And I rec. 2 letters from Mr. Wickham, dated in Langasaque, le 3th and 4th currant, sent per Mr. Burges, wherin he writes me he stayeth only for 3 or 4000 tais the Capt. China promiseth to send me in refyned plate within 2 or 3 daies.
December 7.—This night past Shosque Dono, the King of Firandos secretary, was made to cut his belly, as the secretary of Taccamon Dono was caused to doe the lyke few daies past. The reason was for that they bought and sould abord the Hollandes shipps, and forbad all others to doe the lyke. The king demanded 800 tais from Shosque Dono, or else to cut his belly, whoe, not having it to pay, did it.
He also demandeth 300 tais of Goresano, our quandom knave jurebasso, or else to get hym out of the cuntrey with on sute of aparell on his back, and leave howse, wife, and children, and all the rest he hath, behind hym.
Also the lyke demand, or such lyke, is made to Skyamon Dono, a stranger, and favoret of the kynges heretofore.
The Hollandes generall sent me a present of 2 bottells Spanish wyne and a Hollandes cheese. And the domene cam to me with 3 soldiers with hym to entreate me to speake to the said generall, Jno. Derickson Lamb, to save 3 souldiers that were condemned to the gallies, of the which I had broken the matter to hym before. And it seemeth now they are desiros to sett them at liberty upon my second motion, as I understand from the fiscall.
December 8.—The Hollanders were envited to dyner to the howse of Semi Dono, whither they went in pomp, the generall leading in cuerpo, with a trunchon in his hand and a greate cheane of gould about his neck, and all the cheefe in rank after hym, 2 in two, to the number of above 20 persons.
December 9.—The rendador (or mynt man) of themperour came from Langasaque to Firando to melt plate for the Hollanders, and came to vizet me and brought me a present of a silke catabra, offring to refyne our plate in any forme or goodnes as we desired, and tould me his sonne was strucken blynd, desiring to have our chirurgions to look on hym and to see whether they could doe hym any good or no.
I went to vizet the Hollandes generall, whoe at my request set at liberty 4 souldiers formerly condemned to the gallies.
December 10.—The fiscall and secretary of the Hollanders came to thenglish howse and brought the prisoners with irons at their legges, and tould them for my sake they were sett at liberty, and soe caused a smith to knock affe their shakles and let them loose, they upon their knees geveing me thanks, promising to doe soe well hereafter that they hoped my time emploid for ther liberty should not be ill spent, etc.
December 11.—In respect Capt. Whaw lent his foy fone and people to bring back Mr. Wickham, we gave a barill wyne, a bag rise, and a tay of plate to company, and 1 tay plate to Capt. Whaws man.