Night with Lights and catch abundance of them Near the City Fuencheu is the Mountain Vanhu which is reputed the highest of all Hills and this Name was given to it because ten thousand People in the time of the Inundation of the World got upon the top of this Mountain to avoid the danger of drowning Near to Tingcheu is a Mountain call'd Kin upon which are three Pools which turn Iron that is flung into them into Copper immediately There are several other strange Pools Springs and Wells to be found in China some whereof are very soveraign for the cure of several Distempers of the Body On the West side of the City Caifung in the Province of Honan lies a Pool call'd Kinning which the Imperial Race of Sunga caus'd to be digg'd for the disciplining and training up Sea-men to make them expert in Sea-Fights which was very much us'd by the Emperor Taicungus This Pool is so very pleasant that round about the same are built several brave Palaces of the Grandees besides divers Idol-Temples CHAP. XVIII Of the Chinese Kings and Emperors which have Govern'd in China before and since Christ's Birth BEfore I make mention of the Wars between the People of China and the Tartars I shall speak in short concerning the Genealogy of the Kings and Emperors who have Reigned there before and since the Birth of Christ. First then observe That before Christ's Birth between the Years of the World 2207. and the Year 2952. eight hundred succeeded one another in the Government of that Empire which took not the same by Inheritance but after the death of one another was elected by plurality of Voices But after that time the Government became Hereditary and the next Heir to the preceding King succeeded after his death The first eight Elective Kings were Fohius Xinnungus Hoangtius Xaohavus Chuenhious Cous Yaus and Xunus All the Transactions during the Reign of these eight Elective Kings and the following Imperial Races before and after the Birth of Christ are not in the least doubted but firmly believ'd by all the People in regard the Histories of those Times are faithfully transferr'd to Posterity by the then Chronologers for it has been a constant and without doubt a most laudible Custom amongst them that the new Emperor doth appoint and order some of the most Learned Philosophers to write the Deeds and Actions of his Predecessor at large without fraud or flattery Out of this voluminous Work which comprehends in general all the great Transactions of the whole Empire the Chineses for ease of Memory have made an Extract or Epitome of the most remarkable Passages But as to what pass'd before the eight elected Emperors the Chineses themselves are very doubtful because the Books of those Times are full of ridiculous Stories as well relating to the Age of the People as the Years of the Governors for according to the phantastick belief of those Writers the World must have been created some thousands of years before the Flood But before I proceed to the Lives and Actions of these eight Emperors I shall in a few words declare what Kings and Princes are feigned to have had the Rule over China before the Government of Fohius the first of them The Chineses feign That the first Man whom they also own for their first Governor was call'd Puoncuus and had his Original out of a confus'd Lump as out of an Egg though some of the more Learned in Europe are of opinion That Cainan or Kenan the Son of Enos was the first Man that with his Followers Peopled China and that from him they all had their rise They also add That this Cainan was preferr'd to the Government when he was five hundred years old and that after him the eight Elect Emperors Govern'd those Countries and Inhabitants as hath been and shall be more fully related Yet they tell us That after the decease of this Puoncuus one Tienhoangus succeeded in the Government of whose Time a certain Chinese Historian speaks thus 〈◊〉 that time the Spirit of Heaven cover'd the Face of the Earth and by degrees introduc'd good Manners and taught the People being then very decible Civility and Morality but especially when the great Dragon was kill'd which had molested the whole World by mingling Heaven and Earth together after his Death every thing receiving a more illustrious form and Dignity After him they say succeeded one Thâ—angus who was very skilful in the Course of the Stars distinguish'd the Day and Nights by Name and ordering every Month to consist of thirty Days When he was deceased they write That nine other Princes succeeded but they are altogether ignorant both of their Names and Actions After these nine follow'd according to their Legend Ginhoangus with nine more of his Family He divided the Country into nine Parts whereof one was given to the People to inhabit and the other eight he appointed for Husbandry and by this means he brought the People who at first as wild and unciviliz'd liv'd dispers'd to bring their Habitations near together though yet they had no Houses His Reign they say was a Golden Age for the Earth brought forth Fruit of it self without much Labor This Prince cared for his Subjects with more then a Fatherly Love who on the other hand honor'd and serv'd him as dutiful Children obey their Father After him follow'd one Yeus who instructed the People that had long liv'd in Holes and Caves of the Mountains to make Huts and little Edifices of Wood to defend themselves against the fury of wild Beasts for till this time they were ignorant of most things useful for the support and sustenance of Life for they had not so much as heard of Husbandry nor knew how to strike Fire wherewith either to dress their Victuals â—r to refresh the Body but they liv'd only upon wild Herbs and Fruits and devour'd the raw Flesh of wild Creatures and drank their Blood going for the most naked or at the best wearing only the undress'd Skin of some wild Creature they had kill'd about some part of their Body After the death of this Yeus Sujus Reigned who was very skilful in Astrology He taught that there were five Elements as Metal Wood Earth and Fire which last he observ'd in the Air. He was also the first that made the discovery of Fire by rubbing one piece of Wood against another There was no kind of Money or Coyn either Silver or Gold in his Days but they exchang'd Commodity for Commodity by way of Barter Thus far their hardly-believ'd Histories proceed which whether true or false shall be no Task for me to discover but leaving them as they are I shall return to speak of the eight Elect Emperors before-mention'd the first whereof was Fohius whom the Chineses call'd Thiensu that is The Son of Heaven and by this Title they still call all their Emperors They say and haply believe it that he was brought into the World by his Mother
manner of punishing Offenders is to lay them flat upon their Faces on the Ground with their Legs bare upon which they give them several Blows with a Whip made of twisted Reed which fetches Blood at every Blow And the great Motive that induces to this more than common Severity in punishing Offences is for that the Chineses are infinitely addicted to Robbing and Stealing There are two extravagant Humors that the Grandees in China are much guilty of The one is the Transmutation of other Metals into Silver about which they often break their Brains and consume their Estates The other is an Opinion they have of obtaining an Immortal Being in this World while they are clad with Flesh and Blood that is to say they fancy such means may be us'd as will preserve them from falling into that common Bosom of Nature the Grave Of both these Mysteries there are an innumerable company of Books both Printed and Written and few or none of the Grandees but as it were by Obligation betake themselves to the Study of these distracting and destructive Sciences To this purpose there is a Story in the Chinese Books of one of their ancient Emperors that was so intoxicated with this Prensie that with the danger and hazard of his Life he endeavor'd after an unattainable Immortality the maner thus This Emperor had caus'd a certain Drink to be prepar'd by some deceitful Masters of this Art of whose Rarity and Perfection he had so great confidence that he believ'd when he had drunk it he should be immortal and from this conceited Imagination he could not be dissuaded nor could the strongest Arguments of his nearest Relations divert him from his Humor At last one of his Friends seeing that no argumentative Ratiocinations would prevail with him came one day to Congratulate the Emperor's Health whose Back being turn'd the Visitant took the Bowl and drank a good Draught which the over-credulous Emperor perceiving fell immediately into a great Passion attended with no less than reiterated threats of Death for depriving him of his immortal Liquor But the bold Attempter answer'd him with an undaunted courage in these terms Do you suppose that you can deprive me of my Life now I have drank of the Immortal Cup sure 't were great madness in you so to think But if in truth you can despoil me thereof then I aver that I have not done any thing amiss for either by participating of your Drink I am become equally Immortal with you or else you are equally Mortal with me If you can take away my Life now I have not robb'd you of your Immortality but shall make you sensible of the Deceit and Guile wherewith you are abus'd The Emperor hearing this was presently pacifi'd and highly commended the Wisdom of his Friend in extricating him so ingeniously out of the greatest Folly and Madness imaginable But though there have not wanted wise Men in China that have always endeavor'd to confute this phantastick Principle and to cure this Distemper of the Mind which in it self is no better than a Fit of raving Madness yet they could never so hinder this Disease from increasing or taking head but at present it overspreads the whole Country and generally gains belief among the Great Ones CHAP. VIII Of several Sects in China Concerning Philosophy and Idol-Worship OF all the Heathen Sects which are come to the knowledge of those in Europe we have not read of any who are fall'n into fewer Errors than the Chineses ever since the first Ages for in their Books we read That these People have from the Beginning worshipp'd the Highest and One God-head whom they call The King or with another and more common Name The Heaven and the Earth Hence it appears they were of opinion That Heaven and Earth were inspir'd and so they worshipp'd the Soul thereof for the highest Deity But beside this Supreme Deity they deviated into the worship of several Spirits to wit of Hills Rivers and such as Command over the four Quarters of the World In all Transactions the ancient Chineses were wont to say That Men ought to hearken to the inbred Light of the Understanding which Light they have receiv'd from Heaven But as to the Supreme Deity and the Spirits which wait upon him we do not find in any of their Books that they did ever broach such licentious Doctrines to the support of Vice as were invented by the Romans Grecians or the Egyptians who in the committing of all manner of Filthiness did implore the assistance of their debauch'd Gods It likewise appears by the yearly Book which comprehend the Transactions of four thousand years that the Chineses have perform'd several brave Works for the Service of their Country and the Publick Good The same is also to be seen by the Books of the ancient and wisest Philosophers which were all in being before the last Invasion of the Tartars but then in the general Conflagration of the Country were most of them burnt wherein were writ good and wholsom Doctrines for the Instruction of Youth in the Ways of Vertue and Goodness These Books mention only three Sects to have been in those Times in the World The first of which is the Sect of the Learned The second is call'd Sciequia And the third Lancu The first of these three Sects is follow'd by all the Chineses and the adjacent People which use the Chinese Characters as the Islanders of Iapan Corea and Couchinchina and by none else and is the ancientest of all the Sects that were ever heard of in China Out of it about which a very great number of Books are writ generally are chosen such Persons as are fit for the Government of the Empire and therefore it is honor'd and esteem'd above all others The Doctrine of this Sect is not learn'd all at once but they suck it in by degrees when they learn to Read or Write The first Founder of this Sect was Confutius the Prince of the Chinese Philosophers who is to this day honor'd by all the Learned with the Title of The most Wise. This Confutius as the Iesuit Semedo relates in his History was a Man of a very good Nature and much inclin'd to Vertue Prudent Subtil and a great Lover of his Country His Writings are to this day had in great honor and esteem as being the Ground-work of all the Learning at this time in use amongst them What concerns his Writings which are contain'd in four large Books we have already made mention Several other Books have been written by the Followers of this Sect some whereof have been brought out of China into Europe the Titles and Contents of which I thought good here to mention and are these that follow 1. The first treats of the Original of the whole World of the first Creator and Preserver of all things Out of this Book are most things selected which relate to Natural Knowledge 2. Of the Eternal Middle 3. Of the Doctrine of the Full
At length I return'd to Sfahanum and here remain ready to fulfil the Commands of your Reverend Fatherhood But doth your Reverend Fatherhood in the mean while publish nothing to the World Such a Tree ought to bear some Fruit. Besides two Books that you were pleas'd to send me some Years since nothing else hath arriv'd at my Hands I have here Compos'd some Treatises about the Controversies of the Law in particular An Answer to the Polisher of the Looking-glass I know no Person that can better manage this Business at Rome than your Reverend self whom I beseech to render me more certain whether such Books can be Printed there but I much question whether any one can be found that will be at the Charge yet in this matter I shall determine nothing but what my Superiors shall ordain To conclude The least of your Reverend Fatherships Servants onely more especially requesteth this That you would retain this my Epistle by you for a Memorial and that you would not be unmindful of me in your Holy Sacrifices Dated near Xaxan about the time of the Festival of Saint Francis Xavier CHAP. V. The Voyage perform'd by Marcus Paulus Venetus and Haython the Armenian into Cathay or China SEeing none of the Ancients have describ'd the Kingdoms of the utmost Confines of the East more fully than Marcus Paulus Venetus therefore I esteem'd it my Duty to say somewhat of his Voyage into Cathay at this time having so fit an opportunity although there do many things occur which are neither apprehended nor understood at this very Day by any Geographer by reason of the variety of Names by which he calleth Kingdoms Provinces Cities Mountains Rivers and Lakes and that differently from all others and also by reason of the Description of some Cities which consent not with the modern Geography Moreover Marcus Paulus being ignorant of the use of the Globe hence it came to pass that he setteth not down the Longitude and Latitude of any City from which knowledge alone the true Situation of Places is found But now let us come to relate his Voyage Anno 1269. being Emperor of Constantinople two famous Persons of the Illustrious Family of the Paulini Nicolas and Matthew Citizens of Venice set forwards unto Constantinople in a Ship fraighted with divers Commodities where having a little refresh'd themselves and committing themselves to the Euxine Sea they arriv'd with prosperous Winds at a Port of Armenia call'd Soldadia Now what this Port of Soldadia is we have not hitherto found out I interpret it to be Trapezonmet seeing that there is no Port of the Armenians nearer the Euxine Sea neither can we discover what the Kingdom of Bartza is From the Kingdom of Bartza they came by great windings and turnings of the Land unto the City of Bochara situate on the River Oxus in the Kingdom of Usbeck where great Wars arising between the King of Bartza and the Tartars they were much perplex'd and ignorant which way to take to return into their own Country but at last upon serious Consideration and Advice they remain'd there full three years and that they might not spend their time idly in that space they apply'd themselves with all their endeavor to the attaining of the Tartarian Tongue While Affairs were in this Condition an Ambassador came to Bochara to Treat with the Great Emperor of Tartary where when he had found these fore-mention'd Persons he us'd his utmost Endeavors both in reference unto their great and noted Behaviour and the Tartarian Tongue in which they were excellently accomplish'd to have them with him in his Return to the Great Cham to whom he knew they would be very acceptable therefore they relying on the Advice of the Ambassador after the Travel of several Months made their appearance before the Great Cham. He first of all admiring the Countenance and Behavior of these Europeans and also being led with a curiosity of understanding the Affairs of Europe was wholly intent upon the discovery of the Mode and Form of the Government of the Occidental Regions enquiring of them concerning the Pope the Emperor and the Rites of the whole Empire as well those that are observ'd in Peace as War Unto which when they had prudently reply'd they so far wrought upon the Emperor that entring into Counsel with his Nobles he concluded upon sending an Ambassador to the Pope of Rome which he thought fit in his Name to impose on these Paulini whose Faith and Sincerity he had now sufficiently try'd and together with them he sent a Golden Table and Letters in which he requested his Holiness would send him an hundred Persons conspicuous both for Learning and Wisdom to instruct his Subjects in the Christian Faith which he said was the best and most pure of all others Wherefore these Persons having receiv'd their Embassy immediately set forward on their Voyage having this Golden Table which was Seal'd with the Seal of the Great Cham and also having his Letters in which he commanded all his Subjects to receive them with all Honor and Affection and discharge them of all Customs and Tribute Thus they follow'd on their Iourney by the great assistance of the Golden Table and after the space of some Months came at length to Balzra a Port of the Armenians now what this Port was whether on the Caspian or Euxine Sea I have not as yet found it is most probable to be the Port of Trapezonment plac'd in a Corner of the Euxine Sea for from this Port within a few Months Anno 1272. they came to Ancona which could not be perform'd from the Caspian Sea by reason of the great space of Land and Regions interjoin'd Moreover having return'd unto Ancona whence they departed the report of the death of Clement the Fourth being nois'd abroad and no other as yet plac'd in the Apostolical Seat being destitute of Advice they were not a little disturb'd and setting forward unto Venice to visit their native Soil they heard of the Election of a new Pope Here Nicolas found his Wife whom he had left great with Child at his departure to be dead having left behind her Marcus a Son of fifteen years of Age who afterwards became the Companion of his Father into those remote Regions of Asia which his Father had before travell'd unto and also was the Author and Writer of this Geographical History Wherefore a new Pope being chosen and nam'd Gregory the Tenth Rudulphus being Emperor by the unanimous Approbation of the Cardinals they return to Ancona having deliver'd the Letters of the Great Cham together with the Presents to the Pope with which he being mov'd and greatly rejoycing that he had a fit opportunity offer'd him for the Propagation of the Gospel â—e return'd a Literal Missive unto the Great Cham in which all things were contain'd that might seem necessary to instruct them better in the Christian Religion and render the mind of the Great Cham more flexible and yielding unto
one I say who rightly understandeth what I have above related concerning the Voyages of St. Thomas the Apostle which is at large handled by Osorius Bishop of Sylva who hath elegantly compil'd the Indian History Whence from these Regions even now declar'd viz. from Cabul Caphurstan Tibet and Mogul he might easily by the Bishops his Successors propagate the Sacred Gospel of Christ into the remotest Provinces and Kingdoms to the utmost Bounds of Tartary This Ortelius openly confirmeth who saith That the Kingdom of Archon situate in the utmost Angle or Corner of the North was Converted unto the Christian Faith by St. Thomas you must understand it of of his Successors so that by this Account there is no Part or Corner of the World which hath not been fill'd with the Light of the Gospel by his Care and Diligence Nicephorus also relateth in his second Book Chap. 39. That St. Philip Preach'd the Gospel in the upper Asia now the upper Asia is nothing else but that vast Space of Asia Minor which the Ancients call'd by the Name of Scythia on this side and beyond Imaus and they are all those Regions which are comprehended in the extreme Limits of the Eastern Sea and about the Caspian Sea as Georgia Iberia Albanior Micrelia Armenia and part of the Transmarine Asiatick Tartary from whence in course of Time the Gospel of our Saviour by a farther sprouting was transplanted into all the circumjacent Kingdoms as Thebet Indostan Tanchut and the like Chrysostome saith That St. Bartholomew instructed the People of the greater Armenia in the Christian Faith Sophrinus saith that he taught the Albanians and Origen that he Preach'd to the hithermost Indians Panthenus a Christian Philosopher saith That when he travell'd to the Indians he found Christianity yet flourishing by the Preaching of St. Bartholomew He that is curious to know more concerning this let him have recourse unto the History of the Armenians which they call Giarrentir that is A Book of Relations which Clemens Galanus a Canon Regular who spent many years in Armenia Georgia and the other Regions of Colchis to propagate the Christian Faith here publish'd at Rome First of all therefore the Christian Faith was introduc'd into the foremention'd Kingdoms by the Apostles Thomas Philip and Bartholomew which afterwards in course of Time being Propagated and Cultivated by their Successors very Holy Men and illuminated with the Holy Spirit diffus'd and spread the Light of the Divine Law throughout the whole East unto the great advantage of Souls until by the want of Laborers the People following a more dissolute and ill mode of Life degenerated from the Rectitude of Faith 〈◊〉 and also blemish'd and bespotted with the Rites of the Gentiles altogether fell off from the True Way for Anno 400. when by the instigation of Satan the cursed Arrius Nestorius Dioscurus and other Hereticks but especially the Nestorians had every where spread their damnable Opinions and in an horrid manner weakned the Orthodox Faith of Christ above all other Parts it infected with the Venom of its pestiferous Doctrine Colchis Armenia Persia Turchestan and the utmost Bounds of the Asiatick Tartary so that as Marcus Paulus and Haython relate there is no Place of the aforesaid Regions which it hath not defil'd Add unto this that in the Year 632. or thereabouts was the cursed rise of the Incendiary of the World Mahomet who swelling and breaking in like an Inundation over a great portion of the Earth subjected the same to his most unjust Laws whence it came to pass that the faithful Christians and more especially Persons of the Priestly Order being exil'd their Native Country by degrees forsook the Provinces of the more inward Part of of Asia either for fear of Persecution or by a voluntary Exile those that were arm'd with a zeal and desire to the House of God being inflam'd with a fervour to propagate the ancient Religion of the Orthodox Faith fled or retir'd into China it self where how much they labor'd to the advantage of the Christian Faith is plainly shew'd by the Syro-Chenesian Monument I have expounded above Now as nothing is firm and solid in Humane Affairs so also the Faith introduc'd into the foremention'd Regions now fading either through the want of Apostolical Men or the extreme degeneration of Christians tended or deflected first to Idolatry then to Mahumetanism anon to the Religion of the Nestorian Hereticks according as the lust of each Persons Genius led or drew them and this Vicissitude or Alteration of the Orthodox Faith sometimes receiv'd and sometimes being rejected continu'd more especially in the Eastern Tartary unto the Year 1252. in which as Haython the Armenian relateth who was of the Blood-Royal Haython King of Armenia his Brother Reigned until he could no longer endure the Turkish Spoilers of his Kingdom wherefore by a Divine Instinct taking a new Counsel and going in his own Person unto the Great Cham Emperor of Tartary whom Paulus Venetus calleth Cublai Cingischan who Rul'd in Tartaria and Cathay both to make a League against the Saracens and to gain the Favor of that most Potent Prince for the confirming of the Christian Commonwealth in a peaceable Estate and Condition after a tedious Voyage he arriv'd at Almalech that is Cambalu the Court of the Great Cham. The Great Cham or Cublai being much joy'd at his coming receiv'd him with great Honor and Respect as he deserv'd bestow'd on him great Presents and advis'd his Nobles to follow his Example and do the same Therefore when King Haython had rested himself some Weeks after the toil of his continual Travels he address'd himself to the Emperor and with much strength and weight of Rational Arguments open'd the Cause of his so far undertaken Voyage The Emperor having duly ponder'd the just Reasons of his Petition and greatly admiring both the Condescension of the King's Person in exposing himself to so great Labors and Danger and also considering that the Quiet of his Kingdom and the Advantage or Interest of the Christian Common-wealth was very much concern'd out of his Clemency promis'd to grant him whatsoever he should demand Haython accepting of the obsequiousness of so free an Offer Presented him in Writing several Points of his Petition which were as followeth 1. That the Great Cham would vouchsafe to embrace the Christian Faith 2. That a perpetual League of Friendship might be confirm'd between the Christians and the Tartars 3. That all the Christians both Ecclesiasticks and Laicks with their Churches might be free from all Persecution and enjoy the Immunities and Priviledges in all the Kingdoms which the Tartars had subjected to the Empire 4. That he should raise an Army to free the Holy Sepulchre of Christ from the Turkish Tyranny and also restore the Holy Land possess'd by the Saracens into the Hands of the Christians 5. That he should joyn his Forces with his to root out the most potent Caliph of Baldach 6. That he
separates it from Tartary and India The furthest Extent of China taken in the breadth begins in the South upon the Island Hainan which lies in 18 Degrees Northern Latitude from thence it reaches toward the North to 42 Degrees insomuch that China in the breadth extends to 22 Degrees that is 330 Dutch Leagues It s length begins in the Province of Iuunan at 120 Degrees and ends in the East at the Mountain of the Town Ningpo call'd by the Portugueses Nampo at 132 Degrees So that this Part consists of 450 Leagues in Longitude China is not a little secure in regard of the adjacent Kingdoms and the natural and strong Forts whereby this Kings Realm stands so intirely protected against all violence from without that the like is hardly to be seen elsewhere neither are there any Avenues found leading to this Monarchy insomuch that it is so well provided and guarded that it seems to be a World within it self and separated from all the rest as well toward the South as East and where the Sea borders it hath so many Islands Banks Flats and blind Rocks that it is altogether unsafe to approach China on the side with any great Ships of Men of War On the West and somewhat toward the South lie the Woods and Hills of Tamessus which are so thick and high that it is altogether unpenetrable on that side and which separate China from the next bordering Asia and the lesser neighboring Kingdoms all which adds to the Defence and Protection of this Empire Toward the North and West it is also sufficiently secur'd against all Invasions by the Sandy and dry Flats of Samo which endanger all Vessels that attempt any Landing in those Parts Lastly this Kingdom has toward the North a great Wall which the Family and Branch of Cina built against the Invasion of the Tartars 215 Years before the Birth of Christ but in what condition this Wall is at present and how far it extends we shall treat at large in the Description of the Province of Peking In respect the Sovereignty over the fifteen Kingdoms of this China belongs at present to a Monarch the Great Cham of Tartary I shall give you an Account of the number of all the great and little Cities situated in all these Dominions First of all they sum up in this whole Empire 145 Capital Cities which out-shine the rest both in Greatness and Glory Under the Command of this Emperor are 1331 small Cities amongst which 148 may be compared in Magnificence Beauty and People with the chief Cities Beside these there are 32 great Cities more which are not subject to any other yet they must not bear the Name of Capital though they Command over 36 small Cities Beside all these there are 3 Cities more for the Officers and Commanders of the Militia to dwell in The Forts and Castles are 159. beside which 17 great Garison Cities and 66 small Garison Towns which are never without full Companies and of Soldiers who are permitted to inhabit promiscuously amongst the Burgers There is no distinguishing by the greatness and largeness of the Cities the one from the other for some of the small ones exceed some others of the great and prime Cities both in Largeness Wealth and People but according to the Worth and Dignity of the Governors and the Priviledges of the Place she bears the Precedency and is reckon'd amongst the chief Cities No Place must presume to take up the Name of a City but what is Wall'd in for every inferior Town or Situation subjects to the next adjacent Capital City Most of the Cities in China are built after one fashion and form commonly four-square with broad and high Walls adorn'd with quadruple Towers placed at an equal distance round about which runs a deep Moat and that also is surrounded with a Mud or Earthen Wall Each City has a double Gate and two double Doors whereof the first stands directly over against the second that there is no seeing through the last though you stand in the first Betwixt these two Gates opens most commonly a large Court where they Discipline their Militia Upon the Gates are likewise built great Watch-Towers where the Soldiers keep Night-Sentinel Most of the Cities have great Suburbs belonging to them which are as full of People as within the Wall Without the Battlements each Metropolis hath a delightful Plain curiously adorned with Towers Trees and other Embellishments most pleasant to the Eye The Country every where swarms with People so that wheresoever you Travel you shall meet continually with Crowds of Men Women and Children As now these 15 Kingdoms seem not onely to exceed all other Parts of the World for the number of most rare Edifices and rich Cities so they are likewise no less abounding in People for the most populous Country of all Europe stands not in competition with this Those that will take the pains to look into the Chinese Pole or register-Register-Books wherein is exactly set down the number of the People of each Province except those of the Royal Family will find that it amounts to the number of 58 Millions 9 hundred and 40 thousand 2 hundred and 84 Persons Neither need you wonder which way this can be made out for every Master of a Family is oblig'd upon a great Penalty to hang out a little Board over his Door upon which he must set down the number of his Houshold and their Condition c. And to prevent all Fraud one is appointed over every tenth House whom they call Titang which signifies the Tenth-man or Tyther His Office consists in taking an Account of the number of the Persons upon the Board and if the Master of the Family fail to make that known truly he is to acquaint the Governor of the City with the Abuse Having spoken thus much of the Situation Division and Extent of China I shall add in short what these fifteen Provinces pay annually in Taxes one with another as also how many Capital great little and Garison Cities are in each of the Ten and lastly what each Province Division or Shire disburseth yearly in Taxes to the Emperor of China No Man possesses a Foot of Land in all this Empire without paying to the Emperor something out of it so that we need not wonder that over and above the common Expences which are made upon the account of petty Kings Vice-Roys and Military Officers there are more then threescore Millions of Crowns brought yearly into the Emperors Coffers The whole Sum amounts to 150 Millions of Crowns whereof he cannot dispose as he pleaseth but the Money is brought into the Treasury and if the King at any time desires a Supply in writing to the Treasurer he is not to deny the payment of it The Provinces bring in yearly in Taxes 32 Millions 2 hundred 7 thousand 4 hundred and 47 Bags of Rice and one Bag is enough to serve 100 Men for one day 40 hundred 9 thousand
Ornament to the Place for from the Water-gate going directly on to the King's Palace I told in that Line onely no less than thirteen stately Triumphal Arches made of hewn Stone which are so set out with Figures and Inscriptions in Carved Work that all who behold them admire them as Wonders And this being one of the greatest and most considerable Ornaments wherewith the Chineses adorn their Cities I have for the better demonstration of the Workmanship set before you the following Printed Draught of one of them that you may take a full view of every part and so judge of all the rest which are generally built after one and the same fashion These Arches are commonly built with three Stories so artificially that we may very well say that neither Wit nor Ingenuity were wanting in their Contrivance Round about the Pillars and in other places were writ several Chinese Characters and also cut several Flowers Beasts Birds and other curious Ornaments as I suppose Emblematical That you may the better take a view of the Situation of this most famous City I here present two Draughts the one the Prospect as upon the Water the other Ichnographical of their Streets Ground-plats Temples Walls Castles Houses and whatsoever else They say this City before the last War was so wondrous populous and full of Traffick that daily there were at least five or six Men crowded to death in passing through the Gates which will not seem altogether incredible if you consider the number of the adjacent Villages which abound with People constantly resorting thither This City hath been twice subdu'd by Arms and they say that in the last Siege there were slain above a hundred thousand Men. I shall relate to you in short what hapned to Canton during that terrible and bloody Invasion After that the Tartars had made themselves Masters of all China except some few Sea-Towns they fell with such a formidable Army into this Province of Quantung that hardly any City how strong and populous soever durst withstand them but every one endeavor'd for prevention of her total ruine to receive the Conqueror upon the best Terms they could This Canton relying upon her invincible Forts and Castle only bid defiance to the Tartar the Strength of the Place did not a little encourage the Chinese Inhabitants but that which chiefly gave them a Resolution to withstand the Enemy was that they had one Iquon on their side who Commanded a powerful Fleet whereby he daily furnish'd the City with all necessary Provisions which the Tartars could not hinder wanting Sea-Forces and being unskilful in Maritime Affairs But the Besiegers being Masters of the Field spar'd neither pains nor cost to reduce it by force they Storm'd the City three times but were couragiously beaten off by the Besieged with great loss of Men and Arms. This brave Defence of the Inhabitants made the Siege to last a whole year and their strong Garison enabled them to make so many Sallies upon the Besiegers that they at last found themselves necessitated either to make one general Assault with their whole Army or else as Baffled to raise their Leagure THE GROUND PLAT OF KANTON a A Pagode Temple b. a Fort c. The land Gate d The Wall of the City e the Place where the Tartars are exercised f The Quarters of the Tartars g. a Faire Chinese Tower h. The Old kings Palace i. the young kings Palace k. the first Watergate l Second Watergate m. The Ambassadors house n. Artillery house o. the Plaine where the 〈◊〉 was p. Two Water Châ—tlas q. The Dutsh-Ships The Vice-Roys who Govern'd over this Kingdom at that time when we were there had then the chief Command over the Tartars These endeavor'd to corrupt the Governor of Canton with great Promises and Sums of Money signifying withal unto him these words That he should consider into what extream Danger he was brought and what Disasters were hanging over his Head That if so be he either lov'd himself or his Relations he should forthwith surrender the City and this his Favor they promis'd to requite with eternal Friendship higher Preferment and forty thousand Toel of Silver The pusillanimous and faithless Chinese Governor whether that his Heart misgave him or the Money and large Promises tempted the Man so it was that though he might very well have defended the City yet contrary to his Oath and Honor he made a Promise to the same Tartarian Commanders to set open a Gate to the Besiegers at an appointed hour which accordingly he perform'd It was upon the 24. of November 1650. when the Tartars upon this Advantage rush'd with their whole Army into the City which was soon subdu'd by them the Besieged not being in a Condition to make any resistance for no sooner was the Tartar Horse got in but they rid with great swiftness through all the Streets to hinder the Chineses from gathering together and though the Chineses were not inferior in number to the Tartars yet they effected nothing being in Disorder and surpriz'd by the Treachery of their Governor so that the best course any could use was to save himself by flight The whole Tartar Army being got into the City the Place was soon turn'd to a Map of Misery for every one began to tear break and carry away whatsoever he could lay hands on The Cry of Women Children and Aged People was so great that it exceeded all noise of such loud Distractions so that from the 26. of November to the 15. of December there was heard no other Cry in the Streets but Strike Kill and Destroy the rebellious Barbarians all places being full of woful Lamentations Murder and Rapine Those that were able to Ransom bought their Lives at dear Rates and so escap'd the fury of these inhumane Slaughterers At last the Vice-Roys and Chief Commanders of the Army upon the sixth of Winter-Month did strictly forbid any such cruel Murder to be committed thence-forward I was credibly inform'd that during the space of 80 days above eight thousand were kill'd in cold Blood by the Tartars Some amongst which the Iesuit Martinus is one in his Book of the Tartar War say that there were slain above a hundred thousand which is not altogether improbable in regard of the great number there penn'd up But although this City was thus lamentably laid waste yet through the great care of the Vice-Roys it was in a few years after restor'd to its former lustre After that the Ambassadors had been three Weeks Aboard without coming Ashore all that while they had leave given to Land with all their Followers and were most nobly receiv'd in their former Lodgings but yet were so narrowly Guarded by a great number of Foot-Soldiers that they were not permitted to go into the Streets Two Days after there came a Mandorin to them in the Name of the Vice-Roy who propos'd to them That they to obtain their Ends in China could not Present and give to the Emperor's Council
how to express the highness or lowness of the Sounds which are as follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the help of these Marks must the same word which is written in our Letters and mark'd with these Marks be severally pronounced and then they intend several things As for Example Y'a with this Mark ouer it signifies God and with this Mark over it Yá A Wall and Yà with this Mark signifies Dumbness Yet notwithstanding all these Helps the Chinese Language is very difficult to be learn'd and understood as well in regard of the double signification of the words as also because that in this Language there is no certain number of Letters but every Business and Intention of the Mind must be express'd by a particular Character which gives not only an infinite trouble to those that will learn it but causes a vast expence of time taking up ten or twenty years before a man can attain to the Art of speaking and writing this mysterious Language wherein the Natives themselves know far better how to express their Minds in writing than by speaking But in regard I have now spoken of the Character and Writing of the Chineses I will add in a few Words in what manner they place them And herein they quite differ from the Custom of Europe and almost all other Nations Hereof Peter Iarcius thus in his Treasury of Indian Things The Chineses says he do not write from the left hand to the right as the Europeans nor from the right to the left as the Hebreans but they begin from the right side above and write down to the bottom so that they put the one Character under the other and not one after another as we in Europe And when the Line is full from top to bottom then they begin again at the top of another Line and by degrees go down again to the bottom And indeed which is worth observation in this Particular the Chinese differ from all others who absolutely write after another manner for at this day there are in all the known World but four several ways of Writing upon the Account of placing the Letters The first is from the right to the left side and in this manner are written the Books of the Hebreans Chaldeans Syrians Arabians and Aegyptians The second is from the left to the right side and after this manner the Greek and Latin Books are writ and so write at present all the People of Europe The third sort of Writing is in the Greek call'd Bustrophedon which signifies to Plough with Oxen and this manner of Writing is done just as the Oxen make Furrows with the Plow namely to begin the second Line where the first ended This way of Writing as Pausanius relates was us'd by the ancient Grecians and so as is reported were writ the Laws of Solon The fourth and last way of Writing is from the top to the bottom and this manner of Writing as has been said the Chineses use and some of the Salvage Indians But although this manner of Writing whereby each thing is express'd by a particular Character is very burdensom to the Memory yet it is of very great use and advantage to the People who differ very much in Language from each other for hereby they are able to read the Books and Letters of each other if they use common Characters in Writing though the one doth in no wise understand the other in speaking And in this manner it is that those of Iapan Corea Couchen-China use one and the same Books though they differ so very much in the Pronunciation that one cannot understand a Word the other says yet they bear the same sence to the understanding of the most indifferent Reader no otherwise skill'd than in the vulgar Idiom of his Mother-Tongue And which is yet more of wonder that although the several Natives in the Empire of China differ infinitely each from other in their several Dialects so that their varying of Languages makes them seem as Strangers among themselves their Tongues being useless Members to their Intelect yet in their Books one General Character is us'd so that the same are equally intelligible throughout the whole Empire Notwithstanding the great Confusion of Languages in the several Provinces as is before declar'd there is yet through the whole Empire another Common Tongue by the Chineses call'd Quinhoa which signifies The Court or Mandorin Chinese and this at first took its rise from the Magistrates or Mandorins residing in the respective Provinces whereto they were sent with a Superintendent Authority for coming thither as Strangers and esteeming it below their Greatness to be necessitated to learn any other Tongue this Câ—urtly Mandorin Language was introduc'd through the whole Empire wherein not onely all Affairs relating to the Laws are dispatch'd but likewise all Persons of Rank or Quality use the same so that it is as common and as much in use with them as Latin in Europe or Lingua Franca among the Turks and this is the Language that Strangers Merchants and others learn when they come into those Parts This Court-speech though it exceeds all the others for number of Letters yet it consists of no more than 362 Words so that the shortness or conciseness of this Courtly or more Modish manner of speaking makes it flow so pleasantly from the Tongue that it passes for sweet Elocution almost all other Languages yet known As for Example When we will express the manner of taking a thing either with the whole Hand or with one or two Fingers we are enforc'd to add the word Take but the Chineses do express the same quite otherwise for each Substantive as a Cup or Pot signifies the thing to be done as likewise the manner of doing it Thus Nien signifies to take with two Fingers Tzo with one and Chua with the whole Hand The same is likewise observ'd in the word Stand we say To stand in the House to stand Eating to stand Sleeping but they have a Word which denotes the Infinitive Verb To Stand and the manner of standing So likewise when we will express the Leg of a Man or of a Bird we always add the same word Leg but the Chineses express it all in one for Kio is a Man's Leg Chua a Birds and Thi the Foot of any Creature Amongst all the several noble Arts and Sciences wherewith the Europeans are enobled the Chineses have only some insight into that of Philosophy for the knowledge of natural things is much more obscur'd among them by several interpos'd Errors than any ways enlightned The greatest Philosopher of all that Nation was one Confutius born four hundred and fifty one years before Christ's Incarnation and liv'd in such a manner for above seventy years that not only by Example but also by his Writings and Conversation he stirr'd up all others to imitate him in a vertuous and orderly Course of Life whereby he gain'd so great an Esteem amongst the People that they believ'd
him to have far exceeded in Vertue Learning and Integrity all other Mortals that ever liv'd upon the face of the Earth And certainly if his Works which are extant in Chinese Books were minded with a due regard Men must acknowledge him to have been a Person of great Learning and Vertue In respect whereof the Chineses have to this day so great an opinion of his Name that whatsoever he has writ is never call'd in question but by all maintain'd for good having gain'd to it self the authority of Ipse Dixit in the Schools And not only the Learned but the Kings also have ever since his Death perpetuated his Memory and recorded his Name in their Annals as a Reward of the Vertue and Learning they receiv'd from him And such of his Posterity as yet remain are to this day highly respected by all and not without reason for the Emperors of China have Enobled the Heirs of the Family with great Titles of Honor and exempted them from paying any Publick Taxes or Impositions Nor doth the Knowledge of the Chineses end here for they are great Proficients in the Art of Astrology and in several other Arts and Sciences as also heretofore in that of Arithmetick in the understanding whereof they have of late years much decay'd insomuch that now the Shop-keepers use Boards to tell upon which are full of Holes yet they are so ready at it that with a Peg they know how to cast up an Accompt with as much Method and Expedition as the most skilful European with Counters In the division of the Hemisphere Stars and Constellations therein they differ very much from us of Europe having added to their number more than are known to the most critical of our modern Astronomers The Star-gazers are chiefly employ'd in prognosticating the time of the Suns Eclipses and to observe the various Course of the Planetary Motions But herein they are like themselves and Brethren in the same Art full of Errors and Mistakes as also in their Astrological Observations Calculating of Nativities Horary Questions or the like concerning good or bad Fortunes in their Lives as well as present Successes in their Emergent Occasions together with the Fruitfulness and Barrenness of the ensuing Year for they take it as a main Article of their Belief That all things which happen here upon Earth depend upon the Influences of the Stars and are directed and order'd by the various Signatures of their several Configurations Of this Fortune-telling Part of the Art of Astrology Trigautius the Iesuit gives this following Account in his History of China The present Emperor of China has strictly forbidden this kind of Learning to all but such who have a Right by Inheritance or are otherwise appointed and chosen thereunto And this Prohibition at first sprung from fear lest any having obtained to the exact knowledge of that Art should by pretence thereof have an opportunity to erect any Novelty in the Empire Yet that the Art and the Masters of the same may not seem to be utterly lost or neglected the said Emperor maintains several Star-gazers at a very great Charge for his own use and they are of two sorts namely the Celubden who live within the King's Palace and the Imperial Magistrates who live without Both these have at present at Peking two Benches the one entituled The Bench of the Chineses which is employ'd about making of Almanacks and Prognostications the Suns and Moons Eclipses The other is of the Saraceners whose Studies tend to the same things and are Methodiz'd according to the Grounds and Rules of the Western Astrology After a time the Iudgments of both these Benches are compar'd together and any difference or mistake of either or both is then rectified Both these Societies have a convenient Mansion provided for them upon a very high Hill that they may the better view the Stars and raise Observations from the same Several old Astrological Instruments made of Copper or Brass are kept in this Place Every Night one of the Profession remains here to observe whether any new Star appear in the Firmament which might fore-tell some Novelty and if any such thing happen he immediately gives notice thereof to the Society and they communicate the same to the Emperor and consult with him what it may pâ—rtend and how relate to good or evil And this is the Office or Duty of the Astrologers at Peking As to Physick and Chirurgery they are very expert therein and their Rules of Art differ not much from those of our European Physicians for first they feel the Pulse like them and are very skilful in discovering by the same the inward Distempers of the Body in each Hand they take notice of six distinct beatings of the same namely three high and three low which as they conceive have some secret Coherences with certain Parts of the Body as that of the first to the Heart of the second to the Liver of the the third to the Stomach of the fourth to the Spleen of the fifth to the Reins c. And therefore that they may with the greater certainty of Iudgment deliver their Opinions they are at least half an hour in feeling the Pulse of the sick Person When by the Pulse they have found out the Distemper then in order to the curing of the Patient they apply and make use of several Simples and Roots to say the truth they are generally very well experienc'd in the knowledge of the several Vertues of all kinds of Herbs growing among them And this is observable that there are no Schools in all China for the learning of Physick but every Master of Family teaches his Servant And true it is that although in both the Imperial Cities of Peking and Nanking the Degree of Doctor of Physick is not granted but after Examination yet this Degree when obtain'd doth advance neither the Honor or Respect of the Person And for this reason it is probable that few or none Study Physick but the meaner sort of People because the very Profession thereof which is so honorable in other Places is there is no esteem nor adds the least Reputation to him that gains it But it is quite otherwise with such as Study Philosophy for whosoever hath attain'd to the Perfection thereof is by them accounted to have arriv'd at the highest pitch of humane Happiness attainable in this World The above-mention'd Confutius the Prince of the Chinese Philosophers has collected into order all the Writings of the Ancients in that kind and contracted them into four great Books to which he added a fifth of his own In which Volumes are taught Rules Oeconomical and Political as well the way to Live as to Govern well as also the ancient Examples Manners Offerings and several Poems of ancient Authors But beside these five there is another great Volume writ by some of the Disciples of Confutius and is divided into four Parts and call'd The Four Books The last Volume thus subdivided
found guilty of Robbery he was branded upon the Arm with a hot Iron with two Characters If the third time he is branded in the Forehead but if he committed the like Fault the fourth time he was then Whipp'd and Banish'd This neglect of punishing Rogues for Stealing was the cause why China did swarm so very much with Thieves and Vagrants But since the Tartars have been Conquerors of this Empire they have with great prudence and strictness redrest those Abuses and put the Laws in force against all Offenders insomuch that when I was in China Petty Offences were made Criminal for he that was found guilty of the least Fault was punish'd with death In the execution of which Sentence as soon as any one is condemn'd to die his Hands are bound behind him with a Board upon his Back whereon is writ his Offence and so bound he is led by the Sheriff into an open place according to custom either within or without the City and there he is beheaded without any further Ceremony If it happen that any are Pardon'd and have their Lives spar'd them they are punish'd with that extream severity that oftentimes they chuse rather to die than to undergo the Torture which they must suffer to preserve their Lives which is after this manner Two lusty Fellows are commanded to beat the Criminal upon the Calf of his Leg till all the Sinews and Nerves are miserably torn and bruis'd if not broken And this is their ordinary method of Punishment which is inflicted without any distinction of Persons Now as the Punishment is severe to prevent all Disorders and Robberies which stir up this severity there are strict Watches kept every Night in the Streets which go the Rounds through the City at certain Hours as the Guards 〈◊〉 us'd to do in the best Govern'd Cities of Europe CHAP. V. Of their Ceremonies and manner of Burials and of their Tombs or Monuments BY what hath been said in the former Chapters it may appear That the Chineses may be compar'd in many things which concern their manner of Living with the Philosophers and Virtuosi of Europe but they differ very much in things relating to Funerals among which this may be reckon'd the first That those of Europe seldom think of their Mortality and so consequently take little or no care of their Burials while they are living but the Chineses are in nothing more serious and sollicitous than to provide for their Interments whilst they live and are in perfect health and that ignorance may be no excuse they put down in Writing how they will have the same perform'd strictly charging their Children upon their Death-beds and and even at their last gasp to observe their Orders Now there is one Custom through the whole Country inviolably observ'd which is never to bury any one without a Coffin though it be a Child but of two days old for every Person according to his Quality is laid into a Coffin made of the best sort of Wood their ability will reach to But Persons of more Eminency are at far greater Charge for a rich Repository for their poor Carcasses The first Ceremony they observe when they perceive the Patient to lie a dying is this they take him and lay him upon a Mat carry him into the outward Hall of the House there to breathe his last And this Custom though it carries somewhat of Barbarism in it is observ'd through the whole Empire by the Commonalty but for what reason I could never learn notwithstanding all the diligence of my curious and prying Enquiries But among the better sort a Person of equal Quality with themselvs is suffer'd to die in Bed Another phantastick Humor here is whilst the sick Party is breathing forth his last the eldest of his Sons puts on his Bonnet or Cap and coming to the Bed in a distracted manner tears the Curtain and covereth therewith the dead Body which after it hath lain a convenient time is wash'd according to the Custom of the Country and wrapt either in very fine Linnen or Silk Some are yet more extravagant and will dress out the Corps with new Clothes and after they are Embalm'd set them at a Table well furnish'd with Provisions of all sorts and this a great but not much commendable Fashion amongst the Grandees The nearest Relations of the Deceased are invited to this solemn though mournful Entertainment who entreat him to eat and be merry with them as if he were living In the mean time the Priests are busied in Singing and performing the other usual Ceremonies As to the Mourning Habit it differs from all Countries that I have seen not onely for its Colour which generally is white but for the form and shape of it for Sons when they Mourn for their Fathers they Clothe themselves for the first Month in a course stiff Habit hanging down to their Heels and tied about the Middle with a Cord after the manner of the Monks of the Franciscan Order But although they lay aside that Habit then yet it is a constant Custom for Children to Mourn three years for their Parents the reason whereof they alledge in their Books to be this because that Parents carry their Children for the three first years of their Infancy in their Arms with great care and trouble and therefore the Children ought to requite their Affection and Kindness by shewing their Duty in Mourning after this manner But the time of Mourning for other Friends is much abbreviated sometimes it lasts a Year otherwhiles but three Months according as they stand related or affected to one another The legal time of Mourning for the Death of the Emperor or Empress was formerly three years and this outward shew of Sorrow extended even to the furthermost Confines of the Empire But now with the Emperor's consent which is openly proclaim'd the Months are turn'd into Days so that at the present they Mourn but only one Month for his Death but still the extent reaches over all his Dominions All the Funeral Ceremonies are written in a large Book which those concern'd peruse when a Person of Quality dies whereby they know how to order his Burial As soon as any Nobleman is dead the Son or who is next related to him in Blood signifies the same by a Book to all his Kindred and Friends upon the third or fourth day wherein the Mourning is set forth in the usual terms At the same time the Corps is incoffin'd and plac'd in the Hall or Chamber which is hung with white Linnen in the middle whereof is erected an Altar whereon is plac'd the Corps and Portraicture of the Deceased Into this Room come all the Kindred and Friends upon the third or fourth day clad in Mourning and bringing Incense and Wax-Lights to the Altar which being once lighted and burning they tender their Respects to the Dead in bowing and falling upon their Knees four times a while before burning a little Incense over against the Coffin and
Picture While these Ceremonies are performing one or two of the Sons of the Deceased stand on one side of the Coffin in their white Mourning with great modesty and shedding tears plentifully Behind it sits the Mother with the Daughters and others of the Relations in Mourning also but they are so reserv'd in their manner of Lamentation that they have a Curtain drawn before them that so they may not be seen In the Hall stand two Trumpeters and at the great Gate of the Court within two Drummers over the Gate hangs upon a Board a long Scrowl of Paper even to the Ground wherein is to be read who it is that is deceased and what he had done in his Life-time for the Service and Benefit of his Country It often hapneth that the Children keep their Bodies three or four Years unburied in their Houses in all which time they are never offended with any Scents proceeding from the same the reason whereof may be their extraordinary skill in Embalming and closing the Crevices of the Coffin and so long as they keep them thus above-ground they set before them Meat and Drink daily as if they were living During all which time the Sons take not their Places but sit upon a long Bench cover'd with White and as a further Testimony of their obedient Sorrow they sleep not upon Beds but upon Matrasses of Straw spread upon the Floor near the Cossin abstaining likewise all that while from Flesh or any compound Meats or drinking Wine or using any Baths and that which is yet more to be taken notice of they forbear to accompany with their Wives in any way of Natural Affection And this for the generality is voluntary but what follows is forbidden to wit They may not go to any publick Invitations abroad nor so much as be seen in the Streets for so many Months but if their Occasions be such as call them out of doors they are carried in a close Chair cover'd over with Mourning Although formerly to the commendation of the Country these things were perform'd yet in this present Age few or none are found amongst them that are so strict in the observation of these Ceremonies Upon the day appointed for the Funeral all the Friends meet who are invited by another Book to accompany the Corps of their Friend to his Grave The Solemnity is order'd and perform'd after the same manner as the Roman-Catholicks make their Processions at certain times of the Year Several Images of Men Women Elephants Tygers Lions and such like Beasts made all of Paper and Painted with several Colours are carried before the Coffin and at last burnt at the Grave among whom also go some that carry Incense in large Copper Vessels and Wax Torches burning The Priests and others that belong to the Idol-Temples follow after these with Drums and Pipes After whom next in place is the Coffin most curiously beautifi'd and adorn'd born up by at least forty or fifty Persons all very richly Habited Behind the Coffin come the Sons on foot but seeming to support themselves with Sticks in their Hands as if Grief and Sorrow had brought them into a weak Condition Then follow the Women in close Chairs cover'd with White so that they cannot be seen If sometimes it happen that the Fathers die when their Sons are from home the Funeral is deferr'd till their Return and notice thereof sent them which as soon as they receive they immediately put on Mourning upon the very Place where they are and then hastens home with the first opportunity to perform the Ceremonies in order as we have related But this is not all for a Son is oblig'd by virtue of the Laws though he is in the highest Office of the Kingdom and one of the Colaos to return home and there to Mourn for the space of three entire years in which time he is totally forbidden to return to his Charge Yet this is only to be understood of Mourning for Parents and not for other Friends Nevertheless the Soldiers and Military Officers are not subject to this Law If it chance that any dies either in Travel or Employment out of his native Country he to whom the Charge and Care of his Funeral is committed uses his utmost diligence to procure the dead Body to be brought back that it may be buried in the Grave of his Ancestors in the preserving whereof they are very curious insomuch that none else are admitted to be Interr'd there And therefore every Chinese who is able erects a Vault with a Tomb over it without the Walls of the City in the Suburbs to remain for a Burial-place to him and his Posterity it being dissonant to the Grandeur of Noble Persons to have their Sepulchres within the City They are generally of Marble sometimes of other Stone contain'd in a portion of Ground according to the Greatness of the Person and commonly Wall'd about within whose circumference some make several little Rooms which together with the said Wall are surrounded with artificial Groves of Cypress-Trees Upon the top of the Grave lies a large Stone rarely adorn'd with curious Images Engraven round about it and upon its Surface are Engraven the famous Actions of the Deceased They whose Wealth raises them to the highest pitch of humane Felicity and enlarges their Pleasures beyond the limit of a Satisfaction in this Life such as the Gelubden bestow vast Sums of Money upon their Tombs building them little inferior to Palaces with several Apartments within and Triumphal Arches standing before them In the Province of Xansi upon the Mountains are several of these famous Sepulchral Monuments Near to the City Taming is a very noble Piece of Antiquity in this kind built by the Emperor Cavus about 4000. years since as they report So likewise near to the City Cinon upon the Mountains are built very sumptuous Tombs as well of Kings as of other Great Lords I my self saw some of these Sepulchres very artificially built upon some solitary Hills which were not the Products of Nature but to make the Work the more stupendious and considerable were cast up with the Spade and rais'd to almost an incredible height In the middle of Wall was a Gate through which we entred into the Sepulchre to which belong commonly three such Doors and ascended by easie Steps up to the Mouth of the same which was Plaister'd on the insides and had Benches about it At certain times of the Year the surviving Friends come and visit these Graves bringing store of Provisions with them and then express their Sorrow afresh shedding Tears and using other Lamentations for the loss of their dear Friends nay some of them do with such reality of Grief and Affection oftentimes take it to heart that they will by no means be drawn thence but desire to be reckon'd among the Dead Without the City of Nanking heretofore the Court and Imperial Chamber of the ancient Princes but not far distant from the Walls grows a very
remain'd unexplain'd hitherto by reason of the want of Men in China that are vers'd in those Characters and for that very cause was sent into Europe by the Portuguese Fathers of our Society to be explicated by Persons skill'd in the Syrian Language I first of all undertook the Interpretation thereof and that with good success discharging the same with equal fidelity and diligence Now it is Engrav'd on the Margins of the Stone in the ancient Syriack Characters that are term'd Estrangelo and it containeth the Year the Names and Offices of those Apostolical Men and Promoters of the Divine Law that were then in China when the Stone was erected Father Emanuel Dias in a certain Letter written in the Portuguese Tongue Dated from Maccao August 23. 1625. taketh notice of this Stone and of the Inscriptions mention'd His words translated are these In the Province of Xensi in China where now Trigautius resideth a certain Stone of about twenty four Hands breath was digg'd up in which is manifestly apparent that above a thousand two hundred and forty three years since there were Christians with shaven Crowns that Preach'd the Mystery of the Trinity and Incarnation and that the Kings of China conferr'd many Favors on them Doctor Leo desir'd to have the whole Matter Printed first transcrib'd by the Mandorins that were Christians to shew all the Mysteries contain'd on the Stone that the same might more plainly appear At present we only endeavor that the Matter may come to the knowledge of the Emperor God prosper all to his own Glory Father Francis Hurtado from the Province of Nancheu also confirmeth this and addeth That in the same Year a Passage was open'd into the new Provinces of the Empire of China viz. Xensi Xansi Fohum which last is conterminate with Couchinchina and easily admitteth of Strangers And thus proceeding says Unto these were annexed ten or twelve Lines in Syriack which I could not Interpret also the Priviledges granted by the Kings of China to the Priests of that Law were adjoin'd The Version was made word for word out of the Chinese Language There were also other Translations but they all agree in the Essential Matters It is Recorded in the Books of the Kings of China that the Christian Faith arriv'd amongst the Chineses above 994 years since and that this Inscription was made 140 years after its entrance Thus Father Emanuel Dias But in other Letters of a more later Date from Maccao 21 Novemb. 1627. we find it thus written concerning this City Some years since there was found a very long and ancient Writing Engraven on a Stone in the Chinesâ—â— and Chaldean or Syrian Language from whence it is evident That the Law of our Lord and Saviour arriv'd amongst the Chineses about a thousand years since Anno Dom. 636. Now the Stone was erected and inscrib'd Anno 782. that is a hundred and forty six years after the Preaching of the Gospel there by which a great Conversion unto the Faith was wrought Churches were built and Bishops constituted The Kings that Govern'd at that time are reckon'd about eight whose Names are express'd in that Stone and who â—ll of them favor'd the Christians Now the Preachers of this Law came out of Palestine and other adjoining Places It containeth the chief Misteries of our Faith which are manifest from the Inscription All which are largely evident from the foremention'd Testimonies of Father Boim Martinius and Daniel Bartolus which were collected from the Study of the Colledge of our Society But I think it will be worth our time to produce this Syrian Inscription in the same Strangelick Characters in which it was express'd in China together with the Interpretation especially seeing the Fathers of our Society in China therefore sent it hither into Europe in a particular Folio Printed in China by the Masters of that Language for a better Explanation of it For this being Explain'd I hope it will so come to pass that both the Day the Names the Country and the Offices of the Preachers of the Divine Law and finally our Design will the more evidently be discover'd The Inscription of the Syriack Names is two-fold one of them Sculp'd on the Margin the other on the Foot of the Monument And because this latter containeth the Year of its Erection we shall begin the Thred of our Exposition from it The Syrian Inscription is as followeth Adam Kasiso Ucurapiscupo Upapasi di Zinstà n Bejume Abo dabohotho Mor Haâ—an Iesua Kataliko Patriarchis Besanath alf utisaain utarten dia vanoie Mor libuzad Kasiso Ucurapiscupo de Cumdan medinah malcutho bar nihh napso Milis Kasiso dmâ— Balehh Medintho Tahhurstan Akim Lucho hono Papa dicta bou beh medaharnaâ—ho dpharukan Ucaruzuthon dabhain daluat malche dizinio Adam Meschamschono Bar Iidbuzad Curaphiscopo Mar Sargis Kasiso Ucurapiscupo Sarnischua Kasiso Gabriel Kasiso Varcodia cun Urisch ahito de Cumbdan u Dasrag This the Explication of it Adam Priest or Presbyter and Archbishop and Pope of Zindostan or the Region of China where note that Stan in the Indian Language signifieth A Region whence are deriv'd Indostan Turkistan or Turchestan and the like Names that signifie the same even as the following German Names Friesland and Franckeland signifie the Regions of Frisia and Francovia and other innumerable words of the like kind all which are compounded of the German word Land which as the Indian word Stan is the proper Name of a Region or Place Which I though fit here to alledge that the Reader might not be ignorant why China is call'd Zindostan in the Days of the Father of Fathers the Lord Hanan Iesua or Iohn Iosue Catholick Patriarch you must understand either the Patriarch of Alexandria or of Antioch or of Babylon who are properly call'd Universal or Catholick Patriarchs in the Year 1092. according to the Grecian Compute The Lord Iidbuzad Priest and Vicar-Bishop of Cumdan City of the Kingdom so they phrase the Metropolis Son of Milis Peace be to his Soul Priest of Belehh a City of Tahurstan you must read Turchestan Pope so they term the Chief in any Ecclesiastical Order erected this Table and the Administration or Government of our Savionr is Inscrib'd in it and also the Preaching of our Fathers who resided with the Kings of China Adam the Deacon Son of Iidbuzad Episcopal Vicar Mar Sargis Presbyter and Episcopal Vicar Sarnischua Presbyter Gabriel Presbyter and Archdeacon Head of the Churches of Cumdan and Dasrag And these are found in the Folio Printed in China which are also seen Inscâ—lp'd on the Stone But before I proceed any farther I must clear one Difficulty which occurreth about the Year of the Erection of this Stone for the Year of this Stone in the Chinesian Inscription is found so different from that of the Syriack that not a few Persons being perplex'd with the diversity alledg'd their Doubts unto me concerning the true and faithful Interpretation of the Monument for the Portuguese Version out of
the Chinese Tongue and the Italian Translated from the Portuguese place the Year of the Erection of this Stone in the Year 782. after the Birth of Christ but the Syriack Inscription fixeth the time according to the Compute of the Grecians at the Year 1092. which how different it is from the other Accompt is easie to be discover'd by any one Now that all these Particulars may be the better reconcil'd and this Knot also unloos'd I thought it requisite first to set down word for word the Translations of the aforesaid Inscription Thus the Portuguese hath it No nosso Potentado do Grande Tam segundo Anno deste Kien Cium que eram do Senhor 782. no mes de Autuno no settimo dia dia de Domingo foy allevantada esta pedra sendo Bispo Nim Ciu que governa a Igreia China Thus the Italian Nel nostro Potentato del Gran Tam secondo Adno di questo Kien Cium che erano del Signore 782. nel mese di Autunno nel settimo giorno giorno di Dominica fu inalzata questa pietra essendo Vescouo Nim Ciu che governa la Chiesa della China The Italian Version is thus In our Dominion of the Grand Tam the second Year of this Kien Cium which was of our Lord 782. in the Month of Autumn on the seventh day upon the Sunday this Monument was erected Nim Ciu being Bishop who is over the Church of China The Interpretation of both of them is this In our Potency of the Great Tam viz. the King in the second Year of this Kien Cium which was the Year of our Lord 782. in the Month of Autumn on the seventh day being the Lord's Day this Stone was erected Nim Ciu the Bishop Governing the Church of China The Syriack Inscription BISNAT ALF VE TISSAIN VE TARTEN DIUNOIO That is In the Year 1092. according to the Grecian Accompt Now seeing the Eastern or the Greek Church doth agree for the most part with the Latin in the Compute of their Years it is demanded after what manner these Years may be reconcil'd I answer therefore That this Monument was Mark'd or Sculp'd with a two-fold kind of Computation of the Years us'd by the aforesaid Promulgers of the Christian Law viz. One being the Ecclesiastical Accompt of the Years of Christ which the faithful Christians 〈◊〉 where use in China the other was a Politick or Civil Year which was common to the Syrians Chaldeans Arabians Egyptians and almost to the whole East which that you may the better understand you must observe that the Years of the Grecians of which the Books of the Maccabees make mention are the same with those that are otherwise call'd by the Chaldeans The Years of the Seleâ—cians Syro-Grecians or Syro-Macedonians but by the Hebrews The Years of Contracts and by the Egytians The Alexandrian Years or The Accompt from the 〈◊〉 of Alexander by the Arabians they are term'd Dhul Karnain which is as much as to say Of Alexander holding of two Horns and they therefore call him so either as Christmannus will have it because that he subdu'd both the Oriental and Occidental Parts of the World or as I suppose more probably from Iupiter Ammon who was figur'd with the Head of a Ram whose Son Alexander would be esteem'd or in relation unto the he-Goat unto which Daniel compareth him or lastly they are call'd The Years of Philip which I have shew'd above to be call'd by Albategnius Tarich Alkupti and the Epocha of those Years beginneth 12 Years compleat after the Decease of Alexander the Great as St. Hierome observeth out of Eusebius on Daniel cap. 9. who is follow'd herein by Ribera Torniellus and others Now although before Iulius Caesar these Years seem to have had another form and another beginning of their Month yet notwithstanding by the common Supputation they take their Entrance from the Calends of October The Names of the Months are either Greek or Syro-Chaldean in other respects they agree with the quantity and form of the Iulian Year only that the Intercalary Day is added in this Epocha or Accompt unto the Month Sabâ—th which is answerable unto our Month of February These things being noted beforehand we place the beginning of the Grecian Empire by the consent of Eusebius Scaliger and others in the Year current before the Year of the Christian Epocha or Accompt 310. in the 117 th Olympiad according unto the Chronicle of Alexandria for it is agreed upon by all that Alexander the Great died in that very year in which the 114 th Olympiad began in the latter end of the Month Hecatombaeon as Plutarch writeth viz. before the Christian Accompt 322. for Christ was born in the third year of the 194 th Olympiad consider'd exclusively therefore the years of the Kingdoms of the Grecians beginning or taking place from the year of Christ 310. going on do differ so that the year 310 of the Kingdom of the Grecians beginneth from the first year of Christ whence it cometh to pass that if you add 310 unto the year of Christ propos'd the beginning year of Alexander will arise in the very year of Christ that is current or going on and if you substract 310 from the year of Alexander the year of Christ remaineth in which that year of Alexander is discover'd and finally if the year of Alexander be substracted from 310. the number remaining will shew the year before the Christian Epocha or Accompt in which the year of the Grecians began or in which the Aera or Compute of Alexander had its beginning which Compute the Arabians and Egyptians call Tarich Dhul Karnain This being thus demonstrated if you substract 310 which is the difference between the year of Christ and the year of Alexander from the Grecian or Alexandrian year 1092. that is Engraven in Syriack Characters on the Stone there will remain 782. which is the year of Christ Insculp'd on the Stone in Chinesian Characters exactly answering to the Syro-Grecian or Alexandrian year A Paradigma of the Compute or Accompt Alexander the Great died according to Plutarch Olymp. 114 A. After whose Death as St. Hierome witnesseth twelve years being compleated the Alexandrian Epocha began viz. Olymp. 117 B. Nâ—w Christ was born the third year exclusively viz. Olymp. 194 C. The Stone was erected in the Alexandrian year 1092 D. And in the year of Christ 782. E. This being thus laid down substract the number B. from the number C. and you have the difference of the aforesaid Olympiads viz. 77 Olympiads which being reduc'd into years each Olympiad consisting of four years the Product will be 308. and unto those add the two years compleated of the Olympiad in which Christ was born and they will make 310. which being substracted from 1092. there remaineth E. the number of the years of Christ in which the Stone was erected Wherefore with good advisement they Engrav'd this two-fold Computation of Time upon this Stone that so such
will not undertake any Business contrary to the Rules of the Religious Order I thought it necessary to bind him with an absolute Command to undertake this Function and to add the Dignity of the second Order unto the Title of the Master of the Celestial Secrets in which Office he having been employ'd for some Years hath daily increas'd his Diligence and Study And because he hath a Temple or Church near the Gate of the City nam'd Xun Che Muen in which according to the Rites of his Law or Religion he Offereth Sacrifices unto God I therefore contributed some Assistance unto him for the building and adorning of it and when I entred that Temple I discern'd the Images and Utensils of it to have the shapes of strange things and when I had ask'd him what the Books of his Religion which I found on the Table contain'd he answer'd That they contain'd the Explication of the Divine Law Indeed although I had first apply'd my Study to the Doctrine or Religion Yao Xun Cheu and learn'd some things out of their Books Cum Cu and albeit I have read somewhat in the Books Foe and Tau yet notwithstanding I can remember nothing contain'd in them and seeing I could not by reason of the Affairs of my Kingdom hitherto peruse the Books of this Divine Law but onely cursorily therefore I cannot pass an exact Iudgment out of them concerning the Law but if you reflect upon or consider Father Iohn Adam who for many years having been conversant with the Chineses and with us followeth this Law and Preacheth the same then I judge and esteem it the best for Iohn Adam doth so reverence his God that he hath dedicated this Temple unto him with so great Modesty and Integrity for so many years always conforming himself in the same method of this Law and not in the least point varying from it this indeed is an evident sign that the Law is most perfect in which Iohn Adam sheweth himself of most approved Vertue and fulfilleth that exactly by his Fidelity which that Law teacheth or commandeth viz. To serve God to obey Kings and Magistrates to do no wrong to any Person and to have respect to the Good and Welfare of the Commonwealth and our Neighbors And would to God that all my Magistrates Officers and Subjects would imitate this his Method in serving of God and keeping of this his Divine Law and at a long distance would but shadow this in the Homage they owe unto their Emperor without doubt it would fall out better and far more happily with me and my whole Empire As for my own part I praise and greatly approve of this his Belief and Law which he followeth and therefore in a perpetual Commemoration I affix this Title to his Church Tum hiuen hia Kim that is The excellent Place for ascending to Heaven Given at Peking the seventh Year of our Empire This Patent written in the Chinesian and Tartar Languages and Characters on a black Table by a polite and elegant Hand is to be seen in our Study or Gallery and the Tartar Characters do indeed resemble the form of the Syriack wholly different from those of the Chineses Now on what occasion the Tartar granted this Priviledge is related before From whence it is manifestly apparent what affection so great a Monarch had for the Christian Faith and how much he endeavor'd the promotion and promulgation thereof even to the embracing of it himself confessing the only obstacle of his Conversion was Polygamie which Doctrine being so dissonant to the Customs and Nature of the Heathen Princes made them boggle at first and then flie from that True Faith they were ready to receive to the perdition of their Souls But to return to our purpose From this most ardent propensity of the Emperor unto our Religion immediately there succeeded a great Conversion of the Ladies of Honor the Eunuchs and Mandorins the Christian Law being spread abroad in the City of Peking there were gather'd into the Bosom of the Church almost eighty thousand Converts But all this flourishing and Blooming Spring was blasted in the Bud by the sudden Death of the Emperor he not obtaining that Eternal Salvation which he so much desir'd on the behalf of others and although oftentimes he requested the Ghostly Assistance of Father Adam yet by the craft and subtlety of the Lamas and Bonzii who stood before the Emperor in the last Conflict of Life and Death it so fell out that all Address to him was obstructed till it was too late for being frustrate of his hope whom he thought alive he to his incredible sorrow found dead Now when his Funeral Rites were perform'd a Pile being made of precious Wood the Treasures of so wealthy a Prince were cast into the Flames with the dead Corps which put an end to his Imperial Magnificence and Grandeur The Son of this deceased Emperor being a Youth of fourteen Years of Age succeeded him in the Government who as he was under the Discipline and Tuition of Father Adam being wholly committed unto his Care by the Emperor so he devested not himself of that innate Affection which he had to the Christian Faith and our Religious Fathers Now how much the Christian Concerns were augmented under these Emperors in respect of former Times is evidently shewn by the Inscription of the new erected and Consecrated Church at Peking which as being worthy of Consideration I shall here subjoyn in stead of a Conclusion The Inscription of the Church of Peking belonging to the Society of Iesus AFter the Faith introduc'd by St. Thomas the Apostle and after the same was again and that more largely Propagated by the Syrians in the time of the Reign of the Emperor Tam the same being again the third time divulg'd in the time of the Regency of the Emperor Mim by the Conduct of St. Francis Xavier and Father Matthew Riccius of the Society of Iesus both by Preaching and Books publish'd in the Chinesian Tongue perform'd with great Study and Labor but by reason of the inconstancy of the Nation not altogether with equal success The Empire being now devolv'd unto the Tartars the same Society for a conclusion of their Labors in restoring the Calendar call'd The XI of Hien Lie hath publickly plac'd and Dedicated this Temple to the most High God at Peking the Royal City and Palace of the Emperors of China Anno 1650. and the seventh Year of Xun Chi. Father Iohn Adam Schall of Zell a German Professor of the Society of Iesus and Author of the foremention'd Calendar out of the Labor of his Hands bequeatheth this Temple and his Patience unto Posterity P. MATTHAEVS RICCIVS MACERAT of the Society of Iesus the first propagator of the Christian Religion in the Kingdo of Cluna LY PAVLVS GREAT COLAVS OF the Chineses propagator of y christian Lâ—w. P. ADAM SCHALIGER A GERMAN MANDARIN OF Y FIRST ORDER CHAP. VIII Of the Correction of the Chinese
Calendar and how much Good redounded from thence THE Chineses never so much delighted in any thing as in an exact Calculation of Times and Seasons without which they justly believ'd that neither the Actions of Princes or Histories of any Age could methodically be compos'd always endeavoring to confirm the same if their Rules of the Astronomical Science had not fail'd them for they relate in their Annals that they have had an Academy of Astronomers maintain'd at the Publick and Royal Cost above three thousand nine hundred Years whose Employment was to compute the Course of the Sun and Moon and the Eclipses and as accurately as might be to note the Houses of the New-Moons entring and her other Apearances that by these Lunary Observations they might give Advice to the Husbandman and others concern'd for they had no knowledge of the various Walks of the Planets but were of an Opinion before the arrival of the Fathers of our Society that all the Constellations of what Sphere soever were equally distant from the Earth discovering thereby their gross ignorance in this Science The Chineses relate That their Astronomy had its original from a very ancient King call'd Iao who had two Brothers one nam'd Hy and the other Ho most famous for their Skill in Astronomy whom he enjoin'd to declare and set down in a short and clear Method whatsoever they thought might be known concerning the Compute of Times to be observ'd by a constant Rule which they perform'd with such care and diligence as was requisite but after the space of about two thousand years Cin Hoam obtain'd the Empire who in the thirty fourth Year of his Reign did not only prohibit the use of all Arts but also caus'd to be burnt all the Books that he could find but so it hapned in course of Time that amongst the Ruines of vast Fabricks the so long desir'd Astronomical Volumes were discover'd to the universal joy of the Empire but as they had lain neglected for the space of so many years so also they were found so erroneous that they were of little use without Correction the Emendation of which was at length undertaken by one Cofcencin an Astronomer of great note in China At length it came to pass also but how I know not that a Book concerning the Diurnal Motion of the Planets was found preserv'd in the Kings Library which was Presented by the Ambassador sent out of Persia to the Emperor of Tartary when the Tartars were expuls'd out of China by the Emperor Humun He caus'd the same Book to be Translated out of the Persian and Arabick Tongue into the Chinesian Language hoping that in time to come their Chinesian Calendar might be restor'd unto its pristine Perfection But the Mandorins most Learned in the Arts not fully understanding the subtle Theories of the Persians it came to pass that the Chinesian Calender remain'd uncorrected until the arrival of the Fathers The Masters of the Astronomical Function being forc'd to make use of their accustom'd erroneous Tables in the yearly Publication of the Lunaries with such grand Escapes in the computing Eclipses in which having in vain employ'd themselves three years they ingeniously acknowledg'd that they were wonderfully mistaken and therefore they Presented a Petition to the Emperor in which they shew'd the great necessity of correcting the Calendar recommending unto him the Fathers of the great Western part of the World both in relation to their Skill in Astronomy and also the acuteness of their Ingenuity in that Art The Emperor when he had read the Petion was very much rejoyced and assented unto whatsoever they desir'd and presently by his Proclamation manifested his Majesties high Pleasure for the carrying on of the Work without delay Our Fathers being exalted to an Honor they never durst hope for or ever could desire a Means more commodious for the Propagation of the Gospel of Christ most willingly apply'd themselves to a Business of that great and weighty concernment Those that were first employ'd were Father Sabatinus de usrsis and Father Iacobus Pantoja Anno 1611. Persons excelling in the Knowledge of the Astronomical Sciences Father Sabatinus immediately endeavor'd to have the Theories of the Planets very necessary to the understanding of the Motion of the Constellations Translated out of the Latin Tongue into the Chinesian by the assistance of two Mandorins Paul and Leo now become Christians who with great proficiency had sometime since attain'd the Astronomical Disciplines by the instruction of Father Matthew Riccius Then he apply'd himself to find out the Longitude of the City of Peking by Observations made by his Correspondents both in China India and Europe without which the Calculation of Eclipses is altogether in vain undertaken Pantoja undertook to search out the Latitude of the Cities of China and beginning from Canton he most exactly measur'd with the Astrolabe through the Latitude of the whole Empire in a direct Line from the South unto the Limits of the North of Peking sporting himself both Night and Day in the indagation of the preparative Exercises concerning which there was not the least hint in the Chinesian Astronomy And although the Chineses vaunt so much of their great Excellency above other Nations in subtlety of Wit yet they knew not what the Longitude or Latitude of Places was so that when the Fathers of our Society first entred into China and caus'd some Sun-Dyals to be made they admir'd that the Cities of China should be under divers Elevations of the Pole in regard they assign'd but thirty six Degrees unto the whole Empire relying upon the Tradition of the Ancients who foolishly persuaded themselves that the Earth was not Globular but that it was extended into an infinite Superficies and that the Sun and Moon about or under the West entered into a certain deep Cave from which again they arose about the East And moreover that the Sun and Moon were no bigger than what the Eye demonstrated them to be viz. that those lucid Bodies are not above six Handfuls in magnitude from whence it is manifest how maim'd lame and impefect the Chinesian Astronomy was But to return to our purpose This happy beginning of the Emendation of the Calendar continu'd not long by reason that the Academy of the Mathematical Colledge being enrag'd at our Fathers for the great Honor conferr'd upon them by the Emperor Presented an humble Petition to him in which with great eagerness they complain'd of the suppression of the Studies of their Country Sciences and of the signal Advancement of Barbarians in the Royal Employment But the Emperor having fully discover'd the imperfection and deformity of the several Computations made by the Adversaries and that the Calculations of our Fathers always agreed to the Point of the Prediction at length by a new Patent granted unto the Fathers a plenary Power in reference unto the Astronomical Arts Father Iohn Terentius being more especially taken into this Employment at
China is often call'd in their Language Cunghoa signifying The Middle Empire believing themselves to be situate in the midst and Navel of the World and sometimes Cungque A Garden in the midst or A Florid Garden by reason of the affluence of all things necessary for Humane Life for the whole Empire is so much enrich'd from the defusion of Lakes and Rivers breaking out every where from the Mountains of the West and from the Mediterranean Parts of the continu'd Mountains that there is scarcely a Field that is not water'd with almost no City but may hold a Correspondency with others by Shipping that Sail through Rivers and Trenches to the great convenience of Merchants and Travellers the most perspicuous Rivers are Kiang for its largeness term'd The Son of the Sea and Hoang so call'd from his Saffron Colour These water all China and rising from the bordering Indian Mountains by a divided Dominion separate the whole Empire and at length disembogue themselves into the Eastern Ocean And this is also most worthy of admiration in the Chinesian World and which hapneth unto no other Monarchy that at this day the Empire is so situate from the South towards the North that not content with the proper Munificences of the Temperate Zone it hath moreover subjected both the Torrid and Frigid unto its Iurisdiction beginning from the 18. Degree of the Torrid Zone and proceeding in a straight Line through the Temperate it is extended almost unto the 70. Degree of the Altitude of the Frozen Tartarian Ocean within the Frigid Zone in all 32 Degrees which if divided into 15. make 780 Astronomical Miles of which 15 make one Degree and 3120 Italian Miles 60. of which Miles make one Degree From whence it followeth that all sorts of Fruits Aromaticks Trees and Animals are so common unto this Empire as they are each of them proper to their peculiar Climate and therefore what is scatter'd in sundry Parts is here collected with abundant Increase What Monarch ever had the happiness every Day to have his Table furnish'd with the seasonable and proper Fruits of the Indies brought from the Burning Zone and to be delighted with the variety and abundance of all Fruits peculiar to the Temperate Zone and whatever else serves for Food Raiment or Pleasure For what this vast Empire hath either rare delicate or admirable is all serv'd up for the Emperor's use The Supreame MONARCH of the CHINA TARTARIAN Empire CHAP. II. Of the Political Government of the Chineses SEeing in the former Chapters we have treated at large of the Political Empire of the Chineses here I thought good to adjoin some things worthy of greater consideration The Emperor of China is absolute Lord of the whole Monarchy and the Empire is so Govern'd by him that no Person may undertake any Business of importance without his Assent The Monarchy descendeth successively from the Father to the Sons and where the Direct Line fails it runs Collateral all the rest whether they be Brethren or Nephews or otherways join'd in Consanguinity are honor'd with the Title of Kings each of them having a Province assign'd him which they Rule but yet with such a limitation of Authority that having certain Revenues assign'd them all the rest is transferr'd into the Emperor's Treasury There are six Tribunals or Courts of Iustice which determine all Causes and Controversies of the whole Empire The first for chusing of Magistrates The second the Exchequer of his Imperial Majesties Revenues The third for Emergencies in Ecclesiastical Affairs The fourth for the Militia The fifth orders Publick Edifices and such like Buildings The sixth spreads it self into several Courts concerning Criminal Causes And by these six with their subordinate Officers all Business is dispatch'd The Emperor hath Lords of his Privy-Council which they call Colaos who as they are Persons excellently vers'd in the knowledge of State Affairs so also they are had in estimation next to himself he hath likewise his Governors or Lords Lieutenants of divers Degrees which are term'd Mandorins and accomplish'd in variety of Learning and Knowledge so that the whole Kingdom is in a manner Rul'd as Plato's Commonwealth only by Learned Men and that Kingdom cannot but arrive to 〈◊〉 greatest heighth of Felicity in which either the Prince acts like a Philosopher or a Philosopher Reigneth This is manifest by the innumerable multiâ—â—des of the Inhabitants which the Emperor Governeth with as much facility as the Master of a Family doth his House it is also clear from the Magnitude Splendor and incredible Magnificence of the Cities and the frequency of â—ridges the Structure of which whether you have respect to their Length or 〈◊〉 Rules of Architecture hath amaz'd such as beheld them Add unto this the convenience of Publick Passages the afflux of Shipping from all Parts resorting to the Metropolitan Cities the indefatigable Labor and Industry of the Husbandmen in Cultivating their Lands the great Vigilancy and unwearied Guard of the Soldiery the extraordinary Rigor and Severity of the Iudges in punishing Malefactors all which cannot have their original in so great an Empire without the supposition of excellent Laws establish'd for the confirmation of the Peace and Tranquility thereof As for the Emperor 's annual Revenues although they are not always fix'd and certain by reason of the vicissitude and alteration of Times yet for the most part in Peace they easily amount to 150000000 Tayes according to their Exchequer Rolls in which as Father Martinius avoucheth they have not only the number of the Inhabitants in every Province and City but also a Compute of each Years Revenue most exactly Registred In the Regency of the Emperor Vanly the number of the Inhabitants throughout the whole Empire amounted to about two hundred Millions not accounting the Emperor's Servants Eunuchs Women and Children and the Revenue was estimated at 1500000. of Gold after our Rate but now under the Regency of this Emperor the Revenues of his Kingdoms being also in the Audit it far exceeds and for better satisfaction I have here annex'd a Table of the annual Incomes of each of the fifteen Provinces of the Empire of China paid into the Exchequer together with the number of the Inhabitants contain'd in every one of them in the time of the Emperor Vanly which Table I have extracted out of Martinius his Atlas A Catalogue of the Families Fightmen-Men not reckoning the Emperor's Retinue together with the Tributes yearly paid throughout the whole Empire excepting Tolls and Customs taken from the Book of the Compute of the Chineses in the Year that the Empire flourish'd according to Father Martine Martinius and others  Families Fighting-Men Sacks of Rice Pounds of Silk Trusses of Hay Pounds of Salt of 24 ounces 1. Pechinck Peckali or Cambalu the Metropolis and a hundred and thirty five Cities under it 418989 3452254 2274022 45135 8737284 180870 2. The Kingdom of Xansi hath five Chief Cities unto which are subject ninety two less