were Chinesses after severall out-rages and Bastinadoes were condemned one of them to serve at the Tartars wall the other to tow the Kings barques as Oxen do in our Country Neverthelesse there was seen in all the Christians a wonderfull constancie and joy to suffer for Christ who shewed so much cheerfulnesse outwardly that the Gentiles did much admire at it There was a Woman who having heard that our Brother Sebastian Farnandes had been Tortured at an examination by the squeezing and pinching of his hands and fingers desired that savour of the Lord that she her self might likewise undergo it and her prayer was granted her in part for being one day in prayer she saw in a Vision Xin sitting on his Tribunall who commanded her to renounce the Faith of Christ which she not consenting to he caused the same Torture to be given to her When the Vision was ended the Marks were to be seen for some time on her hands and the black and blue strips on her body which was a very great comfort and contentment to her CHAP. 10. How things began to be calmed again after the Persecution and of the Foundation of severall Residencies ALl the other persecutions which happened before this of Nankim were particular and commonly the fire went not farre For the cause belonging to the Magistrates of that Province the sentence was alwayes given there without extending it self to the Residencies of other remote Provinces But in this Persecution the Tyrant accounted it too meane an enterprise to discharge his choler on the Christians of Nankim only And therefore he would strike at the Christianitie of the whole Kingdom to root it out at one blow He presented the cause to the King that his sentence might include all with the greater rigour and authoritie But this Tragedie being ended the Fathers being banished from their Residencies their Houses confiscated and sold the Churches ruined and that of Nankim thrown to the ground by the fury of Xin their goods lost and finally the Fathers of Nankim sent away from that Court with so much hubbub and noise that it seemed to be the day of Judgment it is hardly to be believed how much mischiefe followed upon it how much good was hindred by it and how every thing was changed The Fathers lay hid the Christians were in continuall feare the Gentiles encouraged the Tyrant Victorious and his followers so free and insolent that every one was ready to trouble the Christans and to accuse them especially in the City of Nankim Neverthelesse Quia dominus judicavit melius de malis bene facère quà m mala nulla esse permittere according to his Dâ—vine dispensation he drew much good even from these evils For although the liberty and facilitie of making new Christians was impeded at that time yet it manifested the constancie and valour of those that were already such all of them shewing how highly they did esteem the being followers of the Law of God and how much they did desire to keep the Fathers in their Kingdom that they might be still instructed in the Doctrine which they had already received and so many of them which live in other Cities either sent or came in person to receive the Fathers and carry them to their Houses Which was the reason that except in the two Courts we found good shelter in other places whereby the Christians were comforted in their sufferings and confirmed in their Faith and the Churches I speak not of materiall ones maintained and upheld as also many new ones set up as we shall shew hereafter At the Court of Pekim there remained two of our Brothers in the place of Sepulture given us by the King for being Chinesses they were not comprehended in the Sentence of banishmnt wherefore under pretence of Piety and Devotion whereof the Chinesses make great esteem they remained there to keep it although with much trouble and many contrasts which they had with the Eunuchs for they assoon as they saw the Fathers out of the Court thought the House had been without a head and that the brothers alone would never have had strength enough to resist their batteries and therefore it is almost incredible what attempts they made every way to arrive at their design and how many times they brought the brothers into the Tribunalls accusing and troubling them but alwayes to no effect For the Lord who had granted that place to the Fathers that they might be buried there after their death would keep it for them to serve them as a retreate and hiding place even in their life time disposing it so by his providence that Doctour Paul should reside in the Court at that time and that by his authoritie he should overthrow all the plots of our enemies Once especially the Eunuchs had put their businesse in such a forme that it it seemed impossible for them not to carry their design partly because they had as they said corrupted some of the Magistrates with bribes and partly which was more considerable because they had the Chi Fu or Governour of the City on their side to whom they had spoken very effectually concerning the businesse and he had promised them his favour in it The worst was they gave the Brothers such short warning to appeare that they had hardly time to give Doctour Paul notice of it and he to write a letter to the Governour of the City giving Order to the Servant which carried it that he should give it him in what place soever he met him although it were in the street and so he did finding him almost entring into the Tribunal for in Pekim they are without the Houses where they dwell where there was gathered together a great company of Eunuchs who did already assure themselves of good successe by reason of the care and diligence they had used in the businesse The Governour after he had read the letter called the cause and the Eunuchs with greater store of words than reasons began to plead for themselves The Brother being called did no more but shew his Patent wherein was contained how the Officer and former Governour by Order from the King had granted that House and the Gardens thereunto adjoyning for the Sepulture of Father Matthaseus Riccius and his companions The Governour took it and read it and in stead of the favour he was to do the Eunuchs did strengthen it with one Seale more putting to it the Seale of his Office and telling the Eunuchs That which is once well done ought not to be undone So the suit was ended for the Fathers advantage not only this but also many other times whilest the neer Kindred of the imprisoned Eunuch lived they never gave over their endeavours to re-gain it whereby they got often some small summes of money which were given them on purpose to avoyd suits and contrasts The Brothers who kept the House making use of this opportunity went sometimes one sometimes another to visit the Christians of
not use to be present there himselfe they alwayes assist in the Palace to receive and answer all businesse and the Memorialls which are every day given in These report them to the King who pronounceth the last sentence upon them These Colai are very much respected by all the Magistrates and at set times they do them reverence as to their superiours in a publick Hall The Colai stand up and all the Officers of the Court passe before them in their order and when they come right over against them they turne towards them and make them a profound Reverence to the very ground They call this Ceremony Quo Tham that is To passe the Hall Their ensignes or badges of honour are different from those of the rest and their girdle which they call Yù Xe is richly set with precious stones They only are allowed to weare it and it is given them by the King as in Europe Kings doe use to give Collars of their orders to their knights And when they are sick it is only to these that the King sendeth to visit them with Regaloes and dainties from the Palace and they do sufficiently gratifie the Eunuch that brings them for the least they give him is fifty crownes which is more in that Country than 200 here Beside these supreame and generall Governours at the Court who do not only govern that but the whole Kingdom also there are likewise particular and ordinary Governours and Judges of every City and these observe the same manner of Government as well in the Cities and Townes of the other Provinces as also in those of Pekim and Nankim where the two Courts are as shall be related hereafter CHAP. 26. Of the Government of the thirteen Provinces WE have formerly spoken of the universall Government of the whole Kingdome which resideth in the two Courts it followth now that we should speak of the particular Government of the Provinces every one whereof is a large Kingdom This Government resideth ordinarily in the Metropolis or chiefe City of each Province In each of these there are five Tribunalls that have a generall command over the whole Province and distinct offices among themselves Of these five two are supreame to which all others both of the Cities and Townes are subordinate But they among themselves are not subjected one to the other but are immediatly subbordinate to the King and the Royall Tribunalls These consist of one President or Iudge without any Assistant or Councellour although they have many other Officers The first of these two is the Vice-roy of the Province whom they call Tut Ham or Kiun Muen He hath power over all the Magistrates and people of the Province He Governeth for three years and hath constant Posts that come go from the Court at set times being to give account of whatsoever passeth in the Province He is received into the City in great pompe and state When he is ready to depart the Court many of the Officers of his Tribunal go thither to receive him others meet him a good part of the way where from City to City he is honourably accompanied both by horse and foot And three miles before he cometh to the City where he is to reside there go out certaine Captaines with 3000 Souldiers to receive him after these follow the Magistrates and after them an innumerable company of people The Second Office which is also absolute is called Cha Iven we have no Office in Europe that is answerable to it he is as it were Visitour of the Province It lasteth only a yeare it is of great rigour and much feared He hath authority to take Cognizans of all causes both Criminall and civill of the Militia of the Kings Patrimonie in a word of all He visiteth enquireth and informeth himself of all even to the Vice-roy himself the inferiour Mandarines and Judges he may punish or turne them out of their places Concerning the greater Mandarines if there be cause he is to give in Memorialls and they are from thence forward suspended from the function of their Offices till the Kings answer come from Court To him it belongeth to cause the sentences of Death given through the whole Province to be put in execution in order to which he assigneth the day and the City whither all those that are condemned shall be brought to him and there he is presented with a List of their names then taking his pensill he marketh six or seaven of them for if he prick more they count him cruell these are presently carried to execution and the rest returned to the prisons whence they came It belongeth also to him to visit the Wals Castles and publick places c. He setteth forth with a great traine and pomp having banners carried before him and other Ensignes of Rigour and Majestie This is usually every year There is another extraordinarie Officer of the same name He is created from time to time at the Queens request he hath great power and authoritie but it is only in favour of Piety and Mercy he visiteth all the Prisons of the Province and freeth all such as are imprisoned for light faults and that have no prosecutours and all those miserable wretches that have no meanes to free themselves he taketh into protection such causes as have been rejected and parties that could obtaine no favour he revoketh such sentences as have been unjustly given he maketh himselfe Protectour of the poore and in a word his whole authoritie is employed about works of mercy The Third Office is the Treasurer who is superintendent of the Kings Patrimonie through the whole Province He is subordinate to the Councell of the Patrimonie at Court He hath two Assistants one of the right hand and the other of the left each of these have their house and Tribunall within the circuit of the Treasurers Place He hath under him 26 lesser Mandarines that have severall charges and employments besides other Officers great and small of which sort there are very many belonging to this Tribunall To him it belongeth to overlooke the customes excise and other duties appertaining to the King of what kind soever to regulate all weights and measures all suites controversies punishments and sentences appertaining to the Kings Patrimonie or at least to remit them to what Tribunall he pleaseth to pay the ordinarie salaries to all Magistrates to the Kings kindred to the Captaines and Souldiers to provide all expences for the examinations to furnish and give the badges of honour to all Graduates to lay out money for the publick workes as Bridges High-wayes Palaces of the Mandarines Ships for the Navy c. In a word he is superintendent of whatsoever is spent or received of the Kings Revenue immediatly from the Governours Iudges and Tauli each for his own precinct and though the summe be never so small they must alwayes be paid in fine Silver which is afterwards melted by the Treasurer into Ingots weighing fifty Crownes a piece with the
that which followeth The true law hath no determinate name The Ministers thereof go about in every part to teach it unto the world having no other aim but to be profitable to those that live in it In the Kingdome of Tachin this Olopuen being a man of great vertue hath brought from so remote a Countrie Doctrines and Images and is come to place them in our Kingdome Having well examined that which he proposeth we find it to be very excellent and without any outward noise and that it hath its principall Foundation even from the Creation of the World his doctrine is brief neither doth he found his truth in superficiall appearances it bringeth with it the salvation and benefit of men wherefore I have thought it convenient that it should be published through our Empire He commanded the Mandarines of this Court of Nimfam that they should build there a great Church with 21 Ministers weakening by that meanes the Monarchie of Cheu Olao Fu head of the sect of Tauzu which was carried in a black Chariot toward the West so the great Tam being enlightened together with Tao the Holy Gospel came into China and a little while after the King commanded that Olopuen his Picture should be painted on the wals of the Temple where it shineth and his memorie will alwayes shine in the World VII According to the records of the Empires of Ham and Guei the Kingdome of Tachin bordereth Southward upon the red Sea and Northward on the Mountaines of Pearls Westward on the Forest Delle Fule Per Li Santi Eastward on the Countrie of Cham Fum and the dead water The Countrie produceth a Lake Asphaltitis of fire Balsome Pearles and Carbuncles it hath no robbers but all live in joyfull peace The Gospel only is allowed in that Kingdome and honours are conferred only on those that are vertuous Their houses are great and all is illustrious by their order and good customes VIII The great Emperour Caozum the Sonne of Taizum continued with good decorum the intention of his Grand Father enlarging and adorning the works of his Father For he commanded that in all his Provinces Churches should be built and honours conferred on Olopuen bestowing upon him the Title of Bishop of the great law by which law he governed the Kingdome of China in great peace and the Churches filled the whole countrie with the prosperitie of preaching IX In the year Xim Lie the Bonzi of the Sect of the Pagods using their wonted violence did blaspheme this new and holy law in this place of Tum Cheu and in the year Sien Tien some particular Persons in Sigan with laughter and disparagement did mock at it X Then one of the chief of the Priests called John and another of great vertue named Kie Lie with some others of their Countrie Priests of great same being disingaged from the things of the world began to take up again that excellent net and to continue the thred which was now broken King Hi venzum Chi Tao commanded five little Kings to come in person to the happie house and to set up Altars Then in the year Tien Pao the pillar of the law which had been cast down for a while began to grow great King Taciam Kium gave command to Caâ—lie Sic that the Pictures of five Kings his ancestours should be placed in the Churches with a hundred Presents to honour the solemnitie Although the great beards of the Dragon were afarre off yet could they lay hands on their Bowes and their Swords The brightnesse which floweth from these Pictures maketh seem as if the Kings themselves were present In the third year of Tien Pao the Priest Kiehâ— was in India who guided by the starres came to China beholding the Sunne came to the Emperour who commanded that Iohn and Paul and other Priests should be joyned unto him to exercise Holy works in Kim Kim a place within the palace Then were hung up in Tables in the Churches the Kings letters richly adorned by publique order with red and blew colours and the Kings pen filled the emptines it mounted on high and transcended the Sun his favours and donatives may be compared to the tops of the Mountaines of the South and the abundance of his benefits is equall to the bottom of the eastern Sea Reason is not to be rejected there is nothing which the Saints cannot do and their deeds are worthy of memorie For this cause king Sozun Ven Mim commanded that Churches should be built in this Limvu and in five Cities He was of an excellent nature and opened the Gate to the common prosperitie of the Kingdome by which meanes the affaires of the Empire began to flourish again XI King Taizum Venvu caused happie times to return again doing things without labour and trouble alwayes at the feast of the nativitie of Christ he sent Heavenly perfumes to the Royall Churches to honour the Ministers of this holy law Truly heaven giveth beautie and profit to the world and liberally produceth all things This King imitated heaven and therefore he knew how to sustaine and nourish his subjects XII King Kien Chum Xim Xin Venvu used eight wayes of government for to reward the good and chastise the wicked and nine wayes to renew the estate of the Gospel Let us pray to God for him without being ashamed of it He was a man of much vertue humble and desirous of peace and ready to forgive his neighbour and to assist all men with charitie These are the steps of our holy law to cause the winds and the raines to retire at their seasons that the world should live in peace men be well governed and affaires well established that the living should prosper and the dead be in happinesse all this proceeds from our Faith XIII The King gave many honourable Titles in his Court to the Priest Y Su a great Preacher of the Law and also a garment of a red colour because he was peaceable and took delight in doing good to all He came from afarre off into China from the Country of Vam Xe Chi Chim His vertue surpassed our three famous Families he enlarged the other sciences perfectly He served the King in the Palace and afterward had his name in the Royall book The little King of Fuen Yam who had the Title of Chum Xulim and called himself Cozuy served at first in the warres of these parts of Sofam King Sozum commanded Y Su that he should assist Cozuy very much above all the rest neither did he for this change his ordinarie custome being the Nailes and Teeth of the Common-Wealth the Eyes and Eares of the Army He knew well how to distribute his revenue he was not sparing in any thing he offered a precious Gift called Poli to the Church of this place of Lintiguen he gave Golden Carpets to that of Cie Ki. He repaired the old Churches and established the house of the law adorning the chambers and galleries thereof making them
pleased seasonably to supply our Kingdome of China with store of Fathers by reason the letters and language are so difficult to be learnt for ere long your Reverences will be so old and worne out that you will not be able to teach those who are new comers Thus he spake and this was his opinion concerning it And a good Testimony thereof will appeare in a letter which he wrote in answer to one which Father Mugnez Mascaregnas the Assistant of Portugall had sent him wherein he offered to send him whatsoever curiositie or raritie he desired out of Europe to which point his answer was that he neither wished nor desired any thing but only that he would earnestly endeavour to send more of the Societie into China In proportioâ— to the love he had for the Fathers his zeale and care for their studies and health did encrease as also that they should be well accommodated and that they should know how to converse with those of the Country in such Termes Ceremonies and Compliments as were most esteemed among them admonishing and instructing us with great confidence upon all occasions when ever he saw us mistaken in the Stile of that Country He had so tender a kindenesse for us that many times with his owne hands he would open our gowns before to see whether we were sufficiently provided with cloaths to defend us from the cold When any of us was sick he caused the medicines to be boyled and prepared at his owne House saying That either through the ignorance or unskilfulnesse of our servants they might lose their force and so the sick person would receive no help by them At the first sight after a little discourse he could very well judge of the talents and parts of every one of us and had a great facilitie in gaining our affections He had a great esteeme and affection for us all in generall but much more for those who were newly come and could not yet speak the language of whom he had alwaies a very great care much compassionating the labour and paines they were to take in the study of that language and the letters belonging to it and to encourage them would much rejoyce at every word which he heard them bring out when they began to speak it He gave them very particular instructions concerning the manner and method they were to study it by He gave them the names of the books to which they were most to apply themselves and many times he sent them to them written in his owne hand concerning the poynts and strokes of which in China there is a particular Science It was an incredible consolation and truely did cause no lesse then our admiration to heare the two Doctours Leo and Michael together when they came both at once as they did often to our House for they scarce spoke of any thing else but of the way how to propagate the Gospel and how to protect defend and authorize the preachers thereof throughout the whole Kingdom consulting with themselves to which of their friends they should recommend them what books they would advise them to write to which Province it were best to go first and which Father were fittest to be required of the Superiour for such a part In the end all their consulations concluded in sighs saying We are old men to morrow we shall die whom shall wee leave in our stead to carry on that which we have seen begun in our daies Sometimes transported by their affections they did imagine themselves to be then at the Court informing the King himselfe by their Memoriall of the sanctity and purity of our Christian Faith and having obtained leave and authority of him to set up publick Churches they did already in their imagination make choice of the ground and scituation and design the form of the buildings otherwhile they fancied themselves to be accused for this cause to be laid in prison and after that to be beheaded and all with so much courage and cheerfulnesse as did well shew the esteem they made of the honour of Martyrdom and the ardent desires they had to lose their lives for the interest of Gods cause Neither did he stop at discourses and desires for I can justly affirme That of all the Houses and Churches our Societie hath in China there is not one of them which Dr. Leo hath not helped both to build and to preserve giving towards some of them although he was not rich a considerable summe of money But that zealous love of Leo was most remarkable in that occasion of recalling the Fathers to the Court and City of Pekim where they formerly resided He contrived all possible means to effect it and made use of all opportunities and by reason that China was then infested by the Tartars and the Court of Pekim in danger he tooke advantage by that occasion to remonstrate to the King that besides our learning and skill which might be of great use to him in this conjuncture of time we had also great power and interest with the inhabitants of Macao from whom we could easily obtaine a considerable succour of men and armes to his assistance and the better to perswade the King and his counsell to it he used so much Rhetorick and produced so many and such apt and proper examples out of their books and ancient Chronicles wherein he was excellently well versed that I doubt not but the Reader would receive much delight if I should give him a little tast of that excellent memoriall of his did not that Brevitie which I have tied my self to in this relation forbid it In conclusion he did and said so much that he obtained his desire wherein he received no lesse satisfaction than we have and ever shal have obligation to him for it Neverthelesse he lost the great office he had only upon this account through the malice of his enemies who accused him to the King though they had nothing to lay to his charge but the neare friendship he had had with Father Matthaeus Riccius and that he did beleeve and professe a certain Law which that Father taught and which was different from the Law of that Kingdome But it pleased the Lord to recompense him abundantly for what he then lost restoring him 4 or 5 years after to the same place with much more honour and Fame throughout the whole Kingdom by means of Dr. Puul who being also a Christian and of so much courage understanding as to be able to assist and favour our affairs brought it about upon occasion of the reformation of the Kalender He accepted of the employment the better to enable him together with Doctour Paul to promote the interest of the Gospel and so he began his journey toward the Court but beside the infirmities of his old age the length of the voyage and the excessive cold of the winter did so weaken him that not many moneths after his arrivall he ended his life on the day
abilities to the shame of those Nations which have no eyes to see but such as are infected with the disparagement of what they behold They are not lesse ingenious Mechanicks than the Manufactures which come from thence shew them to be although all which come are not made by the best Masters They are very excellent in workes of Ivory Ebony and Amber especially in Eare-Jewels pendants and gallantries of Gold and Silver for the ornament of women They make chaines to admiration There was one brought from thence to Goa which consisting of 300 links weighed not 3 ounces of gold and the work was so fine and small that the links were hardly to be discerned They have altogether relinquisht to Europe to be served in plate there being scarce found among them a vessel of Silver of a considerable bignesse no not in the Emperors palace being content to eat in Porcellane which is the only vessel in the world for neate and delightfull cleanlinesse There Gold-thread is of lesse weight and worth than ours they have a way of twisting of it about paper which maketh it seem as if it were right and massie and is an admirable Artifice The workmanship of Europe which they most admired were our clocks but now they make of them such as are set upon tables very good ones and will be able to do the like in small ones if the price of them there did equall ours Although they make some things whose price would be excessive if we should cause them to be made here Notwithstanding in the generall we do much exceed them in manufactures and mechanick Arts except it be in that same Charam which is indeed a singular Artifice It cannot be denyed but that they are a people of an admirable Acutenesse so that that may be worthily appropriated to them that Aristotle so freely bestoweth upon all the people of Asia saying that Asia exceeded Europe in ingenuity but was exceeded by Europe in valour this beeing a thing so approved to us by experience There are many which even to this day do call the Chinesses Barbarians as if they spake of the Negroes of Guynea or the Tapuyi of Brasile I have blusht to hear some stile them so having been taught the contrary by many years travels among them Although the fame and manufactures of China are sufficient to teach it us it beeing now many years that we have heard the one and seen the other T is a great shame truly but although in this relation there are many things which might satisfie us concerning the subtelty of their wit yet I wil give you one example in this following case A certain Chaquen that is a visitour of a Province one of the most important Employments of the Kingdom receiving of his visits after a few daies were over shut up his gates and refused to admit any further their businesse or visits pretending for his excuse that he was sick This accident being divulged a certain Mandarine a friend of his began to be much troubled at it and with much ado obtained leave to speak with him When he was admitted he gave him notice of the discontent that was in the City by reason that businesses were not dispatched the other put him off with the same excuse of his sicknesse I see no signes of it replied his friend but if your Lordship will be pleased to tell me the true cause I will serve you in it to my utmost power conformable to that affection I bear you in my heart know then replied the Visitour They have stollen the Kings seale out of the Cabinet where it used to be kept leaving it locked as if it had not been touched so that if I would give audience I have not where withall to seale dispatches If I should discover my negligence in the losse of the seale I shall loose you know both my Government and my life so that I know not what to do unlesse it be to stand in suspence as I do the which is but little avail to me being more sensible than the people themselves of this delay of justice Well perceived the Mandarine how terrible the occasion of his retirement was but presently making use of the quickness of his wit asked him if he had never an enemy in that City he answered him yes and that it was the chief Officer of that City that is the Chifu or governour which of a long time had borne a concealed malice against him Away then quoth the Mandarine in great hast let your Lordship command that all your goods be removed to the innermost part of the palace and let them set fire on the empty part and call out for help to quench the fire to which the governour must of necessity repair with the first it being one of the principall duties of his office As soon as you see him among the people call out to him aloud and consigne to him the Cabinet thus shut as it is that it may be secured in his possession from the danger of the fire for if it be he which hath caused the seale to be stollen he will put it in his place again when he restores you the cabinet if it be not he your Lordship shall lay the fault upon him for having so ill kept it and your Lordship shall not only be freed from this danger but also revenged of your enemie The visitour followed his councel and it succeeded so well that the next morning after the night this fire was the governour brought him the seale in the cabinet both of them concealing each others fault equally complying for the conservation of both Now if after this example the Chinesses must passe for Barbarians as those would have it who have forced me to relate this story it must be upon the same account on which others have said as much of Moses CHAP. 5. Of the manner of their habit THe materials of which they make severall sorts of stuffs and cloaths for the service of their persons as cloathing Beds and other furniture of their houses are wooll convase for they have no other sort of linnen as I have formerly hinted silk and cotton of all which they have great abundance Two hundred years before Christ they used garments with short sleeves such as the Giapponeses use at this day who are descended of them and still conserve this ancient habit This manner of garment continued here untill the raign of Hoan in the time of this King who is much renowned amongst them about 400 years after Christ that habit was altered as well in the people as the Officers to that fashion which is worn at this day and is the very same throughout the whole Kingdom although it consist of so many and so large Provinces nor can it be altered no more than any other notable custome among them without the Kings particular Order For these people which we call Barbarians have very well understood that the changing of fashions and customes in a
the Kingdome I detained the petitions which were presented me without dispatching them I tooke no care of nominating Magistrates as the Kingdomes need required and I know that at this present there are some wanting I have opened nine mines of gold and silver I have encreased and multiplied the Gabells and Excise I have disturbed the publick peace with tumults of warre whence hath followed discord with the neighbouring princes and great oppression and injury to their people wherefore thinking continually both night and day upon these things I am hardly able to suffer the grief which my soule endureth and which doth now detest her former faults finally I began to take up better resolutions but I am fallen into this infirmity the which doth still so encrease that it maketh me beleeve I shall very shortly lose my life In the mean time I have this only hope left me that my Sonnes and Nephews will amend my faults by leading a better life You therefore the Heire of my Kingdome seeing that you neither want ingenuity nor good disposition and because you have hitherto never forborne the exercise of piety obedience and other vertues be of good courage The inheritance of the Empire of China is yours Let your principall care be well to compose your life and manners Apply your selfe with all study and industry to the well governing of the Kingdome Love those that are good refuse not counsell take not advise in evill part that you might be able to beare the great weight of this Empire do your endeavour that your Sonne my Grand-child follow his studies with all diligence Be kind and loving to your three Brothers assigne them convenient habitations and provide for each of them a good revenue and honourable Titles Use your utmost diligence that all your subjects as well noble as ignoble may live in peace and love concord Take care speedily to make the Colai and other the supreame Magistrates for I do remember to have left two places voyd and above all forget not to elect the Kings Administratours These things I recommend to you that you should endeavour speedily to put them in execution By all means take off the new Gabells at Bridges the Excise of silke stuffs eartherne ware and other things which I have lately introduced Take care that all causes which are depending in the Tribunals be dispatched with diligence by some select Judges and free the innocent The souldiers on the confines of Tartary do want their pay and provisions let them be speedily supplied out of the royall exchequer this last clause is said to have been added by the Prince to his fathers Testament I do recommend to you the souldiers and Captaines which were slaine in the last warre Honour their Mortuaries and their soules with new Titles assist their families by paying their arreares All this I briefly ordaine that you should put it in execution assoone as possibly you may As for my Funerall cause the ceremonies of the Kingdome to be observed Though I had rather for my particular satisfaction that in stead of twenty seaven months as is the usuall custome they should only last for so many dayes All the Magistrates Vice-roys Visitours and Captaines of warre have more need to assist at their governments and charges Suffer not that they be called hither upon the occasion of my funerall It will be sufficient that when each hath newes of my death he cause to be done for three dayes in the place where he is that which useth to be performed at the Funerall of the Kings body The Pastilios and other perfumes wont to be presented on the like occasions may be brought by the inferiour officers in the name of the great ones But for the Magistrates appointed for the government of the forts and the Presidents of Cities and Townes my Will is that in no case they should be suffered to come as also that the strangers who are Tributary to this Kingdome should be excused I do ordaine that this my last Will should be published through the whole Kingdome that it may come to the eares of every one of my subjects This was his will and Testament which accordingly was every where published The other ceremonies I forbeare to write because they are the same with those we have already related CHAP. 18. Of the severall Sects of religion in China THe Chinesses are generally little inclined to Sects neither are there any thing neere so many among them as among the people of Giappon Neverthelesse they have three which although they be different yet that they might not erre in any or to speake more correctly that they might erre the more they joyne them altogether Two of them are proper to China and first sprung up there The third which is of the Idols is adventitious and came from India The first is that of the Litterati and is more ancient among them than some do think who make Confusio to be the author of it They worship no Pagod or Idol but acknowledge a Superioritie or Deitie who is able to chastise and to reward Notwithstanding they have no Churches wherein they worship him nor any divine Offices which they celebrate nor any prayers that they rehearse nor any Priests or Ministers which officiate at his service Yet they speak and write in their books of this Lord very Honourably as of a divine person neither do they apply or attribute any undecent thing to him as our Ancestours did to their Gods But as they did not perfectly and distinctly know the true God they fell to worship three things which are the most renowned powerfull and profitable in the world the which they call San Cai that is heaven earth and man There are in the courts of Nankim and Pekim only very sumptuous Temples for heaven and earth but which do properly belong to the King alone wherein he only in his owne person doth sacrifice he being the Minister also of the sacrifice and in his absence or by his order the chiefe Magistrate of the Tribunal of Rites In the Cities there are Temples for the Tutelar spirits to which the Mandarines do sacrifice as also to the spirits of the rivers mountaines and of the foure parts of the world c. There are also Temples to the honour of some men who have been famous Benefactours to the publick and therein are palced their Images They do the same honour to their Ancestours untill the fourth degree upwards For their soule in the next life they neither expect nor pray for any thing Neverthelesse they ask for temporall assistance in this life good fortune and to be able to imitate their good works and atchivements They pretend by this to stirre up devotion in the people that they seeing how heaven and earth are honoured as universall Parents they might also honour their particular Parents and seeing how famous men of former ages are honoured they might thereby endeavour to imitate them and seeing how their deceased Progreitours
use any hangings yet the hand of the Architect and the pensil of the painter doth supply all other ornaments The Base Courts are very neat and spacious There are also many pleasant Gardens and a River which runneth among the Palaces and yeeldeth them much delight with his windings and turnings There are many artificiall mounts with very rare Beasts and Birds many Gardens made with exquisite diligence and all manner of curiositie There was a certaine King among them who being discontented at the spoile which the winter made in the beauty of the trees depriving them both of leaves and flowers commanded that many artificiall ones should be made with great labour and expence and little satisfaction of the Magistrates who did much blame him The whole fabrique is encompassed with two walls that have foure gates opening to the foure windes East West North and South and this last is the chiefest and maketh a beautifull and sightly facciata or aspect to the Palaces At every gate there stand every night five Elephants which are not bred in that Countrie but come from other parts with their Souldiers belonging to them and the whole wall round about is guarded with Souldiers Within the said Gates there is a Court able to containe 30000 Persons and there standeth alwaies a Guard of 30000 men At the uper end of this Court there are five Gates which lead into a very large Hal of the Palace in the midst whereof is placed a Royal Throne which standeth empty and is called The Throne of courtesies because all they who go out do make their reverence to it as you shall hear anone As for the Women there is only one of them which is the Kings true wife and hath the name of Hoam Heu which signifieth Empresse and is acknowledged for such having her seate behind that of the Kings There are also other six Women who have the title of Queens and are also much respected In the Palaces of Nankim which because they are empty are more easie to be seen there is a Royall Throne raised upon severall steps and a cloth of state over it with two Royall seates one for the King and the other for the Queen And lower behind that there stand six three on the one side and three on the other for the six Queens The King hath thirty Women more who are all much honoured and respected The other Ladies of the Palace who as they say are about 3000 in number have their Appartments in the foure Palaces above-said and are beautifull Damsels sought out on purpose through the whole Kingdome To these the King goeth when he pleaseth and to which of them liketh him best The present King hath the reputation to be chaste and they use to say of him Puycu Cum that is he goeth not to the Palaces There have been formerly other Kings like to him in this who are much commended in their histories as on the contrary others who are much blamed such was one of them whose beastial appetite not being able to determine to what Palace or to what part of it he should go used in this irresolution to suffer himself to be lead and guided by beasts that is he had a little chariot drawn with Goates in which he rid to the Palaces and wheresoever they entred or stopped thither he went in Another to save himself the labour of going to the Palaces caused Pictures to be drawn of every Ladie and according as he fancied each Picture he sent for the originall to be brought to him leaving the beauty of each of them in the power of the Painter she being still made the fayrest whom he favoured most or from whom he received the best Present But concerning the Kings children if the Empresse and true wife of the King hath a sonne at what time soever he be borne he taketh place of the rest but if shee have none the first sonne of any of his women whatsoever taketh place although the King desire that another should have the precedency So it happened to Vamlie who although he had none by his lawful wife the Empresse yet had two sonnes one by a waiting maid which was the eldest and another younger sonne by one of the Queenes his Concubines which sonne he loved very much and by reason of the particular affection he bore him would by all means leave him the Kingdom saying That by reason he had no Sonne by his lawfull wife the succession was not due by right to any of the rest but that it belonged to him to elect which of them he pleased and because the elder was the Sonne of a servant he chose rather to leave the Kingdome to the other notwithstanding the Officers of the Court did very stoutly oppose him saying That since he had had commerce with that servant she was enobled by a superiour law and that her sonne being the eldest he ought not to lose the rights and priviledge of his birth There happened upon this a Tragedy with severall acts of discontent For the King persisted to carry on his intention and the Officers in resisting him whereupon many lost their offices the King taking them away others left theirs of their owne accord and having laid downe the ensignes of their dignity hung them up at the gate of the Palace and departed to their own houses despising at once the honour profit dignity and revenue of their places only for the defence of reason and of the laws and customs of the Kingdom A courage worthy to be imitated in divine affaires at least if not in all secular causes At length the King being no longer able to contrast was forced besides his wont to hold a Royall Audience and taking his eldest sonne now as Prince placed him next behinde him and shewing him to the Mandarines he recommends unto them the care of the publick peace and quiet without doores assuring them that within the Palace all was quiet and that Thai Cham that was the name of the present Prince should succeed him without fayle in the Kingdom as in effect it fell out So prevalent is reason and the constancy of Counsellours even against the most powerful Kings Among the Domesticks of the Palace the Eunuchs make the greatest number In the year 1626. there were reckoned to be 12000. of them and for the most part their number is very little greater or lesse They are all distributed into their Palaces Colledges Classes Tribunals and Occupations So that within the Royall Palace there are as many Tribunals to decide causes as there are without not to speak of the women who have their justice apart there being among them some who are appointed to governe and judge the rest and to decide their differences as also to condemne and punish them and this no more than is necessary The first and principall Colledge of the Eunuchs is called Su Li Kien and consisteth of the great Secretaria of purity of the chancery within the Palace and of many
long this Ceremonie might be excused if it were not that they will keep up an old custome The Kings Garments differ not in fashion from those of the rest but in the stuffe which is very rich and in certaine Dragons which are woven and embroydered in them and no other Persons may weare them but only the King and those that are of kin to him as the Princes of the Bloud and particularly the women and the Eunuchs of the Kings family but with some distinction The colour is yellow not but that other colours may be worne in the Palace for they weare light colours of all sorts but yellow is so proper to the King and to all that he wears that none else may use it CHAP. 23. How the Kings of China are Married AT that time when there were several Kings and Lords in China they tooke one anothers daughters for Wives as they do in Europe But they being at an end and the Monarchy reduced under one only Lord and he being never to take a wife out of the Kingdom it is necessary that he marry a daughter of one of his subjects Persons of Quality will not give him their daughters for he being to see them whether he likes them or no and they being to be turned off if they please him not no person of any Quality will shew his daughter because she may be refused after she is seen especially by reason that the sight and triall of them is to passe further then to what is seen in the outward frontispiece They do not nor may not marry with their kindred though in never so remote a degree and therefore there is sought through the whole Kingdom a Damsell of twelve or fourteen years of age of a perfect beauty of good naturall parts and well inclined to those vertues which are required in a Queen in the same manner as in ancient times the Shunamite was sought out for David and Esther for Ahassuerus and this is done without exception of persons whence for the most part the Queen is the daughter of some Artizan When they have found out such a one as they looked for they consigne her to two ancient Matrons who see that which all may not see and if they finde no displeasing marke or deformity about her body they make her runne to put her in a sweat that they may examine whether there be any unpleasing smell from it when these Matrons are satisfied with the diligence they have used she is brought to Court with a great traine of women and men servants and with an equipage becoming a person who from hence forward doth appertaine to the King to whom she is presented in his Palace who after he hath ended his complements he giveth her to the Prince for a wife and this is afterwards the true Queen Within the Palace they appoynt to waite on her vertuous women of prudence and understanding that they may instruct her as well in vertue as in complements and the stile of the Palace endeavouring to breed her in such manner that she may deserve the name of a Queen whom they commonly call Que Mu that is Mother of the Kingdom And as their Histories relate there have been many of these of great worth and merit They are very commonly devoute and charitable and many of them have been prudent and vertuous Such was one of them who being the daughter of a Mason after she came to be Queen she kept always by her an Iron Trewell and when the Prince her Sonne upon any occasion behaved himselfe more haughtily than became him she sent to shew him that Instrument with which his Grandfather used to lay stones for his living by which means she reduced him to his Devoir In old times when Kings took it in good part to be reproved for their errours King Yù had a Colao who at the Royall Audience would tel him his faults without any indulgence One day whether the King had given more cause or that the excesse was on the Colaos part the Audience being ended the King returned into the Palace very much offended saying He would cut off the head of that impertinent fellow The Queen asked him the cause of his displeasure the King answered There is an unmannerly Clown that never ceaseth to tel me of my faults and that publickly I am resolved to send one to take off his head The Queen tooke no notice of it but retired to her Appartment and put on a particular garment proper only for feastivalls and visits and in this habit she came to the King who wondring at it asked her the cause of this Novelty The Queen answered Sir I come to wish your Majesty much joy Of what replied the King That you have a subject said she that feareth not to tell you your faults to your face seeing that a subjects confidence in speaking fo boldly must needs be founded upon the opinion he hath of the vertue and greatnesse of his Princes minde that can endure to hear him There have been many other like to this Queen The kindred of the Maiden are presently exalted to honours and employments The family is already accounted rich and honourable and by how much more the Queen gaineth favour within they without are so much the more advanced The rest of the Kings Sonnes are maâ—ried after the same manner only they do not use so much diligence and caution in finding out the bride but for the most part she is sought for and found in the Court it selfe But the manner of marrying the daughters is very different There are twelve young men sought out of the age of 17 or 18 years the lustiest and the handsomest they can finde these are brought into the Palace to a place where the Princesse may see them and not be seen and when she hath well considered them she selecteth two of them These are presented to the King who chuseth which of them he liketh best to be his Sonne-in-low Vamlie the Grandfather of the present King upon the like occasion seeing one of the two young men presented to him very well cloathed and the other though neat yet poorly habited asked him what was the reason he was not so well cloathed as the other The youth answered Sir my father is poore and cannot afford it me Then replied the King I will have you that are the poorest for my Sonne-in-law and being thus chosen he did afterward carry himselfe worthy of commendations And truly a youth ought not to be ashamed of his povertie nor a King for having chosen a poore man The rest are sent home againe but are accounted Noble ever after for having had the honour to be admitted to that election Presently two Mandarines of the most considerable in the Court are appoynted for Tutours unto these Fum Ma so they call the Kings Sonne-in-laws to instruct them in learning manners and Courtly behaviour c. He is obliged every day to make the foure ordinary reverences upon
his knees to his wife till she hath brought him a child assoone as she is delivered this obligation ceaseth although there are still a great many other constraints and inconveniences upon them which is the reason that no man of Qualitie will be the Kings Sonne-in-law For this reason the usuall custome of chusing twelve is now left off and if the King do earnestly invite any person of Qualitie or Litterato of reputation to be his Sonne-in-law as it hath sometimes fallen out he excuseth himselfe with all the skill and friends he hath for if the Princesse take a dislike against her husband as it often happeneth she gives him affliction enough for all his life CHAP. 24. Of the Nobilitie of China THe Nobilitie of China at this day is much changed from what it was anciently when by reason there were many Kings and Soveraigne Lords they matched into one anothers families and the Kings themselves made many noble men whom they used to employ as also their neerest kinsmen in charges and governments of the greatest importance and by this means their families continued on foot for many years At this day the most of the Nobilitie have been raised by their learning to the highest honours from a low condition many of them having been the Sonnes of Artizans and Handicrafts-men as also for want of learning their families decline and grow againe into povertie so that it is rare thing to see a family last to the fift generation for as the first beginners being forced by necessitie and stirred up by a desire to advance themselves study and take paines to obtaine their degrees and consequently Governments and other Preheminences So the rest who follow and are borne rich and bred up in delights and wantonnesse suffer themselves to be carried away with the pleasures of living high and the vices which accompany it study little and spend much so that in a short time they finde themselves reduced to the first condition of their Ancestours Notwithstanding there is some shadow and resemblance left of the ancient Nobilitie and it may be reduced to five orders not mentioning those common people who are of no account The first Nobilitie is of the King Prince the Kings Children and the Royall family which is preserved in this manner The Prince succeedeth his father in manner above-said To his Younger Sonnes the King assigneth a habitation out of the Court in such a Province or City as shall seem best to him with Palaces Furniture and Servants suitable to his high qualitie and lands and revenues which he purchaseth for him in the same place as also a competent pension out of the Kings exchequer He that dwelt in the Province of Xensi where I lived for sometime had as I was informed 360000 Crownes per annum and the title of a King conferied on him and all the Officers of the Province were obliged to pay him respect suitable to his Title whence every first and fifteenth day of the Moone they went to do him reverence in like manner as is done at Court to the King there being nothing wanting to him to make him an absolute King but only Authority and Jurisdiction of which he had nothing at all neither over the people nor in the government the King reserving all that to himselfe neither hath he libertie to go out of the City and Territorie where he hath his residence The Eldest Sonne succeedeth his Father in his estate and goods the rest marry and make severall Families which stil grow lesser although they be great and the King giveth them an allowance competent for them and as they are removed still to a further degree from the Kings bloud so likewise their pension diminisheth till it cometh to fourescore Crowns a yeare and there it stoppeth there being none so remote from the Royall Stemme that hath not at the least this Revenue Yet neverthelesse all this is to be understood only if those that are descended from him have certaine conditions that are required of them for if these be wanting they have nothing given them at all The First condition is that they be Males for if they be Females there is no account made of them and the Father marrieth them to whom and when he will but not to Princes of the bloud neither may the Sonnes marry but with Women of other Families and he is to marry them at his own expences The Second condition is that the Sonne be lawfully begotten on the true wife not only bastards being excluded but also the Sonnes of their concubines if they have any The Third is that assoon as his Sonne is borne he do give a memorial to the King to give him a name which is to be registred in the roll The Fourth is that having attained the age of 14 yeares he give another memoriall to the King praying him to give order that he may receive halfe his pension which he after receiveth every year at set times The Fifth that when he cometh to age to be married there be another memoriall given to the King wherein is required leave for him to marry and then he receiveth the whole pension which is assigned him These are the Princes of the Bloud descended from the King by a right male line These are not to live in the two Courts of Pekim and Nankim nor in all the Provinces indifferently but only in some certaine places and are so numerous that they are beleeved to amount to 60000 and are all maintained by the King But they have this advantage that they may help themselves by their industrie in buying and selling and playing the Merchants For the government of them and to present their memorialls to the King to decide their controvesies and to punish them if there be cause they have a particular Mandarine that is proper to them But if they have any suits with others who are not of the bloud Royall such causes are under the cognizance of the ordinary justice who may reprove them but hath not the power to punish them but if any of them commit any notable disorder he giveth notice thereof to the King who for such occasions hath a Castle in the Province of Kiamsi encompassed with a very high wall whither he confineth them during life The Second Order of Nobilitie is of the Titulati or Noblemen that have Titles conferred upon them who notwithstanding are but the shadow of what they were in former times These are divided into foure orders The First they call Quecum a new Title and are only foure Families who were raised by the King Humvu and are descended from foure valiant Captaines who served the said King against the Tartars They are as it were Dukes and Captaines-Generall of the Militia and do assist in that Qualitie at certaine military actions of great importance when they are done in the Cities where they inhabit but they never go to the war The Second are Heus The Third Pe. The Fourth Chi Ho Ei
divided into little squares it is fastened before if the Girdle be rich with large Buckles of Gold or Silver some weare them nine inches broad There are nine sorts of Buckels that is of Bufalo of Rhinoceros horne of Ivory of Tortoise-shell of Lignum Aquilae of Calambu of Silver Gold and precious stones Every one may not wear them indifferently according to their Fancies but suitable to the qualitie of the Office which he beareth The last Girdle which is of a precious stone called Yu Xe is given by the King himselfe to the Colai when they enter into their Office nor is any other suffered to weare it The Boots which they call Hive are not ordinarie but of a certaine particular make They are all black and turned down The Vest or Gowne is worne over their ordinary habit and is in all of the same fashion It is large loose and very becoming The colour is at their own choise but for the most part it is modest but on Feastivall daies it is Crimson These are the Ensignes of the Magistrates when ever they appear in publick for at home they leave them off and wear only the ordinarie habit of the Litterati and in the same manner they go among their friends to Banquets and places of recreation especially in hot weather Their externall Ensignes when they go abroad are the Sedan or Litter inlaid with Ivory and richly gilded all open without any cover at top to the end they may be the better seen There are some of them carried by two men others by foure others by six and some by eight according to the qualitie of the Mandarine When there are six or eight men only foure do carry the Sedan the others go by on each side and take their turnes The traine which followeth after them is more or lesse according to the dignitie of the Magistrate those of the greatest Qualitie cause two men to march before them at a great distance with a round staffe in the hands of each of something more than a mans length only for terrour for the king only may strike with a round staffe and all the way they go they make a cry Then follow two men bearing two Tablets silvered over whereon is written in great letters the Title of his dignitie then come foure or six more trayling after them cudgells made of a great tree called Bambu wherewith they are wont in those Countries to give the Bastinado to Delinquents then follow others with chaines in their hands and other instruments of Torture A little before the Sedan there marcheth one with an Umbrella or Sun-skreen and sometimes two they are made of silke and are as bigge as three of ours Close by the Sedan on one side is carried a great gilded fanne so bigge that a man is hardly able to beare it with which the Sun is kept off from him for the Umbrellas serve only for shew and Parade Immediatly before the Sedan is carried the Kings seale in a gilded Coffer placed upon a Machine like to that which we use in our Countries to carry the Images and Reliques of Saints upon in procession under a cloath of state borne up with foure small pillars This is carried by two men Behind the Sedan follow the Pages and other people both on horse and foot When he goeth through the street if there be any thing unseemly at the windowes as cloathes hanged out a drying or such like things presently they are taken in if they meet with any Beers or Hearses such as the dead are carried to buriall withall they overturne them to the ground people of Qualitie turne downe some other street to avoyd meeting of them they that are on horse-back alight they that are carried in chaires are set downe the people set themselves in ranke on both sides the way If it be a great Mandarine the multitude that stand looking upon him keep a profound silence In the meane while he sitteth in his chaire with so much gravity and composure of body that he doth not so much as move his eyes for to but looke on one side or other would in them be esteemed a notable fault When they make their first entrie into any City or Towne besides the traine which is appoynted to accompany them all the way they go and the Souldiers which guard them through the Townes and Cities where they passe and the Officers of their owne Tribunal who go many daies journyes off to receive them and the Souldiers of his owne Government who go out many miles to meet them and all the inferiour Mandarines who go out of the City to congratulate them at the gates of the Towne or City stand all the old men of that place in great number with their reverend white beards who on their knees bid him welcome in the name of the people The Mothers and wives of the Officers as their Sonnes or Husbands are preferred and advanced to higher offices and dignities are appointed by the King certaine honourable distinctions in their habit as also Titles whereby they are called such as are among us your Honour and your Excellency not that they are the same but that they have some resemblance more or lesse When any one of the most Eminent Officers die the King sendeth away post a Mandarine of the Court to solemnize his funeralls and this not only to the confines of the Kingdom but even out of it as to the Island of Hainam as it happened in the year 1617 at what time I spake with him who was sent hether by the King only for that purpose The King also after his death bestoweth the office of a Mandarine upon his Sonne or Nephew and if the deceased person be a Colao he bestoweth the like honour upon all his Sonnes or Nephewes who if they give a good Testimony of their abilitie in their Government are advanced yet higher and come to be Governours of Cityes The Palaces where they inhabit are large convenient and stately their Tribunals where they do Justice are magnificently adorned and attended by great store of Officers In the City of Nankim beside many others there are five Tribunals foure of the foure windes for so they call them and they are accordingly placed in the City toward the North toward the South c. The fift is in the middle of the City yet are they inferiour Tribunals for every one hath a President and two Collaterals and the President is no more than a Doctour and the two Collaterals are either simple Batchelers or else raised from the office of Notarie It is true that in small and ordinary causes these are the hands and feet of the Mandarines being faithfull and diligent executers of whatsoever they command them There are in every one of these Tribunals more than 300 men who serve them as Notaries Clerks and Serjeants some to apprehend men others to whip them others to carry letters and writings and such other Commissions but they do not
for it The Third is that the Mandarines in treating with the subjects are very warie and circumspect never discoursing nor treating in secret with any but alwayes publickly so that every one may be witnesse to what they say Their Palaces are alwayes kept shut within without After they have given audience which they do constantly every day many times both morning and evening for there is alwayes someting to do they retire and the Palace is shut within for the Mandarines and without for the Officers And although the gates are opened as often as he hath a mind to go abroad yet it is never done secretly but one beateth a drumme within to whom another answereth without and presently the Officers and other people who are to accompany him come together assoon as they are all assembled the gates of the Palace are opened the Mandarine cometh out The Fourth is that no person of their house whether they be Sonnes Cousins or Servants that dwell with them may go out to visit converse or treat of any businesse for fear least they should receive any bribe or present The Pourveyour or Caterour dwelleth without and is of the same Tribunall as well as the rest of the Officers and hath every day given him in writing what he is to buy And because it is not convenient that the gates of the Palace should be opened upon every small occasion they have all turning wheeles by which they receive in and send out whatsoever there is occasion for The Fifth is that they govern only three years in one place by which meanes they are prevented from establishing themselves too strongly and from contracting any streight alliances or friendships None governeth in his own Countrie except the Captains who are presumed when there is occasion will defend and preserve their own Countrie with greater affections and endeavours than strangers The Sixth it that among the Mandarines there is a great subordination of some to others The inferiours with all reverence and obedience respect their Superiours and also visit them courteously and at certain set times do make them presents The Seventh is that there is a strict watch kept over the Government For besides the Tauli and Quoli whose office it is to inform themselves of whatsoever passeth and accordingly to give advice thereof to the King every Province hath a Visitour not for many years but a new one every year to the end he might do his Office more exactly and that he might either chastise or give notice to the King of such as do not comply with their duty according to their obligation The Eighth is that every three years there is a general visitation held upon all the Mandarines of the Kingdome partly by meanes of the information of the Visitours and partly by private inquisition and it is held the same year wherein from all parts of the Kingdome the Mandarines go to render obedience to the King in Pekim and so the execution of this review is done at the Court it self by chastising some abasing others and taking their offices away The principall causes for which they are punished are these following First if they sell justice by receiving bribes these lose their Offices and are sent home to their houses The Second is if they be rigorous and cruell punishing men beyond all humanitie these lose both their Office and honour and are put into the ranck of the common people The Third is if they be negligent or carelesse in their government they lose their Office but retain still the Ensignes of their dignitie The Fourth is if they be hastie and precipitate and not deliberate enough in giving their judgment these are abased to lower Offices as from a Governour to a Judge and the like The Fifth is if they be too young and their Actions light and Iuvenile these are likewise degraded and employed in lower charges The sixt if they be old and have not strength to undergo the paines requisite in their audiences and other services of the King they give them their Quietus est and send them to take their ease at their own houses And although this be not a fault but only a failing of nature yet it is the worst of all because they not being able to remedie the incommodities of their old age this defect stil encreaseth upon them by time and they are by consequence made uncapable of returne to their Offices The Seaventh is if they be carelesse in the conduct and government of their house and Familie whither it be that where they actually dwell or that which is in their own Country which is governed also by their order to which both their servants kindred and sonnes do yeeld an exact obedience which is not hard for them to obtain by reason of their great authoritie these likewise lose their Office The Ninth thing which much facilitateth good government is that the Kings will hear the Mandarines speak although it be in a businesse that is displeasing to them and the Mandarines will freely speak to them although it be with some hazard to themselves so that both the one and the other are much to be admired In the Mandarines their liberty in advising And in the Kings their facility in hearing In the Mandarines their zeale to justice and good government And in the Kings their sinceritie and desire to settle and establish it They have many examples of this in their Historie and I am willing to set down two or three of them From a certain Province there was sent unto the King a damsell of a rare beautie and incomparable features Now his predecessour had been formerly intrigued and engaged in the like occasion very great dammages had resulted thereby unto the Kingdome for such like persons are seldome causes of much good and the same inconveniences were feared at present A Colao undertook the businesse and resolved to speak to the King about it he was admitted and spake with so much efficacy and perswasion that the King told him that assoon as she was brought to the Palace she should be dismised and sent away Sir replyed the Mandarine your Majesty would do well to command her to be sent away suddenly immediatly for if she once enter into your house and that you have seen her and heard her speak your hands will tremble for women have the power to enchaunt without witch-craft neither will I go out at one gate of the Palace till she be first sent away at another The which was accordingly put in execution There was a King so taken with the love of Birds that he caused the most curious and beautifull Birds to be sought for through the woods of the whole Kingdome and as the Kings will is like the primum mobile in giving motion to the hands of his subjects this search was put in execution with great labour and oppression of the people especially of one Province where this chase was continually made by many insomuch
did but laugh at him for his pains In the mean time there arrived at Nankim that lay-brother who was sent from Father Longobardus to assist the prisoners and Christians there where he found Ignatius Hya a learned man a good Christian and kinsman of Dr. Leo who was sent thither from Cauxeu to cause an Apologie which the Dr. had written to be printed and dispersed in that Court This lay-brother undertooke the care of the presse and having chosen out Six Christians of the Art he carried on the worke in a private garden that belonged to one of them The uncle of this Christian to whom the garden belonged wherein the presse was having counselled them in vain to desist by reason of the danger they put him in went and discovered it to Xin who gave him a good gratuity for his news and that night sent Officers who tooke them all and brought them before Xin who was very joyfull to have found this new occasion of traversing the Fathers They were sent to prison and shortly after carryed before that Tauli who was a kinsman of Xin who having read the Apologie and understood the cause finding nothing in it to lay hold upon to free himselfe of the trouble sent them to another Tauli who imitating the first sent them before another great Mandarine who having heard the cause said they were not guilty of any thing and to conclude the businesse gave his sentence in writing That those men ought in justice to be set at libertie but if they were to have any chastisement he thought fifteen Bastinadoes to the chiefe of them would be sufficient and that his opinion was they ought to be set at liberty without being â—ent any more to any other Tribunall neverthelesse he remanded them back to Xin out of the respect he bore to his great office fully perswading himselfe that he would set them at libertie When Xin heard the sentence he was ready to burst with rage and anger but not knowing how to help it for the present he sent them to prison to Father Vagnone after he had caused fifteen Bastinadoes to be given the poore brother in so cruell a manner that he was in great pain and misery I will not stand now to recount the villanies and outrages which they suffered whilest they were remanded from one Tribunall to another that tempest of Cuffes Kicks Thrusts boxes of the eare spitting upon dirt throwing in their faces pulling of the haire of their heads and beards and other insolencies which use to be done there to poore prisoners when the mony floweth not largely to the Officers as it happened to these poore Christians leaving all to the consideration of the pious Reader After this they were sent by Xin to the Mandarines of his Tribunall to be examined the examination lasted six houres upon these Articles What law is this law of yours How came you into China How do your professours live How do they maintain themselves What Government have they What commerce with Macao and the Fathers of that place But at length the examination was ended without torments by means of a Mandarine who was a Countriman of Dr. Paul and Dr. Iohn from whom he had received letters in favour of us Xin was highly enraged at this and having sharply reproved the Mandarine he removed the cause from that Tribunall and sent it to a higher Court desiring the Tauli thereof to put on rigour in such a cause as this was They were examined by him for a little while and having pardoned the rest he commanded twenty stripes to be given to Vu Paul who was owner of the Garden and twenty more to the Lay-brother whose wounds were not yet healed which he had received by the other fifteen stripes and so sent them to Xin who not contented with these torments sent them again to the Mandarines of his own Tribunall where they were examined a new and for the Satisfaction of Xin were racked after that manner which we have described when we spake of the torments among the Chinesses to make them confesse that which they knew not These valiant Christians were very ill handled by these tormentours not having any crime to confesse they were accused to have perswaded several Women to turne christians assisting therein Father Vagnone wherefore by a new Sentence they were all Bastinadoed in the manner above-said except a very old man and two of the Printers who were Gentiles But seeing the Lay-Brother and Vu Paul so torne and wounded with the Stripes they had received they gave over and sent them back to Prison They being cured and healed there by Father Vagnone as well as he could possible in that misery and poverty he was in fifteen dayes after they were brought again before Xin who examining them very particularly said to the Brother What kind of Law is that of yours which holdeth forth for a God a man who was executed for a Malefactour Whereupon the Brother took occasion with a great deale of Spirit to open the Mystery of the Incarnation to him The Tyrant would not endure that liberty of speech but to take off his promptnesse commanded there should be twenty stripes given him and as his former wounds were not quite healed he endured an incredible pain in having them opened again with new blowes which were laid on so lustily that the bloud spurted as farre as where Xin sate by which being as it were more inflamed he grew out-ragious against the young man whom he beleeved to have brought the Apology of Doctour Paul from Pekim which although it were false yet that he might not discover the true bringer he under-went willingly a furious load of stripes for the love of Christ and for his Holy Faith After this they were led through the City to the Prison which was three miles off whither notwithstanding the Brother was carried upon a board being of himself not able to move The courage and desire of these Valiant Confessours grew still the stronger by how much these torments had weakned their Body They had no other regret but that they had not lost their lives together with their bloud and so in the healing of their wounds which being almost frozen by reason of the extraordinary cold required new cuttings and incisions from the hands of those unskilfull Surgeons of the Prison they rejoyced in those new torments which they suffered in so glorious a cause All the sorrow and trouble fell to the lot of Xin who still thirsting after Christian bloud remitted the cause of these Prisoners to the judge criminall But the successe fell out contrary to his expectation for that Judge after he had conferred with Xon Xu the President of his Tribunall concerning the enditement of these Prisoners pronounced them innocent but that neverthelesse they were to expect what the Kings pleasure would be concerning them In the meane time he gave them good words and sent them back to Prison but after five dayes he set them
First therefore the Prefects or Governours did abuse the Merchant Tartars of Niuche when they came into Leaotung which is a Province confines next to them Then again when the King of Niuche would have married his Daughter to another King of the Tartars they hindred this marriage by representing some pretended reasons of State And finally when the King of Niuche suspected nothing from them he conceived his friends they took him by deceit and killed him perfidiously Wherefore to revenge these injuries the Kings Son gathered a strong Army and taking his time found meanes to get over the great Wall I mentioned and the great River being frozen he presently set upon the great City Kaiyven or as others call it Taxum which lies upon the Confines of Tartary which he took in the year MDCXVI From this City he writ a Letter in Tartarian Characters to the Emperour of China which though writ in Barbarian Characters yet contained nothing Barbarous By this Letter which he sent by one of their Indian Priests whom they call Lama in a very humble and submissive manner he declared to him that he had invaded his Country to revenge the injuries he had received from the Governours of the neighbouring Provinces But yet that he was ready to restore the City he had taken and depose his Armes if his complaints might be heard and satisfaction given him The Emperour of China called Vanley having received this Letter though otherwise of an eminent wisdome and of as great experience yet being now broken with Age in this businesse seems to have proceeded with lesse Prudence than that which accompanied the former Actions of his life For thinking it not to be a business of that moment as that it deserved to be treated before him in his own Court he remitted it to the chief Governours and Commanders And these men puffed up with their usuall pride thought it not fit so much as to give an answer to the Barbarian King but resented it very highly that he durst be so bold as to complain to the Emperor of any injury received The Tartarian King seeing they vouchsafed no answer to his just demands turning his anger into rage vowed to celebrate his Fathers Funerals with the lives of two hundred Thousand of the Inhabitants of China For it is the custome of the Tartars when any man of quality dyeth to cast into that fire which consumes the dead Corps as many Servants Women and Horses with bows and Arrows as may be fit to atend and serve them in the next life Though now since they conquered China they have left off this Barbarous custome being reprehended and corrected for it by the Chinesses themselves After this superstitious Vow advancing his revenging Armes he besieged Leaotung which was the chief City of the Province of Leaoyang with 50000. men But the City was defended by exceeding many men who generally were all armed with Musquets The Tartars had nothing but their Scymetars with Bows and Arrows which they discharge with strange Dexterity and Art But because they chiefly feared the musquet bullets they resolved by a Stratagem to make that unknown Instrument lesse hurtfull to them than their enemies did imagin For the Tartarian King commanded such as made the first on-set to carry a thick hard board for their Shield which was as good to them as a wooden Wall these men were seconded by other Companies who carried Ladders to climb up the Walls and the Horse came up in the Rear In this manner he set upon the City in foure quarters and received the discharge of their Musquets against his wooden wall Then in a moment the scaling-ladders being applied before they could charge again they were upon the Walls and entred the City for such is the quicknesse and nimblenesse of the Tartars in which they excell all Nations and in which also they place their chief art that in a trice they either prevail in their designs or retire and the little skill the Chinesses had in the use of Musquets was no small hinderance to the warre For the Tartars quicknesse and nimblenesse not giving them time to charge again being astonished with the sudden inundation of armed men they presently fled which way soever they could but being pursued by the swift Tartarian Horse most of them perished in the taking of this great City This City being taken the Tartar like a Torrent over-run many others of lesse note but amongst others he took that Noble City Evamgning and overrunning most speedily the whole Country of Leaotung he entred the Province of Pekin and comming within seven Leagues of the very Imperiall City He durst not advance fearing the Enemy might compasse or surround him because he heard that a world of men came in to help their distressed Prince But the Tartar struck such a terrour into the hearts of all the Countries he had passed as both Souldier and Citizen quitting their Houses left the empty walls to the Tartarians possession knowing the Tartar to have that custom and practise to destroy and put all to fire and sword that did resist and only pillage the Cities that submitted leaving the Citizens alive and treating them courteously By which meanes having collected a world of riches he returned to Leaotung victorious And because his South-sayers had perswaded him that the standing of the old Walls were unfortunate he beat them down and compassed it about with new fortifying them with new Munitions and there proclamed himself Emperour of China For although as yet he had taken nothing of China but only the skirts of the Eastern Country of the Province of Leaotung yet in his hopes aspiring thoughts he had devoured the whole Kingdom wherefore he was called in the China language Theienmingus in the third year of his Reign which was in that of one thousand six hundred and eighteen In this year some in authority about the Emperour Vanley demanded the banishment of the Priests who did then preach the Christian Religion to that Nation But the Emperour who in his heart loved Christanity and those particularly that first planted that Religion amongst them gave no eare for a long while to their demands But at length overcome by the importunity of a chief Commander who had ever been a sore Enemy to Christian Religion and was called Xinchio it was ordained and proclamed that all those Fathers that did propagate Christan Religion should be banished the Kingdome Upon which some of them were secretly concealed in severall Provinces by some Christian Governours others being taken were carried in great Cages to Macao wherein being shut up day and night they suffered extreamly whilst others also being whipt out of the Country rejoyced to undergoe something for his sake whose name they bore but that which added more affliction to all these miseries was the Emperour Vanley's Prohibition to all his to professe Christian Religion But upon this occasion the Christians
antiquitatibus ejus disquisitione Authore Iacobo Waraeo Eq. Aurato Octavo By whom also all sorts of Books brought from beyond the Seas are to be sold. FINIS The true Effigies of F. Aluarez Semedo Procurator of y e Prouinces of Iapan China Tho Cross fecit See a larger discourse of the ordering of this leafe and of the many vertues of the drink in the voyage and missions of Alexanderd Rhodes printed at Paris 1653. 1 part 13 cap. it s called also Tay. See the Syriack inscription explained by Kirkes in his Prodrom Copt cap. 3. pag. 73. See another Translation somewhat differing from this in Kirchers Prodrom Copt cap. 3 pag. 53. The Tartars were ancient Enemies to China Who are the Tartars The Tartars conquered China heretofore Tamberlain never tooke China The Tartars Emperours of China A great Gaâ—ison upon the Wall against the Tartars A long Peace in China The Tartars think of invading China The first cause of the Tartarian war The second cause The third cause The first irruption of the Tartars into China The Tartars Protestation against China The Barbâ—rous and superstitious Vow of the Tartarian King The chiefe City of Leaoyang besieged and taken A Stratagem against musquets Many other Cities taken How the Tartars used their conquered Towns The Tartar calls himself Emperour of China An. 1618. God punished China for their persecution of Christians The Tartars return with great Riches The Emperour Vanley dyes Taichangus succeeds and dyes Theinkins is chosen Those of Corea more valiant than the Chineses New preparations against the Tartars The Port of Thiencin very commodious The valiant Amazon of China The first invention of the Christians to advance Christianity The Tartars are cast ouâ— The Tartars make war again They besiege Leaoyang and take it Constancy rewarded by the Enemy The Tartars Habits and Manners The Tartars perfidiousness The valiantest Commander of China The faithfulnesse of the Commanders in China The overthrow of the Tartars Their cruelty The Kings of China and Tartary both died Zungchinius chosen Emperour of China Thienzungus more milde than his Predecessors The Souldiers Insolencies exasperate the Country of Corea The Tartars are bâ—ought into Corea Corea wasted The Fight and slaughter of 3. Armies The Eastern part of Leaotung is under the Tartar The Portugese send succour A crafty Commander of the China Army Mâ—ovenlungâ—â— poisoned The Kings Court besieged The perfidious General killed The Tartars â—orrage all the Country of Peking depart The King of Tartary dies another succeeds Zungteus the new King of Tartary prudent milde Mildenesse and Gentleness to be used in Conquering Nations A barbarous Principle of the Chineses Ignatius the chief Commander of the Christians unjustly killed Ignatius his fidelity Ignatius his Piety He chuses rather to die than either to reign or to serve the Tartars The Theeves in China a chief occasion of its overthrow Severall Theeves They are defeated but not vanquished Famin augments the Theeves And the Emperour his avarice The Commanders aspire to the Empire The names of the chief felons They vex several Provinces They besiege the noble City Caifung An unheard of Famin. The City of Caifung is drowned The General of the Theeves takes the Title of a King He takes the Country of Xensi Calls himself Emperour The Theeves good Government The Prefects Discord was another cause of the ruine of China The Theevs take the Province of Xensi The Emperour of China is troubled The Stratagem of the Theef The Royall City of Peking is taken The Emperour having kild his Daughter hanged himself The Theefs Tyranny and cruelty The Tartars called into China against the Theeves The Theeves fly from the Tartars They carry away the Treasures of the Palace Zungteus King of the Tartars dyes The Tartars refuse to depart China â—â—eir Craft 〈◊〉 Deceiâ— A great company of Tartars enter China The Tartars seise upon the Empire of China Xunchiis crowned the first Emperour of the Tartars 〈◊〉 China The fidelity of the Kings Tutor called Amavangus Vsangueius forced to serve the Tartars It is not known what became of Licungzus The Tartars subdue several Provinces They changed no Laws of the Nation Hungquangus Crowned Emperour in Hanquin The Tartars admit no Peace Zunchinius his Son appears at Nankuing He causes troubles in China The flight of the Chineses The City Yangcheu resisting the Tartar is taken and burnt The Tartars take several places The Emperour Hunquangus is taken and killed The Tartars run to the City Hangcheu King Lovingus love to his Subjects Many of the Kings Souldiers drowned Hangcheu is taken The Chineses defend their Hair The Tartars passe the River and recover the City Xaâ—king The Island of Cheuxan becomes a Kingdom The City of Kinhao is taken and destroyed The Tartars take in Fokien very easily King Lunguus slain The Provinces of Quamgtung is taken A famous Pyrate in China The Tartars deceive the Pyrat and take him prisoner by meer Art The Tartars overthrow Quangsi Iungley made Emperour of China The Heir to the Empire becomes Christian. Theeves infest the Province of Fokien Changus the Commander of the Tartars besieges Kienning in vain It is at length taken and razed How the Tartars dispose their Garrisons Kinus Governour of a Province rebelleth The hatred betwixt the two Prefects disturbs the Country of Kiansi Many places revolt from the Tartar The deceipt of the Governour of Cancheu Kinus besieged by the Tartars Kinus breaks out of the City The City of Nanchang is destroyed Three Kings created with as many Armies against Iungley the Emperour of China Hous riseth against the Tartars The barbarous resolution of a Tartarian Governour The chief City called Sigan is besieged The Tartars insolencies produced great danger Kiangus riseth against the Tartars Kiangus gathers great Forces Kiangus overthrows the Tartars by a stratagem He bears the Tartars again Amavangus himself goes against Kiangus The Tartars Banners The Tartars delight in hunâ—ing Amavangus durst not fight with Kiangus Kiangus is killed Xanchius the Emperour Marries Kengus hangs himself The City of Quangâ—hen is taken and pillaged The Emperour Iungly flyes The Author of the Relation of China The Tartars offer a Church to Christians Corea revolted from the Tartars Amavangus dyeth Changhienchungus a cruel Tyrant He kils divers Princes For one offending he puts all to death His hatred to the people of Suchuen He cuts off a Legion for one mans fault He kils many City Officers And he killed also the Eunuchs For one mans fault he kils twenty thousand He endeavours to take Hanchung He kilâ— 140000 men most cruelly He kils all the Students He kils the Children and exposes the Matrons He kils 600000 in the City Chingtu Many Children Baptized He kils all the Souldiers Wives He burned his Palace in the City of Chingtu The Tyrant is slain The Province of Suchuen is made subject to the Tartars One of the Emperours Uncles is ill received He hangs himself