Purchas his pilgrimes. part 2 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. I. [ 10]

A Register or Collection of the Vses, Lawes, and Customes of the Canarins, or Inhabitants of this Iland of Goa, and of the Townes thereunto belonging.

DOn Iohn by the Grace of God, King of Portugall and of the Algarues, of this side and beyond the Seas, Lord of Guinea, and of the Conquest, Nauigation, and Commerce or Trafficke of Aethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India, &c. To all [ 20] those that shall see this our Bill of Rites and Customes, giuen to the Gouernors, Farmers and Inhabiters of the Townes and Ilands of our Citie of Goa, gree∣ting. We let you vnderstand, that by the good ordering, diligences, and exami∣nations, which were to bee done by Iustification, and Declaration of that which the said Far∣mers were bound to pay vnto vs, and did pay vnto the Kings and Lords of the Countrey before it was ours, of their inheritances, duties, rights, and other charges: and also the rights, vses and customes which they had, and we ought to command, should be kept vnto them, and wee found by the Declaration of the said diligences, that they are bound to pay vnto vs that which is contained in this our other Bill of Customes of the said payments of duties. And also wee finde that they ought to vse these vses, rights and customes, in manner and forme following. [ 30]

It was found, that euery Towne of the said Ilands haue certaine Gouernors; some more, some lesse, according to their custome, and as the Ilands and the Townes are in bignesse, and that the said name Gançares is as much to say, as Gouernor, Ruler, or Benefactor, & it was thus ordained. In old time there went foure men to make profit of an Iland, and of another vnprofitable waste place, the which they manured and fortified in such manner, and so well, that in processe of time it came to such increase, that it became very populous. And these Beginners, for their good go∣uernment, rule and trafficke, were called Gançares; and afterward there came Lords and Con∣querors vpon them, which did make them for to pay tribute, and custome for to let them dwell quietly in their Lands or Inheritances and Customes, but I could not know the beginning of this. [ 40]

In this Iland of Tisoare, where the Citie of Goa stands situated, there are two and thirtie Townes and Villages, as followeth. Neura the great, Gancin, the old Goa, Cogin, Hella, A. Io∣sin, Carambolin, Batin, Teleigaon, Bamolin, Curq••a, Calapor, Morabrin the great, Talaulin, Gali∣mola, Neura the lesse, Corlin, Sirdaon, Dugnari, Murura, Morabrin the lesse, Chumbel, Panne∣lin, Solecer, Mandur, Murcundin, Agaçarin, Horar, Gaudalin, Renoari, Banganin, Foleiros.

The Townes or Villages of Choram, and of Iuan, and of Diuar, are these that follow: Cho∣ran, Cararin, Iuan, the Pescadores, or Fishers of Dabarin, Malar, Nauelin, Goltin, Diua.

And euery one of the said Townes, is bound to pay vnto vs certaine rent, contained and declared in the said Register. Heretofore the said Gouernors of euery Towne or Village, with the Notarie of the same, doth diuide and ceasse vpon the Farmers or persons, that within the [ 50] bounds of euery Towne hath Lands or Inheritance, and this according to the condition where∣with it is giuen them for their vses and customes: and the said are bound to leuie, gather, and pay the said rent, whither it increase or decrease, and the losse or encrease shall remaine with them of the Towne, that the persons to whom it doth appertaine by their custome, may pay the losse, or take the increase, as here vnder it shall be declared, except the losse should chance to come by warre, for then they shall be quit of that which shall be by the meanes thereof lost.

The said increase or losse of euery yeare, shall bee diuided according to euery ones substance equally, so that euery one doe pay the rent of the Lands or Rice-grounds that he doth occupie.

Some Gardens and Palme-tree Groues, and Rice-grounds, are bound to pay euery yeare cer∣taine * 1.1 Tangas: and although they doe sustaine losses, therebe in the said Ilands other Palme-tree [ 60] Groues, and Rice-grounds, which doe not pay but a certaine custome; and besides, they are bound to a contribution of the losses when there be any. And there be other Lands or Inheri∣tances which the said Gouernours may giue gratis to any person or persons, whom they shall thinke good, w••••hout custome or Obligation, to pay any thing to the contribution of the losses.

If any Towne or Village be so decayed, that they cannot pay their custome and rent that ap∣pertaineth to vs, the Gouernors and Inhabiters of it, shall giue intelligence of it to the chiefe Master of the Ports, and to the Notarie of the Iland, and they shall goe to see the said losse, and finding it for good truth that it hath such a losse; the said chiefe Master of the Ports shall com∣mand the chiefe Gouernours of the eight principall Townes aboue rehearsed, and then there may come to this other Gouernours, which soeuer they shall thinke good, although the matters of the Iland must be done by order with them of the eight principall Townes, and altogether with the said chiefe Master of the Ports, and the Notarie, the Inhabitants of the decayed towne may engage or morgage their Towne vnto the Gouernours, because they are bound vnto it: and they may also make sale of it in the presence of the said Officers, and it shall be deliuered or sur∣rendred [ 10] to him that will giue most for it, and that which is wanting of the rent and custome which it is bound to pay, in that which is giuen for the Towne, shall bee diuided and leuied of the eight principall Townes, or of all the Iland, vpon those Lands which are bound to the contribution of the losses, in such sort, that we may haue full payment of the Custome of the said Towne, and that the said Hirer or Hirers shall be bound to increase better, and profit the Towne or Village: and with this condition it shall be let or set vnto them. And the said Hirers or Farmers of the said Towne, shall haue the voyces of Gouernours during the time of their Lease or Farme.

The Gouernours of the Towne decayed, doe not lose their Offices by that which is spoken. And at all times that they shall aske, or demand, the Towne paying the whole rent or custome, [ 20] it shall be deliuered vnto them, and the said Towne shall be no more of the Farmers, hauing en∣ded their time or lease.

The Gouernours by authoritie of their Offices, and because they were Beginners, and also because the said Offices or charge doth come to them by descent, they doe not lose them (to wit, the Gouernours euery one in the Towne in person for any error he doth commit: nor the Clerke of Common Councell, which also commeth to him by inheritance or descent: and this order was made by the Gouernours themselues, onely the one and the other shall haue for the errors and hurts that they doe commit, the penaltie that they doe deserue, in their goods and bodie. Notwithstanding, such an error they may doe, that they may dye for it: or it shall be conueni∣ent that they shall not serue in their Offices, and in such case it shall remaine to their Sonnes or [ 30] Heires; and if the case be not great, the chiefe Master of the Ports shall iudge it, accounselling himselfe with some of the Gouernours. And if the facts bee greater, the said chiefe Master of the Ports shall giue knowledge of it to our Captaine Generall, and Gouernour of India, or to the Captaine of our Citie of Goa, or to the ouer-seer of our goods, if the matter bee thereunto attaining, for to prouide in it what shall bee conuenient and right. And also the Gouernours of the said Towne haue the said Offices by inheritance or descent. And if they doe commit any error, they shall be punished as these other, and so their Offices shall remaine to their Sonnes, or to their Heires.

The Gouernors may giue such fields as within euery Towne are waste or vnprofitable, to such as shall aske or demand them, for to make them profitable in Gardens, or Palme-tree Groues, or [ 40] to other good vses, with condition that they shall pay a certaine rent, or custome, as shall seeme good vnto them, and this so giuen, shall bee for the space of fiue and twentie yeeres; for, from that time forward, they shall pay according to the order and costome, which is euery Field or Plaine, of twelue Paces in length (which is the space betweene Palme-tree and Palme-tree, reckoning one hundred Palme-trees to the field) some of them to pay fiue Tangas, worth foure Barganis euery Tanga. And after this rate, the greater or lesser field so giuen shall pay. And the said Gouernours may giue the waste Fields and Plaines, for to be profited in Palme-tree Groues, * 1.2 and Gardens, for lesse then fiue Tangas, and they shall passe their Warrant for this, according to their custome, notwithstanding they may not exceed aboue.

When they shall giue Fields or Plaines, to make Rice grounds, they shall be giuen in this man∣ner, to wit, fiue Cubits in length, and fiue in breadth, which is the space betweene one rew and [ 50] another, reckoning in this manner one hundred rewes to euery Field. And any Field or Plaine * 1.3 of them, being watered with Well water, they shall giue it for foure Barganis, euery yeeres rent; and if they be watered with running water, their rent shall be six Barganis euery yeere; and after the said Gardens bee so giuen vnto them by the Gouernours, they cannot bee taken a∣way from them, for they remaine to their Sonnes, Grand-children, and Heires, and this is the generall custome. Notwithstanding, if any other custome be vsed besides this in any Towne, or Village, it shall be fulfilled.

The Clerke of the Councell must be present at all the bargaines, and agreements (which a∣mongst * 1.4 themselues they call Nemes) that shall be made by the principall Gouernours of all the [ 60] Iland with the Officers of it, the chiefe Master of the Ports, a Portugal Notarie with him, or a Bramane, and without him or the Clerke of the Councell, no bargaines nor agreements can be made, because they doe write the Cases, for to notifie and declare the debts that might arise in time to come. And in the abouesaid manner, the Scriueners of the Townes must be with the Go∣uernours

of them, in all matters that shall passe in any one of the said Townes. And the Townes of all this Iland of Tisoare, and the other Townes of Diuar, and Choran, and Iunha, are guided by their writings.

The Gouernours euery one in his owne Towne, may giue Fields, or Plaines, freely or gratis, for to profit them: or if be profitable being voide, to the Officers of the said Townes, to wit, to the * 1.5 Priest of the * 1.6 Pagode, or Church of the Idoll, and to the Scriuener; and to the Porter, and to the Rent-gatherer, and to the Magnato (which is a washer of Cloth, or a Laundresse) and to the Shoomaker, and Carpenter, and to the Smith, and to the Faras (which is a seruant to the Pagode, or Church) and to the women of the world (which are common women or Curtesans) and to the Iester. And to those persons abouenamed, the Plaines, or Fields, and Gardens, are giuen gra∣tis, [ 10] for to serue continually in the said Townes: And after they be giuen vnto them, they may not be taken away, nor other persons be set in their place, because they are giuen vnto them for their Sonnes, Grand-children, and Heires. And euery Towne may haue no more Officers then abouenamed, to whom they may giue the said Lands gratis. Neither may they giue them any more Lands without Heires, and they being willing to leaue them, they shall bee giuen to other Officers of their Facultie, and the Heires of the same Officers are bound to serue in the said Offices also.

The Gouernour of any Towne, may not giue any Field, or Garden, to any one that is not of the Towne, gratis, but paying tribute: except they haue an order for it.

When the chiefe Master of the Ports shall send for the Gouernours of all the Iland, or of one [ 20] Towne, they are bound for to come, or to make an assemblie, for to choose in euery Towne any one whom they thinke meete, for to send to the said calling; and when they make the said as∣semblie (which among them is called Gangaria, or an assemblie of Gouernours) if any Gouernour be wanting of them, which are ordained in the said Towne, there can nothing be done, except they be all together, and if there be any Heire of that Gouernour that is wanting, it is sufficient for the said Assemblie or meeting to be made with him. And if other people doe not come, they shall incurre the penaltie that among themselues they haue ordained.

If any Gouernour or any other person is willing to sell any lands in any of the said Townes, they may not doe it without license of all the Gouernours of the said Towne, and also no per∣son may buy without the said license. And if any person shall make any sale, or buy any land without the license, it shall be in it selfe of no effect, and at any time when the Gouernour will, [ 30] it shall be voide for the benefit of the duties which they are bound to pay vnto vs, and because they also that doe buy, may bee contented and acquainted with the said rights, and may haue their Letters with a declaration of these duties which they are to pay.

When any Bill of sale shall be made of any Land or Inheritance, it shall not be sufficient to be signed by the Letter, but also it must bee signed by all the Heires, and although some of the Heires be vnder age, declaration shall be made, that some other person that did appertaine vnto him, did signe for him, and if any one of the Heires remaine that hath not signed, the said sale shall at any time be of no effect, taking the quantitie that it was sold for, and if the buyer shall be at any cost or charges vpon the said Land, he shall lose it. [ 40]

If any Gouernour shall goe or runne away because he will not, or is not able to pay vs the rent that he is bound to pay, the other Gouernours of the said Towne shall meete, and call a Court about this matter, and shall prefixe a time wherein he may come, and if within the said time he doth not come, they shall require the Heires of the said Gouernour so fled, to take the said Lands, and Gouernement, so as they be bound to pay vnto vs our right, and the debts that he doth owe: and if he will not accept it, it shall remaine to the said Gouernours, for the Obli∣gation that they haue to pay the said right or custome, and they may giue them to whom they shall thinke best, paying besides our right all the debts that he doth owe.

If a Gouernour or any other person shall runne away for debt, or any other matter, no man shall take away his Lands, and his Heires shall bee demanded, if they will remaine in the said [ 50] Lands, and be bound to pay his debts, and our right, and if there be no Heires, or being any, if they will not accept it, then the said Lands shall remaine to the said Gouernours, for want of an owner, and they shall pay for it the right and debts that they doe owe vnto vs, and they shall take the ouerplus of that which is remayning, and if any thing be wanting, they shall pay that which it amounteth vnto, and as touching the moueable goods, they shall remaine vnto vs, whensoeuer the Heires shall not accept of the Inheritance or Lands.

If any person, Gouernour, or other, doth chance to die, or goeth out of the Countrey, and hath no Heires, the Lands that they haue which are not bound to any tribute or custome, shall be ours, euen as the mouables, and if the Lands doe owe any debts or legacies, or if they doe not owe any thing, after we are paid ours, of the remainder shall be done according to right. [ 60]

The Rice-lands in euery Towne shall be let euery yeere by the voice of a Crier, to them that will giue most for them, according to their custome, because they are not proper of any one man, as the other lands are, and therefore they must be giuen to such men as will giue most for them, being Inhabitants or dwellers o•• the Townes, and if any Towne hath, of, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by custome of old

time to giue the said lands, or let them to any person or persons out of the Towne, which shall giue more for them then the men of the said Towne, it shall be accomplished according to their custome.

The Gouernours of this Iland of Tisoare, and of the other Ilands of Diuar, and Choran, and Iunba, are bound to giue among the Inhabiters of the Towne certaine * 1.7 labourers, at their owne cost and charges euery yeere for to clense the wall, and the bottome of the trenches of this Citie, of the Weedes and Bushes that grow in them, or also for other needfull or hastie seruices, which sometimes doe chance as neede doth require.

If there chance to bee any demand or controuersie in any of the said Townes, touching any Lands or Tenements, they may not demand them by any witnesses, but onely by writings, or [ 10] bonds, or by the Townes Register, and if there be no writings, nor bonds, and the Register of the Towne should chance to be lost, there shall another bee taken of the demander of the said lands, that by it he shall declare that which shall seeme conuenient for to know the truth. And concerning such cases, and other of like importance, they shall sweare vpon a Pagode * 1.8 (which is an image of the Deuill) which swearing is called Vse or Custome.

If any person shall lend another money vpon a bond, and by negligence he did not demand it, or it was not paide vnto him within the time prefixed in the said bond, in such manner that when he goeth to demand the said money, the debtor doth denie it, in such a case there shall bee an oath taken of him that hath the bond or obligation, that hee tell truth of the case how it stan∣deth, and he shall sweare vpon the said Pagode (which is an image of the Deuill.) [ 20]

There may not be lent to any man aboue fiftie Tangas, without an obligation or bond, and for one person or persons to demand another or others, to the quantitie of fiftie Tangas, the de∣mander shall shew an obligation or witnesses, and aboue the summe of fiftie Tangas, one cannot demand of another without an obligation, onely the parties may come to an agreement, putting it in arbitration of two such sworne men as they shall like, the which shall sweare after they haue heard them, that which they shall find to be equitie and right.

They may giue money at interest in this manner, that for euery six Tangas, they may re∣ceiue euery moneth one Bargani, and no more, and if any person shall giue money at interest; and doth not demand the interest, and so much time doth passe without demanding it, that the interest doth amount to so much or more then the principall, although long time bee past, the [ 30] Debtor shall not be bound to pay to the Creditor but the principall with the double.

The persons that can bee witnesse are these, to wit, a youth vnder the age of sixteene yeares, nor a Drunkard, nor a Blinde man, nor a Dumbe man, nor a Moore, nor a Deafe man, nor a Russian, nor a Iourney-man, nor a Gardiner, nor a Gamster, nor the Daughter of a Whore, nor an infamous person by Record, nor a man that is in hatred with another, cannot beare witnesse against him. Notwithstanding, these may beare witnesse in matters of small importance.

If a man doe chance to dye without a Sonne, although he hath a Father, or other heires ascen∣dant, * 1.9 the Inheritance commeth to vs, except the said Father and Sonne deceased hath their In∣heritance commixt, or both in one Title or Custome: for then the Father doth inherit of the Sonne: and if any man hath foure Sonnes, or more or lesse, they may diuide the Inheritance in [ 40] his life time, except it be by his owne good will, and the Father contented with it, they shall diuide it brotherly as well in his life time, as after his death; and diuiding it in his life time, the Sonnes shall be bound to maintaine the Father with all things necessary, and any of these Bro∣thers dying without Heires descendant, the diuision of the brethren shall be viewed, either at the death, or in the life time of their Father, if it be written in the Towne-booke; and being written in the said Booke, then the inheritance of euery Brother so dying without an Heire de∣scendant commeth to vs, and if he dyeth before the said diuision was made or written, then the Inheritance commeth to the Brethren, if they haue no Father: and if the said Inheritance be not of forreine Lands, and bound to the rent of the Towne, then the Inheritance of a man so decea∣sed shall remaine vnto vs, as well as the mooueable without any contradiction. And if any of these Brethren become a Turke, a Moore, or a Iogue (which is like to the Gipsies in our King∣domes) [ 50] * 1.10 in such manner, that he doth alienate himselfe from the custome of his house, and if the goods be diuided among them, his moueable goods shall remaine vnto vs, and his Land also, ex∣cept it be forreine Lands, for then it shall be sold by Obligation to pay the custome due, and the remainder (the debts being first paid) shall remaine vnto vs, as here is contained.

At the time of the decease of such a man, whose inheritance appertaineth to vs in such man∣ner * 1.11 as is declared already, the Gouernours of the Towne shall bee bound, before they doe burie them, or burne them (according to their custome) they shall make it knowne to our Officers, for to goe thither to take notice of the goods, and to set them downe in an Inuentorie, and make sale of them by the voyce of a Cryer, the Gouernours of the Towne being present: and [ 60] they shall be giuen to the Gouernours of the Towne, or to any of their kinred that shall giue most for them, and not to any person out of the Towne, or to any of their kinred, notwithstan∣ding if the neerest Kinsman of the man deceased, or any other of his Kinsmen will haue the said Inheritance, with the customes belonging to it, which the Gouernours doe pay, it shall be giuen

him. And suppose it should happen that the Kinsmen of the deceased did not come at the sel∣ling of the said goods, and within fiue daies after they shall know of it, shall request the said In∣heritance to be giuen them for the quantitie it was sold for, it shall bee giuen vnto them for the said price. And the said fiue daies being past, they not requiring it, it shall not after bee deliue∣red vnto them; but they that most shall giue for it, shall possesse it; and the duties that doe arise of the said goods, shall be for vs, and it shall bee charged vpon our Factor, and there shall passe a Certificate in Farme vnto the Gouernours for their discharge, how it is charged vpon his ac∣count, and thence forward may they not bee constrained, or oppressed for it, and therefore the lawfull and due debts that the said deceased doth owe, shall of the said goods first be paid, and the rest that remaineth, shall be for vs, as aforesaid. [ 10]

The moueables of any one deceased hauing no heires ascendant, or descendant, (as is alreadie said) are without any difference to remaine to our vse, and they shall bee sold to them that will giue most for them, either be he Kinsman or not, of the Towne, or out of it, notwithstanding the debts shall first be paid, as already is specified.

The Inheritance is in this manner; from the Father it commeth to the Sonne, and to the Grand-child, &c. and to the Father and Grand-father: so that there bee heires ascendant and descendant, to whom the Inheritance doth appertaine, so that the said Inheritance come by the Male, and by the Female no person doth inherit, no not the Daughter, but the Brother shall possesse her goods in such manner, as is already specified.

If any Thiefe shall goe to steale any Money, or any other thing, and is taken with the said [ 20] stealth, in such case it shall be prouided according to our Ordinances and Lawes; and if the said thing so stollen hath an Owner, it shall bee giuen him, although by their vses and customes it belongeth vnto vs, and this, because so it is our pleasure, and wee thinke it good to shew them fauour, as we doe vnto them that well and faithfully doe vs seruice, as we hope they will doe.

If any treasure or goods be found or discouered, it belongeth and appertaineth to vs.

If any man be married with two Wiues, and haue foure Sonnes of the one and of the other, or more or lesse, although that they bee not in number equall, whensoeuer the said Sonnes shall diuide the said goods of the Father, they shall diuide it in the middest, and the one Sonne shall haue as much as the other foure, and the goods of the Father and of the Mother, shall not bee in∣herited in the Daughter, as is aboue rehearsed. [ 30]

The Officers placed by vs, and by our Gouernors and Captaines, and ouer-seers of our goods, shall not take any bribes, nor Lands, of, or at the hands of the Gouernours and Townes, neither may they vse any Merchandize within the compasse of their Office. And I command, that if at any time they or he shall be attainted with the same fault, that which shall be found he hath ta∣ken, or by his meanes any losse was sustained, hee shall repay it againe, and the said quantitie so paid, shall remaine vnto vs.

If the Gouernors shall lay, or exact any demands in the Townes for Cabaga, Pachorins, or * 1.12 whatsoeuer profits or commodities for themselues, or for to giue to the Captaines, or chiefe Master of the Ports, or to any other Officers, or persons whatsoeuer, euery Gouernour of a Towne so conuicted, shall pay the whole summe of that, which they haue leuied through all the [ 40] Townes; the one halfe for them that shall accuse them, and the other halfe for redemption of Captiues and the Scriueners, or Notaries of the Townes, shall be contributaries with them, if the said tribute, subsidie, or tyrannie was raised, or leuied with their consent.

He that shall conuay, or purloyne any Merchandize, of whatsoeuer sort it be, without pay∣ing to our Officers the duties belonging to vs as they are bound: they shall pay after the rate of eleuen for one, of that which he hath so conuayed and purloyned, being thereof conuicted.

At what time soeuer that the chiefe Master of the Ports, with the Clerkes or Clerke of his charge together, or euery one of himselfe, shall goe to the Iland about matters concerning out affaires, or any one whom they shall send to the said Iland, or to the Townes of the same, they shall giue them their meat according to their vse and custome. [ 50]

And also to our Factor, or Officer of that office when they shall goe thither, to prouide in a∣ny matters concerning our affaires, or the Towne of the Iland.

Whatsoeuer Foot-man shall goe with any message pertaining to our seruice, or to the reco∣uerie of our rents, they shall giue him euery day that he shall be there without dispatching, two measures of Rice for his meat, and one Leal for Betre, which is an hearb that they vse to eate. * 1.13

If any Gouernours of the Iland of Choran, or of the other Ilanders annexed to the same of Tisoare shall runne away to the Turkes out of the Land, because they would not pay the rent, as it is aforesaid alreadie, it hath beene done, the which from hence-forward wee hope they will not doe, they shall lose their mooueable goods, and they shall fall vnto vs, and their Lands and Offices shall bee giuen vnto them they doe appertaine to, and will giue most for them, being [ 60] bound to pay the rights and customes that the said Lands are bound to pay, and that which they shall giue ouer-plus for the said Lands and Gouernourship, their custome reserued, shall bee to our vse.

When they doe make any feast or assembly, wherein they are to take Betre, (which is an

Herbe) or Pachorins, the principall Gouernour of euery Towne shall take first the said Betre, Pa∣chorins, * 1.14 or Iewell, and after him the other Gouernours by degrees, according to their authorities and customes.

When any assembly or conuocation is to be made, and the names of the Gouernors to be na∣med in writing; first shall begin the name of the principall in honour, and consequently one af∣ter another in their degrees.

When in the end of any Councell that they make, there is any difference or doubt in setting downe that which they haue agreed vpon, it shall bee written by the Scriuener, or Notarie of the Towne; and hauing written it, he shall say with an high voyce, which is called Nemo, that which they haue agreed vpon, and if there be no bodie to gaine-say that which he hath said, and [ 10] declared with an high voyce, it shall remaine in full force and power.

When the Gouernours of the Iland do meete for any councell, agreement, or decree, the said decree shall be set downe by the Clerke of the Common Councell of all the Iland, and the voyce that shall be giuen at the end of the said decree, called Nemo (as aforesaid) shall bee spoken by the most principall Gouernour that will be accepted, the said Nemo shall be made by the Scriue∣ner or Notarie that writ it.

The Towne of Teleigaon hath the preheminence, for it must bee the first that beginneth to share their Rice, and the Gouernours of it must come euery yeare with a sheafe of Rice, to present it before the high Altar of the Church, and the Vicar with them must go to the Store∣house where our Factor is, and he shall haue bestowed foure Pardoas in Pachorins, and hee shall * 1.15 [ 20] cast them about the neckes of the Gouernours, ordained among them, that they may receiue ho∣nour, and from thence forward the other Townes may reape, or share their Rice as hereafter shall be declared.

In the time of Tillage, the first Rice-ground that shall be ploughed, and in the time of Har∣uest that first shall be reaped, must be the chiefe Gouernours field of euery Towne, and after him any one that will may reape his: and the same order shall be vsed in the couering, or thatch∣ing of their houses euery yeare, the which Gouernour of the Towne shall couer his house first with Palme-tree leaues, and after him all the other people of the same.

The Men or Women Dancers, that shall come to feast to a Towne, they shall goe first to feast at the house of the principall Gouernour; and when there be two in like honour, it stands in the [ 30] choyce of the Dancers, to goe to which of them they thinke best: and these Gouernours so in one degree of honour, shall rise together to the Betre, or to any other honour, when they are to * 1.16 receiue estate, with their armes a crosse, the right arme vnder the left, because that he that goeth on the right hand, doth take it for more honour, and because another Gouernour might say, that he which did take the present with the left hand had the preheminence, because it came ouer the right hand.

The Gouernours that are in Common; to wit, which is to take Betre, (which is an Herbe) or any other honour, haue no preheminence the one of the other; and they may sell the said honour of the Betre, or Pachorins, which are certaine Linnen cloaths) to any of the said Gouer∣nours of the said Towne, euery time that the said honour chanceth to bee giuen, and this for a [ 40] certaine price, and it must be diuided in the Towne: and when there is no obiection to the con∣trary, then the Scriuener of the Towne receiueth the said honour.

No man may carrie Tocha, Andor, or Sombreiro, without our liccense, or of our Gouernor, ex∣cept * 1.17 it come to him by Inheritance from his Fathers, and those to whom we or our said Gouer∣nor shall giue the said license for desert of his seruices, it shall bee giuen in two sorts; the one, that they may carrie the said Sombreiro and Andor with his Foot-men, and Tocha with the Oyle at their owne charge; and the other is, that hee doe receiue of vs the said Sombreiro with the said Foot-men, and the Oyle paid at our charges, and the said light also may bee giuen without the shadow, and the shadow without the said light or Tocha, euery thing by it selfe, or altoge∣ther in any of the manners aboue specified. Therefore also we notifie it, as well to our Captaine Generall, and Gouernour of these parts of India, which now is, or hereafter shall bee: and also [ 50] to the Captaines of this Citie, Iudges, Iustices, and Officers of the same, and to euery other person or persons, to whom this our Letter shall be shewen, and the knowledge of it doth ap∣pertaine: We command, that in all things they keepe and fulfill the same, and cause it to bee kept and fulfilled, as in it is contained, for our meaning is the same. Giuen in the Citie of Goa, the sixteenth of September, the King commanded it by Alfonso Mexia, Ouer-seer of the goods in these parts of India, and Anthonie de Campo did write it, in the yeare of 1526. Alfonso Mexia.

Don Philip by the Grace of God, King of Portugall, and of the Algarues, on this side and that side the Sea in Africa, Lord of Guinea, and of the Conquest, Nauigation and Traf∣ficke [ 60] of Aethiopia, Persia, and India, &c. Be it knowne to you, that I seeing how much the good gouernment, and preseruing of my Estates in those parts of India, doth import, and Iustice to be truly administred in them to my Subiects and Vassals, and desiring that in my time it may bee done with that integritie, libertie and breuitie that thereunto belongeth; I thought meete to

send or prouide after I had succeeded in the Crowne of those Kingdoms, Persons of conscience and learning, to the most of the Fortresses of those parts, that should administer it, to the which we gaue power and authoritie according to their gouernments or charges. And being now en∣formed that in the Citie of Goa, principall and head of the said Estates, the Kings my Prede∣cessors of glorious memory, did ordayne there should bee an house of Iustice, or place of hea∣ring, wherein some Officers by them chosen (as in a supreme Tribunall) should determine the * 1.18 Causes, giuing them for that purpose at sundry times diuers charges, the which for the varietie of matters ought to be reformed, and I being willing in dutie to continue with the same intent, and command to prouide in those Causes, which at this present were most necessarie for the good of the said House, commanded for that effect, learned men of my Counsell, and of experience [ 10] that they should determine what might be done in that case, as well in the ordering and gouer∣ning of the said House, as in the multiplying of the Ministers belonging to it, that matters of Iustice might with more ease and facilitie be prosecuted, and hauing heard their opinions, and necessary diligences being vsed, and hauing giuen mee relation of all things and account, I thought good to prouide for them in manner and forme following.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Which are 75. Reys euery one, and two pence farthing English.
• * 1.2

  Bargani is two pence halfe peny farthing, and a sixteenth part of a penie.
• * 1.3

  Which is ele∣uen penc•• far∣thing English.
• * 1.4

  Which is a kind of Priest of their Idols.
• * 1.5

  Which is cal∣led Bramane.
• * 1.6

  Which is their Temple.
• * 1.7

  Called Bi∣garins.
• * 1.8

  See my Pilg. l. 5. c. 9. §. 2.
• * 1.9

  Of men decea∣sed, and how they inherit one after ano∣ther.
• * 1.10

  Which is 2 Gyptian.
• * 1.11

  How the goods of men decea∣sed, must bee sold in the Towne to the Gouernours, and they shall pay the debts, being due and lawfull.
• * 1.12

  Or a Cassock: Pachorins a kind of Linnen cloath.
• * 1.13

  A piece of Mo∣ney of three farthings. Betre, an herbe that they vse to eate.
• * 1.14

  Which is a piece of linnen cloath.
• * 1.15

  Which is a piece of Mony worth 300. Reys. Pachorins a piece of Lin∣nen cloath.
• * 1.16

  Which is an herbe they vse to eate.
• * 1.17

  Toucha, a kind of Torch or Lampe carried before them. Andor is a Chaire.
• * 1.18

  As Westminster Hall.