!j6 "Travels in India. Part II. 



CHAP. XXII. 



The Author goes to vifit the King of Bantam , and relates feveral 

 Adventures upon that occajion. 



BEing fo ill treated in Batavia, I refolv'd to Vifit the King of Bantam j to 

 which purpofe I took my own Brother along with me, becaufe he fpoke 

 the Language calPd Malays 5 which in the Eaft is as universal as Latin among 

 us. Being arriv'd at Bantam in a fmall Bark, which wc hir'd for our felves ; 

 wc went firft and vifited the Englijh Prefident, who kindly entertain'd and 

 Iodg'd u«. 



The next day I fent my Brother to the Palace, to know when it would be 

 feafonable for me to come and kifs the Kings Hands. When the King few him 

 (for he was well known to him) he would not furTer him to return, but fent 

 others to fetch me, and to tell me withal!, that if I had any rare Jewels, I 

 fhould do him a kindnefs to bring them along with me. 



When I faw my Brother return'd not with the perfons which the King fent, 

 I was almoft in the mind not to have gone ; remembring how the King of A- 

 chen had ferv'd the Sieur Rewind. For the French having fet up an Eaft India 

 Company, fent away four Velfels, three great ones, and one of eight Guns, 

 for the fervice of the Company. Their Vovage was the fhorteft that ever was 

 heard of j arriving- at Bantam in lefs than four months. The King alfo cour* 

 teoufly receiv'd them, and let them have as much Pepper - as they defir'd, 

 and cheaper by twenty in the hundred then he fold it to the Hollanders. But 

 ike. .French not coming only for Pepper, fent away their finall Ship with the 

 greateft part of their Money to Macaffar, to try the Market for Cloves, Nut- 

 megs, and Mace. 



The French being fo foon difpatch'd at Bantam, had not patience to flay 

 till the return of the fmall Veffel which they had fent to Macaffar ; but to 

 pa(s the time, muft needs run over to Batavia, being not ab:;ve fourteen 

 Leagues oifj fo that you may be at Batavia from Bantam in a tide with a 

 good wind. When they came to an Anchor, the General of the French Fleet 

 lent to Complement the General of Batavia, who fail'd not to anfwer his ci- 

 vility, and invited the Admiral afhore. Moreover he fent to thofe that ftay'd 

 aboard, great ftore of excellent chear, and a good quantity of Spamfo and 

 Rhenijh Wine, with particular order to them that carry *d it, to make the French 

 drunk. His order was fo well follow'd, that 'twas eafie to fet the Ships on 

 fire, according to the private inftru&ions which they had. So foon as the flame 

 Was difcover'd from the Generals window, which overlook'd all jhe Road, there 

 Was a wonderful pretended aftonifhment among the Dutch. But the French Ad- 

 miral too truly con^eduring the ground and Authors of the treachery, behold- 

 ing the Company With an undaunted courage j Come, come, cry'd he, lets drink 

 on j they that fet the Ships a-fire (hall pay for'em. However the French Ships 

 were all burnt, though the men were all fav'd m Boats which were forth- 

 with tent to their relief. After that, the General of Batavia made them great 

 offers, which they refus'd, and returnM to Batavia, in expectation of their fmall 

 VeffeT. When it return'd, they could find out no better way then to fell Ship, 

 and goods, and all to the Englijh, and to (hare the Money among thcmfelves, 

 every one according to their condition. 



But the trick which they put upon the Englifo was far more bloody. The 

 Englijlo were the firft that found out the danger of failing from Surat, Majli- 

 patan , or any other diftant parts , to fapon without touching by the way. 

 Whereupon they thought it convenient to build a Fort in the Ifland of For- 

 mofa, which not only iav'd the lofs of feveral Velfels, but alfo brought them 

 in great gain. The Hollanders mad that the Englijh were poflefs'd of fuch an 

 advantageous fcituation, being the only place in all the Ifland where Veffels 

 Could ride infafetyj and rinding they could not carry it by force, bethought 



them- 



