The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
As for the Brames we haue seene in this city Chenchi certaine men and
women, amongst whom there was one that came not long since, hauing as yet
her haire tied vp after the Pegues fashion: this woman, and other mo with
whom a black Moore damsel in our company had conference, and did vnderstand
them wel ynough, had dwelt in Pegu. This new come woman, imagining that we
ment to make our abode in that citie, bid vs to be of good comfort, for
that her countrey was not distant from thence aboue fiue dayes iourney, and
that out of her countrey there lay a high way for vs home into our owne.
Being asked the way, she answered that the first three daies the way lieth
ouer certaine great mountaines and wildernesse, afterward people are met
withall againe. [Sidenote: Southward from Chenchi to the sea.] Thence two
dayes iourney more to the Brames countrey. Wherefore I doe conclude, that
Chenchi is one of the confines of this kingdome, separated by certaine huge
mountaines, as it hath bene alreadie said, that lie out towards the South.
In the residue of these mountaines standeth the prouince of Sian, the
Laoyns countrey, Camboia, Campaa, and Cochinchina.
This citie chiefe of other sixteene is situated in a pleasant plaine
abounding in all things necessarie, sea-fish onely excepted, for it
standeth farre from the sea: of fresh fish so much store, that the market
places are neuer emptie. The walles of this city are very strong and high:
one day did I see the Louteas thereof go vpon the walles to take the view
thereof, borne in their seates which I spake of before, accompanied with a
troupe of horsemen that went two and two: It was tolde me they might haue
gone three and three. We haue seene moreouer, that within this aforesayd
Citie: the king hath moe then a thousande of his kinne lodged in great
pallaces, in diuers partes of the Citie: their gates be redde, and the
entrie into their houses, that they may be knowen, for that is the kings
colour. These Gentlemen, according to their neerenesse in blood vnto the
king, as soone as they be married receiue their place in honour: this place
neither increaseth nor diminisheth in any respect as long as the king
liueth, the king appointeth them their wiues and familie, allowing them by
the moneth all things necessarie abundantly, as he doth to his gouernours
of shires and Cities, howbeit, not one of these hath as long as he liueth
any charge or gouernement at all. They giue themselues to eating and
drinking, and be for the most part burly men of bodie, insomuch that
espying any one of them whom we had not seene before, we might knowe him to
be the King his cosin. They be neuerthelesse very pleasant, courteous, and
faire conditioned: neither did we find, all the time wee were in that
citie, so much honour and good intertainement any where as at their hands.
They bid vs to their houses to eate and drinke, and when they found vs not,
or we were not willing to go with them, they bid our seruants and slaues,
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