_Here it doth intreat of the mightinesse, goodnesse,
riches, and fortitude of the kingdome of China._
[Sidenote: Sixe months trauaile from Ierusalem vnto China.]
This kingdome is vnder the tropike of Capricorne, and stretcheth foorth
on the sea coast, south west and north east, more than fiue hundreth
leagues: it hath on the partes south west the kingdome of Cochinchina,
and on the north east, it dooth confine on Tartaria, a kingdome which
dooth compasse the most part of the lande; on the other part of the
northwest there is an other mightie kingdome of white people, which is
beyonde the kingdome of Persia, it is called Catay: there be in it
Christians, and the king thereof is called Manuell. It is sayd of a
truth, that from the furthest part of this kingdome vnto Ierusalem, is
sixe moneths trauaile by lande, the which they vnderstoode by certaine
Indians which came from that kingdome by Persia, whose testimonials were
made in Ierusalem sixe moneths before, wherein was declared how that
they had trauelled by Arabia Felix, and passed the Red Sea. The other
fourth part of this kingdome is compassed with a verie asper and high
mountaine, which is fiue hundreth leagues vpon a right line: but nature
had left certaine places open towards the northwest, which might be
fourscore leagues, little more or lesse, towards the Sea of Iapon, which
is towards the Septentrion. The great riches of this countrie, and the
great number of people that be therein, did supplie the same (as in the
first part of this historie is more at large declared). And for that the
king of this countrie seeing himselfe oppressed and troubled by the
mightie Tartaro, and seemed that easily he might defende himselfe from
him, in shutting vp of those gates which nature had left open betwixt
the mountaines, he did shut it vp with the death of many thousande of
people, for that hee vsed therein great tyrannie, which afterwardes was
the occasion of his owne death.
This mountaine, with the supply by man, is the famous wall of the
kingdom of China, that is of fiue hundred leagues long; yet you must
vnderstande it in the manner aforesaide, the better to giue credite
thereunto, for alonely foure score leagues were made by mans handes with
great industrie, and there is vpon it an infinite number of bulwarkes,
which maketh it the more fayrer and stronger, but yet not so strong as
is the other four hundreth and twentie leagues which were made by
nature.
[Sidenote: Great ditches and lakes.]
Nigh vnto the same there is a great desert full of ditches and lakes of
water, which is the occasion that this kingdome hath been conserued for
more than two thousand yeares, as doth appeare by their owne histories,
which they holde to bee verie true.
[Sidenote: A mightie lake.]
All is imparted into fifteene prouinces, with that of Aynao,[78] and
euerie one of them hath a principall citie, of the which it beareth the
name. In the middest of this kingdome there is a great lake, out of the
which proceedeth many great and mightie riuers, which runne through all
the kingdome, and are so big that there sayleth vp and downe in them
barkes, fregats, brigandines, and many other vessels of an other kinde
of making. This great abundance of water is the occasion that it is so
fertile, and so well prouided of all thinges; and againe, the most part
of their cities and townes are situated on the riuers side, so that by
them the one prouince doth communicate with an other, carrying the one
vnto the other great store of marchandice and other thinges of great
curiositie, and is done with little cost, for that all things are done
very good cheape.
[78] The island of Hainan.
This sea cost of this kingdome is the biggest and the best that is
knowen in all the world; there is vpon it fiue prouinces, which be
these: of Canton, Chincheo, Liampon, Nanquin, and that of Paquian, which
is the furthest towardes the northwest, in the which is resident the
king and his counsell with all his court ordinarily, and the most part
of the men of warre that it hath, for that this prouince doth confine
vpon the Tartaros their enemies. Some will say, that the kings ordinarie
dwelling there, is for that it is the best and most fertilest of all the
kingdome. But I beleeue (according to the saying of some of the Chinos)
that he doth it not but because it is so nigh vnto Tartaria, and to
finde himselfe there whereas hee may supply all necessities which might
happen vpon a soddaine by his enimies. In these riuers there are
certaine ilandes, the which are very profitable vnto all the kingdome,
for that there is nourished and brought vp in them great store of deare,
hogges, and other beasts, which is the occasion that the cities are so
well prouided and serued.
[Sidenote: More ships in one port than in all Spaine.]
But one of the things which causeth most admiration to them that go to
this kingdome, is to see so infinite a number of ships and barkes that
be in euerie port thereof, and are so many, that there hath beene a man
in the citie of Machao that hath layde a wager, that alonely in the
riuer of Canton there be more ships and vessels than in all the cost of
Spaine.
[Sidenote: They neuer had the plague.]
One thing I may affirme, that I haue heard declared by persons of great
credite, that haue beene in that kingdome (but in especiall of the
father Ignacio, whom I do follow in this Itinerario) that it is an easie
thing in any one of these fiue prouinces that be vpon the sea cost, to
ioyne together a thousande ships of warre, and all of them (as they say
in Spaine) dedicated for that purpose. The occasion why there be so
many, is alreadie declared in his proper chapter. There are diuers
opinions touching the greatnesse of this kingdome, but the most are
conformable with the father fryer Martin de Herrada, who, like a good
geometrician and mathematician, went nighest the pricke. This opinion is
declared in the first part of this historie whereunto I referre me, and
in that which toucheth in particular things of that kingdom, for that it
is there declared at large as it was taken out of their bookes. But one
thing I cannot let passe but declare, for that it seemeth woorthie to
make thereof a particular memorie: and I vnderstood it by the mouth of
the said father Ignacio, which is that he doth affirme it to bee
certaine true and approued, that euery day in the yeare one with an
other (besides wars and the plague, the which in this countrie they
remember not to haue any, neither do they finde written in their
histories for 2,000 yeares, neither by famin nor any other accidentall
occasions to consume the people) yet doth there die many thousands of
people both smal and great, in al the fifteen prouinces of this
kingdome: which is no small griefe vnto them, who with a Christian zeale
doth consider this heauie tribute of so many soules that the diuell doth
recouer euerie day, and carrie them vnto his mansion or dwelling.
All this kingdome is so fertile, as well for the ordinarie watring as
also for the temperature of the heauen, that almost all the whole yeare
they do gather fruits, but in especiall of wheat and rice: so that both
the one and the other are very good cheape, that our people in the
discourse of their trauaile or pilgrymage did buy one pyco of rice or of
wheate meale, which is fiue roues of Spaine, for one ryall and a halfe;
and according vnto this rate al other thinges beare their prices, as
hath beene before declared. They say that in this countrie there be many
elephants, lyons, tygres, ownses, and other brute beastes, of the which
these fryers sawe verie few aliue, but manie skins of them, which is a
signe that it is of truth. There are many beasts whereof come the muske,
the which are of the tygres, and like vnto a litle dogge, the which they
do kill and put them vnder the ground certaine dayes, and after that it
is putrified and rotten, the flesh and bloud is conuerted into that
sweete powder. There be also many cyuet cats and little worth, a great
number of horse, and although those which the said friers did see were
litle, yet is it a common voice and fame that in some of the fifteene
prouinces there are very good: but they were not there, so that they
cannot say they had seene them. But the hens, geese, duckes, and other
poultrie that are in all partes of this kingdome are without number,
which is the occasion that they are of small estimation: the abundance
of fish is no lesse, as well of the sea as of the riuers, in the which
they are conformable. All they that do declare of the thinges of this
countrie, and the small price that it is solde for, is such, that the
saide frier doth affirme, and others that haue bin in that kingdome,
that for the value of sixe marauadies (which is a pennie) may four
companions eat very wel of flesh, fish, rice, and fruits, and drinke
good wine of that countrie.
[Sidenote: Mynes of golde and siluer.]
[Sidenote: Siluer for his value more esteemed than gold.]
In all this kingdome there are many mynes both of gold and siluer, and
all verie rich: but the king will not let them be labored but with great
lymitation (saying) that which is in those mynes be in his house, and
that they should procure to bring it from other kingdomes: yet
notwithstanding the abundance is so great both of the one and the other,
and so common, that there is no man, although he be of an occupation,
but hee hath in his house things both of gold and siluer, and other very
rich iewels. They do esteeme for his value more the siluer than the
golde: and they say the cause is, for that the prices of golde are
variable, as in Italie: but the siluer is alwaies at one staye and
price.
[Sidenote: Amber gryce.]
There are great store of pearles, but in especiall in the Iland of
Aynao; and great abundance of quicksiluer, copper, yron, steele,
laton,[79] tyn, lead, salt peter, brimstone, and other things which were
woont to beautifie a kingdome, but aboue all, there is very much muske
and amber gryce.
[79] Latten, iron covered with tin.
[Sidenote: Wonderfull treasure.]
[Sidenote: Fleetes may be laden with silke.]
The king of this kingdome, besides the great rent the which he hath, it
is saide that he hath great treasories in all the principall cities,
those which are the head cities of the prouinces; for the confirmance
thereof, it was affirmed vnto the saide fryer for a verie certaintie,
that in the citie of Canton, all the money that hath entred into the
same for the space of fiue hundred yeres (as well by way of the
Portingals, as by those of the kingdom of Cyan,[80] and others their
borderers, and all the tributes of that prouince) is altogether in the
king's treasure house of that citie, which amounteth vnto, by good
account, many more millions than may be well numbred for to giue credite
thereunto. It is as common for the people of this countrie to weare
silke, as in Europe to weare lynnen; yea, they doo make their shooes
thereof, some of satten, and many times of cloth of golde, of verie
gallant colours: the cause is by reason of the great abundance that they
haue thereof, and is of so great quantitie, that it is carried from the
citie of Canton vnto the Portingall Indians more than three thousand
kintals euery yeare, besides a great quantitie which is carried vnto
Japon, and ordinarily more than fifteene ships laden for the Ilandes of
Luzon. The Sianes, and other nations, doo also carrie away a great
quantitie: and although there are carried away ordinarily as afore
saide, yet there remaineth so great quantity in that kingdome, that many
fleetes may be laden therewith.
[80] Siam.
[Sidenote: Sugar, hony, and waxe.]
There is also great store of flax, cotton, and other kinde of
webstrie,[81] and al so good cheape that the aforesaide fryer dooth
affirme that he hath seene solde a canger,[82] which is fifteene fadom,
for foure ryals of plate. The fine earthen dishes that are in this
countrie, cannot be declared without many wordes. But that which is
brought from thence into Spaine is verie course; although, vnto them
that hath not seene the finer sort, it seemeth excellent good: but they
haue such with them, that a cubbard thereof amongest vs would be
esteemed as though it were of golde. The finest cannot be brought foorth
of the kingdome vpon paine of death; neyther can any haue the vse
thereof, but onely the loytias, which be there gentlemen (as hath been
tolde you). There is great quantitie of sugar, honie, and waxe, and
verie good cheape as aforesaide. And in conclusion I say, that they liue
with so great abundance, that all things do flow so that they lacke
nothing necessarie for their bodies: but for their soules, which is the
principallest, they do lack (as you haue vnderstoode in the discourse of
this historie): God remedie the same at his pleasure.
[81] Articles for weaving.
[82] The original word is "canga", probably a local word for the measure
referred to.
[Sidenote: A riuer that yeeldeth a million and a halfe euery yeare in
salt.]
The rent which the king of this kingdome hath, is declared vnto you in a
proper chapter of it selfe; so that in this I will declare that which
the sayde fryer tolde me, and is onely of one riuer, which is called the
riuer of the salt, and is in the prouince of Canton, and is worth vnto
him, euerie yeare, a million and a halfe. And although the ordinarie
rent, the which he hath euerie yeare, dooth exceede the greatest king
that is nowe knowen in all the world in quantitie; yet, in his
treasories which he gathered together and kept (if it be true that the
Chinos do say), in euery principall citie of these fifteene prouinces,
is more than a great number of kings togither haue or can procure, no,
nor come nigh vnto it by a great deale.
[Sidenote: All cities are walled.]
All the cities and townes of this kingdome are walled about with stone
walles, and at euerie fifteene paces a bulwarke; and without the wall
commonly all of them haue a riuer, or else a great deepe moote, wherein
they may bring water at all times, with the which they are very strong:
they doo vse no fortes, neyther haue they any, but onely ouer the gates
of the cities, towers (as hath been declared), and in them is put all
the artilerie, the which is for the defence of that citie or towne.
[Sidenote: They vse hargabushes, bowes, and lances.]
[Sidenote: Englande, France, Spaine, and the Turke hath not so many
souldiers as this kingdome.]
[Sidenote: Captaines of few and many souldiers.]
They vse many sortes of weapons, but in especiall hargabushes, bowes,
lances of three or foure manners, swords like vnto faunchers, and with
them targets. All the souldiers when they go to fight, they weare long
garments down to their knees, very wel stuffed with cotton wooll, the
which doth resist the thrust of a lance, or a stabbe: all such souldiers
as haue the king's ryall pay weare, in token thereof, red and yellowe
hats, of the which there is so great a number, as well horsemen as foot
men, that almost it is impossible to number them. And it is a common
opinion of all them that haue bin in this kingdome, and haue seene them,
that all Spaine, France, and the Great Turke, hath not so many as this
kingdome hath. They haue amongst them captaines of ten souldiers, some
of a hundreth souldiers, some of a thousand, of ten thousand, of twentie
thousand, and in this sort to a hundred thousand. The number of
souldiors that these captains do leade, are knowen by certain ensignes
that they beare. They muster and make show of their people euery new
moone; and the same day they do pay them royally, and their pay must be
in siluer, and in no other money. It is saide by such as have seene this
pay, but especially the aforesaid father, Fryer Ignacio, that they giue
them a peece of siluer, which may weigh so much as a ryall and halfe of
Spaine, and is as much worth there as foure crownes amongest vs, in
respect of the value of all things. But both in the one and in the other
kingdom, that day that they do receiue their pay, euery one must make a
show of some act in armes, the which is done in the presence of viewers
or muster-masters: and such as are found that doo not his exercise with
dexteritie, they are reprehended and cruelly punished: they doo skirmish
with great consort, and in that which toucheth obedience to their
captaines, and vnto the ensignes, the which they do vse in their wars,
they may compare with all nations of the world.