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Richard Hakluyt - Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, 10
money: Pepper is solde by the sacke, each sacke waying 45. Catten waight of China, each Catte as much
as 20. ounces Portingall waight, and each sacke is worth in that Country at the least 5000. Caixas, and
when it is highest at 6. or 7000. Caixas: Mace, Cloues, Nutmegs, white and blacke Beniamin, Camphora,
are sold by the Bhar, each barre waying 350. Catten of China: Mace that is faire and good is commonly
worth from 100. to 120. thousande Caixas: Good Cloues accordingly, and foure Cloues called Bastan are
worth 70. and 80. thousand Caixas the Bhar: Nutmegs are alwaies worth 20. and 25 thousand Caixas the
Bhar: White and blacke Beniamin is worth 150. and 180. thousand Caixas, and sometimes 200. thousand.
The wares that are there desired and exchanged for spices, are diuers sortes and colours of Cotton
Linnen, which come out of seuerall Prouinces; and if our Cambricke or fine Hollande were carryed
thither, it would peraduenture bee more esteemed then the Cotton linnen of India.
The 15. of Iune there rowed a scute called a Prawen harde vnder the lande by vs, wee called him, but not
against his will, and shewed him siluer, and other wares that liked him well, he bad vs make towards the
strand, and told vs of Bantam, saying that there we should haue al kinds of Marchandise. Then we made
signs vnto him that if he wold bring vs to Bantam, we wold pay him for his labor, he asked vs 5. rialles of
8. and a redcap, which we graunted vnto, and so one of the men in the scute came on bord the Mauritius,
and was our Pilot to Bantam, where we passed by many Islandes.
The nineteenth of Iuly as wee sailed by a towne, many Portingalles borded vs, and brought vs certaine
Cocus and Hens to sell, which wee bought for other wares.
The 22. of the same Month wee came before the towne of Bantam, within three miles of it, and there
ankered vnder an Island. The same day about euening a scute of Portingals borded vs that were sent by
the Gouernour to see what ships we were, and when we shewed them that wee came thither to traficke
with them, they told vs, that there was the right Pepper country, and that there we might haue our lading,
that new Pepper was readie to be gathered, and would be ripe within two Monthes after, which pleased vs
well, for wee had already beene fifteene Monthes and twelue daies vppon our voyage, hauing endured
great daungers, miseries and thirst, many of our men by sicknesse being dead.
The 23. of Iune wee hoysed our ankers, and went close to the towne of Bantam, and ankered harde by 4.
small Islands, that lie right North from the Towne: the same day the Sabander (who is there one of the
greatest officers next the King) came abord our shippes, asking vs what we would haue, we said we were
come to buy Pepper and other spyces, and that wee had readie money, and certaine wares, whereof we
shewed him some parte, which hee liked well, saying that there wee might haue lading enough, shewing
vs great countenance.
The same day likewise there came a great number of scutes vnto our ships, bringing all kinds of
victuailes to sel, as Hennes, Egges, Cocus, Bonanas, sugar canes, Cakes of Ryce baked, and many other
thinges. The 24. of Iune there came many men aborde our ships, bringing diuers wares to sell, shewing vs
great friendshippe, and as it seemed were very glad of our arriuall there, telling vs that there we might
haue Pepper enough, and new Pepper within two Monthes after, and that Pepper was then as good cheap
as it had beene any time within ten yeares before, that wee might buy 5. or 6. sackes for one Catti, (being
about 20. Guilderns) which was ordinarily sold but one sacke for that price: euery sacke wayeth 54.
pounde Hollandes waight, so that a pounde would be worth about a brasse penie Hollands money.
The same day about noone the Sabander borded vs once againe, willing Cornelis Houtman to go on land
to speake with the Gouernour, for as then there was no King, for about a Month before our arriuall there,
the King was gone with a great armie before the towne of Palimbam, which he thought to take, and had
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