A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Vii Part 2

On his return to his court of _Odiaa_ or _Odiaz_, he was poisoned by his queen, then big with child by one of her servants; but before he died he caused his eldest son, then young, to be declared king. He left 30,000 ducats to the Portuguese then in his service, and gave orders that they should pay no duties in any of his ports for three years. The adulterous queen, being near the time of her delivery, poisoned her lawful son, married her servant, and caused him to be proclaimed king. But in a short time they were both slain at a feast by the King of _Cambodia_ and _Oya Pansilaco_.

There being no lawful heir to the kingdom of Siam, _Pretiel_ a religious _Talagrepo_, b.a.s.t.a.r.d brother to him who was poisoned, was raised to the throne by common consent in the beginning of the year 1549. Seeing the affairs of Siam in confusion, the king of the Birmans, who was likewise king of Pegu, resolved to conquer that kingdom. For this purpose he raised an army of 800,000 men, of which 40,000 were horse, and 60,000 armed with muskets, 1000 being Portuguese. He had 20,000 elephants, 1000 cannon drawn by oxen and _abadias_[26], and 1000 ammunition waggons drawn by buffaloes. The Portuguese troops in his service, were commanded by Diego Suarez de Mello, commonly called the Gallego, who went out to India in 1538. In 1542 this man became a pirate in the neighbourhood of Mozambique. In 1547 he was at the relief of Malacca: And now in 1549, being in the service of the king of the Birmans, was worth four millions in jewels and other valuables, had a pension of 200,000 ducats yearly, was stiled the king's brother, and was supreme governor of the kingdom and general in chief of the army. With this prodigious army the king of the Birmans, after one repulse, took the fort of _Tapuram_ by a.s.sault, which was defended by 2000 Siamese, all of whom he put to the sword in revenge for the loss of 3000 of his own men in the two a.s.saults. In the prosecution of his march, the city of Juvopisam surrendered, after which he set down before the city of Odiaa the capital of Siam. Diego Suarez the commander in chief gave a general a.s.sault on the city, in which he was repulsed with the loss of 10,000 men: Another attempt was made by means of elephants, but with no better success. The king offered 500,000 ducats to any one who would betray one of the gates to him; which coming to the knowledge of _Oya Pansiloco_, who commanded in the city, he opened a gate and sent word to the king to bring the money as he waited to receive it. After spending five months in the siege, during which he lost 150,000 men, news came that _Xemindoo_ had rebelled at Pegu where he had slain 15,000 men that opposed him. When this was known in the camp, 120,000 Peguers deserted, in hatred to the king of the Birmans who oppressed them, and in revenge of the insolence of Diego Suarez their general in chief.

[Footnote 26: Rhinoceroses, which are so brutishly ferocious as in no instance to have been tamed to labour, or to have ever shewn the slightest degree of docility. Being of enormous strength, the only way of preserving them when in custody, is in a sling; so that on the first attempt to more forwards, they are immediately raised from the ground.--E.]

_Xemindoo_ was of the ancient blood royal of Pegu, and being a priest was esteemed as a great saint. On one occasion he preached so eloquently against the tyranny and oppression which the Peguers suffered under the Birmans, that he was taken from the pulpit and proclaimed king of Pegu.

On this he slew 8000 Birmans that guarded the palace, and seizing the royal treasure, he got possession of all the strong-holds in a short time, and the whole kingdom submitted to his authority. The armies of the rival kings met within two leagues of the city of Pegu; that of the Birmans amounting to 350,000 men, while _Xemindoo_ had 600,000; yet Xemindoo was defeated with the loss of 300,000 men, while the Birmans lost 60,000. The victorious king of the Birmans immediately entered Pegu, where he slew a vast mult.i.tude of the inhabitants, and recovered his treasure. Meanwhile the city of _Martavan_ declared for _Xemindoo_, and ma.s.sacred the garrison of 2000 Birmans. _Zemin_ did the same in the city of _Zatam_ where he commanded. The king marched towards him, but he contrived to have him murdered by the way; on which _Zemin_ was proclaimed king by his followers, and soon raised an army of 30,000 men.

_Chaumigrem_, brother to the dead king, plundered the palace and city, and then fled to _Tangu_ where he was born. In four months _Zemin_ became so odious to his new subjects by his tyranny, that many of them fled to _Xemindoo_, who was soon at the head of 60,000 men.

Some short time before this, as Diego Suarez was pa.s.sing the house of a rich merchant on the day of his daughter's intended marriage, being struck by the great beauty of the bride, he attempted to carry her off by force, killing the bridegroom and others who came to her rescue, and the bride strangled herself to avoid the dishonour. As the father expected no justice while that king reigned, he shut himself up till _Zemin_ got possession of the throne, on which he so published his wrongs about the city, that 50,000 of the people joined with him in demanding justice. Fearing evil consequences, _Zemin_ caused Suarez to be apprehended and delivered up to the people, by whom he was stoned to death. His house was plundered, and as much less treasure was found than he was supposed to be worth, he was believed to have buried the rest.

_Zemin_ soon followed Suarez, for his subjects being unable to endure his cruelty and avarice, fled in great numbers to Xemindoo, who was now master of some considerable towns. Xemindoo having gathered an army of 200,000 men and 5000 elephants, marched to the city of Pegu, near which he was encountered by Zemin at the head of 800,000 men. The battle was long doubtful, but at last Gonzalo Neto, who served under _Xemindoo_ with 80 Portuguese, killed _Zemin_ with a musket ball, on which his army fled, and _Xemindoo_ got possession of the capital. This happened on the 3d of February 1550. Gonzalo was rewarded with a gift of 10,000 crowns, and 5000 were divided among his companions.

_Chaumigrem_, who had fled the year before to _Tangu_, hearing that _Xemindoo_ had disbanded most of his forces, marched against him and obtained a complete victory, by which the kingdom of Pegu was again reduced under the authority of the Birmans. Xemindoo was taken some time afterwards and put to death. _Chaumigrem_ being now king of the Birmans and of Pegu, went to war against Siam, with an army of 1,700,000 men, and 17,000 elephants, having a considerable body of Portuguese in his service. All this army came to ruin, and the kingdom of Pegu was soon afterwards reduced to subjection by the king of Aracan, as formerly related.

The kingdom of Siam, though much hara.s.sed by these invasions, still held out, and, in 1627, was possessed by the _black_ king, so called because he really was of a black colour, though all the inhabitants of that country are fair complexioned[27]. In 1621, this _black_ king of Siam sent amba.s.sadors to Goa, desiring that some Franciscans might be sent to preach the gospel in his dominions. Accordingly, father Andrew, of the convent of the Holy Ghost, went to _Odiaa_[28], where he was received honourably, and got leave to erect a church, which was done at the king's expence. He likewise offered great riches to the venerable father, who constantly refused his offers, to the great admiration and astonishment of the king. This _black_ king of Siam was of small stature, of an evil presence, and an extraordinarily compound character, of great wickedness, mixed with great generosity. Although cruel men are for the most part cowards, he was at the same time exceedingly cruel, and very valiant; and though tyrants are generally covetous, he was extremely liberal; being barbarous in some parts of his conduct, and generous and benevolent in others. Not satisfied with putting thieves and robbers to ordinary deaths, he was in use to have them torn in pieces in his presence by tigers and crocodiles for his amus.e.m.e.nt.

Understanding that one of his va.s.sal kings intended to rebel, he had him shut up in a cage, and fed him with morsels of his own flesh torn from his body, after which he had him fried in a pan. On one occasion he slew seven ladies belonging to the court, only because they walked too quick; and on another occasion he cut off the legs of three others, because they staid too long when sent by him for some money to give to certain Portuguese. He even extended his severity to animals; having cut off the paw of a favourite monkey for putting it into a box containing some curiosities. A valuable horse was ordered to be beheaded, in presence of his other horses, because he did not stop when he checked him. A tiger that did not immediately seize a criminal thrown to him, was ordered to be beheaded as a coward. Yet had this cruel and capricious tyrant many estimable virtues. He kept his word inviolable; was rigorous in the execution of justice; liberal in his gifts; and often merciful to those who offended him. Having at one time sent a Portuguese to Malacca with money to purchase some commodities; this man, after buying them lost them all at play, and yet had the boldness to return to the king, who even received him kindly, saying that he valued the confidence reposed in his generosity more than the goods he ought to have brought. He shewed much respect to the Christian priests and missionaries, and gave great encouragement to the propagation of the gospel in his dominions.

His valour was without the smallest stain.

[Footnote 27: De Faria seems now to drop the fables of Fernan Mendez Pinto, and to relate real events in the remainder of this section.--E.]

[Footnote 28: More properly Ythia, vulgarly called Siam.--E.]

The proper name of the kingdom we call _Siam_, is _Sornace_[29]. It extends along the coast for 700 leagues, and its width inland is 260.

Most part of the country consists of fertile plains, watered by many rivers, producing provisions of all sorts in vast abundance. The hills are covered with a variety of trees, among which there are abundance of ebony, brasilwood, and _Angelin_. It contains many mines of sulphur, saltpetre, tin, iron, silver, gold, sapphires, and rubies; and produces much sweet-smelling wood, benzoin, wax, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cardamunis, sugar, honey, silk, and cotton. The royal revenue is about thirteen millions. The kingdom contains 13,000 cities and towns, besides innumerable villages. All the towns are walled; but the people for the most part are weak timorous and unwarlike. The coast is upon both seas; that which is on the sea of India, or bay of Bengal, containing the sea ports of _Junzalam_[30], and _Tana.s.serim_; while on the coast of the China sea, are _Mompolocata_, _Cey_, _Lugor_, _Chinbu_, and _Perdio_.

[Footnote 29: The oriental term _Shan_, probably derived from the inhabitants of Pegu; but the Siamese call themselves _Tai_, or freemen, and their country _Meuang tai_, or the country of freemen--E.]

[Footnote 30: Otherwise called Junkseylon.--E.]

SECTION XVI.

_A short Account of the Portuguese possessions between the Cape of Good Hope and China_.[31]

In the middle of the seventeenth century, the Portuguese empire in the east, comprehended under the general name of India, from beyond the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, to Cape Liampo in China, extended for 4000 leagues along the sea-coast, not including the sh.o.r.es of the Rea Sea and the Persian gulf, which would add 1200 leagues more. Within these limits are half of Africa, and all of eastern Asia, with innumerable islands adjoining these two vast divisions of the world. This vast extent may be conveniently divided into seven parts.

[Footnote 31: De Faria, III. 115. This is to be understood as about the year 1640, before the Dutch had begun to conquer the Portuguese possessions. They are now few and unimportant, containing only some remnant of dominion at Mozambique, with the cities of Goa and Diu in India, and Macao in China.--E.]

The _first_ division, between the famous Cape of Good Hope, and the mouth of the Red Sea, contains along the coast many kingdoms of the _Kafrs_; as the vast dominions of the Monomotapa, who is lord of all the gold mines of Africa, with those of Sofala, Mozambique, Quiloa, Pemba, Melinda, Pate, Brava, Magadoxa, and others. In this division the Portuguese have the forts of Sofala and Mombaza, with the city and fort of Mozambique.

The _second_ division, from the mouth of the Red Sea to that of the Persian gulf, contains the coast of Arabia, in which they have the impregnable fortress of Muskat.

The _third_ division, between Busrah, or Bazorah, at the bottom of the Persian gulf, and India proper, contains the kingdoms of Ormuz, Guadel, and Sinde, with part of Persia, and Cambaya, on which they have the fort of Bandel, and the island of Diu.

The _fourth_ division, from the gulph of Cambaya, to Cape Comorin, contains what is properly called India, including part of Cambaya, with the Decan, Canara, and Malabar, subject to several princes. On this coast the Portuguese have, Damam, a.s.sarim, Danu, St Gens, Agazaim, Maim, Manora, Trapor, Bazaim, Tana, Caranja, the city of Chaul, with the opposite fort of Morro; the most n.o.ble city of GOA, the large, strong, and populous metropolis of the Portuguese possessions in the east. This is the see of an archbishop, who is primate of all the east, and is the residence of their viceroys; and there are the courts of inquisition, exchequer, and chancery, with a customhouse, a.r.s.enal, and well-stored magazines. The city of Goa, which stands in an island, is girt with a strong wall, and defended by six mighty castles called Dauguim, San Blas, Ba.s.soleco, Santiago de Agazaim, Panguim, and Nuestra Sennora del Cabo. On the other side of the bar is the castle of Bardes, and opposite to Dauguim is the fort of Norva, with a considerable town. On one side of the island of Goa is that of Salsete, in which is the fort of Rachol.

Then going along the coast are the forts of Onor, Barcelor, Mongalor, Cananor Cranganor, Cochin, which is a bishopric; and near Cape Comorin, the town and fort of Coulan.

The _fifth_ division, between Cape Comorin and the river Ganges, contains the coasts of Coromandel and Orixa, on which they have the fort of Negapatam, the fort and city of Meliapour, which is a bishopric, formerly named after St Thomas, and the fort of Masulipatan.

The _sixth_ division, between the Ganges and Cape Cincapura, contains the vast kingdoms of Bengal, Pegu, Tana.s.serim, and others of less note; where the Portuguese have the city of Malacca, the seat of a bishop, and their last possession on the continent.

The _seventh_ division, from Cape Cincapura to Cape Liampo in China, contains the kingdoms of Pam, Lugor, Siam, Cambodia, Tsiompa, Cochin China, and the vast empire of China. In this vast extent the Portuguese have only the island and city of Macao, yet trade all along these coasts.

In the island of Ceylon, the Portuguese possess the city and fort of Columbo, with those of Manaar, Gale, and others. Beyond Malacca, a fort in the island of Timor. The number of our ports in all this great track is above fifty, with twenty cities and towns, and many dependent villages.

Much might be said of Ceylon, but we can only make room for a short account of that famous island[32]. About 500 years before the time of our Saviour, the heathen king of _Tenacarii_, who ruled over a great part of the east, banished his son and heir _Vigia Rajah_, for the wickedness and depravity of his conduct. The young man put to sea with 700 dissipated persons like himself, and landed at the port of _Preature_, between Trincomalee, and Jafnapatam, in the island of Ceylon, which was not then inhabited, but abounded in delightful rivers, springs, woods, and fruit-trees, with many fine birds, and numerous animals. These new colonists were so delighted with the country, that they gave it the name of _Lancao_, which signifies the terrestrial paradise, and, indeed, it is still considered as the delight of all the east. The first town they built was _Montota_, opposite to _Manaar_, whence they traded with _Cholca Rajah_, the nearest king on the continent, who gave his daughter as wife to the prince, and supplied his companions with women. He likewise sent them labourers and artizans to forward the new plantation; and seeing his power increase, the banished prince a.s.sumed the t.i.tle of emperor of the islands. By strangers these new come people were named _Galas_, signifying banished men on account of their having actually been banished by the king of _Tenacarii._ Vigia Rajah died without children, and left the crown to his brother, in whole lineage it continued for 900 years. The fertility of the island, and the fame of its excellent cinnamon, drew thither the _Chinese_, who intermarried with the _Galas_, from which mixture arose a new race, called to this day the _Chingalas_, or Chingalese, who are very powerful in the island, being subtle, false, and cunning, and excellently adapted for courtiers.

[Footnote 32: This is supplied from a former portion of the Portuguese Asia, Vol II. p. 507.]

On the extinction of the ancient royal family, the kingdom fell to _Dambadine Pandar Pracura Mabago_, who was treacherously taken prisoner by the Chinese, afterwards restored, and then murdered by _Alagexere_, who usurped the crown. The usurper dying ten years afterwards without issue, two sons of _Dambadine_ were sent for who had fled from the tyrant. _Maha Pracura Mabago_, the eldest, was raised to the throne, who settled his court at _Cota_, and gave the dominion of the four _Corlas_ to his brother. _Maha Pracura_ was succeeded by a grandson, the son of a daughter who was married to the Rajah of _Cholca_. This line likewise failed, and _Queta Permal_, king of Jafnapatam, was raised to the throne, on which he a.s.sumed the name or t.i.tle of _Bocnegaboa_, or king by force of arms, having overcome his brother, who was king of the four _corlas_. His son, _Caypura Pandar_, succeeded, but was defeated and slain by the king of the four _Corlas_, who mounted the throne, and took the name of _Jauira Pracura Magabo_. These two kings were of the royal lineage, and had received their dominions from king _Maha Pracura_.

After _Jauira_, his son _Drama Pracura Magabo_ succeeded, who reigned when Vasco de Gama discovered the route by sea to India. Afterwards, about the year 1500, the empire of Ceylon was divided by three brothers, into three separate kingdoms. _Bocnegababo Pandar_ had _Cota_; _Reigam Pandar_ had _Reigam_; and _Madure Pandar_ had _Cheitavaca_.

In the district of _Dinavaca_ in the centre of the island, there is a prodigiously high mountain called the _Peak of Adam_, as some have conceived that our first parents lived there, and that the print of a foot, still to be seen on a rock on its summit, is his. The natives call this _Amala Saripadi_, or the mountain of the footstep. Some springs running down this mountain form a pool at the bottom, in which pilgrims wash themselves, believing that it purifies them from sin. The rock or stone on the top resembles a tomb-stone, and the print of the foot seems not artificial, but as if it had been made in the same manner as when a person treads upon wet clay, on which account it is esteemed miraculous.

Pilgrims of all sorts resort thither from all the surrounding countries, even from Persia and China; and having purified themselves by was.h.i.+ng in the pool below, they go to the top of the mountain, near which hangs a bell, which they strike, and consider its sound as a symbol of their having been purified; _as if any other bell, on being struck, would not sound_. According to the natives, _Drama Rajah_, the son of an ancient king of the island, having done penance on the mountain along with many disciples, and being about to go away, left the print of his foot on the rock as a memorial. It is therefore respected as the relic of a saint, and their common name for this person is _Budam_, which signifies the _wise man_. Some believe this saint to have been _St Jesaphat_, but it was more likely _St Thomas_, who has left many memorials in the _east_, and even in the _west_, both in Brasil and Paraguay.

The natural woods of Ceylon are like the most curious orchards and gardens of Europe, producing citrons, lemons, and many other kinds of delicious fruit. It abounds in cinnamon, cardamums, sugar-canes, honey, and hemp. It produces iron, of which the best firelocks in the east are made. It abounds in precious stones, as rubies, sapphires, cats-eyes, topazes, chrysolites, amythests, and berils. It has many civet-cats, and produces, the n.o.blest elephants in all the east. Its rivers and sh.o.r.es abound in a variety of excellent fish, and it has many excellent ports fit for the largest s.h.i.+ps.

_End of the Portuguese Asia_.

CHAPTER V.

VOYAGES AND TRAVELS IN EGYPT, SYRIA, ARABIA, PERSIA, AND INDIA. BY LUDOVICO VERTHEMA, IN 1503[33].

INTRODUCTION.

This ancient itinerary into the east, at the commencement of the sixteenth century, together with the subsequent chapter, containing the peregrinations of Cesar Frederick, about 80 years later, form an appropriate supplement to the Portuguese transactions in India, as furnis.h.i.+ng a great number of observations respecting the countries, people, manners, customs, and commerce of the east at an early period.

We learn from the _Bibliotheque Universelle des Voyages_. I. 264, that this itinerary was originally published in Italian at Venice, in 1520.

The version followed on the present occasion was republished in old English, in 1811, in an appendix to a reprint of HAKLUYT'S EARLY VOYAGES, TRAVELS, AND DISCOVERIES; from which we learn that it was translated from _Latine into Englishe, by Richarde Eden_, and originally published in 1576. In both these English versions, the author is named _Lewes Vertomannus_; but we learn from the _Biol. Univ. des Voy._ that his real name was _Ludovico Verthema_, which we have accordingly adopted on the present occasion, in preference to the latinized denomination used by Eden. Although, in the present version, we have strictly adhered to the sense of that published by Eden 236 years ago, it has appeared more useful, and more consonant to the plan of our work, to render the antiquated language into modern English: Yet, as on similar occasions, we leave the _Preface of the Author_ exactly in the language and orthography of Eden, the original translator.

[Footnote 33: Hakluyt, iv. App. pp. 547--612. Ed. Lond. 1810-11.]

The itinerary is vaguely dated in the t.i.tle as of the year 1503, but we learn from the text, that Verthema set out upon the pilgrimage of Mecca from Damascus in the beginning of April 1503, after having resided a considerable time at Damascus to acquire the language, probably Arabic; and he appears to have left India on his return to Europe, by way of the Cape of Good Hope and Lisbon, in the end of 1508. From some circ.u.mstances in the text, but which do not agree with the commencement, it would appear that Verthema had been taken prisoner by the Mamelukes, when fifteen years of age, and was admitted into that celebrated military band at Cairo, after making profession of the Mahometan religion. He went afterwards on pilgrimage to Mecca, from Damascus in Syria, then under the dominion of the Mameluke Soldan of Egypt, and contrived to escape or desert from Mecca. By some unexplained means, he appears to have become the servant or slave of a Persian merchant, though he calls himself his companion, and along with whom he made various extensive peregrinations in India. At length he contrived, when at Cananore, to desert again to the Portuguese, through whose means he was enabled to return to Europe.

In this itinerary, as in all the ancient voyages and travels, the names of persons, places, and things, are generally given in an extremely vicious orthography, often almost utterly unintelligible, as taken down orally, according to the vernacular modes of the respective writers, without any intimate knowledge of the native language, or the employment of any fixed general standard. To avoid the multiplication of notes, we have endeavoured to supply this defect, by subjoining those names which are now almost universally adopted by Europeans, founded upon a more intimate acquaintance with the eastern languages. Thus the author, or his translator Eden, constantly uses _Cayrus_ and _Alcayr_, for the modern capital of Egypt, now known either by the Arabic denomination Al Cahira, or the European designation Cairo, probably formed by the Venetians from the Arabic. The names used in this itinerary have probably been farther disguised and vitiated, by a prevalent fancy or fas.h.i.+on of giving _latin_ terminations to all names of persons and places in latin translations. Thus, even the author of this itinerary has had his modern _Roman_ name, _Verthema_, latinized into _Vertomannus_, and probably the _Cairo_, or _Cayro_ of the Italian original, was corrupted by Eden into _Cayrus_, by way of giving it a latin sound. Yet, while we have endeavoured to give, often conjecturally, the better, or at least more intelligible and now customary names, it seemed proper to retain those of the original translation, which we believe may be found useful to our readers, as a kind of _geographical glossary_ of middle-age terms.

Of _Verthema_ or _Vertomannus_, we only know, from the t.i.tle of the translation of his work by Eden, that he was a _gentleman of Rome;_ and we learn, at the close of his itinerary, that he was knighted by the Portuguese viceroy of India, and that his patent of knighthood was confirmed at Lisbon, by the king of Portugal. The full t.i.tle of this journal or itinerary, as given by the original translator, is as follows; by which, and the preface of the author, both left unaltered, the language and orthography of England towards the end of the sixteenth century, or in 1576, when Eden published his translation, will be sufficiently ill.u.s.trated.--Ed.

THE NAUIGATION AND VYAGES OF LEWES VERTOMANNUS, GENTLEMAN OF THE CITIE OF ROME, TO THE REGIONS OF ARABIA, EGYPTE, PERSIA, SYRIA, ETHIOPIA AND EAST INDIA, BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE RYUER OF GANGES, ETC.

IN THE YEERE OF OUR LORDE 1503.

CONTEYNING MANY NOTABLE AND STRAUNGE THYNGES, BOTH HYSTORICALL AND NATURALL TRANSLATED OUT OF LATINE INTO ENGLYSHE, BY RICHARDE EDEN.

IN THE YEERE OF OUR LORDE 1576.

THE PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR.