with the leafe of an Herbe which they call
Bettell, the which is like vnto our Iuie leafe, but a litle lesser and
thinner: [Sidenote: Bettel is a very profitable herbe in that countrey.]
they eate it made in plaisters with the lime made of Oistershels, and
thorow the Indies they spend great quantitie of money in this composition,
and it is vsed daily, which thing I would not haue beleeued, if I had not
seene it. The customers get great profite by these Herbes, for that they
haue custome for them. When this people eate and chawe this in their
mouthes, it maketh their spittle to bee red like vnto blood, and they say,
that it maketh a man to haue a very good stomacke and a sweete breath, but
sure in my iudgement they eate it rather to fulfill their filthie lustes,
and of a knauerie, for this Herbe is moyst and hote, and maketh a very
strong expulsion. [Sidenote: Enimies to the king of Portugall.] From
Cananor you go to Cranganor, which is another smal Fort of the Portugales
in the land of the king of Cranganor, which is another king of the
Gentiles, and a countrey of small importance, and of an hundreth and
twentie miles, full of thieues, being vnder the king of Calicut, a king
also of the Gentiles, and a great enemie to the Portugales, which when hee
is alwayes in warres, hee and his countrey is the nest and resting for
stranger theeues, and those bee called Moores of Carposa, because they
weare on their heads long red hats, and these thieues part the spoyles that
they take on the Sea with the king of Calicut, for hee giueth leaue vnto
all that will goe a rouing, liberally to goe, in such wise, that all along
that coast there is such a number of thieues, that there is no sailing in
those Seas but with great ships and very well armed, or els they must go in
company with the army of the Portugals from Cranganor to Cochin is 15.
miles.

Cochin.

[Sidenote: Within Cochin is the kingdom of Pepper.] Cochin is, next vnto
Goa, the chiefest place that the Portugales haue in the Indies, and there
is great trade of Spices, drugges, and all other sortes of merchandize for
the kingdome of Portugale, and there within the land is the kingdome of
Pepper, which Pepper the Portugales lade in their shippes by bulke and not
in sackes: [Marginal note: The Pepper that the Portugals bring, is not so
good as that which goeth for Mecca, which is brought hither by the
streights.] the Pepper that goeth for Portugale is not so good as that
which