RALPH FITCH 



A.D. 



1583-91, 



The voyage of M. Ralph Fitch marchant of Lon- 

 don by the way of Tripolis in Syria, to Ormus, 

 and so to Goa in the East India, to Cambaia, 

 and all the kingdome of Zelabdim Echebar the 

 great Mogor, to the mighty river Ganges, and 

 downe to Bengala, to Bacola, and Chonderi, to 

 Pegu, to Imahay in the kingdome of Siam, and 

 backe to Pegu, and from thence to Malacca, 

 Zeilan, Cochin, and all the coast of the East 

 India: begunne in the yeere of our Lord 1583, 

 and ended 1591, wherein the strange rites, 

 maners, and customes of those people, and the 

 exceeding rich trade and commodities of those 

 countries are faithfully set downe and diligently 

 described, by the aforesaid M. Ralph Fitch. 



N the yeere of our Lord 1583, I Ralph 

 Fitch of London marchant being desirous 

 to see the countreys of the East India, in 

 the company of M. John Newberie mar- 

 chant (which had beene at Ormus once 

 before) of William Leedes Jeweller, and 

 James Story Painter, being chiefly set [II. i. 251, 



foorth by the right worshipfull Sir Edward Osborne 

 knight, and M. Richard Staper citizens and marchants 

 of London, did ship my selfe in a ship of London called 

 the Tyger, wherein we went for Tripolis in Syria : & from 

 thence we tooke the way for Aleppo, which we went in 

 seven dayes with the Carovan. Being in Aleppo, and 

 finding good company, we went from thence to Birra, 

 which is two dayes and an halfe travaile with Camels. 



Birra is a little towne, but very plentifull of victuals : Bina. 

 and neere to the wall of the towne runneth the river 

 of Euphrates. Here we bought a boate and agreed with 

 a master and bargemen, for to go to Babylon. These 

 boats be but for one voiage ; for the streame doth runne 



V 465 2G 



