Indian Antiquary Vol 31

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 20

16
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JAKUARY, 1902.
letter for our lord the king in order that Malaca might be delivered up to them, the tenor of which is this, according to the translation de verbo ad verbum of another that the mandarins wrote in Chinese, that it might be made from it, of which they wrote three of this tenor, which was to be conveyed to our lord the king, to the governor, and the other to the captain of Malaca: -
"Quenhiçi and Ohigi73 mandarins heard say that the forces of the Firingis had seized Malaca. They wrote a letter to the king of China of how it had been seized and plundered and mach people killed; and the king wrote to the mandarins of Cantão that a council should be held regarding this. After this letter there came another from the king of Malaca which Tuão Mafame" the ambassador brought, which was given to the king of China, which reported in the following manner: The Firingi robbers with great boldness came to Malaca with many men and took the country and destroyed it and killed much people and plundered them and captivated others, and the rest of the people that remain are under the [f. 110] authority of the Firingis, on account of which the king who was of Malaca has a sad heart oppressed with great fear. He took the seal of the king of China and fled to Bentão, where he is; and my brothers and relations fled to other countries. The ambassador of the king of Portugal who is in the country of China is false: he does not come in truth but comes to deceive the country of China. In order that the king of China may show favor to the king of Malaca with heart oppressed he sends a present and begs for help and men in order that his country may be restored to him.' This letter was given to Libo,75 who is the bearer of this." Libo reported that the country of the Firingis must be a small affair bordering on the sea; for since the world was made there had never come to the country of China an ambassador from such a country. The country of Malaca has the fome and seal of China and of submission to it. Libo departed and delivered the letter to the king. The dispatch:
"The king of China sends a letter to the grandees of Cantão that they receive no ambassador from Portugal. The letter of the king of Portugal has been burnt. The ambassador and his company have already been questioned as to how Malaca was taken. Do not let him go. Send a letter to the king of Portugal that he may know it, and his mandarins that they may know it at once, and may deliver Malaca to the said king of Malaca, as the king of Malaca delivered up Malaca and the people, just as they took them from the king of Malaca, and as the king of Malaca delivered them up. They might let the ambassador go; and if Malaca was not delivered up to the said king another council must be held."
This letter came from the king of China to the tutão and comqom and choupim of Cantão, who sent it to the genhituçi, the poohançi and the anchagi, who hold the seal, to the haytao and pio, and to the other mandarins, that they summon Tuão Healie77 the ambassador of the king of Malaca, and that he be questioned. He told the mandarins that much people of the Firingis had taken from him his country Malaca; that this was the truth. The mandarins held a council, and ordered that the ambassador of the king of Portugal should write a truthful letter, and that it should be given to Tuão [f. 110v] Alemançet's the ambassador of the king of Malaca, who should take it to Malaca and thence go to the king of Portugal, that he might deliver up and return to him his country and people into his power, just as they had taken them from him, and also to Tuão Mefamet; and that then they should order the ambassador of the king of Portugal to go as soon as there should come a letter from the king of Malaca to the king of China, that they had delivered up to him his country and his people; and if the king of Portugal should not deliver up the country of Malaca to his king, and no letter should come to the country of China of the surrender, that they should not allow the ambassador to go, and another council must be held. Being in this prison, the mandarins sent a letter in Chinese that it might be done into Portuguese, of which three were made; one for our lord the king, another for the governor, and another for the captain of Malaca, and they were given into the hands of the anchagi on the first day of October of the year 1522.
16 Tuan Muhammad.
1 Lipa
1 Kwan-hea as and Wd-hen '?
Chinese fung, to seal; also, an set of appointment to a dependeney. Tuan All. Tuan All Muhammad.