Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. II. Cantan described; the publike and priuate buildings and Gouernment. The shipping and Husbandry of China; their contempt of the idle, and prouision for impotent [ 40] poore.

BEing to intreate of the Citie of Cantan, I giue first a warning to the Readers, that a∣mong many Noble Cities, Cantan is one lesse Noble then many of China; and farre inferiour in building then many other: although it be more populous then many; this is said by all them that saw it, and trauelled within the Land, where they saw many other. This aduice presupposed, it is to be noted, that Cantan in his compasse, is of very strong Wals, very well made, and of a good height, and to the sight they seeme almost new, beeing eighteene hundred yeares since they were made,* 1.1 as the Chinas did affirme: they are very cleane [ 50] without any cleft, hole, or rift, or any thing threatning ruine. They are of free stone about a mans height, and from thence vpward of brickes made of a clay like vnto that of the Porcelane Dishes, whence it causeth them to bee so strong, that I building a Chappell in Malaca, one of these (which was brought from China) could scarsly bee broken with a good Pick-axe. Iointly with this there is in this Citie and in all the rest an Officer of the King which onely hath care to ouer-see the Wals, for the which he hath a good stipend. And euery yeare when the Gouer∣nour of the Borders commeth to visit the Prouince, hee doth visit this as well as the other Offi∣cers, to know if he doth well his Office, and finding him in any fault, or negligence, hee is put from his Office, and punished. And if he standeth in need of any expence for the mending of the Walls, the Ouer-seer of the Rents is bound to giue him that which is necessarie, vnder paine, [ 60] that if the mending remayneth vndone, he shall bee well punished. For this cause the Wals of all the Cities are continually kept sound and in good reparation. These Walles are within the Citie little more then the walke of the same Citie in their height, which is the cause of beeing much more cooler. The Wals haue in compasse 12350. paces, and it hath eighty three Bulwarks.

This Citie (and so all the rest) hath on the one side the Riuer, along the which, as well this as the rest are built almost in a Valley;* 1.2 and on the other side they haue a Ditch full of water of a good breadth, betweene the which and the wall remayneth a good distance where there may runne together a good troupe of people, and the Earth that was taken out of the Ditch, was cast betweene it and the wall, whereby the foot of the wall remayneth a great deale higher then the other ground. Besides the ditch, notwithstanding, this wall hath a great blemish, for it hath on the contrarie side to the Riuer without the wals, and the ditch a little, Hillocke that disco∣uereth all the Citie within the wals.

This wall hath seuen gates: the entries of the which are sumptuous and high,* 1.3 strong and [ 10] well made, with Pinacles aboue, not square but made like steps. The other places of the wals haue no Pinacles: the wall at the entring of the gates is twelue paces thicke: the gates are all o∣uer plated with Iron, and all of them haue their draw-bridges very strong,* 1.4 which are alwayes vp, and are neuer let downe, but are ready against they be needfull: all the gates at the entrings haue Courts, and the Courts that are toward the side of the Suburbs, which lyeth along the Ri∣uer haue euery one three gates, one in the front and two on the sides,* 1.5 which remayne for the seruice of streets that lye along the wall, the wals of the Courts are almost of the height of them within: the gate which is in the front in the Court, is like vnto that of the wals within: it hath also a draw-bridge; the gates which are in the side of the Courts are small. The Courts that are on the other-side of the field where no Suburbe is, haue no more but one gate, and this not [ 20] right against that of the wals, but stand on the one side: the streets of the Citie are all drawne by a Line very straight without any manner of making a nooke or winding: all the crosse wayes are as straight as the streets:* 1.6 in sort that there is neyther street nor trauerse that maketh any tur∣ning. All the streets and trauerses are very well paued, the pauements going along the Houses, and lower in the middest for the course of water: the principall streets haue triumphant Ar∣ches which doe crosse them, high and very well made, which make the streets very beautifull, and enoble the Citie: the principall streets haue along the Houses close Portals, in the which and vnder the Arches many things are sold.

The Houses of them which rule the Countrey, are at the entrings very sumptuous,* 1.7 with high Portals, great and well wrought of Masons worke: they haue in the fore-front very great gates [ 30] like the gates of a Citie, with two Giants painted with Clubs in their hands: I saw foure in one Pagode, (which is a Temple of Idols) drawne naturally from some, which they say, the King hath to keepe his weakest passages from Tartaria. They are of great members, of about twelue or thirteene spans high. On the street side it hath right against the principall Porch a * 1.8 re∣ceite not very great. It hath built along the street a good wall of a good height right against the gate, that when the gate is open they that are within may not be gazed on by them that goe by the street: this gate serueth not, neither is it opened but for dispatching of matters of Iustice, and the principall of the House goe in and out at them, and others that are as honourable or more then they: at the one side of this principall gate is another very great gate, but not so big as the principall, which is for the seruice of the House, and of the Prisoners when the principall [ 40] gate is shut: and when this principall gate is shut, they set a glued Paper crosse ouer both the leaues, on which is written the name or firme of the principall of the House, and for to open it againe, an Officer of the House bringeth the same firme or marke on a playstered board to the Porter, that hee may open it, without the which token hee may not open it vnder a great punishment.

Entring by this gate, there is a great Court and almost square, which is almost a Horse-race, and it hath a Gallery little lesse then the length of the gate, which leadeth straight from the gate to a very great Table that stands at the end of the Court, the which is all paued with square stones with leanings as high as a mans waste, and it is high in the entry of the gate,* 1.9 and there remayneth onely one step in the end of it to the Table, and the course in the sides of the Galle∣ry [ 50] is low, that they goe downe to it by steps: this Gallery of the middest is of such respect a∣mong them, that in no wise it is lawfull for any one to passe through it, but onely some of the chiefest of the House, or others as great or greater then they: and those that goe to negotiate with the Officer of the House when they enter in at the gate, they must goe presently to one side, going downe to the Court which hath very great Trees for shaddow, and they goe vp a∣gaine by steps vnto the Table aboue-said, which is at the end of the Court, which is very great. In the end of this Table in all his length there is a step, and within the step a very great walke, all paued with square stones as the Table without it, and very high and all wrought with Ma∣sons worke: in the middest of it leaning to the wall of the front are two Chaires, with two Tables before them, a little distant the one from the other, one of them, which stands on the [ 60] left hand, serueth for the Gouernour of that house, and that of the right hand is void, for if there should come another of a higher dignitie then hee, to sit him downe. To euery one of the sides there are two spaces which runne behind this Gouernour, and are of a good breadth, hauing pla∣ced along the sides of these two spaces in euery one fiue Chaires with fiue Tables before them, and as the distance from them to the principall Gouernour is good, they remayne though behind,

in sight of the principall Gouernour. These serue for ten Assistants which are with the princi∣pall at the dispatching of waightie matters. From these Galleries inward are greate Lodgings, as well for the Gouernour of the House▪ as for the Assistants, and for all the other Ministers and Officers of the House, which are many, as we will shew in their place.

* 1.10On euery side of the Court are very great Prisons and great Lodgings, as well for the Iay∣lours (which also are of great authoritie) as for the Watches that watch by night and by day, but neither these Prisons nor the Chambers of the Ministers of the••, nor the Lodgings of the chiefe of the House are seene outward, for they are serued of all things, the doores shut and haue continually their Porters. There are in Cantan foure of these Houses for foure principall Offi∣cers, and in euery Prouince in the Citie, that is, the Head of the Prouince there are fiue of these Houses: in Cantan there are but foure; for as the Gouernour of Cantan is also Gouernour of Cansi, [ 10] he is not resident in Cantan, but in a Citie that is in the Borders of one of the Prouinces, that the recourse in the Affaires of both the Prouinces may be the easier. Besides, these principall Hou∣ses of the chiefe Gouernours, there are many other in Cantan, the which though they bee not of so great Maiestie as they, they are notwithstanding very great, of other inferiour Officers, and chiefly those of the chiefe Iaylour which are very great. There is on the wals of Cantan, on the contrary side of the Riuer a high Towre all close behind, that they which are in it may not bee seene, nor gazed on from the Hillocke or Mount aforesaid, that was without the wals, and it is built in length along the wall, so that it is longer then broad, and it is all made in Galleries very sumptuous, from whence they discouer all the Citie, and the Marshes and Fields beyond the [ 20] Riuer, which serueth for the recreation of them that rule. In the other Cities are such buil∣dings which serue for recreation, many and very sumptuous, and of singular building.

The Houses of the common people in the outward shew, are not commonly very faire, but within are much to be admired;* 1.11 for commonly they are white as Milke, that they seeme like sleeked Paper, they are paued with square stones: along the ground, of a spanne little more or lesse, they are dyed with Vermilion, or almost blacke; the Timber is all very smooth and euen, and finely wrought and placed, that it seemeth to be all polished, or dyed, or in white, and some there is in white so faire and pleasant to the sight, waued Damaske-like, as it were Gold, and so bright that they should doe it injurie in painting it. I confesse, in truth, that I neuer saw so fine Timber as that. It hath after the House that is at the entrie, a Court with solaces of small [ 30] Trees; and Bowers with a faire little Fountayne: and then at the entring of the House where the women doe with-draw themselues, it hath a certaine manner of a Gallery open before to∣wards the Court, where they haue verie great Cubboards finely wrought, which takes the one square of the House, in the which they haue their Oratories, and Gods made of Wood, or of Clay: these Oratories are more or lesse curious according to the abilitie of euerie one: all the Houses are tiled with very good Tiles, better, and of more continuance then ours: for besides, they being well made, they are of verie good Clay: those which receiue the water are broad and short, and the vppermost that close, the other are narrower, and at the ends toward the street side, they are garnished with fine Workes made of Lime: for many yeares they haue no need to be tiled againe, for as the Clay is very good, they are not so mouldring as ours, or so rough, but [ 40] they are very smooth and warme, and beeing so well set they breed no filthinesse. There bee many Houses faire within, and very few with Lofts, the most are low Houses.

* 1.12They haue in the middest of the Citie a Temple of Idols with high Towres, the wals of the which we will speake of hereafter: they haue their Mesquit with Alcoran very high with his Pinacle on the top. The Suburbes without are very great and of many Houses, in such sort that some Portugals would haue compared them in bignesse with them of Lisbon, but to mee and to others they seemed lesse, though they bee bigger and of more Houses then the Citie within the wals. It is very populous, and the people is so much, that at the entring of the gates on the Ri∣uer side yee can scarce get through.* 1.13 Commonly the people that goeth out and in, doe cry and make a great noyse to giue place to them that carrie burthens. And the Rulers of the Citie com∣manding [ 50] to enquire what victuals were spent euery day,* 1.14 it was found to spend only fiue or sixe thousand Porkes, and ten or eleuen thousand Duckes; besides which, they eate great store of Beeues and Buffes, and many Hens, and an infinite deale of fish, whereof the Markets and streets are full, and many Frogs and Shel-fish, great store of Fruits and all other Pulse. Hereby little more or lesse may be seene what people are in Cantan, and whether it may bee compared with Lisbon.

* 1.15The Houses of the Suburbes are like those of the wals within; the streetes are so well and le∣uelled by Line as those within, and all for the most part paued also, and some of them are verie broad, and haue triumphant Arches, but very few. Some streets, as well without as within the wals, on the one side and the other along the Houses, haue Trees for to make shadowes. In all the streets of the Suburbs at the ends of them are gates with speciall Porters,* 1.16 whose Office is to [ 60] locke them euery night vnder paine of sore punishment, and euery street hath a Constable and a Iayle. He stands bound, either to yeeld the Malefactor which by night doth any harme in the street, are to pay for it; wherefore all the streets haue euery night a watch, the Neighbours di∣uiding

themselues in quarters: and they make euery night sixe quarters or watches, and for a signe that they are awake, in euery street they found a Drumme,* 1.17 where they haue all the night a Lanthorne with a light. The gates of the Citie are shut as soone as it is night, and on the two leaues is set a paper, with the chiefe Captaines marke on euery one of them, and they are ope∣ned with the Sunne, with a token from the same Captaine to them all, with his marke written on a white boord. Euery gate hath a Captaine, a very honest man,* 1.18 and euery one hath certaine Souldiers, which continually doe watch euery one of the Gates by day and by night.

In some Cities the water runneth almost thorow euery street, and on the one side and the other of the street are Tables made of stone, for the common seruice of the people: and tho∣row [ 10] all the streets are very good and well wrought Bridges to passe from one side to another: and thorow the middest of the streets is great trafficke by water that goe from one place to an∣other. In those places whereby the water entreth into the Citie, they haue made in the walls very good gates, which haue very strong Iron grates for to shut by night: and the most of the streets to the land inward are very well paued with stone, and (where is no stone) with small tyle. In all the Mountaines and Hills where there are wayes, they are very well made, cut with the Pick-axe, and paued where they are needfull. This is one of the good works of China, and it is very generall in euery place of it. Many Hills on the side of the Bramas, and of the Laos, are cut in steps, very well made; and in the height of the Hill is made a low place, very well cut; in the which is a very high Towre, which aboue doth equall with the highest of the Mountain, [ 20] which is very strong, the wall of one of the Towres was measured at the entring of the gates, and it was sixe fathome thicke and an halfe. There are on this side many of these workes, and so there may be in other places. I heard of a Gentleman of credit, called Galiote Perera,* 1.19 Bro∣ther to the chiefe Iustice of Arrayolos, which abode in Cansi, being Captiue, that (with the houses of these kinsmen of the King, being so many and so great) the Citie was so bigge that it seemed they occupied very little of it, and make a very little show in it: and so he had it written in a Rudder of his, whence I tooke a great deale * 1.20 of that which is heere spoken of: in such sort that the greatnesse of the Citie did hide in it selfe the multitude and greatnesse of these houses.

As in the Countrey there is great store of Timber and very cheape, and much Iron and cheap, [ 30] and it is very good, there are infinite number of ships and shippings;* 1.21 for through the Countrey are infinite Groues of Firre trees, and other trees, whereby it is easie for any one though of a little substance, to make a ship and haue shippings, and this causeth the great profit and gayne that is of them with the necessitie the Countrey hath of them: for it hath not onely a great number of Ilands alongst the coast, but also a very great coast where they Nauigate: and besides this, all China within is nauigated, and runne through Riuers which doe cut and water it all, which are many and very great. So that yee may sayle to the ends of the Land, and goe in ship∣pings. Any Captaine along the coast may in a little sp••ce ioyne two hundred, three hundred, euen to a thousand ships, if hee stand in need for to fight. And there is no small Towne along the Riuer that is not plentifull in small and great ships. Along the Citie of Cantan, more then [ 40] halfe a league off the Riuer, is so great a multitude of shipping, that it is a wonderfull thing to see them, and that which is most to wonder, is that, that this multitude neuer decreaseth nor fayleth almost all the yeere: for if thirty, forty, or an hundred goe forth one day, as many doe come in againe the next: I say, the multitude neuer to diminish nor fayle, for though some∣time there be more, some lesse, alwaies there remayneth a maruellous multitude: and that which is more, all those that goe forth, goe laden; and all that come in, come laden; carrying goods, and bringing goods: and that which sheweth much the noblenesse of the Countrey, the plentie and riches thereof is, that all these ships bringing great store of merchandise of Clothes, Silkes, prouisions and other goods, some doe goe into the Land, others come from within the Land, and nothing commeth form without China, neither goeth out of it:* 1.22 and that which the Por∣tugals [ 50] doe carrie, and some that they of Syam doe carrie, is so little in comparison of the great trafficke of the Countrey, that it almost remayneth as nothing, and vnperceiued; seeing that out of China there goeth no more but that which the Portugals, and they of Syam doe carrie; which is as much as though they brought nothing out of China, fiue or sixe ships comming la∣den with Silke and Porcelane: the great plentie and riches of the Countrey doth this, that it can sustayne it selfe alone: Pepper and Iuorie which is the principall that the Portugals doe carrie, a man may well liue without it, and the trafficke of merchandise that is in this Countrie, is in all the Cities within the Land, which as we haue said, are almost all built along the Riuers. The Chinas haue a common speech for to shew the noblenesse of their Kingdome,* 1.23 that the King of China can make a Bridge of ships from China vnto Malaca, which are neere fiue hundred [ 60] leagues, the which though it seemeth it cannot be, yet by Metaphor it signifieth the greatnesse of China, and the multitude of ships that of it selfe it can make.

The great ships they call Iunks; besides which there are ships for warre, made like great ships,* 1.24 to the which they make great Fore-castles and high, and likewise abafte, to fight from them: in such manner that they ouer-master their aduersaries, and because they vse no Ordnance, all

their vse is to come many together, and compassing the aduersaries ship, they boord it: and at the first on-set they cast a great deale of Lime to blinde the aduersaries, and as well from the Castles as from the tops they cast many sharpe pikes burned at the end,* 1.25 which serue for Top∣darts, of a very stiffe wood; they vse also great store of stone, and the chiefest they labour for, is to breake with their ships the dead workes of their aduersaries, that they may be masters o∣uer them, hauing them vnder them, and being destitute of any thing to shelter them: and as soone as they can enter, they come to the Pike or handy-blowes, for the which they haue long Pikes, and broad-pointed Swords hanging at their sides. There bee other Iunkes for lading of goods,* 1.26 but they are not so high as those of warre, though there bee some very great. All these ships as well of warre as of burthen vse two Oares a-head: they are very great, and foure or fiue men doe rowe euery one of them, laying them along the ship they moue them with such a [ 10] sleight, that they make the ship goe forward, and they helpe very much for to goe out and in at a barre, and setting vpon the enemies for to boord them: they call these Oares, Lioslios: in all manner of their shippings they vse the Lioslios, neither doe they vse any other manner of Oares in any kinde of shipping.* 1.27 There be other lesser shippings then Iunkes, somewhat long, called Bancones, they beare three Oares on a side, and rowe very well, and loade a great deale of goods: there be other lesse, called Lanteas, which haue sixe or seuen oares on a side, which doe rowe ve∣ry swift, and beare a good burthen also: and these two sorts of ships, viz. Bancones and Lanteas, because they are swift, the theeues doe commonly vse. The rowing of these Oares is standing, two men at euery Oare, euery one of his side, setting one foot forward, another backward. In the Iunkes goe foure, fiue, or sixe men at an Oare. [ 20]

* 1.28They vse also certaine shippings very long, like vnto Gallies, without Oares or beake-head, which doe lade great store of goods: and they make them so long, because lading bringing a great burden they may sayle the better by the Riuers, which sometimes are not rough. They haue many other shippings of burthen, which is superfluous to tell of euery one. There be many small boats of poore people, in which are husband and wife, and children, and they haue no o∣ther dwelling but in their boat in a middle decke, for defence of the Sunne, and of the raine: as also haue the Bancones, and Lanteas, and others which wee said were like Gallies, and these deckes are in such sort, that vnder them are very good lodgings and chambers in the great ships, in these of the poore, they are much inferiour: there they breed their Pigs, their Hennes, and there they haue also their poore little Garden, and there they haue all their poore state and [ 30] harbouring.* 1.29 The men goe to seeke worke about the Citie to helpe to maintayne their little house; the women goe in the boats, and with a long cane that reacheth well to the bottome of the Riuer (at the end of the which is a little basket made of rods, wherewith they get shell∣fish) with their industrie, and passing of people from one side to another, they helpe to sustaine their houshold. These poore people notwithstanding doe not liue so poorely and beggarly in their apparell, as those which liue poorely in Portugall. There are other great shippings, where∣in is the stocke of them both * 1.30, which haue great lodging where they may bestow a great deale of stuffe: these haue a great stocke; they haue certaine Cages made all the length of the ship with canes, in which they keepe two or three thousand Duckes, more or lesse as the vessell [ 40] is: some of these belong to Lordships, and their seruants goe in them: they feed these Duckes, as followeth.

After it is broad day, they giue them a little sodden Rice not till they haue enough, when they haue giuen ••t them, they open a doore to the Riuer where is a Bridge made of canes, and the noise they make at their going forth is wonderfull to see them goe tumbling one ouer ano∣ther, for the great abundance of them, and the time they take in going out; they feed all the day vntill night among the fields of Rice,* 1.31 those which are owners of the shipping doe receiue a fee of them that owe the fields, for letting them feed in them, for they doe cleanse them, eating the grasse that groweth among them. When night commeth they call with a little Ta∣ber; and though they be in sundry Barkes, euery one knowes their owne by the sound of the Ta∣ber, [ 50] and goe vnto it; and because alwaies in time some remayne without that come not in, there are euery where many flockes of wilde Duckes, and likewise of Geese. When I saw such a multitude of Duckes in euery one of these Barkes, and all of one bignesse, and thinking they could not be hatched by Duckes or Hens, for if it were so, some would haue beene bigger then some, seeing so many could not be hatched in one, two, or fifteene dayes, I was willing to know how they hatched them; and they told mee, it was in one of two sorts. In Summer, laying two or three thousand Egs in the dung,* 1.32 and with the heate of the weather and the dung, the Egs are hatched. In the Winter, they make a Hurdle of canes very great, vpon the which they lay this great number of Egges, vnder the which they make a slacke fire, continuing it of one sort a few dayes till the Egges be hatched. And because they are hatched in this sort, there are [ 60] so many of one bignesse, and all along the Riuer are many of these Barkes, whereby the Coun∣tries are well prouided of this food.* 1.33

There are some ships wherein the Rulers doe sayle, which haue very high lodgings, and with∣in houses very well made, gilt, rich, and very sumptuous: and on the one side, and the other

they haue great windowes with their Nets wouen of Silke, and very fine small rods set before them, that they within seeing all them without, may not bee seene of them. Toward the side of the Laos and the Bramaes, are continually watches and wards in the Riuers in many ships, e∣uen a whole moneths Iourney in length vnto the Citie of Cansi: these ships are in the places where the Riuers make any armes,* 1.34 because of the many theeues which commonly are in these parts, being the vttermost of the Kingdome: and because the Riuers haue many armes, many ships are placed in those parts: in euery place where these shippings are, there bee two small ships, which continually doe goe night and day from one watch to another, because they are ve∣ry swift, and those of the great ships doe diuide themselues into watches at their quarters, for [ 10] to watch as well in the small as in the great ones.* 1.35 The ships of passage goe alwaies a great num∣ber together, that they may defend themselues, one another, while the ships of warre, and the watches do come to them, and at the watch where they make night, there they stay til the mor∣ning, and by the small boats they are deliuered safe to the next watch forward, and so from watch to watch they are accompanied of the small vessels till they bee set in safetie. From the Citie of Doncheo, that is, where the Gouernour of Consi and Cantan is resident, vnto the bounds of the Prouince of Cansi, which are places more dangerous, are continually Armadas of fortie or fiftie ships. All these watches are paid of the common Rents of the Kingdome.

China is almost all a well husbanded Countrey: for as the Countrey is well inhabited, and people in abundance, and the men spenders,* 1.36 and vsing themselues very deliciously in eating and [ 20] drinking, and apparell, and in the other seruices of their houses, especially that they are great eaters, euery one laboureth to get a liuing, and euery one seeketh wayes to earne their food, and how to maintayne their great expences.* 1.37 A great helpe to this is the idle people to bee much abhorred in this Countrey, and are very odious vnto the rest, and that laboureth not shall not eate, for commonly there is none that doe giue almes to the Poore; wherefore, if any poore did aske almes of a Portugal and he did giue it him, the Chinas did laugh at them, and in mockage said: why giuest thou almes to thi•• which is a Knaue, let him goe and earne it:* 1.38 onely some Ie∣sters haue some reward, going to some high place gather the people, and telleth them some fables to get something. The Fathers and Priests of their Idols are commonly abhorred and not estee∣med, because they hold them for idle people, and the Rulers for any light fault doe not spare [ 30] them, but giue them many stripes. Wherefore,* 1.39 a Ruler whipping once before a Portugal a Priest of theirs; and he asking him wherefore he did vse their Priests so ill, and held them in so little esteeme, answered him: these are idle and wretched Knaues. One day, I, and certayne Portugals entring into the house of the Ouer-seer of the goods, about the deliuerie of certayne Portugals that were in prison, because the matter belonged to him, for the great profit that came thereof to the King, much people came in with vs to see vs, among the which there was a Priest: as∣soone as the Ruler said, Set them downe, all of them ran away in great haste, the Priest running as all the rest, for feare of the whip.

Euery one laboureth to seeke a liuing; for that which hee earneth hee enjoyeth freely, and spends it as he will, and that which is left him at his death remaynes to his children and grand∣children, [ 40] paying onely duties Royall, aswell of the fruits that they gather, as of the goods they deale in, which are not heauie. The greatest Tribute they haue, is euery married man, or that hath house by himselfe, p••yeth for euery person in his house two Mazes, which are sixtie Reys.* 1.40 From Champaa, which as we said, doth confine with Cauchinchina vnto India, are many vnpro∣fitable grounds, and made Wildernesses and Woods, and the men are generally little curious to get or gather together, for they neuer gayne or get so much but it is tyrannized from them, that which they haue is onely theirs as long as the King listeth, and no more. In such sort that as soone as the King knoweth that any of their officers hath much money, hee commandeth him to bee pu•• in prison, and they vse him so hardly, that they make him cast all that hee hath gotten: wherefore there are many in those parts, that if they get any thing or money one day or one [ 50] weeke, they will not labour till they consume all that they haue earned in eating and drinking, and they doe it because if any tyrannie should chance to come, they may finde nothing to take from them. From hence it commeth, as I say, that they haue in India many grounds in diuers places vnprofitable; which is not so in China, for euery one enioyeth the fruits of his labour.

Hence it commeth that all the ground that in China can yeeld any kinde of fruit receiuing seede, is husbanded. The high places which are not so good for Corne,* 1.41 haue very faire Groues of Pine Trees, sowing also betweene them some Pulse where it may be: in the drie Lands and stiffe they sow Wheate and Pulse: in the Marshes which are ouerflowed, which are many and very long, they sow Rice: and some of these Marshes doe yeeld two or three Crops a yeere. Onely the Mountaynes that are high and beaten with the weather, and are not fit to plant any thing, [ 60] remayne vnprofitable. There is nothing lost in the Countrey bee it neuer so v••le: for the bones, as well of Dogs as of other Beasts, they doe vse, making toyes,* 1.42 and with workes in stead of Iuo∣rie, they set them in Tables, Beds, and otherfaire things: they lose not a Ragge of any qualitie, for as well of the fine as of the course, that are not of Wool••, they make fine and course Paper, and they make Paper of barkes of Trees, and of Canes, and of silken Ragges,* 1.43 and in the Paper

made of silke they write: the rest serueth for to roll betweene the pieces of silke: euen the dung or men yeelds profit, and is bought for mony or in change of herbs, and they carry it from the houses: in sort that they giue money or money worth, to suffer them to cleanse their houses of office,* 1.44 though it smelleth euill through the Citie: when they carry it on their backs, they carry it in Tubs very cleane without, and although they goe vncouered, notwithstanding it shew∣eth the cleanlinesse of the Countrey and Cities. In some Cities these Tubs vse to goe couered not to annoy.

They vse in all things more slight then force, whereby they plow with one Oxe, making the Plough in such fashion that it cutteth well the Earth, though the furrowes are not so bigge as among vs. A ship be it neuer so bigge, and haue it neuer so great a leake, the Pomps are made by such a slight,* 1.45 that one man alone sitting mouing his feet as one that goeth vp a paire of stayres, [ 10] in a very little space he pomps it out: these pomps are of many pieces as a water wheele, laid a∣long the side of the ship betweene rib and rib, euery piece hauing a piece of wood of halfe a yard little more or lesse, one quarter well wrought: in the middest of this piece of wood is a square little boord, almost of a hand breadth, and they joyne one piece into another in such manner as it may double well, the joynts which are all very close, whereby this manner of pompe doth run, is within of the breadth of the little boardes of euery one of the pieces, for they are all equall: and this manner of pompe bringeth so much water as may contayne betweene the two little boardes.* 1.46 The Chinas vse also Puppets, with the which they make representations. They bring vp Nightingales in Cages which sing all the yeere, and are vsed to Puppet representa∣tions [ 20] also.

* 1.47It is a thing worth the noting, that the blinde haue a labour appointed them for to get their food, which is to serue in a Horse-Mill like Horses grinding Corne: and commonly where is a horse-mill there are two, because two going together, they may recreate themselues in talking one with another, as I saw them going about with Fannes in their hands cooling themselues, and talking very friendly. The blinde Women are the common Women, and they haue Nurces that doe dresse them and paint them with Vermillion and Ceruse, and receiue the wages of their euill vse. The lame and the creeple which either haue no kindred within a certayne degree, or if they haue them and they doe not prouide for them that which is necessarie, or are not able to helpe them, they make their Petition to the Ouer-seer of the goods of the King, and his kindred [ 30] being examined by his Officers, if among them are any that can maintayne them, they doe binde the neerest to take them to them their charge and maintayne them, and if their kindred bee not able to maintayned them, or if they haue no kindred in the Countrey, the Ouer-seer of the goods commandeth they be receiued into the Kings Hospitall: for the King hath in all the Cities great Hospitals which haue many lodgings within a great inclosure. And the Officers of the Hospitals are bound to administer to those that are bedred all things necessarie, for the which there are sufficient Rents appointed out of the Kings Exchequor. The lame that keepe not their bed, haue euery moneth a certayne quantitie of Rice, with the which, and with some Hens or a Pigge, which they bring vp in the Hospitall, they haue sufficient to maintayne themselues, and a••l these things are very well paid without faile: and because commonly those which are recei∣ued [ 40] into these Hospitals are incurable, they receiue them for life: and all those which are recei∣ued by commandement of the Ouer-seer, are enrolled, and euery yeere the Officers of the Ho∣spitall doe yeeld account of the expenses, and of the prouision of the poore sicke, and if any fault or negligence bee found in them of that which they are bound to doe, without remission they are well punished for it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The wals of Cantan.
• * 1.2

  The Riuer and Town-ditch.
• * 1.3

  The Gates.
• * 1.4

  Draw-bridges.
• * 1.5

  Gate-courts▪
• * 1.6

  Strait streets and paued.
• * 1.7

  Houses of Ma∣gistrates.
• * 1.8

  Or little Court.
• * 1.9

  Sanctitie of Courts, and re∣uerence of high Magi∣strates.
• * 1.10

  Great Prisons.
• * 1.11

  Priuate houses.
• * 1.12

  Temple and Mesquit. Suburbes.
• * 1.13

  Store of peo∣ple.
• * 1.14

  Victuals.
• * 1.15

  Suburbes.
• * 1.16

  Suburb-gates.
• * 1.17

  Watche••.
• * 1.18

  Here followed much of other Cities: but be∣cause the Au∣thor saw them not, but recei∣ued his intelli∣gence from Pe∣rera I, referre you to him. Other China Cities.

  High-wayes.
• * 1.19

  Galiote Perera.
• * 1.20

  Which is therefore here omitted.
• * 1.21

  Store of ship∣ping.
• * 1.22

  Riches of Chi∣na in it selfe.
• * 1.23

  Prouerb.
• * 1.24

  Iunkes for war and for trade▪ Ship-fights, No Ordnance.
• * 1.25

  Sudibusve prae∣ustis.
• * 1.26

  They vse Oares.
• * 1.27

  Small ships.
• * 1.28

  A kinde of Gallies.
• * 1.29

  Dwelling in ships.
• * 1.30

  The hus∣b••nds mer∣ch••ndise, and the wiues hus∣w••••••ry.
• * 1.31

  Duck-weeders
• * 1.32

  Artificiall broods.
• * 1.33

  See an exam∣ple in Pan••oia, o•• this mag∣nificence.
• * 1.34

  Ships for guard.
• * 1.35

  Fleet••.
• * 1.36

  Industry cause of plentie.
• * 1.37

  Idlenesse ha∣ted.
• * 1.38

  Almes deri∣ded.
• * 1.39

  Idle Idoll-Priests punish∣ed with vniust iustice of pro∣fane busie Ru∣lers, which made their soules the least and worst part of themselues, and a God of their goods.
• * 1.40

  that is 9d. Tyrannie growes poore by seeking to grow rich.
• * 1.41

  Thriftie hus∣bandrie.
• * 1.42

  Nothing lost.
• * 1.43

  Paper of diuers matters.
• * 1.44

  Neat filth.
• * 1.45

  Pomps which goe by the feet.
• * 1.46

  Puppet playes.
• * 1.47

  Prouision for impotent per∣sons. See of th••se things Pinto.