ke it from
the tree that it groweth on, and so much the rather, because the time that
I was there, was the season which they gather it in, which was in the
moneth of Aprill, at which time the Portugals were in armes, and in the
field, with the king of the countrey; yet I to satisfie my desire, although
in great danger, tooke a guide with mee and went into a wood three miles
from the Citie, in which wood was great store of Sinamome trees growing
together among other wilde trees; and this Sinamome tree is a small tree,
and not very high, and hath leaues like to our Baie tree. In the moneth of
March or Aprill, when the sappe goeth vp to the toppe of the tree, then
they take the Sinamom from that tree in this wise. [Sidenote: The cutting
and gathering of Sinamom.] They cut the barke of the tree round about in
length from knot to knot, or from ioint to ioint, aboue and belowe, and
then easilie with their handes they take it away, laying it in the Sunne to
drie, and in this wise it is gathered, and yet for all this the tree dieth
not, [Sidenote: A rare thing.] but agaynst the next yeere it will haue a
new barke, and that which is gathered euery yeere is the best Sinamome: for
that which groweth two or three yeares is great, and not so good as the
other is; and in these woods groweth much Pepper.

Negapatan.

From the Iland of Zeilan men vse to goe with small shippes to Negapatan,
within the firme land, and seuentie two miles off is a very great Citie,
and very populous of Portugals and Christians of the countrey, and part
Gentiles: it is a countrey of small trade, neither haue they any trade
there, saue a good quantitie of Rice, and cloth of Bumbast which they carie
into diuers partes: it was a very plentifull countrey of victuals but now
it hath a great deale lesse; and that abundance of victuals caused many
Portugales to goe thither and build houses, and dwell there with small
charge.

This Citie belongeth to a nobleman of the kingdome of Bezeneger being a
Gentile, neuerthelesse the Portugales and other Christians are well
intreated there, and haue their Churches there with a monasterie of Saint
Francis order, with great deuotion and very well accommodated, with houses
round about: yet for all this, they are amongst tyrants, which alwayes at
their pleasure may doe them some harme, as it happened in the yeere of our
Lord God one thousand fiue hundred, sixtie and fiue: [Sidenote: A foolish
feare of Portugals.] for I remem