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Richard Hakluyt - Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, 10
and Iaua: On both sides of the Towne there runneth a Riuer, about 3 foot and a half deep, so that no
shippes can enter into them: The towne is compassed about with a Riuer: The towne is almost as great in
compasse as the olde towne of Amsterdam: The wals are made with flankers: They haue great numbers
of Peeces therein, but they knowe not how to vse them, for they feare them much: all their Peeces are of
brasse, and they haue many brazen bases. Their walles are not aboue two foote thicke made of brickes:
euery flanker hath diuers mastes and peeces of wood, which they vse when they are besieged by their
enemies. The houses are made of straw and reedes, standing vpon 4. woodden postes. The rich haue their
chambers all hanged with silken Curtins, or els with cotton linnen: Their houses are most placed vnder
Cocus trees, whereof the towne is full: Without the walles are many houses, wherein strangers for the
most part haue their dwellinges. The towne hath three great market places, wherein dayly there is
markets holden, where you may buy all kindes of wares, and where there commeth a great number of
people, very strange to beholde: Within the towne there is a great church or muske of wood, wherein they
obserue the law of Mahomet: Gentlemen and men of any qualitie haue their owne muskes in their houses.
The towne is not built with streetes, nor the houses placed in order, but very foule lying full of filthy
water, which men must passe through, or leape ouer, for they haue no bridges: In the towne there is great
resort of diuers Countries and nations, as of Malacca, Bengala, Malabar, Guihereters of Pegu, Sani
Malicas, Banda, China and of many Kingdomes that haue great traffique for Pepper, that groweth rounde
about Bantam, which in August and September is ripe, there you haue nutmegs, out of the Island of
Banda, and Cloues from Moluca, which the Portingalles doe most buy vp: Wee bought Nutmegs there for
a blank a pound: All victuailes and necessaries are there in great aboundance to be had, as Hennes,
Hartes, Fish, and Ryce, and diuers kindes of fruites, as Auanas, Cocus, Bonanas, Manges, Doroyens,
Iacca, Pruna, Grapes, Oranges, Lemons, Pomegarnets, Cocombers, Melons, Onions, Garlicke: but breade
they haue none, but in steade of it they eate Ryce: Beefe is there the dearest victuaile, for an Oxe in that
place is worth 7. 8. or 9. Rialles of 8. The Chinars have the greatest and most trafficke in that towne.
They come thither in the Month of Ianuarie, with 8. or 9. great shippes, bringing all sorts of Porseline,
silks, Damaske, gold thread, Iron pannes, and Iauas money called Caixas, whereof 12000 make a Ryall
of eight: They are hanged vpon stringes by two hundred together, for the which they both buy and sel al
kinds of marchandises, and there they lade Pepper which they carrie into China: Without the towne they
haue a great place wherein they commonly vse to sell their wares, and there they dwell, and haue greater
and better houses then any are within the towne, all made of reedes, onely that in euery house they haue a
square place made of stone, wherein they put their wares to keepe them from burning, as some riche men
in the towne likewise haue: The Chinars are very subtill and industrious people, and will refuse no labour
nor paynes to yearne money, there they make much Aqua vitae of Ryce and Cocus, and trafficke much
therewith, which the Iauars by night come to buy, and drinke it secretly, for by Mahomets law it is
forbidden them. The Chinars liue there with free libertie: When they come to remaine there for a yeare or
more as they thinke good, they buy themselues a wife or two, or more as they thinke good, and liue
together like man and wife, and when they meane to depart, they sell their wiues again, but if they haue
children they take them with them and so returne to China: They haue no special religion, but pray vnto
the Deuill, that he would not hurt them, for they know that the Deuill is wicked, and that God is good,
and hurteth no man, therefore they thinke it needlesse to pray to God. They acknowledge not the
resurrection of the deade, but when a man dyeth they thinke he neuer riseth again: In their houses they
have great painted Deuils, before the which they place wax candles, and sing vnto them, praying them
not to hurt them, and the more monstrous that their shapes be, the more they honour them. These people
liue very hardly and poorely within Bantam, for there is not any work or labour how filthy soeuer it be,
but they will do it to get money, and when they haue gotten something they returne againe to China.
They are verie like Iewes in our country, for they neuer goe without a paire of ballances, and all thinges
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