The chapter doth treate of many kingdomes of the Newe World, and of the particular and curious things of them.
The chapter doth treate of many kingdomes of the Newe World, and of the particular and curious things of them.
The aforesaid father went from Cochin to the kingdome ofThe kingdome of Cananor, Tanaor, and Calicart.Cananor, and passed by Tanaor and Calicut, which is called of the naturall people Malabar, they are like kingdomes, but in them much people. In that of Cananor, there are inhabited many Portingals and religious men of the order of S. Francis: it is a countrie in all things like vnto Cochin, for which cause, and for that they obserue and keepe one maner of customs and rites, I remit the touching of this kingdome to the other aforesaide.
Then forwards on there are other two small kingdoms, the one is called Barcelor, and the other, Mangalor; there be in them some Christians: it is a good countrie and rich, and hath it for certaine, that within a little time they will be all baptised. From this kingdome they went vnto Goa, a principall citie, and inhabited with Portingals, and is as the metropolitan of all those kingdomes: it is in fifteen degrees of height, and is set from Cochin vnto it a hundreth leagues, this citie is situated in a little iland, compassed round about with water, and in compasse but onely four leagues, and is diuided from the firme land of Odialcan by a mightie riuer. It is a good countrie and peaceable, and doth inioy a very faire and pleasant riuer. In this citie ordinarily is resident the viceroy of the India and the archbishoppe: there are many churches and conuents; and besides the high church, there are fourteene parish churches, besides fifteen hermitages that are within and without the citie: there be four conuents, all very sumptuous, of S. Dominicke, of S. Austin, of S. Francis, and of the company of Iesus. And without the cittie there is another ofRecoletos Franciscanos, reformed Francis friers.
Ilandes Salcete and Bardes.Nigh vnto this iland are those of Salcete and Bardes, there whereas the religious men of S. Francis, and the companie of Iesus haue certaine Christian townes. Few yeares past, the Gentiles of Sancete[106]did kill certaine fathers of the company of Iesus, in abhorring the faith, who died with great spirite and strength: so that I beleeue they went into ioy with God.
[106]Misspelt for Salcete—Salsette.
[106]Misspelt for Salcete—Salsette.
The towne of Chaul, Basayn, Damaun, Cambaya.Beyond Goa, on the same coast towardes the north, is in eighteene degrees and a halfe from the towne of Chaul, and beyond that Basayn, and nigh thereunto Damaun; all these three townes are inhabited with Portugals; and the farthest is the prouince of Cambaya, subiect vnto the grand Tartar, or Mogor, by an other name. Two and fortie leagues beyondThe cittie of Diu.that is the cittie called Diu, whereas is a very faire and good fortresse of Portugals, with a very great hauen and sure, whose name doth extend throughout all Turkey.
Two hundred and seuentie leagues beyond that is the citieThe cittie of Oromuz.of Oromuz, on the coast of Persia, and in the same hath the saide Portugals an other fortresse, much better then that of Diu, and more inexpugnable: it is the biggest in al the Indians, but not of so great name as that of Diu. In this cittie of Oromuz they gather nothing else but salt, and that in great aboundance; yet, notwithstanding, it is replenished of all that may be imagined, for that there is brought thither from Persia and Arabia great prouision, and many other curiosities. They say, that from this place they may easily go to Venice, taking their way to Aleph, and to Tripoli in Soria.
All this coast of the Indias vnto Persia is inhabited with many and mightie kingdomes, in which there are an infinite number of people: one of them is that of Odialon, the whichOdialon.is very rich, and of much people, and all Moores. Nigh vnto this is another called Disamaluco, harde by the kingdome of the great Tartar, which, in their language, is calledMogor.Mogor, the which, next vnto that of China (I doo thinke), is the greatest in all the world, as may be collected in that which is declared of the mightinesse thereof, both in ancient and latter histories. On the other side of Oromuz isPersia.the kingdome of Persia, whose king is Xactamas, or Ismael Sophi, great Soldan of Egypt, descending by lyneall desent from the Soldan, Campson Guario, whom Selim, emperor of the Tartaros did ouercome in battell, nigh vnto Damasco, in the yeare 1516.
All those of this kingdome are Moores, although they and the Turkes are as the Christians and heretikes, for that the Persians do follow the interpretation of the lawe of Mahomet of certain alies, or doctors. And the Turkes go a different way, and do follow others. This contractation and different interpretation of the lawe, is the occasion that betwixt the one and the other there is ordinarily cruell warres: and it is the great mercy of God, for that the Turke may not haue any space to come and do euil vnto his Christians; or if he do come, he shall be ouertaken with the Persians, his enimy the Sophi, and intrapped with all the euill that they can do vnto him: who that although he be a Moore, and of the sect of Mahomet, yet he is a friend vnto Christians.
Of other kingdomes and notable things that are vntill you come into Spaine, and to conclude, the compassing of the world.
Of other kingdomes and notable things that are vntill you come into Spaine, and to conclude, the compassing of the world.
Arabia Felix.Neere unto the straite of Oromuz is Arabia Felix, where as all the inhabitants are of the sect of Mahomet, and doo follow the same interpretation that the Sophi doth. SoThe Red Sea.running a long by Arabia, you come straight vnto the Red Sea, or Arabico, the which hath foure hundred and fiftie leagues of longitude, and in some partes it is of a mightie depth: the water thereof seemeth to bee red, although taking it out thereof it is white: the cause thereof is for that the ground vnder the water is of the same colour. By reason whereof, when as the sun doth shine thereon it seemeth red, and thereby it hath got the name the which it hath vnto this day. By this sea, and by that of Basora, the great Turk doth carrie much spicerie, silkes, and cloth of golde, and all riches out of the orientall Indias, the which may easily be disturbed, but the way how is not for this place nor time. On the other side is the land of Abexin, which is that ofThe land of Abexin that of Prester Iohn.Prester John, a kingdome although it is very great, yet it extendeth very litle on this coast. From this kingdome or poynt, going to the southwest, is six hundreth leagues to Mazanbique, whereas there is inhabitance of Portingals. All this coast is black people, gentiles, and idolaters, and is in fifteene degrees in altitude towardes the south, and in theMazanbiqua.same maner are all the rest that are inhabited from Mazanbique vnto the Cape of Buena Esperansa. They are without memorie of the preaching of the gospel; if that God for his mercy doe not take pitie on them, and put into the heartes of some to goe thither, and to procure the remedie of so infinite number of soules.
So after the sayd father had informed himselfe of all that is sayde, and of many other thinges more, which is left out for to euitate tediousnes, till such time as of them may bee made a particular historie, hee departed from Goa and CochinThe Ilands of Maldivia.towardes Portingall, and passed by the Ilandes of Maldivia, which are many, and all are inhabited with Moores, nigh vnto the which they doe enter the poole Antartico, crossing the equinoctiall from the coast of Arabia; from thence they sayled with a faire winde till they came right against theThe Ilands of S. Lorenso.Iland of Saint Lorenso, which is very great, for that it hathtwo hundreth seuentie and fiue leagues of longitude, and fourescore and tenne of latitude; all inhabited with much people, very quiet and ciuile: the faith of Christ was neuer preached amongest them; yet I doo belieue that if it were, they would quietly receiue the same. Passing from thisThe Cape of Buena Esperansa.ilande, they came vnto the Cape of Buena Esperansa, the which is another very good iland, whose inhabitants and dwellers are much like to those of Saint Lorenzo: it is in the temperate zona, and nigh vnto the straights of Magellanes. This Cape of Buena Esperansa is called by another name, the Cape Tormentorio: it is fiue and thirtie degrees large from the pole antartico. And from Cochin vnto this cape they put one thousand three hundred fiftie and eight leagues, that way which they do ordinarily nauigate. When they doo passe by this cape, they were wont to have great andThe Iland of S. Elena.strong winds. They go from thence to the Iland of S. Elena, which is beyond the cape forwards, fiue hundred and seuentie leagues. It is not inhabited with people, but full of swine, goats, and great aboundance of partriges, and in all the coast is great store of fish, the which is taken with great ease; it is but a little iland, and hath circuit no more than fiue leagues.
From this ilande they do nauigate foure hundred leagues vntil they come vnder the equinoctiall, vpon the coast ofGuinea.Guinea, returning unto the pole artike, in foure and forty degrees in altitude (which was almost at the same place from whence he departed at his gooing forth) after hee compassed the world. They passed in sight of the lande, and from thence they sayled forwards and sawe other land, vntill they came vnto Lisborne, hauing (after they had crossed the equinoctiall) sayled a thousand foure hundred and fiftie leagues. So that after the aforesaid father, Frier Martin Ignacio, had made his account of all that he had trauelled from the time he departed from Siuel, til he returned vnto Lysborne, in compassing the world, he found that it was nine thousandand forty leagues by sea and by lande, besides many other leagues that he trauelled in China and in other parts, of the which hee dooth make no account. All these leagues are full of mightie kingdomes, and al, or the most part of them, are subiect vnto the tyranny of Lucyfer. God, for his infinite mercy, conuert them, and take pittie on them, as hee did when that he came from heauen vppon the earth to die for all, and put into the heart of the king of Spaine, that, amongst other good workes, the which, with his most Christian zeale dooth intend and do, for to procure this, which will be so much vnto the glory of God, and great desert of honor vnto himselfe, the which he may do very commodiously, being, as he is at this day, Lord of all the Indies, and of the biggest part of all that newe world.
This petition is worthy, that all we Christians doo desire of God, for that his holy name in all the world may be praised and exalted; and the sonnes of Adam, who for their sinnes are so dispersed and forgotten of God, and first beginning, they may go and inioy the happy and glorious kingdome for the which they were created.
FINIS.
INDEX.