The voyages and adventures of Fernand Mendez Pinto, a Portugal, during his travels for the space of one and twenty years in the Kingdoms of Ethiopia, China, Tartaria, Cauchinchina, Calaminham, Siam, Pegu, Japan, and a great part of the East-Indiaes with a relation and description of most of the places thereof, their religion, laws, riches, customs, and government in time of peace and war : where he five times suffered shipwrack, was sixteen times sold, and thirteen times made a slave / written originally by himself in the Portugal tongue and dedicated to the Majesty of Philip King of Spain ; done into English by H.C. Gent.

CHAP. XI. The Death of the King of Aaru, and the cruel Iustice that was executed on him by his Enemies; the going of his Queen to Malaca, and her reception there. (Book 11)

THe General of Achem, seeing the bad success which he received in this incounter,* 1.1 was more grieved for the death of the Abissin Captain, and the loss of those eight Pieces of Ordnance, then for all them that were slain besides; whereupon he assembled his Councel of War, who were all of opinion that the commenced siege was to be continued, and the Trench assailed on every side, which was so speed••ly put in execution, that in seventeen days it was as∣saulted nine several times, in so much as by divers sorts of fire-works, continually invented by a Turkish Engineer, that was in their Camp, they demolished the greater part of the Trench; Moreover they overthrew two of the principal Forts on the South side, together with a great Platform, which in the manner of a false-bray defended the entry of the River, notwithstand∣ing all the resistance the King of Aaru could make with his people, though they behaved them∣selves so valiantly, as the Achems lost above two thousand and five hundred men, besides those that were hurt, which were far more then the slain, whereof the most part dyed shortly after for want of looking to. As for the King of Aaru, he lost not above four hundred men, how∣beit for that his people were but few, and his Enemies many, as also better ordered, and better armed, in the last assault, that was given on the thirteenth day of the Moon, the business ended unfortunately by the utter defeat of the King of Aaru's Forces; For it was his ill hap, that having made a salley forth by the advice of a Cacis of his, whom he greatly trusted, it fell out that this Traytor suffering himself to be corrupted with a bar of gold, weighing about forty thousand duckets, which the Achem gave him, whereof the King of Aaru being ignorant, set couragiously on his Enemies, and fought a bloody battel with them, wherein the advantage re∣mained on his side in all mens judgment, but that Dog, the perfidious Cacis, whom he had left Commander of the Trench, sallied forth with five hundred men, under colour of seconding the King in his pursuit of so prosperous a beginning, and left the Trench without any manner of defence, which perceived by one of the Enemies Captains, a Mahometan Malabar, named Cutiale Marcaa, he presently with six hundred Gusarates and Malabars, whom he had led thither for that purpose, made himself Master of the Trench, which the traytrous Cacis for the bar of gold he had received had left unguarded, and forthwith put all the sick and hurt men that he found there to the sword, amounting to the number of about fifteen hundred, whereof he would not spare so much as one. In the mean time the unhappy King of Aaru, who thought of nothing less then the treachery of his Cacis, seeing his Trench taken, ran to the succoring of it, being a matter that most imported him: But finding himself the weaker, he was constrained

to quit the place, so that as he was making his retreat to the Town ditch, it was his ill fortune to be killed by a shot of an Ha••quebuse from a Turk his enemy. Upon this death of his ensued the loss of all the rest, by reason of the great disorder it brought amongst them. Whereat the Enemies exceedingly rejoycing, took up the Corps of that wretched King, which they found amongst the other dead bodies, and having imbowelled and salted him they put him up in a Case, and so sent him as a Present to the Tyrant, who, after many ceremonies of Justice, caused him to be publiquely sawed into sundry pieces, and then boiled in a great Cauldron full of Oyl and Pitch, with a dreadful Publication, the tenor whereof was this:

See here the Iustice, which Sultan Laradin, King of the Land of the two Seas, hath caused to be executed, whose will and pleasure it is, that as the body of this miserable Mahometan hath been sawed in sunder, and boiled here on Earth, so his Soul shall suffer worse torments in Hell, and that most worthily, for his transgressing of the Law of Mahomet, and of the per∣fect belief of the Musselmans of the House of M••••qua: For this execution is very just, and con∣formable to the holy Doctrine of the Book of Flowers, in regard this Miscreant hath shewed himself in all his works to be so far without the fear of God, as he hath incessantly from time to time betrayed the most secret and important affairs of this Kingdom to those accursed Dogs of the other end of the world, who for our sins, and through our negligence, have with notorious Tyranny made themselves Lords of Malaca. This Publication ended, a fearful noise arose a∣mongst the people, who cryed out, This punishment is but too little for so execrable a crime. Behold truly the manner of this passage, and how the loss of the Kingdom of Aaru was joyned with the death of that poor King, who lived in such good correspondence with us, and that in my opinion might have been succored by us with very small charge and pains, if at the be∣ginning of the War he had been assisted with that little he demanded by his Embassador; Now who was in the fault hereof, I will leave to the judgment of them which most it concerns to know it.

* 1.2After that this infortunate King of Aaru had miserably ended his days, as I have before re∣lated, and that his whole Army was utterly defeated, both the Town and the rest of the King∣dom were easily and quickly taken in. Thereupon the General of the Achems repaired the Trenches, and fortified them in such manner as he thought requisite for the conservation and security of all that he had gained: which done, he left there a Garison of eight hundred of the most couragious men of his Army, who were commanded by a certain Lusan Mahometan, named Sapetù de Raia, and incontinently after departed with the rest of his Forces. The common report was that he went to the Tyrant of Achem, who received him with very much honor for the good success of this enterprize; For, as I have already delivered, being before but Governor and Mandara of the Kingdom of Baarros, he gave him the title of King, so that ever after he was called Sultan of Baarros, which is the proper denomination of such as are Kings amongst the Mahometans. Now whilest things passed in this sort, the desolate Queen remained some seven leagues from Aaru, where being advertised and assured of the death of the King her husband, and of the lamentable issue of the War, she presently resolved to cast her self into the fire, for so she had promised her husband in his life time, confirming it with many and great oaths; But her friends and servants, to divert her from putting so de∣sperate a design in execution, used many reasons unto her, so that at length, overcome by their perswasions, Verily, said she unto them, although I yield to your request, yet I would have you know, that neither the considerations you have propounded, nor the zeal you seem to sh••w of good and faithful Subjects, were of power to turn me from so generous a determination, as that is which I promised to my King, my Husband, and my Master, if God had not inspired me with this thought, that living I may better revenge his death, as by his dear blood I vow unto you to labor as long as I live to do, and to that end I will undergo any extremi••y whatso∣ever, nay if need be turn Christian a thousand times over, if by that means I may be able to compass this my desire. Saying so, she immediately got up on an Elephant, and accompanied with a matter of seven hundred men, she marched towards the Town with a purpose to set it on fire, where incountring some four hundred Achems, that were busie about pillaging of such goods as were yet remaining, she so encouraged her people with her words and tears, that they cut them all presently in pieces; This execution done, knowing her self too weak for to hold the Town, she returned into the Wood, where she sojourned twenty days, during which time she made War upon the Townsmen, surprising and pillaging them as often as they issued forth to get water, wood, or other necessaries, so as they durst not stir out of the Town to provide

themselves such things as they needed, in which regard if she could possibly have continued this War other twenty days longer, she had so famished them, as they would have been constrained to render the Town: But because at that time it rained continually by reason of the Climate, and that the place was boggy and full of bushes, as also the fruits, wherewithall they nourished themselves in the Wood, were all rotten, so that the most part of her people fell sick, and no means there to relieve them, the Queen was constrained to depart to a River, named Minha∣çumbaa, some five leagues from thence, where she imbarqued her self in sixteen Vessels, such as she could get, which were fishermens Paroos, and in them she went to Malaca, with a belief that at her Arrival there she should not be denyed any thing she would ask.

Pedro de Faria, being advertised of the Queens coming, sent Alvaro de Faria, his son,* 1.3 and General of the Sea-forces, to receive her with a Galley, five Foists, two Catures, twenty Balons, and three hundred men, besides divers persons of the Country. So she was brought to the Fortress, where she was saluted with an honorable peal of Ordnance, which lasted the space of a good hour. Being landed, and having seen certain things, which Pedro de Faria desired to shew her, as the Custom-house, the River, the Army, the Manufactures, stores of Powder, and other particulars, prepared before for that purpose, she was lodged in a fair house, and her people, to the number of six hundred, in a field, called Ilher, in Tents and Cabbins, where they were accommodated the best that might be. During all the time of her abode, which was about a matter of five months, she continued soliciting for succor, and means to revenge the death of her husband. But at length perceiving the small assistance she was likely to have from us, and that all we did was but a meer entertainment of good words, she determined to speak freely unto Pedro de Faria, that so she might know how far she might trust to his prom ses; To which end, attending him one Sunday at the gate of the Fortress, at such time as the place was full of people, and that he was going forth to hear Mass, she went to him, and after some complements between them, she said unto him; Noble and valiant Captain, I bese••ch you by the generosity of your race, to give me the hearing in a few things I have to re∣present unto you. Consider, I pray you, that albeit I am a Mahometan, and that for the greatness of my sins I am altogether ignorant in the knowledg of your holy Law, yet in regard I am a woman, and have been a Queen, you ought to carry some respect to me, and to behold my misery with the eyes of a Christian. Hereunto at first Pedro de Faria knew not what to answer, in the end putting off his cap, he made her a low reverence, and after they had both continued a good while without speaking, the Queen bowed to the Church gate, that was just before them, and then spake again to Pedro de Faria. Truly, said she, the desire I have al∣ways had to revenge the death of my husband, hath been, and still is, so great, that I have resolved to seek out all the means that possibly I may to effect it, since by reason of the weakness of my sex Fortune will not permit me to bear arms; Being perswaded then that this here, which is the first I have tryed, was the most assured, and that I more relyed upon then any other, as trusting in the ancient amity which hath always been betwixt us and you Portugals, and the obligation wherein this Fortress is engaged to us, passing by many other considerations well known to you, I am now to desire you with tears in mine eyes, that for the honor of the high and mighty King of Portugal, my soveraign Lord, and unto whom my husband was ever a loyal Subject and Vassal, you will ayd and succor me in this my great adversity, which in the presence of many noble Personages you have promised me to do; howbeit now I see that in stead of performing the promises which you have so often made me, you alledg for an excuse that you have written unto the Vice-roy about it, whereas I have no need of such great Forces as you speak of, for that with an hundred men only, and such of my own people as are flying up and down in hope and expectation of my return, I should be able enough, though I be but a woman, in a short space to recover my Country, and revenge the death of my husband, through the help of Almighty God, in whose Name I beseech and require you, that for the service of the King of Portugal, my Master, and the only refuge of my widowhood, you will, since you can, assist me speedily, because expedition is that which in this affair imports the most, and so doing you shall prevent the plot which the wicked enemy hath upon this Fortress, as too well you may perceive by the means he hath used to effect it. If you will be pleased to give me the succor I demand of you, say so; if not, deal clearly with me, for that you will prejudice me as much in making me lose time, as if you refused me that which so earnestly I desire, and which as a Chri∣stian you are obliged to grant me, as the Almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth doth well know▪ whom I take to witness of this my request.

Notes

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• * 1.2

  §. 2.
• * 1.3

  §. 3.