Sandolo for all the best commeth from this Iland there commeth also from Color but that is not so good also he sendeth another small ship euerye yeare to Cochine China to lade there wood of Aleos for that all the wood of Aleos cōmeth from this place which is in the firme land néere vnto China and in that kingdome I could not knowe how that wood groweth by any meanes For that the people of the countrie will not suffer the Portingales to come within the land but onelye for wood and water and as for all other things that they wanted as victuals or merchandize the people bring y ◠a boord the ship in small barkes so that euery daye there is a mart kept in the Ship vntill such time as she be laden also there goeth another ship for the said Captaine of Malacca to Asion to lade Verzino all these voiages are for the Captaine of the Castell of Malacca and when he is not disposed to make these voiages he selleth them to another The Citie Sion SIon was the imperiall seate and a great Citie but in the yeare of our Lord God 1567 it was taken by the king of Pegu which king made a voyage or came by land foure moneths iourney with an armie of men through his land and the number of his armie was a Milion and foure hundreth thousand men of warre when he came to the Citie he gaue assault to it and besieged it twentye and one moneths before he could winne it with great losse of his people this I know for that I was in Pegu six monethes after his departure and sawe when that his officers that were in Pegu sent fiue hundreth thousand men of warre to furnish the places of them that were slaine and lost in that assault yet for all this if there had not béene treason against the Citie it had not béene lost for on a night there was one of the gates set open through the which with great trouble the king gat into the Citye and became gouernor of Sion and when the Emperor saw that he was betraid and that his enimie was in the Citie he poisoned himselfe and the wiues and children fréend and noblemen that were not slaine in the first affront of the entrance into the Citie were all carried captiues into Pegu where I was at the comming home of the king with his triumphes and victorie which comming home and returning from the warres was a goodlye sight to behold to see the Elephants come home in a square laden with Gold Siluer Jewels and with Noble men and women that were taken prisoners in that Citie Now to returne to my voyage I departed from Malacca in a great Shippe which went for S. Tome being a Cittie scituate on the coast of Chiriamandell because the captain of the castels of Malacca hauing vnderstanding proaduyzo that the king of Assi would come with a great armye and power of men against them therefore vpon this he would not giue licence that anye Ships should departe Wherefore in this Shippe we departed in the night without making anye prouision of our water and wee were in that shippe fower hundreth and odde men we departed from thence with Intention to goe to an Ilande to take in water but the windes were so contrary that they woulde not suffer vs to fetch it so that by this meanes wee were two and forty dayes in the sea as it were lost and we were driuen too and fro so that the first land that we discouered was beyonde Sainct Tomes more then fiue hundreth miles which were the mountaines of Zerzerline neere vnto the kingdome of Orisa and so we came to Orisa with manye sicke and more that weare deade for want of water and they that were sicke in fower dayes died and I for the space of a yeare after had my throate so sore hoarse that I coulde neuer fatisfie my thirst in drinking of water I iudge the reason of my hoarsenesse to be with soppes that I wette in vinnigar and Oyle wherewith I sustained my selfe many dayes there were not any want of breade neither of wine But the wines of that countrie are so hotte that without water they kill a man neither are they able to drinke them when we beganne to want water I sawe certaine Moores that were officers in the Ship that solde a smal dish full for a Duckat after this I sawe one that would haue giuen a Barre of Pepper which is two quintalles and a halfe for a little measure of water and he could not haue it Truely I beléeue that I had died with my slaue whom then I had to serue me which cost me very déere but to prouide for the daunger at hand I sold my slaue for halfe that he was worth because that I would saue his drinke that he drunks to serue my owne purpose and saue my life Of the Kingdome of Orisa and the Riuer Ganges ORisa was a faire Kingdome and trustye through the which a man might haue gone with Golde in his hand without any danger at all as long as the lawfull King reined which was a gentile which was in the citie called Catecha which was within the land sixe dayes Journey This King loued Strangers meruailous well and Marchants which came in and out in his Kingdome in such wise that he would take no custome of of them neither any other greeuous thing Onlye the Ship that came thither paide a small thing according to her portage and euery yeere in the port of Orisa laded 25. or 30. Ships great and small with Ryce diuers sortes of fine white bumbaste cloth Oyle of Zerzclnie which they make of a Séede and is very good to eate and to frye fishe withall great store of Butter Lacca long Pepper Ginger Mirabolany drye and condyt great store of cloth of hearbes which is a kinde of Silke which groweth amongst the woods without any labour of man only when the bole therof is growen round as big as an Orenge then they take care only to gather them About sixteene yeeres passed this King with his Kingdome were destroyed by the King of Patane which was also King of the greatest parte of Bengala and when he had got the kingdome he set custome there twenty pro cento as Marchants paide in his Kingdome but this tirant enioyed his kingdome but a small time but was conquered by another tirant which was the greate Magoll King of Agraa Dely and of all Cambaia without any resistance I departed from Orisa to Bengala to the harber Picheno which is distant from Orisa towards the Easte a hundreth and seauenty miles They goe as it were rowing alongst the coaste fiftie fower miles and then we enter into the Riuer Ganges from the mouth of this Riuer to a Citie called
rariety of the thing The cittie where the king Zamallaco hath his being is within the land of Chiawle 7. or 8. dayes iorney which citty is called Abneger 70. miles from Chiawle towards the Indies is the porte of Dabull a Hauen of the king Zamallaco from thence to Goa is 150. miles Goa GOa is the principallest citie that the portingales haue in the Indies where in the Vizeroye with his royall court is resident and is in an Iland which may be in circuit 25. or 30. miles and the citie with his boroughs is resonable bigge and for a cittie of the Indies it is resonable fayre but the Iland is farre more fayrer for it is as it were full of goodly gardens replenished with diuers trées with the Palmer trées as is aforesaid This citie is of great trafique for all sorts of marchandize which they trade withall in those parts the fléete which coÌ„meth euery yeare from Portingale which are 5. or 6. great ships that come directly for Goa and they arriue there ordinarily the 6. or 10 of September there they remaine 40. or 50. daies from thence they goe to Cochin where they lade for Portingale and often times they lade one ship at Goa and the other at Cochin for portingale Cochin is distante from Goa 300. miles the cittie Goa is sciuate in the kingdome of Dialcam a king of the Mores whose chiefe citie is op in the countrey 8. dayes iorney and is called Bisapor this kinge is of great power for when I was in Goa in the yeere of our Lord 1570. this king came to giue assault to Goa being encamped néere vnto it by a Riuer side with an armie of 2 hundreth thousande men of war and he lay at this seige 14. moneths in which time there was peace concluded as report went amongst his people there was great calamitie and mortality which bred amongst them in the time of winter and also killed very many Elephants Then in the yeare of our Lord 1567. I went from Goa to Bezeneger the chiefe citie of the kingdome of Marsinga 8. daies iorney from Goa within the land in the company of two other Marchants which carried with them 300 Arabian Horses to that king because the Horses of that countrey are of a small stature and they paye well for the Arabian Horses it is requisite that the Marchants sell them well for that they stand them in great charges to bring them out of Persia to Ormus from Ormus to Goa where the ship that bringeth 20 Horses and vpwardes payeth no custome neither ship nor goods whatsoeuer whereas if they bring no Horses they pay 8. per cento of all their goods and at the going out of Goa the Horses pay custome 42. Pagodies for euery Horse which Pagody may be of starling money 6 shillings 8 pence they be peeces of gold â—f that valew so that the Arabian Horses are of greate valew in those countries as 300. 400. 500. Duckets a horse and to a thousand Duckets a horse Bezeneger THe cittie of Bezeneger was sacked in the yeare 1565 by 4 kinges of the Mores which were of great power might the names of these foure kings were these following The first was called Dialcan the second Zamaluc the third Cotamaluc the fourth Viridy and yet these foure kings were not able to ouercom this cittie the king of Bezeneger but by treason This king of Bezeneger was a Gentile and hauing amongst all other of his Captaines two which were notable and they were Mores and these two Captaines had either of them in charge 70 or 80 thousand men These two Captaines being of one Religion with the foure kings which were Mores wrought meanes with them to betray their owne king into their hands The king of Bezeneger estéemed not the force of the foure kings his enimies but went out of his Citie to wage battell with them in the fields which when the armies were ioined the battell lasted but a while not the space of foure houres because the two traytorous Captaines in the chéefest of the fight with their companies turne their faces against their king and made such disorder in his armie that as astonied they set themselues to flight thirtie yeares was this kingdome gouerned by thrée brethren which were tyrants the which kéeping the rightfull king in prison it was their vse euery yeare once to shew him to the people and they at their pleasures ruled as they listed These brethren were thrée Captaines belonging to the father of the king they kept in prison which when he died left his sonne verye yoong and then they tooke the gouernment to themselues the chéefest of these thrée was called Ramaragio and he sat in the roiall throne and was called king the second was called Temiragio and he tooke the gouernement on him the third was called Bengatre and he was captaine generall of the armie These thrée brethren were in this battell in the which the chéefest and the last were neuer heard of quicke nor dead Onely Temeragio fled in the battell hauing lost one of his eyes when the newes came to the cittie of the ouerthrow in the battell the wiues and children of these thrée tyrants with their lawfull king kept prisoner fled away spoiled as they were and the foure kings of the Mores entred the citie Bezeneger with great triumph and there they remained sirmoneths searching vnder houses and in all places for mony and other things that were hidden and theÌ„ they departed to their owne kingdomes because they were not able to maintaine such a kindome as that was so far distant from their owne countrie When the kings were departed from Bezeneger this Temiragio returned to the Citie and then began for to re-populate it and sent word to Goa to the Merchants that if they had anye Horsses to bring them to him and he would pay well for them and for this cause the aforesaid two marchants that I went in company withall carried those Horsses that they had to Bezeneger Also this Tyrant made an order or lawe that if anye Merchant had anye of the Horsses that were taken in the aforesaid battell or warres although they were of his owne marke that he would giue as much for them as they would and beside he gaue generall safe conduct to all that should bring them when by this meanes hee sawe that there were great store of Horsses brought thether vnto him hee gaue the Merchaunts faire wordes vntill such time as hee sawe they could bring no more Then he licensed the Merchants to depart without giuing them anye thing for theyr Horsses which when the poore men sawe they were desperate and as it were madde with sorrowe and greefe I rested in Bezeneger seauen moneths although in one moneth I might haue discharged all my businesse for it was necessary to rest there vntil the waies were cléere of théeues which at that time ranged vp and
they trade with any but line onely of such fruites as those Ilands yeeldeth and if any Ship come néere vnto that place or coast as they paase y ◠way as in my voiage it happened as I came from Malaca through the channell of Sombrero there came two of theyr barckes neere vnto our shippe laden with fruite as with Mouces which we call Adams apples with fresh nuttes and with a fruite called Inany which fruite is lyke to our Turnops but is verye sweete and good to eate they would not come into the shippe for any thing that we could doo neither would they take any mony for theyr fruite but they would trucke for olde shirtes or peeces of olde linnen breches these ragges they let downe with a rope into their barke vnto them and looke what they thought those things to be worth so much fruite they would make fast to the rope and let vs hale it in and it was tolde me that at sonetimes a man shall haue for an olde shirte a good péece of Ambar Sumatra THis Iland of Sumatra is a great Iland and deuyded and gouerned by many Kinges and deuided into many channels where through there is passage vpon the head land towards the West is the kingdome of Assi and gouerned by a Moore King this king is of great force and strength as he that beside his great kingdome hath many foists and Gallies In his kingdome groweth great store of Pepper Ginger Beniamin he is an vtter enemie to the Portingale and hath diuers times beene at Malacca to fight against it and hath doone great harme to the bowroughes thereof but the Cittie alwaie defended him valientlie and with theyr ordinaunce dyd great spoyle to hys Campe at length I came to the Cittie of Malacca The Cittie Malacca MAlacca is a Cittie of merueitous great trade of all kind of Merchanbize Which commeth from diuers parts bicause that all the Ships that saile in these seas both great and small are bound to touch at Malacca to paye their custome there although they vnlade nothing at all as we do at Elsinor and if by night they escape away and pay not their custome then they fall into a greater danger after for if they come into the Indies and haue not the seale of Malacca they paye double custome I haue not passed farther then Malacca towards the East but that which I will speake of here is by good information of them that haue béene there The sailing from Malacca towards the East is not common for all men as China and Giapan and so forwards to goe who will but onlye for the king of Portingale and his nobles with leaue granted vnto them of the king to make such voiages or to the iurisdiction of the captaine of Malacca where he expecteth to know what voiages they make from Malacca thether and these are the kings voiages that euery year ether departeth from Malacca two Galions of the kings one of them goeth to the Mulluccos to lade Cloues and the other goeth to Banda to lade Nutmegs and Maces These two Galians are laden for the king neither doo they carrye anye particular mans goods sauing the portage of the Marriners and Soldiors and for this cause they are not voiages for Merchants bicause that going thether he shall not haue where to lade his goods of returne and besides this the Captaine will not carrye anye Merchant for either of these two places There goeth small Ships of the Mores thether which come from the coast of Iaua and change or guild their commodities in the kingdom of Assa and these be the Maces Cloues and Nutmegs which go for the straights of Meca The voiages that the king of Portingale granteth to his nobles are these of China and Giapan from China to Giapan and from Giapan to China and from China to the Indies and the voiage of Bengaluco Sonda with the lading of fine cloth and euery sort of Bumbast cloth Sonda is an Iland of the Mores neere to the roast of Giaua and there they lade Pepper for China The ships that goeth euerye yeare from the Indies to China is called the Ship of Drugs because she carieth diuers drugs of Cambaya but the greatest part of hir lading is siluer From Malacca to China is 1800. miles and from China to Giapan goeth euery yeare a great ship of great importance laden with silke which for returne of their silke bring bars of Siluer which they truck in China that is distant betwéene China an◠Giapan 2400 miles and in this waye there is diuers Ilands not very big in the which the Friers of S. Paule by the helpe of God make many Christians there like to themselues from these Ilands hether wards is not yet discouered for the great sholdnes of Sands that they find The Portingales haue made a small Citie neere vnto the coast of China called Macha whose church and houses are of wood and hath a Bishoprike but the customes are of the king of China and they go and pay it at a Cittie called Canton which is a Cittie of great importance and verye beautifull two dayes iorneye and a halfe from Macheo which people are Gentiles and are so iealious and fearefull that they would not haue a stranger to put his foote within their land so that when the Portingales goe thether to paye their custome and to buye their Merchandize they will not consent that they shall lye or lodge within the Cittie but sendeth them forth into the subburbs The countrie of China is in the kingdome of great Tartaria and is a very great countrye of the Gentiles and of great importance which may be iudged by the riche and precious merchandize that come from thence the which I beléeue are not better nor greater quantitie in the whole worlde then these are that come from thence First great store of gold which they carye to the Indies made in plates like to little Ships and in value 23 caracts a péece very great aboundance of fine Silke Cloth of Damaske and Taffitle great quantitie of Muske great quantity of Occom in bars great quantitie of Quicksiluer and of Cinaper great store of Camfora an infinite quantity of Procellane made in vessels of diuers sorts great quantitie of painted cloth and squares infinite store of the rootes of China euery yeare there commeth from China to the Indies two or three great Ships laden with most riche and precious Merchandize The Rubarbe commeth from thence ouer land by the waye of Percia because that euery yeare there goeth a great Carauan from Percia to China which is in going thether six moneths Carauan arriueth at a cittie called Lanchine the place where the king is resident with his court I spake with a Persian that was thrée yeares in that Cittie of Lanchine and he told me that it was a great Citie and of great importance The voiages of Malacca which are in the iurisdiction of the Captaine of the castell are these that euery yeare hee sendeth a small Ship to Timor to lande white
Satagan where the Marchants gather them selues together with their trade are â—â—20 miles which they rowe in 18. howers with the increace of the water in which Riuer it floweth and ebbeth as it dooth in the Themes and when the ebbing water is come they are not able to rowe against it by reason of the swiftnesse of the water yet their Barkes be light and armed with oares like to Foistes yet they cannot preuaile against that streame but for refuge must make them fast to the banke of the riuer vntill the next flowing water and they call these barkes Bazaras and Patuas they row as wel as a Gallyot or as wel as euer I haue séen any a good tides rowing before you come to Satagan you shall haue a place which is called Buttor and from thence vpwardes the Shippes doo not goe because that vpwards the Riuer is very shallowe and little water euerye yéere at Buttor they make and vnmake a Village with houses and shops made of Strawe and with all thinges necessary to their vses and this village standeth as long as the shippes ride there and depart for the Indies and when they are departed euery man goeth to his plotte of houses and there setteth fier on them which thing made me to meruaile For as I passed vp to Satagan I saw this village standing with a great number of people with an infinite number of Shippes and Bazars and at my returne comming downe with my Cartaine of the last ship for whome I tarried I was all amazed to sée such a place so soone rased and burnt nothing left but the signe of the burnt houses the Small Ships goe to Satagan and there they lade Of the Citie of SATAGAN IN the port of Satagan euery yéere ladeth 30. or 35. Shippes great and small with Ryce Cloth of Bombaste of diuers sortes Lacca great abundance of Suger Mirabolany dried and preserued long Pepper Oyle of Zerzeline and many other sorts of Marchandise The Citie of Satagan is a reasonable faire Citie for a Citie of the Moores abounding in all thinges and was gouerned by the King of Patane and now is subiect to the great Magoll I was in this Kingdome fowre monthes wheras many marchants did buye or fraight boats for their benefits and with these barkes they goe vp and downe the riuer of Ganges to Faires buying their commodity with a great aduantage because that euery daye in the Weeke they haue a Faire now in one place and now in another and I also hired a barke and went vp and downe the riuer and did my businesse and so in the night I sawe many straunge things The kingdom of Bengala in times past haue bene as it were in the power of Moores neuerthelesse there is great store of Gentiles among them alwayes whereas I haue spoken of Gentiles is to be vnderstood Idolaters and wheras I speak of Moores I meane Mahomets sect especially those people that bee within the lande doe greatly worshippe the riuer of Ganges for when any is sicke he is brought out of the country to the bancke of the riuer and there they make him a small cottage of Strawe and euery day they wet him with that Water whereof there is many that die and when they are dead they make a heape of stickes and boughes and lay the dead bodie thereon and putting fire thereunto they let the body alone vntill it be halfe rosted and then they take it off from the fire and make an empty iar fast about his neck and so throwe him into the riuer These things euerie night as I passed vp and downe the riuer I sawe for the space of two moneths as I passed to the fayres to buy my commodities with the Merchauntes and this is the cause that the Portugalles will not drincke of the water of the riuer Ganges yet to the sight it is more perfecter and clearer then that water of Nylus is From y â— port of Pechineo I went to Cochim and from Cochim to Malaca from whence I departed for Pegu eight hundred miles distant that voyage was woÌ„t to bee made in twentie fiue or thirtie dayes but wee were fowre moneths and at the end of thrée moneths our Shippe was without victualles The Pilot tolde vs that wee were by his altitude from a Citie called Tenassiry a Citie in the kingdome of Pegu and these his wordes were not true but we were as it were in y â— middle of manie Ilands and manie vninhabited rocks and there were also some Portugals that affirmed that they knew the Land knewe also where the Citie of Tenassiry was Which citie of right belongeth to the kingdome of Sion which is scituate on a great riuer side which commeth out of the kingdome of Sion and where this riuer runneth into the sea there is a village called Mergy in whose harbour euerie yere there ladeth some Shippes with Uerzina Nypa and Beniamin a few cloues nuts maces which come from the coast of Sion but the greatest merchandise there is verzing and nypa which is an excellent Wine which is had in the flowre of a tree called Nyper Whose liquor they distill and so make an excellent drincke cleere as Christall good to the mouth and better to the stomacke and it hath an excellent gentle virtue that if one were rotten with the french pocks drinking good store of this hee shall be whole againe and I haue séen it proued because that wheÌ„ I was in Cochin ther was a friende of mine that his nose began to droppe away with that diseaze and was counselled of the doctors of phisicke that he should goe to Tenassary at the time of the new wines and that he should drincke of the nyper Wine night and day as much as he could before it was distilled which at that time it is most delicate but after that it is distilled it is more stronger and drincke much of it it will fume into the heade with drunkennesse This man went thither and did so and I haue séene him after with a good colour and sounde This Wine is verie much esteemed in the Indies for that that it is brought so farre off it is very deare in Pegu ordinarily it is good cheape because it is neerer to the place where they make it and there is euerie yeere great quantitie made thereof and returning to my purpose I say being amongst these rockes and farre from the land which is ouer against Tenassary with great scarsitie of victualles and that by the saying of the pylate and two Portugalles holding then firme that we were in front of the aforesaide harbour we determined to goe thither with our boat and â—etch victualles and that the shippe shoulde stay for vs in a place assigned we were twenty and eight persons in the boat that went for victualles and on a day about twelue of the clocke we went from the Ship assuring our selues to be in the harbour before night
in the aforesaide port wee rowed all that day and a great part of the next night and all the next day without finding harbour or any signe of good landing and this came to passe through the euill counsel of the two Portugalles that were with vs. For we had ouershot the harbour and left it behind vs in such wise that we had loste the lande enhabited with the ship and we twentie eight men had no maner of victuall with vs in the boate but it was the Lordes will that one of the Mariners had brought a litle Ryce with him in the boat to barter away for some other thing and it was not so much but that three or fowre men would haue eate◠it at a meale I tooke the gouernment of this Ryce promising that by the helpe of God that Ryce should be nourishment for vs vntill it plesed God to send vs to some place that was enhabited and when I slept I put the ryce into my bosome because they shoulde not rob it from me we were nine dayes rowing alongst the coast without finding any thing but Countries vninhabited and deserts Iland wher if we had found but grasse it woulde haue séemed Sugar vnto vs but wee coulde not finde any yet wee founde a fewe leaues of a tree and they were so hard that we could not chew them we had Water and Wood sufficient and as we rowed we could goe but by flowing Water for when it was ebbing Water we made fast our boat to the bancke of one of those Ilands and in these nine dayes that we rowed wee found a caue or nest of Tortugaes egges wherein was a hundred fortie fowre egges the which was a great helpe vnto vs these egges are as big as a hennes egge and haue no shell about them but a tender Skinne euerie day wee sodde a kettle full of them egges with an handfull of ryce in the broth thereof it pleased God that at the ende of nine dayes wee discouered certaine fisher men a fishing with small barkes and wee rowed towards them with a good chéere for I thinke there were neuer men more glad then we were for we were so sore afflicted with penurie that we could skarce stand on our legs yet according to the order that we set for our ryce when we saw those fisher men there was left sufficient for foure days The first village that we came too was in the gulfe of Tauay vnder the King of Pegu whereas wee founde greate store of victualles then for two or thrée dayes after our ariuall there wee woulde eate but little meate anie of vs and yet for all this we were at the point of death the most part of vs. From Tauay to Martauan in the Kingdome of Pegu are seuentie two miles We laded our boate with victuals which was aboundantly sufficient for sixe monethes from whence wee departed for the porte and Citie of Martauan where in short time we ariued but wee founde not our ship there as we had thought we shoulde from whence presently wee made out two backes to goe to looke for her And they founde her in greate calamitie and néede of Water being at an ancker with a contrarie winde and came very yll to passe because that shee wanted her boate a moneth which should haue made her prouision of wood and water The ship also by the grace of God ariued safely in the aforesaide port of Martauan The Citie of Martauan WE founde in the Citie of Martauan ninetie Portugalles of Merchantes and other base men which had fallen at difference with the Retor or gouernour of the Citie and for this cause that certaine vagabondes of the Portugalles had slayne fiue falchines of the Kinges of Pegu which chaunced about a moneth after that the King of Pegu was gone with a million and foure hundreth thousande men to conquer the kingdome of Sion they haue for custome in this Countrey and Kingdome that the King being wheresoeuer his pleasure is to bée out of his kingdome that euerie fiftéene dayes there goeth from Pegu a carauan of Falchines with euerie one a basket on his heade full with some fruites or other delicates of refreshings and with cleane clothes it chaunsed that this carauan passing by Martauan and resting themselues there a night there happened betwéene the Portugalles and them wordes of dispight and from words to blowes and because it was thought that the Portugalles had the worse the night following when the Falchines were a sleepe with their companie the Portugalles went and cut off fiue of their heades Nowe there is a Lawe in Pegu that whosoeuer killeth a man hee shall buy the shed bloud with his monie according to the estate of the person that is slaine but these Falchines beeing the seruauntes of the King the Retors durst not doe any thing in the matter without the consent of the King because it was necessarie that the King shoulde knowe of such a matter When the King had knowledge thereof he gaue commaundement that the malifactors shoulde bee kept vntill his comming home and then he would duely minister iustice but the captaine of the Portugalles woulde not deliuer those men but rather set himselfe with all the rest in armes and went euerie day through the citie marching with the Drumme and ancient displayd For at that time the Citie was emptie of men by reason they were gone al to the warres and in businesse of the king in the midst of this rumour we came thether and I thought it a straunge thing to see the Portugalles vse such insolencie in another mans Cittie And I stoode in doubte of that which came to passe would not vnlade my goodes because y ◠they were more surer in the ship then on the land the greatest part of the lading was the owners of the ship who was in Malacca yet there were diuers merchāts there but their goods were of small importāce al those merchants told me y ◠they woulde not vnlade any of their goodes there vnlesse I would vnlade first yet after they left my counsell folowed their own and put their goods a land and lost it euerie whit The Rector with the customer sent for me and demaunded why I put not my goods a lande and pay my custome as other men did to whom I answered that I was a merchant that was newly come thither séeing such disorder amongst the Portugalles I doubted the losse of my goodes which cost me very dear with the sweate of my face and for this cause I was determined not to put my goodes a lande vntill such time as his honour would assure me in the name of the king that I shoulde haue no losse although there came harme to the Portugalles that I nor my goodes should not haue any hurt because I had neither part nor any difference with them in this rumor my reason sounded well in the Retors eares and presently commaunded to cal the Bargits
that for two or three howres to sée him it is the greatest pleasure in the Worlde hee wepeth he flingeth hee runneth hee iustleth hee thrusteth vnder the places where the people stande to sée him thinking to kill some of them but the postsand timber is so strong and great that they cannot hurt any bodie yet hee often times breaketh his téeth in the grates at length wheÌ„ he is wearie and hath laboured his body that he is all wet with sweat theÌ„ he plucketh in his trunke into his mouth and then hee throweth out so much Water out of his bellie that he sprinkleth it ouer the heades of the lookers on to the vttermoste of them although it be verie high and then when they sée him verie wearie there goeth certaine officers into the Court with long sharpe canes in their handes and pricke him that they make him to goe into one of the houses that is made alongest the Court for the same purpose as there is many which are made long and narrosve that when the Eliphant is in he cannot turne himselfe to goe backe againe and it is requisit that these men shoulde be verie warie and swift although their canes be long yet the Eliphant woulde kill them if they were not swift to saue themselues at length when they haue gotten him into one of those houses they stande ouer him in a loft and get ropes vnder his belly and about his necke and about his legges and binde him fast and so let him stande fowre or fiue dayes and giue him neither meate nor drinke At the ende of these fowre or fiue dayes they vnloose him and putteth one of the Females vnto him and giue them meate and drinke and in eight dayes he is become tame In my iudgement there is not a beaste so intellectiue as is these Eliphants nor of more vnderstanding in all the Worlde for hee will doe all thinges that his kéeper sayth so that he lacketh nothing but humaine spéech It is reported that the greatest strength that the king of Pegu hath is in these Eliphantes for when they goe to battell they set on their backes a Castle of Wood bounde to his backe with bandes vnder his bellie and in eucrie Castle fowre men verie commodiousâ—ie sette to fight with Hargubushes with Bowes and arrowes with Dartes with Pikes and other launcing weapons and they say that the Skinne of this Eliphant is so harde that any Harquebusse will not pierce it vnlesse it bée in the eye temples or some other tender place of his body and besides this they are of greate strength and haue a verie excellent order in their battell as I haue seene at their feasts which they make in the yeere in which feastes the King maketh triumphes which is a rare thing and worthie memorie that in so barbarous a people there shoulde bee such goodly orders as they haue in their armies which bee distinckt in squares of Eliphantes of Horsemen of Harquebushers and Piâ—emen that truly the number of them are infinite but their armour and Weapons are verie naught and weake as well the one as the other they haue very bad Pikes their swords are worse made like long kniues without pointes his harquebushes are moste excellent and alway in his warres hee hath eightie thousande Harquebushes and the number of them encreaseth dayly Because the King will haue them shoote euerie day at the Plancke and so by continuall exercise they become moste excellent Shotte also hee hath great ordinaunce made of very good mettall to conclude there is not a King on the earth that hath more power or strength then this King of Pegu because he hath twenty and sixe crouned Kings at his commaunde He can make in his Campe a milion and halfe of men of Warre in the fielde against his enimies the state of his kingdome and maintenaunce of his armie which is a thing incredible to consider the victualles that shoulde mainteine such a number of people in the Warres but he that knoweth the nature and qualitie of that people will easily beléeue it I haue seene with my proper eyes that those people and souldiers haue eaten of all sort of Wilde beastes that are on the earth whether it be very filthie or otherwise all serueth for their mouthes yea I haue seene them eate Scorpions and Serpents also they feede of all kinde of hearbes and grasse So that if such a great armie want not Water and salt they will maintain themselues a long time in a bush with rootes flowers and leaues of trees they carie rice with them for their voyage that serueth them in stead of comfetts it is so daintie vnto them This King of Pegu hath not any army or power by sea but in the land for people dominions golde and siluer he farre exceedes the power of the great Turke in treasure and power This king hath diuers Magasons ful with treasure as Golde siluer and euery day he encreaseth it more more and it is neuer deminished also he is Lorde of the mines of Rubyes Safyrs Spineles neere vnto his royall pallace there is an estimable treasure where of he maketh no account for that it standeth in such a place that euerie one may see it and the place where this treasure is is a great Courte walled rounde about with walles of stone with two gates which stande open euerie daye and within this place or Court are foure guilded houses couered with lead and in euerie one of these are certaine panim Idoles of a verie great valure In the first house there is a stature of y e Image of a man of Gold verie great on his head a crown of Gold beset with most rare rubies and Safires and round about him are foure little Children of Golde In the seconde house there is the stature of a man of siluer that is set as it were sitting on heapes of monie whose stature in height as he sitteth is so high that his highnesse exceedes the height of any one floure of a house he is so high I measured his feete and founde that they were as long as all my bodie was in height with a Crowne of his heade like to the first and in the third house there is a stature of brasse of the same bignesse with a like Crowne of his head In the fourth and last house there is a stature of a man as big as the other which is made of Gausa which is the metall they make their monie of and this mettle is made of Copper and leade mingled together This stature also hath a Crowne on his head like the first this treasure being of suche a valure as it is standeth in an open place that euery man at his pleasure may goe and sée it For the kéepers thereof neuer forbid any man the sight thereof I say as I haue sayde before that this King euerie yeere in his feastes
merchants deuide themselues into companies according to their merchandice y â— they haue there either they buy or make a boat to carie them their goods to Babylon downe the riuer Euphrates with charge of a merchant and mariners to conduct the boat in the voiage these boats are in a manner flat bottomed yet they be verie strong and for all that they are so strong they wil serue but for one voiage They are made according to the sholdnes of the riuer because that the riuer is in many places ful of great stones which doth greatly hinder and trouble those that go down the riuer These boats serue but for one voiage downe the riuer vnto a village called Feluchia because it is impossible to bring them vp the riuer backe againe At Feluchia the merchants plucke their boates in peeces or else sell them for a small price For that at Bi r they cost the merchants forty or fiftie chickens apeece and they sell them at Feluchia for 7 or 8 chickens a peece because that when the merchants return from Babylon backe again if they haue merchandice or goods that oweth custome then they make their returne in fortie dayes through the wildernesse passing that way with a great deale lesser charges then the other way And if they haue not merchandise that oweth custome then they goe by the way of Mosule where it costeth them great charges both the Carauan and companie from Bi r where the merchantes imbarke them selues to Feluchia ouer against Babylon if the riuer haue good store of Water they shall make their voiage in fifteene or eightéene daies downe the Riuer and if the Water be lowe and it haue not rained then it is much trouble and it will bee fortie or fiftie dayes iourny downe because that when the barkes strike on the stones that be in the Riuer then they must vnlade them which is great trouble and then lade them againe when they haue mended their boat therefore it is not necessarie neither doe the merchants goe with one boate alone but two or three that if one boate split and bee lost with striking on the sholdes they may haue another redy to take in their goods vntil such time as they haue meÌ„ded the broken boate and if they drawe the broken boate a land to mend her it is harde to defend her in the night from the great multitude of Arabians y t wil come downe there to rob you in the riuers euery night wheÌ„ you make fast your boat to the banckside you must kéepe good watch against the Arabians which are theeues in number like to ants yet wheÌ„ they come to rob they wil not kil but steal run away hargubushes is a very good weapen against theÌ„ for y â— they stand greatly in feare of the shot as you passe the riuer Euphrates from Bi r to Feluchia there is certaine places which you must passe by where you pay custome certain madines vpon a bale which custom is belonging to the son of Aborise king of the Arabians and desart and hath certain Cities and villages on the riuer Euphrates Feluchia and Babilon FEluchia is a village where they that come from Bi r do vnbarke themselues and vnlade their goods and it is distant from Babilon a daies iorney a halfe by land Babilon is no great Cittie but it is very populous and of great trade of Strangers because it is a great through fare for Persia Turkia and Arabia and verye oftentimes there goeth out froÌ„ thence Carauans into diuers countries and the citie is verye copious of victuals which cometh out of Armenia downe the riuer of Tigris on certaine Zattares or Raffes made of blowne hides or skins called Vtrij This riuer Tigris dooth wash the walles of the citie these Raffes are bound fast together and then they lay boards on the aforesaid blowne skins and on the boards they lade the commodities so come they to Babilon where they vnlade theÌ„ being vnladen they let out the winde out of the skins and lade them on Cammels to make another voyage This Citie of Babilon is scituate in the kingdome of Persia but now gouerned by the Turkes On the other side of the riuer towards Arabia ouer against the citie there is a faire place or towne and in it a faire Bazarro for Merchants with verie manie lodges where the greatest part of the Merchants Strangers which come to Babilon doolye with their merchandize The passing ouer Tigris from Babilon to this Borough is ouer a long bridge made of boates chained together with great chaines prouided that when the riuer waxeth great with the aboundance of raine y â— falleth then they open the bridge in the middle where the on halfe of the bridge falleth to the walles of Babilon and the other to the brinkes of this borough on the other side of the riuer as long as the bridge is open they passe y â— riuer in small boates with great danger because of the smalnes of the boates and the ouer lading of them that with the fiercenes of the streame they be ouerthrowne or els the streame dooth carrie them awaie so that by this meanes many people are lost and drowned this waye by proofe I haue many times séene Of the Tower of Babilon THe Tower of Nembroth or Babel is scituate on y â— side of Tigris that Arabia is and in a very greate plaine distant from Babilon 7. or 8. miles which town is ruinated on euery side and with the falling of it there is made a great Mountaine so that it hath no forme at all yet there is a great parte of it standing which is compassed and almost couered with the aforsaid fallings this Tower was builded and made of fower square Brickes which Brickes were made of earth and dried in the Sun in maner forme following first they laid a lay of Bricks theÌ„ a Mat made of Canes square as the Bricks and in stead of lime they daubed it with earth these Mattes of Canes are at this time so strong that it is a thing wonderfull to beholde being of such antiquitie as it is I haue gone round about it and haue not found any place where there hath bin any doore or entrance it may be in my iudgement in circuit about a mile and rather lesse then more This Tower in effect is contrary to al other things which are seene a far off for they séeme small and the more néere a man commeth to them the bigger they be but this Tower a far off séemeth a very great thing and the neerer you come to it the lâ—sser My iudgment and reason of this is that because the Tower is set in a very great plaine and hath nothinge more about to make any show sauing the ruines of it which it hath made round about and for this respect that discrying it a far off that peece of the Tower which
downe and in the time I rested there I sawe manye strange and beastlye déedes doone of the Gentiles First when there is any noble man or woman dead they burne their bodies if a maried man die his wife must burne hir selfe aliue for the loue of hir husband and with the bodye of hir husband so that when anye man dyeth their wiues will take a monthes leaue two or thrée or as they will to burne themselues in and that daye being come wherein she ought to be burnt that morning she goeth out of hir house very earlye either on Horssebacke or one an Eliphant or else is borne by eight men on a small stage in one of these orders she goeth being apparrelled like to a Bride carried rounde about the Cittye with hir hayre downe about hir shoulders garnished with Jewels flowers according to the estate of the partye and they goe with as great ioye as Brides doo in Venis to the nuptials shée carryeth in hir left hand a looking Glasse and in hir right hand an arrow and singeth through the cittie as she passeth and saith that shee goeth to sléepe with hir déere spowse and husband She is accompanyed with hir kindred and fréends vntill it be one or two of the clocke in the after noone then they go out of the citie and going along the Riuers side called Nigondin which runneth vnder the walles of the cittye vntill they come to a place where they vse to make this burning of women being widowes there is prepared in this place a great square caue with a little pinnacle hard by it foure or fiue steps vp the aforesaid caue is full of dryed wood the woman being come thither accompanied with a number of people which come to sée the thing then they make readye a great banquet and she that shall be burned eateth with great ioye and gladnesse as though it were hir marriage daye and the feast being ended then they goe to dancing and singing a certaine time according as she will after this the woman of hir owne accord commandeth then to make the fire in the square Caue where the drye wood is and when it is kindled they come and certifie hir thereof then presently shee leaueth the feast and taketh the nearest kinsman of hir husband by the hand and they both go together to the banke of the aforesaid riuer where she putteth off all hir Jewels all hir clothes giueth them to hir parents or kinsfolke and couering hir selfe with a cloth bicause shee will not be séene of the people being naked she throweth hir selfe into the riuer saying Oh wretches that ye wash your sinnes Comming out of the water she rowleth hir selfe into a yellow cloth of 14 braces long and againe she taketh hir husbands kinsman by the hand and they goe both together vp to the pinacle of the square caue wherin the fire is made when she is on the pinacle she talketh and reasoneth with the people recommending vnto them hir children and kindred Before the pinacle they vse to set a Mat because they shall not see the fiercenes of the fire yet there is manye that will haue them plucked awaye shewing therein a heart not fearfull and that they are not afraid of that sight When this sillye woman hath reasoned with the people a good while to hir content there is another woman that taketh a pot with oyle and sprinckleth it ouer her head and with the same she annoynteth all hir body and afterwards throweth the pot into the Fornace and both the woman and the pot goeth together into the fire and presentlye the people that are round about the furnace throw after hir into the caue great péeces of wood so by this meanes with the fire with the blowes that she hath with the wood throwne after hir she is quickly dead and after this there groweth such sorowe and such lamentation amongst the people that all their mirth is turned into howling and wéeping in such wise that a man could scarse beare the hearing of it I haue seene many burnt in this manner because my house was néere to the gate where they go out to the place of burning when there dyeth anye great man his wife with all his slaues with whome hee hath had carnall copulation burne themselues together with him Also in this kingdome I haue séene amongst the base sort of people this vse and order that the man being dead he is is carried to the place where they will make his sepulcher and setting him as it were vpright sitting then commeth his wife before him on hir knées casting hir armes about his neck with imbracing and clasping him vntill such time as the Masons haue made a wall round about them and when the wall is as highe as their neckes there commeth a man behind the woman strangleth her then when she is dead the workmen finish the wall ouer their heads and so they lie buryed both together Beside these there is an infinite number of beastlye qualities amongst the which I haue no desire to write of them I was very desirous to know the cause whye these women would so wilfullye burne themselues against nature and lawe and it was tolde me that this lawe was of an ancient time to make prouision against the slaughters which women made of their husbands For in those daies before this lawe was made the women for euery little displeasure that their husbands had doone vnto them they would presentlye poyson their husbands and take other men and now by reason of this lawe they are more faithfull to their husbands and count their liues as deare as their owne bicause that after his death hir owne followeth presently In the yeare 1567. the people of Bezeneger for the ill successe that they had in that their Citie was sacked by the foure kings The king with his court went to dwell in a castell eight dayes iorneye vp in the lande from Bezeneger called Penegonde Also sixe daies iorney from Bezeneger is â—he place where they get Diamants I was not there but it was told me that it is a great place compassed with a wall and that they sell the earth within the wall for so much a Squadro the limits is set how déepe or howe lowe they shall dig those Diamants that are of a certaine sise and bigger then that sise all those be for the king it is many yeares agone since they got anye there for the troubles that hath béene in that kingdome the first cause of this trouble was because the sonne of this Temeragio had put to death the lawfull king which he had in prison for which cause the Barons and Noblemen in that kingdome would not acknowledge him to be their king and by this meanes there is manye kings and great deuision in that kingdome and the Citye of Bezeneger is not altogether destroyed yet the houses stand styll but
séeke me whereas I thought I should not haue found so much goodnes in them because they were paid their money afore hand as is the vse I had thought to haue seene them no more before their comming I was determined to pluck the Cane wherin my Jewels were bidden out of my cowtch and to haue made me a walking staffe to carry in my hand to Goa thinking that I should haue gone thether on foote but by the faithfulnesse of my Falchines I was rid of that trouble and so in fower dayes they carried me to Goa in which time I made hard fare for y e théeues left me neither money golde nor siluer that which I did eat was geuen me of my men for gods sake and after at my comming to Goa I payde them euery thing rially all that I had of them from Goa I departed for Cochin which is a voyage of 300. miles and betwéene these two Cties are many holds of the Portingales as Onor Mangalor Barzelor Cananor The holde or forte that you shall haue in going from Goa to Cochin that belongeth to the Portingales is called Onor which is in the kingdome of the Quéene of Battacella which is tributary to the king of Bezeneger there is no trade there but onely a charge with the Captaine and company he kéepeth there and passing this place you shall come to another small Castell of the Portingales called Mangalor and ther is a very small trade onely for a little Rice and from thence you go to a little fort called Barzelor there they haue good store of Rice which is carried for Goa and from thence you shall go to a cittie called Cananor which is a Hargabush shot distant from the chiefest citie that the king of Cananor hath in his kingdome being a king of the Gentiles and he and his are a very naughty and malicious people alwayes hauing delight to be in wars with the Portingales and when they are in peace it is for the intrest to let their marchādize passe there goeth out of this kingdome of Cananor all the Cardomomo great store of pepper Ginger Honey Ships laden with greate Nuttes greate quantity of Archa which is a fruict of the biggnes of Nutmegges which fruict they eat in all those parts of the Indies and beyonde the Indies with the leafe of an hearbe which they call Bettell the which is like vnto our Juye leafe but a little lesser and thinner they eate it made in Plaister◠with the lime made of Oystershelles and thorowe the Indies they spend greate quantitie of money in this composition and is vsed dayly which thing I woulde not haue beléeued if I had not séene it The customers get greate profite by these Hearbes for that they haue custome for them when these people eate and chaw this in their mouthes it maketh theire Spittle to be redde like vnto blood and they saye that it maketh a man to haue a very good stomacke and a swéete breath but sure in my iudgement they eate it rather to fulfill theire filthy lustes and of a knauerye for this Hearbe is moyste and hote and maketh a very strong expultion From Cananor to Crangenor which is another small forte of the Portingales in the Land of the king of Crangenor which is another king of the Gentiles and a Countrey of small importaunce and of a hundreth and twenty miles full with theeeues being vnder the king of Callicut a king also of the Gentiles and a great enemie to the Portingales which when he is alwayes in warres he and his countrey is the Neast and resting for straunger théeues and these be called Moores of Carposa because they weare on theire heads long red Hattes and these théeues parte y e spoyles that they take on the sea with the king of Calicut for he geueth leaue vnto all that wil go a roauing liberally to go in such wise that all along that coast there is such a number of Théeues that there is no sayling in those Seas but with great Shippes and very well armed or elle they must goe in company with the army of the Portingales from Crangenor to Cochin is 15. miles Cochine COchine is next vnto Goa the chéefest place that the Portingales haue in the Indies and there is great trade of Spices drugs and all other sorts of Merchandize for the kingdome of Portingale and there with in the lād is the kingdom of Pepper which Pepper the Portingales lade in their ships by boulke and not in sacks the Pepper that goeth for Portingale is not so good as that which goeth for Meca bicause that in times passed the officers of the king of Portingale made a contract with the king of Cochine in the name of the king of Portingale for the prices of Pepper and by reason of that agréement betwéene them at that time made the prise can neither rise nor fall which is a verye lowe and base price and for this cause the Uillaines bring it to the Portingales gréene and full of filthe The Mores of Meca that giue a better price haue it cleane and drye and is better conditioned all the spices and drugs that is brought to Mecha is stolne from thence as Contrabanda Cochine is two cities one of the Portingales and another of the king of Cochines that of the Portingales is scituat néerest vnto the sea that of the kings of Cochin is a mile and a halfe vp higher in the land but they are both set on the banckes of one riuer which is very great and of a good depth of water which riuer commeth out of the mountains of the king of the Pepper which is a king of the Gentiles in whose kingdome are manye Christians of S. Thomas order the king of Cochine is also a king of the Gentiles and a great faithfull fréend to the king of Portingale and to those Portingales which are marryed and Cittizens in the Cittie Cochine of the Portingales and by this name of Portingales throughout all the Indies they call all the Christians that come out of the West whether they be Italians Frenchmen or Almaines and all they that mary in Cochine doo get an office according to the trade hee is of this they haue by the great priuilege the Cittizens haue of that City bicause there is two principall commodities that they deale withall in that place which are these the great store of silke that commeth from China and the great store of Sugar which commeth from Bengala the married Citizens paye not anye custome for these two commodities for all other commodities they pay foure per cento custum to the king of Cochine rating their goods at their owne pleasure those which are not married and strangers pay in Cochine to the king of Portingale eight per cento of all manner of merchandize I was in Cochine when the Uiceroye of the king of Portingale wrought what he could to breake the priuelege of the Citizens and
not so good as the other is and in these woods groweth much Pepper Negapatan FRom Zeyland within y e Iland to go with small ships to Negapatan within the firme land 72. miles of is a very great citie very populous of Portingales and Christians of the countrey and parte Gentiles it is a countrey of small trade neither haue they any trade there saue a good quantity of Rice and cloth of bumbast which they carry into diuers parts it was a very plentifull countrey of victuales but now a great deale lesse that abouÌ„dance of victuales caused many Portingales to go thither and build houses dwell there with small charge This Citie belongeth to a noble man of the kingdome of Bezeneger being a Gentile neuerthelesse the Portingales and other Christians are well intreated there haue their Churches there with a Monastery of S. Francis order with great deuotion and verye well accommodated with bouses round about yet for all this they are amongst tyrants which alwaies at their pleasure may doo them some harme as it happened in the yeare of our Lord God 1565 which I remember verye well how that the Naic that is to saye the Lord of the Citie sent to the Cittizens to demand of them certaine Arabian Horsses and they hauing denied them vnto him and gainesaid his demand it came to passe that this Lord had a desire to sée the Sea which when the poore Citizens vnderstood thereof they doubted some euill to heare a thing which was not woont to bee they thought that this man would come to sacke the Citie and presently they imbarked themselues the best they could with their mooueables merchandize Jewels money and all that they had and caused the ships to put from the shore when this was doone as their ill chauÌ„ce would haue it the next night following there came such a great storme which put all the ships a land perforce and brake them to péeces and all the goods that came a land and was saued was taken from them by the Soldiors and armye of this Lorde which came downe with him to sée the sea and were attendant at the Sea side not thinking any such thing to haue hapned Saint Thomas or san Tome FRom Nega patan sollowing my voyage towards the East a hundreth fiftie miles I found the house of blessed S. Thomas which is a Church of great deuotion and greatlye regarded of the Gentiles for the great miracles that they haue heard hath béene doone by that blessed Apostle néere vnto this Church the Portingales haue builded them a Citie in the countrie subiect â—o the king of Bezeneger which Cittye although it be not verye greate in my iudgement it is the fayrest in all that parte of the Indyes and it hath verye fayre houses and fayre Gardens in vacant places very well accommodated it hath stréetes large and straight with many churches of great deuotion their houses be set close vnto an other with little doores euery house hath his defence so that by that meanes it is of force suffitient to defend themselues against that countrey the Portyngales there haue no other possession but their Gardens and houses that are within the Cittie the customes belong to the king of Bezeneger which are very small and easye for that it is a Countrey of great riches and great trade there commeth euery yeare two or thrée great ships very riche besides many other small ships one of the two great ships goeth for Pegan and the other for Mallaca laden with fine bumbast cloth of euery sort painted which is a rare thing because those kind of clothes shew as they were gilded with diuers colours and the more they be washed the liuelier the colours wil shew also there is other cloth of bumbast which is wouen with diuers colours are of great valew also they make in Sane Tome great store of red Yarne which they dys with a roote called Saya and this colour will neuer wast but the more it is washed the more redder it will shew they lade this yarne the greatest parte of it for Pegan because that there they worke and weaue it to make cloth according to their owne fashion and with lesser charges It is a meruelous thing to them which haue not séene the laging and vnlading of men and marchaÌ„dize in S. Tome as they do it is a place so dangerous there a man cannot be serued with small barkes neither can they do their busines with the boates of the shippes because they would be beaten in a thousaÌ„d peeces but they make certain barkes of purpose highe which they call Masady they be made of little Boardes one Board sowed to another with small cordes and in this order are they made And when they are thus made and that they will embarke anye thing in them eythe men or goodes they lade them a land and when they are laden the Barke men shruste the boate with her lading into the streame and with greate spéede they make haste all that they are able to rowe out against the huge waues of the sea that are on that shore vntill that they carry them to thâ— Shippes and in like manner they lade these Masudies aâ— the Shippes with marchandize and men when they come néere the shore the Bark-men kéepe out of the Barke into the Sea to kéepe the Barke right that shée cast not thwart the shore being kept right the Suffe of the Sea setteth her lading drye a land without any burt or daunger and sometimes there is some of them that is ouerthrowne but there can bee no great losse because theâ— lade but a little at a time all the marchandize that they laâ— outwardes they emball it well with Oxe hides so that if â—â— take wette it can haue no great harme In my voyage returning in the yéere of our Lord God one thousand fiue hundred sixtye and sixe I went from Goa vnto Malacca in a Shippe or Galion of the King of Portingales which went vnto Banda for to lade Nutmegs and Maces from Goa to Malaca one thousand eight hundred miles we passed within the Iland Zeyland and went through the chanell of Nicubar or else through the channell of Sombrero which is by the middle of the Iland called Sumtara called Taprobana from Nicuber to Pigue is as it were a rowe or chaine of an infinite number of Ilandes of which many are enhabited with wilde people and they call those Ilandes the Ilands of Andeman and they call their people sauadge or wilde because they eate one another also these Ilandes haue warre one with another for they haue small Barkes and with them they take one an other and so eate one an other and if by euill thaunce any Ship be loste on those Ilands as many haue béene there is not one man of those Ships lost there that escapeth vneaten or vnstaine these people haue not any acquaintance with any other people neither haue
which are as Counsellers of the Citie there they promised me on the Kings head or in the behalfe of the King that neither I nor my goods should haue anie harme but that we should be safe sure of which promise there was made publike notes and then I sent for my goods and had them a land and payd my custome which is in that countrie ten in the hundreth of the same goodes and for my more securitie I tooke a house right against the Retors house The Captain of the Portugalles and all the Portugal Merchants were put out of the Citie and I with twentie and two poore men which were officers in the Ship we had our dwelling in the Citie After this the Gentil◠deuised to be reuenged of the Portugales but they woulde not put it in execution vntill such time as our small Shippe had discharged all her goodes and then the nert night following came from Pegu fowre thousand souldiers with some Elyphants of Warre and before that they made anie rumor in the citie the Retor sent and gaue commaundement to all Portugales that were in the Citie that whē they heard anie rumor or noyse that for any thing they shoulde not goe out of their houses and as they tendered their own health Then fowre houres in the night I heard a great rumour and noyse of men of Warre with Eliphants which threwe downe the doores of the Ware-houses of the Portugalles and their houses of wood and strawe in the which rumour there were some Portugalles wounded and one of them slaine and others without making proofe of there manhoode which the daye before did so bragge at that time put themselues to flight moste shamefullye and saued them selues a boorde of little Shippes that were at an ancker in the harbour and some that were in their beddes fledde away naked and that night they caried away all the Portugalles goodes out of the suburbes into the Citie and those Portugalles that had their goodes in the suburbes with all After this the Portugalles that were fled into the shippes to saue themselues tooke a newe courage to themselues and came a lande and set fire on the houses in the suburbs which houses being made of boord and straw and a fresh winde in small time they were burnt and consumed with which fire halfe the Citie had like to beene burnt when the Portugalles had done this they were without all hope to recouer any part of their goodes againe which goods might amount to the summe of sixtéene thousande duckets which if they had not set fire to the towne they might haue had their goodes giuen them gratis then the Portugalles hauing vnderstanding that this thing was not done by the consent of the King but by his lifetenant and the Retor of the citie they were verie yll content knowing that they had made a greate fault yet the next morning following the Portugalles began to batter and shoote their ordinance against the Citie which batterie of theirs continued fowre dayes but all was in vaine for the shott neuer hit the Citie but light on the top of a small hill neere vnto it so that the Citie had no harme when the Retor perceiuing that the Portugalles made batry against the Citie he tooke twentie and one Portugalles that were there in the Citie and sent them foure miles into the Countrie there to tarrie vntill such time as the other Portugalles were departed that made the batterie who after their departure let them go at their owne libertie without any harme done vnto them I was alwayes in my house with a good guard appointed me by the Retor that no man shoulde doe mee iniurie nor harme me nor my goodes in such wise that hee perfourmed all that hee had promised mee in the name of the King but he would not let me depart before the comming of the king which was my hindrance greatly because I was twentie and one moneths sequested that I coulde not buy nor sell any kind of merchandire Those commodities that I brought thither was Peper Sandolo and Procellan of China so when the King was come home I made my supplication vnto him and I was licensed to depart when I would From Martauan I departed to goe to the chiefest Citie in the kingdome of Pegu which is also called after the name of the Kingdome which voyage is made by sea in three or foure dayes they may goe also by Land but hee that hath merchandire it is better for him to goe by sea and lesser charge and in this voyage you shal haue a Marcareo which is one of the meruellous things in the world y ◠nature hath wrought and I neuer sawe anie thing so hard to be beléeued as this The great encreasing and deminishing that the Water maketh there at one pushe or instant and with the horrible earth quake and great noyse that it maketh where it commeth We departed from Martauan in barks which are like to our Pylot boates with the encrease of the Water and they go as swift as an arrowe out of a bowe so long as the tide runneth with them and when the water is at the highest then they drawe themselues out of the Chanel towards some bancke and there they come to anker and when the Water is diminished then they rest a drye and when the barkes rest drie they are as high from the bottome of the Chanell as any house toppe is high from the ground They let their barks lie so high for this respect that if there should any shippe rest or ride in the Chanell with such force commeth in the Water that it would ouerthrowe ship or bark yet for all this that the barkes bee so farre out of the Chanell and though the Water hath lost her greatest strength and furie before it come so high yet they make fast their prowe to the streme and often times it maketh them verie fearfull if the Anker did not hold her prow vp by strength she woulde bee ouerthrowne and lost with men and goods when the Water beginneth to encrease it maketh such a noise and so great that you would thinke it an earthquake presently at the first it maketh 3. wanes So that the first washeth ouer the barke from stem to stern the second is not so furious as the first the third ratseth the anker and then for the space of six howres y ◠the water encreaseth they rolve with such swiftnesse that you woulde thinke they did flye in these tides there must be lost no iot of time for if you ariue not at the stagious before the tide be spent you must turne backe from whence you came For there is no staying at any place but at these stagious and there is more daunger at one of these places then at another as they bee higher and lower one then another When as you returne from Pegu to Martauan they goe but halfe the Tide at a time because they