and the firme land vntill hee came too Moscanbique which standeth in fifteene degrees of height of the South side sixe hundreth leages beyonde the cape of Buena Esperanca which place is nowe themoste principall porte that the Portugales haue in all those Seas Don Vasco taried a smal tyme in this place bicause it was then inhabited with Merchauntes of the secte of Mahoma which were come thither in the trade of merchandize and so hee ran along the coaste and touched in Mōbasa and in Melinde where he was well receiued of the king although hee were a Moore with whome hee concluded a peace and amytie in the name of the king Don Emanuel his Lord and maister And hauing well enformed and instructed himselfe of the coast of the India hee tooke experte Pilotes for the Nauigation and went along vppon his voiage passing ouer a gulfe of seuen hundreth leages in twenty and two dayes vntill hee came too the Citie of Calicut put in eleuen degrees and a quarter of the North side with greate ioy and gladnes too see himselfe at the end of his iorney And beeing at Anker without hee sent woorde too the king of his comming where hee was in a place fiue leages from the Citie who sent him woorde that hee was very glad of his comming and of his Embassadge tooke order that he shoulde passe his shippes too the Porte of Capocate a place moste sure where they might ryde at Anker by reason that it was in the Moneth of May which is in that Coūtry the coldest and hardest tyme of Winter in the yeere and when hee thought good he would aduise him to come to the Court. This region that commonly is called India is the Country with in which is conteined the two famous riuers Indus and Ganges which doo spring in the twoo mountaines Dalanguer and Nangracot so being ioyned one to thother that they are thought to be one and the people of that Country do thinke that they spring out of one common vaine and so runne into the great Ocean Seas The riuer Indus of whom al this Prouince tooke the name by the realme of Guacarate which commonly is called the west part of Cambaya and the riuer Ganges by that of Beugala towards the e◅stparts lying East and West vnder the tropike of Caucer ▪ ◅trauise of threehundreth leages from one mouth to thother from the which commeth out a point of the lande farre in to the Sea and sheweth it self very sharpe euen vntil it come to the cape Camori which lieth Noorth and South from the fountaines of these riuers in distaunce of 400. leages of length in seuen degrees and two terces of heigth of the North side And although that amongst the Princes of these Countries are but twoo differences of lawes Idolaters and Mahomets al the Coūtry is deuided in to many realmes states For although they are very warlyke and of littel fayths yet the height and sharpnes of the hilles and mountaines and the greate nūber of fearce bests which are not to be made tame the riuers the entering of the Seas do make it inuincible is the cause cause that al this region is not brought subiect to the Prince which is of most powre and principally by reason of a long tract and rowe of mountaines which the natural people of the Coūtry do cal Gates stretching from the North to the south in the length of 200. leages from one coast to thother as doeth the high mountains Apenino in Italie beginning at the west part at the riuer Caruants passing vnto the mountain called Delij very wel knowen of the sailers of that coast which standeth in xii degrees and a halfe in height of the North side where is a plaine peece of ground ouerflowen with water of sixe or ten leages as it seemeth by the bayes neere adioyning thervnto which may bee eightie leages long and the natural people of the Country do cal it Malabar where standeth the realme and Citie of Calicut this king beeing the greatest of powre of those of this prouince and therefore hee is intituled Camori which is asmuch too say as Emperour Two daies after that Don Vasco had placed his ships in the port of Capacote there came for him a seruant of the king to bring him too his presence whome they cal their Catual accompanied with 200. men of his garde who put him selfe into his iorney carying with him onely xii Portugales and one Moore called Monzaide ▪ This Monzaide was of the realme of Tunez who did him greate pleasure by reason hee was a faythful interpreter of whome he vnderstood the secrets of the land and the gouernement thereof and in the way came to receiue him another Catual of higher degree who did accompanie him vntil he came to the king who when he should receiue him put himselfe for Maiestie at the ende of a great chamber in a bed which they cal Catel appareled with a certaine kind of fine cloth made of cotton wool burnished set with roses of beaten gold and on his head a long high cap of cloth of gold of the fashion of a close mytre ful of pearles on his legges and armes he had great store of bracelets of golde and stone hee had his head lying vppon a Pillowe of plaine silke wrought with golde firisied there was leaning to the bed a Gentleman which helde a plater of golde in his handes with the leafe of Betely with which kind of leafe they vse to comfort the stomack And Don Vasco entring into the chamber there rose very neere vnto the king a man of great yeeres with whyte garments representing great honor who was his heigh Priest being the chiefe of the religious men of his gentilitie and tooke him by the hande and caried him to the kings presence who receiued him with a mery countenaunce and with a shewe of greate and seuere Maiestie without mouing himselfe more then lifting vp his head a little frō the Pillowe and when he layed down his head againe hee made signes to the high Priest that he should cause him to sit downe by the bed side ▪ And hauing spoken certaine generall woords with Don Vasco and receiued the Letter of Don Emanuel he saide that he woulde see it and woulde heare him when he was at more leysure and for that tyme he shoulde go to take his rest commaunding a Gentleman to haue care too lodge him see him wel vsed with good entertainemēt The next day Don Vasco would returne to speake with him and declare his embassadge but the Gentlemen which kept him company kept him backe declaring to him that the Embassadors which came to that Country were accustomed not too go to speake with the king but when it pleased his Maiestie to cal them but the Moore Monzaide as one which knewe wel the order that was vsed in these causes said vnto him that the most certaine order and custom of that Prince and of
yeallowe they are made of a white softe stone and some are red but the red is not so good bicause it is of a more strong and base clay the which being ground is layed in certaine ponds of water which they haue made of free stone and some ▪ l◅ked vppon but very cleane and after they haue it well wet and turned two and fro in the water of the creme or skimme that remaines vpon the water they make those which are moste fine and the lower they go so much the more course and of that which remaineth lowest they make the grossest or coursest whereof the common people are serued and they are fashioned euen in the sorte and maner as our earthen dishes are made heere and they dry them in the sonne and after they paint them as they liste with the inke of Anil which is fyne as by them you may perceiue and when they are drye they glase them and they bake them In the Prouince called Saxij are made the beste and the greatest Fayre and sale of them where they are moste sold is in Liampo which is a Citie of the same Prouince The artificers and craftesmen are dwelling in the open places and streetes as they are here There are goldesmithes that woorke vppon golde and siluer curiously and maruellous gilders and grauers of gold which haue great shoppes full of counting houses and painted garnished Chestes and many Chayres gilded with gold some with siluer of such as they cary theyr gouerners and other chiefe Officers of theyr common wealthes on theyr shoulders which are very rich and of great pryce and specially one sorte of them which are made very high and couered with windowes made with a lattesse of Iuory that they which are within may see those that are without they not seene These do serue to carry women when they passe in the Citie They haue many rich beddes tables stooles smal chestes so gilded and curiously wrought and painted with gold and other materialls that it is wonderful to our great artificers that we haue here I ◅ad in my custodie a small counting cheste and I shewed it in Lishebron where I bought it and in Seuil vnto the most curious men and of most knowledge in al artes that were in those Cities at that present with great admiration they saide to mee that in all Europe was none that would take vppon them to make the lyke nor vnderstande the woorke that was in it There are many woorkemen of laten which doo woorke an infinite number of al sortes of vesselles of the which they serue and prouide al the Ilandes of those Seas and of other vesselles of Iron whereof they are great and cunning artificers and they melt them according as they melt the latten in Norwey but it is more lyke too glasse for it breaketh easilie There are more shoemakers then of any other science bicause it is a thing that is much vsed and spent In the Cytie of Canton there are twoo greate streetes of them without any other person of any other occupation that dwel amongst them but there are many scatered abroade in other places of the Citie In one of these streetes are solde riche stuffe wherewith they make bootes and shoes that are couered without with silke of coullours with riche stringes which is made very gallantly There are Bootes of ten Ducats price and of a Ducat according to theyr goodnesse and shoes of two Ducats and so downewarde vntoo a maruedie which is the vi parte of a pennie and are of strawe that the riche and poore may weare euery one as he listeth and as theyr abilitie serueth In al other artes there are a greate number of craftesmen very curious and of all thinges greate abundance And they are so giuen too theyr owne profit that of dogges bones and of other beastes they serue themselues therewith in steede of Iuory and of olde ragges and rindes of trees and of canes they make paper and of small peeces of silke of this they serue themselues too wryte vppon and the rest for too rolle peeces of Damaske and Taffetas and other silkes in They buy the dung of the houses for theyr grownd in the fieldes and especially for theyr garden hearbes They bring vpp byrdes too singe and they teache them too make visages they apparel themselues of diuers fashions They make all these inuentions and many other too get mony wherewithall too passe theyr life The mony that is among them is of copper but that which most runneth amongest them is golde and siluer which is chaunged for the valewe in waight as it is in the Peru. All of them bring theyr Ballaunce and broken siluer too buy meate and the reste of the thinges which they haue neede of And when they buy any thing of greate quantitie they haue Ballances in theyr houses and greate waightes made iust and marked They bring their siluer commonly full of drosse too make it increase whiche is the cause that although they haue many mynes they carrie it as merchaundise from Iapaon and much golde out of the Ilandes called Lechios These Ilandes are one hundreth leages more towardes the East from the Citie of Chincheo which is in the Prouince of Foquiem The first Ilād standeth in xxv degrees of heigth and there are many other folowing in the course of the East Northeast towardes the North they are all fruiteful and temperate and of meruellous good waters the people that dwell on them are more whyte then tawnie and well apparelled and vse armor They were subiect in the olde tyme too the people of China and therefore they are much of theyr manners but nowe they are of themselues and beeing in the middest of the Sea yet they giue themselues little too nauigatiō Of the fruites that the people of the China do gather and the merchandise which they trade in they paie too the King a tribute very easie The greatest burden they haue is that they which keepe houses by themselues doo pay for euery person of theyr housholde the valewe of three score maruedies which is here xi pence And with this all theyr goods and landes are free too do with them what they list and too leaue them to theyr children and childrens children after their deaths which is the cause that they labour so much as they doo too encrease them The tenth Chapter sheweth of the nauigation that the people of China haue in the Seas and also in the fresh Riuers THere are in this Realme an infinite number of Shippes and Barkes wherein they sayle by the Ilandes and coastes of the same which are large and by those great riuers which do run through many partes of the same in such sort as it is thought there doe dwell fewe lesse people on the water than on the lande the great store of timber that they haue doe helpe them much therevnto and the mineralles of yron and other necessarie things for the arte of nauigation by the
Countries which are not good for Wheat they set and plant with Pine apple trees in such sorte y no grounde remaineth vnlaboured that is able to geue fruite the rest of the fields are most faire to the sight and sweete by reason of the great store of Roses and of other sweete flowers which they bring foorth and it maketh the Orchardes pleasant whiche standeth by small brookes and riuers and the gardens and houses of pleasure which are spred abroade by the sayde fieldes whiche they vse muche for theyr recreations There are also certaine bushie mountaines and wooddes where doeth breede great store of wilde Pigges and also Deare Hares and Conies and other diuers kindes of Beastes of whose skins they haue marueylous plentie of Furres and especially of the Martirnes which are many in number of a certaine kinde of beastes as great as Foxes they make the muske wherof they haue great abundance they beate them with strokes vntil they kil them and afterward they lay togeather the skin the fleshe and the bones all to beaten in little hillockes or Molehilles vntyll they bee all rotten then they cut them and in this sort they sel them to straungers The Portugales do cal them Papos and they take it for better and more fine Muske then that whiche they bryng from those partes in powder The moste common and ordinarie cattell which they eate are Kine Hogges Mutton and Goates of the which there are great abundance in the Mountaynes and Meddowes The foule is so muche and specially that which was brought vp in great standing waters and riuers that they account it a smal matter to spend ordinarily euery day in onely one of the least Cities of that Realme which is the Canton ten or twelue thousand duckes not accoūting any other sort of birdes The abundance of fishe aswell of shell fishe as also of all other sortes of fishe is most great not onely in the Sea caosts but also in the Prouinces that are in the further most parte of inland bicause the riuers are al great nauigable or portable by reason of the greatnes Of all kinde of drugges there are great abundaunce and particularly of Rubarbe and many mynes of siluer and golde of the which is gathered greate quantitie in the riuers and likewise of Copper Iron other metales in such sort that they haue great plētie of al things ▪ and lacke nothing that is necessarie for the common vse of the life of man. The VIII Chapter sheweth of the greatnes of the Cities Temples and buildings that are in it that be in al the Countrie of China THere are in this realme many Cities very populous insomuch that in a Card Geographical made by the said people of China which was brought into Portugal to the powre of Iohn de Barros a moste learned historian of that Nation there came marked two hundreth fourtie foure famous Cities and they are numbered and noted out with this sillable fu which is asmuch to say as a citie like to Canton fu◅ Panquim fu and the Townes which are very many in nūber with this sillable che◅ The Uillages are innumerable of great husbandrie and some of them are of more thē three thousand inhabitauntes and the difference which they haue is that they bee not compassed about with walles as the townes are Al the Cities for the moste parte are set planted by greate riuers which are nauigable and compassed about with deepe and broade marrishe groundes which doe make them most strōg The walles are made of great stones the height of a man from thence vpwardes of brick made of the same clay that the earthen dishes that they bring from thence is made of which is so stronge that with greate difficultie it can bee broken with Pikaxkes In some Cities they are very heigh and broade in suche sorte that there may marche foure or six men in a ranke or front vppon them They are beawtified with many Bulwarkes and Towres from one side to thother couered with most faire and beawtiful coueringes and compassed about with galleries where their Gouerners and Ministers are accustomed to go too recreat themselues with the sight of the fieldes and Riuers of other great buildings which from thence are discouered And there is a certaine space of grounde betweene the walles and the marrish ground vpon which vi men on horsebacke may march and in the innermost part of the walles on thother side there is asmuch more voyde grounde vntoo the houses that they may passe the watch without any imp◅ment the walles are so whole without clifte or rift or shew thereof as if they were but then newe made and yet hauing in many Cities memorie of twoo thousande yeeres since that they were made and the cause thereof is that in euerie Citie and towne the king hath an Officer with great wages whiche doeth not occupie himselfe specially in any thing other than in continuall surueying of them and to cause them too bee renewed And therefore they haue order that hee which is Tresurer and receiuer of the Kings rents in such Cities and in the lyke places doeth giue too him all that is necessarie and needfull for the reparing of them This is so precise a matter that the lyke officers are visited and chastened if they haue not fulfilled all things which they are bound vnto in their office The entraunce of these Cities are sumptuous and of greate shewe and Maiestie ▪ with three and foure gates most stronge and all things too them aperteyning of Iron The streetes are wel paued with stone and stande right without declyning too one side more then too the other where you may see from one gate too thother and in the moste of them may passe in a frunt ten and fifteene men on horsebacke one by the other and yet there remayneth in one side and thother greate windowes and stawles for the seruice of them that keepe shoppes of merchaundyse they bee so broade that there is buil◅ in them triumphant Arches of greate beawtie and shewe whereby the Cities bee much detked and adorned and the sayde Arches are set some vppon timber and other vppon free stone which are much painted with gallant shewes couered with Tiles made of the earth which the fine whyte dishes are made of And by reason the streets are so broad they make them with three gates and those which are in the middest are greater thē those which are at the ends The Arches are so broade so farre out intoo the streets and so made that the people are defended from the rayne the Sun and vnder them is sold much fruite and other fine trinckes and Iewelles of all sortes The houses where the kings Officers are resident in are sumptuous and of a straunge buildinge and so broade that some of them haue more roome thē is in a good Town And the cause therof is the great gardens and parkes which are compassed about that is within them wherin
is greate store of deare and of other game of diuers sortes and all kinde of wilde fowle In Townes that are neere the Sea coast all the houses for the moste parte bee lowe and within the lande they reise their Chambers alofte of faire buildings They haue generally at their dores trees of beawtie set in a rowe one by an other in order which are set with equall distance and by line which are greene al the yeere bicause they should yeld them shadowe and also beawtifie the streetes There are in that Countrie some Cities in which the Barkes may sayle with in them lyke as in the towne of Brudges in Flanders in the which riuer do Barks passe laden with al kind of vitailes and merchaundise and the streets stand on both sides of the Chanelles where they sayle and come to the Wharfes and Bridges of goodly building specially at the going out of the Cities for to passe the fennes and the riuers Whē they be so great and deepe that none cā go ouer them they make bridges vpon many boats or barks after the fashion of the bridge of Seuil tied with strong chaynes and when the freshe waters are very great they vndo thē then they take barkes which they ro we with oares and doo vse them to passe the people and al other things they haue to passe at the kings cost this order is in all the Country although it be in places not inhabited In the hilles mountaines where people cōmonly doo iorney there are made Cause is that are heighest in the middest and wel repayred which is one of the most notable buildings for common vse that is in al China The villages are for the most part al compassed about with trees which doo hyde them bicause the houses be lowe vnlesse it bee the houses of some rich farmers whose housen are very high decked with towres which are to be discouered far of by many partes bycause the Country is much replenished with villages and houses of pleasure of great recreation where they haue gardens parkes of deare and wildfowle and ponds of fishe of al sorts And by reason they are blind in Religion and without light of the knowledge of the true God and of feeling of euerlasting life they indeuour the rather to passe the temporal life with great ease and contentment reposing their chiefe felicitie in things temporal and in things of most pleasure in this life There are many other buildings of great admiration in those cities specially in the prouince of Fucheo certain Portugals with were caried prisoners thither do affirme that they sawe a tower before the house of the kings Tresurer in that Prouince built vpon 40. whole Arches and euery piller of the Arches had in length fourtie pawnnes in cōpasse xii and the rest of the building was so sumptuous and faire that therewith they were amazed and it seemed too them that in respect of that al was little which they could see in all Europe And bycause you may better vnderstande the maiestie of this Empire and the riches and greatnes of it the Portugales doo make particular relation of the Citie of Canton which is one of the least of that realme of the which Cytie they haue moste knowledge by reason of the ordinarie trade of shipping that they haue too that place and porte with their merchaundise which in respect of the rest is as the Cytie of Cadiz in respect of the rest of the great Cities of Spaine and they say that this Citie of Canton standeth before the Iland called Ainan in the same ooast in twenty seuē degrees skarce of heigth of the North side in a playne fayre fielde and delectable to the sight for the trees and fruites that it hath and all kinde of husbandry being placed among the smal riuers being brāches of a great riuer which goe◅h spreading in breath twoo hundreth paces and in deepth from three to seuen fadō and by the sides of these riuers are planted many small villages faire houses of great pleasure vntil you come to the sea which is neere vnto it At the entrie in towards the Citie are certain Ilands inhabited with husbandmē with only do liue by husbandry ▪ It is compassed about on the parte side where the riuer is not with a brode deepe diche or trench ▪ wherevnto commeth great store of water which maketh it strong it is nauigable the walles are built with stone lyme and bricke vppon the face of the earth without any foundation ▪ but filled vp ful of earth and broade There are in the walles eighty three bulwarks Iohn de Barros doth say that they are nientie of a greate shewe and compassed about with galleries which doo beawtifie the Citie very much it hath in circute twelue thousand three hundreth and fiftie paces besides the suburbes which are great and much inhabited the walles are hole and sounde although that they do affirme that it is one thousand eight hundreth yeeres they were built by reason of the great care they haue too repayre them The good fashion that the streets haue do cause the Citie to shew very faire by reason they are long and straight And the said Citie hath seuen gates and they are seene from the one to thother by reason the streets are so broade that ten men on horseback may passe in front one by an other and there remayneth at the one side and thother shops where they sel merchaundyse and all kinde of vittailes The said streetes are very wel paued high by the sides and lowe by the middest that the water may auoide away and beeing so long they haue throughout great number of triumphant Arches made very sumptuous as before is declared At the going foorth of the gates to go ouer the marrish ground there are Bridges of free stone very broade where is solde many thinges too bee eaten and others The houses where the Presideuts are lodged that doo gonerne this Prouince are the kings houses and are of great Maiestie and doo occupy much roome with the courtes and gardens and great houses where the Counselles doo sit and determine causes and doo prouide thinges for the Gouernement of the rest of the Cities and those for the estate of the warres and for the kings rents This Prouince and that of Cansie by reason they be least the rest are prouided with one onely Gouerner which they cal Tutam is asmuch to say among vs as Uiceroy for this cause he is Resident in a Citie called Doucheo which is in the borders and precinet of them both The ordinary common houses of this Citie are in outwarde shewe of small beawtie because they are lowe by reason of the heate which is great in that place but within they are very beawtiful goodly to be seene bicause they are made as whyte as milke in such sorte that it seemeth as if they were set foorth with shyning paper burnished
the Earle Don Ramon sonne to WilliaÌ„ earle of Burgondie and Don Ramon Earle of Tolosa S. Gill in Fraunce Don Henry of Vezancon his cosin according to the opinion of some writers as Christian Princes desirous of honour and fame that came too serue him with many other knightes in those warres that he had against Lucef Abendesim king of the Amorabides who at that time had past from Affrica and had made him selfe Lord of the Moores of Spaine which were resident in Andaluzia and too shew him selfe thankful to these Lords after they had shewed theyr valiâ—…untnesse and vertue on theyr meetinges and fightes that they had with the Almorabides and to binde them to greater enterprises and to allure other straunge Princes knightes also to come to his ayde hee ioyned him selfe to them in marriage and affinitie Mariyng the Earle Don Ramon of Burgondie with the Lady Vrraca his legittimate daughter and inheritour of his Realmes geuing hym the title of the Earle and Gouernour of Galizia and the Earle of Tolosa and Don Henrie with the Lady Elvira and the Lady Tereâ—… his bastarde daughters whiche he had of Lady Ximena muuez de Guzma geuing to Don Henry certayne lande which the king Don Fernando his father the firste king of Castile and other kinges his predecessours had gotten of the Moores in the borâ—…ers of the Realmes of Leon and Galizia which were the Cities of Coimbra Viseo and Lanego with the Prouince of Vera and the Cities of the Porte Braga and Guimareus and all that precinct which is betweene the two Riuers Duero and Minoâ—… with title of Earle of Portugale because hee shoulde be a defender of them making to him a firme gift of the right of the inheritaunce too him and too his succession descending of this Matrimonie With condition that they shoulde bee bounde in knowledge of Superioritie to go to the Parliaments of Leon into whose precinct that Countrey doeth fall and at all times when the kinges had warres with the Moores that they shoulde be bounde to gâ—…e and serue them with three hundred horsemen which was at that time all the power that might be in Portugale and thâ—… they shoulde also pay certaine yeerely Tribute vppon paine and that yf they fayled any thing of this they should loofe the state and that it shoulde be returned backe too the kingdome of Leon. And although that all these burdens were set at libertie by a gifte that the king Don Alonso the wise made in Seuil against the will of the Earle Don Nunon de Lara of other knightes beyng Spaniardes to the Infante Don Dionis sonne to the Ladie Beateris his naturall daughter which â—…ee had by the Ladie Mayor Guillen de Gusman and of Don Alonso the fifth kyng of Portugale which married with heâ—… and had in dowry the Countreis of Algarve which the kyng Don Alonso and the holy king Don Fernando gate alwayes the king Don Dionis and his successours as Catholique and true Princes continueâ—… the Warres against the Moores of Spayne finding theÌ„selues sometimes in the fauor of the kings of Castile and particularly the king Don Alonso called the â–ª Braue when he gaue the battel neere to Tarifa vntyll that the king Don Iohn the famous being the first of this name by the battel of Aliubaâ—…ota and by other subtil practiseâ—… worthie of his name â–ª hee determined as a most warlike Prince to passe into Affrica to coÌ„quer the Townes of the Sea Coast nere adioyning to him on the West side carriyng with him in his companie the Infantes Don Edward his 〈◊〉 sonne â–ª and heire apparant and Don Peter Duke of Coimbra and Don Henry his other sonnes and many other Lords Knightes of his Realme where withall hee might get the Citie of Cevta standing in the Streighte where the two Seas do meete the Ocean and Mediterrane and where Affrica Europa are deuided right ouer against Gibralter in the distaunce of foure leages ouerthwart ¶ The seconde Chapter sheweth of the diligence that the infante Don Henry did vse as well to knowe of the Moores of Cevta and the Prouinces of the blacke people of Ialofe as also for his armed ships which he sent in the discouerie of the coasts of Ginea euen vnto his death c. HE that did best shewe himselfe for the getting of Cevta was Infant Don Henry with the Knightes and Gentlemen of his bande And as hee was a Prince 〈◊〉 religious and destrous to augment the Christian faith with his valiauntnesse So hee did much indeuour to enquire of the Mores the Proinces and Nations nearest adioyning to them wherof hee came to haue knowledge and specially of the Moores nearest adioyning to the Desertes which they call Sahara and of the Azeneges with the blacke people of Ialofe and hee did it with the better will because hee woulde haue his name spred abroade in the world by so great an enterprise so taken in hande and also by sending shippes in the discouerie of the Coaste of Ginea whereof he had some knowledge by Geographie to the which he was affectioned And so in returning the kyng his former victories to Portugall hee went to bee Resident in Algarue in a small Towne of his owne to geue order for this Nauigation for the which certaine Captaines of his did continue there for certaine yeeres and durst not passe from the Cape Boiador which lieth in twentie seuen degrees and a half of height on the North side East and West from the gran Canaria in thirteene Leagues ouerthwarte and for to come foorth of the sight of the Coaste which they leaue behinde them more then fortie Leages into the Sea in the West course with a certaine pointe vnder that water which doeth come foorth in length of sixe Leages that by reason of the Tydes that ruÌ„neth there the water is so moued in such sort that it seemeth to leape and to seethe which did put them in great feare thinking that they had ben shouldes and then it was a newe thing for them and difficulte that they had so gone from the land for to â—…bble it wherewith all they returned without hope to passe forward making some entraunce into the habitations of the Moores that dwelt in the Sea Coaste for to satisfie the infant In one of these voyages they discouered in foule weather which did open vnto theÌ„ from the firme land the Ilandes which are called Puerto sancto and the Madera whiche Ilandes the infant dyd commaunde to inhabite because hee was certified that they were temperate and fruitfull and for that they were not inhabited with the people that were Barbarous as the Ilands of Canaria wrre The which Ilands â–ª they had knowledge of how that they were discouered by a Frenche knight called Iohn de Betancur which had conquered them with the licence of the Tutors of the king Don Iohn the seconde of Castile whiche were the queene Ladie Caterin his mother and the infant Don
Fernando his vncle of good memorie who came to bee king of Aragon and father of the kinges Don Alonso of Naples and Don Iohn his brother which did succeede in that of Aragon and Sicilia and Grand father to the king Don Fernando the Catholike These Ilandes stande in the thirtieth three degrees of height Northeast and Southwest from the barre of Lishebron in one hundred and fiftie Leages trauies be distant frō the Canaria at the least 80. Leages North Northwest and South Southeast The Infant caused the discouerie of them to bee knowen to Poope Martin the fifth who at that tyme was president in the Catholike Churche and too other Princes of Christendome of the which there was restrainte for certaine yeres vntil y one Gill Yannes being borne in the towne of Logos wold passe y cape Boiador being a feareful thing in the opinion of Saylers of that time who was cause from that time forward that Nauigation was continued the longer and other Captaines comming to the Riuer which is called of Golde because they brought from thence the firste that came into Portugale and it standeth vnder the Tropick of Cancer in the twentieth three degrees and a half of height and the Cape of Blanco and Ilandes of Arguin standeth in twentie where the king Don Alonso his Cosin did commaunde after that to builde a forte and beyonde the Riuer which the naturall people of the Countrey do call Obedec the Portugales do call Sauage which doeth deuide the Countries of the Moores Azeneues and the Ialofes euen vntoo the Capeverdes which is of the moste knowen places in the West Ocean in the fifteene degrees of the North side and to the Weast part of him are within one hundred Leages of Trauisim the Ilands which are called of Gill Yannez and threescore Leagues beyonde that is the Great Riuer and eighty beyond that of Nunno and in seuen degrees and two Terces the mountaine Lioa whiche was the laste time that any discouerie was made in the lyfe of this moste Christiā Infant leauing to the king his Cosin to his successours the open way for the great Nauigations and roades which his subiectes haue made and doe make by all the East Countries with great prayse and estimation of the Portugale Nation The thirde Chapter of the discouerie which was made of the coastes of Ginea in the time King Don Alonso vnto his death of the persons that the King Don Iohn his sonne sent by the Sea Mediterran wherby they myght bryng relation of the states and trades of India and of the Embassage hee sent to the kyng of Aethiopia THE Infante beyng dead it did seeme too the King Don Alonso that it woulde bee a let to him if hee shoulde vnderstande farther in these discoueries by reason he minded to conquer Tanger and Arzila other forces that were neere to the Streightes which with great courage hee gote of the Moores and for the pretence y he had of the Realmes of Castile for his Cosin the Lady Iane daughter to the Queene his sister the second wife of the king don Henry the 4. with whō hee minded to marry hee gaue the discouerie for rent to a subiect of his called Iohn Gomez dwelling in Lisbon for two thowsande fiue hundred Ducates for fiue yeeres with condition that hee shoulde bee bounde to discouer within the sayde time fiue hundred Leagues of Coaste beyond the mountayne Lioa This man which was so bound ▪ did accomplishe his ◅ande very well discouering all these Coastes which they call the Mina whiche stretch in length in the course of the East and West vntyll they came to the Cape of saint Catherin that standeth in two degrees a halfe of height towards the South side so there remaineth behinde discouered the ilandes of the Prince and of Fernando and those of Sancto Thome ▪ being vnder the lyne Equinoctiall In this time died the king Don Alonso and Don Iohn the second his sonne succeeded him who sent foorth a Captain of his called Diego de Acambina with a great number of shippes to this Conquest who caused to bee builte the Castell of saint George with consent of the Prince Caramansa Lord of that Countrey Other Captaines of his discouered the Realmes of Congo and of Beni and the rest of the same Coaste whiche is to bee vnderstoode from the North too the South vntyl they passe the famous Cape of Buena Esperanca being the first Bartholomew Dias one of the officers of his house Of some Embassadours of these blacke kniges which they sent to Portugale and particularly of those of the king of Beni the king Don Iohn had knowledge that farre within the countrey there was a mightie Prince vnto whom some of them gaue obedience and by the maners and tokens that hee declared of him it seemed that hee was a Christian whereof it came to bee agreed vppon that hee should be Prester Iohn of whom then there was knowledge of and of the trade and riches of the India by meanes of certayne religious men Spaniardes that had beene at Hierusalem and like wise of other that were come into Spaine And for to certifie him self the better of the Trade and Nauigation and Portes of the India and of the power of Prester Iohn and of his religion of whom he minded to fauour himself for the trade of the Spicerie hee sent one Peter de Covillana seruaunt of his house and also Alonso de Paiba by the way of Italie that he might bryng him a true relation of all ▪ These men went to Naples and from thence they imbarked them selues for the Rhodes and from thence to Alexandria and too Cairo which at that time was a Royall seate of the Soldans of Aegypt vntill a fewe yeeres after in the yeere a thousande fiue hundred and sixteene Selim Emperour of the Turkes ouercame and slewe in a battayle neere to Damasco the Soldan Campson Gaurio and made himselfe Lorde of all those Realmes and from thence they went too the Citie of Adem whiche standeth at the entrie of Sinus Arabicos whiche is called the redde Sea in the part of Arabia Foelix where they departed one from another The Paiba towardes Aethiopia and the Covillana towardes the India where they agreed togeather to returne and ioyne themselues againe at a certaine time in the Citie of Cairo Covillana did embarke himselfe in a small shyppe of the Moores and came to Cananor and from thence to Calicut and Soa the moste principall Portes of that Coaste of the India and hauing well enfourmed himselfe to the states Trafficke and riches thereof he returned from thence to the Mine of Zofala ▪ which is in Aethiopia aboue Aegypt in nienteene degrees of the height of the Southside betweene Musambike and the Cape of Buena Esperanca and from thence he returned too Aden and to Cairo where hee vnderstoode that Paiba his companion died a fewe dayes before in that Citie And beyng readie to
officers and the rest is distributed for the prouision of the Cities for to encrease his reuenues The Barkes wherein the gouernors and the officers do saile in haue their couerings high and theyr cabans verie well wrought and gilded both without and within with theyr windowes casementes adorned with fine shewes And the Barkes of the officers of lower degree are well neare built after the same maner and with as much gallantnesse There are so many Barkes of the one sort and of the other that they say commonly that theyr King maye make a bridge vpon Barkes that will reach from China to Malaca which is fiue hundreth leages distant The xi Chapter sheweth of the letters cyphers and figures of the people of China and of their studyes in generall THe people of China haue nō number of letters in their A B C for all that they write is by figures signifying the heauen which they call Guant by one onely figure which is this And the king which they cal Bontai which is this And in like order the earth the Sea and the rest of the Elaments and names vsing more than fiue thousande ciphers or figures different one from the other which they make verie readily I saw a China doe it and I requested him to write certaine names and he shewed to me the numbers that they doe account withall and they were easie to vnderstand and to summe and rest any maner of account by Arithmetike by them as well as by those of our ciphers they make the lines throughout both aboue and beneath verie equall and wich great order beginning contrarie to vs After the self same order they haue in their impression which they vsed many yeares before it was vsed in Europe Of their printed bookes which doeth treate of theyr Histories there were two of those bookes in the power of the most excellent Queene of Portugale the Ladie Katherine that now liueth And that which seemeth most to be marueyled at is that they speaking different languages in the most part of theyr Prouinces and the one vnderstande not the other by speache more than the Gascoines doe vnderstande the Valencianos yet generally they vnderstande one another by wryting for one maner of figure or cipher doth serue euerie one of them and to signifie to them any maner of name And although they declare one to another of them any worde that is straunge yet they vnderstande that it is the selfe same thing bycause they see plainely that it doeth signifie a Citie which is this and some doe call it Leombi and others Fu the one and the other doe vnderstand that it is to be vn ▪ derstoode a Citie and the like followeth in all other names And in this sort they talke one with another in writing those of Lapaon and Ilandes of the Lechios and the Realme of Guachinchina without vnderstanding anie woorde the one with another when they speake In all Cities the king hath generall Schooles at his owne cost and to them doe come an infinite number of Scholers to be taught A Frier named Gaspar de la Cruz being a religious mā of Portingale of the order of Saint Dominicke that was in that Countrey in the Citie of Canton and that wrote plentifully the things he saw and that which happened to him in the voyage sayeth that they teach in these their Schooles onely the lawes of the Realme and no other science But there bee some learned men that haue knowledge of the course of the heauens wherby they know the Eclipses of the Sunne and of the Moone and these teach to particular parsones of their owne free wil. And Iohn de Barros doeth say that beside the teaching of their owne lawes they also teach naturall Philosophie and that they be great Astrologers which he knoweth by relation of others and by a booke they brought him from thence of the scituation of the Countrey with a Commentarie vpon the same after the maner of an Itinerary with a Mappe or Carde Geographicall made by the sayde people of the China wherein is mention made of one wall which beginneth from the Citie of Ocoioy and standeth betweene two verie high mountaines euen like vnto a way passage or gate that passeth through that whole Region which doth runne from fortie three to fortie flue degrees from the West to the East and vntill it meete with another great hill which runneth out into the Easterly Seas after the maner of a head lande or Cape and seemeth to be in length more then two hundreth leagues which the kinges in times past did commaunde too buylde for to defende the incursions of the Tartares from his Countrey their auncient mortall enemies And all those Mountaines Rivers Cities and Townes with theyr names which Carde or Mappe did answere well to the booke after the maner as they vse there is after three sortes that is by stature league and iourney and wee vse the like And the first and least distance they call Lij which haue so much space as in a plaine grounde and a calme day the voyce of a man may be heard and ten of these Li◅s doe make one Pu which doe answere little more then a leage of ours of Spaine and ten Pues do make a dayes iourney which they cal Ichan And it is not to be marueyled that they do not scituate the distance of the lande with degrees answering too the celestial Orbe seeing that at the time of Ptolome it was not vsed of the Geographers notwithstanding that hee sayth they haue this vse in their Oroscopos when they vse their Astrologie The king doeth sende to these Scholers euerie yeare visitors to examine the students to see and vnderstand if they profite in learning And those which are able and learne wel they honor with woordes of commendation and do animate them that they go forwarde in theyr studie offering them to increase theyr liuings and those which do not profite in learning they commaunde to be put into Prison and they whip them and when they are altogither vnprofitable they dispatch them away euery three yeares The visitors vse this kinde of examination when they come to take residence of the Iudges and the Kinges Officers and they bring power and authoritie to graduate such as are able men and of sufficient knowledge in the lawe which is to make them sufficient for to serue the king in Offec◅s and gouernements as it is more at large declared in an other Chapter following The xii Chapter sheweth howe that of all this great Realme of China one onely Prince is King and Lorde and of his Councell and Maiestie of his house and Court. AL this great Realme is subiect to one onely king and monarche which doeth gouerne reigne in it And there doth succeede in the Realme from fathers to sonnes and for lacke of them it goeth to the next in kinred but as they marry manie wiues according to the maner of the Turkish
Emperours verie seldome times they lacke successours The first child that is born of any of his diuerse wiues is of force inheritor of the Realme to the rest of the children after they are maried there is appointed to them Cities wherein they shall liue priuately where they are prouided of all thinges that are needfull for them according to their degrees with expresse commandement that they go not forth of them nor euermore after to come at the Court vpon paine of losse of theyr liues And when in olde time the kings maried their sonnes they made a solemne banquet vnto all the knightes and principall Lordes of his Court and did commaunde to carie with them their sonnes and daughters richly apparaled and trimmed and in this congregation came the Princes where all the Ladies were ioyned in companie and there they choose for their wiues such as to them seemed best and fayrest and the yong women did the like of the yong men but nowe they marie themselues with those of theyr owne kindred This same selfe rigor that is vsed of shetting them vp all the rest of the kinges kindred doe suffer the like being resident for the most part in the Citie of Cansi with commandement that some do neuer go forth of their houses too auoyde all manner of occasion and suspicion of alteration The dwelling houses where these Princes dwell are verie great for within them they haue all the pleasure and contentmēt that is to be thought aswell of Gardens Orchards Pondes of fish of diuerse sortes as also of Parks where they haue diuerse kinde of deare and foule such as may be had in Mountaines and Riuers all compassed about with walles which maketh more compasse than a great towne And as they vnderstand in nothing else but in making much of them selues they are commonly fat of good conditions peaceable and liberall with straungers They giue themselues much to Musicke wherewithall they passe the time and in other quiet exercises The gouernours and the kings officers are bound to visite them in all their festiuall dayes and if they ride along by their doores on horse backe they alight downe and if they be caried in Chaires they descend downe also and they passe by making little noyse as men that make no shew of their authoritie nor ordinarie pompe as they are accustomed to doe And for this cause they haue their gates of these houses painted with red oker bycause they shal be knowne There is not in all this Realme any Lorde that hath subiects or iuristdiction or other title than of an Off◅eer which is the most honourable title they haue and it doth signifie in their language as much as if we in our language should say Lord and knight It is gotten by studie and sufficiencie in the lawes of the Realme and by worthinesse in the field and by particular seruice made too the king or to the common wealth Those with are chosē for the lawes of y realm ▪ for men of warre are extolled according to the desertes that euerie one doe ▪ vntill they come to bee Presidents and gouernours of the Prouinces and ▪ generall Captaines in the Sea ▪ and in the lande and they are occupied also in other offices of the house and Court of this Prince and to be of the kings councell which is the highest office that is Those which they make sufficient in learning they choose in this maner The king doth sende euerie three yeares a Chaen which is as one should say a Iudge of residence to euerie Prouince that hee may visite the gouernours and officers thereof And this visitation being ended hee dooth commaund that in the chiefe Citie there be ioyned the most learned studentes of the most Cities of that iurisdiction with the most learned lawiers and of most authoritie they are all examined and such as they fynde sufficient they doe graduate with much solemnitie and with great ceremonies making themselues merie in these feastes certaine dayes with much musicke daunces Comedies and banquets where withall hee sendeth them to the Court that they may receyue the signes of men of lawe which are certaine Coyfes with eares and also hat◅es and broade and long gyrdles and there they remaine vntill their letters patients of their Offices be giuen them And such as are made for the warres first they choose the Captaines generall exalting the valtauntest souldiers with honourable profitable roomes for they do not let to esteeme all such as doe valiantly and to rewarde them with great liberalitie increasing theyr giftes according to theyr deserts The rest of the Offices are giuen by the king himsefe but these rise no higher in degree but to haue this title of Captaine generall for to enioy many liberties freedomes and gaine which is an ordinarie thing to such This Prince seldome or neuer goeth forth of his Palace for the conseruation of his greatnes and the authoritie of his estate but when hee goeth to the warres or do remoue with his court And he hath within the compasse of his house all the pleasures and pastimes that may bee deuised for the content of mankinde and the lodginges of his sonnes and kinsfolkes are so great as it is before sayd whereof the Maiestie and greatnesse of his house may be imagined And that it is not to bee marueyled that it is so great as some doe say the Citie of Paquin is where he is resident for the most part by reason of the greate warres hee hath with the Tartarres that in one day from Sunne to Sunne a man cannot ride from one gate to another And besides his Palace the houses are verie great which apperteine to those of his Counsell and the rest of his gouernours and captaynes and of manie other men of lawe that are alwayes resident in the court The same is sayde by the Citie of Manquin where in olde time the kinges were accustomed to dwell and haue theyr Courte by reason it was set in a fruitfull soyle freshe and calme And in remembraunce that he hath beene continually resident there they haue in that Citie in the house of the treasurer of the kings rentes in that Prouince a table of Golde wherein is written the name of the king that then reigned couered with a riche Curteine and they goe to it and reuerence it as though it were the king himselfe And so all the Officers and Lawyers and chiefe Gouernours are bounde to drawe the Curteine aside in all festiuall dayes that is in the time of the newe Moones which amongest them is the first day of the Moneth And in the rest of the Prouinces there are other Tables like to this but they go not to them to make anie reuerence but when they doe discouer them whereby you may vnderstand◅ the veneration that they giue to their prince And they giue him title of the Lorde of the worlde and the Sonne of heauen The seruants and suche
as serue in his house are gelded men by reason of the number of wiues they haue and so are the most part of his chiefe Counsaile bycause that with more assurance they may go in to him consult with him in the businesse of the gouernment of his Realme and estate of his warres and no others doe speake with him but those His Realme is so large and long that for to goe by iourneys from the Citie of Canton to his Court is foure or fiue monethes iourney and yet there are other Cities further Hee hath knowledge euerie Moneth and relation of all thinges that doe happen in euerie Prouince aswell touching the state warres and rentes as of al other successes with ordinarie postes that the Gouernours do dispatch to him for this effect The same order of the poste is as we haue among vs Barros doth write that they runne with collers of Belles and others that haue beene in that Countrey say they vse to blowe with a horne to aske horses and to giue knowledge to Barkes to passe Riuers The Embassadours of Princes beeing his friendes or enemies are receiued with greate veneration they lodge them and prouide them of all things needful with great liberalitie and when they come where the king is al the Lords and knights of the Court go forth to receiue them they giue them great gifts and presents and honor them with the title of Lawiers Some kings being farre of from him as the king of Aua Siam Melitij Bacham Chabam Varagu which fell to the north partes of Pegu and do acknowledge him obedience in remembrance that in olde time they were his subiectes they send him ordinarily their Embassadors with some present for the great iourney they haue to this kings Court they alwayes send with the embassage foure or fiue persons euerie one with like authoritie that if it happe some of them to die in the way or vntill they be dispatched from thence and if they die not of anie disease they alwayes poyson one or two of thē in some banket vnto whom they make verie sumptuous Sepulchres with Epitaphs conteining what they were and the cause of their comming and by what prince they were sent and this is for to continue the memorie and greatnesse of the renowne of his Realme The Embassadors of the rest of the Princes are so priueleged in such sort that those of his counsaile hauing condemned too death one Bartholomew Perez and all the rest of his companie that was sent to this coūtrie by the gouernour of the India as Embassadour of the king Don Emanuel of Portingal surmising that their embassage was false and that they were spies by reason of a certaine relation giuen against them by the embassadors of the king of Malaca and the king himself vnderstanding of the matter did commaund that their Embassage being false or true it was sufficient that there should be no hurt done to their persones seeing they were entred within the realme with the title of Embassadors Other there are that come for some common weales which are Lordes that do owe obedience to him they make no enterteynment to such but vse them with a strange kind of Ceremonie When they say to them that they shall go to see the king they appoint them the day and houre and they cause them to goe on foote or on horsebacke with bridles of strawe for humilitie And in comming too a great place that is before the kings house they stay vntill there come vnto them an Officer of the kings who doth the office of the maister of Ceremonies and doe commaunde them to passe forwarde And at a certaine place they kneele downe hold vp both theyr hands togither as though they prayed to God they beholde one quarter part of the houses of the kings palace where they tel them that the king is at times in equall space they make other fiue times their prayers and without turning their shoulders they returne backewarde with the like Ceremonies and this being done they send them away This say they is to go to see the king If they giue them licence to say what they will they remaine in the last prayers on their knees vntill there come to them an other officer which is the Secretarie that writeth downe all that they aske and with saying to them that they will consult of it with the Lord of the world they are sent away for that time vntill they bee dispatched with the determination and opinion of his chiefe Counsaile The XIII Chapter sheweth of the Presidentes and Officers which are in euery Prouince and the order which they haue in the Gouernment of them THE King doth prouide Officers for the Gouernment of euery Prouince besides ordinarie Iudges which are in some prouince more thē three thousande as also fiue Presidents and euery one of them hath his iurisdiction by himself of diuers causes the chief of them is called the Tutan which is a Uiceroy or gouerner of al the Prouince vntoo whome they come generally with the knowledge of al great griefes and smal offences And al the penalties thereof the ordinary charges being taken away he sendeth to the court and with the relation of al the newes that doeth happen euery moneth His aurtoritie and maiestie is so great that he is not resident where the rest of the Lawyers are bicause hee wil not be visited and frequented of them The second in dignitie is the Ponchasi which is asmuch too say as the chiefe gatherer of the kings rents and President of the Counsel of the kings reuenues This office executeth he without the coū sel of any Lawyers There are many other officers that doo serue to recouer the kings rentes with the which they come to the Tutan as afore saide and it is at his charge too commaunde too pay al mens wages ordinary and extraordinary charges to take accompt of them as head Gouerner of al inferiour Officers The thirde in dignitie is the Anchasi which is the President of the ciuil and criminal Iustice who doth see and determine withal his hearers and Officers all wightes and buzines which goe in degree of appellation to his tribunal frō the rest of the ordinary Iudges of that Prouince all other thinges which are conuenient for the good gouernmēt expedition of iustice The fourth is the Aytao who is the purueiour general and President of the Counsell of warres too whome doth aperteine the liuing of men and prouiding of shippes vittailes and munitions for the ships of warre that goe to the Sea and for armes by lande and for ordinary garisons of the cities and frontier Townes and to know what straungers do come and from whence they come and what they wil. The fifth is the Luytisi which is the Captaine general that doth put in execution that which is ordeined by the Aytao and those of his councel And whē there is giuen occasion of any warres of
preache the Gospell too these people but by reason that it is not permitted vntoo straungers too stay manie dayes in this Countrey they were compelled too returne foorthwith without yelding that fruite whiche they desired notwithstanding they found thē very apt to be caught and willing to learne and easie to be reformed of theyr false Idolatrie and with al humilitie they receiue it and acknowledged the corrections of theyr filthines He that first began this Catholike woorke was Maister Frauncis Xauierre one of the seuen Religious men of the firste confirmation of the saide companie and was the first that came intoo Portingal and that past intoo India and from thence to China But before he began to execute his Catholyke desire he died in Canton and was brought from thence too Goa where his body lyeth buried in the Colledge of Saincte Paule of the same Religion The Religious Dominike declareth that throwing downe certaine stones vpon the ground which they did woorshippe they came vnto him with such rage as if they woulde haue killed him but he pacified them foorthwith in geuing them to vnderstand theyr little constancie their vaine Idolatrie and as they are of excellent witt they forthwith fell in to the matter and thought well of his iudgement saying that no man had euer taught them the like vntill that time And with the selfe same excuse they excused them selues withall when he did reprehende them of the filthie sinne not too bee named vntoo the which they are much giuen thinking that they do not euil therein But the greatest difficultie that these religious men founde was that the gouerners and ordinary Iudges do attende with great care that no newe thing be taught amongst them without order licence of theyr king and as they are rigorous and readie to chasten no man darre to bee a Christian without licence although that they vnderstand it to be conuenient for theyr saluation therefore it doth import with expedition that these inconueniēces be taken away and that there be sent an Embassador too this greate Prince And in that Embassadge might go learned men and Religious that should giue them to vnderstande the darkenes wherein they liue and too perswade them to bee Christians and that he shoulde permit thē too preach the Gospel throughout al his Realme and howe that it is not hurteful too take from him his Lordshippe and gouernement but rather fauorable wherby his subiects may obey him the better This wil be easily obteined of him otherwaies for to attempte it by way of conquest it will be so harde a matter as it may bee vnderstoode by his power and greatnes and by that which is conteined in a Chapter of the relatiō that the Captaine Artieda gaue to his Maiestie who was present at the cōquest of the West Ilandes with are called Philippinas treating of this realme which worde for worde speaketh as foloweth There are also to the Northwarde of these Ilāds the firme lād which they cal China It is a great Countrie insomuch that it is certainely knowen that it bordereth with Tartaria for the people that trade thither say that they haue ware with them They are a people very politike they worke Iron with percers of steele I haue seene golde and siluer wrought so well with Iron as coulde bee in the worlde and in this sorte they woorke thinges of timber and all other thinges They saye that the Portingales are good people and that they haue a littel light of the world but in comparison too them they see but with one eye They spin golde as they doo in Milan and weaue Damaske and other silkes with it They haue all kind of armour as wee haue and artillery Iudging it by certaine vesselles that I haue seene come from thence that it is plaine and better cast thē our is They haue so good gouernment that they say they make neither Gouernor nor Captaine which is not a greate Astronomer And first they shal pronosticate the tyme and chaunce that is too come and it shall be prooued and seene to fall out true that hee may preuent any thing that is to come In euery Citie and Prouince there are garrisons of men of warre they goe wel apparelled they are as whyte as we are and weare there beards long The womē are very faire although that all of them haue little eyes they weare their coates and gownes so long that they touche the grounde and they make their heare red with collours and it is saide that they painte theyr faces They say this king is of so great powre that hee doeth bring into the fielde three hundreth thousande men and twoo hundreth thousande of them horsemen In thinges that are painted ▪ I haue seene brought from thence wherein are painted on horsebacke armed men with harnesse and salets and lances The countrie is so good and so well furnished with vittaile that it is thought to be the best most fertile soyle of the world The Moores that I haue spoken withall doo affirme that they bee not so warrelike as wee are They haue Mouldes and haue printed bookes tyme out of mynde If it please your Maiestie that this Country bee seene with the sight of the eyes I doo offer my self therevnto geuing mee twoo Shippes of two hundreth and fiftie tōnes a peece little more or lesse and 40. Souldiers in euery shippe and the Artillarie Munition and Uittaile sufficient and necessarie with Gods healpe carying some order of Embassadge to the Lorde of the Countrie to enter in with my person and too returne all along the coast by the newe Spayne And too see the order they haue as well for the trade with in the lande as for all the reste if that will please your Maiestie And in that which this Captaine saith that the king doth bring three hundreth thousande men intoo the fielde besides the garrisons that he hath ordinarily in the Cities townes that doo border neerest other Princes in this my opinion remaineth verefied And although they be not so warrelyke as wee are as the Moores haue declared I knowe not what powre were sufficient for so great a number of horsmen and against people so wel armed the Artillarie being so common to them as it is to vs And seeing there is required that there shoulde passe thither so greate a nauigation and seeing this great Countrie doth fal within the compas of the conquest of our Catholike king it wil be a thing of importaunce that his Maiestie doo commaunde too ordeine this Embassadge with the good will of his holynes whereby this Prince may reduce it to the gouernment of the holy Catholike Churche whereof may growe greate effectes in the increasing of the Christian Religion And this is very easie to be done seeing that our Spayniardes are become so neere neighbors to that realme and the Nauigation soo neere and certaine as here in it is declared There is in the new Spayne in the South part thereof