CAESAR FREDERICK ad. 



1563-81. 



tinuall exercise they become most excellent shot : also 



hee hath great Ordinance made of very good mettall ; 



to conclude there is not a King on the earth that hath 



more power or strength then this king of Pegu, because 



hee hath twentie and sixe crowned kings at his com- 26. Crowned 



maunde. He can make in his Campe a million and an "^-^ ^^ ^^^ 



■i -yr r r -irij- i- • command. 



halre or men or warre m the nelae against his enemies. Yifteene hun- 

 The state of his kingdome and maintenance of his dreth thousand 

 army, is a thing incredible to consider, & the victuals ^^^ z'« one 

 that should maintaine such a number of people in the ^'^^^P^- 

 warres : but he that knoweth the nature and qualitie of 

 that people, will easily beleeve it. I have scene with 

 mine eyes, that those people and souldiers have eaten 

 of all sorts of wild beasts that are on the earth, whether 

 it bee very filthie or otherwise all serveth for their 

 mouthes : yea, I have scene them eate Scorpions and Eating oj ser- 

 Serpents, also they feed of all kinde of herbes and grasse. P^^^^- 

 So that if such a great armie want not water and salt, 

 they wil maintaine themselves a long time in a bush 

 with rootes, flowers and leaves of trees, they cary rice 

 with them for their voyage, & that serveth them in stead 

 of comfits, it is so daintie unto them. This king of 

 Pegu hath not any army or power by sea, but in the 

 land, for people, dominions, golde and silver, he farre 

 exceeds the power of the great Turke in treasure and 

 strength. This king hath divers Magasons ful of 

 treasure, as gold, & silver, and every day he encreaseth 

 it more and more, and it is never diminished. Also hee 

 is Lord of the Mines of Rubies, Safires & Spinels. 

 Neere unto his royal pallace there is an inestimable ^^^ ^}'^h^^ ?/ 

 treasure whereof hee maketh no accompt, for that it ^ <^ ^ 

 standeth in such a place that every one may see it, and 

 the place where this treasure is, is a great Court walled 

 round about with walls of stone, with two gates which 

 stand open every day. And within this place or Court 

 are foure gilded houses covered with lead, & in every 

 one of these are certaine heathenish idoles of a very 

 great valure. In the first house there is a stature of the 



425 



