some things out of our Philosophers For they hold foure Elements and manifold Worlds and transmigration of Soules and other things Somewhat it seemes to acknowledge the Trinitie fabling of three Gods becomming one it acknowledgeth iust rewards to the good in Heauen to the bad in Hell It extols Single life so as it may seeme to reject Marriage They leaue house and friends and trauell into diuers places Begging The Rites of this prophane Sect haue great affinitie with our Romish Ecclesiasticall the Singings of men saying their seruice may seeme nothing to differ from our Gregorian they haue Images also in their Churches their Priests Garments are altogether like ours which with an Ecclesiasticall terme wee call Pluuialia In their Seruice they often recite the name Tolome which themselues confesse to be ignorant of But they denie eternitie in their Heauen and Hell ascribing a new birth after I know not what reuolutions of time in some other of their conceited Worlds then and there to be penitentially purged with other fooleries They prohibite to eate of liuing creatures but few impose on themselues this abstinence and they finde easie absolution from this and other sinnes if they giue to the Priests who professe to deliuer from Hell by their Prayers or Recitations whom they will This Sect came in at first with great applause as clearely professing the Soules immortalitie but nothing more disgraced it then that that King and these Princes which first embraced it which the Literate often obiect died miserably with violent death and publike losse and misfortune followed By writing of many Bookes they haue entangled it in inextricable Labyrinths The notes of Antiquity appeare in the multitude of their Temples and most of them sumptuous in which huge Monsters of Idols of Brasse Marble Wood and Earth are seene with Steeples adioyned of Stone or Bricke and in them huge Bells and other ornaments of great price The Priests of this Sect are called Osciami they shaue their head and beard against the fashion of the Countrey some trauell as is said some leade a very austere life in Mountaines and Caues but the greatest part which amount to two or three millions liue in Monasteries sustayned with their antiently-giuen Reuenues and Almes and also by their owne industry These Priests are accounted and iustly the most vile and vicious in the whole Kingdome sprung of the basest plebeians sold in their childhood to the elder Osciami and of Slaues made Disciples succeed their Masters in Office and Benefice a course which they haue found for their propagation For few are found which voluntarily by desire of sanctitie doe adioyne themselues to those Monkes Ignorance also and illiberall education makes them liker their Masters few of them learning Letters or ciuill rites and daily growing worse And although they haue no wiues they are much addicted to women and cannot but by grieuous penalties be kept from them The Colledges of the Osciami are diuided into diuers Stations in euery of which is one perpetuall Administrator to whom his seruants or as many as he brings vp succeed They acknowledge no Superior in those Cells but euery one in his owne Station builds as many Lodgings as he can most of all places in the Court which after they let to strangers so that they are rather Innes then Monasteries as full of tumults as empty of deuotion Although they bee of base esteeme yet are they employed to Funerals and other Rites by which wilde beasts and fowles and fishes are set at liberty by the professors of this Sect with opinion of great merit In this our age this Sect hath much reuiued and many Temples are built and repaired by Eunuches Women and the rude vulgar and especially by the Ciaicum or Fasters which all their liues abstayne from Flesh Fish Egges and Milke and worship a multitude of Idols with set prayers at home and are by hire to be called to any other mans Nunnes also obserue the same Monasticall rules being single and shaued they call them Nunnes nothing so many as the Monkes The third Sect is called Lauzu deriued from a Philosopher which liued at the same time with Confutius whom they fable to haue beene carried 80. yeeres in his parents wombe before he was borne and therefore called Lauzu that is the Old Philosopher He left no Bookes of his Opinion nor seemes to haue intended any new Sect but certaine Sectaries called Tausa made him the head of their Sect after his death and wrote diuers elegant Bookes gathered out of diuers Sects These also liue single in their Monasteries and buy disciples base and wicked as the former They weare their haire as the Lay-men differing herein that where they weare their haire tyed on a knot these haue a Cap on the crowne of Wood. Some also are married and say ouer their Holies in their owne houses They say that with other Idols they worship also the Lord of Heauen whom yet they imagine Corporeall and to haue suffered many things They tell that the King of Heauen which now raigneth is called Ciam and he which before ruled was named Leu. This Leu came one day to the Earth riding on a white Dragon and Ciam a Wizard entertayned him with a Feast where whiles Leu was eating Ciam gat vp on the white Dragon and was carried to Heauen and excluded Leu from that soueraignty only he obtayned of this new King that he might rule ouer a certaine Mountaine in his Kingdome where they say he still liueth thus confessing as the Greekes of Ioue themselues to worship an Vsurper and Traitor Besides this Deity of Heauen they acknowledge three others one of which they say Lauzu is hauing some dreame also as the former of the Trinitie They also speake of places of rewards and punishments but differing from the former for they promise a Paradise for soule and body together and haue Images of some in their Temples which haue so gone thither To obtayne this they prescribe certaine exercises of sitting in diuers postures set Prayers Medicines by which the life is lengthned if not made immortall Their Priests exorcise Deuils and driue them out of houses by painting horrible shapes of them in yellow Paper on the walls and making horrible cryes as if themselues were become Deuils They arrogate also to bring downe or to stay Raines and other publike and priuate fortunes most impudent impostors either Lyars or Magicians They assist the Kings sacrifices in those Temples of Heauen and Earth thereby acquiring much authority being Masters of the Musike therein and are called to Funerals to which they goe in precious vestments with diuers musicall Instruments making a pompous-procession showe thorow the streets The like pompes they vse at the streets ends on certaine times hired by the dwellers They haue a Prelate called Ciam which dignity he transmitted to his posterity 1000. yeeres since by hereditary successions and seemeth to haue taken
Indians being deceiued of him and seeing also such effects to come certainly to passe as he hath told them before beleeue him in all other things and honour him in many places with Sacrifices of the bloud and liues of men and odoriferous Spices And when God disposeth the contrary to that which the Deuill hath spoken in Oracle whereby he is prooued a Lyer hee causeth the Tequinas to perswade the people that he hath changed his mind and sentence for some of their sins or deuiseth some such lye as liketh him best being a skilfull Master in such subtill and craftie deuices to deceiue the simple and ignorant people which hath small defence against so mightie and craftie an Aduersarie And as they call the Deuill Tuyra so doe they in many places call the Christians by the same name thinking that they greatly honour them thereby as indeed it is a name very fit and agreeable to many of them hauing laid apart all honestie and vertue liuing more like Dragons then men among these simple people Before the Inhabitants of the Iland of Hispaniola had receiued the Christian Faith there was among them a Sect of 〈◊〉 which liued solitarily in the Desarts and Woods and led their life in Silence and Abstinence more streightly then euer did the Philosophers of Pythagoras Sect abstaining in like manner 〈◊〉 the eating of all things that liue by bloud contented onely with such Fruites Herbes and 〈◊〉 as the Deserts and Woods ministred vnto them to eate The Professors of this Sect were 〈◊〉 Pâ—aces They gaue themselues to the knowledge of naturall things and vsed certaine secret â—â—gicall Operations and Superstitions whereby they had familiaritie with Spirits which they aâ—ured into their owne bodies at such times as they would take vpon them to tell of tâ—ings to come which they did in manner as followeth When any of the Kings had occasion to call any of them â—ut of the Desarts for this purpose their custome was to send them a portioâ— of their fine Bread of Cazabi or Maiz and with humble request and suite to desire them 〈…〉 them of such things as they would demand After the request granted and the place aâ— day appointed the Piaces commeth with two of his Disciples wayting on him where the one bringeth with him a Vessell of a secret Water and the other a little Siluer Bell When hee commeth to the place hee sitteth downe on a round seate made for him of purpose â—here hauing his Disciples the one standing on the one hand and the other on the other euen the presence of the King and certaine of his Nobles for the common people are not admitte◠〈◊〉 these Mysteries and turning his face toward the Desart he beginneth his Inchantâ—â—â—t and calleth the Spirit with loude voyce by certaine names which no man vnderâ—â—â—ndeth but hee and his Disciples After hee hath done thus a while if the Spirit yet 〈◊〉 his comming hee drinketh of the said Water and therewith waxeth hot and 〈◊〉 and inuerteth and turneth his Inchantment and letteth himselfe bloud with a thorne maruâ—â—â—â—usly turmoiling himselfe as we read of the furious Sybils not ceasing vntill the spirit be come who at his comming entreth into him and ouerthroweth him as it were a Greyhound should ouerturne a Squerell then for a space he seemeth to lye as though he were in great paine or in a rapte wonderfully tormenting himselfe during which agonie the other Disciple shaketh the Siluer Bell continually Thus when the agonie is past and he lyeth quietly yet without any sence or feeling the King or some other in his stead demandeth of him what he desired to know and the spirit answered him by the mouth of the rapte Piaces with a direct and perfect answere to all points Insomuch that on a time certaine Spaniards being present at these mysteries with one of the Kings and in the Spanish tongue demanding the Piaces of their Ships which they looked for out Spaine the spirit answered in the Indian tongue and told them what day and houre the Ships departed from Spaine how many they were and what they brought without failing in any point If he be also demanded of the eclipse of the Sunne or Moone which they greatly feare and abhorre he giueth a perfect answer and the like of tempests famine plentie warre or peace and such other things When all the demands are finished his Disciples call him aloud ringing the Siluer Bell at his eare and blowing a certaine powder into his nostrils whereby he is raised as it were from a dead sleepe being yet somewhat heauy headed and faint a good while after Thus being againe rewarded of the King with more bread he departeth againe to the desarts with his Disciples But since the Christian faith hath beene dispersed throughout the Iland these diuellish practises haue ceased and they of the members of the Diuell are made the members of Christ by Baptisme forsaking the Diuell and his works with the vaine curiosity of desire of knowledge of things to come whereof for the most part it is better to be ignorant then with vexation to know that which cannot be auoided Furthermore in manie places of the firme Land when any of the Kings dye all his houshold seruants aswell women as men which haue continually serued him kill themselues beleeuing as they are taught by the Diuell Tuyra that they that kill themselues when the King dyeth goe with him to heauen and serue him in the same place and office as they did before on the earth while he liued and that all that refuse so to doe when after they dye by their naturall death or otherwise their soules to die with their bodies and to be dissolued into ayre and become nothing as doe the soules of Hogges Birds Fishes or other bruite beasts and that onely the other may enioy the priuiledge of immortalitie for euer to serue the King in heauen And of this false opinion commeth it that they which sowe corne or set rootes for the Kings bread and gather the same are accustomed to kill themselues that they may enioy this priuiledge in heauen and for the same purpose cause a portion of the graine of Maiz and a bundle of Iucca whereof their bread is made to be buried with them in their graues that the same may serue them in heauen if perhaps there should lacke seedes to sowe and therefore they take this with them to begin withall vntill Tuyra who maketh them all these faire promises prouide them of greater quantitie This haue I my selfe seene in the top of the Mountaines of Guaturo where hauing in prison the King of that Prouince who rebelled from the obedience of your Maiestie and demanding of him to whom pertained those Sâ—pultures or graues which I saw in his house he answered that they were of certaine Indians which slew themselues at the death of his Father And because they are oftentimes accustomed to bury great quantities of wrought gold with
but ours is better they would all depart and leaue me alone Further they being very ignorant presumed to be very wise and the common people did hold them for such all their knowledge being ignorances and Heathenish follies They make seuen and twenty Heauens some where there is meate and drinke and faire women whether they say all liuing things doe goe euen the Flea and the Lowse for they say that as they haue soules that they must liue in the other World And to these they say all doe goe that are not Religious men as they are They place others higher whether they say their holy Priests doe goe that liue in the Wildernesses and all the felicitie they giue them there is to sit refreshing themselues with the wind They place others yet higher the gods of the which they say haue round bodies like Bowles those which goe to these Heauens and the honour wâ—ich they giue them is to giue them round bodies as the Gods themselues haue And euen as they make many Heauens so they doe many Hels for they make thirteene to the which they goe according to the grieuousnesse of the sinnes of euery one eyther higher or lower They haue a diuision of their religious men for some they call Massancraches which are as supreame which sit aboue the King others they call Nascendeches which are as our Bishoppes here These sit equall with the King Others they call Mitires which are in the common degree of Priests which do sit vnder the King vnder the which there are yet two degrees which they call Chaynizes and Sazes And all these they ascend in degree so they doe in vanitie and pride and are more reuerenced Besides all this there is another very great inconuenience that except the Priests and all those that holds themselues for Religious men all the rest are slaues of the King and when the owner of the House dyeth all that is in it returneth to the King and let the Wife and Children hide what they can and begin to seeke a new life the people of the Countrey is of such a nature that nothing is done that the King knoweth not and any bodie be he neuer so simple may speake with the King wherefore euery one seeketh newes to carry vnto him to haue an occasion for to speake with him whereby without the Kings good will nothing can be done and wee haue already shewed before that hee is vnwilling to the matter of Christianitie To these things was joyned some disorders of the Portugals so that by all meanes I found crosses and inconueniences for to obtayne my desires and my pretence wherefore I hauing beene in the Countrey about a yeare and seeing I could make no fruit beside the passing of grieuous sicknesses I determined to leaue this Countrey and because they told mee many things of China and the people of it to haue a disposition to Christianitie and that they loued reason I determined seeing in this Countrey I did no good nor baptized more then one Gentile which I left in the Caue to goe to China in a ship of China which was then in the Countrey in which they carryed me with a very good will giuing me the best roome in the ship not taking any interest of me yea they dealt very charitably with me This name China is not the proper name of the people of this Countrey nor of the Countrey it selfe neither is there commonly in the Countrey notice of such a name onely among all the people of India and among those which dwell in the South parts as in Malaca Siam Iaoa this denomination of Chinas goeth currant and also among those Chinas which doe traffique among vs. The proper name of the Countrey is Tame the e. not well pronounced but almost drowning it and the name of the people of the Countrey is Tamgin whence this name China doth come which is currant among the strangers we know not but it may be conjectured that the people which in old time did sayle to those parts because they passed by the Coast of a Kingdome which they call Cauchin-china and traffique in it and victuall and take refreshings there for the Iourney of the Countrey that lyeth forward which is that of China in the which Kingdome they liue after the manner of the Chinas and is subject to the Chinas it sâ—emeth that omitting Cauchin from the denomination of this other Kingdome they called all the Countrey that lyeth along China China is a great part of Scythia for as Herodotus saith Scythia extendeth it selfe vnto India which may be vnderstood because the Chinas did possesse many parts of India and did conquer them of old time whereof at this day there are some Monuments as in the Coast of Choromandell which is towards the Coast of the Kingdome of Narsinga on that side which we call Saint Thome because there is a House built by the Apostle and the Relikes of his bodie There is at this day a great Temple of Idols which is a maâ—ke for the Nauigators to know the Coast which is very low the which as the men of the Countrey affirme was made by the Chinas of whom there remayned among them a perpetuall memory and therefore they call it Pagode of the Chinas which is to say Temple of the Chinas And in the Kingdome of Callecut which is the head of Mâ—lauar there be very ancient fruit-trees which the men of the Countrey say were planted by the Chinas and on the shoales of Chilao which doe runne from the Iland of Ceylan toward the Coast of Cheromandel is affirmed by the men of the Countrey a great Army of the Chinas to be cast away which came for India which was lost because the Chinas were but young in that Nauigation And so the men of the Countrey say the Chinas were Lords of all Iaoa and of Iautana which is the Kingdome of Malaca Siam and of Chapaa as it is commonly affirmed in those parts wherefore some doe affirme many of this people to bee like the Chinas that is hauing small eyes flat noses and long faces for the great commixture that the Chinas had with all of them especially with them of Iaoa which commonly are more China-like But the King of China seeing that his Kingdome went to decay and was in danger by their seeking to conqâ—er other strange Countreyes he with-drew himselfe with his men to his owne Kingdome making a publike Edict vnder paine of death that none of the Countrey should sayle out of the Kindome of China the which lasteth to this day The Liquos are not continued with mayne Land but it is an Iland which standeth in the Sea of China little more or lesse then thirtie leagues from China it selfe In this Iland liue these people which is a well disposed people more to the white then browne It is a cleanly and well attyred people they dresse their haire like women and tye it on the side of
matters of China which wee saw in our two moneths libertie were infinite The King of China most resideth at Pequin for so he sweareth at his Coronation There are certaine streets seuered in this Citie by themselues wherein are houses called Lag nampur that is The Schoole of the poore in which Orphans which know no father are taught to write and reade and mechanike trades to earne their liuings Of these Houses they haue aboue two hundred and as many more of poore Nurses which giue sucke to Children exposed or cast foorth by their Parents which are punished if they bee knowne and after they are weaned are committed to the former houses And if any by naturall defect are vnable to learne a Trade they apply him to that whereto he is able as those that are blind to Mills two to grind and one to â—ift and so in other cases Besides no Trades-man may keepe shop without licence which is not granted but with imposing on them some of these poorer The Miller is to giue meate and drinke to each of those blinde persons and clothes and fifteene shillings yeerely which when hee dieth he may giue for his soule that no poore should perish according to the fourth precept of Amida For Creeples which cannot goe they place them with makers of Frailes Baskets and other handiworkes and those which cannot vse their hands haue great Hampers giuen them and Baskets to serue for Porters to carrie what men buy from the Markets to their houses such as haue neither hands nor feet to vse are placed in great houses like Monasteries where are many mercenary women which pray for the dead halfe of the Offerings remayning to them the other halfe to the Priests If they be dumbe they place them in a house like an Hospitall where they are sustayned with the Fines imposed on Regraters and scolding women For common women which are diseased they haue other houses where they are cured and prouided for at the costs of other common women each paying a monethly fee. The Dowries or Ioynters of conuicted Adulteresses are bestowed on the Hospitals of female Orphans that honestie may gaine by dishonesties losse Other honest poore men are maintayned in other streets at the charges of Sollicitors and Lawyers which maintayne vniust Suits and of partiall bribed Iudges For the prouision of the poore I haue further heard read out of their Chronicles that Chansiran Punagor Great Grandfather of the King now reigning desiring to doe God seruice being blinde after a sicknesse which he had ordayned that in euery Citie there should be store-houses of Wheat and Rice that if any dearth should happen there might be a yeeres prouision and the poore should not perish and to this purpose he applyed the tenth part of the Kings Customes They say that God recompenced this his charitie with restitution of his sight which continued fourteene yeeres after till his death This is still obserued and the number of those Store-houses is said to be fourteene thousand At Haruest the old is diuided to the Inhabitants as they haue need which after two moneths are to lay in as much new and sixe in the hundred more that the store be not diminished But if the yeere proue barren it is diuided to them without gaine and that which is giuen to the poore which haue not to satisfie is paid out of the Kings Rents of that place as the Kings Almes And all the rest of the Royall reuenues are diuided into three parts one for maintenance of the Kings estate and for the gouernment of the Kingdome the second for the defence of the Countrey for Ports Fleets and the like the third is put vp in the Treasurie at Pequin with which the King by ordinary power may not meddle being deputed for defence of the Kingdome against the Tartars and other warres with confining Kings this part of the treasure is called Chidampur that is The wall of the Kingdome For they say that if such occasions happen the King shall not lay tribute whiles that lasteth not shall the people be vexed as in other Countries where such prouidence is not vsed Indeed I feare to particularize all that we saw in this Citie lest the Reader should doubt or mutter at the raritie measuring things by that little they haue seene and iudging by their owne curtalled conceits the truth of those things which mine eyes haue seene But high capacities haughtie spirits and large vnderstandings that measure not other states by the miseries and meannesse before their eyes will perhaps be willing to heare things so rare which I hold the more pardonable in others to doubt of forasmuch as I verily confesse that I my selfe which beheld them with mine eyes am often amazed when with my selfe I recount the greatnesses of Pequim in the admirable estate of that Gentile King in the splendor of the Chaens of Iustice and of the Anchacys of gouernment in the terror and dread caused in all by their Officers in the sumptuousnesse of the Houses and Temples of their Idols and of all the rest therein For only in the Citie Minapau which stands within the wall of the Kings Palace are 100000. Eunuchs and 30000. women 12000. men for his Guard and 12. Tutans which is the greatest dignitie and commonly called the Sun-beames as the King is called the Sonne of the Sunne whose person they represent Beneath these 12. are 40. Chaens as Vice-royes besides the inferiour dignities as Anchacys Aytaos Ponchacys Lauteaas and Chumbins all which in the Court are aboue 500. and none of them haue lesse then 200. men depending the greater part of which are Mogores Persians Coraçons Moens Calaminhans Tartars Cauchins and some Bramaas the Naturals being little esteemed as effeminate and wanting valour how wittie soeuer in Arts and husbandrie The women are white chaste more giuen to labour then the men The earth is fertile which their ingratitude rather ascribes to the merit of their King then the prouidence of God Some Priests also barter with them vpon Bills of exchange to bee repayed an hundred for one in Heauen which Letters they call Cuchimiocos Other Priests are of another Sect called Naustolins which denye the Soules immortalitie and therefore teach to take their pleasures in this life Another Sect is called Trimecau which holds that a man shall so long lie in his Graue as hee hath liued aboue ground after which by the prayers of their Priests the Soule shall returne into another creature seuen dayes and then seeke for the old bodie left in the Graue to carrie it to the Heauen of the Moone where it shall sleepe many yeeres till it be conuerted into a Starre and there remayne fixed for euer Another beastly Sect called Gizom holds that Beasts onely shall enioy Heauen in recompence of their penance and trauels here sustayned and not Men which follow their lusts except they leaue to Priests at their death to pray for
other base Offices The Captayne 's onely haue some authoritie Their armes are worthlesse for offence or defence and onely make a shew the Captayne 's being also subject to the Magistrates whippings Their Alchimisticall vanitie and study of long Life with precepts and huge bookes of both I omit The founders forsooth of these Sciences haue gone body and soule to Heauen The making of Siluer hath made many spend their siluer wits and credit cheated by professing Artists and the great Magistrates few in Pequin free are taken vp with the other Study some shortning their life to make it longer They write of one of their Kings which had procured such a potion of immortalitie whom a friend of his was not able to disswade from that conceit enraged by his sudden snatching drinking his prepared potion which he seeking by death to reuenge the other answered how can I be killed if this draught cause immortalitie and if I may then haue I freed thee of this errour Touching the China Sects I read in their Bookes that the Chinois from the beginning worshipped one God which they call the King of Heauen or by another Name Heauen and Earth Beneath this Deitie they worshipped diuers tutelare Spirits of Mountaynes Riuers and of the foure parts of the world In all actions they held Reason to bee obeyed which light of Reason they confessed they had from Heauen Of that supreame Deitie and his administring Spirits they neuer had such monstrous conceits as the Romans Greekes Aegyptians whence the Iesuites hope that many of them in the law of Nature were saued Their Sects are reckoned three The first of the Learned the second of Sciequia the third Laucu One of these is professed by all which vse their Characters That of the Learned is most proper to China and most ancient and all their Learned learne it in the course of their studies Confutius is the Prince therof This Sect hath no Idols worships one God beleeuing all things to bee conserued by his prouidence They worship in inferiour sort the Spirits The best of them teach nothing of the Creation rewards and punishments they confine in this life to a mans selfe or his posteritie Of the immortalitie of the Soule they seeme to make no doubt for they speake of the deceased liuing in Heauen but of Hell they make no mention The later Learned deny both with the soules immortalitie yet some say that the soules of good men are corroborated with vertue and made able to hold out others dying with the body The principall opinion seemeth borrowed of the Idoll Sect fiue hundred yeeres agoe which holds that this whole Vniuerse consists of one matter and that the Creatures are as so many members of this huge body so that euery one may attayne to the similitude of God being one with him which we confute out of their owne ancient Authors Though the Literate acknowledge one supreame Deitie yet they erect no Temple to him nor any other place proper to his Worship nor any Priests persons or rites peculiar nor haue precepts thereof nor any which prescribeth or punisheth defect of Holies nor any which priuately or publikely recite or sing ought to him Yea they affirme that the Office of Sacrificing to the King of Heauen and his worship belongs to the King and if any should take on him that Office hee should vsurpe the Kings and be thereby a Traytor For this purpose the King hath two stately Temples in both Royall Cities one dedicated to the Heauen the other to the Earth in which sometime hee vsed to Sacrifice but now in his place certayne Magistrates haue succeeded which there sacrifice many Oxen and Sheepe with many Rites To the Spirits of Mountaynes Riuers and of the foure Regions of the world onely the chiefe Magistrates Sacrifice nor are the people admitted thereto The precpts of this Law are contayned in the Tetrabiblion and fiue Bookes of Doctrines nor are any other Bookes allowed but onely some Commentaries thereon Nothing in this Sect is more of note then their yeerely Obits or parentations to their deceased Parents common to all from the King to the meanest obseruing their dead Ancestrie as if they were liuing Neither yet doe they suppose that they eate of the meate which is set them or need it but they haue no better meane to expresse their loue The Literate haue a costly Temple to Confutius in euery Citie by Law appointed in that place where the Schoole is and adjoyning to the Magistrates Palace which is set ouer the Bachelors or Graduates of the first degree In a principall place of that Temple his Image is erected or else his Name in golden Cubitall letters written in a curious Table Hither the Magistrates assemble euery New-moone and Full also the Bachelors with wonted kneelings Odours and Wax-lights to acknowledge their Master On his Birth-day and on other set times they offer festiuall Dishes thankefully confessing his learned workes whence they haue attayned their Degrees and Offices but pray not to him nor looke for ought from him but as is obserued of their dead Parents Other Temples also are seene of the same Sect to the Tutelare Spirits of each Citie and to the Magistracie of each Tribunall wherein they solemnly binde themselues by solemne Oathes to obserue Law and Iustice when they first enter into their Office In these they offer Dishes and Odours but in differing Worship for in these they acknowledge there is a Diuine power to punish the perjurious and reward the good The scope of this Literate Sect is the peace and good of the Common-wealth and of Families and of each persons their precepts agreeing with Nature and Christianitie Fiue Relations or Societies are obserued by them comprehending all duties of humanitie of Father and Child of Husband and Wife of Master and Seruant of elder and younger Brethren of Fellowes and Equals They condemne Single life permit Polygamie and in their Bookes largely explaine that precept of Charitie to doe to another as a man would be done to They deny this to bee a Sect but a certayne Acadamie instituted for the gouernment of the Common-wealth and because it prescribes not nor prohibiteth any thing touching the Life to come many adjoyne the other two Sects to this The second Sect is called Siequia or Omitose and by the Iaponians Sciacca and Amidabu Both haue the same Characters and the same Totoqui or Law It came to the Chinois from the West brought from the Kingdome of Thienscio or Scinto now called Indostan betwixt Indus and Ganges about the yeere of Christ 65. It is written that the King of China warned in a Dreame sent Legats thither which brought Bookes and Interpreters from thence the Authors of them being dead And therefore I see not how truely the Iaponians affirme that Sciacca and Amidaba pierced thither and were Natiue of Siam The Authors of this Sect haue taken
Gouernement but a great helpe that all might obey him and keepe his Lawes This onely remedie there is in China to reape any fruit and not any other speaking humanely And without this it is impossible for any Religious men to Preach or fructifie and because I had not this remedie hauing the abouesaid inconueniences I came away from China and therefore neither I nor they of the company of IESVS which enterprised alreadie this businesse sundry times could fructifie in China This people hath besides the ignorances abouesaid that filthy abomination that they refraine no sexe among them Notwithstanding I Preaching sometimes as well publike as priuately against this vice they were glad to heare mee saying that I had reason in that which I sayd but but that they neuer had had any that told them that was a sinne nor any thing euill done It seemeth that because this sinne is common among them God was willing to send them a grieuous punishment in some places of the earth the which was common in all China I being in the Citie of Cantan and being willing to know of a rich China Marchant the euils that had happened in the Countrey and hee not able to tell it me by word of mouth gaue me a Letter which they had written vnto him of what had happened saying to me that I should translate it and giue it him againe but not trusting me hee translated it presently and remayning with the copie gaue me the principall which I translated into Portugall with the helpe of one that could speake our language and theirs the tenour of the Letter is this The principall Louthias of Sanxi and of Sauiton wrote vnto the King saying that in those Prouinces the earth did shake terribly and the dayes waxed darke like night hee saith not how long a South-sayer told them all that should happen In the yeere before in the moneth of September the earth opened in many places and vnder it were heard great noyses like the sound of Bells there followed a great winde with much rayne and the winde ranne about all the Compasse This winde is called in China Tufaune and many yeeres it bloweth but once a yeere and it is so raging that it driueth a Ship vnder sayle on the Land a great space and the men cannot keepe their feete not leauing and holding one by another and it doth things worthie admiration and incredible In the yeere that I was in China in the part where the Portugals were they shewed the Boat of a Ship of a good bignesse and the place where it was a land that this winde caâ—rayed it might bee a great stones cast from the water and many did affirme it to mee that the winde had such force that it carryed it tumbling till it blew it into the Sea And all the houses the Portugals had made of timber and couered with strawe which were many and were built vpon great stakes and not very high it threw them all downe breaking the stakes And one house being fastened with foure Cables where many Portugals retired themselues at the last fell also and onely one that was sheltered with a high place escaped that it fell not To blow downe these houses was nothing for it doth many other things incredible This winde is almost euerie yeere in China the which within twentie foure houres that it raigneth it runneth about all the points of the Compasse With this winde and the Lands being shaken with the Earthquakes many Cities fell and were made desolate in the which dyed innumerable people In a Citie called Vinyanfuu in this day was a great Earthquake And on the west side a great Fire burst out that swallowed vp all the Citie in the which innumerable people perished escaping in one place two in another three and so some of the Mogores escaped In another Citie neere to this there happened the same but in this none escaped In a Citie called Leuchimen the Riuer increased in such sort that it ouer-flowed the Citie where infinite people were drowned In a Citie called Hien was an Earthquake with the which many houses fell which slew neere eight thousand soules In Puchio the house of the Kings kinsman fell and slew all that were in the house except a Childe of seuen or eight yeeres old his sonne which was carryed to the King and day and night was a noyse heard vnder the earth like the sound of Bells In a Countrey called Cochue with fire from Heauen and with many waters of a Floud many perished and the land remayned vnable to bee cultiuated againe In a Countrey called Enchinoen at midnight the houses fell and the Citie remayned desolate and ruined where perished neere one hundred thousand soules In a Citie called Inchumen in one day and a night the Riuer did flow and ebbe ten times and with the great floud many people perished Hitherto the translation of the Letter that which followeth was heard by word of mouth of the Portugals that were in the Port of Cantan in the moneth of May and I receiued the Letter in September In a Citie called Sanxi from midnight till fiue of the clocke in the morning the earth shooke three times the eighteenth of Ianuarie 1556. and the next day after from midnight till noone happened the same the next day following the twentie of the sayd moneth the earth shooke mightily after midnight with great Thunder and Lightnings and all the Prouince was burnt and all the people thereof and all the Suburbes Townes and Cities they say it is from bound to bound fiftie or sixtie leagues that there was not one saued but a Childe sonne to a kinsman of the King which was carried to the King And the third of Februarie in the same yeere in the Citie of Panquin where the King is fell a shower of rayne like bloud These newes brought one of China that came to Cantan from a Citie neere to Sanxi to giue newes to a Louthia that hee should resort to his owne house and said that the Citie where he was a dweller was ouerflowne and that he knew not whether it would perish with the rest That which ought to bee held for truth is that in three Prouinces which commonly are sayd to be destroyed there was no more destruction then of those places whereof the Letter maketh mention or little more The agreeing in the Childe sheweth that the Towne whereof the Letter maketh mention with the childe was in the Prouince of Sanxi This hath more apparance of truth because the Letter was written from the Court then to say that all the three Prouinces perished After the happening of the things abouesaid the same yeere in the Prouince of Cantan a woman which went to the Panchasi told him that the Prouince of Cansi would bee destroyed with power from Heauen the which after shee was well whipt was imprisoned but in the moneth of May of the
They doe obserue the Law of the Greekes with such excesse of superstition as the like hath not beene heard of They haue no grauen Images in their Churches but all painted to the intent they will not breake the Commandement but to their painted Images they vse such Idolatrie that the like was neuer heard of in England They will neither worship nor honour any Image that is made foorth of their owne Countrey For their owne Images say they haue Pictures to declare what they bee and how they be of God and so be not ours They say looke how the Painter or Caruer hath made them so wee doe worship them and they worship none before they bee Christened They say wee be but halfe Christians because we obserue not part of the old Law with the Turkes Therefore they call themselues more holy then vs. They haue none other learning but their mother tongue nor will suffer no other in their Countrey among them All their seruice in Churches is in their mother tongue They haue the old and new Testament which are daily read among them and yet their superstition is no lesse For when the Priests doe reade they haue such trickes in their reading that no man can vnderstand them nor no man giueth eare to them For all the while the Priest readeth the people sit downe and one talke with another But when the Priest is at seruice no man sitteth but gaggle and ducke like so many Geese And as for their prayers they haue but little skill but vse to say As bodi pomele As much to say Lord haue mercie vpon me For the tenth man within the Land cannot say the Pater noster And as for the Creed no man may bee so bold as to meddle therewith but in the Church for they say it should not be spoken of but in the Churches Speake to them of the Commandements and they will say they were giuen to Moses in the Law which Christ hath now abrogated by his precious Death and Passion therefore say they wee obserue little or none thereof And I doe beleeue them For if they were examined of their Law and Commandements together they should agree but in few points They haue the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both kindes and more ceremonies then we haue They present them in a dish in both kinds together and carrie them round about the Church vpon the Priests head and so doe minister at all such times as any shall require They bee great offerers of Candles and sometimes of money which wee call in England Soule pence with more ceremonies then I am able to declare They haue foure Lents in the yeere whereof our Lent is the greatest Looke as wee doe begin on the Wednesday so they doe on the Munday before And the weeke before that they call the Butter-weeke And in that weeke they eate nothing but Butter and Milke Howbeit I beleeue there bee in no other Countrey the like people for Drunkennesse The next Lent is called Saint Peters Lent and beginneth alwayes the Munday next after Trinitie Sunday and endeth on Saint Peters Eeuen If they should breake that Fast their beliefe is that they should not come in at Heauen gates And when any of them dye they haue a testimoniall with them in the Coffin that when the soule commeth to Heauen gates it may deliuer the same to Saint Peter which declareth that the partie is a true and holy Russian The third Lent beginneth fifteene dayes before the later Lady day and endeth on our Lady Eeuen The fourth Lent beginneth on Saint Martins day and endeth on Christmas Eeuen which Lent is fasted for Saint Philip Saint Peter Saint Nicholas and Saint Clement For they foure bee the principall and greatest Saints in that Countrey In these Lents they eate neither Butter Egges Milke nor Cheese but they are very straightly kept with Fish Cabbages and Rootes And out of their Lents they obserue truely the Wednesdayes and Fridayes throughout the yeere and on the Saturday they doe eate flesh Furthermore they haue a great number of Religious men which are blacke Monkes and they eate no Flesh throughout the yeere but Fish Milke and Butter By their order they should eate no fresh-Fish and in their Lents they eate nothing but Colâ—wâ—rts Cabbages salt Cucumbers with other rootes as Radish and such like Their drinke is like our peniâ— Alâ— and is called Quass They haue Seruice daily in their Churches and vse to goe to seruice two houres before day and that is ended by day light At nine of the clocke they goe to Masse that ended to Dinner and after that to seruice againe and then to Supper You shall vnderstand that at euerie dinner and supper they haue declared the exposition of the Gospell that day but how they wrest and twine the Scripture and that together by report it is wonderfull As for wheredome and Drunkennesse there bee none such liuing and for Extortion they bee the most abominable vnder the Sunne Now iudge of their holinesse They haue twise as much Land as the Duke himselfe hath but yet hee is reasonable euen with them as thus When they take bribes of any of the poore and simple hee hath it by an order When the Abbot of any of their Houses dyeth then the Duke hath all his goods mooueable and vnmooueable so that the Successour buyeth all at the Dukes hands and by this meane they bee the best Fermers the Duke hath Thus with their Religion I make an end trusting hereafter to know it better Some additions for better knowledge of this Voyage taken by CLEMENT ADAMS Schoole-master to the Queenes Henshmen from the mouth of Captaine CHANCELOR RIchard Chancelor with his Ship and companie being thus left alone and become very pensiue heauie and sorrowfull by this dispersion of the Fleet hee according to the order before taken shapeth his course for Ward-house in Norway there to expect and abide the arriuall of the rest of the Ships And being come thither and hauing stayed there the space of seauen dayes and looked in vaine for their comming hee determined at length to proceed alone in the purposed voyage And as hee was preparing himselfe to depart it happened that hee fell in companie and speech with certaine Scottish-men who hauing vnderstanding of his intention and wishing well to his actions began earnestly to disswade him from the further prosecution of the discouerie by amplifying the dangers which hee was to fall into and omitted no reason that might serue to that purpose But he holding nothing so ignominious and reproachfull as inconstancie and leuitie of minde and perswading himselfe that a man of valour could not commit a more dishonourable part then for feare of danger to auoyd and shun great attempts was nothing at all changed or discouraged with the speeches and words of the Scots remayning stedfast and immutable in his first resolution
within answering Praised bee the Creator which gilded the beautious Heauens goe about and I will know thy businesse The Chinois went about and entring the backe â—oore opened that where Faria stood who with his companie going in found one man seeming aboue one hundred yeeres old in a long Russet Damaske garment by his presence seeming Noble as after wee learned he was who seeing such a troupe fell downe trembling hand and foot A good while it was before hee could speake and then asked what wee were and what we sought The Interpreter answered by Farias command that hee was the Captaine of these strangers of Siam who bound for the Port of Liampoo in trade of Merchandise was wracked at Sea hee and these escaping miraculously and therefore vowing to come to that Holy land on Pilgrimage to praise God for deliuerance from so great a danger and was now come to fulfill it and withall to demand somewhat in almes to relieue him for his returne protesting after three yeeres to restore it double whatsoeuer hee now tooke Hiticou that was his name answered I haue well heard what thou hast said and that damnable designe whereto thy blindnesse as the Pilot of Hell hath drawne thee and thine associates to the bottome of the lake of night For in stead of thankes for so great a benefit thou commest to rob and what I pray thee will the Diuine iustice repay thee at thy last breath change thou thy euill purpose and beleeue me God will change thy punishment Faria prayed him hee would not bee angry saying hee had no other remedie of life whereat the Hermite lifting his hands and eyes to Heauen sayd weeping Blessed bee thou Lord which sufferest on earth men which take for remedie of life thine offences and for certaintie of glorie will not serue thee one day And then turning his eyes to the companie which were rifling the Hangings and Chests taking the siluer from amongst the bones of the deceased therein hee fell twice from his seate with griefe and pensiuely put Faria in minde of his last breath of restitution of penance perpetuall to his flesh and liberall and discreet communicating to the poore that the seruant of night should haue nothing to accuse him in the day of account praying him also to command his companie to gather vp the bones of the Saints that they should not lye contemptible on the ground Faria gaue him many good words and complements professing himselfe which hee whispered neerer sorrie of what had passed but if hee should not doe it his companie had threatened to kill him If it bee so said the Hermit then shall thy paine bee lesse then these ministers of night whom as hungry Dogs it seemes all the siluer of the world would not satisfie Thus with many good words hee tooke leaue of the Hermit hauing taken all they could get who told him his knowledge might make his sinne more penall Nuno Coelho praying him not to be so angry for so small a matter hee replyed More small is the feare which thou hast of death when hauing spent thy life in foule facts thy soule shall stand as foule at the passage of this dung-hill of thy flesh And if thou seekest more Siluer to fill thy infernall appetite thou mayst finde in the houses adioyning enough to make it split as well in danger of Hell for this already saue that more burthened thou shalt descend swifter to the bottome Pray sayd Coelho take all in patience for so God hath commanded in his holy Law the Hermit shaking oft his head sayd I now see that which I neuer thought to haue heard Inbred wickednesse and vertue famed the same man stealing and preaching and turning to Faria prayed him that hee would not suffer them to spet on the Altar being liefer to dye a thousand times then to see it which he promised Hee then demanded of Hiticon what persons liued in all those houses who answered three hundred and sixtie Talagrepos onely and fortie Menigrepos which serued them without for their prouision and the care of the Sicke Hee asked if the Kings vsed to come thither no sayd he The King being sonne of the Sunne can absolue all and none may condemne him Asked of their Armes hee sayd To goe to Heauen there needed not armes to offend but patience to suffer For the mixture of that Siluer with dead bones in the chests hee answered that it was the Almes which the deceased carryed with them to prouide them of necessities in the heauen of the Moone Asked of women with them hee sayd that the Bee stings those which eate the honey and pleasures of the flesh needed not to the life of the Soule And thus parted hee from the Hermit with embraces with purpose to returne the next day it being now night to the other houses and not taking aboard with him this Hermit as hee was aduised saying his gowtie legges could carrie no tydings of vs which yet hee did creeping to the next and bidding him goe call the Bonzij For an houre after midnight wee saw fires in a rew which our Chinois told vs were signes of our discouerie and therefore aduised vs to haste away Faria was awakened and would needs a shoare with sixe men and ranne like a mad-man from one place to another his companie requested him to haste away and he answered for his honour hee would first see the danger and intreated them to stay one halfe houre and swearing hereto away hee goeth and followes the sound of a Bell to an Hermitage in which were two men in religious habits the place was richer then the former wee had beene in They tooke thence an Idoll of Siluer from the Altar with a myter of Gold on his head and a wheele in his hand and three Candlesticks of siluer with long chaynes and taking the two Hermits with them returned aboard the Barkes with great haste Of one of these they learned that Pilau Angiroo had come to the house of the Sepulchers of the Kings and cryed out to them to awaken out of their sleepe telling them of their oath to the Goddesse Amida of Strangers with long beards and Iron bodies which had robbed the Saints and would kill them all whence followed the fires and sending to giue notice to the Cities Corpilem and Fumbana for ayde their Religion prohibiting them to handle any thing which might draw bloud Faria now hauing gone downe the Riuer a great way was much enraged for omitting such oportunitie plucking his beard and beating himselfe with anguish till not long after his heate was cooled §. III. Their Shipwracke in which Faria and most of them were drowned the miserable wandrings of the rest to Nanquin their Imprisonment sentence and appeale to Pequin rarities obserued in those places and wayes of the beginnings of the China Kingdome and of their admirable Wall SEuen dayes wee sayled thorow the Bay of Nanquim the force of the current carrying
at Buda That Booke tels that nine dayes after his death the Citie Cohilouza shooke so that the people ranne out into the fields and abode in Tents to whom the Bonzos came and bid them feare nothing for they would beseech Quiay Tiguarem The God of the night to command the Earth to doe so no more otherwise they would giue him no Almes Thus went the Priests alone in Procession to that Idols House and making their night-Sacrifices and Perfumes the Earth quaked about eleuen of the clocke at night and ouerthrew the whole Citie one only of about foure thousand Bonzos remayning aliue into a Lake more then one hundred fathomes deepe called after this Fiunganorsee that is punished from Heauen Hence we came to a great Citie called Iunquilinau very rich with many Iunkes and Barkes where we stayed fiue dayes Chifu there celebrating his Wiues Exequies and giuing vs food and rayment for her soule freeing vs from the Oare and giuing vs leaue to goe on Land when wee would without our Collers which was very great ease to vs. Thence we went vp the Riuer still seeing on both sides many and faire Cities and Townes and other very great populations strongly walled and Fortresses alongst the water with Towres and rich Houses of their Sects with innumerable cattell in the fields and shipping in the Riuer in some places fiue hundred six hundred yea one thousand sayle in which were sold all things could be named Many Chinois affirmed that there were as many liued in that Empire on the water as in Cities and Townes so many in both that were it not for the good gouernment of their Trades they would eate one an other As in Duckes one trades in buying and hatching the Egges and selling the young another in breeding them for sale when they are great others in the Feathers others in the heads and in wares others in the Egges c. none interloping the others Trade vnder paine of thirtie stripes In Hogs one trades in selling them together aliue others kill them and sell them by weight others in Bacon others in Pigges others in Souse So in fish hee which sels fresh may not sell salt some sell them aliue c. and so in Fruits and other things And none may change his Trade without license They haue also along this Riuer of Batampina in which wee went from Nanquin to Pequin the distance of one hundred and eightie leagues such a number of Ingenios for Sugar and Presses for Wines and Oyles made of diuers sorts of Pulse and Fruits that there are streets of them on both sides of the Riuer of two or three leagues in length In other parts are many huge store-houses of infinite prouisions of all sorts of flesh in which are salted and smoked Beefe tame and wilde Hogs Ducks Geese Cranes Bustards Emes Deere Buffals Ants Horse Tygres Dogs and all flesh which the Earth brings forth which amuzed and amâ—zed vs exceedingly it seeming impossible that there should bee people in the World to eate the same Wee saw also great store of Barkes fenced at Poupe and Prow with Reedes of Canes full of Ducks to sell in diuers lofts ouer one another which goe out at foure strokes of a Drumme sixe or seuen thousand together to feed where they set them at the sound of the Drumme returning againe with like exceeding crie In the like sort they let them out to lay on the grasse They that hatch them haue long houses with twentie Furnaces full of dung with some hundreds of Egges couered therein and hatched by that heate the mouth stopped till they thinke fit time then putting in a Capon halfe plucked and wounded on the brest they shut it againe and after two dayes the Capon hath drawne them all forth and they put them into holes prouided for them We saw along the Riuer in some places store of Swine wild and tame kept by men on Horsebacke in other places tame Deere kept by Footmen all maymed in the right foreleg that they should not runne away which they doe when they are young Wee saw Pennes full of little Dogges to sell Barkes full of Pigges others of Lizards Frogs Snakes Snailes all being meate with them In these being of small price they may fell many kinds Yea the dung of men is there sold and not the worse Merchandize that stinke yeelding sweet wealth to some who goe tabouring vp and downe the streets to signifie what they would buy Two or three hundred sayle are seene sometimes fraighted with this lading in some Port of the Sea whence the fatned soyle yeelds three Haruests in a yeare Wee came to a Faire of China where on the water 2000. Barkes besides small Boats which goe vp and downe and small Barkes were assembled in one place and made a Citie with streets in the water aboue a league long and a third part of a league broad These Faires are principally on the Holy day of some Pagode whose Temple is by the waters side In this Water-citie by the order of the Aitao of Bitampina who is chiefe President of the thirtie two Admirals of the thirtie two Kingdomes of this Monarchie are sixtie Captaynes appointed thirtie for the gouernment and ordering of the same in matters of Iustice and other thirtie to guard the Merchants in comming safely secured from Theeues Ouer all these is a Chaem which hath Mere and mixt Rule in Causes Ciuill and Criminall without Appeale These Faires last from the new Moon to the ful in which it is a goodly thing to see two thousand streets or ranks strait enclosed with Barkes most of them flourishing with Streamers and Banners and railes painted whereon are sold all things that can be desired in others Mechanike Trades in the midst Boats going vp and downe with people to trade without any confusion or tumult As soone as it is night the streets are enclosed with Cables In euery street is ten Lanthornes lighted on the Masts which yeelds a fairer lustre then the former sight by day to see who goeth by and what is his businesse In each of these streets is a Watch-bell and when that of the Chaems sounds all the rest answer with as strange an Object to the Eare as the former to the Eye In euery of these Vowes are Oratories built on Barkes with gilded Tents where the Idoll and Priests receiue the Deuotions and Offerings of the people Amongst other remarkable things we saw one rew or street of aboue one hundred Barkes laden with Idols of gilded wood of diuers sort which are sold to be offered in the Pagodes and besides feet legs armes and heads which sicke folkes offered for Deuotion Other Barkes there are with Tents of Silke in which Comedies and pastimes are represented In others are sold Letters of Exchange the Priests giuing them Bils to receiue in Heauen what their folly lay downe there with great increase Our Scriueners would scarsly grow rich
embracements And least the miserable cry of the children in horrible torment being heard might moone the bowels of the parents the Priests of Moloch filled the ayre and skie on euery side with the harsh sound of Trumpets and striking vp of Drummes so long as the sacrifice continued Whereupon also the place was named Tophet which signifieth a Drumme This Adricomus writeth And least any might thinke that the common people onely of the Iewes became thus blinde behold Kings Ahaz 2. King 16. 2. Paralip 28. Manasses there in the 21. and 33. where also the ancient custome of the Nations may bee alleaged But that crueltie and those sacrifices of Saturne seeme not to haue continued long with the Islanders and surely they were vsed no where else saue in the two places assigned Nor yet of all the Inhabitants of that Prouince where it was exercised For it is reported of Hiâ—rleifus the companion of â—ugulfus before mentioned that he altogether abhorred the worshipping of Idols And Helgo also surnamed Biola descended from the Barons of Norway an inhabitant of the Prouince of Rialarues fauoured the Ethnick Religion but a little for he receiued an Irish man a banished Christian into his neighbourhood one named Ornulfus with his families which came with him and did not onely receiue him but also permitted him to build a Church consecrated to Saint Columbe in the Village of Escuberg A yong man also of the same Prouince called Buo destroied that most accursed Temple of humane sacrifices with fire and burned all the Gods although afterward it was repaired by the Proprietors Moreouer Torchillus surnamed Mane it may bee because hee honoured the Moone called Mane and the rest of the Starres with more Religion then the rest a man of a very vpright life and famous among the Nobilitie of Island a little before the agonie of death caused himselfe to bee set forth ouer against the Sunne and openly admiring the workmanship of Heauen and the whole World commended his Soule departing when he was readie to die to that God who created the Sunne and the rest of the Starres He liued about the yeere of Christ 970. The same or the like may be reported of very many others while Ethnicisme yet continued As of Hallerus a certaine inhabitant of South Island who because hee followed not the worship of Idols was called Godlaus that is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as was also his sonne Helgo The publique Offices some of them are distinguished from hence others haue their originall from some other place Those which are taken from hence are a Reppagogie that I may deuise a word and the administration of Prouinces to wit as that partition into Reppes and Prouinces ended as it were in sundrie species but both had some kinde of gouernment ioyned with it For aswell the Reppagogi for so I may call the Masters of Reppes as the prouinciall Gouernours proclaimed Assemblies established Iudgements euery one in their Court and punished the guiltie whereby it is euident that they also vsed the Law of Appeale in forren Causes for in their own euen priuate men had libertie of Appeale so that I need not doubt that the Reppagogi also were comprehended vnder the Title of a Magistrate Who is defined by Bodinus to bee Hee that hath part of a publique gouernment Metho hist. cap. 16. I added saith he the word Publique that it might be distinguished from the gouernment of a Master or a Father If therefore any would desire a more perfect distinction of a Magistrate it should be such A Magistrate is inferior or superior The inferior is a Reppagogie or Gouernour of fiue men which fiue inhabitants chosen for gouernment of the Reppes vsed in euery Reppe whom we are here compelled to call Reppagogie and The fiue men they call them Hreppflior ar appointed first for their wisedome and integritie next for the possession of immoueable goods vnlesse concerning this latter it seeme good to doe otherwise by the common opinion Moreouer the Office of the Reppagogi is limited by the care of the Poore But that which the care of the Poore required euery one within the bounds of their Reppe endeuored to attaine by these two meanes First that they should prouide that none should bee suddenly brought to extreme pouertie as much surely as consisteth in mans pollicy Secondly how they might prouide for such as were become Beggars to be maintayned by the common aide And surely they attempted the first part of their office three manner of wayes first by making Lawes against such as through their owne fault speaking after the manner of men became beggars of which sort are those titul de exhaeredandis cap. 3. Parentibus mendicis natus ipse hâ—stiatim victum quaerendo educatus nisi morbo affectus hareditatem nullam adito c. that is to say So long as he liueth from doore to doore The 18. chapter of the same and the first three yeere next from the time of begging cap. 20. Least any vnder a feigned shew of vertue should deceiue and abuse the Lawes Also Altera lex de eiusmodi mendicis impunè castrandis etiamsi cum eorundem nece coniunctum foret titul de pupillis cap. 33. to wit Lest liuing from doore to doore they might beget children like vnto the parents which afterwards should be a burden to the Commonwealth Also a third Law De ijsdem mendicis non alendis titul de mendicis cap. 39.63 not repugnant to the commandement of the Apostle Hoe that laboureth not let him not eate 2. Thes. 3. and of not receiuing them so much as into their house cap. 45. of the same a grieuous penaltie being inflicted if any offended against this Law in the same place By which Decree what other thing I pray you is meant then the custome of the Athenians in times past among whom the Areopagitae inquired of the particular Citizens by what art euery one liued and prouided to haue them called in question who gaue themselues to filthy and slothfull idlenesse What other thing I say then what was meant by the Decree of the Massilienses who forbad them to enter their Citie who knew no arte whereby to sustaine their life and lest any should practise either vnprofitable or dishonest artes they gaue no place to Players counterfeit Iesters laughing Companions sawcy Scoffers and Iugglers To conclude What other thing then what the Decree of Solon meant who ordayned a Law that the children should owe no thanks nor fauour to their parents by whom they had beene instructed in no honest arte to get their liuing The ancient World had so great and vehement prouocations vnto Vertue euen with our Countrimen which in this last age ah too degenerate you may finde wanting with griefe all these Constitutions being taken away Wherefore the number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may vse the word of Paul is more abundantly increased that is to say of them
oft published Decades of Epistles TRauell perfiteth wisedome and obseruation giues perfection to trauell without which a man may please his eyes not feede his braine and after much earth measured shall returne with a weary body and an empty minde Home is more safe more pleasant but lesse fruitfull of experience But to a minde not working and discursiue all heauens all earths are alike And as the end of trauell is obseruation so the end of obseruation is the informing of others for what is our knowledge if smothered in our selues so as it is not knowne to more Such secret delight can content none but an enuious nature You haue breathed many and cold aires gone farre seene much heard more obserued all These two yeares you haue spent in imitation of Nabuchadnezzars seuen conuersing with such creatures as Paul fought with at Ephesus Alas what a face yea what a backe of a Church haue you seene what manners what people Amongst whom ignorant Superstition striues with close Atheisme Treachery with Cruelty one Deuill with another while Truth and Vertue doe not so much as giue any challenge of resistance Returning once to our England after this experience I imagine you doubted whether you were on Earth or in Heauen Now then if you will heare mee whom you were wont as you haue obserued what you haue seene and written what you haue obserued so publish what you haue written It shall be a gratefull labour to vs to Posteritie I am deceiued if the ficklenesse of the Russian State haue not yeelded more memorable matter of Historie then any other in our Age or perhaps many Centuries of our Predecessors How shall I thinke but that God sent you thither before these broiles to bee the witnesse the Register of so famous mutations He loues to haue those iust euils which hee doth in one part of the World knowne to the whole and those euils which men doe in the night of their secresie brought forth into the Theater of the World that the euill of mens sinne being compared with the euill of his punishment may iustifie his proceedings and condemne theirs Your worke shall thus honour him besides your second seruice in the benefit of the Church For whiles you discourse of the open Tyraâ—nie of that Russian Nero Iohn Basilius the more secret no lesse bloudy plots of Boris the ill successe of a stolne Crowne though set vpon the head of an harmelesse Sonne the bold attempts and miserable end of a false yet aspiring challenge the perfidiousnesse of a seruile people vnworthy of better Gouernours the misse-carriage of wicked Gouernours vnworthy of better Subiects the vniust vsurpations of men iust though late reuenges of God crueltie rewarded with bloud wrong claimes with ouerthrow treachery with bondage the Reader with some secret horror shall draw-in delight and with delight instruction Neither knâ—w I any Relation whence hee shall take out a more easie Lesson of Iustice of Loyaltie of Thankefulnesse But aboue all let the World see and commiserate the hard estate of that worthy and noble Secretarie Buchinsky Poore Gentleman his distresse recalls euer to my thoughts Aesops Storke taken amongst the Cranes He now nourishes his haire vnder the displeasure of a forreigne Prince At once in durance and banishment Hee serued an ill Master but with an honest heart with cleane hands The Masters iniustice doth no more infect a good Seruant than the truth of the Seruant can iustifie his ill Master A bad Worke man may vse a good Instrument and oft-times a cleane Napkin wipeth a foule mouth It ioyes me yet to thinke that his pietie as it euer held friendship in Heauen so now it winnes him friends in this our other World Lo euen from our Iland vnexpected deliuerance takes a long flight and blesseth him beyond hope yea rather from Heauen by vs. That God whom hee serues will bee knowne to those rude and scarce humane Christians for a protector of innocence a fauourer of truth a rewarder of pietie The mercy of our gracious King the compassion of an honourable Counsellour the loue of a true friend and which wrought all and set all on worke the grace of our good God shall now lose those bonds and giue a glad welcome to his libertie and a willng farell to his distresse He shall I hope liue to acknowledge this in the meane time I doe for him Those Russian Affaires are not more worthy of your Records than your loue to this frend is worthy of mine For neither could this large Seâ drowne or quench it nor time and absence which are wâ—nt to breed a lingring consumption of friendship abate the heate of that affection which his kindnesse bred religion nourished Both rarenesse and worth shall commend this true loue which to say true hath beene now long out of fashion Neuer times yeelded more loue but not more subtle For euery man loues himselfe in another loues the estate in the person Hope of aduantage is the Load-stone that drawes the yron hearts of men not vertue not deseâ—t No Age affoorded more Parasites fewer friends The most are friendly in siâ—ht seruiceable in expectation hollow in loue trustlesse in experience Yet now Buchinsky see and confesse thou hâ—st found one friend which hath made thee many c. §. V. Of the miserable estate of Russia after SWISKEYS deportation their election of the King of Polands Sonne their Interregnum and popular estate and chusing at last of the present Emperour with some remarkabe accidents in his time THus haue we seene the Russian sinnes vtterly rooting vp so many Russian Imperiall Families and persons the whole Family of Iuan extirpate that of Boris succeeding annihilate two pretending Demetrij and Suiskie extinct and yet haue wee greater abhominations to shew you No Tyrant no Serpent no Dragon is so exorbitant and prodigious as that which hath many heads and therefore in diuine Visions Monarchies how euer excessiue and tyrannical haue beene resembled by simpler and more vniforme beasts but the Deuill in a great red Dragon with seuen heads and ten hornes and the Beast likewise to which hee gaue his power and his seat and great authoritie which opened his mouth in blasphemie against God c. On which sate the great Whore the Antichristian Babylon There was no King in Israel is both Alpha and Omega Preface and Conclusion Diuine Writ to some misery in Israel as if all Kings and no King were the Circumference of all the lines proceeding from Mischiefes Centre And now was Russia a Monster of many heads that is a bodie fallen into many pieces One man possessed of the Wife of that double Demetrius got to Astracan there seating himselfe to set vp an vsurped shop of Rule the Southerne parts chose Prince Vladislaus Son of K. Sigismund of Poland â—hose of the North thought of other Princes and at last when neither the Fig-trees sweetnesse nor Oliues fatnesse nor cheering Wine from the Vine could take place in their
and so it is that the Indians of this countrie doe not liue long and in many of them there breede certaine red warts in the foreheads and noses and other parts which beside the disease being grieuous it disfigureth them very much and it is beleeued that it proceedeth of eating some fish In these bounds stands the towne of Manta whither great riches haue beene brought from within the Land and it is held for certaine that here is a Myne of Emeralds which are the best of the Indies and they grow in a stone like Cristall and they making like a veine and by little and little congealing and refining themselues and of halfe white and halfe greene they goe ripening and recouering their perfection The Captaine Franciscus Pacheco peopled this citie 1535. by order of Don Iames de Almagro it hath many Indians in warre there is in it a Monasterie of Mercenarie Friars they gather no Wheat for it rayneth the eight moneths in the yeere from October forward and there are many good showes of gold In the coast of this Gouernment are the Ports Ilands and Points following The Aucon of Sardinas before the Bay of Saint Iames which is fifteene leagues from the Point of Manglares to the South and then the Bay of Saint Matthew and after the Cape of Saint Francis and past it Quiximies foure Riuers before Portete where the blacke Moâ—res that saued themselues of a ship that was cast away ioyned with the Indians and haue made a towne the Passao a Point or Port of Indians where they say the Equinoctiall line passeth neere the Mountaine of Queaque and the Bay of Carta which is before old Port one degree from the Equinoctiall to the South and fiue leagues from thence the Cape of Saint Laurence and neere from thence the Iland of Plate and forward the Ports of Callo and Calango before the Point of Saint Helen in two degrees hight the Riuer of Tumbez in foure degrees and the Iland of the Puna neere vnto it and the Iland of Sancta Clara somewhat more to the Sea and Cabo blanco fifteene leagues from Tumbez to the South and then the Point of Parina and to the South the Iland of Lobos foure leagues from the Port of Payta abouesaid and la Silla before the Point del Aguia and the Port of Tangora The men of this countrie say that in old time there came by Sea in Balsas which are many pieces of timber fastened one vpon another men so bigge that had as much from the knee downward as an ordinarie man in all his body and that they made certaine Wells most deepe in a quicke Rocke which at this day are seene very fresh and cold in the Point of Saint Helen and that because that they vsed most abominable sinnes fire fell from heauen and consumed them all and now are found in that situation exceeding great bones of men and pieces of teeth of fourteene ounces weight and in New Spaine in the bounds of Tlascala are bones found of the like bignesse There are in this Point of Saint Helen eyes and veine of Tarre so perfect that they might calke with it and it commeth out very hot THe gouernment of Popayan one hundred and twentie leagues North and South from the confines of the Prouince of Quito vnder the Equinoctiall vnto the confines of Cartagena by the North and another one hundred from the confines of new Realme by the East vnto the South Sea wherein are some Spanish townes part of the Councell of Quito and part of the new Realme The countrie is commonly rough and very raynie and therefore they haue little Millet and lesse Wheat and no store of Cattell but it is rich of Mynes of gold and the Townes are these following The citie of Popayan stands in two degrees and a halfe to the Septentrionall part of the Equinoctiall and 78. and a halfe of longitude one thousand fiue hundred and eightie leagues from Toledo in it is resident a Lieftenant Gouernour the Cathedrall and one Monasterie of Mercenarie Friars The President Sebastian of Belalcazar peopled this citie 1537. the people of these Prouinces are farre different from that of Piru for these are of greater vnderstanding and liued in more policie the men of this gouernment liued as in liberties It was called Popayan of the name of the Cazaque Lord of it it hath part in the coast of the South Sea and high Mountaines that goe Eastward and on another side the Row of the Andes and on both sides spring many Riuers and the Riuer of the Magdalene is one which runneth into the North Sea in this gouernment are many coole and wholesome townes and others hot and sickly The Citie of Cali stands in foure degrees and two and twentie leagues from Popayan and eight and twentie from the South Sea it was inhabited 1537. by the Captaine Michael Munioz and Sebastian of Belalcazar made it first in the townes which are called the Gorroues it hath the seate in a plaine Valley leaning to the foot of a Hill the temper is hot the Gouernour the Officers and the Kings treasure are resident in it a melting house a Monasterie of Mercenaries another of Augustine Friars The Port of Bonauenture falleth in his iurisdiction in three degrees and a halfe of altitude in it are some housholds resident for to receiue the merchandize The Indians of Cali are of a good condition and good Christians their old Lord was called Lasupâ—te The village of Saint Fe of Antiochia is more then an hundred leagues from Popayan to the north-east in the borders of the Riuer Cauca of the bounds of the Councell of the New Realme and Bishopricke of Popayan rich in Mynes of gold neere to the Hill of Buritaca famous for the much gold that was in it it is seated in certaine Plaines The countrie people are good folkes well made and white and the temperature is such that they goe to sleepe on the houses without any offence of the deaw they breede much Cattell many fruits and fish in the Riuers and Plashes the Captaine Gaspar of Rhodes inhabited it by commission of the President Belalcazar the yeere 1541. The Village of Caramanta is sixtie or seuentie leagues from Popayan to the North-east neere to the great Riuer Cauca of the bounds of the New Realme gouernment and Bâ—shopricke of Popayan plentifull of Millet and other seedes without Wheat and with little Cattell though they haue many Swine they goe by the Riuer in fiue or sixe houres to Antiochia though it bee fiftie leagues for it runneth very swift it is the plantation of the President Belalcazar The village of Saint Iames of Arma which hath many Mynes of gold is fiftie leagues from Popayan to the North-east declining to the East it is of the Councell of the new-Realme the gouernment and Diocesse of Popayan without Wheat or seedes of Castile but plentifull of the countrie
there went a ship from Calloa in Lima to the Philippines which sayled two thousand and seuen hundred leagues without sight of Land and the first it discouered was the Iland of Lusson where they tooke Port hauing performed their voyage in two moneths without want of winde or any torment and their course was almost continually vnder the Line for that from Lima which is twelue degrees to the South he came to Manilla which is as much to the North. The like good fortune had Aluaro de Mandana when as he went to discouer the Ilands of Solomon for that he had alwayes a full gale vntill he came within view of these Ilands the which must bee distant from that place of Peru from whence hee parted about a thousand leagues hauing runne their course alwayes in one height to the South The returne is like vnto the voyage from the Indies vnto Spaine for those which returne from the Philippines or China to Mexico to the end they may recouer the western windes they mount a great height vntill they come right against the Ilands of Iapon and discouering the Caliphornes they returne by the coast of new Spaine to the Port of Acapulco from whence they parted So as it is proued likewise by this Nauigation that they saile easily from East to West within the Tropicks for that their Easterly windes doe raine but returning from West to East they must seeke the Westerne windes without the Tropicks in the height of seuen and twentie degrees The Portugals proue the like in their Nauigations to the East Indies although it be in a contrarie course Let vs now speake of that which toucheth the Question propounded what should be the reason why vnder the burning Zone we saile easily from East to West and not contrarie wherein we must presuppose two certaine grounds The one is that the motion of the first Moouer which they call Diurnall not onely drawes and mooues with him the celestiall Spheares which are inferiour vnto him as wee see daily in the Sunne the Moone and the Starres but also the Elements doe participate of this motion insomuch as they are not hindered The Earth is not mooued by reason of her heauinesse which makes it immoueable being farre from this first motor The Element of water mooues not likewise with this Diurnall motion for that it is vnited to the Earth and make one spheare so as the Earth keeps it from all circular motion But the other two Elements of Fire and Aire are more subtill and neerer the heauenly Regions so as they participate of their motion and are driuen about circularly as the same celestiall bodies As for the Fire without doubt it hath his spheare as Aristotle and other Philosophers haue held but for the Aire which is no point of our subiect it is most certaine that it mooues with a motion Diurnall which is from East to West which wee see plainly in Comets that mooue from the East vnto the West mounting descending and finally turning in the hemispheare in the same sort as the Starres moue in the firmament for otherwise these Comets being in the region and sphere of the ayre whereas they ingender appeares consum'd It should be impossible for them to moue circularly as they doe if the element of the aire doth not moue with the same motion that the first motor doth For these elements being of a burning substance by reason they should be fixt without mouing circularly if the sphere where they are did not moue if it be not as we faine that some Angell or intellectuall Spirit doth walke with the Comet guiding it circularly In the yeare 1577. appeared that wonderfull Comet in forme like vnto a feather from the horizon almost to the middest of heauen and continued from the first of Nouember vntill the eight of December I say from the first of Nouember for although in Spaine it was noated but the ninth of Nouember according to the testimonie of Writers of that time yet at Peru where I was then I remember well we did see it and obserue it eight dayes before and all the time after Touching the cause of this diuersitie some may delate vpon it particularly I will onely shew that during those fortie dayes which it continued wee all obserued both such as were in Spaine and we that liued then at the Indies that it moued daily with an vniuersall motion from East to West as the Moone and other Planets whereby it appeares that the sphere of the aire being its Region the element it selfe must of necessitie moue after the same sort We noted also that besides this vniuersall motion it had another particular by which it moued with the planets from West to East for euery night it turned more Eastward like vnto the Moone Sunne and Planets of Venus We did also obserue a third particular motion whereby it moued from the Zodiacke towards the North for after some nights it was found neerer vnto the Septentrionall signes And it may be this was the reason why the great Comet was sooner seene by those that were Southerly as at Peru and later discouered by them of Europe for by this third motion as I haue said it approached neerer the Northerne Regions Yet euery one may well obserue the differences of this motion so as we may well perceiue that many and sundry celestiall bodies giue their impressions to the sphere of the ayre In like sort it is most certaine that the ayre moues with the circular motion of the heauen from East to West which is the first ground before mentioned The second is no lesse certaine which is that the motion of the ayre in those parts that are vnder the Line or neere vnto it is very swift and light the more it approacheth to the Equinoctiall but the farther off it is from the Line approaching neere the Poles the more slow and heauie this motion is The reason hereof is manifest for that the mouing of the celestiall bodies being the efficient cause of the mouing of the ayre it must of necessitie be more quicke and light where the celestiall bodies haue their swiftest motion Alonso Sanches was of opinion that this motion of the ayre was not a winde but the ayre moued by the Sunne This is learnedly spoken yet can wee not deny it to be a winde seeing there are vapours and exhalations of the Sea and that we sometimes see the Brise or Easterly windes stronger sometimes more weake and placed in that sort as sometimes they can hardly carry all their sayles We must then know and it is true that the ayre moued draweth vnto it the vapours it findes for that the force is great and findes no resistance by reason whereof the Easterne and Westerne windes are continual and in a manner alwayes alike in those parts which are neere the Line and almost vnder all the burning Zone which is the course the Sun followes betwixt the two circles of Cancer and Capricorne
them I caused two graues to be opened wherein was nothing found but a vessell full of the graine of Maiz and a bundle of Iucca as I haue said And demanding the cause hereof of the King and the other Indians they answered that they that were 〈◊〉 there were the labourers of the ground and men skilfull in sowing of seedes and makiâ—â— of bread and seruants to the Kings father and to the end that their soules should not dye â—ith their bodies they slue themselues at the death of the King their Master to liue with 〈◊〉 heauen and to the intent that they might serue him there in the same office they reserue that Maiz and Iucca to sowe it in heauen Whereunto I answered them in this manner 〈◊〉 how your Tuyra deceiueth you and how all that he teacheth you is false You see how 〈◊〉 so long a time since they are dead they haue not yet taken away this Maiz and Iucca which is now purified and worth nothing and not like to be sowen in heauen To this the King replied saying In that they haue not taken it away nor sowen it in heauen the cause is that they chanced â— finde enough there by reason whereof they had no neede of this To this errour many thing were said which seemed of little force to remoue him from his false opinion and especially any â—uch as at that age are occupied of the Diuell whom they paint of the selfe same forme and 〈◊〉 as he appeared vnto them in diuers shapes and formes They make also Images of Gold Coâ—per and Wood to the same similitudes in terrible shapes and so variable as the Painters are aâ—â—â—stomed to paint them at the feete of Saint Michael the Archangell or in any other place 〈◊〉 they paint them of most torrible portrature Likewise when the diuell greatly intendeth 〈…〉 them he threatneth to send them great tempests which they call Furacanas or 〈◊〉 and are so vehement that they ouerthrow many houses and great trees And I haue seenâ— Mountaines full of many and great trees that for the space of three quarters of a league the â—â—â—ntaine hath beene subuerted and the tree ouerthrowne and plucked out of the earth with 〈…〉 The gulfe of Vraba is distant from the Equinoctiall line from an hundrâ—â— and twentie to a hundred and thirty leagues and three quarters of a league after that accompt of seuenteen leagues and a halfe for euerie degree from Pole to Pole thus for a little more or lesse goeth all the coast By reason wherof in the Citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena and in all that course of the foresaid gulfe of Vraba at all times of the yeere the daies and nights are in manner of equall length and if there be any difference betweene them by reason of this small distance from the Equinoctiall it is so little that in foure and twentie houres making a naturall day it cannot be perceiued but by the iudgement of speculatiue men and such as vnderstand the sphere From hence the North Starre is seene verie low Of diuers particular things as Wormes Serpents Beasts Foules Trees c. I Will first speake of certaine little and troublesome Beasts which may seeme to be engendred of nature to molest and vexe men to shew them and giue them to vnderstand how small and vile a thing may offend disquiet them to the end that they may remember the principall end for the which they were created that is to know their maker In manie parts of the firme Land by the which as wel the Christians as the Indians do trauaile there are such marishes waters in the way that they are faine to go without breeches among the hearbes weeds by reason wher of certain small beasts or wormes which they call Garapates much like vnto Ticks cleaue fast to their legs These worms are as little as the pouder of beaten Salt cleaue so fast that they can by no meanes be taken away except the place be nointed with oyle after that the legs be nointed a while with oyle or the other parts where these little Tickes are fastened they scrape the place with a Knife so take them away But the Indians which haue no oyle smoake them and burne them with fire and abide great paines in taking them away by this means Of other little Beasts which trouble men and are engendred in their heads or other parts of their bodies I say that the Christian men which trauaile into these parts haue them but seldome times and that not past one or two and this also very seldome For passing by the line of the Diameter where the compasse maketh difference of sailing by the winde called Greco that is North-east and Magistral that is South-west which is in the course of the Ilands of Azori they saile but a little way following our voiage by the West but that all the Lice which the Christians carrie with them or are engendred in their heads or other places of their bodies die and vtterly consume by little and little and are not engendred in India except in the heads of little children in those parts as well among the children of the Christians which are borne there as also among the naturall Indians who haue them commonly in their heads and sometimes in other parts of their bodies and especially they of the Prouince of Cuena which is a region containing more then a hundred leagues in length and embraseth the one and the other coast of the North Sea and of the East When these Indians are infected with this filthinesse they dresse and cleanse one another And they that exercise this are for the most part women who eate all that they take and haue herein such dexterity by reason of their exercise that our men cannot lightly attaine thereunto There is also another thing greatly to be considered and this is how the Christian men being there cleane from this filthinesse of India as well in their heads as the rest of their bodies yet when they returne to come againe into Europe and begin to arriue in that place of the Ocean Sea where we said before that these Lice died and forsooke them sodainely in their repassing by the same clime as though these Lice had tarried for them in that place they can by no meanes auoide them for the space of certaine daies although they change their shirts two or three times in a day These Lice are at the first as little as Nits and grow by little and little vntill they be of the bignesse that they are in Spaine This haue I oftentimes proued hauing now foure times passed the Ocean Sea by this voiage Beside these wormes and vermin wherof we haue spoken there is another little mischieuous worm which we may number among the kindes of Fleas this Pestilence the Indians call Nigua and is much lesse then a Flea it pearceth the flesh of a man and so
although this Ingua Yupangui had giuen Farmes Lands and Cattell to the Sunne Thunder and other Guacas yet did he not dedicate any thing to Viracocha saying that he had no neede being vniuersall Lord and Creator of all things Hee informed his Souldiers after this absolute victorie of the Changuas that it was not they alone that had conquered them but certaine bearded men whom Viracocha had sent him and that no man might see them but himselfe which were since conuerted into stones it was therefore necessarie to seeke them out whom he would know well By this meanes he gathered together a multitude of stones in the Mountaines whereof he made choice placing them for Guacas or Idols they worshipped and sacrificed vnto they called them Pururaucas and carried them to the warre with great deuotion beleeuing for certaine that they had gotten the victorie by their helpe The imagination and fiction of this Ingua was of such force that by the meanes thereof hee obtayned goodly victories He founded the Familie called Yuacapanaca and made a great Image of gold which hee called Indijllapa which he placed in a Brancard of gold very rich and of great price of the which gold the Indians tooke great store to carry to Xaxamalca for the libertie and ransome of Atahulpa when the Marquesse Francis Piçarre held him prisoner The Licenciate Polo found in his house in Cusco his seruants and Mamacomas which did seruice to his memorie and found that the body had beene transported from Patallacta to Totocache where the Spaniards haue since founded the Parish of Saint Blaise This body was so whole and preserued with a certaine Rosin that it seemed aliue he had his eyes made of a fine cloth of gold so artificially set as they seemed very naturall eyes he had a blow with a stone on the head which he had receiued in the warres hee was all grey and hayrie hauing lost no more haire then if he had dyed but the same day although it were seuentie and eight yeeres since his decease The foresaid Polo sent this body with some others of the Inguas to the Citie of Lima by the Vice-royes command which was the Marquesse of Canette and the which was very necessarie to roote out the Idolatrie of Cusco Many Spaniards haue seene this body with others in the Hospitall of Saint Andrew which the Marquesse built but they were much decayed Don Philip Caritopa who was grand-child or great grand-child to this Ingua affirmed that the treasure hee left to his Familie was great which should bee in the power of the Yanaconas Amaro Toto and others To this Ingua succeeded Topaingua Yupangui to whom his sonne of the same name succeeded who founded the Familie called Cupac Aillo TO this latter Ingua succeeded Guaynacapa which is to say A young man rich and valiant and so was he in truth more then any of his Predecessors or Successors He was very wise planting good orders throughout his whole Realme he was a bold and resolute man valiant and very happy in warre He therefore obtayned great victories and extended his Dominions much farther then all his Predecessors had done before him he dyed in the Realme of Quitto the which he had conquered foure hundred leagues distant from his Court The Indians opened him after his decease leauing his heart and entrailes in Quitto the body was carried to Cusco the which was placed in the renowmed Temple of the Sunne Wee see yet to this day many Cawseys Buildings Fortresses and notable workes of this King hee founded the Familie of Teme Bamba This Guaynacapa was worshipped of his subiects for a god being yet aliue as the old men affirme which was not done to any of his Predecessors When hee dyed they slue a thousand persons of his houshold to serue him in the other life all which dyed willingly for his seruice insomuch that many of them offered themselues to death besides such as were appointed his riches and treasure was admirable And forasmuch as the Spaniards entred soone after his death the Indians laboured much to conceale all although a great part thereof was carried to Xaxamalca for the ransome of Atahulpa his sonne Some worthy of credit affirme that he had aboue three hundred sonnes and grand-children in Cusco His mother called Mamaâ—ella was much esteemed amongst them Polo sent her body with that of Guaynacapa very well imbalmed to Lima rooting out infinite Idolatries To Guaynacapa succeeded in Cusco a sonne of his called Titocussigualpa who since was called Guaspar Ingua his body was burned by the Captaines of Atahualpa who was likewise sonne to Guaynacapa and rebelled in Quitto against his brother marching against him with a mightie Armie It happened that Quisquits and Chilicuchi Captaines to Atahualpa tooke Guaspar Ingua in the Citie of Cusco being receiued for Lord and King for that he was the lawfull successor which caused great sorrow throughout all his Kingdome especially in his Court. And as alwayes in their necessities they had recourse to sacrifices finding themselues vnable to set their Lord at libertie aswell for the great power the Captaines had that tooke him as also for the great Armie that came with Atahualpa they resolued some say by the commandement of this Ingua to make a great and solemne sacrifice to Viracocha Pachayachachic which signifieth vniuersall Creator desiring him that since they could not deliuer their Lord he would send men from Heauen to deliuer him from prison And as they were in this great hope vpon their sacrifice newes came to them that a certaine people come by Sea was landed and had taken Atahualpa prisoner Hereupon they called the Spaniards Viracochas beleeuing they were men sent from God as well for the small number they were to take Atahualpa in Xaxamalca as also for that it chanced after their sacrifice done to Viracocha and thereby they began to call the Spaniards Viracochas as they doe at this day And in truth if we had giuen them good example and such as we ought the Indians had well applyed it in saying they were men sent from God It is a thing very well worthy of consideration how the greatnesse and prouidence of God disposed of the enâ—rie of our men at Peru which had beene impossible were not the dissention of the two Brethren and their Partisans and the great opinion they had of Christians as of men sent from Heauen bound by the taking of the Indians Country to labour to win soules vnto Almightie God THe rest of this subiect is handled at large by the Spanish Writers in the Histories of the Indies and for that it is not my purpose I will speake onely of the succession of the Inguas Atahualpa being dead in Xaxamalca and Guascar in Cusco and Francis Piçarre with his people hauing seised on the Realme Mangocapa sonne to Guaynacapa besieged them in Cusco very straightly but in the end he abandoned the whole Country and retyred himselfe to Vilca
here with that Trade others are laden with skuls of dead men they dreaming that all the Almes of those men whose skuls these haue beene shall belong to their soules and that the Porter of Heauen seeing them come with thus many attending will open to him as an honourable person Others haue Cages of Birds and call to men to set free those Captiues which are the creatures of God with their Almes which they which doe let loose the Bird and bid him tell God what he hath done in his Seruice others do the like with liuing fishes offering their freedome to the charitable Redeemers which themselues will not giue them much like the sale of Indulgences saying they are Innocents which neuer sinned which freed by Almes are let goe in the Riuer with commendations of this their Redeemers Seruice to the Creator Other Barkes carry Fidlers and Musicians to offer their Seruice Others the Priests sell Hornes of sacrificâ—d Beasts with promise of I know not what Feasts in Heauen others had Tents of sorrow Tombes and all Funerall appurtenances with Women-mourners to be let out for Burials others laden with Books of all sorts of Historie and these also haue Scriueners and Proctors others haue such as offer their seruice to fight in defence of their honour others haue Mid-wiues others Nurses others carry graue men and women to comfort those that haue lost Husbands Wiues Children and the like disconsolate persons others Boyes and Girles for seruice others offer Counsellors in Cases of Law or Learning others Physicians and to conclude nothing is to bee sought on the Land which is not here to be found in this Water-citie Once the cause of the greatnesse of this Kingdome of China is this easie concourse of all parts by water and Riuers some of which in narrow places haue bridges of stone like ours and some made of one only stone laid ouer sometimes of eightie ninetie or one hundred spannes long and fifteene or twentie broad All the High-wayes haue large Causies made of good stone with Pillers and Arches fairely wrought inscribed with the Founders names and prayses in golden Letters In many places they haue Wels to refresh the Trauellers And in more barren and lesse inhabited places are single women which giue free entertainment to such as haue no monie which abuse and abomination they call a worke of Mercie and is prouided by the deceased for good of their soules with Rents and mayntenance Others haue also bequeathed in the like places houses with Lights to see the way and fires for Trauellers water and Lodging I haue in one and twentie yeares vnfortunate trauels seene a great part of Asia and the riches of Europe but if my testimonie be worthy credit all together is not comparable to China alone such are the endowments of nature in a wholsome Ayre Soyle Riuers and Seas with their Policie Iustice Riches and State that they obscure all the lustres of other parts Yet such is their bestiall and Deuillish Idolatry and filthy Sodomitry publikly permitted committed taught by their Priests as a vertue that I cannot but grieue at their vngratitude Departing from this admirable Citie we sailed vp the Riuer till on the ninth of October on Tuesday we came to the great Citie of Pequim whither wee were sent by Appeale Wee went three and three as Prisoners and were put in a Prison called Gofania serca where for an entrance they gaue each of vs thirtie stripes Chifu which brought vs presented to the Aitao our Processe signed with twelue seales from Nanquiu The twelue Conchalis which are Criminall Iudges sent one of their company with two Notaries and sixe or seuen Officers to the Prison where wee were and examined vs to whom we answered as before and hee appointed vs to make petition to the Tanigores of the holy Office by our Proctors and gaue vs a Taell for almes with a caueat to beware of the Prisoners that they robbed vs not and then went into another great Roome where he heard many Prisoners Causes three houres together and then caused execution to be done on seuen and twentie men sentenced two dayes before which all dyed with the blowes to our great terrour And the next day wee were collared and manicled being much afraid that our Calempluys businesse would come to light After seuen dayes the Tanigores of the Hospitall of that Prison came in to whom we with pitifull lamentation gaue the Certificate which wee brought from Nanquin By their meanes the Conchalis petitioned the Chaem to reuoke the Sentence of cutting off our thumbs seeing there was no testimonie of theft by vs committed but only our pouertie we more needed pitie then rogour He heard the pleading for and against vs for diuers daies the Prometor or Fiscall laying hard against vs that wee were theeues but being able to proue nothing the Chaem suspended him from his Office and condemned him in twentie Taeis to vs which was brought vs. And at last we were brought into a great Hall painted with diuers representations of execution of Iustice for seuerall crimes there written very fearefull to behold and at the end a fairer gilded roome crossed the same where was a Tribunall with seuen steps compassed with three rewes of grates Iron Latten and blacke Wood inlayed with Mother of pearle hauing a Canopie of Damaske fringed with Gold and greene Silke and vnderneath a Chaire of Siluer for the Chaem and a little Table before him with three Boyes attending on their knees richly attired with chaines of gold on their neckes the middlemost to giue him his Penne the other two to receiue Petitions and to present them on the Table two other Boyes standing at his side in exceeding rich aray the one representing Iustice the other on the right hand Mercy without which conioyned the Iudge they say becomes a Tyrant The rest of the state and ceremonie I omit wee kneeling on our knees with our hands lifted vp and our eyes cast downe to the ground heard gladly our Sentence of absolution Only we were for one yeere banished to the workes of Quansy and eight moneths of that yeere ended to haue free pasport to goe home or whither we would After the Sentence pronounced one of the Conchalys stood vp and fiue times demanded aloud if any could take exception against the Sentence and all being silent the two Boyes representing Iustice and Mercy touched each others Ensignes which they had in their hands and said aloud let them be free according to the Sentence and presently two Chumbims tooke off our Collars and Manicles and all our bonds The foure moneths the Tanigores told vs were taken off the yeere as the Kings almes in regard of our pouertie for had wee beene rich wee must haue serued the whole yeere They gaue vs foure Taeis of almes and went to the Captaine which was to goe for Quansy to commend vs to his charitie which vsed vs accordingly PEquin