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CHAP. XI. The relation of GALEOTTO PERERA, a Gentleman of good credit, that lay Prisoner in China.
THis Land of China is parted into thirteene Shires, which sometimes were each one a Kingdome by it selfe, but these many yeeres they haue beene all subiect vnto one King.
The King maketh alwayes his abode in the great Citie Pachin, as much to say [ 10] in our language (as by the name thereof I am aduertised,) the Towne of the Kingdome. This Kingdome is so large, that vnder fiue moneths you are not a∣ble to trauell from the Townes by the Sea side, to the Court and backe againe, no not vnder three moneths in Poste at your vrgent businesse. The Post-horses in this Countrey are little of bodie, but swift of foote. Many doe trauell the greater part of this iourney by water in certaine light Barkes, for the multitude of Riuers, commodious for passage from one Citie to another.
The King, notwithstanding the hugenesse of his Kingdome, hath such a care thereof, that eue∣rie Moone (by the Moones they reckon their moneths) he is aduertised fully of whatsoeuer thing happeneth therein. Before that wee doe come to Cinceo, we haue to passe through many places, and some of great importance. For this Countrey is so well inhabited neere the Sea side, that [ 20] you cannot goe one myle but you shall see some Towne, Borough, or Hostrie, the which are so a∣bundantly prouided of all things, that in the Cities and Townes they liue ciuilly. Neuerthelesse, such as dwell abroad are very poore, for the multitude of them euery where so great, that out of a Tree you shall see many times swarme a number of Children, where a man would not haue thought to haue found any one at all.
From these places in number infinite, you shall come vnto two Cities very populous, and be∣ing compared with Cinceo, not possibly to bee discerned which is the greater of them. These Cities are as well walled as any Cities in all the world. As you come into either of them, stan∣deth so great and mightie a Bridge, that the like thereof I haue neuer seene in Portugall, nor else [ 30] where. I heard one of my fellowes say, that he told in one Bridge fortie Arches. The occasion wherefore these Bridges are made so great, is for that the Country is toward the Sea very plaine and low, and ouerwhelmed euer as the Sea-water encreaseth. The breadth of the Bridges, al∣though it be well proportioned vnto the length thereof, yet are they equally built, no higher in the middle than at either end, in such wise that you may directly see from the one end to the o∣ther, the sides are wonderfully well engraued after the manner of Rome workes. But that wee did most maruell at, was therewithall the hugenesse of the stones, the like whereof, as we came in∣to the City, we did see many set vp in places dishabited by the way, to no small charges of theirs, howbeit to little purpose, whereas no body seeth them but such as do come by. The Arches are not made after our fashion, vaulted with sundry stones set together: but paued, as it were, whole stones [ 40] reaching from one Pillar to another, in such wise that they lie both for the Arches heads, & gal∣lantly serue also for the high-way. I haue been astonied to behold the hugenesse of these aforesaid stones, some of them are twelue paces long and vpward, the least eleuen good paces long, and an halfe. The wayes each where are gallantly paued with foure-square Stone, except it be where for want of Stone they vse to lay Bricke: in this voyage we trauelled ouer certaine Hills, where the wayes were pitched, and in many places no worse paued than in the plaine ground.
The Countrey is so well inhabited, that no one foot of ground is left vntilled: small store of cattell haue we seene this way, we saw onely certaine Oxen wherewithall the countrey-men doe plough their ground. One Oxe draweth the Plough alone, not onely in this Shire, but in o∣ther places also, wherein is greater store of cattell. These countrey-men by art doe that in til∣lage, which we are constrained to doe by force. Here be sold the voydings of Close-stooles, al∣though [ 50] there wanteth not the dung of beasts: and the excrements of man are good marchan∣dise throughout all China. The Dung-fermers seeke in euery street by exchange to buy their dur∣tie ware for Hearbs and Wood. The custome is very good for keeping the Citie cleane. There is great abundance of Hennes, Geese, Duckes, Swine, and Goates, Wethers haue they none: the Hennes are sold by weight, and so are all other things. Two pound of Hennes flesh, Goose, or Ducke, is worth two Foi of their money, that is, three halfe pence. Swines flesh is sold at a peny the pound. Beefe beareth the same price, for the scarcitie thereof, howbeit Northward from Fuquico, and further from the Sea coast, there is Beefe more plentie, and sold better cheape, Beefe onely excepted, great aboundance of all these Viands wee haue had in all the Cities wee passed [ 60] through. And if this Countrey were like vnto India, the Inhabitants whereof eate neither Hen, Beefe, nor Porke, but keepe that onely for the Portugals and Moores, they would bee sold here for nothing. But it so falling out that the Chineans are the greatest eaters in all the world, they doe feed vpon all things, specially vpon Porke, the fatter that is vnto them, the lesse lothsome. The highest price of these things aforesaid, I haue set downe, better cheape shall you sometimes