Mss Eur Mack Trans XIV.2

Extracts translated from a work on the geography of Asia, under the following headings (page numbers, where given, are from the original printed work):-

• (1) Page 522 of the original. Of India, a mighty province in great Asia.
• (2) Page 523. Of what is found wonderful in India.
• (3) Page 525. Of John the Priest in India and Ethiopia, and also of his realm and Religion.
• (4) Page 527. Of the Indians situation, wonderfull Morals and manner of living and also of various people in it.
• (5) Page 533. Of the land of Opbir situated in India.
• (6) Page 534. Of Pigmea, a Country in India.
• (7) Of Philosophers in India.
• (8) Of peculiar places in India. Chiefly of Cambya [= Cambay] the famous City and its Sulthan [This extract and most of the following are based (but with a good many variants, and considerable abridgement) on the work of Ludovico di Varthema. References are given to the English translation published 1863 by the Hakluyt Society: this extract = Varthema pp.105-11].
• (9) Page 535. Of the life and Morals of the King of Joge 111-5].
• (10) Page 536. Of the Island Goga [= Goa] in India [115-6].
• (11) Page 537. Of the King and the Realm of Dechan [= Deccan], the fine city, its wealth and knighthood [117-8].
• (12) Page 537. Of the City Bathacala [= Bhatkal], Centacola, Onar and Mangolor [= Mangalore], in India, and their fertility in many things, and also of the manner of living, morals and dress [119-22].
• (13) Page 538. Of Cannonor [= Cananore] a very mighty City and Kingdom in India [123-5].
• (14) Page 539. Of the City Bismagor [= Bijayonagar] in the Kingdom of Narsinga [125-6].
• (15) Page 556. Of Zioromandel [= Coromandel] the City in India [186-7].
• (16) Page 566. Of the Island Giava [= Java] and of the Religion, morals and life and of the growths there [251-5].
• (17) How in some places of these Islands the old and aged Men are sold, to be eat [255-8].
• (18) Page 541. Of the King of Narsinga and his wealth [129-31].
• (19) Of some other Cities in India [131-4].
• (20) Page 556. Of Zailon [= Ceylon] an Island in India in which such precious stones are found [188-90].
• (21) Of the tree, from which the cinnamon or pipes are peeled in the Island of Zailon [191-3].
• (22) Page 561. Of Christians under the dominion of the great Charus of Cathai [212-4].
• (23) Page 563. Of that great Island Sumatra or Tapiobana, in which lays the City Bider [=Pĕdir] [228-32].
• (24) Page 564. Of some singular dealings on this Island and the City of Bider [238-41].
• (25) Page 539. Of the nature, temper, shape and skill of the Elephants, and how they generate, and also how they are mounted and instructed to War [126-9; but the whole passage as been recast, the order being different from Vartema's].
• (26) Page 542. Of the Great Might City and Country in India named Bedes Calicut, of its King, Religion, fortune dresses, morals and justice. [135-44: several subheadings are omitted here as the text runs almost continuously in the original].
• (27) Of the lights at Calicut and how the Kings Palace is lighted at night. [174].
• (28) How the Nobility at Calicut between whiles exchange their wives [Followed by a number of other headings relating to Calicut and dealing with such matters as mode of eating, worship, warfare, currency, the King's palace and treasury, spices and fruits, the coconut palm, rice-cultivation, drugs and medicine-men, low castes, animals, birds, snakes, and a great religious celebration, which are based (with some rearrangements in the order) on 145-51, 153, 155-67, and 171-7 of Varthema].
• (29) From what Country the spice is imported to Calicut [A number of kinds are specified; the article also includes tamaring, pearls and opium].
• (30) To what distance the Religion, manner of living, Morals, Justice and dress of the people of Calicut extend. [These two extracts seem to have no corresponding passages in Varthema, though the information they contain is in part to be found scattered in his work].
• (31) Of the Cities CaiColon, Colon and Chail and other Countries in India [179-85].
• (32) Of Tarnassery [= Tenarserim] the City in India. [The account begins with Pulicat. Based, with omissions and variants, here 194-209.].
• (33) Of the Kingdom and City of Bangella [= Bengal] and of its situation, Morals and Religion [210-2].
• (34) Page 561. Of Pegu the Cuty in India [based on 215-20 and including short extract on Ara].
• (35) Of the City of Melacha [= Malacca] and of the River Gaza and of the traffic there [223-8].
• (36) Page 564. Of three sorts of Lignum Aloes and its effects [233-8, recast].
• (37) Page 565. Of the Island Bandan [= Banda] where the nutmeg and mace grow [243-4].
• (38) Of the Island Monach [= one of the Moluccas] [based on 244-6].
• (39) Of the Island Bornay [= Borneo] [248].
• (40) Page 568. Of some common customs in India and of the Heather Paternoster, really the Muhammadan adzan [partly based on 267-8, but contains other matter as well].
• (41) Of a remarkable war at Sea between the Christians and Heathens, the King of Calicut with the King of Portugal [based on 274-9 and 284-5, considerably modified].
• (42) Of the Islands to be passed, when sailing from Cananore to Portugal [based mainly on 289-98, but very much abridged.] Here end the passages based on Varthema.
• (43) Page 571. A criticism, on some other author's account of Asia, &c. The criticism is levelled at the original source of (3) supra. Then follows a general description of Asia and its principal divisions (according to the writer these are Turkey, Tartar, Persia, China and India) and minor countries, as well as the Asiatic islands as far as the Moluccas inclusive. (The island of Singapore is here called Cabo de Santa Pura, a curious Portuguese corruption of the native name Singapura).

It appears that the work was written a few years after the Dutch conquest of Malacca (which occurred in 1641), but before the writer had heard of the expulsion of the Spaniards from Ternate (which happened in 1663).