and so many days of hawking and hunting all which amounts to such a sum of mony Then if he will not bestow so much the Xipaton shews him in another Chapter the feasts which are ordinarily made for the Chaems Aytaâ—s Ponchacis Bracalons Anchacis Conchalaas Lanteas or for Captains and rich men whereas other kind of persons of meaner condition have nothing else to do but to sit down and fall to on free cost so that there are usually fifty or threescore rooms full of men and women of all sorts There are also in other rooms most excellent and melodious consorts of musick namely of Harps Viols Lutes Bandoâ—es Cornets Sackbuts and other Instruments which are not in use amongst us If it be a feast of women as it often falls out to be then are the wayters on the table likewise women or young Dâ—mosels richly attired who for that they are maids and endued with singular beauty it happens many times that men of extraordinary quality fall in love with them and do marry them Now for a conclusion of that which I have to say of these Inns of all the mony which is spent upon such feasts four in the hundred whereof the Xipaton paies the one half and they that make the feasts the other is set apart for the entertainment of the table of the poor whereunto for Gods sake all manner of people are admitted that will come to it Moreover they are allowed a Chamber and a good bed but that only for the space of three days unless they be women with child or sick persons which are not able to travel for in that case they are entertained a longer time because regard is had unto the people according to the need they are in We saw also in this outward inclosure which as I have delivered invirons all the other City two and thirty great Edifices or Colledges distant about a â—light shoot the one from the other where such as apply themselves to the study of the two and thirty Laws which are professed in the two and thirty Kingdoms of this Empire do recide Now in each of these Colledges according as we could guess by the great number of persons that we saw there there should be above ten thousand Scholers and indeed the Aquesendoo which is the Book that treats of these things makes them amount in the whole to four hundred thousand There is likewise somewhat apart from the rest another far greater and fairer Edifice of almost a league in circuit where all those that have taken degrees as well in their Theologie as in the Laws of the government of this Monarchy do live In this University there is a Chaem who commands over all the Heads of the Colledges and is called by a title of eminent dignity Xileyxitapou that is to say Lord of all the Nobles This Chaem for that he is more honourable and of an higher quality then all the rest keeps as great a Court as any Tuton for he hath ordinarily a guard of three hundred Mogores four and twenty Loshers that go with silver Maces before him and six and thirty women which mounted on white ambling Nags trapped with silk and silver ride playing on certain very harmonious instruments of musick and singing to the tune thereof make a pleasing Consort after their manner There are also led before him twenty very handsome spare horses without any other furniture then their clothes of silver tinsel and with headstals full of little silver bells every horse being waited on by six Halberdiers and four footmen very well apparelled Before all this train goes four hundred Huppes with a number of great long chains which trailing on the ground make such a dreadful ratling and noise as does not a lit le terrifie all that are within hearing Then next to them marches twelve men on horsback called Peretandas each of them carrying an Umbrello of carnation Sattin and other twelve that follow them with banners of white damask deeply indented and edged about with golden frenge Now after all this pomp comes the Chaem sitting in a triumphant Chariot attended by threescore Conchalas Chumbims and Monteos such as amongst us are the Chancellors Judges and Councellors of the Courts of Justice and these go all on foot carrying upon their shoulders Cymiters rightly garnished with gold Last of all follow lesser officers that are like unto our Registers Examiners Auditors Clarks Atturneys and Solicitors all likewise on foot and crying out unto the people with a loud voice for to retire themselves into their houses and clear the streets so as there may be nothing to hinder or trouble the passage of this magnificnce But the most observable thing herein is that close to the Person of the Chaem march two little boyes on horsback one on the right hand the other on the left richly attired with their ensignes in their hands signifying Iustice and Mercy whereof I have spoken heretofore That on the right side representing mercy is clothed in white and that on the left representing justice is apparelled in red The horses whereon these little boyes are mounted have on them foot-clothes of the same colour their garments are and all their furniture and trappings are of gold with a kind of net-work over them made of silver thread After each of these children march six young youths about fifteen years of age with silver Maces in their hands so that all these things together are so remarkable as there is no man that beholds them but on the one side trembles for fear and on the other side remains astonished at the sight of so much greatness and majesty Now that I may not longer dwel on that which concerns this great inclosure I will pass over in silence many other marvels that we saw there consisting in rich fair buildings in magnificent Pagodes in bridges placed upon great pillars of stone on either side whereof are rayls or grates of iron finely wrought and in high ways that are straight broad and all very well paved whereof I think fit not to speak for by that which I have already said one may easily judg of what I have omitted in regard of the resemblance and conformity that is between them wherefore I will only intreat and that as succinctly as I can of certain buildings which I saw in this City chiefly of four that I observed more curiously then the rest as also of some other particularities that well deserve to be insisted upon This City of Pequin whereof I have promised to speak more amply then yet I have done is so prodigious and the things therein remarkable as I do almost repent me for undertaking to discourse of it because to speak the truth I know not where to begin that I may be as good as my word for one must not imagine it to be either as the City of Rome or Constantinople or Venice or Paris or London or Sevill or Lisbon or that any of the Cities of Europe
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
been cast away just against the Isles of Lamau having lost all that we had and nothing left us but our miserable bodies in the case they now saw us moreover we added that being thus evil intreated by fortune arriving at the City of Taypor the Chumbin of Justice had caused us to be apprehended without any cause laying to our charge that we were thieves and vagabonds who to avoid pains-taking went begging from door to door entertaining our idle laziness with the alms that were given us unjusty whereof the Chumbin having made informations at his pleasure as being both Judg and party he had laid us in irons in the prison where for two and forty days space we had indured incredible pain and hunger and no man would hear us in our justifications as well because we had not wherewithall to give presents for to maintain our right as for that we wanted the language of the Country In conclusiâ—n we told them how in the mean time without any cognisance of the cause we had been condemned to be whipped as also to have our thumbs cut off like thieves so that we had already suffered the first punishment with so much rigour and cruelty that the marks thereof remained but two visibly upon our wretched bodies and therefore we conjured them by the charge they had to serve God in assisting the afflicted that they would not abandon us in this need the rather for that our extream poverty rendred as odious to all the world and exposed us to the induring of all affronts These two men having heard us attentively remained very pensive and amazed at our speech at length lifting up their eyes all bathed with tears to heaven and kneeling down on the ground O almighty Lord said they that governest in the highest places and whose patience is incomprehensible be thou evermore blessed for that thou art pleased to harken unto the complaints of necessitous and miserable men to the end that the great offences committed against thy divine goodness by the Ministers of Iustice may not rest unpunished as we hope that by thy holy Law they will be chastised at one time or other Whereupon they informed themselves more amply by those who were about us of what we had told them and presently sending for the Register in whose hands our sentence was they straitly commanded him that upon pain of grievous punishment he should forthwith bring them all the proceedings which had been used against us as instantly he did now the two Officers seeing there was no remedy for the whipping that we had suffâ—red presented a Petition in our behalf unto the Chaem whereunto this Answer was returned by the Court Mercy hath no place where Iustice looseth her name in regard whereof your request cannot be granted This Answer was subscribed by the Chaem and eight Conchacis that are like criminal Judges This hard proceeding much astonished these two Proctors for the poor so named from their office wheâ—efore carried with an extream desire to draw us out of this misery they presently preferred another Petition to the Soveraign Court of Justice of which I spake in the precedent Chapter where the Menigrâ—pos and Talegrepos were Judges an Assembly which in their language is called The breath of the Creator of all things In this Petition as sinners confessing all that we were accusâ—d of we had recourse to mercy vvhich sorted well for us for as soon as the Petition was presented unto them they read the Processe quite through and finding that our right was overborn for vvant of succour they instantly dispatched away two of their Court vvho with an expresse Mandate undâ—r their hands and Seals went and prohibited the Chaems Court from intermedling with this cause which they commanded away before them In obedience to this Prohibition the Chaems Court made this Decree We that are assembled in this Court of Iustice of the Lyon crowned in the throne of the world having perused the Petition presented to the four and twenty Iudges of the austere life do consent that those nine strangers be sent by way of appeal to the Court of the Aytau of Aytaus in the Citie of Pequin to the end that in mercy the sentence pronounced against them may be favourably moderated Given the seventh day of the fourth Moon in the three and twentieth year of the raign of the Son of the Sun This Decree being signed by the Chaem and the eight Conchacis was presently brought us by the two Proctors for the poor upon the Receit whereof we told them that we could but pray unto God to reward them for the good they had done us for his sake whereunto beholding us with an eye of pitie they answered May his Celestial goodness direct you in the knowledge of his works that thereby you may with patience gather the fruit of your labours as they which fear to offend his holy Name After we had past all the adversities and miseries whereof I have spoken before we were imbarqued in the company of some other thirty or forty Prisoners that were sent as we were from this Court of Justice to that other Soveraign one by way of appeal there to be either acquitted or condemned according to the crimes they had committed and the punishment they had deserved Now a day before our departure being imbarqued in a Lanteaa and chained three and three together the two Proctors for the poor came to us and first of all furnishing us with all things needful as clothes and Victuals they asked us whether we wanted any thing else for our Voyage Whereunto we answered that all we could desire of them was that they would be pleased to convert that further good they intended to us into a Letter of Recommendation unto â—he Officers of that holy Fraternity of the Citie of Pequin thereby to oblige them to maintain the right of our cause in regard as they very well knew they should otherwise be sure to be utterly abandoned of every one by reâ—son they were strangers and altogether unknown The Proctors hearing us speak in this manner Say not so replyed they for though your ignorance discharges you before God yet have you committed a great sin because the more you are abased in the world through poverty the more shall you be exalted before the eyes of his divine Majesty if you patiently bear your crosses whereunto the flesh indeed doth always oppose it self being evermore rebellious against the Spirit but as a Bird cannot fly without her wings no more can the soul meditate without works As for the Letter you require of us we will give it you most willingly knowing it will be very necessary for you to the end that the favour of good people be not wanting to you in your need This said they gâ—ve us a sack ful of Rice together with four Taeis in silver and a Coverlet to lay upon us Then having very much recommended us unto the Chifuu who was the Officer of
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
of Quiay Hinarol in the City of Nanquin whereupon Christophoro Borralho presenting them with the letter they received it with a new ceremony full of all curtesie saying Praysed be he who hath created all things for that he is pleased to serve himself of sinners here below Whereby they may be recompensed at the last day of all days by satisfying them double their labour with the riches of his holy treasures which shall be done as we believe in as great abundance as the drops of rain fall from the clouds to the earth After this one of the four putting up the Letter said unto us that as soon as the Chamber of Justice for the poor was open they would all of them give an answer to our business and see us furnished with all that we had need of and so they departed from us Three days after they returned to visit us in the prison and in the next morning coming to us again they asked us many questions answerable to a memorial which they had thereof whereunto we replyed in every point according as we were questioned by each of them so as they remained very well satisfied with our answers Then calling the Register to them who had our papers in charge they inquired very exactly of him touching many things that concerned us and withall required his advice about our affair that done having digested all that might make for the conversation of our right into certain heads they took our process from him saying they would peruse it all of them together in their Chambers of Justice with the Proctors of the house and the next day return it him again that he might carry it to the Chaem as he was resolved before to do Not to trouble my self with recounting in particular all that occurred in this affair until such time as it was fully concluded wherein six months and an half were imployed during the which we continued stil prisoners in such misery I will in few words relate all that befel us unto the end when as our business was come before the twelve Conchalis of the criminal Court the two Proctors of the house of mercy most willingly took upon them to cause the unjust sentence which had been given against us to be revoked Having gotten then all the proceedings to be disannulled they by petition remonstrated unto the Chaem who was the President of that Court How we could not for any cause whatsoever be condemned to death seeing there were no witnesses of any credit that could testifie that we had robbed any man or had ever seen us carry any offensive weapons contrary to the prohibition made against it by the Law of the first book but that we were apprehended quite naked like wretched men wandering after a lamentable shipwrack and that therefore our poverty and misery was worthy rather of a pitiful compassion then of that rigour wherewith the first Ministers of the arm of wrath had caused us to be whipt moreover that God alone was the Iudg of our innocency in whose name they required him once twice nay many times to consider that he was mortal and could not last long for that God had given him a perishable life at the end whereof he was to render an account of that which had been required of him since by a solemn oath he was obliged to do all that should be manifest to his judgment without any consideration of men of the world whose custom it was to make the ballance sway down which God would have to be upright according to the integrity of his divine Iustice. To this petition the Kings Proctor opposed himself as he that was our adverse party and that in certain articles which he framed against us set forth how he would prove by ocular witnesses as well of the Country as strangers that we were publique thieves making a common practise of robbing and not merchants such as we pretended to be whereunto he added that if we had come to the Coast of China with a good designe and with an intent to pay the King his due in his Custom-houses we would have repaired to the ports where they were established by the Ordinance of the Aytan of the Government but for a punishment because we went from Isle to Isle like Pirats Almighty God that detests sin and robberâ— had permitted us to suffer shipwrack that so falling into the hands of the Ministers of his justice we might receive the guerdon of our wicked works namely the pains of death whereof our crimes rendred us most worthy In regard of all which he desired we might be condemned according to the Law of the second book that commanded it in express terms And that if for other considerations no way remarkable in us we could â—y any law be exempted from death yeâ— nevertheless for that we were strangers and vagabonds without either faith or knowledg of God that alone would suffice at leastwise to condemn us to have our hands and noses cut off and so to be banished for ever into the Country of Ponxileytay whither such people as we were wont to be exiled as might be verified by divers sentences given and executed in like cases and to that effect he desired the admittance of his articles which he promised to prove within the time that should be prescribed him These articles were presently excepted against by the Proctor of the Court of Justice established for the poor who offered to make the contrary appear within a certain term which to that end and for many other reasons alleadged by him in our favour was granted him wherefore he required that the said articles might not be admitted especially for that they were infamous and directly contrary to the Ordinances of Justice Whereupon the Chaem ordered that his articles should not be admitted unless he did prove them by evident testimonies and such as were conformable to the Divine Law within six days next ensuing and that upon pain in case of contravention not to be admitted to any demand of a longer delay The said term of six days being prescribed the Kings Proctor he in the mean time producing no one proof against us nor any person that so much as knew us came and demanded a delay of other six days which was flatly denied him in regard it but too well appeared that all he did was only to win time and therefore he would by no means consent unto it but contrarily he gave the Proctor for the poor five days respit to alledge all that further he could in our defence In the mean time the Kings Proctor declaimed against us in such foul and opprobrious terms as the Chaem was much offended thereat so that he condemned him to pay us twenty Taeis of silver both for his want of charity and for that he could not prove any one of the obligations which he had exhibited against us Three days being spent herein four Tanigores of the house of the poor coming very early
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
weight measure and true account therefore take heed to what thou doest for if thou comest to sin thou shalt suffer for it eternally Upon his head he had a kind of round bonet bordered about with small sprigs of gold all enamelled violet and green and on the top of it was a little crowned Lion of gold upon a round bowl of the same mettal by which Lion crowned as I have delivered heretofore is the King signified and by the bowl the world as if by these devices they would denote that the King is the Lion crowned on the throne of the world In his right hand he held a little rod of ivory some three spans long in manner of a Scepter upon the top of the three first steps of this Tribunal stood eight Ushers with silver maces on their shoulders and below were threescore Mogors on their knees disposed into three ranks carrying halberts in their hands that were neatly damasked with gold In the vantgard of these same stood like as if they had been the Commanders or Captains of this Squadron the Statues of two Giants of a most gallant aspect and very richly attired with their swords hanging in scarfs and mighty great halberts in their hands and these the Chineses in their language call Gigaos on the two sides of this Tribunal below in the room were two very long tables at each of which sat twelve men whereof four were Presidents or Judges two Registers four Solicitors and two Conchalis which are as it were Assistants to the Court one of these Tables was for criminal and the other for civil causes and all the officers of both these Tables were apparelled in gowns of white Satin that were very long and had large slieves thereby demonstrating the latitude and purity of justice the Tables were covered with carpets of violet damask and richly bordered about with gold the Chaems table because it was of silver had no carpet on it nor any thing else but a cushion of cloth of gold and a Standith Now all these things put together as we saw them carried a wonderful shew of State and Majesty But to proceed upon the fourth ringing of a bell one of the Câ—â—chalis stood up and after a low obeysancâ— made to the Chaem with a very loud voice that he might be heard of every one he said Peace there and with all submission hearken on pain of incurring the punishment ordained by the Chaems of the Government for those that interrupt the silence of sacred Iustice. Whereupon this same sitting down again another arose and with the like reverence mounting up to the Tribunal where the Chaem sat he took the Sentences from him that held them in his hand and published them aloud one after another with so many ceremonies and compliments as he employed above an hour therein At length coming to pronounce our judgment they caused us to kneel down with our eyes fixed on the ground and our hands lifted up as if we were praying unto Heaven to the end that in all humility we might hear the publâ—cation thereof which was thus Bitau Dicabor the new Chaem of this sacred Court where justice is rendred to strangers and that by the gracious pleasure of the Son of the Sun the Lion crowned on the throne of the world unto whom are subjected all the Scepters and Crowns of the Kings that govern the earth ye are subjected under his feet by the grace and will of the most High in Heaven having viewed and considered the Appeal made to me by these nine strangers whose cause was commanded hither by the City of Nanquin by the four and twenty of austeer life I say by the oath I have taken upon my entry into the Charge which I exercise for the Aytao of Batampina the chief of two and thirty that govern all the people of this Empire that the ninth day of the seventh Moon in the fifteenth year of the reign of the Son of the Sun I was presented with the accusations which the Cumbim of Taypor sent me against them whereby he chargeth them to be theeves and robbers of other mens goods affirming that they have long practised that trade to the great offence of the Lord above who hath created all things and withall that without any fear of God they used to bathe themselves in the blood of those that with reason resisted them for which they have already been condemned to be whipt and have their thumbs cut off whereof the one hath been put in execution but when they came to have their thumbs cut off the Proctors for the poor opposing it alledged in their behalf that they were wrongfully condemned because there was no proof of that wherewith they were charged in regard whereof they required for them that in stead of judging them upon a bare shew of uncertain suspitions voluable testimonies might be produced and such as were conformable to the divine Laws and the Iustice of Heaven whereunto answer was made by that Court how justice was to give place to mercy whereupon they that undertook their cause made their complaint to the four and twenty of austeer life who both out of very just considerations and the regard they had to the little support they could have for that they were strangers and of a Nation so far distant from us as we never heard of the Country where they say they were born mercifully inclining to their lamentable cries sent them and their cause to be judged by thiâ— Court wherefore omitting the prosecution thereof here by the Kings Proctor being able to prove nothing whereof he accused them affirms only that they are worthy of death for the suspicion and jealousie they have given of themselves but in regard sacred justice that stands upon considerations which are pure and agreeable to God admits of no reasons from an adverse party if they be not made good by evident proofs I thought it not fit to allow of the Kings Proctors accusations since he could not prove what he had alledged whereupon insisting on his demand without shewing either any just causes or sufficient proof concerning that he concluded against those strangers I condemned him in twenty Taeis of silver amends to his adverse parties being altogether according to equity because the reasons alledged by him were grounded upon a bad zeal and such as were neither just nor pleasing to God whose mercy doth always incline to their side that are poor and feeble on the earth when as they invoke him with tears in their eyes â—s is daily and clearly manifested by the pitiful effects of his greatness so that having thereupon expresly commanded the Tanigores of the house of mercy to alledge whatsoever they could say on their behalf they accordâ—ngly did so within the time that was prefixed them for that purpose And so all proceedings having received their due course thâ— cause is now come to a final Iudgment wherefore every thing duly viewed and considered without regard had to any
away towards the Court crying along in the streets that the strangers Harquebuse had killed the Prince At these sad news the people flocked in all haste with weapons and great cries to the house where I was Now God knows whether I was not a little amazed when coming to awake I saw this tumult as also the young Prince lying along upon the floor by me weltring in his own blood without stirring either hand or foot All that I could do then was to imbrace him in my arms so besides my self as I knew not where I was In the mean time behold the King comes in a Chair carried upon four mens shoulders and so sad and pale as he seemed more dead then alive after him followed the Queen on foot leaning upon two Ladies with her two daughters and a many of women all weeping As soon as they were entred into the Chamber and beheld the young Prince extended on the ground as if he had been dead imbraced in my arms and both of us wallowing in blood they all concluded that I had killed him so that two of the Company drawing out their Scymitars would have slain me which the King perceiving Stay stay cried he let us know first how the matter goes for I fear it comes further off and that this fellow here hath been corrupted by some of those Traitors kinred whom I caused to be last executed Thereupon commanding the two young Gentlemen to be called which had accompanied the Prince his Son thither he questioned them very exactly Their answer was that my Harquebuse with the inchantments in it had killed him This deposition served but to incense the Assistants the more who in a rage addressing themselves to the King What need Sir have you to hear more cried they here is but too much let him be put to a cruel death Therewith they sent in all hast for the Iarabuca who was my Interpreter to them now for that upon the arrival of this disaster he was out of extream fear fled away they brought him straightly bound to the King but before they fell to examining of him they mightily threatned him in case he did not confess the truth whereunto he answered trembling and with tears in his eyes that he would reveal all that he knew In the mean time being on my knees with my hands bound a Bonzo that was President of their Justice having his arms bared up to his shoulders and a Poynard in his hand dipped in the blood of the young Prince said thus unto me I conjure thee thou Son of some Divel and culpable of the same crime for which they are damned that inhabit in the house of smoak where they lye buried in the obscure and deep pit of the Center of the earth that thou confess unto me with a voice so loud that every one may hear thee for what cause thou hast with these sorceries and inchantments killed this young innocent whom we hold for the hairs and principal ornament of our heads To this demand I knew not what to answer upon the suddain for that I was so far besides my self as if one had taken away my life I believe I should not have felt it which the President perceiving and beholding me with a terrible countenance Seest thou not continued he that if thou doest not answer to the questions I ask thee that thou mayst hold thy self for condemned to a death of blood of fire of water and of the blasts of the wind for thou shalt be dismembred into the air like the feathers of dead fowl which the wind carries from one place to another separated from the body with which they were joyned whilest they lived This said he gave me a great kick with his fooâ— for to rowse up my spirits and cried out again Speak confess who they are that have corrupted thee What sum of mony have they given thee how are they called and where are they at this present At these words being somewhat come again to my self I answered him that God knew my innocence and that I took him for witness thereof But he not contented with what he had done began to menace me more then before and set before my eyes an infinite of torments and terrible things wherein a long time being spent it pleâ—sed God at length that the young Prince came to himself who no sooner saw the King his Father as also his Mother and Sisters dissolved into tears but that he desired them not to weep and that if he chanced to die they would attribute his death to none but himself who was the only cause thereof conjuring them moreover by the blood wherein they beheld him weltring to cause me to be unbound without all delay if they desired not to make him die anew The King much amazed with this language commanded the Manacles to be taken off which they had put upon me whereupon came in four Bonzoes to apply remedies unto him but when they saw in what manner he was wounded that his thumb hung in a sort but by the skin they were so troubled aâ— it as they knew not what to do which the poor Prince observing Away away said he send hence these divels and let others come that have more heart to judg of my hurt since it hath pleased God to send it me Therewith the four Bonzoes were sent away and other four came in their stead who likewise wanted the courage to dress him which the King perceiving was so much troubled as he knew not what to do howbeit he resolved at length to be advised therein by them that were about him who counselled him to send for a Bonzo called Teixâ—andono a man of great reputation amongst them and that lived then at the City of Facataa some seventy leagues from that place but the wounded Prince not able to brook these delayes I knâ—w not answered he what you mean by this counsel which you give my Father seeing me in the deplorable estate wherein I am for whereas I ought to have been drâ—st already you would have me stay for an old rotten man who cannot be here until one hath made a journy of an hundred and forty leagues both in going and coming so that it must be a month at least before he can arrive wherefore speak no more of it but if you desire to do me a pleasure free this Stranger a little from the fear you have put him in and clear the room of all this throng he that you believe hath hurt me will help me as he may for I had rather die under the hands of this poor wretch that hath wept so much for me then be touched by the Bonzo of Facaâ—aâ— who at the age he is of of ninety and two years can see no further then his nose CHAP. XLVI My curing the young Prince of Bungo with my return to Tanixuâ—â—a and imbarquing there for Liampoo and also that which hapened to us on land after the shipwrack we
carried yet was it our good fortune to be advertised of it the day before his coming to us so that we had time enough to arm our selves outwardly with all the apparances of misery and affliction we could possibly devise and counterfeit which expedient next to Gods assistance stood us in more stead then any other we could have thought upon This man then came one morning well accompanied to the prison and after he had viewed us all one after another he called to him the Iurabaca who served to interpret for him Ask these men said he what is the cause that the mighty hand of God hath so abandoned them as to permit their lives through an effect of his Divine Iustice to be subjected to the judgement of men without having so much remorse of conscience as to set before their eyes the tâ—rrour of that dreadful vision which doth use to fright the soul at the last gasp of a mans life for it is to be believed that they who have done that which I observe in them have heaped sin upon sin We answered him thereunto that he had a great deal of reason for what he spake in regard it was very probable that the sins of men were the principal cause of their sufferings howbeit that God as the Soveraign Lord of all did nevertheless in that case accustome to take pity of them with sobs and tears continually called upon him and that it was also his bounty wherein all our hope was placed to the end he would be pleased to inspire the Kings heart with a will to do as justice according to our works for that we were poor strangers destitute of all favour a thing whereof men make most account in this woâ—ld That which you say replyed he is very well provided that your hearts be conformable to your words and then you are not to be found fault with for it is most certain that he which enammels all that our eyes do behold for the beautifying â—f the night and that hath likewise made whatsoever the day doth shâ—w us for the sustenance of man who are but worms of the earth will not refuse you your deliverance seeing you beg of him with so many sighs and tears wherefore I intreat you not to dissemble with me but truly to confess what I desire to understand from you at this present namely what people you are of what Nation in what part of the world you live in and how the Kingdom of your King is named whereunto you shall adde the cause that hath brought you hither and to what place you were going with so much riches which the Sea hath cast up on the shoars of Taydican whereat all the Inhabitants have so wondred as they were perswaded that you were Masters of all the Trade of China To these and other like questions which this Spie asked of us we returned him such answers as was most behoofull for us to give him wherewith he was so contented that making us many offers he promised to move the King for our deliverance In the mean time he spake not a word to us of the occasion for which he was sent but still fained himself to be a stranger and a Merchant like one of us Howbeit when he went away he carefully recommended us to the Jaylour and willed him not to let us want any thing promising to satisfie him for it to his content In acknowledgment whereof we gave him many humble thanks with tears in our eyes whereby he was greatly moved to compassion so that he gave us a Bracelet of gold that weighed thirty Duckats and also six sacks of Rice and withall desired us to excuse hâ—m for the smalness of the present he had given us After this he returned back to the King unto whom he rendred an account of all that had past with us assuring him that we were not such as the Chineses had made him to believe and offered for proof thereof to pawn his life an hundred times if need were which was the cause that the King abated much of the suspicion wherewithall they had inveighed him about our manner of lying But as he was resolving to give order for our enlargement as well upon the report of this man as in regard of the letter which the Broquen had written him there arrived at the Port a Chinese Pyrat with four Juncks unto whom the King gave his Country for a place of Retreat upon condition that he should share with him the moity of the booty which he should take by means whereof he was in great favour with the King and all them of the Country Now forasmuch as our sins would have it that this Pyrate was one of the greatest enemies the Portugals had at that time by reason of a fight that we had had with him a little before in the Port of Lamau where Laâ—cerote Pareyra born at Lyma commanded in chief and in which he had two Juncks burnt and three hundred of his men slain this dog was no sooner advertised of our imprisonment and how the King was resolved to free us but that he imbroyled the business in a strange manner and told him so many lies of us that he lacked but little of perswading him that ere long we would be the cause of the loss of his Kingdom For he assured him that it was our custom to play the Spies in a Countâ—y under pretence of trading and then to make our selves Masters of it like robbers as we were putting all to the sword that we met withall in it which wrought so powerfully with the King that he revoked all that he had resolved to have done and changing his mind he ordained that in regard of what had been told him we should each of us be dismembred into four quarters and the same set up in the publique streets that all the world might know we had deserved to be used so CHAP. XLVIII The King of the Lequios sending a cruel Sentence against us to the Broquen of the Town where we were prisoners to the end he should put it in execution and that which hapened unto us till our arrival at Liampoo AFter that this â—ruel Sentence of death had been pronounced against us the King sent a Peretanda to the Broquen of the City where we were prisoners to the end that within four dayes it should be executed upon our persons This Peretanda departed presently away and upon his arrival at the City he went and lodged himself at a certain widows house that was his sister a very honourable woman and from whom we had received much alms This same man having secretly imparted unto her the cause of his coming how he was not to return but with a good Certificate unto the King of the performance of this exâ—cuâ—ion she went strait-way and acquainted a Niece of hers with it who was daughter to the Broquen of the City in whose house lay a Portugal woman the wife of a Pilot who was a
you hither at this time certainly it is some extraordinary matter Madam answered she that which your Majesty sayes is very true and I assure my self that it will seem no less strange in your ears then it was to me to see my Neece arrive here lately with so much sorrow and grief that I am not able to express it in words The Queen having then commanded her to call her in she presently fetched her The first thing that this young Gentlewoman did was to prostrate her self before the Queen who was in her bed and so told her weeping the occasion that brought her thither and therewithall presented her with the letter which the Queen commanded her to read as accordingly she did and it is said the Queen was so moved with compassion at it that not induring to have her make an end of reading it she said many times unto her with tears in her eyes Enough enough I will hear no more of it at this time and since the business stands in the terms you speak of God and the Soul of the King my Husband for whose sake all these Ladies beg this boon of me forbid that these poor wretches should lose their lives so unjustly The false reports which the Chineses have made of them together with the miseries they have indured at Sea may serve them in stead of great punishments Wherefore rely upon me for your request and in the mean space withdraw your selves til to morrow morning betimes when we will go all three to the King my Son before it be day and then you shall read this letter to him as you have read it to me that being incited to pity he may make no difficulty to grant us that which we demand of him with so much reason This resolution taken the Queen was no sooner up the next day but carrying along with her only her chief Lady and the Gentlewoman her Neece she past through a Gallery to the Chamber of the King her Son whom she found still in bed and having rendred him an account of the occasion of her coming she commanded the Gentlewoman to read the letter as also to tell by word of mouth all that had happened in that affair which the Gentlewoman performed very exactly but not without mingling her tears with those of her Aunts as we knew afterwards In the mean time the King looking on his Mother Madam answered he unto her I must needs confess that I dream'd this night how I saw my self before a very angry Iudge who carying his hand three times to his face as if he had threatned me I promise thee said he unto me that if the blood of these strangers doth cry unto me for vengeance thou and thine shall satisfie my justice which makes me believe that assuredly this vision comes from God for whose sake I will do this alms to his praise giving them both life and liberty that so they may go where they will and moreover I will cause a vessel to be provided for them furnished with all things they shall need all at mine own charge The Queen gave thâ— King her Son thanks for this his great grace unto them and withall commanded her Lady and the Gentlewoman to kiss his feet as instantly they did and so the Queen retired to her own lodging Hereupon the King sent for the Chumbim to command him that the Sentence against us might be revoked telling him all that had past as well concerning his dream as the request the Queen his Mother had made unto him which he had granted her Then the Officers of Justice commending the King much for this action revoking the former drew up another Sentence in favour of us which contained words to this effect Broquen of my City of Pungor I the Lord of seven Generations and of the hairs of thy head do send thee the smiles of my mouth that thy reputation may be thereby augmented Considering the information which the Chineses had given me of the pernicious manner of living of thâ—se strangers assuring me by a solemn oath and upon the faith they owe unto their Gods that infallibly they were Pyrats and robbers who used no other trade then to steal away othermens goods and bathâ—e heir hands in the blood of those that would defend their own according to reason as they said was manifest to all the world which they have run over not leaving any Island Port of the Sea River nor Land that they have not invaded with fire and sword committing such enormous and horrible crimes as for fear of offending God I may not mention All which things have at first sight seemed unto me most worthy to be punished in justice according to the Laws of my Kingdom wherefore I sent their Proces to the principal officers of my Crown who all with one common consent swore unto me that these strangers deserved not only one but many deathâ— if it were possible so that relying upon their advice I wrote unto Nhay Peretanda that he should enjoyn thee from me not to fail within four dayes to put that Sentence of mine in execution Now forasmuch as the chiefest Dames of your City whom I hold for my kinswomen have been Suiters unto me since that I would be pleased to bestow their lives upon them by way of an alms alledging many reasons in their letters to that purpose whereby I might be induced not to deny but rather to accord them that grace the fear which I have least their cries should in case of refusal arrive at the highest of the Heavens where that Lord liveth raigning whose property it is to have pity on the tears which are truly shed by those that have a right zeal to his holy Law hath wrought so with me that freeing my self from that blind passion whereunto the flesh rendred me inclined I would not let my choller prevail over the blood of those wretches For which reasons I command thee that as soon as this fair Gentlewoman who is of noble extraction and my kinswoman shall present thee these letters signed with my hand wherewith I confess I am well contented in regard of the persons that have made this Suite unto me thou go unto the prison whither thou hast committed these strangers and that without all delay thou set them at liberty as also that thou furnish them with a vessel at my charge giving them moreover such alms as the Law of the Lord commandeth thee to bestow on them and that too with a liberal hand whereupon thou shalt tell them that they may go away without seeing my Person for which I will dispense with them as well because that labour would be to no purpose as for that performing as I do the Office of a King it is not fit for me to behold men who have a great knowledge of God and yet seem to make little account of his Law in that they accustom themselves to rob others of their goods Given at Bintor in the third
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
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
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
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
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