Chifuu which conducted us that if he did not chastise us in such manner as those gods might be well contented with the punishment inflicted on us for our mockery of them both the one and the other would assuredly torment his soul and never suffer it to go out of hell which threatning so mightily terrified this dog the Chifuu that without further delay or hearing us speak he caused us all to be bound hand and foot and commanded each of us to have an hundred lashes given him with a double cord which was immediately executed with so much rigour as we were all in a gore bloud whereby we were taught not to jeer afterwards at any thing we saw or heard At such time as we arrived here we found twelve Bonzoes upon the place who with silver censors full of perfumes of aloes and beniamin censed those two divelâ—sh Monsters and chanted out aloud Help us even as we serve thee whereunto divers other Priests answered in the name of the Idol with a great noise So I promise to do like a good Lord In this sort they went as it were in procession round about the place singing with an ill tuned voice to the sound of a great many bels that were in Steeples thereabouts In the mean time there were others that with Drums and Basins made such a dinne as I may truly say put them all together was most horrible to hear CHAP. XXIX Our Arrival at Sempitay our encounter there with a Christian woman together with the Original and Foundation of the Empire of China and who they were that first peopled it FRom this place we continued our voyage eleven days more up the river which in those parts is so peopled with Cities Towns Villages Boroughs Forts and Castles that commonly they are not a flight shot distant one from another besides a world of houses of pleasure and temples where Steeples were all guilt which made such a glorious shew as we were much amazed at it In this manner we arrived at a Town named Sempitay where we abode five days by reason the Chifuus wife that conducted us was not well Here by his permission we landed and chained together as we were we went up and down the streets craving of alms which was very liberally given us by the Inhabitants who wondering to see such men as we demanded of us what kind of people we were of what Kingdom and how our countrey was called Hereunto we answered conformably to that we had often said before namely that we were natives of the Kingdom of of Siam that going from Liampoo to Nanquin we had lost all our goods by shipwrack and that although they beheld us then in so poor a case yet we had been formeâ—ly very rich whereupon a woman who was come thither amongst the rest to see us It is very likely said she speaking to them about her that what these poor strangers have related is most true for daily experience doth shew how those that trade by sea do oftentimes make it their grave wherefore it is best and surest to travel upon the earth and to esteem of it as of that whereof it hath pleased God to frame us saying so she gave us two mazes which amounts to about sixteen pence of our mony advising us to make no more such long voyages since our lives were so short Hereupon she unbottoned one of the sleeves of a red Satin Gown she had on and baring her left arm she shewed us a crosse imprinted on it like to the mark of a slave saying Do any of you know this signe which amongst those that follow the way of truth is called a crosse or have any of you ever heard it named To this falling down on our knees we answered with tears in our eyes that we know exceeding well Then lifting up her hands she cried out Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name speaking these words in the Portugal tongue and because she could speak no more of our language she very earnestly desired us in Chinese to tell her whether we were Christians we replyed that we were and for proof thereof after we had kissed that arm whereon the cross was we repeated all the rest of the Lords prayer which she had left unsaid wherewith being assured that we were Christians indeed she drew aside from the rest there present and weeping said to us Come along Christians of the other end of the world with her that is your true Sister in the faith of Jesus Christ or peradventure a kinswoman to one of you by his side that begot me in this miserable exile and so going to carry us to her house the Hupes which guarded us would not suffer her saying that if we would not continue our craving of alms as the Chifuu had permitted us they would return us back to the ship but this they spake in regard of their own interest for that they were to have the moitie of what was given us as I have before declared and accordingly they made as though they would have lead us thither again which the woman perceiving I understand your meaning said she and indeed it is but reason you make the best of your places for thereby you live so opening her purse she gave them two Taeis in silver wherewith they were very well satisfied whereupon with the leave of the Chifuu she carried us home to her house and there kept us all the while we remained in that place making exceeding much of us and using us very charitably Here she shewed us an Oratory wherein she had a cross of wood guilt as also candlesticks and a lamp of silver Furthermore she told us that she was named Inez de Leyria and her Father Tome Pirez who had been great Ambassadour from Portugal to the King of China and that in regard of an insurrection with a Portugal Captain made at Canton the Chineses taking him for a Spye not for an Ambassodor as he termed himself clapped him and all his followers up in prison where by order of Justice five of them were put to torture receiving so many and such cruel stripes on their bodies as they died instantly and that the rest were all banished into several parts together with her father into this place where he married with her mother that had some means and how he made her a Christian living so seven and twenty years together and converting many Gentiles to the faith of Christ whereof there were above three hundred then abiding in that Town which every Sunday assembled in her house to say the Catechisme whereupon demanding of her what were their accustomed prayers she answered that she used no other but these which on their knees with their eyes and hands lift up to heaven they pronounced in this manner O Lord Iesus Christ as it is most true that thou art the very Son of God conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgine Mary for the salvation
it is the property of God through a coelestial and divine nature to do good unto all wherefore we are all bound as well in general and particular to imitate this our Lord who hath created and doth nourish us by doing that unto those who stand in need of the good of this world as we would that they should do unto us for that by this work we are more pleasing unto him then by any other whatsoever For as the good Father of a Family rejoyceth to see his children made much of and presents given to them so our Heavenly Lord who is the true Father of us all rejoyceth at such time as with a zeal of charity we communicate one with another whereby it is evident that the covetous man who shuts his hand when the poor ask something of him which they want constrained thereunto by necessity and that turns him another way without assisting them shall be treated in the same manner by a just judgment of God and driven down into the bottom of the sink of the night where like a frog he shal croke without ceasing being tormented by the hunger of his covetousness This being so I do advise and enjoyn you all since you have ears to hear me that you do that which the Law of the Lord obligeth you to do which is that you give of that whereof you have too much to the poor who have not wherewith to feed themselves to the end God may not be wanting to you when you shall be at the last gasp of your life Go to then let this charity be so remarkable and universal in you that the very fowls of the air may taste of your liberality And this you ought to do to keep the poor having need of what you possess in excess from being forced by their necessity to rob other men of their goods whereof you would be no less blameable then if you killed an infant in the cradle I commend also unto your remembrance that which is written in the Book of our truth touching the good you are bound to do unto the Priests that pray for you to the end they may not perish for want of the good you ought to do unto them which would be as great a sin before God as if you should cut the throat of a little white heifer when she is sucking of her Dam by the death of whom a thousand souls would die which are buried in her as in a golden Tomb in expectation of the day which is to accomplish the promise that was made unto them wherein they shall be transformed into white pearls for to dance in Heaven like unto the moats which are in the beams of the Sun Having uttered these things he added many others thereunto and delivering a world of extravagancies and fooleries he bestirred himself in such manner as was a wonder to behold so that we eight Portugals were exceedingly amazed at the extream devotion of these people and how that in lifting up their hands to Hands to Heaven they ever and anon repeated this word Taiximida that is to say So we believe In the mean time one of our fellows named Vincent Morosa hearing the auditors so often use that word Taiximida said in imitation of them Such may thy life be and that with such a grace and so setled a countenance not seeming any way to jeer him that not one in the Assembly could forbear laughing He in the mean while continued still firm and more and more confirmed seeming even to weep out of an excess of devotion Now his eyes being always fixed on the Talapicor he whensoever he chanced to look on him could not chuse but do as the rest did so that upon the conclusion of his Sermon all that heard him fell to laughing out-right The Prioress her self and all the Menigregues of her Monastery could not contain themselves in their serious humour imagining that the faces which the Portugal made and his actions were so many effects of his devotion and good meaning For if one had thought it to be otherwise and that he had not done it out of derision no question but he had been so chastised as he should never have been able to mock again When the Sermon was ended the Talapicor returned to the Pagod where he lodged being accompanied with the most honourable of all the Assembly together with the Ambassadours unto whom all the way as he went he ceased not to commend the devotion of the Portugal Look said he there is not so much as these people who live like beasts and without the knowledge of our truth but see well enough that there is nothing but what is godly in that I have preached whereunto all answered that it was as he said The day after we parted from the Town of Quanginau and continued our voyage down the river for the space of fourteen dayes during the which we saw a number of Towns and great Boroughs on either side of us at the end whereof we arrived at a City called Lechuna the chiefest of the Religion of these Gentiles and such it may be as Rome is amongst us In this City was a very sumptuous Temple where there were many remarkable edifices in the which seven and twenty Kings or Emperours of this Monarchy of Tartaria have been buried Their Tombâ— are in Chappels wonderful rich as well for the excellency of their workmanship which is of an infinite cost as for that they are within covered all over with plates of silver wherein there are divers Idols of different forms made also of silver On the North side a little part from the Temple was an inclosure worthy the observation both for its extent and the fortification thereof within it were two hundred and fourscore Monasteries as well of men as of women dedicated to certain Idols and for the service of all these Pagodes or Temples there are ordinarily as we were assured two and forty thousand Priests and Menigrepes not comprising therein those which were lodged without the inclosure for the service of these false priests We observed that in these two hundred and fourscore houses there was an infinite company of pillars of brass and upon the top of each pillar are idols of the same mâ—ttal guilt besides thosâ— which lâ—kewise were there all of silver These Idols are the Statues of them whom in their false Sect they hold for Saints and of whom they recount such fopperies as would make a man wonder to hear them For they give unto each of them a Statue more or less rich and guilded according to the degrees of vertue which they have exercised in this life And this they do expresly that the living may be incited to imitate them to the end there may be as much done unto them when they are dead In one of these Monasteries of the Invocation of Quiay Frigau that is to say The God of the moats of the Sun was a sister of the Kings the widdow of Raiâ—
King of Tartaria if we would have continued in his service After the King was departed from the City of Fanaugrem he proceeded on in his journy travelling but only six leagues a day by reason of the great number of persons that he carried along with him The first day he dined at a little Town called Benau where he stayed until the evening and then went to lodge at a Monastery named Pamgatur The next morning he departed from thence and so with not above three thousand horse in his Train he prosecuted his journy for nine dayes together passing by many goodly Towns at least they seemed to be so without permitting any reception to be made him by any of them In this manner he arrived at the City of Lingator seaâ—ed on a river of fresh water which for the bredth and deepness of it is frequented with much shipping There he abode five days for that he found himself somewhat indisposod with the tediousness of the journy From this place he departed before day taking no greater company with him then thirty horse and so withdrawing himself from the communication of so much people as continually importuned him he spent most part of the time as he went by the way in hawking and hunting those of the Countryes by which he past providing game always ready for him In this sort going on he slept most commonly amidst very thick woods in Tents pitched for him to that purpose Being arrived at the river of Baguetor he passed down the same in certain vessels called Laulees and Iangoas which were there ready for him till he came to a Town named Natibasoy where about evening he landed without any kind of pomp The rest of his journy he made by land so that at the end of thirteen dayes he arrived at Vzamguee where he had a most magnificent reception At his entry thereinto there marched before him as it were in triumph all the spoyls which he had taken in the wars whereof the principal and those which he made most reckoning of were twelve Chariots laden with the Idols of whom I have spoken heretofore and whereof the forms were different as they use to have them in their Pagodâ— Of these Idols there were threescore and four of brass which seemed to be Gyants and nineteen of silver of the same Stature for as I havâ— delivered before these people glory in nothing so â—uch as to triumph over those idols that so they may say That in despight of their enemies he had made their gods his slaves Round about these twelve Chariots went divers Priests by three and three weeping and bound with iron chains After them followed forty other Chariots each of them being drawn by two Rhinocerots and full from the bottom to the top of an infinite company of Arms and trayled Colours In the tayl of them there were twenty more carrying each of them a very great Chest barr'd with iron and wherein as we were told was the treasure of the Tâ—nocouhos In the same order marched all other things which are used to be most esteemed of in such triumphant entries as two hundred Elephants armed with Castles and warlike Panoures which are certain swords that are fastened to their teeth when they fight and a great number of horses laden with sacks full of dead mens heads and bones so that in this entry this King of Cauchin presented to the view of his people all that he had gained from his enemies in the battail he had given them After we had been a full month in this City during which time we had seen a world of stately shews sports and several sorts of rejoycings accompanied with most costly feasts and banquets set forth and made not onely by the greater persons but by the common people also the Tartar Ambassadour that had brought us thither moved the King again about our voyage whereunto he gave us so gracious an ear that he presently commanded we should be furnished with a Vessel for to carry us to the Coast of China where we hoped to meeâ— with some Portugal ship that might transport us to Malaca and from thence to the Indiaes which accordingly was done whereupon without further delay we prepared all things necessary for our departure CHAP. XLIII Our Departure from the City of Uzamguee and our adventures till our arrivall at the Isle of Tanixumaa which is the first Land of Jappon with our going ashore there UPon the twelfth of Ianuary we departed from the City of Vzamguee exceedingly rejoycing at our escape from so many labours and crosses which we before had sustained and imbarqued our selves upon a river that was above a league broad down the which we went seven dayes together beholding in the mean time on either side thereof many fair Towns and goodly Boroughs which by the outward appearance we believed were inhabited by very rich people in regard of the sumptuousness of the buildings not only of particular houses but much more of the Temples whose steeples were all covered over with gold as likewise in regâ—rd of the great number of Barques and Vessels that were on this river abundantly fraught with all sorts of provisions and merchandise Now when we were come to a very fair Town called Quaâ—geparun containing some eighteen or twenty thousand fires the Naudelum who was he that conducted us by the express commandmâ—nt from the King stayed there twelve dayes â—o trade in exchange of silver and pearl whereby he confessed to us that he had gained fourteen for one and that if he had been so advised as to have brought salt thither he had doubled his mony above thirty times we were assured that in this Town the King had yearly out of the silver Minâ—s above fifteen hundred Picos which are forty thousand Quintals of our weight besides the huge revenue that he drew out of many other different things This Town hath no other fortification then a weak brick wall eight foot high and a shallow ditch some thirty foot broad The inhabitants are weak and unaâ—med having neither Artillery nor any thing for their defence so that five hundred resolute souldiers might easily take it We parted from this place on Tuesday morning and continued our course thirteen dayes at the end whereof we got to the Port of Sanchan in the Kingdom of China Now because there was no shipping of Malaca there for they were gone from thence nine dayes before we went seven leagues further to another Port named Lampacau where we found two Juncks of Malaya one of Patana and another of Lugor And whereas it is the quality of us Portugals to abound in our own sence and to be obstinate in our opinions there arose amongst us eight so great a contrariety of judgment about a thing wherein nothing was so necesâ—ary for us as to maintain our selves in peace and unity that we were even upon the point of killing one another But because the matter would be too shamefull to recount in
that instant riding of horses and not knowing what to think of this novelty sent presently for Zeimoto just as he was shooting in the Marsh but when he saw him come with his Harquebuse on his shoulder and two Chineses with him carrying the fowl he wasso mightily taken with the matter as he could not sufficiently admire it for whereas they had never seen any Gun before in that Country they could not comprehend what it might be so that for want of understanding the secret of the powder they all concluded that of necessity it must be some Sorcery Thereupon Zeimoto seeing them so astonished and the Nautaquim so contented made three shoots before them whereof the effect was such that he killâ—d one Kite and two Turtle Doves In a word then and not to lose time by endeering the matter with much Speech I will say no more but that the Nautaquim caused Zeimoto to get up on the horses croupper behind him and so accompanied with a great croud of people and four Hushers who with Battouns headed with iron went before him crying aâ—l along the streets Know all men that the Nautaquim Prince of this Island of Tanixumaâ— and Lord of our heads enjoyns and expresly commands That all persons whatsoever which inhabit the Land that lies between the two Seas do honour thiâ— Chenchicogim of the further end of the world for even at this present and for hereafter he makes him his kinsman in such manner as the Jacharons are who sit next his Person and whosoever shall not do so willingly he shall be sure to lose his head Whereunto all the people answered with a great noise We will do so for ever In this pomp Zeimoto being come to the Pallace gate the Nautaquim alighted from his horse and taking him by the hand whilest we two followed on foot a prety way after he led him into his Court where he made him sit with him at his own table and to honour him the more he would needs have him lodg there that night shewing many other favours to him afterwards and to us also for his sake Now Zeimoto conceiving that he could not better acknowledge the honour which the Nautaquim did him then by giving him his Harquebuse which he thought would be a most acceptâ—ble present unto him on a day when he came home from shooting he â—endred it unto him with a number of Pigeons and Turtle-doves which he received very kindly as a thing of great value assuring him that he esteemed of it more then of all the treasures of China and giving him withall in recompence thereof a thousand Taeis in silver he desired him to teach him how to make the powder saying that without that the Harquebuse would be of no use to him as being but a piece of unprofitable iron which Zeimoto promised him to do and accordingly performed the same Now the Nautaquim taking pleasure in nothing so much as shooting in this Harquebuse and his Subjects perceiving that they could not content him better in any thing then in this wherewith he was so much delighted they took a pattern of the said Harquebuse to make others by it the effect thereof was such that before our departure whichwas five months an half after there was six hundred of them made in the Country nay I will say more that afterwards namely the lâ—st time that the Vice-roy Don Alphonso de Noroâ—ha sent me thither with a present to the Kâ—ng of Bungo which happened in the year 1556. those of Iappon affirmed that in the City of Fucheo being the chief of that Kingdom there were above thirty thousand whereat finding my self to be much amazed for that it seemed impossible unto me that this invention should multiply in such sort certain Merchants of good credit assured me that in the whole Island of Iappon there were above three hundred thousand Harquebuses and that they alone had transported of them in the way of trade to the Country of the Lequios at â—ix several times to the number of five and twenty hundred so that by the means of that one which Zeimoto presented to the Nautaquim in acknowledgment of the honour and good offices that he had done hâ—m as I have declared beâ—ore the Country was filled with such abundance of them as at this day there is not so small an hâ—mlet but â—ath an hundred at the least for as for Cities and great Towns they have them by thousands whereby one may perceive what the inclination of this people is and how much they are naturally addicted to the wars wherein they take more delight then any other Nation that we know We had been now three and twenty dayes in the Island of Tanixumaa where very contentedly we past away the time either in fishing fowling or hunting whereunto these people of Iappon are much addicted when as a vessel belonging to the King of Bungo a 〈◊〉 in that Port in the which were divers men of quality and certain Merchants whoâ—as â—oon as â—hâ—y were landed went to wait upon the Nautaquim with their presents according to the usual 〈◊〉 of the Country Amongst them there was an ancient man very well attâ—ndâ—d and unto whom the rest carried much respect that falling on his knees before the Nautaquim presented him with a letter and a rich Courtâ—lass garnished with gold together with a box full of veâ—â—iloes which the Nautaquim received with a great deal of ceremony Then having spent some time with him in asking of certain questions he read the letter to himself and thereupon having remained a prety while as it were in suspencâ— and dismissed the bearer thereof from his presence with an express charge unto those about him to see him honourably entertained he called us unto him and commanded the Truchman that was there by to use these words unto us My good Friends I intreat you that you will hear this letter read which is sent me from my Lord and Vncle and then I will let you know what I desire of you So giving it to a Treasurer of his he commanded him to read it which instantly he did and these were the contents of it Thou right eye of my face Hyascarangoxo Nautaquim of Tanixuma I Orgemdoo who am your Father in the true love of my bowels as he from whom you have taken the name and being of your Person King of Bungo and Facataa Lord of the great House of Fiancima Tosa and Bandou Chief Soveraign of the petty Kings of the Islands of Goto and Xamanaxequa I give you to understand my Son by the words of my mouth which are spoken of your person that some dayes since certain men coming from your Country have assured me that you have in your Town three Chenchicogims of the other end of the world men that accommodate themselves very well with those of Japan are clothed in silk and usually wear swords by their sides not like Merchants that use traffique but in the quality of
delay This done he parted the day following with a small train from the City of Pegu to give example to others to do the like and wept and lodged at a Town called Mouchan with an intention to tarry there those fifteen days he had limited the Lords to come unto him Now whenas six or seven of them were already past he was advertised that Xemin de Satan Governor of a Town so named had secretly sent a great sum of gold to the Zemindoo and had withall done him homage for the same Town where he commanded This news somewhat troubled the King of Bramaa who devising with himself of the means which he might use to meet with the mischief that threatned him he sent for Xemin de Satan who was then in the said Town of his Government with a purpose to cut off his head but he betaking himself to his bed and making shew of being sick answered that he would wait upon the King as soon as he was able to rise Now in regard he found himself to be guilty and misdoubting the cause wherefore he was sent for he communicated this affair to a dozen of his kinsmen that were there present with him who all of them concluded together how since there was no better way to save himself then in killing the King that without further delay it was to be put in execution so that all of them offering secretly to assist him in this enterprise they speedily assembled all their Confidents without declaring unto them at first the occasion wherefore they did it and withall drawing others unto them with many fair promises they made up of all being joyned together a company of six hundred men Whereupon being informed that the King was lodged in a certain Pagode they fell upon it with great violence and fortune was so favourable unto them that finding him almost alone in his chamber they slew him without incurring any danger That done they retired into an outward Court where the Kings Guard having had some notice of this treason set upon them and the conflict was so hot between them that in half an hours space or thereabout eight hundred men lay dead in the place whereof the most part were Bramaaes After this Xemin de Satan making away with four hundred of his followers went to a place of a large extent called Poutel whither all those of the country round about resorted unto him who being advertised of the death of the King of Bramaa whom they mortally hated made up a body of five thousand men and went to seek out the three thousand Bramaaes which the King had brought thither vvith him And forasmuch as these same vvere dispersed in severall places they vvere all of them easily slain not scarce so much as one escaping With them also vvere killed fourscore of three hundred Portugals that Diego Suarez had with him vvho together vvith all the rest vvhich remained vvith their lives saved rendred themselves upon composition and vvere received to mercy upon condition that for the future they should faithfully serve Xemin de Satan as their proper King vvhich they easily promised to do Nine days after this mutiny the Rebell seeing himself favoured by fortune and such a multitude of people at his devotion which were come to him out of this Province to the number of thirty thousand men caused himself to be declared King of Pegu promising great recompences to such as should follow and accompany him untill he had wholly gained the Kingdome and driven the Bramaaes out of the country With this design he retired to a fortresse called Tagalaa and resolved to fortifie himself there out of the feare he was in of the forces vvhich vvere to come to the succour of the deceased King thinking to find him alive having been advertised that many vvere already set forth from the City of Pegu for that purpose Now of those Bramaaes which Xemin de Satan had slain one by chance escaped and cast himself all woundeâ— as he vvas into the river and swimming over never left travelling all that night and the day follovving for fear of the Pegues untill he arrived at a place called Coutasarem where he incountred with the Chaumigrem the deceased Kings Foster-brother vvho vvas incamped there vvith an army of an hundred and â—ourscore thousand men vvhereof there vvere but only thirty thousand Bramaaes all the rest Pegues finding him then upon the point of parting from thence in regard of the heat that vvould be vvithin tvvo hours after he acquainted him vvith the death of the King and all that had past besides Now though this news greatly troubled the Chaumigrem yet he dissembled it for the present with so much courage and prudence as not one of his followers perceived any alteration in him But contrarily putting on a rich habit of Carnation Sattin imbroidered with gold and a chain of precious stones about his neck he caused all the Lords and Commanders of his Army to assemble before him and then speaking to them with the semblance of a joyfull man Gentlemen said he this fellow which you saw come to me but now in such hast hath brought me this Letter which I have here in my hand from the King my Lord and yours and although by the contents thereof he seemeth to blame us for our carelessâ—ness in lingering thus yet I hope e're long to render him such an accompt of it as his Highnesse shall give us all thanks for the service we have done him By this letter too he certifies me that he hath very certaine intelligence how the Zemindoo hath raised an army with an intent to fall upon the Towns of Cosmin and Dalâ—â— and to gain all along the rivers of Digon and Meâ—doo the whole Province of Danaplâ—â— even to Ansedaa wherefore he hath expresly enjoyned me that as soon as possibly I may I put into those places as the most important such forces as shall be able to resist the enemy and that I take heed nothing be lost through my nâ—gligence because in that case â—e will admit of no excuse This being so it seems to me very importanâ— and necessary for his service that you my Lord Xemiâ—brum go instantly without all delay and put your self with your forces into the Town of Dâ—laa and your brother-in-law Baâ—â—haa Quem into that of Digon with his fifteen thousand men as for Colonel Gipray and Monpocasser they shall go with their thirty thousand souldiers into Ansedaa and Danapluu and Ciguamcan with twenty thousand men shall march along to Xaraa and so to Mâ—lacou moreoâ—er Quiay Brazagaran with his brethren and kinsmen shall go for Generall of the Frontier with an Army of fifty thousand men to the end that assisted with those forces he may in person give order wheresoever need shall be Behold what the King hath written to me whereof I pray you let us make an agreement and all sign it together for it is no reason that my head should answer for your
morning as also the day following from one til three During this trembling it was a dreadful thing to hear the terrible noise which the stormes and thunder made After all this such an horrible inundation of waters borke forth out of the center of the earth as in an instant all the Country about was swallowed up threescore leagues round without the saving of any living creature from perishing but only of one child of seven years of age and which was for a great wonder presented to the King of China In the mean time this news was no sooner come to the City of Cantan but all the inhabitants thereof were terrifyed with it yea and all ours were so amazed at it that holding it for an unpossible thing fourteen of our company would needs go thither to know the truth thereof which they immediately put in execution and at their return affirmed that the matter was very certain whereof an attestation was made signed by fourteen ocular witnesses who had been upon the place which attestation was afterwards sent by Francisco Toscano to the King of Portugal Don Ioano the third of glorious memory This prodigious event so affrighted the inhabitants of the City of Cantan that all of them generally testified a world of repentance and although they were Gentiles yet must it be acknowledged that they confounded us Christians who saw how far their devotion extended For on the first day when the newes thereof arrived there Proclamations were made throughout all the Principall streets of the City by six men on horseback who in long mourning robes and with a sad and lamentable voice rode crying out these words Miserable creatures as you are that cease not from offending day by day the Lord of all things Heare O heare the most lamentable and dreadfull adventure that ever was For you are to know that for our sins God hath drawn the sword of his Divine Iustice against all the people of Cuy and Sansy overwhelming pell mell with water fire and tempests from Heaven all that great Province of China none being saved but one only Child which is carried to the Son of the Sun And thereupon they rung a little bell thrice which they had in their hands Then all the people prostrating themselves on the ground said with fearfull cryes God is Iust in all that he doth After this was past all the inhabitants retired into their houses which were shut up for five daies together so that the City was so desolate as there was not a living creature seen stirring in it At the end of the five daies the Chaem and the Anchassis of the government together with all the rest of the people wherein the men only vvere comprehended for as for the vvomen they hold them incapable of being heard of God by reason of the disobedience of the first sinne committed by Eve vvent as it vvere in procession thorow the principall Streets of the Citie while their Priests which vvere above five thousand in number cryed with a loud voyce that pierced the very skies O marvellous and pitifull Lord have no regard to our wickednesse for if thou takest account of them we shall remain dumb before thee Whereunto all the people with an other fearfull cry answered Lord we confesse our faults before thee And so the Procession continuing still going on they at length arrived at a magnificent Temple called Nacapyrau whom they hold for the Queen of Heaven as I have heretofore related From thence they went the next day to another Temple called The God of Iustice and in this sort they continued fourteen dayes during which were great Alms generally bestowed and many prisoners freed also divers Sacrifices were made of the odoriferous perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin There were many others too wherein there was good store of blood shed and wherein many Kine Stags and Swine vvere offered vvhich were all distributed in almes to the poor In pursuance whereof during the three months that we abode there they continued in doing many other good works which were performed vvith so much charge and charity as it is to be beleeved that if the Faith of Jesus Christ had been added thereunto they would have been acceptable unto him We heard afterwards and this report was universall over all the Country that during the three dayes of that Earth-quake at Sansy it had still rained blood in the City of Pequin vvhere the King of China's Court was at that time vvhich made the most part of the inhabitants to forsake it and the King to fly to Nanquin vvhere it was said he gave great alms and set at liberty an infinite many of Slaves amongst the which were five Portugals vvho had been retained prisoners in the Town of Pocasser above twenty yeers together When these came to Cantan they recounted unto us divers marvellous things and amongst others they told us that the almes which the King had given upon this occasion amounted to six hundred thousand Duckats besides the magnificent Temples which he built to appease the vvrath of God amongst the which hee made one in that very City very sumptuous and of great majesty under the title of The Love of God CHAP. LXXIX Our arrival in the Kingdome of Bungo and that which pass'd there THe season being come vvherein vve might continue our Voyage vve parted from this Island of Lampacau the seventh day of May One thousand five hundred fifty and six after vve had imbarqued our selves in a Ship vvhereof Don Francisco de Mascarenhas surnamed Pallia vvas Captain So vve proceeded on in our course for fourteen dayes together at the end whereof vve discovered the first Islands at the height of five and thirty degrees and vvhich by gradation regard the West North-vvest of Tanixumaa vvhereupon the Pilot knowing that it vvas ill sailing there steered to the South-vvest to finde out the point of the Mountain of Minatoo We coasted Tanoraa then and still ran along this coast to the Port of Finugaa And forasmuch as in this Climate the windes are Northerly and that the current of the vvater vvas contrary to them the Pilot had a very bad opinion of his Navigation so that vvhen he came to know his fault although out of an accustomed obstinacy of Mariners he vvould not confess it vve vvere already past threescore leagues beyond the Port vvhere vve meant to arrive by reason vvhereof we vvere fain to tack about for the recovery of it fifteen dayes after though with travell enough for that the vvindes were crosse and without lying our goods and lives were in no little jeopardy by reason all this Coast was risen up against the King of Bungo our Friend and the inhabitants who vvere greatly inclined to the Law of the Lord vvhich had formerly been preached unto them At length after that by the mercy of God vve had got to the Town of Fucheo vvhereof I have oftentimes spoken which is the capitall of the Kingdom of Bungo where the chiefest Christians
divided his Army into four Squadrons and passing along by a little hill when he came to the end thereof he discovered a great Plain sowed with Rice where the Enemy stood ranged in two Battalions As soon as the two Armies descryed one another and that at the sound of their Trumpets Drums and Bells the Soldiers had set up a terrible cry they encountred very valiantly together and after the discharge of their shot on both sides they came to fight hand to hand with such courage that I trembled with fear to behold their fury The Battel continued in this manner above an hour and yet could it not possibly be discerned which party had the better At last the Tyrant foreseeing that if he persisted in the fight he should lose the day because he perceived his men to grow faint and weary he retreated to a rising ground that lay South of the Bataes and about a Faulcons shot distant from them There his intention was to fortifie himself in certain Trenches which before he had caused to be cast up against a Rock in form of a garden or tilth of Rice But a brother to the King of Andraguire interrupted his design for stepping before him with two thousand men he cut off his way and stopt him from passing further in so much that the medly grew to be the same it was before and the fight was renewed between them with such fury as cruelly wounding one another they testified sufficiently how they came but little short of other Nations in courage By this means the Tyrant before he could recover his Trenches lost fifteen hundred of his men of which number were the hundred and threescore Turks that a little before were come to him from the Straight of Mecqua with two hundred Sarrazins Malabars and some Abissins which were the best men he had Now because it was about mid-day and therefore very hot the King of Batas retired towards the Mountain where he spent the rest of the day in causing those that were wounded to be looked unto and the dead to be buried Hereupon not being well resolved what to do in regard he was altogether ignorant of the Enemies design he took care to have good watch kept all that night in every part The next morning no sooner began the Sun to appear but he perceived the Valley wherein the Achems had been the day before to be quite abandoned and not one of them to be seen there which made him think the Enemy was defeated In this opinion the better to pursue the first point of his Victory he dismissed all the hurt men as being unfit for service and followed the Tyrant to the City where arriving two hours before Sun-set to shew that he had strength and courage enough to combat his Enemies he resolved to give them proof of it by some remarkable action before he would encamp himself To which effect he fired two of the Suburbs of the Town as also four Ships and two Gallions which were drawn on Land and were those that had brought the Turks from the Straight of Mecqua And indeed the fire took with such violence on those six Vessels as they were quite consumed in a very little time the Enemy not daring to issue forth for to quench it After this the King of Batas seeing himself favored by Fortune to lose no opportunity began to assault a Fort called Penacao which with twelve Pieces of Ordnance defended the entry of the River to the Scalado of this he went in person his whole Army looking on and having caused some seventy or eighty ladders to be planted he behaved himself so well that with the loss only of seven and thirty men he entred the place and put all to the sword that he found in it to the number of seven hundred persons without sparing so much as one of them Thus did he on the day of his arrival perform three memorable things whereby his Soldiers were so heartned as they would fain have assaulted the City the very same night if he would have permitted them but in regard it was very dark and his men weary he gave thanks to God and contented himself with that which he had done The King of Batas held the City besieged by the space of three and twenty days during the which two sallies were made wherein nothing past of any reckoning for there were but ten men slain on either part Now as victories and good success in War do ordinarily encourage the victorious so oftentimes it happens that the weak become strong and cowards so hardy as laying aside all fear they dare undertake most difficile and dangerous things whence also it as often falls out that the one prospers and the other is ruined which appeared but too evidently in that which I observed of these two Princes For the King of Batas seeing that the Tyrant had shut himself up in his City thereby as it were confessing that he was vanquished grew to such an height of confidence that both he and his people beleeving it was impossible for them to be resisted and trusting in this vain opinion that blinded them were twice in hazard to be lost by the rash and inconsiderate actions which they entred into In the third sally made by the inhabitants the King of Batas people encountred them very lustily in two places which those of Achem perceiving they made as though they were the weaker and so retreated to the same Fort that was taken from them by the Bataes the first day of their arrival being closely followed by one of the Kings Captains who taking hold of the opportunity entred pell-mell with the Achems being perswaded that the Victory was sure his own But when they were all together in the Trenches the Achems turned about and making head afresh defended themselves very couragiously At length in the heat of their medley the one side endeavoring to go on and the other to withstand them those of Achem gave fire to a Myne they had made which wrought so effectually as it blew up the Captain of the Bataes and above three hundred of his Soldiers with so great a noise and so thick a smoak as the place seemed to be the very portraiture of Hell In the mean time the Enemies giving a great shout the Tyrant sallied forth in person accompanied with five thousand resolute men and charged the Bataes very furiously Now for that neither of them could see one another by reason of the smoak proceeding from the Myne there was a most confused and cruel conflict between them but to speak the truth I am not able to deliver the manner of it sufficeth it that in a quarter of an hours space the time this fight endured four thousand were slain in the place on both sides whereof the King of Batas lost the better part which made him retire with the remainder of his Army to a Rock called Minacaleu where causing his hurt men to be drest he found them
wherein was the Bride he entred her without any resistance in regard there were none other in her but a few Mariners and six or seven men that seemed to be of good reckoning all of kin to the Bride being there only to accompany her together with two little boys her brothers that were very white and certain ancient women of such as in China are hired for mony to dance sing and play of instruments upon like festival occasions The other two Lanteaas beholding this sad success left their anchors in the Sea and fled in such haste as if the Devil had been in them but for all that we took one of them so that we had three of the four This done we returned aboard our Junk and by reason it was now midnight we did nothing for the present but take our prisoners and shut them up under the hatches where they remained until day that Antonio de Faria came to view them and seeing they were most of them aged full of sorrow and fit for nothing he caused them to be set a shore retaining only the Bride and her two brothers because they were young white and well-favored and some twenty Mariners which afterwards were of great use to us for the navigation of our Junks This Bride as since we learned was daughter to the Aâ—chary of Colem which signifies Governor and betrothed to a youth the son of the Chifuu Captain of Pandurea who had written unto her that he would attend her in this place with three or four Junks of his fathers who was very rich but alass we shamefully cozened him After dinner being departed from thence the Bridegroom arrived seeking for his Bride with five sail full of Flags Streamers and Banners Passing by us he saluted us with great store of musick and shews of gladness ignorant of his misfortune and that we carryed away his wife In this jollity he doubled the Cape of Tilaâ—mera where the day before we took this prize and there anchored attending his Bride according as he had written to her whil'st we sailing on arrived three days after at the Port of Mutiâ—iman which was the place we aymed at in regard of the advice that Antonio de Faria had that there he might sell off his commodities CHAP. XVII Antonio de Faria's Arrival at the Port The Information that Antonio de Faria had of the Country some passages between him and the Nautarel of the Town his going to the River of Madel with his incountring a Pyrat there and that which passed betwixt them BEing arrived at this Port we anchored in a Rode which the Land makes near to a little Island on the South side of the mouth of the River at the entry whereinto we remained without saluting the Port or making any noise intending as soon as it was night to send for to sound the River and to be informed of that we desired to know Upon the appearing of the Moon which was about eleven of the clock Antonio de Faria sent away one of his Lanteaas well furnished and twelve Soldiers in her besides the Captain named Valentino Martins Dalpoem a discreet man and of great courage that at other times had given good proof of himself in like occasions who departing went always sounding the depth of the River until he arrived where divers Vessels rode at anchor There he took two men that were sleeping in a Barque laden with earthen ware and returning aboard undiscovered he rendred Antonio de Faria an accompt of what he had found touching the greatness of the place and the fewness of the Ships that were in the Port wherefore his opinion was that he might boldly enter into it and if it happened he could not trade there as he desired no body could hinder him from issuing forth whensoever he pleased by reason the River was very large clean and without any shelves sands or other things that might endanger him Having consulted then with his company he concluded by their advice not to put the two Mahometans that were taken to torture as was before ordained because there was no need of it Day being come Antonio de Faria desiring before he stirred to be informed from those two Mahometans of some particulars he would fain know and thinking he might sooner prevail with them by fair meanâ— then by menaces and torment he made very much of them and then declared his mind Whereupon both of them with one accord said that touching the entrance of the River there was nothing to be feared in regard it was one of the best in all that Bay and that ordinarily far greater Vessels then his went in and out there for that the shallowest place was fifteen fathom at the least and as for the people of the Country he was not to stand in any doubt of them by reason they were naturally weak and without arms And that the strangers which were at that instant there arrived some nine days before from the Kingdom of Benan in two Companies of fifty Oxen a piece laden with store of Silver Wood of Aloes Cloth Silk Linnen Ivory Wax Lacre Benjamin Camphire and Gold in Powder like to that of the Islâ—nd of Samatra who were come with thâ—â— Merchandise to buy Pepper Drugs and Pearls of the Isle of Ainan Being demanded whether there was any Army in those parts they answered No because most of the Wars which the Prechau that is the Emperor of the Caâ—chins made or were made against him were by Land and that when any was made upon the Rivers it was always with little Vessels and not with such great Ships as his for that they were not deep enough for them Further being asked whether the Prechau was near to that place they replyed that he was twelve days journey from thence at the City of Quangepaarâ— where most commonly he with his Court resided governing his Kingdom in Peace and Justice and that the Mynes reserved for his Crown rendred him in yearly â—ent fifteen thousand Picâ—s of Silver every Pico weighing five quintals the moyâ—â—y whereof by the divine Law inviolably observed in his Countries was for the poor Laborers that tilled the ground to sustain their families withall but that all his people by a general consent hâ—d freely relinquished that right unto him upon condition that from thence-forward he should not constrain them to pay tribute or any other thing that might concern them and that the ancient Prechaus had protested to accomplish it as long as the Sun should give light to the Earth Antonio de Faria further demanded of them what belief they were of whereunto they answered that they hold the very verity of all verities and that they believed there was but one God Almighty who as he had created all so he preserved all howbeit if at any time our understandings were intangled with the disorder and discord of our desires that no way proceeded from the soveraign Creator in whom was no imperfection but only from the sinner
Paâ—iaâ— he was counselled not to hazard himself in that Voyage because it was reported for a certainty how all that Country was up in arms by reason of the Wars which the Prechau Muan had with the Kings of Chamay and Champaa And withall he had Information given him of a famous Pirate named Similau whom he went presently to seek out and having found him the said Similau related strange wonders unto him of an Island called Calempluy where he assured him there were seventeen Kings of China interred in Tombes of Gold as also a great number of Idols of the same Metâ—al and such other immense treasures as I dare not deliver for fear of not being credited Now Antonio de Faria being naturally curious and carried with that ambition whereunto Souldiers are for the most part inclined lent so good ear to this Chineses report as looking for no other assurance of it then what he gave him he presently resolved to undertake this Voyage and expose himself to danger without taking further counsel of any man whereat many of his friends were with reason offended CHAP. XXIV Antonio de Faria departs from Liampoo for to seek out the Island of Calempluy the strange things that we saw and the hazard we ran in our voyage thither THe season being now fit for Navigation and Antonio de Faria furnished with all that was necessary for this new Voyage which he had undertaken to make on Munday the fourteenth of May in the year one thousand five hundred forty and two he departed from this Port to go to the Island of Calempluy For which purpose he imbarqued in two Paâ—oures resembling small Gallies but that they were a little higher by reason he was counselled not to use Junks as well to avoid discovery as in regard of the great curranâ—â— of water that descended from the Bay of Nanquin which great Vessels with all their sails were not able to stem especially at the time wherein he set forth for then the snows of Tartaria and Nixihuâ—flaâ— dissolving ran all the Months of May Iune and Iuly into these Seas with a most violent impetuosity In these two Vessels were fiftie Portugals one Priest to say Masse and fortie eight Marriners all Natives of Patana as also two and fortie slaves so that the whole number of our company amounted to an hundred forty and one persons for the Pirate Similaâ— who was our Pilot would have no more men nor Vessels for fear of being known because he was to traverse the streight of Nanquin and to enter into Rivers that were much frequented whereby we might probably be subject to great hazâ—rd That day and al the night following we imployed in getting out from amongst the Islands of Angitur and pursued our course through Seas which the Portugals had neither seen nor sailed on till then The first five dayes we had the wind favourable enough being still within sight of land till we came to the mouth of the River of the Fishings of Nanquin There we croâ—t over a Gulf of forty leagues and discovered a very high Mountain called Nangafo towards the which bending Northerly we sailed fiftie dayes at length the wind abated somewhat and because in that place the Tides were very great Similau put into a little River where was good anchoring and riding inhabited by men that were white and handsome having very little eyes like to the Chineses but much different from them both in language and attire Now during the space of three dayes that we continued there the Inhabitants would have no manner of communication with us but contrariwise they came in troopes to the shore by which we anchored and running up and down like mad-men they howled in a most hideous fashion and shot at us with slings and cross-bows As soon as the weather and the sea would permit us Similau by whom all vvas then governed began to set sail directing his course East Northeast and so proceeded seven dayes in sight of land then traversing another Gulfe and turning more directly to the East he past through a straight ten leâ—gues over called Sileupaquin There he sailed five dayes more still in view of many goodly Cities and Towns this River being frequented with an infinite company of Vessels whereupon Antonio de Faria knowing that if he hapned to be discovered he should never escape with life resolved to get from thence and continue this course no longer which Similau perceiving and opposing the advice that every one gave him Signior said unto him I do not think that any of your company can accuse me for mis-performing my duty hitherto you know how at Liampoo I told you publiquely in the General Councel that was held in the Church before an hundred Portugals at the least that we were to expose our selves to great dangers and chiefly my self because I was a Chinese and a Pilot for all you could be made to endure but one death wheras I should be made to endure two thousand if it were possible whereby you may well conclude that setting apart all treason I must of necessity be faithful unto you â—s I am and ever will be not only this Voyage but in all other enterprizes in despight of those that murmur and make false reports unto you of me howbeit if you fear this danger so much as you say and are therefore pleased that we shall take some other way lesse frequented with men and vessels and where we may sail without dread of any thing then you must be contented to bestow a far longer time in this voyage wherefore resolve with your company upon it without any further delay or let us return back for lo I am ready to do whatsoever you will Antonio de Faria embracing and giving him many thanks fell to discourse with him about that other safer way of which he spake Whereupon Similau told him that some hundred and forty leagues further forwards to the North there was a River somewhat larger by half a league called Sumhepadano where he should meet with no Obstacle for that it was not peopled like the streight of Nanquin wherein they now were but that then they should be retarded a month longer by the exceeding much winding of this River Antonio de Faria thinking it far better to expose himself to a length of time then to hazard his life for abridgement of way followed the counsel that Similau gave him so that going out of the streight of Nanquin he coasted the land five dayes at the end whereof we discovered a very high Mountain towards the East which Similau told us was called Fanius approaching somewhat neer unto it we entred into a very fair Port forty fathom deep that extending it self in the form of a Crescent was sheltred from all sorts of winds so spacious withall as two thousand Vessels how great soever might ride there at ease Antonio de Faria went ashore with some ten or eleven Souldiers and rounded this haven but could not
that having been convicted for sundry hainous crimes were also sent to the Parliament of Nanquin whâ—â—e as I have already declared is always residing a Chaem of Justice which is like to the Sovereign Title of the Vice-roy of China There is likewise a Parliament of some five and twenty Gerozemos and Ferucuas which are as those we call Judges with us and that determine all causes as well civil as criminal So as there is no appeal from their sentence unless it be unto another Court which hath power even over the King himself whereunto if one appeals it is as if he appealed to heaven To understand this the better you must know that although this Parliament and others such like which are in the principal Cities of the Realm have an absolute power from the King both over all criminal civil causes without any opposition or appeal whatsoever yet there is another Court of Justice which is called the Court of the Creator of all things whereunto it is permitted to appeal in weighty and iâ—portant matters In this Court are ordinarily assisting four twenty Menigrepos which are certain religious men very austere in their manner of living such as the Capuchins are amongst the Papists verily if they were Christians one might hope for great matters from them in regard of their marvellous abstinence sincerity There are none admitted into this rank of Judges under seventy years of age are elected thereunto by the suffrages of their chiefest Prelates most incorruptible men so just in all the causes whereof there are appeals before them as it is not possible to meet with more upright for were it against the King himself andagainst all the powers that may be imagined in the world no consideration how great soever is able to make them swerve never so little from that they think to be justice Having been imbarqued in the manner I spake of the same day at night we went lay at a great tower called Potinleu in one of the prisons whereof were mained nine days by reason of the much rain that fell then upon the conjunction of the New-moon There we happened to meet with a Russian prisoner that received as very charitably of whom demanding in the Chinese tongue which he understood as well as we what countrey-man he was and what fortune had brought him thither he told us that he was of Moscovy born in a town named Hiquegens and that some five years past being accused for the death of a man he had been condemned to a perpetual prison but as a stranger he appealed from that sentence to the tribunal of the Aytau of Batampina in the City of Pequin who was the highest of the two and thirty Admirals established in this Empire that is for every Kingdom one He added further that this Admiral by a particular Jurisdiction had absolute power over all strangers whereupon he hoped to find some relief from him intending to go and die a Christian among the Christians if he might have the good hap to be set at liberty After we had passed those nine days in this prison being reinbarqued we sayled up a great river seven days together at the end whereof we arrived at Nanquin As this City is the second of all the Empire so is it also the Capital of the three Kingdoms of Liampoo Fanius and Sambor Here we lay six weeks in prison and suffered so much pain and misery as reduced to the last extreamities we died incensibly for want of succour not able to do any thing but look up to heaven with a pitiful eye for it was our ill fortune to have all that we had stoln from us the first night we came thither This prison was so great that there were four thousand prisoners in it at that time as we were credibly informed so that one should hardly â—it down in any place without being robbed and filled â—ull of lice having layn there a month and an half as I said the Anchacy who was one of the Judges before whom our cause was to be pleaded pronounced our sentence at the Suit of the Atturny General the tenor whereof was That having seen and considered our process which the Chumbin of Taypor had sent him it appeared by the accusations laid to outcharge that we were very hainous malâ—factors though we denied many things yet in justice no credit was to be given unto us therefore that we were to be publickly whipped for to teach us to live better in time to come and that withall our two thumbs should be cut off wherewith it was evident by manifest suspicions that we used to commit robberies and other vile crimes furthermore that for the remainder of the punishment we deserved he referred us to the Aytau of Bataupina unto whom it appertained to take cognisance of such causes in regard of the Jurisdiction that he had of life and death This Sentence was pronounced in the prison where it had been better for us to have suffered death then the stripes that we received for all the ground round about us ran with blood upon our whiping so that it was almost a miracle that of the eleven which we were nine escaped alive for two of our company died three days after besides one of our servants After we had been whipped in that manner I have declared we were carried into a great Chamber that was in the prison where were a number of sick and diseased persons lying upon beds and otherways There we had presently our stripes washed and things applyed unto them whereby we were somewhat eased of our pain and that by men much like unto the fraternity of mercy among the Papists which only out of charity and for the honour of God do tend those that are sick and liberally furnish them with all things necessary Hereafter some eleven or twelve days we began to be pretily recovered and as we were lamenting our ill fortune for being so rigorously condemned to lose our thumbs it pleased God one morning when as we little dreamt ofit that we espied two men come into the chamber of a good aspect clothed in long gowns of violet coloured satin carrying white rods in their hands As soon as they arrived all the sick persons in the Chamber cried out Blessed be the Ministers of the works ofGod whereunto they answâ—red holding up their rods May it please God to give you patience in your adversity whereupon having distributed clothes and money to those that were next to them they came unto us and after they had saluted us very courteously with demonstration of being moved at our tears they asked us who we were and of what countrey as also why we were imprisoned there whereunto we answered weeping that we were strangers nativâ—s of the Kingdom of Siam and of a country called Malaca that being Merchants and well to live we had imbarqued our selves with our goods and being bound for Liampoo we had
iustice that conducted us they took their leaves of us in most courteous manner The next morning as soon as it was day they sent us the Letter sealed with three Seals in green Wax the Contents whereof were these Ye servants of that high Lord the resplendent mirrour of an uncreated light before whom our merits are nothing in comparison of his we the least servants of that holy house of Tauhinaâ—el that was founded in favour of the fifth prison of Nanquin with true words of respect which we owe unto you we give your most humble persons to understand that these nine strangers the bearers of this Letter are men of a far country whose bodies and goods have been so cruelly intreated by the furie of the sea that according to their report of ninety and five that they were they only have escaped shipwrack being cast by the tempest on the shore of the Isles of Tautâ—a upon the coast of the Bay of Sumbor In which pitious and lamentable case as we have seen them with our own eyes begging their living from place to place of such as charitie obliged to give them something after the manner of good folkes it was their ill fortune without all reason or justice to be apprehended by the Chumbin of Taypor and sent to this fifth prison of Faniau where they were condemned to be whipped which was immediatly executed upon them by the Ministers of the displeased arm as by their Process better appeareth But afterwards when as through too much crueltie their thumbs were to be cut off they with tears besought us for that Soveraign Lords sake in whose service we are imployed to be assisting unto them which presently undertaken by us we preferred a Petition in their behalf whereunto this Answer was made by the Court of the crowned Lyon That mercy had no place where justice lost her name whereupon provoked by a true zeal to Gods honour we addressed our selves to the Court of those four and twenty of the austere life who carried by a blessed devotion instantly assembled in the Holy House of the remedy for the poor and of an extream desire they had to succour these miserable creatures they interdicted that great Court from proceeding any further against them and accordingly the success was agreeable to the mercy of so great a God for these last Iudges revoking the others first Sentence sent the cause by way of Appeal to your Citie of Pequin with amendment of the second punishment as you may see more at large by the proceedings In regard whereof most reverend and humble Brethren We beseech you all in the Name of God to be favourable unto them and to assist them with whatsoever you shall thinke necessary for them that they may not be oppressed in thier right which is a very great sin and an eternal infamy to us who again intreat you to supply them with your Alms and bestow on them means to cover their nakedness to the end they may not perish for want of help which if you do there is no doubt but that so pious a work will be most acceptable to that Lord above to whom the poor of the earth do continually pray and are heard in the Highest of Heavens as we hold for an Article of Faith On which earth may it please that divine Majestie for whose sake we do this to preserve us till death and to render us worthy of his presence in the house of the Sun where he iâ— seated with all his Written in the Chamber of the zeal of Gods honour the ninth day of the seventh Moon and the three and twentieth year of the Raign of the Lyon crowned in the Throne of the World CHAP. XXVIII The Marvels of the Citie of Nanquin our departure from thence towards Pequin and that which hapned unto us till we arrived at the Town of Sempitay THis Letter being brought to us very early the next morning we departed in the manner before declared and continued our voyoge till Sun-set when as we anchored at a little Village named Minhacutem where the Chifuu that conducted us was born and where his Wife and Children were at that time vvhich vvas the occasion that he remained there three dayes at the end whereof he imbarqued himself vvith his family and so we passed on in the company of divers other Vessels that went upon this River unto divers parts of this Empire Now though we vvere all tyed together to the bank of the Lauteaa where vve rowed yet did we not for all that lose the view of many Towns and Villages that were scituated along this River whereof I hold it not amisse to make some descriptions To which effect I will begin with the Citie of Nanquin from whence we last parted This City is under the North in nine and thirty degrees and three quarters scituated upon the river of Batampina which signifies The flower of fish This river as we were told then and as I have seen since comes from Tartaria out of a lake called Fanistor nine leagues from the City of Lancama where Tamberlan King of the Tartarians usually kept his Court Out of the same lake which is eight and twenty leagues long twelve broad and of a mighty depth the greatest rivers that ever I saw take their source The first is the same Batampina that passing through the midst of this Empire of China three hundred and threescore leagues in length disimbâ—ques into the sea at the bay of Nanquin in thirty six degrees The second named Lechuna runs with great swiftness all along by the mountains of Pancruum which separate the Country of Cauchim and the State of Catebenan in the height of sixteen degrees The third is called Tauquida signifying the Mother of waters that going North-west traverseth the Kingdom of Nacataas a Country where China was anciently seated as I will declare hereafter and enters into the sea in the Empire of Sornau vulgarly stiled Siam by the mouth of Cuy one hundred and thirty leagues below Patana The fourth named Batobasoy descends out of the Province of Sansim which is the very same that was quite overwhelmed by the sea in the year 1556. as I purpose to shew else-where and renders it selâ— into the sea at the mouth of Cosmim in the Kingdom of Pegu The fifth and last called Leysacotay crosseth the Country by East as far as to the Archipelago of Xinxipou that borders upon Mocovye and fals as is thought into a sea that is not navigable by reaâ—on the clymate there is in the height of seventy degrees Now to return to my discourse the City of Nanquin as I said before is seated by this river of Batampina upon a reasonable high hill so as it commands all the plains about it The climate thereof is somewhat cold but very healthy and it is eight leagues about which way soever it is considered three leagues broad and one long The houses in it are not above two stories high and all built
side amazed to think how liberally it hath pleased God to heap up on this people the goods of the earth on the other side I am exceedingly grieved to consider how ungratefull they are in acknowledging such extraordinary favours for they commit amongst themselves an infinite of most enormous sins wherewithal they incessantly offend the Divine Goodness as well in their bruitish and diabolical Idolatries as in the abominable sin of Sodomy which is not only permitted amongst them in publique but is also accounted for a great vertue according to the instructions of their Priests CHAP. XXXII Our Arrival at the City of Pequin together with our imprisonment and that which moreover happened unto us there as also the great Majesty of the Officers of their Court of Iustice. AFter we were departed from that rare and marvellous Town whereof I have spoken we continued our course up the river until at length on Tuesday the nineteenth of October in the year 1541. we arrived at the great City of Pequin whither as I have said before we had been remitted by Appeal In this manner chained three and three together we were cast into a prison called Gofaniauserca where for our welcom we had at the first dash thirty lashes a piece given us wherewith some of us became very sick Now as soon as the Chifuu who conducted us thither had presented the process of our sentence sealed with twelve seals to the Justice of the Aytao which is their Parliament the twelve Chonchalis of the criminal Chamber unto whom the cognisance of our cause appertained commanded us presently away to prison whereupon one of those twelve assisted by two Registers and six or seven officers whom they term Hupes and are much like our Catchpoles here terrified us not a little as he was leading us thither for giving us very threatning speeches Come said he unto us By the power and authority which I have from the Aytao of Batampina chief President of the two and thirty Iudges of strangers within whose brest are the secrets of the Lyon crowned on the throne of the world inclosed I enjoyn and command you to tell me what people you are as also of what country and whether you have a King who for the service of God and for the discharge of his dignity is inclined to do good to the poor and to render them justice to the end that with tears in their eyes and hands lifted up they may not addresse their complaints to that Soveraign Lord which hath made the bright Enamel of the skies and for whose holy feet all they that reign with him serve but for sandals To this demand we answered him that we were poor strangers natives of the Kingdom of Siam who being imbarqued with our Merchandise for Liampoo were cast away in a great storm at sea from whence we escaped naked with the loss of all that we had and how in that deplorable estate we were fain to get our living by begging from door to door till such time as at our arrival at the Town of Taypor the Chumbim then resident there had arrested us for prisoners without cause and so sent us to the City of Nanquin where by his report we had been condemned to the whip and to have our thumbs cut off without so much as once daigning to hear us in our justifications by reason whereof lifting up our eyes to Heaven we had been adviced to have recourse with our tears to the four and twenty Judges of austâ—er life that through their zeal to God they might take our cause in hand since by reason of our poverty we were altogether without support and abandoned of all men which with an holy zeal they incontinently effected by revoking the cause and annulling the judgment that had been given against us and that these things considered we most instantly besought him that for the service of God he would be pleased to have regard to our misery and the great injustice that was done us for that we had no means in this Country nor person that would speak one word for us The Judg remained somtimes in suspence upon that we had said to him at length he answered that we need say no more to him for it is sufficient that I know you are poor to the end this affair may go another way then hitherto it hath done neverthertheless to acquit me of my charge I give you five days time conformably to the Law of the third Book that within the said term you may retain a Proctor to undertake your cause but if you will be advised by me you shall present your request to the Tanigores of the sacred Office to the end that they carryed by an holy zeal of the honour of God may out of compassion of your miseries take upon them to defend your right Having spoken thus he gave us a Taeis in way of alms and said further to us Beware of the prisoners that are here for I assure you that they make it their trade to steal all that they can from any one whereupon entring into another chamber where there were a great number of prisoners he continued there above three hours in giving them audience at the end whereof he sent seven and twenty men that the day before had received their judgment to execution which was inflicted upon them by whipping to death a spectacle so dreadful to us and that put us in such a fright as it almost set us besides our selves The next morning as soon as it was day the Jaylors clapt irons on our feet and manacles on ouâ— hands and put us to exceeding great pain but seven days after we had endured such misery being laid on the ground one by another and bewayling our disaster for the extream fear we were in of suffering a most cruel death if that which we had done at Calempluy should by any means chance to be discovered it pleased God that we were visited by the Tanigores of the house of mercy which is of the jurisdiction of this prison who are called in their language Cofilem Gnaxy At their arrival all the prisoners bowing themselves said with a lamentable tonâ— Blessed be the day wherein God doth visit us by the ministery of his servants whereunto the Tanigories made answer with a grave and modest countenance The Almighty and divine hand of him that hath formed the beauty of the stars keep and preserve you Then approaching to us they very courteously demanded of us what people we were and whence it proceeded that our imprisonment was more sensible to us then to others To this speech we replied with tears in our eyes that we were poor strangers so abandoned of men as in all that Country there was not one that knew our names and that all we could in our poverty say to intreat them to think of us for Gods sake was contained in a letter that we had brought them from the Chamber of the Society of the house
humane respect but only to the merit and equity of their cause and according to the resolution of the Laws accepted by the twelve Chaems of the Government in the fifth book of the will and pleasure of the Son of the Sun who in such cases out of his greatness and goodness hath more regard to the complaints of the poor then to the insolent clamors of the proud of the earth I do ordain and decree that these nine strangers shall be clearly quit and absolved of all that which the Kings Proctor hath laid to their charge as also of all the punishment belonging thereunto condemning them only to a years exile during which time they shall work for their living in the reparations of Quansy and when at eight months of the said year shall be accomplished then I expresly enjoyn all the Chumbims Conchalis Monteos and other Ministers of their government that immediately upon their presenting of this my Decree unto them they give them a passeport and safe conduct to the end they may freely and securely return into their Country or to any other place they shal think fit After this sentence was thus published in our hearing we all cried out with a loud voice The Sentence of thy clear judgment is confirmed in us even as the purity of thy heart is agreeable to the son of the Sun This said one of the Conchalis that sate at one of the tables stood up and having made a very low obeisance to the Chaem he said aloud five times one after another to all that presse of people which were there in great number Is there any one in this Court in this City or in this Kingdom that will oppose this Decree or the deliverance of these nine prisoners Whereunto no answer being made the two boyes that represented justice and mercy touched the ensignes which they held in their hands together and said aloud Let them be freed and discharged according to the sentence very justly pronounced for it whereupon one of those Ministers whom they call Huppes having rung a bell thrice the two Chumbims of execution that had formerly bound us unlosed us from our chain and withall took off our manacles collers and the other irons from our legs so that we were quite delivered for which we gave infinite thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ because we always thought that for the ill conceit men had of us we should be condemned to death From thence so delivered as we were they led us back to the prison where the two Chumhims signed our enlargment in the Jaylors book nevertheless that we might be altogether discharged we were to go two months after to serve a year according to our sentence upon pain of becoming slaves for ever to the King conformable to his Ordinances Novv because vve vvould presently have gone about to demand the alms of good people in the City the Chifun vvho vvas as Grand Provost of that prison perswaded us to stay till the next day that he might first recommend us to the Tanigores of mercy that they might do something for us CHAP. XXXIII What past betwixt us and the Tanigores of mercy with the great favors they did us and a brief Relation of the City of Pequin where the King of China kept his Court. THe next morning the four Tanigores of mercy came to visit the Infirmiâ—y of this prison as they used to do where they rejoyced with us for the good success of our Sentence giving us great testimony how well contented they were with it for which we returned them many thanks not without shedding abundance of tears whereat they seemed to be not a little pleased and willed us not to be troubled with the term we were condemned to serve in for they told us that in stead of a year we should continue but eight months there and that the other four months which made the third part of our punishment the King remitted it by way of alms for Gods sake in consideration that we were poor for otherwise if we had been rich and of ability we should have had no favour at all promising to cause this dimunition of punishment to be endorsed on our Sentence and besides that they would go and speak to a very honourable man for us that was appointed to be the chief Marshal or Monteo of Quansy the place where we were to serve to the end he might shew us favour and cause us to be truly paid for the time we should remain there Now because this man was naturally a friend to the poor and inclined to do them good they thought it would be fit to carry us along with them to his house the rather for that it might be he would take us into his charge we gave them all very humble thanks for this good offer of theirs and told them that God would reward this charity they shewed us for his sake whereupon we accompanied them to the Monteos house who came forth to receive us in his outward Court leading his wife by the hand which he did either out of a greater form of complement or to do the more honour to the Tanigores and coming neer them he prostrated himself at their feet and said It is now my Lord and holy brethren that I have cause to rejoyce for that it hath pleased God to permit that you his holy servants should come unto my house being that which I could not hope for in regard I held my selfe unworthy of such favour After the Tanigores had used many complements and cereremonies to him as is usuall in that Country they answered him thus May God our Soveraign Lord the infinite source of mercy recompence the good thou dost for the poor with blessing in this life for believe it dear brother the strongest staff whereon the soul doth lean to keep her from falling so often as she happens to stumble is the charity which we use towards our neighbour when as the vain glory of this world doth not blind the good zeal whereunto his holy Law doth oblige us and that thou mayst merit the blessed felicity of beholding his face we have brought thee here these nine Portugals who are so poor as none in this Kingdom are like to them wherefore we pray thee that in the place whither thou art going now as Monteo thou wilt do for them all that thou thinkest will be acceptable to the Lord above in whose behalf we crave this of thee To this Speech the Monteo and his wife replyed in such courteous and remarkable terms as we were almost besides our selves to hear in what manner they attributed the successe of their affairs to the principal cause of all goodness even as though they had the light of faith or the knowledg of the Christian verity Hereupon they withdrew into a Chamber into which we went not and continued there about half an hour then as they were about to take leave of one another they commanded us to come in to them
where the Tanigores spake to them again about us and recommending us unto them more then before the Monteo caused our names to be written down in a book that lay before him and said unto us I do this because I am not so good a man as to give you something of mine own nor so bad as to deprive you of the sweat of your labour whereunto the King hath bound you wherefore even at this instant you shall begin to get your living although you do not serve as yet for the desire I have that this may be accounted to me for an alms so that now you have nothing to do but to be merry in my house where I will give order that you shall be provided of all that is necessary for you Besides this I will not promise you any thing for the fear I am in of the shewing some vanity by my promise and so the Divel may make use thereof as of an advantage to lay hold on me a matter that often arrives through the weakness of our nature wherefore let it suffice you for the present to know that I will be mindful of you for the love of these holy brethren here who have spoken to me for you The four Tanigores thereupon taking their leave gave us four Taeis and said unto us Forget not to render thanks unto God for the good success you have had in your business for it would be a grievous sin in you not to acknowledge so great a grace Thus were we very well entertained in the house of this Captain for the space of two months that we remained there at the end whereof we parted from thence for to go to Quansy where we were to make up our time under the conduct of this Captain who ever after used us very kindly and shewed us many favours untill that the Tartars entred into the Town who did a world of mischief there as I will more amply declare hereafter Before I recount that which happened unto us after we were imbarqued with those Chineses that conducted us and that gave us great hope of setting us at liberty I think it not amiss to make a brief relation here of the City of Pequin which may truly be termed the capital of the Monarchy of the world as also of some particulars I observed there as well for its arches and policy as for that which concerns its extent its government the laws of the Country and the admirable manner of providing for the good of the whole State together in what sort they are paid that serve in the time of war according to the Ordinances of the Kingdom and many other things like unto these though I must needs confess that herein I shall want the best part namely wit and capacity to render a reason in what clymate it is scituated and in the heigth of how many degrees which is a matter the learned and curious most desire to be satisfied in But my designe having never been other as I have said heretofore then to leave this my book unto my children that therein they may see the sufferings I have undergone it little imports me to write otherwise then I do that is in a gross and rude manner for I hold it better to treat of these things in such sort as nature hath taught me then to use Hyperboles and speeches from the purpose whereby the weakness of my poor understanding may be made more evident Howbeit since I am obliged to make mention of this matter by the promise I have made of it heretofore I say that this City which we call Pequin and they of the Country Pequin is scituated in the heighth of forty and one degrees of Northerly latitude the walls of it are in circuit by the report of the Chineses themselves and as I have read in a little book treating of the greatness thereof and intituled Aquisendan which I brought since along with me into Portugal thirty large leagues namely ten long and five broad Some others hold that it is fifty namely seventeen in length and eight in bredth and forasmuch as they that intreat of it are of different opinions in that the one make the extent of it thirty leagues as I have said before and others fifty I will render a reason of this doubt conformable to that which I have seen my self It is true that in the manner it is now built it is thirty leagues in circuit as they say for it is invironed with two rows of strong walls where there are a number of towers and bulwarks after our fashion But without this circuit which is of the City it self there is another far greater both in length and bredth that the Chineses affirm was anciently all inhabited but at this present there are only some Boroughs and Villages as also a many of fair houses or castles about it amongst the which there are sixteen hundred that have great advantages over the rest and are the houses of the Proctors of the sixteen hundred Cities and most remarkable Towns of the two and thirty Kingdoms of this Monarchy who repair unto this City at the general Assembly of the Estates which is held every three years for the publique good Without this great inclosure which as I have said is not comprehended in the City there is in a distance of three leagues broad and seven long fourscore thousand Tombs of the Mandarins which are little Chappels all guilded within and compassed about with Ballisters of iron and latin the entries whereinto are through very rich and sumptuous arches near to these Chappels there are also very great houses with gardens and tufted woods of high trees as also many inventions of ponds fountains and aqueducts whereunto may be added that the walls of the inclosure are on the inside covered with fine porcelain and on the fanes above are many Lions pourtrayed in gold as also in the squares of the steeples which are likewise very high and embellished with pictures It hath also five hundred very great Palaces which are called the houses of the Son of the Sun whither all those retire that have been hurt in the Wars for the service of the King as also many other souldiers who in regard of age or sickness are no longer able to bear arms and to the end that during the rest of their days they may be exempted from incommodity each of them receives monthly a certain pay to find himself withall and to live upon Now all these men of War as we learned of the Chineses are ordinarily an hundred thousand there being in each of those houses two hundred men according to their report We saw also another long street of low houses where there were four and twenty thousand oar-men belonging to the King Panoures and another of the same structure a good league in length where fourteen thousand Taverners that followed the Court dwelt as also a third street like unto the other two where live a great number
are comparable unto it how famous or populous soever they be Nay I will say further that one must not think it to be like to Grand Cairo in Egypt Tauris in Persia Amadaba in Cambaya Bisnagar in Narsingua Goura in Bengala Ava in Chaleu Timplan in Calaminhan Martaban and Bagou in Pegu Guimpel and Tinlau in Siammon Odia in the Kingdom of Sornau Passarvan and Dema in the Island of Iaoa Pangor in the Country of the Lequiens Vsangea in the Grand Cauchin Lancama in Tartaria and Meaco in Iappun all which Cities are the Capitals of many great Kingdoms for I dare well affirm that all those same are not to be compared to the least part of the wonderful City of Pequin much less to the greatness and magnificence of that which is most excellent in it whereby I understand her stately buildings her inward riches her excessive abundance of all that is necessary for the entertaining of life also the world of people the infinite number of Barques and Vessels that are there the Commerce the Courts of Justice the Government and the State of the Tutons Chaems Anchacys Aytaos Puchancys and Bracanons who rule whole Kingdoms and very spacious Provinces with great pentions and are ordinarily resident in this City or others for them when as by the Kings command they are sent about affairs of consequence But setting these things aside whereof yet I intend to speak more amply when time shall serve I say that this City according to that which is written of it both in the Aquesendoo before mentioned and all the Chronicles of the Kingdom of China is thirty leagues in circuit not comprehending therein the buildings of the other inclosure that is without it and is invironed with a double wall made of good strong free-stone having three hundred and threescore gates each of which hath a small Forâ— composed of two high towers with its ditches and draw-bridges and at every gate is a Register four Porters with halberds in their hands who are bound to give account of all that goes in and out These gates by the Ordinance of the Tuton are divided according to the three hundred and threescore dayes of the year so that every day in his turn hath the feast of the invocation of the Idol whereof each gate bears the name celebrated with much solemnity This great City hath also within that large inclosure of her walls as the Chineses assured us three thousand and three hundred Pagodes or Temples wherein are continually sacrificed a great number of birds and wild beasts which they hold to be more agreeable unto God then such as are kept tame in houses whereof their Priests render divers reasons to the people therewith perswading them to believe so great an abuse for an article of faith The structures of these Pagodes whereof I speak are very sumptuous especially those of the orders of the Menegrepos Conquiays and Talagrepos who are the Priests of the four Sects of Xaca Amida Gizom and Canom which surpass in antipuity the other two and thirty of that Labyrinth of the Divel who appears to them many times in divers forms for to make them give more credit to his impostures and lies The principal streets of this City are all very long and broad with fair houses of two or three stories high and inclosed at both ends with ballisters of iron and lattin the entrance into them is through lanes that cross these great streets at the ends whereof are great arches with strong gates which are shut in the night and on the top of the arches there are watch-bels Each of these streets hath its Captain and officers who walk the round in their turns and are bound every ten dayes to make report into the Town-house of all that passeth in their quarters to the end that the Punchacys or Chaems of the Government may take such order therein as reason requires Moreover this great City if credit may be given to that which the said book so often before mentioned by me records hath an hundred and twenty Canals made by the Kings and people in former times which are three fathom deep and twelve broad crossing through the whole length and bredth of the City by the means of a great number of bridges built upon arches of strong free-stone at the end whereof there are pillars with chains that reach from the one to the other and resting places for passengers to repose themselves in It is said that the bridges of these hundred twenty Canals or Aqueducts are in number eighteen hundred and that if one of them is fair and rich the other is yet more as well for the fashion as for the rest of the workmanship thereof The said Book affirms That in this City there are sixscore Piatzues or publique places in each of the which is a Fair kept every month Now during the two months time that we were at liberty in this City we saw eleven or twelve of these Fairs where were an infinite company of people both on hors-back and on foot that out of boxes hanging about their necks sold all things that well neer can be named as the Haberdashers of small wares do amongst us besides the ordinary shops of rich Merchants which were ranged very orderly in the particular streets where was to be seen a world of silk stuffs tinsels cloth of gold linnen and cotton-cloth sables ermyns musk aloes fine pourcelain gold and silver plate pearl seed pearl gold in powder and lingots and such other things of value whereat we nine Portugals were exceedingly astonished But if I should speak in particular of all the other commodities that were to be sold there as of iron steel lead copper tin latin corral cornalin crystal quicksilver vermillion ivory cloves nutmegs mace ginger tamarinds cinnamon pepper cardamone borax hony wax sanders sugar conserves acates fruit meal rice flesh venison fish pulse and herbs there was such abundance of them as it is scarce possible to express it in words The Chineses also assured us that this City hath an hundred and threescore Butchers shambles and in each of them an hundred stalls full of all kinds of flesh that the earth produceth for that these people feed on all as Veal Mutton Pork Goat the flesh of Horses Buffles Rhinocerets Tygers Lions Dogs Mules Asses Otters Shamois Bodgers and finally of all other beasts whatsoever Furthermore besides the weights which are particularly in every shambles there is not a gate in the City that hath not its scales wherein the meat is weighed again for to see if they have their due weight that have bought it to the end that by this means the people may not be deceived Besides those ordinary Shambles there is not scarce a street but hath five or six Butchers shops in it where the choicest meat is sold there are withall many Taverns where excellent fare is alwayes to be had and cellers full of gammons of bacon dried tongues poudered geese and other
by the four women upon whom she leaned directly to the Gallows whereon she and her four children were to be hanged and there the Rolim of Mounay who was held amongst them for a holy man used some speeches unto her for to encourage her the better to suffer death whereupon she desired them to give her a little water which being brought unto her she filled he mouth with it and so spurted it upon her four children whom she held in her arms then having kissed them many times she said unto them weeping O my Children my Children whom I have conceived anew within the interior of my Soul how happy would I think my self if I might redeem your lives with the loss of mine own a thousand times over if it were possible for in regard of the fear and anguish wherein I see you at this present and wherein every one sees me also I should receive Death with as good an heart from the hand of this cruel Enemy as I willingly desire to see my self in the presence of the Soveraign Lord of all things within the repose of his celestial Habitation Then turning her to the Hangman who was going to bind her two little boys Good Friend said she be not I pray thee so voyd of pity as to make me see my children dye for in so doing thou wouldst commit a great sin wherefore put me first to death and refuse me not this boon which I crave of thee for Gods sake After she had thus spoken she took her children again in her arms and kissing them over and over in giving them her last farewell she yielded up the ghost in the Ladies lap upon whom she leaned not so much as once stirring ever after which the Hangman perceiving ran presently unto her and hanged her as he had done the rest together with her four little children two of each side of her and she in the middle At this cruel and pitiful spectacle there arose from amongst all this people so great and hideous a cry that the Earth seemed to tremble under the feet of them that stood upon it and withall there followed such a Mutiny throughout the whole Camp as the King was constrained to fortifie himself in his quarter with six thousand Bramaa Horse and thirty thousand Foot and yet for all that be thought not himself secure enough from it had not the night come which onely was able to calm the furious motions of these men of war For of seven hundred thousand which were in the Camp six hundred thousand were by Nation Pegu's whose King was the Father of this Queen that was thus put to death but this Tyrant of Bramaa had so disarmed and subjected them as they durst not so much as quich upon any occasion Behold in what an infamous manner Nhay Canatoo finished her days a Princess every way accomplished wife to the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano and the daughter of the King of Pegu Emperor of nine Kingdoms whose yearly Revenue amounted unto three millions of Gold As for the infortunate King her Husband he was the same night cast into the River with a great stone tyed about his neck together with fifty or threescore of his chiefest Lords who were either the Fathers Husbands or Brothers of those hundred and forty Ladies that were most unjustly put to such an ignominious death amongst the which there were three whom this King of Bramaa had demanded in marriage at such time as he was but a simple Earl but not one of their Fathers would condescend unto it whereby one may see how great the revolutions of time and fortune are After the Tyrant of Bramaa had caused this rigorous Justice to be done he stayed there nine whole days during the which many of the Inhabitants of the City were also execued At last he departed for to go to Pegu leaving behind him Bainhaa Chaque Lord Steward of his House to take order for all things that might conduce to the pacifying of that Kingdom and to provide for the repairing of what the fire had consumed to which purpose he placed a good Garison there and carryed with him the rest of his Army Ioano Cayeyro followed him also with seven hundred Portugals not above three or four remaining behind in the ruines of Martabano and those too not very considerable except it were one named Gonçalo Falcan a Gentleman well born and whom these Gentiles commonly called Crisna Pacan that is to say Flower of Flowers a very honorable Title amongst them which the King of Bramaa had given him in recompence of his services Now for as much as at my departure from Malaca Pedro de Faria had given me a Letter directed unto him whereby he desired him to assist me with his favor in case I had need of it in the affair for which he sent me thither as well for the service of the King as for his own particular as soon as I arrived at Martabano where I found him resident I delivered him this Letter and withall gave him an account of the occasion that brought me thither which was to confirm the ancient league of Peace that the Chaubainhaa had made by his Embassadors with them of Malaca at such time as Pedro de Faria was first Governor of it and whereof he could not chuse but have some knowledg adding moreover how to that effect I had brought the Chaubainhaa Letters full of great protestations of amity and a Present of certain very rich Pieces of China Hereupon this Gonçalo Falcan imagining that by means hereof he might insinuate himself much more into the good grace of the King of Bramaa to whose side he turned at the siege of Martabano quitting that of the Chaubainhaa whom formerly he served he went three days after the Kings departure to his said Governor and told him that I was come thither as Embassador from the Captain of Malaca to treat with the Chaubainhaa unto whom the Captain sent an offer of great Forces against the King of Bramaa in so much that they of the Country were upon the point of fortifying themselves in Martabano and chasing away the Bramaas out of the Kingdom whereunto he added so many other such like matters that the Governor sent presently to apprehend me and after he had put me into safe custody he went directly to the Junck in which I came from Malaca and seized upon all the goods that were in her which were worth above an hundred thousand duckets committing the Necoda Captain and Master of the Junck to prison as also all the rest that were in her to the number of an hundred threescore and four persons wherein comprized forty rich Merchants Malayes Menancabo's Mahumetans and Gentiles Natives of Malaca All these were incontinently condemned to a confiscation of their goods and to remain the Kings prisoners as well as I for being complices in the Treason which the Captain of Malaca had plotted in secret with the Chaubainhaa against the King of Bramaa Having
what he had to do The Rolim went herewith back to the City where he gave the Queen an account of all things saying That this Tyrant was a man without faith and replete with damnable intentions for proof whereof he represented unto her the Siege of Martabano the usage of the Chaubainhaa after he rendred himself unto him upon his word and how he had put him his wife his children and the chiefest Nobility of his Kingdom to a most shamefull death These things considered it was instantly concluded as well by the Queen as by all those of her Councel that she should defend the City till such time as succour came from her Father which would be within fifteen days at the furthest This resolution taken she being of a great courage without further delay took order for all things that were thought necessary for the defence of the City animating to that end her people with great prudence and a man-like Spirit though she was but a woman Moreover as she liberally imparted to them of her Treasure so she promised every one throughly to acknowledg their services with all manner of recompences and honours whereby they were mightily encouraged to fight In the mean space the King of Bramaa seeing that the Rolim returned him no answer within the time prefixt began the next day to fortifie all the Quarters of his Camp with double rows of Cannon for to batter the City on every side and for assaulting of the walls he caused a great number of Ladders to be made publishing withall throughout his whole Army that all Souldiers upon pain of death should be ready within three days to go to the Assault The time then being come which was the third of May 1545. About an hour before day the King went out of his Quarter where he was at anchor upon the river with two thousand vessels of choice men and giving the Signal to the Commanders which were on Land to prepare themselves they altogether in one Body assailed the walls with so great a cry as if Heaven and earth would have come together so that both sides falling to encounter pell-mell with one another there was such a conflict betwixt them as within a little while the air was seen all on fire and the earth all bloody whereunto being added the clashing of weapons and noise of guns it was a spectacle so dreadful that we few Portugals who beheld these things remained astonished and almost besides our selves This fight indured full five hours at the end whereof the Tyrant of Bramaa seeing those within defend themselves so valiantly and the most part of his Forces to grow faint he went to land with ten or eleven thousand of his best men and with all diligence re-inforcing the Companies that were fighting the Bickering renewing in such sort as one would have said it did but then begin so great was the fury of it The second trial continued till night yet would not thâ— Kâ—ng desist from the fight what counsel soever was given him to retire but contrarily he swore not to give over the Enterprise begun and that he would lie that night within the inclosure of the City walls or cut off the heads of all those Commanders that were not wounded at their coming off In the mean time this obstinacy was very pejudicial to him for continuing the Assault till the Moon was gone down which was two hours past midnight he was then forced to sound a Retreat after he had lost in this Assault as was the next day found upon a Muster fourscore thousand of his men besides those which were hurt which were thirty thousand at the least whereof many died for want of dressing whence issued such a plague in the Camp as well through the corruption of the air as the water of the river that was all tainted with blood and dead bodies that thereby about fourscore thousand more perished amongst whom were five hundred Portugals having no other buriall then the bellies of Vultures Crows and such like birds of prey which devoured them all along the Coast where they lay The King of Bramaa having considered that this first Assault having cost him so dear would no more hazaâ—d his men in that manner but he caused a great Terrace to be made with Bavins and above ten thousand Date-trees which he commanded to be cut down and on that he raised up a platform so high as it over-topped the walls of the City two fathom and more where he placed fourscore pieces of Ordnance and with them continually battering the City for the space of nine dayes together it was for the most part demolished with the death of fourteen thousand persons which quite abated the poor Queens courage especially when she came to understand that she had but six thousand fighting men left all the rest which consisted of women chidren old men being unfit and unable to bear Arms. The miserable besieged seeing themselves reduced to such extreamity assembled together in Councel and there by the advice of the chiefest of them it was concluded That all in general should anoint themselves with the Oile of the Lamps of the Chappel of Quiay Nivandel God of Battail of the field Vitan and so offering themselves up in sacrifice to him set upon the platform with a determination either to dye or to vanquish in vowing themselves all for the defence of their young King to whom they had so lately done homage and sworn to be true and faithful Subjects This resolution taken which the Queen and all her Nobility approved of for the best and most assured in a time wherein all things were wanting to them for the longer defending themselves they promised to accomplish it in the manner aforesaid by a solemn Oâ—th which they all took Now there being no further question but to see how they should carry themselves in this affair they first of all made an Uncle of the Queens the Captains of this resolute Band who assembling these six thousand together the same night about the first quarter of the watch made a sally out of the two gates that were neerest to the Terrace and platform and so taking courage from their despair and resolution to dye they fought so valiantly that in less then half an hour the whole Camp was put in disorder the Terrace gained the fourscore pieces of Cannon taken the King himself hurt the Pallisado burnt the Trenches broken and the Xenimbrum General of the Army slain with above fifteen thousand â—en more amongst the which were five hundred Turks there weâ—e moreover forty Elephants taken besides those that were killed and eight hundred Bramaas made prisoners so that these six thousand resolute men did that which an hundred thousand though valiant enough could hardly have effected After this they retreated an hour before day and upon a review they found that of six thousand which they were there was but seven hundred slain This bad success so grieved and incensed the
King of Bramaa as attributing the cause thereof to the negligence of some of his Capâ—ains in the â—ll guarding of the Terrace that the day following he caused two thousand Pegu's to be bâ—hâ—aded which had stood sentinel that night This adventure rendred things quiet for the space of twelve days during which the besieged stirred not in the mean time one of the four principal Captain of the City named Xemim Meleytay fearing that which all others in general misdoubted namely that they could not escape from falling into the hands of so cruel an Enemy treated secretly with the Tyrant and upon condition that he would continue him in his charge not meddle with any of the houses of his friends and make him Xemin of Ansedaa in the Kingdom of Pegu with all the Revenue which the Bainhaa of Malacou had there being thirty thousand Duckats a year he would deliver him up the City by giving him entrance into it through the gate which he commanded The King of Bramaa accepted hereof and for a gage of performance on his part he sent him a rich Ring from off his finger This Treason so concluded was effected on the three and twentieth of August in the year 1545. wherein this Tyrant of Bramaa carryed himself with all the barbarousness and cruelty that he used to practise in the like cases And for as much as I conceive that I should never have done if I should recount here at large how this affair past I will say no more but that the gate was opened the City delivered up the Inhabitants all cut in pieces without so much as sparing one the King and Queen made prisoners their Treasurers taken the Buildings and Temples demolished and many other inhumanities exercised with such outragiousness the belief whereof is beyond the imagination and thought of man and truly I never represent unto my self in what manner it was done as having seen it with mine own eyes but that I remain as it were astonished and besides my self at it For as this Tyrant was touched to the quick with the affront he had lately received so he executed all the cruelties he could imagine against thosâ— miserable Inhabitants for to be revenged of the ill success he had had in the siege which could not proceed from any other but a base mind and vile extraction for it ordinarily falls out that barbarousness finds place in such kind of people rather then in generous and valiant hearts Whereunto may be added that he was a man without faith and of an effâ—minate disposition though he was nevertheless an Enemy to women albeit there were in that Kingdom and in all the others whereof he was Lord those that were very white and fair After the bloody ruine of that wretched City the Tyrant entred into it in great pomp and and as it were in triumph through a breach that was made of purpose in the wall and by his express commandment When he was arrived at the young Kings pallace he caused himself to be crowned King of Prom and during the Ceremony of this Coronation he made that poor Prince whom he had deprived of his Kingdom to continue kneeling before him with his hands held up as if he adored some God and ever and anon they constrained him to stoup down and kiss the Tyrants feet who in the mean time made shew as if he were not pleased therewith This done he went into a Balcone which looked on a great Market place whither he commanded all the dead children that lay up and down the streets to be brought and then causing them to be hacked very small he gave them mingled with Bran Rice and Herbs to his Elephants to eat Afterward with a strange kind of ceremony at the sound of Trumpets Drums and other such like Instruments there was above an hundred Horses led in loaden with the quarters of men and women which also he commanded to be cut small and then cast into a great fire kindled expresly for it These things so done the Queen was brought before him that was wife to the poor little King who as I said before was but thirteen years of age and she thirty and six a woman very white and well-favored Aunt to her own Husband Sister to his Mother and Daughter to the King of Avaa which is the Country from whence the Rubies Saphirs and Emeralds do come to Pegu and it was the same Lady whom this Bramaa had sent to demand in marriage of her Father as it was then spoken but that he refused him saying to his Embassador for an answer That the thoughts of his Daughter soared a pitch higher then to be the wife of the Xemim of Tanguu which was the family whence this Tyrant was issued But now that she was fallen into his hands as his slave whether he used her so either out of a revenge of that affront or out of scorn and contempt so it was that he made her to be publiquely stript stark naked and to be torn and mangled with whipping and then in that manner to be led up and down all the City where amidst the cries and hooting of the people he exposed her to other cruel torments wherewith she was tortured till she gave up the ghost When she was dead he made her to be bound to the little King her Husband who was yet living and having commanded a great stone to be tyed about their necks they were cast into the River which was a kind of cruelty very dreadful to all that beheld it To these barbarous parts he added many others so inhumane as it is not likely that any other but he could imagine the like And for a conclusion of his cruelties the next day he caused all the Gentlemen that were taken alive being some three hundred to be impaled and so spitted like rosted Pigs to be also thrown into the River whereby may be seen how great and unheard of the injustice of this Tyrant was which he exercised on these miserable wretches CHAP. LIV. The King of Bramaa his besieging of the Fortress of Meleytay with his going from thence to Avaa and that which passed there FOurteen days were past since the doing of these things during the which the Tyrant employed himself in fortifying the City with a great deal of diligence and care when as his spies whom he had sent out brought him word that from the City of Avaa a Fleet of four hundred rowing Vessels was come down the River of Queitor wherein there were thirty thousand Siamon Soldiers besides the Mariners of which the King of Avaas son and brother to the poor Queen was General for this Prince having received advertisement of the taking of the City of Prom and of the death of his sister and brother-in-law went and lodged in the Fortress of Meleytay which was some twelve leagues up the River from Prom. This news much troubled the Tyrant howbeit he resolved to go himself in person against his Enemies before
we departed from this Pagod of Tinagoogoo and continued on our way for thirteen days together at the end whereof we arrived at two great Towns scituated on the Bank of the river just opposite the one against the other about the distance of a stones cast one of the which was called Manavedéa and the other Singilapau in the midst of this same river which was there somewhat narrow there was an Island by nature formed round and in it a rock six and thirty fathom high and a Cros-bow shoot broad upon this rock was a Fort built with nine Bulwarks and five Towers without the rampire of the wall it was invironed with two rows of great iron gates and from the Bulwarks to the other side of the river ran a huge Chain of iron to keep vessels from passing along so that nothing could possibly enter there At one of these two Towns which was called Singilapau the Ambassadour landed where he was exceedingly well entertained by the Xemimbrum or Governour of it who likewise furnished all his Train with great store of refreshments The next morning we left this place accompanied with twenty Laulês wherein there were a thousand men and better and about evening we arrived at the Custom-houses of the Kingdom which are two strong places and from the one to the other run five mighty great chains of Latten all atwart the whole bredth of the river so that nothing can pass in and out without leave Hither came a man in a swift Seroo to the Ambassadour and told him that he was to go ashore at Campalagro which was one of the two Castles on the South-side for to shew the Letter which this King had sent by him to the Calaminham to see if it were written in the form that was required in speaking to him as was usually observed The Ambassadour presently obeyed and being come to land he was led into a great Hall where were three men 〈◊〉 a table with a great many Gentlemen who gave him good entertainment and demanded of him the occasion of his coming thither as they that knew nothing of it Whereunto the Ambassadour answered That he came thither from the King of Bramaa Lord of Tanguu and that he had a message to deliver unto the holy Calaminham concerning matters greatly importing his Estate Then having made further answer to other questions which were put to him in a way of ceremony by the three principal persons that were at the Table he shewed them the letter wherein they corrected some words which were not of the style wherewith they were accustomed to speak to the Calaminham together with this letter the Ambassadour shewed them the present which he had brought for him whereat they very much wondred especially when they saw the Chair for an Elephant of gold and precious stones which in the judgments of divers Lapidaries was worth above six hundred thousand Duckets besides the other rich pieces that he carried him also as I have before related After we had our dispatch from this first Custom-house we went to the other where we found more venerable men then the former who with another new Ceremony looked likewise on the Letter and the present and put to all the several parcels of it strings of wreathed carnation silk with three Seals in Lacre which was as the conclusion of the receiving of the Ambassy by the Calaminham The same day there came a man from the next Town of Questor sent by the Governour of the Kingdom to visit the Ambassadour with a present of refreshments of flesh fruit and other such things after their manner During nine dayes that the Ambassadour stayed in this place he was abundantly furnished with all things necessary both for his own Person and his Train and withall was entertained with sundry sports of hunting and fishing as also with Feasts accompaied with musick and Comedies represented by very beautiful women and richly attired In the mean time we Portugals went with the permission of the Ambassadour to see certain things which they of the Country had much commended unâ—o us namely veâ—y antique buildings rich and sumptuous Temples very fair Gardens Houâ—es and Castles that were all along the side of this river made after a strange fashion well â—ortified and of great charge amongst the which there was an Hospital for to lodge pilgrims in called Manicafaran signifying in our tongue The Prison of the Gods which was above a Lâ—ague in bredth Here we saw twelve streets all vaulted over and in every one of them two hundred and forty houses namely sixscore on each side which made in all two thousand eight hundred and fourscore all full of pilgrims who the whole year throughout came thither in pilgrimage from divers Countries for as they hold this pilgrimage ought to be of far greater merit then all others because that these Idols imprisoned by strangers have need of company All these pilgrims which as they of the Country say are all the year long without discontinuing above six thousand have meat given them the whole time of their abode there at the charge and out of the revenue of the house They are served by four thousand Priests of Manicafaran who with many others reside within the same inclosure in sixscore religious houses where there are also as many women that serve in the like manner The Temple of this Hospital was very great with three Isles after the fashion of ours in the midst whereof was a remarkable Chappel built round and invironed with three very big Ballistâ—rs of Latten within it there were fourscore Idols of men and women besides many other little gods that lay prostrated on the ground for the fourscore great Idols only stood upright and were all tied together with chains of iron As for the little ones they were as I said laid along on the pavement as the children of these greater and tied six to six by the middle with other slighter chains Moreover without the Ballisters in two Files there stood two hundred forty and four Giants of brass six and twenty spans high with their Halberds and Clubs upon their shoulders as if they had been set there for the Guard of the captive Gods There was over-head upon iron rods that traversed the Isles of the Temple great store of Lamps hanging having seven or eight Matches apiece in them in the fashion of Candlesticks like to them of the Indiaes all varnished without as also the walls were and every thing else that we saw there in token of mourning by reason of the captivity of these Gods Being amazed as well at that which I have recounted as at many other things which I pass over in silence and not able to comprehend what they meant by the imprisonment of these gods we demanded the signification of it of the Priests whereunto one amongst them that seemed of more authority then the rest made us this answer Since I see that being Strangers you desire to learn of me that
through all the town accompanied with a great multitude of people that followed him at the sound of trumpets drums and other such instruments the Captain himself as also the Ambassador and the rest of us together with all the Bramaas marching on foot after him with boughs in our hands and two men before him on horseback that rode crying O all ye people praise with gladness the beams which proceed from the midst of the Sun who is the God that makes our rice to grow for that you have lived to see a man so holy that knowing how to drink better then all the men of the world hath laid on the ground twenty of the principall drinkers of our troop to the end his renown may be daily more and more augmented Whereunto all the crowd of people that accompanied him answered with such cries and acclamations as the very noyse thereof frighted all that heard it In this equipage they lead the Portugal to the Ambassadors house where they set him down with a great deal of respect and many complements then on their knees they rendred him to the Ambassador desiring him to have a care of him as of an holy man or the son of some great King for said they it cannot be otherwise seeing God hath bestowed so great a gift on him as to know how to drink so well Whereupon having made a gathering for him they got together above two hundred lingots of silver which they gave him and untill the time that we departed he was continually visited by the inhabitants whereof many presented him with rich pieces of silk and other gifts as if they had made an offering to some Saint upon a solemn day of his invocation After these we saw other men that were very white named Pavilens great archers and good horsemen apparrelled in caslocks of silk like those of Iapon and that carried their meat to their mouths with little sticks after the manner of the Chineses these same told us that their Coyntry was called Binagorem and that it was distant from thence about two hundred leagues up the river their merchandize was store of gold in powder like to that of Menancabâ— of the Island of Suâ—atra as also lacre aloes musk tin copper silk and wax which they exchanged for pepper ginger salt wine and rice the wives of these men which we saw there are very white of better conversation then all the rest of those countryes well natured and exceeding charitable demanding of them what was their Law and what was the divinity that they adored they answered us That their Gods were the Sun the heaven and the stars for that from them they received by an holy communication all the good that they enjoyed upon earth and furthermore that the soul of man was but a breath which ended in the death of the body and that afterwards tumbling up and down in the ayr she mingled her self with the clouds untill such time as coming to be dissolved into water she died again upon the earth as the body had done before I omit an infinite many of such extravagances which were told us and that gave us good cause to wonder at the blindness and confusion of these wretches and doth also oblige us to render thanks continually unto God for delivering us from these errors and this false belief Now from the diversity of these unknown Nations which we saw in these parts it is easie to infer that in this Monarchy of the world there are many countries yet undivided and unknown to us CHAP. LX. Our arrivall at Pegu with the death of the Roolim of Mounay COntinuing our course from this town of Pavel we came the next day to a village called Luncor invironed about the space of three leagues with a great number of trees of Benjamin which from this place is transported into the Kingdoms of Pegu and Siam From thence we sailed for nine daies together down that great river all alongst the which we saw many goodly towns and then we arrived at another river called Ventrau thorough the which we continued our voyage to Penauchin the first Borough of the Kingdome of Iangumaa where the Ambassador registred his vessells and all that were within them because such was the custom of the country Being departed from thence we went and lay that night at the Rauditens which are two strong places belonging to the Prince of Poncanor Five days after we came to a great town called Magdaleu which is the country from whence lacre is brought to Martabano the Prince thereof during the time that we stayed there shewed the Ambassador a generall muster of all the men of war that he had levied against the King of the Lauâ—os with whom he was at difference because he had repudiated a daughter of his which he had married three years before intending to espouse a gentlewoman by whom he had had a son that he had legitimated and made choice of for heir of his Kingdom thereby frustrating his Nephew by his daughter of his right Passing on then thorough the streight of Madur wherein we sailed five days we arrived at a village called Mouchell the first place of the Kingdom of Pegu there one Chalagâ—niâ— a famous Pyrat that went up and down robbing in this place with thirty Ceroos well equipped and full of warlike men assailed us one night and fighting with us till it was almost day he handled us in such sort as it was the great grace of God that we escaped out of his hands nevertheless it was not without the loss of five of the twelve vessells that we had together with an hundred and fourscore of our men whereof two were Portugals The Ambassador himself had a cut on one of his arms and two wounds besides with arrow shot which had almost cost him his life all of us likewise were cruelly hurt and the Present which the Calaminham sent to the King of Bramaa being worth above an hundred thousand duckats was taken by the Pyrat together with a great deal of rich merchandize that was in the five vessells whereof he had made himself master In this sad equipage we arrived three days after at the City of Martabano from whence the Ambassador wrote the King a letter wherein he rendred him an accompt of all that had happened to him in his voyage as also in his disaster Whereupon the King sent presently away a Fleet of sixscore Ceroos with a number of choice men amongst which were an hundred Portugals in quest of this Pyrat This Fleet having by good fortune discovered him found that he had put on shore his thirty Ceroos wherewith he had assailed us and was with all his forces retired into a fortress which was full of divers prizes that he had taken in severall parts thereabout our men immediately attacqued the place and carried it easily at the very first assault only with the loss of some few Bramaas and one Portugal howbeit many were hurt with
arrows but they recovered in a short time without the maâ—â—ing of any one As soon as the fortress was gained all that were found within it were put to the sword not sparing the life of any but that of the Pyrat and sixscore others of his company which were led alive to the King of Bramaa who caused them to be cast to his Elephants that instantly dismembred them In the mean time the taking of this fortress was so advantagious to the Portugals that were sent thither as they returned from thence all very rich and it was thought that five or six of them got each of them the value of five and twenty or thirty thousand duckats a piece and that he which had least had the worth of two or three thousand for his share After that the Ambassador was cured at Martabanâ— of the hurts which he had received in the fight he went directly to the City of Pegu where as I have declared the King of Bramaas Court was at that time who being advertised of his arrivall and of the letter which he brought him from the Calaminham whereby he accepted of his amity and allied himself with him he sent the Chaumigrem his foster-brother and brother-in-law to receive him to which end he set forth accompanied with all the Grandees of the Kingdom and four battalions of strangers amongst the which were a thousand Portugals commanded by Antonio Ferreira born in Braguenca a man of great understanding and to whom this King gave twelve thousand duckats a year pension besides the Presents which he bestowed on him in particular that came to little less Hereupon the King of Bramaa seeing that by this new league God had contented his desire he resolved to shew himself thankfull for so great a favour wherefore he caused great feasts to be made amongst these people and a number of Sacrifices to be offered in their Temples where there was no spare of perfumes and wherein it was thought there were killed above a thousand stags cows and hogs which were bestowed for an alms among the poor besides many other works of charity as the cloathing of five thousand poor folks and imploying great sums of money in the releasing of a thousand prisoners which were detained for debt After that these feasts had continued seven whole days together with a most ardent zeal and at the incredible charge of the King Lords and people news came to the City of the death of the Aixquendoo Roolim of Mounay who was as it were their Soveraign Bishop which caused all rejoycings to cease in an instant and every one to fall into mourning with great expressions of sorrow The King himself retired the fairs were given over the windows doors and shops were shut up so that no living thing was seen to stir in the City withall their Temples and Pagods were full of penitents of all sorts who with incessant shedding of tears exercised such an excesse of repentance as some of them died therewith In the mean time the King departed away the same night for to go to Mounay which was some twenty leagues from thence for that he was necessarily to be assistant at this funerall pomp according to the antient custom of the Kings of Pegu he arrived there the next day somewhat late and then gave order for all that was necessary for his funerals so that the next day every thing being in a readiness the body of the deceased was about evening brought from the place where he died and laid on a Scaffold that was erected in the midst of a great place hung all about with white velvet and covered over head with three cloths of Estate of gold and silver tinsell in the middle of it was a Throne of twelve steps ascent unto it and an hearse almost like unto ours set forth with divers rich works of gold and pretious stones round about hung a number of silver candlesticks and perfuming pots wherein great quantities of sweet odours were burnt by reason of the corruption of the body which already began to have an ill savour In this manner they kept it all that night during the which was no little ado and such a tumult of cries and lamentations made by the people as words are not able to express for the only number of the Bicos Grepos Menigrepos Talagrepos Guimons and Roolims who are the chiefest of their Priests amounted to above thirty thousand that were assembled together there besides a world of others which came thither every hour When divers inventions of sorrow that were well accommodated to the subject of this mourning had been shown there came some two hours after midnight out of a Temple called Quiay Figrau god of the Motes of the Sun a procession wherein were seen five hundred little boys stark naked and bound about the neck and the middle with cords and chains of iron upon their heads they carried bundles of wood and in their hands knives singing in two Quires with a tone so lamentable and sad as few that heard them could hardly forbear crying In the mean time one amongst them went saying in this manner Thou that art going to enjoy the contentments of heaven leave us not prisoners in this exile whereunto another Quire answered To the end we may rejoyce with thee in the blessings of the Lord then continuing their song in manner of a Letany they said many otherthings with the same tone After that when they were all fallen on their knees before the Scaffold where the body lay a Grepo above an hundred years old prostrated on the ground with his hands lifted up on high made a speech to him in the name of these little boys whereunto another Grepo who was neer the hearse as if he had spoken in the person of the deceased came to answer thus Since it hath pleased God by his holy will to form me of earth it hath pleased him also to resolve me into earth I recommend unto you my children the fear of that hour wherein the hand of the Lord shall put us into the balance of his justice whereupon all the rest with a great cry replied in this sort May it please the most Almighty high Lord that raigns in the Sun to have no regard to our works that so we may be delivered from the pains of death These little boys being retired there came others about the age of ten or eleven years apparrelled in white Sattin robes with chains of gold on their feet and about their necks many rich jewels and pearls After they had with much ceremony done a great deal of reverence to the dead body they went and florished naked scymitars which they had in their hands all about the hearse as if they would chace away the divell saying aloud Get thee gone accursed as thou art into the bottom of the house of smoke where dying with a perpetuall pain without making an end of dying thou shalt pay without making an end also of paying the
neer a moneth in this Port of Zunda where a good number of Portugals were assembled together so soon as the season to go to China was come the three Vessells set sail for Chincheo no more Portugals remaining ashore but only two who went to Siam in a Junck of Patana with their Merchandise I bethought me then to lay hold on this occasion and put my self into their company because they offered to bear my charges in this voyage yea and to lend me some money for to try fortune once more and see whether by the force of importuning her she would not use me bâ—tter then formerly she had done Being departed then from this place in six and twenty daies we arrived at the City of Odiaa the Capitall of this Empire of Sarnau which they of this country do ordinarily call Siam where we were wonderfully well received and intreated by the Portugals which we found there Now having been a moneth and better in this City attending the season for the voyage to China that so I might passe to Iapon in the company of six or seven Portugals who had imbarqued themselves for that purpose I made account to imploy in commodities some hundred duckats which those two with whom I came from Zunda had lent me In the mean time very certain news came to the King of Siam who was at that time with all his Court at the said City of Odiaa that the King of Chiammay allied with the Timocouhos Laaos and Gueos people which on the North East hold the most part of that country above Capimpâ—r and Passilâ—â—o and are all Soveraignes exceeding rich and mighty in Estates had laid siege to the Town of Quiteruan with the death of above thirty thousand men and of Oyaa Capimper Governor and Lievtenant Generall of all that Frontire The King remained so much appalled with this news that without further temporising he passed over the very same day to the other side of the river and never standing to lodge in houses he went and incamped under Tents in the open field thereby to draw others to do the like in imitation of him Withall he caused Proclamation to be made over all the City That all such as were neither old nor lame and so could not be dispensed with for going to this war should be ready to march within twelve daies at the uttermost upon pain of being burned alive with perpetuall infamy for themselves and their descendants and confiscation of their Estates to the Crown To the which he added many other such great and dreadfull penalties as the only recitall of them struck terror not into them of the country but into the very strangers whom the King would not exempt from this war of what Nation soever they vvere for if they would not serve they were very expresly enjoyned to depart out of his Kingdome within three daies In the mean time so rigorous an Edict terrified every one in such sort as they knew not what counsell to take or what resolution to follow As for us Portugals in regard that more respect had alwayes been carried in that country to them then to all other Nations this King sent to desire them that they would accompany him in this voyage wherein they should do him a pleasure because he would trust them onely with the guard of his person as judgiâ—g them more proper for it then any other that he could make choice of and to oblige them the more thereunto the message was accompanied with many fair promises and very great hopes of pensions graces benefits favours and honors but above all with a permission which should be granted them to build Churches in his Kingdome which so obliged us that of an hundred and thirty Portugals which we were there were sixscore of us that agreed together to go to this war The twelve daies limited being past the King put himself into the field with an Army of four hundred thousand men whereof seventy thousand were strangers of divers Nations They imbarqued all in three hundred Sâ—roos Lauleas and Iangâ—s so that on the nineth day of this voyage the King arrived at a Frontire Town named Suropisâ—â— some twelve or thirteen leagues from Quitiruan which the enemies had besieged There he abode above seven daies to attend four thousand Elephants which came to him by Land During that time he was certified that the Town was greatly prest both on the rivers side which the enemies had seized upon with two thousand Vessels as also towards the Land where there were so many men as the number of them was not truly known but as it was judged by conjecture they might be some three hundred thousand whereof forty thousand were horse but no Elephants at all This news made the King hâ—sten the more so that instantly he made a review of his forces and found that he had five hundred thousand men for since his coming forth many had joyned with him by the way as also four thousand Elephants and two hundred carts with field pieces With this Army he parted from Suropisem and drew towards Quitiruan marching not above four or five leagues a day At the end of the the third then he arrived at a valley called Siputay a league and an half from the place where the enemies lay Then all these men of War with the Elephants being set in battell array by the three Masters of the Camp whereof two were Turks by Nation and the third a Portugal named Domingâ—s de Sâ—ixas they proceeded on in their way towards Quitiruan where they arrived before the Sun appeared Now whereas the enemies were already prepared in regard they had been advertised by their Spies of the King of Siaâ—s forces and of the design vvhich he had they attended him resolutely in the plain field relying much on their forty thousand horse As soon as they discovered him they presently advanced and with their vant-guard which were the said forty thousand horse they so charged the King of Siams rearward composed of threescore thousand foot as they defeated them in lesse then a quarter of an hour with the losse of three Princes that were slaine upon the place The King of Siam seeing his men thus routed resolved not to follow the order which he had formerly appointed but to fall on with the whole body of his Army and the four thousand Elephants joyned together With these forces he gave upon the battalion of the enemies with so much impetuosity as at this first shock they were wholly discomfited from whence ensued the death of an infinite company of men for whereas their prinâ—â—s â—ll strength consisted in their horse as soone as the Elephants sustained by the harqueâ—uses and the field pieces fell upon them they were defeated in lesse then an half hour so that after the routing of these same all the rest began instantly to retreat In the meane time the King of Siam following the honor of the victory pursued them to the rivers side
want of care and imprudence His Commanders presently obeyed him and without longer tarrying there each of them went straight to the place whither his Commission directed him The Chaumigrem by means of this so cunning and well dissembled a sleight rid himself in lesse then three hours of all the hundred and fifty thousand Pegues who he knew if once they came to hear of the Kings death would fall upon the thirty thousand Bramaaes that he had there with him and not leave one of them alive This done as soon as it was night turning back to the City which was not above a league from thence he seized with all speed on the deceased Kings Treasure which amounted according to report unto above thirty millions of gold besides jewells that were not to be estimated and withall he saved all the Bramaaâ—s wives and children and took as many arms and as much ammunition as he could carry away After this he set fire on all that was in the Magazines caused all the lesser Ordnance to be rived asunder and the greater which he could not use so to be cloyed Furthermore he made seven thousand Elephants that were in the country to be killed reserving only two thousand for the carriage of his treasure ammunition and baggage As for all the rest it was consumed with fire so that neither in the Palace where were chambers all seeked with gold nor in the Magazines and Arsenalls nor on the river where were two thousand rowing Vessells remained ought that was not reduced to ashes After this execution he departed in all hast an hour before day and drew directly towards Tanguu which was his own country from whence he came some fourteen years before to the conquest of the Kingdome of Pegu which in the heart of the country was distant from thence about an hundred and threescore leagues Now whereas fear commonly adds wings to the feet it made him march with such speed as he and his arrived in fifteen days at the place whither they were a going In the mean time whereas the Chaumigrem had cunningly sent away the hundred and fifty thousand Pegues as I have declared already it happened that two days after they understood how the King of Bramaa was dead Now in regard they vvere mortall enemies of that Nation sixscore thousand of them in one great body turned back in hast for to go in quest of the thirty thousand Bramaaes but when they arrived at the City they found that they were gone from thence three days before this making them to follow in pursuit of them with all the speed that possibly they could they came to a place called Guinacoutel some forty leagues from the City whence they came there they were informed that it was five days since they passed by so that dispairing of being able to execute the design which they had of cutting them in pieces they returned back to the place from whence they were parted where they consulted amongst themselves about that which they were to do and resolved in the end since they had no lawfull King and that the Land was quite freed of the Bramaaes to go to Xemin de Satan as incontinently they did who received them not only with a great deal of joy and good entertainment but promised them mighty matters and much honor by raising them to the principall commands of the Kingdome as soon as time should serve and that he was more peaceably setled Thereupon he went directly to the City of Pegu where he was received with the magnificence of a King and for such crowned in the Temple of Comquiay which is the chief of all the rest CHAP. LXXII That which arrived in the time of Xenim de Satan and an abominable â—ase that befell to Diego Suarez together with the Xemindoos expedition against Xenim de Satan and that which insued thereupon THree moneths and nine dayes had this Tyrant Xenim de Satan already peaceably possessed the city and kingdome of Pegu whenas without fearing any thing or being contradicted by none he fell to distributing the treasure and revenues of the Crown to whomsoever he pleased whereupon great scandalls insued which were the cause of divers quarrells and divisions amongst many of the Lords who for this cause and the injustice which this tyrant did them retyred into severall foraigne Countries and Kingdoms Some also went and sided with the Xemindoâ— who began at that time to be in reputation again For after he had fled from the battell onely with six horse as I have declared heretofore he got into the Kingdom of Ansedaa where as well by the efficacy of his Sermons as by the authority of his person he won so many to his devotion as assisted by the favour and forces of those Lords as adhered to him he made up an army of threescore thousand men with which he marched to Meidoo where he was very well received by those of the Country Now setting aside what he did in those parts during the space of foure moneths that he abode there I will in the mean time passe to a strange accident which in a few dayes fell out in this city that one may know what end the good fortune of the great Diego Suarez had who had been Governour of this Kingdom of Pegâ— and the recompence which the world is accustomed to make at last unto all such as serve and trust in it under the semblance of a good countenance which she shews them at first The matter past in this sort There was in this city of Pegu a Merchant called Manbagoaa a rich man and that of good reputation in the country This same resolved to marry a daughter of his to a young man the son of a worshipfull and very rich Merchant also named Manicaniandarim about that time that Diego Suarez was in the greatest height of his fortune and termed the Kings brother and in dignity above all the Princes and Lords of the Kingdom So the fathers of these young couple being agreed on this marriage and of the dowry that was to be given which by report was three hundred thousand duckats when as the day was come wherein the nuptialls were celebrated with a great deal of state and magnificence and honoured with the presence of most of the gentlemen of chiefest quality in the city it happened that Diego Suarez being come a little before Sun-set from the royall palace with a great train both of horse and foot as his manner was to be alwayes well accompanied passed by Mambogoaas door where hearing the musick and rejoycing that was in the house asked what the matter was whereunto answer being made him that Mambogoaa had married his daughter and that the wedding was kept there he presently caused the Elephant on which he was mounted to stay and sent one to tell the father of the bride that he congratulated with him for this marriage and wished a long and happy life to the new married couple to these words he
foaming with poyson make horrible cries and be delivered into the burning jawes of the dragon of discord whom the true Lord of all the Gods hath cursed for ever whereas contrarily to those that shall be so happy as to obey this Proclamation as his holy brethren and allies shall be granted in this life a perpetuall peace accompanied with a great deale of wealth and riches and after their death their souls shall be no lesse pure and agreeable to God then those of the Saints which goe dancing amidst the beams of the Sun in the celestiall repose of the Lord Almighty This publication made the musick began to play again with a great noise as before which made such an impression in the hearts of them that heard it as in seven nights that it continâ—ed above threescore thousand persons went and rendred themselves to the Xemindoo for most of them which heard those words gave as much credit thereunto as if an Angell from heaven had spoken them In the meane time the besieged Tyrant seeing that these secret Proclamations of the enemy were so prejudiciall unto him as they could not chuse but turn to his utter ruine brake the truce at twelve dayes end and deliberated with his Councell what he should do who advised him by no means to suffer h mself to remaine any longer besieged for feare left the inhabitants should mutinie and fall from him to the enemy and that the best and surest way was to fight with the Xemindoo in the open field before he grew to any further strength This resolution being approved of by Zenim de Satan he prepared himself for the execution of it to which effect he two dayes after before it was day sallied out at five gates of the city with fourscore thousand men which then he had and charged the enemies with strange fury They then in the meane time who alwayes stood upon their guard received them with a great deale of courage whereupon insued so cruell a conflict between them that in lesse then halfe an houre for so long lasted the heat of the fight there fell on both sides above forty thousand men but at the end of that time the new King Zenim was born from his Elephant by an harquebuze shot discharged at him by a Portugall named Gonçalo Nâ—to which caused all the rest to render themselves and the city likewise upon condition that the inhabitants should have their goods and lives saved By this means the Xemindoo entred peaceably into it and the very same day which was a Saturday the three and twentieth of February a thousand five hundred fifty and one he caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu in the greatest Temple of the city As for Gonçalo Nâ—to he gave him in recompence for killing the Tyrant twenty Bisses of gold which are ten thousand Duckats and to the other Portugalls being eighty in number he gave five thousand Duckats besides the honors and prsviledges which they had in the country he also exempted them for three years from paying any custome for their merchandize which was afterwards very exactly observed CHAP. LXXIII That which the Xemindoo did after he was Crowned King of Pegu with the Chaumigrems the King of Bramaaes Foster-Brothers coming against him with a great Army and divers other memorable things THe Xemindoo seeing himself Crowned King of Pegu and peaceable Lord of all the kingdome began to have thoughts far different from those which Xemin de Satan had had being raised to the same dignity of King for the first and principal thing wherein he imployed himself with all his endeavour was to maintain his Kingdome in peace and to cause Justice to flourish as indeed he established it with so much integritie as no man how great so ever he was durst wrong a lesser then himself withall in that which concerned the government of the Kingdome he proceeded with so much vertue and equity as it filled the strangers that were there with admiration so that one could not without marvel consider the peace the quiet and union of the wills of the people during the happy and peaceable estate of this Kingdome which continued the space of a year and better at the end whereof the Chaumigrem foster-brother to the same King of Bramaa whom Xemin de Satan had slaine as I have before declared having received advertisement that by reason of the rebellions and warres which since his departure from thence had happened in the Kingdome of Pegu the principall men of the State there had lost their lives and the Xemindoo who then raigned was unprovided of all things necessary for his defence he resolved once again to adventure upon the same enterprise which had formerly been undertaken by his late King With this design he entertained into his pay a mighty Army of strangers unto whom he gave a Tincall of gold by the month which is five dackets of our mony when as he had prepared all things in a readinesse he departed from Tanguu the place of his birth On the ninth day of March a thousand five hundred fifty and two with an Army of three hundred thousand men whereof only fifty thousand were Bramaas and all the rest Mons Chaleus Calaminhams Sauâ—nis Pamâ—rus and Auaas In the mean time the Xemindoo the new King of Pegu having certain intelligence of these great forces which were coming to fall upon him made preparation to go and meet them with a design to give them battle for which effect he assembled in the same City where he was a huge Army of nine hundred thousand men which were all Pegues by nation and consequently of a weake constitution and lesse warlick then all the others whereof I have spoken and on Tueseday the fourth of April about noone having received advice that the enemies Army was incamped all along the river of Meleytay some twelve leagues from thence he used such expedition as the same day and the next night all his Souldiers were put into battle array for whereas they had prepared every thing long before and had also been trayned by their Capt. there needed no great ado to bring them into order The day ensueing all these men of warre begun about nine of the clock in the morning to march at the sound of an infinite company of warlick instruments and went and lodged that night some two leagues from thence neer to the river Potarâ—u The next day an hour before Sun-set the Bramaa Chaumigrem appeared with so great a body of men as it took up the extent of a league and an half of ground his Army being composed of seaventy thousand horse of two hundred and thirty thousand foot and six thousand fighting elephants besides as many more which carried the baggage and victuals and in regard it was almost night he thought fit to lodge himself all along by the mountain that he might be in the greater safety Thus the night past with a good guard and a strange noise that was made on
faith which a King ought to have whom God himself hath annointed that I will take you and all those of your Nation with all others that beleeve in your God into my protection After that this Letter was read to the great astonishment of all us that heard it we could beleeve no other but that by Divine permission it came from Heaven for the assurance of our lives whereof we stood in very great doubt until then Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez with ten other Portugals which were chosen for that purpose instantly prepared a Present of divers rich Pieces to carry to the King unto whom they went that very same night an hour before day in the company of the Bramaa who brought the Letter in regard the haste the King was in would brook no delay Gonçalo Pacheco Nuno Fernandez and the other Portugals arrived at the camp an hour before Sun-rising and the King sent to receive them one of the chiefest Bramaa Commanders that he had and in whom he very much confided who was accompanied with above an hundred horse and six Serjeants at armes that carried maces This same received the Portugals and lead them to the King who did much honour unto Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez and after he had talked with them of divers matters he put them in mind of the importance of the businesse for which he had sent for them and willed them by any means to leane rather to the Commanders then to him assuring them that he should be very well contented therewith and said many things to them to that purpose Then he caused them to be conducted by the same Bramaa Lord to the Tent where the other four Arbitrators were with the high Treasuror and two Registers when as they had commanded silence to all that were without they fell to debating of the businesse for which they were assembled together whereupon there were many opinions which took up the most part of the day but at last all six came to conclude That albeit on the one side the King by the promise which he had made at Tanguu to the forraigne Souldiers for to give them the spoil or pillage of the places which he should take by force was exceedingly obliged to the performance thereof yet seeing that on the other side this promise was of great and notable prejudice to the innocent because it could not be put in execution without greatly offending God these things considered they ordained by their award That the King in regard of the promise which he had made them should pay unto them a thousand bisses of gold out of his own treasure and that upon the Souldiers receiving thereof they should passe over to the other side of the River and retire directly into their countries but that they should first be also paid all that was due to them before this mutiny began and that they should be furnished with victuals sufficient for twenty daies This award being published was received with much content to either party So that the King commanded it to be instantly and punctually executed and for a greater testimony of his liberality after he had paid them all this sum of mony he bestowed upon the Commanders and Officers of each Company many bountifull rewards wherewith they were all of them very well pleased and satisfied In this sort were these three mutinous nations discharged for the King would by no meanes trust or make use of them any longer Howbeit he would not suffer these strangers to go all away together but caused them to be divided into troups each of them consisting of a thousand men to the end that by this means they should give the lesse suspicion in their returne and should be lesse able to plunder the open townes by which they were to passe and thus the next day they departed As for Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez Teixyra the King gave them ten bisses of gold for being his Arbitrators in this affair whereunto he added a passport written with his own hand whereby the Portugals were permitted to retire freely into the Indies without paying any custome or duty for their marchandize whereof we made more account then of all the mony could have been given us because that for three years before the precedent Kings had retayned us in this country with exceeding much vexation and tyranny whereby we were oftentimes in great danger of our lives by reason of the successe of that which I have spoken heretofore This done there were Proclamations made by men on horseback to give notice that the day following the King would enter into the City in a peaceable manner threatning all such as should do the contrary with a cruell death Accordingly the next morning at nine of the clock the King parted from the Pagode whither he had retired himself and about an hour after arrived at the City wherein to entring by the chiefest gate he was received by an assembly in form of a Procession of six thousand Priests of all the twelve Sects which are in this Kingdome by one of whom called Capizundo an oration was made unto him whereof the preface was thus Blessed and praised be that Lord who ought truly to be acknowledged of all men for such in regard of the holy works which he hath made with his Divine hands testified to us by the light of the day the shining of the night and all the other magnificences of his mercy which he hath produced in us Praised be he I say for that by the effects of his infinite power which are agreeable unto him he hath been pleased to establish thee on the earth above all the Kings that govern it and seeing we hold thee for his favorite we humbly beseech thee our Lord that thou wilt never more remember the faults and offences which we have committed against thee to the end that these thy afflicted people may be comforted with the promise thereof which they hope thy Majesty will make them at this present This same request was likewise made unto him by the six thousand Grepos all prostrated on the ground and with their hands lifted up to heaven who with a dreadful tumult of voices said unto him Grant our Lord and King peace and pardon for that is past to all the people of this thy Kingdome of Pegu to the end they may not be troubled with the feare of their offences which they confesse publikely before thee The King answered them that he was contented so to do and swore to them by the head of Quiay Nivandel the God of Battel of the field Vitau for the confirmation thereof Upon this promise all the people prostrated themselves with their faces on the ground and said unto him God make thee to prosper for infinite years in the victory over thy enemies that thou mayest trample their heads under thy feet Hereupon for a token of great gladnesse they fel to playing on divers instruments after their manner though very barbarously
from the River of Tinlau with his ill success thereupon and the succor we met withall 73 CHAP. XXII Antonio de Faria hath news of the five Portugals that were made Captives his Letter to the Mandarin of Nouday about them and his assaulting the said Town 76 CHAP. XXIII Antonio de Faria's Navigation till he came to the Port of Liampoo his arrival and gallant reception there by the Portugals 81 CHAP. XXIV Antonio de Faria departs from Liampoo for to go and seek out the Island of Calempluy the strange things that we saw and the hazard we ran in our Voyage thither 87 CHAP. XXV Our arrival at the Island of Calempluy with the description thereof what happened to Antonio de Faria in one of the Hermitages there and how we were discovered 92 CHAP. XXVI Our casting away in the gulph of Nanquin with all that befell us after this lamentable shipwrack 97 CHAP. XXVII Our arrival at the Town of Taypor where we were made Prisoners and so sent to the City of Nanquin 103 CHAP. XXVIII The Marvels of the City of Nanquin our departure from thence towards Pequin and that which happened unto us till we arrived at the Town of Sempitay 107 CHAP. XXIX Our arrival at Sempitay our encounter there with a Christian woman together with the original and foundation of the Empire of China and who they were that first peopled it 112 CHAP. XXX The foundation of the four chief Cities of China together with which of the Kings of China it was that built the wall betwixt China and Tartaria and many things that we saw as we past along 116 CHAP. XXXI The order which is observed in the moving Towns that are made upon the Rivers and that which further befell us 122 CHAP. XXXII Our arrival at the City of Pequin with our imprisonment and that which moreover happened unto us there as also the great Majesty of the Officers of their Court of Iustice. 125 CHAP. XXXIII What past between us and the Tanigores of Mercy with the great favor they did us and a brief relation of the City of Pequin where the King of China keeps his Court. 131 CHAP. XXXIV The order which is observed in the Feasts that are made in certain Inns and the state which the Chaems of the two and thirty Universities keeps with certain remarkable things in the City of Pequin 134 CHAP. XXXV The Prison of Ximanguibaleu wherein those are kept which have been condemned to serve at the reparations of the wall of Tartaria and another Inclosure called the Treasure of the dead with the revenues whereof this Prison is maintained 137 CHAP. XXXVI Of an Edifice scituated in the midst of the River wherein were the hundred and thirteen Chappels of the Kings of China and the publique Granaries established for the relief of the poor 142 CHAP. XXXVII The great number of Officers and other people which are in the King of China's Pallace with our going to Quincay to accomplish the time of our Exile and what befell us there 144 CHAP. XXXVIII A Tartar Commander enters with his Army into the Town of Quincay and that which followed thereupon with the Nauticors besieging the Castle of Nixiamcoo and the taking of it by the means of some of us Portugals 149 CHAP. XXXIX The Mitaquer departs from the Castle of Nixiamcoo and goes to the King of Tartaria's Camp before Pequin with that which we saw till we arrived there and the Mitaquers presenting us unto the King 154 CHAP. XL. The King of Tartaria's raising his siege from before Pequin for to return into his Country and that which passed until his arrival there 158 CHAP. XLI In what manner we were brought again before the King of Tartaria with our departure from that Kingdom and all that we saw and befell us in our Voyage till our arrival at the Court of the King of Chauchinchina 160 CHAP. XLII The reception of the Tartarian Embassador by the King of Chauchinchina with the said Kings going to the City of Uzanguea and his triumphal entry thereinto 167 CHAP. XLIII Our departure from the City of Uzanguea and our adventures till our arrival at the Isle of Tanixumaa with our going a shore there 170 CHAP. XLIV The great Honor which the Nautaquin Lord of the Isle did to one of us for having seen him shoot with an Harquebuse and his sending me to the King of Bungo with that which passed till my arrival at this Court 172 CHAP. XLV The great mishap which befell the King of Bungo's son with the extream danger that I was in for the same and what followed thereupon 176 CHAP. XLVI My curing the young Prince of Bungo with my return to Tanixumaa and imbarquing there for Liampoo and also that which happened to us on land after the shipwrack we suffered by the way thither 178 CHAP. XLVII The carrying of us to the Town of Pungor and presenting us to the Broquen Governor of the Kingdom with that which ensued upon it 181 CHAP. XLVIII The King of Lequios sending a cruel sentence against us to the Broquen of the Town where we were Prisoners to the end he should put it in execution and that which further happened unto us till our arrival at Liampoo 184 CHAP. XLIX My sailing from Liampoo to Malaca with the sending me by the Captain of the Fortress there to the Chaubainhaa at Martibano and all that befell us in our Voyage thither 189 CHAP. L. The Continuance of our Voyage to the Bar of Martibano and certain memorable particularities happening there 195 CHAP. LI. In what manner the Chaubinhaa rendered himself to the King of Bramaa and the cruel prâ—ceeding against the Queen of Martabano and the Ladies her attendants 201 CHAP. LII In what manner the sentence of death was executed on the person of the Chaubinhaa King of Martabano Nhay Canatoo his wife and an hundred and forty women with that which the King of Bramaa did after his return to Pegu. 205 CHAP. LIII That which passed between the Queen of Prom and the King of Bramaa together with the first assault that was given to the City and the success thereof 209 CHAP. LIV. The King of Bramaa his besieging the Fortress of Meleytay with his going from thence to Avaa and that which passed there 282 CHAP. LV. Our going with the King of Bramaa's Embassador to the Calaminham with the course which we held until we arrived at the Temple or Pagode of Tinagoogoo and a description thereof 215 CHAP. LVI The great and sumptuous Procession made in this Pagode together with their Sacrifices and other particularities 218 CHAP. LVII What we saw in the continuing of our Voyage until we arrived at the City of Timplan 223 CHAP. LVIII The Magnificent Reception of the King of Bramaa his Embassador at the City of Timplan and that which passed betwixt the Calaminham and him 226 CHAP. LIX An ample Relation of the Empire of Calaminham and of the Kingdoms of Pegu and Bramaa
them CHAP. VII What happened to me at Penaiu with the King of Batas expedition against the Tyrant of Achem and what he did after his Victory over him BY that time we had sailed seven or eight leagues up the River at the end we arrived at a little Town named Botterrendan not above a quarter of a mile distant from Panaiu where the King of Batas was at that time making preparation for the War he had undertaken against the Tyrant of Achem. This King understanding that I had brought him a Letter and a Present from the Captain of Malaca caused me to be entertained by the Xabandar who is he that with absolute power governs all the affairs of the Army This General accompanied with five Lanchares and twelve Ballons came to me to the Port where I rode at anchor Then with a great noise of Drums Bells and popular acclamations he brought me to a certain Key of the Town called Campalator There the Bendara Governor of the Kingdom stayed for me in great solemnity attended by many Ourâ—balons and Amborraias which are the noblest persons of his Court the most part of whom for all that were but poor and base both in their habit and manner of living whereby I knew that the Country was not so rich as it was thought to be in Malaca When I was come to the Kings Palace and had past through the first Court at the entrance of the second I found an old woman accompanied with other persons far nobler and better apparelled then those that marched before me who beckoning mâ— with her hand as if she had commanded me to enter Man of Malaca said she unto me Thy arrival in the King my Masters Land is as agreeable unto him as a sâ—owre of rain is to a crop of Rice in dry and hot weather Wherefore enter boldly and be afraid of nothing for the people which by the goodness of God thou seest here are no other then those of thine own Country since the hope which we have in the same God makes us believe that he will maintain us all together unto the end of the world Having said so she carried me where the King was unto whom I did obeysance according to the man-of the Country then I delivered him the Letter and the Present I had brought him which he graciously accepted of and asked me what occasion drew me thither Whereunto I answered as I had in commission that I was come to serve his Highness in the Wars where I hoped to 〈◊〉 the honor to attend on him and not to leave him till such time as he returned Conqueror of his Enemies Hereunto I likewise added that I desired to see the City of Achem as also the scituation and fortifications of it and what depth the River was of whereby I might know whether it would bear great Vessels and Gallions because the Captain of Malaca had a design to come and succor his Higness as soon as his men were returned from the Indiaes and to dâ—liver his mortal Enemy the Tyrant of Achem into his hands This poor King presently believed all that I said to be true and so much the rather for that it was conformable to his desire in such sort that rising out of his Thâ—one where he was set I saw him go and fall on his knees before the carcass of a Cows head set up against the wall whose horns were guilt and crowned with flowers Then lifting up his hands and eyes O thou said he that not constrained by any material love whereâ—nto Nature hath obliged thee dost continually make glad all those that desire thy milk as the own mother doth him whom she hath brought into the world without participating either of the miseries or pains which ordinarily she suffers from whom we take our Being be favorable unto the prayer which now with all my heart I offer up unto thee and it is no other but this that in the meadows of the Sun where with the payment and recompence which thou receivest thou art contented with the good that thou dost here below thou wilt be pleased to conserve me in the new amity of this good Captain to the end he may put in execution all that this man here hath told me At these words all the Courtiers which were likewise on their knees said three times as it were in answer How happy were he that could see that and then dye incontinently Whereupon the King arose and wiping his eyes which were all beblubbered with the tears that proceeded from the zeal of the prayer he had made he questioned me about many particular things of the Indiaes and Malaca Having spent some time therein he very courteously dismissed me with a promise to cause the Merchandise which the Mahometan had brought in the Captain of Malaâ—a's name to be well and profitably put off which indeed was the thing I most desired Now for as much as the King at my arrival was making his preparations for to march against the Tyrant of Achem and had taken order for all things necessary for that his Voyage after I had remained nine days in Panaiu the Capital City of the Kingdom of Batas he departed with some Troops towards a place named Turban some five leagues of where he arrived an hour before Sun-set without any manner of reception or shew of joy in regard of the grief he was in for the death of his children which was such as he never appeared in publique but with great demonstrations of sorrow The next morning the King of Batas marched from Turban towards the Kingdom of Achem being eighteen leagues thither He carried with him fifteen thousand men of War whereof eight thousand were Bataes and the rest Menancabes Lusons Andraguires Iambes and Bournees whom the Princes his neighbors had assisted him with as also forty Elephants and twelve Carts with small Ordnance namely Faulcons Bases and other field Pieces amongst the which there were three that had the Arms of France and were taken in the year 1526. at such time as Lopo Vaz dâ— Sampayo governed the State of the Indiaes Now the King of Batas marching five leagues a day came to a River called Quilem There by some of the Tyrants Spies which he had taken he learnt that his Enemy waited for him at Tondacur two leagues from Achem with a purpose to fight with him and that he had great store of strangers in his Army namely Turks Cambayans and Malabars Whereupon the King of Batas assembling his Councel of War and falling into consultation of this affair it was concluded as most expedient to set upon the Enemy before he grew more strong With this resolution having quit the River he marched somewhat faster then ordinary and arrived about ten of the clock in the night at the foot of a Mountain half a league from the Enemies Camp where after he had reposed himself a matter of three hours he marched on in very good order for which effect having
For a conclusion of his speech he related unto me the little punishment which was ordained for such as were culpable of these matters and the great rewards that he had seen conferred on those which had not deserved them whereunto he added that if the King desired throughly to perform the duty of his Charge and by Arms to conquer people so far distant from his Kingdom and to preserve them it was as necessary for him to punish the wicked as to recompence the good This said he sent me to lodg in a Merchants house who for five days together that I remained there entertained me bravely though to speak truth I had rather have been at that time in some other place with any poor victuals for here I was always in fear by reason of the Enemies continual alarms and the certain news that came to the King the next day after my arrival how the Achems were already marching towards Aaru and would be there within eight days at the farthest which made him in all haste to give directions for such things as he had not taken order for before and to send the women and all that were unfit for War out of the City five or six leagues into the Wood amongst the which the Queen her self made one mounted on an Elephant Five days after my arrival the King sent for me and asked me when I would be gone whereunto I replyed at such time as it would please his Greatness to command me though I should be glad it might be with the soonest for that I was to be employed by my Captain with his Merchandise to China Thou hast reason answered he then taking two Bracelets of massy Gold off from his wrists worth some thirty Crowns I pre-thee now said he giving them to me do not impute it to miserableness that I bestow so little on thee for thou mayst be assured that it hath been always my desire for to have much for to give much withall I must desire thee to present this Letter and this Diamond from me to thy Captain to whom thou shalt say that whatsoever I am further engaged to him in for the pleasure he hath done me by succoring me with those Ammunitions he hath sent me by thee I will bring it to him my self hereafter when I shall be at more liberty then now I am Having taken leave of the King of Aaru I presently imbarqued my self and departed about Sun-set rowing down the River to an Hamlet that is at the entrance thereof composed of ten or eleven houses covered with â—traw This place is inhabited with very poor people that get their living by killing of Lezards of whose livers they make a poyson wherewith they anoint the heads of their arrows For the poyson of this place chiefly that which is called Pocausilim is held by them the best of those Countries because there is no remedy for him that is hurt with it The next day having left this small Village we sailed along the coast with a land wind until evening that we doubled the Islands of Anchepisan then the day and part of the night following we put forth somewhat farther to Sea But about the first watch the wind changed to the North-east for such winds are ordinary about the Isle of Samatra and grew to be so tempestuous that it blew our mast over board tore our sails in pieces and so shattered our Vessel that the water came in that abundance into her at two several places as she sunk incontinently to the bottom so that of eight twenty persons which were in her three and twenty were drowned in less then a quarter of an hour For as five that escaped by the mercy of God we passed the rest of the night upon a Rock where the waves of the Sea had cast us There all that we could do was with tears to lament our sad fortune not knowing what counsel or course to take by reason the Country was so moorish and invironned with so thick a Wood that a bird were she never so little could hardly make way through the branches of it for that the trees grew so close together We sat crouching for the space of three whole days upon this Rock where for all our sustenance we had nothing but Snails and such filth as the â—oam of the Sea produced there After this time which we spent in great misery and pain we walked a whole day along by the Isle of Samatra in the owze up to the girdle-stead and about Sun-set we came to the mouth of a little River some Crossbow-shot broad which we durst not undertake to swim over for that it was deep and we very weak and weary so that we were forced to pass all that night standing up to the chin in the water To this misery was there adjoyned the great affliction which the Flies and Gnats brought us that coming out of the neighboring Woods bit and stung us in such sort as not one of us but was gore blood The next morning as soon as we perceived day which we much desired to see though we had little hope of life I demanded of my four companions all Mariners whether they knew the Country or whether there was any habitation thereabout Whereupon the eldest of them who had a wife at Malaca not able to contain his tears Alas answered he the place that now is most proper for you and me is the house of death where ere it be long we must give an account of our sins it therefore behoves us to prepare our selves for it without any further delay and patiently to attend that which is sent us from the hand of God For my part let me intreat thee to be of a good courage whatsoever thou seest and not be terrified with the fear of dying since every thing well considered it matters not whether it be to day or to morrow This spoken he embraced me and with tears in his eyes desired me to make him a Christian because he beleeved as he said that to be so was sufficient to save his Soul which could not otherwise be done in the cursed sect of Mahomet wherein he had lived till then and for which he craved pardon of God Having finished these last words he remained dead in mine arms for he was so weak as he was not able to subsist any longer as well for that he had not eaten ought in three or four days before as in regard of a great wound the wrack of the Lanchara had given him in his head through which one might see his brains all putrefied and corrupted occasioned both for want of looking unto as by salt water and flies that were gotten into it Verily this accident grieved me very much but for my self I was in little better case for I was likewise so weak that every step I made in the water I was ready to swoon by reason of certain hurts on my head and body out of which I had lost a great
of wood only those of the Mandarins are made of hewed stone and also invironed with walls and ditches over which are stone bridges whereon they passe to the gates that have rich and costly arches with divers sorts of inventions upon the towers all which put together make a pleasing object to the eye and represent a certain kind of I know not what Majesty The houses of the Chaems Anchacys Aytaâ—s Tuâ—oâ—s and Chumbims which are all Goveâ—nours of Provinces or Kingdoms have stately towers six or seven stories high and guilt all â—ver wherein they have their magazines for arms their Wardrobes their treasuries and a world of rich housholdstuff as also many other things of great value together with an infinite of delicate and most fine porcelain which amongst them is prised and esteemed as much as precious stone for this sort of porcelain never goes out of the Kingdom it being expresly forbidden by the laws of the Country to be sold upon pain of death to any stranger unlesse to the Xatamaas that is the Sophyes of the Persians who by a particular permission buy of it at a very dear rate The Chineses assured us that in this City there are eight hundred thousand fires fourscore thousand Mandarins houses threescore and two great market placâ—s an hundred and thirty butchers shambles each of them containing fourscore shops and eight thousand streets whereof six hundred that are fairer and larger then the rest are compassed about with bâ—llisters of copper we were further assured that there are likewise two thousand and three hundred Pagodes a thousand of which were Monestaries of religious persons professed in their accursed Sect whose buildings were exceeding rich and sumptuous with very high steeples wherein there were between sixty and seventy such mighty huge bels that it was a dreadful thing to here them rung There are moreover in this City thirty great strong prisons each whereof hath three or four thousand prisoners and a charitable Hospital expresly established to supply the necessities of the poor with Proctors ordained for their defence both in civil and criminal causes as is before related At the entrance into every principal street there are arches and great gates which for each mans security are shut every night and in most of the streets are goodly fountains whose water is excellent to drink Besides at every full â—nd new moon open fayrs are kept in several places whither Merchants resort from all parts and where there is such abundance of all kind of victual as cannot well be exprest especially of flâ—sh and fruit It is not possible to deliver the great store of fish that is taken in this river chiefly Soles and Mullets which are all sold alive besides a world of sea-fish both fresh salted and dried we were told by certain Chineses that in this City there are ten thousand trades for the working of silks which from thence are sent all over the Kingdom The City it self is invironed with a very strong wall made of fair hewed stone The gates of it are an hundred and thirty at each of which there is a Porter and two Halberdiers who are bound to give an account every day of all that pâ—sses in and out There are also twelve Forts or Cittadels like unto ours with bulwarks and very high towers but without any ordinance at all The same Chineses also affirmed unto us that the City yeilded the King daily two thousand Taeis of silver which amount to three thousand duckats as I have delivered heretofore I will not speak of the Pallace royal because I saw it but on the outside howbeit the Chinesâ—s tell such wonders of it as would amaze a man for it is my intent to relate nothing save what we beheld here with our own eyes and that was so much as I am afraid to write it not that it would seem strange to those that have seen and read the marvels of the Kingdom of China but because I doubt that they which would compare those wondrous things that are in the countrys they have not seen with that little they have seen in their own will make some question of it or it may be give no credit at all to these truth because they are not confoâ—mable to their understanding and small experience Continuing our course up this river the first two days we saw not any remarkable town or place but only a great number of Villages and little hamlets of two or three hundred fires a piece which by their buildings seemed to be houses of fisher men and poor people that live by the labour of their hands For the rest all that was within view in the countrey was great woods of Firr Groves Forrests and Orange trees as also plains full of wheat rice beans pease millet panick barley rye flax cotton wool with great inclosures of gardens and goodly houses of pleasure belonging to the Mandarins and Lords of the Kingdom There was likewise all along the river such an infinite number of cattel of all sorts as I can assure you there is not more in Aethiopia nor in all the dominions of Prester Iohn upon the top of the mountains many houses of their Sects of Gentiles were to be seen adorned with high Steeples guilt all over the glistering whereof was such and so great that to behold them a far off was an admirable sight The fourth day of our voyage we arrived at a town called Pocasser twice as big as Cantano compassed about with strong wals of hewed stone and towers and bulwarks almost like ours together with a key on the river side twice as long as the shot of a falconet and inclosed with two rows of iron grates with very strong gates where the Junks and vessels that arrived there were unladen This place abounds with all kinds of merchandise which from thence is transported over all the Kingdom especially with copper sugar and allum whereof there is very great store Here also in the middest of a carrefour that is almost at the end of the town stands a mighty strong castle having three bulwarks and five towers in the highest of which the present Kings Father as the Chineses told us kept a King of Tartaria nine years prisoner at the end whereof he killed himself with poyson that his subjects sent him because they would not be constrained to pay that ransome which the King of China demanded for his deliverance In this town the Chifuu gave three of us leave to go up and down for to crave the alms of good people accompanied with four Hupes that are as Sergeants or Bailiffs amongst us who led us chained together as we were through six or seven streets where we got in alms to the value of above twentâ— duckats as well in clothes as mony besides flesh riceâ— meal fruit and other victuals which was â—â—stowed on us whereof we gave the one half to the Hupes that conducted us it being the custom so to do Afterwards we were
to age might expell him oâ—t of what he had injustly usurped upon them or at leastwise disturb him with Wars by reason of the right they pretended to the Kingdom he sent a Fleet of thirty Ienga's wherein as it is said were sixteen hundred men for to seek them out and destroy them whereof Nancaa receiving intelligence fell to consult what she should do and at length resolved by no means to attend these Forces in regard her Sons were but Infants her self a weak Woman her Men few in number and unprovided of all that was necessary to make any defence against so great a number of Enemies and so well furnished whereupon taking a view of her People she found that they were but thirteen hundred in all and of them onely five hundred Men the rest being Women and Children for all which company there were but three little Lanteaa's and one Iangaa in the whole River and they not able to carry an hundred persons so that Nancaa seeing no means to transport them away the History saith She assembled all her People and declaring the fear she was in desired them to advise her what she should do but excusing themselves they ingenuously confessed they knew not what counsel to give her in that extremity Whereupon according to their ancient custome they resolved to cast Lots to the end that on whom the Lot did fall to speak he should freely deliver what God would be pleased to inspire him with For which purpose they took three days time wherein with fasting cries and tears they would all with one voice cravâ— the favour and assistance of the Lord Almighty in whose hands was all the hope of their deliverance This advice being approved of all in general Nancaa made it to be proclaimed that upon pain of Death no person whatever should eat above once during those three days to the end that by this abstinence of the Body the Spirit might be carried with the greater attention towards God The three days abstinence being expired Lots were cast five times one after another and all those five times the Lot fell still on a little Boy of seven years of age named as the Tyrant was Silau whereat they were all exeedingly amazed in regard that in the whole Troop there was not another of this same name After that they had made their Sacrifices with all the accustomed Ceremonies of Musick Perfumes and sweet Odours to render thanks unto God they commanded the little Boy to lift up his hands unto Heaven and then to say what he thought was necessary for the remedying of so great an Affliction as that wherein they were Whereupon the little Boy Silau beholding Nancaa the History affirms he said these words O feeble and wretched Woman now that sorrow and affliction makes thee more troubled and perplexed then ever thou wert in regard of the small relief that humane understanding doth represent unto thee submit thy self with humble sighs to the omnipotent hand of the Lord Esloign then or at leastwise labour to esloign thy minde from the vanities of the Earth lifting up thine eyes with Faith and Hope and thou shalt see what the Prayers of an Innocent afflicted and pursued before the Iustice of him that hath created thee can do For assoon as in all humility thou hast declared the weakness of thy power unto the Almighty Victory will incontinently be given thee from above over the Tyrant Silau wherefore I command thee in his Name to imbarque thy self thy Children and all thy Followers in thine Enemies Vessels wherein amidst the confused murmur of the Waters thou shalt wander so long till thou arrivest at a placew here thou art to lay the Foundation of a House of that Reputation as the Mercy of the most High shall be published there from Generation to Generation by the Voice of a strange People whose Cries shall be as pleasing to him as those of sucking Children that lie in the Cradle This said the little Boy according to the History fell down stark dead to the ground which much astonished Nancaa and all hers The said History further delivers and as I have often heard it read that five days after the success the thirty Iangaas were one morning seen coming down the River in very good equipage but not so much as one man in them the reason hereof by the report of the History which the Chineses hold to be most true was that all these Ships of War being joyned together for to execute unmercifully upon Nancaa and her Children the cruel and damnable intentions of the Tyrant Silau one night as this Fleet rode at Anchor in a place called Catebasoy a huge dark Cloud came over them whereout issued such horrible Thunder and Lightning accompanied with mighty Rain the Drops whereof were so hot that falling upon them which were asleep in the Vessels it made them leap into the River so as within less then an hour they perished all And it is said that one drop of this Rain coming to fall upon a body it burnt in such sort as it penetrated to the very marrow of the bone with most insupportable pain no cloths nor arms being able to resist it Nancaa receiving this favour from the hand of the Lord with abundance of tears and humble thanks embarqued her self her children and all her company in the said thirty Iangaas and sailing down the River was carried by the strength of the current which for her sake the History saith redoubled then in seven and forty days to the very place where now the City of Pequin is built There she and all hers landed and doubting lest the Tyrant Silau whose cruelty she feared might still pursue her she fortified her self in this place the best she could CHAP. XXX The Foundation of the four chief Cities of China together with which of the Kings of China it was that built the Wall between China and Tartaria and many things that we saw as we past along THe said History delivers that few days after the poor Nancaa and her followers were setled on shore she caused them to swear fealty unto her eldest Son and to acknowledge him for their lawful Prince Now the very same day that he received the Oath oâ— Allegeance from these few Subjects of his he made election of the place where the Fortress should be erected together with the inclosure of the Wall Afterwards assoon as the first Foundations were laid which was speedily done he went out of his Tent accompanied with his Mother who governed all together with his Brothers and the chiefest of his company attired in festival Robes with a great stone carried before him by the noblest Personages which he had caused to be wrought aforehand and arriving at the said Foundations he laid his hand upon the Stone and on his knees with his eyes lifted up to Heaven he said to all that were present Brethren and worthy Friends know that I give mine own Name that is Pequin to
this Stone upon which this new place is to be built for I desire that hereafter it should be so called wherefore I pray you all as Friends and command you as your King not to call it otherwise to the end the memory thereof may remain immortal to those that shall come after us to the end of the World By which means it shall be manifested to all men that the thirteenth day of the eighth Moon in the year one thousand six hundred thirty and nine after the Lord of all things created had made those that lived upon the Earth see how much he abhorred the sins of Men for the which he drowned the whole World with Water that he sent down from Heaven in satisfaction of his divine Iustice it shall I say be manifested to them that the new Prince Pequin built this Fortress whereunto he gave his Name And so conformable to the Prophesie which the dead childe hath delivered it shall be published over all by the voice of strange People in what manner the Lord is to be feared and what Sacrifices are to be made that they may be just and acceptable unto him Now this was that which King Pequin said unto his Vassals and which is at this day to be seen engraven on a silver Scutcheon fastened to an Arch of one of the principal Gates of the City called Pommicotay where in memory of this Prophecy there is ordinarily a Guard of forty Halberdiers with their Captain whereas there are but onely four in all the rest who are bound to render an account of all that pass in and out there daily And because the Histories relate that this new King laid the first foundation of this City on the 3 d of the moneth of August the Kings of China do on that day usually shew themselves to the People and that with such Pomp and Majesty that I profess I am not able to declare the least part of it much less to describe the whole Now in regard of this first Kings words which the Chineses hold for an infallible Prophecy his Descendants do so fear the accomplishment thereof that by a Law expresly made by them the admittance of any Strangers into this Kingdom saving Ambassadours and Slaves is forbidden upon most grievous pains So that when any do chance to arrive there they banish them presently from one place to another not permitting them to settle any where as they practised it towards me and my eight companions And thus as I have succinctly delivered was this Empire of China founded and peopled by the means of this Prince named Pequin the eldest of Nancaa's three Sons As for the other two called Pacan and Nacau they afterwards founded the other two Towns aforesaid and withall gave them their own Names It is also the general opinion that their Mother Nancaa founded the City of Nanquin which took its denomination from her continuing so to this day and is the second City of this great Monarchy The Histories further affirm that from the time of this first Founder the Empire of China augmented always from one King to another by a just Succession till a certain Age which according to our Computation was in the Year of Lord one thousand one hundred and thirty After which a King that then reigned named Xixipan inclosed the City of Pequin within the space of three and twenty years in such manner as it is seen at this day and that fourscore and two years after another King his Grand-childe called Iumbileytay made the like so that both together were sixty leagues in circuit namely each of them thirty ten in length and five in breadth Now it is certain and I have often times read it that each of these Inclosures or Walls hath a thousand and threescore round Bulwarks as also two hundred and forty Towers very fair strong large and high with gilt Lions upon Globes being the Arms of the Kings of China which are very pleasing to the eye Without the last Inclosure is an exceeding great Ditch round about it ten fathom deep and forty broad continually replenished with many Barques and Boats covered over head as if they were Houses where both Provisions and all sorts of Merchandise are sold. This City according to the Chineses report hath above three hundred and threescore Gates in each of which as I have before recited there are always four Halberdiers who are obliged to render an account of all that go in and out daily There are also certain Chambers in it whither it is the custome to bring such Children as wander and go astray in the Town to the end their Parents that lose them may be sure to hear of them there I will refer my speaking more largely of the Magnificences of this goodly City to another place for that which I have now delivered in haste and as it were en passant was but to make a brief Relation of the original of this Empire and of the first Founder of the City of Pequin which may be truly said to be the chiefest of all the World for greatness policy riches and abundance of all things that can be desired of man as also of the Foundation of the second City of this mighty Kingdom that is Nanquin and of the other two Pacan and Nacan whereof I have heretofore spoken and in which the Founders of them are buried in very stately and rich Temples within Tombs of white and green Alabaster all garnished with Gold and erected upon Lions of Silver with a world of Lamps and perfuming Pans full of divers sorts of sweet Odours round about them Now that I have spoken of the Original and Foundation of this Empire together with the circuit of the great City of Pequin I hold it not amiss to intreat as succinctly as I may of another particular which is no less admirable then those whereof I have made mention before It is written in the fifth Book of the Scituation of all the remarkable places of this Empire or rather Monarchy for to speak truly there is no appellation so great but may be well attributed unto it that a King named Crisnagol Dicotay who according to the computation of that Book reigned in the year of our Lord five hundred and eighteen happened to make war with the Tartar about some difference between them concerning the State of Xenxinapau that borders on the Kingdom of Lauhos and so valiantly demeaned himself in a Battel against him that he defeated his Army and remained Master of the Field whereupon the Tartar confederating himself with other Kings his Friends did by their assistance assemble together greater Forces then the former and therewith invaded the Kingdom of China where it is said he took three and thirty very important Towns of which the principal was Panquilor insomuch that the Chinese fearing he should not be well able to defend himself concluded a Peace with him upon condition to relinquish his right which he pretended to that in
question betwixt them and to pay him two thousand Picos of Silver for to defray the Charges of those strangers the Tartar had entertained in this War by this means China continued for a good while quiet but the King doubting lest the Tartar might in time to come return to annoy him again resolved to build a Wall that might serve for a Bulwark to his Empire and to that end calling all his Estates together he declared his determination unto them which was presently not onely well approved of but held most necessary so that to enable him for the performance of a business so much concerning his state they gave him ten thousand Picos of Silver which amount according to our account unto fifteen Millions of Gold after the rate of fifteen hundred Ducates each Pico and moreover they entertained him two hundred and fifty thousand men to labour in the work whereof thirty thousand were appointed for Officers and all the rest for manual services Order being taken then for whatsoever was thought fit for so prodigious an enterprise they fell to it in such sort as by the report of the History all that huge Wall was in seven and twenty years quite finished from one end to the other which if credit may be given to the same Chronicle is seventy Iaos in length that is six hundred and fifteen miles after nine miles every Iao wherein that which seemed most wonderfull and most exceeding the belief of man was that seven hundred and fifty thousand men laboured incessantly for so long a time in that great work whereof the Commonalty as I delivered before furnished one third part the Priests and Isles of Aynen another third and the King assisted by the Princes Lords Chaems and Anchacys of the Kingdom the rest of the building which I have both seen and measured being thirty foot in height and ten foot in breadth where it is thickest It is made of Lime and Sand and plaistered on the outside with a kind of Bitumen which renders it so strong that no Cannon can demolish it Instead of Bulwarks it hath Sentries or Watch-towers two stages high flanked with Buttresses of Carpentry made of a certain black wood which they call Caubesy that is to say Wood of Iron because it is exceeding strong and hard every Buttress being as thick as an Hogshead and very high so that these Sentries are far stronger then if they were made of Lime and Stone Now this Wall by them termed Chaufacan which signifies Strong resistance extends in height equal to the Mountains whereunto it is joyned and that those Mountains also may serve for a Wall they are cut down very smooth and sâ—eep which renders them far stronger then the Wall it self but you must know that in all this extent of land there is no Wall but in the void spaces from Hill to Hill so that the Hills themselves make up the rest of the Wall and Fence Further it is to be noted that in this whole length of an hundred and fifteen leagues which this Fortification contains there are are but onely 5 Entries whereby the Rivers of Tartaria do pass which are derived from the impetuous Torrents that descend from these Mountains and running above five hundred leagues in the Country render themselves into the Seas of China and Cauchenchina howbeit one of these Rivers being greater then the rest disemboques by the Bay of Cuy in the Kingdom of Sournau commonly called Siam Now in all these five Passages both the King of China and the King of Tartaria keep Garrisons the Chinese in each of them entertains seven thousand men giving them great pay whereof six thousand are Horse the rest Foot being for the most part strangers as Mogores Pancrus Champaas Corosones Gizares of Persia and other different Nations bordering upon this Empire and which in consideration of the extraordinary pay they receive serve the Chineses who to speak truth are nothing couragious as being but little used to the Wars and ill provided of Arms and Artillery In all this length of Wall there are three hundred and twenty Companies each of them containing five hundred Souldiers so that there are in all one hundred and threescore thousand men besides Officers of Justice Anchacis Chaems and other such like persons necessary for the Government and entertainment of these Forces so that all joyned together make up the number of two hundred thousand which are all maintained at the Kings onely charge by reason the most of them are Malefactours condemned to the reparations and labour of the Wall as I shall more amply declare when I come to speak of the Prison destined to this purpose in the City of Pequin which is also another Edifice very remarkable wherein there are continually above thirty thousand Prisoners the most of them from eighteen to forty five years of age appointed to work in this Wall Being departed from those two Towns Pacau and Nacau we continued our course up the River and arrived at another Town called Mindoo somewhat bigger then those from whence we parted where about half a mile off was a great Lake of Salt-water and a number of Salt-houses round about it The Chineses assured us that this Lake did ebb and flow like the Sea and that it extended above two hundred leagues into the Country rendring the King of China in yearly Revenue one hundred thousand Taeis onely for the third of the Salt that was drawn out of it as also that the Town yielded him other one hundred thousand Taeis for the Silk alone that was made there not speaking at all of the Camphire Sugar Pourcelain Vermilion and Quick-silver whereof there was very great plenty moreover that some two leagues from this Town were twelve exceeding long Houses like unto Magazines where a world of people laboured in casting and purifying of Copper and the horrible din which the Hammers made there was such and so strange as if there were any thing on earth that could represent Hell this was it wherefore being desirous to understand the cause of this extraordinary noise we would needs go to see from whence it proceeded and we found that there were in each of these Houses forty Fornaces that is twenty of either side with forty huge Anvils upon every of which eight men beat in order and so swiftly as a mans eye could hardly discern the blows so as three hundred and twenty men wrought in each of these twelve Houses which in all the twelve Houses made up three thousand eight hundred and forty workmen beside a great number of other persons that laboured in other particular things whereupon we demanded how much Copper might be wrought every year in each of these Houses and they told us one hundred and ten or sixscore thousand Picos whereof the King had two thirds because the Mines were his and that the Mountain from whence it was drawn was called Corotum baga which signifies a River of Copper for that from the
the good I have done you for Gods sake To conclude all the vessels where these things are exposed to sale are seldom less in number then two hundred besides thousands of others which sell such like wares in a far greater quantity We saw likewise many Barcasses full of men and women that played upon divers sorts of instruments and for mony gave them musick that desired it There were other vessels laden with horns which the Priests sold therewith to make feasts in Heaven for they say that those were the horns of several beasts which were offered in sacrifice to the Idols out of devotion and for the performance of vows that men had made in divers kind of misfortunes and sicknesses wherein they had at others times been And that as the flesh of those beasts had been given here below for the honour of God to the poor so the souls of them for whom those horns were offered do in the other world eat the souls of of those beasts to whom those horns belonged and thereunto invite the souls of their friends as men use to invite others here on earth Other vessels we saw covered with blacks and full of tombs torches and great wax lights as also women in them that for money would be hired to weep and lament for the dead others there were called Pitaleus that in great barques kept divers kinds of wild beasts to be shewed for mony most dreadful to behold as Serpents huge Adders monstrous Lizards Tygers and many others such like we saw in like sort a great number of Stationers which sold all manner of books that could be desired as well concerning the creation of the world whereof they tell a thousand lies as touching the States Kingdoms Islands and Provinces of the world together with the Laws and Customs of Nations but especially of the Kings of China their number brave acts and of all things else that happened in each of their reigns Moreover we saw a great many of the light swift Foysts wherein were men very well armed who cried out with a loud voice that if any one had received an affront whereof he desired to be avenged let him come unto them and they would cause satisfaction to be made him In other vessels there were old women that served for midwives and that would bring women speedily and easily a bed as also a many of Nurses ready to be entertained for to give children suck There were barques likewise very well adornâ—d and set â—orth that had in them divers reverend old men and grave matrons whose profession was to make marriages and to comfort widows or such as had lost their children or suffered any other misfortune In others there were a number of young men and maids that lacked Masters and Mistresses which offered themselves to any that would hire them There were other vessels that had in them such as undertook to tell fortunes and to help folks to things lost In a word not to dwell any longer upon every particular that was to be seen in this moving Town for then I should never have done it shall suffice me to say that nothing can be desired on land which was not to be had in their vessels and that in greater abundance then I have delivered wherefore I will passe from it to shew you that one of the principal causes why this Monarchy of China that contains two and thirty Kingdoms is so mighty rich and of so great commerce is because it is exceedingly replenished with rivers and a world of Chanals that have been anciently made by the Kings great Lords and people thereof for to render all the Country navigable and so communicate their labours with one another The narrowest of these Chanals have bridges of hewed stone over them that are very high long and broad whereof some are of one stone eighty ninety nay an hundred spans long and fifteen or twenty broad which doubtlesse is very marvellous for it is almost impossible to comprehend by what means so huge a masse of stone could be drawn out of the Quarry without breaking and how it should be transported to the place where it was to be set All the ways and passages from Cities Towns and Villages have very large causeys made of fair stone at the ends whereof are costly pillars and arches upon which are inscriptions with letters of gold containing the pray sers of them that erected them moreover there are handsome seats placed all along for poor passengers to rest themselves on There are likewise innumerable Aqueducks and fountains every where whose water is most wholesom and excellent to drink And in divers parts there are certain Wenches of love that out of charity prostitute themselves to travellers which have no mony and although amongst us this is held for a great abuse and abomination yet with them it is accounted a work of mercy so that many on their death-beds do by their testaments bequeath great revenues for the maintenance of this wickedness as a thing very meritorious for the salvation of their souls moreover many others have left lands for the erecting and maintaining of houses in deserts and unhabited places where great fires are kept all the night to guide such as have strayed out of their way as also water for men to drink and seats to repose them in and that there may be no default herein there are divers persons entertained with very good means to see these things carefully continued according to the institution of him that founded them for the health of his soul. By these marvels which are found in the particular Towns of this Empire may be concluded what the greatness thereof might be were they joyned all together but for the better satisfaction of the Reader I dare boldly say if my testimony may be worthy of credit that in one and twenty years space during which time with a world of misfortune labour and pain I traversed the greatest part of Asia as may appear by this my discourse I had seen in some countrys a wonderfull abundance of several sorts of victuals and provisions which we have not in our Europe yet without speaking what each of them might have in particular I do not think there is in all Europe so much as there is in China alone And the same may be said of all the rest wherewith Heaven hath favoured this clymate as well for the temperature of the air as for that which concerns the policy and riches the magnificence and greatness of their estate Now that which gives the greatest luster unto it is their exact observation of justice for there is so well ruled a Government in this Country as it may justly be envied of all others in the world And to speak the truth such as want this particular have no gloss be they otherways never so great commendable Verily so often as I represent unto my self those great things which I have seen in this China I am on the one
hath created all things From this blindness and incredulity of these people are these great abuses and confused superstitions derived which are ordinary amongst them and wherein they observe a world of diabolical ceremonies For they are so brutish and wicked as to sacrifice humane blood offering it up with divers sorts of perfumes and sweet savors Moreover they present their Priests with many gifts upon assurance from these profane wretches of great blessings in this life and infinite riches and treasure in the other To which effects the same Priests grant them I know not what Certificates as it were Bills of Exchange which the common people call Couchinnoces that after their death they may serve above in Heaven to procure for them a recompence of an hundred for one wherein these miserable creatures are so blinded that they save the very meat drink from their own mouths to furnish those accursed priests of Satan with all things necessary believing that these goodly â—ills they have from them will assuredly return them that benefit There are also Priests of another Sect called Naustolins who contrary to those others preach and affirm with great oaths that reasonable creatures live and die like beasts therfore that they are to make merry spend their goods jovially whiles life shall last there being no other after this as all but fools ignorants are to believe There is another Sect named Trimechau who are of opinion that so long time as a man shall live in this world so long shall he remain under ground until at length by the prayers of their priests his soul shall reassume the body of a child of seven days old wherein he shall live again till he shall grow so strong as to re-enter into the old body which he hed left in the grave and so be transported into the Heaven of the Moon where they say he shal live many years in the end be converted into a star which shall remain fixed above in the Firmament for ever Another Sect there is called Gyson who believe that only the beasts in regard of their sufferings and the labour which they endure in this life shall possess Heaven after their death not man that leadeth his life according to the lusts of the flesh robbing killing and committing a world of other offences by reason whereof say they it is not possible for him to be saved unless at the hour of death he leave all his estate to the Pagodes and to the Priests that they may pray for him whereby one may see that all the intentions of their diabolical Sects is not founded but upon a very tyranny and upon the interests of the Bonzes who are they that preach this pernicions doctrine to the people and perswaded them with many fables to believe it In the mean time these things seem so true to these wretches that hear them as they very willingly give them all their goods imagining that thereby only they can be saved and freed from those punishments and fears wherewithall they threaten them if they do otherwise I have spoken here of no more then these three Sects omitting the rest of the two and thirty which are followed in this great Empire of China as well because I should never have done as I have said heretofore if I would relate them all at large as for that by these it may be known what the others are which are nothing better but in a manner even the very same wherefore leaving the remedy of such evils and great blindness to the mercy and providence of God unto whom only it appertains I will pass on to the declarations of the miseries we indured during our exille in the Town of Quancy until such time as we were made slaves by the Tartars which happened in the year 1544. We had been now two months and an half in this City of Pequin when as on Saturday the thirteenth of Iuly 1554. we were carried away to the Town of Quansy there to serve all the time that we were condemned unto Now as soon as we arrived there the Chaem caused us to be brought before him and after he had asked us some questions he appointed us to be of the number of fourscore Halberdiers which the King assigned him for his Guard This we took as a special favour from God both in regard this imployment was not very painful as also because the entertainment was good and the pay of it better being assured besides that at the time we should recover our liberty Thus lived we almost a month very peaceably and well contented for that we met with a better fortune then we expected when as the divel seeing how well all we nine agreed together for all that we had was in common amongst us and whatsoever misery any one had we shared it with him like true brothers he so wrought that two of our company tell into a quarrel which proved very prejudicial to us all This division sprung from a certain vanity too familiar with the Portugal Nation whereof I can render no other reason but that they are naturally sensible of any thing that touches upon honourâ— Now see what the difference was two of us nine falling by chance in contest about the extraction of the Madureyras and the Fonsecas for to know which of these two houses was in most esteem at the King of Portugals Court the matter went so far that from one word to another they came at length to terms of oyster-wives saying one to the other Who are you and again who are you so that thereupon they suffered themselves to be so transported with choller that one of them gave the other a great box on the ear who instantly returned him a blow with his sword which cut away almost half his cheek this same feeling himself hurt caught up an halbert and therewith ran the other through the arm this disaster begot such part-taking amongst us as of nine that we were seven of us found our selves grievously wounded In the mean time the Chaem came running in person to this tumult with all the Anchacys of Justice who laying hold of us gave us presently thirty lashes a piece which drew more blood from us then our hurts This done they shut us up in a dungeon under ground where they kept us six and forty days with heavy iron collers about our necks manacles on our hands and irons on our legs so that we suffered exceedingly in this deplorable estate This while our business was brought before the Kings Atturny who having seen our accusations and that one of the articles made faith that there were sixteen witnesses against us he stuck not to say That we were people without the fear or knowledge of God who did not confess him otherwise with our mouths then as any wild beast might do if he could speak that these things presupposed it was to be believed that we were men of blood of a Language of a Law
wilt not deign to benefit this defunâ—t with the gift that God hath given thee of singing and playing on this instrument I will no longer say that thou art an holy man as we all believed hitherto but that the excellency of that voice which thou hast comes from the inhabitants of the house of smoak whose nature it was at first to sing very harmoniously though now they weep and wail in the profound lake of the night like hunger-starved dogs that gnashing their teeth and foaming with rage against men discharge the froth of their malice by the offences which they commit against him that lives in the highest of the Heavens After this ten or eleven of them were so earnest with Gaspar de Meyrelez as they made him play almost by force and led him to the place where the deceased was to be burnt according to the custom of those Gentiles In the mean time seeing my self left alone without my comrade I went along to the Forrest for to get some wood according to my Commission and about evening returning back with my load on my back I met with an old man in a black damask Gown furred clean through with white Lamb who being all alone as soon as he espied me he turned a little out of the way but percâ—iving me to pass on without regarding him he cried so loud to me that I might hear him which I no sooner did but casting my eye that way I observed that he beckened to me with his hand as if he called me whereupon imagining there was something more then ordinary herein I said unto him in the Chinese Language Potauquinay which is Doest thou call me whereunto returning no answer he gave me to understand by signes that in effect he called me conjecturing then that there might be some thieves thereabouts which would bereave me of my load of wood I threw it on the ground to be the better able to defend my self and with my staff in my hand I went fair and softly after him who seeing me follow him began to double his pace athwart a little path which confirmed me in the belief I had before that he was some thief so that turning back to the place where I left my load I got it up again on my back as speedily as I could with a purpose to get into the great high way that led unto the City But the man guessing at my intention began to cry out louder to me then before which making me turn my look towards him I presently perceived him on his knees and shewing me afar off a silver cross about a span long or thereabout lifting up withall both his hands unto Heaven whereat being much amazed I could not imagine what this man should be in the mean time he with a very pitiful gesture ceased not to make signes unto me to come to him whereupon somewhat recollecting my self I resolved to go and see who he was and what he would have to which end with my staff in my hand I walked towards him where he stayed for me when as then I came near him having always thought him before to be a Chinese I wondred to see him cast himself at my feet and with tears and sighs to say thus unto me Blessed and praysed be the sweet Name of our Lord Iesus Christ after so long an exile hath shewed me so much grace as to let me see a Christian man that professeth the Law of my God fixed on the Cross. I must confess that when I heard so extraordinary a matter and so far beyond my expectation I was therewith so surprised that scarcely knowing what I said I conjure thee answered I unto him in the Name of our Lord Iesus to tell me who thou art At these words this unknown man redoubling his tears Dear Brother replyed he I am a poor Christian by Nation a Portugal and named Vasco Calvo brother to Diego Calvo who was somtime Captain of Don Nuna Manoel his ship and made a Slave here in this Country about seven and twenty years since together with one Tome Perez who Loppo Soarez sent as Ambassador into this Kingdom of China and that since died miserably by the occasion of a Portugal Captain Whereupon coming throughly to my self again I lifted him up from the ground where he lay weeping like a child and shedding no fewer tears then he I intreated him that we might sit down together which he would hardly grant so desirous he was to have me go presently with him to his house but sitting down by me he began to discourse the whole success of his travels and all that had befallen him since his departure from Portugal till that very time as also the death of the Ambassador Tome Perez and of all the rest whom Fernand Perez d' Amdrada had left at Canton to go to the King of China which he recounted in another manner then our Historians have delivered it After we had spent the remainder of the day in entertaining one another with our passed adventures we went to the City where having shewed me his house he desired me that I would instantly go and fetch the rest of my fellows which accordingly I did and found them all together in the poor lodging where we lay and having declared unto them what had befallen me they were much abashed at it as indeed they had cause considering the stratagems of the accident so they went presently along with me to Vasco Calvo's house who waiting for us gave us such hearty welcome as we could not chuse but weep for joy Then he carried us into a Chamber where was his wife with two little boys and two girls of his she entertained us very kindly and with as much demonstration of love as if she had been the mother or daughter to either of us After this we sat down at the table which he had caused to be covered and made a very good meal of many several dishes provided for us Supper done his wife arose very courteously from the table and taking a key which hung at her girdle she opened the door of an Oratory where there was an altar with a silver cross as also two candlesticks and a lamp of the same and then she and her four children falling down on their knees with their hands lift up to Heaven began to pronounce these words very distinctly in the Portugal tongue O thou true God we wretched sinners do confess before thy Cross like good Christians as we are the most sacred Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost three Persons and one God and also we promise to live and dye in thy most Holy Catholique Faith like good and true Christians confessing and believing so much of thy holy truth as is held and believed by thy Church In like manner we offer up unto thee our souls which thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud for to be wholly imployed in thy service all the time of our lives and then to be
yielded unto thee at the hour of our death as to our Lord and God unto whom we acknowledge they appertain both by Creation and Redemption After this Confession they said the Lords Prayer and the Creed which they pronounced very distinctly whereat we could not chuse but shed a world of tears to see these innocents born in a Country so far remote from ours and where there was no knowledge of the true God thus to confess his Law in such religious terms This being done we returned because it was three of the clock in the morning to our lodging exceedingly astonished at that we had seen as at a thing which we had great reason to admire CHAP. XXXVIII A Tartar Commander enters with his Army into the Town of Quincay and that which followed thereupon with the Nauticors besieging the Castle of Nixiamcoo and the taking of it by the means of some of us Portugals WE had been now eight months and an half in this captivity wherein we endured much misery and many incommodities for that we had nothing to live upon but what we got by begging up and down the Town when as one Wednesday the third of Iuly in the year 1544. a little after midnight there was such a hurly burly amongst the people that to hear the noise and cries which was made in every part one would have thought the earth would have come over and over which caused us to go in haste to Vasco Calvo his house of whom we demanded the occasion of so great a tumult whereunto with tears in his eyes he answered us that certain news were come how the King of Tartary was fallen upon the City of Pequin with so great an Army as the like had never been seen since Adams time In this army according to report were seven and twenty Kings under whom marched eighteen hundred thousand men whereof six hundred thousand were horse which were come by land from the Cities of Luançama Famstir and Mecuy with fourscore thousand Rhinocerots that draw the waggons wherein was all the Bâ—gage of the Army as for the other twelve hundred thousand which were foot it was said that they arrived by Sea in seventeen thousand vessels down through the river of Batampina By reason whereof the King of China finding himself too weak for the resisting of such great forces had with a few retired himself to the City of Nanquin And that also it was reported for a certain that a Nauticor one of the chiefest Tartar Commanders was come to the Forrest of Malincataran not above a league and an half from Quinçay with an Army of threescore and two thousand Horse wherewith he marched against the Town that in all likelihood he would be there within two hours at the furthest These news so troubled us that we did nothing but look one upon another without being able to speak a word to any purpose howbeit desiring to save our selves we prayed Vasco Calvo to shew us what means he thought we might use to effect it who sad and full of grief thus answered us O that we were in our Country between Laura and Carncha where I have often been and should be there now in safety but since it cannot be so all that we can do for the present is to recommend our selves to God and to pray unto him to assist us for I assure you that an hour ago I would have given a thousand Taeis in silver to any one that could have got me from hence and saved me with my wife and children but there was no possibility for it because the gates were then all shut up and the walls round about invironed with armed men which the Chaem hath placed there to withstand the enemy So my fellows and I that were nine in number past the rest of the night there in much affliction and unquietness without any means of counselling one another or resolving on what we were to do continually weeping for the extream fear we were in of what should become of us The next morning a little before Sun-rising the enemy appeared in a most dreadful manner they were divided into seven very great Battalions having their Ensignes quartered with green and white which are the colours of the King of Tartaria marching in this order to the sound of their Trumpets they arrived at a Pagode called Petilau Namâ—ioo a place of good receit in regard of the many lodgings it had which was not much distant from the walls In their Vantguard they had a number of Light-horse who ran confusedly up and down with their Lances in their Rests Being in this sort come to the Pagode they stayed there about half an hour and then marching on till they were within an haâ—quâ—buse shot of the walls they suddenly ran to them with such hideous cries as one would have thought that Heaven and Earth would have come together and rearing up above two thousand Ladders which for that purpose they had brought aloâ—g with them they assaulted the Town on every side with a most invincible courage Now though the besieged at the beginning made some resistance yet was it not able to hinder the enemy from effecting his designe for by the means of certain iron rams broking up the four principal gates they rendred themselves Masters of the Town after they had slain the Chaem together with a great number of Mandarins and Gentlemen that were run thither to keep them from entring Thus did these Barbarians possess themselves of this miserable Town whereof they put all the inhabitants they could meet withall to the sword without sparing any and it was said that the number of the slain amounted to threescore thousand persons amongst whom were many women and maids of very great beauty which appertained to the chiefest Lords of the place After the bloody Massacre of so much people and that the Town was fired the principal houses overthrown and the most sumptuous Temples laid level with the ground nothing remaining on foot during the disorder the Tartars continued there seven days at the end whereof they returned towards Pequin where their King was and from whence he had sent them to this execution carrying with them a world of gold and silver only having burnt all the Merchandise they found there as well because they knew not how to transport it away as for that the Chineses should not make any benefit of it Two days after their departure they arrived at a Castle named Nixianicoo where the Nauticor of Luançama their General pitched his Camp and intrenched himself on all sides with an intention to take it by assault the next day to be revenged on the Chineses there for that upon his passing by them towards Quinçay they had cut off an hundred of his men by an Ambuscado After the Army was encamped and intrenched and that the General had placed sure Guards and Sentinels in all places he retired to his Tent whither he sent for the seventy Captains that commanded
Streamers waving upon the Battlements The first Salutation between the besiegers and the besieged was with arrows darts stones and pots of wild-fire which continued about half an hour then the Tartars presently filled the ditch with bavins and earth and so reared up their ladders against the wall that now by reason of the filling up of the ditch was not very high The first that mounted up was Iorge Mendez accompanied with two of ours who as men resolved had set up their rest either to die there or to render their valour remarkable by some memorable act as in effect it pleased our Lord that their resolution had a good success for they not only entred fiâ—st but also planted the first colours upon the wall whereat the Mitaquer and all that were with him were so amazed as they said one to another Doubtless if these people did besiege Pequin as we do the Chineses which defend that City would sooner lose their honour then we shall make them to do it with all the forces we have in the mean time all the Tartars that were at the foot of the ladders followed the three Portugals and carried themselvâ—s so valiantly what with the example of a Captain that had shewed them the way as out of their own natural disposition almost as resolute as those of Iapan that in a very shâ—rt space above 5000 of them were got upon the walls from whence with great violence they made the Chineses to retire whereupon so furious and bloody a fight ensued between either party that in less then half an hour the business was fully decided and the Castle taken with the death of two thousand Chineses and Mogores that were in it there being not above sixscore of the Tartars slain That done the gates being opened the Mitaquer with great acclamations of joy entred and causing the Chineses colours to be taken down and his own to be advanced in their places he with a new ceremony of rejoycing at the sound of many instruments of war after the the manner of the Tartars gave rewards to the wounded and made divers of the most valiant of his followers Knights by putting bracelets of gold about their right arms and then about noon he with the chief Commanders of his Army for the greater triumph dined in the Castle where he also bestowed bracelets of gold upon Iorge Mendez and the other Portugals whom he made to sit down at table with him After the cloth was taken away he went out of the Castle with all his company and then causing all the walls of it to be dismantelled â—e razed the place quite to the ground setting on fire all that remained with a number of ceremonies which was performed with great cries and acclamations to the sound of diveâ—s instruments of war Moreover he commanded the ruines of this Castle to be sprinkled with the blood of his enemies and the heads of all of them that lay dead there to be cut off as for his own souldiers that were slain he caused them to be triumphantly buried and such as were hurt to be carefully looked unto this done he retired with a huge train and in great pomp to his tent having Iorge Mendez close by him on horsback As for the other eight of us together with many brave Noblemen and Captains we followed him on foot Being arrived at his tent which was richly hung he sent Iorge Mendez a thousand Taeis for a reward and to us but an hundred a piece whereat some of us that thought themselves to be better qualified were very much discontented for that he was more respected then they by whose means as well as his the enterprise had been so happily atchieved though by the good success thereof we had all obtained honour and liberty CHAP. XXXIX The Mitaquer departs from the Castle of Nixiamcoo and goes to the King of Tartary his Camp before Pequin with that which we saw till we arrived there and the Mitaquers presenting us unto the King THe next day the Mitaquer having nothing more to do where he was resolved to take his way towards the City of Pequin before which the King lay as I have delivered before To this effect having put his Army into battel aray he departed from thâ—nce at eight of the clock in the morning and marching leasurely to the sound of his warlike instruments he made his first station about noon upon the bank of a river whose scituation was very pleasant being all about invironed with a world of fruit trees and a many goodly houses but wholly deserted and bereaved of all things which the Barbarians might any way have made booty of Having past the greatest heat of the day there he arose and marched on until about an hour in the night that he took up his lodging at a prety good Town called Lantimay which likewise we found deserted for all this whole Country was quite dispeopled for fear of the Barbarians who spared no kind of person but wheresoever they came put all to fire and sword as the next day they did by this place and many other along this river which they burnt down to the ground and that which yet was more lamentable they set on fire and clean consumed to ashes a great large plain being above six leagues about and full of corn ready to be reaped This cruelty executed the Army began again to move composed as it was of some threescore and five thousand horse for as touching the rest they were all slain as well at the taking of Quinçay as in that of the Castle of Nixiamcoo and went on to a mountain named Pommitay where they remained that night The next morning dislodging from thence they marched on somewhat faster then before that they might arrive by day at the City of Pequin which was distant about seven leagues from that mountain At three of the clock in the afternoon we came to the river of Palamxitan where a Tartar Captain accompanied with an hundred horse came to receive us having waited there two days for that purpose The first thing that he did was the delivering of a letter from the King to our General who received it with a great deal of ceremony From this river to the Kings quarter which might be some two leagues the Army marched without order as being unable to do otherwise partly as well in regard of the great concourse of people wherewith the ways were full incoming to see the Generals arrival as for the great train which the Lords brought along with them that over-spread all the fields In this order or rather disorder we arrived at the Castle of Lautir which was the first Fort of nine that the Camp had for the retreat of the Spies there we found a young Prince whom the Tartar had sent thither to accompany the General who alighting from his horse took his Scymitar from his side and on his knees offered it unto him after he had kissed the ground five times
to his hope so great an enterprise had been wherein hâ— had consumed so much treasure caused his Councel of War to be assembled in the which were present the seven and twenty Kings that accompanied him and likewise many Princes and Lords and the most part of the chief Commanders of the Army In this Councel it was resolved that in regard Winter was at hand and that the rivers had already overflowed their banks with such force and violence as they had ravaged and carried away mâ—st of the Trenches and Pallisadoes of the Camp and that moreover great numbers of the souldiers died daily of sickness and for want of victuals that therefore the King could not do better then to raise his Siege and be gone before Winter came for fear lest staying longer he should run the hazard of losing himself and his Army All these reasons seemed so good to the King that without further delay he resolved to follow this counsel and to obey the present necessity though it were to his great grief so that incontinently he caused all his Infantry and Ammunition to be imbarqued then having commanded his Camp to be set on fire he himself went away by Land with three hundred thousand Horse and twenty thousand Rhinocerots Now after they had taken an account of all the dead they appeared to be four hundred and fifty thousand the most of whom died of sickness as also an hundred thousand Horses and threescore thousand Rhinocerots which were eaten in the space of two months and an half wherein they wanted victual so that of eighteen hundred thousand men wherewith the King of Tartaria came out of his Country to besiege the City of Pequin before the which he lay six months and an half he carried home some seven hundred and fifty thousand less then he brought forth whereof four and fifty thousand died of sickness famine and war and three hundred thousand went and rendred themselves unto the Chineses drawn thereunto by the great pay which they gave them and other advantages of honour and presents which they continually bestowed on them whereat we are not to marvel seeing experience doth shew how that alone is of far more power to oblige men then all other things in the world After the King of Tartaria was gone from this City of Pequin upon a Munday the sevenâ—eenth of October with three hundred thousand horse as I have related before the same day about evening he went and lodged near to a river called Quaytragun and the next morning an hour before day the Aâ—my began to mâ—rch at the souâ—d of the Drums Fifes and other instruments of war acâ—ordâ—ng to the order prescribed them In this manner he arrived a little before night at a Town named Guiiampâ—a which he found altogether depopulated After his Army had reposed thereabout an hour and an half he set forth again and marching somewhat fast he came to lodg at the foot of a great mountain called Liampeu from whence he departed towards morning Thus marched he eight leagues a day for fourteen days together at the end whereof he arrived at a good Town named Guauxitim which might contain about eleven or twelve thousand fires There he was counselled to furnish himself with victuals whereof he had great need for which purpose therefore he begirt it round and skaliâ—g it in the open day he qâ—ickly mâ—de himself Master of it and put it to the sack with so cruel a Massacre of the inhabitants as my fellows and I were ready to swoond for very astonishment Now after that the wood and fire had consumed all things and that the Army was abundantly provided of ammunition and victual he depâ—rted at the break of day and though he past the next morning in the view of Caixiloo yet would not he attaque it for that it was a great and strong Town and by scituation impregnable having heard besides that there were fifty thousand men within it whereof ten thousand were Mogors Cauchins and Champaas resolute souldiers and much more warlike then the Chineses From thence passing on he arrived at the walls of Singrachirau which are the very same that as I have said heretofore do divide those two Empires of China and Tartaria There meeting with no resistance he went anâ— lodged on the further side of it at Panquinor which was the first of his own Towns and sâ—ated some three leagues from the said wall and the next day he marched to Psipator where he dismissed the most part of his people In this place he stayed not above seven days which he spent in providing pay for his souldiers and in the execution of certain prisoners he had taken in that war and brought along with him These things thus expedited he as a man not very well pleased imbarqued himself for Lançâ—me in sixscore Lanlees with no more then ten or eleven thousand men So in six dayes after his imbarquing he arrived at Lançame where not permitting any reception to be made him he landed about two hours within night The King abode in this City of Lançame until such time as all his forces as well horse as foot were arrived there which was within six and twenty days then having all his Army together he went on to another City far greater and fairer called Tuymicoa where he was visitâ—d by some Princes his Neighbours and hy the Ambassadors of many other Kings and Soveraigns of more remoter Countrys of which the chiefest were six great and mighty Monarchs namely Xataanas the Sophy of Persia Siamon Emperour of the Gueos whose Country borders on that of Bramaa and Tanguu the Calamiâ—ham Lord of the indomptable force of the Elephant of the Earth as I shall deliver hereafter when I come to treat of him and his State the Sournaâ— of Odiaa that names himself the King of Siam whose dominion râ—ns seven hundred leagues along the coast with that of Tanauserin and on Champaa side with the Malayos Berdios and Patanes and through the heart of the Country with Passioloqua Capioper and Chiammay as also with the Lauhos and Gueos so that this Prince alone hath seventeen Kingdoms within his State by reason whereof for to make himself the more redoubted amongst the Gentiles he causeth himself to be stiled The Lord of the white Elephant the fifth was the great Mogor whose State is within the heart of the Country near to the Corazones a Province bordering upon Persiu and the Kingdom of Dely and Chitor and the last an Emperour of a Country named Caran as we were informed there the bounds of whose Soveraignty are at the Mountains of Goncalidau sixty degrees further on where a certain people live whom they of the Country call Moscovites whereof we have some in this City which were fair of complection well shapen and apparelled with Breeches Cassocks and Hats like to the Flemings which we see in Europe the chiefest of them wearing Gowns lined with Sables and the rest with ordinary furs The Ambassador
of his greatness Hereupon he dismissed us for that day and the next morning he went to Pontiveu which is a place where the King useth to give audience to all such as have any suit to him There beseeching his Majesty to think of us he answered him that as soon as he dispatched away an Ambassador to the King of Cauchenchina he would send us along with him for so he had resolved to do With this answer the Mitaquer returned to his house where we were ready attending his coming and told us what the King had promised him wherewithal not a little contented we went back to our lodging There in the expectation of the good success of this promise we continued ten days with some impatience at the end whereof the Mitaquer by the Kings express command carried us with him to the Court where causing us to approach near to his Majesty with those ceremonies of greatness which are observed in coming before him being the same we used at Pequin after he had beheld us with a gentle eye he bid the Mitaquer ask of us whether we would serve him and in case we would he should not only be very well pleased with it but he would also give us better entertainment and more advantagious conditions then all the strangers that should follow him in this war To this demand the Mitaquer answered very favourably for us how he had often heard us say that we were married in our Country â—nd had a great charge of children who had no other means to maintain them but what we got with our labour which was poorly enough God knows The King heard this speech with some demonstration of pity so that looking on the Mitaquer I am glad said he to know that they have such good cause to return home as they speak of that I may with the more contentmant acquit me of that which thou hast promised them in my name At these words the Mitaquer and all we that were with him lifting up our hands â—s to a testimony of our thankfulness unto him we kissed the ground three times and said May thy feet rest themselves upon a thousand generations to the end that thou mayst be Lord of the inhabitants of the earth Hereat the King began to smile and said to a Prince that was near him These men speak as if they had been bred amongst us Then casting his eyes on Iorge Mendez who stood before all us next to the Mitaquer And thou said he unto him in what condition art thou wilt thou go or stay whereupon Mendez who had long before premeditated his answer Sir replyed he for me that have neither wife nor children to bewail my absence the thing I most desire in the world is to serve your Majesty since you are pleased therewith whereunto I have more affection then to be Chaâ—m of Pequim one thousand years together At this the King smiled again and then dismissed us so that we returned very well satisfied to our lodging where we continued three days in a readiness to depart at the end of which by the mediation of the Mitaquer and means of his sister who as I have said before was wonderfully beloved of the King his Majesty sent us for the eight that we were two thousand Taeis and gave us in charge to his Ambassadour whom he sent to the City of Vzamguee in Cauchenchina in the company of the same King of Cauchenchina's Ambassador With him we departed from thence five days after being imbarqued in the vessel wherein he went himself But before our departure Iorge Mendez gave us a thousand Duckets which was easie for him to do for that he had already six thousand of yearly rent withal he kept us company all that day and at length took his leave of us not without shedding many a tear for grief that he had so exposed himself to a voluntary exile Being departed from this City of Tuymican on the ninth day of May in the year one thousand five hundred forty and four we came to lodg that night at a University in a Pagode called Guatipanior where the two Ambassadors were very well entertained by the Tuyxivau of the house which is as the Rector thereof and the next morning when it was broad day both of them continued their course down the river each one in his own ship besides other two wherein their stuff was About two hours in the night we arrived at a little Town named Puxanguim well fortified with Towers and bulwarks after our manner as also with very broad ditches and strong bridges of hewed stone there was likewise great store of Artillery or Cannons of wood made like unto the pumps of ships behind the which they put boxes of iron that held their charge and were fastened unto them with iron bands as for the bullets which they shot they were like unto those of Falconets and half black Being much amazed to see this we demanded of the Ambassador who it was that had invented those kind of guns whereunto they answered that it was certain men called Almains and of a Country named Muscovy who by a very great lake of salt-water came down to this Town in nine vessels rowed with oars in the company of a widdow woman Lady of a place called Gaytor who they said was chased out of her Country by a King of Denmark so that flying for refuge with three sons of her the great Grand-father of this King of Tartaria made them all great Lords and gave them certain kinswoman of his in marriage from whom are extracted the chiefest families of this Empire The next morning we parted from this Town and that night lay at another more nobler named Euxcau Five days after we continued our voyage down this river and then we arrived at a great Temple called Singuafatur where we saw an inclosure of above a league in circuit in which were builded an hundred threescore and four houses very long and broad after the fashion of Arcenals all full up to the very tyles of dead mens heads whereof there was so great a number that I am afraid to speak it for that it will hardly be credited Without each of these houses were also great piles of the bones of these heads which were three fathom higher then the ridges of them so that the house seemed to be buried no other part of them appearing but the frontispiece where the gate stood not far from thence upon a little hill on the South-side of them was a kind of a platform whereunto one went up by certain winding-stairs of iron and through four several doors Upon this platform was the tallest the most deformed and dreadful Monster that possibly can be imagined standing upon his feet and leaning against a mighty tower of hewed stone he was made of cast iron and of so great and prodigious a stature that by guess he seemed to be above thirty fathom high and more then six broad notwithstanding the which
from Heaven is profitable to our fields that are sowed with Rice Finding my self somewhat perplexed with the novelty of these terms and this manner of salutation I made him no answer for the instant which made the King say to the Lords that were about him I â—magine that this strâ—nger is daunted with seeing so much company here for that peradventure he hath not been accustomed unto it wherefore I hold it fit to remit him unto some other time when as he may be better acquainted and not be so abashed at the sight of people Upon this Speech of the Kings I answered by my Truchmâ—n that whereas his Highness had said that I was daunted I confessed that it was true not in regard of so many folks as were about me because I had seen far many more but that my amazement proceeded from the consideration that I was now before thâ— feet of so great a King which was sufficient to make me mute an hundred thousâ—nd years if I could live so long I added further that those which were present there seemed to me but men as I my self was but as for his Highness that God had given him such great advantages above all as it was his pleasure that he should be Lord and that others should be meer servants yea and that I my self was but a silly Ant in comparison of his greatness so that his Majesty could not see me in regard of my smalness nor I in respect thereof be able to answer unto his demands All the Assistants made such account of this mad answer of mine as clapping their hands by way of astonishment they said unto the King Mark I beseech your Highness how he speaks to purpose verily it seems that this man is not a Merchant which meddles with base things as buying and selling but rather a Bonzo that offers sacrifices for the people or if not so surely he is some great Captain that hath a long time scoured the Seas Truly said the King I am of the same opinion now that I see him so resolute but let every man be silent because I purpose that none shall speak to him but my self alone for I assure you that I take so much delight in hearing him talk that at this instant I feel no pain At those words the Queen and her daughters which were set by him were not a little glad and falling on their knees with their hands liâ—â—ed up to Heaven they thanked God for this his great goodness unto him CHAP. XLV The great mishap that befel the King of Bungo's Son with the extream danger that I was in for the same and what followed thereupon A Little after the King caused me to approach unto his bed where he lay sick of the Gout when I was near him I pree thee said he unto me be not unwilling to stay here by me for it does me much good to look on thee and talk with thee thou shalt also oblige me to let me know whether in thy Country which is at the further end of the world thou hast not learn'd any remedy for this disease wherewith I am tormented or for the lack of appetite which hath continued with me now almost these two months without eating any thing to speak of Hereunto I answered that I made no profession of physick for that I had never learnt that art but that in the Junck wherein I came from China there was a certain wood which infused in water healed far greater sicknesses then that whereof he complained and that if he took of it it would assuredly help him To hear of this he was very glad insomuch that transported with an extream desire to be healed he sent away for it in all haste to Tanixumaa where the Junck lay and having used of it thirty dayes together he perfectly recovered of this disease which had held him so for two years together as he was not able to stir from one place to another Now during the time that I remained with much content in this City of Fuchea being some twenty dayes I wanted not occasions to entertain my self withall for sometimes I was imployed in answering the questions which the King Queen Princes and Lords asked of me wherein I easily satisfied them for that the matters they demanded of me were of very little consequence Other-whiles I bestowed my selfe in beholding their Solemnities the Temples where they offered up their prayers their warlike Exercises their naval Fleets as also their fishing and hunting wherein they greatly delight especially in the high flying of Falcons and Vultures Oftentimes I past away the time with my Harquebuse in killing of Turtles and Quailes whereof there is great abundance in the Country In the mean season this new manner of shooting seemed no less marvellous and strange to the inhabitants of this Land then to them of Tanixumaa so that beholding a thing which they had nâ—ver seen before they made more reckoning of it then I am able to express which was the cause that the Kings second Son named Arichaudono of the age of sixteen or seventeen years and whom the King wonderfully loved intreated me one day to teach him to shoot but I put him off by saying that there needed a far longer time for it then he imagined wherewith not well pleased he complained to his Father of me who to content the Prince desired me to give him a couple of charges for the satisfying of his mind whereunto I answered that I would give him as many as his Highness would be pleased to command me Now because he was that day to dine with his Father the matter was referred to the afternoon howbeit then too there was nothing done for thâ—t he waited on his Mother to a Village adjoyning whither they came from all parts on pilgrimage by reason of a certain feast which was celebrated there for the health of the King The next day this young Prince came with only two young Gentlemen waiting on him to my lodging where finding me asleep on a Mat and my Harquebuse hanging on a hook by he would not wake me till he had shot off a couple of charges intending as he told me afterwards himâ—elf that these two shoots should not be comprised in them I had promised him Hâ—ving then commanded one of the young Gentlemen that attended him to go softly and kindle the Match he took down the Harquebuse from the place where it hung and going to charge it as he had seen me do not knowing how much powder he should put in he charged the Piece almost two spans deep then putting in the bullet he set himself with it to shoot at an Orange tree that was not far off but fire being given it was his ill hap that the Harquebuse brake into three pieces and gave him two hurts by one of the which his right hand thumb was in a manner lost instantly whereupon the Prince fell down as one dead which the two Gentlemen perceiving they ran
very well inclined to the poor upon whom he continually bestowed much alms Moreover they swore unto us by their Law that we should receive no hurt yet could we not by any means be perswaded thereunto for at that time we had so little hope of life that if persons worthy of credit had assured us of it we should hardly have believed them much lesâ— those cruel and detestable Gentiles who neither had Religion nor any knowledg of God When they had tied us together the footmen placed us in the midst of them whilest those on horsback coursed up and down on every side as though they had gone the round now we no sooner began to march but that the three womâ—n which were with us more dead then alive fell down on the place in a swoon partly through their natural weakness and partly through the fear they were in so that the footmen were forced to take them up in their arms and each one to carry them in his turn howbeit for all that before we could arrive at the place whither they were leading us two of the three died and were left in the Wood for a prey to the Wolves Foxes and other Wild-beasts whereof we saw great plenty thereabout At length after we had marched a good while we arrived about Sun-set at a great Borough where we were presently put into a Pagode or Temple of theirs which was invironed with very high walls and yet for the more security they placed an hundred men about it to guard us all that night who with their cries and beating of their Drums kept us waking till the next morning for the noise thereof and the consideration of our present misery would not suffer us to take any rest CHAP. XLVII The carrying of us to the Town of Pungor and presenting us to the Broquen Governour of the Kingdom with that which ensued upon it AS soon as it was morning the next day the chiefest women of the Town came to visit us and in way of charity brought us a quantity of Rice boyled fish and certain fruits of the Country for us to eat she wing themselves to be much moved with our misery as well by their words as by their tears and seeing the extream need we stood in of clothes for that we had little or scarce any upon our bodies six amongst them which for that purpose were chosen by the rest went a begging for us through all the streets of the Town saying O good folks good folks which make profession of the Law of the Lord whose property it is if one may say so to shew himself proâ—igal towards us by communicating his benefits unto us come forth of your houses to behold the flesh of our flesh which the wrath of the hand of the Lord Almighty hath touched and succour them with your alms to the end the mercy of his greatness may not abandon you as it hath done them These words were of such force to stir up their charity as within less then an hour we were abundantly furnished with all things necessary for us But about three of the clock in the afternoon came a Post to this Borough with letters to the Xivalon of the place that is the Captain thereof who had no sooner read them but he caused two Drums to beat an Alarum at the sound whereof all the people assâ—mbled together in â— great Pagode or Temple where out of a window he spake unto them and gave them to understand that the Broquen the Governour of the Kingdom had commanded us to be brought to the Town of Pungâ—r which was some seven leagues from thence The most part of them at first refused to obey this command so that there was great contention about it in such sort that nothing could be agreed upon all that day by means whereof the Post was returned to the Broquen with a relation of that which had past and so we were left there till eight of the clock the next morning at which time two Peretandaâ—s who are as it were Judges came accompanied with divers Burgesses and some twenty horsmen unto us and after many writingâ— drawn up by certain publique Registers concerning us they sent us away the same day to a Town called Gondâ—xilau where we were put into a dungeon made in the fashion of a Ciâ—terâ— remaining there till the next day up to the middle in filthy standing water that was full of hoâ—sleeches which made us all gore blood As soon as it was morning they carried us towards Pungor where we arrived about four of the clock in the afternoon now because it was late the Broquen would not see us till the day following and then bound together as we were he caused us to be led through â—our of the principal streets of the City where the people thronging from all parts to behold us seemed much to pity our misery chiefly the women In this manner we were brought to a Court of Justice where there was a great many of Officers amongst whom we continued a long time waiting for the coming of the Judge at length upon the thrice striking of a clock a door that stood just against the place where we attended was presently opened by which we entred into a very spacious Hall where the Governour sat upon a Throne all adorned with rich tapestry and under a Cloth of State of silver tinsel round about him were six Ushers upon their knees carrying Maces on their shoulders and all along the room stood a Guard with Halberds in their hands damasked with gold and silver All the rest of the Hall was full of people of divâ—rs Nations the like whereof we had not seen in those Countries After silence was imposed on â—lâ— that were present we prostrated our selves before the Throne of the Broquen and weeping said unto him Sir we beseech thee by that God which hath made Heaven and Earth and on whose power we all of us depend to take pity of our miserable fortune for since the waves of the Sea hath brought us to the lamentable estate and wretched condition wherein thou seest us we most humbly desire thee that thy goodness will be pleased to put us into a better before the King to the end he may be incited to have compassion on us poor strangers that are destitute of all succour and favour of the world for so it hath pleased God to have it in regard of our sins At these words the Broquen looking on them that were abouâ— him and shaking his head What think you of these people said he unto them verily here is one of them that speaks of God as a man which hath the knowledge of his truth so that we may conclude without all doubt that there is another great world whereof we have no notice wherefore since these men know the Source of all good it is reasonable that we should proceed with them according to the request they have made unto us with so many
carried yet was it our good fortune to be advertised of it the day before his coming to us so that we had time enough to arm our selves outwardly with all the apparances of misery and affliction we could possibly devise and counterfeit which expedient next to Gods assistance stood us in more stead then any other we could have thought upon This man then came one morning well accompanied to the prison and after he had viewed us all one after another he called to him the Iurabaca who served to interpret for him Ask these men said he what is the cause that the mighty hand of God hath so abandoned them as to permit their lives through an effect of his Divine Iustice to be subjected to the judgement of men without having so much remorse of conscience as to set before their eyes the tâ—rrour of that dreadful vision which doth use to fright the soul at the last gasp of a mans life for it is to be believed that they who have done that which I observe in them have heaped sin upon sin We answered him thereunto that he had a great deal of reason for what he spake in regard it was very probable that the sins of men were the principal cause of their sufferings howbeit that God as the Soveraign Lord of all did nevertheless in that case accustome to take pity of them with sobs and tears continually called upon him and that it was also his bounty wherein all our hope was placed to the end he would be pleased to inspire the Kings heart with a will to do as justice according to our works for that we were poor strangers destitute of all favour a thing whereof men make most account in this woâ—ld That which you say replyed he is very well provided that your hearts be conformable to your words and then you are not to be found fault with for it is most certain that he which enammels all that our eyes do behold for the beautifying â—f the night and that hath likewise made whatsoever the day doth shâ—w us for the sustenance of man who are but worms of the earth will not refuse you your deliverance seeing you beg of him with so many sighs and tears wherefore I intreat you not to dissemble with me but truly to confess what I desire to understand from you at this present namely what people you are of what Nation in what part of the world you live in and how the Kingdom of your King is named whereunto you shall adde the cause that hath brought you hither and to what place you were going with so much riches which the Sea hath cast up on the shoars of Taydican whereat all the Inhabitants have so wondred as they were perswaded that you were Masters of all the Trade of China To these and other like questions which this Spie asked of us we returned him such answers as was most behoofull for us to give him wherewith he was so contented that making us many offers he promised to move the King for our deliverance In the mean time he spake not a word to us of the occasion for which he was sent but still fained himself to be a stranger and a Merchant like one of us Howbeit when he went away he carefully recommended us to the Jaylour and willed him not to let us want any thing promising to satisfie him for it to his content In acknowledgment whereof we gave him many humble thanks with tears in our eyes whereby he was greatly moved to compassion so that he gave us a Bracelet of gold that weighed thirty Duckats and also six sacks of Rice and withall desired us to excuse hâ—m for the smalness of the present he had given us After this he returned back to the King unto whom he rendred an account of all that had past with us assuring him that we were not such as the Chineses had made him to believe and offered for proof thereof to pawn his life an hundred times if need were which was the cause that the King abated much of the suspicion wherewithall they had inveighed him about our manner of lying But as he was resolving to give order for our enlargement as well upon the report of this man as in regard of the letter which the Broquen had written him there arrived at the Port a Chinese Pyrat with four Juncks unto whom the King gave his Country for a place of Retreat upon condition that he should share with him the moity of the booty which he should take by means whereof he was in great favour with the King and all them of the Country Now forasmuch as our sins would have it that this Pyrate was one of the greatest enemies the Portugals had at that time by reason of a fight that we had had with him a little before in the Port of Lamau where Laâ—cerote Pareyra born at Lyma commanded in chief and in which he had two Juncks burnt and three hundred of his men slain this dog was no sooner advertised of our imprisonment and how the King was resolved to free us but that he imbroyled the business in a strange manner and told him so many lies of us that he lacked but little of perswading him that ere long we would be the cause of the loss of his Kingdom For he assured him that it was our custom to play the Spies in a Countâ—y under pretence of trading and then to make our selves Masters of it like robbers as we were putting all to the sword that we met withall in it which wrought so powerfully with the King that he revoked all that he had resolved to have done and changing his mind he ordained that in regard of what had been told him we should each of us be dismembred into four quarters and the same set up in the publique streets that all the world might know we had deserved to be used so CHAP. XLVIII The King of the Lequios sending a cruel Sentence against us to the Broquen of the Town where we were prisoners to the end he should put it in execution and that which hapened unto us till our arrival at Liampoo AFter that this â—ruel Sentence of death had been pronounced against us the King sent a Peretanda to the Broquen of the City where we were prisoners to the end that within four dayes it should be executed upon our persons This Peretanda departed presently away and upon his arrival at the City he went and lodged himself at a certain widows house that was his sister a very honourable woman and from whom we had received much alms This same man having secretly imparted unto her the cause of his coming how he was not to return but with a good Certificate unto the King of the performance of this exâ—cuâ—ion she went strait-way and acquainted a Niece of hers with it who was daughter to the Broquen of the City in whose house lay a Portugal woman the wife of a Pilot who was a
prisoner with us and two children of hers dâ—siring then to comfort her she discovered unto her all that she had learnt which she had no sooner understood but that extreamly afflicted at so sad a news she fell instantly to the ground in a swoon wherein she continued a long time speechless At length being come to her self again she fell to tearing of her cheeks so cruelly with her nails that all her face was nothing but gore bloud which for that it was a new and extraordinary thing in that Country was incontinently spread abroad throughout all the City insomuch that all the women being frighted with it the most part of them went forth with their children in their hands to the Broquens daughters house where thâ— Portugal woman was more ready to die then to answer to the questions one or another of them asked her being exceedingly moved with piâ—y to bâ—hold her so lamentably taking on drowned all in tears and blood which passion grief had drawn from her they all resolved to write a letter in favour of us to the old Queen the Kings Mother as accordingly they did and the contents of it were these Sacred pearl congealed in the greatest shell of the profoundest depth of the waters thou Star enammelled with rayes of fire thou tress of golden hair intermixed with a Garland of roses whose feet are so replenished with greatness that they rest upon the top of our heads like to rubies enchaced in gold whereof the price is inestimable We that are no other then the least and poorest of thy creatures the daughters and kinswomen of the Broquens wife together with the rest of thy captives that have set their hands to these presents do make our moan unto thee concerning a thing which we have seen with our eyes that is a poor woman a stranger who seems to have neither flesh nor face drowned as she is in a pool of blood beating her brest with such cruelty as would stir up even wild-beasts in the Forrest to compassion and strike fear into every one Moreover we have heard her cry so loud as we assure thee by the Law of all verity that if God should lend an ear unto her as we believe he will because he doth usually assist the poor that are despised of the world it is to be feared that some great chastisement of famine and fire will fall upon us wherefore the extream apprehension which we have of these things causeth us to joyn all our voyces together like little children hungry after their mothers and humbly beseech thee that casting thine eyes upon the soul of the deceased King thy Husbband for whose sake we beg this of thee thou wilt vouchsafe to make thy selfe like the Saints setting aside all respect of the flesh For the more thou shalt do for God the greater thou shalt be in his house where we verily believe thou shalt find the King thy Husband singing to the sound of the harp of those children that have never sinned the song of this charitable alms which for Gods sake and his we pray thee to obtaine of the King thy Son And this we hope shall be a means to move him both for the love of God and of thy self as also by the force of our tears and cries to take pity on these strangers and freely pardon them all the faults wherewith they are unjustly charged since as thou knowest they are not the Saints of Heaven that use to accuse us but men that are infamous and of an evil life to whom we are forbidden to lend an ear Conchenilau the fair Gentlewoman and well born but above all more honourable then all those of this City for having been bred up in thy service â—y her Aunt shall represent unto thee on the behalf of God and the King thy Husband for the love of whom we prefer this request unto thee all the other particularities of this affair as also the grievous tears and groaâ—s of these poor folks and the extream sadness and fear of all the inhabitants of this place who most earnestly beseech thee to present their humble Suit to the King thy Son cherished above all others on whom may it please the Lord of all good to bestow so much thereof as with that which only shall be resting to him all these people that inhabit the Land and Islands of the Sea may be replenished This letter signed by above an hundred of the chiefest women of the City was sent by a Gentlewoman the daughter of the Mandarin Comanilau Governour of the Island of Bancaa which is on the the South-side of that of the Lequios and good luck would have it that this young Damosel came thither but three dayes before the Sentence of death was to be put into execution upon us in the company of two of her brothers and ten or eleven Gentlâ—men her kinsmen This Gentlewoman being arrived at the City of Bintor where the King and the Queen his Mother were she went to the house of an Aunt of hers the chief Lady of honour to the Queen and that infinitely loved her to whom she rendred an account of the occasion of her coming and withall represented unto her how much it imported both her honour and credit seeing all the rest had made choice of her for this affair that her Highness should grant her the grace which all of them together made such suit unto her for The Lady having given her Neece the best welcome that possibly she could by all demonstrations of her affection she said unto her that since she perceived this business so much concerned her honour she would labour by all the means she could that she should not return discontented and frustrated of the hope of her request the rather for that the thing was just in it self and so earnestly sought for by so many great Ladies whereupon the Gentlewoman having given her very humble thanks besought her to dispatch the business with as much speed as might be in regard we had but two dayes more to live according to the tenour of our Sentence after which time all help would be in vain Since it is so answered her Aunt and that for want of requisite diligence the poor wretches are like to suffer the punishment whereunto the King hath destined them upon the Chineses report I will go and lay my self at the Queens feet as soon as she awakes which will be within an hour at the furthest to the end that this novelty not having done so these six years by reason of my indisposition may draw her to demand of me the cause of it Having said this she left her Neece behind her and went and opened a Gallery door whereof she alone had the key and so entred into the Chamber where the Queen lay A while after the Queen awaking found her lying at her feet whereupon she said unto her How now Nhay Meicamur for so was this Lady called what is it hath brought
you hither at this time certainly it is some extraordinary matter Madam answered she that which your Majesty sayes is very true and I assure my self that it will seem no less strange in your ears then it was to me to see my Neece arrive here lately with so much sorrow and grief that I am not able to express it in words The Queen having then commanded her to call her in she presently fetched her The first thing that this young Gentlewoman did was to prostrate her self before the Queen who was in her bed and so told her weeping the occasion that brought her thither and therewithall presented her with the letter which the Queen commanded her to read as accordingly she did and it is said the Queen was so moved with compassion at it that not induring to have her make an end of reading it she said many times unto her with tears in her eyes Enough enough I will hear no more of it at this time and since the business stands in the terms you speak of God and the Soul of the King my Husband for whose sake all these Ladies beg this boon of me forbid that these poor wretches should lose their lives so unjustly The false reports which the Chineses have made of them together with the miseries they have indured at Sea may serve them in stead of great punishments Wherefore rely upon me for your request and in the mean space withdraw your selves til to morrow morning betimes when we will go all three to the King my Son before it be day and then you shall read this letter to him as you have read it to me that being incited to pity he may make no difficulty to grant us that which we demand of him with so much reason This resolution taken the Queen was no sooner up the next day but carrying along with her only her chief Lady and the Gentlewoman her Neece she past through a Gallery to the Chamber of the King her Son whom she found still in bed and having rendred him an account of the occasion of her coming she commanded the Gentlewoman to read the letter as also to tell by word of mouth all that had happened in that affair which the Gentlewoman performed very exactly but not without mingling her tears with those of her Aunts as we knew afterwards In the mean time the King looking on his Mother Madam answered he unto her I must needs confess that I dream'd this night how I saw my self before a very angry Iudge who carying his hand three times to his face as if he had threatned me I promise thee said he unto me that if the blood of these strangers doth cry unto me for vengeance thou and thine shall satisfie my justice which makes me believe that assuredly this vision comes from God for whose sake I will do this alms to his praise giving them both life and liberty that so they may go where they will and moreover I will cause a vessel to be provided for them furnished with all things they shall need all at mine own charge The Queen gave thâ— King her Son thanks for this his great grace unto them and withall commanded her Lady and the Gentlewoman to kiss his feet as instantly they did and so the Queen retired to her own lodging Hereupon the King sent for the Chumbim to command him that the Sentence against us might be revoked telling him all that had past as well concerning his dream as the request the Queen his Mother had made unto him which he had granted her Then the Officers of Justice commending the King much for this action revoking the former drew up another Sentence in favour of us which contained words to this effect Broquen of my City of Pungor I the Lord of seven Generations and of the hairs of thy head do send thee the smiles of my mouth that thy reputation may be thereby augmented Considering the information which the Chineses had given me of the pernicious manner of living of thâ—se strangers assuring me by a solemn oath and upon the faith they owe unto their Gods that infallibly they were Pyrats and robbers who used no other trade then to steal away othermens goods and bathâ—e heir hands in the blood of those that would defend their own according to reason as they said was manifest to all the world which they have run over not leaving any Island Port of the Sea River nor Land that they have not invaded with fire and sword committing such enormous and horrible crimes as for fear of offending God I may not mention All which things have at first sight seemed unto me most worthy to be punished in justice according to the Laws of my Kingdom wherefore I sent their Proces to the principal officers of my Crown who all with one common consent swore unto me that these strangers deserved not only one but many deathâ— if it were possible so that relying upon their advice I wrote unto Nhay Peretanda that he should enjoyn thee from me not to fail within four dayes to put that Sentence of mine in execution Now forasmuch as the chiefest Dames of your City whom I hold for my kinswomen have been Suiters unto me since that I would be pleased to bestow their lives upon them by way of an alms alledging many reasons in their letters to that purpose whereby I might be induced not to deny but rather to accord them that grace the fear which I have least their cries should in case of refusal arrive at the highest of the Heavens where that Lord liveth raigning whose property it is to have pity on the tears which are truly shed by those that have a right zeal to his holy Law hath wrought so with me that freeing my self from that blind passion whereunto the flesh rendred me inclined I would not let my choller prevail over the blood of those wretches For which reasons I command thee that as soon as this fair Gentlewoman who is of noble extraction and my kinswoman shall present thee these letters signed with my hand wherewith I confess I am well contented in regard of the persons that have made this Suite unto me thou go unto the prison whither thou hast committed these strangers and that without all delay thou set them at liberty as also that thou furnish them with a vessel at my charge giving them moreover such alms as the Law of the Lord commandeth thee to bestow on them and that too with a liberal hand whereupon thou shalt tell them that they may go away without seeing my Person for which I will dispense with them as well because that labour would be to no purpose as for that performing as I do the Office of a King it is not fit for me to behold men who have a great knowledge of God and yet seem to make little account of his Law in that they accustom themselves to rob others of their goods Given at Bintor in the third
Junck where looking very carefully unto them yet could I not in two dayes get one word from them But at length by the means of yolks of egs and good broaths which I made them take they came again to themselves so that in six or seven dayes they were able to render me a reason of their accident One of those Portugals was called Christovano Doria who was since sent into this Country for a Captain to Saint Tomé the other Luys Taboâ—da and the third Simano de Brito all men of credit and rich Merchants These same recounted unto us that coming from the Indiaes in a vessâ—l belonging to Iorge Manhoz that was married at Goa with a purpose to go to the Port of Charingan in the Kingdom of Bengala they were cast away in the sands of Rucano for want of taking heed so that of fourâ—core persons that they were in the vessel onely seventeen being saved they had continued their course all along by the Coast for five dayes together intâ—nding if possibly they could to recover the river of Cosmira in the Kingdom of Pegu there to shâ—p thâ—mselves for the Indiaes in some vâ—ssâ—l or other thaâ— they should meet with in the Port but whilest they were in this resolution thâ—y were so driven by a most impetuous Westerly wind that in one day and a night they lost the sight of Land finding themselves in the maâ—n Sea without Oars without Sayls and all knowledge of the winds they continued in that State sixteen daâ—s together at the end whereof their water coming to sail all died but those three he saw before him Upon the finishing of this relation we proceeded on in our course and within four days after we met with five Portugal vessels which were sayling from Bengala to Malaca Having shewed them Pedro de Faria's Order I desired them to keep in consort together for fear of the Achems Army that ranged all over the Coast lest through their imprudence they should fall into any mischief and thereof I demanded a Certificate from them which they willingly granted as also furnished me very plentifully with all things necessary Having made this dispatch we continued our course and nine days after we arrived at the Bar of Martabano on a Friday the seven and twentieth of March one thousand five hundred forty and five having past by Tarnassery Tovay Mâ—rguin Iuncay Pullo Camuda and Vagaruu without hearing any tidings of those hundred Portugals in search of whom I went bâ—cause before that they had taken pay in the service of the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano who according to report had sent for them to assist him against the King of Bramaa that held him besieged with an Army of seven hundred thousand men as I have declared before howbeit they were not at this time in his Service as we shall see presently It was almost two hours within night when we arrived at the mouth of the River where we cast anchor with a resolution to go up the next day to the City Having continued some time very quiet we â—ver and anon heard many Cannon shot whereat we were so troubled as we knew not what to resolve on As soon as the Sun rose the Nâ—coda assembled his men to Councel for in Semblable occasions he always used so to do and told them that as sure as they were all to have a share in the peril so it was fit that every one should give his advice about it Then he made them a Speech wherein he represented unto them that which they had heard that night and how in regard thereof he feared to go unto the City Their opinions upon it were very different howbeit at length they concluded that their eyes were to be witnesses of that whereof they stood in such doubt To this end we set Sail having both wind and tyde and doubled a poâ—nt called Mounay from whence we discovered the City invironed with a world of men and upon the River almost as many vessels and although we suspected what this might be because we had heard something of it yet left we not off from sayling to the Port where we arrrived with a great deal of care and having discharged our Ordnance according to the usual manner in signe of peace we perceived a vessel very well furnished came directly to us from the shore wherein there was six Portugals at which we exceedingly rejoyced These presently came abord our Junck where they were very well entertained having declared unto us what we were to do for the safety of our persons they councelled us not to budge from thence for any thing in the world as we had told them our resolution was to have fled that night to Bengala because if we had followed that designe we had 〈◊〉 been lost and taken by the Fleet which the King of Bramaa had in that place consisting 〈◊〉 seventeen hundred Sayls wherein were comprised an hundred Gallies very well furnished with strangers They added withall that they were of opinion I should go ashore with them to Ioano Cayâ—yro who was Captain of the Portugals for to give him an account of the cause that brought me thither the rather for that he was a man of a sweet disposition and a great friend of Pedro de Faria's to whom they had often heard him give much commendation as well for his noble extraction as for the goodly qualities that were in him besides they told me that I should find Lançarote Gueyreyro and the rest of the Captains with him unto whom my aforesaid Letters were directed and that I should do nothing therein prejudicial to the Service of God and the King This counsel seeming good unto me I went presently to land with the Portugals to wait on Ioano Cayeyro to whom I was exceeding wâ—lcome as likewise to all the rest that were in his quarters to the number of seven hundred Portugals all rich men and of good esteem Then I shewed Ioano Cayeyro my Letters and the Order that Pedro de Faria had given me Moreover I treated with him about the affair that led me thither whereupon I observed that he was very instant with the Captains to whom I was addrest who answered him that they were ready to serve the King in all occasions that should be presented howbeit since the Letter of Pedro de Faria Governour of Malaca was grounded on the fear that he was in of the Army of the Achems composed of an hundred and thirty Sayl whereof Bijaya Sora King of Pedir was General and it having fallen out that his Admiral had been defeated at Tarnasery by those of the Country with the loss of seventy Lanchares and six thousand men it was not needful they should stir for that occasion for according to what they had seen with their own eyes the Forces of that enemy were so mightily weakned as they did not think he could in ten years space recover again the loss he had sustained To this they added many other reasons
which made them all to agree that it was not necessary they should go to Malaca After these things I desired Ioano Cayeyro to make me a Dâ—claration of all that had past in this business that it might serve me as it were for a Certificate at my return to our Fortress determining as soon as I had it to get me from this place for that I had nothing more to do there With this resolution I stayed there with Ioano Cayeyro in continual expectation to be gone when the Season should serve for the Junck to depart and remained with him at this Siege the space of six and forty days which was the chief time of the King of Bramaa his abode there of whom I will say something here in a few words because I conceive the curious would be well content to know what success the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano had in this war This Siege had lasted now six months and thirteen dayes in which space the City had been assaulted five times in plain-day but the besieged defended themselves always very valiantly and like men of great courage Howbeit in regard they were insensibly consumed with length of time and the success of war and that no succour came to them from any part their enemies were without comparison far more in number then they in such sort as the Chaubainhaa found himself so destitute of men as it was thought he had not above five thousand souldiers left in the City the hundred and thirty thousand which were said to be there at the beginning of the Siege being consumed by Famine or the Sword by reason whereof the Councel assembling for to deliberate what was to be done thereupon it was resolved that the King should sound his enemy by his Interest which he presently put in execution For that effect he sent to tell him that if he would raise the Siege he would give him thirty thousand Bisses of silver which is in value a million of gold and would become his Tributary at threescore thousand Duckets by the year The answer made by the King of Bramaa hereunto was that he could accept of no conditions from him if he did not first yield himself to his mercy The second time he propounded unto him that if he would suffer him to depart away with two ships in one of the which should be his Treasure and in the other his Wife and Children that then he would deliver him the City and all that was in it But the King of Bramaa would hearken no more to that then the former The third Proposition which he made him was this That he should retire with his Army to Tagalaa some six leagues off that so he might have liberty to go away freely with all his and thereupon he would deliver him the City and the Kingdom together with all the Treasure belonging to the King his Predecessour or that in lieu thereof he would give him three millions of gold But he also refused this last offer insomuch that the Chaubainhaa utterly dispairing of ever making his peace with so cruel an enemy began to meditate with himself what means he might use to save himself from him Having long thought upon it he found no better an expedient then therein to serve himself of the succour of the Portugals for he was perswaded that by their means he might escape the present danger He sent then secretly to tell Ioano Cayeyro that if he would imbarque himself in the night in his four ships and take him in with his wife and children and so save them he would give him half his treasure In this affair he very closely imployed a certain Portugal named Paulo de Seixas born in the Town of Obidos who at that time was with him in the City This same having disguised himself in a Pegu habit that he might not be known stole one night to Cayeyro's Tent and delivered him a Letter from the Chaubainhaa wherein this was contained Valiant and faithful Commander of the Portugals through the Grace of the great King of the other end of the world the strong and mighty Lion dreadfully roaring with a Crown of Majesty in the House of the Sun I the unhappy Chaubainhaa heretofore a Prince but now no longer so finding my self besieged in this wretched and infortunate City do give thee to understand by the words pronounced out of my mouth with an assurance no less faithful then true that I now render my self the Vassel of the great King of Portugal Soveraign Lord of me and my children with an acknowledgement of homage and such tribute as he at his pleasure shall impose on me wherefore I require thee on his behalf that as soon as Paulo Seixas shall present this my Letter unto thee thou come speedily with thy Ships to the Bulwark of the Chappel-key where thou shalt find me ready attending thee and then without taking further counsel I will deliver my self up to thy mercy with all the treasures that I have in gold and precious stones whereof I will most willingly give the one half to the King of Portugal upon condition that he shall permit me with the remainder to leavy in his Kingdom or in the Fortresses which he hath in the Indiaes two thousand Portugals to whom I will give extraordinary great pay that by their means I may be re-established in this State which now I am constrained to abandon since my ill fortune will have it so As for that which concerns thee and thy men I do promise them by the faith of my verity that in case they do help to save me I will divide my treasure so liberally among them that all of them shall be very well satisfied and contented And for that time will not suffer me to enlarge any further Paulo de Seixas by whom I send this unto thee shall assure thee both of that which he hath seen and of the rest which I have communicated unto him Ioano Cayeyro had no sooner received this Letter but he presently caused the chief of his followers secretly to assemble together in Councel Having shewed them the Letter he represented unto them how important and profitable it would be for the service of God and the King to accept of the offer which the Chaubainhaa had made them Whereupon causing an Oath to be given to Paulo de Seixas he willed him freely to declare all his knowledg of the matter and whether it were true that the Chaubainhaa his Treasure was so great as it was reported to be Thereunto he answered by the Oath that he had taken That he knew not certainly how great his Treasure was but that he was well assured how he had often seen with his own eyes an house in form of a Church and of a reasonable bigness all â—ull up to the very tyles of bars and wedges of Gold which might very well lade two great Ships He further said That he had moreover seen six and twenty Chests bound about with strong
it in the Kings head that you can be any ways profitable unto him It were fitter for you therefore to shave away your beards that you may not deceive the world as you do and we will have women in your places that shall serve us for our money Whereupon the Bramaas of the Guard being incensed against us drove us away from thence with a great deal of shame and contumely And truly not to lye never was I so sensible of any thing as this in respect of the honour of my Country-men After this the Chaubainhaa went on till he came to the Tent of the King who attended him with a Royal Pomp for he was accompanied with a great number of Lords amongst the which there were fifteen Bainhaas who are as Dukes with us and of six or seven others that were of greater dignity then they As soon as the Chaubainhaa came near him he threw himself at his feet and so prostrated on the ground he lay there a good while as it were in a swoon wiâ—hâ—ut â—peaking a word but the Rolim of Mounay that was close by him supplyed that defect and likâ— a religious man as he was spake for him to the King saying Sir Here is a Spâ—ctacle able to move thy heart to pity though the crime be such as it is Remember then that the thing most pleasing to God in this world and whereunto the effects of his mercy is soonest communicated is such an action and voluntary submission as this is which here thou beholdâ—st It is for thee now to imitate his clemency and so to do thou art most humbly intreated by the hearts of all them that are mollified by so great a misfortune as this is Now if thou grantest them this their request which with so much instance they beg of thee be assured that God will take it in good part and that at the hour of thy death he will stretch forth his mighty hand over thee to the end thou mayst be exempted from all manner of faults Hereunto he added many other speeches whereby he perswaded the King to pardon him at least-wise he promised so to do wherewith the Rolim and all the Lords there present shewed themselves very well contented and commended him exceedingly for it imagining that the effect should be answerable to that which he had ingaged himself for before all Now because it began to be night he commanded the most of them that were about him to retire as for the Chaubainhaa he committed him into the hands of a Bramaa Commander named Xemin Commâ—dau and the Queen his wife with his children and the other Ladies were put into the custody of Xemin Ansedaa as well because he had his wife there as for that he was an honourable old man in whom the King of Bramaa much confided The fear which the King of Bramaa was in left the men of war should enter into the City of Martabano and should pillage it now that it was night before he had done all that which I am hereafter to relate was the cause that he sent to all the gates of the City being four and twenty Bramaa Captains for to guard them with express Commandment that upon pain of death no man should be suffered to enter in at any of them before he had taken order for the performance of the promise which he had made to the strangers to give them the spoil of it howbeit he took not that care and used such diligence for the consideration he spâ—ke of but onely that he might preserve the Chaubainhaas treasure to which effect he spent two whole days in conveighing it away it being so great that a thousand men were for that space altogether imployed therein At the end of these two days the King went very early in the morning to an hill called Beidao distant from his quarters some two or three flight shoot and then caused the Captains that were at the Guard of the gates to leave them and retire away whereupon the miserable City of Martabono was delivered to the mercy of the Souldiers who at the shooting off of a Cannon which was the signal thereof entred presently into it pell-mell and so thronging together that at the entring into the gates it is said above three hundred were stifled for as there was there an infinite company of men of War of different Nations the most of them without King without Law and without the fear and knowledge of God they went all to the Spoile with closed eyes and therein shewed themselves so cruel minded that the thing they made least reckoning of was to kill an hundred men for a crown And truly the disorder was such in the City as the King himself was fain to go thither six or seven times in Person for to appease it The Sack of this City endured three days and an half with so much avarice and cruelty of these barbarous enemies as it was wholly pillaged without any thing left that might give an eye-cause to covet it That done the King with a new ceremony of Proclamations caused the Chaubainhaas Pallaces together with thirty or forty very fair rich Houses of his principal Lords and all the Pagods and Temples of the City to be demolished so that according to the opinion of many it was thought that the loss of those magnificent Edifices amounted to above ten millions of gold wherewith not yet contented he commanded all the buildings of the City that were still a foot to be set on fire which by the violence of the wind kindled in such manner as in that onely night there remained nothing unburnt yea the very Walls Towers and Bulwarks were consumed even to the foundations The number of them that were killed in this Sack was threescore thousand persons nor was that of the prisoners much less There were an hundred and forty thousand houses and seventeen hundred Temples burnt wherein also were consumed threescore thousand Statues or Idols of divers mettals during this Siege they of the City had eaten three thousand Elephants There was found in this City six thousand pieces of Artillery what of brass and iron an hundred thousand Quintals of Pepper and as much of Sanders Benjamin Lacre Lignum Aloes Camphire Silk and many other kinds of rich Merchandise but above all an infinite number of commodities which were come thither from the Indiaes in above an hundred vessels of Cambaya Achem Melinda Ceilam and of all the Streight of Mecqua of the Lequios and of China As for the gold silver precious stones and jewels that were found there one knows not truly what they were for those things are ordinarily concealed wherefore it shall suffice me to say that so much as the King of Bramaa had for certain of the Chaubainhaas Treasure amounted to an hundred Millions of gold whereof as I have said before our King lost the Moitie as well for our sins as through the malice and envy of wicked dispositions The next day after the
he imbaâ—qued in twelve thousand rowing Vessels whereof two thousand were Seroos Laulers Caturos and Foists Now all this great Fleet set forth from Pegu the ninth day of March 1545. and going up the River of Ansedaa it went to Danapluu where it was furnished with all such provisions as was necessary From this place following on their way through a great River of fresh water called Picau Malacou which was above a league broad at length upon the thirteenth of April they came within view of Prom. There by some whom they took that night they learned that the King was dead and how he had left for his successor to the Kingdom a son of his of thirteen years of age whom the King his Father before he dyed had marryed to his wives sister the Aunt of the said young Prince and Daughter to the King of Avaa This young King was no sooner advertised of the King of Bramaa his coming to besiege him in his City of Prom but he sent presently away to the King his Father-in-law for succor which he instantly granted and to that end speedily raised an Army of 30000 Mons Tarces and Chalems choyce men and trained up in the Wars of whom he made a son of his and brother to the Queen General In the mean time the Bramaa having intelligence thereof used all possible diligence for to besiege the City before so great a succor might arrive To which purpose having landed his Army in a plain called Meigavotau some two leagues below the City he continued there five days in making ready such preparations as were needful Having given order for all things he caused his Army to march one morning before day directly to the City with the sound of Drums Fifes and other such instruments of War where being arrived about noon without any opposition he began presently to settle his Camp so that before it was night the whole City was environed with Trenches and very great Ditches as also with six rows of Cannons and other Pieces of Ordnance CHAP. LIII That which passed between the Queen of Prom and the King of Bramaa together with the first Assault that was given to the City and the Success thereof THe King of Bramaa had been now five days before the City of Prom when as the Queen that governed the State in the place of her Husband seeing her self thus besieged sent to visit this her enemy with a rich jewel of precious stones which was presented unto him by a Talagrepo or religious man of above an hundred years old who was held amongst them for a Saint together with a Letter wherein this was written Great and mighty Lord more favoured in the House of fortune then all the Kings of the earth the force of an extream power an increasing of the Salt-seas whereinto all lesser rivers do render themselvos a Shield full of very fair devices Processor of the greatest States upon the Throne whereof thy feet do repose with a marvellous Majesty I Nhay Nivolau a poor woman Governess and Tutress of my Son an Orphan do prostrate my self before thee with tears in mine eyes and with the respect which ought to be rendred unto thee I beseech thee not to draw thy Sword against my weakness for thou knowest that I am but a silly woman which can but only cry unto God for the wrong that it done me whose property also it is to succour with mercy and to chastice with justice the States of the world be they never so great trampling them under his feet with so redoubted a power that the very Inhabitants of the profound house of smoak do fear and tremble before this Almighty Lord I pray and conjure thee not to take from me that which is mine seeing it is so small a thing as thou shalt not be the greater for it when thou hast it nor yet the less if thou hast it not whereas contrarily if thou my Lord wilt shew thy self pitiful to me that act of clemency will bring thee such reputation as the very Infants themselves will cease from sucking the white breasts of their Mothers for to praise thee with the pure lips of their innocency and likewise all they of my Country and Strangers will ever remember such thy charity towards me and I my self will cause it to be graven on the Tombs of the dead that both they and the living may give thee thanks for a thing which I do beg of thee with so much instance from the bottom of my heart This holy man Avenlachim from whom thou shalt receive this Letter written with mine own hand hath Power and Authority to treat with thee in the Name of my Fatherless Son concerning all that shall be judged reasonable touching the tribute and homage which thou shalt think fit to have rendred unto thee upon condition that thou wilt be pleased to let us enjoy our houses so that under a true assurance thereof we may bring up our children and gather the fruit of our labours for the nourishment of the poor Inhabitants of this paltry Town who will all serve thee and I to with a most humble respect in all things wherein thou shalt think good to imploy us at thy pleasure The Bramaa received this Letter and Ambassage with a great deal of authority and entertained the Religious man that delivered it to him with much honour as well in reguard of his age as for that he was held as a Saint amongst thâ—m with all he granted him certain things which were at first demanded as a Cessation of Arms till such time as Articles should be agreed on as also a permission for the Besieged to converse with the Besiegers and other such things of little consequence In the mean time judging with himself that all those offers which this poor Queen made him and the humble submissions of her Letter proceeded from weakness and fear he would never answer the Ambassadour clearly or to purpose Contrarily he caused all the places there abouts that were weak and unarmed to be secretly ransaked and the poor Inhabitants thereof to be unmercifully butchered by their barbarous enemies whose cruelty was so gâ—eat that in five dayes according to report they killed fourteen thousand persons the most part whereof were women children and old men that were not able to bear Arms. Hereupon the Rolim who brought this Letter relying no longer on the false promises of this Tyrant and discontented with the little respect he used towards him demanded leave of him to return to the City which the Bâ—amaa gave him together with this answer That if the Queen would deliver up her self her Treasure her Kingdom and her Vassals to him he would recompence her another way for the loss of her State but withall that she was to return him a peremptory answer to this proposition of his the very same day which was all the time I could give her that so he might upon the knowledge of her resolution determine upon
that other succors came to joyn with them as indeed the report went that fourscore thousand all Mons by Nation and led by the King of Avaa were on their way thither With this resolution the Tyrant of Bramaa set forth towards Meleytay with an Army of three hundred thousand men namely two hundred thousand by Land alongst the Rivers side whereof the Chaumigrem his Foster-brother was Commander in chief and the other hundred thousand under his own conduct being all choyce men and imbarqued in two thousand Seroos Being come within sight of Meleytay the Avaas desiring to shew that the resolution wherewith they were come thither was of far more power with them then any fear they could have and that also their Enemies might not receive any benefit by their Fleet which lay on the River and do them an affront besides by taking of it they set all theâ—â— Vessels on fire and burnt them every one Then without any dread of that which the flesh doth naturally most fear they got all into the field and ranged themselves into four Battalions in three of which whereof each one made ten thousand men were the thirty thousand Mons and in the the other that were somewhat bigger were all the Mariners of the four hundred Vessels they had burnt These same they placed in the Vaunt-guard with an intention that they should weary the Enemies with whom they made a cruel fight which lasted about half an hour wherein all these Mariners were cut in pieces presently after them the thirty thousand Mons close compacted together in three Battalions presented themselves and with wonderful violence set upon their Enemies between whom and them followed so extraordinary and cruel a battel as not longer to insist upon it nor to recount in particular how things past which also I cannot well do it shall suffice me to say that of the thirty thousand Mons eight hundred only escaped out of it who being routed made their retreat into the Fortress of Meleytay but that which was most memorable herein was that of the King of Bramaas two hundred thousand men an hundred and fifteen thousand lay dead in field and all the rest for the most part were wounded In the mean time the Tyrant which came along on the River in the two thousand Seroos arrived at the place of Battel where beholding the strange massacre which the Mons had made of his people he became so enraged at it that dis-imbarquing his Forces he instantly layd siege unto the Fortress with a purpose as he said to take all those eight hundred that were in it alive This siege continued seven whole days together during the which those without gave five assaults to it and the besieged defended themselves always very valiantly howbeit seeing that the last hour of their life was come and that they could no longer hold that place for their King as they had hoped they might by reason of the fresh Forces which the King of Bramaa had landed like couragious men as they were they resolved to dye in the field as their companions had done and valiantly revenge their deaths with that of their Enemies whereunto they were the more willingly carryed because they perceived well that if they continued still in the place they should never make use of their valor as they desired to do for that the Tyrants Ordnance would by little and little consume them This resolution taken they under the favor of a very dark and rainy night sallyed forth and first of all fell upon the two first Courts of guard that were on the Lands side cutting all in pieces that they met withall Then following their design they passed on like desperate men and whether they did it either to shew that they regarded not death which threatened them or for the desire they had to gain honor so it was that they behaved themselves so couragiously and pressed the Tyrant so neer as they forced him to leap into the River and swim for his life in so much that all the Camp was in disorder and broken through in I know not how many places with the death of above twelve thousand men amongst whom were fifteen hundred Bramaas two thousand strangers of divers Nations and all the rest Pegu's This â—ight last not above half an hour in which time the eight hundred Mons were all slain there being not so much as one of them that would yield upon any composition whatsoever Hereupon the Tyrant of Bramaa seeing the fight ended and all things quiet went and reassembled his Forces together and so entered into the Fortress of Meleytay where he presently commanded the Xemims head to be cut off saying that he was the sole cause of that disaster and that he who had been a Traytor to his King could not be faithful unto him behold the recompence which this Tyrant made him for delivering up the City of Prom unto him howsoever it justly belonged unto him for a punishment of his perfidiousness that carryed him to betray his King and his own Country into the power of his Enemies After this they fell to dressing of the hurt men which were in very great number We pâ—st all this night with much apprehension always keeping good watch and the next morning as soon as it was day the first thing that we did was to rid away the dead bodies which were in so great number all over the Camp that the ground was quite covered with them After this we took a view of those that were killed as well on the one as the other party and we found that on the Bramaas side there were an hundred and fourscore thousand and on the Prince of Avaas forty and two thousand wherein were comprized the thirty thousand Mons. That done after the Tyrant had fortified the City of Prom as also the Fort of Meleytay and made two other Forts upon the bank of the River in such places as he judged to be most important for the safety of that Kingdom he went up the River of Queitor in a thousand rowing Serâ—os wherein were imbarqued seventy thousand men In this Voyage his intention was to go in his own person for to observe the Kingdom of Avaa and to see the City himself the better to consider the strength of it and thereby judg what Forces he should bring for to take it So he proceeded still on for the space of eight and twenty days and during that time passed by many goodly places which within the Kingdom of Chaleu and Iacuçalaon were upon the bank of the River At length he arrived at the City of Avaa the thirteenth of October the same year a thousand five hundred forty and five Being come to the Port he remained there thirteen days and that while burned between two and three thousand Vessels that he found there Moreover he set fire on many Villages thereabout which cost him not so little but that he lost in all these degasts eight thousand of
his men amongst the which were threescore and two Portugals Now whereas this City was very strong as well in regard of the scituation of it as of the Fortifications which were newly made there it had besides within it twenty thousand Mons who it was said were come thither some five days before from the Mountains of Pondalâ—u where the King of Avaa by the permission of the Siamon Emperor of that Monarchy was levying above fourscore thousand men for to go and regain the City of Prom for as soon as that King had received certain news of the death of his daughter and son-in-law perceiving that he was not strong enough of himself to revenge the wrongs this Tyrant had done him or to secure himself from those which he feared to receive of him in time to come namely the depriving him of his Kingdom as he was threatened he went in person with his wife and children and cast himself at the Siamons feet and acquainting him with the great affronts he had received and what his desire was he made himself his Tributary at threescore thousand Bisses by the year which amount to an hundred thousand Duckets of our mony and a gueta of Rubies being a measure like to our pynt therewith to make a jewel for his wife of which Tribute it was said that he advanced the payment for ten years beforehand besides many other precious stones and very rich Plate which he presented him with estimated in all at two millions in recompence whereof the Siamon obliged himself to take him into his protection yea and to march into the field for him as often as need should require and to re-establish him within a year in the Kingdom of Prom so as for that effect he granted him those thirty thousand men of succor which the Bramaa defeated at Meleytay as also the twenty thousand that were then in the City and the fourscore thousand which were to come to him over whom the said King of Avaa was to be the General The Tyrant having intelligence thereof and apprehending that this above all other things he could fear might be the cause of his ruine he gave present order for the fortifying of Prom with much more care and diligence then formerly howbeit before his departure from this River where he lay at anchor being about some leâ—gue from the City of Avaa he sent his Treasurer named Dioçory with whom we eight Portugals as I have related before remained prisoners Embassador to the Calaminhan a Prince of mighty power who is seated in the midst of this region in a great and spacious extent of Country and of whom I shall say something when I come to speak of him The subject of this Embassage was to make him his Brother in Arms by a League and Contract of new amity offering for that effect to give him a certain quantity of Gold and precious stones as also to render unto him certain Frontier Lands of his Kingdom upon condition that the Spring following he should keep the Siamon in war for to divert him from succoring the King of Avaa and thereby give him means the more easily to take his City from him without fear of that assistance which that King hoped should serve for an obstacle to his design This Embassador departed then after he had imbarqued himself in a Laulea that was attended on by twelve Seroos wherein there were three hundred men of service and his guard besides the Watermen and Mariners whose number was little less The Presents which he carryed to the Calaminhan were very great and consisted in divers rich pieces as well of Gold as of precious stones but above all in the Harness of an Elephant which according to reports was worth above six hundred thousand Duckets and it was thought that all the Presents put together amounted to a Million of Gold At his departure amongst other favors which the King his Master conferred on him this same was not the least for us that he gave us eight unto him for to be his perpetual slaves Having clothed us then very well and furnished us abundantly with all things necessary he seemed to be exceedingly contented with having us along with him in this Voyage and ever after he made more account of us then of all the rest that followed him CHAP. LV. Our going with the King of Bâ—amâ—a's Ambassadour to the Calaminham with the Course which we held until we arrived at the Temple or Pagod of Timagoogoo and a Description thereof IT seems fit unto me and conformable to that which I am relaâ—ing to leave for a while this Tyrant of Bramaa to whom I will return again when time shal serve for to intreat here of the way we held for to go into Timplan the capital City of the Empire of the Calaminham which signifies Lord of the world for in their language Cala is Lord and Minhan the world This Prince also entitles himself The absoluâ—e Lord of the indomptable force of the Elephants of the Earth And indeed I do not think that in all the world there is a greater Lord then he as I shall declare hereafter This Ambassadour then departing from Avaa in the month of October a thousand five hundred forty and five took his course up the râ—ver of Queitor steering West South-East and in many places Eastward by reason of the winding of the water and so in this diversity of â—hombâ—s we continued our voyage seven days together at the end whereof we arrived at a Channâ—l called Guampanoo through which the Rhobamo who was our Pilot took his course that he might decline the Siamons Country being so commanded to do by the express Order of the King A while after we came to a great Town named Gataldy where the Ambassadour stayed three days to make provision of certain things necessary for his voyage Having left this place we wâ—nt on still rowing up through his Channel eleven dayes longer during which time we met not with any place that was remarkable only we saw some small villages the houses whereof were covered with thatch and peopled with very poor folks and yet for all that the fields are full of Cattel which seemed to have no Master for we killed twenty and thirty of them in a day in the sight of those of the Country no man so much as finding fault with it but contrarily they brought them in courtesie to us as if they were glad to see us kill them in that sort At our going out of this Channel of Guampanoo we entred into a very great river called Angegumaa that was above three Leagues broad and in some places six and twenty fathom deep with such impetuous currents as they drove us often-times from our course This river we coasted above seven dayes together and at length arrived at a pretty little walled Town named Gumbim in the Kingdom of Iangromaa invironed on the Lands side for five or six â—â—agues space with Forrests of Bâ—njamin as alâ—o with
misfortune this poor woman was reduced so that we told her our opinion and what we thought was fit for her to do whereupon she concluded to go along with us to Timplam and so to Pegu and from thence to set sail for Coromandel there to finish her days in the Island of St Thomé Having vowed unto us to do thus we quitted her not doubting that she would lose so good an opportunity to retire her self out of the errors wherein she was and to restore her self to an estate wherein she might be saved since it had pleased God to permit her to meet with us in a Country so far distant from that which she could hope for Howbeit she performed nothing for we could never see nor hear of her afterwards which made us to believe that either some thing was befallen her that kept her from coming to us or that through the obstinacy of her sins she deserved not to make her profit of the grace which our Lord had offered to her out of his infinite goodness and mercy CHAP. LVIII The Magnificent Reception of the King of Bramaa his Ambassadour at the City of Timplam and that which passed betwixt the Calaminham and him NIne dayes after the King of Bramaa his Ambassadour had reposed himself there by way of ceremony according to the fashion of the Coâ—try for the more honour of his Ambassage one of the Governours of the City called Quampanogrem came to fetch him accompanied with fourscore Seroos and Laulees very well eqipped and full of luâ—ty able men Throughout this Fleet they played on so many barbarous and ill accorded instruments as Belâ— Cymbals Drums and Sea-corners that the din thereof coming to joyn with the noise which the Rowers made terrified all those that heard it and indeed one would have thought it at first to be some inchantment or to say better a musick of hell if there be any there Amidst this stir we drew near to the City where we arrived about noon Being come to the first Key that was named Campalarraia we saw a great many men both Horse and Foot all richly accoutred as also a number of fighting Elephants very well harnessed having their chairs and forâ—-head pieces garnished with silver and their warlike Panores fastened to their teeth which rendred them very terrible The Ambassadour was no sooner come on shore but the Campanogrem took him by the hand and falling on his knees presented him to another great man that attended for him at the Key in great pomp This same was called Patedacan one of the chiefest of the Kingdom as we were told After he had with a new complement of courtesie received the Ambassadour he offered him an Elephant furnished with a Chair and harness of gold but whatsoever the Mandarin could do to make the Ambassadour accept of it he could by no means draw him thereunto whereupon he caused another almost as well furnished to be brought and gave it to him As for us nine Portugals and fifty or threescore Bramaas they provided Horses on which we mounted In this manner we departed from that place having his Chariots before us full of men that amidst the acclamations of the people played upon divers kinds of instruments namely on silver Cymbals Bells and Drums Thus we were conducted through many long Streets whereof nine were invironed with Ballisters of Lattin and at the entrance into them there were Arches very richly wrought as also many Chapters of pillars guilt and great Bells which like unto clocks struck the hours nay the quarters of the hour of the day whereby the people were ordinarily directed After that with much ado by reason of the great press of people that was in the streets we were come to the outward Court of the Calaminham's Pallace which was as long or little less as a Faulcons shot and broad proportionable thereunto we saw in it above six thousand Horses all trapped with silver and silk and those that were mounted on them were armed with Coâ—slets of Lattin and Copper head-pieces of silver carrying Ensigns in their hands of divers Colours and Targets at their Saddle-bowâ— The Câ—mmander of thâ—se Troops was the Quietor of Justice who is as the Super-intendent over all the other Civil and Criminal Ministers which is a Jurisdiction â—epeâ—ate by it self from whence there is no appeal The Ambassadour being come near unto him who was also advanced to receive him and the two Governours they all prostraâ—eâ— themselves on the ground three times which is amongst them a new kind of Compliment whereupon the Queitor spake not a word to the Ambassadour but onely laid his hand on his head and then gave him a rich Scymitar that he wore by his side which the Ambassadour accepted of very thankfully and kissed it thrice That done the Quieor set the Ambassadour on his right hand and leaving the two Mandarins a little behind they past along through two ranks of Elephants which made a kind of Street of the length of the outward Court they being fifteen hundred in number all furnished with Castles and rich Chairs of divers inventions as also with a great many of silk Banners and gorgeous Coverings round abouâ— were a great Company of Halberdiers and many other shews of Greatness and Majesty which made us believe that this Prince was one of the mightiest of the Country When we were come to a great Gate that stood between two high Towers two hundred men which guarded it no sooner saw the Quietor but they all fell down on their knees Through this Gate we entred into another very long outward Court where the Kings second Guard was composed of a thousand men who were all in guilt Arms their Swords by their sides and on their heads Helmets wrought with gold and silver wherein stuck gallant plums of several colours After we had past through the middle of all this Guard we arrived at a great Hall where there was a Mandarim Uncle to the King called the Monvagaruu a man of above seventy years of age accompanied with a great number of Nobity as also with many Captains and Officers of the Kingdom About him were twelve little boyes richly clad with great Chains of gold three or four times double about their necks and each of them a silver Mace upon his shoulder As soon as the Ambassadour was come near him he touched him on the head with a Ventiloo that he held in his hand and beholding him May thy entrance said he into this Palace of the Lord of the world be as agreeable to his eyes as the rain is to our fields of Rice for so shall he grant thee all that thy King demands of him From thence we went up an high pair of stairs and entred into a very long room wherein there were many great Lords who seeing the Monvagaruu stood up on their feet as acknowledging him for their Superiour Out of this room we entred into another where there were four Altars very well
the Country whose Fathers and Brothers were there present There were also three or four Comedies more like this acted by other young Ladies of great quality and set forth with so much pomp and magnificence as more could not be desired About evening the Calaminhan retired into another room accompanyed with women onely for all the rest they went along with the Monvagaruu who took the Embassador by the hand and led him back to the outermost room of all where with many complements after their manner he took his leave of him and so committed him to the Queitor who straightway caâ—ryed him to his House where he lodged all the while that he was there being two and thirty days during which time he was feasted by the principal Lords of the Court in a splendid and sumptuous manner and continually entertained with several sports of fishing hunting hawking and other such like recreations As for us Portugals we took a singular content in observing over all the City and about it the excellent structure of very sumptuous and magnificent edifices of statâ—ly Pagodes or Temples and of houses adorned with goodly workmanship and of inestimable value Now amongst all these Buildings there was not in the whâ—le City a more majestical one then that which was dedicated to Quiay Pimpocau who is The God of the Sick In it serve continually a number of Priests apparelled in grey Gowns who being of greater knowledg then all the rest of the four and twenty Sects of this Empire do distinguish themselves from the others by certain yellow strings which serve them for girdles they are also by the vulgar people in a soveraign degree of honor called ordinarily Perfect men The Embassador himself went five times to their Temple as well to see very marvelous things as to hear the doctrine of those that preached there of which and of all that concerns the extravagancies of their Religion he brought a great volume to the King of Bramaa which was so pleasing to him as he afterward commanded the said Doctrine to be preached in all the Temples of that Kingdom which is to this day exactly observed in all his states Of this Book I brought a Translation into the Kingdom of Portugal which a Florentine borrowed of me and when I asked him for it again he told me that it was lost but I found afterward that he had carryed it to Florence and presented it to the Duke of Tuscany who commanded it to be printed under this Title The new Belief of the Pagans of the other end of the World Upon a day as the Embassador was talking in this Pagode with one of the Grepos who professed much kindness unto him for indeed they are all of a good nature easie of access and communicating themselves to strangers freely enough he demanded of him how long it was since the Creation of the World or whether those things had a beginning which God doth shew so clearly to our eyes such as the Night the Day the Sun the Moon the Stars and other Creatures that have neither Father nor Mother and of whom no reason can be rendered in Nature how they began The Grepâ— relying more on his own knowledg then on the others that were about him made this answer to his Question Nature said he had no other Creation but that which proceeded from the Will of the Creator who in a certain time determined in his divine Counsel manifested it to the Inhabitants of Heaven created before by his soveraign power and according to that which is written thereof it was fourscore and two thousand Moons since the Earth was discovered from under the Waters when as God created therein a very fair Garden where he placed the first man whom he named Adaa together with his wife Bazagon them he expresly commanded for to reduce thâ—m under the yoke of obedience that they should not touch a certain fruit of a tree called Hilâ—forâ—n for that he reserved the same for himself and in case they came to eat thereof they should for a chastisement of their fault prove the rigor of his Iustice whereof they and their descendants should feel the dire effects This being known to the great Lupantoo who is the gluttonous Serpent of the profound House of Smoke and perceiving how by this commandment God would for mans obedience on Earth give him Heaven for a reward he went to Adaas wife and bid her eat of that fruit and that she should also make her Husband eat thereof for he assured her that in so doing they should both of them be more excellent in knowledg then all other creatures and free from that heavy nature wherâ—â—f he had composed them so that in a moment their bodies should mount to Heaven Then Bazagon hearing what Lupantoo had said unto her was so taken with a desire of enjoying that excellent prerogative of knowledg which he promised her 〈◊〉 to attain thereunto she eat of the fruit and made her Husband likewise to eat of it whence it insued that they were both of them by that unhappy morsel subjected to the pains of death of sorrow and of poverty For God seeing the disobedience of these two first creatures made them feel the â—igor of his Iustice by chasing them out of the Garden where he had placed them and confirming the punishments upon them wherewith he had threatened them before Wherefore Adaâ— fearing lest the divine Iustice should proceed further against him gave himself up for a long time to continual tears whereupon God sent him word that if he continued in his repentance he would forgive him his sin Whilest the Grepo was speaking thus the Embassador wondering at his discourse which was a great novelty to him Certainly said he unto him I am well assured that the King my Master hath never heard the like of this from the Priests of our Temples for they in recompence of our works propound no other thing unto us but the possession of riches in this life for as they say there is no guerdon after death and that we must finish our lives aâ— all the beasts of the field do except the Cows which for a reward of the milk they have given us are converted into other Sea-cows of the apples of whose eyes are pearls ingendred At these words the Grepo puffed up with vanity for that which he had said to the Embassador Think not answered he unto him that there is any one in all this Country can let thee understand so much as I have done unless it be one Grepo who is as learned as my self With this â—ume of presumption he chanced to cast his eye on us Portugalâ— that were behind the Embassador and as the Minister of the Devil believing that we esteemed him as much as he did himself Verily said he unto us I should be glad that you who as strangers have no knowledg of this truth would come more often to hear me for to understand how God hath created all
these things and how much we are bound to him for the benefit of this Creation Then one of our company named Gaspar de Meyrelez shewing himself therein more curious then the rest after he had thanked the Grepo in the name of us all he prayed him to give him leave to ask him something which he desired to know of him Whereunto the Grepo made answer that he was very well contented For added he it is as well the property of a wise and curious man to enquire for to learn as of an ignorant to hear and not be able to answer whereupon Gaspar de Meyrelez demanded of him whether God after he had created all these things whereof he spake had not done some heroical works upon Earth either by his Justice or by his Mercy To this the Grepo replyed that he had it being evident that as long as man lived in this flesh he could not chuse but commit sins which would render him punishable nor God be without a great desire to pardon him and he added further That the sins of men coming to be multiplyed on Earth God had overwhelmed the whole World by commanding the Clouds of Heaven to rain upon it and to drown all living things except one just man with his Family which God put into a great House of wood from whom issued afterwards all the Inhabitants of the Earth The Portugal again enquired whether God after this chastisement had not sent some other God did not answered he send any which taken in general was like unto that but it is true that in particular he chastiseth Kingdoms and People with Wars and other scourges which he sendeth them as we see that he punisheth men with infinite afflictions labors diseases and above all with extream poverty which is the last and extreamest of all evils The Portugal continuing in his demands desired him to tell him whether he had any hope that God would one day be appeased so as men might have entrance into Heaven Whereunto the Grepo replyed That he knew nothing thereof but that it was an evident thing and to be believed as an Article of Faith that even as God was an infinite good so he would have regard to the good which men did upon Earth for his sake Hereupon he demanded of him whether he had not heard it said or found written That after all those things whereof he spake a man was come into the World who dying on the Cross had satisfied God for all men or whether there was not among them some knowledg thereof Whereunto the Grepo answered None can make satisfaction to God but God himself although there be in the World holy and vertuous men which satisfie for themselves and for some of their friends such as are the Gods of our Temples as the Grepos do assure us But to say that one alone hath satisfied for all is a thing which we have never heard of till now besides on Earth which is so base of it self a Ruby of so high a price cannot be ingendred It is true nevertheless that in times past so much was certified to the Inhabitants of this Country by a man named John who came into this City and was held for an holy man having been the Disciple of another called Tomé Modeliar the Servant of God whom those of the Country put to death because he went publiquely preaching That God was made man and that he had suffered death for mankind which at first wrought such a Division amongst the people of this Nation as many believed it for a very truth and others opposed it and formed a contrary party against it incited thereunto by the Grepoes of the Law of Quiay Figrau God of the Atomes of the Sun so that they reproved all that this stranger said by reason whereof He was banished from this City to the Kingdom of Bramaâ— and from thence for the same cause to the Town of Digan where he was put to death for preaching publiquely as I said before That God became man and was crucified for men Upon these speeches Gaspar de Meyrelez and we said that this man had preached nothing in this Country which was not most true wherewith the Grepo was so taken that he fell down on his knees before all that were present and lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven he said with tears in his eyes Lord of whose beauty and goodness the Heavens and the Stars do give testimony I with all my heart do beseech thee to permit that in our times the hour may come wherein the People of the other end of the World may give thee thanks for so great a Grace After that these matters were past in this manner and many others besides which well deserved to be related if my gross wit were able to describe them the Embassador took his leave of the Grepo with many complements and words of courtesie whereof they are nothing sparing as being much accustomed to practise them one with another CHAP. XLIX An ample relation of this Empire of the Calaminham and of the Kingdomes of Pegu and Bramaa with the continuance of our voyage and what we saw among the same A Moneth after our arrivall at this City of Timphan where the Court then was the Ambassador demanded an answer to his Ambassie and it was immediately granted him by the Calaminham with whom he spake himself and being graciously entertained by him he referred him for his dispatch to the Monuagaruu that was as I have heretofore delivered the chief man in governing the Kingdome who gave him an answer on the behalf of the Calaminham as also a present in exchange of that which the King of Bramaa had sent him withall he wrote him a Letter that contained these words Thou arm of a clear Ruby which God hath newly enchaced into my body and whose flesh is fitly fastned to me as that of my brother by that new league and amity now accorded unto thee by me Prechau Guimiam Lord of the seven and twenty Crownes of the Montaignes of the earth inherited by a lawfull succession from him who these two and twenty moneths hath not set his feet upon my head for so long it is since he left me never to set me again by reason of the sanctification which his soul doth now enjoy in feeling the sweet heat of the beams of the Sun I have seen thy Letter dated the fifth chaâ—eca of the eighth moon of the year whereunto I have given the true credit of a brother and as such a one I accept of the party thou dost present me with obliging my self to render thee the two passages of Savady free that so thou mayest without fear of the Siamon be King of Avaa as thou desirest me by thy Letter And as for the other conditions whereof thy Ambassador hath made some mention unto me I will make answer thereunto by one of mine own whom will send unto thee from hence e're it be long to the end thou mayest
upon their heads bonnets imbroydered with silk and gold and set with Pearls Rubies and Saphirs in the middle of this Procession was a rich Canopy of cloth of gold which twelve of those little children carried invironed round about with perfuming pans and censors of silver from whence breathed forth excellent odors most pleasing to the sent These little children played on divers instruments of musick and went on singing praises to God and praying him to resuscitate this defunct to a new life When they were arrived at the place where the Roolim lay they drew to the shrine and taking away the cloth wherewith it was covered there came out of it a little child which could not be above three or four years old and although he was naked yet was not his nakednesse seen because he was all covered over with gold and pretious stones and appeared in the same fashion as we are accustomed to paint Angells he had also golden wings and a very rich Crown upon his head Whenas he was come from out the shrine the Assistants being prostrated on the ground fell to saying aloud with a voice that made those to tremble which heard them Thou Angel of God sent from heaven for our salvation pray for us when thou returnest thither again The King went instantly to this child and having taken him in his arms with a great deal of respect and a strange ceremony as if he would shew that he was not worthy to touch him in regard he was an Angell sent from heaven he set him on the brink of the grave where after the child had taken away the cloth of black Velvet that covered him whilest all were on their knees with their hands and eys lift up to heaven he said aloud as if he had spoken to him Thou which hast been conceived in sin amidst the misery and filthiness of the flesh God commands thee by me who am the least of his servants that thou do resuscitate to a new life which may be agreeable unto him alwayes dreading the chastisement of his mighty hand to the end that as the last gasp of thy life thou mayest not stumble like the children of the world and that from this place where thou art extended stark dead thou do rise up presently because it hath been so decreed by the greatest of the greatest in the Temple of the earth and come after me and come after me and come after me The King thereupon took this child again in his arms and then the Roolim rising up in the grave where he was as it were amazed with this vision fell on his knees before the child whom the King held and said I accept of this new grace from the hand of thâ— Lord conformably to that which thou hast told me from him obliging my self to be even till death an example of humility and the least of all his to the end the toads of the earth may not lose themselves in the abundance of the world This said the child rid himself again out of the Kings arms and going directly to the grave he lent the Roolim his hand to help him out of it Now he was scarce come forth whenas they gave five toles with a Bell which was a sign for all the people to prostrate themselves on the ground the second time saying Blessed be thou O Lord for so great a grace whereupon all the bells in the City began to ring and all the Ordnance that were on the land to shoot of as also those of above two thousand vessells that rode at Anchor in the Port from whence proceeded so strange a noyse as was most insupportable to the ears of them that heard it CHAP. LXII In what manner the Roolim was conducted to the Isle of Mounay and put into possession of his dignity THe new Roolim was conducted from that place in a chair of gold exceeding rich and set with Pretious Stones which the principall Lords of the Kingdome carried upon their shoulders the King in the mean time marched on foot before him bearing a rich Sâ—ymitar upright in his hand In this equipage he accompanied him to his Palace which was gorgeously furnished and where he was lodged three dayes during which time the preparations necessary for his entry was made in the Isle of Mounay Now whilest he abode in the City of Martabano there were many sorts of inventions of great charge made by the Princes Lordâ— and Inhabitants In two of those feasts the King himself was present in person with a most sumptuous entertainment which I shall not describe because to say the truth I do not know how it did passe The day being arrived wherein the new Roolim who is as I have already declared their Soveraign High Priest was to make his entry into the Isle of Mounay the whole Fleet of Seroos Iangoas Lauleas and such other vessells of divers sorts which were upon the river to the number of two thousand and better were ranked in two files some a league and half in length being the space between the City the Island so that of all those vessels joyned together was formed a street the fairest that possibly could be seen for every vessell was covered with boughs full of several dainty fruits together with all kind of flowers Tangets Standards and banners of silk each one striving in emulation of another to gain their pretended Jubilee and a plenary indulgence and absolution of all the robberies they had formerly committed without being subject to the restitution of any thing whatsoever This they did also to be absolved from an infinite of other abuses of their abhominable lives which I passe by in silence as a matter unfit for devout ears but conformable to their diabolicall Sects and the damnable intentions of those which have instituted them for their whole manner of living is nothing but dissolution and excesse in the lasciviousnesse of the flesh as in like manner are all other infidells and arch-heretiques In the Roolims company there were not above thirty Lauleas who were replenished with a great number of the Nobility as for him he was in a rich Seroo seated in a Throne of silver under a cloth of State of cloth of gold and the King at his feet as not being worthy to sit in a more eminent place round about him were thirty children on their knees attired in Crimson Sattin with silver Maces on their shoulders and twelve standing on their feet cloathed with white Damask having censors in their hands from whence breathed forth most delicate perfumes In the rest of the shipping followed two hundred of the most honorable Talagrepos such as Archbishops and other Prelates may be amongst us in the number of whom were also six or seven young Princes all the Sons of Kings comprehended Now because these Vessells were so full of people as one could not row they had fifteen Lauleas or little Skiffes wherein the Supreme religious men of those nine Sects did row to
bring them the sooner to land In this equipage and in this order the new Roolim parted from the City of Martabano two hours before day and continued his course amidst these Vessellâ— which made as I have delivered a kind of street and forasmuch as it was not yet day there were a great number of Lanterns of different fashions placed amongst the boughs As soon as he began to set forth a Canon was shot off three times at which sign there was such a noyse of Bells and great Ordnance as also of divers sorts of very strange Instruments intermingled with the cries and acclamations of the people as one would have thought that heaven and earth would have come together When he was arrived at the Kay where he was to land he was received with a solemn Procession by certain religious men that live in solitary places and are called Menigrâ—pos which are like to the Capucins in France whom these Gentiles infinitely respect by reason of their manner of living for according to the rule which they observe they use more abstinence by far then all the rest These same being some six or seven thousand in number were all bare foot and cloathed with black Mat to shew their contempt of the world upon their heads they wore the sculls and bones of dead men and great cords about their necks having all their faces dawbed over with dirt and a writing hanging upon them which contained these words Mire mire do not cast thine eye on thy basenesse but on the recompenses which God hath promised to those that vilifie themselves to serve him When as they were very neer to the Roolim who received them very affably they prostrated themselves with their faces down to the ground and after they had continued so some time the chiefest amongst them looking on the Roolim May it please him said he from whose hand thou hast newly received so great a blessing as to be the Head of all on the earth to rendâ—r thee so good and so holy a man that all thy works may be as pleasing unto him as the innocency of children which hold their peace when their mother gives them the dug Whereunto all the rest answered with a great noyse of confused voices Permit O Lord Almighty that it may be so Passing on then accompanied with this Procession which the King for the greater honor governed himself together with some of the principall personages whom he called unto him for that purpose he went directly to the place where the dead Roolim lay buried and being arrived at his Tomb he fell down flat with his face upon it then having shed a great many tears he said with a sad and dolefull voice as if he had spoken to the deceased May it please him who raigns in the beauty of the Stars to make me deserve the honor to be thy Slave to the end that in the house of the Sun where now thou recreatest thy self I may serve as a broom to thy feet for so shall I be made a Diamond of so high a price as the world and all the riches thereof together shall not be able to equall the value of it whereunto the Grepos answered God grant it Thereupon taking a pair of Beads which had belonged to the deceased and that was upon the Tomb he put it about his neck as a relique of great worth giving as an Almes six Lamps of silver two Censors and six or seven pieces of violet coloured Damask This done he retired unto his Palace accompanied still with the King the Princes and great Lords of the Kingdome as also with the Priests that were there assistant from whom he presently rid himself and then from out of the window he threw down upon the Assembly handfulls of Rice as amongst the Papists they use to cast Holy Water which all the people received upon their knees with their hands lifted up This Ceremony ended which lasted very neer three hours they gave three toles with a Bell upon which Signal the Roolim retired for altogether and so did the Vessells and they that came in them wherein all that day was wholly bestowed About evening the King took his leave of the Roolim and returned to the City making directly the next morning towards Pegu which was some eighteen leagues from thence where he arrived the day following two hours within night without making any entry or shew to testifie the extreme griefe he was in for the death of the late Roolim whom it was said he greatly affected CHAP. LXIII That which the King of Bramaa did after his arrivall at the City of Pegu together with his besieging of Savady TWo and twenty daies after the King of Bramaa arrived at the City of Pegu he perceived by the Letter which his Ambassador brought him from the Calaminham that he had concluded the League with him against the Siamon yet in regard the season was not fit for him either to commence that war or to assail the Kingdome of Avaa as he desired he resolved to send his Foster-brother unto whom as I have already declared he had given the title of lawfull Brother to the siege of Savady which was some hundred and thirty Leagues from thence to the North-East Having assembled an Army then of an hundred and fifty thousand men amongst whom were thirty thousand strangers of divers Nations and five thousand fighting Elephants besides three thousand others that carried the baggage and the victualls the Chaumigrem departed from Pegu with a Fleet of thirteen hundred rowing Vessells the fifteenth of the moneth of March Fourteen daies after he arrived in the sight of Savady and having cast Anchor neer to a great Plain called Gâ—mpalaor he remained there six daies in attending the five thousand Elephants which were to come to him by land who were no sooner arrived but he began to besiege the Town so that having begirt it round he assaulted it three times in the open day and retreated still with very great losse as well in regard of the notable resistance which they within made against him as of the extreme trouble his people were at in planting their ladders against the walls by reason of their bad scituation which was all of Slate whereupon consulting with his Commanders about what he should do they were all of opinion to have it battered with the Canon on the weakest side untill that by the overthrow of some part of the wall a breach might be made whereby they might enter with more ease and lesse danger This resolution was as soon executed as taken so that the Ingineers fell to making of two manner of bull-works on the outside upon a great Platform composed of great beams and bavins which in five daies they raised up to such an height as it surpassed the wall two fathom at the least This done they planted on each bulwark twenty great pieces of Ordnance wherewith they began to batter the Town so violently that in a little time they beat
not be applied to his wound but because he was hurt just in the heart there was no hope of recovery so that he died within a very short time after Presently they seized on the Page whom they put to torture by reason of some suspitions which they had upon this accident but he never confessed any thing and said nought els save That he had done it of his own free will and to be revenged of the blow which the King had given him on his head by way of contempt as if he had struck some dog that was barking up and down the streets in the night without considering that he was the son of the Pate Pondan Lord of Surebayaa The Page then was impaled alive with a good big stake which was thrust in at his Fundament and came out at the nape of his neck As much was done to his Father to three of his brothers and to threescore and twelve of his kinsmen so that his whole Race was exterminated upon which so cruell and rigorous an execution many great troubles ensued afterwards in all the country of Iaoa and in all the Islands of â—ale Tymor and Madura which are very great and whereof the Governors are Soveraigns by their Lawes and from all antiquity After the end of this execution question was made what should be done with the Kings body whereupon there were many different opinions amongst them for some said that to bury him in that place was as much as to leave him in the power of the Passeruans and others that if he were transported to Demaa where his Tomb was it was not possible but that it would be corrupted before it arrived there whereunto was added that if they interred him so putrified and corrupted his soul could not be received into Paradisâ— according to the Law of the country which is that of Mahomet wherein he died After many contestations thereupon in the end they followed the counsell which one of our Portugals gave them that was so profitable to him afterwards as it was worth him above ten thousand duckats wherewith the Lords rewarded him as it were in vye of one another for a recompence of the good service which he did then to the deceased This counsell was that they should put the body into a Coffin full of Lime and Camphire and so bury it in a Junck also full of earth so that albeit the thing was not so marvellous of it self yet left it not to be very profitable to the Portugals because they all found it very good and well invented as indeed the successe of it was such as by means thereof the Kings body was carried to Demaa without any kind of corruption or ill savour As soon as the Kings body was put into the Iunck appointed for it the King of Zunda Generall of the Army caused the great Ordinance and the ammunition to be imbarqued and with the least noyse that might be committed to safe custody the most precious things the King had together with all the treasures of the Tents But whatsoever care and silence was used therein the enemy could not be kept from having some inkling of it and from understanding how things went in the Camp so that instantly the King marched out of the Town in person with only three thousand souldiers of the past confederacy who by a solemn vow caused themselves to be annoynted with the oyle which they call Minhamundi as men resolved and that had vowed themselves to death Thus fully determined as they vvere they went and fell upon the enemies whom finding busie in trussing up their baggage they intreated so ill as in lesse then half an hours space for no longer lasted the heat of the fight they cut twelve thousand of them in pieces Withall they took two Kings and five Pates or Dukes prisoners together with above three hundred Turks Abyssines and Achems yea and their Caâ—ismoubana the Soveraign dignity amongst the Mahometans by whose counsell the Pangueyran was come thither There vvere also four hundred ships burnt vvherein vvere the hurt men so that by this means all the Camp vvas neer lost After this the King retreated into the Tovvn vvith his men vvhereof he lost but four hundred In the mean time the King of Zunda having caused the remainder of the Army to be re-imbarqued vvith all speed the same day being the nineth of March they set saile directly for the City of Demaa bringing along with them the body of the Pangueyran vvhich upon the arrivall thereof vvas received by the people vvith great cries and strange demonstrations of a universall mourning The day after a revievv vvas taken of all the men of vvar for to knovv hovv many vvere dead and there vvas found missing an hundred and thirty thousand vvhereas the Passeruans according to report had lost but five and tvventy thousand but be it as it vvill and let fortune make the best market that she can of these things yet they never arrive but the field is died vvith the bloud of the vanquishers and by a stronger reason vvith that of the vanguished to vvhom these events do alvvayes cost far dearer then to the others The same day there vvas question of creating a nevv Pangueyran vvho as I have said heretofore is Emperor over all the Pates and Kings of that great Archipelago vvhich the Chineses Tartar Iapon and Lequio Historians are vvont to call Raterra Vendau that is to say the eye-lid of the world as one may see in the Card if the elevation of the heights prove true Novv because that after the death of the Pangueyran there vvas not a lavvfull successor to be found that might inherit this Crovvn it vvas resolved that one should be made by election for vvhich effect by the common consent of all eight men vvere chosen as heads of all the people to create a Pangueyran These same assembled then together in a house and after order had been taken for the pacifying of all things in the City they continued seven vvhole daies together vvithout being able to come to any agreement about this election for vvhereas there vvere eight pretendents of the principall Lords of the Kingdome there vvere found amongst these Electors many different opinions vvhich proceeded from this that the most part or all of them vvere meerly allied to these â—ight or to their kinsmen so that each one laboured to make him Pangueyran vvhich vvas most to his mind Whereupon the inhabitants of the City and the souldiers of the Army making use of this delay to their advantage as men vvho imagined that this affair vvould never be terminated and that there vvould be no chastisement for them they began shamelessly to break out into all kind of actions full of insolency and malice And forasmuch as there vvas a great number of Merchants Ships in the Port they got aboard them and fell pell-mell to rifling both of strangers and those of the country vvith so much licentiousnesse as it vvas said
which the enemies perceiving they formed a new Squadron of all those that remained of them wherein there were above an hundred thousand men as well sound as hurt and so past all the same day there joyned together in one entire body of an Army the King not daring to fight with them by reason he saw them fortified with two thousand ships wherein there were great numbers of men Neverthelesse as soon as it was dark night the enemies began to march away with all speed all along by the river wherewith the King was nothing displeased because the most part of his souldiers being hurt they were necessarily to be drest as indeed that was presently executed and the most part of the day and the night following imployed therein After the King of Siam had obtained so happy a victory the first thing that he did was to provide with all diligence for the fortifications of the town and whatsoever els he thought to be necessary for the security thereof After that he commanded a generall muster to be made of all his men of war that he might know how many he had lost in this battell whereupon he found that some fifty thousand were wanting all men of little reckoning whom the rigor of the Kings Edict had compelled to serve in this war ill provided and without defensive arms As for the enemies it was known the next day that an hundred and thirty thousand of them had been slain As soon as the hurt men were recovered the King having put into the principall places of this frontier such guards as seemed requisite to him was counselled by his Lords to make war upon the Kingdom of Guibem which was not above fifteen leagues from thence on the North side to be revenged on the Queen of Guibem for having given free passage thorough her dominions to those of Chiammay in regard whereof he attributed to her the losse of Oyaa Capimper and the thirty thousand men that had been killed with him The King approving of this advice parted from this town with an army of foure hundred thousand men and went and fell upon one of this Queens towns called Fumbacor which was easily taken and all the inhabitants put to the sword not one excepted This done he continued his voyage till he came to Guitor the capitall town of the Kingdom of Guibem where the Queen then was who being a widdow governed the State under the title of Regent during the minority of her son that was about the age of nine years At his arrivall he laid siege to the Town and forasmuch aâ— the Queen found not her self strong enough to resist the King of Siams power she fell to accord with him to pay him an annuall tribute of five thousand Turmes of silver which are threescore thousand Duckats of our money whereof she paid him five years advance in hand Besides that the young Prince her son did him homage as his vassall and the King led him away with him to Siam Hereupon he raised his siege from before the Town and passed on towards the North-East to the Town of Taysiran where he had news that the King of Chiammay was fallen off from the league aforesaid In the mean time whereas he had been six daies march in the enemies territories he sacked as many places as he met withall not permitting the life of any male whatsoever to be saved So proceeding onward he arrived at the Lake of Singipamor which ordinarily is called Chiammay where he stayed six and twenty daies during the which he took twelve goodly places invironed with ditches and bullworks after our fashion all of brick and mortar without any stone or lime in them because in the country it is not the custome to build so but they had no other Artillery then some Faulconets and certain muskets of brasse Now forasmuch as winter began to approach and that it was very rainy weather the King too feeling himself not very well he retired back again to the Town of Quitiruan where he tarried three and twenty daies and better in which space he made an end of fortifying it with walls and many broad and deep ditches so that having put this Town into an estate of being able to defend it self against any attempt he imbarqued his Army in the three thousand vessells which brought him thither and so returned towards Siam Nine daies after he arrived at Odiaa the chiefe City of his whole Kingdome where for the most part he kept his Court. At his arrivall the inhabitants gave him a stately reception wherein they bestowed a 〈◊〉 of money upon divers inventions which were made against his entry Now whereas during the six moneths of the Kings absence the Queen his wife had committed adultery with a Purveyor of her house named Vquuâ—cheâ—iraa and that at the Kings return she found her selfe gone four moneths with-child by him the fear she was in left it should be discovered made her for the saving of her self from the danger that threatned her resolve to poyson the King her husband as indeed without further delaying her pernitious intention she gave him in a messe of milk which wrought that effect as he died of it within five daies after during which time he took order by his Testament for the most important affairs of his Kingdome and discharged himself of the obligation wherein he stood ingaged to the strangers which had served him in this war of Chiammay In this Testament whenas he came to make mention of us Portugals he would needs have this clause added thereunto It is my intent that the sixscore Portugals which have alwayes so faithfully watched upon the guâ—rd â—f my person shall â—eceive for a recompence of their good services half a years tribute which the Queen of Guâ—bem gives me and that in my custome houses their Merchandise shall pay no custome foâ— the space of three years Moreover my intent is that their Priests may throughout all the Townes of my Kingdome publish the Law whereof they mâ—ke profâ—ssion namely of a God made man for the salvation of mankind as they have many times assured me To these things he added many others such like which well deserve to be reported here though I passe them under silence because I hope to make a more ample mention of them hereafter Furthermore he desired all the Grandees of his Court which were present with him that they would give him the consolation before he died to make his eldest Son be declared King which was incontinently executed For which effect after that all the Oyaas Conchalis and Montâ—os which are Soveraign dignities over all the rest of the Kingdome had taken the oath of Allegeance to this young Prince they shewed him out at a window to all the people who were in a great place below and they set upon his head a rich Crovvn of gold in the form of a Miter and put a svvord into his right hand and a pair of balances into
before him with his head bowed down to the ground as the custome was to do unto this King in regard he was more absolute then others Whenas then the season permitted Francisco de Castro to return to Malaca the King sent to fetch Domingos de Seixas from the Town of Goutaleu where he was at that time Generall of the Frontire having under his charge thirty thousand foot five thousand horse and eighteen thousand duckats pension by the year With him also he caused to be brought the other sixteen Portugals and consigned them all into the hands of Francisco de Castro who gave him thanks again for the grace which he did him A little after whenas Domingos de Seixas and his companions went to take their leave of this King he caused a thousand turmes of silver to be given to them which are in value twelve thousand duckats of our money and desired them to pardon him for giving them so little Another time which was in the year a thousand five hundred forty and five Simano de Melo being Captain of the same fortresse of Malaca one Luys de Montarroyo coming from China to go to Patana it happened that the ship wherein he was being beaten with a furious tempest was cast away in the Port of Charir some five leagues from Lugor where all his goodâ— were seized upon by the Xabandar of the country after that the Sea had cast him ashore and withall he himself was made a prisoner together with all the rest which were saved to the number of four and twenty Portugal and fifty boys which made in all seventy and four persons the goods too that were saved out of this Shipwrack amounted at least to fifteen thousand duckats Now the reason which the Xabandar alledged for this same was that by the antient custom of the Kingdome all these goods belonged unto him whereof Luis de Montarrayo having advertised certain Portugals which were at that instant in the City they concluded amongst themselves to make an Odiaa or present of some rich pieces to the value of a thousand duckaâ—s and therâ—with to go unto the King upon the day which was named of the white Elephant that vvas ten daies after and on the which in regard it was a very solemn feast this Prince was accustomed to do many graces to such as vvere suitors to him for them So on the solemnity of this day vvhich they call Oâ—idaypileu that is to say the rejoycing of goodmen all the Portugals who were threescore and odd placed themselves in a certain passage of one of the three principall streets thorough which the King vvas to passe vvith a great deal of pomp and Majesty and vvhenas they savv the King come by they prostrated themselves all upon the ground as the inhabitants of Siam use to do and one of them being deputed thereunto recounted unto the King the vvhole businesse of Luis de Montarrayo and his companions just as it had past beseeching him he vvould do them so much grace as to command the releasement of those poor prisoners vvithout speaking of the goods vvhich the Xabandar had seized upon because it seemed not reasonable unto them But the King who presently understood their demand vvas so moved vvith the tears vvhich he savv some of them shed as he caused the vvhite Elephant vvhereon he vvas mounted to stay then casting his eye on the Portugals and the Present that some of them held out in their hands vvhich he knevv they intended to offer unto him My friends said he unto him I take that for received which you would present me with and do thank you for it for in so solemn a day as this is I do not use to take any thing of any body but to give and oblige every one with benefits wherefore I desire you for the love of your God whose servant I am and ever will be to bestow this Present upon such of your company as are in most need of it for you shall do far better in gaining thereby therecompence of this Almes which you shall give for his sake then you could get by all that which I should confer on you in acknowledgement of this Present it being most certain that before him I am but a poor worm of the earth As for the prisoners which you demand of me it is my pleasure to bestow them as an Alms upon you that so in all liberty they may return unto Malaca and further I command that all the goods which they say have been â—aken from them be restored to them again for things which are done for Gods sake ought to be accomplished with much more liberality then the need of the poor requires especially when they crave it with tears in their eys Hereupon the Portugals prostrated themselves all before him and the next day the King by his Lâ—tters Patents ordained That within the term of ten daies the prisoners should be brought to the City together with all that which had been taken from them which incontinently was executed very exactly for there were restored unto them all the goods which had been saved out of the ship amounting as I have already said to fifteen thousand duckats which the King freely gave them Two or three moneths after in the same year one thousand five hundred forty and five it greatly importing this King of Siam to go in person and repulse the King of Tâ—parahos who on Passilicaâ—s side had invaded his country and sacked some of the weakest places with an intent to besiege the fortresse of Xinan and Lautâ—â— whereon depended the whole safety of this state he resolved to go against him in person Wherefore he sent certain Colonells over all the Kingdome to levy men with an expresse Commission to return within twenty daies with their men of war to the City of Odiaa for it was his intention to set forth from thence about that time Withall he enjoyned his Commanders upon pain of a rigorous chastisement not to dispense with a man that could fight from this war except it were such as were any way impotent and above threescore years of age whereupon each of these Colonells was assigned the Province wherein he should make his levies It happened then that one Quiay Raudiuaa a man of quality and one that the King made oftentimes use of had for his lot the frontier of Blanâ—haa where the most part of the inhabitants being very rich as well in money as other wayes gave themselves to the delights of the flesh and spent the most part of their time in feasts in sports and other such like pleasures of this life so that when they saw that Quiay Raudiuaa would compell them to go to this war as he was enjoyned to do they took it for too heavy a yoke and too insupportable a burthen and that did not well agree with the manner of life which they were wont to lead and therefore the richest of the country assembled together and resolved to get a
fire was put to all that infinite number of Idolls just in the manner as they stood in the Barques and this was accompanied with so horrible a din of cries great Ordnance Harquebuzes Drums Bells Cornets and other different kinds of noyse as it was impossible to hear it without trembling This ceremony lasted not above an hour for whereas all these figures were made of combustible stuffe and the Vessells filled with pitch and rozen so dreadfull a flame ensued presently thereupon as one might well have said that it was a very pourtraiture of hell so that in an instant the Vessells and all that vvere in them vvere seen to be reduced to nothing Whenas this and many other very lively inventions which had cost a great deal of money vvere finished all the inhabitants vvhich vvere come thronging thither and vvhereof the number seemed to be infinite retired back to their houses where they remained with their doors and windows shut not one appearing in the streets for the space of ten daies during which time all places were unfrequented and none were seen stirring but some poor people who in the night went up and down begging with strange lamentations At the end of the ten daies wherein they had shut themselves up so they opened their doors and windows and their Pagodes or Temples were adorned with many Ensigns of rejoycing together with a world of hangings standards and banners of silk Hereupon there went through all the streets certain men on horseback apparelled in vvhite Damask who at the sound of very harmonious instruments cried aloud with tears in their eys Ye sad inhabitants of this Kingdomâ— of Siam hearken hearken to that which is made known to you from God and with humble and pure hearts praise ye all his holy name for the effects of his divine justice are great withall laying aside your mourning come forth of your aâ—odes wherein you are shut up and sing the praises of the goodnesse of your God since he hath been pleased to give you a new King who fears him and is a friend of the poor This Proclamation being made all the Assistants with their faces prostrated on the ground and their hands lifted up as people that rendred thanks to God answered aloud weeping We make the Angells of heaven our Attorneys to the end they may continually praise the Lord for us After this all the inhabitants of the City coming out of their houses and thinking of nothing but dancing and rejoycing went to the Temple of Quiay Fanarel that is to say the God of the joyfull where they offered sweet perfumes and the poorest sort fruits pullen and rice for the entertainment of the Priests The same day the nevv King shewed himself over all the City with a great deal of pomp and Majesty in regard whereof the people made great demonstrations of joy and gladnesse And forasmuch as the King was but nine years old it was ordained by the four and twenty Bracà loâ—s of the Government that the Queen his mother should be the Protector or Regent of him and that she should beare rule over all the Officers of the Crown Things past thus for the space of four moneths and an half during the which there was no manner of disorder but all was peaceable in the Kingdome howbeit at the end of that time the Queen coming to be delivered of a Son which she had had by her Purveyor being displeased with the bad report that went of her she resolved with her self to satisfie her desire which was to marry with the Father of this new Son for that she was desperately in love with him And further she wickedly enterprised to make away the new King her lawfull child to the end that by this means the Crown might passe to the bastard by right of inheritance Now to execute this horrible design of hers she made shew that the excesse of her affection to the young King her Son kept her always in fear left some attempt should be made upon his life so that one day having caused all the Councell of the State to be assembled the represented unto them that having but this only pearl enchaced in her heart she desired to keep it from being plucked from thence by some disaster for which effect she thought it requisite as well to secure her from her apprehensions as to prevent the great mischiefs which carelessenesse is wont to bring in such like cases that there should be a guard set about the Palace and the person of the King This affair was immediately debated in the Councell and accorded to the Queen in regard the matter seemed good of it self The Queen seeing then that her design had succeeded so well took instantly for the guard of the Palace and the person of her Son such as she judged were proper for the executing of her damnable enterprise and in whom she most confided She ordained a guard then of two thousand foot and five hundred horse besides the ordinary guard of her house which were six hundred Cauehins and Lequios and thereof she made Captain one called Tileubacus the cozen of the same Purveyor by whom she had had a child to the end that by this mans favour she might dispose of things as she pleased and the more easily bring to passe her pernicious design Whereupon relying on the great forces which she had already on her party she began to revenge her self upon some of the great ones of the Kingdome because she knew they despised her and held her not in that esteem she desired The two first whom she caused to be laid hands on were two Deputies of the Government making use of this pretext that they held secret intelligence with the King of Chiamway and were to give him an entry into the Kingdome thorough their lands so that under colour of justice she caused them to be both executed and confiscated their estates whereof she gave the one to her Favorite and the other to a brother-in-law of his who it was said had been a Smith But in regard this execution had been done precipitously and without any proof the greatest part of the Lords of the Kingdom murmured against the Queen for it representing unto her the merit of them whom she had put to death the services they had rendred to the Crown the qualitie of the persons and the nobility and antiquity of their extractions as being of the bloud royall and lineally descended from the Kings of Siam howbeit she made no reckoning thereof but contrarily a little after making show as if she had not been well she in a full Councill renounced her regency and conferred it on Vquumcheuiraa her Favorite to the end that by this means bearing rule over all others he might dispose of the affairs of the kingdom at his pleasure and give the most important charges thereof to such as would be of his party which he thought to be the most assured way for him to usurp this Crown and make
himself absolute Lord of the Empire of Sâ—rnaâ— whereof the revenue was twelve millions of gold besides other comings in which amounted to as much more With all these inventions this Queen used so great diligence for the contenting of the desire which she had to raise her Favorite to the Royalty to marry her self to him and to make the illegitimate son which she had bad by him successor of the Crown as within the space of eight moneths fortune favouring her designes and hoping more fully to execute her wicked plot shee caused most of the great men of the kingdom to be put to death and confiscated all their lands goods and treasures which she distributed amongst such of her creatures as she daily drew to her party Now forasmuch as the young King her son served for the principall obstacle to her intentions this young Prince could not escape her abominable fury for she her self poysoned him even as she had poysoned the King his father That done she married with Vquumcheniraa who had been one of the Purveyors of her house and caused him to be crowned King in the city of Odiaa the eleventh of November in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty five But whereas Heaven never leaves wicked actions unpunished the year after one thousand five hundred forty and six and on the fifteenth day of January they were both of them slain by Oyaa Passilico and the King of Cambaya at a certain banquet which these Princes made in a Temple that was called Quiay Figrau that is to say the god of the atoms of the Sun whose solemnity was that day celebrated So that as well by the death of these two persons as of all the rest of their party whom these Princes also killed with them all things became very peaceable without any further prejudice to the people of the kingdom onely it is true that it was despoyled of the most part of the Nobility which formerly it had by the wicked inventions and pernicious practices whereof I have spoken before CHAP. LXIX The King of Bramaa's enterprize upon the Kingdom of Siam and that which past untill hiâ— arrivall at the city of Odiaa with his besieging of it and all that ensued thereupon THe Empire of Siam remaining without a lawfull successor those two great Lords of the Kingdom namely Oyaa Passiliâ—â— and the King of Cambaia together with four or five more of the trustiest that were left and which had been confederate with them thought fit to chuse for King a certain religious man named Pretiâ—m in regard he was the naturall brother of the deceased Prince husband to that wicked Queen of whom I have spoken whereupon this religious man who was Talagrepo of a Pagodâ— called Quiay Mitrau from whence he had not budg'd for the space of thirty years was the day after drawn forth of it by Oyaa Passilico who brought him on the seventeenth day of January into the city of Odiaa where on the nineteenth he was crowned King with a new kind of ceremony and a world of magnificence which to avoid prolixity I will not make mention of here having formerly treated of such like things Withall passing by all that further arrived in this Kingdom of Siam I will content my self with reporting such things as I imagine will be most agreeable to the curious It happened then that the King of Bramaa who at that time reigned tyrannically in Pegu being advertised of the deplorable estate whereinto the Empire of Sâ—rnau was reduced and of the death of the greatest Lords of the Country as also that the new King of this Monarchy was a religious man who had no knowledge either of arms or war and withall of a cowardly disposition a tyrant and ill beloved of his subjects he fell to consult thereupon with his Lords in the town of Anapleu where at that time he kept his Court. Desiring their advice then upon so important an enterprize they all of them told him that by no means he should desist from it in regard this Kingdome was one of the best of the world as well in riches as in abundance of all things thereunto they added that the season which was then so favourable for him â—romised it to him at so good a rate as it was likely it would not cost him above the revenue of one only year what expence soever he should make of his treasure besides if he chanced to get it he should remain Monarch of all the Emperors of the world and therewithall he should be honored with the soveraign title of Lord of the whiâ—e Elephant by which means the seventeene Kings of Capimper who made profession of his Law must of necessity render him obedience They told him moreover that having made so great a conquest he might thorough the same territories and with the succour of the Princes his Allies passe into China where was that great City of Pequin the incomparable pearl of all the world and against which the great Cham of Tartaria the Siamon and the Calaminham had brought such prodigious Armies into the field The King of Bramaa having heard all these reasons and many others which his great Lords alledged unto him wherein his interest was especially concerned which alwayes works powerfully on every man was perswaded by them and resolved to undertake this enterprise For this effect he went directly to Martabano where in lesse then two moneths and an half he raised an Army of eight hundred thousand men wherein there were an hundred thousand strangers and amongst them a thousand Portugals which were commanded by Diego Suarâ—z d' Albergaria called Galego by way of nick name This Diego Suarez departed out of the Kingdome of Portugal in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and eight and went into the Indiaes with the Fleet of the Vice-Roy Don Garcia de Noronha in a Junck whereof Ioano de Sepulveda of the town of Euora was Captain but in the time of which I speak namely in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty and eight he had of this King of Bramaa two hundred thousand duckats a yeare with the title of his brother and Governor of the Kingdome of Pegu. The King departed then from the Town of Marâ—abano the Sunday after Easter being the seventh of April 1548. His Army as I have already said was eight hundred thousand men whereof only forty thousand were horse and all the rest foor threescore thousand of them being Harquebuziers there were moreover five thousand warlike Elephants with whom they fight in those countries and also a world of baggage together with a thousand pieces of Canon which were drawn by a thousand couple of Buffles and Rhinocerots withall there was a like number of yoke of oxen for the carriage of the victualls Having taken the field then with these forces he caused his Army to march still on untill at length he entred into the Territories of the King of Siam where after five days he came to a
fortresse called Tapurau containing some two thousand fires commanded by a certain Mogor a valiant man and well verst in matters of war The King of Bramaa having invested it gave three assaults to it in the open day and laboured to sâ—ale it with a world of ladders which he had caused to be brought thither for that purpose but not being able to carry it in regard of the great resistance of them within he retreated for that time But having by the counsell of Diego Suarez who was Generall of the Camp and by whom he was wholly governed caused forty great pieces of Ordnance whereof the most of them shot bullets of iron to be planted against it he fell to battering it with so much fury as having made a breach in the wall twelve fathom wide he assaulted it with ten thousand strangers Turks Abyssinâ— Moors Malauares Acâ—ems Iaaos and Malayes whereupon ensued so terrible a conflict between the one and the other that in lesse then half an hour the besieged vvhich vvere six thousand Siamites were all cut in pieces for not so much as one of them would render himself As for the King of Bramaa he lost above three thousand of his men vvhereat he vvas inraged as to be revenged for this losse he caused all the women to be put to the sword vvhich no doubt vvas a strange kind of cruelty After this execution he drevv directly tovvards the Tovvn of Sacoâ—ay vvhich vvas nine leagues beyond desiring to make himself master of that as vvell as of the other He arrived in the sight of this Tovvn one Saturday about Sun-set and incamped all along the river of Lebrau vvhich is one of the three that issue out of the Lake of Chiammay vvhereof I have formerly made mention vvith a design to march thorough it directly to Odiaa the Capitall City of the Empire of Sornau for he had already been advertised that the King vvas there in person and that he vvas making preparation to fight vvith him in the field he no sooner received this advice but his Lords counselled him to make no tarrying in any place as vvell that he might not lose time as that he might keep himself from insensibly consuming his forces in lying before places vvhich he pretended to take that vvere so vvell fortified as they vvould cost him dear if he amused himself about them so that at his arrivall at Odiaa he vvould find the most part of his men vvanting and his victualls quite spent The King having approved of this advice caused his Army to march avvay the next day thorough vvoods that vvere cut dovvn by threescore thousand Pioners vvhom he had sent before to plane the passages and vvays vvhich vvith much ado they performed When he vvas come to a place called Tilaâ— vvhich is besides Iuncalaâ— on the South-East Coast neere to the Kingdome of Quedea an hundred and forty leagues from Malaca he took guides that were very well acquainted with the way by whose means in nine daies journey he arrived in the sight of Odiaa where he pitched his Camp which he invironed with trenches and strong Pallisadoes During the first five daies that the King of Bramaa had been before the City of Odiaa he had bestowed labour and pains enough as well in making of trenches and Pallisadoes as in providing all things necessary for this siege in all which time the besieged never offered to stir whereof Diego Suarez the Marshall of the Camp being aware as also of the little reckoning which the Siamites made of so great a power as was there assembled and not knowing whereunto he should attribute the cause of it he resolved to execute the design for which he came to which effect of the most part of the men which he had under his command he made two separated Squadrons in each of which there were six battalions of six thousand a piece After this manner he marched in battell array at the sound of many instruments towards the two points which the City made on the South-side because the entrance there seemed more facile to him then any other where So upon the nineteenth day of Iune in the year one thousand five hundred forty and eight an hour before day all these men of war having set up above a thousand ladders against the walls endeavoured to mount up on them but the besieged opposed them so valiantly that in lesse then half an hour there remained dead on the place above ten thousand on either part In the mean time the King who incouraged his souldiers seeing the ill successe of this fight commanded these to retreat and then made the wall to be assaulted afresh making use for that effect of five thousand Elephants of war which he had brought thither and divided into twenty troops of two hundred and fifty apiece upon whom there were twenty thousand Moeâ—s and Chaleâ—s choice men and that had double pay The wall then was assaulted by these forces with so terrible an impetuosity as I want words to expresse it For whereas all the Elephants carried wooden Castles on their backs from whence they shot with muskets brasse culverins and a great number of harquzes a crock each of them ten or twelve spans long these guns made such an havock of the besieged that in lesse then a quarter of an hour the most of them were beaten down the Elephants withall setting their trunks to the target fences which served as battlements and wherewith they within defended themselves tore them down in such sort as not one of them remained entire so that by this means the wall was abandoned of all defence no man daring to shew himself above In this sort was the entry into the City very easie to the Assailants who being invited by so good successe to make their profit of so favourable an occasion set up their ladders again which they had quitted and mounting up by them to the top of the wall with a world of cries and acclamations they planted thereon in sign of victory a number of Banners and Ensigns Now because the Turks desired to have therein a better share then the rest they besought the King to do them so much favour as to give them the vantguard which the King easily granted them and that by the counsell of Diego Suarez who desired nothing more then to see their number lessened always gave them the most dangerous imployments They in the mean time extraordinarily contented and proud to see themselves preferred before so many other Nations as were in the Camp resolved to come off with honor from this service which they had undertaken For which purpose having formed a Squadron of twelve hundred men wherein some Abyssius and Ianizaries were comprised they mounted with great cries by those ladders up to the top of the wall which as I have declared was at that time in the power of the King of Bramaaes people These Turks then whither more â—ash or more infortunate then the rest sliding
down by a pane of the wall descended thorough a bullwork into a place which was below with an intent to open a gate and give an entrance unto the King to the end they might rightly boast that they all alone had delivered to him the Capitall City of the Kingdome of Siam and so might gain the recompence vvhich they might well expect for so brave an action for the King had before promised to give unto whomsoever should deliver up the City unto him a thousand bisses of gold which in value are five hundred thousand duckats of our money These Turks being gotten down as I have said laboured to break open a gate with two rammes which they had brought with them for that purpose but as they were occupied about it upon a confidence that they alone should gain the thousand bisses of gold which the King had promised to whomsoever should open him the gates they saw themselves suddainly charged by three thousand Iaâ—s all resoâ—ute souldiers who fell upon them with such fury as little more then a quarter of an hour there was not so much as one Turk left alive in the place wherewith not contented they mounted up immediately to the top of the wall with a wonderfull courage and so flesht as they were and covered over with the bloud of the Turks whom they had newly cut in pieces they set upon the Bramaaes men which they found there and fought with them so valiantly that they durst not make head against them so that most of them were there slain and the rest tumbled down over the vvall The King of Bramaa redoubling his courage more then before would not for all that give over this assault but contrarily resolved to undertake it anew so as imagining that those Elephants alone would be able to give him an entry into the City he caused them once again to approach unto the wall At the noyse hereof Oyaa Passilico Captain Generall of the City ran in all hast to this part of the wall accompanied with fifteen thousand men whereof the most part were Luzons Bâ—rnâ—â—s and Champaaâ—s with some Menancabos among and caused the gate to be presently opened â—horough which the Bramaa pretended to enter and then sent him word that whereas he was given to understand how his Highnesse had promised to give a thousand bissâ—s of gold to whomsoever should open him the gates â—hat so he might thereby enter into the City he had now performed it so that hâ— might enter if he would provided that like a great King as he was he would maâ—â— good his word and send him the thousand bisses of gold which he stayed there to recâ—â—ve The King of Bramaa having received this jeer would not vouchsafe to return an answer thereby to shew his contempt of Oyaâ— Passilico but instantly he commanded the City to be assaulted which was presently executed with a great deal of fury for the fight became so terrible as it was a dreadfull thing to behold the rather for that the violence of it lasted above three whole hours during the which time the gate vvas tvvice forced open and twice the Assailants got an entrance into the City which the King of Siam no sooner perceived and that all vvas in danger to be lost but he ran speedily to oppose them vvith his follovvers vvhich vvere about thirty thousand in number and the best souldiers that were in all the City whereupon the conflict grew much better then before and continued half an hour and better during the which I do not know what past nor can say any other thing save that we savv streams of bloud running every vvhere and the ayr all of a light fire there vvas also on either part such a tumult and noyse as one would have said the earth had been tottering for it was a most dreadfull thing to hear the discord and jarring of those barbarous instruments as bells drums and trumpets intermingled with the noyse of the great Ordnance and smaller shot and the dreadfull yelling of six thousand Elephants whence ensued so great a terror that it took from them that heard it both courage and sense withall that place at the City gate whereof the Bramaa had been Master was all covered over with bodies drowned in bloud a spectacle so horrible that the very sight of it put us almost besides our selves Diego Suarez then seeing their forces qâ—ite repulsed out of the City the most part of the Elephants hurt and the rest so scared with the noyse of the great Ordnance as it was impossible to make them return unto the vvall as also that the best men of those that had fought at the gate were slain and that the Sun was almost down came to the King and counselled him to sound a retreat whereunto the King yeelded though much against his will because he observed that both he and the most part of the Portugals were wounded but it was with a purpose to returne to the same enterprise againe the next morning The King being retired to his quarter found himself wounded with the shot of an arrow which he received in that daies conflict and which he felt not untill then by reason of the heat of the fight This accident hindered the executing of the resolution he had taken to give another assault to the City the next day for he was constrained to keep his bed twelve daies together but at seventeen days end when he was fully cured of his hurt he undertook again the prosecution of his design and to effect that which he had so resolved upon namely not to raise his siege from before the City untill he had made himself Master of it though it cost him both his life and his whole State He gave then a second assault unto the City which proved like unto the former for he lost a vvorld of men in it so that he was forced to retreat but his wilfullnesse was such as nothing daunted with the great slaughter of his men he gave five assaults more to it in the open day wherein he made use of many warlike stratagems which a Greek Ingineer daily invented for him but whatsoever he could do he was always fain to retire with losse whereat he was greatly troubled In the mean time whereas the siege of this City had already indured four moneths and an half he commanded a generall muster of his souldiers to be made and he found that an hundred and forty thousand of them were wanting Whereupon seeing to what estate he was reduced for the putting of an end to the business he resolved to assault the City again with another nevv invention and this assault was the eighth he had already given to it during the siege which he enterprised by the Councell of war and that under the favour of the night for they alledged unto him that darknesse would make the assault less dangerous and the scaling of the walls more facile This resolution taken he instantly commanded
all preparations necessary for this design to be made so that in seventeen days they built up six and twenty Castles of strong pieces of timber whereof each one was set upon six and twenty wheels of iron which facilitated the motion of so great a frame Every Castle was fifty foot broad threescore and five long and five and twenty high and all of them were reinforced with double beams covered over with sheets of lead Moreover each of them was full of wood and had fastned to them before great iron chains and that were very long in regard of the fire Things thus prepared one Friday about midnight being very dark and rainy the King of Bramaa caused three times one after another all the great Ordnance of the Camp to be discharged which as I remember I have already said consisted of an hundred and threescore great pieces vvhereof the most part shot iron bullets besides a many of Falconets bases and muskets to the number of fifteen hundred so that from all these guns shot off together three times one after another proceeded so horrible and dreadfull a noyse as I cannot think that any vvhere but in hell the like could be for on whatsoever the imagination can be fixt it cannot meet with any thing that may be rightly compared thereunto At this time it was not only the great pieces of Ordnance whereof I have spoken before and the small ones too which were shot off but the like was done by all the guns which were both within the City and without in the Camp of what bigness soever they vvere being at least an hundred thousand in all for whereas there were as I have already said threescore thousand Harquebuziers in the King of Bramaaes Army there vvere thirty thousand also in the City besides seven or eight thousand Falconets and Bases so that to hear all these shot off continually for the space of three hours together and intermingled with thunder lightning and the tempest of the night was to say the truth a thing which was never seen read of or imagined and such indeed as put every one almost besides himself for some fell flat on the ground some crept behind walls and others got into walls During the greatest violence of this horrible and furious tempest they set fire on the six and twenty Castles which they had before brought close to the walls so that by the force of the wind which vvas at that time very great and by the means of barrels of pitch that had been put into them they fel a flaming in such a strange manner as there was anew to be seen so dreadfull a picture of hell for it is the only name that can be given it because there is nothing upon earth that may rightly he resembled unto it that if even those which were without trembled at it I leave you to think vvith hovv much more reason vvere they to fear it vvhom necessity constrained to abide the violence of it Hereupon began a most bloudy conflict on either part they without falling to scale the walls and the besieged who took no less care for all things then they valiantly to defend themselves so that no advantage was to be found on either side but rather both of them were in a condition to be utterly destroyed for whereas the one and other reinforced themselves continually with fresh supplies and that the King of Bramaaes obstinacy vvas such as he went himself in person amongst his souldiers incouraging them with his speeches and the great promises that he made them the fight proceeded so far and increased so mightily as being unable to deliver the least part of that which passed therein â— leave it to the understanding of every one to imagine what it might be Four hours after midnight the six and tvventy Castles being quite burned to the ground with so terrible a blaze as no man durst come within a stones cast of it the King of Bramaa caused a retreat to be sounded at the request of the Captains of the strangers for there vvere so many hurt men amongst them as all the day and most part of the night following was imployed in dressing of them CHAP. LXX The King of Bramaaes raising his siege from before the City of Odiaâ— with a description of the Kingdome of Siam and the fertility thereof THe King of Bramaa seeing that neither the great Ordnance vvherewith he had battered the City nor the assaults vvhich he had given unto it nor his inventions of Castles accompanied vvith so many artifices of fire whereon he had so much relied had served him to any purpose for the execution of that which he had so mightily desired and being resolved not to desist from the enterprise vvhich he had begun he called a Councell of War vvherein all the Princes Dukes Lords and Commanders that vvere in the Army were present Having then propounded his desire and intention unto them he required them to give him their advice thereupon immediately the affair being put into deliberation and thoroughly debated on either part they concluded in â—he end that the King vvas by no means to raise this siege in regard this enterprise was the most glorious and most profiâ—able of all that ever might be offered unto him they represented moreover unto him the vvorld of treasure that he had imployed therein and that if he continued battering the City without desisting from his assaults at length the enemies would be spent because it vvas apparent as they vvere informed that they vvere no longer able to vvithstand the least attempt that should be made against them The King being exceedingly contented for that their opinions proved to be conformable to his desire testified the great satisfaction that he received thereby so that he gave them many recompences in money and vovved to them that if they could take the City he vvould confer upon them the greatest commands of the Kingdome vvith very honorable titles and revenues This resolution being taken there was no further question but of considering in vvhat manner the businesse should be carried whereupon by the counsell of Diego Suarez and of the Ingineer it was concluded that vvith bavinâ— and green turfe a kind of Platform should be erected higher then the vvalls and that there on should be mounted good store of great Ordnance wherewith the principall fortifications of the City should be battered since that in them alone consisted all the enemies defence Order then vvas presently given for all that vvas judged necessary thereunto and the threescore thousand Pioners vvhich vvere in the Camp vvere imployed about it vvho in tvvelve days brought the Fort or Platform into the estate vvhich the King desired There vvere already planted on it then forty pieces of Canon for the battering of the City the day ensuing vvhenas a Post arrived vvith Letters to the King vvhereby he vvas advertised That the Zemindoo being risen up in the Kingdome of Pegu had cut fifteen thousand
Bramaaes there in pieces and had withall seizâ—d on the principall places of the country At these news the King was so troubled that without further delay he raised the siege and imbarqued himself on a river called Pacaâ—au where he stayed but that night and the day following which he imployed in retiring his great Ordnance and ammunition Then having set fire on all the Pallisadoes and lodgings of the Camp he parted away one Tuesday the fifteenth day of October in the year a thousand five hundred forty and eight for to go to the Town of Marâ—abano Having used all possible speed in his voyage at seventeen days end he came thither and there was amply informed by the Chalagonim his Captain of all the Zemindoos proceedings in making himself King and seizing on his treasure by killing fifteen thousand Bramaaes and that in divers places he had lodged five hundred thousand men with an intention to stop his passage into the Kingdome This news very much perplexed the King of Bramaa so that he fell to thinking with himself what course he should take for the remedying of so great a mischief as he was threatned with In the end he resolved to tarry a while at Martabano to attend some of his forces that were still behind and then to go and fight a battell with his enemy but it was his ill luck that in the space of fourteen days only which he abode there of four hundred thousand men which he had fifty thousand quitted him For whereas they were all Pegâ—es and consequently desirous to shake off the Bramaaes yoke they thought it best to side with the new King the Zemindoo who was a Pegu as well as they and they were the rather induced thereunto by understanding that this Prince was of an eminent condition liberall and so affable to every one that he thereby won most men to be of his party In the mean time the King of Bramaa fearing lest the defection of his souldiers should daily more and more increase was advised by his Councell to stay no longer there in regard the longer he should tarry the more his forces would diminish for that a great part of his Army was Pegues which were not likely to be very faithful unto him This counsell was approved of by the King who presently marched away towards Pegu neer unto which he was no sooner arrived but he was certified that the Zemindoo being advertised of his coming was attending ready to receive him So these two Kings being in the view of one another incamped in a great â—laine some two leagues from the City of Pegu the Zemindoo with six hundred thousand men and the Bramaa with three hundred and fifty thousand The next day these two Armies being put into battell array came to joyn together one Friday the sixteenth of November the same year a thousand five hundred forty and eight It was about six of the clock in the morning when first they began their incounter vvhich vvas performed vvith so much violence as a generall defeat ensued thereupon yet fought they with an invincible courage on either part but the Zemindoo had the worse for in lesse then three hours his whole Army was routed with the slaughter of three hundred thousand of his men so that in this extremity he vvas forced to save himself only with six horse in a fortress called Battelor where he stayed but one hour during the vvhich he furnished himself with a little Vessell wherein he fled the night ensuing up the river to Câ—daa Let us leave him now flying untill we shall come to him again whenas time shall serve and return to the King of Bramaa who exceedingly contented vvith the victory vvhich he had gotten marched the next morning against the City of Pegu where as soon as he arrived the inhabitants rendred themselves unto him on condition to have their lives and goods saved Whereupon he took order for the dressing of them that were hurt as for those that he lost in this battell they were found to be threescore thousand in number amongst the which were two hundred and fourscore Portugals all the rest of them being grievously wounded Having already intreated of the successe which the King of Bramaas voyage had in the kingdom of Siam and of the rebellion of the Kingdom of Pegu me thinks it will not be amisse for me to speak here succinctly of the scituation extent abundance riches and fertility which I saw in this kingdom of Siam and in this Empire of Sornaâ— to shew that the conquest thereof would have been far more utile unto us then all the estates which now we have in the India's and that we might obtain it with a great deal lesse charge This kingdom as may be seen in the Map is seven hundred leagues in length and a hundred and threescore in bredth the most part of it consists in great plaines where are a world of corn grounds and rivers of fresh water by reason whereof the Country is exceeding fertile and abundantly stored with cattell and victualls In the most eminent parts of it are thick Forests of Angelin wood whereof thousands of ships might be made there are also many mines of Silver Iron Steel Lead Tin Saltpetre and Brimstone likewise great abundance of Silk Aloes Benjamin Lacre Indico Cotton wooll Rubies Saphires Ivory and gold There is moreover in the woods marvailous store of Brasill and Ebony wherewith an hundred Juncks are every year laden to be transported to China Hainan the Lequios Camboya and Campâ—aa besides Wax Honey and Sugar which divers places there do yeeld very plentifully The Kings yearly revenue is ordinarily twelve millions of gold over and above the presents which the great Lords make him that comes to a great matter In the jurisdiction of his territories there are six and twenty hundred populations which they call Prodou as cities and towns amongst us besides villages and small hamlets whereof I have no reckoning The most part of those populations have no other fortifications or walls then palisadoes of wood so that it would be easie for any that should attaque them to make themselves masters thereof the rather for that the inhabitants of those places are naturally effeminate and destitute of arms offensive and defensive This coast of this kingdom joyns upon the two North and South Seas on that of the Indiaes by Iunçalo and Tanauçarius and on that of China by Monpolocata Cuy Lugor Chintabu and Berdio The capitall City of all this Empire is Odiaa whereof I have spoken heretofore it is fortified with walls of brick and mortar and contains according to some foure hundred thousand fires whereof an hundred thousand are strangers of divers countries of the world for whereas the country is very rich of it self and of great traffick there passes not a yeare whereunto from the Provinces and Islands of Iaoa Bale Madoura Augenio Bâ—rneo and Solor there sailes at the least a thousand Iuncks besides other smaller vessells
heaven O Lord Iesus Christ cried he my true Redeemer I beseech thee by the pains which thou hast suffered upon the Crosse to permit that the accusation of these hundred thousand hunger-starved dogs against me may serve to satisfie the chastisement of thy divine justice in my behalf to the end that the inestimable price which thou hast imployed for the salvation of my soule without any merit of mine may not be unprofitable unto me This said he ascended the staires which led to the market place and the Portugal that assisted him told mee how at every step he kissed the ground and called upon the name of IESVS at length when he was come to the top the Manbogoaa who held the Idoll in his armes animating the people with great cries said unto them Whosoever shall not for the honour of this God of the afflicted whom I have here in my armes stone this accursed Serpent let him for ever be miserable and let the braines of his children be consumed in the midst of the night to the end that by the punishment of so great a sinne the righteous judgement of the Lord above may be justified in them He had no sooner made an end of speaking thus but there fell so great a showre of stones on Diego Suarez as in lesse then a quarter of an houre he was buried under them and they that flung them at him did it so indiscreetly as the most part of them hurt one another therewith An houre after they drew forth the poore Diego Suarez from under the stones and with another new tumult of cries and voices they tore him in pieces with so much fury and hatred of the whole people in generall as there was not he which did not believe that he did a charitable and holy work in giving a reward to the most mutinous amongst those which dragged his members and entrailes up and downe the streets This execution done the King willing to confiscate his goods sent men to his house for that purpose where the disorder was so great in regard of the extreme avarice which these hungry dogs had they left not a tile unmoved and because they found not so much as they expected they put all his slaves and servants to torture with such an excesse of cruelty as eight and thirty of them remained dead in the place amongst which were seventeen Portugals who bore the pain of a thing whereof they were not guilty In all this spoile there were no more then six hundred bisses of gold found which are in value three hundred thousand duckats besides some pieces of rich houshold-stuffe but no precious stones nor jewells at all which perswaded men that Diego Suarez had buried all the rest howsoever it could never be found out notwithstanding all the search that was made for it and yet it was verified by the judgement of some who had seene him in his prosperity that he had in meanes above three millions of gold according to the supputation of the country Behold what was the end of the great Diego Suarez whom fortune had so favoured in this Kingdome of Pegu as she had raised him up to the degree of the Kings Brother the highest and most absolute title of all others and given him withall two hundred thousand duckats yearely rent vvith the charge of Generall of eight hundred thousand men and Soveraigne over all the other Governours or Vice-Royes of fourteene Kingdomes which the King of Bramaa had at that time in his possession But it is the ordinary course of the goods of this world especially of such as are ill gotten alwayes to serve for a way to disgraces and misfortunes I return now to the Xemindoo of whom I have not spoken a long time Wheras that Tyrant and avaritious King Xenim de Satan gave daily new increases to the cruelties and tyrannies which he exercised against all sorts of persons never ceasing killing and robbing indifferently those who were thought to have money nor sparing any thing on which he could lay his hands his rapines proceeded so far as it was that in the space of seven moneths only wherin he was peaceable possessor of this Kingdom of Pegu he put to death six thousand very rich Merchants besides many ancient Lords of the Country who by way of right of inheritance held their estates from the Crown These extortions rendered him so odious as the most part of those that were with him abandoned him to side with the Xemindoo who had for him at that time the towns of Digon Meideo Dalaa and Coulam even to the confines of Xaraa from whence he parted in hast to go and besiege this Tyrant with an army of two hundred thousand men five thousand Elephants When he was arrived at the city of Pegu where Xemin de Satan then kept his Court he invested it round about with palisadoes and very strong trenches yea and gave some assaults to it but he could not enter it so easily as he believed in regard of the great resistance he found from them within wherefore judging it requisite for him to alter his mind being prudent as he was he came very subti ly to a truce of twenty dayes with the Tyrant upon certain conditions whereof the principall was that if within the terme of those twenty dayes he gave him a thousand bisses of gold which are in value five hundred thousand Duckats he would desist from the pretension and right which he had to this Kingdome and all this he did as I have already said cunningly hoping by this means to bring him to his bow with lesse perill So the time of the truce beginning to run on all things remained peaceable on either side and the besiegers fell to communicate with the besieged During this pacification every morning two houres before day they of the Xemindooes Camp played after their manner upon divers sorts of instruments very melodiously at the sound whereof all they of the city ran to the walls to see what the matter was Whereupon those instruments ceasing to play a Proclamation was made by a Priest accounted by every man a holy personage who said these words with a very sad voice O ye people ye people unto whom Nature hath given eares to hear hearâ—en to the voice of the holy Captain the Xemindoo of whom God will make use for the restoring you to your liberty and former quiet in order wherunto he admonisheth you from Quiay Niuandel the god of battells of the field Vitau that none of you be so hardy as to lift up your hand against him nor against this holy assembly which he hath made out of a holy zeal towards these people of Pegu as brother that he is to the least of all the poor Otherwise whosoever shall come against the army of these servants of God or shall have the will to do them any harm let him be accursed for it and as deformed and vile as the children of the night who
either part The day following which was a Saturday the seventh of Aprill in the year one thousand five hundred fifty and three about five of the clock in the morning these two Armies began to move but with different intentions for the designe of the Bramaa was to passe the foard and recover an advantageous peece of ground which lay neer to another river and the Xemindoo had a desire to keep him from it and to stop his passage upon this contention some skirmishes ensued which continued most part of the day and wherein about five hundred men on the one side and the other were slain howbeit the advantage remained with the Chaumigrem because he gained the place whereunto he pretented and passed all the night there in banquetting and making great bonfires for this good successe The next day betimes in the morning the Xemindoo King of Pegu presented the battail to his enemyes who did not refuse it so that they incountred one another with all the fury that a cruel hatred is accustomed to kindle in such like cases the two vantgards then vvho vvere the best Soldiers amongst them fell so lustily unto it that in lesse then half an hour all the Field was covered with dead bodies and the Pegues began to lack courage Wherupon the Xemindoo seeing his men give ground came to succor them with a body of three thousand elephants wherewith he set upon the seventy thousand horse so couragiously and to the purpose as the Bramaaes lost all that they had gained which perceived by the Chaumigrem who was better experienced in matters of Warre knowing full well what he was to doe to recover all again made shew of retyring as if he had been vanquished the Xemindoo thereupon who understood not this stratagem and that thought of nothing but the victory pursued his enemie about a quarter of a league but incontinently the Bramaa facing about with all his forces fell upon his enemy with such violence and horrible cryes as not only men but even the very earth and all the other elements seemed to tremble at it By this meanes the conflict renewed in such sort as in a little time the ayre was seen all on fire and the ground watered all over with bloud for the Pegu Lords and Commanders beholding their King so farre ingaged in the battle and likely to lose the day ran instantly to his succor the like did the Panonsaray the Bramaaes brother on his side with fourty thousand men and two thousand elephants so that there ensued betwixt them so bloudy and dreadfull a fight as words are not able to expresse the truth of it wherefore I shall say no more but that half an hour or there about before Sun-set the Army of nine hundred thousand Pegues was utterly discomfited and as it was said four hundred thousand of them were left dead on the place and all the rest or the most part of them grievously wounded which the Xemindoo seeing fled out of the field and so escaped Thus did the victory remain unto the Chaumigrem who thereupon caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu with the same royal Ensignes magnificence and triumph as the other King of Bramaa whom Xemin de Satan slew had formerly been And in regard it was already night they bestowed the time in no other thing but in dressing the hurt men and keeping good watch in the Camp The next day as soon as it was light all the victorious souldiers as wel wounded as unwounded â—an to the spoil of the dead bodies wherewith divers amongst them were mightily enriched for they found there great store of Gold and Jewels by reason the custome of those Gentiles is as I think I have heretofore delivered to carry all their wealth about them to the War The souldiers being well satisfied in this particular the new King of this miserable Kingdome parted forthwith from the place where he had gotten the Victory and marched towards the Citie of Pegu distant soâ—â— three leagues from thence Now forasmuch as hee would not that day enter into it for certain considerations which I will relate hereafter hee set himself down in the view of it about half a league off in a Plain called Sunday Patir and after he had thus encamped his Army hee gave order for the guard of the four and twenty gates thereof by placing at each of them a Bramaa Commander with five thousand Horse In this manner hee remained there five dayes without being able to resolve to enter into the Citie out of the fear he was in lest the strangers should require of him the pillage of it as indeed he was obliged to grant it to them by the promise which he had made them for it at Tanguu Now the custom of men of War who live but upon their pay being to have regard to nothing but their interests these six Nations seeing the King thus defer his entry into the Citie which they could not brook began to mutinie and this by the instigation of a Portugal named Christonano Surnento a man of a turbulent spirit but otherwise a good and valiant Commander and this mutinie proceeded so far as the King of Bramaa for his own safety was constrained to retire into a Pagode where he fortified himself with his Bramaaes untill that the next morning about nine of the clock hee came to a truce with them and causing them to assemble together from the top of a wall he spake to them in this sort My worthy Friends and valiant Commanders I have caused you to come to this holy resting place of the dead to the end that with a solemn Oath I may discover unto you my intentions whereof with my knees on the ground and my eyes lift up unto heaven I take to witness Quiay Nivandel the God of Battel of the field Vitau beseeching him to be Iudg of this between you and me and to strike me dumb if I do not tell you the truth I very well remember the promise I made you at Tanguu which was to give you the pillage of this tumultuous Citie as well because I believed your valor would be as it were the minister of my revenge as in some sort to satisfie your avarice whereunto I know you are naturally very much inclined Now having given you this promise for a gage of my faith I acknowledg that I am altogether obliged not to break my word with you But when on the other side I come to consider the great inconveniences which may accrue to me thereby and the strict account which I shall one day render for it before the equitable and rigorous justice of the Lord above I must confesse unto you that I am very much affraid of charging my self with so heavie a burthen wherefore Reason advises me to render my self â—aulty towards men rather then to fall into the displeasure of God Besides it is not reasonable that the innocent should pay for the guilty and of whom I am sufficiently
and untunably and the Grepo Capizondo set on his head a rich Crown of gold and precious stones of the fashion of a Miter wherewith the King made his entry into the City with a great deal of state and tryumph causing to march before him all the spoile of the elephants and chariots as also the statue of the Xemindoo whom he had vanquished bound with a great yron chain and forty Colours trayled on the ground As for him he was seated on a very mighty elephant harnessed with gold and invironed with forty Serjeants at armes bearing Maces there marched likewise all the great Lords and Commanders on foot with their Scymitars covered with plates of gold which they carried on their shouldiers and three thousand fighting elephants with their Castles of divers inventions besides a world of other people as well foot as horse which followed him without number CHAP. LXXIV The finding of the Xemindoo and bringing of him to the King with the manner of his execution and death and other particularities concerning the same AFter that the King of Bramaa had continued peaceably in this Citie of Pegu for the space of six and twenty daies the first thing he did was to make himself Master of the principal places of this Kingdome which not knowing the defeat of the Xemindoo held still for him To this purpose having given Commission to some Commanders for it hee wrote to the inhabitants of those places divers courteous Letters wherein he called them his dear children and gave them an abolition of all that was past He also promised them by a solemn oath to maintain them in peace for the time to come and alwayes to minister justice to them without any Imposts or other oppression but that hee would contrarily do them new favours as to the very Bramaas which served him in the Warres To these words hee added many others very well accommodated to the time and his desire for the better crediting whereof they that were already reduced under his obedience wrote their Letters also unto them wherein they made an ample relation of the Franchises and Immunities which the King had granted to them All this accompanied with the same which ran thereof in all parts wrought so great an effect as all those places rendred unto him and put themselves under his obedience so that in imitation of them all the other Cities Towns States and Provinces that were in the Kingdom did the like For my part I hold that this Kingdome whereof the King of Bramaa made at this time a new Conquest is the best the most abundant and richest in Gold in Silver and precious Stones that may be found in any part of the world Things being thus accomplished to the great advantage of the Bramaa he dispatches divers Horsemen with all speed into all parts to go in quest of the Xemindoo who as I have already declared had escaped from the past Battel and was so unhappy that he was discovered in a place named Fauleu a league from the Town of Potem which separates the Kingdom from Aracam Presently whereupon he was lead with great joy by a man of base condition to this King of Bramaa who in recompence thereof gave him thirty thousand Duckats of yeerly rent Being brought before him bound as he was with an iron coller and manacles he said unto him in way of derision Thou art welcome King of Pegu and maist well kisse the ground which thou seest for I assure thee I have set my foot on it whereby thou mayest perceive how much I am thy Friend since I do thee an honour which thou couldst never imagine To these words the Xemindoo made no answer so that the King falling to jeer this miserable man anew vvho lay before him with his face on the ground said unto him What means this Art thou amazed to see me or to see thy self in so great honour Or what is the matter that thou dost not answer to that which I demand of thee After this affront the Xemindoo whether it were that he was troubled with his misfortunes or ashamed of his dishonour answered him in this sort If the clouds of Heaven the Sun the Moon and the other creatures which cannot expresse in words that which God hath created for the service of man and for the beautifying of the Firmament which hides from us the rich treasures of his power could naturally with the horrible voice of their dreadfull Thunder explain to them which now look upon me the estate whereunto I see my self reduced before thee and the extreme affliction which my soul doth suffer they would answer for me and declare the cause I have to be mute in the condition wherein my sins have set me and whereas thou canst not be Iudg of that which I say being the party that accusest me and the minister of the execution of thy designe I hold my self for excused if I do not make thee an answer as I would do before that blessed Lord who how faulty soever I could be would have pitie on me moved with the least tear that I should shed This said he fell down with his face on the ground and twice together asked for a little water Whereupon the King of Bramaa the more to afflict him commanded that the Xemindoo should receive this water from the hand of a Daughter of his held by him as a slave whom he exceedingly loved and had at that time of his defeat promised to the Prince of Nautir Son to the King of Avaa The Princesse no sooner saw her Father lying in that manner on the ground but she cast her self at his feet and straitly embracing him after shee had kissed him thrice she said to him with her eyes all bathed in tears O my Father my Lord and my King I intreat you for the extreme affection which I have alwayes born you and for that also which you have at all times shewed to me that you will be pleased to lead me with you thus imbracing you as I do to the end that in this sad passage you may have one to comfort you with a cup of water now that for my sins the world refuses you that respect which is due unto you It is said that the Father would fain have answered to these words yet could not possibly do it so much was he oppressed with grief and anguish of minde to see this Daughter whom he so dearly loved in such a taking but fell as it were in a swoun and so continued a good vvhile vvherewith some Lords that were there present vvere so moved as the tears came into their eyes vvhich observed by the King of Bramaa and that they vvere Pegues vvho had formerly been the Xemindoo's Subjects fearing lest they should betray him in time to come he caused their heads to be presently strucken off saying vvith a disdainfull and fierce countenance Seeing you have so great pitie of the Xemindoo your King get you before and prepare a
City was pillaged demolished and burnt there was seen in the morning upon the hill where the King was one and twenty pair of Gallows twenty of the which were of an equal height and the other a little lower erected on pillars of stone and guarded by an hundred Bramaa Horsmen There were also round about the place very large Trenches where a great many Banners spotted with drops of bloods were planted As this Novelty promised somewhat which no man had heard of before six of us Portugals ran thither to learn what the matter might be and as we were going along we heard a great noise made by the men of War from the Camp whereupon we saw come out of the Kings Quarter a number of Horsmen who with Lances in their hands prepared a great Street and cried out aloud Let no man upon pain of death appear in Armes nor utter that with his mouth which he thinks in his heart A pretty way off from these Horse was the Xemimbrum with an hundred armed Elephants and a good many Foot after them went fifteen hundred Bramaas on Horsback cast into four Orders of Files each of them six in a rank whereof the Talanagybras Viceroy of Tangu was Commander Then marched the Chauseroo Siammon with three thousand Siammes armed with Harquebuses and Lances all in one Battalion In the midst of these was an hundred and twenty women tyed and bound four and four together and accompanied with Talagrepos men of great Austerity and are such as the Capachins amongst us who laboured all they might to comfort them in this last act of life Behind them were twelve Ushers with Maces that went before Nhay Canatoo Daughter to the King of Pegu from whom this Bramaa Tyrant had usurped his Kingdom and wife to the Chaubainhaa with four children of hers which were carried by so many Horsmen all these sufferers were the wives or daughters of the principal Commanders that the Chaubainhaa had with him in the City upon whom in the way of a strange revenge this Bramaa Tyrant desired to wreak his spight and the hatred that he had alwayes born unto women The most of these poor wretches were between seventeen and five and twenty years of age all of them very white and fair with bright auborn hair but so weak in body that oftentimes they fell down in a swoon out of which certain women upon whom they leaned endeavoured still to bring them again presenting them Comfits and other such things fit for that purpose but they would take none of them for that they were as I have said so feeble and benummed as they could scarce hear what the Talegrâ—pes spake unto them only they now and then lifted up their hands to Heaven After this Princess marched threescore Grepos in two Files praying with their looks fixed on the ground and their eyes watered with tears saying ever and anon in a doleful tone Thou which holdest thy Being of none but thy self so justifie our works that they may be agreeable to thy Iustice. Whereunto others answered weeping Grant Lord that it may be so that through our fault we lose not the rich gifts of thy promises After these Grepos followed a procession of three or four hundred little children quite naked from the Girdle-sted downwards having in their hands great white wax lights and cords about their necks These like the others with a sad and lamentable voice which moved every one to compassion uttered these words We most humbly beseech thee O Lord to give ear unto our cries and groans and shew mercy to these thy Captives that with a full rejoycing they may have a part of the graces and benefits of thy rich treasures and much more they said to that purpose in â—avour of these poor sufferers Behind this Procession was another Guard of Footmen all Bramaas and armed with Lances Arrows and some Harquebuses As for the Rear-ward it consisted of an hundred Elephants like to them that marched first of all so that the number of the men of War that assisted at this Execution as well for the Guard as for the Pomp thereof was ten thousand Foot and two thousand Horse besides the two hundred Elephants and a world of other people both Strangers and Natives that came thither to behold the end of so mournful and lamentable and action CHAP. LII In what sort the sentence of Death was executed on the person of the Chaubainhaa King of Martaban Nhay Canatoo his wife and an hundred and forty women with that which the King of Bramaa did after his return to Pegu. THese poor sufferers having been led in the order before mentioned clean through the Camp they came at last to the place of Execution where the six Ushers with a loud voyce made this Proclamation Let all manner of people see and observe the bloody justice which is here to be done by the living God Lord of all truth and our King the Soveraign of our Heads who of his absolute power doth command that these hundred and forty Women be put to death and thrown into the ayr for that by their counsel and incitement their Fathers and Husbands stood out against us in this City and at times killed twelve thousand Bramaas of the Kingdom of Tangu Then at the ringing of a Bell all the Officers and Ministers of Justice pel-mell together with the guards made such a cry as was most dreadful to hear wherupon the cruel Hangmen being ready to put the sentence of Death in execution those poor wretches embraced one another and shedding abundance of tears they addressed themselves to Nhay Canatoo who lay at that time almost dead in the lap of an old Lady and with their last complements one of them spake for all the rest unto her in this manner Excellent Lady that art as a crown of Roses upon our Heads now that we thy humble servants are entering into those mournful Mansions where Death doth reside comfort us we beseech thee with thy dear sight that so we may with less grief quit these bodies full of anguish for to present our selves before that Almighty just Iudg of whom we will for ever implore his justice for a perpetual vengeance of the wrong that is done us Then Nhay Canatoo beholding them with a countenance more dead then alive answered them with a feeble voyce that could scarce be heard Go not away so soon my Sisters but help me to sustain these little children That said she leaned down again on the bosom of that Lady without speaking a word more whereupon the Ministers of the Arm of Vengeance so they term the Hangmen layd hold on those poor women and hanged them up all by the feet with their heads downwards upon twenty Gibbets namely seven on each one now so painful a death as this was made them give strange and fearful groanes and sobs until at length the blood stifled them all in less then an hour In the mean time Nhay Canatoo was conducted
the Scales he passed on through all the other quarters where were Comedies dancing wrastling and excellent consorts of all kinds of musick till at length we arrived at Tinagoogoo but with much labor and pain because the throng was so great as one could hardly break through it This Temple had but one â—sle that was very long and spacious and full of great wax lights each of them having ten or eleven wieks in it set up all about in Silver Candlesticks there was also great store of perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin As for the Image of Tinagoogoo it was placed in the midst of the Temple upon a stately Tribunal in the form of an Altar environed with a number of Silver Candlesticks and a many of Children attired in purple which did nothing but cense it at the sound of Instruments of musick whereon the Priests played reasonable well Before this Idol danced to the tune of the said Instrument 〈◊〉 in Ladies which were wonderful fair and richly clad to whom the people presented their alms and offerings which the Priests received for them and thâ—n layd them before the Tribunal of the Idol with a great deal of ceremony and complement ever and anon prostrating themselves on the ground The Status of this Monster was seven and twenty spans high having the face of a Gyant the hair of a Negro wide distorted nostrils mighty great lips and a very sowre and ill-favored countenance He had in his hand an Hatchet in the form of a Coopers Addis but with a far longer handle With this Addis as the Priests made the people believe this Monster the night before killed the gluttonous Serpent of the House of Smoke for that he would have stoln away the ashes of those that sacrificed themselves There also we saw the Serpent amidst the place before the Tribunal in the form of an Adder more horrible to behold then the wit of man can imagine and done so to the life as all that looked on it trembled for fear It was layd all along with the head cut off being eight fathom long and the neck of it as thick as a Bushel so lively represented that though we knew it to be an artificial thing yet could we not chuse but be afraid of it In the mean time all the assistants ran thronging about it some pricking it with the points of their Halberds and some with their Daggers every one with railing speeches cursing and calling it Proud presumptuous accursed infernal Mannor Pool of Damnation envious of Gods goodness hunger-starved Dragon in the midst of the night and many other names which they delivered in such extraordinary terms and so fitted to the effects of this Serpent as we could not but admire them That done they put into Basins which stood at the foot of the Idols Tribunal a world of alms of Gold Silver Jewels pieces of Silk fine Callicoes Mony and hundred other things in very great abundance After we had seen all these things we continued following the Embassador who went to see the Grots of the Hermits or Penitents which were at the utmost end of the Wood all cut out of the hard Rock and in such order as one would have thought that Nature rather then the hand of man had labored in it There were an hundred forty and two of them in some of the which remained divers men whom they held for Saints and that did very great and austere pennance They in the first Grots wore long Robes like the Bonzes of Iapan and followed the Law of an Idol that had sometimes been a man called Situmpor michay who during his life enjoyned those of his Sect to lead their lives in great austerity assuring them that the only and true way to gain Heaven was to subdue the flesh and that the more they labored to afflict themselves the more liberally God would grant them all they could demand of him They which accompanyed us thither told us that they seldom eat any thing buâ— herbs boyled a few Beans of Aricot rosted and wilde fruit which were provided for them by other Priests who as the Purveyors of a Cloister took care to furnish these Penitenâ—s with such things as were confortmable to the Law whereof they made profession After these we saw in a Grot others of a Sect of one of their Saints or rather of a Devil named Angâ—macur these lived in deep holes made in the midst of the Rock according to the Rule of their wretched order eating nothing but Flies Ants Scorpions and Spiders with the juyce of a certain Herb growing in abundance thereabout much like to sorrel These spent their time in meditating day and night with their eyes lifted up to Heaven and their hands closed one within another for a testimony that they desired nothing of this world and in that manner dyed like beasts but they are accounted greater Saints then all the rest and as such after they are dead they burn them in fires whereinto they cast great quantities of most precious perfumes the Funeral pomp being celebrated with great state and very rich offerings they have sumptuous Temples erected unto them thereby to draw the living to do as they had done for to obtain this vain glory which is all the recompence that the world gives them for their excessive pennance We likewise saw others of a Sect alâ—ogether diabolical invented by a certain Gileu Mitray These have sundry orders of pennance and are not much different in their Opinions from the Abissins of Ethiopia Now that their abstinence may be the more agreeable to their Idol some of them eat nothing but filthy thick â—pitings and snot with Grashoppers and Hens dung others clots of blood drawn from other men with bitter fruits and herbs brought to them from the wood by reason whereof they live but a short time and have so bad a look and colour as they fright those that behold them I will pass by them of the Sect of Godomem who spend their whole life in crying day and night on those mountains Godomem Godomem and desist not from it until they fall down stark dead to the ground for want of breath Neither will I speak of them which they call Taxilacons who dye more brutishly then the rest for they shut themselves up in certain Grots made of purposefor it that are very little and close stopped on all 〈◊〉 and then burning green â—histles and thorns in them they choke themselves with the smoke thereof Whereby one may see how by such rude and different ways of living these miserable creatures render themselves the Devils Martyrs who in reward thereof gives them everlasting Hell-fire and verily it is a pititiful thing to behold the great pains which these wretches take to lose themselves and the little that we do to be saved CHAP. LVII What we saw in the continuing of our voyage until we arrived at the City of Timplan AFter we had seen all these things with wonder enough
wherewith all the rivers and all the harbors are full The King naturally is no way given to tyranny The customs of all the Kingdome are charitably destinated for the maintenance of certain Pagodes where the duties that are paid are very easie for whereas the religious men are forbidden to trade with money they take no more of Merchants then what they will give them out of almes There are in this Country twelve Sects of Gentiles as in the Kingdome of Pegu and the King for a soveraigne title causeth himself to be called Prechau Saliu which in our tongue signifies A holy member of God He shewes not himself to the people save only twice in the year but then with so much riches and majesty as he hath power and greatnesse and yet for all this that I say he less not to acknowledge himself the vassall and tributarie to the King of China to the end that by means thereof his subjects Juncks may be admitted into the port of Combay where ordinarily they exercise their commerce There is also in this Kingdome a great quantity of Pepper Ginger Cinamon Camphire Allume Cassia Tamarinds and Cardamon so as one may truly affirm that which I have often heard say in those parts namely that this Kingdom is one of the best countries in the world and easier to be subdued then any other Province how little soever I could here report likewise many more particularities of things which I have seen only in the city of Odiaa but I am not minded to make mention of them that I may not beget in them that shall read this the same grief which I have for the losse which we made of it through our sins and the gain we might make in conquering this Kingdom CHAP. LXXI A continuation of that which happened in the Kingdome of Pegu as well during the life as after the death of the King of Bramaa TO return now unto the history which heretofore I have left you must know that after the King of Bramaa had obtained that memorable victory neer to Pegu as I have declared heretofore by means whereof he remained peaceable possessor of the whole Kingdom the first thing he imployed himself in was to punish the offendors which had formerly rebelled for which effect he cut off the heads of a great many of the Nobility and Commanders all whose estates were confiscated to the Crown which according to report amounted unto ten millions of gold besides plate and jewells whereby that common Proverb which was common in the mouths of all was verified namely That one mans offence cost many men very deare Whilest the King continued more and more in his cruelties and injustice which he executed against divers persons during the space of two moneths and a half certain newes came to him that the city of Martabano was revolted with the death of two thousand Bramaas and that the Chalogomin Governour of the same city had declared himself for the Xemindoo But that the cause of this revolt may be the better understood by such as are curious I will before I proceed any further succinctly relate how this Xemindoo had been of a religious order in Pegu a man of noble extraction and as some affirmed neer of kin to the precedent King whom this Bramaa had put to death twelve years before as I have already declared This Xemindoo had formerly to name Xoripam Xay a man of about forty five years of age of a great understanding and held by every one for a Saint he was withall very wel verst in the Laws of their Sects false Religion and had many excellent parts which rendered him so agreeable unto all that heard him preach as he was no sooner in the Pulpit but all the assistants prostrated themselves on the ground saying at every word that he uttered Assuredly God speaks in thee This Xemindoo seeing himself then in such great credit with the people spurred on by the generosity of his nature and the occasion which was then so favourable unto him resolved to try his fortune and see to what degree it might arrive To this end at such time as the King of Bramaa was fallen upon the kingdom of Siam and had laid siege to the city of Odiaa the Xemindoo preaching in the temple of Conquiay at Pegu which is as it were the Cathedrall of all the rest where there was a very great assembly of people he discoursed at large of the losse of this Kingdom of the death of their lawfull King as also of the great extortions cruell punishments and many other mischiefs which the Bramaas had done to their Nation with so many insolencies and with so many offences against God as even the very houses which had been founded by the charity of good people to serve for Temples wherein the Divine Word might be preached were all desolated and demolished or if any were found still standing they were made use of either for stables lay-stalls or other such places accustomed to lay filth or dung in These and many other such like things which the Xâ—mindoo delivered accompanied with many sighs and tears made so great an impression in the minds of the people as from thenceforward they acknowledged him for their lawfull King and swore allegeance unto him so that instead of calling him as they did before Xoripam Xay they named him Xemindoo as a soveraigne title which they gave him above all others Seeing himself raised then to the dignity of King the first thing during the heat and fury of this people was to go to the King of Bramaas palace where having found five thousand Bramaas he cut them all in pieces not sparing the life of one of them the like did he afterwards to all the rest of them that were abiding in the most important places of the State and withall he seized on the Kings treasure which was not small In this manner he slew all the Bramaas that were in the Kingdom which were fifteen thousand besides the women of that Nation of what age soever and seized on the places where they resided which were instantly demolished so that in the space of three and twenty dayes onely he became absolute possessor of the Kingdom and prepared a great Army to fight with the King of Bramaa if he should chance to return upon the bruit of this rebellion as indeed he fought with him to his great damage being defeated by him as I have heretofore declared And thus having methinks said enough for the intelligence of that which I am to recount I will come again to my first discourse This King of Braâ—aa being advertised of the revolt of the Town of Martabano and of the death of those two thousand Bramaaes gave order immediately to all the Lords of the Kingdome for their repair unto him with as many men as they could levy and that within the teâ—m of fifteen daies at the furthest in regard the present necessity would not indure a longer