China and the West

Howell, James. Instructions for forreine travell [ID D15246].
Others have a custome to bee always relating strange things and wonders, (oft he humour of Sir John Mandeville), and they usually present them to the Hearers, through multiplying glasses, and thereby cause the thing to appeare far greater than it is in it self, they make Mountaines of Mole-hils, like Charenton-Bridge-Eccho, which doubles the found nine times. Such a Traveller was he, that reported the Indian Fly, to be as big as a Fox ; China birds, to be as big as some Horses, and their Mice to be as big as Monkeys ; but they have the wit to fetch this far enough off, because the Hearer may rather believe it, than make a voyage so far to disprove it… The Master falling into his wonted hyperboles, spoke of a Church in China, that was ten thousand yards long…