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. XLIX. An ample relation of this Empire of the Calaminham, and of the Kingdomes of Pegu, and Bramaa, with the continuance of our voyage, and what we saw among the same. (Book 49)

A Moneth after our arrivall at this City of Timphan, where the Court then was, the Ambassador demanded an answer to his Ambassie, and it was immediately granted him by the Calaminham, with whom he spake himself, and being graciously entertained by him, he referred him for his dispatch to the Monuagaruu, that was, as I have hereto∣fore delivered, the chief man in governing the Kingdome, who gave him an answer on the behalf of the Calaminham▪ as also a present in exchange of that which the King of Bramaa had sent him, withall he wrote him a Letter, that contained these words, Thou arm of a clear Ruby, which God hath newly enchaced into my body, and whose flesh is fitly fastned to me, as that of my brother, by that new league and amity now accorded unto thee, by me Prechau Guimiam, Lord of the seven and twenty Crownes of the Montaignes of the earth, inherited by a lawfull succession from him, who these two and twenty moneths hath not set his feet upon my head; for so long it is since he left me, never to set me again, by reason of the sanctification which his soul doth now enjoy in feeling the sweet heat of the beams of the Sun. I have seen thy Letter, dated the fifth cha••eca of the eighth moon of the year, whereunto I have given the true credit of a brother, and as such a one I accept of the party thou dost pre∣sent me with, obliging my self to render thee the two passages of Savady free, that so thou mayest without fear of the Siamon be King of Avaa, as thou desirest me by thy Letter: And as for the other conditions, whereof thy Ambassador hath made some mention unto me, I will make answer thereunto by one of mine own, whom will send unto thee from hence e're it be long, to the end thou mayest have a good successe in the pleasure thou seemest to take in making war upon thine enemies. The Ambassador having received this Letter, departed from the Court the third day of November, in the year one thousand five hundred forty and six, accompanied with certain Lords, who by the expresse commandement of the Calamin∣ham went along with him to Bidor, where they took their leave of him, after they had made him a great feast, & presented him with divers gifts. But before I intreat of the way which we held from this place till we came to Pegu, where the King of Bramaa was, I think it convenient and necessary to make a relation here of certain things which we saw in this country, wherein I will acquit my self as succinctly as I can, as I have done in all other matters whereof 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have spoken heretofore; for if I would discourse in parti∣cular of all that I have seen, and of that which hath past as well in this Empire, as in o∣ther Kingdomes, where I have been during my painfull voyages, I had then need to make another volume far bigger then this same, and be indued with a wit much above that I have: howbeit that I may not wholly conceal things so remarkable, I am content∣ed to say so much thereof as my grosse stile will permit me to deliver. The Kingdome of Pegu hath in circuit an hundred and forty leagues, is scituate on the South side in six∣teen degrees, and in the hear•• of the Country towards the rhomb of the East it hath an hundred forty leagues, being invironed all above with an high ground, named Pan∣gavirau, where the Nation of the Bramaas doth inhabit, whose country is fourscore leagues broad, and two hundred long. This Monarchy was in times past one sole King∣dome, which now it is not, but is divided into thirteen estates of Soveraignes, who made themselves masters of it by poysoning their King in a banquet which they made him in the City of Chaleu, as their histories relate: of these thirteen estates, there are eleven that are commanded by other Nations, who by a tract of another great country are joyned to all the bounds of the Bramaas, where two great Emperors abide, of which the one is called the Siamon, and the other the Calaminham, who is the same I purpose only to treat of. According to report, the Empire of the Prince is above three hundred leagues bredth, and as much in length, and it is said that antiently it contained seven and twenty Kingdomes, the inhabitants whereof spake all one language: within this Em∣pire we saw many goodly Cities, exceedingly well peopled, and abounding with all provisions necessary for mans life, as flesh, fresh water, fish, corn, pulse, rice, past••res, vines, and fruits; the chief of all these Cities is Tymphan, where this Emperor, the Cala∣minham, with his Court commonly resides: it is seated along by a great river, named Pit••y, and invironed all about with two broad walls of earth, made up with strong stone

on either side, having very broad ditches, and at each gate a Castle with high Towers; certain Merchants affirmed unto us, that this City had within it some four hundred thousand fires, and albeit the houses are for the most part not above two stories high, yet in recompense thereof they are built very stately, and with great charge, especially those of the Nobility, and of the Merchants, not speaking of the great Lords, which are separated by great inclosures, where are spacious outward Courts, and at the entring into them arches after the manner of China, as also gardens, and walks planted with trees, and great ponds, all very handsomely accommodated to the pleasures and delights of this life, whereunto these people are very much inclined: We were also certified, that both within the inclosure of the City, and a league about it, there were six and twenty hundred Pagodes, some of which, wherein we had been, were very sumptuous and rich, indeed for the rest the most of them were but petty houses in the fashion of Hermitages: These people follow four and twenty Sects, all different one from ano∣ther, amongst the which there is so great a confusion of errors, and diabolicall precepts, principally in that which concerns their bloudy Sacrifices, as ••abhor to speak of them; but the Idol which is most in vogue amongst them, and most frequented, is that whereof I have already made mention, called Qui••y Frigau, that is to say, The God of the Meats of the Sun, for it is in this false God that the Calaminham believes, and does adore him, and so do all the chiefest Lords of the Kingdome, wherefore the Grepos, Menigrepos, and Talagrepos of this false god are honored far more then all others, and held in the re∣tation of holy personages; their superiours, who by an eminent title are called Cabi∣zondos, never know women, as they say, but to content their bruitish and sensuall appe∣tites they want not diabolicall inventions, which are more worthy of tears then recital: during the ordinary Fairs of this City, called by them Chandu••••s, we saw all things there that nature hath created, as iron, steel, lead, tin, copper, lattin, saltpeter, brimstone, oyl, vermillion, honey, wax, sugar, lacre, benjamin, divers sorts of stuffes and garments of silk, pepper, ginger, cinamon, linnen cloth, cotton wool, alum, borax, cor••alines, christall, camphire, musk, yvory, cassia, rhubarbe, turbith, scamony, azure, woad, in∣cense, cochenill, saffron, myr••he, rich porcelain, gold, silver, rubies, diamonds, emerauds, saphirs, and generally all other kind of things that can be named, and that in so great a∣bundance, as it is not possible for me to speak that which I have seen, and be believed; women there are ordinarily very white and fair, but that which most commends them is, that they are of a good nature, chast, charitable, and much inclined to compassion: The Priests of all these four and twenty Sects, whereof there are a very great number in this Empire, are cloathed in yellow, like the Roolims of Pegu, they have no money ei∣ther of gold or silver, but all their commerce is made with the weight of cates, casis, ma∣azes, and conderins. The Court of the Calaminham is very rich, the Nobility exceeding gallant, and the revenue of the Lords and Princes very great, the King is feared and re∣spected in a marvellous manner; he hath in his Court many Commanders that are stran∣gers, unto whom he giveth great pensions to serve him for the safety of his person, our Ambassador was assured, that in the City of Timphan, where most commonly the Court is, there are above threescore thousand horse, and ten thousand Elephants: the gentlemen of the country live very hand somely, and are served in vessels of silver, and sometimes of gold, but as for the common people they use porcelain & lattin; in summer they are apparrelled in sattin, damask, and wrought taffeti••s, which come from Persia, & in winter in gowns furred with marterns; there is no going to Law amongst them, no•• does any man enter into bond there, but if there be any difference among the common people, certain Magistrates, like to our Aldermen of Wards, do decide it, and if con∣tention happens to arise between persons of an higher quality, then they submit to the judgment of certain religious men, who are expresly deputed for that purpose, and from them matters pas••e on in manner of appeal to the Queitor of Justice, which is as the superintendent thereof, from whose sentence there is no appeal, how great and im∣portant soever the business be: The Monarchy of these seven and twenty Kingdomes hath seven hundred Provinces, that is six and twenty in every Kingdome; and in the ca∣pitall town of each of those Provinces doth a Governor preside, all of them being of like and equall power. Now on every new Moon, each Captain is bound to muster the souldiers that are under his charge, which ordinarily are two thousand foot, five hun∣dred

horse, and fourscore fighting Elephants, one of the which is called by the name of the capitall town of the same Province, so that if one should make a just computation of all those men of war that are in those seven hundred companies of those Provinces, they would appear to be seventeen hundred and fifty thousand, whereof there are three hundred and fifty thousand horse, and five and fifty thousand Elephants; for in regard of the great number that there are of those beasts in that country, this Emperor stiles himself in his titles, Lord of the indomptable force of Elephants. The revenue which the Monarch draws from his Royall Prerogatives, by them called, the price of the Scepter, as also from his Mines, amounts to twenty millions of gold, without comp••ising there∣in the presents which are given him by the Princes, Lords and Captains, and a great quantity of money that is distributed amongst the men of war, according to every on•••• merit, which are not of that accompt. In all this country, pearl, amber, and salt are ve∣ry much esteemed of, because they are things that come from the Sea, which is far di∣stant from the City of Timpla••, but of all other commodities they have infinite store: The Country of it self is very healthy, the ayr very good, and likewise the waters. When they sneeze they use to say, the God of truth is three and one, whereby one may judge that these people have had some knowledge of the Christian Religion.

Being departed from the town of Bidor, we held on our course down the great river of Pit••y, and the same day at night we went and lodged at a certain Abby of the land of Quiay Iareno, the God of married folks; this Abby is seated on the bank of the ri∣ver in a plain, where are a great many of trees planted, and very rich buildings, here the Ambassador was well entertained by the Cabizondo and the Talagrepos; then continuing our voyage seven dayes longer, we arrived at a town named Pavel, where we staid three dayes to furnish our vessells with some provisions which we needed; in this place the Ambassador bought divers knacks of China, and other commodities that were sold there at a very cheap rate, as musk, fine porcelains, wrought silks, Ermins, and many o∣ther sorts of furs, which are much used in that country, because it is extreme cold there; these wares were brought thither by great troops of Elephants and Rhinocero's from a certain far distant Province, as the Merchants told us, called Friou••araniaa, beyond the which, they said, was a kind of people called Calog••••s and Funcaos, tawny men, and great Archers, having their feet like unto Oxen, but hands like unto other men, save that they are exceeding hairy, they are naturally inclined to cruelty, and have below at the end of the backbone a lump of flesh as big as ones two fists, their dwelling is in mountains that are very high and rough on some parts, where there are mighty deep pits or caves, from whence are heard in winter nights most dreadfull cries, and dolefull la∣mentations: We were told likewise, that not far from these people there were others, called Calouhos, Timpates, and Bugems, and a good way beyond them some, named O∣quens and Magores, who feed on wild beasts which they catch in hunting, and eat raw, as also on all kind of contagious creatures, as lizards, serpents, and adders; they hunt those wild beasts mounted on certain animalls, as big as horses, which have three horns in the midst of their foreheads, with thick short legs, and on the middle of their backs a row of prickles, wherewith they prick when they are angry, and all the rest of the bo∣dy is like •• great lizard; besides they have on their necks, instead of hair, other prickles far longer and bigger then those on their backs, and on the joynts of their shoulders short wings like to the sins of fishes, wherewith they fly, as it were, leaping the length of five or six and twenty paces at a jump: These creatures are called Banazes, upon which these savage ride into the country of their enemies, with whom they hold conti∣nuall war, and whereof some pay them tribute in salt, which is the thing they make most account of, in regard of the need they have of it, for that they are very far distant from the Sea. We spake also with other men called Bumioens, who live on high mountains, where there are Mines of Alum and Lacre, and great store of wood; of this Nation, we saw a troop conducting of above two thousand oxen, on whom they had put pack-sad∣dles, and so made them to carry their Merchandise; these men were very tall, and had eys and beards like the Chineses: We saw others likewise, that had reasonable long beards, their faces full of freckles, and their ears and nostrills pierced, and in the holes thereof small threds of gold made into clasps, these were called Ginaphogaas, and the Province whereof they were Natives Surobosay, which within the mountains of the

La••hos are bounded with the lake of Chiammay, and are cloathed with hairy skins, go∣ing bare-foot and bare-headed, certain Merchants told us that these had great riche••, and that all their traffique was in silver, whereof they had great store. We spake also with another sort of men, call d Tuparo••ns, who are tawny, great eaters, and much ad∣dicted to the pleasures of the flesh; these gave us better entertainment then all the rest, and oftentimes feasted us. Now because in a certain banquet, where we nine Portugals were with the Ambassador; one of us, named Francisco Temuda, challenged them to drink, they taking it for a great affront, caused the feast to continue the longer for the recovery of their honor, but the Portugal set on them so lustily, twenty that they were, as he laid them all along drunk on the ground, himself remaining still sober; when they were out of their drink, the Sapiton, that was their Captain, and in whose house the feast had been made, called his company together, which were above three hundred, and whether the Portugal would or no made him to mount upon an Elephant, and so lead him through all the town, accompanied with a great multitude of people that fol∣lowed him at the sound of trumpets, drums, and other such instruments; the Captain himself, as also the Ambassador, and the rest of us, together with all the Bramaas, march∣ing on foot after him, with boughs in our hands, and two men before him on horse∣back, that rode crying, O all ye people, praise with gladness the beams which proceed from the midst of the Sun, who is the God that makes our rice to grow, for that you have lived to see a man so holy, that knowing how to drink better then all the men of the world, hath laid on the ground twenty of the principall drinkers of our troop, to the end his renown may be dai∣ly more and more augmented. Whereunto all the crowd of people that accompanied him, answered with such cries and acclamations, as the very noyse thereof frighted all that heard it. In this equipage they lead the Portugal to the Ambassadors house, where they set him down with a great deal of respect and many complements, then on their knees they rendred him to the Ambassador, desiring him to have a care of him as of an holy man, or the son of some great King, for, said they, it cannot be otherwise, seeing God hath bestowed so great a gift on him, as to know how to drink so well. Whereup∣on having made a gathering for him, they got together above two hundred lingots of silver, which they gave him, and untill the time that we departed he was continually visited by the inhabitants, whereof many presented him with rich pieces of silk, and o∣ther gifts, as if they had made an offering to some Saint upon a solemn day of his invo∣cation. After these we saw other men that were very white, named Pavilens, great ar∣chers, and good horsemen, apparrelled in caslocks of silk like those of Iapon, and that carried their meat to their mouths with little sticks, after the manner of the Chineses; these same told us that their Coyntry was called Binagorem, and that it was distant from thence about two hundred leagues up the river, their merchandize was store of gold in powder, like to that of Menancab••, of the Island of Su••atra, as also lacre, a∣loes, musk, tin, copper, silk, and wax, which they exchanged for pepper, ginger, salt; wine, and rice: the wives of these men which we saw there are very white, of better con∣versation then all the rest of those countryes, well natured, and exceeding charitable, demanding of them what was their Law, and what was the divinity that they adored they answered us, That their Gods were the Sun, the heaven, and the stars, for that from them they received by an holy communication all the good that they enjoyed upon earth; and furthermore, that the soul of man was but a breath which ended in the death of the body, and that afterwards tumbling up and down in the ayr she mingled her self with the clouds, untill such time as coming to be dissolved into water, she died again upon the earth, as the body had done before. I omit an infinite many of such extravagances which were told us, and that gave us good cause to wonder at the blindness and confusion of these wretches, and doth also oblige us to render thanks continually unto God for delivering us from these er∣rors, and this false belief. Now from the diversity of these unknown Nations, which we saw in these parts, it is easie to infer, that in this Monarchy of the world there are many countries yet undivided, and unknown to us.