the receiving of the Christian Law Unto these he adjoin'd two excellent Persons for Learning of the Society of St. Dominick William of Tripoly and Nicolas whose Sirname is not added These therefore provided with all Necessaries for such an Expedition began their Iourney to the East and at length after a long Voyage by Sea and Land entred Armenia where they found all things in disorder by reason of a War commenc'd between the Armenians and the Sultan of Babylon The Fathers being struck with fear and laying aside all prosecution of a farther Voyage took up their Station and continu'd in Arâ—â—nia but Nicolas with his Son Marcus Paulus rejecting all fear of danger ouâ— of a great desire which they had to give the Great Cham a plenary Satisfaction concerning his Embassay although they were expos'd to great hardship and the danger of unknown Paths yet at last arriv'd at the City Clemenisu of whose approach when Cublai the Great Cham was acquainted he commanded his Messengers in forty Days space to set forwards to meet them and to conduct them to him and withal to shew them all the respect that might be and to let them want for nothing that might be any way necessary for them Therefore being admitted into the Presence of the Great Cham and having perform'd the accustom'd signs or tokens of Veneration they declar'd the Effects of their Embassy and also Presented him with the Letters of the Pope together with a Viol of Oyl borrow'd from one of the Lamps our Saviour's Sepulchre He admiring the Presence of Marcus the Son of Nicolas gave such Respect unto both of them that he admitted them for his Domestick Attendants which was a token of great Honor and made use of Nicolas as an Ambassador whom by reason of that singular Prudence that appear'd in him his signal dexterity in dispatching Business and his great skill in four different Tongues he sent him on divers Employments all which redounded unto his great advantage and when he discover'd the Emperor to be delighted with curious sights of Nature and strange Customs whatsoever he observ'd rare admirable and exotick in the various Tracts of his Embassies and Voyages those he collected with great Industry and Presented them to the Great Cham by which you can hardly imagine how much he ingratiated himself in his Favor until at length oversway'd with a desire of returning to their native Country after the discharge of many Embassies for the space of seventeen years having obtain'd though with much reluctancy a freedom to return they came back well and safe through many unknown Paths of Sea and Land having pass'd innumerable Regions unto Venice Anno 1295. Now having related this by the way there remaineth nothing but that I should describe somewhat more at large his Voyage into Cathay seeing many things as I have said do occur in it that do very much perplex Geographers Having Sail'd over the Mediterranean Sea and Travell'd through Anatolia Armenia and Persia he came unto the Region of Balasia which I suppose to be Corasina a Country interposed between Persia and the Kingdom of the Great Mogol From this Place avoiding the Passage towards the South he took his way between the North and East which they call Nordost thence he went through the Desarts and then over the most high Mountain Belor which we have describ'd before into the Kingdom of Cassar which now they call Cascar for a time Tributary to the Great Cham partly Inhabited by Nestorian Christians and partly by Mahumetans Thence wandring a little towards the North he entred into Samarcande the Regal Seat of the Great Tamberlain in the Kingdom of Carcham now call'd Tarcham from whence he proceeded onwards through the Desart Lop into the Cities Peim and Ciarcia and at length into Camul and Tarpham at that time Provinces of the Empire of Tanchut and now subject to the Empire of Usbeck All which agrees with what we have alledg'd before concerning the Voyage of Benedict Goes Yet from hence he went not the shortest Way unto Cathay but declining towards the North he came unto the City Campition the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Tanchut where having entred between the East and South that is South-East unto those that proceed forwards he came into Cathay through the Desart yet laying aside this Passage he proceeded forwards again towards the North and having pass'd through many Provinces and Kingdoms of the Eastern Tartary where he found many Christians at length he arriv'd at Cambalu the Royal Court of the Great Cham of the largeness and Etymology of which City we have before treated at large Where I wonder very much that Paulus Venetus maketh no mention of the Walls of the Empire of China through which of necessity he should have pass'd peradventure he stragling far and wide unto the Eastern Sea unto which he writeth that he came through the Northern Kingdoms pass'd through Cireanum belonging unto the Chineses into Cathay that is China for whatsoever he afterwards relateth concerning Cathay whatsoever he observeth concerning the vastness and magnificency of the Cities concerning the frequency and multitude of the People and Merchants of the affluency of all things necessary for Humane Life of the abundance of great and small Rivers of the admirable Structures and Fabricks of the Bridges these I say can agree unto no other Region Kingdom or Empire but only unto that most vast Empire of the Chineses unto which the Chinesian Names of the Cities with their Customs and Manners are altogether consonant and agreeable as I have shewn at large in the preceding Discourse Haython the Armenian a Monk of the Order of the Praemonstratensis and of the Bloud-Royal a Traveller throughout the whole East he with the Fidelity of a religious Person confirmeth whatsoever is more largely related by Paulus Venetus concerning the Kingdom of Cathay for Anno 1307. he beheld all those Kingdoms of the utmost Parts of the East with his own Eyes the cause manner and occasion of which Voyages we shall afterwards declare Now he thus speaketh concerning the Kingdom of Cathay in the first Chapter of his History The Kingdom of Cathay is the greatest that is to be found in the World and is replenish'd with infinite People and Riches It is situate on the Sea-Coast The Men of of those Parts are most subtle and full of deceit and therefore in all Knowledge makeslight of all other Nations for they say that they are the only People that see with both Eyes and all others only with one They have for the most part little Eyes and are naturally without Beards And moreover it is reported concerning this Kingdom that it is situate in the chief part of the World because it hath the East on one part and on the other part there doth no Nation inhabit as they report on the West it hath its Confines on the Kingdom of Tarsa on the North it is bounded with the Desart of Belgian and on the East and
Account or the last Month of the Year according to that of the Tartar They ask'd moreover whether the Netherland Government had lasted 1655 Years and if it began at that time The Ambassadors made answer That Holland from that time to this had been always Inhabited and Govern'd by one and the same People and that the number of those Years only put them in mind of the Birth of our Saviour born at that time Hereupon 〈◊〉 departed taking the Credentials with them without speaking one word The Emperor being throughly inform'd concerning of the Affairs of the Hollanders sent upon the 31. of Iuly a Mandatory Letter to the Lords of his Council wherein he declar'd That his Imperial Majesty did admit of the Ambassadors as such and would give them Audience as soon as he could sit in his new Court upon his Throne And after his Majesty had caus'd the Credentials of the Ambassadors to be once more Translated by Schaliger the Iesuit and read unto him by some of his chiefest Councellors he seem'd so well pleas'd therewith that he sent a second Summons to his Council to be assisting and serviceable to the Ambassadors during their abode in his Empire The first of these Letters or Orders is as follows Great and Worthy Lypeos Counsellors THe Holland Ambassadors are come hither with their Presents to Congratulate the Emperor and to shew their Obedience unto him which was never done to this Crown before And because this is the first time I think fit to accept of them as Ambassadors and have promis'd them that they whensoever I shall be seated upon my Throne in my New Palace shall be brought before me to do their Obeisance that so they may be well receiv'd and upon their Request obtain a favourable Answer in order to their Return the more because they being come from a far and remote Country both by Sea and Land will be able to spread the Fame and Renown of my Person and Empire Therefore we think fit not to deny or refuse any thing to such Foreign People who are come such a long Voyage from the furthermost part of the World which in reason they can desire of us The second Letter was almost verbatim as the former to quicken his Ministers of State to dispatch them with a satisfactory Answer to their Proposals The Chancellor hereupon desir'd to know of the Ambassadors whether the Hollanders could not send every Year to Peking or at least every second or third Year to do Obedience to the Emperor To this they answer'd That for the more certainty they could better make Addresses every fifth Year at Peking desiring in the mean time that they might come annually with four Ships to Canton to Trade there Afterwards the Chancellor summon'd the Tartar and China Councils together to consider of the Proposals of the Hollanders alledging he being President that they ought to give them leave every fifth Year to come and Salute the Emperor Most of the Tartars were of this Opinion but the Chineses seem'd outwardly willing to shew far greater favour to the Hollanders namely That they should come but once every nine Years to Peking by reason of the vast distance from Batavia to the Imperial City But herein they thought to have out-witted the Tartars for they understood that the Hollanders were not to be permitted in the mean time to Trade at Canton They proposed also to the Assembly Whether under the notion of Hollanders the English might not likewise appear who about thirty Years since came with four Ships into the Harbor of Heytamon where they took away four Vessels laden with Salt the Mandorin Prisoner and shot down a Fort committing several other Violences for which from that time they were held and declar'd Enemies of the Empire therefore they should be satisfi'd of the Integrity of the Hollanders before they were permitted to Trade in China for bâ—â—â—de that it was contrary to the Custom of the Countrey to let them have a free Trade in any part of the Empire it did not appear by their Credentials that any such thing was desir'd so that they concluded they had exceeded their Orders The Ambassadors were not a little surpriz'd at these Proceedings of the Council for they understood no otherwise but that the Emperor had according to the Contents of the second Mandatory Letter formerly procur'd by the Vice-Roy of Canton fully agreed to the Request of the Hollanders concerning a free Trade in Canton and that they were only thereupon to go and return their Thanks to his Majesty at Peking The Ambassadors were well enough inform'd of the Designs and Practises of Father Adam and some other Iesuits who had lived there for some Years and had been Brib'd under-hand by the Portugueses to oppose the Hollanders in this their Design of free Commerce in China therefore they endeavor'd to perswade the Tartars That the Hollanders under colour and pretence of Merchandizing design'd nothing less than to get footing in their Country and then to make use of all opportunities to Plunder and carry away whatsoever was portable The Ambassadors were also inform'd that these Iesuits had likewise perswaded the Council That Maccao would be utterly ruin'd and impoverish'd by such a Trade and withal that they had told the Tartars to make them the more averse to the Hollanders That they were a People made up of several Nations without any Habitations and only subsisted upon what they got by Pyracy at Sea But that which most of all surpriz'd the Ambassadors was to find themselves deceiv'd of their Money by the Canton Vice-Roys unto whom they had paid thirty five hundred Toel of Silver which Sum the Vice-Roys promis'd to pay the Chancellor and some others of his Majesties Council to procure their Favor and Assistance for a dispatch of their Business Now perceiving that they were Trepann'd by the Vice-Roys they were forc'd to consider of some other way to obtain their Purpose wherefore they first thought good to propose to the Council the Point of coming to Trade yearly at Canton and to endeavor to effect the same Afterwards the Ambassadors sent the Mandorin of the old Canton Vice-Roy to the Prime Chancellor to enctreat him to stay so long in Peking till his Majesty should be fully assur'd that they were Hollanders and no others They likewise desir'd of the Emperor and the Council That they would favor them with some Token or Emblem cut in Brass to Seal therewith all the Passports of their Shipping which should distinguish them from any other Nation and impower them either to pass by or come to an Anchor upon their Coast. At last they propos'd to the Council That they would be pleas'd to admit of the Hollanders to Live Converse and Trade in China as their own Subjects paying the usual Duties and Impositions as had been formerly granted to those of Lieugiow Amiam and Siam according to the ancient Chinese Laws adding farther That if they might be admitted to
causes so many safe Harbors and Roads for Shipping in these Parts The Country is in some places flat and even and in others Hilly and Mountainous especially toward the South as we often found to our great inconvenience upon our Voyage This Province produces all things necessary for the sustenance of Man as likewise several sorts of rich Wares and Commodities as well Artificial as Natural It likewise yields the Husbandman Fruits twice ayear as Rice Corn and other Products for in it you have no cold Weather all Winter so that the Chineses have a Proverb among them that there are three very strange things in Quantung viz. The Heaven without Snow Trees green in Winter as in Summer and The Inhabitants spitting Blood for first of all it never Snows here the Trees are never unperwig'd and the Inhabitants continually chewing the Leaves of Betel and Areka prepar'd after their way makes their Spittle red From hence comes likewise great quantities of Gold Pearl Precious Stones Silk Quick-silver Copper Steel Iron Salt-petre Eagle-Wood and several other odoriferous Woods The People in these Parts are very ingenious laborious and nimble and can imitate any thing which they see made before them and whatsoever the Portugueses bring thither out of Europe woven of Gold Silver or the like which is strange unto them they will immediately endeavor to work the same and in a short time will accomplish what they undertake for I gave a Chinese Goldsmith a Silver Button to make a Set by and the next day he brought to my Lodging what I had bespoke very curiously wrought as if he had been us'd to such work though he had never done the like before which argues their Ingenuity to be very great Among other Fowls which are to be seen in this Country are great store of Ducks which the Inhabitants have the art and way to raise and increase beyond all the rest of their Neighbors This Province is Govern'd as also each of the other Provinces in the Emperors Name by Governors who by those of Europe because their Offices and Employments much resemble Vice-Roys are call'd petty Kings who commonly reside in the first Chief City of the Province When we were at Canton Quantung was Govern'd by two Vice-Roys whereof one in regard of his Years was call'd the old and the other the young Vice-Roy The Portugueses call'd the young Vice-Roy Halick Mancebo The Vice-Roys of Quantung take place of all the Governors of the other Provinces because situated upon the Frontiers of the Kingdom and far remote from the Imperial City Peking and borders also upon the Sea by which means the High-ways are troubled with Robbers and the Sea with Pyrates therefore the Emperor orders that the Vice-Roys of Quantung shall Command over the Province of Quantung though this last as the other Provinces has also particular Vice-Roys This Country was formerly a Kingdom of it self and call'd Nainve and first brought under the Command of the Chinese Emperors at the end of the Reign of the Race of Cheva yet however it did not continue long under that Power but revolted and would be Rul'd by none but the Kings of Nainve The Emperor Hiaorus of the Family of Hana at last conquer'd this part since which time it has been subject to the Emperors of China In this Province are ten Chief Cities and seventy three small Cities without reckoning among them the City of Maccao famous for Traffick and Commerce The ten Chief Cities are these Quancheu or Canton Xaocheu Nanhiung Hoeicheu Chaocheu Chaoking Kaocheu Liencheu Lincheu and Kiuncheu The Chief City of Quancheu Commands over fifteen small Cities among which I do not reckon Maccao though it lies under the Command of this Chief City The 15 small ones of this great City are these Quancheu or Canton Xunte Tangvon Cengching Hiangxan Sinhoei Cingyven Sinning Cunghoa Lungumen Sanxui Lien Iangxan Tienxan and Singan The second Capital City Xaocheu Commands over six small Cities Xaocheu Locang Giughoa Iuyven Ungyen and Ingote The Country about this Chief City is for the most part full of Hills The third Chief City is Nanhiung or Nanhung and Commands over two Cities Nanhiung and Xihing The fourth Chief City is Hoeicheu and Commands over 10 small Cities Hoeicheu Polo Haifung Hoiven Lungchuen Changlo Hingning Hoping Changing and Iunggan The fifth Chief City is Chaocheu and Commands likewise over 10 small Cities Chaocheu Chaoyang Kieyang Chinghiang Iaoping Tapu Hoeilai Cinghai Puning and Pingyven The sixth Chief City is Chaoking and Commands over eleven Cities Chaoking Sinhoei Sinhing Yangchun Yangkiang Caoming Genping Teking Quangning Fuchuen and Kalklen The seventh Chief City is Caocheu and Commands over six small Cities Caocheu Tienpe Sing Hoa Vuchnen and Xeching The eighth Chief City is Lieucheu and Commands over four small Cities Lieucheu Knig Lingxan and Xelien The ninth Chief City is Luicheu and Commands over three small Cities Luichtu Sniki and Siuven The tenth Chief City is Kiuncheu situated in the Island of Hainan and Commands over twelve small Cities Kiuncheu Lincao Tingan Veuchung Hoeitung Lohoei Chen Changhoa Van Linxui Yai and Cangen In this whole Province are ten Forts or Castles which serve for the Defence of the Province and the Sea the Names whereof are these Taching Tung Hanxan Ginghai Kiacu Kiexe Ciexing Hiung Iunching and Ciungling The Chinese Toll-Book wherein the number of the People of each Province is set down makes mention of Four hundred eighty three thousand three hundred and sixty Families and Nineteen hundred seventy eight thousand and twenty Fighting Men in this Province The Taxes which this Province pays yearly to the Emperor amounts to Ten hundred seventeen thousand seven hundred and twenty two Bags of Rice and seven thousand three hundred and fourscore Weight of Salt CANTON On the Water side the City is defended with two rows of high and thick Walls which are strengthned with Bulwarks Watch-Towers and other Forts and beside these Works there are two other strong Water-Castles which being built in the middle of the River render this City invincible One of these two Castles which I saw my self and which doth not much differ in any thing from the other I took an exact Draught of which you have here presented shewing the Strength of the Place and in what manner built The City is likewise defended and surrounded on the Land side with a strong Wall and five strong Castles whereof some are within the Walls and others without upon the tops of steep Hills so that this City is sufficiently both by Sea and Land defended against all the Invasions of any Enemy whatsoever and in the opinion of some seems invincible What concerns the Idol-Temples Courts and Palaces of Great Lords and other rare Edifices which are to be seen here there is no City in all Asia that shews the like Here also are several Triumphal Arches which have been erected to the Honor of such as have done their Country Service They are no small
concerning the Province of Kiangsi and the number of the great and small Cities I shall now relate what hapned in our Travels through this Province to that of Nanking No sooner were the Ambassadors arriv'd at the Gate of the Chief City of Nangan but a Gentleman was immediately dispatch'd to Complement them in the Name of the Magistrates and conduct them to those Lodgings which were provided for them A while after came the Governor himself with some other Persons of great Quality who after Civilities interchanged fell into some Discourses of small importance and having thus spent an hour they took their leaves and departed sending a handsom Treatment that Night at the Charge of the City Afterwards came to us two Tartar Gentlemen who were newly arrived there from the Imperial City of Peking and after they had Saluted the Ambassadors they told them that they were sent to Congratulate the Vice-Roys of Canton upon their Victory obtain'd the last Year against the Chineses in the Province of Quangsi they then took their leaves and departed seeming much to admire the large and tall Statures of the Hollanders and that they should come from the end of the World to Salute their Emperor adding withal That his Imperial Majesty expected them with great impatience During our abode here we were often visited and receiv'd the friendly Salutations of the best and chiefest of the City The Ambassadors were here very much troubled to procure Vessels to carry them to Nanking for though they did earnestly insist to prosecute and hasten their Iourney yet the Commissioner appointed to furnish them with Boats could not get them ready so soon as he desir'd whereupon the Mandorin Pinxenton rated him with such bitter Expressions that taking it to heart he drew his Knife and would certainly have stabb'd himself had he not been prevented by one of the Mandorin's Servants The Country about this City which is the farthest City of this Province is very pleasant and fruitful surrounded with Hills and Mountains which serve for a Fence to Guard the Country One of these Mountains far exceeds the rest for delightfulness being call'd Sihoa which signifies A Place of Pleasure This City is divided into two equal Parts by an Arm of the River Chang which being situate on the Stream causes great Trading there for all the Goods and Merchandises which are brought out of China and carried to the Province of Quantung or from thence to the other Places of Trade which lie higher up in the Country are for the most part unladed in this City from whence they are carried to other Parts by Land or Water The South part of this City is close built with several goodly Houses and is full of Commerce and People On the North side stands an Idol-Temple very curiously built and so richly adorn'd that a second Dedalus may be said to have shewn his Art in the contrivance of this Edifice However in bigness and strength this City stands not in competition with that of Nanhung although the Tartars in their last Invasion were more favourable to this than to the other for in Nangan they forbore to destroy such Fabricks as were of any note but in Nanhung all were ruin'd Besides the great Commerce and Traffick which has been of late Years driven here has been a means to enrich the Inhabitants thereof who have continually contributed toward the re-edifying of this City After four Days abode in this City the Ambassadors Embarqu'd themselves with all their Followers to pursue their Voyage to Peking From the City of Canton to Nanhung we were Tow'd all the way against the Stream by Track-men not without great danger of Shipwrack by reason of many Rocks that lie hid under Water but now we were carried down with the Stream though yet not without great labor and danger of often losing both Ship and Goods The River Can runs here as swift as an Arrow from the Bow and is full of Banks Sands and Shoals which requires much care and experience in the Mariners It hapned in this Passage among other Accidents that the Barque in which Iacob de Keizer one of the Ambassadors had Embarqu'd himself with the Presents to the Great Cham fell into a Whirl-pool and turning and winding amongst unsteady Eddies drove at last on a hidden Sand where she stuck fast and could not be gotten off until they had unladen her they then perceiv'd that she had two great Leaks in her Hull which they made shift to stop putting the Goods Aboard again and so we proceeded on our Iourney The Mandorins commanded the Water-men to be severely Lash'd with a thick Leather Whip and the Master himself had not escap'd the same Punishment for his neglect if the Ambassadors had not interceded for him The next Day being the 14. of April we pass'd by the second small City call'd Nankang but did not Land as we went but in our Return put Ashore This Nankang lies upon the left side of the River Chang It is built four-square being invested with a strong Wall twenty five Foot high and was formerly rich and famous for Commerce It hath four Gates each about a quarter of a Mile distant one from another This City was totally subverted by the Tartars in the last War On the River side stands a strong high Tower the Structure well built At our return we lay with our Vessels before Nammon which signifies The South-Gate from whence a Street leads to the House of the Governor and at the end of the Street stands a Chinese Triumphal Arch an elaborate Piece which the Tartars left without any demolishment At the end of this Street is the Market-place to which is brought daily all manner of Provisions as Flesh Fish and Fruits of all sorts in great abundance Upon the 15. we came to Cancheu the twelfth Chief City of the Province of Kiangsi where we took up our Lodgings for that Night and were visited Aboard our Vessels by some great Mandorins who welcom'd us in the Name of the Magistrates after which the Ambassadors address'd themselves to the great Tutang of this City returning him the like Complemental Civilities who receiv'd them with singular Courtesies and seem Affection and conducted them into his private Apartment where he plac'd them on his right Hand Then he ask'd them several Questions concerning the Constitution of Holland viz. Of how many Provinces it consisted and how remote from Portugal How long their present Government had been Establish'd When that Power began Whether they were all of one and the same Religion and Whether they us'd Beads in their Ejaculations after the Portugese manner To each of which Particulars the Ambassadors return'd them a brief and satisfactory Answer By these Questions we guess'd what a near Community and Commerce there was between this Lord and the Portugueses and we were likewise afterwards told that his Wife had been Baptiz'd by them Whilst we were drinking of Thea in the Withdrawing-room he desir'd to hear
likewise discharg'd by our Host. The next day we departed from Cining and after a few Hours Sailing we past by a Village call'd Nanwaig lying on the Bank of this Royal Channel where this and the River Luen meet and mingle their Waters The Tartars and Chineses told us strange Stories of this River amongst the rest That if you fling in nine Sticks six would drive toward the South and three toward the North. We seem'd much to admire at the Report but scarcely believ'd it till we made the Experiment our selves by flinging so many Sticks into the Water which convinc'd us of the truth of what had been told us But neither the Tartars Chineses nor other Inhabitants were able to give us any account of this Wonderful Mystery of Nature This I tried over against an Idol-Temple call'd The Royal Serpent concerning which the Chineses told us several Wonders Upon the 19. of the same Month we came to a small City call'd Xantsui being the 23. under the Command of the Chief City Yengcheu This Place lies abont thirty Miles from Cining on both sides of this Royal Channel and is guarded at each end with a strong Castle The Country round about lies often under Water by the overflowing of the Yellow River which sometimes rises to that heighth that it drowns and carries away whole Towns and Villages The next Morning we set Sail from Xantsui and by the way we saw several fair Villages and Corn-Fields on both sides of this Royal Channel as also several strong Sluces which did not a little hinder us in our Passage for between Xantsui and Lincing we past through 58 Sluces Not far from Xantsui stands a famous Idol-Temple call'd Teywanmiao which is held in such great esteem amongst them that they reckon it for one of the chiefest in all China It is built very high with strong Walls of gray Stone and gallantly adorn'd after the Chinese fashion The top of this Temple is cover'd with Yellow glaz'd Tiles and the Walls are also colour'd after the same manner so that when the Sun shines it glisters like Gold all over Upon the twentieth of Iune we came to Tuncham the third Chief City of the Province of Xantung built in a foursquare form and environ'd with Walls and Bulwarks the Streets thereof are large and well-built In the middle of the City stands a high and curious Fabrick with four brave Arches having strong Walls and Bulwarks with several Gates leading into it On the North-side runs a broad Water which encompasses the City over which is a Wooden Bridge of 137 Foot long by which they pass into the North part of the City On the South-side are stately Suburbs which in respect of the Inhabitants and the greatness of their Trade may very well pass for another City It is well built with goodly Houses and Idol-Temples Toward the East the Inhabitants shew'd us a very large Iron Tomb which they told us was erected at least 700 Years ago for some Great Lord whose Memory the Chineses had in much Honour having done his Country some signal and remarkable Service and for which he lost his Life in the Wars Round about this City the Land is very low and flat but wondrous fruitful in the product of all things necessary for Humane Sustenance No part of China produces so much Silk as this the Inhabitants thereof living chiefly by this Manufacture wherewith they Trade into other Countries Here the Inhabitants told us is sometimes found a Stone in the Maw of the Cows which the Chineses call Nieuhoang which signifies The Yellow of the Cows This Stone is about the bigness of a Goose Egg outwardly it seems to be of a soft chalkie substance only of a yellowish Colour and is by some thought to be the Bezoar Stone The Chinese Chyrurgeons highly commend it and use great diligence for the procuring of it they write That it is of a cold temper and very sovereign in fainting and swooning Fits In the Country of this Chief City near to the eleventh small City call'd Laotung lies amongst the rest a Hill call'd Mingxe which signifies The Stone of Noise Upon the top of this Hill as the Inhabitants related to us stands a Column of 100 Rod high which as soon as touch'd with the Finger sounds like a Drum from which Noise the Hill derives its Name The Chineses also told us That near to Quonching the seventeenth small City of this Chief City is a Pool call'd Ho wherein formerly the King of Guei kept and fed his Cranes with great care and delight The Chineses in this Country as likewise through all China feed this Bird in their Houses as they do also the Stags which being Creatures of long life they fancy to themselves that in having of them to breathe upon them they shall likewise live long We continu'd all Night in our Vessels before this City and set Sail the next Morning and past over the Pool Nanyang which abounds with Fish and that Night came to the City of Lincing which lies about thirty Miles from the City Tungchang and is situated on both sides of the Royal Channel We lay at the end thereof where that and the River Guei separate the Province of Xantung from that of Peking and mingle and unite their Waters We were no sooner arriv'd at this City but the Governor appear'd upon the Wall near the Place where we lay with our Vessels to welcom and receive the Ambassadors with all manner of kindness Pinxenton and the other Mandorins went first ashore to him whereupon the Governor sent for some Chairs for the Ambassadors who follow'd the Mandorins and were most civilly receiv'd by him intimating that he could not entertain them at his Court because they had not yet appear'd before the Emperor at Peking The Ambassadors sent some Presents to the Governor who for the same Reason refus'd them Because this Lincing lies at the end of the Yellow Channel near the River Guei and so consequently a very commodious Harbor for Shipping all manner of Goods and Wares are brought from all Parts of China to this City for which they must pay Custom there and for this reason the Emperor has three Commissioners resining in that Place to receive his Dues This Navigation occasions so great a Trade in Lincing that it exceeds the other eighteen small Cities which belong to the Chief City of Tunchang in Number of People Plenty of all manner of Things Gallantry of Buildings and Greatness of Commerce neither gives she place to any Inferior City in the whole Empire On both sides of the Royal Channel near to the City stand two strong and large Castles one against the other which are no small Strength to the Place by which no Vessel whatsoever can pass without paying their Duties In this Channel are likewise just before the City two strong and heavy Sluces to force back the upper Water which runs from the River Guei and is sometimes two or three Foot higher
Foot lower than when we came we discover'd here the tops of several dangerous Rocks which appear'd very dreadful to us and made us sensible of the great danger we had escap'd in our going they being then unseen Upon the same Day late in the Evening we came to Sanyvum where we lodg'd all Night and early in the Morning set Sail again and came that day before the small Town call'd Xantsui We saw here the adjacent Fields full of Tents Horses sadled and a vast number of Soldiers all standing ready for the March. After a few Hours Sailing we came in sight of the Village Faesan which appear'd very pleasant and delightful at a distance And in regard as we went to Peking we pass'd by this Village late in the Evening so that there was no taking notice of the same I thought good having now in our Return a full view thereof to give you an Account of its Situation It lies near the River side being encompass'd with very pleasant Fields Upon the 28. of the same Month we arriv'd again before the famous Chief City of Canton which we have already describ'd at large Francis Lantsman who when we were going to Peking took care for all our Concerns left there with the two Ships and the rest of the Men came immediately to welcom and receive the Ambassadors and had order'd the Gunners of the Ships to discharge all their Ordnance upon their Landing which was accordingly perform'd to the great admiration of the Tartar Lords whom the Emperor had appointed to attend the Ambassadors upon their Voyage for their better accommodation who were no less surpriz'd to see such Vessels having never seen the like No sooner were the Ambassadors Landed but they betook themselves to their old Lodgings and found all things safe and in very good order to their great satisfaction The Letter of the Emperor writ to the General Iohn Maatzuyker was taken and carried by the Secretary Henry Baron upon both his Hands having a Skreen before him next to him follow'd the Ambassadors according to the State of the Business in solemn Order And for a more publick demonstration of Ioy the Cannons aboard the Ships were discharg'd thrice the Walls and Streets of the City were full of People to see the Ceremony and to understand the success of their Negotiation for the Inhabitants desir'd nothing more than a free Trade with the Hollanders The next day being the 29. the Ambassadors went in great State to Salute the Vice-Roys the young King's Mother and the Tutang and to acquaint them with the sum of their Business The old Vice-Roy receiv'd them very friendly and heartily with a Dish of Thea and some Discourse concerning their Voyage The like did also the young Vice-Roy but the Mother of the young Vice-Roy did not appear only sent a Complement to the Ambassadors to thank them for their Visit. The Tutang suffer'd them to wait two hours at his Secretary's House and afterwards sent them word That he would hear them when Pinxenton was arriv'd The following day being the 30. of Ianuary the Ambassadors were Treated by the young Vice-Roy's principal Commander at a noble Banquet who laid the fault upon the Portuguese Priests at Peking that our Business succeeded no better there and he carried it so as if he had been very much offended with them telling us That they had every where reported That there were but three Kings in Europe whereof Don Iohn was one and that the Hollanders possessed but a small corner of the World and were his Tributaries with much more of this nature The Ambassadors went the same day to Salute the Mandorin Toju who receiv'd them very courteously and told them That Poetsiensie and other Lords durst not hold any Conference with them because the Tutang whom they stood in awe of had not yet granted them Audience Upon the first of February the Ambassadors with the Merchant Lantsman and some other of their Attendants to the number of twenty Persons were most nobly Treated at a Dinner by the old Vice-Roy who Entertain'd them first with Thea out of woodden Dishes wishing the Ambassadors to be merry and to drink Sorrow from the Heart since they had now pass'd the greatest Danger After drinking of the Thea the Trumpets sounded and Dinner was serv'd in Each Ambassador had a particular Table full of Dishes but before they began to eat the King call'd for a Gold Goblet full of Wine and commanded two of his Gentlemen to carry one to each of the Ambassadors and to let them know they were heartily welcom As soon as they had pledg'd his Majesty they fell to their Meat and whilst they were at Table the King ask'd them several Questions concerning the State and Affairs of Holland Dinner being almost ended several Comedians according to the Custom of the Country began to shew themselves before the King but the Ambassadors being in haste desir'd his Majesty to excuse them from further Attendance so after a Health or two had pass'd about they took leave and came back to their Lodgings The next day they were Treated by the young Vice-Roy after the same manner only there pass'd no Discourse at Table but what was tending to Mirth and Iollity Upon the third of February came Pinxenton to Canton with all his Train and as soon as the Ambassadors had heard of his Arrival they went to welcom and Salute him in his Lodgings On the seventh the Ambassadors now Pinxenton was come to Canton had Audience of the Tutang who had deferr'd them till his Arrival The Ambassadors finding they could not effect any thing with their Visits return'd to their Lodgings and went aboard that Night and set Sail early in the Morning but after a few hours Sailing the Wind turn'd and we were forc'd to come to an Anchor not far from Canton where we lay all Night Upon the 23. came the Stewards of the Vice-Roys and the Captains of the Guards with the Mandorins who had accompanied the Ambassadors forward and backward from Peking and Treated them in the name of their Masters with their strong Liquor Samsou in the Kings own Dishes They wish'd the Ambassadors a speedy and successful Voyage and that they might suddenly return again and after some Healths had gone about they took leave and went back to Canton and we immediately hoised Sail and came upon the 28. about Sun-set to an Anchor in the Harbor of Heytamon The Ambassadors had sent the Governor a Princes Flag which he caus'd to be hung out with the Tartar Standard upon the Fort as a sign that the Ambassadors were welcom to him Upon the second of March about mid-night we weighed Anchor and set Sail with an Easterly Wind from the Harbor of Heytamon steering our Course South-East At break of day we came in sight of the famous Village of Lantam which lies in a very commodious place adorn'd with goodly Buildings and may be seen at a great distance off at Sea We
Structures in Art and Costliness It is said to have been erected upon this account There was a certain Daughter who was worthy remark for her Obedience to her Mother-in-law she having one day a Pullet for Dinner invited her Step-Dame to the eating part of it who accepting the Invitation and coming to participate thereof had no sooner tasted of it but she fell down dead The Daughter was immediately apprehended brought before a Iudg and accus'd of poysoning her Mother-in-law and the matter of Fact being so clear was condemn'd to die As she was going to the Place of Execution she hapned to pass by a Pomegranate-Tree then in Blossom which holding fast in her Hand she Pray'd as is said after this manner If I have poyson'd my Step-Mother may the Flowers of this Branch now in my Hand wither but if I be innocent let the Branch live and bring forth Fruit immediately Which words were hardly pass'd her Lips before that Branch which she held in her Hand hung full of Pomegranates In remembrance of which so famous Miracle the Inhabitants built this Tower and call'd it Xelenhoa which signifies A Pomegranate-Tree In the Province of Chekiang in the Chief City Hangcheu are four of these Towers each of them nine Stories high and in the great City Niencheu is another of the like heighth Near to the City Vencheu lies a Hill call'd Paocai upon whose top stands a Tower nine Stories high which serves for a Land-Mark to the Ships and Mariners Sailing at Sea Lastly in the Province of Chekiang near to the City of Hangcheu lies a Mountain call'd Funghoang upon the top whereof stands a like Tower of nine Stories high Triumphal Arches MOst of the Cities in China both small and great are adorn'd and beautifi'd with Triumphal Arches stately Towers and Pyramids made of Stone or Marble with great Art Cost and Ingenuity and adorn'd with Images being generally erected in honor of some famous Act Thing or Person Those who have done their Country any signal Service have some of these set up to eternize their Memory almost after the same manner as was formerly practis'd by the ancient Romans So also if any have been more excellent in Learning or if any Magistrate hath signaliz'd himself by his good behavior in his Employment in honor of such Arches Towers Pillars or Pyramids are built and commonly plac'd as Ornaments in the chiefest Streets and most populous places Their fashion is this they have three Roofs the biggest in the middle and on each side a small one underneath which Men pass as it were through a very broad Gate the sides are adorn'd with Lions and other Images curiously cut out of Marble and fix'd thereto or otherwise very artificially bor'd through and sometimes adorn'd with small Images cut out of Stone so that it is indeed a thing deservedly to be admir'd which way they can bore through such great Stones and cut Images out of them as they lie fix'd in the Building The whole Arch for the most part consists of three Stories and is on the Front and Back alike for fashion so that when you look upon the one side you have in effect seen both sides Upon the top of all lies a blue Stone upon which the Emperor's Name in whose Government the same was erected is curiously Engraven in Letters of Gold In the middle also lies a very large flat Stone upon which is writ in gilt or blue Letters the Name Country and Dignity of him in whose behalf this Edifice was erected CHAP. XI Of Rivers Channels High-Ways Bridges Ships c. THrough the Province of Suchue runs the River To as far as Sinfan being a Branch brought from the River Kiang by the Command of the Emperor Ivos to hinder the overflowing of that River In the Province of Chekiang are most of the Rivers which come from the North made by Art so useful as if they had been naturally so It is highly to be admir'd and meriting the highest Commendation to consider with what labor and pains they have effected such vast Undertakings for in some places there are very large Channels running far up into the Country which have been digg'd and are pav'd on both sides with Stone Over which Channels lie many great and heavy Sluces with several Bridges convenient for Travellers either by Land or Water In Ningpo the ninth City of the Province of Chekiang both sides of the artificial Rivers for several Miles together are made up with Stone At the end of every River lies a Sluce through which all Vessels must pass before they come into it In the Country of the City Xaohing is an artificial River toward the East three days Iourney in length both sides whereof are made up with Brick to prevent the Earth from falling in to choke or clog up the same Common Ways THE common Passages or High-ways in China are contriv'd as much for the convenience and ease of Travellers as in any Place or the World We begin in the Southern Provinces where most of their Ways 〈◊〉 even and smooth the very Hills being made passable and a Way hewn 〈◊〉 through the Rocks by the labor of Mens Hands Upon these so commodious Ways stand several Marks of Stone which declare the Distances of Places from one another and every ten Miles there is a Post appointed to câ—â—ry the Emperors and Magistrates Letters and Commands which being 〈◊〉 receiv'd are deliver'd with extraordinary speed so that there happens nothing in any part of the Country but it is presently known through all the Empire At every eighth Stone which is a days Iourney you have one of his Majesties ordinary Houses built on purpose to receive and treat at the Emperors Charge all Governor 's and Magistrates that travel that way upon the Emperor's Service but before their Arrival they send a Messenger to certifie what day they intend to be there so that the Governor or Magistrate arriving finds all things in a readiness for him to wit Provisions Horses Chairs Track-men and Vessels of all sorts if he need any for whatsoever he desires is given notice of by him in a Letter The Banks of the Rivers are no less well contriv'd for the ease of Passengers than the common Ways for they suffer no Trees to grow within eight Foot of the Rivers side lest they should be a hindrance to the Boats that are Tow'd along by Ropes In the Province of Fokien near to the City Hinghoa the Ways are well and strongly pav'd with Stone for above four Dutch Mile in length Near to the City Hoanting lies a deep small and darkish Valley through which runs a pav'd Way two Miles in length Upon the Mountain Mechi which is in truth a Wilderness lies a firm but very narrow Way made by Art for Travellers to pass over and upon Co is a very steep Way at least ten Dutch Miles Near to the City of Kiangxan there is a great Mountain call'd Civen at least three hundred
suffer to pass by them unregarded In the Day this Creature lives upon the Land and in the Night in the Water When it is gorg'd with eating and is fall'n asleep with his Mouth full of Meat a small Bird call'd Trochicus and in Italian The King of Birds comes to him as he lies with his Mouth open and cleanses his Teeth with picking and scraping wherewith the Crocodile is so highly pleas'd that he opens his Throat as wide as is possible that so the Bird may scoure the same for which kindness it bears it much friendship The Chineses eat the Flesh thereof with great delight It is reported that Termus King of Egypt swam amongst them stark naked having his Body only anointed with the Grease of them In the River Chaoking is a Fish call'd The Swimming Cow which comes often out of the Water and fights at Land with the tame Cows to their great hazard till its Horns grow weak by staying out of the Water which may be discerned by their turning yellow then with all speed it returns into the Water where the Horns grow hard again Near to Caocheu there is to be seen a strange kind of Creature in the Sea having a Head like a Bird and a Tail like a Fish In its Belly are found some Precious Stones Between this City and the Island Hainan are taken a sort of Crabs which as soon as they are out of the Water become petrifi'd and immediately turn into Stones The Portuguese and Chineses make great use of them for the Cure of Agues In the Province of Suchue near the City of Chunking are great store of Land-Tortoises of several sizes some very large and others very small which the Inhabitants keep in their Houses for their Pleasure But in Quantung near to Hoeicheu there are caught in the Sea such very large Tortoises that they look like little Rocks at a distance The Land as well as the Sea-Tortoises engender after the manner of the Adder-Snake the Male getting upon the Female They lay Eggs like Hens Eggs but lesser and more oval It is said of them that they live under Ground in the Winter without eating They are afraid of the Eagle which makes a prey of them taking them up and letting them fall till they break They make but little noise yet louder than the Snake Whether they are to be reckon'd amongst Flesh or Fish is still to be determin'd Some account them amongst Fish and eat them in Lent others think the contrary because they have Feet and draw Breath The Land-Tortoise Shells are very hard and like Ebony nor will they bend like those of the Sea but they are full of Knobs upon the top and most of them of fine Colours yellow and brown as if they were Painted with Crosses Stars and other Figures They thrust out their Heads and Feet which when they draw in as they can at pleasure they seem to be immovable They differ very much in bigness some being no bigger than a Man's Fist. In Virginia are Tortoises of three and four Foot long with two Heads which are very malicious and given to biting In the Island Mauritius are some Tortoises so large that they will carry four or five Men standing upon them Their Shells are of so capacious an extent that ten Persons may sit in one of them But the Sea-Tortoises are much larger than those of the Land Iohn de Lery writes That there was one taken by their Fleet which gave eighty Persons their Bellies full Their Shells are much smoother and flatter than the other and very curiously wrinkled In hot Water they will bend into any shape which the other cannot do by reason of its hardness so that Artificers make Combs and Boxes of them In stead of Feet they have Fins wherewith they swim as other Fish but they lie much upon their Backs and swim sleeping upon the Water The Flesh of this Creature is luscious and tastes like Veal being interlarded with yellowish Fat The Female lays her Eggs by Night and buries them in the Sand which are hatch'd in six Weeks by the heat of the Sun CHAP. XVII Of some things more than Natural and strange Pools IN the last seven Chapters I spoke of great and admirable things yet such as are not beyond the ordinary Course of Nature but in this I shall treat of some more wonderful which are hard to be credited though the Chineses do firmly believe the same In the Province of Xensi near the City Vucung is a Hill call'd Taipe whereupon if a Drum be beaten presently followeth Thunder Lightning and stormy Weather insomuch that the Magistrates have forbidden all Persons upon pain of Death to beat any Drum there The River Tan has red Fish with whose Blood as the Chineses write and fancy whosoever anoint their Feet they may wade over this River without sinking adding further That if the Water of this River be but stirr'd all the Fish presently rise and swim upon the top of the Water and make it look as red as Fire from whence in probability it had its Name for Tan signifies Red. In the Province of Xantung near the City Niuyang is a Spring in high esteem amongst the Inhabitants for they verily believe that whosoever drinks of 〈◊〉 it makes them long-liv'd In Suchue near the City Chingtu is the most large and extensive Mountain Chingching upon which according to the vain belief of the Chineses the immortal Men meet to Converse In the Province of Huquang upon Mountains of an incredible heighth and bigness inhabit none but wild and unciviliz'd People Near to Liencheng a City of Quantung lies a great Hill call'd Uhoang where grows a sort of Fruit whose like is not to be found any where else for you may eat as much as you please but you must carry none away and while you endeavor so to do you can never find the way down In the Province of Iunnan near the City Chinkiang is to this day a great Stone to be seen where Simulo who possess'd the Kingdom of Mung gave Audience to the Ambassadors of another King who upon the delivery of their Message not satisfying him he arising in anger and taking his Sword naked into his Hand struck with it so violently upon the Stone that the Blow pierc'd above three Foot into it and with threatning words said to the Ambassadors Go and acquaint your King what Swords I have This hapned in the Reign of Iliaouvus the Founder of the Race of Hana which incorporated the powerful Kingdom of Mung to the Kingdom of China Near the City Munghoa in the Province of Honan lies the Mountain Funghoang which tooks its Name from the Phenix because it died upon the same after it had sung there a while most deliciously The Chineses relate That there is a general Assembly of Birds once every year upon this Mountain to lament the Death of the said Phenix of which time the Inhabitants taking notice climb up by
die and his eldest Son taking it ill thas Yvus should be preferr'd before him in regard he took it for granted that the Scepter did by hereditary Right belong unto him he endeavor'd to seat himself in the Imperial Throne by force of Arms But what Stratagems Policy or Force soever he us'd all prov'd vain â—or he could not prevail the generality of the People adhering cordially to Yvus in regard they judg'd him most deserving of the Crown which accordingly was setled upon him though not without some trouble This Yvus was the Founder of the first Chinese Imperial Race which he caus'd to be styl'd Hiaa and the last of the elected Emperors for when the Royal Chair after his Death became void his Son was unanimously admitted to succeed him and from that time the manner and custom of Election was chang'd into an hereditary Succession from Father to Son This Royal Race or Family which had its beginning in the before-mentioned Yvus in the Year 2207 before Christ's Birth sway'd the Imperial Scepter four hundred forty one years in a continu'd Line of seventeen Emperors who succeeded each other in the Government of China This Race being extinct for want of Issue arose the Family of Xanga whereof the Emperor Tangus in the Year 1766 before Christ's Birth was the first who call'd it Xanga from a Lordship of the same Name he possessed This Family produc'd twenty eight Emperors who sat upon the Throne successively for six hundred years and upwards to the Year 1122 before the Birth of Christ. This Line being extinct in the before-mention'd Year there arose a third call'd Cheva whose Founder was one Faus who at the beginning of his Reign changing his Name call'd himself Uvus that is A Warriour Thirty seven Emperors proceeded out of this Family and all successively sway'd the Scepter which ending the Year 246 before Christ's Birth the fourth Race call'd Ciua stood up whose Founder was nam'd Chingus but altering his Name was call'd Xius This Race which gave its Name to the whole Empire as I have already related was yet but of short continuance there having sprung but three Emperors from thence who Reigned forty years and extinguishing about the Year 206 before the Birth of Christ the fifth Race call'd Hana got into the Throne the Founder whereof was one Leupangus whose Successor in a direct Line held the Sovereignty of the Empire of China till the Year 264 after Christ's Birth This Family being brought under the sixth Race call'd Cyna stept into the Throne and Govern'd till the Year of our Lord 419. within which compass of Time there were no less than five Kings at once who were all call'd Utai and wag'd very cruel Wars one against another for above four hundred years At last having miserably worried and weakned each other they were all subdu'd by the seventh Race call'd Tanga which seized upon the whole Empire and Reigned with his Posterity till the Year of Christ 618. No sooner was this Race of Tanga at an end but the eighth call'd Sunga succeeded in which the Government continu'd till the Year of our Lord 1278. when the Tartars after a long and tedious destructive War with this Family â—unga for seventy three years conquer'd the whole Empire extirpating the whole Family and set up a new one call'd Ivena which Reigned over the Chineses till the Year 1368. But in the same Year appear'd a Priest call'd Chu who with the assistance of his Country-men expell'd the Tartars and setled himself in the Throne assuming the Name and Style of Hunguvus which signifies The Warlike Soldier from whom sprung the Race of Taicinga which held the Crown two hundred and eighty years but at last was brought under and wholly rooted out in the Year 1644 by the Tartars who once more conquer'd and over-ran the whole Empire and erected a new Generation of Royal Blood call'd Taicinga under its first Founder Xunchius who was born Great Cham of Tartary And thus having led you as it were by the Hand to the Tartar Government it will not be amiss to shew you as briefly as the Subject will bear as well the cause as the manner of that terrible Devastation which not only extirpated the same Family but brought the whole Country to the slavish Subjection of their unciviliz'd Barbarism The Tartars who for Antiquity go beyond all other People in Asia and from whom many and several Nations are sprung did in the Year 2158 before Christ's Birth make very bloody Wars against the Chineses wherein they were sometimes Conquerors possessing the Land and at other times conquer'd and driven out again Now it is to be observ'd That under the Name of Tartars I understand here those People that have their Habitations on the North side of that most renowned and famous Wall in former times built against the Invasions of those Barbarians and reaching from East to West three hundred Dutch Miles in length For what cause or reason these People have born for so many Ages so much Malice and Hatred to one another as appears by the bloody Wars they have made the Chinese Histories make no mention But others who would seem to be curious and understanding Inspectors therein ascribe it to the difference of Customs and Manners of these two Nations for as parity of Manners is a conceal'd beginning and introduction of Friendship so on the other Hand a difference therein is the original and true occasion of Enmity Now how much the Tartars and Chineses differ in their Customs and Manners will easily be made appear by the daily Employments and Actions each of them affects from the Cradle The Chinese is of an affable and peaceable Disposition addicted to Husbandry and loving all good Arts and Sciences But the Tartar on the other Hand delights in nothing so much as Hunting being very cunning and deceitful lusting after War and of a very loose and uncivil Comportment It is true both endeavor to shun Idleness but with Intentions very incoherent the one to live temperately and honestly but the other only to range abroad in a wild and beastial Barbarism It cannot be denied but that the Tartars and Chineses have wag'd War one against another for many Ages yet I dare be bold to say we read of none so terrible as those in this our Age for thereby the Tartars have not only made themselves Masters of all the said Empire but extirpated the last Royal Line that there is not any Vestigium or Trace left of them in being In short that the occasion of this last War may be the more fully and clearly understood I shall relate unto you the two first Conquests of China by way of Proemium You must first then take notice That the People of West-Tartary after they had brought under their Power almost all Asia which is the fruitfullest part of the inhabited World fell upon the Empire of China about the Year 1206 before Christ's Birth which was continu'd as is
into several Kingdoms Empires Provinces Islands and Dominions and hath ordain'd by his Eternal Wisdom that no one Place should be stor'd with all manner of things but that whatsoever is either necessary for the Life or convenient for the Ornament of Mankind whether Production of Nature or Invention of Art should be found partly in one Country and partly in another Divine Providence so disposing it that the Wants of this Land should be supply'd by that and the Defects of that retributed by another that so by the means of Commerce Men might enjoy Society and the common Wants of all Nations might by receiving mutual Relief knit themselves together in the Bonds of Friendship And this is the reason which mov'd our Natiön above all others wholly to apply and devote it felf to Trade and Commerce through the utmost Parts of the Sea and by this means are we come to Alliance and Friendship with Kings and Rulers of most Countries neighboring on China whereby we came to receive Intelligence of those triumphant Victories and glorious Conquests which Almighty God hath given your Majesty over the renowned Emperor of China by setling and establishing your Majesty in the Throne thereof And by this we have been stirr'd up to appear in the Presence of your Majesty to Congratulate those glorious Atchievements and to wish a future Happiness and Prosperity thereunto and withal to desire your Majesties admittance of our Ships to enter with safety into the Ports of your Dominions and to exercise a Trade with your Subjects as we do with those of other Countries We hope that your Majesty will grant us this Favor seeing it is the Decree of Divine Providence and an universal practice amongst all Men whereby great Profit shall accrue to your Majesties Subjects and Countries And to the end your Majesty may receive from us the greater Security and Satisfaction about our Proposals we have sent two ancient and honest Men Peter de Goyer and Iacob de Keyser to attend your Majesties Person and Pleasure to whom we trust your Majesty will give Audience and a convenient Dispatch And thus we pray Almighty God to grant perfect Health and to add many happy days to your Majesties Life From Batavia Iuly 20. 1655. Governor General Iohn Maatzuyker This Letter which by the Emperor's Order was Translated verbatim out of Dutch into the Chinese Language came at first unseal'd and without any manner of Glorious or Majestick Title as if he had writ to one of his familiar Friends and Equals but the Chineses in Canton did so dress it up and adorn it that it appear'd with great Reverence and Humility for otherwise and different were the Letters formerly written to the Emperor 's of China when we came hither by Maximilian Duke of Bavaria and Ranutius Fernelius Duke of Parma as well for the Paper Style and Superscription as for the magnificent Titles and Encomiums which they gave him but what Comparison between these Princes and a few Merchants in Iava at length the World will be undeceiv'd Thus far Father Adam The Presents they brought they divided into four Parts the first was for the Emperor the second for his Mother the third for the Empress these three had their Superscriptions the fourth was a particular Present for the two Ambassadors This Division was subtilly enough contriv'd to purchase the Favor and to insinuate into the Affections of all Parties but though the Hollanders are sufficiently Masters of that Art this was not their own Contrivance but the Vice-Roy of Canton who as they did not act the Translator's part to mend and patch the General of Batavia's Letter but Compos'd new ones in stead thereof so they wholly order'd and dispos'd the Presents supposing so to manage the whole Business that it should not be capable of denial Nor had they miss'd their aim had they been Catholicks for then they had met with no Opposition That the method and alteration in the disposure of the Presents was the Chineses Invention appears plain enough from this one Argument When the Master of the Ceremonies had receiv'd the Presents from the Hollanders he ask'd them how it came to pass that such and such were for the Queens seeing there was no mention made thereof in their General 's Letter or Memorial To which they return'd this ridiculous Answer That after they set Sail from their Port and were far off at Sea they found these things in the Ship which they knew not of before aâ—d therefore they had dispos'd them for their Majesties Happy Argonautes are these to find Silk and Purple woven in their Ships without their own Labor Corral and Amber with all manner of precious things without their knowledge Let no Man think their Answer false or equivocal because haply they found them in the Ships of some Portuguese Merchants or others they met with in their Voyage for this they ordinarily do without any scruple of Conscience or terror of Divine Vengeance No Man can doubt but a Nation so remote which was in no case dependant upon and never heard of before in the Empire of China coming now with the specious Pretence of being Tributaries their Hands full of Presents which though they had been of ordinary Quality and things common in China yet might have been sufficient for the multitude of them whereby they endeavor'd to conquer the Emperor by the Vice-Roys of Canton corrupt the Mandorins and above all make sure of that Chief of the Coli Son-in-law as I have said to the eldest Vice-Roy of Canton and Bribe the Tartar President of the Tribunal of Hospitality which was not hard to fasten on so sordid and covetous a Wretch I say no Man can doubt but that all this did promise to the Hollanders a very prevailing Success to their Negotiations But the Hearts of Kings are in the Hand of the Lord but though it must be confess'd that Gifts will do much yet much more the devout Prayers of the Servants of God who has been pleas'd to fortifie the Minds of the Chinese Mandorins to weaken and unbend those of the Tartars and so to fix the Heart of a young Emperor that he should deny the Hollanders the Commerce they sought and with a remarkable Ingenuity Affability and Prudence make them promise their Return hither once every eight Years to pay their Tribute Three things there are whereof the Hollanders have no scarcity which had they brought would have been powerful Advocates for them The first is a Harpsichord with a skilful Player on it the second a Trumpeter the third some Engineers and Officers to Train up and Exercise Soldiers These things the Emperor doth much long for but our God would not suffer them to bring them that for the future the like may be brought by our Friends which may redound very much to the benefit of the Catholick Religion Lastly May your Lordships consider that it was a peculiar Grace of God to blind the Eyes of these Hollanders with
Strangers as understood not the year of Christ might here find that of Alexander which extended farthâ—r and with which perhaps they might be better acquainted From hence it is also manifest that the Syrian or Chaldean Tongue in those Times was common to the Churches of Syria Palestine Egypt and Babylon yea peculiar to them in Christ's time so that it is no wonder that the Gospel of Christ immediately after the Travels of the Apostles throughout the whole World was carried not only into the most remote Regions of the East but also into the adjacent Regions of Babylon Egypt and Ethiopia where as if in the native Birth-places of the Church the Syrian or Chaldean Tongue took such root that it was thereby spread throughout all the Coasts of India as I have said before and the utmost Regions of China But of this more in the following Discourses OF THE VARIOUS Voyages and Travels UNDERTAKEN INTO CHINA PART II. CHAP. I. By whom and by what means the Holy Gospel of Christ was at divers times introduc'd into the uttermost Regions of the East into India Tartaria China and other Countries of Asia SEeing that at this very Day in India China and other Regions of Asia there are yet remaining frequent footsteps of the Christian Religion as I have shew'n even now I think it will be worth while if having Explain'd the Syro-Chaldean Monument found in China I now give a brief Account by what way and occasion these Apostolical Persons penetrated into those most remote Quarters of the World for having accomplish'd this it will clearly appear that at all times Syria Egypt and Grecia have been a Seminary not only of promoting the Christian Religion in the far distant Regions but also before the coming of Christ they were the Propagators of all Superstition throughout the World And that I may proceed with the more clearness in a Matter so abstruse I shall first here set down the Opinions of some concerning them so that those things being discussed it may more evidently appear what ought to be resolv'd concerning the Matter propos'd First therefore there are some Persons who assert That these Colonies of the Christians first of all entred China and the other Regions of Asia by the assistance of that great Asiatick Emperor usually term'd Presbyter Iohn But then again seeing that this is a great Controversie amongst Authors concerning this Emperor and the Situation Quality and Condition of his Kingdom or Empire I shall in the first place alledge something concerning this Prince and his Dominions for the more clear Explication of the Matter or Subject albeit I have already treated of the same in my Prodromus Coptus Who was that famous Presbyter Iohn and whether there ever were such an Emmperor NOw therefore as the Kings of Egypt were at first call'd Pharaohs and afterwards Ptolemyes those of Mauritania Seriphii those of the Persians formerly Xerxes Artaxerxes and now Sophi so the Name of Presbyter Iohn hath now for a long time denoted the Dignity of some Christian Prince whose Dominions are plac'd by consent of the most knowing Persons not amongst the Ethiopians or in any part of Africa as some falsly suppose but in the Continent of Asia yet in what Place he Rul'd is not exactly known Now some Writers affirming that they were the Kings of Cathay have thereby rendred the Matter more doubtful seeing it hath been discover'd in these latter Years that all Cathay belongeth unto China and that there is no City or Territory call'd by this Name that is now found without the Bounds of China And in this all the Fathers of our Society who have continu'd in China for many years do agree who are Persons very well skill'd in Geographical Knowledge as Matthew Riccius Nicholas Trigautius Alvarus Samedus Michael Boiâ— Martin Martinius Iohn Gruberus and Iohn Adams that great Mandorin of the Kingdom of China and lastly Benedict Goes of the same Society who by order from his Superiors travell'd from the Kingdom of Magor purposely to find out Cathay by a Land-Voyage I believe that it is not far wide of the Truth that besides that portion of Land which by the Name of Cathay was found by the Fathers of our Society within the Limits of China there is another Quarter of the World much larger conterminate on the North and West unto the Empire of China But seeing that all that Region without the Walls of China is a Desart almost of two Months travel incultivated and destitute of Inhabitants it is probable that the Region of China in latter Times as being very much manur'd and abounding in all things might properly be call'd Cathay And that the Desart at this day call'd Kalmuk and the Regions confining on it without the Walls in former Ages had the Name of Cathay the Desart in the adjoining Kingdoms of which that same Presbyter Iohn of whom even now we treated Rul'd in the days of our Ancestors Marcus Paulus Venetus termeth it The Empire of the Great Cham the Holy Scriptures as Arias Montanus will have it Gog and Magog concerning which thus writeth Sybilla Heu tibi Gogque Magogque aliisque ex ordine cunctis Marson atque Angon tibi quot mala fata propinquant Now that this is the Scythian Cathay is shew'd by the Arabick Geographer throughout the four entire last Climates where he describeth it to abound in Men Animals and Minerals flourishing with Christians meer'd and inclos'd with the vast extended Skirts of Caucasus call'd Iagog and Magog Thus the Arabian Geographer in his ninth Part Climate 5. Line 21. his words are to this effect as I have translated them out of the Arabick From the Mansion Gerrada to the City Tahamet on the South Quarter are four Leucae whereof one maketh twenty five Miles from the City Geerada even unto the Mountain which is call'd Caucasus is seven days travel And this Mountain encompasseth the Regions of Iagog and Magog It hath such craggy and difficult sides that none can ascend it and if any one doth attempt it he can never arrive at the top being obstructed by continual Snows congeal'd into Ice which because they are never dissolv'd represent the similude of a Mist or thick Cloud perpetually fix'd on the top of the mountainous Caucasian Rocks On the other side the Mountain are many Cities of Iagog and Magog And it often hapneth that the Inhabitants of this Region out of a certain curiosity ascend some part of it to discover what is on the top of the Mountain and what is beyond but many never return either â—ecause they are devour'd by wild Beasts or taken by the Transmountainers but some that have return'd safe relate That in the Region on the other side of the Mountain in the Night are many Fires but in the Day nothing else but a thick Cloud mix'd with Darkness is discover'd Also in the seventh Part of the same Climate Line 34. he adds In these Regions many Christians or Nazaraeans do