REPORTS OF CHINA a.d. 



c. 1565. 

 sergeants by land and sea, receivers and such like, whereof 

 there be in every citie, as also in this, very many, are 

 made for favour : the chiefe Louteas are served kneeling. 



The whole province of China is divided, as I have said, 

 into 13. shires, in every shire at the least is one governour 

 called there Tutan, in some shires there be two. 



Chiefe in office next unto them be certaine other named 

 Chians, that is, high Commissioners as you would say, or CAian, or, 

 visiters, with full authoritie in such wise, that they doe chaen - 

 call unto an accompt the Tutans themselves, but their 

 authoritie lasteth not in any shire longer then one yere. 

 Neverthelesse in every shire being at the least 7. cities, 

 yea, in some of them 15. or 16. beside other boroughes 

 and townes not well to be numbred, these visiters where 

 they come are so honoured and feared, as though they 

 were some great princes. At the yeres end, their circuit 

 done, they come unto that Citie which is chiefe of others 

 in the shire, to do justice there : finally busying them- 

 selves in the searching out of such as are to receive the 

 order of Louteas, whereof more shalbe said in another 

 place. 



Over and besides these officers, in the cheife City of 

 ech one of these aforesaid 13. provinces, is resident one 

 Ponchiassi, Captain e thereof, and treasurer of all the kings Ponckiassi. 

 revenues. This Magistrate maketh his abode in one of 

 the foure greatest houses that be in all these head Cities. 

 And although the principall part of his function be to 

 be Captaine, to be treasourer of the revenues in that 

 province, & to send these revenues at appointed times to 

 the Court : yet hath he notwithstanding by his office also 

 to meddle with matters appertaining unto justice. 



In the second great house dwelleth an other Magis- 

 trate called Anchiassi, a great officer also, for he hath Anchiassi, 0, 

 dealings in all matters of justice. Who although he be Hexast - 

 somewhat inferior in dignitie unto the Ponchiassi, yet 

 for his great dealings and generall charge of justice, 

 whosoever seeth the affaires of the one house and the 

 other might judge this Anchiassi to be the greater. 



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