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. LXXVIII. Our departure from the Iland of Champeiloo, and our arrivall at that of Lam∣pacau; with a relation of two great disasters which hapned in Chi∣na unto two Portugal Colonies; and of a strange accident that befell in the Country. (Book 78)

WHen we were parted from the Iland of Champieloo, we got to the Ilands of Canton, so that on the fifth day of our voyage, it pleased God that we arrived at one of them, called Lampacau, where at that time the Portugals excercised their commerce with the Chineses, which continued untill the year One thousand five hun∣dred,

fifty and seven; when as the Mandarins of Canton, at the request of the Mer∣chants of the Country, gave us the port of Macao, where the trade now is; of which place (that was but a desert Iland before) our country men made a very goodly planta∣tion, wherein there were houses worth three or four thousand Duckats, together with a Cathedral Church: Moreover, this Colony hath its Governor, Auditor, and Officers of Justice; whereunto I shal add, that the inhabitants of this place are in as great safety there, as if they were in the quietest part of Portugal. But God grant of his infinite mercy, and goodnesse, that this Colony may be of longer durance then that of Liampoo, which was another of the Portugals, and whereof I have spoken at large heretofore, being two hundred leagues from this same on the North Coast. But ill fortune would, that by the disorder of one Portugal, it was demolished in a very little time; in which disaster, I my self was present, and can say, that the losse which was made there, as well of people, as of riches, was inestimable. For in this plantation, were three thousand men, whereof twelve hundred were Portugals, and the rest Christians of divers nations: Yea, and I have heard many say, which spoke like knowing men there∣of, that the Portugals traffick there, exceeded three millions of gold: Now, the most part of this traffick was in lingots of silver of Iapan, which had been found out not above two months before, and was such as a man doubled his mony three or four times by the commodities which he sent thither. In this Colony, there was a Governor, who resided in the Country; there were also an Auditor, Judges, Sheriffs, Aldermen, a Provisor of the deceased and Orphelins, a town Clark, and all other Officers that are usually in a Commonwealth; together with four publick Notaries, and six Re∣gisters, each of whose offices were sold for three thousand duckats; yea, and there were some farre dearer. There were also two Hospitals, wherein above thirty thou∣sand duckats was spent every year, and the Town house had in revenue six thousand per annum; So that it was generally said, that this Colony was the richest, and best peopled, of any that was in the Indiaes; besides, for matter of extent, it had not its fellow in all Asia. Furthermore, when the Registers or Secretaries passed any Grant, or when the publick Notaries made any writings, they ordinarily used these termes; In this most noble and alwaies faithfull town of Liampoo, for the King our Soveraign Lord. Now, having said so much of it, I hold it not amisse to tell you, how and wherefore so noble and rich a Colony was destroyed, which arrived in this sort. There was living there a man of a good extraction and rank, named Lancerote Pereyra, born at Pont de Lima, a town in Portugal; it is said, that this same had lent some thousand duckats to certain Chineses, who were not men solvent, but became bankrupts, and never paid him any thing, nor could he hear any newes of them afterwards; which was the cause that desiring to make good this losse, and to recover it of them which were not the oc∣casion of it, he assembled for that effect some eighteen or twenty Portugals, idle fel∣lows, and of lewd dispositions, with whom, under the favor of the night, he fell upon a village, some two leagues from thence where he robbed eleven or twelve labouring men; and withall, seizing on their wives and children, killed about half a score persons, without any reason at all so to do. In the mean time, the Alarum being taken up by the whole country round about, by reason of this violence, the inhabi∣tants went and complained to the Chumbin for Justice; and having made a verball process of the businesse, they presented it in the name of the people to the Chaem of the Government, which is as one of the Vice-Roys of the Kingdome; who immedi∣ately thereupon, disp••tched away an Haitau, who is as an Admirall amongst us▪ with an Army of three hundred Juncks, and four score Vançons with Oares; wherein there were threescore thousand men, which being all made ready in seventeen daies, came and fell on this misfortunate Colony, and the matter passed in so strange a man∣ner for them, as I must confesse, I have not capacity enough to recount it sufficient∣ly, neither understanding enough to imagine it; only it shall suffice me to say, as one who saw it, that in lesse then the space of five hours, which this dreadfull chastise∣ment of the hand of God indured; these cruell enemies, left not any thing at all in Liampoo to which one could give a name, for they demolished and burnt all that they could find; they put to death withall twelve hundred Christians, amongst the which, were eight hundred Portugals, who were all burned alive in five and twenty ships,

and two and forty Juncks. It is said, that in this common ruine, there was lost to the value of two millions of Gold, as well in Lingots, Pepper, Sandal, Cloves, Mace, and Nutmeggs, as in other Commodities; and all these desasters arrived by the ill conscience, and little judgment of an avaricious Portugal. Now, from this misfortune, was another farre greater derived; which was, that we lost our credit and re∣putation so mightily over all the Country, as the inhabitants would no longer endure the sight of us; saying, that we were divels incarnate, ingendred by the malediction of the wrath of God, for the punishment of sinners. This hapned in the year, one thou∣sand, five hundred, forty and two, Martim Alfonso de Sousa being Governor of the Indiaes, and Ruy Van Pereyra Marramaque Captain of Malaca. Two years after, the Portugals desiring to make another new Colony in a Port, called Chincheo, in the same Kingdome of China, five leagues lower then Liampoo, with an intention to settle their trade there, the Merchants of the Country coming to consider what great profit would redound to them thereby, intreated the Mandarins to make shew of permitting it, and obliged them thereunto with many great presents; we had com∣merce then with those of the Country about two yeares and an half, untill such time as by the expresse command of Simano de Mello, Captain of the Fortresse, there was sent into this place another man of the same humor as Lancerote Pereyra was of, un∣to whom the said Simano de Mello gave a commission to be Governor of this Port of Chincheo, and Provisor of the Deceased: but the bruit went of him, that the extream covetuousnesse wherewith he was possest, made him lay hands on all things, with∣out any the least respect to ought whatsoever. It hapned then that in his time there arrived in the Port of Chincheo a stranger, by nation an Armenian, who was held by every one for a very good Christian: This man, who had an estate of ten or twelve thousand duckets, and being a Christian, as I have said, and a stranger, as we were, passed out of a Mahometans Junck, wherein he was, into the ship of a Portugal, na∣med Luis de Montaroyo. Now having lived some six or seven months very peace∣ably amongst us, and much respected and favored of every one, he chanced to ••all sick of a feaver, whereof he died, but before he gave up the Ghost, he declared by his Testament, that he had a wife and children in a town of Armenia, called Gaborem, and that of his twelve thousand duckets estate he left two thousand to the Hospitall at Malaca; and for the rest, he desired it might be kept in safe hands, untill there were an opportunity to have consigned it unto his children, as to his lawfull heirs; and in case they were dead, he left it to the Hospitall. Behold, what was the Te∣stament of this faithfull Christian, who was no sooner buried, but Ayr••z Botelho de Sousa, Provisor of the dead, seized on all his estate, without making any Inventorie, or other kind of accompt, saying, that before any farther proceeding therein, they were to send to make enquiry in Armenia, which was above two thosand leagues from thence, to see whether there were not some ingagements, or seizure of Justice upon it: There arrived also at the same time, two Chinese Merchants, who had to the va∣lue of three thousand duckets in silk, peeces of damaske, musk, and porcelaines, ap∣pertaining to the deceased Armenian: the Provisor arrested them all, and not con∣tented therewith, he would needs make the Chineses beleeve, that all the merchan∣dise which they had, belonged also unto the Armenian; so that under the pretext thereof, he took eight thousand duckets from them, and bid them go to Goa and there demand justice of the Provisor Generall, by reason he could do no otherwise then he did; for that, he was obliged to deal in that sort by the duty of his Charge. Now, not to stand upon the delivering of the reasons, which in vain were alledged by them against this injustice of his; I will only say, that these two Merchants returning home without any of their merchandise, went with their Wives and Children, and casting themselves at the Chaems feet, represented unto him in a Petition the whole businesse, as it past: informing him, moreover, that we were men quite-void of the fear of God. The Chaem willing to do justice then to these Merchants, and to many others which had formerly complained against us, caused it to be every where proclamed, that no man on pain of death should converse with us; whereupon, the scarcity of victuals came to be so great amongst us, as that which was wont to be bought for six blanks, was then worth above a ducket; so that necessity constrained us to go unto certain hamlets;

whereupon ensued such disorders, as all the Country rose up against us with so much hatred and fury, that sixteen daies after we were set upon by an Army of an hundred and twenty very great Juncks, which intreated us in that manner for our sins, as ofthir∣teen ships which we had in the Port, there was not one that was not burnt; and of five hundred Portugals which were abiding in the Country, thirty only escaped, who had not the worth of a penny left them. From these two sad histories, recounted by me, I inferre, that it seemes the Affairs which we have now in China, and the tranquillity and confidence wherewith we live there, (supposing that the treaties of peace which we have with them be firm and assured) wil last but til our sins shal serve for motives to the inhabitants of the Country to mutine against us, which God of his infinite mercy, per∣mit not for the time to come. To return again now to my former discourse, you must understand, that after we were arrived at the Port of Lampacau, as I have de∣clared before, we could not meet with any vessel that was bound for Iapan; so that we were constrained to passe another year too in this Port, with a design in May following, which was ten months off, to continue our voyage as we had resol∣ved.

Father Belquior and I perceiving that there was no hope of going to Iapan this yeare, as well for that the season was past, as for other inconveniences that fell out, we were forced to stay in this Iland till the time should serve for us to make our voyage thither. Having continued there then til the seventeenth of Feb. following, certain news came to us from Cantan, that on the third day of the same month the Province of San∣sy had been swallowed up in the manner ensuing. The first day of Frebruary, the earth fel a trembling from eleven til one of the clock at night, and the next day from mid∣night til two in the morning; as also the day following from one til three: During this trembling it was a dreadful thing to hear the terrible noise which the stormes and thun∣der made: After all this such an horrible inundation of waters borke forth out of the center of the earth, as in an instant, all the Country about, was swallowed up threescore leagues round, without the saving of any living creature from perishing, but only of one child of seven years of age, and which was for a great wonder pre∣sented to the King of China. In the mean time this news was no sooner come to the City of Cantan, but all the inhabitants thereof were terrifyed with it, yea and all ours were so amazed at it, that holding it for an unpossible thing, fourteen of our company would needs go thither to know the truth thereof; which they immediately put in execution, and at their return affirmed, that the matter was very certain, whereof an attestation was made, signed by fourteen ocular witnesses, who had been upon the place; which attestation was afterwards sent by Francisco Toscano to the King of Portugal, Don Ioano the third of glorious memory. This prodigious event so affrighted the inhabitants of the City of Cantan, that all of them generally testified a world of repentance; and although they were Gentiles, yet must it be acknow∣ledged that they confounded us Christians, who saw how far their devotion extended. For on the first day when the newes thereof arrived there, Proclamations were made throughout all the Principall streets of the City by six men on horseback, who in long mourning robes, and with a sad and lamentable voice, rode crying out these words; Miserable creatures as you are, that cease not from offending day by day, the Lord of all things: Heare, O heare, the most lamentable and dreadfull adventure that ever was; For you are to know, that for our sins God hath drawn the sword of his Divine Iustice a∣gainst all the people of Cuy and Sansy, overwhelming pell mell with water, fire, and tem∣pests from Heaven all that great Province of China, none being saved but one only Child which is carried to the Son of the Sun. And thereupon, they rung a little bell thrice, which they had in their hands; Then all the people prostrating themselves on the ground, said with fearfull cryes, God is Iust in all that he doth. After this was past, all the inhabitants retired into their houses, which were shut up for five daies toge∣ther, so that the City was so desolate, as there was not a living creature seen stirring in it. At the end of the five daies, the Chaem and the Anchassis of the government, together with all the rest of the people (wherein the men only vvere comprehended, for as for the vvomen, they hold them incapable of being heard of God, by reason of the disobedience of the first sinne committed by Eve) vvent as it vvere in proces∣sion,

thorow the principall Streets of the Citie, while their Priests, which vvere above five thousand in number, cryed with a loud voyce that pierced the very skies, O marvellous and pitifull Lord, have no regard to our wickednesse; for if thou takest account of them, we shall remain dumb before thee. Whereunto all the peo∣ple with an other fearfull cry, answered, Lord, we confesse our faults before thee. And so the Procession continuing, still going on, they at length arrived at a magnificent Temple, called Nacapyrau, whom they hold for the Queen of Heaven, as I have heretofore related. From thence they went the next day to another Temple, called The God of Iustice: and in this sort they continued fourteen dayes; during which, were great Alms generally bestowed, and many prisoners freed; also divers Sacrifices were made of the odoriferous perfumes of Aloes and Benjamin: There were many o∣thers too, wherein there was good store of blood shed, and wherein many Kine, Stags and Swine vvere offered, vvhich were all distributed in almes to the poor. In pursuance whereof, during the three months that we abode there, they conti∣nued in doing many other good works, which were performed vvith so much charge and charity, as it is to be beleeved, that if the Faith of Jesus Christ had been added thereunto, they would have been acceptable unto him. We heard afterwards, and this report was universall over all the Country, that during the three dayes of that Earth-quake at Sansy, it had still rained blood in the City of Pequin, vvhere the King of China's Court was at that time, vvhich made the most part of the inhabitants to forsake it, and the King to fly to Nanquin, vvhere, it was said, he gave great alms, and set at liberty an infinite many of Slaves; amongst the which were five Portugals, vvho had been retained prisoners in the Town of Pocasser above twenty yeers together. When these came to Cantan, they recount∣ed unto us divers marvellous things; and amongst others, they told us, that the almes which the King had given upon this occasion, amounted to six hundred thousand Duckats, besides the magnificent Temples which he built to appease the vvrath of God; amongst the which hee made one in that very City, very sumptu∣ous, and of great majesty, under the title of The Love of God.