_How that with them they haue had the vse of Artilery long time
before vs in these parts of Europe._
[Sidenote: The first inuenting of armor.]
[Sidenote: Artilerie 1300 years before us.]
Amongst many things worthie to bee considered, which haue beene and
shalbe declared in this historie, and amongst manie other which of
purpose I omit, because I would not be tedious vnto the reader, no one
thing did cause so much admiracion vnto the Portugals, when that they
did first traficke in Canton, neither vnto our Spaniards, who long time
after went vnto the Philippinas, as to finde in this kingdome artilerie.
And wee finde by good account taken out of their histories, that they
had the vse thereof long time before vs in Europe. It is said that the
first beginning was in the yeare 1330, by the industrie of an
Almane,[122] yet howe he was called there is no historie that dooth make
mention: but the Chinos saie, and it is euidently seene, that this
Almaine dooth not deserue the name of the first inuenter, but of the
discouerer, for that they were the first inuentors, and from them hath
the vse thereof beene transported vnto other kingdomes, where it is now
vsed. The Chinos saie that their first king, called Vitey, did first
inuent the same, and that he was taught the matter how to make them by a
spirite that came out of the earth, for to defende himselfe and his
kingdome from the Tartares, that did much molest him with warres: for,
according vnto the tokens giuen him, (as it dooth appear in their
histories,) and the industrie for the same, it appeareth that it was
some spirit, enimie vnto mankind, onely for to destroy them, as in these
daies the experience thereof is apparent vnto vs. All the which carieth
a similitude of the trueth, for that this king was a great sorcerer and
inchanter, as you may well vnderstand by the herbe that he had growing
in ye court of his pallace, whereof before I haue told you. And if this
be not credible, because so many yeres are past since this kings raigne,
yet it is of truth, yt when these Chinos went to the kingdom of
Pergu,[123] and to c[=o]quest ye east Indies more then 1500 yeares since,
they caried with them ye like instruments of warre, which did serue
them in their conquest: the which conquest being ended, they left behind
them certaine peeces of artilerie, which were found afterwards by the
Portugals, whereon were grauen the armes of China, and in what yeare
they were made, agreeing iust with the time of the conquest.
Such artilerie as the frier Gerrarda and his companions did see at their
being there, they say it was of antiquitie, and very ill wrought, and
was for the most part peeces to shoote stones, or murderers: but it was
giuen them to vnderstande that in other prouinces of the kingdome, there
be that bee verie curiouslie wrought and faire, which may bee of such
which the Captaine Artreda did see: who in a letter that hee wrote vnto
King Phillip, giuing him to vnderstande of the secreats of this
countrie, amongst which hee saide, the Chinos doo vse all armour as wee
doo, and the artilerie which they haue is excellent good. I am of that
opinion, for that I haue seene vessels there of huge greatnesse, and
better made then ours, and more stronger.
In euerie citie they haue certaine houses, where they make their
ordinance and artilerie continuallie: they doo not plant them on castles
(for that they haue not the vse of them in all the kingdome), but vppon
the gates of their cities, which hath mightie great and thicke walles,
and deepe ditches, which they doo fill with water out of the next riuer,
at all times when neede requireth, which they account the greatest
strength in all the kingdome. At euerie gate of the citie there is a
captaine with manie souldiours, that keepeth watch and warde, night and
daie, to suffer no stranger to enter in without especiall lycence of the
gouernour of the citie or towne. By this that I haue alredie saide, as
seemeth vnto me, is apparantlie shewed and declared the antiquity of
artilerie in this kingdome: and howe that they were the first inuentors
thereof. Likewise it dooth plainely appeere that there was the first
inuention of printing, a thing as strange as the other, whose antiquitie
in that kingdome shall be shewed in the chapter following.