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. LXXIII. That which the Xemindoo did, after he was Crowned King of Pegu, with the Chaumigrems; the King of Bramaaes Foster-Brothers coming against him, with a great Army; and divers other memorable things. (Book 73)

THe Xemindoo seeing himself Crowned King of Pegu, and peaceable Lord of all the kingdome; began to have thoughts far different from those which Xemin de Satan had had, being raised to the same dignity of King; for the first and principal thing wherein he imployed himself with all his endeavour, was to maintain his King∣dome in peace, and to cause Justice to flourish; as indeed he established it with so much integritie, as no man how great so ever he was, durst wrong a lesser then him∣self: withall in that which concerned the government of the Kingdome, he procee∣ded with so much vertue, and equity, as it filled the strangers that were there with admi∣ration, so that one could not without marvel consider the peace the quiet, and union of the wills of the people; during the happy and peaceable estate of this Kingdome, which continued the space of a year, and better; at the end whereof the Chaumigrem, foster-brother to the same King of Bramaa, whom Xemin de Satan had slaine, as I have before declared, having received advertisement, that by reason of the rebelli∣ons and warres, which since his departure from thence had happened in the King∣dome of Pegu; the principall men of the State there, had lost their lives; and the Xemindoo who then raigned, was unprovided of all things necessary for his defence; he resolved once again to adventure upon the same enterprise, which had formerly been undertaken by his late King. With this design, he entertained into his pay a mighty Army of strangers, unto whom he gave a Tincall of gold by the month, which is five dackets of our mony; when as he had prepared all things in a readinesse, he departed from Tanguu, the place of his birth: On the ninth day of March, a thou∣sand, five hundred, fifty and two, with an Army of three hundred thousand men, whereof only fifty thousand were Bramaas, and all the rest Mons, Chaleus, Cala∣minhams, Sau••nis, Pam••rus, and Auaas. In the mean time the Xemindoo, the new King of Pegu, having certain intelligence of these great forces, which were coming to fall upon him, made preparation to go and meet them, with a design to give them battle; for which effect, he assembled in the same City where he was; a huge Army of nine hundred thousand men, which were all Pegues by nation, and consequently of a weake constitution, and lesse warlick then all the others, whereof I have spoken; and on Tueseday the fourth of April, about noone, having received advice that the e∣nemies Army was incamped all along the river of Meleytay some twelve leagues from thence, he used such expedition, as the same day, and the next night all his Soul∣diers were put into battle array, for whereas they had prepared every thing long be∣fore, and had also been trayned by their Capt. there needed no great ado to bring them into order. The day ensueing, all these men of warre begun about nine of the clock in the morning, to march at the sound of an infinite company of warlick instruments, and went and lodged that night some two leagues from thence neer to the river Pota∣r••u. The next day, an hour before Sun-set the Bramaa Chaumigrem appeared with so great a body of men, as it took up the extent of a league and an half of ground; his Army being composed of seaventy thousand horse, of two hundred and thirty thousand foot, and six thousand fighting elephants, besides as many more which car∣ried the baggage and victuals; and in regard it was almost night, he thought fit to lodge himself all along by the mountain, that he might be in the greater safety. Thus the night past with a good guard, and a strange noise that was made on either part. The day following, which was a Saturday, the seventh of Aprill in the year one thou∣sand, five hundred, fifty and three, about five of the clock in the morning, these two Armies began to move, but with different intentions; for the designe of the Bramaa was to passe the foard, and recover an advantageous peece of ground, which lay neer to another river; and the Xemindoo had a desire to keep him from it, and to stop his passage; upon this contention, some skirmishes ensued, which continued most part of the day, and wherein about five hundred men on the one side, and the other were slain,

howbeit the advantage remained with the Chaumigrem, because he gained the place whereunto he pretented, and passed all the night there in banquetting, and making great bonfires for this good successe. The next day betimes in the morning the Xe∣mindoo, King of Pegu, presented the battail to his enemyes, who did not refuse it; so that they incountred one another with all the fury that a cruel hatred is accustomed to kindle in such like cases; the two vantgards then, vvho vvere the best Soldiers a∣mongst them, fell so lustily unto it, that in lesse then half an hour, all the Field was covered with dead bodies, and the Pegues began to lack courage. Wherupon the Xemin∣doo seeing his men give ground, came to succor them with a body of three thousand elephants, wherewith he set upon the seventy thousand horse so couragiously, and to the purpose, as the Bramaaes lost all that they had gained; which perceived by the Chaumigrem, who was better experienced in matters of Warre, knowing full well what he was to doe, to recover all again; made shew of retyring, as if he had been vanquished; the Xemindoo thereupon, who understood not this stratagem, and that thought of nothing but the victory, pursued his enemie about a quarter of a league: but incontinently the Bramaa facing about with all his forces, fell upon his enemy with such violence and horrible cryes, as not only men, but even the very earth, and all the other elements seemed to tremble at it. By this meanes the conflict renewed in such sort, as in a little time the ayre was seen all on fire, and the ground watered all over with bloud; for the Pegu Lords and Commanders, beholding their King so farre ingaged in the battle, and likely to lose the day, ran instantly to his succor, the like did the Panonsaray, the Bramaaes brother, on his side, with fourty thousand men, and two thousand elephants; so that there ensued betwixt them, so bloudy and dreadfull a fight, as words are not able to expresse the truth of it; wherefore I shall say no more, but that half an hour, or there about, before Sun-set, the Army of nine hundred thousand Pegues was utterly discomfited; and as it was said, four hundred thousand of them were left dead on the place, and all the rest, or the most part of them, grievously wounded; which the Xemindoo seeing, fled out of the field, and so escaped. Thus did the victory remain unto the Chaumigrem, who thereupon caused himself to be crowned King of Pegu, with the same royal Ensignes, magnificence, and triumph, as the other King of Bramaa, whom Xemin de Satan slew, had formerly been. And in regard it was already night, they bestowed the time in no other thing, but in dressing the hurt men, and keeping good watch in the Camp.

The next day, as soon as it was light, all the victorious souldiers,* 1.1 as wel wound∣ed as unwounded, ••an to the spoil of the dead bodies; wherewith divers amongst them were mightily enriched; for they found there great store of Gold and Jewels, by reason the custome of those Gentiles is, (as I think, I have heretofore delivered) to carry all their wealth about them to the War. The souldiers being well satisfied in this particular, the new King of this miserable Kingdome parted forthwith from the place where he had gotten the Victory, and marched towards the Citie of Pegu, di∣stant so•••• three leagues from thence. Now forasmuch as hee would not that day enter into it, for certain considerations which I will relate hereafter, hee set himself down in the view of it, about half a league off, in a Plain, called Sunday Patir: and after he had thus encamped his Army, hee gave order for the guard of the four and twenty gates thereof, by placing at each of them a Bramaa Commander with five thousand Horse. In this manner hee remained there five dayes, without being able to resolve to enter into the Citie, out of the fear he was in, lest the strangers should require of him the pillage of it, as indeed, he was obliged to grant it to them by the promise which he had made them for it at Tanguu. Now the custom of men of War, who live but upon their pay, being to have regard to nothing but their interests, these six Nations seeing the King thus defer his entry into the Citie, which they could not brook, began to mutinie, and this by the instigation of a Portugal, named Christo∣nano Surnento, a man of a turbulent spirit, but otherwise a good and valiant Com∣mander; and this mutinie proceeded so far, as the King of Bramaa for his own safety was constrained to retire into a Pagode, where he fortified himself with his Bramaaes, untill that the next morning about nine of the clock hee came to a truce with them, and causing them to assemble together, from the top of a wall he spake to

them in this sort, My worthy Friends, and valiant Commanders, I have caused you to come to this holy resting place of the dead, to the end that with a solemn Oath I may dis∣cover unto you my intentions; whereof, with my knees on the ground, and my eyes lift up unto heaven, I take to witness Quiay Nivandel, the God of Battel of the field Vitau, be∣seeching him to be Iudg of this between you and me, and to strike me dumb, if I do not tell you the truth. I very well remember the promise I made you at Tanguu, which was, to give you the pillage of this tumultuous Citie; as well because I believed your valor would be as it were the minister of my revenge, as in some sort to satisfie your avarice, where∣unto I know you are naturally very much inclined: Now having given you this promise for a gage of my faith, I acknowledg that I am altogether obliged not to break my word with you But when on the other side, I come to consider the great inconveniences which may accrue to me thereby, and the strict account which I shall one day render for it before the equitable and rigorous justice of the Lord above, I must confesse unto you, that I am very much affraid of charging my self with so heavie a burthen: wherefore Reason ad∣vises me to render my self ••aulty towards men, rather then to fall into the displeasure of God: Besides, it is not reasonable that the innocent should pay for the guilty, and of whom I am sufficiently satisfied with the death which they have received in this last bat∣tell by your hands. Behold, how I earnestly intreat you, as children that you are of my bowels, that having regard to my good intention, you will not kindle this fire wherein my soul will be burnt, since you see well enough how reasonable that is which I desire of you, and how unjust it would be for you to refuse it me. Neverthelesse, to the end you may not remain altogether without recompense, I do here promise you to contribute thereunto all that shall seem reasonable to you, and to supply this default in part with my own goods, with my Person, with my Kingdom, and with my State. Hereupon the Commanders of those six Nations hearing the Kings justification, and the promise which hee made them, yeelded to agree unto whatsoever he would do: howbeit, they prayed him a∣bove all things to have regard unto souldiers pretensions, who were not at any hand to be discontented, but greatly to be made account of. Whereunto the King re∣plyed, That they had reason, and that in all things he would endeavour to conform him∣self to whatsoever they should judg reasonable. In the mean time, to avoid disputes which might ensue hereupon, it was concluded, that they should referr themselves to Arbitrators: for which effect the Mutiners were to name three on their side, and the King three others on his, which made six in all, whereof three were to be Religious men, and the rest Strangers, that so the judgment might be given with lesse suspicion. This resolution being taken between them, they agreed together, that the three Re∣ligious men should be the Menigrepos of a Pagode, that was named Quiay Hifaron, that is to say, the God of Povertie; and that for the other three Strangers, the King and the Mutiners should cast lots, to see who should chuse one or two of them on his side. This Election being fallen to the King, he made a choice of two Portugals, of an hun∣dred and forty that were then in the Citie; whereof the one was Gonçalo Pacheco, the King our Masters Factor for Lacre, a worthie man, and of a good conscience; and the other a worshipful Merchant, named Nuno Fernandez Teixeyra, whom the King held in good esteem, as having known him in the life time of the deceased King. By the same means the Commanders of the Mutiners elected another stranger, whose name I do not know. Things thus concluded, the Judges destined for the resoluti∣on of this Affair, were sent for, because the King was not willing to stirre out of the place where he was, untill the matter was determined; to the end he might dismisse them all peaceably before he entred into the Citie, for fear lest if they entered with him, they should not keep their word. For this purpose then the King about mid∣night sent a Bramaa on horseback to the Portugals quarter, who vvere in no lesse fear then the Pegues of being plundered and killed. After that the Bramaa vvas come into the Citie, and that hee had asked aloud (for so they use to do vvhen they come from the King) vvhere the Captain of the Portugals vvas, he vvas presently conducted to his Lodging, vvhere being arrived, It is a thing (said he to the Captain) as pro∣per to the nature of that Lord above, who hath created the firmament and the whole heavens, to make good men for the conversion of the wicked, as it is ordinary with the pernicious Dragon to nourish in his bosome spirits of commotion and tumult, to

bring disorder unto the peace which conserves us in the holy Law of the Lord. I mean hereby (continued he) that amongst all those of your Nation there is one wicked man found, vomiting out of his infernall stomack flames of discord and sedition, by means wher∣of he hath caused the three strange Nations of the Chalons, Meleytes and Savadis to mu∣tinie in the King my Masters Army, whereupon hath ensued so great a mischief, that besides almost the utter ruine of the Camp, three thousand Bramaaes have been slain, and the King himself hath been in such danger, as he was fain to retire into a Fort, where hee hath remained three dayes, and still is there, not daring to come out, because he cannot put any trust in those strangers. Howbeit, for a remedy of so great unquietnesse, it hath pleased God, who is the true Father of concord, to inspire the Kings heart with patience to endure this injurie, being prudent as he is, to the end hee may by that means pacifie the tu∣mult and rebellion of these three turbulent Nations, who inhabit the most desert parts of the mountains of Mons, and are the most accursed of God amongst all people. Now, to make an entry into this peace and union, a Treaty hath been had between the King and the Commanders of the Mutiners, whereby it hath been concluded on either part with an Oath, That to exempt this Citie from the plundering which had been promised to the Soul∣diers, the King shall give them out of his own estate, as much as six men, deputed for that purpose, shall award; of which number there are already four, so that to make up the whole six, there wants none but thee, whom the King hath chosen for him; and another Portugal, whose name is written in this paper, whereby thou shalt be ascertained of that which I have said unto thee. Thereupon he delivered a Letter unto him from the King of Bramaa; which Gonçalo Pacheco received upon his knees, and laid upon his head, with exterior complements so full of civilitie and courtesie, as the Bramaa re∣mained very much contented and satisfied therewith, and said unto him, Surely, the King my Master must needs have a great knowledg of thee, in that hee hath chosen thee for a Iudg of his Honour and Estate▪ Hereupon Gonçalo Pacheco read the Letter a∣loud before all the Portugals, who heard it standing, with their hats in their hands: The contents of it were to this effect, Captain Gonçalo Pacheco, my dear Friend, and that appears before my eyes like a precious Pearl, as being no lesse vertuous in the tran∣quillitie of thy life, then the holyest Menigrepos which live in the Deserts; I, the ancient Chaumigrem, and new King of fourteen States, which God hath now put into my hands by the death of the holy King my Master, do send thee a smile of my mouth, to the end thou mayest be as agreeable to me, as those whom I cause to sit at my table in a day of joy and feasting: Know then, that I have thought good to take thee for a Iudg of the Affair that is in question, and therefore have sent for thee, together with my good Friend, Nuno Fernandez Teixeyra, to come presently unto me, for to give an end to this businesse, which I wholly commit unto your trust. And for so much as concerns the security of your persons, in regard of the fear you may be in of the late Mutinie, I do engage my word, and swear to you by the faith which a King ought to have, whom God himself hath annointed, that I will take you, and all those of your Nation, with all others that beleeve in your God, into my protection. After that this Letter was read, to the great astonishment of all us that heard it, we could beleeve no other, but that by Divine permission it came from Heaven for the assurance of our lives, whereof we stood in very great doubt until then. Gonçalo Pacheco and Nuno Fernandez, with ten other Portugals which were chosen for that purpose, instantly prepared a Present of divers rich Pieces to carry to the King, unto whom they went that very same night an hour before day, in the company of the Bramaa who brought the Letter, in regard the haste the King was in would brook no delay.

Gonçalo Pacheco, Nuno Fernandez, and the other Portugals, arrived at the camp an hour before Sun-rising, and the King sent to receive them one of the chiefest Bramaa Commanders that he had, and in whom he very much confided, who was accompanied with above an hundred horse, and six Serjeants at armes that carried ma∣ces. This same received the Portugals, and lead them to the King, who did much honour unto Gonçalo Pacheco, and Nuno Fernandez; and after he had talked with them of divers matters, he put them in mind of the importance of the businesse for which he had sent for them, and willed them by any means to leane rather to the Commanders then to him, assuring them that he should be very well contented there∣with,

and said many things to them to that purpose. Then he caused them to be conducted by the same Bramaa Lord to the Tent, where the other four Arbitrators were with the high Treasuror and two Registers; when as they had commanded si∣lence to all that were without, they fell to debating of the businesse for which they were assembled together; whereupon there were many opinions, which took up the most part of the day, but at last all six came to conclude, That albeit on the one side the King, by the promise which he had made at Tanguu to the forraigne Souldiers, for to give them the spoil or pillage of the places which he should take by force, was excee∣dingly obliged to the performance thereof, yet seeing that on the other side this pro∣mise was of great and notable prejudice to the innocent, because it could not be put in execution without greatly offending God; these things considered, they ordained by their award; That the King, in regard of the promise which he had made them, should pay unto them a thousand bisses of gold out of his own treasure; and that upon the Souldiers receiving thereof, they should passe over to the other side of the River, and re∣tire directly into their countries; but that they should first be also paid all that was due to them before this mutiny began, and that they should be furnished with victuals suffici∣ent for twenty daies. This award being published, was received with much content to either party; So that the King commanded it to be instantly and punctually executed; and for a greater testimony of his liberality, after he had paid them all this sum of mony, he bestowed upon the Commanders and Officers of each Com∣pany many bountifull rewards, wherewith they were all of them very well pleased, and satisfied. In this sort were these three mutinous nations discharged; for the King would by no meanes trust, or make use of them any longer: Howbeit, he would not suffer these strangers to go all away together, but caused them to be divided into troups; each of them consisting of a thousand men, to the end that by this means, they should give the lesse suspicion in their returne, and should be lesse able to plun∣der the open townes, by which they were to passe; and thus the next day they de∣parted. As for Gonçalo Pacheco, and Nuno Fernandez Teixyra, the King gave them ten bisses of gold, for being his Arbitrators in this affair, whereunto he added a pass∣port written with his own hand, whereby the Portugals were permitted to retire free∣ly into the Indies, without paying any custome or duty for their marchandize; where∣of we made more account then of all the mony could have been given us, because that for three years before the precedent Kings had retayned us in this country, with excee∣ding much vexation and tyranny, whereby we were oftentimes in great danger of our lives, by reason of the successe of that which I have spoken heretofore. This done, there were Proclamations made by men on horseback, to give notice that the day following, the King would enter into the City in a peaceable manner, threatning all such as should do the contrary, with a cruell death. Accordingly, the next morning at nine of the clock the King parted from the Pagode, whither he had retired himself; and about an hour after arrived at the City, wherein to entring by the chiefest gate, he was received by an assembly (in form of a▪ Procession) of six thousand Priests of all the twelve Sects which are in this Kingdome; by one of whom, called Capizundo, an ora∣tion was made unto him, whereof the preface was thus, Blessed and praised be that Lord, who ought truly to be acknowledged of all men for such, in regard of the holy works which he hath made with his Divine hands, testified to us by the light of the day, the shi∣ning of the night, and all the other magnificences of his mercy which he hath produced in us; Praised be he, I say, for that by the effects of his infinite power, which are agree∣able unto him, he hath been pleased to establish thee on the earth above all the Kings that govern it; and seeing we hold thee for his favorite, we humbly beseech thee our Lord, that thou wilt never more remember the faults and offences which we have committed a∣gainst thee, to the end that these thy afflicted people may be comforted with the promise there∣of, which they hope thy Majesty will make them at this present. This same request was likewise made unto him by the six thousand Grepos, all prostrated on the ground, and with their hands lifted up to heaven, who with a dreadful tumult of voices said unto him; Grant, our Lord and King, peace and pardon for that is past to all the people of this thy Kingdome of Pegu, to the end they may not be troubled with the feare of their offences, which they confesse publikely before thee. The King answered them, that he

was contented so to do, and swore to them by the head of Quiay Nivandel, the God of Battel of the field Vitau, for the confirmation thereof. Upon this promise all the people prostrated themselves with their faces on the ground, and said unto him; God make thee to prosper for infinite years in the victory over thy enemies, that thou mayest trample their heads under thy feet. Hereupon for a token of great gladnesse, they fel to playing on divers instruments after their manner, though very barbarously, and un∣tunably; and the Grepo Capizondo set on his head a rich Crown of gold and precious stones of the fashion of a Miter, wherewith the King made his entry into the City, with a great deal of state and tryumph, causing to march before him all the spoile of the elephants and chariots, as also the statue of the Xemindoo, whom he had vanqui∣shed, bound with a great yron chain, and forty Colours trayled on the ground; As for him, he was seated on a very mighty elephant, harnessed with gold, and invironed with forty Serjeants at armes bearing Maces: there marched likewise all the great Lords and Commanders on foot with their Scymitars covered with plates of gold, which they carried on their shouldiers, and three thousand fighting elephants, with their Castles of divers inventions, besides a world of other people, as well foot as horse, which followed him without number.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sect. 1.