The Description

Japonia may be said to be, as it were, a bodye of many and sundry Ilandes, of all sorts of bignesse; which Iles, as they are separated in situation from the rest of the whole worlde, so are they, in like maner, inhabited of people, most different from all others, both for maners and customes. They are devyded asunder, with the armes of the sea; and for most parte with little channels, as the Iles Maldiuae are in the Indian sea, or, as the Iles Hebrides and Oreades, which lye in the Northern seas, are. They contain 66 kyngdomes, which are distributed and devided into three principall members of Japonia. Of which members, one conteyneth nyne realmes, the seconde fowre; and the third fiftie-three. Fyve of these kyngdomes are more noble and famous then the rest: Coquinai, where the famous cytie of Meacum is seene; and it happeneth for the most parte, that he that obteyneth the dominion of these fyve kyngdomes getteth the whole Empire of Japonia.

This countrey is distant from Nouva Hispania about 150 leukes, from China 60. Yt is mountainous and craggie, full of rockes and stonie places, so that the third part of this Empire is not inhabited or manured: neither indeed doth it afford that accommodation for inhabitants which is needful, or that fatnesse and convenience for the growthe of come, fruit, and small grayne, as is requisite. Yet is the countrey barreine, not so much through nature, as through the slouthfulness and negligence of the inhabitants.