gals.] The ship that goeth euery yeere
from the Indies to China, is called the ship of Drugs, because she carieth
diuers drugs of Cambaia, but the greatest part of her lading is siluer.
From Malacca to China is eighteene hundred miles: and from China to Iapan
goeth euery yeere a shippe of great importance laden with Silke, which for
returne of their Silke bringeth barres of siluer which they trucke in
China. The distance betweene China and Iapan is foure and twentie hundred
miles, and in this way there are diuers Ilands not very bigge, in which the
Friers of saint Paul, by the helpe of God, make many Christians there like
to themselues. From these Ilands hitherwards the place is not yet
discouered for the great sholdnesse of Sandes that they find. The Portugals
haue made a small citie neere vnto the coast of China called Macao, whose
church and houses are of wood, and it hath a bishoprike, but the customs
belong to the king of China, and they goe and pay the same at a citie
called Canton which is a citie of great importance and very beautifull two
dayes iourney and a halfe from Macao. The people of China are Gentiles, and
are so iealous and fearefull, that they would not haue a stranger to put
his foote within their land: so that when the Portugals go thither to pay
their custome, and to buy their merchandize, they will not consent that
they shall lie or lodge within the citie, but send them foorth into the
suburbes. The countrey of China [Marginal note: China is vnder the
gouernment of the great Tartar.] is neere the kingdom of great Tartria, and
is a very great countrey of the Gentiles and of great importance, which may
be iudged by the rich and precious marchandize that come from thence, then
which I beleeue there are not better nor in greater quantitie, in the whole
world besides.

First, great store of golde, which they carie to the Indies, made in plates
like to little shippes, and in value three and twentie caracts a peece,
very great aboundance of fine silke, cloth of damaske and taffata, great
quantitie of muske, great quantitie of Occam in barres, great quantitie of
quicksiluer and of Cinaper, great store of Camfora, an infinite quantitie
of Porcellane, made in vessels of diuerse sortes, great quantitie of
painted cloth and squares, infinite store of the rootes of China: and euery
yeere there commeth from China to the Indies, two or three great shippes,
laden with most rich and precious merchandise. [Sidenote: A