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 leâ—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
this is the reason that the Houses in China and Iapan glitter and shine so bright that they dazle the Eyes of such as behold them This Paint also lays a shining colour upon Wood which is so beautiful and lasting that they use few or no Table-cloths at their Meals for if they spill any Grease or other Liquor upon the Table it is easily rubb'd off with a little fair Water without loss or damage of Colour CHAP. XV. Of Roots Herbs Flowers Reeds Trees and Fruits THE vast and large Territories of this Empire which reach not only very far from East to West but also from South to North occasioneth that in no part of the Universe so great a variety of Fruits is produced the true and natural cause whereof is the several tempers of the Air which must of necessity be granted in so immense Territories it being by experience known that some grow best under a hot Climate others under a cold and some under a well temper'd Air all which are to be found in this Country The Learned among themselves have describ'd at large in their Books what each Province doth produce by the view whereof and other particular Relations this may be affirm'd for truth in general That all things necessary for the sustenance of Man as well as for delight are to be had there in great abundance without being beholden to their Neighbors And thus much I dare from my own knowledge affirm That whatever is to be had in Europe is likewise found in China and if in truth there want any thing Nature hath supply'd that single defect with divers other things beyond those we have in Europe Now that it may be obvious to every Understanding with what a copious Harvest of Fruits and Vegetables mild Nature has bless'd this Empire and the Inhabitants thereof I shall briefly discourse thereof as followeth In Iungping the Chief City of the Province of Peking grows a very excellent Root and of great esteem call'd by them Ginseng but by the Islanders of Iapan Nisi The reason of the Chinese Name seems to be deriv'd from its shape in regard it artificially resembles a Man It is not much unlike to the Mandrake of Europe only it is much less neither do I much doubt but it is a sort of Mandrake in regard it has the same shape and vertue This Root being dried is yellow of colour and sweetish of taste but being chew'd it seems to be mingled with a little bitterness it is a great enlivener of the Spirits of a Man and therefore such as are of an hot and strong Constitution endanger their Lives by using it in regard of its strengthning Nature and Quality whereas Persons weak and feeble through Sickness or otherwise find great advantage in the use thereof for such is the soveraign Vertue of this Root that it has recover'd some that were brought to Deaths door for which its most rare Qualities it is become of so great Price that it is commonly sold for thrice its weight in Silver In Queicheu near to Liping grows the best Root of China there is of two sorts the true and counterfeit yet both natural the true grows near to this City and in other Places the counterfeit or to speak more properly the wild Root and is that which is brought generally into Europe It is of a reddish colour within but neither so big nor of so great Vertue as the true which grows and increases under Ground almost after the manner of Potatoes in India and especially in old Pine-tree Woods from whence they say this Root proceeds first of all from the Gum or Iuice of the Pine-tree which falling upon the Ground takes Root and brings forth an Herb which by degrees spreads it self upon the Earth and grows under Ground with knotty Roots in shape bigness and colour not unlike to the Indian Coco-Nuts but thinner and softer which they use in several Medicines This Root was first known in Europe in the Year 1535. when the Chineses brought the same to be sold in the City of Goa in India and although the like Root may grow in other parts of India as also in the West-Indies yet is it much inferior in goodness to that of the East the best whereof is tastless heavy sound and firm This Root hath a particular Vertue according to the Relation of Garcias for the Cure of the Spanish Pox and is soveraign against the Itch Tremblings Aches Gout c. It is also very good for a weak Stomach Headache the Stone in the Bladder proceeding from Cold. Here grows also great store of Ginger in this Country so purely and with such celerity as exceeds all in other Countries though it is true in several other Parts there is great store of Ginger to be had as at Bengala and upon the Islands Molucco c. which is for the most part brought into Europe Of this Root there are two sorts Male and Female which last is smaller of Leaf and Root than the first the Leaves are very like those of Reed so that whosoever never saw any Ginger grow would take them to be Reeds The Leaves of the Male sort through which run some greater Sinews or Veins rise not much higher than three Foot above Ground The Roots are of several weights and bigness whereof some have the length of four Spans full of Knots and shooting not deep into the Ground but like Reeds grow upon the surface of the Earth and are digg'd out of the Ground when the Leaves are wither'd which is about the middle of Summer when they take them up they break off a piece and fling it into the Ground again for an increase The Roots fresh taken up by reason of their abounding moisture are not so hot of taste as the dried which are laid a little into the Sun to harden thus prepar'd they fling Mold or Clay upon them to prevent them from being Worm-eaten which this Root is very subject to it increases very fast as do all other Spices which grow in such Places as lie near the Sea And though the Chineses and others Plant Ginger amongst the rest of their Herbs yet however it grows also wild but falls short of the goodness of that which is cultivated When they intend to prepare this Commodity for Sale they first pare it and then put it immediately into Pickle or Vinegar for an hour or two afterwards they take it out and lay it in the Sun to dry for the like space then they take it again into the House put it up into a dry place and there let it lie till all the moisture is drawn out which done they put it into Pickle with good store of Sugar And this kind of ordering makes it pleasant to the Pallat and abates much of its heat And this is generally known by the name of Green-Ginger which as a Sallet is us'd by the Chineses among other Herbs It is very soveraign for several Distempers as pain in the
and complain'd with Tears in their Eyes Kiangus who took compassion of them in regard of the Injustice and Villany of the Fact sent immediately one of his Attendants to the Vice-Roy Panang with request that he would be pleas'd to give Order that the ravish'd Bride might be restor'd to her Bridegroom for that he was grown distracted upon the loss of her desiring also that care might be taken to prevent the like Abuses for the future But the Vice-Roy gave no heed to this Request of the Governor but suffer'd the Tartars to go away with the Rape unquestion'd which Kiangus took so to heart that he went to the Vice-Roy himself in Person who not only refus'd to give him Audience upon it but commanded him to be put out of his Court. Kiangus boiling with Revenge at this uncivil Carriage of the Vice-Roy towards him swore that he would never serve those that countenance such abominable Actions and not long after having drawn his Forces together he came with them and fell upon Panang in his Court killing the greatest part of his Followers but Panang sav'd himself by being let down with a Rope over the Walls and so escap'd with his Life Kiangus hereupon knowing that what he had done was a sufficient cause to make him lose his Head if he fell into the Hands of the Tartars sets up his Standard and promises to submit himself to the Chinese Emperor but names none in particular for he knew not that Iunglieus was elected to that Dignity being at so great a distance from him He likewise us'd all Endeavors to draw the Chineses to take part with him and to stand up for the regaining the Liberties of their Country which by the unheard of Oppressions of the Tartars they had lost Several Commanders and Officers hearing of this came and joyn'd with him so that by this Revolt of Kiangus new Troubles were arisen in the Emperor's Court at Peking and the more in regard the Western Tartars favor'd him who were able to bring more Men into the Field than the Eastern especially Horse of which they have great plenty whereas there are but few in the other Now to nip these Risings in the Bud which were made by the means of Kiangus a very great Army was forthwith rais'd in Peking and sent against him Kiangus who was no less wise than valiant and very well understood the Humors of the Tartars having Convers'd many years with them at first seem'd as if he were afraid to stay the coming of the Enemy for he fled with his Forces but this was done only out of Policy to draw them to pursue after him having by the Way laid an Ambuscade for them which took good effect the Tartars being thereby set upon and defeated and after they had rallied were beaten in the open Field a second time The news of this double Defeat being brought to Peking occasion'd again new Troubles in the Court especially when they heard that Kiangus his Army consisted of above a hundred thousand Horse-men and four hundred thousand Foot of which great multitude there is no wonder for every Person was glad of his Success and ready to follow him as the Redeemer of their Country from the Tartar Slavery When now the Emperor's Uncle understood with how great Success this Kiangus proceeded he resolv'd to march himself with all the Forces the Empire was able to make against him for he durst not trust any with a Concern upon which depended the Welfare of the whole State He therefore causes the eight Standards under whom march all the whole Tartar Militia to be made ready for the War and accordingly that he might lose no time draws forth the choicest Soldiers of this great Body wherewith he marches against Kiangus to chastise him for his Revolt strengthening himself also by the Way with the addition of many more Forces which he had from the Southern Provinces But although he Commanded a very great Army yet he avoided by all means Fighting with Kiangus who gave him occasion and provoked him on purpose to draw him to Battel But the Tartar took a better course fearing the uncertain event of War in a Battel and knowing how to overcome his Enemy at a far cheaper rate as being but ill furnish'd with Provisions and therefore he resolv'd to delay him so long till he should be compell'd to leave the Field for want of Victuals and other Necessaries besides another reason that made him unwilling to give Battel was because he first desir'd to receive an Answer from the Western Tartar King to whom he had sent an Ambassador with very rich Presents and several handsom Women with order also to demand his Daughter in Marriage for the Emperor his Nephew and request him not to give any Assistance to Kiangus the Rebel And so much operation had this Embassy upon the King of Taniju or West-Tartary that he return'd the Ambassador immediately with a satisfactory Answer and Promise that he would continue from thence-forward in Peace and Amity with the Great Cham. Kiangus also having sent thither for Aid but finding himself frustrated in his Expectation and deserted thought it most advisable for him to make towards the City of Taitung into which he was no sooner entred but the Tartar Forces were at his Heels and got to the very Gates and in the space of three days with the help of the Peasants who were compell'd to come in a deep Trench of ten Miles in circumference was drawn round about it Whereupon Kiangus finding himself thus penn'd up and that no Relief was to be expected but he must either be kill'd or starv'd like a valiant Commander thus bespake his Men You see Fellow Soldiers into what a Strait we are reduc'd there being no hopes to escape but by Fighting like Men the Sword on one side and Hunger on the other encompassing us let us not suffer our selves to perish with Hunger but rather with our Swords in our Hands dearly sell them our Lives or with their hazard cut the Way to our Safety through our Enemies Carcases I for my part will die with my Zable in my Hand He had no sooner ended his Speech but he and all his Forces made a Sally out into the Trench where both sides fought for a while with equal Courage till Kiangus unhappily struck with a Dart fell down dead at the very sight whereof the Chineses despairing of making their Way through the Enemy some flung down their Arms and call'd for Quarter others betaking themselves to Fight such as submitted freely to the Tartars had their Lives spar'd for they now thought they had done enough in overcoming so great and dreaded an Enemy whose Power would have endanger'd the loss of the whole Empire After they had clear'd the Field and totally routed and destroy'd the Chinese Army they march'd into the City Taitung whose Plunder was given to the victorious Soldiers And not long after the General having first taken care for the
the Mandorins He at our first Address readily undertook the Business and seem'd to promise himself an happy issue of it Hereupon we deliver'd him certain Heads to frame a Petition of which he accepted but a few days being pass'd when we thought he had made some progress in the Business he comes to the Christian before-mention'd and thus excuses himself Sir if those Padrees who are Strangers be ignorant yet you who are Natives must be acquainted with the manner of doing Business in this Court to wit That whose Petitions either I or any other in the same Office with me do exhibit proceeds always from these two Reasons either that we may avenge our selves of our Enemies or that we are hir'd to it by some great Reward from him in whose Name the Petition runs Now I have receiv'd no Injury from the Hollanders to be aveng'd of nor any Gratuity from those Padrees that I should thrust my my self into so much difficulty and danger for them This Man therefore we left and apply'd our selves to anther who plainly told us That if we would give him two hundred Tays he would plight his Faith to deliver our Petition with whatever Articles we should insert only he would not oblige himself that the Emperor should approve of them but if we would give him six hundred Tays more he would be bound they should be granted and in case they were not he would repay the whole Eight hundred Tays Considering the weightiness of the Mattir and the Liberty which your Lordships gave us in your Letters to undertake for any Sum of Money that we found necessary to effect this Business with your Engagement that the City of Maccow should make good the Payment we promis'd him the whole Sum â—nd upon the rehearsed Conditions before the Petition should be deliver'd â—according to this Country Custom this Master of Requests would see the whole Sum of Money ready and also receve some certain Tayes beforehand as a Pledge and Earnest of the whole which being impossible for us to do he even excus'd himself as the former had done and so forsook us but we insisted and in stead of ready Money which we wanted produc'd two rich Vests that the Emperor had bestow'd upon us and we had carefull preserv'd by us but never worn because it was the Emperor's Gift to us and that they were unsuitable to our Poverty and Religious Habit These he accepted for a hundred and fifty Tays of the Sum agreed on with all the symptomes of a great Satisfaction and really great was our Content because we now seem'd to have laid a sure Foundation for that Work we so earnestly desir'd to finish When lo this same Mandorin we know not by what means came to discover or at least to suspect the Vest to have been the Emperor's Gift unto us which was an Argument sufficient for him to decline our Business alledging not only That he was not so barbarous to receive or wear them but also That it was unworthy in us to slight the Vests which had been Presented us by the Emperor and therefore we might go look some other Person for our Business which on such Terms he would not touch with his little Finger Nor is this Answer any matter of wonder to any that are acquainted with the Dispositions of those Chineses for so timerous are they in any thing relating to their Emperor or rather so superstitious that beyond all comparison they do more dread him than they do God or his Temple But this fear and lowness is but external in reference to their Hands and where their want of Power forbids to do more but if you respect their Hearts there is no Chinese especially of the Learned sort of ingenious and liberal Education who is not a very Prince and carries not in his Plebeian Breast the Pride of the greatest Monarch And this is the Source and Fountain whence such frequent Dissentions spring up among them and the Cause of their often Changes But this is a Digression let us return Our Affliction and Trouble was not small to see our Hopes thus plung'd whereon besides the many Sacrifices of the Mass which we offer'd to God we appointed also some particular Devotions daily for this purpose Our next Application was to all Princes and Noble-men whom either we could take any occasion to visit or who took any occasion to visit us for no day pass'd wherein several Persons came not to adore the Holy Image and to view our new Church and Habitation which the Emperor had bestow'd upon us these we spar'd not to acquaint with the villanous and perfidious Disposition of the Hollanders with their Apostacy from their ancient profess'd Religion and Rebellion against their lawful Soveraign as also their Attempt upon the City of Maccow some years past where they were repell'd and indeed cut off by the brave Inhabitants few in number but mighty in Courage and Unanimity whereunto we thought fit to add That after their Repulse from Maccow they made an Invasion upon some part of the Province of Fokien and also seconded that with a forcible Seizure of an Island lying in that Sea belonging to the Chineses and by them call'd Taiwan but by us nam'd Formosa where they had erected Warlike Forts and where they had in no longer space than two or three years murder'd more than three thousand Persons of the Chineses some the ancient Inhabitants of the Island and some Merchants of the Province of Fockin and Checkin pass'd thither with their Merchandize And it appear'd in the Records of their Iudicial Proceedings that during the last King's Reign thirteen of those Hollanders which chanc'd to be taken Prisoners upon the Coast of Fockin being brought to the Court were all there Condemn'd and accordingly Executed In like manner we continu'd to alledge That under the pretence of Trade they had been admitted Footing upon the Island of Iava that notwithstanding that King weary of their Neighborhood had a long time cut off all Relief of Provisions going to them from all parts of his Territories and sometimes Besieg'd them with puissant and numerous Armies yet could he never prevail to turn them out of their Possessions from whence he might at first easily have kept them Nor was the Bond of any League strong enough to tie these Universal Robbers from offering or to secure any of their Allies from suffering Injuries by them who thought the Sea only their single due excluding all others from any Right to it and therefore never made distinction between Friend or Foe when any Ship fell into their Hands they were able to master as if Neptune had granted to them the only Patent of the Ocean And upon all this we inferr'd That to admit these Men the Exercise of a Free-Trade in China besides the domestick Perils and Mischiefs it would contract were likewise to condemn and scandalize all other Christian Princes and Rulers when they should see the great Potentate of the
treats of the same Subject with those other five And these nine Books are all that are to be found in China amongst the Booksellers out of which all others are compos'd And certainly therein are contain'd most excellent Rules and Directions for the well ordering of all Civil Affairs and such as have proved to the very great advantage of the Empire of China For which cause a Law was made by the ancient Kings That whosoever would be a Learned Man or so reputed must extract the principal Ground-work of his Learning from these Books Nor is it enough to understand the true meaning and sense of the same but he must likewise get them by heart and be able to repeat a considerable part thereof if he will be thought to have arriv'd at an eminent pitch of Learning There are no Publick Schools in all China though some Writers have erroneously told us the contrary but every Person chuses his own Master by whom he is taught in his House at his own Charge And in regard of the great difficulty in Teaching the Chinese Characters in respect of their vast number and variety it is impossible for one to teach many several Persons and therefore every Master of a Family takes an Instructer into his House for his Children of whom if there be two or three to learn they are as many as one Tutor can well teach All such as are found upon Examination to have made good Progress in Philosophy arise to Promotions by three Degrees of Learning The first is call'd Sieucai the second Kiugin the third Cinfu The first Degree of Learning call'd Sieucai is given in every City by a certain Eminent Learned Person appointed by the Emperor for that purpose and according to his Office bears the Name of Tihio This Tihio goes a Circuit through all the Towns of his Province on purpose to Promote Learned Men to this Degree As soon as he is come into any City he makes known his arrival whereupon all such as stand for this Preferment address themselves unto him to be examined and if he find them qualified he immediately prefers them to this first Step of Learning and that their Worth may be taken notice of for a particular Badge of their Dignity they wear a Gown Bonnet and Boots in which Habit none are permitted to go but such as are in this manner become Graduates They enjoy likewise several Honorable Privileges and Immunities and are preferr'd to considerable Employments in the Government The second Degree of Honor to which the Learned Chineses are preferr'd is call'd Kiugin which is given with much more State than the former and is conferr'd only upon such as they judge to be most deserving and this Promotion is made but once in three years and perform'd after this manner In each Capital City is a great and well-built Palace encompass'd with high Walls and set apart only for the Examination of the Scholars In this Place are several Apartments and Mansions for the use of Examiners when they come to Supervise the Scholars Works Beside these Apartments there are at least a thousand Cells in the middle of the Palace but so small that they will only contain only one Person a little Table and a Bench In these no one can speak to his Neighbor nor be seen by him When the King's Examiners are arriv'd in the City they are lock'd up apart in this Palace and not suffer'd to Discourse with any whatsoever while they are there When the time of Examination is come to which are appointed three whole days namely the ninth twelfth and fifteenth Days of the eighth Month then are the Writings of the Scholars with great Iudgment narrowly Examin'd and several Questions propounded to be resolv'd by them The third Degree is call'd Cinsu and is equal with that of Doctor of Divinity Law or Physick in Europe and this is conferr'd likewise every third year and to them only in the Imperial City of Peking To this Honor can only three hundred out of the whole Empire arrive and the Examination of them before they are chosen is perform'd by the King's Examiners in the same Method and State as the former And such as attain to this heighth of Honor by their Learning are preferr'd to the highest Places of Dignity in the Empire and are had in great Esteem and Reputation by the People CHAP. III. Of several Chinese Handicraft-Trades Comedians Iuglers and Beggers THe Chineses are not altogether without some Experience and Skill in Architecture although for neatness and polite Curiosity their Building is not to be compar'd with that in Europe neither are their Edifices so costly or durable in regard they proportion their Houses to the shortness of Life building as they say for themselves not for others And this surely is one reason why the Chineses cannot comprehend nor imagine the costly and Princely Palaces which are in Europe and when they have been told that some of the said Edifices have stood for many Ages they seem as it were amazed thereat But if they consider'd the true Reasons of such continuance they would rather applaud and imitate than wonder for that which makes our Building last so long is because we make deep Foundations whereas in China they dig no Foundations at all but lay the Stones even with the surface of the Ground upon which they build high and heavy Towers and by this means they soon decay and require daily Reparations Neither is this all for the Houses in China are for the most part built of Wood or rest upon woodden Pillars yet they are cover'd with Tyles as in Europe and are contriv'd commodiously within though not beautiful to the Eye without however by the curiosity of the People they are kept very clean and neat Their Temples are most curiously built some whereof in solitary places near the High-ways to the great accommodation of Travellers They are hung full of Images and heavy Lamps which burn continually in memory of one or other that liv'd well and died happily These People have made no small progress in several Sciences by their early being acquainted with the Art of Printing for though those of Europe do therein exceed the Chineses having reduc'd the same to more exactness and certain Method yet says Trigautius in the fourth Chapter of his first Book The use of the Printing-Press was much sooner in China than in Europe for it is most certain that the same has been in use amongst the Chineses for five Ages past nay some stick not to affirm that they us'd Printing before the Birth of Christ. Mercator in his great Atlas writes That the Printing-Press and the use of Cannon are of so great Antiquity in China that it is not known who was the Inventor of them All which if it were taken for granted yet nevertheless they are too large in saying That That Printing has been us'd by them ever since their Country hath been call'd the Empire or Kingdom of China
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
which was written some Chinese Characters that foretold things that should come to pass On the sides stood several Vessels with Incense burning and in the middle was a woodden Dish with several Offerings in it which the Priests when they would know or foretel any thing bring to the Altar and Offer up to this Image Now the chief Offerings at such times are either Rice Wine or the Entrails of Beasts which being ceremoniously dispos'd the Priest draws some Reeds out of the Bambo's Basket and if they are in his opinion portentous of Ill he draws out others till he has drawn such as he believes prognosticate Good In this interim the Incense burns and at last the Priest falls upon his Knees and mumbles one thing or other to himself whereby he intends to pacifie the Idol and get him to favor his Suit In the Province of Xansi in the City of Taâ—ven is a Temple Dedicated to Siangus the wisest of their Emperors and of the Family of Chaus It is reported in their Histories that this Image which is made of very precious Stones being finish'd rose up of it self and went to the place which was appointed for its Station At Leugan upon the Mountain Peco which signifies The Mountain of Fruits is founded a Temple in honor of the Emperor Xiâ—â—ungus near which stands a famous Well Now according to the Saâ—ing of the Chineses Xinnungus receiv'd divers sorts of Seeds from an unknown Person and receiv'd Directions in what manner he should Sowe the same to gain a plentiful Harvest which he having experimented taught to his Subjects for which Benefit they erected this Temple to his Memory at very great Charge In the Province of Xensi in the City of Hanchang are five Temples whereof one is Dedicated to the Emperor Cangleangus because he had caus'd a Way to be cut through the Mountain and in perpetual memory of this his great Undertaking this Temple was erected In the Chief City of Kingang are three Temples full of Images and in the Province of Xantung in the Chief City of Cinan are several Near to Yencheu in the City of Ceu are fifteen stately Temples Dedicated to Helvutius and other renowned Heroes In the Province of Suchuen in the Chief City of Chingtu is one built to the Memory of King Cancungus because he taught the Inhabitants of that Kingdom the Art of raising and preparing of Silk-worms In the Province of Huquang near to Kiun is a large Hill call'd Vutang upon which are erected several Structures with Cloisters for Priests and the reason thereof may be for that here all Priests receive their Introduction who follow and teach the inward approv'd Doctrine of the separation of Soul and Body In the Province of Nanking near to the Chief City Ningque stands a very high and beautiful Edifice call'd Hiangsin that is to say The well-scented Heart and Dedicated to five Virgins who being assaulted by such as would have ravish'd them rather chose to die than have their Virginity violated in honor of whose Chastity the Inhabitants erected these Temples In the Province of Chekiang and in the Chief City of Hangcheu are found very many of these Buildings to which belong several thousands of Priests At Nanking on the Mountain Ni stands one of these Fabricks that hath at least a thousand Images to it and to every Image ten Priests And indeed to shorten this Relation there is hardly a Mountain or Hill in China of any Note but has a Temple upon it with Priests belonging to it In the Province of Fokien near to the City Cinggan lies a great Hill call'd Vay which has several Temples and Cloisters upon it abounding with Priests and Fryers most whereof worship Idols shave their Crowns and despise all Earthly Riches Possessions and Honors But that which is fullest of admiration is this It was said that amongst these Priests one of the chief call'd Chang who had two Chappels under his Command being convinc'd of the Error of his Way coming one day into his Temples broke all the Idols in pieces exclaiming bitterly against the Priests for having thus long deceiv'd him and keeping him in blind Ignorance from thenceforth embraceing the Christian Religion to the utmost period of his Life In the Province of Fokien near to the City Civencheu is a Temple call'd Caiyven which is worthy of admiration both for its heighth and largeness The outsides of this sumptuous Edifice are all of Marble and the inside most richly adorn'd with Idols of all sorts Among others there are some that exceed which are either cast in Copper or cut out of Marble made for Madam Fee having such curiosity of Workmanship that the Chineses say they were not made with mortal Hands Without the Imperial City of Nanking I was my self in one of the three Idol-Temples where Hell so as Virgil describes the same in the sixth Book of his Aeneids was so curiously Painted to the Life and adorn'd with rare Images of Plaister that it is enough to fill all Persons with admiration that look upon the same CHAP. X. Of Towers and Sea-Marks CHINA is very full of brave and well-built Towers whereof some are nine others seven Stories high many of which are only for Ornament but upon a great part of them call'd Ceuleu stand their Clock-workss and in others especially at Nanking are kept the Astrological Instruments Upon the Clock-house Turrets stands an Instrument which shews the hour of the day by means of Water which running from one Vessel into another raises a Board upon which is Pourtray'd a Mark for the time of the day and you are to observe That there is always one remaining there to take notice of the passing of the time who at every hour signifies the same to the People by beating upon a Drum and hanging out a Board with the Hour writ upon it in large Letters This Time-Drummer likewise gives notice if he discovers any Fire whereupon the People all rise to quench it In whose House soever the Fire happens through carelesness the Master thereof is punish'd with Death because of the fright and hazard he put his Neighbor in whose House joyning to his and built all of Timber as all Habitations there are was in very great danger of being likewise consum'd for all the Houses stand very close And this in truth is the cause of so great severity shew'd against such whose Houses are burnt through carelesness Upon the top of the Mountain Hiaiken stands a very ancient Tower which is very much decay'd but yet keeps the heighth of a hundred and eighty Paces but that which is most to be admir'd therein is that it is built of Stone which with infinite Labor Industry and Expence they must bring thither and then together with the Mortar carry up so great a heighth to build such a Tower In the Country of Huquang near to the City of Hanyang is a Tower call'd Xelonhoa which far excels all other such like
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
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
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 hiâ— 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 shoâ—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
Fight furiously assail'd the Coreans in their Station so that there began a bloody Battel but both Armies were hardly Engag'd before the valiant Maovenlung came up with his and fell like Lightning into the Rere of the Tartars who now finding themselves beset before and behind with two such potent Armies and no other way for safety or escape than what their Zables could cut out for them resolv'd not to part with their Lives at a cheap rate and spurr'd on by despair they fought without any fear every one endeavoring to exceed the other in Valour and Courage so that in the very Writings of the Chineses they are extoll'd saying There was never the like Battel fought between them But that which is chiefly to be admir'd is that of three so great Armies none obtain'd the Victory but were all of them almost totally ruined and destroy'd There were kill'd fifty thousand Men on the side of the Tartars those of Corea had seventy thousand slain but the loss of the Chineses was so great that few or none escaped Those of the Tartars that surviv'd made their way home into their own Country as fast as they could by which means the King of Corea had the opportunity of recovering his Country again The Tartars having sustain'd so great an Overthrow were very careful afterwards how they provok'd the Inhabitants of Corea yet still they continu'd to make several Inroads into the Province of Leaotung till at last they wholly subdu'd the Eastern part and plunder'd the remainder thereof but this was done by fits and at several times for they never durst venture to seat themselves there nay they paid oftentimes very dear for their Robberies While Affairs stood in this posture the Emperor of China whose Name was Zungchinius sent his General Yvenus with a strong Army and a large Commission toward Leaotung having also private Instructions to conclude a Peace with the Tartars if they would agree to it but if they refus'd then forthwith to make a sharp War upon them And to say truth he was necessitated to make this Proposition for that his whole Empire was as it were over-spread with Highway-men and Robbers so that he stood in greatest fear of them for their numbers daily so increased that if they should once joyn into one Body it would be no difficult matter for them to make themselves Masters of the Kingdom This Yvenus upon whom the Emperor had conferr'd such high and ample Authority was a perfect Courtier of an affable and free Speech and one that knew very well how to use his Pen with so much advantage and ingenuity that there was hardly any one in the Court to be compar'd with him By these singular Perfections he had won not only the Heart of the Emperor but of all the Grandees so that the management of all Affairs was wholly left to him But here it must be observ'd That he was insatiably covetous of Wealth and consequently for obtaining thereof stuck not to perpetrate any clandestine Mischief otherwise by his more than common Parts he might undoubtedly have done extraordinary Services both to his Prince and Country But neither the greatness of the Trust repos'd in him nor the Love of his Country were in any measure answerable to his Thirst after Riches Unde habeat quaerat nemo sed oportet habere Of which avaricious temper of his the Tartars having information and looking upon him as a fit Instrument to be employ'd in their Design they never left sending to him extraordinary Presents accompanied with large Promises of the most eminent Preferments With which Baits being taken he contracted Friendship with them promising to give them his Assistance when it should lie in his power And as the first Proof of his Friendship to them through the cunning instigation of the Tartars he undertook privately to murther the valiant and faithful Commander Maoâ—enlung of whom the Tartars stood in great fear and awe which he accordingly effected with great secresie by inviting him to Dinner and poisoning him with a Cup of Drink which he caus'd to be given him at the Table Having thus clandestinely accomplish'd this his monstrous Undertaking he concludes a Peace with the Tartars upon most dishonorable and disadvantageous Terms for his Prince who no sooner read the same but he refus'd to Observe and Ratifie them Yvenus conscious of what he had done and well seeing that upon the making good of this Treaty of Peace his Honor and Authority depended advis'd the Tartars to force the Emperor his natural â—ord to the Observation thereof by force of Arms Whereupon in the year 1630. upon his Promises not to oppose them in the least if they would make an Invasion in some other Part of the Empire where he had no Command this treacherous Advice was no sooner given than accepted and put in execution for the Tartars doubted so little of the Promises of Yvenus by reason of his extraordinary Covetousness that without taking any further Counsel they pour'd their Forces into the Province of Peking Plundering all Places where they came and laying the same afterwards in Ashes and at last so was their Courage or rather Fury heightned that they laid Siege to the Imperial City of Peking at whose approach it is no marvel if the confusion and amazement were great not only amongst the Citizens but also amongst the Rix-Counsellors who in this dangerous vicissitude of Affairs earnestly advis'd the Emperor to leave the City and to retire to the Southern Provinces but he would by no means hearken to their Counsel saying That he would rather be cut in a thousand Pieces than that it should be said he fled for fear of the Tartars Wherefore both as a Valiant Soldier and Careful Prince he immediately gave order to his Commanders not to suffer any to depart out of the City upon pain of death but that they should incite and stir up all the People to a Courageous Defence While this was doing within the Tartars without began to Storm the City but were beaten off with great loss upon several Attempts so that they concluded to continue the Siege with more moderation and rather endeavor to take it by Famine than hazard the weakning of their Army by such fruitless and unsuccessful Assaults At length by advice of his Council the Emperor sent for Yvenus to come to his Assistance and Relief with the Army under his Command for as yet his Treachery was not discover'd who upon the first Intelligence to prevent the Emperor from having any suspicion of him came with his Army under the Walls of Peking but kept at a great distance from that of the Besiegers neither shew'd he any hostility against them but in stead thereof advis'd the Emperor to the Observation of the Terms upon which the Treaty of Peace the cause of this War had begun And this he strongly labor'd to perswade him to not only to prevent the discovery of the Treason but that so he might
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
People do Adore him with a perpetual Veneration And they report that these Ceremonies and Worship had their original from no other Person than that Prince which Authors usually term Presbyter Iohn whom they are certainly persuaded to have Rul'd in the Kingdom of Tanchut which is now included under the Dominion of the Kingdom of Lassa for as formerly they went in Pilgrimage from all Parts of Tartary unto him as unto an Oracle so at this very time they cease not from all Parts to flock unto this ridiculous God and Father the Head of the Lamae to obtain his Benediction so that Anno 1629. that great Tartarian Monarch of the Chineses as soon as he had subdu'd the Empire of China according to the Custom practis'd by his Ancestors was solicited by the Magistrates of Tartary to do Homage to the Great Lama that is The Priest as to the Supreme Bishop or Pope of the Religion of the Tartars and the Business was brought unto that accomplishment that the Emperor through the Advice of his Council was resolv'd to meet with the Great Lama now coming towards him even unto the Walls of the Empire of China in a Progress almost of two Months space if Father Iohn Adams an intimate Associate of the Emperor out of an extreme hatred unto the thing had not shew'd himself averse and opposite and that by the allegation of many weighty Reasons which Persuasions of the aforesaid Father took so good effect that the Emperor was so far from vouchsafing to go forwards out of the City to meet him that he would hardly give him any farther entrance or admission than the Garden of the Palace of Pequin and at length after the usual Mode being Presented with divers Presents dismissed him unto his own Kingdom wholly neglecting all those accustom'd Ceremonies that were usually perform'd and he that was suppos'd to have conferr'd great Prosperity and Happiness by his Approach and Benediction brought the contrary Effects with him for that ridiculous Archpriest after his departure incurr'd the Curses and Malediction of all Persons as being the seeming Cause of Famine Pestilence and War But to return to our purpose I say therefore That 't is very probable this Presbyter Iohn resided in the Kingdom of Tanchut for he and his Successors Ruling far and wide in Asia and worthily promoting the Christian Faith those Preachers of the Word of God either being call'd or of their own accord out of zeal to advance the Christian Faith or which is more likely being compell'd by Fear and flying from the aforesaid Places in the time of that horrid Persecution which began under the Empire of Dioclesian and Maximianus in which on the Confines of Syria Egypt and the adjacent Places of Ethiopia the Followers of the Christian Doctrine were every where enquir'd and sought after to be put to most cruel Torments they sat down and Planted themselves in the middle of Persia Bactria and Turchestan and then it is altogether probable that by degrees after long Exilement arriv'd in the utmost Regions of Asia and lastly Anno 600. in the time of the Empire of Heraclius persidious and debauch'd Mahomet then rebelling new Colonies were continually transplanted into the aforesaid Regions of the East For it is manifest that the Syrian or Babylonian Priests giving place to the fury of the Infidels ceased not in succession of time to propagate the Christian Religion as the alledg'd Syriack Inscription doth clearly shew where Iidbuzad Bishop of China is call'd the Son of Noah a certain Priest of the City of Balech in the Kingdom of Turchestan as is manifest from the Syriack words above-cited and here again repeated viz-Anno 1902. Iidbuzad Priest and Vicar of the Bishop of the Regal City of Cumdan Son of Noah a Priest Native of the City Belech in the Kingdom of Turchestan Now that Turchestan is the same Region which the Persians call Usbec the beginning of Great Cathay and the City Belech seated in it is clear from the Arabian Geographer Part 8. Climate 4. Line 34. where treating concerning the Turchestians a peculiar Province of the Corafini he placeth the Situation of the City Belech not far from Samarcande the Regal Court of Great Tamberlain formerly a most famous City his words are these as they are Translated by me out of the Arabick Now this is the eighth Part of the fourth Climate and containeth a portion of the Region of Corasina from Karman even to Kasaralkamat fifteen Miles hence to Samarcande six Miles and it is the Road of those that pass from Samarcande unto the City of Belech Whence it is plainly manifest that Iidbuzad Vicar of the Bishop term'd a Syrian by Original or Descent was of the Country of Turchestan or Corasine And it is evident from the Syro-Chinesian Inscription of the Stone that many of the Region of the Pagodes and other Countries of Asia penetrated into China for the advancement of the Gospel All which we leave farther to be enquir'd after by the curious Reader And thus much shall suffice concerning the Transplanting of the Colonies in the Kingdoms of Presbyter Iohn and in China Moreover those who suppose that most of these Evangelical Persons first arriv'd in India out of Syria Egypt and Ethiopia and having converted that Country by their Labors to the Faith of Christ afterwards sent out some Colonies from amongst them into China by reason of the frequent Commerce which at that time was maintain'd by a Maritime Voyage between the Indians and Chineses have much more of certainty than any others for their Opinion And of this Expedition I shall give a clear Account in few words CHAP. II. Of Cathay and its proper and genuine Situation ALthough in the preceding Discourse we have produc'd divers Passages out of various Authors both Latins Grecians Iews Arabians and Persians concerning the Situation of Cathay yet here notwithstanding for the better elucidation and clearing of the Matter we shall declare by divers Voyages and Travels purposely alledg'd for that end what at length this Kingdom of Cathay is and where situate It is not only evident by the diligent search of the Fathers of our Society that China is the greatest part of Cathay but also it is most apparently prov'd out of Marcus Paulus Venetus for he saith That the most vast City of Cambalu or as the true pronunciation of the Tartars hath it Cambalek was the Regal Seat of the Great Cham. The Fathers of our Society say That it was no other than the modern Imperial City of China which they call Pequin or Pekin and that the vastness of the Walls made in a Quadrangular order and the incredible bigness of the City do more than sufficiently demonstrate the same Now Marcus Paulus writeth That the City of Cambalu situate near the great River was anciently very Splendid and Regal for Cambalu signifieth The City of the Lord The Great Cham remov'd this City to the other side of the River for he
one I say who rightly understandeth what I have above related concerning the Voyages of St. Thomas the Apostle which is at large handled by Osorius Bishop of Sylva who hath elegantly compil'd the Indian History Whence from these Regions even now declar'd viz. from Cabul Caphurstan Tibet and Mogul he might easily by the Bishops his Successors propagate the Sacred Gospel of Christ into the remotest Provinces and Kingdoms to the utmost Bounds of Tartary This Ortelius openly confirmeth who saith That the Kingdom of Archon situate in the utmost Angle or Corner of the North was Converted unto the Christian Faith by St. Thomas you must understand it of of his Successors so that by this Account there is no Part or Corner of the World which hath not been fill'd with the Light of the Gospel by his Care and Diligence Nicephorus also relateth in his second Book Chap. 39. That St. Philip Preach'd the Gospel in the upper Asia now the upper Asia is nothing else but that vast Space of Asia Minor which the Ancients call'd by the Name of Scythia on this side and beyond Imaus and they are all those Regions which are comprehended in the extreme Limits of the Eastern Sea and about the Caspian Sea as Georgia Iberia Albanior Micrelia Armenia and part of the Transmarine Asiatick Tartary from whence in course of Time the Gospel of our Saviour by a farther sprouting was transplanted into all the circumjacent Kingdoms as Thebet Indostan Tanchut and the like Chrysostome saith That St. Bartholomew instructed the People of the greater Armenia in the Christian Faith Sophrinus saith that he taught the Albanians and Origen that he Preach'd to the hithermost Indians Panthenus a Christian Philosopher saith That when he travell'd to the Indians he found Christianity yet flourishing by the Preaching of St. Bartholomew He that is curious to know more concerning this let him have recourse unto the History of the Armenians which they call Giarrentir that is A Book of Relations which Clemens Galanus a Canon Regular who spent many years in Armenia Georgia and the other Regions of Colchis to propagate the Christian Faith here publish'd at Rome First of all therefore the Christian Faith was introduc'd into the foremention'd Kingdoms by the Apostles Thomas Philip and Bartholomew which afterwards in course of Time being Propagated and Cultivated by their Successors very Holy Men and illuminated with the Holy Spirit diffus'd and spread the Light of the Divine Law throughout the whole East unto the great advantage of Souls until by the want of Laborers the People following a more dissolute and ill mode of Life degenerated from the Rectitude of Faith 〈◊〉 and also blemish'd and bespotted with the Rites of the Gentiles altogether fell off from the True Way for Anno 400. when by the instigation of Satan the cursed Arrius Nestorius Dioscurus and other Hereticks but especially the Nestorians had every where spread their damnable Opinions and in an horrid manner weakned the Orthodox Faith of Christ above all other Parts it infected with the Venom of its pestiferous Doctrine Colchis Armenia Persia Turchestan and the utmost Bounds of the Asiatick Tartary so that as Marcus Paulus and Haython relate there is no Place of the aforesaid Regions which it hath not defil'd Add unto this that in the Year 632. or thereabouts was the cursed rise of the Incendiary of the World Mahomet who swelling and breaking in like an Inundation over a great portion of the Earth subjected the same to his most unjust Laws whence it came to pass that the faithful Christians and more especially Persons of the Priestly Order being exil'd their Native Country by degrees forsook the Provinces of the more inward Part of of Asia either for fear of Persecution or by a voluntary Exile those that were arm'd with a zeal and desire to the House of God being inflam'd with a fervour to propagate the ancient Religion of the Orthodox Faith fled or retir'd into China it self where how much they labor'd to the advantage of the Christian Faith is plainly shew'd by the Syro-Chenesian Monument I have expounded above Now as nothing is firm and solid in Humane Affairs so also the Faith introduc'd into the foremention'd Regions now fading either through the want of Apostolical Men or the extreme degeneration of Christians tended or deflected first to Idolatry then to Mahumetanism anon to the Religion of the Nestorian Hereticks according as the lust of each Persons Genius led or drew them and this Vicissitude or Alteration of the Orthodox Faith sometimes receiv'd and sometimes being rejected continu'd more especially in the Eastern Tartary unto the Year 1252. in which as Haython the Armenian relateth who was of the Blood-Royal Haython King of Armenia his Brother Reigned until he could no longer endure the Turkish Spoilers of his Kingdom wherefore by a Divine Instinct taking a new Counsel and going in his own Person unto the Great Cham Emperor of Tartary whom Paulus Venetus calleth Cublai Cingischan who Rul'd in Tartaria and Cathay both to make a League against the Saracens and to gain the Favor of that most Potent Prince for the confirming of the Christian Commonwealth in a peaceable Estate and Condition after a tedious Voyage he arriv'd at Almalech that is Cambalu the Court of the Great Cham. The Great Cham or Cublai being much joy'd at his coming receiv'd him with great Honor and Respect as he deserv'd bestow'd on him great Presents and advis'd his Nobles to follow his Example and do the same Therefore when King Haython had rested himself some Weeks after the toil of his continual Travels he address'd himself to the Emperor and with much strength and weight of Rational Arguments open'd the Cause of his so far undertaken Voyage The Emperor having duly ponder'd the just Reasons of his Petition and greatly admiring both the Condescension of the King's Person in exposing himself to so great Labors and Danger and also considering that the Quiet of his Kingdom and the Advantage or Interest of the Christian Common-wealth was very much concern'd out of his Clemency promis'd to grant him whatsoever he should demand Haython accepting of the obsequiousness of so free an Offer Presented him in Writing several Points of his Petition which were as followeth 1. That the Great Cham would vouchsafe to embrace the Christian Faith 2. That a perpetual League of Friendship might be confirm'd between the Christians and the Tartars 3. That all the Christians both Ecclesiasticks and Laicks with their Churches might be free from all Persecution and enjoy the Immunities and Priviledges in all the Kingdoms which the Tartars had subjected to the Empire 4. That he should raise an Army to free the Holy Sepulchre of Christ from the Turkish Tyranny and also restore the Holy Land possess'd by the Saracens into the Hands of the Christians 5. That he should joyn his Forces with his to root out the most potent Caliph of Baldach 6. That he
589939 5084015 1929057 4770 3544850 420000 3. The Kingdom of Xensi 831051 3934176 2812119 9218 1514749  4. Xantung hath six Metropolitan Cities and ninety two others subject to them 770555 6759675 2414477 54990 3824290  5. The Province of Honan hath eight Metropolitan Cities and a hundred others subject to them 589296 5106270 6106960 9959 2288744  6. The Province of Sucheu 464129 2204170 2167559 6339  149177 7. Huquang hath fifteen Metropolitan Cities 531686 4833590 1616600 17977   8. Kiangsi hath thirteen Metropolitan Cities and sixty two others under them 1363629 6549800 5995034 11516   9. Nanking or Quiang hath fourteen Metropolitan Cities and under them a hundred others 1969116 9967429 2510299 28452 5804217 5808217 10. Chekiang hath eleven great Cities and sixty two others subject unto them It abounds in Silk 1242135 4525470 883115 2574 8704491 44476◠11. Fokien hath eight Metropolitan Cities and unto them forty eight others 509200 1802677 1017772 600   12. Quantung vulgarly Canton hath ten Metropolitan Cities unto which are subject seventy three 483360 1978022 1017772   37380 13. Quangsi hath twelve Metropolitan Cities and subject to these above a hundred others 186719 1054760 431359    14. Queicheu hath eight Metropolitan Cities and to these ten other are subject 45305 231365 47658   56965 15. Iunnan hath twelve Metropolitans and underthem eighty four Cities 132958 1433110 1400568    CHAP. III. Of the Cities of China and the Customs of the Inhabitants FAther Martinius Samedus Trigautius and Gruberus Eye-witnesses relate That the Empire of China is so full of Inhabitants the Towns and Villages so contiguous that did the Wall reach the South Sea it might deservedly be term'd but one City but there are Metropolitans and Chief Cities of Provinces to the number of a hundred and fifty and of those of the inferior rank a thousand two hundred sixty two all fortifi'd with Walls Works and Trenches besides there are Castles Corporation-Towns Villages and Granges without number The Cities for the most part are built four-square Their Houses generally are Wood and not above one Story poor and rude without but within very splendid each House is bound to affix a Shield upon the Door containing the number of Inhabitants and of what Condition each Person is to the end the Mandorins may know how many Persons every City contains for the avoiding of Seditions and to gather in the Revenues by which means it cannot be thought strange that if Foreiners come into China they are discover'd their Landlords being oblig'd under the infliction of a severe Penalty not to conceal them The Mechanick Arts are in great esteem amongst them and they so manage them that they suffer not the vilest Dross to perish but convert it to some Gain The Learned apply themselves unto no other Sciences but Politick and Moral They know not the Name of the Scholastick and Speculative Discipline which is wonderful in a Nation that aboundeth with Ingenious Persons yet their Physicians by Tradition are endow'd with an admirable knowledge of the Palsie by which with incredible Industry they find out the most Latent Causes of Diseases and then apply for Cure their proper Remedies But in the Arts anvil'd out by modern Curiosity as Architecture Sculpture and Weaving if you except the knowledge of Proportions and the Opticks they come not behind the Europeans For their other Acquirements see what I have said in the preceding Discourse and he that desireth more full Information may have recourse to the above-cited Authors CHAP. IV. Of the Mountains of China and the stupendious Prodigies of Nature which are observ'd in them ALthough in this Empire Mountains are so numerous yet the greatest are the continual Theme and Argument of their Studies for what our Astrologers perform by the Celestial Houses they make out by the Terrestrial Hills But amongst their many Enquiries by Terrene Calculations after their good and bad Fortunes there is nothing they more labor in than the Business of their Sepulture about which they spare no Cost or Pains not only observing with no small scrutiny the Summits Tops and Superficies but also making subtle Inspections into the very Bowels of the Mountains to find a fortunate Spot of Ground which they fancy to resemble the Head Tail or Heart of the Dragon which done they joyfully conclude they have found a Place in which the Person Interr'd shall be happy and his Posterity successful which Opinion I believe to have been inculcated by some grave Philosopher to advance a filial Piety to the deceased Parents and more special care of the honor of Funerals Now the Mountains of China are for the most part encompass'd with great Villages pleasant for most beautiful Sepulchral Monuments Chases and Groves and a waving Sea of Rice makes them like a Plain which when Groves and Woods do smile with their Summer Attire renders a most pleasant Prospect the Chappels plac'd on them excelling for Magnitude and Splendor there are also the Monasteries of the Priests but yet in the thick and overgrown Woods liveth a barbarous Nation not yet subjected to the Chineses Many things are observ'd in these Mountains which if true may be deservedly accounted amongst the Miracles of Nature Some by reason of their immense heighth have a perpetual Serenity on their Tops others are cover'd with a continual dark Mantle of ambient thick Mists there are some which triumph only with wholsom Plants exiling all venomous Weeds In the Mountain Queyu both small and great Stones are found in a cubical or four-square Figure which are also in one of the Mountains of Calabria of which we have treated in our Book of the Subterranean World The Mountain Paoki in the Province of Xensi hath the Figure of a Cock who on the approach of a Storm sendeth forth such Murmurs and Rorings as may be heard at a great distance and Olaus Magnus in his History of the Northern Reigons saith That such monstrous Sounds happen in the Mountains of the Botnick Sea That is also worthy of admiration which the Chinesian Oreoscopists relate concerning the Mountain Cio That on the top of it there is a Stone five Perches high and another also in the Kingdom of Fokien which as often 〈◊〉 a Storm is near tottereth and is moved hither and thither as Cypress 〈◊〉 shaken by the Winds There is another Mountain continually cover'd with Frost the cause of which may be conjectur'd to be the Nitrous Spirits which the Mountain together with the Vapors of the Watry Receptacles therein laid up perspireth There is a Mountain in the Province of Kiangsi which hath two Tops the uppermost of which resembles a Dragon seeming to stoop fiercely at the lower Spire which appeareth like a Rampant Tyger from whose various Aspects the Priests make many Rules of Divination for their Disciples Another Mountain by its seven tops configureth the seven Stars in the Constellation of the Greater Bear But the