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
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
suffered by the way THe King of Bungo being extreamly grieved to see the disaster of his Son turned himself to me and beholding me with a very gentle countenance Stranger said he unto me try I pray thee if thou canst assist my Son in this peril of his life for I sware unto thee if thou canst do it I will make no less esteem of thee then of him himself and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt demand of me Hereunto I answered the King that I desired his Majesty to command all those people away because the coyle that they kept confounded me and that then I would see whether his hurts were dangerous for if I found that I was able to cure them I would do it most willingly Presently the King willed every one to be gone whereupon approaching unto the Prince I perceived that he had but two hurts one on the top of his forehead which was no great matter and the other on his right hand thumb that was almost cut off So that our Lord inspiring me as it were with new courage I besought the King not to be grieved for I hoped in lesâ— then a month to render him his Son perfectly recovered Having comforâ—ed him in this manner I began to prepare my self for the dressing of the Prince but in the mean time the King was very much reprehended by the Bonâ—oes who told him that his Son would assuredly die that night and therefore it was better for him to put me to death presently then to suffer me to kill the Prince out-right adding further that if it should happen to prove so as it was very likely it would not only be a great scandal unto him but also much alienate his peoples affections from him To these speeches of the Bonzoes the King replyed that he thought they had reason for that they said and therefore he desired them to let him know how he should govern himself in this extremity You must said they stay the coming of the Bonzo Teixâ—andono and never think of any other course for we assure you in regard he is the holiest man living he will no sooner lay his hand on him but he will heal him straight as he hath healed many othâ—rs in our â—ight As the King was even resolved to follow the cursed counsel of thâ—se servants of the Divel the Prince complained that his wounds pained 〈◊〉 in such sort aâ— he was noâ—â—ble to indure it and therefore prayed any handsome remedy might be instantly applied to them whereupon the King much distracted between the opinion of the Bonzoes and the danger that his Son was in of his life together with the extream pain that he suffered desired those about him to advice him what he should resolve on in that exigent not one of them but was of the mind that it was far more expedient to have the Prince drest out of hand then to stay the time which the Bonzoes spake of This counsel being approved of the King he came again to me and making very much of me he promised me mighty matters if I could recover his Son I answered him with tears in my eyes that by the help of God I would do it and that he himself should be witness of my care therein So recommending my self to God and taking a good heart unto me for I saw there was no other way to save my life but that I prepared all things necessary to perform the cure Now because the hurt of the right hand thumb was most dangerous I begun with that and give it seven stitches whereas peradventure if a Chirurgion had drest him he would have given it fewer as for that of the forehead I gave it but four in regard it was much slighter then the other that done I applyed to them tow wet in the whites of eggs and so bound them up very close as I had seen others done in the Indiaes Five days after I cut the stitches and continued dressing him as before until that at the end of twenty days it pleaâ—â—d God he was throughly cured without any other inconvenience remaining to him then a little weakness in his thumb For this cause after that time the Kâ—ng and all his Lords did me much honour the Queen also and the Princesses her daughters presented me with a great many Sutes of silks and the chiefest of the Court with Cymitars and other things bâ—sides all which the King gave me six hundred Taeis so that after this sort I received in recompence of this my cure above fifteen hundred Duckets that I carried with me from this place After things were past in this manner being advertised by letters from my two Companions at Tanixumaa that the Chinese Pirate with whom we came thither was preparing for his return to China I besought the King of Bungo to give me leave to go back which he readily granted me and with much acknowledgement of the curing of his Son he willed a Funce to be made ready for me furnished with all things necessary wherein commanded a man of quality that was attended by twenty of the Kings servants with whom I departed one Saturday morning from the City of Fucheo and the Friday following about Sun-set I arrived at Tanixumaa where I found my two Comrades who received me with much joy Here we continued fifteen days longer till such time as the Junck was quite ready and then we set Sail for Liampoo which is a Sea-port of the Kingdom of China whereof I have spoken at large heretofore and where at that time the Portugals traded Having continued our voyage with a prosperous wind it pleased God that we arrived safe at our desired Port where it is not to be believed how much we were welcome by the Inhabitants of the place Now because it seemed strange unto them that we had voluntarily submitted our selves in that sort to the bad faith of the Chineses they asked of us from what Country we came and where it was that we imbarqued our selves with them whereupon we freely declared unto them the truth of all and gave them an account of our Voyage as also of the new Land of Iapon that we had discovered the great abundance of silver that was there and the exceeding profit that might be made by carrying the commodities of China thither wherewith they were wonderfully contented and instantly ordained a general Procession to be made by way of thanksgiving unto God for so great a blessing But withall covetousness began in such sort to seize upon the hearts of most of the Inhabitants every one striving to be the foremost in this voyage as they came to divide themselves into troops and to make several parties so that even with weapons in their hands they went thronging to buy up the commodities of that Country which made the Chinese Merchants upon the sight of our unruly avarice set so high a price upon their wares that whereas a Pico of silk was at first not worth forty
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
of the teares of your eyes for the entertainment of my soul because of the good newes I now bring you which is that by the wil of God this Country is setled on our King Chaumigrem without being tyed to make any restitution thereof for which you have all of you good cause to rejoyce like good and faithfull servants as you are He had scarcely made an end of speaking thus when as all those of the assembly clapping their hands gave great demonstrations of joy and cryed out in a way of thanksgiving Be thou praised O Lord. All this ceremony ended the Priests full of devotion and zeal immediately took all the parts of this poor King dismembred in that sort and with great veneration carried them to a place below where a great fire was kindled of Sandal Aloes and Benjamin which cost a great deal then three of them taking up of the body of the deceased with the bowels and all the rest threw it into it and afterwads with a strange ceremony offered many sacrifices unto him whereof the most part were of sheep The body burned all that night untill the next moâ—ning and the ashes thereof was put into a silver urne wherein with a very solemn assembly of above ten thousand Priests it was carried to a Temple called The God of thousand Gods and there was buried in a rich tomb within a Chappel guilt all over Behold what was the end of the great and mighty Xemindoo King of Pegu unto whom his subjects bore so great respect and honour during the time of his raign which was so flourishing that it seemed there was no other Monarch greater then he on the earth but such is the course of all the world CHAP. LXXV My imbarking in the Kingdome of Pegu to go to Malaca and from thence to Japan and a strange accident which arrived there THe death of the good King of Siam and the adulterie of the Queen his wife whereof I have spoken at large heretofore were the root and beginning of so many discords and of so many cruell warres which hapning in those two Kingdomes of Pegu and Siam indured three years and an half with so much expence of mony and bloud as is horrible to think of Now the end of all those warres was that the Chaumigrem King of Bramaa remained absolute Lord of the Kingdome of Pegu howbeit for the present I will speak no further of him but will deliver that which arrived in other Countries untill such time as the same Chaumigrem King of Bramaa returned upon the Kingdome of Siam with so mighty an Army as never any King whatsoever in the Indiaes brought a greater into the field as consisting of seventeen hundred thousand men and of sixteen thousand elephants whereof nine thousand were for the carriage of the Baggage and seven thousand for fighting an enterprize that was so dammageable for us as I learned afterwards that it cost us two hundred and four score Portugals I come now again to my designe from which I have wandered a good while After that these commotions whereof I have spoken heretofore were all appeased Gonçalo Pacheco departed from the City of Pegu with all us the rest of the Portugals which remained there and whom the new King of Bramaa had delivered as I have already declared causing their merchandize to be restored unto them and obliging them with many other courtesies as well of Honour as of Liberty So we an hundred and three score Portugals as we were imbarqued our selves in five vessels which were at that time in the Port of Cosmin one of the principal Townes of that Kingdom and there we divided our selves as pilgrims and travellers to the Indiaes for to go into divers Countries according as each of us thought to be most convenient for him As for me I set sail for Malaca with six and twenty of my companions where when we were arrived I sojourned there one month only and then imbarqued my self again to go to Iapan with one Iorge Alvarez who in a Sip belonging to Simono de Mello Captain of the Fortresse went to traffick Now having been already six and twenty dayes under sail in contiâ—â—ing our course with a good winde according to the season wee came in sight of an Iland called Tanixumaa some nine Leagues South towards the point of the Land of Iapan so that turning our prow that vvay vve vvent and rode the next day in the midst of the haven of Ganxiroo In this place the Nautaquin who was Governour thereof had the curiositie to come unto us for to see a thing which he had never seen before to which effect he got aboard of us where amazed with the fashion and equipage of our vessel as being the first that ever arrived in that Country he seemed to be infinitely glad of our coming yea and was very earnest vvith us to have us trade in that place with him but Iorge Alvarez and the Merchants excused themselves saying that this port was not safe for their Ship if any contrary winde should happen to arise The day following being parted from this place to go to the Kingdom of Bungo from whence vve vvere distant some hundred leagues to the Northward in five dayes after our departure it pleased God that we arrived in the port of the Town of Fucheo where we were vvell received as vvell by the King as the people vvho greatly favoured us in that vvhich concerned the duties of our Merchandize and the King had yet more obliged us if in the little time that vve abode there he had not been miserably slain by a Vassal of his named Fucarandono a mighty Prince Lord of many Subjects and exceeding rich a disaster which hapned as followeth At the time when we arrived there there was in the King of Bungo's Court a young man called Axirandoo Nephew to the King of Arimaa vvho in regard of the ill intreaty vvhich he had received from the King his Uncle had retired himself into this Court and continued there above a yeer with an intent never to return into his Country again but his good fortune was such as his Uncle coming to die and having no other to succeed him he declared him for his Heir Whereupon the Fucarandono of whom I lately made mention desiring to marry this Prince to a Daughter of his intreated the King to mediate this marriage for him which he easily condescended unto For vvhich effect the King one day invited the Prince to go a hunting with him into a Wood which was some two leagues off and where there was great store of game vvhich he much delighted in When they were there in private together he moved this Marriage unto him and certified how exceedingly it vvould content him that hee vvould accept of it vvhich accordingly he did vvherewith the King seemed to be extremely satisfied so that upon his return unto the Town hee sent for the Fucarandono and told him how he had prevailed for the
and without harkening to what he might say she instantly returned to her lodging then caused her Vessâ—ls wherein she came thither to be made ready and the next day set sail for Biâ—tan where the King of Iantana was at that time who according to the report was made of it to us afterward received her with great honor at her arrival To him she recounted all that had past betwixt her and Pedro de Faria and how she had lost all hope of our friendship Unto whom it is said the King made this answer That he did not marvel at the little faith she had found in us for that we had shewed it but too much upon sundry occasions unto all the world Now the better to confirm his saying he recited some particular examples of matters which he said had befallen us conformable to his purpose and like a Mahometan and our Enemy he made them appear more enormous then they were So after he had recounted many things of us very ill done amongst the which he interlaced divers Treacheries Robberies and Tyrannies at length he told her that as a good King and a good Mahometan he would promise her that ere it were long she should see her self by his means restored again to every foot of her Kingdom and to the end she might be the more assured of his promise he told her that he was content to take her for his wife if so she pleased for that thereby he should have the greater cause to become the King of Achems Enemy upon whom for her sake he should be constrained to make War if he would not by fair means be perswaded to abandon that which he had unjustly taken from her Whereunto she made answer that albeit the honor he did her was very great yet she would never accept of it unless he would first promise as in way of a dowry to revenge the death of her former husband saying it was a thing she so much desired as without it she would not accept of the Soveraignty of the whole world The King condescended to her request and by a solemn Oath taken on a Book of their Sect confirmed the promise which to that effect he made her After that the King of Iantana had taken that Oath before a great Cacis of his called Raia Moulana upon a festival day when as they solemnized their Ramadan he went to the Isle of Compar where immediately upon the celebration of their Nuptials he called a Councel for to advise of the course he was to hold for the performance of that whereunto he had engaged himself for he knew it was a matter of great difficulty and wherein he should be forced to hazard much of his Estate The resolution that he took hereupon was before he enterprized any thing to send to summon the Tyrant of Achem to surrender the Kingdom of Aaru which in the right of his new wife belonged now unto him and then according to the answer he should receive to govern himself This Councel seemed so good to the King that he presently dispatched an Embassador to the Tyrant with a rich Present of Jewels and Silks together with a Letter containing these words Sibri Laya quendou pracama de Raia lawful King by a long succession of Malaca which by strong hand and the injustice of the faithless Kings of Jantana and Bintan hath been usurped from me To thee Siry Sultan Aaradin King of Achem and of all the Land of the two Seas my true Brother by the ancient Amity of our forefathers I thine Ally in flesh and in blood do give thee to understand by my Embassador that about the seventh Moon of this present year the noble Widow Anchesiny Queen of Aaru came to me full of grief and tears and prostrating her self on the ground before me she told me that thy Captains had taken her Kingdom from her as also the two Rivers of Lava and Panetican and slain Aliboncar her husband together with five thousand Amborraias and Ouroballons all men of mark that were with him and made three thousand children slaves which had never offended tying their hands behind them and scourging them continually without pity as if they had been the sons of unbelieving mothers Wherefore being moved with compassion I have received her under the protection of my faith to the end that I might with more certainty inform my self of the reason and right thou hadst so to do and perceiving by her oaths that thou hadst none I have taken her to my wife that I might the more freely before God demand that which is hers I desire thee then as being thy true Brother that thou wilt render that thou hast taken from her and thereof make her a good and full restitution And touching the proceeding that is to be held in this restitution which I demand of thee it is to be done according to the manner that Syribican my Embassador will shew thee And not doing thus conformable to what in justice I require of thee I declare my self thine Enemy in the behalf of this Lady unto whom I am obliged by a solemn Oath to defend her in her affliction This Embassador being come to Acheâ— the Tyrant received him very honorably and took his Letter But after he had opened it and read the contents he would presently have put him to death had he not been diverted by his Councel who told him that in so doing he would incur great infamy Whereupon he instantly dismissed the Embassador with his Present which in contempt of him he would not accept of and in answer of that he brought him he returned him a Letter wherein it was thus written I Sultan Aaradin King of Achem Baarros Pedir Paacem and of the Signories of Dayaa and Batas Prince of all the Land of the two Seas both Mediterranean and Ocean and of the Mynes of Menencabo and of the Kingdom of Aaru newly conquered upon just cause To thee King replenished with joy and desirous of a doubtful heritage I have seen thy Letter written at the table of thy Nuptials and by the inconsiderate words thereof have discerned the drunkenness of thy Councellors and Secretaries whereunto I would not have vouchsafed an answer had it not been for the humble prayers of my servants As touching the Kingdom of Aaru do not thou dare to speak of it if thou desirest to live sufficeth it that I have caused it to be taken in and that it is mine as thine also shall be ere long if thou hast married Anchesiny with a purpose upon that occasion to make claim to a Kingdom that now is none of hers wherefore live with her as other husbands do with their wives that tilling the ground are contented with the labor of their hands Recover first thy Malaca since it was once thine and then thou mayst think of that which never belonged to thee I will favor thee as a Vassal and not as a Brother as thou qualifiest thy self From my great
retire to the Lanchara where we remained with five Boys and eight Mariners not having so much as the worth of a peny left of all our merchandize which amounted to fifty thousand crowns in gold and stone only In this Lanchara we past away all the night very much afflicted and still harkening what might be the end of this mutiny which was risen among the people as I have before related At length perceiving the matters grew worse and worse and that there was no hope for us to recover any part of our goods we thought it a far safer course to go away to Patana then by staying to run a hazard of being killed as above four thousand persons were With this resolution we parted from this place and in six days arrived at Patana where we were very well received by the Portugals which were in that Country unto whom we recounted all that had past at Pan and the pitious estate wherein we had left that miserable Town This accident very much afflicted them so that desiring to give some remedy thereunto with a true affection of charitable Christians they went all to the Palace of the King and complained to him of the wrong that had been done to the Captain of Malaca beseeching him thereupon they might be permitted to recover if it were possible the loss they had sustained and have leave granted to right themselves upon any merchants goods belonging to the Kingdom of Pan to the value of the sum they had been despoyled of The King having heard their complaint and presently granting what they demanded It is reasonable said he that you should do as you have been done unto and that you should spoyl them that first have spoyled you especially in a matter that concerns the Captain of Malaca unto whom all of you are so much obliged The Portugals having rendred him very humble thanks for this grace returned to their houses where they concluded to seize upon all the goods they could meet with belonging to the Kingdom of Pan until such time as they had fully recovered their loss It hapned then about nine days after they being advertised that some ten leagues off in the river of Calantan were three Junks of China very rich and appertaining to Mahometan Merchants Natives of the Kingdom of Pan that by foul weather at Sea were constrained to put in there our people resolved to fall upon them To which effect out of three hundred Portugals that were then in the Country we chose out fourscore with whom we imbarqued our selves in two Foysts and one round ship well provided of all things we thought to be necessary for this enterprize So we departed three days after with all speed for fear lest the Mahometans of the Country having discovered our design should advertise them of it whom we went to seek Of these three vessels one Ioano Fernandez Dabrea born in the Isle of Madera was General who with forty Soldiers went in the round ship and the other two Foysts were commanded by Laurenco de Goes and Vasco Sermento both of them of the City of Braganea in Portugal and very well experienced in Sea-service The next day we arrived at the river of Calentan where as soon as we decryed the three Junks riding at anchor which we had been told of we set very valiantly upon them and albeit those that were in them did at first do their best endevor to defend themselves yet at length all their resistance was in vain for in less then an hour we reduced them all under our power so as seventy and four of theirs were slain and but three of ours though we had many men hurt I will not hold you here with any particular discourse of what was done on either side let it suffice that after the three Junks had rendred themselves we presently set sail and carryed them away with us in all haste because the whole Country thereabout was in an uproar directing our course towards Patana where by the favor of a fair wind we arrived the next day in the afternoon Having then cast anchor we saluted the Town with a peal of Ordnance in sign of joy which put the Mahometans of the Country out of all patience for though we stood in the terms of good friends with them yet they left not to use all possible means both of Presents which they gave to the Governors and the Kings Favorites and otherwise for to make our prizes voyd and that the King would expel us out of his dominions whereunto he would at no hand consent saying that he would not for any thing in the world break the peace which his Ancestors had made with the Christians of Malaca â—nd that all that he could do therein was to become a third betwixt them Whereupon he deâ—â—â—ed us that the three Necodas of the Junks so are the Commanders of them called in that Country restoring unto us what had been taken from the Captain of Malaca we would likewise render unto them as well their vessels free as the overplus a matter which Ioano Fernandez Dabrea and the rest of the Portugals very willingly agreed unto to testifie the desire they had to content him As indeed he was exceedingly well pleased with them for it which he expressed both in courteous language and many promises of his future favor Thus were the fifty thousand duckets recovered that Pedro de Faria and Tome Lobo had lost and the Portugals were in great esteem over all that Country so that their valor rendred them very formidable to the Mahometans A little after the Soldiers assured us that in the three Junks we had taken there was only in lingoâ—s of silver besides the other merchandize wherewithall they were laden to the value of two hundred Taieis which in our mony amounts to an hundred thousand duckets CHAP. XIV The Misfortune that befell us at the entry into the River of Lugor our hiding our selves in a Wood with that which happened unto us afterwards and our return unto Malaca HAving sojourned six and twenty days at Patana for to sell away some few commodities of China that I had there arrived a Foyst from Malaca commanded by one Antonio de Faria who came thither by the express commandment of Pedro de Faria to treat with the King about some accord as also to confirm the ancient league anew which he had with Malaca and withall to give him thanks for the good entertainment he gave in his Kingdom to those of the Portugal Nation This business was carryed with a fair shew of an Embassie accompanyed with a Letter and a Present of Jewels sent in the name of the King of Portugal our Master and taken out oâ— his Coffers as all the Captains of that place used to do Now for as much as the said Antonio de Faria had brought along with him some ten or twelve thousand crowns worth of Indian woolen and linnen cloth which he had taken up on his credit at
he remains that begot me who indeed is my true father with whom I had rather dye where I see him lamenting then live with such wicked people as you are Then some of them that were present reprehending and telling him that it was not well spoken Would you know replyed he why I said so it was because I saw you after you had filled your bellies praise God with lifted up hands and yet for all that like hypocrites never care for making restitution of that you have stollen but he assured that after death you shall feel the rigorous chastisement of the Lord Almighty for so unjustly taking mens goods from themâ— Antonio de Faria admiring the childs speech asked him whether he would become a Christian Whereunto earnestly beholding him he answered I understand not what you say nor that you propound declare it first unto me and then you shall know my mind further Then Antonio de Faria began to instruct him therein after the best manner he could but the boy would not answer him a word only lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven he said weeping Blessed be thy Power O Lord that permits such people to live on the Earth that speak so well of thee and yet so ill observe thy Law as these blinded Miscreants do who think that robbing and preaching are things that can be acceptable to thee Having said so he got him into a corner and there remained weeping for three days together without eating any thing that was presented unto him Hereupon falling to consult whether were the best course for us to hold from this place either Northward or Southward much dispute arose thereabout at length it was concluded that we should go to Liampoo a Port distant from thence Northwards two hundred and threescore leagues for we hoped that along this Coast we might happen to incounter and seize on some other greater and more commodious Vessel then that we had which was too little for so long a Voyage in regard of the dangerous storms that are ordinarily caused by the new Moons on the Coast of China where dayly many Ships are cast away With this design we put to Sea about Sun-set and so went on this night with a South-west wind and before day we discovered a little Island named Quintoo where we surprized a fisher-boat full of fresh fish of which we took as much as we had need of as also eight of twelve men that were in her for the service of our Lantea by reason our own were so feeble as they were not able to hold out any longer These eight fishermen being demanded what Ports there were on this Coast to Chincheo where we thought we might meet with some Ship of Malaca answered that about eighteen leagues from thence there was a good River and a good Rode called Xingrau much frequented with Junks where we might be easily and throughly accommodated with all that we stood in need of that at the entring into it there was a little Village named Xamoy inhabited with poor fishermen and three leagues beyond that the Town where there was great store of Silks Musk Pourcelains and many other sorts of Commodities which were transported into divers parts Upon this advice we steered our course towards that River where we arrived the next day immediately after dinner and cast anchor just against it about a league in the Sea for fear lest our ill fortune should run us into the same mischief we were in before The night following we took a Paroo of fishermen of whom we demanded what Junks there were in this River and how they were man'd with divers other questions proper for our design Whereunto they answered that at the Town up the River there was not above two hundred Junks by reason the greatest part were already gone to Ainan Sumbâ—r Lailoâ— and other Ports of Cauchenchina moreover that we might ride in safety at Xamoy and that there we might buy any thing we wanted Whereupon we entred into the River and anchored close to the Village where we continued the space of half an hour being much about midnight But Antonio de Faria seeing that the Lantea wherein we sailed could not carry us to Liampoo where we purposed to lie all the Winter he concluded by the advice of his company to furnish himself with a better Vessel and although we were not then in case to enterprise any thing yet necessity constrained us to undertake more then our Forces would permit Now there being at that instant a little Junk riding at anchor fast by us alone and no other near her having but few men in her and those asleep Antonio de Faria thought he had a good opportunity to effect his purpose wherefore leaving his anchor in the Sea he got up close to this Junk and with seven and twenty Soldiers and eight Boys boarded her on a sudden unespyed where finding seven or eight Chinese Mariners fast asleep he caused them to be taken and bound hand and foot threatening if they cryed out never so little to kill them all which put them in such a fear as they durst not so much as quetch Then cutting her cables he got him straight out of the River and sailing away with all the speed he could The next day we arrived at an Island named Pullo Quirim distant from Xamoy not above nine leagues there meeting with a little favorable gale within three days we went and anchored at another Island called Luxitay where in regard the ayr was wholesom and the water good we thought fit to stay some fifteen days for the recovery of our sick men In this place we visited the Junk but found no other commodity in her then Rice the greatest part whereof we cast into the Sea to make her the lighter and securer for our Voyage Then we unladed all her furniture into the Lantea and set her on ground for to caulk her so that in doing thereof and making our provision of water we spent as I said before fifteen days in this Island by which time our sick men fully recovered their health whereupon we departed for Liampoo being given to understand that many Portugals were come thither from Malaca Sunda Siam and Patana as they used ordinarily to do about that time for to winter there We had sailed two days together along the Coast of Lamaâ— with a favorable wind when it pleased God to make us incounter with a Junk of Patana that came from Lequio which was commanded by a Chinese Pyrat named Quiay Panian a great friend of the Portugal Nâ—tâ—on and much addicted to our fashions and manner of life with him there were thirty Portugals choyce and proper men whom he kept in pay and advantaged more then the rest with gifts and presents so that they were all very rich This Pyrat had no sooner discovered us but he resolved to attaque us thinking nothing less then that we were Portugals so that endeavoring to invest us like an old
been despoyled Being very glad of this news after we had remained in this Port of Chincheo the space of nine days we departed from thence for Liampoo taking along with us five and thirty Soldiers more out of the five ships we found there to whom Antonio de Faria gave very good pay and after we had sailed five days with a contrary wind coasting from one side to another without advancing any whit at all it happened that one night about the first watch we met with a little Fisher-boat or Paroo wherein there were eight Portugals very sore hurt two of the which were named Mâ—m Taborda and Antonio Aâ—riques men of honor and very much renowned in those quarters the cause why in particular I name them These and the other six were in such a pitiful estate and so hideous to see to as they moved every one to compassion This Paroo coming close to Antonio de Faria he caused them to be taken up into his Junk where they presently cast themselves at his feet from whence he raised them up weeping for pity to behold them so naked and all bathed in their own blood with the wounds they had received and then demanded of them the occasion of their misfortune Whereunto one of the two made answer that about seventeen days before they set sail from Liampoo for Malaca and that being advanced as far as the Isle of Sumbor they had been set upon by a Pyrat a Guzarat by Nation called Coia Acem who had three Junks and four Lanteaas wherein were fifteen hundred men namely an hundred and fifty Mahometans the rest Luzzons Iaoas and Champaas people of the other side of Malaya and that after they had fought with them from one to four in the afternon they had been taken with the death of fourscore and two men whereof eighteen were Portugals and as many made slaves And that in their Junk what of his and of others there was lost in merchandize above an hundred thousand Taeis Antonio de Faria remaining a good while pensive at that which these men related unto him at length said unto them I pray tell me how was it possible for you to escape more then the rest the fight passing as you deliver After we had been fought withall about an hour and an half â—he three great Iunks boarded us five times and with the force of their sâ—ot they so tore the Prow of our Vessel that we were ready to sink wherefore to keep out the water and lighten our ship we were constrained to cast the most part of our goods into the Sea and whil'st our men were laboring to do so our Enemies layd so close at us as every one was fain to leave that he was about for to defend himself on the hatches But whil'st we were thus troubled most of our company being hurt and many slain it pleased God that one of the Enemies Iunks came to be so furiously fired as it caught hold likewise of another that was fastned unto it which made the Pyrats Soldiers leave the fight for to go and save their Vessels yet that they could not do so speedily but that one of them was burnt down even to the very water so that they of the Iunk were compelled to leap into the Sea to save themselves from burning where most of them were drowned In the mâ—an time we made shift to get our Iunk close to a stock of Piles which Fishermen had plantâ—d there against a rock hard by the mouth of the river where at this present is the Temple of the Siams but the dog Coia Acem was instantly with us and having fast grappled us hâ— leapt into our Vessel being followed by a great number of Mahometans all armed with Coats of Mail and Buff Ierkins who straightway killed above an hundred and fifty of ours whereof eighteen were Portugals which we no sooner perceived but all wounded as we were and spoyled with the fire as you see we sought for some way to save our selves and to that end we sped us into a Manchuâ— that was fastened to the stern of our Iunk wherein it pleased God that fifteen of us escaped whereof two dyed yesterday and of the thirteen that remain yet miraculously alive there are eight Portugals and five servants In this sort we got us with all speed between this Pallisade and the land amongst the rocks the better to preserve us from being boarded by their Iunk but they were otherwise employed in seeking to save the men of their burnt Vessel and afterwards they entred all into our Iunk where they were so carryed away with covetousness of the booty as they never thought of pursuing us so that the Sun being almost set and they wonderful glad of their victory over us they retired into the River with great acclamations Antonio de Faria very joyful at this news though he was as sad again on the other side for the bad success of those that had made him this relation rendred thanks unto God for that he had found his Enemy it being a matter so much desired of him and his Certainly said he unto them then by your report they must needs be now in great disorder and much spoiled in the River where they are for I am perswaded that neither your Junk nor that of theirs which was fastned to the burnt one can do them any longer service and that in the great Junk which assaulted you it is not possible but that you have hurt and killed a good many Whereunto they answered that without doubt they had killed and hurt a great number Then Antonio de Faria putting off his cap fell down on his knees and with his hands and eyes lifted up to Heaven he said weeping O Lord Iesus Christ my God and Saviour even as thou art the true hope of those that put their trust in thee I that am the greatest sinner of all men do most humbly beseech thee in the name of thy servants that are here present whose Souls thou hast bought with thy precious blood that thou wilt give us strength and victory against this cruel Enemy the murtherer of so many Portugals whom with thy favor and ayd and for the honor of thy holy Name I have resolved to seek out as hitherto I have done to the end he may pay to thy Soldiers and faithful servants what he hath so long owed them Whereunto all that were by answered with one cry To them to them in the Name of Iesus Christ that this dog may now render us that which for so long together he hath taken as well from us as from our poor miserable companions Hereupon with marvelous ardor and great acclamations we set sail for the Port of Lailoo which we had left eight leagues behind us whither by the advice of some of his company Antonio de Faria went to furnish himself with all that was necessary for the fight he hoped to make with the Pyrat in the quest of whom as I have
in the morning to the prison sent for us into the Infirmirie where they told us that our business went very well and how we might hope that our sentence would have a good issue whereupon we cast our selves at their feet and with abundance of tears desired God to reward them for the pains they had taken in our behalf Thereunto one of them replyed And we also most humbly beseech him to keep you in the knowledg of his Law wherein all the happiness of good mâ—n consists and so they caused two coverlets to be given us for to lay upon our beds in the night because the weather was cold and withall bid us that we should not stick to ask any thing we wanted for that God Almighty did not love a sparing hand in the distributing of alms for his sake A little after their departure came the Register and shewing us the Chaems order whereby the Kings Proctor was condemned to pay us twenty Taeis gave us the mony and took an acquittance under our hands for the receipt of it For which giving him a world of thanks we intreated him for his pains to take as much thereof as he pleased but he would not touch a peny saying I will not for so small a matter lose the recompence which I hope to gain from God for the consideration of you We past nine days in great fear still expecting to have our sentence pronounced when as one Saturday morning two Chumbims of Justice came to the prison for us accompanied with twenty officers by them called Huppes carrying Halberts Portisans and other arms which made them very dreadfull to the beholders These men tying us all nine together in a long iron chain lead us to the Caladigan which was the place where audience was given and where execution was done on delinquents Now how we got thither to confess the truth I am not able to relate for we were at that instant so far besides our selves as we knew not what we did or which way we went so as in that extremity all our thought was how to conform our selves to the will of God and beg of him with tears that for the merit of his sacred passion he would be pleased to receive the punishment that should be inflicted on us for the satisfaction of our sins At length after much pain and many affronts that were done us by many which followed after us with loud cries we arrived at the first Hall of the Caladigan where were four and twenty Executioners whom they call The Ministers of the arm of justice with a great many of other people that were there about their affairs Here we remained a long time till at length upon the ringing of a bell other doors were opened that stood under a great Aâ—ch of Architecture very artificially wrought and whereon were a number of rich figures On the top a monstrous Lion of silver was seen with his sore and hind feet upon a mighty great bowl made of the same mettal whereby the arms of the King of China are represented which are ordinarily placed on the Fore-front of all the Sovereign Courts where the Chaems precide who are as Vice-roys amongst us Those doors being opened as I said before all that were there present entred into a very great Hall like the Body of a Church hung from the top to the bottom with divers pictures wherein strange kinds of execution done upon pâ—rsons of all conditions after a most dreadful manner were constrained and under every picture was this inscription Such a one was executed with this kind of death for committing such a crime so that in beholding the diversity of these fearful pourtraitures one might see in it as it were a declaration of the kind of death that was ordained for each crime as also the extream rigour which the Justice there observed in such executions From this Hall we went into another room far richer and more costly for it was guilt all over so that one could not have a more pleasing object at least wise if we could have taken pleasure in any thing considering the misery we were in In the midst of this room there was a Tribunal whereunto one ascended by seven steps invironed with three rows of ballisters of iron copper and ebony the tops whereof were beautified with Mother of Pearl At the upper end of all was a cloth of State of white damask frenged about with a deep cawl frenge of green silk and gold Under this State sat the Chaem with a world of greatness and majesty he was seated in a very rich Chair of silver having before him a little table and about him three boys on their knees sumptuously apparelled with chains of gold one of the which namely he in the middle served to give the Chaem the pen wherewithall he signed The other two took the petitions that were preferred and presented them on the Table that they might be signed On the right hand in another place somewhat higher and almost equall with the Chaem stood a boy some ten or eleven years old attired in a rich robe of white Satin imbroidered with roses of gold having a chain of pearl three double about his neck and hair as long as a womans most neatly plaited with a fillet of gold all enamelled with green and powdered over with great seed pearl In his hand he held as a mark of that which he represented a little branch of roses made of silk gold thread and rich pearls very curiously intermixed And in this manner he appeared so gentile handsome and beauiful as no woman how fair soever could overmatch him this boy leaned on his elbow upon the Chaems chair and figured mercy In the like manner on the left hand was another goodly boy richly apparelled in a Coat of carnation Satin all set with roses of gold having his right arm bared up to the elbow and died with a vermilion as red as blood and in that hand holding a naked sword which seemed also to be bloody moreover on his head he wore a crown in fashion like to a Myter hung all with little razors like unto lancets wherewith Chyrurgions let men blood being thus gallantly set forth and of most beautiful presence yet he struck all that beheld him with fear in regard of that he represented which was Justice For they say that the Judg which holds the place of the King who presents God on earth ought necessarily to have those two qualities Iustice and Mercy and that he which doth not use them is a Tyrant acknowledging no Law and usurping the power that he hath The Chaem was apparelled in a long Gown of violet Satin frâ—nged with green silk and gold with a kind of sâ—apulair about his neck in the midst of which was a great plate of gold wherein an hand holding a very even pair of ballance was engraven and the inscription about it It is the nature of the Lord Almighty to observe in his justice
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
persons that make profession of honour and which by that only mean pretend to render their names immortal Moreover I have heard for a truth that these same men have entertained you at large with all matters of the whole Vniverse and have affirmed unto you on their faith that there is another world greater then ours inhabited with black and tawny people of whom they have told you things most incredible to our judgment for which cause I infinitely desire you as if you were my Son that by Fiangeandono whom I have dispatched from hence to visit my daughter you will send me one of those three strangers which I am told you have in your house the rather for that you know my long inâ—isposition accompanied with so much pain and grief hath great need of some diversion Now if it should happen that they would not be willing thereunto you may then assure them as well on your own faith as on mine that I will not fail to return them back in all safety whereupon like a good Son that desires to please his Father so order the matter that I may rejoyce my self in the sight if them and so have my desire accomplished What I have further to say unto you my Ambassadour Fingeandono shall acquaint you with by whom I pray you liberally import to me the good news of your person and that of my daughter seeing she is as you know the apple of my right eye whereof the sight is all the joy of my face From the house of Fucheo the seventh Mamoque of the Moon After that the Nautaquim had heard this letter read The King of Bungo said he unto us is my Lord and my Vncle the brother of my mother and above all he is my good Father for I call him by that name because he is so to my wife which is the reason that he loves me no less then his own children wherefore I count my self exceedingly bound unto him and do so much desire to please him that I could now find in my heart to give the best part of my Estate for to be transformed into one of you as well for to go unto him as to give him the content of seeing you which out of the knowledge I have of his disposition I am assured he will value more then all the treasures of China Now having thus acquainted you with his desire I earnestly intreat you to render your selves conformable thereunto and that one of you two will take the pains to go to Bungo there to see that King whom I hold for my Father and my Lord for as for this other to whom I have given the name and being of a kinsman I am not willing to part with him till he hath taught me to shoot as well as himself Hereupon Christovano Borralho and I greatly satisfied with the Nautaquim's courtesie answered him that we kissâ—d his Highness hands for the exceeding honour he did us in vouchsafing to make use of us and seeing it was his pleasure so to do that he should for that effect make choice of which of us two he thought best and he should not faile to be suddainly ready for the voyage At these words standing a while in musing to himself he looked on me and said I am resolved to send him there because he seems not so solemn but is of a more lively humouâ— wherewith those of Iapon are infinitely delighted and may thereby cheer up the sick man whereas the too serious gravity of this other said he turning him to Borralho though very commendable for more important matters would serve but to entertain his melancholy in stead of diverting it Thereupon falling into merry discourse and jesting with those about him whereunto the people of Iapon are much inclined the Fingeandono arrived unto whom he presented me with a special and particular recommendation touching the assurance of my person wherewith I was not only well satisfied but had my mind also cleared from certain doubts which out of the little knowledge I had of these peoples humours had formerly troubled me This done the Nautaquim commanded two hundred Taeis to be given me for the expence of my voyage whereupon the Fingeandono and I imbarqued our selves in a vessel with Oâ—rs called a Funce and in one night having traversed all this Island of Tanixumaa the next morning we câ—st anchor in an Haven named Hiamangoo from whence we went to a good Town called Quanquixumaa and so continuing our course afore the wind with a very fair gale we arrived the day ensuing at a very sweet place named Tanora whence the morrow after we went to Minato and so forward to a Fortress of the King of Bungoes calâ—ed Osquy where the Fingeandono stayed some time by reason that the Captain of the place who was his Brother in law found himself much indisposed in his health There we left the vessel in which we came and so went by land directly to the City where being arrived about noon the Fingeandono because it was not a time fit to wait upon the King went to his own house After dinner having rested a little and shifted himself into a better habit he mounted on horsback and with certain of his friends rode to the Court carrying me along with him where the King was no sooner advertised of his coming but he sent a Son of his about nine or ten years of age to receive him who accompanied with a number of Noble-men richly apparelled and his Ushers with their Maces going before him took the Fingeandono by the hand and beholding him with a smiling countenance May thy entrance said he unto him into this house of the King my Lord bring thee as much content and honour as thy children deserve and are worthy being thine to sit at table with me in the solemn Feasts At these words the Fingeandono prostrating himself on the ground My Lord answered he I most humbly beseech them that are in Heaven above which have taught thee to be so courteous and so good either to answer for me or to give me a tongue so voluble as may express my thankfulness in terms agreeable to thy ears for the great honour thou art pleased to do me at this present for in doing otherwise I should offend no less then those ingratefull wretches which inhabit the lowest pit of the profound and obscure house of smoak This said he offered to kiss the Curtelass which the young Prince wore by his side which he would by no means permit but taking him by the hand he led him to the King his Father unto whom lying sick in his bed he delivered a letter from the Nautaquim which after he had read he commanded him to call me in from the next room where I staid attending which instantly he did and presented me to the King who entertaining me very graciously Thy arrival said he unto me in this my Country is no less pleasing to me then the rain which falls
Taeis it rose before the end of eight dayes to an hundred and threescore at which rate too the Merchants seemed to part with it very willingly Thus by the means of this unreasonable desire of gain nine Juncks which were then in the Port were in fifteen days ready to set Sail though to say the truth they were all in such disorder and so unprovided that some amongst them had no other Pilots then the Masters themselves who had but little understâ—anding in Navigation In this bad order they departed all in company together one Sunday morning notwithstanding that they had the wind the season the sea and all things else contrary not suffering themselves to be guided by reason or the consideration of the dangers which they are subject unto that commit themselves to this Element For they were so obstinate and so blinded as they would not represent any inconvenience to themselves and I my self was so infortunate that I went along with them in one of their Vessels In this manner they sailed all that same day as it were groping between the Islands and the firm Land but about midnight there arose in the dark so mighty a Storm accompanied with such horrible rain that suffering themselves to be carried at the mercy of the wind they ran upon the Sands of Gotom whereof the nine Juncks two only as it were by miracle were saved so that the other seven were lost out of which not so much as one man escaped This loss was thought to amount unto above three hundred thousand Crowns in commodities besides the greater which was of six hundred persons that left their lives there whereof there were an hundred and forty Portugals all rich men and of quality As for the other two Juncks in one of the which by good hap I was joyning in conâ—ort together they followed the course they had begun until such time as they arrived at the Island of the Lequios There we were beaten with so furious a North-east wind which inâ—reased by the conjunction of the new Moon that our vessels were seperated in such sort as we could never see one another again After dinner the wind turned to West North-west whereby the Sea was so moved and the waves rose with such fury as it was a most dreadful thing to behold whereupon our Captain named Gaspar Melo a very couragious Gentleman seeing the greatest part of the prow of the Junck to be half open and that there was niâ—e spans water in the bottom of her he resolved by the advice of all the Officers to cut down the two Masts whose weight was the cause of the opening of the Junck howbeit this could not be done with such care but that the main Mast in its â—all overwhelmed fourteen persons whereof five were Portugals which were all crushed in pieces a spectacle so lamentable to behold that it exceedingly grieved every mans heart Now forasmuch as the Storm increased more and more we were constrained to let our selves be carried at the mercy of the Sea even until Sun-set at which time the Junck made an end of splitting quite asunder whereupon our Captain and every one of us seeing the deplorable estate whereunto our sins had reduced us fell to preparing our selves for our last end Having in this sort past away half of the night about the first quarter of the watch we struck upon a Shelâ— where at the first blow the Junck broke all to pieces the event whereof was so lamentable that threescore and two men left their lives there some of which were drowned and the rest squeezed to death under the Keel of the Vessel There were but four and twenty of us besides some women that escaped from this miserable Shipwrack Now as soon as it was day we perceived by the sight of the Island of fire and of the Mountain of Taydacano that the Land where we were was the great Lequio whereupon wiâ—h tears in our eyes recommending our selves â—o God and marching up to the brest in water we swam over certain dâ—eper places and so went five dayes together in great pain not finding in all that time any thing to eat but the slime which the Sea cast up on the mud Howbeit aâ— length by the mercy of God we got to land where going into the woods we sustained our selves with a certain herb like unto Sorrel whereof there was great plenty along these Coasts which was all the nourishment that we had for three days space that we were there until at last we were espyed by a boy that was keeping of cattel who as soon as he had discovered us ran to the next Village which was some quarter of a league off for to give notice of it to the inhabitants there who presently thereupon with the sound of Drums and Cornets assembled all their Neighbours round about them so that within three or four hours they wâ—re a Company of about two hundred men whereof there were fourteen on horsback As soon as they descried us a far off they made dirâ—ctly towards us whereupon our Captain seeing the wretched estate whereunto we were reduced fell down upon his knees and began to encourage us with many good words desiâ—ing us to remember That nothing in the world could fall out without the Providence of God and therefore like good Christians we should assure our selves it was his pleasure that this should be the last hour of our lives so that we could not do better then to conform our selves to his holy will and with patience imbrace this pitiful end which came from his Almighty hand craving pardon from the bottoâ— of our hearts for all our sins past and that for himself he had such confidence in his mercy that we duly repenting us according as we were obliged by his holy Commandments he would not forget us in this our extremity Having made us this Exhortation and lifted up his hands to Heaven he cried out three times together with abundance of tears Lord have mercy upon us which words were reiterated by all the rest but with such sighs and groans of true Christians and so full of devotion and zeal that I may truly say the thing which then we feared least was that which naturally is most abhorr'd As we were in this grievous agony six horsmen came unto us and beholding us in a manner naked without arms on the ground upon ouâ— knees and two women lying as it were dead before us they were so moved with compassion that four of them turning back to the footmen which were coming on made them all to stay not suffering them to approach us Howbeit a little after they came to us again bringing with them six footmen which seemed to bâ— some of the Officers of Justice who by the commandment of the horsmen tied us three and three together and with some shew of pity bid us That we should not be afraid for that the King of the Lequios was a man greatly fearing God and
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
we could discover any vessels with Pirats for said he there may be some lye hidden behind yonder poynt whereby we may very well run the hazard of our lives as it hath often befallen other ships where mâ—ny mâ—n have been lost by the carelesness of their Captains This advice of the Sarrazin seemed so good unto me that we presently returned back unto the Rode where he gave an account to his father of that we had seen Now for that the Necoda was a very prudent man and scalded as one may say with the like inconveniences he straight way gave order to have the Island surrounded then causing the women children and linnen although it were but half washed to be imbarqued he himself being followed by forty men armed with Harquebuses and Lances went directly to the place where we had discovered those bodies and viewing them one after another with stopping our noses by reason of the stâ—nch which was insupportable he was so moved to compassion that he commanded the Marriners to dig a great pit for to bury them in But as they were about to render them this last duty and looking over them again there was found upon some of them little daggers garnished with gold and on others bracelets Whereupon the Necoda understanding well this mystery wished me with all speed to dispatch away the roving vessel that I had to the Captain of Malaca for that as he assured me those dead men which they saw there were Achems who had been defeated near to Tanauçarim whither their Armies ordinarily retired because of the war which they had with the King of Siam The reason he alledged to us for this was that those which we saw there lying dead having golden bracelets about them were Captains of Achem who had caused themselves to be buried without permitting them to be taken away and that he would lose his head if it were not so For a greater proof whereof he further added that he would make some more of them to be dis-enterred as incontinently he did and having digged some seven and thirty of them out of the earth there was found about them sixteen bracelets of gold twelve very rich daggers and many jewels so that thinking of no other but hunting we got a booty worth above a thousand Duckats which the Necoda had besides what was concealed but the truth is this was not altogether to our advantage for the most part of our men became sick with the extream stench of those bodies At the very instant I dispatched away the towing vessel that we had to Malaca and advertised Pedro de Faria of the whole success of our voyage Withall I certified him what course we had held as also into what Ports and into what Rivers we had entred without hearing any other news of his enemies then that it was suspected they had been at Tanauçarim where by the appearances of those dead bodies it was to be believed that they had been defeated whereunto I added for a conclusion that if I could light on any more assured news concerning them I would presently acquaint him with it in what part soever I were After I had dispatched away the rowing Vessel to Malaca with the Letters which I had directed to Pedro de Faria and that our Junck was furnished with all things necessary for her we sayled towards the Coast of Tanauçarim where as I said before I had order to land for to treat with Lancerote Guerreyro that he and the rest of the Portugals of his Company might come to the succour of Malaca which the Achems intended to besiege according to the report that went of it Being under Sail then we arrived at a little Island a league in circuit called Pulho Hinhor where a Parao came unto us in the which were six tawâ—y Moors poorly clad with red Bonets on their heads their Boat being come close to our Junck which was then under Sayl they saluted us in a way of peace whereunto we answered in the like mâ—nner That done they demanded of us if there were any Portugals amongst us we told them that there were but mistrusting it they desired to see one or two of them upon the hatches because added they it imports much that it should be so Whereupon the Necoda prayed me to come up which incontinently I did though at that time I was shut up in my Cabbin below somewhat indisposed in my health when I was on the deck I called to them that were in the Parao who had no sooner seen me and known me to be a Portugal but they gave a great shout and clapping their hands for joy they came abord our Junck Then one of them who by his countenance seemed to have more Authority then the rest began to say unto me Signior Before I crave leave of thee to speak I desire thee to read this Letter to the end it may induce thee the more readily to believe that which I am to say unto thee Thereupon out of an old filthy clout he took a Letter wherein after I had opened it I found this written Signiors Portugals which are true Christians this honourable man that shall shew you this Letter is King of this Island newly converted to the Faith and called Dom Lancerote He hath rendred many good Offices not only to them who have subscribed this writing but to us also that have navigated on these Coasts For he hath given us very important advertisements of the treasons which the Achems and Turks have plotted against us so that by the means of this honest man we have discovered all their designes withall God hath made use of him for to give us not long since a great victory against them wherein we have taken from them one Gally four Galliots and five Foists with the death of above a thousand Sarrazins Wherefore we intreat you by the wounds of our Lord Iesus Christ and by the merits of his holy passion not only to keep him from all wrong but to assist him with all your power as the manner is of all good Portugals that it may serve for an example to those which shall know this to do the like in imitation of you And so we kiss your hands this thirteenth day of November 1544. This Letter was signed by more then fifty Portugals amongâ—t whom were the four Captains that I sought for namely Lançerote Guerreyra Antonio Gomez Pedro Ferreyra and Cosmo Bernaldes When I had read this Letter I made a tender of my person to this petty King for otherwayes my power was so small as it could not reach further then to the giving him a bad dinner and a red Bonnet I had on which all worn as it was was yet better then his own Now after this poor King had made some Declaration to me of himself and of his miseries lifting up his hands to Heaven and shedding abundance of tears Our Lord Iesus Christ said he unto me whose slave I am doth know what great need
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
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
his left a custome vvhich they alvvays observe in such a like ceremony Then Oya Passilico who was the highest in dignity in the Kingdome falling on his knees before this new King said unto him with tears in his eyes and so loud that every one might hear him Blessed child that in so tender an age doest hold from the good influence of thy Star the happinesse to be chosen by heaven there above for Governour of this Eâ—pire of Sornau see how God puts it into thy hand by me who am thy vassall to the end thou mayest take thy first oath whereby thou doest protest to hold it with obedience from his divine will as also to observe justice equally to all the people without having any regard to persons whether it be in chastising or recompencing the great or small the mighty or the humble that so in time to come thou mayest not be reproached for not having accomplished that which thou hast sworn in this solemn action For if it shall happen that humane considerations shall make thee swarve from that which for thy justification thou art obliged to do before so just a Lord thou shalt be greatly punished for it in the profound pit of the house of smoke the burning lake of insupportable stench where the wicked and damned howl continually with a sadnesse of obscure night in their entrails And to the end thou mayest oblige thy selfe to the charge which thou takest upon thee say now Xamxaimpom which is as much as to say amongst us Amen The Passilico having finished his speech the young Prince said weeping Xamxaimpom which so mightily moved all the Assembly of the people as there was nothing heard for a good while together but sighing and wailing At length after that this noyse was appeased the Passilico proceeding on with his discourse in looking on the young King This Sword said he unto him which thou holdest naked in thy hand is given thee as a Scepter of Soveraign power upon earth for the subduing of the rebellious which is also to say that thou art truly obliged to be the support of the feeble and poor to the end that they which grow lofty with their power may not overthrow them with the puffe of their pride which the Lord doth as much abhor as he doth the mouth of him that blasphemeth against a little infant which hath never sinned And that thou mayest in all things satisfie the fair enaâ—elling of the stars of heaven which is the perfect just and good God whose power is admirable over all things of the world say once again Xamxaimpom whereunto the Prince answered twice weeping Maxinau Maxinau that is to say I promise so to do After this the Passilico having instructed him in divers other such like things the young Prince answered seven times Xamxaimpom and so the ceremony of his Coronation was finished onely there came first a Talagrepo of a soveraign dignity above all the other Priests named Quiay Ponuedea who it was said was above an hundred years old This same prostrating himself at the feet of the Prince gave him an oath upon a golden bason full of rice and that done they put him into it after they had created him thus anew for time would not permit them to hold him there longer in regard the King his Father was at the point of death besides there was so universall a mourning amongst the people that in every place there was nothing heard but lamentations and wailing CHAP. XLVIII The lamentable death of the King of Siam with certain illustrious and memorable things done by him during his life 〈◊〉 many other accidents that arrived in this Kingdome WHenas the day and the night following had been spent in the manner that I have related the next morning about eight of the clock the infortunate King yeelded up the Ghost in the presence of the most part of the Lords of his Kingdome for the which all the people made so great demonstrations of mourning as every where there was nothing but wailing and weeping Now forasmuch as this Prince had lived in the reputation of being charitable to the poor liberall in his benefits and recompences pitifull and gentle toward every one and above all incorrupt in doing of justice and chastising the wicked his subjects spake so amply thereof in their lamentations as if all that they said of it was true we are to believe that there was never a better King then he either amongst these Pagans or in all the countries of the world Howbeit whereas I cannot assure that those things which they affirmed in their complaints were true because I did not see them I will only insist upon those which past concerning him in the time whilest I was trading in this Kingdome whereof I will report three or four amongst many others which I have seen him do from the year 1540. untill 1545. The first was that in the year 1540. Pedro de Faria being Governour of Malaca King Ioanâ— the Iohn the third of glorious memory wrote him a letter whereby above all things he recommended unto him his using all possible means for the redeeming of a certain Domingos de Seixas who for the space of three and twenty years had been a slave in the Kingdome of Siam adding that the doing thereof would be very important for Gods service and his in regard he was informed that from him rather then from any other he might be certified of the great things which were recounted to him of this Kingdome and in case he could redeem this Christian that he should send him incontinently to Don Garcia the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes to whom he had also written that he should imbarque him in the ship which was to part that year for to returne into Portugal Pedro de Faria had no sooner received this letter but seeing with how much care the King his Master recommended this affair unto him he sent us his Ambassador to Siam one Francisco de Crasto a noble and very rich man to the end he should treat about the ransome of this Domingos de Seixas and other sixteen Portugals which were also slaves there as well as he According to this Commission Francisco de Castro came to the City of Odiaa whilest I was there where he delivered his letter to the King of Siam who gave him a very good reception and after he had read it and questioned him concerning many new and curious things he answered him presently which was a thing he did not usually do to any Ambassador his answer contained this much As for Domingos de Seixas whom the Captain of Malaca sends to me for advertising me that I shall do the King of Portugal a great pleasure in releasing him I do most willingly grant to do it as also to deliver all the rest that are with him Whereupon Francisco de Crasto having had this dispatch from the King gave him most humble thanks for it and prostrated himself three severall times
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
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
of all Iapan do now flourish all they of the Ship thought it requisite that I should go to the Fortresse of Osquy where we heard the King then was Now though I feared to undertake this Journey in regard the Country was all up yet I resolved for it at the perswasion of them of the ship who all in generall intreated me very earnestly unto it Having prepared my self then and received a Present worth five hundred Crowns which Don Francisco Captain of the Ship sent to the King I took four of my companions with me and so went away After I was landed at the Town Key the first thing I did was to go to the house of the Admirall of the Sea who received me with great demonstrations of friendship and confirmed me against the fear I was in whereupon having given him an account of the cause of my coming thither I desired him to give me horses and men that might conduct me to the King which most willingly he did and more freely then I required Being departed from this Town the next morning about nine of the clock I arrived at a place called Fingau which might be a quarter of a league from the Fortresse of Osquy There I sent one of those of Iapan which I had with me to let the Captain of the place understand that I was arrived and that I had an Embassie to deliver to his Highnesse from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes In which regard I intreated him to appoint me such a time as he pleased that I might speak with him Hereunto he returned me this answer by a Son of his That my Companions and I were very welcome and that the King was in the Isle of Xequa where he was entertaining himself in the catching of a great Fish whereof the name was not known and which was come thither from the bottom of the Sea with a great number of many other little fishes and that having cooped him up in a Channel there it was likely that he would spend all the day in that sport and not return till night But that he would howsoever immediately advertise him of my arrivall Thereupon he sent me to repose my self in a better lodging which he gave me where I was abundantly furnished with all that was necessary for mee yea and he told me by way of Complement that all this Country was no lesse the King of Portugals then Malaca Cochin and Goa Then one of his Followers whom he had appointed to wait on us gave us an extraordinary good reception in a Pagode whereof the Bonzâ—s made us a very sumptuous Feast In the mean time the King having notice of my arrivall dispatched away from the Island where hee was catching that great Fish three light Galleys and in them his Chamberlain a great Favourite of his named Oretandano who about evening came to me to the place where I was and having told me that by word of mouth which the King had enjoyned him he drew forth a Letter and having kissed it with the Ceremonies and Complements used amongst them he delivered it unto me wherein I found this written Being at his present imployed in an exercise which is very pleasing unto me I have been advertised of thy arrival in my Country wherewith I am so contented that I protest unto thee I would have come away presently unto thee had I not sworn that I would not part from hence till I had killed a great Fish which I hold coop'd up here Wherefore I intreat thee as my good Friend since by reason thereof I cannot go to thee that thou wilt come thy self to me in this Vessel which I have sent for thee for on thy coming and on the death which I hope to give to this Fish my perfect content depends Having read this Letter I instantly imbarked my self in the Galley wherein Oretandono came for me and my followers in the other two with the Present they carried And forasmuch as those Galleys were very swift we arrived within lesse then an hour at the Island which was some two leagues and an half off Now we came thither at such time as the King with above two hundred men in boats with darts in their hands was pursuing a prodigious Whale which was altogether unknown and strange to them as having never seen such a Fish before in all that Country After they had killed and drawn it to land the King was so pleased therewith that to recompence all the fishermen that were imployed in the action he exempted them from a certain Tribute which they had accustomed to pay before as also conferred new Honours on some Gentlemen whom he loved and that were there with him and gave a thousand Taeis in silver to his Pages withall he received me with a smiling countâ—nance and questioned me very exactly about many particulars whereunto I answered the best that I could alwayes adding something of mine own thereunto as judging it necessary for the increasing of the Portugals reputation and of the great esteem vvherein we vvere at that time in the Country for all the inhabitants held it for most certain that the King of Portugal was indeed the only Prince which might terme himself the Monarch of the world as well for the large extent of his territories as for his power and mighty treasure in regard whereof chiefly they of these Countryes made great account of our amitie These things done the King vvent from this Iland towards Osquy and about an hour within night he arrived at his Castle vvhere he was received with a great deal of rejoycing and applaued by every one for so honourable an exploit as that of killing the Whale attributing to him alone that which all the rest had done whereby one may see that this pernicious vice of flatttery raigns so absolutely in the Courts of Princes as it hath established its felf a place even amongst the very Gentiles and Infidels The King having dismissed all them that had accompanied him vvent to Sup with his Wife and Daughters and would not then be attended on by any body because the feast was made at his vvives charge And whereas vve vvere then at a Treasurers house of his where vve vvere appointed to lodg he sent for us all five and intreated us that vve should eat in his presence after the manner of our Country adding that the Queen did infinitely desire it Then having caused a table to be covered for us and on it placed store of excellent good meat and vvell drest vvhich vvas served up by very fair vvomen vve fell to eating after our manner of all that vvas set before us vvhilest the jeasts vvhich the Ladies broke upon us in seeing us feed so vvith our hands gave more delight to the King and Queen then all the Comedies that could have been represented before them for those people being accustomed to feed vvith tvvo little stâ—cks as I have declared elsevvhere they hold it for a great incivilitie to touch
the meat with ones hand as we use to do Hereupon the Kings Daughter a marvellous fair Princesse and not above fourteen or fifteen years of age craved leave of the Queen her Mother that she and six or seven of her companions might present a certain Play before them concerning the subject in question which the Queen with the Kings consent granted her That done they withdrew into another room where they stayed a pretty while during the which they that remained in the place drove away the time at our cost by jeering aâ—d gibing at us who were much ashamed especially my â—our companions which were but novices in the Country and understood not the laâ—guage for as for me I had before seen such a like Comedy acted at Taiâ—xumaa against the Portugals As we were thus ministring matter for the Compâ—ny to laugh at us and setting the best face on it that possibly we could amidst these affronts in regard of the great pleasure which we observed the King and Queen took therein we saw the young Pâ—incesse come out of the other room disguised like a Merchant wearing a Syâ—miâ—er by her side covered all over with plates of gold and the rest of her habit answerable to the person which she represented In this equipage falling down on her knees before the King her father with the respect she owâ—d to him Most mighty Lord and King said she unto him albeit this my boldnâ—sse be worthy of great chastiâ—ement in regard of the inequalitie which it hath pleased God to put between your greatnesse and my basenesse yet the necessity whereunto I find my self reduced makes me shut my eyes against all that may happen to me thereby For being old as I am and charged with many Children which I have had by severall Wives with whom I have been married my extream poverty and the desire I have not to leave them destitute of means hath made me have recourse to my friends for help which they have granted me So that having employed the mony which they have leâ—t me in a certain Commoditie which I cannot sâ—ll in all Japan I have resolved to barter it away for any other whatsoever it be And having complained hereof to some freinds that I have at Meacoo they have assured me that your Highnesse may doe me some good Wherefore my Lord I humbly beseech you that in consideration of these white haires and feeble age as also for that I have many Children and am poor you will be pleased to assist me in my need which will be an almes very well bestowed and most agreeable to the Chenchicos which are lately arrived here in their Ship for this commoditie of mine will accommodate them better then any other in regard of the want they have continually thereof Whilest this discourse lasted the King and Queen could not forbear laughing to see that this old Merchant who had so many children and so many incommodities was the Princesse their Daughter very young and exceeding beautifull But the King forbearing a little from laughing answered her with a great deal of gravity that shee should shew some samples of the Merchandize which she had and if it were such as would accommodate us he would desire us to buy it At these words the pretended Merchant having made a very low obeysance retired into the other room again In the mean time we were so confounded with what we heard and saw as we could not tell what to think or what should be the event of it whilest the vvomen which were in the room being about three score in number for there were no other men but we five there fell to jogging one another and laughing at us Hereupon the Merchant comes in again bringing with her six fair young maids richly clad and disguised also like Merchants carrying samples of the Merchandize they had to sell They had Scymiters and Daggers by their sides all guilt with grave countenances and high looks being all of them Daughters to the greatest Lords of the Kingdom whom the Princesse had expresly chosen to act this Play with her Each of these six Damsels bare on her shoulder a fardle of green Taffats and all of them together seeming to be Merchants sons danced a Ball to the tune of two Harps and a Viol and ever and anon sung in verse with a very sweet and melodious voyce words of this substance High and mighty Lord by the riches which thou possessest we pray thee to think of our poverty we are miserable creatures in this strange Country and consequently despised by the inhabitants thereof which exposeth us to great affronts wherefore we beseech thee by that which thou art be mindfull of our poverty After that these young Merchants had finished their Dance and Song they fell all on their knees before the King and then the eldest of them having rendred him most humble thanks for the favour he did them in helping them away with their Merchandize they untied all their fardleâ— and let fall in the midst of the room a great number of woodden arms with hands the said eldest of them saying with a very good grace Since that Nature for our sins hath subjected us to so villanous a misery that our hands must of necessity smell alwayes of flesh or fish or of such other meat as wee eat with them this Merchandize will greatly accommodate us to the end that whilest we make use of one sort of hands the other may be washed The King and Queen fell heartily a laughing at this Speech vvhereas in the mean time we five were so ashamed as the King perceiving it desired us to take it in good part saying That the Princesse his Daughter had done this to no other end but for the better entertainment of us vvhom she respected as her Brothers Whereunto vve made answer That we hoped God our Master would reward his Highnesse for this honour and grace that he did us which we confess'd was very great and for such wee would publish it over all the world as long as we lived Wherewith the King Queen and Princesse shewed themselves very vvell satisfied giving us thanks vvith many complements after their manner yea and the Princesse said to us moreover If your God would take me for his servant I should endeavour the best I could to please him but I hope he will not forget me At these vvords vve prostrated our selves on our knees before her and kissing the hem of her garment vve answered her That we hoped no lesse of her and that in case shee became a Christian we should see her Queen of Portugal Whereupon the Queen her Mother and she fell a laughing Having taken leave then of the King vve returned to our lodging and the next morning as soon as it vvas day he sent for us again and questioned us very exactly about the coming of Father Belquior the intention of the Vice-Roy the Letter which I had brought from him our Ship and the
goods that were in her and many other things wherein we spent four hours at the least after which he dismissed us saying that within six dayes he would be at the Town and that there he would receive the Letter see the Father and make answer to all CHAP. LXXX My reception by the King of Bungo as Ambassador from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes AFter the six daies were past the King parted from Osquy to go to the town of Fucheo accompanied with a great number of Nobilitie and a guard of six hundred foot and two hundred horse which made a goodly shew Being arrived there he was received by the people with great demonstrations of joy with Shewes Interludes and many other inventions after their manner that were very costly after which he went to his Palace an exceeding fair and magnificent structure whither the next day he sent for me and bid me bring him the Vice-Roys Letter as being come for no other end but to receive it and that after he had read it he would speak with Father Belquior touching the matters that were most important Whereupon I presently returned to my lodging and having made ready all that was necessary for me about two of the clock in the afternoon the King sent the Captain of the town and four other of the chiefest men of the Court for me who conducted me to the Palace accompanied with forty Portugals which marched all on foot because it is the custome of the Country so to do All the streets thorow which we past were very handsomly set forth and there was such a world of people as the officers had much adoe to make way for us Three Portugals on horseback carried each of them a peece of the present and a little after them followed two curious Spanish Gennets with rich Saddles and Trappings and with such Armes as are used in Justs Upon our arrival at the first court of the Palace we found the King there on a scaffold which had been erected expresly for him accompanied with all the Lords of the Kingdome amongst whom vvere the Ambassadors of three strange Princes namely the first of the King of the Lequios the second of the King of Chauchim and Isle of Tosa and the third of the Emperor of the Miacoo and round about as far as the court extended there were above a thousand harquebuziers and four hundred men mounted on good horses besides a multitude of people without number After that the forty Portugals and I were come to the Scaffold where the King was we performed all the ceremonies and complements which are used to be done to him in such cases and then approaching a little neerer to him I delivered him the Letter from the vice-Roy which he would not receive but standing Then being set down again in his place he gave it to one about him that was as his Secretary who read it aloud that every one might hear After it was read the King questioned me before the three strange Ambassadors and the great Lords with whom he was accompanied about certain things which he was curious to know touching our Europe whereof one was how many men armed cap-a-pe and mounted on such horses as those were that I saw there the King of Portugal could bring into the field Whereupon fearing least I should blush if I came to tell a lie I must confesse that I was much troubled how to answer which one of my companions who was neer me perceiving speaking for me made answer That he could bring an hundred or sixscore thousand a matter whereat the King was much abashed and I too But the King taking pleasure as it seemed in the marvellous answer which this Portugal gave him bestovved above an hours time in asking him questions In the mean season even the King himself and all they that were present with him being exceedingly amazed to hear such great and strange things delivered he turned to them and said I sware truly unto you that I should desire nothing so much in the world as to see the Monarchy of this great Country whereof I have heard such wonderfull things as well concerning the immence treasures and the infinite number of ships which he hath for could I but once do this I should live very well contented the rest of my daies Thereupon having sent me and those that accompanied me away he said unto me When thou shalt think it a fit time thou maiest bid the Father come unto me for he shall find me ready here to receive him After I was retired to my lodging I gave Father Belquior an accompt of the Kings good reception of me together with all that had past besides and how desirous he was to see him in regard whereof I held it fit since all the Portugals vvere then together and in their best clothes that he should go to him out of hand which he liked very vvell of Having furnished himself then with certain things necessary for the better setting forth of his person he and I went avvay accompanied vvith forty Portugals all very well apparrelled and vvearing chaines of gold Scarfe-wise and four pretty boyes in cassocks and hats of white taffata and silken crosses on their brests together with a converted Iapanois Christened Ioana Fernandez to serve for Interpreter When wee vvere arrived at the first Court of the Kings Palace we found some Lords attending us there who vvith a great deal of courtesie and demonstrations of friendship brought the Father and me up to a chamber where the King stayed for him who having taken him by the hand with a joyfull countenance said unto him Beleeve me Father this day is the only one that I can call mine in regard of the extreme pleasure I take to see thee before mine eyes because me thinks I see Father Xavier to whom I wished as well as to mine own person Then leading him into another inner chamber that was richlyer furnished he set him down by him and made very much of the four little Boyes for that it was a new thing to him and never seen in that Country before The Father rendred him thanks conformable to the great honor he did him and after that manner which they are wont to use amongst themselves and which Ioana Fernandez had taught him After this he entertained him with the principall cause of his coming which was that the Vice-Roy had sent him expresly to serve him and to shew him the assured way of salvation which the King seemed to like of by his action of bowing down of his head The Father going on made an holy speech somewhat like unto a Sermon unto him agreeable to the businesse in hand and which he had directly studied for that purpose Whereunto the King made this answer Good Father I know not how to expresse the great content which I take in seeing thee in this house and in learning all that which my ears have heard thee say which I do not answer for
his Subject with all the purity and affection which a Vassal is obliged to carry unto his Master I Angeessiry Timorraia King of Batas desiring to insinuate my self into thy friendship that thy Subjects may be inriched with the fruits of this my Country I do offer by a new Treaty to replenish the Magazins of thy King who is also mine with Gold Pepper Camfire Benjamon and Aloes upon condition that with an entire confidence thou shalt send me a safe conduct written and assigned with thine own hand by means whereof all my Lanchares and Jurupanges may navigate in safety Furthermore in favor of this new amity I do again beseech thee to succor me with some Powder and great Shot whereof thou hast but too much in thy Store-houses and therefore mayst well spare them for I had never so great need of all kind of warlike munitions as at this present This granted I shall be much indebted to thee if by thy means I may once chastise those perjured Achems the mortal and eminent Enemies of thy Malaca with whom I swear to thee I will never have peace as long as I live until such time as I have had satisfaction for the blood of my three children which call upon me for vengeance and that therewith I may asswage the sorrow of their noble Mother who having given them suck and brought them up hath seen them since miserably butchered by that cruel Tyrant of Achem in the Towns of Jacur and Lingua as thou shalt be more particularly informed by Aquarem Dabolay the Brother of those childrens desolate Mother whom I have sent unto thee for a confirmation of our new amity to the end Signior that he may treat with thee about such things as shall seem good unto thee as well for the service of God as for the good of thy people From Paniau the fifth day of the eighth Moon This Embassador received from Pedro de Faria all the honor that he could do him after their manner and as soon as he had delivered him the Letter it was translated into the Portugal out of the Malayan Tongue wherein it was written Whereupon the Embassador by his Interpreter declared the occasion of the discord which was between the Tyrant of Achem and the King of Batas proceeding from this that the Tyrant had not long before propounded unto this King of Batas who was a Gentile the imbracing of Mahometâ— Law conditionally that he would wed him to a Sister of his for which purpose he should quit his wife that was also a Gentile and married to him six and twenty years Now because the King of Batas would by no means condescend thereunto the Tyrant incited by a Cacis of his immediately denounced War against him So each of them having raised a mighty Army they fought a most bloody Battel that continued three hours and better during the which the Tyrant perceiving the advantage the Bataes had of him after he had lost a great number of his people he made his retreat into a Mountain called Cagerrendan where the Bataes held him besieged by the space of three and twenty days but because in that time many of the Kings men fell sick and that also the Tyrants Camp began to want Victuals they concluded a Peace upon condition that the Tyrant should give the King five bars of Gold which are in value two hundred thousand crowns of our mony for to pay his Soldiers and that the King should marry his eldest son to that sister of the Tyrant who had been the cause of making that War This accord being signed by either part the King returned into his Country where he was no sooner arrived but relying on this Treaty of Peace he dismist his Army and discharged all his Forces The tranquillity of this Peace lasted not above two months and an half in which time there came to the Tyrant three hundred Turks whom he had long expected from the Straight of Mecqua and for them had sent four Vessels laden with Pepper wherein also were brought a great many Cases full of Muskets and Hargebusezes together with divers Pieces both of Brass and Iron Ordnance Whereupon the first thing the Tyrant did was to joyn those three hundred Turks to some Forces he had still afoot then making as though he would go to Pacem for to take in a Captain that was revolted against him he cunningly fell upon two places named Iacur and Lingua that appâ—rtained to the King of Batas which he suddenly surprized when they within thâ—m least thought of it for the Peace newly made between them took away all the mistrust of such an attempt so as by that means it was easie for the Tyrant to render himself Master of those Fortresses Having taken them he put three of the Kings sons to death and seven hundred Ouroballones so are the noblest and the valiantâ—st of the Kingdom called This while the King of Batas much resenting and that with good cause so great a Treachery sware by the head of his god Quiay Hocombinor the principal Idol of the Gentiles sect who hold him for their god of Justice never to eat either fruit salt or any other thing that might bring the least gust to his palate before he had revenged the death of his children and drawn reason from the Tyrant for this loss protesting further that he was resolved to dye in the maintenance of so just a War To which end and the better to bring it to pass the King of Batas straightway assembled an Army of fifteen thousand men as well natives as strangers wherewithall he was assisted by some Princes his friends and to the same effect he emplored the Forces of us Christians which was the reason why he sought to contract that new amity we have spoken of before with Pedro de Faria who was very well contented with it in regard he knew that it greatly imported both the service of the King of Portugal and the conservation of the Fortress besides that by this means he hoped very much to augment the Revenue of the Customs together with his own particular and all the rest of the Portugals profit in regard of the great Trade they had in those Countries of the South After that the King of Batas Embassador had been seventeen days with us Pedro de Faria dismissed him having first granted whatsoever the King his Master had demanded and something over and above as fire-pots darts and murdering Pieces wherewith the Embassador departed from the Fortress so contented that he shed tears for joy nay it was observed that passing by the great door of the Church he turned himself towards it with his hands and eyes lift up to Heaven and then as it were praying to God Almighty Lord said he openly that in rest and great joy livest there above seated on the Treasure of thy Riches which are the spirits formed by thy Will here I promise thee if it may be thy good pleasure to give us
the cause that ships are many times cast upon Pazem by foul weather at Sea from which I pray God deliver thee for I assure thee that if thy ill fortune should carry thee thither the men of Achem would eat thee alive and the Tyrant himself would have the first bite at thee there being nothing in the world these Inhumanes so much vaunt of as to carâ—y on the crest of their Arms the device of Drinkers of the troubled blood of miserable Caâ—sers who they say are come from the end of the world calling them Tyrannical men and Vsurpers in a soveraign degree of other mens Kingdoms in the Indiaes and Isles of the Sea This is the title wherein they glory most and which they attribute particularly to themselves as being sent them from Mecqua in recompence of the golden Lamps which they offered to the Alcoran of their Mahomet as they use to do every year Furthermore although heretofore I 〈◊〉 often advised thy Captain of Malaca to take careful heed of this Tyrant of Achem yet do not thou omit to advertise him of it once more from me for know that he never had nor shall have other thoughts then to labor by all means to expel him out of the Indiaes and make the Turk Master of them who to that end promiseth to send him great succors but I hope that God will so order it as all the malice and cunning of this disloyal wretch shall have a contrary success to his intentions After he had used this language to me he gave me a Letter in answer to my Embassage together with a present which he desired me to deliver from him to Captain de Faria this was six small Javelins headed with Gold twelve Cates of Calambuca Wood every one of them weighing twenty ounces and a box of exceeding value made of a Tortoise shâ—ll beautified with Gold and full of great seed pearl amongst the which there were sixteen fair pearls of rich account For my self he gave me two Cates of Gold and a little Courtelâ—â—â— garnished with the same Then he dismissed me with as much demonstration of honor as he had always used to me before protesting to me in particular that the amity which he had contracted with our Nation should ever continue inviolable on his part Thus I imbarqued my self with Aquarem Dabâ—lay his Brother-in-law who was the same he had sent Embassador to Malaca as I have related before Being departed from the Port of Panaiu we arrived about two hours in the â—ight at a little Island called Apofingua distant some league and an half from the mouth of the River and inhabited by poor people who lived by the fishing of Shadâ— The next morning leaving that Island of Apofingua we ran along by the coast of the Ocean Sea for the space of five and twenty leagues until such time as at length we entered into the Straight of Minhagaruu by which we came then passing by the contrary coast of this other Mediterranean Sea we continued our course along by it and at last arrived near to Pullo Bugay There we crost over to the firm Land and passing by the Port of Iunçalan we sailed two days and an half with a favorable wind by means whereof we got to the River of Parles in the Kingdom of Queda there we rode five days at anchor in expectation of a fit wind to carry us on During that time the Mahometan and my self by the counsel of certain Merchants of the Country went to visit the King with an Odiaa or Present of divers things that we thought were convenient for our design which was received with much demonstration of being very well pleased therewith When we came to his Court we found that with a great deal of pomp excellent musick dancing and largess to the poor he was solemnizing the funerals of his Father whom he himself had poynarded of purpose for to marry his own mother after he had gotten her with child Wherewithall not being contented to decline the murmur which so wicked and horrible an act might provoke unto he had made proclamation that on pain of a most rigorous death no person whatsoever should be so daring as to speak a word of that which had past and it was told us there how for that cause he had most tyrannically put the principal Personages of his Kingdom and a number of Merchants already to death whose goods he had confiscated to his own use and thereby enriched his Coffers with two millions of Gold So that upon our arrival we perceived such a general fear to be amongst the people as not the most hardy of them all durst so much as make the least mention in the world of it Now in regard the Mahometan my companion named Coia Ale was a man liberal of his tongue and that would say any thing which came into his head he perswaded himself in regard he was a stranger and the Captain of Malaca's Factor that he might with more liberty then those of the Country talk what he listed and the King not punish him for it as he did his Subjects But he found himself far short of his account and this presumption cost him his life For being invited to a feast by another Mahometan like himself a Merchant stranger born at Patana when as they were both of them high with wine and meat as I learned since they began to talk boldly and without any respect of the Kings Brutality and Parracide whereof the King being incontinently advertised by Spies which he had in every corner for that purpose he caused the house to be presently invested and all the guests to be apprehended to the number of seventeen persons These poor wretches were no sooner brought bound before him but immediately without observing any form of Justice or hearing what they could say for themselves either good or bad he commanded them to be put to a most cruel kind of death called by them Gregoge which is to saw off the feet hands and heads of them that are condemned to it as I beheld afterwards my self This execution done the King feaâ—ing lest the Captain of Malaca should be offended for that he had executed his Factor thus with the rest and therefore might arrest some goods that he had at Malaca sent the night following for me to the Iurupango where I was sleeping and altogether ignorant of that which had past understanding the Kings pleasure away I went and coming about midnight to the Palace I perceived in the outward Court a great many men in arms the sight whereof I must confess put me into a mighty amazement and mistrust because I could not imagine what should be the cause of it and doubting lest it might be some such Treason as at other times they had practised against us I would fain have returned but they that accompanied me judging that my fear proceeded from the Soldiers which I beheld there bid me be afraid of nothing for these
aâ—ter being not able either to go forward or turn aside by reason of the bogs round about us all covered over with rushes In the mean time one of our companions dyed whose name was Bastian Anriques a rich man and that had lost eight thousand crownâ— in the Lanchara in so much that of all the company we were before there remained none but Christovano Borralho and my self that with tears sat lamenting over the poor dead mans body which we had covered with a little earth as well as we could for we were then so weak that we could hardly stir or almost speak so as we had set up our rest to make an end of those few hours we hoped to live in that place The next day being the seventh of our disaster about Sun-set we espyed a great Barque coming rowing up the River whereupon as soon as it was near us we prostrated our selves on the ground beseeching those that were aboard her to take us in They wondering at us presently made a stand seeming much amazed to see us so on our knees and our hands lift up to Heaven as though we were at our prayers nevertheless without speaking at all to us they made as if they would go on which constrained us afresh to cry aloud to them with tears that they would not suffer us for want of succor to dye miserably there Upon thosâ— our cries and lamentations an ancient woman came forth from under the hatches whose grave countenance represented her to be such as afterwards we found her to be she seeing us in so pitiful a plight moved with our misfortune and our wounds that we shewed her she took up a stick and therewith struck three or four of the Mariners because they would not take us in whereupon approaching to the bank five or six of them leapt on shore and by her commandment took us upon their shoulders and carryed us into the Barque This honorable woman much grieved to behold us so hurt and our shirts and linnen drawers all bloody and mired caused them straightway to be washed and having given each of us a linnen cloth to cover us withall she would needs have us to sit down by her where commanding meat to be brought us she her self presenting it to us with her own hand Eat eat said she poor strangers and be not afflicted to see yâ—ur selves reduced unto the estate you are in for I whom now you look upon and that am but a woman not having as yet attained to the age of fifty years have seen my self a slave and despoyled of above an hundred thousand duckets worth of goods Nor is that all for to this misfortune was the death of three of my sons adjoyned and that of my husband whom I held far more dearer then these eyes of mine these eyes alass wherewith I beheld both the father and the sons torn in pieces by the King of Siams Elephants together with two brothers and a son-in-law I had Ever since I have had a languishing life and to all these miseries have many others far greater succeeded for so implacable hath fortune been unto me that I have seen three daughters of mine ready to be marryed as also my father mother and two and thirty of my kinsmen nephews and cousins thrown into burning furnaces where their cries and lamentations could not chuse but reach unto Heaven for God to succor them in the violence of that insupportable torment but alass the enormity of my sins no doubt so stopped the ears of the clemency of the Lord of Lords that he would not heaâ— our request which seemed very just to me nevertheless I deceived my self since nothing is just but what it pleaseth his divine Majesty to ordain Hereunto we answered that the sins which we also had committed against him were the cause of our calamities Seeing it is so replyed she mingling her tears with ours it is always good in your adversities to acknowledg that the touches of the hand of God are evermore righteous for both in that as also in a confession of the mouth in a sorrow for having offended and in a firm resolution to do so no more consisteth all the remedy of your sufferings and mine Having entertained us thus with the discourse of her misfortune she enquired of us the occasion of ours and by what means we came to be in that miserable estate whereupon we recounted unto her all that had past and that we neither knew who it was that had so ill intreated us nor wherefore he did it Her people hearing us said that the great Junk whereof we spake belonged to a Mahometan a Guzarat by Nation named Coia Acem who the same morning went out of the River laden with Brazil and was bound for the Isle of Ainan Hereat the good woman smote her brest and seeming to be much moved Let me not live said she if it be not so for I have heard that Mahometan of whom you speak vaunt publiquely before all that would give ear unto him that he had sâ—ain a great number of the race of those of Malaca and that he hated them in such sort as he had promised to his Mahomet to kill more of them in time Being amazed hereat we desired her to declare unto us who that man was and why he was so much our enemy whereunto she answered that she knew no other reason but for that a great Captain of our Nation named Hector de Sylvâ—ira had killed his father and two of his brothers in a ship which he took from them in the straight of Mâ—cqua that was going from Iudas to Dabul Thus much did this good Matron tell us and many other things afterwards concerning the great hatred this Mahometan bore us as also what lyes he devised to render us infamous This honorable woman departing from the place where she found us went some two leagues up the River till she came to a little Village where she lay that night The next morning parting from thence she made directly to the Town of Lugor which was above five leagues further Arriving there about noon she landed and went to her house whither she carryed us with her and kept us there three and twenty days during which time we were very well looked unto and plentifully accommodated with all that was necessary for us This woman was a widow and of an honorable family as afterwards we learnt and that had been marryed to the Captain General which they call Xabandar of Prevedim whom the Pata of Lasapara King of Quaijuan had put to death in the Isle of Iaoa the year 1538. At the time she met with us as I have related she came from a Junk of hers that lay at the Road laden with Salt and because it was great and could not pass up by reason of the shelves she caused it to be unladen by little and little with thaâ— Barque By that time the three and twenty days I spake of were expired it
himself that out of his impatience judged according to the wicked inclination of his heart Moreover asking of them whether in their Law they believed that the great God which governeth this All came at any time into the world clothed with a humane form they said No because there could be nothing that might oblige him to so great an extremity in regard he was through the excellency of the divine Nature delivered from our miseries and far esloigned from the Treasures of the Earth all things being more then base in the presence of his splendor By these answers of theirs we perceived that these people had never attained to any knowledg of our truth more then their eyes made them to see in the picture of Heaven and in the beauty of the day for continually in their Combayes which are their prayers lifting up their hands they say By thy works Lord we confess thy greatness After this Antonio de Faria set them at liberty and having given them certain presents wherewith they were very well pleased he caused them to be conveyed to Land that done the wind beginning a little to rise he set sail having all his Vessels adoâ—ned with divers coloured Silks their Banners Flags and Streamers displayed and a Standart of Trade hung out after the manner of the Country to the end they might be taken for Merchants and not for Pyrats and so an hour after he anchored just against the Key of the Town which he saluted with a little peal of Ordnance whereupon ten or eleven Almadiaes came presently to us with good store of refreshments Howbeit finding us to be strangers and discerning by our habits that we were neither Siams Iaos nor Malayos nor yet of any other Nation that ever they had seen they said one to another Please Heaven that the dew of the fresh morning may be as profitable to us all as this evening seems fair with the presence of these whom our eyes behold Having said thus one of the Almadiaes asked leave to come aboard us which they were told they might do because we were all their brothers so that three of nine which were in that Almadia entred into our Junk whom Antonio de Faria received very kindly and causing them to sit down upon a Turky Carpet by him he told them that he was a Merchant of the Kingdom of Siam and going with his goods towards the Isle of Ainan he had been advertised that he might better and more securely sell off his Commodities in this Town then in any other place because the Merchants thereof were juster and truer of their word then the Chineses of the Coast of Ainan Whereunto they thus answered Thou art not deceived in that which thou sayst for if thou be a Merchant as thou affirmest beleeve it that in every thing and every where thou shalt be honored in this place wherefore thou mayst sleep without fear Antonio de Faria mistrusting some intelligence might come over Land concerning that which he had done to the Pyrat upon the River of Tanauquir and so might work him some prejudice would not dis-imbarque his goods as the Officers of the Custom-house would have had him which was the cause of much displeasure and vexation to him afterward so that his business was twice interrupted by that means wherefore perceiving that good words would not serve to make them consent to his Propositions he sent them word by a Merchant who dealt between them that he knew well enough they had a great deal of reason to require the landing of his goods because it was the usual course for every one so to do But he assured them that he could not possibly do it in regard the season was almost past and therefore he was of necessity to hasten his departure as soon as might be the rather too for the accommodating of the Junk wherein he came for as much as she took in so much water that threescore Mariners were always laboring at three pumps to clear her whereby he ran a great hazard of losing all his goods And that touching the Kings Customs he was contented to pay them not after thirty in the hundred as they demanded but after ten as they did in other Kingdoms and so much he would pay presently and willingly To this offer they rendred no answer but detained him that carried the message prisoner Antonio de Faria seeing that his messenger returned not set sâ—il immediately hanging forth a number of flags as one that cared not whether he sold or no Whereupon the Merchants strangers that were come thither to trade perceiving the Commodities of which they hoped to make some profit to be going out of the Port through the perversness and obstinacy of the Nautarel of the Town they went all to him and desired him to recall Antonio de Faria otherwise they protested to complain to the King of the injustice he did them in being the cause of hindring their Traffique The Nautarel that is the Governor with all the Officers of the Custom-house fearing left they might upon this occasion be turned out of their places condescended to their request upon condition since we would pay but ten in the hundred that they should pay five more whereunto they agreed and instantly sent away the Merchant whom they had detained prisoner with a Letter full of complements wherein they declared the agreement they had made Antonio de Faria answered them that since he was out of the Port he would not re-enter it upon any terms by reason he had not leasure to make any stay howbeit if they would buy his Commodities in gross bringing lingots of silver with them for that purpose he would sell them to them and in no other manner would deal for he was much distasted with the little respect the Nautarel of the Town had carried towards him by despising his messages and if they were contented to accept thereof that then they should let him know so much within an hour at the farthest otherwise he would sail away to Ainan where he might put off his Commodities far better then there They finding him so resolved and doubting to lose so fair an occasion as this was for them to return into their Country embarqued themselves in five great Lighters with forty chests full of lingots of silver and a many sacks to bring away the Pepper and arriving at Antonio de Faria's Junk they were very well received by him unto whom they represented anew the agreement they had made with the Nautarel of the Town greatly complaining of his ill Government and of some wrongs which without all reason he had done them but since they had pacified him by consenting to give him fifteen in the hundred whereof they would pay five they desired him to pay the ten as he had promised for otherways they could not buy his Commodities Whereunto Antonio de Faria answered that he was contented so to do more for the love of them then for any profit
endanger his own life for when they had recovered strength they would without doubt seize upon his Junk and all the goods that were in her it being their usual custom so to do in all places where they found themselves the strongest wherefore fearing lest that which the Mahometans suggested should befall him he slew them all on a night as they slept for the which notwithstanding he was sorry afterwards This declaration so much incensed Antonio de Faria and all that were about him as indeed the enormity of so wicked a fact did require that presently without questioning or hearing of him further he commanded him to be put to death with four more of his company and so they were all thrown into the Sea This justice being executed on the Pyrat and his four companions Antonio de Faria caused an Inventory to be taken of all that was in the Junk which was adjudged to amount unto forty thousand Taeis â—o raw and twisted Silk pieces of Sattin Damask Musk fine Pourcelains and other less valuable commodities which with the Junk we were constrained to burn because we wanted Mariners for our navigation With these valorous exploits the Chineses were so amazed as they stood in dread of the very mention of the name of the Portugals in so much that the Necodaeâ— or Masters of the Junks that were in the Port fearing the like might be done to them assembled all together in councel and there making Election of two of the principal amongst them whom they held most capable of performing their charge they sent them as Embassadors unto Antonio de Faria desiring him that as King of the Sea he would protect them upon the assurance of his word so as they might pass safely out of the plâ—ce where they were for to make their voyage whil'st the season served in consideration whereof as his Tributarâ—es subjects and slaves they would give him twenty thousand Taeis in Ingots of Silver wherof payment should be made out of hand by way of acknowledging him to be their Lord. Antonio de Faria received them very courteously and granting their request protested and sware to perform the same and upon his word to protect them for the future from having any of their goods taken from them by any Pyrat Whereupon one of the Embassadors remained as surety for the twenty thousand Taeis and the other went to fetch the Ingots which he brought an hour after together with a rich present of many several things sent him over and above by the Necodaes This done Antonio de Faria desiring to advance a servant of his named Costâ— made him Clark of the Patents that were to be granted to the Necodaes whereof he presently set a rate namely five Taeis for a Junk and two Taâ—is for a Vaneo Lantaâ— and small Barqâ—e which proved so beneficial to him that in the space of thirteen days wherein these Patents were dispatched he got according the report of those that envyed him above four thousand Taeis in silver besides many good gratuities that were given him for expedition The form of these Patents was thus I give assurance upon my word to Necoda such a one that he shall sail safely all about the Coast of China without any disturbance of any that belongs to me upon condition that wheresoever he meets with any Portugals he shall â—â—â—reat them as brethren and underneath he signed Antonio de Faria All which Paâ—ents were most exactly observed and by that means he was so redoubted all along this Coast as the Châ—â—m himself of the Island of Ainan who is the Viceroy thereof upon the report which he heard of him sent to visit him by his Embassador with a rich present of Pearls and Jewels as also a Letter whereby he desired him to take entertainment from the son of the Sun a name which they give to the Emperor of this Monarchy for to serve him as Commander General of all the Coast from Lamau to Liampoo with ten thousand Taeis Pension yearly and that if he carryed himself well according to the renown went of him he assured him that upon the expiration of his three years charge he should be advanced into the rank of the Chaems of the State and that such men as he if they were faithful might attain to be one of the twelve Futoens of the Empire whom the soveraign son of the Sun being the Lion crowned on the Throne of the World admitted to his bed and board as members united to his person by means of the honor power and command that he gave them with an annual Pension of an hundred thousand Taeis Antonio de Faria gave him many thanks for this offer and excused himself with complements after their manner saying that he was not capable of so great fâ—vor as he would honor him withall but that without any regard at all of mony he would be ready to serve him as often as the Tutoens of Pequin would be pleased to command him After this going out of the Port of Madâ—l where he had been fourteen days he ran all along the Coast of that Country for to find out Coia Acem it being the main design of all his voyage as I have declared before Imagining then that he might meet with him in some of these places he stayd there above six months with much pain and hâ—zard of his person At length he arrived at a very fair Town named Quangiparu wherein were goodly buildings and Temples In this Port he abode all that day and the night following under colour of being a Merchant peaceably buying that which was brought him aboard And because it was a Town of fifteen hundred fires as we guessed the next morning by break of day we set sail without any great notice taken of us So returning to Sea although it were with a contrary wind in twelve days with a troublesom navigation he visited the shores both of the South and North Coasts without incountring any thing worthy the observation although they were replenished with a many of little Villages whereof divers were inclosed with walls of brick but not strong enough to withstand the force of thirty good Soldiers the people of themselves being very weak and having no other Arms but staves hardned in the fire howsoever the scituation of this Country was under one of the best and fertilest Climates on the Earth abounding with great store of cattel and many goodly large fields sowed with Wheat Rice Barly Millet and sundry other kinds of grain as also replenished with many great groves of Pine and Angeline trees as in the Indiaes able to furnish a world of shiping Moreover by the relation of certain Merchants Antonio de Faria was informed that in this Land there were many Mynes of Copper Silver Tin Saltpeter Sulphur and an infinite deal of untilled but excellently good ground altogether neglected by this weak Nation which were it in our power we might in all probability be more advanced in the Indiaes
then now we are through the unhappiness of our sins After we had been seven months and an half in this Country sometimes on the one side sometimes on the other from River to River and on both Coasts North and South as also in the Isle of Ainan without hearing any news of Coia Acem the Soldiers weary of so long and tedious travel assembled all together and desired Antonio de Faria to make a partition of that which had been gotten according to a promise before made to them by a note under his hand saying that thereupon they would return unto the Indiaes or where else they thought good whereby a great deal of stir arose amongst us At length it was agreed that we should go and winter in Siam where all the goods which were in the Junk should be sold and being reduced into gold division should be made of it as was desired With this accord sworn and signed by all we went and anchored in an Island called the Island of Thieves in regard it was the outermost Island of all that Bay to the end that from thence we might make our voyage with the first fair wind that should blow So having continued there twelve days with an earnest desire to effect the agreement we had made together it fortuned that by the conjunction of the new Moon in October which we had always feared there arose such a tempest of rain and wind as seemed to be no natural thing in so much that lying open to the South wind as we traverst the Coast the waves went so high that though we used all means possible to save our selves cutting down our Masts and all the dead works from poop to prow as also casting into the Sea even the most part of our merchandize reducing our great Ordnance into their places again out of which they had been toss'd and strengthening our Cables that were half rotten with ropes But all this was not able to preserve us for the night was so dark the weather so cold the sea so rough the wind so high and the storm so horrible that in these extremities nothing could deliver us but the meer mercy of God whom with continual cries and tears we called upon for help But for as much as in regard of our sins we did not deserve to receive this grace at his hands his divine justice ordained that about two hours after midnight there came such a fearful gust of wind as drove our four vessels foul one of another upon the shore where they were all broken to pieces so that four hundred and fourscore men were drowned amongst which were eight Portugals and it pleased God that the remainder being fifty three persons were saved whereof three and twenty were Portugals the rest slaves and Mariners After this lamentable shipwrack we got half naked and most of us hurt into a Marish hard by where we stay'd till the next morning and as soon as it was day we returned to the Sea side which we found all strewed with dead bodies a spectacle of that dread and horror as scarce any one of us could forbear swooning to behold it over them we stood lamenting a great while till such time an Antonio de Faria who by the mercy of God was one of those that remained alive whereof we were all very glad concealing the grief which we could not dissemble came where we were having on a scarlet coat that he had taken from one of the dead and with a joyful countenance his eyes dry and voyd of tears he made a short speech unto us wherein he remonstrated how variable and uncertain the things of this world were and therefore he desired us as Brethren that we would endevor to forget them seeing the remembrance of them was but a means to grieve us for considering the time and â—iâ—erable estate whereunto we were reduced we saw how necessary his counsel was And â—ow he hoped that God would in this desolate place present us with some good opportunity to â—ame our selves and how we might be assured that he never permitted any evil but for a greater good moreover how he firmly believed that though we had now lost five hundred thousand crowns we should ere it were long get above six hundred thousand for them This brief exhortation was heard by us all with tears and discomfort enough so we spent two days and an half there in burying the dead during which time we recovered some wet victuals and provisions to sustain us withall but they lasted not above five days of fifteen that we stayed there for by reason of their wetness they corrupted presently and did us little good After these fifteen days it pleased God who never forsakes them that truly put their trust in him miraculously to send us a remedy whereby we escaped out of that misery we were in as I will declare hereafter CHAP. XIX In what sort we escaped miraculously out of this Island our passage from thence to the River of Xingrau our incountring with a Chinese Pyrat and the agreement we made with him BEing escaped from this miserable shipwrack it was a lamentable thing to see how we walked up and down almost naked enduring such cruel cold and hunger that many of us talking one to another fell down suddenly dead with very weakness which proceeded not so much from want of victuals as from the eating of such things as were hurtful to us by reason they were all rotten and stunk so vilely that no man could endure the taste of them in his mouth But as our God is an infinite good there is no place so remote or desert where the misery of sinners can be hid from the assistance of his infinite mercy which I speak in regard that on the day when as the feast of S. Michael is celebrated as we were drowned in tears and without hope of any humane help according as it seemed to the weakness of our little faith a Kite came unexpectedly flying over our heads from behind a point which the Island made towards the South and by chance let fall a fish called a Mullet about a foot long This fish falling close by Antonio de Faria it somewhat amazed him till he perceived what it was so that having considered a little he fell on his knees and with tears pronounced these words from the bottom of his heart O Lord Iesus Christ the eternal Son of God I humbly beseech thee by the sorrows of thy sacred Passion that thou wilt not suffer us to be overwhelmed with the unbelief whereinto the misery of our weakness hath cast us for I hope and am almost assured that the same succor which thou didst send unto Daniel in the Lions den by the hand of thy Prophet Abacuc thou wilt grant us at this present out of thy infinite goodness and not only here but in every other place where a sinner shall invoke thy ayd with a firm and true faith Wherefore my Lord and
Soul doth now enjoy the promised delights of thy Mahomet as thou didst yesterday publish to these other Dogs such as thy self Thereupon he commanded all the Slaves and Captives of his company together with their Masters before him unto whom he made a speech like a true Christian as indeed he was whereby he prayed them in the Name of God to manumit these Slaves according to the promise he had made them before the fight engaging himself to satisfie them for it out of his own Estate Whereunto they answered all with one consent that since it was his desire they were wel contented and that they did even then set them at full liberty whereof he caused a writing to be presently made with all their hands unto it being as much as could be done for the instant but afterwards each of them had in particular Letters of manumission granted unto them This done an Inventory was taken of such Commodities as were found to be good and merchantable over and above those which were given to the Portugals and all was praised at an hundred and thirty thousand Taeis in Silver Lingots of Iapan consisting of Sattin Damask raw Silk Taffety Musk and very fine Porcelain for as touching the rest they were not put in writing And all these Robberies the Pyrats had committed on the Coasts between Sumbor and Fucheo where for above a year together they had coursed up and down After that Antonio de Faria had remained four and twenty days in this River of Tinlau during which time all his hurt men were cured he set sail directly for Liampoo where he purposed to pass the Winter to the end that with the beginning of the Spring he might set forth on his Voyage to the Mynes of Quoaniaparu as he had resolved with Quiay Panian the Chinese Pyrat that was in his company but being advanced even to the point of Micuy which is at the height of six and twenty degrees so great a Tempest arose towards the North-west that we were fain to strike our top-sails for fear we should be forced back again from our course but after dinner it increased with such a terrible storm of rain and the Sea went so high that the two Lanteas were not able to brook it so that about evening they made to Land with an intent to recover the River of Xilendau which was about a league and an half from thence whereupon Antonio de Faria doubting some misfortune carried as little sail as possibly he could as well for that he would not outgo the Lanteas as in regard of the violence of the wind which was such as they durst not carry more Now by reason the night was so dark and the billows so great they could not discern a shelf of sand that lay betwixt an Island and the point of a Rock so that passing over it our Junk struck her self so rudely on it as her upper keel cleft in two or three places and her under keel a little whereupon the Gunner would have given fire to a Falconet for to have warned the other Junks to come in to succor us in this extremity but Antonio de Faria would by no means permit him saying that since it pleased God he should be cast away in that place there was no reason that others should be lost there also for his cause But he desired every one to assist him both with manual labor and secret prayers unto God to pardon their sins Having said so he caused the main Mast to be cut down whereby the Junk came to be in somewhat a better case then she was before but alas the fall of it cost three Mariners and one of our servants their lives who chancing to be under it when it fell were battered all to pieces In like manner he made all the other Masts from poop to prow to be hewed down together with all the dead works as the cabins and galleries without so that all was taken away close to the hatches And though all this was done with incredible diligence yet it stood us in little stead for that the weather was so foul the sea so swoln the night so dark the waves so furious the rain so great and the violence of the storm so intolerable that no man was able to withstand it In the mean time the other four Junks made a sign to us as if they also were cast away Whereupon Antonio de Faria lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven Lord said he before them all as through thy infinite mercy thou wast fastened upon the Cross for the Redemption of sinners so I beseech thee who art all mercy that for the satisfaction of thy Iustice I alone may suffer for the offences which these men have committed since I am the principal cause of their trespassing against thy divine goodness permit not then O Lord that in this woful night they may fall into that danger wherein I see my self as this present by reason of my sins but with a repentant Soul I most humbly beseech thee and that in the name of all the rest though I am most unworthy to be heard that in stead of having regard to our sins thou wilt behold us with the eyes of that pity and infinite clemency wherewith thou art replenished Upon these words we all fell a crying out so lamentably Lord have mercy upon us that it would have grieved any heart in the world to have heard us And as all men that find themselves in the like extremity are naturally carried to the preservation of their lives without any regard at all of ought else there was not one amongst us that sought not the means to safe his so that all of us together employed our selves in discharging our Vessel by casting our goods into the Sea To which effect about an hundred men of us as well Portugals as Slaves and Mariners leapt down into the Ship and in less then an hour heav'd all over-board without any respect in so eminent a danger of that which we did for amongst the rest we threw twelve great chests full of lingots of Silver into the Sea which in the last incounter we had taken from Coia Acem besides many other things of great value whereby our Junk was somewhat lightened Having past the night in that miserable state we were in at length as the day began to break it pleased God that the wind also began to slack whereby our Junk remained a little more at rest though she was still in great peril by reason of the water shâ— had taken in it being almost four yards deep in her so that to avoyd the eminent danger we were threatened with we all of us got forth and catching hold by the tackle we hung on the out-side of the Junk because the waves beat with such violence against her that we feared to be drowned or cast against the Rocks which had already happened to eleven or twelve of our company for want of taking
this manner Praysed be the Creator who hath enameled the beauty of the skies let him that knocks at the gate go about and he shall finde it open on the other side where let me know what he desires The Chinese went presently about and entring into the Hermitage by a back door he opened the â—oregaâ—e to Antonio de Faria and let him in with all his follovvers There he found an old man that seemed to be an hundred years old he was apparelled in a long violet coloured damask gown and by his countenance appeared to be a man of quality as we understood afterwards Being amazed to see so many men he fell to the ground where he lay a good while without speaking a word howbeit at length he began to be better confirmed and beholding us with a serious look he gravely demanded of us what we were and what we would have whereunto the Interpreter answered by the express commandment of Antonio de Faria that he was a Captain stranger a native of the Kingdom of Siam and that sayling in a Junk of his laden with merchandise and bound for Liampoo he had suffered shipwrack whence he had miraculously escaped with all his company and for that he had vowed to make a pilgrimage to this holy place to praise God for preserving him from so great a peril he was now come to perform his vow also to crave somwhat of him by way of alms whereby his poverty might be relieved protesting within three years to render him twice as much as he should then take from him whereupon the Hermit named Hiticon having mused a little on the matter and fixing his eye on Antonio de Faria Whoever thou art said he unto him know that I throughly understand what thou sayest and that I perceive but too well thy damnable intention wherewith out of the obscurity of thy blindness like an infernal pilot thou carriest both thy self and these others into the profound abism of the lake of night for instead of rendring thanks to God for so great a favour as thou confessest he hath shewed thee thou comest hither to rob this holy house But let me ask thee if thou executest thy mischievous designe what will the divine Iustice thinkest thou do with thee at the last gasp of thy life Change then thy perverse inclination and never suffer the imagination of so great a sin to enter thy thoughts give credit unto me that tels thee nothing but the very truth even as I hope to thrive by it all the rest of my life Antonio de Faria seeming to approve of the counsel which the old Hermit gave him earnestly desired him not to be displeased assuring him that he had no other means or way left to relieve him and his but what he could find in that place To which the Hermit wringing his hands and lifting up his eyes said weeping Praised be thou O Lord that permittest men to live on the earth who offend thee under pretext of seeking means to live and that vouchsafe not to serve thee one hour although they know how assured thy glory is After he had uttered these words he remained very pensive and much troubled to see the great disorder we used in breaking up the coffins and flinging them out of their places at length looking upon Antonio de Faria who stood leaning upon his sword he intreated him to sit down by him which he did with a great deal of compliment not desisting for all that from making signes to his souldiers to persist as they had begun that was to take the silver which was mingled amongst the bones of the dead in the tombs that they brake up whereat the Hermit was so grieved as he fell down twice in a swoon from his seat but being come to himself he spake thus to Antonio de Faria I will declare unto thee as to a man that seems discreet the means whereby thou mayst obtain pardon for the sin which thou and thy people now commit to the end that thy soul may not perish eternally when as the last breath of thy mouth shal go out of thy body Seeing then as thou sayest that it is necessity constrains thee to offend in this grievous manner and that thou hast a purpose to make restitution before thou dyest of that thou takest away from hence if thou hast time and power thou mayst do these three things First thou must render again what thou now carriest away that the Sovereign Lord may not turn his mercy from thee Secondly thou must with tears ask him forgiveness for thy fault which is so odious unto him never ceasing to chastise thy flesh both day and night And thirdly thou must distribute thy goods to the poor as liberally as to thy self giving them alms with prudence and discretion to the end the servant of the night may have nothing to accuse thee of at the last day Now for recompence of this counsel I desire thee to command thy followers to gather together the bones of the Saints that they may not be despised on the earth Antonio de Faria promised him very curteously to perform his request wherewith the Hermit was a little better at quiet then before but yet not fully satisfied howbeit he spake him very fair and assured him that after he had once seen him he very much repented the undertaking of this enterprise but his souldiers had threatned to kill him if he returned without executing of it and this he told him as a very great secret God grant it be so replyed the Hermit for that thou shalt not be so blame-worthy as these other monstâ—rs of the night which are so greedy like to famished dogs that it seems all the silver in the world is not able to satiate them After we had gathered all the silver together that was in the graves amongst the dead mens bones and carryed it abord our ships we were all of opinion not to go any farther to the rest of the Hermitages as well because we knew not the Countrey as for that it was almost night upon hope that the next day we might continue our enterprise more at leisure Now before he reinbaâ—qued himselfe Antonio de Faria took leave of the Hermit and giving him very good words he desired him for Gods sake not to be offended with that his followers had done being constrained thereunto by meer necessity for as his for particular he exceedingly abhorred such like actions adding withall that at the first sight of him he would have returned back out of the remover of conscience and true repentance but that his company had hindered him saying that if he did so they would surely kill him so that for to have his life he was compelled to yeild and consent thereunto though he plainly saw that it was a very great sin in regard whereof he was resolved as soon as he could rid his hands of them to go up and down the world to perform such penance as was
you may and cause us not to be all miserably slain with your further stay Howbeit little regarding or afraid of their words he went ashore only with six souldiers having no other arms but swords and targots and going up the stairs of the Key whither it were that he was vext for having lost so fair an occasion or carried thereunto by his courage he entered into the gallery that invironed the Island and ran up and down in it like a mad man without meeting any body That done and being returned abord his vessel much grieved and ashamed he consulted with his company about what they should do who were of opinion that the best course we could take was to depart and therefore they required him to put it accordingly in execution Seeing them all so resolved and fearing some tumults among the souldiers he was fain to answer that he was also of their mind but first he thought it fit to know for what cause they should fly away in that manner and therefore he desired them to stay for him a little in that place because he would trie whether he could learn by some means or other the truth of the matter whereof they had but a bare suspition for which he told them he would ask but half an hour at the most so that there would be time enough to take order for any thing before day some would have alledged reasons against this but he would not hear them wherefore having caused them all to take their oaths upon the holy Evangelists that they would stay for him he returned to land with the same souldiers that had accompanied him before and entering into the little wood he heard the sound of a bell which addressed him to another Hermitage far richer then that wherein we were the day before There he met with two men apparaled like Monks with large hoods which made him think they were Hermits of whom he presently laid hold wherewith one of them was so terrified as he was not able to speak a good while after Hereupon four of the six souldiers past into the Hermitage and took an Idol of silver from the altar having a crown of gold on its head and a wheel in its hand they also brought away three candlesticks of silver with long chains of the same belonging to them This performed Antonio de Faria carrying the two Hermits along with him went abord again and sailing away he propounded divers questions to him of the two that was least affraid threatning to use him in a strange fashion if he did not tell the truth This Hermit seeing himself so menaced answered That an holy man named Pilau Angiroo came about midnight to the house of the Kings Sepultures where knocking in haste at the gate he cryed out saying O miserable men buried in the drunkenness of carnal sleep who by a solemn vow have profest your selves to the honour of the Goddess Amida the rich reward of our labouâ—s hear hear hear O the most wretched men that ever were born There are strangers come into our Island from the further end of the World which have long beards and bodies of Iron these wicked creatures have entred into the Holy House of the seven and twenty Pillars of whose sacred Temple an holy man is keeper that hath told it me where after they had ransacked the rich treasures of the Saints they contemptedly threw their bones to the ground which they prophaned with their stinking and infectious spitting and made a mockerie of them like Devils obstinate and hardned in their wretched sins wherefore I advise you to look well to your selves for it is said that they have sworn to kill us all as soon as it is day Fly away then or call some people to your succour since being Religious men you are not permitted to meddle with any thing that may shed the blood of man Herewith they presently arose and ran to the gate where they found the Hermite laid on the ground and half dead with grief and wearinesse through the imbecillity of his age whereupon the Grepos and Meingrepos made those fires that you saw and withall sent in all haste to the Towns of Corpilem and Fonbana for to succour them speedily with the Forces of the Country so that you may be assured it will not be long before they fall upon this place with all the fury that may be Now this is all that I am able to say concerning the truth of this affair wherefore I desire you to return us both unto our Hermitage with our lives saved for if you do not so you will commit a greater sin then you did yesterday Remember also that God in regard of the continuall penance we perform hath taken us so far into his protection as he doth visit us almost every hour of the day wherefore labour to save your selves as much as you will yet shall you hardly do it For be sure that the earth the air the winds the waters the beasts the fishes the fowls the trees the plants and all things created will pursue and torment you so cruelly as none but he that lives in heaven will be able to help you Antonio de Faria being hereby certainly informed of the truth of the businesse sailed instantly away tearing his hair and beard for very rage to see that through his negligence and indiscretion he had lost the fairest occasion that ever he should be able to meet withall CHAP. XXVI Our casting away in the Gulf of Nanquin with all that befell us after this lamentable Shipwrack WE had already sailed seven dayes in the Gulf of Nanquin to the end that the force of the Current might carry us the more swiftly away as men whose safety consisted wholly in flight for we were so desolate and sad that we scarce spake one to another In the mean time we arrived at a Village called Susequerim where no news being come either of us or what we had done we furnished our selves with some Victual and getting Information very covertly of the course we were to hold we departed within two hours after and then with the greatest speed we could make we entred into a straight named Xalingau much lesse frequented then the gulf that we had past here we navigated nine dayes more in which time we ran an hundred and fourty leagues then entring again into the said Gulf of Nanquin which in that place was not above ten or eleven leagues broad we sailed for the space of thirteen dayes from one side to another with a Westerly winde exceedingly afflicted both with the great labour we were fain to indure and the cruel fear we were in besides the want we began to feel of Victuals In this case being come within sight of the mountains of Conxinacau which are in the height of forty and one degrees there arose so terrible a Southwind called by the Chineses Tufaon as it could not possibly be thought a natural thing so that our Vessels being
and Lyon crowned in the throne of the world wherefore we desired them for Gods cause to let us stay in that Hospital until we had recovered our healths and to bestow any poor clothes of us to cover our nakednedness After they had given good ear unto us It was reason answered they to grant you that which you require with so much earnestness and tears but in regard the House is now very poor we cannot so easily discharge our duties unto you as we should howbeit we will do what we may with a very good will Then quite naked as we were they lead us all about the Village containing some forty or fifty fires more or less the inhabitants whereof were exceeding poor having no other living but what they got by the labour of their hands from whom they drew by way of alms some two Taeis in mony half a Sack of rice a little meal aricot beans onions and a few old rags wherewith we made the best shift we could over and above this they bestowed two Taeis more on us out of the Stock of the Hospital But whereas we desired that we might be permitted to stay there they excused themselves saying that no poor might remain there above three days or five at the most unless it were sick people or women with child of whom special care was to be had because in their extremities they could not travel without endangering their lives wherefore they could for no other persons whatsoever transgress that Ordinance which had of ancient time been instituted by the advice of very learned and religious men nevertheless that three leagues from thence we should in a great Town called Sileyiacau find a very rich hospital where all sorts of poor people were entertained and that there we should be far better looked unto then in their house which was poor and agreeable to the place of its scituation to which end they would give us a letter of recommendation by means whereof we should incontinently be received For these good offices we rendred them infinite thanks and told them that God would reward them for it since they did it for his sake whereupon an old man one of those four taking the Speech upon him It is for that consideration alone we do it answered he and not in regard of the world for God and the World are greatly different in matters of works and of the intention which one my have in the doing of them For the world being poor and miserable as it is can give nothing that is good whereas God is infinitely rich and a friend to the poor that in the heâ—ghth of their afflictions praise him with patience and humility The world is revengeful but God is suffering the world is wicked God is all goodness the world is gluttonous God is a lover of abstinence the world is mutinous and turbulent God is quiet and peaceable the world is a lyar and full of dissimulation to them that belong to it God is always true free and merciful to them that invoke him by prayer the world is sensual and covetous God is liberal and purer then the light of the Sun or stars or then those other lamps which are far more excellent then they that appear to our eyes and are always present before his most resplendent face the world is full of irresolution and falshood wherewith it entertains it self in the smoak of its vain glory whereas God is constant in his truth to the end that thereby the humble may possess glory in all sincerity of heart In a word the world is full of folly and ignorance contrarily God is the fountain of wisdom wherefore my friends although you be reduced to so pitiful an estate do you not for all that distrust his promises for be assured he will not fail you if you do not render your selves unworthy of his favours in regard it was never found that he was at any time wanting to his albeit they that are blinded by the world are of another opinion when as they see themselves oppressed with poverty and despised of every body Having used this Speech to us he gave us a letter of recommendation to the Brotherhood of the other Hospital whither we were to go and so we departed about noon and arrived at the town an hour or two before sun-set The first thing we did was to go to the house of the repose of the poor for so the Chineses call the Hospitals There we delivered our letters to the Masters of that Society which they term Tanigories whom we found altogether in a chamber where they were assembled about the affairs of the poor After they had received the letter with a kind of compliment that seemed very strange to us they commanded the Register to read it whereupon he stood up and read thus to them that were sitting at the Table We the poorest of the poor unworthy to serve that Sovereign Lord whose works are so admirable as the Sun and the stars that twinckle in the skie during the darkness of the night do testifie Having been elected to the succession of this his house of Buatendoo scituated in this Village of Catihorau with all manner of respect and honour do beseech your humble persons admitted to the service of the Lord that out of a zeal of charity you will lodg and favour these fourteen strangers whereof three are tawny the other eleven somewhat whiter whose poverty will manifestly appear to your eyes whereby you may judg how much reason we have to present this request unto you for that 〈◊〉 have been cast away with all their merchandise in the impetuous waters of the sea that with their accustomed fury have laid the execution of the Almighty hand upon them which for a just punishment doth often permit such like things to happen for to shew us how dreadful his judgments are from which may it please him to deliver us all at the day of death to the end we may not see the indignation of his face This letter being read they caused us presently to be lodged in a very neat chamber accommodated with a Table and divers Chairs where after we had been served with good meat we rested our selves that night The next morning the Register came along with the rest of the officers and demanded of us who we were of what Nation and whereabout we had suffered shipwrack whereunto we answered as we had done before to those of the Village from whence we came that we might not be found in two tales and convinced of lying whereupon having further enquired of us what we meant to do we told them that our intention was to get our selves cured in that house if it pleased them to permit us in regard we were so weak and sickly as we could scarce stand upon our legs To which they replyed that they would very willingly see that performed for us as a thing that was ordinarily done there for the service of God for
the goodliest things in this Country whereof the least is worth above a hundred thousand Taeis and bestowed them on thee but thou art of a humour more inclined to hunt a Hare then to retain this vvhich I novv tell thee The young Gentleman made no reply but smiling looked upon his Sisters Then the old man caused meat to be brought unto us before him and commanded us to fall to it as vve most vvillingly did whereat he took great pleasure in regard his stomack was quite gone with his sickness but his young daughters much more who with their brother did nothing but laugh to see us feed our selves with our hands for that is contrary to the custome which is observed throughout the whole Empire of China where the Inhabitants at their meat carry it to their mouthes with two little sticks made like a pair of Cizers After we had given God thanks the old man that had well observed us lifting up his hands to heaven with tears in his eyes Lord said he that livest raigning in the tranquility of thy high wisdome I laud thee in all humility for that thou permittest men that are strangers come from the farthest end of the world and without the knowledge of thy doctrine to render thee thanks and give thee praise according to their weak capacity which makes me beleeve that thou wilt accept of them with as good a will as if it were some great offering of melodious musick agreeable to thine eares Then he caused three pieces of linnen cloth and four Taeis of Silver to be given us willing us withall to passe that night in his house because it was somewhat too late for us to proceed on our journey This offer we most gladly accepted and with complements after the manner of the Country we testified our thankfulness to him wherewith himself his wife and his son rested very well satisfied CHAP. XXVII Our arrival at the Town of Taypor where we were made Prisoners and so sent to the Citie of Nanquin THe next morning by break of day parting from that place we went to a Village called Einginilau which was some four leagues from the old Gentlemans house where we remained three dayes and then continuing travelling from one place to another and from Village to Village ever declining the great Towns for fear lest the Justice of the country should call us in question in regard we were strangers in this manner we spent almost two months without receiving the least damage from any body Now there is no doubt but we might easily have got to the Câ—tie of Nanquin in that time if we had had a guide but for wâ—nt of knowing the way we wandred we knew not whither suffering much and running many hazards At length we arrived at a Village named Chaucer at such a time as they were a solemnizing a sumptuous Funeral of a very rich woman that had disinherited her kindred and left her estate to the Pagod of this Village where she was buried as we understood by the Inhabitants We were invited then to this Funeral as other poor people were and according to the custome of the Country we did eat on the grave of the deceased At the end of three dayes that we stayed there which was the time â—he funeral lasted we had six Taeis given us for an Alms conditionally that in all our Oraisons we should pray unto God for the soul of the departed Being gone from this place we continued on our journey to another Village called Guinapalir from whence we were almost two months travelling from country to country untill at last our ill fortune brought us to a Town named Taypor where by chance there was at that time a Chumbrin that is to say one of those Super-intendents of Justice that every three years are sent throughout the Provinces for to make report unto the King of all that passeth there This naughty man seeing us go begging from door to door called to us from a window where he was and would know of us who we were and of what Nation as also what obliged us to run up and down the World in that manner Having asked us these questions in the presence of three Registers and of many other persons that were gathered together to behold us we answered him that we were strangers Natives of the Kingdom of Siam who being cast away by a storm at Sea went thus travelling and begging our living to the end we might sustain our selves with the charity of good people until such time as we could arrive at Nanquin whither we were going with an intent to imbarque our selves there in some of the Merchants Lanteaas for Canton where the shipping of our Nation lay This answer we made unto the Chumbim who questionless had been well enough contented with it and would have let us go had it been for one of his Clarks for he told them that we were idle vagabonds that spent our time in begging from door to door and abusing the alms that were given us and therefore he was at no hand to let us go free for fear of incurring the punishment ordained for such as offend in that sort as is set forth in the seventh of the twelve books of the Statutes of the Realm wherefore as his faithful servant he counselled him to lay us in good and sure hold that we might be forth-coming to answer the Law The Chumbim presently followed his Clarks advice and carried himself toward us with as much barbarous cruelty as could be expected from a Pagan such as he was that lived without God or religion To which effect after he had heard a number of false witnesses who charged us with many foul crimes whereof we never so much as dreamt he caused us to be put into a deep dungeon with irons on our hands and feet and great iron collars about our necks In this miserable place we endured such hunger and were so fearfully whipped that we were in perpetual pain for six and twenty days together at the end whereof we were by the sentence of the same Chumbim sent to the Parliament of the Cheam of Nanquin because the Jurisdiction of this extended not to the condemnation of any prisoner to death We remained six and twenty days in that cruel prison whereof I spake before and I vow we thought we had been six and twenty thousand years there in regard of the great misery we suffered in it which was such as one of our companions called Ioano Roderiguez Bravo died in our arms being eaten up with lice we being no way able to help him and it was almost a miracle that the rest of us escaped alive from that filthy vermine At length one morning when we thought of nothing less loden with irons as we were and so weak that we could hardly speak we were drawn out of that prison and then being chained one to another we were imbarqued with many others to the number of thirty or forty
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
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
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
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
report that a certain King great Grandfather to him that then raigned in China named Chausi-Zarao Panagor very much beloved of his people for his good disposition and vertues having lost his sight by an accident of sickness resolved to do some pious work that might be acceptable to God to which effect he assembled his Estates where he ordained that for the relief of the poor there should be Granaries established in all the Towns of his Kingdom for wheat and rice that in the time of dearth which many times happened the people might have wherewithall to nourish themselves that year and to that purpose he gave the tenth part of the Duties of his Kingdom by a Grant under his hand which when he came to signe accordingly with a golden stamp that he ordinarily used because he was blind it pleased God to restore him perfectly to his sight again which he enjoyed still as long as he lived By this example if it were true it seemed that our Lord Jesus Christ would demonstrate how acceptable the charity that good men exercise towards the poor is to him even though they be Gentiles and without the knowledge of the true Religion Ever since there have been always a great many of Granaries in this Monarchy and that to the number of an hundred and fourteen thousand As for the order which the Magistrates observe in furnishing them continually with corn is such as followeth A little before reaping time all the old corn is distributed â—orth to the inhabitants as it were by way of love and that for the term of two months after this time is expired they unto whom the old corn was lent return in as much new and withall six in the hundred over and above for waste to the end that this store may never fail But when it falls out to be a dear year in that case the corn is distributed to the people without taking any gain or interest for it and that which is given to the poorer sort who are not able to repay what hath been lent to them is made good out of the Rents which the Countries pay to the King as an alms bestowed on them by his special grace Touching the Kings Revenues which are paid in silver Picos they are divided into three parts whereof the first is for the maintenance of the King and his State the second for the defence of the Provinces as also for the provisions of Magazines and Armies and the third to be laid up and reserved in a Treasury that is in this City of Pequin which the King himself may not touch unless it be upon occasion for defence of the Kingdom and to oppose the Tartars Cauchins and other Neighbouring Princes who many times make grievous war upon him This Treasure is by them called Chidampur that is to say The wall of the Kingdom for they say that by means of this treasure being well imployed and carefully managed the King needs lay no impositions upon the people so that they shall not be any ways vexed and oppressed as it happens in other Kingdoms for want of this providence Now by this that I have related one may see how in all the great Monarchy the Government is so excellent the Laws so exactly observed and every one so ready and careful to put the Princes Ordinances in execution that Father Navier having well noted it was wont to say that if ever God would grant him the grace to return into Portugal he would become a Suter to the King for to peruse over the rules and ordinances of those people and the manner how they govern both in time of war and peace adding withall that he did not think the Romans ever ruled so wisely in all the time of their greatest prosperity and that in matter of policy the Chineses surpassed all other Nations of whom the Ancients have written CHAP. XXXVII The great number of Officers and other people which are in the King of China's Pallace with our going to Quincay to accomplish the time of our Exile and what befell us there OUt of the fear I am in left coming to relate in particular all those things which we saw within the large inclosure of this City of Pequin they that shall chance to read them may call them in question and not to give occasion also unto detractors who judging of things according to the little world they have seen may hold those truths for fables which mine own eyes have beheld I will forbear the delivery of many matters that possibly might bring much contentment to more worthy spirits who not judging of the riches and prosperity of other Countres by the poverty and misery of their own would be well pleased with the relation thereof Howbeit on the other side I have no great cause to blame those who shall not give credit to that which I say or make any doubt of it because I must acknowledge that many times when I call to mind the things that mine eyes have seen I remain confounded therewith whither it be the Grandeurs of this City of Pequin or the magnificence wherewith this Gentile King is served or the pomp of the Chaems and Anchacys of the Government or the dread and awe wherein all men are of these Ministers or the sumptuousness of their Temples and Pagodes together with all the rest that may be there for within the only inclosure of the Kings Pallace there are above a thousand Eunuchs three thousand women and 12 thousand men of his Guard unto whom the King gives great entertainment and pentions also twelve Tutons dignities that are Soveraign above all others whom as I have already declared the vulgar call The beams of the Sun Under these twelve Tutons there are forty Chaems or Vice-roys besides many other inferiour dignities as Judges Majors Governours Treasurers Admirals and Generals which they term Anchacys Aytaos Ponchacy Lauteas and Chumbims whereof there are above five hundred always residing at the Court each of them having at the least two hundred men in his train which for the most part to strike the greater terror are of divers Nations namely Megores Persians Curazens Moems Calaminhams Tartars Cauchins and some Braamas of Chaleu and Tanguu for in regard of valour they make no account of the Natives who are of a weak and effeminate complection though otherwise I must confess they are exceeding able and ingenious in whatsoever concerneth Mechanick Trades Tillage and Husbandâ—y they have withall a great vivacity of spirit and are exceeding proper and apt for the inventing of very subtle industrious things The women are fair and chaste and more inclined to labour then the men The Country is fertile in victual and so rich aboundâ—ng in all kind of good things as I cannot sufficiently express it such is their blindness as they attribute all those blessings to the only merit of their King and not to the Divine Providence and to the goodness of that Soveraign Lord who
propound things unto him that cannot be whereupon turning himself towards us Go get you gone said he unto us and to morrow morning fail not to be ready for to come again when I shall send for you These words exceedingly contented us as there was great cause they should and accordingly the next day he sent us nine horses very well furnished upon which we mounted and so went to his Tent He in the mean time had put himself into a Piambre that is somewhat like to a Litter drawn with two horses richly harnessed round about him for his Guard marched threescore Halberdiers six pages apparelled in his Livery mounted on white Curtals and we nine on horsback a little more behind In this manner he went on towards the place where the King was whom he â—ound lodged in the great and sumptuous Edifice of the Goddess Nacapirau by the Chineses called the Queen of Heaven whereof I have spoken at large in the thirty â—ourth Chapter Being arrived at the first trenches of the Kings Tent he alighted out of his Litter and all the rest likewise off â—rom their horses for to speak to the Nautaran of whom with a kiâ—d of ceremony after the fashion of the Gentiles he craved leave to enter which was presently granted him Thereupon the Mitaquâ—r being returned into his Litter passed through the gates in the same manner as beâ—ore only we and the rest of his followers waited upon him on foot When he came to a low and very long Gallery where there was a great number of Gentlemen he alighted again out of his Litter and told us that we were to attend him there for that he would go and know whether it were a fit time to speak with the King or no. We stayed there then about an hour during the which some of the Gentlemen that were in the Gallery observing us to be strangers and such kind of people as they had never seen the like they called us and very courteously bid us to sit down by them where having spent some time in beholding certain tumblâ—â—s shewing â—eats of activity we perceived the Mitaquer coming forth with four very beautiful boys attired in long coats after the Turkish fashion garded all over with green and white and wearing about the small of their legs little hoops of gold in the foâ—m of irons and shackleâ— The Gentlemen that were pâ—esent as soon as they saw them rose up on their feet and drawing out their Courâ—elasses which they wore by their sides they laid them on the ground with a new kind of ceremony saying three times Let the Lord of our heads live an hundred thousand years In the mean while as â—e lay with our heads bending to the ground one of those boys said aloud unto us You men of the other end of the world rejoyce now for that the hour is come wherein your desire is to be accomplished and that you are to have the liberty which the Mitaquer promised you at the Castle of Nixiamcoo wherefore arise from off the earth and lift up your hands to Heaven rendring thanks unto the Lord who during the night of our peaceable rest enammels the Firmament with Stars seeing that of himself alone without the merit of any flesh he hath made you to encounter in your exile with a man that delivers your persons To this Speech prostrated as we were on the ground we returned him this answer by our truch-man May Heavens grant us so much happiness as that his foot may trample on our heads whereunto he replied Your wish is not small and may it please God to accord you this gift of riches These four boys and the Mitaquer whom we followed past through a Gallery erected upon five and twenty pâ—llars of brâ—ss and entred into a great room where there were a number of Gentlemen and amongst them many strangers Mogores Persians Bordies Calamiâ—hams and Bramaas After we were out of this room we came unto another where there were many armed men ranged into five Files all along the room with Courtelasses on their shoulders that were garnished with gold Tâ—ese stayed the Mitaquer a little and with great complements asked him some questions and took his oath upon the Maces the boys carried which he performed on his knees kissing the ground three several times whereupon he was admitted to pass on into a great place like a quadrangle there we saw four ranks of Statues of brass in the form of wild men with clubs and crowâ—s of the same mettal guilt These Idols or Gyants were each of them six and twenty spans high and six broad as well on the breâ—t as on the shoulders their countenances were hideous and deformed and their hair curled like to Negroes The desire we had to know what these figures signified made us to demand it of the Tartars who answered us that they were the three hundred and threescore gods which framed the days of the year being placed there expresly to the end that in their effigies they might be continually adored â—or having created the fruits which the earth produceth and withall that the King of Tartary had caused them to be transported thither from a great Temple called Angicamoy which he had taken in the City of Xipaton out of the Chappel of the Tombs of the Kings of China for to triumph over them when as he should happily return into his Country that the whole world might know how in despight of the King of China he had captivated his gods Within this place whereof I speak and amidst a plantation of Orange-trees that was invironed within a fence of Ivy Roses Rosemary and many other sort of flowers which we have not in Europe was a Tent piâ—ched upon twelve Ballisters of the wood of Champhire each of them wreathed about with silver in the fashion of knotted card-work bigger then ones arm In this Tent was a low Throne in the form of an Altar garnished with branched work of fine gold and over it was a cloth of State set thick with silver Stars where also the Sun and Moon were to be seen as also certain clouds some of them white and others of the colour of which appear in the time of rain all enammelled so to the life and with such art that they beguiled all those that bâ—held them for they seemed to rain indeed so as it was impossible to see a thing more compleat either for the proportions or colours In the midst of this Throne upon a bed lay a great Statue of silver called Abicau Nilancor which signifies the God of the health of Kings that had been also taken in the Temple of Angicamoy Now round about the same Statue were four and thirty Idols of the height of a child of five or six years old ranged in two Files and set on theâ—r knees with their hands lifted up towards this Idol as if they would adore him At the entry into this Tent there were four young Gentlemen richly clad
deformity he was exceedingly well proportioned in all his limbs only his head was somewhat too little for so great a body This monster held in both his hands a bowl of the same iron being six and thirty spans about Beholding so strange and monstrous a thing we demanded of the Tartar Ambassadour the explication thereof who willing to satisfie our curiosity If you knew answered he what the power of this God is and how needful it is for you to have him to friend certainly you would think it well imployed if you presented him with all your means how great soever they might be and give them to him rather then to your own children for you must know that this great Saint which you see there is the Treasurer of the bones of all those that are born into the world to the end that at the last day when men come to be born again he may give to every one the same bones which he had upon earth for he knows them all and can tell in particular to what body each of those bones belong whereupon you are further to understand that he who in this life shall be so unadvised as not to honour him nor present him with something will be but in an ill case in the other world for this Saint will then give him some of the rottenest bones he can meet withal and one or two less then he should have by means whereof he will become deformed lame or crooked and therefore if you will follow my counsel you shall make your selves of his fraternity by offering something unto him and you will find by experience the good that will redound to you thereof hereafter We desired also to know of him what the bowle which this Monster held in his hand signified whereunto he answered us That he held it to fling it at the head of the gluttonous Serpent that lived in the profound Obism of the house of smoak when he should come thither to steal away any of those bones After this we enquired of him how this Monster was called and he told us that his name was Pachinavau du beculem Prinaufaque and that it was threescore and fourteen thousand years since he was begotten on a Tortois called Migama by a Sea-horse that was an hundred and thirty fathom long named Tybrem vucam who had been King of the Giants of Fanius he told us likewise many other brutish fooleries and absurdities which those of that Country believe as their Creed and wherewith the Divel precipitates them all into hell Moreover this Ambassadour assured us that the gifts which were presented to this Idol amounted to above two hundred thousand Taeis of yearly rent without comprising therein what came from Chappels and other foundations of obits from the principal Lords of the Country the Revenue whereof was far greater then that of the gifts For a conclusion he told us that this same Idol had ordinarily twelve thousand priests attending on his service who were maintained with mâ—at drink and clothing only to pray for the dead that is to say for those unto whom these bones appertained we were also assured that these priests never went out of this inclosure without the permission of their Superiours but that there was still without six hundred servants who took care for the providing of all things necessary for them And further that it was not lawful for these priests save once a year to break within this inclosure the vow which they had made of chastity but without the same they might whore their pleasure with whomsoever they would without committing any sin There was also a Serraglio there wherein many women appointed for that purpose were shut up whom their Governesses permitted to have to do with the priests of this beastly and diabolical Sect. Continuing our voyage from this Pagode or Monastery of Gentiles whereof we have spoken the next day we arrived at a very fair Town called Quanginau which stands on the bank of the river In this place the Ambassadours stayed three whole dayes for to furnish themselves with certain things they wanted as also for to see the feastings and joy that was made at that time upon the entry of the Talâ—picor of Echuna which is their Pope who was going then unto the King for to comfort him about the ill success he had in China Amongst other graces which this Tolapicor bestowed on the inhabitants of this Town in recompence of the charge they had been at for his reception he granted unto them that they might be all Priests and administer their sacrifices in what places soever they were and likewise that they might therefore receive the same entertainment and gifts that were accustomed to be given unto our Priests without any difference between them and those that upon examination had been promoted to that dignity Moreover he gave them power to grant Bills of Exchange for Heaven unto all such as should do them good here bâ—low To the Ambassador of Cauchinchina he granted as a most singular favor that he might legitimate any that would pay him for it also confer on the Lords of the Court titles and marks of honour as far forth as if he had been King whereof the foolish Ambassador was so proud as setting aside covetousnesse though it were a vice he was naturally inclined unto he imployed all that ever he had there in gifts upon those Priests and besides not contented therewith he for that end borrowed of us the two thousand Taeis the King had given us which aferwards he paid us again with interest after fifteen in the hundred After these matters the two Ambassadors resolved to continue their voyage but before their departure they went to visit the Talapicor in a Pagode where he was lodged for in regard of his greatness and that he was held for a Saint he might not abide with any man but with the King only Now as soon as he understood of the Ambassadors coming to him he sent them word not to go away that day because he was to preach at the Church of certain religious women of the Invocation of Pontimaqueu this they took for a great honour and incontinently went to the Pagode where the Sermon was to be At their arrival they found such a concourse of people that they were constrained to remove the Pulpit to another very great place which in less then an hour was invironed with Scaffolds hung about with silk stuff whereon the one side were the Ladies richly apparelled and on the other the Princess called Vanguenarau with all the Menigregues or religious women of the Pagode being in number above three hundred After the Talapicor was gone up into the Pulpit and that he had made an exterior shew of much holiness ever and anon lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven he began his Sermon in this manner Like as it is the property of water to clense all things and of the Sun to warm all creatures so
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 Idol to the tune of certain Instruments of Musick saying three times with a lamentable voyce Lord asswage the pains of the dead to the end they may praise thee peaceably whereunto all the people answered with a strange noise Such may thy pleasure be and so may it come to pass every day wherein thou shewest us the Sun Each of these Charets was drawn by above three thousand persons who for that purpose made use of very long coards covered with silk and thereby gained to themselves plenary remission of their sins without restitution to be made of any thing at all Now that many might participate of this absolution by drawing the coard they set their hands to it one after and close to another continuing doing so to the very end in such sort that the whole coard was covered with hands and nothing else to be seen but that they also which were without might gain this indulgence they helped those that had their hands on the coard by puâ—ting theirs about their shoulders then they that were behind them did the like and so consequently all the rest In this manner throughout the whole lâ—ngth of the coard there were six or seven Ranks or Files and in each of them above five hundred persons This Procession was enviâ—oned with a great number of Horsemen that carryed staves with pikes at both ends who riding all about went crying to the people which were infinite in number that they should make way and not interrupt the Priests in their prayers Many times also they struck those so rudely whom they first met withall as they brat down three or four together or hurt them grievously no man daring to find fault with or so much as speak a word against it In this order this mervelous Procession passed through above an hundred streets which to that end were all adorned with boughs of Palms and Myrtle amongst the which were many Standarts and Banners of Silk planted There were also many Tables set up in divers places where all that desired it for Gods sake were admitted to eat of free cost yea and in other parts they had clothes and mony given them There likewise Enemies reconciled themselves one to another and the rich men forgave them their debts which were not able to pay In a word so many good works were done there more proper for Cristians then for Gentiles as I must needs conclude that if they had been done with Faith and Baptism for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and without any mixture of the things of this world assuredly they would have been acceptable to him But 〈◊〉 the best was wanting to them and that both for theirs and our sins Whilest this Procession together with the Charets wherein the Idols were passed along in this manner and that with a dreadful noise of Drums and other such instruments behold where out of certain wooden Sheds made expresly for that purpose six seven eight or ten men all besmeared with odors and wrapped up in silk wearing Gold Bracelets about their wrists start forth all at once and room being instantly made them by the people after they had saluted the Idol which was on the top of the Charet they went and layd themselves down athwart on the ground so that the wheels coming to go over them crush'd them all to pieces which the assistants beholding cryed out aloud together My Soul be with thine Presently whereupon nine or ten of the Priests descending from the Charet took up these blessed or rather accursed creatures that sacrificed themselves in this sort and putting the head bowels and all the other members so crushed in pieces into great bowls made for that purpose they shewed them to the people from the highest part of the Charet where the Idol stood saying with a pitiful voyce Miserable sinners fall ye to praying that God may make you worthy to be a Saint as this here is who hath now offered himself up as a sweet smelling Sacrifice Whereunto all the people prostrated on the ground answered with a fearful noise We hope that the God of a thousand Gods will permit to be so In this manner many other of these wretches sacrificed themselves to the number as we were told by certain Merchants worthy of credit of six hundred and more After these followed other Martyrs of the Devil whom they called Xixaporaus which sacrificed themselves before the said Charets by most mercilesly slâ—shing themselves with sharp Rasors that to behold them how they did it one could not think but that they were altogether insensible for they cut off great gobbets of their flesh and holding them on high at the end of Arrows as if they would shoot them up to Heaven they said That they made a Present thereof to God for the Souls of their Fathers of their Wives of their Children or of such a one for whose sake they did this wicked work Now wheresoever this gobbet of flesh chanced to fall there ran so much people to catch it up as oftentimes many were stifled in the press for they held it as a very great relique In this sort these miserable wretches stood upon their feet all bathed in their own blood without Noses without Ears and without any resemblance at all of man until at length they fell down stark dead on the Earth then came the Grepos in all haste down from the top of the Charet and cutting off their heads shewed them to all the people who kneeling on the ground and lifting up their hands to Heaven cryed out with a loud voyce Let us O Lord live to that time wherein for thy service we may do as this same here hath done There were others also whom the Devil drew thither after another manner Those same craving an Alms said Give me an Alms for Gods sake or if thou dost it not I will kill my self So that if they were not presently contented they would instantly cut their own throats with Rasors which they held in their hands or stab themselves in to the belly and so drop down stark dead whereupon the Grepos ran suddenly to them and having cut off their heads shewed them as before to the people who reverenced them prostrated on the ground We likewise saw some named Nucaramons men of a very ill look clothed with Tygers skins and carrying in their hands certain pots of Copper full of excrements and filthy corrupted urine the stench whereof was so horrible and insupportable as it was not possible for any nostril to endure it These craving an Alms of the people said Give me an Alms and that instantly otherwise I will â—at this ordure which the Devil eats and bespatter thee with it that so thou mayst be accursed as he is They no sooner uttered these words but that all ran hastily to give them an Alms for if they stay'd never so little they straightway set the pot to their mouths and taking a great sup of that stinking stuff they
so much harmony as we were not a little delighted therewith some also bestowed themselves in making of curious Needle-works and Gold-strings some in other things whilest their companions gathered fruit to eat and all this was done so quietly and with such order and good behavior as made us admire it At our going out of this Garden where the Monvagaruu would needs have the Embassador to stay awhile that he might there observe something worthy to entertain his King with at his return to Pegu we went into a very great Antichamber where many Commanders and Lords were sitting as also some great Princes who received the Embassador with new ceremonies and complements and yet not one of them stirred from his place Through this Antichamber we came to a door where there were six Gentlemen Ushers with Silver Maces by which we entered into another room very richly furnished in this was the Calaminhan seated on a most majestical Throne encompassed with three rows of Ballisters of Silver At the foot of the degrees of his Throne sat twelve women that were exceeding beautiful and most richly apparelled playing on divers sorts of Instruments whereunto they accorded their voyces On the top of the Throne and not far from his person were twelve young Damsels about nine or ten years old all of them on their knees round about him and carrying Maces of Gold in the fashion of Scepters amongst them there was also another that stood on her feet and fanned him Below all along the whole length of the room were a great many of old men wearing Myters of Gold on their heads and long Robes of Sattin and Damask curiously embroidered every one having Silver Maces on their shoulders and ranked in order on either side against the walls Over all the rest of the room were sitting upon rich Persian Carpets about two hundred young Ladies as we could guess that were wonderful fair and exceeding well favored Thus did this room both for the marvelous structure of it and for the excellent order that was observed therein represent so great and extraordinary a Majesty as we heard the Embassador say afterwards talking of it that if God would grant him the grace to return to Pegu he would never speak of it to the King as well for fear of grieving him as of being taken for a man that reports things which seem altogether incredible As soon as the Embassador was entâ—red into the room where the Calaminhan was accompanyed with the four Princes that conducted him he prostrated himself five times on the ground without so much as daring to behold the Calaminhan in sign of the great respect he carryed towards him which the Monvagaruu perceiving willed him to advance forward so that being arrived neer to the first degree of his Throne with his face still bending downward he said to the Calaminhan with so loud a voyce as every one might hear him The Clouds of the Ayr which recreate the fruits whereof we eat have published over the whole Monarchy of the World the great Majesty of thy Power which hath caused my King desiring to be honored with thy amity as with a rich pearl to send me for that purpose and to tell thee from him that thou shalt much oblige him if thou pleasest to accept of him for thy true Brother with the honorable obedience which he will always render to thee as to him that is the elder as thou art And for that end it is that he sends thee this Letter which is the jewel of all his treasure that he prizes most and wherein his eyes take mâ—re pleasure for the honor and contentment they receive by it then in being Lord of the Kings of Avaa and of all the precious stone of the mountain of Falent of Jatir and Pontau Hereunto the Calaminhan made him this answer following and that with a grave and severe countenance For my part I accept of this new amity thereby to give full satisfaction to thy King as to a son newly born of my intrals Then began the women to play on Instruments of Musick and six of them danced with little children for the space of three or four credoâ—s After that other six little girls danced with six of the oldest men that were in the room which seemed to us a very pretty fantasticalness This dance ended there was a very fine Comedy represented by twelve Ladies exceeding beautiful and gorgeously attired wherein appeared on the Stage a great Sea-monster holding in his mouth the daughter of a King whom the fish swallowed up before them all which the twelve Ladies seeing went in all haste weeping to an Hermitage that was at the foot of a Mountain from whence they returned with an Hermit who made earnest supplications to Quiay Patureu God of the Sea that he would bring this Monster to the shore so as they might come to bury the Damsel according to her quality The Hermit was answered by Quiay Patureu That the twelve Ladies should change their lamentations and complaints into so many consorts of musick that were agreeable to his ears and he would then command the Sea to cast the fish upon the strand to be done withall as they thought good whereupon comes on the Stage six little Boys with wings and crowns of Gold upon their heads in the same manner as we use to paint Angels and naked all over who falling on their knees before the Ladies presented them with three Harps and three Viols saying that Quiay Patureu sâ—nt them these Instruments from the Heaven of the Moon therewith to cast the Monster of the Sea into a sleep that so they might have their desire on him whereupon the twelve Ladies took them out of the hands of the little Boys and began to play upon them tuning them unto their voyces with so lamentable and sad a tone and such abundance of tears that it drew some from the eyes of divers Lords that were in the room Having continued their musick about half a quarter of an hour they saw the Monster coming out of the Sea and by little and little as it were astonished making to the shore where these fair Musicians were all which was performed so properly and to the liâ—e that the Assistants could hardly imagine it to be a Fable and a matter devised for pleasure but a very truth besides the Scean was set forth with a world of state and riches Then one of the twelve Ladies drawing out a Poignard all set with precious stones which she wore by her side ripped up the fish and out of the belly of it drew the Infanta alive which presently went and danced to the tune of their Instruments and so went and kissed the Calaminhans hand who received her very graciously and made her sit down by him It was said that this young Lady was his Niepce the Daughter of a Brother of his as for the other twelve they were all the Daughters of Princes and of the greatest Lords of
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
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
age accounted amongst them for an holy personage very knowing in the customes and lawes of those Sects of the Gentiles and above all exceeding charitable to the poor With this election the King and all the great ones of the Court remained very well satisfied The King then speedily dispatched away the Chaumigrem his foster-brother to whom he gave thereupon the title of Coutalanhaa which signifies the Kings brother to the end he might be the more honorably qualified with an hundred Lauleas wherein was the Flower of all the Bramaâ— Nobility together with the nine Electors for to go and fetch him which had been newly chosen to the dignity of Roolim And having brought him nine dayes after with a great deal of respect and honor to a place called Tagalaa some five leagues from the Isle of Mounay the King met him with all the great men of the Court besides a world of other people and above two thousand vessells with oars When he was come in this equipage where the new Roolim vvas he prostrated himself before him and kissing the ground three times O thou holy pearl said he unto him which art in the midst of the Sun breath forth upon me by an agreeable inspiration of the Lord of uncreated power that I may not dread upon earth the insupportable yoke of mine enemies At these vvords the nevv Roolim putting forth his hand to raise him from the ground spake thus unto him Labour my Son that thy works may be pleasing to God and I will pray for thee without ceasing Hereupon the King rising up the Roolim made him sit dovvn by him and stroked him three times vvith his hand on the head vvhich the King took for the greatest honor he could do him then having said something unto him vvhiâ—h vve could not hear for that vve vvere a little too far off he blovved three times on the Kings head vvhilest he vvas on his knees again before him and all the people laid flat on the earth This done he parted from that place amidst the applauses that vvere given him from all parts and the sound of bells and instruments of musick and imbarqued himself in the Kings Laulea where he was seated in a rich chair of gold set with precious stones and the King at his feet which was also taken for a great honor done him by the Roolim round about and a little distant from him were twelve little boys attired in yellow sattin with scarfes of silver Tinsell golden Maces and Scepters in their hands All along the sides of the vessell instead of Mariners stood the Lords of the Kingdom with guilt oars by them and as well in the Poop as the Prow were two Quires of young striplings apparrelled in carnation sattin and having divers sorts of instruments in their hands to the tune whereof they sung the praises of God Some of our company observed that one of their songs said thus Children of a pure heart praise this admirable and divine Lord for as â—or me being a sinner I am not worthy to do it and if that too be not permitted unto you let your eys weep before his feet that so you may render your selves agreeable unto him In the same manner they sung many other songs to the tune of their instruments and with so much ardor and zeal as if they had been Christians it would have been able to have stirred up the devotion of them that heard them After that the Rooliâ— was in this sumptuous â—ort arrived at the City of Martabano he did not go to Land as it had been resolved because it was night for it was not lawfull for him at any hand to touch the ground with his feet in regard of the great dignity of his person but stayed till the next morning at which time the King disimbarqued him first of all upon his own shoulders and so too did the Princes and great Lordsof the Kingdom carry him alternatively to the Pagodâ— of Quiay Ponuedea as being the greatest and most sumptuous of the whole City in the midst whereof was a Theater richly set forth of yellow sattin which is the livery of that soveraign dignity There out of a new ceremony being laid all along upon a â—ittle bed of gold he made as though he were dead and then at the sound of a bell which gave three toles the Bonzes prostrated themselves all with their faces on the ground for the space of half an hour during which time all the assistants for a sign of sadnesse held their hands before their eys in saying aloud Lord recall this thy servant to a new life to the end we may have one to pray for us Instantly thereupon they took him from thence and put him into a Tomb adorned with the same livery then chanting out certain I know not what very sorrowfull words with tears in their eys they left him after they had surrounded the Temple thrice in a grave made expresly for that purpose covered over with a cloth of black velvet and inviâ—oned about with dead mens heads This done they said certain prayers after their manner weeping which very much moved the King and then all the throng of people that made a strange noyse being commanded to silence they gave three toles with a great bell for a sign to all the rest of the bells in the City to answer them as they did with so horrible and dreadfull a din that the earth even trembled therewith After the ceasing of this noyse two Talagrepos men of great reputation amongst them and very well versed in their Laws went up into two Pulpits prepared expresly for them and that were hung with rich Turky Carpets where they entertained their Auditors with the subject of this ceremony and gave them the explication of every thing making an ample relation unto them of the life and death of the deceased Roolim and of the election of this same together with the excellent qualities with which he was indued for to be raised to so high a charge whereunto he was called by a particular grace of God to this they added many other things wherewith the people were exceedingly satisfied and contented then the same bell having tolled three times more the two Priests descended from their Pulpits which together with all their furniture were presently burned with another new kind of ceremony whereof I will forbear here making a relation because it seems unnecessary to me to lose time in these superfluities having said but too much already thereof After all things were peaceable and quiet and that for the space of five or six Credoes nothing had been spoken there appeared coming from the next Temple which was about a flight shot off a very rich and sumptuous Procession of little children attired all in white taffets for a mark of their innocency and purenesse they had about their necks a number of jewells chains of gold upon their legs in form of bracelets white wax lights in their hands and
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
down a pane of the wall and besides those pieces of battery there were above three hundred Falcons that shot incessantly with an intention only to kill those that were in the streets as indeed they made a great havock which was the cause that seeing themselves so ill-intreated and their people slain in that manner they resolved like valiant men as they were to sell their lives as dearly as they could so that one morning having sallied forth by the same breach of the wall which the Canon had made they gave so valiantly upon those of the Camp that in lesse then an hour they almost routed the Bramaas whole Army Now because it began to be day the Savadis thought it fit to re-enter into the Town leaving eight thousand of their enemies dead on the place After this they repaired the breach in a very little time by the means of a rampire of earth which they made up with bavins and other materialls that was strong enough to resist the Canon Hereupon the Chaumigrem seeing the bad successe he had had resolved to make war both upon the places neer about as also upon the frontiers that were furthest off from the Town for which purpose he sent Diosaâ—ay high Treasurer of the Kingdome whose Slaves we Portugals were Colonel of five thousand men to spoil a certain Borough called Valentay which furnished the besieged Town with provisions but this voyage was so infortunate unto him that before his arrivall at the designed place his forces were by two thousand Savadis whom he incountred by the way all cut in pieces in lesse then half an hour not one escaping with life that fell into the enemies hands Neverthelesse it pleased our Lord that amidst this defeat we saved our selves by the favour of the night and without knowing whither we went we took the way of a very craggy mountain where we marched in exceeding great pain three daies and an half at the end whereof we entred into certain Moorish Plains where we could meet with no path or way nor having other company then Tygers Serpents and other savage beasts which put us into a mighty fear But as our God whom incessantly we invoked with tears in our eys is the true guide of travellers he out of his infinite mercy permitted that at length we perceived one evening a certain fire towards the East so that continuing our course towards that place where we saw this light we found our selves the next morning neer to a great Lake where there were some Cottages which in all likelyhood were inhabited by very poor people howbeit not daring to discover our selves as yet we hid us all that day in certain hanging precipices that were very boggy and full of Horsleâ—ches which made us all gore blood As soon as it was night we fell to marching again untill the next morning whenas we arrived neer to a great river all alongst the which we continued going for five daies together At last with much pain we got to another Lake that was far greater then the former upon the bank whereof was a little Temple in the form of an Hermitage and there we found an old Hermite who gave us the best entertainment that possibly he could This old man permitted us to repose our selves two daies with him during which time we demanded many things of him that made for our purpose whereunto he alwaies answered according to the truth and told us that we were still within the Territories of the King of Savady that this Lake was called Oregâ—antâ—r that is to say the opening of the night and the Hermitage the God of succour Whereupon being desirous to know of him the signification of this abuse he laid his hand on an horse of brasse that stood for the Idoll upon the Altar and said that he often read in a book which intreated of the foundation of the Kingdome that some two hundred thirty and seven years before this Lake being a great Town called Oâ—umhaleu a King that was named Avaâ— had taken it in war that in acknowledgement of this victory his Priests by whom he was wholly governed counselled him to sacrifice unto Quiay Guaâ—or the God of war all the young male children which had been made captives and in case he did not so they would when they became men regain the Kingdome from him The King apprehending the event of this threatning caused all these children being fourscore and five thousand in number to be brought all into one place and so upon a day that was kept very solemn amongst them he made them to be put most inhumanely to the edge of the sword with an intent to have them burned the next morning in Sacrifice but the night following there came a great earthquake and such lightning and fire fell from heaven upon the Town as within lesse then half an hour it was quite demolished and all that was in it reduced to nothing so that by this just judgement of God the King together with all his were strucken dead not so much as one escaping and besides them thirty thousand Priests in like manner who ever since during all the New Moons are heard to cry and roar so dreadfully that all the inhabitants thereabouts were ready to go besides themselves with fear by reason whereof the Country was utterly depopulated no other habitation remaining therein save only fourscore and five Hermitages which were erected in memory of the fourscore and five thousand children whom the King had caused to be butchered through the evill counsell of his Priests CHAP. LXIIII. A continuation of the successe which we had in this voyage with my departure from Goa to Zunda and what passed during my abode there WE past two daies in this Hermitage where as I declared before we were very well entertained by the Hermite the third day after betimes in the morning we took our leave of him and departed from thence not a little afflicted with that which we had heard and so all the same day and the night following we continued on our way along by the river the next morning we arrived at a place where were a great many of sugar canes of which we took some for that we had nothing els to nourish us withall In this manner we marched still along by this river which we kept for a guide of our voyage because we judged that how long soever it were yet would it at last ingulfe it self in the Sea where we hoped that our Lord would raise us up some remedy for our miseries The day ensuing we arrived at a village called Pommiseray where we hid our selves in a very thick wood from being descried by passengers and two hours within night we continued our design in following the current of this river being resolved to take our death in good part if it should please God to send it us for to put an end to so many sufferings as we had undergone day and night and without lying
it had pleased him to shew me the grace that I had been so too that so I might not have offended him as I have done since for seeing my self continually pressed by thâ—se Gentiles to follow their pernicious errors I withstood them a long time but whereas the flesh is fraile being very poor far from my country and without hope of liberty my sins made me at their intreaties to yeeld to that which they desired of me with so much importunity by reason whereof this Kingâ— Father did me many great favours and being sent for yesterday from a place where I was to look unto two of the chiefest Gentlemen of this country it pleased God that I fell into the hands of these dogs to the end I should no longer be one for which the Lord be blessed for evermore This mans discourse exceedingly astonished us and as much as the novelty of so strange an accident required so that having comforted him as well as we could in such termes as we thought were necessaty for the time wherein we were we asked him whether he would go with us to Zunda and from thence to Malaca where God might shew him the grace to die in his service like a good Christian. Whereunto having made answer that he desired nothing more and that he had never had other design we gave him another habit because he was cloathed like a Pagan and kept him alwayes with us as long as the siege lasted CHAP. XLV The death of the King of Demaa by a very strange accident and that which arrived thereupon TO come again now to our history you are to understand that the Pangueyran of Pata King of Demaa being certified by some of the enemies whom his men had taken prisoners of the piteous estate whereunto the besieged were reduced the most part of them dead their ammunition failing and their King dangerously hurt all these things together carried him more ardently then ever to the assault which he had purposed with himself to give to the besieged Town He resolved then to scale it in plain day and to assault it with more violence then before so that instantly great preparations were made over all the Camp where divers Serjeants at Armes on horseback and carrying Maces on their shoulders went proclaiming aloud after the men of war had been made to assemble together with the sound of trumpets The Pangueyran of Pata by the power of him who hath created all things Lord of the Lands which inviron the Seas being willing to discover unto all in generall the secret of his soul doth let you know that nine daies hence he will have you be in a readiness to the end that with the courages of Tygers and redoubled forces you assist him in the assault which he intends to give unto the Town for a recompence whereof he liberally promiseth to do great favours as well in money as in honorable and remarkable titles those to the five souldiers which fiâ—st of all shall plant colours on the enemies walls or that shall perform actions which shall be agreeable to him Whereas contrarily they which do not carry themselves valiantly in this enterprise conformably to his pleasure shall be executed by the way of justice without any regard had to their condition This Ordinance of the Kings full of menaces being published over every part of the Camp put them into such an alarm as the Commanders began incontinently to make themselves ready and to provide all things necessary for this assault without scarce taking any rest either day or night making withall so great a noyse by intermingling their hues and cries with the sounds of drums and other instruments of war as it could not be heard without much terror In the mean time whereas of the nine daies destined for the purpose aforesaid seven were already pâ—st so as there rested no more but two at the end whereof an assault was to be given to the Towne one morning as the Pangueyran sate in Councell to resolve of the â—ffairs of this siege with the principall Lords of his Army as also of the means of the time and places whereby they were to assault the Town and of other necessary things it was said that from the diversity of opinions which the one and the other had there arose so great a contention amongst them as the King was constrained to take every ones advice in writing During this time whereas he had alwayes neer about him a young Page who carried Bethel an herb whose leaves are like unto Plantain which these Pagans are accustomed to chaw because it makes them have a sweet breath and also purges the humours of the stomack he asked this Page then for some of it who at first seemed not to hear him being much about twelve or thirteen years old for I hold it fit to make mention of his age in regard of that I am to say of him hereafter Now to return to the Pangueyran as he vvas continuing his discourse vvith his Councell of War thorough much speaking and somevvhat in choler his mouth became dry so that he asked the Page again for some Bethel which he ordinarily carried in a little box of gold but he heard him no more this second time then he had done the first insomuch as the King having asked him for some the third time one of the Lords that vvas neere to the Page pulled him by the sleeve and bid him give the King some Bethel vvhich immediately he did and falling on his knees he presented him vvith the box vvhich he had in his hands the King then took tvvo or three leaves of it as he used to do and vvithout being othervvise angry giving him a light touch vvith his hand on the head art thou deaf said he unto him that thou couldst not hear me and thereupon re-entred into discourse vvith them of his Councell Novv because these Iaoas are the most punctillious and perfidious Nation of the vvorld and that vvithall they of this country hold it for the greatest affront that can be done thena vvhen one gives them a touch on the head this young Page imagining that the King had touched him so out of a mark of so great a contempt as he should thereby be made infamous for ever though indeed none of the company took notice of it he went aside weeping and sobbing by himself and in the end resolved to revenge the injury which the King had done him so that drawing out a little knife which he wore at his girdle he stabbed the King with it into the midst of the left pap and so because the blow was mortall the King fell instantly down on the ground not able to say any more then these two or three words I am dead wherewithall those of the Councell were so frighted as it is not possible to expresse it After that this emotion was a little calmed they fell first unto looking to the King to see if some remedy might
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
added many others by way of complement yea and made him many offers if he would make use of him wherewith the old father of the bride finding himself so exceedingly honored as not knowing how to acknowledge it in regard the person who did him so much honor was no lesse then the King himself in greatnesse and dignity the desire which he had to satisfie this obligation in part if he could not wholly do it made him go and take his daughter by the hand accompanied with many Ladies of quality and so leading her to the street door where Diego Suarez was he prostrated himself on the ground with a great deal of respect and with many complements after his manner thanked him for the favour and honor that he had done him Thereupon the new married bride having taken from off her finger a rich ring presented it on her knees by her fathers expresse commandement to Diego Suarez but he that naturally was sensuall and lascivious instead of using civility whereunto the Laws of generosity and friendship obliged him having taken the ring which the maid presented unto him he reached out his hand and plucked her to him by force saying God forbid that so fair a maid as you should fall into any other hands but mine whereupon the poor old man seeing Diego Suarez hale his daughter so rudely lifting up both his hands to heaven with his knees on the ground and tears in his eys My Lord said he unto him I humbly beseech thee for the love and respect of the great God whom thou adorest and which was conceived without any spot of sin in the Virgins womb as I confesse and believe according to that which I have heard thereof that thou wilt not forcibly take away my daughter for if thou doest so I shall assuredly die with griefe and displeasure at it but if thou desire of me that I should give thee her dowry together with all that is in my house and that I deliver up my self unto thee for thy slave I will instantly do it provided thou wilt permit that her husband may possesse her for I have no other good in the world but â—â—e nor will I have any other as long as I live Whereupon offering to lay hold on his daughter Diego Suarez making no answer to him turned himself about to the Captain of his guard who was a Turk by Nation and said unto him kill this dog The Turk presently drew out his Scymitar to kill the poor old man but he suddainly fled away leaving his daughter with her hair all about her ears in Diego Suarez his hands In the mean time the Bridegroom came running to this tumult with his cheeks all bedeawed with tears but he was scarcely arrived there whenas these Barbarians slew him and his Father too with six or seven other of his kinsmen Whilest this past so the women made such fearfull cries in the house as terrified all those that heard them so that even the earth and the ayr seemed to tremble at it or to say better they demanded vengeance of God for the little respect which was had to his divine justice and for so great a violence as this was and truly if I do not more amply report the particularities of so black and so abhominable an action I desire to be excused in regard I passe them by for the honor of the Portugal Nation Wherefore it shall suffice me to say that this poor Maid seeing her self upon the point to be forced strangled her self with a string that she wore about her middle for a girdle which she chose rather to do then suffer this sensuall and bruitish man to carry her away with him by force but he was therewith so displeased as he was heard to say that he repented him more for that he had not enjoyed her then for using her in that sort as he did Now from the day of this abhorred act till four years after the good old man the Father of the Bride was never seen to go out of his house but at length to give a greater demonstration of his sorrow and to shew his extreme resentment of the matter he covered himself with an old tattered mat and in that sad equipage went up and downe begging an alms of his very slaves never eating any thing but lying all along naked and his face fixed on the ground Thus continued he in so sad a manner of life untill in the end he saw that the season invited him to have recourse unto justice which he demanded in this sort perceiving that in the Kingdome there was another King other Governors and other Jurisdiction alterations which time ordinarily produceth in every country and in all kind of affairs he went out of his house in the wretched fashion he had so long used having a big cord about his neck and a white beard reaching almost down to his girdle and got him into the midst of a great place where stood a Temple called Quiay Fantareâ— that is to say the God of the afflicted there he took the idoll from off the Altar and holding it in his armes he returned out of the Temple to the said great place where having cried out aloud three times to draw the people together as accordingly they came flocking in unto him he said with teares in his eys O ye people ye people who with a cleane and peaceable heart make profession of the truth of this God of the afflicted which you see here in my armes come forth like lightning in a dark and rainy night and joyn with me in crying so loud that our cryes may pierce the heavens to the end the pitifull ear of the Lord may be drawn to hear our heavy lamentations and by them he may know the reason we have to demand justice against this accursed stranger as the most wicked man that ever was born into the world for this abhominable wretch hath not been contented with spoiling us of our goods but hath also dishonored our families wherefore whosoever shall not with me accompany the God which I hold in my hands and water with my tears in detesting so horrible a crime let the gluttonous Serpent of the profound pit of smoke abridge his dayes miserably and tear his body in pieces at midnight This old mans words so mightily terrified the Assistants and made so deep an impression in their minds that in a short time fifty thousand persons assembled in that place with so much fury and desire of revenge as was wonderfull to behold Thus the number of the people still more and more increasing they ran thronging strait to the Kings Palace with so horrible a noyse as struck terror into all that heard them In this disorder being arrived at the outward Court of the Palace they cried out six or seven times with a dreadfull tone O King come out of the place wherein thou art shut up to hearken to the voice of thy God who demands justice of thee
by the mouth of thy poor people At these cries the King put forth his head out of the window and affrighted with so strange an accident would needs know of them what they would have whereunto they all answered unanimously with such loud cries as seemed to pierce the heavens Iustice justice against a wicked infidell who to spoil us of our goods hath killed our fathers our children our brothers and our kinsmen The King having thereupon inquired of them who it was it is answered they an accursed thief participating with the works of the Serpent who in the fields of delight abused the first man that God created Is it possible said he unto them that there should be any such thing as you tell me whereunto they all replied This same is the most accursed man that ever was born on the earth and is so out of his wicked nature and inclination wherefore we all of us beseech thee in the name of this God of the afflicted that his veins may be as much emptied of his bloud as hell is filled with his wicked works At these words the King turning towards them that were about him What do you think hereof said he unto them What am I to do and how am I to carry my self in so strange and extraordinary a matter To which they all answered My Lord if thou wilt not hearken to that which this God of the afflicted comes to demand of thee it is to be feared that he will take care no longer to aid thâ—e and will refuse to support thee in thy dignity Then the King turning himself again to the multitude that were below in the Court bad them go to the place where the great Market was kept and he would give order that the man whom they required should be delivered unto them to be disposed of at their pleasure Whereupon having sent for the Chirca of justice who is as the Soveraign Superintendent thereof above all others he commanded him to go and apprehend Diego Suarez and deliver him bound hand and foot to the people that they might do justice upon him for he feared if he did otherwise that God vvould execute it upon him The Chirca of Justice vvent immediately to Diego Suarez his house and told him tsiat the King had sent for him he in the mean time was so troubled to see the Chirca come for him that he remained a pretty while not able to answer him as a man that was always besides himself and had lost his understanding but at length being somewhat come to himself again He earnestly desired him to dispense with him at this time for going with him in regard of a great pain that he had in his head and that in acknowledgement of so good an office he would give him forty â—isses of gold Whereunto the Chirca replied The offer which thou makest me is too little for me to take upon me that great pain which thou sâ—yest thou hast in thy head wherefore thou must go along with me either by fair means or by force since thou obligest me to tell thee the truth Diego Suarez then seeing that there was no means to excuse him would have taken along with him six or seven of his servants and the Chirca not permitting it I must said he unto him fulfill the Kings command which is that thou shalt come alone and not with six or seven men for the time is now past wherein thou wert wont to go so well accompanied as I have oftentimes seen thee do all thy support is gone by the death of the Tyrant of Bramaa who was the quill wherewith thou blowedst up thy self to an unsupportable pride as is apparent by the wicked actions which thou hast committed which at this present accuse thee before the justice of God This said he took him by the hand and led him along with him invironed with a guard of three hundred men whereat we remained very much dismayed Thus marching from one street to another he arrived in the end at the Bazor which was a publike place where all kind of wares was sold but as he was going thither he met by chance with Balthazar Suarez his son who came from a Merchants house whither his Father had sent him that morning to receive some money that was owing to him The Son seeing his Father in this plight alighted presently from his horse and casting himself at his feet What means this my Lord said he unto him with tears in his eys and whence cemes it that you are led along in this sort Ask it of my sins answered Diego Suarez and they will tell thee for I protest unto thee my Son that in the case I am in all things seem dreams unto me Thereupon imbracing one another and mingling their tears together they continued so untill such time as the Chirca commanded Balthazar Suarez to get him gone which he would not do being loth to part from his father but the Ministers of justice haled him away by force and pushed him so rudely as he fell and broke his head yea and withall they gave him many blows besides whereat his Father fell into a swoun Being come again to himself he craved a little water which he had no sooner taken but lifting up his hands to heaven he said with tears in his eys Si iniquitates observabâ—ris Domine Domine quis sustinebit But O Lord added he out of the great confidence I have in the infinite price of thy precious bloud which thou hast shed for me upon the crosse I may say with more assurance Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo Thus altogether desolated as he was in this last affliction when he was come in sight of the place whither the King had commanded him to be conducted it is said that perceiving so many people he remained so exceedingly dismayed that turning himself to a Portugal who was permitted to accompany him Iesus said he unto him have all these accused me to the King whereunto the Chirca made him this answer It is no longer time for thee to think of this for thou hast wit enough to know that the people aâ—e of so unruly a humour that they always follow evill whereunto they are naturally inclined It is not that replied Diego Suarez with tears in his eys for I know that if there be any unrulinesse in them it proceeds from my sins Thou seest thereby said the Chirca that this is the ordinary recompence which the world is accustomed to give to them who during their life have lost the memory of the divine justice as thou hast done and God gâ—ve thee the grace that in this little time thou hast to live thou mayest repent thee of the faults thou committed which possibly may avail thee more then all the gold that thou leavest behind thee for an inheritance to him who peradventure is the cause of thy death Here Diego Suarez falling down on his knees and lifting up his eyes to
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
said he unto him I pray thee by the great goodness of that God in whom thou believest to pardon me that for which thou accusest me and to remember that it is not the part of a Christian in this painful estate wherein I see my self at this present to put me in mind of that which I have done heretofore for besides that thou canst not thereby recover the loss which thou sayest thou hast sustained it will but serve to afflict and trouble me the more Pacheco having heard what this fellow said commanded him to hold his peace which immediately he did whereupon the Xemindoo with a grave countenance made shew that this action pleased him so that seeming to be more quiet it made him to acknowledge that with his mouth which he could not otherwise requite I must confess said he unto him that I could wish if God would permit it I might have one hour longer of life to profess the excellency of the faith wherein you Portugals live for as I have heretofore heard it said your God alone is true and all other gods are lyers The Hangman had no sooner heard these words but he gave him so great a buffet on the face that his nose ran out with bloud so that the poor Patient stooping with his handsâ—downward Brother said he unto him suffer me to save this bloud to the end thou maist not want some to fry my flesh withall So passing on in the same order as before he finally arrived at the place where he was to be executed with so little life as he scarcely thought of any thing When he was amounted on a great Scaffold which had been expresly erected for him the Chirca of Justice fell to reading of his Sentence from an high Seate where he was placed the contents whereof were in few words these The living God of our heads Lord of the Crown of the Kings of Avaa commands that the perfidious Xemindoo be executed as the Perturbator of the people of the earth and the mortal enemy of the Bramaa Nation This said he made a sign with his hand and instantly the Hangman cut off his head at one blow shewing it to all the people vvhich vvere there vvithout number and divided his body into eight quarters setting his bovvels and other interior parts vvhich vvere put together in a place by themselves then covering all vvith a yellovv cloth vvhich is a mark of mourning amongst them they vvere left there till the going dovvn of the Sun at vvhich time they vvere burnt in the manner ensuing The eight quarters of the Xemindooes body vvere exposed from mid-day till three of Clock in the afternoon to the view of all the people whereof there was an infinite company there for every one came thronging thither as well to avoid the punishment wherewith they had been threatned as to gain in so doing the Plenary indulgence called by them Axiperan which their Priests gave them of their sins without restitution of any thing of all the Theeveries by them formerly committed After then that the tumult was appeased and that certain men on horseback had imposed silence on the people by making certain publications whereby the Transgressors therein were threatned with terrible punishments a bell was heard to toll five several times upon this signal twelve men clothed in black robes spotted all over with bloud having their faces covered and bearing silver Maces on their shoulders came out of a house of wood made expresly for that purpose and distant some five or six paces from the Scaffold after them followed twelve Priests which they call Talagrepos being as I have said the most eminent Dignities amongst these Pagans and held by them as Saints then appeared the Xemin Pocasser the King of Bramaaes Uncle who seemed to be near an hundred years old and was as the rest all in mourning and invironed with twelve little boyes richly apparelled carrying on their shoulders Courtelasses curiously Damasked After that the Xemin had with a great deal of Ceremonie prostrated himselfe three times on the ground in way of extraordinary reverence O holy flesh said he which art more to be â—steâ—med then all the Kingdomes of Avaa thou orient Pearle of as many Carats as there be Atomes in the beams of the Sun whom God hath placed in an height of Honour with a Scepter of Soveraign power above that of Kings I that am the least of thy meiny and so unlike thee through my baseness as I can scarcely see my self so little I am do most humbly beseâ—ch thee O thou Lord of my head by the fresh Meadow where thy soul doth now recreat thy self to hear that with thy sorrowful ears which my mouth sayes to thee in publick to the end thou maist remain satisfied for the offence which hath been done thee in this world Oretanan Chaumigrem thy brother Prince of Savady and Tanguu sends to intreat thee by me thy slave that before he departs out of this life thou wilt pardon him that which is past if he have given thee any discontent and withall that thou wilt take possession of all his Kingdomes because he doth even now yeild them up unto thee without reserving the least part thereof for himself withall he protests unto thee by me thy vassal that he makes this reconciliation with thee voluntarily to the end that the complaints which thou maiest prefer against him there above in heaven may not be heard of God Moreover for a punishment of the displeasure he hath done thee he offers to be for thee during this pilgrimage of life the Captain and Guardian of this thy Kingdome of Pegu for which he does thee homage with an oath to accomplish alwaies upon earth whatsoever thou shalt command him from heaven above upon condition that thou wilt bestow the profit which shall arise thereof upon him at an almes for his entertainment for he knowes very well that otherwise he should not be permitted to possess the Kingdome neither would the Menigrepos ever consent thereunto nor at the hour of death give him absolution for so great a sinne Upon these words one of the Priests that was present and that seemed to have more authoritie then all the rest made him answer as if the deceased himself had spoken Since I see O my Sonne that thou doest now confesse thy past faults and cravest pardon of me for them in this publick assembly I do grant it thee with all my hearâ— and it pleases me to leave thee in this Kingdome for the pastor of this my flock on condition that thou dost not violate the faith thou hast given me by this oath which would be as great an offence as if thou shouldst now come to lay hands on me without the permission of Heaven All the people having heard these words answered thereunto with joyfull voices Perform so much my Lord my Lord. After this the Priest being got into the pulpit began to speak thus to the assistants Present me with part
requisite for the purging of him from so enormous a crime Hereunto the Hermit answered Pleaseth the Lord who living reigneth above the beauty of the stars that the knowledge which by this discourse thou shewest to have be not prejudiciall unto thee For I be assured that he who knows these things and doth them not runs a far greater danger than he that sins through ignorance Then one of ours named Nuno Coelho who would needs have an oar in our talk told him that he was not to be angry for a matter of so small importance whereunto the Hermit beholding him with so stern a countenance answered Certainly the fear which thou hast of death is yet lesse since thou imployest thy selfe in actions as infamous and black as the soul that is in thy body and for my part I cannot but be perswaded that all thy ambition is wholly placed upon money as but too well appears by the the thirst of thy insatiable avarice whereby thou wilt make an end of heaping up the measure of thine infernal appetite Continue then thy theeveries for seeing then thou must go to hell for that which thou hast already taken out of this holy house thou shalt also go thither for those things which thou shalt steal otherwise so the heavier the burden shall be that thou bearest the sooner shalt thou be precipitated into the bottom of hell where already thy wicked works have prepared thee an everlasting abode Hereupon Nuno de Coelho prayed him to take all things patiently affirming that the Law of God commanded him so to do Then the Hermit lift up his hand by way of admiration and as it were smiling at what the souldier had said Truly answered he I am come to see that I never thought to see or hear namely evil actions disguised with a specious pretext of vertue which makes me believe that thy blindnesse is exceeding great since trusting to good words thou spendest thy life so wickedly wherefore it is not possible thou shouldest ever come to Heaven or give any account to God at the last day as of necessity they must do Saying so he turned him to Antonio de Faria without attending further answer from him and earnestly desired him not to suffer his company to spit upon and prophane the altar which he vowed was more grievous to him then the induring of a thousand deaths whereupon to satisfie him he presently commanded the forbearance of it wherewith the Hermit was somewhat comforted Now because it grew late Antonio de Faria resolved to leave the place but before he departed he held it necessary to inform himself of certain other particulars whereof he stood in some doubt so that he deserved of the Hermit how many persons there might be in all those Hermitages whereunto Hiticon answered that there were about three hundred and threescore Talagrepos besides forty Menigrepos appointed to furnish them with things requisite for their maintenance and to attend them when they were sick moreover he asked him whether the King of China came not somtimes thither he told him No for said he the King cannot be condemned by any body he is the son of the Sun but contrarily he had power to absolve every one Then he enquired of him if there were any arms in their Hermitages O no answered the Hermit for all such as pretend to go to heaven have more need of patience to indure injuries then of arms to revenge themselves Being also desirous to know of him the cause why so much silver was mingled with the bones of the dead This silver replied the Hermit comes of the alms that the deceased carry with them out of this into the other life for to serve them at their need in the heaven of the Moon where they live eternally In conclusion having demanded of him whither they had any women he said That they which would maintain the life of their souls ought not to taste the pleasures of the flesh seeing experience made it apparent that the Bee which nourisheth her self in an hony-comb dâ—th often sting such as offer to meddle with that sweetness After Antonio de Faria had propounded all these questions he took his leave of him and so went directly to his ships with an intention to return again the next day for to set upon the other Hermitages where as he had been told was great abundance of silver and certain Idols of gold but our sins would not permit us to see the effect of a business which we had been two months and an halfe a purchasing with so much labor and danger of our lives as I will deliver hereafter At the clearing up of the day Antonio de Faria and all of us being embarqued we went and anchored on the other side of the Island about a faulcon shot from it with an intent as I have before declared to go a shore again the next morning and set upon the Chappels where the Kings of China were interred that so we might the more commodiously lade our two vessels with such treasures which peradventure might have succeeded according to our desires if the business had been well carried and that Antonio de Faria had followed the counsel was given him which was that since we had not been as yet discovered that he should have carried the Hermit away with him to the end he might not acquaint the House of the Bonzos with what we had done howbeit he would never hearken to it saying that we were to fear nothing that way by reason the Hermit was so old and his legs so swoln with the gout as he was not able to stand much less to go But it fell out clean contrary to his expectation for the Hermit no sooner saw us imbarqued as we understood afterwards but he presently crawled as well as he could to the next Hermitage which was not above a flight shoot from his and giving intelligence of all that had past he bad his companion because himself was not able to go away with all speed to the Bonzoâ—s house to acquaint them with it which the other instantly performed so that about midnight we saw a great many of fires lighted on the top of the wall of the Temple where the Kings were buried being kindled to serve for a signal to the Countrey about of some extraordinary danger towards This made us ask of our Chineses what they might mean who answered that assuredly we were discovered in regard wherof they advised us without any longer stay to set sail immediatly Herewith they acquainted Antonio de Faria who was fast asleep but he straightway arose and leaving his anchor in the sea rowed directly afraid as he was to the Island for to learn what was done there Being arrived near to the Key he heard many bels ringing in each Hermitage together with a noise of men talking whereupon the Chineses that accompanied him said Sir never stand to hear or see more but retire we beseech you as fast as
tears Whereupon turning him towards us who all this while lay prostrated on the ground with our hands lifted up as if we were worshipping God I must confess said he unto us that I have so great compassion of your misery and am so grieved to see you so poor as you are as I assure you in all verity that I had rather if it were the good pleasure of the King be like unto one of you as wretched as you are then to see my self in this office which questionless was conferred on me for my sins wherefore I would be loth to offend you but the duty of my place obliging me thereunto I must desire you as friends not to be troubled if I ask you some questions which are necessary for the good of Iustice and as touching your deliverance if God affords me life be assured you shall have it for I am most confident that the King my Masters inclination to the poor is truly Royal. These promises exceedingly contented us and to thank him for them we had recourse to our tears which we shed in abundance for our hearts were so full as we could not possibly bring forth a word to answer him The Broquen caused four Registers the two Peretandaos of the Court aforesaid and some eleven or twelve other Officers of Justice to come immediately before him Then rising on his feet he began with a severe countenance and a naked Scymitar in his hand to examine us speaking so loud as every one might hear him I Pinaquila said he Broquen of this City of Pungor by the good pleasure of him whom we all hold for the hairs of our heads King of the Nation of the Lequios and of all this Country of the two Seas where the fresh and salt waters divide the Mynes of his treasures do advise and command you by the rigour and force of my words to tell me clearly and with a clean heart what people and of what Nation you are as also where your Country is and how it is called To this demand we answered according to the truth that we were Portugals Natives of Malaca It is well added he but what adventure brought you into this Country and whither did you intend to go when as you suffered shipwrack We replied thereunto That being Merchants who make no other profession then of traffique we had imbarqued our selves in the Kingdom of China for to go from the Port of Liampoo to Tanixumaa where we had formerly been but that arriving near to the Island of Fire we were surprized by a mighty tempest so that not able to oppose the violence of the Sea we were constrained to lie at the mercy of the winds for the space of three dayes and three nights together and that at the end thereof our Junck ran her self upon the Sands of Taydican where of ninety and two persons that we were threescore and eight were drowned no more escaping of that great number but these four and twenty of us which stood before him all covered over with wounds that were saved as it were by miracle through the spâ—cial grace of God At these words standing a little in suspence By what tytle replied he did you possess so much riches and so many pieces of silk which were in your Iunck and that were worth above an hundred Taeis as I am informed Truly it is not credible that you could get so much wealth any other way then by theeving which being a great offence against God is a thing proper to the servants of the Serpent of the house of smoak and not to those of the house of the Sun where they that are just and of a pure heart do bathe themselves amidst perfumes in the great Pool of the most Almighty We answered hereunto that assuredly we were Merchants and not thieves as he was pleased to charge us because the God in whom we believed forbad us by his holy Law either to kill or to rob Hereupon the Broquen beholding them which were about him Doubtless continued he if that which these men affirm be true we may well say that they are like unto us and that their God is much better then all others as me thinks may be inferred from the truth of their words Then turning himself towards us he examined us as before with a stern countenance and the behaviour of a Judg that exerciseth his charge with integrity In this examination he bestowed almost an hour and in the last place said unto us I would fain know why those of your Country when as heretofore they took Malaca carried thereunto by extream avarice did kill our men with so little pity which is still made good by divers widdows who in these Countries have survived their husbands To this we made answer how that hapned rather by the chance of war then out of any desire of robbing which we had never used to do in any place wheresoever we came What is this you say replied he can you maintain that he that conquers doth not rob that he which useth force doth not kill that he which shews himself covetous is not a thief that which he oppresseth performs not the action of a Tyrant and lo all these are the goodly qualities which are given to you and whereof you are said to be culpable and that by the affirmation of verity it self whence it is manifest that Gods abandoning of you and permitting the waves of the Sea to swallow you up is rather a pure â—ffect of his justice then any injury that is done to you This said he arose out of the Chair where he was set and commanded the Officers to return us back to prison promising to give us audience according to the grace which it should please the King to shew us and the compassion that he would have of us wherewith we were very much afflicted and in great dispair of our lives The next day the King was advertised as well of our imprisonment as of the â—nswers we had made by the Broquens letters wherein he had intermingled something in favour of us by means whereof he did not cause us to be executed as it was said he had resolved to have done upon certain false reports which the Chineses had made to him of us In this prison we continued very near two months with much pain never hearing in all that time so much as any word spoken of that first proceeding against us Now forasmuch as the King desired to be more amply informed concerning us by other more particular inquiries then the letters of the Broquen he senâ— a certain man unto us named Randinaa for to come secretly to the prison where we were to the end that under the pretext of being a Merchantâ— stranger he might exactly learn the cause of ouâ— arrival in that place and that upon the report he should make thereof to the King he might proceed to do that which should seem just unto him Howbeit though this was closely
here with so much diversity of things that we never dreamt of as I know not where to begin for such a multitude of people of all the Nations of these Countries came flocking to this place as is not to be expressed howbeit the chiefest cause of their repair thither in such numbers is a Fair which is kept all the time of the Feast being fifteen dayes namely from the new to the full Moon In this Fair are all things to be sold which Nature hath created on the earth or in the Seâ— and that in so high a degree of abundance as there is not any one kind of thing whereof there are not whole Streets of Houses Cabbins or Tents so long that one can hardly see from one end to the other All these streets are replenished with very rich Merchants besides an infinite company of other people who are lodged all along the River which is above two Leagues broad and planted about with several sorts of Trees as Walnuts Chesnuts Cocos and Dates whereof every one takes what he pleaseth because it doth all belong to the Pagode The Temple of this Idol is a very sumptuous Edifice scituated in the midst of a Plain upon a little round hill more then half a league in circuit It is built all slope fifteen fathom high and from thence upward it hath a wall of free-stone of some three fathom with its Bulwarks and Towers after the fashion of ours Within the inclosure of this wall there is a platform made level with Battlements a stones cast in bredth which together with the wall extends round about the hill so that at first sight one would take it for a Gallery There are likewise all along an hundred and threescore Hospitals in each whereof are above an hundred houses which are low but very neat and convenient where the Pilgrimes Fucatous and Daroezes are entertained which come thither in troops like the Gipsies in our Europe with their Captains each company of them having two or three thousand persons some more some less according as the Kingdoms from whence they resort are nearer or further off now it is known of what Country they are by the devices which they carry in their Banners From the top to the bottom it is all invironed with Cypress-trees and Cedars where many fountains of most excellent water do continually flow forth and on the highest part of this hill almost a quarter of a league in circuit there are four Convents and in them very sumptuous and rich Temples namely two of men and as many of women in each of which as we were assured were very near five hundred persons In the midst of these four Monasteries there is a Garden compassed about with three inclosures of Ballisters of Lattin having very fair Arches of curious Masons-work and Steeples guilt all over with a number of little silver bels in them which â—ing continually with the moving of the air This Chappel of the Idol Tinagoogoo is of a round form all overlaid on the in-side with plates of silver wrought in flowers and garnished with a great many Branches for lights of the same mettal This Monster of whom we could not judge whether he were gold wood or copper guilt stood upright on his feet with his hands lifted up to Heaven and a rich Crown on his head round about him were many other little Idols on their knees and beholding him as it were amazed Below were two men made of brass in the fashion of Gyants seven and thirty spans high and very ugly and deformed whom they held for the Gods of the twelve months of the year Without this place also there were an hundred and forty Gyants who ranked in two Files inclosed it round about and were made of cast iron holding Halberds in their hands as if they had been the Guard of it so that all the Marvels of this Edifice put together made it appear so stately that looking upon it one could not sufficiently esteem the riches â—nd sumptuousness thereof But setting aside for this present the relation I could make of the buildings of this Pagode because that which I have said of it may me thinks suffice for the understanding of the rest I will intreat here of the Sacrifices which we saw to be made there on a festival day called by them Xipatilâ—â— signifâ—ing The refreshing of good people CHAP. LVI The great and sumptuous Procession made in this Pagode together with their Sacrifices and other particularities WHilest this Feast of these Gentiles as also the Fair which was kept all the time thereof endured for the space of fifteen days with an infinite concourse of Merchants and Pilgrims that came flocking thither from all parts as I have declared before there were many Sacrifices made there with different ceremonies not a day passing without some new thing or other For amongst many of great charge and very worthy of observation one of the chiefest was a Iubile after their manner which was published the fifth day of the Moon together with a Procession that was above three leagues in length as we could guess It was the common opinion of all that in this Procession there were forty thousand Priests of the four and twenty Sects which are in this Empire most of them were of different dignities and called Grepos Talagrepos Roolims Neepois Bicos Sacareus and Chanfarauhos Now by the ornaments they wear as also by the devices and ensigns which they carry in their hands they may be distinguished and so every of them is respected according to his dignity Howbeit these went not on foot as the other ordinary Priests for that they were as this day forbidden upon pain of great sin to â—read upon the ground so that they caused themselves to be born in Pallaquins or Arm-chairs upon the shoulders of other Priests their inferiors apparelled in green Sattin with their Stoles of Carnation Damask In the midst of the ranks of this Procâ—ssion were all the inventions of their Sacrifices to be seen as also the rich Custodes of their Idols for the which each of them had a particular Devotion They that carryed them were clothed in yellow having each of them a big wax candle in his hand and between every fifteen of those Custodes went a triumphant Charet all which Charets put together were in number an hundred twenty and six All these Charets were four and some five stories high with as many wheels on either side In each of them there were at the least two hundred persons what with the Priests and the Guards and on the top of all an Idol of Silver with a Miter of Gold on its head and all of them had rich chains of Pearl and precious stones about their necks round about every Charet went little Boys carrying Silver Maces on their shoulders and behind them were a many of Caskets full of exquisite perfumes as also divers persons with Censors in their hands who ever and anon censed