es, that one might
dwel therein. The staires they vse are so easily made, that one may go them
vp and downe a horse-backe, as eftsoones they do: the streets are paued, as
already it hath bin said: there be a great number of Marchants, euery one
hath written in a great table at his doore such things as he hath to sel.
In like maner euery artisane painteth out his craft: the market places be
large, great abundance of al things there be to be sold. The city standeth
vpon water, many streames run through it, the banks pitched, and so broad
that they serue for streets to the cities vse. Ouer the streams are sundry
bridges both of timber and stone, which being made leuel with the streets,
hinder not the passage of the barges too and fro, the chanels are so deepe.
Where the streames come in and go out of the city, be certaine arches in
the wal, there go in and out their Parai, that is a kind of barges they
haue, and that in the day time only: at night these arches are closed vp
with gates, so do they shut vp al the gates of the City. These streames and
barges do ennoblish very much the City, and make it as it were to seeme
another Venice. The buildings are euen, wel made, high, not lofted, except
it be some wherein marchandize is laid. It is a world to see how great
these cities are, and the cause is, for that the houses are built euen, as
I haue said, and do take a great deale of roome. One thing we saw in this
city that made vs al to wonder, and is worthy to be noted: namely, ouer a
porch at the comming in to one of the aforesaid 4. houses, which the king
hath in euery shire for his gouernors, as I haue erst said, standeth a
tower built vpon 40. pillers, ech one whereof is but one stone, ech one 40.
handfuls or spans long: in bredth or compasse 12, as many of vs did measure
them. Besides this, their greatnesse is such in one piece, that it might
seeme impossible to worke them: they be moreouer cornered, and in colour,
length and breadth so like, that the one nothing differeth from the other.
This thing made vs all to wonder very much.

We are wont to cal this country China, and the people Chineans, but as long
as we were prisoners, not hearing amongst them at any time that name, I
determined to learne how they were called: and asked sometimes by them
thereof, for that they vnderstood vs not when we called them Chineans, I
answered them, that al the inhabitants of India named them Chineans,
wherefore I praied them that they wou