by vs, wee called him, but not against his will, and shewed him siluer, and
other wares that liked him well, he bad vs make towards the strand, and
told vs of Bantam, saying that there we should haue al kinds of
Marchandise. Then we made signs vnto him that if he wold bring vs to
Bantam, we wold pay him for his labor, he asked vs 5. rialles of 8. and a
redcap, which we graunted vnto, and so one of the men in the scute came on
bord the Mauritius, and was our Pilot to Bantam, where we passed by many
Islandes.
The nineteenth of Iuly as wee sailed by a towne, many Portingalles borded
vs, and brought vs certaine Cocus and Hens to sell, which wee bought for
other wares.
The 22. of the same Month wee came before the towne of Bantam, within three
miles of it, and there ankered vnder an Island. The same day about euening
a scute of Portingals borded vs that were sent by the Gouernour to see what
ships we were, and when we shewed them that wee came thither to traficke
with them, they told vs, that there was the right Pepper country, and that
there we might haue our lading, that new Pepper was readie to be gathered,
and would be ripe within two Monthes after, which pleased vs well, for wee
had already beene fifteene Monthes and twelue daies vppon our voyage,
hauing endured great daungers, miseries and thirst, many of our men by
sicknesse being dead.
The 23. of Iune wee hoysed our ankers, and went close to the towne of
Bantam, and ankered harde by 4. small Islands, that lie right North from
the Towne: the same day the Sabander (who is there one of the greatest
officers next the King) came abord our shippes, asking vs what we would
haue, we said we were come to buy Pepper and other spyces, and that wee had
readie money, and certaine wares, whereof we shewed him some parte, which
hee liked well, saying that there wee might haue lading enough, shewing vs
great countenance.
The same day likewise there came a great number of scutes vnto our ships,
bringing all kinds of victuailes to sel, as Hennes, Egges, Cocus, Bonanas,
sugar canes, Cakes of Ryce baked, and many other thinges. The 24. of Iune
there came many men aborde our ships, bringing diuers wares to sell,
shewing vs great friendshippe, and as it seemed were very glad of our
arriuall there, telling vs that there we might haue Pepper enough, and new
Pepper within two Monthes after, and that Pepper was then as good cheap as
it had beene any time within ten yeares before, that wee might buy 5. or 6.
sackes for one Catti, (being about 20. Guilderns) which was ordinarily sold
but one sacke for that price: euery sacke wayeth 54. pounde Hollandes
waight, so that a pounde would be worth about a brasse penie Hollands
money.
The same day about noone the Sabander borded vs once againe, willing
Cornelis Houtman to go on land to speake with the Gouernour, for as then
there was no King, for about a Month before our arriuall there, the King
was gone with a great armie before the towne of Palimbam, which he thought
to take, and had almost gotten it, but there he was stricken with a great
Peece by a Renigado of the Portingalles, and so was slaine. His death was
much lamented by the straungers that dwelt at Bantam, for he was a good
king, being about 25. yeares of age: he left behind him foure wives,
whereof the eldest was not aboue 15. yeares of age, and a yong sonne of
three Monthes olde, that was to succeed him in his Kingdome; and they had
chosen a Protector or Gouernor to rule in his minoritie, whom they call
Kipate, and when the Kipate by the Sabandar sent to our Sargeant Maior to
come vnto him into the towne, he made him answer that he had no such
commission, but he desired the Gouernor first to come abord his ship, and
then he would go on shore, he likewise desired vs to go neerer to the towne
with our shippes.
And therevpon wee sayled somewhat neerer to the Island that lay next vnto
the towne, within halfe a mile from it, and there we ankered at 4 fadome
clay grounde, the towne lying South from vs, where wee had a good roade:
[Sidenote: The Gouernor of Bantam came abord their ships.] The next morning
the Gouernor sent aborde, and the men that came spake not onely good
Portingal, but other languages: he let our Sargeant Maior vnderstand that
he would come aborde, and desired that hee would with a shalop meet him
halfe the way, which was done about noone, and the Gouernour came aborde
with a great company of men, where we shewed him all our wares, which liked
him well, desiring vs to come on land, saying that we should be welcome,
promising vs much fauour, wherewith he returned to the land with certaine
rich presents that we gaue him. The 26. Barent Heijn Factor of the ship
called the Mauritius, died very sodainly.
The 27. and 28. great numbers of people borded our shippes bringing all
sortes of necessaries and victuails to sell.
[Sidenote: The Emperour came aborde and secretly conspired with the
Portingals against them.] The 29. there came an Emperour abord our shippe,
whose father in time past had beene Emperour of all Iaua, and commanded all
the Kings of Iaua, but this man because of his badde life was not much
accounted of: he spake good Portingall, for his mother was a Portingall
woman borne in Malacca: This Emperour had conspired against vs with the
Portingalles, but as then we knew it not.
The 30. of Iune Cornelis Houtman tooke a boate: and went into the towne,
and there spake with the Gouernour about certaine affaires, touching a
contract to bee made with him.
[Sidenote: A contract to buy and sell in the towne.] The first of Iuly
Houtman went again into the towne, and when he returned he brought with him
a certaine contract made and signed by the Gouernor himself, who most
willingly consented therevnto, and saide vnto him, Go now and buy what you
will, you haue free liberty; which done, the said Houtman with his men went
to see the towne, apparelled in the best manner they coulde, in veluet,
Satin, and silkes, with rapiers by their sides: The Captaine had a thing
borne ouer his head to keep him from the Sun, with a Trumpet before him,
which certaine times he caused to bee sounded: There the Emperour bad them
to a banket after the Indian manner: From thence we went to the
Portingalles, that made much account of Houtman, and made him a banket,
saying that they had seene him in Lisbone. The 2. of Iuly many Marchants
came abord, profering vs Pepper verie good cheape, but because we were
vnskilfull in the waight and other thinges wee tooke respite to answere
them.
The 3. of Iuly the Sabander came abord, and he was our great friend, for
that after we found it so, hee tolde vs what waight the sackes of Pepper
were, and what prises they bare, counselling vs to buy.
The 7. of Iuly the Gouernour sent vs a man secretly by night willing vs to
looke vnto our selues, and not to trust the Emperour, with whom all the
Marchantes conspired, and went to inuade our ships, and that hee ment to
rob vs, being very licentious and euill minded.
[Sidenote: The Emperour ment to fall vpon the ships to rob them.] The 8. of
Iuly the Emperour sent vnto our ships, and offered to make them a banket,
bidding all the Captaines, maisters, Pilots, Gentlemen, Officers, Trumpets,
and Gunners to come into the towne to him, and there he woulde make merrie
with them: This was done by the Portingalles aduise, thereby to haue all
the chiefe and principall men out of our ships, but we perceiued their
intent.
The 11. of Iuly the Emperour perceyuing that his deuise would not take
place; hee went from Bantam to Iacatra.
The 12. of Iuly wee had a house offered vs within the towne.
The 13. of the same month Reyner van Hel with eyght Gentlemen went into the
towne, taking certaine wares with him, of euery thing a little, and laid it
in the house appointed for the purpose: there to keep a ware house and to
sel our marchandise, and presently both Gentlemen and Marchants came
thither to buy and to sell vs Pepper.
The 15. and 16. many Gentlemen, Marchants, Chinars, and Arabians came to
out warehouse and into our ships, offering vs Pepper, but our Factor
offered them to little a price.
The 25. of Iuly the Gouernour came againe aborde our shippes, and there
looked vppon certaine of our wares, whereof hee bought some, and counselled
vs to buy Pepper: [Sidenote: The hatred of the Portingalles against them.]
About the same time the Portingalles made great sute vnto the Gouernour,
promising him many giftes to deny vs traffike, and to constraine vs to
depart from thence, saying we were no marchantes, but that we came to spie
the countrie, for they said that they had seene many Fleminges in Lisbone,
but none like vs: Among the Portingalles there was one that was borne in
Malacca, of the Portingalles race, his name was Pedro Truide, a man well
seene in trauayling, and one that had beene in all places of the world: He
was our good friend, and euery day came to talke with our Captaines,
saying, you do not well that you make no more haste to take in your lading,
you shall haue no better cheape wares, and withall shewed vs many other
things: wherevpon the Portingalles hated him, and not long after he was
murthered in his bed.
In August we did little, and tooke no great store of lading in seeking to
haue Pepper better cheape, which the Portingalles liked not well of, and
saide vnto the Gouernour, that we desired not to buy; which the Gouernour
began to hearken vnto, for they offered great summes of money that hee
shoulde not permit vs traffique, so that in the end hee commaunded that no
man shoulde carrie any Ryce aborde our shippes, whereby we were abashed,
and thereupon we sent vnto the Gouernour for our money which hee ought for
the wares hee had bought, which moued him.
The 26. of Iuly hee sent one of our Gentlemen with some of his men and nine
slaues abord our ships.
The situation of the towne of Bantam, the principall towne of traffique in
the Island of Iaua, their strength and manner of building, with their
traffique, what people come thither, what wares are there most desired,
what nations bring them thither, or come to fetch them, together with
their religion, customes and manner of house keeping.
Bantam lyeth in the Islande of Iaua maior, about 25. miles to sea ward
within the Isle, between Sumatra and Iaua: On both sides of the Towne there
runneth a Riuer, about 3 foot and a half deep, so that no shippes can enter
into them: The towne is compassed about with a Riuer: The towne is almost
as great in compasse as the olde towne of Amsterdam: The wals are made with
flankers: They haue great numbers of Peeces therein, but they knowe not how
to vse them, for they feare them much: all their Peeces are of brasse, and
they haue many brazen bases. Their walles are not aboue two foote thicke
made of brickes: euery flanker hath diuers mastes and peeces of wood, which
they vse when they are besieged by their enemies. The houses are made of
straw and reedes, standing vpon 4. woodden postes. The rich haue their
chambers all hanged with silken Curtins, or els with cotton linnen: Their
houses are most placed vnder Cocus trees, whereof the towne is full:
Without the walles are many houses, wherein strangers for the most part
haue their dwellinges. The towne hath three great market places, wherein
dayly there is markets holden, where you may buy all kindes of wares, and
where there commeth a great number of people, very strange to beholde:
Within the towne there is a great church or muske of wood, wherein they
obserue the law of Mahomet: Gentlemen and men of any qualitie haue their
owne muskes in their houses. The towne is not built with streetes, nor the
houses placed in order, but very foule lying full of filthy water, which
men must passe through, or leape ouer, for they haue no bridges: In the
towne there is great resort of diuers Countries and nations, as of Malacca,
Bengala, Malabar, Guihereters of Pegu, Sani Malicas, Banda, China and of
many Kingdomes that haue great traffique for Pepper, that groweth rounde
about Bantam, which in August and September is ripe, there you haue
nutmegs, out of the Island of Banda, and Cloues from Moluca, which the
Portingalles doe most buy vp: Wee bought Nutmegs there for a blank a pound:
All victuailes and necessaries are there in great aboundance to be had, as
Hennes, Hartes, Fish, and Ryce, and diuers kindes of fruites, as Auanas,
Cocus, Bonanas, Manges, Doroyens, Iacca, Pruna, Grapes, Oranges, Lemons,
Pomegarnets, Cocombers, Melons, Onions, Garlicke: but breade they haue
none, but in steade of it they eate Ryce: Beefe is there the dearest
victuaile, for an Oxe in that place is worth 7. 8. or 9. Rialles of 8. The
Chinars have the greatest and most trafficke in that towne. They come
thither in the Month of Ianuarie, with 8. or 9. great shippes, bringing all
sorts of Porseline, silks, Damaske, gold thread, Iron pannes, and Iauas
money called Caixas, whereof 12000 make a Ryall of eight: They are hanged
vpon stringes by two hundred together, for the which they both buy and sel
al kinds of marchandises, and there they lade Pepper which they carrie into
China: Without the towne they haue a great place wherein they commonly vse
to sell their wares, and there they dwell, and haue greater and better
houses then any are within the towne, all made of reedes, onely that in
euery house they haue a square place made of stone, wherein they put their
wares to keepe them from burning, as some riche men in the towne likewise
haue: The Chinars are very subtill and industrious people, and will refuse
no labour nor paynes to yearne money, there they make much Aqua vitæ of
Ryce and Cocus, and trafficke much therewith, which the Iauars by night
come to buy, and drinke it secretly, for by Mahomets law it is forbidden
them. The Chinars liue there with free libertie: When they come to remaine
there for a yeare or more as they thinke good, they buy themselues a wife
or two, or more as they thinke good, and liue together like man and wife,
and when they meane to depart, they sell their wiues again, but if they
haue children they take them with them and so returne to China: They haue
no special religion, but pray vnto the Deuill, that he would not hurt them,
for they know that the Deuill is wicked, and that God is good, and hurteth
no man, therefore they thinke it needlesse to pray to God. They acknowledge
not the resurrection of the deade, but when a man dyeth they thinke he
neuer riseth again: In their houses they have great painted Deuils, before
the which they place wax candles, and sing vnto them, praying them not to
hurt them, and the more monstrous that their shapes be, the more they
honour them. These people liue very hardly and poorely within Bantam, for
there is not any work or labour how filthy soeuer it be, but they will do
it to get money, and when they haue gotten something they returne againe to
China. They are verie like Iewes in our country, for they neuer goe without
a paire of ballances, and all thinges is good wares with them, and are
ready to do any seruice. When we came first, before Bantam, they came euery
day in great companies into our shippes, and there set out their wares to
sel, as silkes, sowing silkes, and porselines, so that our vpper deckes
were full of pedlers, that wee could hardly walke vpon the hatches.
The manner, condition, custome, going, standing, apparell, housekeeping,
wares, and behauiour of the Iauars in Bantam.
The Iauars and inhabitants of Bantam, are proude and obstinate, with a very
stately pace, they hold the law of Mahomet, which they haue not had aboue
35. yeares, for as yet there are many heathens among them that neuer were
made Mores: it is a very lying and theeuish kind of people, not in any sort
to bee trusted. Their apparell both of rich and poore is a cotton cloth,
and some of silke about their middles, which they tie about them with a
girdle, the vpper parte and from the knees downeward all naked: most of
them goe bareheaded, but the principallest of them haue a wreath or Turkish
roule about their heades, and some little cappes: Their priestes come out
of Meca in Arabia, and are yellowe of colour: [Sidenote: What weapons they
wear.] Their weapon is a poinyard, which they call Crisis: it is made with
hilts, and the handle is a Deuil cut out of wood or bone: the sheathes are
of wood: with them they are very bolde, and it is accounted for a great
shame with them if they haue not such a Dagger, both yong, old, rich and
poore, and yong children of fiue or sixe yeares olde, and when they go to
the warres they haue targets, and some long speares, but most of them such
poinyardes: The vse neyther great shotte nor caliuers when they go against
their enemies: for a small matter one King wil make warre against another.
When we came first before Bantam, we offered to make a contract with the
Gouernour and the counsell of the towns, that they should deliuer vs a
certaine quantitie of Pepper, and wee would goe with our shippes before
Palimbam, and helpe them to reuenge the death of their Kings vppon their
enemies, for (as they said) we might goe within a bowe shot of the towne
with our shippes, and the Towne is but of wood without walles, so that we
would presently haue beaten it downe to the ground. They offered vs some of
their principall Gouernours to be left for pledges in our shippes, and
their men woulde sayle in their fustes, such as shoulde go on land, and we
should doe nothing els but shoote out of our shippes, but our Captaines
would not do it, considering our small number of men. [Sidenote: How many
wiues they haue.] The Iauars take as many wiues as they will and are able
maintaine; but the common people haue but one, and some two married wiues,
and some 10. 20. and 30. concubines: For a small matter they will send
their married wiues home agayne vnto their fathers, when they haue layne
fiue or sixe dayes with them, saying they like them not, and so their
marriage is vndone, when they desire it.
The manner, custome, housholding, childbearing, sporting and cleanlinesse
of the women in Bantam.
The women of the towne are well kept from such as are circumcised, whereof
the riche men haue many, and from other men or their friendes, for their
owne sonnes may not come into the house where the women are. They lie all
naked and chaw Betelle, and haue a slauish woman that continually
scratcheth their bodies, that is, such as are married women, but such as
are concubines are as waiting Gentlewomen, to the married women, when they
goe out to giue them more maiestie, and those that haue the greatest number
are of most estimation: The Concubines haue but fewe children, for the
married women poyson their children, and these concubines are bought and
solde: by their apparell a man can hardly discerne the riche from the
poore, for they goe all with a Cotton cloth about their bodies vp to their
breastes, and bounde about their middles with an other cloth, bare footed
and their heads vncouered, their hayre bound right vpon the top of their
heads in a heape, but when they are in their pride, they weare crownes vpon
their heads, whereof some of them are of pure golde, and ringes of golde,
and some of siluer about their armes, euery one according to their
abilitie. They are very curious about their bodyes, for they washe
themselues at the least fiue or sixe times euery day: they neuer ease
themselues nor haue the company of their husbandes, but they presently
leape into the water and wash their bodies, and therefore the water that
runneth through Bantam is very vnwholesome; for euery one washeth
themselues in it, as well pockie as other people, whereby wee lost some of
our men that drunke of the water: The women are verie idle, for they do
nothing all the day but lie downe; the poore slaues must doe all the
drudgerie, and the men sit all day vpon a mat, and chaw Betele, hauing ten
or twentie women about them, and when they make water, presenly one of the
women washeth their member, and so they sit playing all the day with their
women: Many of them haue slaues that play vppon instrumentes much like our
Shakebois, [Footnote: Musical instruments mentioned in Nichol's Coronation
of Anne Boleyn, p. 2. Probably Sackbuts.] they haue likewise great basons
whereon they strike, and therewith know how to make good musicke, whereat
the women daunce, not leaping much, but winding and drawing their bodies,
armes and shoulders, which they vse all night long, so that in the night
time they make a great noyse with basons and other instruments, and the man
he sitteth and looketh vpon them, euerie one of the women striuing to doe
her best that she may get her husbands fauour and her secreat pleasure.
[Sidenote: How pepper groweth in that countrey.] The Gentlemen, Citizens,
and marchantes haue their Gardens, and fieldes without the towne, and
slaues for the purpose to labour in them, and bring their maisters all
kindes of fruit, Rice and Hennes in the towne, also the Pepper that groweth
there, which runneth vp by another tree, as Hoppes with vs, and groweth in
long bunches like Grapes, so that there is at the least 200. graines in one
bunch: it is first greene, and after it becommeth blacke, and is there in
great aboundance, so that it is the right Pepper countrey; for when we came
thither they said vnto vs, Aqui ai tanta Pimienta, como terra, that is,
here is as much Pepper as earth, and so we found it, and yet we departed
from thence by our owne follies, without our lading of Pepper: Wee staide
for new Pepper, meane time the Portingalles sent their letters into euery
place seeking to hinder our trade: At the first we might haue sufficient,
for there we founde enough both to buy for money or to barter. We likewise
had money and wares sufficient: we might easily have had sixe or eight
hundred tunnes, as we were aduertised by some of the countrey, that we
should presently buy, for that the Portingalles sought by all the meanes
they could to hinder vs, as after it appeared; and therefore he that
thinketh to come soone enough, commeth oftentimes too late, and we vsed not
our time so well as it fell out.
[Sidenote: A letter sent by our men in the town that were kept prisoners.]
The 29. of August we had a letter sent vs by night from our men that were
in the towne, that lay in a maner as prisoners, to will vs to let our
pledge go a shore, otherwise they feared they shoulde hardly escape with
their liues, and great danger might fall vpon them: this pledge came aborde
with the 9. slaues.
The 30. of August we sent the pledge and the rest of our Iauars to land,
with promise that he would do the best he might to get our men leaue to
come aborde: about euening of the same day wee had newes from our men by
foure of our saylers that as then they were better vsed, saying they
thought they should come aborde when two shippes were gone that ment to
saile for Malacca, being laden with Nutmegs and other things.
The first of September, and the 2. 3. and 4. wee sent many letters to the
Gouernour and hee to vs, and likewise to our men that were in the towne,
being nine in number, all our best marchants and captains, hauing with them
about 6. or 7000. Guildernes in marchandise, and they againe to vs.
[Sidenote: They went nearer to the town.] The 5. of September when wee
perceyued that delayes were dangerous wee went close to the towne with all
our 4. shippes, and so neere that we had but two fadome muddie grounde, and
presently with two of our boates for our securitie wee set vppon three
Iauan shippes, whereof two were laden with fish and Cocus, wherein wee
founde a man of China, being of some account. The third ship was laden with
20. tunnes of Cloues, 6. tunnes of Pepper, and some Benioni, and Piementa
da Rauo, wherein we founde fiue Malabardes slaues to the Portingalles, whom
wee likewise tooke, and they were very willing to goe with vs, thereby to
bee eased of the slauery wherevnto the Portingals put them, and perceyuing
that the Portingalles went often to and from another shippe that lay not
farre from vs, we took our Pinace and made towardes it, and being harde by
it, the Portingals left it and set it on fire: This ship had the richest
wares in it as the Portingalles slaues tolde vs, for it was laden with
fiftie tunnes of Cloues, which were burnt in it.