with the continuance of our Voyage and what we saw during the same 241 CHAP. LX. Our arrival at Pegu with the death of the Roolim of Mounay 245 CHAP. LXI The Election of the new Roolim of Mounay the grand Talagrepo of these Gentiles of the Kingdom of Pegu. 248 CHAP. LXII In what manner the Roolim of Mounay was conducted to the Isle of Mounay and put into possession of his Dignity 252 CHAP. LXIII A continuation of the success which we had in this Voyage with my departure from Goa to Zunda and what passed during my abode there 255 CHAP. LXIV The expedition of the Pangueyram Emperor of Jaoâ— and King of Demaa against the King of Passervan and all that which passed in this War 258 CHAP. LXV The death of the King of Demaa by a very strange accident and that which arrived thereupon 263 CHAP. LXVI That which befell us until our departure towards the Port of Zunda from whence we set sail for China and what afterwards happened unto us 266 CHAP. LXVII My passing from Zunda to Siam where in the company of Portugals I went to the War of Chyamay and that which the King of Siam did until he returned into his Kingdom where his Queen poysoned him 269 CHAP. LXVIII The lamentable death of the King of Siam with certain illustrious and memorable things done by him during his life and many other accidents which arrived in that Kingdom 273 CHAP. LXIX The King of Bramaa's enterprize against the Kingdom of Siam and that which past until his arrival at the City of Odiâ—â— with his besieging of it and all that insued thereupon 278 CHAP. LXX The King of Bramaa's raising his siege from before the City of Odiaâ— with a description of the Kingdom of Siam and the fertility thereof 283 CHAP. LXXI A continuation of that which happened in the Kingdom of Pegu as well during the life as after the death of the King of Bramaa 286 CHAP. LXXII That which arrived in the time of Xemin de Satan and an abominable case that happened to Diego Suarez together with the Xemindooes expedition against Xemin de Satan and that which insued thereupon 289 CHAP. LXXIII That which the Xemindoo did after he was crowned King of Pegu with the Chaumigreâ—s the King of Bramaa's foster-Foster-brothers marching against him with a great Army and divers other memorable things 295 CHAP. LXXIV The finding of the Xemindoo and bringing him to the King of Bramaa with the manner of his execution and death and other particularities concerning the same 301 CHAP. LXXV My imbarquing in the Kingdom of Pegu to go to Malaca and from thence to Japon with a strange accident which arrived there 305 CHAP. LXXVI Our passing from the Town of Fucheo to the Port of Hiamangoo and â—hat which befell us there together with my departure from Malaca and arrival at Goa 310 CHAP. LXXVII Father Belquiors and my departure from the Indiaes to go to Japon and that which befell us till my arrival at the Island of Champeiloo 312 CHAP. LXXVIII Our departure from the Island of Champeiloo and our arrival at that of Lampacau with a relation of two great disasters which happened in China unto two Portugal Colonies and of a strange accident besides that fell out in the Country 314 CHAP. LXXIX Our arrival in the Kingdom of Bungo and that which past thereupon 318 CHAP. LXXX My reception by the King of Bungo as Embassador from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes 321 CHAP. LXXXI What past after our departure from Zequa till my arrival in the Indiaes and from thence into the Kingdom of Portugal 323 THE Travels Voyages Adventures OF Ferdinand Mendez Pinto CHAP. I. After what manner I past my Youth in the Kingdom of Portugal until my going to the Indiaes SO often as I represent unto my self the great and continual Travels that have accompanied me from my birth and amidst the which I have spenâ— my first years I find that I have a great deal of reason to complain of Fortune for that she seemeth to have taken a particular care to persecute me and to make me feel that which is most insupportable in her as if her glory had no other foundation then her cruelty For not content to have made me be born and to live miserably in my Country during my youth she conducted me notwithstanding the fear I had of the dangers that menaced me to the East Indiaes where in stead of the relief which I went thither to seek she made me find an increase of my pains according to the increase of my age Since then it hath pleased God to deliver me from so many dangers and to protect me from the fury of that adverse Fortune for to bring me into a Port of safety and assurance I see that I have not so much cauâ—e to complain of my Travels past as I have to render him thanks for the benefits which until now I have received of him seeing that by his divine bounty he hath preserved my life to the end I might have means to leave this rude and unpolished Discourse unto my children for a memorial and an inheritance For my intention is no other but to write it for them that they may behold what strange fortunes I have run for the space of one and twenty years during the which I was thirteen times a captive and seventeen times sold in the Indiaes in Aethiopia in Arabia in China in Tartaria in Madagascar in Sumatra and in divers other Kingdoms and Provinces of that Oriental Archipalage upon the Confines of Asia which the Chineses Siames Guâ—os and Lecquios name and that with reason in their Geography the eye-lids of the World whereof I hope to entreat more particularly and largely hereafter Whereby men for the time to come may take example and a resolution not to be discouraged for any crosses that may arrive unto them in the course of their lives For no disgrace of Fortune ought to esloign us never so little from the duty which we are bound to render unto God because there is no adversity how great soever but the nature of man may well undergo it being favored with the assistance of Heaven Now that others may help me to praise the Lord Almighty for the infinite mercy he hath shewed me without any regard to my sins which I confess were the cause and original of all my mis-fortunes and that from the same divine Power I received strength and courage to resist them escaping out of so many dangers with my life saved I take for the beginning of my Voyage the time which I spent in this Kingdom of Portugal and say That after I had lived there till I was about eleven or twelve years old in the misery and poverty of my fathers house within the Town of Monte-mor Ovelho an Uncle of mine desirous to advance me to a better fortune then that whereunto I was reduced at that time and to take me from the caresses
himself absolute Lord of the Empire of Sâ—rnaâ— whereof the revenue was twelve millions of gold besides other comings in which amounted to as much more With all these inventions this Queen used so great diligence for the contenting of the desire which she had to raise her Favorite to the Royalty to marry her self to him and to make the illegitimate son which she had bad by him successor of the Crown as within the space of eight moneths fortune favouring her designes and hoping more fully to execute her wicked plot shee caused most of the great men of the kingdom to be put to death and confiscated all their lands goods and treasures which she distributed amongst such of her creatures as she daily drew to her party Now forasmuch as the young King her son served for the principall obstacle to her intentions this young Prince could not escape her abominable fury for she her self poysoned him even as she had poysoned the King his father That done she married with Vquumcheniraa who had been one of the Purveyors of her house and caused him to be crowned King in the city of Odiaa the eleventh of November in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty five But whereas Heaven never leaves wicked actions unpunished the year after one thousand five hundred forty and six and on the fifteenth day of January they were both of them slain by Oyaa Passilico and the King of Cambaya at a certain banquet which these Princes made in a Temple that was called Quiay Figrau that is to say the god of the atoms of the Sun whose solemnity was that day celebrated So that as well by the death of these two persons as of all the rest of their party whom these Princes also killed with them all things became very peaceable without any further prejudice to the people of the kingdom onely it is true that it was despoyled of the most part of the Nobility which formerly it had by the wicked inventions and pernicious practices whereof I have spoken before CHAP. LXIX The King of Bramaa's enterprize upon the Kingdom of Siam and that which past untill hiâ— arrivall at the city of Odiaa with his besieging of it and all that ensued thereupon THe Empire of Siam remaining without a lawfull successor those two great Lords of the Kingdom namely Oyaa Passiliâ—â— and the King of Cambaia together with four or five more of the trustiest that were left and which had been confederate with them thought fit to chuse for King a certain religious man named Pretiâ—m in regard he was the naturall brother of the deceased Prince husband to that wicked Queen of whom I have spoken whereupon this religious man who was Talagrepo of a Pagodâ— called Quiay Mitrau from whence he had not budg'd for the space of thirty years was the day after drawn forth of it by Oyaa Passilico who brought him on the seventeenth day of January into the city of Odiaa where on the nineteenth he was crowned King with a new kind of ceremony and a world of magnificence which to avoid prolixity I will not make mention of here having formerly treated of such like things Withall passing by all that further arrived in this Kingdom of Siam I will content my self with reporting such things as I imagine will be most agreeable to the curious It happened then that the King of Bramaa who at that time reigned tyrannically in Pegu being advertised of the deplorable estate whereinto the Empire of Sâ—rnau was reduced and of the death of the greatest Lords of the Country as also that the new King of this Monarchy was a religious man who had no knowledge either of arms or war and withall of a cowardly disposition a tyrant and ill beloved of his subjects he fell to consult thereupon with his Lords in the town of Anapleu where at that time he kept his Court. Desiring their advice then upon so important an enterprize they all of them told him that by no means he should desist from it in regard this Kingdome was one of the best of the world as well in riches as in abundance of all things thereunto they added that the season which was then so favourable for him â—romised it to him at so good a rate as it was likely it would not cost him above the revenue of one only year what expence soever he should make of his treasure besides if he chanced to get it he should remain Monarch of all the Emperors of the world and therewithall he should be honored with the soveraign title of Lord of the whiâ—e Elephant by which means the seventeene Kings of Capimper who made profession of his Law must of necessity render him obedience They told him moreover that having made so great a conquest he might thorough the same territories and with the succour of the Princes his Allies passe into China where was that great City of Pequin the incomparable pearl of all the world and against which the great Cham of Tartaria the Siamon and the Calaminham had brought such prodigious Armies into the field The King of Bramaa having heard all these reasons and many others which his great Lords alledged unto him wherein his interest was especially concerned which alwayes works powerfully on every man was perswaded by them and resolved to undertake this enterprise For this effect he went directly to Martabano where in lesse then two moneths and an half he raised an Army of eight hundred thousand men wherein there were an hundred thousand strangers and amongst them a thousand Portugals which were commanded by Diego Suarâ—z d' Albergaria called Galego by way of nick name This Diego Suarez departed out of the Kingdome of Portugal in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and eight and went into the Indiaes with the Fleet of the Vice-Roy Don Garcia de Noronha in a Junck whereof Ioano de Sepulveda of the town of Euora was Captain but in the time of which I speak namely in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty and eight he had of this King of Bramaa two hundred thousand duckats a yeare with the title of his brother and Governor of the Kingdome of Pegu. The King departed then from the Town of Marâ—abano the Sunday after Easter being the seventh of April 1548. His Army as I have already said was eight hundred thousand men whereof only forty thousand were horse and all the rest foor threescore thousand of them being Harquebuziers there were moreover five thousand warlike Elephants with whom they fight in those countries and also a world of baggage together with a thousand pieces of Canon which were drawn by a thousand couple of Buffles and Rhinocerots withall there was a like number of yoke of oxen for the carriage of the victualls Having taken the field then with these forces he caused his Army to march still on untill at length he entred into the Territories of the King of Siam where after five days he came to a
which the traytrous Cacis for the bar of gold he had received had left unguarded and forthwith put all the sick and hurt men that he found there to the sword amounting to the number of about fifteen hundred whereof he would not spare so much as one In the mean time the unhappy King of Aaru who thought of nothing less then the treachery of his Cacis seeing his Trench taken ran to the succoring of it being a matter that most imported him But finding himself the weaker he was constrained to quit the place so that as he was making his retreat to the Town ditch it was his ill fortune to be killed by a shot of an Haâ—quebuse from a Turk his enemy Upon this death of his ensued the loss of all the rest by reason of the great disorder it brought amongst them Whereat the Enemies exceedingly rejoycing took up the Corps of that wretched King which they found amongst the other dead bodies and having imbowelled and salted him they put him up in a Case and so sent him as a Present to the Tyrant who after many ceremonies of Justice caused him to be publiquely sawed into sundry pieces and then boiled in a great Cauldron full of Oyl and Pitch with a dreadful Publication the tenor whereof was this See here the Iustice which Sultan Laradin King of the Land of the two Seas hath caused to be executed whose will and pleasure it is that as the body of this miserable Mahometan hath been sawed in sunder and boiled here on Earth so his Soul shall suffer worse torments in Hell and that most worthily for his transgressing of the Law of Mahomet and of the perfect belief of the Musselmans of the House of Mâ—â—qua For this execution is very just and conformable to the holy Doctrine of the Book of Flowers in regard this Miscreant hath shewed himself in all his works to be so far without the fear of God as he hath incessantly from time to time betrayed the most secret and important affairs of this Kingdom to those accursed Dogs of the other end of the world who for our sins and through our negligence have with notorious Tyranny made themselves Lords of Malaca This Publication ended a fearful noise arose amongst the people who cryed out This punishment is but too little for so execrable a crime Behold truly the manner of this passage and how the loss of the Kingdom of Aaru was joyned with the death of that poor King who lived in such good correspondence with us and that in my opinion might have been succored by us with very small charge and pains if at the beginning of the War he had been assisted with that little he demanded by his Embassador Now who was in the fault hereof I will leave to the judgment of them which most it concerns to know it After that this infortunate King of Aaru had miserably ended his days as I have before related and that his whole Army was utterly defeated both the Town and the rest of the Kingdom were easily and quickly taken in Thereupon the General of the Achems repaired the Trenches and fortified them in such manner as he thought requisite for the conservation and security of all that he had gained which done he left there a Garison of eight hundred of the most couragious men of his Army who were commanded by a certain Lusan Mahometan named Sapetù de Raia and incontinently after departed with the rest of his Forces The common report was that he went to the Tyrant of Achem who received him with very much honor for the good success of this enterprize For as I have already delivered being before but Governor and Mandara of the Kingdom of Baarros he gave him the title of King so that ever after he was called Sultan of Baarros which is the proper denomination of such as are Kings amongst the Mahometans Now whilest things passed in this sort the desolate Queen remained some seven leagues from Aaru where being advertised and assured of the death of the King her husband and of the lamentable issue of the War she presently resolved to cast her self into the fire for so she had promised her husband in his life time confirming it with many and great oaths But her friends and servants to divert her from putting so desperate a design in execution used many reasons unto her so that at length overcome by their perswasions Verily said she unto them although I yield to your request yet I would have you know that neither the considerations you have propounded nor the zeal you seem to shâ—w of good and faithful Subjects were of power to turn me from so generous a determination as that is which I promised to my King my Husband and my Master if God had not inspired me with this thought that living I may better revenge his death as by his dear blood I vow unto you to labor as long as I live to do and to that end I will undergo any extremiâ—y whatsoever nay if need be turn Christian a thousand times over if by that means I may be able to compass this my desire Saying so she immediately got up on an Elephant and accompanied with a matter of seven hundred men she marched towards the Town with a purpose to set it on fire where incountring some four hundred Achems that were busie about pillaging of such goods as were yet remaining she so encouraged her people with her words and tears that they cut them all presently in pieces This execution done knowing her self too weak for to hold the Town she returned into the Wood where she sojourned twenty days during which time she made War upon the Townsmen surprising and pillaging them as often as they issued forth to get water wood or other necessaries so as they durst not stir out of the Town to provide themselves such things as they needed in which regard if she could possibly have continued this War other twenty days longer she had so famished them as they would have been constrained to render the Town But because at that time it rained continually by reason of the Climate and that the place was boggy and full of bushes as also the fruits wherewithall they nourished themselves in the Wood were all rotten so that the most part of her people fell sick and no means there to relieve them the Queen was constrained to depart to a River named Minhaçumbaa some five leagues from thence where she imbarqued her self in sixteen Vessels such as she could get which were fishermens Paroos and in them she went to Malaca with a belief that at her Arrival there she should not be denyed any thing she would ask Pedro de Faria being advertised of the Queens coming sent Alvaro de Faria his son and General of the Sea-forces to receive her with a Galley five Foists two Catures twenty Balons and three hundred men besides divers persons of the Country So she was brought to the
his men amongst the which were threescore and two Portugals Now whereas this City was very strong as well in regard of the scituation of it as of the Fortifications which were newly made there it had besides within it twenty thousand Mons who it was said were come thither some five days before from the Mountains of Pondalâ—u where the King of Avaa by the permission of the Siamon Emperor of that Monarchy was levying above fourscore thousand men for to go and regain the City of Prom for as soon as that King had received certain news of the death of his daughter and son-in-law perceiving that he was not strong enough of himself to revenge the wrongs this Tyrant had done him or to secure himself from those which he feared to receive of him in time to come namely the depriving him of his Kingdom as he was threatened he went in person with his wife and children and cast himself at the Siamons feet and acquainting him with the great affronts he had received and what his desire was he made himself his Tributary at threescore thousand Bisses by the year which amount to an hundred thousand Duckets of our mony and a gueta of Rubies being a measure like to our pynt therewith to make a jewel for his wife of which Tribute it was said that he advanced the payment for ten years beforehand besides many other precious stones and very rich Plate which he presented him with estimated in all at two millions in recompence whereof the Siamon obliged himself to take him into his protection yea and to march into the field for him as often as need should require and to re-establish him within a year in the Kingdom of Prom so as for that effect he granted him those thirty thousand men of succor which the Bramaa defeated at Meleytay as also the twenty thousand that were then in the City and the fourscore thousand which were to come to him over whom the said King of Avaa was to be the General The Tyrant having intelligence thereof and apprehending that this above all other things he could fear might be the cause of his ruine he gave present order for the fortifying of Prom with much more care and diligence then formerly howbeit before his departure from this River where he lay at anchor being about some leâ—gue from the City of Avaa he sent his Treasurer named Dioçory with whom we eight Portugals as I have related before remained prisoners Embassador to the Calaminhan a Prince of mighty power who is seated in the midst of this region in a great and spacious extent of Country and of whom I shall say something when I come to speak of him The subject of this Embassage was to make him his Brother in Arms by a League and Contract of new amity offering for that effect to give him a certain quantity of Gold and precious stones as also to render unto him certain Frontier Lands of his Kingdom upon condition that the Spring following he should keep the Siamon in war for to divert him from succoring the King of Avaa and thereby give him means the more easily to take his City from him without fear of that assistance which that King hoped should serve for an obstacle to his design This Embassador departed then after he had imbarqued himself in a Laulea that was attended on by twelve Seroos wherein there were three hundred men of service and his guard besides the Watermen and Mariners whose number was little less The Presents which he carryed to the Calaminhan were very great and consisted in divers rich pieces as well of Gold as of precious stones but above all in the Harness of an Elephant which according to reports was worth above six hundred thousand Duckets and it was thought that all the Presents put together amounted to a Million of Gold At his departure amongst other favors which the King his Master conferred on him this same was not the least for us that he gave us eight unto him for to be his perpetual slaves Having clothed us then very well and furnished us abundantly with all things necessary he seemed to be exceedingly contented with having us along with him in this Voyage and ever after he made more account of us then of all the rest that followed him CHAP. LV. Our going with the King of Bâ—amâ—a's Ambassadour to the Calaminham with the Course which we held until we arrived at the Temple or Pagod of Timagoogoo and a Description thereof IT seems fit unto me and conformable to that which I am relaâ—ing to leave for a while this Tyrant of Bramaa to whom I will return again when time shal serve for to intreat here of the way we held for to go into Timplan the capital City of the Empire of the Calaminham which signifies Lord of the world for in their language Cala is Lord and Minhan the world This Prince also entitles himself The absoluâ—e Lord of the indomptable force of the Elephants of the Earth And indeed I do not think that in all the world there is a greater Lord then he as I shall declare hereafter This Ambassadour then departing from Avaa in the month of October a thousand five hundred forty and five took his course up the râ—ver of Queitor steering West South-East and in many places Eastward by reason of the winding of the water and so in this diversity of â—hombâ—s we continued our voyage seven days together at the end whereof we arrived at a Channâ—l called Guampanoo through which the Rhobamo who was our Pilot took his course that he might decline the Siamons Country being so commanded to do by the express Order of the King A while after we came to a great Town named Gataldy where the Ambassadour stayed three days to make provision of certain things necessary for his voyage Having left this place we wâ—nt on still rowing up through his Channel eleven dayes longer during which time we met not with any place that was remarkable only we saw some small villages the houses whereof were covered with thatch and peopled with very poor folks and yet for all that the fields are full of Cattel which seemed to have no Master for we killed twenty and thirty of them in a day in the sight of those of the Country no man so much as finding fault with it but contrarily they brought them in courtesie to us as if they were glad to see us kill them in that sort At our going out of this Channel of Guampanoo we entred into a very great river called Angegumaa that was above three Leagues broad and in some places six and twenty fathom deep with such impetuous currents as they drove us often-times from our course This river we coasted above seven dayes together and at length arrived at a pretty little walled Town named Gumbim in the Kingdom of Iangromaa invironed on the Lands side for five or six â—â—agues space with Forrests of Bâ—njamin as alâ—o with
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-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
dispensation from this voyage by the means of a great sum of money which they made up amongst themselves and carried to the Colonel Now whereas there is no place where money is not powerfull enough to overthrow all things and from which a man can hardly defend himself the Colonel Raudiuaa suffered himself to be overcome with such a masse of coyn as these men presented him with and consented that they should not budge from their homes In this sort he was constrained to take up in their steads most of the poor impotent and old men of the country without any regard had to the Kings expresse Injunction to the contrary Being arrived with this goodly company of souldiers at the City of Odiaa he was commanded to make a shew of them before the King as all the Colonels did of theirs as soon as this Prince cast his eye from a window where he was upon men so wretched old and poorly clad he caused one file of them to come before him then having asked of them how old they were and why they presented themselves before him in so bad an equipage one amongst them speaking for the rest recounted unto him the whole businesse as it had past which put the King into such choler that having presently commanded Quiay Raudiuaa to be brought before him and reviled him publikely for his villany and basenesse he caused him to be bound hand and foot and having given order for the melting of five Turmes of silver he made it to be powred into his mouth in his presence whereof he died instantly Whereupon beholding him lie dead before him If it be so said he unto him that there needed but five Turmes of silver to kill thee how could'st thou imagine that the threescore thousand duckats which thou tookest of the cowards of Banchaa for to dispense with them from the war should not be capable of sending thâ—â— into the other world God forgive thee thy avarice and â—e the little punishment I have inflicted on thee for the same After this he sent presently to search his house where the five thousand Turmes he had taken were found which were immediately brought to the King who caused this money to be distributed in his presence to those old and impotent poor wretches which Raudiuaa had brought thither being in number above three thousand that done he sent them home to their houses willing them to pray unto God for him As for those effeminate men who to be exempted from going to the war had given the five thousand Turmes to the Colonell he commanded them to be attired like women and so banished them into an Island called Pulho Caton wherewith yet not contented he confiscated all their estates which he ordered should be bestowed on such as behaved themselves best in the war And not long after observing that one of the hundred and threescore Portugals which went along with him in this expedition hung back in a certain attempt which the rest of his fellows went upon where they carried themselves so valiantly and with such courage as they regained the principall Fort which the enemy had taken in the Town of Lautor he commanded him to return to Siam seeing he was not like his other companions and that as long as he continued there he should neither offer to go out of the house where he was nor take upon him the name of a Portugal on paine of having his beard shaven off and used like those of Banchaa since he was as cowardly as they whereas contrarily to all the rest of the Portugals he sent treble pay and exempted them from all duties that were to be paid for their Merchandize as also gave them power to build Churches in any part of his Kingdome for the adoring of the name of the God of the Portugals By these and many other examples which I could produce here it is manifest how great and commendable the inclinations of this Prince were who notwithstanding that he was a Gentile was of a wonderfull good nature and exceedingly addicted to vertuous actions It is not to be believed with what infinite sorrow both all the great Lords and generally all the subjects of this Kingdome bewailed the death of their good King but at length an Assembly was made of all the Priests of this City who as it was said were twenty thousand in number by whose direction the principall persons of the Kingdom concluded upon the funerall pomp and ceremonies which were to be used thereabout according to the custome of the country whereupon a mighty great pile was forthwith erected â—â—â—ade of Sandal Aloes Calembaa and Benjamin on the which the body of the deceased King being laid fire was put to it with a strange ceremony during all the time that the body was a burning the people did nothing but wail and lament beyond all expression but in the end it being consumed to ashes they put them into a silver shrine which they imbarqued in a Laulea very richly equipped that was accompanied with forty Seroos full of Talagrepos which are the highest dignity of their Gentile Priests and a great number of other Vessells wherein there was a world of people after them followed an hundred small barques laden with divers figures of Idolls under the formes of Adders Lizards Tygers Lions Toads Serpents Bats Geese Bucks Dogs Elephants Cats Vultures Kites Crows and other such like creatures whose figures were so well represented to the life as they seemed to be living In another very great ship was the King of all these Idolls which they called The gluttonous Serpent of the profound pit of the house of smoke This Idoll had the figure of a monstrous Adder was as big about as an hogshead and vvrithed into nine circles so that whenas it was extended it was above â—n hundred spans long it had the neck standing upright and out of the eyes throat and breast issued flames of artificiall fire which rendred this monster so dreadfull and furious as all that beheld it trembled for fear Now upon a Theater three fathom high and richly guilt was a very beautiful little boy about four or five years old covered all over with pearls and chains and bracelets of precious stones having wings and a bush of hair of fine gold much after the manner as we use to paint Angells This child held a rich Curtelas in his hand by which invention these Pagans would give to understand That it was an Angell of heaven sent from God to imprison all those many devills to the end they should not steal away the Kings soul before it should arrive at the place of rest which was prepared for it there above in glory for a recompence of the good works which he had done below in the world In this order all these Vessells got to land at a Pagode called Quiay Poutâ—r where after that the silver shrine in which the Kings ashes were was placed and the little boy taken from thence
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
wherewith all the rivers and all the harbors are full The King naturally is no way given to tyranny The customs of all the Kingdome are charitably destinated for the maintenance of certain Pagodes where the duties that are paid are very easie for whereas the religious men are forbidden to trade with money they take no more of Merchants then what they will give them out of almes There are in this Country twelve Sects of Gentiles as in the Kingdome of Pegu and the King for a soveraigne title causeth himself to be called Prechau Saliu which in our tongue signifies A holy member of God He shewes not himself to the people save only twice in the year but then with so much riches and majesty as he hath power and greatnesse and yet for all this that I say he less not to acknowledge himself the vassall and tributarie to the King of China to the end that by means thereof his subjects Juncks may be admitted into the port of Combay where ordinarily they exercise their commerce There is also in this Kingdome a great quantity of Pepper Ginger Cinamon Camphire Allume Cassia Tamarinds and Cardamon so as one may truly affirm that which I have often heard say in those parts namely that this Kingdom is one of the best countries in the world and easier to be subdued then any other Province how little soever I could here report likewise many more particularities of things which I have seen only in the city of Odiaa but I am not minded to make mention of them that I may not beget in them that shall read this the same grief which I have for the losse which we made of it through our sins and the gain we might make in conquering this Kingdom CHAP. LXXI A continuation of that which happened in the Kingdome of Pegu as well during the life as after the death of the King of Bramaa TO return now unto the history which heretofore I have left you must know that after the King of Bramaa had obtained that memorable victory neer to Pegu as I have declared heretofore by means whereof he remained peaceable possessor of the whole Kingdom the first thing he imployed himself in was to punish the offendors which had formerly rebelled for which effect he cut off the heads of a great many of the Nobility and Commanders all whose estates were confiscated to the Crown which according to report amounted unto ten millions of gold besides plate and jewells whereby that common Proverb which was common in the mouths of all was verified namely That one mans offence cost many men very deare Whilest the King continued more and more in his cruelties and injustice which he executed against divers persons during the space of two moneths and a half certain newes came to him that the city of Martabano was revolted with the death of two thousand Bramaas and that the Chalogomin Governour of the same city had declared himself for the Xemindoo But that the cause of this revolt may be the better understood by such as are curious I will before I proceed any further succinctly relate how this Xemindoo had been of a religious order in Pegu a man of noble extraction and as some affirmed neer of kin to the precedent King whom this Bramaa had put to death twelve years before as I have already declared This Xemindoo had formerly to name Xoripam Xay a man of about forty five years of age of a great understanding and held by every one for a Saint he was withall very wel verst in the Laws of their Sects false Religion and had many excellent parts which rendered him so agreeable unto all that heard him preach as he was no sooner in the Pulpit but all the assistants prostrated themselves on the ground saying at every word that he uttered Assuredly God speaks in thee This Xemindoo seeing himself then in such great credit with the people spurred on by the generosity of his nature and the occasion which was then so favourable unto him resolved to try his fortune and see to what degree it might arrive To this end at such time as the King of Bramaa was fallen upon the kingdom of Siam and had laid siege to the city of Odiaa the Xemindoo preaching in the temple of Conquiay at Pegu which is as it were the Cathedrall of all the rest where there was a very great assembly of people he discoursed at large of the losse of this Kingdom of the death of their lawfull King as also of the great extortions cruell punishments and many other mischiefs which the Bramaas had done to their Nation with so many insolencies and with so many offences against God as even the very houses which had been founded by the charity of good people to serve for Temples wherein the Divine Word might be preached were all desolated and demolished or if any were found still standing they were made use of either for stables lay-stalls or other such places accustomed to lay filth or dung in These and many other such like things which the Xâ—mindoo delivered accompanied with many sighs and tears made so great an impression in the minds of the people as from thenceforward they acknowledged him for their lawfull King and swore allegeance unto him so that instead of calling him as they did before Xoripam Xay they named him Xemindoo as a soveraigne title which they gave him above all others Seeing himself raised then to the dignity of King the first thing during the heat and fury of this people was to go to the King of Bramaas palace where having found five thousand Bramaas he cut them all in pieces not sparing the life of one of them the like did he afterwards to all the rest of them that were abiding in the most important places of the State and withall he seized on the Kings treasure which was not small In this manner he slew all the Bramaas that were in the Kingdom which were fifteen thousand besides the women of that Nation of what age soever and seized on the places where they resided which were instantly demolished so that in the space of three and twenty dayes onely he became absolute possessor of the Kingdom and prepared a great Army to fight with the King of Bramaa if he should chance to return upon the bruit of this rebellion as indeed he fought with him to his great damage being defeated by him as I have heretofore declared And thus having methinks said enough for the intelligence of that which I am to recount I will come again to my first discourse This King of Braâ—aa being advertised of the revolt of the Town of Martabano and of the death of those two thousand Bramaaes gave order immediately to all the Lords of the Kingdome for their repair unto him with as many men as they could levy and that within the teâ—m of fifteen daies at the furthest in regard the present necessity would not indure a longer
want of care and imprudence His Commanders presently obeyed him and without longer tarrying there each of them went straight to the place whither his Commission directed him The Chaumigrem by means of this so cunning and well dissembled a sleight rid himself in lesse then three hours of all the hundred and fifty thousand Pegues who he knew if once they came to hear of the Kings death would fall upon the thirty thousand Bramaaes that he had there with him and not leave one of them alive This done as soon as it was night turning back to the City which was not above a league from thence he seized with all speed on the deceased Kings Treasure which amounted according to report unto above thirty millions of gold besides jewells that were not to be estimated and withall he saved all the Bramaaâ—s wives and children and took as many arms and as much ammunition as he could carry away After this he set fire on all that was in the Magazines caused all the lesser Ordnance to be rived asunder and the greater which he could not use so to be cloyed Furthermore he made seven thousand Elephants that were in the country to be killed reserving only two thousand for the carriage of his treasure ammunition and baggage As for all the rest it was consumed with fire so that neither in the Palace where were chambers all seeked with gold nor in the Magazines and Arsenalls nor on the river where were two thousand rowing Vessells remained ought that was not reduced to ashes After this execution he departed in all hast an hour before day and drew directly towards Tanguu which was his own country from whence he came some fourteen years before to the conquest of the Kingdome of Pegu which in the heart of the country was distant from thence about an hundred and threescore leagues Now whereas fear commonly adds wings to the feet it made him march with such speed as he and his arrived in fifteen days at the place whither they were a going In the mean time whereas the Chaumigrem had cunningly sent away the hundred and fifty thousand Pegues as I have declared already it happened that two days after they understood how the King of Bramaa was dead Now in regard they vvere mortall enemies of that Nation sixscore thousand of them in one great body turned back in hast for to go in quest of the thirty thousand Bramaaes but when they arrived at the City they found that they were gone from thence three days before this making them to follow in pursuit of them with all the speed that possibly they could they came to a place called Guinacoutel some forty leagues from the City whence they came there they were informed that it was five days since they passed by so that dispairing of being able to execute the design which they had of cutting them in pieces they returned back to the place from whence they were parted where they consulted amongst themselves about that which they were to do and resolved in the end since they had no lawfull King and that the Land was quite freed of the Bramaaes to go to Xemin de Satan as incontinently they did who received them not only with a great deal of joy and good entertainment but promised them mighty matters and much honor by raising them to the principall commands of the Kingdome as soon as time should serve and that he was more peaceably setled Thereupon he went directly to the City of Pegu where he was received with the magnificence of a King and for such crowned in the Temple of Comquiay which is the chief of all the rest CHAP. LXXII That which arrived in the time of Xenim de Satan and an abominable â—ase that befell to Diego Suarez together with the Xemindoos expedition against Xenim de Satan and that which insued thereupon THree moneths and nine dayes had this Tyrant Xenim de Satan already peaceably possessed the city and kingdome of Pegu whenas without fearing any thing or being contradicted by none he fell to distributing the treasure and revenues of the Crown to whomsoever he pleased whereupon great scandalls insued which were the cause of divers quarrells and divisions amongst many of the Lords who for this cause and the injustice which this tyrant did them retyred into severall foraigne Countries and Kingdoms Some also went and sided with the Xemindoâ— who began at that time to be in reputation again For after he had fled from the battell onely with six horse as I have declared heretofore he got into the Kingdom of Ansedaa where as well by the efficacy of his Sermons as by the authority of his person he won so many to his devotion as assisted by the favour and forces of those Lords as adhered to him he made up an army of threescore thousand men with which he marched to Meidoo where he was very well received by those of the Country Now setting aside what he did in those parts during the space of foure moneths that he abode there I will in the mean time passe to a strange accident which in a few dayes fell out in this city that one may know what end the good fortune of the great Diego Suarez had who had been Governour of this Kingdom of Pegâ— and the recompence which the world is accustomed to make at last unto all such as serve and trust in it under the semblance of a good countenance which she shews them at first The matter past in this sort There was in this city of Pegu a Merchant called Manbagoaa a rich man and that of good reputation in the country This same resolved to marry a daughter of his to a young man the son of a worshipfull and very rich Merchant also named Manicaniandarim about that time that Diego Suarez was in the greatest height of his fortune and termed the Kings brother and in dignity above all the Princes and Lords of the Kingdom So the fathers of these young couple being agreed on this marriage and of the dowry that was to be given which by report was three hundred thousand duckats when as the day was come wherein the nuptialls were celebrated with a great deal of state and magnificence and honoured with the presence of most of the gentlemen of chiefest quality in the city it happened that Diego Suarez being come a little before Sun-set from the royall palace with a great train both of horse and foot as his manner was to be alwayes well accompanied passed by Mambogoaas door where hearing the musick and rejoycing that was in the house asked what the matter was whereunto answer being made him that Mambogoaa had married his daughter and that the wedding was kept there he presently caused the Elephant on which he was mounted to stay and sent one to tell the father of the bride that he congratulated with him for this marriage and wished a long and happy life to the new married couple to these words he
heaven O Lord Iesus Christ cried he my true Redeemer I beseech thee by the pains which thou hast suffered upon the Crosse to permit that the accusation of these hundred thousand hunger-starved dogs against me may serve to satisfie the chastisement of thy divine justice in my behalf to the end that the inestimable price which thou hast imployed for the salvation of my soule without any merit of mine may not be unprofitable unto me This said he ascended the staires which led to the market place and the Portugal that assisted him told mee how at every step he kissed the ground and called upon the name of IESVS at length when he was come to the top the Manbogoaa who held the Idoll in his armes animating the people with great cries said unto them Whosoever shall not for the honour of this God of the afflicted whom I have here in my armes stone this accursed Serpent let him for ever be miserable and let the braines of his children be consumed in the midst of the night to the end that by the punishment of so great a sinne the righteous judgement of the Lord above may be justified in them He had no sooner made an end of speaking thus but there fell so great a showre of stones on Diego Suarez as in lesse then a quarter of an houre he was buried under them and they that flung them at him did it so indiscreetly as the most part of them hurt one another therewith An houre after they drew forth the poore Diego Suarez from under the stones and with another new tumult of cries and voices they tore him in pieces with so much fury and hatred of the whole people in generall as there was not he which did not believe that he did a charitable and holy work in giving a reward to the most mutinous amongst those which dragged his members and entrailes up and downe the streets This execution done the King willing to confiscate his goods sent men to his house for that purpose where the disorder was so great in regard of the extreme avarice which these hungry dogs had they left not a tile unmoved and because they found not so much as they expected they put all his slaves and servants to torture with such an excesse of cruelty as eight and thirty of them remained dead in the place amongst which were seventeen Portugals who bore the pain of a thing whereof they were not guilty In all this spoile there were no more then six hundred bisses of gold found which are in value three hundred thousand duckats besides some pieces of rich houshold-stuffe but no precious stones nor jewells at all which perswaded men that Diego Suarez had buried all the rest howsoever it could never be found out notwithstanding all the search that was made for it and yet it was verified by the judgement of some who had seene him in his prosperity that he had in meanes above three millions of gold according to the supputation of the country Behold what was the end of the great Diego Suarez whom fortune had so favoured in this Kingdome of Pegu as she had raised him up to the degree of the Kings Brother the highest and most absolute title of all others and given him withall two hundred thousand duckats yearely rent vvith the charge of Generall of eight hundred thousand men and Soveraigne over all the other Governours or Vice-Royes of fourteene Kingdomes which the King of Bramaa had at that time in his possession But it is the ordinary course of the goods of this world especially of such as are ill gotten alwayes to serve for a way to disgraces and misfortunes I return now to the Xemindoo of whom I have not spoken a long time Wheras that Tyrant and avaritious King Xenim de Satan gave daily new increases to the cruelties and tyrannies which he exercised against all sorts of persons never ceasing killing and robbing indifferently those who were thought to have money nor sparing any thing on which he could lay his hands his rapines proceeded so far as it was that in the space of seven moneths only wherin he was peaceable possessor of this Kingdom of Pegu he put to death six thousand very rich Merchants besides many ancient Lords of the Country who by way of right of inheritance held their estates from the Crown These extortions rendered him so odious as the most part of those that were with him abandoned him to side with the Xemindoo who had for him at that time the towns of Digon Meideo Dalaa and Coulam even to the confines of Xaraa from whence he parted in hast to go and besiege this Tyrant with an army of two hundred thousand men five thousand Elephants When he was arrived at the city of Pegu where Xemin de Satan then kept his Court he invested it round about with palisadoes and very strong trenches yea and gave some assaults to it but he could not enter it so easily as he believed in regard of the great resistance he found from them within wherefore judging it requisite for him to alter his mind being prudent as he was he came very subti ly to a truce of twenty dayes with the Tyrant upon certain conditions whereof the principall was that if within the terme of those twenty dayes he gave him a thousand bisses of gold which are in value five hundred thousand Duckats he would desist from the pretension and right which he had to this Kingdome and all this he did as I have already said cunningly hoping by this means to bring him to his bow with lesse perill So the time of the truce beginning to run on all things remained peaceable on either side and the besiegers fell to communicate with the besieged During this pacification every morning two houres before day they of the Xemindooes Camp played after their manner upon divers sorts of instruments very melodiously at the sound whereof all they of the city ran to the walls to see what the matter was Whereupon those instruments ceasing to play a Proclamation was made by a Priest accounted by every man a holy personage who said these words with a very sad voice O ye people ye people unto whom Nature hath given eares to hear hearâ—en to the voice of the holy Captain the Xemindoo of whom God will make use for the restoring you to your liberty and former quiet in order wherunto he admonisheth you from Quiay Niuandel the god of battells of the field Vitau that none of you be so hardy as to lift up your hand against him nor against this holy assembly which he hath made out of a holy zeal towards these people of Pegu as brother that he is to the least of all the poor Otherwise whosoever shall come against the army of these servants of God or shall have the will to do them any harm let him be accursed for it and as deformed and vile as the children of the night who
foaming with poyson make horrible cries and be delivered into the burning jawes of the dragon of discord whom the true Lord of all the Gods hath cursed for ever whereas contrarily to those that shall be so happy as to obey this Proclamation as his holy brethren and allies shall be granted in this life a perpetuall peace accompanied with a great deale of wealth and riches and after their death their souls shall be no lesse pure and agreeable to God then those of the Saints which goe dancing amidst the beams of the Sun in the celestiall repose of the Lord Almighty This publication made the musick began to play again with a great noise as before which made such an impression in the hearts of them that heard it as in seven nights that it continâ—ed above threescore thousand persons went and rendred themselves to the Xemindoo for most of them which heard those words gave as much credit thereunto as if an Angell from heaven had spoken them In the meane time the besieged Tyrant seeing that these secret Proclamations of the enemy were so prejudiciall unto him as they could not chuse but turn to his utter ruine brake the truce at twelve dayes end and deliberated with his Councell what he should do who advised him by no means to suffer h mself to remaine any longer besieged for feare left the inhabitants should mutinie and fall from him to the enemy and that the best and surest way was to fight with the Xemindoo in the open field before he grew to any further strength This resolution being approved of by Zenim de Satan he prepared himself for the execution of it to which effect he two dayes after before it was day sallied out at five gates of the city with fourscore thousand men which then he had and charged the enemies with strange fury They then in the meane time who alwayes stood upon their guard received them with a great deale of courage whereupon insued so cruell a conflict between them that in lesse then halfe an houre for so long lasted the heat of the fight there fell on both sides above forty thousand men but at the end of that time the new King Zenim was born from his Elephant by an harquebuze shot discharged at him by a Portugall named Gonçalo Nâ—to which caused all the rest to render themselves and the city likewise upon condition that the inhabitants should have their goods and lives saved By this means the Xemindoo entred peaceably into it and the very same day which was a Saturday the three and twentieth of February a thousand five hundred fifty and one he caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu in the greatest Temple of the city As for Gonçalo Nâ—to he gave him in recompence for killing the Tyrant twenty Bisses of gold which are ten thousand Duckats and to the other Portugalls being eighty in number he gave five thousand Duckats besides the honors and prsviledges which they had in the country he also exempted them for three years from paying any custome for their merchandize which was afterwards very exactly observed CHAP. LXXIII That which the Xemindoo did after he was Crowned King of Pegu with the Chaumigrems the King of Bramaaes foster-Foster-Brothers coming against him with a great Army and divers other memorable things THe Xemindoo seeing himself Crowned King of Pegu and peaceable Lord of all the kingdome began to have thoughts far different from those which Xemin de Satan had had being raised to the same dignity of King for the first and principal thing wherein he imployed himself with all his endeavour was to maintain his Kingdome in peace and to cause Justice to flourish as indeed he established it with so much integritie as no man how great so ever he was durst wrong a lesser then himself withall in that which concerned the government of the Kingdome he proceeded with so much vertue and equity as it filled the strangers that were there with admiration so that one could not without marvel consider the peace the quiet and union of the wills of the people during the happy and peaceable estate of this Kingdome which continued the space of a year and better at the end whereof the Chaumigrem foster-foster-brother to the same King of Bramaa whom Xemin de Satan had slaine as I have before declared having received advertisement that by reason of the rebellions and warres which since his departure from thence had happened in the Kingdome of Pegu the principall men of the State there had lost their lives and the Xemindoo who then raigned was unprovided of all things necessary for his defence he resolved once again to adventure upon the same enterprise which had formerly been undertaken by his late King With this design he entertained into his pay a mighty Army of strangers unto whom he gave a Tincall of gold by the month which is five dackets of our mony when as he had prepared all things in a readinesse he departed from Tanguu the place of his birth On the ninth day of March a thousand five hundred fifty and two with an Army of three hundred thousand men whereof only fifty thousand were Bramaas and all the rest Mons Chaleus Calaminhams Sauâ—nis Pamâ—rus and Auaas In the mean time the Xemindoo the new King of Pegu having certain intelligence of these great forces which were coming to fall upon him made preparation to go and meet them with a design to give them battle for which effect he assembled in the same City where he was a huge Army of nine hundred thousand men which were all Pegues by nation and consequently of a weake constitution and lesse warlick then all the others whereof I have spoken and on Tueseday the fourth of April about noone having received advice that the enemies Army was incamped all along the river of Meleytay some twelve leagues from thence he used such expedition as the same day and the next night all his Souldiers were put into battle array for whereas they had prepared every thing long before and had also been trayned by their Capt. there needed no great ado to bring them into order The day ensueing all these men of warre begun about nine of the clock in the morning to march at the sound of an infinite company of warlick instruments and went and lodged that night some two leagues from thence neer to the river Potarâ—u The next day an hour before Sun-set the Bramaa Chaumigrem appeared with so great a body of men as it took up the extent of a league and an half of ground his Army being composed of seaventy thousand horse of two hundred and thirty thousand foot and six thousand fighting elephants besides as many more which carried the baggage and victuals and in regard it was almost night he thought fit to lodge himself all along by the mountain that he might be in the greater safety Thus the night past with a good guard and a strange noise that was made on
said he unto him I pray thee by the great goodness of that God in whom thou believest to pardon me that for which thou accusest me and to remember that it is not the part of a Christian in this painful estate wherein I see my self at this present to put me in mind of that which I have done heretofore for besides that thou canst not thereby recover the loss which thou sayest thou hast sustained it will but serve to afflict and trouble me the more Pacheco having heard what this fellow said commanded him to hold his peace which immediately he did whereupon the Xemindoo with a grave countenance made shew that this action pleased him so that seeming to be more quiet it made him to acknowledge that with his mouth which he could not otherwise requite I must confess said he unto him that I could wish if God would permit it I might have one hour longer of life to profess the excellency of the faith wherein you Portugals live for as I have heretofore heard it said your God alone is true and all other gods are lyers The Hangman had no sooner heard these words but he gave him so great a buffet on the face that his nose ran out with bloud so that the poor Patient stooping with his handsâ—downward Brother said he unto him suffer me to save this bloud to the end thou maist not want some to fry my flesh withall So passing on in the same order as before he finally arrived at the place where he was to be executed with so little life as he scarcely thought of any thing When he was amounted on a great Scaffold which had been expresly erected for him the Chirca of Justice fell to reading of his Sentence from an high Seate where he was placed the contents whereof were in few words these The living God of our heads Lord of the Crown of the Kings of Avaa commands that the perfidious Xemindoo be executed as the Perturbator of the people of the earth and the mortal enemy of the Bramaa Nation This said he made a sign with his hand and instantly the Hangman cut off his head at one blow shewing it to all the people vvhich vvere there vvithout number and divided his body into eight quarters setting his bovvels and other interior parts vvhich vvere put together in a place by themselves then covering all vvith a yellovv cloth vvhich is a mark of mourning amongst them they vvere left there till the going dovvn of the Sun at vvhich time they vvere burnt in the manner ensuing The eight quarters of the Xemindooes body vvere exposed from mid-day till three of Clock in the afternoon to the view of all the people whereof there was an infinite company there for every one came thronging thither as well to avoid the punishment wherewith they had been threatned as to gain in so doing the Plenary indulgence called by them Axiperan which their Priests gave them of their sins without restitution of any thing of all the Theeveries by them formerly committed After then that the tumult was appeased and that certain men on horseback had imposed silence on the people by making certain publications whereby the Transgressors therein were threatned with terrible punishments a bell was heard to toll five several times upon this signal twelve men clothed in black robes spotted all over with bloud having their faces covered and bearing silver Maces on their shoulders came out of a house of wood made expresly for that purpose and distant some five or six paces from the Scaffold after them followed twelve Priests which they call Talagrepos being as I have said the most eminent Dignities amongst these Pagans and held by them as Saints then appeared the Xemin Pocasser the King of Bramaaes Uncle who seemed to be near an hundred years old and was as the rest all in mourning and invironed with twelve little boyes richly apparelled carrying on their shoulders Courtelasses curiously Damasked After that the Xemin had with a great deal of Ceremonie prostrated himselfe three times on the ground in way of extraordinary reverence O holy flesh said he which art more to be â—steâ—med then all the Kingdomes of Avaa thou orient Pearle of as many Carats as there be Atomes in the beams of the Sun whom God hath placed in an height of Honour with a Scepter of Soveraign power above that of Kings I that am the least of thy meiny and so unlike thee through my baseness as I can scarcely see my self so little I am do most humbly beseâ—ch thee O thou Lord of my head by the fresh Meadow where thy soul doth now recreat thy self to hear that with thy sorrowful ears which my mouth sayes to thee in publick to the end thou maist remain satisfied for the offence which hath been done thee in this world Oretanan Chaumigrem thy brother Prince of Savady and Tanguu sends to intreat thee by me thy slave that before he departs out of this life thou wilt pardon him that which is past if he have given thee any discontent and withall that thou wilt take possession of all his Kingdomes because he doth even now yeild them up unto thee without reserving the least part thereof for himself withall he protests unto thee by me thy vassal that he makes this reconciliation with thee voluntarily to the end that the complaints which thou maiest prefer against him there above in heaven may not be heard of God Moreover for a punishment of the displeasure he hath done thee he offers to be for thee during this pilgrimage of life the Captain and Guardian of this thy Kingdome of Pegu for which he does thee homage with an oath to accomplish alwaies upon earth whatsoever thou shalt command him from heaven above upon condition that thou wilt bestow the profit which shall arise thereof upon him at an almes for his entertainment for he knowes very well that otherwise he should not be permitted to possess the Kingdome neither would the Menigrepos ever consent thereunto nor at the hour of death give him absolution for so great a sinne Upon these words one of the Priests that was present and that seemed to have more authoritie then all the rest made him answer as if the deceased himself had spoken Since I see O my Sonne that thou doest now confesse thy past faults and cravest pardon of me for them in this publick assembly I do grant it thee with all my hearâ— and it pleases me to leave thee in this Kingdome for the pastor of this my flock on condition that thou dost not violate the faith thou hast given me by this oath which would be as great an offence as if thou shouldst now come to lay hands on me without the permission of Heaven All the people having heard these words answered thereunto with joyfull voices Perform so much my Lord my Lord. After this the Priest being got into the pulpit began to speak thus to the assistants Present me with part
of the teares of your eyes for the entertainment of my soul because of the good newes I now bring you which is that by the wil of God this Country is setled on our King Chaumigrem without being tyed to make any restitution thereof for which you have all of you good cause to rejoyce like good and faithfull servants as you are He had scarcely made an end of speaking thus when as all those of the assembly clapping their hands gave great demonstrations of joy and cryed out in a way of thanksgiving Be thou praised O Lord. All this ceremony ended the Priests full of devotion and zeal immediately took all the parts of this poor King dismembred in that sort and with great veneration carried them to a place below where a great fire was kindled of Sandal Aloes and Benjamin which cost a great deal then three of them taking up of the body of the deceased with the bowels and all the rest threw it into it and afterwads with a strange ceremony offered many sacrifices unto him whereof the most part were of sheep The body burned all that night untill the next moâ—ning and the ashes thereof was put into a silver urne wherein with a very solemn assembly of above ten thousand Priests it was carried to a Temple called The God of thousand Gods and there was buried in a rich tomb within a Chappel guilt all over Behold what was the end of the great and mighty Xemindoo King of Pegu unto whom his subjects bore so great respect and honour during the time of his raign which was so flourishing that it seemed there was no other Monarch greater then he on the earth but such is the course of all the world CHAP. LXXV My imbarking in the Kingdome of Pegu to go to Malaca and from thence to Japan and a strange accident which arrived there THe death of the good King of Siam and the adulterie of the Queen his wife whereof I have spoken at large heretofore were the root and beginning of so many discords and of so many cruell warres which hapning in those two Kingdomes of Pegu and Siam indured three years and an half with so much expence of mony and bloud as is horrible to think of Now the end of all those warres was that the Chaumigrem King of Bramaa remained absolute Lord of the Kingdome of Pegu howbeit for the present I will speak no further of him but will deliver that which arrived in other Countries untill such time as the same Chaumigrem King of Bramaa returned upon the Kingdome of Siam with so mighty an Army as never any King whatsoever in the Indiaes brought a greater into the field as consisting of seventeen hundred thousand men and of sixteen thousand elephants whereof nine thousand were for the carriage of the Baggage and seven thousand for fighting an enterprize that was so dammageable for us as I learned afterwards that it cost us two hundred and four score Portugals I come now again to my designe from which I have wandered a good while After that these commotions whereof I have spoken heretofore were all appeased Gonçalo Pacheco departed from the City of Pegu with all us the rest of the Portugals which remained there and whom the new King of Bramaa had delivered as I have already declared causing their merchandize to be restored unto them and obliging them with many other courtesies as well of Honour as of Liberty So we an hundred and three score Portugals as we were imbarqued our selves in five vessels which were at that time in the Port of Cosmin one of the principal Townes of that Kingdom and there we divided our selves as pilgrims and travellers to the Indiaes for to go into divers Countries according as each of us thought to be most convenient for him As for me I set sail for Malaca with six and twenty of my companions where when we were arrived I sojourned there one month only and then imbarqued my self again to go to Iapan with one Iorge Alvarez who in a Sip belonging to Simono de Mello Captain of the Fortresse went to traffick Now having been already six and twenty dayes under sail in contiâ—â—ing our course with a good winde according to the season wee came in sight of an Iland called Tanixumaa some nine Leagues South towards the point of the Land of Iapan so that turning our prow that vvay vve vvent and rode the next day in the midst of the haven of Ganxiroo In this place the Nautaquin who was Governour thereof had the curiositie to come unto us for to see a thing which he had never seen before to which effect he got aboard of us where amazed with the fashion and equipage of our vessel as being the first that ever arrived in that Country he seemed to be infinitely glad of our coming yea and was very earnest vvith us to have us trade in that place with him but Iorge Alvarez and the Merchants excused themselves saying that this port was not safe for their Ship if any contrary winde should happen to arise The day following being parted from this place to go to the Kingdom of Bungo from whence vve vvere distant some hundred leagues to the Northward in five dayes after our departure it pleased God that we arrived in the port of the Town of Fucheo where we were vvell received as vvell by the King as the people vvho greatly favoured us in that vvhich concerned the duties of our Merchandize and the King had yet more obliged us if in the little time that vve abode there he had not been miserably slain by a Vassal of his named Fucarandono a mighty Prince Lord of many Subjects and exceeding rich a disaster which hapned as followeth At the time when we arrived there there was in the King of Bungo's Court a young man called Axirandoo Nephew to the King of Arimaa vvho in regard of the ill intreaty vvhich he had received from the King his Uncle had retired himself into this Court and continued there above a yeer with an intent never to return into his Country again but his good fortune was such as his Uncle coming to die and having no other to succeed him he declared him for his Heir Whereupon the Fucarandono of whom I lately made mention desiring to marry this Prince to a Daughter of his intreated the King to mediate this marriage for him which he easily condescended unto For vvhich effect the King one day invited the Prince to go a hunting with him into a Wood which was some two leagues off and where there was great store of game vvhich he much delighted in When they were there in private together he moved this Marriage unto him and certified how exceedingly it vvould content him that hee vvould accept of it vvhich accordingly he did vvherewith the King seemed to be extremely satisfied so that upon his return unto the Town hee sent for the Fucarandono and told him how he had prevailed for the
of his Pontifall History the eighteenth Chapter In vita Sexti Quinti Fernand makes a narration of certain men whom he calls Caloges and Fingaos which have their feet râ—und like unto those of Cows and hands all over hairy for the clearing of the truth whereof read Galvan in his discoveries folio 32. and 72. Gaspar de la Cruz the sâ—venth Chapter Touching the tryumphant Arches which they have in their streets together with their manner of accommoâ—ating and inriching them when as they solemnised certain Feasts read de la Cruz the seventh chapter Of the Universities which they have in China see Trigault in the third and fifth Chapters of his first Book De Artibus apud Sinas liberalibus ac Scientiis c. And in another entituled De Artibus apud Sinas mechanicis For a Confirmation of that which our Author says of the strange Ceremonies and Complements used by them at their saluting one another when they meet together by chance in the streets and in their visits read Mafeus in the sixth Book of his Indian History folio 134. beginning with these words Salutandi ritus miter plebeios c. And Mendoza in divers places of his Book declares the same Trigault in the seventh Chapter of his first Book at the title De Sinarum ritibus non nullis describes their manner of Salutations Babia in the third Part of his Pontifical History in the life of Gregory the thirteenth The History of the King of Bramaa together with his Victories and Conquests may be found in the Relations of Boterus De la Cruz in the second and fourth Chapters Mafeus and S t Romain Of the entrance of the Tartars into China and their besieging of Pequin Boterus in his Relations De la Cruz the fourth Chapter Paulus Jovius Antonius Armenius and Mathias de Micuy discourse at large That which is written of the subversion of the Provinces of Cuy and Sansii and of the dâ—leful and dreadful events ensuing thereupon Gaspar de la Cruz hath spoken of sufficiently in the 29 th Chapter of his Book As for that which Fernand says of their Gods Fatoquis Amida Xaca Gizon and Canom as also of the fooleries dreams and leasings which they recount of them and of their original and the respests and reverences they bear unto them it may be all seen in the twelfth Book of Mafeus his Indian History and in the first and fourth Chapters of his Epistles Trigault in his first and second Book Boterus in his Relaâ—ions S t Romain and many others By all this now is my Author throughly vindicated from all aspersions of falshood that may be cast upon this his Work which were it otherwise and meerly devised yet is it so full of variety and of such strange both Comick and Tragick Events as cannot chuse but delight far more then any Romance or other of that kind But being accompanyed with the truth as I have sufficiently proved it will no doubt give all the satisfaction and content that can be desired of the Reader The Contents CHAP. I. IN what manner I past my youth in the Kingdom of Portugal until my going to the Indiaes Fol. 1. CHAP. II. My Departure from Portugal for the East-Idiaes and my imbarquing there for the Straight of Mecqua 3 CHAP. III. Our travelling from Mazua by Land to the Mother of Prester John as also our re-imbarquing at the Port of Arquico and that which befell us by the encounter of three Turkish Vessels 5 CHAP. IV. A Mutiny happening in the Town of Mocaa the occasion thereof that which befell thereupon and by what means I was carryed to Ormuz as also my sailing from thence to Goa and what success I had in that Voyage 8. CHAP. V. Goncalo vas Coâ—inhoes Treaty with the Queen of Onor his assaulting of a Turkish 〈◊〉 and that which happened unto us as we were upon our return to Goa 11 CHAP. VI. What passed till such time as Pedro de Faria arrived at Malaca his receiving an Embassador from the King of Batas with his sending me to that King and that which arrived unto me in that Voyage 14 CHAP. VII What happened to me at Panaiu with the King of Batas expedition against the Tyrant of Achem and what he did after his Victory over him 18 CHAP. VIII That which past between the King of Batas and me until such time as I imbarqued for Malaca my arrival in the Kingdom of Queda and my return from thence to Malaca 21 CHAP. IX The arrival of an Embassador at the Fortress of Malaca from the King of Aaru to the Captain thereof his sending me to the said King my coming to Aaru and that which happened unto me after my departure from thence 26 CHAP. X. By what means I was carryed to the Town of Siaca and that which befell me there my going to Malaca with a Mahometan Merchant and the Tyrant of Achems Army marching against the King of Aaru CHAP. XI The death of the King of Aaru and the cruel justice that was executed on him by his Enemies the going of his Queen to Malaca and her reception there 33 CHAP. XII The Queen of Aaru's departure from Malaca her going to the King of Jantana his summoning the Tyrant of Achem to restore the Kingdom of Aaru and that which past between them thereupon 36 CHAP. XIII My departure to go to Pan that which fortuned after my arrival there with the murther of the King of Pan and the cause thereof 39 CHAP. XIV The misfortune that befell us at our entry into the River of Lugor our hiding our selves in a Wood with that which happened unto us afterwards and our return unto Malaca 42 CHAP. XV. Antonio de Faria his setting forth for the Isle of Anyan his arrival at the River of Tinacoreu and that which befell us in this Voyage 46 CHAP. XVI Antonio de Faria's arrival at the Bay of Camoy where was the fishing of Pearls for the King of China the relation made to him of the Isle of Aynan with that which happened to him by the means of a renegado Pirate and other ways 52 CHAP. XVII The information that Antonio de Faria had of the Country some passages betwixt him and the Nautarel of the Town his going to the River of Madel with his encountering a Pirate there and that which passed between them 58 CHAP. XVIII What Antonio de Faria did with the Captain of the Pirates Iunck that which past between him and the people of the Country with our casting away upon the Island of Thieves 61 CHAP. XIX In what sort we escaped miraculously out of this Island our passage from thence to the River of Xingrau our encountering with a Chinese Pirate and the agreement we made with him 65 CHAP. XX. Our encounter at Sea with eight Portugals very sorely hurt and Antonio de Faria's meeting and fighting with Coia Acem the Pirate 69 CHAP. XXI What Antonio de Faria did after his Victory his departure
from the River of Tinlau with his ill success thereupon and the succor we met withall 73 CHAP. XXII Antonio de Faria hath news of the five Portugals that were made Captives his Letter to the Mandarin of Nouday about them and his assaulting the said Town 76 CHAP. XXIII Antonio de Faria's Navigation till he came to the Port of Liampoo his arrival and gallant reception there by the Portugals 81 CHAP. XXIV Antonio de Faria departs from Liampoo for to go and seek out the Island of Calempluy the strange things that we saw and the hazard we ran in our Voyage thither 87 CHAP. XXV Our arrival at the Island of Calempluy with the description thereof what happened to Antonio de Faria in one of the Hermitages there and how we were discovered 92 CHAP. XXVI Our casting away in the gulph of Nanquin with all that befell us after this lamentable shipwrack 97 CHAP. XXVII Our arrival at the Town of Taypor where we were made Prisoners and so sent to the City of Nanquin 103 CHAP. XXVIII The Marvels of the City of Nanquin our departure from thence towards Pequin and that which happened unto us till we arrived at the Town of Sempitay 107 CHAP. XXIX Our arrival at Sempitay our encounter there with a Christian woman together with the original and foundation of the Empire of China and who they were that first peopled it 112 CHAP. XXX The foundation of the four chief Cities of China together with which of the Kings of China it was that built the wall betwixt China and Tartaria and many things that we saw as we past along 116 CHAP. XXXI The order which is observed in the moving Towns that are made upon the Rivers and that which further befell us 122 CHAP. XXXII Our arrival at the City of Pequin with our imprisonment and that which moreover happened unto us there as also the great Majesty of the Officers of their Court of Iustice. 125 CHAP. XXXIII What past between us and the Tanigores of Mercy with the great favor they did us and a brief relation of the City of Pequin where the King of China keeps his Court. 131 CHAP. XXXIV The order which is observed in the Feasts that are made in certain Inns and the state which the Chaems of the two and thirty Universities keeps with certain remarkable things in the City of Pequin 134 CHAP. XXXV The Prison of Ximanguibaleu wherein those are kept which have been condemned to serve at the reparations of the wall of Tartaria and another Inclosure called the Treasure of the dead with the revenues whereof this Prison is maintained 137 CHAP. XXXVI Of an Edifice scituated in the midst of the River wherein were the hundred and thirteen Chappels of the Kings of China and the publique Granaries established for the relief of the poor 142 CHAP. XXXVII The great number of Officers and other people which are in the King of China's Pallace with our going to Quincay to accomplish the time of our Exile and what befell us there 144 CHAP. XXXVIII A Tartar Commander enters with his Army into the Town of Quincay and that which followed thereupon with the Nauticors besieging the Castle of Nixiamcoo and the taking of it by the means of some of us Portugals 149 CHAP. XXXIX The Mitaquer departs from the Castle of Nixiamcoo and goes to the King of Tartaria's Camp before Pequin with that which we saw till we arrived there and the Mitaquers presenting us unto the King 154 CHAP. XL. The King of Tartaria's raising his siege from before Pequin for to return into his Country and that which passed until his arrival there 158 CHAP. XLI In what manner we were brought again before the King of Tartaria with our departure from that Kingdom and all that we saw and befell us in our Voyage till our arrival at the Court of the King of Chauchinchina 160 CHAP. XLII The reception of the Tartarian Embassador by the King of Chauchinchina with the said Kings going to the City of Uzanguea and his triumphal entry thereinto 167 CHAP. XLIII Our departure from the City of Uzanguea and our adventures till our arrival at the Isle of Tanixumaa with our going a shore there 170 CHAP. XLIV The great Honor which the Nautaquin Lord of the Isle did to one of us for having seen him shoot with an Harquebuse and his sending me to the King of Bungo with that which passed till my arrival at this Court 172 CHAP. XLV The great mishap which befell the King of Bungo's son with the extream danger that I was in for the same and what followed thereupon 176 CHAP. XLVI My curing the young Prince of Bungo with my return to Tanixumaa and imbarquing there for Liampoo and also that which happened to us on land after the shipwrack we suffered by the way thither 178 CHAP. XLVII The carrying of us to the Town of Pungor and presenting us to the Broquen Governor of the Kingdom with that which ensued upon it 181 CHAP. XLVIII The King of Lequios sending a cruel sentence against us to the Broquen of the Town where we were Prisoners to the end he should put it in execution and that which further happened unto us till our arrival at Liampoo 184 CHAP. XLIX My sailing from Liampoo to Malaca with the sending me by the Captain of the Fortress there to the Chaubainhaa at Martibano and all that befell us in our Voyage thither 189 CHAP. L. The Continuance of our Voyage to the Bar of Martibano and certain memorable particularities happening there 195 CHAP. LI. In what manner the Chaubinhaa rendered himself to the King of Bramaa and the cruel prâ—ceeding against the Queen of Martabano and the Ladies her attendants 201 CHAP. LII In what manner the sentence of death was executed on the person of the Chaubinhaa King of Martabano Nhay Canatoo his wife and an hundred and forty women with that which the King of Bramaa did after his return to Pegu. 205 CHAP. LIII That which passed between the Queen of Prom and the King of Bramaa together with the first assault that was given to the City and the success thereof 209 CHAP. LIV. The King of Bramaa his besieging the Fortress of Meleytay with his going from thence to Avaa and that which passed there 282 CHAP. LV. Our going with the King of Bramaa's Embassador to the Calaminham with the course which we held until we arrived at the Temple or Pagode of Tinagoogoo and a description thereof 215 CHAP. LVI The great and sumptuous Procession made in this Pagode together with their Sacrifices and other particularities 218 CHAP. LVII What we saw in the continuing of our Voyage until we arrived at the City of Timplan 223 CHAP. LVIII The Magnificent Reception of the King of Bramaa his Embassador at the City of Timplan and that which passed betwixt the Calaminham and him 226 CHAP. LIX An ample Relation of the Empire of Calaminham and of the Kingdoms of Pegu and Bramaa
his Subject with all the purity and affection which a Vassal is obliged to carry unto his Master I Angeessiry Timorraia King of Batas desiring to insinuate my self into thy friendship that thy Subjects may be inriched with the fruits of this my Country I do offer by a new Treaty to replenish the Magazins of thy King who is also mine with Gold Pepper Camfire Benjamon and Aloes upon condition that with an entire confidence thou shalt send me a safe conduct written and assigned with thine own hand by means whereof all my Lanchares and Jurupanges may navigate in safety Furthermore in favor of this new amity I do again beseech thee to succor me with some Powder and great Shot whereof thou hast but too much in thy Store-houses and therefore mayst well spare them for I had never so great need of all kind of warlike munitions as at this present This granted I shall be much indebted to thee if by thy means I may once chastise those perjured Achems the mortal and eminent Enemies of thy Malaca with whom I swear to thee I will never have peace as long as I live until such time as I have had satisfaction for the blood of my three children which call upon me for vengeance and that therewith I may asswage the sorrow of their noble Mother who having given them suck and brought them up hath seen them since miserably butchered by that cruel Tyrant of Achem in the Towns of Jacur and Lingua as thou shalt be more particularly informed by Aquarem Dabolay the Brother of those childrens desolate Mother whom I have sent unto thee for a confirmation of our new amity to the end Signior that he may treat with thee about such things as shall seem good unto thee as well for the service of God as for the good of thy people From Paniau the fifth day of the eighth Moon This Embassador received from Pedro de Faria all the honor that he could do him after their manner and as soon as he had delivered him the Letter it was translated into the Portugal out of the Malayan Tongue wherein it was written Whereupon the Embassador by his Interpreter declared the occasion of the discord which was between the Tyrant of Achem and the King of Batas proceeding from this that the Tyrant had not long before propounded unto this King of Batas who was a Gentile the imbracing of Mahometâ— Law conditionally that he would wed him to a Sister of his for which purpose he should quit his wife that was also a Gentile and married to him six and twenty years Now because the King of Batas would by no means condescend thereunto the Tyrant incited by a Cacis of his immediately denounced War against him So each of them having raised a mighty Army they fought a most bloody Battel that continued three hours and better during the which the Tyrant perceiving the advantage the Bataes had of him after he had lost a great number of his people he made his retreat into a Mountain called Cagerrendan where the Bataes held him besieged by the space of three and twenty days but because in that time many of the Kings men fell sick and that also the Tyrants Camp began to want Victuals they concluded a Peace upon condition that the Tyrant should give the King five bars of Gold which are in value two hundred thousand crowns of our mony for to pay his Soldiers and that the King should marry his eldest son to that sister of the Tyrant who had been the cause of making that War This accord being signed by either part the King returned into his Country where he was no sooner arrived but relying on this Treaty of Peace he dismist his Army and discharged all his Forces The tranquillity of this Peace lasted not above two months and an half in which time there came to the Tyrant three hundred Turks whom he had long expected from the Straight of Mecqua and for them had sent four Vessels laden with Pepper wherein also were brought a great many Cases full of Muskets and Hargebusezes together with divers Pieces both of Brass and Iron Ordnance Whereupon the first thing the Tyrant did was to joyn those three hundred Turks to some Forces he had still afoot then making as though he would go to Pacem for to take in a Captain that was revolted against him he cunningly fell upon two places named Iacur and Lingua that appâ—rtained to the King of Batas which he suddenly surprized when they within thâ—m least thought of it for the Peace newly made between them took away all the mistrust of such an attempt so as by that means it was easie for the Tyrant to render himself Master of those Fortresses Having taken them he put three of the Kings sons to death and seven hundred Ouroballones so are the noblest and the valiantâ—st of the Kingdom called This while the King of Batas much resenting and that with good cause so great a Treachery sware by the head of his god Quiay Hocombinor the principal Idol of the Gentiles sect who hold him for their god of Justice never to eat either fruit salt or any other thing that might bring the least gust to his palate before he had revenged the death of his children and drawn reason from the Tyrant for this loss protesting further that he was resolved to dye in the maintenance of so just a War To which end and the better to bring it to pass the King of Batas straightway assembled an Army of fifteen thousand men as well natives as strangers wherewithall he was assisted by some Princes his friends and to the same effect he emplored the Forces of us Christians which was the reason why he sought to contract that new amity we have spoken of before with Pedro de Faria who was very well contented with it in regard he knew that it greatly imported both the service of the King of Portugal and the conservation of the Fortress besides that by this means he hoped very much to augment the Revenue of the Customs together with his own particular and all the rest of the Portugals profit in regard of the great Trade they had in those Countries of the South After that the King of Batas Embassador had been seventeen days with us Pedro de Faria dismissed him having first granted whatsoever the King his Master had demanded and something over and above as fire-pots darts and murdering Pieces wherewith the Embassador departed from the Fortress so contented that he shed tears for joy nay it was observed that passing by the great door of the Church he turned himself towards it with his hands and eyes lift up to Heaven and then as it were praying to God Almighty Lord said he openly that in rest and great joy livest there above seated on the Treasure of thy Riches which are the spirits formed by thy Will here I promise thee if it may be thy good pleasure to give us
the cause that ships are many times cast upon Pazem by foul weather at Sea from which I pray God deliver thee for I assure thee that if thy ill fortune should carry thee thither the men of Achem would eat thee alive and the Tyrant himself would have the first bite at thee there being nothing in the world these Inhumanes so much vaunt of as to carâ—y on the crest of their Arms the device of Drinkers of the troubled blood of miserable Caâ—sers who they say are come from the end of the world calling them Tyrannical men and Vsurpers in a soveraign degree of other mens Kingdoms in the Indiaes and Isles of the Sea This is the title wherein they glory most and which they attribute particularly to themselves as being sent them from Mecqua in recompence of the golden Lamps which they offered to the Alcoran of their Mahomet as they use to do every year Furthermore although heretofore I 〈◊〉 often advised thy Captain of Malaca to take careful heed of this Tyrant of Achem yet do not thou omit to advertise him of it once more from me for know that he never had nor shall have other thoughts then to labor by all means to expel him out of the Indiaes and make the Turk Master of them who to that end promiseth to send him great succors but I hope that God will so order it as all the malice and cunning of this disloyal wretch shall have a contrary success to his intentions After he had used this language to me he gave me a Letter in answer to my Embassage together with a present which he desired me to deliver from him to Captain de Faria this was six small Javelins headed with Gold twelve Cates of Calambuca Wood every one of them weighing twenty ounces and a box of exceeding value made of a Tortoise shâ—ll beautified with Gold and full of great seed pearl amongst the which there were sixteen fair pearls of rich account For my self he gave me two Cates of Gold and a little Courtelâ—â—â— garnished with the same Then he dismissed me with as much demonstration of honor as he had always used to me before protesting to me in particular that the amity which he had contracted with our Nation should ever continue inviolable on his part Thus I imbarqued my self with Aquarem Dabâ—lay his Brother-in-law who was the same he had sent Embassador to Malaca as I have related before Being departed from the Port of Panaiu we arrived about two hours in the â—ight at a little Island called Apofingua distant some league and an half from the mouth of the River and inhabited by poor people who lived by the fishing of Shadâ— The next morning leaving that Island of Apofingua we ran along by the coast of the Ocean Sea for the space of five and twenty leagues until such time as at length we entered into the Straight of Minhagaruu by which we came then passing by the contrary coast of this other Mediterranean Sea we continued our course along by it and at last arrived near to Pullo Bugay There we crost over to the firm Land and passing by the Port of Iunçalan we sailed two days and an half with a favorable wind by means whereof we got to the River of Parles in the Kingdom of Queda there we rode five days at anchor in expectation of a fit wind to carry us on During that time the Mahometan and my self by the counsel of certain Merchants of the Country went to visit the King with an Odiaa or Present of divers things that we thought were convenient for our design which was received with much demonstration of being very well pleased therewith When we came to his Court we found that with a great deal of pomp excellent musick dancing and largess to the poor he was solemnizing the funerals of his Father whom he himself had poynarded of purpose for to marry his own mother after he had gotten her with child Wherewithall not being contented to decline the murmur which so wicked and horrible an act might provoke unto he had made proclamation that on pain of a most rigorous death no person whatsoever should be so daring as to speak a word of that which had past and it was told us there how for that cause he had most tyrannically put the principal Personages of his Kingdom and a number of Merchants already to death whose goods he had confiscated to his own use and thereby enriched his Coffers with two millions of Gold So that upon our arrival we perceived such a general fear to be amongst the people as not the most hardy of them all durst so much as make the least mention in the world of it Now in regard the Mahometan my companion named Coia Ale was a man liberal of his tongue and that would say any thing which came into his head he perswaded himself in regard he was a stranger and the Captain of Malaca's Factor that he might with more liberty then those of the Country talk what he listed and the King not punish him for it as he did his Subjects But he found himself far short of his account and this presumption cost him his life For being invited to a feast by another Mahometan like himself a Merchant stranger born at Patana when as they were both of them high with wine and meat as I learned since they began to talk boldly and without any respect of the Kings Brutality and Parracide whereof the King being incontinently advertised by Spies which he had in every corner for that purpose he caused the house to be presently invested and all the guests to be apprehended to the number of seventeen persons These poor wretches were no sooner brought bound before him but immediately without observing any form of Justice or hearing what they could say for themselves either good or bad he commanded them to be put to a most cruel kind of death called by them Gregoge which is to saw off the feet hands and heads of them that are condemned to it as I beheld afterwards my self This execution done the King feaâ—ing lest the Captain of Malaca should be offended for that he had executed his Factor thus with the rest and therefore might arrest some goods that he had at Malaca sent the night following for me to the Iurupango where I was sleeping and altogether ignorant of that which had past understanding the Kings pleasure away I went and coming about midnight to the Palace I perceived in the outward Court a great many men in arms the sight whereof I must confess put me into a mighty amazement and mistrust because I could not imagine what should be the cause of it and doubting lest it might be some such Treason as at other times they had practised against us I would fain have returned but they that accompanied me judging that my fear proceeded from the Soldiers which I beheld there bid me be afraid of nothing for these
please God it might be brought to pass CHAP. IX The Arrival of an Embassador at Malaca from the King of Aaru to the Captain thereof his sending me to the said King my coming to Aaru and that which happend to me after my departing from thence FIve and twenty days after my coming to Malaca Dom Stephano de Gama being still Captain of the Fortress an Embassador arrived there from the King of Aaru for to demand succor of men from him and some munitions of War as Powder and Bullets for to defend himself from a great Fleet that the King of Achem was setting forth against him with an intention to deprive him of his Kingdom and so be a nearer neighbor unto us to the end that having gained that passage he might afterwards send his forces the more easily against our Fortress of Malaca whereof Pedro de Faria was no sooner advertised but representing unto himself how important this affair was for the service of the King and preservation of the Fortress he acquainted Dom Stephano de Gama with it in regard his Command of the place was to continue yet six weeks longer howbeit he excused himself from giving the succor which was required saying that the time of his Government was now expiring and that his being shortly to come in the duty of his charge did oblige him to take care of this business and to think of the danger that menaced him Hereunto Pedro de Faria made answer that if he would relinquish his Government for the time he had yet to come in it or give him full power to dispose of the publique Magazins he would provide for the succor that he thought was necessary In a word and not to stand long on that which past betwixt them it shall suffice to say that this Embassador was utterly denyed his demand by these two Captains whereof the one alledged for excuse that he was not yet entered upon his Charge and the other that he was upon the finishing of his whereupon he returned very ill satisfied with this refusal and so far resented injustice which he thought was done unto his King as the very morning wherein he imbarqued himself having met by chance with the two Captains at the gate of the Fortress he said aloud before them publiquely with the tears in his eyes O God! that with a soveraign Power and Majesty raignest in the highest of the Heavens even with deep sighs fetch'd from the bottom of my heart I take thee for Iudg of my cause and for witness of the just occasion I have to make this request to these Captains here and that in the name of my King the faithful Vassal of the great King of Portugal upon homage sworn by his Ancestors to the famous Albuqueâ—que who promised us that if the Kings of our Kingdom did always continue true and loyal Subjects to his Master that then both he and his successors would oblige themselves to defend them against all their enemies as belonged to their soveraign Lord to do wherefore since we have continued still loyal to this day what reason have you my Masters not to accomplish this obligation wherein your King and you are so deeply engaged especially seeing you know that only in respect of you this perfidious Tyrant of Achem takes our Country from us For there is nothing he so much reproacheth us withall as that my King is as good a Portugal and Christian as if he had been born in Portugal and yet now that he desires you to succor him in his need as allyes and true friends ought to do you excuse your selves with reasons that are of no validity The succor we require of you for to secure us and to keep this faithless wretch from seizing on our Kingdom is a very small matter namely forty or fifty Portugals that may instruct us in the military art together with four barrels of Powder and two hundred Bullets for field Pieces a poor thing in comparison of that you have Now if you can yet be perswaded to grant us this little ayd you shall thereby so much oblige our King as he will ever remain a faithful slave to the mighty Prince of Portugal your Master and ours in whose name I beseech you once twice nay an hundred times that you will perform that appertains unto your duty to do for this which I thus publikely demand of you is of so great importance that therein consists not so much the preservation of the Kingdom of Aaru as the safety of this your Fortress of Malaca which that Tyrant of Achem our enemy so extreamly desires to possess and to that purpose he hath gotten the assistance of divers strange Nations but because he finds that our Kingdom is a let to the execution of his design he endeavors to usurp it upon us and then he intends to guard this Straight in such sort as he will quite exclude you from all Commerce with the Spices of Banda and the Molucques and from all the Trade and Navigation of the Seas of China Sunda Borneo Timor and Jappon and this his own people stick not to boast of even already being also further manifested by the accord which he hath lately made with the Turk through the interposâ—ure of the Bassa of grand Cairo who in consideration thereof hath promised to ayâ— him with great Forces Wherefore at length give ear unto the request which I have made unto you in the name of my King and that so much concerns the service of yours for since you may yet give a remedy to the mischief which you see is ready to fall I desire you to do it speedily And let not one of you excuse himself by alledging that the time of his Government is almost at an end nor the other that he is not as yet entered upon his Charge for it is sufficient that you know you are both of you equally obliged thereunto Having finished this speech in form of a request which availed him nothing he stooped down to the ground from whence taking up two stones he knocked with them upon a Piece of Ordnance and then the tears standing in his eyes he said The Lord who hath created us will defend us if he please and so imbarquing himself he departed greatly discontented for the bad answer he carried back Five days after his departure Pedro de Faria was told how all the Town murmured at the small respect that both he and Dom Stephano had carried to that poor King who had ever been a friend both to them and the whole Portugal Nation and continually done very good offices to the Fort for which cause his Kingdom was now like to be taken from him This advice causing him to see his fault and to be ashamed of his proceeding he labored to have palliated it with certain excuses but at last he sent this King by way of succor fifteen quintals of fine Powder an hundred pots of Wild-fire an hundred and fifty Bullets for
great that it contains along the Coast above three thousand leagues as may easily be seen by the cards and globes of the world if so be their graduation be true Besides if this loss should happen which God of his infinite mercy forbid though we have but two much deserved it for our carelessness and sins we are in danger in like manner to lose the Customs of Mandorim of the City of Goa which is the best thing the King of Portugal hath in the Indiaes for they are Ports and Islands mentioned heretofore whereon depends the greatest part of his Revenue not comprehending the Spices namely the Nutmegs Cloves and Maces which are brought into this Kingdom from those Countries Now to return to my discourse I say that the Tyrant of Achem was advised by his Councel how there was no way in the world to take Malaca if he would assail it by Sea as he had done divers times before when as Dom Stephano de Gama and his Predecessors were Captains of the Fortress but first to make himself Master of the Kingdom of Aaru to the end he might afterwards fortifie himself on the River of Panetican where his Forces might more commodiously and nearly maintain the War he intended to make For then he might have means with less charge to shut up the Straights of Cincapura and Sabaon and so stop our Ships from passing to the Seas of China Sunda Banda and the Molucques whereby he might have the profit of all the Drugs which came from that great Archipelague And verily this counsel was so approved by the Tyrant that he prepared a Navy of an hundred and threescore Sails whereof the most part were Lanchares with oars Galiots Calabuzes of Iaoa and fifteen Ships high built furnished with Munition and Victual In these Vessels he imbarqued seventeen thousand men namely twelve thousand Soldiers the rest Sailers and Pioners Amongst these were four thousand Strangers Turks Abissins Malabares Gusurates and Lusons of the Isle of Borneo Their General was one named Heredin Mahomet Brother-in-law to the Tyrant by marriage with a Sister of his and Governor of the Kingdom of Baarros This Fleet arrived safely at the River of Panetican where the King of Aaru attended them with six thousand of his own natural Subjects and not a forraigner amongst them both in regard he wanted mony for to entertain Soldiers and that also he had a Country unprovided of victual to feed them At their arrival the Enemies found them fortifying of the Trench whereof I spake heretofore Whereupon without any further delay they began to play with their Ordnance and to batter the Town on the Sea side with great fury which lasted six whole days together In the mean time the besieged defended themselves very valiantly so as there was much blood spilt on either side The General of the Achems perceiving he advanced but little caused his Forces to Land and mounting twelve great Pieces he renewed the battery three several times with such impetuosity that it demolished one of the two Forts that commanded the River by means whereof and under the shelter of certain packs of Cotton which the Achems carried before them they one morning assaulted the principal Fortress In this assault an Abissin commanded called Mamedecan who a month or thereabout before was come from Iuda to confirm the new League made by the Bassa of Caire on the behalf of the grand Signior with the Tyrant of Achem whereby he granted him a Custom-house in the Port of Pazem This Abissin rendered himself Master of the Bulwark with threescore Turks forty Ianizaries and some Malabar Mooâ—s who instantly planted five Ensigns on the walls In the mean time the King of Aaru encouraging his people with promises and such words as the time required wrought so effectually that with a valorous resolution they set upon the Enemy and recovered the Bulwark which they had so lately lost so as the Abissin Captain was slain on the place and all those that were there with him The King following his good fortune at the same instant caused the gates of the Trench to be opened and sallying out with a good part of his Forces he combated his Enemies so valiantly as he quite routed them In like manner he took eight of their twelve Pieces of Ordnance and so retreating in safety he fortified himself the best he could for to sustain his Enemies future assaults CHAP. XI The Death of the King of Aaru and the cruel Iustice that was executed on him by his Enemies the going of his Queen to Malaca and her reception there THe General of Achem seeing the bad success which he received in this incounter was more grieved for the death of the Abissin Captain and the loss of those eight Pieces of Ordnance then for all them that were slain besides whereupon he assembled his Councel of War who were all of opinion that the commenced siege was to be continued and the Trench assailed on every side which was so speedâ—ly put in execution that in seventeen days it was assaulted nine several times in so much as by divers sorts of fire-works continually invented by a Turkish Engineer that was in their Camp they demolished the greater part of the Trench Moreover they overthrew two of the principal Forts on the South side together with a great Platform which in the manner of a false-bray defended the entry of the River notwithstanding all the resistance the King of Aaru could make with his people though they behaved themselves so valiantly as the Achems lost above two thousand and five hundred men besides those that were hurt which were far more then the slain whereof the most part dyed shortly after for want of looking to As for the King of Aaru he lost not above four hundred men howbeit for that his people were but few and his Enemies many as also better ordered and better armed in the last assault that was given on the thirteenth day of the Moon the business ended unfortunately by the utter defeat of the King of Aaru's Forces For it was his ill hap that having made a salley forth by the advice of a Cacis of his whom he greatly trusted it fell out that this Traytor suffering himself to be corrupted with a bar of gold weighing about forty thousand duckets which the Achem gave him whereof the King of Aaru being ignorant set couragiously on his Enemies and fought a bloody battel with them wherein the advantage remained on his side in all mens judgment but that Dog the perfidious Cacis whom he had left Commander of the Trench sallied forth with five hundred men under colour of seconding the King in his pursuit of so prosperous a beginning and left the Trench without any manner of defence which perceived by one of the Enemies Captains a Mahometan Malabar named Cutiale Marcaa he presently with six hundred Gusarates and Malabars whom he had led thither for that purpose made himself Master of the Trench
and without harkening to what he might say she instantly returned to her lodging then caused her Vessâ—ls wherein she came thither to be made ready and the next day set sail for Biâ—tan where the King of Iantana was at that time who according to the report was made of it to us afterward received her with great honor at her arrival To him she recounted all that had past betwixt her and Pedro de Faria and how she had lost all hope of our friendship Unto whom it is said the King made this answer That he did not marvel at the little faith she had found in us for that we had shewed it but too much upon sundry occasions unto all the world Now the better to confirm his saying he recited some particular examples of matters which he said had befallen us conformable to his purpose and like a Mahometan and our Enemy he made them appear more enormous then they were So after he had recounted many things of us very ill done amongst the which he interlaced divers Treacheries Robberies and Tyrannies at length he told her that as a good King and a good Mahometan he would promise her that ere it were long she should see her self by his means restored again to every foot of her Kingdom and to the end she might be the more assured of his promise he told her that he was content to take her for his wife if so she pleased for that thereby he should have the greater cause to become the King of Achems Enemy upon whom for her sake he should be constrained to make War if he would not by fair means be perswaded to abandon that which he had unjustly taken from her Whereunto she made answer that albeit the honor he did her was very great yet she would never accept of it unless he would first promise as in way of a dowry to revenge the death of her former husband saying it was a thing she so much desired as without it she would not accept of the Soveraignty of the whole world The King condescended to her request and by a solemn Oath taken on a Book of their Sect confirmed the promise which to that effect he made her After that the King of Iantana had taken that Oath before a great Cacis of his called Raia Moulana upon a festival day when as they solemnized their Ramadan he went to the Isle of Compar where immediately upon the celebration of their Nuptials he called a Councel for to advise of the course he was to hold for the performance of that whereunto he had engaged himself for he knew it was a matter of great difficulty and wherein he should be forced to hazard much of his Estate The resolution that he took hereupon was before he enterprized any thing to send to summon the Tyrant of Achem to surrender the Kingdom of Aaru which in the right of his new wife belonged now unto him and then according to the answer he should receive to govern himself This Councel seemed so good to the King that he presently dispatched an Embassador to the Tyrant with a rich Present of Jewels and Silks together with a Letter containing these words Sibri Laya quendou pracama de Raia lawful King by a long succession of Malaca which by strong hand and the injustice of the faithless Kings of Jantana and Bintan hath been usurped from me To thee Siry Sultan Aaradin King of Achem and of all the Land of the two Seas my true Brother by the ancient Amity of our forefathers I thine Ally in flesh and in blood do give thee to understand by my Embassador that about the seventh Moon of this present year the noble Widow Anchesiny Queen of Aaru came to me full of grief and tears and prostrating her self on the ground before me she told me that thy Captains had taken her Kingdom from her as also the two Rivers of Lava and Panetican and slain Aliboncar her husband together with five thousand Amborraias and Ouroballons all men of mark that were with him and made three thousand children slaves which had never offended tying their hands behind them and scourging them continually without pity as if they had been the sons of unbelieving mothers Wherefore being moved with compassion I have received her under the protection of my faith to the end that I might with more certainty inform my self of the reason and right thou hadst so to do and perceiving by her oaths that thou hadst none I have taken her to my wife that I might the more freely before God demand that which is hers I desire thee then as being thy true Brother that thou wilt render that thou hast taken from her and thereof make her a good and full restitution And touching the proceeding that is to be held in this restitution which I demand of thee it is to be done according to the manner that Syribican my Embassador will shew thee And not doing thus conformable to what in justice I require of thee I declare my self thine Enemy in the behalf of this Lady unto whom I am obliged by a solemn Oath to defend her in her affliction This Embassador being come to Acheâ— the Tyrant received him very honorably and took his Letter But after he had opened it and read the contents he would presently have put him to death had he not been diverted by his Councel who told him that in so doing he would incur great infamy Whereupon he instantly dismissed the Embassador with his Present which in contempt of him he would not accept of and in answer of that he brought him he returned him a Letter wherein it was thus written I Sultan Aaradin King of Achem Baarros Pedir Paacem and of the Signories of Dayaa and Batas Prince of all the Land of the two Seas both Mediterranean and Ocean and of the Mynes of Menencabo and of the Kingdom of Aaru newly conquered upon just cause To thee King replenished with joy and desirous of a doubtful heritage I have seen thy Letter written at the table of thy Nuptials and by the inconsiderate words thereof have discerned the drunkenness of thy Councellors and Secretaries whereunto I would not have vouchsafed an answer had it not been for the humble prayers of my servants As touching the Kingdom of Aaru do not thou dare to speak of it if thou desirest to live sufficeth it that I have caused it to be taken in and that it is mine as thine also shall be ere long if thou hast married Anchesiny with a purpose upon that occasion to make claim to a Kingdom that now is none of hers wherefore live with her as other husbands do with their wives that tilling the ground are contented with the labor of their hands Recover first thy Malaca since it was once thine and then thou mayst think of that which never belonged to thee I will favor thee as a Vassal and not as a Brother as thou qualifiest thy self From my great
and Royal House of rich Achem the very day of this thy Embassadors arrival whom I have presently sent away without further seeing or hearing of him as he may tell thee upon his return to thy presence The King of Iantana's Embassador being dismissed with this Answer the very same day that he arrived which amongst them they hold for a mighty affront carried back the Present which the Tyrant would not accept of in the greater contempt both of him that sent and he that brought it and arrived at Compar where the King of Iantana was at that instant who upon the understanding of all that had past grew by report so sad and vext that his servants have vowed they have divers times seen him weep for very grief that the Tyrant should make so little reckoning of him Howbeit he held a Councel there upon the second time where it was concluded that at any hand he should make War upon him as on his mortal Enemy and that the first thing he should undertake should be the recovery of the Kingdom of Aaru and the Fort of Panetican before it was further fortified The King accordingly set forth a Fleet of two hundred Sails whereof the most part were Lanchares Calaluses and fifteen tall Juncks furnished with Munition necessary for the enterprize And of this Navy he made General the great Laque Xemena his Admiral of whose valor the History of the Indiaes hath spoken in divers places To him he gave two thousand Soldiers as also four thousand Mariners and gally slaves all choyce and trained men This General departed immediately with his Fleet and arrived at the River of Panetican close by the Enemies Fort which he assaulted five several times both with scaling ladders and divers artificial fires but perceiving he could not prevail that way he began to batter it with four hundred great Pieces of Ordnance which shot continually for the space of seven whole days together at the end whereof the most part of the Fort was ruined and overthrown to the ground whereupon he presently caused his men to give an assault to it who performed it so valiantly that they entered it and slew fourteen hundred Achems the most of which came thither but the day before the Fleet arrived under the conduct of a Turkish Captain Nephew to the Bassa of Caire named Mora do Arraiz who was also slâ—iâ—â— there with four hundred Turks he had brought along with him whereof Laque Xemena would not spare so much as one After this he used such diligence in repairing that which was fallen wherein most of the Soldiers labored that in twelve days the Fort was rebuilt and made as strong as before with the augmentation of two Bulwarks The news of this Fleet which the King of Iantana prepared in the Ports of Bintan and Compar came to the Tyrants ears who fearing to lose that which he had gotten put instantly to Sea another Fleet of fourteen hundred and twenty Sails Foists Lanchares Galiots and fifteen Galleys of five and twenty banks of oaâ—s a piece wherein he caused fifteen thousand men to be imbarqued namely twelve thousand Soldiers and the rest Mariners and such as were for the service of the Sea Of this Army he made the same Heredin Mahomet General who had before as I have already declared conquered the Kingdom of Aaru in regard he knew him to be a man of a great spirit and fortunate in War who departing with this Army arrived at a place called Aapessumhee within four leagues of the River of Panetican where he learnt of certain fishermen whom he took and put to torture all that had past concerning the Fort and the Kingdom and how Laque Xemena had made himself Master both of the Land and Sea in expectation of him At this news it is said that Heredin Mahomet was much perplexed because intruth he did not bâ—lieve the Enemy could do so much in so little time By reason whereof he assembled his Councel where it was concluded that since both the Fort and Kingdom were regained and all the men he had left there cut in pieces as likewise for that the Enemy was very strong both at Sea and Land and the season very unfit for their design therefore they were to return back Neverthâ—less Heredin Mahomet was of a contrary opinion saying that he would rather dye like a man of courage then live in dishonor and that seeing the King had made choyce of him for that purpose by the help of God he would not lose one jot of the reputation he had gotten wherefore he vowed and swore by the bones of Mahomet and all the Lamps that perpetually burn in his Chappel to put all those to death as Traytors that should go about to oppose this intent of his and that they should be boiled alive in a Cauldron of Pitch in such manner as he meant to deal with Laque Xemena himself and with this boiling resolution he parted from the place where he rode at anchor with great cries and noise of Drums and Bells as they are accustomed to do upon like occasions In this sort by force of oars and sails they got into the entry of the River and coming in sight of Laque Xemena's Navy who was ready waiting for him and well reinforced with a great number of Soldiers that were newly come to him from Pâ—ra Bintan Siaca and many other places thereabout he made towards him and after the discharging of their Oâ—dnance afar off they joyned together with as much violence as might be The fight was such that during the space of an hour and an half there could no advantage be discerned on either part until such time as Heredin Mahomet General of the Achems was slain with a great shot that hit him just in the brest and battered him to pieces The death of this Chieftain discouraged his people in such manner as laboring to return unto a Point named Baroquirin with a purpose there to unite and fortifie themselves until night and then by the favor thereof to fly away they could not execute their design in regard of the great currant of the water whâ—ch separated and dispersed them sundry ways by which means the Tyrants Army â—ell into the power of Laque Xemena who defeated it so that but fourteen Sails of them escaped and the other hundred threescore and six were taken and in them were thirteen thousand and five hundred men killed besides the fourteen hundred that were slain in the Trench These fourteen Sails that so escaped returned to Achem where they gave the Tyrant to understand how all had past at which it is reported he took such grief as he shut up himself for twenty days without seeing any body at the end whereof he struck off the heads of all the Captains of the fourteen Sails and commanded all the Soldiers beards that were in them to be shaved off enjoyning them expresly upon pain of being sawed asunder alive to go ever
after attired in womens apparel playing upon Timbrels in all places where they went and that whensoever they made any protestation it should be in saying So may God bring me back my husband again as this is true or So may I have joy of the children I have brought into the world Most of these men seeing themselves inforced to undergo a chastisement so scandalous to them fled their Country and many made themselves away some with poyson some with halters and some with the sword A relation altogether true without any addition of mine Thus was the Kingdom of Aaru recovered from the Tyrant of Achem and remained in the hands of the King of Iantana until the year 1574. At which time the said Tyrant with a Fleet of two hundred Sails feigning as though he would go to take in Patava fell cunningly one night on Iantana where the King was at that time whom together with his wife children and many others he took prisoners and carried into his Country where he put them all to most cruel deaths and for the King himself he caused his brains to be beaten out of his head with a great club After these bloody executions he possest the Kingdom of Aaru whereof he presently made his eldest son King the same that was afterward slain at Malaca coming to besiege it in the time of Don Lionis Pâ—reyra son to the Earl of Feyra Captain of the Fortress who defended it so valiantly that it seemed to be rather a miracle then any natural work by reason the power of that Enemy was so great and ours so little in comparison of theirs as it may be truly spoken how they were two hundred Mahometans against one Christian. CHAP. XIII My departure from Malaca to go to Pan that which fortuned after my arrival there with the murther of the King of Pan and the cause thereof TO return unto the Discourse where I left I say that when I was recovered of the sickness which I got in my Captivity at Siaca Pedro de Faria desiring to find out some occasion to advance and benefit me sent me in a Lanchara to the Kingdom of Pan with goods of his to the value of ten thousand duckets for to consign them into the hands of a Factor of his that recided there named Tome Lobo and from thence to go to Patava which is an hundred leagues beyond that To that purpose he gave me a Letter and a Present for the King and an ample Commission to treat with him about the redemption of five Portugals who in the Kingdom of Siam were Slaves to Monteo de Bancha his Brother-in-law I parted then from Malaca upon this employment and the seventh day of our Voyage just as we were opposite to the Island of Pullo Timano which may be distant from Malaca some ninety leagues and ten or twelve from the mouth of the River of Pan a little before day we heard at two several times great lamentations at Sea and being not able in regard of the darkness of the night to know what it was we were all suspended into divers opinions for that we could not imagine what it should be in so much that to learn the certainty thereof I caused them to hoist up sail and row towards that part where we heard the lamentation every one looking down round about close to the water the better to discern and hear that of which we were in such doubt After we had continued a pretty while in this manner we perceived far from us a black thing that floated on the Sea and unable at first to discover what it was we advised together about it Now there being but four Portugals of us in the Lanchara we were all of different minds so that I was told how I was to go directly to the place whither Pedro de Faria had sent me that losing but an hours time I might endanger the Voyage and hazard the goods and so for want of performing the duty of my charge I might very much wrong him Whereunto I answered that happen what might I would not leave off laboring to know what it was and that if in so doing I committed any fault the Lanchara appertained to none but Pedro de Faria unto whom my self was to render an account of the goods in it and not they that had nothing else in the Vessel but their persons which were in no more danger then mine During this debate it pleased God that the day appeared by the light whereof we perceived pâ—ople that were cast away who floated pell-mell together upon planks and other pieces of wood Whereupon without further fear we turned our prow towards them and with force of sails and oars we made to them hearing them cry six or seven times without using any other speech Lord have mercy upon us At the sight of this strange and pitiful spectacle we remained so amazed that we were almost besides our selves and causing some of the Mariners to get with all speed into the Cock-boat they fetcht three and twenty persons of them into the Lanchara namely fourteen Portugals and nine Slaves which were all so dis-figured in the face as they made us afraid to look on them and so weak as they could neither speak nor stand After they had been thus taken up by us and entreated in the best manner we could we demanded of them the cause of their mis-fortune whereunto one of the company weâ—ping answered My Masters I am named Fernand Gil Porcalâ—o and the eye which you behold I want was strucken out by the Achems at the siege of Malaca when as the second time they came to surprize Dom Estâ—vano de Gama who desiring to do something for me because he saw me poor as I was at that time gave me leave to go to the Molucques where would to God I had never been since my Voyage was to have so bad a success for after I departed from the Port of Talagame which is the Roade of our Fort at Ternate having sailed three and twenty days with a favorable gale in a Junck that carried a thousand bars of Cloves worth above an hundred thousand duckets my ill fortune would that at the point of Surabaya in the Isle of Iaoa there arose so impetuous a North-wind that our Junck brake in the prow which constrained us to lighten the hatches So we passed that night by the shoar without bearing so much as a rag of sail by reason the Sea was exceedingly moved and the waves most insupportable The next day we perceived that our Junk sank so that of an hundred forty and seven persons that were in her there were saved but six and twenty and now it is fourtain days that we have been upon these planks having during all that time eaten nothing but a slave of mine that dyed with whom we have sustained our selves eight days and the very last night two Portugals more dyed on whom we would not feed although we were very much prest
retire to the Lanchara where we remained with five Boys and eight Mariners not having so much as the worth of a peny left of all our merchandize which amounted to fifty thousand crowns in gold and stone only In this Lanchara we past away all the night very much afflicted and still harkening what might be the end of this mutiny which was risen among the people as I have before related At length perceiving the matters grew worse and worse and that there was no hope for us to recover any part of our goods we thought it a far safer course to go away to Patana then by staying to run a hazard of being killed as above four thousand persons were With this resolution we parted from this place and in six days arrived at Patana where we were very well received by the Portugals which were in that Country unto whom we recounted all that had past at Pan and the pitious estate wherein we had left that miserable Town This accident very much afflicted them so that desiring to give some remedy thereunto with a true affection of charitable Christians they went all to the Palace of the King and complained to him of the wrong that had been done to the Captain of Malaca beseeching him thereupon they might be permitted to recover if it were possible the loss they had sustained and have leave granted to right themselves upon any merchants goods belonging to the Kingdom of Pan to the value of the sum they had been despoyled of The King having heard their complaint and presently granting what they demanded It is reasonable said he that you should do as you have been done unto and that you should spoyl them that first have spoyled you especially in a matter that concerns the Captain of Malaca unto whom all of you are so much obliged The Portugals having rendred him very humble thanks for this grace returned to their houses where they concluded to seize upon all the goods they could meet with belonging to the Kingdom of Pan until such time as they had fully recovered their loss It hapned then about nine days after they being advertised that some ten leagues off in the river of Calantan were three Junks of China very rich and appertaining to Mahometan Merchants Natives of the Kingdom of Pan that by foul weather at Sea were constrained to put in there our people resolved to fall upon them To which effect out of three hundred Portugals that were then in the Country we chose out fourscore with whom we imbarqued our selves in two Foysts and one round ship well provided of all things we thought to be necessary for this enterprize So we departed three days after with all speed for fear lest the Mahometans of the Country having discovered our design should advertise them of it whom we went to seek Of these three vessels one Ioano Fernandez Dabrea born in the Isle of Madera was General who with forty Soldiers went in the round ship and the other two Foysts were commanded by Laurenco de Goes and Vasco Sermento both of them of the City of Braganea in Portugal and very well experienced in Sea-service The next day we arrived at the river of Calentan where as soon as we decryed the three Junks riding at anchor which we had been told of we set very valiantly upon them and albeit those that were in them did at first do their best endevor to defend themselves yet at length all their resistance was in vain for in less then an hour we reduced them all under our power so as seventy and four of theirs were slain and but three of ours though we had many men hurt I will not hold you here with any particular discourse of what was done on either side let it suffice that after the three Junks had rendred themselves we presently set sail and carryed them away with us in all haste because the whole Country thereabout was in an uproar directing our course towards Patana where by the favor of a fair wind we arrived the next day in the afternoon Having then cast anchor we saluted the Town with a peal of Ordnance in sign of joy which put the Mahometans of the Country out of all patience for though we stood in the terms of good friends with them yet they left not to use all possible means both of Presents which they gave to the Governors and the Kings Favorites and otherwise for to make our prizes voyd and that the King would expel us out of his dominions whereunto he would at no hand consent saying that he would not for any thing in the world break the peace which his Ancestors had made with the Christians of Malaca â—nd that all that he could do therein was to become a third betwixt them Whereupon he deâ—â—â—ed us that the three Necodas of the Junks so are the Commanders of them called in that Country restoring unto us what had been taken from the Captain of Malaca we would likewise render unto them as well their vessels free as the overplus a matter which Ioano Fernandez Dabrea and the rest of the Portugals very willingly agreed unto to testifie the desire they had to content him As indeed he was exceedingly well pleased with them for it which he expressed both in courteous language and many promises of his future favor Thus were the fifty thousand duckets recovered that Pedro de Faria and Tome Lobo had lost and the Portugals were in great esteem over all that Country so that their valor rendred them very formidable to the Mahometans A little after the Soldiers assured us that in the three Junks we had taken there was only in lingoâ—s of silver besides the other merchandize wherewithall they were laden to the value of two hundred Taieis which in our mony amounts to an hundred thousand duckets CHAP. XIV The Misfortune that befell us at the entry into the River of Lugor our hiding our selves in a Wood with that which happened unto us afterwards and our return unto Malaca HAving sojourned six and twenty days at Patana for to sell away some few commodities of China that I had there arrived a Foyst from Malaca commanded by one Antonio de Faria who came thither by the express commandment of Pedro de Faria to treat with the King about some accord as also to confirm the ancient league anew which he had with Malaca and withall to give him thanks for the good entertainment he gave in his Kingdom to those of the Portugal Nation This business was carryed with a fair shew of an Embassie accompanyed with a Letter and a Present of Jewels sent in the name of the King of Portugal our Master and taken out oâ— his Coffers as all the Captains of that place used to do Now for as much as the said Antonio de Faria had brought along with him some ten or twelve thousand crowns worth of Indian woolen and linnen cloth which he had taken up on his credit at
Malaca and that he saw there was so little utterance of that commodity as he could not meet with any Merchant that would deal for it he was fain to resolve for to spend the winter there until such time as he might meet with some opportunity to put it off Howbeit he was advised by some of the best experienced of the Country to send it unto Lugor which is a great Town in the Kingdom of Siam an hundred leagues lower towards the North for they alledged that this Port was very rich and of great vent by reason of a world of Junks that arrived there dayly from the Isle of Iaoa from Lava Taniampura Iapara Demaa Panaruca Sydayo Passarvan Solor and Borneo whose Merchants were used to give a good rate for such like commodities in exchange of gold or stone This advice was well approved of by Antonio de Faria who instantly went about to put it in execution To which end he took order for the providing of a vessel by reason the Foyst wherein he came was altogether unfit for a further voyage Matters thus disposed of he deputed one named Christovano Borhalho for his Factor a man exceeding well vers'd in business of Traffique with whom there imbarqued some sixteen men as well Soldiers as Merchants with a hope that one crown would yield them six or seven what in the commodities they should carry as in those they should return Hereupon wretched I being one of the sixteen we parted from the Port on a Saturday and sailed with a favorable wind along the coast till Thursday next in the morning that we arrived at Lugor Road and anchored at the mouth of the River There it was thought fit to pass the rest of the day to the end we might inform our selves of what was behoveful for us to do as well for the sale of our commodities as for the safety of our persons And to say truth we learnt such good news that we were confident of gaining above six times double and to be sure of freedom and liberty during all the month of September according to the Ordinance of the King of Siam because it was the month of the Kings Sumbayas Now the better to clear this you must know that all along this coast of Malaya and within the Land a great King commands who for a more famous and recommendable Title above all other Kings causeth himself to be called Prechau Saleu Emperor of all Sornau which is a Country wherein there are thirteen Kingdoms by us commonly called Siam to the which fourteen petty Kings are subject and yield homage that were anciently obliged to make their personal repair unto Odiaa the Capital City of this Empire as well to bring their Tribute thither as to do the Sumbaya to their Emperor which was indeed to kiss the Courtelas that he ware by his side Now because this City was seated fifty leagues within the Land and the Currents of the Rivers so strong as these Kings were oftentimes forced to abide the whole winter there to their great charge they petitioned the Prechau King of Siam that the place of doing this their homage might be altered whereupon he was pleased to ordain that for the future there should be a Viceroy resident in the Town of Lugor which in their language is called Poyho unto whom every three years those fourteen Kings should render that duty and obedience they were accustomed to do unto himself and that during that time they spent there in performing the same being the whole month of September both their own merchandize and that of all others as well natives as strangers that either came in or went out of the Country should be free from all manner of imposts whatsoever So that we arriving in the time of this freedom there was such a multitude of Merchants that flocked thither from all parts as we were assured there was no less then fifteen hundred Vessels in the Port all laden with an infinity of Commodities of very great value And this was the good news we learnt at such time as we arrived at the mouth of the River wherewith we were so well pleased that we presently resolved to put in as soon as the wind would permit us But alass we were so unfortunate that we could never come to see what we so much desired for about ten of the clock just as we had dined and were preparing to set sail we saw a great Junk coming upon us which perceiving us to be Portugals few in number and our Vessel small fell close with our prow on the larboard side and then those that were in her threw into us great Cramp-irons fastened unto two long chains wherewithall they grappled us fast unto them which they had no sooner done but straightway some seventy or eighty Mahometans came flying out from under their hatches that till then had lien lurking there who with a mighty cry cast so many stones darts and lances which â—ell as thick as hail upon us that of us sixteen Portugals twelve rested dead in the place together with six and thirty others as well Boys as Mariners Now for us four remaining Portugals after we had escaped so dreadful â—n incounter we leapt all of us into the Sea where one was drowned and we three that were left getting to land as well as we could being dangerously hurt and wading up to the wast in mud went and hid our selves in the next adjoyning wood In the mean time the Mahometans of the Junk entring into our Frigot not contented with the slaughter they had made of our men like mad dogs they killed six or seven Boys out-right whom they found wounded on the Dâ—ck not sparing so much as one of them That done they imbarqued all the goods of our Vessel into their Junk then made a great hole in her and so sunk her Immediately whereupon leaving their anchor in the Sea and the Cramp-irons wherewithall they had grappled us unto them they set sail and made away as fast as ever they could for fear of being discovered After this our escape seeing our selves all sore hurt and without any hope of help we did nothing but weep and complain for in this disaster we knew not what to resolve on so much were we amazed with that which had befaln us within the space of half an hour In this desolation we spent the rest of that sad day but considering with our selves that the place was moorish and full of Adders and Lizards we thought it our safest course to continue there all the night too as accordingly we did standing up to the middle in the Owze The next morning as soon as it was day we went along by the Rivers side until we came unto a little channel which we durst not pass as well for that it was very deep as for fear of a great number of Lizards that we saw in it so that in great pain we stayd not only that night there but five days
himself that out of his impatience judged according to the wicked inclination of his heart Moreover asking of them whether in their Law they believed that the great God which governeth this All came at any time into the world clothed with a humane form they said No because there could be nothing that might oblige him to so great an extremity in regard he was through the excellency of the divine Nature delivered from our miseries and far esloigned from the Treasures of the Earth all things being more then base in the presence of his splendor By these answers of theirs we perceived that these people had never attained to any knowledg of our truth more then their eyes made them to see in the picture of Heaven and in the beauty of the day for continually in their Combayes which are their prayers lifting up their hands they say By thy works Lord we confess thy greatness After this Antonio de Faria set them at liberty and having given them certain presents wherewith they were very well pleased he caused them to be conveyed to Land that done the wind beginning a little to rise he set sail having all his Vessels adoâ—ned with divers coloured Silks their Banners Flags and Streamers displayed and a Standart of Trade hung out after the manner of the Country to the end they might be taken for Merchants and not for Pyrats and so an hour after he anchored just against the Key of the Town which he saluted with a little peal of Ordnance whereupon ten or eleven Almadiaes came presently to us with good store of refreshments Howbeit finding us to be strangers and discerning by our habits that we were neither Siams Iaos nor Malayos nor yet of any other Nation that ever they had seen they said one to another Please Heaven that the dew of the fresh morning may be as profitable to us all as this evening seems fair with the presence of these whom our eyes behold Having said thus one of the Almadiaes asked leave to come aboard us which they were told they might do because we were all their brothers so that three of nine which were in that Almadia entred into our Junk whom Antonio de Faria received very kindly and causing them to sit down upon a Turky Carpet by him he told them that he was a Merchant of the Kingdom of Siam and going with his goods towards the Isle of Ainan he had been advertised that he might better and more securely sell off his Commodities in this Town then in any other place because the Merchants thereof were juster and truer of their word then the Chineses of the Coast of Ainan Whereunto they thus answered Thou art not deceived in that which thou sayst for if thou be a Merchant as thou affirmest beleeve it that in every thing and every where thou shalt be honored in this place wherefore thou mayst sleep without fear Antonio de Faria mistrusting some intelligence might come over Land concerning that which he had done to the Pyrat upon the River of Tanauquir and so might work him some prejudice would not dis-imbarque his goods as the Officers of the Custom-house would have had him which was the cause of much displeasure and vexation to him afterward so that his business was twice interrupted by that means wherefore perceiving that good words would not serve to make them consent to his Propositions he sent them word by a Merchant who dealt between them that he knew well enough they had a great deal of reason to require the landing of his goods because it was the usual course for every one so to do But he assured them that he could not possibly do it in regard the season was almost past and therefore he was of necessity to hasten his departure as soon as might be the rather too for the accommodating of the Junk wherein he came for as much as she took in so much water that threescore Mariners were always laboring at three pumps to clear her whereby he ran a great hazard of losing all his goods And that touching the Kings Customs he was contented to pay them not after thirty in the hundred as they demanded but after ten as they did in other Kingdoms and so much he would pay presently and willingly To this offer they rendred no answer but detained him that carried the message prisoner Antonio de Faria seeing that his messenger returned not set sâ—il immediately hanging forth a number of flags as one that cared not whether he sold or no Whereupon the Merchants strangers that were come thither to trade perceiving the Commodities of which they hoped to make some profit to be going out of the Port through the perversness and obstinacy of the Nautarel of the Town they went all to him and desired him to recall Antonio de Faria otherwise they protested to complain to the King of the injustice he did them in being the cause of hindring their Traffique The Nautarel that is the Governor with all the Officers of the Custom-house fearing left they might upon this occasion be turned out of their places condescended to their request upon condition since we would pay but ten in the hundred that they should pay five more whereunto they agreed and instantly sent away the Merchant whom they had detained prisoner with a Letter full of complements wherein they declared the agreement they had made Antonio de Faria answered them that since he was out of the Port he would not re-enter it upon any terms by reason he had not leasure to make any stay howbeit if they would buy his Commodities in gross bringing lingots of silver with them for that purpose he would sell them to them and in no other manner would deal for he was much distasted with the little respect the Nautarel of the Town had carried towards him by despising his messages and if they were contented to accept thereof that then they should let him know so much within an hour at the farthest otherwise he would sail away to Ainan where he might put off his Commodities far better then there They finding him so resolved and doubting to lose so fair an occasion as this was for them to return into their Country embarqued themselves in five great Lighters with forty chests full of lingots of silver and a many sacks to bring away the Pepper and arriving at Antonio de Faria's Junk they were very well received by him unto whom they represented anew the agreement they had made with the Nautarel of the Town greatly complaining of his ill Government and of some wrongs which without all reason he had done them but since they had pacified him by consenting to give him fifteen in the hundred whereof they would pay five they desired him to pay the ten as he had promised for otherways they could not buy his Commodities Whereunto Antonio de Faria answered that he was contented so to do more for the love of them then for any profit
Soldier as he was and verâ—t in the trade of Pyrat he got the wind of us that done falling down within a Musket shot of us he saluted us with fifteen Pieces of Ordnance wherewith we were much affrighted because the most of them were Faulconeâ—s but Antonio de Faria encouraging his men like a valiant Captain and a good Christian disposed them on the hatches in places most convenient as well in the prow as the poop reserving some to be afterwards fitted as need should require Being thus resolved to see the end of that which Fortune should present us it pleased God that we descryed a Cross in our Enemies Flag and on the foredeck a number of red Caps which our men were wont to wear at Sea in those times whereby we were perswaded that they might be Portugals that were going from Liampoo to Malaca Whereupon we made them a sign for to make our selves known to them who no sooner perceived that we were Portugals but in token of joy they gave a great shout and withall vailing their two top sails in shew of obedience they sent their long boat called a Bâ—lon with two Portugals in her for to learn what we were and from whence we came At length having well observed and considered us they approached with some more confidence to our Junk and having saluted us and we them they came aboard her where Antonio de Faria received them very courteously And for that they were known to some of our Soldierâ— they continued there a good while during the which they recounted divers particulars unto us necessary for our design That done Antonio de Faria sent Christovano Borralho to accompany them back and to visit Quiay Panian from him as also to deliver him a Letter full of complements and many other offers of friendship wherewith this Pyrat Panian was so contented and proud that he seemed not to be himself such was his vanity and passing close by our Junk he took in all his sails then accompanied with twenty Portugals he came and visited Antonio de Faria with a goodly rich Present worth above two thousand duckets as well in Ambergreece and Pearls as Jewels of Gold and Silver Antonio de Faria and the rest of us received him with great demonstrations of love and honor After that he and all his company were set Antonio de Faria fell to discourse with them of divers things according to the time and occasion and then recited unto them his unhappy Voyage and the loss he had sustained acquainting them with his determination to go unto Liampoo for to reinforce himself with men and make provision of Vessels with oars to the end he might return again to pass once more into the Streight of Cauchenchina and so get to the Mynes of Quoaniaparu where he had been told there were â—ix large houses full of lingots of Silver besides a far greater quantity that was continually melted all along the River and that without any peril one might be wonderfully enriched Whereunto the Pyrat Panian made this answer For mine own part Signior Captain I am not so rich as many think though it is true I have been so heretofore but having been beaten with the same misfortune which thou sayst hath befallen thee my riches have been taken from me Now to return to Patana where I have a wife and children I dare not by reason I am assured that the King will despoil me of all that I should bring thither because I departed from thence without his permission which he would make a most haynous crime to the end he might seize upon my estate as he hath done to others fâ—r far lesser occasions then that wherewith he may charge me Wherefore if thou canst be contented that I shall accompany thee in the Voyage thou meanest to undertaken with an hundred men that I have in my Iunk fifteen Pieces of Ordnance thirty Muskets and forty Harquebuses which these Signiors the Portugals that are with me do carry I shall most willingly do it upon condition that thou wilt impart unto me a third part of that which shall be gotten and to that effect I desire thee to give me an assurance undâ—r thy hand as also to swear unto me by thy Law to perform it accordingly Antonio de Faria accepted of this offer very gladly and after he had rendred him many thanks for it he swore unto him upon the holy Evangelists fully and without all fail to accomplish what he required and thereof likewise made him a promise under his hand to which divers of their company subscribed their names as witnesses This accord past between them they went both together into a River called Anay some five leagues from thence where they furnished themselves with all that they stood in need of by means of a Present of an hundred duckets which they gave to the Mandarin Captain of the Town CHAP. XX. Our Encounter at Sea with a little Fisher-boat wherein were eight Portugals very sore hurt and Antonio de Faria's meeting and fighting with Coia Acem the Pyrat BEing parted from this River of Anay and well provided of all things necessary for the Voyage we had undertaken Antonio de Faria resolvâ—d by the advice and counsel of Quiay Panian whom he much respected to go and anchor in the Port of Chincheo there to be informed by such Portugals as were come from Sunda Malaca Timor and Patana of certain matters requisite for his design and whether they had any news from Liampoo in regard the report went in the Country that the King of China had sent thither a Fleet of four hundred Junks wherein there were an hundred thousand men for to take the Portugals that reâ—ided there and to burn their houses for that he would not endure them to be any longer in his dominions because he had been lately advertised that they were not a people so faithful and peaceable as he had been formerly given to understand Arriving then in the Port of Chincheo we found five Portugal ships that were come thither about a month before from the places above mentioned These ships received us with great joy and after they had given us intelligence of the Country Traffique and Tranquillity of the Ports they told us they had no other news from Liampoo but that it was said a great number of Portugals were come thither from many parts to winter there and how that great Army which we so much feared was not thereabout but that it was suspected to be gone for the Islands of Goâ—o to the succor of Sucan de Pontir from whom the brute went a Brother-in-law of his had taken his Kingdom and that in regard Sucan had lately made himself subject to the King of China and his Tributary for an hundred thousand Taeis by the year he had in contemplation thereof given him this great Army of four hundred Junks with the forces aforesaid for to restore him to his Crown and Signiories whereof he had
of wood only those of the Mandarins are made of hewed stone and also invironed with walls and ditches over which are stone bridges whereon they passe to the gates that have rich and costly arches with divers sorts of inventions upon the towers all which put together make a pleasing object to the eye and represent a certain kind of I know not what Majesty The houses of the Chaems Anchacys Aytaâ—s Tuâ—oâ—s and Chumbims which are all Goveâ—nours of Provinces or Kingdoms have stately towers six or seven stories high and guilt all â—ver wherein they have their magazines for arms their Wardrobes their treasuries and a world of rich housholdstuff as also many other things of great value together with an infinite of delicate and most fine porcelain which amongst them is prised and esteemed as much as precious stone for this sort of porcelain never goes out of the Kingdom it being expresly forbidden by the laws of the Country to be sold upon pain of death to any stranger unlesse to the Xatamaas that is the Sophyes of the Persians who by a particular permission buy of it at a very dear rate The Chineses assured us that in this City there are eight hundred thousand fires fourscore thousand Mandarins houses threescore and two great market placâ—s an hundred and thirty butchers shambles each of them containing fourscore shops and eight thousand streets whereof six hundred that are fairer and larger then the rest are compassed about with bâ—llisters of copper we were further assured that there are likewise two thousand and three hundred Pagodes a thousand of which were Monestaries of religious persons professed in their accursed Sect whose buildings were exceeding rich and sumptuous with very high steeples wherein there were between sixty and seventy such mighty huge bels that it was a dreadful thing to here them rung There are moreover in this City thirty great strong prisons each whereof hath three or four thousand prisoners and a charitable Hospital expresly established to supply the necessities of the poor with Proctors ordained for their defence both in civil and criminal causes as is before related At the entrance into every principal street there are arches and great gates which for each mans security are shut every night and in most of the streets are goodly fountains whose water is excellent to drink Besides at every full â—nd new moon open fayrs are kept in several places whither Merchants resort from all parts and where there is such abundance of all kind of victual as cannot well be exprest especially of flâ—sh and fruit It is not possible to deliver the great store of fish that is taken in this river chiefly Soles and Mullets which are all sold alive besides a world of sea-fish both fresh salted and dried we were told by certain Chineses that in this City there are ten thousand trades for the working of silks which from thence are sent all over the Kingdom The City it self is invironed with a very strong wall made of fair hewed stone The gates of it are an hundred and thirty at each of which there is a Porter and two Halberdiers who are bound to give an account every day of all that pâ—sses in and out There are also twelve Forts or Cittadels like unto ours with bulwarks and very high towers but without any ordinance at all The same Chineses also affirmed unto us that the City yeilded the King daily two thousand Taeis of silver which amount to three thousand duckats as I have delivered heretofore I will not speak of the Pallace royal because I saw it but on the outside howbeit the Chinesâ—s tell such wonders of it as would amaze a man for it is my intent to relate nothing save what we beheld here with our own eyes and that was so much as I am afraid to write it not that it would seem strange to those that have seen and read the marvels of the Kingdom of China but because I doubt that they which would compare those wondrous things that are in the countrys they have not seen with that little they have seen in their own will make some question of it or it may be give no credit at all to these truth because they are not confoâ—mable to their understanding and small experience Continuing our course up this river the first two days we saw not any remarkable town or place but only a great number of Villages and little hamlets of two or three hundred fires a piece which by their buildings seemed to be houses of fisher men and poor people that live by the labour of their hands For the rest all that was within view in the countrey was great woods of Firr Groves Forrests and Orange trees as also plains full of wheat rice beans pease millet panick barley rye flax cotton wool with great inclosures of gardens and goodly houses of pleasure belonging to the Mandarins and Lords of the Kingdom There was likewise all along the river such an infinite number of cattel of all sorts as I can assure you there is not more in Aethiopia nor in all the dominions of Prester Iohn upon the top of the mountains many houses of their Sects of Gentiles were to be seen adorned with high Steeples guilt all over the glistering whereof was such and so great that to behold them a far off was an admirable sight The fourth day of our voyage we arrived at a town called Pocasser twice as big as Cantano compassed about with strong wals of hewed stone and towers and bulwarks almost like ours together with a key on the river side twice as long as the shot of a falconet and inclosed with two rows of iron grates with very strong gates where the Junks and vessels that arrived there were unladen This place abounds with all kinds of merchandise which from thence is transported over all the Kingdom especially with copper sugar and allum whereof there is very great store Here also in the middest of a carrefour that is almost at the end of the town stands a mighty strong castle having three bulwarks and five towers in the highest of which the present Kings Father as the Chineses told us kept a King of Tartaria nine years prisoner at the end whereof he killed himself with poyson that his subjects sent him because they would not be constrained to pay that ransome which the King of China demanded for his deliverance In this town the Chifuu gave three of us leave to go up and down for to crave the alms of good people accompanied with four Hupes that are as Sergeants or Bailiffs amongst us who led us chained together as we were through six or seven streets where we got in alms to the value of above twentâ— duckats as well in clothes as mony besides flesh riceâ— meal fruit and other victuals which was â—â—stowed on us whereof we gave the one half to the Hupes that conducted us it being the custom so to do Afterwards we were
proceeded as they told us from her head where fire was continually kept that in like manner came out of the said face below By this Figure these Idolaters would demonstrate that she was the Queen of the fiery sphear which according to their belief is to burn the earth at the end of the World The fourth Monster was a man set stooping which with great swoln cheeks as big as the main sail of a Ship seemed to blow extreamly this Monster was also of an unmeasurable height anâ— of such an hideous and gastly aspect that a man could hardly endure the sight of it the Chineses called it Vzanguenaboo and said that it was he which raised Tempests upon the Sea and demolished Buildings in regard whereof the people offred many things unto him to the end he should do them no harm and many presented him with a piece of money yearly that he might not drown their Junks nor do any of theirs hurt that went by Sea I will omit many other abuses which their blindness makes them beleeve and which they hold to be so true as there is not one of them but would endure a thousand deaths for the maintenance thereof The next day being gone from the Town of Pocasser we arrived at another fair and great Town called Xinligau there we saw many Buildings inclosed with walls of Brick and deep ditches about them and at one end of the Town two Castles very well fortified with Towers and Bulwarks after our fashion at the gates were draw Bridges suspended in the air with great Iron chains and in the midst of them a Tower five Stories high very curiously painted with several Pictures the Chineses assured us that in those two Castles there was as much Treasure as amounted to fifteen thousand pieces of silver which was the revenue of all this Archipelage and laid up in this place by the Kings Grandfather now raigning in Memorial of a Son of his that was born here and named Leuquinau that is to say The joy of all those of the Country repute him for a Saint because he ended his dayes in Religion where also he was buried in a Temple dedicated to Quiay Varatel the God of all the Fishes of the Sea of whom these miserable Ignorants recount a world of Fooleries as also the Laws he invented and the precepts which he left them being able to astonish a man as I will more amply declare when time shall serve In this Town and in another five leagues higher the most part of the Silks of this Kingdome are dyed because they hold that the waters of these places make the colours far more lively then those of any other part and these Dyers which are said to be thirteen thousand pay unto the King yearly three hundred thousand Taeis Continuing our course up the River the day after about evening we arrived at certain great plains where were great store of Catâ—le as Horses Mares Colts and Cows guarded by men on Horsback that make sale of them to Butchers who afterwards retail them indifferently as any other flesh Having past these plains containing some ten or eleven Leagues we came to a Town called Iunquileu walled with Brick but without Battlements Bulwarks or Towers as others had whereâ—f I have spoken before at the end of the Suburbs of this Town we saw divers houses built in the water upon great Piles in the form of Magazines Before the gate of a little street stood a Tombe made of stone invironed with an Iron grate painted red and green and over it a steeple framed of pieces of very fine Pourcelain sustained by four pillars of curious stone upon the top of the Tombe were five Globes and two others that seemed to be of cast iron and on the one side thereof were graven in Letters of gold and in the Chinese language words of this substance Here lyes Trannocem Mudeliar Vncle to the King of Malaca whom death took out of the World before he could be revenged of Captain Alphonso Albuquerque the Lyon of the robberies of the Sea We were much amazed to behold this Inscription there wherefore enquiring what it might mean a Chinese that seemed more honourable then the rest told us that about some fortie years before this man which lay buried there came thither as Embassador from a Prince that stiled himself King of Malaca to demand succour from the son of the Sun against men of a Country that hath no name which came by Sea from the end of the World and had taken Malaca from him this man recounted many other incredible things concerning this matter whereof mention is made in a printed Book thereof as also that this Embassador having continued three years at the Kings Court suing for this succour just as it was granted him and that preparations for it were a making it was his ill fortune to be surprised one night at Supper with an Apoplexie whereof he dyed at the end of nine dayes so that extreamly afflicted to see himself carried away by a suddain death before he had accomplished his business he expressed his earnest desire of revenge by the Inscription which he caused to be graven on his tombe that posterity might know wherefore he was come thither Afterwards we departed from this place and continued our voyage up the river which thereabouts is not so large as towards the City of Nanquin but the Country is here better peopled with Villages Boroughs and Gardens then any other place for every stones cast we met still with some Pagode Mansion of pleasure or Countrey house Passing on about some two leagues further we arrived at a place encompassed with great iron gates in the midst whereof stood two mighty Statues of brass upright sustained by pillars of cast mettal of the bigness of a bushel and seven fathom high the one of a man and the other of a woman both of them seventy four spans in heighth having their hands in their mouths their cheeks horribly blown out and their eyes so staring as they affrighted all that looked on them That which represented a man was called Quiay Xingatalor and the other in the form of a woman was named Apancapatur Having demanded of the Chineses the explication of these figures they told us that the male was he which with those mighty swoln cheeks blew the fire of hell for to torment all those miserable wretches that would not liberally bestow alms in this life and for the other monster that she was Porter of hell gate where she would take notice of those that did her good in this world and letting them fly away into a river of very cold water called Ochilenday would keep them hid there from being tormented by the Divels as other damned were Upon this Speech one of our company could not forbear laughing at such a ridiculous and diabolical foolery which three of their Priests or Banzoes then present observing they were so exceedingly offended therewith as they perswaded the
of sinners so thou wilt be pleased to forgive us our offenceâ— that thereby we may become worthy to behold thy face in the glory of thy Kingdom where thou art sitting at the right hand of the Almighty Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name In the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen And so all of them kissing the Cross imbraced one another and thereupon returned every one to his own home Moreover she told us that her Father had left her many other prayers which the Chineses had stollen from her so that she had none left but those before recited whereunto we replyed that those we had heard from her were very good but before we went away we would leave her divers other good and wholsome prayers do so then answered she for the respect you owe to so good a God as yours is and that hath done such things for you for me and for all in general Then causing the cloth to be laid she gave us a very good and plentiful dinner and treated us in like sort every meal during the five days we continued in her house which as I said before was permitted by the Chifuu in regard of a present that this good woman sent his wife whom she earnestly intreated so to deal with her husband as we might be well intreated for that we were men of whom God had a particular care as the Chifuus wife promised her to do with many thanks to her for the present she had received In the mean space during the five days we remained in her House we read the Catechism seven times to the Christians wherewithall they were very much edifyed beside Christophoro Borhalho made them a little Book in the Chinese tongue containing the Pater Noster the Creed the Ten Commandments and many other good Prayers After these things we toâ—k our leaves of Inez de Leyria and the Christians who gave us fifty Taeis in Silver which stood us since in good stead â—s I shall declare hereafter and withall Inez de Leyria gave us secretly fifty Taeis more humbly desiring us to remember her in our Prayers to God After our departure from the Town of Sempitay we continued our course upon the River of Bataupina unto a place named Lequinpau containing about eleven or twelve thousand fires and very well built at least we judged so by that we could discern as also inclosed with good Walls and Curtains rouâ—d about it Not far from it was an exceeding long House having within it thirty Furnaces on each side where a great quantity of Silver was melted which was brought in carts from a Mountain some five leagues off called Tuxenguim The Chineses assured us that above a thousand men wrought continually in that Mine to draw out the Silver and that the King of China had in yearly Revenue out of it about five thousand Picos This place we left about Sun-set and the next day in the evening we arrived just between two little Towns that stood opposite one to another the River onely between the one named Pacau and the other Nacau which although they were little yet were they fairly builâ— and well walled with great hewed stone having a number of Temples which they call Pagods all guilt over and enriched with Steeples and Fanes of great price very pleasing and agreeable to the eye Now in regard of that they recounted unto us here of these two Towns I hold it not amisse to discourâ—e it in this place the rather for that I have heard it confirmed since and that thereby one may come to know the Original and Foundation of this Empire of China whereof ancient Writers have spoken little â—ill this present It is written in the first Chronicle of fourscore which have been made of the Kings of China the thirteenth Chapter as I have heard it many times delivered That six hundred thirty and nine years after the Deluge there was a Country called then Guantipocau which as may be judged by the height of the Climate where it is scituated being in sixty two degrees to the Northward abutts on the backside of our Germany In this Country lived at that time a Prince named Turbano whose state was not very great It is said of him that being a youth he had three children by a Woman called Nancaa whom he extreamly affected although the Queen his Mother then a Widow was exceedingly displeased at it This King being much importuned by the principal Persons of his Kingdom to marry always excused himself alledging some Reasons for it which they did not well allow of but incited by his Mother they pressed him so far that at length they perceived he had no intent to condescend unto them for indeed his minde was to legitimate the eldest Son he had by Nancaa and to resign his Kingdome unto him to which effect he not long after put himself into Religion in a Temple named Gison which seems to have been the Idol of a certain Sect that the Româ—â—s had in their time and that is still at this present in the Kingdomes of China Iappon Cauchenchina Cambaya and Siam whereof I have seen many Pagods in those Countries But first having declared his said â—on King the Queen his Mother would by no means approve of it saying That since the King her Son would needs profess himself into that Religion and leave the Kingdom without a lawful Heir she would labour to remedy so great a disorder as indeed she did by instantly marrying her self being fifty years of age to a Priest of hers called Silau that was but six and twenty whom she proclaimed King notwithstanding all opposition made to the contrary whereof Turbano being presently advertised and knowing that his Mother had done it of purpose to defeat his Son of the Crown he got him forthwith out of his Religion for to repossess himself of it and to that end used all the means and diligence he could whereupon the Queen Mother and Silau fearing that which might follow thereof to both their destructions if he were not in time and that speedily prevented they secretly assembled some of their partakers to the number of thirty Horse and fourscore Foot who going one night where Turbano was slew him and all his Company Howbeit Nancaa saved her self with her three Sons and accompanied with certain of her Domestical Servants she imbarqued her self in a small Lanteaa and fled away down the River to a place some seventy leagues from thence where she landed with those few followers she had There assisted with some others that resorted unto her she fortified her self in a little Island that was in the middest of the River and which she named Pilaunere that signifies The retreat of the poor with an intent there to end the rest of her days now having lived five years in that poor and miserable estate the Tyrant Silan whom the People hated doubting lest the three young Princes coming
this Stone upon which this new place is to be built for I desire that hereafter it should be so called wherefore I pray you all as Friends and command you as your King not to call it otherwise to the end the memory thereof may remain immortal to those that shall come after us to the end of the World By which means it shall be manifested to all men that the thirteenth day of the eighth Moon in the year one thousand six hundred thirty and nine after the Lord of all things created had made those that lived upon the Earth see how much he abhorred the sins of Men for the which he drowned the whole World with Water that he sent down from Heaven in satisfaction of his divine Iustice it shall I say be manifested to them that the new Prince Pequin built this Fortress whereunto he gave his Name And so conformable to the Prophesie which the dead childe hath delivered it shall be published over all by the voice of strange People in what manner the Lord is to be feared and what Sacrifices are to be made that they may be just and acceptable unto him Now this was that which King Pequin said unto his Vassals and which is at this day to be seen engraven on a silver Scutcheon fastened to an Arch of one of the principal Gates of the City called Pommicotay where in memory of this Prophecy there is ordinarily a Guard of forty Halberdiers with their Captain whereas there are but onely four in all the rest who are bound to render an account of all that pass in and out there daily And because the Histories relate that this new King laid the first foundation of this City on the 3 d of the moneth of August the Kings of China do on that day usually shew themselves to the People and that with such Pomp and Majesty that I profess I am not able to declare the least part of it much less to describe the whole Now in regard of this first Kings words which the Chineses hold for an infallible Prophecy his Descendants do so fear the accomplishment thereof that by a Law expresly made by them the admittance of any Strangers into this Kingdom saving Ambassadours and Slaves is forbidden upon most grievous pains So that when any do chance to arrive there they banish them presently from one place to another not permitting them to settle any where as they practised it towards me and my eight companions And thus as I have succinctly delivered was this Empire of China founded and peopled by the means of this Prince named Pequin the eldest of Nancaa's three Sons As for the other two called Pacan and Nacau they afterwards founded the other two Towns aforesaid and withall gave them their own Names It is also the general opinion that their Mother Nancaa founded the City of Nanquin which took its denomination from her continuing so to this day and is the second City of this great Monarchy The Histories further affirm that from the time of this first Founder the Empire of China augmented always from one King to another by a just Succession till a certain Age which according to our Computation was in the Year of Lord one thousand one hundred and thirty After which a King that then reigned named Xixipan inclosed the City of Pequin within the space of three and twenty years in such manner as it is seen at this day and that fourscore and two years after another King his Grand-childe called Iumbileytay made the like so that both together were sixty leagues in circuit namely each of them thirty ten in length and five in breadth Now it is certain and I have often times read it that each of these Inclosures or Walls hath a thousand and threescore round Bulwarks as also two hundred and forty Towers very fair strong large and high with gilt Lions upon Globes being the Arms of the Kings of China which are very pleasing to the eye Without the last Inclosure is an exceeding great Ditch round about it ten fathom deep and forty broad continually replenished with many Barques and Boats covered over head as if they were Houses where both Provisions and all sorts of Merchandise are sold. This City according to the Chineses report hath above three hundred and threescore Gates in each of which as I have before recited there are always four Halberdiers who are obliged to render an account of all that go in and out daily There are also certain Chambers in it whither it is the custome to bring such Children as wander and go astray in the Town to the end their Parents that lose them may be sure to hear of them there I will refer my speaking more largely of the Magnificences of this goodly City to another place for that which I have now delivered in haste and as it were en passant was but to make a brief Relation of the original of this Empire and of the first Founder of the City of Pequin which may be truly said to be the chiefest of all the World for greatness policy riches and abundance of all things that can be desired of man as also of the Foundation of the second City of this mighty Kingdom that is Nanquin and of the other two Pacan and Nacan whereof I have heretofore spoken and in which the Founders of them are buried in very stately and rich Temples within Tombs of white and green Alabaster all garnished with Gold and erected upon Lions of Silver with a world of Lamps and perfuming Pans full of divers sorts of sweet Odours round about them Now that I have spoken of the Original and Foundation of this Empire together with the circuit of the great City of Pequin I hold it not amiss to intreat as succinctly as I may of another particular which is no less admirable then those whereof I have made mention before It is written in the fifth Book of the Scituation of all the remarkable places of this Empire or rather Monarchy for to speak truly there is no appellation so great but may be well attributed unto it that a King named Crisnagol Dicotay who according to the computation of that Book reigned in the year of our Lord five hundred and eighteen happened to make war with the Tartar about some difference between them concerning the State of Xenxinapau that borders on the Kingdom of Lauhos and so valiantly demeaned himself in a Battel against him that he defeated his Army and remained Master of the Field whereupon the Tartar confederating himself with other Kings his Friends did by their assistance assemble together greater Forces then the former and therewith invaded the Kingdom of China where it is said he took three and thirty very important Towns of which the principal was Panquilor insomuch that the Chinese fearing he should not be well able to defend himself concluded a Peace with him upon condition to relinquish his right which he pretended to that in
question betwixt them and to pay him two thousand Picos of Silver for to defray the Charges of those strangers the Tartar had entertained in this War by this means China continued for a good while quiet but the King doubting lest the Tartar might in time to come return to annoy him again resolved to build a Wall that might serve for a Bulwark to his Empire and to that end calling all his Estates together he declared his determination unto them which was presently not onely well approved of but held most necessary so that to enable him for the performance of a business so much concerning his state they gave him ten thousand Picos of Silver which amount according to our account unto fifteen Millions of Gold after the rate of fifteen hundred Ducates each Pico and moreover they entertained him two hundred and fifty thousand men to labour in the work whereof thirty thousand were appointed for Officers and all the rest for manual services Order being taken then for whatsoever was thought fit for so prodigious an enterprise they fell to it in such sort as by the report of the History all that huge Wall was in seven and twenty years quite finished from one end to the other which if credit may be given to the same Chronicle is seventy Iaos in length that is six hundred and fifteen miles after nine miles every Iao wherein that which seemed most wonderfull and most exceeding the belief of man was that seven hundred and fifty thousand men laboured incessantly for so long a time in that great work whereof the Commonalty as I delivered before furnished one third part the Priests and Isles of Aynen another third and the King assisted by the Princes Lords Chaems and Anchacys of the Kingdom the rest of the building which I have both seen and measured being thirty foot in height and ten foot in breadth where it is thickest It is made of Lime and Sand and plaistered on the outside with a kind of Bitumen which renders it so strong that no Cannon can demolish it Instead of Bulwarks it hath Sentries or Watch-towers two stages high flanked with Buttresses of Carpentry made of a certain black wood which they call Caubesy that is to say Wood of Iron because it is exceeding strong and hard every Buttress being as thick as an Hogshead and very high so that these Sentries are far stronger then if they were made of Lime and Stone Now this Wall by them termed Chaufacan which signifies Strong resistance extends in height equal to the Mountains whereunto it is joyned and that those Mountains also may serve for a Wall they are cut down very smooth and sâ—eep which renders them far stronger then the Wall it self but you must know that in all this extent of land there is no Wall but in the void spaces from Hill to Hill so that the Hills themselves make up the rest of the Wall and Fence Further it is to be noted that in this whole length of an hundred and fifteen leagues which this Fortification contains there are are but onely 5 Entries whereby the Rivers of Tartaria do pass which are derived from the impetuous Torrents that descend from these Mountains and running above five hundred leagues in the Country render themselves into the Seas of China and Cauchenchina howbeit one of these Rivers being greater then the rest disemboques by the Bay of Cuy in the Kingdom of Sournau commonly called Siam Now in all these five Passages both the King of China and the King of Tartaria keep Garrisons the Chinese in each of them entertains seven thousand men giving them great pay whereof six thousand are Horse the rest Foot being for the most part strangers as Mogores Pancrus Champaas Corosones Gizares of Persia and other different Nations bordering upon this Empire and which in consideration of the extraordinary pay they receive serve the Chineses who to speak truth are nothing couragious as being but little used to the Wars and ill provided of Arms and Artillery In all this length of Wall there are three hundred and twenty Companies each of them containing five hundred Souldiers so that there are in all one hundred and threescore thousand men besides Officers of Justice Anchacis Chaems and other such like persons necessary for the Government and entertainment of these Forces so that all joyned together make up the number of two hundred thousand which are all maintained at the Kings onely charge by reason the most of them are Malefactours condemned to the reparations and labour of the Wall as I shall more amply declare when I come to speak of the Prison destined to this purpose in the City of Pequin which is also another Edifice very remarkable wherein there are continually above thirty thousand Prisoners the most of them from eighteen to forty five years of age appointed to work in this Wall Being departed from those two Towns Pacau and Nacau we continued our course up the River and arrived at another Town called Mindoo somewhat bigger then those from whence we parted where about half a mile off was a great Lake of Salt-water and a number of Salt-houses round about it The Chineses assured us that this Lake did ebb and flow like the Sea and that it extended above two hundred leagues into the Country rendring the King of China in yearly Revenue one hundred thousand Taeis onely for the third of the Salt that was drawn out of it as also that the Town yielded him other one hundred thousand Taeis for the Silk alone that was made there not speaking at all of the Camphire Sugar Pourcelain Vermilion and Quick-silver whereof there was very great plenty moreover that some two leagues from this Town were twelve exceeding long Houses like unto Magazines where a world of people laboured in casting and purifying of Copper and the horrible din which the Hammers made there was such and so strange as if there were any thing on earth that could represent Hell this was it wherefore being desirous to understand the cause of this extraordinary noise we would needs go to see from whence it proceeded and we found that there were in each of these Houses forty Fornaces that is twenty of either side with forty huge Anvils upon every of which eight men beat in order and so swiftly as a mans eye could hardly discern the blows so as three hundred and twenty men wrought in each of these twelve Houses which in all the twelve Houses made up three thousand eight hundred and forty workmen beside a great number of other persons that laboured in other particular things whereupon we demanded how much Copper might be wrought every year in each of these Houses and they told us one hundred and ten or sixscore thousand Picos whereof the King had two thirds because the Mines were his and that the Mountain from whence it was drawn was called Corotum baga which signifies a River of Copper for that from the
the good I have done you for Gods sake To conclude all the vessels where these things are exposed to sale are seldom less in number then two hundred besides thousands of others which sell such like wares in a far greater quantity We saw likewise many Barcasses full of men and women that played upon divers sorts of instruments and for mony gave them musick that desired it There were other vessels laden with horns which the Priests sold therewith to make feasts in Heaven for they say that those were the horns of several beasts which were offered in sacrifice to the Idols out of devotion and for the performance of vows that men had made in divers kind of misfortunes and sicknesses wherein they had at others times been And that as the flesh of those beasts had been given here below for the honour of God to the poor so the souls of them for whom those horns were offered do in the other world eat the souls of of those beasts to whom those horns belonged and thereunto invite the souls of their friends as men use to invite others here on earth Other vessels we saw covered with blacks and full of tombs torches and great wax lights as also women in them that for money would be hired to weep and lament for the dead others there were called Pitaleus that in great barques kept divers kinds of wild beasts to be shewed for mony most dreadful to behold as Serpents huge Adders monstrous Lizards Tygers and many others such like we saw in like sort a great number of Stationers which sold all manner of books that could be desired as well concerning the creation of the world whereof they tell a thousand lies as touching the States Kingdoms Islands and Provinces of the world together with the Laws and Customs of Nations but especially of the Kings of China their number brave acts and of all things else that happened in each of their reigns Moreover we saw a great many of the light swift Foysts wherein were men very well armed who cried out with a loud voice that if any one had received an affront whereof he desired to be avenged let him come unto them and they would cause satisfaction to be made him In other vessels there were old women that served for midwives and that would bring women speedily and easily a bed as also a many of Nurses ready to be entertained for to give children suck There were barques likewise very well adornâ—d and set â—orth that had in them divers reverend old men and grave matrons whose profession was to make marriages and to comfort widows or such as had lost their children or suffered any other misfortune In others there were a number of young men and maids that lacked Masters and Mistresses which offered themselves to any that would hire them There were other vessels that had in them such as undertook to tell fortunes and to help folks to things lost In a word not to dwell any longer upon every particular that was to be seen in this moving Town for then I should never have done it shall suffice me to say that nothing can be desired on land which was not to be had in their vessels and that in greater abundance then I have delivered wherefore I will passe from it to shew you that one of the principal causes why this Monarchy of China that contains two and thirty Kingdoms is so mighty rich and of so great commerce is because it is exceedingly replenished with rivers and a world of Chanals that have been anciently made by the Kings great Lords and people thereof for to render all the Country navigable and so communicate their labours with one another The narrowest of these Chanals have bridges of hewed stone over them that are very high long and broad whereof some are of one stone eighty ninety nay an hundred spans long and fifteen or twenty broad which doubtlesse is very marvellous for it is almost impossible to comprehend by what means so huge a masse of stone could be drawn out of the Quarry without breaking and how it should be transported to the place where it was to be set All the ways and passages from Cities Towns and Villages have very large causeys made of fair stone at the ends whereof are costly pillars and arches upon which are inscriptions with letters of gold containing the pray sers of them that erected them moreover there are handsome seats placed all along for poor passengers to rest themselves on There are likewise innumerable Aqueducks and fountains every where whose water is most wholesom and excellent to drink And in divers parts there are certain Wenches of love that out of charity prostitute themselves to travellers which have no mony and although amongst us this is held for a great abuse and abomination yet with them it is accounted a work of mercy so that many on their death-beds do by their testaments bequeath great revenues for the maintenance of this wickedness as a thing very meritorious for the salvation of their souls moreover many others have left lands for the erecting and maintaining of houses in deserts and unhabited places where great fires are kept all the night to guide such as have strayed out of their way as also water for men to drink and seats to repose them in and that there may be no default herein there are divers persons entertained with very good means to see these things carefully continued according to the institution of him that founded them for the health of his soul. By these marvels which are found in the particular Towns of this Empire may be concluded what the greatness thereof might be were they joyned all together but for the better satisfaction of the Reader I dare boldly say if my testimony may be worthy of credit that in one and twenty years space during which time with a world of misfortune labour and pain I traversed the greatest part of Asia as may appear by this my discourse I had seen in some countrys a wonderfull abundance of several sorts of victuals and provisions which we have not in our Europe yet without speaking what each of them might have in particular I do not think there is in all Europe so much as there is in China alone And the same may be said of all the rest wherewith Heaven hath favoured this clymate as well for the temperature of the air as for that which concerns the policy and riches the magnificence and greatness of their estate Now that which gives the greatest luster unto it is their exact observation of justice for there is so well ruled a Government in this Country as it may justly be envied of all others in the world And to speak the truth such as want this particular have no gloss be they otherways never so great commendable Verily so often as I represent unto my self those great things which I have seen in this China I am on the one
are comparable unto it how famous or populous soever they be Nay I will say further that one must not think it to be like to Grand Cairo in Egypt Tauris in Persia Amadaba in Cambaya Bisnagar in Narsingua Goura in Bengala Ava in Chaleu Timplan in Calaminhan Martaban and Bagou in Pegu Guimpel and Tinlau in Siammon Odia in the Kingdom of Sornau Passarvan and Dema in the Island of Iaoa Pangor in the Country of the Lequiens Vsangea in the Grand Cauchin Lancama in Tartaria and Meaco in Iappun all which Cities are the Capitals of many great Kingdoms for I dare well affirm that all those same are not to be compared to the least part of the wonderful City of Pequin much less to the greatness and magnificence of that which is most excellent in it whereby I understand her stately buildings her inward riches her excessive abundance of all that is necessary for the entertaining of life also the world of people the infinite number of Barques and Vessels that are there the Commerce the Courts of Justice the Government and the State of the Tutons Chaems Anchacys Aytaos Puchancys and Bracanons who rule whole Kingdoms and very spacious Provinces with great pentions and are ordinarily resident in this City or others for them when as by the Kings command they are sent about affairs of consequence But setting these things aside whereof yet I intend to speak more amply when time shall serve I say that this City according to that which is written of it both in the Aquesendoo before mentioned and all the Chronicles of the Kingdom of China is thirty leagues in circuit not comprehending therein the buildings of the other inclosure that is without it and is invironed with a double wall made of good strong free-stone having three hundred and threescore gates each of which hath a small Forâ— composed of two high towers with its ditches and draw-bridges and at every gate is a Register four Porters with halberds in their hands who are bound to give account of all that goes in and out These gates by the Ordinance of the Tuton are divided according to the three hundred and threescore dayes of the year so that every day in his turn hath the feast of the invocation of the Idol whereof each gate bears the name celebrated with much solemnity This great City hath also within that large inclosure of her walls as the Chineses assured us three thousand and three hundred Pagodes or Temples wherein are continually sacrificed a great number of birds and wild beasts which they hold to be more agreeable unto God then such as are kept tame in houses whereof their Priests render divers reasons to the people therewith perswading them to believe so great an abuse for an article of faith The structures of these Pagodes whereof I speak are very sumptuous especially those of the orders of the Menegrepos Conquiays and Talagrepos who are the Priests of the four Sects of Xaca Amida Gizom and Canom which surpass in antipuity the other two and thirty of that Labyrinth of the Divel who appears to them many times in divers forms for to make them give more credit to his impostures and lies The principal streets of this City are all very long and broad with fair houses of two or three stories high and inclosed at both ends with ballisters of iron and lattin the entrance into them is through lanes that cross these great streets at the ends whereof are great arches with strong gates which are shut in the night and on the top of the arches there are watch-bels Each of these streets hath its Captain and officers who walk the round in their turns and are bound every ten dayes to make report into the Town-house of all that passeth in their quarters to the end that the Punchacys or Chaems of the Government may take such order therein as reason requires Moreover this great City if credit may be given to that which the said book so often before mentioned by me records hath an hundred and twenty Canals made by the Kings and people in former times which are three fathom deep and twelve broad crossing through the whole length and bredth of the City by the means of a great number of bridges built upon arches of strong free-stone at the end whereof there are pillars with chains that reach from the one to the other and resting places for passengers to repose themselves in It is said that the bridges of these hundred twenty Canals or Aqueducts are in number eighteen hundred and that if one of them is fair and rich the other is yet more as well for the fashion as for the rest of the workmanship thereof The said Book affirms That in this City there are sixscore Piatzues or publique places in each of the which is a Fair kept every month Now during the two months time that we were at liberty in this City we saw eleven or twelve of these Fairs where were an infinite company of people both on hors-back and on foot that out of boxes hanging about their necks sold all things that well neer can be named as the Haberdashers of small wares do amongst us besides the ordinary shops of rich Merchants which were ranged very orderly in the particular streets where was to be seen a world of silk stuffs tinsels cloth of gold linnen and cotton-cloth sables ermyns musk aloes fine pourcelain gold and silver plate pearl seed pearl gold in powder and lingots and such other things of value whereat we nine Portugals were exceedingly astonished But if I should speak in particular of all the other commodities that were to be sold there as of iron steel lead copper tin latin corral cornalin crystal quicksilver vermillion ivory cloves nutmegs mace ginger tamarinds cinnamon pepper cardamone borax hony wax sanders sugar conserves acates fruit meal rice flesh venison fish pulse and herbs there was such abundance of them as it is scarce possible to express it in words The Chineses also assured us that this City hath an hundred and threescore Butchers shambles and in each of them an hundred stalls full of all kinds of flesh that the earth produceth for that these people feed on all as Veal Mutton Pork Goat the flesh of Horses Buffles Rhinocerets Tygers Lions Dogs Mules Asses Otters Shamois Bodgers and finally of all other beasts whatsoever Furthermore besides the weights which are particularly in every shambles there is not a gate in the City that hath not its scales wherein the meat is weighed again for to see if they have their due weight that have bought it to the end that by this means the people may not be deceived Besides those ordinary Shambles there is not scarce a street but hath five or six Butchers shops in it where the choicest meat is sold there are withall many Taverns where excellent fare is alwayes to be had and cellers full of gammons of bacon dried tongues poudered geese and other
Tribunal fourteen steps high that was all overlaid with fine gold Her face was very beautiful and her hands were heaved up towards Heaven at her armpits hung a many of little idols not above half a finger long filed together whereupon demanding of the Chineses what those meant they answered us That after the waters of Heaven had overflowed the earth so that all mankind was drowned by an universal Deluge God seeing that the world would be desolate and no body to inhabit it he sent the goddess Amida the chief Lady of honour to his wife Nacapirau from the Heaven of the Moon that she might repair the loss of drowned mankind and that then the goddess having set her feet on a Land from which the waters were withdrawn called Calemphuy which was the same Island whereof I have spoken heretofore in the streight of Nanquin whereof Antonio de Faria went on land she was changed all into gold and in that manner standing upright with her face looking up unto Heaven she sweat out at her armpits a great number of children namely males out of the right and females out of the left having no other place about her body whence she might bring them forth as other women of the world have who have sinned and that for a chastisement of their sin God by the order of nature hath subjected them to a misery full of corruption and filthiness for to shew how odious unto him the sin was that had been committed against him The goddess Amida having thus brought forth these creatures which they affirm were thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three two parts of them females and the other males for so say they the world was to be repaired she remained so feeble and faint with this delivery having no body to assist her at her need that she fell down dead in the place for which cause the Moon at that time in memory of this death of hers whereat she was infinitely grieved put her self into mourning which mourning they affirm to be those black spots we ordinarily behold in her face occasioned indeed by the shadow of the earth and that when there shall be so many years ran out as the goddess Amida brought forth children which were as I have delivered thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three then the Moon will put off her mourning and afterwards be as clear as the day With these and such like fopperies did the Chineses so turmoil us as we could not chuse but grieve to consider how much those people which otherwise are quick of apprehension and of good understanding are abused in matter of Religion with such evident and manifest untruths After we were come out of this great place where we saw all these things we went unto another Temple of religious Votaries very sumptuous and rich where they told us the Mother of the then reigning King named Nhay Camisama did abide but thereunto we were not permitted to enter because we were strangers From this place through a street arched all along we arrived at a Key called Hichario Topileu where lay a great number of vessels full of pilgrims from divers Kingdoms which came incessantly on pilgrimage to this Temple for to gain as they believe plenary indulgences which the King of China and the Chaems of the Government do grant unto them besides many priviledges and franchises throughout the whole Country where victuals are given them abundantly and for nothing I will not speak of many other Temples or Pagodes which we saw in this City whilest we were at liberty for I should never have done to make report of them all howbeit I may not omit some other particulars that I hold very fit to be related before I break off this discourse whereof the first were certain houses in several parts of this City called Laginampurs that is to say The School of the poor wherein fatherless and motherlesâ— children that are found in the streets are taught to write and read as also some trade whereby they may get their living and of these houses or schools there are about some five hundred in this City Now if it happen that any of them through some defect of nature cannot learn a trade then have they recourse to some means for to make them get their living according to each ones incommodity As for example if they be blind they make them labour in turning of handmils if they be lame of their feet they cause them to make laces riband and such like manufactures if they be lame of their hands then they make them earn their living by carrying of burdens but if they be lame both of feet and hands so that nature hath wholly deprived them of means to get their living then they shut them up in great Convents where there are a number of persons that pray for the dead amongst whom they place them and so they have their share of half the offerings that are made there the Priests having the other half if they be dumb then they are shut up in a great house where they are maintained with the amerciaments that the common sort of women as oyster-wives and such like are condemned in for their scolding and fighting one with another As for old queans that are past the trade and such of the younger sort as by the lewd exercise thereof are becomâ— diseased with the pox or other filthy sickness they are put into other houses where they are very well looked unto and furnished abundantly with all things necessary at the charge of the other women that are of the same trade who thereunto pay a certain sum monthly and that not unwillingly because they know that they shall come to be so provided for themsâ—lves by others and for the collecting of this mony there are Commissioners expresly deputed in several parts of the City There are also other houses much like unto Monasteries where a great many of young maids that are Orpâ—ans are bred up and these houses are maintained at the charge of such women as are convicted of adultery for say they it is most just that if there be one which hath lost her self by her dishonesty there should be another that should be maintained by her vertue Other places there are also where decayed old people are kept at the charge of Lawyers that plead unjust causes where the parties have no right and of Judges that for favoring one more thâ—n another and corrupted with bribes do not execute justice as they ought to do whereby one may see with how much order and policy these people govern all things In the prosecution of my discourse it will not be amiss here to deliver the marvellous order and policy which the Kings of China observe in furnishing their States abundantly with provisions and victuals for the relief of the poor people which may very well serve for an example of charity and good government to Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths Their Chronicles
report that a certain King great Grandfather to him that then raigned in China named Chausi-Zarao Panagor very much beloved of his people for his good disposition and vertues having lost his sight by an accident of sickness resolved to do some pious work that might be acceptable to God to which effect he assembled his Estates where he ordained that for the relief of the poor there should be Granaries established in all the Towns of his Kingdom for wheat and rice that in the time of dearth which many times happened the people might have wherewithall to nourish themselves that year and to that purpose he gave the tenth part of the Duties of his Kingdom by a Grant under his hand which when he came to signe accordingly with a golden stamp that he ordinarily used because he was blind it pleased God to restore him perfectly to his sight again which he enjoyed still as long as he lived By this example if it were true it seemed that our Lord Jesus Christ would demonstrate how acceptable the charity that good men exercise towards the poor is to him even though they be Gentiles and without the knowledge of the true Religion Ever since there have been always a great many of Granaries in this Monarchy and that to the number of an hundred and fourteen thousand As for the order which the Magistrates observe in furnishing them continually with corn is such as followeth A little before reaping time all the old corn is distributed â—orth to the inhabitants as it were by way of love and that for the term of two months after this time is expired they unto whom the old corn was lent return in as much new and withall six in the hundred over and above for waste to the end that this store may never fail But when it falls out to be a dear year in that case the corn is distributed to the people without taking any gain or interest for it and that which is given to the poorer sort who are not able to repay what hath been lent to them is made good out of the Rents which the Countries pay to the King as an alms bestowed on them by his special grace Touching the Kings Revenues which are paid in silver Picos they are divided into three parts whereof the first is for the maintenance of the King and his State the second for the defence of the Provinces as also for the provisions of Magazines and Armies and the third to be laid up and reserved in a Treasury that is in this City of Pequin which the King himself may not touch unless it be upon occasion for defence of the Kingdom and to oppose the Tartars Cauchins and other Neighbouring Princes who many times make grievous war upon him This Treasure is by them called Chidampur that is to say The wall of the Kingdom for they say that by means of this treasure being well imployed and carefully managed the King needs lay no impositions upon the people so that they shall not be any ways vexed and oppressed as it happens in other Kingdoms for want of this providence Now by this that I have related one may see how in all the great Monarchy the Government is so excellent the Laws so exactly observed and every one so ready and careful to put the Princes Ordinances in execution that Father Navier having well noted it was wont to say that if ever God would grant him the grace to return into Portugal he would become a Suter to the King for to peruse over the rules and ordinances of those people and the manner how they govern both in time of war and peace adding withall that he did not think the Romans ever ruled so wisely in all the time of their greatest prosperity and that in matter of policy the Chineses surpassed all other Nations of whom the Ancients have written CHAP. XXXVII The great number of Officers and other people which are in the King of China's Pallace with our going to Quincay to accomplish the time of our Exile and what befell us there OUt of the fear I am in left coming to relate in particular all those things which we saw within the large inclosure of this City of Pequin they that shall chance to read them may call them in question and not to give occasion also unto detractors who judging of things according to the little world they have seen may hold those truths for fables which mine own eyes have beheld I will forbear the delivery of many matters that possibly might bring much contentment to more worthy spirits who not judging of the riches and prosperity of other Countres by the poverty and misery of their own would be well pleased with the relation thereof Howbeit on the other side I have no great cause to blame those who shall not give credit to that which I say or make any doubt of it because I must acknowledge that many times when I call to mind the things that mine eyes have seen I remain confounded therewith whither it be the Grandeurs of this City of Pequin or the magnificence wherewith this Gentile King is served or the pomp of the Chaems and Anchacys of the Government or the dread and awe wherein all men are of these Ministers or the sumptuousness of their Temples and Pagodes together with all the rest that may be there for within the only inclosure of the Kings Pallace there are above a thousand Eunuchs three thousand women and 12 thousand men of his Guard unto whom the King gives great entertainment and pentions also twelve Tutons dignities that are Soveraign above all others whom as I have already declared the vulgar call The beams of the Sun Under these twelve Tutons there are forty Chaems or Vice-roys besides many other inferiour dignities as Judges Majors Governours Treasurers Admirals and Generals which they term Anchacys Aytaos Ponchacy Lauteas and Chumbims whereof there are above five hundred always residing at the Court each of them having at the least two hundred men in his train which for the most part to strike the greater terror are of divers Nations namely Megores Persians Curazens Moems Calaminhams Tartars Cauchins and some Braamas of Chaleu and Tanguu for in regard of valour they make no account of the Natives who are of a weak and effeminate complection though otherwise I must confess they are exceeding able and ingenious in whatsoever concerneth Mechanick Trades Tillage and Husbandâ—y they have withall a great vivacity of spirit and are exceeding proper and apt for the inventing of very subtle industrious things The women are fair and chaste and more inclined to labour then the men The Country is fertile in victual and so rich aboundâ—ng in all kind of good things as I cannot sufficiently express it such is their blindness as they attribute all those blessings to the only merit of their King and not to the Divine Providence and to the goodness of that Soveraign Lord who
wilt not deign to benefit this defunâ—t with the gift that God hath given thee of singing and playing on this instrument I will no longer say that thou art an holy man as we all believed hitherto but that the excellency of that voice which thou hast comes from the inhabitants of the house of smoak whose nature it was at first to sing very harmoniously though now they weep and wail in the profound lake of the night like hunger-starved dogs that gnashing their teeth and foaming with rage against men discharge the froth of their malice by the offences which they commit against him that lives in the highest of the Heavens After this ten or eleven of them were so earnest with Gaspar de Meyrelez as they made him play almost by force and led him to the place where the deceased was to be burnt according to the custom of those Gentiles In the mean time seeing my self left alone without my comrade I went along to the Forrest for to get some wood according to my Commission and about evening returning back with my load on my back I met with an old man in a black damask Gown furred clean through with white Lamb who being all alone as soon as he espied me he turned a little out of the way but percâ—iving me to pass on without regarding him he cried so loud to me that I might hear him which I no sooner did but casting my eye that way I observed that he beckened to me with his hand as if he called me whereupon imagining there was something more then ordinary herein I said unto him in the Chinese Language Potauquinay which is Doest thou call me whereunto returning no answer he gave me to understand by signes that in effect he called me conjecturing then that there might be some thieves thereabouts which would bereave me of my load of wood I threw it on the ground to be the better able to defend my self and with my staff in my hand I went fair and softly after him who seeing me follow him began to double his pace athwart a little path which confirmed me in the belief I had before that he was some thief so that turning back to the place where I left my load I got it up again on my back as speedily as I could with a purpose to get into the great high way that led unto the City But the man guessing at my intention began to cry out louder to me then before which making me turn my look towards him I presently perceived him on his knees and shewing me afar off a silver cross about a span long or thereabout lifting up withall both his hands unto Heaven whereat being much amazed I could not imagine what this man should be in the mean time he with a very pitiful gesture ceased not to make signes unto me to come to him whereupon somewhat recollecting my self I resolved to go and see who he was and what he would have to which end with my staff in my hand I walked towards him where he stayed for me when as then I came near him having always thought him before to be a Chinese I wondred to see him cast himself at my feet and with tears and sighs to say thus unto me Blessed and praysed be the sweet Name of our Lord Iesus Christ after so long an exile hath shewed me so much grace as to let me see a Christian man that professeth the Law of my God fixed on the Cross. I must confess that when I heard so extraordinary a matter and so far beyond my expectation I was therewith so surprised that scarcely knowing what I said I conjure thee answered I unto him in the Name of our Lord Iesus to tell me who thou art At these words this unknown man redoubling his tears Dear Brother replyed he I am a poor Christian by Nation a Portugal and named Vasco Calvo brother to Diego Calvo who was somtime Captain of Don Nuna Manoel his ship and made a Slave here in this Country about seven and twenty years since together with one Tome Perez who Loppo Soarez sent as Ambassador into this Kingdom of China and that since died miserably by the occasion of a Portugal Captain Whereupon coming throughly to my self again I lifted him up from the ground where he lay weeping like a child and shedding no fewer tears then he I intreated him that we might sit down together which he would hardly grant so desirous he was to have me go presently with him to his house but sitting down by me he began to discourse the whole success of his travels and all that had befallen him since his departure from Portugal till that very time as also the death of the Ambassador Tome Perez and of all the rest whom Fernand Perez d' Amdrada had left at Canton to go to the King of China which he recounted in another manner then our Historians have delivered it After we had spent the remainder of the day in entertaining one another with our passed adventures we went to the City where having shewed me his house he desired me that I would instantly go and fetch the rest of my fellows which accordingly I did and found them all together in the poor lodging where we lay and having declared unto them what had befallen me they were much abashed at it as indeed they had cause considering the stratagems of the accident so they went presently along with me to Vasco Calvo's house who waiting for us gave us such hearty welcome as we could not chuse but weep for joy Then he carried us into a Chamber where was his wife with two little boys and two girls of his she entertained us very kindly and with as much demonstration of love as if she had been the mother or daughter to either of us After this we sat down at the table which he had caused to be covered and made a very good meal of many several dishes provided for us Supper done his wife arose very courteously from the table and taking a key which hung at her girdle she opened the door of an Oratory where there was an altar with a silver cross as also two candlesticks and a lamp of the same and then she and her four children falling down on their knees with their hands lift up to Heaven began to pronounce these words very distinctly in the Portugal tongue O thou true God we wretched sinners do confess before thy Cross like good Christians as we are the most sacred Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost three Persons and one God and also we promise to live and dye in thy most Holy Catholique Faith like good and true Christians confessing and believing so much of thy holy truth as is held and believed by thy Church In like manner we offer up unto thee our souls which thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud for to be wholly imployed in thy service all the time of our lives and then to be
who with each of them a Cenâ—er in his hand went two and two about then at the sound of a bell prostrated themselves on the ground and censed one another saying with a loud voice Let our cry come unto thee as a sweet perfume to the end thou mayest hear us For the Guard of of this Tent there were threeâ—core Halberdiers who at a little distance invironed it all about They were clothed with guilt leather and had Murrians on their heads curiously engraven all which were very agreeable and majestical objects Out of this place we entred into another division where there were four Chambers very rich and well furnished in the which were mâ—ny Gentlemen as well strangers as Tartars From thence passing on whithâ—r the Mitaquer and the young boys conducted us we arrived at the door of a great â—ow room in form like to a Church where stood six Ushers with their Maces who with a new complement to the Mitaquer caused us â—o â—nter but kept out all others In this room was the King of Tartaria accompanied with many Princes Lords and Captains amongst whom were the Kings of Pafua Mecuy Capinper Raina Benan Anchesacotay and others to the number of fourteen who in rich attire were all seated some three or four paces from the foot of the Tribunal A little more on the one side were two and thirty very fair women who playing upon divers instruments of musick made a wonderful sweet Consort The King was set on his Throne under a rich Cloth of State and had about him twelve young bâ—ys kneeling on their knees with little Maces of gold like Scepters which they carried on their shoulders close behind him was a young Lady extreamly beautiful and wonderfully richly attired with a Ventiloe in her hand wherewith she ever and anon fanned him This same was the sister of the Mitaquer our General and infinitely beloved of the King for whose sake therefore it was that he was in such credit and reputation throughout the whole Army The King was much about forty years of age full stature somewhat â—â—an and of a good aspect His beard was very short his Mustaches after the Turkish manner his eyes like to the Chineses and his countenance severe and majestical As for his vesture it was violet colour in fashion like to a Turkish Roak imbroydered with pearl upon his feet he had green Sandals wrought all over with gold pearl and great purls among it and on his head a sattin cap of the colour of his habit with a rich band of diamonds and rubies intermingled together Before we past any farther after we had gone ten or eleven steps in the room we made our complement by kissing of the ground three several times and performing other ceremonies which the Truch-men taught us In the mean time the King commanded the musick to cease and addressing himself to the Mitaquer Ask these men of the other end of the world said he unto him whether they have a King what is the name of their Country and how far distant it is from this Kingdom of China where now I am Thereupon one of ours speaking for all the rest answered That our Country was called Portugal that the King thereof was exceeding rich and mighty and that from thence to the City of Pequin was at the leâ—st three years voyage This answer much amazed the King because he did not think the world had been so large so that striking his thigh with a wand that he had in his hand and lifting up his eyes to Heaven as though he would render thanks unto God he said aloud so as eveâ—y one might hear him O Creator of all things are we able to comprehend the marvels of thy greaâ—ness we that at the best are but poor worms of the earth Fuxiquidane fuxiquidane let them approach let them approach Thereupon beckening to us with his hand he caused us to come even to the first degree of the Throne where the fourteen Kings sat and demanded of him again as a man astonished Pucau pucau that is to say how far how far whereunto he answered as before that we should be at least three years in returning to our Country Then he asked why we came not rather by Land then by Sea where so many labours and dangers were to be undergon Thereunto he replyed that there was too great an extent of land through which we were not â—ssured to pass for that it was commanded by Kings of several nations What come you to seek for then added the King and wherefore do you expose your selves to such dangers Then having rendred him a reason to this last demand with all the submission that might be he stayed a prety while without speaking and then shaking his head three or four times he addressed himselfe to an old man that was not far from him and said Certainly we must needs conclude that there is either much ambition or little justice in the Country of these people seeing they come so far to conquer other Lands To this Speech the old man named Raia Benan made no other answer but that it must â—eeds be so for men said he who have recourse unto their industry and invention to run over the Sea for to get that which God hath not given them are necessarily carried thereunto either by extream poverty or by an excess of blindness and vanity derived from much covetousness which is the cause why they renounce God and those that brought them into the world This reply of the old man was seconded with many jeering words by the other Courtiers who made great sport upon this occasion that very much pleased the King in the mean time the women fell to their musick again and so continued till the King withdrew into another Chamber in the company of these fair Musicians and that young Lady which fanned him not so much as one of those great Personages daring to enter besides Not long after one of those twelve boys that carried the Scepters before mentioned came to the Mitaquer and told him from his sister that the King commanded him not to depart away which he held for a singular favour by reason this message was delivered to him in the presence of those Kings and Lords that were in the room so that he stirred not but sent us word that we should go unto out tent with this assurance that he would take care the Son of the Sun should be mindful of us CHAP. XL. The King of Tartaria's raising of his Siege from before Pequin for to return into his Country and that which passed until his Arrival there WE had been now full three and forty dayes in this Camp during which time there past many fights and skirmishes between the besiegers and the besieged as also two assaults in the open day which were resisted by them within with an invincible courage like resolute men as they were In the mean time the King of Tartaria seeing how contrary
of this Emperor of Caran was more remarkable in his entry then all the rest He had for his Guard about sixscore men armed with â—â—rows and Partisans damasked with gold and silver and all attired alike in violet and green After them marched on horsback twelve Ushers carrying silver Maces before whom twelve horses were led that had carnation clothes on them bordered about with gold and silver They were followed by twelve huge tall men that seemed to be Giants clothed with Tygers skins as wild men are used to be painted of them holding in his hand a great Greyhound by a silver chain Then appeared twelve little Pages mounted on white Haâ—kneys having green velvet Saddles trimmed with silver lace and frenge they were all apparelled alike in crimson sattin Cassocks lined with marterns breeches and hats of the same and great chains of gold scarf-wise about them These twelve boys were all of one equal stature so fair of face so well favoured and of so sweet a proportion of body as I believe there have never been any seen more accomplished For himself he was seated in a Chariot with three wheels on each side garnished all over with silver Round about this Pirange for so was this Chariot called there were forty foot-men in jerkâ—ns and breeches of green and red cloth laced all over with carnation silk lace having swords by their side above three fingers bâ—oad with the hilts handles and chaps of silver and hunting horns hanging in silver chains bandrick-wise about thâ—m and on their heads they wore caps with feathâ—rs in them full of silver spangles Thus was the equipage of this Ambassador so sumptuous and stately that one might very well conclude he belonged to some very rich and mighty Prince Now going one day as attendants on the Mitaquâ—r who went to visit him from the King amongst other things that we saw in his lodging we observed there for one of the greatest rarities in that Country five Chambers hung all with very rich Arras such as we have in Christendom and no question brought from thence In each of these Chambers was a Cloth of State of gold or silver tinsel and under it a Table with a Bason and Ewer of silver of a very costly fashion also a Chair of State of rich violet stuff trimmed with gold frenge and at the foot of it a Cushion of the same all upon an exceeding large foot-pace of tapestry There was also a chaâ—ingdish of silver with a perfuming pot of the same out of the whâ—ch proceeded a most delicate odour At the door of each of those five Chambers stood two Halberdiers who permitted persons of quality to enter that came thither to see them In another very great room in form like to a Gallery there was upon a very high and large foot-pace a little table placed covered with a damask table-cloth edged about with gold-frenge and upon a silver plate a napkin with a fork and a spoon of gold as also two little salt-sellers of the same mettal Now about ten or eleven paces on the one side from this table were two cupbards of plate of all kind of fashions and other vessels of great value Moreover at the four corners of this table were four cisterns about the bigness of a bushel with their kettels fastened to them with chains all of silver as also two very great candlesticks of the same with white wax candles in them but not lighted There were also at the door of the room twelve handsome Halberdiers clothed in mantles like to Irish rug with Scymitars by their sides all covered over with plates of silver which Guard as ordinarily it is with them were very haughty and rude in their answers to all that speak to them Although this Ambassadour was come thither in the way of visit as the râ—st yet the principal subject of his Ambassy was to treat of a marriage between the Emperour of Caran and a sister of the Tartar named Meica vidau that is to say a rich Saphir a Lady about some thirty years of age but very handsom and exceeding charitable to the poor whom we saw divers times in this City at the chiefest Feasts which these people use to solemnize at certain times of the year after the manner of the Gentiles Howbeit setting aside all this whereof I had not spoken but that it seemed more remarkable unto me then all the rest I will return to my former discourse as well concerning our liberty as the voyage that we made even to the Islands of the Sea of China whether the Emperour of Tartaria caused us to be conveighed to the end that such as shall come after us may attain to the knowledge of a part of those things whereof it may be they have never heard spoken until this present CHAP. XLI In what manner we were brought again before the King of Tartaria with our departure from that Kingdom and all that we saw and befell us in our voyage till our arrival at the Court of the King of Cauchinchina AFter some time had been spent in the Celebrations of certain remarkable Feasts that were made for joy of the conclusion of a marriage betwixt the Princess Meica vidau the Kings sister and the Emperour of Caran the Tarâ—ar by the advice of his Captains resolved to return anew to the Siege of Pequin which he had formerly quitted taking the ill success that he had there as a great affront to his person To this effect then he caused all the Estates of his Kingdom to be assembled and also made a league with all the Kings and Princes bordering in his Dominions whereupon considering with our selves how prejudicial this might prove to the promise had been made us for the setting of us at liberty we repaired to the Mitaquer and represented unto him many things that made for our purpose and obliged him to keep his word with us To the which he returned us this answer Certainly you have a great deal of reason for that you say and I have yet more not to refuse you that which you demand of me with so much justice wherefore I resolve to put the King in mind of you that you may enjoy your liberty and the sooner you shall be gone from hence the sooner you shall be freed from the labours which the time begins to prepare for us in the enterprise that his Majesty hath newly undertaken by the counsel of some particulars who for that they know not how to govern themselves have more need to be counselled then the earth hath need of water to produce the fruits that are sowed in her but to morrow morning I shall put the King in mind of you and your poverty and withall I shall pâ—esent unto him how you have poor fatherless child ren as you have heretofore told me to the end he may be thereby incâ—ted to cast his eyes upon you as he is accustomed to do in like cases which is none of the least marks
of Chomay upon the Frontiers of the two Kingdoms of China and Cauchenchina where the Ambassadors were both well received by the Governour thereof The next morning departing from that place they went and lay in a Town named Quinancaxi which appertained to an Aunt of the Kings whom they went to visite she gave them a very kind reception and withall told them for news that the King her Nephew was newly returned from the War of the Tinocouhos and wonderfuâ—ly well pleased with his good success therein whereunto she added many particularities which they were glad to hear especially when she assured them that the King after he had dismissed the forces that he had carried out with him was gone with a small Train to the City of Fanaugrem where he intended to spend some time in hunting fishing then to go winter at Vsamgueâ— the capital City of this Empire of Cauchim When as they had consulted a while upon these news they resolved to send their four vessels away to Vsamguee and themselves to travâ—l by land to Fanaugrem where they understood the King was This deliberation taken they put incontinently into execution that by the advice of this Princess who for that purpose caused them to be furnished with horses for themselves their people as also with eight Rhinocerots for the transportation of their baggage They began their journy then about three days after and having travâ—lled fourscore six leagues in the space of thirteen days and that with much toil labour by reason of certain mountains which they were to pass that were of a long extent and very rough and stony in the end they arrived at a great lodging called Taraudachit seatâ—d upon the bank of a river There they passed the night and the next morning they parted thence for to go to a Town named Lindau Panoo where they were very well received by the Captain thereof a kinsman of the Ambassadors of Cauchenchina who was come not about six days before from Fanaugrem where the King remained still being not more then fifteen leagues from that place After that this Capâ—ain hath told this Ambassador his kinsman some other news of the Court and of the success of the war he further advertised him that a Son in law of his was dead for the love of whom his daughter the wife of the deceased had cast her self into a pile of flaming fire where with her husbands body she was consumed to ashes at which all her kinred exceedingly rejoyced for that by so generous an end she had given proof of what she had ever been The Ambassador himself her father testified also no little content for the same saying Now it is O my daughter that I know assuredly thou art a Saint and that thou servest thy husband in Heaven wherefore I promise and swear to thee that for so memorable an end wherein thou hast given an infallible proof of the Royal blood whereof thou art descended I will in memory of thy goodness â—uild thee such a magnificent and honourable house as shall make thee desiâ—â— to come from were thou art for to recreate thy self in it in imitation of those blessed souls which we hold have heretofore done the like This said he fel flaâ— down with his face on the ground and in that posture continued till the day following when as he was visited by all the religious men of the place who comforted him with full assurance that his daughter was a Saint so that all of them granted him permission to erect a Statue of silver unto her These speeches of the Priests greatly pleased the Ambassador who very much acknowledged the same unto them giving mony both to them and to all the poor that were thereabout At this place we spent nine days in celebrating the Funerals of the Defunct and then departing we went the next day to a certain Monastery called Latiparau that is to say The remedy of the poor where the two Ambassadors remained three days in expectation of news from the King whom they had already advertised of their arrival Now his answer to them was that they should go to a Town named Agimpur three leagues from the place where they were and but one from Fanaugrem whither he would send for them when time served CHAP. XLII The reception of the Tartarian Ambassador by the King of Cauchenchina with the said Kings going from thence to the City of Uzamguee and his triumphal Entry thereinto THe King being advertised by his Ambassadour that he brought another along with him from the King of Tartaria sent for him not long after from Agimpur by the Brother of the Queen his wife a very valiant and rich Prince He was mounted on a Chariot with three wheels on a side adorned all within with plates of silver and drawn by four white Horses whose furniture was all imbroidered with gold This Chariot which they of the Country call Piamber was waited on by threescore footmen half on the one side and half on the other clothed in green leather with Scymiters by their sides whose Scabberds were garnished with gold and before them went twelve Ushers bearing their Maces on their shoulders After the footmen followed certain others carrying Halberts trimmed with silver in gowns and breeches of green and white silk and with Scymiters by their sides These fellows seâ—med very haughty and proud so that by their outward behaviours which in all their actions appeared to be like unto their surly dispositions they rendred themselves somewhat terrible to others Thirty paces after this Guard marched fourscore Elephants exceeding well furnished with chairs and castles adorned with silver which they carried on their backs and on their teeth their Panores or warlick Defences together with many little bells of the same mettal hanging about their necks Before these Elephants which were said to be the Kings Guard rode a number of men at Arms in very good Equipage and in the Vantgard of all this train went twelve Chariots with Cymbals of silver and covered with silk When this Prince was come in this stately manner to the Ambassador of Tartaria who attended him and that they had performed all such compliments one to another as are usual amongst them the Prince gave the Ambassador the Chariot wherein he came thither and mounting on a gallant Courser he placed himself on the right hand of him and the Kings Ambassadour on the left In this pomp and with the same order as before as also with the sound of divers instruments of musick they arrived at the first Court of the Kings house where the Broquem Captain of the Guard of the Pallace attended them being accompanied with many Noble-men besides a number on horsback whâ—â—h stood ranked in two files all along the Court. After they had with a new ceremony been complemented withall they went on foot to the Pallace-gate where they encountred with an old man above fourscore years of age who was said to
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
Chavequa of the first Mamoquo of the Moon in the presence of the Queen my Mother the Source of my right eye and Lady of all my Kingdom And signed a little below Hira Pitau Xinancor Ambulec the firm prop of all Iustice. As soon as the Gentlewoman had this Letter of the Kings in her hands she was never at quiet till she had left her Aunt and put her self upon her journey which she continued with such diligence that in a short space she arrived at the City and delivered the Letter to the Broquen who presently upon the reading of it caused all the Peretandas Chumbims and other Officers of Justice to assemble together and then went with them directly to the Prison where we were at that instant under a sure guard we no sooner saw them enter but all of us cried out three or four times together Lord have mercy upon us wherewith the Broquen and all that accompanied him whereof the prison was full were so moved as some of them could not forbear weeping out of the compassion they had of us In the mean time the Broquen fell to comforting us in such kind and loving terms as well expressed the greatness of his charity Withall he commanded the irons to be taken off from our hands and feet and drawing us into an outward Court he recounted unto us all that had past in our business whereof we had not any knowledge at all in regard of the strict watch that was set upon us all the while Then having caused the Kings Letters to be published My friends said he unto us now that God hath shewed you so much grace to deliver you as you see I have one request to make unto you which is that for my sake you will thank him from the bottom of your heart and praise him for it for if you make this acknowledgement unto him he will communicate to you from above whence all good doth proceed an agreeable repose which is a thing far more convenient for us then to live three or four days in the miseries of this world where there is nothing but labour grief great affliction and above all poverty which is the accomplishment of all evils and whereby ordinarily our souls are wholly consumed in the deep abyss of the house of smoak The Broquen moreover caused two Paniers full of clothes to be brought to that place and distributed to them amongst us according to each ones need That done he carried us home to his house where all the Ladies of the Town came to see us testifying by their countenances that they greatly rejoyced at the good success of our deliverance They comforted us also with great demonstration of pity which is an effect of the good nature of the women of this Country that is common to them all and not contented therewith they entertained us in their houses one after another during all the time we were there until our departure for we continued in this City afterwards the space of forty six dayes in which time we were furnished with all things necessary for us and that in such abundance as there was not one of us but carried above an hundred Duckets away with him As for the Portugal woman of whom I spake before she had above a thousand as well in mony as in other gifts which were given her by which means her husband in less then an year recovered himself of all the losses he had sustained After we had with a great deal of contentment past those forty six dayes there the season proper for our voyage being come the Broquen procured us passage in the Junck of a Chinese which was bound for the Port of Liampoo in the Kingdom of China according to the commandment that he had received of the King for that purpose buâ— first he caused the Captain of the Junck to put in good security for the safety of our persons during all the time of the voyage In this manner we departed from Pungor the capital City of the Island of Lequios of which I will here make a brief relation to the end that if it shall one day please God to inspire the Portugal Nation principally for the exaltation and increase of the Catholick faith and next for the great benefit that may redound thereof to undertake the Conquest of this Island they may know where first to begin as also the commodities of it and the easiness of this Conquest We must understand then that this Island of Lequios scituated in nine and twenty degrees is two hundred leagues in circuit threescore in length and thirty in bredth The Country is almost like that of Iapon saving that it is a little more mountainous in certain parts but in the middle it is plainer and more fertile It is rendred very agreeable by many large Plains that are watred with divers rivers of fresh water and from whence are gathered great provisions especially of Rice and Wheat It hath Mountains out of which is drawn such quantity of copper as in regard of the abundance thereof it is so common among those people that whole Ships are laden with it from thence in way of traffique to all the Ports of China Lamau Sumbor Chabaquea Tosa Miacoo and Iapon as likewise to all the other Islands on the South-side thereof as those of Sesirau Goto Fucanxi and Pollem Moreover in all this Country of the Lequios there is also great store of iron steel lead tin allum salt-peeter brimstone hony wax sugar and ginger far better then that which comes from the Indiaes It hath withall a world of Angelin-wood Chestnuts Trees Oak and Cedar wherewith thousands of Ships may be made On the East-side it hath five very great Islands where many Mynes of Silver are found as also Pearls Amber Frankincense Silk Ebony Brasil and a great abundance of a certain wood fit for Carpentry called Poytan It is true that there is not such store of Silk there as in China The Inhabitants of all this Country do as the Chineses cloth themselves with Linnen Cotten Silk and a kind of Damask-stuff which comes to them from Nanquin They are great eaters very much addicted to the delights of the flesh little inclined to arms and altogether unfurnished of them which induceth me to believe that they might be easily conquered and the rather for that in the year a thousand five hundred fiâ—ty and six a Portugal arrived at Malaca named Pero Gomez a' Almeyda servant to the Grand Master of Santiago with a rich Present and Letters from the Nautaquim Prince of the Island of Tanixumaa directed to King Iohn the third the Substance and Contents of his request was to have five hundred Portugals granted to him to the end that with them and his own Forces he might conquer the Island of Lequio for which he would remain tributary to him at five thousand Kintals of Copper and a thousand of Lattin yearly which Ambassy came to no effect because the Messenger was
which made them all to agree that it was not necessary they should go to Malaca After these things I desired Ioano Cayeyro to make me a Dâ—claration of all that had past in this business that it might serve me as it were for a Certificate at my return to our Fortress determining as soon as I had it to get me from this place for that I had nothing more to do there With this resolution I stayed there with Ioano Cayeyro in continual expectation to be gone when the Season should serve for the Junck to depart and remained with him at this Siege the space of six and forty days which was the chief time of the King of Bramaa his abode there of whom I will say something here in a few words because I conceive the curious would be well content to know what success the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano had in this war This Siege had lasted now six months and thirteen dayes in which space the City had been assaulted five times in plain-day but the besieged defended themselves always very valiantly and like men of great courage Howbeit in regard they were insensibly consumed with length of time and the success of war and that no succour came to them from any part their enemies were without comparison far more in number then they in such sort as the Chaubainhaa found himself so destitute of men as it was thought he had not above five thousand souldiers left in the City the hundred and thirty thousand which were said to be there at the beginning of the Siege being consumed by Famine or the Sword by reason whereof the Councel assembling for to deliberate what was to be done thereupon it was resolved that the King should sound his enemy by his Interest which he presently put in execution For that effect he sent to tell him that if he would raise the Siege he would give him thirty thousand Bisses of silver which is in value a million of gold and would become his Tributary at threescore thousand Duckets by the year The answer made by the King of Bramaa hereunto was that he could accept of no conditions from him if he did not first yield himself to his mercy The second time he propounded unto him that if he would suffer him to depart away with two ships in one of the which should be his Treasure and in the other his Wife and Children that then he would deliver him the City and all that was in it But the King of Bramaa would hearken no more to that then the former The third Proposition which he made him was this That he should retire with his Army to Tagalaa some six leagues off that so he might have liberty to go away freely with all his and thereupon he would deliver him the City and the Kingdom together with all the Treasure belonging to the King his Predecessour or that in lieu thereof he would give him three millions of gold But he also refused this last offer insomuch that the Chaubainhaa utterly dispairing of ever making his peace with so cruel an enemy began to meditate with himself what means he might use to save himself from him Having long thought upon it he found no better an expedient then therein to serve himself of the succour of the Portugals for he was perswaded that by their means he might escape the present danger He sent then secretly to tell Ioano Cayeyro that if he would imbarque himself in the night in his four ships and take him in with his wife and children and so save them he would give him half his treasure In this affair he very closely imployed a certain Portugal named Paulo de Seixas born in the Town of Obidos who at that time was with him in the City This same having disguised himself in a Pegu habit that he might not be known stole one night to Cayeyro's Tent and delivered him a Letter from the Chaubainhaa wherein this was contained Valiant and faithful Commander of the Portugals through the Grace of the great King of the other end of the world the strong and mighty Lion dreadfully roaring with a Crown of Majesty in the House of the Sun I the unhappy Chaubainhaa heretofore a Prince but now no longer so finding my self besieged in this wretched and infortunate City do give thee to understand by the words pronounced out of my mouth with an assurance no less faithful then true that I now render my self the Vassel of the great King of Portugal Soveraign Lord of me and my children with an acknowledgement of homage and such tribute as he at his pleasure shall impose on me wherefore I require thee on his behalf that as soon as Paulo Seixas shall present this my Letter unto thee thou come speedily with thy Ships to the Bulwark of the Chappel-key where thou shalt find me ready attending thee and then without taking further counsel I will deliver my self up to thy mercy with all the treasures that I have in gold and precious stones whereof I will most willingly give the one half to the King of Portugal upon condition that he shall permit me with the remainder to leavy in his Kingdom or in the Fortresses which he hath in the Indiaes two thousand Portugals to whom I will give extraordinary great pay that by their means I may be re-established in this State which now I am constrained to abandon since my ill fortune will have it so As for that which concerns thee and thy men I do promise them by the faith of my verity that in case they do help to save me I will divide my treasure so liberally among them that all of them shall be very well satisfied and contented And for that time will not suffer me to enlarge any further Paulo de Seixas by whom I send this unto thee shall assure thee both of that which he hath seen and of the rest which I have communicated unto him Ioano Cayeyro had no sooner received this Letter but he presently caused the chief of his followers secretly to assemble together in Councel Having shewed them the Letter he represented unto them how important and profitable it would be for the service of God and the King to accept of the offer which the Chaubainhaa had made them Whereupon causing an Oath to be given to Paulo de Seixas he willed him freely to declare all his knowledg of the matter and whether it were true that the Chaubainhaa his Treasure was so great as it was reported to be Thereunto he answered by the Oath that he had taken That he knew not certainly how great his Treasure was but that he was well assured how he had often seen with his own eyes an house in form of a Church and of a reasonable bigness all â—ull up to the very tyles of bars and wedges of Gold which might very well lade two great Ships He further said That he had moreover seen six and twenty Chests bound about with strong
a review to be made of those that would fight but he â—ound them to be not above two thousand in all and they too so destitute of courage as they â—ould hardly have resisted feeble women Beholding himself then reduced to the last cast he communicated his mind to the Queen only as having no other at that time by whom he may be advised or that indeed could advise him The only expedient then that he could rest on was to render himself into the hands of his Enemy and to stand to his mercy or his rigor Wherefore the next day about six of the clock in the morning he câ—uâ—ed a white flag to be hung out over the wall in sign of peace whereunto they of the Camp answered with another like banner Hereupon the Xenimbrum who was as it were Marshal of the Camp sent an horseman to the bulwark where the flag stood unto whom it was delivered from the top of the wall That the Chaubainhaa desired to send a Letter to the King so as he might have a safe-conduct for it which being signified to the Xenimbrum he instantly dispatched away two of good quality in the Army with a safe-conduct and so these two Bramaaâ— remaining for hostages in the City the Chaubainhaa sent the King a Letter by one of his Priests that was fourscore years of age and reputed for a Saint amongst them The contents of this Letter were these The love of children hath so much power in this house of our weakness that amongst us who are fathers there is not so much as one that for their sakes would not be well contented to descend a thousand times into the deep pit of the house of the Serpent much more would expose his life for them and put himself into the hands of one that useth so much clemency towards them that shall do so For which reason I resolved this night with my wife and children contrary to the opinions that would disswade me from this good which I hold the greatest of all others to render my self unto your Highness that you may do with me as you think fit and as shall be most agreeable to your good pleasure As for the fault wherewith I may be charged and which I submit at your feet I humbly beseech you not to regard it that so the merit of the mercy which you shall shew me may be the greater before God and men May your Highness therefore be pleased to send some presently for to take possession of my person of my wife of my children of the City of the Treasure and of all the Kingdom all which I do even now yield up unto you as to my Soveraign Lord and lawful King All the request that I have to make unto you thereupon with my knees on the ground iâ— that we may all of us with your permission finish our days in a Cloister where I have already vowed continually to bewail and repent my fault past For as touching the honors and estates of the world wherewith your Highness might inrich me as Lord of the most part of the Earth and of the Isles of the Sea they are things which I utterly renounce for evermore In a word I do solemnly swear unto you before the greatest of all the Gods who with the gentle touch of his Almighty hand makes the Clouds of Heaven to move never to leave that Religion which by your pleasure I shall be commanded to profess where being freed from the vain hopes of the world my repentance may be the more pleasing to him that pardoneth all things This holy Grepo Dean of the golden House of Saint Quiay who for his goodnesse and austerity of life hath all power over me will make a more ample relation unto you of what I have omitted and can more particularly tell you that which concerns the offer I make you of rendring my self that so relying on the reality of his Speech the unquietness wherewith my soul is incessantly troubled may be appeased The King of Bramaa having read this Letter instantly returned another in answer thereunto full of promises and oaths to this effect That he would forget all that was past and that for the future he would provide him an estate of so great a Revenue as should very well content him Which he but badly accomplished as I shall declare hereafter These news was published throughout all the Camp with a great deal of joy and the next morning all the Equipage and Train that the King had in his quarter was set forth to view First of all there were to be seen fourscore and six Field-Tents wonderful rich each of them being invironed with thirty Elephants ranked in two Files as if they had been ready to fight with Castles on their backs full of Banners and their Panores fastened to their Trunks the whole number of them amounted unto two thousand five hundred and fourscore Not far from them were twelve thousand and five hundred Bramaas all mounted on horses very richly accoustred with the order which they kept they inclosed all the Kings quarter in four Files and were all armed in Corslets or Coats of Mayl with Lances Cymitars and guilded Bucklers After these Horse followed four Files of Foot all Bramaas being in number above twenty thousand For all the other Souldiers of the Camp there were so many as they could not be counted and they marched all in order after their Captains In this publique Muster were to be seenâ— world of Banners rich colours such a number of Instruments of war sounded that the noise thereof together with that which the Souldiers made was most dreadful and so great as it was not possible to hear one another Now for that the King of Bramaa would this day make shew of his greatness in the reddition of the Chaubainhaa he gave express Command that all the Captains which were strangers with their men should put on their best clothes and Arms and so ranged in two Files they should make as it were a kind of street through which the Chaubainhaa might pass this accordingly was put in execution and this street took beginning from the City gate and reached as far as to the Kings Tent being in length about three quarters of a League or better In this street there were six and thirty thousand strangers of two and forty different Nations namely Portugals Grecians Venetians Turks Ianizaries Iews Armâ—nians Tartars Mogores Abyssins Raizbutos Nobins Coracones Persians Tuparaas Gizares Tanacos Malabares Iaos Achems Moens Siams Lussons of the Island Borneo Chacomas Arracons Predins Papuaas Sâ—lebres Mindanoas Pegus Bramaas and many others whose names I know not All these Nations were ranked according to the Xemimbrums order whereby the Portugals were placed in the Vantgard which was next to the gate of the City where the Chabainhaa was to come After them followed the Armâ—nians then the Ianizaries and Turks and so the rest CHAP. LI. In what manner the Chaubainhaa rendred himself
to the King of Bramaa and the cruel proceeding against the Queen of Martabano and the Ladies her Attendants ABout one of the clock in the afternoon a Cannon was shot off which was the Signal for the instant opening of the gates of the City whereupon first of all issued out the Souldiers whom the King had sent thither for the guard of it being four thousand Siams and Bramaas all Harquebusiers Halberdiers and Pikemen with above three hundred armed Elephants all which were commanded by a Bramaa Uncle to the King named Monpocasser Bainba of the City of Melietay Ten or eleven paces after this Guard of Elephants marched divers Princes and great Lords whom the King had sent to receive the Chaubainhaa all mounted on Elephants richly harnessed with Chairs upon their backs plated over with gold and Collars of precious stones about their necks Then followed at some eight or nine paces distance the Rolim of Monnay Soveraign Talapoy of all the Priests of the Kingdom and held in the reputation of a Saint who went alone with the Chaubainhaa as a Mediatour between the King and him immediately after them came in a close Chair carried upon mens shoulders Nhay Canatoo the daughter of the King of Pegu from whom this Bramaa had taken his Kingdom and wife to the Chaubainhaa having with her four small children namely two boyes and two girls whereof the eldest was not seven years old round about her and them went some thirty or forty young women of noble extraction and wonderful fair with cast down looks and tears in their eyes leaning upon other women After them marched in order certain Talagrepos which are amongst them as the Capuchins with us who bare-foot and bare-headed went along praying holding beads in their hands and ever and anon comforting those Ladies the best they could and casting water in their faces for to bring them to themselves again when as they fainted which they did very often A spectacle so lamentable as it was not possible to behold it without shedding of tears This desolate Company was attended by another Guard of Foot and five hundred Bramaas on Horse-back The Chaubainhaa was mounted on a little Elephant in signe of poverty and contempt of the world conformable to the Religion which he intended to enter into being simply apparelled in a long Cassock of black velvet as a mark of his mourning having his beard head and eye-brows shaven with an old cord about his neck so to render himself to the King In this Equipage he appeared so sad and afflicted that one could not forbear weeping to behold him As for his age he was about some threescore and two yeers old tall of Stature with a grave and severe look and the countenance of a generous Prince As soon as he was arrived at a place which was near to the gate of the City where a great throng of women children and old men waited for him when they saw him in so deplorable an estate they all made seven times one after another so loud and dreadful a cry as if Heaven and earth would have come together Now these lamentations and complaints were presently seconded with such terrible blows that they gave themselves without pity on their faces with stones as they were most of them all of a gore blood In the mean time things so horrible to behold and mournful to hear so much afflicted all the Assistants that the very Bramaas of the Guard though men of war and consequently but little inclined to compassion being also enemies to the Chaubainhaa could not forbear weeping It was likewise in this place where Nhay Cauatoo and all the other Ladies that attended on her fainted twice by reason whereof they were fain to let the Chaubainhaa alight from his Elephant for to go and comfort her whereupon seeing her lying upon the ground in a swoon with her four children in her arms he kneeled down on both his knees and looking up to Heaven with his eyes full of tears O mighty Power of God cryed he who is able to comprehend the righteous judgements of thy divine Iustice in that thou having no regard to the innocency of these little creatures givest way to thy wrath which passeth far beyond the reach of our weak capacities but remember O Lord who thou art and not what I am This said he fell with his face on the ground near to the Queen his wife which caused all the Assembly who were without number to make another such loud and horrible cry as my words are not able to express it The Chaubainhaa then took water in his mouth and spurted it on his wife by which means he brought her to her self again and so taking her up in his arms he fell a comforting her with speeches so full of zeal and devotion as any one that heard him would have taken him rather for a Christian then a Gentile After he had employed about half an hours time therein and that they had remounted him on his Elephant they proceeded on their way in the same orderas they held before and as soon as the Chaubainhaa was out of the City gate and came to the streets which was formed of the several Companies of the strangers ranked in two Files he by chance cast his eye on that side where the seven hundred Portugals were all of them in their best clothes with their buffe-coats great feathers in their Caps and their Haâ—quebuses on their shoulders as also Ioano Cayeyro â—n the middest of them in a Carnation Satin Suit and a guilt Parâ—isan in his hand wherewith he made room the afflicted Prince no sooner knew him but he presently fell down on the Elephant and there standing still without passing on he said with tears in his eyes to those that were about him My brethren and good friends I protest unto you that it is a less grief unto me to make this sacrifice of my self which the divine Iustice of God permits me to make him this day then to look upon men so wicked and ingrateful as these same here are either kill me then or send these away for otherwise I will not stir a foot further Having said so he turned away his face three times that he might not behold us thereby shewing the great spleen that he bore us and indeed all things well considered there was a great deal of reason that he should carry himself in that sort towards us in regard of that which I have related before In the mean time the Captain of the Guard seeing the stay which the Chaubainhaa had made and understanding the cause why he would not go on though he could not imagine wherefore he complained so of the Portugals yet he hastily turned his Elephant towards Cayeyro and giving him a scurvy look Geâ— you gone said he and that instantly for such wicked men as you are do not deserve to stand on any ground that bears fruit and I pray God to pardon him which hath put
by the four women upon whom she leaned directly to the Gallows whereon she and her four children were to be hanged and there the Rolim of Mounay who was held amongst them for a holy man used some speeches unto her for to encourage her the better to suffer death whereupon she desired them to give her a little water which being brought unto her she filled he mouth with it and so spurted it upon her four children whom she held in her arms then having kissed them many times she said unto them weeping O my Children my Children whom I have conceived anew within the interior of my Soul how happy would I think my self if I might redeem your lives with the loss of mine own a thousand times over if it were possible for in regard of the fear and anguish wherein I see you at this present and wherein every one sees me also I should receive Death with as good an heart from the hand of this cruel Enemy as I willingly desire to see my self in the presence of the Soveraign Lord of all things within the repose of his celestial Habitation Then turning her to the Hangman who was going to bind her two little boys Good Friend said she be not I pray thee so voyd of pity as to make me see my children dye for in so doing thou wouldst commit a great sin wherefore put me first to death and refuse me not this boon which I crave of thee for Gods sake After she had thus spoken she took her children again in her arms and kissing them over and over in giving them her last farewell she yielded up the ghost in the Ladies lap upon whom she leaned not so much as once stirring ever after which the Hangman perceiving ran presently unto her and hanged her as he had done the rest together with her four little children two of each side of her and she in the middle At this cruel and pitiful spectacle there arose from amongst all this people so great and hideous a cry that the Earth seemed to tremble under the feet of them that stood upon it and withall there followed such a Mutiny throughout the whole Camp as the King was constrained to fortifie himself in his quarter with six thousand Bramaa Horse and thirty thousand Foot and yet for all that be thought not himself secure enough from it had not the night come which onely was able to calm the furious motions of these men of war For of seven hundred thousand which were in the Camp six hundred thousand were by Nation Pegu's whose King was the Father of this Queen that was thus put to death but this Tyrant of Bramaa had so disarmed and subjected them as they durst not so much as quich upon any occasion Behold in what an infamous manner Nhay Canatoo finished her days a Princess every way accomplished wife to the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano and the daughter of the King of Pegu Emperor of nine Kingdoms whose yearly Revenue amounted unto three millions of Gold As for the infortunate King her Husband he was the same night cast into the River with a great stone tyed about his neck together with fifty or threescore of his chiefest Lords who were either the Fathers Husbands or Brothers of those hundred and forty Ladies that were most unjustly put to such an ignominious death amongst the which there were three whom this King of Bramaa had demanded in marriage at such time as he was but a simple Earl but not one of their Fathers would condescend unto it whereby one may see how great the revolutions of time and fortune are After the Tyrant of Bramaa had caused this rigorous Justice to be done he stayed there nine whole days during the which many of the Inhabitants of the City were also execued At last he departed for to go to Pegu leaving behind him Bainhaa Chaque Lord Steward of his House to take order for all things that might conduce to the pacifying of that Kingdom and to provide for the repairing of what the fire had consumed to which purpose he placed a good Garison there and carryed with him the rest of his Army Ioano Cayeyro followed him also with seven hundred Portugals not above three or four remaining behind in the ruines of Martabano and those too not very considerable except it were one named Gonçalo Falcan a Gentleman well born and whom these Gentiles commonly called Crisna Pacan that is to say Flower of Flowers a very honorable Title amongst them which the King of Bramaa had given him in recompence of his services Now for as much as at my departure from Malaca Pedro de Faria had given me a Letter directed unto him whereby he desired him to assist me with his favor in case I had need of it in the affair for which he sent me thither as well for the service of the King as for his own particular as soon as I arrived at Martabano where I found him resident I delivered him this Letter and withall gave him an account of the occasion that brought me thither which was to confirm the ancient league of Peace that the Chaubainhaa had made by his Embassadors with them of Malaca at such time as Pedro de Faria was first Governor of it and whereof he could not chuse but have some knowledg adding moreover how to that effect I had brought the Chaubainhaa Letters full of great protestations of amity and a Present of certain very rich Pieces of China Hereupon this Gonçalo Falcan imagining that by means hereof he might insinuate himself much more into the good grace of the King of Bramaa to whose side he turned at the siege of Martabano quitting that of the Chaubainhaa whom formerly he served he went three days after the Kings departure to his said Governor and told him that I was come thither as Embassador from the Captain of Malaca to treat with the Chaubainhaa unto whom the Captain sent an offer of great Forces against the King of Bramaa in so much that they of the Country were upon the point of fortifying themselves in Martabano and chasing away the Bramaas out of the Kingdom whereunto he added so many other such like matters that the Governor sent presently to apprehend me and after he had put me into safe custody he went directly to the Junck in which I came from Malaca and seized upon all the goods that were in her which were worth above an hundred thousand duckets committing the Necoda Captain and Master of the Junck to prison as also all the rest that were in her to the number of an hundred threescore and four persons wherein comprized forty rich Merchants Malayes Menancabo's Mahumetans and Gentiles Natives of Malaca All these were incontinently condemned to a confiscation of their goods and to remain the Kings prisoners as well as I for being complices in the Treason which the Captain of Malaca had plotted in secret with the Chaubainhaa against the King of Bramaa Having
he imbaâ—qued in twelve thousand rowing Vessels whereof two thousand were Seroos Laulers Caturos and Foists Now all this great Fleet set forth from Pegu the ninth day of March 1545. and going up the River of Ansedaa it went to Danapluu where it was furnished with all such provisions as was necessary From this place following on their way through a great River of fresh water called Picau Malacou which was above a league broad at length upon the thirteenth of April they came within view of Prom. There by some whom they took that night they learned that the King was dead and how he had left for his successor to the Kingdom a son of his of thirteen years of age whom the King his Father before he dyed had marryed to his wives sister the Aunt of the said young Prince and Daughter to the King of Avaa This young King was no sooner advertised of the King of Bramaa his coming to besiege him in his City of Prom but he sent presently away to the King his Father-in-law for succor which he instantly granted and to that end speedily raised an Army of 30000 Mons Tarces and Chalems choyce men and trained up in the Wars of whom he made a son of his and brother to the Queen General In the mean time the Bramaa having intelligence thereof used all possible diligence for to besiege the City before so great a succor might arrive To which purpose having landed his Army in a plain called Meigavotau some two leagues below the City he continued there five days in making ready such preparations as were needful Having given order for all things he caused his Army to march one morning before day directly to the City with the sound of Drums Fifes and other such instruments of War where being arrived about noon without any opposition he began presently to settle his Camp so that before it was night the whole City was environed with Trenches and very great Ditches as also with six rows of Cannons and other Pieces of Ordnance CHAP. LIII That which passed between the Queen of Prom and the King of Bramaa together with the first Assault that was given to the City and the Success thereof THe King of Bramaa had been now five days before the City of Prom when as the Queen that governed the State in the place of her Husband seeing her self thus besieged sent to visit this her enemy with a rich jewel of precious stones which was presented unto him by a Talagrepo or religious man of above an hundred years old who was held amongst them for a Saint together with a Letter wherein this was written Great and mighty Lord more favoured in the House of fortune then all the Kings of the earth the force of an extream power an increasing of the Salt-seas whereinto all lesser rivers do render themselvos a Shield full of very fair devices Processor of the greatest States upon the Throne whereof thy feet do repose with a marvellous Majesty I Nhay Nivolau a poor woman Governess and Tutress of my Son an Orphan do prostrate my self before thee with tears in mine eyes and with the respect which ought to be rendred unto thee I beseech thee not to draw thy Sword against my weakness for thou knowest that I am but a silly woman which can but only cry unto God for the wrong that it done me whose property also it is to succour with mercy and to chastice with justice the States of the world be they never so great trampling them under his feet with so redoubted a power that the very Inhabitants of the profound house of smoak do fear and tremble before this Almighty Lord I pray and conjure thee not to take from me that which is mine seeing it is so small a thing as thou shalt not be the greater for it when thou hast it nor yet the less if thou hast it not whereas contrarily if thou my Lord wilt shew thy self pitiful to me that act of clemency will bring thee such reputation as the very Infants themselves will cease from sucking the white breasts of their Mothers for to praise thee with the pure lips of their innocency and likewise all they of my Country and Strangers will ever remember such thy charity towards me and I my self will cause it to be graven on the Tombs of the dead that both they and the living may give thee thanks for a thing which I do beg of thee with so much instance from the bottom of my heart This holy man Avenlachim from whom thou shalt receive this Letter written with mine own hand hath Power and Authority to treat with thee in the Name of my Fatherless Son concerning all that shall be judged reasonable touching the tribute and homage which thou shalt think fit to have rendred unto thee upon condition that thou wilt be pleased to let us enjoy our houses so that under a true assurance thereof we may bring up our children and gather the fruit of our labours for the nourishment of the poor Inhabitants of this paltry Town who will all serve thee and I to with a most humble respect in all things wherein thou shalt think good to imploy us at thy pleasure The Bramaa received this Letter and Ambassage with a great deal of authority and entertained the Religious man that delivered it to him with much honour as well in reguard of his age as for that he was held as a Saint amongst thâ—m with all he granted him certain things which were at first demanded as a Cessation of Arms till such time as Articles should be agreed on as also a permission for the Besieged to converse with the Besiegers and other such things of little consequence In the mean time judging with himself that all those offers which this poor Queen made him and the humble submissions of her Letter proceeded from weakness and fear he would never answer the Ambassadour clearly or to purpose Contrarily he caused all the places there abouts that were weak and unarmed to be secretly ransaked and the poor Inhabitants thereof to be unmercifully butchered by their barbarous enemies whose cruelty was so gâ—eat that in five dayes according to report they killed fourteen thousand persons the most part whereof were women children and old men that were not able to bear Arms. Hereupon the Rolim who brought this Letter relying no longer on the false promises of this Tyrant and discontented with the little respect he used towards him demanded leave of him to return to the City which the Bâ—amaa gave him together with this answer That if the Queen would deliver up her self her Treasure her Kingdom and her Vassals to him he would recompence her another way for the loss of her State but withall that she was to return him a peremptory answer to this proposition of his the very same day which was all the time I could give her that so he might upon the knowledge of her resolution determine upon
King of Bramaa as attributing the cause thereof to the negligence of some of his Capâ—ains in the â—ll guarding of the Terrace that the day following he caused two thousand Pegu's to be bâ—hâ—aded which had stood sentinel that night This adventure rendred things quiet for the space of twelve days during which the besieged stirred not in the mean time one of the four principal Captain of the City named Xemim Meleytay fearing that which all others in general misdoubted namely that they could not escape from falling into the hands of so cruel an Enemy treated secretly with the Tyrant and upon condition that he would continue him in his charge not meddle with any of the houses of his friends and make him Xemin of Ansedaa in the Kingdom of Pegu with all the Revenue which the Bainhaa of Malacou had there being thirty thousand Duckats a year he would deliver him up the City by giving him entrance into it through the gate which he commanded The King of Bramaa accepted hereof and for a gage of performance on his part he sent him a rich Ring from off his finger This Treason so concluded was effected on the three and twentieth of August in the year 1545. wherein this Tyrant of Bramaa carryed himself with all the barbarousness and cruelty that he used to practise in the like cases And for as much as I conceive that I should never have done if I should recount here at large how this affair past I will say no more but that the gate was opened the City delivered up the Inhabitants all cut in pieces without so much as sparing one the King and Queen made prisoners their Treasurers taken the Buildings and Temples demolished and many other inhumanities exercised with such outragiousness the belief whereof is beyond the imagination and thought of man and truly I never represent unto my self in what manner it was done as having seen it with mine own eyes but that I remain as it were astonished and besides my self at it For as this Tyrant was touched to the quick with the affront he had lately received so he executed all the cruelties he could imagine against thosâ— miserable Inhabitants for to be revenged of the ill success he had had in the siege which could not proceed from any other but a base mind and vile extraction for it ordinarily falls out that barbarousness finds place in such kind of people rather then in generous and valiant hearts Whereunto may be added that he was a man without faith and of an effâ—minate disposition though he was nevertheless an Enemy to women albeit there were in that Kingdom and in all the others whereof he was Lord those that were very white and fair After the bloody ruine of that wretched City the Tyrant entred into it in great pomp and and as it were in triumph through a breach that was made of purpose in the wall and by his express commandment When he was arrived at the young Kings pallace he caused himself to be crowned King of Prom and during the Ceremony of this Coronation he made that poor Prince whom he had deprived of his Kingdom to continue kneeling before him with his hands held up as if he adored some God and ever and anon they constrained him to stoup down and kiss the Tyrants feet who in the mean time made shew as if he were not pleased therewith This done he went into a Balcone which looked on a great Market place whither he commanded all the dead children that lay up and down the streets to be brought and then causing them to be hacked very small he gave them mingled with Bran Rice and Herbs to his Elephants to eat Afterward with a strange kind of ceremony at the sound of Trumpets Drums and other such like Instruments there was above an hundred Horses led in loaden with the quarters of men and women which also he commanded to be cut small and then cast into a great fire kindled expresly for it These things so done the Queen was brought before him that was wife to the poor little King who as I said before was but thirteen years of age and she thirty and six a woman very white and well-favored Aunt to her own Husband Sister to his Mother and Daughter to the King of Avaa which is the Country from whence the Rubies Saphirs and Emeralds do come to Pegu and it was the same Lady whom this Bramaa had sent to demand in marriage of her Father as it was then spoken but that he refused him saying to his Embassador for an answer That the thoughts of his Daughter soared a pitch higher then to be the wife of the Xemim of Tanguu which was the family whence this Tyrant was issued But now that she was fallen into his hands as his slave whether he used her so either out of a revenge of that affront or out of scorn and contempt so it was that he made her to be publiquely stript stark naked and to be torn and mangled with whipping and then in that manner to be led up and down all the City where amidst the cries and hooting of the people he exposed her to other cruel torments wherewith she was tortured till she gave up the ghost When she was dead he made her to be bound to the little King her Husband who was yet living and having commanded a great stone to be tyed about their necks they were cast into the River which was a kind of cruelty very dreadful to all that beheld it To these barbarous parts he added many others so inhumane as it is not likely that any other but he could imagine the like And for a conclusion of his cruelties the next day he caused all the Gentlemen that were taken alive being some three hundred to be impaled and so spitted like rosted Pigs to be also thrown into the River whereby may be seen how great and unheard of the injustice of this Tyrant was which he exercised on these miserable wretches CHAP. LIV. The King of Bramaa his besieging of the Fortress of Meleytay with his going from thence to Avaa and that which passed there FOurteen days were past since the doing of these things during the which the Tyrant employed himself in fortifying the City with a great deal of diligence and care when as his spies whom he had sent out brought him word that from the City of Avaa a Fleet of four hundred rowing Vessels was come down the River of Queitor wherein there were thirty thousand Siamon Soldiers besides the Mariners of which the King of Avaas son and brother to the poor Queen was General for this Prince having received advertisement of the taking of the City of Prom and of the death of his sister and brother-in-law went and lodged in the Fortress of Meleytay which was some twelve leagues up the River from Prom. This news much troubled the Tyrant howbeit he resolved to go himself in person against his Enemies before
which I know very well and which you have never heard spoken nor read of in your Books I will declare the matter unto you as it past according as it is truly delivered by our Histories Know then that it now seven thousand three hundred and twenty Moons which make six hundred and ten years after the supputation of other Nations since the time that an holy Calaminham named Xixivarem Melentay commanding over the Monarchy of the six and twenty Kingdoms of this Crown waged wars with the Siamon Emperour of the Mountains of the Earth insomuch that there assembled what on the one part and the other threescore and two Kings who putting themselves into the Field fought so cruel and bloody a battail as it endured from an hour before day till night and there was slain on both sides sixteen Laquesaas of men each of which makes an hundred thousand At length the victory remaining to our Calaminham without any more resting alive of his Forces then two hundred and thirty thousand he ruâ—ned in four months space all the enemies Countries with such a destruction of people as if credit may be given to our Histories or to what any other besides have assured there died fifty Laquesaas of persons This battail was fought in the first of the said seven thousand three hundred and twenty Moons in the renowned Field Vitau where Quiay Nivandel appeared to the Calaminham sitting in a Chair of wood who acquired unto himself in this place a greater and more famous Title of honour then all the other Gods of the Mons and Siammes in regard whereof so often as they that inhabit the earth desire to make oath of things which pass the belief of men they use for the more authorizing thereof to swear by the holy Quiay Nivandel God of Battails of the field Vitau Now in a great City named Sarocatam where five hundred thousand persons were slain all these Gods which here you see before you were made prisoners in despight of the Kings that believed in them and the Priests that served them with perfumes in their sacrifices Thus by reason of so glorious a victory all those people became subject to us and tributaries to the Crown of the Calaminham who at this day holds the Scepter of this Monarchy whereunto he was not raised but with much labour and the shedding of a world of blood during the threescore and four rebellions made by the said people since that time until this present who not able to endure the captivity of their gods for that to say the truth it is a mighty affront unto them they do still in memory of so unhappy a success continue making great demonstrations of sorrow for it renewing every year the vow they have made not to celebrate any Feast nor to rejoyce in any kind of sort whatsoever until they have provided for the deliverance of these prisoners which also is the cause that no Lamps are seen in their Temples and that they are resolved to light up none during the captivity of their Idols Some of us seeming to doubt the verity hereof because it seemed strange unto them the Grepo swore that it was most true and that also there had been killed at sundry times about the deliverance of these Gods whom there we saw captive above three millions of men besides those that fell in precedent Battails whereby one may clearly see in what a strange manner the Devil keeps these poor blinded wretches subjected unto him and with how much abuse and extravagancy he precipitates them into hell When we had well observed all the singularities of this Temple we went to see another called Vrpanesendoo to speak of which I desire to be excused that I may not be forced to treat of infamous and abominable matters wherefore omitting the great abundance of riches and other things which we saw there it shall suffice me to say that this Temple is served by none but women who are all of them the daughters of Princes and of the principal Lords of the Kingdom which dedicates them from their infancy to offer up their honour in sacrifice there Now this filthy and sensual sacrifice is performed with so great charge that many of them bestow above ten thousand Duckets in it besides the offerings which are made to this Idol Vrpanesendoo to whom they sacrifice their honour This Idol is in a Chappel that is round and guilt all over it is made of silver and set upon a Tribunal in form of an Altar invironed over-head with a great number of Candlesticks which are all of silver likewise every light in them having six wieks Round about this Tribunal are many other Idols guilded over of very comely and well-favoured women who with their knees on the ground and hands lifted up adore this Idol These same as the Priests told us are the holy souls of certain young Ladies which finished their dayes there to the great honour of their parents who made more esteem of that then of all the King could give them They assured us that the Revenue belonging to the Idol was three hundred thousand Duckets by the year besides the offerings and rich ornaments of their abominable sacrifices which was yet worth more In this Diabolical Temple were shut up within many religious houses that we saw above five thousand women being all of them old and for the most part exceeding rich so that coming to dy they make a donation of all their wealth to the Pagode wherefore it is no marvel if it have the revenue I spoke of From this place we went to see the companies of the strangers which came thither in pilgrimage in the manner that I have declared These Companies were forty and six in number every one of an hundred two hundred three hundred four hundred or five hundred persons nay some of them were more and were all lodged along by the river as if it had been a Camp Amidst these troops of strangers we met by chance with a Portugal woman whereat we wondred more then at all we had seen before so that desiring to know of her the reason of so strange an accident she told us with tears who she was what occasion had brought her thither and how she was at that instant the wife of one of those Pilgrims to whom she had been married three or four and twenty years whereunto she further added that not daring to go and live amongst Christians because of her sin she continued still in her wickedness but that she hoped God would at length be pleased to bring her into some Country where before she ended her dayes she might repent her of her life past and that although we found her in the company of people devoted to the service of the Devil yet she left not for all that to be still a true Christian we remained much amazed at so strange a relation and not a little sorrowful also to see and understand to what a point of
these things and how much we are bound to him for the benefit of this Creation Then one of our company named Gaspar de Meyrelez shewing himself therein more curious then the rest after he had thanked the Grepo in the name of us all he prayed him to give him leave to ask him something which he desired to know of him Whereunto the Grepo made answer that he was very well contented For added he it is as well the property of a wise and curious man to enquire for to learn as of an ignorant to hear and not be able to answer whereupon Gaspar de Meyrelez demanded of him whether God after he had created all these things whereof he spake had not done some heroical works upon Earth either by his Justice or by his Mercy To this the Grepo replyed that he had it being evident that as long as man lived in this flesh he could not chuse but commit sins which would render him punishable nor God be without a great desire to pardon him and he added further That the sins of men coming to be multiplyed on Earth God had overwhelmed the whole World by commanding the Clouds of Heaven to rain upon it and to drown all living things except one just man with his Family which God put into a great House of wood from whom issued afterwards all the Inhabitants of the Earth The Portugal again enquired whether God after this chastisement had not sent some other God did not answered he send any which taken in general was like unto that but it is true that in particular he chastiseth Kingdoms and People with Wars and other scourges which he sendeth them as we see that he punisheth men with infinite afflictions labors diseases and above all with extream poverty which is the last and extreamest of all evils The Portugal continuing in his demands desired him to tell him whether he had any hope that God would one day be appeased so as men might have entrance into Heaven Whereunto the Grepo replyed That he knew nothing thereof but that it was an evident thing and to be believed as an Article of Faith that even as God was an infinite good so he would have regard to the good which men did upon Earth for his sake Hereupon he demanded of him whether he had not heard it said or found written That after all those things whereof he spake a man was come into the World who dying on the Cross had satisfied God for all men or whether there was not among them some knowledg thereof Whereunto the Grepo answered None can make satisfaction to God but God himself although there be in the World holy and vertuous men which satisfie for themselves and for some of their friends such as are the Gods of our Temples as the Grepos do assure us But to say that one alone hath satisfied for all is a thing which we have never heard of till now besides on Earth which is so base of it self a Ruby of so high a price cannot be ingendred It is true nevertheless that in times past so much was certified to the Inhabitants of this Country by a man named John who came into this City and was held for an holy man having been the Disciple of another called Tomé Modeliar the Servant of God whom those of the Country put to death because he went publiquely preaching That God was made man and that he had suffered death for mankind which at first wrought such a Division amongst the people of this Nation as many believed it for a very truth and others opposed it and formed a contrary party against it incited thereunto by the Grepoes of the Law of Quiay Figrau God of the Atomes of the Sun so that they reproved all that this stranger said by reason whereof He was banished from this City to the Kingdom of Bramaâ— and from thence for the same cause to the Town of Digan where he was put to death for preaching publiquely as I said before That God became man and was crucified for men Upon these speeches Gaspar de Meyrelez and we said that this man had preached nothing in this Country which was not most true wherewith the Grepo was so taken that he fell down on his knees before all that were present and lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven he said with tears in his eyes Lord of whose beauty and goodness the Heavens and the Stars do give testimony I with all my heart do beseech thee to permit that in our times the hour may come wherein the People of the other end of the World may give thee thanks for so great a Grace After that these matters were past in this manner and many others besides which well deserved to be related if my gross wit were able to describe them the Embassador took his leave of the Grepo with many complements and words of courtesie whereof they are nothing sparing as being much accustomed to practise them one with another CHAP. XLIX An ample relation of this Empire of the Calaminham and of the Kingdomes of Pegu and Bramaa with the continuance of our voyage and what we saw among the same A Moneth after our arrivall at this City of Timphan where the Court then was the Ambassador demanded an answer to his Ambassie and it was immediately granted him by the Calaminham with whom he spake himself and being graciously entertained by him he referred him for his dispatch to the Monuagaruu that was as I have heretofore delivered the chief man in governing the Kingdome who gave him an answer on the behalf of the Calaminham as also a present in exchange of that which the King of Bramaa had sent him withall he wrote him a Letter that contained these words Thou arm of a clear Ruby which God hath newly enchaced into my body and whose flesh is fitly fastned to me as that of my brother by that new league and amity now accorded unto thee by me Prechau Guimiam Lord of the seven and twenty Crownes of the Montaignes of the earth inherited by a lawfull succession from him who these two and twenty moneths hath not set his feet upon my head for so long it is since he left me never to set me again by reason of the sanctification which his soul doth now enjoy in feeling the sweet heat of the beams of the Sun I have seen thy Letter dated the fifth chaâ—eca of the eighth moon of the year whereunto I have given the true credit of a brother and as such a one I accept of the party thou dost present me with obliging my self to render thee the two passages of Savady free that so thou mayest without fear of the Siamon be King of Avaa as thou desirest me by thy Letter And as for the other conditions whereof thy Ambassador hath made some mention unto me I will make answer thereunto by one of mine own whom will send unto thee from hence e're it be long to the end thou mayest
have a good successe in the pleasure thou seemest to take in making war upon thine enemies The Ambassador having received this Letter departed from the Court the third day of November in the year one thousand five hundred forty and six accompanied with certain Lords who by the expresse commandement of the Calaminham went along with him to Bidor where they took their leave of him after they had made him a great feast presented him with divers gifts But before I intreat of the way which we held from this place till we came to Pegu where the King of Bramaa was I think it convenient and necessary to make a relation here of certain things which we saw in this country wherein I will acquit my self as succinctly as I can as I have done in all other matters whereof 〈◊〉 have spoken heretofore for if I would discourse in particular of all that I have seen and of that which hath past as well in this Empire as in other Kingdomes where I have been during my painfull voyages I had then need to make another volume far bigger then this same and be indued with a wit much above that I have howbeit that I may not wholly conceal things so remarkable I am contented to say so much thereof as my grosse stile will permit me to deliver The Kingdome of Pegu hath in circuit an hundred and forty leagues is scituate on the South side in sixteen degrees and in the hearâ— of the Country towards the rhomb of the East it hath an hundred forty leagues being invironed all above with an high ground named Pangavirau where the Nation of the Bramaas doth inhabit whose country is fourscore leagues broad and two hundred long This Monarchy was in times past one sole Kingdome which now it is not but is divided into thirteen estates of Soveraignes who made themselves masters of it by poysoning their King in a banquet which they made him in the City of Chaleu as their histories relate of these thirteen estates there are eleven that are commanded by other Nations who by a tract of another great country are joyned to all the bounds of the Bramaas where two great Emperors abide of which the one is called the Siamon and the other the Calaminham who is the same I purpose only to treat of According to report the Empire of the Prince is above three hundred leagues bredth and as much in length and it is said that antiently it contained seven and twenty Kingdomes the inhabitants whereof spake all one language within this Empire we saw many goodly Cities exceedingly well peopled and abounding with all provisions necessary for mans life as flesh fresh water fish corn pulse rice pastâ—res vines and fruits the chief of all these Cities is Tymphan where this Emperor the Calaminham with his Court commonly resides it is seated along by a great river named Pitâ—y and invironed all about with two broad walls of earth made up with strong stone on either side having very broad ditches and at each gate a Castle with high Towers certain Merchants affirmed unto us that this City had within it some four hundred thousand fires and albeit the houses are for the most part not above two stories high yet in recompense thereof they are built very stately and with great charge especially those of the Nobility and of the Merchants not speaking of the great Lords which are separated by great inclosures where are spacious outward Courts and at the entring into them arches after the manner of China as also gardens and walks planted with trees and great ponds all very handsomely accommodated to the pleasures and delights of this life whereunto these people are very much inclined We were also certified that both within the inclosure of the City and a league about it there were six and twenty hundred Pagodes some of which wherein we had been were very sumptuous and rich indeed for the rest the most of them were but petty houses in the fashion of Hermitages These people follow four and twenty Sects all different one from another amongst the which there is so great a confusion of errors and diabolicall precepts principally in that which concerns their bloudy Sacrifices as â—abhor to speak of them but the Idol which is most in vogue amongst them and most frequented is that whereof I have already made mention called Quiâ—y Frigau that is to say The God of the Meats of the Sun for it is in this false God that the Calaminham believes and does adore him and so do all the chiefest Lords of the Kingdome wherefore the Grepos Menigrepos and Talagrepos of this false god are honored far more then all others and held in the retation of holy personages their superiours who by an eminent title are called Cabizondos never know women as they say but to content their bruitish and sensuall appetites they want not diabolicall inventions which are more worthy of tears then recital during the ordinary Fairs of this City called by them Chanduâ—â—s we saw all things there that nature hath created as iron steel lead tin copper lattin saltpeter brimstone oyl vermillion honey wax sugar lacre benjamin divers sorts of stuffes and garments of silk pepper ginger cinamon linnen cloth cotton wool alum borax corâ—alines christall camphire musk yvory cassia rhubarbe turbith scamony azure woad incense cochenill saffron myrâ—he rich porcelain gold silver rubies diamonds emerauds saphirs and generally all other kind of things that can be named and that in so great abundance as it is not possible for me to speak that which I have seen and be believed women there are ordinarily very white and fair but that which most commends them is that they are of a good nature chast charitable and much inclined to compassion The Priests of all these four and twenty Sects whereof there are a very great number in this Empire are cloathed in yellow like the Roolims of Pegu they have no money either of gold or silver but all their commerce is made with the weight of cates casis maazes and conderins The Court of the Calaminham is very rich the Nobility exceeding gallant and the revenue of the Lords and Princes very great the King is feared and respected in a marvellous manner he hath in his Court many Commanders that are strangers unto whom he giveth great pensions to serve him for the safety of his person our Ambassador was assured that in the City of Timphan where most commonly the Court is there are above threescore thousand horse and ten thousand Elephants the gentlemen of the country live very hand somely and are served in vessels of silver and sometimes of gold but as for the common people they use porcelain lattin in summer they are apparrelled in sattin damask and wrought taffetiâ—s which come from Persia in winter in gowns furred with marterns there is no going to Law amongst them noâ— does any man enter into bond there but if there be any difference
rigorous justice of the Lord above This said they withdrew as if they would shew that by this action they had left the body of the deceased exempt from the power of the divell which besieged it before In the place of these same came in six and twenty of their principall Talagrepos being fourscore years old and upwards apparrelled in robes of violet coloured damask and carrying silver censors in their hands before whom for the greater gracing of them marched twelve gentlemen Ushers with Maces of the same metall as soon as these Priests had censed the hearse four severall times with many ceremonies they all prostrated themselves with their faces on the ground and then one of them began to say as if he had spoken to the dead man If the clouds of heaven were able to tell our grief unto the beasts of the fielâ— they would forsake their pasture for to help us to wail thy death and the great extremity whereunto we are reduced or els they would beseech thee Lord to imbarque us with thee into this deadly house where thou seest not us because we are not worthy of so great a favour but that all this people may be comforted in thee before the tomb shall hide thy body from us shew us Lord by figures of earth the peaceable joy and sweet contentment of thy repose that we may be all awaked out of the heavy sleep wherein the obscurities of the flesh doth wrap us and that we miserable wretches may be incited to imitate thee and follow thy steps for to behold thee in the joyfull house of the Sun at the last gasp of our lives To these words the people having made a very dreadfull cry answered incontinently The Lord grant us this grace Then the twelve gentlemen Ushers that carried the Maces going on afore to make way thorough the press though with much ado because the people would not withdraw there came forth of an house on the right side of the Scaffold four and twenty little boys richly apparelled with chains of gold and pretious stones about their necks who playing after their manner on divers instruments of musick and falling down on their knees in two ranks before the hearse they continued playing on their instruments to the tune whereof there were only two of them that sung whereunto five others answered from time to time in such a dolefull manner as made all the assistants shed abundance of tears yea some of them were so sensible of it as they could not forbear plucking of their hair and knocking their heads against the steps of the Throne where the hearse stood During this and many other ceremonies there performed six young gentlemen Grepos sacrificed themselves by drinking out of a golden cup a certain yellow liquor so venemous that before they had made an end of their draught they fell down stark dead on the ground this action of theirs brought these Martyrs of the divell into the number of their Saints so as they were envied by every one for it and presently their bodies were carried with a solemn procession to be burnt in a great fire that was made of Sanders Aloes and Benjamin where they were quickly reduced unto ashes The next morning the Scaffold was disgarnished of all the richest pieces about it and the hearse but the cloths of estate the hangings and banners as also many other moveables of great worth were not stirred and so with divers ceremonies fearfull cries and lamentations and a strange noyse of severall sorts of instruments they set fire on the Scaffold and all that was upon it anoynting it often with odoriferous liquors and confections of great price Thus was the body consumed to ashes in a very short time but whilst it was burning the King and all the Grandees of his Court which were then present cast in by way of alms many pieces of gold preâ—ious stones jewels and chains of pearl of exceeding great value all which so ill imployed were instantly consumed by the fire together with the body and bones of that wretched dead man so as we were certainly informed afterward that this funerall pomp cost above an hundred thousand duckets besides the garments which the King and the Grandees of the country gave to thirty thousand Priests that vvere assisting at it wherein was imployed an incredible quantity of stuffes of severall sorts witnesse the Portugals who mightily profited by so lucky an occasion because they sold at what price they would such as they brought from Bâ—ngala for which they were paid in lingots of gold and silver CHAP. LXI The election of the new Roolim of Mounay the grand Talagrepo of these Gentiles of the Kingdome of Pegu. THe next day between seven and eight in the morning which was the time when the ashes of the deceased began to be cold the King and all the great Lords of the Court came unto the place where the body had been burnt marching all in order after the manner of a stately procession and assisted by all the Grepos amongst whom there were an hundred and thirty with silver censors and fourteen with miters of gold on their heads they were apparrelled in long robes of yellow sattin as for all the rest to the number of ten thousand they were cloathed with taffeta of the same colour and with a kind of surpliss of fine linnen which was not done without a very great charge by reason of the number of them Being arrived at the place where the Roolim had been burnt after some ceremonies performed as is usuall with them according to the time and sence that every one had of it a Talagrepo of the Bramaa Nation and Uncle to the King as Brother to his Father whom the people held for the ablest of them all having been chosen to preach that day went up into the Pulpit for that effect The beginning of his Sermon was an Elegy touching the defunct whose life he commended with many speeches that made for his purpose wherein he grew so earnest and hot as turning himself to the King with tears in his eys and lifting up his voice somewhat louder to the end he might hear him the better he said unto him If the Kings in these times wherein we live do consider how little a time they have to live and with what rigour of justice they shall be chastised by the Almighty hand of the most high God for the crimes of their tyrannicall lives possibly it would be better for them to feed in the open fields like bruit beasts then to be so absolute in their will and to use it with so little reason even as to be cruel to the good and slack in punishing the wicked whom by their soveraign power they have put into greatnesse and authority and truly they are much to be lamented whose good fortune hath raised them up to an estate so dangerous as is that of Kings at this day by reason of the insolence and liberty wherein they continually
upon their heads bonnets imbroydered with silk and gold and set with Pearls Rubies and Saphirs in the middle of this Procession was a rich Canopy of cloth of gold which twelve of those little children carried invironed round about with perfuming pans and censors of silver from whence breathed forth excellent odors most pleasing to the sent These little children played on divers instruments of musick and went on singing praises to God and praying him to resuscitate this defunct to a new life When they were arrived at the place where the Roolim lay they drew to the shrine and taking away the cloth wherewith it was covered there came out of it a little child which could not be above three or four years old and although he was naked yet was not his nakednesse seen because he was all covered over with gold and pretious stones and appeared in the same fashion as we are accustomed to paint Angells he had also golden wings and a very rich Crown upon his head Whenas he was come from out the shrine the Assistants being prostrated on the ground fell to saying aloud with a voice that made those to tremble which heard them Thou Angel of God sent from heaven for our salvation pray for us when thou returnest thither again The King went instantly to this child and having taken him in his arms with a great deal of respect and a strange ceremony as if he would shew that he was not worthy to touch him in regard he was an Angell sent from heaven he set him on the brink of the grave where after the child had taken away the cloth of black Velvet that covered him whilest all were on their knees with their hands and eys lift up to heaven he said aloud as if he had spoken to him Thou which hast been conceived in sin amidst the misery and filthiness of the flesh God commands thee by me who am the least of his servants that thou do resuscitate to a new life which may be agreeable unto him alwayes dreading the chastisement of his mighty hand to the end that as the last gasp of thy life thou mayest not stumble like the children of the world and that from this place where thou art extended stark dead thou do rise up presently because it hath been so decreed by the greatest of the greatest in the Temple of the earth and come after me and come after me and come after me The King thereupon took this child again in his arms and then the Roolim rising up in the grave where he was as it were amazed with this vision fell on his knees before the child whom the King held and said I accept of this new grace from the hand of thâ— Lord conformably to that which thou hast told me from him obliging my self to be even till death an example of humility and the least of all his to the end the toads of the earth may not lose themselves in the abundance of the world This said the child rid himself again out of the Kings arms and going directly to the grave he lent the Roolim his hand to help him out of it Now he was scarce come forth whenas they gave five toles with a Bell which was a sign for all the people to prostrate themselves on the ground the second time saying Blessed be thou O Lord for so great a grace whereupon all the bells in the City began to ring and all the Ordnance that were on the land to shoot of as also those of above two thousand vessells that rode at Anchor in the Port from whence proceeded so strange a noyse as was most insupportable to the ears of them that heard it CHAP. LXII In what manner the Roolim was conducted to the Isle of Mounay and put into possession of his dignity THe new Roolim was conducted from that place in a chair of gold exceeding rich and set with Pretious Stones which the principall Lords of the Kingdome carried upon their shoulders the King in the mean time marched on foot before him bearing a rich Sâ—ymitar upright in his hand In this equipage he accompanied him to his Palace which was gorgeously furnished and where he was lodged three dayes during which time the preparations necessary for his entry was made in the Isle of Mounay Now whilest he abode in the City of Martabano there were many sorts of inventions of great charge made by the Princes Lordâ— and Inhabitants In two of those feasts the King himself was present in person with a most sumptuous entertainment which I shall not describe because to say the truth I do not know how it did passe The day being arrived wherein the new Roolim who is as I have already declared their Soveraign High Priest was to make his entry into the Isle of Mounay the whole Fleet of Seroos Iangoas Lauleas and such other vessells of divers sorts which were upon the river to the number of two thousand and better were ranked in two files some a league and half in length being the space between the City the Island so that of all those vessels joyned together was formed a street the fairest that possibly could be seen for every vessell was covered with boughs full of several dainty fruits together with all kind of flowers Tangets Standards and banners of silk each one striving in emulation of another to gain their pretended Jubilee and a plenary indulgence and absolution of all the robberies they had formerly committed without being subject to the restitution of any thing whatsoever This they did also to be absolved from an infinite of other abuses of their abhominable lives which I passe by in silence as a matter unfit for devout ears but conformable to their diabolicall Sects and the damnable intentions of those which have instituted them for their whole manner of living is nothing but dissolution and excesse in the lasciviousnesse of the flesh as in like manner are all other infidells and arch-heretiques In the Roolims company there were not above thirty Lauleas who were replenished with a great number of the Nobility as for him he was in a rich Seroo seated in a Throne of silver under a cloth of State of cloth of gold and the King at his feet as not being worthy to sit in a more eminent place round about him were thirty children on their knees attired in Crimson Sattin with silver Maces on their shoulders and twelve standing on their feet cloathed with white Damask having censors in their hands from whence breathed forth most delicate perfumes In the rest of the shipping followed two hundred of the most honorable Talagrepos such as Archbishops and other Prelates may be amongst us in the number of whom were also six or seven young Princes all the Sons of Kings comprehended Now because these Vessells were so full of people as one could not row they had fifteen Lauleas or little Skiffes wherein the Supreme religious men of those nine Sects did row to
down a pane of the wall and besides those pieces of battery there were above three hundred Falcons that shot incessantly with an intention only to kill those that were in the streets as indeed they made a great havock which was the cause that seeing themselves so ill-intreated and their people slain in that manner they resolved like valiant men as they were to sell their lives as dearly as they could so that one morning having sallied forth by the same breach of the wall which the Canon had made they gave so valiantly upon those of the Camp that in lesse then an hour they almost routed the Bramaas whole Army Now because it began to be day the Savadis thought it fit to re-enter into the Town leaving eight thousand of their enemies dead on the place After this they repaired the breach in a very little time by the means of a rampire of earth which they made up with bavins and other materialls that was strong enough to resist the Canon Hereupon the Chaumigrem seeing the bad successe he had had resolved to make war both upon the places neer about as also upon the frontiers that were furthest off from the Town for which purpose he sent Diosaâ—ay high Treasurer of the Kingdome whose Slaves we Portugals were Colonel of five thousand men to spoil a certain Borough called Valentay which furnished the besieged Town with provisions but this voyage was so infortunate unto him that before his arrivall at the designed place his forces were by two thousand Savadis whom he incountred by the way all cut in pieces in lesse then half an hour not one escaping with life that fell into the enemies hands Neverthelesse it pleased our Lord that amidst this defeat we saved our selves by the favour of the night and without knowing whither we went we took the way of a very craggy mountain where we marched in exceeding great pain three daies and an half at the end whereof we entred into certain Moorish Plains where we could meet with no path or way nor having other company then Tygers Serpents and other savage beasts which put us into a mighty fear But as our God whom incessantly we invoked with tears in our eys is the true guide of travellers he out of his infinite mercy permitted that at length we perceived one evening a certain fire towards the East so that continuing our course towards that place where we saw this light we found our selves the next morning neer to a great Lake where there were some Cottages which in all likelyhood were inhabited by very poor people howbeit not daring to discover our selves as yet we hid us all that day in certain hanging precipices that were very boggy and full of Horsleâ—ches which made us all gore blood As soon as it was night we fell to marching again untill the next morning whenas we arrived neer to a great river all alongst the which we continued going for five daies together At last with much pain we got to another Lake that was far greater then the former upon the bank whereof was a little Temple in the form of an Hermitage and there we found an old Hermite who gave us the best entertainment that possibly he could This old man permitted us to repose our selves two daies with him during which time we demanded many things of him that made for our purpose whereunto he alwaies answered according to the truth and told us that we were still within the Territories of the King of Savady that this Lake was called Oregâ—antâ—r that is to say the opening of the night and the Hermitage the God of succour Whereupon being desirous to know of him the signification of this abuse he laid his hand on an horse of brasse that stood for the Idoll upon the Altar and said that he often read in a book which intreated of the foundation of the Kingdome that some two hundred thirty and seven years before this Lake being a great Town called Oâ—umhaleu a King that was named Avaâ— had taken it in war that in acknowledgement of this victory his Priests by whom he was wholly governed counselled him to sacrifice unto Quiay Guaâ—or the God of war all the young male children which had been made captives and in case he did not so they would when they became men regain the Kingdome from him The King apprehending the event of this threatning caused all these children being fourscore and five thousand in number to be brought all into one place and so upon a day that was kept very solemn amongst them he made them to be put most inhumanely to the edge of the sword with an intent to have them burned the next morning in Sacrifice but the night following there came a great earthquake and such lightning and fire fell from heaven upon the Town as within lesse then half an hour it was quite demolished and all that was in it reduced to nothing so that by this just judgement of God the King together with all his were strucken dead not so much as one escaping and besides them thirty thousand Priests in like manner who ever since during all the New Moons are heard to cry and roar so dreadfully that all the inhabitants thereabouts were ready to go besides themselves with fear by reason whereof the Country was utterly depopulated no other habitation remaining therein save only fourscore and five Hermitages which were erected in memory of the fourscore and five thousand children whom the King had caused to be butchered through the evill counsell of his Priests CHAP. LXIIII. A continuation of the successe which we had in this voyage with my departure from Goa to Zunda and what passed during my abode there WE past two daies in this Hermitage where as I declared before we were very well entertained by the Hermite the third day after betimes in the morning we took our leave of him and departed from thence not a little afflicted with that which we had heard and so all the same day and the night following we continued on our way along by the river the next morning we arrived at a place where were a great many of sugar canes of which we took some for that we had nothing els to nourish us withall In this manner we marched still along by this river which we kept for a guide of our voyage because we judged that how long soever it were yet would it at last ingulfe it self in the Sea where we hoped that our Lord would raise us up some remedy for our miseries The day ensuing we arrived at a village called Pommiseray where we hid our selves in a very thick wood from being descried by passengers and two hours within night we continued our design in following the current of this river being resolved to take our death in good part if it should please God to send it us for to put an end to so many sufferings as we had undergone day and night and without lying
Captain of Malaca and by whom I had been sent as Ambassador to the Chaiubanbaa of Marâ—abano as I have declared heretofore To him I rendred an exact accompt of all that had past for which he shewed himself very sorrowfulL and accommodated me with divers things whereunto his conscience and generosity obliged him in regard of the goods which I had lost for his occasion A little after that I might not lose the oportunity of the season I imbarqued my self with an intention to go to the Southward and once more to try my fortune in the Kingdomes of China and Iapan to see if in those countries where I had so many times lost my coat I could not find a better then that I had on Being imbarqued at Goa in a Junck that belonged to Pedro de Faria which was bound in way of trade for Zunda I arrived at Malaca the same day that Ruy vas Pereyra termed Marramaque died who was then Captain of the fortresse there Being departed from that place to go to Zunda at the end of seventeen dayes I arrived at Banta where the Portugals are accustomed to traffique And because there was at that time great scarcity of pepper over all the country and that we came thither of purpose for it we were constrained to passe the winter there with a resolution to go for China the year following We had been almost two moneths in this Port where we exerâ—ised our commerce very peaceably whenas from the King of Demaa Emperor of all the Islands of Iaoa Angenia Bâ—la Madura and of the rest of the Islands of that Archipelago there landed in this country a widdow woman named Nhay Pombaya about the age of threescore years who came as Ambassador to Tagaril King of Zuâ—da that was also his Vassall as well as all the rest of that Monarchy for to tell him that he was within the term of six weeks to be in person at the town of Iapara where he was then making preparation to invade the Kingdome of Passaruan When this woman arrived in this Port the King went in person to the Vessell where she was from whence he carried her to his Palace with great pomp and put her into the company of his wife for her better entertainment whilest he himself retired to another lodging farther off to do her the more honor Now that one may know the reason wherefore this ambassage was executed rather by a woman then a man you must note that it hath alwayes been the custome of the Kings of this Kingdome to treat of the most important matters of their State by the mediation of women especially when it concernes peace which they observe not only in particular messages that are sent by the Lords to their Vassalls such as this was but also in matter of publique and generall affairs which is performed by ambassage from one King to another and all the reason they give for it is That God hath given more gentlenesse and inclination to courtesie yea and more authority to women then to men who are severe as they say and by consequent lesse agreeable to those unto whom they are sent Now it is their opinion that every one of those women which the Kings are accustomed to send about affaires of importance ought to have certain qualities for well executing of an ambassage and worthily discharging the Commission which is granted to them for first of all they say That she must not be a Maid for fear she chance to lose her honor in going out of her house because that even as with her beauty she contents every one so by the same reason she may be a motive of discord and unquietnesse in matters where unity is required rather then an accesse to concord and the peace which is pretended unto To this they adde that she must be married or at leastwise a widdow after a lawfull marriage that if she have had children she must have a Certificate how she hath given them all suck with her own breasts alledging thereupon that she who hath borne children and doth not nourish them if she can is rather a carnall voluptuous corrupted and dishonest woman then a true mother And this custome is observed so exactly over all this country principally amongst persons of quality that if a mother hath a child which she cannot give suck unto for some valuable consideration she must make an attestation thereof as of a thing very serious and much importing her honor That if being young too she happens to lose her husband and becomes a widdow she must for the better testifying of her vertue enter into Religion to the end she may thereby shew that she did not formerly marry for the pleasure which she expected from her marriage but to have children according to the pure and honest intention wherewith God joyned together the first married couple in the terrestiall Paradise Furthermore that there might be nothing to be found fault with in the purity of their marriage and that it might be altogether conformable to the Law of God they say that after a woman is with-child she ought no longer to have the company of her husband because the same could not then be but dishonest and sensuall To these conditions they add many others which I will passe over in silence for that I think it unreasonable to use prolixity in matters that I hold worthy of excuse if I do not relate them at length In the mean time after that Nhay Pombaya had delivered her Embassage to the King of Zunda as I have declared before and treated with him about the occasion which brought her thither she presently departed from this Towne of Baâ—ta whereupon the King having speedily prepared all things in readinesse he set sail with a Fleet of thirty Calaluzes and ten Iuripangâ—es well furnished with ammunition and victuall in which forty vessells there were seven thousand fighting men besides the Mariners and Rowers Amongst this number were forty Portugalls of six and forty that we were in all in regard whereof they did us many particular favours in the businesse of our Merchandize and publikely confessed that they were much obliged to us for following them as we did so that we should have had little reason to have excused our selves from accompanying them in this war CHAP. XLIV The expedition of the Pangueyran Emperor of Jaoa and King of Demaa against the King of Passeruan and all that which passed in this war THe King of Zunda being departed from the Port of Banta the fifth day of Ianuary in the year one thousand five hundred forty and six arrived on the nineteenth of the same at the Town of Iapura where the King of Demaa Emperor of this Island of Iaoa was then making his preparatives having an army on foot of eight hundred thousand men This Prince being advertised of the King of Zundaes coming who was his brother-in-law and vassall he sent the King of Panaruca Admirall of the Fleet to
receive him who brought along with him an hundred and threescore Calaluzes and ninety Lanchares full of Luffons from the Isle of Borneo With all this company he arrived where the King of Zunda was who entertained him very courteously and with a great deal of honor Fourteen daies after our coming to this Town of Iapara the King of Demaa went and imbarqued himself for the Kingdome of Passarâ—an in a Fleet of two thousand and seven hundred sails amongst the which were a thousand high-built Juncks and all the rest were Vessells with oars The eleventh of February he arrived at the river of Hicandurea which is at the entrance of the bar and because the King of Panaruca Admirall of the Fleet perceived that the great Vessells could not passe unto the Port which was two leagues off by reason of certaine shelves of sand that were in divers parts of the river he caused all those that were in them to be disimbarqued and the other Vâ—ssells with oars to go and anchor in the road before the Town with an intention to burn the Ships that were in the Port which indeed was accordingly executed In this Army was the Emperor Panguâ—yran in person accompanied with all the grandeâ—s of the Kingdome the King of Zunda his brother-in-law who was Generall of the Army went by land with a great part of the forces and being all arrived at the place where they meant to pitch their Camp they took care in the first place for the fortifying thereof and for placing the Canon in the most commodious places to batter the Town in which labour they bestowed the most part of the day As for the night ensuing it was spent in rejoycings and keeping good watch untill such time as it was day whenas each Captain applied himself to that whereunto his duty obliged him all in generall imploying themselves according to the ingineers directions so that by the second day the whole Town was invironed with high Pallisadoes and their Platformes fortified with great beames whereupon they planted divers great pieces of Ordnance amongst the which were Eagles and Lions of metall that the Acheâ—s and Turks had cast by the invention of a certain Renegado born in the Kingdome of Algarâ—es appertaining to the Crown of Portugal and by reason this wicked wretch had changed his belief he called himself Coia Geinal for as for the name which he had before when he was a Christian I am contented to passe it over in silence for the honor of his Family being indeed of no mean extraction In the mean time the besieged having taken notice how ill-advised they had been in suffering the enemies to labour two whole daies together peaceably in fortifying of their Camp without any impeachment of theirs and taking the same for a great affront they desired their King to permit them to fal upon them the night following alledging how it was probable that men vvearied vvith labour could not make any great use of their arms nor be able to resist this first impetuosity The King who at that time commanded the Kingdom of Passaruan was young indued with many excellent qualities vvhich made him to be exeeedingly beloved of all his subjects for as it was reported of him he was very liberal no manner of Tyrant exceedingly affable to the common people a friend to the poor and so charitable towards Widovvs that if they acquainted him vvith their necessities he relieved them instantly and did them more good then they asked of him Besides these perfections that vvere so recommendable he possessed some others so conforâ—able to mens desires as there vvas not any one that vvould not have exposed his life a thousand times for his service if need â—ad been Furthermore he had none but choice men vvith him even the flovver of all his Kingdome besides many strangers upon vvhom he conferred much vvealth honor and many graces which he accompanied vvith good vvords that being indeed the means vvhereby the minds both of great and small are so strongly gained that they make them Lions of sheep vvhereas carrying ones self other vvayes of generous Lions they are made fearfull hares This King then examining the request vvhâ—ch his people made unto him and referring himself to the advice of the antientest and most prudent Councellors of his State vvhich vvere vvith him there vvas a great contention about the successe that the affairs might have but in the end by the counsell of all in generall it vvas concluded That in case â—ortune should be altogether adverse unto them in this sally which they mâ—ant to make against their enemies yet would it be a much lesse evill and lesse considerâ—ble affront then to see the King so besieged by vile people who against all reason would reduce them by force to quit their beliefe wâ—erein they had been bred by their Fathers to imbrace another new one by the suscitation of the Farazes who place their salvation in washing their parts behind in not eating of swines flesh and marâ—ying of seven wives whereby the best advised may easily judge that God was so much their enemy as he would not assist them in any thing seeing that with so great offence they would under pretext of Religion and with reasons so full of contradiction compell their King to become a Mahometan and render himself tributary to them To these reasons they added many others which the King and they that were with him found to be so good as they all with one common consent agreed thereunto which is en evident mark that it is a thing no lesse naturall for a good Subject to expose his life for his King then for a vertuous wife to conserve her chastity for the husband which God hath given her This being so said they a matter of so great importance was no longer to be deferred but we all in generall and each one in particular are by this sally to make demonstration of the extreme affection which we bear to our good King who we are assured will never be unmindfull of them that shall fight best for his defence which is all the inheritance we desire to leave to our children Whereupon it was resolved that the night following they should make a sally upon their enemies Whereas the joy which this designed sally brought to all the inhabitants of the Town was generall they never stayed till they were called but two hours after midnight and before the time which the King had appointed they assembled all in a great place which was not far from the Royall Palace and where they of the country had accustomed to keep their Fairs and to solemnize their most remarkable feasts on those principall dayes which were destined to the invocation of their Pagodâ—s The King in the mean time wonderfully content to see such heat of courage in them of seventy thousand inhabitants which were in the Town drew out twelve thousand only for this enterprise and divided them into four companies each
neer a moneth in this Port of Zunda where a good number of Portugals were assembled together so soon as the season to go to China was come the three Vessells set sail for Chincheo no more Portugals remaining ashore but only two who went to Siam in a Junck of Patana with their Merchandise I bethought me then to lay hold on this occasion and put my self into their company because they offered to bear my charges in this voyage yea and to lend me some money for to try fortune once more and see whether by the force of importuning her she would not use me bâ—tter then formerly she had done Being departed then from this place in six and twenty daies we arrived at the City of Odiaa the Capitall of this Empire of Sarnau which they of this country do ordinarily call Siam where we were wonderfully well received and intreated by the Portugals which we found there Now having been a moneth and better in this City attending the season for the voyage to China that so I might passe to Iapon in the company of six or seven Portugals who had imbarqued themselves for that purpose I made account to imploy in commodities some hundred duckats which those two with whom I came from Zunda had lent me In the mean time very certain news came to the King of Siam who was at that time with all his Court at the said City of Odiaa that the King of Chiammay allied with the Timocouhos Laaos and Gueos people which on the North East hold the most part of that country above Capimpâ—r and Passilâ—â—o and are all Soveraignes exceeding rich and mighty in Estates had laid siege to the Town of Quiteruan with the death of above thirty thousand men and of Oyaa Capimper Governor and Lievtenant Generall of all that Frontire The King remained so much appalled with this news that without further temporising he passed over the very same day to the other side of the river and never standing to lodge in houses he went and incamped under Tents in the open field thereby to draw others to do the like in imitation of him Withall he caused Proclamation to be made over all the City That all such as were neither old nor lame and so could not be dispensed with for going to this war should be ready to march within twelve daies at the uttermost upon pain of being burned alive with perpetuall infamy for themselves and their descendants and confiscation of their Estates to the Crown To the which he added many other such great and dreadfull penalties as the only recitall of them struck terror not into them of the country but into the very strangers whom the King would not exempt from this war of what Nation soever they vvere for if they would not serve they were very expresly enjoyned to depart out of his Kingdome within three daies In the mean time so rigorous an Edict terrified every one in such sort as they knew not what counsell to take or what resolution to follow As for us Portugals in regard that more respect had alwayes been carried in that country to them then to all other Nations this King sent to desire them that they would accompany him in this voyage wherein they should do him a pleasure because he would trust them onely with the guard of his person as judgiâ—g them more proper for it then any other that he could make choice of and to oblige them the more thereunto the message was accompanied with many fair promises and very great hopes of pensions graces benefits favours and honors but above all with a permission which should be granted them to build Churches in his Kingdome which so obliged us that of an hundred and thirty Portugals which we were there were sixscore of us that agreed together to go to this war The twelve daies limited being past the King put himself into the field with an Army of four hundred thousand men whereof seventy thousand were strangers of divers Nations They imbarqued all in three hundred Sâ—roos Lauleas and Iangâ—s so that on the nineth day of this voyage the King arrived at a Frontire Town named Suropisâ—â— some twelve or thirteen leagues from Quitiruan which the enemies had besieged There he abode above seven daies to attend four thousand Elephants which came to him by Land During that time he was certified that the Town was greatly prest both on the rivers side which the enemies had seized upon with two thousand Vessels as also towards the Land where there were so many men as the number of them was not truly known but as it was judged by conjecture they might be some three hundred thousand whereof forty thousand were horse but no Elephants at all This news made the King hâ—sten the more so that instantly he made a review of his forces and found that he had five hundred thousand men for since his coming forth many had joyned with him by the way as also four thousand Elephants and two hundred carts with field pieces With this Army he parted from Suropisem and drew towards Quitiruan marching not above four or five leagues a day At the end of the the third then he arrived at a valley called Siputay a league and an half from the place where the enemies lay Then all these men of War with the Elephants being set in battell array by the three Masters of the Camp whereof two were Turks by Nation and the third a Portugal named Domingâ—s de Sâ—ixas they proceeded on in their way towards Quitiruan where they arrived before the Sun appeared Now whereas the enemies were already prepared in regard they had been advertised by their Spies of the King of Siaâ—s forces and of the design vvhich he had they attended him resolutely in the plain field relying much on their forty thousand horse As soon as they discovered him they presently advanced and with their vant-guard which were the said forty thousand horse they so charged the King of Siams rearward composed of threescore thousand foot as they defeated them in lesse then a quarter of an hour with the losse of three Princes that were slaine upon the place The King of Siam seeing his men thus routed resolved not to follow the order which he had formerly appointed but to fall on with the whole body of his Army and the four thousand Elephants joyned together With these forces he gave upon the battalion of the enemies with so much impetuosity as at this first shock they were wholly discomfited from whence ensued the death of an infinite company of men for whereas their prinâ—â—s â—ll strength consisted in their horse as soone as the Elephants sustained by the harqueâ—uses and the field pieces fell upon them they were defeated in lesse then an half hour so that after the routing of these same all the rest began instantly to retreat In the meane time the King of Siam following the honor of the victory pursued them to the rivers side
which the enemies perceiving they formed a new Squadron of all those that remained of them wherein there were above an hundred thousand men as well sound as hurt and so past all the same day there joyned together in one entire body of an Army the King not daring to fight with them by reason he saw them fortified with two thousand ships wherein there were great numbers of men Neverthelesse as soon as it was dark night the enemies began to march away with all speed all along by the river wherewith the King was nothing displeased because the most part of his souldiers being hurt they were necessarily to be drest as indeed that was presently executed and the most part of the day and the night following imployed therein After the King of Siam had obtained so happy a victory the first thing that he did was to provide with all diligence for the fortifications of the town and whatsoever els he thought to be necessary for the security thereof After that he commanded a generall muster to be made of all his men of war that he might know how many he had lost in this battell whereupon he found that some fifty thousand were wanting all men of little reckoning whom the rigor of the Kings Edict had compelled to serve in this war ill provided and without defensive arms As for the enemies it was known the next day that an hundred and thirty thousand of them had been slain As soon as the hurt men were recovered the King having put into the principall places of this frontier such guards as seemed requisite to him was counselled by his Lords to make war upon the Kingdom of Guibem which was not above fifteen leagues from thence on the North side to be revenged on the Queen of Guibem for having given free passage thorough her dominions to those of Chiammay in regard whereof he attributed to her the losse of Oyaa Capimper and the thirty thousand men that had been killed with him The King approving of this advice parted from this town with an army of foure hundred thousand men and went and fell upon one of this Queens towns called Fumbacor which was easily taken and all the inhabitants put to the sword not one excepted This done he continued his voyage till he came to Guitor the capitall town of the Kingdom of Guibem where the Queen then was who being a widdow governed the State under the title of Regent during the minority of her son that was about the age of nine years At his arrivall he laid siege to the Town and forasmuch aâ— the Queen found not her self strong enough to resist the King of Siams power she fell to accord with him to pay him an annuall tribute of five thousand Turmes of silver which are threescore thousand Duckats of our money whereof she paid him five years advance in hand Besides that the young Prince her son did him homage as his vassall and the King led him away with him to Siam Hereupon he raised his siege from before the Town and passed on towards the North-East to the Town of Taysiran where he had news that the King of Chiammay was fallen off from the league aforesaid In the mean time whereas he had been six daies march in the enemies territories he sacked as many places as he met withall not permitting the life of any male whatsoever to be saved So proceeding onward he arrived at the Lake of Singipamor which ordinarily is called Chiammay where he stayed six and twenty daies during the which he took twelve goodly places invironed with ditches and bullworks after our fashion all of brick and mortar without any stone or lime in them because in the country it is not the custome to build so but they had no other Artillery then some Faulconets and certain muskets of brasse Now forasmuch as winter began to approach and that it was very rainy weather the King too feeling himself not very well he retired back again to the Town of Quitiruan where he tarried three and twenty daies and better in which space he made an end of fortifying it with walls and many broad and deep ditches so that having put this Town into an estate of being able to defend it self against any attempt he imbarqued his Army in the three thousand vessells which brought him thither and so returned towards Siam Nine daies after he arrived at Odiaa the chiefe City of his whole Kingdome where for the most part he kept his Court. At his arrivall the inhabitants gave him a stately reception wherein they bestowed a 〈◊〉 of money upon divers inventions which were made against his entry Now whereas during the six moneths of the Kings absence the Queen his wife had committed adultery with a Purveyor of her house named Vquuâ—cheâ—iraa and that at the Kings return she found her selfe gone four moneths with-child by him the fear she was in left it should be discovered made her for the saving of her self from the danger that threatned her resolve to poyson the King her husband as indeed without further delaying her pernitious intention she gave him in a messe of milk which wrought that effect as he died of it within five daies after during which time he took order by his Testament for the most important affairs of his Kingdome and discharged himself of the obligation wherein he stood ingaged to the strangers which had served him in this war of Chiammay In this Testament whenas he came to make mention of us Portugals he would needs have this clause added thereunto It is my intent that the sixscore Portugals which have alwayes so faithfully watched upon the guâ—rd â—f my person shall â—eceive for a recompence of their good services half a years tribute which the Queen of Guâ—bem gives me and that in my custome houses their Merchandise shall pay no custome foâ— the space of three years Moreover my intent is that their Priests may throughout all the Townes of my Kingdome publish the Law whereof they mâ—ke profâ—ssion namely of a God made man for the salvation of mankind as they have many times assured me To these things he added many others such like which well deserve to be reported here though I passe them under silence because I hope to make a more ample mention of them hereafter Furthermore he desired all the Grandees of his Court which were present with him that they would give him the consolation before he died to make his eldest Son be declared King which was incontinently executed For which effect after that all the Oyaas Conchalis and Montâ—os which are Soveraign dignities over all the rest of the Kingdome had taken the oath of Allegeance to this young Prince they shewed him out at a window to all the people who were in a great place below and they set upon his head a rich Crovvn of gold in the form of a Miter and put a svvord into his right hand and a pair of balances into
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
before him with his head bowed down to the ground as the custome was to do unto this King in regard he was more absolute then others Whenas then the season permitted Francisco de Castro to return to Malaca the King sent to fetch Domingos de Seixas from the Town of Goutaleu where he was at that time Generall of the Frontire having under his charge thirty thousand foot five thousand horse and eighteen thousand duckats pension by the year With him also he caused to be brought the other sixteen Portugals and consigned them all into the hands of Francisco de Castro who gave him thanks again for the grace which he did him A little after whenas Domingos de Seixas and his companions went to take their leave of this King he caused a thousand turmes of silver to be given to them which are in value twelve thousand duckats of our money and desired them to pardon him for giving them so little Another time which was in the year a thousand five hundred forty and five Simano de Melo being Captain of the same fortresse of Malaca one Luys de Montarroyo coming from China to go to Patana it happened that the ship wherein he was being beaten with a furious tempest was cast away in the Port of Charir some five leagues from Lugor where all his goodâ— were seized upon by the Xabandar of the country after that the Sea had cast him ashore and withall he himself was made a prisoner together with all the rest which were saved to the number of four and twenty Portugal and fifty boys which made in all seventy and four persons the goods too that were saved out of this Shipwrack amounted at least to fifteen thousand duckats Now the reason which the Xabandar alledged for this same was that by the antient custom of the Kingdome all these goods belonged unto him whereof Luis de Montarrayo having advertised certain Portugals which were at that instant in the City they concluded amongst themselves to make an Odiaa or present of some rich pieces to the value of a thousand duckaâ—s and therâ—with to go unto the King upon the day which was named of the white Elephant that vvas ten daies after and on the which in regard it was a very solemn feast this Prince was accustomed to do many graces to such as vvere suitors to him for them So on the solemnity of this day vvhich they call Oâ—idaypileu that is to say the rejoycing of goodmen all the Portugals who were threescore and odd placed themselves in a certain passage of one of the three principall streets thorough which the King vvas to passe vvith a great deal of pomp and Majesty and vvhenas they savv the King come by they prostrated themselves all upon the ground as the inhabitants of Siam use to do and one of them being deputed thereunto recounted unto the King the vvhole businesse of Luis de Montarrayo and his companions just as it had past beseeching him he vvould do them so much grace as to command the releasement of those poor prisoners vvithout speaking of the goods vvhich the Xabandar had seized upon because it seemed not reasonable unto them But the King who presently understood their demand vvas so moved vvith the tears vvhich he savv some of them shed as he caused the vvhite Elephant vvhereon he vvas mounted to stay then casting his eye on the Portugals and the Present that some of them held out in their hands vvhich he knevv they intended to offer unto him My friends said he unto him I take that for received which you would present me with and do thank you for it for in so solemn a day as this is I do not use to take any thing of any body but to give and oblige every one with benefits wherefore I desire you for the love of your God whose servant I am and ever will be to bestow this Present upon such of your company as are in most need of it for you shall do far better in gaining thereby therecompence of this Almes which you shall give for his sake then you could get by all that which I should confer on you in acknowledgement of this Present it being most certain that before him I am but a poor worm of the earth As for the prisoners which you demand of me it is my pleasure to bestow them as an Alms upon you that so in all liberty they may return unto Malaca and further I command that all the goods which they say have been â—aken from them be restored to them again for things which are done for Gods sake ought to be accomplished with much more liberality then the need of the poor requires especially when they crave it with tears in their eys Hereupon the Portugals prostrated themselves all before him and the next day the King by his Lâ—tters Patents ordained That within the term of ten daies the prisoners should be brought to the City together with all that which had been taken from them which incontinently was executed very exactly for there were restored unto them all the goods which had been saved out of the ship amounting as I have already said to fifteen thousand duckats which the King freely gave them Two or three moneths after in the same year one thousand five hundred forty and five it greatly importing this King of Siam to go in person and repulse the King of Tâ—parahos who on Passilicaâ—s side had invaded his country and sacked some of the weakest places with an intent to besiege the fortresse of Xinan and Lautâ—â— whereon depended the whole safety of this state he resolved to go against him in person Wherefore he sent certain Colonells over all the Kingdome to levy men with an expresse Commission to return within twenty daies with their men of war to the City of Odiaa for it was his intention to set forth from thence about that time Withall he enjoyned his Commanders upon pain of a rigorous chastisement not to dispense with a man that could fight from this war except it were such as were any way impotent and above threescore years of age whereupon each of these Colonells was assigned the Province wherein he should make his levies It happened then that one Quiay Raudiuaa a man of quality and one that the King made oftentimes use of had for his lot the frontier of Blanâ—haa where the most part of the inhabitants being very rich as well in money as other wayes gave themselves to the delights of the flesh and spent the most part of their time in feasts in sports and other such like pleasures of this life so that when they saw that Quiay Raudiuaa would compell them to go to this war as he was enjoyned to do they took it for too heavy a yoke and too insupportable a burthen and that did not well agree with the manner of life which they were wont to lead and therefore the richest of the country assembled together and resolved to get a
down by a pane of the wall descended thorough a bullwork into a place which was below with an intent to open a gate and give an entrance unto the King to the end they might rightly boast that they all alone had delivered to him the Capitall City of the Kingdome of Siam and so might gain the recompence vvhich they might well expect for so brave an action for the King had before promised to give unto whomsoever should deliver up the City unto him a thousand bisses of gold which in value are five hundred thousand duckats of our money These Turks being gotten down as I have said laboured to break open a gate with two rammes which they had brought with them for that purpose but as they were occupied about it upon a confidence that they alone should gain the thousand bisses of gold which the King had promised to whomsoever should open him the gates they saw themselves suddainly charged by three thousand Iaâ—s all resoâ—ute souldiers who fell upon them with such fury as little more then a quarter of an hour there was not so much as one Turk left alive in the place wherewith not contented they mounted up immediately to the top of the wall with a wonderfull courage and so flesht as they were and covered over with the bloud of the Turks whom they had newly cut in pieces they set upon the Bramaaes men which they found there and fought with them so valiantly that they durst not make head against them so that most of them were there slain and the rest tumbled down over the vvall The King of Bramaa redoubling his courage more then before would not for all that give over this assault but contrarily resolved to undertake it anew so as imagining that those Elephants alone would be able to give him an entry into the City he caused them once again to approach unto the wall At the noyse hereof Oyaa Passilico Captain Generall of the City ran in all hast to this part of the wall accompanied with fifteen thousand men whereof the most part were Luzons Bâ—rnâ—â—s and Champaaâ—s with some Menancabos among and caused the gate to be presently opened â—horough which the Bramaa pretended to enter and then sent him word that whereas he was given to understand how his Highnesse had promised to give a thousand bissâ—s of gold to whomsoever should open him the gates â—hat so he might thereby enter into the City he had now performed it so that hâ— might enter if he would provided that like a great King as he was he would maâ—â— good his word and send him the thousand bisses of gold which he stayed there to recâ—â—ve The King of Bramaa having received this jeer would not vouchsafe to return an answer thereby to shew his contempt of Oyaâ— Passilico but instantly he commanded the City to be assaulted which was presently executed with a great deal of fury for the fight became so terrible as it was a dreadfull thing to behold the rather for that the violence of it lasted above three whole hours during the which time the gate vvas tvvice forced open and twice the Assailants got an entrance into the City which the King of Siam no sooner perceived and that all vvas in danger to be lost but he ran speedily to oppose them vvith his follovvers vvhich vvere about thirty thousand in number and the best souldiers that were in all the City whereupon the conflict grew much better then before and continued half an hour and better during the which I do not know what past nor can say any other thing save that we savv streams of bloud running every vvhere and the ayr all of a light fire there vvas also on either part such a tumult and noyse as one would have said the earth had been tottering for it was a most dreadfull thing to hear the discord and jarring of those barbarous instruments as bells drums and trumpets intermingled with the noyse of the great Ordnance and smaller shot and the dreadfull yelling of six thousand Elephants whence ensued so great a terror that it took from them that heard it both courage and sense withall that place at the City gate whereof the Bramaa had been Master was all covered over with bodies drowned in bloud a spectacle so horrible that the very sight of it put us almost besides our selves Diego Suarez then seeing their forces qâ—ite repulsed out of the City the most part of the Elephants hurt and the rest so scared with the noyse of the great Ordnance as it was impossible to make them return unto the vvall as also that the best men of those that had fought at the gate were slain and that the Sun was almost down came to the King and counselled him to sound a retreat whereunto the King yeelded though much against his will because he observed that both he and the most part of the Portugals were wounded but it was with a purpose to returne to the same enterprise againe the next morning The King being retired to his quarter found himself wounded with the shot of an arrow which he received in that daies conflict and which he felt not untill then by reason of the heat of the fight This accident hindered the executing of the resolution he had taken to give another assault to the City the next day for he was constrained to keep his bed twelve daies together but at seventeen days end when he was fully cured of his hurt he undertook again the prosecution of his design and to effect that which he had so resolved upon namely not to raise his siege from before the City untill he had made himself Master of it though it cost him both his life and his whole State He gave then a second assault unto the City which proved like unto the former for he lost a vvorld of men in it so that he was forced to retreat but his wilfullnesse was such as nothing daunted with the great slaughter of his men he gave five assaults more to it in the open day wherein he made use of many warlike stratagems which a Greek Ingineer daily invented for him but whatsoever he could do he was always fain to retire with losse whereat he was greatly troubled In the mean time whereas the siege of this City had already indured four moneths and an half he commanded a generall muster of his souldiers to be made and he found that an hundred and forty thousand of them were wanting Whereupon seeing to what estate he was reduced for the putting of an end to the business he resolved to assault the City again with another nevv invention and this assault was the eighth he had already given to it during the siege which he enterprised by the Councell of war and that under the favour of the night for they alledged unto him that darknesse would make the assault less dangerous and the scaling of the walls more facile This resolution taken he instantly commanded
all preparations necessary for this design to be made so that in seventeen days they built up six and twenty Castles of strong pieces of timber whereof each one was set upon six and twenty wheels of iron which facilitated the motion of so great a frame Every Castle was fifty foot broad threescore and five long and five and twenty high and all of them were reinforced with double beams covered over with sheets of lead Moreover each of them was full of wood and had fastned to them before great iron chains and that were very long in regard of the fire Things thus prepared one Friday about midnight being very dark and rainy the King of Bramaa caused three times one after another all the great Ordnance of the Camp to be discharged which as I remember I have already said consisted of an hundred and threescore great pieces vvhereof the most part shot iron bullets besides a many of Falconets bases and muskets to the number of fifteen hundred so that from all these guns shot off together three times one after another proceeded so horrible and dreadfull a noyse as I cannot think that any vvhere but in hell the like could be for on whatsoever the imagination can be fixt it cannot meet with any thing that may be rightly compared thereunto At this time it was not only the great pieces of Ordnance whereof I have spoken before and the small ones too which were shot off but the like was done by all the guns which were both within the City and without in the Camp of what bigness soever they vvere being at least an hundred thousand in all for whereas there were as I have already said threescore thousand Harquebuziers in the King of Bramaaes Army there vvere thirty thousand also in the City besides seven or eight thousand Falconets and Bases so that to hear all these shot off continually for the space of three hours together and intermingled with thunder lightning and the tempest of the night was to say the truth a thing which was never seen read of or imagined and such indeed as put every one almost besides himself for some fell flat on the ground some crept behind walls and others got into walls During the greatest violence of this horrible and furious tempest they set fire on the six and twenty Castles which they had before brought close to the walls so that by the force of the wind which vvas at that time very great and by the means of barrels of pitch that had been put into them they fel a flaming in such a strange manner as there was anew to be seen so dreadfull a picture of hell for it is the only name that can be given it because there is nothing upon earth that may rightly he resembled unto it that if even those which were without trembled at it I leave you to think vvith hovv much more reason vvere they to fear it vvhom necessity constrained to abide the violence of it Hereupon began a most bloudy conflict on either part they without falling to scale the walls and the besieged who took no less care for all things then they valiantly to defend themselves so that no advantage was to be found on either side but rather both of them were in a condition to be utterly destroyed for whereas the one and other reinforced themselves continually with fresh supplies and that the King of Bramaaes obstinacy vvas such as he went himself in person amongst his souldiers incouraging them with his speeches and the great promises that he made them the fight proceeded so far and increased so mightily as being unable to deliver the least part of that which passed therein â— leave it to the understanding of every one to imagine what it might be Four hours after midnight the six and tvventy Castles being quite burned to the ground with so terrible a blaze as no man durst come within a stones cast of it the King of Bramaa caused a retreat to be sounded at the request of the Captains of the strangers for there vvere so many hurt men amongst them as all the day and most part of the night following was imployed in dressing of them CHAP. LXX The King of Bramaaes raising his siege from before the City of Odiaâ— with a description of the Kingdome of Siam and the fertility thereof THe King of Bramaa seeing that neither the great Ordnance vvherewith he had battered the City nor the assaults vvhich he had given unto it nor his inventions of Castles accompanied vvith so many artifices of fire whereon he had so much relied had served him to any purpose for the execution of that which he had so mightily desired and being resolved not to desist from the enterprise vvhich he had begun he called a Councell of War vvherein all the Princes Dukes Lords and Commanders that vvere in the Army were present Having then propounded his desire and intention unto them he required them to give him their advice thereupon immediately the affair being put into deliberation and thoroughly debated on either part they concluded in â—he end that the King vvas by no means to raise this siege in regard this enterprise was the most glorious and most profiâ—able of all that ever might be offered unto him they represented moreover unto him the vvorld of treasure that he had imployed therein and that if he continued battering the City without desisting from his assaults at length the enemies would be spent because it vvas apparent as they vvere informed that they vvere no longer able to vvithstand the least attempt that should be made against them The King being exceedingly contented for that their opinions proved to be conformable to his desire testified the great satisfaction that he received thereby so that he gave them many recompences in money and vovved to them that if they could take the City he vvould confer upon them the greatest commands of the Kingdome vvith very honorable titles and revenues This resolution being taken there was no further question but of considering in vvhat manner the businesse should be carried whereupon by the counsell of Diego Suarez and of the Ingineer it was concluded that vvith bavinâ— and green turfe a kind of Platform should be erected higher then the vvalls and that there on should be mounted good store of great Ordnance wherewith the principall fortifications of the City should be battered since that in them alone consisted all the enemies defence Order then vvas presently given for all that vvas judged necessary thereunto and the threescore thousand Pioners vvhich vvere in the Camp vvere imployed about it vvho in tvvelve days brought the Fort or Platform into the estate vvhich the King desired There vvere already planted on it then forty pieces of Canon for the battering of the City the day ensuing vvhenas a Post arrived vvith Letters to the King vvhereby he vvas advertised That the Zemindoo being risen up in the Kingdome of Pegu had cut fifteen thousand
Bramaaes there in pieces and had withall seizâ—d on the principall places of the country At these news the King was so troubled that without further delay he raised the siege and imbarqued himself on a river called Pacaâ—au where he stayed but that night and the day following which he imployed in retiring his great Ordnance and ammunition Then having set fire on all the Pallisadoes and lodgings of the Camp he parted away one Tuesday the fifteenth day of October in the year a thousand five hundred forty and eight for to go to the Town of Marâ—abano Having used all possible speed in his voyage at seventeen days end he came thither and there was amply informed by the Chalagonim his Captain of all the Zemindoos proceedings in making himself King and seizing on his treasure by killing fifteen thousand Bramaaes and that in divers places he had lodged five hundred thousand men with an intention to stop his passage into the Kingdome This news very much perplexed the King of Bramaa so that he fell to thinking with himself what course he should take for the remedying of so great a mischief as he was threatned with In the end he resolved to tarry a while at Martabano to attend some of his forces that were still behind and then to go and fight a battell with his enemy but it was his ill luck that in the space of fourteen days only which he abode there of four hundred thousand men which he had fifty thousand quitted him For whereas they were all Pegâ—es and consequently desirous to shake off the Bramaaes yoke they thought it best to side with the new King the Zemindoo who was a Pegu as well as they and they were the rather induced thereunto by understanding that this Prince was of an eminent condition liberall and so affable to every one that he thereby won most men to be of his party In the mean time the King of Bramaa fearing lest the defection of his souldiers should daily more and more increase was advised by his Councell to stay no longer there in regard the longer he should tarry the more his forces would diminish for that a great part of his Army was Pegues which were not likely to be very faithful unto him This counsell was approved of by the King who presently marched away towards Pegu neer unto which he was no sooner arrived but he was certified that the Zemindoo being advertised of his coming was attending ready to receive him So these two Kings being in the view of one another incamped in a great â—laine some two leagues from the City of Pegu the Zemindoo with six hundred thousand men and the Bramaa with three hundred and fifty thousand The next day these two Armies being put into battell array came to joyn together one Friday the sixteenth of November the same year a thousand five hundred forty and eight It was about six of the clock in the morning when first they began their incounter vvhich vvas performed vvith so much violence as a generall defeat ensued thereupon yet fought they with an invincible courage on either part but the Zemindoo had the worse for in lesse then three hours his whole Army was routed with the slaughter of three hundred thousand of his men so that in this extremity he vvas forced to save himself only with six horse in a fortress called Battelor where he stayed but one hour during the vvhich he furnished himself with a little Vessell wherein he fled the night ensuing up the river to Câ—daa Let us leave him now flying untill we shall come to him again whenas time shall serve and return to the King of Bramaa who exceedingly contented vvith the victory vvhich he had gotten marched the next morning against the City of Pegu where as soon as he arrived the inhabitants rendred themselves unto him on condition to have their lives and goods saved Whereupon he took order for the dressing of them that were hurt as for those that he lost in this battell they were found to be threescore thousand in number amongst the which were two hundred and fourscore Portugals all the rest of them being grievously wounded Having already intreated of the successe which the King of Bramaas voyage had in the kingdom of Siam and of the rebellion of the Kingdom of Pegu me thinks it will not be amisse for me to speak here succinctly of the scituation extent abundance riches and fertility which I saw in this kingdom of Siam and in this Empire of Sornaâ— to shew that the conquest thereof would have been far more utile unto us then all the estates which now we have in the India's and that we might obtain it with a great deal lesse charge This kingdom as may be seen in the Map is seven hundred leagues in length and a hundred and threescore in bredth the most part of it consists in great plaines where are a world of corn grounds and rivers of fresh water by reason whereof the Country is exceeding fertile and abundantly stored with cattell and victualls In the most eminent parts of it are thick Forests of Angelin wood whereof thousands of ships might be made there are also many mines of Silver Iron Steel Lead Tin Saltpetre and Brimstone likewise great abundance of Silk Aloes Benjamin Lacre Indico Cotton wooll Rubies Saphires Ivory and gold There is moreover in the woods marvailous store of Brasill and Ebony wherewith an hundred Juncks are every year laden to be transported to China Hainan the Lequios Camboya and Campâ—aa besides Wax Honey and Sugar which divers places there do yeeld very plentifully The Kings yearly revenue is ordinarily twelve millions of gold over and above the presents which the great Lords make him that comes to a great matter In the jurisdiction of his territories there are six and twenty hundred populations which they call Prodou as cities and towns amongst us besides villages and small hamlets whereof I have no reckoning The most part of those populations have no other fortifications or walls then palisadoes of wood so that it would be easie for any that should attaque them to make themselves masters thereof the rather for that the inhabitants of those places are naturally effeminate and destitute of arms offensive and defensive This coast of this kingdom joyns upon the two North and South Seas on that of the Indiaes by Iunçalo and Tanauçarius and on that of China by Monpolocata Cuy Lugor Chintabu and Berdio The capitall City of all this Empire is Odiaa whereof I have spoken heretofore it is fortified with walls of brick and mortar and contains according to some foure hundred thousand fires whereof an hundred thousand are strangers of divers countries of the world for whereas the country is very rich of it self and of great traffick there passes not a yeare whereunto from the Provinces and Islands of Iaoa Bale Madoura Augenio Bâ—rneo and Solor there sailes at the least a thousand Iuncks besides other smaller vessells
delay This done he parted the day following with a small train from the City of Pegu to give example to others to do the like and wept and lodged at a Town called Mouchan with an intention to tarry there those fifteen days he had limited the Lords to come unto him Now whenas six or seven of them were already past he was advertised that Xemin de Satan Governor of a Town so named had secretly sent a great sum of gold to the Zemindoo and had withall done him homage for the same Town where he commanded This news somewhat troubled the King of Bramaa who devising with himself of the means which he might use to meet with the mischief that threatned him he sent for Xemin de Satan who was then in the said Town of his Government with a purpose to cut off his head but he betaking himself to his bed and making shew of being sick answered that he would wait upon the King as soon as he was able to rise Now in regard he found himself to be guilty and misdoubting the cause wherefore he was sent for he communicated this affair to a dozen of his kinsmen that were there present with him who all of them concluded together how since there was no better way to save himself then in killing the King that without further delay it was to be put in execution so that all of them offering secretly to assist him in this enterprise they speedily assembled all their Confidents without declaring unto them at first the occasion wherefore they did it and withall drawing others unto them with many fair promises they made up of all being joyned together a company of six hundred men Whereupon being informed that the King was lodged in a certain Pagode they fell upon it with great violence and fortune was so favourable unto them that finding him almost alone in his chamber they slew him without incurring any danger That done they retired into an outward Court where the Kings Guard having had some notice of this treason set upon them and the conflict was so hot between them that in half an hours space or thereabout eight hundred men lay dead in the place whereof the most part were Bramaaes After this Xemin de Satan making away with four hundred of his followers went to a place of a large extent called Poutel whither all those of the country round about resorted unto him who being advertised of the death of the King of Bramaa whom they mortally hated made up a body of five thousand men and went to seek out the three thousand Bramaaes which the King had brought thither vvith him And forasmuch as these same vvere dispersed in severall places they vvere all of them easily slain not scarce so much as one escaping With them also vvere killed fourscore of three hundred Portugals that Diego Suarez had with him vvho together vvith all the rest vvhich remained vvith their lives saved rendred themselves upon composition and vvere received to mercy upon condition that for the future they should faithfully serve Xemin de Satan as their proper King vvhich they easily promised to do Nine days after this mutiny the Rebell seeing himself favoured by fortune and such a multitude of people at his devotion which were come to him out of this Province to the number of thirty thousand men caused himself to be declared King of Pegu promising great recompences to such as should follow and accompany him untill he had wholly gained the Kingdome and driven the Bramaaes out of the country With this design he retired to a fortresse called Tagalaa and resolved to fortifie himself there out of the feare he was in of the forces vvhich vvere to come to the succour of the deceased King thinking to find him alive having been advertised that many vvere already set forth from the City of Pegu for that purpose Now of those Bramaaes which Xemin de Satan had slain one by chance escaped and cast himself all woundeâ— as he vvas into the river and swimming over never left travelling all that night and the day follovving for fear of the Pegues untill he arrived at a place called Coutasarem where he incountred with the Chaumigrem the deceased Kings Foster-brother vvho vvas incamped there vvith an army of an hundred and â—ourscore thousand men vvhereof there vvere but only thirty thousand Bramaaes all the rest Pegues finding him then upon the point of parting from thence in regard of the heat that vvould be vvithin tvvo hours after he acquainted him vvith the death of the King and all that had past besides Now though this news greatly troubled the Chaumigrem yet he dissembled it for the present with so much courage and prudence as not one of his followers perceived any alteration in him But contrarily putting on a rich habit of Carnation Sattin imbroidered with gold and a chain of precious stones about his neck he caused all the Lords and Commanders of his Army to assemble before him and then speaking to them with the semblance of a joyfull man Gentlemen said he this fellow which you saw come to me but now in such hast hath brought me this Letter which I have here in my hand from the King my Lord and yours and although by the contents thereof he seemeth to blame us for our carelessâ—ness in lingering thus yet I hope e're long to render him such an accompt of it as his Highnesse shall give us all thanks for the service we have done him By this letter too he certifies me that he hath very certaine intelligence how the Zemindoo hath raised an army with an intent to fall upon the Towns of Cosmin and Dalâ—â— and to gain all along the rivers of Digon and Meâ—doo the whole Province of Danaplâ—â— even to Ansedaa wherefore he hath expresly enjoyned me that as soon as possibly I may I put into those places as the most important such forces as shall be able to resist the enemy and that I take heed nothing be lost through my nâ—gligence because in that case â—e will admit of no excuse This being so it seems to me very importanâ— and necessary for his service that you my Lord Xemiâ—brum go instantly without all delay and put your self with your forces into the Town of Dâ—laa and your brother-in-law Baâ—â—haa Quem into that of Digon with his fifteen thousand men as for Colonel Gipray and Monpocasser they shall go with their thirty thousand souldiers into Ansedaa and Danapluu and Ciguamcan with twenty thousand men shall march along to Xaraa and so to Mâ—lacou moreoâ—er Quiay Brazagaran with his brethren and kinsmen shall go for Generall of the Frontier with an Army of fifty thousand men to the end that assisted with those forces he may in person give order wheresoever need shall be Behold what the King hath written to me whereof I pray you let us make an agreement and all sign it together for it is no reason that my head should answer for your
added many others by way of complement yea and made him many offers if he would make use of him wherewith the old father of the bride finding himself so exceedingly honored as not knowing how to acknowledge it in regard the person who did him so much honor was no lesse then the King himself in greatnesse and dignity the desire which he had to satisfie this obligation in part if he could not wholly do it made him go and take his daughter by the hand accompanied with many Ladies of quality and so leading her to the street door where Diego Suarez was he prostrated himself on the ground with a great deal of respect and with many complements after his manner thanked him for the favour and honor that he had done him Thereupon the new married bride having taken from off her finger a rich ring presented it on her knees by her fathers expresse commandement to Diego Suarez but he that naturally was sensuall and lascivious instead of using civility whereunto the Laws of generosity and friendship obliged him having taken the ring which the maid presented unto him he reached out his hand and plucked her to him by force saying God forbid that so fair a maid as you should fall into any other hands but mine whereupon the poor old man seeing Diego Suarez hale his daughter so rudely lifting up both his hands to heaven with his knees on the ground and tears in his eys My Lord said he unto him I humbly beseech thee for the love and respect of the great God whom thou adorest and which was conceived without any spot of sin in the Virgins womb as I confesse and believe according to that which I have heard thereof that thou wilt not forcibly take away my daughter for if thou doest so I shall assuredly die with griefe and displeasure at it but if thou desire of me that I should give thee her dowry together with all that is in my house and that I deliver up my self unto thee for thy slave I will instantly do it provided thou wilt permit that her husband may possesse her for I have no other good in the world but â—â—e nor will I have any other as long as I live Whereupon offering to lay hold on his daughter Diego Suarez making no answer to him turned himself about to the Captain of his guard who was a Turk by Nation and said unto him kill this dog The Turk presently drew out his Scymitar to kill the poor old man but he suddainly fled away leaving his daughter with her hair all about her ears in Diego Suarez his hands In the mean time the Bridegroom came running to this tumult with his cheeks all bedeawed with tears but he was scarcely arrived there whenas these Barbarians slew him and his Father too with six or seven other of his kinsmen Whilest this past so the women made such fearfull cries in the house as terrified all those that heard them so that even the earth and the ayr seemed to tremble at it or to say better they demanded vengeance of God for the little respect which was had to his divine justice and for so great a violence as this was and truly if I do not more amply report the particularities of so black and so abhominable an action I desire to be excused in regard I passe them by for the honor of the Portugal Nation Wherefore it shall suffice me to say that this poor Maid seeing her self upon the point to be forced strangled her self with a string that she wore about her middle for a girdle which she chose rather to do then suffer this sensuall and bruitish man to carry her away with him by force but he was therewith so displeased as he was heard to say that he repented him more for that he had not enjoyed her then for using her in that sort as he did Now from the day of this abhorred act till four years after the good old man the Father of the Bride was never seen to go out of his house but at length to give a greater demonstration of his sorrow and to shew his extreme resentment of the matter he covered himself with an old tattered mat and in that sad equipage went up and downe begging an alms of his very slaves never eating any thing but lying all along naked and his face fixed on the ground Thus continued he in so sad a manner of life untill in the end he saw that the season invited him to have recourse unto justice which he demanded in this sort perceiving that in the Kingdome there was another King other Governors and other Jurisdiction alterations which time ordinarily produceth in every country and in all kind of affairs he went out of his house in the wretched fashion he had so long used having a big cord about his neck and a white beard reaching almost down to his girdle and got him into the midst of a great place where stood a Temple called Quiay Fantareâ— that is to say the God of the afflicted there he took the idoll from off the Altar and holding it in his armes he returned out of the Temple to the said great place where having cried out aloud three times to draw the people together as accordingly they came flocking in unto him he said with teares in his eys O ye people ye people who with a cleane and peaceable heart make profession of the truth of this God of the afflicted which you see here in my armes come forth like lightning in a dark and rainy night and joyn with me in crying so loud that our cryes may pierce the heavens to the end the pitifull ear of the Lord may be drawn to hear our heavy lamentations and by them he may know the reason we have to demand justice against this accursed stranger as the most wicked man that ever was born into the world for this abhominable wretch hath not been contented with spoiling us of our goods but hath also dishonored our families wherefore whosoever shall not with me accompany the God which I hold in my hands and water with my tears in detesting so horrible a crime let the gluttonous Serpent of the profound pit of smoke abridge his dayes miserably and tear his body in pieces at midnight This old mans words so mightily terrified the Assistants and made so deep an impression in their minds that in a short time fifty thousand persons assembled in that place with so much fury and desire of revenge as was wonderfull to behold Thus the number of the people still more and more increasing they ran thronging strait to the Kings Palace with so horrible a noyse as struck terror into all that heard them In this disorder being arrived at the outward Court of the Palace they cried out six or seven times with a dreadfull tone O King come out of the place wherein thou art shut up to hearken to the voice of thy God who demands justice of thee
satisfied with the death which they have received in this last battell by your hands Behold how I earnestly intreat you as children that you are of my bowels that having regard to my good intention you will not kindle this fire wherein my soul will be burnt since you see well enough how reasonable that is which I desire of you and how unjust it would be for you to refuse it me Neverthelesse to the end you may not remain altogether without recompense I do here promise you to contribute thereunto all that shall seem reasonable to you and to supply this default in part with my own goods with my Person with my Kingdom and with my State Hereupon the Commanders of those six Nations hearing the Kings justification and the promise which hee made them yeelded to agree unto whatsoever he would do howbeit they prayed him above all things to have regard unto souldiers pretensions who were not at any hand to be discontented but greatly to be made account of Whereunto the King replyed That they had reason and that in all things he would endeavour to conform himself to whatsoever they should judg reasonable In the mean time to avoid disputes which might ensue hereupon it was concluded that they should referr themselves to Arbitrators for which effect the Mutiners were to name three on their side and the King three others on his which made six in all whereof three were to be Religious men and the rest Strangers that so the judgment might be given with lesse suspicion This resolution being taken between them they agreed together that the three Religious men should be the Menigrepos of a Pagode that was named Quiay Hifaron that is to say the God of Povertie and that for the other three Strangers the King and the Mutiners should cast lots to see who should chuse one or two of them on his side This Election being fallen to the King he made a choice of two Portugals of an hundred and forty that were then in the Citie whereof the one was Gonçalo Pacheco the King our Masters Factor for Lacre a worthie man and of a good conscience and the other a worshipful Merchant named Nuno Fernandez Teixeyra whom the King held in good esteem as having known him in the life time of the deceased King By the same means the Commanders of the Mutiners elected another stranger whose name I do not know Things thus concluded the Judges destined for the resolution of this Affair were sent for because the King was not willing to stirre out of the place where he was untill the matter was determined to the end he might dismisse them all peaceably before he entred into the Citie for fear lest if they entered with him they should not keep their word For this purpose then the King about midnight sent a Bramaa on horseback to the Portugals quarter who vvere in no lesse fear then the Pegues of being plundered and killed After that the Bramaa vvas come into the Citie and that hee had asked aloud for so they use to do vvhen they come from the King vvhere the Captain of the Portugals vvas he vvas presently conducted to his Lodging vvhere being arrived It is a thing said he to the Captain as proper to the nature of that Lord above who hath created the firmament and the whole heavens to make good men for the conversion of the wicked as it is ordinary with the pernicious Dragon to nourish in his bosome spirits of commotion and tumult to bring disorder unto the peace which conserves us in the holy Law of the Lord. I mean hereby continued he that amongst all those of your Nation there is one wicked man found vomiting out of his infernall stomack flames of discord and sedition by means wherof he hath caused the three strange Nations of the Chalons Meleytes and Savadis to mutinie in the King my Masters Army whereupon hath ensued so great a mischief that besides almost the utter ruine of the Camp three thousand Bramaaes have been slain and the King himself hath been in such danger as he was fain to retire into a Fort where hee hath remained three dayes and still is there not daring to come out because he cannot put any trust in those strangers Howbeit for a remedy of so great unquietnesse it hath pleased God who is the true Father of concord to inspire the Kings heart with patience to endure this injurie being prudent as he is to the end hee may by that means pacifie the tumult and rebellion of these three turbulent Nations who inhabit the most desert parts of the mountains of Mons and are the most accursed of God amongst all people Now to make an entry into this peace and union a Treaty hath been had between the King and the Commanders of the Mutiners whereby it hath been concluded on either part with an Oath That to exempt this Citie from the plundering which had been promised to the Souldiers the King shall give them out of his own estate as much as six men deputed for that purpose shall award of which number there are already four so that to make up the whole six there wants none but thee whom the King hath chosen for him and another Portugal whose name is written in this paper whereby thou shalt be ascertained of that which I have said unto thee Thereupon he delivered a Letter unto him from the King of Bramaa which Gonçalo Pacheco received upon his knees and laid upon his head with exterior complements so full of civilitie and courtesie as the Bramaa remained very much contented and satisfied therewith and said unto him Surely the King my Master must needs have a great knowledg of thee in that hee hath chosen thee for a Iudg of his Honour and Estate Hereupon Gonçalo Pacheco read the Letter aloud before all the Portugals who heard it standing with their hats in their hands The contents of it were to this effect Captain Gonçalo Pacheco my dear Friend and that appears before my eyes like a precious Pearl as being no lesse vertuous in the tranquillitie of thy life then the holyest Menigrepos which live in the Deserts I the ancient Chaumigrem and new King of fourteen States which God hath now put into my hands by the death of the holy King my Master do send thee a smile of my mouth to the end thou mayest be as agreeable to me as those whom I cause to sit at my table in a day of joy and feasting Know then that I have thought good to take thee for a Iudg of the Affair that is in question and therefore have sent for thee together with my good Friend Nuno Fernandez Teixeyra to come presently unto me for to give an end to this businesse which I wholly commit unto your trust And for so much as concerns the security of your persons in regard of the fear you may be in of the late Mutinie I do engage my word and swear to you by the
faith which a King ought to have whom God himself hath annointed that I will take you and all those of your Nation with all others that beleeve in your God into my protection After that this Letter was read to the great astonishment of all us that heard it we could beleeve no other but that by Divine permission it came from Heaven for the assurance of our lives whereof we stood in very great doubt until then Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez with ten other Portugals which were chosen for that purpose instantly prepared a Present of divers rich Pieces to carry to the King unto whom they went that very same night an hour before day in the company of the Bramaa who brought the Letter in regard the haste the King was in would brook no delay Gonçalo Pacheco Nuno Fernandez and the other Portugals arrived at the camp an hour before Sun-rising and the King sent to receive them one of the chiefest Bramaa Commanders that he had and in whom he very much confided who was accompanied with above an hundred horse and six Serjeants at armes that carried maces This same received the Portugals and lead them to the King who did much honour unto Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez and after he had talked with them of divers matters he put them in mind of the importance of the businesse for which he had sent for them and willed them by any means to leane rather to the Commanders then to him assuring them that he should be very well contented therewith and said many things to them to that purpose Then he caused them to be conducted by the same Bramaa Lord to the Tent where the other four Arbitrators were with the high Treasuror and two Registers when as they had commanded silence to all that were without they fell to debating of the businesse for which they were assembled together whereupon there were many opinions which took up the most part of the day but at last all six came to conclude That albeit on the one side the King by the promise which he had made at Tanguu to the forraigne Souldiers for to give them the spoil or pillage of the places which he should take by force was exceedingly obliged to the performance thereof yet seeing that on the other side this promise was of great and notable prejudice to the innocent because it could not be put in execution without greatly offending God these things considered they ordained by their award That the King in regard of the promise which he had made them should pay unto them a thousand bisses of gold out of his own treasure and that upon the Souldiers receiving thereof they should passe over to the other side of the River and retire directly into their countries but that they should first be also paid all that was due to them before this mutiny began and that they should be furnished with victuals sufficient for twenty daies This award being published was received with much content to either party So that the King commanded it to be instantly and punctually executed and for a greater testimony of his liberality after he had paid them all this sum of mony he bestowed upon the Commanders and Officers of each Company many bountifull rewards wherewith they were all of them very well pleased and satisfied In this sort were these three mutinous nations discharged for the King would by no meanes trust or make use of them any longer Howbeit he would not suffer these strangers to go all away together but caused them to be divided into troups each of them consisting of a thousand men to the end that by this means they should give the lesse suspicion in their returne and should be lesse able to plunder the open townes by which they were to passe and thus the next day they departed As for Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez Teixyra the King gave them ten bisses of gold for being his Arbitrators in this affair whereunto he added a passport written with his own hand whereby the Portugals were permitted to retire freely into the Indies without paying any custome or duty for their marchandize whereof we made more account then of all the mony could have been given us because that for three years before the precedent Kings had retayned us in this country with exceeding much vexation and tyranny whereby we were oftentimes in great danger of our lives by reason of the successe of that which I have spoken heretofore This done there were Proclamations made by men on horseback to give notice that the day following the King would enter into the City in a peaceable manner threatning all such as should do the contrary with a cruell death Accordingly the next morning at nine of the clock the King parted from the Pagode whither he had retired himself and about an hour after arrived at the City wherein to entring by the chiefest gate he was received by an assembly in form of a Procession of six thousand Priests of all the twelve Sects which are in this Kingdome by one of whom called Capizundo an oration was made unto him whereof the preface was thus Blessed and praised be that Lord who ought truly to be acknowledged of all men for such in regard of the holy works which he hath made with his Divine hands testified to us by the light of the day the shining of the night and all the other magnificences of his mercy which he hath produced in us Praised be he I say for that by the effects of his infinite power which are agreeable unto him he hath been pleased to establish thee on the earth above all the Kings that govern it and seeing we hold thee for his favorite we humbly beseech thee our Lord that thou wilt never more remember the faults and offences which we have committed against thee to the end that these thy afflicted people may be comforted with the promise thereof which they hope thy Majesty will make them at this present This same request was likewise made unto him by the six thousand Grepos all prostrated on the ground and with their hands lifted up to heaven who with a dreadful tumult of voices said unto him Grant our Lord and King peace and pardon for that is past to all the people of this thy Kingdome of Pegu to the end they may not be troubled with the feare of their offences which they confesse publikely before thee The King answered them that he was contented so to do and swore to them by the head of Quiay Nivandel the God of Battel of the field Vitau for the confirmation thereof Upon this promise all the people prostrated themselves with their faces on the ground and said unto him God make thee to prosper for infinite years in the victory over thy enemies that thou mayest trample their heads under thy feet Hereupon for a token of great gladnesse they fel to playing on divers instruments after their manner though very barbarously
and untunably and the Grepo Capizondo set on his head a rich Crown of gold and precious stones of the fashion of a Miter wherewith the King made his entry into the City with a great deal of state and tryumph causing to march before him all the spoile of the elephants and chariots as also the statue of the Xemindoo whom he had vanquished bound with a great yron chain and forty Colours trayled on the ground As for him he was seated on a very mighty elephant harnessed with gold and invironed with forty Serjeants at armes bearing Maces there marched likewise all the great Lords and Commanders on foot with their Scymitars covered with plates of gold which they carried on their shouldiers and three thousand fighting elephants with their Castles of divers inventions besides a world of other people as well foot as horse which followed him without number CHAP. LXXIV The finding of the Xemindoo and bringing of him to the King with the manner of his execution and death and other particularities concerning the same AFter that the King of Bramaa had continued peaceably in this Citie of Pegu for the space of six and twenty daies the first thing he did was to make himself Master of the principal places of this Kingdome which not knowing the defeat of the Xemindoo held still for him To this purpose having given Commission to some Commanders for it hee wrote to the inhabitants of those places divers courteous Letters wherein he called them his dear children and gave them an abolition of all that was past He also promised them by a solemn oath to maintain them in peace for the time to come and alwayes to minister justice to them without any Imposts or other oppression but that hee would contrarily do them new favours as to the very Bramaas which served him in the Warres To these words hee added many others very well accommodated to the time and his desire for the better crediting whereof they that were already reduced under his obedience wrote their Letters also unto them wherein they made an ample relation of the Franchises and Immunities which the King had granted to them All this accompanied with the same which ran thereof in all parts wrought so great an effect as all those places rendred unto him and put themselves under his obedience so that in imitation of them all the other Cities Towns States and Provinces that were in the Kingdom did the like For my part I hold that this Kingdome whereof the King of Bramaa made at this time a new Conquest is the best the most abundant and richest in Gold in Silver and precious Stones that may be found in any part of the world Things being thus accomplished to the great advantage of the Bramaa he dispatches divers Horsemen with all speed into all parts to go in quest of the Xemindoo who as I have already declared had escaped from the past Battel and was so unhappy that he was discovered in a place named Fauleu a league from the Town of Potem which separates the Kingdom from Aracam Presently whereupon he was lead with great joy by a man of base condition to this King of Bramaa who in recompence thereof gave him thirty thousand Duckats of yeerly rent Being brought before him bound as he was with an iron coller and manacles he said unto him in way of derision Thou art welcome King of Pegu and maist well kisse the ground which thou seest for I assure thee I have set my foot on it whereby thou mayest perceive how much I am thy Friend since I do thee an honour which thou couldst never imagine To these words the Xemindoo made no answer so that the King falling to jeer this miserable man anew vvho lay before him with his face on the ground said unto him What means this Art thou amazed to see me or to see thy self in so great honour Or what is the matter that thou dost not answer to that which I demand of thee After this affront the Xemindoo whether it were that he was troubled with his misfortunes or ashamed of his dishonour answered him in this sort If the clouds of Heaven the Sun the Moon and the other creatures which cannot expresse in words that which God hath created for the service of man and for the beautifying of the Firmament which hides from us the rich treasures of his power could naturally with the horrible voice of their dreadfull Thunder explain to them which now look upon me the estate whereunto I see my self reduced before thee and the extreme affliction which my soul doth suffer they would answer for me and declare the cause I have to be mute in the condition wherein my sins have set me and whereas thou canst not be Iudg of that which I say being the party that accusest me and the minister of the execution of thy designe I hold my self for excused if I do not make thee an answer as I would do before that blessed Lord who how faulty soever I could be would have pitie on me moved with the least tear that I should shed This said he fell down with his face on the ground and twice together asked for a little water Whereupon the King of Bramaa the more to afflict him commanded that the Xemindoo should receive this water from the hand of a Daughter of his held by him as a slave whom he exceedingly loved and had at that time of his defeat promised to the Prince of Nautir Son to the King of Avaa The Princesse no sooner saw her Father lying in that manner on the ground but she cast her self at his feet and straitly embracing him after shee had kissed him thrice she said to him with her eyes all bathed in tears O my Father my Lord and my King I intreat you for the extreme affection which I have alwayes born you and for that also which you have at all times shewed to me that you will be pleased to lead me with you thus imbracing you as I do to the end that in this sad passage you may have one to comfort you with a cup of water now that for my sins the world refuses you that respect which is due unto you It is said that the Father would fain have answered to these words yet could not possibly do it so much was he oppressed with grief and anguish of minde to see this Daughter whom he so dearly loved in such a taking but fell as it were in a swoun and so continued a good vvhile vvherewith some Lords that were there present vvere so moved as the tears came into their eyes vvhich observed by the King of Bramaa and that they vvere Pegues vvho had formerly been the Xemindoo's Subjects fearing lest they should betray him in time to come he caused their heads to be presently strucken off saying vvith a disdainfull and fierce countenance Seeing you have so great pitie of the Xemindoo your King get you before and prepare a
promised me on his side that if God gave him life he would come back again unto me as speedily as he could And for asmuch as his return hath been longer then I looked for I have sent thus expresly to know both of him and of you the cause of this retardment of his Wherefore my Lord I desire you that he may hasten away to me with all the speed that the first season which shall be proper for navigation will permit For besides that his arrivall in my Kingdome is greatly important for the service of God it will be also very profitable to my self for the contracting of a new league with the great King of Portugal to the end that by this amitie my country and his may hereafter be but one thing and that his subjects may in all our ports and rivers be as free as they are in your Cochim where you are wherefore your Lordship shall exceedingly oblige me by sending one unto me that may be witnesse of the desire I have to serve your King for I will do it as willingly as the Sun is ready to hasten his course from the morning to the night Moreover Antonio Ferreyra will give thee the very same armes wherewith I vanquished the Kings of Fiangaa and Xemenarequa and which I wore in the day of battel I am ready in all things to obey my elder Brother that invincible King of the other end of the world Lord of the treasures of great Portugal The Vice-Roy having read this Letter sent for one father Belquior Rector of the Colledg of the Jesuits and having imparted unto him the King of Bungoes desire he told him that in regard Father Xavier was dead he could wish that he would in his stead undertake this voyage to Iapan which in all probalitie would very much redound to the service of God and the propogation of the Christian faith The Rector upon the hearing hereof willingly imbraced the imployment wherewith the Vice-Roy was exceedingly well pleased and very much commended him for such his good and pious resolution After this the Vice-Roy consulting with some of his friends about the chusing of a man that in qualitie of his Ambassador might accompany the Father in this expedition I was nominated unto him as the fittest he could fix upon in regard of the knowledg I had both of the Country and of the then King thereof whereupon I was immediatly also sent for and the Vice-Roy acquainting me with the great desire he had that I should take this negotiation upon me which he said did so much import the honor of God and the King our Masters service he prest me so earnestly to it that I knew not how to refuse him although I must confesse I was very unwilling thereunto So that consenting to what I could not well avoide he commanded that all things necessary for our voyage should with all convenient speed be prepared CHAP. LXXVII Father Belquior's and my departure from the Indiaes to go to Japan and that which befell us till our arrivall at the Island of Champeiloo FOurteen dayes after namely on the sixteenth of April One thousand five hundred fifty and four Father Belquior and I set sail for Malaca in a ship wherein also was Don Antonio de Noronha Son to Don Garcia de Noronha who had been Vice-Roy of the Indiaes that was going to take possession of the Government of the Fortresse there from the which the Vice-Roy had sent order to displace Don Alvaro de Tayda who was Captain of it as well for that he would not obey his Commands as for many other misdemeanors which he had committed whereof I will not speak in particular here because they are altogether from my purpose at this time The fifth day of June following we and the new Captain arrived at Malaca where the Licentiat Gasper Iorge Superintendant Generall of the Indiaes who was the man that prosecuted this businesse caused the people of the Town to assemble together upon the tolling of a Bell and having read unto them the Vice-Roys Letters Patents whereby he displaced Don Alvaro he examined him upon divers Interrogatories whereof two Registers made a verbal process which was signed both by them and the said Superintendent and the new Captain After all this Don Alvaro was deposed from his Government made a prisoner and all his estate confiscated the like was done to all his partakers who had favoured him in the imprisoning of Gamboa Superintendent of the Treasure and in disobeying the Vice-Roys Commissions as also in many other disorders that had been committed thereupon vvhich was executed with so much rigour as the most part fled to the Mahometans whereby the Fortresse remained so bare of men as it was in danger of being undone had not the new Captain provided for it with a great deal of prudence granting a general Abolition unto all although they returned for all that but with an ill will These revolutions and this excesse of justice which put all the Country into an uproar were the cause that Father Belquior and I could not this year pass unto Iapan as we had resolved so that we were constrained to winter at Malaca until April following in the year One thousand five hundred fifty and five which was ten months During that time the Auditor Gaspar Iorge continuing the rigorous executions which he exercised day by day was a subject of great scandal to all the Country vvherewith not yet contented and relying on the large Commission vvhich the Vice-Roy had given him he would needs intermeddle with the Captain Don Antonio's Jurisdiction and indeed he incroached so far on his Authority as Don Antonio had no more but the name of it and was no other then as a guard of the Fortress Now though he was very sensible of this affront yet he did dissemble and endure it with a great deal of patience But these excessive rigours of this Auditor continuing for the space of four months during the which there vvere many discontentments vvhereof I will not treat here in particular because the discourse of it would be infinite One day Don Antonio seeing the time proper for the execution of that which he had formerly resolved on caused some whom he had destined for it to seise on him in the Fortress and carry him to a private house vvhere according to report he was stript stark naked and his hands and feet being bound with cords he was grievously whipped After which having drop'd scalding oyl on his bare flesh which had almost killed him and clapt irons on his legs and manacles on his hands they pluck'd off all the hair of his beard leaving him not so much as one and did many other such like things unto him as it was publickly spoken so that the poor Licentiat Gaspar Iorge who termed himself Auditor Generall of the Indiaes great Provisor of the deceased and Orphelins and Superintendent of the Treasure of Malaca and or the Countries of the South
goods that were in her and many other things wherein we spent four hours at the least after which he dismissed us saying that within six dayes he would be at the Town and that there he would receive the Letter see the Father and make answer to all CHAP. LXXX My reception by the King of Bungo as Ambassador from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes AFter the six daies were past the King parted from Osquy to go to the town of Fucheo accompanied with a great number of Nobilitie and a guard of six hundred foot and two hundred horse which made a goodly shew Being arrived there he was received by the people with great demonstrations of joy with Shewes Interludes and many other inventions after their manner that were very costly after which he went to his Palace an exceeding fair and magnificent structure whither the next day he sent for me and bid me bring him the Vice-Roys Letter as being come for no other end but to receive it and that after he had read it he would speak with Father Belquior touching the matters that were most important Whereupon I presently returned to my lodging and having made ready all that was necessary for me about two of the clock in the afternoon the King sent the Captain of the town and four other of the chiefest men of the Court for me who conducted me to the Palace accompanied with forty Portugals which marched all on foot because it is the custome of the Country so to do All the streets thorow which we past were very handsomly set forth and there was such a world of people as the officers had much adoe to make way for us Three Portugals on horseback carried each of them a peece of the present and a little after them followed two curious Spanish Gennets with rich Saddles and Trappings and with such Armes as are used in Justs Upon our arrival at the first court of the Palace we found the King there on a scaffold which had been erected expresly for him accompanied with all the Lords of the Kingdome amongst whom vvere the Ambassadors of three strange Princes namely the first of the King of the Lequios the second of the King of Chauchim and Isle of Tosa and the third of the Emperor of the Miacoo and round about as far as the court extended there were above a thousand harquebuziers and four hundred men mounted on good horses besides a multitude of people without number After that the forty Portugals and I were come to the Scaffold where the King was we performed all the ceremonies and complements which are used to be done to him in such cases and then approaching a little neerer to him I delivered him the Letter from the vice-Roy which he would not receive but standing Then being set down again in his place he gave it to one about him that was as his Secretary who read it aloud that every one might hear After it was read the King questioned me before the three strange Ambassadors and the great Lords with whom he was accompanied about certain things which he was curious to know touching our Europe whereof one was how many men armed cap-a-pe and mounted on such horses as those were that I saw there the King of Portugal could bring into the field Whereupon fearing least I should blush if I came to tell a lie I must confesse that I was much troubled how to answer which one of my companions who was neer me perceiving speaking for me made answer That he could bring an hundred or sixscore thousand a matter whereat the King was much abashed and I too But the King taking pleasure as it seemed in the marvellous answer which this Portugal gave him bestovved above an hours time in asking him questions In the mean season even the King himself and all they that were present with him being exceedingly amazed to hear such great and strange things delivered he turned to them and said I sware truly unto you that I should desire nothing so much in the world as to see the Monarchy of this great Country whereof I have heard such wonderfull things as well concerning the immence treasures and the infinite number of ships which he hath for could I but once do this I should live very well contented the rest of my daies Thereupon having sent me and those that accompanied me away he said unto me When thou shalt think it a fit time thou maiest bid the Father come unto me for he shall find me ready here to receive him After I was retired to my lodging I gave Father Belquior an accompt of the Kings good reception of me together with all that had past besides and how desirous he was to see him in regard whereof I held it fit since all the Portugals vvere then together and in their best clothes that he should go to him out of hand which he liked very vvell of Having furnished himself then with certain things necessary for the better setting forth of his person he and I went avvay accompanied vvith forty Portugals all very well apparrelled and vvearing chaines of gold Scarfe-wise and four pretty boyes in cassocks and hats of white taffata and silken crosses on their brests together with a converted Iapanois Christened Ioana Fernandez to serve for Interpreter When wee vvere arrived at the first Court of the Kings Palace we found some Lords attending us there who vvith a great deal of courtesie and demonstrations of friendship brought the Father and me up to a chamber where the King stayed for him who having taken him by the hand with a joyfull countenance said unto him Beleeve me Father this day is the only one that I can call mine in regard of the extreme pleasure I take to see thee before mine eyes because me thinks I see Father Xavier to whom I wished as well as to mine own person Then leading him into another inner chamber that was richlyer furnished he set him down by him and made very much of the four little Boyes for that it was a new thing to him and never seen in that Country before The Father rendred him thanks conformable to the great honor he did him and after that manner which they are wont to use amongst themselves and which Ioana Fernandez had taught him After this he entertained him with the principall cause of his coming which was that the Vice-Roy had sent him expresly to serve him and to shew him the assured way of salvation which the King seemed to like of by his action of bowing down of his head The Father going on made an holy speech somewhat like unto a Sermon unto him agreeable to the businesse in hand and which he had directly studied for that purpose Whereunto the King made this answer Good Father I know not how to expresse the great content which I take in seeing thee in this house and in learning all that which my ears have heard thee say which I do not answer for
and gave it me as also a Letter directed to Pedro de Faria whereupon I took my leave of him with a promise that I would stay there a week longer howbeit getting speedily aboard my Iurupango I made not a minutes stay but instantly caused the Mariners to hoist sail and away still imagining that some were following to apprehend me by reason of the extream fear I was in having so lately escaped as I thought the danger of a most cruel death Being departed from the River of Parles on a Saturday about Sun-set I made all the speed that possibly I could and continued my course until the Tuesday following when it pleased God that I reached to the Isles of Pullo Sambalin the first Land on the Coast of Mallayo There by good fortune I met with three Portugal ships whereof two came from Bengala and the other from Pegu commanded by Tristan de Gaa who had sometimes been Governor of the person of Don Lorenzo son to the Vice-roy Don Francesco d' Almeda that was afterward put to death by Miroocem in Chaul Roade as is at large delivered in the History of the Discovery of the Indiaes This same Tristan furnished me with many things that I had great need of as tackle and Mariners together with two Soldiers and a Pilot moreover both himself and the other to ships had always a care of me until our arrival at Malaca where dis-imbarquing my self the first thing I did was to go to the Fortress for to salute the Captain and to render him an account of the whole success of my Voyage where I discoursed unto him at large what Rivers Ports and Havens I had newly discovered in the Isle of Samatra as well on the Mediterranean as on the Ocean Seas side as also what commerce the inhabitants of the Country used Then I declared unto him the manner of all that Coast of all those Ports and of all those Rivers whereunto I added the scituations the heights the degrees the names and the depths of the Ports according to the direction he had given me at my departure Therewithall I made him a description of the Rode wherein Rosado the Captain of a French ship was lost and another named Matelote de Brigas as also the Commander of another ship who by a storm at Sea was cast into the Port of Diu in the year 1529. during the raign of Sultan Bandur King of Cambaya This Prince having taken them all made fourscore and two of them abjure their â—aith who served him in his Wars against the great Mogor and were every one of them miserably slain in that expedition Moreover I brought him the description of a place fit for anchorage in Pullo Botum Roade where the Bisquayn Ship suffered shipwrack which was said to be the very same wherein Magâ—llan compassed the World and was called the Vittoria which traversing the Isle of Iooa was cast a way at the mouth of the River of Sonda I made him a recital likewise of many different Nations which inhabit all along this Ocean and the River of Lampon from whence the Gold of Menancabo is transported to the Kingdom of Campar upon the waters of Iambes and Broteo For the inhabitants affirm out of their Chronicles how in this very Town of Lampon there was anciently a Factory of Merchants established by the Queen of Sheba whereof one named Nausem sent her a great quantity of Gold which she carried to the Temple of Ierusalem at such time as she went to visit the wise King Solomon From whence some say she returned with child of a son that afterwards succeeded to the Empire of Aethiopia whom now we call Prester-Iohn of whose race the Abissins vaunt they are descended Further I told him what course was usually held for the fishing of seed pearl betwixt Pullo Tiquos and Pullo Quenim which in times past were carried by the Bataes to Pazem and Pedir and exchanged with the Turks of the Straight of Mecqua and the Ships of Iudâ—a for such Merchandise as they brought from Grand Cairo and the Ports of Arabia Foelix Divers other things I recounted unto him having learnt them of the King of Batas and of the Merchants of Panâ—iâ— And for conclusion I gave him an information in writing as he had formerly desiâ—ed me concerning the Island of Gold I told him how this Island is beyond the River of Calandor five degrees to the Southward invironed with many shelfs of sand and currents of water as also that it was distant some hundred and threescore leagues from the point of the Isle of Samatra With all which reports Pedro de Faria remained so well satisfied that he made present relation thereof to the King Don Iovan the Third of happy memory who the year after ordained Francesco d' Almeida for Captain to discover the Isle of Gold a Gentleman of merit and very capable of that charge who indeed had long before petitioned the King for it in recompence of the services by him performed in the Islands of Banda of the Molucques of Ternate and Geilolo But by ill fortune this Francesco d' Almeida being gone from the Indiaâ—s to discover that place dyed of a feaver in the Isles of Nicubar Whereof the King of Portugal being advertised he honored one Diego Cabral born at the Maderaes with that Command but the Court of Justice deprived him of it by express order from Martinez Alphonso de Sousa who was at that time Governor which partly proceeded according to report for that he had murmured against him Whereupon he gave it to Ieronimo Figuereydo a Gentleman belonging to the Duke of Braganca who in the year 1542. departed from Goa with two Foists and one Carvel wherein there were fourscore men as well Soldiers as Mariners But it is said that his Voyage was without effect for that according to the apparances that he gave of it afterward it seemed that he desired to enrich himself too suddenly To which end he passed to the Coast of Tanassery where he took certain Ships that came from Mecqua Adem Alcosser Iudaa and other places upon the Coast of Persia. And verily this booty was the occasion of his undoing for upon an unequal partition thereof falling at difference with his Soldiers they mutined in such fort against him as after many affronts done him they bound him hand and foot and so carried him to the Isle of Ceilan where they set him on Land and the Carvel with the two Foists they returned to the Governor Don Ioano de Castra who in regard of the necessity of the time pardoned them the fault and took them along with him in the Army which he led to Diu for the succor of Don Ioana Mascarenhas that was then straitly besieged by the King of Cambaya's Forces Since that time there hath been no talk of the discovery of this Island of Gold although it seems very much to import the common good of our Kingdom of Portugal if it would
morning as also the day following from one til three During this trembling it was a dreadful thing to hear the terrible noise which the stormes and thunder made After all this such an horrible inundation of waters borke forth out of the center of the earth as in an instant all the Country about was swallowed up threescore leagues round without the saving of any living creature from perishing but only of one child of seven years of age and which was for a great wonder presented to the King of China In the mean time this news was no sooner come to the City of Cantan but all the inhabitants thereof were terrifyed with it yea and all ours were so amazed at it that holding it for an unpossible thing fourteen of our company would needs go thither to know the truth thereof which they immediately put in execution and at their return affirmed that the matter was very certain whereof an attestation was made signed by fourteen ocular witnesses who had been upon the place which attestation was afterwards sent by Francisco Toscano to the King of Portugal Don Ioano the third of glorious memory This prodigious event so affrighted the inhabitants of the City of Cantan that all of them generally testified a world of repentance and although they were Gentiles yet must it be acknowledged that they confounded us Christians who saw how far their devotion extended For on the first day when the newes thereof arrived there Proclamations were made throughout all the Principall streets of the City by six men on horseback who in long mourning robes and with a sad and lamentable voice rode crying out these words Miserable creatures as you are that cease not from offending day by day the Lord of all things Heare O heare the most lamentable and dreadfull adventure that ever was For you are to know that for our sins God hath drawn the sword of his Divine Iustice against all the people of Cuy and Sansy overwhelming pell mell with water fire and tempests from Heaven all that great Province of China none being saved but one only Child which is carried to the Son of the Sun And thereupon they rung a little bell thrice which they had in their hands Then all the people prostrating themselves on the ground said with fearfull cryes God is Iust in all that he doth After this was past all the inhabitants retired into their houses which were shut up for five daies together so that the City was so desolate as there was not a living creature seen stirring in it At the end of the five daies the Chaem and the Anchassis of the government together with all the rest of the people wherein the men only vvere comprehended for as for the vvomen they hold them incapable of being heard of God by reason of the disobedience of the first sinne committed by Eve vvent as it vvere in procession thorow the principall Streets of the Citie while their Priests which vvere above five thousand in number cryed with a loud voyce that pierced the very skies O marvellous and pitifull Lord have no regard to our wickednesse for if thou takest account of them we shall remain dumb before thee Whereunto all the people with an other fearfull cry answered Lord we confesse our faults before thee And so the Procession continuing still going on they at length arrived at a magnificent Temple called Nacapyrau whom they hold for the Queen of Heaven as I have heretofore related From thence they went the next day to another Temple called The God of Iustice and in this sort they continued fourteen dayes during which were great Alms generally bestowed and many prisoners freed also divers Sacrifices were made of the odoriferous perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin There were many others too wherein there was good store of blood shed and wherein many Kine Stags and Swine vvere offered vvhich were all distributed in almes to the poor In pursuance whereof during the three months that we abode there they continued in doing many other good works which were performed vvith so much charge and charity as it is to be beleeved that if the Faith of Jesus Christ had been added thereunto they would have been acceptable unto him We heard afterwards and this report was universall over all the Country that during the three dayes of that Earth-quake at Sansy it had still rained blood in the City of Pequin vvhere the King of China's Court was at that time vvhich made the most part of the inhabitants to forsake it and the King to fly to Nanquin vvhere it was said he gave great alms and set at liberty an infinite many of Slaves amongst the which were five Portugals vvho had been retained prisoners in the Town of Pocasser above twenty yeers together When these came to Cantan they recounted unto us divers marvellous things and amongst others they told us that the almes which the King had given upon this occasion amounted to six hundred thousand Duckats besides the magnificent Temples which he built to appease the vvrath of God amongst the which hee made one in that very City very sumptuous and of great majesty under the title of The Love of God CHAP. LXXIX Our arrival in the Kingdome of Bungo and that which pass'd there THe season being come vvherein vve might continue our Voyage vve parted from this Island of Lampacau the seventh day of May One thousand five hundred fifty and six after vve had imbarqued our selves in a Ship vvhereof Don Francisco de Mascarenhas surnamed Pallia vvas Captain So vve proceeded on in our course for fourteen dayes together at the end whereof vve discovered the first Islands at the height of five and thirty degrees and vvhich by gradation regard the West North-vvest of Tanixumaa vvhereupon the Pilot knowing that it vvas ill sailing there steered to the South-vvest to finde out the point of the Mountain of Minatoo We coasted Tanoraa then and still ran along this coast to the Port of Finugaa And forasmuch as in this Climate the windes are Northerly and that the current of the vvater vvas contrary to them the Pilot had a very bad opinion of his Navigation so that vvhen he came to know his fault although out of an accustomed obstinacy of Mariners he vvould not confess it vve vvere already past threescore leagues beyond the Port vvhere vve meant to arrive by reason vvhereof we vvere fain to tack about for the recovery of it fifteen dayes after though with travell enough for that the vvindes were crosse and without lying our goods and lives were in no little jeopardy by reason all this Coast was risen up against the King of Bungo our Friend and the inhabitants who vvere greatly inclined to the Law of the Lord vvhich had formerly been preached unto them At length after that by the mercy of God vve had got to the Town of Fucheo vvhereof I have oftentimes spoken which is the capitall of the Kingdom of Bungo where the chiefest Christians
of all Iapan do now flourish all they of the Ship thought it requisite that I should go to the Fortresse of Osquy where we heard the King then was Now though I feared to undertake this Journey in regard the Country was all up yet I resolved for it at the perswasion of them of the ship who all in generall intreated me very earnestly unto it Having prepared my self then and received a Present worth five hundred Crowns which Don Francisco Captain of the Ship sent to the King I took four of my companions with me and so went away After I was landed at the Town Key the first thing I did was to go to the house of the Admirall of the Sea who received me with great demonstrations of friendship and confirmed me against the fear I was in whereupon having given him an account of the cause of my coming thither I desired him to give me horses and men that might conduct me to the King which most willingly he did and more freely then I required Being departed from this Town the next morning about nine of the clock I arrived at a place called Fingau which might be a quarter of a league from the Fortresse of Osquy There I sent one of those of Iapan which I had with me to let the Captain of the place understand that I was arrived and that I had an Embassie to deliver to his Highnesse from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes In which regard I intreated him to appoint me such a time as he pleased that I might speak with him Hereunto he returned me this answer by a Son of his That my Companions and I were very welcome and that the King was in the Isle of Xequa where he was entertaining himself in the catching of a great Fish whereof the name was not known and which was come thither from the bottom of the Sea with a great number of many other little fishes and that having cooped him up in a Channel there it was likely that he would spend all the day in that sport and not return till night But that he would howsoever immediately advertise him of my arrivall Thereupon he sent me to repose my self in a better lodging which he gave me where I was abundantly furnished with all that was necessary for mee yea and he told me by way of Complement that all this Country was no lesse the King of Portugals then Malaca Cochin and Goa Then one of his Followers whom he had appointed to wait on us gave us an extraordinary good reception in a Pagode whereof the Bonzâ—s made us a very sumptuous Feast In the mean time the King having notice of my arrivall dispatched away from the Island where hee was catching that great Fish three light Galleys and in them his Chamberlain a great Favourite of his named Oretandano who about evening came to me to the place where I was and having told me that by word of mouth which the King had enjoyned him he drew forth a Letter and having kissed it with the Ceremonies and Complements used amongst them he delivered it unto me wherein I found this written Being at his present imployed in an exercise which is very pleasing unto me I have been advertised of thy arrival in my Country wherewith I am so contented that I protest unto thee I would have come away presently unto thee had I not sworn that I would not part from hence till I had killed a great Fish which I hold coop'd up here Wherefore I intreat thee as my good Friend since by reason thereof I cannot go to thee that thou wilt come thy self to me in this Vessel which I have sent for thee for on thy coming and on the death which I hope to give to this Fish my perfect content depends Having read this Letter I instantly imbarked my self in the Galley wherein Oretandono came for me and my followers in the other two with the Present they carried And forasmuch as those Galleys were very swift we arrived within lesse then an hour at the Island which was some two leagues and an half off Now we came thither at such time as the King with above two hundred men in boats with darts in their hands was pursuing a prodigious Whale which was altogether unknown and strange to them as having never seen such a Fish before in all that Country After they had killed and drawn it to land the King was so pleased therewith that to recompence all the fishermen that were imployed in the action he exempted them from a certain Tribute which they had accustomed to pay before as also conferred new Honours on some Gentlemen whom he loved and that were there with him and gave a thousand Taeis in silver to his Pages withall he received me with a smiling countâ—nance and questioned me very exactly about many particulars whereunto I answered the best that I could alwayes adding something of mine own thereunto as judging it necessary for the increasing of the Portugals reputation and of the great esteem vvherein we vvere at that time in the Country for all the inhabitants held it for most certain that the King of Portugal was indeed the only Prince which might terme himself the Monarch of the world as well for the large extent of his territories as for his power and mighty treasure in regard whereof chiefly they of these Countryes made great account of our amitie These things done the King vvent from this Iland towards Osquy and about an hour within night he arrived at his Castle vvhere he was received with a great deal of rejoycing and applaued by every one for so honourable an exploit as that of killing the Whale attributing to him alone that which all the rest had done whereby one may see that this pernicious vice of flatttery raigns so absolutely in the Courts of Princes as it hath established its felf a place even amongst the very Gentiles and Infidels The King having dismissed all them that had accompanied him vvent to Sup with his Wife and Daughters and would not then be attended on by any body because the feast was made at his vvives charge And whereas vve vvere then at a Treasurers house of his where vve vvere appointed to lodg he sent for us all five and intreated us that vve should eat in his presence after the manner of our Country adding that the Queen did infinitely desire it Then having caused a table to be covered for us and on it placed store of excellent good meat and vvell drest vvhich vvas served up by very fair vvomen vve fell to eating after our manner of all that vvas set before us vvhilest the jeasts vvhich the Ladies broke upon us in seeing us feed so vvith our hands gave more delight to the King and Queen then all the Comedies that could have been represented before them for those people being accustomed to feed vvith tvvo little stâ—cks as I have declared elsevvhere they hold it for a great incivilitie to touch