_The Spaniardes depart from Tansuso to visite the
governour of Chincheo, who awaited their comming:
where they sawe notable thinges by the way._
After that the fathers with their companions had remayned two dayes in
the port of Tansuso, whereas they were marueilously well entertayned and
feasted at the commaundement giuen by the Insuanto, as you haue heard,
the third day they departed in the morning towardes Chincheo, whether
they were commaunded to be carried with great speede and good
intertainement.
At their going foorth of the towne they were accompanied with a great
number of souldiers, both hargubushes and pikes, and before them a great
noyse of trompets, drommes, and hoybuckes, till such time as they came
vnto the riuers side, whereas was a brygandine prouided and made readie
in all pointes to carrie them vp the riuer: all the streetes alongest
whereas they went, there followed them so much people that it was
innumerable, and all to see them. So when they were embarked, and which
was done with great speede to auoyd the presse of the people, there came
vnto them the captaine of the fortie ships, of whom wee made mention in
the chapter past, with three brygandines, one wherein he was himselfe,
and was marueilously well trimmed, and in the other two were souldiers
that did beare him companie. As soone as he came vnto them, hee straight
wayes entred into the brygandine whereas the religious men were with
three Spaniardes, and brought with him great store of conserues, and
made them a gallant banket, the which did indure so long as he was with
them, which was the space of rowing two long leagues, in which time
their pleasure was such that they thought it but a quarter of a league.
From thence he departed from them and returned, but left many thinges
behinde him for their comfort in their iourney, and made great offers,
with an outwarde showe that it was a griefe vnto him to depart from out
of their companie.
All alongest the ryuers whereas they went was seated with villages,
verie gallant and fresh, both on the one side and on the other. Some of
them did content our people verie much, who asked the names howe they
were called, and the captaynes answered them and sayde, that those were
villages that did not deserue the honour of a name; but when you doo
come there whereas the king is, you shall see cities that it shall be a
woorthie thing to knowe their names; the which townes haue three and
foure thousande souldiers, such as in Europe are esteemed for reasonable
cities.
At the end of the two leagues, there whereas the captaine did leaue the
companie of our Spaniardes in the riuer, they came vnto a great baye,
whereas was at an anker a fleete of more than a hundreth and fifte
shippes, men of warre, whose generall was this captaine whom we haue
spoken of, that did beare the fryers and the rest companie. At such time
as the fleete did discouer them they began to salute them, as well with
great peeces of artillerie as with hargubushes and other kinde of
pastimes, which commonly they do vse at such times: and that is doone by
the commandement of their generall.
At such times as they had made an ende of shooting and other pastimes,
then did he take his leaue of them with the ceremonie aforesaide, and
went out of the brygandine whereas the fryers were and went into his
owne, which carryed him vnto the admiral, wherein he imbarked himself.
Our Spaniardes, after his departure, did trauaile vp the riuer more than
three leagues, hauing continually, both on the one side and on the
other, verie many and faire townes, and full of people. In the ende of
the three leagues they went a lande halfe a league from the towne of
Tangoa,[18] whereas straightwayes all such things as they carried with
them were taken vpon mens backs, and carried it vnto the towne before
them, whereas they were tarrying their comming, for to giue them great
entertaynment. At their going a shore, they founde prepared for the two
religious men little chayres to carrie them vppon mens backes, and for
the souldiers and the rest of their companions was ordayned horse. The
fathers did refuse to be carried, and would haue gone a foot, for that
the way was but short and pleasant, full of greene trees; and, againe,
for humilitie, refusing to be carried in so rich chaires, and vppon mens
backes of so good a vocation as they seemed to be. But Omoncon and the
other captaine would not consent thereunto, saying, that it was the
order giuen by the Insuanto, and that they could not by any meanes
breake, but performe in all points, or else to be cruelly punished for
the same--I meane such captaines as had the charge for to garde and
beare them companie--and that no excuse could serue them; and, againe,
that it was conuenient so to be done, for y^t from that time the Chinos
should respect them and vnderstande that they were principal persons,
for y^t they were carried vpon mens backes as they do their loytias.
[18] Tong-gan.
The fathers obeyed their reasons, and entred into the chayres, and were
carried with eight men a peece, and the other their companions with
foure men a peece, according vnto the order giuen by the gouernor. Those
that carried the chaires, did it with so good a will, y^t there was
striuing who should first lay hands to them. This towne of Tangoa hath
three thousand souldiers, and is called in their language Coan: at the
entring in, it hath many gardens and orchards, and a streete, where
through they carried the Spaniards vnto their lodging, they affirmed it
to be halfe a league long; and all the streete whereas they went it was
full of bordes and stalles, where on was laide all kinde of merchandise,
very curious, and things to be eaten, as fresh fish and salt fish of
diuers sortes, and great abundance of foule and flesh of al sorts,
fruits and greene herbs, in such quantitie that it was sufficient to
serue such a citie as Siuell is. The presse of people was so much in the
streets, that although there were many typstaues, and souldiers that did
make way wheras they went, yet could they not passe but with great
difficultie. So they were brought vnto the kings house, which was very
great, marueilously wel wrought with stone and brick, and many halles,
parlers, and chambers; but none aboue, but all belowe. So soone as they
were afoote, there was brought from the captaine or iustice of the
towne, whom they doo call Ticoan, a message, bidding them welcome, and
therewith a present, which was great store of capons, hens, teales,
ducks, geese, flesh of four or fiue sorts, fresh fish, wine, and fruits
of diuers sorts, and of so great quantitie that it was sufficient for
two hundreth men. All the which they would haue giuen for a little coole
aire, by reason that it was than very hoat wether; and againe the great
number of people y^t came thether to see them did augment it the more.
So in the euening the two Spanish souldiers went forth into the streets
to walk abrode, and left the two fryers within their lodging, vnto whom
afterwardes they did giue intelligence of all things that they had
seene, which did cause great admiration: the wall of the towne was very
brode, and wrought with lyme and stone, full of loope holes and watch
towers. And as they passed through the streetes there came foorth of a
house a very honest man as it seemed, who was very well apparelled, and
stayed them, for that in the same house there were certaine dames,
principall personages, that did see them a farre off, and not content
therewith, they did request them with great curtesie for to enter into
the house that they might the better see them: the which they did
straightwaies accomplish, and entring in they were brought into a court,
whereas was set chayres for them to sit downe, and the ladies were there
a little from them beholding them with great honestie and grauitie. Then
a little after they sent them a banket, with marchpanes and sweet meates
made of sugar, which they did eate without any curiositie, and dronke
after the same. The banket being done, they made signes and tokens vnto
them that they receiued great content with their sight, and that they
might depart when y^t their pleasure was; the which they did after y^t
that they had made great curtesies, with thank e for their friendship
receiued of both parts.
So after they had taken their leaue they went to see a house of pleasure
y^t was hard by y^e town wall, wrought vpon the water, with verie faire
galleries and open lodges for to banket in, made of masons worke, and
therein many tables finely painted, and round about it sesterns of
water wherein was store of fish, and ioyning vnto them tables of very
faire alabaster, all of one stone, and the least of them was of eight
spannes long: and rounde about them were brookes of running water, that
gaue a pleasant sounde in the meane time they were banketting, and nigh
thereunto many gardynes full of all sortes of flowers. And a little from
that place they sawe a bridge all of masons worke, and the stones verie
well wrought and of a mightie biggnesse; they measured some of them that
were twentie and two and twentie foote long and fiue foote brode, and
seemed vnto them that it was a thing impossible to be layde there by
mans handes. Of this bignesse, yea and bigger, they did see layde vppon
manie other bridges, in the discourse of their voyage going to Chincheo
and Aucheo. In this towne they tarried and rested themselues all that
night, marueiling verie much at that which they had seen. The next day
in the morning, when they were vp and readie, they found in the house
all thinges in a readinesse and in verie good order for their departure,
as well their little chayres[19] and horse, as for men to carrie their
stuffe and apparell, which did not a little make them to marueile, how
that euerie one of them with a waster[20] vpon their shoulders, did
diuide their burden in two partes, sixe roues before and sixe roues
behinde, and did trauaile with the same with so great ease and swiftnes
that the horse could not indure with them. They went vnto the Ticoan his
house, he who sent them the present ouer night, to giue him thankes for
his courtesie, and to take their leaue of him. They found him with great
maiestie, but yet gaue them great and good entertainment, and craued
pardon at their hands, if that he did not giue them the entertainement
and courtesie as they deserued. He did likewise put vpon each of them
two peeces of silke, in the same order as the gouernour of Tansuso did.
So when they had surrendred vnto him thankes, they tooke their leaue and
departed from Chincheo, whereas was the Insuanto or gouernor, by whose
order was showed vnto them all the courtesie as you haue hearde.
[19] A chariot. In "The Squyer of Low Degree," (see Ellis's "Specimens
of Early English Poetry"), occur the lines:
"To morrow ye shall on hunting fare,
And ride my daughter in a _chare_."
[20] A waster is more properly a cudgel: it is here evidently used for a
pole.