Belly Cholick Flux c. but Persons of a hot Constitution ought to use it moderately it being apt to inflame the Blood Most of the Provinces of China abound as well in all manner of Eatable as Medicinal Herbs We will descend a little to Particulars In the Province of Xensi near to the chief City Kingyang grows a Herb call'd Kinsu which for its resemblance to a Tuft of yellow Hair the Chineses call The Golden or The Gold Thred of Silk-Worms it is of a bitter taste and rather of a cooling then warming Quality it cures all manner of Scurf of the Body Here also grows another Herb call'd Quei good against Melancholy and occasioning joy and gladness of Heart if taken inwardly Near to Cingcheu in the Province of Quantung lie some Islands wherein grows an Herb call'd Lungsiu which makes Horses strong and swift if they eat of the same Also near the same City grows The Herb of a thousand years so commonly call'd but they farther affirm of it That it is immortal and never dies The Water wherein the same has been infus'd being drank makes white Hair black and is very good to prolong Life There are besides these several other incomparable Herbs which are us'd amongst them for the cure of Distempers of all sorts In the Kingdom of Tanyeu grows a certain Herb very high amongst the Rocks which will not burn when flung into the Fire and there kept for some time only it will turn a little red but as soon as out of the Fire presently recovers its pristine and natural colour yet although it resist Fire it immediately turns to Dirt being put into Water In the Province of Quantung near to Kiunchen grows the Herb Chifung so call'd because it shews which way the Wind blows the Seamen say they can discover by the same what stormy Weather they shall have before they go to Sea In the Province of Quangsi near to Chincheu the Inhabitants make a kind of Cloth of a certain Herb call'd Yu which is esteem'd far before Silk and much dearer But in the Province of Queicheu near to Liping they make Cloth of an Herb very like Hemp and call'd Co which is very commodious in Summer The Chinese Physicians say That upon the Mountain Tiengo grow above a hundred sorts of Simples all of very soveraign Vertues But amongst all others China is famous for an Herb call'd Thea or Cha and whereof the Natives and other neighboring People make their Liquor call'd Thea or Cha taking its Name from the Herb. There is a very great difference in the manner of preparing and using this Liquor between the Chineses and those of Iapan for that the Iapanners beat the Leaves to a Powder and mingle it with boiling Water in a Cup which they afterwards drink off But the Chineses put the Leaves whole into a Pot of boiling Water which having lain in steep for some time they sip off hot without swallowing down any of the Leaves but only the Quintessence thereof extracted Others prepare it with Milk and a little Salt mingled with Water which is not so well approv'd but however prepar'd it is not only drunk in China and other Parts of India but is much us'd likewise in divers other Countries and the general consent of all People that they find much good by it enhances the Price and makes the same be sold here at a very dear Rate In Xensi near the City Hacheu is great store of Hemp but no Flax grows in all the Empire In Kiangsi near the City Kienchang grows a sort of Rice so far exceeding the rest for goodness that the Emperor himself sends for his own Stores from thence and for its excellency the Chineses call it Silver-Cron In Xensi near the City Kingyang grows another sort of Rice us'd by the People to purge the Body and cause Urine In the Province of Chekiang upon the Mountain Tienno near the City Hangcheu grow Mushroms in great abundance which are dispersed into all Parts of the Country and will keep good a whole year either dried or Pickled This Country produces abundance of Cottons the Seed whereof was brought thither about five hundred years since And though this Fruit doth likewise grow in other Parts at present as in Arabia upon the Islands of Cyprus Maltha in Sicily and in Egypt I think it not amiss since it is one of the most profitable Commodities for Trade in China to give this brief Description thereof It grows upon a Stalk almost three Foot high cover'd with a reddish Bark and full of Prickles dividing it self into several Branches The Leaves are not much unlike those of the Vine and divided into three Parts which for bigness may be compar'd with those of the Mast-Tree It bears a Flower which is yellow on the outside and red in the middle from which proceeds a round Fruit about the bigness of an Apple wherein when it is ripe the Wool lies conceal'd which is afterwards gather'd sold and dispos'd of to several Uses The Leaves of the Cotton-Tree are generally alike onely here and there some are smoother softer and more even than others In some places of China Beans may be seen growing upon Trees a sort of which near the City Changchang are reputed good against Poison The Province of Quantung produces abundance of Osiers which seem to be no other than Ropes twisted together by Nature of which there are whole Mountains full in this Province which are put by the Inhabitants to divers Uses and in regard they are very tough and will not easily break they make sometimes Cordage thereof for Vessels but their best use is to make soft Mattresses upon which most of the People the Grandees and the Emperor himself lay themselves naked when they go to sleep Very neat and clean is this Furniture and withal very cool in the Summer and though the Mattresses be only spread one the bare Floor yet they look upon it as a fit place to lie on having been no otherwise accustom'd The whole Island of Hainan is full of these Osiers especially of the best which the Portuguese call The white Rota Of Flowers THere are several rare and well scented Flowers which grow in these Parts that are unknown to those of Europe In the Province of Suchuen near to Chungking grows a certain Flower call'd Meutang in high esteem amongst them and therefore call'd The King of Flowers It differs very little in fashion from the European Rose but is much larger and spreads it Leaves farther abroad It far surpasses the Rose in beauty but falls short in richness of scent It has no Thorns or Prickles and is generally of a white colour mingled with a little Purple yet there are some that are yellow and red This Flower grows upon a Bush and is carefully cherish'd and Planted in all Gardens belonging to the Grandees for one of the most choice Flowers In the Province of Huquang near the City Tan is a great Cataract
Province of Huquang are caught many dainty Lampreys in the River Lofeu Near to the City Kiagan is the Pool Mie in which is bred a sort of Fish as sweet as Honey In the Province of Chekiang near the City Canghoa lies the Mountain Cienking upon which is a Pool famous for the yellow or Gold-Fish that is in it It is but a small Fish about a Fingers length with a forked Tail but is in very great esteem at the choicest Tables so that the Grandees have them commonly in their Fish-Ponds for their Pleasure and Use. In the Province of Honan near to the Chief City Namyang runs the River Tan wherein at the beginning of Summer but never else are taken red Fish before and after which time they are not to be had in regard they hide themselves Near to the Island Hainan are caught Whales after the same manner as the Hollanders and English take them in the North about Greenland whereof they make Oyl which serves for several uses Of these commonly some are a hundred and twenty Foot long the Head whereof is reckon'd for a third part of the whole Body Upon the top of the Snout are two round Holes by which means they will take in a great quantity of Water and spout it out again with a mighty force In stead of Eyes they have two thin Skins which stick out and are three Yards long and a Foot and a half broad and cover'd over with Stuff like unto Flocks On each side of the Head it hath an Ear which is much smaller without than within whereby they are very quick of Hearing It hath a very large Mouth with Lips of so great a thickness that they have sometimes five or six thousand weight of Fat upon them The Tongue which is about eighteen Foot long and ten broad rests upon eight hundred small and great Pegs or Teeth which are all cover'd with Stuff like Horse-hair to preserve the Tongue from being hurt as it lies upon them They feed upon Fish and the Froth and Scum of the Sea There was once one taken that had forty Cod-Fishes in her Belly The Tail is at the end almost twenty eight Foot broad and two thick The Male hath a Pizzle about fourteen Foot long They bring forth but one at a time and that in the Harvest which stays by the Female under the protection of her Fins till it is grown of a large size It stands in great fear of the Sword-Fish which is a mortal Enemy unto it and who with its sharp Saw endeavors to rip open the tender Belly of this Prodigy of Nature The manner of killing them has been sufficiently described by others and therefore I shall forbear to trouble the Reader with a Relation thereof Of Creeping Creatures NEar Fungciang is found a sort of black Snakes whose Flesh is made use of in the Composition of Medicines that are prescrib'd as Antidotes against Poyson In the Province of Honan near the City Hangang are Snakes with white speckled Skins whose Flesh having for a convenient Season been infus'd in Wine makes the same a very soveraign Remedy against Lameness In the Province of Huquang is a sort of Snake which Physically us'd is very good against the Scurf and Itch. Of Vermine THE Province of Xensi is subject among many other Inconveniences to this that it hath more want of Rain than the other Northern Parts and this occasions every where such infinite swarms of Grashoppers that they continually devour the growth of the Fields notwithstanding all the Care and and industrious Diligence of the Inhabitants to prevent the same And this is the true cause why there is very seldom any green Grass to be seen in that whole Province But these very Vermin supply the Defect they cause by becoming good Food insomuch that of these Grashoppers the People make a delicate Dish for their Tables The whole Country of China hath great numbers of Silk-worms but in no part are they in so great abundance as in the Province of Chekiang the Inhabitants whereof spend the greatest part of their time in tending looking after and taking care to increase them In the Province of Xantung the Trees and Fields hang sometimes full of Silk which is not spun by the fore-mention'd Silk-worm but another sort and consisteth of long Threds of white Silk which being carried by the Wind upon the Trees and Houses is gather'd together Of this sort they weave Stuffs but it is far courser then that which is wove of the former but this is recompensed by its durableness for it is much stronger In China are also found several strange Creatures which live as well upon the Land as in the Water namely in the Province of Huquang in the River of Siang lives a certain Creature like a Horse only in stead of Hair it has Scales upon the Body and Claws like a Tyger It is of a very fierce and cruel Nature and will fasten upon any thing when it comes out of the Water whether Man or Beast In Quantung near the City Hoeicheu is a Creature which is neither Fish nor Fowl but between both for all the Summer it is a Bird of a yellow Colour and therefore call'd Hoangcioya and keeps upon the Mountains but in the Winter it turns Fish again and betakes it self to the Water The People eat of it with great delight and satisfaction Near the City Caocheu in the River Co are abundance of very mischievous Crocodiles they are by the Indians call'd Caiman having an Hide as hard as Iron and only soft upon the Belly This Caiman has a broad Forehead and a Hog-like Snout with a very wide Mouth Its Teeth are large white and strong fix'd in both the Iaws whereof only the uppermost moves for the lowermost is fix'd and immovable It has no Tongue but only a Skiâ— that cleaves to the lower Iaw being much like a Tongue It has large round black Eyes The Legs are strong and the Feet Arm'd with sharp Nails The Tail is as long as the rest of the Body It is said that he can live four Months without eating but at last being hungry he howls or cries out like a Man These Serpents are very swift of foot but cannot so well wind and turn by reason of their stiff Back-bones They are not onely found here but in other parts of India Africa Asia and America especially in the River Nyle in Egypt They live upon Fish or Flesh and when they come Ashore they prey upon Cattel When they Couple the Male lays the Female upon her Back otherwise by reason of the shortness of his Feet he could not Copulate The Female lays sixty Eggs of the bigness of a Goose Egg and is hatching of them sixty days There is no Creature to be found that from so small a beginning grows to such a largeness for some are thirty Foot long They are at enmity with the Tyger Serpents Scorpions c. but at amity with Hogs which they
a sort of wild People that live among the Rocks and Mountains they began the mischief and open'd the Flood-gate of Rebellion by subtilly opposing the Authority that was over them Their first Work was to fall a Plundering or in plain English Stealing without any exception of Persons whatsoever they could meet with In which their rebellious and unlawful Undertaking being successful they at last resolv'd to make an open war and to that end laid Siege to Chingtu the Chief City of the Province which they had without doubt taken had not the above-mention'd Amazon opportunely come to its Rescue for these insolent and now commanding Thieves having heard of the Fame of her extraordinary Courage were struck with such a terror that upon the first inkling of her approach they immediately rais'd the Siege and left the City with great loss But this though for a while it diverted them yet it did not so deter them as to make them cease from any farther Attempt for returning toward the Mountains they presently rallied again and recruited their Forces with some fresh Supplies wherewith they continu'd to forage and spoil the Country To heighten and encourage the Insolence of these Villains it hapned that in the Province of Queicheu there had pass'd an unjust Sentence in a certain Cause between two great Men by reason whereof he against whom the Cause went endeavor'd the same revers'd but notwithstanding all his Endeavors as well by himself as Friends and Alliance there was no good to be done therein The Robbers after the raising of the Siege kept themselves in great numbers upon the Mountains without making any further Disturbance but they sent to this injur'd Person to let him know that if he pleas'd to accept of their Power they would stand by him with their Lives to help him to redress his Wrong provided he would become their General and be assistant to them in the carrying on of their Designs This Great Person possess'd yet with fury and a desire of Revenge for the Injury done him was not long in consulting but presently accepted of their Offer looking upon the same as the best and most likely means not only to repair his Damages but to revenge himself also Upon knowledge of this Acceptance these Robbers submitt with extraordinary alacrity to his Command and Authority wherein he was no sooner Invested but first of all they fall upon the Iudge that gave the Sentence whom they immediately kill'd Then they fell upon the Army of the Tutang or Vice-Roy which they quickly routed and put to slight but he rallying his Forces turn'd back again upon them with such fury that he forc'd them to flie into the Mountains with a very great slaughter notwithstanding all which they recruited again but kept in their Holds till they had an opportunity to shew themselves again as they did in a short time after Those Depredations together with the infinite number of Grashoppers which had destroy'd all the Grass and Fruits of the Field in the seven Northern Provinces of China causing a scarcity of Provision and consequently a great dearness gave a very great occasion to the rising and encreasing of the number of these Thieves which hapned chiefly in the Provinces of Xensi and Xantung Another Provocation or Instigation was That the Emperor Zungchinius being of a covetous and miserable Nature would have notwithstanding the Dearâ—h the usual yearly Taxes paid him as in a fruitful Year which Exaction set the Inhabitants of those Provinces upon Plotting against him and at length to joyn with the Robbers by whose assistance in a short time they brought eight strong Armies into the Field appointing for their Generals such as they counted the most valiant Men among them These Robbers and Mutineers having now thus strengthned themselves with Forces and got great store of Wealth by Preying and Stealing resolv'd not to rest here but driving higher Designs in their Heads and aiming at greater Matters they began to consult about reducing the whole Empire under their Subjection and Dethroning the Emperor For the accomplishing whereof and advancing himself every one of the eight Generals thought himself of sufficient Strength to get that Morsel and fancied himself capable and fit to bear so weighty a Burthen With which ambitious thoughts puffed up each of them began to make War upon the other every one being in hopes to be Conqueror and to encircle his Head with the Royal Diadem and enoble his Posterities Blood by the possession of the Empire This War continu'd till six of the eight Generals were slain and only the two stoutest Licungzus and Changhienchungus left alive to dispute the Quarrel For the more easie bringing this to pass each endeavor'd to win to his Party the Forces of the other slain Generals to strengthen themselves for to such a heighth was their Ambition grown that there was no thoughts of dividing the Stakes between them each resolving to be aut Caesar aut nihil so strangely were they lifted up with the thoughts of Soveraignty Fill'd with these aspiring thoughts these two Generals took several ways to advance their Interests and Designs Licungzus with his Forces falling into the Provinces of Xensi and Honan but the other imagining to get the best Booty in those of Suchue and Huquang march'd thither so that now they no longer fought one against another as formerly but seeking Wealth and Booty were remov'd to a great distance In these Transactions the Emperors Concerns began to look with a had Countenance as if the Government it self were suddenly to undergo some fatal Alteration for the Tartars who were not ignorant of these Proceedings had in their former Wars made such havock of brave Commanders that there were hardly any left whose knowledge in Military Discipline capacitated them for Conduct of the Forces which were marching to subdue these rebellious Plunderers under the two Generals Licungzus in the Year 1641. march'd with his Army out of the Province of Xensi after he had wholly plunder'd and destroy'd its chiefest Cities into the plentiful Province of Honan directly to the famous City Caifung which he presently begirt and block'd up so close that there was no going in nor coming out but the Place being well fortifi'd and provided with a good Garrison and Provisions the Siege was soon rais'd and the Besiegers constrain'd to retire into the Mountains not without very great loss of Men But they had no sooner recruited themselves but they return'd to the Siege again with an intention to have surpriz'd the same on a sudden but the Citizens having privately receiv'd Intelligence thereof and standing upon their Guards hinder'd them from effecting their Design The Enemy being thus twice frustrated in his hopes and seeing no likelihood of taking the City by force resolv'd to compel them to a Surrender by a long and close Siege And though it were a Place at least three Miles in circumference yet they surrounded the same in such a manner that no
whatsoever they found upon the North side of the River Kiang no Place being able to withstand them only the rich and famous City of Iangcheu made some considerable Resistance and kill'd many of the Tartars in their Sallies amongst whom was a Son of one of their Petty Kings This City was Commanded by one Zuus Colaus plac'd there by the new Emperor to whom he prov'd very faithful for he defended the Place wherein was a strong Garrison to the very last yet having endur'd a long and cruel Siege and seeing no likelihood of Relief the Provisions also being all spent he was forc'd to deliver it up to the Tartars who put all as well the Soldiers as Inhabitants to the Sword plunder'd the City and afterwards set it on fire The Tartars hereupon increas'd very much in Power and Authority so that many of the Chinese Commanders went over to them and were either continu'd in their present Employment or else preferr'd to better Which friendly and favorable treating such Officers and Cities as came voluntarily and without force over to them and on the other hand inflicting such great severity and cruelty on such as made opposition was the cause that most of the Places situate on the North side of the River Kiang submitted themselves to avoid the punishment and misusage which they should otherwise undergo by making opposition Having subdu'd these Places the next thing they undertook was against the City of Nanking formerly the Court of the ancient Emperors a stately City lying upon the South side of the River Kiang which separates the whole Empire of China into the Southern and Northern Divisions and runs quite through the middle of this Province And the better to accomplish their Design and to get the new Emperor into their Hands whom they knew was in this Place the Tartars provided beforehand great numbers of Boats to transport them over the River But the Chinese having likewise a considerable Fleet under the Command of the valiant Prince Hoangchoang endeavor'd to hinder their Passage The Tartars in their Boats fell upon the Chinese Fleet with great fury which was as manfully receiv'd and maintain'd the Fight so that both sides fought valiantly but at last the Tartars were vanquish'd and totally routed with a very great slaughter of their Men. But Fortune never constant but in her inconstancy did not long favor this brave General for a while after he was most treacherously kill'd by one of his Commanders a Traytor who had long before been hir'd by the Enemy to perpetrate this Villany one Thienus a Native of the Province of Leaotung who from his very Childhood had serv'd amongst the Chineses And as this Act in it self was direful so the Events that follow'd had a like miserable issue for through the unfortunate Death of this excellent Commander the Chinese Affairs began infinitely to decline and the whole Empire became a Prey to the Tartars in a short time after The Traytor Thienus not satisfi'd in having committed this foul Action but resolving to add Villany to Villany flies with his Men into Nanking under colour of performing his Duty as a faithful Officer but in truth with hopes to effect some other Treason as he afterwards did for the Emperor hearing of the Death of the late General was perswaded by this Thienus to leave the City As soon as the Tartars who were got over the River with their Army understood that the Emperor was fled they sent great Parties in pursuit of him whom the Traytor being present seeing approach commanded his Men to seize him and then deliver'd him up to the Tartars in Iuly 1645. who now having obtain'd what they aim'd at did not presently put him to death but carried him about in Triumph and at length brought him under the Walls of the Chief City of Peking there Strangled him with a Bow-string which manner of Death is held in great esteem amongst the Tartars And thus the Emperor Hungquang came to his End before he had Reigned a compleat Year Then they caus'd the Youth who pretended himself to be the Son of Zungchinius and whom they found in Prison to be also Strangled and not only these but all others they could meet with of the Royal Race for it is a Custom through all Asia that when a Kingdom is taken from another all the Kindred of that King are put to death by the Conqueror These things thus brought to pass the Tartar Army fell upon the Chief City of Nanking and took the same without any resistance or so much as â— Blow given and out of an innate hatred turn'd the Imperial Palace the ancient Seat of the Emperor's Courts and also their Tombs and Sepulchres into a heap of Stones yet never offer'd any hurt to the Inhabitants Houses Marching thence they reduc'd all the other Cities of this Province without any opposition they freely submitting to avoid their Cruelty This Province thus setled part of their Army was sent for Hangcheu the first Chief City of the Dominion of Chekiang and the other part march'd over the River Kiang to subdue the Southern Countries as Kiangsi Huquang and Quantung About this City was got together the remainder of the Chinese Army that had sav'd themselves by flight where they were about to chuse a new Emperor call'd Louangus of the Race of Taiminga But he earnestly refus'd to take upon him that Dignity being contented with the Kingly Title saying That when the Tartars were beaten and driven out of China then he would accept of it His Reign had not continu'd three days but he saw the Tartars coming to Fight with him and to drive him out of the Kingdom but he not frighted therewith being a valiant Prince encourag'd his Men to make a manly Resistance which they not only promis'd but faithfully perform'd behaving themselves with great Valour and Fidelity till they were not able to hold out any longer being overpower'd by Hunger Whereupon Louangus who had not his Fellow amongst the Chineses for Civility and a passionate Affection to his Subjects went to the Walls and entreated the Tartar General upon his Knees that if he would forgive the City and Inhabitants he should do with him what he would for he would willingly offer up himself a Sacrifice for his Subjects safety Which said he forthwith deliver'd himself freely over to the Tartars who by that means became Masters of the City yet being inrag'd by their resistance they neither had compassion on the Soldiers nor Inhabitants but put all to the Sword who could not save themselves by flight After this the Enemy took the City of Hangcheu without doing any prejudice to the Inhabitants thereof And from thence by the help of Boats passing the River Cienthang they came before Xaoking the most compleat and uniform City of all China which presently submitted to their Arms without making the least resistance And without doubt they had taken all the other Southern Cities without any opposition had they
the receiving of the Christian Law Unto these he adjoin'd two excellent Persons for Learning of the Society of St. Dominick William of Tripoly and Nicolas whose Sirname is not added These therefore provided with all Necessaries for such an Expedition began their Iourney to the East and at length after a long Voyage by Sea and Land entred Armenia where they found all things in disorder by reason of a War commenc'd between the Armenians and the Sultan of Babylon The Fathers being struck with fear and laying aside all prosecution of a farther Voyage took up their Station and continu'd in Arâ—â—nia but Nicolas with his Son Marcus Paulus rejecting all fear of danger ouâ— of a great desire which they had to give the Great Cham a plenary Satisfaction concerning his Embassay although they were expos'd to great hardship and the danger of unknown Paths yet at last arriv'd at the City Clemenisu of whose approach when Cublai the Great Cham was acquainted he commanded his Messengers in forty Days space to set forwards to meet them and to conduct them to him and withal to shew them all the respect that might be and to let them want for nothing that might be any way necessary for them Therefore being admitted into the Presence of the Great Cham and having perform'd the accustom'd signs or tokens of Veneration they declar'd the Effects of their Embassy and also Presented him with the Letters of the Pope together with a Viol of Oyl borrow'd from one of the Lamps our Saviour's Sepulchre He admiring the Presence of Marcus the Son of Nicolas gave such Respect unto both of them that he admitted them for his Domestick Attendants which was a token of great Honor and made use of Nicolas as an Ambassador whom by reason of that singular Prudence that appear'd in him his signal dexterity in dispatching Business and his great skill in four different Tongues he sent him on divers Employments all which redounded unto his great advantage and when he discover'd the Emperor to be delighted with curious sights of Nature and strange Customs whatsoever he observ'd rare admirable and exotick in the various Tracts of his Embassies and Voyages those he collected with great Industry and Presented them to the Great Cham by which you can hardly imagine how much he ingratiated himself in his Favor until at length oversway'd with a desire of returning to their native Country after the discharge of many Embassies for the space of seventeen years having obtain'd though with much reluctancy a freedom to return they came back well and safe through many unknown Paths of Sea and Land having pass'd innumerable Regions unto Venice Anno 1295. Now having related this by the way there remaineth nothing but that I should describe somewhat more at large his Voyage into Cathay seeing many things as I have said do occur in it that do very much perplex Geographers Having Sail'd over the Mediterranean Sea and Travell'd through Anatolia Armenia and Persia he came unto the Region of Balasia which I suppose to be Corasina a Country interposed between Persia and the Kingdom of the Great Mogol From this Place avoiding the Passage towards the South he took his way between the North and East which they call Nordost thence he went through the Desarts and then over the most high Mountain Belor which we have describ'd before into the Kingdom of Cassar which now they call Cascar for a time Tributary to the Great Cham partly Inhabited by Nestorian Christians and partly by Mahumetans Thence wandring a little towards the North he entred into Samarcande the Regal Seat of the Great Tamberlain in the Kingdom of Carcham now call'd Tarcham from whence he proceeded onwards through the Desart Lop into the Cities Peim and Ciarcia and at length into Camul and Tarpham at that time Provinces of the Empire of Tanchut and now subject to the Empire of Usbeck All which agrees with what we have alledg'd before concerning the Voyage of Benedict Goes Yet from hence he went not the shortest Way unto Cathay but declining towards the North he came unto the City Campition the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Tanchut where having entred between the East and South that is South-East unto those that proceed forwards he came into Cathay through the Desart yet laying aside this Passage he proceeded forwards again towards the North and having pass'd through many Provinces and Kingdoms of the Eastern Tartary where he found many Christians at length he arriv'd at Cambalu the Royal Court of the Great Cham of the largeness and Etymology of which City we have before treated at large Where I wonder very much that Paulus Venetus maketh no mention of the Walls of the Empire of China through which of necessity he should have pass'd peradventure he stragling far and wide unto the Eastern Sea unto which he writeth that he came through the Northern Kingdoms pass'd through Cireanum belonging unto the Chineses into Cathay that is China for whatsoever he afterwards relateth concerning Cathay whatsoever he observeth concerning the vastness and magnificency of the Cities concerning the frequency and multitude of the People and Merchants of the affluency of all things necessary for Humane Life of the abundance of great and small Rivers of the admirable Structures and Fabricks of the Bridges these I say can agree unto no other Region Kingdom or Empire but only unto that most vast Empire of the Chineses unto which the Chinesian Names of the Cities with their Customs and Manners are altogether consonant and agreeable as I have shewn at large in the preceding Discourse Haython the Armenian a Monk of the Order of the Praemonstratensis and of the Bloud-Royal a Traveller throughout the whole East he with the Fidelity of a religious Person confirmeth whatsoever is more largely related by Paulus Venetus concerning the Kingdom of Cathay for Anno 1307. he beheld all those Kingdoms of the utmost Parts of the East with his own Eyes the cause manner and occasion of which Voyages we shall afterwards declare Now he thus speaketh concerning the Kingdom of Cathay in the first Chapter of his History The Kingdom of Cathay is the greatest that is to be found in the World and is replenish'd with infinite People and Riches It is situate on the Sea-Coast The Men of of those Parts are most subtle and full of deceit and therefore in all Knowledge makeslight of all other Nations for they say that they are the only People that see with both Eyes and all others only with one They have for the most part little Eyes and are naturally without Beards And moreover it is reported concerning this Kingdom that it is situate in the chief part of the World because it hath the East on one part and on the other part there doth no Nation inhabit as they report on the West it hath its Confines on the Kingdom of Tarsa on the North it is bounded with the Desart of Belgian and on the East and
other City 2. Sintien Commands over four Forts Pingfa Paping Cheuping and Cheuing 3. Pingyve Commands over two Forts Yengi and Loping 4. Lungli Commands over two Forts Pingfa and Taping The Forts which lie up and down in this Province to hinder the Plundering of those upon the Mountains are Picie Gueieing Chanchoang Chingping Pingpa Cannan Usa Hinglung Cherni and Kaili The chiefest Places in this Province are Iunguing Xuitung Lokeu Xanglang Vatien Hoanglien and Cugin In the Chinese Toll-Book of this Province we find set down 45 thousand 3 hundred and 5 Families and 2 hundred 31 thousand 3 hundred and 65 Fighting Men. The Revenue of this Province consists of 47 thousand 6 hundred 58 Bags of Rice 5 thousand and 9 hundred Pieces of Cloth But all this not being sufficient to maintain the Forts the Emperor is necessitated to supply what is wanting out of his other Revenues The fifteenth Province of Iunnan TOward the East and South-East this Province of Iunnan borders upon Quangsi toward the South upon the Kingdoms of Laos and Tunking toward the West it reaches as far as the utmost Borders of the Kingdom of Mien and Pey toward the North-West upon the Kingdom of Sifan Northward upon the Province of Sucheu and toward the North-East reaches as far as the farthest Pales of the Province of Queicheu In this Province are 12 great Cities 8 Chief Garison Cities 88 small Cities beside several Castles and Forts The 12 Chief Cities are these Iunnan Tali Lingan Cuihung Chinkiang Munghoa Kingtung Quangna Quangsi Chinyuen Iunning and Xuning 1. Iunnan Commands over 13 small Cities Iunnan Funun Yleang Caoming Cynning Quehoa Chingcung Ganning Loco Lofung Quenyang Sanpao and Ymuen 2. Tali Commands over six Cities Tali Chao Iunnan Tenchuen Langkiung and Pinchuen 3. Lingan Commands over 10 Cities Lingan Kienxui Xeping Omi Niug Sinpin Tunghai Hosi Siego and Mungcu as also over nine Chief Forts Naleu Kiachoa Vanglung Hieyung Kichu Sulo Coneng Locung and Gannan 4. Cuhiung Commands over seven Cities Cuhiung Quantung Tingyven Tinpien Okia Nangan aâ—d Chinnan 5. Under the Command of Chinkiang are five Cities Chinkiang Kiangheu Sinhin Yangcung and Innan 6. Munghoa Commands over two Cities Munghoa and Tinglung 7. Kingtung has no City under its Command 8. Quangnan Commands over the City Fu. 9. Quangsi Commands over four Cities Quangsi Sucung Mile and Vimao 10. Chiyven Commands over the Fort Loco 11. Iungning Commands over the Forts Iungning Lacu Ketien Hianglo and Valu 12. Xuning has no City under it and lies surrounded with Hills The eight Garison Cities are these Kiocing Yaogan Cioking Vuting Cintien Likiang Iuenkiang and Iungchang Kiocing Commands over six Cities Kiocing Yeco Chenye Loleang Malungo and Lochiung Yaogan Commands over three Cities Yaogan Yao and Tayao Cioking Rules over three Cities Cioking Kienchuen and Xun Vuting Commands over four Cities Vuting Hokio Yuenmeu and Lokiuen Cintien Commands only over seven Villages Likiang Commands over five Cities Likiang Paoxan Lan Kiucin and Linsi Iuenkiang Commands over the Fort Lopie Iungchang Commands over seven Forts Iungchang Laye Likiang Iungping Fungki Xitian and Lukiang There are two Garison Cities Pexing and Sinhoa which are not subject to any other Cities The Forts which are not Commanded by any other Cities are fourteen Chelo Tengheng Cheli Laochua Lungchuen Gueiyven Vantien Chincang Taheu Nieuki Mangxi Langchang Mopang Mien with the City of Langkiu Mopang Commands over nine Villages Mopang Mengyang Mengking Menglien Mengli Mengting Mengtieu Mengco and Menchang Mien Commands over six other Villages Mien Pape Santihiung Sochung Mungyang and Mitien The yearly Toll-Book in this Province of Iunnan makes mention of 32 thousand 9 hundred and 58 Families and 14 hundred 33 thousand 1 hundred and 10 Fighting Men. The Revenue of this Province consists of 14 hundred thousand 5 huâ—dred and 68 Bags of Rice and 56 thousand 9 hundred 65 Weight of Salt beside several other great Imposts and Taxes which we shall forbear to mention Thus far having treated though but briefly of that which at first I propos'd for the better understanding the Relation of our Voyage I now proceed to give an Account of what passd during our Travels to and again from Canton to Peking You must know that the Chief Government at Batavia long before any thing was concluded by the East-India Company in Holland concerning an Embassy to the Great Cham at Peking did send some Persons with laden Ships to China to desire free Traffick in those Parts therefore I suppose it will not be amiss to relate in short what Success they met withal in their Voyages From the time that the Netherlanders had Commerce with their Ships into several Parts of India they continually sought unto the People of China to Trade with them upon the Island of Iapan in such Wares and Commodities as the Country of China produces but in this their fair Undertaking and reasonable Request they have still met with Opposition and no Access would be given them into that Kingdom Some impute the cause of this aversion in those People to the Hollanders to an old Prophesie which made no small impression on their Fancies That a strange Nation Fair of Complexion and Clothed all over should come thither from a far remote Country to Conquer the Kingdom of China and possess it as their own But in process of time the Iesuit Martin Martinsen who had conceal'd himself ten years together in China for the propagation of the Roman-Catholick Faith came from Macassar to Batavia in a Portuguese Vessel and there related How that the Great Cham of Tartary had Conquer'd the Empire of China and all the Kingdoms belonging thereunto with the slaughter of some hundred thousands of People and had proclaim'd a Free Trade in the City of Canton to all Foreign People Hereupon it was concluded by the chief Government of Batavia after due Deliberation first had that a Trial should be made of the truth of this Report by sending a Vessel with several Goods from the Island of Taiwan to some part of China So upon the 20. of August Mr. Frederick Schedel a Merchant set Sail in the good Ship call'd The Brown-Fish very richly Freighted with all sorts of Merchandizes from Taiwan to Canton and after nine days Sail Landed in the Canton River at a Place call'd Heytamon Hereupon the Mandorin Haitonu Admiral of the Sea came Aboard their Vessel to receive and Salute Frederick Schedel in the Name and in behalf of the whole Canton Magistracy After that he had been well Treated theâ—e he took leave of Mr. Schedel who out of Respect to his Person thought good to accompany him on Shore but being come near the City he Landed in great State without speaking one word to Schedel who was put into another Vessel in a very slight manner with the Presents which he had brought with him for the Vice-Roys and was carried to the other end of the City where he was narrowly searched by one Emanuel de Lucifierro
11 Foot in height and three Fathom and a half in Circumference whose thickness contains near a quarter of a Yard The Chineses made great Brags of the sound of this Bell as if the like were not to be heard of again in all China yea not in the whole World but when we came and struck upon it we found it sufficiently dull and the Metal not so good as that of ours in Europe And though the Tartars in the last War did not much deprive and impair this City of its former Lustre and Splendor no City escaping better than this Nanking yet however the stately Palace of the Kings was totall destroy'd by them It is suppos'd that the Tartars did this for no other end or cause but out of a particular Hatred and Grudge which they bore to the Family of Taiminga who Govern'd till the Court was remov'd from thence to Peking But though this City by the removing of the Imperial Court to Peking was thus depriv'd of its ancient Glory and Splendor yet it s former and ancient Magnificence as well as Obedience is shewn by the extraordinary Presents yearly sent to the Emperor beyond all the rest of the Cities First of all Every three Months five Ships are sent from thence laden with all manner of Silks and Woollen Cloths to the Emperor at Peking These Ships are call'd in the Chinese Language Lungychuen which signifies Ships with Dragon-Cloths because they are sent to the Emperor whose Blazonry is full of Dragons I must confess that in all my life-time I never saw any Ships to exceed these for Riches and Bravery for they are so very much Gilded and Painted on the outsides that it made our Eyes dazle to look on them and within they were likewise most curiously contriv'd and adorn'd with Images This one thing alone is enough to discover the Ingenuity of these People The City sends likewise for a Present to the Emperor certain Fish which are taken before her Walls in the River Kiang in May and Iune and are by the Chineses call'd Siyu but by the Portuguese who live there they are call'd Savel and though the Way from Nanking to Peking be more than two hundred Dutch Miles yet they have a Way to Transport them to the Emperor's Court fresh and good for a great number of Men are appointed to draw the Boats Day and Night who are reliev'd upon the Way with fresh Men so that they perform the Iourney in eight or ten Days at the farthest which is in a manner with as much speed as riding Post in Europe They likewise signifie by Letters from Place to Place the Hours of the Day when the Barques are arriv'd and if the Emperor be pleas'd they never fail to send twice a Week As we were Riding out one Day to take the Air and to view the City we pass'd by the Gate of the old Imperial Court where sat a great Tartar Lady with her Servants waiting upon her about forty years of Age she very civilly sent to our Interpreter to invite the Ambassadors into her House Iacob de Keyzer hereupon lighted and the Lady then made towards him She was very debonair and free look'd upon our Swords and much admir'd their bending without breaking She took the Ambassadors Hat and put it on her own Head and unbutton'd his Doublet almost down to his Waste Afterwards she led the way into the House and desir'd him to follow appointing one of her Attendants to conduct him who brought us into her Apartment where we found her with her Daughter who was about half her Age waiting our coming in great State The Daughter was Cloth'd in a Violet-colour'd Damask Gown and the Mother in black Damask and both of them had their Ears hung with Rings and their Hair braided and twisted about their Heads with Strings of Pearls but over their Hair they wore little Caps made of Reed with a Tassel upon the Crown of red Silk Their Clothes reach'd down to their Heels ty'd about the Middle with a broad Ribbon and button'd down from the Neck to the Waste Their Shoes were of black Leather their Faces unmask'd without any Painting They had us into a large Withdrawing-Room unfurnish'd only a few Benches cover'd with Silk upon which they desir'd us to sit They drank to us several times in their Liquor made of Beans which is very strong but agrees wondrous well with their Constitutions They set before us also some of their Sweet-meats much intreating us to Eat excusing the meanness of the Entertainment her Husband being absent In the middle of the Plain stands a high Steeple or Tower made of Porcelane which far exceed all other Workmanship of the Chineses in cost and skill by which the Chineses have declar'd to the World the rare Ingenuity of their Artists in former Ages This Tower has nine Rounds and a hundred eighty four Steps to the top each Round is adorn'd with a Gallery full of Images and Pictures with very handsom Lights The outside is all Glaz'd over and Painted with several Colours as Green Red and Yellow The whole Fabrick consists of several Pieces which are so artificially cemented as if the Work were all one intire Piece Round about all the corners of the Galleries hang little Bells which make a very pretty noise when the Wind jangles them The top of the Tower was crown'd with a Pine-Apple which as they say was made of massie Gold From the upper Gallery you may see not only over the whole City but also over the adjacent Countries to the other side of the River Kiang which is a most delightful Prospect especially if you observe the vast circumference of the City reaching with her Suburb to the River side This wonderful Pile as they inform us the Chineses built at their own Charges by the Command of the insulting Conqueror the Tartar seven hundred years since as a Pillar of Honor to them and when in like manner as lately they over-ran all China bringing the whole Country under absolute Obedience The now prevailing Foe whether conquer'd by the extraordinary Beauty and Magnificence or whether they design'd by it to perpetuate the Memory of their first Conquests and also to add to their Fame this their second subduing of them would not permit the demolishing or defacing in the least of this noble Structure so that now it stands firm and intire as at first According to all outward appearance we found these People to exceed not only all the rest of the Nation in Candor Sincerity and civil Demeanor but as much excelling in Science and Understanding There are also several of the Inhabitants of great Estates keeping like Port both in their Habits and Hospitality They enjoy here far greater Privileges than in a less City which the Tartars allow them supposing that to be a Bridle to Rebellion We found in this City of Nanking a Iesuit his Name Manuel Van Lisbon who came Aboard the Vessels of the Ambassadors to
the greatest part of a Morning in Combing and Dressing their Heads When they go abroad they skreen themselves from the parching heat of the Sun with large Quittesolâ—â— in Italy call'd Umbrella's which are carried over their Heads but the ordinary sort of People make use only of Fans The Country Women in China wear Breeches which they tie about their Knees And some that they may lose no time go commonly Spinning about the Streets Fields or other Places which arises to such Profit that thereby onely a great number of Families make shift to get a competent Subsistence CHAP. VII Of some Superstitious Customs Fashions and other Errors in use amongst the Chineses IN this following Chapter we shall treat of some Superstitious Fashions and Erroneous Customs which are in use among the several Sects of the Chineses And first we shall take notice That they are generally very much inclin'd and addicted to observe Times and Seasons and have so great an esteem for Sooth-sayers Fortune-tellers Astrologers Star-gazers and the like that they believe whatsoever they foretell insomuch that they govern all their Transactions according to the Sayings of those People whose Advice is taken and follow'd in their Affairs from time to time their Books much like our Almanacks being in general request besides which there are other Books of their Writing which treat of far deeper and conceal'd things So prevalent is this Science among all sorts of People that there is a vast multitude of Masters that teach it who have no other livelyhood but what they get by directing those that come to them the Day and Hour in which they may with great hopes of Success go about any Business And indeed they are so infinitely possest with an opinion of the Knowledge and Wisdom of these Men that they never undertake a Iourney go about to erect a Building or do any thing else of consequence but they first consult with them about it and observe to a Tittle whatsoever they direct so that neither Rainy Stormy or Tempestuous Weather such as would even fright a Satyre can hinder them from beginning their Iourney upon the Day prefix'd for the same though they go but out of sight of their own Dwellings or if they are to Build they will dig a little way into the Ground or make some entrance or beginning into the Work let the Weather be never so bad that it may be said they began upon that Day which was foretold them should be successful to their Undertaking Over and above these humorous Niceties they are great Observers of the Day of any ones Birth by which they confidently undertake to predict to them the good or bad Fortune likely to befal them through the whole Course of their Lives and in truth this inclination of their Nature is the cause that no People in the whole World are more easie to be deluded with the fallacious Fancies of such as assume to themselves the Title of Wizards and Sooth sayers whose Cunning hath devised various Ways to cheat the Ignorant and to make them pass for Oracles In the former Chapter we treated of their Sepulchres and the ordering thereof wherein they are not more careful than curious in making choice of the Place for that purpose which they make to resemble the Head Tail and Feet of a Dragon which sort of Creature they fancy to live under Ground Upon this doth not only depend as they firmly believe the good and bad Fortune of particular Families but the very well-being of Cities Countries and of the whole Empire And therefore when any publick Building is to be Erected the Learned in this mysterious Art are first consulted with concerning the good or bad success that will follow upon it that they may thereby chuse the better Lot There are abundance of People here who not able to restrain their licentiousness though in the meanest degree of Poverty sell themselves for Slaves to the Rich upon condition that they may take to Wife any of the Maid-Servants But note That whatsoever Children come of these Marriages become Slaves for ever Othere there are who being well to pass and of ability purchase them Wives for their Money but when their Families increase in number and Means begin to fail they sell their Sons and Daughters for two or three Crowns apiece not caring what becomes of them afterwards nor ever taking notice of them though they are made Slaves for ever and may be put to what Employment the Purchaser thinks good Many of this kind are bought up by the Portuguese and the Spaniard and carried out of their native Country into Forein Parts where they live in perpetual Slavery during their Lives without any hope of Redemption This cannot in Civiliz'd Nations be accounted other than a piece of Heathenish Barbarism But yet they commit a far greater and more horrid Inhumanity which is this In some Provinces they drown the young Infants especially Females for no other reason but that they mistrust they shall not be able to maintain them but be forc'd to sell them to unknown People This liberty they take to themselves from a belief That the Souls of the Deceased transmigrate into other Bodies and therefore they would seem to infer That this their Cruelty is necessary at leastwise convenient and so no ways dreadful unto them averring That they do the Children great advantage in taking away their Lives for by that means they deliver them the sooner out of a miserable Condition to settle them in a better And therefore the poor Children are not made away clandestinely or in private but aperto sole openly before all People But this unnatural Cruelty is not all there is yet more inhumanity practis'd amongst them for some out of despair of Good Fortune or because they have sustain'd great Losses will voluntarily lay violent Hands upon themselves others if they cannot find a means to revenge themselves upon their Enemies will kill themselves thinking thereby to do them a mischief for as 't is said great numbers both of Men and Women destroy themselves every year either in the Fields or else before the Doors of their Adversaries by strangling drowning or poisoning themselves Another sort of Barbarism they are guilty of in the Northern Provinces towards young Children which is by Gelding them whereby and no otherwise they are made capable of Service and Preferment in the Emperor's Palace And these they call in their Language Gelubden besides whom none are admitted to wait on the Prince and which is more the whole Government of the Empire is in their Hands and Management There are at least ten thousand of these Gelubden in the Palace who originally are all mean Persons without Learning c. brought up in perpetual Slavery by reason whereof and their ignorance they are of a dull and heavy Disposition and unfit for any Business of Concern The Magistrates have in effect an Arbitrary Power over the Subject whom they oftentimes condemn unheard The
clear and the other muddy although any Person take of the Waters and mingle them yet nevertheless they immediately part and divide each receiving presently their former Colours Near to Iungping is a Spring whose Water is so hot that it will boil an Egg. Near to the City Hiqoy is a Hill call'd Caotung upon which are several warm Baths and hot Springs Near to Iungcheng is a Hill call'd Gailo upon which is a very deep Well which serves the Inhabitants by observation of its rise or fall for a sign of a fruitful or barren Year There are several other Springs and Waters in many other Places of China which are very remarkable for their Qualities and have great esteem among them because they have had sufficient experience of their Vertues wherewith we shall no longer detain the Reader but proceed to what follows CHAP. XIII Of Hills and Mountains VEry curious and indeed nice even to Superstition are the Chineses in the choice of Hills for they say and believe all their Fortune depends upon it being places inhabited as they imagine by Dragons unto whom they attribute the cause of all their good Fortune And for this cause when any of them intend to erect a Tomb which is generally done among the Mountains by rich People they diligently examine the shape and nature of the Hill for its situation and are very sollicitous to discover a happy piece of Earth and such they esteem so which has the resemblance of the Head Tail or Heart of a Dragon which once found they imagine that according to wish all things shall go well with their Posterity And this Fancy is so generally prevalent with them that there are many who profess the Art of telling Fortunes by the form of Hills In the Description of Hills and Mountains I shall not only mention their largeness heighth c. but likewise their Nature Shape Form and the Beasts that live upon them The Mountain Lungciven near to Kungyang is about two Miles and half big Suming near to Xaohing fills a place of seven Miles and a half Lofeu near to Polo is in its circumference eighteen Miles and a half Tiengo near to Pinkiang is thirty one Miles in extent so also is the Mountain Quanghia near to Nanking The Heng near to Hoenyuen is fifty Miles large The Yen begins at Iotyen and teaches sixty three Miles in length At Kinhoa near to Yu lies the Mountain Kiming which is the largest in extent of all the Mountains of China The Ximus near to Taigan is three Miles and a half high It is said that upon the top thereof at the first Crowing of the Cock the Sun may be seen to rise The Tientai is five Miles high The Vempi in the Province of Queicheu reaches with its top above the Clouds At Sintien lies the Mountain Pie which is the highest of all Hills and reaches far above the Clouds Near to the City Xefan lies the Mountain Tafung which seems to touch the very Skies Near to Cangki is a very high Mountain call'd Iuntai which they entitle The Throne of Heaven The Hocang is so high that it ascends ten thousand Foot above the Earth and never any Rain or Snow was seen to fall upon it The Kiming near to the City Yn requires nine days Travel to the top of it In Quangsi near the City Ieyang lies the Mountain Paofung whose top reaches to the very Clouds and yet hath a Stone House built upon it There are very many other wonderful Hills and Mountains in the Provinces of China which we shall omit to mention for brevity sake and shall proceed to speak of their Shapes and Nature The Hills of Umuen show as if they hung in the Air. In the Province of Quangsi is a Hill which bears the shape of an Elephant The Mountain Utung resembles the shape of a Man standing upright with his Head bowing downward Near to Paoki is a Hill call'd Chincang whose concave parts are such that before stormy Weather or Thunder it will rore in so fearful a manner that the noise may be heard two Miles Near to Sinyang is a very high and pleasant Hill whose top against Rain is always cover'd with a Cloud Near to Pingchai lies the Mountain Pequi of which it has been observ'd that the melting of the Winter Snow upon its top is a sign of a plentiful Year but if it continues all Summer unmelted it is a bad sign Upon the Mountain Kesin near to the Garrison-Cities it is extraordinary cold Near to Nanking is a great Hill nam'd Quanglin which in the fairest Weather is always so very much cover'd with Clouds that it is hardly to be seen at any little distance Near to Xaicheu lies the Mountain Lingfung upon which if any Rain do fall in the day-time a great flame of Fire appears in the Night but in dry Weather there is seen no such appearance The Mountain Hoo is call'd The Fiery Mountain because in the night-time certain Lights appear upon the same as so many burning Candles Country People speak them to be a sort of Glow-worms which creep out of the River by Night and shine after this manner Near to Munghoa lies the Mount Tienul call'd The Ear of Heaven famous for a notable Echo The Mountain Quan is stor'd with brave Hawks and Kites which the Great Ones use for their Recreations The Chinese Historians relate That near to Sinfung lies a very great Hill upon which such wild Beasts and Men live whose likes are not to be found in any other Place Upon the top of the Hill Fungcao as is said the incomparable and seldom seen Phenix hath her Nest under which is found an extraordinary Precious Stone In the Province of Xensi upon the Mountain Holan is a great Race of wild Horses and upon that of Liniao breed several wild Oxen Tygers and other Creatures In the Province of Chekiang upon the Mountain Cutien an incredible thing to be told are Tygers who have left off their fierceness the nature of the Soil being of that Quality that if any are brought thither wild from other Places they become tame in a short time the same thing happens to Snakes Near to Cinyven in the Province of Iunnan is the Mountain Nilo where is great abundance of Tygers and Leopards In the Province of Suchue near to Cungkiang upon a Mountain call'd Toyung are Monkies which very much resemble a Man Near to the City Changcheu lies the Hill Cio upon which is said to lie a Stone of five Rod high end eighteen Inches thick which of its self rolls and moves up and down against foul Weather Near to Lioyang upon the Mountain Yoinea which signifies The Mountain of the Rich Woman is to be seen a Statue of a very beautiful Woman not made by Art but grown there naturally Near to the City Iengan in a certain hollow place of the Mountain Chingleang is to be seen a whole Herd of strange Idols to the number of above a thousand
die and his eldest Son taking it ill thas Yvus should be preferr'd before him in regard he took it for granted that the Scepter did by hereditary Right belong unto him he endeavor'd to seat himself in the Imperial Throne by force of Arms But what Stratagems Policy or Force soever he us'd all prov'd vain â—or he could not prevail the generality of the People adhering cordially to Yvus in regard they judg'd him most deserving of the Crown which accordingly was setled upon him though not without some trouble This Yvus was the Founder of the first Chinese Imperial Race which he caus'd to be styl'd Hiaa and the last of the elected Emperors for when the Royal Chair after his Death became void his Son was unanimously admitted to succeed him and from that time the manner and custom of Election was chang'd into an hereditary Succession from Father to Son This Royal Race or Family which had its beginning in the before-mentioned Yvus in the Year 2207 before Christ's Birth sway'd the Imperial Scepter four hundred forty one years in a continu'd Line of seventeen Emperors who succeeded each other in the Government of China This Race being extinct for want of Issue arose the Family of Xanga whereof the Emperor Tangus in the Year 1766 before Christ's Birth was the first who call'd it Xanga from a Lordship of the same Name he possessed This Family produc'd twenty eight Emperors who sat upon the Throne successively for six hundred years and upwards to the Year 1122 before the Birth of Christ. This Line being extinct in the before-mention'd Year there arose a third call'd Cheva whose Founder was one Faus who at the beginning of his Reign changing his Name call'd himself Uvus that is A Warriour Thirty seven Emperors proceeded out of this Family and all successively sway'd the Scepter which ending the Year 246 before Christ's Birth the fourth Race call'd Ciua stood up whose Founder was nam'd Chingus but altering his Name was call'd Xius This Race which gave its Name to the whole Empire as I have already related was yet but of short continuance there having sprung but three Emperors from thence who Reigned forty years and extinguishing about the Year 206 before the Birth of Christ the fifth Race call'd Hana got into the Throne the Founder whereof was one Leupangus whose Successor in a direct Line held the Sovereignty of the Empire of China till the Year 264 after Christ's Birth This Family being brought under the sixth Race call'd Cyna stept into the Throne and Govern'd till the Year of our Lord 419. within which compass of Time there were no less than five Kings at once who were all call'd Utai and wag'd very cruel Wars one against another for above four hundred years At last having miserably worried and weakned each other they were all subdu'd by the seventh Race call'd Tanga which seized upon the whole Empire and Reigned with his Posterity till the Year of Christ 618. No sooner was this Race of Tanga at an end but the eighth call'd Sunga succeeded in which the Government continu'd till the Year of our Lord 1278. when the Tartars after a long and tedious destructive War with this Family â—unga for seventy three years conquer'd the whole Empire extirpating the whole Family and set up a new one call'd Ivena which Reigned over the Chineses till the Year 1368. But in the same Year appear'd a Priest call'd Chu who with the assistance of his Country-men expell'd the Tartars and setled himself in the Throne assuming the Name and Style of Hunguvus which signifies The Warlike Soldier from whom sprung the Race of Taicinga which held the Crown two hundred and eighty years but at last was brought under and wholly rooted out in the Year 1644 by the Tartars who once more conquer'd and over-ran the whole Empire and erected a new Generation of Royal Blood call'd Taicinga under its first Founder Xunchius who was born Great Cham of Tartary And thus having led you as it were by the Hand to the Tartar Government it will not be amiss to shew you as briefly as the Subject will bear as well the cause as the manner of that terrible Devastation which not only extirpated the same Family but brought the whole Country to the slavish Subjection of their unciviliz'd Barbarism The Tartars who for Antiquity go beyond all other People in Asia and from whom many and several Nations are sprung did in the Year 2158 before Christ's Birth make very bloody Wars against the Chineses wherein they were sometimes Conquerors possessing the Land and at other times conquer'd and driven out again Now it is to be observ'd That under the Name of Tartars I understand here those People that have their Habitations on the North side of that most renowned and famous Wall in former times built against the Invasions of those Barbarians and reaching from East to West three hundred Dutch Miles in length For what cause or reason these People have born for so many Ages so much Malice and Hatred to one another as appears by the bloody Wars they have made the Chinese Histories make no mention But others who would seem to be curious and understanding Inspectors therein ascribe it to the difference of Customs and Manners of these two Nations for as parity of Manners is a conceal'd beginning and introduction of Friendship so on the other Hand a difference therein is the original and true occasion of Enmity Now how much the Tartars and Chineses differ in their Customs and Manners will easily be made appear by the daily Employments and Actions each of them affects from the Cradle The Chinese is of an affable and peaceable Disposition addicted to Husbandry and loving all good Arts and Sciences But the Tartar on the other Hand delights in nothing so much as Hunting being very cunning and deceitful lusting after War and of a very loose and uncivil Comportment It is true both endeavor to shun Idleness but with Intentions very incoherent the one to live temperately and honestly but the other only to range abroad in a wild and beastial Barbarism It cannot be denied but that the Tartars and Chineses have wag'd War one against another for many Ages yet I dare be bold to say we read of none so terrible as those in this our Age for thereby the Tartars have not only made themselves Masters of all the said Empire but extirpated the last Royal Line that there is not any Vestigium or Trace left of them in being In short that the occasion of this last War may be the more fully and clearly understood I shall relate unto you the two first Conquests of China by way of Proemium You must first then take notice That the People of West-Tartary after they had brought under their Power almost all Asia which is the fruitfullest part of the inhabited World fell upon the Empire of China about the Year 1206 before Christ's Birth which was continu'd as is
Horse after whom follow'd those that carried the Scaling-Ladders At last march'd up the Prime of his Army which consisted of the Stoutest and ablest Soldiers of his Kingdom Having thus put his Army in Battel-array he fell upon the City immediately with an undaunted Courage Those within made very stout opposition at first but the Tartars pressing upon them furiously got the better and at last drove them from the Walls to which fixing their Scaling-ladders they quickly became Masters of the same such was their exâ—raordinary nimbleness and Courage And now the Chineses finding themselves unable any longer to oppose the Enemy fled out of the City but the Tartars kill'd a great number in the Pursuit After the taking of this City the Tartar march'd on with his Army without any stop or hinderance taking by Storm whatever other Cities oppos'd him but such as submitted he commanded that none of the Inhabitants should suffer either in Body or Goods When now the King of Ninche had fill'd the Inhabitants of the Province of Leaotung with fear and dread of his Army and had totally Conquer'd the same he march'd forward with the Flower of his Army into the Province of Peking making no haste till he was come within seven Miles of the Imperial City and there finding several Chinese Armies to lie round about him he pitch'd his Camp in a very rich Quarter not daring to advance any further up into the Country whereas if he had march'd on he had in all probability carried all before him and might undoubtedly have taken the Imperial City the People being generall consternated and their Hearts dead with Fear insomuch that the Emperor himself had already concluded to abandon the City of Peking and with his whole Family to retire toward the Southern Provinces but he was dissuaded from it by his Council yet notwithstanding the Inhabitants of both these Provinces were so fill'd with Fear at the approach of the Tartars that they left their Habitations both in City and Country and fled into the Woods and Mountains with what they could well carry with them the Enemy in the mean time laying waste several famous Cities and putting all to Fire and Sword where he came The Ninchean King who as we said durst not adventure to march against the Imperial City of Peking having got good store of Riches out of the other Conquer'd Cities retreated back with his Army to the Chief City of the Province of Leaotung which was a very goodly City before he took it both for strength situation and fairness of Building but being told by his Soothsayers that to let the old Walls stand after he had won the Place could bode nought but Misfortune he caus'd them thereupon to be raz'd to the Ground and new ones built There are but two Great Cities in all this Province which are Leaoyang and Ningyven the rest are of a smaller Circuit yet are they both Populous and Rich But with Places of Strength which exceed some Cities for bigness it exceedingly abounds The Inhabitants of this Place are very dull of Understanding and so altogether incapable of learning any Arts and Sciences but very healthful of Constitution and strong of Body therein much exceeding the other Chineses And the cause may be for that they are bred from the Cradle to Wars and Hardship by reason of their vicinity to the Tartars who are perpetually making Wars upon them As to their Manners and Customs they resemble very much the Tartars which comes to pass by the great Intercourse that â—s daily between them The Country is in some places very Hilly and Mountainous and in others plain and even for many Miles together yet every where very fruitful in the product of all manner of Cattel both Wild and Tame as also in Treeâ— and Fruits of the Fields wholesom and medicinal both in their Bodies Leaves Fruits and Roots amongst others here grows that incomparable Root Gâ—â—seng whereof mention is made before There are also to be had store of Rich Furs as Sables Bever c. which they wear in Winter to keep themselves warm and Traffick with likewise into other Provinces It also produces curious Pine-apples excellent Wheat and Barley but no Rice yet a great abundance of Figs Apples Pears Grapes and several other sorts of Fruits Which extraordinary Plenty of all Necessary Things of its own Growth renders it both pleasant and cheap to live in but much more in regard of its Situation upon the Sea from whence it is furnish'd with all manner of Commodities from other Countries Their Religion is very little different from that of the other Chineses being great Promoters of the Doctrine of the Transmigration of Souls out of one Body into another Thus the Tartars having made this Place the Seat of War whereby they could at pleasure Invade the Neighboring Provinces the Emperor and his Council began to consider which way was the most likely for them to drive the Tartars out of their Territories and at last they concluded to raise an Army of 600000 Men over and above whom the King of Corea sent to their Assistance 12000 valiant Bow-men who were not inferior for Skill to the Tartars In the mean time the Ninchean King was not idle but drew out of his Kingdom as many Forces as could possibly be spar'd to joyn with him Being thus prepard for Wars on both sides the Chineses in the Year 1619 march'd with that formidable Army against the Enemy who hearing of their approach set forward from their Camp to meet them which soon hapned but then such was the inveterate malice of both Parties that as soon as they saw each other the Battel began which was valiantly fought for a long time by both Armies so that the Victory hung in suspence nor could any judge who would have the better till at length the Chineses running away in great disorder and confusion the slaughter was very great among them both of Commanders and Soldiers upon the Spot those that escaped carrying the news of the Overthrow to the Emperor This great Victory the Ninchean King pursu'd with that expedition that he took several Cities and Towns some whereof they laid in Ashes and put the Inhabitants to the Sword harrassing and plundering up to the very Walls of the City of Peking though they durst not lay Siege to it there being a Garrison of eighty thousand Men and and the Place well fortifi'd with great store of Cannon upon the Walls Notwithstanding which Provision such was the fear of the Pekinger that if the Tartars had but attempted they might have been Masters of that great City without any very hazardous opposition for the Emperor was again fully resolv'd as before to quit it and to retire to the Southern Provinces But some of his Council now too late grown wise alter'd his Purpose by telling him that it would encourage the Enemy and not only put the whole Empire into confusion but hazard the ruine if not the