Part 5

This being done, hee arose from the chayre vnder the cloth of state, and went and sate downe in that which was brought on mens backes, and with declining of his head a little he departed out of the hall and out of the house, and went vnto his owne house, whereas by the counsell of Omoncon and Sinsay within an houre after they shoulde goe and visite him, the which they did: hee receiued them marueilously well and with great courtesie, who maruelled at his great maiestie and authoritie, for that Omoncon and Sinsay, when they did talke with him, were vpon their knees, and so did al the rest: yet that which they did see afterwardes done vnto the Insuanto and viceroy was much more.

He gaue them againe in his owne house a gallant banket, of diuerse sortes of conserues and fruits, and excellent wine of the palme tree, and did talke and reason with them in good sort, and was more familiar than at his first visitation, demanding of them many thinges in particular, and beholding their apparayle and garmentes, with showe of great content and reioycing.

CHAP. XIV.

_The Spaniardes depart from Tansuso to visite the governour of Chincheo, who awaited their comming: where they sawe notable thinges by the way._

After that the fathers with their companions had remayned two dayes in the port of Tansuso, whereas they were marueilously well entertayned and feasted at the commaundement giuen by the Insuanto, as you haue heard, the third day they departed in the morning towardes Chincheo, whether they were commaunded to be carried with great speede and good intertainement.

At their going foorth of the towne they were accompanied with a great number of souldiers, both hargubushes and pikes, and before them a great noyse of trompets, drommes, and hoybuckes, till such time as they came vnto the riuers side, whereas was a brygandine prouided and made readie in all pointes to carrie them vp the riuer: all the streetes alongest whereas they went, there followed them so much people that it was innumerable, and all to see them. So when they were embarked, and which was done with great speede to auoyd the presse of the people, there came vnto them the captaine of the fortie ships, of whom wee made mention in the chapter past, with three brygandines, one wherein he was himselfe, and was marueilously well trimmed, and in the other two were souldiers that did beare him companie. As soone as he came vnto them, hee straight wayes entred into the brygandine whereas the religious men were with three Spaniardes, and brought with him great store of conserues, and made them a gallant banket, the which did indure so long as he was with them, which was the space of rowing two long leagues, in which time their pleasure was such that they thought it but a quarter of a league. From thence he departed from them and returned, but left many thinges behinde him for their comfort in their iourney, and made great offers, with an outwarde showe that it was a griefe vnto him to depart from out of their companie.

All alongest the ryuers whereas they went was seated with villages, verie gallant and fresh, both on the one side and on the other. Some of them did content our people verie much, who asked the names howe they were called, and the captaynes answered them and sayde, that those were villages that did not deserue the honour of a name; but when you doo come there whereas the king is, you shall see cities that it shall be a woorthie thing to knowe their names; the which townes haue three and foure thousande souldiers, such as in Europe are esteemed for reasonable cities.

At the end of the two leagues, there whereas the captaine did leaue the companie of our Spaniardes in the riuer, they came vnto a great baye, whereas was at an anker a fleete of more than a hundreth and fifte shippes, men of warre, whose generall was this captaine whom we haue spoken of, that did beare the fryers and the rest companie. At such time as the fleete did discouer them they began to salute them, as well with great peeces of artillerie as with hargubushes and other kinde of pastimes, which commonly they do vse at such times: and that is doone by the commandement of their generall.

At such times as they had made an ende of shooting and other pastimes, then did he take his leaue of them with the ceremonie aforesaide, and went out of the brygandine whereas the fryers were and went into his owne, which carryed him vnto the admiral, wherein he imbarked himself. Our Spaniardes, after his departure, did trauaile vp the riuer more than three leagues, hauing continually, both on the one side and on the other, verie many and faire townes, and full of people. In the ende of the three leagues they went a lande halfe a league from the towne of Tangoa,[18] whereas straightwayes all such things as they carried with them were taken vpon mens backs, and carried it vnto the towne before them, whereas they were tarrying their comming, for to giue them great entertaynment. At their going a shore, they founde prepared for the two religious men little chayres to carrie them vppon mens backes, and for the souldiers and the rest of their companions was ordayned horse. The fathers did refuse to be carried, and would haue gone a foot, for that the way was but short and pleasant, full of greene trees; and, againe, for humilitie, refusing to be carried in so rich chaires, and vppon mens backes of so good a vocation as they seemed to be. But Omoncon and the other captaine would not consent thereunto, saying, that it was the order giuen by the Insuanto, and that they could not by any meanes breake, but performe in all points, or else to be cruelly punished for the same--I meane such captaines as had the charge for to garde and beare them companie--and that no excuse could serue them; and, againe, that it was conuenient so to be done, for y^t from that time the Chinos should respect them and vnderstande that they were principal persons, for y^t they were carried vpon mens backes as they do their loytias.

[18] Tong-gan.

The fathers obeyed their reasons, and entred into the chayres, and were carried with eight men a peece, and the other their companions with foure men a peece, according vnto the order giuen by the gouernor. Those that carried the chaires, did it with so good a will, y^t there was striuing who should first lay hands to them. This towne of Tangoa hath three thousand souldiers, and is called in their language Coan: at the entring in, it hath many gardens and orchards, and a streete, where through they carried the Spaniards vnto their lodging, they affirmed it to be halfe a league long; and all the streete whereas they went it was full of bordes and stalles, where on was laide all kinde of merchandise, very curious, and things to be eaten, as fresh fish and salt fish of diuers sortes, and great abundance of foule and flesh of al sorts, fruits and greene herbs, in such quantitie that it was sufficient to serue such a citie as Siuell is. The presse of people was so much in the streets, that although there were many typstaues, and souldiers that did make way wheras they went, yet could they not passe but with great difficultie. So they were brought vnto the kings house, which was very great, marueilously wel wrought with stone and brick, and many halles, parlers, and chambers; but none aboue, but all belowe. So soone as they were afoote, there was brought from the captaine or iustice of the towne, whom they doo call Ticoan, a message, bidding them welcome, and therewith a present, which was great store of capons, hens, teales, ducks, geese, flesh of four or fiue sorts, fresh fish, wine, and fruits of diuers sorts, and of so great quantitie that it was sufficient for two hundreth men. All the which they would haue giuen for a little coole aire, by reason that it was than very hoat wether; and againe the great number of people y^t came thether to see them did augment it the more.

So in the euening the two Spanish souldiers went forth into the streets to walk abrode, and left the two fryers within their lodging, vnto whom afterwardes they did giue intelligence of all things that they had seene, which did cause great admiration: the wall of the towne was very brode, and wrought with lyme and stone, full of loope holes and watch towers. And as they passed through the streetes there came foorth of a house a very honest man as it seemed, who was very well apparelled, and stayed them, for that in the same house there were certaine dames, principall personages, that did see them a farre off, and not content therewith, they did request them with great curtesie for to enter into the house that they might the better see them: the which they did straightwaies accomplish, and entring in they were brought into a court, whereas was set chayres for them to sit downe, and the ladies were there a little from them beholding them with great honestie and grauitie. Then a little after they sent them a banket, with marchpanes and sweet meates made of sugar, which they did eate without any curiositie, and dronke after the same. The banket being done, they made signes and tokens vnto them that they receiued great content with their sight, and that they might depart when y^t their pleasure was; the which they did after y^t that they had made great curtesies, with thank e for their friendship receiued of both parts.

So after they had taken their leaue they went to see a house of pleasure y^t was hard by y^e town wall, wrought vpon the water, with verie faire galleries and open lodges for to banket in, made of masons worke, and therein many tables finely painted, and round about it sesterns of water wherein was store of fish, and ioyning vnto them tables of very faire alabaster, all of one stone, and the least of them was of eight spannes long: and rounde about them were brookes of running water, that gaue a pleasant sounde in the meane time they were banketting, and nigh thereunto many gardynes full of all sortes of flowers. And a little from that place they sawe a bridge all of masons worke, and the stones verie well wrought and of a mightie biggnesse; they measured some of them that were twentie and two and twentie foote long and fiue foote brode, and seemed vnto them that it was a thing impossible to be layde there by mans handes. Of this bignesse, yea and bigger, they did see layde vppon manie other bridges, in the discourse of their voyage going to Chincheo and Aucheo. In this towne they tarried and rested themselues all that night, marueiling verie much at that which they had seen. The next day in the morning, when they were vp and readie, they found in the house all thinges in a readinesse and in verie good order for their departure, as well their little chayres[19] and horse, as for men to carrie their stuffe and apparell, which did not a little make them to marueile, how that euerie one of them with a waster[20] vpon their shoulders, did diuide their burden in two partes, sixe roues before and sixe roues behinde, and did trauaile with the same with so great ease and swiftnes that the horse could not indure with them. They went vnto the Ticoan his house, he who sent them the present ouer night, to giue him thankes for his courtesie, and to take their leaue of him. They found him with great maiestie, but yet gaue them great and good entertainment, and craued pardon at their hands, if that he did not giue them the entertainement and courtesie as they deserued. He did likewise put vpon each of them two peeces of silke, in the same order as the gouernour of Tansuso did. So when they had surrendred vnto him thankes, they tooke their leaue and departed from Chincheo, whereas was the Insuanto or gouernor, by whose order was showed vnto them all the courtesie as you haue hearde.

[19] A chariot. In "The Squyer of Low Degree," (see Ellis's "Specimens of Early English Poetry"), occur the lines:

"To morrow ye shall on hunting fare, And ride my daughter in a _chare_."

[20] A waster is more properly a cudgel: it is here evidently used for a pole.

CHAP. XV.

_The Spaniardes doo prosecute their iourney to Chincheo, and seeth many notable thinges by the way._

From this towne of Tangoa vnto Chincheo, is thirteene leagues, and so plaine way that it giueth great content to trauaile it. In all the waye, they could not see one spanne of ground but was tilled and occupied. The like they doo saye is of all the grounde that is in the whole kingdome: it is full of people, and the townes one so neere to another, that almost you can not iudge them to be maine townes, but one; for that there was but a quarter of a league distant one towne from another, and it was tolde vnto them, that in all the prouinces of the kingdome, it is populared in the same order. All their ground they till is watered, which is the occasion of the fruitefulnesse thereof, so that they doo gather fruite all the yeare long, and our Spaniardes did see in all places whereas they came, that they were gathering of rice, some newe sprung up, some with eares, and some rype. They doo plough and till their ground with kine, bufalos, and bulles, which are verie tame, and although they be great, yet be their hornes but of a spanne long, and turning backwards to the tayle, in such sort that they can not do any hurt or harme with them; they do gouerne them with a corde, that is made fast to a ring that is in their nose, and in like sort do they gouerne the bufanos.[21] They doo feede them commonly in the fieldes of rice, for that they have no other grasinges, and all the time that they are feeding, a boy doth ride on euerie one of them to disturbe them, that they doo no harme therein, but to eate the weedes and grasse that doo grow in the rice. In this prouince, and all the rest of the fifteene in that kingdome, they gather much wheate, and excellent good barley, peese, borona,[22] millo,[23] frysoles,[24] lantesas,[25] chiches,[26] and other kindes of graines and seedes, whereof is great abundance, and good cheape. But the chiefest thing that they do gather, and a victuall that is most vsed amongest them and the borderers there aboutes is rice.

[21] Misspelt for buffaloes.

[22] A sort of grain, resembling maize or Indian corn.

[23] Millet.

[24] Kidney beans.

[25] Lentils.

[26] Dwarf peas.

All the hie waies are couered with the shadowe of verie faire orchardes, which do garnish it verie much, and they are planted in verie good order; and amongest them there are shoppes, whereas is solde all manner of fruites, to the comfort of all such as doo trauaile by the way, which is an infinite number, some on foote, some on horsebacke, and others in little chayres. Their waters by the hie waies are verie good and light, although the wether, at that time, was verie hoat, especially at noone time; yet was the water of their welles and fountaynes verie coole. The same day, when they had trauayled halfe way, they saw a farre off comming marching towardes them in verye good order, a squadron of souldiers, which, at the first, caused them to maruaile, and to be a fraide, till such time as they drewe nigher; it was tolde vnto them, that it was the Captayne of the Garde vnto the Insuanto, or Gouernour of Chincheo, who came by his order to receive them, with foure hundred souldiers, verie well armed with pickes and hargubushes, and well apparelled. So soone as the captaine came vnto them, he was mounted on a bay horse, but of small stature, as they, for the most part, bee in all that prouince, hee alighted, and came vnto the fathers and his companions (who likewise did alight from their little chayres), and did salute the one the other with great courtesie. And the captayne tolde them, how that the gouernour did sende him with those souldiers for to receive him, and to beare him companie, and howe that hee was in the citie tarrying their comming, with great desire to see them; and commaunded that, with all speede possible, they should shorten the way.

[Sidenote: A thing to keepe away the sunne.]

[Sidenote: The people of the countrie weare no weapons, but the souldiers.]

The captaine came verie well apparelled, with a chayne of golde about his necke; a man of a good audacitie and vnderstanding. Harde vnto his stirryp hee had a page that went with him, and carried a great tira sol, made of silke, that did shadowe him all over. The bunnett that this captaine did weare, was like vnto them that before they had seene others weare; hee had before him great musicke of trompets and hoybuckes, whereon they played in great concorde. This captaine, with his foure hundreth souldiers, did continually garde them, till they came vnto the citie of Chincheo, and never departed from them a iot; the which was done more for pompe, and to showe their maiestie, then of necessitie; for that although the people are infinite and without number, yet do they weare no weapons, for that they are commanded by the lawe of the countrie to the contrarie, vpon paine of death, of what state or degree soever he be; but onely the souldiers, such as are in euery towne for the garde thereof, and the garrisons that the king hath continually readie to come foorth, when that any occasion shall serue.

In this hie way continually, there went and came manye packe horses, laden with marchandice and other thinges; but the most parts of them were mules. The hie wayes are verie brode, that twentie men may ride together on a ranke, and one not hinder an other, and are all paued with great stones, and they say that the wayes throughout all the other prouinces be in the same order, and was done by a king of that countrie, who spent vpon the same a great part of his treasure. And it seemeth to be true, for that our Spaniards trauelling in that countrie, ouer high and mightie mountaines, yet did they finde the waies plaine, in such sort as hath been told you.

CHAP. XVI.

_Our Spaniardes arived at the citie of Chincheo, whereas they were received and lodged, and what they sawe in that citie._

[Sidenote: Chincheo hath seuentie thousand housholds.]

[Sidenote: A thousand ships in one riuer.]

Vpon a Saterday, being the eleuenth of July, came our Spaniards vnto the citie of Chincheo, four houres before it was night. This citie is of the common sorte in that kingdome, and may haue seuentie thousande householdes. It is of great traficke, and well prouided of all things, for that the sea is but two leagues from it: it hath a mightie riuer running alongest by it, downe into the sea, by which is brought by water and carried downe all kinde of marchandice. There is a bridge ouer the sayde riuer, which is supposed to bee the fayrest that is in all the worlde; it hath a drawe bridge to serue in time of warres, or for any other necessitie: the bridge is eight hundreth paces long, and all wrought with stones of two and twentie foote long, and five foote broade, a thing greatly to bee marueiled at. At the entrie thereof, there were manie armed souldiers readie to fight, who, when they came within hargubush-shoote, did salute them in verie good order. There was nigh vnto the sayde bridge, in the riuer, riding at an anker, more than a thousande shippes of all sortes, and so great a number of boates and barkes, that all the riuer was couered, and euerie one full of people, that had entred into them for to see the Castillas, for so they did call the Spaniardes in that countrie, for the streetes in the suburbes nor in the citie could not hold them, the number was so great; yet their streets are as broade as our ordinarie streetes in anye citie in all Spaine.

[Sidenote: They haue no vse of castles.]

[Sidenote: Earth quake in this countrey.]

This citie is compassed with a strong wall, made of stone, and is seuen fadam hie, and foure fadam broade, and vpon the gates many towers, wherein is placed their artilerie, which is all their strength, for that they doo not vse in their kingdome strong castels as they doo in Europe. The houses of the citie are all built after one sorte and fashion, but faire, and not verie hie, by reason of the earth quakes, which are ordinarily in that countrie.

[Sidenote: Rich marchandice.]

[Sidenote: Triumphant arches.]

All the streetes (but especially that wherein they passed at their comming thether), have, on the one side and on the other, sheddes, vnder the which are shoppes, full of riche marchandice, and of great value, and verie curious. They have, in equal distance the one from the other, many triumphant arches, which doo set out the streetes verie much, and is vsed in euerie principall streete thoroughout all the kingdome, in the which they have excellent market-places, whereas is to bee bought all things that you will desire to be eaten, as well of fish as of fleshe, fruites, herbes, comfits, conserues, and all thinges so good cheape, that it is almost bought for nothing.

Their victualles are verie good, and of great substance; their hogges flesh, whereon they doo feede much, is so holsome and good as the mutton in Spaine. The fruites that wee did see, some were like vnto them we haue in Spaine and others neuer the like seene by vs afore, but of an excellent taste and sauour. But in especiall one kinde of fruite, which is bigger than a muske million, but of the same fashion, but of maruellous, excellent, and precious victuall, and pleasant to be eaten; a kinde of plummes, that is of a gallant taste, and neuer hurteth anie bodie, although they eate neuer so manie, a thing prooued by our Spaniardes manie times. The streete that they came in at was so full of people, that if a graine of wheate had beene throwne amongst them, it would scarce haue fallen to the grounde, and although they were carried in little chayres, vpon men's backes, and the captaine (of whom we speake of) before them making way, yet were they a great while before they could passe the streete, and be brought vnto a great house, which was a couent, wherein dwelt religious men of that countrie: thether they were brought and lodged, beeing verie wearie of the presse of people, that did trouble them verie much, with desire to take their ease.

CHAP. XVII.

_The gouernor of Chincheo doth call the Spaniards before him, and sheweth vnto them the ceremonies that they must vse to have audience._