REPORTS OF CHINA ad. 



c.1565. 

 pay they the last before the first, for that their intent 

 seemeth rather to be vertuous then gainefull. 



When I said, that such as be committed to prison for 

 theft and murther were judged by the Court, I ment not 

 them that were apprehended in the deed doing, for they 

 need no triall, but are brought immediatly before the [II. ii. 75.] 

 Tutan, who out of hand giveth sentence. Other not 

 taken so openly, which do need trial, are the malefactors 

 put to execution once a yere in the chiefe cities, to keepe 

 in awe the people : or condemned, do remaine in prison, 

 looking for their day. Theeves being taken are caried to 

 prison from one place to another in a chest upon mens 

 shoulders, hired therfore by the king, the chest is 6. 

 handfuls high, the prisoner sitteth therein upon a bench, 

 the cover of the chest is two boords, amid them both 

 a pillery-like hole, for the prisoners necke, there sitteth 

 he with his head without the chest, and the rest of his 

 body within, not able to moove or turne his head this 

 way or that way, nor to plucke it in : the necessities of 

 nature he voydeth at a hole in the bottome of the chest, 

 the meate he eateth is put into his mouth by others. 

 There abideth he day and night during his whole 

 journey : if happily his porters stumble, or the chest do 

 jogge or be set downe carelessly, it turneth to his great 

 paines that sitteth therein, al such motions being unto 

 him hanging as it were. Thus were our companions 

 caried from Cinceo, 7. daies journey, never taking any 

 rest as afterward they told us, & their greatest griefe was 

 to stay by the way : as soone as they came, being taken 

 out of the chests, they were not able to stand on their 

 feet, and two of them died shortly after. When we lay 

 in prison at Fuquieo, we came many times abroad, & Fuquieo. 

 were brought to the pallaces of noble men, to be seene 

 of them & their wives, for that they had never seene any 

 Portugale before. Many things they asked us of our 

 Country, and our fashions, & did write every thing, for 

 they be curious in novelties above measure. The 

 gentlemen shew great courtesie unto strangers, and so Hereof to/ore. 



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