CHAP. XIV.

The Spaniardes depart from Tansuso to visite the governour of Chincheo, who awaited their comming: where they sawe notable thinges by the way.

After that the fathers with their companions had remayned two dayes in the port of Tansuso, whereas they were marueilously well entertayned and feasted at the commaundement giuen by the Insuanto, as you haue heard, the third day they departed in the morning towardes Chincheo, whether they were commaunded to be carried with great speede and good intertainement.

At their going foorth of the towne they were accompanied with a great number of souldiers, both hargubushes and pikes, and before them a great noyse of trompets, drommes, and hoybuckes, till such time as they came vnto the riuers side, whereas was a brygandine prouided and made readie in all pointes to carrie them vp the riuer: all the streetes alongest whereas they went, there followed them so much people that it was innumerable, and all to see them. So when they were embarked, and which was done with great speede to auoyd the presse of the people, there came vnto them the captaine of the fortie ships, of whom wee made mention in the chapter past, with three brygandines, one wherein he was himselfe, and was marueilously well trimmed, and in the other two were souldiers that did beare him companie. As soone as he came vnto them, hee straight wayes entred into the brygandine whereas the religious men were with three Spaniardes, and brought with him great store of conserues, and made them a gallant banket, the which did indure so long as he was with them, which was the space of rowing two long leagues, in which time their pleasure was such that they thought it but a quarter of a league. From thence he departed from them and returned, but left many thinges behinde him for their comfort in their iourney, and made great offers, with an outwarde showe that it was a griefe vnto him to depart from out of their companie.

All alongest the ryuers whereas they went was seated with villages, verie gallant and fresh, both on the one side and on the other. Some of them did content our people verie much, who asked the names howe they were called, and the captaynes answered them and sayde, that those were villages that did not deserue the honour of a name; but when you doo come there whereas the king is, you shall see cities that it shall be a woorthie thing to knowe their names; the which townes haue three and foure thousande souldiers, such as in Europe are esteemed for reasonable cities.

At the end of the two leagues, there whereas the captaine did leaue the companie of our Spaniardes in the riuer, they came vnto a great baye, whereas was at an anker a fleete of more than a hundreth and fifte shippes, men of warre, whose generall was this captaine whom we haue spoken of, that did beare the fryers and the rest companie. At such time as the fleete did discouer them they began to salute them, as well with great peeces of artillerie as with hargubushes and other kinde of pastimes, which commonly they do vse at such times: and that is doone by the commandement of their generall.

At such times as they had made an ende of shooting and other pastimes, then did he take his leaue of them with the ceremonie aforesaide, and went out of the brygandine whereas the fryers were and went into his owne, which carryed him vnto the admiral, wherein he imbarked himself. Our Spaniardes, after his departure, did trauaile vp the riuer more than three leagues, hauing continually, both on the one side and on the other, verie many and faire townes, and full of people. In the ende of the three leagues they went a lande halfe a league from the towne of Tangoa,[18] whereas straightwayes all such things as they carried with them were taken vpon mens backs, and carried it vnto the towne before them, whereas they were tarrying their comming, for to giue them great entertaynment. At their going a shore, they founde prepared for the two religious men little chayres to carrie them vppon mens backes, and for the souldiers and the rest of their companions was ordayned horse. The fathers did refuse to be carried, and would haue gone a foot, for that the way was but short and pleasant, full of greene trees; and, againe, for humilitie, refusing to be carried in so rich chaires, and vppon mens backes of so good a vocation as they seemed to be. But Omoncon and the other captaine would not consent thereunto, saying, that it was the order giuen by the Insuanto, and that they could not by any meanes breake, but performe in all points, or else to be cruelly punished for the same—I meane such captaines as had the charge for to garde and beare them companie—and that no excuse could serue them; and, againe, that it was conuenient so to be done, for y^t from that time the Chinos should respect them and vnderstande that they were principal persons, for y^t they were carried vpon mens backes as they do their loytias.

The fathers obeyed their reasons, and entred into the chayres, and were carried with eight men a peece, and the other their companions with foure men a peece, according vnto the order giuen by the gouernor. Those that carried the chaires, did it with so good a will, y^t there was striuing who should first lay hands to them. This towne of Tangoa hath three thousand souldiers, and is called in their language Coan: at the entring in, it hath many gardens and orchards, and a streete, where through they carried the Spaniards vnto their lodging, they affirmed it to be halfe a league long; and all the streete whereas they went it was full of bordes and stalles, where on was laide all kinde of merchandise, very curious, and things to be eaten, as fresh fish and salt fish of diuers sortes, and great abundance of foule and flesh of al sorts, fruits and greene herbs, in such quantitie that it was sufficient to serue such a citie as Siuell is. The presse of people was so much in the streets, that although there were many typstaues, and souldiers that did make way wheras they went, yet could they not passe but with great difficultie. So they were brought vnto the kings house, which was very great, marueilously wel wrought with stone and brick, and many halles, parlers, and chambers; but none aboue, but all belowe. So soone as they were afoote, there was brought from the captaine or iustice of the towne, whom they doo call Ticoan, a message, bidding them welcome, and therewith a present, which was great store of capons, hens, teales, ducks, geese, flesh of four or fiue sorts, fresh fish, wine, and fruits of diuers sorts, and of so great quantitie that it was sufficient for two hundreth men. All the which they would haue giuen for a little coole aire, by reason that it was than very hoat wether; and againe the great number of people y^t came thether to see them did augment it the more.

So in the euening the two Spanish souldiers went forth into the streets to walk abrode, and left the two fryers within their lodging, vnto whom afterwardes they did giue intelligence of all things that they had seene, which did cause great admiration: the wall of the towne was very brode, and wrought with lyme and stone, full of loope holes and watch towers. And as they passed through the streetes there came foorth of a house a very honest man as it seemed, who was very well apparelled, and stayed them, for that in the same house there were certaine dames, principall personages, that did see them a farre off, and not content therewith, they did request them with great curtesie for to enter into the house that they might the better see them: the which they did straightwaies accomplish, and entring in they were brought into a court, whereas was set chayres for them to sit downe, and the ladies were there a little from them beholding them with great honestie and grauitie. Then a little after they sent them a banket, with marchpanes and sweet meates made of sugar, which they did eate without any curiositie, and dronke after the same. The banket being done, they made signes and tokens vnto them that they receiued great content with their sight, and that they might depart when y^t their pleasure was; the which they did after y^t that they had made great curtesies, with thank e for their friendship receiued of both parts.

So after they had taken their leaue they went to see a house of pleasure y^t was hard by y^e town wall, wrought vpon the water, with verie faire galleries and open lodges for to banket in, made of masons worke, and therein many tables finely painted, and round about it sesterns of water wherein was store of fish, and ioyning vnto them tables of very faire alabaster, all of one stone, and the least of them was of eight spannes long: and rounde about them were brookes of running water, that gaue a pleasant sounde in the meane time they were banketting, and nigh thereunto many gardynes full of all sortes of flowers. And a little from that place they sawe a bridge all of masons worke, and the stones verie well wrought and of a mightie biggnesse; they measured some of them that were twentie and two and twentie foote long and fiue foote brode, and seemed vnto them that it was a thing impossible to be layde there by mans handes. Of this bignesse, yea and bigger, they did see layde vppon manie other bridges, in the discourse of their voyage going to Chincheo and Aucheo. In this towne they tarried and rested themselues all that night, marueiling verie much at that which they had seen. The next day in the morning, when they were vp and readie, they found in the house all thinges in a readinesse and in verie good order for their departure, as well their little chayres[19] and horse, as for men to carrie their stuffe and apparell, which did not a little make them to marueile, how that euerie one of them with a waster[20] vpon their shoulders, did diuide their burden in two partes, sixe roues before and sixe roues behinde, and did trauaile with the same with so great ease and swiftnes that the horse could not indure with them. They went vnto the Ticoan his house, he who sent them the present ouer night, to giue him thankes for his courtesie, and to take their leaue of him. They found him with great maiestie, but yet gaue them great and good entertainment, and craued pardon at their hands, if that he did not giue them the entertainement and courtesie as they deserued. He did likewise put vpon each of them two peeces of silke, in the same order as the gouernour of Tansuso did. So when they had surrendred vnto him thankes, they tooke their leaue and departed from Chincheo, whereas was the Insuanto or gouernor, by whose order was showed vnto them all the courtesie as you haue hearde.