The Burmese empire a hundred years ago / as described by Father Sangermano, with an introduction and notes by John Jardine.
- Vincenzo Sangermano
- Date:
- 1893
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The Burmese empire a hundred years ago / as described by Father Sangermano, with an introduction and notes by John Jardine. Source: Wellcome Collection.
26/360
![serveth for their mouthes, yea, I have seen them eat scorpions and serpents,’ like the King of Cambay in Hudibras^ ‘ whose daily food Was asp and basilisk and toad.’ In 1583 Gasparo Balbi, a Venetian jeweller, visited Pegu with a stock of emeralds. He gives a lively account of all that he saw : of Negrais with its swarms of flies, Cosmin the haunt of tigers, Dala with the ten large rooms full of royal elephants, ‘ the faire citie of Dagon ’ [Rangoon] with the long approach to the glorious pagoda, rising high in air like the Campanile at Venice. Then he sailed by Syriam, where the ruined walls showed traces of the war of 1567, and at length reached Pegu, where in solemn audience he gave the king an emerald. Ralph Fitch, a London merchant, who after staying at Aleppo, Ormus, Cambay, Goa, and some places on the Ganges, reached Negrais in 1586, confirms many statements of Frederike’s and Balbi’s. ^ Three days after, we came to Cosmin, which is a very pretty town, and standeth very pleasantly, very well furnished with all things. The people be very tall and well-disposed: the women white, round-faced, with little eyes ; the houses are high built, set upon great high posts, and they go up to them for feare of the tigres, which be very many.’ He went on to Pegu, and, like Frederike, who says the king ‘ far excels the power of the Grand Turk in treasure and strength,’ he was impressed with all he saw of a pomp and magniflcence which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind.’ In the letters of these old travellers, Pegu stands forth as a right royal abode Where the gorgeous East with richest hand Showers on her kings barbaric gold and pearl.’ Rubies were in such quantity, ‘ that they know not what to do with them, but sell them at most vile and base prices.’ ‘ The merchandises that go out of Pegu are gold, silver, rubies.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29351947_0026.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
