Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 262

212

Historie of the Mignis Kingdom of China.

MAY,

is great abundance of goates, and of other beasts that are to be eaten - which is the occasion that they are of little value. The flying foules that don breed about the lakes and riders, are of so great quantitie, that there is spent daily in small villages in that countrie many thousands, and the greatest sort of them are teales. The fashion how they do breed and bring them up shalbe declared in a chapter particularly for that which is said shal not seeme impossi- ble. They be sold by waight, and likewise capons and hens, for so smal value, that two pounds of their flesh being plucked, is woorth ordinarily two fuys, which is a kinde of mony like unto the quartes of Spaine: hogs flesh, two pounds for a foy and a halfe, which is 6 marauadiz. Likewise all other victuals after the same rate, as it doth plainly appeare by the relation made by the friers.

"There are also many herbs for medicines, as very fine reubarbe, and of great quantitie: and wood called palo de China: great store of nutmegs, with the which they may lade fleetes, and of so lowe a price that you may buy foure hundreth for a ryall of plate: and cloues, five pound for half a ryall of plate: and the like in pepper. Synamom, one roue which is 25 pound, for foure ryals of plate, and better cheape. I do leaue to speake of many other hearbs medicina. ble and profitable for the use of man: for that if I should write the particular vertue of euerie of them, it would require a great vo- lume. Of fish, both swimming and shell fish of all sorts, that they have with them is to be wondred at: not onely vpon the sea coasts, but also in the remote places of that kingdome, by reason of the great riuers, which be nauigable vnto such places. Besides all this it is verie rich of mines of golde and siluer, and other mettals, the which (golde and siluer excepted) they do sell it so good cheape that a quintal of copper, yron or steele is to be bought for eight rials of plate. Golde is better cheape there then it is in Europe, but siluer is more woorth. There is founde great store of pearles in all this kingdome: but the most part of them are not rounde, by the which you may gather and vnderstande the goodnesse and fertilitie of the same. And that the first that did discouer and inhabite that king- dome, were not deceived, for that they founde all things necessarie vnto the preserving of the life of man, and that in aboundance: for the which with iust reason, the inhabitants1may thinke themselves to possesse the best and fertilest kingdome in all the whole world."

To these descriptions of natural objects, our worshipful and fa- mous author adds several chapters respecting the antiquitie and big- nesse of the kingdome, its wonderful buildings, the mightic wal, the

!