Title of Highness to the meanest Souldier in the Army and as for the Viceroys they dignified them with the stile of Majesty nay Divinity if they pleased Whenever any of these Commanders went through the City always some of their Guard cried out aloud to the people Have you submitted your selves to the great Emperour of Tartary The Chineses repeated several times We have most readily submitted and testified their submission with all the demonstrations they could possibly invent And if the meanest Souldier had met in the streets any Chinese though he was a person of he highest quality in the City he treated him like a Slave or a Porter and presently made him carry his Baggage and without any authority but force and a Tartarian insolence he compelled the Chinese to do the most servile and vilest drudgeries and that most patiently But alas what a cutting and desperate trial was this of the patience of these miserable persons For the Chineses especially the persons of Quality are so nice so averse to any thing of labour or toil and so prone to vilifie and contemn others that nothing so much pierced them as these unheard of Insolencies After that the Viceroys had taken care for the government of the City by the establishing of several Magistrates who were under their authority to render Justice to the people they thought it further convenient to distribute amongst the people several little Tickets of coloured Paper about the breadth of two fingers in which were writ in Chinese Characters these words People subjected to the Emperour of Tâ—â—rtary All persons might securely pass and go where they pleased by the protection of these Tickets which were as it were so many Declarations of submission and subjection which they were obliged to have always in a readiness in their hands or fastned upon their Cloaths There were other Tickets of a different form for persons of higher quality these were four square about a hands breadth in which were writ the same words but in larger Characters and these were not of Paper but of some kind of Stuffe The Souldiers much respected these Tickets especially the latter which was all the priviledge the great and most considerable persons of the City had After they had thus setled all things there remained nothing now but to secure the person of him who was crowned King of Canton Till now the Viceroys contented themselves with the knowledge that he was still in the City for they had placed so strict a Guard that neither this Prince nor any other Chinese could possibly escape but now they did with all diligence search out for him menacing all persons who concealed him any longer with death and by this means he was discovered to them by those who had been his greatest Confidents and had not till now deserted him Assoon as the Tartars had seized him they instantly cut off his Head This was the Catastrophe of this great Monarch who reigned only four and forâ—â—y days A short glory to have cost so dear but at this rate are the Vanities of this Life esteemed of and there will never be want of those who will yet most ambitiously court them After this they put to death all who were discovered with him and till then had adhered to him Their crime was only that they durst yet retain some Loyalty for their Prince and for this the Tartarian policy condemned them to death A barbarous and cruel policy which renders those more criminal who practise it than those whom it condemns All things began now to be setled in their usual method under the government of the Tartars and those they employed under them having turned out changed and reformed the ancient Mandorins These new Masters of Canton began now to apply themselves to repair the dammages which the Fire had done to the Buildings of the City and the Fury and rage of the Souldiers to the neighbouring places And now they took under their consideration the restoring and securing the ancient commerce by encouraging all Tradesmen and Workmen to apply themselves to their ordinary Trades and Employments that all persons for the future might for the publick necessity and benefit follow their usual Vocations There remained yet several Cities and places in that Province to be reduced under the power of the Victor That province contains several great Cities the most considerable of which after Canton are Xaochin Xuochen Nanchium and Hochiâ—â—heu The Tartars as their custom is sent to summon them all to submit voluntarily and peaceably or else they gave them to understand they would send an Army to besiege them and then they must expect no Quarter Upon these Summons the greatest part not staying for compulsion did readily yield themselves up but some put themselves in a posture of defence whereby they did not advantage themselves and were subdued in a very short time Those who resisted quickly learn'd that they had much better have complied with the times and have prevented even the Summons to Obedience and Submission for either voluntarily or by violence they saw they must of necessity come under the subjection of a new Master If they did but refuse to pay obedience to the Summons they were presently surrounded and the Fields all covered over with innumerable Troops which made them soon feel the rigour of those penalties with which they had been menaced for the most barbarous and insolent of the whole Army presently cast themselves into that party which came against them and were headed with Commanders not less averse to desolation and destruction neither Honour Justice nor fear of punishment could put any bounds to their Rage and Fury Those who stood upon their defence must resolve to suffer most direful calamities By these means they compleated the entire Conquest of the whole province except the City of Xaochin which as yet could not resolve to submit to so cruel a Dominion CHAP. XI At Xaochin the Chinese stand upon their Defence Gueqan King of Quansâ—â— comes into that City He goes and meets the Tartars he fights and routs them A Division amongst the Chineses They are defeated in another fight and their City Xaochin taken THe City of Xaochin is eminent above all the places of China by being the first which is known to have worsted the Tartars The Inhabitants had the resolution not only to defend themselves but to go and meet the Enemy before he approached their Walls and compelled him to retreat after they had routed and defeated him in open field The City Xaochin is distant from Canton about three days journey it is very spatious and strong both by its situation and by several Works and Fortifications which made it very tenable It is situated in the furthest parts of the province of Canton upon the Confines of Quansi which was the last province which remained unconquered of fifteen into which the Empire of China is divided There was in the province of Quansi two Kings newly Crowned both of
City which did so unseasonably declare it self was quickly sensible both of its Errour and Misfortune The Thief whom they had acknowledged for their King plaid the Thief still He only now robbed these miserable and unfortunate people with greater authority for he pretended they were obliged to support his Grandeur and now he designes if he can to rob the Tartars for this intent he treats with them and covenants to sell them his Crown and his whole State the City of Huchicheu he comes and renders up himself to the Viceroy of Civil Affairs who governed that province in the absence of the Viceroy of Military Affairs and resignes up to him his Regal Ornaments and was by the Viceroy received with all the Honour and Favour he could expect The honourable reception which the Tartar gave to this person who came and thus rendred up himself induced a Prince of the Blood Royal to take a Resolution to treat for the like accommodation for himself He had concealed himself in the Province and had refused all Ensignes of his Royal Dignity though he merited them much better than the King of Huchicheu He preferred the Crown of a Bonzi by which he did some time disguise his Quality for he was acknowledged by the whole Nation for a Prince of the Royal Family But seeing with what danger the Regal Dignity was attended he was not much ambitious of it He withdrew himself into the City of Canton and there stayed till the Tartars drew very near it then he judged it more secure to retire himself elsewhere and went and placed himself in the Monastery of the Bonzi by whom he was very kindly received These Chinese Monks seemed much moved at his Misfortune and promised to conceal him with all the secrecy he could wish for And to this intent they cut off his hair leaving him only a Circle round his head which is that which I called his Crown which I said he preferred before all others and then they put on him the Habit of a Bonzi this is the name of several miserable persons whom the Devil deludes and prevailes with them to retire themselves into solitary places that they may there pay the greater honour to their Idols In one of these Monasteries this Prince had now lived concealed and the Bonzi proved very faithful to him none of them offering to discover him to the Tartars but he was not secure from fears and perpetual Alarms He believ'd a Secret could not long be kept amongst so many of the Bonzi for in some of these Monasteries there are sometimes five hundred or a thousand persons and the greatest part of these kind of persons are not too much to be trusted or relied upon though they make such an extraordinary profession of Virtue and Sanctity This Prince therefore having heard that the Viceroy was a person of so much Honour and so punctual to his word resolves after he had first treated with him by some of his Friends to go and render up himself to him This he did and the Viceroy failed not to receive him with all the Honour he could wish for But all this kind reception did not secure him that no attempt would be made upon his person for till now the Tartars had put to death all the Princes of the Blood Royal of China whom they could discover It is true there was not any yet who relying upon their Parole had delivered up himself to them and perhaps upon this consideration they thought fit that they might better secure him only to conduct him safe into Tartary but he was still in hazard some time or other to lose his life that they might be out of all fear of him a strange Justice which makes a man criminal because those of the same Blood with him have been so unfortunate as to lose their Empire and Lives CHAP. XIII The State and Condition of the Portuguezes of Macao They had continued Neuters between the Chineses and the Tartars Their Fear lest the Victors should make some Attempt upon their City They are better treated than they expected BEfore we leave the Shore of China to see what the Rebels did who had taken Sea I judge it convenient to give some account what was then the state and condition of the Portuguezes of Macao This is a place of which they are possessed in China and is one of the best and wealthiest Plantations they have in all the Indies The City of Macao is situated in an Island some fourscore Miles distant from Canton threescore of which are gone upon a large and beautiful River and the other twenty by Sea Macao is suffâ—â—ciently known by the Relations of those who have made several Voyages thither from divers places in Europe But perhaps it may not be unacceptable to have a Relation how the Inhabitants behaved themselves in this great Change of the Government of that State on which they must alwayes on necessity have dependance The City of Macao cannot subsist but by keeping peace and a good intelligence with China and with the Ruler in chief whosoever he be for besides the great advantage and profit they make by their Commerce thither which occasioned the building it about a hundred years ago and hath since enlarged and enriched it it can have no provisions for its subsistance but from China so that if no Army should besiege it and none should come to scale undermine the wals thereof yet of necessity they must perish if the Chineses would but have the patience to reduce it by want of Necessaries Macao is built upon a heap of Rocks the Fields Vineyards and Olive-Gardens and whatever places else furnish it with necessary provisions are in China All must come from thence and it can no ways receive from any place else those things it stands in need of for its daily subsistance Therefore for all these Reasons the Portuguezes did very discreetly manage their Affairs with the Chineses And it concerned them to be very prudent and circumspect to keep fair so long with a Nation which is not to be parallell'd in the whole world for diffidence and distrust yet the Portuguezes lived so well with these people that they were as well esteemed of as the Chineses themselves and they are the only Strangers with whom the Chineses could ever be prevailed with to have any dealings or confidence But so great was the Friendship which the Chineses have shewed to those of Macao that it had almost quite ruined the Town for divers times they have been just upon declaring themselves in favour of the Chineses against the Tartars yet during the late War they alwayes kept themselves in a Neutrality having considered what danger they had formerly run by being willing to succour the Chineses against so potent Enemies which is manifest by the ancient Relations from China But in this general revolution the peril was infinite greater for all those persons who had caused themselves to be crowned the Kings of
now either gain all or lose all we cannot hereafâ—â—er be greater Rebels than we are already therefore let us dispatch with all expedition the Conquest of the other ten Provinces of China now that we have made five Provinces â—â—eel the power of our Swords but most assuredly when we shall have subdued the rest none will be so audacious and rash as to dare to call us Rebels or Vsurpers Rebels if victorious cease to be Rebels and become the right and lawful Lords and Masters What therefore now remains but that I either make my self the Soveraign Monarch of all China or lose my Life in these Fields and there become a prey to the Birds of the Air and Beasts of the Field Yhere is nothing in all this spatious Empire can gratifie me but either a Throne or a Grave and I will advance my self to such a pitch of Grandeur that if I fall it shall be with such a Crack as shall shiver the whole Frame of Government and bury the whole Empire under my Ruines Thus Ly spake to his Followers who were entirely devoted to him and resolving to run the same Fortune wiâ—â—h him they desired nothing so much as to follow him in whatsoever great attempts he should please to embrace finding his Souldiers thus resolute he speedily entred upon a most bold and hazardous Desâ—â—gn but of high importance for the speedy accomplishment of his Pretensions This was to go directly against the very person of the Emperour and with all his Forces to assault the Imperial Court and Capital City of the Empire fully determining to strike off the Emperours Head and to place the Crown upon his own By this eminent Exploit he knew he should possess himself of the Kings Treasure which would highly strengthen his Party and besides cut off all poweâ—â— from any of the Royal Family to raise any Forces or to head any who should yet have any sparks of Loyalty in their Breasts To execute this grand Attempt he must make himself Master of the great City of Pequin where all the Court resided But he could not hope to do this by open force and therefore resolved to do it by Stratagem and so to surprize the Town that the Thunder-clap should be felt before the Noise was heard By this sudden Surprize he would not leave the Emperour time to prepare either for his Defence or Flight Otherwise it would have been very difficult for Ly with all the Force he could have raised so suddenly to have reduced this great City For besides the vast extent of Pequin it was very well fortified and in time of peace was guarded with 80000 of the Emperours best Souldiers The Imperial Palace alone is above two Miles in circumference and defended with two or three Walls with their Ditches and Bulwarks which are all distinct the one from another and which cannot be taken but separately one after the other the Guard hereof was intrusted to the choicest Militia of the whole Empire Ly foresaw all these difficulties which he judged so great that he despaired of surmounting them but by open violence and therefore resolved rather to make use of secret Intelligence and Correspondency for without fraud and treachery he could never have vanquished all the Obstacles to this grand Design To this intent he had already by Presents and fair promises bribed several of the Grandees of the Court and Council and by these means found it not difficult to engage them in his Interests A strange thing that when there was not any one person of the common people either in City or Court who could be drawn into this Treason several of the Magistrates and Officers of the Court made themselves a detestable example by entering into a Conspiracy against the State the person of their Prince The chief of the Conspirators were the Eunuches of the Imperial Palace who were then very potent considerable in the Court The Emperour of China presumed much upon the trust and fidelity of these persons thus to entrust with them the Guard of his person and the Government of his State By this we may perceive in what condition those States are who have no Nobility amongst them I mean no persons who inheriting the Dignities and Grandeur of their Ancestors do receive Principles of Loyalty to their Soveraign at the same moment they receive the first Principle of their Life There are some things which men can never acquire by study though they apply themselves to it assiduously but they must descend to uâ—â— from the Bloud and Virtue of our Progenitors else these studied Duties which come not to us by Nature arâ—â— but of a short continuance nor much to be relied on The Tyrant after he had by the assistance of the Officers and Eunuchs oâ—â— the Court thus laid his treasonable design he sent into the Imperial City oâ—â— Pequin several of his most trusty valiant Commanders disguised like Merchants with Instructions to keep opeâ—â—shop and to expose to Sale several ricâ—â— Merchandises These counterfeit Merchants were never suspected to be greaâ—â— Commanders and their Apprenticeâ—â— and Servants choice Souldierâ—â— It concerned them though to mind theiâ—â— Trade for upon that depended the purchase of the greatest Empire in the world and they which put it to Sale were those which were most of all obliged to preserve and defend it When the Bargain was thus made and Earnest mutually given those in the City and Court who kept intelligence with the Tyrant failed not by several pretexts to lessen the Guards and to weaken the Strength of the place as much as lay in their power Thus in a little time the Treason broke out all of a sudden to the great Disorder and Astonishment as may easily be imagined of all the Inhabitants who were not privy to the Conspiracy For whilst they were uncertain what Resolution to take they were under the power and at the mercy of their Enemies Ly presently appeared and found the Gates of the Town open and his men victorious in the Conquest of this great City before he could attaque it See the Success of this Rebel who in so short a time made himself master of several Provinces This of Pequin the principal of the whole Empire was the Sixth now under his Subjection CHAP. II. The Dâ—â—ath of the Emperour Zunchin and of all the Royal Family The Tartar resolves to oppose the Vsurper and to advance his ancient Pretension to the Empire of China THE Emperour Zunchin did not perceive the deplorable condiâ—â—ion of his State till it was not in his power to remedy it He knew full well that the rage of his Enemies would not only take from â—â—im by violence his â—â—mpire and Crown but his Life also He perceived that the Plot was laid from that very time that his Counsellors advised him not to raise Forces nor send Money nor Recruits to those Commanders who guarded the Frontiers He might then have put a stop to the progress of the
alwaies in a Sedan or Litter where he is as it were shut up in a Crystal Cage he pretends that it is thereby to command the greater respect and veneration from his Subjects not that he is affraid to be seen The Answer which this Prince returned to Icoan's Embassadors was this That his Highness never treated but with Kings his Equals That if Zunchin the Lawful Soveraign of China had asked Aid from him when his Occasions required it he should have sent a considerable number of his best Souldiers to his Relief That he should have been as readily disposed to have done the like had any Prince his Legitimate Successors demanded Succour from him but upon the importunity of any particular person he could not grant it That his weighty Councils were taken up with the Considerations of the Affairs of Kings and that they well merited the Addresses of Kings The Answer of the Emperour of Iapan was not so unreasonable but Icoan did not expect that he would have so much stood upon his Grandeur with him and was not inclinable to make use of any other Applications lest thereby he should debase himself in the esteem of the Grandees of his Court He pretended that he ought to be considered as the pillar and support of the Empire of China and that he might well take upon him thus to speak in the name of the whole State at that time when he was as it were the Life and Soul of it Therefore he resolved to have no more to do with the Emperour of Iapan and all his thoughts were now wholly busied to put those Forces he had at home in readiness to receive the Tartars Who when they had understood the resolution of Icoan saw that it concerned them to lose no time but with all expedition to push on their Victory in the carrying on of which it was necessary for them to employ prudence as well as force In the first place therefore they judged it convenient to take care better to secure to themselves the City of Nanquin And this they did by constituting a Superior Authority to that of the Mandorin who was Viceroy ordering the Cham's Unkle who had conquered these six Provinces to reside with his whole Court in that City And that he might appear with greater Lustre and be more absolute they gave him the Title of King Thus the City of Nanquin which had been formerly the Court and Residence of the Kings of China returns now to the Court of a Tartarian King But yet itnever appeared that this Prince who had the title of King had greater Authority than if he had been only Viceroy and perhaps there was some Mistake in the Relation and that really he was only Viceroy The Sequel will clear this Point which to me seems considerable The Council of State to the young Xunchi did do two things of great importance by the establishment of this Prince at Nanquin The first was by limiting the great power of the Chinese Mandorin who was a very subtil and able Statesman The second was by constituting the Cham's Unkle King in this great City they did thereby honourably withdraw him from the Command of the Army that he might remit to a new Commander the conquest of the three last Provinces They knew that the War which they were now entring upon was more rough and difficult than any they had been yet engaged in Therefore though this Prince was valiant and successful yet because there was a younger Unkle to the Cham called Pelipaouan who was more considerable in the Army and more knowing in Martial Affairs they judged it very important to empower this latter with the Command in chief of the Army I could not learn the Name of the Cham's Unkle first here mentioned but as for this Pelipaouan he was a great Hero amongst the Tartars who did unanimously declare that the Emperour his Nephew ought to acknowledge the conquest of China to his Valour and Prudence He it was who was chiefly employed to inspire Valour into the young Emperour and to animate him to these great Enterprizes By the Tartars he was stiled the Conquerour of China which Title he thought he had well merited by the share he had in the Conquest To this Pelopaouan was committed the remaining Expedition that is to say the Reduction of the 3 last Provinces in which the War was likely to be more rough than it had been in the others both because the Countrey was very Mountainous and there was likewise a powerful Army of experienced Souldiers fully resolved to make a resolute Defence The Prince did with great joy receive his Commission and Instructions As there was nothing he desired more passionately than to answer and maintain the Fame of his Valour so nothing so much satisfied him as to see that he was made choice of to carry on the conquest there where the Victory was most difficult And as for all the difficulties and obstacles he only made a sport of them In the beginning of the year 1646 he marched into the Field at the head of an Army of two hundred thousand men all choice Souldiers for there was an emulation amongst all â—â—he Troops who should serve under this Prince He had fifty thousand Horse and a hundred and fifty thousand Foot He had a Train of Artillery of five hundred peeces of Ordnance with a suitable proportion of Ammunition and all other provisions for so great an Enterprize Amongst several Armies of the Tartars which had ravaged the State of China there had been many as numerous but never any composed of such choice and stout men as those whom Pelipaouan commanded and it concerned the Tartars now to employ his best men As for the number of men which the Emperour of China and General Icoan had under their command it is not certainly known But without all scruple there was in those Provinces above a Million of armed men those who were at Sea not being included in the number for besides the old standing Troops and the Souldiery which appertained to Icoan in particular there was an incredible number of men retired thither out of the other Provinces Pelipaouan entred first into the province of Foquien where he expected to meet with the greatest Obstacles in the narrow passages of the Mountains The Prince who had been there crowned had for six Moneths enjoyed the splendid Grandeur of his Royalty Icoan the General of his Armies was likewise there attending on him with his choicest Troops Both the Armies quickly joyned and engaged The numbers and the particularities of the Combats and Battels which were then â—â—ought are not remarked in the Relation But both parties being more than ordinarily animated against each other it is easie to imagine that there were many eminent Exploits performed on each side Pelipaouan spent a whole year in subduing this province He was confirmed that he had not done amiss in having so briskly begun the War whilst his men were fresh and in
person and fitter to command he endeavoured all he could possible to cherish in the people the esteem they had of the young Emperour's Indulgency and Clemency This province being nearer to Macao from whence the Relations came to Manila and from thence were dispersed into other parts hath been the occasion that we have been more exactly informed of all the most remarkablâ—â— passages in the reduction hereof And therefore by observing what manner of Defence the Chineses here made the truer measure may be taken of the Valour and Martial Exploits or rather of the ill Condâ—â—ct and little Resolution of that Nation But from the hard usage with which the Tartars treated these people it must not be concluded that they made the like waste and spoil in the other provinces for this part of China being very remote from the Court and person of the Emperour Xunchi notwithstanding all the care and precautions of this Prince it was not possible to retain the Souldiery under exact Discipline They were not now paid as heretofore but that they might subsist their General a violent and rash man by his own example instructed them in all manner of Licentiousness And this is the true reason that the desolation in the Southern provinces was beyond comparison greater than in the other parts of the Empire The numerous Army which General Ly commanded began to march out of their Quarters the beginning of Ianuary 1647. And it being the custom of the Tartars to fall on with all their force upon the Capital City of the province all the several Troops Rendezvouzed the 19th of the same Moneth within half a days Journey of the City of Canton It is easie to imagine what a General Consternation there then was But that we may observe how fondly ambitious men are of the Title of King we must here remarque that in this City which could expect nothing but to be quickly reduced under the Dominion of the Tartars a new Prince of the Bloud-Royal had in the preceding Moneth of Deâ—â—ember caused himself to be Crowned Emperour of China though he had but lately seen that several far more powerful Princes than himself had purchased their own destruction by assuming to themselves the Royal Dignity yet he could not Master the impatient desire he had to be stiled Emperour His whole State was circumscribed in the Walls of that City and all his Revenues and Treasury consisted only in vain Expectations A Moorish King â—â—f Cordiva once said Let me reign today though I die to morrow and that was the Destiny not only of that Moor but of this Chinese The pride of men must strangely blind and bewitch them to make them imagine it so great a felicity to die with their Brows encircled in a Royal Diadem This great Emperour of Canton had under him several Souldiers but ill armed and as ill paid They were all fully resolved to flie from the Tartars before they ever engaged in the defence of their Prince It is true that they had been in several Skirmishes and had always come off safe but it was because they took care to secure themselves by running away and without doubt they had reserved themselves for this last time See what Forces this Emperour had of whose Name the Relation takes no notice his Victories having never sufficiently signalized him As for the City of Canton it is said to have been very well fortified and the vast Riches which were in it made the Tartars earnestly wish that it would make some resistance that they might thereby be licensed by the Law of Arms to pillage it They knew there was a great commerce of all Nations that several Merchants even of Europe had their Magazines and Factories there They pleased themselves with the hopes of the rich plunder they should have if so strong a City should make any opposition There were then two hundred thousand Inhabitants in it who were defended with two strong Walls which were well flanked with Towers and Bulwarks and fortified with several Out-works in a very good condition of Defence and furnished with great store of Cannon well fixed It concerned them to defend a King whom they had newly crowned who had Souldiers enough under him and though a great part of them were Run-aways yet certainly he could not but have a considerable number of men knowing and experienced in Martial Affairs And besides all this the Town was scituated upon a great Riâ—â—er and at the very foot of the Walls there was a very powerful Fleet of strong Ships well armed and â—â—ufficiently provided both with Men and Ammunition Finally there was in the City of Canton both Men Arms Ammunition and Provisions and all things necessary to hold out a long siege And yet notwithstanding all these advantages which might make a Town impregnable only twenty Tartars made themselves Masters of it these were some Light-Horsmen who had advanced themselves before the Army and these alone took possession of the vast City of Canton Certainly this is not to be parallell'd in any History The Army of the Tartars made a halt half a dayes journey from the Town when these twenty Horsemen advanced themselves upon this great Design for there the Souldiers are not under so exact a Discipline and stay not as in other parts for the word of command They went up to the very gates of the old Town which they found open and presently entred in and rid through all the Streets till they came to the new City where they did the like They only let flie some Arrows here and there to strike a terrour in the people and cried out to them that they should not stir for the whole Body of the Tartars were at the Gates but that they need fear nothing if they were quiet and peaceable The Rumour of the approach of the Tartarian Army was scarce divulged in the Town when the greatest part of the Souldiers instead of putting themselves in a posture of defence abandoned their Stations and quit their Arms. These Braves would no longer now endure any Mark or Badge of their Profession but plucked off quickly their Coats lined with yellow which is the usual Habit of the Souldiers there and having flung away their Arms went and thrust themselves into the crowd of the common people The Emperour of Canton remained all alone in his Palace without any Guard but that of his Wives and Concubines and some few Eunuchs goodly Troops to dispute for victory with the Tartars And in this extremity his Exchequer was so empty and his Credit so low that having occasion for about some six hundred pound sterling he could not find so much in all his Coffers nor in the Pockets of all his Courtiers This small number of the Tartars run about all the streets and places of the City without meeting for a long time with any person who offered so much as to make them stand At last some Chineses drew together and surrounded four of them who were
the most negligent in standing upon their Guard and having seized them they carried them to their Emperour who assoon as he saw them ascended upon his Throne and sentenced them to be executed in his presence This was all the Blood which the Tartars here lost and at this easie rate they purchased the Defeat of the Emperour of Canton and the Surprizal of this vast City There was not any of the Inhabitants who did in the least think of the defence of the City all their thoughts were taken up in contriving how to save their Lives as well as they could And for this intent the wealthiest and chiefest persons of the City judged their greatest security would be in disguising themselves like poor Folkes and in this Equipage to thrust themselves into the crowd of the distressed and miserable people God be praised that it sometimes happens that the rich envy the condition of the poor for both Friends and Foes alwayes design upon the Wealthy and it was at these which the Tartars aimed and therefore it the more concerned them to conceal themselves As for the poor they had nothing to lose and therefore might very securely stay in their houses It was some satisfaction to them that they could now laugh at the Fortune of the rich who had so often derided their Misery It was little available to those who were very wealthy to have been so sollicitous to disguise themselves The malice of the common people would not let slip so fair an opportunity to revenge themselves by letting these persons know who it was the Tartars searched for The Populace cried out in all parts Let these Villains come and shew themselves Let these Thieves and Robbers who have sold their Prince that they might heap up such vast Wealth unto themselves come now and enrich the Tartars therewith let them now aâ—â—compt with their new Masters They have for a long time oppressed and abused us but they shall now fare no better than we they shall be now no greater Lords than we are Shall they be poor only in disguise and we miserable in reality Shall they have ruined us and shall we save them c. The Army of the Tartars came before the Town towards the Evening and was not a little surprized and astonished to find the Gates opâ—â—n as if it were not an Enemies Town The Tartars went and took up their Quarters where they best pleased rested themselves and slept very securely no body offering to disturb them or so much as ask who they were or what they came for The General and Lord chief Justice went and lodged themselves in the old Palace of the Viceroys of the Emperours of China and were as well accommodated as if they were in their own Houses Thus the King of Canton was dispossessed of his whole State the four and fortieth day of his Reign which he resolved not long to outlive And therefore assoon as he saw himself abandoned by his Subjects he went and seated himself upon his Imperial Throne with as severe and grave an aspect as became his Royal Dignity This may represent to our view the Roman Senators when Brennus and the Gauls sacked Rome In this condition this poor Prince expressed himself to this effect The Tartars are possessed of my City and my Subjects have abandoned me what can I now expect but death But I will die like a King I am mounted upon the Throne and upon the Throne I will end my days Here I will have the satisfaction at the same time to cast a viâ—â—w upon my short Prosperity and to face my present Adversity Here I will attend and see how Heaven shall please to dispose of me I make no resistance against its Decrees I patiently submit to its Ordinances c. Some of his Wives whom he had loved the most tenderly that they might testifie their passion to him killed themselves in his presence a strange effect of Love that should make hatred to our selves transcend our Love As for the King he staid upon the Throne till night but then he waâ—â— no longer minded to tarry there for death either Fear or Drowsiness made him descend He had reason not to persist in acting so serious and grave a part when all his Gravity was so soon likely to terminate but whatever he did he could not long escape his Enemies who searched too diligently for him not to discover him quickly This same night a great Chinesâ—â— Fleet of strong Ships came from Sea up the Channel to the very City and brought a very considerable Relief but they were so mad and surprized to find that the Tartars were Masters of it that they assisted to consummate the ruine of it for they were so enraged both against the common Enemy who was possessed of the City and the Inhabitants who had so cowardly delivered it up that they fet fire to that part of Canton which was called the New City and was the most beautiful of the whole Town The Fire catched so fast upon the Houses which were only built of Timber that they were in a very short time consumed in the flames It is said the Fire was so great that in the Old City which was four Miles distant from this one might see all that night as clear as if it had been Noon-day Some believed it was the Tartars which set fire on the City and after laid the blame upon the Chinese Fleet But there is little probability that the Victors would deprive themselves of the fruit of their Victory by reducing the best part of this great City into Ashes They had not as yet began to sack the Town which they fully resolâ—â—ed to do not mattering whether they could or could not justifie their intended Act. The Fleet after they had fired the City and though it was night had by the brightness of the Flames shewn themselves they tacked about and sailed away and by morning it was discernable to what a deplorable condition the Fire had reduced the greatest part of that City The Sequel of these Disorders was the beginning of those outragious Violences and horrible Oppressions by which the Tartars have since quite ruined and desolated those once so flourishing Provinces They did now no longer shew any observance to the Orders and Prohibitions of the Emperour Xunchi It was one of the Injunctions of this Prince that those Towns and Places which made no resistance neither within nor without the Walls should receive no ill usage but that only a Tartarian Governour should be placed there with some Troops if it was judged necessary to keep a Garrison there that he might be able by force of Arms to reduce and chastise the Inhabitants should they offer to revolt The City of Canton had not made the least resistance and of all the Cannon which were placed upon the walls there was not one Gun fired As for the death of those four Tartars who had so rashly hazarded themselves perhaps the Viceroy was
believed that the two Kings last mentioned were Mandorins who after they had scraped all the Money they could possibly from the people upon pretext of making warlike preparations finding their Extortions would be no longer suffered thought themselves necessitated to cry and stand up for liberty They thought they could not better stop the complaints of the poor people but by declaring that they were ready to sacrifice themselves for to defend their Countrey and revenge themselves of the Tyrant and for this they offer'd to hazard their persons and their Fortunes but that they might be better enabled to serve their Countrey they must be Crowned Kings of China to which the people readily assented and now instead of Complaints there was nothing heard but Applauses and Acclamations But these Impostors did not much consider either their Countrey or Liberty when they saw how rashly they had engaged in a business which surpassed their ability to manage they quickly abandoned their Crowns They considered not only how to benefit themselves by their Royal Dignity by abandoning it to the Tartar and deserting those who had declared them their Protectors It is not to be wondred that this miserable Nation should amidst such Treacheries and Deceits be so ruined The Reign of these two Monarchs was not of a much longer continuance than in that Countrey a Comedy is acting and these did not play their parts ill They recollected together all they had pillaged which made up a very rich Booty and then retired themselveâ—â— being loaden with the spoil of those whom they had not only oppressed but sold to their Enemies Able and subtil Knaves know how to disentangle themselves out of any troublesom affair and it is only weak and innocent persons who are miserable in this world The other Kings Guequan and Sinhianuan who were Princes of the Blood Royal though in a very remote degree related to the last Emperour continued more faithful to their Countrey being endowed with more generous souls they resolved to run the same hazard both of Life and Death with those who had acknowledged them for their Kings Against these 2 Sovereigns the Tartar now marches He was already entred into the province of Quansi and in a little time possessed himself of the great City Vecheu It made some resistance but as it usually did it proved very fatal to those who undertook its defence The City was sacked and pillaged but the Tartar spared as much as he could the Lives of the Inhabitants because they had not very obstinately resisted so that if any Murder was committed it was only by some Accidents which are unavoidable in a Town which is sacked and that by Barbarians From hence the Tartars passed to the other Cities in that Province in which there was none which did not instantly upon the appearance of the Tartars open their Gates They made the more hast to submit because it was reported that another Army of the Tartars was entred into the Neighbouring Provinces and advanced with all speed towards them These were Supplies which were sent to recruit and strengthen the Army which they had heard was defeated before Xaochin But the Viceroy sent now orders to the General of that Army to retreat back into the Province whither he was commanded before for he had no occasion for these new Forces those he had being sufficient to compleat the entire Conquest of that Province had it been greater than it was The General upon the Receipt of these Orders marched another way with his Army I must here take notice that there was a Rumour that since that Guequan was again entred into the Field had obtained a new Victory over the Tartars and retaken the City of Vecheu in which the Viceroy then was after which he pursued him so close that he obliged him to retreat to the very Borders of the Province where he staid expecting Relief that he might be able to regain what he had lost I could not possibly learn the truth of this Story and therefore it is the less to be credited But however it was it is most certain that Pelipaouan had sent very great Supplies both of Horse and Foot and that upon the Rumour of the Resistance which was there made so great a number of Tartars ran thither that it is little likely the Chineses could gain any great advantage Neither have I been informed what these great Armies did in that Province only in the General that after they had over-run the whole Country as a Torrent overthrows and carries away whatever opposes its Current so nothing could withstand the fury of the Victors This is all which the Relation saith which was writ towards the end of 1647. But it doth not set down any particularity but only that there was no more Chinese Kings after these two Princes dyed with their Swordâ—â— in their hands for the defence of their Counâ—â—ry This was all they could do to prevent the oppression of their Subjects But the People were not relieved though the Princes thus readily laid down their Lives to endevour to preserve some part of the State Guequan only gained a great Name and Reputation which can never dye in the Memory of the Chineses neither can their Grief that they did not declare him King at the very beginning of the Irruption of the Tartars yet there have been some Chineses who have pretended that Guequan was still living and that he had expelled the Tartars out of the Province of Quansi There can only be in the Kingdom of Castile a Don Pelage nor can there be another Garcia Ximenes but in the Kingdom of Arragon The Tartars by the reduction of this Province compleated the Conquest of China And the young Xunchi was Master of all the Fifteen Provinces which compose that vast Empire This Prince at the Age of thirteen or fourteen years was Soveraign of three most vast and puissant States Tartary China and Corea which though they be of so great an Extent yet are contiguous one to the other and are at present united into one State All these spacious Countries were Conquered in less than four years so that as it was formerly said of Alexander so it may be said in our days of the Tartars That they have not made so many Conquests as they have overrun and robbed Countries It is most certain that if these great Armies were only to have Marched over these vast Countries it would have taken them up as much time as it did to Conquer them And if Alexander had ever heard of another Xunchi before him he would with as much reason have envied him as Caesar did Alexander Caesar was troubled that he began his Conquests only at that Age before which Alexander had finished his But that Conquerour himself might have had as great occasion to complain that he had done nothing at that Age at which we hear our Xunchi had ended his Glorious Conquests And if this Prince lives long and still marches on as fast
down the Streets The Gates Bulwarks and Walls were all covered with Souldiers who did incessantly discharge their Muskets and Fire-Arms that they might make the greater shew of Resolution in the face of their Enemies But of a sudden they were surprized at the arrival of the General He returned conducted by his good Fortune with his Army whole and entire and entred the City with the Sound of Trumpet He met not with the Enemy the greatest part being incamped on the other side of the City and he did not perceive them till he was passed by them for they were retreated into a place where they were covered by some Hills which hindred the sight of them The Corsairs were not less surprized to see the General return with all his Army at that time when they believed him so far distant And being in great disorder and so not in a condition to give Battel they durst neither go up to him nor stay for him though they were the stronger The first Resolution they took which usually is not the most generous was to run away Some of their Vessels began to retreat in disorder and the others which thought they must do so too followed them with that haste that they fired not one of their great Guns against the Viceroy's men who pursued them to the incredible satisfaction of all the Inhabitants of Canton and now the Cantoners prepared for triumphal Recreations and to see the sport of the Bulls in as great security as before they were in fear and dread The Run-awayes fled with such haste that they left behind them their greatest and best Vessels out of which they withdrew the Souldiers and Seamen and what else they could because these were too heavy and slow to follow the rest The Viceroy pursued them with all the Sail he could make but could not possibly reach them for their Vessels were much lighter and their Rowers more expert and in better breath and did beyond comparion exceed those of the Tartars who were poor miserable Countrey-Fellows compelled to it against their will The General after he had for some time been in chase after them returned back again and then seized upon those Vessels they had left and entred in great glory and triumph into the City where he was received as their Liberator and as if he had been sent from Heaven to succour them in this their urgent necessity The Viceroy in Civil Affairs who had likewise delivered them out of a very intricate danger went before him and accompanied him through all the streets of the City which they passed through in the midst of a great Crowd of People who could never weary themselves with praising and applauding him And though it was broad Day-light yet there were Torches lighted in all the streets and places through which he passed and Odors and Perfumes were burnt in all places as if some of their Pagods or Idols had been marching through the Streets But to what a person do they burn Incense And what doth not Necessity and Flattery induce miserable people to do After all these publick Rejoycings and Feastings were over the Viceroys busie themselves in searching out the Accomplices in the Conspiracy which was not like that of Cataline For they did not design to oppress but deliver their Countrey and yet there was very exact and diligent Inquisition made The Chineses are very dexterous in concealing and dissembling the Affairs of their Nation and speak very sparingly and advisedly of things of the least importance And whoever discloses a Secret is accounted a publick enemy and a persecutor of his Countrey But assoon as they are put to the Torture the first pain makes them proclaim all they know They love themselves too well to love their Friends to that degree as to suffer any pain upon their account They do not intend to pay so dear for their Friendship Therefore assoon as the first who were apprehended were put to the Torture instantly â—â—ll the Conspirators were discovered some were only privy and consenting to the Conspiracy others were Sticklers and Principalâ—â— but the Tartars presently cut off the Heads of both the one and the other This is their ordinary way of punishing all criminal persons without making any distinction of either Crimes or persons it was sufficient they had all deserved to die After this first Execution the Tartars looked more narrowly to keep â—â— strict Guard at the Gates of the City And â—â—o this effect they appointed new Captains with Souldiers of approved Fidelity They used all imaginable circumspection in shutting and opening the Gates they altered and changed often both the time and manner of doing it that they might the better be asâ—â—ured they were kept close shut that thereby they might manifest to all who should yet entertain any thought of a new Conspiracy that they were not remiss in keeping strict Guard They carefully examined all who went in or out and made them discover what either they brought in or carried out All these Precautions and the sudden Execution of the Conspirators kept all the people in amazement and made them that they knew neither what to think or say Each of the Inhabitants was in a continual apprehension that some or other who designed to do them mischief should publish their Names amongst the Conspirators for there needed no other manner of proceeding to make any man lose his Life And there is great reason to believe that several very innocent persons fared no better than those who were most Criminal It is a very usual way of taking revenge in that Countrey for those in distress to go and hang themselves at the Gate of their Enemies to declare thereby that they deserved the like punishment if Justice was done upon them At this rate some base spirits have purchased the satisfaction of revenge All this troublesome time the Inhabitants of Canton remained prisoners in their own houses They saw and heard what hâ—â—d passed but durst say nothing They durâ—â—t scarce open their Mouths in the most retired and secret places of their Houses They explained themselves by lifting up their shoulders and such like Gestures and in so dismal a time this was the best Expedient to avoid greater mischief Although the Chineses assoon as they are put to the Torture confess all they know yet in all parts of the world there are some extraordinary persons who may pass for prodigies in regard of other men And it may well be counted a very great one when one single man dares approve himself resolute and generous amidst a multitude of timorous Cowards This hâ—â—ppened amongst the great numbers of those who were declared to be either Principals or Accomplices in the Conspiracy A Chinese Captain not one of the Pyrates or a Sea-Commander but a Land-Commander whom they call a Mandorin of Martial Affairs was put to the Torture and interrogated whether he knew any thing of the Conâ—â—piracy or Conspirators He thus replied That whether he knew
by treaty make their peace with the Tartars One who had concealed himself amongst the Bonzi discovers himself to the Vice-roy and is carried into Tartary p. 241 CHAP. XIII The state and condition of the Portegueses of Macao They had continued Neuters between the Chineses and the Tartars Their fear lest the Victors should make some attempt upon their City They are better treated than they expected p. 252 CHAP. XIV The Tartars put out to Sea and fighâ—â— the Corsairs of China A treaty of peace is proposed but broke by the perfidiousness of the Vice-Roy He is discovered to be a Chinese The natural Genius of that Nation p. 269 CHAP. XV. The Vice-Roy burns the Vessels of the Corsairs they return in greâ—â—ter numbers pillage and ravage the Country and compel the Chinese to quit the Tartarian habit which they had taken They assault the City of Canton and are repulsed by the Vice-Roy in Civil affairs p. 284 CHAP. XVI The Testimony which certain Christian Negroes gave of their Religion in the presence of the Tartars After which God Almighty miraculously presâ—â—rves them in a fight The Corsairs continue to spoil the Country The Vice-Roy in Military affairs drives them out of a place in which they had fortified themselves and stood upon their Defence He ruins the Town and all the adjacent Country p. 300 CHAP. XVII The Corsairs trouble and perplex the General They possess themselves of the City Tunquam and maintain it against several assaults They deliver it up upon composition The Cruâ—â—lty of the Generals Souldiers p. 314 CHAP. XVIII A Discourse of the Vice-Roy in Civil affâ—â—irs upon the Cruelty oâ—â— his Colleague The Corsairs still perplex the Tartars The Chineses improve themsâ—â—lves in the Art of War The Northern Chineses are of a different Genius from the Southern p. 334 CHAP. XIX The Corsairs take a little Fort near Canton having engaged part of the Garrison to â—â—de with tâ—â—em The Vice-Roy in Military affairs discovers a new plot in anotâ—â—r Fort. The manner how he punisheâ—â— the Traytors p. 351 CHAP. XX. An Allarm in Canton at the approach of thâ—â— Corsairs The Consternation of the Inhabitants â—â—he General arrives and routs the Besiegers â—â—he Inquisition after the Conspiratâ—â—rs and their punishment The resolution of a Chinese Capâ—â—in his dâ—â—ath and praise p. 363 CHAP. XXI The Corsairs possess themselves of several places and return to assault Canton The General routs them at Sea The Chineses manage their affairs ill and thereby only exasperate the Tartars and consume the rest of their Forces p. 381 CHAP. XXII An eminent Prediction of a Chinese Astrologer that that State should be conquered by a stranger which had blew Eyes The Precautions which the Chineses observed to divert the effects of that prediction p. 392 CHAP. XXIII The Chineses who traded with the neighbouring States are ill usued as soon as the loss of their Empire was known The ill reception which the petty King of Cochin Chine gave to those who came into his territories to secure themselves p. 397 CHAP. XXIV The Emperour of Japan uses the Chises very hardly The jealousie that Prince hath of strangers How powerful an obstacle this distrust is to the conversion of those people He refuses to receive an Embassie from the Portegueses of Macao That though the Japanners are very powerful yet thay have reason to fear the Tartars p. 411 CHAP. XXV Of the Religion of the Tartars Their Natural Virtues and Vices p. 439 CHAP. XXVI The Government of the Tartars in China The excellent Endowments of the young Xunchi The Reformation which he made of the Mandorins and Eunuchs in the Court The virtuous freedom of the Tartarian Women p. 451 CHAP. XXVII How satisfied the Chineses were with the Tartarian Government The Pride and Avarice of the Chinese Mandorins The speedy and exact Execution of Iustice bâ—â— the Tartars p. 470 CHAP. XXVIII The Tartars compel the Chineses to leave their Books and take up Arms. Oâ—â— the Tartarian Letters and Languâ—â—ge The Sciences for which they have the greatest inclination p. 500 CHAP. XXIX How much addicted the Tartars are to War Their Arms offensive and defensive Their greatest force consists in their Horse The excellency of their Horses p. 518 CHAP. XXX The Military Discipline of the Tartars Their manner of fighting and how they lay siege to any place The aversion they have to dwell in Towns The security with which they sleep in their Camp without placing any Guards or Sentinels p. 530 CHAP. XXXI Of the Behaviour of the Tartars Of their Natural inclination to War and Labour Of their frank and free dealing without any ceremony Of their Divertisements Occupations and Employments in general p. 546 CHAP. XXXII Of the Habit and Fashions of the Tartars Of the Modesty and Virtue of their Women who though they â—â—ffect to ride on horse-back and go to the Wars yet are very chast and virtuous The Conclusion of this Narrative of the Conquest of China by the Tartars p. 565 The CONQUEST of the Empire of CHINA by the TARTARS CHAP. I. The Beginning of the Troubles of China Two Subjects of the Emperour's rebell They make themselves Mâ—â—sters of six Provinces and of the Imperial Court The Resolutions of the Tartars thereupon THE Inhabitants of China enjoyed all the pleasures of Peace under the Government of their lastEmperour who was called â—â—unchin a deceitful and unfortunate â—â—ame He was the most absolute Monarch that ever â—â—leâ—â— those vast Territories when in the Year 1640. a year Fatal to several States those Clouds began to gather which shortly after produced such a Storm as ruined the whole Empire I said the name of Zunchin after which the Emperour of China was called was a deceitful Name for Zunchin in the Chinese Language signifies Successful Omen or Soveraign Dominion but how false a Prognostick this was it quickly appeared The Emperour was of a most courteous and good disposition and certainly hiâ—â— Subjects who enjoyed great plenty and all the Advantages of Peace lived truly happy under so excellent a Prince But it is not sufficient for a Prince to be good and to govern mildly and peaceably unless he likewise takes care not to have ill Officers who make use of their Credit under Him to gratifie their private Passions and to extenâ—â— their Ambition beyond all Limits It was in the year 1640. when two Râ—â—bâ—â—ls at the same time revolted against their Lawful Soveraign one of them was called Ly the other Cham And though they were but private Subjects of the Emperour of China and persons of no consideration either by their Quality or Birth yet they both equally aspired to the Supreme Dominion And having drawn to them great Numbers of the choicest Souldiers in the Empire they began to make Incursions upon the Northern Provinces which border upon Tartary The Emperour in the mean time did not take sufficient care to stifle this Revolt In all likelihood the Complaints and Informations of those
all necessaries for their Expedition they entred into China by that part of the Wall through which the General Vsuanguè had opened them a passage They were not displeased that the Northern Provinces which were in subjection to Ly underwent the first Inconveniences of the War as it may be judged by their going straight against the Tyrant perswading themselves that thereby they should render their entrance less odious and their Designes less suspected by those who had not as yet sided with them It was in the year 1643. that the Tartars made this irruption into China neither the Day nor the Moneth is set down but it may very well be supposed that it was towards the latter end of that year for the Relation saith that in the space of three years and some odd Moneths that vast Empire was entirely conquered and that the last of all the Towns which submitted to the Tartarian yoke was Canton of which the Tartar possessed himself in the beginning of Ianuary 1647. Neither is the number of the Forces which went upon this Expedition very certainly known we only know that their Number both of Horse and Foot were almost incredible They divided their Army into several distinct Bodies of Foot and Horse some of a hundred some of two hundred thousand men which at the first did very much incommodate one another for some of them advanced plundered and subdued that part of the Countrey which was designed the Prey and Conquest of others The Cham of Tartary was accompanied with three of his Unkles who supported this young Prince serv'd him with Valour and Loyalty rarely to be parallell'd Their care was from the very beginning to gain a Repute to the power of their Sword and by mildness and moderation to ingratiate their government with the people The elder of these three Princes who was very eminent for his skill and ability in the Art of Government kept himself always close to the person of the Emperour and instructed him with prudent Counsels and took such care of his Person and Fame as if he had been his Son rather than his Nephew The two other Unkles of the Emperour who were younger commanded his Armies and by their Loyalty and Valour they caused the Emperour's Arms to triumph in all parts One of these did more eminently signalize himself in this Conquest by which he gained the Fame of the most Valiant Captain of the whole Nation and acquired the Title of the Conquerour of China The War in a short time extended it self into the Province of Pequin the Capital City whereof had for the last Ages been always the Seat of the Court of the Emperours of China and there the Tyrant had established himself and drawn to him all the Grandees of his Party But the Fame and Success of the Tartars quickly displaced him There were only some few places which did render themselves by force all the other yielded to the Threats of the Tartars out of the fear and apprehension they had that they should be as severely chastised as those were who made any Resistance Thus though in some few places the Chineses were so obstinate as not to submit to a Forreign Power and in others they made some shew of resistance yet generally they all presently yielded themselves up to the strongest and few or none did firmly adhere to the Tyâ—â—ant The Tartars having thus prosperouâ—â—y began their Conquest without meetâ—â—ng with any considerable Obstacle which might put a stop to their progress resolved to lose no time but to march with their whole Army towards Pequin The desire they had to find the Usurper there made them hasten that they might with all possible speed pluck the Crown from off that unworthy Head The Tyrant had in Pequin a very gallant and numerous Army who were very well paid and such as in all appearance would have made a very resolute Defence This made it generally be believed that if convenient order was taken should the Enemy gain the Victory the purchase thereof would cost him much Bloud But this Usurper being but a cowardly Traitor and all his Souldiers so many treacherous Villains their huffing Vapours quickly vanished Till now they only contended with Deceit and Treason They had only overcome naked men people disordered and so surprized that they had not time to prepare for their Defence but now they were obliged â—â—o face an Enemy who came prepared to give battel in search after them and such an Enemy which was flesh'd in the Victory of all those who ever durst oppose them Ly knew there was no safety for him so near his Enemy for as it would be rashness to run the hazard of a Battel so the danger was equal to stay and expect his Enemy and to think to defend himself being blocked up in the City of Pequin therefore he resolved to retreat and to abandon his Capital City assoon as the Enemy was within three days journey from it The Tyrant before he discamped discharged some of his Choler upon the people and executed most horrible Cruelties in the City This was to punish them for the respect which in some measure they seemed to retain towards their Lawful Soveraign It being most true that they always shewed a greater abhorrency to his Treason than any Zeal or Inclination to his Interests Therefore assoon as he had revenged himself on the Inhabitants of Pâ—â—quin presently with his Associates he took his flight and carried along with him the Treasures of all the Emperours of China But he was not so loaded with Riches as with the execration of the People which have eterniz'd his Memory amongst the Chineses as the most detestable Villain which ever breath'd The Tartars presently appeared before the Walls of the City of Pequin and made their entrance without any resistance but assoon as they perceived that the Tyrant had made his Escape they made no stay but instantly followed him but it was not possible for them to overtake him therefore the young Xunchi returned to Pequin into which assoon as he had made a most magnificent entrance they judged it convenient with all expedition to declare him the absolute Monarch of all that Golden Kingdom for so the Tartars call China This young Monarch after he had caused himself to be Crowned Emperour of all those vast Territories judged it convenient to settle his Court in the Palace of Pequin whither he summoned all the Nobility of Tartary and did most eagerly prepare for the prosecution of his Victory As for the Tyrant Ly that we may never have occasion to mention him more all the further mention which the Relation makes of him is only that he retreated into the Province of Xensi which is in the Northern parts of China and one of those six Provinces which he had reduced under his Subjection Thither he went with all his Forces and Treasure and made a stay with all his Retinue in the Capital City fortifying himself therein as strongly
nothing so humble or vile which the proudest spirited man will scorn to act This Prince since his Grandeur would not avail him against his Enemy resolved to seem willing to submit himself to him As for the Tartar he resembled the Magnanimous Lion or one of those Hero's of whom it is said that they will grind their Enemies to powder if they refuse to submit to their power but make it their Glory to spare those who prostrate themselves at their feet The King of Corea sent therefore to lay his Crown at the feet of the Cham of Tartary assuring himself that it would be returned back to him conditionally that he would acknowledge himself a Tributary to the Tartar who accordingly accepted of his Offers aâ—â—d assented to treat upon those terms Thus the King of Corea abased himself that thereby he might be the higher exalted the readiest way for any person to disentangle himself out of any troublesom affair and in conclusion to gain himself an advantage thereby is to know how subtilly to dissemble for all men are easily deluded with false Appearances In the Tartarian Court they considered that they had already their hands full in China and that they could never want employment there and therefore this Treaty with the King of Corea upon these terms must needs be very advantageous to them for thereby the Emperour without lessening his Forces would encrease his Fame Thus the Cham returned out of Corea with all his Army to Pequin And in the Interim he gave order to the King of Corea without any Arms to follow him to his Court that there they might better draw up and conclude upon the Articles of Peace Accordingly the King of Corea confidently relying upon the Parole of this young Monarch failed not to observe these Orders and rendred himself at Pequin presently after the Arrival of Xunchi and was received and treated according to his Grandeur and the Magnificence of that Court. After the King had solemnly made his Homage to the Cham according to the Conditions of Peace which were concluded upon these Terms That henceforth the Kings of Corea should by Homage and Fealty hold their Kingdom with all the Dependencies thereof from the Emperours of Tartary Which were almost the very same Conditions with those which were formerly made with the Late Emperours of China he returned with his Diadem and Royal Scepter to his own Kingdom to the publick Joy and his private satisfaction which did the more exalt the Fame of the Grandeur and Generosity of the young Emperour of Tartary All that is here reported was concluded in the year 1643. and the beginning of 44. CHAP. IV. The Tartar pursues his Conquest He reduces five other Provinces bordering upon Pequin His Conduct that thereby he might illustrate his Victories and the Orders he prescribed to the Conquered PResently after the Tartars had entred into China their powerful Armies over-ran all parts thereof and like a violent Torrent carried all before them Their young Monarch never failed in his own person to appear in all eminent Enterprizes We have already seen that assoon as he had subdued the Province of Pequin which is the principal of the whole Empire and one of the six which the Tyrant had reduced under his power how prudently he secured himself towards Corea which he had made Tributary to him But this was but as an Essay of his Heroick Actions Now he resolves with all expedition to strike the terrour of his Arms into those five other Provinces of the North which yet seemed to side with Ly. These were Xantum Leautum Honam Xansi and Xensi This young Prince entred at the Head of his Troops into these Provinces in the beginning of 44 and the same year subdued them all There was at the first some few places which made a vigorous resistance but of no long continuance The heat of the Chineses did not long last and their great Flashes quickly blazed out and served only to consume themselves therein But it is strange that the Tartars should over-run and reduce all these Provinces without meeting with the Tyrant or seeing any appearance of either his Army or Treasure at least the Relation is silent herein The Conduct of the Tartar in so swift an Expedition is very remarkable He went directly with the main Body of his Army and fell upon the Capital City of the Province without ever dividing his Forces or diverting them upon any other Design His Opinion was that no General of an Army though he should leave behind him some places less considerable which he might have possessed himself of and some Bodies of the Enemies Forces which he might have defeated yet he need not distrust his Victory Thus this Prince with the terrour of his numerous and potent Army presented himself before the Capital City of the Province which in a short time he alwayes either carried by Storm or else presently obliged it to render upon Articles By these means assoon as he had made his entrance into the City he took possession not only of it but of the entire Province and then he established all convenient Orders both for War and Peace And from thence he issues out his Summons to all other Towns and places in the same Province either without all delays to submit themselves to his power or to prepare for their Defence and at the same time he gave them assurance that he would receive them into his Favour and Mercy if without making any resistance they rendred up themselves But if on the contrary they resolved to defend themselves then he denounced a bloudy War against them Thus the places which submitted before they were compelled to it by violence were received and treated with all the Grace and Favour they could expect from so generous a Prince but as for those places which prepared to make Resistance he sent his whole Army to summon them the second time and so numerous and formidable were his Souldiers that they brought Terrour and Desolation in all parts where-ever they came and laid their Sieges so close that those who at first appeared most â—â—esolute after they had felt the rigour of the first Assaults quickly repented themselves but it was now too late for the Tartar had determined by their example to teach others to yield themselves to his Mercy before they put him to the cost of bloud and thereby he likewise designed to instruct their Neighbours that they might not be deceived but know what upon the like occasion to expect This was the Conduct and Success of the Tartar in the conquest of these five Provinces where the young Prince in his own person commanded in the head of his Troops as he did likewise in Corea This Expedition concluded with the year 1644. after which he returned to Pequin Crowned with Lawrel This Prince had made choice of this great City for his Court and the place of his Residence and had published his Proclamation that all the Officers
very proper to gain the affections of the people they continued all the Mandorins in their places onely some of them they advanced to more considerable employments according to the knowledg they had of their merits These proceedings did render their dominion less odious But it must also be confessed that some time after they turned some out of their employments reformed and limited the power and jurisdiction of others and to others they left them onely their naked Titles but deprived them of their Authority Neither did they think it convenient any longer to permit the Chineses to be the dispensers of Justice to the people or to have the power of punishing them And without all doubt they deserâ—â—edly merited to be thus chastised for having formerly made such ill use of their Authority For it was visible that the state and Empire of China were brought to ruine onely by this that the interpretation of the Law and the dispensation of Justice was confided or rather abandoned to the Eunuchs who were both corrupt and neither qualified nor capacitated for their employments As for the military charges the Tartars were more diffident of entrusting them in the hands of the Chineses though sometimes they disposed of the commands of some of their Troups to such as they could most rely on and as they judged most capable but they always set over them some General or other considerable Officer of the Tartars who with a greater body of men kept a strict eye over these Chinese Troups and had a more absolute and particular command over them But that which did most exasperate and deepest pierce the heart of the Chineses was the Edict which the Tartars published whereby they enjoyned them to cloth themselves after the Tartarean fashion and to cut off their hair which the Chineses love most passionately and take great care to spruce and perfume it And generally that which they esteem the most gentile and handsome is to have their hair like womens hang down to their very feet and therefore this ordinance seemed to them most severe and rigorous But the Tartars judged it highly important pretending that conformity in habit would infallibly produce a greater correspondence and conformity in the affections and inclinations of persons so that a forraign dominion would not be so displeasing nor seem so uncouth and strange when this external diversity of habits did not offend the sight Use and custome makes all things supportable And whereas the Empire of China contains several spacious Countreys which could not all be conquered at once they saw no way how to avoid several inconveniences which would otherwise happen but by making this distinction of those who were conquered from those who were not and for this reason obliging those whom they had first conquered to cut off their hair thereby they were easily distinguishable from those who were not And now there yet remained some mark to be put upon the Chineses who had submitted themselves to know them from the real Tartars and this was very necessary for it was not very easie to distinguish them by their faces there being so great a resemblance in the features of these two Nations Therefore they judged it requisite to give to the conquer'd Chineses some particular Mark which was by enjoyning them to wear a bigger tuft of hair on the top of their heads just as in Europe they do to their Gally-slaves to distinguish such who are Christians from such who are not Nothing so cut the Chineses to the heart as this did and they could not possibly prevail with themselves to obey this severe Order The Tartars perceiving they so much scrupled it reiterated their Injunctions strictly requiring all persons without any restriction or exception upon pain of life to give a speedy obedience thereto And now some of them chose to lose their heads with their hair for they made so great a difficulty to comply with the Edict that their disobedience cost them their lives They knew full well their peril if they were refractory and yet they were so obstinate that they would rather dye than be deprived of their hair CHAP. V. One of the Vnkles of Xunchi reduces the City and Province of Nanchin The flight and death of a King of China who had been publickly crowned Six of the nine Southern Provinces submit themselves to the Tartar THE young Xunchi when he had taken all convenient order for the confirming and securing of his Authority over his new Subjects had disposed of all Offices in the State and settled strong Garrisons in all parts of the six Northern Provinces being resolved not to stir from his Court at Pequin he remitted the conduct of his Armies to one of his Unkles with order to proceed with all speed to the conquest of the other Provinces This Prince in a short time after departed from Pequin with a very powerful Army and marched directly towards the great City of Nanquin which City had been formerly the residency of the Imperial Court and was now the Metropolis of one of the best Provinces of the whole State It was in this Province nay in this very City that the Mandorins had crowned and proclaimed Emperour a Prince of the Royal Family As soon as they were informed of the death of the Emperour Xunchin they thought they could do nothing more important for the welfare of the State than to oppose this lawful Prince to the Usurper This was the best present remedy for the afflictions and calamities of their Countrey which they could then think upon This new King was Son to a Cousen germane of the Emperour Zunchin in whose Court he had been educated and was ever considered as a Prince of the Bloud Royal nay the Emperour himself at such time as nothing disturbed the tranquillity of his Government took a particular care of him This young Prince who wanted not abilities quickly peâ—â—ceived from whence the Storm was to be feared for from the very time of his Coronation there was a great rumour that the Tartars advanced with a very potent Army and this took up his thoughts more than all the Enterprises of Ly. Therefore probably this Prince was not crowned Emperour 'till after that the Tartars had passed the wall This it was which induced him to refuse the Government and the stately pomp and lustre of the Imperial Crown But the Mandorins were so importunate with him and his Soldiers did so confidently assure him victory that at last he suffered him to be prevailed with to accept of the Crown though he soresaw that the weight of it would crush him to pieces This new King at his Coronation took upon him the name of Hunguan which signifies splendour But his Reign should have been more prosperous to have verified his Title and made him an Illustrious and splendid Prince As soon as he had the Crown upon his head he took all possible care for the preservation of his Empire and Subjects he provided all
conveniences for the most urgent necessities of the Provinces he raised and repaired the Fortifications of all the towns and places of greatest importance But he was in a more especial manner careful to secure the Passes and to obstruct and block up the passage of his Enemy As for his Army he made choice of his stoutest men for his Soldiers and placed over them experienced and valiant Commanders And for his people he was resolved to increase their priviledges and to heap upon them his Acts of Grace and that he might entirely gain the hearts and affections of his Subjects his carriage towards them was very different from that of the former Emperours of China for he condescended to a kind of familiarity with them and when ever any eminent action was to be done for the publick benefit he ever in his own person gave them the first example what they were to do that thereby he might both instruct and encourage them and this did so conciliate him the inclinations of his people that they all voluntarily vowed to pay him all the Loyal Observance and Obedience he could expect from them There was just reason to have hoped that if the General Vsanguè had not so precipitately called in the Tartars all the Southern Provinces which make the greatest and best part of China might have been retained under their Obedience to their Lawful Soveraign who was powerful enough to have suppressed the Usurper and it would have been no more difficult for him than it was for the Tartar to have dissipated the vain projects of the Traytor nay he might peradventure have driven him to that streight as to have obliged him by a voluntary death to prevent the ignominious Execution due to his perfidious Treachery But the Reign of this new Emperour was never destined to be blessed with so great Felicity nor with any long continuance for he reigned over the nine Southern Provinces little more than a year But during that small space of time in which Xunchi was taken up in the Conquest of the six Northern Provinces and the Kingdom of Corea Assoon as the Cham began to taste the first-fruits of his Victory the entire Invasion of the Empire did no more disturb his Conscience than did the breach of the peace which he had sworn with the Royal Family of China He did not now consider that it would have been but natural Justice to leave to this Chinese Prince at least that part of the Empire where he had been chosen King and the Tyrant had never extended his Dominion He knew that Hunguan was publickly and undoubtedly acknowledged to be a Prince of the Blood Royal but Fortune and Victory had now new Modeliz'd his Conscience and made Justice transformed Now he publickly declared that his Right to the whole Empire was sufficiently justified by this pretext That those persons of the Blood Royal to whom the peace was sworn were only to be understood of such who were immediately descended from the Emperours in a direct Line from Father to Son as the Succession of the 17 last Emperours had been continued in that Family He was desirous to have it thought that this explanation ought to be made of the Oath that hereby he might be freed from it as likewise from all Obligations which lay upon him to any who might ever pretend to be of the Royal Family of the Emperours of China See now what was the Tartar's Justice But when we reflect upon the practise of many Christian Princes thâ—â—re is less reason to wonder that a Barbarian Prince an Idolater and Infidel should with all his might advance his Conquest since now it was so facile so glorious and of so high importance to his Grandeur and Interest He had began too successfully to stop in the midst of his Course And the young Xunchi proceeded too swiftly to be stayed now with these initial considerations whether he had or he had no Right whether he was or he was not obliged to be a punctual Observer of the Oath and the Peace which his Ancestors had sworn with the Emperours of China The Emperour's Unkle whom he had employed in the entire Conquest of all China did with all possible speed advance with all his Forces towards the province of Nanquin he went directly against him whom the Chineses had crowned their Emperour and was by his Instructions commanded with all diligence to endeavour to seize upon his person and take from him both his Crown and his Life These were Reasons of State but they were cruel and barbarous Reasons which because thâ—â—y did exclude all of the Blood Royal from any Right of Succession must likewise adjudge to Death this Prince who was called and in a manner compelled to it but this was to cut off at the first all occasions of Revolts which might distrub the Tartars in their possession of the Empire of China Assoon as the General of the Tartars was entred into the Province of Nanquin at the first he met with a somewhat vigorous resistance from the Chineses but after they had seen those vast Armies they did not long persevere in their Resolution All began to bend and yield to the Success and Valour of his Forces And proportionably as he went further into the Countrey he met with fewer Enemies to contend with Many who saw how dear it had cost their Neighbours to have endeavoured to stop the progress of the Victors thought they should be more secure by being less obstinate The General therefore advanced on his Road and having by the force of his Arms subdued all Obstacles which did impede his March he came and lodged with his whole Army within sight of the great City of Nanquin The Emperour Hunguan resided there with all his Court and lived in all the Splendor sutable to his Person and Dignity but he was now confirmed that he was not deceived in his apprehension of the weight of the Imperial Diadem and now he was convinced that it would have been more advantageous to him to have persisted in so Honourable a Refusal His Captains and his Souldiers who did so vapour when the Tartars were at a greater distance from them were not now they were near them so couragious though now if ever it was the time for them to give proof of their Resolution and Courage but in stead of Valour there appeared nothing but Timorousness in all parts His best Commanders on whom he most relied were all defeated and those Posts abandoned from whence he hoped most to have annoyed the Enemy Seeing himself therefore in so ill a posture of defence and no better upheld he resolved not to stay till the Town was battered and assaulted by the Tartars but with his choicest Troops departed out of Nanquin in the night time and presently all the most considerable persons in the City followed him so that there was none staid in it but a great Rabble â—â—f persons very uncapable of defending a City In the Morning
which was such that it might well have served for an example to the Grandees of that State For when he was most potent he did not only pay all due reverence to the Emperour's person his Orders and Injunctions but likewise ever highly respected all the Princes of the Blood Royal If Icoan would have taken up Arms against his Prince he was far more powerful than the Usurpers â—â—haâ—â— or Ly. So many men he had at his command the vast Treasure he was possessed of did incomparably more capacitate him either to begin or carry on any Enterprize of that Nature but it may well be said that his Loyalty was greater than either his Forces or his Riches Thus he did not only continue a faithful Subject to his King but even after the death of Zunchin and when the Tartars were already entred into China instead of placing the Crown upon his own head as he had then a fair opportunity and as several others did he on the contrary seated upon the Imperial Throne that Prince whom we before mentioned to have been crowned in the Province of Foquien and he it was who undertook his Defence and Support and after that he had firmly engaged all his Forces by Sea and Land to serve that Prince he came himself and constantly attended upon his person Icoan might have employed all this Force in the conquest of a State and Monarchy for himself or else he might highly have advanced himself by siding with the Tartars and thereby might have secured his Fortune for from the Chineses he needed then fear nothing But his Duty to his Prince was dearer to him than the security of his Fortune nay than of his Life it self could be amongst the Tartars He saw that he hazarded all by endeavouring to defend a Prince whom it would be very difficult to protect against so powerful Enemies but probably he was ambitiously desirous of this occasion to make himself as eminent by his Loyalty as he had been by his Pyracy Icoan now prepared against all Attempts of the Tartars resolving to attend them in the Province of Foquien one of the three last of the whole Empire which remained yet unconquered Hither he had drawn his choicest Troops which were composed of persons whose courage he had approved both by Sea and Land and he Headed them with the Prince who was newly crowned Emperour of China This Prince and Icoan were two the greatest Obstacles which the Tartars ever met with in their whole Conquest which made them now to caress and soliciâ—â—e Icoan who before used only to brave and menace all persons into a submission to their authority I was necessitated to make this Digression that I might discover what Force the Chineses then had and who this great Commander was whose power it was hoped might have preserved some part at least of that Empire from the Invasion of the Tartars But now I shall return back to the progress of the Victors who after they had in the Year 1645. reduced to their subjection the City and Province of Nanquin with the two other Neighbouring Provinces of Schiamsi and Huguan and that the three other which bordered upon them Honam Suchuen and Iuana had voluntarily submitted themselves and all this in the space of eight Moneths the Cham of Tartary's Unkle who commanded his Armies retreated to Nanquin and there constituted a Chinese Mandorin Viceroy but still the Flame of the War was not quite quenched but blazed out in all parts of the Empire and therefore it was not the intention of this Prince only to pass away his Winter-Quarters at Nanquin but to consult there the securing his present Conquest and to contrive the most prudent way of reducing the three last Provinces And there he concluded that it would much advance his intended Expedition into these Provinces if he could engage Icoan to side with the Tartars and the best way of accomplishing this would be by intreaties and promises To this intent he caused a Letter to be writ by the Chinese whom he had ordained Viceroy of Nanquin to Icoan who had a great value and esteem for that person The Mandorin wrote in his own Name and as it were to a Friend to whom he judged himself obliged by the Bond of Friendship to send advice of this Importance but it was well known that he only did it by the express Order of the Tartar The Subject of the Letter was to let him know That he would inevitably ruine himself and his Affairs by endeavouring to oppose the Triumphant Victors and that if he would repose any Credit in him he should without any hesitation or delay deliver up those three Provinces to the Tartars That he engaged to him his word and promis'd him all the assurance he could desire that this Prince would constitute him Viceroy of Foquien and Canton or rather that he would make him Soveraign and King thereof if he would only acknowledge that he held that State from the Emperour of Tartary It is most certain the Soveraign of those two Provinces would have been no small King for they are as spatious as all Spain and the most wealthy of all China And as to Icoan these Countries did more suit his Concerns than any other since all his Force and Wealth was there Icoan by his Answer to this Mandorin gave him to understand the Loyalty he resolved ever to retain to his lawful Prince He sent him word That he was not so credulous as to intrust himself in the hands of such Thieves nor so treacherous as to betray his Countrey to such Tyrants That he was so far from delivering up those Provinces whose protection and defence he had undertaken That he was most stedfastly resolved to employ the Remainder of his Life and all his power and wealth to drive these Vsurpers out of China That this was his Design and that he should find he would lose no time nor omit any thing necessary for the Execution thereof CHAP. VIII Icoan demands Succour from the Emperour of Japan who refuses it him He maintains a War against the Tartars a whole year He is taken Prisoner and presented to the Emperour Xunchi What was the end of this Corsair ICoan understood very well what it concern'd him to do after the Answer he had returned to the Viceroy of Nanquin He expected that all the Fury and Might of a triumphant Enemy should presently thunder upon him he therefore mustered up all his forces and prepared to receive the Assaults of his Enemies And that he might not be negligent in any thing he judged it convenient to send an Embassie to the Emperor of Iapan to demand Succour from him He conjur'd this Prince that he would please to send over some of his Troops into China upon whose Valour he could more relie than upon his Chinese Souldiery The Emperour of Iapan like the Princes of China is wholly buried in Luxury If ever he goes abroad either to hunt or course it is
quickly broke open these prisons and now there was nothing but Massacres and Murders in all places which was occasioned by the endeavours of Fathers and Husbands to preserve the Honour of their Daughters and Wives for violences of this nature are insupportable to all Nations The Tartars were not content to commit these Disorders in the Houses of the Chineses but to compleat their Outrages they carried away their Women into their Camp and there they told that they came purposely into China to shew them once in their lives the Sky and that not through Grates and Lattices and to set them at liberty after they had been Captives and prisoners all their Lives Thus they took pleasure with these Ralleries to insult over these miserable Wretches It is said that the first day the City was sack'd they carried away great numbers into the Camp without shewing any more regard to the rich than to the poor and that the Ladies of the highest quality were compelled to suffer the highest Indigniâ—â—ies Thâ—â—s in the City of Canton there was nothing but Rape and Murder and in the Tartarian Camp nothing could be heard but the Groans and Cries of Women who bemoaned and lamented their Fathers their Husbands their Honour their Liberty their Countrey and several other innumerable calamities which made them abominate both their Lives and themselves In the midst of this desolation the people ceased not to cry and complain to the Viceroys Is this that which you proâ—â—ised us Is this the performance of the assurance you gave us that no dammage should be done to those who quietly and voluntarily rendred up themselves as we have done we who have ruined our City and Families by rendring up our selves too credulously The Lord chief Justice or Viceroy in Civil Affairs shewed a dislike of these disorders but as he was not Master so he did not much trouble himself to stop the progress of them As for the Viceroy of Military Affairs he less concerned himself herein he only published some new Proclamations by which he prohibited the Souldiers to enter iâ—â—to any houses or to offer any violence to the Inhabitanâ—â—s upon pain of punishment But these prohibitions were but weak remedieâ—â— for so great calamities he only did this out of policy to amuse thâ—â— people for he himself did most violâ—â—te these Injunctions and had the greatest share in the plunder and the Viceroys causing whatever was most rich and valuable which was found in the City to be publickly carried into the houses which they had taken up for themselves did clearly evidence that they were the most culpable of these Disorders They pretended that not having Money to pay the Army they were necessitated to permit the Souldiers to pillage the Town that thereby they might have wherewithal to subsist The Chineses seized upon some of the Souldiers and carried them before the General and there accused them of Murder and Rape and several other hainous Crimes committed by them whereby they had reduced the whole City to a very desperate condition He then caused some of them to be chastised but their punishment was not proportionable to the enormity of their crimes so that during the three days of the Sack of the City of Canton there was no stop put to the violence and fury of the Souldiers It is believed there was more than fifteen thousand Inhabitants massacred and the greatest part in the defence of either their Wives Daughters or Sisters neither their Wealth nor their Honour upon any other occasion but this could prevail with the Chineses to hazard their Lives thus freely But they were willing to sacrifice themselves in the defence of their Wives so powerful an influence have Women upon men that they are able to inspire Courage and Resolution into the Breasts of the most timorous Cowards In these three days was utterly ruined and desolated that great City the Riches whereof did befoâ—â—e surpass the wealth of divers Kingdoms and Nations And after all this barbarous inhumanity the Tartarian General said he wished the Inhabitants would have made some resistance that he might have been provoked to havâ—â— treatâ—â—d them with less moderation But if this was the moderation of the Tartars what can we imagine should their Rigour and Sevèrity have been After the dayes were expired duâ—â—ing which time the City was abandoned to the Rapine and Violence of the Souldiers the General was willing to put a check to the disorders and then he concerned himself in putting a stop to the insolâ—â—ncies of the Souldiers which he did with no great difficulty By which it is manifest that there are few disorders in any Army to which the Commanders in chief may not put a stay if they will so generously engage themselves herein as they ought But oftentimes the Licentiousness in Armies takes both its Rise and Continuance from the remissness of the Generals in the execution of their Charge nay many times by their own example and authority they license these Violences To prevent the further progress of these disorders they commanded all the Souldiers to depart out of the Town and not to return thither again till they were commanded but to stay in the Camp They should have hanged up whoever transgressed these Orders The Tartars were then encamped round the Walls of the City under Leather Tents as their usual custom is which were so numerous and ranked in so handsom an order that they looked like a portable Town or another Canton Thus the Complaints and Violences were appeased not but that there was still cause to complain And it is rarely otherwise in an Army If in Europe it is not possible to hinder the Souldiers from plunder and rapine in which they place their great happiness â—â—nd delight much less is it possible amongst these Barbarians But all the violence in Europe is moderation in comparison of what we have now seen The unfortunate Inhabitants of Canton began now to breath again and it was a comfort to some that they were not the most unhappy A strange consolation and yet this induces us all to bear our afflictions the more patiently It now remains that we should admire or rather be moved with compassion to see on the one side with what fierce haughtiness the Tartars treâ—â—ted the Chineses and on the other how crowchingly and submissively these behaved themselves before their Victors If any of these afflicted Wretches did but mutter in the least the Tartar began to speak big and loud or rather to thunder and at the same instant clapped his hand upon his Cimeter the Chinese only stooped down his head heaved up his shoulders and presently beâ—â—ame mute nay they kept in their very breath as long as they could or else they prostrated themselves upon the ground and upon their Knees they studied for Complements how in the most obliging language to reply to the outrages of their persecutors The miserable creatures sometimes used such impertinent flatteries that they gave the
them Princes of the Royal Family of the ancient Emperours of China This was that the Tartar might have both the Glory to conquer two Kings and the pleasure to make these unfortunate Princes experiment what a grand satisfaction it is to die with Crowns upon their heads But that which is very pleasant these two Princes were at war together or rather they had a Dispute and Contest concerning the Rights and Jurisdiction which each of them pretended to this province so little did they think of letting the Tartar have any share with them who was comming to make a better accord between them by seizing upon all from them One of these two Kings was called Sinhianuan a young Prince about twenty years old raw both in Years Resolution and Conduct The other was called Guequan who it is probable was not so young but as to his Age the Relation is silent It only saith he was a man of great courage and till now had been ever successful in Martial Exploits and that if at the beginning of the War the Chineses had crowned him Emperour so that he might have had time to draw together his Troops and rally up all his Forces as several Princes had who were crowned in the other provinces he might probably have kept the Tartars in play and put a stop to their progress before they were advanced so far into the Countrey This Guequan marched into the field and being resolved manfully to oppose the Enemies he went towards the Borders of Canton there to expect their entrance into Quansi This is the first time the Chineses durst ever venture to go meet the Tartars And this was the first man in all China who had so much resolution as not to content himself â—â—o expect them but went in search after them to stop them in their March And to fight them The City of Xaochin is situated as I said upon the confines of the two provinces Canton and Quansi and was the only City in the province of Canton which had not submitted to the Tartars Guequan who was advanced so far sent to offer to the Inhabiâ—â—ants the assistance of his person and engaged to them that he would hazard all in the defence of their Liberties if they would acknowledge him for their King Those of Xaochin embraced the proposals of Guequan and presently proclaimed him their King He then entred into the Town which he found very well furnished both with Arms and Ammunition and a great number of Souldiers who were fled thither from all parts and they all seemed resolved courageously to fight for their Liberty and Countrey and to lose their Lives rather than to enjoy them in slavery to the Tartars Guequan brought with him several considerable Troops into the Town Amongst his Souldiers he had some who called themselves Wolves these were bloody and desperate Fellows and generally all his men were very brave resolute and more zealous for their Liberty than their Lives The eager courage of the Souldiers did so elevate the Kings resolution that he thought he was able to do any thing And that he might take the advantage of their present heat he resolves to lose no time but with all speed to give battel to the Tartars He therefore takes the Field but his resolutions and counsels were not so secret but the Tartars were informed of them But they could not perswade themselves that so little a corner of the Empire which they looked upon as conquered already could be able to form any Enterprize which could retard their Victory Pelipaouan himself did so vilifie all the resistance these provinces could make that he would not so much as stir from Fochien He judged it unworthy of his Grandeur to appear in this Expedition being willing to remit the glory thereof to the Viceroy of Military affairs in the province of Canton He only sent him some new supplies of men with order that assoon as he had taken sufficient care for the security of the City and Province he should with all expedition go with a very powerful Army before the City of Xaochin and make that and the province of Quansi submit commanding him withal that where-ever he came he should leave no crowned Head alive nor man breathing who could lay any claim or pretension to the Soveraignty The Viceroy departed from Canton at the head of an Army of near two hundred thousand men both Horse and Foot He caused likewise a numerous Train of Artillery with all necessary provision and ammunition to be drawn into the Field along with him And as for the Government of all affairs of the City and Province both Civil and Military he committed it to the management of the Viceroy in Civil Affairs And for his better security he left him a sufficient Guard of Souldiers This great Army came in a very few dayes within view of Xaochin but before he could approach nearer the City he met with Guequan who shewed himself very ready to engage him for he had drawn up his numerous and gallant Troops in very good order ready to give Battel The Tartars assoon as they perceived them began to vilifie this shew of courage so little usual in the Chineses and look upon this fine Muster as only an effect of a very vain and frivolous audacity which would be but ill maintained and therefore he instantly came up to them and fell on with the main Body of his Army but disorderly enough as they usually do They thought they should at the very first encounter without any difficulty have routed them for having so often beaten the Chineses they looked upon them as already defeated but the first Charge had not that success they promised themselves The Chineses did make no great Noise being mad and ashamed to see themselves thus vilified by these Barbarians But when those who charged them thus scornfully came close up to them they let them see they knew how to fight The Tartar Horse more especially found the Body of the Chinese Pikes so firm and close that they could not break in so soon as they imagined now they came to their Lances and Cimeters and here the Chineses shewed themselves as firm and as resolute as the Tartars but they did not much make use of their Bows and Arrows but fired continually and played very briskly upon them with their great Guns This Charge was managed very resolutely and stoutly on both sides The Chinefes kept their ground by which those who so assured themselves of the Victory began to understand that there is no Law that one party should ever conquer and the other always be conquered The Field began to be covered with the Tartars who lay dead and wounded and their Blood began to stream out in all parts The Chineses now advanced but could not perswade themselves that the Victory could be theirs nor could the Tartars imagine they could be defeated so much do men from custom claim authority over that which they acknowledge to
be Fortune and Hazard Thus in that famous Battle in Spain than in which Victory was never more hotly disputed Caesar could not imagine young â—â—ompey could defeat him But at last the Tartars and Chineses both began to believe what they saw so evidently and the Tartars being routed fled away in great disorder The Chineses hereby being fully convinced of the advantage they had pursued very close after the conquered The one side now confessed they had lost the Day and the other cried Victory Thus the Chineses should have defendâ—â—d themselves in the first provinces If they had there fought thus valiantly it is manifest all the Tartarian Force could never so soon have compleated their Conquest Troy for ten years held out a Siege managed by other-guess Souldiers than these The Chineses returned after their Victory to Xaochin and entred the Town in great Triumph and Glory and were received by the Inhabitants with Tears of Joy and for several dayes there was nothing but Feasting and Entertainments for the people could never satisfie themselves with embracing and applauding those whom they looked upon as the Liberators and Avengers of their Countrey but this was to proclaim a Triumph before the the Victory The advantage which the Chineses had now gained might have put a stop to the progress of their Enemies had they known how to make use of it but the fond vanity and pride of that Nation presently created Discord amongst them and thereby sacrificed them to the Vengeance of their enemies There was in the great Fight Souldiers of both Provinces both of Canton and Quansi Those of Canton were in Xaochin when Guequan was acknowledged and received as King The one and the other had equally signalized themselves that day but when they were returned into the Town neither the one nor the other would yield that there ought to be any equality in the praise and applause which was due to them each party pretended that they alone had routed the Tartars and that they were able singly to make head against that terrible Enemy So great a haughtiness was there in this Nation that a contest amongst them for praise and glory divided them into two distinct parties whereby neither the one nor the other long subsisted The Tartar was touched to the very quick that he had been routed and therefore now busied all his thoughts in contriving how to efface that blemish which did so discredit the Fame of his Arms Therefore without losing any time he marched again into the Field being extraordinarily animated against the Town of Xaochin He was sensible that he was defeated before by having made too sure of the Victory and having too inconsiderately undervalued his Enemy he therefore now resolves to take his advantage more prudently he drew up his Army in that order of Battel which he judged most convenient and gave out all Orders necessary both for the assaulting and routing his Enemy more assuredly The Chineses failed not to come and present themselves to a fresh Battel but they were not now so numerous as before The Militia of the two Provinces stood upon their punctilio's of Honour and they had chosen forsooth a very seasonable time to dispute these points Those of Canton maintained most obstinately that all the Glory of the Victory ought to be attributed to them solely And upon this they of Quansi thinking they ought not to put up this Affront refused to march into the Field If say they to those of Canton you alone defeated the Tartars the last time you may do it again the second time see how they come now to present you with a new Victory Go and rout them again and then return in triumph into the City Guequan with all his credit could not accord this difference he foresaw the mischief which did hereby threaten both his Army and the City but as he was a King only by Courtesie and stood in need of those from whom he held his Grandeur to support it he could not so absolutely command for he was not so absolutely obeyed Those of Canton went singly to present themselves to the second Fight The Tartars came against them extraordinarily animated and in so good order that the Militia of both Provinces would very difficultly have undergone the first Shock and the Battel was scarce begun when it was quickly perceived to which side the Victory declined The brave Cantoners quickly fled hoping to save themselves within the walls of their Town but such was their Misfortune that the Tâ—â—rtars pursued them so close that they entred pel-mel the City with them Guequan when he saw himself as ill obeyed by those whom he led into the Field as by those who refused to follow him being surprized that the one run away so cowardly and that the others to revenge themselves on those of Canton and Xaochin neglected to sucour them as they might have done he only now took care to escape himself from the fury of the Tartars He knew they would lose no time in endeavouring to seize upon him therefore he resolves to lose none in securing himself but with all possible speed he retreats into his Province Assoon as the Tartars had entred the Town being in a rage they fully resolve to satiate themselves with the blood of their Enemies thereby they reduce that unfortunate City to a meer Shambles of Humane Flesh. The Massacre continued for several days and the Victors who were exasperated upon several accompts by their Revolt Resistance Presumption that they they durst come and fight them and by the Victory they had obtained to the great disrepute of the Tartars and by the Blood of their Nation which they had spilt in so great a quantity they took all the vengeance which they thought ought to satisfie their Choler and Fury Miserable City which after so successful a beginning ought not so unfortunately to have drawn upon it self its own unhappiness and ruine Assoon as Guequan was returned into his province he presenty reconciled himself with the King Sinhianuan They were neither of them of opinion to let their private differences disunite their Forces of which they had equally occasion having to contend with so powerful an Enemy Each of them thought now only how to defend himself in the Succincts of his Soveraignty but scarce were these two Monarchs united in their friendship when two new Kings start up in the same province They were two persons who had nothing which could recommend them either by their Birth or Quality and their whole Soveraignty was limited in the Jurisdiction of three or four towns which acknowleg'd their Dominion Thus the Royal Dignity heretofore so adored in China was now become a prey to the Ambition even of the meanest persons In the single province of Quansi there was at the same time four Kings and these who were only like so many Kings in Cards or in a Play yet they took upon them high Titles and Pretensions It is
as he hath begun either the World should be greater than it is or else some new one must be discovered for according to the vast projects with which this Conquerour flattered himself after his Victory the whole Earth is too little to give sufficient employment to his great Courage CHAP. XII Disturbances in the Maritime Provinces Some Chinese Princes retire themselves into the Mountains Others by Treaty make their peace with the Tartars One who had conceal'd himself amongst the Bonzi discovers himself to the Viceroy and is carried into Tartary AFter that the whole Empire of China was entirely conquered the Victors yet for some time both by Sea and Land found sufficient employment for all their Forces The people who were newly subdued but especially those of Fochien Canton and Quâ—â—nsi made divers Insurrections in several places The Tartars did with greater facility retain under their obedience and dissipate the Conspirators of the Inland Countriâ—â—s But as for those Rebels who took the Sea and roved about the rivers these gave them so great a disturbance that they thought they could never have surmounted it It is not that all the Attempts the Chinâ—â—ses could make did much affright the Tartars but these Incursions did continually disquiet and trouble them These Rovers did not only disturb the Tartars but they preyed upon their own Countrymen robbed and pillaged the Lands of the Neighbouring Princes and the Allies of China As for the other provinces which were more advanced up into the Countrey and lay nearer to Pâ—â—quin where the Tartarian Emperour resided with his Court there was not any commotion since those people first submitted themselves But they lived as peaceably and as quietly as if there had been no alteration in the Government But as for the 3 provinces of Fokien Canton and Quansi they being more remote from the Court and the Souldiers which were commanded thither having by their inhumane violences brought a most horrible aversion to their new Dominion it was not possible to reduce things there into any order or peace It is true that as for Quansi I cannot tell what should have so prolonged the War there as in the other two provinces unless it was the pretension that Guequan was up still and that he might the better watch his advantage he had retreated with his Souldiers and Followers into the Mounâ—â—ains But it would have been very difficult for this Prince long to have subsisted and being surrounded with so great a number of Enemies it was not possible he should escape being met with by some or others but must soon have been defeated having no Forces to defend himself It was also reported that the King Tanvâ—â—n did with some Troops still defend himself in the province of Fokien where Pelipaouan then was This was that Prince whom the Corsair Icoan had caused to be Crowned after the death of the Emperour Zunchin and undertook his support and defence against all the Force of the Tartars This King of China was said to be still living But the Relation calls him Luvan instead of Tanvan which at first sight might give occasion to believe that these were two distinct Princes But by the sequel it is manifest that this could be no other than the first Tanvan who was Crowned six Moneths before the Tartars entred into that province for the Relation remarks that the Prince who still supported himself was the same who had governed that province in great tranquility the space of six Moneths which can be understood of none but Tanvan who was Crowned much about that time before the arrival of the Tartars And there is little probability that after they had made themselves Masters of the Countrey there should be any Prince who should reign peaceable six moneths no not six hours There could not therefore be any other King then in those parts but this Tanvan who was believed to be dead because he disappeared â—â—fter â—â—oâ—â—n was taken prisoner though here the Relation takes notice that there was still mention made of him perhaps this Prince had two Names and this might occasion his being spoke of as two different persons But this was the Prince whom the Chineses said to be still living and that he was retired into the Mountains where he secured himself by often changing his Station and place of Retreat It was also said he had with him Icoan's Son as for the Father there was no more mention of him This young man is spoke of as a person who did his Prince very eminent Service It is verily believed he was a stout and couragious person and gained a great repute both upon his Fathers account and having been instructed by the Hollanders at Xacasià in the exercise of the Art Military as it is practised in Europe This is said to have been the State of affairs in the province of Foquien but it is scarce to be believed that Pelipaouan who was so puissant should let things long run thus And this clearly appears by the same Relation which remarks that the Governour did incessantly send very considerable Forces both Horse and Foot out of this province into Canton from whence it is evident the King of China did not much disquiet him All these Rumors which had no very good ground proceeded only from the shame the Chineses had to have behaved themselves so cowardly for seeing themselves thereby reduced to that sad condition they invented several Fictions that they might be thought to be very couragious But this Arrogancy benefited them but very little nor those small Attempts they made that they might not seem quite subjected The truth is they were so very low and in a condition so far from being able to restore themselves to their pristine Liberty that to dare only to turn their head against the Tyrant served only to exasperate him and make him shed their Blood afresh and shew them no Mercy It was in the province of Canton where the Tartars found the greatest trouble and resistance even after they believed themselves Masters thereof And there was reason to believe that the Concern of the Chineses might yet have a more favourable success The City of Hunchicheu is one of the most considerable of the whole province and there a Conspiracy suddenly broke out against the â—â—artars They had chosen for their Head a King whom they had Crowned upon this Dâ—â—sign This person had made himself very eminent by his Thieveries and Robberies and these were his sole qualities for which he was considerable For even Thieves and Robbers if they grow potent are so far considâ—â—red of as to be regarded as Soveraign Princes Those of Huchicheu did very unfortunately fail in their expectations They took up Arms upon the belief that the other Towns would have done as much in the absence of the General who was gone to conduct some Troops into the province of Quansi but none of the other Towns stirred and they did herein very wisely for that
China failed not ever to demand aid and succour from Macao and there were always some of the Inhabitants who were inclinable enough to favour their Interests But they had a more particular regard for that Prince who was Crowned at Canton for there ever was a very close correspondence between these two Towns Those of Macao had received divers Favours from those of Canton and for this reason the Portuguezes seemed obliged not to abandon their Friends in their distress yet they consider all the Succour they could send would signifie little and it would infallibly draw ruine and destruction upon their City therefore they resolve not to run the hazard of exasperating so dreadful and â—â—nemy It is good to consider upon weighty Affairs more than once and whoever would not repent quickly should not resolve suddenly The Tartar did so highly esteem of the Prudence of those of Macao in not having during this war declared against him that upon this sole consideration he was stopped from making any attempt upon their Town It is not but that they were in perpetual alarms They knew that the Viceroy in Military Affairs at Canton was very potent that he was one who grasped at all kept his Design very close and one who was very perfidious and therefore not to be relied on He often appeared at Sea with a very great Fleet He pretended it was only to go along the Coasts in chase of the Chinese Pyrates but he often approached very near the City of Macao and they themselves heard the Souldiers in the Tartarian Army declare publickly that it was not very difficult to pillage Macao for nothing could hinder them whensoever they pleased The Viceroy was not less zealous than his Souldiers to enter upon any Enterprize which might equally redound both to his profit and honour This did not a little disturb the Inhabitants of Macao who were upon this account diffident of his Intentions But of several things which this great City had reason to apprehend there were two which did principally seem to render its ruine inevitable The first was the Fame of the great Treasure and Riches in Macao which in former times there really was but the War in China and those Calamities which ever attend it had now reduced it to a far different state The whole wealth of that City consists in several rich and precious Merchandizes which the Inhabitants yearly receive from China and transport them from thence into Iapan or the Philippine Islands and there in exchange they receive Ingots of Silver But for the eight preceding years the Commerce had quite ceased by reason of the war they could receive no Commodities from China And after the breach between Portugal and Spain they had no liberty to go to the Philippine Isles And the Emperour of Iapan had throughout all his Dominions most rigorously prohibited all commerce with the Christians Thus the Inhabitants of Macao were at a loss in all parts for the profit was very inconsiderable which they gained by any other Traffick and without the Money of Iapan and Manila it was not possible to make any great advantage so far was Macao then from being rich that on the contrary ever since those eight years during which the Trade ceased it was brought to so low a condition that it was believed that great City could not long subsist To this condition are the Towns and Factories in the Indies often reduced for their whole Income and Harvest consists in the Transportation and Vent of their Commodities If this commerce should fail for two or three years they are then brought to great misery and necessity And this would be the state of Spain it self should it for some years be disappointed in the arrival of its Fleets for I may well take the liberty to say that the Dew from Heaven doth not so liberally contribute to the making that a fertile Countrey as the Water of the Sea which brings so great a number of Vessels thither from all parts But it is true these Merchandizing Towns do without any great difficulty in a short time recover themselves for there needs only two or three years of good Trading to supply them with plenty of all things and by this hope and expectation the Inhabitants of Macao subsisted But how poor soever the Town was it was still reputed to be very rich because it really had been so a few years before For in the year 1640. there came thither so great a quantity of Silver from Iapan that the King's Duties which were Ten per Cent. amounted to a hundred thousand pound sterling And according to this Computation there must have been a Million sterling which was more than came ever after from Iapan What Silver came from Manila is not computed in this Calculation though there came some years above three hundred thousand pound from thence The Renown of the wealth and riches of Macao did endanger the Ruine of it for the Tartar easily suffered himself to be perswaded into a belief of the truth of this Report and without any further information he did verily believe there was great Treasures hid there and did not at all scruple but that the pillage of that opulent City would enrich him for ever The other reason the Inhabitants of Macao had to apprehend their Ruine was the knowledge they had that it was not necessary that the Design of forming any Enterprize against them should be concluded upon in the Emperour's Council of State for they â—â—w all things depended upon the Capriciousness of the General who was very ambitious undertaking and successful and whose Souldiers were nurtured up and accustomed to Outrages and Violences Thus they were in continual fears lest they should quickly see the Tartars come and assault their walls and attempt to sack and pillage their City and if they were attaqued it was impossible for them to make any resistance without utterly ruining themselves and should they not with all their might defend themselves they must expect inevitable destruction Macao was very well fortified and furnished with great store of Artillery the Inhabitants and Souldiers were all Europeans and persons of great Courage and Resolution they resolved not to render up themselves to the Tartars upon the first flight of Arrows as the Chineses had done If the Tartars got the Victory they would make them pay for it for the Portuguezes were fully bent to maintain the honour of their Nation in not easily submitting to these Barbarians who understood so little the Art of War They determined to make the Tartars know that the reason why they gained so many Victories was because there was so weak opposition made against them and to let them see that they must not expect to march over the world with the same speed they had done over China But if Macao resisted it must infallibly perish The Taâ—â—tar was Master of all China and as I said before it must depend for its subsistance upon the supreme
Governour of that State for it can expect no relief from any place else nor any Succour sufficient to protect it against so puissant an Enemy When they were driâ—â—en to extremity Necessity would compel them to deliver up themselves upon Articles if they could obtain any and if they could they must resolve to open their Gates and let in the Viceroy and depend upon the peâ—â—formance of his Engagement to them But this Barbarian who because he was twelve hundred Miles distant from the Court did not trouble himself with the observance of the Instructions he received from the Emperour to curb the Licentiousness of his Souldiers would less have cared to sack and pillage Macao and bring upon it all the mischief lay in his power And though the peril was thus great to receive him into their Walls it would have been greater not to admit him See how the safeguard of Macao depended upon the Mercy of the Tartars that is to say up on persons who have very little who acknowledge no Law nor any Obligations but what they please to impose upon themselves who seldom enter into any Treaty or League with Strangers and if they do it is in such a manner that they resolve at the same time to observe nothing that they promise Thus the Portuguezes had reason on all sides to dread the Tartars who shewed them every day what mischief they could do them They came often and presented themselves before the Town sometimes by Sea sometimes by Land on that part of China which lies nearest to it And they being Masters of all the Countrey except this place only the Inhabitants judged the Tartars would think that one Town ought not to render imperfect the Victory they had made of so vast an Empire But God Almighty who knows how to keep the City even when all other power watches but in vain shew'd that in the midst of so many perils he would preserve Macao Though all we frail Creatures can do comes short of what we ought yet God is often graciously pleased to accept of and reward our weak Endeavours though they are but the operation of his Grace in us The City of Maâ—â—ao had received and bred up several Faithful Labourâ—â—rs who were gone to serve in Christ's Vineyard which he had planted in Iapan and China and had dispersed themselves amongst several other Idolatrouâ—â— Nations Thus this City was a means â—â—o reveal the Name of God to several Nations who sate in darkness and it may very well be said to have been a sanctified Academy a glorious Amphitheather where several holy Champions exercised themselves that they might overthrow Idolatry and obtain a Crown of Martyrdom It was not full ten years since it pleased God to crown with Martyrdom in one day more than sixty persons who all went from Macao And if it may be permitted to say so the Divine Providence was pleased by the defence of Macao when it was in so eminent danger to recompense the service the Inhabitants thereof had done to the Church of Christ. And certainly the protection of Gods faithful Servants there did much propagate the Glory of his Name The Churches afore-mentioned and several other Kingdoms depended upon Macao to be furnished from thence with able Labourers who might implant and strengthen their Faith Should Macao have been destroyed the Fountain and Streams would have been ruined from whence their Instruction and Consolation flowed to them and according to all humane probability it may be said that those Churches there newly planted would have been all lost the Gospel no longer preached in those places and the glorious Beams of Gods Name would in a manner have remained eclipsed to these people But at last by the Omnipotent assistance of the Almighty God the Inhabitants of Macao began not to be in such dread of the Tartars who now declared they intended no War against their City but on the contrary they desired that the Commerce should be continued between both Nations as it had been formerly with the Chinâ—â—ses And for their further sâ—â—curity shortly after they sent to Macao an authenâ—â—ick Act or Instrument whereby they did declare that all things râ—â—lating to the Trade and Traffick should be established as before and to this effect they then granted all liberty and security to the Portuguezes to come to Canton and there negotiate all their Concerns relating to Trade and permission to the Tartars to carry all sorts of Wares and Merchandizes to Macao The Portuguezes were then tâ—â—inking to have sent an Embassie to the Viceroys of Canton or if it had been necessary to the Emperour himself that they might more solemnly have setled the peace and liberty of Trade and thereby have rendred their security more inviolable but they considered that all that Sea-coast and the very Rivers were so infested with Pyrates that there would be no safety for their Embassie without a strong Convoy and they were not then in a condition to put out to Sea so great a Fleet as would have been necessary upon this occasion but they were in hopes that their condition would improve daily The Tartars seemed to be extraordinarily satisfied with the Portuguezes that they had not declared against them in favour of the Chineses and upon this account they were ready to make them any Return or shew them any Civility so great a value they had for their Friendship Thus God preserved the City of Macao and hath been pleased ever since to continue his protection to it for God is not like man who begins and grows weary of well doing The Goodness of man is quickly drained and their patience expired but God is inexhaustible in the Riches of his Goodness and Patience and his first Benefits are as so many Marks or rather as so many Pledges and Assurances that he is still preparing new ones for us CHAP. XIV The Tartars put out to Sea and fight the Corsairs of China A Treaty of Peace is proposed but broke by the perfidiousness of the Viceroy He is discovered to be a Chinese The natural Genius of that Nation Though the Tartars had reduced under their subjection all the Continent of China they were not yet Masters of the Sea But that they may we shall see them now engage with the Chinese Pyrates And now they will have their hands full nor will they so easily subdue these new Inhabitants of as many floating Towns as they had Squadrons of Ships with which they roved about and scowred the Coasts But before the Tartars would undertake the Pyrates they determine to conquer the Isle of Hainâ—â—m All along the Coast of Canton there are very many little Isles which are only separated from the Continent by Rivers and many of them are great Rocks uninhabited and so near the Shore that they are judged by many to be part of the Main Land of China The most considerable of all these Islands is called Hainam distant some eighty miles from the City of Canton
certain as that the General was whose inhumane cruelty is the more to be abominated seeing he was most fierce against his own Countreymen It was not by any order from the Tartarian Emperour nor to ingratiate himself with him that the General took these violent courses That Prince was in his nature very far from commanding approving or permitâ—â—ing them But the Chineses are naturally inclined to be very insolent and fierce even to their own Countreymen and therefore there is no mean or moderation in their comportment towards one anoâ—â—her They are all either Kings or Slaves They will adore as a God a man of whose assistance they stand in nâ—â—ed and they will trample upon like a Worm any one who hath occasion of theirs either they do with a most abject vileness crouch and crawl before their Superiours or else with a most insolent haughtiness tyrannize over their Inferiours The poor man is only regarded as a slave to the rich and the rich acts as well as he can the Petty King or Tyrant But that which is most to be admired at is that every particular person should be able to personate either the one or the other of these Extremes according as it is most comformable to his present condition for if one of these miserable Wretches of a sudden gains any Wealth or Repute it is admirable to see how he will Lord it as if he had been born and bred so all his life and the like doth the rich man if he happens to be impoverished they will most wonderfully suit themselves to their present state and condition though it be never â—â—o unâ—â—câ—â—ustomed to them By this you may perceive that the Genius and humour of the Chineses is to be inflexible and unmerciful to those who depend on them which is just opposite to the nature of the Tartars This may be evidenced by the General at Canton who was the more outragious by being by birth a Chinese As for the humour of the Tartars it doth much resemble that of divers people in Europe they are very passionate hot and quickly incensed sometimes they are transported with passion if they meet with any opposition especially if it be in any thing which relates to their Pleasure and Luxury for then their Choler transcends all the bounds of Reason and this hath cost the lives of several Chineses who endeavoured to prevent the rape of their Wives but these disorders are very ordinary even in the Armies in Europe As to any thing else the Tartars delight not in shedding Blood they are not of so sanguinary a Spirit nor were they ever inclinable to do any hurt or violence to any who gave them no offence by making resistance or defending themselves But the General and his Souldiers did incestantly without any provocation commit Massacres in all places and therefore it was observed that the Souldiers who weâ—â—e the most mild staid and reasonable were those who were the real Tartars and these were esteemed of as the most valiant and couragious and the unreasonable Cruelty of the others was accounted a testimony of their base cowardly and degenerous spirit The Viceroy with all his fierceness did thereby do no very good service to the Emperour his Master for those who undertake to carry all things by the utmost rigour and severity seldom prove very successful in the management of Affairs A more calm and generous procedure is much more prevalent than all this passionate and precipitate violence Bâ—â—ute beasts who are void of all Reason are mastered and tamed with force and violence but certainly Man whose Glory it is to be endowed with a reasonable Soul well deserves that Speech Reason and Intreaties should be employed to perswade him It is scarce credible what Mischief this ill Conduct of the Viceroy did attempting by these violent courses to reduce the Corsairs They did as I have already said rove about the Sea and Rivers to the number of forty thousand divided into four Squadrons but now they had ceased from all Acts of Hostility and had submitted upon those Proposals of peace which were offered them Two of the most principal amongst them came ashore to sign some Articles to which they were agreed when the General a man of neither Faith nor Honour did contrary to the parole he had given them seize upon them and without either sense or reason demanded of them upon pain of death to oblige all the other Pyrates to submit themselves It was not in their power to reduce the others nor was this the Peace which was tendred them Thus the perfidiousness of the Viceroy kindled those Embers which shortly after made such a Flame that neither he nor many more could quench it though it was in the midst of the Waters There was no Bull nor Tyger exasperated nor Serpent trampled on more enraged than these Corsairs were assoon as they were informed of this Action of the General They wanted nothing now but to know how to moderate their passion and to execute their resolutions as firmly â—â—nd couragiously as they were hot and eager to declare them they now renewed their first Acts of Hostility but more violently and frequently than ever This last perfidious Act of the Viceroy had alarm'd them in all parts so that on the Land there was nothing to be seen but Houses burning and on the Sea and Rivers Ships roving about It is thought there was above two thousand so that supposing there were but a hundred men Mariners Souldiers in each Vessel thus there was in these two thousand Ships two hundred thousand men which is a very formidable Navy and surpasses most ordinary Fleets The design of this great Army was to free their Country from the Tyranny of the Tartars who by the late Treachery of the Viceroy were become very terrible and dreadful to them Thus an imprudent Officer in power by his ill management of Affairs rendred a whole Nation odious though before it was in good esteem The Viceroy that he might not acknowledge that he had done amiss seemed not to be concern'd at the great preparations the Corsairs made against him it was his humour to be glad of any occasion to shew his Valour and lest he should want to create new To give him his due he was both valiant and successful in all his Enterprizes but his cruelty and perfidiousness did both blemish and discredit the Glory he acquired thereby CHAP. XV. The Viceroy burns the Vessels of the Corsairs they return in greater numbers pillage and ravage the Countrey and compel the Chinese to quit the Tartarian Habit which they had taken They assault the City of Canton and are repulsed by the Viceroy in Civil Affairs THE General at Canton was now engaged by force of Arms to reduce the Corsairs and therefore because he perceived that their Forces encreased daily he did with all possible speed put out to Sea with a Navy of fifty Ships each of which carried sixteen peece of Cannon
And having provided all things necessary he imbarqued himself with those Souldiers on whose valour he most confided The Tartars went now to a War of which they had little experience but hâ—â—ving the example of their Viceroy they went aboard very resolutely that by their valour they might supply the little intelligence they had in this way of fighting which was so new to them They imbarqued so speedily and secretly that the Corsairs had no information of it The Viceroy favoured by the good Fortune which did usually attend him in all his Enterprizes surprized the Pyrates in the Channel of a River where the multitude of their Vessels did more inconvenience than advantage them against the small number of those who came against them they were so surprized that they could not possibly make out to Sea as they desired that they might have surrounded their Enemy The Tartars though they were but fresh-water Souldiers yet they came in very good order and assaulted the first they met with so vigorously that they quickly disabled them for fight The rest had neither the leisure to recover or put themselves into any order or had they any place either to retreat or fly to for the Viceroy had blocked up the mouth of the River and thereby stopped their passage And that he might expedite his Victory he presently set fire to their vessels and the Pyrates being in this disorder and seeing no way left for their escape they quickly routed themselves for now they did in great confusion cast themselves into the water that they might if possible save themselves by swimming to the sides of the River And of all this great multitude none but those who thus saved themselves escaped either being drowned or burnt The Viceroy when he had assured the Victory endeavoured to preserve a hundred of the best Ships and burâ—â—t the rest From thence he returned to Canton where he had imbarqued and to illustrate his Triumph he caused the hundred Ships he had taken from the Pyrates to be haled after him At his Arrival the Town was filled with Acclamations of Joy with which all the Inhabitants did congratulate and salute him as their Liberator and as one who had for ever secured them from all fear and apprehension of the Corsairs It is strange that the Chineses of Canton should thus applaud the Tartars for the Victory they had obtained over the Chineses who combated for the Liberty of their Countrey And these Acclamations may seem to have been only feigned and base compliances of the servile people but it is certain their Joy was not counterfeit but sincere and they did without any dissimulation felicitate the Tartars for their Victory The reason proceeded from the horrible mischiefs they suffered from the Corsairs who not only roved about the Sea and the Rivers but desolated the Fields and Towns leaving no respite to the Inhabitants of this Province who were then all submitted to the Tartars But for these Corsairs after the Chineses had suffered all the Calamities to which Towns sacked and pillaged by Barbarians are reduced yet every one began to look upon his Misfortune as a Tempest which was now ceased As for those who were dead they were no more thought upon than dead people usually are and all the Troubles they had undergone were only now considered as a thing without remedy There was nothing now to be seen all over the Countrey but bald Pates and all the Inhabitants were cloathed after the Tartarian mode willingly or unwillingly they must submit to the Law of the Victor and if they governed themselveâ—â— peaceably for the future they need not fear to suffer from the Victor so great Afflictions as they had already undergone Though their troubles from the Tartars seemed to them to be at an end the outrages they suffer'd from the Pyrates did but now begin These were new Tyrants and a new sort of Barbarians which did incessantly renew the afflictions of these miserable people At the first they only reviled and reproached them calling them cowardly Traytors for having abandoned their King and their Countrey to these Tyrants as if they had voluntarily made choice of these new Masters From injurious Words they came to Blows and treated them with all the ill usage imaginable In their fury and rage they perpetrated acts of that violence as transcended all the inhumane actions of the Tartars They compelled the Chinese to retake their ancient Habit and to shew their authority the more they obliged them to wear their Liveries After they had pâ—â—llaged and sacked all parts they then fortified themselves in such Posts as they judged most advantageous pretending they would there defend the Chineses against all Assaults of the Tartars but this only served to give occasion to the Tartars to return and plunder and spoil the unfortunate Inhabitants a second or third time for the Viceroy was no sooner informed of what passed in those parts but he instantly returned and did more Mischief than ever he had before And if the Corsâ—â—irs made any resistance then he was the more outragious and obstinately resolving to go through with every thing he undertook he was sooner or later still victorious As for the Pyrates when they saw they could not defend those whom they ought to have better protected they presently retook themselves to the Sea and so abandoned these poor Wretches to the fury of an Enemy who was the more outragious because he thought he had so debilitated them that they had not strength enough left them so much as to crawl about And when the Tartar missed of the Corsairs on whom he might avenge himself he punished the Innocent instead of the Nocent It was in vain to alledge any Reasons to pacifie him or justifie themselves It was sufficient to make these miserable people criminal because he had in his fury and rage declared them so The Corsairs returned twice or thrice and made the Inhabitants of the Province of Canton change their Habit and the Tartar as often pursued after them and renewed all the Cruelties and Inhumanities which can be imagined they should exercise against Rebels This gave occasion to the Inhabitants of all the Towns and Villages which bordered upon the Rivers to manifest such an aversion to the Corsairs and after their defeat to give such demonstrations of their Joy believing that from thenceforth they should be freed from them For as for the Tartars after the Calamities they had undergone from them they expected to suffer no more from them Therefore they evidenced all they could possibly that they did participate in the advantage which did accrue from this Victory and for this reason they received the Viceroy with such applause at his entry into Câ—â—nton when he returned in Triumph for the Victory he had obtained over the Enemy they most dreaded The great Defeat of the Corsairs happened presently after the reduction of the City of Canton But it is not related in the Memorials which came
from China till after the Relation of the entire Conquest of the whole Continent of China to make some distinction I suppose between the Sea-fights and the Land-fights which the Tartars had with the Chineses The Tartars took the City of Canton the 20th of Ianuary 1647. And after some days spent in providing for all things necessary for the Government of the City and Province the Viceroy then put out to Sea where he gained this great Victory over the Pyrates towards the end of February in the same year and finding no Enemy in that Province to engage with he passed from thence to the City of Xaochin that he might subdue that and the Province of Quansi with all its Dependents There it was that Guequan defeated the Tartars but the Prince gained but little advantage by his Victory for in a second Battel the Viceroy was victorious and thereby made himself Master of the City of Xaochin It was much about this time that Pâ—â—lipaouâ—â—n who commanded as a Soveraign Prince in these Provinces recalled the General of Canton out of the Province of Quansi the Conquest of which he had before commiâ—â—ted to his Management He pretended his presence was necessary in the Province of Canton to reduce the Corsairs there for the Relation remarks that the Viceroy returned in the beginning of April 1647. And it doth not appear that he ever after went to the Conquest of Quansi Therefore it was another General who drove Guequan out of the Field and compleated the reduction of that Province The Tartars who were not accustomed to be beaten by the Chineses were highly enâ—â—aged at the defeat of the Viceroy at Xaochin and Pelipaouan who was the Roaland of Tartary was more incensed than any and therefore he recalled the General It is believed he would not so soon have recovered the Advantages which he lost by that Defeat if he had not testified his Resentment by presently imploying a new Commander in the reducing and governing the Province of Quansi During the time in which the General of Canton was absent from that Province the management of all Affairs both Civil and Military was commiâ—â—ted to the Viceroy in Civil Affairs who was a more intelligent and prudent person but above all eminent for his Zeal for the Service of his Prince whose Authority over his new Subjects he was very capable of maintaining He was not less valiant than his Colleague though not so hot and passionate He had with him as many Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot as were necessary for the Guard of his Person and of securing the peace of the Province But the Corsairs who were exasperated and enraged by their late Defeat were now rallied together and ready to enter upon some great Exploit and being certainly informed that the General was engaged in other parts with the greatest part of the Forces they believed the Viceroy in Civil Affairs was not able to defend the City with those few Souldiers were left him therefore they resolved to go and assault it and one Morning by One of the Clock they came up to the City and presently fired a great number of Vessels which lay in the River some of which belonged to the Tartars and the others to the Inhabitants of the Town In a short time the Fire was so great that to those who were near it seemed rather to be clear Day than Night All the Vessels which were either in the Haven or River were all consumed except some few which were sheltered by the Artillery which was planted upon a Bulwark to which they durst not approach so near The Corsairs were now so certain of their Victory that they were ready to make Bonefires And that they might shew they were Masters of the Town they sent to declare to the Townsmen that they were come to fire all their Houses and put all the Inhabitants to the Sword and that they would not leave a man alive to teach them what they had got by submitting to the Tartars contrary to the Faith and Loyalty they owed both to their King and Countrey The Inhabitants thereupon gave themselves for lost but yet they resolved manâ—â—ully to defend themselves They received very couragiously those who came to assault them but especially the Chineses of the Province of Foquien of which there were many then in Canton fought with a more than ordinary resolution for they were the more animated because they knew the greatest part of the Corsairs were of Canton and there is a mortal Feud between the people of these two Provinces Upon this occasion the Prudence and Valour of the Viceroy in Civil Affairs made it evident that those who are employed in the management of Civil Affairs are capable of managing Martial Affairs and to obtain Victories in Battel He presently took care to hearten and encourage the Common People who gave themselves for lost And therefore commanded them to go every one to his own house and to sleep securely It is my Duty said he to take care of your Safety therefore rely upon my Care I will go and draw up all my Souldiers in Battalia between the Walls of the Town and the Pyrates and I engage to you they will not approach near your Walls so long as one Tartar is left alive and do not believe they will easily destroy us all And to shew how much he confided in those Forces he had with him at that very instant he went out of his Palace drew off all the Guards and commanded that the Gates should be left open from thence he went to the Gates of the Town which he caused to be all opened and at every one placed such Commanders as he knew would defend them couragiously After he caused all the Streets to be cleared that nothing might impede the March of his Horse to and fro Having provided for all things necessary within the Town he got up a Horseback and at the Head of his Men he placed himself by the River side fully resolved that whoever came to assault him should be well received They began to skirmish presently and both partìes were very hotly engaged The Canons and Muskets plaid very fiercely but especially those from the Bulwarks of the Town which in a short time sunk several Barks and Ships belonging to the Pyrates to their great loss The Corsairs who did not expect to have been so warmly received had no great mind to prosecute their Enterprize but retreated or rather fled away which was no small Joy to the Inhabitants as likewise to see they had a Governour who was as able to defend their City as to distribute Justice It is said that amongst the Ships which in this Engagement were burnt by the Corsairs there was a Vessel which belonged â—â—o a King who was Tributary to China and maintained the Liberty of his Subjects by paying every three years a small Tribute only as a Mark of Homage and Fealty This Ship which was then going to
Creatures who are all his Vassals and Slaves and of themselves incapable of acquitting themselves of the Duty they owe to the Almighty Ten dayes after this second Defeat of the Corsairs before the City of Canton which happened in the beginning of April 1647. there appeared before the same City a Naval Army of Souldiers which had been formerly commanded by the renowned Icoan This was part of those Forces which he had offered the Tartar when he was taken prisoner as hath been intimated before There were only seventy Vessels but they were all in very good equipage furnished with all Necessaries and sufficiently provided with both Souldiers and Seamen These men came to present themselves with all their Vessels to the Tartâ—â—r to serve him in the War which he hâ—â—d with the Corsâ—â—irs these were but the least part of Icoan's Souldiers All the rest who had made their escape from the Tartars had joyned themselves with the Pyrates In the time that this Fleet arrived at Canton the General returned from the Province of Quansi from whence Pelipaouan had recalled him After this he was only employed against the Pyrates who gave him his hands full and for the reducing of them Pelipaouan could not possibly do any thing more advantageous than engaging this General against them The General was no sooner arrived at Canâ—â—on but he was informed the Corsairs had reunited their strength and had Landed and possessed themselves of a great City called Xuntè distant a dayes journey from Canton that they had fortified this City and seemed to be fully resolved to stand upon their defence This was sufficient to make the General quickly take the Field He presently issued out Orders for the equipping of fifty Vessels with all speed but he would not make use of any of Icoan's Vessels or men for he was willing to shew that by his own valour he could subdue them without the assistance of Strangers He presently put out to Sea accompanied with his best Souldiers and engaged he would so handle the Corsairs that they should have no great mind to come and visit him so near another time He was not gone far before he met with a hundred of their Ships which were Chinese Men of War great Vessels but of little strength to maintain a fight They were loaden with Straw and other combustible Stuff proper for the Design they had in hand which was to fire those Ships of Icoan which they knew were entred into the Service of the Tartar but they had but bad Suocess the Vessels which they came to fire were secure and they themselves were only burnt for the Viceroy with his accustomed success boarded them and made use of that Stuff to burn them with which they had designed to fire their Enemies The General swelled with Glory for the advantage which he had now gained without much hazard or toil or loss of time pursued his course to overtake the main Body of the Pyrates He found that they had possessed themselves of the City of Xuntè that they had there fortified themselves and made a shew of resolutely defending themselves He presently Landed and without loss of time and consulting nothing but his Passion he fell on to storm the Town At this first Assault the Corsairs out-braved all their fierceness and obliged them to take more leisure how to make a second They returned a second time but in more order though with much heat and animosity yet by these two Assaults he gained nothing but on the contrary lost many of his men The Tartar grew desperate to see himself thus received and handled by a company of Raskally Free-booters for the Chineses as well as the Tartars gave them no other Title though they fought in the defence of their Countrey against its Usurpers but in all places the strongest are best esteemâ—â—d of Though the Viceroy had hiâ—â—herto still been so victorious yet now he was at his Wits end to see that one single Town in which there was neither a King nor any considerable person who commanded in chief but defended only by some pilfering Raskals should be able to maintain it self against two Assaults and kill a great number of his men But notwithstanding he resolves either to carry the place or perish in the attempt Thus the Tartars by their firm resolution were alwayes victorious and the Chineses were ever overcome because they were neither stedfast nor constant in the management of their Enterprizes The Viceroy assaults it the third time and now he did it with all the might and force he and his men were capable of The Corsairs did but weakly defend themselves for the greatest part were already thinking of making their Retreat At last the Tartars enter the Town which they did most horribly desolate They thought it not sufficient to sack and pillage it according to their usual custom unless they massacred likewise all sorts of people they found therein as well the Inhabitants as the Corsairs who had entred the Town and those whom they had compelled in by force There was an innumerable multitude slain in that place but the General did not think himself sufficiently avenged by the ruine of that City but that he might fully discharge his Fury and Rage he pillaged and ruined ten other neighbouring Towns though they had not at all assisted or contributed to the Rebellion of this place The spoil and plunder of this Town was very rich for several who expected it should have defended it self better had brought all their Wealth thither The Tartars herewith enriched themselves and likewise seized upon the Pyrates Ships They preserved the best with which they encreased their Fleet and burnt all the rest which were very many in number The barbarous Cruelties which thâ—â— Victors executed even upon them who gave them no provocation served only to raise them up new Enemies who saw they had as good die as suffer more misery This is the third time that the Neighbourhood of Xuntè had been successively pillaged by the Tartars and Corsairs And it is certain that if the Emperour had been made acquainted with all these Oppressions of the people he would have chastised the General that he kept no better order but this Commander had such interest at the Court that the Emperour was only informed what Towns he had taken knew not that he had ruined and desolated the Countrey and therefore the General instead of hearing that he was complained of there saw he was the more considered as if thereby he had merited much and done his Prince good Service This gained credit to the report that the General was rather a counterfeit Chinese than a natural Tartar for this manner of making war and enhancing the fame of his Victoriâ—â—s was more like a Chinese than a true Tartar CHAP. XVII The Corsairs trouble and perplex the General They possess themselves of the City Tunquam and maintain it against several Assaults They deliver it up upon composition The Cruelty of
the Generals Souldiers THE Corsairs hereafter never left the General in quiet It was in vain to hope to conquer them for his abominable Cruelties made them ever return both more potent and more numerous for one Bark which he destroyed there returned thirty and for one man a hundred or two These are the very Terms of the Relation which remarks that the Sea and Rivers were covered with ships and men as if it had rained armed men from Heaven Some fled to the Pyrates for refuge not being able to be longer spectators of the Cruelties which were exercised upon their Countrey-men others came to avenge if they could the death of their Fathers their Children and other near Relations the loss of their Estates and the honour of their Wives Daughters or Sisters And innumerable other persons came in to them who knew not how to put a more acceptable period to their burdensome Lives and consolated themselves that they should there meet with a death more desirable or a life less miserable They hoped at least whilst they were at Sea they should be at liberty for some time to take breath and they did not despair but they should be able to do some eminent exploit whereby at last they might aveâ—â—ge themselves on the Tartars The Viceroy likewise seemed as if he designed to give these miserable people no respite He presently put out to Sea as if he was resolved not to let one escape him and being informed that they were betwixt Lautao which is a little Isle just opposite to Mâ—â—cao and the City of Anslan in one week he thrice went into this Road in search of them but still returned without meeting them It is believed he had no great mind to meet with them though he went to seek them out This is a Stratagem often practised by Politicians There was a great report that the Pyrates were extraordinary powerful that they had a well regulated Army that their Vessels were filled with desperate men who were resolved either to conquer or perish after they had sold their Lives at a dear rate therefore the Viceroy not thinking it would be for his advantage to have such a rencounter he returned thrice without finding them or rather without seeking for what he had no mind to meet wit Once at last when he was just ready to enter into the City of Canton he had intelligence that the Corsairs had possessed themselves of a place distant some two days journey from that City Then being necessitated to put out to Sea he returned at that very instant with a great many Vessels and Men and presented himself before that Town There he found that the Alarm which had been given him was false therefore he returned highly displeased as he said that he had found no Enemy to fight with but perhaps he was not so much afflicted at it as he pretended This was only the subtilty of the man who was willing to disguise his fear The Number and Forces of the Pyrates encreased daily and the Relation saith that they were almost as innumerable as the Sand of the Sea These terrible Armies did incessantly rove about and infest all parts of the Province of Canton and gave the Viceroy more business than he desired Now he is not so hot and resolute as he was before He learnt by experience that he must be necessitated to change his conduct to which he was inclined by the advice of the Viceroy in Civil Affairs who was a prudent person and understood better than he to deal with the Pyrates These two Chiefs concluded that it would be more available to be less fierce and hot and more circumspect and prudent in the manageing of the War They placed Guards at the Gates of all the Towns in the Province where there were none before there they examin'd all who came in or went out for they knew that the Corsairs had Intelligence in all the Towns and that their Confederates were busily employed in hatching some great Conspiracy Thus the Tartars who before made a mock at all the Chineses could do were not now so confident and couragious as they had been They had reason not to be so for the League and Combination of these Corsairs was like a terrible Hydra which instead of seven heads had more than seven hundred thousand They judged it likewise convenient to make a new renumeration of people in all the Towns but especially in Canton that they might see if there was more or fewer than in their first Registers After which they made an Order that no Master of a Family should retain any more Domesticks than what they should allow of and whose Names were registred and these were no more than were precisely necessary for each Family This War of the Pyrates had brought most miserable calamities upon the whole Countrey in which the Tartars as well as others had their share for the Land lay waste and uncultivated and there was none in the Countrey who durst venture to carry that small Crop they had into the Towns for let them go which way they would they could not avoid meeting either with the Tartars by Land or the Pyrates by Water The Countrey-men therefore would not carry any provisions into the City which occasioned great want and scarcity there The Souldiers by the General 's permission were scattered and dispersed all over the Countrey and seized upon all the provisions they could meet with This compleated the ruine of that Province And if at any time some of the Countrey people to preserve any thing from those which persecuted them at home run the hazard to carry it into the Towns they were no sooner entred having escaped all the dangers of the ways but they were seized upon to row in the Navy and many times before they could reach the City the Corsairs had apprehended them upon the same account for on both sides there was a prodigious number of Vessels which both sailed and rowed and for this they stood in need of a great number of men to tug at the Oars These Outrages could not be committed without very frequent Murders and Massacres throughout the whole Countrey and these were so numerous that the description of the desolation of this Province would require a whole History The putrid bodies did so infect the Air that it occasioned a cruel Plague Thus these miserable people were afflicted with War Pestilence and Famine all these calamities came upon them at the same time each of which would have been sufficient to have ruined this once flourishing Province so that the richest plentifullest and most delicious of all the Provinces in China lay most dismally ruined in comparison of what it was formerly and so it remains to this very day and it is said all this mischief arose only from the ill conduct of the General for this rash man by his cruelty drove the people to despair and he was not only content to give an ill example but he gave
such license to his Souldiers that thereupon they flew out into the height of wickedness and committed the most enormous Villanies I remarked before that he was called Lâ—â— who first began the destruction of that vast Empire and reduced the Emperour Zunchin out of despair to destroy himself The word Ly from henceforth will be remarkable in China for having been the name of two such eminent Tyrants yet the Chineses pretend that the name of Ly from the two Letters of which it is compoâ—â—ed signifies High Endowments of Wit and Virtue But the Viceroy had no better a repute for having had so fine a Name And it might have been said to him as a Souldier once said to Alexander that he should either change his Name or change his Actions This Commander who some few days before was return'd so discontent that he had neither met by Sea nor Land any Enemy to fight with had quickly occasion to come out of his ill humour for he received News that that the Corsairs had Landed at a place distant some two days journey from Canton and had made themselves Masters of the City of Tunquam This was a place the best fortified and furnished with provisions of any in the whole Province He was likewise informed that they had begun new Works and were putting themselves in such a posture of defence that they might annoy whosoever made any Attempt against them and receive little dammage within their Walls The Chineses are very ingenious and will take pains And having observed that the Tartars in all their Assaults came exposed to all dâ—â—ngers and took no care to cast up Works to shelter them from the Cannon-shot they made their Fortifications in that manner that their Enemieâ—â— should have no great desire to approach very near them they built their Walls with Battlements and pierc'd them â—â—hrough with divers Loopholes like the Port-holes in ships for the Great Guns to play through In some places of the Wall they cut down Slâ—â—s from the top to the bottom and built up several Scaffolds upon which they placed several Tire of great Guns just as in a man of War The Viceroy no sooner received this Information but he put out to Sea with a very potent Fleet. The number of his Vessels is not known but promising himself that he should quickly put a period to the War he came to that intent with his greatest force He presented himself before the City of Tunquam and Landed his men resolving presently to fall on but neither he nor his Souldâ—â—ers who were to give the Assault were well pleased to see so many Tire of great Guns so well Manned and so many Gunners standing just ready to give fire upon them but not being accustomed to shew any fear having ever made his brags that he would rais Mountains where before there were Vallies he was not now backwards with his usual animosity to give the Signal for the Assault The Tartars fell on very resolutely but they were no sooner approached near the Wall but they perceived it was the stronger and better fortified by the more Holes it had in it Now all the Artillery play'd against them and made a most horrible Massacre amongst the Assailants who were come up to the very mouth of the Cannon and did not believe they were prepared to give them such another Discharge when not leaving them time to consider how to make good their Retreat out of all these Crannies there showered amongst them such a storm of Bullets and Arrows that the Ditch was presently filled up with dead and wounded men and those within the Town received no dammage The Viceroy was so obstinate that during the first dayes he lay before Tunquam he gave several Assaults to it but thereby he only lost both his Time Credit and men And though he attempted it with all his might he could not lodge himself upon any part of the Rampart He had now need of all his good fortune to enhearten him for he was mad and enraged he knew not either what measure or resolution to take He saw he advanced but little either by strength or Stratagem and he knew he should lose both his Reputation and dignity if he did not with honour succeed in this Enterprize He began now more calmly than was usual with him to take a prospect of his Affairs He perceived he had lost many of his best Souldiers and that those which he had left were neither numerous nor valiant enough to carry the Town he sent therefore to demand recruit from the Viceroy of Civil Affairs and some great Guns to batter and make a Breach in the Wall with some Canoneers of Europe These Canoneers which the Viceroy sent for were eight or ten men of Europe who some few years before went from the City of Mâ—â—câ—â—o to serve the Chineses against the Tartars After when they saw in what a low condition the Chinese affairs were and not knowing what to do in the remoâ—â—est parts of that Empire being more than twelve hundred Miles distant from Macao they resolve to take employment under the Tartars And they did such eminent Service that they were highly esteemed of by all that Nation It is very remarkable that though the Tartars knew that they went from Macao to serve the Chineses yet for all this they did no injury to the Portuguezes They considered that so few persons ought not to make them think that the whole Nation had declared against them but that these were Souldiers of Fortune and only such as for their particular advancement had cast themselves into the Chinese Army It happened also that these Canoneers discoursing with the Tartars of the state and condition of Macao the Tartars expressed a great affection for the Portuguezes and for all the Europeans in general and having after gained great repute with the Tartars by the great Services they did them they were thereby enabled to do and did several good Offices to the Inhabitants of Macao The Viceroy in Civil Affairs received the Letter from his Colleague in the Evening and the very next Morning he dispatched away a considerable Supply of both Souldiers Gunners Artillery Ammunition and all other provisions and this he did with that diligence that the difficulty of having Ships for their transportation and necessary stores so soon in a readiness did not retard them These Recruits must be sent by Sea and therefore they ought to be strong enough not to be stopped by any Squadrons of the Corsairs should they meet with any in their passage With this expedition do Recruits march in Tartary where they are not so long a making ready as in Spain where they seldom arriâ—â—e at the place to which they are designed till it be delivered up or too late to execute the Enterprize they go upon The disadvantages which have sometimes acâ—â—rewed to Spain from their wasting too much time in their Deliberations may give just occasion to say That their too
taken away and my Colleague Ly shall have the sole disposal of the Province what care he will then take for the subsistance of the Souldiers and preservation of the People This Declaration the Viceroy in Civil Affairs made of his displeasure to see how things were governed but he had done better had he opened his mind to the King his Master who was neither locked up so close nor so difficult of access as the Chinese Kings used to be And it may be he did write but those Letters which the General sent to the Court were more prevalent and byassed all Affairs contrary to the Viceroy in Civil Affairs The General pretended he was necessitated to use Rigour but he did it only towards the Rebellious Corsairs and not to the People which had submitted themselves And the Court being tired out with this obstinate War of the Corsairs they did not believe this Rigour was prejudicial but on the contrary that nothing could have been of greater advantage than the employing so inflexible and fiery a man as the General was To put this gloss on things was the ready way to encrease the Mischief and make the Cure hopeless Those who oppress others never want persons to applaud them and those who are oppressed never find any to protect them We are wrongfully inform'd of the truth of things either because we will not give ear to it or else because it is wrongfully represented to us Deceit and Falshood marches in triumph in all places that being generally managed more dexterously and subtilly and listened to by most persons with more pleasure Thus States and Nations are often disturbed nay ruined and it cannot be discerned that it was or was not occasioned by the fault of the Prince who governed The General could not yet bring the War with the Corsairs to a period They continually so alarm'd him that he knew not which way to turn himself but tormented him so that it was able to have distracted him sometimes they came in search of him up to the very Gates of Canton and after they had pillaged and plundered all the night the next morning they were all vanished Their Vessels being lighter they had the boldness to surround his Ships and assault them sometimes on one side sometimes on the other They allarm'd him one place whilst they were executing their Project in another And sometimes he was scarce return'd from the Chase of them but they returned to the same place from whence he had expelled them for that they might the better take their advantages they had placed very trusty Spies in all places Thus they always succeeded in some part of their Enterprize whilst the General was gulled and abus'd in being perswaded to go in search of them where they never were This was a very pleasing divertisement to this fierce Fellow who thought to carry all things by his turbulent and capricious humour There were in this province some people who were ever so unfortunate as to be on the wrong side these bore the brunt of the fury of both sides Thus all those great gallant Cities all along the Coast have been ruined their Buildings reduced into a heap of Rubbish and are become the deplorable remains of desolation and destruction They were deserted and abandon'd by their Inhabitants the greatest part of which were either killed or murdered and the rest chose to forsake all and retire themselves for their security up higher into the Countrey The Tartars themselves suffered in part by that mischief which they themselves had occasioned for besides the Affront and Vexation to see the Corsairs for their pleasure thus abuse and torment them they stood oftentimes in need of Necessaries They thought there would never be an end of imbarquing continually which was to them a new exercise to which they were not very well accustomed The General in one of these Incursions happened to seize upon a very eminent Pyrate who was of great repute for his Valour He took him by surprize and the cowardliness of his Followers who then deserted him and brought him to Canton and in the open place there shot him to death with Arrows This was no great loss to the Corsairs who had persons enough as valiant as he whom the General had now put to death and the Tartars no more advanced their interest thereby than he did who thought to diminish the Sea by taking a drop of Water out of it The General did not stay in Canton above four and twenty hours after he had taken this Corsair before he put to Sea again He was no sooner aboard but he commanded to set Sail without any other Declaration what Course he would steer He did thus several times that the Pyrates Spies might not discover his Designes and sometimes not believing he could be precautious enough he took the Helm himself and ordered his Navy to follow him whatever Course he should steer He was most certainly a person highly endowed with all the qualities befitting a Souldier was indefatigable and took no rest But his violent and bloody Actions often lost him more than he gained by his laborious Toil. And it is manifest that in the late Combates the Tartars were often worsted and the General himself beaten and defeated which did both embolden the Pyrates and encrease both their number and Forces It is likewise reported that in this Province they had possessed themselves of several Villages Towns and Cities which before had submitted to the Tartars and that the General could not gain any considerable advantage against them either by Sea or Land though he assaulted them with a very strong Army of both Horse and Foot By this it is credible that had the Chineses been trained up in Martial Discipline they might have made as good Souldiers as other Nations They are generally very strong and vigorous active and Industrious will undergo Labour and Toil love to be employ'd and are generally mortal enemies to Idleness which is particularly remarked in the Provinces which are adjacent to Tartary where they are most commonly engaged in War This is related by several persons of Europe who say they could never have believed them capable of doing such extraordinary actions as they have seen them do had they not been Spectators And it is believed the Tartars would not with so much facility have made themselves Masters of those Provinces had they not found the people in disorder and division occasioned by the Troubles of a Civil War where instead of a Lawful Soveraign to rule over them several Tyrants had brought a horrible confusion and disorder over the whole State in which all persons were divided into several Factions by their different Tenents of Loyalty and Rebellion The Tartars finding these people so little able to make any resistance and they having strengthened their own Forces with divers Chinese Troops who sided with them under their General Vsanguè from hence it happened that they conquered those Provinces with greatest
received their Pay They went the more readily imagining their Treason was not discovered because the Viceroy who might have seized them if he pleased bestowed this Liberality amongst them to engage them as they thought to serve him the more faithfully And by his Aspect and manner of speaking to them they could not collect any thing which might give them the least occasion to suspect him They entred by one Gate at which they received part of their Pay and they went out at another where they were paid for their Treachery The Viceroy had placed at the last Gate his greatest Confidents and those whom he had entrusted with his secret Designs and such as he knew would resolutely execute the Order he gave them so that as fast as the Traytors came to this Gate they met with those who stabbed them and cut their Throats And this Execution was managed so subtilly that the two hundred Conspirators who should have delivered up the Fort all lost their Lives in such a manner that they did not perceive the Misfortune of their Companions The Guard of this Fort was intrusted to new Officers and Souldiers who were both more numerous and such as the Viceroy was more secure of their Fidelity This was not ill-contriv'd for a Gown-man and if all the Lawyers of China had been as able as he was perhaps the Emperour and the Empire had not been lost so soon It was quickly known how necessary it was that the Viceroy should have employed all the diligence and resolution which he made use of in this Expedition for scarce had he concluded the punishment of the Traytors but but besides the sixty Vessels which lay before the Forth first mentioned there was seen under sail a new Navy of more than two hundred Ships These were they to whom the Conspirators should have delivered up the place Assoon as they perceived that they could do nothing they came enraged up to the very City and threatned to put all to the Fire and Sword and leave no man alive The Tartars were well prepared to receive them and made up to them assoon as they were Landed They instantly engaged and the Encounter was managed with great animosity on both sides The Tartars at last gain the advantage and the Assailants retreat but not far from the Town only out of the reach of Cannon-shot there they lodged themselves and kept the Town besieged on that side next the Water This was the greatest mischief they could then do the Cantoners for being Masters of the River they put a stop to all their Provisions which they could receive no other way The Viceroy who was now surrounded with secret and declared Enemies and at that time when the General was absent with all the best Souldiers in the Army thought himself now necessitated to employ all his Abilities to maintain and defend himself for this effect he thought he must secure the Brother and Cozen of the great Calao who was the Head of the Conspirators And therefore he seizes upon and imprisons them and obliges them to write to the great Calao that if he did not within three dayes retreat from before the Town they were condemned to lose their Heads He summoned likewise all the ancient Mandorins to appear before him whom he enjoyned to stay near his person that he might employ their Credit and that he might by all ways imaginable endeavour to prevail with the Calao and the Rebels to retreat and leave the Town in peace and quiet If the Viceroy only threatned them that he might affright them he was not blameable but if he intended to execute his Menaces doubtless he was both unreasonable and unjust He exacted that from the Prisoners which lay not in their power to accomplish and he condemned them to death though they were innocent No Law commands an Impossibility and can it be a crime not to do it It was not in the Prisoners power to do what the Governour desired The Calao and the other Conspirators knew that if they retreated they exposed both their own Lives and the Lives of all their Relations to more eminent danger and therefore they thought they ought not to abandon their Enterprize This procedure of the Viceroy struck a great terrour all over the City and all the Inhabitants staid very silently within doors expecting what the Issue would be of all these Treasons CHAP. XX. An Allarm in Canton at the Approach of the Corsairs The Consternation of the Inhabitants The General arrives and routs the Besiegers The Inquisition after the Conspirators and their punishment The resolution of a Chinese Captain his Death and Praise THE Viceroy in Civil Affairs gained nothing by his Rigour and Severity by ceasing to carry himself with moderation and equity and making use of those violent courses which he had so often condemned in his Colleague he only encreased the number and strength of his enemies for he had scarce begun his violence but he saw a much greater number of the Barks and Vessels of the Pyrates come thundering against him instead of sixty which came before the first Fort and two hundred which approached near the other There might now be counted a thousand Vessels either before or near the Town And all this numerous Army by the continual discharge of their Artillery made such a terrible Thunder that all the Houses in Canton seemed ready to be shaken in pieces The Bells rung the Drums beat and the Air resounded and all the Elements in general seem'd to be in a commotion and to hold some part in this terrible Consort But the better to imagine the horrour of all this jangling noise let us reflect upon the noise of the Cannon in some Merchants or other ships when they celebrate any Festival and then consider what was the thunder of all the great Guns in above a thousand Vessels which fired incessantly what was the clashing of Arms and other warlike Instruments in two potent Armies which contended who should strike the greatest terrour into their enemy and what a hideous jangling there was of an infinite number of Bells of different Sounds some louder some lower some sounding hoarse and some sharp and shrill that they deafned the Ears of all the Inhabitants and Neighbourhood of the City The Cantoners gave now their City for lost and the fright into which the Pyrates put them by their late menaces made such a horrible impression in their imagination that though they were Chineses and their own Countrey-men yet they expected no succour but from the Tartars whom they looked upon as their Protectors and Avengers The whole City was in Arms by the order of the Viceroy who issued out a Command that no person should appear upon pain of death but in the Tartarian Habit and commanded all his Officers to kill immediately all they found in the Chinese Habit He caused all incumbrances to be removed out of the Streets that his Horse might freely march without any hindrance up and
any thing or nothing he was not a man to make any of his Countrey-men lose their Livâ—â—s by the hands of their enemies That the resolution of those of the same Countrey to unite themselves together against their Tyrants to free their Countrey from Oppression ought not to be called a Conspiracy If this was that which they call'd a Conspiracy he was in truth the chief and principal Conspirator in the whole Empire and that he would most willingly lay down his Life to gain success to that Conspiracy That this was all he had to say to them and this he knew most certainly These words spoken so resolutely and pertinently were not very plaisant to the Tartars who were not accustomed to receive such Language from the Chinâ—â—ses And they having the Law in their own hands made this free and resolute Discourse a very criminal Offence They ordered that he should be racked with greater Tortures and scoffingly told him He should reserve all his fierceness till he was so tortured upon the Rack that he should have need of all his Courage to support the anguish thereof He was no more moved at their Scoffâ—â—s than at their Menaces neither was he a man to be estimated according to the rate of the other Chineses Rome her self even in the time of her Cato's had few to be compared with him It was the misfortune of China not to have had many such Captains who might have hindred the Tartars from advancing so far They put him again to the Torture which was extraordinary cruel He endured it with the same Constancy without changing his Opinion or so much as his Countenance Several Chineses who judged how far they themselves were from being able to give so generous an example were troubled to see so much resolution in one of their own Nation But the Tartars were enraged to find a Chinese who mocked at them and all the torments they could afflict him with Amidst his greatest torturâ—â—s he told them very boldly That they tormented themselves in vain That he was fixed and resolved to endure the torments even to death and that he would bâ—â— content not only to die once but often if he had as many Lives as he would willâ—â—ngly lay down for the Service of his Prince and Countrey That he should believe them happily lost or rather gloriously employed to pay thereby so lawful nay so indispensable a Duty to a valiant man The Viceroys caused his Wife and his Son to be brought to him threatning to kill them before his face unless he discovered the Conspirators They were desirous to see if that which is most tender to a Father and a Husband could mollifie his Courage They thought though he cared not to lose his own Life yet perhaps he might be concerned that those for whom he ought to have the greatest affection should lose theirs upon his account They had scarce brought them before him but casting a fierce and angry look upon his Son and Wife in a slighting scornful manner he replied to the Tartars This is not my lawful wife which you bring before me No my wife was not so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of the Tartars I my self at her own request kill'd her some days since though I had no reason to complain that she had violated her Honour or mine and she was fully satisfied in the esteem I had of her conjugal fidelity yet seeing amidst your Violences we can be secure of nothing we would not longer leave that in hazard which was dearer to us both than our Lives As for this woman you may do with her what you please I never lawfully married her and my Honour or Dishonour doth not depend upon her I acknowledge the young man you bring before me is my Son but if he had not been taken from me he had not staid in the world after my â—â—â—â—ife and therefore I fear so little to see him die that on the contrary you will do me a great pleasure to dispatch him quickly Let him diâ—â— I intreat you Either do you kill him or give me liberty to do it I shall die content when I shall know that he doth not live under the Dominion of Tyrants and be assured that he shall neither prove a Traitor to his Countrey nor no longer live to see those Treacheries and Oppressions under which she now groans But this Father could neither kill his Son himself nor prevail with his Executioners to do it He neither had Weapons nor liberty to use any which if he had it is probable he would have performed all he said and perhaps something yet more barbarous with pleasure have torn out the very Heart and Bowels of his Son which certainly no person but an Infidel and Idolater could have been capable of What Cato of whom Antiquity makes such boast did formerly comes far short of what this Chinese Captain would have done Cato when he was in Vtica had courage enough to kill himself but not enough to endure to see his Son die on the contrary he sent him to Câ—â—sar with this Recommendation to the Tyrant That as for himself hâ—â— had made choice of death because he could not prevail with himself to live under a Tyrant after he had so long lived in a frèe Commonwealth As for his Son â—â—e was young and might in time accustome himself to Slavery and therefore he recommended him to Caesar desiring him to receive him into his Protection But this Chinese Captain instead of enslaving his Son and recommending him to the Tyrant of his Countrey as that Roman did He was resolved to have killed his with his own hand that he might not live under Tyranny or Slavery It is therefore no Hyperbole to say thaâ—â— China in her last Misfortunes had some extraordinary persons and greater than Cato himself The Viceroys ought to have shewed a greater esteem than they did of the Generosity of this Chinese but either they did not regard iâ—â— or else he thereby struck such a terrour into them that he made them dread him And this perhaps induced them not to suffer such an Enemy to live longer They took away his Son and Wife to whom it doth not appear that they offered any further violence and the next day they put him to death This was much magnified amongst the Chineses Gallant and Heroick Actions are approved by all persons even by those of the most timorous and lowest Spirits But this is the ill that those who praise nay envie Goodness and Virtue will neither take the pains to imitate or pursue it A little time after the death of this Chinese Captain it was known tâ—â—at he was a Commander under the King Guequan who was retreated into the Mountains and had sent several persons throughout all the Cities of China to animate the people to declare against the common Enemy for Liberty And this Captain was then imploy'd upon this account and gave out that Guequan the Lawful Successor of
It was not far for the Tartar to pass over with his Troops from China and Corea which was likewise in subjection to him And these two Nations which have ever been mortal Enemies to the Iapanners desired nothing so much as a war against Iapan This would have disturbed the thoughts of that Neighbouring Prince and have made him abate something of his haughty fierceness especially if Pelipaouan the Conqueror of China should have appeared at the head of those who would have served under him in the Conquest of Iapan We cannot tell what â—â—esolution the Emperour Xunchi may hereafter take As we are not permitted to wish ill that good may come of it so we ought not to wish that a Prince may turn Usurper or Tyrant but if God who disposes and orders Kings and States as he pleases should ever permit the Tartar to carry the war into Iapan in probability this would be a means to give an entrance to the light of the Holy Gospel into that Countrey where it is now so resisted See in the general how the Chineses were treated by their Neighbours after the loss of their Empire the greatest part of which contented themselves to deride them and to speak of their Nation with injurious terms and contempt The Iapanners only treated them with all the hardship and fierceness they could possibly The Tartars accused them of Cowardliness that they defended themselves so ill and by way of reproach called them mild and peaceable people Afterwards in the Laws and Ordinances which they enacted for the Government of that State they spoke of them in terms which manifested that they had no great value or esteem for them In all places the unfortunate are insulted over and those who stand and flourish trample under foot those who are cast down not confidering that one day the like misfortune may happen to them But they were Barbarians who thus treated the Chineses whereas Civiliz'd and Reasonable persons would have regarded the ruine of that Empire with the same reflection as Scipio did heretofore contemplating upon the Destruction of Carthage This wise and prudent Roman taking a view of that renowned City which was at the same time abandoned to the Fury of the Fire and the Roman-Souldiers its irreconcileable Enemies He heaâ—â—d the joyful Acclamations of the Conquerers and the doleful Groans of the Conquered which through the Flames which surrounded them pierced the very Heavens He saw the miserable people who flung themselves down headlong from the Walls and Houses that they might escape the Fire either received upon the points of Lances of the Souldiers or bruised and trampled upon by the Horses Feet which marched through the Streets He beheld the Bodies of some men half covered over with Wounds and the other half burnt with Flames as if the poor wretches were to die two deaths at once Scipio taking a prospect from an Eminency of the direful Disasters of that City could not refrain shedding Tears which being remarked by some Knights of Rome they demanded of him the reason why he so bewailed the Ruine of that City which had been so dreadful an Enemy to the Commonwealth of Rome This man who saw farther into the event of things than others returned an Answer worthy without all doubt both of a Philosopher and a Roman I do noâ—â— said he shed Tears out of any Tenderness or Compassion for Carthage but I cannot refrain from it when I reflect upon the Transitoriness and Instability of humane affairs I do not let fall these Tears for the Ruine of Carthage I know too well the Mischiefs it hath done to my Countrey and to the Family of the Scipio's I understand full well that by the Law of Arms no Quarter is to be given to those who have so often manifested themselves such Rebels and inveterate Enemies And now it is the third time that Carthage hath taken up Arms against Rome I am not therefore moved at the destruction of that City Nay I am so far from it that I commanded it but I lament and bewail Rome it self And I cannot stop the Torrent of my Tears having so clear a foresight that time will come when my own Countrey will have no more favourable a Destiny I cry therefore for the afflictions and calamities which will fall upon Rome and I see them most evidently in the Ruines of this City once so Renowned all the world over and for these seven hundred years so potent both by Sea and Land I cannot but reflect upon its once so flourishing condition It is not seventy years since it gained those glorious spoils in the Battle of Canna I recollect with my self how formidable it was to us whilst Hannibal fought for it that Hannibal who planted his Standards at the Gates of Rome and might have made himself Master of the Capitol if he had known how to make use of his Fortune and Advantage Behold now that Town which cost the Lives of so many of our Roman Consuls which hath been so often victorious over our Armies and our most famous Generals Was it not in this very place and upon that Theater which we see now covered with Flames that heretofore they measured out by Bushel-fulls the Rings of the Roman Knights those valiant men who fell by the Victorious Arms of Carthage But I see the Fortune of Carthage is very different from what it was heretofore By which it is evident that there is no permanent prosperity upon Earth There is therefore no Empire so powerful but we must expect that sometime or other it will be overthrown and destroyed And time will be when my Countrey Rome it self shall only be the Ruines of that Rome which now that it is Crowned with Glory and Triumph over its most Formidable Enemy makes such Boast and Ostentation of its Grandeur and Power Thus in the present destruction of Carthage did Scipio see as in a Glass the Ruine of Rome And to know whether he was deceiv'd or no in what he did presage should happen to his Countrey let us hear what a Father and Doctor of the Church saith Saint Ierome makes no scruple to interrupt his Exposition on the Holy Scriptures that he may deplore the Sack and Pillage of Rome which happened in his time Carthage saith he was once ruined but Rome several times The Enemies of Rome have several times entred victoriously into the principal City of the whole world And it once happened that a little small Creature was the occasion of the Loss of Rome which gave occasion to an Historian of those times to say That the Mistress of the Vniverse might be remarkable for every thing it was necessary it might be said that Rome was taken by so inconsiderable a Creature as a Hare It is fit therefore that men should rationally ponderate and consider the Revolutions of States He that would reflect with himself that those Calamities which he sees to happen to others might likewise fall upon himself might hereby
his Neighbour should enter with an Army into his Territories This doubtless proceeds from this Maxime that all Christians do not repute the Turk to be the common Enemy And yet those are Tartars and Barbarians Infidels and Idolaters These forsooth are Christians Politicians and Civilized persons but God will in his due time confound these Politicians much more barbarous than the Tartars Assoon as Xunchi had possessed himself of the Cities and Provinces he consulted how to frame such Laws and Ordinances by which he might conserve what he had acquired by force of Arms. And first of all as I have already noted he ordained that all the Chineses should cut off their Hair and shave their Heads likâ—â— the Tartars only leaving a greater Tuft on the Crown of the Head to distinguish them from the Natural Tartars This Edict seemed very rigorous to those people who were almoâ—â—t as wilâ—â—ing to lose their Lives as their Hair It was said that it was a Chinâ—â—se of Peking who gave this advice to the Prince assoon as he was Crowned as a thing of high importance to secure his Victory In all parts there are miserable Villains who are willing to expose their own Countrey to suit to those persons from whom they can hope for more considerable advantage to themselves This Prince published a second Order of higher importance to retain his new Subjects in peace and in this his Policy appeared very judicious and prudent A great number of Tartars went and setled themselves in China long before the War as it is usual in all Countries which are very populous for some of the Inhabitants to pass into another especially out of a worser into a better and richer as China is in regard of Tartary and as several persons often go out of France into Spain where Money is more plentiful Xunchi therefore commanded all the Tartars both men and women of all Ages and Conditions whatsoever to come without any delay out of the Provincâ—â—s were they were setled and inhabit in one of the two principal Cities Peking or Nanking where the Kings of China usually resided with their Courts and where several Tartars newly came out of their own Countrey begâ—â—n to â—â—stablish themselves and had order to furnish the others with all Conveniencies which were requisite upon this occasion And on the other side the Chineses who inhabited in these two Ciâ—â—ies were enjoyned to go from thence and dispose of themselves elsewhere This Ordinance was very inconvenient and troublesom even to the Tartars themselves but it was of as great importance for the welfare of the State as the enjoyning the Chineses to cut off their Hair And the Tartars considered that these Discontents would quickly wear away and besides the Emperour Xunchi signified his Will and Pleasure to his Subjects in the most mild and obliging terms and manner he could possibly that thereby he might convince them that he did not design to treat them like Slaves After he had thus secured these two Capital Cities which were as the two Keys of that Staff upon the safe custody of which depended the security of his new Conquest The City of Peking commands all the Northeâ—â—n Provinces and Nanking the Southern and each of these Cities were so strong and potent that either of them upon occasion would have been able to have defended it self against all the Provinces which depended on it But when they should be inhabited with Tartars only and defended with a strong Guard of old and experienced Souldiers under the Command of Officers of approved Fidelity from thenceforth there could not be the least ground to apprehend any Sedition or Treason And the Tartars having thus secured these two great Cities alone and sent some considerable Forces to guard the Wall that he might when he judged in necessary bring fresh Forces out of Tartary he need have no other Forces in any other part of China no not if he should return into his own Countrey For should any Revolt or Insurrection happen the Chineses could not raise Forces sufficient to make any resistance assoon as the young Xunchi should appear at the Head of his Armies And besides it was not to be feared that the Chineses who by the late Wars and Insurrections had suffered so much should not out of dread of new calamities remain quiet and submiss But yet this Prince that he might omit nothing which might tend to his absolute security placed strong Garrisons in all the fortified Towns and Places through the whole Countrey and judged it not his Interest to stir out of China He resided alwaies at Peking though he would not suffer that either this City or Nanking should be called the Court pretending these ought only to be reputed two particular Cities and that he would not have any other Court but that in Tatary of which the Relations give us no account Those who have â—â—een the young Xunchi aâ—â— â—â—king report 〈◊〉 he is a most courteous â—â—nd obâ—â—iging Prince and of a swâ—â—et 〈◊〉 miâ—â— disposition buâ—â— witâ—â—al very quick and active discreet anâ—â— prudent and of gâ—â—eat ability for the management of affairs and that he was very careful and circumspect in all things which related to the government and welfare of his Subjects He had ever near his person one of his three Unkles who passed over with him to the Conquest of China who was said to be a very prudent person and most passionately zealous for the Glory of this young Monarch and the Honour of his Countrey This Prince stayed ever at the Court and took as particular care of the young Xunchi as if he had been Father to him But that which did most illustrate the tender nature and good disposition of this Prince was the strict Injunction he laid upon all his Officers to do all the good and to shew all the favour they could possibly to his people To this intent he enjoined them to carry themselves fairly and mildly towards all persons and to treat them kindly and obligingly and with all possible expedition to dispatch all those who addressed themselves to them but above all he commanded them to be disinteressed and uncorrupt upon pain of losing both their Offices and Heads How strictly this was observed and practised we shall see when we shall come to treat of their Justice in particular And the Emperour Xunchi that he might by his own example instruct his Officers to be kind and favourable to their Fellow-Subjects caused a Proclamation to be published through all China wherein he declared that he remitted all those Taxes Impositions and Tributes which remained due to him and had not been raised or collected in the three years of the War which were 1644 45 46. It is true the Chineses did not acknowledge they were due because all China had not then submitted to him But he pretended that having been Crowned Emperour of all China in the year 1643 and never having had any lawful Competitor these Duties were as
done them The better to manifest the ability of this Person I shall relate some Passages which passed between him and a Chinese Mandorin who was accused of Misdemeanor An Inhabitant of Canton came and presented himself before the Vice-roy and demanded Justice of him in a Cause wherein he was concerned The Vice-roy told him that he could not take cognisance of his Cause until a Chinese Mandorin had first heard it and given Judgment therein that he should go and demand Justice first of the Chinese Mandorin and iâ—â— after he desired to appeal from his Sentence he might have recourse to him May it please Your Highness saith the Plaintiff it is true such a Mandorin should first judge my Cause and I have already addressed my self to him that I might have Iustice done me But I have for a long time prosecuted my business before him and cannot obtain of him to decide or determine my Cause And though I have very earnestly sollicited him yet it doth not appear that he so much as thinks of me I come therefore to supplicate Your Highness that you would be graciously pleased either to do me Iustice your self or to cause the Mandorin to do itme Ly who was not of a humour and disposition to suffer things to go contrary to his will intention having heaâ—â—d this discourse and being convinced of the truth thereof Bring saith he this â—â—octor before me and seeing him afterwards in the presence of a great number of persons he severely reprooved him saying to him Mr. Doctor yâ—â—u believe you are still under the ancient Government of China and in a Trial for Three hundred Pounds you will make the parties concerned expend Six hundred or a Thousand That in all Causes the Iudges shall be the only gainers and that whensoever any person obtains a Iudgment or Decree in his favour he must first have wasted both his Time and Estate But I 'll make you know the times are changed and that you have now to do with another Master Xunchi the Tartarian Emperour How comes it to pass you have not determined this affair How happens it that you are pleased to prolong this Suit so long You expect to bribed you infamous Villain And you believe I do not understand that meaning But I swear by the head of Xunchi that if I ever hear the like complaint of you again it shall cost you both that Place and your Head Therefore if you have a mind to live any longer dispatch this affair quickly The Mandorin withdrew himself fully determining to do justice therein but he was forced and compelled to it And all the other Mandarins and Officiers who were advertised hereof resolved to take advantage hereby and to demean themselves so as not to deserve the like reproof The common people when they had heard what had passed highly extolled their Governour for his Justice herein This action of his was not only famed about the City but throughout the whole Province and all persons did admire and applaud the Person and excellent Qualities of the Vice-roy of Canton This is all I could know in general of the Government of the Tartars in China and in particular how the young Emperour Xunchi and his Officers managed affairs These are men who are reputed dull and barbarous but it is to be wished that many in Europe who are esteemed of as the most refined and polite persons had the Justice and Humanity of these Barbarians CHAP. XXVIII The Tartars compel the Chieses to leave their Books and take up Arms. Of the Tartarian Letters and Language The Sciences for which they have the greatest inclination LEarning and Arms may be considered in a State as the two Poles upon which the Government turnes and by which it subsists so that either of them cannot be laid aside but it must in a manner occasion a vacuum and thereby debilitate the body Politick But it is most certain that the want of Arms and knowledge in Military affairs may have more dangerous consequences than the want of Books and ignorance in the learned Arts and Sciences which stand in need of Arms and Souldiers to protect and defend them Which is clearly manifest by the late Revolution of China which the Tartar understood so well that he thought himself obliged to remedy that ill as well as he could knowing that that which had given him so great advantage might prove as much to his disadvantage if he did not shun and avoid it We have seen several very potent Monarchies which have had no need of Learning to confirm and strengthen their Dominion The Spaniards have fought above five thousand Battels in those times when they did not think of writing of Books And we may easily perceive that they have not made much use of them in those remote Conquests which they have made of later years The Tartars said very well a State cannot be maintained without Arms but it may without Books For it is most certain that neighbouring Princes are too jealous of the Power and Grandeur of each other to let one another long be at quiet Nay the very rumour that any one of them raises Souldiers or makes warlike preparations necessitates in a manner all the others to arm likewise It is their Sword which must do them right and justice And they know full well that it is no matter to those who have that power in their hands whether their right be grounded or no upon the most plausible and strongest reason Yet the Tartar not to render himself odious to the Chineses thought he ought not quite to prohibit them to apply themselves to Books and Study He thought this was a point which must be touched but nicely since the whole Nation was so addicted to and had so great an esteem for Learning Tâ—â—erefore in the beginning of the year 1647 tâ—â—ere were above three hundred Scholars who took the degree of Doctor in the City of Nanking as heretofore they did at Peking and above 600. others were admitted as Licentiats besides a great number of those who took the degree of Batchelor It is not in Europe only that there is such store of Doctors and Batchelors Xunchi was willing to give the Chineses this satisfaction though the expences hereof were very great and were to be defrayed out of the Emperours Exchequer This was no small mark of his Liberality and his condescention in being pleased to gratifie the Chineses herein But withal he gave them to understand that he should be necessitated to reform their Studies and their over bookishness and that now Scholars must give place and precedence to Souldiers as heretofore Souldiers were slighted and Scholars only esteemed and rewarded As in all States and Countries men voluntarily apply themselves to those employments by which they may attain the greatest Honour and Profit So the Chineses seeing Learned men the only rich and honourable persons in Chinâ—â— they ambitiously applied themselves to the studious and learned Sciences Xunchi
Tartarian horses first proclaim the Victory These assaults where the assailants do thus precipitately fall on without the defence of any Arms and without facilitating their assault by fiâ—â—st making a breach did usually cost them the loss of many men for which they revenged themselves upon those who could no longer defend themselves Then the fury of the Conquerors was boundless Revenge is the joy of their hears from which they never desist till they have satiated themselves with the blood of the conquered But if by storm the Tartars make themselves not masters of the place then they make use of their Artillery and batter the walls And so conclude where the Europeans began till after they have made all possible attempts to carry the place by storm they fire not one Cannon though they march into the field with a train of five hundred pieces of Ordnance as â—â—elipaouan did Thus Tartars practise three things just opposite to what is done by those who better understand the Military Art They begin first to storm after they raise their batteries and thirdly they employ their Horse to storm Towns and scale Walls There is nothing in human affairs which seems so irregular and extraâ—â—agant to some persons but is practised by others who yet alledge arguments to justifie it which they pretend to be solid and rational As for their march of which we began to speak towards night the Trumpet sounds and then all the whole Army take up their quarters Till this signal is given they never make halt all the day long but they either march or fight Therefore as soon as they hear the Trumpet sound every man prepares to set up his Tent which he takes out from the rest of the baggage Each Captain hath a Waggon for the baggage appertaining to himself and to all those under his command The baggage of the whole Army never marches together The Tents are either made of strong Leather or raw hides which are sewed together and made up indifferent handsomly Each big and habitable enough which it had need be for it is their usual habitation These Tents they pitch in great order with Market-places and Streets like as in great Towns and are placed after the manner of the houses of the Turks in the Country The Tartars choose rather to live in these Tents than in Cities and Towns in which they say they are choaked up in a croud and have not their health whereas when they are encamped in the fields under their Tents and breath in the clear air there they are strong and lusty It is most certain that all things to which men will accustome themselves by continuance will become pleasant and agreeable nay even labour and toyl it is but enduring it some time whereas idleness and the effeminate pleasures of this life grow at length wearisome and burdensome to those who have any long time enjoyed them There are some Gally-slaves which would not be pleased to be taken from the Oar time and custom hath so sweetned the hardship to them Custome is very potent nay it works miracles This it was which prevailed so far with the Tartars that it induced them to esteem â—â—he palaces and fine houses in Cities inconvenient for their health They never were better in healâ—â—h and more at ease than when they were encamped in the most vast and spatious fields and were necessitated to suffer all the inconâ—â—eniences of the air and ill weather from hence it was that they were so averse to live in Towns But peâ—â—haps they have now changed their humour for though they were so well content to toyl and take pains during the time of their Conquest yet it being but too true that we do with greater facility accustom our selves to ease and pleasure than to hardship and labour it is probable that in time they will accustom themselves to the luxury and effeminacy of the Chineses But we must now return to visit the Tartars in their Tents whither they withdraw themselves to feast and make merry Their meat is usually young Horse-flesh which they dress after their fashion and as for their Horses they feed them with Rice which is better meat than the flesh thâ—â—y eat They drink and eat with as good a stomach as they fight and take pains and presently after fall asleep with as little disturbance as if they had no enemies in the World They never regard to place any Guards or Sentinels And the Rounds they go never wakens any body Thus all night there is a profound silence in their Camp without the least noise but sometimes the neighing of Horses In the very heat of the War they slept as quietly and with as little disturbance It is only Barbarians who are capable of this arrogant presumption to sleep thus securely amidst Arms and War as if all was their own For they are intoxicated with sâ—â—ch an opinion of their valour that they think there is no person upon earth hath the courage to give them an alarm They are no more diffident and have no stricter a Guard in the Towns where they keep garrison unless in Canton and some few other places where the Corsairs did incessantly allarm them and thereby necessitated them to keep some Soldiers always under their Arms. This was not the custom of the Chineses for they for above two hundred and eighty years kept the strictest Guard they could possibly in all their Towns and were in such a continual fear that with their instruments and shooting they made such a horrid noise all night that no body could sleep in quiet yet after they had watched so strictly for so many years when their Enemies were above twelve hundred miles from any of their Provinces they were unfortunately asleep when it concerned them to have been most watchful The Chineses made a great noise when they saw no body but when the Enemy was neer them they scarce durst lift up their voice so loud as to call out Arm arm so far were they from going to meet their Enemy or disputing with him the entrance into their Provinces Finally they were no more safe for having kept so good a guard whereas the Tartar conquered all their vast Empire and yet slept in quiet confidently relying on his own strength and knowing that his valour was so dreaded by his enemies that they durst not attacque him which verifies the vulgar saying that he whose Reputation is up may lie in bed CHAP. XXXI Of the Behaviour of the Tartars Of their Natural inclination to War and Labour Of their frank and free dealing without any ceremony Of their Divertisâ—â—ments Occupations and Employments in general THe Tartars who conquered China are generally proper men and well shaped only their shoulders are broad but the rest of their Limbs are well proportioned But they are very sturdy and strong which makes â—â—hem appear rather rough and unhewn than nice or effeminate Neither are they affected with neat and fine clothes and by the