Relations of the most famous kingdomes and common-wealths thorowout the world discoursing of their situations, religions, languages, manners, customes, strengths, greatnesse, and policies. Translated out of the best Italian impression of Boterus. And since the last edition by R.I. now once againe inlarged according to moderne observation; with addition of new estates and countries. Wherein many of the oversights both of the author and translator, are amended. And unto which, a mappe of the whole world, with a table of the countries, are now newly added.

Portugal.

THis Kingdome (which is not above 320. miles long, and sixtie broad; not very populous, and but meanly rich in essentiall revenues:) by navigation and Acquisiti∣on of late dayes, it held equall ranke with the most famous Provinces of the world: yea, this humour of industrie so possessed their minds, that they solely undertooke the fa∣mous expeditions of Barbarie, Aethiopia, India, and Brasile. Wherein within these hundred yeares, they have taken and fortified the principall places and harbours of those Pro∣vinces, challenging unto themselves the peculiar traffike of the Atlanticke and East Ocean. They seised upon the Ter∣••craz, knowing that without touching at those Islands; no ship could safely passe into Aethiopia, India, Brasil, or the

New-world. Returning from the Countries towards Spaine or Lisbon, they put into releeve their wants and sicke pas∣sengers, and outward they touch to take in fresh water, and fetch the wind. In Africke they are Lords of those places, which we spake of before in the description of Spaine: In Cambaia, they have Diu, Damain, and Bazain, the hi∣ther India, Chaul, Goa, and the fortresses of Cochin, Colan, the Island Mavar, and the haven Columbo in Zeilan.

Amongst these Goa is the chiefest, as the place where the Viceroy keepeth his Court. Cochin and Colan for their plen∣ty of Pepper: Mavar for the Pearle-fishing: Columbo for the abundance of Cinamon: Damain and Bazain, for fertill provision. In these quarters they have some Princes their Confederates, others their Feodaries. The chiefe and wealthiest of Allies is the King of Cochin, sometime tributarie to the Calecute, but now by the entercourse and traffike with the Portugals, he is growne so rich and mighty, that the other Princes doe envie his prosperity. The King of Colan is likewise their confederate.

Their cheife Force consisteth in situation and strength of places, and in number and goodnesse of their shipping.* 1.1 As concerning situation, this people wisely foreseeing, that in regard of their contemptible numbers, they were not of power to make any famous journey into the Inland Regi∣ons, neither able to match the Persians, the Guizarites, the Princes of Decan, the King of Narsinga, and other barba∣rous Potentates in Cambaia, turned all their cogitations to immure themselves in such defensive places, that therein with small forces they might ever have hope to divert great attempts, and make themselves Lords and Commanders of the Sea and Navigation: which when they had done, they entertained and maintained so strong a Navie, that no Prince in those parts was able to wrong them; yea, they furnished those vessels so throughly, that one single ship would not refuse to cope with three or foure of the Barbarians. With this Armada (of one and twenty ships) Francis Almeida defeated the Ma••••lucks, neere the towne of Diu. Al∣fonse

Alburquerick with thirty great ships wonne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cute: with one and twenty he tooke Goa, and regained it (being lost) with foure and thirty. With three and twenty he tooke Malaca; with six and twenty he entred the Red Sea;* 1.2 and with two and twenty recovered Ormus. In pro∣cesse of time, as their mightinesse increased, Lopes Zu••••e∣zius made a journy into the Red-sea with seven and thirty Galleons. Lopes Sequeira with twenty foure ships, but with greater number of souldiers than ever before, laid siege to Guidda in the Red-sea: Henry Menesius wasted Patan with fifty ships. Lopes Vazius Sampaius left in the Arsenall 136. vessels of warre, whereof the greatest part were excellent well furnished. Nonius Acunia undertooke a journey to Diu with three hundred ships, wherein were three thou∣sand Portugals, and five thousand Indians, besides a great number of his Guard and Servants, which ordinarily fol∣low the Viceroyes in those Countries.

Thus have they much talked of their victories and pur∣chases, and so should still for mee, if truth and time proclaimed not, that indeed they are but poore possessors of some Harbours and Townes by the Sea shore; standing on their Guard now more than ever, as fearing to lose them with more terrour, than ever they entertained com∣fort in the facile acquisition of them.

Besides his confederates and feodaries,* 1.3 hee is confined with most mighty Princes, his enemies: as the Persian, the King of Cambaia, who maketh title to Diu, and other places, which were once under his jurisdiction: Nizza∣maluc and Idalcam (for so the Portugals call the two Prin∣ces of Decan) and the Kings of Calecute and Narsinga.

As for the Kings of Persia & Narsinga, they never waged warre against them, because they have alwayes had to doe with more dangerous enemies: other Princes though they have enterprized to their uttermost, to regaine Diu, Chial, Goa, and other places, and have left no meanes unattemp∣ted to bring their designes to effect, yet their abilities could not worke any prosperous successe to their laborious

endevours, by reason of situation, so commodious for the transportation & receit of continuall succours from the Sea. And though they have undertaken the like actions in the deepe of Winter, hoping by tempests and other casualties, to barre the Portugals from their Sea-succours, yet they ne∣ver prevailed; because the ships and courages of the Portu∣gals, the one resolute to endure the siege, and by patience to overcome •• the other determining (hap what may) never to forsake their distressed Countrey-men, have set all up∣on hazard, and exposed their fortunes to the mercy of wind and waves in those tempestuous seasons. Their worst, grea∣test, and fiercest enemie is the Turke, who (being backed with the like advantage of situation, which the Citie of Aden affordeth him, and sometime pricked on by his owne proper envie, emulation, and ambition, sometime egged on by the perswasion of the King of Cambaia,) hath often endevoured to dispoile them of the Soveraignty of the Red-sea, and finally to drive them out of the East India. The greatest Navie that ever he sent against them, was to reco∣ver Diu, consisting of sixtie foure ships, but by them defea∣ted. Afterwards he sent a Navie of greater vessels to the conquest of Ormuz, and that likewise was almost wholly beaten, bruised, and drowned.

In the further Indies they hold nothing but Malaca, and the Moluccas. In times past Malaca was farre greater than now it is: for it lay scattered three miles alongs the Sea-coast; but the Portugals, that they might the better defend it, have brought it into a round forme, containing not above a mile in compasse. Here the King hath two pu∣issant enemies, Ior, and Achem, tho one mighty at Land, and the other far mightier at Sea, by whom the Towne, not without great danger, hath more than once beene besieged, but by the aid sent from India, alwayes releeved, with great slaughter of the Enemie. At length Paul Lima defeated King Ior, and raced the Castle built by him neere Ma∣laca, wherein besides other spoiles, he found nine hundred brazen cast-peeces. This territorie is subject to great dan∣ger,

by reason of the puissance of this King of Achem, ben∣ding all his cogitations to the rooting and finall destructi∣on of the Portugals out of this Province, and therefore the King of Spaine of late yeares sent Matthias Alburquerk with a great power into India, with authority either to se∣cure the territory of Malaca, or to fight with the King of Achem.

To secure their trade of Spice and Nutmegs in the Mo∣luccas and Banda, they have built many Castles, yet for many yeares past they have beene mightily molested by the Dutch and English Nations, who by no meanes will bee excluded from the free traffique of the Sea. The English by reason of their great puissance, have of late builded the fai∣rest ships of the World for that onely trade, and therein (as now) seated a hopefull and peaceable Factorie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Forces.
• * 1.2

  These Galle∣ons I suppose were but poore ••••gats.
• * 1.3

  Borderers.