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. LXI. The election of the new Roolim of Mounay, the grand Talagrepo of these Gentiles of the Kingdome of Pegu. (Book 61)

THe next day between seven and eight in the morning,* 1.1 which was the time when the ashes of the deceased began to be cold, the King and all the great Lords of the Court came unto the place where the body had been burnt, marching all in order after the manner of a stately procession, and assisted by all the Grepos, amongst whom there were an hundred and thirty with silver censors, and fourteen with miters of gold on their heads; they were apparrelled in long robes of yellow sattin, as for all the rest, to the number of ten thousand, they were cloathed with taffeta of the same colour, and with a kind of surpliss of fine linnen, which was not done without a very great charge, by reason of the number of them. Being arrived at the place where the Roolim had been burnt, after some ceremonies performed, as is usuall with them, according to the time and sence that every one had of it, a Talagrepo of the Bramaa Nation, and Uncle to the King, as Brother to his Father, whom the people held for the ablest of them all, having been chosen to preach that day, went up into the Pulpit for that effect: The be∣ginning of his Sermon was an Elegy touching the defunct, whose life he commended with many speeches that made for his purpose, wherein he grew so earnest and hot, as turning himself to the King with tears in his eys, and lifting up his voice somewhat louder, to the end he might hear him the better, he said unto him, If the Kings in these times wherein we live do consider how little a time they have to live, and with what rigour of justice they shall be chastised by the Almighty hand of the most high God for the crimes of their tyrannicall lives, possibly it would be better for them to feed in the open fields like bruit beasts, then to be so absolute in their will, and to use it with so little reason, even as to be cruel to the good, and slack in punishing the wicked, whom by their soveraign power they have put into greatnesse and authority; and truly they are much to be lamented, whose good fortune hath raised them up to an estate so dangerous, as is that of Kings at this day, by reason of the in∣solence and liberty wherein they continually live, without so much as the least apprehe••sion of any fear or shame. But you must know, O ye blinded of the world, that God hath made you Kings to use clemency towards men, to give them audience, to content, to chastise them, but not to kill them tyrannically: Neverthelesse, O ye bad Kings, in the condition whereunto you are raised, you oppose your selves to the nature which God hath indued you with, and take up∣on you many other different forms, in apparrelling your selves every hour with some such li∣very as ••••••ms best unto you, to the end you may be to the one very bloud-suckers, that inces∣santly suck from them their goods and their lives, never leaving them so long as they have one drop of bloud in their veins; and to others you are dreadfull roaring Lions, who to give a ••a••k and a colour to your ambition and avarice, cause supreme Laws of death to be published for the least faults, and all for to confiscate other mens goods, which is the main end of your pretensions. Contrarily if there be any that you love, and unto whom you, or the world, or I know not what, have given the name of Grandees, you are so negligent in chastising their proud humors, and so prodigall in inriching them with the spoils and undoing of the poor, whom you have left naked, and even flayed to the very quick, as you cannot doubt but that they will one day accuse you before God for all these things, when you will have no excuse to make, so that there will be nothing left you but a dreadfull confusion to trouble you, and to put you into an horrible disorder. To these he added so many other remonstrances in favour of the poor subjects, cried out so mainly, and shed so many tears in their behalf, as the King remain∣ed almost besides himself, and was touched ••o neerly therewith, that he instantly called Brazagaran, the Governor of Pegu, unto him, and commanded him without all delay to dismisse all the Deputies of the Provinces of the Kingdome, whom he had caused to be assembled in the Town of Cosmin, for to demand of them a great sum of money, that he might set upon the Kingdom of Savady, on which he had newly resolved to make war. Withall he sware publikely on the ashes of the defunct, that during his raign he would never charge his subjects with imposts, nor would make them to serve by force, as he had formerly done; yea, and that for the future he would have a most speci∣all care to hear the poor, and to do them justice against the misdemeanours of the great ones, conformable to the merit of every one, together with many other things very

just and good, which might well serve for a lesson to us that are Christians. This Sermon being finished, the ashes of the defunct, which had been gathered up, was distributed as a relique into fourteen golden basons, whereof the King himself took up one on his head, and the Grepos of chiefest quality carried the rest; so the Procession going from thence in the same order as it came thither, those ashes were conveyed into a very rich Temple, which might be some flight shot from that place, and named Quiay D••cco, that is, the god of the afflicted of the earth, there they were put into a shallow grave, with∣out other pomp or vanity, for so had Aixequendoo, the late Roolim, commanded. This grave then was invironed about with three iron grates, and with two of silver, and one of latten, and upon three iron rods that crossed the whole bredth of the chappell, hung seventy and two lamps of silver, namely four and twenty on each of them, all of great value, and fastened together with great silver chains. Furthermore, there were placed a∣bout the steps, whereby one descended into the grave, thirty and six little perfuming pots, with Benjamin, Aloes, and other confections, wherein was great store of Amber∣greece, all which was not finished till it was almost night, by reason of the many cere∣monies used in this funerall; all that day long they freed an infinite number of birds which had been brought thither in above an hundred cages, these Gentiles being of the opinion that they were so many souls of deceased persons, which before times had pas∣sed out of this life, and that were deposited as it were in the bodies of those birds, till the day of their deliverance should come, at which time they were in all liberty to ac∣company the soul of the defunct: The like they did with a great many of little fishes which had been transported thither also in certain vessells full of water, so that to set them at liberty, they cast them into the river with another new ceremony, to the end they might serve the soul of him whose ashes were then buried: There was also brought thither all kind of venison and foul, which was distributed as an alms to all the poore that were present there, whereof the number was almost infinite. These ceremonies, and other such like which were performed in this action being finished, the King in re∣gard it was neer night retired into his quarter, where he had caused tents to be pitched for to lodge in, and that in sign of mourning, the like did all the great ones, so that all the Assembly by little and little withdrew. The next morning as soon as it was day, the King made it to be proclaimed, that all persons of what condition soever they were, should upon pain of death dislodge speedily out of the Island, and that they which were Priests should return to the attendance of their cures, with this penalty, in care of con∣travention to be degraded from their dignity. Whereupon all the Priests went pre••ent∣ly out of the Island, ninety of them excepted, who were deputed for the election of him that was to succeed in the place of the defunct. These same then assembled in the house of Gangsparo to acquit themselves of their charge, and for that in the two first daies, which was the term limited to make this election, it could not succeed by reason of the diversity of opinions, and great contrariety that was found amongst them, which were to give their votes; the King thought fit, that out of those deputed ninety, there should nine be chosen, who alone should make the election. This resolution be∣ing taken, these nine continued five daies, and as many nights together in continuall prayer; in the mean time a world of offerings were made, and alms given; a great num∣ber of poor people were also cloathed, and tables prepared, where all men that would might eat of free cost, and all this was accompanied with processions in every quarter. At last these nine being agreed in conformity of votes, elected for Roolim one Manichae Mouchan, who at that time was a Capizondo, or Prelate in the town of Digum of a Pagode, called Quiay Figrau, that is to say, god of the atomes of the Sun, of whom I have oftentimes spoken; he was a man of about threescore and eight years of age, ac∣counted amongst them for an holy personage, very knowing in the customes and lawes of those Sects of the Gentiles, and above all exceeding charitable to the poor: With this election the King and all the great ones of the Court remained very well satisfied: The King then speedily dispatched away the Chaumigrem his foster-brother, to whom he gave thereupon the title of Coutalanhaa, which signifies, the Kings brother, to the end he might be the more honorably qualified with an hundred Lauleas, wherein was the Flower of all the Brama•• Nobility, together with the nine Electors, for to go and fetch him which had been newly chosen to the dignity of Roolim: And having brought

him nine dayes after with a great deal of respect and honor to a place called Tagalaa, some five leagues from the Isle of Mounay, the King met him with all the great men of the Court, besides a world of other people, and above two thousand vessells with oars. When he was come in this equipage where the new Roolim vvas, he prostrated him∣self before him, and kissing the ground three times, O thou holy pearl, said he unto him, which art in the midst of the Sun, breath forth upon me by an agreeable inspiration of the Lord of uncreated power, that I may not dread upon earth the insupportable yoke of mine ene∣mies: At these vvords the nevv Roolim putting forth his hand to raise him from the ground, spake thus unto him, Labour my Son that thy works may be pleasing to God, and I will pray for thee without ceasing. Hereupon the King rising up, the Roolim made him sit dovvn by him, and stroked him three times vvith his hand on the head, vvhich the King took for the greatest honor he could do him; then having said something unto him vvhi••h vve could not hear, for that vve vvere a little too far off, he blovved three times on the Kings head▪ vvhilest he vvas on his knees again before him, and all the people laid flat on the earth. This done, he parted from that place amidst the applauses that vvere given him from all parts, and the sound of bells and instruments of musick, and im∣barqued himself in the Kings Laulea, where he was seated in a rich chair of gold, set with precious stones, and the King at his feet, which was also taken for a great honor done him by the Roolim; round about, and a little distant from him were twelve little boys attired in yellow sattin, with scarfes of silver Tinsell, golden Maces, and Scepters in their hands: All along the sides of the vessell, instead of Mariners, stood the Lords of the Kingdom with guilt oars by them; and as well in the Poop as the Prow were two Quires of young striplings, apparrelled in carnation sattin, and having divers sorts of instruments in their hands, to the tune whereof they sung the praises of God. Some of our company observed, that one of their songs said thus; Children of a pure heart, praise this admirable and divine Lord, for as ••or me being a sinner I am not worthy to do it; and if that too be not permitted unto you let your eys weep before his feet, that so you may render your selves agreeable unto him. In the same manner they sung many other songs to the tune of their instruments, and with so much ardor and zeal, as if they had been Christians; it would have been able to have stirred up the devotion of them that heard them. After that the Rooli•• was in this sumptuous ••ort arrived at the City of Marta∣bano, he did not go to Land, as it had been resolved, because it was night, for it was not lawfull for him at any hand to touch the ground with his feet, in regard of the great dignity of his person, but stayed till the next morning, at which time the King disim∣barqued him first of all upon his own shoulders, and so too did the Princes and great Lordsof the Kingdom carry him alternatively to the Pagod•• of Quiay Ponuedea, as being the greatest and most sumptuous of the whole City, in the midst whereof was a Theater richly set forth of yellow sattin, which is the livery of that soveraign dignity. There, out of a new ceremony, being laid all along upon a ••ittle bed of gold, he made as though he were dead, and then at the sound of a bell which gave three toles, the Bonzes prostrated themselves all with their faces on the ground for the space of half an hour, during which time, all the assistants for a sign of sadnesse held their hands before their eys, in saying aloud, Lord recall this thy servant to a new life, to the end we may have one to pray for us. Instantly thereupon they took him from thence, and put him into a Tomb adorned with the same livery, then chanting out certain, I know not what, very sorrow∣full words with tears in their eys, they left him, after they had surrounded the Temple thrice, in a grave made expresly for that purpose, covered over with a cloth of black velvet, and invi••oned about with dead mens heads. This done, they said certain prayers after their manner, weeping, which very much moved the King; and then all the throng of people that made a strange noyse, being commanded to silence, they gave three toles with a great bell, for a sign to all the rest of the bells in the City to answer them, as they did with so horrible and dreadfull a din, that the earth even trembled therewith: After the ceasing of this noyse, two Talagrepos, men of great reputation amongst them, and very well versed in their Laws, went up into two Pulpits, prepared expresly for them, and that were hung with rich Turky Carpets, where they entertained their Auditors with the subject of this ceremony, and gave them the explication of every thing, making an ample relation unto them of the life and death of the deceased Roolim,

and of the election of this same, together with the excellent qualities with which he was indued for to be raised to so high a charge whereunto he was called by a particular grace of God; to this they added many other things wherewith the people were ex∣ceedingly satisfied and contented; then the same bell having tolled three times more, the two Priests descended from their Pulpits, which together with all their furniture were presently burned with another new kind of ceremony, whereof I will forbear here making a relation, because it seems unnecessary to me to lose time in these super∣fluities, having said but too much already thereof. After all things were peaceable and quiet, and that for the space of five or six Credoes nothing had been spoken, there ap∣peared coming from the next Temple, which was about a flight shot off, a very rich and sumptuous Procession of little children, attired all in white taffets, for a mark of their innocency and purenesse; they had about their necks a number of jewells, chains of gold upon their legs in form of bracelets, white wax lights in their hands, and upon their heads bonnets imbroydered with silk and gold, and set with Pearls, Rubies, and Saphirs; in the middle of this Procession was a rich Canopy of cloth of gold, which twelve of those little children carried, invironed round about with perfuming pans and censors of silver, from whence breathed forth excellent odors most pleasing to the sent. These little children played on divers instruments of musick, and went on singing praises to God, and praying him to resuscitate this defunct to a new life. When they were arrived at the place where the Roolim lay, they drew to the shrine, and taking away the cloth wherewith it was covered, there came out of it a little child, which could not be above three or four years old, and although he was naked, yet was not his nakednesse seen, be∣cause he was all covered over with gold and pretious stones, and appeared in the same fashion as we are accustomed to paint Angells; he had also golden wings, and a very rich Crown upon his head: Whenas he was come from out the shrine, the Assistants be∣ing prostrated on the ground, fell to saying aloud with a voice that made those to tremble which heard them, Thou Angel of God, sent from heaven for our salvation, pray for us when thou returnest thither again. The King went instantly to this child, and ha∣ving taken him in his arms with a great deal of respect, and a strange ceremony, as if he would shew that he was not worthy to touch him, in regard he was an Angell sent from heaven, he set him on the brink of the grave, where after the child had taken away the cloth of black Velvet that covered him, whilest all were on their knees, with their hands and eys lift up to heaven, he said aloud, as if he had spoken to him, Thou which hast been conceived in sin, amidst the misery and filthiness of the flesh, God commands thee by me, who am the least of his servants, that thou do resuscitate to a new life which may be agreeable unto him, alwayes dreading the chastisement of his mighty hand, to the end that as the last gasp of thy life thou mayest not stumble like the children of the world; and that from this place where thou art extended stark dead, thou do rise up presently, because it hath been so decreed by the greatest of the greatest in the Temple of the earth, and come after me, and come after me, and come after me. The King thereupon took this child again in his arms, and then the Roolim rising up in the grave where he was, as it were amazed with this vi∣sion, fell on his knees before the child whom the King held, and said, I accept of this new grace from the hand of th•• Lord, conformably to that which thou hast told me from him, ob∣liging my self to be even till death an example of humility, and the least of all his, to the end the toads of the earth may not lose themselves in the abundance of the world. This said, the child rid himself again out of the Kings arms, and going directly to the grave, he lent the Roolim his hand to help him out of it. Now he was scarce come forth, whenas they gave five toles with a Bell, which was a sign for all the people to prostrate themselves on the ground the second time, saying, Blessed be thou, O Lord, for so great a grace; whereupon all the bells in the City began to ring, and all the Ordnance that were on the land to shoot of, as also those of above two thousand vessells that rode at Anchor in the Port, from whence proceeded so strange a noyse, as was most insupportable to the ears of them that heard it.

Notes

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  §. 1.