kinde of beastes or vermine.
M. Ralph Fitch which had beene in this countrey brought diuers of these bels into England. They haue a delight to carrie round bels within the skin of their priuie members: which is forbidden to the king and the religious people. It is said that of all other people of those parts they be most vertuous and honest. They commend themselues much for their chastitie and pouertie. They bring no hennes nor doues vp in their houses. This kingdome hath in length 250. leagues, and in bredth 80. Of this only kingdome the king may bring foorth into the field thirtie thousand elephants, when he goeth to warre, besides those which remaine in the citie for the garde of them. The king much esteemeth a white elephant, and a red one also, that hath eies like vnto flaming fire.
There is in this countrey a certaine small vermine, which vseth to cleaue fast to the trunke of the elephant, and draweth the blood of the elephant, and so he dieth thereof. The skull of this vermine is so hard, that the shot of an handgun cannot enter it; they haue in their liuers the figures of men and women, which they call Toketa, and are much like vnto a mandrake.
The liuer of a little beast good against any wound of iron. And they affirme that he which hath one of them about him cannot die with the stroke of any iron. They haue also wilde kine in this countrey, in the heads of whome they finde stones, which are of virtue to bring good hap and fortune to marchants.
Pegu. After that Duarte Fernandes had been with the Mantales or people of Sian, Alfonso, de Albuquerque sent thither a knight called Ruy Nunnez de Acunna with letters and ambassage vnto the king of the Seguies, which we call Pegu.
Pera. He went in a Iunco of the countrey in sight of the Cape Rachado, and from thence went vnto the citie of Pera which standeth fast by the riuer Salano, and many other villages standing all along this riuer, where Duarte Fernandes had beene before vnto the cities of Tanaçerim and of Martauan, standing in 15. degrees toward the north, and the citie of Pegu standeth in 17.
Master Ralph Fitch saw this in Pegu also. This was the first Portugall, which trauailed in that kingdome: and he gaue good information of that countrey, and of the people, which vse to were bels in their priuities euen as the Mantales doe.
In the end of this yeere 1511. Alfonso de Albuquerque sent three ships to the Islands of Banda, and Maluco.[1] And there
- ↑ Barros decad. 2. lib. 6. cap. 7.
