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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52346	An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China deliver'd by their excellencies, Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking : wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously describ'd / by Mr. John Nieuhoff ... ; also an epistle of Father John Adams their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation ; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher ; English'd, and set forth with their several sculptures, by John Ogilby Esq. ...; Gezantschap der Neerlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie aan den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China. English	Nieuhof, Johannes, 1618-1672.; Goyer, Pieter de.; Keizer, Jacob de.; Kircher, Athanasius, 1602-1680. China monumentis. Selections. English.; Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Schall von Bell, Johann Adam, 1592?-1666.; Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie.	1673 (1673)	Wing N1153; ESTC R3880	438,428	416

which occasions a Mere wherein grow Flowers of a Saffron colour whose like are no where else to be seen in all those Countries Several of these Flowers grow upon one Root being something bigger than the European Lilly and much handsomer for fashion resembling Tulips The Leaves of the Stalks are large and round and drive upon the Water as the Leaves of the Weeds do in Europe which at their Season they gather and dry and make them fit to be us'd by Shop-keepers in stead of Paper to put up their Wares in There are in some places whole Pools abounding with these Flowers which to say truth grow not there naturally but have been sow'd by one or other for that they are in great request amongst them But amongst all others the Chinese Rose must deservedly take place which changes colour every day twice for one time its all Purple and another time as white as Snow and were the scent thereof pleasant or delightful it might with merit challenge the World for a Peer The Chief City of Queicheu situate in the Province of Quangsi takes its Name from the Flower call'd Quei which although it grows in other Parts yet no where so plentifully as in this Province and chiefly under the Command of this City It grows upon a very high Tree which has Leaves proportion'd like them of a Laurel or Cinamon-tree but the Flowers are very small yellow of colour and have a fine smell After they are once in Flower they continue a long time blowing without withering or shedding or falling from the Tree and after they have done blowing the Tree shoots out again within a Month and has fresh Flowers whose colour is so fragrant that they perfume all those Parts where they grow The Tartars infuse these Flowers in the Iuice of Lemmons wherewith they colour the Hair of their Horses But the Chineses make delicate Confects of them which are delicious to the taste and pleasant to the smell Near to Kinhoa in the Province of Chekiang is a certain Flower by the Portuguese in India call'd Mogorin It grows upon a very small Tree is Milk-white and not unlike to the Iessamy Flower only it has more Leaves and exceeds it far for smell for one Flower is enough to perfume a whole House This Flower is in very great esteem with them so that in cold Weather they diligently house the Pots in which they grow And lastly near the City Pingyve in Queicheu grows in great abundance the well scented Iessamy Of Reeds IN the foregoing part of this Chapter you have had some Examples of the variety of Herbs Plants Flowers c. produc'd in several parts of China I shall now say something of the different sorts of Reeds growing there And first In Xanhung near Tengcheu grows a Reed that is naturally four-square In Huquang near the Mountain grows a sort of Reed which will last only three years but like a careful Sire before it dies it shoots out afresh at the Root thus every three years renewing by death and rising again In the Province of Nanking near Hoaigan is a great Mere wherein grows very large and high Reeds greatly esteem'd by the Inhabitants In Quanhung near the City Lochang upon the Mountain Chang grows a black Reed whereof the Chineses make Pipes and several other things of as pure a black and shining colour as if they were made of Ebony In the same Province upon the Mountain Lofen grows a Reed that exceeds all the rest for length and thickness the Stalks being at least four Foot thick In the Province of Chekiang near the City of Chucheu runs a Rivulet in which grow several sorts of Reed or Cane as hard as Iron and oftentimes three Handfuls thick and although they are hollow yet are they of strength sufficient to bear a great Burthen without breaking The biggest grow three or four Rods high some have green Stalks others Coal-black They make a very pleasant shew not only because of the flourishing Verdure of the Leaves for the most part of the Year but also because of the several Colours produc'd by the various sorts that grow altogether Of these notwithstanding their hardness before-mention'd such as are skilful Artists and know how to split the same into very thin pieces make Mattresses Baskets Canes c. Of the thinner and smaller sort they make Pikes and Lances which have sharp Irons at the ends They put them likewise to several other uses especially for the making of Perspective-Glasses in regard they are light straight thick and firm The Water that runs from this Reed when it is laid green upon the Fire is found being taken inwardly to be very soveraign to drive out of the Body all putrifi'd Blood occasion'd by Blows Falls or otherwise The young Shoots of it before they have any Leaves are boil'd with Flesh like Turnips and pickled in Vinegar are kept all the year for Sawce Amongst these various sorts of Reeds may be comprehended another kind that grows upon some Mountains in China in great abundance and is call'd by the Indians Rotang but in Europe Rotting or Iapan Canes And though these Canes are us'd in Europe to walk with yet the young Branches thereof being full of Iuice are eaten raw by the Chineses When these Canes are dried and struck one against another there will flie Sparks of Fire from them as from a Flint and as such they are made use of in some Places of the Indies This sort of Reed is very tough and being green is made use of in stead of Cords to tie or bind any thing withal The Inhabitants of Iava Iapan and other Islanders make therewith Cable for Anchors which will last longer in salt Water than Ropes made of Hemp and when any Merchants Ship Trading thither from Europe need any they make use of these they being strong enough to hold the weightiest Anchors The Fruit of this Rotting or Cane is eatable and pleasant to the Palate in form somewhat round about the bigness of a Ball having a Shell like a Chesnut hard but brittle Upon every Ioint from the bottom to the top sprouts out a small Branch in stead of Leaves upon which hangs the Fruit in Clusters Within the Body of this Fruit is a white Kernel from which they extract an Oyl not only good to eat but very soveraign in the cure of Wounds if dress'd therewith so that the Indian Slaves if they receive hurt at any time from these Rottings or Canes wherewith they are wont to be Corrected they forthwith make use of this Oyl Besides these before-mention'd there are found as well in China as divers other Parts of the Indies two other different sorts which are by the Indians call'd Bamboes The smaller of these is very full of Pith but the other doth so far exceed all the rest for bigness that I do not wonder in the least if some Writers both ancient and modern have sometimes call'd it a Tree This kind call'd

they be not adulterated are of as strong a scent as the pure Zybeth but the crafty Merchants stuff the Purses which the Skin of the Beast maketh with the Blood Skin or some part else and sell them for the true and genuine some mix it with Dragons Blood and by this means of one Bladder make two or three but yet the more skilful do discern the Fallacy for if being burn'd it evaporateth it is believ'd to be true but if it remaineth like a Coal or Cinder it is adulterate Almost the same is deliver'd by Father Philip Marinus in his History of Tunchino in which Place there is plenty of these Animals which he saith are so simple that not knowing how to escape they will of their own accord present themselves unto the Huntsmen to be slaughter'd The Hippopotame or Sea-Horse by the Chineses call'd Hayma THese Animals are often seen on the Shores of the Chinesian and Indian Ocean in Hainam the Philippine Islands the Maldivas and especially in Mozambique on the Southern Coast of Africa They are very deformed Creatures and terrible to behold Father Boim whilst he staid at Mozambique dissected and inspected one of them of whom take the following Account in his own words I have saith he annexed a double Scheme of the true Sea-Horse of which when I was at Mozambique I saw a great Company wallowing in the Sea in a Creek on the Sands The Iudge of the City Mozambique sent the Head of an Hippopotame unto the Colledge that I might peruse it which measuring I found it in length three Cubits from the Mouth to the Shoulders on the lower Iaw it had two high bended Teeth unto which in the upper Iaw the great Teeth were consentaneous and the Tongue lolling out Afterwards viewing the more Inland Parts of Crafraria Coasting the Shore in a Gally we beheld at least fifty Sea-Horses within a Stones-cast neighing and playing divers Tricks in the Water a Slave with his Musquet kill'd one of them which bringing Ashore and dividing it amongst his Companions they pull'd out his Teeth and gave me some of the biggest of them His Skin is very hard he hath no Hair but only in the end of his Tail which turns in they cast a Brightness like polish'd black Horn and are about the bigness of a Quill or small Reed of which the Cafres make Bracelets both for Ornament and to prevent the Palsie Of their Teeth are made Beads Crosses and Images some stop the Flux of Blood but all have not this Vertue only those that are taken at a certain Season of the Year In the Royal Hospital at Goa there is a great Sea-Horse Tooth which being apply'd to a Vein that is open'd will immediately stop the Blood The Story of a Prince of Malabar slain by the Portuguese is sufficiently known whom they finding wounded with many Bullets yet without any sign of Blood though his Wounds were gaping stripp'd and pulling away a piece of the Bone of the Hippopotame that hung about his Neck the Blood like a Torrent that breaketh over the Banks flow'd out of the dead Corps being before so stopp'd and coagulated only by the frigid Nature of this Creature Thus Father Boim The Province of Fokien hath an Animal perfectly resembling a Man but longer Arm'd and Hairy all over call'd Fese most swift and greedy after Humane Flesh which that he may the better make his Prey he feigneth a Laughter and suddenly while the Person stands listning seiseth upon him There are also in China Apes and Baboons of a different kind whereof some imitate Men others Dogs and Cats and are also tractable and docile to admiration of which take Father Roth's Relation he being an Eye-witness The King of Bengala saith he in the Year 1650. dispatch'd unto the Emperor of the Mogors a solemn Embassy with many rich Presents among which was a Triumphal Chariot drawn by two white Horses wonderfully adorn'd with Gold and Gems But that which was more worthy of admiration the Charioteer was no humane Creature for a great Baboon guided the Reins with no small skill and dexterity his Livery Cloke and Cap shining with Scarlet and Gold the Champion a great Mastive sitting on the highest Seat as in a Throne of Majesty Deck'd and Adorn'd with Gold and Iewels in so great Splendor that he seem'd to be some great Prince and not a Dog his Valets-de-Chambre Pages and Lacquies richly Dress'd according to their Place and Office were all Apes and Monkies officiously attending round about him who so well had learnt his Lesson that when any Person of Quality drew near he not only perform'd due Reverence making low Congies but his well instructed Followers did the like which the Emperor beholding with great pleasure and admiration caus'd a high Treatment to be prepar'd for them where each had his own proper and peculiar Mess and his Guests Feasted themselves with good order and gravity This pleasant Comedy I saw acted in the Imperial Palace at Agra So far Father Roth. CHAP. VIII Of several Fowls no where found but in China AMongst these the Bird-Royal which they call Fum Hoam deserves the first and chiefest place of whom Father Boim in his Flora gives us this following Account This Bird saith he of most admirable beauty if at any time absent or a while unseen it is an Omen of some Misfortune to the Royal Family the Male is call'd Fum the Female Hoam they have their Nests in the Mountains near Peking their Heads are like a Peacocks the Chineses emblem their Shoulders to the Vertues their Wings signifie Iustice their Sides Obedience and the Nest Fidelity This Pious Bird as they term it is in this like a Rhinoceros that it never turns but goeth backward with the Majestick pace of a Stag it hath a Cock's Train Crested like a Serpent Feet like a Tortoise and Angels Wings The Emperor Colaos and Mandorins have these Birds Embroider'd on their Vests and other Habits In the Kingdom of Suchue are Fleece-bearing Hens they are small Duck-leg'd yet bold and daring and are much esteem'd by the Women for their callow Down and soft Plumage resembling Wooll delightful to handle They also report That in this Province there is a Bird produc'd of the Flower Tunchon which therefore is call'd Tunchonfung This Bird doth measure out Life with the Days of the Flower so fading and so expiring She is vested with so great variety of Plumes that her Wings expanded lively deportray the Beauties of the Flower when blown Between Couchinchina and the Island Hainan are many great and small Rocks within which in the Spring-time a multitude of little Birds like unto Sparrows or Swallows flock to build their Nests from whence they come is not known they fix their Nests to the Rocks where with singular artifice they lay their Eggs hatch their young ones and flie away Their Nests are gather●d up and Transported by whole Cargoes into China and Iapan where they are esteem'd as great

or perfum'd Straw nor is their variety greater in substance than their difference in fashion for some are round others four-square c Such as are worn by the Grandees are made of white Paper gilt to open and shut at pleasure with one of which it is customary among them to Present each other as a token of Love and Friendship These Fan-makers also as aforesaid are employ'd much in the making of Quittesoles which are a kind of folding Canopies carried over the Heads of the Grandees by their Servants being made of the same Stuff with Fans and Lin'd with Silk or Linnen The Ruffians Travel through all parts of the Country with Women in their Companies and where by chance they find any handsom young Maids amongst the common sort of People they use all art and means to entice them away neither sparing Money or good Words whom if they prevail upon to follow them they afterwards teach to Dance and Sing so making them fitter for the Entertainment of their Hectoring Blades and wild Gallants When they are thus instructed the Male-Bawds endeavor to sell them either to the Grandees out-right or else to prostitute them for Money for a certain number of days which turns to a considerable advantage for every of these Brokers for impudence have several Women that belong unto them according as their ability is able to afford them a Maintenance They seldom stay long in a Place but go from Town to Town and there residing longest where they can meet with the best Markets Whosoever hires one of these Women for a Nights Lodging must receive her in the publick manner hereafter described viz. She is set upon an Ass and so conducted with a Hood over her Face to the House of him that sent for her and when she is come to his House she casts aside her Hood and then he receives and conducts her into the House There is also another sort of Beggars here who set fire to a combustible kind of Stuff upon their Heads which they suffer to burn there with such excessive pain and torment till they have extorted some Charity from the transient Company with their howling and crying enduring very great misery all that while And lastly Upon every publick Market-day there are to be seen whole Troops of blind Beggars in the several Cities and Towns who beat themselves upon their naked Breasts most furiously with great round Stones till the very Blood drops from them Besides what is mention'd before there are several other Trades in China as the Baking of Porcelane or China-Ware the Gumming and Painting of Chests Trunks and Boxes as also the Weaving of Carpents Damasks Cottons and several other Stuffs which I have thought fit to omit in this Chapter First in regard the same are already mention'd in the first part of our Relation and also because the Chineses do so infinitely abound in all manner of Arts and Handicraft-Trades that it would take up too much time to give a particular Account of the whole But notwithstanding this abundance of Trades in China a great Defect and Abuse is observ'd in most of the Commodities which are made there and it is this that they only appear and seem fair to the Eye but are really for the most part very sleight and for this cause they may well be afforded much cheaper to the Merchant CHAP. IV. Of some strange Customs Fashions and Manners in use amongst the Chineses THE ancient Chineses call'd their Kingdom or Empire in old Times by the Name of Courtesie or Civility and other known Manners yea and which is more Civility or Courtesie is held with them for one of the five principal Vertues amongst which as chief all others are comprehended The nature of this Vertue consists as they say in the shewing of mutual respect Now to be compleat herein and to be Masters of Ceremony they spend no small time to accomplish themselves yet some of them of a higher Speculation viewing humane Vicissitudes lament themselves that they cannot reject and shun these Complemental Formalities although they do therein far exceed those of Europe Wherefore in this Chapter I shall shew in what manner they Salute one another when they meet and afterwards Treat of some other Manners and Customs in use amongst them wherein they differ from others or amongst themselves It is held for no point of Civility amongst the Chineses to take off the Hat or to make Legs as it is usually term'd much le●s to embrace any Person or kiss his Hand or make any outward shew of Complement The most general and common way with them of shewing Civility is done after this manner They carry their Hands when they walk unless they are to Fan themselves or otherwise to use them always folded together in the Sleeve of their upper Garment which is made for that purpose so that when they meet they raise their Hands on high in the Sleeve with great Devotion and then let them fall again after the same manner Greeting each other with the word Cin which signifies Nothing When one comes to visit another or if two Friends meet in the Street they bow with their Hands in their Sleeves all the while the whole Body and their Heads three times to the Ground and this manner of Salutation is call'd Zoye In the performing of which Ceremony the Inferior always gives place to his Better and the Party visited gives the upper Hand to him that makes the Visit But in the Northern Parts of China the Visitant is plac'd on the left-hand Oftentimes also after they have done bowing they exchange Places and go off from the left to the right-hand and from the right to the left which is done for this reason that so the Party that is receiv'd in the highest Place should shew some Respect to the other again When this Ceremony happens to be in the Street both Parties turn themselves side to side toward the North and within Doors to the upper end of the Hall for it is an old Custom amongst them to lay the Threshold of the Palaces Temples and other Edifices to the South so that in regard this Ceremony is perform'd in the Hall next to the Threshold they turn their Faces to the upper end and and then they look toward the North. If so be both Parties meeting or visiting have not seen one another in a long time or perhaps never before and have a desire to bestow extraordinary Civilities upon each other then after performance of the first Ceremony they fall upon their Knees touching the Ground with their Foreheads and this they do three times together But when this Civility is to be shown by an Inferior to a Superior a Child to his Parent or a Subject to his Prince he receives the Honor done unto him either sitting or standing and only bowling a little when the other falls upon his Knees With the same and no greater Reverence and Honor they pay their Religious Duties to

that it is heard some Miles distant In the Province of Kiangsi hard by the Chief City Nanchange is the Mountain Pechang which signifies The Mountain of a hundred Rods because the Waters there run so far with great impetuousness In the River Chuem which runs near to Xunking through steep and cragged Rocks are thirty six great Water-falls which continually rore with a most hideous noise Near to the tenth Principal City of this Province is a River call'd Xemuen or Heng which runs with great boisterousness from a Water-shoot that falls into it The River Yao in its Passage by the City Liniao makes so great a noise as if it Thunder'd From the Mountain of Taye are Cataracts that fall with great force at least four hundred Rods. Near to the City Tau is so plentiful a Water-fall that it has caus'd a Mere or Lake Near to the Chief City of Choxang is a River call'd Xangyung wherein is so great a fall of the Waters that when at any time a Stone is but flung into it it causes Rain and Thunder which may well be esteem'd a Prodigy Near to the City Hoeicheu lies the River Singan which has at least three hundred and sixty Water-shoots falling into it between Vales and Rocks In the Province of Fokien near the City Tingcheu is a River which runs to Ienping which hath many of these Water-falls and dangerous Sands and Rocks insomuch that when any Vessels Sail down with the Stream the Skippers to avoid Shipwrack fling out great Bundles of Straw beforehand which stopping against the Rocks preserve the Vessels that strike against them from beating themselves in pieces Near to the City Kiegan lies the River Can where the dangerous Rocks call'd Xetapan take their rise it is very hazardous to Sail down the River from this City by reason of blind Cliffs and Sands which have destroy'd many Vessels for the Sands are not easily discoverable the River running with great swiftness over them and therefore whatever Skippers Sail that way take with them always an expert Pilot from this City Near to the City Ce lies the River Tan which signifies Red because the Water thereof looks like Blood They report that this Water was formerly very clear and white but that it receiv'd this colour by means of one Pei a very faithful Governor of his Country who for some reasons unknown kill'd himself upon the side of this River and ever since the Waters have retain'd a bloody tincture There runs a River before the small City Cu in the Province of Suchue call'd The River of Pearls for that in the Night it glitters and sparkles as if it were full of Precious Stones Also before the City of Iungcheu runs the River Siang whose Water is of a Crystal clearness so that though it be several Fathoms deep yet one may see plainly any thing that lies at the bottom Near to Foming runs a small River from the Mountain Talao the Water whereof turns blue in Harvest at which time the Inhabitants wash their Clothes in the same to give them that colour which it doth with as good effect as any artificial Dyer could do The River Kiemo near to Paogan is said to have such an occult Quality that it will bear no Vessel of Wood but as soon as it comes upon it it sinks as suddenly as if it vanish'd in the Air. The like is the River Io near to Kancheu which is therefore call'd The Weak River because it will bear nothing that is heavy Near to Chingtien upon the Mountain Cucai is a small River whose Waters are very sweet and well scented Near to Choxan is the River Cungyang whose Water takes Spots and Stains out of all sorts of Cloths and is so naturally cooling to the Air that it tempereth the Heat of Summer and therefore the Emperors of China have built a Palace over this River to which they frequently resort to avoid the extraordinary Heats The River Kinxa or The River of Gold is so nam'd because the Inhabitants find great quantities thereof in the same Near to the City Pezan runs the River Che but more peculiarly call'd Hoanglung that is The Yellow Dragon for the Inhabitants fancy that they saw a yellow Dragon therein in the time of the Race of Hana The River Siangyn which runs before Mielo is famous because it was the occasion of the observation of the Feast Tuonu which is observ'd and kept through all China upon the fifth Day of the fifth Month in memory of a certain faithful Governor who drowned himself in this River to prevent some Traitors that were plotting to take away his Life he being a Man well belov'd by the People over whom he Rul'd they to this day as an honor to his Posterity and to continue his Fame make great Entertainment In the Province of Kiangsi near to the City of Vucheu runs the River Lieufan from whence the Chineses fetch the Water which they use in Hour-glasses in stead of Sand because this Water is of all others the least subject to alteration either of Time or Weather Near to Kiegan is a River call'd Senting which signifies A Pipe or Flute because the Water running very swift through Cliffs and stony places makes a very musical and delightful noise Near to Xincheu is the River Xo which doth infallibly cure several sorts of Diseases In the Province of Chekiang near the Chief City of Hangcheu runs a River which in regard of its Course is call'd sometimes Che sometimes Cientang and in some Places Cingan This River causeth upon the eighteenth Day of the eighth Month such a very high Tide before this City that it extremely puzzles the Philosophers themselves to find out the meaning or give the reason thereof for upon that Day the Water riseth Higher than at any other time of the Year by reason of which so very famous is this Day that the whole City about four a Clock makes toward the River to behold the wonderful Operation Of Springs Wells and Fountains IN Chinting the fourth Chief City of the Province of Peking lies a Mere which hath its rise from two Springs the Waters of the one are very hot the other cold and yet they lie but at a small distance asunder Upon the Hill Ganlo near to the City Iungchang is a Stone in the form of a Mans Nose and from his Nostrils arise two Springs whereof the one is warm the other cold In Tengcheu the Chief City of the Province of Xantung is a Spring call'd Hanuen which is a Miracle in Nature for it bubbles forth Water both hot and cold at the same time which separate and divide themselves In the Province of Xensi in the City of Lincheng is a Fountain as clear as Crystal being scarcely five Foot deep yet the top thereof is very cold but the bottom so hot that there is no enduring to touch it with ones Foot In the Province of Quangsi is a Spring the one half whereof is

done so closely as they suppos'd they presently imagin'd they had Weather'd the Point and overcome all Difficulties but they were not a little disappointed in their expectations for his Son who like his Father was of a Princely and Warlike Spirit being substituted in his Place as soon as setled in the Throne and at Peace with his Neighbors rais'd a great Army with an intention to Invade China in revenge of his Father's Death The chiefest Grandees and Councellors of his Kingdom encourag'd him in this Design whereupon in the Year 1616 he came with a very great Army to the Great Wall of Partition between Tartary and China with hopes to pass there which succeeded according to his desire for after a sharp Skirmish the Chineses betook themselves to flight leaving to the young King a free Passage into China with his victorious Army with which he first fell into the Province of Leaotunga and made himself Master of the City Tuxung or Cayven which lies near Tartary and the River Yalous the place where the Great Wall begins and here he Planted himself to carry on the War And this he undoubtedly did to this end that he might be able to save himself by flight by Sea in case the Chineses should have fall'n upon him and blockt him up and so have endeavor'd to have cut off his Passage from getting back again but if he were able to make good and stand his Ground then he foresaw it lay coveniently for him to receive Succors out of his own Country and from others his Allies whereby with continual Reinforcings he should be the better enabled to over-run that Empire which he had already conquer'd in his Eye Thus we see the King of Ninche safely got with his Army into his Enemie's Country where having pitch'd and fortifi'd himself as afore-mention'd he began to consult with himself of his Undertaking when considering what a small Force he had to conquer so powerful an Empire and that on the other hand he might be easily set upon by the Forces which lay in the Cities of the Provinces of Leaotung and Peking and destroy'd before he could be well secur'd he thought it best to add the Foxes Tail to the Lions Skin and so resov'd to send a civil Letter to the Emperor of China to complain of the wretched and inhumane Murther committed upon his Father to lay open the deceitful Carriages of his Governors in many Particulars but chiefly in the misusage of his Subjects in their Trade and Commerce and the like He likewise desir'd that the Emperor would not harbor a hard Opinion but pass a just Censure upon his Actions and Undertaking and cause condign punishment to be inflicted upon his Governors Last of all he desir'd That the Emperor would quit him the yearly Taxes which he paid to defray the Charges of this War And upon performance of these things he promis'd to quit the City he had taken and to retreat with his Army beyond the Wall and that the Inhabitants of China should be receiv'd and treated in Ninche as Friends and Allies For the Bearer of this Letter the King of Ninche to make it the more acceptable and effectual chose a certain Priest whom the Tartars call Lama with Command to deliver the same in a most submissive manner and seriously to lay before the Emperor and his Council the great quantity of Blood that was like to be spilt if not timely prevented by a friendly Accommodation between them The Emperor Vanlieus to whom the King of Ninche sent this civil Letter though in other things he was a wise and prudent Prince yet in this Business whether through his great Age he began to dote or that the greatness of hi● Power and State had stupifi'd his Brain shew'd not his wonted Prudence and Conduct for as he could not but very well understand by the Contents of the Letter that the Complaints of the King of Ninche were grounded upon weighty Reasons and not without great Cause yet he took the Business so little to heart and judg'd it of so small consequence as not worthy to be Debated in his Presence and so referr'd it to the Consideration of some of the Council or rather truly to some of his Governors and Commanders who had labor'd all they could at Court that it might be transmitted to them that so they might shew their Pride in not answering the Letter of a Tartar King for to that heighth was their insufferable arrogance grown that they thought it an undervaluing to their Honor and Grandeur to return any Answer unto it but in stead thereof signifi'd their high Displeasure that People subject unto them and who paid Taxes yearly to the Emperor sho●ld take upon them to come and complain of Injuries unto him Nor ceased they here but mocked and revil'd the King of Ninche with bitter words never considering that great Army wherewith he had invaded their Empire or so much as gathering any Forces together to oppose him The Tartar King finding himself thus slighted and scorn'd changing his anger into madness burst out into cursing and swearing that he would revenge the Murder of his Father with the death of two hundred thousand Chineses for as we said before it is a Custom amongst the Tartars that when any Persons of Quality die in honor of the Dead they fling into the Funeral Fire where the Deceased was burnt some Men-Servants Women Horses Bows and Arrows as if the Dead stood in need of these things hereafter and here the Vow of the King signifi'd that so many thousands should attend his Father's Funeral But they have very much left this barbarous cruelty since their Conquest of China insomuch that they now there bury their Dead after the Chinese fashion without burning though in their own Country perhaps they observe still the same Ceremony The King of Ninche being thus incensed marches forward with his Forces immediately and suddenly laid Siege to the Chief City Laoyang in the Province of Leaotung The Place was strongly fortifi'd and there was a Garrison of Soldiers within it all well Arm'd with Muskets whereas the Tartars use nothing but Zables Bows and Arrows for prevention therefore of the slaughter by Bullets which the Tartars were very fearful of for this sort of Arms was then altogether unknown to them they invented a Stratagem which might render the shooting of Bullets ineffectual unto the Chineses which was this Their King caus'd a great number of thick Planks to be made ready and caus'd each Foot-Soldier that march'd in the Van to carry one wherewith he secur'd both himself and the Horse that follow'd behind Being thus provided having lain a while before the City whose Inhabitants were unwilling to yield it was concluded to Storm the Place To this end the King divided his Forces into four Divisions to Storm the City in four places at once He commanded the Foot to march with their before-mention'd Planks in the Front next to them the worst

Quantung call'd by the Chineses Teng by the Portuguese The Wheel you would believe it to be a Rope wreath'd by Nature of a very great length creeping along through the mountainous Earth it is full of Prickles and with oblong Leaves and often spreads for the space of a Furlong there is such plenty of it in the Mountains that the long Branches being entangled within one another make the Way unpassable for the Deer they make of it Cables and Tackle for Ships and being wrought in fine Threds it serves to make Bee-Hives Cratches Chairs Pillows Beds and Mattresses for no Vermine will harbor in it in the Summer it greatly refresheth Persons wearied with Heat There is such plenty of the best sort of this Aqualin in the Mountains of Couchinchina call'd Moi and in Iunnan and Chiangsi Provinces conterminate on Couchinchina that it is free for all Persons to gather the same and sometimes it is transported to a hundred-fold Gain especially amongst the Brachmans who make sacred Pyles of it on the great Days of Solemnity in which Women Consecrate themselves to the Flames out of love to their deceased Husbands or when the Corps of great deserving Persons are burnt for they sottishly believe their false Gods are wonderfully delighted with such kind of Odours and are thereby rendred propitious unto the Souls of the Deceased in their Transmigration But the Calambi is of a greater Price and reserv'd for the Emperor It groweth upon the Mountains and is fetcht thence by Night with Torches the better to evade the Incursions of wild Beasts there residing In Iapan the Noblemen make of it the Turpentine although by the beneficiency of the Sun and Climate it is much improv'd In the Provinces of Suchuen and Xensi and the City Socieu near the Chinesian Wall is found in great abundance that so famous and Physical Drug Rhubarb There are such variety of Fruit-Trees in China that they answer to all the Products of that nature in every Climate of the World whether in the Torrid Temperate or Frozen Zones but amongst them all she boasts of one Tree that bears no Fruit as we may say and yet abounds with delicious Variety it is call'd by the Chineses for its thorny and prickly Leaves Po-lo-mie and in stead of Buds and Blossoms it thrusts forth Excrescencies of a prodigious size bigger than our largest Pumpions and not unlike some of them as much as a Man can carry the Rind is tough and bristly which opened affordeth a Store-house of delicious Varieties enough to satisfie twenty Persons insomuch that the Chineses call it A Sack full of Honey Fruit the meanest of which for taste as some report excels the choicest of our Mellons Like to this is the Tree which the Indians call Papaya and the Chineses Fanyay-Xu it beareth a Bunch of Fruit no bigger than our Mellon of taste delicious the Iuice to be eaten with a Spoon and throughout the whole Year it glories in green Flowers and ripe Fruit. There are in the aforesaide Regions especially in the Province of Chekiang near the City Sungiang Pine-Trees of such a wonderful bigness that eight Men with their Arms extended cannot fathom the circumference of one of them within whose vast Rind forty Men may well stand also Reeds of so great bigness that the Ioynts betwixt the Internodes or Knots will serve to hold Liquor in stead of a Kilderkin or Barrel They have likewise in China a Tree call'd Kagin yielding Fruit twice a year which by inversion thrusts forth the Seed or Kernels like Warts or such Excrescencies on the out-side of the Fruits and is in common to the East and West-Indies who call it Ananas but the Chineses call it Fam-Polo-Mie it groweth in the Provinces of Quantung Kiangsi and Fokien and is suppos'd to have been first brought from Peru The Tree on which it groweth is not a Shrub but an Herb much like to our Carduus but call'd by them Catriofoli on whose Leaf a Fruit groweth sticking unto its Stalk of so pleasant and exquisite a taste that it may easily obtain the preeminence among the most noble Fruits of India and China The Spermatick Faculty is innate in all the Parts thereof for not only the Seeds shed on the Ground but it 's Sprouts and Leaves being Planted produce the like Fruits Concerning which admirable Product of Nature see what I have discoursed at large concerning the Seeds of things in the twelfth Book of my Subterranean World The Seeds of such Plants conduce much to prove that new Philosophy of Plants of which I have there laid the Platform The most noted Fruits Manga Lici and Quei are every where describ'd but how Manga is inoculated in the Pomecitron is much different from the Art of the Europeans being perform'd without Transfoliation or Inoculation for they only bind a Bough of the Fruit Manga to a Bough of the Pomecitron and daub it about with Clay which being done they conjoyn and so bring forth the most excellent Fruit of both The Author of Atlas Sinicus makes mention of a Tree in the Province of Chekiang which produceth a Fruit that is fat whereof they make most excellent white Candles which neither foul the Hands nor make any ill Scent being extinguished The Tree is like our Pear-tree when the Fruit is ripe they break the Bark macerate and steep it in hot Water and when they have water'd the heated Pulp they make it up into a Lump which looks like Suet and from its Nut they extract Oyl like our Oyl of Olives very useful in Winter the Leaves are stain'd with a Copper-like redness which dropping to the Ground afford Sheep and Kine good Food by which they become very fat CHAP. VII Of strange Beasts or Animals in China THere are in all the Empire of China but especially in the Province of Iunnan and Quangsi great plenty of Elephants Tygers Bears and other wild Beasts common to several Parts of the World but I shall treat only of such as are to be found no where else but in China In the Western Provinces of China viz. Xensi and Kiangsi is the Odoriferous Stag or Deer for so the Chineses call the Xechiam being an Animal which produceth Musk Concerning which thus the Author of Atlas Sinicus That there may be no doubt saith he what Musk is I shall discover it having been more than once an ocular Spectator of what I now relate There is a certain Bunch or Excrescency about the Belly of the Animal by the Chineses call'd Xe much like a Purse consisting of a thin Skin cover'd with Hair the Odour or Fragrancy thereof is call'd Xehiang which signifieth Musk it is a four-footed Beast not much unlike a Deer the Hair of it somewhat more black and altogether without Horns the Flesh of it when kill'd is eaten by the Chineses In this Province and in Suchuen and Iunnan and the Places more near the West is found great plenty of Musk. Those Bunches or Purses if