Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	body_n	fear_v	life_n	4,543	5	5.0312	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49911	Memoirs and observations typographical, physical, mathematical, mechanical, natural, civil, and ecclesiastical, made in a late journey through the empire of China, and published in several letters particularly upon the Chinese pottery and varnishing, the silk and other manufactures, the pearl fishing, the history of plants and animals, description of their cities and publick works, number of people, their language, manners and commerce, their habits, oeconomy, and government, the philosophy of Confucius, the state of Christianity : with many other curious and useful remarks / by Louis Le Compte ... ; translated from the Paris edition, and illustrated with figures.	Le Comte, Louis, 1655-1728.	1697 (1697)	Wing L831; ESTC R15898	355,133	724

bestowed on the Priests of the Pagan Gods after he had violently taken away the sacred Monuments of our Religion He issued out Proclamations much more rigorous than the former he threatned the Father with his Indignation if he did not abandon his Flock and he caused several Christians that had but too openly declared themselves to be apprehended some of them were haled to Prison they severely punished others and then the Persecution became bloody by the Torments that these generous Confessors suffered for the Name of IESUS Amongst those who signalised themselves a Physician more eminently made his Faith appear he was much grieved to see the Altars of the true God violated and despoiled Crosses broken in pieces the holy Images exposed to the Scorn Laughter and Impiety of Idolaters To repair this Loss and that Believers might not be left destitute of the ordinary Marks of their Religion he distributed to each of them Images and Crucifixes He went from door to door with the precious Pledges of our Salvation animating the Weak confirming the more Couragious in their Faith do not fear said he to them ●im who can only exercise his weak Power upon the Body but fear that Great God who as he has deprived you of Life can also punish your Soul with an eternal Death and rather suffer all sorts of Torments than for sake his holy Law The Mandarin offended at the Boldness of the Physician commanded him to be loaden with Chains and having caused him to be dragged before his Tribunal they prepared all things for his being cruelly Bastionado'd when his Godson who came running thither with other Christians threw himself on his Knees at the Judge's Feet and begged of him with Tears in his Eyes that he would permit him to receive the Chastisement for his Godfather This zealous Physician who aspired to nothing more than Martyrdom was so far from giving his Place to another that he constantly and stedfastly forbid it and at that time there arose such a Scuffle between them that the Angels admired and that made the Christian Religion to be respected by the very Idolaters The Judge stood amazed at it and turning towards those eminent Confestors of Jesus Christ go your way sa●es he to them this forwardness to suffer the Punishment of your Faults deserves some Indulgence I pardon you but henceforward think of pleasing the Vice-roy and be more careful to obey the Emperor's Orders When the Spirit of God hath once seized on the Heart Men's Words are not capable to touch them This Zealous Physician whom the sight of Execution had made more couragious continu'd his Acts of Chatity as before and his Zeal made such a Noise up and down that the Mandarin durst no longer mince the Matter he seemed much concerned at the Contempt he used of his Threatnings Insomuch that he gave Order to his Officers to bring him out to make a severe Example of him In effect he caused him to be beat so cruelly in his Presence that those who were present were equally surprised at the Severity of the Judge and Patience of this good Christian. This bloody Execution once over some of his Relations who came running at thi● doleful Spectacle were thinking to carry him to his House but he positively desired to be carried to Church and what endeavours so ever they used to divert him from it yet he had Strength enough left to crawl thither himself born up by the Arms of several Christians He came thither all bathed in his Gore and kneeling down at the Foot of the Altars O Lord saith he thou seest this Day that I prefer thy holy Law to all the Sweetness of Life I come not to demand Iustice of thee for all t●● Blood t●y Enemies have spilt I come to offer thee that which remains of mine own I do not deserve to die for such a good Cause but thou O my God deservest the intire Sacrifice of my Life and then turning towards Father Intorcetta who began to comfort him Ah! Father answer'd he I shall be now at the height of my Ioy if it were not my Sins but my Zeal that had brought this light Chastisment upon me This Example and many others that I forbear to relate made such Impressions upon the Idolaters hearts that a great many of them resolved to embrace the Christian Faith being persuaded that Sentimen●● so opposite to corrupt Nature could not possibly proceed eithe● from Passion or Error Among them whom the holy Spirit did effectually touch were Three who appeared full of that very Faith that made in former time almost as many Martyrs in the primitive Church as Believers they were Young handsome of Quality and what is more engaged by their Condition blindly to comply with the Vice-roy's Inclinations Nevertheless counting their temporal Estate as nothing they demanded publick Baptism The Father to bring the Faith of these Neophite● to the Test hid nothing from them that might anywise stagger them but it was all in vain to represent to them the rigour of the Edicts the Vice-roy's Indignation the Desolation they were like to cast their Families into the Danger of losing their Estates Honour Life and all these Considerations served only to animate them the more so that after a pretty long Tryal they were initiated into our sacred Mysteries and took part as others did in the Cross of Christ. Their Conversion fortified the Feeble-minded and comforted Father Intorcett● for all the Evils that the Persecution had made his Church to suffer But the Vice roy was so much the more provoked because he had not the Liberty at that time to shew his Resentment for just then they delivered him Two Letters from Prince Sosan one of them was for Father Intor●●tta the other that was directed to himself was full fraught with Reproaches for that he seemed to make no account of the Prince's recommendation I could never have believed saith he to him that to please a Company of ill affected People who have exasperated your Spirit at the Christians you would have deviated from the Counsels I gave you It is as a Friend that I endeavoured to inspire you with better Sentiments think upon it once more and reflect seriously with your self that it i● I that speak to you I expect three Things from your Friendship First that you deliver the Letter your self to Father Intorcetta according to the Superscription The Second that you do so well satisfie the Father that he may have Occasion to bless himself for the kind Offices you render him and that he himself may testifie the same to me And the Third is that henceforward you do not any longer disturb e●ther Missionaries or Christ●a●s in short I am extreamly sorry for being obliged to write to you so often about this Subject If you for the Future mend your Manners I shall write to you a third Time to thank you but if your Passion continues this is the last Letter you shall ever receive

that keep always green and maintain the coolness This Water is to be changed two or three times a Week yet so that fresh Water may be put in according as the Basin is emptied which must never be lest dry If one be obliged to remove the Fish from one Vase to another great care must be taken not to touch them with the Hand all those that are touched dye quickly after or shrivel up you must for that purpose make use of a little Thred Purse fasten'd at the upper end of a wooden Circle into which they are insensibly ingaged when they are once got into it of themselves one must take heed of hurting them and be sure to hold them still in the first which empties but slowly and gives time to Transport them to the other Water Any great noise as of a Cannon or of Thunder too strong a smell too violent a motion are all very hurtful to them yea and sometimes occasions their dying as I have observed at Sea every time they discharged the Cannon or melted Pitch and Tar Besides they live almost upon nothing those insensible Worms that are bread in the Water or that most Terrestrial Parts that are mixt with it suffice in a manner to keep them alive They do notwithstanding throw in little Balls of Past now and then but there is nothing better than a Wafer which s●eep't makes a kind of Pap of which they are extream greedy which indeed is very proportionable to their natural Delicacy and Tenderness In hot Countries they multiply very much provided care be taken to remove their Eggs which swim upon the Water which the Fish most commonly eat They place them in a particular Vase exposed to the Sun and there they preserve them till the heat hatcheth them the Fish come out of a black colour which some of them keep ever after but is changed by little and little in other Colours into Red White Gold and Silver according to their different Kind The Gold and Silver begins at the extremity of the Tail and expand themselves somewhat more or less according to their particular Disposition All this Sir and other Marvels of the Universe makes us acknowledge the Finger of God every where who for our sakes hath embellished the World many thousand ways He is not only content to enlighten the Heavens and enrich the Earth but descends into the Abysses into the very Waters he hath lest some Footsteps of his profound Wisdom and not to mention those prodigious Monsters that seem to be made to astonish Nature he hath likewise created those wonderful Fish I but now described which as little as they are yet by their singular Beauty are the Subject of our Admiration and furnish us with some faint Idea's of the Greatness of the wise Creator Here I present you Sir in a Compendium the Draught and as it were the Map of that Country which I design'd to give you some knowledge of these are but the outside and if I may so say but the Body of that Empire whose Soul and Spirit is disperst through its Inhabitants Peradventure when you shall have read what I have writ to you about it you will be apt to enquire what People they be who are so happy as to receive the greatest fairest and most fertile Portion of the Earth for their Inheritance such a Land in a word that it wants nothing to make it a real Land of Promise but to be Cultivated by God's People and inhabited by true Israelites indeed If we had nothing as the Hebrews had but the Red-Sea and Wilderness to go through probably Forty years might suffice to bring it under Subjection to the Gospel But that vast Extent of Seas those infinite and unpracticable Land Journeys that were capable of putting a stop to Moses and the Prophets do allay the Zeal of the Ministers of Jesus Christ and lessen the number of his New Apostles Oh! that I could as the Hebrews did whom Moses sent to discover the Promised Land represent the immense Richness and most precious Harvest that China promises to the Labourers in the Vineyards we have hopes that probably the prospect of such an abundant Crop might in time prevail with all Europe to come and reap it At least I hope that my Testimony will not be insignificant and that the more than ordinary Zeal of the small Company of Missionaries that shall succeed me will make amends for the vast Number of those which such a vast Empire might demand I am with all the respect imaginable SIR You most humble and most affectione Servant I. J. LETTER V. To the Marquis de TORSI Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Of the peculiar Character of the Chinese Nation its Antiquity Nobility Manners and its good and bad Qualities My Lord SEeing in the Employment wherewith the King hath honoured you and which you do already discharge with so much Wisdom nothing can contribute more to promote you to that high pitch of Perfection that all Europe expects from you than the exact Knowledge of the Manners and Genius of Foreigners I made account that by ordering me to write to you concerning the Empire of China you did particularly desire to learn what was the Genius of its Inhabitants It is true that to judge of the future by preceding Reigns such Informations would perhaps stand you in no stead Hitherto France hath had nothing to do with that People and Nature seems not to have placed them at such a distance from us but only intirely to separate them from our Interests But under the Reign of Lewis the Great for whom Nature her self hath so often changed her Laws is there any thing impossible Nay will not Heaven which seems to have employed all Nations to make him Renowned oblige China as proud and haughty as it is to contribute something to his Glory It is according to all Human Probability under your Ministry My Lord that we shall behold the most flourishing and mighty Empire of the West unite it self with the most puissant Realm in all Europe And perhaps if it had not been for this fatal War the dire Consequences of which have made themselves be felt as far as the Extremities of the Universe you would e're this have given Audience to the Envoys of a Prince who never acknowledged any other Sovereign besides himself in the World This Negotiation so glorious for you and so much conducing to the Establishment of Religion which the Iniquity of the Times hath hitherto interrupted may be hereafter set afoot again and it is on purpose to dispose and incline you to the same that I presume to take the liberty My Lord to let you understand the Character of those who are to be employed therein The Chineses are so Ancient in the World that it fares with them as to their Original as with great Rivers whose Source can scarce be discovered It is necessary for that purpose to look back farther then all our

the name by which they call God himself and signifies Supreme Emperor This piece of Impiety gave the killing blow to the antient Religion for 'till then the Chinese as much Idolaters as they were did always make a distinction between the Cham ti and the other Gods But by a just judgment from God the Family of that Prince was extinct and the Empire which had hitherto observed its own Rules of Government was the first time forced to submit to those of the Western Tartars This a famous Colao who printed a Book could not but acknowledge In this time says he the Emperor Hoei tçoum did against all manner of reason give the attributes of the Supreme God to a Man This most powerful and adorable God above all the Spirits in Heaven was sensible of the wrong done him for he punished severely the wickedness of this Prince and utterly rooted out his Family The second Sect which is prevalent in China and is more dangerous and more universally spread than the former adore an Idol which they call Fo or Foë as the only God of the World This Idol was brought from the Indies two and thirty years after the Death of IESUS CHRIST This Poyson began at Court but spread its infection thro' all the Provinces and corrupted every Town so that this great body of Men already spoiled by Magick and Impiety was immediately infected with Idolatry and became a monstrous receptacle for all sorts of Errors Fables Superstitions Transmigration of Souls Idolatry and Atheism divided them and got so strong a Mastery over them that even at this present there is no so great impediment to the progress of Christianity as is th ● ridiculous and impious Doctrine● No body can well tell where this Idol Fo of whom I speak was born I call him an Idol and not a Man because some think it was an Apparition from Hell those who with more likelihood say he was a Man make him horn above a thousand years before JESUS CHRIST in a Kingdom of the Indies near the Line perhaps a little above Bengala They say he was a Kings Son He was at first called Che-Kia but at thirty years of Age he took the name of Fo. His Mother who brought him into the World thro' her right side died in Childbirth she had a fancy in her Dream that she swallowed an Elephant and for this reason it is that the Indian Kings pay such honour to white Elephants for the loss of which or gaining some others they often make bitter Wars When this Monster was first born he had strength enough to stand alone and he made seven steps and pointed with one Hand to Heaven and the other to the Earth He did also speak but in such a manner as shewed what Spirit he was possess'd withal In Heaven or on the Earth says he I am the only person who deserve to be honoured At seventeen he married and had a Son which he forsook as he did all the rest of the World to retire into a Solitude with three or four Indian Philosophers whom he took along with him to teach But at thirty he was on a suddain possessed and as it were sulfilled with the Divinity who gave him an universal knowledge of all things From that time he became a God and began by a vast number of seeming Miracles to gain the Peoples admiration The number of his Disciples is very great and it is by their means that all the Indies have been poysoned with his pernicious Doctrine Those of Siam call them Talapoins the Tartars call them Lamas or Lama-sem the Iaponers Bonzes and the Chinese Hocham But this Chimerical God found at last that he w●s a Man as well as others He died at 79 yea●s of Age and to give the finishing stroke to his Impiety he ende●vou●ed to persuade his Followers to Atheism at his Death as he had persuaded them to Idolatry in h●s Life time Then he declared to his Followers that all which he had hither told them was enigmatical and that they would be mistaken if they thought there was any other first Principle of things beside nothing It was said he from this nothing that all things sprang and it is into this nothing that all things must return This is the Abyss where all our hopes must end Since this Impostor confessed that he had abused the World in his life it is but reasonable that he should not be believed at his death Yet as Impiety has always more Champions than Virtue there were among the Bonzes a particular Sect of Atheists formed from the last words of their Master The rest who found it troublesome to part with their former prejudices kept close to their first Errors A third sort endeavoured to reconcile these Parties together by compiling a body of Doctrine in which there is a twofold Law an interior and an exterior One ought to prepare the mind for the reception of the other It is say they the mould which supports the materials 'till the Arch be made and is then taken away as useless Thus the Devil making use of Mens Folly and Malice for their destruction endeavours to erase out of the minds of some those excellent ideas of God which are so deeply ingraved there and ●o imprint in the minds of others the Worship of false Gods under the shapes of a multitude of different Creatures for they did not stop at the Worship of this Idol The Ape the Elephant the Dragon have been worshipped in several places under pretence perhaps that the God Fo had successively been transmigrated into these Creatures China the most superstitious of all Nations increased the Number of her Idols and one may now see all sorts of them in the Temples which serve to abuse the folly of this People It is true they sometimes do not pay to these Gods all that respect which seems due to their Quality For it often happens that if the People after worshipping them a great while do not obtain what they desire they turn them off and look upon them as impotent Gods others use them in the most reproachful manner some load them with hard names others with hard blows How now Dog of a Spirit say they to them sometimes we give you a lodging in a magnificent Temple we guild you handsomely feed you well and often offer Incense to you and after all this care which we take of you you are so ungrateful as to refuse what we ask of you Then they tye him with Cords pluck him down and drag him along the Streets thro' all the Mud and Dunghils to punish him for the expence of Perfume which they have offered up to him for nothing If in the mean time it happens that they obtain what they did desire then they take the Idol and with a great deal of Ceremony carry him back and place him in his Nich again after they have washed and cleansed him They fall down to him and make

hundred things of this nature that might afford matter of Edification but being I set down nothing but what I have seen I shall content my self to relate a more recent example which likewise much affected me A fervent Christian of the Province of Chensi after he had inriched himself in divers honourable employs did at last retire from the World resolving to lay out one part of his Estate in the service of God and to dispose of the other in leading a peaceable and innocent life with his Family He had built a Church in the Country whither I sometimes went to Administer the Sacraments and Baptise the Chatechists whom he took special care to train up himself But his House standing in a place that was a great thorow-fair the Troops that are continually going and coming in China laid all his Grounds waste not daring to do the least Damage to those of his neighbour Idolaters and this is the Reason that induced them to deal with him at this rate The Chinese are wont publickly to belch out Curses against those that do them wrong especially if they cannot be revenged of them other ways If a man hath been rob'd in his House and one cannot discover the Robber every Morning and Evening for several days together the Family's Business is to curse him the Father Mother Children and the Servants take it by turns and relieve one another in this Exercise and wish him all mischief imaginable they have if I may so express it Formula's of foul Language and dire Expressions which they repeat an Hundred Times bawling as loud as possibly they are able at the Gate or upon the House-top and they imagine that the Robber will come to some harm by them● wherever he be 'till such time as he hath made amends for the Wrong Notwithstanding there is not one of an Hundred of these Robbers that give any heed to this tedious Noise yet some there be that are frighted at it and this Fear prevents abundance of Violences Christians who love their Enemies and wish well to those that do ill by them are far from cursing them so that the Soldiers that I told you of fearing the Curses of the G●ntiles spared their Goods and fearing nothing from the Wrath of this zealous Christian they plundred his House stole his Fruit cut down his Corn and pluck't up his Trees So you see his extraordinary Patience drew upon him all the Damage which otherwise would have equally fal'n upon others His Friends more concern'd at his Losses than himself often laugh'd at his insensibleness and reproach'd him much what in the same manner as Iob's Friends did him on such a like Occasion telling him that all his Blessing of God would not secure him from losing his Estate and probably not from starving Benedic Deo morere bless God and die They were always telling him that it was a strange Thing that for the bare Observance of his Religion he would see himself reduc'd to the utmost Extremity If so be say they you are afraid your self to utter Curses against those Rogues send one of your Servants to do it for you or else let out your Estate to Gentiles who will not be troubled with these ridiculous Scruples This good Man abounding in a lively Faith and that godly Simplicity so conformable to the Gospel made Answer that all he had was at God's disposal that he would preserve it and that upon the whole he had rather receive Hurt than to do any He told me one day my Children take it very ill that I leave my House and Goods at Sixes and Sevens to be plundred at this rate You know I have my particular Reasons to do thus but they have none at all to complain since the Goods do not belong to them they have wherewithal to live without being beholding to any Body upon what I have reserved for my self but altho' they should be in want yet I had rather when I come to die leave Examples of Vertue for their Portion that contribute to the saving of their Souls than Riches that may make them lose them These Sentiments most reverend Father were such matter of Joy that I am not able to express it to you I said sometimes to my self in the Excess of my Joy Is there more Faith than that in Israel No O Lord I have lost nothing by leaving France since I find some Saints here thy Spirit hath indeed filled all the Earth and that profound Science of Salvation that we in Europe have enjoy'd for so many Ages begins at length to be spread abroad to the Extremities of the World by the stupendous Efficacy of thy holy Word Nevertheless because his Children were very urgent with me to find out some Way or other to remedy this Disorder and that indeed it was convenient to prevent the Gentiles Malice from prevailing over the Christians Patience I permitted them on such Occasions as these to make use of Threatnings instead of Cursings and to tell them I wish you no Harm yea and I forgive that you have done me but God who pleads my Cause knows how to punish tho' I do not pretend to do it the Time will come when you shall be smitten with all the Anathema's that your unjust Violence deserves and that Curse he sends on you at present will be to you the Source of all the Miseries which his Law forbids me to wish to you This Expedient took Effect and the Christians growing eloquent for their own Interest did so lively represent the Judgment of God that the Idolaters durst no longer blame them The Second Obstacle in my Way in converting the Chinese proceeded from the multitude of Wives which the Laws of that Country permit them that is in respect of the Persons of Quality only who besides their own Wives take as many Concubines as they are able to maintain for as to the ordinary Sort they have not Wealth enough to allow this Expence The Mandarins are by their condition debar'd from all ordinary Divertisements they are permitted only to eat now and then with their Friends and give them a Play Gaming taking the Air Hunting private Visits publick Assemblies would be lookt upon in them as Crimes of State so that they seek no further than their House to find wherewithal to supply the want of those Pleasures which the Laws abridge them of Here and there one of them applies himself to study as the surest means to advance him but the greatest part of the Mandarins compose a kind of Seraglio wherein they spend all the time that they can steal from their Affairs One may judge by that how little they are inclined to deprive themselves of Delights to be satisfied with one Wife whose Age nay and many times Antipathy have but already too much disgusted them It is true those who are converted are permitted to take one of their Concubines to Wife in case the lawful Spouse hath not a mind to turn Christian but

the Mountains of the Wilderness that is to say abase the Great ones of the World and give to their heart what motion he pleases Whilst all these things were translated at Pekin the Vice-Roy of Ham-cheou that had now leisure to make some reflections upon his Behaviour was not peaceable in his Province The Credit of Prince Sosan did grievously perplex him and above all he dreaded his just resentment For to pacifie him he thought it the wisest course to send one of his Officers to him under pretence to justifie himself to him but in effect to exasperate the principal Mandarins of Lipou against the Missionaries in case he should find any overture to do it At that time this Officer arrived at Court but Prince Sosan would not so much as hear him and packing him away briskly told him that he much wondered that his Master made such little account of Persons whom the Emperor honoured with his affection and employed and trusted in his service As to what relates to their business I am no more concerned in it than the Emperor would himself These Fathers have implored his Protection and he well understands how to do them Iustice without my intermedling Besides when I writ on their behalf it was not so much to do them a kindness as thereby to exhibit a token of Friendship to the Vice-Roy in plucking him from the Precipice whither he had so indiscreetly thrown himself This Answer did so startle this Officer that without ever dreaming of making any other progress he returned to his Master at Ham-cheou to render an account of the ill success of his Commission The Fathers who had notice of it understood by that that they were to lose no time and that they were speedily to improve the good disposition of Prince Sosan So that upon Candlemas day they went to the Palace and offer'd to the Emperor with the usual Ceremonies the Petition that he himself had composed of which see here the Translation May it please your Majesty WE expose to you with the most perfect submission and most profound respect that we are capable of the beginning end inducements and motives of our most humble Request being confident that you will vouchsafe to ●ear it with the same prudence that attends all your Actions and with that Benevolence wherewith you have been graciously pleas'd to honour us On the ninth Month of the Moon Father Intorcetta one of your Majesty's Subjects whose abode is in the City of Ham-cheou did acquaint us that the Vice-Roy had strictly charged the Mandarins of his Province to pull down all the Temples of the Christians to burn the Printing Tables upon which is engraven all the Books of our Religion Moreover he hath publickly declared that our Doctrine is false and dangerous and consequently not to be tolerated in the Empire and hath added several other things most disadvantageous to us Upon this News Sir seized with horror and penetrated with grief we thought our selves obliged to have recourse to your Majesty as the common Father of the afflicted to lay before you the deplorable Condition whereunto we are reduced for except you grant us your Protection it is altogether impossible to avoid the Stratagems of our Enemies and to ward the Blow wherewith they threaten us That which administers comfort to us Sir when we appear at your Majesty's Feet is to see with what Wisdom you influence and move all the parts of your Empire as if it were the Body of which you are the Soul and with what unconcernment and impartiality you regulate the Interest of each private Man without acceptation of Persons Insomuch that you could not be at rest if you knew but one single Subject opprest by Injustice or but even deprived of that rank and recompence be deserves You surpass Great Sir the Mightiest Kings amongst your Predecessors who have in their time permitted false Religions in China for you do intirely love Truth and do not approve of Falshood For this reason it is that in taking your Progress to view your Provinces you have given a thousand testimonies of your Royal affection to the European Missionaries that were in your Road as if you meant thereby to testifie that you value their Doctrine and that you would be very glad that they would settle in your States What we deliver here is publick and generally known to the whole Empire Therefore when we behold the Vice-Roy of Ham-cheou to stile the Christian Religion the false and dangerous Religion when we are informed that be uses all his endeavours to destroy it how are we able to stifle our just sorrow and forbear to declare to your Majesty what we suffer This is not the first time Sir that they have persecuted us without any reason therefore Father Adam Schaal your Subject on whom your Predecessors heap'd many extraordinary favours made it known to all the Court that the Rules of the Celestial Motions established by the antient Astronomers of China were all false be proposed others that did perfectly agree with the Constellations they were approved and made use of with no small success so that this Change brought Order again into the Empire Your Majesty is not ignorant of what past at that time in Pekin we may I hope have leave to remember how Matters stood there since they are so many singular favours we there received Yet upon the account of exploding and abolishing of these Errors how much did the Father afterwards suffer by Calumnies of his Enemies Yam-quam-sien and those of his Faction falsly accused him of several Crimes under pretence of Novelty as if this new Astronomy had not agreed with Heaven he died not being able at that time to justifie himself but your Majesty put Father Verbiest in his place and heaped on him so many favours that the life of this Father was too short and his words too faint to demonstrate to all the World the greatness of his acknowledgments Yet did be deeply resent all these benefits and it was on purpose not to be ingrateful that he was busied for above twenty years in composing all sorts of Books for the publick benefit both in Astronomy Arithmetick Musick and Philosophy that are still extant in the Palace together with divers others which he has not time to compleat and finish But since your Majesty is perfectly instructed in all these particulars we dare not presume to tire out your patience by a longer discourse We do only humbly beseech your Majesty to consider that all this is not sufficient to entitle us to the Peoples affection for us and confidence in us If as they accuse us the Law that we preach be false and dangerous how can we Si● justifie the Conduct of Princes who have honoured us with their esteem Nevertheless not to mention any thing of your Predecessors your Majesty your self hath made so sure of our Loyalty that you order'd Father Verbiest to found some Cannon of a new Model to put an