by reason of its Antiquity and I believe that neither the Portugueses nor Castillians have in all their Voyages made a more considerable Discovery The Annals of the Chaldeans and Egyptians might perhaps have stood in Competition with those of China and perhaps those of the Tyrians also and some other Oriental Nations of which Josephus makes mention But they are lost a long time ago as well as the Histories of Berosus the Chaldean and Manathon the Egyptian of which we have no more then only some few fragments of little or no use The Greeks and Romans have left us nothing of certainty before Herodotus for that reason call'd the Father of Historians Who nevertheless did not write till about Four Hundred and Fifty Years before Christ. And if we go back to the Original of the Olympiads they did not begin till about Seven Hundred Seventy Seven Years before Christ. But the Cycles of the Chineses and their Cronologies begin Two Thousand Six Hundred Four score and Seventeen Years before Christ under the Reign of Hoam ti And two Thousand nine Hundred Fifty two Years according to the sentiments of those that stick to the second Opinion and acknowledge Fo hi for the first Emperor of China And tho' we should rest satisfi'd with the third Opinion which makes Yao the first Emperor of China their Chronology would begin two Thousand three Hundred Fifty seven Years before Christ that is to say fifteen Hundred sixty nine years before the first Olympiad And indeed I know no reason why any man should refuse to give Credit to this Chronology in regard it is well pursu'd and well circumstanc'd that it is less fabulous than the first times of the Greek and Roman History and for that there are set down therein several Eclipses and other Astronomical Observations which perfectly agree with the Computations of our most learned Astronomers in these latter Ages as I have seen in some Manuscripts written upon this Subject To which we may add that almost all the Parts of the Chinese History have been written by Authors that liv'd at the same time As for Example the Acts of King Yao are written by the Secretaries of Xun his Successor The History of Xun and his Successor Yu was compil'd by Authors then living and is contain'd together with that of King Yao in the two first Parts of the most Ancient and venerable Book among the Chineses call'd Xu Kin. It is divided into six Parts of which the four last contain one part of the History of the Second and Third Imperial Family Nor is there any doubt to be made either of the Antiquity or truth of the two first Parts of the Book Xu kin seeing that Confucius who liv'd Five Hundred and Fifty Years before Christ so often makes mention of it and has collected with great industry several authentick Pieces that contain several particulars of the Lives and Government of the first Kings Another Philosopher call'd Lao Kiun Confucius ' s Contemporary as also another Author more Ancient then He by two Hundred Years whose name was Tai su lum often quote these Ancient Histories Confucius also wrote himself a History of several Wars of China for the space of two Hundred Forty and one Years which he begin at the Forty ninth Year of the Emperor Pim â—…am the Thirteenth Prince of the Third Family call'd Cheâ—… that is to say 722 Years before the Birth of Christ since which time there have been a great Number of Historians in every Age which the Chineses still preserve and out of which they have compil'd General Histories of which there is one of several Chinese Volumes in the Kings Library To this we may add that the certainty of this Chronology is confirm'd by many circumstances conformable to the Holy Scripture which are not to be found in any other History as for Example the long life of their first Kings like to that of the Patriarchs in the time of Abraham Thus they tell us that Fo hi Reigned a Hundred and Fifty Years Xin nun his Successor a Hundred and Forty Hoam ti liv'd a Hundred and eleven Years Xao hao that succeeded him a Reigned a Hundred Ti co a Hundred and Five Yao a Hundred and Eighteen Xun his successor a Hundred and Ten Yu a Hundred Years after whom there was nothing extraordinary in the Age of the Emperors We find also that Fo-hi began to Reign in the Province of Xensi the most Westerly part of all China which shews that either he or his Father came from the West where Noah and his Children remained after the Deluge That his Kingdom was but of a narrow extent and the number of his Subjects but small so that he might seem to be rather the potent Father of a Family like Abraham then a King or an Emperor That he and his Subjects liv'd upon Herbs and wild Fruits drank the Blood of Beasts and cloathed themselves with their skins That his Successor Xin nun avented the Art of Tillage and many other such like Circumstances The greatest part of these Passages are to be found in the History of China by Martini in the Chronology and Prefaces of F. Couplet Printed at Paris with tee works of Confucius and in several parts of our Author chiefly in the Fifth and Sixth Chapters It may be objected that this Chronology does not agree with the Vulgar Translation of the Bible But besides that God has not vouchsaf'd us the Holy Scripture to make us Learned but Vertuous and so there may have happen'd some omission or mistake in the Dates it may be answer'd that the question about the Continuance of the World after the Deludge is not yet decided that their Chronology agrees with the Translation of the Septuagint which is authentick and receiv'd by the Church as well as the Vulgar But this is not a place to enlarge upon this Subject they who desire to know more may consult the Book which Father Pezeron a Barnardine has newly Printed upon this Subject Nor can it be said that the Fathers have by agreement juggl'd up this Chronology For we find they have spoken truth in the Rest of their Relations that they make no scruple to correct one another when they are mistaken as you may see by our Author in several places That the Jacobins Augustinians and Franciscans who have had several quarrels with the Iesuites in reference to their Mission agree with them in this particular and never accuse them to have err'd in their Chronology And lastly that the Hollanders who have sent several Embassies into China and who have several Thousands of Chineses at Batavia never reprov'd the Iesuits for any mistake upon this occasion On the other side they put a great value upon Martini's Works which are printe in Holland as also China illustrated by F. Kirker CHAP. IV. Of the Letters and Language of China ALtho' the Egyptians vaunt themselves to have been the first that ever made use of Letters and
Passions keep it bound and chain'd it comes to be obscur'd and troubled For this reason it is necessary that Men should apply themselves to Learning and Information by putting of Questions to the end the Rational Heart may be delivered from it's Bondage and Slavery that so it may be able to break the Chains and Fetters of the Passions and return to it's primitive Beauty light and understanding in the same manner as a Tarnish'd Mirrour being polish'd recovers it's former Luster The Second consists in Reforming the People For example I who am a King a Magistrate a Father of a Family c. If I have already purify'd my Rational Nature it is my duty to extend it to that degree that she may be able to communicate her self to other Men by causing them to abandon the Corruptions and defilements of Vice and evil Customs and I ought to deal so by my People as I do with Garments when they are spotted or besmear'd For if they are well wash'd and scour'd they become clean and handsome as they were before The third consists in attaining and stopping at the Soveraign Good. This Soveraign Good is the Soveraign Accord of things and of Reason When Great Men enlighten their Intelligent Nature and renew the Vertue of the People they do it not by hap-hazard or without design but all their end is to bring their Vertue to perfection to the end there might not be one single person among the People whose Vertue was not renewed or who was not renewed by Vertue When they are arriv'd at a degree so sublime and to such an extraordinary Excellency they may be assur'd they have attained the Soveraign Good like those who after a long and tiresom journey at length coming to their own homes may say they have attain'd the final end of their travelling These are the three most necessary and principal things in that Book and as it were the Mantle or outward Garment that Covers the Cloths or as the string that holds a row of Beads together These are the expressions of the Chinese Commentator Here by the way we may observe that possibly there can be nothing more proper then these words of Cum fu cius to explain the functions of a Minister of the Gospel who is oblig'd in the first place to perfect himself and next his Neighbour to the end we may arrive at the Soveraign Good which is God the Supream and utmost end of all things Nevertheless the Chineses being Pagans and carnally minded People have accommodated these three points to the Government of the Kingdom wherein like Politicians they place all their happiness and Ultimate End. In the second place we are to observe that the Ancient Chineses did understand there was a God. And therefore when I oppose their Learned Men in dispute I frequently make use of this Dilemma Either Cum fu cius did understand what he desin'd or he did not If he did understand what he defin'd he knew there was a God who is no Other than that Soveraign Good of which he speaks and which you also ought to know and adore as well as he If he did not understand that what he defin'd was God himself he was very Ignorant since as you your selves confess the Syllables Chi and Xen signifie that Soveraign Good which contains and comprehends all others which is an Attribute that cannot be given to any Creature what Advantages soever he may have but only to God alone Some there are who being touch'd with Heavenly Grace submit to the truth Others not knowing what to answer and unwilling to acknowledge that Cum fu cius was ignorant rather choose to abide in their Error and to follow their Pride and Passions and cry They 'll come again another time Notes upon the Fourth Chapter I shall add nothing farther to what our Author has said concerning the Chinese Language the Nature and Genius of which he has sufficiently set forth And as for those who desire to see more they may consult the sixth Chapter of the Relation of F. Semedo who fully confirms what here F. Magaillans avouches I must only observe this by the way that he gives us in this place an Idea of the Chinese Language far different from what he gave us formerly CHAP. V. Of the Wit of the Chineses and their Principal Books ONE of the Ancients has told us that Aâ—…ia was very fertile in great Wiâ—…s But he would have been more strongly confirmed in his Opinion had he had any knowledge of China For if they who best invent most suddenly and easily may be said to have more subtil and better Wits then others the Chineses ought to be preferr'd before other Nations since they were the first that invented Letters Paper Printing Ponder fine Porcelaine aâ—…d their own Characters Tho' they are ignorant of many Sciences for want of Communication with other People nevertheless they are accomplished in Moral Philosophy to which they solely bend their Studies for the most part Their Wits are so quick and apprehensive that they understand with ease when they read the Books which the Fathers of our Society have written the most subtil and difficult Questions as well in Mathematicks and Philosophy as in Theology Perhaps there may be some who will not so readily believe what I assert but I can assure them there is nothing more certain in regard that I have known some Learned Christians and Infidels also who understood without any instruction as we could find by their discourses the Questions concerning God and the Trinity which they had read in the first Part of Saint Thomas Translated by Father Buglio What Kingdom is there whatever the number of the Universities be which it contains where there are above ten Thousand Licentiates as in China of which Six or Seven Thousand meet every three Years at Pe kim where after several Examinations there are admitted three Hundred sixty five to the Degree of Doctors I do not believe there is any Kingdom where there are so many Scholars as there are Batchellors of Art in China which are said to be above Fourscore and ten Thousand nor that there is any other Country where the knowledge of Letters is so universal and so common In regard that in all the Provinces more especially the Southern there is not any Man Poor or Rich Citizen or Husbandman that cannot both Write and Read. And in short I do not beleive there is any Region unless it be 〈◊〉 that has publish'd so many Books as the Chineses have done The Chronicles of the Chineses are almost as Ancient as the Deluge as beginning not above two Hundred Years after it and being continu'd to this present time by several Authors by which a Man may guess at the number of Volumes which their History contains They have several Books of Natural Philosophy where they Treat of Nature her Properties and Accidents 'T is true they intermix mistakes and impertinences with truth but t is
only rehears'd before the Emperor and his Ministers of State. Therein are describ'd without any dissimulation the manners of the People how the Empire is govern'd and the present state of Affairs Which seems to be the same thing with the Ancient Comedies of the Greeks that spar'd neither the Vices of Private Men nor the miscarriages of the publick Magistrates The third sort is call'd Pi que that is to say Comparison For that all which is therein contain'd is explain'd by Comâ—…arisons or Similitudes The fourth sort is call'd Him que that is to say to raise or exalt Because this sort of Poetry begins with something that is curious and lofty to prepare and raise Attention to that which follows The fifth sort is call'd Ye Xi That is to say Poesies rejected or separated â—…ecause that Cum fu cius having review'd this Volume of Poems rejected those which he either mislik'd or thought to be fabulous However they are still quoted and left as they are The fourth Volume was compos'd by Cum fu cius and contains the History of the Kingdom of Lù his native Country at present comprehended within the Province of Xan â—…um The Chineses put a high value upon this Book and are all in Ecstasie when they read it He wrote this History of two Hundred years Transactions after the manner of Annals where he exposes as in a Mirrour the Examples of Princes both Vertuous and Wicked referring the â—…ents to the Times and Seasons wherein they happen'd And therefore he gives to his Book the Title of Chun cieâ—… or Spring and Autumn The fifth Volume is call'd Ye kim and is esteem'd the most ancient of all the Rest because the Chineses affirm that Fo hi their first King was the Author of it And indeed this Book is worthy to be read and esteem'd in regard of the noble Sentences and Precepts of Morality which it contains I believe truly that the good Maxims which are scatter'd up and down in this Volume might be writt'n by King Fo hi but that the rest was added by others who were desirous to give Reputation to their Visions under the name of this famous Prince Nevertheless most certain it is that the Chineses have an extraordinary veneration for this Book and look upon it to be the most profound the most learned and mysterious of any in the World and that for the same reason they believe it to be almost Impossible for them to understand it and that strangers ought neither to see or touch it The Chineses have also another Volume of equal Authority with those before-mention'd which they call Sù xu that is to say the four Books by way of Excellency This is a Volume of Extracts or Abridgments being as it were the very Marrow and Quintessence of the former Five The Mandarins â—…ull out from thence the Sentences and Texts which they propose for Themes to the Learned that are to be Examin'd before they are admitted to the degrees of Batchellors Licentiates and Doctors and upon which those Persons Write and Comment for their Reputation It is divided into four Parts The first treats of the Laws and the Doctrine of Men famous for their Knowledge and their Vertue The second discourses of the Golden Mean. The third contains a great number of Moral Sentences well express'd solid and profitable to all the Members of the State. These three Parts were writt'n by Cum fu cius the first Doctor of the Chineses and were publish'd by his Disciples The fourth Part which is as big as all the other three was writ by the Philosopher Men su who was born about a Hundred Years after Cum fu cius and is honour'd by the Chineses as a Doctor of the second Order This is a Work wherein there appears a wonderful deal of Wit subtilty and Eloquence The discourses are pertinent the Sentences grave and moral and the Stile lively bold and perswasive All the Missionaries of our Society in these Parts very industriously study the Letters and the Language of the four Parts of this Book And from thence and out of the former five it is that so many Treatises and Commentaries of various Authors as well ancient as modern of which the number is almost Infinite and give us occasion to commend and admire the Wit the Industry and Eloquence of that Nation are deriv'd as from so many Springs and Fountains Notes upon the Fifth Chapter A. P. 96. THE Subject or Ground of this Book is no more than a Table of sixty four Figures every one consisting of six Lines which are all of a Piece as thus others of two Parts as thus The Chineses attribute the Writing of this Table to their first King Fo hi but no body can divine what was the design or meaning of the Author However it is certain that about twelve Hundred Years before Christ Prince Ven Uam Father of the Emperor Vu Uam Founder of the third Royal Family and his second Son Cheu cum undertook to interpret this Enigmatical Table and that five Hundred Years afterwards the Philosopher Cum fu cius made Commentaries upon the Interpretations of those two Princes But whatever those three Authors have written upon this Subject amounts to no more then only from the agreeement and vicissitude of the Elements and other natural things to draw Politick and Moral Maxims and Conclusions and Precepts also as well for the Princes as their Subjects But that which renders this Table pernicious is this that the Idolaters call'd Tao su the Bonzes and Fortune-Tellers make a bad use of it to confirm their Superstitious Predictions forging out of that variety and many other things which they intermix therewith an infinite Number of Confederacies and vain and Impertinent allusions by vertue of which they boast themselves able to foretel whatever shall befal a Man whether Fortunate or Unfortunate Epitomes of the first Commentators of this Table of Fo hi may be seen more at large in the Prefaces of Cum fu cius which are newly Printed together with several others particulars concerning the Principal Books of the Chineses of which our Author speaks in this Chapter CHAP. VI. Of the Civility and Politeness of the Chineses and of some of their Feasts SEveral Books might be writt'n of the Civility Complements and Ceremonies of the Chineses They have a Book which gives an Accompt of above three Thousand and it is a wonderful thing to see how ready and punctual they are in those Particulars At their Marriages and Funerals in their Visits and Feasts the Master of the House tho' a Person of greater Honour and Dignity then any of his Guests always gives the chief place of Preheminence to the Eldest The eldest give place to those that come farthest off but all to Foreigners When any Embassador arrives from the very day that his Embassie is accepted of to the time of his departure the Emperor furnishes him with all manner of Provisions Horses Litters and Barks
twelve Excellencies of China in regard it contain'd a far greater Number as they that read the whole will easily find Besides that the Division which he had made was not proportionable to the Matter there being some of those Excellencies which did not take up a Page or two and others that filled up above thirty or forty So that I thought it more proper to divide the Relation into one and twenty Chapters and to give them Titles answerable to the Matters therein contain'd In other things I have not swerv'd at all from the Method and Sense of my Author neither have I made the least Alteration only that I might conform to the Style and Genius of our Language I have not ty'd my self so Strictly and Literally to his Expressions and by what I have said you may be confident that this Relation has never appear'd in any other Language nor was ever Printed before and by consequence that it is altogether New. I also observ'd in Reading That there were several things which did not seem to me to be sufficiently explain'd for the understanding of such as have not a perfect Knowledge of China and that the Description of Pe kim and the Emperors Palace might seem obscure to many People I have therefore endeavour'd to remedy the first of these two Inconveniences by Notes in Italick which I have plac'd at the end of the Chapters because I would not crowd the Margins nor interrupt the Text but preserve the Original in its Purity and Credit and leave the Reader at liberty to make use of them or let them alone For remedy of the Second Inconvenience I have made a Draught of the City of Pe kim and the Palace collecting together with great Care what the Author had spoken dispersedly in several parts of his Relation Mounsieur Peyronett an Ingenier of good repute drew out the Draught at my Request fair upon Paper to which I added the Explanations of every thing with Letters which relate to others that are Engrav'd upon the Plane And further to satisfie entirely the Curiosity of the Reader and to give more Reputation to the Book I have added the Life of Father Magaillans who was the Author which I was the rather inclin'd to do because it seems to me to be but very short and modestly written It was writ by Father Lewis Buglio a Cicilian and Father Magaillan's inseparable Companion from the Year 1640 to the Year 1677 that is to say for near the space of thirty seven Years together Father Buglio dy'd in the Year 1682 in great Reputation for his Vertue and Learning so that the Care which he has tak'n to Write the Life of our Author is a double Approbation of his Work. I must here take notice by the way that I have not observ'd the Portuguese Orthography in spelling the Name of our Author for the Portugueses write it after this manner Magalhanes But in regard few People in France can so pronounce it I alter'd it into Magaillans which the French pronounce not much different from the Portuguese pronunciation of Magalhanes This Father was of the same Family of the famous Ferdinand de Magaillans who was called by the Corruption of Languages Magellan and was the first that discover'd the Magellanick Straits in the extreme parts of the Southern America I have also made use of the Word Mandarin or Mandarim which the Portuguese make use of to signifie the Officers and Magistrates of the Kingdoms of Siam Cochinchina Tum kim and China as well for that all the other Relations make use of the Word as also for that it is a Word well known in France ever since the coming thither of the Mandarins of Siam The Word is deriv'd from Mandar to command and comprehends all sorts of Officers and Magistrates This remark obliges me to add another upon the Pronunciation of the Chinese Words and Letters for the better understanding how to pronounce them in imitation of the Chineses Their Words are all Monosyllables or else of one Syllable without exception and so they are to be pronounced all at once and without any distinction of Syllables of what number of Consonants and Vowels soever they are compos'd For Examples Kiam which is the name of the greatest River in China must be pronounc'd all at a time and not as if it were two Syllables Ki-am In like manner the Words Liuen Hiuen do not make two Syllables Li-ven nor three Li-u-en but only one Syllable which is to be expressed by pronouncing them all as one Syllable yet so as to express the Sounds of all the Letters Not but that the Chineses have Words compos'd of several Syllables but these Syllables are always separated and from different Words as Tai yuen the Names of the capital City of Xan si Cham hien chum the name of a Tyrant mention'd in the Relation Thus we write in France St. Malo Havre de Grace by separate Words and not in one Word as Villeneuf Montroyal Nevertheless there is this Difference that St. Malo is form'd of two Words and three Syllables and Havre de grace of three Words and five Syllables whereas the Chinese Names have never more Syllables than Words thus Tai yuen is composed of two Words and two Sillables and Cham hien chum of three Words and three Syllables only As for their Letters though there are as many Chinese Letters as there are Chinese Words yet they may be express'd by means of our European Letters adding necessary Accents to distinguish them in speaking as is explain'd in this Relation which being premis'd you shall see after what manner the Chineses pronounce A They have a sound in their Language which answers to our A as in the Word Nan kim B They have no Sound that answers B but in the room of it they make use of P thus instead of Cambalu they say Ham pa lu C Before A O or U must be pronounced as our Ca Co Cu but before E and I it must be pronounced Tze Tzi and not Ce Ci. Ch Must be pronounced as Tcha Tche Tchi Tcho Tchu D is not pronounc'd in the Chinese Language but only T which is nearest to it E and F are pronounc'd as in France G before A O U must be pronounc'd Nga Ngo Ngu as if there were an N before the G. But before E and I as we pronounce Ge Gi H must be pronounc'd with a strong Aspiration of the Throat like the Welch Ll. I K and L as we do M at the end of a Word must be pronounced open and softly without making any Stop by closing the Lips otherwise they pronounce it as we do N at the End of a Word is to be pronounc'd hard putting a stress upon it as in the Latin Word Lumen otherwise as we do P as in France Q in the same Manner unless when a U follows and then it is pronounc'd as in the Latin Word Quam R is never pronounc'd by the Chineses S As we do T
them from others by a kind of Contempt of Foreigners The People that are subject to these Lords speak the same Language with the Chineses altho' besides that they have a particular Language also Their Manners and Customs are somewhat different from those of the Chineses nevertheless their Complexion and the Shape of their Bodies are altogether alike but as to their Courage you would think them to be quite another Nation The Chineses stand in fear of them so that after several Tryals which they have made of their Prowess they have been forc'd to let them live at their own liberty and to consent to a free Traffick and Commerce with them In the Relation which I have made of that Famous Tyrant Châm Hiém Chùm concerning which Father Martini wrote to me upon his return out of Europe that he had left a Copy of it in the Secretary's Office at Rome and another in the College of Conimbre where it was publickly read I give an account of what beâ—…ell one of these Sovereign Lords I shall here repeat it in few words to the end the Puissance of this Empire may be the better understood where they make little account of the Forces of these Lords tho' they are very considerable and that their Dominions are seated in the heart of the Provinces of China The Tyrant Cham Hien Chum not enduring there should be any one that refus'd to yield him Obedience in the Province where he had caus'd himself to be Crown'd and where he vaunted that he had laid the Foundations of his Empire sent a Command to one of these Lords whose Principality lay nearest to his Court to come and attend his Person acknowledge him his Sovereign and pay him that Tribute which was due to him The Lord sent him back for Answer that neither he nor his Predecessors had ever paid any Tribute to the Emperour of China which Answer put the Tyrant into such a Chase that he immediately sent an Army to force him to Obedience But his Army was in a short time deseated by the Prince C ham Hien Chum thereupon rais'd another Army more numerous then the first and march'd himself in person to enter the Territories of the Prince who being a person of great Courage and favour'd by the Advantage of the Places gave the Tyrant Battel overthrew him and forc'd him to retire enrag'd at his ill Success yet more animated to Revenge then ever For that reason he rais'd a Third Army and gave the Command of it to his first adopted Son call'd Sum Co vam of whom I have sometimes made mention in the Annual Letters of this Mission He was a Person Learned Prudent Courageous and so affable and good natur'd that many times he effected those things by his Prudence and Sweetness which his Father could not bring to pass with all his Armed Force and Cruelty And indeed he knew so well to manage the haughty Spirit of the stubborn Prince that he not only oblig'd the Prince to acknowledge his Father for his Sovereign but to assist him with Men and Money to compleat his Conquest of China He carry'd him in his company to the Court with all his Army consisting of Forty Thousand Men all pick'd and chosen Young Men clad in the same Colour'd Habit and Arm'd with a sort of Cuirasses and Head-pieces of quilted Cotton Upon his arrival the Prince Muster'd his Army in the place appointed for those kinds of Exercises in every City of China The Tyrant on the other side receiv'd him with many Extraordinary Caresses and Marks of his Favour and hearty Affection and invited him publickly to a solemn Feast the next day where the Prince fail'd not to attend him But in the midst of the Musick the Comedy and Jollity of the Banquet the Persidious and Cruel Tyrant order'd a most rank and nimble Poison to be presented him in a Glass of Wine which dispatch'd him in a few Moments Which done he caus'd his whole Army ready drawn up for that purpose to surround and put to the Sword all the Forces of the unfortunate Prince and not to let a Man escape Which was executed with so much the more ease because the poor People not mistrusting any such Treachery were surpriz'd without a Leader without Arms and all in disorder And of this accident I my self was an Eye-witness which I therefore here relate to shew the Grandeur of this Empire Nor ought any Man to scruple the belief of what I have here related concerning the Number of the Cities and Towns far more numerous then what Father Martini sets down in regard I take in all those belonging to these Petty Sovereigns whose Principalities tho' they do not acknowledge the Emperour are nevertheless seated in the middle of his Empire in the Four Provinces which I have nam'd I have also included the Cities and Towns of Leao tum and of the Province of Yun Nan which the Chineses excessively addicted to their own Formalities never put into their Ordinary Catalogues but in the particular which I have said they make of the Raigns of certain Families The Chineses have caus'd to be Printed a Publick â—…inerary which contains all the Roads and Passages as well by Water as by Land from Pe kim to the utmost parts of the Empire This Book the Mandarins buy when they go from Court to their several Governments and Employments at a distance as also all other Travellers to the end they may be able to know the Roads the distance of one place from another and the Furlongs of every Journey In this Book all the Royal High-ways in the Empire are divided into Eleven Hundred Forty Five Days Journeys every one of which have a certain place where the Mandarins are Lodged and Entertain'd at the King's Expences when they go to their several Employments But when they deprive them of their Charges they lose also the Privilege of Royal Entertainment These Eleven Hundred Forty Five Places are call'd Ye or Chin that is to say Places of Entertainment and Attendance And this Name is given to them not without reason For there they wait for the coming of the Mandarins with as much care and circumspection as if they were upon their Guard against an Armed Enemy Of these Places there are Seven Hundred Thirty Five in the Cities of the first and second Order in the Frontier Town and in the Castles in the heart of the Empire Two Hundred and Five in the Places call'd Ye and Three Hundred and Three in the Places call'd Chin. Both the one and the other were formerly built in those places where there were no Towns and may be call'd Towns of the second Rank because they are all Wall'd have Mandarins for their Governours and because there are some which are larger and better peopl'd then many Towns and Cities There are a Hundred and Two which have no Walls but such as are very large and very Populous The Day before the Mandarin sets forward a Courier
Lord and Master The Friends and Favourites of Sun co vanâ—… advis'd him to put the Fugitive Emperor to Death and to maintain himself in the Sovereign Power that had been conferr'd upon him But he absolutely resus'd so unworthy an Action and more then that declar'd that he was resolv'd to acknowledge Yum Liè whose Birth had given him an undoubted Right to the Crown In short he acknowledg'd the Fugitive Emperor and all his Officers and Soldiers follow'd his Example His Forces were very numerous and well disciplin'd and there was great hopes that so brave a Captain would have resettl'd the Affairs of China and driven out the Tartars But the Vices of the Emperor who took no care of his own Affairs as being wholly addicted to Wine and Women prevented the Success For this bad Management of himself brought Yum Liè inâ—…o Contempt among his Subjects and Sun co vam repenting perhaps that he had resign'd the Empire to him left him only the Name of Emperor with whaâ—… was requisite for his own and the subsistance of his Family However this harsh Usage of the Emperor displeas'd several of the Commanders of the Army and among the rest one of the chiefest among them call'd Lì â—…im Qué before the best Friend that Sun co vam had and his Brother by Adoption as being both Adopted by the Tirant Cham hien chum Thereupon the Quarrel between these Two Great Persons grew to that height that they broke Friendship parted their Forces and fought one against the other till at last in the heat of the Combat Sun co vam's Soldiers deserted him and went over to the Enemy so that he had much ado to escape by flight with only Three Hundred Men that continu'd faithful to him Upon which despairing ever to resettle the Affairs of China he surrender'd himself to the Tartars who having his Vertues in high Esteem and Veneration advanc'd him Laden with Honors to the Dignity of a Petty King. Some time after Yum Liè bereft of the Assistance of so great a Captain was in a short time by the Tartars depriv'd both of his Empire and his Life the Prowess of Li tim not being sufficient to withstand their Power Nevertheless that the Eldest Son the Wife and Mother of the same Emperor had been Baptiz'd in the Year 1648. by Father Andrew Kassler a Iesuit the Son being nam'd Constantine Thus much I took out of the History of Father Rougemont C. P. 43. In the same Book you may see the number of Soldiers that keep Guard upon the Frontiers c. There is some difference among Authors concerning the number of Soldiers in China which nevertheless is very extraordinary Father Trigaut asserts that there are above a Million Father Martini near a Million and by the report of Father Semedo Father John Rodriquez who was a person very Curious and one that had Travel'd much in China assur'd him that by what he had met with in the Chinese Books that the number of Soldiers in the several Provinces of the Kingdom amounted to Five Hundred Fourscore and Fourteen and Six Hundred Fourscore and Two Thousand Eight Hundred Fourscore and Eight to Guard the great Wall against the Tartars not including the Soldiers which belong to their Fleets But we ought rather to give Credit to ihe Relation of Father Magaillans a more Modern Writer and who took what he asserts out of a Book presented to the Emperor himself However we are to consider that these Soldiers are not like to ours in Europe neither for Courage nor Discipline as being no other for the most part then the Country Militia For Father Semedo speaking of the Soldiers of the Provinces says they are of â—…ittle worth and that we are not to think they follow no other Employment then that of being Soldiers â—…or that they are generally Inhabitants in the places where they are Enroll'd and follow their Trades some Shooe-makers others Taylors c. And Father Trigaut in his Second Chapter tells us that to the end we may knâ—…w the number of the Soldiers to be incredible we ought to observe that almost half the People of the Three Northern Provinces are â—…oll'd iâ—…â—…he Service of the Emperor 〈◊〉 Magaillans 〈◊〉 firmâ—… the same thing wherâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ays that the Exâ—…e of the Emperor eveâ—…y Year for Nine Hundred aâ—… Two Thousand and Fifty Four Soldiers that Guard thâ—… Wâ—… including Officers and all amounts but to 〈◊〉 Millions Thirty Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Fourteen Livres which is not above half a Pistol a Year for every Man which could never maintain them did they not follow their Trades to support themselves and their Families And for that very reason we are not to think such a number of Soldiers incredible which the Chinese Historian Cited by Father Magaillans allows as well for the defence of the Frontiers as the inner parts of the Provinces which amounts to Sixteen Hundred Seventy Thousand and Twenty Four More especially considering the vastness of the Empire numerously Peopled and that the Soldiers have neither Courage nor Discipline And therefore Father Martini tells us that the Tartars are better Soldiers then the Chineses but neither of them comparable to the Soldiers in Europe CHAP. III. Of the Antiquity of the Kingdom of China and what a high Opinion the Chineses have of it THis Kingdom is so Ancient that it has preserv'd its form of Government and has continu'd during the Reign of Twenty Two Families from whence have descended Two Hundred Thirty Six Kings for the space of Four Thousand and Twenty Five Years For it is so many Years since it began according to the Opinion which the Chineses hold for certain and unquestionable For should we rest satisfi'd with what they look upon to be very probable it would be Four Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty to this present Year 1668 since this Kingdom began The Chineses however have Three Opinions concerning this matter Some of their Books six the Original of their Kingdom some Hundreds of Thousands of Years before the Creation But tho' the Vulgar sort believe this to be true yet the Wiser and more Learned sort hold those Books for merely Fabulous and Apocryphal more especially since Consucius has condemn'd that Error The Second Opinion makes King Fohi to be the Founder of this Kingdom who was the first that Reign'd towards the Consines of the Province of Xénsi the most Western part of China and afterwards in the Province of Honan seated almost in the middle of the Empire So that according to their Books it was Two Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty Two Years before the Birth of Christ that this Prince began to Reign about Two Hundred Years after the Universal Deluge according to the Version of the Seventy Interpreters All the Learned Men hold this Opinion to be probable and many among them take it to be unquestionable The Third Opinion is that the Foundations of this Kingdom were laid about Four Thousand and Twenty
and upon several other subjects Father Manuel Dias the younger translated all the Gospels with the Commentaries and Explanations of the Fathers which makes a Work no less Large then Pious and Learned Father Francis Furtado publish'd a Treatise of Rhetorick and Logick with certain other Books de Coelo and de Mundo as also of the Soul of Man. The Fathers Iohn Terencio Iohn Roo and Iohn Adam have written a great number of other Books upon our Holy Law and upon all the parts of the Mathematicks Father Lewis Buglio who was always my chiefest Consolation and inseparable Companion in all my Travels Afflictions and Imprisonments for Thirty Years together translated the first part of St. Thomas which the more Learned Chineses esteem and admire to that degree that I heard one of them who had read the Treatise of God declare his thoughts in these words Certainly this Book is a Mirror wherein to let us see our own Ignorance The same Father Buglio wrote several other Pieces upon several other subjects among the rest that Eloquent and Learned Apology in answer to a Book which Yam quam siem that wicked Infidel publish'd both in this Court and over the whole Empire against the Christian Religion and the Preachers of it and which he Entitl'd Pu te y Because I could no longer Whereupon the Father that he might conform himself to the Stile and Language of the Country Entitl'd his Answer I have Answer'd because I could no longer forbear Both Titles are very significant in the Chinese Language But the Fathers was more highly esteem'd because it carries two significations The First I refute because I could no longer forbear the Second I have refuted a Book Entitl'd Because I could no longer forbear And which was more to be wonder'd at the Father compos'd the greatest part of these Books in the Boats upon the Roads and in the Inns under the Power of Rebels and Barbarians in Prison with Three Chains upon his Legs Three about his Neck and Six upon his Hands and in a word in the midst of continual Persecutions I could say much more in praise of that person truly Pious and oâ—… great Reputation did I not fear that the shâ—…e which I had in his Sufferings and the strict Friendship that was between Us would render me suspected of too much partiality Father Ferdinand Verâ—…st â—…t the same time wrote a Learned Answer to 〈◊〉 or rather a Satyr full of Mistakes aâ—…d Dolâ—…â—…norance which the same Yam quam siem wrote against the European Mathematicks Father Anthony Gouvea compos'd a Catechism Father Iohn Monteiro wrote two Books the one of the Law of God and the other of True Adoration Father Francis Sambiesi wrote Four Treatises Of the Immortality of the Soul Of Morals Of Painting and Sounds all very short and highly esteem'd I my self wrote a Treatise of the Resurrection of Christ and another of the Universal Resurrection Nicholas Trigaut Lazaro Cataneo Gaspar Ferreira and Alvaro Semedo all Fathers of the Society have compos'd Dictionaries very large and very exact and Gaspar Ferreira has written above Twenty Treatises upon several Subjects Father Soeiro made an Abridgment of the Christian Law and Father Nicholas Longobardo who Dy'd but a few Years ago in this Court Fourscore and Sixteen Years old has written several Godly Treatises besides a Treatise of Earth-Quakes highly esteem'd by the Learned of this Empire In short there have been a great number of other Books written concerning the Christian Religion and of all Sciences and Subjects which amount in all to above Five Hundred Tomes Printed besides Manuscripts There is Printed in China a Catalogue of all the Fathers that ever Travell'd into the Country to Preach the Gospel wherein are also the Names set of all the Books which they have written From whence I conclude that so many Books could never have been translated and written in a Foreign Language and in so short a time had not the Language been very easie So that it follows that the Chinese Language is more easie to learn then any other and that it is withal very Elegant very Copious and very Expressive since it wants for no terms to explain and unfold the Subtilties and Mysteries of Theology Philosophy and the rest of the Sciences I will conclude this Chapter with the first Paragraph of the first Article of the Commentary which I made upon the Works of Cum fu cius with which our Fathers always begin when they first set themselves to study the Chinese Letters and Language to the end that by this short Sample the Beauty of the Language and the Wit of the People may be the better display'd They read the Letters beginning from the top down to the bottom and from the right to the left but that I might the better conform to the Customs of Europe I have plac'd the first Column upon the left-hand To explain them you must put them together according to the Order of the Cyphers The Marks or Zero which are to be seen at the bottom of some Letters are the Points and Accents of the Chineses The Order of the Letters and the Explanation of the Text are taken from two Chinese Commentators of which the one who liv'd about Three Hundred Years ago was call'd ChuÌ„ hi and the other who was a Colao was nam'd ChaÌ„m Kiù Chim who Dy'd in the Year 1610 at what time Matthew Riccio arriv'd at this Court of whom I have already spoken in this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 Great men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 consists in the second place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 to renew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 the People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 the Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 consists in the 3d place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 consists in the first place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 to stop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 to enlighten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 reasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 the Soveraign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 Good The Commentary and Explanation of the Text. THE Method for Great Men to Learn consistâ—… in three things The first is to unfold the Rational Nature The Second is to reform Mankind And the Third to stop at the Soveraign Good. As to the First the Rational Nature is the Heart of Man for the Chineses make no distinct on between the Understanding and the Will but attribute to the Heart what ever we attribute to those Faculties The Heart is a substance pure and intelligent without any Darkness or Obscurity and where Man has always ready all requisite Reasonings to answer to all difficulties that present themselves But because that at the very moment of our Birth this Intelligent and Rational Nature is cag'd up and enclos'd within the Prison of the Body and for that our inordinate
to suffer whatever thy Divine Justice shall be pleas'd to ordain He had scarce concluded this Prayer before the Sky was all overcast with Clouds and pour'd down Rain in such abundance that it suffic'd to Water â—…ll the Territories of the Empire and restore them to their pristine Fertility From hence it is that when the Chineses make any scruple about the Mystery of the Incarnation we endeavour to convince them by this Example telling them that this King cover'd himself with the Skin of a Lamb and offer'd himself a Sacrifice to obtain Pardon for the Sins of the People yet thereby did nothing lessen the Lustre of his Dignity So likewise tho' God was pleased to Cloath himself with the homely Covering of our Humanity and was offer'd up as a Lamb in Sacrifice for the Sins of the People he has no way lessen'd but rather exalted his Almighty Power his Infinite Mercy and Goodness and has thereby made it so much the more clearly appear that he was infinitely above this King who was no more then a Man and a mere Creature The Chineses presently submit to this Argument as well because it seems to them to be Rational and Convincing as also for that they are very much pleas'd to hear that we make use of their Histories and Examples to prove the Verity of our Religion This Emperor had for one of his Counsellers a Holy and Famous Learned Person who liv'd several Years hid up in the Mountains among the Wild Beasts because he would not submit to the Tyrant Kie The Off-spring also of this Emperor Chim Tam Reign'd above Six Hundred Years till the Rule of King Cheu who was no less Wicked and Cruel then Kie So that when the Chineses call a Prince a Kie or a Cheu 't is the same thing as when we call such a one a Nero or a Diocâ—…esian The Fifth Emperor call'd Vù Uâm was the Son of Ven Uâm King of the Kingdom of Châ—…uÌ„ which is now a part of the Province of Xensi Who not able to endure the Wickedness and Tyranny of King Cheu set upon him Vanquish'd him in Battel and made himself Master of the Empire This Emperor Vù Uâm had a Brother highly esteem'd for his Prudence and other Vertues whom he made King of the Kingdom of Lù now a part of the Province of XaÌ„n TuÌ„m and of whom he made choice upon his Death-Bed to Govern the Empire during the Minority of his Eldest Son. He it was according to the report of the Chineses who above Two Thousand Seven Hundred Years ago first â—…ound out the Use of the Needle and Compass For the Emperor his Nephew having receiv'd the Honour of an Embassie and the acknowledgment of a Tribute from a Country call'd Tum Xim and Cochin China or Kiao chi que and all by means of the Industry and Prudent Conduct of his Protector the same Governor presented the Embassadors with a kind of Compass by the Direction of which they might return the nearest way home without exposing themselves to the Toil and Hardships of of those â—…ound about Windings and Wandrings through which they had labour'd in coming to Court. So that this Prince is one of the Heroes and Saints of the Chineses who have an extraordinary veneration for his Memory Now when the Emperor Vù Uâm return'd in Triumph from the Battel wherein the Tyrant Cheu had been defeated his two Brothers Pe y and Xeo cî famous for their Vertue and Nobility met him upon his March and after they hâ—…d stopp'd him by taking his Horse by the Bridle they boldly and in very sharp and severe Language reprov'd him for having seiz'd upon the Empire and forc'd the Emperor to burn himself in his Palace together with all his Treasures that notwithstanding he were so vicious and so cruel yet he was both his Lord and Prince ordain'd by Heaven that it was his Duty to advise him to amendment like a good Subject not like a Traytor to put him to death and lastly that he ought to surrender the Kingdom to the Children of the deceased Prince to let the World see that he had not been push'd forward by any motives of Ambition but only out of a Desire to deliver the Title from Tyranny and Oppression But when the two Brothers sound that he would not follow their Counsel they retir'd to a desert Mountain protesting they would rather chuse to die in that manner then eat of the Products of those Territories which Vù Uâm had â—…usurp'd for fear they should be thought in some measure to approve his Treason and Revolt The History of these five Kings which the Chineses look upon as so many Saints especially the four first and their Off-spring is the subject of the first Book which is in as great Reputation among these Infidels as the Books of the Kings among us Christians The Stile of it is very ancient but very exact and elegant Vice is there blam'd and Vertue applauded and the Actions of King and Subjects related with an entire sincerity And to the End the more curious Reader may see the Energy and Briefness of the Chinese Language and Letters which were at that time in use I will here set down five words taken out of the Book already mention'd in reference to the King Yáo Kin Mîm Vén Su GaÌ„n That is to say King Yao was great and venerable he was most Perspicacious and Prudent He was very Compos'd Modest and Courteous He appear'd always Pensive and Studious searching continually after the best means how to govern his People and Empire and therefore he liv'd all the time of his Reign in Comfort Quiet and Repose The second Book is call'd Li ki or the Book of Rites and Ceremonies This contains the greatest part of the Laws Customs and Ceremonies of the whole Empire The principal Author of this Book is the Brother of the Emperor Vù Uà m of whom we have spoken already He was call'd Chéu cuÌ„m and was equally venerable as well for his Vertue as for his Prudence Learning and good Conduct This Volume contains the Works of several other Authors also the Disciples of Cum fu cius and other interpreters more modern and more suspected which therefore ought to be read with so much the more Circumspection there being many things therein contain'd which are accompted Fabulous The third Volume is call'd Xi KiÌ„m containing Verses Romances and Poems all which are divided into five sorts The first of which is call'd Ya sum or Panegyricks and Encomiums sung in Honour of Men famous for their Vertue or their Endowments There are also several Gnomonics or Verses containing Precepts which are sung at their Funerals their Sacrifices the Ceremonies which the Chineses perform in honour of their Ancestors and at their most solemn Festivals The second is call'd Que fuÌ„m or the customs of the Kingdom These are Romances or Poems chosen out among those which were made by private Persons They are never sung but
unprovided of reason as to believe him to be the real Son of Heaven but onely that he is an Adopted Son whom Heaven has made choice of to be Lord of the Empire for the Government and Defence of the People Nevertheless we cannot deny but that these Titles demonstrate not a little presumption in those that ascribe and in him that assumes them But it is in some measure excusable in a Pagan People and which inhabit an Empire so spacious so puissant and so flourishing So much the rather for that the King never makes use of them when he speaks of himself For in private he onely uses the word Ngo or I and which is common to all his Subjects and when he speaks in publick seated upon his Throne he uses the word Chin which signifies the same onely with this difference that no other Person but himself can make use of it wherein he is more modest than many of our Princes who are continually swelling out the Catalogues of their affected Titles with new Additions The most part of sovereign Princes create Dukes Marquisses and other great Lords as well as the Emperour of China but he outvies them in this that of late days he takes upon him a power of making Gods and Idols It was formerly a custome in this Empire that when the King was desirous to recompence the merits of any Illustrious person for the great Services which he had done the Kingdom he built him up after his death a magnificent Palace where his name was usually set up engraven in Gold with Titles and Encomiums proportionable to his Merits For example Somewhat above a thousand years agoe there was in China a most renowned Captain who for several years defended the Empire and the People and restor'd the King and Kingdom to its ancient lustre after he had wone several famous Victories with vast labour and toils with great expence of Blood and at length the loss of his own Blood while bravely fighting against the Rebels of his King and Countrey Therefore in acknowledgment of so much fidelity and so many heroick actions the Emperour resolv'd after his death to keep up that honour which he had so well preserv'd in his life-time To which purpose he built him a magnificent Temple wherein he put his Statue and declar'd him Emperour of all China This valiant Captain and several others of equal vertue are now ador'd as Pagods or Deities by the King and all the Chineses who forgetting that the Intention of their Ancestours was onely to honour vertuous persons and to excite and encourage others by their example to be valiant and faithfull lost by degrees the knowledge of what they formerly had obtain'd that there was but one onely God and plung'd themselves headlong into Idolatry At present the Kings assume to themselves a privilege to deisie whom they please as it was anciently the custome of the Senate of Rome of which I shall here produce two instances that merit observation When Father Matthew Ricci first enter'd into China it was govern'd by the Emperour Van Lie whose Reign which lasted eight and forty years was no less happy for the Kingdom which he all along maintain'd in peace and plenty than he himself was unfortunate in the Government of his Family For he made choice for Tutor to the Prince who was heir to the Crown of a Colao or Counsellor of State a person of great Policy and great Learning whose name was Châ—… Kâ—… Cheâ—… This person abusing the easie freedom which he had of entring into the Palace which his great Reputation and Dignity allow'd him insinuated himself into that Familiarity with the Emperour's Mother that she abandon'd her self entirely to the lust of that great Officer which when the Emperour came to understand he forthwith put him to death As for the Lady she laying deeply to heart the asfront and death of the Colao and fearing the same destiny her self within a few days fell sick and dy'd But then the Emperour in some measure to repair the Reputation of his Mother by giving her Honours more than ordinary solemnly declar'd that she was Kieu Lien pu sa that is to say a Goddess of nine Flowers and erected her Temples over the whole Empire where she is ador'd under this Title as the Curtisan Flora was honour'd among the Romans for the Goddess of Flowers After the death of this Colao the Mandarins advis'd the Emperour to burn the Commentaries which he had made upon the Books compos'd by Cum su sius but he answer'd them with his wonted prudence that he onely punish'd his evil deeds and not the good Works which he had made for the Instruction of the Prince and the whole Empire In short that Commentary is the most excellent Piece which the Chineses have upon that Subject It is full of Moral Discourses well handl'd full of solid Maxims and Arguments and of clear and true Decisions of many difficult Controversies and for those reasons it is a Book which our Fathers who have acquir'd the Knowledge of the Language study very much It is about four hundred years ago that a Bonze of the Sect of those that never shave their heads yet marry by the Chineses call'd Tao Su so insinuated himself into the Affection of the Prince then reigning by means of his Skill in Chymistry and after that by his Magick Arts and other Diabolical Inventions that he not onely esteem'd him as one that was more than a Man during his life but also after his Death declar'd him God and Lord of Heaven of the Sun the Moon and Stars By these two examples it is evident how great the Ignorance of the People is to believe that the Emperour has a power to make an Almighty God of a feeble miserable Man and to what an excess the Flattery of the Learned extends it self who not only approve but perswade the King to Actions so contrary to all manner of Reason Which gives us an opportunity to convince them with the greatest ease in the World by this Dilemma Either the King is more powerfull than this Pagod or this Deity or this Pagod is more powerfull than the King. If they say that the King is more powerfull How comes it then to pass say we that the King throws himself upon his Knees before the Pagod and adores him by bowing his head to the Earth Why does he offer him Incense Why does he implore of him long life for himself and peace for his Kingdom with several other blessings Iâ—… they say as usualthey do that the Pagod is more powerfull then we answer them thus This Power cannot proceed from any other reason but onely that he is a Pagod Now it is the King that makes the Pagod and therefore the King is more powerfull than He. And to let them see that the Pagod has no Power we ask them whether the King can grant them long Life Health Children c. They answer that he is so far from being
in pieces Which had been executed if his Chief General who was his adopted Son had not while they were leading to the place of torment by his Arguments and his Intercessions obtain'd their pardon Thereupon the Tyrant sent away with all speed to have them brought back again into his presence where after he had loaded them with ill language and Reproaches he committed them to the custody of certain Souldiers with orders to guard them day and night In which condition they remain'd for a whole month at the end of which he sent for them one morning into his presence They found him then very bloodily employ'd in giving Orders for the putting to death a great number of persons and verily believ'd that their last hour had been at hand But at the same time it was the will of God that the Scouts came in one after another bringing intelligence that some of the avant Couriers of the Tartars Vanguard were at hand But the Tyrant not giving credit to their Intelligence would needs mount without his Arms and attended onely by some of his most faithfull Friends rode forth to make a farther discovery of the Enemy himself at what time being forc'd to a Skirmish he was at the beginning of the Fight shot through the Heart with an Arrow Thus the Fathers finding themselves at liberty by the death of the Tyrant resolv'd to retire to their House But by the way they met a Troop of Tartars that shot several Arrows at them insomuch that F. Magaillans was shot quite through the Arm and F. Buglio into the Thigh where the head of the Arrow stuck very deep in the Flesh so that although F. Magaillans made use of his Teeth to pull it out he could not Till looking about him in that extremity he spy'd at last a pair of Pincers lying in a blind place to which they had retir'd for shelter by the help of which he drew the Arrow out of the wound not without great loss of blood The same Evening they were presented to the Prince who commanded the Army who being inform'd what they were entertain'd them with an extraordinary civility and order'd two Lords to take care to furnish them with all things necessary However The Fathers underwent great hardships for above a year together that they follow'd the Army till they came to Pe Kim more especially for want of Victuals of which there was great scarcity in the Army for some time so that F. Magaillans was constrain'd for three months to live upon a small quantity of Rice onely boil'd in fair water But upon their arrival at Court the Tribunal of Ceremonies which takes care of all Strangers caus'd them to be lodg'd in the Royal Hostery with a large allowance of Provision for their entertainment There they resided two years which being expir'd a Person of Quality was commanded to take care of their Entertainment During all which time they employ'd themselves in preaching the Gospel and baptiz'd several persons They continu'd seven years at Court before they were known to the King. But then the Prince understanding who they were was extreamly joyfull at their preservation and gave them a House a Church Revenues and Money to buy them Vestments Thereupon F. Magaillans in testimony of his Gratitude to the King for so many Favours employ'd himself day and night in making several curious and ingenious pieces of Art to please him yet not so but that he was no less diligent in the Conversion of Souls as well by preaching as by writing He also wrote several Relations and translated the Book of St. Thomas Aquinas concerning the Resurrection of the Body which was receiv'd with great applause After a Reign of eight years the King dy'd and because his Son who is the present Emperour was very young he appointed four Protectors to govern the Empire during the Son's minority Now at the beginning of their Regency some Footmen belonging to a Christian Mandarin to revenge themselves upon their Master against whom they were highly incens'd falsly accus'd F. Magaillans to have given Presents in favour of that Mandarin who was put out of his Employment which is a great Crime in China Thereupon the Father was carry'd before the Criminal Tribunal where he was put to the Rack two times by the squeezing of both his Feet in a Press which though it were a hideous Pain yet the Father endur'd it with a constant Resolution nor would be brought to confess a thing of which he was not guilty Nevertheless the Judges contrary to all Justice condemn'd him to be strangl'd and sent their sentence according to custom to the four Regents But they as well for that he was a stranger as because they were satisfi'd of his Innocency acquitted him and restor'd him to his Liberty Three years after in the Persecution which all the Fathers suffer'd for Religion he was apprehended with others and loaden for four whole months together with nine Chains three about his Neck three about his Arms and three about his Lggs He was also condemn'd to have forty Lashes and to be banish'd out of Tartary as long as he liv'd But a great Earth Quake that happen'd at that time at Pekim deliver'd both him and the rest of his Companions Afterwards for several years together he made it his business as well to perform the actual Functions of the Mission as to pleasure the Reigning Prince who had taken possession of the Government with his ingenious Inventions labouring like an ordinary Mechanick to the end that the favour of the Prince might be a means to maintain and augment the Faith which was the Fathers onely aim Three years before his Death the wounds which he receiv'd in his Feet when he was put upon the Rack broke out again which he endur'd with an extraordinary Patience Two Months before he dy'd these pains were accompany'd with defluxions that stopt his Respiration so that he was constrain'd to sleep sitting up in a Chair for fear of being choak'd which was the reason that many times he never shut his Eyes for several nights together He wanted for nothing during his Sickness but no Remedies could surmount the force of the Distemper which dayly encreas'd so that upon the sixth of May in the year 1677 between six and seven a Clock in the Evening as he sat in his Chair and the Distemper urging still with more violence he sent for the Fathers who gave him the Viaticum and extream Unction after he had some days before made a general Confession And so about eight a Clock he placidly surrender'd his Soul to his Creatour in the presence of all the Fathers the Servants the Neighbours and several Christian Mandarins who could not forbear weeping at his departure The next day F. Verbiest now Vice Provincial of this Mission went betimes in the Morning to give notice to the King of the Death of the Father The Prince bid him return home whither he in a very short time would send