The people very stout and warlike, especially for Foot-service, though they have many horses here, and
those fit for warre. Well-practised on their Peeces also, on which they spend great store of powder, but
not so much in warre, as in sports and triumphs: yet making much more than they spend, the earth in some
parts yielding very fit materials for that commodity. Trained up to Manufactures, especially to the mak∣ing
of Powder, S••lks, and Porcell••ne, which they sell to the Chinese. Idolaters, for the most part, as
〈…〉〈…〉 whose Characters and language they also use: but so that there appear some inclinati∣ons
unto Christianity, in many of them, who have erected many Crosses, and do admit the pictures of
the Blessed Virgin, and the finall judgement. Men not unlikely to have made a further Progress in the
Gospel, if they had met with better Teachers than these Laymens books.
The chief City hereof is called Cauchin-China by the name of the Province, situate on a River coming out
of China; and passing hence into the bottom of a large and capacious Bay. The whole Country divided
into three Provinces, and as many Kings, over which one Paramount: but he and they the Tributaries of
the King of China. Belonging hereunto is a little Iland called Ainao, ten miles from the land, where
the Inhabitants have a great trade of fishing for Pearls The onely Province of the Indies, which is wholly
subject to the power of a forein Prince; the Portugals holding in this Continent many Towns and Cities,
but no whole Provinces.