The people of this kingdome haue this riuer in great reuerence, which is the occasion that they neuer enter into the same but with great respect and feare. And when they doo washe or bath themselues in it, they haue it for a certaintie that they remaine cleare from all their sinnes. Likewise this kingdome, with great ease, might be conuerted vnto the Catholike faith as it seemeth, for that they haue amongst them many morall rites, ceremonies, and vertues.
CHAP. XXIV.
Of the kingdome of Coromandel and others his borderers, and of the citie of Salamina, whereas was and died the glorious apostle S. Thomas; and of the power and riches of the king of this kingdome, and the order of their buryinges, and other thinges of great curiositie.
Running alongest the coast from Vengala, is the kingdome of Masulapatar, and certaine other kingdomes nigh vnto the same: they be all gentiles, as the rest of their borderers, yet it is vnderstood, with great facilitie they would leaue their opinions. It is a kingdome that hath great abundance of prouision, and lacke of things of contractation or marchandice, which is the occasion that they are little knowen.
Trauailing a little forwardes, is the kingdome of Coromandel, whose chiefe citie is called Calamina, and nowe vulgarly Malipur,[103] and is there whereas was martyred the happie apostle S. Thomas. And they say that at this day there remaineth some of his relickes, by whom God did many myracles. The naturall people therefore haue a particular memory vntill this day of that saint.
This citie at this day is populared with Portingals and with the naturall people: there is in it a church, wherein is comprehended the house whereas was, and died, the holy apostle: this countrie belongeth vnto the king of Visnaga, who although he be a gentile, he hath great reuerence and respect vnto the house of the holy apostle, and for particular deuotion he doth giue euerie yeare a certaine charitie. There is in this citie two couentes of religious men, the one of the companie of Iesus, and the other of the order of S. Francis.
From this citie of Calamina to that of Visnaga there wheras the king is, it is fiue and thirtie leagues by land. This king is mightie, and his kingdome very great and full of people, and hath great rentes. They say that onely the rent he hath of fine gold, is worth vnto him three millions, of the which he spendeth but one onely, and doth keepe euerie yeare two millions in his treasorie, the which according vnto the report and fame, is at this day with many millions. He hath twelue principall or chiefe captaines, and euerie one of them hath the gouernement of an infinite number of people and hath great rent for the same, for he that hath least rent hath sixe hundred thousand ducats yearely. Euerie one of them are bound to giue the king to eate, and all the people of his house, one month in the yeare; so that by this account the twelue captaines which are the lordes of the kingdome (and as wee might say) dukes, doo beare his cost all the whole yeare. The million the which he doth spend, is in giftes and in extraordinarie thinges. The king hath in his house, what with wiues, seruants, and slaues, nigh about fourteene thousand persons, and in his stable ordinarily a thousand horse, and for his seruice and garde eight hundreth elephants, of whom he doth spend euerie day eight hundreth ducats. The garde of his person is foure thousand horsemen, to whom he giueth great wages. He hath also in his house three hundreth wiues, besides a great number of concubines: they goe all gallantly apparelled, and with rich iewels, of the which there are of great estimation in that kingdome, they do almost euerie three daies change newe colors of apparell. They do ordinarily vse colors of precious stones, such as are called in Spaine ojo de gato, cats eies. They haue great store of saphires, pearles, diamonds, rubies, and many other stones, that are in that kingdome in great abundance.