e is sent abroad. [Sidenote:
The city of Coanchefu, _alias_ Cantam.] For whereas this kingdome is most
large and full of nauigable riuers, so that commodities may easilie be
conueyed out of one prouince into another: the Portugals doe find such
abundance of wares within one and the same Citie, (which perhaps is the
greatest Mart throughout the whole kingdome) that they are verily
perswaded, that the same region, of all others, most aboundeth with
marchandise: which notwithstanding is to be vnderstood of the Orientall
regions: albeit there are some kindes of marchandise, wherewith the land of
China is better stored then any other kingdom. [Sidenote: Great abundance
of gold in China.] This region affordeth especially sundry kinds of
mettals, of which the chiefe, both in excellencie and in abundance, is
gold, whereof so many Pezoes are brought from China to India, and to our
countrey of Iapon, that I heard say, that in one and the same ship, this
present yeere, 2000 such pieces consisting of massie gold, as the Portugals
commonly call golden loaues, were brought vnto vs for marchandise: and one
of these loaues is worth almost 100 duckats. Hence it is that in the
kingdom of China so many things are adorned with gold, as for example,
beds, tables, pictures, images, litters wherein nice and daintie dames are
caried vpon their seruants backes. Neither are these golden loaues onely
bought by the Portugals, but also great plentie of gold-twine and leaues of
gold: for the Chinians can very cunningly beate and extenuate gold into
plates and leaues. [Sidenote: Great store of siluer.] There is also great
store of siluer, whereof (that I may omit other arguments) it is no small
demonstration, that euery yeere there are brought into the citie commonly
called Cantam by the Portugal marchants to buie wares, at the least 400
Sestertium thereof, and yet nothing in a maner is conueied out of the
Chinian kingdom: because the people of China abounding with all
necessaries, are not greatly inquisitiue or desirous of any marchandise
from other kingdomes. I doe here omit the Siluer mines whereof there are
great numbers in China, albeit there is much circumspection vsed in digging
the siluer thereout: for the king standeth much in feare least it may bee
an occasion to stirre vp the couetous and greedie humour of many. Nowe
their siluer which they put to vses is for the most part passing fine, and
purified from all drosse, and therefore in trying it