquam Teiquam and Tzuiquam whereof the first presides over the Air and makes it rain another over the generation of Men and other Animals and the production of Fruits and the third hath the government of the Sea They also canonize some whose lives have been eminent for Sanctity or otherwise and call them Pausaos that is Saints but they do not render them the same Honours they do the Gods before mentioned or yet the three following Saints who are also in great veneration among them The first they call Sichia who came into China out of the Kingdom of Toungking and is Founder of all the Religious Orders of both Sexes which are at present in the Kingdom and whereof there are very great numbers living in perpetual celebate and inhabiting in Monasteries The second is called Quanina a Female Saint and as they affirm was the third Daughter of King Tzonton who having married his two elder Daughters would also have this embrace the same kind of life But this Princess having made a Vow of Chastity would not hear of Marriage and upon that account lost her Fathers favour who shut her up in a place where her employment was to carry Wood and Water and to weed a great Garden whereof she had the keeping They have great Legends of the Life of this Saint and relate several stories of her among others that the Apes of the neighbouring Forrest came thither and carried Water for her that the Birds weeded the Garden for her and that several other Creatures brought the wood she was obliged to fetch The Father imagining this was done by his Daughter's witchcraft caused the house to be fired which the Princess seeing and considering that it was for her sake would have cut her own throat with a string of hair but she immediately found the fire put out by a great shower which then fell whereupon she went thence and retired into the Deserts of the neighbouring Mountain The King's impiety was punished with the Leprosie which spread it self over all his body wherein it bred so many Worms that he had been devoured by them if the Daughter upon notice given her of it by a voice from Heaven had not relieved him The misery he endured had raised in him a great remorse of Conscience so that finding himself recovered by his Daughter's intercession he fell down on his knees before her begg'd her pardon for what was past and would have adored her but she refused those honours yet so as that it not being in her power to avoid them she set an Idol before her and returned to the Desert whence she came only to cure her Father She dyed there and by an extraordinary austerity of life acquired so great a reputation of sanctity that they still honour her with a Religious worship invocate her and beg her intercession for the remission of sins They have yet a third Saint of the same Sex whom they call Neoma and affirm she was a Daughter of a Prince of the City of Yocheu in the Province of Huquang The aversion she had conceived against Marriage obliged her to retire into the Island of Ingoa where they say she wrought many Miracles They relate among others that a Lord named Compo having received orders from the King to go along with a Fleet which lay ready to set sail it was not in the power of the Mariners to weigh the Anchors Compo was so surprised at the accident that he would needs see himself what might be the cause of it He found Neoma sitting on the Anchor belonging to the Admiral He told her the King had commanded him to go and make a War in one of the neighbouring Provinces and entreated her not to oppose his Design She made answer that she would contribute to his gaining the Victory he promised himself in that Expedition if he would take her along with him which he was the more inclinable to do in regard he already knew her by reputation Accordingly the Army was no sooner come in sight of the Enemies Countrey but she dissolved the Charm whereby the Inhabitants had made all the Sea look as if it had been on fire and forced the Enemies to render themselves up at mercy Compo thought at first it had been an illusion whereupon he would have a stronger assurance of Neoma's power and told her he should make no further question of her sanctity if she could make the stick he had in his hand to flourish and wax green again which she did Compo planted his stick at the stern of his Ship and openly acknowledged that all the success of his Arms was to be attributed to Neoma and thence it comes they say that the Chineses set this Neoma at the Sterns of their Ships and make their Addresses to her for the prosperity of
bird The Inhabitants of Madagascar are divided into several Tribes which consist of Cantons of a 100. 200. and 300. persons and live like Tartars under a Chief whom they call Tsehich that is King or Lord. There were two of these Princes lived in a wood neer our Tent where they had built them huts under Date-trees VVhen their cattle multiplies so as that the grass falls short they engage in a kind of a war among themselves and endeavour to get what they can from their neighbours King Massar whom we named before told us that he had joyn'd with two other Kings named Machicore Schich Tango and Andiam Palola with whom he made account to get together a body of 500. men and to set upon some of their neighbours who had better pastures then theirs These Princes have an absolute power over their Subjects and severely punish the crimes committed within their jurisdictions especially such as tend to the disturbance of the Publick peace but this dignity is not so continued in the same Family but that upon the Prince's death the strongest is advanced to this pretended Crown It were a hard matter to say what Religion they are off save that as I have been informed they belive there is one God who hath made Heaven and Earth and will one day punish bad Actions and reward the good I saw one among them who was certainly their Priest getting up a tree and speaking to the People for above half an hour but not one of us understanding their Language I know not what discourse he made to them nor yet what difference there is between their Priests and the others save that I observ'd they carried at the end of a Cane a piece of a Cowes-tail and that one of them suffered the nailes of the two fore-fingers of his right hand to grow to the length of Eagles claws Every Canton hath its Priest who would also be accounted Sorcerers and have it thought they can binde the Devil and force him to do what they please The Portuguez of the Island of Mozambique which is but half a league from the Continent of Africk drive a considerable trade here in Aloes Dragons-blood Ebony and other Drugs For the Captain who under the King of Portugal hath the command of this little Island which is but half a league in compass and who in the three years of his Government gets a hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling is not a little obliged to the Neighbour-hood of Madagascar though the greatest part of his wealth comes from Soffola where he hath his Factor and where the Portuguez have built a Fort. Hieronymus Osorius in his History of the Life and Actions of Emanuel King of Portugal affirms that when the Portuguez discovered the Island of Madagascar in the year 1506. there came aboard their Ship as many Negroes as a boat could well carry They were kindly receiv'd and had several little Presents made them but they ill requited that civility for assoon as they were got into their own boat they shot so many Arrows at the Portuguez that they were forc'd to answer them with Cannon and Musket-shot The same year another Portuguez Captain named Rodrigo Pereira being cast by a tempest upon the Eastern Coast of this Island he sent word to the Inhabitants by an African Moor who understood somewhat of their Language that the design of his coming thither was to enter into an alliance with them and to settle an advantagious Commerce for both The Islanders seem'd to approve of this Proposal and told the Moor they would carry him to their King that he might conclude with him the Treaty desired by the Portuguez but being got off a little from the others they fell upon him and had kill'd him had they not discharg'd some Muskets at them whereby some fell and the rest were forc'd to let go the Moor. The Portuguez Captain having got him again landed at another place where he surprized the Inhabitants and took their King Prisoner but treated him so well that he proffer'd to bring them to a place where they should find a good Haven for their Ship He brought the Portuguez Captain to a Bay at the entrance whereof there was a very populous Island whereat the Inhabitants were frightned and fled into the great Island forsaking Wives and Children nay even their King so that it proved no hard matter for the Portuguez to possess themselves of the Island whence they sent to the Inhabitants Inviting them to return and to permit their planting among them since they desired only their friendships They returned and presented the Captain with 50. Oxen and 20. Goats but to be rid of their Guests they represented to them that there were greater advantages to be made in the Port of Matatana inasmuch as there they would find Silver and several Drugs to truck for The Captain would have gone thither but the current of the Sea having forc'd one of his Ships upon the Coast he retired with the other to the Island of Mozambique The same Tempest which had cast that Captain upon the Eastern Coast of the Island forc'd another Ship of the same Fleet into the Port of Matatana whither there presently came one of the boats of the Country into which he sent the Master of his Vessel who by the many Voyageâ— he had made upon the Coasts of Africk and learnt the Language of the Countrey The Negroes having him in their boat made all the haste they could ashore which obliged the Portuguez to put out their shallop with fourscore men in it to overtake them but the Negroes were too quick for them and carried away the man The Shallop coming near Land the Portuguezâ— saw their Master who told them he had been brought to their King and civilly received by him and that he was desirous to speak with the Captain and enter into friendship with him The Captain made no difficulty to go ashore where the King received him kindly and treated him magnificently according to the custom of the Country but thinking to return in the Evening there rose so great a tempest that it was impossible for him to get aboard The tempest continued four dayes so that those who were in the Ship believed that their Captain had been kill'd by the Barbarians weighed Anchor and returned to Mozambique The Captain finding the Ship gone and that there was little likelihood of ever getting out of the Island grew so discontented that he died of it Eight other Persons of his retinue died also and they who remained embarked in the Shallop choosing rather to expose themselves to the uncertain event of a dangerous Navigation then stay in a place where they must perish within a few days and they were so happy as to meet with a Vessel commanded by the Captain Iohn Fonseca who received them aboard and carried them into Africk The first landing of the Dutch in this Island was in August 1595.