The History Of The Great And Mighty Kingdom Of China And The Situation Thereof Part 10

Of millio,[84] twentie foure millions of hanegges.

[Sidenote: Panizo.]

Of Panizo,[85] fourteene millions and two hundred thousande hanegges.

[Sidenote: Other graine.]

Of other different graine and seeds, fortie millions and two thousand hanegges.

[Sidenote: Peeces of silk.]

They doo pay him in peeces of silke, of fourteene vares long the peece, two hundred fiue thousand and fiue hundred ninetie peeces.

[Sidenote: Raw silke.]

[Sidenote: Cotton wool.]

Of raw silke in bundles, fiue hundred and fortie thousande pounds. Of cotton wool, three hundred thousand pounds.

[Sidenote: Mantels.]

Of mantles wrought of all colours, eight hundred thousand and foure hundred mantles. Of Chimantas[86] made of rawe silke, that waieth twelue pound a peece, three hundred thousand sixe hundred and eightie of them.

Of mantles made of cotton of fourty vares, sixe hundred seuenty eight thousand, eight hundred and seuentie. Of Chimantas of cotton, three hundred foure thousand sixe hundred forty and eight. All this aforesaide is for expenses of the court, which is great. The Chinos yt come vnto the Philippinas do affirme the same, and do not differ in the report, which is a signe to be true: likewise they do receiue of it in his tresurie, whereas is many millions, and cannot be otherwise, considering his great rentes.

CHAP. V.

_Of the men of war that are in the fifteene prouinces, as wel footmen as hors.e.m.e.n, and of the great care they haue in the gard of the kingdome._

[Sidenote: Great care for to defend their countrie.]

Looke what care and diligence this mightie king hath, that iustice should be ministred with right and equitie: so likewise (yea and much more) he hath touching matters that may preuent wars, which be offered by princes adiacent vnto him, or any other whatsoeuer. But in especiall with the Tartarians, with whom they haue had continuall wars many years.

(Although at this day) that the Tartarians doo feare him very much: in such sort as he thinketh it best to keepe him for his friende, and doth acknowledge vnto him a certain manner of va.s.salage. And although at this present and long time since, he hath bin and is without any occasion of wars, that should come vpon a sodain; yet hath he had manie and grieuous enimies to defend himselfe from, or to offend them, as you shall perceiue in this that followeth. For besides that he hath in euery prouince his president and counsell of war, captaine generall, and others ordinarie to take vp people, and ordaine their campes and squadrons as well by sea as by land, to serue at all a.s.saies when that occasion shall serue; so likewise he hath in euery city captaines and souldiers for their particular garde and defence, and doo range and watch to set their garde in order both day and night, as though their enimies were at the gates. This military order they do vse and maintaine, in such sort that no nation knowne may be compared vnto them.

Although, speaking generally, (according vnto the relation of certaine Spanish souldiers that were there, and did manie times see them) there be other nations that do exceed them both in valiantnesse, courage, and worthinesse of mind.

They haue at the gates of all their cities their squadrons, who let[87]

the entrie and going out of any whatsoeuer, except he haue licence of the iustice of that citie or towne, brought them in writing: the which gates they do shut and open by order and licence of their captaines, which is sent vnto them euery day, written in whited tables, and their sine vnto it. These gates are the force of all the cittie, and thereon is planted all the artilerie they haue; nigh vnto the which gate, is ordinarily the house whereas they are founded or made. At night, when they do shut their gates, they do glew papers vpon the ioinings of them: then they doo seale the papers, with the seale that the gouernour or iudge of that cittie doth weare on his finger, the which is done by himselfe, or by some other in whom he hath great confidence and trust: and they cannot open them againe in the morning vntill such time as it bee seene and acknowledged that it hath not been touched since the night that it was put on. So that if any haue any iourney to ride very early in the morning, he must go forth of the citie ouer night, before the gates be shut, and remaine in the suburbs: for out of the cittie it is not possible to goe vntill the gates be open, which is not till the sunne be vp ordinarily.

They do not vse any castles nor forts, but great bulwarkes and gun bankes, whereas they haue continuall watch, and doo change by quarters according as wee do vse: and the officers with a great number of souldiers do range throughout the city, and bulworkes: and commonly the captaines be naturall of those prouinces, whereas they haue their charge giuen them in consideration that the loue they haue to their countrie, doo binde them to fight to the death for the defence thereof. And for that there should be more quietnesse and rest in the cities, it is not permitted that any do weare weapons, defensiues, nor offensiues, but onely such souldiers as haue the kings pay: neither do they consent they should haue them in their houses, neither vse any in trauaile by sea nor lande. Besides all this, the king hath in the citie of Taybin and Suntiem (whereas hee is resident), and in such cities lying there about, a great number both of hors.e.m.e.n and footemen, alwaies in a readinesse for to go with him into any place, for the safegarde of his person in time of necessitie.

[Sidenote: Uerie ill hors.e.m.e.n.]

The souldiers of his kingdome are in two sortes and manners, the one sort are such as bee and are naturals of the citie whereas they haue their charge, and these be called in their language c.u.m: in this place the sonne doth succeed the father, and for lacke of an heire, the king doth prouide one in the dead man's place. Euery one of them hath his name written vpon the post of his doore, and the place appointed whither he shal go when occasion shall serue (enemies being against that cittie or towne). The other sort of souldiers are strangers, and are consorted for yeares or monethes to serue. These be they that ordinarily make their watches, musters, and ioyne companies for the receit of the captaines: these be called in their language Pon.[88] These goe from one place vnto another, whereas they are commanded to go. One captaine and ancient hath charge of a thousand, and a meaner captaine with his ancient a hundreth, that doo depend vpon the other. So that for to knowe the number of people that is in a great campe, it is done with great ease in accounting the ensignes of a thousand men, which are easily knowne. Euery chiefe or petie captaine of these, hath his house vpon the cittie wal, and his name put on it, and there he dwelleth so long as the warres indureth. These captaines euery moneth do exercise their souldiers in marching and putting them in order: sometime with quick speed, and other times more slower, and to giue a.s.salt and retyre as they are taught by the sound of the drum: this they do vse continually in the time of peace, as well as in the time of warre: also how to vse their weapons, which are ordinarie, hargabuses, pikes, targets, faunchers,[89] brushebilles,[90] holbards, dagars, and armour. The hors.e.m.e.n do vse in the warres to carrie foure swords hanging at their saddell bowes, and doo fight with two at once, with great dexteritie and gallant to behold. These do accustome to go into the wars accompanied with many seruants, and familiar friends on foote, all wel armed after the gallantest manner that possibly they may. These footemen be marueillous full of policie, and ingenious in warlike or martiall affaires: and although they haue some valor for to a.s.salt and abide the enemie, yet doo they profite themselues of policies, deuises and instruments of fire, and of fire workes. Thus do they vse as wel by land in their wars as by sea, many bomes[91] of fire, full of old iron, and arrowes made with powder and fire worke, with the which they doo much harm and destroy their enimies. The hors.e.m.e.n do fight with bowes and arrowes, and lances, and with two swordes (as I haue saide before), and some with hargabuses. They cannot gouerne their horses very wel, for that they haue but one peece of iron that is crosse in their mouthes that serueth for a bridle; and for to make them stay, they pull but one raine, and with clapping their hands together and making of a noise before them. They haue very ill saddels, so that they be al verie ill hors.e.m.e.n. The like prouision hath the king for the sea: hee hath great fleetes of s.h.i.+ps, furnished with captaines and men, that doo scoure and defend the costs of the countrie with great diligence and watchings. The souldiers, as well by land as by sea, are paid with great liberalitie, and those that do aduantage themselues in valor, are very much esteemed, and haue great preferment and rewards. When these Chinos doo take anie prisoner in the wars, they doo not kill him, nor giue him more punishment, but to serue as a souldier in that countrie in the farthest parts from their naturall, the king paying him his wages as other souldiers are paid. These for that they may be knowne doo weare redde bonnets, but in their other apparell they do differ nothing from the Chinos. Likewise such as be condemned by iustice for criminall offences, to serue in any frontier (as is vsed much amongst them), they also weare redde caps or bonnets: and so it is declared in their sentence, that they do condemme them to the red bonnet.

CHAP. VI.

_More of the men of war which are in al these fifteene prouinces, and how many there be in euery one of them, as well hors.e.m.e.n as footemen._

In the chapter past you do vnderstande what care these Chinos haue in the time of peace as well as in warre for to defend their citties, and what preparations they haue generrally throughout al the countrie. Now lacketh to let you know particularly the number that euery prouince hath in it selfe, the better to vnderstand the mightinesse therof. They haue in euerie prouince in their chiefe or metropolitan citie, a counsell of warre, with a president and foure counsailers; all the which are such as haue bin brought vp from their youth in the wars, with experience of the vse of armour and weapon: so that vnto them is giuen the charge for the defence of their prouince.

These counsellors doo ordaine captaines, and prouide other officers and all necessaries for the warres, and send them vnto such cities and townes whereas they see it is needfull. And for that in the accomplis.h.i.+ng thereof there shalbe no lacke, the treasurer is commanded to deliuer vnto them whatsoeuer they do aske without any delay.

[Sidenote: The number of souldiers in all China.]

The number of the souldiers that euery prouince had in the yeare 1577, at such time as frier Martin de Herrada and his companie entered into China (hauing no wars, but great peace and quietnesse), is as followeth.

The prouince of Paguia, whereas ordinarily the king is resident, hath two millions and one hundred and fiftie thousand footemen, and foure hundred thousand hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Santon hath one hundred and twenty thousand footemen, and fortie thousand hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Foquien hath eight and fiftie thousande and nine hundred footemen, and twentie two thousand foure hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Olam hath three score and sixteene thousand footemen, and twentie fiue thousande fiue hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Cinsay hath eightie thousand three hundred footemen, but of hors.e.m.e.n verie few or none; for that this prouince and the other that followe, are all mountaines, and ful of rockes and stones.

The prouince of Oquiam hath twentie thousand and sixe hundred footemen, and no hors.e.m.e.n, for the reason aforesaide.

The prouince of Susuan foure score and sixe thousande footemen, and foure and thirtie thousande and fiue hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Tolanchia, which is that which doth border vpon the Tartarians, with whom the kings of China haue had wars (as aforesaid), hath two millions and eight hundred thousand footemen, and two hundred and ninety thousand hors.e.m.e.n, and are the most famous and best in all the whole kingdome: for that they are brought vp in the use of armour from their youth, and many times exercised the same in times past, when they had their ordinary war with their borderers the Tartarians.

The prouince of Cansey hath fiftie thousand footemen, and twentie thousand two hundred and fiftie hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Ancheo (there whereas the friers were) hath foure score and sixe thousand footemen, and fortie eight thousand hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Gonan, fortie foure thousand footemen, and fourteene thousand fiue hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Xanton hath fiftie two thousand footemen, and eighteene thousand nine hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Quincheu, hath fortie eight thousand and seuen hundred footemen, and fifteene thousande three hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Chequeam, thirty foure thousand footmen, and thirteene thousand hors.e.m.e.n.

The prouince of Sancii, which is least of them all, hath forty thousand footemen, and sixe thousand hors.e.m.e.n.

[Sidenote: The souldier is royall paid.]

[Sidenote: The number of footemen and hors.e.m.e.n.]

All these people aforesaid, euery prouince is bound (by an order set downe in parlement) to haue in a redinesse, the which is an easie thing to be done; the one is for that the king doth pay them roiallie, the other for that they do dwel in their owne natural countries and houses, wheras they do injoy their patrimonies and goods: leauing it vnto their sonnes. In the time of wars, they are bound to a.s.sist the place that hath most necessitie. By this account it plainely appeareth that all these prouinces (which may better be called kingdomes, considering their greatnes) haue fiue millions and eight hundred fourtie sixe thousand and fiue hundred footemen, and nine hundred fortie eight thousand three hundred and fiftie hors.e.m.e.n. All the which, if in valor and valientnes might be equalled vnto our nations in Europe, they were sufficient to conquer ye whole world. And although they are more in number and equal in policies, yet in their valientnesse and courage they are far behind.