The decades of the newe worlde or west India conteynyng the nauigations and conquestes of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the moste ryche and large landes and ilandes lately founde in the west ocean perteynyng to the inheritaunce of the kinges of Spayne. ... Wrytten in the Latine tounge by Peter Martyr of Angleria, and translated into Englysshe by Rycharde Eden.

¶ Of the Rubies which growe in the Ilande of Zeilam.

IN the Ilande of Zeilam, beinge in the seconde India, are founde many Rubies which the Indians name Manecas, the greatest parte wherof do not arriue to the perfection of the other aforesayde in coloure, bycause they are redde as though they were wasshed, and of a fleshye colour. Yet are they very coulde and harde. The perfectesse of theym are greatly estee∣med amonge the people of the Ilande, and reserued only for the kynge hym selfe if they bee of any great quantitie. When his iewelers fynde any bygge piece of this rocke of the beste kynde, they put it in fyer for the space of certeyne houres. Which if it coomme owt of the fyer vncorrupte, it becommeth of the coloure of a burnynge cole, and was therfore cauled of the Greekes, Anthrax, which signifieth a burnyng cole. The

same that the Greekes caule Anthrax, the Latines caule Car∣bunculus. These they greatly esteeme. When the kyng of Nar¦singa can get any of theym, he causeth a fine hole to bee boo∣red in the vndermost part of them to the myddest: And suffe∣reth none of thē to passe owt of his realme: especially if they haue byn tryed by the sayde profe. These are of greater va∣lue then the other of Pegu, if they bee in theyr naturall per∣fect••on and cleanenesse.

Of these, one that weith a carratte (whiche is halfe a fanan) is woorthe in Calecut.	Fanan xxx.* 1.1
One of two carattes	Fanan .lxv.
Of three carattes.	Fanan cl.
Of three carattes and a halfe	Fanan cc.
Of foure carattes	Fanan ccc.
Of foure carattes and a halfe	Fanan cccl.
Of fyue carattes	Fanan cccc.
Of fyue carattes and a halfe	Fanan ccccl.
Of syxe carattes	Fanan Dxxx
Of sixe carattes and a halfe	Fanan Dlx.
Of seuen carattes	Fanan Dcxxx
Of seuen carattes and a halfe	Fanan Dclx.
One of .viii. carattes that hath bynne wel proued in the fier, is woorthe	Fanan Dccc
Of .viii. carattes and a halfe	Fanan Dcccc.
One such of tenne carattes	Fanan M ccc
One of .x. carattes and a halfe	Fanan M d c
Of .xii. carattes	Fanan MM
Of .xiiii. carattes	Fanan MMM
Of .xvi. carattes	Fanan 6000.

Notes

• * 1.1

  which are iii. crowes of golde