their owne libertie without any
harme done vnto them. I my selfe was alwayes in my house with a good guard
appointed me by the Retor, that no man should doe me iniurie, nor harme me
nor my goods; in such wise that hee perfourmed all that he had promised me
in the name of the king, but he would not let me depart before the comming
of the king, which was greatly to my hinderance, because I was twenty and
one moneths sequestred, that I could not buy nor sell any kinde of
marchandise. Those commodities that I brought thither, were peper, sandols,
and Porcellan of China: so when the king was come home, I made my
supplication vnto him, and I was licenced to depart when I would.

From Martauan I departed to goe to the chiefest Citie in the kingdome of
Pegu, which is also called after the name of the kingdome, which voyage is
made by sea in three or foure daies: they may goe also by lande, but it is
better for him that hath marchandize to goe by sea and lesser charge. And
in this voyage you shall haue a Macareo, which is one of the most
marueilous things [Marginal note: A thing most marueilous, that at the
comming of a tide the earth should quake.] in the world that Nature hath
wrought, and I neuer saw any thing so hard to be beleeued as this, to wit,
the great increasing and diminishing of the water there at one push or
instant, and the horrible earthquake and great noyse that the said Macareo
maketh where it commeth. We departed from Martauan in barkes, which are
like to our Pylot boates, with the increase of the water, and they goe as
swift as an arrowe out of a bow, so long as the tide runneth with them, and
when the water is at the highest, then they drawe themselues out of the
Channell towardes some banke, and there they come to anker, and when the
water is diminished, then they rest on dry land: and when the barkes rest
dry, they are as high from the bottome of the Chanell, as any house top is
high from the ground. [Sidenote: This tide is like to the tides in our
riuer of Seuerne.] They let their barkes lie so high for this respect, that
if there should any shippe rest or ride in the Chanell, with such force
commeth in the water, that it would ouerthrowe shippe or barke: yet for all
this, that the barkes be so farre out of the Chanell, and though the water
hath lost her greatest strength and furie before it come so high, yet they
make fast their prowe to the streme, and oftentimes it maketh them very
fearefull, and if the