'The Portugues Asia: or, The history of the discovery and conquest of India by the Portugues; containing all their discoveries from the coast of Africk, to the farthest parts of China and Japan; all their battels by sea and land, sieges and other memorable actions; a description of those countries, and many particulars of the religion, government and customs of the natives, &c. In three tomes. Written in Spanish by Manuel de Faria y Sousa, of the Order of Christ. Translated into English by Cap. John Stevens. Tome the Second' [‎450] (476/560)

^ The Portuvues Afia. Part IV. ^
O
they ufc facb as bear Fruit, if they have !■
much ground, they plant great Trees, raife ^
Mounts, on which are kept Fowl, as Cranes
and Swans, and Beafts; as Deer and others. ^
They alio make Ponds in which are black
and red Fifties with gilded Scales. »
5 They firft frame the Roof of the Houfe,
then fet it upon Pillars,each of them of only ^
one piece of Timber, varniOied with Cha- -ir
ram for the moft part black; then they oftai
build the Walls of brick, and a fort of pla- f in
fter like lime which is very hard; they fay wol
|hat formerly they built after our manner, k£K
and have ftili rules of Architeaure oniyob- U
ferved in publick buildings, as Pallaces and u Ti
the like ^ they have many Towers of feve- Lepr
ral forms, all beautiful, from 5 to 9 ftones tame
high with winding itairs and others, and won
galleries without; their Houfliold ftuff is ikl
various, curious, and very cheap. »
<5 .This Kingdom being of fo great an extent iw (
and confeqnently lying under (o many fe- iilitt
veral Climates, produces all (orts ot fruits j ^
that the whole Earth affords. Their com- ility
snon fuftenanceis Rice, and Wheat, whereof ides
they have fuch plenty, that a Pico of either a ik
of them, is fold for 5 Royals, and when iredj
dcareft for 7. A Pico is a Hundred and 3 5,
quarter weight of ours. The Northern Pro- 'ioiia
vinces make moft ufe of Wheat and Barley, a In
the Southern of Rice; all other forts of .
Grain is plentiful, the Poor ufe it for\vne3t.
and it (erves to feed Cattle. The common-
nalty feed on Herbs all the Year, and no
otherMedicincsa^t found io dieApothecarics
IShops. 7 ;