Bedrihonem abouesayd, where they leaue their ordinance and other cariages,
whereof they haue no need, with the pilgrims which haue seene Medina
aforetime, and desire not to see it againe, but stay in that place,
expecting the carouan, and resting vntill the carouan go from Bedrihonem to
Medina, where they alwayes finde goodly habitations, with abundance of
sweet waters, and dates enough, and being within foureteene miles of Medina
they come vnto a great plaine called by them Iabel el salema, that is to
say, the mountaine of health, from which they begin to descry the citie and
tombe of Mahomet, at which sight they light from their horses in token of
reuerence. And being ascended vp the sayd mountaine with shouting which
pierceth the skies they say, Sala tuua salema Alaccha Iarah sul Allah. Sala
tuua Salema Alaccha Ianabi Allah, Sala tuua Salema Allaccha Iahabit Allah:
which words in the Arabian tongue signifie: Prayer and health be vnto thee,
oh prophet of God: prayer and health be vpon thee, oh beloued of God. And
hauing pronounced this salutacion, they proceed on their iourney, so that
they lodge that night within three miles of Medina: and the next morning
the captaine of the pilgrimage ariseth, and proceeding towards the city,
and drawing neere, there commeth the gouernour vnder the Serifo,
accompanied with his people to receiue the Carouan, hauing pitched their
tents in the midst of a goodly field where they lodge.
Of Medina.
Medina is a little city of great antiquity, containing in circuit not aboue
two miles, hauing therein but one castle, which is olde and weake, guarded
by an Aga with fifty pieces of artillery, but not very good. The houses
thereof are faire and well situated, built of lime and stone, and in the
midst of the city stands a fouresquare Mosquita, not so great as that of
Mecca, but more goodly, rich, and sumptuous in building. Within the same in
a corner thereof is a tombe built vpon foure pillers with a vault, as if it
were vnder a pauement, which bindeth all the foure pillers together. The
tombe is so high, that it farre exceedeth in heighth the Mosquita, being
couered with lead, and the top all inamelled with golde, with an halfe
moone vpon the top: and within the pauement it is all very artificially
wrought with golde. Below there are round about very great staires of yron
ascending vp vntill the midst of the pillers, and in the very midst thereof
is buried the body of Mahomet, and not in a chest of yron cleauing to the
adamant, as many affirme that know not the trueth thereof. Moreouer, ouer
the body they haue built a tombe of speckled stone a brace and a halfe
high, [Marginal note: Or, a fathom.] and ouer the same another of Legmame
fouresquare in maner of a pyramis. After this, round about the sepulture
there hangeth a curtaine of silke, which letteth the sight of those without
that they cannot see the sepulture. Beyond this in the same Mosquita are
other two sepulchres couered with greene cloth, and in the one of them is
buried Fatma the daughter of Mahomet, and Alli is buried in the other, who
was the husband of the sayd Fatma. The attendants vpon these sepulchres are
fifty eunuches white and tawny, neither is it granted to any of them to
enter within the tombe, sauing to three white eunuches the oldest and best
of credit; vnto whom it is lawfull to enter but twise in the day, to light
the lamps, and to doe other seruices. All the other eunuchs attend without
to the seruice of the Mosquita, and the other two sepulchres of Fatma, and
Alli, where euery one may go and touch at his pleasure, and take of the
earth for deuotion, as many do.
Of things without the City.
Without the city and on euery side are most faire gardens, with many
fountaines of most sweet water, infinite pondes, abundance of fruit, with
much honest liuing, so that this place is very pleasant and delightfull.
This city hath three gates, one of which is an hospitall caused to be built
by Cassachi, called the Rosel who was wife to Sultan Solimam grandfather to
this emperour. The sayd Hospitall hath nought els woorthy mention, saue
that it is fairely built, and hath large reuenues belonging thereunto, and
nourisheth many poore people. A mile from the city are certaine houses
whereof they affirme one to be the same, where Mahumet in his lifetime
dwelt. This house hath on euery side very many faire date trees, amongst
which there are two which grow out of one stocke exceeding high, and these,
they say, their Prophet graffed with his owne hand: the fruit thereof is
alwayes sent to Constantinople, to be presented vnto the Grand Signior, and
is sayd to be that blessed fruit of the Prophet. Nere vnto the date trees
is a faire fountaine of cleere and sweet water, the which by a conduct pipe
is brought into the city of Medina. Also there is a little Mosquita,
wherein three places are counted holy, and greatly reuerenced: the first
they affirme, that their Prophet made his first prayer in, after he knew
God: the second is that whither he went when he would see the holy house of
Abraham, where when he sate down to that intent, they say the mountaines
opened from toppe to bottome to shew him the house, and after closed againe
as before: the third holy place is in the midst of the sayd Mosquita, where
is a tombe made of lime and stone fouresquare, and full of sand, wherein,
they say, was buried that blessed camel which Mahumet was alwayes woont to
ride vpon. On the other side of the city are other tombes of holy
Mahumetans, and euery one or them hath a tombe built vpon foure pillers,
amongst which three were the companions of Mahumet, to wit, Abubacar;
Ottoman, and Omar; all which are visited of the pilgrims as holy places.
The offering of the vestures vnto the sepulchres.
The Carouan being come to Medina two houres before day, and resting there
till the euening, the captaine then with his company and other pilgrims
setteth forward, with the greatest pompe possible: and taking with him the
vesture which is made in maner of a pyramis, with many other of golde and
silke, departeth, going thorow the midst of the city, vntill he come to the
Mosquita, where hauing praied, he presenteth vnto the tombe of his prophet
(where the eunuchs receiuing hands are ready) the vesture for the sayd
tombe: and certaine eunuchs entring in take away the old vesture, and lay
on the new, burning the olde one, and diuiding the golde thereof into
equall portions. After this are presented other vestures for the ornament
of the Mosquita. Also the people without deliuer vnto the eunuchs ech man
somewhat to touch the tombe therewith, which they keepe as a relique with
great deuotion. This ceremony being ended, the captaine resteth in Medina
two dayes, to the end the pilgrims may finish their deuotion and
ceremonies: and after they depart to Iambor. A good dayes iourney thence is
a steepe mountaine, ouer which is no passage, sauing by one narrow path
called Demir Capi, which was in times past called the yron gate. Of this
gate the Mahumetans say, that Ally the companion and sonne in law of
Mahumet, being here pursued by many Christians, and comming vnto this
mountaine, not seeing any way whereby to flee, drew out his sword, and
striking the said mountaine, diuided it in sunder, and passing thorow saued
his life on the other side. Moreouer, this Alli among the Persians is had
in greater reuerence than Mahumet, who affirme, that the sayd Alli hath
done greater things and more miraculous than Mahumet, and therefore they
esteeme him for God almighty his fellow. But to returne to our matter, the
captaine with the carouan within two dayes after returneth for Cairo, and
comming to Ezlem, findeth there a captaine with threescore horses come
thither to bring refreshments to the said captaine of the pilgrimage, as
also to sell vnto the pilgrims some victuals. From thence they set forward,
and comming to Birca within two leagues of Cairo, there is the master of
the house of the Bassha of Cairo with all his horsemen come thither to
receiue him with a sumptuous and costly banket made at the cost of the
Basha for the captaine and his retinue, who after he is well refreshed
departeth toward the castle of Cairo to salute the Basha, who receiuing him
with great ioy and gladnesse in token of good wil presenteth him with a
garment of cloth of golde very rich: and the captaine taking the Alcaron
out of the chest presenteth it to the Basha, who hauing kissed it,
commandeth to lay it vp againe. Some there are which affirme, that being
arriued at Cairo, they kill that goodly camell which caried the Alcaron,
and eate him; which is nothing so: for they are so superstitious to the
contrary, that to gaine all the world they would not kill him. But if by
casuality he should die, in this case happy and blessed they thinke
themselues, which can get a morsell to eat. And thus much concerning the
voyage of the captaine of the carouan of Cairo.
* * * * *
The voyage and trauell of M. Cæsar Fredericke, Marchant of Venice, into the
East India, and beyond the Indies. Wherein are conteined the customes and
rites of those countries, the merchandises and commodities, as well of
golde and siluer, as spices, drugges, pearles, and other iewels:
translated out of Italian by M. Thomas Hickocke.
Cæsare Fredericke to the Reader.
[Sidenote: Cæsare Fredericke trauelled eighteene yeeres in the East
Indies.] I hauing (gentle Reader) for the space of eighteene yeeres
continually coasted and trauelled, as it were, all the East Indies, and
many other countreys beyond the Indies, wherein I haue had both good and
ill successe in my trauels: and hauing seene and vnderstood many things
woorthy the noting, and to be knowen to all the world, the which were neuer
as yet written of any: I thought it good (seeing the Almighty had giuen me
grace, after so long perils in passing such a long voyage to returne into
mine owne countrey, the noble city of Venice) I say, I thought it good, as
briefly as I could, to write and set forth this voyage made by me, with the
maruellous things I haue seene in my trauels in the Indies: The mighty
Princes that gouerne those countreys, their religion and faith that they
haue, the rites and customes which they vse, and liue by, of the diuers
successe that happened vnto me, and how many of these countreys are
abounding with spices, drugs, and iewels, giuing also profitable
aduertisement to all those that haue a desire to make such a voyage. And
because that the whole world may more commodiously reioyce at this my
trauell, I haue caused it to be printed in this order: and now I present it
vnto you (gentle and louing Readers) to whom for the varieties of things
heerein contented, I hope that it shall be with great delight receiued. And
thus God of his goodnesse keepe you.
A voyage to the East Indies, and beyond the Indies, &c.
[Sidenote: The authours going from Venice to Cyprus and Tripoly.] In the
yere of our Lord God 1653, I Cæsar Fredericke being in Venice, and very
desirous to see the East parts of the world, shipped my selfe in a shippe
called the Gradaige of Venice, with certaine marchandise, gouerned by M.
Iacomo Vatica, which was bound to Cyprus with his ship, with whom I went:
and when we were arriued in Cyprus, I left that ship, and went in a lesser
to Tripoly in Soria, where I stayed a while. Afterward, I tooke my iourney
to Alepo, and there I acquainted my selfe with marchants of Armenia, and
Moores, that were marchants, and consorted to go with them to Ormus, and
wee departed from Alepo, and in two dayes iourney and a halfe, we came to a
city called Bir.
Of the city called Bir.
Bir is a small city very scarse of all maner of victuals, and nere vnto the
walles of the city runneth the riuer of Euphrates. [Sidenote: The river
Euphrates.] In this city the marchants diuide themselues into companies,
according to their merchandise that they haue, and there either they buy or
make a boat to carry them and their goods to Babylon downe the riuer
Euphrates, with charge of a master and mariners to conduct the boat in the
voyage: these boats are in a maner flat bottomed, yet they be very strong:
and for all that they are so strong, they will serue but for one voyage.
They are made according to the sholdnesse of the riuer, because that the
riuer is in many places full of great stones, which greatly hinder and
trouble those that goe downe the riuer. These boats serue but for one
voyage downe the riuer vnto a village called Feluchia, because it is
impossible to bring them vp the riuer backe againe. [Sidenote: Feluchia a
small city on Euphrates.] At Feluchia the marchants plucke their boats in
pieces, or else sell them for a small price, for that at Bir they cost the
marchants forty or fifty chickens a piece, and they sell them at Feluchia
for seuen or eight chickens a piece, because that when the marchants
returne from Babylon backe againe, if they haue marchandise or goods that
oweth custome, then they make their returne in forty dayes thorow the
wildernesse, passing that way with a great deale lesser charges then the
other way. [Sidenote: Mosul.] And if they haue not marchandise that oweth
custome, then they goe by the way of Mosul, where it costeth them great
charges both the Carouan and company. From Bir where the marchants imbarke
themselues to Feluchia ouer agains Babylon, if the riuer haue good store of
water, they shall make their voyage in fifteene or eighteene dayes downe
the riuer, and if the water be lowe, and it hath not rained, then it is
much trouble, and it will be forty or fifty dayes journey downe, because
that when the barks 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 them: therefore it is not necessary, neither doe the
marchants go with one boat alone, but with two or three, that if one boat
split and be lost with striking on the sholdes, they may haue another ready
to take in their goods, vntil such time as they haue mended the broken
boat, and if they draw the broken boat on land to mend her, it is hard to
defend her in the night from the great multitude of Arabians that will come
downe there to robbe you: [Sidenote: The Arabian theeues are in number like
to Ants.] and in the riuers euery night, when you make fast your boat to
the banckeside, you must keepe good watch against the Arabians which are
theeues in number like to ants, yet when they come to robbe, they will not
kill, but steale and run away. Harquebuzes are very good weapons against
them, for that they stand greatly in feare of the shot. And as you passe
the riuer Euphrates from Bir to Feluchia, there are certein places which
you must passe by, where you pay custome certaine medines vpon a bale,
which custome is belonging to the sonne of Aborise king of the Arabians and
of the desert, who hath certaine cities and villages on the riuer
Euphrates.
Feluchia and Babylon.
[Sidenote: The olde Babylon hath great trade with marchants still.]
Feluchia is a village where they that come from Bir doe vnbarke themselues
and vnlade their goods, and it is distant from Babylon a dayes iourney and
an halfe by land: Babylon is no great city but it is very populous, and of
great trade of strangers because it is a great thorowfare for Persia,
Turkia, and Arabia: and very often times there goe out from thence Carouans
into diuers countreys: and the city is very copious of victuals, which
comme out of Armenia downe the riuer of Tygris, on certaine Zattares or
Raffes made of blowen hides or skinnes called Vtrij. This riuer Tygris
doeth wash the walles of the city. These Raffes are bound fast together,
and then they lay boards on the aforesayd blowen skinnes, and on the boards
they lade the commodities, and so come they to Babylon, where they vnlade
them, and being vnladen, they let out the winde out of the skinnes, and
lade them on cammels to make another voyage. This city of Babylon is
situate in the kingdome of Persia, but now gouerned by the Turks. On the
other side of the riuer towards Arabia, ouer against the city, there is a
faire place or towne, and in it a faire Bazarro for marchants, with very
many lodgings, where the greatest part of the marchants strangers which
come to Babylon do lie with their marchandize. [Sidenote: A bridge made of
boats.] The passing ouer Tygris from Babylon to this Borough is by a long
bridge made of boates chained together with great chaines: prouided, that
when the riuer waxeth great with the abundance of raine that falleth, then
they open the bridge in the middle, where the one halfe of the bridge
falleth to the walles of Babylon, and the other to the brinks of this
Borough, on the other side of the riuer: and as long as the bridge is open,
they passe the riuer in small boats with great danger, because of the
smalnesse of the boats, and the ouerlading of them, that with the
fiercenesse of the streame they be ouerthrowen, or els the streame doth
cary them away, so that by this meanes, many people are lost and drowned:
this thing by proofe I haue many times seene.
Of the tower of Babylon.
The Tower of Nimrod or Babel is situate on that side of Tygris that Arabia
is, and in a very great plaine distant from Babylon seuen or eight miles:
which tower 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 part of it standing which is compassed and almost couered with the
aforesayd fallings: this Tower was builded and made of foure square
Brickes, which Brickes were made of earth, and dried in the Sunne in maner
and forme following: first they layed a lay of Brickes, [Footnote: These
bricks be in thicknes six or seuen inches, and a foot and a halfe square.]
then a Mat made of Canes, square as the Brickes, and in stead of lime, they
daubed it with earth: these Mats of Canes are at this time so strong, that
it is a thing woonderfull to beholde, being of such great antiquity: I haue
gone round about it, and haue not found any place where there hath bene 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 all other things which are seene afar
off, for they seeme small, and the more nere a man commeth to them the
bigger they be: but this tower afar off seemeth a very great thing, and the
nerer you come to it the lesser. My iudgment and reason of this is, that
because the Tower is set in a very great plaine, and hath nothing more
about to make any shew sauing the ruines of it which it hath made round
about, and for this respect descrying it a farre off, that piece of the
Tower which yet standeth with the mountaine that is made of the substance
that hath fallen from it, maketh a greater shew then you shall finde
comming neere to it.
Babylon and Basora.
From Babylon I departed for Basora, shipping my selfe in one of the barks
that vse to go in the riuer Tigris from Babylon to Basora, and from Basora
to Babylon: which barks are made after the maner of Fusts or Galliots with
a Speron and a couered poope: they haue no pumpe in them because of the
great abundance of pitch which they haue to pitch them with all: which
pitch they haue in abundance two dayes iourney from Babylon. Nere vnto the
riuer Euphrates, there is a city called Heit, nere vnto which city there is
a great plaine full of pitch, very maruellous to beholde, a thing almost
incredible, that out of a hole [Footnote: This hole where out commeth this
pitch is most true, and the water and pitch runneth into the valley or
Iland where the pitch resteth, and the water runneth into the riuer
Euphrates, and it maketh all the riuer to be as it were brackish with the
smell of pitch and brimstone.] in the earth, which continually throweth out
pitch into the aire with continuall smoake, this pitch is throwen with such
force, that being hot it falleth like as it were sprinckled ouer all the
plaine, in such abundance that the plaine is alwayes full of pitch: the
Mores and Arabians of that place say, that that hole is the mouth of hell:
and in trueth, it is a thing very notable to be marked: and by this pitch
the whole people haue great benefit to pitch their barks, which barks they
call Daneck and Saffin. When the riuer of Tygris is well replenished with
water, you may passe from Babylon to Basora in eight or nine dayes, and
sometimes more and sometimes lesse: we were halfe so much more which is 14
or 15 daies, because the waters were low: they may saile day and night, and
there are some places in this way where you pay so many medins on a baile:
if the waters be lowe, it is 18 dayes iourney.
Basora.
[Sidenote: Zizarij an ancient people.] Basora is a city of the Arabians,
which of olde time was gouerned by those Arabians called Zizarij, but now
it is gouerned by the great Turke where he keepeth an army to his great
charges.
The Arabians called Zizarij haue the possession of a great countrey, and
cannot be ouercome by the Turke, because that the sea hath deuided their
countrey into an Iland by channels with the ebbing and flowing of the sea,
and for that cause the Turke cannot bring an army against them, neither by
sea nor by land, and another reason is, the inhabitants of that Iland are
very strong and warlike men. [Sidenote: At the castle of Corna the riuer
Euphrates and Tygris do meet.] A dayes iourney before you come to Basora,
you shall haue a little castle or fort, which is set on that point of the
land where the riuers of Euphrates and Tygris meet together, and the castle
is called Corna: at this point, the two riuers make a monstrous great
riuer, that runneth into the sea, which is called the gulfe of Persia,
which is towards the South: Basora is distant from the sea fifteene miles,
and it is a city of great trade of spices and drugges which come from
Ormus. Also there is a great store of corne, Rice, and Dates, which the
countrey doth yeeld. [Sidenote: Ormus is the barrenest Iland in all the
world.] I shipped my selfe in Basora to go for Ormus, and so we sailed,
thorow the Persian sea six hundred miles, which is the distance from Basora
to Ormus, and we sailed in small ships made of boards, bound together with
small cords or ropes, and in stead of calking they lay betweene euery board
certaine straw which they haue, and so they sowe board and board together,
with the straw betweene, wherethorow there commeth much water, and they are
very dangerous. [Sidenote: Carichij an Iland in the gulfe of Persia.]
Departing from Basora we passed 200 miles with the sea on our right hand,
along the gulfe, vntil at length we arriued at an Iland called Carichij,
fro whence we sailed to Ormus in sight of the Persian shore on the left
side, and on the right side towards Arabia we discouered infinite Ilands.
Ormus.
Ormus [Footnote: Ormus is alwayes replenished with abundance of victuall,
and yet there is none that groweth in the Iland.] is an Iland in circuit
fiue and twenty or thirty miles, and it is the barrenest and most drie
Iland in all the world, because that in it there is nothing to be had, but
salt water, and wood, all other things necessary for mans life are brought
out of Persia twelue miles off, and out of other Ilands neere thereunto
adioyning, in such abundance and quantity, that the city is alwayes
replenished with all maner of store: there is standing neere vnto the
waters side a very faire castell, in the which the captaine of the king of
Portugall is alwayes resident with a good band of Portugalles, and before
this castell is a very faire prospect: in the city dwell the maried men,
souldiers and marchants of euery nation, amongst whom there are Moores and
Gentiles. [Sidenote: Great trade of merchandise in Ormus.] In this city
there is very great trade for all sorts of spices, drugges, silke, cloth of
silke, brocardo, and diuers other sorts of marchandise come out of Persia:
and amongst all other trades of marchandise, the trade of Horses is very
great there, which they carry from thence into the Indies. This Iland hath
a Moore king of the race of the Persians, who is created and made king by
the Captaine of the castle, in the name of the king of Portugall. At the
creation of this king I was there, and saw the ceremonies that they vse in
it, which are as followeth. The olde King being dead, the Captaine of the
Portugals chuseth another of the blood royall, and maketh this election in
the castle with great ceremonies, and when hee is elected, the Captaine
sweareth him to be true and faithfull to the King of Portugall, as his Lord
and Gouernour, and then he giueth him the Scepter regall. After this with
great feasting and pompe, and with great company, he is brought into the
royall palace in the city. This King keepeth a good traine, and hath
sufficient reuenues to maintaine himselfe without troubling of any, because
the Captaine of the castle doth mainteine and defend his right, and when
that the Captaine and he ride together, he is honoured as a king, yet be
cannot ride abroad with his traine, without the consent of the Captaine
first had: it behooueth them to doe this, and it is necessary, because of
the great trade that is in the city: their proper language is the Persian
tongue. There I shipped my selfe to goe for Goa, a city in the Indies, in a
shippe that had fourescore horses in her. [Sidenote: A priuilege for
Marchants.] This is to aduertise those Marchants that go from Ormus to Goa
to shippe themselues in those shippes that carry horses, because euery
shippe that carrieth twenty horses and vpwards is priuileged, that all the
marchandise whatsoeuer they carry shall pay no custome, whereas the shippes
that carry no horses are bound to pay eight per cento of all goods they
bring.
Goa, Diu, and Cambaia.
Goa is the principall city that the Portugals haue in the Indies, where is
resident the Viceroy with his Court and ministers of the King of Portugall.
From Ormus to Goa is nine hundred foure score and ten miles distance, in
which passage the first city that you come to in the Indies, is called Diu,
[Footnote: Off South extremity of Kathiawar Peninsula, Bombay Presidency.]
and is situate in a little Iland in the kingdome of Cambaia, which is the
greatest strength that the Portugals haue in all the Indies, yet a small
city, but of great trade, because there they lade very many great ships for
the straights of Mecca and Ormus with merchandise, and these shippes belong
to the Moores and Christians, but the Moores can not trade neither saile
into those seas without the licence of the Viceroy of the King of
Portugall, otherwise they are taken and made good prises. The marchandise
that they lade these ships withall commeth from Cambaietta a port in the
kingdome of Cambaia, which they bring from thence in small barks, because
there can no great shippes come thither, by reason of the sholdnesse of the
water thereabouts, and these sholds are an hundred or fourescore miles
about in a straight or gulfe, which they call Macareo, which is as much as
to say, as a race of a tide, because the waters there run out of that place
without measure, so that there is no place like to it, vnlesse it be in the
kingdome of Pegu, where there is another Macareo, where the waters run out
with more force than these doe. The principall city in Cambaia is called
Amadauar, it is a dayes iourney and an halfe from Cambaietta, it is a very
great city and very populous, and for a city of the Gentiles it is very
well made and builded with faire houses and large streets, with a faire
place in it with many shippes, and in shew like to Cairo, but not so great:
also Cambaietta is situate on the seas side, and is a very faire city. The
time that I was there, the city was in great calamity and scarsenesse, so
that I haue seene the men of the countrey that were Gentiles take their
children, their sonnes and their daughters, and haue desired the Portugals
to buy them, and I haue seene them sold for eight or ten larines a piece,
which may be of our money x.s. or xiii.s. iiii.d. For all this if I had not
seene it, I could not haue beleeued that there should be such a trade at
Cambaietta as there is: for in the time of euery new Moone and euery full
Moone, the small barks (innumerable) come in and out, for at those times of
the Moone the tides and waters are higher then at other times they be.
These barkes be laden with all sorts of spices, with silke of China, with
Sandols, with Elephants teeth, Veluets of Vercini, great quantity of
Pannina, which commeth from Mecca, Chickinos which be pieces of golde
woorth seuen shillings a piece sterling, with money, and with diuers sorts
of other marchandize. Also these barks lade out, as it were, an infinite
quantity of cloth made of Bumbast of all sorts, as white stamped and
painted, with great quantity of Indico, dried ginger and conserued,
Myrabolans drie and condite, Boraso in paste, great store of sugar, great
quantity of Cotton, abundance of Opium, Assa Fetida, Puchio, with many
other sorts of drugges, turbants made in Diu, great stones like to
Corneolaes, Granats, Agats, Diaspry, Calcidonij, Hematists, and some kinde
of naturall diamonds. There is in the city of Cambaietta an order, but no
man is bound to keepe it, but they that will; but all the Portugall
marchants keepe it, the which is this. There are in this city certain
Brokers which are Gentiles and of great authority, and haue euery one of
them fifteene or twenty seruants, and the Marchants that vse that countrey
haue their Brokers, with which they be serued: and they that haue not bene
there are informed by their friends of the order, and of what Broker they
shall be serued. [Sidenote: Marchants that trauell to the Indies must cary
their prouision of houshold with them.] Now euery fifteene dayes (as
abouesayd) that the fleet of small shippes entreth into the port, the
Brokers come to the water side, and these Marchants assoone as they are
come on land, do giue the cargason of all their goods to that Broker that
they will haue to do their businesse for them, with the marks of all the
fardles and packs they haue; and the marchant hauing taken on land all his
furniture for his house, because it is needful that the Marchants that
trade to the Indies carry prouision of housholde with them, because that in
euery place where they come they must haue a new house, the Broker that
hath receiued his cargason, commandeth his seruants to carry the Marchants
furniture for his house home, and load it on some cart, and carry it into
the city, where the Brokers haue diuers empty houses meet for the lodging
of Marchants, furnished onely with bedsteads, tables, chaires, and empty
iarres for water: then the Broker sayth to the Marchant, Goe and repose
your selfe, and take your rest in the city. The Broker tarrieth at the
water side with the cargason, and causeth all his goods to be discharged
out of the ship, and payeth the custome, and causeth it to be brought into
the house where the marchant lieth, the Marchant not knowing any thing
thereof, neither custome, nor charges. These goods being brought to this
passe into the house of the Marchant, the Broker demandeth of the Marchant
if he haue any desire to sell his goods or marchandise, at the prises that
such wares are worth at that present time? And if he hath a desire to sell
his goods presently, then at that instant the Broker selleth them away.
After this the Broker sayth to the Marchant, you haue so much of euery sort
of marchandise neat and cleare of euery charge, and so much ready money.
And if the Marchant will employ his money in other commodities, then the
Broker telleth him that such and such commodities will cost so much, put
aboord without any maner of charges. The Marchant vnderstanding the effect,
maketh his account; and if he thinke to buy or sell at the prices currant,
he giueth order to make his marchandise away: and if he hath commodity for
20000 dukets, all shalbe bartred or solde away in fifteene dayes without
any care or trouble: and when as the Marchant thinketh that he cannot sell
his goods at the prise currant, he may tary as long as he will, but they
cannot be solde by any man but by that Broker that hath taken them on land
and payed the custome: and purchance tarying sometimes for sale of their
commodity, they make good profit, and sometimes losse: but those
marchandise that come not ordinarily euery fifteene dayes, in tarying for
the sale of them, there is great profit. [Sidenote: Great store of men of
warre and rouers on the coast of Cambaia.] The barks that lade in
Cambaietta go for Diu to lade the ships that go from thence for the
streights of Mecca and Ormus, and some go to Chaul and Goa: and these ships
be very well appointed, or els are guarded by the Armada of the Portugals,
for that there are many Corsaires or Pyrats which goe coursing alongst that
coast, robbing and spoiling: and for feare of these theeues there is no
safe sailing in those seas, but with ships very well appointed and armed,
or els with the fleet of the Portugals, as is aforesayd. In fine the
kingdome of Cambaia is a place of great trade, and hath much doings and
traffique with all men, although hitherto it hath bene in the hands of
tyrants, because that at 75 yeeres of age the true king being at the
assault of Diu, was there slaine: whose name Sultan Badu. At that time
foure or fiue captaines of the army diuided the kingdome amongst
themselues, and euery one of them shewed in his countrey what tyranny he
could: but twelue yeeres ago the great Mogul a Moore king of Agra and
Delly, forty dayes iourny within the land of Amadauar, became the gouernour
of all the kingdome of Cambaia without any resistance, because he being of
great power and force, deuising which way to enter the land with his
people, there was not any man that would make him any resistance, although
they were tyrants and a beastly people, they were soone brought vnder
obedience. [Sidenote: A maruellous fond delight in women.] During the time
I dwelt in Cambaietta I saw very maruellous things: there were an infinite
number of artificers that made bracelets called Mannij, or bracelets of
elephants teeth, of diuers colours, for the women of the Gentiles, which
haue their armes full decked with them. And in this occupation there are
spent euery yeere many thousands of crownes: the reason whereof is this,
that when there dieth any whatsoeuer of their kindred, then in signe and
token of mourning and sorrow, they breake all their bracelets from their
armes, and presently they go and buy new againe, because that they had
rather be without their meat then without their bracelets.
Daman. Basan. Tana.
Hauing passed Diu, I came to the second city that the Portugals haue,
called Daman, situated in the territory of Cambaia, distant from Diu an
hundred and twenty miles: it is no towne of merchandise, saue Rice and
corne, and hath many villages vnder it, where in time of peace the
Portugals take their pleasure, but in time of warre the enemies haue the
spoile of them; in such wise that the Portugals haue little benefit by
them. Next vnto Daman you shall haue Basan, which is a filthy place in
respect of Daman: in this place is Rice, Corne, and Timber to make shippes
and gallies. And a small distance beyond Bassan is a little Iland called
Tana, a place very populous with Portugals, Moores, and Gentiles: these
haue nothing but Rice, there are many makers of Armesie, and weauers of
girdles of wooll and bumbast blacke and redde like to Moocharies.
Of the cities of Chaul, and of the Palmer tree.
Beyond this Iland you shall finde Chaul in the firme land; and they are two
cities, one of the Portugals, and the other of the Moores: that city which
the Portugals haue is situate lower then the other, and gouerneth the mouth
of the harbour, and is very strongly walled: and as it were a mile and an
halfe distant from this is the city of Moores, gouerned by their king
Zamalluco. In the time of warres there cannot any great ships come to the
city of the Moores, because the Portugals with their ordinance will sincke
them, for that they must perforce passe by the castles of the Portugals:
both the cities are ports of the sea, and are great cities, and haue vnto
them great traffique and trade of merchandise, of all sorts of spices,
drugges, silke, cloth of silke, Sandols, Marsine, Versin, Porcelane of
China, Veluets and Scarlets that come from Portugall and from Meca: with
many other sortes of merchandise. There come euery yeere from Cochin, and
from Cananor tenne or fifteene great shippes laden with great Nuts cured,
and with sugar made of the selfe same Nuts called Giagra: the tree whereon
these Nuts doe grow is called the Palmer tree: and thorowout all the
Indies, and especially from this place to Goa there is great abundance of
them, and it is like to the Date tree. In the whole world there is not a
tree more profitable and of more goodnesse then this tree is, neither doe
men reape so much benefit of any other tree as they doe of this, there is
not any part of it but serueth for some vse, and none of it is woorthy to
be burnt. With the timber of this tree they make shippes without the
mixture of any other tree, and with the leaues thereof they make sailes,
and with the fruit thereof, which be a kinde of Nuts, they make wine, and
of the wine they make Sugar and Placetto, which wine they gather in the
spring of the yeere: out of the middle of the tree where continually there
goeth or runneth out white liquour like vnto water, in that time of the
yeere they put a vessel vnder euery tree, and euery euening and morning
they take it away full, and then distilling it with fire it maketh a very
strong liquour: and then they put it into buts, with a quantity of Zibibbo,
white or blacke and in short time it is made a perfect wine. After this
they make of the Nuts great store of oile: of the tree they make great
quantity of boordes and quarters for buildings. Of the barke of this tree
they make cables, ropes, and other furniture for shippes, and, as they say,
these ropes be better then they that are made of Hempe. They make of the
bowes, bedsteds, after the Indies fashion, and Scauasches for merchandise.
The leaues they cut very small, and weaue them, and so make sailes of them,
for all maner of shipping, or els very fine mats. And then the first rinde
of the Nut they stampe, and make thereof perfect Ockam to calke shippes,
great and small: and of the hard barke thereof they make spoones and other
vessels for meat, in such wise that there is no part thereof throwen away
or cast to the fire. When these Mats be greene they are full of an
excellent sweet water to drinke: and if a man be thirsty, with the liquour
of one of the Mats he may satisfie himselfe: and as this Nut ripeneth, the
liquour thereof turneth all to kernell. There goeth out of Chaul for
Mallaca, for the Indies, for Macao, for Portugall, for the coasts of
Melinde, for Ormus, as it were an infinite number and quantity of goods and
merchandise that come out of the kingdome of Cambaia, as cloth of bumbast
white, painted, printed, great quantity of Indico, Opium, Cotton, Silke of
euery sort, great store of Boraso in Paste, great store of Fetida, great
store of yron, corne, and other merchandise. [Sidenote: Great ordinance
made in pieces, and yet seruiceable.] The Moore king Zamalluco is of great
power, as one that at need may command, and hath in his camp, two hundred
thousand men of warre, and hath great store of artillery, some of them made
in pieces, which for their greatnesse can not bee carried to and fro: yet
although they bee made in pieces, they are so commodious that they worke
with them maruellous well, whose shotte is of stone, and there hath bene of
that shot sent vnto the king of Portugall for the rarenes of the thing. The
city where the king Zamalluco hath his being, is within the land of Chaul
seuen or eight dayes iourney, which city is called Abneger. Three score and
tenne miles from Chaul, towards the Indies, is the port of Dabul, an hauen
of the king Zamalluco: from thence to Goa is an hundred and fifty miles.
Goa.
[Sidenote: The chiefe place the Portugals have in the Indies.] Goa is the
principall city that the Portugals haue in the Indies, wherein the Viceroy
with his royall Court is resident, and is in an Iland which may be in
circuit fiue and twenty or thirty miles: and the city with the boroughs is
reasonable bigge, and for a citie of the Indies it is reasonable faire, but
the Iland is farre more fairer: for it is as it were full of goodly
gardens, replenished with diuers trees and with the Palmer trees as is
aforesayd. This city is of great trafique for all sorts of marchandise
which they trade withall in those parts: and the fleet which commeth euery
yeere from Portugall, which are fiue or sixe great shippes that come
directly for Goa, arriue there ordinarily the sixth or tenth of September,
and there they remaine forty or fifty dayes, and from thence they goe to
Cochin, where they lade for Portugall, and often times they lade one shippe
at Goa and the other at Cochin for Portugall. Cochin is distant from Goa
three hundred miles. The city of Goa is situate in the kingdome of Dialcan
a king of the Moores, whose chiefe city is vp in the countrey eight dayes
iourney, and is called Bisapor: the king 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 neere vnto it by a riuer side with an army of two
hundred thousand men of warre, and he lay at this siege foureteene moneths
in which time there was peace concluded, and as report went amongst his
people, there was great calamity and mortality which bred amongst them in
the time of Winter, and also killed very many elephants. [Sidenote: A very
good sale for horses.] Then in the yeere of our Lord 1567, I went from Goa
to Bezeneger the chiefe city of the king dome of Narsinga eight dayes
iourney from Goa, within the land, in the company of two other merchants
which carried with them three hundred Arabian horses to that king: because
the horses of that countrey are of a small stature, and they pay well for
the Arabian horses: and is requisite that the merchants sell them well, for
that they stand them in great charges to bring them out of Persia to Ormus,
and from Ormus to Goa, where the ship that bringeth twenty horses and
vpwards 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, two and forty pagodies for euery
horse, which pagody may be of sterling money sixe shillings eight pence,
they be pieces of golde of that value. So that the Arabian horses are of
great value in those countreys, as 300, 400, 500 duckets a horse, and to
1000 duckets a horse.
Bezeneger.
The city of Bezeneger was sacked in the yeere 1565, by foure kings of the
Moores, which were of great power and might: the names of these foure kings
were these following, the first was called Dialcan, the second Zamaluc, the
third Cotamaluc, and the fourth Viridy: and yet these foure kings were not
able to ouercome the city and the king of Bezeneger, but by treason. The
king of Bezeneger was a Gentile, and had, amongst all other of his
captaines, two which were notable, and they were Moores: and these two
captaines had either of them in charge threescore and ten or fourescore
thousand men. These two captaines being of one religion with the foure
kings which were Moores, wrought meanes with them to betray their owne king
into their hands. [Footnote: A most vnkind and wicked treason against their
prince: this they haue for giuing credit to strangers, rather then to their
owne natiue people.] The king of Bezeneger esteemed not the force of the
foure kings his enemies, but went out of his city to wage battell with them
in the fieldes; and when the armies were ioyned, the battell lasted but a
while not the space of foure houres, because the two traitourous captaines,
in the chiefest of the fight, with their companies turned their faces
against their king, and made such disorder in his armie, that as astonied
they set themselues to flight. Thirty yeeres was this kingdome gouerned by
three brethren which were tyrants, the which keeping the rightful king in
prison, it was their vse euery yeere once to shew him to the people, and
they at their pleasures ruled as they listed. These brethren were three
captaines belonging to the father of the king they kept in prison, which
when he died, left his sonne very yong, and then they tooke the gouernment
to themselues. The chiefest of these three was called Ramaragio, and sate
in the royall throne, and was called the king: the second was called
Temiragio, and he tooke the gouernment on him: the third was called
Bengatre, and he was captaine generall of the army. These three brethren
were in this battell, in the which the chiefest and the last were neuer
heard of quicke nor dead. [Sidenote: The sacking of the city.] Onely
Temiragio fled in the battel, hauing lost one of his eyes: when the newes
came to the city of the ouerthrow in the battell, the wiues and children of
these three tyrants, with their lawfull king (kept prisoner) fled away,
spoiled as they were, and the foure kings of the Moores entred the city
Bezeneger with great triumph, and there they remained sixe moneths,
searching vnder houses and in all places for money and other things that
were hidden, and then they departed to their owne kingdomes because they
were not able to maintaine such a kingdome as that was, so farre distant
from their owne countrey.
When the kings were departed from Bezeneger, this Temiragio returned to the
city, and then beganne for to repopulate it, and sent word to Goa to the
Merchants, if they had any horses, to bring them to him, and he would pay
well for them, and for this cause the foresayd two Merchants that I went in
company withall, carried those horses that they had to Bezeneger.
[Sidenote: An excellent good policy to intrap men.] Also this Tyrant made
an order or lawe, that if any Merchant had any of the horses that were
taken in the foresayd battell or warres, although they were of his owne
marke, that he would giue as much for them as they would: and besides he
gaue generall safe conduct to all that should bring them. When by this
meanes he saw that there were great store of horses brought thither vnto
him, hee gaue the Merchants faire wordes, vntill such time as he saw they
could bring no more. Then he licenced the Merchants to depart, without
giuing them any thing for their horses, which when the poore men saw, they
were desperate, and as it were mad with sorrow and griefe.
I rested in Bezeneger seuen moneths; although in one moneth I might haue
discharged all my businesse, for it was necessary to rest there vntill the
wayes were cleere of theeues, which at that time ranged vp and downe. And
in the time I rested there, I saw many strange and beastly deeds done by
the Gentiles. First, when there is any Noble man or woman dead, they burne
their bodies: and if a married man die, his wife must burne herselfe aliue,
for the loue of her husband, and with the body of her husband: so that when
any man dieth, his wife will take a moneths leaue, two or three, or as shee
will, to burne her selfe in, and that day being come, wherein shee ought to
be burnt, that morning shee goeth out of her house very earely, either on
horsebacke or on an eliphant, or else is borne by eight men on a smal
stage: in one of these orders she goeth, being apparelled like to a Bride,
carried round about the City, with her haire downe about her shoulders,
garnished with iewels and flowers, according to the estate of the party,
and they goe with as great ioy as Brides doe in Venice to their nuptials:
shee carrieth in her left hand a looking glasse, and in her right hand an
arrow, and singeth thorow the City as she passeth, and sayth, that she
goeth to sleepe with her deere spowse and husband. [Sidenote: A discription
of the burning place.] She is accompanied with her kindred and friends
vntill it be one or two of the clocke in the afternoone, then they goe out
of the City, and going along the riuers side called Nigondin, which runneth
vnder the walles of the City, vntill they come vnto a place where they vse
to make this burning of women, being widdowes, there is prepared in this
place a great square caue, with a little pinnacle hard by it, foure or fiue
steppes vp: the foresayd caue is full of dried wood. [Sidenote: Feasting
and dancing when they should mourne.] The woman being come thither,
accompanied with a great number of people which come to see the thing, then
they make ready a great banquet, and she that shall be burned eateth with
as great ioy and gladnesse, as though it were her wedding day: and the
feast being ended, then they goe to dancing and singing a certeine time,
according as she will. After this, the woman of her owne accord, commandeth
them to make the fire in the square caue where the drie wood is, and when
it is kindled, they come and certifie her thereof, then presently she
leaueth the feast, and taketh the neerest kinseman of her husband by the
hand, and they both goe together to the banke of the foresayd riuer, where
shee putteth off all her iewels and all her clothes, and giueth them to her
parents or kinsefolke and couering herselfe with a cloth, because she will
not be seene of the people being naked, she throweth herselfe into the
riuer, saying, O wretches, wash away your sinnes. Comming out of the water,
she rowleth herselfe into a yellow cloth of fourteene braces long: and
againe she taketh her husbands kinseman by the hand, and they go both
together vp to the pinnacle of the square caue wherein the fire is made.
When she is on the pinnacle, shee talketh and reasoneth with the people,
recommending vnto them her children and kindred. Before the pinnacle they
vse to set a mat, because they shall not see the fiercenesse of the fire,
yet there are many that will haue them plucked away, shewing therein an
heart not fearefull, and that they are not affrayd of that sight. When this
silly woman hath reasoned with the people a good while to her content,
there is another women that taketh a pot with oile, and sprinckleth it ouer
her head, and with the same she anoynteth all her body, and afterwards
throweth the pot into the fornace, and both the woman and the pot goe
together into the fire, and presently the people that are round about the
fornace throw after her into the caue great pieces of wood, so by this
meanes, with the fire and with the blowes that she hath with the wood
throwen after her, she is quickly dead, and after this there groweth such
sorrow and such lamentation among the people, that all their mirth is
turned into howling and weeping, in such wise, that a man could scarse
beare the hearing of it. [Sidenote: Mourning when they should reioice.] I
haue seene many burnt in this maner, because my house was neere to the gate
where they goe out to the place of burning: and when there dieth any great
man, his wife with all his slaues with whom hee hath had carnall
copulation, burne themselues together with him. Also in this kingdome I
haue seene amongst the base sort of people this vse and order, that the man
being dead, he is carried to the place where they will make his sepulchre,
and setting him as it were vpright, then commeth his wife before him on her
knees, casting her armes about his necke, with imbracing and clasping him,
vntill such time as the Masons haue made a wall round about them, and when
the wall is as high as their neckes, there commeth a man behinde the women
and strangleth her: then when she is dead, the workemen finish the wall
ouer their heads, and so they lie buried both together. Besides these,
there are an infinite number of beastly qualities amongst them, of which I
haue no desire to write. [Sidenote: The cause why the women do so burne
themselues.] I was desirous to know the cause why these women would so
wilfully burne themselues against nature and law, and it was told mee that
this law was of an antient time, to make prouision against the slaughters
which women made of their husbands. For in those dayes before this law was
made, the women for euery little displeasure that their husbands had done
vnto them, would presently poison their husbands, and take other men, and
now by reason of this law they are more faithfull vnto their husbands, and
count their liues as deare as their owne, because that after his death her
owne followeth presently.
In the yeere of our Lord God 1567, for the ille successe that the people of
Bezeneger had, in that their City was sacked by the foure kings, the king
with his Court went to dwell in a castle eight dayes iourney vp in the land
from Bezenger, called Penegonde. Also sixe dayes iourney from Bezenger, is
the place where they get Diamants: I was not there, but it was tolde me
that it is a great place, compassed with a wall, and that they sell the
earth within the wall, for so much a squadron, and the limits are set how
deepe or how low they shall digge. Those Diamante that are of a certaine
sise and bigger then that sise, are all for the king, it is many yeeres
agone, since they got any there, for the troubles that haue bene 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 are many kings, and great
diuision in that kingdome, and the city of Bezeneger is not altogether
destroyed, yet the houses stand still, but empty, and there is dwelling in
them nothing, as is reported, but Tygers and other wilde beasts. The
circuit of this city is foure and twentie miles about, and within the
walles are certeine mountaines. The houses stand walled with earth, and
plaine, all sauing the three palaces of the three tyrant brethren, and the
Pagodes which are idole houses: these are made with lime and fine marble. I
haue seene many kings Courts, and yet haue I seene none in greatnesse like
to this of Bezeneger, I say, for the ordes of his palace, for it hath nine
gates or ports. First when you goe into the place where the king did lodge,
there are fiue great ports or gates: these are kept with Captaines and
souldiers: then within these there are foure lesser gates: which are kept
with Porters. Without the first gate there is a little porch, where there
is a Captaine with fiue and twentie souldiers, that keepeth watch and ward
night and day: and within that another, with the like guard, wherethorow
they come to a very faire Court, and at the end of that Court there is
another porch as the first, with the like guard, and within that another
Court. And in this wise are the first fiue gates guarded and kept with
those Captaines: and then the lesser gates within are kept with a guard of
Porters: which gates stand open the greatest part of the night, because the
custome of the Gentiles is to doe their businesse, and make their feasts in
the night, rather then by day. The city is very safe from theeues, for the
Portugall merchants sleepe in the streets, or vnder porches, for the great
heat which is there, and yet they neuer had any harme in the night. At the
end of two monethes, I determined to goe for Goa in the company of two
other Portugall Marchants, which were making ready to depart, with two
palanchines or little litters, which are very commodious for the way, with
eight Falchines which are men hired to cary the palanchines, eight for a
palanchine, foure at a time: they carry them as we vse to carry barrowes.
[Sidenote: Men ride on bullocks and trauell with them on the way.] And I
bought me two bullocks, one of them to ride on, and the other to carry my
victuals and prouision, for in that countrey they ride on bullocks with
pannels, as we terme them, girts and bridles, and they haue a very good
commodious pace. From Bezeneger to Goa in Summer it is eight dayes iourney,
but we went in the midst of Winter, in the moneth of Iuly, and were
fifteene dayes comming to Ancola on the sea coast, so in eight dayes I had
lost my two bullocks: for he that carried my victuals, was weake and could
not goe, the other when I came vnto a riuer where was a little bridge to
passe ouer, I put my bullocke to swimming, and in the middest of the riuer
there was a little Iland, vnto the which my bullocke went, and finding
pasture, there he remained still, and in no wise we could come to him: and
so perforce, I was forced to leaue him, and at that time there was much
raine, and I was forced to go seuen dayes a foot with great paines: and by
great chance I met with Falchines by the way, whom I hired to carry my
clothes and victuals. We had great trouble in our iourney, for that euery
day wee were taken prisoners, by reason of the great dissension in that
kingdome: and euery morning at our departure we must pay rescat foure or
fiue pagies a man. And another trouble wee had as bad as this, that when as
wee came into a new gouernours countrey, as euery day we did, although they
were al tributary to the king of Bezeneger, yet euery one of them stamped a
seueral coine of Copper, so that the money that we tooke this day would not
serue the next: at length, by the helpe of God, we came safe to Ancola,
which is a country of the Queene of Gargopam, tributary to the king of
Bezeneger. [Sidenote: The marchandise that come in and out to Bezeneger
euery yere.] The marchandise that went euery yere from Goa to Bezeneger
were Arabian Horses, Veluets, Damasks, and Sattens, Armesine of Portugall,
and pieces of China, Saffron, and Skarlets: and from Bezeneger they had in
Turky for their commodities, iewels, and Pagodies which be ducats of golde:
[Sidenote: the apparell of those people.] the apparell that they vse in
Bezeneger is Veluet, Satten, Damaske, Scarlet, or white Bumbast cloth,
according, to the estate of the person with long hats on their heads,
called Colae, made of Veluet, Satten, Damaske, or Scarlet, girding
themselues in stead of girdles with some fine white bombast doth: they
haue breeches after the order of the Turks: they weare on their feet plaine
high things called of them Aspergh, and at their eares they haue hanging
great plenty of golde.
Returning to my voyage, when we were together in Ancola, one of my
companions that had nothing to lose, tooke a guide, and went to Goa,
whither they goe in foure dayes, the other Portugall not being disposed to
go, tarried in Ancola for that Winter. [Sidenote: Their Winter is our
Summer.] The Winter in those parts of the Indies beginneth the fifteenth of
May, and lasteth vnto the end of October: and as we were in Ancola, there
came another Marchant of horses in a palanchine, and two Portugall
souldiers which came from Zeilan, and two cariers of letters, which were
Christians borne in the Indies; all these consorted to goe to Goa together,
and I determined to goe with them, and caused a pallanchine to be made for
me very poorely of Canes; and in one of them Canes I hid priuily all the
iewels I had, and according to the order, I tooke eight Falchines to cary
me: and one day about eleuen of the clocke wee set forwards on our iourney,
and about two of the clocke in the afternoone, as we passed a mountains
which diuideth the territory of Ancola and Dialcan, I being a little
behinde my company was assaulted by eight theeues, foure of them had
swordes and targets, and the other foure had bowes and arrowes. When the
Falchines that carried me vnderstood the noise of the assault, they let the
pallanchine and me fall to the ground, and ranne away and left me alone,
with my clothes wrapped about me: presently the theeues were on my necke
and rifeling me, they stripped me starke naked, and I fained my selfe
sicke, because I would not leaue the pallanchine, and I had made me a
little bedde of my clothes; the theeues sought it very narrowly and
subtilly, and found two pursses that I had, well bound vp together, wherein
I had put my Copper money which I had changed for foure pagodies in Ancola.
The theeues thinking it had beene so many duckats of golde, searched no
further: then they threw all my clothes in a bush, and hied them away, and
as God would haue it, at their departure there fell from them an
handkercher, and when I saw it, I rose from my Pallanchine or couch, and
tooke it vp, and wrapped it together within my Pallanchine. Then these my
Falchines were of so good condition, that they returned to seeke mee,
whereas I thought I should not haue found so much goodnesse in them:
because they were payed their mony aforehand, as is the vse, I had thought
to haue seene them no more. Before their comming I was determined to plucke
the Cane wherein my iewels were hidden, out of my coutch, and to haue made
me a walking staffe to carry in my hand to Goa, thinking that I should haue
gone thither on foot, but by the faithfullness of my Falchines, I was rid
of that trouble, and so in foure dayes they carried me to Goa, in which
time I made hard fare, for the theeues left me neither money, golde, nor
siluer, and that which I did eat was giuen me of my men for Gods sake: and
after at my comming to Goa I payed them for euery thing royally that I had
of them. [Sidenote: Foure small fortes of the Portugals.] From Goa I
departed for Cochin, which is a voyage of three hundred miles, and betweene
these two cities are many holdes of the Portugals, as Onor, Mangalor,
Barzelor, and Cananor. The Holde or Fort that you shall haue from Goa to
Cochin that belongeth to the Portugals is called Onor, which is in the
kingdome of the queene 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 keepeth there. And passing this place, you shall come to
another small castle of the Portugals called Mangalor, and there is very
small trade but onely for a little Rice: and from thence you goe to a
little fort called Bazelor, there they haue good store of Rice which is
carried to Goa: and from thence you shall goe to a city called Cananor,
which is a harquebush shot distant from the chiefest city that the king of
Cananor hath in his kingdome being a king of the Gentiles: and he and his
are very naughty and malicious people, alwayes hauing delight to be in
warres with the Portugales, and when they are in peace, it is for their
interest to let their merchandize passe: there goeth out of this kingdom of
Cananor, all the Cardamomum, great store of Pepper, Ginger, Honie, ships
laden with great Nuts, great quantitie of Archa, which is a fruit of the
bignesse of Nutmegs, which fruite they eate in all those partes of the
Indies and beyond the Indies, with the leafe of an Herbe which they call
Bettell, the which is like vnto our Iuie leafe, but a litle lesser and
thinner: [Sidenote: Bettel is a very profitable herbe in that countrey.]
they eate it made in plaisters with the lime made of Oistershels, and
thorow the Indies they spend great quantitie of money in this composition,
and it is vsed daily, which thing I would not haue beleeued, if I had not
seene it. The customers get great profite by these Herbes, for that they
haue custome for them. When this people eate and chawe this in their
mouthes, it maketh their spittle to bee red like vnto blood, and they say,
that it maketh a man to haue a very good stomacke and a sweete breath, but
sure in my iudgement they eate it rather to fulfill their filthie lustes,
and of a knauerie, for this Herbe is moyst and hote, and maketh a very
strong expulsion. [Sidenote: Enimies to the king of Portugall.] From
Cananor you go to Cranganor, which is another smal Fort of the Portugales
in the land of the king of Cranganor, which is another king of the
Gentiles, and a countrey of small importance, and of an hundreth and
twentie miles, full of thieues, being vnder the king of Calicut, a king
also of the Gentiles, and a great enemie to the Portugales, which when hee
is alwayes in warres, hee and his countrey is the nest and resting for
stranger theeues, and those bee called Moores of Carposa, because they
weare on their heads long red hats, and these thieues part the spoyles that
they take on the Sea with the king of Calicut, for hee giueth leaue vnto
all that will goe a rouing, liberally to goe, in such wise, that all along
that coast there is such a number of thieues, that there is no sailing in
those Seas but with great ships and very well armed, or els they must go in
company with the army of the Portugals from Cranganor to Cochin is 15.
miles.
Cochin.
[Sidenote: Within Cochin is the kingdom of Pepper.] Cochin is, next vnto
Goa, the chiefest place that the Portugales haue in the Indies, and there
is great trade of Spices, drugges, and all other sortes of merchandize for
the kingdome of Portugale, and there within the land is the kingdome of
Pepper, which Pepper the Portugales lade in their shippes by bulke and not
in sackes: [Marginal note: The Pepper that the Portugals bring, is not so
good as that which goeth for Mecca, which is brought hither by the
streights.] the Pepper that goeth for Portugale is not so good as that
which goeth for Mecca, because that in times past the officers of the king
of Portugale made a contract with the king of Cochin, in the name of the
king of Portugale, for the prizes of Pepper, and by reason of that
agreement betweene them at that time made, the price can neither rise nor
fall, which is a very lowe and base price, and for this cause the villaines
bring it to the Portugales, greene and full of filthe. The Moores of Mecca
that giue a better price, haue it cleane and drie, and better conditioned.
All the Spices and drugs that are brought to Mecca, are stollen from thence
as Contrabanda. Cochin is two cities, one of the Portugales, and another of
the king of Cochin: that of the Portugales is situate neerest vnto the Sea,
and that of the king of Cochin is a mile and a halfe vp higher in the land,
but they are both set on the bankes of one riuer which is very great and of
a good depth of water, which riuer commeth out of the mountaines of the
king of the Pepper, which is a king of the Gentiles, in whose kingdom are
many Christians of saint Thomas order: the king of Cochin is also a king of
the Gentiles and a great faithfull friend to the king of Portugale, and to
those Portugales which are married, and are Citizens in the Citie Cochin of
the Portugales. And by this name of Portugales throughout all the Indies,
they call all the Christians that come out of the West, whether they bee
Italians, Frenchmen, or Almaines, and all they that marrie in Cochin do get
an office according to the trade he is of: [Sidenote: Great priuiledges
that the citizens of Cochin haue.] this they haue by the great priuileges
which the Citizens haue of that city, because there are two principal
commodities that they deale withal 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 pay not any custome for
these two commodities: for they pay 4. per cento custome to the king of
Cochin, rating their goods at their owne pleasure. Those which are not
married and strangers, pay in Cochin to the king of Portugale eight per
cento of all maner of merchandise. I was in Cochin when the Viceroy of the
king of Portugale wrought what hee coulde to breake the priuilege of the
Citizens, and to make them to pay custome as other did: at which time the
Citizens were glad to waigh their Pepper in the night that they laded the
ships withall that went to Portugale and stole the custome in the night.
The king of Cochin hauing vnderstanding of this, would not suffer any more
Pepper to bee weighed. Then presently after this, the marchants were
licensed to doe as they did before, and there was no more speach of this
matter, nor any wrong done. This king of Cochin is of a small power in
respect of the other kings of the Indies, for hee can make but seuentie
thousand men of armes in his campe: hee hath a great number of Gentlemen
which hee calleth Amochi, and some are called Nairi: these two sorts of men
esteeme not their liues any thing, so that it may be for the honour of
their king, they will thrust themselues forward in euery danger, although
they know they shall die. These men goe naked from the girdle vpwardes,
with a clothe rolled about their thighs, going barefooted, and hauing their
haire very long and rolled vp together on the toppe of their heads, and
alwayes they carrie their Bucklers or Targets with them and their swordes
naked, these Nairi haue their wiues common amongst themselues, and when any
of them goe into the house of any of these women, hee leaueth his sworde
and target at the doore, and the time that hee is there, there dare not any
bee so hardie as to come into that house. The kings children shall not
inherite the kingdome after their father, because they hold this opinion,
that perchance they were not begotten of the king their father, but of some
other man, therfore they accept for their king, one of the sonnes of the
kings sisters, or of some other woman of the blood roial, for that they be
sure, they are of the blood roiall.
[Sidenote: A very strange thing hardly to be beleeued.] The Nairi and their
wiues vse for a brauerie to make great holes in their eares, and so bigge
and wide, that it is incredible, holding this opinion, that the greater the
holes bee, the more noble they esteeme themselues. I had leaue of one of
them to measure the circumference of one of them with a threed, and within
that circumference I put my arme vp to the shoulder, clothed as it was, so
that in effect they are monstrous great. Thus they doe make them when they
be litle, for then they open the eare, and hang a piece of gold or lead
thereat, and within the opening, in the whole they put a certaine leafe
that they haue for that purpose, which maketh the hole so great. They lade
ships in Cochin for Portugale and for Ormus, but they that goe for Ormus
carrie no Pepper but by Contrabanda, as for Sinamome they easilie get leaue
to carrie that away, for all other Spices and drugs they may liberally
carie them to Ormus or Cambaia, and so all other merchandize which come
from other places, but out of the kingdom of Cochin properly they cary away
with them into Portugale great abundance of Pepper, great quantitie of
Ginger dried and conserued, wild Sinamon, good quantity of Arecca, great
store of Cordage of Cairo, made of the barke of the tree of the great Nut,
and better then that of Hempe, of which they carrie great store into
Portugale.
[Sidenote: Note the departing of ships from Cochin.] The shippes euery
yeere depart from Cochin to goe for Portugall, on the fift day December, or
the fift day of Ianuary. Nowe to follow my voyage for the Indies: from
Cochin I went to Coulam, distant from Cochin seuentie and two miles, which
Coulam is a small Fort of the king of Portugales, situate in the kingdom of
Coulam, which is a king of the Gentiles, and of small trade: at that place
they lade onely halfe a ship of Pepper, and then she goeth to Cochin to
take in the rest, and from thence to Cao Comori is seuentie and two miles,
and there endeth the coast of the Indies: and alongst this coast, neere to
the water side, and also to Cao Comori, downe to the lowe land of Chialon,
which is about two hundred miles, the people there are as it were all
turned to the Christian faith: there are also Churches of the Friers of S.
Pauls order, which Friers doe very much good in those places in turning the
people, and in conuerting them, and take great paines in instructing them
in the law of Christ.
The fishing for Pearles.
[Sidenote: The order how they fish for pearles.] The Sea that lieth
betweene the coast which descendeth from Cao Comori, to the lowe land of
Chiaoal, and the Iland Zeilan, they call the fishing of Pearles, which
fishing they make euery yeere, beginning in March or Aprill, and it lasteth
fiftie dayes, but they doe not fishe euery yeere in one place, but one
yeere in one place, and another yeere in another place of the same sea.
When the time of this fishing draweth neere, then they send very good
Diuers, that goe to discouer where the greatest heapes of Oisters bee vnder
water, and right agaynst that place where greatest store of Oisters bee,
there they make or plant a village with houses and a Bazaro, all of stone,
which standeth as long as the fishing time lasteth, and it is furnished
with all things necessarie, and nowe and then it is neere vnto places that
are inhabited, and other times farre off, according to the place where they
fishe. The Fishermen are all Christians of the countrey, and who so will
may goe to fishing, paying a certaine dutie to the king of Portugall, and
to the Churches of the Friers of Saint Paule, which are in that coast. All
the while that they are fishing, there are three or foure Fustes armed to
defend the Fishermen from Rouers. It was my chance to bee there one time in
my passage, and I saw the order that they vsed in fishing, which is this.
There are three or foure Barkes that make consort together, which are like
to our litle Pilot boates, and a litle lesse, there goe seuen or eight men
in a boate: and I haue seene in a morning a great number of them goe out,
and anker in fifteene or eighteene fadome of water, which is the Ordinarie
depth of all that coast. When they are at anker, they cast a rope into the
Sea, and at the ende of the rope, they make fast a great stone, and then
there is readie a man that hath his nose and his eares well stopped, and
annointed with oyle, and a basket about his necke, or vnder his left arme,
then hee goeth downe by the rope to the bottome of the Sea, and as fast as
he can he filleth the basket, and when it is full, he shaketh the rope, and
his fellowes that are in the Barke hale him vp with the basket: and in such
wise they goe one by one vntill they haue laden their barke with oysters,
and at euening they come to the village, and then euery company maketh
their mountaine or heape of oysters one distant from another, in such wise
that you shall see a great long rowe of mountaines or heapes of oysters,
and they are not touched vntill such time as the fishing bee ended, and at
the ende of the fishing euery companie sitteth round about their mountaine
or heape of oysters, and fall to opening of them, which they may easilie
doe because they bee dead, drie and brittle: and if euery oyster had
pearles in them, it would bee a very good purchase, but there are very many
that haue no pearles in them: when the fishing is ended, then they see
whether it bee a great gathering or a badde: there are certaine expert in
the pearles whom they call Chitini, which set and make the price of pearles
[Marginal note: These pearles are prised according to the caracts which
they weigh, euery caract is 4. graines, and these men that prise hem haue
an instrument of copper with holes in it, which be made by degrees for to
sort the perles withall.] according to their carracts, beautie, and
goodnesse, making foure sortes of them. The first sort bee the round
pearles, and they be called Aia of Portugale, because the Portugales doe
buy them. The second sorte which are not round, are called Aia of Bengala.
The third sort which are not so good as the second, they call Aia of
Canara, that is to say, the kingdome of Bezeneger. The fourth and last
sort, which are the least and worst sort, are called Aia of Cambaia. Thus
the price being set, there are merchants of euery countrey which are readie
with their money in their handes, so that in a fewe dayes all is bought vp
at the prises set according to the goodnesse and caracts of the pearles.
In this Sea of the fishing of pearles is an Iland called Manar, which is
inhabited by Christians of the countrey which first were Gentiles, and haue
a small hold of the Portugales being situate ouer agaynst Zeilan: and
betweene these two Ilands there is a chanell, but not very big, and hath
but a small depth therein; by reason whereof there cannot any great shippe
passe that way, but small ships, and with the increase of the water which
is at the change or the full of the Moone, and yet for all this they must
vnlade them and put their goods into small vessels to lighten them before
they can passe that way for feare of Sholdes that lie in the chanell, and
after lade them into their shippes to goe for the Indies, and this doe all
small shippes that passe that way, but those shippes that goe for the
Indies Eastwardes, passe by the coast of Coromandel, on the other side by
the land of Chilao which is betweene the firme land and the Iland Manor:
and going from the Indies to the coast of Coromandel, they loose some
shippes, but they bee emptie, because that the shippes that passe that way
discharge their goods at an Iland called Peripatane, and there land their
goods into small flat bottomed boates which drawe litle water, and are
called Tane, and can run ouer euery Shold without either danger or losse of
any thing, for that they tarrie in Peripatane vntill such time as it bee
faire weather. Before they depart to passe the Sholds, the small shippes
and flat bottomed boates goe together in companie, and when they haue
sailed sixe and thirtie miles, they arriue at the place where the Sholdes
are, and at that place the windes blowe so forciblie, that they are forced
to goe thorowe, not hauing any other refuge to saue themselues. The flat
bottomed boates goe safe thorow, where as the small shippes if they misse
the aforesayd chanell, sticke fast on the Sholdes, and by this meanes many
are lost: and comming backe for the Indies, they goe not that way, but
passe by the chanell of Manar as is abouesayd, whose chanell is Oazie, and
if the shippes sticke fast, it is a great chance if there be any danger at
all. The reason why this chanell is not more sure to goe thither, is,
because the windes that raigne or blowe betweene Zeilan and Manar, make the
chanell so shalow with water, that almost there is not any passage. From
Coa Comori to the Iland of Zeilan is 120. miles ouerthwart.