_Of the dispositions, countenance, with apparell and other
exercises of the people of this countrie._
Both men and women of this countrie are of a good disposition of their
bodies, well proportioned and gallant men, somewhat tall: they are all
for the most part brode faced, little eyes and flat noses, and without
bearde saue only upon the ball of the chinne: but yet there be some that
haue great eyes and goodly beardes, and their faces well proportioned,
yet of these sorts (in respect of the others) are verie few: and it is
to bee beleeued that these kinde of people doo proceede of some strange
nation, who in times past when it was lawfull to deale out of that
countrie, did ioyne one with another.
Those of the prouince of Canton (which is a whot[51] country) be browne
of colour like to the Moores: but those that be farther within the
countrie be like unto Almaines,[52] Italians and Spanyardes, white and
redde, and somewhat swart. All of them do suffer their nailes of their
left hande to grow very long, but the right hand they do cut: they haue
long haire, and esteeme it very much and maintaine it with curiositie:
of both they make a superstition, for that they say thereby they shall
be carried into heauen. They do binde their haire up to the crowne of
their heade, in calles of golde verie curious, and with pinnes of the
same.
[Sidenote: Great abundance of wool and good cheape.]
[Sidenote: Shooes and buskines of veluet.]
[Sidenote: Great abundance of Marters furres.]
The garments which the nobles and principals do vse, bee of silke of
different colours, of the which they haue excellent good and verie
perfite: the common and poore people doo apparell themselues with
another kinde of silke more courser, and with linnen, serge, and cotton:
of all the which there is great abundance. And for that the countrie for
the most part is temperate, they may suffer this kinde of apparell,
which is the heauiest that they doo vse: for in all the whole kingdome
they have no cloth, neither doo they suffer it to be made, although they
have great aboundance of woolle, and very good cheape: they do vse their
coates according vnto our old vse of antiquitie, with long skirts and
full of plaites, and a flappe ouer the brest to be made fast under the
left side, the sleeues verie bigge and wide: upon their coates they doo
vse cassockes or long garments according vnto the possibilitie of either
of them, made according as wee doo vse, but only their sleeues are more
wider. They of royall bloode and such as are constituted vnto dignitie,
do differ in their apparell from the other ordinarie gentlemen: for that
the first haue their garments laide on with gold and siluer downe to the
waste, and the others alonely garnished on the edges, or hem: they do
vse hose verie well made and stitched, shoes and buskins of veluet,
verie curious. In the winter (although it be not very colde,) they haue
their garments furred with beasts skins, but in especiall with Martas
Ceuellinas, of the which they haue great aboundance (as aforesaid) and
generally they do vse them at all times about their necks. They that be
not married doo differ from them that be married, in that they do kirrle
their haire on their foreheade, and wear higher hattes. Their women do
apparell themselues verie curiouslie, much after the fashion of Spaine:
they vse many iewels of gold and precious stones: their gownes haue wide
sleeues; that wherewith they do apparel themselues is of cloath of gold
and siluer and diuers sortes of silkes, whereof they haue great plentie,
as aforesaid, and excellent good, and good cheape: and the poore folkes
doo apparell themselues with veluet, vnshorne veluet and serge. They
haue verie faire haire, and doo combe it with great care and diligence,
as do the women of Genouay, and do binde it about their heade with a
broad silke lace, set full of pearles and precious stones, and they say
it doth become them verie well: they doo vse to paint themselues, and in
some place in excesse.
[Sidenote: An il vse and custome.]
[Sidenote: Ingenious people.]
[Sidenote: Wagons with sailes.]
Amongst them they account it for gentilitie and a gallant thing to haue
little feete, and therefore from their youth they so swadell and binde
them verie straight, and do suffer it with patience: for that she who
hath the least feete is accounted the gallantest dame. They say that the
men hath induced them vnto this custome, for to binde their feete so
harde, that almost they doo loose the forme of them, and remaine halfe
lame, so that their going is verie ill, and with great trauell: which is
the occasion that they goe but little abroad, and fewe times doo rise vp
from their worke that they do; and was inuented onely for the same
intent. This custome hath indured manie yeares, and will indure many
more, for that it is stablished for a law: and that woman which doth
breake it, and not vse it with her children, shalbe counted as euill,
yea shalbe punished for the same. They are very secreat and honest, in
such sort that you shall not see at any time a woman at her window nor
at her doores: and if her husband doo inuite any person to dinner, she
is neuer seene nor eateth not at the table, except the gest be a kinsman
or a very friende: when they go abroade to visite their father, mother,
or any other kinsfolkes, they are carried in a little chaire by foure
men, the which is made close, and with lattises rounde about made of
golde wyre and with siluer, and curteines of silke; that although they
doo see them that be in the streete, yet they cannot be seene. They haue
many servants waiting on them. So that it is a great maruell when that
you shall meete a principall woman in the streete, yea you will thinke
that there are none in the citie, their keeping in is such: the lameness
of their feet is a great helpe therevnto. The women as well as the men
be ingenious; they doo vse drawne workes and carued works, excellent
painters of flowers, birds and beasts, as it is to be seene vpon beddes
and bords that is brought from thence. I did see my selfe, one that was
brought vnto Lysborne in the yeare 1582, by Captaine Ribera, chiefe
sergant of Manilla, that it was to be wondred at the excellencie
thereof: it caused the kings maiestie to haue admyration, and he is a
person that little wondreth at things. All the people did wonder at it:
yea the famous imbroiderers did maruaile at the curiousnesse thereof.
They are great inuenters of things, that although they haue amongst them
many coches and wagons that goe with sailes, and made with such
industrie and policie that they do gouerne them with great ease: this is
crediblie informed by many that haue seen it: besides that, there be
many in the Indies, and in Portugall, that haue seene them painted vpon
clothes, and on their earthen vessell that is brought from thence to be
solde: so that it is a signe that their painting hath some foundation.
In their buying and selling they are verie subtill, in such sort that
they will depart a haire. Such merchants as do keepe shoppes (of whom in
euery citie there is a great number) they haue a table or signe hanging
at their doore, whereon is written all such merchandise as is within to
be sold.
[Sidenote: Cloth of gold tissue and silke.]
[Sidenote: Porsilan.]
[Sidenote: All occupations be in streets by themselves.]
[Sidenote: The son inherits his fathers occupation.]
That which is commonly sold in their shops is cloth of golde and siluer,
cloth of tissue, silkes of diuers sorts and excellent colours: others
there be of poorer sort that selleth serges, peeces of cotton, linnen
and fustian of all colours; yet both the one and the other is verie
goode cheape, for that there is great aboundance, and many workemen that
do make it. The apothecarie that selleth simples, hath the like table:
there be also shops full of earthen vessels of diuers making, redde,
greene, yellow, and gilt; it is so good cheape that for foure rials of
plate they giue fiftie peeces: very strong earth, the which they doo
breake all to peeces and grinde it, and put it into sesternes with
water, made of lime and stone; and after that they haue well tumbled and
tossed it in the water, of the creame that is vpon it they make the
finest sort of them, and the lower they go, spending that substance that
is the courser: they make them after the forme and fashion as they do
here, and afterward they do gild them, and make them of what colour they
please, the which will never be lost: then they put them into their
killes and burne them. This hath beene seene and is of a truth, as
appeareth in a booke set foorth in the Italian toonge, by Duardo
Banbosa,[53] that they do make them of periwinkle shelles of the sea:
the which they do grinde and put them under the ground to refine them,
whereas they lie 100 years: and many other things he doth treat of to
this effect. But if that were true, they should not make so great a
number of them as is made in that kingdome, and is brought into
Portugall, and carried into the Peru, and Noua Espania,[54] and into
other parts of the world: which is a sufficient proofe for that which is
said. And the Chinos do agree for this to be true. The finest sort of
this is neuer carried out of the countrie, for that it is spent in the
seruice of the king, and his gouernours, and is so fine and deere, that
it seemeth to be of fine and perfite cristal: that which is made in the
prouince of Saxii[55] is the best and finest. Artificers and mechanicall
officers doo dwell in streets appointed, whereas none do dwell amongst
them, but such as be of the same occupation or arte: in such sort that
if you doo come at the beginning of the street, looke what craft or art
they are there, it is to be vnderstood that all that streete are of that
occupation. It is ordayned by a law and statute, that the sonne shall
inherite his fathers occupation, and shall not vse any other without
licence of the justice: if one of them bee verie rich and will not
worke, yet he cannot let but haue in his shop men that must worke of his
occupation. Therefore they that do vse it, by reason that they are
brought vp in it from their youth, they are famous and verie curious in
that which they do worke, as it is plainelie seene in that which is
brought from thence to Manilla, and into the Indies, and vnto Portugall.
Their currant monie of that kingdome is made of golde and siluer,
without any signe or print, but goeth by waight: so that all men
carrieth a ballances with them, and little peeces of siluer and golde,
for to buy such things as they haue neede of. And for things of a
greater quantitie they haue bigger ballances in their houses, and
waights, that are sealed, for to giue to euery man that which is theirs:
for therein the iustices haue great care. In the gouernement of
Chincheo[56] they haue copper monie coyned, but it is nothing woorth out
of that prouince.