Compliments and Reverences Presently the Eunuchs for no others enter there put themselves in order to draw the Chariot the King accompanying it with all his Familie to the last that is the eighth Gate of the Palace where with new laments Ceremonies and complements he took his leave Then within the first gate stood ready they that were to receive the Corps and in the Kings name and stead were to accompany it and to make the Sacrifices and Ceremonies that were to be performed at certaine places Then presently began the Procession with such solemnitie order and silence that it caused admiration in all that beheld it It went no further that day than to a Town without the walls neer to which there was a Tent set up very richly adorned where the Chariot was put and the Tables likewise being set they did Sacrifice and burned Incense and Perfumes and performed other Ceremonies and Reverences and last of all they renewed their Lamentations From this place was dispatched an Eunuch to give the King full account whither and how the Body was arrived and of all that passed there The day following was begun with the Ceremonies and other Funerall solemnities with which the day before was concluded and their journey continued with such a Multitude of people as well of those of the Guard neere hand as of other people afar off that were curious to see that they were not to be numbred By reason of the Sacrifices Ceremonies and stops which they made in the way they were three daies ere they arrived at the Mountaine where the Kings Sepulchres were Assoon as they were come thither the Hearse was removed with many Ceremonies from the Chariot where it was to another triumphant Chariot which they had in readinesse for that purpose of no lesse cost than the former After that they Sacrificed to the earth a Bull with Spiced wines rich perfumes and garments Suplicating to the tutelary Spirit thereof that he would receive that Body with pitie keep defend it c. At the same time nine Mandarines appointed by the King himself performed the same Ceremonies and Sacrifices to all the Kings predecessours which were buried there when the day was come on which the Body should be buried which was the fifteenth of the sixt Moone they made many Sacrifices and so put an end to the Funerall when presently the Mandarines posted away to give the King account of all that had passed which account was alwayes given him in part from time to time by the way And he shewed his liberalitie to all those that had taken paines in that worke and to shew his care and piety in all that which he ought to his Mothers memorie presently after her death he commanded that all prisoners should be released that were not committed for any enormous crimes He gave order also that in the Provinces where there was a Scarcitie of victualls the ordinary Tribute should be taken off and that alms should be given to those that were most necessitous among them He ordered also that the Rights and Gabels to be paied at the Gates and Custome-houses which upon some occasions were lately imposed should cease and he himself with his own hands made many thousand small pieces of Silver which he lapped up in paper according to the custome of China to give them in Almes for the Soule of his dead Mother Truly there is nothing in China so worthy to be imitated by Christians as their piety towards their Parents and God having given to this Nation such knowledge and inclination to vertue it is great pittie that they should only want the foundation of faith Hence we may see with how great fruit and profit the Gospel might be preached in this Kingdome or rather by the goodnesse of the Lord it is already preached as we shall declare in its proper place It will not be besides the purpose of this discourse to adde briefly something concerning the death of King Vanli Sonne to this Queen abovesaid the which fell out towards the end of August in the year 1620. in their seaventh moone forbearing to mention the Ceremonies which were like to those we even now related He fell sick about the end of Iune in the same year of a looseness and paine in his stomack swelling of his feet and other Maladies This infirmity lasted two months with many various changes alterations after which finding himselfe come to the end of his life he called his Sonne the heire of the Kingdome with his three other brothers to whom he made a discourse full of good advise and wholesome precepts accusing himselfe of too much negligence and want of care and then gave them the last salute Then he made his last Will and Testament the manner whereof is this When the Physitians do despaire of the Kings recovery the Colai if they be many as they use to be together with the chiefe of the Eunuchs and the first President of the Palace whom they call Suli Kien go to the King and endeavour to draw from his owne mouth what his last Will is and the summe of his Testament After that they go secretly to the Prince the heire of the Kingdome and give him an account of all to the end nothing might be done contrary to the will of him who is presently to take possession of the Kingdome When they have understood what both their pleasures are they put it into the form of a Will and carry it to the King to have his approbation of it Then they present it to a Senatour of the royall Colledge called Hanli Yven to whom it belongeth to put such writings as concerne the King into good form and stile That done it is closed up and sealed with the Kings seale and is kept in the Archives of the royall Colledge whilest the King is living Assoone as he is dead it is carryed to the Tribunal of Rites and Ceremonies to whom it belongeth to publish it through the whole Kingdome and to put it punctually in execution The form of this Will is here faithfully copied and translated out of the Chinesses language into ours The last Will and Testament of our Emperour Vanli who in obedience to Heaven hath resigned his Empire into the hands of Posteritie I From a child received the government of this Monarchie from the hands of my Progenitours and have held it fourty eight years a very long time wherefore I have no reason to lament that I am now to leave it Assoone as I was created Emperour I had strong inclinations to governe well and to imitate my Predecessours as in truth I endeavoured to do with all exactnesse But afterward being hindred by severall infirmities for many years I left off the care of having the wonted sacrifices celebrated to Heaven and earth neither did I cause the offices and ceremonies to be performed which are due to the memory of my Ancestours I seldome times sate upon the throne to consult of the affaires of
of the dangerous estate and condition of the Christians at Nankim Father Rocâ—a superiour of the Mission chanced to be at that time in Hamcheu who presently endeavoured to find some remedie for it by speaking with Doctour Michael and writing to Doctour Paul that by their leâ—ters they would perswade the Mandrines of Nankim to shew some favour to the Christians which accordingly they did with much zeale and efficacie especially Doctoâ—r Paul who observed to them in his writings fourteen principall poynts wherein our Holy Law did differ from the Sect of Palien Kiao The letters had not that effect that was hoped of them some of the Mandarines being rendered very averse to them by the power and perswasion of Xin who actually enjoying at that time the dignity of Colao every one endeavoured to gain his favour by following his inclinations And that was plainely seen by their answers which are not wont to be in such termes to Mandarines of so considerable Quality as those Christians were The answer to Doctour Paul was that the Law which his Lordship said was different from that Sect of Palien Kiao was not so but the very same both of them professing not to obey the King nor his Ministers as was plainly to be seen by the Fathers who being banished out of the Kingdom by the Kings order yet were so audacious that they still remained there and other things of the same straine which evidently shewed that they who gave such answers were changed as also for whose sake they gave them This unpleasing answer was followed by a thing of greater danger for in China even in the quietest times it is necessary to live very retired and reservedly which was the Intelligence that Doctour Paul had received how that not many daies before two Mandarines of the same City of Nankim had presented a Memoriall to the King against the Law of Christ both against the Chinesses who were followers of it as also the Fathers that did preach and propagate it accusing Doctour Michael by name for being a Christian and for keeping the Fathers in his House they did also accuse severall others for keeping of them and although they did not name Doctour Paul yet it might be easily understood that they meant him for one This news did require their most serious deliberation for when a businesse is brought before the King it is alwayes of dangerous consequence and doth ever shave or flea Doctour Paul immediately wrote to the Fathers that in what place soever they were they should without any farther delay resolve to retire themselves and to break off all commerce with all manner of persons whatsoever although they thought them never so safe or trusty giving way to the necessity of the times as at that present was very convenient for them Doctour Michael was of the contrary opinion at least he would not suffer those which lived in his own House to hide themselves Doctour Ignatius his Sonne also who dwelt in the City of Kiatiâ— was of opinion that the Fathers should keep themselves private and concealed for if any thing should be decreed to their disadvantage it could not be executed so suddenly but that there would be time enough for them to make their escape especially since the Mandarines of the City were their friends Although this were a very young man yet his Father who lived then at the Court was much satisfied with his opinion in that case Neverthelesse it was judged more expedient that we should withdraw our selves before the storm appeared and that afterward those who could not hide themselves should fly before they were apprehended by justice But the difficulty was where to find another secret place beside that where we were which was in a very populous City and among many of our trusty and faithfull friends and because it was so difficult to lie hid in that place we did think of searching out some desert but by reason that China is so populous that was no easie thing to be done At length it was resolved that we should all quit the habitations we were in some going to the Country Houses of the same Christians some to the sepulchres of others with a caution that if there did not come a favourable answer from the King there should be boates provided in a readinesse for to carry them up and down the Rivers where the not remaining long in any certain place would be a good way to secure them till the Lord should direct them to a better During this time Doctour Paul kept a man on purpose in the City of Sucheu where the Vice-roy of the Province hath his Residence for he may not dwell in the City of Nankim because it is the Kings Court as well as Pekim that assoon as the Kings answer came he might presently bring him word of it and according to the stile of that Country it was conceived that it might be delayed yet many dayes The Fathers expected ten weeks to their great discommodation and inconvenience because those things which might easily have been had in the Towns and Cities could not be come by but with a great deale of trouble as they lay thus hid neither did any answer come in all this time for which there were severall reasons given but the best seemed to be that these Memorials against our Holy Faith were sent with an Order that they should first be registred by Xin for whose sake they were presented who at the same time was put out of his Office So that when the Memorials came he had now no power nor authority to preferre them and so they were not presented at all for if they had been presented whether the King had answered them or no we should have been sure to have had notice of it Thus the storm ended which seemed to threaten us with a greater danger and the effect of it was turned upon Xin although upon another occasion for it is most certain that at the same time when the Petitions against the Law of Christ were sent from the Southern to the Northern Court the King took away his Office of Colao by reason the Mandarines of Pekim had petitioned against him and although they had endeavoured his disgrace for 16 months before yet they could never bring it about till then So that it seemeth the Lord did reserve the fall of this Tyrant for that time wherein he might have done the greatest mischiefe and would shew us what trust and confidence we ought to have in him upon the like occasions Our Doctours being of the opinion that the Memorials neither were nor would be presented the Fathers returned all to their Ancient Residencies although they were obliged to use more caution and to make fewer assemblies and this the rather because they did not yet receive good news from Nankim where there were new edicts published against the Christian Religion which news although on the one side it occasioned much grief to the Fathers yet on the
the third Gate the which as I sayd above is a seate of much Merchandise for it hath two Cities in the borders thereof Gaucheu and Sucheu toward the West as Machao is in the Province of Contone toward the South from whence come numerous Caravans of above a thousand in company of severall Nations and Provinces but for the most part Moores Thus far came Brother Benedict-Goes to seek for the Kingdom of Cathaya which is no other than China it selfe whose voyage we will here breefly relate He departed in lent the year 1603 for to find out the truth of what was reported of the Kingdome of Cathaca by order of the superiors of India from the Kingdome of Mogor and the royal City of Laor in the Habit of an Armenian carrying Merchandise as well to live as to passe with the more facility The whole Caravan consisted of 500 Persons for the most part Sarasens and used to go every year from this royall City to another in another Kingdom named Cascar After a months voyage he arrived at a City named Athu of the same province with Laor thence in two months and a half to Passaur and after another month and a half sometimes travelling and sometimes resting he came to the City of Ghideli where he wanted little to have been slain by theeves And finally after 20 dayes more he came to the City of Cabu the most noble Merchant-towne of all the countries subjected to the Mogor from hence after some stay he passed to Parvám the last City of the Kingdom of Mogor then travelling for 20 daies over very high Mountains he came to Calcia a countrie of faire-hayred people and in other 25 dayes to Chema where he was forced to stay a month by reason of Civill broils and after many troubles and dangers of theeves and Banditti and having passed many countries of the Kings of Samarhan they came into the country of Tengo and at length he entred into the Metropolitan City of the Kingdom of Cascár called Tanghesár in the month of November in the same year At this City which is a noble seate of Merchandise for those Kingdomes the Caravan of Merchants which come from Cabull ended their voyage and a new Caravan setteth forth from thence to go to China But our Brother remained here first many months expecting the time of their departure and having in the meane time made himselfe known to the King of the country he obtained letters of favour and recommendations to all places whither he should go The time therefore being come he departed with ten horses for to carry himself his companion and his goods in company of the whole Caravan toward Chathyaya thaâ— is China in the moneth of November the year following and having travelled 25 dayes with a great deale of difficultie over stones and sand he came to the City of Aesu part of the Kingdom of Cascár after having passed a desart called Caracathai that is Black-earth and gone through many Cities at length he came to a City called Cialis in the same Kingdom of Cascár Here whilest he fitted himself for his journey there arrived Merchants which came from China of whom Brother Benedict learned some tydings of the City of Pekim and of our Fathers which had been there seen by these Sarasen Merchants So that he was satisfied that Cathaya was nothing else but China and the royall City named by the Sarasens Gambalú was Pekim From this City of Cialis Benedict departing with a few in company came in twenty dayes to Pucian and afterwards to Turphan Arâ—muth and Camul the last City of the Kingdome of Cialis From Camul after nine dayes journey they came to the wall of China at a placc called Chiacuon and so had entrance into China which he sought under the name of Cathaya Excepting therefore eleven dayes journey which was through a country peopled by Tartars all the rest of his voyage was through countries inhabited by Moors or Mahumetans Now to return to our story with these Caravans come Embassadours which the Princes of the Moors send to the King of China making every three yeares a small Embassie in respect both of the Persons and the presents and every five years a great one The most part of the Caravan remaine in the two above-named Cities which are upon the Frontiers trafficking there with their Merchandise The others go to comply with their charge and to offer the present in the name of five Kings which are the Kings of Rume Arabia Camul Eamarcan Tursan The first four know nothing of this Embassy the fifth although he know of it doth not make the present nor send the Embassy but hath only this advantage that he nameth the Embassadors The present is made by the Merchants among themselvs these coming to the Vice-roy of those parts the King hath advice given him of their arrival by a paper called a memoriall or petition as soone as they have leave from the Court and that their names are inrolled there depart 40. or 50. of them besides many more added to them who to have leave to enter into the kingdome to trade to eate at the Kings expenses give the captaine a Bribe of about a hundred or six-score crownes a man There goeth a long with them a Mandarine who entertaineth them of freecost while they travell But if they make any stay as they did in the Metropolis of the province for more than three monthes space the Kings expense ceaseth but not the benefit of their traffique for all that while they follow their Merchandise The Merchandise which they bring are Salt Armoniak fine Azure fine linnen carpets called Raisins knives and other small things The best and greatest Commoditie is a certain stone called Yaca which they bring from the Kingdom of Yauken the worst is of a whitish colour the finest is green it hath been of great price formerly in China and is still of good value They make thereof diverse sorts of Jewels for the ornament of the head and it is much used in the palaces the girdle which the King giveth to the Colai is embrodered with the finest sort therof which no other is allowed to use in this ornament That which they carry back in exchange of their commodities is Porcellane Rubies Musk raw-silk silk-stuffes diverse other rarities and medicinall drugges as Rubarb And this I do imagine is the same which is transported from Persia to these parts The Embassadours being arrived they offer their present which consisteth of a thousand Arrabas of this precious stone whereof we have spoken which maketh 1333. Italian pounds whereof 300. pounds are of the finest sort 340. horses which are to be left upon the frontier 300. small poynted Diamonds twelve Cattes of fine Azure which is about 100. Italian pounds 600. knives as many files The last present seeming to me improper to be presented to a King Ienquird what use the King made of them but I could not meet any one was
them which have obtained the first places then the King with his owne hand bestoweth a reward on each of them He to whom he giveth the first gift being the chief of all the rest hath a particular name belonging to him ever after as also to the second and the third The first they câ—ll Chuam Yuen the next Pham Yuen the third Thoan Hoa and this name is of so great esteeme and reputation that in a few daies after the examination there is scarce any person through out the whole Kingdom that doth not know them by these names and not by the names of their fathers and Countrie which is a wonderfull thing in so vast a Kingdom as that is The honour is as great as that of our Dukes and Marquesses As well for the respect which is paid them throughout the whole realme as for the places of authority and trust where they are put to govern being the very same which were anciently conferred upon those great Lords whose authority was in another way correspondent to that which now these Doctours have These ceremonies being accomplisht there is yet another examination which although it be voluntarie there are few that absent themselves from it A new point is given they make their compositions and according to them there is an Election made of those who are to be admitted to the royall colledge They select only 30 of the most deserving and of them they admit five every year who only for being entred in so smal a number are alway providing with profitable places of government The other twenty five have particular Palaces assigned them where they assemble and become as Scholars under the discipline of a Colao who almost every day causeth them to compose somewhat and exercise themselves in all that belongeth to their learning and speculative government This continueth til the next examinations at which new persons enter and the other go forth and according to their degrees and antiquity are provided with the places of greatest importance at the court from whence unlesse it be to be Presidents of the examinations or some other particular imployment that lasteth but a short time and by the Kings order they never go out no not to be vice-royes which imployment is accounted below them because only those of the royal colledge are capable of the dignity of a Colao All the new Doctors are that year put into some employment unlesse there be any that is not of competent years That which helpeth this multitude to imployments is that the same year there is held a generall visitation throughout the whole Kingdome by which there are so many of the old Mandarines turned out that there are many places made void for the new ones and as this degree is of high account the visits congratulatious Feasts and Presents which are made upon this occasion are almost incredible The reward for bringing the first newes is many times worth 200 Crownes to the Messenger but commonly 50 assoon as the friends and kindred of those who are named among the three first above-mentioned hear of their promotion presently they erect unto them triumphall arches in their Cities or Villages not of wood coverd with Canvasse or past-bord but of pure Marble sumptuously wrought in the front whereof is engraved the name of the Person for whom they were erected the place he hath obtained and the year of his Doctour-ship in a word the world is the same throughout It is a vain thing to beleeve that he which hath not power should be admired heard or received with applause whether it be done out of zeale to the truth or out of flattery and interest CHAP. 10. Of the Books and Sciences of the Chinesses OF the Sciences of the Chinesses we cannot speak so very distinctly and clearly because really their Authours have not been so fortunate as Aristotle Plato and other Philosophers and wise men who have methodically handled them under their several Classes divisions and titles whereas the Chinesses have written little or no thing of many of the sciences and liberal arts and of the rest but superficially except those which concern good government and policie From the very beginning it hath been their chiefest aim to find out the best way of government the first that began this were the Kings Fohi Xinon and Hoamsi These three at the beginning gave themselves to their morall and speculative Sciences by way of mysticall even and odd numbers and other ciphers and notes by which they gave law to their subjects and from hand to hand these were alway communicated to the Kings who were the wisemen of that time and by this means did govern the Kingdome untill the Monarchie of Cheù which began 1123. years before the coming of our Saviour at which time Venuam and Checuam his youngest Sonne published these numbers and ancient notes and made a booke of them intitled Yechim giving likewise many morall precepts documents and orders to the whole Kingdome and following the steps of other Philosophers which lived according to the Stoick rule they had alway great care of the Government and publique good untill the time of Confusio who composed five bookes in order called by them Vehim which are at this day held as sacred He made also other bookes and of his sentences and sayings there have been since also many more bookes composed This Philosopher flourished about 150. yeares before the coming of Christ he was a man of a good nature well inclined to vertue prudent sentencious and a lover of the publique good He had many disciples which followed him he had a great desire to reform the world which even at that time began to lose its sinceritie and veracity changing the ancient manner of living and introducing moderne customes And so he governed in severall Kingdomes for when he saw that they did not live conformable to his precepts and counsells in one Kingdom he went to another yet not uncensured by many other Philosophers of that time who seeing the evill course which men tooke retired themselves to their villages and becoming husbandmen in their owne persons tilled their grounds Now it happened that one day Confusio passing along and being to go through a river whose ford he was not acquainted withall sent one to enquire of a man that was labouring thereabouts who was a Philosopher He asked the messenger who he was and being answered that he was a disciple of Confusio's who sate in his Coach expecting his answer The Philosopher replied let him go in a good houre he knoweth the way and hath no need of a guide signifying thereby that he went from Kingdome to Kingdome endeavouring to Governe in a time that was not proper for Philosophers to reigne in Neverthelesse in after times this man was in so great favour with the Chinesses and the bookes which he composed were held in so much credit as also the sayings and sentences which he left behind him that they do not only
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
odde and with black and white figures making 64 mutations or changes of them which they explaine and interprete as they please Others consider the time of the Nativitie which the Chinesses are very diligent in keeping account of that they may know the houre the minure and conjunction in which their children were born Others whom they call Tili pretend to Divine by meanes of the Scituation of the earth and from the correspondence it hath with heaven and with the parts thereof pronouncing what places are prosperous and what unfortunate and where if they build their houses all will succeed prosperously and with good fortune to the Family or contrariwise with sicknesse misfortunes disgraces and other evils and in this facultie they have many skilfull professours on whom they spend a great deale of mony without any profit at all Others Divine by the Physiognomie of the face others by considering the lines and strokes of the hand others interpret dreames Whilest I dwelt in Nankim there was a man who went to consult one of these about a dreame he had which was concerning an Umbrella or skreen to keep off the Sunne the professour asked him if there were any plea or enditement against him in any Court of Justice he answered There was Well said the professour then San signifieth an Umbrella and San also signifieth to vanish and the interpretation of your dreame is that all that is against you will vanish and come to nothing The poore man was very well pleased but being afterwards araigned he received thirty Bastinad'os well set on The wretch being angrie at his punishment whereof he thought himselfe secure went to quarrel with the professour who answered him Alas I had forgot to aske thee Whether the Umbrella which thou sawest were a new one or an old one it was a new one answered the foole Then said the professour Make account that thy sorrowes do but now begin Others divine only by the Touch and these are blind men In the yeare 1630. there came to the Metropolis of Kiamsi a blind man well in years he opened shop and was frequented by many of the Nobility he foretold many things with much confidence and a certain Gentleman of the same City that was of one of the foure principall families of that place came to me to tell me what had passed he knew me and understood well enough what my opinion was in that matter He told me many particular cases of things already happened by which he was confirmed of the event of what the other said should yet come to passe and prayed me that I would go in person and make triall of him I went only to undeceive him and coming to him he touched my hand and bid me speak when I had spoke he began to tell that I was married and that I had two sonnes that one of them was towardly the other wilde and disobedient that my wife was froward and discontented in fine that my whole family was in disorder but that when I had taken my degree all would be well He is already a Graduate answered my friend Where replied the blind man In another Province answered the other At which the blind man withdrew seeing although without eyes that he had erred in that particular of my degree Besides these whom they consult they have in their Temples severall kindes of lots and a booke that explaineth them They do very frequently draw these lots and they as frequently deceive them The observe likewise and make Auguryes from the singing of Birds from the Howling of Beasts if at their going out in the morning they presently meet with a man cloathed in Mourning a Bonzi or such like thing they take it for an ill Augurie They say also that they have familiar spirits which they frequently consult But of this I have not had any knowledge Anciently in time of the Tartars there were many very skilfull in this Art and if we may beleeve what Marcus Venetus relateth they did many wonders But at this day there is nothing certainly known of this matter Yet there is still a family that have a particular pension from the King which is continued by succession to their posteritie and the name of Magitian or Wizard Major and is the chiefe of that Sect and is sometimes sent for to the King I for my part believe the devill hath more power over them than they have over the devill As for sacrifices they are very frequent in China as well great as small ones and every one provideth for them what he will or rather what he can according to his estate and abilitie They sacrifice foure times a year to Heaven the Sunne Moone and greater part of the Planets and Starres to the Earth Mountaines and the foure parts of the World to the Sea Rivers Lakes and other things But it seemeth that in realitie they sacrifice to the Spirits of those things when in common speech they say they sacrifice to the Earth Mountaines c. Which may be seen in many sacrifices they make as in the sacrifice of the house kitchin ships standards and ensignes when they go to war and such like things in which sacrifices they speak only to the Tutelar Spirits of those things They sacrifice much more to the Idols and to famous men deceased to whom when they know them to be such they cause Temples to be built and place in them their Images for services they have done or other benefits the Kingdome hath received by them If seemeth that at the beginning it was and still is meant only for a kinde of gratefull commemoration of them and that properly they do not sacrifice to them but only bring offerings to them and perform other Ceremonies But the ignorant people in time are come to worship them as Saints and make praiers to them and other such like honours They make likewise these kinde of offerings to their Ancestours whose pictures and Images or at least their names written they have alwaies present at these offerings and Ceremonies They only make mention of six that is the first founder of their familie their third and fourth Grand-father their great Grand-father Grand-father and Father And when he that is the chiefe of the familie dyeth they take him in and leave out the fourth Grand-father So that there alwaies remaine six and no more These offerings and ceremonies are not properly sacrifices made to their Fathers for they do not believe that their Fathers and Ancestours are all either Gods or Saints but only it is a demonstration of Gratitude and Reverence which they thinke is due to them from whom they have received their being The which they sacrifice is some kindes of Beasts as Goats Hogges and Oxen These are the most usuall Of Foules the most ordinary are Cocks and Hens Of Fishes what they please They also sacrifice pieces of flesh and most commonly the Head They sacrifice also Rice Pulse and Wine And if the King sacrifice
most ready The sixth is that in their Councells of warre of which they have two one in the Court of Nankim and the other in that of Pekim and each hath a President two Collateralls and eight or nine Colleagues there is not one Souldier or Captaine among them or any that hath ever seen the warres and yet for all that the whole Militia of the Kingdome is ordered by them especially by the Councell of Pekim Only there might be answered to what hath been said that the Chinesses do use training and exercises of warre for three months in the Spring and three in the Autumne every year which cannot be done without some profit exercising themselves in shooting arrowes at a marke and shooting also very well But in truth this exercise of theirs is the most rediculous thing in the world For dividing their men into squadrons part feign themselves to be enemies and part Chinesses as among us in Portugall the boyes divide themselves into Moores and Christians one part cometh as it were a farre off to warre with the other then they send out spies and send away messengers to the Mandarines who are sitting not farre of under a Canopie or Pavilion of silke giving them notice that they are in such a place and the enemie in such a place then the Chinesses send out a partie against them who encountring knock their Swords and Lances one against the others just as plaiers do upon a stage and this or very little more is all they do CHAP. 21. Of the warre which the Tartars made upon China WHen Humun the first founder of the royall family that governeth at present drove the Tartar out of the Kingdome who had kept all China under his subjection ninetie years he not only re-gained his own Kingdome but entred likewise into those of the others and conquered those Kingdomes that lay neerest him towards the North obliging them to pay him tribute neither did he let them remaine in the manner of Kingdomes but the same Humun divided them into 160. families or States giving them diverse dignities and offices These States grew so great that they divided themselves into three Kingdomes one towards the West another toward the North and the third toward the East The two first presently with-drew themselves from their obedience to the Chinesses only he of the East remaining their friend treating with them and performing his obligations This continued for many years till the Chinesses seeing that Easterne Kingdome to encrease much whether it were for reason of state or for some other particular respect they resolved to fall upon it and to bring them under so that the Tartars forced by desperation resolved at once to invade upon them this is the usuall effect of Extortion and Tyranny and where the Prince would have more from the people than they are able to give Whence Theopompus King of the Lacedemonians when his wife told him that because he had eased his people of many taxes he would leave his soone a poorer Kingdome than he had received from his Father answered Relinquo sed diuturnius That is I shall leave him a more lasting Kingdome The Tartars therefore secretly levied Souldiers and on a sudden fell upon a fort in the Province of Leaotum and tooke it making afterwards many in-roads to their profit and to the great damage of the Chinesses The Tartars of the West and of the North whether it were out of love to their Country or out of intrest which is more probable raised also an Army and came in to the Succour of their Easterne Countrimen and by little and little grew so numerous that in the yeare 1618 two very great Armies one Chinesse and the other Tartar came to a field-battaile in which the Chinesses were vanished and put to flight with a very great loss of men And that it might the better be understood how the state of things were then I will set down here a memorial or petition which the President of the Councell of warre gave the King concerning this businesse which I translated at that time and sent it into Europe for news and now I have found it here printed and it saith thus A memoriall or petition presented by the president of the Councell of Warre to the King IN this six and fourtieth year of your Reign in the sixth Moone which was the yeare 1618 in the month of August the President of the Councell of Warre presenteth you with this Memoriall as to our Lord and King upon occasion that the Tartars are entred within the walls toward the North in which he humbly petitioneth you that you would attend this businesse and presently open your Treasures and assist this Warre with men and ammunition For the truth is that in this month I have received intelligence from the Captaines that reside in the Province of the walls toward the North wherein they give me notice that in all parts of that Province there were proclamations published wherein they did declare that the Tartars were gathered together to Conquer this world of China and gave me intelligence of the day appointed for the Battaile the which accordingly was fought at that time with a great strength and multitude of people and entring within the wals they have taken some of our men to Sacrifice them and the day before the battaile they did Sacrifice them with great acclamations to their King and have already proclaimed him King of Pekim They bring with them many hundred thousands of Souldiers and each heareth about him severall sorts of Armes Our men who met to encounter and suppresse them were two Captaines-Generall ninety six ordinary Captaines and 300000 men at armes They joyned battaile and in the first encounter they killed thirty eight of our Captaines amongst whom was one of our Generals the others are slaine without number they took also some thousands of prisoners and in the retreat by reason of the confusion and disorder there were killed by them above a thousand of our men The people of the Cities are fled as also those of the other Townes Whereupon the same day they made themselves masters of three Cities Upon the reciept of this newes we assembled the Councell the Colao and other Mandarines of this Court that in so weighty a businesse wee might finde some good expedient And in truth it seemeth to us that heaven doth favour the enemy who otherwise could not have been able to have made such a slaughter of our people in one day and to have taken three Cities and so it seemeth heaven is angry with us As also the Prodigies which we have lately all seen do demonstrate no lesse In the Province of Pekim the last yeare it raigned not at all and the people went about like men halfe dead and in the Province of Xankim there was so great a dearth and famine that the people did eat one another and into Nankim came an infinite multitude of Mice neither was it discovered whence that
plague came In the royall palaces of five parts the fire burnt downe two and the wind overthrew five Towers of this City we saw two Sunnes together and the one did Ecclipse the other These are all things of evill Prognostication but above all we saw a man enter into the royall Palaces with resolution to kill the Prince which he had done had he not been hindred This fell out when the King would have constituted his second sonne heire of the Kingdome who was growne very powerfull by the favour and art of the Eunuches and at that time there came in a man to have killed the eldest sonne but he was hindred by his feare and the women who helped the Prince And the worst is that a Mandarine having spoken something high shewing therein his fidelitie to you our Lord but for his Loyaltie you made him a Traitour and commanded he should be put in prison and although we made great means to free him by declaring his innocency yet you never gave eare unto us This imprisonment was when the King shewed his eldest sonne to the Mandarines in the royall hall whom they would have had declared heire of the Kingdome the King would not and one of them tooke the boldnesse to speake and to plead for the true Prince and was therefore committed prisoner by the King Many times the Mandarines presented Memorialls wherein they did relate the miserable condition of the people desiring that their Taxes might be lessoned a thing worthy of much consideration but neither did you make any account thereof We the Mandarines of this court have severall times petitioned that you would come out and give Audience in publick as your Predecessours hetherto have done that the government might be conformable to that of heaven as it is most fitting you answered us sometimes that you were not well other times that the weather was cold and rough and that we should meet another day we expected till Spring time then till the beginning of Summer that you would performe what you had promised but you not only gave no answer to the second Memoriall but you commanded it to be burnt and in this manner you live retired in the Palace without making any account of what importeth you most For this reason are the calamities so great and we persecuted with warres Peace is wanting and as it seemeth it will be wanting for we are come to see rivers of blood running downe and above all in the third moone last past there came some from the Province of Xensi to tell us that there had appeared there a man cloathed in yellow with a green cap on his head and in his hand a fan of feathers who spake thus Vanli that is the name of the King doth not governe though he hath raigned long he sleepeth alwaies the Kingdome is ready to be lost the people will die of hunger the Captaines will be slaine and pierced through with lances and when he had said this he vanished The Mandarines were amazed The Vice-roy used great diligence to know who this man was but could not possibly finde him out seeing therefore the calamites famine warre and other evills which the Kingdome now suffereth we plainly perceive that it was a prognostication of these things Wherefore we are againe returned to require you speedily to open your treasures of mony that fresh leavies of men may be made and some remedy put to so great evills This is the Memoriall which was presented in the year 1618 since when the Tartars have continued every summer for in the winter by reason of the great cold nothing can be done to make considerable inroads wherein they are commonly gainers to the great losse of the Chinesses So that the year 1622 two principall Madarines of the fort of Quamsi where as being the chiefe fortresse of that Province the Vice-roy maketh his residence whether it were that they were discontented or had hopes to better their condition by it made a secret agreement with the Tartars to deliver the fortresse into their hands which accordingly they did for the Tartars falling on upon that side which was assigned them assoone as ever they began the assault they easily tooke it by the Treason which the others had plotted and put to flight all them who knew nothing of the treacherie who together with the Vice-roy escaped to Xamhai the last fortresse as it were of that Province and the first of the Province of Pekim the key and strength of the whole Kingdome Assoone as the newes of this last route came to Court both the King and his Grandees were in great disorder and deliberated to change his abode and to remove to the Court of Nankim as farthest off from danger and it had accordingly been put in execution if a principall Mandarine for there is alwayes found some one or other who taketh care of the publick good had not presented a Memoriall to the King wherein he demonstrated to him that this alteration would be the best and readiest way to destroy the whole Kingdome or the greater part at least by dispoyling of all strength the Court and Province of Pekim that was so neere the other Province which was now ready to be lost This Memoriall took effect and by it the the designe of flying and seeking a new habitation was broken off it being formerly resolved that Nankim should be fortified There was therefore a proclamation sent out which under great penalties did prohibite any to go out of the Court not only Mandarines and people of qualitie but even the common people also Vpon this the people began to bee quieted especially seeing that the Citie was strengthened with new Garrisons Guards Watches and a rigorous strictnesse at the gate The chiefest care was to fortifie the passe at Xam Hai Quà n which as I said above is on the very frontire of the Province of Leaotum which was already lost and on the entrance of the Province of Pekim and by reason the place streightened on both sides with very high mountaines is impregnable they sent thither great store of Ammunition and fresh Souldiers in so great number that it was reported that at that post only they had 80000 men of Warre The King also sent new Captaines with ample power which would have been of greater effect if he could have given it them over the Tartars to conduct them that way who seeing it was not possible to make their entrance at that place both because it was so easie to defend as also that it was well fortified with men began to wheele off to the East side thereof through part of Corea giving off their designe of going toward Pekim which if they had done with so powerfull and victorous an Army they had put that Court into a greater feare and danger than ever yet they had experience of The Chinesses met them not far from the Court where there began so furious a Battaile that many men lost their lives both of
in the middle of walls and after many yeares and a diligent search they set on foot againe the more principall matters yet there were many things wanting and especially concerning the first Kings and Princes of this Kingdome However it is certainly known that their first Government was by way of Families every one governing his own as anciently the Patriarks did The second was Monarchicall but it is not certaine how it began neither have they any thing certaine concerning the originall of it They do commit a notable errour in the time of their Chronologies for the Emperour Yao from whose time they do begin to give credit to their Histories even according to the most favourable computation from the creation of the world to Noah they make to be twelve yeares before the floud neverthelesse although there be an errour of the time in the Historie of this Emperour and those that follow it is certaine that the matters related are very coherent with their successions Now this Emperour Yao without having any regard to the naturall and lawful succession of his sonne left the Empire to Xun his Sonne-in-law only because he discovered in him parts and quâ—lities worthie of the Government Xun likewise for the same respect gave the Empire to Yù who was no kin to him These three Emperours are much esteemed by the Chinesses for holy men concerning whom they relate many things And truly there is no doubt but that they were Philosophers well inclined to morall vertues They do attribute much merit to the last of these three for the Adjusting of the waters as they call it which was done by him through the Kingdom which in that time did abound in lakes and moarish places and therefore in many parts could not be tilled This King going in person and commanding large trenches to be made wherein many years were spent he gave vent to that multitude of waters and by that meanes recovered a great deale of ground which was of great profit for tillage There are some in Europe who believe that these waters were the reliques of the floud The Chinesses although they make a large mention of these waters in their books of the draining of them and of the benefit which accrued thereby to the Kingdom do not say any thing of any occasion or originall of them After these three Emperours abovenamed the Empire was ever continued by succession but not in the same family for there were many Princes and Lords who although they were subject to the Emperour yet sometimes for particular respects and otherwhile under pretence of evill Government and Tyranny made warres confederacies and disorders with which they either disturbed and troubled the Monarchy or divided it or else usurped it all to themselves So that although it lasted in some families many years as in that of Tham for 400. years and in some other families little lesse yet the Monarchy from the beginning to this present day hath been changed into two and twenty severall Families The Lords of particular states continued in China 2000 years till in the year of our redemption 1206 the Tartars who then possessed another Country began to make themselves Masters of China and advanced so farre by degrees till at length they brought it all under their subjection reigning there as absolute till the year 1368. At what time Hum Vu the founder of the family which reigneth at presenâ— seeing the strength of the Tartars to be diminished and their Tyranny encreased and the people so wearied therewith that they were well disposed to shake off the yoake and set themselves at libertie gathered together an army with such good successe that he not only discomfited the Tartars and drove them out of the Kingdom but entred also into their Country and conquered a good part thereof The Kingdome being thus re-establisht in its naturall estate Hum Vu seeing himselfe become absolute Lord thereof set on foot an admirable kinde of Government differing in part from that of all other Monarchies yet it is such a one as hath now been conserved almost 300 years with so much subjection communication and dependance from its head that so great an Empire seemeth to be but as it were one well governed convent This King in the first place conferred many favours and graces upon all his subjects Liberalitie being that which doth most demonstrate a royall minde he created new officers yet retained he some of the former ones as we shall relate in its proper place To the chiefe and principall Captaines he assigned large revenues to the second a very competent maintenance and to those of the third sort sufficient He tooke away all the Princes and Lords of vassals and subjects without leaving one he prohibited by a rigorous law that none of the Royall family neither in peace nor warre nor in any case might beare office in the Common-wealth either civil criminall or military neither might they be suffered to enter into the examinations to receive their degree the which last prohibition as I have formerly said hath been lately taken away in part He placed the whole Government in the Litterati who are created such by way of concurrence as hath been declared when I spake of the examinations without any dependance at all on the Magistrates or the King himselfe but only by the merit of their learning good parts and vertues He did not annull those ancient lawes which concerned good Government and hindred not his intent which was only to perpetuate the Monarchy in his Posteritie But he made many new ones and modelled the Common-wealth and the Government into that form wherein it standeth at present although in so many years and in so vast a Monarchie it hath not been possible but that it should receive some alteration though not in any essentiall part thereof The King is called by diverse names For the better understanding whereof you must know that there are thirteen things remarkable at his Coronation The first is the changing of the account of years beginning their supputation a new from the entrance of the new Kings reigne and this not only in their ordinary discourse but in all letters dispatches provisoes writings c. The second that there is coyned new mony with the letters of his name although the former continueth current also The third is That he Crowneth his true wife making her as it were Empresse The fourth is That he giveth the name of Queen to six Concubines The fifth is That there are great sacrifices made to Heaven to the Earth to the Spirits c. The sixt That there are great store of Almes given to the poore The seaventh That all prisoners are set at libertie whose freedom is not prejudiciall to a third party The eighth That there are sumptuous banquets made for the Magistrates The ninth That all the women are to depart out of the Palace that have been Concubines to the former King The tenth The Palaces which are foure in number
wherein the other women lived are furnished againe with new women pickt chosen throughout the whole realme in time of which search there are many marriages made every one endeavouring to deliver his daughter from that subjection The eleventh The Nobilitie of the bloud royall do send deputies not every one but all those of one City to render obedience to the King and to acknowledge him for such In like manner also do the Tituladoes which cannot do it in their owne persons The twelfth is That all Officers from Vice-royes to the meanest Judges of Townes go in person to Court to render the same obedience on the behalfe of their Provinces Cities and Townes Lastly the Kings name is changed as is used among us at the election of the Pope and this is that name which is written in all publick acts on moneyes c. It is a name of a particular but royall person as that of this Kings Grandfather was Vam Lie of his father Thai Cham of his Brother who raigned first Thien Khi and of this King Teum Chim They have moreover three names which signifie a King The first is Kiun and by this they use to call forreigne Kings The second is Vam and by this name they call the Infantoes or Kings children joyning them together Kiun Vam they make a name by which their King may be called But the principall name is Ho Am Ti that is Emperour In the Palace the Women Eunuchs and other domesticks thereof call him Chu that is Lord. They call him also Thien Zu which is to say Sonne of Heaven not because they believe him to be such but because they hold that Empire is a gift of heaven as also to render the respect which is due to the royall person more sacred and in realitie the reverence which they use towards him seemeth more befitting a Divine than humane person and the manner how they behave themselves at this day in his presence is more proper for a Church than a prophane Palace I said at this day because in former times it was not so For then the Kings of China lived according to the fashion of the greatest part of the other Princes of the world They went abroad conversed hunted and there was one of them so greedy of this recreation that whereby he might have the opportunity of spending whole months together in hunting without returning to Court and attending upon the affaires of government did substitute one of his Sonnes in his place The Emperours did visit in person the whole Kingdome at what time there happened that story which is so famous in China and which deserveth likewise to be known in Europe The Emperour going this progresse in a certaine way met with a company of men who were leading certaine prisoners He caused the coach to stop and enquired what the matter was which as soone as he had understood he fell a weeping They who accompanied him began to comfort him and one of them said unto him Sir It is not possible but that in a Common-wealth there must be chastisements it cannot be avoyded so have the former Kings your predecessours commanded it to be so have the laws ordained it so doth the government of the state require it The King answered I weepe not to see these men prisoners nor to see them chastised I know very well that without rewards the good are not encouraged and without chastisement the wicked are not restrained and that chastisement is as necessary to the government of a Kingdome as bread is for the nourishment and sustenance thereof But I weepe because my time is not so happy as that of old was when the vertues of the Princes were such that they served as a bridle to the people and their example was sufficient to restraine the whole Kingdome without any other chastisement This was a Heathen who spake thus and who seeth not how much reason we have to envy these Heathens who although they are exceeded by us in the knowledge of things belonging to faith do yet oftentimes surpasse us in the practise of morall vertues According as I have said the ancient Kings did personally attend the Government giving audience very easily and very frequently to all their subjects In the time of King Tham there was a Colao who having been his Master was very powerfull with him who to preserve himselfe in his grace and favour studied more to speak what should please the King than to tell him the truth for the good of his state a most abominable thing But the Chinesses seeing his honour was great and the Kings favour towards him very extraordinary did dissemble it all notwithstanding they forbore not to speak of it among themselves and to taxe the flattery of the Colao One day certaine Captaines of the guard discoursing among themselves in the Palace concerning this point one of them being a little warmed with the discourse secretly withdrawing himselfe out of the company went into the hall where the King then was kneeled downe upon his knees before him the King asking what he would have He answered Leave to cut off the head of a flattering subject And who is that replied the King Such a one that stands there answered the other The King being angry said Against my Master dare you propose this and in my presene Let them take him away and cut off his head When they began to lay hands upon him he caught hold of a wooden balanster and as there were many pulling of him and he holding with a great deale of strength the balanster broke By that time the Kings anger was over and he commanded they should let him go and gave order that the balanster should be mended and that they should not make a new one that it might remaine a witnesse of the fact and the Memoriall of a subject that was not afraid to advise his King what he ought to do Such was the facility with which not only the Officers but any one whosoever of the people might have admission to the King so that within the first gate of the Palace there was always a Bell a Drumme and a Table overlaid with a white varnish as it were playstered over upon this he that would not speak to the King in person wrote what his request was which was presently carried to the King But whosoever would speak with him rang the Bell or beat the Drumme and presently they were brought in and had audience The Drumme remaines even to this day but as it seemeth to me rather in memory of the times past than for any use of the present for during twenty two years time I do not remember that it was ever beaten above once and he that did it was presently paid his pension in ready Bastinadoes for having disquieted the King who was about halfe a league off After this hard penance he was heard and allowed not to see or speak to the King but according to the custome now in
one guilty person that would make his escape The very trees seem to be afraid to cover him with their shade If a person of qualitie be to be apprehended they send the Ministers of justice to him who have no more to do but to throw the cord or chaine at his feet the which he himselfe taketh up and putteth about his neck as if it were a chaine of Gold and the very name of these is sufficient to strike a terrour in any In the City of Sucheu in the Province of Nankim there lived a Mandarine a grave Person who had passed through most of the greatest Offices in the Kingdome with great satisfaction and good liking of the peopie it was in the time of that powerfull Euneuch of whom we spake even now this man had intelligence that these Ministers of justice would be sent to him he stayed not their coming but made a banquet to his kindred and friends toward the end thereof going out as if it had been upon some other occasion he cast himselfe out of a Balcone into a fish Pond where he drowned himselfe His Guests seeing him stay so long went out to looke him and found upon a Table a paper having these words written with his own hand Turning towards the Palace I performe the reverence due to my King whom I have alwayes endeavoured to serve with resolutions becoming a faithfull subject and it is not reasonable that I should suffer from the hand of an Eunuch affronts worthy a base and criminall Person There needs no more than two letters sent from the King and put in any place to make it remaine as it were inchanted so that if they want any thing in the Palace as Chà Fruit. c. it is sufficient to send to the Countrie where those things are they desire to give them notice only and to set up those two letters Xim Chi that is the will of the King and presently every thing is made ready and none dare stir so much as a leafe of it The same thing hapneth when there is any extraordinarie businesse to be done which carrieth some difficultie with it for it is sufficient to set up the two letters above-said and all opposition is levelled as it fell out when the King gave the houses of an Eunuch who was a prisoner to the Fathers of our company for a burying place by clapping the said letters upon them In all the Cities of the Kingdome every moneth on the first day of the moone the Magistrates assemble themselves at the tribunall of the Governour before a Throne where are placed the Royall Ensignes and there they do reverence to them in the same manner as they would do to the King himselfe if he were present They doe the like also on his birth day At the beginning of every yeare each Province sendeth an Embassadour to visit the King and as often as they write letters to him they do not send them by way of the post but a principall Mandarine goeth to carry them But their memorialls or petitions they send by the Post. Every three yeeres all the great Mandarines of the Kingdome go to do homage to the King None may enter into the Royall Palaces no not into the first gate if he be clothed in Mourning neither do they go to make their reverence in an ordinarie habit but in that extraordinarie one appointed for Courtesies and the Magistrates are to put on a red garment None of what condition soever may passe before the gates of the Palace on horse-back nor in a Sedan nor in any other manner except on foot no not if they be women and by how much the Qualitie of the Person is the greater so much the further off is he to light and go a-foot All the Officers and Persons of Qualitie who come to the Court are presently obliged either in the morning early if they come or late at night if they go out to go to Kun Chao that is the Court of Ceremonies as is above-said and before the Royall Throne which is placed in a Hall although the King be not there who at that houre is for the most part in bed and when all that came in that morning are assembled there being no morning that there is not a good number of them the Master of the Ceremonies commeth and with a loud voice declareth the Ceremonies which every one ought to performe and they all in the same manner put them in execution and if by misfortune any one committeth an errour or doth any gesture not reverently enough it belongeth to the Master of the Ceremonies to give the King notice thereof by a memoriall as in like manner doth the Person that is culpable accusing himselfe and requiring some penance for it but this is done purely out of Ceremony the king never taking any heed to it All Embassadours are obliged likewise to the same Ceremonies when they enter into the Court or go out thereof they use to be lodged in one of the Palaces which are within a spacious circuit of wal neere to the Royall Palace and are alwayes kept in a readinesse for that purpose where they are royally treated and at great expence but they may not go out of that circuit and if they would have any thing out of the City it is brought to them into that place they neither see nor speak to the King but only the Councell of Rites by the Kings order treateth with them and dispatched them The Portughesses those two severall times they were sent thither from the City of Macao were not only treated with extraordinary magnificence and liberalitie but had also that particular priviledge to lodge out of that place and the first of them that were sent saw King Thienkhie the brother of him who now reigneth he was very young and out of curiositie to see men of a strange Nation he caused them to come to the Palace and although it was at a good distance yet he saw them and was plainly seen by them Every one in the Kings presence speaketh to him on his knees if he be in the Royall Hall with the Magistrates he goeth away before they rise up if he be sick and they come to visit him they speak to him in the same manner and before they rise off their knees a Curtaine is drawn before him or else he turneth himselfe on the other side When they speak to him they hold in their hands before their mouth a Tablet of Ivory a palm and a half long and three or foure inches broad it is an ancient Ceremony for in old time when they spake in a more familiar manner to the King out of reverence they held something between to keep their breath from coming to the Kings face and also when they discoursed with him of many businesses they carried the heads of them written thereon that they might not forget them But now that they speake to the King at such a distance and not so
long this Ceremonie might be excused if it were not that they will keep up an old custome The Kings Garments differ not in fashion from those of the rest but in the stuffe which is very rich and in certaine Dragons which are woven and embroydered in them and no other Persons may weare them but only the King and those that are of kin to him as the Princes of the Bloud and particularly the women and the Eunuchs of the Kings family but with some distinction The colour is yellow not but that other colours may be worne in the Palace for they weare light colours of all sorts but yellow is so proper to the King and to all that he wears that none else may use it CHAP. 23. How the Kings of China are Married AT that time when there were several Kings and Lords in China they tooke one anothers daughters for Wives as they do in Europe But they being at an end and the Monarchy reduced under one only Lord and he being never to take a wife out of the Kingdom it is necessary that he marry a daughter of one of his subjects Persons of Quality will not give him their daughters for he being to see them whether he likes them or no and they being to be turned off if they please him not no person of any Quality will shew his daughter because she may be refused after she is seen especially by reason that the sight and triall of them is to passe further then to what is seen in the outward frontispiece They do not nor may not marry with their kindred though in never so remote a degree and therefore there is sought through the whole Kingdom a Damsell of twelve or fourteen years of age of a perfect beauty of good naturall parts and well inclined to those vertues which are required in a Queen in the same manner as in ancient times the Shunamite was sought out for David and Esther for Ahassuerus and this is done without exception of persons whence for the most part the Queen is the daughter of some Artizan When they have found out such a one as they looked for they consigne her to two ancient Matrons who see that which all may not see and if they finde no displeasing marke or deformity about her body they make her runne to put her in a sweat that they may examine whether there be any unpleasing smell from it when these Matrons are satisfied with the diligence they have used she is brought to Court with a great traine of women and men servants and with an equipage becoming a person who from hence forward doth appertaine to the King to whom she is presented in his Palace who after he hath ended his complements he giveth her to the Prince for a wife and this is afterwards the true Queen Within the Palace they appoynt to waite on her vertuous women of prudence and understanding that they may instruct her as well in vertue as in complements and the stile of the Palace endeavouring to breed her in such manner that she may deserve the name of a Queen whom they commonly call Que Mu that is Mother of the Kingdom And as their Histories relate there have been many of these of great worth and merit They are very commonly devoute and charitable and many of them have been prudent and vertuous Such was one of them who being the daughter of a Mason after she came to be Queen she kept always by her an Iron Trewell and when the Prince her Sonne upon any occasion behaved himselfe more haughtily than became him she sent to shew him that Instrument with which his Grandfather used to lay stones for his living by which means she reduced him to his Devoir In old times when Kings took it in good part to be reproved for their errours King Yù had a Colao who at the Royall Audience would tel him his faults without any indulgence One day whether the King had given more cause or that the excesse was on the Colaos part the Audience being ended the King returned into the Palace very much offended saying He would cut off the head of that impertinent fellow The Queen asked him the cause of his displeasure the King answered There is an unmannerly Clown that never ceaseth to tel me of my faults and that publickly I am resolved to send one to take off his head The Queen tooke no notice of it but retired to her Appartment and put on a particular garment proper only for feastivalls and visits and in this habit she came to the King who wondring at it asked her the cause of this Novelty The Queen answered Sir I come to wish your Majesty much joy Of what replied the King That you have a subject said she that feareth not to tell you your faults to your face seeing that a subjects confidence in speaking fo boldly must needs be founded upon the opinion he hath of the vertue and greatnesse of his Princes minde that can endure to hear him There have been many other like to this Queen The kindred of the Maiden are presently exalted to honours and employments The family is already accounted rich and honourable and by how much more the Queen gaineth favour within they without are so much the more advanced The rest of the Kings Sonnes are maâ—ried after the same manner only they do not use so much diligence and caution in finding out the bride but for the most part she is sought for and found in the Court it selfe But the manner of marrying the daughters is very different There are twelve young men sought out of the age of 17 or 18 years the lustiest and the handsomest they can finde these are brought into the Palace to a place where the Princesse may see them and not be seen and when she hath well considered them she selecteth two of them These are presented to the King who chuseth which of them he liketh best to be his Sonne-in-low Vamlie the Grandfather of the present King upon the like occasion seeing one of the two young men presented to him very well cloathed and the other though neat yet poorly habited asked him what was the reason he was not so well cloathed as the other The youth answered Sir my father is poore and cannot afford it me Then replied the King I will have you that are the poorest for my Sonne-in-law and being thus chosen he did afterward carry himselfe worthy of commendations And truly a youth ought not to be ashamed of his povertie nor a King for having chosen a poore man The rest are sent home againe but are accounted Noble ever after for having had the honour to be admitted to that election Presently two Mandarines of the most considerable in the Court are appoynted for Tutours unto these Fum Ma so they call the Kings Sonne-in-laws to instruct them in learning manners and Courtly behaviour c. He is obliged every day to make the foure ordinary reverences upon
all ancient Titles They have Offices in the Militia and a competent revenue and all of them succeed their Fathers in their power authority and command They give place to many Officers of the Litterati but at an assembly in the Royall Hall they precede all of them The Third Order containeth all them who either have or doe admininister in the Government of the Kingdome whether they be officers of of warre as Generalls or Captaines or of the Politick and Civill Government whether they be supream such as are the Colai or inferiour Ministers as well the Mandarines of other Cities as those of the Court even to those of the smallest Burghs and Villages neither are they excluded from this order who neither Govern nor have governed but are in Election to be received into the Government such are all Graduates as Doctours Licentiates and Batchelours In a word this order consisteth of Litterati The Fourth is of Students who although they have never taken any degree yet only for being Students and that they are in a way to obtain them are put into the rank of the Nobilitie and treated as such although they have no priviledge or authoritie The Fifth is of those Persons whom they call Netti or cleanly men who live either of their Rents or Merchandize and when their wealth is much their honour is not little and although without learning their power and credit is not so great as among us yet they are much respected by the people CHAP. 25. Of the Government of China and of the Officers THe principall Government of China which embraceth the state of the whole Monarchie is divided into six Councels called by them Pú. These do not only governe in the two Courts where they do reside but from these as from the first movers the rest of the government dependeth and to these persons causes and matters according as appertaineth unto each all is subordinate with an incredible dependance and obedience Every one of these Councels hath its President whom they call C ham Xu with two Assistants one of the left hand who is the first called Co Xi Lam the other of the Right named Geu Xi Lam. These are the chiefest and most profitable offices of the whole Kingdom except the Colai of whom we will speak hereaster so that when a Vice-roy of any Province even of the most principall after he hath given good Testimonie of his abilitie is to be preferred he holdeth himself well provided for not only if he be made President of one of these Councels but also if he come to be one of the Assessours or Assistants either of the left hand or the right Besides these who are the chiefest of the Councell there are ten others of the same Tribunall almost all equall in dignitie who are distributed into severall offices and employments To these are added other great and lesser officers as Notaries Scribes Secretaries Ministers Captaines of Iustice and many others who are not usuall among us in Europe The First and chiefest Councell which is of the greatest authoritie and profit is the Councell of State called Si Pu. To them it belongeth to propose the Mandates of the whole Kingdome concerning Officers to change and promote them for after any one hath been once provided of an Office he alwaies riseth by degrees to greater employments nor are they ever excluded from the Governmen tunlesse it be for some notable fault committed either by themselves or by such as appertaine to them as their Sons neere kindred and the like To this Tribunall also belongeth the power to restore againe any that is turned out of his office as if a Mandarine by some accident lose his office they can easily put him in again and upon this account they have very many and very great bribes given them The Second is the Councell of Warre called Pim Pú. This also as well as the Councell of State hath authoritie over all the Magistrates of the Litterati as also over the officers of warre and taketh cognizance of all affaires belonging to the Militia and is of great profit The Third is the Councell of Rites named Lim Pú. This although it hath not so great command nor bringeth so much profit is notwithstanding more considerable because the Mandarines thereof are of the Royall Colledge and are from hence preferred to be Colai which is the chiefest dignitie in China To this Colledge doth appertaine all affaires concerning Letters Temples Ceremonies Sacrifices the Bonzi Strangers Embassadours and such like things The fourth is the Councell of the Kings Patrimony called Hu Pù it taketh care of the Kings Revenues Taxes Impositions Gabells Excise Tribute and generally whatsoever concerneth the Kings Domaine The fift is called Cum Pù it is super-intendent over all publick works particularly the Kings buildings as those of the Palaces that are made for the Kings children for the Officers over Walls Gates Bridges Cawsewaies cleansing of Rivers and whatsoever belongeth to the Ships and Barkes as well for the service of the King and the publique as for the Armaâ—oes The sixt hath the care of all Criminall matters and to inflict punishments it is called Him Pù and is Judge of the highest Criminall matters and other things appertaining thereto Besides these six Councells which are the most principall of the Court there are other nine Tribunalls called Kicù Kim with severall offices which do particularly belong to the Kings houshold The first is called Thai Lisù as one would say The great reason it is as it were the great Chancery of the Kingdom They examine as being the last appeale the judgements and sentences of the Tribunalls of the Court and thither are brought all facts of great moment It consistenth of thirteen Mandarines that is one President two Collaterals and ten Counsellours The second is called Quan Lo Su and is as it were High Steward of the Kings houshold to whose charge it belongeth to provide the diet for the King the Queen the Ladies the Eunuchs and to have the laying out of the whole expence of the Palace to pay the Salaries to the Officers of the Court and to all those that come thither upon publick businesse to Embassadours which come from other Countries and other such like Persons It hath a President two Assessors and seaven Counsellours The third is Thai Po Cu Sù and is as it were Chiefe Master of the horse to the King and they have not only the charge of all Horses for the Kings service but of all that belong to the Posts and generally of all others which belong to the publick service of the Kingdom It hath a President and seaven Counsellours The fourth is as it were Master of the Ceremonies and complements of the Court It belongeth to them to assist at all the Ceremonies of the publick Actions of the King at feastivalls and other times and occasions which present themselves and also at the daily Ceremonies which are performed in the Palace by
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
divided into little squares it is fastened before if the Girdle be rich with large Buckles of Gold or Silver some weare them nine inches broad There are nine sorts of Buckels that is of Bufalo of Rhinoceros horne of Ivory of Tortoise-shell of Lignum Aquilae of Calambu of Silver Gold and precious stones Every one may not wear them indifferently according to their Fancies but suitable to the qualitie of the Office which he beareth The last Girdle which is of a precious stone called Yu Xe is given by the King himselfe to the Colai when they enter into their Office nor is any other suffered to weare it The Boots which they call Hive are not ordinarie but of a certaine particular make They are all black and turned down The Vest or Gowne is worne over their ordinary habit and is in all of the same fashion It is large loose and very becoming The colour is at their own choise but for the most part it is modest but on Feastivall daies it is Crimson These are the Ensignes of the Magistrates when ever they appear in publick for at home they leave them off and wear only the ordinarie habit of the Litterati and in the same manner they go among their friends to Banquets and places of recreation especially in hot weather Their externall Ensignes when they go abroad are the Sedan or Litter inlaid with Ivory and richly gilded all open without any cover at top to the end they may be the better seen There are some of them carried by two men others by foure others by six and some by eight according to the qualitie of the Mandarine When there are six or eight men only foure do carry the Sedan the others go by on each side and take their turnes The traine which followeth after them is more or lesse according to the dignitie of the Magistrate those of the greatest Qualitie cause two men to march before them at a great distance with a round staffe in the hands of each of something more than a mans length only for terrour for the king only may strike with a round staffe and all the way they go they make a cry Then follow two men bearing two Tablets silvered over whereon is written in great letters the Title of his dignitie then come foure or six more trayling after them cudgells made of a great tree called Bambu wherewith they are wont in those Countries to give the Bastinado to Delinquents then follow others with chaines in their hands and other instruments of Torture A little before the Sedan there marcheth one with an Umbrella or Sun-skreen and sometimes two they are made of silke and are as bigge as three of ours Close by the Sedan on one side is carried a great gilded fanne so bigge that a man is hardly able to beare it with which the Sun is kept off from him for the Umbrellas serve only for shew and Parade Immediatly before the Sedan is carried the Kings seale in a gilded Coffer placed upon a Machine like to that which we use in our Countries to carry the Images and Reliques of Saints upon in procession under a cloath of state borne up with foure small pillars This is carried by two men Behind the Sedan follow the Pages and other people both on horse and foot When he goeth through the street if there be any thing unseemly at the windowes as cloathes hanged out a drying or such like things presently they are taken in if they meet with any Beers or Hearses such as the dead are carried to buriall withall they overturne them to the ground people of Qualitie turne downe some other street to avoyd meeting of them they that are on horse-back alight they that are carried in chaires are set downe the people set themselves in ranke on both sides the way If it be a great Mandarine the multitude that stand looking upon him keep a profound silence In the meane while he sitteth in his chaire with so much gravity and composure of body that he doth not so much as move his eyes for to but looke on one side or other would in them be esteemed a notable fault When they make their first entrie into any City or Towne besides the traine which is appoynted to accompany them all the way they go and the Souldiers which guard them through the Townes and Cities where they passe and the Officers of their owne Tribunal who go many daies journyes off to receive them and the Souldiers of his owne Government who go out many miles to meet them and all the inferiour Mandarines who go out of the City to congratulate them at the gates of the Towne or City stand all the old men of that place in great number with their reverend white beards who on their knees bid him welcome in the name of the people The Mothers and wives of the Officers as their Sonnes or Husbands are preferred and advanced to higher offices and dignities are appointed by the King certaine honourable distinctions in their habit as also Titles whereby they are called such as are among us your Honour and your Excellency not that they are the same but that they have some resemblance more or lesse When any one of the most Eminent Officers die the King sendeth away post a Mandarine of the Court to solemnize his funeralls and this not only to the confines of the Kingdom but even out of it as to the Island of Hainam as it happened in the year 1617 at what time I spake with him who was sent hether by the King only for that purpose The King also after his death bestoweth the office of a Mandarine upon his Sonne or Nephew and if the deceased person be a Colao he bestoweth the like honour upon all his Sonnes or Nephewes who if they give a good Testimony of their abilitie in their Government are advanced yet higher and come to be Governours of Cityes The Palaces where they inhabit are large convenient and stately their Tribunals where they do Justice are magnificently adorned and attended by great store of Officers In the City of Nankim beside many others there are five Tribunals foure of the foure windes for so they call them and they are accordingly placed in the City toward the North toward the South c. The fift is in the middle of the City yet are they inferiour Tribunals for every one hath a President and two Collaterals and the President is no more than a Doctour and the two Collaterals are either simple Batchelers or else raised from the office of Notarie It is true that in small and ordinary causes these are the hands and feet of the Mandarines being faithfull and diligent executers of whatsoever they command them There are in every one of these Tribunals more than 300 men who serve them as Notaries Clerks and Serjeants some to apprehend men others to whip them others to carry letters and writings and such other Commissions but they do not
that the husbandmen could not attend their Ploughing and Sowing so that by this meanes they came to suffer great want It happened that a Mandarine passed through that Province as he came from another who had more zeale and compassion for them than they who governed there Assoon as he was come to Court he presented a Memoriall to the King wherein he did so lively set forth the small importance of that chase and the great trouble and disturbance which it caused to the people that the King not only bounded his curiosity and commanded they should desist from taking any more Birds but also gave libertie to those which were already taken commanding the doors of the Aviaries and Cages to be set open that they might fly away In the City of Pekim in the Palace of one of the Kings daughters whom they call Cum Chu there was one of her Servants who was very insolent having committed many high crimes and one among the rest which deserved death the Mandarines much desired to apprehend him but in the Palace they could not and he never went abroad but when he wayted on his Princesse At length there was a Mandarine who resolved to take him by any meanes he could and to this effect when the Princesse went next abroad he with his men set himself before the coaches and made them stop and then presently laid hands on that man and carried him away The Princesse resenting the afront that was done her returned presently to the Palace full of indignation and was so transported with colar that she would not stay till the King came back from the audience where he then was but went thither her self in person to complain The Mandarine was presently sent for who had put himself in a readiness well imagining he should be called he presenteth himself before the King who sharply reproved him He answered him Sir I have done nothing but that which your Majestie commandeth the law ordaineth But you ought replyed the King to have sought some other time and opportunity I have sought it long enough answered the Mandarine but I should never have found it At least replyed the King ask my daughter pardon and bow your head Where there is no fault answered the other there is no need of pardon neither will I ask pardon for having discharged my Office Then the King commanded two Mandarines that by force they should bow his head down to the ground but he by strength kept himself up so stiff that it was not possible for them to do it so that the King was constrained to send him away A few daies after the King gave order that he should have a better Office bestowed upon him being much satisfied with his integrity I forbear to relate many like cases which I might bring in confirmation of this The Tenth is the strickt watch and ward which is kept in the Ciâ—ies Townes and Villages in every street there is placed a man and if it be long two or more who are appointed to take care of any disorders that may arise there In every street likewise there is a kinde of prison called Lemphù that is the cold shop where upon a sudden occasion they may imprison a delinquent untill notice be given thereof to some Magistrate The Eleventh is that every night infallibly all the gates of the City are shut up as we have already said The streets also are shut up with grates made for that purpose But the streets are not alwaies shut up nor in all parts of the City but only in some and that upon some certain occasions and occurrences The Twelfth is that persons of honour and authority do beare great respect one to another and it would be accounted a great disgrace for any of them to quarrell with another openly Hence it happeneth that although many times they have occasion of disgust and hatred yet outwardly they alwaies observe their Decorum neither do they upon this account avoyd any meetings that they might not come together The Thirteenth is that none do beare armes except the Souldiers and they only at their musters or when they do accompany the Mandarines The common people who contrariwise do easily quarrell one with another do make use only of their fists and he that catcheth the other first by the haire gaineth the battell nay if they have any thing in their hands that might draw bloud as a staffe a piece of wood or iron or such like thing presently they lay it downe and go to it with their fists The Fourteenth is that the whores and curtezans who are many times the causes of great disorders do lodge without the walls neither is any of them suffered to dwell within They have no particular houses but many of them live together with a man who hath the care and government of them and is obliged to give an account of any disorder that falleth out in their lodgings The Fifteenth is that they forbid all commerce with strangers within the Kingdom least they might infect them with new customes and manners and disturbe their ancient way of government which is a law that was in part observed also by the Lacedemonians upon the very same motive Yet they have never prohibited Embassadours from other Kingdoms and accordingly many are received who are sent from the neighbouring Kings only they lay this obligation upon them that when they are arrived at the first City of the Kingdom they are to stay there where the Magistrates do treate them with all honour and respect and presently give the King advice of their arrivall who sendeth them leave to come to the Court without which licence they are not permitted to go forward When they are come to Court they are lodged in a particular Palace whence they may not go out but in the manner we have above related Above all they have their certain laws statutes and ordinances by which both they and their Kingdom are governed These are of two sorts The first consisteth in ancient rites customes and ceremonies common to the whole Kingdom and are contained in five Bookes and are esteemed to be as it were Sacred Of the second sort are the laws of the Kingdom according to which Justice is administred in particular cases both civill and criminall concerning all that is to be observed in the execution of them These are likewise very ancient and are all founded upon those five Cardinall vertues so much esteemed by their Ancestours and which are at this day held in great veneration among them that is Gin Y Li Chi Sin Pietie Iustice Policie Prudence and Fidelitie Gin say they signifieth Pietie Humanitie Charitie Reverence Love and Compassion Which they expliane after this manner To esteeme ones selfe lesse than others To be affable To succour those that are afflicted To help those that are in necessitie To have a tender and compassionate heart To beare good will to all men and To use all this more particularly toward
they mean sitting in judgement upon him is a precious stone The Magistrates every yeare make them a publick banquet at the Kings charges with Royall magnificence and ceremonies of great Honour and respect shewing thereby what is due to grey haires which are venerable not only for their years but also for their vertues To conclude the Chinesses have their books full of Sentences and good councells did they but as well observe them in the practise as they keep them carefully in their papers I will only repeat some few of them which come first to my memory In doing service to our Masters and old men the principall point is reverence and courtesie We must hide other mens faults and not publish our owne perfections In the generall Government there must be no particular affection We must not do evill though it be never so little nor leave a good deed undone because it is not great The vertuous although young men are to be Honoured and the vicious although old men are to be avoided CHAP. 30. Of the Moores Iewes and other Nations that are in China I Have spoken briefly of the Kingdome of China the people their customs and manners as well as I have been able in regard I am at this present out of the Country and deprived of the use of their books out of which I might have taken many things of worth and curiositie But seeing that at this time I cannot say all that is to be said of any thing it will not be amisse to say something of all and therefore I will now speak of the other nations who live among them In describing the Province of Cantone I said that the Island of Haynam which is very great and wholly appertaineth unto China is divided into two parts the first which is neerest to the continent is on the North part thereof inhabited by Chinesses and governed by them the other which lieth toward the South upon the confines of Chochin China is inhabited by a barbarous people who have their particular language and their laws and customes different without medling at all with the Chinesses unlesse it be in some things of commerce I said also that between the Provinces of Chincheo Cantone and Kiamsi there are certain Mountaines which unite them as in Catalogna the Mountaines of Monferrat do unite that Province to the Kingdome of Arragon and how within those Mountaines there was a small Kingdome which was likewise Governed by it selfe not admitting any thing from the Chinesses except Physicians Medicines and some little traffique Beside these in the Province of Yunnan which is very large lying towards the South in the latitude of 24 degrees there is a great Countrie inhabited by a particular people who use another language and other customes They have a little King called by the Chinesses Thu Quon a Mandarine of earth they pay tribute to the King of China they use traffique and live in peace The same things hath been said of the Province of Que Ciheu where in the confines thereof there is a people who have their particular heads and Governours without any other dependance on the Chinesses than the Investiture of the Title by which they are called There are moreover in China Moors in great abundance not in all the Provinces nor in every City but yet in the more principall They speak the language of the Countrie and know nothing of their own tongue a few words only excepted They are acquainted also with many things of the holy Scripture In Nankim I found one who was born and bred in that Citie that pronounced to me David Abraham and Isaac as distinctly as I could do my self In their Physiognomie nose eyes beard and face they are altotogether like the Chinesses They are Merchants Physicians c. They have Offices in the Tribunals they study and are admitted to the examinations and come many times to be Mandarines but not of the great ones for the most part they stop at the degree of Licentiate Commonly where they live there are Beef-Shambles because they eat no Pork therefore wheresoever they are they kill and sell Beef and it seemeth to me to be the greatest advantage the Country haâ—h by them for where they are not there is Seldome any of that flesh to be sould They have their publick Mosches allowed them by the King They follow their own religion but not very exactly They who arrive at the degree of Litterato or to the dignity of some Office do not much care to be advanced higher They preserve their Nation entire by marrying with one another although sometimes they take Chinesse Women for their Wives but they never give their Daughters in marriage to the Sonnes of Chinesses The reason is because in China the wife followeth the husband she is brought to her husbands-Fathers house there she liveth and followeth his religion therefore when a Gentile is brought to the house of a Moor she becometh a Moor and a Moorish Woman being brought to the house of a Gentile must infallibly become a Gentile The Chinesses despise them as being strangers and call them Hociteu Hoci Hoci The letters with which they write their name hath no other signification but only proper to expresse that people neverthelesse they are very angry and grieved when they are called by it The name by which they call themselves is Kia Muen that is the gate of Instructions If they be despised of the Chinesses they no lesse despise them because they worship Idols and are Gentiles and thus the one is not behind hand with the other In the City of Nankim they have as it were a mount of Pietie or Lombard with which they help only those of their Nation but not those who are Prisoners for their misdeeds and wickednesse They came into China about 700 years since being called from Turquestan by the King of that time to aid him against a rebellion that was then in the Kingdome wherein they had so good successe that they who were willing to remain there were allowed to enjoy the same priviledge with the natives of the Country since which time they have so multiplyed that at this time there are many thousands of them Afterwards in the warre which King Hum had with the Tartars about 300 yeares since they took his part and came in to his assistance at which time the King gaining the victorie they grew into greater esteem and were admitted to take part in the government of the Kingdome We have already spoken of the entrie which is made into China every three and every five years with an Embassie and presents to the King and though they are all Moores yet they are of severall Countries and Kingdomes and very rarely any of them remain in China There are likewise Iews in China although at this time no great number of them but when or how they came thither I am not able to say Anciently there was greater store of them but they have been
that which followeth The true law hath no determinate name The Ministers thereof go about in every part to teach it unto the world having no other aim but to be profitable to those that live in it In the Kingdome of Tachin this Olopuen being a man of great vertue hath brought from so remote a Countrie Doctrines and Images and is come to place them in our Kingdome Having well examined that which he proposeth we find it to be very excellent and without any outward noise and that it hath its principall Foundation even from the Creation of the World his doctrine is brief neither doth he found his truth in superficiall appearances it bringeth with it the salvation and benefit of men wherefore I have thought it convenient that it should be published through our Empire He commanded the Mandarines of this Court of Nimfam that they should build there a great Church with 21 Ministers weakening by that meanes the Monarchie of Cheu Olao Fu head of the sect of Tauzu which was carried in a black Chariot toward the West so the great Tam being enlightened together with Tao the Holy Gospel came into China and a little while after the King commanded that Olopuen his Picture should be painted on the wals of the Temple where it shineth and his memorie will alwayes shine in the World VII According to the records of the Empires of Ham and Guei the Kingdome of Tachin bordereth Southward upon the red Sea and Northward on the Mountaines of Pearls Westward on the Forest Delle Fule Per Li Santi Eastward on the Countrie of Cham Fum and the dead water The Countrie produceth a Lake Asphaltitis of fire Balsome Pearles and Carbuncles it hath no robbers but all live in joyfull peace The Gospel only is allowed in that Kingdome and honours are conferred only on those that are vertuous Their houses are great and all is illustrious by their order and good customes VIII The great Emperour Caozum the Sonne of Taizum continued with good decorum the intention of his Grand Father enlarging and adorning the works of his Father For he commanded that in all his Provinces Churches should be built and honours conferred on Olopuen bestowing upon him the Title of Bishop of the great law by which law he governed the Kingdome of China in great peace and the Churches filled the whole countrie with the prosperitie of preaching IX In the year Xim Lie the Bonzi of the Sect of the Pagods using their wonted violence did blaspheme this new and holy law in this place of Tum Cheu and in the year Sien Tien some particular Persons in Sigan with laughter and disparagement did mock at it X Then one of the chief of the Priests called John and another of great vertue named Kie Lie with some others of their Countrie Priests of great same being disingaged from the things of the world began to take up again that excellent net and to continue the thred which was now broken King Hi venzum Chi Tao commanded five little Kings to come in person to the happie house and to set up Altars Then in the year Tien Pao the pillar of the law which had been cast down for a while began to grow great King Taciam Kium gave command to Caâ—lie Sic that the Pictures of five Kings his ancestours should be placed in the Churches with a hundred Presents to honour the solemnitie Although the great beards of the Dragon were afarre off yet could they lay hands on their Bowes and their Swords The brightnesse which floweth from these Pictures maketh seem as if the Kings themselves were present In the third year of Tien Pao the Priest Kiehâ— was in India who guided by the starres came to China beholding the Sunne came to the Emperour who commanded that Iohn and Paul and other Priests should be joyned unto him to exercise Holy works in Kim Kim a place within the palace Then were hung up in Tables in the Churches the Kings letters richly adorned by publique order with red and blew colours and the Kings pen filled the emptines it mounted on high and transcended the Sun his favours and donatives may be compared to the tops of the Mountaines of the South and the abundance of his benefits is equall to the bottom of the eastern Sea Reason is not to be rejected there is nothing which the Saints cannot do and their deeds are worthy of memorie For this cause king Sozun Ven Mim commanded that Churches should be built in this Limvu and in five Cities He was of an excellent nature and opened the Gate to the common prosperitie of the Kingdome by which meanes the affaires of the Empire began to flourish again XI King Taizum Venvu caused happie times to return again doing things without labour and trouble alwayes at the feast of the nativitie of Christ he sent Heavenly perfumes to the Royall Churches to honour the Ministers of this holy law Truly heaven giveth beautie and profit to the world and liberally produceth all things This King imitated heaven and therefore he knew how to sustaine and nourish his subjects XII King Kien Chum Xim Xin Venvu used eight wayes of government for to reward the good and chastise the wicked and nine wayes to renew the estate of the Gospel Let us pray to God for him without being ashamed of it He was a man of much vertue humble and desirous of peace and ready to forgive his neighbour and to assist all men with charitie These are the steps of our holy law to cause the winds and the raines to retire at their seasons that the world should live in peace men be well governed and affaires well established that the living should prosper and the dead be in happinesse all this proceeds from our Faith XIII The King gave many honourable Titles in his Court to the Priest Y Su a great Preacher of the Law and also a garment of a red colour because he was peaceable and took delight in doing good to all He came from afarre off into China from the Country of Vam Xe Chi Chim His vertue surpassed our three famous Families he enlarged the other sciences perfectly He served the King in the Palace and afterward had his name in the Royall book The little King of Fuen Yam who had the Title of Chum Xulim and called himself Cozuy served at first in the warres of these parts of Sofam King Sozum commanded Y Su that he should assist Cozuy very much above all the rest neither did he for this change his ordinarie custome being the Nailes and Teeth of the Common-Wealth the Eyes and Eares of the Army He knew well how to distribute his revenue he was not sparing in any thing he offered a precious Gift called Poli to the Church of this place of Lintiguen he gave Golden Carpets to that of Cie Ki. He repaired the old Churches and established the house of the law adorning the chambers and galleries thereof making them
Baptise such as had not yet been converted and partly to endeavour to found a house in that his native City of Hamcheu The first happy encounter there was that of Doctour Yam named afterwards at his Baptism Michael who is much celebrated in our yearly letters He was a Mandarine of great account and a Kinsman of Doctour Leo and had been for seaven years together Chancellour of the whole Province of Nankim which is an Office of very great importance and was very rich of a great House and allyed to the principall Families of that Citie and above all he was very devout towards the Pagods in so much that he had built a Temple for them within his own Palace with a certain number of Bonzi to serve them whom he maintained at his own charges But he did this more out of ignorance than malice and therefore the Lord shewed mercy unto him He was one of the first that visited the Fathers and being very much addicted to the defence of his Religion he began a very hot dispute with a more than ordinarie zeal for the upholding of his Sect the which he continued likewise the day following and the next day and so for nine dayes together alwayes producing new arguments and proposing new difficulties not that he had a design to impugnâ— but only to discover the truth The ninth day he yeelded himselfe crying out A true God A true Law A true Doctrine And after he had been very diligently Catechised and instructed he was Baptized to the great consolation of the Fathers and also of Dr. Leo who did much rejoice at it and to the singular griefe and shame of the Bonzi who were presently discarded and their Temple converted into a Church dedicated to the Saviour of the world Now did these two Heroes seem two firme and stable pillars very proper to sustaine that infant Church with a certain hope that their example would draw many others to the law of Christ and that there would be a flourishing Christianitie founded in that so populous a Metropolis which in my opinion is the richest the most delicious and magnificent in Temples and other structures of any in that Kingdom But for the generalitie the least disposed to receive our Holy faith whether it were then for this cause or because their hour was not yet come which required a greater disposition there was so little fruit of the Gospel at that time that the Fathers judged it better to give place to time and for the present to leave that abode and to finde out some other place better disposed to receive the seed of faith They proceeded so farre as to propose their intention to Father Nicolaus Longobardus superiour of that Mission who would neither approve nor reject their opinion but remitted the businesse to the judgement of the House at Nankim where I was then at that time and by the grace of God we were there in all nine of the Societie The matter was debated and it was resolved by all of us that according as experience had taught us they should proceed with patience and longanimitie greater difficulties having been overcome by those weapons So without any more thoughts of change the Fathers remained labouring in that City not knowing the great good which the Lord had there prepared for them and which time afterwards discovered not only by founding there one of the most numerous and best instructed Churches that is in China but because that house was ever a safe Port to us in all Tempests and a secure refuge in all persecutions as shall be seen hereafter Christianitie also was much encreased in Xaâ—hoi the Country of Dr. Paul for his Father and all his houshold had been Baptized and many other people of that place and although we had there no setled house there was neverthelesse a Church and every year the Christians were visited both to confirme the old ones and convert new ones In the foure ancient houses the Fathers said Masse preached and exercised the Mysteries and Ceremonies of our Holy Faith very quietly and without any disturbance at all The Christians exercised their devotion and many Gentiles endeavoured to finde the way of their Salvation the Christian Religion flourished every day more and more with an abundant number of new Converts and also of new Labourers which were sent to us from Macao where they were first instructed in the language and custome of the Country In the mean time we were sent unto from many places and from severall persons to desire us to come into their Country and to preach the Gospel to them This City of Vamcheu which is neere unto Nankim had so great a desire to be made partakers of our doctrine that the Litterati there wrot a letter to Father Alphonsus Vagnone in Nankim where he was at that time superiour which was subscribed by forty of them wherein they did invite the Father to come to them with many prayers and entreaties and very earnestly desired him that he would not deferre his comming that good which they so much longed for They did also the like in many other places whether the fame of our Holy Faith was arrived either by the books we had printed there or by the relation of the Gentiles for these do sometimes serve as a guide to the rest and I had once one of them who did help me to Catechise or else by their conversation with Christians themselves And this was done with so much fervour that really it seemed to us the time was come wherein after all storms and tribulations were blown over the winter was passed away and the spring time began to appeare bringing forth flowers worthy the sight of that celestiall Gardiner or rather that the crop was now ripe and expected a happy harvest The Fathers being animated with these successes and well pleased with the many occasions which continually presented themselves were not sparing to make good use of them hoping that they would have been dayly encreased But who is able to comprehend the judgements of the Lord Or who hath been his Councellour Whilest things stood in this prosperous condition whether it were for the sinnes of that Kingdom or for ours in particular or because the Lord was pleased to prove and exercise his servants there was raised in Nankim where that house was founded with much quiet and had continued in greater tranquility than the rest the following persecution CHAP. 8. A fierce persecution is raised against the Christians in Nankim THis Persecution which was the most terrible of all we have yet suffered began in the year 1615 upon this occasion which I shall relate There was this year sent from Pekim to Nankim a Mandarine called Qui Xin to be an assistant of the third Tribunall named Lipu which taketh cognizance of all Rites Sects Strangers and such like This man besides that he was extreamly averse both to our Holy Faith and to the Fathers and on the contrary very
much addicted to the worship of Idols he had been stirred up by severall occasions to beare a particular hatred towards us First by reason of a booke written against our religion by a Bonzo an intimate friend of his which was so well confuted by Dr. Paul that the Bonzo broke his heart with the very griefe and shame he conceived at it Moreover the Bonzi of Nankim had given him a handsome bribe reported to be 10000 crownes to drive us away hoping thereby that fire might be extinguished which had been kindled against their Gods To these may be added the spleen he had against Dr. Paul and Dr. Michael who discoursing with him the one in Pekim and the other in Cechian did by such powerfull arguments viâ—fy those Idols he did worship that having nothing left to answer for himselfe he converted his silence into rage and his shame into venome But his spite and malice was much more encreased when he understood that two Memorialls had been presented to the King by two Mandarines of great qualitie wherein they did earnestly move the King that the Fathers might be perswaded to translate the books of Europe into the Chinesse language and that they should be employed in the reformation of their calendar Xin not being able to digest that strangers should be held in such esteeme who were enemies to his sect to the manifest danger and ruine of his Idols and last of all that which did strongly animate him to that enterprise was the ambition he had to be Colao hoping that this his zeale for the ancient Rites and for the religion of his Fathers would aduance him to that dignitie especially since it belonged to his office to have a vigilent eye over such matters Therefore besides other things which belonged to his charge and office he caused a damnable Information to be drawne up against the Fathers proving therein by feigned and colourable reasons that they ought to be banished the Kingdom He said they had intruded themselves into China without leave making use for proofe thereof of a certain Memoriall which we have formerly mentioned to have been made by the students of Nankim wherein they besought the Mandarines to banish the Fathers out of the Kingdom as persons who were very pernicious to the Common-wealth and had secret Machinations against the King and Kingdom for said they if it be not for this reason for what other end and purpose are they come with so much eagernesse and zeale into another world and had abandoned their owne habitations and estates The other Testimonies which he brought were other such like impostures wherewith a neighbour of ours in Nankim had furnished him that many nights in the year under pretense of some solemnitie concerning the divine worship there were many great assemblies held in our house consisting of thousands of men and women a most grosse lie and that before the break of day they all dispersed themselves to their owne houses that every new Christian had given him five false duckats made by Alchimy after he had been enrolled in a list which they kept of them and that they had strange and barbarous names imposed upon them at their admittance and were taught to make the signe of the crosse upon their forehead to serve them as a marke of distinction in the time of their rebellion and insurrection That they had their houses fuâ—l of Armes and other such like lies very well coloured over Of all these arguments put together he framed a Memoriall which he presented to the King in the Month of May 1616. The substance whereof was Our entrance by stealth into the Kingdome The propagation of a Law contrary to that of the Idols which had been the religion of their Ancestours The concurrance which there was in high Titles between our God and their King betwixt our West and their East Our subtletie and craft in gaining of friends The destruction of the Astrologie of China as false and erroneous occasioned by the reading of that of Europe and such like things The conclusion of it was That it was necessary for the publike good that he should cause a generall Massacre both of the Fathers and the rest of the Christians before their force and number could prove dangerous to the Kingdom To this Memoriall which was presented to the King very secretly there was no answer returned within the usuall time Neverthelesse Dr. Michael had notice of it by means of a Mandarine who was a friend both to him and to the said Xin he presently gave advise thereof to the Fathers with directions what they should do He worte many letters to severall Mandarines in our favour and one directed to Xin wherein without discovering that he knew his intention he confuted all his arguments against the Fathers and their religion Last of all he invited the Fathers to retire themselves to his house in the City of Hamcheu untill the storme were over In the mean time we laboured to obtain the help and succour of Almighty God by re-doubling our prayers and mortifications and withall we went to Dr. Leo who lived two dayes journey off and shewed him the Apologie written by Dr. Michael for our assistance and counsell to which he added a discourse in commendations of the Fathers and of their eligion and by their hands he dispersed many advertisements necessary for that time and occasion throughout the whole City neither were the Fathers wanting with fervent exhortations to do the office of faithfull Pastours animating and encouraging all to suffer for the defence of Gods honour and his Holy Religion And the Christians striving who should prepare himselfe best against the storme frequented our house and the Holy Sacraments and tooke counsell how to carry themselves in case of Persecution There was among the rest a prudent and learned person named Iohn Vao who had prepared foure small banners wherein he wrote his name Sir-name and Country and the Christianitie both of himselfe and of his familie which might serve him for ensignes of his profession in time of Persecution neither did he cease to declare himselfe to be such and to exhort others to a constant confession of their faith Three Months after the first Memoriall Xin having received no answer from the King presented another to the same purpose by the hand of Xamxù who was Lipù of the third Tribunall in Pekim having preswaded him also to frame another of the same Tenour and to present it along with his The Mathematician who had perswaded the Fathers to correct and amend the Chinesse Calendar discovered their plot and privately taking a copy of their petitions he gave it to the Fathers and to Dr. Paul who in one night wrote an Apologie for the Fathers to present to the King when there was occasion and dispatched a Mandarine his disciple a man very well versed in the manage of affaires at Court to the President of Lipu that having sufficiently informed him of the truth he might
fetcht back into prison from whence he flew into eternall libertie And this was the first lay-man who died there in prison for his religion his corps was granted to his Father to bury it but without any Ceremony at all The second who dyed in prison was called Hierome Vem he was taken in our house coming thither to assist us he also died of pure sufferance His wife presented many Memorialls to the Mandarines that he might be brought home to recover his health but all was in vaine At length she had recourse to Xin who understanding that her husband was a Christian gave her no other answer but this You see what good you get by the religion they professe and with this answer left her disconsolate and quite out of hope not long after her husband died with so much the more glory by how much the lesse he had of humane help in that sicknesse he so patiently endured for the love of Iesus Christ and the maintenance of his religion The death of these men did stirre up in the rest of the Christian prisoners a holy envie and a new fervour to suffer for Christ neither were the Christians without wanting to shew themselves true followers of that persecuted religion They divided the prisons among them so that every day the Christian prisoners were visited and succoured as much as might be and had also notice given them of the designes and proceedings of Xin and the other Mandarines neither were they content with this but relieved also the wives and children of the prisoners pawning sometimes their houshold-stuffe that they might not want wherewithall to do it Captain Ignatius Cin although he was but newly converted to the faith yet was as forward and eminent in this work of Charitie as could possibly be desired as also three other families with the hazzard of being made infamous for ever namely that of Lucius Ciam Captain of armes that of Andrew Hiam a smith and that of Francis a guilder where I cannot but admire the great charity of the said Andrew who having received some crownes from Father Vagnone for the reliefe of the prisoners made no use of them but by the daily pains and labour of himselfe and his sonne made provision every day for two prisons restoring afterwards to the Father the mony he had put in his hands There were also certaine devout Christian women who making a purse out of the fruit of their labors bestow'd it in the prisons according to the necessities of the prisoners there was also one who being himselfe a prisoner spared still something out of the penny which was given him every day for his maintenance and when he had made up a small summe he divided it among the most necessitous of the prisoners with so much the greater liberalitie by how much the industry of that Charitie was more subtle At the beginning when the Fathers were first apprehended there were not wanting certain wicked persons who feigning themselves to be ministers of justice went from house to house to disturbe the Christians on purpose to draw mony from them and if in searching every corner of the house they happened to finde any Images they threatned to accuse them to Xin This lasted till a Mandarine who had notice of this roguery apprehended many of them and caused them to be well Bastinadoed and one of them for no other cause but that he had inform'd against a man to the Tauli that he was a Christian. Neverthelesse there were some accused before Xin only for being Christians he accepted the accusation and remitted it to the Court Criminall whither the highest offenders are sent They were rigorously examined and after that declared innocent with a foule staine upon Xin both of injustice and ignorance Neither was the infamy lesse which he received by the words of two great Mandarines The one of them called Hò in a great assembly of Letterati asked him For what reason he had imprisoned the Fathers and he answering Because they preached a law contrary to theirs the other replied Why do you not then imprison so many others who follow laws much more contrary to ours than that of the Fathers is They have not said Xin any accusers And these Fathers replyed Hò Who accuseth them to your Lordship He knew not what answer to make him but seeing himselfe thus confuted lest there should be a laughter raised at him he withdrew himselfe out of the Assemblie The other who was President of the Tribunall of warre sharply reproved him that without reason he had so mis-used the Fathers who had committed no fault nor had ever offended him And although Xin did endeavour to justifie himselfe yet the President threatned to accuse him to the King for a disturber of the peace of the Kingdome and in effect he dispatched a Courrier to Pekim with a stoute Memoriall against him which neverthelesse he did afterwards re-call by reason that many Mandarines did interpose themselves in the businesse but he would never after maintain any friendship with so unjust a person Very admirable at the same time was the Charitie of a new Christian of Pekim who had taken the degree of Batchelor who having understood of the Fathers imprisonment ranne to Nankim and although he had never seen them he went to visit them and much assisted them in their necessities and not only invited but also perswaded severall of his friends to do the like who extended also their Charitie to the other Christian prisoners And for this cause only he remained there many months he accompanied the Christians to the Tribunalls healed their stripes encouraged and comforted them all to which the quality and reputation of so grave and learned a person did very much conduce He undertooke also to dispute with a Mandarine who had written a declaration against the Fathers in favour of Xin and used such powerfull perswasions to him that he changed his resolution and brought him to favour the Fathers so farre that he did publiquely praise and extoll them In the mean while our adversary seeing that the Kings answer was delayed used his utmost endeavour to gaine the Colao to his party who was otherwise not much averse to us and at length perswaded him to present a Memoriall to the King by the hands of an Eunuch whom he had already prepared for the businesse with a very great bribe to procure the Kings order upon it The Eunuchs passed this pitition so secretly among themselves that without showing it to the King they brought it againe to the Colao requiring him in the Kings name to draw up an order for our banishment the which he did in this manner For as much as we are informed by the Collaterall Lypu of the third Tribunall of Pekim that there remain in this our Court certain strangers who do expect our good leave and dispatch and the said Tribunall hath besought us that we would send our orders to the Provinces that they should send
of China who from the horrid wildernesse of Infidelity had been brought to the pleasant Pastures of Christianity gave illustrious examples of their Faith and Constancy but the longer Narration of this glorious persecution is reserved for another place I only touch it here to admire the Divine Providence of God who raised so sharp War against China when they neglected Christian Peace and permitted at the same time these Tartars to take so deep a root in this Empire of China as afterward grew to that height as to extirpate the Royal Family of the Taminges together with the Kingdom at the very same time they went about utterly to destroy all Christianity But as ordinarily it doth by this very persecution Christian Religion grew to that height and greatnesse that the Church glories to behold it whilst unlesse God vouchsafe to lend a potent helping hand the vast Kingdom of China is utterly overthrown In the mean time the Chineses were very solicitous to expell this Enemy from the bowells of their Country and first they selected very chief and eminent men for Commanders and Governours then they gathered an Army of six hundred thousand choise Souldiers The King of Corea also sent to the Emperour of China twelve thousand with this potent Army therefore they went out in the beginning of March MDCXIX to give Battail to the Enemy The Tartars resolved to meet them with an undaunted courage and for a good while the event and victory was very doubtfull but in the end the Army of China was wholly routed their chief Commanders with fifty thousand men were all slain The Tartars according to their custome prosecute the victory with all quicknesse and diligence for the same day they took and sacked two Cities which they burned After this they over-run that whole Country and came to the very Walls of Pekin the Emperours Court but durst not venture to besiege it because they knew besides the infinite number of Canons it contained there was lodged fourscore thousand Souldiers in it But the Chineses confess that there was such a fear and consternation in the City that the King thought to have left that City and gone into the Southern parts of the Kingdom which he had effectually performed had not some Commanders suggested that his flight would give courage to the Victorious and breed trouble and confusion in the whole Empire being that to fly is nothing else but to yeeld up the land to the Enemy Nay more they say the disorders were such in the City that if the Tartar had come on he infallibly had made himself Master of it But the Enemy was more greedy of Prey and therefore they dispersed themselves abroad spoiling and burning all Towns and Cities and killing and destroying an immense company of Chineses in a most cruell manner and so leaving all these places dismantled and without Garisons laden with infinite Riches they returned victorious to Leaotung where they had their first footing After these things had passed that renouned Emperour of China call'd Vanley died and left his Son Taichangus to succeed him who begun to gather a new Army against the Tartars but after four moneths reign he also died To him succeeded Theinkins who as soon as he assumed the Crown sent an Embassadour with many magnificent Presents and worthy of the China Monarchy to the King of Corea The end of this Embassage was to thank him for the Auxiliary forces sent to his Grandfather as also to comfort him for the losse he had received in the late service of China finally to sollicite and presse for further succours For it seems those of Corea as they are nearer to Iapony so they participate more of that warlike Spirit and Fortitude than those of China do Besides that he might more effectually divert the imminent danger of his Kingdoms ruin he leavied new Forces throughout all the Kingdom which he sent into the Province of Leaotung to hinder the irruption of the Tartars any further into the Countery And for their better supply with necessary Provision he maintained a great Navie in the Haven of Thiencin to carry Corn and other necessaries for their maintenance This Port of Thiencin is a Station to which an incredible number of ships resort both by Sea and Rivers from all parts of China So as by this means by a very short and compendious way they were easily provided with all necessaries For all the whole Country of Leaotung is almost invironed with the Sea and the furthest part is but two daies distant by water from this Port of Thiencin but by land far more time is necessary Amongst other Commanders which came with succours to their Prince there was one Heroick Lady whom we may well call the Amazon or Penthesilean of China She brought along with her three thousand from the remote Province of Suchuen carrying all not only Masculine minds but mens habits also and assuming Titles more becoming men than women This noble and generous Lady gave many rare proofs of her courage and valour not only against these Tartars but also against the Rebells which afterwards riss against their Lord and Emperour But now she came in this War to supply her Sons place whom she left at home in his own Kingdom as being yet a Child and not able to perform that Homage and Duty to which he was obliged For in the mountains of the Country of Suchuen there is a King not subject to him of China but an absolute Prince yet so as he receives the Honour and Title of a King from the Emperour of China after which Investiture his Subjects only obey him and pay Tribute But because they surpasse all others in Valour and Courage therfore they are used by the Kings of China in warlick Affairs By occasion of this war the two noble Christian Doctours Paul and Michael found means to perswade the Emperour to demand of the Portugeses of Macas some greater Pieces and also some Gunnes and Gunners hoping by this means also to restore the banished Fathers of Christianity as also the Religion it self And their Proposition took effect for both the one and the other were sent for and the Fathers who hitherto secretly negotiated the businesse of Religion were publickly admitted again and many new Souldiers of Portugal came to help the Army And God did most abundantly recompence to the Emperour this favour done to Christianity For before the Portugese arrived his Army had cast the Tartars out of Leaotung by means of the Inhabitants of that Country who being much exasperated by the Tartarians cruelty opened their City Gates as soon as the King of China's Army appeared and rising against their Garison gave entrance to the Army Insomuch as they recovered the Metropolitan Town of Leaotung For the King of Tartary being diverted by other Wars at home could not come soon enough to relieve it So as by this means the affairs of China
Heaven and Earth to hinder his coming to the Crown but seeing he could not effect that at least he maintained a seditious faction against the great ones which finally proved the destruction of the Estate For these men banding in two factions studied more how to destroy one another than to advance the publique good yet both parties pretended the general benefit but both neglected it Every party endeavouring to extoll and exalt his own Creatures into places of trust and power All which when Zunchinius the emperour went about to redresse he exasperated the minds of many of the Commanders against him for as soon as he came to the Crown he cruelly persecuted all that favoured the Eunuch and in fine killed this very Eunuch which had been his Predecessors Favourite together with many more of his partie of which Tragedy I will only relate the Catastrophe The Emperour Zungchinius resolving to destroy both the Eunuch all his power sent him an order to go visit the Tombs of his Ancestors to consider if any of those ancient Monuments wanted reparation the Eunuch could not refuse so honourable an imployment which seemed rather an addition to his former hounours but he had not gone far upon his journey but there was presented to him from the Emperour a Box of Silver gilt with a Halter of Silk folded up in it by which he understood he was to hang himself by the Emperors order which he could not refuse being that kind of death amongst the Chineses is counted honourable when it is accompanied with such formalities But by this occasion the Emperour raised against himself new Factions and more Traitours which held secret correspondence with the Theeves Army Hence it came to passe that no Army was sent to oppose them or if any went they did no manner of action being alwayes hindered by the emulation of others nay it happened often that when they might have taken great advantages yet the occasion was neglected lest the Commanders should increase other mens Power and Credit by their Victories with the Emperour These Dissentions and Emulations happend so seasonably to the Roving Army of Theeves as that to come to see and conquer was to them one and the self same thing as I shall declare unto you Whilest these transactions passed in the Court Licungzus Conductor of the Theeves having setled all things in the Country of Xensi passed to the East and coming to the famous great River of Croceus finding no body to defend it he passed over with as much facility as it might have been maintained with ease if there had been placed but a handfull of Souldiers For this River runnes with a violent rapid course and a vast Sea of waters from West to East but being there was no man to defend it they passing it easily presently seized upon the chief and richest City in all those quarters called Kaiangchâ—u which is situated neer the South â—ankside of that River and being carried on with a strong gale of Fortune he seized upon many other Cities every one desiring either to free themselves from further vexation or blindly and fondly submitting themselves to any new change of Government For we commonly delight in varieties and novelties and hoping for better we find worse Only the City of Thaiyven made some resistance but being presently subdued was fined with great sumes of money for their temerity The Emperour Zungchinius hearing the Theeves had passed the River Croceus and were advanced to the very Confine of Xensi which borders upon the Province where he had placed his Throne and Royall Seat he sent an Army under the Lord Marshal of China to hold them at least in play if he could not overthrow them But this Army did just nothing nay most of the Souldiers ran to the Thieving party in so much as the Lord Marshal himself called Colaus Lius seeing Affairs grew so desperate Hang'd himself for fear of further shame and dishonour The Emperour hearing of the ill successe of his Affairs began to think of leaving the Northern parts where his Royal City of Peking is situated and to passe to Nankuing which is far more Southward but he was disswaded from this intended course as well by his loyal as disloyal subjects by these that they might give him up more speedily into the enemies hands before their treachery was discovered and by the others lest his flight might trouble the Kingdome more and discourage all his Subjects from giving their best assistance for they thought the City impregnable being fortified with so strong a Garrison nor did they doubt that the Kings presence would draw the forces of the whole Kingdom to him And their Counsel had been good if the Court had been purged of Traytors In the mean time the Theeves Conductor who was no lesse quick and nimble in execution than witty in invention sowing a Fox his tail to the Lions skin caused many of his Souldiers in a disguised habit to creep into that Princely City and gave them money to trade in trifling ware till he assaulted the walls with the body of his Army for then they had order to raise sedition and tumult in the City and considering they were a Company of desperate Fellows and of a very low and base fortune it is stupendious to think how they could keep so profound secrecy in a matter of so high concernment But to this mine which was prepared in the bowels of the City he held a secret train of Intelligence with the Lieutenant of the City who seeing the Emperours Affairs desperate is said to have dealt with the Conductor of these Brigants about giving up the City unto their power But however it was these Pilferers came in a short time to besiege the Royal City of Peking There was in that City a vast Garrison and as great a quantity of Artillery but on the Quarters upon which the enemy made their assault there was none charged with Bullets but only with Powder Wherfore being secure from any annoy from that side in the year MDCXLIV before the rising of the Sun they entred the Metropolitan City of all China by one of the Gates which was opened to them nor was there any long resistance made even by those that were faithfull to their Prince for the Souldiers of the Theef which lay lurking in the City made such a tumult and confusion as none knew whom to oppose in which respect they made a great slaughter so as Licâ—ngzus in this Babylonian confusion marched victorious through the City till he came to the very Emperours Palace where though he found some resistance from the faithfullest Eunuchs yet notwithstanding he presently entred that famous and renowned Palace And that which exceeds all admiration the enemy had passed the first Wall and Precinct and yet the Empâ—rour knew nothing of so strange a passage for the Traiterous Eunuchs which were of most Authority fearing he might escape by flight deferd to admonish him
enthrall and enchant the popularity To all which I adde those fugitive Magistrates who as I related heretofore had fled to the Tartars to avoid the Emperours indignation and did not a little promote their cause for these men sometimes by word and example did seduce the hearts of the Subjects and sometimes suggested excellent Counsels to the Tartars against their own Country and by both these means advanced themselves to high and eminent dignities amongst the Tartars The same day some Bands of Souldiers were dispatched with order to proclame Usangueius a Tributary King to this new enstalled Emperour which they performed with great magnificence adding to his name as usually they do the Sirname of Pingsi which sounds as much as Pacifier of the Western world establishing his Kingdom in the Capital City in the Province of Xensi This Prince considering that he could expect no more honourable Dignity from the lawfull Successour to the Empire of China and that the Tartars were come into the Empire in so vast a number that he could never hope to Conquer them found means to dispence with his hitherto uncorrupted fidelity admitting the dignity and submitting to the Emperour and so he that had hitherto waged War for China against the theeves now was forced to march against China to subdue its Provinces to the Tartarian Empire And as he was a Great Commander so also by the help of the Tartars he quickly drove out the Theeves from his little Kingdom of Xensi where to this day he reigneth in the Metropolitan City of Sigan But by these honours the Tartars removed him from the practice of Arms who remaining Armed might have proved a dangerous Enemy It was hitherto never known what became of Licungzus some think he was killed by Usangueius in the fight though he never appeared more neither dead nor alive after this fight in which all his forces were dissipated or cut off And with the same facility the Tartars subdued the Provinces of Peking and Xantung where they immensly augmented their Armies by the accesse of the China's Souldiers and Commanders which submitted to them for the Tartarians admitted all even the Conquered to their Army if they did cut their hair and wear their habits after the Tartarian fashion for in this Puntillio of habit and hair they were so rigorous as they proclamed it high Treason in all that did forbear it Which Law did many times endanger them and disturb the whole frame of their Affairs For the Chinesses both grieved and fought more valiantly for their hair and habit than for their Kingdom and Emperour So as many times they chose rather to die or lose their heads than obey the Tartars in these Ceremonies of which I could relate many examples unlesse in this relation I had resolved to be brief But all these little rubs did not hinder but that in lesse than the space of a year not counting Leaotung they had conquered Peking Xansi Xensi and Xantung which are the four vast Northern Provinces of China In all which they changed nothing in their Political manner of Government nay they permitted the usual custom of the Philosophers of China to govern the Towns and Provinces they left also the same Examens as were used for the approving of learned men for by this prudent Counsel they wrought this effect that having given the places of honour and trust to men of their own Creation they found they supassed the very Tartars in fidelity to them yet they kept the Militia in their own hands and the ordering thereof and yet they stick'd not to admit even to these Offices such of the Country as were faithfull to them so as in the Royal City they retained still the same Orders and degrees of Prefects together with the six high Tribunals as they were established in the former Emperours time but so as they were now compounded of Chinesses and Tartars In the mean time the news of the Emperours danger came to the Southern parts of China and the Prefects of every City gathering together very great forces marched towards the City of Peking but in their march they received the sad news of the Emperours death and the taking of Peking they therefore speedily called back their Forces and also all their Ships which yearly used to carry Provisions to the Emperours Court a little after this they received the news how the Tartar was invested in the Kingdom and proclaimed Emperour I was then my selfe in the great City Nanquin where I beheld a strange consternation and confusion in all things till at length having recollected themselves the Prefects resolved to choose an Emperour of the Family of the Taiminges whom they called Hungquangus This man had come hither flying from the Theeves out of the Province of Honan and being he was Nephew to that famous Emperour Vanley cosin Germain to Zungchinius the last deceased Emperour they Crowned him with great pomp and ostentation hoping for better fortune under his Government As soon as this Prince was chosen he sent â—n Embassage to the Tartars begging Peace rather than demanding it for 〈◊〉 offered them all the Northern Provinces which they had taken if they â—ould joyn in amity with him But the Tartars well understood the Policy of these Prefects and Counsellours which was only to amuse them with a Peace whilst they could recover their strength and force And therefore they returned answer that they would not receive as a gift that which they had conquered by force of Arms but seeing they had chosen a new Emperour they might do well to defend him but as for them they were resolved to have all or nothing This Legacy comming to nothing whilst both parties prepare to take the Field appears at Nankuing a young man who gave himselfe out to be the eldest Son to the late deceased Emperour Zunchinius and he gave no small evidences of this truth and Claime nay he was acknowledged by many of the Eunuchs But the new elected Emperour Hunquangus being strongly possessed with an ambition of raigning would never acknowledge nor admit him but commanded him to be imprisoned and killed as an Impostor though many of the Prefects enraged to hear of this order hindered the execution of the sentence But by this accident things grew into a sedition and the dispute was so high that it gave occasion to the Tartars of assailing the Province and City of Nankuing some of the Prefects winking at it if not enticing them underhand to this exploit The Tartars vigilant to lay hold of all advantages hearing of these emulations divisions presently march out into the Territory of the City of Hoaigan and comming to the East side of the River Croceus they passe over speedily by the help of their Boats on the other side of this River stood the Army of China which was so numerous as if they had but cast off their very shoos they had erected such a Rampart
THE HISTORY OF That Great and Renowned MONARCHY OF CHINA Wherein all the particular Provinces are accurately described as also the Dispositions Manners Learning Lawes Militia Government and Religion of the People Together with the Traffick and Commodities of that Countrey Lately written in Italian by F. ALVAREZ SEMEDO a Portughess after he had resided twenty two yeares at the Court and other Famous Cities of that Kingdom Now put into English by a Person of quality and illustrated with several MAPPS and FIGURES to satisfie the curious and advance the Trade of Great BRITTAIN To which is added the History of the late Invasion and Conquest of that flourishing Kingdom by the TARTARS With an exact Account of the other affairs of CHINA till these present Times LONDON Printed by E. Tyler for Iohn Crook and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Ship in S. Pauls Church-yard 1655. The Epistle to the Reader Courteous Reader I Present thee with that long exspected most exact History of the Lawes Government Manners and present state and condition of that great Monarchy of China in its circuit little less then all Europe Heretofore as zealous of its rare treasures shut and locked up from the curious eyes of strangers so that this booke first yeilds to thee a full discovery thereof I dare say the most valuable that this our world hath been acquainted with since that of America whereby now the furthest East as well as West is disclosed and laid open to the present age For as for some former relations thou mayst have seen thereof thou wilt by this discerne them to be as fabulous as they are compendious and imperfect It was written by one who after first a strict education in all sorts of learning for two and twenty yeares space lived in that Kingdome was resident at the Court and in the greatest Cities thereof and in all that time as designing such a worke was a diligent Observator and Collector of all their manners and customs as likewise after much paines taken in the Language a great student of their Histories and Writings Whose laborious worke after it had already bin clothed in many other Languages besides the Authors and welcomly entertained in most states of Europe it was thought fit no longer to be concealed to a Nation either for curiosity of knowledge or industry of forraigne commerce no way yeilding to her neighbours The variety of the subjects handled therein is so great as comprehending the whole fabricke of that nation their Politicks Oeconomicks Sciences Mechanicks Riches Merchandise c. that those of whatsoever profession may reap no small benefit in reading the designes managements and practices therein of so ingenious a People Whose manners also as their site are so remote and different in most things from ours that I may say in this piece is happily united with the truth of History the delight of a Romance where it will be no small pleasure to thee to see their braines as well as their bodies as it were of a severall mould from the Europeans and their inventions in many things to walke antipodes to us and yet in these no way below us but in many superiour or what in them appears less compleat yet will the knowledge thereof not be ungratefull unto thee because t is new and singular As for many morall vertues thou wilt find them so far to transcend us therein that they may be proposed as an excellent patterne as also they are a shame to Christian states Lastly to correct and reforme any their defects and make the nation perfectly happy the light of Christianity hath of late visited this people who sate in darknes so that now after America also enlightned there is no end of the world left wherinto the sound of the Gospel is not gone forth The foundation of which being there already laid there is great hopes that it may sooner come to a ful purity reformation perfection the indefatigable pains undaunted courage of those laborers who cultivate it in the East provoke a greater diligence andemulation therein in our planters in the West where the Gospel as following a conquest may be advanced both with much more safety and authority To the end of this Treatise I have added the History of the Tartarian invasian of China much enlarged freed from divers Erratas of the former Edition which gives thee an account of the Chinesse affaires till the yeare 1653. Reader thus much I thought good to advertise thee in the front of this Booke that thou mayst not be so great an hinderance to thy selfe as not to be acquainted with so curious and beneficiall a discourse Farewell The Preface WHo writeth of things farre remote doth almost alwayes incurre the inconvenience of many and those no small defects hence it is that we see many Books whose Authours for their personal Qualities might deserve more credit than may justly be given to their writings As for those who have written of China I have perused some of them who leaving in oblivion almost all Truths take the liberty to wander in discourses altogether fabulous for this Kingdome being so remote and having alwayes with much Care avoided all Communication with Strangers reserving onely to themselvs the knowledge of their own Affairs with a most particular Caution hence it followes that nothing is knowne without the Confines thereof but what doth as it were overflow into the skirts of the Country of Cantone a part of this Empire whither the Portugheses have been suffered to come so that the most internall and secret knowledge thereof hath been reserved either for the Natives of the Country who know well enough how to conceale it or for those who upon a better Motive have to discover it little lesse then forgotten their own nature their language their customes and manner of living and transformed themselves into the naturall humour of that Country Now this last hath by divine dispensation fallen to the lott of the Religious of the Company of Iesus who although they came late to the Culture of the Church are notwithstanding arrived to that honour to be reckoned among the first that after Saint Thomas the Apostle did cultivate those remote Confines of the world It is now fifty eight years that they have laboured under this so distant Climate where directing all their force and endeavours to the conversion of Souls they account it a manifest Theft to employ any otherwise that time which they owe to the Service of God and is of so much importance for the Eternall Salvation of men Hence it is that never any yet did or would it have been permitted him if he had desired it to employ himselfe in writing the Relation of this Kingdome except it were Father Nicolaus Trigalzius after he had by permission with-drawn himself from the culture of Christianity among the Chineses and passed from thence into Europe Vpon the same occasion I have undertaken to give a
briefe account thereof sufficient at least for the instruction of those who desire to be informed concerning those parts forbearing to make a more large discourse at the present but reserving it for another time which may be when wee shall returne to that vast Country with new Labourers in so great a number that some of the greatest Authority and Experience among us may find leisure and convenience to undertake a perfect Relation In the mean time abbreviating as much as 't is possible this Information without rendring that knowledge confused which wee pretend to gratify the world with we shall divide the work into two parts The first containeth the materiall part of the Kingdome that is the Provinces Land and Fruits and in a manner the formal part too that is the people their learning and customes The second the Beginning of Christianity there the progresse thereof the persecutions suffered therein and finally the condition wherein I left it at my departure thence I hope this worke shall gain some esteem and credit if not for the greatnesse of the Appearance at least for the certainty of the reality of it having taken what I write from the infallible Testimony of mine eyes which though they may not be of the quickest sighted yet have had the advantage to reiterate very often their speculations And if he which vieweth for a long time although his sight be not of the best doth commonly see more then he who looketh in haste be his eyes never so good I who for the space of two and twenty years have had the opportunity to observe all Passages of China have certainly seen so much what I write and what others have written who have not seen them sowell that I must necessarily speak of them with more Certainty then they although with lesse Eloquence The Table of all the Chapters contained in the first part of the History of China Chap. 1. OF the Kingdome in Generall Fol. 1. Chap. 2. Of the Provinces in particular and first of those of the South fol. 8. Chap. 3. Of the Northern Provinces fol. 15. Chap. 4. Of the persons of the Chinesses of their nature wit and inclination fol. 22. Chap. 5. Of the manner of their habit fol. 29. Chap. 6. Of their Language and Letters fol 31. Chap. 7. Of their manner of study and admittance to examination fol. 35. Chap. 8 Of the manner of their Examinations and how their degrees are conferred fol. 40. Chap. 9. Of the degree of Doctour fol. 45. Chap. 10. Of the Bookes and Sciences of the Chinesses fol. 47. Chap. 11. Of their Sciences and liberall Arts in particular fol. 51. Chap. 12. Of the Courtesies and Civilities of the Chinesses fol. 58. Chap. 13. Of their Banquets fol. 65. Chap. 14. Of the Games which the Chinesses use fol. 68. Chap. 15 Of their Marriage fol. 69. Chap. 16. Of the Funerals and Sepultures of the Chinesses fol. 73. Chap. 17. Of the Funerall of the Queen Mother fol. 78. Chap. 18. Of the severall sects of Religion in China fol. 86. Chap. 19. Of their superstitions and sacrifices in China fol. 93. Chap. 20. Of the Militia and Arms of the Chinesses fol. 96. Chap. 21. Of the war which the Tartars made upon China fol. 100. Chap. 22. Of the Kings and Queens of China and of the Eunuchs fol. 106. Chap. 23. How the Kings of China are married fol. 119. Chap. 24. Of the Nobility of China fol. 121. Chap. 25. Of the Government of China and of the Officers fol. 124. Chap. 26. Of the Government of the thirteen Provinces fol 128. Chap. 27 Of the Badge of honour or Ensigns of the Mandarines fol. 132. Chap. 28. Of the Prisons Sentences and Punishments of the Chinesses fol. 135. Chap. 29. Of some particular things which doe facilitate and rectify the Govenment in China fol. 144. Chap. 30. Of the Moors Iews and other Nations which are in China fol. 151. Chap. 31. Of the Christian Religion planted many ages since in China and of a very ancient stone lately discovered there which is an admirable testimony thereof fol. 154. A Table of the contents of the Chapters in the second Part of the History of China Chap. 1. OF the first beginninge of the preaching of the Gospel in China fol. 166. Chap 2. Of the proceedings and Persecutions of the Fathers before they arrived at Nankim fol. 172. Cap. 3. Of what happened after till the Fathers entred into Pekim fol. 177. Chap. 4. The Fathers enter into Pekim and settle there fol. 183. Chap. 5. Of the proceedings and ruin of their House at Xaocheu fol. 187. Chap. 6. Of the progresse of the Christian Religion at the two Residencies at Nancham and Nankim and of the death of Father Matthaeus Riccius fol. 192. Chap. 7. Of the burying place which was bestowed upon us by the King and of the progresse of the Christian Religion untill the time of the persecution at Nankim fol. 197. Chap. 8. A fierce persecution is raised against the Christians in Nankim fol. 205. Chap. 9. The continuation of the Persecution and the Banishment of the Fathers out of China Fol. 214. Chap. 10. How things began to be calmed again after the persecution and of the foundation of severall Residencies fol. 220. Chap. 11. Of the second persecution at Namkim and of the martyrdome of a Christian named Andrew fol. 226. Chap. 12. How things began to be quiet and setled and how the Fathers were sent for to Court by order of the Mandarines fol. 232. Chap. 13. The life and death of Dr. Leo and the conclusion of this History fol. 239. After which follows the supplement to these present times wherein is contained the Chinesses most cruell warre with the Tartars by whom they are now conquered fol. 249. An Exact MAPP of CHINA being faithfully Copied from one brought from Peking by a Father Lately resideent in that Citty 1655 IC A King of China A China Man A China Woman THE FIRST PART Of the Temporall State of CHINA CHAP. 1. Of the Kingdom in Generall CHina in its extent is one great continued Continent without having any thing which devides it and taking it from the latitude of Haynam which is not farre distant from the Continent and lyeth in nineteen degrees it extends it self twenty foure degrees inclining towards the East and ending in fourty three degrees it comes to make a circuite so much the more spacious by how much the coasts thereof run along in various and unequall windings and so comes to be the chiefest kingdome of the world in greatnesse and almost equall to all Europe On the west side thereof are many small Islands but so neere together that they seem all to Compose but as it were one body All this Monarchy is divided into fifteen Provinces each of which is a spacious Kingdome and so they were all anciently each having a King of its own Of those nine which they call the Southern Provinces the greatest part of them are watered
name although learned men doe derive it from Rates an ancient part of that Country Now this people running over the whole kingdom like swarmes of Bees do fill it with severall Trades whereunto they apply themselves and for the greatest part they lead a miserable life and are therefore so penurious niggardly and drie in their presents that they passe in ridiculous proverbs through the rest of the Provinces It is famous for Sturgeon which it hath of very great bignesse and more for the Porcellane dishes indeed the only work in the world of this kinde which are made only in one of its Townes So that all that is used in the Kingdom and dispersed through the whole world are brought from this place although the earth whereof they are made commeth from another place but there only is the water wherewith precisely they are to be wrought to come to their perfection for if they be wrought with other water the worke will not have so much glosse and lustre In this worke there are not those mysteries that are reported of it here neither in the matter the form nor the manner of working they are made absolutely of earth but of a neate and excellent quality They are made in the same time and the same manner as our earthen vessels only they make them with more diligence and accuratenesse The Blew wherewith they paint the Porcellane is Anill whereof they have abundance some do paint them with Vermilion and for the King with yellow This Province and that of Chincheo and Cantone which border one upon another do unite as it were in an angle with many Mountaines between them In the middle of which Mountaines there is a small Kingdome which hath a particular King of its own without any subjection to the Chinesses from whom he doth defend himselfe if they pretend to assault him nor is the defence difficult there being but one entrance into that kingdome They admit of the Chinesse-Physitians in their infirmities but not of their learned men into the administration of their government If they have an ill Harvest and that there is like to be a scarsity they go out and rob in a millitary order to the sound of the drum So in the year 1632 they gave no small trouble to this province of Kiamsi The last account shall be concerning the Christianity there which hath prospered very well being also beneficed with two Churches and houses which we have in that Province the one in the City of Nauchan which is the Metropolis The other in the City of Nauhium The sixt Province is called Suchuen in the same paralel with that of Kiamsi and in the same latitude of 29 degrees nor hath it any thing in particular differing from the former worthy the relation The Province of Huquam is the seventh in Scituation it lyeth more to the North in the heighth of 31 degrees it exceeds the whole Kingdom for the abundance of Rice The Chinesses say that that whole Kingdom is able to give but a breakfast in respect of Huquam which provideth for the whole yeare It hath store of oyle and no lesse Fish by reason of the rivers which it enjoyeth and the lakes which seem rather Seas In the Metropolis of this Province there was a Residencie begun at the time of my arrival The province of Cakiam which is the eighth lyeth in the Latitude of 30 degrees it is for the most part scituated by the Sea-side fertile plain and almost all divided by severall rivers some whereof run through their Cities and Townes In riches it exceeds many of the Provinces as being the Fountain from whence the best Commodities of that Monarchie doe flow it is singular in silke which it distributeth through every part whether it be raw or wrought in Balls or in Stuffe All that goeth out of the Kingdome any way cometh from this Province though all China hath the benefit of the Silk-worme yet all the rest would not serve them to make them Scarfes the name of the Metropolis is Hamcheu Here we have two houses which upon certain good considerations are reduced to one where there is cultivated a copious and good Christianity and also much honoured by reason of the number of people of quality that are in it Finally this Province is famous for many things but particularly for three The first is a lake called Sihu which is one of the rarest in the world It is in circuite Thirty Lis which are six miles it is set about with excellent Palaces and these environed by pleasant Mountaines cloathed with grasse plants and trees the water is alwayes running for there comming in a current at one and side issueing out at the other it is so cleere that it inviteth one to behold it with great delight the smallest sand that lyeth at the bottome being to be discovered There are certaine wayes paved with stone that do crosse over it offering passage to those that travell over it either upon their occasions or curiositie there stand ready small Barkes of a considerable burden which are made for recreation and banquets the kitchin is in the steerage or the forecastle and the middle space serveth for a hall Above higher there is a place for the women covered with lattices that they might not be seen These Barkes are painted and guilded after a curious and various manner and are provided in great abundance with all things necessary for the navigation which is short and free from wracks of water but not so well from those of wine there happening many as also shipwrackes of estates very often there being scarce any in the whole kingdome that hath any thing that doth not come to spend in these delights either part or the whole and sometimes more than his whole stock is worth The second is the excellency of the silke as well for the plenty abovesaid as for the curiositie of the Art with which a good part of it is wrought engrayling it with precious and beautifull workes of gold This is only after their manner and gusto and is not sent out of the kingdome but as a singular worke is reserved for the Kings Palaces who every yeare buyeth up all that is made of this sort The third is the worshipping of their Idols in which is particularly to be perceived whence the fabrick of their Temples proceeds which are without doubt very famous The last of these nine Southerly Provinces is Nankim scituated in 32 degrees of latitude and is one of the best Provinces of the kingdome and the perfection of the whole realm It sendeth abroade its commodities or workes of importance to no part as if they were unworthy to participate of its perfection which is most rare in all sort of varietie and so much exceeding all the rest that every one to sell his commodities the better pretendeth that they are of Nankim and so passeth them off at a greater price That part which is towards the West is the most
able to inform only a Captain told me that it was a very ancient thing for that present to be composed of such things with so much infallibility they durst not make any alteration Of the rest of the commodities which they bring if the King desireth any thing he sendeth to see and buy it At their return the King rewardeth them with two pieces of cloth of gold for each horse 30. pieces of yellow silk 30. pound of Chá ten of Musk 50. of a medicine called Tienyo and as many of Silver These Saracens told me that the present which they gave the King was not in their country worth above 7000 Crownes but what was given them by the King for their Embassie and voyage was noe lesse worth then 50000 Crownes a pretty good gayne but ordinary from those Princes From this Province goeth another Caravan for the powerful Kingdom of Tibet which carryeth diverse things in particular Silk-stuffs Porsellane and Chá Chá is a leafe of a tree about the bignesse of Mirtle in other Provinces of the hearbe Basil and in others of the small Pomgranat They drie it over the fire in iron-sives where it hardens and sticketh together There is of many sorts of it as well because the plant is various as also that the upper leaves do exceed the other in finenesse a property almost of all plants There is of it from a Crown a pound to four farthings according to the quality of it there being so many differences thereof It being thus dryed and cast into warme water it giveth it a colour smell and tast at the first unpleasing but custome makes it more acceptable T is much used in China and Giappone for it serveth not only for ordinary drink in stead of water but also for entertainment to strangers when they visit them as wine doth in the Northern parts it being throughout all those kingdoms esteemed a wretched niggardlinesse to give only good words to those that come to their house although they be strangers at least they must have Chá and if the visit be any thing long there must be added some fruit or sweet-meates sometimes they lay the cloath for this and when not they set it in two dishes upon a little square table Many vertues are related of this leaf certain it is that it is very wholesome and that neither in China nor Giappone there is any troubled with the stone nor is so much as the name of this disease known from whence may be inferred how great a preservative against this evill the use of this drink is it is also certain that it powerfully delivereth from the oppression of sleep whosoever desireth to watch either for necessitie or pleasure for by suppressing the fumes it easeth the head without any inconvenience and finally it is a known and admirable help for students For the rest I have not so great an assurance of it that I dare affirm it There is found also in this Province a most evident signe of the ancient Christianitie which hath been there as we shall relate in its order In the great Metropolis thereof we have a Church and a house with a well founded and fruitfull Christianity by whom also many particular Oratories are frequented Riansi is the third of these six Northern Provinces which we are now discoursing of It lyeth in the Latitude of thirty eight degrees it hath many mountaines which makes their Harvest but poore there is little wheate lesse Rice but most Maiz it is so aboundant in grapes that it serveth the whole Kingdome with Raisins and might furnish at least it selfe with wine as it succeeds in a Residence which we have there where we make now only enough for to serve the Masses but send also sufficient to the next Residencies It hath wells of fire for the use of their houses as we have of water in Europe they seeme to be Mines of sulphur set on fire so that opening a little the mouth of the well which must not be very large it sendeth forth so great a heade that they rost and boyle therewith whatsoever meate they desire Their ordinary fewell as likewise in all the confines thereof Stone-coale not small ones such as are found in some of our Countries of Europe but of a very considerable bignesse There are Mines very fruitfull of this matter which burneth with a great deale of ease In some parts as Pekim and Honam they lay it together in such manner that the fire lasteth day and night They make use of Bellowes to kindle it We have a house and a Church in the City of Kiamcheu another in that of Phucheu which are visited at their set times both the one and the other have a good and numerous Christianity and among them many of the Nobility There are not wanting Oratories as in other Cities by which the scarsity of Churches is supplied The fourth Province which is Xantun in the Latitude of 23. degrees lying betwixt Nankim and Pekim is very poore it suffereth many times a loathsome and malignant Infestation by Grillo's or field-Crickets and by consequence the terrible horrour of famine In the yeare 1616 a dogge bought to be eaten was worth more than a young man sold for a slave it produceth store of Cattell and of our fruits great peares many and good There groweth here in great number and varietie a fruit which seemed to some of us to be a peare of a good kind in so great aboundance that filling the Kingdom they overflow even to Macao although it be a great way off and that there are three large Provinces betwixt Pekim is the fift Province scituated in the Latitude of fourty degrees it enjoyeth the priviledge of having the Court in a City of the same name Though the proper name of it be Xunthienfu by the Sarances called Lambalud This good fortune befell it for so I may call it at the death of Humvù when a nephew of his named Vunlo who dwelt in this Province and was very potent usurped by violence the crowne against the right heire And so confiding more in them with whom he had alwaies lived as also to be the better able to make resistance against the Tartars which border upon him he removed the Court from Nankim and planted it here The people are lesse ingenious as commonly all Northern people are but more apt for labour and warre The soyle is very drie and favourable for health but barren of fruits for the common sustenance But this want is supplyed by that generall prerogative of Courts which draw all to them and overcome in this the proper nature of the place It hath Maiz Wheate and little Rice only for the use of the people of the Palace which is very numerous the Mandarines and Souldiers being many thousands The King keepeth in those rivers a thousand vessels flat-bottom'd by reason of the shallownesse of the water which only serve for the bringing of victualls to Court which they lade in
abilities to the shame of those Nations which have no eyes to see but such as are infected with the disparagement of what they behold They are not lesse ingenious Mechanicks than the Manufactures which come from thence shew them to be although all which come are not made by the best Masters They are very excellent in workes of Ivory Ebony and Amber especially in Eare-Jewels pendants and gallantries of Gold and Silver for the ornament of women They make chaines to admiration There was one brought from thence to Goa which consisting of 300 links weighed not 3 ounces of gold and the work was so fine and small that the links were hardly to be discerned They have altogether relinquisht to Europe to be served in plate there being scarce found among them a vessel of Silver of a considerable bignesse no not in the Emperors palace being content to eat in Porcellane which is the only vessel in the world for neate and delightfull cleanlinesse There Gold-thread is of lesse weight and worth than ours they have a way of twisting of it about paper which maketh it seem as if it were right and massie and is an admirable Artifice The workmanship of Europe which they most admired were our clocks but now they make of them such as are set upon tables very good ones and will be able to do the like in small ones if the price of them there did equall ours Although they make some things whose price would be excessive if we should cause them to be made here Notwithstanding in the generall we do much exceed them in manufactures and mechanick Arts except it be in that same Charam which is indeed a singular Artifice It cannot be denyed but that they are a people of an admirable Acutenesse so that that may be worthily appropriated to them that Aristotle so freely bestoweth upon all the people of Asia saying that Asia exceeded Europe in ingenuity but was exceeded by Europe in valour this beeing a thing so approved to us by experience There are many which even to this day do call the Chinesses Barbarians as if they spake of the Negroes of Guynea or the Tapuyi of Brasile I have blusht to hear some stile them so having been taught the contrary by many years travels among them Although the fame and manufactures of China are sufficient to teach it us it beeing now many years that we have heard the one and seen the other T is a great shame truly but although in this relation there are many things which might satisfie us concerning the subtelty of their wit yet I wil give you one example in this following case A certain Chaquen that is a visitour of a Province one of the most important Employments of the Kingdom receiving of his visits after a few daies were over shut up his gates and refused to admit any further their businesse or visits pretending for his excuse that he was sick This accident being divulged a certain Mandarine a friend of his began to be much troubled at it and with much ado obtained leave to speak with him When he was admitted he gave him notice of the discontent that was in the City by reason that businesses were not dispatched the other put him off with the same excuse of his sicknesse I see no signes of it replied his friend but if your Lordship will be pleased to tell me the true cause I will serve you in it to my utmost power conformable to that affection I bear you in my heart know then replied the Visitour They have stollen the Kings seale out of the Cabinet where it used to be kept leaving it locked as if it had not been touched so that if I would give audience I have not where withall to seale dispatches If I should discover my negligence in the losse of the seale I shall loose you know both my Government and my life so that I know not what to do unlesse it be to stand in suspence as I do the which is but little avail to me being more sensible than the people themselves of this delay of justice Well perceived the Mandarine how terrible the occasion of his retirement was but presently making use of the quickness of his wit asked him if he had never an enemy in that City he answered him yes and that it was the chief Officer of that City that is the Chifu or governour which of a long time had borne a concealed malice against him Away then quoth the Mandarine in great hast let your Lordship command that all your goods be removed to the innermost part of the palace and let them set fire on the empty part and call out for help to quench the fire to which the governour must of necessity repair with the first it being one of the principall duties of his office As soon as you see him among the people call out to him aloud and consigne to him the Cabinet thus shut as it is that it may be secured in his possession from the danger of the fire for if it be he which hath caused the seale to be stollen he will put it in his place again when he restores you the cabinet if it be not he your Lordship shall lay the fault upon him for having so ill kept it and your Lordship shall not only be freed from this danger but also revenged of your enemie The visitour followed his councel and it succeeded so well that the next morning after the night this fire was the governour brought him the seale in the cabinet both of them concealing each others fault equally complying for the conservation of both Now if after this example the Chinesses must passe for Barbarians as those would have it who have forced me to relate this story it must be upon the same account on which others have said as much of Moses CHAP. 5. Of the manner of their habit THe materials of which they make severall sorts of stuffs and cloaths for the service of their persons as cloathing Beds and other furniture of their houses are wooll convase for they have no other sort of linnen as I have formerly hinted silk and cotton of all which they have great abundance Two hundred years before Christ they used garments with short sleeves such as the Giapponeses use at this day who are descended of them and still conserve this ancient habit This manner of garment continued here untill the raign of Hoan in the time of this King who is much renowned amongst them about 400 years after Christ that habit was altered as well in the people as the Officers to that fashion which is worn at this day and is the very same throughout the whole Kingdom although it consist of so many and so large Provinces nor can it be altered no more than any other notable custome among them without the Kings particular Order For these people which we call Barbarians have very well understood that the changing of fashions and customes in a
their publique women called Vampa Likewise those are not admitted against whom lyeth any tax or accusation of ill manners untill there be satisfaction given of their amendment They have three sorts of degrees Sieueai Kiugin Cinfu and that we might the better understand them I might say that after their manner they are answerable to our Batchelour Licentiate and Doctour each degree having their severall ensignes and badges of honour Those that are only students and have taken no degree have not any particular priviledge belonging to them but only are respected as Gentlemen and the people honour them as the lights of their Country so much is knowledge esteemed among them who know how to honour that which doth truly deserve esteeme CHAP. 8. Of the manner of their Examinations and how their degrees are conferred THe order and manner that the Chinesses observe in their examinations of persons that take their degrees is very curious It is to be supposed that in these examinations from the first of the simple student to the last of the Doctour consisteth the businesse of the greatest importance of this Kingdome for on these depend the degrees and offices both of honour and profit the only marke at which mortalls aime with their chiefest attention In a word if there be an employment wherein these two are coupled a conjunction which the old proverb hath sentenced to be very difficult certainly it is this We will begin at the beginning that is what is performed by the meer and simple students Before the examination there is first spread abroad a report that there will be one till at length it be published by Authoritie Because the degrees which are conferred and those which pretend are many it is not convenient that so great a multitude should be admitted to the examination of the Chancellour and to the end that both the fit and unfit should not enter at that examination there is an order in the Province that those which are to enter should be proved first by two Antecedent examinations in their City or Towne after this manner Every Judge in his Territorie doth publish an examination and appointeth a day for the meeting of all the students of his Precinct And because sometimes the place of the publick universitie is not sufficient for the reception of so great a multitude they fill a large field with seats and Tables and there the examination is held The Judge giveth the poynt upon which they are to compose They begin in the morning and are allowed time till night They give in but one composition and when they have finished it they consigne it to the proper officer who putting them together examineth them all along with great diligence and chusing out the best causeth the name of their composers to be written this roll of their names is stuck up upon the wall of his Palace by which it cometh to be known who they are that are allowed to passe to the supream examination and this allowance they call Having a name in their Village The compositions thus allowed are carried by the Officer in person to the Governour of the City and the same do all the judges of Townes each within his own jurisdiction and each City in its Villages each City being divided into two Villages with their particular judges besides the Governour of the City And all the students of the Country that have been already allowed of being assembled together enter into the generall place of the City where the Governour of the City examines them again and giveth them a new point after the same manner as was given them in the Village with this difference that they use more care rigour and diligence and admit lesse of the Intercession of friends who are ready in all places to pervert the truth Of these the governour chuseth 200 and giveth their names to the Chancellour who putteth them the third time upon the same examination almost in the same manner and chuseth out amongst them about 20 or 25 upon whom he conferreth their degree so that being sifted three times most exactly they come at length to be but few in number Then are given them their ensignes and priviledges with an advertency of their subordination not only to the Chancellour but also to the Prefects who are two in each City and are called Hioquon that is Mandarines of the sciences Their office is to observe and spy out the deportment of each and to chastise those that behave themselves amisse and which is more they may examine them a new if they please and as often as they think good The Chancellour is bound by his office to send through the Province and to assemble within the Cities all the Ancient Batchelours and to examine them to find whether they study or else addict themselves to other imployments different from their profession He rewardeth the diligent and castiseth those that are idle in this manner when they are all gathered together in the generall Palace he giveth them a point for their compositions the which being ended their papers are divided into five Decuries or Classes to those of the first he giveth praise and rewards the same or little lesse is done to those of the second Those of the third Classe are passed by in silence those of the fourth he chastiseth those of the last Classe he depriveth of their degrees priviledges and ensignes of honour and turneth them back to be rank'd among the common people yet neverthelesse with liberty to return again for their degrees to their examinations Of the first sorâ— are chosen the ablest to the number of 40. For each City and 20 for each town and although they have not above eight Crowns pension a man they stand the King through the whole Kingdom in 300000. Crowns This employment is very great for the Cities are 444 the Villages 1250. This is that which a Batchelour is obliged to do to obtain his degree let us now see what is required of a Licentiate The examination of these is held every three years in the chief City of each Province upon the same day through out the whole Kingdom which useth to be in the eighth moone and commonly falleth out to bee about the end of our September or beginning of October The examination lasteth about 25 or 30 daies although they that are to be examined are not held to it above three daies only and those are the ninth the twelfth and the fifteenth of the aforesaid month The chief examiners are the greatest Officers of the whole Province besides others of that precinct who are assistant to them But above all the President who commeth even from court purposely to his Province These are the first that do assemble in the general Palace and with them their Secretaries notaries and other people appointed both for their Guard and service and likewise Physitians for fear they might have need of them because whilest this action lasteth no person is permitted to come
to find him because they do yet stand retired to give him notice of his election and to beg some reward of him and so staies with him to wait upon him till he departeth to go to the Court. The students having notice given them of their promotion come all on horse-back to the Palace-general every one in his order where the Proveditor and Minister of the Kings Exchequer-chamber standeth ready expecting them with the ensigns of their dignitie as the Cap Gown Tippit and Boots which he solemnly putteth upon them and when they are thus adorned they go presently to give thanks to the President of the examinations who receiveth them on foot and treateth them as his equals though he be alwaies to them in the stead of a Master and they do so depend on him and bear him such extraordinary respect that it is a thing almost incredible to be related Among them is so much love and amity as if they were really brethren for they are called brothers of the examination and like such do they respect one another After follow diverse ceremonies and severall banquets presented by the Officers altogether They are three in all as I remember and are all very sumptuous but the third is of some profit also for in this there is set to every one of them three tables the first covered with diverse meates the second with hens fowle venison and other flesh which is to be all raw the third with dryed fruits and all this is to be sent home to their houses that they might spend it there at their own pleasure and discretion Assoon as these men have obtained their degree they become presently great honoured nay adored and I know not how suddenly rich After this they go no longer on foot but either on hors-back or in a Sedan And not only the graduate but his whole family change their condition and he beginneth to think of purchasing his neighbours houses and to build himself a Palace This will yet seem more wonderfull to him that knoweth that many of them come out of their countries a very great way on foot carrying at their backs that habit which they are to wear in the City having sometimes their hands daubed with clay wherewith they lately were mending up their poor cottages of which sort of blades I have seen some come to Nankim These solemnities being ended the Graduates presently prepare to go to Court to be made Doctours and if they will take any government upon them they are presently provided with some place or other But if they accept of any government they lose their pretension of being examined afterward for Doctour Although there is none who at first doth not attempt it But if any one doth not succeed in it and begin to be somewhat in years having a mind to put himselfe presently into the world he accepteth of a Government having only the title of a Licentiate but such very seldome come to very high preferments although there have been found some of them who have had the good fortune to be advanced to the quality of Vice-roy For this journey to Court they have every one of them given them 80. crownes out of the Kings exchequer to bear their charges and it is very certaine as I have been informed by some Chinesses of credit that the whole expences which every Licentiate stands the King in from the time he taketh his degree till he cometh to be placed in the Court amounteth to 1000. crownes which throughout the whole Kingdome according to my account maketh a million and halfe of crownes So much doth it cost the Prince in the forming of his wisemen and making them capeable of the Government of his crowne so great a reward doth he propose to them that they might aspire to be sufficiently learned The Licentiates who are made every three yeare throughout all the Provinces are about fifteen hundred more or lesse and this is no great number in respect of those which procure their degree in all the generall Palaces In that of Cantone which is one of the least having not above 7500. little chambers in it the compositions of the first day are about 96148. from whence may easily be inferred how great the number of the pretenders is And now we will give a particular chapter concerning the supreme degree CHAP. 9. Of the degree of Doctour THe degree of Doctour is solemnly conferred at the Court in the second Moone of the yeare which answereth to our month of March They proceed in it according to the same form which was observed in the degree of Licentiate excepting that the ensignes of honour are different and the examiners of greater qualitie they being the chiefe of the royall Colledge called Hanlin and their President is alway the Colao the greatest dignitie next the King of this Empire although he differently exerciseth the charge of President for in this Transaction they of the royall Colledge have a definitive vote and the compositions being distributed among them after the first election they who are elected and approved by them cannot be refused or rejected by the President All the Licentiates of the Kingdome are admitted to this examination as well the old ones as the new And anciently there was no precedent examination to inable them for this admittance because it was accounted sufficient to be a Licentiate to have entrance at the examination of Doctors But because among their compositions there were many so ill made that it was time lost to read them and did render the composers incapeable not only of the degree of Doctour but likewise of pretending to it therefore about 15. years since there was introduced another examination for the receiving of them which is in practise to this day from whence it happeneth that many are not received to their great shame and sorrow which is a wholesome instruction to others not to spend their time in feasting and recreations In this examination are to be chosen 350. upon whom the degree of Doctour is conferred The ensignes of honour excepting the Bootes which are the same in all are very different from those of the Licentiates both in cost and ornament They have also a girdle given them which they alwaies weare in their places of Government which are bestowed upon them but is more rich and precious according to the offices they are advanced to When they have received their degree and put on their ensignes of honour they all assemble within a Hall of the Kings Palace prepared for that purpose where they are examined the second time in one only composition the poynt being about the Government and employment which they are to be admitted to At this examination in former times the King did use to assist in person but now there assisteth a Colao in his name The examination being ended they passe into another Hall where the new Doctours do make their reverence to the King and presently the Colai presents to him three of
of small value silver of base alloy will serve the turn and so base that in some Provinces of one six-pence they make eight or ten and reape much benefit by it Other things cannot be bought but with fine silver and so the poore silver goeth often to the fire to be otherwise qualified They are great lovers of the Mathematiques but to speak generally they know very little of them none being allowed to study them professedly except those who apply themselves to this study by the Kings speciall order and these are only two throughout the whole Kingdome The one in the Court of Pekim and the other in that of Nankim with a traine and attendance of Mandarines and the Title of the Kings Mathematicians These teach their art but only to their sonnes who always succeed them and are but moderately knowing in their profession Neverthelesse they have many ancient books of this science not only of the course and motion of the stars planets and several other things but also of Iudiciall Astrologie and Horoscopes to which they are much addicted By these books they find out when the Ecclipses of the sun and moone are to be and have maps of the stars though not in great perfection yet tolerably good They reckon a greater number of stars than we They make the elements to be five that is water mettall fire wood and earth Over these they assigne five predominant planets as Mercury over the water Venus over mettall Mars over fire Iupiter over wood and Saturn over the earth They are great observers of the motions of the heavens They distinguish the seasons of the yeare by the Aquinoxes and Solstices They divide the Zodiack into 24. signes doubling our number They make the yeare to consist of twelve moones and 354. dayes having six months of thirty days and six of 29. and when it is leap-yeare which falleth out every three years it consisteth of 13 moones and 383. dayes Their yeare beginneth with the new moone which is neerest to our month of February From the observation of the heavens and their motion they proceed to the Judiciall part referring severall events to the conjunctions of the planets and celestiall appearances of Phenomena which they diligently observe and if there fall out any new or strange appearance they presently give the King notice of it by a petition and to this end in both Courts there is a very high place or Tower furnished with severall mathematicall instruments which they call Quon Siam Thai that is a place to observe the stars in Of that in Nankim I have already said something when I spake of that City In Pekim the chiefest instruments are a spheare like that at Nankim with all his Circles Aquator Zodiack Tropicks c. of cast mettall and excellent workmanship Another instrument of the same bignesse that is of 24. foote in circumference divided into severall circles some fixt others moveable a stile or Gnomon in the middle and little holes at each end to take the hight of the stars the degrees and elevation of the Pole c. There is moreover a celestiall Globe of brasse of the same bignesse divided into its degrees with its constellations whereof they make only 28. They have also a Stile of brasse very large divided proportionably with which they measure the shadowes of the foure seasons of the yeare that is of the Aquinoxes and Solstices There are besides many other moveable instruments of brasse for severall uses which do sufficiently demonstrate the curiositie of their Ancestours and how much more diligent and intelligent they were than the Modernes Musick was anciently much esteemed in China in so much that their Philosopher Confusio in the Countrie where he governed one of the chiefe things he tooke paines in was to cause them to be taught Musick Now adaies the Chinesses lament and say that the true rule thereof is lost and almost all the ancient books that treated of Musick So that that Musick which they have at present is not esteemed off by the Nobilitie The greatest use they make of it is in their comedies There are also particular Musicians who are sent for to their feasts mariages and the birth of their children and of these there are some that may be endured There are not wanting also blind men who go singing about the streets and at the doores of their houses and as all the Chinesses do make a feast on their birth-dayes these blind men do keep in their memorie the punctuall time of all the birth dayes of persons of qualitie and know their houses well and at those times do never faile to go thither to sing The Bonzi do use Musick in their offices and mortuaries the Tone whereof is not much unlike our Cantus firmus or plainsong though they have not formally either plain-song or Organ-note for they do not raise nor fal their voice immediately from a note to the next note or half-note but mediately raise and fal it to a third a fift or an eight in which the Chinesses do much delight They have twelve Tones six to rise which they call Live and six to fall which they call Liu. They have also their notes in singing like ours of ut re mi they are five and among them is our ut in learning of Musick they make no use of signes nor of the joints of the fingers nor in composing do they use lines as we do it is therefore to be supposed that in their consorts they have not a Musick formed of diverse parts for although many do sing together all is but unison as is in use almost throughout all Asia Therefore their Musick is pleasing only to those of their owne Country but their best way of singing is one voice only with an Instrument Neither are they delighted with our full Musick but very much with a single voice They use keeping of time but cannot tell how many diversities it hath and so in singing ancient songs and moderne ones upon the same ayre with the old they hence know the time when they are to sing and when they are to stop Concerning their instruments they say they have seven severall kinds of tones besides a mans voice and according to these they have made their Musicall Instruments The first is of mettall and containeth bells of all sorts Cimballs Sistra c. The second of stone They make an Instrument of Jasper like unto the Italian squadra excepting that the lowermost end is very large and they strike or play upon it as it hangeth up The third is of skins here come in our ordinary drums and those of the Moresco fashion or kettle drums which they make of severall fashions and some so big that they cannot be plaid upon unlesse they be hung up in frames of wood The fourth is of silke of which they make strings for instruments as here we make lute-strings of gutts For stringed instruments they have the vyoll almost like ours but it hath
only 3 strings and is the usuall instrument of the blind man They use also the violin with 3 strings and its bow they have also another with one only string which they play on like to our Bow vyollin The chiefest stringed instrument which they have is of seaven strings and is in more esteem than the rest and if the Musician be skil-full it maketh tolerable Musick The fift is of wood Of this kind they make certain thin pieces of board laying them together they play upon them all at once like snappers or castagnets the Bonzi also have a particular way by themselves of striking and playing upon a piece of wood and that with much keeping of time The sixth is of those instruments which are sounded with the mouth as flutes of which they have 2 or 3 sorts so sound them very excellently They have also another instrument made of severall pipes like the fashion of our Organ but it is but small and to be carried in ones hand They sound it with their mouths and the Harmony is excellent Now sometimes all these instruments are plaid on together and make a pleasing musick Poesie hath ever been much esteemed in China and in the time when there were many Kings Feudatory to one Emperour when they came to do him homage as they did every three years they were obliged each of them to bring with him out of his Kingdom the Rythmes and Poesies which were there most current and in use that by them he might judge of their manners and customes which truly are much discovered in such compositions In this particular the Chinesses have a great advantage over all others because they are very modest in whatsoever they write and it is very rare to find a loose word in their verses and what is more they have no letters whereby to expresse the privy parts not are they to be found written in any part of all their books They have great variety of verses and do use a consonancie of meeter like to that in the Songs Ballads Sonets and Madregals of Europe and they put also the correspondency of the Rythmes at the end of each and so many verses as we do in our sonets octaves in which they use great variety They compose likewise verses by the number of syllables the which they call words for as in their language all words are Monosyllables there cometh to be no difference betwixt a syllable and a word which consisteth of one only letter which is likewise pronounced a Monosyllable So that all letters being thus after the same manner the quantity of the verse consisteth in the number of them so that as we compose verses here of five seaven or eleven syllables so also the Chinesses make theirs of five seaven or more letters whereas among us two words and sometimes one may take up the whole verse it can never fall out so in theirs because all their words are of one syllable and one letter They have not verses that answer to our latin verses with feet as Dactils or Spondees c. But are all made like our Sonets and Dities and other verses in Rythme in which they use many various forms and manners of compositions The chiefe are eight it will be sufficient to relate one to you to give you some knowledge of the rest In this kind of Poesie the verses are to be eight in number consisting each of them of five letters and the consonancy of rythme to be every other verse in this manner The first may have it or no as they please but the second must rime to the fourth The fift with the sixt the seventh with the eighth The third fift and seaventh have no consonancy of rime but the letters are to be correspondent to one another as also the verses that do observe a consonancy are likewise to have their letters to correspond to one another the first with the first the second with the second c. And this correspondency consisteth not in riming but in the signification wherefore if the first letter of the second verse signifie a mountaine water fire or whatsoever else the first letter of the fourth verse must likewise signifie the same thing which is likewise observed in the second and in the rest of the letters of the whole verse This is a very Artificiall way but difficult In the conceits of their verses and in the figures with which they expresse themselves they use almost the same manner with us in Europe They have another kind of verse of lesse esteeme like ordinary rimes which are every where in request but the Nobilitiá and particularly those of the Kings kindred and blood-royall are much addicted unto the eighth manner of verses above mentioned in which they make many severall Poesies chiefly in commendation of their friends of famous men of the dead and of severall vertues In Painting they have more curiositie than perfection They know not how to make use either of Oyles or Shadowing in this Art and do therefore paint the figures of men without any grace at all but trees flowers birds and such like things they paint very much to the life But at present there are some of them who have been taught by us that use Oyles and are come to make perfect pictures Medicine or Physick is in a very good condition in China because they have abundance of good ancient bookes of that art being all their owne authours for ours are not yet arrived thither They do not let blood nor set on Cupping-Glasses They use no sirrops no potions no pills much lesse have they the use of Cauteries or issues a medicine of great advantage They are only Herbalists using nothing but herbes rootes fruits seeds c. and all drie and for a greater supply that which they have not in some Provinces is brought them from others so that there are whole Faires only of medicines and in the Cities and Townes the Apothecaries shops are very well provided from whence they furnish themselves But neither in bottles nor glasses but of all others the Physicians are well provided because they never write any receipt but give the medicine themselves to the patient whom they visit And all is done at the same visit therefore the Physician hath alwayes following him a boy carrying a Cabinet with five drawers each of them being divided into more than fourty little squares and all of them furnished with medicines ready ground and prepared They are very famous in judging of the Pulse never asking the patient whether the paine be in his head shoulders or belly only they feele the pulse with both their hands leaned upon a pillow or some other such thing observing the motion of the pulse for a good while and afterwards do tell what the patient ayleth I do not say that they hit right on every thing in all patients nor that all Physitians are able to do it there being many which do not study and know
glutton of play soundeth as ill as any other vice which we abhorr here CHAP. 15. Of their Marriage IN the Kingdome of China as doth plainly appear by their books and Chronicles formal Marriages and indissoluble after contract have been in use above 2400 yeares and in ancient time they used certain particular Ceremonies at the celebration thereof one of which was giving the hand But these have been changed by time some being taken away and many others added Alwaies from that time to this there hath been among them two kinds of Marriage one a true one with a matrimoniall contract for their whole life between the two parties and then the woman is called a wife and treated as such and received with extraordinary Ceremonies The second is rather a Concubinage permitted by their lawes in case they have no children by their wife especially sonnes but now it is grown so common that although some do forbear having them upon the account of vertâ—e yet it is very ordinary among rich men to take Concubines although they have children The manner is very different from the true and legitimate Marriage for although they contract after some sort with the Father of the maiden and that they treat one another as kindred yet in truth she is bought and sold and many times by a Person that hath no relation to her but only that he bâ—ed her up for that purpose for there are many in China which breed up young maidens and teach them Musick and dancing and other perquisites of womens breeding only to sell them afterwards for Concubines at a great price Yet however it is not accounted a Matrimony nor hath it the solemnitie of Marriage belonging to it nor any obligation of perpetuity but the man may put her away and she may marrie with another there being no law which prohibits it in case she be wholly withdrawn from the company of the first The manner of treating them is very different They eat apart by themselves in their own chambers and are in subjection to the true wife and serve her in some things as her Servants The children which they beare do not do them reverence as to a mother but they pay it to the true wife whom also they call mother Hence it is that if the Concubine die that bore them they are not obliged to three years mourning nor to deprive themselves of entrance into the examinations nor if they govern to quit their charge which as you shall hear hereafter is to be done at the death of their parents Therefore although he be an only sonne he is not obliged to these duties but only when his Fathers lawfull wife dieth although she be not his true mother When the Husband dieth the government of the estate and family falleth to the lawfull wife and to the children whether they be by her or by the Concubine But when the lawfull wife dieth it falleth to the Concubine and her children if she have any Sometimes it falleth out that they take a Concubine and keep her only till she bring them a sonne for if the lawfull wife will not suffer her to stay assoone as the child is born they send her away or marry her to another the child which staieth behind never knoweth her who bore him acknowledging only for his Mother his Fathers lawfull wife It happeneth also many times that a man taketh an excessive affection to his Concubine and then all goeth amisse but only in what belongeth to the outward observance which must not be changed Widows may marry if they will but they that are women of qualitie seldome or never do it no although they be young and have no children They are to live in their Father in laws house and are for this reason much esteemed In the legitimate Marriage for the most part they observe an equalitie of estate and condition but in their Concubines they have regard only to their naturall endowments They may not marry with any of their kindred on their Fathers side in no degree whatsoever nor with any of the same Sir-name but they may marry with their kindred on the Mothers side if they be in a remote degree but that is not so exactly observed A young maid will hardly marry with a widdower which they call patching up the house and the bed They never marry although they be never so great friends without a Mediator or one that goeth between both parties wherefore they chuse whom they please there being as well men as women who perform this office The Bride-groom never seeth the Bride before he entreth the doore to take her for his wife there Fathers marry their sonnes ordinarilie very young promise them in Mariage even from little children sometimes before they are borne which promise these punctually performe although their Fathers die before the time or one of the parties fall from his honour or estate c. excepting both parties voluntarily agree to break off the contract if by chance the sonne for some respects will not stand to the contract made by his father they compel him by law to perform it In China before the Father die there is no formall portion given either to sonne or daughter among the meaner sort of people the ordinarie custome is not absolutely to buy their wives as some say but the husband giveth a certain quantitie of mony to the Father of the maid with which to buy her clothes and ornaments for her head suitable to her qualitie This summe is alwaies of the largest for that purpose but the Fathers save as much out of it as they can what remaineth being to accrue to them Hence it is that some have said that the Chinesses buy their wives there being not wanting some ground for this beleefe for to this day they agree with the Father of the maid for so much money which if it be not given them they wil not part with their daughter Among the Nobility there is no talk of giving any money but the Father of the Bride is obliged to comply with what the stile and custome of that Kingdome requireth each according to their abilitie and commonly that which he giveth is all necessary Furniture for her apartment excepting the bed which although all things are very cheap in that Country will sometimes cost fifty Crowns He giveth her four or two maid servants to wait upon her and some money and of all this more or lesse according to his ability But land or possession they almost never give unlesse the Brides Father be very rich or that he would match her to some principall Person and that only in case he have no sonnes After the contract is performed between their Fathers then there follow many curtesies and compliments as first the Bride-groom sendeth the Bride a present of things to eate as flesh wine and fruit Secondly a day is chosen for their Marriage which when it is resolved on by advice of Astrologers is
they burn the bodie and put the ashes in earthern Iarres close stopped and then cast them into the rivers After the Chest followeth the place of Sepulture which every one provideth for himself and his posterity without the wals for within it is not permitted Of these places they make great account Some have in them very convenient houses they are kept lockt on the out-side and within are full of Cypresses which they usually plant there and other trees proper for that place They are many times little worth in respect of the quantitie of ground they contain but do cost them a great deal of mony if their Astrologer do judge them lucky places and fortunate for the Familie for none do make choice of them without his opinion In Burying they observe this order to lay the chief of the Family in the uppermost place and the rest by his side according to their degrees On the topp of the Sepulchre they place many ornaments wrought in stone and before them they set Stone-statues of severall Animals and above all Epitaphs and stones graved with elegant compositions in praise of the deceased The great men especially the Eunuches use another way of more vast expence For they build in such places Sumptuous Palaces with Halls underneath them like Coemeteries where there are Niches fitted to receive the Coffins of the deceased These Palaces serve them when they go thither and on The day of the dead at which time the whole Family is assembled to make their Sacrifices and Ceremonies For the poorer sort of people that cannot have a peculiar place of Sepulture there is ordinarily in every City a common place of Buriall They never faile to bury every one in the place of his Sepulture although it be never so remote from that where he dieth which happeneth often to the officers who by reason they are sent to govern in severall parts of the kingdome do many times come to die out of their own Country and upon that occasion cause them to be brought home and buried there neither doth it seem a custome voide of reason Iacob and Ioseph having used the same diligence upon that account At their death the first Ceremony is that before the dying Person breathe his last they bring him on a mattresse or quilt into the outward Hall where he is to expire I do not know what is the reason of this custome neither is it generally used of all for if he be a person of qualitie they let him alone in his bed and assoon as he is dead his eldest Son plucketh off the Coife and Cap from his head and pulling down the bed without any order overturneth the Beds-Tester and curtaines and partly by tearing and partly by breaking pulleth every thing down and with it covereth the Corps If it be a woman the women stay and if it be a man the men presently washing the dead Body according to their custome When they have washed it they wind it in a fine linnen cloth if he have any or else in a piece of silk After that they cloathe him in the best garment that he hath and upon him they lay the ensignes of his office and degree and when he is thus adorned they lay him into the Coffin which is made of very thick boards and strongly joynted On the inside of the Coffin they bestow two weights which they call Manos of Bitumen and after that one of Charan and then there is no danger that any ill smell can come through it The Coffin is then brought out and placed in the outward hall which is all hung with mourning On the top of the Coffin they lay his statue made by the life with his ensignes of honour just as he lieth in the Coffin Before it they set a Table and a Carpet behinde the Coffin they hang up certaine curtaines behind which the women stand On each side of the Coffin are his sonnes and grand-sonnes sitting on straw in very deep mourning In the first open Gallerie set about with Balansters which is before the hall there stand Trumpeters on each side thereof and at the great gate of the Palace on the inside in the Court are two drummers without the gate next the street there is hung out a great flagge made of pieces of paper reaching almost to the ground and it is a signall that their mourning is provided and that now they admit of visitants After that they advise all their friends and kindred thereof sending them a Thie of Mourning wherein with words of much affliction and humilitie they give them notice of their sorrow Then presently begin their Visits of Condoling which are done in this manner When the Visitant is come into the first Court presently he putteth on his Mourning-garment which he bringeth with him for that purpose The drummer beateth his drumme to give notice of his arrivall and while he passeth through the Court the Trumpets sound assoone as he cometh into the Hall the women behind the Curtains begin to weep and lament When he cometh up to the Table he layeth thereon a purse of paper with money in it to the value of twelve pence or eighteen pence which serveth for an Aide of the cost and some little perfumes Then upon the Carpet he maketh foure reverences part kneeling and part standing on his feet When they are ended presently the Sonnes rise up from the place where they are and go and place themselves on the left hand of the Visitant and make him as many reverences partly kneeling and partly on their feet at which time they are to weep or at least to make as if they wept When this is done without speaking a word they return to their places againe In the meane time the Visitant goeth forward and presently one of the remotest of the kindred in slighter mourning cometh to receive him and leadeth him into another roome where assoone as they are sate presently there is brought in some of their drink called Chia and dried fruits or else dried sweet meats of which for the most part they do not eat but taking a little put it into their sleeve and so take their leave This courtesie is esteemed so due that those friends who are at hand may by no means omit it and they who are farther off if they dwell in neighbouring Cities come in their own person But if they live very farre off they send one from home to do it in their name This ceremonie commonly lasteth eight or ten daies But they who live farre off may come or send to do it at what time they please When the Visits are over the eldest Sonne is obliged to go to all those of the same City that came to condole with him at his house but he hath no more to do but to come to the gate where without a Carpet is spread wheron he maketh his reverence leaveth a Thie and goeth his way After this they begin to think of the buriall which
too and especially the Kings officers and Ministers who laying aside the ensignes of their dignitie which are both of Authoritie and Ornament to them do change them for others of Mourning and Sorrow as their Girdle which commonly they weare very rich into a rope of course Hempe and their Cap which is of black Silk into one made of the course cloath for Mourning In this manner they went foure months till the time of the obsequies The common people wore only a Mourning Cap for foure and twenty daies with so much exactnesse that he that neglected it was punished The second day the King leaving the Palaces where he dwelt passed over to those of his deceased Mother which although they are within the same wall yet stand at some distance They cloathed the dead body in white very richly and every day till it was put into the Coffin the King went in Person with all the people of his palace to visit her and to performe those ordinary Reverences and Compliments used by children to their parents putting rich odours and spices into a perfuming pan which stood before her all his women Sons and Nephews as also some of the Principall Eunuches of the Palace did the like with all Solemnitie Then presently by the Kings command the garments bed and other things which the Queen used were burned judging it an unworthie thing that ever they should be made use of by any Person inferiour to her in dignitie and authority On the third day the body was put into the Coffin The excellency of the matter thereof may be easily imagined by what hath been already said that even for private persons the price of one amounteth many times to a thousand crownes The boards are very thick and the Coffin very capacious There the King himselfe plac't her upon a Quilt and a Pillow which were there laid strewing upon her pearle and precious stones to the value of 70000. crownes and placing by her side fifty pieces of cloath of gold and fiftie of cloath of silver which truly would have been enough to have maintained a gallant man all his life time The Coffin was shut and the King with the rest made their accustomed reverences and departed On the fourth day the ceremonies were continued cloathing themselves in a more austere and horrid Mourning for to celebrate the Sacrifices which in realitie are not sacrifices but offerings and pure ceremonies The Coffin was placed in a spacious Court as it were upon a high Throne and about it stood fifteen Tables The first that was in the front was for the King the rest for his women Sonnes and principall Eunuches who after the King according to their order made their offerings with perfumes and reverences On the fift day which was appointed for those who dwell without the Palace there was assembled all the Nobilitie and Titulados which they call Que Cùm Chu Cheu Heupè who do all succeed by inheritance After these followed all those that were of Affinitie and Alliance with the King that is such as were married to his Daughters or Nieces After these the Magistrates of the six Tribunals And after these came the wives of the great Officers who have jurisdiction over the whole Kingdome such as are those of the six Tribunals each in that which appertaineth to him whether it be concerning the Revenue or the Militia or any other thing All these in their order performed the ceremonies abovesaid and so there was a period put to the first part of the ceremonies which are used in the Palace before the Funerall for abroad there were many things commanded and severall edicts published in which were intimated First that all Mandarines both of the Gowne and Sword should make their appearance at the Palace the day following to bewaile the deceased Queen which done without returning to their houses they should go directly to their Tribunalls there to remain and keep a fast for three daies without eating flesh fish or eggs or drinking any wine That done for the space of other three daies they should come all to the gates of the Palace and there in their order one by one should make foure accustomed reverences with some other externall signes of griefe and then returne home to their houses The second that all the wives of the Mandarines from the first to the fourth degree cloathed from head to foot in close mourning should assemble at the same place and for the space of three days lament in the like manner and that afterwards at their owne houses for the space of twenty seaven days they should not put on their Jewells ornaments c. The third that those of the Royall Councell called Han Lin should all make Poems verses and compositions in praise of the deceased Queen The fourth that they of the Quan Lo Su that is the Officers of the Kings exchequer and revenue should with all diligence and liberalitie provide what ever was necessary for the sacrifices and other expences of the funerall The fifth that all the Bonzi and ministers of the Idols should ring their bells for a long time as a signe of sorrow and griefe The sixth that for thirteen daies there should be no flesh killed or sold in the shambles but that all should fast as the King did who for the first three days did eat only a little rice boyled in faire water and the rest of the time puâ—se only The seaventh there was order given to the President of the Councell of rites and ceremonies and to those of the chamber that they should present mourning garments to all the Embassadours who did then actually reside in the Court and that they should be brought to the Palace and performe one day the ceremonies and compliments in like manner as the people of the Country did The eighth that all Mandarines that had finished their government and all new pretenders should come for three days to the Palace to do the same reverences and ceremonies The ninth that the common people for a week together should do the same morning and evening at the Palace of the Governour of the City Besides this all the Mandarines dispersed through the Provinces and Cities of the Kingdome were written to that at the arrivall of the newes of the Queen-Mothers decease they should give notice thereof to all the blood royall of the Male line and to their wives and children and order that they should make the three accustomed reverences and other ceremonies on their knees and immediately to cloath themselves in Mourning for seaven and twenty days This order was given to all the Mandarines of the Kingdome as well to those that had governd as to those that did actually governe as also to all Litterati of what degree soever as likewise to those that had not received any degree To the common people there was order given that they should weare Mourning caps for thirteen dayes Moreover it was ordered that as well in the Palaces of the
beasts they say It is to be understood of this life As if a man be civill courteous and well bred they say he is turned into a man if cholerick and furious into a Lyon If cruell into a Tyger if gluttonous into a swine If a thiefe into a Bird of prey Hence was the originall of that handsome saying among them Ti Yo Thien Than Ti Yen Sin Vai That is Heaven and Hell are seated in the heart These are the Three principall Sects of China from whence have sprung many others that are there to be found They hold that they may be made all to agree without any prejudice to their observance They have a text which saith San Chiao Ye Tao that is The doctrines are three but the reason of them is but one For although the worship adoration and exercise be different notwithstanding the end at which they all arrive is the same Cum Hiu that is nothing The Litterati of the first Sect imitating Heaven and Earth apply all to the government of the Kingdome of their families and of their persons only in this life and after that pretend to nothing The Tausi of the second Sect without any regard to their families or the government treate only of the body The disciples of Xaca of the third Sect without any regard to the body treate only of the spirit internall peace and quiet of conscience Hence arose that sentence which they use Iu Chi Que Tau Chi Xin Xe Chi Sin that is the Litterati govern the Kingdom the Tausi the body and the Bonzi the heart Besides these three which are all admitted and publikely professed in the Kingdom there is another which is not publike nor permitted but is under a prohibition notwithstanding it hath many followers it is called Pe Lien Kieo and is exceedingly hated of the Chinesses especially of the governours because the disciples thereof do conceale themselves doing every thing by night with much secrecy It is commonly beleeved that their intent is to exalt some of themselves to the Crowne and it is verily thought that some perverse men of this profession have already designed it A Chinesse of good credit did affirme to me that there were throughout China many thousands of them and that they had a Captaine or King with all his officers belonging to him whom such of their Sect as live far off do reverence in their letters with all respect due to such a Person and those that are at hand when they have a convenience to assemble themselves do honour him with services courtesies and splendour suitable to that of royall Majestie and that all of them knew one another In the yeare 1622. in the Province of Xantum which lieth between that of Nankim and Pekim there was discovered and taken one of these that was their Captaines And because the Mandarines were resolved not only to punish him but all those that followed his Sect likewise they questioned him concerning his companions and not being able to draw a confession from him they gave him severall times the rack Which being understood by those of the same Sect whether it were for love they bare him or for fear that he might be constrained to confesse and discover them they all resolved to arme themselves and fall upon the Mandarines and by force of armes to deliver their companion which accordingly they put in execution with so much suddennesse that it was impossible for the others to resist or escape them They slew many of the Mandarines and the rest were so affrighted that they delivered their companion Then having formed themselves into a Body they began to conquer the Province At the beginning their number was not considerable but in a short time there were so many who joyned themselves to them part of their own faction and part of other vagabonds that already they came to be many thousands and so going on without finding any resistance they made themselves Masters of the small villages and at lengh tooke two walled Towns where they fortified themselves issuing out from thence to assault their enemies This newes gave no little trouble to the Court the rebels being very neer them But at length by the diligence they used all was remedied by reason that numerous forces were sent out against them from Pekim and although at the beginning there fell out many battailes with various successe both on the one and other side yet at the length they of Pekim were Conquerours and the rebels army defeated and their Captaine taken who called himselfe King and kept this Title with so much obstinacie that being lodged at the house of a Person of quality before he came to the Court he did him no Reverence at all and being bid to bow and do him Reverence he answered with much disdaine the King doth Reverence to no man Being come to Court he was condemned to die and was accordingly beheaded and this was the Crown which he deserved After that the King quieted the rest by pardoning the greatest part of the rebels CHAP. 19. Of their Superstitions and Sacrifices in China SUperstition is an Individuall companion of Paganisme but in China Giappon and Corea and the neighbouring Kingdomes it is in great excesse The Kings Mathematician giveth no small occasion to these superstitions for from the impressions of the aire the colours of the Skie tempests unseasonable thunders aspects of the Sunne whereof they have two and twenty differences and severall appearances of the Moon whereof they have sixteen he alwayes maketh his Prognostications especially whether there wil be peace in the Kingdome or dearth mortalitie mutations perturbations and the like To this end he maketh an Almanack for the whole yeare which he divideth into its Moones and the Moones into daies which according to his calculation he declareth fortunate or unfortunate to do or leave undone any thing as to take a voyage to go out of doores to make marriage to bury the dead to build and other such like affaires whence the Chinesses in all their businesse do so observe these Rubriques that meerly not to go against these rules they hasten defer or let alone whatsoever they have to do So that if the Almanack say on such a day such a business is to be done although all the Elements conspire against them they will by no meanes deferre it Besides this Almanack whereof there are so many copies given out that there is not an house which hath not one of them the market-places and streets are full of Astrologers and Sooth-sayers who keep open Shop with their Tables for Calculation in order only to tell such their fortunes as come to them to require it and although for the most part they that come to them are deceived and coozened yet there are so many that flock to them that although the number of these Diviners is almost infinite they live and sustaine their Families by this Art Some professe to Divine by way of numbers even or
any of these things the Mandarines take themselves large shares of them and if the better sort of people sacrifice such as are the heads of families it is divided among the kindred The ordinary sort of people after they have made their offering which is comonly boyled before hand take up every thing againe then having dressed it anew according to their fancy they make a feast with it where it is all eaten They sacrifice many other things as Banners and Umbrellas all of silk severall figures moulded in gold or silver or else made of Orpine or base gold great summes of mony made of cut paper All these things are to be sold ready made in the market places at the shops of severall Artificers and after they are sacrificed they burn them all Every man offereth sacrifice without any difference they having no determinate ministers appointed for this act neither indeed have they for other things as for offices or Divine service Burialls to sing and officiate at them with any exactnesse It belongeth only to the king to sacrifice to Heaven the Earth Sunne Moone Planets and Starres and if any others should do it in publick he were guilty of a great crime For this end they have two most famous Temples at the two Courts where the King sacrificeth at the foure seasons of the year Spring Summer Antumne and Winter going thither himselfe in person and if he cannot go he sendeth some other to officiate in his stead The great Lords and those who are Titelados sacrifice to the Mountaines Lakes c. The Gentlemen and Officers to the four seasons of the year and particular parts of the earth Hills and the like For the rest as to their Idols their houshold-gods Genij or Tutelar Angells any one sacrificeth that will there being set times and places appointed for it except at sometimes they do accomodate themselves both to the occasions and places as when any one is to take a voyage by water he offereth sacrifice on the day whereon he departeth and that either in the Barke or on the next shore CHAP. 20. Of the Militia and Armes of the Chinesses THe knowledge and skill of Warre and Military affairs is very ancient among the Chinesses as appeareth by their bookes and Histories and it is very certaine that they have conquered many famous Kingdomes it is also commonly beleeved that they did formerly conquer Ceilan and neere to that place in the City of Nagapatam there is to be seen at this day an edifice or building which they call The Pagod of the Chinesses and it is a Tradition among the people of that Countrie that it was built by them Neither truly is it a worke unfit to be compared to any of that Kingdome Neverthelesse their bookes make no mention at all of it but that is not a sufficient reason altogether to refute this Tradition for no more have they any memory left in their bookes of the ancient Christianitie which notwithstanding it is most certaine was there and was also very much dilated and spread abroad However it is manifest that they had 114. Kingdomes Tributary to them but at this day they have only the neighbouring Countries which are nothing neere so many and even of these some of them do deny them their tribute and others have been abandoned by the Chinesses themselves holding it better to retire themselves to their own in peace and quietnesse than to go on stil with warre and troubles to conquer or maintaine other Kingdomes Beside the Conquests and warres made with stranger Kingdomes they have had warre also for many yeares in their own Countrie so that beside many particular books that treate thereof they have one body of historie consisting of ten Tomes which only treateth of the warrs of those times of their Captaines their manner of warfare battailes victories and other things wherein are many notable things to be read which do clearly demonstrate that they have formerly been a valiant and warlike nation although there are but few such at this time The occasions how they came thus to grow lesse were very great as I shall shew hereafter At this day that which they have of warlike in the Kingdome is only the multitude which is very great for besides the Souldiery which they have in the frontiers of Tartarie and in the Armados and fleets which are at the mouths of the great rivers which runne into the Sea every Province and in that every City and Village of the Kingdome hath a proper militia of their own which is paid by them and commanded by their own Captaines and in case that any Province hath need of men they make use of the Souldierie of their own Cities and Townes which by order of the vice-roy is easily brought to one Rendevous And if there be occasion for them on the frontiers or any other place of the Kingdome presently by order from the King or his councell of warre they rayse the Souldiers of one or more Provinces according to the Present necessitie and the possibilitie of the Province all of them not being able to maintaine the same number of Souldiers These Souldiers are alwayes in readinesse and if one of them be wanting or die there are presently enow in the same Town though it be never so little who make suite for the employment and so the place is presently supplied In the City of Nankim they say there are 40000 Souldiers and in that of Pekim 80000. and throughout the whole Kingdome as Father Matthoeus Riccius affirmeth who lived in China many yeares and had very good Knowledge thereof above a million and Father Iohn Rodriguez who went very much up and down China and had opportunitie to see the principall places thereof and was very curious saith that he found by diligent search in their books that in the body of the Kingdome with all the Cities and Villages thereof there are 594000 Souldiers and on the great wals which confine on Tartarie 682888. and yet he did not put into this number the Souldiers of the Armado that guardeth the coast Nor wil this number seem so excessive if we consider that China alone beside that it is much more populous is as big as Spain France Italie Germanie the Low-Countries great Brittain and all the Islands belonging to it In all this multitude if we speak of them who guard the Frontiers there is no doubt but there is found some valour and courage and they have sometimes gallantly repulsed the Tartars and in the yeare 1596 when the Giapponesses after they had passed through all the Kingdome of Corea without finding any resistance would have entred China which they came on purpose to conquer the Chinesses repulsed them in such manner that after the losse of many men they were faine to put up their pipes and returne home without doing any thing so likewise the Souldiers of the Armado have made some assaults wherein they have been victorious But if we speake of
the one and the other side yet at the last the Chinesses had the victorie so great endeavour will men use to defend their own home A little while after this fight arrived at the Court of Pekim a Portughess named Gonsalvo Texera who was sent thither with an Embassie and a Present from the City of Macao who seeing the insolency of the Tartars and the feare of the Chinesses and judging that by it they might do service to the Crown of Portugall and a kindnesse to themselves in what the King of China might do for them offered to the Mandarines in the name of the City of Macao some Portughesses to assist them against the Tartars The profer was kindly accepted of and a Memoriall was presented to the King who presently returned a favourable answer The Councell of Warre dispatched a Father of our company to Macao who was already gone along with the Embassadours to negotiate this assistance with severall orders to the officers of Cantone to expedite the businesse as much as they could with all liberalitie and provision and convenience for the men that were desired of them Foure hundred men were put in order that is 200 Souldiers of which many were Portughesses some whereof were borne in Portugall and some there but the most of them were people of that Countrie who although they were Chinesses borne in Macao yet were bred up among the Portughesses after their manner and were good Souldiers and shot well in Guns To each Souldier was given a youth to serve him who was bought with the Kings money and so large pay for themselves that with it the Souldiers clothed themselves richly and provided themselves with armes and were after all that left very rich too These Souldiers set out from Macao with two Captaines one whereof was named Pietro Corderio the other Antonio Rodriquez del capoo with their Alfieres and other Officers When they were come to Cantone they mustered themselves with so much gallantrie and with such salutes of their Musquetrie that the Chinesses were astonished There they were furnished with boates to passe up the river with all convenience through the whole Province being presented by the Magistrates when they came to any of their Cities and Villages sending refreshment for them all of Hens Beefe Fruit Wine Rice c. They passed over the Mountaines which divide the Province of Cantone from that of Kiamsi and is lesse than a daies journey from the other River all on horse-back even to the meanest of their servants Presenty upon the other side of the Mountaine they were imbarqued againe and going down the River they crossed after the same manner almost all the Province of Kiamsie till they came to the Metropolis thereof where I lived at that time and had under my direction a good number of Christians there they stayed only to see the City and to be wel looked on by them They were invited by many of the noble men that they might looke upon the Fashion of their habit and other things which seemed strange to them they treated them with all manner of Courtesie and commended and admired all except the Slashing and pinking of their cloathes not being able to conceive why when a piece of stuffe is whole and new men should cut it in severall places for ornament But when they had seen this City these men returned without any other effect but the expense and great losse of the Chinesses occasioned by the Tartars in severall encounters because they were deprived of this succour The occasion of their returne was that the Chinesses who traffique in Cantone with the Portughesses and are their Correspondents for their businesse from which they draw a vast profit began to perceive that by this entrance and the good successe thereof of which they made no doubt at all it would be an easie thing for the Portughesses to obtaine licence to enter into the Kingdome and to do their businesse and sell their Merchandise themselves and by this meanes they should come to lose their gaines therefore before the Portughesses set out they used all their endeavour to hinder their going presenting many papers against it and at last the Magistrate answering that he could do no lesse having already parted with the money and distributed among the Souldiers not only ordinarie but very high and advantagious pay they offered at their owne charges to re-imburse the whole money to the King But seeing that this way neither they could obtaine their ends it is reported that they sent to Court that money which they would have given and presenting it to the Mandarines prevailed so that those very men who had proposed the Portugesses to the King as an important succour did againe present a memoriall wherein they expressed that there was now no need of them The King answered and I my selfe saw the Royal answer It is not long since that ye did propose to us that these men should enter into the Kingdome and assist us against the Tartars now ye say they are not necessarie When ye propose any thing it were good you considered of it better howbeit if they are not necessary let them returne In this manner did that expedition of the Portughesses come to an end without any profit at all to the Kingdome but much to the Souldiers besides that they had an opportunitie to see a good part of China The Tartars have ever since continued the warre after the same manner and do continue it to this day and have forced the Kingdome of Corea to pay them tribute as they payed to China although they stil pay to the Chinesses as much as they did formerly CHAP. 22. Of the King and Queenes of China and of the Eunuches ALthough the Chinesses have been so diligent in their Chronicles Records that they have preserved the memorie of above 3000 yeares to this time neverthelesse they have suffered a great losse and damage in the knowledge of many things contained in them by the burning of those books which are called by them The History and in reality the businesse was thus A King named Tien whither it were as some think out of the hatred he bore to learning or as some hold with more probabilitie that he might extinguish the memory of his Ancestours and leave only his owne to prosteritie excepting only the books of Phisick as only necessarie to the Common-Wealth commanded by a rigorous law that the rest of their books should be burnt with so much severitie as if every volume were guilty of high treason and under so great penalites for any that hid them that it was to cost him no lesse than his life and in effect he caused fourtie Litterati to be burned together with their books which they had hid This persecusion lasted the space of fourty years at what time they began to renew their ancient Chronicles by meanes of certaine books and fragments that had escaped some of them being buried under ground and others immured
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
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
and being arrived I took no thought for any thing else I saw it and read it and went often to read behold and consider it at leisure and above all I did much admire that being so ancient it should be so entire and have the letters so plainly and neatly graven On the thicknes of the sides thereof it hath many Chinesse letters which containe many names of the Priests and Bishops of that time There are also many other letters which were not then knowne for they are neither Hebrew nor Greek and for as much as I now understand they containe the same names that if peradventure some strangers might not understand the letters of the Countrie they might perhaps be better acquainted with those of a forraigne extraction Passing by Cocchine I came to Cranganor where is the Residence of the Archbishop of Costa to consult about these letters with father Antoni Fernandes one of our societie who is very skilfull in the books and writings of those ancient Christians converted by S. Thomas He told me the letters were Syriack and the very same which are used there at this day But let us come now to the inscription of our Marble which noâ—doubt ere this hath raised an appetite in the reader to know it Those three lines which are at the foot of the Crosse each consisting of three letters as we have said being faithfully translated as also all the rest as neere as possibly I could say thus A Relation in the Praise and eternall memorie of the law of the light of truth brought from Iudea and preached in China THe writing is graved on the plaine side of this stone in its proper letters placed in lines running from top to bottom after the Chinesse fashion The first line which is the shortest saith thus I A Prologue Made by the Priest of the Kingdom of Iudea named Kim Lim. The rest of the inscription in a magnificent Orientall stile containeth that which followeth II Oh how true and profound is the eternall and the incomprehensible most spirituall speaking of time past he is without beginning and of time to come he is without end and alwaies in the same perfection He tooke nothing and with it he made all He is a principall consisting of Trinitie and Unitie yet without any reall principle The Lord Olooyu He made the foure parts of the world in figure of a Crosse. He moved the Chaos and made the two principles There was an alteration made in the Abysse and heaven and earth appeared Nature at the beginning was pure and exempt from disordinate passions and the heart was cleane without the unrulinesse of the appetites III Man came afterward to fall into the deceits of Satan who covering with words the mischiefe he had plotted perverted the innocence of the first man From this principle sprang 365 Sects which by reason they were so many did one drive away the other and of all of them was made a net wherein the world was caught Some chose the creatures and appropriated Divinity to them others were plunged in that errour of thinking that all is nothing and ends in nothing Others make sacrifices to invite good fortunâ— with Others 〈…〉 deceive the world The understanding corrupted with eâ—rours and the will with passions are altogether obscured Men walked forwards without 〈…〉 at the end they aimed at The world was all in a miserable 〈◊〉 Man still multiplied the darknesse and loosing his way wandred long time in it without finding the truth IV. Then the Messias one of the three persons covered his true â— Maâ—esty and making himself a man appeared unto the world An Angell came to manifest the Mystery and a Virgin brought forth the Holy one A Starre appeared which gave notice of his birth to those of the Kingdome of 〈◊〉 They 〈◊〉 to offer him Tribute and all was done according to what had been foretolâ— by the foure and twenty Saints He published to the world the most pure law He purified their customes and rectified the faith He cleansed the world He perfected vertue and therein founded the three vertues He opened the way to life and shut up that of death He manifested the bright day and banished obscure darkenesse He conquered the obscure seate at what time the devill remained wholly subdued and succoured with his mercy the sinking world that mâ—n might ascend to the habitations of light After he had perfected his works â—e ascended into the heavens at Midday There remained 27 books of holy Scripture There was opened the gate to Coâ—version by means of that water which cleâ—â—seth and purifieth His Ministers made use of the Holy Crosse they made their abode no more in one place than in another that they might illuminate the whole world The world being thus reduced unto Union men did walke after their example and thus did they open the way of life and glory V. They suffered their beard to grow and did shew by this means that they were like other men in their externall part They out their haire even to the roots upon the top of their head and by this they shewed that they had no internall wordly affections They kept no servants the Noble and the common men were with them the same thing They tooke no riches from men They gave to the poore that which they had They fasted and watched to bring the flesh into subjection to the spirit Seaven times a day they offered sacrifices of praise by which they helped the living and the dead Every seaventh day they did offer They purified their hearts to receive the holy innocence The true law hath no name that doth well suite with it and that is able to explaine the excellency thereof therefore because it wanteth another name we will call it The law of Brightnesse The law if it be not holy cannot be called great and if holinesse be not answerable to that which the law teacheth it may not have that name But in this law the holinesse correspondeth to the law and the law to the holinesse VI. If there be not Kingly Persons to favour it the law cannot well be propagated if they receive not the law they cannot grow truly great When they and the law do agree presently the world is enlightened By this means at the time when a King named Tai Zum Veâ— Hoam did governe with famous prudence and sanctitie there came from Iudea a man of high vertue by name Olopuen who being guided by the clouds brought the true doctrine And in the year Chin Quom Kieufu he arrived at the Court The King commanded the Colao Fam Kizulin that he should go and meet him as farre as the West and that he should treate him as his guest with all manner of kindnesse He caused this doctrine to be translated in his palace and seeing the law to be true he powerfully commanded it should be divulged through the Kingdome and presently after he sent forth a royall patent which contained
shine like flying lights he laid out his whole strength upon works of charitie every year he assembled the Priests of the foure Churches serving them with a good heart and making them honourable entertainment for the space of fifty daies he sed the hungrie cloathed the naked cured the sick and buried the dead XIIII In the time of Ta So with all his parsimonie there was not such goodnesse as this to be seen but in the time of this law we see such men who do such good works as these For this reason have I graved this Stone that thereby they might be published I say then that the true God had no beginning but being pure and quiet was alwayes after the same manner he was the first Artificer of the Creation he uncovered the earth and elevated the Heaven One of the three Persons made himself man for our eternall salvation he ascended like the Sunne on high and defeated darknesse in every thing he did discover the profound Truth XV The illustrious King being really the first of the first making use of a fit time put a stop to mens invention the heaven was dilated and the earth extended Most bright is our law the which when Tam came to the Kingdome and propagated the doctrine and builded Churches was as a Barque both for the living and the dead and gave rest to the whole world XVI Caozum following the example of his Grandâ—Father built new Churches The beautifull Temples of peace filled the whole earth The true law was illustrated he gave a title of honour to the Bishop and men enjoyed repose XVII The wise King Hi Vin Zum followed the right way the royal Tables were illustrious the Kingly letters shone therein The Pictures of the Kings gave light on high and all the people did reverence them and all men had joy and gladnesse XVIII When So Zum reigned he came in person to the Church The Holy Sunne did shine and the bright cloudes swept away the darknesse of the night Prosperitie was united to the Royall family misfortunes ceased the heat of dissentions was abated he quieted the rumours and he renewed our Empire XIX King Taizun was obedient in vertue equall to heaven and earth he gave life unto the people and advancement to their affaires he exercised works of charitie he offered perfumes to the Church The Sunne and Moone were united in his person XX When King Kien Chum reigned he did illustrate famous vertue and with his armes restored peace to the foure seas and with his learning he pacified 10000 confines As a torch he did enlighten the secrets of men he saw all things as in a glasse He received the Barbarians who all took rules from him XXI The law is great and perfect and extendeth it selfe to all things desiring to frame a name for it I cannot but call it The Divine Law Kings know best to dispose their affaires I who am a subject can only cause them to be recited on this rich stone for to magnifie our great felicitie XXII In the Empire of great Tam the second year of Kien Chum the seventh day of the Month of Autumne was this stone erected Nin Ciu being Bishop and Governing the Church of China The Mandarine called Liù Sicuyen entitled Chaoylam in which office before him was Tai Cheu Su Sic Kan Kiun graved this stone with his owne hand This is the Interpretation of that Inscription translated as faithfully as we could possibly out of the Chinesse Phrase It will not be impertinent now to make some Annotations upon the text having forborne on purpose to do it before that I might not breake the thread of the discourse and therefore we will take the Paragraphs in order noting the words which we will explaine and giving some advertisement upon them I Giudaea This word is written iust thus without any other difference but that the Characters are Chinesse The same is found also in the other words or names of Satanas and Messias which are in the iii and iiii Paragraphs II Olooyu This word is written just thus in the stone and it is probable he meant Eloi which is a name of God The two principalls of which he speaketh afterward are matter and forme according to their Phylosophie III The kingdom of Pozu in the Chinesse maps lyeth East of Iudea The 24 Saints may well be The foure great Prophets The twelve small Prophets Abraham Isaac Iacob Iob Moses Ioshua David and Zacharias the father of Iohn the Baptist who put together make up that number and have spoken the plainest concerning the coming of Christ. IV He conquered the seat c. It seemeth that he speaketh of the Redeemers descent into hell Twenty seven books It is probable he meaneth the new Testament that is The foure Evangelists The Acts of the Apostles The fourteen Epistles of S. Paul one of S. Iames two of S. Peter three of S. Iohn one of S. Iude and the Revelation V Seaven times a day they offered c. He seemeth to speak of the seaven Canonicall houres Every seaventh day c. Signifieth the sacrifice of the Masse which was celebrated every Lords day VI. VII The year of Chim Quom c. According to the computation of their Histories it is the year of our Redemption 636. Weakening the Monarchie c. This clause is an Elogie given to that Prince by the Authour of this Inscription Was carried in a black chariot toward the West c. It is to be understood that it went away out of China VIII Caozum It appeareth by their books that he reigned in the year of our Lord 651. IX Ximlie According to the Christian Computation was the year 699. Tumcheu The opinion of the Translatour is that it was a particular place in the Province of Honam Sien Tien is the year 712. Sicham Called at present Sigam was the ancient Court in the Province of Xemsi X King Hi Ven Zum c. Began to raigne in the year 714. Tien Pao lived in the year 745. Cao Lie Sic is the name of an Eunuch who was very powerfull with that King The Bearâ—s c. This clause is another Elogie made by the Authour of those Kings The Dragon c. According to the interpreter this is an ancient fable of that Kingdom which relateth That one of their Kings rid through the ayre mounted upon that beast which his subjects who accompanied him had laden with their armes but they which came after plucked off the beard of the Dragon and took some of the armes that these might remain by them as a memoriall of that Prince whom they did fancy to be present with them in these reliques This fable might haply take its Orginall from the custome which their Kings have of embroydering Dragons on their garments and other things which belong to them The third year of Tien Pao c. falleth out according to our account to be the year 745. Sozun Ven Mim reigned in the
year 757. XI Tai Zun Vemvu began to raigne in the year 764. XII Kien Chum Xim was King in the year 781. XII Vam Xe Chi Chim is a place in the Country of the Pagods and signifieth a remote Countrie Poli saith the interpreter is some vessel of glasse XIV Taso was a Bonzo of the sect of the Pagods who made a great assembly of the Bonzi to treate of the publike affaires of that religion and tooke care to lodge them and provide all necessaries for them XIX The Sunne and Moone c. Signifieth that all obeyed that King XXII Kien Chum was the year 782. In the other Paragraphs whereon we have made no Annotations there is nothing of obscuritie to require it It appeareth then evidently by the testimony of this venerable Antiquity that the Christian Religion was planted in China by the means abovesaid in the year of Christ 636 neverthelesse it is not to be imagined that it was not formerly brought thither by the preaching of the Apostles who as the holy Scripture saith did disperse themselves through the whole earth but as it happened in severall other Countries that after it had once been propagated there by them it came in time to be extinguished and was againe renued by the industry of others so it fell out in India where S. Thomas the Apostle had once preached the Gospel but all memory thereof being lost about the year 800. a rich Armenian Christian called Thomas the Canaanite restored the ancient Religion in the Citie of Mogo Doven or Patana repairing the Churches which had been formerly built by that holy Apostle and erecting others And upon this occasion of the likenesse of their names many have mistaken them to be all built by the first Thomas The same thing may probably have happened in China where the Gospel being received presently after it began to be published to the world and being afterward extinguished it was introduced again a second time whereof this inscription maketh mention and lastly a third time whereof we purpose to treat in the second part It seemeth necessarie thus to state the matter that we may not derogate from the Testimonie of those grave Authours whom I have formerly cited how St. Thomas the Apostle did preach in China and converted it to the true Religion The time wherein the memorie of the Holy Apostles preaching was lost was not much different both in India and China for by severall conjectures it appeareth that Thomas the Cananite renewed it in India in the eighth Century after Christ and by this stone it is manifest that it was in the seventh Centurie after Christ when it was preached in China and therefore without much difficultie it may be Concluded that this was not the first establishment of the Christian Religion there but rather a re-establishment of it The end of the first part THE SECOND PART VVherein is contained The Christianitie of the Kingdome OF CHINA CHAP. 1. Of the first beginnings of the Preaching of the Gospel in China ACcording to the opinion of Socrates he was to be esteemed no lesse injurious who spake against the Sunne than he who should denie the beautie of the light thereof with which it maketh the day and of that which is the fruit therof as Tertul. allegorizeth it that is the flower It would be no lesse a fault but rather more unpardonable in him who treating of the conversion of China should deny Franciscus Xaverius to have bin the flower of that day of Grace which having bin set there for so many ages is now risen again upon the Gentiles of that Monarchie He was the first who came to the gates therof with that Treasure of the holy Gospel after he had coÌ„municated it to so many severall Kingdomes and Provinces The glorious Saint Leo speaking of the Apostle St. Peter saith Iam Populos qui in circumcisione crediderunt erudierat jam Antiochenam Ecclesiam fundaverat jam Pontum Galatiam Cappadociam Asiam atque Bithyniam legibus Evangelicae Praedicationis impleverat nec aut dubius de provectu operis aut de spatio suae ignarus aetatis Trophaeum Crucis Christi Romanis arcibus inferebat All India doth confesse no lesse of their Apostle to whom the bounds of the East though very large seemed but narrow having already instructed in the faith the principall Cities thereof Goa and Cochin having planted the Gospel on the coasts of Pescaria having converted the Country of Travancor instructed Cambaâ—a and propagated the faith at Malacca preached the true religion at Macazar the Molucche Islands and finally converted the King of Bungo in â—iappon and filled all that Kingdom with the knowledge of the law of Christ yet still the desire of a greater harvest and to profit other Nations suffered him not to rest Studium proficiendi aliis otii illum impatientem reddidit as Robertus Abbas saith of another Labourer in the Gospel unde nec aut dubius de provectâ— operis aut despatiâ— suae ignarus aetatis Trophaeum Crucis Christi Sinicis arcibus inferebat This was his ayme these were his hopes and desires with which he undertooke the voyage of China when being arrived at Sanciana where the Divine Providence had appointed he should end his daies that being true which Tertullian saith Deus omnium conditor nil non ratione providit disposuit ordinavit And the Lord being well appayed with the intention of his servant and the ardent desires which he had to sacrifice his life in this enterprise as Abraham had to sacrifice the life of his sonne Isaac causing him to ascend up into Mount Sancian as he did Moses into Mount Nebo after he had shewed him the land he so much desired to conquer Mortuus est jubente deo the good man died by the ordination and appointment of Heaven after he had seen and shewed unto his Sons that land which he had gained like another Iacob for Ioseph with the bow of his will and the arrowes of his desires leaving them for an inheritance the conquest thereof together with his hereditary spirit which his sonnes and followers having received in part made their assault and at length entred this place and it is now about fifty years that they have kept it with many labours travels persecutions imprisonments Bastinadoes and in a word Egentes Angustiati Afflicti These being the armes with which the standard of the Christian faith is set up in the Kingdomes of the Gentiles and by means whereof together with the grace of God so many men have been converted unto Christianitie as you shall finde in this following relation After my returne into Europe and that my intention of seeking Labourers for this vine-yard was once divulged presently there were so many pretenders who made suit to me to be received that there is scarce a Province of our society from whence I have not received many letters from severall of the fathers wherein they did not only offer themselves but
made it their most earnest request that I would accept of them to serve as Souldiers in this enterprise as if the trouble and paines they were to suffer in these long and dangerous voyages and the persecutions they are so certaine to undergo in this exercise were to this undertaking as the prickles are to Roses whereof S. Ambrose saith That they are Amatoria quaedam illectamenta And in the Province of Portugall as being most conveniently scituated for this voyage only out of the two Colledges of Conimbra and Ebora I had a list of 90 persons all so ready and desirous to labour in this Mission that many of them not being content to declare their desires by ordinary words written with pen and inke have sent me very long letters concerning their holy pretention all written and signed with thier owne blood witnessing in this manner that they had a holy courage that could despise the threats of Martyrdom offering cheerfully to the Lord that little blood as a Testimony of the great desire they had to shed it all for his sake Who now can doubt whether these be not the marvellous effects of that spirit and zeale which Franciscus Xaverius communicated to them occasioning inwardly in the breast of each of them that which a little while since he did outwardly in that great Champion Marcellus Spinellus by sending him to Giappon where he crowned that glorious enterprise with his blood Sancian is one of those many Islands which on that side give a beginning to the Kingdom of China it is a high mountain covered with trees and though very pleasant yet un-inhabited When the Portughesses first began their trade with China this Island served them for a Port and there they built houses with straw like huts which served them only for the time of their Negotiation whilest they expected their merchandise but as soone as that came they abandoned that habitation and presently setting saile returned into India Foure and fiftie miles from thence more within the Kingdom there is another Island named Gau Xan and by the Portughesses Macao it is but small and so full of rocks that it is very easie to be defended and very opportune for the rendevous of Pyrats and robbers as indeed it was at that time when many of them having got together in that place did much infest all the Islands thereabouts The Chinesses were in consultation how they might remedy that mischiefe but whether it was that they wanted courage to undertake it or that they chose rather to have it done without running any danger themselves and at other mens cost knowing well the valour of the Portughesses they set them upon the enterprise promising them that if they could drive out the Pyrats it should be granted to them for an habitation The Portughesses accepted of the condition with much pleasure and contentment and though they were but few and much inferiour in number to the Pyrats neverthelesse being more skilfull in military affaires they put themselves in order and set upon them with so much courage that without the losse of one man on their owne party though with great slaughter of the enemie they presently became Masters both of the field and Island They began presently upon this to build every one taking that place and ground which seemed good to him But that which cost nothing at first came after to be sold very deare and at so high a rate at this present that it would hardly be beleeved how much the least piece of ground to build on in that City would cost For trade beginning to faile every where in India doth here encrease still every day and the Inhabitants are growne so rich that the covetousnesse of the Hollanders have made them have a great longing to it and did once attempt to take it In the moneth of Iune 1622. Fourteen saile of Hollanders came into that Port with so much resolution and assurance to take that City that they had already divided in their thoughts the principall parts thereof among themselves and many Captaines and old Souldiers came along in this Fleet only out of hopes to have their former services paid them here and to settle themselves in a condition of ease and plenty after all the hardships they had endured They landed 700 men on Midsomer Eve 300 of them staid upon the shore to guard the Cannon the other 400 having drawn up themselves into a squadron went to the Hill of our Lady della Guida marching towards the Citie with so great order and cheerfulnesse as if they had the victorie already in their hands They were no sooner discovered from the Mountain of S. Paul but they were received with two or three salutes from the cannon on that side so well levelled that beginning to abate of their fury they left the direct way toward the Citie and turned on the left hand toward the Mountain of our Ladie del buon porto and because there was a Garrison there they kept off about twice Musket-shot and fortified themselves on the sides of the Hill where St. Maries Church stands But the Portughesses discharged upon them so seasonably and with so much valour and courage that they put them to flight and made them run down the hill toward the Sea where the other Souldiers stood by the ships They fled in so much disorder and confusion that although there were above 300. there to guard their Artillerie who did succour them with fresh Men and encourage them to face about yet all was in vain and so both the one and the other forced to runne into the water up to the chin to get into their boates and these scaped well for many went over head and eares and a barque by reason of the confusion and disorder of those that got into her sunk down right and above 400 men were drowned The number of the wounded is not known but it is conjectured they could not be few for whilest they embarqued our Muskettiers who stood upon a hill just over them played continually upon them Of the Portugheses there were slain only three or four and some Servants The Hollanders being ill satisfied with this entertainment presently set saile and durst never since hazard themselves upon the like enterprise This was the cause of fortifying the Town of Macao with a wall round about it having six Bulwarks that of St. Paul which serveth as a cittaddell standing higher than the Town having fifteen pieces of Cannon a Court of Guard and a Castellan belonging to it That of the Port having fourteen piece of cannon among which are six great ones that carry each of them a ball of 50 pound weight and another Court of Guard The third Bulwark is that of our Ladie del buon porto with eight piece of cannon The fourth that of St. Francis toward the Mountain with other eight piece of Cannon The fift is that of St. Peter with five piece of Cannon The sixt is that of St. Iohn
with three piece of Cannon And because the Mountain of our Ladie della Guida commandeth both the Bulwark of St. Paul and the Citie it was fortified in the year 1637 in the same manner as the Rock of Charil is it hath ten great brasse Cannon The Citie is not great there are in it about 900 or 1000 Portughesses who are all rich and live very splendidly there are many Chiness Christians who are cloathed and live after the Portughesse fashion there are also Chineses who are Gentiles and are cloathed and live after the fashion of their own Countrie all the Artiâ—ans of the Citie consist of this last sort as also the Shop-keepers and Retailers c. and are in all about 5 or 6000. There resideth also in the same Citie an Auditor who is sent thither by the King of Portugal and is superintendent of the traffique and commerce of that Isle The trade with Giappon not to speak of that of Manila which is worth very much yeeldeth the King every year for his rights and customes at ten per cent many thousands of Crownes per annum In the year 1635 it was worth to him 14000 Taus which are better than Crowns The Citie spendeth every year one year with another in their Artillerie Gunpowder and the charges of their walls and other things belonging to their Militia as appeareth by the books of publique accounts above 40000 Crownes The rights and customes of the Faire of Cantone at 6 and 7 per cent importeth about 40 or 50000 Crowns The Navigation to Giappon with the Present which is sent to the King and other Presents to the Toni of that Island costeth between twenty and five and twenty thousand Crownes Their house of Mercy standeth them every year in 8 or 9 thousand Crownes They mantain two Hospitals three parish Churches five Monasteries foure of Men and one of Women besides the continuall Almes which they distribute to the poor Christians of those Countries and particularly to them of China and although the ordinarie Almes which the King of Portugall alloweth them from Goa hath not been paid these 19 years yet are they wel relieved by the liberalitie of the Citizens of Macao I doubt not but the Lord doth favour this Citie for their many Almesdeeds and for the great care they take about the Service and Worship of God Finally this Citie of Macao is a continuall Seminarie wherein are educated and brought up many of those Labourers who cultivate not only China and Giappon but also all other Christianities of the Neighbouring Kingdomes It is also a Sanctuarie and place of Refuge where in times of troubles and persecutions they may all shelter themselves as it were in another Moab being upon all occasions Refugium à Facie Vastatoris One of the Convents of this Citie is a Colledge belonging to our Societie There are commonly between threescore and fourescore persons in it more or lesse according to the number of the persons they receive or send away For all Missions being furnished out of them their number must needs be very uncertain There are in that Colledge two Lectures in Divinitie one of Cases of Conscience one course of superiour studies two classes of Latin one schoole for children so numerous that the lower forme thereof containeth above 90 children of the Portugheses and people of that Countrie Out of this House which at the beginning was very small and the labourers there very few first came the Souldiers of this enterprise Father Alexander Valignan of happy memorie who was then Visitour resolved to send some of the Fathers into China to endevour to convert that vast Kingdome to the faith of Christ when presently the first difficulties began at the Colledge it selfe a manifest prognostication of the many that should happen in the progâ—esse of the work and execution of the undertaking For to some of the Fathers by reason of the knowledge and experience they had of the Kingdome of China this enterprise seemed not only difficult but also rash and unadvised wherefore they advised the Visitour not to set his mind upon it But our Lord who bringeth wonderfull things to passe from weak and troublesome beginnings would have this design put in execution Father Michael Roggiero was the first who was named to take paines in this conquest he was followed by the Fathers Franciscus Passius Antonius de Almeida Duarte Matthaeus Riccius and others who came after and helped on the work and like the foundation-stones of that building sustained the first weight thereof and greater difficulties labours and troubles than any Missions of our societie had ever felt For the difficulties in new Missions into Kingdomes so remote and different from our Europe in language custome conversation diet c. are not ordinarie neither can they be few But those in the Mission of China do far exceed all others The language seemeth more difficult than any in the world being all of Monosyllables curt and aequivocall and in this difficulty the Fathers were without any Master to teach them without any interpreter to explain what was said to them so that they neither understood others nor others them but by force of diligence and unwearied paines they went on conquering and gaining ground and although they never arrived at any perfection in the language or good accent in pronouncing it yet they discovered the mysteries of that tongue and set them down in so plain a forme that they made it much more easie for those who came after them To this may be added the painfull study of their letters which of it selfe alone is a businesse of incredible labour they being so many and so various and in this Mission contrarie to what is done in others the Fathers do study them all with so much diligence that they have not only learned to write and to read their books very perfectly but do also compose others themselves and have of late published many to the great advancement of Christianity and in truth the Fathers in China do justly deserve this praise that that language being so hard and they having the letters too to be studied which are not very easie yet they do speak that language much better than any others do those of their Missions for of themselves they are able to catechise preach treate and converse with the greatest Mandarines of the Kingdome and to speak to the King himself if there were occasion without making use of any ones tongue but their own their endeavours in this particular being extraordinarie and such as are not used in other parts and our Lord by his singular providence doth sweeten this labour and season those difficulties they undergo for his sake with much joy and consolation Moreover there is to be a generall change throughout their whole bodies in their beard and their haire which they must suffer to grow very longe in the fashion of their cloathes in their manner of conversation in their customes and behaviour and all other
things which are as different as they are remote from ours Besides all these ordinarie difficulties which are found more or lesse in all Missions it is not to be beleeved how sharp a warre the devil hath raised up against this endeavouring by the strength of difficulties and persecutions to make us desist from the enterprise and it went so farre that Father Valignan the Visitour considering the great obstructions we found every where the extraordinarie difficultie there was to enter and the great trouble there was to stay there how little good we could do there and yet how much we suffered resolved to call back the Fathers to Macaâ— to employ them in some other Missions of lesse danger and trouble and where a greater profit of Soules might be made But the Lord who had otherwise ordained it for the good of his elect would not suffer the Labourers to come away and leave the work begun in that Kingdome where it was to have so advantageous a progresse CHAP. 2. Of the proceedings and persecutions of the Fathers before they arrived at Nankim THe Fathers did still persevere in the Resolution they had taken to enter and settle themselves in China and accordingly three times the same year they attempted with all diligence to make their entire but were as often repulsed and sent back out of the Kingdome with that resentment and grief which is easily imaginable they had to find almost every spark of hope extinguished by such extraordinarie difficulties as they found and by that great aversion the Chinesses had to admit of strangers I have been told that about that time Father Valignan looking one day out of a window of the Colledge of Macao toward the Continent the good old man cried out with a loud voice and the most intimate affection of his heart speaking to China Ah Rock Rock when wilt thou open Rock But as there is no councell against God who seeth and knoweth the times and moments of his divine Resolutions when the entrance seemed more shut up than ever and more encompassed with difficulties after so many attempts and endeavours had been frustrated nay after they had been sharply reproved by the Vice-roy of Cantone and by publick order been sent back to Macao then did the Lord our God open the gate by such meanes as were not to be imagined The Fathers had not been full seven daies returned to Macao wholly despairing of the businesse when there arrived a messenger from the governour of Cantone named Chi Fu bringing letters from the Vice-roy wherein he invited the Fathers to Xaokim the Capitall Citie of Cantone where the same Vice-roy of the Provinces of Cantone and Quansi had his residence offering them there a place for their Church and House The Fathers entred into Xaokim in September 1583. with no little joy to see themselves established in a moment where before with all their endeavours they could never so much as set their foot They built a house and Church and gave a beginning to their intention by translating the ten Commandements as well as they could into the Chinesse language and setting forth how necessary the observance of them was The worth of these new guests was more admired in the City for their good works and holinesse of life than for their words not being able yet to speak that language sufficiently but almost continuall troubles and persecutions were never wanting to them The covering of their house was so loaden with stones by the insolence of the people from a neighbouring Tower that they were in great danger of their lives and because a servant of the house laid hold of a little boy and threatned to complaine of him presently an accusation was set on foot against the Fathers that they had misused the Sonne of a Citizen but in the end they were cleared by evidence of the fact soone after other calumnies were raised against them particularly against Father Raggiero whom they accused of Adultery but his innocence was soone cleared it being proved that he was at that time morâ— than two months journy from the place where that crime was said to be committed Then did the people of Xaokim begin to throwing of stones againe with which they did so ruine and batter the house that the Fathers missed very little of being killed all this while did their condition seeme like unto a tempestuous sea But amongst so great tribulations and dangers the Lord was pleased to send them some daies of peace and tranquilitie and among so many thorns they gathered some roses and some fruit of their labours which was the reason that their sufferings did not seeme so grievous to them neither did they undergo them without joy and delight hoping to make a greater progresse when the desired calme should happen Neither were the Fathers wanting particularly Father Mattheus Riccius by their knowledge in Mathematiques and principally by a description of the world in a new Mappe to give reputation to the affaires of Europe and to make acquaintance and friendship with persons of qualitie when behold by the coming of a new Vice-roy there was so terrible a storme raised that notwithstanding all the diligence and addresses which were made not only by the Fathers but also by their friends it was impossible to finde any remedy or to put a stop to the sentence which that Vice-roy fulminated against the Fathers which was That they should all immediatly returne to Macao without giving them any time of stay there or suffering them to go into any other Country but that they should presently depart and should be brought precisely to Macao They were forced to yeeld obedience and so leaving some things belonging to the house in the hands of their friends and carrying other things along with them after they had made a short prayer unto God recommending unto him that little flock which they were forced to leave among Wolves without a shepherd and after they had exhorted the Christians to continue stedfast in the faith wherein they had been seven years instructed they departed downe the current of the river both the Christians which remained there as also the Fathers who tooke their leave weeping very much recommending each other to the divine Province and Protection When they were arrived at the Metropolis of Canton the Admirall of the Chinesse Navie or Haitao who was to conduct them to Macao was not to be found where while they stayed to expect him they wrote to the Visitour in Macao that after two or three daies they were to be banished by order of the Vice-roy but they had hardly passed a day there when they espied a boate coming toward them with all speed sent from the Vice-roy to invite them back againe to Xaokim It seemed to them that they were returned from death to life by the unexpected invitation although they understood well enough that they were called backe to undergo new troubles no lesse than the former When they were
being put in minde of it by any body calling to his remembrance the Eunuchs Memoriall asked where that Bell was which range of it selfe and which as they tell me is brought me by a stranger To which the Eunuch who always waiteth upon him answered That it was not yet come to Court because his Majesty had not given order for it to come Whereupon the King presently gave order for it and Mathan was forced against his will to send the Fathers with their Present and the rest of their goods They began then to take heart againe and forgetting all their former troubles they immediatly set out upon their journy and because they could not do it by water by reason the river was frozen up they tooke their way by land receiving from the Mandarines at the Kings expence whatsoever they had need of both for their owne persons as also for the carriage of their goods CHAP. 4. The Fathers enter into Pekim and settle there THe Fathers entred into Pekim on the fourth day of January 1601. where they were well received and entertained in a Palace which an Eunuch had lent them for that purpose They made ready their Present and the day following with a great traine and Parade the Eunuchs carried it into the Palace and presented it to the King who made great account of every thing He did highly prize the pictures of our Saviour and of the Blessed Virgin he much admired the Harpsicon and presently gave order that some of the Eunuchs should learne to play upon it When he came to the Clock which was a piece of much skill and workmanship and an invention altogether unknowne to the Chinesses because he knew it struck the houres of its owne accord and that at present it was not in order not so much as to be shewed he commanded that the Fathers should presently come into the Palace and set it a going So they were called in haste and admitted within the second wall for within the third and fourth none may enter unlesse it be the Eunuchs and the Souldiers of the night-guard where by the Kings order given to one of the chiefe Eunuchs the Fathers were received and entertained with all magnificence and courtesie They stayed there three daies partly fitting the Clock to serve for the present for afterwards for the greater state there was a Tower of wood made for it of much cost and workmanship partly in teaching foure Eunuchs how to set and order it and partly in satisfying such demands as were made them concerning Europe what kinde of Countrie it was what Kingdoms what people what customes it had and a thousand other particularities which were all afterwards by the Eunuchs related to the King who was much delighted therewith seeming to be very much satisfied with every thing he much desired to see the Fathers but because he would not change the ancient stile and custome of the Kingdom according to which the King is never to be seen by any stranger he caused their pictures to be drawne at length contenting himselfe to see only the figures of those men of whom he himselfe might not be seen All things succeeded prosperously by reason of the great satisfaction which all they of the Palace received from the Fathers and especially by reason of the contentment the King tooke in every thing and the delight with which he received the Presents so that now all seemed to be secure and that there was nothing more to feare But there being no security or calme that is long lasting in this world the Fathers quickly found themselves in new troubles the occasion whereof was a Mandarine of the Tribunal Lipu to whom it belonged by vertue of his office to have had the Present brought to him and by his means to have had it presented to the King he being to assist at all Embassies and Presents that are offered to his Majestie He therefore taking it ill that the Fathers who knew nothing of this had made use of the Eunuchs to carry their Present to the King contrary to the ordinary stile of the Court and without making any mention of those Officers presently fell upon the weakest part and commanded the Fathers to be apprehended and put into the House of strangers in a more discourteous manner than was usuall The Officers and Sergeants having used more insolence in the apprehending them than perhaps they were commanded to doe Upon this occasion they were brought before the Tribunal and examined in publick although by their answers their cause was sufficiently justified and the passion of the Judge something moderated They had not been above three daies when they were sent for thence to the palace to perform the ordinary Ceremonies in the Court of courtesies whereof we have spoken in the first part The very same day they were againe examined by the publick Notaries by order of the same President concerning many other things The poynt they most insisted on was to what end they were come into China what their intentions were and what they did pretend by the Present which they had given the King The Fathers judged it necessary to answer cleerly and in forme and therefore told them That they came to preach the law of the true God who was sole Lord and Governour of heaven and earth And that they had brought that Present to the King not that they did pretend any thing by it either office dignitie or recompence but as a Testimony of the obedience they ought him having been inhabitants for so many years of that Kingdom and that all they did desire was to have leave to live and die in that Court or in any other part of the Kingdom which the King should thinke fit as they had already lived there many years The Notaries having drawne up this answer carried it to the President who having seen and considered it drew up his Memoriall thereupon to the King partly in favour of the Fathers and partly against them But the King being well affected towards them because there was something in it against the Fathers gave no answer to it which is there the same thing as to reject it But the Fathers understood by the Eunuchs that the King was much troubled when he knew they were kept as prisoners in the House of Strangers The Mandarine seeing there was no answer given to his petition presently judged the King was inclined to favour the strangers wherefore he thought it fit to change his stile towards them using them with all courtesie and kindenes and commanded they should be better provided for in every thing than the rest of the strangers who were kept there And contrary to the law and custome of that restraint he gave them libertie to go into the City about their affaires and to visit their friends But withall he presented a second Memoriall to the King concerning the Fathers wherein he did not only say nothing against them but positively commended their persons and their
greatest straits kept a strong winde in readines to dissipate these clowds This was a grave Mandarine who exercised the office of Tauli in that City who undertooke our defence and with a speech which he made to the Mandarines and the people concerning the probiâ—y and honesty of the Fathers of their good manner of life and conversation and of the security which was in them quieted and appeased this tempest Of so great power upon all occasions is the authority of one who governeth and in this particularly wherein according to their manner of Government one would have thought that this Tauli should have been our greatest adversary it pleased the Lord by his means so farre to quiet all disturbances that they made no small advantage even of these temptations Their affaires continued thus between tempests and calmes which latter commonly were of the shorter continuance and to conclude the History of this House I will only relate two notable passages concerning it About this time the Hollanders did infest India and were come as farre as China with a designe to gaine a Port in that Kingdom and particularly to take if they could the City of Macao as they did afterwards attempt to do according as I have already related Upon this occasion that City resolved to fortifie it selfe as afterward it did and although the designe did not take effect at that time yet those beginnings and preparations of warre were sufficient to make the Chinesses who are timorous and suspicious even by nature to beleeve that the Portughesses had some designe on foot against them This suspicion was encreased by the coming of Father Lazarus Catanaeus out of China to Macao at the same time He was a man somewhat corpulent by nature and of a tall stature and of a bold and lively mind or aspect and was now become more venerable by reason of his long beard so that to any one who was not acquainted with him he seemed fitter to carry a Pike than a Breviary The Chinesses were perswaded that this Father had a designe to make himselfe Master of their Kingdom and that the Portughesses had chosen him for their Captain in that enterprise partly in consideration of his person and partly for the knowledge he had of the waies in that Country by reason he had been in both the Courts adding with all that there would arrive very shortly two Armies to their assistance one from India of Portughesses the other from Giappon of Giapponesses who are their deadly enemies and that the Fathers who were the companions of Father Lazarus were gone before into the Kingdom partly as spies and partly to stirre up the people to take part with their designes A malicious but ridiculous invention of the Devil as if 4 or 5 poore religious men with a handfull of Christians had been able to conquer so powerfull a Kingdom This rumour began by little and little till at length as is usuall in such cases it grew so strong in the beliefe of the Chinesses that as many of them as dwelt in Macao either Merchants or Inhabitants fled all away to Canton Whereupon they of the Province of Canton gave themselves for half lost and being filled with frights and terrours they made no question but the businesse was very certain The newes had already arrived to the Vice-roys eares who in hast made great levies both for sea and land In the principall City of the Province all the Houses were caused to be pulled downe which were built along the wall on the outside which were very many and the poore people received an excessive losse by it The gates which opened towards Macao were walled up with lime and stone and upon the walls were placed Sentinells to keep watch both night and day A proclamation was published which under very great penalties did prohibite all manner of commerce with Macao and that no stranger whatsoever should be admitted and in particular not Father Catanaeus who was he that was to make himselfe King In this manner was the Metropolis inflamed with a military heat while the neighbouring Cities were ready to die for feare Who would ever have doubted that a fire so unfortunately begun should not have reached as farre as our Residence of Xaocheu a City of the same Province and not very farre from the Metropolis and should not there have burnt up whatsoever it found in it together with all our other Houses in that Kingdom They rushed suddenly into the House with such a fury as you may easily believe them to be in upon such occasion they made a very strickt search and turned every thing upside downe to see if they could finde any armes and having not found what they sought for having imagined to finde a Magazine or Armory there the tumult began to cease and the people went out of the House neverthelesse they set guards upon us for their greater securitie and from this time that fire began to be extinguished The Vice-roy had already given order to the Captain Generall of that Province whom they call Tum Pim that with all the strength of the Country he should fall upon Macao and that he should sack and destroy it But he like a prudent man would not put himselfe upon an enterprise of so much hazzard and danger for the Portughesses would not have suffered themselves to have been so easily destroyed as they shewed afterwards against the Hollanders a people of another manner of valour than the Chinesses before he had received better and more certain information Therefore he sent spies to Macao who went up and downe the City very freely for by reason they had no suspicion of any thing all passages were free and open When the spies had remained in all libertie in Macao as long as they though fit they returned with certain intelligence that there was not any preparation for warre in Macao no levies of Souldiers nor any signe of that newes which had been spread abroad but all was in peace quietnesse save only that the City was divided into two factions by reason of some particular quarrels Upon this intelligence he did forbeare to put the Vice-roys orders in execution and in the mean time things began to be better cleared and the truth to appeare The Citizens of Canton did open their gates and their feares began to blow over and every thing to settle in a great deale of quietnes which was much promoted by the coming of that Mandarine of whom we have formerly made mention that he did appease another tumult against the Fathers in the City of Xaocheu He had been at the Court and was returned from thence upon the occasion of his being promoted to an Office He upon the acquaintance he had formerly had with the Fathers and especially by reason of the new friendship he had contracted with the Fathers at Pekim with whom he had had a very great familiarity absolutely setled all those distempers there for that time for this
and closing his eyes as if he were entring into a sweet sleep he gave up his soule into the hands of his Maker with the generall greife and resentment not only of those of the house and of the Christians but also of the Gentiles they all calling him a perfect Man a Saint an Apostle I will forbeare to speak any more of him for brevities sake by reason his life is already written in the History of Father Trigaltius CHAP. 7. Of the Burying place which was bestowed upon us by the King and of the progresse of the Christian religion untill the time of the persecution at Nankim IT is a custom among the Chinesses as we have already related to have a particular place appoynted for the buriall of their dead The Fathers who had very hardly a place allowed them for to live in were altogether destitute of a place of Sepulture wherefore they were in great doubt where they should bury the Father But the Lord who is a guide unto his and who had a particular intention to honour his servant put them upon a very difficult undertaking and as farre as I am able to judge by the custome of China without his speciall assistance altogether impossible This was to Petition the King desiring his favour to have a place assigned us for the buriall of our dead And because it was the Lord who had first set this businesse on foot without any consideration of the great difficultie which they were like to find they presently framed a Memoriall to be presented to the King wherein they laid downe the reasons which moved them to make this humble request The very passing of this Memoriall according to the Stile which is requisite upon that occasion seemed so impossible a thing that the Colao himselfe who desired to assist them as a friend accounted it a very difficult enterprise Neverthelesse after they had recommended their businesse to Almighty God the Memoriall was presented to the Mandarine to whose office it belonged first to over look it and the Lord was pleased to favour us so farre that it passed the Chancery without any difficultie which at first seemed to be the greatest When it was presented to the King without doubt he that holdeth the hearts of Kings in his hand did dispose and incline him to favour us and he remembring the former Present and the Clock which he had alwaies by him did referre it to the Colao together with many other petitions according to the Stile of that Court and he to the Councell of Rites because it was a businesse of strangers which did properly belong to them But after they of that Councell had considered it they judged it to be a speciall favour of the Kings and that it did therefore belong to the Councell of the Kings Patrimonie Wherefore they did remit our Memoriall to them Assoone as the Fathers understood this and knowing they had no friends in that Councell and that there was nothing to be expected from them without favour they made such means by way of other friends that the Memoriall was not only remanded againe to the Councell of Rites wherein the Fathers had severall friends but that they also did receive it and passe sentence in favour of them as accordingly they did in this form Your Majestie hath given command that the Councell to whom this businesse did belong should give their judgement concerning this petition And it being come into our hands we have well considered the laws and constitutions of this Kingdom and we find one which saith That if any of those Strangers which are wont to come into this Kingdom should chance to die by the way if he were a subject or Vassall for sometimes there come Kings and Princes thither and were not yet arrived at the Court the Treasurer of the Province where he dyeth shall assigne him a place of buriall where there shall be set up an inscription graven in stone wherein shall be expressed the occasion of his coming hither There is also another law which saith If a Stranger come into this Kingdom and die after he is arrived at the Court if he have not received the Kings gratuity and reward according to the usuall custome the Governour of the City shall defray the costs of his funerall But if he hath received his gratuity it shall be done at his owne expence In order to these two laws from which I cannot well see how an argument should be drawne to favour our cause because the Fathers had already received their gratuity the Mandarine knew so well how to make up the businesse and to find out so many reasons and conveniences to obtain that favour which Father Iames Pantoia required of his Majestie for the buriall of his deceased companion that assoone as the Memoriall came againe into the Kings hands he presently referred it to the Colao that he should give what answer to it he thought fit The Colao drew it up in this forme That it seemed very reasonable unto him the strangers should have that favour granted them which they did desire And so it was againe brought to the King who signed it with his owne hand and put to it his Fiat This expedition put an end to our troubles and the Fathers ceased not to render thanks to Almighty God for that favour which they were so cleerly to owne from his goodnesse and which was of so great importance for the Fathers residence in that Court and in the rest of the Kingdom that concession of the King serving not only for a Sepulture for their dead but also for a license for us to remain there during our lives For he having granted us a place in that Kingdom to lie in after our death it was manifest that he granted us also a place of abode there during life and the words of the Grant runne thus To bury their Father Riccius and his companions And accordingly they who die in that Court at this day are buried in the same place Having overcome the first part of the businesse which was the most difficult without any trouble but rather with a great deale of ease and facilitie there remained still the second which was the execution of it which could not want very much opposition but by having many Mandarines to their friends and by procuring the good will of others with some Sun-dialls of Ivory which the Chinesses do highly esteeme and Father Pantoia had the skill of making them very exactly our poverty not being able to extend it selfe to any great matter at length they overcame the smaller difficulties and the execution of their desires became more easie for them especially the Fathers having the Colao who is able to do any thing for their friend who indeed was so well affected to the businesse that Father Pantoia going a second time to visit him to refresh his memory fearing lest the multitude of businesse which lay upon him might cause him to forget them before the
above mentioned banners and holding up in his right hand a scrowl of paper wherein were contained the chiefe heads of our religion and the necessity of them being asked by the guard what he meant by it answered To die with the Fathers like a Christian for the faith of Christ. The Souldiers were much astonished at that answer yet they put a halter about his neck and lead him to the Mandarines where being asked what he was answered boldly and with a loude voice That he was a Christian that he came to give an account of the law of Christ if they would be pleased to hearken to him They immediately caused the halter to be taken from about his neck and gave him a seat to rest himselfe on much admiting his resolution and constancy the like whereof had not till that time been seen in China In the mean time Xin understanding that the Sergeants had left one Father in the house and used the other civilly was very angry and reproved them sharply for it commanding them to go next morning to a garden which we had without the City for our recreation telling them they should finde there store of armes concealed and at their returne to carry the other Father to prison They found nothing in the garden of what they looked for but they carried Father Semedo out of the house to prison together with foure servants and foure other Christians who had come into the house as also brother Sebastian Fernandes and another student who was a native of the City of Macao The Christians of Nankim wrote an account of what had happened to Father Longobardus who was departed for Pekim The messenger overtooke him in Cauxeu where he presently consulted with Dr. Leo who was Governour at that time of two territories it was resolved that the Father should go alone to Pekim that he might the more easily be suffered to passe and that he should leave his companion there He furnished him with an hundred crownes to defray such expenses as should be requisite for the making of their defence He wrote also to severall Mandarines of Nankim and to the Vice-roy himselfe He procured many letters from his friends to others in the Court in favour of the prisoners he comforted them with letters and mony and cloaths against winter which began to grow very sharpe neither was his fortitude inferiour to his charity resisting valiantly his kindred and friends who did every day set upon him to perswade him to leave that so open defence and protection of the Fathers which might prove so prejudiciall and dangerous to him but he gave them so good reasons for what he did that they were all silenced and he and his whole family persevered in the way they had begun Dr. Michael shewed himselfe no lesse zealous assoone as he understood the newes by the letters which were sent him by the Christians of Nankim and Nanham for he advised the Father who was at Hamken for the other was gone to visit the Christians thereabouts that he should get him gone out of the City which accordingly he did with many teares of the Christians and fervour and zeale of the Catechameni who accompanied him to the boote as did Dr. Michael likewise and his two sonnes and a brother of his who was a Gentile and three other Letterati walking on foote a great way that cold and wet season of the year He gave also a hundred crownes to that lay-brother whom the Father 's sent to Cauxen to Father Longobardus towards the expence of his voyage the which mony Father Longobardus sent afterwards by the same brother to Nankim for the reliefe of our prisoners When Longobardus was arrived at Pekim he found the Fathers Iacobus Pantoia and Sabbatinus D' Orsi who negotiated our businesse according to the directions and instructions of Dr. Paul It is hardly credible what care and paines he tooke in writing of letters and learned Apologies and all other imaginable diligences both openly and under-hand for the defence of the Christian Religion which things I forbeare to mention here because they shall be related in his life Yet for all this was he never able to get a Memoriall passed to the Kings hands Xin having craftily shut up all entrance to him neverthelesse those Apologies were dispersed through the whole Kingdom and did sufficiently manifest the malice of our adversaries and the injustice of the persecution While the Christians with one accord endeavoured to make our innocencie appeare and defended it with all their might Xin grew still the more outragious against the Christians and particularly against the poore prisoners He suffered them not to be together above five daies but commanded they should be separated and put into five severall prisons and very strictly forbid they should be allowed any conversation or visits strengthening their guards upon pretence that those men could vanish out of sight when they pleased But he was extreamly vexed when he saw he could not so colour his cause but that it appeared to most men to be unjust and occasioned meerly by malice as also observed that the Mandarines shewed us the same kindnesse and respect as they had done in the time of our prosperity but that which afflicted him most was the joy and cheerfulnesse which all those prisoners shewed in their sufferings for the love of Christ without ever giving any signe of sadnesse or discontent in all their misery Xin not being able to shake the constancy of men would needs try whether he could overcome the courage of children commanding that five boyes who were left behind in our house by reason of their tender years should be apprehended by the officers and carryed to prison an act which was accounted barbarous even in the opinion of those that did not favour us He deprived of his degree of Batchelor Philippe Sin who was Master of the Chinesse tongue to the Fathers who foreseeing the blow kept himselfe retired for a while in his house But assoone as the occasion of his Degradation was published which was for having taught the language to the Fathers then he went abroad rejoycing publickly that he had had the honour to obtain a more noble degree by suffering for the faith of Iesus Christ. After this Xin did very much endeavour to finde out some letter written by Dr. Leo or Dr. Paul or by the Fathers that he might pick some occasion out of it to raise a calumny upon them but this attempt proving fruitlesse he betooke himselfe to compasse his desire by a sleight writing to Dr. Leo in the name of Father Vagnone on purpose to draw an answer from him which he might censure and make his owne comment upon which in China is no hard thing to do by reason of the custome they have of writing and sealing letters with the hand and seale of another But neither did this invention take effect For Dr. Leo presently discovered the cheat by the stile maner of writing
them away to their owne Countries Alphonsus Vagnone and Jacobus Pantoia with their companions who under pretence of preaching a certain law do much disturbe the people and also secretly endeavour to make an insurrection in the Kingdom We do therefore ordaine that notice be given to the Lypu of Nankim to give order to the Mandarines of the respective Provinces wherein any of these men shall be found that they send them with a guard of Souldiers to the Province and City of Canton to the end they may returne from thence to their owne Countries leaving China in peace and quietnesse And because the last year we were given to under stand by severall persons that Jacobus Pantoia and his companions who came into this Kingdome to enjoy the delights and pleasures thereof were very fit to be employed in the emendation of our Calender whereupon they were aggregated to the number of the Mandarines yet notwithstanding the said aggregation we will and command that they be forthwith dismissed and sent away to their owne Countries Let this sentence be given to the Lypu and to the Ciayan the twenty eighth of the twelfth Moone Assoone as this Order was drawne up at the foot of the Memoriall the Colao sent it back into the Palace to be signed by the King according to the custome Presently the Eunuchs being all gained by the Presents of Xin fraudulently contrived a way to get it subscribed or as some say they put it among a great heape of petitions so that the King signed it without taking notice what it was or as others say they perswaded the Queen to subscribe it to whom the King doth often remit the signing of Memorialls And truly it is not very probable that the King who had lent but a deafe eare to so many former Memorialls should be so soone perswaded to it besides that it is more conformable to the stile of that Court to have sent them rather to some Province lying in the middle of the Kingdom than to send them away after they had gained so perfect a knowledge and full information of the affaires of China However it was the sentence was published the fourteenth of February which is the solemne beginning of their new year The news was blowne of a sudden through the whole Kingdome The Mandarines of Nanchium in the Province of Canton where Father Gâ—spar Ferrera was did in a very quiet and civill manner give him notice of the order allowing him with all liberty to stay till his companions came Notwithstanding the Father thought it more fit to sell the House and to retire himselfe to another Mission according to the instructions he had received from Father Longobardus In Hamlu there were two Fathers who were brought thither by Doctour Michaels meanes but they had no notice given them of the Order the Mandarines forbearing as it seemeth to do it out of respect to their Protectour who writ to the Father superiour to send him two more which accordingly he did with very good successe Father Iohn Rocca with two others of Nanchiam where he left Brother Pasquel Mendez for the consolation of those Christians came to Chien Chiam in the Province of Chiamsi where he kept himselfe private in the Houses of the Christians untill the Lord sent better times In Pekim the Colao made excuses to the Fathers in that he was obliged by his place to give them notice of the Kings Order promising them also his Assistance to hinder their going in case they should think good to present a Memoriall to the King to that effect But all passages were so shut up that it was impossible for them ever to present one wherefore giving place to time and necessity having encouraged the Christians after the distribution of Palmes that very Sunday they departed for Canton the Mandarines having strictly forbid the people to offer them any injuries by the way and left the House which the King had granted them in the custody of a good Christian having obtained a licence of the Mandarines to that effect The greatest stirre was in Nankim where assoon as the Courier was arrived he would needs give notice himselfe to the Fathers of their banishment thinking it a high favour that they were not cut in pieces Assoon as it was known abroad the Mandarines came to visit them with much honour and congratulations On the sixt day of March the Fathers were brought first before a Tribunall of six Mandarines and after that before Xin to be examined with a halter about their necks and Father Semedo was brought upon a board not being able through weaknesse to stand upon his leggs Xin after another examination declared That although they had deserved death for preaching a new law in China yet their life was granted them by the Kings clemencie notwithstanding he condemned them to receive ten Bastinadoes apiece and so to be sent away to their own Country Father Semedo was excused by reason of his sicknesse But Fa Vagnone received them in so cruel a manner that he lay very ill upon it and it was above a moneth before his wounds were closed In conclusion their house and goods were confiscated and many books were published against them which declared them to be unworthy the name of Letterati They themselves were put into very narrow Cages of wood such as are used in that Country to transport persons condemned to death from one place to another with Iron Chaines about their necks and Manacles on their Wrists with their haire hanging down long and their Gownes accoutred in an odde fashion as signe of a strange and Barbarous people The thirtieth of Aprill they were brought out of Prison to a Tribunall where they were shut up in those straight Frames and sealed with the Kings Seale and order was given to the Mandarines of the Guard to tale them out at such times as were allowed them to eate and sleep in In this manner were the Fathers carried with an inexpressible noise which the Ministers made with their ratling of Fetters and Chaines Before them were carried three Tablets written on with great letters declaring the Kings Sentence and forbidding all men to have any commerce or conversation with them In this equipage they went out of Nankim and were carried in these Cages for thirty dayes together untill they came to the first City of the Province of Canton where they were presented to the Tutan who having sharply reproved them for preaching a new law in China caused them to be consigned to the Mandarines whence they were carried in that manner throughout all the Tribunals with all the people running after them In conclusion they were taken out and after a few dayes were sent away to Macao along with the Fathers which came from Pekim The Christians which remained in Prison after many sufferings and misusages were in conclusion by the power and sollicitation of their adversarie Xin condemned to receive 70 Bastinadoes apiece The two Lay-Brothers because they
Crosse an Image of our Saviour they tooke them and carried them to the Mandarine accusing that Christian to be a follower of the Law of the Lord of Heaven which was all one with that of the Palien Kiao The Mandarine sent to apprehend him and giving him the rack he questioned him who were the other followers of his Sect He named only the Paynter who had paynted the Image and was also a Christian. He being apprehended and tormented in the same manner whether it were through ignorance or that it seemed to him that he did by that means give a greater authority to the law he followed impeached many of his companions naming at least fourty and among them those who were left as heads and overseers of the rest and in absence of the Fathers did assemble the rest in the Chappels and Oratories where they used to exhort them to vertue and piety Upon this rather simple confession than malicious accusation the Mandarine sent presently to apprehend those persons who had been named to him so that it seemed as if the furies of hell had been turned loofe that day into Nankim There was no other noise hearâ—â—â—n the streets but ratling of chaines the voyces and exclamations of the Sergeants who asked Where is the house Whither is he gone Where shall I finde him When will he come Being so much the more eager in their pursuit of the Christians by how much the more they saw the Mandarines bent to ruine them When they found out any one of them they presently rushed into the house seized upon their Beads Crosses Images Books Catechismes for commonly all of them used to have them in their houses Then they feized on their persons dragging them through the streets with a chaine fastened about their necks and manacles about their wrists carrying before them the ensignes of their faith which they had taken with a great noise and out-cry of the people that they were of the Sect of Palien Kiao The number of those who were taken was thirty foure beside the two first and they were all presently put to the torment of pressing their hands and feet to make them discover others But they taking warning by the ignorance of the two first said only that they were Christians they and their wives and children that they followed the Law of the true God who alone can punish and reward both in this life and the next and that their law was not the law of Palien Kiao neither had it any resemblance to it and more than this they said not any thing Among the prisoners there was a certain Christian named Iohn Yao This man had been formerly imprisoned as we have already related with the Fathers in the other persecution by Xin had been sometimes Bastinadoed before the Tribunals was at last condemned to be the Kings slave for certain years which is much like putting into the Gallies with us but was now returned from his slavery and began again to edifie the brethren by the example of his holy life in the same maner as he had formerly done in that City This man hearing that some Christians were apprehended and that they sought for him never staid till he was discovered but went of his owne accord and presented himselfe to the Mandarine and kneeling in the sight of the Christians that were tormented told him that he was a Christian and that the Law of Christ was the true law and other such like things which the Lord put in his heart When the Mandarine heard him he told him with what intention is not knowne that he did not see in him any garbe or appearance of a preacher of the law and therefore charged him to be gone and never to appear before him again Whereupon Iohn rose up and went his way leaving an eminent Testimony of the Divine Law and the Chinesses astonished at so great a courage Such another thing was done by the same Mandarine although the end and reason which moved him to do it were not known Of the six and thirty which he had apprehended and tormented he set foure and twenty of them at liberty and the others who did use to assemble the Christians and preach to them he sent before the six chief Tribunals where they were all Bastinadoed some at one and some at another the worst Tribunal of all being that of an Eunuch who having nothing of Humanity in him but his outward shape not considering they had bin already tormented and Bastinadoed by the other Mandarines commanded twenty blows apiece to be giving to each of them by which the good Christians were so weakned that theâ— were faine to be laid upon boards and to be carried back upon mens shouldiers into Prison But they were not used so by the Quecum who is equall to one of our Dukes before whom they were brought for seeing them in so miserable a condition by reason of the torments and stripes they had received he did not only not cause them to be beaten but complaining of their ill usage said publiquely That he was well informed concerning the Religion they professed and that it was a good and true Law and so sent them away with good words that Gentile giving a cleare Testimony to our Holy Faith to which those Christians had born witnesse with their bloud While these things were doing the chief Mandarine of the six before whom they were presented drew up the Sentence against them which being faithfully translated out of the Chinesse language runneth thus The Law of the Lord of heaven is false it blindeth the understanding of men and causeth dangerous assemblies Of late years there was a Memoriall presented against it to the King who did very severely prohibite it And now they who follow that Law are convinced not to have obeyed his commands Wherefore according to the Lawes of the Kingdom there ought to be an inquisition made against them and they to be rigorously punished But considering they are men of little knowledge or understanding we do order that the strangers of other Countries be sent home with a Guard to convoy them and that they shall all have the charges of their journey defrayed out of the Kings exchequer but for the Natives of this Court we condemn them to carry a board about their necks for a moneth which is a kind of punishment we have formerly given an account of and when that time is expired they shall be carried before the Tribunal where they were examined and there they shall be admonished to observe the Kings orders and not to follow this Law any longer The Books Images and such like things which were found with the Christians shall be kept in the Kings Treasurie Thus farre the sentence of their condemnation The Fathers had heard nothing of these proceedings at Nankim when there arrived at Hamcheâ— which is distant from that Court about six daies journey by land a Christian sent on purpose to give them notice
made use of to their extraordinary advantage in that great straite wherein the Kingdom was at present and that if they were in the Court as they had formerly been that they would be able to reduce the affaires of state into a better condition Last of all they added that it was probable that they were not all yet departed and that it was not possible that so many men should be able to passe through so great a Kingdom through so many straite and uncouth waies That his Majesty should do well to give order for diligent search to be made through the whole Kingdom to see if any of them were still to be found there and to send for them to Court that they might be serviceable to him in this present conjuncture of the warre The Fathers made great opposition against this particular means which was taken for their re-establishment by reason they were altogether ignorant in matters of warre and armes and all things belonging to that profession and therefore they did not thinke it convenient that they should be petitioned for under that pretence To this as I understand Dr. Leo who was one of the chiefe Actours in this Tragedie presently made answer Fathers let not this trouble you for this pretence of arms shall stand us in no more stead then the needle dâ—th a Taylour who when he hath drawne through the thred he soweth with and the garment is finished presently taketh the needle away let your Reverences once get in by the Kings order and the armes to fight with shall be turned into pens to write In conclusion the Memoriall was drawne up very well they having excellent skill to frame a petition after their manner it was presented in the Chancery of Petitions and they tooke such paines in solliciting their friends that they got it passed and presented to the Kings hands with such good successe that immediately he made a favourable reference of it to the Councell of warre who did not only favour the disigne but added also that they did verily beleeve that the Fathers by their skill in the Mathematicks would be able so to enchant the Tartars that they should not be able to manage their armes against them They therefore immediately gave order that they should be sought out with all possible diligence But there was no need to take much pains to finde them out for he that was to seeke them knew well enough where to have them Father Rocca our Superiour who resided at that time in the Southern parts had presently news of the Kings order that he was to send two Fathers to that Court. It is almost incredible what joy there was both among the Fathers the rest of the Christians they knowing that this was the most certain way for the Fathers to returne publickly into the Kingdom for the propagation of the Gospel with the same libertie they formerly enjoyed Father Nicolas Longobardus and Father Emanuel Dias were named for this expedition who assoone as they had fitted themselves for their journy departed for Pekim where they made their entrance publickly And because some years had now passed since beards of the Europaean fashion had been seen in that City there was so great a concourse of people to see them that they could hardly make their way through them The first thing they did was to present themselves to the Tribunall of warre the care of seeking them out having been recommended to the Mandarines of that Tribunall who received them with all manner of courtesie and civility and profered to take the care themselves of their lodging and accommodation which the Fathers would by no means accept excusing themselves that they had not yet merit enough to accept of their offer but gave them very great thanks and promised to receive their kindnesse when they should see a fit time for it But the true reason was partly that they might not be burthensome to them and partly that they might remain the freer by having the lesse obligation to be employed in their affaires of warre under which title they had been brought in thither As for a House it seemed good to the Christians that they should returne to that where they had formerly made their abode for so many years and where they were yet well knowne and beloved of the neighbourhood Besides that by that means the world would more clearly understand upon how little reason they were banished and moreover they should save building of a new Church the old one having been bought on purpose by a Christian only there was great need of repayring for the buildings of China consisting principally of wood are not so strong and lasting as ours But Dr. Ignatius who resided at that time in the Court tooke upon him to repaire all at his owne charges and did accommodate them very excellently especially the Church and when every thing was ready the Fathers went thither to dwell where they do yet inhabit to this very day medling only with such things as belong to their profession without being ever spoken to concerning warre Tartars or Armes The affaires of the Court being thus happily accomplished and the Fathers dwelling freely and openly in their ancient House they began to set on foote their former exercises They did cultivate and perfect the knowledge of the Christians they preached to the Gentiles they received the visits which the Mandarines and their friends did pay them with the same familiaritie as formerly and without any other cautions but such as are at all times necessary in China This securitie and libertie in the Court by publique approbation was in a little while after communicated to the other Houses where the rest of the Fathers did reside So that by little and little preaching and other exercises of religion were so happily encreased and enlarged that in the year 1628 and 29. whilest we lived peaceably in the places of our abode a doore was opened to the Gospel and the way cleared to the conversion of the Gentiles without finding any opposition or resistance to the designes which God had encouraged us to undertake although it was alwaies necessary to make some Magistrate our friend in the place of our employment In the same measure that our libertie encreased the Gospel was likewise divulged in severall parts new Residencies were set up with Houses and Churches belonging to them and Fathers were sent to make their abode at them Two beside Oratories were instituted in the Province of Fokien both of them very numerous in Christians In the Province of Xansi there was one set up and in that of Xunsi another as also another in the Province of Honan all which do flourish at this day in a copious Christianitie At my departure thence there was another beginning which is now finished having a Church and some store of Christians and they did resolve to send some Fathers to reside there But because hereafter there will be an account given of them
the greatest fury of that persecution wherein the Fathers were banished the Kingdom eight of them concealed themselves in that City not only maintaining what they had already gained but also encreasing it so much that whereas about 8 or 10 years before there were but three Churches in all China we have at this day many in eight Provinces as also twelve Houses the number of the faithfull being very much encreased every where Dr. Leo made continuall progresse in the Christian religion and shewed in act upon all occasions what he had before embraced and resolved in his minde When he went to take possession of the first office which was given him after he was a Christian he was advertised by the Ministers and Officers that according to the custome he should go and worship and take his oath before the Idols which in great number were placed in a certain Hall of that Palace where he was to lodge The Doctour went and being come to the roome where the Idols were the Ceremonie he performed was to cause them to be all overturned and throwne to the ground and then to be broken in pieces so that the Sergeants themselves who were constrained to execute this Commandement which seemed to them a very great impiety said among themselves Sure this new Lord of ours is not very well in his wits So great was the horrour and hatred which he had conceived against the devill He was in this particular very severe and terrible all the time of his life neither did he account them men that were deceived in that point had so little sense as to believe Idols to be gods and those who had any occasion to heare the Law of God or to read the books which treated of it and did not judge it to be true to want braines and to be voyd of understanding He perswaded himselfe that all they who could read and took a delight in the reading of books that it was not possible but that they should have a great passion for the Learning and Sciences of Europe and that by means of them they must needs arrive at the knowledge of the true God and receive his Holy law Therefore his greatest care always was to perswade the Fathers to apply themselves to the translating the books of Europe and he himselfe did help them in it all he could which was not a little Hence it was that ever since he knew the Fathers which was about the space of thirty years he almost alwaies busied himselfe in this exercise which he followed with so much study and application that even in the Country at recreations visits and banquets he never went without a book in his sleeve or in the chaire wherein he was carried on mens shoulders and when he was alone he did either read or write although it was more troublesome to him than it would have been to another of lesse ingenuity and capacity by reason of his want of sight in one eye which he had almost lost and the little sight he had in the other which was left so that in writing or reading he was faine almost to touch the paper with his eye And truly he made such progresse in our Sciences that he could have discoursed upon any subject better than many in Europe that esteeme themselves learned men He perfectly understood the first six books of Euclid which are now translated into the Chinesse tongue he had learned all the kinds of our Arithmetick with many particular rules and subtleties which are taught in that Art of which subject he composed seaven Tomes he was very well acquainted with all that belongeth to the Spheare and such like curiosities But what is most of all he understood very well and helped to translate the books of Aristotle de Caelo together with the questions which are handled upon them by the Schoole of Conimbra so that he had perfectly penetrated into that matter and finally he learnt a great part of our Logick concerning which he left 20 Tomes in the Chinesse language to be printed besides he discoursed so pertinently of all these and other matters with so much ease and delight that it was not so facile for others who were well versed in them to follow him He never made account of those curious commodities which came from Europe and which were so much esteâ—med by others all his delight and content was to see some new and curious book that was brought out of Europe Then would he sigh to see himselfe old and alone not finding in other Christians the zeale which he had of a thing so important to the conversion of that Kingdom as was the helping us in the translation of such books With the Fathers he never discoursed of any thing but either of God or of our Sciences It was a knowâ— thing among us that when he saw us which he did many times a week the first thing he would ask was What book it was we were about translating and if he knew the subject how much we had already translated And I can speak it with truth that of fifty works which the Fathers have translated into the Chinesse tongue both of Divinitie other Sciences among which there are some which do consist of many Tomes there is hardly one which hath not passed through his hands he either correcting it himselfe or helping us to do it or revising and fitting it for a new impression or else reâ—ding it of more Authority with the addition of prologues and other compositions of his owne He had an unspeakable pleasure in those works neither could â—e have a greater Present sent him than one of our books newly printed in the Chinesse language From hence there grew in him a great 〈◊〉 iâ—satible desire wherein he seemed to consume himselfe which was to have many Fathers come into China and it was so vehement in him that it made him fall into complaints against our Superiours saying They did not understand because they could not see with their eyes the importance of that businesse that therefore they did not supply that want so much as was necessary One day falling into a great heat upon this subject the Father with whom he discoursed mildely replied Sir we thank you for your zeale and do acknowledge the favour you shew us in complaining on this manner but our Superiours have many places to succour and supply and it is not possible for them to do it to the satisfaction of all To which he replied very gracefully Your Reverence doth reprove me for daring to murmure against our Fathers and Superiours but it is not so but only I say That I should be very glad to have the opportunity to speak in person with our Reverend Father Generall in these very tearmes he spake it in the Chinesse tongue and when ever he mentioned the Superiours of the Company he alwaies called them Our Fathers and Superiours because I would very earnestly desire of him that he would be
pleased seasonably to supply our Kingdome of China with store of Fathers by reason the letters and language are so difficult to be learnt for ere long your Reverences will be so old and worne out that you will not be able to teach those who are new comers Thus he spake and this was his opinion concerning it And a good Testimony thereof will appeare in a letter which he wrote in answer to one which Father Mugnez Mascaregnas the Assistant of Portugall had sent him wherein he offered to send him whatsoever curiositie or raritie he desired out of Europe to which point his answer was that he neither wished nor desired any thing but only that he would earnestly endeavour to send more of the Societie into China In proportioâ— to the love he had for the Fathers his zeale and care for their studies and health did encrease as also that they should be well accommodated and that they should know how to converse with those of the Country in such Termes Ceremonies and Compliments as were most esteemed among them admonishing and instructing us with great confidence upon all occasions when ever he saw us mistaken in the Stile of that Country He had so tender a kindenesse for us that many times with his owne hands he would open our gowns before to see whether we were sufficiently provided with cloaths to defend us from the cold When any of us was sick he caused the medicines to be boyled and prepared at his owne House saying That either through the ignorance or unskilfulnesse of our servants they might lose their force and so the sick person would receive no help by them At the first sight after a little discourse he could very well judge of the talents and parts of every one of us and had a great facilitie in gaining our affections He had a great esteeme and affection for us all in generall but much more for those who were newly come and could not yet speak the language of whom he had alwaies a very great care much compassionating the labour and paines they were to take in the study of that language and the letters belonging to it and to encourage them would much rejoyce at every word which he heard them bring out when they began to speak it He gave them very particular instructions concerning the manner and method they were to study it by He gave them the names of the books to which they were most to apply themselves and many times he sent them to them written in his owne hand concerning the poynts and strokes of which in China there is a particular Science It was an incredible consolation and truely did cause no lesse then our admiration to heare the two Doctours Leo and Michael together when they came both at once as they did often to our House for they scarce spoke of any thing else but of the way how to propagate the Gospel and how to protect defend and authorize the preachers thereof throughout the whole Kingdom consulting with themselves to which of their friends they should recommend them what books they would advise them to write to which Province it were best to go first and which Father were fittest to be required of the Superiour for such a part In the end all their consulations concluded in sighs saying We are old men to morrow we shall die whom shall wee leave in our stead to carry on that which we have seen begun in our daies Sometimes transported by their affections they did imagine themselves to be then at the Court informing the King himselfe by their Memoriall of the sanctity and purity of our Christian Faith and having obtained leave and authority of him to set up publick Churches they did already in their imagination make choice of the ground and scituation and design the form of the buildings otherwhile they fancied themselves to be accused for this cause to be laid in prison and after that to be beheaded and all with so much courage and cheerfulnesse as did well shew the esteem they made of the honour of Martyrdom and the ardent desires they had to lose their lives for the interest of Gods cause Neither did he stop at discourses and desires for I can justly affirme That of all the Houses and Churches our Societie hath in China there is not one of them which Dr. Leo hath not helped both to build and to preserve giving towards some of them although he was not rich a considerable summe of money But that zealous love of Leo was most remarkable in that occasion of recalling the Fathers to the Court and City of Pekim where they formerly resided He contrived all possible means to effect it and made use of all opportunities and by reason that China was then infested by the Tartars and the Court of Pekim in danger he tooke advantage by that occasion to remonstrate to the King that besides our learning and skill which might be of great use to him in this conjuncture of time we had also great power and interest with the inhabitants of Macao from whom we could easily obtaine a considerable succour of men and armes to his assistance and the better to perswade the King and his counsell to it he used so much Rhetorick and produced so many and such apt and proper examples out of their books and ancient Chronicles wherein he was excellently well versed that I doubt not but the Reader would receive much delight if I should give him a little tast of that excellent memoriall of his did not that Brevitie which I have tied my self to in this relation forbid it In conclusion he did and said so much that he obtained his desire wherein he received no lesse satisfaction than we have and ever shal have obligation to him for it Neverthelesse he lost the great office he had only upon this account through the malice of his enemies who accused him to the King though they had nothing to lay to his charge but the neare friendship he had had with Father Matthaeus Riccius and that he did beleeve and professe a certain Law which that Father taught and which was different from the Law of that Kingdome But it pleased the Lord to recompense him abundantly for what he then lost restoring him 4 or 5 years after to the same place with much more honour and Fame throughout the whole Kingdom by means of Dr. Puul who being also a Christian and of so much courage understanding as to be able to assist and favour our affairs brought it about upon occasion of the reformation of the Kalender He accepted of the employment the better to enable him together with Doctour Paul to promote the interest of the Gospel and so he began his journey toward the Court but beside the infirmities of his old age the length of the voyage and the excessive cold of the winter did so weaken him that not many moneths after his arrivall he ended his life on the day
name not only the occidentall but the Oriental Tâ—rtars hitherto much unknown to us in Europe containing the Provinces Sâ—mahania Tanyu Niuche Niulhaâ— and the like from the lesser Tartary and Kingdom of Cascor to the Oriental Sea above Iaâ—ony where they are separated by the Streight of Anian from Quevira in America if yet it be a Streight and not a Continent But it is not my intention to write all the Warrs which have passed betwixt them but only of such as have happened in our memory and in my presence All the rest shall appear at large in my Abridgement of the History of China And that we may proceed with more Order it will be necessary to reflect how and from whence those Troubles had their beginning It is therefore first to be known that the ancient Western Tartars after they had subdued almost all Asia to their power waged war against China of which Paulus Venetus and Ayton make mention under the names of Cataye and Maningin and this before the times of great Tamberlain who never subdued China as some have falsly writ for he flourished about the year MCCCCVI in which time Taichangus Emperour of China and the second of the Taimingian Family the Tartars being before beaten out of his Kingdom governed peaceably all the Provinces included within the compass of that Vast Wall which before I mentioned But the War which Paulus Venetus toucheth betwixt the Chinesses and Tartars began in the year MCCVI. as their History and Chronology testify which lasting 77. years at last the Tartars in the year MCCLXXVIII having totally conquered all that potent Empire extinguished the Imperiall Family of the Sungas and erected a new Regal Family which they called Iuena of which Tartarian Race nine Emperors by descent governed in the Kingdom of China for the space of LXX years in Peace and Quietness and about the end of that War came Paulus Venetus into China with the Tartars as appeareth by his Writings In this tract of time the Tartars forgetting their ancient Vigour of Mind and warlike Spirits which the pleasures and delices of that Country had quailed and tamed and being also weakned by so long a Peace became of a softer temper and received a deep Tincture of the Nature and Disposition of the Natives of China Whereupon a contemptible person who was servant to one of those deputed to offer Sacrifice to their Idols called Chu presumed to rebell against them This man commiserating the condition of his enslaved Country and alsotouched with the ambition of Reigning first acted the part of a Thief or High-way man and being of a Generous Nature bold and as quick of hand as in wit wanted neither Courage nor Art nor Companions nor Fortune to gather such a multitude as in short time made up the vast body of an Army whereupon deposing the person of a Thief he became a General and with a bold attempt presumed to set upon the Tartars and having fought many battailes with them obtained many singular Victories so as in the year 1368 he finally drove them out of the Kingdom of China receiving for so memorable an action the whole Empire of China as a worthy reward of his Heroical Actions It was he first erected the Imperial Family of the Taâ—inges and being he was the first Emperour of that Race stiled himself by the name of Hunguus which signifies as much as The famous Warriour After such an illustrious Action it was no wonder if all the Provinces submitted to him both as to one that was a Native of their Country and also because they looked on him as a man who had redeemed them from Thraldome for it is the Nature of the people of China to love and esteem their own as much as they hate and vilifie Strangers Wherefore he first placed his Court at Nanking neer to the bank of that great River of Kiang which the Chinesses in respect of the huge Mountains of water which it discharges into the Ocean call the Son of the Sea And having speedily ordered and established that Empire fearing no Insurrections from these new redeemed Creatures he was not contented to have chased the Tartars out of China but he made an irruption into Tartary it selfe and so followed the point of his Victory as that he routed them several times wasted all their Territories and finally brought the Oriental Tartars to such streights as he forced them to lay down their Arms to pay Tribute and even begge an Ignominious Peace This Storm of War fell chiefly on the Tartars of the Province of Niuche whither the Tartars of China being expelled were retired Afterward those Tartars every yeare either as Subjects or Friends came into China by the Province of 〈◊〉 to traffick with the Inhabitants For being brought to poverty and misery they thought no more of making warre against China The Merchandise they brought were severall as the root cal'd Ginsâ—m so much esteemed amongst the Chineses and all sorts of precious skins as those of Castor Martais and Zibellâ—ns and also Horse-hair of which the Chineses make their Nets and the men use it in tying up their hair as the handsomest dresse they can appear in But those Tartars multiplyed so fast as they grew quickly into seven Governments which they call Hordes and these fighting one against another at length about the year of Christ MDL were united into one Kingdome called the Kingdome of Niuche Thus stood China in relation to the Eastern Tartars but to the Western Tartars they payed Tribute masked under the Title of Presents that they might desist from War For the Chineses esteem it very unhandsome to make war against any if by any other means their Country can be conserved in peace and quietness being taught this by their Philosophers But in the meane time being over jealous of the Enemies to their antient riches they never left that great Wall which extends from East to West without a million of Souldiers to guard it Therefore this Kingdome of China being thus established in the Taimingian Family enjoyed a constant peace and quietnesse for CCL years and whilst the seven Tartarian Lords or Governours made civil wars that renowned Emperour of China known by the name of Vanley being the thirteenth Emperour of Taiminges Family governed happily the Kingdome of China from the year 1573. to the year 1620. with as much Prudence as Justice and Equity But in this time the Tartars of Niuche had so multiplied and spread themselves after incorporated into a Kingdome that they became daily more formidable to China And therefore the Governours of the bordering Provinces consulted privatelâ— amongst themselvs how they might curb and restraine these people within their limits For their Governours have so much Power and Authority that although they live as Slaves to their Prince yet when there is question of a Common and publick good they govern absolutely and uncontroulably unless by some higher powers their orders be restrained
perswaded him to leave the Imperial City and retire to the Southern Provinces but he protested he would rather die than quit the Northern quarters and not only so but he forbade any to depart the Court or Town besieged In the mean time the Tartars make many fierce assaults and as often were valiantly beaten back with great losse and Carnage Yvenus was called to resist the Tartars for as yet his Traiterous Comploâ—s were not discovered And lest he should discover his Treason he comes with his Armie neer the very Walls of the Court which was of a vast extent and as it were a great partition between the two Armies from which both the Chinese and Tartars forces were perfectly discerned But though Yvenus was under the Emperours eye yet he acted little for his only aim being to returne home laden with Riches he never desisted to perswade the Emperour to admit his conditions of Peace So that the Emperour finding him evidently to be a Traitor disclosing his intention to none of his Councel nor Governours sends to invite him to a private Councel of war giving also order that he should be admitted into the City over the Walls lest if any Gate should be open the Tartar being so neer might presse in upon them but indeed he ordered the businesse in this manner lest he should bring his Armie into the City with him Yvenus therefore knowing he had many chief men about the Emperous person who were both his favourities and friends and that none of them gave him the least sign of any distaste that the Emperour might conceive against him boldly and securely presented himself at Court and as soon as he appeared he was presently arrested and after some few questions the Emperour commanded him to be killed The Tartars hearing of his death before the China Armie had a new General assigned raise the siege ransack all the Country round about and after they had made excursions to the next bordering Province of Xantung richly laden with all manner of Spoiles returne to their first residence in Leaotung From these times til the year 1636. the event of their Warrs was very various but in general we observe that the Tartars could never fix a foot in China but they were presently beaten out again In this same year Thienzungus King of the Tartars died after whom succeeded his Son Zungteus Father to him that now governs China of whom we now must begin to treat This Prince before his Reign expressed much judgement in severall Occurrences surpassing all the Kings of Tartary in Humanity and obliging courtesie For when he was young he was sent by his Father into China where he lived secretly and learned the China's Manners Doctrine and Language and now coming to the Kingdom he changed and far surpassed all the Examples of his Predecessors For having observed that their too hard and cruel usage of the Chinesses had been the principal obstacle of their advancement to the end he might conquer that Empire he so much thirsted after as well by Love as by Arms he courteously entertained and cherished all those of China which came unto him using all Prisoners with great sweetnes and inviting them either to submit freely to his Government or take their course with full freedom The fame of his humanitie was spred far and neer which induced many Commanders and chief Officers to fly unto him by whose means and help at length he became Emperour of that spacious and flourishing Country For experience shews us that Love and Humanity do work more upon mens hearts in conquering and conserving Kingdomes than Arms and crueltie of the Conquerors hath lost that which strength of Arms had happily subdued Wherefore when the Chinesses came to understand that the King of Tartary did not only afford them a refuge but friendship many great persons flying the Indignation of the King of China sheltered themselves under the Tartars protection For by reason of the China's great Avarice and Perfidiousness it 's a necessary though most inhumane Maxim that those Officers perish who have managed the Kingdomes Affairs with lesse successe For they easily are brought to beleeve that such unhappy events do not proceed so much from the frown of inconstant Fortune as it doth from the perfidie or negligence of the Commanders So as if any fought unhappily or if he lost the Country committed to his charge if any Sedition or Rebellion happened the Governors hardly ever escaped alive Seeing therefore they found so much Humanitie in the Tartar and so much Inhumanity in the Emperor they rather chose to fly to the former By this occasion give me leave to relate what happened to that incomparable Commander renowned both for Fidelitie and Fortitude called Ignatius This Heroick mind preferd his fidelitie to his Prince before his life before the Tartarian's protection yea even before the strength of his formidable Army and chose rather with his unparallel'd Fidelity to submit his head to a Block by an unjust sentence than to abandon his Country or once commit the least fault against his Soveraign though guilty of much injustice towards Him He might perchance have swayed the Soveraign Scepter of China if he would have hearkened to his Souldiers but he rather chose to die gloriously than to be branded with the name of a Traitor After this man therefore had gained several Victories against the Tartars and recovered many Cities from their possession so as he hoped shortly wholly to extirpate them out of China His Souldiers being long without pay seditiously plundred and pillaged a Town which had ever been faithfull to the King Ignatius by several petitions and Remonstrances to the Emperour had declared his wants of mony and their want of Pay but because he fed not those venal souls that mannaged the businesse for mony and presents they alwaies suppressed his humble addresses for relief Besides this man being a very pious Christian he did nothing in his government but what was conform to Reason and Justice which was the cause he incurred the hatred of all the ancient Prefectâ— who usually receiving Bribes from the contesting parties demanded favour of Ignatius for their Clients But it was in vain to intercede for any unlesse the justnesse of the cause did also ballance their Petitions And these men attributing this proceeding not to vertue but to his Pride thinking themselves undervalued by him dealt under-hand with the Prefects in the Court to stop the Armies pay that so they might destroy this innocent man Moreover he was envied by the Commanders in the very Court because he came to this eminent dignitie by his own valour and industry which they imagined was only to be given to Doctors and Ignatius was but a Licenciat as if the most learned must needs be also the most valorous In this conjuncture of affairs the Souldiers not contented with the seditious pillage seeing the most imminent danger hanging over their most
though they left also much because the enemy approached Thus the immense Riches of Gold and Silver which the Emperours of the Taimingean Family had at leasure hoorded up in the space of two hundred and fourscore years were in a moment dispersed But although they fled very speedily yet they could not avoid the swift Tartarian Horses for overtaking their Luggage and the Rear of the Army they pillaged and vexed them for eight daies but yet they either could not or would not passe the River Croceus that so they might speedily returne to amuse the trembling hearts of the Territory of Peking The Tartars returne therefore victorious and rich into the City Peking and there being admitted by the Chineses they gave them the Empire Where it is to be observed that although Zungteus the Tartarian King dying at the first entrance into China did not obtain that noble Empire he so much thirsted after yet he gave those Instructions of the manner of conquering it to his Councel that they never desisted till they obtained it This Prince dying declared his Son of six years old his Successor commanding all his own Brethren to manage the Childs Affairs with all fidelity and circumspection making his eldest brother his Tutor and all those brethren being uncles to the Child by a stupendious union and never to be parallel'd in any ambitious Nation exalted this Infant to the possession of the Empire These things being thus passed Usangueius seeing the Thief expelled began to think of creating a new Emperour one of the Taiminga's Family who was a Prince not far distant But first being mindfull of his promises made to the Tartars he offers them their rewards he highly extols their Fortitude and Fidelity in the Kingdomes quarreâ— and finally desires them now to depart the Country quietly and to entertain a strict alliance and friendship with it seeing they had abundantly revenged all former injuries To this demand the Tartars returned a long premeditated answer but far contrary to what Usangueiâ—s expected which they delivered in these tearms We do not think it yet a fit time to leave you and this Empire unless having heard our Reasons you shall still presse it for we consider that many of the Theeves are still extant and seem rather dispersed than extinguished and we hear that their great Conductor Licungzus hath fixed his Imperial Seat in Sigan the Metropolis of the Province of Xensi by which means he still possesseth the richest and most populous Provinces which are still under his Dominion If we depart worse is to be feared will follow He feared us Tartars when he hears we are gone having now time to recruit his Forces he will doubtlesse make new Invasions and perchance we shall not be able to send new Succours We therfore resolve to prosecute the Victory and quite extinguish those Vagabonds that so you may deliver the Empire to your designed King in full peace and tranquility Be not solicitous of paying our promised rewards for they are as safe in yours as in our own hands That which we now desire to execute is that which presseth most and seems to us to require no delay that you with part of your Army and part of ours â—arch speedily against Licungzus and we with the rest take our march towards the Province of Xantung to extirpate those Theeves that have setled there By this means the peace of the Kingdome will be firmly established Usanguieus either did not understand the Stratagem or if he did he condescended not to irritate an Army which was in the Bowells of the Kingdom Before the Tartars which were called entred China they sent into their own and other Kingdoms to raise as many men as possibly they could to the end they might conquer the Empire after they had acquitted themselves of their promised assistance against the Theeves But these Succours not being arrived to re-inforce them therefore they thought it best as yet to use no force but gain time by fair words and new projects But whilst this businesse was contriving there came an immense company of Tartars into the Empire not only from the Kingdoms of Niâ—che and Niâ—lham but also from the old Occidental Tartary and from a Country called Yupi which is more Oriental and lyes above the elevation of Iapon This people is called Yupi by reason they make their Coats of defence or Breast plates of fishes skin which are in a maner impregnable Nay which is more I saw very many who were come as far as the River Volga which people these Tartars call Alga-Tartars and I find they have a Notion of Muscovy and Polâ—â— but they are far more barbarous than the Oriental Tartars be with these auxiliary Forces came in the infant King of six years old Son to the late deceased King of Tartary and when these were joyned with the body of the Army then they publickly proclaimed their right to the Empire and openly declared their concealed intentions and proclaimed this child of six years old Emperour of China by the name of Xunchi and the new erected Imperial Family they stiled by the name of Taicing The Child of six years old took possession of the ancient Throne of his 〈◊〉 with a great Gravity and Majesty from whence he delivered this judicious Speech to the Commanders and to his Army It is your strength and power more than my felicity my dear and generous Uncles you the rest of my noble Commanders which supports my weaknesse and makes me so undantedly ascend and possess this Imperial Throne My present assurance and this Chairs stability I hope is as happy a sign of my future prosperity as its tottering proved unfortunate to the Thief Licungzus his Tyrannie You see my first step to the Empire But I know your valour to be such that I look not only upon the Kingdom of China as my own but conceive the Empire of the World not only by me possessed but also established The rewards due to such incomparable Vertues shall be no other than the riches of the Empire and Royall dignities proceed therefore valiantly and stoutly The whole Court was astonished to hear a Child of six years old speak such things and hence concluded that fate or Heaven had elected him for King the young Prince did assume his eldest Uncle as his Tutor and Father the same day he was admitted to the Empire and therefore the Tartars in their language called him Amahan as much as to say the Father King which very thing the China's express by the word Amavang To this man therefore he remitted all the Conduct of his Wars and to him it is the Tartars owe all their greatnesse and Dominion for as he excelled in Counsel and Prudence so also he was as eminent in fortitude and fidelity and withall by the strength and force of his Reasons and Counsels did ravish the wisest men amongst the Chineses and his Justice and Humanity did wholly
presently they fell upon the Kings men whom they butchered in a most cruel manner but yet the water destroyed more than their Swords or Arrows for many cast themselves headlong into the great River of Cianthang which is a League broad and runs neer the City others leaping and overcharging the Boats in the River were presently sunck others flying away full of fear and confusion thrust one another at the River side into that unmerciful Element and by all these many thousands perished The Tartars wanting boats to passe this River having thus expelled or killed the Souldiery they returned Triumphant to the City where they used neither force nor violence by which means this noble City was conserved whose beauty greatnesse and riches I hope to describe elsewhere not by hear-say but by what I saw in the three years space I lived in it from which I lately came into Europe This City of Hangcheu hath an Artificial Channel or Dike to pass by water to the Northern parts of China This Chanel is onely separated by the high part of the way like a Causeway from the River which as I said runs on the South part of the City The Tartars therefore drew many Boats out of this Chanel over the Causeway into the River Cienthang and with the help of these Boats they passed the River without resistance and found the fairest City in all China called Xaoking prone enough to submit to their victorious Armes This City in bignesse yields to many others but in cleannesse and comlinesse it surpasses all it is so invironed with sweet waters as a man may contemplate its beauty by rounding it in a Boat it hath large and fair Streets paved on both sides with white square stones and in the middle of them all runs a Navigable Chanel whose sides are garnished with the like ornament and of the same stone there are also built many fairs Bridges and Triumphant Arches the Houses also which I observe no where else in China are built of the same square stone so as in a word I saw nothing neater in all China They took this Town without any resistance and so they might have done all the rest of the Southern Towns of this Povince of Chekiang But when they commanded all by Proclamation to cut off their Hair then both Souldier and Citizen took up Armes and fought more desperately for their Hair of their Heads than they did for King or Kingdome and beat the Tartars not only out of their City but repulst them to the River Cienthang nay forced them to passe the River killing very many of them In truth had they past the River they might have recovered the Metropolis with the other Towns But they pursued their victory no further being sufficiently contented that they had preserved their Hair resisting them only on the South side of the shore and there fortifying themselves By this means the conquering Armes of the Tartars were repressed for a whole year But the Chinois that they might have a Head chose Lu Regulus of the Taimingian Family for their Emperour who would not accept therof but would be only stiled The Restorer of the Empire In the mean time the Tartars had sent for new forces out of Peking with which they left nere a Stone unturned that they might get over the River Cienthang but all was in vain The drooping affairs therfore of the Chinois now breathed again nay having gathered together more Forces they promised themselves greater victories But the ambition and emulation of rulling frustrated all their hopes For the Commanders and Presidents which fled out of the Province of Chekian into the Country of Fokien carried with them one of Taiminga's Family called Thangus and this man they chose King in the Country of Fokien which confines with Chekiang This Prince pretended that the King called Lu should yeeld up his right to him both because he had but a few Cities under him and also because he was further removed from the Imperial Race than he was But King Lu pretended he was Proclaimed by the Army before him and failed not to set forth his victories over the Tartars By which two contentions the Tartars kept the Crown for these two Royalets would never yeeld to one another nor so unite their Armies as joyntly to represse the Tartars Since therefore this petty King Lu had onely eight Cities under his command whose Contributions were not able to maintain the necessary pay of his Army he never durst venture to passe over the River but endeavoured only to defend himself But the Tartars sought all means possibly to get over this River yet they durst not venture to passe in Boats because King Lu had many ships and good store of Artillery which he had caused to be brought from Sea But the Tartars felicity and prosperous fortune overcame this difficulty for as it happened that year being dryer than ordinary this River towards the South where it runs betwixt high Mountains and is deprived of the flowing of the Sea had lost much of its depth and here the Tartars Horse found it passable and because the rudenesse of those Mountains seemed a sufficient Guard to the Country they found no Souldiers to resist but as soon as the Clowns espied twenty of their Horse to have passed the River they presently advertised the Army and they all betook themselves to flight King Lu himself left the City Xaoking and not daring to trust himself to the Continent he took Ship and failed to the Island called Cheuxan which lies opposit to the Citie of Nimpus where he remains to this day safe and keeps still his Regal dignitie which Island being heretofore only a retreit for Fishemen and some Clowns now is become a potent Kingdom by reason that many fly from China to this King Lu as to their sanctuary to conserve the libertie of their Hair In this Island there are now found three score and ten Cities with a strong and formidable Army which hitherto hath contemned all the Tartarian Power and Forces and watch for some happy occasion to advance again their Kingdom in China But by this means the Tartars took all the Cities and Towns of the County of Chekiang into their Dominion One only City of Kinhoa whose President was aswel a Native of the place as also the Commander in chief and my very singular friend sustained the Tartars assaults for some months But to the end the resistance of this City should not be a hindrance to the course of their Victories the Tartars divided their Army into three parts The first part marched by the City Kiucheu and the Mountains the second by the City Vencheu and the Sea shore into the Province of Fâ—kien and the third obstinately besieged the City of Kinhoa At which time I by leave from the Emperour Longuvus resided in Henxus a City subject to that of Venchen which presently after was besieged and taken by the
this was done then he resolved to display his Banners and Ensigns in so pious a cause as the driving out the common Enemy from the bowels of the Kingdom and no doubt but under this pretext they would all have followed helped and even adored him as their Saviour It was therefore evident that he had secret correspondence with the Tartars and that he favoured them for his own profit And that which made the businesse more suspicious was that at that time when the Tartars made their irruption into Fokien he was then declared Lord Marshal of the Kingdom and all the Generals Commanders and Souldiers were either of his affinity or wholly at his Command and Obedience And therefore it is no wonder if the Tartars found an easie admittance into the Country of Fokien of which they presently made him King Pingnan as much as to say Pacifier of the South and they added many other Dignities and Offices of trust that they might more speciously illude him for either they knew his aspiring mind or else his great power and authoritie was suspicious and formidable to them but yet all the while that the General of the Tartars remained in Fokien they never expressed the least diffidence in him but both with favours courtesies presents and honours they studied how further to ingage him and promised him the Government of many more Provinces He made himself therefore secure of the Government of all the Southern Provinces but all happened quite contrary to his expectation for when this General of the Tartars who was observed as a little King was to depart to Peking the custom was for all the Officers of the Kingdom to conduct him for some part of his journy to give him an honourable farewell which last duty of Civility Iquan could not handsomely avoid nor indeed had he any reason to be diffident in him so as he left his Navie in the Port of Eocheu and accompanied the Royolet with great splendor and magnificence But when he came to take leave and demand Licence to return the General of the Tartars invited him a long to Peking where he promised him yet greater honours from the Kings own person to reward his Merits He endeavoured by all imaginable impediments to excuse this journey but nothing was accepted he was forced by their kindnesse to accompany them to Peking and so he was taken by Art who by Arms seemed Insuperable He is yet detained in Prison in Peking because his Brothers and Kindred hearing of his Captivitie presently seazed on the Fleet with which they have much infested China as we shall touch hereafter In the mean time the other Army which had passed the Mediterranean Provinces of Huquang Kiansi and Quamgtung invaded the Country of Quangsi But here it was that the Arms of the Tartars which hitherto were held invincible were shewed to beweak where they least expected opposition there they found a stop to their conquests It happened that in this Province of Quangsi the Vice-Roy called Khiu Thomas was a Christian and also all the Militia of that Country was commanded by Ching Lucas whose family for five Generations has served the Emperours of China with as much constancy and fidelity as they did Christ. These two having gathered many together which fled from all parts into Quangsi after the Tartars had taken many places in the Country overthrew the Tartarians in a set Battail and passing into the confining Province of Quamgtung they recovered all the Western part of it After this that they might have a head to fight for and who might command and govern them in all Occurrences and withall to draw the minds and hands of the Chineses to the common defence of the Country knowing that in the City of Queilin which is the head City of Quangsi there was one of the Taiminges Family living who was Nephew to the Great Vanleius they elected him Emperour and called by the name of Iungley This Prince fixed his Imperial seat in the noble City of Chatking in the Province of Quamgtung and hitherto has fought several times with the Tartars with good successe And in this Princes Court the chief Euncuh called Pang Acbilleus is the greatest favourite and a great Servant of Christ whom he hath long professed sincerely to worship both by word and deed for to propagate Christianitie he has ever maintained a mission of Jesuites about him by whose painfull endeavours many have embraced the Faith of Christ. And amongst others the very Mother of this Emperour his Wife and his eldest Son Heir of the Empire called Constantin did all imbrace Christianity May this Man by the praiers of all Christians prove another Constantine to the Empire of China The Emperour himself is not averse from Christianitie but hitherto he hath defer'd his Baptism but yet he permitted his Wife to send a Father of the Society to do homage to the Sea Apostolick as all Europe has heard God of his goodnesse grant him that felicity which may redound to the universal good of China and Gods greater glory But it was not only in Quangsi that the Chineses began to resume their courage but in the Province of Fokien also for no sooner was the Tartarian Army called back to Peking but a petty Heathen Priest broke out of the Mountains of Fokien with a band of seditious fellows and subduing the Tartarian Garrisons took the fair City of Kienning and many others from their subjection and others which lay lurking in the Mountaines following his example recovered also many other Cities about which time also the friends and Kindred of the Captive Iquon did extremely infest the Sea and making descents upon the Land vexed the Province extremely about the Quarters of Siuencheu and Changcheu At this time a chief Governour of the Tartarians Vice-roy of two Provinces was at Cheksang who hearing of these commotions came presently by night in great haste with all the force he could make towards the Mountains of Fokien for he with reason feared lest they should take possession of the Passages of those places which if they had done the whole Province had been re-gained But when this Vice-roy called Changus found the Mountains and Passages clear no opposition made in such difficult places he then proclamed himself victorious and his enemies persidious Rebels wherefore coming without resistance into the Country he besieged the City Kienning which was defended by Vangus This Siege held some weeks but he never could take the place by force and therefore having lost many of his men by assaults he judged it best rather to block up the place afar off than to besiege it so close and neer But yet by this he hindred other forces from joyning with Vangus so that he was not strong enough to sally out upon them When the noyse of these commotions came to Peking the Emperour presently sent a new supply to appease these tumults and this fresh Army comming to joyn
where they have ever their Arms and Horses ready for any expedition so as in one half hour they all are ready for they blow a Horn just in the fashion of that which we appropriate usually to our Tritons and by the manner of winding it they presently know what Companies and Captains must march so as they are ready in a moment to follow their Ensign which a Horse-man carries tied behind him though commonly none but the Commander and Ensign knows whither they go this profound secrecy in their exercise of War has often astonished the Chineses for many times when they thought to oppose them in one part they presently heard they were in another Quarter and it is no wonder they are so quick for they never carrie with them any Baggage nor do they take care for Provision for they feed themselves with what they finde yet commonly they eat Flesh though half rosted or half boyled if they find none then they devour their Horses or Camels but ever when they have leasure they go a hunting all manner of wild Beasts either by some excellent Dogs and Vultures which they bring up for that end or else by incompassing a whole Mountain or large Field they beat up all the wild Beasts into a circle and drive them into so narrow a compasse as that they can take as many as they please and dismisse the rest The earth covered with their Horse-cloath is their Bed for they care not for Houses and Chambers but if they be forced to dwell in Houses their Horses must lodge with them and they must have many holes beaten in the Walls but yet their Tents are most beautiful which they fix and remove with such Art and dexterity as they never retard the speedy march of an Army Thus the Tartars train their Souldiers to hardnesse for War Out of all these Ensignes Amavangus chose the choicest men to accompany his person And besides he took part of those which he had deputed to follow the three Royalets which he dispatched to the South ordering them to take as many out of the severall Garrisons through which they passed as might supply this defect But although Amavangus had so gallant and such a flourishing Army yet he never durst give Battail to Kiangus lest he might seem to expose the whole Empire of the Tartars to the fortune of one Battail So that although Kiangus did frequently offer him Battail yet he ever refused to fight expecting still to hear what reply the Western Tartars would make to his Proposition of his Nephews Marriage for he had sent a Legate to that Tartarian King with pretious gifts as well to demand his Daughter for the Emperour of China as to desire him to afford no succour to the Rebel Kiangus The precious gifts of Gold of Silk of Silver and of Women obtained whatsoever he demanded and therefore Kiangus seeing himself deserted of the Tartars that he might provide as well as he could for his own affairs returned to the City Taitung of which he soon repented himself when it was too late for Amavangus calling in an innumerable number of Pezants in the space of three dayes with an incredible diligence cast up a Trench of ten Leagues compasse which he so fortified with Bulwarks and Ramparts that in a trice he blocked up that City Then did Kiangus see his errour in granting them leasure to draw their Trench which he knew would debar him from all manner of Provision And therefore being enraged with anger as he was a man full of mettal and a great Souldier turning himself to his Souldiers he said If I must dye I had rather dye by the Sword than by Famine and upon this marched out presently to the Enemies Trench with his whole Army Here it was that both the parties fought most obstinately the one to seek his Passage the other to hinder his Advance so as the fortune was various and the victory doubtfull untill an unlucky Arrow transpierâ—'d Kiangus and in him all the hope of China perished His Souldiers seeing him dead partly ran away and partly submitted to the Tartars who received them with all courtesie and humanity for they had cause enough of joy to see they had escaped the danger of losing the Empire and that they had conquered so formidable a Commander But yet they Plundered the City Taitung and burned the City of Pucheu where the Church of the Christians also perished From hence the Tartars returned to Peking where I saw them enter overladen with Riches and triumphant Laurels But Amavangus pursued his journey to the Western Tartars where he ratified his Nephew Xunchius his Marriage and brought back with him an infinite Company of Horse from the Tartars of the Kingdome of Tanya In the mean time the three Royalets which went to the Southern Kingdomes to pacifie those unquiet Provinces tooke their journey by the descent of the River Guel and when they passed through that Province which the Emperour had given the Tartars to inhabit and cultivate after he had expelled the Chineses for their Rebellion most of these Pezants being wholly ignorant of tilling and manuring the ground as having never been used to mannage a Spade or a Plough but their Swords these men I say desired earnestly these Princes that they might accompany them in these Wars and in their expeditions Two of these Princes rejected their Petitions but the third called Kengus without any consent or order from the Emperour listed them amongst his own Troups upon which they joyfully changed their rustical instruments into weapons for war when the Emperour heard of this proceeding he sent word to Kengus to dismiss them but he pretended various excuses and did neglect the Emperours orders He therfore commanded the supreme Governour of all the Southern Quarters who resides ever at Nanking either to take Kengus alive or cause him to be slaine He presently cast about how to compasse the Emperours command with all secrecy received the three Royolets with all sorts of divertisements of Comedies Banquets the like pleasures as if he had received no distastful order from the Emperour And when the day was come that they resolved to prosecute their journey by the great River of Kiang the said Governour contrived his businesse so as he met them again in the River and under pretence of taking his last farewell he entertained them nobly with a Royal feast and in as Royall a Junck which in China are so magnificent as they resemble rather some gilded Palaces than floating Vessels In this Princely Ship he entertained these Princes in all jollity and mirth untill their Army had advanced a good way before and then he declared to Kengus the Emperours order who presently promised all submission and to returne to Nanking with him if he would onely permit him to go to his Ship which expected him in the River to order some little affairs of his own which being granted he no sooner got
antiquitatibus ejus disquisitione Authore Iacobo Waraeo Eq. Aurato Octavo By whom also all sorts of Books brought from beyond the Seas are to be sold. FINIS The true Effigies of F. Aluarez Semedo Procurator of y e Prouinces of Iapan China Tho Cross fecit See a larger discourse of the ordering of this leafe and of the many vertues of the drink in the voyage and missions of Alexanderd Rhodes printed at Paris 1653. 1 part 13 cap. it s called also Tay. See the Syriack inscription explained by Kirkes in his Prodrom Copt cap. 3. pag. 73. See another Translation somewhat differing from this in Kirchers Prodrom Copt cap. 3 pag. 53. The Tartars were ancient Enemies to China Who are the Tartars The Tartars conquered China heretofore Tamberlain never tooke China The Tartars Emperours of China A great Gaâ—ison upon the Wall against the Tartars A long Peace in China The Tartars think of invading China The first cause of the Tartarian war The second cause The third cause The first irruption of the Tartars into China The Tartars Protestation against China The Barbâ—rous and superstitious Vow of the Tartarian King The chiefe City of Leaoyang besieged and taken A Stratagem against musquets Many other Cities taken How the Tartars used their conquered Towns The Tartar calls himself Emperour of China An. 1618. God punished China for their persecution of Christians The Tartars return with great Riches The Emperour Vanley dyes Taichangus succeeds and dyes Theinkins is chosen Those of Corea more valiant than the Chineses New preparations against the Tartars The Port of Thiencin very commodious The valiant Amazon of China The first invention of the Christians to advance Christianity The Tartars are cast ouâ— The Tartars make war again They besiege Leaoyang and take it Constancy rewarded by the Enemy The Tartars Habits and Manners The Tartars perfidiousness The valiantest Commander of China The faithfulnesse of the Commanders in China The overthrow of the Tartars Their cruelty The Kings of China and Tartary both died Zungchinius chosen Emperour of China Thienzungus more milde than his Predecessors The Souldiers Insolencies exasperate the Country of Corea The Tartars are bâ—ought into Corea Corea wasted The Fight and slaughter of 3. Armies The Eastern part of Leaotung is under the Tartar The Portugese send succour A crafty Commander of the China Army Mâ—ovenlungâ—â— poisoned The Kings Court besieged The perfidious General killed The Tartars â—orrage all the Country of Peking depart The King of Tartary dies another succeeds Zungteus the new King of Tartary prudent milde Mildenesse and Gentleness to be used in Conquering Nations A barbarous Principle of the Chineses Ignatius the chief Commander of the Christians unjustly killed Ignatius his fidelity Ignatius his Piety He chuses rather to die than either to reign or to serve the Tartars The Theeves in China a chief occasion of its overthrow Severall Theeves They are defeated but not vanquished Famin augments the Theeves And the Emperour his avarice The Commanders aspire to the Empire The names of the chief felons They vex several Provinces They besiege the noble City Caifung An unheard of Famin. The City of Caifung is drowned The General of the Theeves takes the Title of a King He takes the Country of Xensi Calls himself Emperour The Theeves good Government The Prefects Discord was another cause of the ruine of China The Theevs take the Province of Xensi The Emperour of China is troubled The Stratagem of the Theef The Royall City of Peking is taken The Emperour having kild his Daughter hanged himself The Theefs Tyranny and cruelty The Tartars called into China against the Theeves The Theeves fly from the Tartars They carry away the Treasures of the Palace Zungteus King of the Tartars dyes The Tartars refuse to depart China â—â—eir Craft 〈◊〉 Deceiâ— A great company of Tartars enter China The Tartars seise upon the Empire of China Xunchiis crowned the first Emperour of the Tartars 〈◊〉 China The fidelity of the Kings Tutor called Amavangus Vsangueius forced to serve the Tartars It is not known what became of Licungzus The Tartars subdue several Provinces They changed no Laws of the Nation Hungquangus Crowned Emperour in Hanquin The Tartars admit no Peace Zunchinius his Son appears at Nankuing He causes troubles in China The flight of the Chineses The City Yangcheu resisting the Tartar is taken and burnt The Tartars take several places The Emperour Hunquangus is taken and killed The Tartars run to the City Hangcheu King Lovingus love to his Subjects Many of the Kings Souldiers drowned Hangcheu is taken The Chineses defend their Hair The Tartars passe the River and recover the City Xaâ—king The Island of Cheuxan becomes a Kingdom The City of Kinhao is taken and destroyed The Tartars take in Fokien very easily King Lunguus slain The Provinces of Quamgtung is taken A famous Pyrate in China The Tartars deceive the Pyrat and take him prisoner by meer Art The Tartars overthrow Quangsi Iungley made Emperour of China The Heir to the Empire becomes Christian. Theeves infest the Province of Fokien Changus the Commander of the Tartars besieges Kienning in vain It is at length taken and razed How the Tartars dispose their Garrisons Kinus Governour of a Province rebelleth The hatred betwixt the two Prefects disturbs the Country of Kiansi Many places revolt from the Tartar The deceipt of the Governour of Cancheu Kinus besieged by the Tartars Kinus breaks out of the City The City of Nanchang is destroyed Three Kings created with as many Armies against Iungley the Emperour of China Hous riseth against the Tartars The barbarous resolution of a Tartarian Governour The chief City called Sigan is besieged The Tartars insolencies produced great danger Kiangus riseth against the Tartars Kiangus gathers great Forces Kiangus overthrows the Tartars by a stratagem He bears the Tartars again Amavangus himself goes against Kiangus The Tartars Banners The Tartars delight in hunâ—ing Amavangus durst not fight with Kiangus Kiangus is killed Xanchius the Emperour Marries Kengus hangs himself The City of Quangâ—hen is taken and pillaged The Emperour Iungly flyes The Author of the Relation of China The Tartars offer a Church to Christians Corea revolted from the Tartars Amavangus dyeth Changhienchungus a cruel Tyrant He kils divers Princes For one offending he puts all to death His hatred to the people of Suchuen He cuts off a Legion for one mans fault He kils many City Officers And he killed also the Eunuchs For one mans fault he kils twenty thousand He endeavours to take Hanchung He kilâ— 140000 men most cruelly He kils all the Students He kils the Children and exposes the Matrons He kils 600000 in the City Chingtu Many Children Baptized He kils all the Souldiers Wives He burned his Palace in the City of Chingtu The Tyrant is slain The Province of Suchuen is made subject to the Tartars One of the Emperours Uncles is ill received He hangs himself