Indies in a great storme, in which they found such
abundance of wilde beastes, and boares, and all sort of fruite, that by
meanes thereof that poore ship which had been foure moneths at sea,
refreshed themselues both with water and meate very well, and this Island
they called S. Helena, because it was discouered vpon S. Helens day. And
vndoubtedly this Island is a great succour, and so great an ayde to the
ships of Portugall, that many would surely perish if that helpe wanted. And
therefore the king of Portugall caused a Church to be made there for
deuotion of S. Helena: where there are onely resident Eremits, and all
other are forbidden to inhabite there by the kings commaundement, to the
ende that the ships may be the more sufficiently furnished with victuals,
because the ships which come from India come but slenderly victualled,
[Sidenote: Note.] because there groweth no corne there, neither make they
any wine: but the ships which come from Portugall to the Indies touch not
in the sayd Island, because they set out being sufficiently furnished with
bread and water from Portugall for eight moneths voyage. Any other people
then the two Eremites abouesaid, cannot inhabite this Island, except some
sicke man that may be set there a shore to remaine in the Eremites
companie, for his helpe and recouery.
The monson from Goa to Mosambique.
The ships depart betwixt the 10 and 15 of Ianuarie.
The monson from Mosambique to Goa.
The ships depart betweene the 8 and last of August, and arriue in Chaul or
Goa in the moneth of October, till the 15 of Nouember.
The monson from Ormus to Bengala.
The ships depart betwixt the 15 and 20 of Iune, and goe to winter at Teue
and depart thence about the 15 of August for Bengala.
* * * * *
A briefe extract specifying the certaine dayly paiments, answered quarterly
in time of peace, by the Grand Signior, out of his Treasurie, to the
Officers of his Seraglio or Court, successiuely in degrees: collected in
a yeerely totall summe, as followeth.
For his owne diet euery day, one thousand and one aspers, according to a
former custome receiued from his auncestors: notwithstanding that otherwise
his diurnall expence is very much, and not certainly knowen, which summe
maketh sterling mony by the yere, two thousand, one hundred, 92. pounds,
three shillings, eightpence.
The fiue and fourtie thousand Ianizaries dispersed in sundry places of his
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