JL capo de malacha sta in vn grado et mezo aL antarticho a loriente de questo capo a longo la costa se trouão molte ville et cita de li nomi de algune sono aɋsti Cinghapola ɋ sta neL capo pahan Calantan patani bradlun benan lagon Che regigharan tumbõ prhan Cui brabri bangha Jndia Questa e la cita doue habita iL re de siam eLqalle chiamasse Siri Zacabedera Jandibum Lanu et Langhon pifa Queste citade sonno edificade como le nȓe et subgecte aL re de siam Jnquesto regnio de siam ne le riue de li fiumi Si como ne fu deto habitanno vcceli grandi liqalli no mangerianno de alguno animale morto sia portato iui se pima nõ vienne vno alto vccelo amangiarli iL core et poi Loro Lo mangiano dopo siam se troua Camogia iL suo re e deto Saret zacabedera chiempa eL suo re raia brahaun maitri inquesto locho nasce lo reubarbaro et se troua in questo modo se acaodunano vinti o vinti cinque hominj insieme et vanno dentro ne li boschi Quando he venuta la nocte montano soura li arbori si þ sentire Lodore deL reobarbaro como ancho þ paura de leonnj elefanti et altre fere et daqella parte doue he lo reubarbaro iL vento li porta lodore poi venuto lo giorno vanno in qella parte doue li he venuto iL vento et lo cercanno fin tanto lo trouano Lo reubarbaro he vno arbure grosso putrefato et senon fosse cussi putrefacto non darebe lo hodore iL megliare de questo arbore he la radice niente dimeno iL legnio he reobarbaro iLqaL chiamano Calama poi se truoua Cochi eL suo re e detto raia Seribumni pala dopo Questo se troua la grã chijna iL suo re he magiore de tuto eL mõdo et chiamasse Santhoa raia iLqalle tenne setanta re de coro na soto de se alguni de liqalli anno dieci et quindice re de soto se eL suo porto he deto guantan fra le altre asayssime citade ne ha due principalle dette namchin et Comlaha neliqalli sta questo re tienne catro sui principali a presso Lo suo palatio vno verso iL ponente lalto aL leuante lalto amezo de et lalto ala tramõtana ogni vno de questi danno audientia Se nõ aqelli che veneno de sua parte tucti li re et signori de la Jndia magiore et superiore hobediscono aquesto re et þ segnialle ɋ sianno sui veri vasali ciascuna ha in mezo de la sua piaza vno animale scolpito in marmore piu galiardo que iL leonne et chiamasse chinga Questo chinga e lo sigilo deL dito re de chijna et tucti qelli ɋ vanno ala chijna Conuieneno hauere Questo animale scolpito in cera in vn dente de elephante þ che altramente nõ potrianno intrare neL suo porto Quando alguno Signiore he in hobediente a questo re lo fanno scorticare et secanno la pelle aL solle con sale et poy la empi enno de paglia ho de alto et lo fanno stare cõ lo capo basso et cõ le many Jonte soura lo capo in vno luocho eminente ne la piaza acio Alhora si veda Cului far zonghu cioe riuerentia Questo re nõ si lascia vedere de algũo et Quando lui vole vedere li sui Caualcha þ iL palatio vno pauone facto maestralmente cosa richissima acompagniato de sey donne de le sue piu principalle vestite Como lui fin che entra in vn serpente deto nagha rico Quanto altra cosa si possa vedere ilqalle e sopa la corte magiore deL palatio iL re et le donne entranno dento açio lui nõ sia cogniossuto fra le donne vede li sui þ vno vedro grando ɋ e neL pecto deL serpente lui et le donne se ponno vedere ma nonsi puo discernere qaL he lore. Custui se marita ne le sue sorelle acio lo sangue realle nõ sia missidiato cõ alti Circha lo suo pa latio sonno sette cerche de muri et fra ogni vna de queste cerche stano diece millia homini ɋ fanno la gardia aL palatio fin ɋ sona vna Cam pana poi vieneno diece millia alti homini þ ogni cercha et cusi se mudanno ogni giorno et ogni nocte ogni cercha de muro a vna porta ne la pima li sta vno homo cõ vno granfionne in mano deto satu horã con satu bagan nella secondo vn canne detto satu hain nella terza vn homo cõ vna maza ferata deto Satu horan cũ pocum becin nela carta vno homo cõ vno archo in mano deto Satu horan con anat panan nella Quinta vn homo con vna lancia deto Satu horan con tumach ne la sexta vno leonne deto Satu horiman nella septima duy elefantj bianchi detti duo gagia pute in Questo palatio li sonno setanta noue salle doue stanno se non donne ɋ serueno aL re et li sonno sempre torcie accese Se tarda vno Jorno asercare questo palatio Jn cima de questo li sonno catro salle doue vanno alguna volta li principali a parlare aL re vna he hornata de metalo cosi de soto como de suura vna tuta de argento vna tuta de noro et Lalta de perle et petre preciose Quando li sui vassali li portanno horo ho altre cose p̃ci ose þ tributo le butano þ Queste salle dicendo Questo sia a honnore et gloria deL nȓo Sant hoa raia tute queste cose et molte altre de questo re ne disse vno moro et lui hauerle vedute la gente de la chijna e biancha e vestita et mangiano soura taule como nuy et anno croce ma non si sa þ che tengonno Jn Questa chijna nasce Lo muschio iL suo animale e vno gato Como qello deL gibeto et non mangia alto senon vn legnio dolce Sotile como li diti chiamato chamaru Quando voleno far lo muschio atacano vno sansuga aL gato et li la lascianno atacata infin sia ben pienna de sangue poi La strucano in vno piato et meteno iL sangue aL solle per cato ho cinque giornj poy lo bagniano cõ orina et il metenno altre tante fiate aL solle et cussi diuenta muschio þfeto ogniuno que tienne de questi animali Conuien pagare vno tanto aL re Quelli pezeti que parenno sian grani de muschio sonno de carne de capreto pestatagli dento iL vero muschio et se non iL sangue et se ben diuenta in pezetti Se disfa aL muschio et al gato chiamano castori et ala sansuga lintha Seguendo poy la costa de qʒsta chijna se trouano molti populi ɋ sonno questi li chienchij et stano in Jsole ne leqalli nasconno perle et cannela Li Lechij en tera ferma sopa lo porto de Questi trauersa vna montagnia þ laqaL se Conuien desarburare tucti ly Jonqui et naui voleno Jntrare neL porto Jl re Mom in terra firma Questo re ha vinti re soto dise et e hobediente aL re de la chijna la sua cita he deta bara naci Quiui e iL grã catayo orientalle Han ysola alta et frigida doue se truoua metalo argento perle et Seta iL suo re chiamasse raia Zotru Mli Janla eL suo re e detto raia chetisqnuga gnio lo suo re raia sudacali tucti Questi tre luogui Sonno frigidi et in terra ferma Triaganba Trianga due ysolle nelle Qualle vieneno perle metalo argento et seta il suo re raia Rrom Bassi bassa terra ferma et poi Sumbdit pradit due ysole richisime de oro lihomini deleqalle portanno vna grã schiona de oro ne la gamba Soura iL piede Apresso Quiui ne la tera ferma in certi montagnie stano popoli che amazano li sui padri et madre Quando sonno vechi acio nõ se afati cano piu tucti li populi de Questi luogui sonno gentilli
Marti de nocte venendo aL mercore a vndici de febraro 1522 partendone de La ysola de timor se in golfassemo neL mare grande nominato Laut chidoL et pigliando lo nȓo Camino tra ponente et garbin lasciasemo a La mano drieta a La tramõtana þ pagura deL re de portoghala la Jsola Zamatra antichamẽte chiamata Traprobana pegu bengala Vriza che lui nelaqalle stanno li malabari Soto iL re de narsingha Calicut soto Lo medesimo re Canbaia nelaqalle sonno li guzerati Cananor ghoa Armus et tutta laltra costa de la india magiore.
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The cape of Malacha lies in one and one-half degrees toward the Antarctic Pole. Along the coast east of that cape are many villages and cities. The names of some of them are as follows: Cinghapola, which is located on the cape; Pahan; Calantan; Patani; Bradlun; Benan; Lagon; Cheregigharan; Tumbon; Phran; Cui; Brabri; Bangha; India, which is the city where the king of Siam, by name Siri Zacabedera, lives; Jandibum; Lanu; and Longhonpifa. Those cities are built like ours, and are subject to the king of Siam. On the shores of the rivers of that kingdom of Siam, live, as we are told, large birds which will not eat of any dead animal that may have been carried there, unless another bird comes first to eat its heart, after which they eat it. Next to Siam is found Camogia, whose king is called Saret Zacabedera; then Chiempa, whose king is Raia Brahaun Maitri. Rhubarb which is found in the following manner grows there. Twenty or twenty-five men assemble and go together into the jungles. Upon the approach of night, they climb trees, both to see whether they can catch the scent of the rhubarb, and also for fear of the lions, elephants, and other wild beasts. The wind bears to them the odor of the rhubarb from the direction in which it is to be found. When morning dawns they go in that direction whence the wind has come, and seek the rhubarb until they find it. The rhubarb is a large rotten tree; and unless it has become rotten, it gives off no odor. The best part of that tree is the root, although the wood is also rhubarb which is called calama. Next is found Cochi, whose king is called Raia Seribumni Pala. After that country is found Great Chiina, whose king is the greatest in all the world, and is called Santhoa Raia. He has seventy crowned kings subject to himself, and some of the latter have ten or fifteen kings subject to them. His port is called Guantan [i.e., Canton]. Among the multitude of other cities, there are two principal ones called Nanchin [i.e., Nanking] and Comlaha where the above king lives. He keeps his four principal men near his palace – one toward the west, one toward the east, one toward the south, and one toward the north. Each one of those four men gives audience only to those who come from his own quarter. All the kings and seigniors of greater and upper India obey that king; and in token that they are his true vassals, each one has an animal which is stronger than the lion, and called chinga, carved in marble in the middle of his square. That chinga is the seal of the said king of Chiina, and all those who go to Chiina must have that animal carved in wax [or] on an elephant's tooth, for otherwise they would not be allowed to enter his harbor. When any seignior is disobedient to that king, he is ordered to be flayed, and his skin dried in the sun and salted. Then the skin is stuffed with straw or other substance, and placed head downward in a prominent place in the square, with the hands clasped above the head, so that he may be seen then to be performing zonghu, that is, obeisance. That king never allows himself to be seen by anyone. When he wishes to see his people, he rides about the palace on a skilfully made peacock, a most elegant contrivance, accompanied by six of his most principal women clad like himself; after which he enters a serpent called nagha, which is as rich a thing as can be seen, and which is kept in the greatest court of the palace. The king and the women enter it so that he may not be recognized among his women. He looks at his people through a large glass which is in the breast of the serpent. He and the women can be seen, but one cannot tell which is the king. The latter is married to his sisters, so that the blood royal may not be mixed with others. Near his palace are seven encircling walls, and in each of those circular places are stationed ten thousand men for the guard of the palace [who remain there] until a bell rings, when ten thousand other men come for each circular space. They are changed in this manner each day and each night. Each circle of the wall has a gate. At the first stands a man with a large hook in his hand, called satu horan with satu bagan; in the second, a dog, called satu hain; in the third, a man with an iron mace, called satu horan with pocum becin; in the fourth, a man with a bow in his hand called satu horan with anat panan; in the fifth, a man with a spear, called satu horan with tumach; in the sixth, a lion, called satu horiman; in the seventh, two white elephants, called two gagia pute. That palace has seventy-nine halls which contain only women who serve the king. Torches are always kept lighted in the palace, and it takes a day to go through it. In the upper part of it are four halls, where the principal men go sometimes to speak to the king. One is ornamented with copper [metalo], both below and above; one all with silver; one all with gold; and the fourth with pearls and precious gems. When the king's vassals take him gold or any other precious things as tribute, they are placed in those halls, and they say: «Let this be for the honor and glory of our Santhoa Raia. All the above and many other things were told us by a Moro who had seen them. The inhabitants of Chiina are light complexioned and wear clothes. They eat at tables as we do, and have the cross, but it is not known for what purpose. Musk is produced in that country of Chiina. Its animal is a cat like the civet cat. It eats nothing except a sweet wood as thick as the finger, called chamaru. When the Chinese wish to make the musk, they attach a leech to the cat, which they leave fastened there, until it is well distended with blood. Then they squeeze the leech out into a dish and put the blood in the sun for four or five days. After that they sprinkle it with urine, and as often as they do that they place it in the sun. Thus it becomes perfect musk. Whoever owns one of those animals has to pay a certain sum to the king. Those grains which seem to be grains of musk are of kid's flesh crushed in the real musk and not the blood. Although the blood can be made into grains, it evaporates. The musk and the cat are called castor and the leech lintha. Many peoples are to be found as one follows the coast of that country of Chiina, who are as follows. The Chienchii inhabit islands where pearls and cinnamon grow. The Lechii live on the mainland; above their port stretches a mountain, so that all the junks and ships which desire to enter that port must unstep their masts. The king on the mainland [is called] Mom. He has twenty kings under him and is subordinate to the king of Chiina. His city is called Baranaci. The great Oriental catayo is located there. Han [is] a cold, lofty island where copper [metalo], silver, pearls, and silk are produced, whose king is called Raia Zotru; Mli Ianla, whose king is called Raia Chetisqnuga; Gnio, and its king, Raia Sudacali. All three of the above places are cold and are located on the mainland. Triaganba and Trianga [are] two islands where pearls, copper [metalo], silver, and silk are produced, and whose king is Raia Rrom. Bassi Bassa [is] on the mainland; and then [follow] two islands, Sumbdit and Pradit, which are exceedingly rich in gold, whose inhabitants wear a large gold ring around the legs at the ankle. On the mainland near that point live a race in some mountains who kill their fathers and mothers as age comes on, so that they may have no further trouble. All the peoples of those districts are heathens.
On Tuesday night as it drew near Wednesday, February eleven, 1522, we left the island of Timor and took to the great open sea called Laut Chidol. Laying our course toward the west southwest, we left the island of Zamatra, formerly called Traprobana, to the north on our right hand, for fear of the king of Portoghala; [as well as] Pegu, Bengala, Uriza, Chelin where the Malabars live, who are subject to the king of Narsingha, Calicut, subject to the same king, Cambaia, where the Guzerati live, Cananor, Ghoa, Armus, and all the rest of the coast of India Major.
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