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. LXXII. That which arrived in the time of Xenim de Satan, and an abominable ••ase that befell to Diego Suarez; together with the Xemindoos expedition against Xenim de Satan; and that which insued thereupon. (Book 72)

THree moneths and nine dayes had this Tyrant Xenim de Satan already peaceably possessed the city and kingdome of Pegu, whenas without fearing any thing, or being contradicted by none, he fell to distributing the treasure and revenues of the Crown to whomsoever he pleased, whereupon great scandalls insued, which were the cause of divers quarrells and divisions amongst many of the Lords, who for this cause, and the injustice which this tyrant did them, retyred into severall foraigne Countries and Kingdoms. Some also went and sided with the Xemindo••, who began at that time to be in reputation again: For after he had fled from the battell onely with six horse, as I have declared heretofore, he got into the Kingdom of Ansedaa, where as well by the efficacy of his Sermons, as by the authority of his person, he won so many to his devotion, as assisted by the favour and forces of those Lords as ad∣hered to him, he made up an army of threescore thousand men, with which he march∣ed to Meidoo, where he was very well received by those of the Country. Now set∣ting aside what he did in those parts, during the space of foure moneths, that he abode there, I will in the mean time passe to a strange accident which in a few dayes fell out in this city, that one may know what end the good fortune of the great Diego Suarez had, who had been Governour of this Kingdom of Peg••; and the recompence which the world is accustomed to make at last unto all such as serve and trust in it, under the semblance of a good countenance which she shews them at first. The matter past in this sort; There was in this city of Pegu a Merchant, called Manbagoaa, a rich man, and that of good reputation in the country: This same resolved to marry a daughter of his to a young man, the son of a worshipfull and very rich Merchant also, named Manicaniandarim, about that time that Diego Suarez was in the great∣est height of his fortune, and termed the Kings brother, and in dignity above all the Princes and Lords of the Kingdom. So the fathers of these young couple being a∣greed on this marriage, and of the dowry that was to be given, which by report was three hundred thousand duckats; when as the day was come wherein the nupti∣alls were celebrated with a great deal of state and magnificence, and honoured with the presence of most of the gentlemen of chiefest quality in the city, it happened

that Diego Suarez, being come a little before Sun-set from the royall palace, with a great train both of horse and foot, as his manner was to be alwayes well accompani∣ed, passed by Mambogoaas door, where hearing the musick and rejoycing that was in the house, asked what the matter was, whereunto answer being made him, that Mam∣bogoaa had married his daughter, and that the wedding was kept there, he presently caused the Elephant on which he was mounted to stay, and sent one to tell the fa∣ther of the bride, that he congratulated with him for this marriage, and wished a long and happy life to the new married couple; to these words he added many o∣thers by way of complement, yea and made him many offers if he would make use of him; wherewith the old father of the bride finding himself so exceedingly honored, as not knowing how to acknowledge it, in regard the person who did him so much honor, was no lesse then the King himself in greatnesse and dignity, the desire which he had to satisfie this obligation in part, if he could not wholly do it, made him go and take his daughter by the hand, accompanied with many Ladies of quali∣ty, and so leading her to the street door, where Diego Suarez was, he prostrated himself on the ground with a great deal of respect, and with many complements af∣ter his manner, thanked him for the favour and honor that he had done him. There∣upon the new married bride, having taken from off her finger a rich ring, presented it on her knees by her fathers expresse commandement, to Diego Suarez; but he that naturally was sensuall and lascivious, instead of using civility, whereunto the Laws of generosity and friendship obliged him, having taken the ring which the maid pre∣sented unto him, he reached out his hand, and plucked her to him by force, saying, God forbid that so fair a maid as you should fall into any other hands but mine; where∣upon the poor old man seeing Diego Suarez hale his daughter so rudely, lifting up both his hands to heaven, with his knees on the ground, and tears in his eys, My Lord, said he unto him I humbly beseech thee for the love and respect of the great God, whom thou adorest, and which was conceived without any spot of sin in the Virgins womb, as I confesse and believe, according to that which I have heard thereof, that thou wilt not forcibly take away my daughter; for if thou doest so, I shall assuredly die with griefe and displeasure at it; but if thou desire of me that I should give thee her dowry, together with all that is in my house, and that I deliver up my self unto thee for thy slave, I will instant∣ly do it, provided thou wilt permit that her husband may possesse her, for I have no other good in the world but ••••e, nor will I have any other as long as I live. Whereupon offering to lay hold on his daughter, Diego Suarez making no answer to him, turned himself about to the Captain of his guard, who was a Turk by Nation, and said unto him, kill this dog The Turk presently drew out his Scymitar to kill the poor old man, but he suddainly fled away, leaving his daughter with her hair all about her ears in Diego Suarez his hands. In the mean time the Bridegroom came running to this tumult, with his cheeks all bedeawed with tears, but he was scarcely arrived there, whenas these Barbarians slew him, and his Father too, with six or seven other of his kinsmen. Whilest this past so, the women made such fearfull cries in the house, as terrified all those that heard them, so that even the earth and the ayr seemed to tremble at it, or to say better, they demanded vengeance of God for the little respect which was had to his divine justice, and for so great a violence as this was; and truly if I do not more amply report the particularities of so black and so abhominable an action, I desire to be excused, in regard I passe them by for the honor of the Portugal Nation. Wherefore it shall suffice me to say, that this poor Maid seeing her self upon the point to be forced, strangled her self with a string that she wore about her middle for a girdle, which she chose rather to do, then suffer this sensuall and bruitish man to carry her away with him by force; but he was therewith so displeased, as he was heard to say, that he repented him more for that he had not enjoyed her, then for u∣sing her in that sort as he did. Now from the day of this abhorred act, till four years after, the good old man, the Father of the Bride, was never seen to go out of his house; but at length to give a greater demonstration of his sorrow, and to shew his extreme resentment of the matter, he covered himself with an old tattered mat, and in that sad equipage went up and downe, begging an alms of his very slaves,

never eating any thing, but lying all along naked, and his face fixed on the ground. Thus continued he in so sad a manner of life, untill in the end he saw that the season invited him to have recourse unto justice, which he demanded in this sort; perceiving that in the Kingdome there was another King, other Governors, and other Jurisdi∣ction, alterations which time ordinarily produceth in every country, and in all kind of affairs, he went out of his house in the wretched fashion he had so long used, having a big cord about his neck, and a white beard, reaching almost down to his girdle, and got him into the midst of a great place, where stood a Temple called Quiay Fantare••, that is to say, the God of the afflicted; there he took the idoll from off the Altar, and holding it in his armes, he returned out of the Temple, to the said great place, where having cried out aloud three times to draw the people together, as accordingly they came flocking in unto him, he said with teares in his eys; O ye people, ye people! who with a cleane and peaceable heart make profession of the truth of this God of the afflicted, which you see here in my armes, come forth like lightning in a dark and rainy night, and joyn with me in crying so loud, that our cryes may pierce the hea∣vens, to the end the pitifull ear of the Lord may be drawn to hear our heavy lamentations, and by them he may know the reason we have to demand justice against this accursed stran∣ger, as the most wicked man that ever was born into the world; for this abhominable wretch hath not been contented with spoiling us of our goods, but hath also dishonored our fami∣lies; wherefore whosoever shall not with me accompany the God which I hold in my hands, and water with my tears, in detesting so horrible a crime, let the gluttonous Serpent of the profound pit of smoke abridge his dayes miserably, and tear his body in pieces at midnight. This old mans words so mightily terrified the Assistants, and made so deep an im∣pression in their minds, that in a short time fifty thousand persons assembled in that place, with so much fury and desire of revenge, as was wonderfull to behold. Thus the number of the people still more and more increasing, they ran thronging strait to the Kings Palace, with so horrible a noyse, as struck terror into all that heard them. In this disorder, being arrived at the outward Court of the Palace, they cried out six or seven times with a dreadfull tone; O King come out of the place wherein thou art shut up, to hearken to the voice of thy God, who demands justice of thee by the mouth of thy poor people. At these cries the King put forth his head out of the window, and affrighted with so strange an accident, would needs know of them what they would have? whereunto they all answered unanimously with such loud cries, as seemed to pierce the heavens, Iustice, justice against a wicked infidell, who to spoil us of our goods hath killed our fathers, our children, our brothers, and our kinsmen. The King having there∣upon inquired of them who it was, it is, answered they, an accursed thief, participa∣ting with the works of the Serpent, who in the fields of delight abused the first man that God created. Is it possible, said he unto them, that there should be any such thing as you tell me? whereunto they all replied, This same is the most accursed man that ever was born on the earth, and is so out of his wicked nature and inclination, wherefore we all of us beseech thee in the name of this God of the afflicted, that his veins may be as much emptied of his bloud, as hell is filled with his wicked works. At these words the King turning towards them that were about him, What do you think hereof, said he unto them? What am I to do? and how am I to carry my self in so strange and extraordinary a matter? To which they all answered, My Lord, if thou wilt not hearken to that which this God of the afflicted comes to demand of thee, it is to be feared that he will take care no longer to aid th••e, and will refuse to support thee in thy dignity. Then the King turning himself again to the multitude that were below in the Court, bad them go to the place where the great Market was kept, and he would give order that the man whom they required should be delivered unto them to be disposed of at their pleasure. Whereupon having sent for the Chirca of justice, who is as the Soveraign Superintendent there∣of above all others, he commanded him to go and apprehend Diego Suarez, and deliver him bound hand and foot to the people, that they might do justice up∣on him, for he feared if he did otherwise, that God vvould execute it upon him.

The Chirca of Justice vvent immediately to Diego Suarez his house, and told him tsiat the King had sent for him;* 1.1 he in the mean time was so troubled to see the Chirca come for him, that he remained a pretty while not able to answer him, as a man that was always besides himself, and had lost his understanding; but at length being somewhat come to himself again; He earnestly desired him to dispense with him at this time for going with him, in regard of a great pain that he had in his head, and that in acknowledgement of so good an office, he would give him forty ••isses of gold. Where∣unto the Chirca replied, The offer which thou makest me is too little for me to take upon me that great pain which thou s••yest thou hast in thy head, wherefore thou must go along with me, either by fair means or by force, since thou obligest me to tell thee the truth. Diego Suarez then, seeing that there was no means to excuse him, would have taken along with him six or seven of his servants, and the Chirca not permitting it; I must, said he unto him, fulfill the Kings command, which is, that thou shalt come alone, and not with six or seven men, for the time is now past wherein thou wert wont to go so well ac∣companied, as I have oftentimes seen thee do; all thy support is gone by the death of the Tyrant of Bramaa, who was the quill wherewith thou blowedst up thy self to an unsupport∣able pride, as is apparent by the wicked actions which thou hast committed, which at this present accuse thee before the justice of God. This said, he took him by the hand, and led him along with him, invironed with a guard of three hundred men, whereat we remained very much dismayed. Thus marching from one street to another, he arrived in the end at the Bazor, which was a publike place where all kind of wares was sold; but as he was going thither, he met by chance with Balthazar Suarez his son, who came from a Merchants house, whither his Father had sent him that morning to re∣ceive some money that was owing to him. The Son, seeing his Father in this plight, alighted presently from his horse, and casting himself at his feet; What means this, my Lord, said he unto him with tears in his eys, and whence cemes it that you are led along in this sort? Ask it of my sins, answered Diego Suarez, and they will tell thee, for I protest unto thee my Son, that in the case I am in, all things seem dreams unto me. There∣upon imbracing one another, and mingling their tears together, they continued so, untill such time as the Chirca commanded Balthazar Suarez to get him gone, which he would not do, being loth to part from his father, but the Ministers of justice haled him away by force, and pushed him so rudely, as he fell and broke his head, yea and withall they gave him many blows besides, whereat his Father fell into a swoun. Being come again to himself, he craved a little water, which he had no sooner taken, but lifting up his hands to heaven, he said with tears in his eys, Si iniquitates observa∣b••ris Domine, Domine quis sustinebit? But, O Lord, added he, out of the great confi∣dence I have in the infinite price of thy precious bloud, which thou hast shed for me upon the crosse, I may say with more assurance, Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Thus altogether desolated as he was in this last affliction, when he was come in sight of the place, whither the King had commanded him to be conducted, it is said, that perceiving so many people, he remained so exceedingly dismayed, that turning him∣self to a Portugal, who was permitted to accompany him, Iesus, said he unto him, have all these accused me to the King? whereunto the Chirca made him this answer, It is no longer time for thee to think of this, for thou hast wit enough to know, that the peo∣ple a••e of so unruly a humour, that they always follow evill whereunto they are naturally inclined. It is not that, replied Diego Suarez with tears in his eys, for I know that if there be any unrulinesse in them, it proceeds from my sins. Thou seest thereby, said the Chirca, that this is the ordinary recompence which the world is accustomed to give to them, who during their life, have lost the memory of the divine justice, as thou hast done, and God g••ve thee the grace that in this little time thou hast to live, thou mayest repent thee of the faults thou committed, which possibly may avail thee more then all the gold that thou leavest behind thee, for an inheritance to him, who peradventure is the cause of thy death. Here Diego Suarez falling down on his knees, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, O Lord Iesus Christ, cried he, my true Redeemer, I beseech thee by the pains which thou

hast suffered upon the Crosse, to permit that the accusation of these hundred thousand hunger-starved dogs against me, may serve to satisfie the chastisement of thy divine justice in my behalf, to the end that the inestimable price which thou hast imployed for the salvation of my soule, without any merit of mine, may not be unprofitable unto me. This said, he ascended the staires which led to the market place, and the Portugal that assisted him, told mee, how at every step he kissed the ground, and called upon the name of IESVS; at length when he was come to the top, the Manbogoaa, who held the Idoll in his armes, ani∣mating the people with great cries, said unto them, Whosoever shall not for the honour of this God of the afflicted, whom I have here in my armes, stone this accursed Serpent, let him for ever be miserable, and let the braines of his children be consumed in the midst of the night, to the end that by the punishment of so great a sinne, the righteous judgement of the Lord above may be justified in them. He had no sooner made an end of speaking thus, but there fell so great a showre of stones on Diego Suarez, as in lesse then a quarter of an houre he was buried under them, and they that flung them at him, did it so indiscreetly, as the most part of them hurt one another therewith. An houre after they drew forth the poore Die∣go Suarez from under the stones, and with another new tumult of cries and voices they tore him in pieces, with so much fury and hatred of the whole people in generall, as there was not he which did not believe that he did a charitable and holy work in giving a reward to the most muti∣nous amongst those, which dragged his members and entrailes up and downe the streets. This execution done, the King willing to confiscate his goods, sent men to his house for that purpose, where the disorder was so great, in regard of the extreme avarice which these hungry dogs had, they left not a tile unmoved; and because they found not so much as they expected, they put all his slaves and servants to torture, with such an excesse of cruelty, as eight and thirty of them remained dead in the place, amongst which were seventeen Portugals, who bore the pain of a thing whereof they were not guilty. In all this spoile there were no more then six hundred bisses of gold found, which are in value three hundred thousand duckats, besides some pieces of rich houshold∣stuffe, but no precious stones, nor jewells at all, which perswaded men that Diego Suarez had buried all the rest; howsoever it could never be found out, notwithstanding all the search that was made for it, and yet it was verified by the judgement of some who had seene him in his pro∣sperity, that he had in meanes above three millions of gold, according to the supputation of the country. Behold what was the end of the great Diego Suarez, whom fortune had so favoured in this Kingdome of Pegu, as she had raised him up to the degree of the Kings Brother, the highest and most absolute title of all others, and given him withall two hundred thousand duckats yearely rent, vvith the charge of Generall of eight hun∣dred thousand men, and Soveraigne over all the other Governours or Vice-Royes of fourteene Kingdomes, which the King of Bramaa had at that time in his possession. But it is the ordinary course of the goods of this world, especially of such as are ill gotten, alwayes to serve for a way to disgraces and misfortunes.

* 1.2I return now to the Xemindoo▪ of whom I have not spoken a long time. Wher∣as that Tyrant and avaritious King Xenim de Satan gave daily new increases to the cruelties and tyrannies which he exercised against all sorts of persons, never ceasing killing and robbing indifferently those, who were thought to have mo∣ney; nor sparing any thing on which he could lay his hands, his rapines proceed∣ed so far, as it was that in the space of seven moneths only, wherin he was peace∣able possessor of this Kingdom of Pegu, he put to death six thousand very rich Merchants, besides many ancient Lords of the Country, who by way of right of inheritance held their estates from the Crown. These extortions rendered him so odious, as the most part of those that were with him abandoned him to side with the Xemindoo, who had for him at that time the towns of Digon, Meideo, Dalaa, and Coulam, even to the confines of Xaraa, from whence he parted in hast to go and besiege this Tyrant with an army of two hundred thousand men, & five thousand Elephants. When he was arrived at the city of Pegu, where Xemin de Satan then kept his Court, he invested it round about with palisadoes and very strong trenches, yea and gave some assaults to it, but he could not enter it so ea∣sily as he believed, in regard of the great resistance he found from them within; wherefore judging it requisite for him to alter his mind, being prudent as he was, he came very subti ly to a truce of twenty dayes with the Tyrant upon cer∣tain conditions, whereof the principall was, that if within the terme of those twenty dayes he gave him a thousand bisses of gold, which are in value five hun∣dred thousand Duckats, he would desist from the pretension and right which he had to this Kingdome; and all this he did (as I have already said) cunningly, hoping by this means to bring him to his bow with lesse perill. So the time of the truce beginning to run on, all things remained peaceable on either side, and the besiegers fell to communicate with the besieged. During this pacification every morning two houres before day, they of the Xemindooes Camp played af∣ter their manner upon divers sorts of instruments very melodiously, at the sound whereof all they of the city ran to the walls to see what the matter was. Whereupon those instruments ceasing to play, a Proclamation was made by a Priest, accounted by every man a holy personage, who said these words with a very sad voice, O ye people, ye people! unto whom Nature hath given eares to hear, hear••en to the voice of the holy Captain the Xemindoo, of whom God will make use for the restoring you to your liberty and former quiet; in order wherunto he admonisheth you from Quiay Niuandel, the god of battells of the field Vitau, that none of you be so hardy as to lift up your hand against him, nor against this holy assembly which he hath made, out of a holy zeal to∣wards these people of Pegu, as brother, that he is, to the least of all the poor: Otherwise whosoever shall come against the army of these servants of God, or shall have the will to do them any harm, let him be accursed for it, and as de∣formed and vile as the children of the night, who foaming with poyson make horrible cries, and be delivered into the burning jawes of the dragon of dis∣cord, whom the true Lord of all the Gods hath cursed for ever; whereas con∣trarily, to those, that shall be so happy as to obey this Proclamation, as his holy brethren and allies, shall be granted in this life a perpetuall peace, accompa∣nied with a great deale of wealth and riches; and after their death their souls shall be no lesse pure and agreeable to God, then those of the Saints which goe dancing amidst the beams of the Sun in the celestiall repose of the Lord Al∣mighty. This publication made, the musick began to play again with a

great noise as before, which made such an impression in the hearts of them that heard it, as in seven nights that it contin••ed above threescore thousand persons went and rendred themselves to the Xemindoo; for most of them which heard those words gave as much credit thereunto, as if an Angell from heaven had spoken them. In the meane time the besieged Tyrant, seeing that these secret Proclamations of the enemy were so prejudiciall unto him, as they could not chuse but turn to his utter ruine, brake the truce at twelve dayes end, and de∣liberated with his Councell what he should do, who advised him by no means to suffer h mself to remaine any longer besieged, for feare left the inhabitants should mutinie, and fall from him to the enemy; and that the best and surest way was to fight with the Xemindoo in the open field, before he grew to any further strength. This resolution being approved of by Zenim de Satan, he prepared himself for the execution of it; to which effect he two dayes after before it was day sallied out at five gates of the city with fourscore thousand men, which then he had, and charged the enemies with strange fury. They then in the meane time, who alwayes stood upon their guard, received them with a great deale of courage, whereupon insued so cruell a conflict between them, that in lesse then halfe an houre, for so long lasted the heat of the fight, there fell on both sides above forty thousand men; but at the end of that time the new King Zenim was born from his Elephant by an harquebuze shot, discharged at him by a Portugall, na∣med Gonçalo N••to, which caused all the rest to render themselves, and the city likewise, upon condition that the inhabitants should have their goods and lives saved. By this means the Xemindoo entred peaceably into it, and the very same day, which was a Saturday the three and twentieth of February, a thousand five hundred fifty and one, he caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu in the grea∣test Temple of the city. As for Gonçalo N••to, he gave him in recompence for killing the Tyrant twenty Bisses of gold, which are ten thousand Duckats; and to the other Portugalls, being eighty in number, he gave five thousand Duckats, be∣sides the honors and prsviledges which they had in the country; he also exempt∣ed them for three years from paying any custome for their merchandize, which was afterwards very exactly observed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 2.
• * 1.2

  §. 3.