_Of the court and pallace of the king, and of the citie where as he
is resident; and how that in all the kingdome there is not one that
is lord over subiects by propertie._
[Sidenote: A citie of a daies iourney long.]
[Sidenote: Foure curious halles.]
The habitation of this king, and almost of al his predecessors, hath bin
and is commonlie in the citie of Taybin or Suntien: the occasion is (as
they saye) for that it is neerest vnto the Tartarians, with whom
continually they have had wars, that they might the better put remedie
in any necessitie that shoulde happen, or, peraduenture, for that the
temperature or clime of that place is more healthfull than the other
prouinces, or the dwelling to be of more pleasure, as it is giuen to
vnderstand by that worde Suntien, which in their language is as much to
say the celestiall citie; it is of such bignesse that, for to crosse it
ouer from gate to gate, a man must traueile one whole day, and have a
good horse, and put good diligence, or else he shal come short: this is,
besides, the subburbes, which is as much more ground. Amongst the Chinos
is found no varietie in the declaration of this mightie city, and of the
great riches that is in it, which is a signe to be of a truth for that
they agree all in one. There is so much people in it, what of citizens
and courtiers, that it is affirmed that, vpon any vrgent occasion, there
may be ioyned together two hundreth thousand men, and the half of them
to bee horsemen. At the entring into this citie toward the orient, is
situated the mightie and sumptuous pallace of the king, where he
remaineth ordinarily, although hee hath other two: the one in the midst
of the citie, and the other at the end towards the west. This first
pallace they do testifie is of such huge bignesse, and so much
curiositie, that it is requisite to haue foure days at the least to view
and see it all. First it is compassed about with seuen walles, very
huge; and the space that is betwixt one wall and other doth contain ten
thousand souldiers, which doo watch and gard the king's house dayly:
there is within this pallace three score and nineteen halls, of a
marueilous rich and curious making, wherein there are many women that do
serve the king in the place of pages and squires; but the principallest
to be seen in this pallace is foure halles very rich, whereas the king
giveth audience vnto such ambassadours as come vnto him from other
kingdomes or prouinces, or vnto his owne people when they call any court
of parliament (which is very seldome), for that he is not seene by his
commons out of his owne house but by great chance, and yet when they doo
see him, for the most part it is by a glasse window. The first of these
hals is made al of mettal, very curiously wrought with manie figures:
and the seconde hath the seeling and the floore wrought in the order of
masons' worke, all of siluer of great value: the third is of fine golde,
wrought and inamiled verie curiously. The fourth is of so great riches,
that it much exceedeth all the other three: for that in it is
represented the power and riches of that mightie kingdome: and therefore
in their language they do cal it the hall of the king's treasure; and
they do affirme that it deserueth to haue that name--for that there is
in it the greatest treasure that any king hath in all the world, besides
many iewels of an inestimable price, and a chaire (wherein he dooth sit)
of great maiesty, made of iuory, set full of precious stones and
carbuncles, of a great price, that in the darkest time of the night the
hall is of so great clearenesse as though there were in it many torches
or lights: the wals are set full of stones of diuers sorts, verie rich
and of great vertue, wrought verie curiously: and to declare it in fewe
words, it is the richest and principalst thing to be seene in all the
kingdome, for therein is the principallest thereof.
[Sidenote: Punished for taking bribes.]
In these foure halles are heard such ambassadours as are sent from other
countries, according vnto the estate and qualitie of the king and
prouinces from whence they come: so that according as they are esteemed,
so are they entertained into one of these foure hals. If that from
whence they come is from a king of small power, he hath audience in the
first hall: if he be of a reasonable power, in the second hal, and in
this order in the rest. Within this mightie pallace, the king hath all
that any humane vnderstanding can desire or aske (touching this life),
in pleasure for to recreate his person, and for their queene: for that
neuer (or by great chance) they go foorth of the same: and it hath beene
a customable vse amongst the kings of that countrie, that it is as a
thing inherited by succession never to go forth. They say, their reason
why they doo keepe themselues so close and not to go abroade, is to
conserue the mightie estate of their estade,[79] and also to auoide for
being slaine by treason (as many times it falleth so out); for which
occasion you haue had kings, that in all the time of their reigne haue
not gone out of their pallace but onely the day of their oath and
crownation: and besides this their close keeping, yet haue they tenne
thousande men continually (as aforesaide) in garde of the pallace both
day and night, besides others that are in the courtes, staires and
halles, and other places. Within the gates and wals of this mightie
pallace they haue gardines, orchards, woodes, and groues, whereas is all
manner of hunt, and foule, and great pondes full of fish. And, to
conclude, they haue all manner of pleasures and delites, that may be
inuented or had in any banketting house in the fielde. In all this
kingdome there is not one that is lorde ouer any subiect or vassales (as
they of Turkie), neither haue they any iurisdiction proper, but that
which is his patrimonie and moueables, or that which the king doth giue
them in recompence of good seruice or gouernment, or for any other
particular respect: all the which dooth end with the person, and is
returned againe vnto the king, except he will giue it vnto the sonne of
him that is dead, in curtesie more then by obligation or duetie: giuing
to vnderstande that it is to auoyd inconueniences and occasions of
treasons, which might grow if that there were any lords that were rich
or of power, and not for couetousnes or any other intent. Those whom he
dooth put in authoritie, whether they are vizroyes, gouernours, or
captaine generals, or whatsoeuer they be, hee giueth vnto them large
wages, sufficient to sustaine them in their office, in so ample sort,
that it is rather ouerplus vnto them then lacke; for that he will not
that their necessitie compell them to take presents or bribes, which
thing doth blinde them, that they cannot do iustice vprightly: and vnto
him that doth receiue or take any such (although it be but of smal
prise) he is cruelly punished.