SPANISH LETTERS INTERCEPTED ad. 



1590- 

 onely serve to cary our commodities to China, and so 

 to returne backe againe. The order is thus. From FromAcapuko, 

 hence to China is above two thousand leagues, farther ^oCknaabove 

 than from hence to Spaine. And from hence their two ^ 



first ships depart at one time to China: and are 13 or 14 

 moneths returning backe againe. And when those two 

 ships are returned, then the other twaine two moneths 

 after depart from hence. They goe nowe from hence 

 very strong with souldiers. I can certifie you of one 

 thing ; That 200 ducates in Spanish commodities, and 

 some Flemish wares which I caryed with me thither, I Flemish wares 



made worth 1400 ducates there in the countrey. So I <§^^^ ^^ ^''"«^; 

 , I'll -11 11 ^ wonderfuU 



make account that with those silkes, and other commo- ^^^-^^^ 



dities which I brought with me from thence to Mexico, 



I got 2500 ducates by the voyage: and had gotten more, 



if one packe of fine silkes had not bene spoiled with salt 



water. So as I sayd, there is great gaine to be gotten if 



that a man returne in safetie. But the yeere 1588 I had 



great mischance, coming in a ship from China to Nueva 



Espanna : which being laden with rich commodities, was 



taken by an Englishman which robbed us and afterward M. Thomas 



burned our ship, wherein I lost a great deale of treasure ^^'^^^■f^- 



and commodities. 



If I should write to you of the state of this countrey 



of China, and of the strange things which are there, and 



of the wealth of the countrey, I were not able to doe it, 



in an whole quier of paper. Onely I may certifie you, 



that it is the goodliest countrey, and the richest, and 



most plentifull in all the world. For here are great 



store of golde mynes, silver mynes, and pearle, great Gold mynes, 



store of cotten cloth : for the countrey people weareth ^^^^^^^^y^^^j 



nothing else but fine cotten cloth, which is more accepted ^^ ^^^-^^ ' 



then silkes. For here is great store of silkes, & they Fine linnen 



are good cheape. All kinde of victuals, as bread, flesh, cloth greatly 



wines and hennes and all kindes of foules, are very plenti- ^^Jf^^^^ ^^ 



full. Here are great store of fresh rivers. The people 



are very loving. Here are very faire cities and townes 



with costly buildings, better then those in Spaine. And 



165 



