Page:The history of that great and renowned monarchy of China. Wherein all the particular provinces are accurately described- as also the dispositions, manners, learning, lawes, militia (IA historyofthatgre00seme).pdf/28

 8 ruine of the Common wealths.

A pound of mutton is worth a penny, a pigeon a farthing and a halfe, the hire of a man-ervant for a year, two hundred farthings, and his dyet and lodging. But there is a great difference betwixt ome places and others, thoe of the South, as they have the advantage in commerce, o they exceed the ret in money; and the price of things; which continually rieth, as we find every day by experience: but even there to this day, the rare is very moderate.



his kingdome is divided into two parts, South and North, and both thee ubdivided into fifteen provinces, as is above-aid. To this Southern part belong nine; which are Cantone, Guami, Yunnam, Fukien, Kiami, Suchuem, Utquam, Chekiam, Nankim, we wil treate of thee in this chapter, and of the ret in the next. That we may proceede ditinctly, peaking of them in the ame order that we have named them.

Cantone is the firt, and lyeth in that part of the South, that is properly named Quamtum. It is in the latitude of twenty three degrees, it is large, rich, and abounding in wheat and rice, of thee it propuceth each yeare two harvets though for the mot part they are of a everall graine. There is tore of ugar, copper and tin, materials, which they worke, with great variety, into innumerable orts of veels; as alo, workes made with Charam, an excellent vernih, and with guilding, ome whereof are tranported into Europe.

The Jeuits in this province had two reidencies with their Churches and houes, hich perihed by reaon of Severall perecutions, as you hall find hereafter.

The people are able Mechanicks, and though of mall invention, yet they imitate excellently whatoever they find invented. To the City called alo Cantone (though the proper name thereof bee Guamcheufu) the Portugees go twice every year with their marchandice. It is ditant from Macao an hundred and five miles: and Macao is ditant from the firt Ilands, and from the greater Cityes of that Empire fifty four: The circumference thereof is 15 good miles. The concoure of merchants thither is very great, and therefore it is more peopled than many of the other Cityes. The mot and bet comodities of that Kingdome are brought thither, becaue it is the mot open and free eat of trade in that nation. And to ay nothing of the ix neighbouring kingdomes, from whence all orts of merchandie is brought thither, as well by natives as trangers: only that which the Portugees take in for India, Giappone and Manila, cometh ore year with another five thouand three hundred chets of everall ilke tuffs; each chet including 10 peices of the mot