The estates, empires, & principallities of the world Represented by ye description of countries, maners of inhabitants, riches of prouinces, forces, gouernment, religion; and the princes that haue gouerned in euery estate. With the begin[n]ing of all militarie and religious orders. Translated out of French by Edw: Grimstone, sargeant at armes.

[ I] THe empire of this prince embraceth the greatest part of that which is contained betwixt Mount Caucasus, at this day called Dallen∣guer, or Naugrocot, and the Sea; and betwixt the riuers of Gan∣ges, and Indus, or Inder. Hee possesseth many realmes (which some number to be seuen and fortie;) yet the Nissamaluc, and [ E] the Idalcan, which are two princes in a manner newly erected, hold a great part in this countrie, which they call Decan, the which hath in length vpon the Sea coast onely two hundred and fiftie miles. The one of these princes, that is the Nissamaluc, makes his residence in the towne of Danager; and the Idalcan in that of Visapore, yet the chiefe towne of the realme is Bider, next vnto which, they account that of Decan, which hath giuen the name vnto the whole coun∣trie. I speake this to giue some knowledge of these two princes neere vnto the Mogor, seeing that we cannot giue any particular discourse of them. But to returne to the great Mogor, the chiefe realmes which he holds, are those of Cambaya, Dely, Sangue, Man∣dro, and Bengala, besides many others; and the towne of his aboad is called Dely, of [ F] which the whole realme takes his name.

[ II] The realme of Cambaya, which is also called Guzarate, hath in length vpon the sea coast fiue hundred miles, from the riuer of Bate, which dischargeth it selfe into the sea neere vnto the towne of Caul, vnto the countrie of Circam in Persia, and on the other

[ A] side it ioines to the realme of Dulcinde and Mandao: So as it hath for bounds vpon the East, the countrie of Mandao; vpon the West, the Nautaces or Gedrosiens; towards the North, the realmes of Sangue and Dulcinde; and to the South, the Ocean, and the frontires of the realme of Decan. This realme is of a very great extension, and full of townes, boroughes, villages, and inhabitants; so as they do number sixtie thousand pla∣ces peopled. The townes that are most remarkeable and of note along the sea coast, are those of Daman, Bandore, Curat, Rauel, and Bazuin, whereof the two first haue beene sometime ruined by the Portugals: but in the heart of the countrie they find Madabar, or Amodabar; Cambaya which hath imparted her name vnto the whole realme, and is [ B] one of the goodliest townes of those parts, containing neere one hundred and thir∣tie thousand families, & therfore they call it the Caire of the Indies; Campanel which is the ancient aboad of the kings of the countrie, scituated vpon the top of a high moun∣taine, and enuironed with seuen walls: then followes the town of Tanae, & some others, among which is Diu held by the Portugals, and Daman, whereof we haue formerly made mention.

The realme of Bengala is also very great, and containes many townes as well Mari∣time [ III] as others, and runs along the coast one hundred and twentie leagues, and as much into the land. The great Mogor hath made himselfe maister of this countrie of late yeres. The town of Gouro was the aboad of the kings of this realm, and that of Bengala, which [ C] hath giuen the name to the whole prouince is numbred amongst the fairest and greatest townes of all the Indies.

The realme of Sangue, called by some others Citor, hath the chiefe towne of the [ IIII] same name, the which (according to Maffeus) is scituated in a place of aduantage, hauing twelue miles in circuit, and many goodly houses as well publicke or priuat, and is forti∣fied with very strong bastions, and inclosed with good walls. This countrie was in a man∣ner in our time subiect to a woman called Crementina, who was as couragious as faire, and ha••ing reuolted against king Badurius, to whom she paied a certaine tribute, she was dispossessed of the towne of Citor, where she had fortified herselfe with thirtie thou∣sa••d foot, and two thousand horse: but since, the great Mogor hath made himselfe [ D] maister of the greatest part. They realme of Delly is scituated betwixt the realmes of Decan and Narsingua, Orixe, and Cambaya: but it is diuided from that of Cambaya [ V] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the mountaines. It was in former times inhabited by valiant women, or Amazones, whereof there are yet some remaining, which ride on horsebacke like men. There was a Mahometan king which raigned lately in this countrie, whose wife did march common∣ly with a troupe of two thousand women on horsebacke. But in the end this realme is fal∣len into the hands of the great Mogor, who now enioies it: this great prince remaines in the towne of Delly, the chiefe of the realme.

[ E] ¶ The Qualitie.

THe realme of Cambaya is watered by many riuers, whereof the chiefe is that of In∣dus, [ VI] which passeth through the middest of the countrie. This riuer comes from Mont Caucasus, called at this day Naugrocot, and hauing run a long tract of about nine hun∣dred miles, goes and dischargeth it selfe into the Ocean by two great mouthes or passa∣ges. The countrie abounds in wheat, rice, sugar, incense, fruits of all sorts, and spices, and there is such store of cotton and silke, as they do sometimes fraught fortie or fiftie ships to transport it to other places. They find also in this countrie great numbers of horses, elephanss, and dromedaries, which some call Abades, the which are twice as big as bulls, hauing vpon their snowts a little horne, and the hide is so hard, as no man can peirce it [ F] with a thrust: within the mountaines they find the Onix stone, commonly called Corna∣lina, and many Diamonds and Calcedonies: and this countrie abounds also in storax that is liquid.

The realme of Bengala is watered by the riuer of Chaberis, to the which some giue the name of Guenge at this day, holding it to be the auncient Ganges, and yet they

make mention of another riuer neere vnto this, the which flowing from the mountaine [ A] of Gates dischargeth it ••elfe into the gulfe of Bengala, not far from the mouth of Cha∣beris. This countrie yeelds aboundance of all things necessarie for the life of man; for that it beares great store of rice, wheat, sugar, very good ginger, and long pepper. More∣ouer there is not any countrie that hath more cotton and silke; and as for flesh and fish, it is impossible to find greater plentie in any countrie: and that which exceeds all, this countrie enioies so sweet and temperat an aire, as it drawes people thither from all parts. There are certaine trees called Moses, which beare so sweet and pleasant a fruit, as the Iewes and Mahometans which liue there, beleeue that it is the same fruit which made Adam to sinne. There are also canes of that bignesse, as they serue for barrells and such [ B] like vessells, and hardly can a man fadome one of them.

The countrie of Dely, besides the commodities which we haue found in other realms, abounds in horses, elephants, and dromedaries.

¶ The Manners of the auncient.

[ VII] FOr that the great Mogor, and they that with him haue seised vpon this part of the In∣dies, are come from Zaghetay; so as this prince vaunts himselfe to be issued from the race of Tamerlan, and that the Massagetes haue inhabited this countrie; it shal not be vn∣fitting to speake something of the auncient manners of this people. [ C]

They inricht their sword girdles, headpeeces, and pouldrons of their harnesse with gold, and moreouer the poitrels of their horse and other furniturne were couered with pure gold, whereof they also made their bits, as Strabo writes. The ends of their launces were of brasse, wherewith they did also trim their quiuers, they hauing no vse of yron nor siluer. Euery one of them tooke a wife, with whom they did accompanie in publicke and without all shame. If any one of them desired to haue to doe with his wife, he had no respect who beheld him, but onely hung his quiuer vpon the chariot and so went and enioyed her in the very view of all men.

[ VIII] This people had a custome, that whenas any one grew very old, his kins folkes, and al∣lies gathered together and slew him, with certaine sheepe to beare him companie, cau∣sing [ D] the flesh both of man and sheepe to be indifferently boyled together, and then they made their feast, and held his death for the most happie that could be. They did not eat them that dyed of any languishing infirmitie, but buried them, lamenting their misfor∣tunes who had not attained to that happinesse to be eaten by their kinsfolkes and allies. They did neuer sow any thing for the nourishment of life, for that they contented them∣selues with their troupes, and with the fish which their riuers did yeeld, and they did vse milke in stead of drinke.

[ IX] Among all their gods they did chiefely worship the Sunne, in whose honour they did offer vp horses, as if they had an especial care to sacrifice the most couragious of all beasts to the goodliest Starre. [ E]

¶ The Manners at this day.

[ X] THe inhabitants of Cambaya giue themselues for the most part to merchandise, and are vnprofitable for the wars. They are of an oliue colour, and go all naked, only they couer their priuities. As for their head, they weare ouer it a mantle, & as it were a hat of a purple colour. They eat no flesh, but liue of rice, milke, barley, and other things with∣out life. They combe their beards curiously, and plait downe their haire like vnto wo∣men. The women neuer marrie but with one man, and the men in like manner, and they liue very chastly being in their widowhoods. They are great sorcerers, and take vpon [ F] them to foretell things to come. They were accustomed whenas they had a particular prince, to come in the morning some on horsebacke, and others vpon elephants before the kings palace to salute him, sounding many trumpets and cornets, and they vsed the like ceremonie whenas the king sat downe to meat.

[ A] The realme of Bengala is inhabited by many sorts of nations, by reason of the tempe∣rature and bountie of the ayre, and riches of the countrie. The Originaries are for the most part white, subtile of wit, of a mild and courteous disposition, and they vnderstand well the things wherein they deale: yet it is true, they are somewhat deceitfull. They are giuen to traffique, and vnderstand the trade of merchandise: they go not naked, as for the most part all other Indians doe, but they couer themselues with a shirt which is rea∣sonable white, and hangs downe vnto their feet, vpon the which they haue other gar∣ments of silke. They weare Turbans like vnto the Turke. Their kings in former times were commonly chosen from among the slaues of Abyssins, whereof the Court was in [ B] a manner full. They are delicat and stately as well in their diet as apparell. They are ig∣norant in regard of the sciences, as well as the people of Cambaya: It is true that some haue affirmed that there are some few among them which haue some little knowledge in Phylosophie, Astrologie, and Physicke. They say that the inhabitants of the countrie ••eare great honour vnto the riuer of Ganges, and they neuer go vpon it but with great 〈◊〉〈◊〉, beleeuing confidently whenas they wash themselues in this riuer, the water thereof 〈◊〉〈◊〉 away all the sinnes where with they are polluted. But the auarice of their princes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beene so great, as they may not bath themselues in this riuer vnlesse they pay a cer∣•••••••• summe vnto the king.

[ C] ¶ The Riches.

BEsides that which I haue spoken of cotton and silkes, whereof there is such aboun∣dance [ XI] in this countrie, as they doe oftentimes lade fortie or fiftie ships to transport 〈◊〉〈◊〉 merchandise into remote countries, and besides the spices and pretious stones which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inhabitants sell to strangers, by the which we may easily coniecture of the riches of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 realme, I will say onely in a word, that to be the better assured of the great treasures 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may be in these countries, and especially of that which the king enioyes, we must ••••••sider (without any further discourse) what Maffeus reports of Badurius, who enioyed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the realme of Cambaya. He saith (among other things) that whenas he went to [ D] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the yeare of our Redemption 1536, to fight against the great Mogor, who came to ••uccour the king of Mandao, he brought with him fiue hundred tuns of gold and sil∣•••••• to pay his armie; and hauing beene twice defeated, and lost whatsoeuer was in his a••••ie, he sent to Solyman Emperour of the Tu•••••••• for succours, and withall he sent a pre∣se••t which was valued at six hundred thousand crownes: but repenting himselfe that he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ought vnto this prince who could giue him no speedie assistance, he attempted to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the loue of his neighbours the Portugals, not onely in suffering them to build a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the Island of Diu, but also by rare and exquisit presents: whereby we may con∣••••••ue what be the riches of the great Mogor, seeing that he not onely enioyes the grea∣test part of Badurius conquest, but also a great number of other prouinces, most of which [ E] y••••ld nothing to that of Cambaya.

¶ The Forces.

HAuing set downe what the riches of this prince may be, we must come vnto his for∣ces, and hauing consideration in like manner of Badurius armie, which did consist of [ XII] a•• infinit number of souldiers; for that they number one hundred and fiftie thousand ho••se, whereof there were thirtie fiue thousand barbed, and withall he had fiue hundred thousand foot: Moreouer, there was so great an equipage, and so much munition, as the report of Maffeus seemes incredible, if we shall conferre those forces with those of the [ F] kings of Europe. He had withall two thousand peeces of brasse ordnance, among which there were foure great basiliskes, euerie one of which were drawne by a hundred paire 〈◊〉〈◊〉 oxen, fiue hundred carts with poulder and shot, and two hundred Elephants armed: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 making the like conclusion as we haue done in regard of the riches, we must con∣••••sse, that seeing the great Mogor is lord of so many other countries, besides that of Ba∣durius,

he may leuie armies whose number alone were able to strike terrour into all his [ A] neighbours, if they were not furnished with many men as well as himselfe, proportio∣nable to the lands which they hold. And without doubt it is no difficult thing for them to draw many men to field, hauing need of so little, be it either to feed them, or to arme them; and in like manner they may supplie themselues with infinit store of muni∣tion and engins for the warre; for that they carrie no other thing with them but what is necessarie for the warres. Aboundance of wine, diuersitie of meats, and such like, which cannot be carried without great charge, and much trouble, is not respected among them: they haue no care but for that which concernes warre, as copper, yron, steele, and tinne, to make peeces, and other instruments of warre; yron and lead to make bulle••s; and [ B] yron and steele for swords, with oxen and elephants to draw their ordnance. All these princes are tyrans, so as to assure and increase their Estates, they oppresse the people, and put all into the hands of their souldiers, to the end they may be more faithful vnto them. But the Mahometan princes doe not commit their townes of strength, nor enterprises of importance, but to their slaues, who many times reuoult and seaze vpon their maisters Estates, and to maintaine themselues in possession, they abandon the people to spoyle: for the power of a prince must of necessitie be supported either by the loue of his sub∣iects, or by some others; for that he that is feared of all men, cannot long subsist. And for that tyrans cannot promise vnto themselues the loue of the people, whom they in∣treat, not as subiects, but as slaues; they must of force put all confidence in their souldi∣ers, and win them by faire promises: so the Turke relies vpon his Ianisaries, who know no [ C] other maister, no nor father; and to purchase their loue, and to be supported by them, he giues them libertie to doe any thing. Euen so, many princes of Malabar hold the people as beasts, and ground their power vpon the Naires. The kings of Ormus, Cambaye, De∣can, and Acen, make account of slaues; & for that they lay the foundation of their great∣nesse in their souldiers, be they free, or slaues, naturall borne, or strangers, of necessitie among them warre must be the end of all things, and they must not spare their treasure to furnish themselues with souldiers and munition.

[ XIII] But to returne to our great Mogor, they say, that he may draw to field almost in an in∣stant three hundred thousand horse, fiftie thousand elephants, and almost an infinit num∣ber [ D] of foot.

[ XIIII] But some one will obiect, seeing this prince is so powerfull, why doth he not make himselfe maister of the rest of the Indies, and of the East? To whom I answer, that there are many things which hinder him: the one is, that as the spirit and art of man cannot produce a perpetuall motion, an effect proper to God and Nature; so can they not giue a continuall course to humane enterprises: for although that great empires be not in∣fested with forraine forces, yet they sinke vnder their owne weight, and ruine themselues. Moreouer, whenas power increaseth, there wants agilitie, and although the forces be greater, yet are they not verie fit, I will not say to make incursions, but to moue. These forces moue but slowly, and it is well knowne how much celeritie and speed doth im∣port [ E] in warre. Great conquests bring with them a care to keepe and assure them, the which will require time. In the meane time, the neighbours fortifie themselues, and prouide for their safeties, and the facilitie of vanquishing flies away with the occasion.

Moreouer, he that hath vanquished his enemies, doth most commonly feare his com∣panions, and they that haue beene sharers in his victorie; who to assure himselfe of them, must breake off his enterprises, and make a retreat sooner than he desired, or ought. And besides, victories make Captaines insolent, and souldiers mutinous and disobedient, and if the one desire to march on, the others will not follow them, as it happened to Alexan∣der and Lucullus. We must not passe ouer with silence, that great enterprises which suc∣ceed enrich priuat men, but most commonly they leaue the prince without treasure, the [ F] which keepes armies well vnited, and makes them more prompt for actions of warre. We must also confesse, that a great armie (like to that of Badurius) by the ruine of those countries through which it doth passe and stay, doth also depriue it selfe of all mainte∣nance: wherefore although the enemie defeat it not, yet it is consumed by famine, the

[ A] which is most commonly accompanied with the plague. And for this reason there can be no better resolution taken against great armies, than to temporise, and to stand vpon de∣fence, being most certaine that they cannot long continue in that estate, but must be dis∣persed either for want of pay, or of victualls, or through the infection of the aire, or by diseases.

And that which doth also hinder the proceedings of the Mogor, is the nature of pla∣ces: for Mount Caucasus runs through these countries with a thousand branches, where∣of some bound in other realmes; and others not content therewith enuiron them round about, and is vnto them as a wall: some stop vp the passages, others make them difficult [ B] and vneasie; and these difficulties are greater vnto the Mogor than they would be to any other, for that his chiefest force consists in horsemen: so that as he is powerfull in a champian countrie, he cannot aduance with any speed where there are mountaines and hills; the which we may easily coniecture by the Resbutes, who hauing fortified them∣selues in the mountaines of Cambaya, haue no feare of the prince. These Resbutes are the remainders of the idolatrous nobilitie of this countrie, who whenas the Mahome∣tans first seised thereon, retired into the mountaines which lie betwixt the townes of Cambaya and Diu, & there maintaine their libertie by armes, making often great spoiles in the plaine. There are moreouer some barren countries, and which want water, as that of Dulcinde vpon the confines of Cambay; so as it is impossible to march thither with [ C] any great armies.

We must add hereunto the great losse of time which potent princes make in their voiages; for that most commonly Sommer is spent before they come to the place ap∣pointed; and when they are there, their horses are halfe dead, and their souldiers decaied both in number and strength: then comes Winter which is opposite to the agressor, and fauourable to him that defends; for he that inuades must of necessitie keepe the field, and endure all the discommodities of the weather, whilest the others lie in houses, and want not any necessaries: wherefore all princes that haue proiected great enterprises, for that the difficulties are great to lead great armies from one countrie vnto another, haue beene forced to transport their men by sea, or vpon riuers, as Germanicus did in the Ger∣man [ D] war.

The Mogor hath no kind of sea forces, both for that he wants ports, and also for that he hath the Portugals to neighbours, who stop vp all the gulfe of Cambaya with two important forts, which be Daman and Diu.

The last reason which staies the Mogor, hath beene the power of them with whom he confines, which keepe him from extending his dominions towards the East: for he hath for neighbour the king of Barme, who yeelds nothing vnto him in power and forces, se∣ing that the enioies so many realmes and estates, and hath vnder him so many warlike nations, and brings such great numbers to field, as he feares not any opposit power. If the Mogor hath extended his Empire betwixt Ganges and Indus, the other hath augmen∣ted [ E] his no lesse betwixt Ganges and the realm of Siam. And to conclude, their fortificati∣o••s are such at this day, as a small place of war is able to weaken and tire the power of a great kingdome; so as by this a••t few men resist many, and consume the forces and trea∣sure of them that assaile them.

¶ The Religion.

THe wretched sect of Mahomet is so dispersed in Europe, Africke, and Asia, as the greatest realmes of the two latter parts of the world are infected with this error. [ XV] Among others which follow the law of this false Prophet, the Mogors Empire is for [ F] the most part Mahometan. There are also many idolaters, of whom we spake in our discourse of the king of Narsingue, to the which I referre the reader, to auoid repetitions. There are also many Iewes, who are giuen to the trade of merchandise, and some Chri∣stians Abyssins, whom trafficke and the desire of gaine drawes into this countrie.