for it The Third is that the Mandarines in treating with the subjects are very warie and circumspect never discoursing nor treating in secret with any but alwayes publickly so that every one may be witnesse to what they say Their Palaces are alwayes kept shut within without After they have given audience which they do constantly every day many times both morning and evening for there is alwayes someting to do they retire and the Palace is shut within for the Mandarines and without for the Officers And although the gates are opened as often as he hath a mind to go abroad yet it is never done secretly but one beateth a drumme within to whom another answereth without and presently the Officers and other people who are to accompany him come together assoon as they are all assembled the gates of the Palace are opened the Mandarine cometh out The Fourth is that no person of their house whether they be Sonnes Cousins or Servants that dwell with them may go out to visit converse or treat of any businesse for fear least they should receive any bribe or present The Pourveyour or Caterour dwelleth without and is of the same Tribunall as well as the rest of the Officers and hath every day given him in writing what he is to buy And because it is not convenient that the gates of the Palace should be opened upon every small occasion they have all turning wheeles by which they receive in and send out whatsoever there is occasion for The Fifth is that they govern only three years in one place by which meanes they are prevented from establishing themselves too strongly and from contracting any streight alliances or friendships None governeth in his own Countrie except the Captains who are presumed when there is occasion will defend and preserve their own Countrie with greater affections and endeavours than strangers The Sixth it that among the Mandarines there is a great subordination of some to others The inferiours with all reverence and obedience respect their Superiours and also visit them courteously and at certain set times do make them presents The Seventh is that there is a strict watch kept over the Government For besides the Tauli and Quoli whose office it is to inform themselves of whatsoever passeth and accordingly to give advice thereof to the King every Province hath a Visitour not for many years but a new one every year to the end he might do his Office more exactly and that he might either chastise or give notice to the King of such as do not comply with their duty according to their obligation The Eighth is that every three years there is a general visitation held upon all the Mandarines of the Kingdome partly by meanes of the information of the Visitours and partly by private inquisition and it is held the same year wherein from all parts of the Kingdome the Mandarines go to render obedience to the King in Pekim and so the execution of this review is done at the Court it self by chastising some abasing others and taking their offices away The principall causes for which they are punished are these following First if they sell justice by receiving bribes these lose their Offices and are sent home to their houses The Second is if they be rigorous and cruell punishing men beyond all humanitie these lose both their Office and honour and are put into the ranck of the common people The Third is if they be negligent or carelesse in their government they lose their Office but retain still the Ensignes of their dignitie The Fourth is if they be hastie and precipitate and not deliberate enough in giving their judgment these are abased to lower Offices as from a Governour to a Judge and the like The Fifth is if they be too young and their Actions light and Iuvenile these are likewise degraded and employed in lower charges The sixt if they be old and have not strength to undergo the paines requisite in their audiences and other services of the King they give them their Quietus est and send them to take their ease at their own houses And although this be not a fault but only a failing of nature yet it is the worst of all because they not being able to remedie the incommodities of their old age this defect stil encreaseth upon them by time and they are by consequence made uncapable of returne to their Offices The Seaventh is if they be carelesse in the conduct and government of their house and Familie whither it be that where they actually dwell or that which is in their own Country which is governed also by their order to which both their servants kindred and sonnes do yeeld an exact obedience which is not hard for them to obtain by reason of their great authoritie these likewise lose their Office The Ninth thing which much facilitateth good government is that the Kings will hear the Mandarines speak although it be in a businesse that is displeasing to them and the Mandarines will freely speak to them although it be with some hazard to themselves so that both the one and the other are much to be admired In the Mandarines their liberty in advising And in the Kings their facility in hearing In the Mandarines their zeale to justice and good government And in the Kings their sinceritie and desire to settle and establish it They have many examples of this in their Historie and I am willing to set down two or three of them From a certain Province there was sent unto the King a damsell of a rare beautie and incomparable features Now his predecessour had been formerly intrigued and engaged in the like occasion very great dammages had resulted thereby unto the Kingdome for such like persons are seldome causes of much good and the same inconveniences were feared at present A Colao undertook the businesse and resolved to speak to the King about it he was admitted and spake with so much efficacy and perswasion that the King told him that assoon as she was brought to the Palace she should be dismised and sent away Sir replyed the Mandarine your Majesty would do well to command her to be sent away suddenly immediatly for if she once enter into your house and that you have seen her and heard her speak your hands will tremble for women have the power to enchaunt without witch-craft neither will I go out at one gate of the Palace till she be first sent away at another The which was accordingly put in execution There was a King so taken with the love of Birds that he caused the most curious and beautifull Birds to be sought for through the woods of the whole Kingdome and as the Kings will is like the primum mobile in giving motion to the hands of his subjects this search was put in execution with great labour and oppression of the people especially of one Province where this chase was continually made by many insomuch
his knees to his wife till she hath brought him a child assoone as she is delivered this obligation ceaseth although there are still a great many other constraints and inconveniences upon them which is the reason that no man of Qualitie will be the Kings Sonne-in-law For this reason the usuall custome of chusing twelve is now left off and if the King do earnestly invite any person of Qualitie or Litterato of reputation to be his Sonne-in-law as it hath sometimes fallen out he excuseth himselfe with all the skill and friends he hath for if the Princesse take a dislike against her husband as it often happeneth she gives him affliction enough for all his life CHAP. 24. Of the Nobilitie of China THe Nobilitie of China at this day is much changed from what it was anciently when by reason there were many Kings and Soveraigne Lords they matched into one anothers families and the Kings themselves made many noble men whom they used to employ as also their neerest kinsmen in charges and governments of the greatest importance and by this means their families continued on foot for many years At this day the most of the Nobilitie have been raised by their learning to the highest honours from a low condition many of them having been the Sonnes of Artizans and Handicrafts-men as also for want of learning their families decline and grow againe into povertie so that it is rare thing to see a family last to the fift generation for as the first beginners being forced by necessitie and stirred up by a desire to advance themselves study and take paines to obtaine their degrees and consequently Governments and other Preheminences So the rest who follow and are borne rich and bred up in delights and wantonnesse suffer themselves to be carried away with the pleasures of living high and the vices which accompany it study little and spend much so that in a short time they finde themselves reduced to the first condition of their Ancestours Notwithstanding there is some shadow and resemblance left of the ancient Nobilitie and it may be reduced to five orders not mentioning those common people who are of no account The first Nobilitie is of the King Prince the Kings Children and the Royall family which is preserved in this manner The Prince succeedeth his father in manner above-said To his Younger Sonnes the King assigneth a habitation out of the Court in such a Province or City as shall seem best to him with Palaces Furniture and Servants suitable to his high qualitie and lands and revenues which he purchaseth for him in the same place as also a competent pension out of the Kings exchequer He that dwelt in the Province of Xensi where I lived for sometime had as I was informed 360000 Crownes per annum and the title of a King conferied on him and all the Officers of the Province were obliged to pay him respect suitable to his Title whence every first and fifteenth day of the Moone they went to do him reverence in like manner as is done at Court to the King there being nothing wanting to him to make him an absolute King but only Authority and Jurisdiction of which he had nothing at all neither over the people nor in the government the King reserving all that to himselfe neither hath he libertie to go out of the City and Territorie where he hath his residence The Eldest Sonne succeedeth his Father in his estate and goods the rest marry and make severall Families which stil grow lesser although they be great and the King giveth them an allowance competent for them and as they are removed still to a further degree from the Kings bloud so likewise their pension diminisheth till it cometh to fourescore Crowns a yeare and there it stoppeth there being none so remote from the Royall Stemme that hath not at the least this Revenue Yet neverthelesse all this is to be understood only if those that are descended from him have certaine conditions that are required of them for if these be wanting they have nothing given them at all The First condition is that they be Males for if they be Females there is no account made of them and the Father marrieth them to whom and when he will but not to Princes of the bloud neither may the Sonnes marry but with Women of other Families and he is to marry them at his own expences The Second condition is that the Sonne be lawfully begotten on the true wife not only bastards being excluded but also the Sonnes of their concubines if they have any The Third is that assoon as his Sonne is borne he do give a memorial to the King to give him a name which is to be registred in the roll The Fourth is that having attained the age of 14 yeares he give another memoriall to the King praying him to give order that he may receive halfe his pension which he after receiveth every year at set times The Fifth that when he cometh to age to be married there be another memoriall given to the King wherein is required leave for him to marry and then he receiveth the whole pension which is assigned him These are the Princes of the Bloud descended from the King by a right male line These are not to live in the two Courts of Pekim and Nankim nor in all the Provinces indifferently but only in some certaine places and are so numerous that they are beleeved to amount to 60000 and are all maintained by the King But they have this advantage that they may help themselves by their industrie in buying and selling and playing the Merchants For the government of them and to present their memorialls to the King to decide their controvesies and to punish them if there be cause they have a particular Mandarine that is proper to them But if they have any suits with others who are not of the bloud Royall such causes are under the cognizance of the ordinary justice who may reprove them but hath not the power to punish them but if any of them commit any notable disorder he giveth notice thereof to the King who for such occasions hath a Castle in the Province of Kiamsi encompassed with a very high wall whither he confineth them during life The Second Order of Nobilitie is of the Titulati or Noblemen that have Titles conferred upon them who notwithstanding are but the shadow of what they were in former times These are divided into foure orders The First they call Quecum a new Title and are only foure Families who were raised by the King Humvu and are descended from foure valiant Captaines who served the said King against the Tartars They are as it were Dukes and Captaines-Generall of the Militia and do assist in that Qualitie at certaine military actions of great importance when they are done in the Cities where they inhabit but they never go to the war The Second are Heus The Third Pe. The Fourth Chi Ho Ei
hold him for a Saint and a Master and Doctour of the whole Kingdome and whatsoever is cited of him is esteemed as an Oracle or sacred thing but also in all the Cities of the Kingdome he hath publique Temples built to his memorie where at set times he is worshipped with very great ceremony and in the year of the examinations one of the principall ceremonies is that all the graduates go together to do him reverence and acknowledge him for their Master Of those that are descended from him he that is the neerest of kin hath a competent revenue and enjoyeth the title of Chuheu which is as much as Marquis or Duke The Governour of the City where he was borne out of respect and favour to him is alwaies one of his family and finally all those of his linage assoone as they are borne have a particular priviledge from the Emperour and are respected by all in regard of their predecessour Confusio This custome continueth to this day although it be 1800. yeares since he died But returning to the Bookes which he published they are these following The first is called Yekim and treateth of his naturall Philosophie and of the generation and corruption of things of Fate or Judiciary Prognostication from these and other things and from naturall principles Philosophizing by way of numbers figures and symboles applying all to moralitie and good government The second is called Xukim containing a Chronicle of the ancient Kings and their good government The third Xikim and is of ancient poesie all under metaphors and poeticall figures concerning the naturall inclinations of mankind and also of diverse customes The fourth named Likim treateth of rites and civill ceremonies of the Ancients and also of those that belong to Religion and divine worship The fifth is called Chuncieu the which treateth also of the History of their Countrie and containeth a collection of examples of severall ancient Kings good and bad to be imitated or avoided There are also foure other bookes which were made by Confusio and another Philosopher called Mensiù In these nine bookes is contained all the naturall and morall Philosophie which the whole Kingdome studieth and out of these is taken the point which is proposed to read or compose on in their examinations for degrees Upon these bookes they have severall commentaries and glosses But there is one of them which by the law of the Kingdome they are commanded to follow nor are they allowed to contradict it in their publique Acts and hath almost the same authority with the text These nine bookes are held as it were sacred and in them and their Glosses and commentaries consisteth the great endeavour of their studies getting them by heart and endeavouring to understand the difficult places of them forming diverse senses upon them whereby to govern themselves in the practise of vertue to prescribe rules for the government of the Kingdome according to those wise dictates and Maximes they finde there And because their examinations are very strickt and rigorous they not being suffered to bring along with them to those examinations not only any booke but also not so much as a fingers breadth of paper it being no easie thing to be very ready in all these bookes the order is That the first examination of Batchelours be upon the last foure and that of Licentiates to be upon the same foure as also upon one of the other five for this reason none is obliged to be very perfect in more than one of those sciences which he doth professe and upon that the point is to be given him But to speak more distinctly to their learning although in their books it is not delivered so clearely and orderly I say they consider in the universe three things that is the heavens earth and man and so accordingly they divide their learning into three members that is into the science of the heavens the science of the earth and the science of man including in the two first all naturall knowledge and in the third all morall In the science of the heavens they treate of the beginning of all naturall things of the Creation of the Universe and of the Formation of man himselfe of universall causes of generation and corruption of elements and elementary qualities answerable to the planets of celestiall motions and relvolutions of the foure seasons of the year of the stars and planets of Iudiciall Astrologie of spirits good and bad what they are and other like matters In the science of the earth they treate of the varietie that is seen in her by reason of the 4. seasons of the yeare of the productions of things and their differences of fields and possessions and their divisions in order to Husbandrie and Agriculture of the situation of the 4 parts of the world of their position and other particulars concerning them of the choise and building of Coemeteries and burying places for their dead in which they are very superstitious In the science which treateth of man they teach all their moralitie and that which belongeth to man in a sociable and politick capacitie who imitating the order manner and proprietie of heaven and earth as the universall Parents liveth in communitie with the observing their five morall vertues which are Pietie Iustice Prudence Policie and Fidelitie They treate also of morall matters and of the respect which they have to the five orders of persons into which their Common-wealth is divided that is Father and Sonne Husband and Wife King and Subjects Elder Brother and Younger Brother and Friends among themselves All their moralitie is divided into two members The first they call Divine Moralitie which treateth only of ceremonies rites and sacrifices which they make to heaven earth the planets parts of the world good and bad spirits of the heaven and earth mountaines rivers tutelary spirits soules of the dead Heroes and famous men c. The second is their Politick and civill Moralitie This is divided into Ethiques which ordereth the manners and actions of mankinde as they are considered in relation to their owne persons and into Oeconomie in order to the government of their families and into Politiques in relation to the Government of the Commonwealth the publick good and conservation of the Kingdome The Government of a single person doth put him in a way to the good Government of his familie and the good Government of a familie to that of the Kingdome as for example A father which doth not well Governe his house how should he governe a City or Province and he that knoweth not how to governe and correct himselfe according to the duty of his single person how should he be able to regulate his familie So that they lay the first foundation of mortalitie in the good manners and behaviour of each particular person from whence proceede well govern'd families and publick Governments well administred Under the same member of the science of man they comprehend the Liberall and all other
use any hangings yet the hand of the Architect and the pensil of the painter doth supply all other ornaments The Base Courts are very neat and spacious There are also many pleasant Gardens and a River which runneth among the Palaces and yeeldeth them much delight with his windings and turnings There are many artificiall mounts with very rare Beasts and Birds many Gardens made with exquisite diligence and all manner of curiositie There was a certaine King among them who being discontented at the spoile which the winter made in the beauty of the trees depriving them both of leaves and flowers commanded that many artificiall ones should be made with great labour and expence and little satisfaction of the Magistrates who did much blame him The whole fabrique is encompassed with two walls that have foure gates opening to the foure windes East West North and South and this last is the chiefest and maketh a beautifull and sightly facciata or aspect to the Palaces At every gate there stand every night five Elephants which are not bred in that Countrie but come from other parts with their Souldiers belonging to them and the whole wall round about is guarded with Souldiers Within the said Gates there is a Court able to containe 30000 Persons and there standeth alwaies a Guard of 30000 men At the uper end of this Court there are five Gates which lead into a very large Hal of the Palace in the midst whereof is placed a Royal Throne which standeth empty and is called The Throne of courtesies because all they who go out do make their reverence to it as you shall hear anone As for the Women there is only one of them which is the Kings true wife and hath the name of Hoam Heu which signifieth Empresse and is acknowledged for such having her seate behind that of the Kings There are also other six Women who have the title of Queens and are also much respected In the Palaces of Nankim which because they are empty are more easie to be seen there is a Royall Throne raised upon severall steps and a cloth of state over it with two Royall seates one for the King and the other for the Queen And lower behind that there stand six three on the one side and three on the other for the six Queens The King hath thirty Women more who are all much honoured and respected The other Ladies of the Palace who as they say are about 3000 in number have their Appartments in the foure Palaces above-said and are beautifull Damsels sought out on purpose through the whole Kingdome To these the King goeth when he pleaseth and to which of them liketh him best The present King hath the reputation to be chaste and they use to say of him Puycu Cum that is he goeth not to the Palaces There have been formerly other Kings like to him in this who are much commended in their histories as on the contrary others who are much blamed such was one of them whose beastial appetite not being able to determine to what Palace or to what part of it he should go used in this irresolution to suffer himself to be lead and guided by beasts that is he had a little chariot drawn with Goates in which he rid to the Palaces and wheresoever they entred or stopped thither he went in Another to save himself the labour of going to the Palaces caused Pictures to be drawn of every Ladie and according as he fancied each Picture he sent for the originall to be brought to him leaving the beauty of each of them in the power of the Painter she being still made the fayrest whom he favoured most or from whom he received the best Present But concerning the Kings children if the Empresse and true wife of the King hath a sonne at what time soever he be borne he taketh place of the rest but if shee have none the first sonne of any of his women whatsoever taketh place although the King desire that another should have the precedency So it happened to Vamlie who although he had none by his lawful wife the Empresse yet had two sonnes one by a waiting maid which was the eldest and another younger sonne by one of the Queenes his Concubines which sonne he loved very much and by reason of the particular affection he bore him would by all means leave him the Kingdom saying That by reason he had no Sonne by his lawfull wife the succession was not due by right to any of the rest but that it belonged to him to elect which of them he pleased and because the elder was the Sonne of a servant he chose rather to leave the Kingdome to the other notwithstanding the Officers of the Court did very stoutly oppose him saying That since he had had commerce with that servant she was enobled by a superiour law and that her sonne being the eldest he ought not to lose the rights and priviledge of his birth There happened upon this a Tragedy with severall acts of discontent For the King persisted to carry on his intention and the Officers in resisting him whereupon many lost their offices the King taking them away others left theirs of their owne accord and having laid downe the ensignes of their dignity hung them up at the gate of the Palace and departed to their own houses despising at once the honour profit dignity and revenue of their places only for the defence of reason and of the laws and customs of the Kingdom A courage worthy to be imitated in divine affaires at least if not in all secular causes At length the King being no longer able to contrast was forced besides his wont to hold a Royall Audience and taking his eldest sonne now as Prince placed him next behinde him and shewing him to the Mandarines he recommends unto them the care of the publick peace and quiet without doores assuring them that within the Palace all was quiet and that Thai Cham that was the name of the present Prince should succeed him without fayle in the Kingdom as in effect it fell out So prevalent is reason and the constancy of Counsellours even against the most powerful Kings Among the Domesticks of the Palace the Eunuchs make the greatest number In the year 1626. there were reckoned to be 12000. of them and for the most part their number is very little greater or lesse They are all distributed into their Palaces Colledges Classes Tribunals and Occupations So that within the Royall Palace there are as many Tribunals to decide causes as there are without not to speak of the women who have their justice apart there being among them some who are appointed to governe and judge the rest and to decide their differences as also to condemne and punish them and this no more than is necessary The first and principall Colledge of the Eunuchs is called Su Li Kien and consisteth of the great Secretaria of purity of the chancery within the Palace and of many
Assistants who are always advanced in the same Colledge according to their examinations and trialls These always accompany the Kings person and when he goeth abroad have the place next his body These may enter without being called and the manner of the Kings governing being by way of petitions and rescripts every thing passeth through their hands Next followeth the Colledge which they call Thum Cham Su which is as it were a Soveraigne Tribunall of justice over all the Eunuchs This causeth their persons to be arrested this condemneth and causeth them to be punished and not only the Eunuchs but also other persons of great Authority in matters of high concernment are remitted to them and it is the most rigorous Tribunal of justice of all those in China The President is also Captaine of the Kings guard which consisteth of 9000. men 6000. foot and 3000. horse In time of warre he entreth into the Councell of warre where he is allowed the highest place There are also other Colledges and Tribunals as those of severall Treasuries the Treasurie of Iewells of rich Moveables of Habits of Magazines c. There is also a Colledge of Iudiciall Astrologers who observe the stars and the motion of the Heavens who together with the chiefe Mathematician who is always a Mandarine abroad do make the Almanacke for the year following There is a Colledge of particular Priests called Laon Su for the Bonzi are not admitted neither may they enter into the Kings Palaces these have the charge of the Divine service the Chappell 's Offices and Sepultures of the dead c. There are also Colledges of Musitians Comedians or Players Painters Gold-smiths every one performing his office requisite to a well ordered Common-wealth Without the Palace many are prefects of the publick works of the guards which keep watch every night without the Palaces of the Kings sepultures of the Gabells and Impositions and other such employments by which they grow very rich and by reason they have no children though they are most of them married they make great expenses they have sumptuous Country-houses without the City and within Palaces full of all delights richly furnished a stately traine of Servants Their sepulchres are the most costly they have the strongest perswasion of the Transmigration of Soules and that they might be well provided when they take their next new forme are the most devoutest worshippers of the Idols The Eunuchs are exempted from all those Courtesies complements which others are obliged to pay the Mandarines as lighting off their horses or coming out of their chaires when they meet them In the Court they are not permitted to have many servants after them nor to weare very rich apparell and but few are allowed to be carried in a sedan yet almost all of them are suffered to ride on horse-back When in the Palace there is not an Eunuch that is the Kings favourite the Eunuchs which live without the Palace are wont to make great Court to the Mandarines lend them their faire and commodious houses and endeavour by all observance to gaine their good will But if it happen that the King have an Eunuch to his favourite as sometimes it falleth out presently they grow insolent the governments are conferred upon them and then they get the upper hand The last King had an Eunuch who arrived to all that grace and favour with him that can be imagined this fellow governed with so great insolence and Tyranny that he apprehended chastised and put to death even Persons of the greatest Qualitie To touch him though but in imagination was an excesse of Treason And though the Chinesses are very free and bold inspeaking the truth even to the King himselfe yet none durst speak against him The Prince who is now King undertooke the businesse who only told the King his father that his subjects Persons of worth and quality were ill used This was sufficient to banish the Eunuch out of the Palace who at length miserably ended his dayes For as soone as the King was dead he poysoned himselfe and at the same time put a period to his favour and his life but not to the peoples hatred who as soone as he was dead dragged him about the streets and tore him to pieces All his goods were confiscate to the King they amounted to a great value for there was scarce any body who had not formerly presented him and many had given him very rich presents Among other things there were found two chests full of Pearle only it was said he had robbed the Kings Treasury of them The sumptuous works which were either begun or ended through the whole Kingdom in honour of him as Temples to place his statue in which they call Temples of the living and use to erect them to eminent persons who have deserved well of the King and Kingdome Palaces Triumphall Arches and such like fabriques were all cast down to the ground leaving no other memory of them than a comedy which was presently made of him and is yet acted to this day concerning his disgrace and driving out of the Palace Now because some of these Eunuchs are many times dismissed and turned away others grow old and many die from time to time there are young ones chosen in to be put in their places upon this account there comes almost infinite of these Eunuchs to the Court who are made such by their parents either for the profit which they make by it because they are always bought of them for a price or else for the advantage they may receive by them when they come to preferment in the Palace or for those other conveniences which are certaine and assured to persons of this condition At every election there are chosen about 3000 of them at what time they principally consider in their choise their age good shape and behaviour their speech and gracefull pronunciation but above all that they wholly want that which they pretend to have lost and that they be compleatly castrated and moreover every fourth year they are visited least any thing should grow out againe which hath not been well taken away When the election is done the rest are sent away from the Court and those that are chosen are destributed to those lodgings occupations and offices to which they are to apply themselves This is done almost as it were by destiny for without observing of them any more than a few days some are put to study and go to the Colledges of the greatest credit honour and profit others are chosen for Priests others for Singers Comedians c. And others for the kitchin and such like meane and laborious occupations This is that which passeth in the Palace within the gates in what appertaineth to the Kings person and service That which passeth without doores is also very particular and with so much exactnesse that it exceedeth all Hyperbole and although the kingdome be so vast and large yet it is not sufficient to hide
those that come in or out as is abovesaid It hath a President two Assessors and seaven Counsellours The fift is of Rites in more particular matters and in that it is different from the first but it hath the same forme with its Assessors It taketh care of the sacrifices of the Royall sepulchres of Mountaines Groves and all that belong to them as Singers Instruments living creatures for sacrifice c. Moreover China hath another Tribunall which hath only charge of the Memorialls which are presented to the King and is as it were a Chancery of Requests so that such petitions as are not approved of by them are never given the King This Tribunall was the occasion in the time of the persecution of the Christians 1616 that when we would have given an account of the law which we preached and of the things which were imputed to us our Memoriall could never passe it being still rejected by them There are other three in the same form with severall charges offices Beside the abovesaid Tribunalls there are two more one called Quoli the other Tauli these although they have their eye upon severall Provinces each upon those matters which appertaine to them neverthelesse their proper occupation and principall office is to take notice of the errours and disorders of the Kingdom and to advertise the King of his own failings if he hath any as also of the faults of the Mandarines and their Government and as it was never hard for any to tell the faults of others yet these have a particular Talent in it and doe it with great liberty though many times with little Justice Their manner is to frame a Memoriall and present it to the King for those of these two Tribunalls do not passe through the Chancery of Memorialls and then presently as they call it FÃ ' C Heo that is to transscribe it and so to send a copy of it to the Notaries whereof there are many destined for this worke These write many copies of it which are sent by the next posts from the Court to be dispersed through the whole Kingdom and by this means it is presently known every where by whom and against whom this Memoriall is presented the misdeeds contained therein of what qualitie soever they be Assoone as this Memorial which they call Puen is published presently the Magistrate or other person against whom it is framed is obliged to do two things whether it be with or against his will which is more ordinary The first is that he give in a Memorial not in his own defence for to excuse himself were to shew little humility but he must say therein that the Tauli hath great reason that he hath committed a great errour and is in fault and doth deserve to have a penance laid upon him and that with all subjection he will submit to any punishment that shall be imposed The second is that he presently retire himselfe and leave the Tribunal and so all Acts of Justice are suspended so that he neither giveth audience nor endeth any suite untill the King have answered his petition and declared his pleasure thereon the which is sometimes in his favour and then he continueth his office and sometimes against him more or lesse according to the quality of his fault There is no doubt if this way were executed with reason and good conscience but that it would be much in favour of Justice and the good Government of the Common-wealth as on the contrary side it is an open gate to many causelesse troubles and disgraces It falleth out many times that a Mandarine in performing his office and acquitting himselfe of the duty of his place doth make himselfe many enemies Some one of these if he be a person that hath interest with any that is an Officer of those two Tribunals as kinsman friend c. he giveth account of iâ— to the Court the Memoriall flyeth abroad and God help the poore Mandarine When they are lesser Mandarines as Iudges Assistants to Governours or Mandarines in Armes at one blow they lay him flat on the ground If they be great Mandarines there is more difficulty but if they know how to finde a hole in their coates and the Tauli and Quoli get him in their clawes they never give them over till they have un-horsed them so that the King himselfe is hardly able to save them The like accident happened to that Tyrant Xin who in the year 1626 being Xi cam in Nankim raised a persecution against the Christians and caused the fathers to be benished as shall be related in its proper place He arrived afterwards to the dignity of a Colao and caused foure ensignes to be hanged out at the 4 corners of his Palace I was then present in the same City that is in Hamcheu and made other demonstrations of extraordinary joy But whether it were that the Lord would chastise him for the persecutions he raised against his elect or whether he deserved punishment for any other particular crimes according to humane laws or for both together assoone as his orders were come and before he was departed to go to Court there was so terâ—ible a Memoriall put in against him that a Christian Mandarine told me it would not be possible for him to hold up his head and so he was presently glad to take in his Standard and depart with ordinary Ceremonies He was notwithstanding a politike crafty man and had purchased with his mony in the Palace the good will both of the Ladies and the Eunuchs who are not wont to sell their favours at a low rate These did not only cause a Memoriall to be dispatched in his favour but used means for him to be sent for to Court At length he went but after a few months there was another Memoriall given in against him and after that severall others to the number of twenty seven and the crimes laid to his charge were such that the King could not help him so that he was forced to quit his Government and retire to his house Beside these two Tribunals there is another which is superiour to all the rest and is the supreame dignity of the Kingdom to which none do arrive but those of the Royall Colledge called Han Lin after they have Governed a long time and given such testimony of their abilitie and integritie that never any Memoriall was given in against them They are called by the name of Colao they are commonly but foure and may never exceed the number of six The old King Grandfather to him that reigneth at present never made but one of them at a time saying That more were superfluous These have no particular office but have an eye over the Government of the whole Kingdome We may not unfitly call them the supreame Presidents of all the Counsells and of the whole Government although they are never present at them but assist the King at all dispatches of affaires and now that the King doth
serve all at one time but take their turnes in order Now that I have treated of the small Tribunals I will speak of a great one which is that of the Vice-roy of Cantone which for some causes I had occasion to observe very distinctly as also many others The Tribunal wherein the Vice-roy doth Justice is joyned to the Palace where he hath his residence There is first a great square Court which looketh toward the South without having any gate in the wall right before it but only two at the two sides thereof At the foure Corners of this Court there are foure very high Masts on the top of each is displayed a white banner whereon are written two letters so bigge that they almost take up the whole flagge The letters are Kiun Muen that is Vice-roy Within round about the Court are Chambers for the Notaries for great and lesser Officers and many small Mandarines who are to be alwayes ready at the Vice-roys beck In the middle of the Court is a Theater of stone with steps to ascend to it There stand drums flutes fifes and Corners of Brasse and before the Vice-King giveth audience all these instruments are sounded with certain pauses or Intervalls They are sounded three times for some space and at the end of each there are three Bombards or old fashion'd Cannon discharged at the third and last time the gates are opened all they who have any businesse with him are permitted to enter into the first Court. On the North side whereof which answereth to the front where there is no Gate there is a great Portal which leadeth into another quadrangular Court which is longer than it is broad This Portall hath three gates in it after the fashion of our churches that in the middle is the biggest the other two are lesser each of these gates openeth upon an entry which is raised three or foure palmes from the ground and is seaven or eight palmes broad but that in the middle is larger At each entry stand two ranks of Souldiers with their armes in their hands through the middle of whom those that have businesse are to passe entring at the left gate and coming out at the right for at the middle gate none either go in or come out but the Vice-roy and they that visit or accompany him At the end of this Court is the place of the Vice-roy which hath neither Hall nor Gallery but is a kind of building that participateth of both It is like a Hall for its forme and like a Gallery in that it hath no doore but lyes all open In it standeth a small Table covered with a Carpet of silke whereupon lyeth the Kings seale with red and black inke by it and stones for to grind it small and pensills for to write withall but above all there is the Case of the Cheu Cu that is Little Tallies of wood each of which importeth five lashes so that when the Vice-roy throweth downe two of them in the languages of Justice it signifieth Ten lashes if he throweth downe six Thirty and so of the rest Neere unto the seat of the Vice-roy on each hand stand twelve Captaines richly cloathed with their Morions on their heads and their Scimitars by their sides Behinde stand two Pages with fannes in their hands to make winde in case the weather be hot but in winter they do not use them All Tribunals are not of this forme although there are many things common to them all and the rest is proportionable to the dignity of the Mandarines who hold them CHAP. 28. Of the prisons sentences and punishments of the Chinesses THeir prisons for Malefactours are more commodious and spacious than ours They are all throughout the Kingdom of the same forme with very little difference so that by treating of one we shall give a description of them all They are for the most part either joyned or not farre distant from the Palaces and Tribunals of the Mandarines to which they belong They have no grates towards the street but within the outward gate there is a narrow entry which leadeth to a second gate within which is a Court which is alwaies bigger or lesser according to the receipt and concourse of the prison Then followeth a third gate where the lodgings of the keepers and warders are who are commonly three beyond that is another gate which openeth into a great square Court a long the foure sides whereof are the chambers of the prisoners which have no walls towards the Court but in stead thereof Columnes of wood placed so neere together that they rather seeme to be grates The doores are not made of board but of grates of the same wood so that all is open to the ayre these Lodges or Chambers are the Prisons of the ordinary Prisoners At the end of one of these rowes of chambers standeth the secret or close Prison for such as are committed for crimes of a higher nature This they call Chum Kien that is the heavy Prison so that having passed through the common Prison there are other grates made in the like manner as the first within which are the close Prisons where the most criminall Persons are who are alwayes kept locked up the other Prisons are opened every day and the Prisoners have liberty to go from one chamber to another and to converse together in the Base-Courts Every evening there is a view taken of the Prisoners causing them all for this purpose to come into the outward Court and one of the warders with a rol in his hand calleth them over one by one each man as he is called goeth into his prison where he is locked up for that night Those of the close Prison although they go not out of it which happeneth only to those who have no money for if they have wherewithall to fee the Gaolers they go out when they wil and are lodged where they please Yet are they all day at libertie in their Prison but at night they are secured in this manner They sleep at night upon planks at the lower end whereof where their feet lie there is a great piece of Timber laid athwart which hath store of holes in it wherein their feet are put and so locked up on their hands they put manacles on the side of each are two Iron rings fastened into the Boards through which is passed an Iron-Chaine of a good bignesse and is carried over their brests from the right side to the left so that if this Chaine be streightned a little which is at the courtesie of the Keepers the poor Prisoner is not able to turne himself having not only his hands and feet but his whole body bound This is the caution which they use for the night In the middle of the Court where the aforesaid chambers are there is as it were a little corps d' e gard where there are foure who keep watch by turnes If there happen any noise or stir in the Prisons or
did but laugh at him for his pains In the mean time there arrived at Nankim that lay-brother who was sent from Father Longobardus to assist the prisoners and Christians there where he found Ignatius Hya a learned man a good Christian and kinsman of Dr. Leo who was sent thither from Cauxeu to cause an Apologie which the Dr. had written to be printed and dispersed in that Court This lay-brother undertooke the care of the presse and having chosen out Six Christians of the Art he carried on the worke in a private garden that belonged to one of them The uncle of this Christian to whom the garden belonged wherein the presse was having counselled them in vain to desist by reason of the danger they put him in went and discovered it to Xin who gave him a good gratuity for his news and that night sent Officers who tooke them all and brought them before Xin who was very joyfull to have found this new occasion of traversing the Fathers They were sent to prison and shortly after carryed before that Tauli who was a kinsman of Xin who having read the Apologie and understood the cause finding nothing in it to lay hold upon to free himselfe of the trouble sent them to another Tauli who imitating the first sent them before another great Mandarine who having heard the cause said they were not guilty of any thing and to conclude the businesse gave his sentence in writing That those men ought in justice to be set at libertie but if they were to have any chastisement he thought fifteen Bastinadoes to the chiefe of them would be sufficient and that his opinion was they ought to be set at liberty without being â—ent any more to any other Tribunall neverthelesse he remanded them back to Xin out of the respect he bore to his great office fully perswading himselfe that he would set them at libertie When Xin heard the sentence he was ready to burst with rage and anger but not knowing how to help it for the present he sent them to prison to Father Vagnone after he had caused fifteen Bastinadoes to be given the poore brother in so cruell a manner that he was in great pain and misery I will not stand now to recount the villanies and outrages which they suffered whilest they were remanded from one Tribunall to another that tempest of Cuffes Kicks Thrusts boxes of the eare spitting upon dirt throwing in their faces pulling of the haire of their heads and beards and other insolencies which use to be done there to poore prisoners when the mony floweth not largely to the Officers as it happened to these poore Christians leaving all to the consideration of the pious Reader After this they were sent by Xin to the Mandarines of his Tribunall to be examined the examination lasted six houres upon these Articles What law is this law of yours How came you into China How do your professours live How do they maintain themselves What Government have they What commerce with Macao and the Fathers of that place But at length the examination was ended without torments by means of a Mandarine who was a Countriman of Dr. Paul and Dr. Iohn from whom he had received letters in favour of us Xin was highly enraged at this and having sharply reproved the Mandarine he removed the cause from that Tribunall and sent it to a higher Court desiring the Tauli thereof to put on rigour in such a cause as this was They were examined by him for a little while and having pardoned the rest he commanded twenty stripes to be given to Vu Paul who was owner of the Garden and twenty more to the Lay-brother whose wounds were not yet healed which he had received by the other fifteen stripes and so sent them to Xin who not contented with these torments sent them again to the Mandarines of his own Tribunall where they were examined a new and for the Satisfaction of Xin were racked after that manner which we have described when we spake of the torments among the Chinesses to make them confesse that which they knew not These valiant Christians were very ill handled by these tormentours not having any crime to confesse they were accused to have perswaded several Women to turne christians assisting therein Father Vagnone wherefore by a new Sentence they were all Bastinadoed in the manner above-said except a very old man and two of the Printers who were Gentiles But seeing the Lay-Brother and Vu Paul so torne and wounded with the Stripes they had received they gave over and sent them back to Prison They being cured and healed there by Father Vagnone as well as he could possible in that misery and poverty he was in fifteen dayes after they were brought again before Xin who examining them very particularly said to the Brother What kind of Law is that of yours which holdeth forth for a God a man who was executed for a Malefactour Whereupon the Brother took occasion with a great deale of Spirit to open the Mystery of the Incarnation to him The Tyrant would not endure that liberty of speech but to take off his promptnesse commanded there should be twenty stripes given him and as his former wounds were not quite healed he endured an incredible pain in having them opened again with new blowes which were laid on so lustily that the bloud spurted as farre as where Xin sate by which being as it were more inflamed he grew out-ragious against the young man whom he beleeved to have brought the Apology of Doctour Paul from Pekim which although it were false yet that he might not discover the true bringer he under-went willingly a furious load of stripes for the love of Christ and for his Holy Faith After this they were led through the City to the Prison which was three miles off whither notwithstanding the Brother was carried upon a board being of himself not able to move The courage and desire of these Valiant Confessours grew still the stronger by how much these torments had weakned their Body They had no other regret but that they had not lost their lives together with their bloud and so in the healing of their wounds which being almost frozen by reason of the extraordinary cold required new cuttings and incisions from the hands of those unskilfull Surgeons of the Prison they rejoyced in those new torments which they suffered in so glorious a cause All the sorrow and trouble fell to the lot of Xin who still thirsting after Christian bloud remitted the cause of these Prisoners to the judge criminall But the successe fell out contrary to his expectation for that Judge after he had conferred with Xon Xu the President of his Tribunall concerning the enditement of these Prisoners pronounced them innocent but that neverthelesse they were to expect what the Kings pleasure would be concerning them In the meane time he gave them good words and sent them back to Prison but after five dayes he set them