Chap. If. of M arc 
is found fuch a Market-Place; ttfo Miles- as is faid, in 
Compafs. There is alfo one large Canal, which runs 
againft the faid Street behind the Market-places, on the 
next Bank whereof is ere&ed great Store-houfes of Stone, 
where the Merchants from India , and other Parts, lay up 
their Merchandize, being at Hand, and commodious for 
the Market-places. In each of thefe Market-places the 
People meet three Days in a Week, to the Number of 
between forty and fifty thoufand, who bring thither all 
things that can be defired for Man’s Life, Beads, Game, 
and Fowls, that Lake yielding fuch Advantages for bring- 
ing them up, that for a Venetian Groat you may have 
two Geefe, and four Ducks for the fame. Then follow 
the Butcher-rows, of Veal, Beef, Kid, and Lamb, which 
the great and rich Men eat ; for the Poor eat all the Offal, 
and unclean Meats, without Refpeft. There are all forts 
.of Herbs and Fruits continually, and amongft the reft huge 
Pears, weighing ten Pounds apiece, white within like 
Pafte, and very fragrant. Peaches yellow and white, very 
delicate. Grapes grow not there, but are brought from 
other Places dried ; very good Wine alfo, but it is not 
efteemed in thofe Parts as with us, that of Rice and Spices 
contenting them. Every Day from the Ocean is brought 
up the River, which is the Space of five and twenty Miles, 
great Quantities of Fifh, befides that of the Lake, fo much 
that a Man would think would never be bought, and yet in 
a few Hours all is gone. All thefe Market-places are en- 
compaffed with high Houfes, and underneath are Shops for 
Artificers, and all forts of Merchandize, as Spice, Jewels, 
Pearls, and in fome only Rice- Wine. Many Streets anfwer 
one to another in the faid Market-places ; in fome of them 
are many cold Baths, accommodated with Attendants of 
both Sexes, a thing to which from Children they ufe them- 
felves. There are Chambers alfo in the fame Baths, with 
hot Waters for Strangers, which are not accukomed to the 
cold Waters ; they wafh every Day, neither do they eat 
before they have wafhed. 
In other Streets are mercenary Proftitutes, in fuch Num- 
bers, that I dare not report it, and not only near the Mar- 
ket-places, where they have their Places appointed, but 
through all the City •, they Hand pompoufiy adorned with 
rich Perfumes, many Servants, and their Houfes finely fur- 
niftied. Thefe are very fkilful in making Sports and Da- 
liances, and contriving Pleafures for ravifhing Men out of 
themfelves. In other Streets are the Phyficians, the Aflro- 
logers, they which teach to read and write, and infinite 
other Trades. At each End of every Market-place is a 
Palace, where Lords and Governors are appointed by the 
King to determine Difficulties which happen betwixt 
Merchants and others, as alfo to look to the Guards on the 
Bridges, punching fuch as are negligent. Along the prin- 
cipal Street on both Sides are great Palaces with Gardens, 
and near them Houfes of Artificers, and fuch Multitudes 
of People conkantly going to and fro, that a Man would 
wonder whence fuch Multitudes could be provided with 
Victuals ; and Maker Marco learned of an Officer of the 
Cuftom-houfe in ffuinfai y that by a very accurate Compu- 
tation, it appeared, the daily Expence of Pepper in 'uinfai 
was three and forty Soma, and every Soma is two hundred 
and twenty-three Pounds. Hence may be gueffed the 
Quantity of Vidtuals, Fleffi, Wine, and Spices, were there 
fpent. The Inhabitants are Idolaters, ufe none but Paper- 
Money, are of a very fair Complexion, apparelled for the 
moft part in Silk, which grows in all that Territory abun- 
dantly, befides that which is brought from other Places. 
There are twelve principal Companies or Corporations, each 
of which have one thoufand Shops, and in each Shop or 
Standing are ten, fifteen, or twenty Men at Work, and in 
fome forty under one Maker. 
The rich Tradefmen do not work with their Hands, but 
Itand in their Shops, well, or rather pompoufiy dreffed, efpe- 
ccially their Wives, with Jewels invaluable. And altho’ their 
old Kings ordained, that the Child fhould be of the Father’s 
Trade, yet the Rich are permitted not to work at it, but 
to keep Shop, and Men working in the fame Trade. 
Their Houfes are well-built, and very richly furnifhed with 
Pictures and other Ornaments of immenfe Price. The 
Natives are peaceable, know not how to manage Arms, 
nor keep them in their Houfes, neither is there Strife and 
Nimb, 42. 
o P o l d. 6 if 
Debate amongft them. They exercife their Trades with 
great Sincerity. They live id fitch Amity, that one Street 
feems as One Hoiife, without Jealoufy among their Wivts, 
which they hold in great Refpebt, and it would be reputed 
a great Difgrace to fpeak a difhonek Word to a married 
Woman; They entertain foreign Merchants kindly, both 
in their Houfes, and with bek Advice for their Affairs i but 
they are not overfond of the Soldiers, and Gfuards of the 
Grand Khan, becaufe by them deprived of their natural Lords 
and Kings. About the Lake are Vefy fair Buildings; and 
great Palaces of the principal Men, and Temples of their 
Idols, with Monakeries of many Monks. In the mfdk of 
the Lake are two. Elands, upon each of which is a Palace, 
with incredible Numbers of Rooms, whither they refdrt 
Upon Gccafion of Marriages, or other Fea’ks* where Pro- 
vikons of Veffels, Linnen, and other things are maintained 
in common, for fuch Purpofes, one Hundred fameti'mes 
accommodated at once, in feveral Rooms. In the Lake 
alfo are Boats and Barges for Pleafure, adorned with fair 
Seats and Tables, and other Provifions for a Banquet,- co- 
vered above, and Bat, upon which Men Band with Poles' 
to pufh the Boat on, the Lake being but lhaliow: Within 
they are painted, without are Windows to open and link 
at Pleafure j nor can any thing in the World Bern more 
pleafant than in this Lake, to have fuch various Objects, the 
City fo fully preferring itfelf to the Eye, with fo many 
Temples, Monakeries, Palaces, Gardens, with high 
Trees, and on the Water Barges and People; for their 
Cukom is to work one Part of the Day, and to fpend 
fome Part in this Diverfion with their Friends, or with Wo- 
men on the Lake, or elfe in Chariots, riding through the 
City, which is alfo another of the Quirifay Pleafures 5 for 
all the Sti eats are paved with Stone, as alfo are all the 
Highways, in the Province of Mangfonly for the Foot, Poka 
are left on the Side a Space unpaved : The principal Street 
of Quinfay is paved ten Paces on each Hand, and in the 
midit it is full of Gravel, with Paffages for the Water* 
which keep it always clean.- 
In this Street are innumerable long clofe Chariots, ac* 
commodated with Cloths and Cufhions of Silk for fix Per- 
fons, who divert themfelves in the Street* or go to the 
Gardens, and there pafs the Time in Bowers, fine Walks* 
&c. which are kept for that Purpofe, and return at Night 
in the fame Chariots. When a Child is born, the Father 
fets down the exack Point of Time, and with that Note 
goes to the Akrologer, to confult of his future Fortunes 5 
of thefe Akrologers are a great Number in every Market- 
Place. Thefe People will not celebrate a Marriage with- 
out fuch Confultation. When one dies that is of Note* 
the Kindred cloath themfelves in Canvas, and fo both 
Men and Women accompany him to the Burying- Place, 
playing on Inkruments, and ringing all the Way Prayers 
to their Idols, and being come to that Place, cak into 
the Fire many Papers of Cotton, whereon are painted 
Slaves, Florfes, Camels, Stuffs of Gold, and Silk, and Mo- 
nies, which they think he fhall really poffejs in another 
World, and make a grand Concert of Murick in Con- 
ceit of the Joy wherewith the Idols there receive his Soul, 
where he beginneth, as they fancy, to live anew. In every 
Street are Towers of Stone, to which, when in Danger of 
Fire, they ufe to carry their Gods, their Timber-Houfes 
being very fubjeft to fuch Cafualties. The Khan hath 
ordered, that on the mok of the Bridges, Day and Night* 
there Bands under a Covert, ten Soldiers, five by Day, 
and five by Night, and in every Guard-Room is a Tabernacle 
of Wood, with a great Bafon, whereby they know the 
Hours of the Day and Night, which at every Hour’s end 
the Warders krike, to fignify what Hour, One, Two, 
beginning at the Sun-riling ; and then again, at the 
beginning of the Night. They walk up and down, and if 
any have a Light or Fire alter the appointed Time, they 
caule him to anfwer it before the jukices, or Governors 
aforefaid, or if any walk later. 
If any be not able to work, they carry him to fomeHo^ i« 
tal, of which are exceeding many, founded by the old 
Kings, with great Revenues, through the City : When 
they are well again, they are compelled to work. If a Firq 
happen, thele irom diverfe Places come to and quench it, 
and to carry the Goods to the Ikands, or tliofe Towers 1 
7 S for 
