d round summe, they will make a bargaine, and if not, they let him
alone. The vse generally of this Citie is this: that when any Marchant hath
bought any great quantitie of Rubies, and hath agreed for them, hee carieth
them home to his house, let them be of what value they will, he shall haue
space to looke on them and peruse them two or three dayes: and if he hath
no knowledge in them, he shall alwayes haue many Marchants in that Citie
that haue very good knowledge in Iewels; with whom he may alwayes conferre
and take counsell, and may shew them vnto whom he will; and if he finde
that hee hath not employed his money well, hee may returne his Iewels backe
to them whom hee had them of, without any losse at all. Which thing is such
a shame to the Tareghe to haue his Iewels returned, that he had rather
beare a blow on the face then that it should be thought that he solde them
so deere to haue them returned. [Sidenote: An honest care of heathen
people.] For these men haue alwayes great care that they afford good
peniworths, especially to those that haue no knowledge. This they doe,
because they woulde not loose their credite: and when those Marchants that
haue knowledge in Iewels buy any, if they buy them deere, it is their own
faults and not the brokers: yet it is good to haue knowledge in Iewels, by
reason that it may somewhat ease the price. [Sidenote: Bargaines made with
the nipping of fingers vnder a cloth.] There is also a very good order
which they haue in buying of Iewels, which is this; There are many
Marchants that stand by at the making of the bargaine, and because they
shall not vnderstand howe the Iewels be solde, the Broker and the Marchants
haue their hands vnder a cloth, and by touching of fingers and nipping the
ioynts they know what is done, what is bidden, and what is asked. So that
the standers by knowe not what is demaunded for them, although it be for a
thousand or 10. thousand duckets. For euery ioynt and euery finger hath his
signification. For if the Marchants that stande by should vnderstand the
bargaine, it would breede great controuersie amongst them. And at my being
in Pegu in the moneth of August, in Anno 1569, hauing gotten well by my
endeuour, I was desirous to see mine owne Countrey, and I thought it good
to goe by the way of S. Tome, but then I should tary vntil March.

In which iourney I was counsailed, yea, and fully resolued to go by the way
of Bengala, with a shippe there ready to depart f