in Pegu, there come many small ships, and great, laden
with pepper, Sandolo, Porcellan of China, Camfora,
Bruneo and other marchandise. The ships that come
from Mecca enter into the port of Pegu and Cirion,
and those shippes bring cloth of Wooll, Scarlets,
Veluets, Opium, and Chickinos, [Sidenote: The
Chikinos are pieces of gold worth sterling 7. shillings.]
by the which they lose, and they bring them because
they haue no other thing that is good for Pegu:
but they esteeme not the losse of them, for they make
such great gaine of their commodities that they cary
from thence out of that kingdome. Also the king
of Assi his ships come thither 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 vp the riuer 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 euery man, and
take the charge of the goods on them, and conuey them
to Pegu, into the kings house, wherein they make the
custome of the marchandize. When the Customers
haue taken the charge of the goods and put them into
barks, the Retor of the City giueth licence to the
Marchants to take barke, and goe vp to Pegu with their
marchandize; and so three or foure of them take a barke
and goe vp to Pegu in company. [Sidenote: Great
rigour for the stealing of customes.] God deliuer
euery man that hee giue not a wrong note, and entrie,
or thinke to steale any custome: for if they
do, for the least trifle that is, he is vtterly vndone,
for the king doeth take it for a most great affront
to bee deceiued of his custome: and therefore
they make diligent searches, three times at the lading
and vnlading 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 iewels 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 haue
spoken before, how that all Marchants that meane to
goe thorow the Indies, must cary al manor 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 that City is to
hier a house, either by the yeere or by the moneth,
or as he meanes to stay in those parts.