REPORTS OF CHINA a.d. 



c. 1565. 

 moneth all things nccessarie abundantly, as he doth to 

 his governours of shires and Cities, howbeit, not one 

 of these hath as long as he liveth any charge or governe- 

 ment at all. They give themselves to eating and 

 drinking, and be for the most part burly men of bodie, 

 insomuch that espying any one of them whom we had 

 not seene before, we might knowe him to be the King 

 his cosin. They be neverthelesse very pleasant, cour- 

 teous, and faire conditioned : neither did we rind, all the 

 time wee were in that citie, so much honour and good 

 intertainement any where as at their hands. They bid 

 us to their houses to eate and drinke, and when they 

 found us not, or we were not willing to go with them, 

 they bid our servants and slaves, causing them to sit 

 downe with the first. Notwithstanding the good lodging 

 these Gentlemen have, so commodious that they want 

 nothing, yet are they in this bondage, that during life 

 they never goe abroad. The cause, as I did understand, 

 wherefore the king so useth his cosins is, that none of 

 them at any time may rebell against him : and thus he 

 shutteth them up in three or foure other cities. Most 

 of them can play on the Lute, and to make that kinde of 

 pastime peculiar unto them onely, all other in the cities 

 where they doe live be forbidden that instrument, the 

 Curtisans and blinde folke onely excepted, who be 

 musicians and can play. 



This king furthermore, for the greater securitie of his 

 Realme and the avoyding of tumults, letteth not one in 

 all his countrey to be called Lord, except he be of his 

 blood. Manie great estates and governours there be, 

 that during their office are lodged Lordlike, and doe beare 

 the port of mightie Princes: but they be so many times 

 displaced and other placed a new, that they have not the 

 time to become corrupt. True it is that during their 

 office they be well provided for, as afterward also lodged 

 at the kings charges, and in pension as long as they live, 

 payed them monethly in the cities where they dwell 

 by certaine officers appointed for that purpose. The 



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