yeerely Carouan
from Persia to China.] The Rubarbe commeth from thence ouer lande, by the
way of Persia, because that euery yeere there goeth a great Carouan from
Persia to China, which is in going thither sixe moneths. The Carouan
arriueth at a Citie called Lanchin, the place where the king is resident
with his Court. I spake with a Persian that was three yeeres in that citie
of Lanchin, and he tolde me that it was a great Citie and of great
importance. The voiages of Malacca which are in the iurisdiction of the
Captaine of the castle, are these: Euery yeere he sendeth a small shippe to
Timor to lade white Sandols, for all the best commeth from this Iland:
there commeth some also from Solor, but that is not so good: also he
sendeth another small ship euery yere to Cauchin China, to lade there wood
of Aloes, for that all the wood of Aloes commeth from this place, which is
in the firme land neere vnto China, and in that kingdome I could not knowe
how that wood groweth by any meanes. [Sidenote: A market kept aboord of the
ships.] For that the people of the countrey will not suffer the Portugales
to come within the land, but onely for wood and water, and as for all other
things that they wanted, as victuals or marchandise, the people bring that
a boord the ship in small barkes, so that euery day there is a mart kept in
the ship, vntill such time as she be laden: also there goeth another ship
for the said Captaine of Malacca to Sion, to lade Verzino: all these
voiages are for the Captaine of the castle of Malacca, and when he is not
disposed to make these voiages he selleth them to another.

The citie of Sion, or Siam.

[Sidenote: A prince of marueilous strength and power.] Sion was the
imperiall seat, and a great Citie, but in the yeere of our Lord God one
thousand five hundred sixtie and seuen, it was taken by the king of Pegu,
which king made a voyage or came by lande foure moneths iourney with an
armie of men through his lande, and the number of his armie was a million
and foure hundreth thousand men of warre: when hee came to the Citie, he
gaue assault to it, and besieged it one and twentie moneths before he could
winne it, with great losse of his people, this I know, for that I was in
Pegu sixe moneths after his departure, and sawe when that his officers that
were in Pegu, sent fiue hundreth thousand men of warre to furnish the
places of them that were slaine and lost in that assault: yet for all this,
if there had