"His (the King's) plate is neither gold nor silver, for that is forbidden by their law, but of porcelain or of other China fabric.

"It is impossible to tell all the great riches and all the rare and beautiful things which the ships bring back; among others they bring much gold in ingots. Some gold also they have in leaf and some in dust; also great store of gilded woodwork, such as all sorts of vessels and furniture lacquered, varnished and gilded with a thousand pretty designs; then all kinds of silk stuffs, good store of unwrought silk, great quantities of musk and civet, plenty of the metal called calin,1 which is much esteemed over all the Indies, and even in Persia and elsewhere. .. Of this metal they make all their utensils and ornaments as we do have of silver and tin; they even use it for rings and bracelets for girls and children. They import also from thence much porcelain ware, which is used throughout India as well by the Portuguese as by the Indians. Besides all this, many boxes, plates and baskets made of little reeds covered with lacquer and varnished in all colours, gilded and patterned. Among other things I should mention a great number of cabinets of all patterns in the fashion of those of Germany. This is an article the most perfect and of the finest workmanship to be seen anywhere; for they are all of choice woods and inlaid with ivory, mother-of-pearl and precious stones; in place of iron they are mounted with gold.

The Portuguese call them Escritorios de la Chine."

J. G. Mendoza was another traveller who gave Europe the results of his observations of Portuguese activities in the Far East, and helped to stimulate a popular taste for porcelain. His book was translated into English in 1588, by R. Parke. Among other interesting information he tells us:

1 Malayan tin.

"There be also shops full of earthen vessels of divers making, redde, greene, yellow, and gilt; it is so good cheepe that for foure rials of plate they give fiftie pieces: very strong earth, the which they doo breake all to pieces and grinde it and put it into sesternes with water, made of lime and stone; and after that they have well tumbled and tossed it in the water, of the creame that is upon it they make the finest sort of them, and the lower they go, spending that substance that is the courser: they make them of what colour they please, the which will never be lost: then they put them into their killes and burne them. This has beene seene and is of a truth, as appeareth in a booke set forth in the Italian tongue by Duardo Banbosa,1 that they do make them of periwinkle shelles of the sea: the which they do grinde and put them under the ground to refine them, whereas they lie 100 years. But if that were true, they should not make so great a number of them as is made in that king-dome, and is brought into Portugall, and carried into the Peru, and Nova Espania, and into other parts of the world. . . . And the Chinos do agree for this to be true.

The finest sort of this is never carried out of the countrie, for that it is spent in the service of the king, and his governours, and is so fine and deere, that it seemeth to be of fine and perfite cristal: that which is made in the province of Saxie is the best and finest. . . .

1 1520.

"The fine earthen dishes that are in this countrie cannot be declared without many wordes. But that which is brought from thence into Spaine is verie course; although, unto them that hath not seene the finer sort, it seemeth excellent good; but they have such with them, that a cubbard thereof amongest us would be esteemed as though it were of golde. The finest cannot be brought forth of the kingdome upon paine of death; neyther can any have the use thereof, but onely the loytias, which be there gentlemen."

The glowing accounts of the riches of Ind and Far Cathay brought home by the early voyagers naturally fired the imagination and cupidity of Dutch, English and French merchants and adventurers, who said to one another: "We too will go to the hills of the Chank-ley Bore"; and every potentate in Europe connived at their subjects' efforts to trespass on the King of Portugal's Tom Tiddler's Ground.

Independent efforts had been made by the English to get a share of the riches of the East long before the Dutch and English East India companies were formed. In 1560, the Portuguese ambassador exhibited articles for restraining the traffic of English merchants in the Indies. In 1566, "Dr. Lewes takes bonds of George Fenner not to spoil any of the Queen's subjects, nor to traffic into India, or any other places privileged by the King of Spain." About the same date, the merchants petitioned "for reopening the trade with Portugal suspended in consequence of the irregular trade of some Englishmen to the Indies."

Instances of poaching and piracy in Portuguese preserves might be multiplied, but three will suffice. In 1598, Cecil receives a report from a Lisbon agent that, "On August 1st, three carracks arrived from India and one was burnt there full laden. They bring news that two English ships in India have taken two Portugal ships, rich with treasure, that were on their voyage from Goa to Chine." And again, on October 16, 1601, Sir John Gilbert writes to Cecil: "My ship . . . has brought home silks, having taken a Brazil vessel with porcelain and other wares."

Elizabeth's luxurious ministers had choice collections of porcelain richly mounted in precious metal, from which they sometimes offered her presents. For instance, among her New Year's gifts in 1588, we find: "One porrynger of white porselyn, garnished with golde, the cover of golde, with a lyon on the toppe thereof; all given by the Lord Threasorour, 38 oz. Item, one cup of green pursselyne, the foot, shanke and cover silver guilte chased like droppes. Given by Mr. Robert Cecill, 15 oz. Item, one cup of pursseline, th' one side paynted red, the foote and cover sylver guilte. Given by Mr. Lychfelde, 14 oz."