A.D. 



c. 1565. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



Pochan, or, 

 Pachin. 



keepe there. This table standeth in a great pallace, 

 covered alwayes, except it be on some of their festivall 

 dayes, at what time they are wont to let it be seene, 

 covered neverthelesse as it is, all the nobilitie of the City 

 going of duetie to doe it every day reverence. The like 

 is done in the head Cities of all the other shires in the 

 pallaces of the Ponchiassini, wherein these aforesaid tables 

 doe stand with the kings name written in them, although 

 no reverence be done thereunto but in solemne feastes. 



I have likewise understood that the City Pachin, 

 where the king maketh his abode, is so great, that to 

 go from one side to the other, besides the Suburbs, the 

 which are greater then the City it selfe, it requireth one 

 whole day a horseback, going hackney pase. In the 

 suburbs be many wealthy marchants of all sorts. They 

 told me furthermore that it was moted about, and in the 

 motes great store of fish, whereof the king maketh great 

 gaines. 

 Their enemies It was also told me that the king of China had no 

 king to wage battel withall, besides the Tartars, with 

 whom he had concluded a peace more then 80. yeres 

 ago. Neverthelesse their friendship was not so great, 

 that the one nation might marry with the other. And 

 demanding with whom they married, they said, that in 

 olde time the Chinish kings when they would marry their 

 daughters, accustomed to make a solemne feast, where- 

 unto came all sorts of men. The daughter that was to 

 be married, stood in a place where she might see them 

 all, and looke whom she liked best, him did she chuse to 

 husband, and if happely he were of a base condition, hee 

 became by and by a gentleman : but this custome hath 

 bene left long since. Now a dayes the king marrieth his 

 daughters at his owne pleasure, with great men of the 

 kingdome : the like order he observeth in the marriage 

 of his sonnes. 



They have moreover one thing very good, and that 

 which made us all to marveile at them being Gentiles : 

 namely, that there be hospitals in all their Cities, 



316 



Manage of 

 the kings 

 children. 



