a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



c. 1565. 



ancient time the royall seat of the Chinish kings. From 

 this shire, & from the aforesaid Chequeam forward bare 

 rule the other kings, until the whole region became one 

 kingdome. 

 Qutanci, or, The 6. shire beareth the name Quianci, as also the 

 Qumzt. principal City thereof, wherein the fine clay to make 

 vessels is wrought. The Portugals being ignorant of 

 this Countrey, and finding great abundance of that fine 

 clay to be solde at Liampo, and that very good cheape, 

 thought at the first that it had bene made there, howbeit 

 in fine they perceived that the standing of Quinzi more 

 neere unto Liampo then to Cinceo or Cantan was the 

 cause of so much fine clay at Liampo : within the com- 

 passe of Quinci shire be other 12. cities. 



The 7. shire is Quicin, the 8. Quansi, the 9. Confu, 

 the 10. Urnan, the 11. Sichiva. In the first hereof there 

 be 16. Cities, in the next 15: how many Townes the 

 other 3. have, wee are ignorant as yet, as also of the 

 proper names of the 12. and 13. shires, and the townes 

 therein. 



This finally may be generally said hereof, that the 

 greater shires in China province may bee compared 

 with mightie kingdomes. 



In eche one of these shires bee set Ponchiassini and 

 Anchiassini, before whom are handled the matters of 

 other Cities. There is also placed in ech one a Tutan, 

 as you would say, a governour, and a Chian, that is a 

 visiter, as it were : whose office is to goe in circuit, and 

 to see justice exactly done. By these meanes so up- 

 rightly things are ordered there, that it may be worthily 

 accompted one of the best governed provinces in all the 

 world. 



The king maketh alwayes his abode in the great city 



Pachin. Pachin, as much to say in our language, as by the name 



[II. 11. 69.J thereof I am advertised, the towne of the kingdome. 



This kingdome is so large, that under five monethes you 



are not able to travaile from the Townes by the Sea side 



to the Court, and backe againe, no not under three 



296 



