Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/334

 robbed vs and afterward burned our ship, wherein I lost a great deale of treasure and commodities.

If I should write to you of the state of this countrey of China, and of the strange things which are there, and of the wealth of the countrey, I were not able to do it, in an whole quire of paper. Onely I may certify you, that it is the goodliest countrey, and the richest, and most plentifull in all the world.

For here are great store of golde mynes, siluer mynes, and pearle, great store of cotten cloth: for the countrey people weareth nothing else but fine cotten cloth, which is more accepted then silkes. For here is great store of silkes, and they are good cheape. All kinde of victuals, as bread, flesh, wines and hennes and all kindes of foules, are very plentifull. Here are great store of fresh riuers. The people are very louing. Here are very faire cities and townes with costly buildings, better then those in Spaine. And the countrey people go very richly apparelled both in silkes and gold. But here we haue order from the king of Spaine, that a Spaniard may not dwell in China aboue 3 yeres, and afterwards they must returne againe into Nueua Espanna, and other souldiers must come in their places. The countrey is very vnwholesome for vs Spaniards.

For within these 20 yeres of 14000, which haue gone to the Philippinas, there are 13000 of them dead and not past 1000 of them left aliue. There is a place in China which is an harbour, called Macaran, which the king hath giuen to the Spaniards freely: which shall be the place where the ships shall come and trafficke. For in this harbour there is a great riuer which goeth vp into the maine land, vnto diuers townes and cities, which are neere to this riuer. And thus troubling you no farther I rest. From Mexico the 20 of Iune 1590.

Your obedient sonne,.

A Letter of Bartholomew Canoto Peter de Tapia in Siuill, from Mexico the 30 of May 1590, touching the state of Nueua Espanna, and the fleet of that yeere.

Because I haue answered your letters which I haue receiued in the last Fleet, as touching that matter I haue no more to say. The occasion of my writing vnto you at this time, is to giue you