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Historie of the Mightie Kingdome of China.
MAY,
rocks that both disturbe them. And harde unto this nation ioyneth the Patanes and Mogores, which is a great kingdome, and warlike people, whose head is the Gran Samarzan: they are the true Scythas or Massagetas, of whom it is affirmed that they were neuer ouercome by any other nation: they are a people well proportioned and white: by reason they dwel in a cold countrie. Betwixt the west and the south is the Trapobana, or Samatra, a kingdome very rich of gold, pretious stones and pearles: and more towards the south, are the two lauas, the great and the lesse, and the kingdome of the Lechios: and in equall distance, are the Iapones: yet notwithstanding `those that are more indifferent to this kingdome are the Tartarians, which are on the selfe firme land or continent, and are alonely deuided by a wal, as shalbe declared in the 9 chapter of this booke.”
In Parke's day the empire was divided into 15 provinces, 591 cities, 1593 towns. The temperature of the climate and the fertility of the soil and its productions are carefully noted.
"The inhabitants in this countrie are perswaded of a truth, that those which did first finde and inhabite in this lande, were the neue- wes of Noe, who after they had traueiled from Armenia, (whereas the Arke stayed, which God did preserue their grandfather from the waters of the flood), went seeking a land to their contentment: and not finding a countrie of so great fertilitie and temperature like vnto this, wherein was all things necessarie for the life of man, without comparison: they were compelled with the aboundance thereof for to inhabite therein, vnderstanding that if they should search through- out all the world they should not finde the like: and I thinke they were not, deceiued, according as now it is to be seene, and what may be considered in the proces of this chapter, of such fruits as the earth doth yeeld. And although there is declared here of such as shall suffice in this worke, yet is there left behind a great number more of whose properties, as well of herbes and beasts, which of their particulars may be made a great volume, and I do beleeue that in time there will be one set forth." ✶✶✶
"In all parts of this kingdome, there is great store of sugar, which is the occasion that it is so good cheape: for you shall haue a quin- tall of verie excellent white and good sugar, when it is most deerest, for the value of five ryals of plate. There is great abundance of honie, for that their delight is in hiues, by reason whereof not only honie, but waxe is very good cheape: and there is so great quantity thereof, that you may lade ships, yea fleetes thereof. They do make great store of silke and excellent good, and giue it verie perfite.