Pilgrimage, Book 5 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Of Samatra, and Zeilan.
SAmatra is esteemed by some aGi. Bot. Ben. Mass.l.4 O.Arthus Hist. Indiae Orient.cap.…0.the greatest of the Easterne Islands, stretching it selfe almost seuen hundred miles in length, in breadth aboue two hundred. The Ayre is not very holesome, by reason of the situation vnderunder the Line, and the multitude of Lakes and Riuers, whereout the Sunne drinketh more then hee can well concoct, and therefore (as it were) belcheth out here continually such crude and vndigested vapours. Their foode is Millet, Rice, Sagu, and Fruits. Their riches are Pepper, Ginger, Cassia, Silke, Benioyn, Gold, Tinne, Yron, &c. The Kingdome of Campa is full of Trees, whose pith or marrow is Aloe, which is prized in India at the like weight (some say) of Gold; the Barke is called Aquila. In the Sea-coast they are Moores in Religion, and so hauehave beene about these last two hundred yeares: vp within Land they are Pagans, and in many places, as in the Kingdomes of Andragiri and Aru, they are Man-eaters. They were diuided, before the Portugalls entred India, into nine and twentie Kingdomes, whereof the chiefe was Pedir, after that Pacem, and now Acem. For Abram, sometime a slaue, since King of Acem, hath conquered almost all the North part of the Island, and with helpe from the Turke and the Arabians distresseth sometimes the affaires of Malacca. This King bLinsch…t.gaue in marriage with his daughter, to the King of Ior, a peece of Ordinance, such as for greatnesse, length, and workmanship can hardly be matched in all Christendome. Here is a cP. Bertius Tab.Hill, called Balalvanus, which continually burneth; and a Fountaine (as is reported) which runneth pure Balsame: Others dOrtel. Maff.l.4.thinke, that this was Chersonesus Aurea, of the Aunients.
Galvanus eDiscoueries of the world.writeth, That the Bacas, or Man-eaters, in the Mountaines of Samatra, gild their teeth, and esteeme the flesh of blacke people sweeter then of the white. The flesh of their Kine, Buffes, and Hennes, is as blacke as Inke. They say, That there are certaine people there called Daragni Dara, which hauehave tayles like to Sheepe. Here is said also to grow a Tree, the iuice whereof is strong poyson, and if it touch the bloud of a man, killeth him, but if a man drinke of it, it is a soueraigne Antidote. As for those tailed-people (a slander by Beckets Legend fSee Lamberts perambul.reported of some Kentish men, iniurious to that angrie Saint, and after applyed to our whole Nation; many indeede esteeming the English to be tayled) Galvano affirmeth, That the King of Tidore told him, that in the Islands of Batto-China there were some which had tayles, hauing also a thing like vntounto a dugge betweene their coddes, out of the which there came Milke.
Nicolo di Conti gN.di Conti.sayth, in his time the Samatrans were all Gentiles, and the Maneaters amongst them used the skulls of their eaten enemies in stead of money, exchanging the same for their necessaries; and he was accounted the richest man, which had most of those skulls in his house. In Vertomannus time they had money in Pedir, narked on the one side with a Deuill, on the other with a Chariot, drawne with Elephants. Their hL. Vert.Religion (hee sayth) is the same with those of Tarnasseri, burning heir wiues in like manner. The inhabitants are cunning Artificers, Marchants, and Saylers: their Shippes hauehave at each end a Prow, which with maruellous agilitie they can dispose forwards, or backwards, making vse of the same, according to he diuersitie of Winde and Channell, which there are verie changeable.
In Acen iHerman. de Bree. Arthus pag.359are Mesquits of Timber and Reede, with the Vessells of Water at the entrie for them to wash, according to the Arabian custome. The King comes little abroad, nor may any goe to him, except hee bee sent for by an Officer with a gilded Staffe, or Dagger.
To his Palace they passe through seuen Gates one after another, garded with women, expert at their weapon, and vsing both Peeces and Swords. Hee hath none other gard for his person. In saluting the King, they lay their hands foulded on their head, which in other salutations they lay on the forhead. It is thought, that the present King was sometime a Fisherman. He is a Mahumetan.
In Macazar (an Island not farre from the former) the most are Ethnickes, some also Moores, and some Christians. They vse the Malaican, or Malaian, Tongue, which is generall through the Indies. Their Arrow-heads are of Fish-bones, enuenomed with incurable poyson. In Macazar the Priests conforme, or rather deforme, themselues to the fashion of women, nourishing their haire on the head, and plucking it out of the face: they guild their teeth, and vse broken, wanton, and effeminate gestures. They are called Becos; they marrie one another. For them to lye with a woman, is capitall, and is punished with burning in Pitch. These Men-monsters, Women-Deuills, were great impediments to the Portugalls, in drawing them to Christianitie.
Zeilan (which some call Seylon, other Ceilan) is by Barrius auerred to be Taprobana: sometimes (according to M. Paul kM. Paul. lib.3.his Reports) thought to hauehave comprehended three thousand sixe hundred myles in circuit; since much impaired by his ouer-mightie neighbour the Sea, which hath now left not aboue two hundred and fiftie myles in length, and a hundred and fortie of breadth vntounto it. IBarbosa.The Indians call it Tenarisim, or the delitious Land, and some are of opinion, that this was Paradise. So iust are the iudgements of the Highest, that, when as man wandered from him, caused him also to wander from himselfe, and from his habitation: yea, the place it selfe hath also wandered, in mens wandering conceits, ouer the World, yea, and out of our habitable World altogether, as before is shewed; men now seeking it as vainly as before they lost it. It is in fashion mLib. 1.resembling an egge, by a shallow channell separated from the Cape Comori. The Heauens with their deawes, the Ayre with a pleasant holesomenesse and fragrant freshnesse, the Waters in their many Riuers and Fountaines, the Earth diuersified in aspiring Hills, Iow… Vales, equall and indifferent Plaines, filled in her inward Chambers with Mettalls and Iewells, in her outward Court and vpper face stored with whole Woods of the best Cinnamon that the Sunne seeth, besides Fruits, Oranges, Leimons, &c. surmounting those of Spaine; Fowles and Beasts, both tame and wilde (among which is their Elephant nLinschot. An. Corsali., honoured by a naturali acknowledgement of excellence, of all other Elephants in the world.) These all hauehave conspired and ioyned in common League, to present vntounto Zeilan the chiefe of worldly treasures and pleasures, with a long and healthfull life in the inhabitants, to enioy them. No maruell then, if sense and sensualitie hauehave here stumbled on a Paradise. There, wooddie Hills (as a naturall Amphitheatre) doe encompasse a large Plaine: and one of them, as not contenting his beetle-browes with that only prospect, disdaineth also the fellowship of the neighbouring Mountaines, lifting oMaff. 1.3.vp his steepe head seuen Leagues in height; and hath in the toppe a Plaine, in the middest whereof is a stone of two Cubits, erected in manner of a Table, holding in it the print of … mans foote, who (they say) came from Deli thither, to teach them Religion. The Iogues and other deuout Pilgrims resort thither, from places a thousand Leagues distant, with great difficultie of passage both hither and here. For they are forced to mount vp this Hill by the helpe of nailes and chaines fastened thereto. Nature hauing prohibited other passage. Maffoeus and Boterus could persuade themselues, that this foot-steppe is a relike and memorie of the Aethiopian Eunuch: others will hauehave it farther fet, and father it on Adam, the first father of mankinde, of whom the Hill also is named, Pico de Adam. The Moores pOd.Barbosa.call it Adam Baba, and say, That from thence Adam ascended into Heauen. The Pilgrims are clad in their Pal…ners-weed, with yron chaines, and skinnes of Lyons, and other wilde Beasts. VponUpon their armes and legges they weare buttons with sharpe points, that cut the flesh, and draw bloud, which (they say) they doe in GODS seruice.
Before they come at the mountaine, they passe by a fenny valley full of water, wherein they wade vp to the waste, with kniues in their hands, to scrape from their legges the bloud-leeches, which else would end their pilgrimage and life before the time. For this durtie and watery passage continueth eighteene miles, before they come at the hill, whose proud top would disdaine climing, if Art did not captiue Nature, and binde the hill with chaines of iron, as is said. When they are mounted, they wash them in a lake or poole of cleere springing water, neere to that foote-stone, and making their prayers, doe thus account themselues cleane from all their sinnes. This holy iourney is generally performed by the Ilanders (saith Vertomannus) once a yeare. He addeth qVert.….3.c.4.that a Moore told him, that his foot-print was two spannes long: and that Adam heere a long time bewailed his sinne, and found pardon. But Odoricus affirmeth, that they reported this mourning to hauehave beene for Abel, and to hauehave lasted three hundred yeares, and of the teares of Abel and Eue this purifying water to hauehave proceeded: which Odoricus rOdoricus.proued to be a tale, because he saw the water springing continually, and it runneth thence into the sea. He saith that this water had in it many precious stones; and the King gaue leaue at certaine times of the yeare to poore men to take them, that they might pray for his soule; which they could not doe, but first annointed with Limons, because of the horseleeches in that water. Adams hill is supposed to be seuen leagues in height. In Candy sHer.de Bre….were statues artificially wrought fiue or sixe fathomes high, which these Symmetrians proportioned to the stature of Adam, gathered by that print of his foot.
In Vintane, tGeorgius Spilbergins.is a Pagode or Idol-temple, the compasse whereof is an hundred and thirtie paces: it is very high, and all white except on the toppe, which hath the spires thereof gilded, in so much that men are not able, when the Sunne shineth, to looke thereon. It hath a Tower or square Steeple of excellent workmanshippe. There are many other Temples, and a Monasterie also of Religious persons, which are attired in yellow, hauehave their crownes shauen, with Beads in their hands, and alwayes seeme to mumble ouer somewhat of their deuout orisons, being in high estimation of sanctitie with the vulgar, and freed from publike labours and burthens. Their Monasterie is built after the manner of the Popish, being also gilded with gold. In their Chappells are many Images of both sexes, which they say represent some of their Saints: they are set on the Altars, and are cloathed with garments of gold and siluer. Before them are the Images of Boyes, which beare vp great Candle-stickes, with waxe-candles burning therein night and day. EueryEvery houre they resort to these Altars to their Mumpsimus. They held a solemne Procession, whiles the Hollanders were there, in which their Abbot rode on an Elephant richly attired, lifting vp his hands ouer his head, with a golden rodde therein: the Monkes went two and two before him in order, partly bearing, and playing on many Instruments of Musicke, partly bearing waxlights and torches: the men also, and after them the women and maids, followed in like order: and the fairest Virgins were busied with games and dances, being naked from the nauell vpwards, beneath couered with smockes of diuers colours, their armes and eares adorned with gold and iewels. Any man that should see it (saith our Author) would thinke, our Westerne Monkes had hence borrowed their Ceremonies. Their Images are in eueryevery corner of the way, which they adorne with flowers. In Candy, the chiefe Citie of that Kingdome, were Pagodes innumerable. The houses or Temples were of stone, like the Temples in these parts: some statues were as high as the mast of a shippe. The people heere, if they hauehave once touched meate, which for quantitie or qualitie they cannot eat, they cast it to the dogges: neither will any man (be he neuer so meane) eat that which another hath touched. The women goe naked from the waste vpwards. They marry as many wiues as they can keepe.
The King makes vse of their superstition: For pretending to build Temples, hee after leaues them vnperfect, excusing himselfe, that they had not contributed sufficient summes of money, and therefore exacteth a new. There is one statue of great stature, with a sword in his hand, which by illusion of the Diuell (if it be not the delusion of fabulous reports) made as though he would strike the King with his sword, as he was entering the Temple, and put him in great feare, whereas before he had made a mocke of it. The Singales or Natiue Inhabitants say that the world shall not perish as long as that Image continueth safe. When any one is sicke, hee sacrificeth to the Diuell, hauing a boxe hanging in his house to that end, therein to gather somewhat for his offering. Some pray vntounto the Image of an Elephants head, made of wood or stone, that they may obtaine wisedome (whereof this prayer argues their great want): some eate no quicke creature. They eat no beefe, nor drinke any wine; they worship whatsoeuer first meeteth them in the morning.
George Spilberge was bountifully entertained of the King of Candy, uHerman. de Brec, ap.de Bry.part. 8.Ind. Or.but Sebald de Weert was with diuers of his companions slaine, after he had receiued much kindnesse of the King; his importunitie to get the King into his ship, making him suspect some treacherie.
The King of Morecalo had eares adorned with iewels, and hanging downe (the lappets of them were so stretched) to his shoulders. He was kinde to the Hollanders: but they incensed him against them by killing certaine Kine; for some of them said, that the soules of Kine slaine after that manner, were hurled forthwith into hell. Hee obserued one Pagode, to whose feast he went while the Hollanders were there, the solemnitie whereof was to continue ten dayes, till a new Moone, with great concourse of deuout persons.
Of the superstitions of Perimal, and the worshippe of the Apes tooth, celebrated in this Iland; we hauehave alreadie shewed in the Chapter *Chap. 10.of Narsinga. The Cingalan language which they speake in this Iland, is xG. Bot. Ben.thought to hauehave beene there left by the Chinois, sometimes Lords of Zeilan. Yet in M. Paulus his dayes the Tartarians had not pierced thus farre. For the King then raigning, refused to sell to Cublai Can (then the greatest Monarch in the world) at a price, a Ruby which hee had left him by his Ancestours, esteemed the richest iewell in the world, being (as he yPaul l. 3.c.19.saith) a spanne long, and as bigge as a mans arme, cleere and shining, as if it had beene a fire. In this Iland were reckoned nine Principalities or Kingdomes, but zLinschoten.not long since their chiefe King was murthered by a Barber, who draue the other Kings out of the Countrey, and vsurped the Monarchie to himselfe, practising hostilitie against the Portugalls.
The Cingalas are very cunning Artificers in all mettalls. One of them presented the Arch-bishoppe of Goa with a Crucifix, so cunningly wrought, as if he had giuen life to the Image of one dead. Hee sent it to the King of Spaine as a rare iewell, not to be equalled in Europe.
The Inhabitants heere are actiue and expert in Iugling, both men and women, trauelling through India with their strange Hobby-horses, to get money by this vanitie. The Sea-coast (as in other Indian Ilands) is inhabited with Moores, the Inland with Pagans.
The Portugalls hauehave a fortresse at Colombo. The Ilanders aOd. Barbosa.are not warriours: they giuegive themselues to pastime and pleasure: they goe naked from the girdle vpward: they make wide holes in their eares, which they stretch out with the waight of their iewels to their shoulders.
The Hollanders found exceeding, both good and bad, entertainment with the King of Candy. Now for that question, whether Zeilan or Samatra be that Taprobane of the Ancient is very doubtfull. Yet that report in Pliny bPlin.l.6.c.22.of Taprobane seemes more to encline for Zeilan. For hee saith, that in Claudius time, a seruant of Annius Plocamus, which was Customer for the Red-sea, was carried from the Coast of Arabia, besides Carmania, in fifteene dayes, which I thinke could not possibly be done to Samatra. Likewise the excellencie of the Elephants beyond all the Indian agrees to Zeilan: and had Samatra beene so knowne at that time, the other parts of India (it is like) had beene better discouered then they were in those times. This Taprobane was discouered to bee an Iland, by Onesicritus, Alexanders Admirall of his Fleet in these parts. It was then accounted another world, and therefore shall be the Period of our PILGRIMAGE, and Perambulation in this Part of the World: which (by the gracious goodnesse of his Almightie guide) the Pilgrime hauing passed: before he venture vponupon the Monster-breeding Africa, he thinkes it not amisse to repose himselfe in so pleasant an Iland; where he may at leisure looke backe, and view the ruines of so many mightie Monarchies, puissant Kingdomes, stately Cities, and renowned States, which by the wise, iust and prouident hand of the Disposer of Kingdomes, hauehave had their fatall Periods, and giuen place; some to Barbarisme, and some to their succeeding heires (sprung out of their ashes) flourishing in greater glorie then their predecessours.
Heere may he likewise behold many beautious Nymphes (daughters of Asia) lifting vp their Virgin-lookes to view the world: which, putting off their maskes (that hauehave heretofore veiled their beauties from the bright eye of fairer Europe) doe giuegive good hope of future discoueries in those parts, which yet lurke vnderunder that obscure curtaine of Terra Incognita. Acknowledging both in the one and the other (as the Almighty power of him that brings all this to passe, so) his bountifull merciemercy to that land, which he hath separated from the rest of the world; not so much by a sea of waters, as by that boundlesse Ocean of his grace and fauour, from whence flow those eternall waters of life, which this Nation aboue other Nations enioyeth. Heere hath he built a Temple for his TRVTH, and planted Oliues round about it. Heere hath he crowned that TRVTH, with prosperitie and plentie of all things. Heere hath he decreed to establish that TRVTH, to be a faithfull witnesse on Earth, so long as the Sunne shall endure in Heauen; if the ingratitude of such people, so fauoured, doe not compell him to turne away his face in displeasure. Which fearefull Curse to auert, the Pilgrime doth againe betake him to his Beads: beseeching the LORD of Heauen and Earth, who doth whatsoeuer he will both in Heauen and in Earth, to turne away that wrath (which by manifold examples he hath warned vsus of in other parts) which wee hauehave as deepely deserued as any. And that hee would still be pleased to lift vp the light of his louing countenance vponupon vsus, in vouchsafing vsus that Saint (his Vna Veritas) to be our guide for euer. To that Saint is this voyage intended: which (after a *Psalme 24.1.Domini est terra, and a Gloria Patri, for the conclusion of his Orisons) the Religious Traueller shall be readie to prosecute.