odities
that come from S. Tome are the onely marchandise for that place, which is
the great quantity of cloth made, which they vse in Pegu: which cloth is
made of bombast wouen and painted, so that the more that kinde of cloth is
washed, the more liuelie they shewe their colours, which is a rare thing,
and there is made such accompt of this kinde of cloth which is so great
importance, that a small bale of it will cost a thousand or two thousand
duckets. Also from S. Tome they layd great store of red yarne, of bombast
died with a roote which they call Saia, as aforesayd, which colour will
neuer out. With which marchandise euery yeere there goeth a great shippe
from S. Tome to Pegu, of great importance, and they vsually depart from S.
Tome to Pegu the 11. or 12. of September, and if she stay vntill the
twelfth, it is a great hap if she returne not without making of her voiage.
Their vse was to depart the sixt of September, and then they made sure
voyages, and now because there is a great labour about that kind of cloth
to bring it to perfection, and that it be well dried, as also the
greedinesse of the Captaine that would made an extraordinary gaine of his
fraight, thinking to haue the wind alwayes to serue their turne, they stay
so long, that at sometimes the winde turneth. For in those parts the windes
blow firmely for certaine times, with the which they goe to Pegu with the
winde in poope, and if they arriue not there before the winde change, and
get ground to anker, perforce they must returne backe againe: for that the
gales of the winde blowe there for three or foure moneths together in one
place with great force. But if they get the coast and anker there, then
with great labour they may saue their voyage. Also there goeth another
great shippe from Bengala euery yeere, laden with fine cloth of bombast of
all sorts, which arriueth in the harbour of Pegu, when the ship that
commeth from S. Tome departeth. The harbour where these two ships arriue is
called Cosmin. From Malaca to Martauan, which is a port in Pegu, there come
many small ships, and great, laden with pepper, Sandolo, Porcellan of
China, Camfora, Bruneo and other marchandise. The ships that come from
Mecca enter into the port of Pegu and Cirion, and those shippes bring cloth
of Wooll, Scarlets, Veluets, Opium, and Chickinos, [Sidenote: The Chikinos
are pieces of gold worth sterling 7. shillings.] by the which they lose,
and they bring them because they haue no