Java

Sources from old books

1652. Cosmographie in four bookes by Peter Heylyn. OF THE ORIENTAL ILANDS.

OPposite to Borneo towards the South lie the Isles of JAVA, two in number; both situate South of the Aequator, both of great Circumference, and commonly distinguished into Major and Minor, or the Greater and the Lesser Java.

1. JAVA-MAJOR, the more North-ward of the two, and by much the bigger, is said to be in compass 3000 miles, and that by them who elsewhere reckon Borneo for the biggest of these Seas. But the truth is, that the South-parts of this Iland not being perfectly discovered make the ameasurement thereof to be very uncertain. Conceived most probably to be the Jabadiu of Ptolomy, the most Northern part whereof is placed by him in the 8th Degree of Southern Latitude: said by him to afford much gold and silver, to be exceeding fruitfull of all other necessaries; and finally that the name did signifie 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or the Iland of Barley. All which agreeth punctually with the present Iland, the word, Jabad sig∣nifying a kind of grain much like our Barley, and Diu in the Persian and Indian tongues signifying an I∣land. And so in Jabadiu, we have found the Iland of Iava, the mutation of B. into V. being very or∣dinary.

Then for the riches and fertility of it, it is said to yield great plenty of fruits, and com, but of Rice especi∣ally; flesh of all sorts, salted and sent from hence into other Countries; great store of fowl, both wild and tame; plenty of gold, some precious Stones, and the best kind of brass; silks in abundance, and great quantities of pepper, ginger, Cinnamon, and some other spices. In a word so befriended by the bounty of nature, that Scaliger calleth it Epitome Mundi, or the whole World contracted in a lesser Volume, But withall it is much exposed unto storms and tempests, from which seldome free.

The people of a midle Stature, corpulent, and of broad faces, most of them naked or covered onely with a slight silken stuff, and that no lower than the knee: accompted the most Civill people of all the Indians, as fetching their descent from China: but withall treacherous, very proud, much given to ly∣ing, and very careless of their words, to which so used, that they count it not amongst their Faults. And therefore when a king of theirs had broke promise with the Hollanders, and was challenged for it, he an∣swered that his tongue was not made of bone. Cruel they are also said to be, and implacable, if once offended: accustomed of old to eat the bodies of their friends: accounting no buriall so honourable; nor ob∣sequy, so applausive. This also a custome amongst many of the rest of the Indians, and so hath been e∣ver since the beginning of the Persian Monarchy. Herodoius reporteth how Darius Hystaspis understan∣ding of this custome, and withall knowing how the Grecians use to burn their dead; sent to the Greeks, that it was his pleasure they should eat the bodies of their dead: But they used all means of perswasion and entreaty, not to be forced to so bruitish and barbarous a custome. Then commanded he the Indians, to conform themselves to the fashion of the Graecians; but they all more abhorred to burn the dead, than the Greeks did to eat them. So impossible is it for a custome either to be suddenly left off, or to seem undecent and inconvenient, if once thorowly settled.

In matter of Religion they are all Mahometans or Gentiles, according to the fancy of their severall Kings, whereof in this Iland there are very many, one for every great Tribe, or more powerfull Family. Zealous in their Religion which soever it be, as appears by the sad story of the daughter of the King of Ballambua, murdered by her husband the King of Passarva, the second night after her wedding, with all her Attendants, because they would not be Mahometans, which was his Religion. Yet in some common Principles they agree well enough, punishing Adulery with death; in which case the woman chooseth her neerest kinsman for her Executioner: but otherwise spending day and night in much sloth and dalliance. Of the two, Gentilism is the mo•e diffused, because most antient; the Sect of Mahomet not being intro∣duced till the year 1560. though of a very swift growth, and of a great increase for so short a time.

Their chief Towns, 1. Pa•aruaan, neer a burning hill, which in the year 1586. break forth exceed∣ingly, oppressed infinite numbers of men, and cast great stones into the City for three dayes together. 2. ••ctam, a Town of 1000 Housholds, the Inhabitants whereof are Gentiles, and have their Temples in the Woods: the Chief-Priest of whose superstition hath his dwelling here, of great authority and power over all the Iland. 3. Ballambua, 4. Passarva, 5. Taban, 6. Matara, 7. Daum•, 8. Taggal, 9. Surrabaia, 10. Catabaon; the Seats of so many of their Kings; some of them also furnished of con∣venient Havens. 11 BANIAM, the seat also of a King, but of most trade in all the Iland, seldome with∣out the company of English, Portugals, and Hollanders; the principall Factory of the English in all the Indies, though they have many besides this. The Town unwholesomely seated in a moorish ground, and much subject to fire. 12. Sund•, situate in a place abounding in pepper. 13. Agracan, a convenient Port; Here was also in the time of Ptolomy a Town called 14. Argyropolis, or the Silver City, long ago destroyed. And now there is, 15. Sura, a new Town in the territories of the King of Bantam, built by some of the Subjects of the King of Passarva, who being oppressed by their own King, came into this part of the Country, where they go• leave to build this City. The people whereof live quietly according to their own Laws, follow their Husbandry abroad, but never marry; and yet do not want a constant Suc∣cession, adopting some of the other Javans into their Society, as they find their numbers to dimi∣nish.

Of the story of this Iland I can say but litle. Divided into many petit and inconsiderable Kingdoms; and those divided too by Mountains; crossing the Iland in the middle from West to East, which cut off all com∣merce and correspondence betwixt one another. Some of these Kings Mahometans, some Gentiles, as be∣fore was said; all subject or Homagers at least to one of the Kings of the Gentiles, who hath his dwel∣ling in the middest of the Iland. Next him, the King of Tub•n was conceived to be richest, and the King of Ballambua of the greatest territory, whose Family, after long warre and blood-shed, begun in the mur∣der of his daughter, is said to be wholly rooted out by the King of Passarva. These Kings much reverenced by their subjects, and so well obeyed, that whatsoever they command, is done, be it ne∣ver so dangerous.

2. IAVA-MINOR, situate on the South of the other, is said to be 2000 miles in compass, and to be very neer the firm land of Terra Australis in•ognita, or the Southern Continent. Not very well known to any of our late Adventurers; but generally affirmed (not so much on certain knowledge as unsure con∣jecture) to be of the same nature and condition with the greater Iava. The Inhabitants hereof in the time of Paulus Venetus, who had travelled in it, reported to be Cannib•ls, Idolaters, devourers of their Pa∣rents and dearest friends, and to worship all day whatsover they saw first in the morning. Divided then into eight Kingdoms, distinguished by the names of their principall Towns. Six whereof he had seen, which are these that follow. 1. Felech, where the Townsmen were Moor•s, and the Paisants Gentiles. 2. Basma, which did acknowledge the Great-Cham of Tartaria for Lord in chief; but without paying of any tribute. 3. Samara, where none of the North-Stars could be seen. 4. Lambri, in which some men were said to have tails like dogs. 5. Fanfur, in which they have a Tree, the wood whereof put in water, will sink like iron; of which they use to make Launces that will pierce an Armour. And 6. Dragorian, of which there is nothing memorable or prodigious, but that the people of it use to eat their neerest kinsmen; and that no Prodigie at all, because used by others.

To these two we may joyn MADVRA, on the North of the greater Iava, fertile of Rice, but otherwise of so waterish and moist a Soyl, that the men and Cattel use to go knee-deep when they sow it. The chief Town whereof is called Arosbay. And on the East of the same Iava the Iland Baly, exceeding populous for the bigness, supposed to contain 600000 Inhabitants; and very well provided of Buls, Buf∣fais, Goats, Horses, Swine, many kind of fruits, and some store of metals.