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
provide them with what they were able To cloath them they used this pious shift they would go into the prison for as I have fomerly said he that visiteth a prisoner must of necessity go into the prison having a double suit of cloathes one over the other and as soon as they were got in they would very dexterously slip off their under garments and give them to those poor men and go out again onely with their own cloathes without any discovery of so seasonable a charity for the reliefe of those unfortunate wretches Whilst I lived in the Province of Kiamsi at Nancham the capital City thereof where we have a Church and House there came thither a Christian of another City on purpose to conferre with me concerning his consciennce and other spirituall matters and because the place where he lived was far distant from us and he could not often make that journey his custome was to make a pretty long stay when he did come and then after his generall confession and pennance was ended to returne home again One time at his departure I desired him to use his best endeavours to perswade his kindred friends neighbours and other persons to embrace our Holy Faith and that if he found any disposition or inclination in them to it he should presently give me notice of it He did so and about a month after he sent me an invitation to come thither for that there was an opportunity of casting my nets I went thither and because he had not a House bigge enough to receive the company that would come to treate with me I did accommodate my self in one of those Houses which the Chinesses call Zutham and do belong to a whole Family in common where at set times of the yeare the whole Family do assemble themselves to treate of the affaires of that Family and of the behaviour and manner of living of some of that Kindred and there they reprove chastise give orders c. these Houses for the most part stand empty only there is some one or other who keepeth and taketh care of them Neere unto that dwelt a Mandarine who having heard of my arrivall and that I was a stranger drawn as I beleeve by his curiosity came presently to visit me But as we do not use in these visits to let slip any opportunity of advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ I entred into discourse with him concerning that matter He asked me thereupon many extravagant questions and not being as it seemed much pleased with my answers he took his leave of me with a great deale of civility and when he had done he went and accused me to the second Governour of the City telling him that there dwelt a stranger that the times were dangerous and moreover that I taught a new law which was contrary to theirs and prejudicial to the State that therefore it did behoove his Lordship to use all care and diligence to prevent the mischiefe that might ensue upon it Lesse than this would have been sufficient to have caused me to be apprehended if the Mandarine had not been a cautious and discreet person Neverthelesse he sent some of his Officers for me there came into the House where I was about thirty or fourty men some of them being sent and others only out of curiosity to see me as also the Tifam of that street who is obliged to give account of what ever passeth there and brought an order for me to appear before the Governour Just in that instant in came the Christian who had sent for me who was a Litterato and well esteemed in that City and taking me by the hand would needs go along to give an account of me to the Governour where he found also the Mandarine that had accused me The Christian told the Mandarine that I lived in the Metropolis of the Province and that I had a friendship with the Vice-roy and other Mandarines of Quality which was very true and that for the Law which I taught it was no secret but that I did preach it openly at the Court and that my companions did the same every where publickly as the Mandarines of the Metropolis knew very well The Governour having heard these words from a person of that merit would make no further enquirie into the cause but remitted it to the first Governour whom we found on his Tribunall The Tifam began to give him an account of the businesse but he being not well instructed in it could not make him understand it Then the Christian began to speak and to give an account of what had happened in the presence of almost an infinite multitude of people of which number there being two who hearing him talk of the Law of God signed themselves with the Signe of the Crosse in the sight of a young man who stood near them The young man asked them If they were Christians They answered No but that they had a friend who was a Christian and that he had taught them to make the signe of the Crosse and to rehearse several prayers The Governour assoon as he heard of Thien Chu Kiao that is The Law of the Lord of heaven he said this law hath many followers in my Country and is a very good Law what would the Father have else The Christian answered nothing my Lord but only to give an account of himself in answer to what he is accused of by Hioquon for that was the name of the Mandarine that had complained of me neere unto whom he dwelleth Then the Governour replyed Tell the Father he liveth in no good neighbour-hood and wish him to find a better The Christian answered since your Lordship would have him change his habitation be pleased to command he should have a House allowed him during the short time he is to make his abode in this City The advice pleased him and presently he gave order there should be some Chambers provided for me in a certain Palace and in them I lived during the whole time that I spent there so that by the occasion of the others turning me out of the House I came to get one that was farre better As a Portughese Carrack was on her way from Macao toward Manila she strook unfortunately upon the sands of Pulosisi and was cast away there being hardly fourty persons saved in the long boate who steering as well as they could towards the next land after some daies arrived at the Island of Hainan which is but a little way distant from the Westerne part of the Province of Canton and from Macao two daies saile with a good winde Assoon as they landed they were presenly apprehended according to the custome of that Island with a noise and stir which boded no good to those poor shipwrackt men They found some Christians in that Island who were very helpfull to them and among the rest there was a Mandarine called Ignatius who had been a long time a Christian as also his whole
honourable Titles as amongst us Your worship Your honour c. but they have this quality besides that even to mean and inferiour people they give an honourable name as to an Host Chiu Gin Kia the man Lord of the house To a barge man The chiefe man of the vessell To a mulitier The great wand But if they would anger him they call him by his ordinary name Can Kio that is persecutour of the feet To servants if they be grave men The great master of the house To the ministers of the courts of justice and to them which waite on the Mandarines Man on horseback or Cavalier and yet they always go on foote If they speak to a woman although she be not of kin to them they call her Tasao that is sister-in-sister-in-law but sometimes it happeneth that he which cannot speake the language well in stead of sister in law calleth her Broome by an equivocation of the word In speaking also of such things as beloâ—g to him they speak to it is to be done in certaine particular phrases So that if he speak of his sonne or servant he is not to say Your Lordships sonne but the noble sonne Limlam if he mention the daughter he saith The precious love Limgâ—i and so of others even of sicknesse and infirmitie he is not to say simply how doth he with his maladie but with his noble indisposition Quei â—am Among the common people who do not use these Punctilios if they do not know one another they call Brothers Hiuâ— But if they are acquainted I and you as they list without any ceremony As they are so punctuall and excessive in the manner of their treating and naming one another so also are they in the diverse names which they have and which they take up according to their age These are of five sorts The first is the Sir-name which they take infallibly from their Father and never that of the Mother or the Mothers Father but the Mother takes the name of the Husband The second is a name which they call The little or young name which the Father imposeth when they are little ones and it is commonly the name of some living creature or flower or of some day c. and by this name only the Father and Mother may call them but the servants only by the first second and third c. as hath been said The third is when he goeth to school for the Master giveth him another name which joyned with the Sir-name composeth a name by which both his Master and Schoole-fellows call him The fourth when they put on the Nett or Caâ—le upon their head of which we spake before this is done when they are seaventeen or eighteen years of age for at that time particularly if one marry a wife he taketh a new name which they call a letter and by this all may call him except the servants The fifth is at the going out of his youth when hâ— assumeth an other name which they cal The great Name or Hao by this all may cal him excepting himself and his parents Now to return to the Hall where we left the guests conversing at their departure the Guests joyning all together make an ordinary reverence to the Master of the house giving him thanks for their good entertainment and he accompanieth them out to the street where if they came on foot both parties make ordinary reverence to each other and depart if on horse-back or in a sedan or coach then they make three reverences and the third Congie is made at the gate where presently the Master of the House goeth in and the Guest taketh horse for to ride or take coach in his presence is not counted good manners When they are on horseback or in the sedan the Master of the House commeth out again and they take leave of one another and when they are gone a few paces off they interchangeably send a servant with an embassie or message To Pai Xam and recommendations When the visit is the first time made and the Person be of quality commonly t is with a present assoon as they are come in and for the most part in China the ordinary and constant presents are some stuffs ornaments for women things of use as Shoes Stockings Handkerchieffes Porcellane Inke Pensils and things to eat and they do commonly choose those of the best sort to present The Present if it be of things to eat among friends it is to be of 4. 6. 8. or more things With the present is sent also a Thie or bill of visit wherein is written what they have sent If he do not accept of it it is no discourtesie neither if he take part only and send back the rest but he must answer him with a Thie giving him thanks and excusing himself that he did not receive it or if he do take part he is to write what he took and what he sent back Among men of greater quality and that will shew respect to a Person without doing much harm to their purses they write first the things which they will send and send the Thie before they send the present of which because it ordinarily consisteth of many things they do not receive all and he who is presented maketh a prick at those things written in the Thie which he will receive then he which presenteth buyeth only the things which the other hath pricked and letteth alone the rest if he accepteth of them all he buyeth them all and sendeth them There are some Imaginarie presents of which he that presenteth them is secure that little or nothing of them will be received and yet they consist of many things in number as sometimes of thirty or fourty and are costly in their quality and pieces of Damask and other silk stuffe silk stockings and many things to be eaten as Hens Ducks c. These things are many times hired and that which is received is paid for the rest are sent back to the owner with some consideration for the loan of them The custome is that he who receiveth a Present is to return another â—equivalent to it Excepting alway edible things among friends and that which any bringeth when he cometh from abroad and from Countries where those things are particularly to be had Neither do they remunerate those which they call Presents of dependencie as from the inferiour to the superiour from the Master to the Scholar nor of pretenders and suitours It is also the custome to give the Page or Servant which bringeth the Present some mony more or lesse according to the quality of the present shewing great respect to him that sends it They of Kiamsi as more expert in their expences and more cunning in the Lesina or art of thrift are very subtle and skilfull in this particular and for a Present which is worth a Crowne they say they are to give the servant six pence and proportionably in the rest CHAP. 13. Of their Banquets Much time
good behaviour and manner of life only there was this evill in it that he besought him to send them away from Pekim because it was against his lawes that strangers should inhabit in the Court But because the Eunuchs who had care of the Clock were afraid of the absence of the Fathers because the ordering of it depended on their directions and the King also had a desire they should stay this second Memoriall likewise received no answer In the meane while the Fathers having libertie to go abroad when they pleased frequently Visited the Mandarines made new friends and treated with those of the Councel of Rites called Lipu before whom their businesse was that they would be pleased in their Memorialls to signifie that they thought it fit that the Fathers should be permitted to reside in Pekim telling them that they might plainly perceive that the king refused to give an answer to them because he was willing they should stay there But they still obstinately opposed that point and accordingly in their third and many other Memorials which they presented concerning the Fathers although in the whole or at least the greater part they seemed to favour them yet in that which concerned their stay at Court they were alwayes excluded but in the like manner the kings answer was alwayes suspended there never comming any decree from him eyther for or against them The Fathers perceiving this long delay and whence it came desired in the meane time to be freed from that restraint which is imposed upon all strangers wherefore they obtained by meanes of certain Mandarines who were their friends the favour to be discharged from that place untill the King should returne his answer unto the fore-said Memorials and to have leave to hire a House for themselves This was a new thing and wholy different from the Stile of China and therefore so difficult that it was accounted impossible to be done without a particular order from the King But when God would have it so all things are easily brought about and so this licence was obtained rather as a thing granted from Heaven than acquired by humane industrie on earth The Fathers then had ful leave to go out of that walled place they hired a House and began to live in it as if they had been natives of that Countrie The Fathers then seeing themselves in that condition which was much better than what they could hitherto obtain presently endeavoured with all their might to get their settlement at the Court secured that none might be able to trouble them any more upon that account understanding very well how much the securitie of their other houses depended upon their personall residence at that Court. Neverthelesse with all the diligence that they themselves and severall Mandarines their friends could use they were never able to obtain a decree for it it is true they were assured by the Eunuches that the King had said that they might dwel securely at the Court and that they should by no meanes think of returning to the Southern Provinces for if they did he should be displeased at it This answer was very sufficient and being authorized with the Kings name served instead of a decree absolutely to secure their habitation there another favour also being added to this by which it was more confirmed and that was the appointing by the Kings own order to have a competent pension allowed the Fathers out of his exchequer for the maintenance of themselves and four Servants which allowance they were to receive quarterly By these favours and the friendship of the Eunuches of the Palace and of some principall Mandarines their habitation was not only secured but brought into such credit that their friends encreased dailie and the people flocked continually to our House some to see strangers some to heare something concerning our Sciences and some to understand the truth of our holy Law and this was that which was most pleasing to the Fathers and most profitable to the Chinesses Among the Principall Mandarines who at this beginning contracted friendship with the Fathers there was one who was named Ligo Zun He was a Native of the City of Hamcheu a man of great Talents and ingenuitie and was known to be such through the whole Kingdome at the examinations for the degree of Doctour where in that degree is given to about 300 he obtained the fifth place which is a very great reputation among them He was extreamly curious and being assisted by his own naturall ingenuitie and the friendship of Father Matthaeus Riccius he learned many curiosities in the Mathematiques He translated severall of the Fathers Books into the Chinesses language and whilest he was yet a Gentile he put our Catechisme into an excellent Stile It is reported of him that when he was Composing of it seeing the powerful reasons which were brought in that Book to prove the Sanctitie of our Religion that although he did not believe them to be true he cryed out what an excellent piece is this and how accurately Composed But in time he began to penitrate better into them and at length acknowledging them to be true he resolved to become a Christian but his desire not being capable to be put in effect at that time in his own person by reason of that inconvenience of his having many Wives which in China is the ordinarie hindrance and obstruction in men of that Qualitie neverthelesse he would have his whole Familie Baptized and he himself after he had setled and jousted his affaires as was requisite for that purpose was Christened also and named Leo and is the same who is so frequently mentioned in the yearly Letters for his Pietie and zeal and for being one of the Supporters and Pillars of that Christianitie carrying himself in such manner that by his example and perswasion he gained many persons of Qualitie to our holy faith among which number a grave person named Michael was one who is also often mentioned in the letters and of whom we shall speak when it commeth to his turne When he was now become a Christian he governed in severall places of the Kingdome but alwayes with that observance which was due to the Religion he professed Among other honourable employments he had the Office of Tauli which is a place of great honour and profit in the Citie of Caoyeâ— in the Province of Nankim he found in the Palace there a Chappel full of Idols which the curiosity or devotion of his predecessours had preserved and adorned with extraordinarie care and and cost The devout Leo judging it not convenient to have such ill company in the House where he dwelt commanded his Servants to throw down those Idols from the Alters where they stood and to hew them to pieces with Hatchets and after that they were given to the Cook to consume them in the fire with all their Gold about them The officers of his Tribunall as Secretaries Sergeants and others were astonished at it
in the beleef of those things I had already heard by meanes of these Masters I learned that Heaven and Earth Mankind and all other things were made by God and that all things have their dedependance on him and are necessarilie subject unto his commands that no other Sect or law whatsoever besides this is conformable to truth that sinnes are forgiven only by God by the intermission of his Ministers that by him only the joyes of Heaven are conferred upon such who have a true and syncere sorrow for their sinnes and because I beleeve that by these meanes a man may obtain from God Grace and other benefits I beseech his Divine Majestie that he would so fill me with his truth that I may put it in execution by good works and may be able with a constant and firme resolution to worship the Heavenly Majestie and to conforme my self to his Holy precepts and ordinances And from the day wherein I shall receive Baptisme which cleanseth and washeth all filth and uncleanesse from the Soule I do promise by his Grace for the time to come wholly to extirpate out of my thoughts the Sect of the vain and false Gods as also their doctrines which are repugnant to reason and to take care that my thoughts do not in any wise runne after the superfluous desire of riches the vanitie of the world or the false and foolish pleasures thereof I will obey the Sovereign Lord and Father of all things and will follow the direct way of his law and by a constant watch upon my sences I will endeavour as much as is possible for me to reduce the light of that reason which God hath given me to its former Splendour I will begin with my self and afterward communicate unto others the benefit of those Graces I shall receive from his bountifull hand For as much as appertaineth unto the Articles of our Faith although I am not able to comprehend the greatnesse of each Mysterie neverthelesse I do from my heart submit my self to them and do firmly believe whatsoever is contained in them beseeching the Holy Ghost that he would illuminate my understanding with his light that I might be the better able to comprehend them Now therefore since I have begun again to feele the first impressions of faith my heart is like a tender eare of corne which is not yet come to its maturity wherefore I beseech the Mother of God that she will grant me strength and courage by her Intercession for me with God her Sonne that this my firm purpose constant resolution might never be staggered or shaken that he would open the powers of my soule and grant me a cleane and pure heart That he would open my mouth to declare his Divine law through the whole Kingdom to the end that none might be ignorant of the law of the True God or refuse to give obedience to it This was the profession in writing of Ignatius There was also baptized in this house by the hands of Father Iohn della Rocca who was superiour thereof Doctour Paul whose life we shall set downe more at large toward the end of this relation and who may justly be called the pillar of the Christianitie of China who was so much celebrated in the yearly letters so eminent in dignitie and honour having borne the highest office of the Kingdom that is of Colao so zealous in the Christian religion so exact in the observance of it so humble so vertuous and holy that every great thing may worthily be said of him This seed of the Holy Gospel was not contained within the walls of the City of Nankim but spread it selfe over the Province of the same name for upon the occasion of Dr. Pauls turning Christian and of his Fathers death at what time he went to Scianhai to celebrate his funeralls Father Lazarus Catanaeus went thether partly to visit him and partly to see how that Countrie was disposed to receive the word of God His journey had such good successe that presently after one Masse there were fifty Baptized and in two years after the number was encreased to two hundred the example of Dr. Paul being of great efficacy to that purpose There happened also at that time severall miracles as driving out of Devills healing of the sick and such like with which this new Christianitie was watred and the earth disposed to bring forth more fruit such as were afterwards and are still gathered there at this day There was also a house founded in that Towne and it is now one of the best Christianities in all China Whilest the Fathers of the three Southerne Residencies under went so much paines and trouble Father Mattheus Riccius was not idle at Pekim but rather was so busied that he had scarce time to breath partly for the visits of the Chinesses which he was also obliged to returne them nor could he have omitted it without injury and discourtesie and partly with the Christians and Catechumeni and partly in composing those bookes which are so much esteemed by the Chinesses In the mean while the reputation and esteeme of our religion was every day advanced and the number of Christians encreased by rare and miraculous events One of the Neophites or new Christians being delivered from death which he was unjustly condemned to suffer by the apparition of a man like unto the Image of our Saviour one night to that Judge who was to confirme the sentence who commanded him to save the life of that Innocent and two others whose recovery was despaired of by the Physitians were cured by the favour of the B. Virgin who visibly appeared to them spake to them and conforted them Notwithstanding his great employments Father Mattheus did not omit the other functions of his charge in the House he being superiour and having the care of the whole Mission which he governed with great care prudence and charity by reason of these continuall paines and care which he tooke or rather because the Lord was pleased to deliver his servant out of the troubles of this life to give him the reward of his sufferings he fell into a sicknesse and although all humane means were applyed and all possible care used to save his life yet all was to no purpose He desired to receive the Sacraments which accordingly he received with very great resentment and devotion The Fathers desired his blessing before he dyed about many questions which they asked him he gave particular answers to all among the rest to one who asked him Why he would leave them at a time when they had so great need of his company He answered I leave you the gate open to great victories which notwithstanding are not to be obtained without great pains and combats And so entertaining with discourse sometimes the Fathers sometimes the new Christians and very often raising up his heart and voice towards heaven in amorous Colloquies lying in his bed without any motion at all of his body
Family a very good and devout person as I had formerly known him to be at Nankim It pleased God for the comfort and solace of those poor Portugheses that he should govern the Island at that time Assoon as he had understood what had happened to those prisoners fearing what might fall out he commanded the cause to be brought unto his Tribunall When therefore the poor prisoners were brought into his presence and after that he understood they were Christians he not only commiserated their condition but presently commanded they should be set at liberty and kept them for some time in his Palace It is hard to expresse the Charity and Love with which he entertained them endeavouring to refresh and comfort them after the labours and dangers they had passed conversing with them so familiarly and so cordially and giving them such an example in his own person of all Christian vertues that the Portughesses did afterwards very highly commend him both in Macao and many other places and not only his own carriage and behaviour but also that of his houshold but above all they did admire the care and diligence with which he gave them notice both of Fasts and Holy-dayes to the end they might observe them so that while they stayed there he served them also in stead of a Parish Priest On the day of S. Agnes which was that whereon his wife was Baptized and called by the same name he made a very great Feast first a Spirituall one in his Chappel where they all met to do their devotions and recommend themselvs unto God and after that he gave them a Sumptuous and Splendid banquet After he had entertained them a good while and that they had recovered their health and strength againe he lent them a Barque and Marriners to carry them to Macao I could bring many other examples which I omit for brevities sake seeing these are sufficient to prove what I said before That the Christian Religion one way or other is dispersed over the whole Kingdome of China CHAP. 13. The life and death of Doctour Leo and the Conclusion of this History THe Chinesse Christianity hath so great an obligation to the singular pietie and charitable assistance afforded them upon all occasions by Doctour Leo that I cannot finish this relation without giving a briefe Essay of his life and death which may serve also for a testimony of the great zeale of those new Christians although I shall forbeare to mention many things concerning his sanctitie as also severall graces and gifts conferred upon him by Almighty God referring the Reader to the yearly letters where they are more particularly set downe Dr. Leo was borne in the City of Hamcheu in the Province of Chekiam and having happily finished the course of his studies he removed to the Court of Pekim where he obtained the degree of Doctour and executed the first employment which was conferred upon him after his degree There he saw and conversed with Father Matthaeus Riccius as did also the greatest part of the chiefe Officers and Letterati moved by a curiositie of seeing men of Europe This Leo besides that he was of a quick and vivacious wit had a most eager and intense desire of knowledge by which means he did the more engage himselfe to an inward friendship and conversation with the Father being allured thereunto by the solidity and novelty of our Sciences and particularly by the delight he tooke in some maps and other curiosities so that he could have been willing to have lived alwaies in his company In the meane while together with humane Sciences the Father did instruct him in the heavenly wisdome of the Law of God and he was growne so skilfull and well versed in it that he was able to help the Father in the correction and augmentation of a Catechisme which he had made some years before and was then about to re-print it He did therein much admire the great conformitie of our Mysteries with the principalls of reason the concordance order and admirable consequence of the points of our Faith and although he did not at that time give an entire credence to them neverthelesse he was much delighted to see every thing therein so well ordered and disposed being wont often to say That if these things were not true they were wisely invented and very conformable to the light of nature He continued the same affection toward the Father for some years wherein he much assisted both with his counsell and authority the foundation of that House and indeed he was the first that did encourage the Father to the enterprise and furnished him with mony to buy the ground and to build the Church All these good works accompanied with the fastings and Penance which he performed while he was yet a Gentile were as so many dispositions to fit and prepare him for the reception of that divine light which the Lord was pleased to communicate unto him He was then satisfied in the truth of our Holy faith and did much desire to be baptized which notwithstanding Father Riccius would not consent unto by reason of a certain impediment which he had at that time but being afterwards sick and in great danger of death the Father was constrained to Baptize him And immediatly after the Lord was pleased by means and vertue of that Sacrament and the other of Extreame Unction to deliver him from that death which he expected every hour as he himselfe confessed during his whole life and alwaies gave particular thanks to God for it Not long after he returned home to his owne House where having busied himselfe one evening in breaking and burning all the Idols he could finde Dr. Michael his ancient friend though yet a Gentile and very zealous in the worship of Idols and observant in their superstition came in to visit him He was much astonished at the sight and could not forbeare to reprove him for it but by the others answer he received so much satisfaction that he had an earnest desire to heare and understand better the Law of Christ which he afterwards received the same Dr. Leo assisted him as God-father at his Baptisme for about that time there came to live in Leo's House the Fathers Lazarus Catanaeus and Nicolas Trigaultius who did often discourse there with Dr. Michael he carried them to a Country house of his whither he went often to dwell that he might with more freedom and leisure discourse with them concerning the Law of God he doing this often was at length converted and Baptized wherein Dr. Leo had the greatest share and merit conferring a most important benefit upon this Church by the conversion of a person of that Quality who for many years together in the heate and trouble of the greatest persecutions did ever receive protect and favour us above measure From that day forward these two Doctours Michael and Leo were the heads and pillars of our Holy faith in those Kingdoms for in
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
of All-Saints which was the very day whereon foure years before the first Masse was said in that House which he built on purpose to bestow upon the Society where at this day is one of the two Residencies which we have in the City of Hamcheu I will not stand to rehearse the Piety compuncton and resentment with which he did severall times confesse himself during his sicknesse nor the consolation with which he received the holy Sacraments of the Communion and extreame unction and with what devotion he hearkned to the discourses and exhortations which were made to him at that time by three of the Fathers who were present at his death a reward which certainly the Lord was pleased to bestow upon that love and affection with which he had alwayes helped and favoured us from the first time he knew us I forbear I say to mention them by reason any one may imagine them in so learned a man and perfect a Christian. I will only take notice briefly of what he said at that time to Doctour Paul whom he tooke by the hand just as he was about to depart after he had given him thanks for the favours he had received of him upon many occasions and particularly in that last he said to him with teares in his eyes Sir I dye much comforted to see with my eyes how well our Fathers arere-established and protected by your zeale I will not recommend them to you because I know the place they hold in your heart My sinnes have made me unworthy to have any share in this work to which you have done me the favour to call me for your companion But if after this work is ended you would be pleased to make use of my name to any thing which might result to the glory of God and the propagation of his most Holy Law you would do me a high favour and so Sir I leave upon your Shoulders the Christianitie of China With these words which shewed sufficiently the esteem he had of the Gospel and of the preachers thereof Doctour Leo ended piously and holily that life a good part whereof he had spent in the assistance of this new Church He dyed on the first of November 1630 although his memory will alwayes live in the breasts of the Labourers of our Society and we hope that his example will be preserved in other generous mindes of the Chinesse Nobilitie To this state and condition is the Church of China arrived after the continuall labour and paines of the Fathers during fifty eight years and truly so happy and prosperous a successe could never have been expected from such difficult beginnings and such weak meanes Neverthelesse from the contexture of this Narration it may well be perceived what paines trouble caution patience and longanimity have alwayes accompanied this enterprise and also upheld it in the greatest persecutions The zeale and heate of those persons who would convert the world perfectly on a sudden is much to be commended and we do esteeme and reverence it in all neverthelesse in new Missions and particularly in such which are not susceptible of this fire which flameth out so suddenly but do require to be disposed to it by longer time we do endeavour to retain them within the limits of prudence more safe and the bounds of patience more profitable for that which is pretended to by our Society when ever we meet with any of such a Spirit among us and if that will not serve we send them to the pulpets and auditories of Europe where that fire may shine out without any danger of burning And this is observed by us in order to the Gentiles As for the new Christians I doubt not at all but that it is a holy and desireable thing presently to fashion and accommodate them to the coÌ„mon way of the universall Church to her lawes decrees statutes c. Neverthelesse we must look how farre that is possible and if possible whether it be convenient and whether it would not be more for the destruction then edification of such tender plants Our Saviour Christ and the Apostles have left us this doctrine so cleer that there doth not seem any place to be left for errour St. Ambrose saith It is a property of false Apostles to teach every thing to every one without difference of persons the which difference was alwayes observed by our Saviour in his holy doctrine Aliter enim pâ—pulis aliter loquâ—batur discipulis St. Paul the preacher of the Gentiles and Master of preachers wrote to the Corintbians Lac vobis potum dedi it is wel to be seen saith St Gregory that he brought them up and instructed them as Children they were newly begotten unto the Gospel saith St Ambrose Ideo Apostolus vir divinus medicus spiritualis vnicuique secundum viris illius doctriâ—am tradebat And to the Galatians he saith Scitis quia per infirmitatem carnis evangelizavi vobis Wherefore accommodating himselfe to the weaknesse of the flesh the Apostle did preach no higher things to them saith St. Hierome Ut infirmâ—s Galatas lucrifaceret Of this opinion also is To status cap. 7. quest 9. upon St. Mat. The same St. Paul when he would lay the foundation of Christianitie at Athens began with that Inscription Ig noto deo or as St Hierom will have it Dijs Asiae Europe Lybiae dijs ignotis peregrinis And without ever reproving those words or condemning the superstition although it was bad enough judging it more convenient at the first he made use of this darknesse to communicate light to them by it The Apostles in the first councell treated only of the facilitating of the conversion of the Gentiles Visum est spiritui sancto nobis nihil ultra imponere vobis oneris quà m haec necessaria ut abstineatis vos ab immolatis simâ—lachrorum suffocato sanguine So that in these three things they did include the whole obligation of the Ius Positivum to which those new Christians were obliged and what is more these were all three Iewish Ceremonies which if they should be observed at this day would give much scandal Nevertheless to facilitate the conversion of the Gentiles and to avoyd giving Scandal to the Iewes they were at that time judged necessary The same thing happened about circumcision the which S. Paul not only permitted but even exercised himselfe on the person of his disciple Timothy condescending to the weaknesse and ignorance of those first Christians Of this opinion was Panormitanus cap. licet Graecos de Baptismo ejus effect where he saith Potest debet venientes noviter ad fidem tolerare in moribus ritibus 〈◊〉 antiquis For otherwise as Cusanus saith there would rather be a perturbation than an edification Oportet infirmitati hominum plâ—rumque condescendere nisi vergat contra aeternam salutem which is very manifest every man being chiefly concerned to take care of his own eternall Salvation ne
Tartars did invade not onely the Mediterranean and Oriental parts but also the Occidental Quarters of that vast Kingdome But before I begin to speak of this monster of nature I must ingeniously confess I am both ashamed and also touched with a kind of horrour to declare his villanies both in respect they seem to exceed all belief and therefore I may perchance be held to write Fables as also because it is no grateful thing to make reflections on such Subjects yet I may sincerely protest that I have in my hands a long relation of all his Acts written by two Religious persons who were then in the Province of Suchuen to exercise their Functions which Country was the Theater of all his Brutalities which I shall relate and because I judge these two persons to be of an incorrupted Faith I judge therefore that a mortal Man might arrive to this pitch of wickedness and inhumane Cruelty I therefore gathered out of that relation what I here relate which is nothing else but a vast Masse of such abominable Cruelty as I doubt not even the most mildest Reader wil take the Authour to be no Man but some horrid wild Beast or rather if no more execrable name occurres some Devill transâ—vested in our humane Nature This monster like a wild Bear entred into divers Provinces filling all with Rapin Death Fire and Sword with all other imaginable miseries for he had a mind to destroy all that so he might have no enemies or leave any alive that might revolt from him but only content himself with his own Souldiers and oftentimes he spared not these But the Province of Suchuen where he usurped the Title of a King was the chief Theater of his barbarous crueltie for after he had afflicted and vexed the Provinces of Huquang and Honan and part of that of Nanking and Kiangsi he entred the Province of Suchuen in the year MDCXLIV and having taken the principal Citie called Chingtu in the heat of his fury he killed a King of the Taimingian Race which here had established his Court as he hath done also to seven other Grandees of the same family These were the Preludes of the Tragical Acts whose Sences I go about briefly to describe that so Europe may see what a horrid and execrable thing an unbridled and armed crueltie appears to be when it furiously rageth in the darknesse of Infidelitie This Brigand had certain violent and suddain motions of furious crueltie and maxims drawn from the very bowels of vengeance its self for if he were never so little offended by another or suspected another to be offended with him he presently commanded such to be massacred and having nothing in his mouth but murder and death he often for one single Mans fault destroy'd all the Family respecting neither Children nor Women with Child nay many times he cut off the whole Street where the offender dwelled involving in the Slaughter as well the innocents as nocents It happened once he sent a man post into the Country of Xensi who being glad he was got out of the Tyrants hands would not return to revenge this imaginary injury he destroyed all the Quarter of the Citie in which he dwelt and thought he much bridled his fiercenesse that he did not wholly extinguish all the Citie To this I adde another unhumane Act about his hangman whom it seems he loved above the rest because he was crueller this man dying of a disease he caused the Physician who had given him Physick to be killed and not content with this he Sacrificed one hundred more of that Profession to the Ghost of his deceased Officer He was affable and sweet towards his Souldiers he plaied banquetted and feasted with them conversing familiarly with them and when they had performed any Militarie Action with honour and valour he gave them precious gifts of Silks and Monies but yet many times he commanded some of them to be cruelly put to death before him upon very small cause especially such as were of the Province of Suchuen where he raigned whom he intirely hated because he thought they did not rejoyce in his Royal dignitie Insomuch as he hardly ever did any publick Action which though it began like a Comedie yet had not in fine the sad Catastrophe of a Tragedie for if walking out he did but espie a Souldier ill clad or whose manner of Gate or walking was not so vigorous or Masculine as he desired he presently commanded him to be killed He once gave a Souldier a piece of Silk who complained to his fellows of the poornesse of the piece and being over-heard by a spie of which he had a great number who presently acquainted him with what was said he presently commanded him and this whole Legion which were of two thousand men to be all Massacred He had in his Royal Citie some six hundred Prefects or Judges and men belonging to the Law such as managed the principal Offices and in three years space there was hardly twentie left having put all the rest to several deaths for very slight causes He caused a Sergeant Major which the Chineses call Pingpu to be flea'd alive for having granted leave to a China Philosopher without special order to retire a little to his Country House And whereas he had five hundred Eunuchs taken from the Princes of the Taimingean Family after he had put their Lords to death he commanded all these to be cruelly put to death onely because one of them had presumed to stile him not by the Title of a King but by the bare name of Changhienchungus as if he then were no Theef Nor did he spare the Heathenish Priests who sacrificed to their Idols These sort of men before he came into this Country having feignd many crimes against the Priests which preached the Faith of Christ had raised a bitter persecution against them which God of his goodnesse did turn so much to their good as they had permission to teach and preach publickly the Law of Christ. But after this Tyranâ— came into the Countrie the chief of these Heathenish Priests was apprehended for some words let fall against him and in the presence of the Fathers who by accident were then at audience with the Tyrant he was beheaded And although they had learned of Christ to do good for evill yet knowing the phrenetical anger and fury of this monster who used to punish those that interceded with the punishment of the offender they durst not make any motion for the least favour It is true this cruel Beast loved these Fathers and would often converse with them whom he experienced wise and learned and he would often call them to the Palace to entertain him in discourse but they knowing well his precipitous anger went ever prepared for and expecting death and indeed they were thrice deputed to death and a fourth time escaped also by Gods particular providence as we shall relate in time and