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. XII. The Queen of Aaru's departure from Malaca; her going to the King of Jantana; his summoning the Tyrant of Achem to restore the Kingdom of A••ru, and that which past between them thereupon. (Book 12)

PEdro de Faria, having heard what this desolate Queen said openly unto him, convinced by his own conscience,* 1.1 and even ashamed of having delayed her in that fashion, answered her, that in truth, and by the faith of a Christian, he had recommended this affair unto the Vice∣roy, and that doubtless there would some succor come for her ere it were long, if so be there were no trouble in the Indiaes that might hinder it, wherefore he advised and prayed her to stay still in Malaca, and that shortly she should see the verity of his speeches. Thereunto this Princess having replyed upon the uncertainty of such succor, Pedro de Faria grew into choller, because he thought she did not believe him, so that in the heat of his passion he lashed out some words that were more rude then was fit. Whereupon the desolate Queen, with tears in her eyes, and beholding the Church gate, which was just against her, and sobbing in such manner as she could scarcely speak; The clear Fountain, said she, is the God which is adored in that house, out of whose mouth proceeds all truth, but the men of the Earth are sinks of troubled water, wherein change and faults are by nature continually remaining, wherefore accursed is he that trusts to the opening of their lips; For I assure you, Captain, that ••ver since I knew my self to this present I have neither heard, nor seen ought, but that the more such unhappy wretches, as my late husband was, and my self now am, do for you Portugals, the less you re∣gard them, and the more you are obliged, the less you acknowledg, whence I may well conclude that the recompence of the Portugal Nation consists more in favor, then in the merits of per∣sons; And would to God, my deceased husband had nine and twenty years ago but known what now for my sins I perceive too well, for then he had not been so deceived by you as he was: But since it is so, I have this only left to comfort me in my misery, that I see many others scandalized with your amity as well as my self; For if you had neither the power nor the will to succor me, why would you so far engage your self to me, a poor desolate widow, concerning that which I hoped to obtain from you, and so beguile me with your large promises? Having spoken thus, she turned her back to the Captain, and without harkening to what he might say she instantly returned to her lodging, then caused her Vess••ls, wherein she came thither, to be made ready, and the next day set sail for Bi••tan, where the King of Iantana was at that time, who, according to the report was made of it to us afterward, received her with great honor at her arrival. To him she recounted all that had past betwixt her and Pedro de Faria, and how she had lost all hope of our friendship; Unto whom, it is said, the King made this answer, That he did not marvel at the little faith she had found in us, for that we had shewed it but too much upon sundry occasions unto all the world. Now the better to confirm his saying, he re∣cited some particular examples of matters, which he said had befallen us, conformable to his purpose; and like a Mahometan, and our Enemy, he made them appear more enormous then they were: So after he had recounted many things of us very ill done, amongst the which he interlaced divers Treacheries, Robberies, and Tyrannies, at length he told her, that as a good King, and a good Mahometan, he would promise her, that ere it were long she should see her self by his means restored again to every foot of her Kingdom; and to the end she might be the more assured of his promise, he told her that he was content to take her for his wife, if so she pleased, for that thereby he should have the greater cause to become the King of Achems Enemy, upon whom for her sake he should be constrained to make War, if he would not by fair means be perswaded to abandon that which he had unjustly taken from her. Whereunto she made answer, that albeit the honor he did her was very great, yet she would never accept of it, unless he would first promise, as in way of a dowry, to revenge the death of her former husband, saying, it was a thing she so much desired, as without it she would not accept of the Soveraignty of the whole world. The King condescended to her request, and by a so∣lemn Oath taken on a Book of their Sect confirmed the promise which to that effect he made her.

* 1.2After that the King of Iantana had taken that Oath before a great Cacis of his, called Raia Moulana, upon a festival day when as they solemnized their Ramadan, he went to the Isle of Compar, where immediately upon the celebration of their Nuptials he called a Councel for to

advise of the course he was to hold for the performance of that whereunto he had engaged him∣self, for he knew it was a matter of great difficulty, and wherein he should be forced to hazard much of his Estate. The resolution that he took hereupon was before he enterprized any thing to send to summon the Tyrant of Achem to surrender the Kingdom of Aaru, which in the right of his new wife belonged now unto him▪ and then according to the answer he should receive to govern himself. This Councel seemed so good to the King, that he presently dispatched an Em∣bassador to the Tyrant, with a rich Present of Jewels, and Silks, together with a Letter con∣taining these words. Sibri Laya quendou, pracama de Raia, lawful King by a long succession of Malaca, which by strong hand, and the injustice of the faithless Kings of Jantana and Bintan hath been usurped from me, To thee Siry Sultan Aaradin, King of Achem, and of all the Land of the two Seas, my true Brother by the ancient Amity of our forefathers. I, thine Ally in flesh and in blood, do give thee to understand by my Embassador, that about the seventh Moon of this present year the noble Widow Anchesiny, Queen of Aaru, came to me full of grief and tears, and prostrating her self on the ground before me, she told me that thy Captains had taken her Kingdom from her, as also the two Rivers of Lava and Panetican, and slain Alibon∣car her husband, together with five thousand Amborraias and Ouroballons, all men of mark, that were with him, and made three thousand children slaves, which had never offended, tying their hands behind them, and scourging them continually without pity, as if they had been the sons of unbelieving mothers. Wherefore being moved with compassion I have received her under the protection of my faith, to the end that I might with more certainty inform my self of the reason and right thou hadst so to do, and perceiving by her oaths that thou hadst none, I have taken her to my wife, that I might the more freely before God demand that which is hers. I desire thee then, as being thy true Brother, that thou wilt render that thou hast taken from her, and thereof make her a good and full restitution; And touching the proceeding that is to be held in this restitution which I demand of thee, it is to be done according to the manner that Syribican my Embassador will shew thee. And not doing thus conformable to what in justice I require of thee, I declare my self thine Enemy in the behalf of this Lady, unto whom I am obliged by a solemn Oath to defend her in her affliction. This Embassador being come to A∣che••, the Tyrant received him very honorably, and took his Letter; But after he had opened it, and read the contents, he would presently have put him to death, had he not been diverted by his Councel, who told him, that in so doing he would incur great infamy: Whereupon he in∣stantly dismissed the Embassador with his Present, which in contempt of him he would not ac∣cept of, and in answer of that he brought him he returned him a Letter, wherein it was thus written. I Sultan Aaradin, King of Achem, Baarros, Pedir, Paacem, and of the Signories of Dayaa, and Batas, Prince of all the Land of the two Seas, both Mediterranean and Ocean, and of the Mynes of Menencabo, and of the Kingdom of Aaru newly conquered upon just cause, To thee King, replenished with joy, and desirous of a doubtful heritage: I have seen thy Let∣ter, written at the table of thy Nuptials, and by the inconsiderate words thereof have dis∣cerned the drunkenness of thy Councellors and Secretaries, whereunto I would not have vouchsafed an answer, had it not been for the humble prayers of my servants. As touching the Kingdom of Aaru, do not thou dare to speak of it if thou desirest to live, sufficeth it that I have caused it to be taken in, and that it is mine, as thine also shall be ere long, if thou hast married Anchesiny with a purpose upon that occasion to make claim to a Kingdom, that now is none of hers; wherefore live with her as other husbands do with their wives, that tilling the ground are contented with the labor of their hands. Recover first thy Malaca, since it was once thine, and then thou mayst think of that which never belonged to thee. I will favor thee as a Vassal, and not as a Brother, as thou qualifiest thy self. From my great and Royal House of rich Achem, the very day of this thy Embassadors arrival, whom I have presently sent away without further seeing or hearing of him, as he may tell thee upon his return to thy pre∣sence.

The King of Iantana's Embassador,* 1.3 being dismissed with this Answer the very same day that he arrived, which amongst them they hold for a mighty affront, carried back the Present, which the Tyrant would not accept of in the greater contempt both of him that sent, and he that brought it, and arrived at Compar, where the King of Iantana was at that instant, who upon the understanding of all that had past grew by report so sad and vext, that his servants have vowed they have divers times seen him weep for very grief that the Tyrant should make so little reckoning of him; Howbeit he held a Councel there upon the second time, where it was con∣cluded,

that at any hand he should make War upon him, as on his mortal Enemy, and that the first thing he should undertake, should be the recovery of the Kingdom of Aaru, and the Fort of Panetican, before it was further fortified▪ The King accordingly set forth a Fleet of two hundred Sails, whereof the most part were Lanchares, Calaluses, and fifteen tall Juncks, fur∣nished with Munition necessary for the enterprize; And of this Navy he made General the great Laque Xemena, his Admiral, of whose valor the History of the Indiaes hath spoken in divers places. To him he gave two thousand Soldiers, as also four thousand Mariners and gally slaves, all choyce and trained men. This General departed immediately with his Fleet, and arrived at the River of Panetican close by the Enemies Fort, which he assaulted five several times, both with scaling ladders, and divers artificial fires, but perceiving he could not prevail that way, he began to batter it with four hundred great Pieces of Ordnance▪ which shot continually for the space of seven whole days together, at the end whereof the most part of the Fort was ruined, and overthrown to the ground, whereupon he presently caused his men to give an assault to it, who performed it so valiantly, that they entered it, and slew fourteen hundred Achems, the most of which came thither but the day before the Fleet arrived under the conduct of a Turkish Captain, Nephew to the Bassa of Caire, named Mora do Arraiz, who was also sl••i•••• there with four hundred Turks he had brought along with him, whereof Laque Xemena would not spare so much as one. After this he used such diligence in repairing that which was fallen, wherein most of the Soldiers labored, that in twelve days the Fort was rebuilt, and made as strong as before, with the augmentation of two Bulwarks. The news of this Fleet, which the King of Iantana prepared in the Ports of Bintan and Compar, came to the Tyrants ears, who fearing to lose that which he had gotten, put instantly to Sea another Fleet of fourteen hundred and twenty Sails, Foists, Lanchares, Galiots, and fifteen Galleys of five and twenty banks of oa••s a piece, wherein he caused fifteen thousand men to be imbarqued, namely, twelve thou∣sand Soldiers, and the rest Mariners, and such as were for the service of the Sea; Of this Army he made the same Heredin Mahomet General, who had before (as I have already declared) conquered the Kingdom of Aaru, in regard he knew him to be a man of a great spirit, and fortunate in War, who departing with this Army arrived at a place, called Aapessumhee, with∣in four leagues of the River of Panetican, where he learnt of certain fishermen, whom he took and put to torture, all that had past concerning the Fort and the Kingdom, and how Laque Xe∣mena had made himself Master both of the Land and Sea in expectation of him. At this news, it is said, that Heredin Mahomet was much perplexed, because intruth he did not b••lieve the Enemy could do so much in so little time; By reason whereof he assembled his Councel, where it was concluded, that since both the Fort and Kingdom were regained, and all the men he had left there cut in pieces, as likewise for that the Enemy was very strong, both at Sea and Land, and the season very unfit for their design, therefore they were to return back: Neverth••less He∣redin Mahomet was of a contrary opinion, saying, that he would rather dye like a man of cou∣rage, then live in dishonor, and that seeing the King had made choyce of him for that purpose, by the help of God he would not lose one jot of the reputation he had gotten; wherefore he vowed and swore by the bones of Mahomet, and all the Lamps that perpetually burn in his Chappel, to put all those to death as Traytors that should go about to oppose this intent of his, and that they should be boiled alive in a Cauldron of Pitch, in such manner as he meant to deal with Laque Xemena himself; and with this boiling resolution he parted from the place where he rode at anchor, with great cries, and noise of Drums, and Bells, as they are accustomed to do upon like occasions. In this sort by force of oars and sails they got into the entry of the Ri∣ver, and coming in sight of Laque Xemena's Navy, who was ready waiting for him, and well reinforced with a great number of Soldiers, that were newly come to him from P••ra, Bintan, Siaca▪ and many other places thereabout, he made towards him, and after the discharging of their O••dnance afar off, they joyned together with as much violence as might be. The fight was such, that during the space of an hour and an half there could no advantage be discerned on either part, until such time as Heredin Mahomet, General of the Achems, was slain with a great shot, that hit him just in the brest, and battered him to pieces. The death of this Chief∣tain discouraged his people in such manner, as laboring to return unto a Point, named Baroqui∣rin, with a purpose there to unite and fortifie themselves until night, and then by the favor thereof to fly away, they could not execute their design, in regard of the great currant of the water, wh••ch separated and dispersed them sundry ways, by which means the Tyrants Army ••ell into the power of Laque Xemena, who defeated it, so that but fourteen Sails of them

escaped, and the other hundred threescore and six were taken, and in them were thirteen thou∣sand and five hundred men killed, besides the fourteen hundred that were slain in the Trench. These fourteen Sails that so escaped returned to Achem, where they gave the Tyrant to un∣derstand how all had past, at which, it is reported, he took such grief, as he shut up himself for twenty days without seeing any body, at the end whereof he struck off the heads of all the Captains of the fourteen Sails, and commanded all the Soldiers beards that were in them to be shaved off, enjoyning them expresly upon pain of being sawed asunder alive, to go ever after attired in womens apparel, playing upon Timbrels in all places where they went, and that whensoever they made any protestation, it should be in saying, So may God bring me back my husband again, as this is true, or, So may I have joy of the children I have brought into the world. Most of these men seeing themselves inforced to undergo a chastisement so scandalous to them, fled their Country, and many made themselves away, some with poyson, some with halters, and some with the sword. A relation altogether true, without any addition of mine. Thus was the Kingdom of Aaru recovered from the Tyrant of Achem, and remained in the hands of the King of Iantana until the year 1574. At which time the said Tyrant with a Fleet of two hundred Sails, feigning as though he would go to take in Patava, fell cunningly one night on Iantana, where the King was at that time, whom, together with his wife, children, and many others, he took prisoners, and carried into his Country, where he put them all to most cruel deaths, and for the King himself he caused his brains to be beaten out of his head with a great club. After these bloody executions he possest the Kingdom of Aaru, whereof he presently made his eldest son King, the same that was afterward slain at Malaca, coming to besiege it in the time of Don Lionis P••reyra, son to the Earl of Feyra, Captain of the Fortress, who defended it so valiantly, that it seemed to be rather a miracle then any natural work, by reason the power of that Enemy was so great, and ours so little in comparison of theirs, as it may be truly spoken how they were two hundred Mahometans against one Christian.

Notes

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