nor leave their Employment or Government as the legitimate Issue do at their Fathers or Mothers Death At the Man's Decease the legal Wife and Children possess the Estate in common but if the Wife die the Concubine still remains with the Husband and so do the Children if she hath any There are some that take Mistresses onely to beget Sons whom when grown and mature if the lawful Wife do not affect they are sent abroad or else Marry'd to some other yet the Child that is thus Begotten and Born acknowledges no other Mother than the true and lawful Wife Widows are permitted to Marry if they please but modest and chaste Women seldom do though young and without Children but live retir'd in their Father-in-laws House for which they are highly esteem'd In lawful Marriages they commonly observe the Constitutions Qualities Conditions and Likeness of the Persons but in the other they look onely upon Beauty and Breeding None according to their Laws may Marry their Fathers Relation in what Degree soever nor with a Person of the same Name but freely with their Mothers Friends though never so near Ally'd A Virgin seldom Marries a Widower they being call'd The Bed and Pleasure of the House No Marriages are Contracted without a Procurator though they have been never so great Friends to which purpose one is chosen out of the number of those Men and Women who folllow no other Trade The Bridegroom never sees his Bride but at the going in of the Door where he receives her as his Wife The Fathers bestow their Children in Marriage when they are very young and sometimes in their Infancy nay before they are Born whether Male or Female Their Promises in this kind are faithfully perform'd notwithstanding the Father dies before the time except one of the betrothed happens to be defam'd and lose his Estate or both Parties disagree If the Son for some private Reasons will not perform his Fathers Commands he may be forc'd to it by the Laws of the Countrey No mention is made of the Bride or Bridegrooms Portion till their Fathers Death Amongst Persons of meaner Quality it is not customary to buy Women but onely they give their Brides Father a piece of Money to buy her Garments and Attires according to their Capacity from whence perhaps some have averr'd by mistake that the Chineses buy their Wives Persons of Quality never speak of the Brides Portion because her Father is oblig'd by the Laws of the Countrey to do what he can and to provide them Housholdstuff from the Door as they say there to the top of the Chimney except the Bed all which seldom amounts to above fifty Crowns so low a Price do Goods bear in China Besides which the Father gives his Daughter two or three Maids to wait upon her and some Silver but never Lands or Houses unless he be very rich or else Marries her to a Person of Quality or that he hath no Heir Male himself After they are Betrothed with their Parents consents then begin their Complements and Courtships And first the Bridegroom sends the Bride a Present of some delicate Meat Wine and Fruit Secondly the Marriage-Day is pitch'd upon by Astronomers with great Ceremonies Thirdly the Brides Name enquir'd for Lastly the Bridegroom must send her some Jewels Pendants and Precious Gems The day before the Bride comes home to her Husbands House her Goods are carry'd thither from her Fathers at Noon-day by certain People employ'd for that purpose who walk two by two some carrying Tables others Chests Curtains Hangings and the like The next day as it is customary in some Provinces the new Marry'd Man his Father and nearest Relations go to seek the Bride whom having found they conduct home in State in a Sedan In other Provinces more to the South the Man sends one in the Evening to fetch his Bride in a Sedan made for that purpose richly Lin'd behind follow a great number of People with Torches and Lanterns After the Mother hath done the last Offices for her that she shall do as a Maid and bid her farewel then she is lock'd up in the Sedan and the Key sent before to her Husbands Mother As she goes along the nearest Relations walk before and the Servant-Maids given her by her Father go on each side of their Mistress When they come thither her Mother-in-law unlocks the Sedan and desiring her to come forth presents her to her Husband Which done they both walk to a private Chappel in which the Images of their Predecessors are erected where having kneel'd four times according to the Custom in those Ceremonies they come and shew the same Reverence to their Fathers sitting in a large Hall on Stools Then the Bride goes away with her Mother-in-law Chamber-Maids and Match-makers into the Womens Lodgings which are kept so strictly that none dare offer to look into them no not the Father-in-law himself or her own Brothers so that when a Father will punish his Son for an Offence which is often done notwithstanding he is Married he is safe as in a Sanctuary if he can but get into his Wifes Chamber because his Father dare not come thither nor speak with his Son's Wife except on some extraordinary occasions such is their care for the preservation of Modesty and the Honor of the Women They are also seldom permitted to go abroad except on necessity and then are carry'd in a Sedan made for that purpose and when lock'd up not the least Cranny through which she can peep The Women in their Privacies to pass away the time entertain themselves with little Dogs Birds and the like pleasers of Fancy A Moneth after the Marriage Day the Bride returns to her own House which they call Queinim that is Returning to Rest. All the Sons have equal shares of their Fathers Goods and those of the Concubines as the begotten of lawful Wives for in this case the Father is the onely Person that is consider'd but as for the Daughters they receive nothing but what is given them on their Marriage Day If the Father dies before he hath Marry'd his Daughter then her Brothers are to provide for her and likewise if her Father hath wasted or given away all his Estate by Marrying of his Children then the Brothers are oblig'd to maintain themselves There are some peculiar Families whereof the eldest Inherits notwithstanding he hath several other Brothers The Children are call'd Quecun Chu-Hui Heupe Cheihei And with many Ceremonies as Trigaut witnesseth they Betroth one another which is done by the Parents when they are in their Infancy But one thing they chiefly observe which is that the Bridegroom differs not many years in the age of the Bride This Promising or Betrothing the Parents make between themselves without acquainting the Children who nevertheless always consent All Persons of Quality Marry with their Equals chusing their Wives of as good Families as themselves As to what concerns the Concubines which every one keeps
according to his pleasure the fairest and most beautiful are in greatest esteem not regarding Birth or Riches for they buy them for a hundred Ducats a piece and sometimes less The common People or the Poor buy Wives for a small Sum and sell them again when they please but the Emperor and his Family in their Marriages look onely upon the Beauty of a Person without regarding whether she be of Royal Extraction or not But Women of Quality shun this Choice partly because the Emperor's Women are of no authority for their life-times being lock'd up in the Palace and secluded from the Eyes of all Friends and Relations and partly because the Magistrates of Marriages chuse but few out of many to be the Emperor 's lawful Wives This is not onely usual with the Emperor and his Family but likewise customary through the whole Empire The prime Wife sits with her Husband at the Table and all the rest especially those that are not related to the Imperial Blood are Servants to the Husbands Father and Waiting-Maids to the lawful Wife not daring to sit in the presence of either The Sons acknowledge not their real Mother but the prime Matron and Mourn onely when she dies three whole years and follow no Employment during that time which they mind not at the Death of their Mother which bare them They strictly observe that no Man Marry a Woman that hath the same Sir-name which he hath though they are no way ally'd to one another not in the least minding how near they are a Kin to each other if their Names do but differ nay the Fathers Marry their Sons to their Mothers nearest Relations The Bride brings no Portion with her and though at that day when she is carry'd to the Bride-grooms House she takes so much Housholdstuff with her that whole Streets are stopt up with it yet all this is bought at the Bridegrooms Charge who some Moneths before sends her a Sum of Money to that purpose Thus far Trigaut The Houshold generally consists in Stools Benches Chests and Umbrella's Moreover the Bride must bring the Bridegroom a Horse and Bridle four Servant Maids and two Boys The Bridegroom also furnishes the Kitchin with all Provision presents the Bride with several Pieces of Silk-Stuffs Cotton-Cloth and a Garland of Flowers with a Gold Bodkin for which she as a sign of her constant Love gives him a Sute of Cloth of Gold or rich Silk The Bridegroom also gives to her Father a hundred and to her Mother fifty Tail of Silver which done the Wedding begins first Entertaining each other eight days in the Bridegrooms House and three days more at the Brides Their Weddings are very expensive being celebrated in great State and ended with Comedies Masques Musick and the like to the great admiration of Strangers The day after the Wedding the new Marry'd Woman is conducted in a stately manner attended by a great number of her Friends and nearest Relations to her Husbands House either by Water in a Pleasure boat or by Land in a Sedan or Chair Upon the side of the Shore walk several Musicians and Singers Playing on Instruments and Singing Upon the Brides approach the Priests hold up at a distance some Golden Half-Moons which they give to the Bride wishing she may not change like the Moon but embrace him with a pure and constant Affection A great assurance they have of these Half-Moons believing that as long as the Woman keeps them she will never change her Love to her Husband When China was Govern'd by several Kings and Lords they took one anothers Daughters to Wife as in Europe but since those Governments were united the Emperor hath been forc'd in his own Realm to take one or other of his Subjects Daughters it being contrary to their Law that the Emperor should Marry any Woman out of his own Dominions But though the Emperor be so bound up yet Persons of Quality do not willingly Marry their Daughters to him because upon trial and dislike he may send them home again Neither may he Betroth himself to a Maid of his Alliance therefore they search through the whole Empire for a Virgin of twelve or fourteen years of age beautiful and endu'd with all manner of Vertues and Breeding after the same manner as sacred Writ testifies they sought for Abishag the Shunamite for David and Hester for Ahasuerus When they have found such a one according to their liking she is put into the custody of two Ladies of Honor antient Matrons who search her to see if she hath no imperfections about her Body When those after all their Searchings have found her faultless she is conducted to the Court with a great Train and being accepted as a Person which from that time belongs to the Emperor she is shewn to his Majesty in his Palace The Emperor after the usual Ceremonies pass'd gives her as Wife to the young Prince his Son from which instant she is the true and lawful Queen In the Palace also they order some chaste and vertuous Women to attend her who being endu'd with all manner of Vertues instruct her in all Courtly Behavior that she may justly deserve the Name of a Queen which they call Chemu that is Mother of the Empire If we would speak of them according to their Historians all the Empresses thus brought up have been Women of great Merits charitable to the Poor very Prudent and of quick Apprehension Such a one was the Daughter of a Bricklayer who being brought to the Dignity of Empress always kept her Father's Trowel by her and when the Prince her Son began to grow too ambitious she shew'd him this Trowel which her Father had us'd whereby she brought him to Obedience The Maidens Relations are immediately advanc'd to high Dignity and Places of Honor and her House and Family afterwards accounted Rich and of great Quality and the more she wins upon the Emperor's Affection the higher their Friends are rais'd The Marrying of the Empero's younger Sons is much after the same manner only they use not so much care in the choyce of their Wives but the manner of bestowing their Daughters is several for they send for twelve young Men of seventeen or eighteen years old the tallest and handsomest that can be found to come to the Palace and set them in a Place where the Princess may see them whom having view'd she takes peculiar notice of two which being shewn to the Emperor he elects one of them for his Son-in-law When the Emperor Vanlie Grandfather to the Emperor Theumchin who Reign'd about Anno 40. having two Youths brought before him on the foremention'd account saw one of them very richly Habited and the other though comelier in poor Apparel ask'd him why he was not so well Habited as his Companion whereto he answer'd O Emperor the poor Estate of my Father will not permit me to appear in a better Condition The Emperor reply'd Because you are poor I
Jurisdiction they made a new Gate to the Castle between the Amsterdam and Guelderland Points and near the new Point a Moat of a Fathom wide Wall'd in on both sides and joyning to the Wall strengthned with Iron Rails through which the Water and Fish passing rendezvouz in the Castle before the Governors House in a Pond on which a Banquetting-house being built which the old Koxin oft frequented taking his Pleasure in Fishing there Anno 1664. according to the Information of the Netherlanders which then lay with a Fleet before Tayowan under Command of the Admiral Balthasar Bort sent thither to obtain the Netherland Prisoners from the Enemy and likewise to conclude a Peace with him the Castle was every where well fortified with Guns and the Breast-works strengthned with new Canes besides the Platform before the Haven which was planted with twenty four Pieces of Cannon In the Castle dwell onely the old Koxins Wives with a Guard of Soldiers On the other side in the Main of Formosa stand the Fort and Village of Sakkam well planted with Cannon The Village near it was inlarg'd with Houses to the number of five hundred but not all of Stone The way towards the South was also more built and inhabited than formerly but they could see but twenty four small Vessels which were most Koyaes that lay within the Haven under the Forts Most of the Inhabitants of Tayowan are at present Out-law'd Chineses which first rebell'd against their Native Emperor and since will not acknowledge the Tartar who taking both Tayowan and Formosa Anno 1661. from the Hollander brought all under the Subjection of their General Coxinga The Chineses on both these Isles and those that live in China differ onely in the wearing of their Hair long and braided after the old Chinese manner which following the Tartars they now wear short in China And as the Formosans have several Gods which they worship so have likewise the Chineses inhabiting these Islands Our Author David Wright reckons seventy two in the following Discourse They acknowledge one Almighty God Governor of Heaven Earth Sea Sun Moon and Stars whom they call Ty and look upon him as the Supream and first Deity They make Offerings to this great God yet but once a year at which time they sacrifice a Wild Boar burning alive with Sandal-wood for to offer this their Almighty any thing but Swines Flesh they account Abomination The next whom they worship is call'd Tien Sho and Ioch Koung Shang Tee who is the second Person or Governor of Heaven wherefore he is nam'd Tien Sho that is The second Person of Heaven and Ioch Koung Shang Tee that is Governor of the Earth He commands three ministerial Spirits more The first is Heuoung that is The Ruler of Rain The second Aerial Spirit Teoung hath Power over all Living Creatures whether Rational Sensitive or Vegetative The third Spirit and eighth Deity call'd Tsuy Zyen Tei Oung that is Commander of the Sea and of all that is therein or upon The third Person in Heaven the Chineses call Iok Tie who was formerly a Prince on Earth but so righteous that he was taken up to Heaven for his Piety and Justice The fourth God they stile Quanoung who also was formerly a Prince and likewise the fifth whom they call Iamoung but both of them were afterwards for their meritorious Actions taken up to Heaven To these five Gods being as Chief in the Government of Heaven belongs the three foremention'd ministring aerial Spirits and are indeed though Deities themselves subservient to the first five making up eight Gods Besides these eight Gods there are twenty eight Councellors or Ministers of State which have formerly been Learned Philosophers and now preferr'd to the Government of the Stars Moreover the Chineses have many Demy-gods or terrestrial Deities which ascend every year to Heaven there to intercede and gain Indulgence for the sins committed by Mankind all the year past The first of these is rather a Nymph or Demy-goddess and being the thirty seventh goes by the Name of Potsou and is represented in the shape of a Woman with a Child in her Arms and was as the Chineses believe a Kings Daughter a great Prophetess and a Virgin that bore a Child and not impregnated which Fatherless Child they nam'd Bachu who coming to years of perfection was also a great Exemplar of Prudence and Magnanimity yet not so much look'd upon or worshipp'd as the Mother They make her also to have a Servant call'd Pausat a very antient Man There are some Traditions amongst them that this Heroine is not a Native of China but born in a foreign Countrey Others again conjecture that she is the same with the Virgin Mary and the old Man her reputed Servant is indeed her Husband Ioseph but the vicissitudes of affairs and time have left us nothing of the truth of this fabulous Tradition The thirty eighth terrestrial Numen they instile Quanien but Paulus Venetus Quamina and Iohannes Gonsales Quianira who said that she was the Daughter of the Chinese Emperor Tzonton which built the Wall between China and Tartary But this Opinion David Wright explodes making her the Daughter of the Emperor Biou Tsongong which Reigned many years before the first Emperor Quantekong presently after the Deluge which he thus endeavors to prove This Biou Tsongong says he had three Daughters two of which he had bestowed on Husbands but the third Quanien he could not prevail with to enter into that Estate although her Father had selected for her a Companion worthy her Love and Esteem but seeing her no ways inclin'd to it he resolv'd to put her into a Cloister where to humble her he commanded the Overseers to put her to do the Drudgery of the House viz. fetch in Water and Wood and make it clean But the Swans as the Chronicles of China relate came from the Mountains and the Angels from Heaven to help her to carry Water and the Beasts out of the Forrests brought Wood for her Her Father inform'd thereof judging she did those things by Magick was very much enraged and commanded the Cloister to be set on fire The Daughter observing that she onely was the occasion thereof thought to make her self away But the Heavens pittying her innocency commanded Hevong the God of Rain to send down such an impetuous Shower as might quench the Fire now beginning to rage in the Cloister as bad as her Father in his frantick fury which was accordingly perform'd Nevertheless Quanien sled to the Mountains where she continued a great while Her Father in the interim by Divine Providence was struck with Leprosie and almost devour'd alive by Worms no Physitians or Medicines being able to cure him Of which his Daughter having at last some knowledge touch'd with a natural affection and feeling as it were in her self her Fathers misery came and cur'd him which so wrought upon the old Man that through an excess of joy
Lastly the Bier on which the Corps lieth is brought in great State under an Arch'd Canopy made very artificially of Wood and hung with Flannel which is carry'd by forty and sometimes by fifty Men. Behind the Bier follow the Sons on Foot every one leaning on a Crutch as if fainting with sorrow Next follow the Women Kindred in Sedans hung with white Curtains so that none can see them The other Women which are not so nearly Ally'd to the Deceased are also carry'd in Mourning Sedans All their Curch-Yards and Tombs are near the City If it happen that the Sons at their Parents Deaths are from home then the Funeral is deferr'd till their Return Also when a Son is inform'd of his Father's Death he prepares if he be a Man of an Estate a great Feast to which he invites and makes mournful Complaints to all his Friends then returning home with the first opportunity he renews the same Ceremonies again in order as before nay a Son is oblig'd by the Law though he enjoy the greatest Office in the Empire or be one of the prime Council in Peking or of the Colaos who is the next Person of the Emperor yet he must come home and spend three years in Mourning before he is permitted to go again to his former Employment But this is onely to be understood for their Parents and not for any other Relations Onely Generals and Magistrates are free from this Law at the Death of their Parents If any one die out of his native Countrey then he who is left to take care of the Corps uses all endeavors without sparing either Cost or Charges to carry it home that there he may be Interr'd in the Grave of his Ancestors for every Family hath a peculiar Burying place on some Hill in the Suburb of the City The Sepulchres are large built of Marble and adorn'd with several Shapes of Men and Beasts They also erect great and stately Tomb-stones on which are Engraven in a noble Style the famous Acts of their Predecessors In this manner hath Trigaut describ'd their Mourning but we will also annex what Alvares Semedo Adrianus de las Cortes and Adam Scall have written concerning the same In many things concerning the Life of Man the Chineses agree with the European Philosophers but differ much about the Concerns of the Dead The Europeans make little ado about their Funerals whereas the Chineses esteem nothing more and are very careful in their Life-time to give Order to their Children for them who shew all obedience and dutifulness in performing the same after their Deaths It is a general Custom in China not to bury the Dead naked though a Child of two years old but put it into a Coffin according to every ones Capacity in which the richer sort notwithstanding the Chineses are of a covetous disposition strive to exceed one another endeavoring to get the best and sweetest Wood that grows Those that have no Children spare not to give a thousand Crowns for the Wood of a Coffin though it be nothing near so much worth which being made and beautifi'd with Ornamentals of Gold Silver Painting Imagery and the like is brought home and oftentimes set in their Chambers to delight them by looking upon it On the contrary those which being stricken in years have no Coffins are always sad and melancholy This Custom they generally observe through the whole Empire and as they receiv'd their Religion from the Indians they have likewise borrow'd many other things of them imitating them especially in three sorts of Burials viz. in the Earth in the Water and in the Fire for the Iapanners will some throw themselves headlong from the tops of Mountains others tying Stones about their Necks leap into Rivers and do many other things to shorten their Lives But the Chineses have not such stout Hearts to bury themselves alive but poor People who have not wherewith to purchase a Coffin burn the Corps and bury the Ashes In the Province of Suchuen the Dead are burn'd and the Ashes gather'd and put into Vessels and so thrown into the Rivers or Brooks Their Coffins are made of hard black Planks the Seams cover'd with Iews-Glue or Gum by the Portuguese call'd Charan or Giaro and by the Chineses Cie and Cia Every one hath his peculiar Place or Tomb without the Wall of the City for they are not permitted within Some build handsom Houses there walling them round and planting Cypress and other Trees according to the nature of the Soyl. These Places are valu'd according to the opinion which they have of the Ground for if a Conjurer hath judg'd it to be lucky to Build on they exceedingly enhanse the value thereof nor do they ever buy any Land without the advice of those People At their Burials they observe one Order to put the chief Corps of the Family at the upper end and set the other side by side according to their Degrees Their Graves are neatly hewn out of Stone and on the top adorn'd with Shapes of Beasts as Harts Elephants and Lyons with Encomiastick Inscriptions Persons of Quality especially those that are single bestow more Cost building stately Palaces and Rooms under Ground like Cells which are made very convenient to lay the Corps in Here all the Relations meet at the time of their Deaths to do their Offerings and other Ceremonies For the Poor which have not Money to buy a peculiar Burying-place there is a common Church-Yard in every City wherein they lie buried all together They chiefly desire to be buried in their Predecessors Graves though never so far from the Place where they die as it often happens to Governors of remote Provinces of the Empire and thither their Friends to do them the last honor convey them The first Ceremony observ'd at any ones Departure is that the Sick when dying is carry'd on a Mat to give up the Ghost in a Hall Yet Persons of Quality are not remov'd but die on their Beds When a Father dies then the eldest Son plucks off his Cap from his Head and comes with his Hair dishevel'd to the Bed and tearing the Curtains and Sheets in Pieces lays them on the Corps then the Body if a Male by Men if a Female by Women is according to their Custom wash'd which done they lay it in a Cotton Cloth or else in Silk and put on his best Apparel next to the Corps they lay the Badges of his Office and Degrees of his Learning which he attain'd in his Life-time The Body thus Garnish'd is laid in a Coffin which stands in a Hall hung round about with black The Effigies of the Deceased drawn to the Life with his Arms and Livery are all plac'd at the Head of the Coffin and at the Feet stands a Table cover'd with a Carpet before which is a Curtain drawn for the Women to stand behind unseen The Children and Nephews sit mournfully on Straw In the first Gallery leading to the Entrance into
the Hall stand several Trumpeters on both sides and two with Tabers at the Gate of the House in the in-side before the House in the Street hangs a Bundle of Pieces of Paper made fast to a Stick which reaches down to the Ground as a sign of their new-begun Mourning and to give notice to their Neighbors Afterwards the Children of the Deceased acquaint their nearest Relations and others by a Letter of their Loss who thereupon come to visit them in this Order First the Visitant walks into the outer Court before the House and there puts on Mourning the Drums beating the whilst which done the Trumpets sounds as he passes through the Gallery so soon as he enters the Hall the Women behind the Curtain begin to cry and then approaching the Table he lays a Paper Purse of Money upon it to defray some of the Charges after he hath bow'd his Head three or four times on the Corps and kneel'd down the Childring lifting him up place him on their left sides and shew the same Reverence to him After all these Ceremonies pass'd every one seats himself without speaking a word All those Friends which come thither as Visitants are receiv'd by one of the Deceased's Relations Clad in a Mourning Garb who conducts them into an Anti-Chamber where desiring them to sit proffers them Tee dry'd Fruit and Sweet-Meats of which they eating but little take and put it into their Nets and go away These Civilities are so strictly observ'd that Friends though they dwell not near but in some other Cities come Riding thither or if it be too far they send one of their Family to excuse them These Ceremonies ended the eldest Son is oblig'd to go and visit every one in the City which came to Mourn with him yet to shun so much trouble he goes onely to their Doors where leaving a Letter he proceeds to the next Then they speak of the Funeral if their Purses be able to hold out if not they keep the Coffin in the House till the next opportunity which happens sometimes not in a whole year At the time appointed all the Friends are advis'd thereof by a Thu or Letter who when met go to the House Before them are carry'd great Images of Men Horses Elephants Lyons Tygers and other Beasts made of Gilt Paper then follow other Shapes viz. of Wagons triumphal Arches Pyramids and the like adorn'd with Silk and Roses of divers colours all which things are burn'd when the Coffin is put into the Ground if it be a Person of Quality These Images are follow'd by great numbers of People that come out of curiosity to see the Funeral Next walk the Friends all in Mourning then the Bonzi Singing their Prayers and Taboring on Basons who are follow'd by a second sort of Bonzies that let their Hair and Beards grow and play on several sorts of Instruments these again by a third that shaving their Hair differ in their Doctrine from the rest then come the Acquaintance and the nearest Relations the last are the Children and Nephews all in close Mourning bare-footed hanging down their Heads and carrying a Stick of two Foot long in their Hands All this Company walk before the Corps which is carry'd if of costly Wood Gilt and Varnish'd with their Charan uncover'd on a great Bier by thirty forty or fifty Men for the greatness of the Funeral consists in the number of Bearers Behind the Coffin the Women follow Crying being lock'd up in their Sedans and cover'd with Mourning When they are come to the Grave they use many Ceremonies before they put the Corps into the Ground amongst which one and none of the least is a great Feast for all the Company in a stately large House which done every one returns home and observes the time of Mourning and the usual Ceremonies which are as followeth viz. Three whole years this Sorrow continues during which time the Children sit onely on little Benches cover'd with White They eat not at Tables nor sleep on a Bedstead but on a Mat laid upon the Floor They also abstain from Wine and Flesh neither do they go to Baths or Feasts nor abroad but in a close Mourning Sedan But that which is more they never converse as they say with their Wives all that time nor are employ'd in any publick Business of State and if they have any Employment though a Vice-Roy or Colao they are forc'd to forsake it to attend the Obsequies and spend their time in Mourning which when expir'd they not onely enjoy their Places again but are after promoted to higher Dignities This time they account so holy that they receive no Pay though Captains of Companies Some years since it hapned that a Commander of the Province of Canton who was more desirous to follow his Employment than keep the full time of his Mourning made his Account so that the time which he spent in his Journey to the Court should be part of his Mourning time which he wanted to make up the three years but coming to the Court with intention to enter into his Office again he was sent back to his House to spend the remaining time of his Mourning before he might appear there The number of three years is strictly observ'd for an acknowledgment that the three first years they were carry'd more in their Parents Arms than on their own Legs wherefore as a sign of Obedience they may not erre from that Order which their Predecessors maintain'd The Women Mourn but one year the near Relations three Moneths and the Acquaintance three days And because these accidents often happen there are few but what have Mourning Coats lying ready by them Thus far Semedo Father Adrian de las Cortes makes mention of the Chineses Mourning for their Parents after this manner viz. The ordinary Mourning Coat which both Men and Women wear is very wide made of course white Hemp ravel'd and full of Patches The Sons carry a Cane in their Hands on which they lean when their Fathers die but when their Mothers die a Stick or Truncheon of Wood. On their Heads the Men wear a Bonnet of course Linnen from whence a great ravel'd Cloth hangs down over their â—…aces The Maids wear a Coif on their Heads of course Linnen a Girdle of Towe â—…y'd about their Middle hangs down with one end to the Ground Their time of Mourning for their Father and Mother is three years in requital as we said of their three first years in which their Parents suckled and carry'd them in their Arms. For the Death of Friends they Mourn a longer or shorter time according to their acquaintance and obligations The Friends of the Deceased go not with cover'd Faces nor Sticks in their Hands like the Sons as appears by the inserted Sculps and Directions of the following Letters and Figures Mourning Habit for Father and Mother A An ordinary wide Coat ravel'd and with many Patches B A Mourning Cane serving for a Crutch when a Father
People experienc'd in this Art go through all China and observe the shapes of Hills just as the Astronomers take their view of the Stars Government IN the first Age before the general Deluge the Government of China was divided amongst Tribes or Families and the chief of every Tribe had his own Government after the same manner as the ancient Fathers Abraham and Lot but since Anno 2952. before the Birth of our Saviour they have been Govern'd by one sole Monarch or Emperor for the Names of the two other Forms of Government viz. Aristocracy and Democracy the Chineses had never heard of Nay the Netherland Agents that were sent Anno 1655. to the Great Cham Emperor of East-Tartary and China had great trouble with the Chineses and Tartars to make them understand the two last Forms of Government which they could not apprehend The Emperor of China is sole Master of the Lives Goods and Chattels of all his Subjects he onely being chief Lord of all wherefore the Empire of China may justly be call'd A perfect and absolute Monarchy It is without doubt that in ancient times under one supream Governor were several substitute Lords as Dukes Marquesses Earls and the like but eighteen or nineteen hundred years since those Titles of peculiar Governments and Power were at once taken away and rooted out onely in the Province of Iunnan are free Lords or Dukes to this day that have their peculiar Dominions which is in no Place else in China Yet they acknowledge the Emperor but Govern with an arbitrary Power over their Countreys and succeed each other in their Government The Emperors according to an ancient Custom yet in force regard not their Subjects but look upon them as Slaves though they are or have been never so great Magistrates for because the sole Government consists in the Power of one onely they esteem themselves Masters of every Mans Goods and likewise of the Lives of their Subjects therefore no Honor or Preeminency is given but by the Emperor neither is the ascent to the greatest Place of Dignity lockt up from any sort of People though the scum of the Commonalty but open'd to every one at the Emperor's pleasure for which reason he is by every one honor'd as a God on whom all things depend and by his severe Government is terrible and to be feared From hence it often proceeds that for the smallest occasion the most deserving Persons are by him bereav'd of their Employments and others punish'd with Death especially those whose Valour and Experience in Martial Affairs may upon the least suspicion be fear'd This is not unknown to Collonels and Generals especially the Grandees which Command great Armies who for that reason are no less mistrustful of the Emperor than he suspicious of them from whence they often rise to a Rebellion or Mutiny for if they after a Conquest against their Enemy have discharg'd their Soldiers they know they cannot escape death which not deserving they will rather chuse to make themselves to be fear'd by their valiant and heroick Exploits from whence in the time of War arise continual Mutinies in China and the greater the Mutinies be the fiercer they are maintain'd by every one without respect of faithfulness The Chineses before the Europeans coming thither firmly believ'd that their Empire contain'd almost the whole World not reckoning their neighboring Kingdoms they made their Emperor Governor of the whole terrestrial Globe and call'd him Lord of all According to Semedo the Ladies of Honor Relations and others belonging to the Palace call the Emperor Chu and sometimes Tienzu that is Son of Heaven not that they believe him to be born in Heaven but that they look upon the Empire as the Gift of Heaven and also to make the Respect due to the Imperial Majesty the greater and to seem sacred The Chinese Emperor saith Father Martin is by his Subjects call'd Tienzu that is Son of Heaven not that they derive his Original from thence or that he was born there but they call him Son of Heaven because he is belov'd above all other Men and hath on Earth given him as they say the greatest Dignity Heaven can afford And because the Chineses oftentimes take Heaven God and the supream Godhead to be all one therefore The Son of Heaven is as much as to say with them The Son of God Thus far Martinius But the common and most esteem'd Name of the Emperor is Hoangti or Hoamti that is according to Semedo and Trigaut Emperor or Supream Emperor but according to Martinius Sole Emperor or Emperor of the Earth which they say is of a yellow colour for a distinction from Zangti that is Supream Emperor or God the Governor of Heaven and Earth The first Emperor which was call'd Hoangti Reign'd in Anno 2690. before the Birth of our Saviour for whose excellent Vertues and publick Inventions the pleasing sound of his Name was so belov'd that ever since all their Princes have been call'd Hoangti as the German Emperors from their first Caesar. There are yet two other Names which have the same signification of King or Emperor the one being Kium which they use to name strange Kings by and the other Vam which is a Name for the Emperor's Children to which by adding the word Kium they make a compound word Kiumvam which signifies Imperial It is also to be observ'd that a new chosen Emperor changes his Name like a new elected Pope who takes upon him the Name of some of his Predecessors in stead of his own This Name of the Emperors which they write in all manner of Proclamations and on their Coyn is taken from a peculiar Person Extracted of Royal-Blood Martinius tells us That all those of the Imperial Blood or Family are by the Chineses call'd Fansu as also by the Tartars only with addition of the Letter r which the Chineses cannot pronounce and that Fansur or Facsur and Fansu or Fansur signifies a Royal or Imperial House The Empire of China from Anno 2207. before the Birth of our Savior hath had a Successive and Hereditary Government for at the Fathers Death the eldest Son Succeeds and if there be no Male-Heir then the nearest Relation If the Empress saith Semedo the lawful Wife of the Emperor hath a Son in what time soever he be Born he takes place before all those that are Begotten by his Concubines though Born before him but if the Empress hath no Son then the First-born or eldest of a Concubine who e're she be is always Elected But Anciently from Anno 2992. to Anno 2207. before the Birth of our Savior the nine first Emperors were elective and chosen by the most Voices and took not by Succession but after the Death of the ninth Emperor Yu his Son Khi the Founder of the Family of Hia was for his goodness and great Deserts by general Suffrage confirm'd Emperor in his Fathers stead so that the Custome of Election was
chang'd to true and lawful Succession by Birth Sometimes it hath happen'd though very seldom that the youngest Son contrary both to the Laws of Nature and the Realm was declar'd Emperor either for his extraordinary Valor or Prudence as Anno 209. before the Birth of Christ it happen'd to the Emperor Ulxi who after his Father Cin's Death was chosen Emperor in stead of his eldest Brother Fâ—…sa When the eldest Son hath taken Possession of the Throne the rest only boast of their Princely Allyance for they have not in the least any Authority yet the Emperor gives them each a City to reside in with a Magnificent Palace Attendants and Revenues where they keep Court in great State and are serv'd accordingly yet have no Command of the Citizens and that they might not have so much together as to enable them to raise a Commotion the Emperor's Allowance is paid them every three Moneths and on forfeiture of their Lives they may not stir out of the Limits of the City so design'd for their subsistance The Empire hath sometimes also been Govern'd by a Woman for Anno 490. before the Nativity of Christ the Emperor Lieupang's Consort after the Death of Hoci her Son Govern'd the Countrey eight years At the Election of a new Emperor thirteen Contingencies are to be observ'd The first is the alteration of annual Accounts for they begin to reckon from the Inauguration of their new Emperor which they use not only in common Discourses but in their Letters and all manner of Writings The Emperor also gives his Name to that Year in which he begins to Reign for we must observe that all the Years of any Emperor's Raign when soe're they die are reckon'd for whole Years and so make his Coronation the New-Years-Day that is the beginning of the Year and yet though the Chineses immediately and in the same Year have another yet they still shew Honor and Obedience to the late Emperor though Dead till the Years end doing all things in his Name and likewise all Edicts and Proclamations are Seal'd and Mark'd with the same Signets as if he were still living but the Successor gives his Name to the following Year The second they instantly Coyn new Money with the Letters of his Name which doth not abate any thing of the value of the old Coyn. The third his Lawful Wife is Crown'd Empress The fourth they give the Name of Queen to six of his Concubines The fifth they make Offerings to the Heavens Earth and Spirits The sixth they bestow great Alms on the Poor The seventh all Prisoners are set at liberty The eighth all the Magistrates are nobly Treated The ninth all the Women that were Concubines before are put out of the Palace The tenth the Seraglioes which are four in number are fill'd with fresh Beauties fetch'd from all parts of the Empire during which time there are many Marriages because every one seeks to free his Daughter from such a retired Life The eleventh Persons of Quality if not all at least those of Cities either come themselves or send Agents to shew Obedience and acknowledge the new Emperor The twelfth all Officers from the Vice-Roys to the inferior Governors of Cities go in Person to the Court to shew the same Obedience and take the Oath of Allegiance in behalf of their Towns and Provinces The thirteenth is that the Emperor changes his own Name as is before-mention'd The Reverence which the Chineses anciently shew'd to their Kings they perform'd in this manner They Prostrate themselves to him bowing down their Bodies and looking with their Faces to the North for they say that their Kings look always to the South for which reason all the Gates of their Palaces Doors of Chambers and all Draw-Bridges face the South from whence proceeds a Proverb That the Chineses though at great distance always honor their King when with usual Ceremonies they receive their Guests They say that the Tartar Prince who at this day possesseth the Countrey of China and resides in the Metropolis Peking is not the great Cham or Lord of all Tartary as hath hitherto been believ'd but a mean Prince of the Tartars whose Grand-father was the first King of his Family promoted to that Dignity by the Inhabitants of his Countrey which was only a small Province in Tartary call'd Muncheu The Father of this present Emperor call'd Zunchi was the fifth of his Family his Fortune seem'd to be so strange in the Eyes of other Princes of his Countrey that they compar'd him to Lightning when e're they spake of him for they usually said that the Gods and Heavens could only prevent him in any thing The present Emperor Zunchi's Son is call'd Konchi a Youth of about sixteen years The first Ruler of whom the Chineses make mention in their Histories was nam'd Puoncu and after him Tienhoang Ginhoang and Yonjui but in those times the Provinces were govern'd by the Heads of their Princical Families The first Emperors that before the Birth of our Saviour Govern'd China and were Elected and set on the Throne by most Voices were eight in number viz. from the Year before the Nativity of Christ 2952. to the Year 2207. before which the Chineses allow of none in their Histories which in that time are stuff'd with many strange and fabulous Relations as well concerning the Age of Men as Years of the Governors for if we will credit their Writers the World stood many Thousands of Years before the Deluge The first Emperor was Before Christs Birth Raign'd Years 2952 I. Fohi 115 2837 II. Xinnung 140 2697 III. Hoangti 100 2597 IV. Xaohau 84 2513 V. Chuenhio 78 2435 VI. Ko 70 2357 VII Ya 90 2258 VIII Xan 33 After Xun the Empire was Govern'd by Hereditary Succession and the first House or Family Hia was rais'd under the Emperor Yu which continu'd four hundred Years under seventeen Emperors viz. Before Christs Nativity Raign'd Years 2207 I. Yu 10 2197 II. Khi 9 2188 III. Taikang 29 2159 IV. Chumkang 13 2146 V. Siang 27 2058 VI. Xaokang 22 2057 VII Chu 17 2040 VIII Hoai 26 2014 IX Mang 18 1996 X Is 16 1980 XI Pukiang 59 1821 XII Kung 21 1800 XIII Kin 21 1769 XIV Cungkia 31 1848 XV. Ka 11 1838 XVI Fau 19 1818 XVII Kie 52 After the Family Hia the House of Xang succeeded being first rais'd by the Emperor Tang from whom sprung twenty eight Emperors viz. Before the Birth of Christ. Raign'd Years 1766 I. Tang 13  II. Taikia 33 1720 III. Voting 92 1691 IV. Taikeng 25 1666 V. Siaokia 17 1659 VI. Iungie 12 1641 VII Taiu 75 1562 VIII Chungting 13 1549 IX Vaigni 15 1534 X. Hotankia 9 1525 XI Zuie 19 1506 XII Zusini 16 1490 XIII Vokia 25 1464 XIV Zuting 32 1433 XV. Nankeng 25 1408 XVI Yangkia 7 1401 XVII Puonkeng 28 1373 XVIII Siaosini 21 3352 XIX Siaoye 18 1324 XX. Vuting 59 1265 XXI