other base Offices The Captayne 's onely haue some authoritie Their armes are worthlesse for offence or defence and onely make a shew the Captayne 's being also subject to the Magistrates whippings Their Alchimisticall vanitie and study of long Life with precepts and huge bookes of both I omit The founders forsooth of these Sciences haue gone body and soule to Heauen The making of Siluer hath made many spend their siluer wits and credit cheated by professing Artists and the great Magistrates few in Pequin free are taken vp with the other Study some shortning their life to make it longer They write of one of their Kings which had procured such a potion of immortalitie whom a friend of his was not able to disswade from that conceit enraged by his sudden snatching drinking his prepared potion which he seeking by death to reuenge the other answered how can I be killed if this draught cause immortalitie and if I may then haue I freed thee of this errour Touching the China Sects I read in their Bookes that the Chinois from the beginning worshipped one God which they call the King of Heauen or by another Name Heauen and Earth Beneath this Deitie they worshipped diuers tutelare Spirits of Mountaynes Riuers and of the foure parts of the world In all actions they held Reason to bee obeyed which light of Reason they confessed they had from Heauen Of that supreame Deitie and his administring Spirits they neuer had such monstrous conceits as the Romans Greekes Aegyptians whence the Iesuites hope that many of them in the law of Nature were saued Their Sects are reckoned three The first of the Learned the second of Sciequia the third Laucu One of these is professed by all which vse their Characters That of the Learned is most proper to China and most ancient and all their Learned learne it in the course of their studies Confutius is the Prince therof This Sect hath no Idols worships one God beleeuing all things to bee conserued by his prouidence They worship in inferiour sort the Spirits The best of them teach nothing of the Creation rewards and punishments they confine in this life to a mans selfe or his posteritie Of the immortalitie of the Soule they seeme to make no doubt for they speake of the deceased liuing in Heauen but of Hell they make no mention The later Learned deny both with the soules immortalitie yet some say that the soules of good men are corroborated with vertue and made able to hold out others dying with the body The principall opinion seemeth borrowed of the Idoll Sect fiue hundred yeeres agoe which holds that this whole Vniuerse consists of one matter and that the Creatures are as so many members of this huge body so that euery one may attayne to the similitude of God being one with him which we confute out of their owne ancient Authors Though the Literate acknowledge one supreame Deitie yet they erect no Temple to him nor any other place proper to his Worship nor any Priests persons or rites peculiar nor haue precepts thereof nor any which prescribeth or punisheth defect of Holies nor any which priuately or publikely recite or sing ought to him Yea they affirme that the Office of Sacrificing to the King of Heauen and his worship belongs to the King and if any should take on him that Office hee should vsurpe the Kings and be thereby a Traytor For this purpose the King hath two stately Temples in both Royall Cities one dedicated to the Heauen the other to the Earth in which sometime hee vsed to Sacrifice but now in his place certayne Magistrates haue succeeded which there sacrifice many Oxen and Sheepe with many Rites To the Spirits of Mountaynes Riuers and of the foure Regions of the world onely the chiefe Magistrates Sacrifice nor are the people admitted thereto The precpts of this Law are contayned in the Tetrabiblion and fiue Bookes of Doctrines nor are any other Bookes allowed but onely some Commentaries thereon Nothing in this Sect is more of note then their yeerely Obits or parentations to their deceased Parents common to all from the King to the meanest obseruing their dead Ancestrie as if they were liuing Neither yet doe they suppose that they eate of the meate which is set them or need it but they haue no better meane to expresse their loue The Literate haue a costly Temple to Confutius in euery Citie by Law appointed in that place where the Schoole is and adjoyning to the Magistrates Palace which is set ouer the Bachelors or Graduates of the first degree In a principall place of that Temple his Image is erected or else his Name in golden Cubitall letters written in a curious Table Hither the Magistrates assemble euery New-moone and Full also the Bachelors with wonted kneelings Odours and Wax-lights to acknowledge their Master On his Birth-day and on other set times they offer festiuall Dishes thankefully confessing his learned workes whence they haue attayned their Degrees and Offices but pray not to him nor looke for ought from him but as is obserued of their dead Parents Other Temples also are seene of the same Sect to the Tutelare Spirits of each Citie and to the Magistracie of each Tribunall wherein they solemnly binde themselues by solemne Oathes to obserue Law and Iustice when they first enter into their Office In these they offer Dishes and Odours but in differing Worship for in these they acknowledge there is a Diuine power to punish the perjurious and reward the good The scope of this Literate Sect is the peace and good of the Common-wealth and of Families and of each persons their precepts agreeing with Nature and Christianitie Fiue Relations or Societies are obserued by them comprehending all duties of humanitie of Father and Child of Husband and Wife of Master and Seruant of elder and younger Brethren of Fellowes and Equals They condemne Single life permit Polygamie and in their Bookes largely explaine that precept of Charitie to doe to another as a man would be done to They deny this to bee a Sect but a certayne Acadamie instituted for the gouernment of the Common-wealth and because it prescribes not nor prohibiteth any thing touching the Life to come many adjoyne the other two Sects to this The second Sect is called Siequia or Omitose and by the Iaponians Sciacca and Amidabu Both haue the same Characters and the same Totoqui or Law It came to the Chinois from the West brought from the Kingdome of Thienscio or Scinto now called Indostan betwixt Indus and Ganges about the yeere of Christ 65. It is written that the King of China warned in a Dreame sent Legats thither which brought Bookes and Interpreters from thence the Authors of them being dead And therefore I see not how truely the Iaponians affirme that Sciacca and Amidaba pierced thither and were Natiue of Siam The Authors of this Sect haue taken
Prisoners being meane-while shut vp The Prison hath three Townes as it were with streets and Officers besides the Chaems lodgings fit to entertaine a King There are also all necessaries sold. Their are groues and tankes of water for washing Hospitals also and twelue Monasteries with rich houses wanting nothing that a rich and noble Citie should haue the Prisoners hauing their Wiues and Children with them the King allowing a competent house for them Another building about as great as that was the Muxiparan or treasure of the Dead compassed with a strong wall and ditch with many stone Towers and painted pinacles the wall on the top in stead of battlements was compassed with Iron grates close to which were set great store of Idols of different figures of Men Serpents Horses Oxen Elephants Fishes Snakes monstrous formes of Wormes and creatures neuer seene all of Brasse and cast Iron and some of Tinne and Copper a sight more admirable to the view then can be imagined Passing by a bridge ouer the ditch wee came to a great Hill at the first entrie all enuironed with thicke grates of Latten floored with stones white and blacke so shining that a man might see himselfe therein as in a glasse In the midst of that Hill stood a marble pillar of sixe and thirtie spannes high all seeming to bee but one stone on the top whereof stood an Idoll of siluer with a womans face with both hands griping a Serpent spotted with blacke and white And further before the gate which stood betwixt two high towers borne vpon foure and twentie bigge stone pillars stood two figures of men with Iron maces or battle Axes in their hands as guarding the passage one hundred and fortie spannes high with dreadfull countenances called Xixipitau Xalican that is the Blowers of the House of Smoake At the entrie of the gate stood twelue Halberdiers and two Notaries at a table which writ downe all that enâ—red After wee were entred we came into a large street set on both sides with rich Arches with infinite bells of Latten hanging thereon by latten chaynes by the moouing of the ayre yeelding a great sound The street was almost halfe a league long and within those arches were two rankes of houses like as it were great Churches with gilded pinacles and painted inuentions in number as the Chinois affirmed three thousand all from the bottome to the roofe full of Sculls of dead men Behind those houses was a hill of Bones reaching to the roofes of the houses of the same length of halfe a league and very broad Wee asked the Chinois if any account were kept thereof and they answered that the Talagrepos which had the gouernment of those houses had registers for them all and that euery house yeelded two thousand Taeis rent left thereto by the deceased for their soules discharge the King hauing therof the fourth part and the Talagrepos the rest for expences of the Fabrike the Kings fourth part was spent on the exiled Prisoners of Xinamguibaleu Wee walked thorow the street and in the midst saw a great hill round encompassed with two rewes of Latten grates in the midst whereof was a brazen Serpent aboue thirtie fathoms in her circles well proportioned notwithstanding that incredible massinesse This monstrous Snake which the Chinois call the Serpent deuourer of the House of smoake had set in his head a Ball or Bullet of cast Iron of two and fiftie spannes circumference Aboue twentie paces further was the figure of a Man in brasse of Giantly limbes and proportion who sustained with both his hands another bullet which eying the Serpent with an angry visage made as though he threw it at him Round about that figure were many smal gilded Idols on their knees with hands lifted vp to him as in admiration and in foure wyres of Iron enuironing were one hundred and sixtie two siluer Candlestickes each hauing sixe seuen and ten nosles This Idoll gaue name to the whole Fabrike and was called Muchiparom who was sayth the Chinois the Treasurer of all the bones of the dead and that Serpent comming to rob them hee threw that bullet in his hands and made her flee to the darke bottome of the house of smoake where God had cast her for her badnesse And that three thousand yeeres before hee made the former throw and that three thousand yeeres after he shall make another and so each three thousand yeeres another till the fifth which shall kill her after which all these bones shall returne to their bodyes to remayne alway in the house of the Moone This their Bonzos preach and that those soules shall bee happie whose bones are thither brought so that no day passeth in which two thousand bones are not brought thither And they which are too farre distant to haue their bones brought send a Tooth or two which with their almes will doe as much good as the whole so that I suppose there are teeth enough in those houses to lade many ships A third building wee saw without the walls sumptuous and rich named Nacapirau which signifieth The Queene of Heauen which they meane not of the Virgin Marie but thinke that as temporall Kings are married so also is the Heauenly and that the Children which hee getteth of Nacapirau are the Starres and when the starres seeme to shoute or fall in the ayre that then one of those Children dye all his brethren weeping so many teares that the Clouds are therewith filled and water the earth and make it fruitfull as being the almes which God giues for the soule of the deceased Wee saw heere one hundred and fortie Monasteries of their wickedly Religious men and women in euery of which were sayd to bee foure hundred persons which come to sixe and fiftie thousand besides seruitours which haue not yet vowed the profession as those within who goe in sacred habite of red with greene stoles their beards and heads shauen with beades about their neckes for their prayers but aske no almes hauing sustenance of their owne proper In this Edifice of Nacapirau the Tartarian King lodged Anno 1544. when hee layd siege to this Citie as shall after bee deliuered wherein for a diuellish and bloudie Sacrifice he commanded 30000. persons to be slaine fifteen thousand of which were Women or girles rather the Daughters of the chiefe men of the Kingdome and Religions professed of the Sects of Quiay Figrau God of the Motes of the Sunne and of Quiay Niuandel God of the Battells and of Compouitau and of foure others Quiay Mitâ—â— Quiay Colompom Quiay Muhelee and Muhee Lacasaa whose fiue Sects are the chiefe of the two and thirtie Within this building wee saw diuers memorable things One was a Wall against the other almost a league compasse borne vp with stone arches and in stead of battlements arounded with Latten grates and at euery sixe fathoms Iron workes on pillers of Brasse fastened one to another whereon by chaynes
Idol-temple I found the Priests of the said Idols there For alwaies at the Kalends they set open their Temples and the Priests adorne themselues and offer vp the peoples Oblations of Bread and Fruits First therefore I will describe vnto you those rites and ceremonies which are common vnto all their Idol-temples and then the superstitions of the foresaid Iugures which be as it were a sect distinguished from the rest They doe all of them worship towards the North clapping their hands together and prostrating themselues on their knees vpon the earth holding also their foreheads in their hands Whereupon the Nestorians of those parts will in no case ioyne their hands together in time of prayer but they pray displaying their hands before their breasts They extend their Temples in length East and West and vpon the North side they build a Chamber in manner of a Vestrie for them selues to goe forth into Or sometimes it is otherwise If it be a foure square Temple in the midst of the Temple towards the North side thereof they take in one Chamber in that place where the Quire should stand And within the said Chamber they place a Chest long and broade like vnto a Table and behind the said Chest towards the South stands their principall Idoll which I saw at Caracarum and it was as big as the Idoll of Saint Christopher Also a certaine Nestorian Priest which had beene in Catay said that in that Countrey there is an Idoll of so huge a bignesse that it may be seene two daies iourney before a man come at it And so they place other Idols round about the foresaid principall Idoll being all of them finely gilt ouer with pure gold and vpon the said Chest which is in manner of a Table they set Candles and Oblations The doores of their Temples are alwaies open towards the South contrary to the customes of the Saracens They haue also great Bels like vnto vs. And that is the cause as I thinke why the Christians of the East will in no case vse great Bells Notwithstanding they are common among the Russians and Graecians of Gasaria ALl their Priests had their heads and beards shauen quite ouer and they are clad in Saffron coloured garments and being once shauen they leade an vnmarried life from that time forward and they liue an hundred or two hundred of them together in one Cloister or Couent Vpon those daies when they enter into their Temples they place two long Formes therein and so sitting vpon the said Formes like Singing-men in a Quire namely the one halfe of them directly ouer against the other they haue certaine bookes in their hands which sometimes they lay downe by them vpon the Formes and their heads are bare so long as they remaine in the Temple And there they reade softly vnto themselues not vttering any voice at all Whereupon comming in amongst them at the time of their superstitious deuotions and finding them all sitting mute in manner aforesaid I attempted diuers waies to prouoke them vnto speech and yet could not by any meanes possible They haue with them also whithersoeuer they goe a certaine string with an hundred or two hundred Nut-shels thereupon much like to our bead-roll which wee carrie about with vs. And they doe alwaies vtter these words Ou mam Hactani God thou knowest as one of them expounded it vnto me And so often doe they expect a reward at Gods hands as they pronounce these words in remembrance of God Round about their Temple they doe alwaies make a faire Court like vnto a Church-yard which they enuiron with a good wall and vpon the South part thereof they build a great Portall wherein they sit and conferre together And vpon the top of the said Portall they pitch a long Pole right vp exalting it if they can aboue all the whole Towne besides And by the same Pole all men may know that there stands the Temple of their Idols These rites and ceremonies aforesaid be common vnto all Idolaters in those parts Going vpon a time towards the foresaid Idoll-temple I found certaine Priests sitting in the outward Portall And those which I saw seemed vnto mee by their shauen beards as if they had beene French men They wore certaine ornaments vpon their heads made of Paper The Priests of the foresaid Iugures doe vse such attire whithersoeuer they goe They are alwaies in their Saffron coloured Iackets which bee very straight being laced or buttened from the bosome right downe after the French fashion and they haue a Cloake vpon their left shoulder descending before and behind vnder their right arme like vnto a Deacon carrying the houssel-box in time of Lent Their letters or kind of writing the Tartars did receiue They begin to write at the top of their paper drawing their lines right downe and so they reade and multiply their lines from the left hand to the right They doe vse certaine papers and characters in their Magicall practices Whereupon their Temples are full of such short scrolls hanged round about them Also Mangu-Can hath sent letters vnto your Maiestie written in the language of the Moals or Tartars and in the foresaid hand or letter of the Iugures They burne their dead according to the ancient custome and lay vp the ashes in the top of a Pyramis Now after I had sate a while by the foresaid Priests and entred into their Temple and seene many of their Images both great and small I demanded of them what they beleeued concerning God And they answered Wee beleeue that theâ—e is onely one God And I demanded farther Whether doe you beleeue that he is a Spirit or some bodily substance They said Wee beleeue that hee is a Spirit Then said I Doe you beleeue that God euer tooke mans nature vpon him Then they answered No. And againe I said Sithence yee beleeue that hee is a Spirit to what end doe you make so many bodily Images to represent him Sithence also you beleeue not that hee was made man why doe you resemble him rather vnto the Image of a man then of any other creature Then they answered saying we frame not those Images whereby to represent God But when any rich man amongst vs or his sonne or his wife or any of his friends deceaseth he causeth the Image of the dead partie to be made and to be placed here and we in remembrance of him doe reuerence thereunto Then I replyed You doe these things onely for the friendship and flatterie of men No said they but for their memorie Then they demanded of mee as it were in scoffing wise Where is God To whom I answered Where is your soule they said In our bodies Then said I Is it not in euery part of your bodie ruling and guiding the whole bodie and yet notwithstanding is not seene or perceiued Euen so God is euery where and ruleth all things and yet is he inuisible being vnderstanding and wisedome it selfe Then being desirous to
though it much grieued my Companion by reason of his weakenesse wherefore our foode was Millet and Butter or Paste sodden in water with Butter or sowre Milke and vnleauened bread baked in Oxe-dung of Horse-dung NOw Quinquagesima came which is the Lent-time to all the people of the East And the greatest Ladie Cotota with all her company fasted that weeke who came euery day to our Oratorie and gaue meate vnto the Priests and other Christians whereof a great multitude flocked thither the first weeke to heare their dutie And she gaue to me and my Companion to each a Coate and Breeches of gray Samit Samito furred with course haire Stuppa setae because my companion complained much of the weight of his Skinnes which I receiued for my fellowes comfort excusing my selfe neuerthelesse that I would not weare such clothes I gaue to my Interpreter what belonged to me Then the Porters of the Court seeing that so great a multitude came daily to the Church which was within the bounds of the keepers of the Court they sent one of their fellowes vnto the Monke declaring vnto him that they would not haue so great a multitude come together within the precincts of the Court. then the Monke roughly answered that he would know whether they commanded this from Mangu Chan hee added moreouer certaine threatning speeches as if he would accuse them to Mangu Chan. Then they preuenting him accused him before Mangu That he was too full of words and that he gathered together too great a multitude to heare him speake Afterward the first Sunday in Lent being called to the Court and the Monke being shamefully demanded whether hee had a Knife insomuch that he put off his shooes wee came in before Chan himselfe who hauing the burnt shoulder-blade of a Ramme in his hand looked vpon it and as it were reading in it began to reproue the Monke demanding that seeing he was a man that should pray vnto God why hee spoke so much with men but I stood behind with my head bare and Chan saying vnto him Why dost thou not put off thy Cap when thou commest before me as that Francke doth and commanded me to be called neerer Then the Monke being much abashed put off his Cap contrary to the custome of the Greekes and Armenians And when Chan himselfe had spoken many things sharply vnto him wee went out Then the Monke deliuered me the Crosse to beare to the Oratorie because he could not carry it for shame After a few daies he was reconciled vnto him promising that he would goe to the Pope and that he would bring all the Nations of the West to his obedience Whereupon he returning to the Oratorie after that conference had with Chan began to enquire of mee touching the Pope if I beleeued he would see him if he came vnto him in the behalfe of Mangu and if hee would furnish him with Horses vnto Saint Iames He demanded also of you if I thought you would send your sonne vnto Mangu Then I counsailed him that he should take heede that hee did not promise lyes to Mangu because the last errour should bee worse then the first and that God needeth not our lyes that we should speake deceitfully for him At that time there arose a certaine question betweene the Monke and a Priest called Ionas a Learned man whose father was an Archdeacon and the other Priests accounted him for a Master and an Archdeacon For the Monke said That man was created before Paradise and that the Scripture said so Then was I called to bee an arbitrator of that question But I being ignorant that they contended about this answered that Paradise was made vpon Tuesday when the other Trees were made and that Man was made the sixt day Then the Monke began to say Did not the Deuill bring earth the first day from the foure parts of the world and making clay made the bodie of man therewith and God inspired his soule Then hearing this Haeresie of the Monke and that he so publikely and shamelesly recited it I reproued him sharply saying he should put his finger vpon his mouth because he knew not the Scriptures and that he should take heed that he said it not whereby he might be faulty And he began to mocke me because I was ignorant of the Language I departed therefore from him going to our house It fell out afterwards that he and the Priests went on Procession to the Court without calling mee because the Monke spake not to me for the foresaid reproofe nor would he carrie me with him as he was wont When therefore they came before Mangu I being not seene among them hee earnestly demanded where I was and why I came not with them The Priests fearing excused themselues But returning they told me the words of Mangu and murmured at the Monke After this the Monke was reconciled to me and I to him intreating him that he would helpe me with his Language and I would helpe him in the holy Scripture For a brother that is â—olpen of a brother is as a strong Citie After the first weeke of fasting the Ladie ceased to come vnto the Oratorie and to giue meat and drinke which wee were wont to haue for the Monke suffered it not to be brought saying that Mutton fat or Suet was put in the confection thereof and shee gaue no Oyle but very seldome so that we had nothing but browne Bread and past boyling in water that we might suppe broath because we had no water but of dissolued Snow or of Ice which was exceeding nought Then my Companion began to be much grieued so I acquainted Dauid the Schoole-master of Chans eldest sonne with our necessities who made report thereof to Chan and he commanded to giue vs Wine Flowre and Oyle Neither the Nestorians nor the Armenians eate fish by any meanes in the Lent Then they gaue vs a bottle of Wine The Monke said he would not eate but on the Sunday and then the Ladie her selfe sent meat of boyled paste with vinegar to suppe But he had a Christ by him vnder the Altar with Almonds and Raisins and dried Prunes and many other fruits which hee ate all the day whensoeuer hee was alone Wee ate once a day and that in great affliction for as soone as they knew that Mangu Chan had giuen vs Wine most impudently they came in vpon vs like Dogs both the Nestorian Priests who were drunke all the day in the Court and the Moallians also and the seruants of the Monke The Monke also when any came vnto him to whom he would giue drinke he sent to vs for Wine So that the Wine caused our greater affliction then comfort because wee could not denie it without offence If wee gaue wee wanted our selues nor durst we that being spent desire any more from the Court. ABout mid-lent Master Williams sonne came bringing with him a faire siluer Crosse made after the French fashion hauing the
Eeuen wee were in all the houses of Mangu Chan and I saw when hee should drinke how they cast Cosmos to their Idols of Felt. Then I said to the Monke What fellowshippe hath Christ with Beliall What part hath our Crosse with these Idols Moreouer Mangu Chan hath eight Brethren three by the Mother and fiue by the Father One of them of his Mothers side hee sent into the Countrey of the Hassasines who are called by them Mulibet and hee commanded to kill them all Another went towards Persia and is now entred therein to goe as is thought into Turkie from thence to send Armies against Baldach and Vastacius One of the other he sent into Cataia against some that rebelled His youngest Brother of the same venter hee kept nigh himselfe whose name was Arabucha who holdeth his Mothers Court which was a Christian whose Seruant Master William is for one of his Brothers on the Fathers side tooke him in Hungarie in a certayne Citie called Belgrade where there was a Norman Bishoppe of Belle-Ville neere Roan with a certayne Nephew of the Bishoppes whom I saw there at Caracarum And hee gaue Master William to Mangues Mother because shee was very earnest to haue him When she was dead Master William came backe againe to Arabucha with all things else pertayning to the Court of his Mother and from him hee came to the knowledge of Mangu Chan. Who after the finishing of the foresaid Worke gaue vnto Master William an hundred Iascots that is a thousand Markes On the Eeuen therefore of the Ascension Mangu Chan said hee would goe to his Mothers Court and visit her for it was neere And the Monke said hee would goe with him and giue his blessing to his Mothers soule Chan was well contented In the Euening the day of the Ascension the foresaid Ladie was very much pained And the chiefe of the Sooth-sayers sent to the Monke commanding him that the Table should not be smitten On the morrow when the whole Court remooued the Court of the foresaid Ladie remayned still And when wee came to the place where the Court should stay the Monke was commanded to depart further from the Court then hee was wont which hee did Then Arabucha met his brother Chan. So the Monke and wee seeing that hee was to passe by vs met him with the Crosse. And hee calling vs to minde because sometimes he had beene at our Oratorie stretching forth his hand made a Crosse vnto vs like a Bishop Then the Monke taking Horse followed him bearing certayne Fruits But hee alighted before his brothers Court wayting while hee came from hunting Then the Monke alighted there and offered him the Fruit which hee receiued And hard by him sate two Saracens of the Nobilitie of the Court of Chan. But Arabucha vnderstanding of the contention betweene the Christians and the Saracens enquired of the Monke if hee knew the said Saracens and hee answered I know they are Dogges why haue you them so neere you but they replyed why say they doe you wrong vs when wee doe none to you To whom the Monke said I speake the truth and yee and your Mahomet are vile Dogges Then they beganne to answere blasphemously against Christ and Arabucha forbad them saying speake not so blasphemously for wee know that the Messias is God That very houre there arose so great a winde ouer all the street that the Deuils seemed to runne through them And after awhile there came Rumours that the Ladie was dead The next morning Chan returning towards his Court another way For this is their Sorcerie that they neuer returne the same way they came Moreouer while the Court abode heere after the remooue thereof none dare passe that way neither Horseman nor Footman where the Court stayed so long as any shew of the fire made there remayneth That day certayne Saracens kept company with the Monke vpon the way prouoking him and disputing with him And when hee could not defend himselfe with Argument and they mocked him hee would haue lashed them with the Whip which hee held in his hand and hee went so farre that the foresaid words were reported at the Court. And wee were commanded to depart with other Messengers and not abide before the Court where wee were wont And I alwayes hoped the King of Armenia would come There came some about Easter from Bolac where those Dutchmen are for whose sake chiefly I went thither who told mee that the Dutch Priest should come to the Court. Therefore I mooued no Question to Mangu concerning our stay or departure And in the beginning hee gaue vs leaue to stay but two monethes and now fiue monethes are past This was done about the end of May. And wee had continued there all Ianuary February March Aprill and May. But hearing no newes of the King or the said Priest and fearing lest wee should returne in the Winter whose sharpnesse wee had prooued I caused to bee demanded of Mangu Chan what his pleasure was concerning vs because willingly wee would euer stay there if so hee pleased But if wee must returne it were easier for vs to returne in Summer then in the Winter Hee presently sent vnto mee commanding that I should not goe farre off because his pleasure was to speake with mee the next day But I told him that if hee would speake with mee hee should send for Master Williams Sonne for my Interpreter was not sufficient And hee that spake with mee was a Saracen who had beene a Messenger to Vastacius and blinded with Rewards counselled Vastacius to send Ambassadours to Mangu Chan and the meane while the time passed for Vastacius thought hee would presently enter his Countrey So hee sent and after hee knew them hee little regarded them nor made peace with them neither did they yet enter his Countrey nor shall they bee able so long as they dare defend themselues nor did they euer take any Countrey by Force but by Deceit And because men make peace with them vnder colour of that peace they ouerthrow them Then hee beganne to bee very Inquisitiue of the Pope and of the King of the Franckes and of the way to goe to them But the Monke hearing this aduised mee secretly not to answere him because he would procure that an Ambassadour should be sent Whereupon I held my peace not willing to answere him And hee spake vnto mee I know not what iniurious words for the which the Nestorian Priests would haue accused him so that hee had either beene slaine or beaten all to clouts but I would not ON the morrow to wit the Sunday before Pentecost they brought mee to the Court and the chiefe Secretaries of the Court came vnto mee one of Moal who wayteth vpon Chans cup and the rest Saracens inquiring on the behalfe of Chan wherefore I came Then I told them the foresaid words how I came to Sartach and from Sartach to Baatu and how Baatu sent me thither Whereupon
haue no hearing They agrred vnto it Wee were therefore gathered together on Whidson Euen at our Oratorie and Mangu Chan sent three Writers who should be Iudges one Christian one Saracen and one Tuine And it was proclaimed before This is the Commandement of Mangu Chan And none dare say that the Commandement of God is otherwise He commandeth that none speake contentious or iniurious words to other nor make any tumult whereby this businesse might be hindered vpon paine of his head Then all were silent And there was a great assembly there for euery partie inuited the wisest of their Nation and many others came flocking thither Then the Christians set me in the middle of them willing the Tuinians to speake with mee Then they who are many in number began to murmure against Mangu Chan because neuer any Chan attempted thus much to search into their secrets Then they opposed one vnto mee who came from Cataia hauing his Interpreter and I had Master Williams Sonne And he first said vnto me Friend if you bee brought to a non plus you must seeke a wiser then your selfe But I held my peace Then hee demanded whereof I would first dispute either how the world was made or what becomes of the soules after death To whom I answered Friend this should not be the beginning of our speech All things are of God and he is the Fountayne and head of all Wherefore we ought to speake first of God of whom yee thinke otherwise then we doe And Mangu desires to know who beleeues better Then the Arbitrators iudged this to bee reasonable They would haue begunne with the foresaid questions because they hold them for the strongest for they are all of the Heresie of the Manichees beleeuing that the one halfe of things is bad and the other good and that at the least there are two Principia And concerning the soules they all thinke they passe from body to body Insomuch as one of the wisest of the Nestorian Priests demanded of mee concerning the soules of bruite Beasts whether they could fly any whither where they should not be compelled to labour after death for confirmation also thereof as Master William told mee a certaine child was brought from Cataia who according to the quantitie of his body was not three yeeres old yet notwithstanding was capable of any reason who affirmed of himselfe that he had beene three times incorporated and knew letters and how to write I said to the foresaid Tuinian Wee firmely beleeue with the heart and confesse with the mouth that there is a God and there is but one God and one in perfect vnitie What beleeue you Hee said Fooles say there is but one God but Wise men say there are many Are there not great Lords in your Country and here is a greater Lord Mangu Chan So is it of the gods because in diuers Countries there are diuers To whom I said You make an ill example or comparison of men with God for so euery mightie man in his countrey may be called a god And when I would haue dissolued the similitude hee preuented me inquiring What manner of God is yours whereof you speake that hee is but one I answered Our God beside whom there is no other is Omnipotent and therefore needeth not the helpe of another nay all we haue neede of his helpe it is not so with men No man can doe all things And therefore there must be many Lords in the earth because no one can support all Againe he knowes all things therefore he needes not a Counseller nay all wisedome is from him Moreouer he is perfectly good and needeth not our good nay in him we liue moue and haue our being Such is our God and therefore you must not hold there is any other It is not so saith he Nay there is one highest in the Heauens whose Generation we know not yet and ten are vnder him and vnder them there is one Inferiour And in the Earth there are infinite Then hee would haue added other fables So I asked him of that highest God whether he thought he were Omnipotent or of any other God and fearing to answer hee demanded if your God bee such as you say Why made hee the halfe of things euill It is false said I. Whoso maketh any euill is no God and all things whatsoeuer are good At this word all the Tuinians maruelled and set it downe in writing as false or impossible Then he began to aske Whence therefore commeth euill You aske amisse said I For first you should demand what euill is before you aske whence it is But returne vnto the first question whether you beleeue that any God is Omnipotent and after I will answer you to all whatsoeuer you will demand Then hee sate a long time and would not answer Insomuch as the Writers on the behalfe of Chan were faine to command him to answer At length hee answered That no God was Omnipotent Then all the Saracens brake out into great laughter Silence being made I said Therefore none of your gods can saue you in all dangers because such a chance may happen wherein he hath no power Againe no man can serue two Masters How then can you serue so many Lords in Heauen and in earth The Auditorie willed him to answer But he held his peace Then when I was about to alleadge reasons to proue the truth of the diuine Essence and the Trinitie in euery mans hearing the Nestorians of the Countrey said vnto me that it was enough because they meant to speake So I gaue them place And when they would haue disputed with the Saracens they answered We grant that your Law is true and whatsoeuer is in the Gospell is true Wherefore wee will not dispute with you in any thing and they confessed that they beg at the hands of God in their prayers that they may die the death of the Christians There was there a certaine old Priest of the Sect of Iugurs who confesse one God yet they make Idols with whom they talked much shewing all till the comming of Christ to iudgement declaring the Trinitie to him and the Saracens by similitudes All of them harkened without any contradiction yet none of them said I beleeue and will become a Christian. The conference ended the Nestorians and the Saracens sang together with a loud voice the Tuinians holding their peace and after that they all drunke abundantly VPon Whitsonday Mangu Chan called mee before him and the Tuinian with whom I disputed and before I went in Master Williams sonne my Interpreter said vnto me that we must returne vnto our Countrey and that I should speake nothing against it because he vnderstood it for a certaine When I came before him I must kneele and the Tuinian by mee with his Interpreter Then he said vnto me Tell me the truth whether you said when I sent my Writers vnto you that I was a Tuinian Then I answered
and call vs Monkes and Priests In the meane time while these things were doing my Companion hearing that wee must returne by the Wildernesse to Baatu and that a man of Moall should be our Guide he ranne without my priuitie to Bulgai the chiefe Scribe signifying to him by signes that he should die if he went that way And when the day came wherein we should haue our Passe to wit a fortnight after the Feast of Saint Iohn when we were called to the Court the Scribes said vnto my Companion Behold Mangus pleasure is that your Companion returne by Baatu and you say you are sicke and it appeareth so Mangu sayth thus If you will goe with your Companion goe but let it be your owne fault because peraduenture you may remayne with some Iani that will not prouide for you and it will bee an hinderance to your Companion But if you will stay heere he shall prouide necessaries for you till some Embassadours come with whom you may returne more easily and by a way where there are Villages The Friar answered God grant Chan a prosperous life I will stay Then I said vnto the Friar Brother bee aduised what you doe I will not leaue you You leaue not me sayth he but I leaue you because if I goe with you I see the death of my bodie and soule because I haue not patience in intolerable labour Then they held three Garments or Coats and said vnto vs Yee will not receiue Gold or Siluer and yee haue stayed long here and prayed for Chan hee entreats you that at the least euery one of you would receiue a single Garment that yee depart not emptie from him Then we must receiue them for reuerence of him for they account it a very euill thing when their gifts are contemned First he caused vs to bee often asked what we would haue And wee alwaies answered the same thing so that the Christians insulted ouer the Idolaters who seeke nothing but gifts And they answered that wee were fooles because if hee would giue them his whole Court they would willingly take it and should doe wisely to Receiuing therefore the Garments they be sought vs to make our prayers for Chan which we did So taking our leaue we went to Caracarum But it happened vpon a certaine day while wee were with the Monke farre from the Court with other Embassadours that the Monke caused the Table to be strucken so hard that Mangu Chan heard it and demanded what it was Then they told him So he asked why he was remoued so farre from the Court They told him because it was troublesome to bring him Horses and Oxen euery day vnto the Court and said further that it were better that he should stay at Caracarum Then Chan sent vnto him saying if hee would goe to Caracarum and stay there neere about the Church he would giue him all things necessarie But the Monke answered I came from the holy Land of Ierusalem hither by the commandement of God and left that Citie wherein there are a thousand better Churches then that of Caracarum If he please that I stay here and pray for him as God commanded me I will stay if not I will returne to the place from whence I came So that euery euening Oxen were brought him yoaked to the Carts and in the morning he was brought vnto the place where hee vsed to be before the Court. And a little before wee departed thence a certaine Nestorian came who seemed to bee a wise man Bulgai the chiefe Secretarie placed him before his Court to whom Chan sent his children that he should blesse them WEe came therefore to Caracarum And while wee were in Master Williams house my Guide came vnto me and brought me ten Iascots whereof he left fiue in Master Williams hand willing him to spend them in the behalfe of Chan for the Friars necessities which remayned there other fiue he left in the hand of the Man of God my Interpreter commanding to spend them vpon the way for my necessities For Master William had giuen them such instructions without our knowledge I presently changed one into money and distributed it to the poore Christians which were there for all their eyes were fixed vpon vs. Wee spent another in buying necessarie things for vs as garments and other things which wee wanted With the third the Man of God himselfe bought some things wherein hee gayned somewhat which was profitable vnto him we spent the rest and that to because since wee came into Persia sufficient necessaries were no where giuen vs nor yet any where among the Tartars but we seldome found any thing to be sold there Master William sometimes your Citizen sends you a certaine Girdle set wiâ—h a certaine precious-stone which they vse to weare against thunder and lightning and infinitely salutes you alwaies commending you to God in his prayers for whom I shall neuer bee able to render sufficient thankes to God and you Wee baptized there in all sixe soules Wee therefore departed one from the other with teares my Companion remayning with Master William and I returning alone with my Interpreter my Guide and one seruant who had commandement to take one Mutton in foure dayes for vs foure Wee came therefore in two moneths and ten dayes from Caracarum to Baatu and neuer saw Towne nor token of any house but Graues except one Village where in we eate no Bread Nor did we euer rest in those two moneths and ten dayes saue one day because wee could not get Horses Wee returned for the most part by the same kind of people and yet through other Countries altogether for we went in the Winter and returned in the Summer and by the higher parts of the North by farre except that fifteene dayes iourney wee must goe and returne alwaies hard by a certaine Riuer betweene the Mountaines where there is no lodging but by the Riuer side We went two dayes and sometimes three dayes taking no food but Cosmos Once wee were in great danger not being able to finde any people our prouision fayling vs and our Horses tyred When I had trauelled twentie dayes I heard newes of the King of Armenia that he had passed by In the end of August I met with Sartach himselfe who went to Mangu Chan with Flockes and Herds and with his Wiues and Children yet his great Families remayned betweene Tanais and Etilia And I did my dutie to him saying I would willingly stay in his Countrey but Mangu Chan would not haue mee returne and carrie his Letters Hee answered that I must performe the will of Mangu Chan. Then I asked Coiac for your children Hee answered they were in the Court of Baatu carefully recommended I also required to haue our Clothes and Bookes againe who answered Did yee not bring them to Sartach I said I brought them to Sartach but I gaue them not vnto him as yee know and I replied
Familie decayed by disaduentures or of any which cannot worke and haue no meanes he causeth to giue to such Families the whole yeares expenses each of such Families going to the Officers for that purpose and shewing their Bill of allowance receiue prouisions accordingly There is a Palace deputed for those Officers They are prouided also of garments for Winter and for Summer the Can hauing the Tenths of all Wool and Silke and Hempe which he causeth to bee made into Clothes in a house thereto appointed for all Trades are bound one day in the weeke to worke for him He prouides also apparell for his Armies and in euery Citie causeth Cloth to be made of his tithe wooll You must vnderstand that â—he Tartars ancient customes knew no almes but rather vpbraided such as were in necessitie as hated of God But the Idolaters especially these Bachsi haue propounded it as a good worke acceptable to God and haue taught him to be thus bountifull so that in his Court bread is neuer denyed to any which aske and there is no day in which is not giuen away twentie thousand Crownes in Rice Millet and Panike whereby he is esteemed as a God There are also in Cambalu of Christians Saracens and Catayans about fiue thousand Astrologers and Diuiners which the Great Can prouideth yeerly of foode and rayment as those poore abouesaid These haue an Astrolabe in which are marked the signes of the Planets the houres and points of all the yeere Herein all these Astrologers each Religion apart view the course of the yeere according to euery Moone obseruing the disposition of the weather referring alway to God to doe more or lesse after his owne pleasure They write also vpon certaine squares they call them Tacuini the things which are to come that yeere which they sell to those that will buy them and such as speake most truth are most honored If any intend any great worke or to goe a farre iourney and will know the euent before-hand he makes recourse to these Astrologers to see it with their eyes in the Heauens which they doe comparing the present Constellation with that of his Birth which they demand of him so foretelling him the good or euill The Tartars reckon the computation of their yeeres by twelues the first signified by a Lion the second by an Oxe the third by a Dragon the fourth by a Dogge and so thorow the whole twelue so that if a man be demanded when he was borne he will answer such a point of such an houre of such a day in the yeere Lion this their fathers exactly set downe in a booke and when the twelue is complete they goe ouer the same againe Of their Religion we haue said that they are Idolaters and for their Gods haue a Table set aloft in the wall of their Chamber on which is written a Name representing the High God of Heauen and there euery day with a Censer of incense they adore it in this manner They lift vp their hands aloft and strike their teeth thrice praying it to giue them a good vnderstanding and health and desire thereof nothing else Besides on the ground they haue another statue called Natigai The God of earthly things with his Wife and Children as before is said whom likewise they worship with incense striking or gnashing the teeth and lifting vp the hands and desire thereof temperature of the aire fruits of the earth children and the like They hold the Soule to be immortal and that when a man dies it enters into another bodie better or worse according to the merits in the former life as of a poore man to become a Gentleman and after of a Prince or Lord and so higher till it be assumpted in God or if it hath ill deserued to be a poorer man after a Dogge alway descending to the lowest ranke of basenesse They haue a comely speech salute cheerfully and honestly haue a gracefull carriage and feed cleanly They beare great reuerence to their Parents and if any be vndutifull or helplesse to their necessitie there is a publike Office designed to this particular to punish vngratefull or disobedient children Prisoners are released at three yeeres end and marked in the cheeke to be knowne Malefactors The Barons and People which goe to the Grand Can obserue these Rites First within halfe a mile of the place where the Can is all is husht and quiet without noyse or cryes or any loud speech and euery Baron carries continually a little faire vessell to spit in after which hee couers it none daring to spit on the Hall They haue Furre buskins of white leather which they put on when they enter the Hall putting off the former and giuing them to the seruants lest they should foule the faire artificiall Carpets TEn miles off Cambalu is a certayne great Riuer named Pulisangan emptying it selfe into the Ocean by which many ships with much merchandise ascend And in that place there is a very faire Bridge all of Serpentine stone curiously wrought contayning three hundred paces in length and eight in breadth that ten men may ride abrest On each side it is fairely mounted with a wall of marble and Pillars set on a rew and in the height of the ascent is a great and high Pillar at the foote whereof is a great Lion and on the top another And so quite thorow the Bridge one pace and halfe distant are Pillars with Lions on the top and a faire well-wrought marble worke betwixt to keepe men from falling Hauing passed ouer the Riuer and Bridge proceeding thirtie miles westward in which Palaces are continually seene with Vineyards and fertile Fields you come to the Citie Gouza both faire and great hauing many Monasteries of Idols Cloth of gold and silkes are made there and the purest and finest Cambricks or Launes and many common Innes for Strangers and Trauailers are found in that Citie The Citizens are Artificers and Merchants A mile without this Citie the way parteth one leading West the other South-east that to the West leadeth through the Prouince of Cathay but the other towards the Countrey of Maugi From the Citie of Gouza to the Kingdome of Tainfu you ride ten dayes thorow Cataio alway finding many faire Cities and Castles well traded with Vineyards and tilled Fields from whence Wine is carried to Cataio where it wants There are many Mulberrie trees for Silke-workes the People ciuill and Cities very frequent Tainfu is the name of the Kingdome and of the chiefe Citie which is great and faire hath much trading with store of munition fit for the Cans Armies The Wine about this Citie serueth the whole Prouince Seuen dayes further westward is a goodly Countrey beautified with many Castles and Cities in which also great trade of merchandise is vsed After which you come to a Citie very great named Pianfu in which there is great abundance of Silke and Trading Westward from Pianfu
Citie smally frequented by Merchants infinitely by Christians and Saracens for deuotion The Saracens hold him a great Prophet and call him Ananias that is a holy man The Christians take of the Earth where he was slaine which is red and carry it with them with great reuerence and giue it mixed with water to the sicke Anno 1288. A great Prince hauing more Rice then roome to lay it in made bold with Saint Thomas his Church in the roome where Pilgrimes were receiued but by a Vision of Saint Thomas in the night was so terrified that he quickly freed the place The Inhabitants are black not so borne but often anoynt themselues with Sessamine Oyle to obtayne that beautie they paint the Deuill white and their Idols blacke The Beeue-worshippers carry with them to battell some of the haire of a wild Oxe as a preseruatiue against dangers and therefore such haires are dearely prized Murphili or Monsul is Northward from Malabar fiue hundred miles they are Idolaters They haue Diamonds in their hils which they search for after great-raines West-wards from Saint Thomas is Lac whence the Bramines haue originall which are the truest Merchants in the World and will not lye for any thing and trustily keepe any thing committed to their custodie or sell or barter Merchandice for others They are knowne by a Cotton threed which they weare ouer the sholder tyed vnder the arme crossing the brest They haue but one Wife are great Diuiners of great abstinence and long life obserue their owne shadow in the Sunne when they are to buy and thence coniecture according to their Discipline They vse to chew a certayne Herbe which makes their teeth good and helpes digestion There are some Religious of them called Tingui which goe altogether naked liue austerely worshippe the Beeue whereof they haue a little brasse Image on their forehead and of the Oxe bones ashes make an Ointment wherewith they anoynt their bodies in diuers places with great reuerence They nor kill nor eate any quicke creature nor herbe greene or Root before it is dryed esteeming all things to haue a soule They vse no Dishes but lay their Viands on dry leaues of Apples of Paradize They doe their Excrements in the Sands and then disperse it hither and thither lest it should breed Wormes which must presently dye for want of food Some of them liue to one hundred and fiftie yeares and their bodies after death are burned In Zeilan I had forgot to tell of a high Mountayne which none can ascend but by Iron chaines as I was told in the top whereof the Saracens say is Adams Sepulchre the Idolater say it is the body of Sogomonbarchan the first Idol-founder sonne to a King of that Iland which gaue himselfe to a solitarie life on the top of this hill whence no pleasures nor perswasions could draw him His Father made an Image after his death to represent him all of Gold adorned with Gemmes and commanded all the Ilanders to worship it and hence began Idolatry Hither they come from farre places in Pilgrimage and there his haire teeth and a dish of his are reserued and solemnly shewed The Saracens say they are of Adam which report caused the Can Anno 1281. to send Ambassadors thither who obtayned two teeth and a dish and some of his haires by grant of the King of Zeilan which he caused to be receiued by the whole people of Cambalu without the Citie and brought to his presence with great honour Cael is a great Citie gouerned by Astar one of the foure Brethren very rich and a good vser of Merchants he hath three hundred women All the people haue a custome to carrie in their mouthes chawing a leafe called Tembul with Spices and Lime Coulam is fiue hundred miles North-west from Malabar they are Idolaters there are also Christians and Iewes which haue a speech by themselues They haue Pepper Brasill Indico Lions all blacke Parrets of diuers sorts all white as Snow others Azure others Red and some very little Peacockes and Pea-hens much differing from ours and greater as are their fruits They are leacherous and marrie their sisters and kindred There are many Astrologers and Physicians In Cumari are Apes so great that they seeme men and here we had sight of the North starre Dely hath a proper King and Language the people Idolatrous and haue store of Spices The shippes of Mangi come thither Malabar is a Kingdome in the West in which and in Guzzerat are many Pirats which come to Sea with aboue one hundred Sails and rob Merchants They bring with them their wiues and children and there abide all Summer In Guzzerat is store of Cotton the Trees six fathoms or paces high and dure twentie yeeres the Cotton of the old Trees is not good to spin after they are past twelue yeeres old but for Quilts There are many Vnicornes they haue artificiall embroideries In Canam is store of Frankincense it is a great Citie where is great trade for Horses In Cambaia is much Indico Buckram and Cotton Seruenath is a Kingdome of a peculiar language Idolaters Merchants a good people Chesmacoran is a great Kingdome of Idolaters and Saracens the last Prouince of the greater India towards the Northwest vnderstand the Author according to his iourney from China or Mangi by Sea fiue hundred miles from which are said to be two Ilands one of Men the other of Women those comming to these and there staying March Aprill and May. The Women keepe their Sonnes till twelue yeeres and then send them to their Fathers It seemes the Ayre admits no other course They are Christians and haue their Bishop subiect to the Bishop of Soccotera they are good Fishers and haue store of Ambar Soccotera hath an Archbishop not subiect to the Pope but to one Zatolia which resides in Baldach who chooseth him The Soccoterans are Inchanters and great Witches as any in the world howsoeuer excommunicated therefore by their Prelate and raise Windes to bring backe such ships as haue wronged them in despite of all contrarie working A thousand miles thence Southward is Magastar one of the greatest and richest Iles of the World three thousand miles in circuit inhabited by Saracens gouerned by foure old men The People liue of merchandise and sell great store of Elephants teeth The Currents in these parts are of exceeding force They tell of Fowles called Ruch like an Eagle but of incomparable greatnesse able to carrie an Elephant but I am not able to carrie it Zenzibar also is said to bee of great length c. there are Elephants Giraffas sheepe vnlike to ours the Men and Women are very deformed I haue heard Mariners and great Pilots of those parts report and haue seene in their writings which haue compassed the Sea of India that there are in it twelue thousand and seuen hundred Ilands inhabited or desart In India maior which is from Malabar to
Visitation to his Palace There they abode foure or fiue moneths often visited in that Temple by principall men and Magistrates of the Citie and were in hope of their perpetuall continuance hauing obtayned licence of the Secretarie also for Ricius to come who was preparing for the Voyage when all was disturbed on a sudden the Vice-roy being I know not for what fault depriued of his place He fearing least in the chiefe Citie the presence of Strangers might further hurt him dismissed the Iesuites so as hee permitted them to stay at Canton commanding the Magistrate there to prouide them a house and ground The Chinois call that Citie Quam-cheu which the Portugals by the name of the Prouince deluded call Canton They well knew that his commission was of no force yet they went and the Haitau to whom the Charter was directed was absent and no regard being had thereof they were not permitted to ascend the bankes and therefore with griefe returned to Amacao Pasius presently sayled according to the Visitors appointment to Iapon and after diuers yeeres labour there was Vnderprouinciall of the China and Iaponian Missions and when both of those expeditions were by the Generals order made a Prouince he was declared Visitour thereof and came to Amacao to take order for China where within few moneths he died §. II. Iaponian Embassage to the Pope Of Nabunanga and Quabacondono their gouernment Corai inuaded Embassage from China TAICOSAMAS Temple and OGOSHOSAMAS succession HAuing mentioned that Embassage of Iaponian Kings sent to the Pope by procurement of the Iesuites out of their writings I haue heere added for further illustration the acts of the publike Consistorie in this forme of words Pope Gregorie the thirteenth sitting in the Hall designed for entertaynment of Kings and their Embassages on the three and twentieth of March 1585. in the morning in a most ample Session of the Cardinals of the Holy Romane Church and in a great assembly of Princes and Prelates with greatest industry and most frequent attendance of all Orders Mantius and Michael who was also of the Prince of Omur two Legates of Iaponian Kings were brought in and one of the two Iaponian companions of the same Embassage of principall Nobilitie to wit Martine for Iulian the other of them was withholden by sicknesse After solemne adoration of the Pope and the kisses of his blessed feet receiued of him with great demonstration of beneuolence and charitie they went aside into a place appointed them with great modestie Afterwards the Letters of the Kings which they had brought are publikely read being translated out of the Iaponian Tongue into the Italian and thence into the Latine First that of Francis King of Bungo who therein professeth the Diuine bountie in sending the Iesuites foure and thirtie yeeres before into those parts whose seed had taken some rooting in his breast which hee ascribes to the Popes prayers and merits And had it not beene for his age warres and sicknesse bee would haue visited those holy places and haue kissed his holy feet and set them on his head and receiued his blessing his breast crossed by his most holy hand but so detayned had thought to haue sent his sisters sonne the Lord Ierome Sonne of the King of Fiunga his Embassadour whose Cousin-german Mantius in his absence he now sent thankes him for the Relikes sent him c. Ian. 11. 1582. Inscribed To the great and most holy Pope to be adored and holding on Earth the place of the King of Heauen Subscribed Francis King of Bungo prostrate at your Blessednesse most holy feet Not much vnlike was the tenour of the second Letter sent from Protasius King of Arima who detayned by diuers lets had sent his Cousin-german in his roome to his Holinesse which with sincere and humble minde hee adoreth Inscribed To the great and holy Lord whom I adore holding the roome of God The Prince of Omur sent also the said Michael his Brothers Sonne with a Letter of like import inscribed With lifted vp hands adoring I offer these to the most holy Lord the Pope Vicar of the great God Subscribed in substance as the first After this silence was commanded and in the name of the said Kings and Legates Gasper Gonsaluas a Portugall Iesuite made an Oration vnto the Pope comparing and preferring this Embassage with that of certaine Indians to Augustus and the conuersion of Britaine by the first Gregorie with this of Iapon and other Ilands by the Thirteenth succeeding and exceeding that now fallen from the Pope applying Esays Prophecies of the Churches encrease to this Iesuiticall Haruest and magnifying the great glories of that Pope founder of Seminaries and magnified extra anni Solisque vias Antonio Buccapadulio answered in the name of the Pope That Francis King of Bungo Protasius King of the Arimans and Bartholmew his Vncle Prince of Omur hath sent you their kinsmen to him from the remote Iaponian Ilands to the veneration of that power in presence which by Gods bounty he holdeth they haue done godly and wisely For there is one Faith one Catholike Church one made Gouernour ouer the said Church and Pastor of Christs Flocke that is of all Catholikes thorow the World in the succession of Peter the Roman Bishop That they acknowledge and professe this together with the mysteries of the orthodoxe Faith our most holy Lord reioyceth and giueth immortall thankes to the Diuine bounty and iudges this to be the most true ioy which proceedeth from the studie of Gods glorie and the saluation of Soules Therefore most willingly together with these his venerable Brethren Cardinals of the Roman Church hee embraceth the testification of their Faith Obedience Deuotion He wisheth and prayeth that by their example other Kings and Princes also of those Iles and of the whole World reiecting the worship and errour of Idols may know the true God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ for this is life eternall This done the Consistorie was dismissed The Legates when they had attended the Pope after the custome into the inner roomes were first entertayned of the Popes brothers sonne the Cardinall of Saint Sixtus with a Banket after that admitted to the Popes prâ—uate and familiar conference they discoursed by Interpreters with him of many things touching the Iourney and Religion then went to Saint Peters Church and the holy Thresholds of the Apostles piously saluted at night were honourably brought to their lodging This was prepared and furnished in the Iesuites Colledge by the Popes appointment at their first comming to Rome the two and twentieth of March who also sent two troops of Horse to guard them They went from their Charet to the Temple and whiles they praised God and worshipped at the greatest Altar the Students of the German Colledge in a double Quire sang Te Deum laudamus The Legates next day had audience as yee haue heard their Vestment was parti-coloured and embroidered a short Sword on
Snow wee cast into the Caldron and when wee thought it was boyled wee eate it Nor could wee satisfie our selues therewith and thus wee liued for thirteene dayes together with small charitie amongst vs by reason of the great scarcitie of all thinges and extreame famine leading rather a brutish life then the life of men Continuing in this rude and homely kinde of life it happened that through the intollerable wants foure of our companions of the greater retiring place failed euen where the afflicted Master was with those remedies and slender comforts for their soules and bodies so that you may thinke their bodies remayning neere vnto vs who being very weake had lost all our strength wee were not able to remooue them two yardes out of sight and yet I will say more that wee had no sooner taken the frozen or warme water in our mouthes but presently Nature of it selfe cast it vp againe wee not beeing able to abstaine from it nor almost to stand on our feete The cold season of the yeere had brought vs to such necessitie that to warme vs wee stood close thronged in such sort that wee seemed as it were to bee sewed together Wherefore I entred vnder the sayles which couered both our Cottages round about downe to the ground the smoake not being able to issue foorth which proceeded as I thinke from the Pitch which was within certaine peeces of the Pinnasse which we burned so that our eyes were swolne that wee could not see neuerthelesse wee indured all that wee might bee warme And our garments which wee neuer put off were full of vermine and the Lice swarmed in such number that taking them from our backes wee cast them by whole handfuls into the fire and they had entred into the flesh in such manner through the skinne euen to the bones that finally they brought a young man of our company that was a Notarie euen vnto death so that hee was neuer able to defend himselfe from so loathsome a litle vermine A thing of most manifest example to abase and abate our pride and haughtinesse of minde Now concord sayling among vs euery one vsed his owne proper aduise whereupon part of our companie wandring through the Sauage and vn-inhabited place came to the knowledge of a solitarie and ancient retiring place made by the Shepherds heretofore for the time of their abode and it was seated on the highest part of the Coast of the sayd Iland towards the West distant from ours about a mile and a halfe Vnto the which sixe of the companie of the number of those eight which were found in that first and greater retiring place determined to remooue themselues to that new-found solitarie habitation for their lesse inconuenience leauing the other two their other companions alone in an abandoned and forsaken place as well because they were not able to trauell as also for that wee were altogether vnable to conduct them It came to passe that those sixe through the gracious goodnesse and gift of God found an exceeding great Fish to the which I know not what name to giue whether Whale or Por pisse of the Sea which wee are to thinke was sent from the Diuine and excellent bountie to feed vs. And considering that wee saw it cast vp by the Sea vpon the shoare dead fresh good and great and at the time of our so great necessitie wee rendred thankes vnto our most gracious Lord God who at that time would sustayne our so weake and diseased bodies with that foode appeased peraduenture through the prayers of some vigilant and deuout soule With this Fish wee fedde our selues for nine dayes sufficiently And as it happened those very nine dayes were so tempestuous with windes rayne and snow that by no meanes the cruell storme would haue suffered vs to goe one pace out of our Cottage The miraculous Fish being spent the furious tempest was somewhat asswaged wherefore not hauing wherewith to maintayne life like Wolues that oppressed with famine goe to seeke out other places of abode wee arose out of the Cottage and went wandring through the desert Rockes to finde any succour to sustayne our life with Perewinckles of the Sea and Barnacles with the which wee were of necessitie to bee contented although they were very little thinges and so wee maintayned our selues vntill the last of Ianuary 1431. and therefore wee were leane pale afflicted and but halfe aliue In which time finding certayne dung of Oxen scorched and dryed with the cold and winde whereof wee gathered euery day to make a fire wee certainely knew that place to bee frequented by Oxen which thing gaue vs assured hope of some good end and through this perswasion wee indured part of our grieuous cares and sorrowes In the end the houre came wherein our benigne Creator and most gracious Lord purposed to conduct his little flocke so much afflicted into the Hauen of their safetie and it was in this manner Two young Heifers of a Fisher-man neere vnto this Iland within fiue miles beeing strayed the former yeere from the place where hee vsed to dwell and neuer vnderstanding any newes of them within the yeere nor hauing any hope to finde them againe on the very first day of February 1431. at night one of the Sonnes of the said Fisher-man of Rustene for so the said Iland was called being of the age of sixteene yeeres dreamed that certainly the two Heifers were escaped and gone vp to the Iland of Saints distant from them where wee were lodged at the point of the West part vpon the which no man durst euer goe at the low water Whereupon the Sonne who had such a vision or dreame prayed the Father and an elder Brother of his that they would accompany him to goe to seeke them And so all three in a Fisher-boate tooke their way towards the sayd Iland and came to the point where wee were and the sayd young men landing there left their Father to looke to the Boate and hauing ascended a little vpon the Cliffe they saw a smoake arise in the ayre from their retiring place which they had formerly vsed Whereupon through feare and astonishment they maruelled and that not a little how whence and by what meanes it might come to passe Wherefore they stood a long time much amazed And desiring to know the cause they began to talke one with another And although wee perceiued the noyse and heard the voyce yet wee could not conceiue whence it should bee but rather iudged it to bee the crying of Crowes then the voyce of men And wee were the rather induced thereunto because some few dayes before wee had seene vpon the miserable Carkasses of our eight companions cast to the winde multitudes of Crowes that rent the ayre with their croking feeding themselues vpon them whereupon wee thought it could bee no other But continuing from good to better the voyces of the children of God sent to saue vs wee cleerely perceiued
sound the common people thinke the soules of the damned to be tormented heere it is certayne that diuers and horrible spirits are obserued in this Mountayne and about it for if a Battaile be fought in any place the Islanders especially they that sayle and fish in the Sea neere to Hecla know the day of the Battaile fought although they know not where it be done for they see as they report wicked spirits going forth and returning and bringing soules with them And such a storie is repâ—rted all Island ouer A Fisherman sayling by Hecla met with another ship both had a prosperous wind and when after the manner of Saylers he was demanded who hee was and of what place hee answered that hee had the Bishop of Breme in his ship whom hee would conuay to Hecla and it was knowne that the Bishop dyed the same day which notwithstanding I would not set downe for truth If any perish by Sea or otherwise dye sometimes leauing their Friends and Acquaintance they appeare very heauie being demanded whither they goe and from whence they answere they are brought to Hecla vnder a cruell Master the Deuill and so vanish And they are so bewitched of Satan that they thinke them the soules of the departed But because no man that is well in his wits will thinke that Hell is in this Mountayne yet it may be demanded whence the Hill hath this matter whereby it should bring forth so many yeeres flames so many ashes and such abundance of Pumis stones For wee see the most sollid and firme bodies and all things to be consumed by fire and for that cause some thinke that it shall come to passe that these flames shall once be extingished for the cause fayling they deny that any effects can follow But heere what I thinke I will freely speake yet sauing other mens judgements It is manifest by watry Meteors that there is a continuall generation of water by the vapours gathered together in the cauities of the Earth which issueth forth by Fountayns but the efficient and materiall causes abiding perpetually the effects also continually remayne so also in the bowels of the Earth there are certayne places which by their owne nature draw vnto them a hote and dry exhalation and that it resolues it into flames ashes and Pumis stones which may easily be done in this Mountayne by reason of the Sulphur matter which is found in Island throughout the whole Land And as Fountaynes send forth more abundance of water in the Winter time then in the Summer nay some of them are dry because matter failes so is it with this Mountayne for sometimes matter failing it hath neither flames nor smoke and all is quiet whereby it appeareth that the matter and efficient cause faile Howeuer it bee I know this that no man may come to the foot of the Mountayne without danger and feare as hereafter shall be declared The same yeere I was in Island the nine and twentieth of Nouember about midnight in the Sea neere Hecla there appeared a flame which gaue light to the whole Iland so that all of vs astonished wondred and carefully expected the issue thereof the elder sort and such as were skilfull in this matter said that this light came from Hecla an houre after the whole Iland trembled as it should haue beene moued out of the place after the Earthquake followed a horrible cracke that if all warlike Ordnance had beene discharged it had beene nothing to this terrour It cannot be thought much lesse expressed by word how horrible it was Wee thought that the whole frame of the World would fall and that the last Day was at hand but it was knowne afterwards that the Sea went backe two leagues in that place and remayned dry About the beginning of Iuly at a certayn time of the yeere great store of Ice suddenly floteth to the Iland about Hecla and there goes a rumour through the whole Iland nay it is beleeued that the damned soules are tormented in this Ice by course in the Flame in the Mountayne and after in the Ice This Ice for three whole moneths swimmeth only about Hecla If you take any part of this Ice out of the Sea and wrap it in a linnen cloth and lay it vp in a Chest it remayneth so long vnmelted as it swimmeth in the Sea but if the Ice in the Sea vanish which suddenly in one night happeneth this appeareth not nor leaueth any signe of moysture in the linnen cloth which is not a hard thing for Satan to doe to take away the Ice without moysture to increase their incredulitie Olaus Magnus maketh mention of this Ice in his eleuenth Booke But because I determined to search out all things diligently I sayled not without great feare vnto this Ice and I obserued that this Ice was violently cast against the Rockes by force of the winds and so made a mournfull sound afarre off as if miserable howlings were heard there Hereupon the Islanders thinke the soules of the damned are tormented in this Ice Of the Riches of the Islanders I Haue said that Island was a rough and snowie Countrey and besides it is full of Rockes and stones and so truly that there is not a field in the whole Iland they haue not so much as Gardens wherein they may haue Pot-herbes or Pulse they know no kinde of Corne nor Apples Peares nor Cheries nor any fruit of Trees And which is almost incredible they neither vse Bread nor Salt yet they are well liking and strong There is no Citie in the whole Iland they seldome haue two or three dwellings together They haue their Cottages on the Sea side for fishing and vnder ground by reason of the fierce windes There is no lone of money among them for wares are changed for wares Brimstone groweth on the South part and almost throughout the whole Iland which is digged out in great abundance they sell this stuffe purged for a small price Mines of Gold or Siluer nor of any other mettall they haue none They vse Iron but such as is brought vnto them You shall scarse finde a man who hath not Iron Nayles in a Bagge wherewith Horse-shooes are fastened All their houses are vnder ground for they haue no matter for building There is not a tree in the whole Iland except the Birch-tree and that in one place which also exceedeth not the stature of a man in length and that by reason of the vehemencie of the winds that it cannot grow higher This Birch-tree after the Summer Solstitium beginnes first to bud the leaues haue a most sweet smell and of so fragrant a sauour that the Germanes put them in their Tents and vpon their meats for a singular delight Yet sometimes great abundance of Firre-trees from Tartaria or else-where carried by force of the waues and the Ice arriued in Island The chiefe vse of them is in building Cabbins vnder the ground you shall scarsly find a
Indians being deceiued of him and seeing also such effects to come certainly to passe as he hath told them before beleeue him in all other things and honour him in many places with Sacrifices of the bloud and liues of men and odoriferous Spices And when God disposeth the contrary to that which the Deuill hath spoken in Oracle whereby he is prooued a Lyer hee causeth the Tequinas to perswade the people that he hath changed his mind and sentence for some of their sins or deuiseth some such lye as liketh him best being a skilfull Master in such subtill and craftie deuices to deceiue the simple and ignorant people which hath small defence against so mightie and craftie an Aduersarie And as they call the Deuill Tuyra so doe they in many places call the Christians by the same name thinking that they greatly honour them thereby as indeed it is a name very fit and agreeable to many of them hauing laid apart all honestie and vertue liuing more like Dragons then men among these simple people Before the Inhabitants of the Iland of Hispaniola had receiued the Christian Faith there was among them a Sect of 〈◊〉 which liued solitarily in the Desarts and Woods and led their life in Silence and Abstinence more streightly then euer did the Philosophers of Pythagoras Sect abstaining in like manner 〈◊〉 the eating of all things that liue by bloud contented onely with such Fruites Herbes and 〈◊〉 as the Deserts and Woods ministred vnto them to eate The Professors of this Sect were 〈◊〉 Pâ—aces They gaue themselues to the knowledge of naturall things and vsed certaine secret â—â—gicall Operations and Superstitions whereby they had familiaritie with Spirits which they aâ—ured into their owne bodies at such times as they would take vpon them to tell of tâ—ings to come which they did in manner as followeth When any of the Kings had occasion to call any of them â—ut of the Desarts for this purpose their custome was to send them a portioâ— of their fine Bread of Cazabi or Maiz and with humble request and suite to desire them 〈…〉 them of such things as they would demand After the request granted and the place aâ— day appointed the Piaces commeth with two of his Disciples wayting on him where the one bringeth with him a Vessell of a secret Water and the other a little Siluer Bell When hee commeth to the place hee sitteth downe on a round seate made for him of purpose â—here hauing his Disciples the one standing on the one hand and the other on the other euen the presence of the King and certaine of his Nobles for the common people are not admitte◠〈◊〉 these Mysteries and turning his face toward the Desart he beginneth his Inchantâ—â—â—t and calleth the Spirit with loude voyce by certaine names which no man vnderâ—â—â—ndeth but hee and his Disciples After hee hath done thus a while if the Spirit yet 〈◊〉 his comming hee drinketh of the said Water and therewith waxeth hot and 〈◊〉 and inuerteth and turneth his Inchantment and letteth himselfe bloud with a thorne maruâ—â—â—â—usly turmoiling himselfe as we read of the furious Sybils not ceasing vntill the spirit be come who at his comming entreth into him and ouerthroweth him as it were a Greyhound should ouerturne a Squerell then for a space he seemeth to lye as though he were in great paine or in a rapte wonderfully tormenting himselfe during which agonie the other Disciple shaketh the Siluer Bell continually Thus when the agonie is past and he lyeth quietly yet without any sence or feeling the King or some other in his stead demandeth of him what he desired to know and the spirit answered him by the mouth of the rapte Piaces with a direct and perfect answere to all points Insomuch that on a time certaine Spaniards being present at these mysteries with one of the Kings and in the Spanish tongue demanding the Piaces of their Ships which they looked for out Spaine the spirit answered in the Indian tongue and told them what day and houre the Ships departed from Spaine how many they were and what they brought without failing in any point If he be also demanded of the eclipse of the Sunne or Moone which they greatly feare and abhorre he giueth a perfect answer and the like of tempests famine plentie warre or peace and such other things When all the demands are finished his Disciples call him aloud ringing the Siluer Bell at his eare and blowing a certaine powder into his nostrils whereby he is raised as it were from a dead sleepe being yet somewhat heauy headed and faint a good while after Thus being againe rewarded of the King with more bread he departeth againe to the desarts with his Disciples But since the Christian faith hath beene dispersed throughout the Iland these diuellish practises haue ceased and they of the members of the Diuell are made the members of Christ by Baptisme forsaking the Diuell and his works with the vaine curiosity of desire of knowledge of things to come whereof for the most part it is better to be ignorant then with vexation to know that which cannot be auoided Furthermore in manie places of the firme Land when any of the Kings dye all his houshold seruants aswell women as men which haue continually serued him kill themselues beleeuing as they are taught by the Diuell Tuyra that they that kill themselues when the King dyeth goe with him to heauen and serue him in the same place and office as they did before on the earth while he liued and that all that refuse so to doe when after they dye by their naturall death or otherwise their soules to die with their bodies and to be dissolued into ayre and become nothing as doe the soules of Hogges Birds Fishes or other bruite beasts and that onely the other may enioy the priuiledge of immortalitie for euer to serue the King in heauen And of this false opinion commeth it that they which sowe corne or set rootes for the Kings bread and gather the same are accustomed to kill themselues that they may enioy this priuiledge in heauen and for the same purpose cause a portion of the graine of Maiz and a bundle of Iucca whereof their bread is made to be buried with them in their graues that the same may serue them in heauen if perhaps there should lacke seedes to sowe and therefore they take this with them to begin withall vntill Tuyra who maketh them all these faire promises prouide them of greater quantitie This haue I my selfe seene in the top of the Mountaines of Guaturo where hauing in prison the King of that Prouince who rebelled from the obedience of your Maiestie and demanding of him to whom pertained those Sâ—pultures or graues which I saw in his house he answered that they were of certaine Indians which slew themselues at the death of his Father And because they are oftentimes accustomed to bury great quantities of wrought gold with
distant from the greater Some iudged it to bee a Whale with her young one which others denyed saying a Whale had no armes To my iudgement each arme might be fiue and twentie foote long and as bigge as a Butt or Pipe the head fourteene or fifteene foote high and much more in breadth and the rest of the body larger That of her which appeared aboue water was aboue fiue times the height of a meane man which make fiue and twentie paces Lorenzo Martino Canon of the Church of Golden Castile Sancio di Tudela c. were with me and we were all afraid when shee came neere our small Caruell Shee seemed to disport her selfe at a tempest approching which suddenly arose much to our purpose from the West and brought vs in few dayes to Panama In Hispaniola and the neighbouring Ilands is a strange bird of prey as bigge as a great Gauia and much like it shee preyeth on the Land on birds c. and on fish in the Water shee is footed like water-fowles and goeth like a Goose but hath talons like Hawkes and fastens therewith on the fishes which shee eates so taken either in the Water or on the Rocks or as shee flyeth in the Aire holding it betweene her feete The Christians call them Astori di acqua What scath the Ants did in Hispaniola is before mentioned in the yeere 1519. and the next following and the Citie of Saint Domingo was almost dishabited by this great Armie of little creatures as in Spaine a Citie was dispeopled by Conies and which lately happened to the I le Porto Santo in Thessalia which almost fell out to the English Colonie in Bermuda to another Citie by Rats to the Atariotae by Frogges to the Miâ—ntines by Fleas to Amicle in Italie by Serpents and to another part thereof by Sparrowes to diuers places of Africa often by Locusts so can the Great God arme the least creatures to the destruction of proud vainglorious men And this miserie so perplexed the Spaniards that they sought as strange a remedie as was the disease which was to chuse some Saint for their Patron against the Antes Alexander Giraldine the Bishop hauing sung a solemne and Pontificall Masse after the Consecration and Eleuation of the Sacrament and deuout Prayers made by him and the people opened a Booke in which was a Catalogue of the Saints by lot to chuse some he or she Saint whom God should please to appoint their Aduocate against that Calamitie And the Lot fell vpon Saint Saturnine whose Feast is on the nine and twentieth of Nouember after which the Ant-damage became more tolerable and by little and little diminished by Gods mercie and intercession of that Saint I note it the rather because the Bishop and that Saint were both Romanes and as that Martyr had made mute the Idols in Toledo as is written in the Historie of his Martyrdome so now was Idolatry and I pray what was this destroyed in Hispaniola Hee might haue said exchanged a pitifull case that when God hath sâ—nt his owne Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law c. Who hath dyed for our yea that Martyrs sinnes risen for our Iustification ascended on high to giue gifts to men and is there and therefore set downe at Gods right hand to make intercession for vs sinners to take possession for vs mortals to accomplish as our Amen all the promises of this life and that which is to come whether against Ants or Deuils and in him it hath pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell yea beyond and it pleased in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and we are compleate in him and he is all in all yesterday to day the same for euer which hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs which is loue which hath inuited vs Come to me all ye that labour which hath incited vs by all attractiues that after all this men Christian men should goe cast Lots for an Intercessor and neglecting Christ dreame of Romane carnall phancies or runne mad with Romish superstitious phrensies wherein if the bodie be deliuered as happened to the lusting Israelites with their Quaile-store the burthen is made double to the soule when God heareth in his anger Such Cisternes doe they digge which forsake the Fountaine of liuing waters euen broken Cisternes which can hold no waters the best of Saints like the wise Virgins hauing no more Oile then will suffice their owne Lampes and that also receiued out of anothers fulnesse of whose fulnesse wee all haue receiued grace for grace said a principall Saint There are Caterpillers which shine in the night fiftie or a hundred paces off only from that part of the bodie whence the legges issue others only haue their head shining I haue seene some a spanne long very fearefull but for any thing I haue heard harmelesse Flies are lesse but more hurtfull then in Spaine but these in kindes and colours are so diuersified that it is impossible to write them and so may be said of other small creatures in those parts In his sixteenth Booke he declareth the Conquest of the I le Borichen or Saint Iohn and the quarrels betwixt the Spaniards the learning of some breeding such dissentions that not without cause saith our Author in Golden Castile and in other parts the King forbad Law-learned men and Proctors should passe thither as men infectious by sowing strife where they ought not In this I le the people and other things are as before is said of Hispaniola there are more Birds in Saint Iohn rich Mineralls of Gold certaine Battes which the people eate and Lignum Sanctum groweth there more excellent then the Guaiacan for the French Disease and others In his seuenteenth Booke he writeth of Cuba The people and other things are much like to Hispaniola In their Mariages all the guests of the Bridegroomes ranke as Caciques if hee bee a Cacique or Principall or Plebeians as he is lye with the Spouse before he himselfe may doe it after which she with her fist bent comes crying with a loud voyce Manicato Manicato that is forced and full of force as glorying in her shame They are in vices like those of Hispaniola and will be no better Christians then other Indians whatsoeuer Peter Martyr writeth from Encises Relations For I haue seene more Indians then they both and by experience of those Nations know that none or very few of them are Christians of their owne will and accord and when any are baptized being of age he doth it more for some by-purpose then for zeale of the faith for there remaines to him nothing but the name which also soone after he forgets Perhaps there are some faithfull but I beleeue they are very rare The Creatures and Plants of Spaine prosper well there as doe the naturall which are the same which are in Hispaniola The people were exhausted when they first went
illusion whatsoeuer They report of one of the Kings Inguis a man of a subtile spirit who seeing that all his predecessours had worshipped the Sunne said that he did not take the Sunne to be God neither could it be for that God was a great Lord who with great quiet and leasure performed his workes and that the Stone doth neuer cease his course saying that the thing which laboured so much could not seeme to be God They came to the height of Idolatry by the same meanes the Scripture maketh mention of first they had a care to keepe the bodies of their Kings and Noblemen whole from any ill scent or corruption aboue two hundred yeeres In this sort were their Kings Inguas in Cusco euery one in his Chappell and Oratory so as the Marquesse of Canette beeing Viceroy to root out Idolatry caused three or foure of their Gods to be drawne out and carried to the Citie of Kings which bred a great admiration to see these bodies dead so many yeeres before remayne so faire and also whole Euery one of these Kings Inguas left all his Treasure and Reuenues to entertayne the place of worship where his body was laid and there were many Ministers with all his Family dedicated to his seruice for no King Successor did vsurpe the Treasureâ— and Plate of his Peedecessor but he did gather all new for himselfe and his Palace They were not content with this Idolatry to dead bodies but also they made their figures and representations and euery King in his life time caused a figure to be made wherein he was represented which they called Guaoigui which signifieth Brother for that they should doe to this Image during his life and death as much honour and reuerence as to himselfe They carried this Image to the warres and in procession for raine or faire weather making sundry Feasts and Sacrifices vnto them There haue beene many of these Idols in Cusco and in that Territory but now they say that this Superstition of worshipping of stones hath altogether ceased or for the most part after they had beene discouered by the diligence of the Licentiate Pollo and the first was that of the Inguas Rocha chiefe of the faction or race of Hanam Cusco And we find that among other Nations they had in great estimation and reuerence the bodies of their Predecessors and did likewise worship their Images THe Indians of Peru beleeued commonly that the Soules liued after this life and that the good were in glorie and the bad in paine so as there is little difficultie to perswade them to these Articles But they are not yet come to the knowledge of that point that the bodies should rise with the Soules And therefore they did vse a wonderfull care as it is said to preserue the bodies which they honoured after death to this end their Successors gaue them Garments and made Sacrifices vnto them especially the Kings Inguas being accompanied at their Funerals with a great number of seruants and women for his seruice in the other life and therefore on the day of his decease they did put to death the woman he had loued best his Seruants and Officers that they might serue him in the other life When as the Guanacapa dyed who was father to Atagualpa at what time the Spaniards entred they put to death aboue a thousand persons of all ages and conditions for his seruice to accompany him in the other life after many songs and drunkennesse they slew them and these that were appointed to death held themselues happy They did sacrifice many things vnto them especially yong children and with the bloud they made a stroake on the dead mans face from one eare to the other This superstition and inhumanity to kill both men and women to accompany and serue the dead in the other life hath beene followed by others and is at this day vsed amongst some other barbarous Nations And as Pollo wâ—ites it hath beene in a manner generall throughout all the Indies The reuerent Beda reports that before the Englishmen were conuerted to the Gospell they had the same custome to kill men to accompany and serue the dead It is written of a Portugall who being captiue among the Barbarians had beene hurt with a dart so as he lost one eye and as they would haue sacrificed him to accompany a Nobleman that was dead he said vnto them that those that were in the other life would make small account of the dead if they gaue him a blinde man for a companion and that it were better to giue him an attendant that had both his eyes This reason being found good by the Barbarians they let him goe Besides this superstition of sacrificing men to the dead being vsed but to great Personages there is another farre more generall and common in all the Indies which is to set meate and drinke vpon the graue of the dead imagining they did feede thereon the which hath likewise beene an errour amongst the Auncients as Saint Austine writes and therefore they gaue them meate and drinke At this day many Indian Infidels do secretly draw their dead out of the Churchyard and bury them on hils or vpon passages of Mountaines or else in their owne houses They haue also vsed to put Gold and Siluer in their mouth hands and bosome and to apparell them with new Garments durable and well lined vnder the herse They beleeue that the soules of the dead wandred vp and downe and indure cold thirst hunger and trauel and for this cause they make their anniuersaries carrying them cloathes meate and drinke HAuing reported what many Nations of Peru haue done with their dead it shall not be from the purpose to make particular mention of the Mexicans in this point whose mortuaries were much solemnised and full of notable follies It was the office of the Priests and religious of Mexico who liued there with a strange obseruance as shall be said hereafter to interre the dead and doe their obsequies The places where they buried them was in their Gardens and in the Courts of their owne houses others carried them to the places of sacrifices which were done in the Mountaines others burnt them and after buried the ashes in their Temples and they buried them all with whatsoeuer they had of Apparell Stones and Iewels They did put the ashes of such as were burnt into pots and with them the Iewels Stones and Eare-rings of the dead how rich and precious soeuer They did sing the Funerall offices like to answeres and did often lift vp the dead bodies doing many ceremonies At these mortuaries they did eate and drinke and if it were a person of quality they gaue apparell to all such as came to the interment When any one dyed they laid him open in a chamber vntill that all his kinsfolks and friends were come who brought presents vnto the dead and saluted him as if he were liuing And if he were
they blessed the annointed King and sprinkled him foure times with a certaine holy water that was made at the time of consecration of the God made of dowe or paste with a sprinkle made of bowes of Cane leaues Cedar and Willow leaues Then they put vpon his head cloth painted with the bones and souls of dead men and next they cloathed him with a blacke garment vpon that another blew and both were painted with the figures of dead mens sculs and bones Then they put about his necke certaine laces whereat did hang the armes of the Crowne And behinde his back they did hang certain little bottels full of powders by vertue wherof he was deliuered from pestilence and diseases according to their opinion yea and thereby Witches nor Witchcrafts could not hurt him nor yet euill men deceiue him In fine with those relicks he was sure from all perill and danger Vpon his left arme they bound a little bagge of Incense and then brought vnto him a chaffing-dish of imbers made of the barke of an Oke tree Then the King arose and with his owne hand threw of the same Incense into the chaffing-dish and with great reuerence brought the same to the god Vitzilopuchtli and after he had smoaked him therewith he sat him downe then came the high Priest and tooke his oath to maintaine the religion of the gods to keepe also all the lawes and customes of his predecessours to maintaine iustice and not to aggrauate any of his vassals or subiects and that he should be valiant in the warres that he should cause the Sunne to giue his light the clouds to yeelde raine the riuers to runne and the earth to bring forth all kinde of graine fruites and other needefull hearbs and trees These and many other impossible things the new King did sweare to performe and then he gaue thankes to the high Priest and commended himselfe to the gods and to the lookers on and they who brought him vp in the same order carrieth him downe againe Then all the people cried the Gods preserue the new King and that he may raigne many yeares in health with all his people But then some began to dance other to play on their instruments shewing outwardly their inward ioyes of heart And before the King came to the foote of the steps all the Noblemen came to yeelde their obedience and in token of louing and faithfull subiects they presented vnto him Feathers strings of Snaile-shels Collers and other Iewels of Gold and Siluer also Mantels painted with death and bare him company vnto a great hall within the compasse of the Temple and there left him The King sitteth downe vnder his cloath of estate called Tlacatecco and in foure dayes departeth not out of the circuit of the Temple the which hee spends in prayers sacrifice and penance he eates then but once a day and euery day he bathes himselfe and againe in the night in a great pond of water and then lets himselfe bloud in his eares and senseth therewith the god of water called Tlaloc he likewise senseth the other Idols vnto whom he offereth Bread Flowers Papers and little Canes died in the bloud of his owne tongue nose hands and other parts of his body After the foure dayes expired then come all the Noblemen to beare him company to his Pallace with great triumph and pleasure of all the Citie but after his consecration few or none dare looke him in the face And now with the declaration of the Acts and Ceremonies that the Mexican Kings are crowned I shall not neede to rehearse of other Kings for generally they all doe vse the same order sauing that other Princes goe not vp to the top of the Temple but abide at the foote of the steps to be crowned and after their Coronation they come to Mexico for their confirmation and then at their returne to their Countrey they made many drunken feasts and banquets The Mexicans did beleeue that the Soule was immortall and that they receiued either ioy or paine according to their deserts and liuing in this world vnto which opinion all their religion did attaine and chiefly appeare at their burials They held for an assured faith that there were nine places appointed for soules and the chiefest place of glory to be neere vnto the Sunne where the soules of those which were good men slaine in the warres and those which were sacrificed were placed and that all other sorts of euill persons their soules abode on the earth and were deuided after this sort children that were dead borne went to one place those which died of age or other disease went to another those which died of sudden death to another those which died of wounds or contagious diseases went to another place those which were drowned went to another those which were put to death for offence by order of Iustice as for robbery and adultery to another Those which slew their Fathers Mothers Wiues or Children to another place by themselues also those who slew their Masters or any religious person went to another place The common sort of people were buried but Lords and rich men had their bodies burned and their ashes buried In their shrowdes they had a great difference for many dead bodies were buried better apparelled then when they were on liue Women were shrowded after another sort And hee that suffered death for adultery was shrowded like vnto the God of lecherie called Tlazoulteutl he that was drowned like vnto the god of water named Tlacoc and he that died with drunkennesse was shrowded like vnto the god of wine called Ometochtli But the Souldier had an honorable shrowde like vnto the attire of Vitzilopuchtli and the like order in all other sorts of deaths When any King of Mexico happened to fall sicke they vsed forthwith to put a visor vpon the face of Tezcatlipaca or Vitzilopuchtli or some other Idoll which Visor was not taken away vntill they saw whether the King did amend or else dye But if he chanced to dye then word was sent throughout all his Dominions to bewaile his death and also other postes were sent is call the Noblemen that were his nighest kinsmen and to warne them within foure daies to come vnto his buriall The dead body was laid vpon a faire Mat and was watched foure nights with great lamentation and mourning then the body was washed and a locke of haire cut from the crowne of his head which was preserued as a great relicke saying that therein remained the remembrance of his soule This done a fine Emerald was put in his mouth and his body shrowded in seuenteene rich Mantels of colours both rich and costly wrought Vpon the vpper Mantle was set the deuise or armes of Vitzilopuchtli or Tezcalipuca or some other Idoll in whom the King had great confidence in his life time and in his Temple should the body be buried Vpon his face they put a visor painted with foule and Deuillish
iestures beset with many Iewels Precious stones and Pearles Then they killed his slaue whose office was to light the Lampes and make fire vnto the gods of his Pallace These things done they carried the dead body vnto the Temple some followed him with dolefull tune others sung the death of the King by note for so was the custome The Noblemen and Gentlemen of his houshold carried Targets Arrowes Mases and Ensignes to throw into the fire where the body should be buried in the Temple The high Priest and all the Clergie receiued him at the Temple gate with a sorrowfull song and after he had said certaine words the body was throne into a great fire made for the purpose with all the Iewels that he had about him and all the other things which was brought to honour the buriall also a Dogge newly strangled with an Arrow which was to guide him his way In the meane while that the King and Dogge were burning the Priests sacrificed two hundred persons howbeit in his Ceremonie there was no ordinary taxe for sometimes they sacrificed many moe they were opened with a Rasor of flint in the breasts and their hearts taken out and throwne into the fire where the Kings body was These miserable persons being sacrificed and their bodies throwne into a hole they beleeued assuredly that those should serue for his slaues in another world some of them were Dwarffes monstrous and deformed persons with some women They placed about the dead body of the King before his buriall Roses Flowers and sundrie dishes of meate and drinke and no creature durst touch the same but onely the Priests for it seemed to be an offering The next day following all the ashes were gathered together and the teeth with the Emerald that was in his mouth the which things were put into a Chest painted on the inside with horrible figures of deuils and the locke of haire which was cut from his crowne and another locke of haire which was preserued from the time of his birth Then the Chest was lockt and an Image of wood made and cloathed like vnto the Kings person which was set on the top of the Chest. The obsequies endured foure dayes in the which the wiues and daughters of the King offered great offerings at the place where his body was buried and before the Chest and his Image On the fourth day after the buriall fifteene slaues were sacrificed for his soule and on the twentieth day other fiue persons were also sacrificed likewise on the sixtie three and fourescore which was like vnto the yeares minde The Kingdome of Michuacan is almost as great as the Empire of Mexico and when any King of that Countrey happened to be visited with sicknesse and brought to such extremitie that hope of life were past according to the opinion of Phisitions then would he name and appoint which of his Sonnes should inherite the estate and being knowne the new King or heire incontinent sent for all the Gouernours Captaines and valiant Souldiors who had any office or charge to come vnto the buriall of his Father and he that came not from thenceforth was held for a Traitour and so punished When the death of the old King was certaine then came all degrees of Estates and brought presents to the new King for the approbation of his Kingdome but if the King were not throughly dead but at the point of death then the gates were shut in and none permitted to enter and when his life was departed then began a generall cry and mourning and they were permitted to come where their dead King lay and to touch him with their hands this being done the carkasse was washed with sweete waters and then a fine shirt put vpon him and a paire of shooes made of a Deere skinne put on his feete and about his anckles were tied certaine Bels of Gold about his wristes of his hands were put Manyllias of Turkies and other Bracelets of Gold likewise about his necke they hung other collers of precious stones and gold and rings in his eares with a great Turkise in his neather lippe Then his body was laid vpon a large beere whereon was placed a good bed vnder him on his one side lay a Bowe with a quiuer of Arrowes and on his other side lay an Image made of fine Mantels of his owne stature or highnesse with a great tuffe of fine feathers shooes vpon his feete with Bracelets and a coller of gold While his worke was a doing others were busied in washing the men and women which should be slaine for to accompany him into Hell these wretched folke that should be slaine were banqueted and filled with drinke because they should receiue their death with lesse paine The new King did appoint those who should dye for to serue the King his Father but yet many of them had rather haue beene without his seruice notwithstanding some simple soules esteemed that odious death for a thing of immortall glory First seuen Gentlewomen of noble parentage were appointed to dye the one to haue the office of keeper of his Iewels which he was wont to weare another for the office of Cup-bearer another to giue him water with a Bason and Ewer another to giue him alwayes the Vrinall another to be his Cooke and another to serue for Laundresse They slew also many woman-slaues and free maidens for to attend vpon the Gentlewomen and moreouer one of euery occupation within the Citie When all these that were appointed to dye were washed and their bellies full with meate and drinke then they painted their faces yellow and put garlands of sweete flowers vpon each of their heads Then they went in order of procession before the beere whereon the dead King was carried some went playing on Instruments made of Snailes shels others played vpon bones and shels of Sea-turtils others went whistling and the most part weeping the Sonnes of the dead King and other Noblemen carried vpon their shoulders the Beere where the Course lay and proceeded with an easie pace toward the Temple of the god Curicaueri his kinsmen went round about the Beere singing a sorrowfull song The officers and houshold seruants of the Court with other Magistrates and Rulers of iustice bare the Standards and diuers other armes About midnight they departed in the order aforesaid out of the Kings pallace with great light of fire brands and with a heauie noise of Trumpets and Drummes The Citizens which dwelt where the Corse passed attended to make cleane the streete And when they were come to the Temple they went foure times round about a great fire made of the wood of Pine tree which was prepared to burne the dead body then the Beere was laid vpon the fire and in the meane while that the body was burning they mawled with a club those which had the Garlands and afterward buried them by foure and foure as they were apparelled behinde the Temple The next day in the morning the ashes