I was dissatisfied with my abortive Maluku TL, so here's another try. Dunno where I'm going with this. This will probably be a short timeline, focusing solely on eastern Indonesia for maybe a generation. I'm not planning very far ahead, but I'll try to update every week or two (no definitive promises, though).
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From The World Encompassed by Sir Francis Drake (or see partial Modern English translation below):[1]
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From The World Encompassed by Sir Francis Drake (or see partial Modern English translation below):[1]
The 14. of November we fell in with the Islands of Maluco, which day at night in coasting along the island of Mutyr, belonging to the King of Ternate, his Deputie or Vice-King seeing us at sea, came with his ionco (so the Indians call a ship) to us without all feare, and came aboard; and after some conference with our Generall [Francis Drake], willed him in any wise to runne in with Ternate, assuring him that the King would be glad of his comming, because hee held the Papist as his enemie, having expelled them from Maluco and from Amboyne: for which purpose he himselfe would that night be with the King, and tell him the newes, with whom, if he once dealt, hee should finde that as he was a King, so his word should stand: whereupon our Generall resolved to run in with Ternate, where the next morning early we came to anchor, at which time our Generall sent a messenger to the King with a velvet cloke for a present, and token of his comming to be in peace, and that he required nothing but traffique and exchange of marchandize, whereof he had good store, in such things as he wanted.
In the meane time the Vice-King had bene with the King according to his promise, signifying unto him what good things he might receive from us by traffique: whereby the king was mooved with great liking towards us, and sent to our Generall with speciall message, that hee should have what things he needed, and would require with peace and friendship, and moreover that hee and his Island would be well pleased to bee the friend and brother of so famous a prince as we served. In token whereof he sent our Generall a signet, and within short time after dispatched a certain Venetian, with ioncos and canoas to our ship, to bring her into a better and safer roade than she was in at that present.
In the meane time, our Generalls messenger beeing come to the court, was met by certain noble personnages with great solemnitie, and brought to the King, at whose hands hee was friendly and graciously intertained.
The King purposing to assign a great Mandarin, named Giocugo, to come to our ship, sent before six great and large ioncos, on top of every one whereof were certaine of his states that were about him, attired in white Chinese silk, having over their heads, from the one ende of the ionco to the other, a covering of blue silk, borne up with a frame made of perfumed reeds for the same use, under which every one did sit in his order according to his dignitie, to keepe him from the heate of the Sunne, divers of whom being of good age and gravitie, did make an ancient and fatherly shew. There were also divers yong and comely men attired in white, as were the others: the rest were souldiers all dressed in crimson robes, which stood in comely order round about on both sides, armed as they all were with the sword on the left and the caliver on the right: the souldiers of the King of Ternate being slaves and living solely for war. High above the silk covering rose great sails, flat and wide and long.
These ioncos were furnished with warlike munition, every man without exception having his sword and caliver, with the dagger on the arm, beside other weapons, as targets, launces, darts, bowes, and arrowes: also every ionco had four cannon of some size, looking very formidably.
Thus comming neere our shippe with their wide sails, one after another, the ioncos passing by, made themselves known with great solemnitie; the great personnages beginning with great gravitie and fatherly countenances, signifying that their King had sent them to conduct our ship into a better roade. Soon after Giocugo repaired, accompanied with an Italian and some grave and ancient Turks, who also made their greetings. Giocugo was a man of stout stature, and seemed to be much delighted with the sound of our musicke, to whom, as also to all the men accompanying him, our Generall gave presents, wherewith they were passing well contented.
Giocugo then taking leave to depart, in the meane time sent us such victuals as were necessary for our provision, these being the compensations for our gifts: so that the same night we received of them meale, rice from the Island of Java, which the Malucans buy in great quantities yeer after yeer, as well as fish, hennes, fine sugar, a fruit they call Figo, and a sort of cake of coco, for the most part spiced with cloves, nutmegs, etc., etc. The victuals were indeed delectable, instructing that this race had mastered the art of the kitchen as of war. There was also the corne of America, which we received with great surprise, not fathoming how such a grain could have come to Ternate.
The Malucans thinking it inauspicious that a noble Mandarin as Giocugo should come aboord, sent an officer to make their excuse, and to intreate our Generall to come on shoare. Whereunto our Generall consented not, conceived of the potential dangers, the whole company also utterly refusing it. But to satisfie him, our Generall sent certaine of his gentlemen to the court, to accompany the officer. They were received of a corpulent Turke, and other states, and were conducted in great honour to the castle, whereupon the walls were all bristling with gunnes. The place that they were brought unto, was a large and fare house, where were at the least 2000 persons assembled.
The King being yet absent, there sat in their places a hundred grave personnages, said to be of the Kings Counsel. The corpulent Turke taking his seat, there were besides him ten grave persons, apparelled all in red, downe to the ground, and attired on their heads like the Turkes; and these were said to be Romanes, and Ligiers there to keep continual traffique with the people of Ternate. And there were also a dozen Malays Ligiers in this place, as well as very many Javans Turkes, Indians, Persians, Chinese, Japanese, and two Italians, all attired in the customary dress of their nation. Behind them sat a many great number of men, all in silver, these being the merchants of the land: these merchants being very opulent, for the vessels of the Malucans trade even to Malacca. The King at last came in, guarded by two dozen launces covered over with a rich canopy, all threaded in golde. Our men, accompanied with one of their captains, called Moro, rising to meete him, he graciously did welcome and intertaine them. He was attired after the manner of the countrey, but all in golde, the Malucans holding that golde ought to be reserved for the King. From his shoulders down to the ground, was all clothe of golde, and the same very rich, being imbroidered with exquisitely crafted patterns: his legges were bare, but on his feete were a pair of shooes, made of Cordouan skinne. In the attire of his head were finely wreathed hooped rings of gold, on which were divers gems and stones, all shining like the light of the Sunne, and about his necke he had a chaine of perfect golde, the linkes whereof were great, and one fold double. On each of his fingers he had a very fair jewel, and sitting in his chaire of estate, a golden throne beautified with the porcelain of China, at his right hand stood a powerful Negro page with a fanne in his hand, breathing and gathering the ayre to the King. The fanne was in length two foote, and in breadth one foote, set with eleven saphyres, richly imbroidered, and knit to a staffe four foote in length, by which the Negro did hold and moove it. Our gentlemen having delivered their message, and received order accordingly, were licensed to depart, being safely conducted back againe by one of the Italians.
This Island is the chiefest of all the Islands of the eastern Indies, wherein the King hereof is King of two hundred Islands. The King with his people are Moores in religion, observing certaine new Moones, with fasting: during which fasts, they neither eat nor drinke in the day, but in the night. There are many Moorish priests hereabout, who preach incessantly against the Portugais, and turn the heathen to the Moor.
A Modern English translation (while remaining faithful to the original as far as possible):In the meane time the Vice-King had bene with the King according to his promise, signifying unto him what good things he might receive from us by traffique: whereby the king was mooved with great liking towards us, and sent to our Generall with speciall message, that hee should have what things he needed, and would require with peace and friendship, and moreover that hee and his Island would be well pleased to bee the friend and brother of so famous a prince as we served. In token whereof he sent our Generall a signet, and within short time after dispatched a certain Venetian, with ioncos and canoas to our ship, to bring her into a better and safer roade than she was in at that present.
In the meane time, our Generalls messenger beeing come to the court, was met by certain noble personnages with great solemnitie, and brought to the King, at whose hands hee was friendly and graciously intertained.
The King purposing to assign a great Mandarin, named Giocugo, to come to our ship, sent before six great and large ioncos, on top of every one whereof were certaine of his states that were about him, attired in white Chinese silk, having over their heads, from the one ende of the ionco to the other, a covering of blue silk, borne up with a frame made of perfumed reeds for the same use, under which every one did sit in his order according to his dignitie, to keepe him from the heate of the Sunne, divers of whom being of good age and gravitie, did make an ancient and fatherly shew. There were also divers yong and comely men attired in white, as were the others: the rest were souldiers all dressed in crimson robes, which stood in comely order round about on both sides, armed as they all were with the sword on the left and the caliver on the right: the souldiers of the King of Ternate being slaves and living solely for war. High above the silk covering rose great sails, flat and wide and long.
These ioncos were furnished with warlike munition, every man without exception having his sword and caliver, with the dagger on the arm, beside other weapons, as targets, launces, darts, bowes, and arrowes: also every ionco had four cannon of some size, looking very formidably.
Thus comming neere our shippe with their wide sails, one after another, the ioncos passing by, made themselves known with great solemnitie; the great personnages beginning with great gravitie and fatherly countenances, signifying that their King had sent them to conduct our ship into a better roade. Soon after Giocugo repaired, accompanied with an Italian and some grave and ancient Turks, who also made their greetings. Giocugo was a man of stout stature, and seemed to be much delighted with the sound of our musicke, to whom, as also to all the men accompanying him, our Generall gave presents, wherewith they were passing well contented.
Giocugo then taking leave to depart, in the meane time sent us such victuals as were necessary for our provision, these being the compensations for our gifts: so that the same night we received of them meale, rice from the Island of Java, which the Malucans buy in great quantities yeer after yeer, as well as fish, hennes, fine sugar, a fruit they call Figo, and a sort of cake of coco, for the most part spiced with cloves, nutmegs, etc., etc. The victuals were indeed delectable, instructing that this race had mastered the art of the kitchen as of war. There was also the corne of America, which we received with great surprise, not fathoming how such a grain could have come to Ternate.
The Malucans thinking it inauspicious that a noble Mandarin as Giocugo should come aboord, sent an officer to make their excuse, and to intreate our Generall to come on shoare. Whereunto our Generall consented not, conceived of the potential dangers, the whole company also utterly refusing it. But to satisfie him, our Generall sent certaine of his gentlemen to the court, to accompany the officer. They were received of a corpulent Turke, and other states, and were conducted in great honour to the castle, whereupon the walls were all bristling with gunnes. The place that they were brought unto, was a large and fare house, where were at the least 2000 persons assembled.
The King being yet absent, there sat in their places a hundred grave personnages, said to be of the Kings Counsel. The corpulent Turke taking his seat, there were besides him ten grave persons, apparelled all in red, downe to the ground, and attired on their heads like the Turkes; and these were said to be Romanes, and Ligiers there to keep continual traffique with the people of Ternate. And there were also a dozen Malays Ligiers in this place, as well as very many Javans Turkes, Indians, Persians, Chinese, Japanese, and two Italians, all attired in the customary dress of their nation. Behind them sat a many great number of men, all in silver, these being the merchants of the land: these merchants being very opulent, for the vessels of the Malucans trade even to Malacca. The King at last came in, guarded by two dozen launces covered over with a rich canopy, all threaded in golde. Our men, accompanied with one of their captains, called Moro, rising to meete him, he graciously did welcome and intertaine them. He was attired after the manner of the countrey, but all in golde, the Malucans holding that golde ought to be reserved for the King. From his shoulders down to the ground, was all clothe of golde, and the same very rich, being imbroidered with exquisitely crafted patterns: his legges were bare, but on his feete were a pair of shooes, made of Cordouan skinne. In the attire of his head were finely wreathed hooped rings of gold, on which were divers gems and stones, all shining like the light of the Sunne, and about his necke he had a chaine of perfect golde, the linkes whereof were great, and one fold double. On each of his fingers he had a very fair jewel, and sitting in his chaire of estate, a golden throne beautified with the porcelain of China, at his right hand stood a powerful Negro page with a fanne in his hand, breathing and gathering the ayre to the King. The fanne was in length two foote, and in breadth one foote, set with eleven saphyres, richly imbroidered, and knit to a staffe four foote in length, by which the Negro did hold and moove it. Our gentlemen having delivered their message, and received order accordingly, were licensed to depart, being safely conducted back againe by one of the Italians.
This Island is the chiefest of all the Islands of the eastern Indies, wherein the King hereof is King of two hundred Islands. The King with his people are Moores in religion, observing certaine new Moones, with fasting: during which fasts, they neither eat nor drinke in the day, but in the night. There are many Moorish priests hereabout, who preach incessantly against the Portugais, and turn the heathen to the Moor.
The 14. of November we arrived in the Islands of Maluco, and while sailing day and night along the island of Mutyr, belonging to the King of Ternate, the King's Deputy or Vice-King saw us at sea, approached us on his junk (so the Indians call a ship) without any fear, and came aboard. After a conference with our General [Francis Drake], the Deputy told us to go to Ternate under all circumstances, assuring the General that the King would be glad of our arrival since he held the Papist as his enemy (having expelled them from Maluco and from Amboyne). So that we were well-treated, the Vice-King himself would go to the King of Ternate that night and tell him the news, and we should find that as the King was a King, his word should stand. So our General resolved to go to Ternate, where the next morning early we came to anchor. Then our General sent a messenger to the King of Ternate with a velvet cloak as a present and a token of his coming in peace, saying that he required nothing but trade and exchange of merchandise, of which he had good store in such things as the King wanted.
In the meantime the Vice-King had been with the King according to his promise, telling him what good things he might receive from us by trade. So the King was moved with great liking towards us and sent someone to our General with a special message: that our General should have what things he needed and required with peace and friendship, and moreover that the King and his Island would be well pleased to be the friend and brother of so famous a prince as we served. In token of this he sent our General a seal. Soon after he dispatched a certain Venetian to our ship with junks and canoes, as to bring our ship into a better and safer place than she was in at that moment.
In the meantime, our General's messenger was come to the court, was met by certain noble persons with great solemnity, and brought to the King, at whose hands he was amicably and graciously entertained.
The King having decided to assign a great Mandarin, named Giocugo, to come to our ship, he sent six great and large junks beforehand. On top of every one of them were some of his statesmen who normally accompanied the King, attired in white Chinese silk and having a covering of blue silk, held up by a frame made of perfumed reeds, over their heads from one end of the junk to the other. Under this covering everyone sat in his order according to his dignity to keep themselves from the heat of the Sun, and since many of them were of good age and gravity, this made an ancient and fatherly show. There were also many young and comely men attired in white, as were the others; the rest were soldiers all dressed in crimson robes, who stood in comely order round about on both sides, armed as they all were with the sword on the left and the caliver on the right. The soldiers of the King of Ternate were slaves and lived solely for war. High above the silk covering rose great sails, flat and wide and long.
These junks were furnished with warlike munition, every man without exception having his sword and caliver, with the dagger on the arm, beside other weapons, such as targets, lances, darts, bows, and arrows. Also, every junk had four cannon of considerable size, looking very formidable.
Thus coming near our ship with their wide sails, one after another, the junks made themselves known with great solemnity as they passed by. The great nobles began with great gravity and fatherly countenances, telling us that their King had sent them to conduct our ship into a better place. Soon after Giocugo arrived, accompanied with an Italian and some grave and ancient Turks, who also made their greetings. Giocugo was a man of stout stature, and seemed to be much delighted with the sound of our music. Our General gave presents to him and to all the men accompanying him, wherewith they seemed well contented.
Giocugo then took leave to depart, in the meantime sending us such victuals as were necessary for our provision, these being the compensations for our gifts. So the same night we received meals from them: rice from the Island of Java which the Malucans buy in great quantities year after year, as well as fish, hens, fine sugar, a fruit they call Figo, and a sort of cake of coco, for the most part spiced with cloves, nutmegs, etc., etc. The victuals were indeed delectable, instructing us that this race had mastered the art of the kitchen as of war. There was also the corn of America which we received with great surprise, not understanding how such a grain could have come to Ternate.
The Malucans thinking it inauspicious that a noble Mandarin such as Giocugo should come aboard, they sent an officer to make their excuses and to entreat our General to come ashore. Our General did not consent to this, imagining the potential dangers, and the whole company also utterly refused it. But to satisfy him, our General sent some of his gentlemen to the court to accompany the officer. They were received by a corpulent Turk and other statesmen and were conducted in great honour to the castle, the walls of which were all bristling with guns. The place that they were brought to was a large and fair house, where at least 2000 persons were assembled.
The King was yet absent, but there sat in their places a hundred grave people, said to be those of the King's Council. The corpulent Turk took his seat, and there were besides him ten grave people, dressed all in red down to the ground and attired on their heads like the Turks; these were said to be Romans, trade agents there to ensure continual trade with the people of Ternate. And there were also a dozen Malays as trade agents in this place, as well as very many Javanese, Turks, Indians, Persians, Chinese, Japanese, and two Italians, all attired in the customary dress of their nation. Behind them sat a many great number of men, all wearing silver robes, these being the merchants of the land who are very rich, for the vessels of the Malucans trade even to Malacca. The King at last came in, guarded with two dozen lances covered by a rich canopy of gold thread. Our men, accompanied with one of the Ternaten captains, called Moro, rose to meet him, and the King graciously welcomed and entertained them. He was attired after the manner of the country, but all in gold, the Malucans holding that gold ought to be reserved for the King. From his shoulders down to the ground was all very rich golden cloth, embroidered with exquisitely crafted patterns. His legs were bare, but on his feet were a pair of shoes made of Cordoban skin. As for the attire of his head, there were finely wreathed hooped rings of gold on which were diverse gems and stones, all shining like the light of the Sun, and about his neck he had a chain of perfect gold with many links and one double fold. On each of his fingers he had a very fair jewel, and as he sat in his chair of state, a golden throne beautified with the porcelain of China, at his right hand stood a powerful Negro page with a fan in his hand, breathing and gathering the air to the King. The fan was in length two feet and in breadth one feet, set with eleven sapphires, richly embroidered, and knit to a staff four feet in length, by which the Negro held and moved it. Our gentlemen having delivered their message and received order accordingly, they were licensed to depart, being safely conducted back again by one of the Italians.
This Island is the chiefest of all the Islands of the eastern Indies, and so the King hereof is King of two hundred Islands. The King and his people are Moors in religion, observing certain new Moons with fasting: during which fasts they neither eat nor drink in the day, but in the night. There are many Moorish priests hereabout, who preach incessantly against the Portuguese and turn the heathen to the Moor.
In the meantime the Vice-King had been with the King according to his promise, telling him what good things he might receive from us by trade. So the King was moved with great liking towards us and sent someone to our General with a special message: that our General should have what things he needed and required with peace and friendship, and moreover that the King and his Island would be well pleased to be the friend and brother of so famous a prince as we served. In token of this he sent our General a seal. Soon after he dispatched a certain Venetian to our ship with junks and canoes, as to bring our ship into a better and safer place than she was in at that moment.
In the meantime, our General's messenger was come to the court, was met by certain noble persons with great solemnity, and brought to the King, at whose hands he was amicably and graciously entertained.
The King having decided to assign a great Mandarin, named Giocugo, to come to our ship, he sent six great and large junks beforehand. On top of every one of them were some of his statesmen who normally accompanied the King, attired in white Chinese silk and having a covering of blue silk, held up by a frame made of perfumed reeds, over their heads from one end of the junk to the other. Under this covering everyone sat in his order according to his dignity to keep themselves from the heat of the Sun, and since many of them were of good age and gravity, this made an ancient and fatherly show. There were also many young and comely men attired in white, as were the others; the rest were soldiers all dressed in crimson robes, who stood in comely order round about on both sides, armed as they all were with the sword on the left and the caliver on the right. The soldiers of the King of Ternate were slaves and lived solely for war. High above the silk covering rose great sails, flat and wide and long.
These junks were furnished with warlike munition, every man without exception having his sword and caliver, with the dagger on the arm, beside other weapons, such as targets, lances, darts, bows, and arrows. Also, every junk had four cannon of considerable size, looking very formidable.
Thus coming near our ship with their wide sails, one after another, the junks made themselves known with great solemnity as they passed by. The great nobles began with great gravity and fatherly countenances, telling us that their King had sent them to conduct our ship into a better place. Soon after Giocugo arrived, accompanied with an Italian and some grave and ancient Turks, who also made their greetings. Giocugo was a man of stout stature, and seemed to be much delighted with the sound of our music. Our General gave presents to him and to all the men accompanying him, wherewith they seemed well contented.
Giocugo then took leave to depart, in the meantime sending us such victuals as were necessary for our provision, these being the compensations for our gifts. So the same night we received meals from them: rice from the Island of Java which the Malucans buy in great quantities year after year, as well as fish, hens, fine sugar, a fruit they call Figo, and a sort of cake of coco, for the most part spiced with cloves, nutmegs, etc., etc. The victuals were indeed delectable, instructing us that this race had mastered the art of the kitchen as of war. There was also the corn of America which we received with great surprise, not understanding how such a grain could have come to Ternate.
The Malucans thinking it inauspicious that a noble Mandarin such as Giocugo should come aboard, they sent an officer to make their excuses and to entreat our General to come ashore. Our General did not consent to this, imagining the potential dangers, and the whole company also utterly refused it. But to satisfy him, our General sent some of his gentlemen to the court to accompany the officer. They were received by a corpulent Turk and other statesmen and were conducted in great honour to the castle, the walls of which were all bristling with guns. The place that they were brought to was a large and fair house, where at least 2000 persons were assembled.
The King was yet absent, but there sat in their places a hundred grave people, said to be those of the King's Council. The corpulent Turk took his seat, and there were besides him ten grave people, dressed all in red down to the ground and attired on their heads like the Turks; these were said to be Romans, trade agents there to ensure continual trade with the people of Ternate. And there were also a dozen Malays as trade agents in this place, as well as very many Javanese, Turks, Indians, Persians, Chinese, Japanese, and two Italians, all attired in the customary dress of their nation. Behind them sat a many great number of men, all wearing silver robes, these being the merchants of the land who are very rich, for the vessels of the Malucans trade even to Malacca. The King at last came in, guarded with two dozen lances covered by a rich canopy of gold thread. Our men, accompanied with one of the Ternaten captains, called Moro, rose to meet him, and the King graciously welcomed and entertained them. He was attired after the manner of the country, but all in gold, the Malucans holding that gold ought to be reserved for the King. From his shoulders down to the ground was all very rich golden cloth, embroidered with exquisitely crafted patterns. His legs were bare, but on his feet were a pair of shoes made of Cordoban skin. As for the attire of his head, there were finely wreathed hooped rings of gold on which were diverse gems and stones, all shining like the light of the Sun, and about his neck he had a chain of perfect gold with many links and one double fold. On each of his fingers he had a very fair jewel, and as he sat in his chair of state, a golden throne beautified with the porcelain of China, at his right hand stood a powerful Negro page with a fan in his hand, breathing and gathering the air to the King. The fan was in length two feet and in breadth one feet, set with eleven sapphires, richly embroidered, and knit to a staff four feet in length, by which the Negro held and moved it. Our gentlemen having delivered their message and received order accordingly, they were licensed to depart, being safely conducted back again by one of the Italians.
This Island is the chiefest of all the Islands of the eastern Indies, and so the King hereof is King of two hundred Islands. The King and his people are Moors in religion, observing certain new Moons with fasting: during which fasts they neither eat nor drink in the day, but in the night. There are many Moorish priests hereabout, who preach incessantly against the Portuguese and turn the heathen to the Moor.
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[1] Hopefully the Early Modern English was at least somewhat comprehensible! Almost all of the text is from Drake's OTL account, which you can find online for free; the differences are what matters ITTL.
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