A TREATISE OF CHINA ad. 



1590. 



added the wonderfull store of pearles, which, at the He Pearles. 

 of Hainan, are found in shell-fishes taken very cunningly 

 by certaine Divers, and doe much enlarge the kings 

 revenues. But now let us proceed unto the Silke or Oreat store of 

 Bombycine fleece, whereof there is great plentie in China: n ein ina ' 

 so that even as the husbandmen labour in manuring the 

 earth, and in sowing of Rice ; so likewise the women doe 

 employ a great part of their time in preserving of silke- 

 wormes, and in keeming and weaving of Silke. Hence 

 it is that every yeere the King and Queene with great 

 solemnitie come foorth into a publique place, the one of 

 them touching a plough, and the other a Mulberie tree, 

 with the leaves whereof Silke-wormes are nourished : 

 and both of them by this ceremonie encouraging both 

 men and women unto their vocation and labour : whereas 

 otherwise, all the whole yeere throughout, no man besides 

 the principall magistrates, may once attaine to the sight 

 of the king. Of this Silke or Bombycine fleece there is 

 such abundance, that three shippes for the most part 

 comming out of India to the port of Macao, & at the Silke brought 

 least one every yeere comming unto us, are laden tn ° a $ on 

 especially with this fraight, and it is used not onely in 

 India, but caried even unto Portugal. Neither is the 

 Fleet it selfe onely transported thence, but also divers & 

 sundry stuffes woven thereof, for the Chinians do greatly 

 excel in the Art of weaving, and do very much resemble 

 our weavers of Europe. Moreover the kingdom of 

 China aboundeth with most costlie spices & odours, and %^ J > Cam ~ 

 especially with cynamom (albeit not comparable to the ? lre S 

 cynamom of Zeilan) with camphire also & muske, which 

 is very principal & good. Muske deriveth his name 

 from a beast of the same name (which beast resembleth 

 a Sever) from the parts whereof brused & putrified 

 proceedeth a most delicate & fragrant smel which the 

 Portugals highly esteem, commonly calling those parts 

 of the foresaid beasts (because they are like unto the 

 gorges of foules) Papos, & convey great plenty of them [II. ii. 91.] 

 into India, & to us of Japon. But who would beleeve, 



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