CAESAR FREDERICK ad. 



1563-81. 

 into the same port laden with peper ; from the coast of 

 S. Tome of Bengala out of the Sea of Bara to Pegu are 

 three hundreth miles, and they go it up the river in foure 

 daies, with the encreasing water, or with the flood, to a 

 City called Cosmin, and there they discharge their ships, 

 whither the Customers of Pegu come to take the note 

 and markes of all the goods of every man, & take the 

 charge of the goods on them, and convey them to Pegu, 

 into the kings house, wherin they make the custome of 

 the marchandize. When the Customers have taken 

 the charge of the goods & put them into barks, the 

 Retor of the City giveth licence to the Marchants to take 

 barke, and goe up to Pegu with their marchandize ; and 

 so three or foure of them take a barke and goe up to 

 Pegu in company. God deliver every man that hee give Great rigour 

 not a wrong note, and entrie, or thinke to steale any fi^'lJ^^^i^^^^'''^g 

 custome : for if they do, for the least trifle that is, he is 

 utterly undone, for the king doeth take it for a most 

 great affront to bee deceived of his custome ; and there- 

 fore they make diligent searches, three times at the lading 

 and unlading of the goods, and at the taking of them 

 a land. In Pegu this search they make when they goe 

 out of the ship for Diamonds, Pearles, and fine cloth 

 which taketh little roome : for because that all the jewels 

 that come into Pegu, and are not found of that countrey, 

 pay custome, but Rubies, Safyres and Spinels pay no 

 custome in nor out : because they are found growing 

 in that Countrey. I have spoken before, how that all 

 Marchants that meane to goe thorow the Indies, must 

 cary al maner of houshold stuffe with them which is 

 necessary for a house, because that there is not any 

 lodging nor Innes nor hostes, nor chamber roome in that 

 Countrey, but the first thing a man doth when he 

 commeth to any City is to hier a house, either by the 

 yeere or by the moneth, or as he meanes to stay in 

 those parts. 



In Pegu their order is to hire their houses for sixe 

 moneths. Nowe from Cosmin to the Citie of Pegu 



429 



