they vse great
diligence. What should I speake of their iron, copper, lead, tinne, and
other mettals, and also of their quick-siluer. Of all which in the realme
of China there is great abundance, and from thence they are transported
into diuers countreys. Hereunto may bee added the wonderfull store of
pearles, which, at the Ile of Hainan, are found in shell-fishes taken very
cunningly by certaine Diuers, and doe much enlarge the kings reuenues.
[Sidenote: Great store of silke in China.] But now let vs proceed vnto the
Silke or Bombycine fleece, whereof there is great plentie in China: so that
euen as the husbandmen labour in manuring the earth, and in sowing of Rice;
so likewise the women doe employ a great part of their time in preseruing
of silke-wormes, and in keeming and weauing of Silke. Hence it is that
euery yeere the King and Queene with great solemnitie come foorth into a
publique place, the one of them touching a plough, and the other a Mulberie
tree, with the leaues whereof Silke-wormes are nourished: and both of them
by this ceremonie encouraging both men and women vnto their vocation and
labour: whereas otherwise, all the whole yeere throughout, no man besides
the principall magistrates, may once attaine to the sight of the king.
[Sidenote: Silke brought into Iapon.] Of this Silke or Bombycine fleece
there is such abundance, that three shippes for the most part comming out
of India to the port of Macao, and at the least one euery yeere comming
vnto vs, are laden especially with this fraight, and it is vsed not onely
in India, but caried euen vnto Portugal. Neither is the Fleece it selfe
onely transported thence, but also diuers and sundry stuffes wouen thereof,
for the Chinians do greatly excel in the Art of weauing, and do very much
resemble our weauers of Europe. Moreouer the kingdom of China aboundeth
with most costlie spices and odours, and especially with cynamom (albeit
not comparable to the cynamom of Zeilan) with camphire also and muske,
which is very principal and good. Muske deriueth his name from a beast of
the same name (which beast resembleth a Beuer) from the parts whereof
bruseda and putrified proceedeth a most delicate and fragrant smel which
the Portugals highly esteem, commonly calling those parts of the foresaid
beasts (because they are like vnto the gorges of foules) Papos, and conuey
great plenty of them into India, and to vs of Iapon. [Sidenote: Cotton
wooll, whereof Calicut-cloth is mad