We now received bad news from Bantam, stating
that Campochina had been twice burnt down, and the English factory
consumed full of cloth. The Hollanders likewise had made great loss. We
were informed also of a large English ship in great distress at Pulo
Panian, a great mortality being among her people.[388] Intelligence was
also received that the military force of Acheen had besieged Johor.
[Footnote 388: This was the Trades-increase. - Purch]
The 12th July, the king of Pahan arrived at Patane, much against his
will, accompanied by his wife, who was sister to the queen of Patane,
and also by two sons. He left his own country much oppressed by poverty,
famine, fire, war, and rebellion. He brought intelligence that the
Acheeneers had taken Jahor, and had carried away all the ordnance,
slaves, and every thing of value, Rajah Boungson and his children being
made prisoners, and the king of Johor having fled to Bintam. Several
Hollanders also, who happened to be in a ship at Johor, were taken and
slain. The siege lasted twenty-nine days. None of the grandees of Patane
went to receive and entertain the king of Pahan; and the only attention
paid to him, was by killing all the dogs in the place, as he has an
aversion to dogs. We saluted him with our small arms as he passed our
house, which gratified him much, on which he invited us to visit him and
trade at his town.
The 16th July we got intelligence that Captain Saris was at Mackian on
his way to Japan; as also that Sir Henry Middleton had died on the 24th
of May, of grief, as was supposed, for the situation of the
Trades-increase, which lay aground with all her masts out, one side only
being sheathed, as of thirty-three of her crew remaining most of them
were sick. An hundred English, a greater number of Chinese who were
hired to work upon her, and eight Dutchmen, had all died of some strange
sickness. Captain Schot, belonging to the Dutch company, had taken the
castle and island of Solor, with a great quantity of sandal wood. In the
Moluccas also they had done much injury to the Spaniards, and a hot war
was there expected. The 31st of July the king of Pahan visited our
factory in great state, and made us great promises of kind entertainment
in his country. The 1st of August, the queen sent for us to court, to
be present at a great feast given in honour of the king of Pahan; after
which a comedy was acted by women, after the Javan manner, being in very
antic dresses, which was very pleasant to behold. On the 9th the king of
Pahan departed on his return to his own country, having been made a
laughing-stock by the Pataneers: But his wife, the sister of the queen
of Patane, refused to leave him, going back along with him and her sons,
after having spent all she had instead of getting presents.
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