The first booke of the historie of the discouerie and conquest of the East Indias, enterprised by the Portingales, in their daungerous nauigations, in the time of King Don Iohn, the second of that name VVhich historie conteineth much varietie of matter, very profitable for all nauigators, and not vnpleasaunt to the readers. Set foorth in the Portingale language, by Hernan Lopes de Castaneda. And now translated into English, by N.L. Gentleman.

¶Heere is contained the scituation of the Citie of Coulan, and how the Apostle Saint Thomas came thether, and there was martyred: and Alonso de Alburquerque went and laded there, and in what place did settle a Factorye. Chap. 62.

IMmediatly after this was the king of Ca∣licut aduertised of the losse of those ••araos, and also of all the successe that our men had in those wars, for the knowledge wherof he vsed all diligence, in respect of the great de∣sire he had to turne vs out of the Indias, for that naturally they could not abide vs. And fearing least that we shuld take their countrie from them,* 1.1 they were so much the more desirous to hunt vs away. This thing they pro∣cured with great instance, and also were the occasion that we should haue no Pepper. Making this account, that if so be that we should goe without the same vnto Portin∣gale, it would be the occasion, that we would not retourne againe to the Indias. By this meanes therfore we were dri∣uen to prouide for the Fléete in their riuers, and that with such a number of men, that we could neuer haue aboue a 1200. quintall of Pepper, of 4000. Bahares, that the Mer∣chants had promised, and yet this we got with great shot of Ordinaunce, and hurt of our men, and with infinit shed∣ding of bloud of the enimies.

In the ende, the king of Calycut found the meanes by merchants his friends to perswade with the merchants of Coching, to giue to the Captaine general no more pepper, excusing themselues with the warres. Which thing was done in such sort, that neither with the request of the king of Coching, neither with anye gifte that was giuen them by Francisco de Alburquerque, hée coulde moue

or perswade them to giue them anye more Pepper. Now the hope of our men for hauing the same anye more in Coching béeing past, Alonso de Alburquerque with Pe∣dro de Tayde, and Antonio del Campo, were driuen to séeke for the same at the citie of Coulan, which they did the sooner, for that they knew that the gouernours of y^• Towne were desirous of our factorie, the which was offered to Pe∣dro Aluares Cabrall, and the Lorde Admerall. Those that thus went thether, were fully bent to make warres against them, if so be that they woulde not giue them lading for theyr ships. Alonso de Alburquerque béeing departed from Coching with certaine Captaines, came into the port of the Citie of Coulan, the which standeth twelue leagues from Coching, and from Comarin xxiiii. the which is be∣yond the same, bearing toward the South.

This Citie (as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saye) before that Calycut was buil∣ded,* 1.2 was the principall of the Poruince of Malabar, and the greatest and most principallest Port of all that Coast. Notwithstanding, as yet their houses be both greate and fayre, and so are also theyr Pagodes and Chappells com∣parable to these of Calycut. Their harbour or hauen is ve∣rie good, they are well prouided of all sortes of victualls, the people are in condition lyke vnto those of Calicut. The inhabitants are Malabars, Gentiles, and Moores, and the Moores are verie rich and greate merchauntes, in especially since the warres beganne betwéene Calycut and vs, for many merchauntes of Calycut lefte the same, and nowe dwell there. They doe trade in Coromandyll, Cei∣lan, in the Ilands of Maldyua, Bengala, Pegu, ••••matia, and in Malaea.

The king of this countrie is Lorde of a greate King∣dome, wherin are many great Cities and rich, which haue belonging vnto them sundrye goodlye harbours, by reason whereof his customes are great, and for that cause they are riche of Treasure, and are able to make a greate power of men of warre▪ which are for the moste parte men but of lyttle stature. He hath alwayes in his

gard, thrée hundred women, which doe vse bowes, and are very perfect in the skill of shooting.* 1.3 They haue about their breasts certaine bands of lynnen & of silke, with the which they doe binde them so harde, that they are no hinderaunce vnto them in their shooting. This king hath for y^e most part of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, war with the king of Narsinga, which is a great trouble vnto him. He doth continually or for the most part remain•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Citie, the which they doe call Calle. The Go∣uernours of Coulan are as it were Aldermen, in the which, there is a certaine Church, which y^e Apostle Saint Thomas builded▪ comming thether to preach the Catholike faith, by reason wherof, there were great numbers that turned Chri∣stians, as well of the Gentiles, as otherwise, so that of them there are procéeded from generation to generation the num∣ber of twelue thousand householders, that are scattered a∣broad in the Country wher they haue their Churches. The King of Coulan séeing how many were daylye conuerted, and the daunger thereof, did banish him out of his Coun∣trey, who being thus gone, went to a Citie called Malapur, lyeng along that Coast, and is parcell of the Kingdome of Narsingas. And yet being there, for y^t he was so followed by y^• Gentiles and by y^e Christians of Coulan, did apart himselfe to y^e Mountains,* 1.4 wher they affirme y^t he dyed, & from thence he was brought to be buried in Coulan, in a vante y^t was made in the foresaide Church. This Church is now ouer∣growen, with b••shes and woodes, for that the Citie is disin∣habited, onely there remaineth a poore Moore, which doeth kéepe the same, for that there are no Christians néere vnto it: and there he liueth vppon the almes of all those y^t com∣meth thether in Pilgrimage, aswell of Christians as of the Gentiles, for y^e Moores doth not let to giue their almes like∣wise vnto him, for that he was buried in their Countrey. Alonso de Alburquerque being come to the harbor of this citie, & the Gouernours hauing knowledge therof, they came to visite him a boord his ship, where within the same there was setled a peace, y^• which was made vpon condition, that we should haue our Factory in the Citie, & also should haue

as much lading of spices and other commodities,* 1.5 as would lade presently those ships, the which immediatly they went about to prouide. In the meane while that our men were there, and whilest that the one ship tooke in his lading, the other two kept abroad in the sea, to watch all such as past by from other places and those that they could discrie, were brought, some with their good wills, and others there were brought against their wills, to speake with Alonso de Al∣burquerque, and to shew him obedience as to a Captaine general of y^e king of Portingales. He offered no hurt to any, but onely to the Moores of the red sea: for all such of them as he tooke, he would cause their ships first to be ransacked, and afterward to be burnt, in reuenge of that they had done to Pedro Aluares Cabrall, of the which those of Coulan were greatly afraid. The house for the Factorie béeing fini∣shed, and the shippes laden, Alonso de Alburquerque lefte there for Factor, one Antonio de Sala, with two scriueners, the one called Rodrigo Aranso, and the other Loparabe∣lo: and for interpretour one called Madera, and two Fri∣ers for Chaplaines, with others, the which in all were xx. And so leauing them in peace, he departed toward Coching.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why the Indias wer most earnest to hunt our men out of their Countrie▪
• * 1.2

  The di∣scriptiō of the citie of Coulā.
• * 1.3

  A gard of vvomen vvith bovves & arrovves.
• * 1.4

  S. Thomas banished y^e country▪
• * 1.5

  The con∣ditions of the peace made vvith the inhabitāts of this Citie.