and Cotton sufficient to cloath the Inhabitants This Island was heretofore divided into ten Kingdoms but Men making this Voyage only for Traffick they are contended to visit those only next the Sea and omit to travel further into the Country where doubtless Riches are to be found unknown to the maritime Inhabitants The Portuguez give us account only of two Mediterranean Kingdoms which they call Andragidan and Arunau as also those of Achim Pedir Pacem Camparam Zâ—nde and Mancabo all on the Sea-side and on this side the Line The Hollanders for advance of their Commerce in the Isle of Iava have discovered the Kingdom of Polymbam beyond the Line and have made there a most firm establishment as may be seen in their Relations The Portuguez have there nothing at all but have freedom of Trade except hindred by the Hollanders The King of Achim hath united to his Crown the Kingdoms of Pedir and Pacem with almost all the Northern Coast of the Isle but he that reigned there in 1596. when the Hollanders first sailed into those parts was a Fisher-man that usurp'd the Crown and in the Siege of Polymbam was slain leaving only one Son of five moneths of age under the government of his Father in Law Which young Prince dying his Grandfather succeeded to the Crown and that was he the Hollanders treated with in the year 1668. The City of Achim stands in a wide Plain upon the side of a very broad River but so shallow that the least Boats get in with difficulty It hath neither Gates nor Walls the Houses all built on piles and covered with Coco-leaves The Castle or Palace Royal stands in the middle of the Town which on two sides hath most excellent pleasant Forrests well stored with Apes Herns and all manner of Birds The Natives are flat-fac'd and of an Olive colour they cover their body with a Cotton or Silk Shirt and their head with a light Turbant of the same stuffe Children go stark naked only Girls have their secret parts hidden with a Silver-plate The Inhabitants of Guzuratta Malabar Negupatam Bengalan and Pegu and all Strangers that live among them cloath themselves after the same manner The Castle is fortified with a good Wall and Pallisado and well flanked so as the Artillery commands all the Avenues and streets of the Town The Houses in the Castle are built of the same matter and same form of those of the Town by reason the River which often overflows drowns them sometimes to the first story The piles that support them are gayly wrought and the Houses covered with Canes They enter into the Castle by seven Gates one within another which are neither curious nor strong Without the Kings special Licence none but the Life-guard and Women enter the Pallisado all others must sue for Audience or expect till the King sends for them Such as present themselves to him do him reverence with their hands joyn'd and lifted above their head crying Daula tuaâ—con that is Long live the King He never recreates himself but with Women or appears in publick but either to see Cock-fighting to bathe in the River or hunt the Elephant He is serv'd only by Women or Eunuchs He uses his Subjects as slaves and governs by four Sabanders who are next in authority to him His Laws are fevere and punishments extreamly cruel so as one shall there meet a multitude of people without either hands or feet and have been so mutilated for miscarriages not worth the name of Crimes The King of Achim as almost all that inhabit the Coast of Sumatra is a Mahumetan for which reason I shall not need to say any more of their Religion only that they begin their Lent with the new Moon in the twelfth moneth and end it at the new of the next moneth observing abstinence all day during that time till night Whence it comes that their impatience to see the end of their Lent makes them still gaze in the West fixing their eyes up to the Heavens to find the new Moon which is no sooner seen but they fall to feasting and jollity for the remainder of that night In Sumatra they get no Corn but Rice sufficient of which the Inhabitants make good varieties particularly Cakes with Oyl they have plenty likewise of Beef and Buffles Goat and Mutton though none but the King hath priviledge to breed Sheep Oranges Lemmons Bonana Tamarindes Batalas Reddish Sprinage and Lettice in great abundance they drink Water or Arac made of Rice or Cocoes There is in Sumatra a Tree in the Malayan Language called Singadi in Arabia Gurae the Canarians call it Parizaticco the Persians and Turks Gul the Decanins Pul and the Portuguez Arbor triste de dia. It puts forth an infinite number of branches very small and full of knots from every knot comes two leaves like a Plumb-leaf save that they are as sweet as Sage and are covered with a beautiful white Every leaf hath its bud which opening thrusts forth small heads whereof each hath four round leaves and from each head comes five flowers composing as it were a Nosegay in such manner as the fifth is seen in the middle of the rest The flowers are white as Snow and a little bigger then the Orange-flower blows immediately as the Sun is set so suddenly that they are produced as 't were in the cast of an eye This fecundity lasts all night till the return of the Sun makes both the flowers and leaves drop off and so strips the tree that least greenness is not to be found upon it nor any thing of that admirable odour which perfum'd the Air and comprehended all that Asia affords of sweetness The tree keeps in this condition till the Sun hath left the Horizon and then it begins to open its womb again and deck it self with fresh flowers as if in the shades of night it would recover it self out of the affliction which it is put into by that Planet whose return enlivens the rest of the Universe There is not in the Island a Tree more common then the Cocoes and in regard 't is general through the Indies I will give here a brief description of it and first tell you there are four sorts thereof That which bears the fruit called Cocoes which are the Nuts of the Country is the most considerable not only of any Tree in this Country but indeed of any other part of the world This Tree not above a foot diameter grows in body exceeding high having not a branch but at the top where it spreads as the Date-tree The fruit comes not out of the branches but beneath out of the body in bunches or clusters of ten or twelve Nuts The flower is like that of a Chesnut and it grows only near the Sea or upon the River side in sandy ground and nevertheless grows so lofty that except the Indians who by practice climb it with as much agility and
the Meat upon the Rice to wit Mutton boyl'd and roasted tame and wild Fowl Omelets Pies Spinage Sowâ—-cruds c. insomuch that many times there was five or six sorts of Meat in the same Dish This is done by design and for their own convenience in regard that not sitting at a Table opposite one to another but all of a side as the Monks do and consequently one man being not able to reach to several Dishes they are served several sorts of Meat in the same Dish But as we imitated the Monks in our manner of sitting so were we as silent as they are at Meals for there was not a word spoken all the time we were at Meat unless it were that the King himself whisper'd twice or thrice to the Chancellor But there was not that silence observ'd at two or three other Entertainments we had at the Court afterwards for then the King was pleas'd to fall into some discourse with the Ambassadors concerning the affairs of Europe and particularly concerning the Warrs of Germany We had also while we were at Dinner the Divertisement of their Musick and the Activity of those Curtezans The Musick consisted of Lutes Violins Flageolets Hawboies and Timbrels which he who play'd upon the Timbrel accompany'd with a wretched inharmonious Voice which disorder'd the little Consort there was in their pretended Consort The Dancing of the Women was more regular and though it was not consonant to the Musick nor the way of Dancing among the Europaeans yet was it not undelightfull but had its cadences and exactness as well as ours While we were at Dinner there lay hid in a Door which was cover'd by the Hangings over against the place where the Ambassadors sat a Persian who understood the Portuguez and Italian to observe their Demeanour as also what discourse they might have with their Interter that he might give an accompt of what they said concerning the fashions and manners of that Court The relation he gave in to the King of what the Ambassador Brugman had said of the Pictures and the Entertainments and the manner of Life of the Persians prov'd to his disadvantage and Prejudice Our Interpreter was a Portuguez an Augustine Frier about forty years of age His name was Father Ioseph of the Rosary a good natur'd man obliging and complaisant and a person that understood himself very well inasmuch as having liv'd four and twenty years in Persia he was excellently well skill'd in the Language and throughly acquainted with the humour and customs of that Nation In his discourse with the Ambassador Crusius he made use of the Latin Tongue and spoke Portuguez to the Ambassador Brugman They sat at Dinner about an hour and a half and then the Cloath being taken away there was warm water brought to wash their hands Which done the Lord Chamberlain cry'd aloud Suffre Hakine Scahe douletine Kasiler Kuwetine alla dielum that is Make us thankful for this repast prosper the King's affairs give his Soldiers and Servants courage this we pray thee O God whereto all the rest answer their Alla Alla. Grace being thus said they rose up and went out of the room one after another without speaking a word according to the custom of the Country Our Mehemander came also to tell us that we might withdraw when we pleas'd as we immediately did making a low Reverence to the King After this first audience we were permitted to receive the Visits of all other Nations who have any Commerce at Ispahan as the French Spaniards Italians English and Dutch They came often to see us and contributed much to our Divertisement during the aboad we made in that City The English were the first that gave us a Visit. Their Factor whose name was Francis Honywood came to our Quarters the 18 of August accompany'd by a considerable number of Merchants who to express the affection they bore us had all put themselves into the German fashion though otherwise they went according to the mode of their own Country The Factor was an excellent good natur'd man and excessively civil He immediately made proffers of his service to us and afterwards made them good upon all occasions and kept us company most part of that day The 22. The King sent the Ambassadors a Present of Fruits as Melons Apples Pears Grapes Quinces and others and along with it thirty great Flaggos of most excellent Schiras-Wine The 24. the Ambassadors had their first private audience concerning their Negotiation at which was the King himself in Person attended by the Chancellor and a great number of the Lords of the Councel This conference was not had in the Divan-Chane but in another apartment into which we were brought through a spacious Gallery and afterwards through a fair Garden where those of our Retinue found their Divertisement while the Ambassadors with their Interpreter were employ'd about their affairs The King had the patience to stay there two hours and better and as we came out thence Dinner was going in whereto all the Company was invited all being placed and treated in the same manner as we had been before Aug. the 28. the Augustine Friers came to intreat the Ambassadors to honour them with their Presence the next day at the Celebration of the Festival of their Patron St. Augustine They desired the same favour of the Muscovian Posâ—anick Alexei Savinouits as also of an Armenian Bishop and the English Merchants who though of a different Religion and that in Europe they would have made some difficulty to be present at the Ceremonies of the Roman-Catholick Church live like Brethren and true Christians among their common Enemies There were in the Monastery in all but six Spanish Monks and yet they had built a very vast Structure with a very fair Church belonging to it which had two Steeples but somewhat low a stately Cloister several Cells and a large Garden The Ambassadors went thither on Horseback in regard that though the Monastery were within the City yet was it above a League from our quarters and the Religious men who receiv'd them at the entrance of the Monastery conducted them straight to the Church which was adorn'd with abundance of Pictures and Gilt in several places They presently began Mass during which we had pretty good Musick for one of their Monks had some skill upon the Organ and our Musicians had brought thither their Lutes and Violins After Mass we were carried into the Garden near a Fountain and under the shade of a Tree the branches whereof were so full of Leaves and so woven one within another that they compass'd the Fountain and in several places reaching down to the ground they made convenient seats The Clock striking twelve we were brought into a fair Hall where we were feared at three several Tables which were plac'd all along the Walls after the same manner as may be seen in the Monasteries of Religious men in Europe The Tables were
would not suffer him to take his rest in the night there was a necessity either he or they should leave the City The same Ambassador engag'd himself in another unhandsom business which was of so much the more dangerous consequence that all the Christians of the Suburbs were concern'd in it The King commands every year a search to be made among the Armenians for all the handsom Maids and makes choice of those whom he likes best Our Interpreter for the Armenian Language whose name was Seran a person of a leud life addressing himself to the Ambassador Brugman told him that in that search he was like to lose a Daughter a beautiful Lass whom he tenderly lov'd and desir'd his advice and protection in that case Brugman advis'd him to oppose the Searchers and to call to his assistance the Domesticks of the Embassy and assur'd him they should be ready to relieve him This proceedure of his and several other imprudent actions had at last forc'd the King to a more severe resolution against the said Ambassador nay haply against the whole Company if the Chancellor had not moderated his passion THE TRAVELS OF THE AMBASSADORS FROM THE DUKE of HOLSTEIN INTO MUSCOVY TARTARY and PERSIA The Sixth Book ERE we leave the City of Ispahan which is now the Metropolis of the whole Kingdom of Persia it will not be amiss I gave the Reader an account of what I found therein worthy my Observation during our aboad there for the space of five moneths and to give here such a Description thereof as he must expect to be so much the more full and particular inasmuch as there is not any Author who hath hitherto written of it hath done it with exactness enough to satisfie even a mean Curiosity They say that the City of Ispahan is the same which was heretofore called Hecatonopolis and that before Tamberlane's time it was known by the name of Sipahan as well by reason of the number of its inhabitants which was so great as that out of it a considerable Army might be rais'd as in regard that in that place the Armies had their Rendezvous from the antient Persian and Vsbeque word Sipe whereof Sipahan is the plural and signifies the same thing as Lâ—sker that is to say an Army from which is derived the word Sipes-alar a term the Persians do yet sometimes make use of to signifie a chief Commander or General of an Army Tamberlane was the first who by transporting the two first Letters of that name call'd it Ispahan Ahmed ben Arebscha who hath written the Life and Actions of Tamberlane calls this City in all places Isbahan writing the word with a b and the Modern Persians always write it Isfahan with an f from an Arabian word which signifies Rank or Batallion though they pronounce it indifferently sometimes Isfahan sometimes Ispahan Ios. Barvaro alwayes calls it Spaham and Ambr. Contarini who was sent Ambassador from the Republick of Venice to Vssum Cassan King of Persia in the year 1473. calls it Spaa Spaam and Aspacham But as we said before its right name is Ispahan This City lies in the Province of Erak or Hierack which is the antient Parthia in a spacious Plain having on all sides at about three or four Leagues distance a high Mountain which compasses it like an Amphitheatre at thirty two degrees twenty six minutes Latitude and eighty six degrees forty minutes Longitude and I have observ'd that the Needle declined there seventeen degrees from the North towards the West It hath toward the South and South-west side the Mountain of Demawend and on the North-east side towards the Province of Mesanderan the Mountain of Ieilak-Perjan The Author of the French Book intituled Les Estats Empires puts it in the Province of Chuaressen but he is mistaken for Chuaressen is a Province of the Vsbeques Tartars at 43. degrees Latitude and lies at a great distance from that of Erak If you take in all its Suburbs it will be found that it is above eight German Leagues in compass in so much that it is as much as a man can do to go about it in one day The City hath twelve Gates whereof there are but nine open above eighteen thousand Houses and about five hundred thousand Inhabitants The Walls of it are of Earth low and weak being below two fathoms and above but a foot thick and its Bastions are of Brick but so poorly flanked that they do not any way fortifie the City no more than does the Ditch which is so ruin'd that both Summer and Winter a man may pass over it dry-foot F. Bizarro and some others affirm that the walls are of Chalk but I could find no such thing unless it were that in the Castle which hath its walls distinct from those of the City there are some places which look as if they were whitened or done over with Chalk or Lime The River Senderut which rises out of the adjacent Mountain of Demawend runs by its walls on the South and South-west side on which side is the Suburbs of Tzulfa Before it comes into the City it is divided into two branches one whereof falls into the Park called Hasartzerib where the King keeps all sorts of Deer and from the other there is drawn a current of water which passes by Chanels under ground into the Garden of Tzarbagh This River supplies the whole City with water there being hardly a house into which it comes not by Pipes or so near as that it is no great trouble to them to fill their Cisterns of it which they call Haws and Burke though besides this convenience of the River they have Wells the water whereof is as good as that of the River Allawerdi-Chan sometime Governour of Schiras built at his own charge the fair Stone-Bridge which is between the Garden of Tzarbagh and the City upon this River which is as broad in that place as the Thames is at London Schach-Abas had a design to bring into the River of Senderut that of Abkuren which rises on the other side of the same Mountain of Demawend and whereas to bring these two Rivers into the same Chanel there was a necessity of cutting the Mountain he employ'd for the space of fourteen years together above a thousand Pioners at that work And though they met with extraordinary difficulties not only in that they had to do with pure Rock which in some places was above two hundred foot deep but also in regard the Mountain being cover'd with Snow for near nine Months of the year they had but three to work in yet had he the work constantly carried on with such earnestness that all the Chans and Great Lords sending their Work-men thereto upon their own charges there was in a manner to doubt made of the successe of that great enterprize since there remain'd to do but the space of two hundred paces when Schach-Abas died leaving the Consummation of that imperfect work
came to Gamron a Vessel from Suratta of 600. Tun burthen It belong'd to the Governour of Suratta who had employ'd an English Carpenter in the building of it There came in it a certain Queen who was a Widow Mother to the King of Gâ—lkende with her Daughter The King fell in love with the Daughter and would have married her but the Mother would by no means consent to that incest upon which he had forc'd her out of the Kingdom The Daughter came along with her Mother preferring the miseries of exile before the enjoyments of that incestuous marriage It was reported the Mothers design was to marry her Daughter to the King of Persia or one of the chiefest Lords of the Kingdom March 11. The Pesians celebrated their Nâ—urus or first day of their year with the ceremonies mentioned in the fourth book of the precedent Travels into Persia the same day the Sulthan invited me again to dinner with several English and Dutch In the evening came to Bandar Mr. Chapman whom I had met near Laar who had accompany'd the new English Captain who was going to Ispahan He brought along with him another English Merchant with whom I had contracted a particular friendship and whose conversation was so much the greater comfort to me in that from my departure from Ispaâ—an I had not met with any friend that I could in the least be confident of For though the Dutch entertain'd me very highly and made great expressions of their kindness towards me yet could I not well trust them especially when I consider'd how little reason they had to have any affection for us after the difference we had had with them at Ispahan March 13. I left the Caravansera to take up my Lodgings at the House belonging to the English who incessantly importuned me to accept of it The 21. came to Gamron one Mr. Hall an English Merchant with 253. Bails of Silk valued at 200 l. a Bail which he had received upon the account of the sum of 30000. Tumains or 150000. Pistols which the King of Persia was endebted to the English for one moyety of the Customs of Gamron whereof we shall speak more anon The same day died my Surgeon of a burning Fever on the seventh day of his sickness I must confess the loss of him was a very great affliction to me For besides the great services he had done me and those he might still do me in my sickness which I had not quite shaken off I might have expected many other good offices from him upon the account of his being well skill'd in the Languages he had gotten by travelling into Spain Italy Poland and the East Indies where he had been twice To alleviate this affliction I went one day abroad a walking with one of the English Merchants along the River side where I saw one of those Trees which Q. Curtius makes mention of in the ninth Book of his History in these terms Alexander having crossed the River with Porus went a good way into the Indies where he saw Forrests of a very vast extent full of trees which were very thick with boughs and of an extraordinary height Most of the Branches being as big as the boal of ordinary Trees bow'd down to the ground and having taken earth grew up straight again so that a man would think they were not branches that started up but other trees growing upon their own roots And indeed so it was that the branches which came out of the boal of the tree getting to the earth did there take root and made another new tree which at the height of fifteen or twenty foot cast forth other branches and so became a Forrest rather then a Tree since that which I saw there was two hundred and fourteen paces about and might well afford shade to two thousand persons The Portuguez call it Arbol de Rays and those who have written the natural History of those parts The Indian Fig-treee by reason of its fruit which is about the bigness of a mans thumb and full of grains within as the common Fig but its taste more unpleasantly lushious and its colour red and the leaves of the tree are much like those of the Quince-tree At the foot of that tree from which all the rest sprung there is a little Chappel built in honour of an Indian Saint or Benjan that lies buried there The Guardian of the Sepulchre who sate at the door received us very kindly and treated us with a collation of Almonds Nuts Dates and very good fair Water He suffered us to come into the Chappel where we found the Saints Tomb all strew'd with Beans of several colours and above it under a Canopy of Satin several Lamps which the Religious man is obliged to keep in night and day We shall have occasion to speak elsewhere of the Religion of the Indians and particularly of that of the Benjans and therefore we shall here only say that it was not by chance that the Tomb was covered with Beans but hence that that Saint and the Guardian of his Sepulchre were of the Sect which is called the Benjans who trade much to Gamron and believe with Pythagoras that the souls of departed persons retreat into Beans an opinion which is very common not only among the Heathens of the Indies but also all over China April 1. there came to Gamron an Envoy from Scach Sefi King of Persia who brought the Sultan a present which was a Garment as an assurance to him of the favour of his Prince The Sulthan got on horseback without any Arms about him and having desir'd the English and Dutch Merchants to honour him with their company in his Cavalcade and to afford him their presence at that Ceremony I got in among them and follow'd him about a quarter of a League out of the City where the Envoy had caused a Tent to be pitch'd in the Field Being got thither they made us all sit down but the Sulthan stood and with great submission receiv'd the Kings Letter which he kiss'd and put to his forehead as also the Robe which the Envoy presented to him at the same time with the Turbant and Girdle which were of a very fine and thin silk with Flowers of Gold He immediately put on the Robe and the other Presents and having made a short prayer for the Kings prosperity lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven and receiv'd the Complements of the whole company he mounted again and return'd to the City where he was received with the great Guns of both the Castles At the entrance of his Palace he met the Molla who made a speech to him that lasted a quarter of an hour after which the Sulthan treated the strangers and the principal Officers of the Garrison very magnificently The City of Gamron or Bandar Gamron i. e. the Port of Gamron lies at 27. deg latitude For though the Persians and Arabians in their Catalogues
of Litter or Sedans carried by two men upon their Shoulders with a bar They bring up their Elephants with much care and are at great charge about them They delight much in Hawking and Hunting Their Greyhounds are somewhat less then ours but they tame Tigers and Leopards whereof they make use in hunting and these surprise their prey at a sudden leap but they never pursue it They are particularly industrious at the catching of River-fowl by means of the Skin of a tame Duck which being fill'd with Hay they swim even with the Water and drawing the Decoy-duck after them they insensibly get among the others and take them by the feet without ever frighting them They are very expert at the Bow which they make of a wild Oxes horn and the Arrows of a very light kind of Cane nay they are so excellent at it that sometimes they will take a Bird flying They delight much in Chess and have also a kind of Game at Cards They are lovers of Musick though there be no great Harmony in their own But above all things they are besoâ—â—ed with judiciary Astrology in so much that they never undertake any business of consequence but they first consult the Minatzim They have some of Aristotle's Works translated into the Arabian tongue which they call Aplis as also some Treatises of Avicennas for whom they have a very high respect because he was born at Smarcanda under the jurisdiction of Tamerlam Their Writings are not ill and their Productions are not void of Eloquence They keep a Register of all the remarkable Actions that are done among them and have such an exact account thereof as might serve to write a History of the Countrey Of their Language there are many Dialects but it is easie enough to be learnt and they write as we do from the left hand to the right Most of any quality about the Mogul's Court speak the Persian tongue nay some but very few speak also the Arabian The most common Diseases of those parts are the bloudy Flux and burning Feavers and the Remedy they ordinarily make use of against them is Abstinence They have good store of Physitians but no Surgeons Barbers of which Profession there is a great number are they who let bloud and apply Leeches In the Kingdom of Guzuratta Winter begins towards the end of Iune and lasts till September but there are not such continual Rains there as at Goa for it rains only in certain Intervals and particularly at new and full Moon The North-wind blows constantly for six moneths together and the South-wind for as many The hottest moneths in the year are April May and the beginning of Iune during which the sultriness of the weather is such that it were insupportable were it not that some Winds rise ever and anon which moderate the excessive heats but with that convenience they bring along with them an inconvenience which is their raising such an extraordinary Dust that it deprives a Man of the sight of the Sun There is a vast Trade driven in many Commodities all over the Kingdom of Guzuratta but particularly in Cotton and Linnen Cloaths which are in fairness and fineness equal to those of Holland as also in several Silk-stuffes as Contoms which are of several colours Satins Taffatas Petolas Commerbands Ornis of Gold and Silk which Women commonly make use of to cover their Faces withall Brocadoes Tapistry or Alcatifs Chitrenges or streaked Carpets to lay over Chests and Cabinets quilted Coverlets of Silk or Cotton which they call Geodris or Nalis Tents Perintos or Neuhar which they make use of instead of Couches Cadels or Bed-steads Cabinets of Lacque Chess-boards of Tortoise-shell Seals Beads Chains Buttons and Rings of Ivory Amber Rock-Crystal and Agat The best Indico in the world comes from about Amadabath from a Village call'd Chrichees whence it derives the name The Herb of which they make it is like that of yellow Parsnip but shorter and more bitter sprouting forth into branches like a Reed and growing in kind years six or seven foot high the Flower is like that of a Thistle and the Seed like that of Fenu-greek It is sown in Iune and cut in November and December It is sown but once in three years and the first year the leaves are cut off within a foot of the ground The stalks are taken away and the leaves are set a drying in the Sun and that done they are set a soaking for four or five dayes in a Stonesâ—trough containing about six or seven foot water which is ever and anon stirred till such time as the Water hath suckt out the colour and vertue of the Herb. That done they let out the Water into another Trough where they suffer it to settle for one night The next day all the Water is taken away and what is left in the bottom of the Trough is strain'd through a course Cloath and is set a drying in the Sun And this is the best Indico but the Countrey people adulterate it by mixing therewith a certain Earth of the same colour And whereas the goodness of this Drug is discovered by its lightness they have the cunning to put a little Oyl into it to make it swim upon the water The second year the stalk which was left the year before shoots forth other leaves but they are not so good as those of the first Yet is this preferr'd before Gyngey that is wild â—udico It is also the second year that they suffer some part of it to grow up to seed That of the third year is not good and consequently not sought after by forraign Merchants but is imploy'd by the Inhabitants of the Countrey in the dying of their Cloaths The best Indico is almost of a violet colour and hath somewhat of its smell when it 's burned The Indâ—sthans call it Anil and after it hath been in the ground three years they suffer the Land to lye fallow for one year ere they sow it again Most of the Saltpeter which is sold in Guzuratta comes from Asmer sixty Leagues from Agra and they get it out of Land that hath lain long fallow The blackest and fattest ground yields most of it though other Lands afford some and it is made thus They make certain Trenches which they fill with their Saltpetrous Earth and let into them small Rivulets as much water as will serve for its soaking which may 〈◊〉 the more effectually done they make use of their feet treading it till it become a Broath When the Water hath drawn out all the Saltpeter which was in the Earth they take the clearest part of it and dispose it into another Trench where it grows thick and then they boil it like Salt continually scumming it and then they put it into earthen pots wherein the remainder of the Dregs goes to the bottom and when the Water begins to thicken they take it out of these pots to set it
their Mesquites they have many meetings where they eat together of what is brought thither by every one They have likewise some such Assemblies upon a Mountain which is in a Wood in the middle of the Island where the Inhabitants of Puldrim Puloway and Lantor their Allies meet them to consider of publick matters After they have treated of publick Affairs they sit down on the ground and they serve to every one upon a Banana leaf which serves them instead of a Trencher a Morsel of Sagu which is their Bread and a little Rice steep'd in broath which they eat by handfuls During the Feast the Gentlemen to entertain the Guests have a kind of Skirmish They are almost in continual war with their Neighbours and keep constant Guards upon the Coast as well to surprize others as to prevent their being surprized themselves Their Arms are the Cimetar with them called a Phahang and a Buckler of wood above four foot long They handle their Weapons with much address being train'd to it from their infancy They have likewise Fire-arms but in war they chiefly use a sort of Lance of eight or ten foot long made of an exceeding hard wood which they cast with such force that they will run a Man quite through with it Having cast their Lances for commonly they carry two they fall to their Sword which hangs at their left side under their Buckler or to another sort of Weapon which they dart and pull back with a string whereto they tye a short Truncheon having at the end a crooked iron that is exceeding sharp and dangerous Some use Corslets but these are Persons of Quality others contenting themselves with Casks of Steel and made like Cocks-combs Their Gallies are very light having on both sides in a manner even with the water two Scaffolds like wings where the Slaves are set to row They are three to every seat and every one hath an Oar which is properly but a deep wooden Shovel which they thrust as far as they can into the Sea and when they draw it back they bring it about their heads to cast out the water which they do so fast and with such sleight that a Ship must be a good Sailor that shall with a good wind take one of these Gallies In the Isle of Banda 't is no rarity to meet with people of sixscore years of age and above They believe that who fails to pray for the dead shall have no resurrection whereas otherwise with the Mahumetans they believe the resurrection of the dead Women that are present at the death of a friend cry out with all violence as if by this means they would fetch the Soul back again but seeing it comes not they interr the Corps which is born by ten or twelve persons on their Shoulders in a Biere or Coffin covered with white Linnen the Men going before the Women behind The Corps being laid in the ground they return to the house of the deceased where they dine together then they burn Incense over the Grave for four and twenty hours and at night set a burning Lamp over it in a Hut made for that purpose The Men mind nothing but their recreation and walking up and down and leave all the work to be done by their Wives whose chiefest business is to break the Nutmeg shell and dry the Nut and Mace wherein consists their greatest revenue This excellent fruit for ought I could ever learn grows only in the Isle of Banda which the Inhabitants call Bandan or rather in the six Isles 't is composed of that is Gunaxi Nera and Lantor betwixt which lies the Road for the Vessels that are bound thither Puloway Pulorim and Bassingin It is a thing to be admired that these six little Islands should furnish the whole World with Nutmegs if it were not certain that except a few Duriaons Nancan Bananas Oranges and Cocoes that grow there they produce not any thing else and the Islands are so covered with Nutmeg-trees that excluding only the fiery Mountain in the Isle of Gunapi there is not a foot of Land but is employed and the Trees at all times loaden with fruit and flowers green or ripe They chiefly gather them thrice a year that is in April August and December but that which ripens in April is the best The Tree is not unlike a Peach-tree only the leaves are more short and round The Fruit is covered with a husk as thick as that of our Wallnuts which being opened there appears a very thin leaf upon a hard shell yet does it not so cover it but that the shell is to be seen in several places and this is that they call the Nutmeg flower or Mace and the shell must be broken to come at the fruit The flower is of a lively carnation while the Nut is green but afterwards it changes and draws towards an Orange colour especially when it parts from the shell The Inhabitants preserve it in the shell with Salt or Sugar and make a very excellent Preserve The Natives call the Nutmeg Palla and Mace Bunapalla This Spice comforts the Brain helps the Memory expels Wind cleanses the Reins and stayes Looseness Mace hath almost the same vertues but 't is much more proper for Sauces Oyl of Nutmegs strengthens the Sinews procures Sleep stayes Defluxions and cures the pains in the Stomack and of powder of Nutmeg or Mace mixt with the Oyl of Roses they make an Unguent soveraign against such Griefs as proceed from Indigestion The Hollanders have built here two Forts which they call Nassau and Belgica where the Road is so good that Vessels come up within Musket-shot and ride safely at nine or ten fathom water The Island is inhabited with about ten or eleven thousand persons yet would it be hard to draw out five hundred Men fit to bear Arms. Here they drive a good round trade in Garments brought from Coromandel Rice Purcelane Velvet Damask Taffaty Scarlet Provisions and Ammunirion for the Forts The Inhabitants are obstinate and mutinous so as the Hollanders cannot assure the possession of this Isle but by force alone In their Relations of the Isle of Nera they report there are Serpents so great that one day the Author of the twentieth Relation observing his Poultry dayly to decrease and being told by the Natives there were Serpents that devoured them he had then watch'd so carefully that they took one which about midnight was crept into the Hen-roost and had made a strange havock The Servants who kill'd it found in the belly five Hens one Duck and a sucking Pig which they made no difficulty to eat of no more then they did of the Serpent it self Though some comprehend in the number of the Molucques many of the Islands that fill up this Oriental Archipelago yet properly there are called by the name of the Moluccaes but the five following Islands Ternate Tidar Motiel Machiam and Bachiam by the ancient
custom they have to make Entertainments for the Women distinct from those of the Men. They all came and wondered not much that the Mistress of the house was not to be seen in regard her Husband told them that she was busie in the Kitchin but dinner being well-nigh past and the Guests perceiving the Woman appear'd not they intreated him to send for her which he promised to do Whereupon rising from the Table and going into the Room where she was ty'd to the Ladder he unbound her put a Shrowd about her and put into her hands a Box of Lacque wherein were the Privy-members of her Gallant cover'd with Flowers charging her not to open the Box and saying to her Go and present this Box to our common Relations and see whether I may upon their meditation grant you your life She came in that equipage into the Hall where they sate at dinner and falling on her knees presented the Box with the precious Reliques within it to the Kindred but as soon as they had opened it she swounded Her Husband perceiving it went to her and to prevent her returning again now that she was going cut off her Head which raised such an horror in the Friends that they immediately left the Room and went to their several homes To prevent these disorders they have in their common Inns upon the Road as also in certain places in Cities the convenience of furnishing Travellers with a kind of Women who are for the most part Slaves but very well clad in Silk and make no difficulty to proffer themselves to keep men company all night These have the Custom of Masters of Ships and common Sea-men that are Forreigners but if they will bid at a little higher Game and be more sure of their enjoyments they may buy a concubine with whom they contract for the time they are to stay in the Country allowing them five or six pence a day towards their diet a Garment or two certain pair of Shooes of Cordevant and about eight or ten Crowns for the Father or Master who lets her out We are so far from charging this Nation with being over-superstitious that on the other side we affirm that there is no mark of Devotion to be observed among them Those who are conceived to have very much go once a moneth to their Pagodes and pronounce several times the word Nammanda which is the name of one of their Gods but they are never seen praying to God neither morning nor evening nor at any time of the day There is a certain Sect among them which hath Priests who preach thrice a year to which Sermons all those of the same perswasion resort There are also some who make use of another kind of Ecclesiasticks especially in their long diseases wherein they have prayers made which last twenty four hours with such a noise that they stunne such as come near them who yet cannot understand one word they say not only in regard they pronounce ill and confusedly but hence that whatever they compose as well in matter of Religion as Medicine and the other Sciences is couched in such high and obscure terms that many times they understand them not themselves Notwithstanding this irreligion there are in Iapan an incredible number of Pagodes or Mesquites some of which have fifteen or twenty Priests belonging to them They are distinguished from the Laicks in that their Heads are shaved as also by their cloathing in as much as they go in a kind of Cassock made like the Frocks worn by some Country people but upon Holidayes they go in a sort of long Garments which they sold up under the left Arm like a Cloak Their principal employment is to pray before their Gods and to bury the dead or at least the ashes of such bodies as have been burnt They are divided into several Sects and consequently have so many different wayes of doing their Devotions especially on the Anniversary dayes of the deceased which they call Bom on which the Priests are employed in praying and singing Letanies in making Processions about a Chappel set about with Wax-lights much after the same manner as is done in some parts of Europe Their Sepulchres are near their Pagodes covered with great Stones two or three foot high on which such as go to do their Devotions there cast Flowers or branches of Trees and put into a little Pit made in the ground some fair Water and a little Rice which is taken away thence by the poor Persons of Quality erect a little Pillar near their Sepulchres and grave thereon their names with a certain Elogy which serves for an Epitaph Their Ecclesiasticks are divided into twelve principal Sects of which eleven eat not of any thing that hath had life and make a Vow of Chastity with so strict an Obligation for the observance thereof that if they break it though in never so small a point they are put to the most cruel death that ever was heard of For the Priest who hath broken his Vow is put into the ground up to the Waste near the High-way and all that pass by who are not nobly descended are obliged to give a little stroke upon his Neck with a wooden Saw which being very blunt makes the Wretch languish three or four dayes together This course is taken with them upon this account that being permitted to use Sodomy they may forbear Women The Priests of the twelfth Sect live after another rate For it is lawful for them to feed on any thing that Earth or Water affords as also to marry and yet this Sect which they call Icko whence the Priests whereof it consists are named Ickois is accounted the holiest and most perfect of them all He who is Head of this Sect is also Supream Head of all the Clergy of the Country and is in so great veneration among his followers that they do not only carry him in a Palanquin but indeed do him such honours as are almost Divine All the Priests depend on the Dayro who still hath the same power over the Ecclesiasticks as he had heretofore joyntly with the secular power Only such Pagodes as belong to these last have a settled Revenue and enjoy many Priviledges and Immunities granted them by the Emperours All the other Pagodes are maintain'd by what is given them either by way of Alms or the Gratifications that they get from those who imploy them about Prayers for the dead wherein the main part of the exercise of their Religion consists Some among them believe that the Soul is immortal that the Body is reduced to its first Principle and becomes Dust and Ashes but that the Spirit is either raised to eternal joy or condemn'd to an endless grief and that at its return into this World it shall find good or evil according to what it had done during this life Others make no distinction between the Souls of Men and those of Beasts and as