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§. X. ALBVQVERQVES Exploits, and the first knowledge of the Molucca's.
YE haue heard of the Quarrell twixt Siuill and Lisbone, or the Castilian and Portugall compounded, each sharing a moitie of the World. Some question grew of the Mo∣lucca's,* 1.1 after the discouerie of them by the Portugals, whether they app••rtayned to the Castilian or Lusitanian share. It is to be considered, that ten yeeres after Gamu's discouerie, and ill vsage at Calecut, the Portugalls sought all this time reuenge, and in great [ 10] part effected it, notwithstanding the Indian Potentates, the Aegyptian Sultans assistance (as long after the Turkes succeeding in that State and Quarrell) maintaining their Trade, and pro∣pagating their Sea and Land-Soueraigntie in those parts, although with some vicissitude of for∣tune, and with losse euen this Summer of some of their principall Commanders: Almeida the late Viceroy basely perishing neere the Cape of Good Hope, by the hands of wilde Negros; Cotinius, whiles hee enuyed any partner in the glory of taking the Kings Palace at Calecut, whiles Albuquerque set the Citie on fire, and permitting his souldiors to ouer-hastie pillage, losing his late-gotten purchase, and himselfe; and Albuquerque himselfe carryed away neere dead, with diuers wounds.
* 1.2Whiles these things were done at Calecut, Didacus Lupius Sequeria was sent out of Portu∣gall, [ 20] to begin amitie with Malacca: who was the first that hauing passed the Promontorie Co∣ry, and sayling thorow the Bengalan or Gangetike Bay, touched on Sumatra, diuided by a nar∣row and dangerous Strait from the Continent of Malacca, eyther being or supposed to bee in old times a Chersonessus or Pen-Insula (euery where encompassed with Waues, but by one Neck of Land fastned to the Maine) and called as some will haue (though others ascribe it to Malac∣ca and the Siam Kingdome) Aurea,* 1.3 or the Golden, being indeed rich in Gold, and other Me∣tals, as this ensuing Historie will shew.
Sequeria hauing here made League with the Kings of Pedir and Achen, and erected such Stone Pillars as before are mentioned, in both places, as Monuments thereof, passed to Malacca, where hee receiued great kindnesse of Mamudius a Mahumetan, which had vsurped that State [ 30] by force from the Siamite, who yet as the Samorin, or King of Calecut, by the Mores was alte∣red, and sought by Treason to murther the Portugals, and seize on their ships. For pretending, after League confirmed, to entertayne him in a Feast, Sequeria hauing intelligence, excused him∣selfe by sicknesse: whereupon hee offered extraordinarie fauour to lade his ships (contrarie to the custome of that Port) before all those which had beene there before them,* 1.4 which must bee carryed closely, for feare of disgust and mutinie of other Merchants; which Sequeria accepted thankfully, and sent his men to diuers places assigned. Patiacus, the sonne of Vtimutis, the next man in Malacca after the King, was sent aboord to complement with him, till a signe giuen by smoake from a certaine place, should at once arme the rest in other places, and him on ship∣boord to sudden and vnexpected slaughter. It happened, that Sequeria, at Patiacus his com∣ming,* 1.5 [ 40] was at Chesse; which he dissemblingly willed him to continue, that he might obserue our difference from them in that Play. But whiles hee waited the smoake, others of Malacca had not that patience, but misorderly began their furie, which was espyed from the ship tops by a Mariner, who cryed Treason: whereupon they running to their Armes, the Malaccans leaped ouer boord, and they sent some to helpe their fellowes, whiles the rest cut their Cables, to haue Sea-roome for their Ship-fights, and by terror of their Ordenance easily chased the Nauie, set purposely to assayle them. But of those on shore, fortie were slaine, and more captiued, which ministred iust cause of quarrell to their Countreymen, whom Sequeria had sent notice hereof, himselfe passing directly to the Cape, and so to Lisbone.
Albuquerque had now recouered of his wounds, and minded to recouer Ormuz, the King [ 50] whereof had before acknowledged Vassallage to King Emanuel,* 1.6 with fifteene thousand Sera∣fines of Gold yeerely tribute, and leaue to the Portugals to erect there a Fort; which the slack∣nesse first, and after that, open mutinie of his owne men, had frustrated; Zeifadin the King ha∣uing intelligence thereof,* 1.7 and thereby taking occasion to shake off the Portugall yoake. Hee pretended feare of Ismael the Persian Xa, or Sophi, whose tributarie he was, but was regayned afterwards (it was the last Act of Albuquerques Life) and the Persian also not discontented, yea, sending an Embassadour to treat of Peace, as hauing their Actions in admiration. But at this time hauing collected a Fleet of one and twentie sayle, in his way thither was intercepted by the opportunitie of Goa, whose Prince Zabaius, in the midst of his preparations against the Portugals, was lately dead, leauing his young sonne Idalcan as full of troubles, as emptie of ex∣perience. [ 60] Timoia, a famous Pyrate, and Lord of an Iland not farre off, gaue this intel∣ligence,* 1.8 with proffer of his best assistance therein: Whereupon a suddaine Siege, and sur∣prize thereof, was made, vpon Conditions; the Portugals wondering to see themselues so easily Lords of such Wealth. But Idalcan with force and famine soone expelled them;