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. LXXX. My reception by the King of Bungo, as Ambassador from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes. (Book 80)

AFter the six daies were past the King parted from Osquy to go to the town of Fucheo, accompanied with a great number of Nobilitie, and a guard of six hundred foot, and two hundred horse, which made a goodly shew. Being ar∣rived there, he was received by the people with great demonstrations of joy, with Shewes, Interludes, and many other inventions after their manner, that were very costly; after which, he went to his Palace, an exceeding fair and magnificent structure, whither the next day he sent for me, and bid me bring him the Vice-Roys Letter, as being come for no other end but to receive it, and that after he had read it, he would speak with Father Belquior touching the matters that were most im∣portant. Whereupon I presently returned to my lodging, and having made ready all that was necessary for me, about two of the clock in the afternoon, the King sent the Captain of the town, and four other of the chiefest men of the Court for me; who conducted me to the Palace, accompanied with forty Portugals, which marched all on foot, because it is the custome of the Country so to do. All the streets thorow which we past, were very handsomly set forth, and there was such a world of people, as the officers had much adoe to make way for us. Three Por∣tugals on horseback, carried each of them a peece of the present; and a little after them followed two curious Spanish Gennets, with rich Saddles and Trappings, and with such Armes as are used in Justs. Upon our arrival at the first court of the Palace, we found the King there on a scaffold, which had been erected expresly for him, ac∣companied with all the Lords of the Kingdome, amongst whom, vvere the Ambassa∣dors of three strange Princes, namely the first of the King of the Lequios, the second of the King of Chauchim, and Isle of Tosa, and the third of the Emperor of the Miacoo; and round about as far as the court extended, there were above a thousand har∣quebuziers, and four hundred men mounted on good horses, besides a multitude of people without number. After that the forty Portugals and I were come to the Scaffold where the King was, we performed all the ceremonies and complements which are used to be done to him in such cases; and then approaching a little neerer to him, I delivered him the Letter from the vice-Roy, which he would not receive but stan∣ding. Then being set down again in his place, he gave it to one about him, that was as his Secretary who read it aloud that every one might hear. After it was read, the King questioned me before the three strange Ambassadors, and the great Lords with whom he was accompanied, about certain things which he was curious to know touching our Europe; whereof one was, how many men, armed cap-a-pe, and moun∣ted on such horses as those were that I saw there, the King of Portugal could bring in∣to the field? Whereupon fearing least I should blush if I came to tell a lie; I must confesse, that I was much troubled how to answer, which one of my companions who was neer me, perceiving, speaking for me, made answer; That he could bring an hundred or sixscore thousand; a matter whereat the King was much abashed, and I too: But the King taking pleasure as it seemed, in the marvellous answer, which this Portugal gave him, bestovved above an hours time in asking him que∣stions. In the mean season, even the King himself, and all they that were present with him, being exceedingly amazed to hear such great and strange things delivered, he turned to them and said; I sware truly unto you, that I should desire nothing so much in the world, as to see the Monarchy of this great Country, whereof I have heard such wonderfull things▪ as well concerning the immence treasures, and the infinite number of ships which he hath; for could I but once do this, I should live very well con∣tented the rest of my daies. Thereupon having sent me, and those that accompanied me, away, he said unto me, When thou shalt think it a fit time, thou maiest bid the Father come unto me, for he shall find me ready here to receive him.

After I was retired to my lodging. I gave Father Belquior an accompt of the Kings good reception of me, together with all that had past besides,* 1.1 and how desi∣rous he was to see him; in regard whereof I held it fit, since all the Portugals vvere then together, and in their best clothes, that he should go to him out of hand, which he liked very vvell of. Having furnished himself then with certain things necessary for the better setting forth of his person, he and I went avvay, accompanied vvith forty Portugals, all very well apparrelled, and vvearing chaines of gold Scarfe-wise; and four pretty boyes in cassocks, and hats of white taffata, and silken crosses on their brests, together with a converted Iapanois, Christened Ioana Fernandez, to serve for Interpreter. When wee vvere arrived at the first Court of the Kings Palace, we found some Lords attending us there, who vvith a great deal of courtesie and demon∣strations of friendship brought the Father and me up to a chamber where the King stayed for him, who having taken him by the hand with a joyfull countenance, said unto him; Beleeve me, Father, this day is the only one that I can call mine, in regard of the extreme pleasure I take to see thee before mine eyes, because, me thinks, I see Fa∣ther Xavier, to whom I wished as well as to mine own person: Then leading him into a∣nother inner chamber, that was richlyer furnished, he set him down by him, and made very much of the four little Boyes, for that it was a new thing to him, and ne∣ver seen in that Country before. The Father rendred him thanks conformable to the great honor he did him, and after that manner which they are wont to use amongst themselves, and which Ioana Fernandez had taught him. After this, he entertai∣ned him with the principall cause of his coming, which was, that the Vice-Roy had sent him expresly to serve him, and to shew him the assured way of salvation; which the King seemed to like of, by his action of bowing down of his head: The Father going on, made an holy speech somewhat like unto a Sermon unto him, a∣greeable to the businesse in hand; and which, he had directly studied for that pur∣pose. Whereunto the King made this answer, Good Father, I know not how to ex∣presse the great content which I take in seeing thee in this house, and in learning all that which my ears have heard thee say; which I do not answer for the present, in regard the affaires of my State are such, as thou maiest peradventure have heard: Wherefore, I earnestly intreat thee, since God hath brought thee hither, that thou wilt repose thee a while from the travel which thou hast endured for his service. And as for that which the Vice-Roy hath written to me, touching the businesse which I sent to him about by Antonio Ferreyra, I still avow it; but the Affaires of the pre∣sent time, are reduced to that passe, as I am much afraid, if my subjects see any change in me, that they will approve of the Bonzoes counsel; Besides, I make no question but the Christians which are here, have told thee the great danger I run in this Coun∣try, by reason of the mutinies that ••ave past here, during the which, I have been in as great jeopardy as any other; so that for the safety of my person, I have been inforced to execute in one morning thirteen of the Principallest Lords of my Kingdome, together with sixteen thousand persons of their faction and league, besides as many more which I have banished. Bat if it ever happens, that God shall grant me that which my soul desires of him, I shall hold it a small matter, to consent to what the Vice-Roy advises me by his Letter. Hereunto, the Father replied, That he was greatly sa∣tisfied with his holy resolution; but he was to remember, that his life was not in the hands of men, because they were mortall; and that if he should chance to die before he effe∣cted it, what would then become of his soul? To which he answered smiling, God knows. The Father seeing that he could receive no other satisfaction from the King at that present but good words, without making any conclusion on a matter that was so important for him, dissembled with him, and changing discourse, tal∣ked to him of other things, wherein he knew he took more pleasure. So, having spent the most part of the night with the Father, in questioning him about divers novelties, whereunto he was much affected, he dismissed him in very plausible termes, with hope that he would become a Christian, but not so soon; a thing which was then well enough understood, and that sufficiently discovered his inten∣tion. The next day about two a clock in the afternone the Father went to see the

King again, and setting aside his kind welcoming of him, this Prince never answe∣ed him to purpose; and within a while after returned to his Fortresse of Osquy, from whence he sent to desire him to continue abiding where he was, and to come some times and see him, for that he took extream pleasure in talking with him of the great things of God, and perfection of his Law. In the mean space, above two months and an half past away, without giving in all that time any other fruit of himself, then certain kind of hopes, accompanied ever and anon with some excu∣ses, which did not much content the Father: so that he thought it requisite for him to return to Goa, as well for the discharging of the duty of his charge there, as for many other reasons that moved him thereunto. Being resolved then for our depar∣ture, I went to the Fortresse of Osquy to the King, to demand an answer of the Letter I brought him from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes, which he presently gave me, having made it ready against my coming; and in exchange of the Present he had received, he sent him very rich Armes, together with two Scymitars garnished with gold, an hundred Ventiloes of the Country of the Lequios. In the Letter which he himself had written, were these words contained: Lord Vice-Roy of ho∣norable Majestie, that art seated in the Throne of those which render Iustice by the power of the Scepter: I Yaretandono, King of Bungo, give thee to understand, that Ferdinand Mendez Pinto is come to me, with a Letter from thy Royall Lordship▪ and a present of Armes, and other peeces very agreeable to my desire, and which I ve∣ry much esteem, for that they are of a Country in the other end of the world, which we call Chenchicogim, where through the power of great Armies, composed of divers Nations, raignes the Crowned Lion of Portugal, whose servant and subject I do by these presents declare my self to be: Wherefore I pray thee, that as long as the Sun shall not swerve from the effect for which God hath created him, nor the waters of the sea cease from ri∣sing and falling on the shoares side, thou wilt not forget this homage, which hereby I make to your King, whom I acknowledg for my elder Brother; to the end, that there∣by this my obedience may remain the more honorable, as I am confident it shall alwaies be: And I desire thou wilt daign to accept of these Armes which I send thee, as a gage and assurance of my faith. From this my Fortresse of Osquy, the ninth Mamocos of the third Moon, in the thirtie and seventh year of our age. With this Letter, and his present I returned to our ship, which rode at anchor some two leagues off in the Port of Zequa, where I found Father Belquior, and all the rest of our company, already imbarqued, and from thence we set sail the day after, being the fourteenth of November, One thousand five hundred fifty and six.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sect. 1.