THE Voyage and Travail: OF M. CAESAR FREDERICK, MERCHANT OF VENICE, INTO the East India, the Indies, and beyond the Indies. Wherein are contained very pleasant and rare matters, with the customs and rites of those Countries. ALSO, HEREIN ARE DISCOVERED the Merchandises and commodities of those Countries, aswell the abundance of Gold and Silver, as Spices, Drugs, Pearls, and other jewels. Written at Sea in the HERCULES of London: coming from Turkey, the 25. of March 1588. For the profitable instruction of Merchants and all other travelers, for their better direction and knowledge of those Countries.  
Out of Italian, by T H.  
AT LONDON, Printed by RICHARD JONES and EDWARD WHITE, 18. Junii. 1588.   

¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnourable, CHARLES, Lord Howard, Baron of Effingham, Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter, Lord high Admiral of England, and one of her majesties most Honourable privy Counsel: Thomas Hickock, wisheth long life in good health, with much increase of Honour, and all happy success.  
Having (Right Honourable) long time purposed, to put somewhat in practise that I might present to your honourable view, the weakness of my ability hath hitherto holden me in doubt, whither I were best, by writing to show my good will, or by staying my pen to conceal the same. But being at Sea in March last in the Hercules of London, I resolved to take in hand the translating of this little work out of Italian into English, aswell in regard of the newness thereof, being never printed before that time: as also for the rareness of the subject and matter it treateth off, and the commodity that Merchants and other my Countrymen may reap by it. And having finished the same, presuming more upon your honourable courtesy, then upon the worthiness of so small a work, and hoping of your honourable favour for the defence thereof, I am bold in all humble and dutiful sort to present the same to your honourable view and protection, not as a thing worthy the patronage of so honourable a parsonage as your honour is, but as a token of my dutiful affection and bounden duty to your Lordship: beseechiug you therefore to vouchsafe of the same with so good a will as I present it unto you. And so most humbly I take my leave, beseeching the almighty to bless and prosper you in all your honourable enterprises, to the good liking of her Majesty, and profit of the Commonweal.  
Your Honour's most humble and ready at command, Thomas Hickock.   

Caesar Frederick to the Reader.  
I Having (Gentle Reader) for the space of eighteen years continually coasted & travailed as it were, all the East Indies, and many other countries beyond the Indies, wherein I have had both good and ill success, in my travels: I have seen & understood many things worthy the noting, and to be known to all the world: the which were never as yet written of any, I thought it good (seeing the almighty had given me grace, after so long perils in passing such a long voyage,) to return into my own Country, 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 marvelous things I have seen in my travels in the Indies. The mighty Princes that govern those countries, Their Religion, and faith that they have, the rites and customs which they use, and live by, of the divers success that happened unto me, and how many of these conntreys are a bounding with spices, drugs, and jewels, giving also profitable advertisement, to all those that have a desire to make such a voyage. And because that the whole world may more commodiously rejoice at this my travel: I have caused it to be printed in this order, and now I present it unto you (Gentle and Joving Readers). to whom for the varieties of things herein contained, I hope that it shall be with great delight received, and thus God of his goodness keep you.   

¶ To the courteous Reader.  
BEing at Sea (Gentle and friendly Reader) in this my last voyage to Tripoli, in Anno. 1587. This little Book of M. Caesar frederick's (Merchant of Venice) coming into my hands: which when I had read it over, I was desirous to translate the same out of Italian into our vulgar tongue. In which Book (Gentle Reader) thou must not look for a garden of sweet English Roses, (meaning pleasant English terms,) but thou shalt find banks full of Savoury, for I have not been a Scholar (brought up to write fine Schoole-termes,) but have simply followed the Author's sense in that phrase of speech that we commonly use: In which Book, (if thou readest it through), thou shalt find good savour to thyself, and profit to thy Country. And as the author was in travailing these Countries eighteen years, and got great benefit in them with a small stock: so mayest thou if thou wilt travel those Countries, and get great gain as he did. For why? the way is laid open before thee, and as thou readest, consider with thyself, that he which looketh on a jewel, perceiveth not at once all the faults in it: but when many eyes have the same, some findeth one fault, and some another, so that the blemishes cannot be hid. So (Gentle Reader) thou mayest see that in this work which I could not see: wherein, if thou find a blemish in this my simple work, I pray thee heartily cover the same with the shadow of Patience, or else friendly correct the same: and not rashly to judge or contemn the pains of a willing mind, so shall I be encouraged to take the like pains in another. Thus I refer to the Epistle of the author, wherein thou shalt understand the effect of this book, and all the travails that he took in those Countries: read (I say) & then judge of the matter, according to thy good discretion. Thus I leave thee to the tuition of the almighty: who ever keep thee in health, and give thee in the Lord thy own hearts desire.  
T. Hickock.   

¶ A voyage to the East Indies, and beyond the Indies. etc.  
IN the year of our Lord God. 1563. I Caesar Frederick, being in Venice, and very desirous to see the east parts of the world, I Shipped myself in a ship called the Gradaige 
The Authors going from Venice to Cyprus and Tripolye.  of Venice with certain merchandise, governed by M. jacamo Vatica, which was bound to Cypris with his ship, with whom I went, and when we were arrived in Cyprus, I left that ship and went in a lesser to Tripoli in Soria, where I stayed a while. Afterward I I took my journey to Alexo, & there I acquainted myself with merchants of Armenia and moors: that were Merchants, and consorted to go with them to Ornus, and we departed from Aleppo, and in two days journey and a half, we came to a City called Bir.  

Of the City of BIR.  
by'r is a small city very scarce of all manner of victuals, and near unto the walls of the city runneth the river of Euphrates, in this city the merchants divide themselves into companies, according to their merchandise that they 
The River Euphrates.  have, & there either they buy or make a boat to carry them & their goods to Babylon, down the river Euphrates, with charge of a merchant and mariners to conduct the boat in the voyage: these boats are in a manner flat bottomed, yet they be very strong: and for all that they are so strong, they will serve but for one voyage. They are made according to the sholdnes of the river, because that the river is in many places full of great stones, which doth greatly hinder and trouble those that go down the river. These boats serve but for one voyage down the river unto a village called Feluchia, 
Feluchia a small City in Euphrates.  because it is impossible to bring them up the river back again. At Feluchia the merchants pluck their boats in pieces, or else sell them for a small price, For that at by'r they cost the merchants forty or fifty chickens apiece, and they sell them at Feluchia for 7 or 8 chickens a piece, because that when the merchants return from Babylon back again if they have merchandise or goods that oweth custom: then they make their return in forty days through the wilderness, passing that way with a great deal lesser charges then the other way. And if they have not merchandise that 
Mosule.  oweth custom, than they go by the way of Mosule, where it costeth them great charges both the Caravan and company, from by'r where the merchants embark themselves to Feluchia over against Babylon, if the river have good store of Water, they shall make their voyage in fifteen or eighteen days down the River, and if the Water be low, and it have not reigned, than it is much trouble, and it will be forty or fifty days journey down, because that when the barks strike on the stones that be in the River, than they must unlade them, which is great trouble, and then lad them again, when they have mended their boat: therefore it is not necessary, neither do the merchants go with one boat alone, but two or three, that if one boat split and be lost with striking on the shoals, they may have another ready to take in their goods, until such time as they have mended the broken boat, and if they draw the broken boat a land to mend her, it is hard to defend her in the night, from the great multitude of Arabians that will come down there to rob you & in the rivers every night, when you make fast your boat to the banckside, you must keep good watch against the 
The Arabian thieves are in number like to Ants.  Arabians which are thieves in number like to ants, yet when, they come to rob, they will not kill, but steal & run away, hargubushes is a very good weapon against them, for that they stand greatly in fear of the shot, & as you pass the river Euphrates, from by'r to Feluchia there is certain places which you must pass by, where you pay custom certain madines upon a bale, which custom is belonging to the son of Aborise king of the Arabians and desert, and hath certain Cities and villages, on the river Euphrates.   

Feluchia and Babylon.  
FEluchia is a village where they that come from by'r do unbarke themselves and unlade their goods, and it is distant from Babylon a days journey & a half by land: Babylon is no great City, but it is very populous, and 
The old Babylon hath great trade with Merchants still.  of great trade of Strangers because it is a great through fare, for Persia, Turkia, and Arabia: and very oftentimes there goeth out from thence Caravans into divers countries: and the city is very copious of victuals, which cometh out of Armenia down the river of Tigris, on certain Zattares or Raffes made of blown hides or skins called Vtrij. 
rafts made of blown hides, to carry victuals to Babylon.  This river Tigris doth wash the walls of the city, these rafts are bound fast together, and then they lay boards on the aforesaid blown skins, and on the boards they lad the commodities, & so come they to Babylon where they unlade 
A pretty device.  them, & being unladen, they let out the wind out of the skins, and lad them on Camels to make another voyage. This City of Babylon is situate in the kingdom of Persia, but now governed by the Turks: On the other side of the river towards Arabia, over against the city, there is a fair place or town, and in it a fair Bazarro for Merchants, with very many lodges, where the greatest part of the Merchant's Strangers which come to Babylon doolye with their merchandise. The passing over Tigris from Babylon to this Borough 
A bridge made of boats.  is over a long bridge made of boats chained together with great chains: provided, that when the river waxeth great with the abundance of rain that falleth, than they open the bridge in the middle, where the on half of the bridge falleth to the walls of Babylon, and the other to the brinks of this borough, on the other side of the river: & as long as the bridge is open, they pass the river in small boats, with great danger because of the smallness of the boats, and the over lading of them, that with the fierceness of the stream they be overthrown, or else the stream doth carry them away, so that by this means, many people are lost and drowned: this way by proof I have many times seen.   

Of the Tower of Babylon.  
THe Tower of Nembroth or Babel is situate on the side 
The Tower of Babel of ancient memory.  of Tigris that Arabia is, and in a very great plain distant from Babylon 7. or 8. miles: which town is ruinated on every side, and with the falling of it there is made a great Mountain: so that it hath no form at all, yet there is a great part of it standing, which is compassed and almost covered with the aforesaid fallings: this Tower was builded and made of four square Bricks, which Bricks 
These bricks be in thickness 6 or 7, inches & a foot and a half square, seen by our own countrymen whom I know.  were made of earth, and dried in the Sun in manner & form following: first they laid a lay of Bricks, them a Mat made of Canes, square as the Bricks, 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 wonderful to behold, being of such antiquity as it is, I have gone round about it, and have not found any place where there hath been any door or entrance: it may be in my judgement in circuit about a mile, and rather less than more.  
This Tower in effect, is contrary to all other things which 
A thing wonderful,  are seen a far off, for they seem small, and the more near a man cometh to them the bigger they be: but this Tower a far off seemeth a very great thing, and the nearer you come to it the l●sser. My judgement and reason of this is, that because the Tower is set in a very great plain, and hath nothing more about to make any show saving the ruins of it which it hath made round about, and for this respect that descrying it a far off, that piece of the Tower which yet standeth with the mountain that is made of the substance that hath fallen from it, maketh a greater show than you shall find coming near to it.   

Babylon and Basora.  
FRom Babylon I departed for Basora, shipping myself in one of the barks that use to go in the river Tigris from Babylon to Basora, and from Basora to Babylon: which barks are made after the manner of Fusts or Galliots' with a Speron and a covered poop: they have no pump in them because of the great abundance of pitch which they have to pitch them withal: which pitch they have in abundance two days journey from Babylon: near unto the river Euphrates, 
This hole whereout cometh this pitch is most true, for that I know of our own countrymen which have seen it▪ and they say that out of the hole there cometh as it were puffing with bellows both water and pitch, and the water and pitch runneth into the valley or Island where the pitch resteth, and the water runneth into the river Euphrates, and it maketh all the river to be as it were brackish with the smell of pitch and Brimstone.  there is a city called Ayit, near unto which city, there is a great plain full of pitch, very marvelous to behold, and a thing almost incredible, that out of a hole in the earth, which continually throweth out pitch into the air with continual smoke, which pitch is thrown with such force, that being hot it falleth like as it were sprinkled over all the plain, in such abundance that the plain is always full of pitch: the Mores and the Arabians of that place say, that, that hole is the mouth of hell: and in truth, it is a thing very notable to be marked: and by this pitch, the people have great benefit, to pitch their barks, which barks they call Daneck and Saffin: When the river of Tigris is well replenished with water, you may pass from Babylon to Basora in 8. or 9 days, and sometimes more and sometimes less: we were half so much more which is 14 or 15. days, because the waters were low: they may sail day and night, and there is some places in this way where you pay so many Madiens on a ba●le: if the waters be low, it is 18. days journey.   

Basora.  
BAsora is a City of the Arabians, which of osde time was governed by those Arabians called Zizarii, but now it is governed by 
Zizarii, an ancient people.  the great Turk where he keepeth an army to his great charges.  
The Arabians called Zizarii have the possession of a great Country, and cannot be overcome of the Turk, because that the sea ●ath divided their country into an Island by channels with the ebbing & flowing of the 〈…〉 & for that cause the Turk cannot bring an army ag 〈…〉, neither by sea nor by land, and another reason is, the inhabitants of that Island are very strong and warlike men: a days journey before you come to Basora, you shall have a little 
At the castle of Corna the river Euphrates & Tigris do meet.  castle or fort, which is set on that point of the land where the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris meet together, and the castle is called Corna: at this point, the two rivers maketh a monsirous great river and runneth into the sea, which is called the gulf of Persia, which is towards the South: Basora is distant from the sea fifteen miles, and it is a city of great trade of Spices & drugs which come from Ormus. 
Ormus is the barennest Island in all the world.  Also there is great store of corn, Rice, and Dates, which the country doth yield. I shipped myself in Basora to go for Ormus, and so we sailed through the Persian sea 600 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 steed of calking they lay between every board certain straw which they have, and so they sow board and board together, with the straw between, where through there cometh much water, and they are very dangerous. Departing from Basora we passed 200 miles with the sea on our right hand, along the gulf, until at length 
Carichii an Island in the gulf of Persia.  we arrived at an Island called Carichii, from whence we sailed to Ormus in sight of the Persian shore, on the left side, and on the right side towards Arabia we discovered infinite islands.   

Ormus.  
ORmus is an Island in circuit 25 or 30 miles, 
Ormus is always replenished with abundance of victual, and yet there is none that groweth in the Island.  and it is the most barrenest and most dry Island in all the world, because that in it there is nothing to be had, but salt water, and wood, all other things necessary for man's life is brought out of Persia 12 miles of and out of other islands near thereunto adjoining, in such abundance and quantity, that the city is always replenished with all manner of store: there is standing near unto the water's side a very fair castle, in the which the captain of the king of Portugal is always resident with a good band of Portugese's, and before this castle is a very fair prospect: in the city dwelleth the married men, Soldiers and Merchants of every nation, amongst whom there is Mores and Gentiles. In this City there is very great trade 
Great trade of merchandise in Ormus.  for all sorts of Spices, drugs, Silk, cloth of Silk, Brocardo, and divers other sorts of merchandise which come out of Persia: and amongst all other trades and Merchandise, the trade of Horses is very great there, which they carry from thence into the Indies. This Island hath a More king, of the race of the Persians, who is created and made king by the captain of the castle, in the name of the king of Portugal. At the creation of this king I was there, and saw the ceremonies that they use in it, which are as followeth. The old 
The election of the king of Ormus.  King being dead, the Captain of the Portugese's chooseth another of the blood Royal, and maketh this election in the Castle with great ceremonies, and when he is elected, the Captain sweareth him to be true and faithful to the king of Portugal, as his Lord and Governor, and then he giveth him the Sceptre Regal: after this with great feasting and pomp, with great company, he is brought into the Royal palace in the city. This king keepeth a good train, and hath sufficient revenues to maintain himself without troubling of any, because the Captain of the Castle doth maintain and defend his right, and when that the Captain and he ride together, he is honoured as a King, yet he cannot ride abroad with his train, without the consent of the captain first had: it behoveth them to do 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 myself to go for Goa, a City in the Indies in a Ship that had four score horses in her: this is to advertise those Merchants that go from Ormus to Goa, to ship themselves in those Ships that carry Horses, because every Ship that carrieth twenty Horses or upwards are privileged, that all the Merchandise 
A privilege for Merchants.  whatsoever they carry, that they own no custom, whereas the Ships that carrieth not Horses, are bound to pa●● eight per cento of all the goods they bring.   

Goa, Dui, and Cambaia.  
GOa, is the principallest City that the Portugese's 
Goa is the chiefest city that the Portugeses have in the Indies.  have in the Indies, where is resident the Viceroy with his court and ministers of the king of Portugal, from Ormus to Goa, is 990 mile's distance, in which passage, the first City that you come to in the Indies, is called Dui, and is situate in a little Island in the kingdom of 
Dui.  Cambaia, which is the greatest strength that the Portugeses have in all the Indies, yet a small City, but of great trade, 
Cambaya a country abounding with all plentic.  because there they lad very many great Ships for the strait of Mecca and Ormus with merchandise, and these Ships belong to the Mores and Christians, but the Mores cannot trade neither sail into those seas without the licence of the Viceroy of the king of Portugal, otherwise they are taken and made good prizes. The merchandise that they lad these Ships withal, cometh from Cambaietta a port in 
Cambaietta.  the kingdom of Cambaia, which they bring from thence in small barks, because there can no great ships come thither, by reason of the sholdnes of the water thereabouts, and these shoals are 100 or 80 miles about in a strait or golf, 
Macareo is a ●ide or curant as we term it.  which they call Macareo, which is as much to say, as a race of a tide, because the waters there ran out of that place without measure, so that there is no place like to it, unless it be in the kingdom of Pegu, where there is another Macareo, where the waters run out with more force than these do. The principalest City in Cambaia is called Amadavar, it 
Amadavar a city in Cambaia.  is a days journey and a half from Cambietta, it is a very great City and very populous, and for a City of the Gentiles it is very well made and builded with fair houses and large streets. with a fair place in it with many ships, & at sight like to Cayro but not so great: also Cambaietta is situate on the Seas side, and a very fair City, the time that 
A thing most lamentable.  I was there, the city was in great calamity and scarceness, so that I have seen the men of the country that were Gentiles, take their children, their sons, and their daughters, and have desired the Portugese's to buy them, and I have seen them sold for eight or ten La●ines a piece, which may be of our money x. s. or ●iii. s. iiii. d.: for all this, if I had not seen it I could not have believed, that there should be 
A marvelous great trade in Gambyette.  such a trade at Cambaietta as there is: for in the time of every new Moon and every full Moon, the small barks (innumerable) come in and out, for at those times of the Moon the tides and waters are higher than at other times they be. These barks be lad in with all sorts of spices, with silk of China, with Sandole, with Elephant's teeth, Velvets of Verzini, great quantity of Pannina, which cometh from Mecca, Chickenoes' which be pieces of gold worth seven shillings a pée●e sterling, with money, with diverse sorts of other merchandise▪ also these barks lad out as it were an infinite quantity of cloth made of Bombast of all sorts, as white stamped and painted, with great quantity of Indigo, dried Ginger, and conserved, Myrabilony dry and condyt, Boraso in paste, great store of Sugar, great quantity of Gottone, abundance of Opioum, Assa Fetida, Puchio, with many other sorts of drugs. The Torbants are made in Dui, great stones, like to corneola's, Granats, agates, Diaspry, Calcidonij, Amatisti, and some kind of natural Diamonds. There 
A very good order for merchant strangers if they will.  is in the City of Cambaietta an order, but no m●n bound to keep it, but they that will: but all the Portugal merchants keep it, the which is this: There is in this City certain Brokers, which are Gentiles and of great authority, and have every one of them fifteen or twenty servants, and the Merchants that use that country have their Brokers, with the which they be served: and they that have not been there are informed by their friends of the order, & of what Broker they shall be served: now every fifteen days (as abovesaid) that the fleet of small Ships enter into the port, the Brokers come to the water side, and these merchants assoon as they are come a land, do give the cargason of all their goods to that Broker that they will have to do their business for them, with the marks of all the faroles and packs they have and the Merchant having taken a land all his furniture for his house, because it is needful that the Merchants that trade the Indies carry provision of household with them, because 
merchants that travel to the Indies must carry their provision of how should with them.  that in every place where he cometh, he must have a new house. The Broker that hath received his Cargason, commandeth his servants to carry the Merchants furniture for his house home, and load it on some cart, and carry it into the city, where the Brokers have divers empty houses, and meet for the lodging of Merchants, furnished only with bedsteads, tables, chairs, and empty Jares for water: then the Broker saith to the Merchant go and repose yourself, 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 custom, & causeth it to be brought into the house where the merchant lieth, the Merchant not knowing any thing thereof, neither custom, nor charges. These goods being brought to this pass into the house of the Merchant, the broker demandeth of the Merchant if he have any desire to sell his goods or merchandise, at the prizes as such wares are worth at that present time? and if he have a desire to sell his goods presently, then at that instant the Broker selleth it away: After this, the Broker saith to the Merchant, you have so much of every sort of merchandise, neat and clear of every charge, and so much ready money, and if the Merchant will employ his money in other commodities, than the broker telleth him that such and such commodities will cost so much, put a board without any manner of charges: the Merchant understanding the proposed, maketh his account, and if he think to buy or sell at the prizes currant, he giveth order to make it away, & if he have commodity for 20 thousand Ducats, all shall be bartered or sold away in 15 days without any care or trouble, and when as the Merchant thinketh that he cannot sell his goods at the price currant, he may tarry as long as he will, but they cannot be sold by no man, but by that Broker that hath taken them a land and paid the custom: and perchance tarrying sometimes for sale of their commodity, they make good profit and sometimes loss: but those merchandise that come not ordinarily every fifteen days, in taring for the sale of them there is great profit. The barks that lad in Cambaietta, they go for Dui to lad the Ships 
Chiawle two Cities.  that go for the straits of Mecca and Ormus, and some go for Chiaull and Goa, and these Ships be very well appointed, or else are guarded, with the Armods of the Portugese's and is for this respect, for that there is so many Corsaries 
Great store of men of war and rovers on the coast of Cambaya.  which go coursing alongst that coast, and robbing and spoiling, and for fear of those thieves, there is no safe sailing in those Seas, but with ships very well appointed and armed, or else with the fleet of the Portugese's as aforesaid: in fine, the kingdom of Cambaia is a place of great trade, and hath much doings and tratique with all men, although hitherto it hath been in the hands of tyrants, because that at 75 years of age the true king being at the assault of Dui, was there slain, whose name was Sultan Badu: at that time four or five Captains of the army divided the kingdom amongst themselves, and every one of them showed in his country what tyranny he could: but twelve years ago the great Mogul a More king of Agray and Delay, forty days journey 
The great Mogul was king of Agray and Delay.  within the land of Amadavar, became the governor of all the kingdom of Cambaia without any resistance, because he being of great power and force with people, devising which way to enter the land, there was not any man that would make him any resistance, although they were tyrants and a beastly people, they were soon brought under obedience, that in that time I owelled in Cambaietta I saw very marvelous things: there were such an infinite number of Artisicers, that made Bracelets called Mannij, or Bracelets 
A marvelous fond delight in women.  of Elephant's teeth, of diverse colours, for the women of the Gentiles which have their arms full decked with them. and in this order there is spent every year many thousands of Crowns, the reason whereof is this, that when there dieth any whatsoever of the kindred, then in sign and token of morning and sorrow, they break all their bracelets from their arms, and presently they go and buy new again, because that they had rather to be without their meat then without their bracelets.   

Daman. Basan. Tana.  
Having passed Dui, I came to the second city that 〈…〉 Portugese's have, called Daman, situate in the territory of Cambaya, distant from Dui 120. miles: it is no town of merchandise, save of Rice and Corn, and hath many villages under it, which in time of peace, the Portugal have their pleasure in them, but in time of wars, the enemies have the spoil of them in such wise that the Portugese's have little benefit by them. Next unto Daman you shall have Basan, which is a filthy place in respect of Daman in condition: in this place is Rice, corn, timber to make ships and galleys: and a small distance beyond Basan is a small Island called Tana, a country very populous 
Tana, a country inhabited with Portugese's. Armesine, a kind of silk like taffeta.  with Portugese's, Mores, and Gentiles: these have nothing but Rice, there are many makers of Armesine, and weavers of Gerdles of wool and bombast black and red like to Moocharies'.   

Chiawle and the Palmer tree.  
BEyond this Island you shall find Chiawle in the Firm land, and they are two cities, one of the Portugese's, and 
Chiawle two Cities.  the other of the Mores: that City that the Portugese's have, is situate ●ower than the other, & governeth the mouth of the harbour and is very strongly walled: and as it 
Note the policy of the Portugese's.  were a mile and a 〈…〉 l●● distant from this is the City of the Mores, governed by their king Zamalluco. In the time of wars there cannot any great ship come to the city of the Mores, because the Portugese's with their Ordinance will sink them, for that they must perforce pass by the Castles 
Create traffic with merchandise.  of the Portugese's: both the Cities are ports of the sea, and are great cities, and have unto them great traffic & trade of merchandise, of all sorts of spices, Drugs, Silk cloth of silk, Sandolo, Marfine, Versive, Procelane of China: Velvets and Scarlets that come from Portugal, and from Mecca: with many other sorts of merchandise: There cometh every year from Cochin, and from Canenor 10. or 15. great ship, laden with great Nuts cured, and with sugar made of the self same Nuts called Giagra: the tree whereon these nuts do grow is called the Palmer tree: & throughout all the Indies, and especially from this place to Goa, there is great abundance 
The Palmer Tree is the most commodious tree in the world.  of them, and it is like to the Date tree: in the whole world there is not a tree more profitable and of more goodness than this tree is, neither do men reap so much benefit of any other tree as they do of this, there is not any part of it but serveth for some use, & none of it is worthy to be burnt: 
Note the commodities of the Tree.  with the timber of this tree they make ships without the mixture of any other tree, and with the leaves thereof they make sails, and with the fruit thereof which be Nuts whereof they make wine, and of the wine they make Sugar and Placetto, which wine they gather in the spring of the year, out of the middle of the tree where continually there goeth ● 
A very fruitful tree;  runneth out whit liquor like unto water, in that time of the year they put a vessel under every tree, and every evening and morning they take it away full & then distilling it with fire it maketh a very strong liquor: and then they put it into Butts, with a quantity of Zibibbo, white or black & in short time it is made a perfect wine: after this they make of the nuts great store of oil: of the tree they make great quantity of Boards and quarters for buildings. Of the bark of this Tree, they make Cables, Ropes, and other furniture for 
Scavasches are as our great Mawudes. A thing almost incredible but I have seen of their Mats.  Ships, and as they say, these Ropes be better than they that are made of Hemp: they make of the bows, Beadsteds, after the Indies fashion, and Scavasches for Marchandyze, the leaves, they cut the as very small and weave them, and so make sails of them, for all manner of shipping, or else very fine Mats: and then of the first rind of the Nut they stamp, and make thereof perfect Ockom to talk Ships, great and small: and of the hard Bark thereof they make spoons and other vessels for meat, in such wise that there is no part thereof thrown away or cast to the fire: when these Mats be green they are full of an excellent sweet water to drink, and if a man be thirsty with the liquor of one of the mats, he may satisfy himself: and as this Nut ripeth, the liquor thereof turneth all to ●ernell. There goeth out of Chiawle for Mallaca, for the Indies, for Maca, for Portugal, for the coasts of Mallendy, for Ormus, as it were an infinite number and quantity of goods and merchandise that come out of the kingdom of Cambaia, 
The commodities that come out of Cambaya.  as clothe of Bombast white, painted, printed, great quantity of Indigo, Opinion, Gotone, Silk of every sort, great store of boraso in Pasta, great store of Fetida, great store of Iron, Corn, & other merchandise. The More king Zamalaco is of great power, as one that at need may command and hath in his camp two hundred thousand men of war, 
Great Ordinance made in pieces, and yet serviceable.  and hath great store of Artillery, some of them made in pieces which for their greatness they cannot be carried too and fro: yet although they be made in pieces, they are so commodious that they work with them marvelous well, whose shot is of stone, and there hath been of that shot sent unto the king of Portugal for the rariety of the thing. The city where the king Zamallaco hath his being, is within the land of Chiawle, 7. or 8. days journey, which city is called Abneger. 70. miles from Chiawle, towards the Indies is the port of dabul, a Haven of the king Zamallaco, from thence to Goa is 150. miles.   

Goa.  
GOa is the principallest city that the portingales have in the Indies, where in the Vizeroye with his royal 
The chiefest place the Portugese's have in the Indies.  court is resident, and is in an Island which may be in circuit 25. or 30. miles: and the city with his boroughs is reasonable big, and for a city of the Indies it is reasonable fair, but the Island is far more fairer: for it is as it were full of goodly gardens, replenished with divers trees & with the Palmer trees as is aforesaid. This city is of great traffic for all sorts of merchandise which they trade withal in those parts: & the fleet which cometh every year from Portugal which are 5. or 6. great ships that come directly for Goa, and they arrive there ordinarily the 6. or 10 of September, 
Note the arrival of the Portugal ships in the Indies.  & there they remain 40. or 50. days, & from thence they go to Cochin, where they lad for Portugal, and often times they lad one ship at Goa and the other at Cochin for portugal, Cochin is distant from Goa 300. miles, the city Goa is scivate in the kingdom of Dialcam a king of the Mores, whose chief city is up in the country 8. days journey and is called Bisapor: this king is of great power, for when I was in Goa in the year of our Lord 1570. this king came to give assault to Goa, being encamped near unto it by a River side with an army of 2 hundredth thousand men of war, and he lay at this siege 14. months: in which time there was peace concluded, & 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. Then in the year of our Lord 1567. I went from Goa to Bezeneger, the chief city of the kingdom of Marsinga 8. days journey from Goa, within the land in the company of two other Merchants which carried with them 300 Arabian Horses to that king: because the Horses of that country are of a small stature, and they pay well for the Arabian Horses: & it is requisite that the Merchants sell them well, for that they stand them in great charges to bring them out of Persia to Ormus, & from Ormus to Goa, where the ship that bringeth 20 Horses and upwards, payeth no custom neither ship nor goods whatsoever, 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 custom, 42. Pagodies for every Horse which Pagody may be of starling 
A very good sale for Horses.  money 6 shillings 8 pence: they be pieces of gold ●f that value: so that the Arabian Horses are of great value in those countries as 300. 400. 500 Ducats a horse, and to a thousand Ducats a horse.   

Bezeneger.  
THe city of Bezeneger was sacked in the year 1565, by 4 kings of the Mores, which were of great power & might, the names of these four kings were these following. The first was called Dialcan, the second Zamaluc, the third Cotamaluc, & the fourth Viridy: and yet these four kings were not able to overcome this city & the 
A most unkind & wicked treason against their prince: this they have for giving credit to strrngers, rather than their own native people.  king of Bezeneger, but by treason. This king of Bezeneger was a Gentile, and having amongst all other of his Captains, two which were notable, and they were Mores, and these two Captains had either of them in charge 70 or 80 thousand men. These two Captains being of one Religion with the four kings which were Mores, wrought means with them to betray their own king into their hands. The king of Bezeneger esteemed not the force of the four kings his enemies, but went out of his City to wage battle with them in the fields, which when the armies were joined, the battle lasted but a while not the space of four hours, because the two traitorous Captains, in the chiefest of the fight, with their companies turn their faces against their king, and made such disorder in his army, that as astonished they set themselves to flight: thirty years was this kingdom governed by three brethren which were tyrants, the which keeping the rightful king in prison, it was their use every year once, to show him to the people, and they at their pleasures ruled as they listed. These brethren were three Captains belonging to the father of the king they kept in prison, which when he died, left his son very young, and then they took the government to themselves: the chiefest of these three was called Ramaragio, and he sat in the royal throne, and was called king: the second was called Temiragio, and he took the government on him: the third was called Bengatre, and he was captain general of the army. These three brethren were in this battle, in the which the chiefest and the last were never heard of quick nor dead. Only Temeragio fled in the battle, having lost one of his eyes: when the news came to the city of the overthrow in the battle, the wives and children of these three tyrants, with their lawful king (kept prisoner) fled away, spoiled as 
The sacking of the city.  they were, and the four kings of the Mores entered the city Bezeneger with great triumph, and there they remained sirmoneths, searching under houses and in all places for money and other things that were hidden, and then they departed to their own kingdoms, because they were not able to maintain such a kingdom as that was, so far distant from their own country.  
When the kings were departed from Bezeneger, this Temiragio returned to the City, and then began for to re-populate it, and sent word to Goa to the Merchants, that if they had any Horses to bring them to him, and he would pay well for them, and for this cause the aforesaid two merchants that I went in company withal, carried those Horses that they had to Bezeneger. Also this Tyrant made an 
An excellent good policy to entrap men.  order or law, that if any Merchant had any of the Horses that were taken in the aforesaid battle or wars, although they were of his own mark, that he would give as much for them as they would: and beside he gave general safe conduct to all that should bring them: when by this means he saw that there were great store of Horses brought thither unto him, he gave the merchants fair words, until such time as he saw they could bring no more. Then he licenced the Merchants to departed, without giving them any thing for their Horses, which when the poor men saw, they were desperate, and as it were mad with sorrow and grief.  
I rested in Bezeneger seven months, although in one month I might have discharged all my business, for it was necessary to rest there until the ways were clear of thieves which at that time ranged up and down: and in the time I rested there, I saw many strange and beastly deeds done of the Gentiles. First when there is any noble man or woman dead, they burn their bodies: & if a married man die. his wife must burn herself alive, for the love of her husband, and with the body of her husband: so that when any 
Mark this detestable order of the Gentiles.  man dieth, their wives will take a months leave, two or three, or as they will, to burn themselves in, and that day being come, wherein she ought to be burnt, that morning, she goeth out of her house very early, either on horseback or one an Elephant, or else is borne by eight men on a small stage: in one of these orders she goeth, being appareled like to a Bride, carried round about the City, with her hair down about her shoulders, garnished with Jewels & flowers, according to the estate of the party, and they go with as great joy as Brides do in Venice to the nuptials: she carrieth in her left hand a looking Glass, and in her right hand an arrow, and singeth through the city as she passeth, and saith, that she goeth to sleep with her dear spouse and husband. She is accompanied with her kindred and friends until it be one or two of the clock in the after noon, than they go out of the city, and going along the rivers side called Nigondin, which runneth under the walls of the city, 
A description of the burning place.  until they come to a place where they use to make this burning of women, being widows, there is prepared in this place a great square cave, with a little pinnacle hard by it, four or five steps up: the aforesaid cave is full of dried wood, the woman being come thither, accompanied with a number of people which come to see the thing, than they make ready a great banquet, and she that shall be burned, 
Feasting and dancing when they should mourn.  eateth with great joy and gladness, as though it were her marriage day: and the feast being ended, than they go to dancing and singing a certain time, according as she will: after this the woman of her own accord, commandeth then▪ to make the fire in the square Cave where the dry wood is, and when it is kindled, they come and certify her thereof, then presently she leaveth the feast, and taketh the nearest kinsman of her husband by the hand, and they both go together to the bank of the aforesaid river, where she putteth off all her Jewels & all her clothes, & giveth them to her parents or kinsfolk, and covering herself with a cloth, because she will not be seen of the people being naked: she throweth her 
☞  self into the river, saying: Oh wretches that ye wash your sins. Coming out of the water, she rolleth herself into a yellow cloth of 14 braces long, and again she taketh her husband's kinsman by the hand, and they go both together up to the pinnacle of the square cave wherein the fire is made: when she is on the pinnacle, she talketh and reasoneth with the people, recommending unto them her children and kindred: Before the pinnacle they use to set a Mat, because they shall not see the fierceness of the fire, yet there is many that will have them plucked away, showing therein a heart not 
An adamant heart.  fearful, and that they are not afraid of that sight. When this silly woman hath reasoned with the people a good while to her content, there is another woman that taketh a pot with oil and sprinkleth it over her head, and with the same she anointeth all her body, and afterwards throweth the pot into the Furnace, and both the woman and the pot goeth together into the fire, and presently the people that are round about the furnace, throw after her into the cave great pieces of wood, so by this means, with the fire & with the blows that she hath with the wood thrown after her, she 
morning when they should rejoice  is quickly dead, and after this there groweth such sorrow and such lamentation amongst the people, that all their mirth is turned into howling and weeping, in such wise, that a man could scarce bear the hearing of it. I have seen many burnt in this manner, because my house was near to the gate where they go out to the place of burning: & when there dieth any great man, his wife with all his slaves with whom he hath had carnal copulation, burn themselves together with him, Also in this kingdom I have seen amongst the base sort of people this use and order, that 
A worse order▪ then the first.  the man being dead▪ he is is carried to the place where they will make his sepulchre, and setting him as it were upright sitting, then cometh his wife before him on her knees, casting her arms about his neck, with embracing and clasping him, until such time as the Masons have made a wall round about them, and when the wall is as high as their necks, there cometh a man behind the woman & strangleth 
ungodly deeds to murder the people.  her, then when she is dead, the workmen finish the wall over their heads, and so they lie buried both together. Beside these, there is an infinite number of beastly qualities amongst the which I have no desire to write of them: I was very desirous to know the cause, why these women would so wilfully burn themselves against nature and law, and it was told me that this law was of an ancient time, to make provision against the slaughters which women made 
The cause why the women do ●o burn themselves.  of their husbands. For in those days before this law was made, the women for every little displeasure that their husbands had done unto them, they would presently poison their husbands, and take other men, and now by reason of this law they are more faithful to their husbands, and count their lives as dear as their own, because that after his death, her own followeth presently.  
In the year 1567. the people of Bezeneger, for the ill success that they had, in that their City was sacked by the four kings. The king with his court went to dwell in a castle eight days journey up in the land from Bezeneger, called Penegonde: Also six days journey from Bezeneger, is 
Penegonde.  ●he place where they get Diamonds, I was not there, but it was told me, that it is a great place, compassed with a wall, 
Th● getting of Diamonds.  and that they sell the earth within the wall, for so much a Squadro, & the limits is set, how deep, or how low they shall dig, those Diamonds that are of a certain size and bigger than that size, all those be for the king, it is many years agone, since they got any there, for the troubles that hath been in that kingdom: the first cause of this trouble was, because the son of this Temeragio had put to death the lawful king which he had in prison, for which cause the Barons and Noblemen in that kingdom would not acknowledge him to be their king, and by this means there is many kings, and great division in that kingdom, 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 Tigers and other wild beasts. The circuit of this City is four and twenty miles about, and within the walls certain mountains: the houses stand walled with earth, and plain, all saving the three palaces of the three tyrant brethren, and the Pagodies which are Idol houses, these are made with lime and fine marble: I have seen many king's Courts, and yet have I seen none in greatness like to this of Bezeneger, I say for the order of his Palace, for it hath nine gates or ports. First when you 
Mark the description of this palace.  go into the place where the king did lodge, there is five great ports or gates: these are kept with Captains and Soldiers: then within these, there are four lesser gates, which are kept with Porters, without the first gate there is a little porch, where there is a Captain with five and twenty Soldiers that keepeth watch and ward night and day, and within that, another with the like guard, where through they come to a very fair 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 five gates guarded and kept with those Captains: 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 custom of the Gentiles is to do their business, and make their feasts in the night, rather than by day: the City is very safe from thieves, for the Portugal Merchants sleep in the streets, or under porches for the 
A thing rare to be found in England.  great heat that is there, and yet they never had any harm in the night. At the end of two months▪ I determined to go for Goa in the company of two other Portugal Merchants, 
Palanchine is a small litter borne of four men.  which were making ready to departed, with two Palanchines or little Litters, which are very commodious for the way, with eight Falchines which are men hired, to carry the palanchines, eight for a palanchine, four at a time: they carry them as we use to carry barrows, and I bought 
Men ride on Bullocks: and travel with them on the way.  me two Bullocks, one of them to ride on, & the other to carry my victuals and provision, for in that country they ride on Bullocks with Panels as we term them, girths and Bridles, and they have a very good commodious pace. from Bezeneger to Goa, in summer it is 8 days journey, but we went in the midst of winter, in the month of July, and were 15 days coming to Ancole on the sea coast, so in 8. days, I had lost my two bullocks: for he that carried my victuales, was weak & could not go, the other when I came 
A pretty jest.  to a river where was a little Bridge to pass over, I put my Bullock to swimming, & in the midst of the river there was a little Island, unto the which my Bullock went, and finding pasture, there he remained still, & in no wise we could come to him, and so perforce, I was forced to leave him, & at that time there was much rain, and I was forced to go 7. days 
A hard matter for travelers,  a foot with great pains: and by great chance I met with Falchines by the way, that I hired to carry my clothes & victuales: we had great trouble in our journey, for that every day, we were taken prisoners, by reason the great dissension in that kingdom, and every morning at our departure we must 
This is strange that every nobleman may coin what money he would.  pay rescat 4. or 5. Pages a man: and another trouble we had as bad as this, that when as we came into a new governors country, as every day we did, yet for that thy were all tributory to the king Bezeneger yet every one of them stamped a several coin of Copper, so that the money that we took this day, would not serve the next: at length by the help of God we came safe to Ancola, which is a country of the queens of Gargo pam, tributary to the king of Bezeneger. The merchandise 
The merchandise that come in & out to Bezeneger every year.  that went every year from Goa to Bezeneger, was Arabian Horses, Velvets, Damasks, Satins, Armesine of Portugal, and pieces of China, Saffron, & Scarlets: & from Bezeneger, they had in Turkey for their commodities, Jewels, and Pagodies which be Ducats of gold: the apparel that they use in Bezeneger, is Velvet, Satin, Damask Scarlet, or white bombast cloth, according to the estate of the 
The apparel of those people.  person, with long hats on their heads, called Colae, made of Velvet, Satin, Dammask, or Scarlet, girding themselves in stead of girdles with some fine white bombast cloth: they have breeches after the order of the Turks: they wear on their feet, plain high things called of them aspergh, and at their ears they have hanging great plenty of Gold. Returning to my voyage when we were together in Ancola, one of my companions that had nothing to lose, took a guide and went to Goa, whether they go in 4. days, the other portugal not being disposed to go, tarried in Ancola 
Their winter is our summer.  for that winter: the winter in those parts of the Indies beginneth the 15. of May, and lasteth unto the end of October: & as we were in Ancola, there came another Merchant of horses in a planchine, and two portugal soldiers which came from Zealand, and two carriers of letters, which were Christians borne in the Indies: all these consorted to go to Goa together, and I determined to go with them, and caused a pallanchine to be made for me very poorly of Canes: and in one of them Canes I hide privily all the Jewels I had, and according to the order, I took eight Falchines to carry me, and one day about eluen of the clock, we set forwards on our journey, and about two of the clock in the afternoon, as we passed a mountain which divideth the territory of Ancola and Dyalcan, I being a little behind my company, was assaulted of by eight thieves, four of them had Swords and Targets, and the other four had Bows & Arrows, when the Falchines that carried me understood the noise of the assault, they let the palanchine & me fall to the ground, & ran away and left me alone, with my clothes wrapped about me: presently the thieves were on my neck, and riseling me, they stripped me stark naked, and I feigned myself sick, because I would not leave the Palanchine, and I had made me a little bed of my clothes, the thieves sought it very narrowly and subtly, and found two purses that I had, well bound up together, wherein I had put my Copper money which I had changed for four pagodies in Ancola, the thieves thinking it had been so many Ducats of Gold, searched no further, than they threw all my clothes in a bush and hied them away, and as God would have it, at their departure, there fell from them a handkerchief, and when I saw it, I rose from my Palanchine or Couch, and took it up, and wrapped it together within my Palanchine. Then these my Falchines were of so good condition, that they returned to seek me, whereas I thought I should not have found so much goodness in them because they were paid their money afore hand, as is the use: I had thought to have seen them no more: before their coming I was determined to pluck the Cane wherein my Jewels were bidden, out of my cowtch and to have made me a walking staff, to carry in my hand to Goa, thinking that I should have gone thither on foot, but by the faithfulness of my Falchines, I was rid of that trouble, and so in four days they carried me to Goa, in which time I made hard fare, for the thieves left me neither money gold nor silver, & that which I did eat, was given me of my men for gods sake: and after at my coming to Goa I paid them every thing rially all that I had of them: from Goa I departed for Cochin, which is a voyage of 300. miles, and between these two Cties are many holds of the Portugese's, as Onor, Mangalor, Barzelor & Cananor. The hold or fort that you shall have in going from Goa to Cochin 
Four small forts of the Portugese's.  that belongeth to the Portugese's, is called Onor, which is in the kingdom of the Queen of Battacella, which is tributary to the king of Bezeneger: there is no trade there, but only a charge with the Captain and company he keepeth there: and passing this place, you shall come to another small Castle of the Portugese's called Mangalor, and there is a very small trade only for a little Rice: and from thence you go to a little fort called Barzelor, there they have good store of Rice which is carried for Goa: and from thence you shall go to a city called Cananor, which is a Hargabush shot distant 
The commodities that go out of the kingdom of Cananor.  from the chiefest city that the king of Cananor hath in his kingdom, being a king of the Gentiles: and he and his are a very naughty and malicious people, always having delight to be in wars with the Portugese's, and when they are in peace, it is for the interest to let their merchandise pass: there goeth out of this kingdom of Cananor, all the Cardomomo, great store of pepper, Ginger, Honey, Ships laden with great Nuts, great quantity of Archa which is a fruit of the biggnes of Nutmegs, which fruit they eat in all those parts of the Indies and beyond the Indies, with the leaf of an herb which they call Bettell, the which is 
Bettell is a very profitable herb in that country  like unto our Juye leaf, but a little lesser, and thinner: they eat it made in Plasters with the lime made of Oystershelles, and thorough the Indies, they spend great quantity of money in this composition, and is used daily, which thing I would not have believed if I had not seen it: The customers get great profit by these Herbs, for that they have custom for them: when these people eat and chaw this in their mouths, it maketh their Spittle to be red, like unto blood and they say, that it maketh a man to have a very good stomach and a sweet breath, but sure in my judgement, they eat it rather to fulfil their filthy lusts and of a knavery, for this Herb is moist and hot, and maketh a very strong expultion. From Cananor to Crangenor, which is another small fort of the Portugese's in the Land of the king of Crangenor, which is another king of 
Enemies to the king of Portugese's.  the Gentiles, and a Country of small importance, and of a hundredth and twenty miles, full with theeeves, being under the king of Calicut, a king also of the Gentiles and a great enemy to the Portugese's, which when he is always in wars, he and his country is the Nest and resting for stranger thieves: and these be called moors of Carposa, because they wear on their heads, long red Hats, and these thieves part the spoils that they take on the sea, with the king of Calicut, for he giveth leave unto all that will go a roving liberally to go in such wise that all along that coast, there is such a number of thieves, that there is no sailing in those Seas but with great Ships and very well armed or else they must go in company with the army of the Portugese's: from Crangenor to Cochin, is 15. miles.   

Cochine.  
COchine is next unto Goa, the chiefest place 
Within Cochineis' the kingdom of Pepper.  that the Portugese's have in the Indies, and there is great trade of Spices, drugs, and all other sorts of Merchandise for the kingdom of Portugal, and there with in the land is the kingdom of Pepper, which Pepper the Portugese's lade in their ships by boulke and not in 
The pepper that the Portugese's bring, is not so good as that which goeth for Mecca, which is brought hither by the straits.  sacks, the Pepper that goeth for Portugal is not so good, as that which goeth for Mecca, because that in times passed, the officers of the king of Portugal, made a contract with the king of Cochine, in the name of the king of Portugal, for the prices of Pepper, and by reason of that agreement between them at that time made, the prize can neither rise nor fall, which is a very low and base price, and for this cause the Villains bring it to the Portugese's, green and full of filth. The Mores of Mecca that give a better price▪ have it clean and dry, and is better conditioned: all the spices and drugs that is brought to Mecha, is stolen from thence as Contrabanda. Cochine is two cities, one of the Portugese's, and another of the king of Cochines: that of the Portugese's is scituat nearest unto the sea, & that of the kings of Cochin is a mile and a half up higher in the land, but they are both set on the banks of one river, which is very great, and of a good depth of water, which river cometh out of the mountains of the king of the Pepper, which is a king of the Gentiles, in whose kingdom are many Christians of S. Thomas order: the king of Cochine is also a king of the Gentiles and a great faithful friend to the king of Portugal, and to those Portugese's which are married, and Citizens in the City Cochine of the Portugese's, and by this name of Portugese's, throughout all the Indies they call all the Christians that come out of the West, whether they be Italians, Frenchmen, or Almains, and all they that marry in Cochine do get an office, according to the trade he is of, this they have by the great privilege the Citizens have of that City, because there is two principal commodities that they deal 
Great privileges that the Citizens of Cochin have.  withal in that place, which are these: the great store of silk that cometh from China, and the great store of Sugar which cometh from Bengala, the married: Citizens pay not any custom for these two commodities: for all other commodities they pay four per cento custum to the king of Cochine, rating their goods at their own pleasure: those which are not married and strangers, pay in Cochine to the king of Portugal, eight per cento of all manner of merchandise, I was in Cochine when the viceroy of the king of Portugal wrought what he could to break the privilege of the Citizens, and to make them to pay custom as other did: at which time the citizens were glad to way their Pepper in the night, that they laded the ships withal that went to Portugal, and stole the custom in the night. The king of Cochine having understanding of this, would not suffer any more Pepper to be weighed: then presently after this, the Merchants were licensed to do as they did before, and there was no more speech of this matter, nor any more 
The small power of the king of Cochine.  wrong done. This king of Cochine is of a small power in respect of the other kings of the Indies, for he can make but seventy thousand men of arms in his camp: he hath a great number of Gentlemen which he calleth Amochy, and 
Amochy and Nayrii are very hardy men, & have their wives common.  some are called Nayry: these two sorts of men esteem not their lives any thing: so that it may be for the honour of his king, they will thrust themselves forward in every danger, although they know they shall die. These men go naked from the girdle upwards, with a cloth rolled about their legs, going bare footed, and having their hair very long and rolled up together on the top of his head, and always they carry their Bucklers or Targets with them, and their Swords naked: these Nayry have their wives common amongst themselves, and when any of them go into the house of any of these women, he leaveth his Sword and Target at the door, and the time that he is there, there dare not any be so hardy as to come into that house. The king's children shall not inherit the kingdom after their Father: because they hold this opinion, that perchance they were not begotten of the king their Father, but of some other man, therefore they accept for their King, one of the Sons of the king's Sisters, or of some other woman of the blood royal for that they be sure they are of the blood royal.  
The Nayri and their wives use for a bravery to make 
A very strange thing hardly to be believed  great holes in their ears, and so big and wide, that it is incredible, holding this opinion, that the greater the holes be, the more noble they esteem themselves. I had leave of one of them, to measure the circumference of one of them with a thread, and within that circumference I put my arm up to the shoulder, clothed as it was, so that in effect they are monstrous great. Thus they do make them when they be little, for than they open the ear, and hang a piece of gold or lead thereat, and in the opening, in the ●ole they put a certain leaf that they have for that purpose, which maketh the hole so great. They lad Ships in Cochine for Portugal and for Ormus, but they that go for Ormus, carry no Pepper but by Contrabanda, as for Cinnamon, they easily get leave to carry that away, for all other Spices and drugs they may liberally carry them to Ormus or Cambaia, and so all other merchandise which come from other places, but out of the kingdom of Cochine proper, they carry away from thence into Portugal great abundance 
The merchandise that the Portugese's carry from Cochine.  of Pepper, great quantity of Ginger, dried and conserved, wild Cinnamon, good quantity of Arecha, great store of Cordage of Cayro, made of the bark of the Tree of the great Nut, and better than that of Hemp, of which they carry great store into Portugal.  
The Ships every year departed from Cochine to go 
Note the departing of the ships from Cochine.  for Portugal, in the fist of December, or the fift of Januarie. Now to follow my voyage for the Indies: From Cochine I went to Coylane, distant from Cochine seventy and two miles, which Coylan is a small Fort of the king of Portugese's, situate in the kingdom of Coylane, which is a King of the Gentiles, and of small trade: at that place they lad only half a Ship of Pepper, and then she goeth to Cochine to take in the rest, and from thence to Cao Comeri, 
At Caocomery endeth the coast of the Indies.  is seventy and two miles, and there endeth the coast of the Indies, and alongst this coast, near to the water side, and also of Cao comery, down to the low land of Chialoa, which is about two hundred miles: The people there are as it were all returned to the Christian faith: there are also Churches of the Friars of Saint Paul's order, which Friars do very much good in those places to turn the people, and in converting them, and take great trouble in instructing them in the law of Christ.   

The fishing for Pearls.  
THe Sea that lieth between the coast which descendeth 
The order how they fish for pearls.  from Cao Comery, to the low land of Chialoa and the Island Zeyland, they call it the Fishing of Pearls, which fishing they make every year▪ beginning in March or April, and it lasteth 50 days, but they do not fish every year in one place, but one year in one place, & another year in another place of the same sea: when the time of this fishing draweth near, than they send very good divers, that go to discover where the greatest heaps of Dysters be under water, and right against that place where the greatest store of Dysters be, 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 thing necessary, & now & then it is near unto places that are inhabited, and other times far of, according to the place where they fish. The fishermen are all Christians of the country, and who that will may go to fishing, paying a certain 
Duty paid to the king of Portugal for the fishing of pearls.  duty to the king of Portugal, & to the Churches of the friars of S. Paul, which are in that coast, all the while that they are fishing, there is three or four Fustes armed to defend the fishermen from Corsarios: It was my chance to be there one time in my passage, & saw the order, that they used in fishing, which is this▪ there are 3 or 4 barks that make consort together, which are like to our little pilot boats & a little less, there goeth 7. or 8. men in a Boat: and I have seen in a morning great number of them go out, and anchor in 15. or 18 fathoms of water which is the ordinary depth of all that coast: when they are at anchor, they cast a rope into the Sea and at the end of the rope they make fast a great stone, and then there is ready, a man that hath his nose and his ears well stopped, and anointed with Oil and a Basket about his neck, or under his left arm, than he goeth down by the rope to the bottom of the sea, and as fast as he can he filleth the basket, and when it is full, he shaketh the rope & his fellows that are in the Bark, hale him up with the basket: and in such wise they go one by one until they have laden their bark with Oysters: and then at the evening they come to the village, and then every company maketh their mountain or heap of Oysters, one distant from another in such wise that you shall see a great long row of mountains or heaps of Oysters, and they are not touched, until such time as the fishing be ended, and at the end of the fishing, every company sitteth round about their mountain or heap of Oysters, and fall to opening of them, which they may easily do because they be dead, dry and brittle, & if every Oyster 
These Pearls are prised according to the caracts which they way, every carat is four grains, and these men that prize them have an instrument of copper with holes in it, which be made by degrees for to sort the Pearls withal.  had pearl in them, it would be a very good purchase, but there is very many that have no pearls in them: when the fishing is ended, than they see whether it be a good gathering or a bad: there is certain men expert in the pearls, whom they call Chitini which set and make the price of pearls according to their carracts, beauty and goodness, making four sorts of them: the first sort be the round pearls, and they be called Aia of Portugal, because the Portugese's do buy them: the second sort which are not round, are called Aia of Bengala: the 3. sort which are not so good as the second, they call Aia of Canara, that is to say the kingdom 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 is Merchants of every country, which are ready with their money in their hands: so that in a few days all is bought up, at the prizes set according to the goodness and caracts of the Pearls. In this sea of the fishing of pearls is an Island called Manar, which is inhabited by Christians, of the country which first were Gentiles, and have a small hold of the Portugal, being situate over against Zeyland: and between these two islands there is a Channel, but not very big and hath but a small depth therein, by reason whereof there cannot any great ship pass that way, but small Ships, and with the increase of the water, which is at the change or the full of the Moon, and yet for all this they must unlade them, and put their goods into small vessels to lighten them before they can pass that way, for fear of Sholdes that lie in the channel, & after lad them into their Ships, to go for the Indies, and this do all small Ships that pass that way, but those Ships that go for the Indies eastwards, pass by the coast of Chiarimandell, on the other side by the low Land of Chiloa which is between the Firm Land and the Island Manor, and going from the Indies to the coast of Chiarimandell, they lose some Ships, but they be empty, because that the Ships that pass that way discharge their goods at an Island called Peripatane, and there landiug their goods into small flat bottomed Boats, which draw little water, and are called Ta'en and can run over every Sholds without either danger or loss of any thing, for that they tarry in Peripatane until such time as it be fair weather: Before they depart to pass through the Sholdes there the small Ships and flat bottomed Boats go together in company, and when they have sailed six and thirty 
Great trouble and danger. Great dangers for ships.  miles, they arrive at the place where as the Sholdes be, and at that place the winds blow so forcible that they are forced to go through, not having any other refuge to save themselves: the flat bottomed Boats they go safe through, where as the small Ships if they miss the aforesaid Channel, stick fast on the Sholds, and by this means many are lost: and coming back from the Indies, they go not that way but pass by the Channel of Manor as above said, whose Channel is O●ye, and if the Ships stick fast, it is great chance if there be any danger at all: the reason why this Channel is not more surer to go thither is, because the winds that reign or blows between Zeyland and Manar make the Channel so dry with water, that almost there is not any passage: from Cao Comery to the Island of Zeyland is 120. miles overthwart.   

Zeyland.  
ZEyland is an Island, in my judgement a great deal bigger than Cyrus, on that side towards the Indies: then westwards is the 
Colomba a hold of the Portugese's,  city called Colomba, which is a hold of the Portugese's, but without wales or enemies: it hath towards the sea his fr●e port: the lawful king of that Island, is in Colomba, and is turned Christian, and maintained by the king of Portugal, being deprived of his kingdom: The king of the Gentiles, to whom this kingdom did belong was called the Madoni, which 
The policy of the son deprived the father of his kingdom.  had two sons▪ the first named Barbynas' the Prince, & the second Ragine: this king by the policy of his younger son was deprived of his kingdom, because he had ●ntised and done that which pleased the army and Soldiers, in despite of his father & brother being prince, usurped the kingdom, and became a great warrior: first this Island had three kings, this Ragine, with his father, & Barbinas his brother: the king of Cotta with his conquered prisoners: the king of Candia, which is a part of that Island, and is so called by the kingdom of Candia, which had a reasonable power, and was a great friend to the Portugese's, which said that he lived secretly a Christian: the third was the king of Gianifanpatan: in 13. years that this Ragine governed this Island 
Cayro is a stuff that they make ropes with the which is the bark of a tree.  he became a great tyrant. In this Island there groweth fine Sinnamon, great store of pepper, great store of Nuts▪ and Arochoe, there they make great store of Cairon to make Cordage: it bringeth forth great store of crystal cats eyes, or Echi de Gaty, and they say that they find there some Rubies, but I have sold Rubies well there, the I brought with me from Pega: I was very desirous to see how they gather the sinnamon, or take it from the tree that it groweth on, & so much the rather, because the time that I was there, was the season which they gather it in, which was in the month of April: whereas at which time, the Portugese's were in arms and in the field, with the king of the country: yet I to satisfy my desire, although in great danger, took a guide with me and went into a wood, 3. miles from the city, in which wood was great store of sinnamon trees growing together among other wild trees, & this sinnamon tree is a small tree, 
The cutting & gathering of cinnamon.  and not very high, and hath his leaves like to our bay tree: In the month of March or April, when the sap goeth up to the top of the tree, than they take the cinnamon from that tree: in this wise they cut the bark of the tree round about in length from knot to knot, or from joint to joint, above and below, and then easily with their hands they take it away laying it in the sun to dry: and in this wise it is gathered: and yet for 
A rare thing.  all this the tree dieth not, but against the next year it will have a new bark, & that which is gathered every year is the best sinnamon: for that which groweth 2. or 3. years is great and not so good as the other is: and in these woods groweth much Pepper.   

Negapatan.  
FRom Zeyland within the Island, to go with small ships to Negapatan within the firm land: & 72. miles of is a very great city, & very populous of Portugese's and Christians of the country, and part Gentiles: it is a country of small trade, neither have they any trade there save a good quantity of Rice, and cloth of bombast which they carry into divers parts: it was a very plentiful country of victuales, but now a great deal less, & that abundance of victuales, caused many Portugese's to go thither, and build houses & dwell there with small charge.  
This City belongeth to a noble man of the kingdom of Bezeneger being a Gentile, nevertheless the Portugese's and other Christians are well entreated there, & have their Churches there with a Monastery of S. Francis order, with great devotion and very well accommodated, with bouses round about, yet for all this they are amongst tyrants, which always at their pleasure may do them some harm, as it happened in the year of our Lord God▪ 1565, which I remember very well, how that the Naic, that is to say the Lord of the City, sent to the Citizens to demand of them certain Arabian Horses, and they having denied them unto him, and gainsaid his demand, it came to pass that this Lord had a desire to see the Sea, which when the poor Citizens understood thereof, they doubted some evil, to hear a thing which was not wont to be, they thought that this man would come to sack the City, and presently they embarked themselves the best they could with their movables, 
A foolish fear of Portugese's.  merchandise, Jewels, money and all that they had, and caused the ships to put from the shore, when this was done, as their ill chance would have it, the next night following, there came such a great storm, which put all the ships a land perforce, and broke them to pieces, and all the goods. that came a land and was saved, was taken from them by the Soldiers and army of this Lord, which came down with him to see the sea, and were attendant at the Sea side, not thinking any such thing to have happened.   

Saint Thomas, or sand Tome.  
FRom Nega patan following my voyage towards the East, a hundredth & fifty miles, 
S. Thomas his sepulchre.  I found the house of blessed S. Thomas, which is a Church of great devotion, and greatly regarded of the Gentiles for the great miracles that they have heard hath been done by that blessed Apostle: near unto this Church the Portugese's have builded them a City in the country subject ●o the king of Bezeneger, which City, although it be not very great, in my judgement it is the fairest in all that part of the Indies: and it hath very fair houses and fair Gardens, in vacant places very well accommodated: it hath streets large and strait, with many churches 
A description of S. Thomas his town, called of the Portugese's S. Tom.  of great devotion: their houses be set close unto an other, with little doors: every house hath his defence, so that by that means it is of force sufficient to defend themselves against that country: the portingalings there have no other possession but their Gardens, and houses that are within the City: the customs belong to the king of Bezeneger, which are very small and easy, for that it is a Country of great riches, and great trade: there cometh every year two or 
A painted kind of cloth and died of divers colours which those people delight much in & esteem them of a great price.  three great ships very rich, besides many other small ships: one of the two great ships goeth for Pegan, and the other for Mallaca, laden with fine bombast cloth of every sort, painted, which is a rare thing, because those kind of clothes show as they were gilded with divers colours, and the more they be washed, the livelier the colours will show: also there is other cloth of bombast which is woven with divers colours, & are of great value: also they make in Sane Tom, great store of red Yarn, which they dies with a root called Saya, and this colour will never waste, but the more it is washed, the more redder it will show: they lad this yarn the greatest part of it, for Pegan, because that there they work and weave it to make cloth according to their own fashion, and with lesser charges: It is a marvelous thing to them which have not seen the laging and unlading of men and merchandise in S. Tom as they do, it is a place so dangerous, there a man cannot be served with small barks, neither can they do their business with the boats of the ships because they would be beaten in a thousand pieces, but they make certain barks (of purpose) high, which they call Masady, they be made of little Boards: one Board sowed to another with small cords, and in this order are they made: And when they are thus made: and that they will embark any thing in them eythe men or goods, they lad them a land, and when they are laden, the Bark men shruste the boat with her lading into the stream: and with great speed they make haste, all that they are able to row out against the huge waves of the sea that are on that shore until that they carry them to th● Ships: and in like manner they lad these Masudies' a● the Ships with merchandise and men: when they come near the shore, the Bark-men keep out of the Bark into the Sea to keep the Bark right that she cast not thwart the shore, & being kept right, the suff of the Sea setteth her lading dry a land, without any hurt or danger, and sometimes there is some of them that is overthrown, but there can be no great loss, because the● lad but a little at a time: all the merchandise that they la● outwards they emball it well with Ox hides so that if ●● take wet it can have no great harm.  
In my voyage returning, in the year of our Lord God, one thousand, five hundred, sixty and six. I went from Goa unto Malacca, in a Ship or Galion of the King of Portugese's, which went unto Banda for to lad Nutmegs 
In the Island of Banda they lad Nutmegs for there they grow.  and Maces: from Goa to Malaca, one thousand eight hundred miles we passed within the Island Zeyland, and went through the channel of Nicubar, or else through the channel of Sombrero, which is by the middle of the Island called Sumtara, called Taprobana: & from Nicuber to Pigue is as it were, a row or chain of an infinite number of Islands, of which many are inhabited, with wild people, and they call those Islands the islands of Andeman, and they call their 
In the islands of Andeman they eat one another  people savage or wild, because they eat one another: also these Islands have war one with another, for they have small Barks, and with them they take one an other and so eat one an other, and if by evil thaunce any Ship be lost on those islands, as many have been, there is not one man of those Ships lost there that escapeth uneaten or unstaine, these people have not any acquaintance with any other people, neither have they trade with any, but line only of such fruits as those islands yieldeth: and if any Ship come near unto that place or coast as they paase the way, as in my voyage it happened, as I came from Malaca through the channel of 
The Mowsies is a kind of fruit growing in clusters and are 5 or 6 inches long 2 piece, & they grow 5. or 7. on a cluster & are a very good meat.  Sombrero, there came two of their barks near unto our ship laden with fruit, as with Mouces which we call Adam's apples, with fresh nuts, and with a fruit called Inany: which fruit is like to our Turnops, but is very sweet and good to eat: they would not come into the ship for any thing that we could do: neither would they take any money for their fruit, but they would truck for old shirts or pieces of old linen breeches, these rags they let down with a rope into their bark unto them, and look what they thought those things to be worth, so much fruit they would 
In any a fruit like to a Turnip, delicious to eat.  make fast to the rope and let us hale it in, and it was told me that at sonetimes a man shall have for an old shirt a good piece of Ambar.   

Sumatra.  
THis Island of Sumatra is a great Island and divided and governed by many Kings, and divided into many channels, where through there is passage: upon the head land towards the West is the kingdom of Assi and governed by a Moor King, this king is of great force and strength as he that beside his great kingdom, hath many foists and Galleys. In his kingdom groweth great store of Pepper, Ginger, Benjamin, he is an utter enemy to the 
The commodities that grow in the kingdom of Assi.  Portugal and hath divers times been at Malacca to fight against it, and hath done great harm to the bowroughes thereof, but the City alway defended him valientlie, and with their ordinance did great spoil to his Camp, at length I came to the City of Malacca.   

The City Malacca.  
MAlacca is a City of merueitous great trade of all 
The great trade that is at Malacca.  kind of Merchanbize. Which cometh from divers parts, because that all the Ships that sail in these seas, both great and small, are bound to touch at Malacca, to pay their custom there, although they unlade nothing at all as we do at Elsinor: and if by night they escape away, and pay not their custom, than they fall into a greater danger after: for if they come into the Indies and have not the seal of Malacca▪ they pay double custom, I have not passed farther than Malacca towards the East, but that which I will speak of here, is by good information of them 
voyages which are only for the king and his noble men.  that have been there. The sailing from Malacca towards the East, is not common for all men, as China and Giapan, and so forwards to go who will, but only for the king of Portugal and his nobles, with leave granted unto them of the king to make such voyages, or to the jurisdiction of the captain of Malacca, where he expecteth to know what voyages they make from Malacca thither, and these are the king's voyages, that every year, either departeth from Malacca, two Galleons of the kings, one of them goeth to the Mulluccoes to lad Cloves, and the other goeth to Banda to lad 
At the Moluccoes they lad the Cloves.  Nutmegs and Maces. These two Galians are laden for the king, neither do they carry any particular man's goods, saving the portage of the Mariners and Soldiers, and for this cause, they are not voyages for Merchants, because that going thither he shall not have where to lad his goods of return, and besides this the Captain will not carry any Merchant for either of these two places. There goeth small Ships of the Mores thither, which come from the coast of java, and change or gild their commodities in the kingdom of Assa, and these be the Maces, Cloves, and Nutmegs, which go for the straits of Mecca. The voyages that the king of Portugal granteth to his nobles are these, of China and Giapan: from China to Giapan, and from Giapan to China, and from China to the Indies, and the voyage of Bengaluco Sonda, with the lading of fine cloth, and every sort of Bombast cloth▪ Sonda is an Island of the Mores, near to the roast of Giava, and there they lad Pepper for China. The ships that goeth every year from the Indies to China is 
The ship of Drugs, so termed of the Portugese's.  called the Ship of Drugs, because she carrieth divers drugs of Cambaya: but the greatest part of her lading is silver. From Malacca to China is 1800. miles, and from China to Giapan, goeth every year a great ship of great importance, laden with silk, which for return of their silk bring bars 
The distance of places.  of Silver which they truck in China, that is distant between China an● Giapan 2400 miles, and in this way there is divers islands, not very big, in the which the Friars of S. Paul by the help of God, make many Christians there like to themselves: from these islands hither wards is not 
islands not discovered.  yet discovered, for the great sholdnes of Sands that they find. The Portugese's have made a small City near unto the coast of China called Macha, whose church and houses are of wood, and hath a Bishopric: but the customs are of the king of China, and they go and pay it at a City called Canton, which is a City of great importance, and very beautiful, two days journey and a half from Macheo, which people are Gentiles, and are so jealous and fearful, 
A kind of jealous people.  that they would not have a stranger to put his foot within their land, so that when the Portugese's go thither to pay their custom, and to buy their Merchandise, they will not consent that they shall lie or lodge within the City, but sendeth them forth into the suburbs. The country of China 
China is under the government of the great Tartar.  is in the kingdom of great Tartary, and is a very great country of the Gentiles, and of great importance, which may be judged by the rich and precious merchandise that come from thence, the which I believe are not better nor greater quantity in the whole world, than these are that 
The riches of China.  come from thence. First great store of gold, which they carry to the Indies, made in plates like to little Ships▪ and in value 23 caracts a piece, very great abundance of fine Silk, Cloth of Damask and Taffitle, great quantity of Musk, great quantity of Occom in bars, great quantity of Quicksilver and of Cinaper, great store of Camfora, an infinite quantity of Procellane, made in vessels of divers sorts, great quantity of painted cloth and squares, infinite store of the roots of China, every year there cometh from China to the Indies two or three great Ships, laden with most rich and precious Merchandise. The Rhubarb cometh from thence over land, by the way of Percia, because that every year there goeth a great Caravan from Percia to China, which is in going thither six months▪ Caravan arriveth at a city called Lanchine, the place where the king is resident 
It is a most excellent fine metal as may be made.  with his court, I spoke with a Persian that was three years in that City of Lanchine, and he told me that it was a great City and of great importance. The voyages of Malacca which are in the jurisdiction of the Captain of the castle, are these, that every year he sendeth a small Ship to Timor to land white Sandolo, for all the 
Tymor an Island from whence cometh all the white Sandolo.  best cometh from this Island: there cometh also from Color, but that is not so good: also he sendeth another small ship every year to Cochine China, to lad there wood of Aleos, for that all the wood of Aleos cometh from this place, which is in the firm land near unto China, and in that kingdom I could not know how that wood groweth by any means. For that the people of the country will not suffer the Portugese's to come within the land, but only for wood and water, and as for all other things that they wanted, as victuals or merchandise, the people bring y● a board the 
A market kept aboard of the ships.  ship in small barks, so that every day there is a mart kept in the Ship, until such time as she be laden: also there goeth another ship for the said Captain of Malacca to Asion, to lad Verzino: all these voyages are for the Captain of the Castle of Malacca, and when he is not disposed to make these voyages, he selleth them to another.   

The City Zion.  
SIon was the imperial seat, and a great City, but in the year of our Lord God, 1567., it was taken by the king of Pegu which king made a voyage or came by 
A prince of a marvelous strength and power.  land four months journey with an army of men through his land, and the number of his army was a Million and four hundredth thousand men of war: when he came to the City, he gave assault to it, and besieged it twenty and one months before he could win it, with great loss of his people, this I know, for that I was in Pegu six months after his departure, and saw when that his officers that were in Pegu▪ sent five hundredth thousand men of war to furnish the places of them that were slain and lost in that assault: yet for all this, if there had not been treason against the City, it had not been lost, 
Treason.  for on a night there was one of the gates set open, through the which with great trouble the king got into the City, and became governor of Zion: and when the Emperor saw that he was betrayed, and that his enemy was in the City, he poisoned himself, and the wives and children, friend and noblemen, that were not slain in the first affront of the entrance into the City, were all carried captives into Pegu, where I was at the coming home of the king with his triumphs and victory, which coming home and returning from the wars was a goodly sight to behold, to see the Elephants 
Great triumphs.  come home in a square, laden with Gold, Silver, Jewels, and with Noble men and women that were taken prisoners in that City.  
Now to return to my voyage: I departed from Malacca, in a great Ship which went for S. Tom, being a City situate on the coast of Chiriamandell, & because the captain of the castles of Malacca having understanding proaduyzo, that the king of Assi would come with a great army and power of men against them, therefore upon this he would not give licence that any Ships should depart: Wherefore in this Ship we departed in the night, without making any provision of our water: and we were in that ship four hundredth and odd men: we departed from thence with Intention to go to an Island to take in water, but the winds were so contrary, that they would not suffer us to fetch it, so that by this means we were two and forty days in the sea as it were lost, and we were driven too and fro, so that the first land that we discovered, was beyond Saint Tomes, more than five hundredth miles 
The mountains of Zerziline.  which were the mountains of Zerzerline, near unto the kingdom of Orisa, and so we came to Orisa with many sick, and more that wear dead for want of water: and they that were sick in four days died: and I for the space 
A miserable thing.  of a year after had my throat so sore hoarse, that I could never satisfy my thirst in drinking of water: I judge the reason of my hoarseness to be with sops that I wet in vinnigar and Oil wherewith I sustained myself many days, there were not any want of bread neither of wine: But the wines of that country are so hot that without water they kill a man: neither are they able to drink them: when we began to want water, I saw certain moors that were officers in the Ship, that sold a small dish 
They would have given two hundred & a half of pepper for a small dish of water and they woul● not take it their misery was so great.  full for a Ducat, after this, I saw one that would have given a Bar of Pepper, which is two quintalles and a half, for a little measure of water, and he could not have it. Truly I believe that I had died with my slave, whom then I had to serve me, which cost me very dear, but to provide for the danger at hand, I sold my slave for half that he was worth, because that I would save his drink that he drunks to serve my own purpose, and save my life.   

Of the Kingdom of Orisa, and the River Ganges.  
ORisa was a fair Kingdom, and trusty, 
A rare thing.  through the which a man might have gone with Gold in his hand without any danger 
The love of the King to strangers was so great, that he would take no custom of them.  at all, as long as the lawful King reined which was a gentile, which was in the city called Catecha, which was within the land six days Journey. This King loved Strangers marvelous well, and Merchants which came in and out in his Kingdom, in such wise, that he would take no custom of of them, neither any other grievous thing. Only the Ship that came thither paid a small thing according to her portage, and every year in the port of Orisa, laded 25. or 30. Ships great and small, with Rice divers sorts of fine white bombast cloth. Oil of Zerzclnie, which they make 
The commodities that go out of Orisa.  of a Seed, and is very good to eat and to fry fish withal, great store of Butter, Lacca, long Pepper, Ginger, Mirabolany dry, and condyt, great store of cloth of herbs, which is a kind of Silk which groweth amongst the woods without 
This cloth we call Nettle cloth.  any labour of man, only when the bowl thereof is grown round as big as an Orange▪ then they take care only to gather them. About sixteen years passed, this King with his Kingdom were destroyed by the King of Patane, which was 
In this Bengala, they lad Nutmegs, for there they grow.  also King of the greatest part of Bengala, and when he had got the kingdom he set custom there twenty pro cento, as Merchants paid in his Kingdom, but this tyrant enjoyed his kingdom but a small time, but was conquered by another tyrant, which was the great Mogul, King of Agraa, Dely and of all Cambaia, without any resistance. I departed from Orisa to Bengala, to the harbour Picheno, which is distant from Orisa towards the east a hundredth and scutcheon miles. They go as it were rowing alongst the coast 
The River of Ganges.  fifty & four miles, and then we enter into the River Ganges: from the mouth of this River, to a City called Satagan where the Merchants gather themselves together with their trade, are ●●20. miles, which they row in 18. hours: with the increase of the water, in which River it floweth and ebbeth as it doth in the Themes, and when the ebbing water is come, they are not able to row against it, by reason of the swiftness of the water, yet their Barks be light and armed with oars, like to Foists, yet they cannot prevail 
Bazaras and Pa●uas are the names of the Barks that they row in the River Ganges.  against that stream, but for refuge must make them fast to the bank of the river until the next flowing water, and they call these barks Bazaras and Patuas: they row as well as a Gallyot, or as well as ever I have seen any, a good tides rowing before you come to Satagan, you shall have a place which is called Buttor, and from thence upwards the Ships do not go, because that upwards the River is very shallow, and little water, every year at Buttor they make and unmake a Village, with houses and shops, made of Straw, and with all things necessary to their uses, and this village standeth as long as the ships ride there, and departed for the Indies, and when they are departed, every man goeth to his plot of houses, and there setteth fire on 
A town made for two or three months and then burnt.  them, which thing made me to marvel. For as I passed up to Satagan, I saw this village standing with a great number of people, with an infinite number of Ships and Bazars, and at my return coming down with my Certain of the last ship, for whom I tarried, I was all amazed to see such a place so soon razed and burnt, nothing left but the sign of the burnt houses, the Small Ships go to Satagan, and there they lad.   

Of the City of SATAGAN.  
IN the port of Satagan every year ladeth 30. or 35. Ships great and small, with Rice 
The commodities that are laden in Satagan.  Cloth of Bombast, of divers sorts, Lacca, great abundance of Sugar, Mirabolany, dried and preserved, long Pepper, Oil of Zerzeline, and many other sorts of Merchandise. The City of Satagan is a reasonable fair City for a City of the moors, abounding in all things, and was governed by the King of Patane, and now is subject to the great Mogul, I was in this Kingdom four months, whereas many merchants did buy or freight boats for their benefits, and with these barks they go up and down the river of Ganges to Fairs, buying their commodity with a great advantage, because that every day in the Week they have a Fair, now in one place, and now in another, and I also hired a bark and went up and down the river and did my business, and so in the night I saw many strange things. 
These Gentiles are idolaters.  The kingdom of Bengala in times past have been as it were in the power of moors, nevertheless there is great store of Gentiles among them, always whereas I have spoken of 
moors are of the sect of Mahomet.  Gentiles, is to be understood Idolaters, and whereas I speak of moors I mean Mahomet's sect, especially those people that be within the land do greatly worship the river of Ganges, for when any is sick, he is brought out of the country to the bank of the river, and there they make him a small cottage of Straw, and every day they wet him with 
A ceremony of the gentiles when they are dead.  that Water, whereof there is many that die, and when they are dead, they make a heap of sticks and boughs and lay the dead body thereon, and putting fire thereunto, they let the body alone until it be half roasted, and then they take it off from the fire, and make an empty jar fast about his neck, and so throw him into the river. These things every night as I passed up and down the river I saw for the space of 
Portugese's do not drink of the water▪ of the River Ganges.  two months, as I passed to the fairs to buy my commodities with the merchants, and this is the cause that the Portugals will not drink of the water of the river Ganges, yet to the sight it is more perfecter and clearer than that water of Nilus is. From the port of Pechineo I went to Cochim, and from Cochim to Malaca, from whence I departed for Pegu eight hundred miles distant, that voyage was wont to be made in twenty five or thirty days, but we were four months, and at the end of three months our Ship was without victuals. The Pilot told us that we were by his altitude from a City called Tenassiry, a City in the kingdom of Pegu, and these his words were not true, but we were (as it were) in the middle of many islands, and many uninhabited rocks, and there were also some Portugals that affirmed that they knew the Land, & knew also where the City of Tenassiry was.  
Which city of right belongeth to the kingdom of Zion, which is situate on a great river side which cometh out of the kingdom of Zion: and where this river runneth into the 
Mergy a harbour where ships land.  sea, there is a village called Mergy, in whose harbour every year there ladeth some Ships with Uerzina, Nypa, and Benjamin, a few cloves, nuts & maces which come from the coast of Zion, but the greatest merchandise there is verzing, and nypa, which is an excellent Wine, which is had in the flower of a tree called Nyper. Whose liquor they distill, and 
Niper Wine is a most excellent drink.  so make an excellent drink clear as Crystal, good to the mouth, and better to the stomach, and it hath an excellent gentle virtue, that if one were rotten with the french pocks, drinking good store of this, he shall be whole again, and I have seen it proved, because that, when I was in Cochin, there was a friend of mine, that his nose began to drop away with that disease, and was counseled of the doctors of physic, that he should go to Tenassary at the time of the new 
Niper Wine good to cure the french disease.  wines, and that he should drink of the nyper Wine, night and day, as much as he could before it was distilled, which at that time it is most delicate, but after that it is distilled, it is more stronger, and drink much of it, it will fume into the head with drunkenness. This man went thither, and did so, and I have seen him after with a good colour and 
Niper Wine very dear in the Indians.  sound. This Wine is very much esteemed in the Indies, & for that that it is brought so far off, it is very dear: in Pegu ordinarily it is good cheap, because it is nearer to the place where they make it, and there is every year great quantity made thereof: and returning to my purpose, I say being amongst these rocks, and far from the land which is over against Tenassary, with great scarcity of victuals, and that by the saying of the pilate and two Portugals, holding then firm that we were in front of the aforesaid harbour, we determined to go thither with our boat and ●etch victuals, and that the ship should stay for us in a place assigned, we were twenty and eight persons in the boat that went for victuals, and on a day about twelve of the clock we went from the Ship, assuring ourselves to be in the harbour before night in the aforesaid port, we rowed all that day, and a great part of the next night, and all the next day without finding harbour, or any sign of good landing, and this came to pass through the evil counsel of the two Portugals that were with us.  
For we had overshot the harbour and left it behind us, in such wise that we had lost the land, inhabited with the ship, and we twenty eight men had no manner of victual with us in the boat, but it was the Lords will that one of the Mariners, had brought a little Rice with him in the boat to barter away for some other thing, and it was not so much but that three or four men would have eate● it at a meal: 
Great extremity at Sea.  I took the government of this Rice, promising that by the help of God that rice should be nourishment for us until it pleased God to send us to some place that was inhabited: and when I slept I put the rice into my bosom because they should not rob it from me: we were nine days rowing alongst the coast, without finding any thing but Country's uninhabited, and deserts Island, where if we had found but grass it would have seemed Sugar unto us, but we could not find any, yet we found a few leaves of a tree, and they were so hard that we could not chew them, we had Water and Wood sufficient, and as we rowed, we could go but by flowing Water, for when it was ebbing Water, we 
This Tortu go is a shell fish which liveth in the Sea, and yet layeth his Eggs in the Sand, I have seen 200. and odd eggs in one of their b●● lies.  made fast our boat to the bank of one of those islands, and in these nine days that we rowed, we found a cave or nest of tortuga's eggs, wherein was a hundred & forty four eggs, the which was a great help unto us: these eggs are as big as a hens egg, and have no shell about them but a tender Skin, every day we sodde a kettle full of them eggs, with an handful of rice in the broth thereof: it pleased God that at the end of nine days, we discovered certain fisher men, a fishing with small barks, and we rowed towards them, with a good cheer, for I think there were never men more glad than we were, for we were so sore afflicted with penury that we could scarce stand on our legs. yet according to the order that we set for our rice, when we saw those fisher men, there was left sufficient for four days. The first village that we came too, was in the gulf of Tauay, under the King of Pegu, whereas we found great store of victuals, then for two or three days after our arrival there, we would eat but little meat, any of us: and 
Tauay under the King of Pegu.  yet for all this, we were at the point of death the most part of us. From Tauay to Martavan, in the Kingdom of Pegu, are seventy two miles. We laded our boat with victuals which was abundantly sufficient for six months, from whence we departed for the port and City of Martavan, where in short time we arrived, but we found not our ship there as we had thought we should, from whence presently we made out two backs to go to look for her. And they found her in great calamity, and need of Water, being at an anchor with a contrary wind, and came very ill to pass, because that she wanted her boat a month which should have made her provision of wood and water, The ship also by the grace of God arrived safely in the aforesaid port of Martavan.   

The City of Martavan.  
WE found in the City of Martavan ninety Portugals of Merchants 
Martauan a City under the King of Pegu.  and other base men, which had fallen at difference with the Retor or governor of the City, and for this cause, that certain vagabonds of the Portugals had slain five falchines of the Kings of Pegu, which chanced about a month after that the King of Pegu was gone with a million and four hundredth thousand men to conquer the kingdom of Zion, they have for custom in this Country and Kingdom, that the King being wheresoever his pleasure is to be out 
A custom that these People have when the King is in the wars.  of his kingdom, that every fifteen days there goeth from Pegu a caravan of Falchines, with every one a basket on his head full with some fruits or other delicates of refreshings, and with clean clothes, it chanced that this caravan passing by Martavan, and resting themselves there a night, there happened between the Portugals and them: words of despite, and from words to blows, and because it was thought that the Portugals had the worse, the night following, when the Falchines were a sleep with their company, the Portugals went and cut off five of their heads. Now there is a Law in Pegu that whosoever 
A law in Pegu for killing of men.  killeth a man, he shall buy the shed blood with his money, according to the estate of the person that is slain, but these Falchines being the servants of the King, the Retors durst not do any thing in the matter, without the consent of the King, because it was necessary that the King should know of such a matter. When the King had knowledge thereof, he gave commandment that the malefactors should be kept until his coming home, and then he would duly minister justice, but the captain of the Portugals would not deliver those men, but rather set himself with all the rest in arms, and went every day through the city marching with the Drum and ancient displayed. For at that time the City was empty of men, by reason they were gone all to the wars and in business of the king, in the midst of this rumour we came thither, and I thought it a strange thing to see the Portugals use such insolency 
Great pride of the Portin galls.  in another man's City. And I stood in doubt of that which came to pass, & would not unlade my goods because that they were more surer in the ship then on the land, the greatest part of the lading was the owners of the ship, who was in Malacca, yet there were divers merchants there, but their goods were of small importance, all those merchants told me that they would not unlade any of their goods there, unless I would unlade first, yet after they left my counsel & followed their own, and put their goods a land and lost it every whit. The Rector with the customer sent for me, and demanded why I put not my goods a land, and pay my custom as other men did? to whom I answered, that I was a merchant that was newly come thither, & seeing such disorder amongst 
A good discrete way taken for safe guard of his goods.  the Portugals, I doubted the loss of my goods which cost me very dear, with the sweat of my face, and for this cause I was determined not to put my goods a land, until such time as his honour would assure me in the name of the king, that I should have no loss although there came harm to the Portugals, that I nor my goods should not have any hurt, because I had neither part nor any difference with them in this rumour: my reason sounded well in the Retors' ears, and presently commanded to call the Bargits, which are as Counsellors of the City & there they promised me on the King's head or in the behalf of the King, that neither I nor my goods should have any harm, but that we should be safe & sure: of which promise there was made public notes, and then I sent for my goods and had them a land, and paid my custom, which is in that country ten in the hundredth of the same goods, and for my more security I took a house right against the Retors' house. The Captain of the Portugals, and all the Portugal Merchants were put out of the City, and I with twenty and two poor men which were officers in the Ship, we had our dwelling in the City. After this, the Gentil● devised to be revenged of the Portugals, but they would not put it in execution until such time as our small Ship had discharged all her goods, and then the nert night following, came from Pegu four thousand soldiers 
A revenge on the Portugese's.  with some Elyphants of War, and before that they made any rumour in the city, the Retor sent, and gave commandment to all Portugals that were in the City, that when they heard any rumour or noise, that for any thing they should not go out of their houses, and as they tendered their own health. Then four hours in the night I heard a great rumour and noise of men of War, with Eliphants which threw down the doors of the Warehouses of the Portugals, and their houses of wood and straw, in the which rumour there were some Portugals wounded, and one of them slain, and others without making proof of there manhood, which the day before did so brag at that time: put themselves to flight most shamefully, and saved themselves a board of little Ships, that were at an anchor in the harbour, and some that were in their beds fled away naked, and that night they carried away all the Portugals goods, out of the suburbs into the City, and those Portugals that had their goods in the suburbs with all. After this the Portugals that were fled into the ships to save themselves, took a new courage to themselves, and came a land and set fire on the houses in the suburbs, which houses being made of board and straw, and a fresh wind: in small time they were burnt and consumed, with which fire half the City had like to been burnt, when the Portugals had done this, they were without all hope to recover any part of their goods again, which goods might amount to the sum of sixteen thousand ducats, which if they had not set fire to the town, they might have had their goods given them gratis, than the Portugals having understanding that this thing was not done by the consent of the King, but by his lieutenant and the Retor of the city, they were very ill content, knowing that they had made a great fault, yet the next morning following, the Portugals began to batter and shoot their ordinance against the City, which battery of theirs continued four days, but all was in vain, for the shot never hit the City, but light on the top of a small hill near unto it, so that the City had no harm, when the Retor perceiving that the Portugals made batry against the City, he took twenty and one Portugals that were there in the City, and sent them four miles into the Country, there to tarry until such time as the other Portugals were departed, that made the battery, who after their departure let them go at their own liberty without any harm done unto them, I was always in my house with a good guard appointed me by the Retor, that no man should do me injury, nor harm me nor my goods, in such wise that he performed all that he had promised me in the name of the King, but he would not let me departed before the coming of the king, which was my hindrance greatly, because I was twenty and one months sequested, that I could not buy nor sell any kind of merchandire. Those commodities that I brought thither, was Pepper, Sandolo, and Procellan of China, so when the King was come home, I made my supplication unto him, and I was licenced to departed when I would.  
From Martavan I departed to go to the chiefest City in 
Pegu▪ is the name of the Kingdom and the choice City is called after that name.  the kingdom of Pegu, which is also called after the name of the Kingdom, which voyage is made by sea in three or four days, they may go also by Land, but he that hath merchandire it is better for him to go by sea and lesser charge, and in this voyage you shall have a Marcareo, which is one of the marvelous things in the world the nature hath wrought, and I never saw any thing so hard to be believed as this, The great increasing and diminishing that the Water maketh there at one push or instant, and with the horrible 
A thing most marvelous that at the coming of the tide, that the earth should quake  earth quake and great noise that it maketh where it cometh. We departed from Martavan in barks, which are like to our Pilot boats, with the increase of the Water, and they go as swift as an arrow out of a bow, so long as the tide runneth with them, and when the water is at the highest, than they draw themselves out of the Channel towards some bank, and there they come to anchor, and when the Water is diminished, than they rest a dry: and when the barks rest dry, they are as high from the bottom of the Channel, as any house top is high from the ground. They let their barks lie so high for this respect, that if there should any ship rest or ride in the Channel, with such force cometh in the Water, that it would overthrow ship or bark: yet for all this, that the barks be so far out of the Channel, 
This tide is like to the tides in our River of Severne.  and though the Water hath lost her greatest strength and fury before it come so high, yet they make fast their prow to the stream, and often times it maketh them very fearful, & if the Anchor did not hold her prow up by strength: she would be overthrown and lost with men and goods, when the Water beginneth to increase, it maketh such a noise and so great that you would think it an earthquake, & presently at the first it maketh 3. wanes. So that the first washeth over the bark, from stem to stern the second is not 
These tides make their just course as o●rs do.  so furious as the first, & the third ratseth the anchor, and then for the space of six hours that the water increaseth, they rolve with such swiftness that you would think they did fly, in these tides there must be lost no jot of time, for if you arrive not at the stagious before the tide be spent, you must turn back from whence you came For there is no staying at any place but at these stagious, and there is more danger at one of these places then at another, as they be higher and lower one than another. When as you return from Pegu to Martavan, they go but half the Tide at a time, because they will lay their barks up aloft on the banks, for the reason aforesaid, I could never gather any reason of the noise that this Water maketh in the increase of the 
This Macareo is a tide or a coraot. Houses made of Cane and covered with leaves of trees.  Tide, and in diminishing of the Water. There is another Macareo in Cambaya, but that is nothing in comparison of this, by the help of God we came safe to Pegu, which are two cities, the old and the new, in the old City are the Merchant strangers, and merchants of the Country, for there is the greatest doings and greatest trade. This City is not very great, but it hath very great suburbs. Their houses be made with canes, and covered with leaves, or with 
Godon is a pla●e or house for merchants to lay their goods in.  straw, But the merchants have all one house or Magason, which house they call Godon which is made of Bricks, and there they put all their goods of any valour, to save them from the often mischances that there happeneth to houses made of such stuff, in the new city is the palace of the king, & his abiding 
The form of the building of the new City of Pegu.  place with all his barons & nobles, & other gentlemen & in the time that I was there, they finished the building of the new city, it is a great city, very plain and flat, & 4. square, walled round about, & with ditches y compass the walls about with water, in which ditches are many crockadels, it hath no draw Bridges, yet it hath twenty gatcs, five for every square on the walls, there is many places made for sentinels to watch, made of Wood and covered or gilded with gold, the streets thereof are the fairest that I have seen, they are as straight as a line from one gate to another, and standing at the one gate, you may discover to the other, and they are as broad as 10. or 12. men may ride a breast in them: & those streets that be thwart are fair and large, these streets both on the one side and on the other, are planted at the doors of the houses: But trees of India, which make a very commodious shadow, the houses be made of Wood and covered with a kind of tiles in form of cups, very necessary for their use, the King's Palace is in the middle of the City, made in form of a walled Castle, with ditches full of Water round about 
A rich and stately Palace.  it, The lodgings within are made of Wood, all over gilded with fine pinnacles, and very costly work, covered with plates of Gold. Truly it may be a kings house: within the gate there is a fair large Court, from the one side to the other, wherein there is made places for the strongest and stoutest elephants appointed for the service of the kings 
Four white Eliphants  person, and amongst all other Eliphants, he hath four that be white, a thing so rare that a man shall hardly find another King that hath any, and if this King know any other that hath white Eliphants, he sendeth for them as for a gift. The time that I was there, there was two brought out of a far Country, and that cost me something the sight of them, for that they command the Merchants to go to see them, and then they must give somewhat to the men that 
This money called tansa is half a ducat which may be three shillings and four pence.  bring them, the brokers of the Merchants give for every man half a Ducat, which they call a Tansa, which amounteth to a great somme. For the number of Merchants that are in that City, and when they have paid the aforesaid Tansa, they may choose whether they will see them at that time or no, because that when they are in the kings stall, every man may see them that will, but at that time they must go and see thent, for it is the kings pleasure it should be so. This King amongst all other his Titles, he is called the King of the white Eliphants, and it is reported 
The Prince valour of a King to hazard his whole Kingdom ●o● 〈…〉 Elephant.  that if this King knew any other King that had any of these white Eliphants, and would not send them unto him, that he would hazard his whole Kingdom to conquer them, he esteemeth these white elephants very dearly, and are had in great regard, and kept with very meet service, every one of them is in a house, all gutlded over, and they have 
elephants houses golded over with Gold and ●aue the●● meat given them in vessels of Silver and Gold. A warhke policy.  there meat given them in vessels of Silver and gold, there is one black Elephant the greatest that hath been seen, and he is kept according to his bigness, he is nine cubits high, which is a marvelous thing, it is reported that this King hath four thousand Eliphants of War, and all have their teeth, and they use to put on their two uppermost teeth sharp pikes of iron, and make them fast with rings, because these beasts fight, and make battle with their teeth he hath also very many young elephants that have not their teeth sprowted forth, also this King hath a brave device in hunting to take these elephants when they will, two miles 
An execllent device to ●un● and take wild Elliphants.  from the City. He hath builded a fair palace and all guilded, and within it a fair Court, and within it and round about there is made an infinite number of places for men to stand to see this hunting, near unto this Palace is a mighty great Wood, through the which the huntsmen of the 
A subtle composition.  King, ride continually on the backs of the femine eliphants, teaching them in this business, every hunter carrieth out with him five or six of these Femines and they say that they anoint the secret place, with a certain composition that they have, that when the wild Elephant doth sinell thereunto, they follow the femines & cannot leave them when the huntsmen have made provision, and the Elephant so entangled: they guide the Femines towards the Palace which is called Tambell, and this palace hath a door which doth open and shut with engines, before which door there is a long straight way with trees on both the sides, which covereth the way in such wise as it is like darkness in a corner, the wild Elephant when he cometh to this way, thinketh that he is in the Woods. At the end of this dark way there is a great field, when the hunters have gotten this prey, when they first come to this field, they send presently to give knowledge there to the City, and with all speed there goeth out fifty or sixty men on horseback, and do be set the field round about, in the great field then the females, which are taught in this business go directly to the mouth of the dark way, and when as the wild Elephant is entered in there, the hunter's shout and make a great noise, as much as is possible to make the wild Elephant entering in at the gate of the palace, which is then open, and assoon as they be in, the gate is shut without any noise, and so the hunters with the female Eliphants, and the wild one are all in the Court together, and then within a small time the Females withdraw themselves away one by one, out of the Court, leaving the wild Elephant alone, and when he perceiveth that he is left alone: he is so mad that for two or three hours to see 
An excellent pastime of the Eliphants.  him, it is the greatest pleasure in the World, he weepeth, he flingeth, he runneth, he iustleth, he thrusteth under the places, where the people stand to see him, thinking to kill some of them, but the postsand timber is so strong and great that they cannot hurt any body, yet he often times breaketh his teeth in the grates, at length when he is weary and hath laboured his body that he is all wet with sweat, them he plucketh in his trunk into his mouth, and then he throweth out so much Water out of his belly, that he sprinkleth it over the heads of the lookers on, to the uttermost of 
These canes are like to them in Spain which they call jaco de●ore.  them, although it be very high, and then when they see him very weary, there goeth certain officers into the Court with long sharp canes in their hands and prick him that they make him to go into one of the houses that is made alongst the Court for the same purpose, as there is many which are made long and narrosve, that when the Elephant is in, he cannot turn himself to go back again, and it is requisite, that these men should be very wary and swift, although their canes be long, yet the Elephant would kill them if they were not swift to save themselves, at length when they have gotten him into one of those houses, they stand over him in a fit and get ropes under his belly and about his neck, and about his legs, and bind him fast, and so let him stand four or five days, and give him neither meat nor drink. At the end of these four or five days, they unloose him and putteth one of the Females unto him, and give them meat and drink, and in eight 
A strange thing that a beast so wild should in so short time be made ●ame.  days he is become tame. In my judgement there is not a beast so intellective as is these Eliphants, nor of more understanding in all the World: for he will do all things that his keeper saith, so that he lacketh nothing but humane speech.  
It is reported that the greatest strength that the king 
The greatest strength that the King of Pegu hath.  of Pegu, hath is in these elephants, for when they go to battle, they set on their backs a Castle of Wood bound to his back, with bands under his belly: and in every Castle four men, very commodious●ie set to fight with Hargubushes, with Bows and arrows, with Darts, with Pikes, and other lancing weapons, and they say that the Skin of this Elephant is so hard, that any arquebus will not pierce it, unless it be in the eye, temples, or some other tender place of his body, and besides this, they are of great strength, and have a very excellent order in their battle as I have seen at their feasts which they make 
A goodly order in a barbarous people.  in the year, in which feasts the King maketh triumphs, which is a rare thing and worthy memory, that in so barbarous a people there should be such goodly orders as they have in their armies which be distinckt in squares of elephants, of Horsemen, of Harquebushers and Pikemen, that truly the number of them are infinite: but their armour 
The order of their weapons and number of his men.  and Weapons are very nought and weak as well the one as the other, they have very bad Pikes, their swords are worse made, like long knives without points, his harquebuses are most excellent, and always in his wars he 
Exercise in arms is the chiefest defence of a Country.  hath eighty thousand harquebuses, and the number of them increaseth daily. Because the King will have them shoot every day at the Plank, and so by continual exercise, they become most excellent Shot: also he hath great ordinance made of very good metal, to conclude there is not a King on the earth that hath more power or 
26. crowned Kings at his command.  strength then this King of Pegu, because he hath twenty and six crowned Kings at his command. He can make in his Camp: a million and half of men of War in the field against 
15. hundredth thousand men in one Camp  his enemies, the state of his kingdom and maintenance of his army, which is a thing incredible to consider the victuals that should maintain such a number of people in the Wars, but he that knoweth the nature and quality of that people, will easily believe it, I have seen with 
A people of a hard nature and fit for wars.  my proper eyes that those people and soldiers have eaten of all sort of Wild beasts, that are on the earth, whether it be very filthy or otherwise, all serveth for their mouths, yea, I have seen them eat Scorpions and Serpents, also 
Eating of Serpents.  they feed of all kind of herbs and grass. So that if such a great army want not Water and salt, they will maintain themselves a long time in a bush with roots, flowers and leaves of trees, they carry rice with them for their voyage & that serveth them in stead of comfits: it is so dainty unto 
This King of Pegu is the great King of Tartary, which we call the great Cam, or the King of Q●in say.  them. This King of Pegu hath not any army or power by sea, but in the land for people, dominions, gold and silver, he far exceeds the power of the great Turk in treasure and power. This king hath divers Magasons full with treasure, as Gold, silver, and every day, he increaseth it more & more, and it is never diminished, also he is Lord of the mines of Rubies, Safyrs & Spineles, near unto his royal palace, there is an estimable treasure where of he maketh no 
The riches of this Ring of Pegu.  account, for that it standeth in such a place that every one may see it, and the place where this treasure is: is a great Court walled round about with walls of stone, with two gates which stand open every day: and within this place or Court, are four guilded houses covered with lead, and in every one of these are certain panim Idols of a very great valour, In the first house there is a stature of the Image of a man of Gold very great, & on his head a crown of Gold, beset with most rare rubies and Safires and round about him are four little Children of Gold. In the second house, there is the stature of a man of silver, that is set as it were, sitting on heaps of money: whose stature in height as he sitteth, is so high: that his highness exceeds the height of any one flower of a house he is so high, I measured his feet and found that they were as long as all my body was in height, with a Crown of his head like to the first: and in the third house, there is a stature of brass of the same bigness, with a like Crown of his head.  
In the fourth and last house, there is a stature of a man, 
An excellent fine metal made by a mixture of Copper and Lead.  as big as the other, which is made of Gausa, which is the metal they make their money of, and this mettle is made of Copper and lead mingled together. This stature also hath a Crown on his head like the first, this treasure being of such a valour as it is: standeth in an open place, that every man at his pleasure may go and see it. For the keepers thereof never forbidden any man the sight thereof, I say as I have said before, that this King every year in his feasts triumpheth, and because it is worthy of the noting, I 
The great pomp of this King.  think it meet to writ thereof, which is as followeth. The king rideth on a triumphing Cart or Wagon, all guilded, which is drawn by sixteen goodly horses: & this Cart is very high with a goodly canopy over it, behind the Cart goeth twenty of his Lords & Nobles, with every one a rope in his hand made fast to the Cart, for to hold it upright, that it fall not. The King sitteth in the middle of the cart, and upon the same Cart, about the King standeth four of his Nobles most 
The order of their going.  favoured of him, and before this Cart wherein the King is, goeth all his army as aforesaid, and in the middle of his army goeth all his Nobility round about the Cart, that are in his dominions, a marvelous thing to see so many people, such riches and such good order in a people so barbarous, as they be.  
This King of Pegu hath one principal wife, which is kept in 
This King hath one wise and 300. concubines.  a Seralyo, he hath three hundredth Concubines, of whom it is reported, that he hath ninety Children. This King sitteth every day in person to hear the suits of his Combacts, but 
The order of justice.  he nor they never speak one to another, but by supplications made in this order. The King sitteth up aloft in a great hall, on a tribunal seat, and lower under him sitteth all his Barons round about, than those that demand audience, enter into a great Court before the King, and there set them down on the ground forty paces distant from the kings 
No difference of person before the king in controversies or in justice.  person, and amongst those people there is no difference in matters of audience before the King, but all alike, and there they sit with their supplications in their hands, which are made of long leaves of a Tree, these leaves are three quarters of a yard long, and two fingers broad, which are written with a sharp iron made for that purpose, and in those leaves are their supplications written, and with their supplications: they have in their hands a present or gift, according to the weightiness 
If we had such paper in England, suits in law would not hang so long.  of their matter. Then come the secretaries down and read these supplications, and then take them after and read them before the King, and if the King think it good to do to them that favour or justice that they demand: then he commandeth to take the present out of his hand, but and if he think their demand be not justly, or according to right: he commandeth them away without taking of their gifts or presents. In the Indies there is not any merchandise that is good to bring to Pegu, unless it be at some times by chance to bring at sometimes Opium of Cambaia, and if he bring money he shall lose by it. Now the commodities that come from S. Tom, are the only Merchandise for that place, which is the great quantity of cloth made there, which they use in Pegu: which cloth is made of 
The commodities that are ventured in Pegu.  bombast woven and painted, so that the more that kind of cloth is washed, the more linelier they show their colours, which is a rare thing, and there is made of this kind of cloth which is of great importance, so that a small bale of it will cost a thousand or two thousand Ducats. Also from S. Tom, they laid great store of red yarn, of Bombast died with a root which they call Saia, as aforesaid, which colour will never out. With which merchandise every year there goeth a great Ship from S. Tom to Pegu of great importance, and they usually depart from S. Tom to Pegu the 10. or 11. of September, and if she stay until the twelfth, it 
Note the departure of the Ships from S. Tomes to Pegu.  is a great hap if she return not without making of her voyage. Their use was to departed the sixth of September, and then they made sure voyages, and now because there is great labour about that kind of cloth, to bring it to perfection and that it be well dried, as also the greediness of the captain, that would make an extraordinary gain of his freight, thinking to have the wind always to serve their turn, they stay so long that at sometimes, the Wind turneth. For in those parts the winds blow firmly, For certain times with the which they go to Pegu, with the wind in powpe and if they arrive not there before the Wind change, and get ground to anchor: perforce they must return back again, for that the gales of the wind blow there for three or four months together always in one place with great force. But if they get the coast and anchor there: then with great labour he may save his voyage. Also there goeth another great Ship from Bengala, every year laden with fine cloth of bombast of all sorts which arriveth in the harbour of Pegu, when the ship that cometh from S. Tom departeth the harbour where these two ships arrive, is called Cosmin, from Malaca to Martavan, which is a part in Pagu, there cometh many small 
Commodities brought into Pegu.  ships, & great, laden with pepper, Sadolo, Procellam of China, Camfora, Bruneo, & other merchandise. The ships that come from Mecca, enter into the port of Pagu & Cirion, & those ships bring cloth of Wool, Scarlets, Velvets, Opium, and Chickenes: 
The Chickens are pieces of Gold worth sterling 7. shillings.  by the which they lose, and they bring them because they have no other thing that is good for Pegu: but they esteem not the loss of them, for that they make such great gain of their commodities that they carry from thence out of that kingdom, also the King of Assi his Ships come thither into the same port laden with Pepper, from the coast of Saint Tom of Bengala out of the Sea of Bara to Pegu are three hundredth miles, and they go it up the River in four days, with the increasing Water, or with the flood to a City called Cosmin, and there they discharge their ships whether the customers of Pegu come to take the note and marks of all the goods of every man, and take the charge of the 
The Custom house of Pegu is in the kings house.  goods on them, and convey it to Pegu, into the kings house wherein they make the custom of the merchandise when the customers have taken the charge of the goods and put it into barks, the Retor of the city giveth licence to the merchants to take bark, and go up to Pegu with their merchandise, and so three or four of them take a bark and go up to Pegu in company. God deliver every man that he 
Great rigour for the stealing of Cust omes.  give not a wrong note, and entry or think to steal any custom, for if they do, for the least trifle that is, he is utterly undone, for the King doth take it for a most great affront to be deceived of his custom, and therefore they make diligent searches, three times at the lading and unlading of the goods and at the taking of them a land. In Pegu this search they 
jewels pay custom.  make when they go out of the ship for Diamonds, Pearls, and fine cloth which taketh little room: for because that all the Jewels that come into Pegu, and are not found of that country: pay custom, but Rubies, Safyres, and Spynelles, pay no custom in: nor out, because they are found growing 
In those Sentries there is another inner lodging, but every man that traveleth must hire his house, and bring his necessaries with him.  in that country. I have spoken before, how that all Merchants that mean to go thorough the Indies, must carry all manner household stuff with them, which are necessary for a house, because that there is not any lodging nor Inns nor hosts, nor chamber room in that Country, but the first thing a man doth when he cometh to any City is to hire a house, either by the year or by the month, or as he means to stay in those parts.  
In Pegu their order is to hire their houses for six months. Now from Cosmin to the City of Pegu, they go in six hours with the flood, and if it be ebbing Water, than they make fast their boat to the River side, and there tarry 
Description of the fruitfulness of that soil.  until the Water flow again. It is a very commodious and pleasant voyage, having on both sides of the rivers many great villages, which they call Cities: in the which Hens, pigeons, Eggs, Milk, rice, and other things be very good cheap. It is all plain, and a goodly Country, and in eight days you may make your voyage up to Macceo, distant from Pegu twelve miles, and there they discharge 
dealing is a small litter carried with men as is aforesaid.  their goods, and lad it in Carts or Wanes drawn with Oxen, and the merchants is carried in a closet which they call Delinge, in the which a man shall be very well accommodated, with Cushions under his head, and covered for the defence of the Sun and rain, and there he may sleep if he have will thereunto: and his four Falchives carry him roaming away, changing two at one time and two at another. The custom of Pegu and freight thither may amount unto twenty or twenty two per cento, and 23. according as he hath more or less stolen from him, that day they custom the goods. It is requisite that a man have his eyes watchful, and to be careful, and to have many friends, for when they custom in the great hall of the King, there cometh many Gentlemen accompanied with a number 
Most vile filching of goods.  of their slaves, and these gentlemen have no shame that their slaves rob strangers: whether it be cloth in showing of it or any other thing: they laugh at it. And although the merchants help one another to keep, watch, and look to their goods, they cannot look to that so narrowly but one or other will rob something, either more or less, according as their Merchandise is more or less: and yet in this day there is a worse thing than this, although you have set so many eyes to look there for your benefit, that you escape unrobbed of the slaves, a man cannot choose but that he must be rob 
Pay custom of the same goods.  of the officers of the custom house. For paying the custom with the same goods often times they take the best that you have, and not by rate of every sort as they ought to do, by which means a man payeth more than his duty, at length when you have dispatched the goods out of the custom house, in this order the Merchant causeth them to be carried to his house, and may do with them at his pleasure.  
There is in Pegu eight Brokers of the Kings, which are 
Tareghe are names of the brooks.  called Tareghe, who are bound to sell all the merchandise to come to Pegu, at the common or the corent price, then if the merchants will sell their goods at that price: they sell it away, and the Brokers have two in the hundredth of every sort of Merchandise, and they are bound to make good the debts of that goods, because it is sold by their hands or means, and on their words, and oftentimes the merchant 
The brokers are lowed to make good all the debts to the merchant.  knoweth not to whom he giveth his goods, yet he cannot lose any thing thereby, for that the broker is bound in any wise to pay him, and if the merchant sell his goods without the consent of the broker: yet nevertheless he must pay him two percento, and be in danger of his money, but this is very seldom seen, because the Wife, Children, and 
A law for banckroutes.  slaves of the debttor are bound to the creditor, and when his time is expired and payment not made, the creditor may take the debtor and carry him home to his house, and shut him up in a Magazine, whereby presently he hath his money, and not being able to pay the creditor, he may take the wife, children, and slaves of the debtor, and sell them, for so is the law of that kingdom. The corant money that is in this city, and throughout all this kingdom is called Gansa or Ganza which is made of Copper and Lead: It is not the money of the King, but every man may stamp it that will, because it hath his just partition or valour: but they make many of them false by putting overmuch lead into them, 
Every man may stamp what money ●e will.  and those will not pass, neither will any take them. With this money Ganza, you may buy Gold or Silver, Rubies and Musk, and other things. For there is no other money corant amongst them. And Gold, Silver, and other Merchandise, is one time dearer than another, as all other things be.  
This Ganza goeth by weight of Byze, and this name of 
Buy Gold & silver with copper and lead.  Byza goeth for the accounpt of the weight, and commonly a Byza of a Ganza is worth (after our account) half a ducat, little more or less: and according as Gold and Silver 
The order of their money.  is more or less in price, but the Byza never changeth, every Byza maketh a hundredth Ganza of weight, & so the number of the money is Byza. They that go to Pegu to buy Jewels, and if he will do well: it behoveth him to be a whole year there to do his business, if he will do it well. For if so be that he would return with the Ship he came in, he cannot 
How a man may dispose himself for the trade in Pegu.  do any thing well, for the brevity of the time, because that when they custom their goods in Pegu: that come from S. Tom in their Ships: it is as it were about the nativity, and when they have customed their goods, than they must sell it for credit, for a month or two: and then at the beginning of March the Ships departed. The Merchants that come from S. Tom, take for the payment of their goods, gold, and silver, which is never wanting there. And 8. or 10. days 
Good instructions.  before their departure, they are all satisfied: also they may have Rubies in payment, but they make no account of them & they that will winter there for another year, it is needful that they be advertised, that in the sale of their goods, that they sperify in their bargain, the term of two or three month's payment, and that their payment shall be in so many Ganza, and neither gold nor silver, because that with the Ganza they may buy and sell every thing with great advantage. And how needful it is to be advertised, that when they will recover their payments: in what order they shall receive their Ganza, because he that is not practic may do himself great wrong in the weight of the Gansa, as also in the falseness of them, in the weight he may be greatly deceived, because that from place to place, it doth rise and fall greatly: and therefore when any man will receive money or make payment, he must take a public wayer of money: a day or two before he go about his business, and give him in payment for his labour, two Byza a month, and for this he is bound to make good all your money hereby: and to maintain it for good, for that he receiveth it and seals the bags with his Seal: and when he hath received any store, there he causeth it to be brought into the Magasea of the Merchant, that is the owner of it.  
That money is very weighty, for forty Byza is a great Porter's burden, and also where the Merchant hath any payment to be made for those goods, which he buyeth: the Common wayer of money that receiveth his money must make the payment thereof. So that by this means, the Merchant with the charges of two Byzes a month, receiveth and payeth out his money without loss or 
The merchandise that go out of Pegu.  trouble. Those merchandise that go out of the Pegu are these, as Gold, Silver, Rubies, sapphires, Spynelles, great store of Beniamen, long Pepper, Lead, Lacca, rice, Wine, some Sugar, yet there might be great store of Sugar made in the Country, for that they have abundance of Canes, but they give them to Eliphants to eat, and the people consume great store of them for food, and many more do they consume in vain things as these. In that Kingdom they spend many of these Sugar canes in making of houses and tents which they call Varely for their Idols, which they call Pagody, whereof there is great abundance, great & small, and these houses are made in form to little hills, like to Sugar loaves or to Bells, and some of these houses are as high as a reasonable steeple, at the foot they are very large, that some of them be in circuit a quarter of a mile, the said 
Idol houses what fashion they are of.  houses within are full of earth, and walled round about with bricks and dirt in stead of lime, and without form, from the top to the foot they make a covering for them with Sugar Canes, and plastered with lime all over, for otherwise they would be spoiled, by the great abundance of rain that falleth in those Countries, also they consume about these verily or Idol houses great store of lease Gold, for that they overlay all the tops of the houses with gold, and some of them is covered with Gold from the top to the 
Idol houses covered with Gold.  foot. In covering whereof there is great store of Gold spent, for that every ten years they new overlay them with gold, from the top to foot, so that with this vanity they spend great abundance of gold. For every ten years the rain doth consume the Gold from these houses. And by this means they make Gold dearer in Pegu then it would be, if they consumed not so much in this vanity. Also it is a thing to be noted in the buying of Jewels in Pegu, for he that hath no knowledge shall have as good Jewels, and as good cheap as he that hath been practised there a long time, which is a good order, which is this. There is in Pegu four men of good reputation, which are called Tareghe, or brokers of Jewels. These four men have all the Jewels, or Rubies in their hands, and the Merchant that will buy, cometh to one of these Tareghe and telleth him, that he hath so much money to employ in Rubies. For through the hands of these four men passeth all the Rubies: for they have such quantity, that they know not what to do with them, but sell them at a most vile and base price. When the Merchant hath broke his mind to on of these Brokers or Tareghe, they carry him home to one of their Shops, although he have no knowledge in Jewels: and when the Jewellers perceive that he will employ a good round sum, they will make bargain, and if not, they let him alone. The use generally of this City, is this: that when any Merchant hath brought any great quantity of Rubies, and have agreed for them, the Merchant carrieth them home to his house, let them be of what valour they will, he shall have space to look on them and relooke them two or three days: and if he have no knowledge in them, he shall always have many Merchants in that City that hath very good knowledge in Jewels: with whom he may always confer and take counsel with them, and show them unto whom he will, and if he find that he hath not employed his money well, he may return his Jewels back to them whom he had them of, without any loss at all. Which thing is such a shame to the Tereghe to have his Jewels return, that he had rather to bear a blow on the face than that it should be thought that he should sell them so dear to have them returned. For these men have always great care that they make good employmentes, especially to those that have no knowledge. This they do, because they would not lose their credit: and when those Merchants that have knowledge in Jewels buy any, if they buy them dear it is there own faults and not the Brokers: yet it is good to have knowledge in Jewels, by reason that he may 
An honest care of heathen people.  somewhat ease the price. There is also a very good order for which they have in buying of Jewels: which is this, there is many merchants that standeth by at the making of the bargain, and because they shall not understand how the 
Bargains made with the nipping of Fingers under a cloth.  Jewels be sold: The Broker and the Merchants have their hands under a cloth, and by touching of fingers and nipping the joints they know what is done, what is bidden, and what is asked. So that the standers by know not what is demanded for them, although it be for a thousand or ten thousand Ducats. For every joint and every finger hath his signification. For if the Merchants that stand by, should understand the bargain: it would breed great controversy amongst them, and at my being in Pegu in the month of August, in Anno 69. and having gotten well by my endeavour, I was desirous to see mine own Country, and I thought 
The Author's desire to see his Country.  it good to go by the way of Saint Tom, but then I should tarry until March.  
In which journey I was counseled, yea, and fully resolved to go by the way of Bangala, with a Ship there ready to departed for that voyage. And when we were departed from Pegu to Chitigan, a great harbour or port, from whence there goeth small Ships to Cochin, before the fleet depart for Portugal, in which Ships I was fully determined, to go to Lyshborn, & so to Venice. When I 
This Touffon is an extraordinary storm at Sea.  had thus resouled myself, I went a board of the Ship of Bengala, at which time it was the year of Touffon, and to understand what this Touffon is: understand, that in the Indies often times, there is not storms as is in other countries, but every ten or twelve years, there is such tempests and storms, that it is a thing incredible, but to those that have seen it, neither do they know certain what year it will come.  
Unfortunate are they that are at Sea in that year, and time of Touffon, because few there are that escape that 
Touffon cometh but every 10. or 12. years.  danger. In this year it was our chance to be at Sea with the like storm, but it happened well unto us, for that our Ship was newly over-plancked, and had not any thing in her save victual and balastes, Silver and Gold, which from Pegu they carry to Bengala, and no other kind of Merchandise. This Touffon or cruel storm endured three days and three nights, In which time it carried away our sails, yards, and Rother, and because the Ship laboured in the Sea, we cut our mast over bo●rd: which when we had done: she laboured a great deal more than before, for when our Mast was gone, the Ship laboured worse than before▪ in such wise, that the Ship was almost full with Water that came in over the highest: and so went down, and for the space of three days and three nights, sixty men 
A heavy case.  did nothing but bale out Water out of her in this wise, twenty men in one place and twenty men in another place, and twenty in another place: and for all this storm, the Ship was so good, that she took not one jot of Water allow through the sides, but all ran down through the hatches, that those sixty men did nothing but cast the Sea into the Sea. And thus driving two and fro as the wind and Sea would, we were driven in a dark night about four of the clock and cast on a Should, yet when it was day: we could neither see land on one side nor other, & knew not where we were. And as it pleased the divine power, there came a great wave of the Sea, and so drive us beyond the Should. And when we felt the Ship afloat, we rose up as 
A manifest token of the ebbing and flowing in those countries.  men revived, because the Sea was calm and smooth water, and then sounding we found twelve fathom Water, and within a while after we had but ●i●e Fathom, and then presently, we came to anchor with a small anchor that was left us with the stern, for all our other were lost in the storm, & by and by the Ship was a ground and stroke, and then we did prop her that she should not overthrow.  
When it was day: the ship was all a dry, and found the Ship a good mile from the sea on dry Land. This Toffon being ended, we discovered an Island not far from us, and we went from the ship on the Sands to see what 
This Island is called Sond●ua.  Island it was: and we found it a place inhabited, and to my judgement, the firtelest Island in all the World, the which is divided into two pars by a channel which passeth be twéen it, with great trouble we brought our ship into the channel which parteth the Island with a flowing Water, and there we determined to stay forty days to refresh us, and when the people of the Island saw the Ship, and that we were coming a land: presently they made a place of Bazar or a 
Victuals good cheap.  market: with Shops right over against the Ship with all manner of provision of victuals to eat, which they brought down in great abundance, and sold it so good cheap, that we were amazed at the cheapness thereof. I bought many salted kine there for the provision of the Ship: for half a Larine a piece, which Larine may be twelve shillings six pence, and very good and fat: and four wild hogs ready dressed for a Larine, a great fat hen for a Bizzes a piece, which is at the most a penny: and the people told us that we were deceived the half of our money, because we bought things so dear. Also a sack of fine Rice for a thing of nothing, and consequently all other things for humane sustenance, were in such abundance, that it is a thing incredible but to them that have seen it. This Island is called Sondiua 
Sondiua is the fruitful le●t Country in all the world.  belonging to the kingdom of Bengala, distant 120 miles from Chitigan, to which place we were bound. The people are moors, and the King a very good man of a Moor king, for if he had been a Tyrant as others be, he might have rob us of all, because the Portugal Captain of Chitigan was in arms against the Retor of that place and every day there were some slain, at which news we rested there with no small fear▪ keeping good watch & ward abroad every night as the use is, but the governor of the Town did comfort us, and bade us that we should fear nothing, but that we should repose ourselves securely without any danger, although the Portugals of Chitigan had slain the Governor of that City, and said that we were not culpable in that fact, and more he did us every day what pleasure he could, which was a thing contrary to our judgements considering that they and the people of Chitigan were both subjects to one King. We departed from Sondiva, and came to Chitigan the great port of Bengala, at the same time that the Portugals had made peace and taken a truce with the governors of the Town, with this condition that the chief Captain of the Portugals with his 
Chitigan is a port in Bengala, where the Portugal's go with their ships.  Ships should departed without any lading, for there were then at that time eighteen Ships of Portugals great and small. This Captain being a Gentleman and of good courage: Yet for all this, he was contented to departed to his great hindrance, rather than he would seek to hinder so many of his friends as were there, as also because the time of the year was spent to go to the Indies. The night before he departed, every Ship that had any lading in them put it a board of the Captain to help to ease his charge and to recompense his courtesies. In this time there 
The King of Rachim neighbour to Bengala.  came a Messenger from the King of Rachim to this Portugal Captain, who said in the behalf of his King, that he had heard of the courage and valour of him, desiring him gently that he would vouchsafe to come with this Ship into his port, and coming thither he should be very well entreated. This Portugal went thither and very well satisfied of this King.  
This King of Rachim hath his seat in the middle coast 
The force of the King of Rachim.  between Bengala and Pegu, and the greatest enemy he hath is the King of Pegu: which King of Pegu imagineth night and day, to make this King of Rachim his subject, but by no means he is able to do it: because the King of Pegu, hath no power nor army by sea. And this King of Rachim may arm two hundredth Galleys or Fusts by Sea, and by Land he hath certain sluices with the which when the king of Pegu pretendeth any harm towards him, he may at his pleasure drown a great part of his Country. So that by this means he cutteth off the way that the King of Pegu 
The commodities that go from Chitigan to the Indies.  should come with his power to hurt him. From the great port of Chitigan they carry for the Indies great store of rice, very great quantity of Bombast cloth of every sort, Sugar, Corn and Money, with other merchandise. And by reason that Wars was in Chitigan, the Portugal Ships tarried there so late, that they arrived not at Cochin to soon as they were wont to do other years.  
For which cause the fleet that was at Cochin was departed for Portugal before they arrived there, and I being 
The Portugal ships depart toward Portugal out of the harbour of Cochine.  in one of the small Ships before the fleet, in discovering of Cochin, we also discovered the last Ships of the Fleet that went from Cochin to Portugal, where she made sail, for which I was marvelously discomforted, because that all the year following▪ there was no going for Portugals, and when we arrived at Cochin I was fully determined to go for Venice by the way of Ormus, and at that time the City of Goa was besieged by the people of D●al●an, but the Citizens forced not this assault, because 
Goa was besieged.  they supposed that it would not continue long. For all this: I embarked myself in a Galley, that went for Goa, and there to Ship myself for Ormus, but when we came to Goa, the viceroy would not suffer any Portugal to departed, by reason of the Wars. And being in Goa but a small time, I fell sick of an infirmity that held me four months: which with Physic and diet cost me eight hundredth Ducats, and there I was constrained to sell a small quantity of Rubies to sustain my need, and I sold that for five hundredth Ducats, that was worth a thousand, and when I began to wax well of my disease: I had but little of that money left, every thing was so scarce. For every 
A Chicken or a Hen cost 6. shillings  Chicken (and yet not good) cost me seven or eight livers, which is six shillings or six shillings eight pence, beside this great charges, the Apothecaries with their medicines was no small charge to me. At the end of six months, they raised the siege, than I began to work, for Jewels were risen in their prices: for, whereas before I sold a few of refused Rubies: I determined to sell the rest of all my Jewels that I had there, and to make an other voyage to Pegu. And for this cause, for that at my departure from Pegu, Opium was 
Opium a good Commodity in Pegu.  in great request, than I went to Cambaya to employ a good round sum of money in Opium, and there I bought sixty percells of opium, which cost me two thousand and a hundredth Ducats, every Ducat at four shillings two pence, and more I bought three bales of Bombast cloth, which cost me eight hundred Ducketts, which was a good commodity for Pegu: when I had bought these things: the viceroy commanded that the custom of the opium should be paid in Goa, and paying custom there they might carry it whether they would. I shipped my 3 bales of cloth at Chiale in a ship that we went for Cochin, and I went to Goa to pay to the aforesaid custom for my Opium, and from Goa I departed to Cochin in a ship that was for the voyage of Pegu, and went to winter then at S. Tomes, when I came to Cochin, I understood that the ship that had my 3. bales of cloth was cast away and lost, so that I lost my 800 Seraffines or ducats, and departing from Cochin to go from S. Tom: I in casting about for the Island of Zeiland the Pilot was deceived, for that the cape of the Island of Zeyland, lieth far out into the sea, and the Pilot thinking that he might have passed hard aboard the cape: and paying remour in the night: when it was morning we were far within the cape, and past all remedy to go out, by reason the winds blewe so fiercely against us. So that by this means we lost our voyage for that year, and we went to Manar with the ship to Winter there, the Ship having lost her mas●tes, and with great diligence we hardly saved her with great losses to the captain of the Ship, because he was forced to freight another Ship in S. Tomes from Pegu with great losses & interest, & I with my friends agreed together in Manar to take a bark to carry us to S. Tomes, which thing, we did with all the rest of the merchants, & arriving at S. Tomes I had news through or by the way of Bengala that in Pegu: Opium was very dear, & I knew that in S. Tom there was no Opium but mine to go from Pegu that year, so that I was holden of all the Merchants there: to be very rich, and so it would approved, if my adverse fortunes had not been contrary to my hope, which was this. At that time there went a great ship 
A reckoning before the host.  from Cambaya, to the King of Assi, with great quantity of Opium, and there to lad Pepper: in which voyage there came such a storm, that the ship was forced with wether to go romor 800 miles, & by this means came to Pegu, Whereas they arrived a day before me, so that Opinion which was before very dear was now at a base price: so that which was sold for fifty Bize before, was sold for two Bizzes and half, there was such quantity came in that Ship, so that I was glad to stay two years in Pegu unless I would have given away my commodity: and at the end of two years I made of my 2100 Ducats which I bestowed in Cambaya, I made but a thousand Ducats. Then I departed again from Pegu to go for the Indies and for Ormus with great quantity of Lacca, and from Ormus I returned into the Indies for Chiall, and from Chiall to Cochin, and from Cochin to Pegu, Once more I lost occasion to make me rich, for whereas I might have brought good store of Opinion again I brought but a little, being fearful of my other voyage before, In this small quantity I made good profit. And now again I determined to go from my Country, and departing from Pegu, I tarried and wintered in Cochin, and then I left the Indies and came for Ormus.  
I think it very necessary before I end my voyage, to reason somewhat, and to show what fruits the Indies doth yield and bring forth. First, in the Indies and other East parts of India, there is Pepper and Ginger, which groweth in all parts of India. And in some parts of the Indies, the 
Pepper tree.  greatest quantities of Pepper groweth in amongst wild bushes, without any manner of labour: saving, that when it is ripe▪ they go and gather it. The tree that the Pepper groweth on, is like to our Juie, which runneth up to the tops of trees wheresoeur, and if it should not take hold of some tree, it would lie flat and rot on the ground. This Pepper tree hath his flower and berry, like in all parts to our Juie berry, and those berries be grains in Pepper: so that when they gather them they be green, and then they lay them in the Sun, and they become black.  
The Ginger groweth in this wise, the Land is tilled and sown, and the herb is like to Panyzzo, and the root is the 
Ginger.  Ginger. These two spices grow in divers places.  
The Cloves came all from the Moluches, which Moluches 
Cloves.  are two islands, not very great, and the tree that they grow on is like to our Laurel tree. 
Nutmegs and Maces.   
The Nutmegs and Maces, which grow both together, are brought from the Island of Banda, whose tree is like to our Walnut tree, but not so big.  
All the good white Sandolo is brought from the Island of 
White Sandolo. Canfora.  Timor. Canfora, being compound cometh all from China, and all that which groweth in canes cometh from Bruneo, and I think that this Canfora cometh not into these parts For that in India they consume great store, and that is very dear.  
The good Lignum aleos cometh from Chochinchina. 
Lignum Aloes▪ Benjamin. Long Pepper.   
The Beniamen cometh from the kingdom of Assi and Zion.  
Long Pepper groweth in Bengala, Pegu and Giava. 
This Musk the jews do● counterfeit and open the Cods and take out half the good musk and take and beat the flesh of an ass and put that in the room of it. Amber.   
Musk cometh from Tartary, which they make in this order, as by good information I have been told, there is a certain beast in Tartary, which is wild as big as a wolf, which beast they take alive, & beat him to death with small staves that his blood may be spread through his whole body, than they cut it in pieces, and take out all the bones, and beat the flesh with the blood in a mortar very small, and dry it, and make purses to put it in of the Skin, and these be the cods of musk.  
Truly I know not whereof the Amber is made, and there is divers opinions of it, but this is most certain, it is cast out of the Sea, and thrown a land and found upon the sea banks. 
Rubies, sapphires, and Spinelly.   
The Rubies, sapphires, and the Spynelly, they be gotten in the kingdom of Pegu. The Diamandes they come from divers places: and I know but three of them. That sort of Diamands, that is called Chiappe, they come from Bezeneger. Those that be pointed naturally come from the land of Dely, and from java, but the Diamonds of java are more weighty than the other. I could never understand from whence they that are called Balasy▪ come.  
Pearls, they fish them in divers places, as before in this 
Pearls.  book is shown.  
From Cambaza, as the Spodiom coniealeth in certain 
Spodiom.  canes: I found many of them in Pegu, when I made my house there, because that (as I have said before) they make their houses there of woven Canes like to mats. From Chianela they trade alongst the coast of Melyndy in Ethiopia, 
On the coast of Melindy in Ethiopia, in the land of Caferaria the great trade that the Portingalls have.  within the land of Caferaria, on that coast are many good harbours kept by the moors. Thither the Portugals bring a kind of Bombast cloth of a Low price, and great store of Paternosters or beads, made of paltry glass, which they make in Chiawle according to the use of the Country: & from thence they carry Eliphants teeth for India Slaves, called Caferi and some Amber and Gold. On this coast▪ the king of Portugal hath his castle called Mozenbich, which is of great importance as any castle that he hath in all his Indies under his protection, and the captain of this castle hath certain voyages to this Caferaria, to which places no merchants may go, but by the agent of this Captain, and they use to go in small ships, and trade with the Caferaries, 
Buying and selling with▪ out words one to ano●hes.  and their trade in buying and selling is without any speech one to the other. In this wise the Portugals bring their goods by little and little alongst the sea coast, and lay it down: and so departed, and the Caffar merchants come & see the goods, & there they put down as much gold as they think the goods is worth, and so goeth his way and leaveth his gold and the goods together, then cometh the Portugal: and finding the gold to his content, he taketh it and goeth his way into his ship, & then cometh the Cafer, and taketh away the goods & carrieth it away: and if he find the gold there still, it is a sign that the Portugals are not contented, and if the Cafe● think he hath put to little: he addeth more, as he thinketh the thing is worth, and the Portugals must not stand with them to strict, for if they do: then they will have no more trade with them, For they disdain to be refused, when they think that they have offered enough, for they be a peevish 
Golden trades that the Portingalls have.  people, and have dealt so of a long time, & by this trade the Portugals change their commodities into gold, and carry it to the Castle of Mozonbich, which is an Island not far distant from the firm land of Caferaria on the cost of Ethiopia & distant from the India 2800 miles. Now to return to my voyage, when I came to Ornus, I found there M. Fra 〈◊〉 is Berettine of Venice, & we freighted a bark together to go for Basora for 70 ducats, & with us there went other merchants, which did ease our freight, & very commodiously we came to Balzora & there we stayed ●o days for providing a Caravan of barks to go to Babylon becase they use not to go● or 3 barks at once but 25 or 30, because in the night they cannot go, but must make them fast to the banks of the river, & then we must make a very good & strong guard, & to be well provided of armour, for respect & safeguard of our goods, because the number of thieves is great that come to spoil & rob the merchants, & when we depart from Babylon we go a little with our sail & the voyage is ●8 or 40 days long, but we were 50 days on it, when we came to Babylon we stayed there 4 months, until the Caravan was ready to go over the wilderness, or desert for Aleppo, in this city we were 6. merchants that accompanted together, 5 Venetians & a Portugal whose names were as followeth, Messez Florinasa with 
An order how to provide to go over the Desert from Babylon to Aleppo.  one of his kinsmen Meser Andrea depolo, the Portugal and M. Franses berettin and I, & so we furnished ourselves with victuals & beans for our horses for 40 days, we bought horses and Mewles, for that they be very good cheap there, I myself bought a horse there for 11 akens, and sold him after in Lepo for 30 ducats. Also we bought a Teant which did us very great pleasure: we had also amongst us 32 Camels laden with merchandise: for the which we paid 2 ducats for every camels lading, & for every ten camels they made 11, for so is their use & custom. We take also with us 3 men to serve us in the voyage which are used to go in those voyages for 5. Dd. a man, & bound to serve us to Aleppo: so that we passed very well without any trouble when the camels call down to rest, our pavilion was the first that was erected, the Caravan maketh but sinal journeys about 20 miles a day, & they set forwards every morning before day ● hours, & about ● in the after noon they sit down, we had great good hap in our voyage for that it reigned. For which cause we never wanted water, but every day found good Water, so that we could not take any hurt for want of Water. Yet we carried a Camel laden always with water that for every good respect that might chance in the desert, so that we had no want neither of one thing, nor other that was to be had in the country. For we came very well furnished of every thing, and every day we eat fresh mutton, because their came many Shepherds with us with their flocks, who kept those Sheep that we bought in Babylon, and every merchant marked his sheep with his own mark, and we gave the Shepherds a Maidene, which is two pence of our money, for the keeping and feeding our Sheep on the way, and for killing of them. And beside the Maiden, they have the heads, the Skins, and the entrails of every Sheep they kill. We six bought twenty sheep, and when we came to Aleppo we had seven alive of them, and in the Caravan they use this order: that the merchants do lend flesh one to another, because, they will not 
36 days journey over the Wilderne.  carry raw flesh with them, but accommodate one another by lending one one day, and another another day.  
From Babylon to Aleppo is forty days journey of the which they make thirty six days, over the Wilderness, in which thirty six days: they neither see house, trees, nor people, that inhabit it: but all only plain, and no sign of any way in the world. The Pilots they go before, and the Caravan followeth after. And when they sit down all the Caravan unladeth, and sitteth down, for they know the stations, where the walls are. I say in thirty six days we pass over the wilderness. For when we depart from Babylon two days we pass by villages inhabited until we have passed the river Euphrates. And then within two days of Aleppo we have villages inhabited. In this Caravan 
An order how to provide for the going to Ierusalems.  there goeth always a Captain that doth Justice unto all men: and every night they keep watch about the Caravan, and coming to Aleppo, we went to Trypolie, whereas M. Florin, M. Andreapolo, and I, with a friar went and hired a bark, to go with us to jerusalem, departing from Tripoli, we arrived at Zaffo: from which place in a day and half we went to jerusalem, and we gave order to our bark to tarry for us until our return. We stayed in jerusalem fourteen days, to visit those holy places: from whence we returned to Zaffo, and from Zaffo to Tripoli, and there we shipped ourselves in a Ship of Venice called the Bagazzana: And by the help of the divine power, we arrived safely in Venice the fift of November, 1581. If there be any that hath any desire to go into those parts of India, let him not be 
Counsel of the author.  astonished, at the troubles that I have passed: because I was imbaratsed in many things: for that I went very poor from Venice with 1200. Ducats, employed in merchandise, and when I came to Tripoli, I fell sick in the house of M. Regaly O-ratio, and this man sent away my goods with a small Caravan, that went from Tripoli to Aleppo and the Caravan was robbed, and all my goods lost saving four chests of glasses: which cost me 200 Ducats, of which glasses, I found many broken: because the thieves thinking it had been other Merchandise: they broke them up, and seeing they were glasses they let them all alone. And with this only capital, I adventured to go into the Indies: And thus with change and rechaunge, and by diligence in my voyage, God did bless and help me: so that I got a good stock, I will not be unmindful to put them in remembrance, that have a desire to 
A very good order that they have in those countries for the recovering of the Goods of the dead.  go into those parts, how they shall keep their goods, and give it to their heirs, in the time of their death, and which shall be done very securely, in all the Cities that the Portugals have in the Indies, there is a house called the school of Sancta misericordia comissaria: which with leaving an alms there to them for their pains, to take a copy of your Will and Testament, which you must always carry about you and chiefly when you go into the Indies. In the Country of the moors and Gentiles, which in those voyages always, there goeth a Captain to administer Justice to all Christians of the Portugals, Also this Captain hath authority to recover the goods of those merchants that by chance dieth in those voyages, and they that have not made their Wills and registered them in the aforesaid schools, the Captains will consume their goods in such wise, that little or nothing will be left for his heirs and friends. Also there goeth in these same villages: some merchants that are commissaries of the school of Sancta misericordia, that if any merchants die and have his will made, and that he hath given order that the School of miser shall have his goods: and to sell them, and then to send the money by exchange to the school of Misericordia in Lisbon, with that copy of his testament, then from Lyshborn they give intelligence thereof, into what part of Christendom soever it be, and the heirs of such a one coming thither, with testimonial 
Those Merchants that dieth in Pegu lo●e the one third of their goods to the King.  that they be heirs, they shall receive there the valour of his goods: in such wise that they shall not lose any thing, but those that dieth in the kingdom of Pegu looseth the third part of their goods by ancient custom of the Country, that if any Christian dieth in the kingdom of Pegu the king and his officers rest heirs of a third of his goods, and there hath never been any deceit or fraud used in this matter. I have known many rich men that have dwelled in Pegu, and in their age they have desired to go into their own country to die there, and have departed with all the goods and substance without let or trouble.  
In Pegu the fashion of there apparel is all one, as well 
Order of apirell in Pegu.  the noble man, as the simple: the only difference is in the finest of the cloth, which is cloth of Bombast one finer than another, and they wear their apparel in this wise: First, a white bombast cloth which serveth for a shirt, than they gird another painted bombast cloth of forteen brases which they bind up betwixt their legs, and on their heads they there wear a small tock of three braces, made in guise of a mitre, and some goeth without tocks, and carry (as it were) a h●ue on their heads, which doth not pass the lower part of his ear, when it is lifted up: they go all bare footed, but the noble men never go on foot, but are carried by men in a 〈…〉 with great reputation with a hat made of the 〈…〉 of a tree to keep him from the rain and Sun, or otherwise they ride on horseback with their feet bare in the styrops, all 
The order of the women's apparel in Pegu.  sorts of Women whatsoever they be: wear a smock down to the girdle and from the girdle downwards to the foot they were a cloth of three brases, open before: so strait that they cannot go, but they must show their secret as it were aloft, and in their going they feign to hide it with their hand, but they cannot by reason of the straightness of their cloth. They say that this use was invented by a queen to be an occasion the sight thereof might remove from men the vices against nature, which they are greatly given unto: which sight should cause them to regard women the more also the Women go bare footed, their arms laden with hoops of gold and jewels. And their fingers full of precious rings with their hair rolled up about their heads. Many 
An admonition of the Author.  of them wear a cloth about their shoulders in stead of a clock. Now to finish that which I have begun to write, I say that those parts of the Indies is very good, because that a man that hath little: shall make a great deal thereof, always they must govern themselves that they be taken for honest men, for why? to such there shall never want help to do well, but he that is vicious, let him tarry at home and not go thither, because he shall always be a beggar, and die a poor man.   
FINIS.