Chapter PAWN to PEDIR of P by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

and allies, particularly including therein the Rajahs of Tanjore and Travencore, who are friends and allies to the English and the

Carnatic Payen Ghaut.”—Treaty of Mangalore, in Munro’s Narr., 252.

1785.—“You write that the European taken prisoner in the Pâyen-ghaut…being skilled in the mortar practice, you propose converting him to the faith.…It is known (or understood).”—Letters of Tippoo, p. 12.

PAZEND, s. See for meaning of this term s.v. Pahlavi, in connection with Zend. (See also quotation from Mas’udi under latter.)

PECUL, PIKOL, s. Malay and Javanese pikul, ‘a man’s load.’ It is applied as the Malay name of the Chinese weight of 100 katis (see CATTY), called by the Chinese themselves shih, and = 133 1/3 lb. avoird. Another authority states that the shih is = 120 kin or katis, whilst the 100 kin weight is called in Chinese tan.

1554.—“In China 1 tael weighs 7½ tanga larins of silver, and 16 taels = 1 caté (see CATTY); 100 catés = 1 pico = 45 tangas of silver weigh 1 mark, and therefore 1 pico = 133½ arratels (see ROTTLE).”—A. Nunes, 41.

” “And in China anything is sold and bought by cates and picos and taels, provisions as well as all other things.”—Ibid. 42.

1613.—“Bantam pepper vngarbled…was worth here at our comming tenne Tayes the Peccull which is one hundred cattees, making one hundred thirtie pound English subtill.”—Saris, in Purchas, i. 369.

[1616.—“The wood we have sold at divers prices from 24 to 28 mas per Picoll.”—Foster, Letters, iv. 259.]

PEDIR, n.p. The name of a port and State of the north coast of Sumatra. Barros says that, before the establishment of Malacca, Pedir was the greatest and most famous of the States on that island. It is now a place of no consequence.

1498.—It is named as Pater in the Roteiro of Vasco da Gama, but with very incorrect information. See p. 113.

1510.—“We took a junk and went towards Sumatra, to a city called Pider.…In this country there grows a great quantity of pepper, and of long pepper which is called Molaga…in this port there are laden with it every year 18 or 20 ships, all of which go to Cathai.”—Varthema, 233.

1511.—“And having anchored before the said Pedir, the Captain General (Alboquerque) sent for me, and told me that I should go ashore to learn the disposition of the people…and so I went ashore in the evening, the General thus sending me into a country of enemies,—people too whose vessels and goods we had seized, whose fathers, sons, and brothers we had killed;—into a country where even among themselves there is little justice, and treachery in plenty, still more as regards strangers; truly he acted as caring little what became of me!…The answer given me was this: that I should tell the Captain Major General that the city of Pedir had been for a long time noble and great in trade…that its port was always free for every man to come and go in security…that they were men and not women, and that they could hold for no friend one who seized the ships visiting their harbours; and that if the General desired the King’s friendship let him give back what he had seized, and then his people might come ashore to buy and sell.”—Letter of Giov. da Empoli, in Archiv. Stor. Ital. 54.

1516.—“The Moors live in the seaports, and the Gentiles in the interior (of Sumatra). The principal kingdom of the Moors is called Pedir. Much very good pepper grows in it, which is not so strong or so fine as that of Malabar. Much silk is also grown there, but not so good as the silk of China.”—Barbosa, 196.

1538.—“Furthermore I told him what course was usually held for the fishing of seed-pearl between Pullo Tiquos and Pullo Quenim, which in time past were carried by the Bataes to Pazem (see PASEI) and Pedir, and exchanged with the Turks of the Straight of Mecqua, and the Ships of Judaa (see JUDEA) for such Merchandise as they brought from Grand Cairo.”—Pinto (in Cogan), 25.

1553.—“After the foundation of Malaca, and especially after our entrance to the Indies, the Kingdom of Pacem began to increase, and that of Pedir to wane. And its neighbour of Achem, which was then insignificant, is now the greatest of all, so vast are the vicissitudes in States of which men make so great account.”—Barros, iii. v. 1.

1615.—“Articles exhibited against John Oxwicke. That since his being in Peedere ‘he did not entreate’ anything for Priaman and Tecoe, but only an answer to King James’s letter.…”—Sainsbury, i. 411.

„ “Pedeare.”—Ibid. p. 415.