¶ A discourse of the nauigation which the Portugales doe make to the Realmes and Prouinces of the East partes of the worlde and of the knowledge that growes by them of the great thinges which are in the Dominions of China Written by Barnardine of Escalanta of the Realme of Galisia Priest. Translated out of Spanish into English by Iohn Frampton ¶ Imprinted in London at the three Cranes in the Vine-tree by Thomas Dawson 1579. ⧠To the right woorshipfull Maister Edwarde Dier of the Court esquire Iohn Frampton wisheth encrease of woorship and of all felicitie THere was brought mee not long agoe right woorshipful Sir out of Spayne a discourse in the Spanish tongue of the Nauigation that the Portugales haue to the kingdomes and prouinces of the Eastâ—… partes of the worlde and of the intelligence of the same Portugale Nation which they nowe of late haue gotten in those partes of the greatnesse of the Dominion and politike gouernement of that Famous Countrey China And finding in the same discourse a verification by newe late and present experience of this our age and present time of many things written long agoe by Paulus Venetus which woorke of Paulus I did translate and about a yeere past dedicated to your worship I became the more desirous also to translate this into the English the rather bycause this worke seemed to haue a certaine affinitie in matter and also conteyned great varietie of thinges not conteyned in the woorke of the sayde Paulus Venetus And fynding now in England many excellent men in the Art of Nauigation as well able to endure extreame heate as extreame colde and to crosse the burnte lyne as also able to passe the colde Zone and frosen Sea and with all youth and frye of the Realme bothe infinitly abounding and also exceedingly inflamed with desire to attempte newe discoueries I the rather decreed the translation heereof and was fully perswaded that the great Almightie GOD hath wrought the one and the other to the ende that hee woulde haue his sonne Iesus that hath brought saluation vnto the worlde knowen to nations not yet discouered For what more pleasante Sacrifyce can wee offer in this life vnto our GOD then to labour in all that euer wee may to bring the Barbarous to Ciuilitie the Rude to knowledge the superstitious to the true liuely worship of his name to win them from darknesse to light froÌ„ crueltie to curtesie from vanitie to veritie from death vnto life If wee bee not borne to profite our selues but to seeke the aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t of Gods glory how commendable an enterprise is that how highly to be wished how much to be furthered which not onely encreaseth the profite of our countrey but augmenteth the nuÌ„ber of the faithful Therfore God hauing decreed to make himselfe knowen as well by our Englishe Nation in some quarters of the vnknowen worlde as he hath of late yeeres beene by the Spaniarde in West and by the Portugale in the Easte And beeyng mooued to take in hande this small translation by personnes of sundry callynges and especially by diuerse moste excellent Pilottes Maisters and towardly young Marriners muche exceedyng in knoweledge and godly lyfe many of that profession that haue been heretofore I haue other needful busines set aparte perfourmed theyr requeste And the thing that I much desired for the loue I beare to good discoueries And now dedicate the same to your woorshyp as a speciall fauourer of all good knowledges and of all enterpises tending too the glory of GOD the honour of your Prince and the publike benefite of your Countrey beseeching your woorship too take the same this my translation in good part as a poore shew of a mynde willyng to requite some parte of your bountie and benefite receiued at your handes not doubting but that this maye geue lyght to our Nation and woorke in many respectes benefite too all suche as shall by the Northeast or by the Northwest attempt discoueries of Dominions and Territories wtihin the circle Artike or with out the same to the Tropicke of Cancer â–ª And thus wishing vntoo your woorshippe the fauour of Almightie GOD with encrease of all knowledge Diuine and Humane I take my leaue and ceasse to trouble you From London this first day of October 1579. Your worships in that he may at commaundement Iohn Frampton ¶ To the excellent Lorde Don Christopher de Roias Sandouall Archbishop of Seuill Barnardine of Escalanta wisheth all honour c. MOst excellent Lord the haughtie and high purposes and the wonderfull enterprises of our Spaniardes haue beene so great that they haue not well neere suffered in all the compasse of the whole worlde any Seas any Islandes or Territories that they haue not runne vnto and whereof they haue not woone some knowledge against the opinion of the olde Philosophers and Cosmographers wherein they haue founde such diuersitie of people and so many differences of lawes and superstitioÌ„s and so many sorts of gouernmentes and such diuersitie of manners that they haue no small admiration to thinke of the same and namely of that which they doe reporte of the Maiestie and power of the king of China who being a prince geuen to idolatrie and that way most vaine As also his subiectes in the obseruation of the Gentiles lawes are notwithstanding endued with so great wisedome and discretion in naturall thinges and in the gouernment of their common wealthes that no other nations bee they neuer so politike seeme to passe theÌ„ or haue therein the aduantage of them nor yet to haue the like wittes for all maner of Artes â–ª Which haue beene the causes that mooues me too write the thinges of this realme which haue beene knowen as well by relation of persons of credite that haue beene in it and also of some of the naturall people of that Countrey of China that haue been brought into Portugale and to dedicate the same too your excellent Lordship acknowledging my selfe in all thinges moste bounde vnto you my Lorde I desire your lordship to accept of this little seruice supplied with good will as of a poore token of my good gratefull minde which onely hath beene but to geue all honour to your name A discourse of the Nauigation which the Portugales doe make to the Realmes and Prouinces of the East partes of the worlde and of the knowledge which they haue of the great thinges that are in the Realme of China ¶ The first Chapter sheweth of the beginning that the kingdome of Portugale had and of the successe it had from the time that the king Don Iohn the fyrst did conquer Cevta in Barbarie AMongest many knightes of the states of Almane Flaunders and France whiche came vntoo the longe Warres that the kinges of Spayne had with the Moores which had conquered the greatest part of Spaine after the ouerthrow of that vnfortunate king Don Rodrigo there continued in the time of the king Don Alonso the sixth of Castile and Leon whiche gote Toledo
twoo portes or hauens the one is called Acapulco which standeth in xvii degrees a half of heigth which wil holde many shippes although they bee greate and thother is called the Puerto de Naâ—…edad which hath the entry in of it very lowe and standeth in nynetiene degrees and a terce large From these portes do goe foorth the shippes that doo sayle too the Philippinas and they goe too put themselues in the heighth that the course of the Iland is in for the tyme when they goo foorth vpon this Nauigation which is in the ende of October the windes are alwaies Northerly in that coast vntil the end of April Wherewithal they goe with the winde in theyr poope running west and from the ende of April vntil the ende of October they turne too blowe at West Southwest which serueth them too returne rising vpp intoo a higher degree that they lack no height They met at their going with the Ilands called Barbudos for they were so named for bicause such as do inhabite there do let their beards grow long These people are apparelled with mattes made of the bowes of date trees very fine and they haue no weapons nor warre with any CouÌ„trie and theyr vittaile are Cocos and rottes and fishe they haue hennes lyke to those of Spaine more towards the west They turne meete with the Ilands which they cal of the theeues which be xiii and they lye in length North and South the greatest may bee little greater then fourtie leages They are al wel neere after one fashion and trade The weapoÌ„s they haue he sâ—…ings roddes dryed with the fire which doo serue them in place of lances They shootte so farre with the sâ—…ings that no hargubuse can shoott fo far They liue with Ryce and fish Cocos rootes there are in theÌ„ great quaÌ„titie of Ginger so beyonde that more towardes the West they fal with the Ilandes of the Philippinas which are many The IlaÌ„d of Mindanas which is the firste of the South side it beginneth in fiue degrees in the height of the North and it lyeth out shewing it selfe in length as the rest do which stande as a company of trees in the Northnorthwest course vntil you come into xiii degrees and a terce where you meete with the Iland of Luzon This Iland is in length out vnto the nynetiene degree in the same course there is in it three places inhabited with Moores they know not perfectly of what secte they are of but they giue reuerence to Mahoma they eate no porke They haue many riuers wherein they gather golde it is distant from this firme land of China lesse then one hundreth leages and from the Cytie of Canton which falleth too the North part of it one hundreth thirtie little more Our Spaniards are in possession of the said Iland and by reason the trade is greate from it too the firme land and for the curious things that are come froÌ„ thence to the new Spayne and from thence too his maiestie now they cal him China Ann. 1279. Ann. 148 â–ª â—…nno 1516. Ann. 1492. â—…ausies very â—…otable Timber died Tyle not gathering filth A Tower. â—…o Beggers 〈◊〉 descripâ—… of the seâ—… all sorts of 〈◊〉 barkes 〈◊〉 gallies The coast of China is low like as Flaun ders coast is Shouldes anâ—… flats perilous to strange fleetes A pollitike â—…aw that purâ—…haseth insiâ—…ute benesites The kings nauie to cleare the coastes froÌ„ enemies and pirots dispath at thâ—… portes Galleries A pitch of lime and oyle of fishe This pitch is defensiue against the wormes DiscoÌ„moditie of the pitch Pumpes artificial Barkes innumerable Multitudes of families alwayes liuing on the water They breede â—…oultrie and â—…oule in the Barkes Gardens Water foule Rosiers Rewardes The foule returne by noise of the drum Egges hatched by 〈◊〉 perate heaâ—… of dâ—…urg a also by warmth of fire The politik increase aâ—… breeding oâ—… fishe â—…acrowes to 〈◊〉 fish with Astraungâ—… thing worâ—… the noting â—…traunge efâ—…ct in their riting â—…ree scholes The lawes â—…aught in Schooles Astronomers A not able â—…all Visitours of Schooles Ample houses with Princely pleasures Painted gates Graduating Choise of the Captaines Rare coÌ„ming of the king abroade Betwene gate 〈◊〉 than a dâ—… iourney 〈◊〉 horsebacâ—… A table oâ—… golde The kings title An arguâ—… of a largâ—… dominion 〈◊〉 officers prouince AL that is written of the great lordship of China in this woorke I haue gathered my selfe with great diligence and care of men worthie of faith Portingals that haue bene there with merchauÌ„dise of other buzines as also of the saide people of China which haue come too Spayne of whome I tooke that which I thought to be certaine most meete for this shorte discourse â–ª The 〈◊〉 of the Chapters 〈◊〉 are conteyned in this Booke THe first Chapter sheweth of the beginning that the kingdome of Portingale had and of the successe it had vntil that the king Don Iohn the first conquered Ceuta in Barbarie The second Chapter sheweth of the diligence that the Infant Don Henry did make to come to the knowledge of the Moores of Ceuta and of the Prouince of the Negros of Iolofe and of the armed shippes which he sent in the discouerie of the coast of Ginnea euen to his death The third chap. sheweth of the discouerie of the coast of Ginnea in the time of king Don Alonso eueÌ„ vnto his death and of the persons which king Don Iohn his sonne sent by the Mediterrane Sea that they might bring him relation of the state and trade of India and of the Embassage hee sent to the king of Aethiopia The fourth Chapter sheweth howe the king Don Emanuel sent by the nauigation of the cape of Buena Esperanca Don Vasco de Gama with an Embassage to the king of Calicute and of the successe he had vntill hee returned too Portingale The fifth Chapter sheweth how the king Don Emanuel sent an other great army vnto the India with Pedraluarez Cabral and how he discouered in this voyage the coast of Brasil as also of the rest of the shippes that continually went vntil they gat Malaca and so had knowledge of the coast of China The sixth Chapter sheweth of the description of the Countrey of China and of the Prouinces and notable Realmes that are conteyned in it The seuenth Chapter sheweth of the temperature of the land and the notable things that it bringeth forth The viij Chapter sheweth of the greatnes of the cities and temples buildings that are in all the Countrey of China The nienth Chapter sheweth of their faces apparel and conditions of this people The tenth Chapter sheweth of the nauigation the Chinas do make in the Sea and in the Riuers The eleuenth Chapter sheweth of the letters figures of the Chinas and of their studies ingenerall The xij Chapter sheweth how that of this great realme of China is King and lorde one onely Prince and of his counsaile and Maiestie and of his house and Court. The xiij Chapter sheweth of the Presidents and Ministers that are in euerie Prouince and the order which they haue in the gouernment of them The xiiij Chapter sheweth of the gouernment and preuention that the king hath and doth for the successe of his warres The xv Chapter sheweth of the Religion and Rites they haue and the Ceremonies they vse The xvj Chapter sheweth of the order that may be had whereby these people might become Christians and of the nauigation which is made from the newe Spaine vnto the Ilandes of the west partes called Philippinas Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson dwelling at the three Cranes in the Vine-tree 1579.
they had departed from that vnknowen Countrey where they were before And the Barbarous people of that Prouince did not maruayle too see the Portugales as they of the other Coūtrey did but rather whē they sawe them kneele on their knees in the time of seruice they kneled downe after the same maner making the sayde shewe of prayers At the which sight the sayde Pedraluarez and all the rest of his people marueiled muche and were very glad to see them offer themselues to receyue their doctrin of saluation if they had had any to instruct them because he coulde not remaine there nor let to follow his iourney he dispatched foorth with the Captaine Gasper de Glemos that with his small shyp hee might returne backe too Portugale to geue newes to the king Don Emanuel of the discouerie of that Countrey which he had named Sancta Crus whiche nowe is called the Brasill by the name of the Woode that is brought from thence And when he had taken in fresh water and sawe the weather fayre hee determined to departe from thence towardes the Cape of Buena Esperanca and there hapned to him in the Goulfe so great stormes of wether that in his sight the Sea did swallowe vp foure of his ships with out the escaping of any of the people of the same and with the rest hee ran many dayes without bearyng any sayle vntil the sixtienth day of Iuly he found him selfe onely with sixe of his shippes a great way beyonde the Cape in the Coast of Zofala so beaten with weather and spoyled of theyr Masses yards Sayles and Tackles that they were more likely to returne then to passe foorth vppon their voyage But the General beyng a man of so great courage did set little by all these inconueniences so they came to Mosambike where they did repayre them selues of the hurtes whiche they had receiued in the tormentes of wether as also they were better receiued of the king then Don Vasco de Gama was They continued frō thence their voiage touching in Quiloa where they fel out with the king who was a Moore and that greeued to see any Christians in that coast But the king of Melindes who was their friend receiued them with great contentment confirmyng anew the friendship and the trade that Don Vasco had agreed vpon with him and from thence they ran at whart ouer the gulfe vntill they came to Calicut And although they were well receiued of the king yet things did happe in such sort that Pedraluarez fell out with him and in the ende there were staine certaine Portugales whiche were a land and for to reuenge their deathes he set fire on al the shippes that he found in the Port shot at the Citie and killed many of the people threw down many houses and buildinges ▪ so made sayle towardes Cochin which was xxx leages distant from that place lower in y course towards the South where he was well receiued of the king who offered to him all the Spicerie which he had neede of for to lade his shippes Also the king of Cana nor sent him the like worde because these Princes were enimies to the king of Calicut who was a greater Lorde than they were and they did acknowledge vnto hym superioritie And because they thought that the trade with the Portugales woulde bee profitable for them Pedraluarez did lade his shippes of as muche as they coulde carry wherewith he returned into Portugale by the same way that hee came which is different of that as is nowe vsed For that they do returne among an infinite number of Ilands of Maldiuia and those of the seuen brethren running to the South southwest Southwest and to the West Southwest hauing sight of many other Ilandes which are in those Seas And so they come along towardes the Cape of Buena Esperanca leauing the Ilande of Saint Laurence North of the side of the land And when Pedraluarez came to Portugale the king had sente the Captaine Iohn de Noua a Gallego borne with foure shippes vnto the same trade of the Spicerie And from that time forwarde they continued more and more in the saide Nauigation hauing alwayes shipyes of warre in those Indian Seas against the Moores of the streight of Mecha and the rest of the Ports of Arabia and against the king of Calicut who came and made warre with him of Cochin for the frendship and trade hee had with the Portugales and the Captaine Edward Pacheco shewed himselfe very valiant in his defence who was left therewith certaine souldiers for that purpose Alonso Alburquerque the most valiant knight and of most wisedome of as many of the gouernours as haue gone out of Portugale to that countrey For he being captaine general of the shippes of warre of that Sea did conquer the Citie of Ormos and many other places as well of those which are in the Coaste of Arabia as of Persia and made the king Zofadin too pay tribute who at that time was Lorde of that Realme and he burned and destroyed Calicut and gate of the Moores the Citie of Goa which is now the most principal place that the kinges of Portugale haue in the India whiche standeth more towarde the North then Calicut in the same Coast in fifteene degrees of height ▪ and Malaca standeth in that famous point in two degrees and a halfe of the Northside the whiche Prolome and the rest of the ancient Geographers did intitle Aurea Chersonesus in respect of the Ilande Samatra which is neere too him and one chanel doth deuide them vnderstanding that they were ioyned in one yeuen as the Morea is with the firm lande The longest part of this Ilande lyeth Northweast and Southeast and the Equinoctiall Line standeth ouer the middest of it And there remayneth behinde towardes the Weast neere to the Cape Camorie in the same Coaste the Ilande called Zeilan and by Prolome named Taprobana in distaunce of foure hundred leages from the one to the other according to the opinion of Portugale sailers and not by situation Geographicall by reason that the course lyeth East and West Betwene the which there is a great bay which is called the gulfe of Bengala which is the realme that Ganges doth run through al alōg the coast frō the cape Canori foure hundred ten leages towards the Northeast vnto the mouth of him and from them it returneth running towardes the South vnto the poynt of Malaca where Alonso de Alburquerque had knowledge of the Malucas and of the rest of the Ilandes and Realmes of that Sea and particularly of the great Realme of China which standeth in the same Coaste beginning his limits fiue hundred leages more forwarde towardes the West and there remaining in the middest of this precinct the Realmes of Siam Cambaia Champa and Guachinchina ¶ The sixth Chapter sheweth of the discription of the lande of China and the notable Prouinces and Realmes that are in it conteyned THis great kingdome whiche the
natural people of the countrey doe call Tame they are called Tangis is a Countrey which lyeth moste Easterly of all Asia those of the India Malaca Samatra Sian and Pegu and the rest of the Ilandes and Realmes of that Sea are called China it is sayde that in respect of that Realme of Guachinchina which is neighbour to it on the West side and payeth Tribute keeping in all things theyr lawes and customes and the greattest part of it is washt ouer which the Easterly Ocean Seas begin ning from the Ilande Aynan adioyning to Guachinchina which is in the nienteene degrees of the Northside shewing it selfe by the South part in the course of the East Northeast gathering it selfe towardes the North vnto a point which is most Easterly that it hath where standeth the Citie of Nimpo which the Portugales doe call Limpo and from thence it returneth towardes the Northwest and to she North making a great bay farre into the lande and carriyng on high vpon it selfe and other Coaste set vpon that which standeth aboue and the higher Countrey remaining vnder the colde clowdes of the North where the Tartars doe dwell with whom they haue continuall warres By the West part it bordereth as it hath beene delated with the Realme of Guachinchina and higher towardes the North which the Loas Osioens Maos and with the Bramenes which are a multitude of people and very rich of golde stones and especially of Rubies These are approued people valiant and tall of body and sometime haue warre with the people of China but it is not ordinarie by reason of the great hilles and sharp mountaines that is betweene them Then followeth foorthwith the Patanes and Mogores whose Realme is very great and innumerable of people and of suche as be very warlike they fight with Bowes and Arrowes on horsebacke they weare Murrions and other things of defence The chiefe of that Realme is the great Samarcan they be the true Massagetas by whom it is affirmed that no other Nation haue had them in subiection They are a tall people wel proporcioned and white for the most part by reason they dwell in a colde Countrey And from them forwardes you turne to meete with the Tartares which people are tawnie and not white from the waste vpward they goe naked they eate â–ª rawe fleshe and they annoint them selues with the blood thereof â–ª because they would make themselues to be wondred at And therefore commonly they haue such a filthie smel that when they warre against the people of China yf the winde come of theyr side they are discouered by the smell they fight on horsbacke with Bowes Arrowes and Speares as the Massagetas do In all this description of the Countrey which hath beene spoken of without doubt it is as great or greater than Europe There in are conteyned xv Prouinces that euerie one of them is greater then the most kingdomes that wee know They name some of theÌ„ vnder the name of Metropolitana where theyr Gouernours and Presidents are resident they are named CaÌ„ton Foquien Chequeam Xanton Nanquij Quinquij these are bordering vppon the Sea Coaste Quichen Iunna Quancij Sujuam Fuquam Canslij Xianxij Honan and Sancij these are in the Countrey within wel neere all these Prouinces and particularly those of the Sea Coaste are compassed about with Riuers verye deepe large and Nauigable of the fiesh water and also replenished with small Riuers and Brookes whiche doeth maintayne the Sea with the entraunce of them into it and they runne fatre within that Countrey and because the Countrey is plaine it semeeth as though it were ouerflowen but it is not ¶ The seuenth Chapter sheweth of the temperature of the Countrey and the notable thinges that it bringeth foorth THe temperature of this Countrey is diuers by reason that it doth stretch far froÌ„ the South to the North so much that the Ilandes Ainan doe stand in nientene degrees of height It is also knowen that some Prouinces doe stande in fifteene degrees and others muche more aboue in the borders of the Tartares and this is well too be seene by the difference that is of the Inhabitauntes of Canton and of the reste of the places of that Coaste which are base people as those that are in Barbarie and doo runne the race that they doe And the rest of the people of the Prouinces of the lande within are white and red as in Almanie although that generally there is not in all of it extreme heate nor cold because it is shut vp within the region which the Geographers do cal temperate and it standeth vnder the same Climate that Spayne France and Italie doe stand in â–ª whereby the fruitfulnesse of it may be vnderstood that without all doubt it is the greatest and most abundaunt that is knowen in the wide worlde by reason that the naturall people of the countrey do procure to liue by their owne industrie and continu all labour not sparing Mountaines Ualleis nor Riuers that is not all planted and set with sundrie sortes of Fruites and with great sowing of Wheate Barley Rise and other thinges according too the commoditie and situation And it is easie to them by reason that they inioy freely of their owne substance without any molestation of impositions and tributes And also they doe not suffer nor permit in the Countrey any Uacaboundes nor idle people nor they suffer any of the naturall people of the Countrey to goe foorth of the Realme there are an infinit number of people 〈◊〉 all kinde of Artes and offices And because they are inclined to eate and drinke well and too make muche of themselues and to haue their houses very gorgeously dreste and repaired they geue them selues to labour and to procure it fâ—…eeing from infamie and shunning little estimation the thinges wherewith idle men are there reproched withall This realme doth bring forth as great abundance of al kinds of fruites and garden hearbes as Europe and as sweete and with as good tast as those of Spaine better for in the sweete Orenges there is three differences of marueilous tast and a kinde of plumbes that are wel neere round which are called Lechias which are of an excellent taste without geuing any lothsomnes without taking away the desire of the stomack and without doing any hurt although you eate many Of the mellons of a certaine kind of aples they report wonders their chestnuts they prefer without any coÌ„parison to be made of ours with them They haue great store of sugar and great store of wormes with breede silke which is one of the greatest trades y is in that realme great store of flar to make linneÌ„ cloth of diuers sorts for their wearing In y dry couÌ„tries they sow Wheate and Barley and in the moyste and ouerflowen groundes they sowe Ryse and they are accustomed to gather it three or foure times in the yeere and so it is the moste ordinarie and common meate they haue The high