with their Neighbours; the knowledge whereof I leave to the better experienced.
Now forasmuch as
Portugals, Dutch, and English have of late years discovered those Coun∣tries of India, and that some of them have since settled themselves by Forts and Castles there: It will not be improper I should here survey their strengths and holds built for defence, and their Factory settled for Traffick throughout this Continent of Asia, and the Islands thereof. The
Portugals then were the first that brake the Ice, and in
Anno 1498. departing from Lisbon, un∣der Command of
Vasco di Gamma, doubled the Cape of Bona Esperance, which hath proved so successful to them since that time, that they have mastered, conquered and fortified themselves beyond that Cape in Soffala, Quiloa, Mosambique, Mombasa, and in
Ormus in the Persian Gulph, lately again lost. In
India they have the Castles and Towns of Diu, Daman, Basain, Ch•…•…, Goa, Honor, Barsola, Mongalor, Cananor, Cronganor, Cochin and Colan. In Silon they have Collumbe, bragging of one of the best Ports of the World; on the Coast of Chormandel, they hold Negapatam and St.
Thomas: In Bengala they have Porto Pequenio, and
Porto Grande, and Serapure; also Serone, Molucca; and some holds in the Molucca Islands, Macao, and
Nungasark in Japan, and divers others; in all which they are found to be both strong, power∣ful, and great, and Masters of all the rich Traffick of these places, which thus for 100 year very near, they have both peaceably and quietly enjoyed at their own terms and condition, till the
Dutch disturbed them, who seconded them in the Trade of
India, who were the ne••, who envying that this rich stream should only run his current to
Lisbon, and that all the p•…•…∣cious Commodities of India should first salute
Portugal,
set out from Amsterdam in Anno 1595, and have since so well played their cards, and pleaded, as some alledge, so strongly with Ca••∣non Law and steel Arguments, that within 30 years they have found themselves to be Maste•…•… and Commanders in these Countries and Seas of 28 Forts and Castles, and of 44 or 4•• Factories, for the preservation and prosecution of their Trade and Government, the names and draughts of which, some of their own Nation have published to their no little honour, and no small estimation; so that it may be imagined that their flood and the Spaniards ebb,
〈◊〉〈◊〉 in few years bring the
Indies to be more theirs than the ••ortugals, notwithstanding their so long possession.
The English Nation are the last and least in this Trade and discovery, for they imitating only the Portugals and Dutch in the due Rules of the prosecution of a Trade, but not in the prosecution of the Natives; begun their discoveries in Anno 1600, under the Command of Sir James La∣caster, with four Ships, the Dragon, Hector, Asenton, and Susan, whose endeavours have
〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the blessing of God, and the good Government of that Company so well succeeded, th•…•… they have sent forth above 30 Fleets or Voyages; and have settled their residence and Factia in
20 or 24 several places of note, as at Ormus and Jasques, in the entrance of the Pers•…•… Gulph, under the Persian Monarch at Cambaia, Surrat and Agria, and other places in the Gre•• Mogul's Country, at
Musulapan, Armagon, Petipoly, Pottana, Siam, and other places
〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Coast of
Chormandel, and the Continent of Asia: at Achin, Ticko, Jambe, and Priani•…•…, on the Island Summatra, at Bantam, Jacatra and
Japarra on the Island of Java, at Socod•…•… and Benlermasa, on the Island Borneo; at Mogassar in the Island of
Celebs, at Pulleron on the Island Banda, at
Firando in Japan; and lastly in Amboina, Hitto, and other of the Moluccaes, which they quietly enjoyed, until the
traiterous and bloody-minded Dutch did butcherly betray their lives, purposely to deprive them of that Trade, and to satisfie their unsatiable blood-thirstiness; as
〈◊〉〈◊〉 extant by the passages of that Act in several Languages in the World.
These are then the only three European Nations that now contend and share among•…•… them the Traffick and Commodities of these Eastern Countries; the Portugals making Lisbe•• the scale of the East-India Commodities; the Hollander making their Amsterdam the
Staple for their parts, and the English London for their
Emporium; which within these late years, not∣withstanding their sundry crosses and losses, is increased to that height and eminency, that these Merchants do not only furnish Italy, but also Constantinople, Aleppo, Smyrna, and other parts of
Turkey, with all those Indian Commodities, which within less than these twenty years, they brought from thence into
England, to the prejudice of Syria and Aegypt, and to the enrich∣ing of the English Subjects in general; as hath been most judiciously and at large demonstrated by the Right Honourable Sir D. D. in several particulars; as First, by the Royal founders thereof; Secondly, by the equity and justice of the Trade; Thirdly, by the honour arising thereby to the English Nation, in the strength added to the Navy Royal of this Land: Fourthly, by the for∣mer fortunate success of it, and the profit that may be yet reaped thereby to the whole King∣dom, and to the fellowship of that
Society; besides the increase of Mariners, and of Arts and Knowledge; Fifthly, by far discoveries and hopes of propagation of Religion in those yet Heathenish Countries.
But leaving thus the Indian Islands, and the further survey thereof to those late Masters of that Trade, I will proceed in what is yet resting to pass through, as belonging to
Asia, which are the Islands of Cyprus and
Rhodes, soated in the Mediterranean Sea, to which I shall now hasten.