_The substance and manner of those bookes that Frier Herrada and
his companions brought from China._
They brought with them a great number of bookes, as wee haue said, that
did intreate of diuers matters, as you shall perceiue in the sequell.
Of the description of all the whole kingdome of China, and the placing
of the 15 prouinces, and the length and bredth of euery one of them, and
of other kingdomes bordering vppon them.
Of all tributes and rentes belonging vnto the king, and of all the
orders of his royall pallace, and of his ordinarie pensions that hee
giueth, and the names of all officers in his house, and how far euery
office doth extend.
How many tributaries euerie prouince hath, and the number of such as are
free from tribute, and the order and time, how and when they are to be
recouered.
For the making of ships of all sorts, and the order of nauigation, with
the altitudes of euery port, and the quantitie of euery one in
particular.
Of the antiquitie of this kingdome of China, and of the beginning of the
world, and in what time and for whome it beganne.
Of the kings that have raigned in this kingdome, and the order of their
succession and government, with their liues and customes.
Of the ceremonies they vse in doing sacrifice vnto their idols (which
they hold as gods), and the names of them: of their beginnings, and at
what time they shoulde make their sacrifices.
Their opinions of the immortalitie of the soule, of the heauen, of hell,
of the manner of their funerals, and of their mourning apparel that
euery one is bounde to weare, according as he is alianced unto the dead.
Of the lawes of the kingdome, and when and by whome they were made; and
the punishment executed on those which violate the same, with manie
other matters touching their good government and policie.
Manie herbals, or bookes of herbes, for phisitions, shewing how they
should be applied to heale infirmities.
Many other bookes of phisicke and medicine, compiled by authors of that
kingdome, of antiquitie and of late daies, containing in them the maner
how to vse the sicke, and to heale them of their sicknes, and to make
preseruatiues against all sicknesses and infirmities.
Of the properties of stones and mettals, and of things natural that haue
vertue of themselues; and wherefore pearles, gold, and silver, and other
metals, may serue for the vtility of man, comparing with the one and the
other the vtilitie of euerie thing.
Of the nomber, and moouings of the heauens: of the planets and stars,
and of their operations and particular influences.
Of such kingdomes and nations as they haue notice off, and of particular
things that are in them.
Of the life and behauiour of such men, whom they holde for saints, where
they lead their liues, and where they died and were buried.
The order howe to play at the tables, and at the chests, and how to make
sports of legerdemaine and puppets.
Of musicke and songs, and who were the inuentors thereof.
Of the mathematicall sciences, and of arithmeticke, and rules how to use
the same.
Of the effectes that the children doo make in their mothers wombs, and
how they are euery moneth sustained, and of the good and bad times of
their birth.
Of architecture, and all manner of buildings, with the bredth and length
that euerie edifice ought to haue for his proportion.
Of the properties of good and bad ground, and tokens how to know them,
and what seede they will beare euery yeare.
Of astrologie naturall, and judiciarie, and rules to learne the same,
and to cast figures to make coniectures.
Of chiromancia and phisiognomia, and other signes and tokens, and what
euery one doth signifie.
The order how to write letters, and how to give euerie one his title,
according to the dignitie of his person.
How to bring vp horses, and to teach them to runne and trauaile.
How to deuine vpon dreames, and cast lottes when they beginne any
iourney, or take any thing in handes, whose ende is doubtfull.
Of apparell worne in all the kingdome, beginning with the king, and of
the ensignes or coates of armes of such as doo gouerne.
How to make armour and instruments of warre, and howe to firme a
squadron.
These bookes, and many others that the fryers brought, out of the which
(as afore saide) haue been taken all such thinges as haue beene and
shall be declared in this historie, interpreted by persons naturally
borne in China, and brought vp in Philippinas with the Spaniards that
dwell there, who affirme that they haue seene great libraries in cities
where they abode, but especially in Ancheo and Chincheo.