respect Sina in their Language signifies A most brave and famous Countrey Others opposing will have this Kingdom to derive its Name from the Inhabitants of the City Chincheu because these People drive onely a constant Trade by Sea to most Places of Asia so that the Portugueses and Indians by leaving out the same Letters of the word Chincheu might easily give it the Name of China But those are in a very great Error that will have the word China to be derived from a certain word Cinch which by the Chineses is very much us'd The falseness of this Assertion will clearly appear from hence in that the Chineses who Trade with the Indians or Portugueses to those Places and go with their Ships to India us'd on the score of Civility and kind Respect to Greet each other in their Mothers Tongue not with the Name of Cinch but Sia Now that which appears to me to be a most probable Truth amongst the various Opinions of Writers is that which the Iesuit Martinus Martinii a Man of great Learning and Skill in the Antiquities of China has asserted in the sixth Book of his History of China the words whereof are as follow I shall not says he let this pass unmention'd which seems to me most likely That not onely by the Indians but also by Strangers the Name China took rise and original from the Generation Family or Branch of Cina who Govern'd in China in the 246. Year before the Birth of Christ So that we ought not to call it China but rather The Kingdom of Sinen or Cinen for in the time of those Kings which proceeded from this Branch the Name of Siners was first made known by Strangers and especially by the Indians By the Indians the Name of China afterwards came into use and was followed by the Portugueses after the Conquest of India for this Family of Cina Govern'd over the greatest part of the Siners who lived toward the West and continually had Wars with Foreiners When afterwards the Court or Seat of the Kingdom was Planted there received the Name of The Kingdom of China This Family of Cina being risen to the highest pitch of all Prosperity prov'd after a great Invader of others Territories insomuch that it seems no wonder that Strangers and remote Nations had the Name of Cina so frequent among them And though the Sineses call this farther part of Asia or Cina by several Names according to the Governing Families that happen to change yet however Foreiners do reserve the first Name which they heard And this is my Opinion concerning the Original of the Name Sina and according to this Assertion the first Letter of the word ought to be writ not with an S but with a C. All China was formerly divided by the Chinese Emperor Xunus into 12 Provinces afterwards the Emperor Yva who took upon him the Government after the Death of Xinus about 260 years before the Incarnation of our Saviour reduced all China into nine Provinces which onely at that time comprehended the Northern Parts of China and had for their Confines the River Kiang But after that they had Conquer'd the Southern Parts by degrees and somewhat Civiliz'd the Inhabitants the whole Kingdom of China was divided into 15 Provinces Amongst these also they reckon the Province of Leaotung which is situated on the West of Peking where the great Wall begins and the Hanging-Island of Corea both which pay Tribute to the Emperor There are several other Islands beside which pay also Tribute amongst which the Island Haman is the chiefest lying in the Sea over against the Province of Quangsi Among the Islands which are Tributary to this Kingdom is also accounted the Island Formosa which the Chineses call Lieukieu and situated over against the Province of Foken and also the Island Cheuxan over against the Province of Chekiang a very famous Place for Trading But of this more at large hereafter Six of the 15 Provinces verge upon the Sea as Peking Xantung Kiangnan or Nanking Cheaiang Foking and Quantung From hence toward the North lie the Midland Countries as Quangsi Kiangsi Huquang Honan and Xansi and toward the West the other four Xensi Sucheu Queicheu and Iunnan Lastly this Empire which comprehends 15 Kingdoms is also divided into the South and North-China South-China the Tartars call The Kingdom of Mangin and North-China The Kingdom of Catay In the first are nine Kingdoms and in the last six or eight if you will reckon amongst them the Kingdom of Leaotung and the Hanging-Island of Corea By what has been already said it doth clearly appear how far those are mistaken who write of another Empire beyond China which they call Catay as likewise of several Towns as Quinsey Cambalu and many other Fictions whereas in truth beyond the great Wall no other People live but Tartars who have no fixed Abodes but wander up and down the Countries in Wagons and so travel from Place to Place as may be found at large in the Writings of those who have sufficiently confuted this great Error and Mistake as Virgantius and Martinus Martinii in his Atlas of China Amongst the rest the Iesuits have likewise found by experience that beyond the Empire of China no Monarchy of Catay is to be found insomuch that the same People whom we call Chineses are by the Persians call'd Cataians This same Mistake has been likewise sufficiently and Learnedly confuted with undeniable Arguments by the most Learned Iacob Gool a Person of extraordinary Knowledge in all Arts of Literature and especially in the Oriental Languages and at present Arabick Professor in the University of Leyden in his Appendix to the Atlas of China The Kingdom of China is so inclos'd with several Islands and on the East and South with Seas that it seems almost to be four-square onely two great Mountains thrust themselves out toward the Sea which in the Chinese Language are called Tung The one lies by the Town of Ningpo from whence you may Sail in 40 hours to the Island of Iapan the other great Hill is in the Province of Xantung near to the Town of Tengoheu China situated in the farthest part of Asia borders toward the East South and West upon the great Indian Sea and is call'd Tung by the Chineses which signifies Easterly And on the North it is separated from the Kingdoms of Ninche and Nicolhan by that Famous Wall which was made by those of China against the Invasion of the Tartars Higher up toward the North it has for Frontiers the Kingdom of Taniju and a Wilderness call'd Samo which separates the North side of this China from the Kingdoms of Samahan and Cascar Upon the other Provinces situated toward the South joyn the Kingdoms of Prester-Iohn Geo which by the Chineses are call'd by one common Name Sifan as also Tibet Laos and Mien Likewise China reaches as far as Brangale and to some part of Tartary and the Mountains of Damascus which
9 hundred 49 Pounds of Raw Silk 71 hundred 2 thousand 4 hundred and 36 Rowls of Cloth made of Hemp 36 thousand 7 hundred and 70 Bales of Cottons 1 hundred 91 thousand 7 hundred and 30 Rowls of wrought Silk But the City of Hucheu buys off this Tax yearly for the Sum of 500 thousand Crowns The Provinces bring in likewise 1 Million 7 hundred 94 thousand 2 hundred and 61 Weight of Salt each Weight is to be reckon'd at 1 hundred 24 Pounds amounting in all to 1 hundred 87 Millions 6 hundred 88 thousand 3 hundred 64 Pounds 32 Millions 4 hundred 18 thousand 6 hundred 27 Trusses of Hay and Straw for the Kings Stables beside all other Taxes The other ten Provinces of China I did not see in my Iourney yet however I shall give you an Account of the Taxes which the great and lesser Cities thereof pay yearly to the Emperor their Names are these Zansi the second Province of the fifteen Xensi the third Honan the fifth Sucheu the sixth Huquang the seventh Chekiang the tenth Fokien the eleventh Quangsi the thirteenth Quicheu the fourteenth and Immam the fifteenth The second Kingdom of Zansi THis Province lies Westward of Peking and is neither so large nor populous but more Fruitful and of more Antiquity because if credit may be given to the Historians of China the Chineses derive from hence their first Rise and Original On the North this Province has for Confines the Great Wall which reaches from East to West through the whole Country behind which lies the Kingdom of Tamyn and the Sandy Wilderness of Samo The West side of this Province lies upon the Yellow River which runs from North to South and is separated by the same from the Province of Xensi This Province produces the sweetest and fairest Grapes of all Asia but the Chineses make no Wine of them but onely dry them and so bring them to the Market through all China In this Country of Zansi which is very remarkable and worthy of observation are through the whole Country great store of Fire-Wells even in the same manner as the Water-Wells are in Europe which they use for the dressing of Meat after this manner the Mouth of the Well is stopped very close and onely a place left open to set the Pot upon by which means the Pot boyls without any trouble This Province likewise produces good store of Coal which they dig out of the Hills as in England and at Luyk in the Netherlands which serves the Inhabitants for Fewel who likewise use Stoves in their Houses made after the manner of those in Holland In this Country of Zansi are 5 Capital Cities 92 small Cities and several Forts The 5 Capital Cities are Taiyuen Pingiaen Taitung Lugan and Fuencheu 1. Taiyuen Commands over 20 Cities Taiyuen Tayven Iucu Taco Ki Sinkin Congyven Ciaoching Venxui Loping Che Tingsiang Tai Utai Kiechi Cofan Fan Hing Paote and Hiang 2. Pingiaen Commands over 31 Cities as Pingyaen Siangling Hungtung Feuxan Chaoching Taiping Yoiang Ieching Kioiao Fuensi Pu Lincin Yungho Yxi Vanciuen Hocin Kiai Ganye Hia Venhi Pinglo Iuiching Kiang Yuenkio Ho Kie Hiangning Cie Taning Xeleu and Yangho Among these Pu Kiai Ho Kie and Cie are the chiefest 3. Taiâ—ung Commands over 11 Cities Taitung Hoaigien Hoenyuen Ing Xanin So Maye Guei Quangling Quangchang and Lingkieu whereof Ing So and Guei are the chiefest 4. Lugan Commands over eight Cities Lugan Caeneu Timlieu Siangheng Luching Hâ—quan Liching and Pingxun 5. Fuencheu Commands likewise over eight Cities Fuencheu Hiaoy Pingiao Kiakieu Ningâ—iang Lingxa Inugning and Lin. Beside these great Cities there are three other Corporations in this City as Sin Laao and Ca. These Towns are not much inferior to the Cities and so esteem'd by the Chineses but yet they are not preferred to that Dignity of the Cities though they have a Command over some lesser Towns For the safety of the Ways aud defence of the great Wall there are 14 strong Forts in this Country which are surrounded with strong Walls their Names are these Gueiguen Ieuguei Coguei Maye Vanglin Ianghon Caoxon Tienching Chinlu Cuigyuen Pinglin Chungtun Geutung and Tungxing The Pole or Register-Book of this Province reckons five hundred eighty nine thoâ—sand nine hundred fifty nine Families and five hundred eighty four thousand fifteen Fighting Men. That which this Country pays in Taxes yearly to the Emperor consists of twenty two hundred seventy four thousand and twenty two Bags of Rice fifty Pounds of fine Linnen four thousand seven hundred and seventy Silk-Stuffs four hundred and twenty thousand Weight of Salt and thirty five hundred forty four thousand eight hundred and fifty Bundles of Hay beside several other Taxes The third Kingdom of Xensi AMongst the Northern Dominions is this Xensi which is very great chiefly situated toward the West in 30 Degrees and borders upon the Kingdoms of Prester-Iohn Casker and Tibet which are call'd by one Name in the Chinese Tongue Sifan Westward the Borders extend beyond the Tartar Kingdom of Taniju betwixt which and this Countrey the Great Wall and some Forts make a separation which doth not run through all this Country but onely to the side of the Yellow River The remaining part of this Country situated on the other Bank of the River has no Wall for its defence but dry and barren Sand-fields and the Yellow River and sufficient Fortifications Eastward this Xensi is likewise Bounded with this Yellow River which runs through the Country Southward lie very high Mountains which are as strong Bulwarks and separate this Province from the Provinces of Honan Sucheu and Huquang Want of Rain makes this Country very dry but yet it produces great store of Wheat Barley and Turkish Corn but very little Rice The Beasts feed all Winter upon Corn. It abounds with Sheep and Goats which they shear three times ayear in the Spring in Summer and in Harvest and of the Wooll they make themselves Clothes In this Countrey they make great store of Musk which grows in the Navel of a Beast not much unlike to a young Hind the Flesh whereof the Chineses eat as other Meat When this Deer goes to Rutting the Cod swells like a Boil that is full of Matter which Exuperation consisting of a thin hairy Purse is then taken out with all its precious Stuff by the Natives True it is that all the Purses which are brought to us are not the right and pure Navels for the cunning Chineses know very well when they empty the Purse how to fill up the same again with counterfeit Musk. There is likewise Gold found in this Country which is not fetch'd from the Mines for those the Emperor will not suffer to be opened there being both Gold and Silver Mines but from the sides of Rivers and shallow Waters In this Country are eight Capital Cities a hundred and seven small Cities beside Castles and Forts The eight Capital Cities are these
safety and for the greater splendor having conducted us thus far took leave and went back for Canton but was most nobly Treated by the Ambassadors the Night before We on the other hand made all things ready and set Sail again with fair Wind and Weather but were forc'd to be Tow'd up the River being against the Stream and narrow into which fall several Torrents from the adjacent Hills so that we went but very slowly and that with great labor and trouble which these poor Creatures are fain to undergo Here we saw into what a miserable Condition the Chineses were reduced by the last War of the Tartars who put them upon this slavish labor of Towing and Rowing their Boats using them worse than Beasts at their pleasure without any exception of Persons either young or old Often the track'd ways on the River side are so narrow uneven and steep that if they should slip they would infallibly break their Necks as many times it happens now and then they walk up to the Middle in Water and if any of them grow faint and weary there is one that follows having Charge of the Boat who never leaves beating of them till they go on or die But these poor Creatures are no where so miserably harassed out as in this dangerous and steep mountainous part of Sangwanhab on which account perhaps none will or dare live there for we saw there but one poor despicable Village where some few People dwell whose Countenances sufficiently declar'd what Hardships they underwent The most ancient Greeks and Romans who formerly subdu'd whole Countries never dealt so barbarously by those whom they conquer'd as these unmerciful Tartars who by their cruel usage in this last Invasion have not only laid waste abundance of noble Cities Towns and Villages which are now places for Birds and Beasts to roost in but they have likewise made Slaves of the best of the Natives Upon the 21. of March about Midnight we came with all our Train to Sanyvum The Magistrates of this Place met us on the Way and with their respective Salutes Presented us for the Table which for the reason aforesaid were not accepted This Place is not very large lying about forty Miles distant from Xanxui and was formerly for its Situation potent and populous but in this last War wholly ruin'd by the Tartars who gave the same usage to all such Cities as were not able to withstand them Here we got fresh Track-men our old ones being quite tir'd to draw us up the River against the Stream and Torrents which fall from this wonderful Mountain Sagwanhab The heighth of this Mountain is very observable for the tops thereof are envelop'd with Clouds which makes the Passage at the bottom of the Hill obscure On one side of this prodigious Mountain stands an Idol Temple richly adorn'd and most artificially built to which these poor Creatures resort conceiving all their welfare to consist in Offering to this Idol adoring it as their Preserver 〈…〉 up by Steps to this Temple which stands on that side of the Mountain next the River There are several strange Mountains and Hills found in China but none are to be compar'd with this of Sangwonhab in regard of its Stuation and extraordinary heighth Near to Xunte 〈◊〉 second small City of Canton lies a Mountain call'd Lungnien from wheâ—e runs a Torrent as clear as Crystal Upon this Mountain are found certain rough Stones of strange and wonderful shapes which the Chineses make use of in their way of Trade Near to Tangnon the third small City of Canton lies the Mountain Tahi upon the East-side where lie 36 small Islands Near to this City likewise lies the Mountain Heuteu which serves such Skippers as are bound for the Province of Quantung for a Land-mark Near to Cingyuen the seventh small City of Canton lies a great Mountain call'd Talo which is surrounded with steep and sharp Tops among which lie rich and pleasant Meadows where dwell several wild and unciviliz'd People who oftentimes make Inroads upon the adjacent Places to steal what they can These wild and irregular People live according to their own Laws without any subjection to the Chineses Near to the sixth small City of Canton lies a Mountain call'd Yaimuen From this Mountain the last Emperor of the Race of Sunga after that the Tartars had Conquer'd him and driven him out of the Country flung himself headlong out of despair into the Sea We were three days hovering up and down before we could get from among these strange and solitary Mountains and saw in all that time but one poor Village call'd Quantonlow which lies so lonely that 't is strange how any People durst live in it In some places of this Island between the Hills which is very remarkable lie several pleasant and fruitful Corn-Fields Upon the 24. of March we came to a certain small City call'd Yntag the sixth small City of the second Chief City of the Province of Quantung Here we were necessitated to let fall our Anchor in regard of the violent Stream and the great Torrents which fall from the Hills for those that Tow'd the the Boats being quite spent we were forc'd to give them some rest to recover their Strength again This violent and strong Stream had driven the Vessel of the Ambassadors against a blind Rock which did very much endanger the loss both of Ship and Goods This small City lies very pleasant upon a corner of the River on the right side over against the Mountain Sangwonhab It is fortifi'd with high and indifferent strong Walls and beautifi'd with stately Houses and magnificent Idol Temples surrounded with pleasant Hills delightful in Prospect the Suburbs well and sufficient It was formerly very rich and populous and is provided with a safe Harbor for Vessels against the impetuous Current of this River which is a great protection to them in Stormy Weather passing up and down At the entrance of the Harbor on the right side appears a very high Tower built with great curiosity The next Day being the 25. of March we came in sight of that wonderful and strange Idol Temple call'd Koniansiam which the Chineses hold in great veneration bringing as rich and fat Offerings thither as to that of Sangwonhab It lies on the River side in a solitary wild and mountainous Country your first Approaches conduct you up with convenient Stone Steps after you make your Way through blind Paths and cavernous Passes forc'd with much Art and Industry These Idolaters believing as the ancient Heathen that Groves and high Places were most venerable Mansions and yielding a more reverential Awe to their Gods and less discovering under a Shade their Priests jugling Impostures We continu'd here a while with all our Fleet till the Natives had perform'd their Devotions at this Temple which afterward our Ambassadors visited 'T is incredible to relate with how much superstitious Zeal wanting our true Lights they pour forth there their
Ejaculations and as freely their Bounty offering prodigally their Country Products of all sorts of Fruits Birds and Beasts Upon the 27. of March in the Evening we Landed at a Place call'd by the Chineses Mongley with a most pleasant Prospect at a distance and accommodated with stately Sone Steps conveying you from the Water-side to the Gate entring the City which is vested with high Walls and fortifi'd with tall Bulwarks and Watch-Towers It is wondrous pleasant to view from the Battlements of this City the adjacent Countries thick shrowded with delightful Woods and mantling Pastures In regard our Drudges were quite tir'd out with Towing their Boats against the impetuous Stream we got fresh Yoke-men from hence but we were no sooner under Sail but the Ambassadors Vessel run against a blind Rock under Water which had like to have endanger'd the loss both of Ship and Goods The next Day having pass'd some Villages we came to an Anchor in pleasant Riding where the Mandorin Pinxenton Treated us with their beloved The. It was upon the 29. of March when we came with the remainder of our Fleet before the second Chief City of Xaocheu This City lies about thirty Miles from Yntag upon an Angle near the side of the River In regard of its Situation and safe Harbor of Shipping they have a very great Trade by Navigation Toward the South this River has several Names and is call'd Scian and sometimes Scio and has its Source out of the River Chin and Va which both run into one not far from this City The Place where these two Waters meet is well known by the Chinese Skippers to their sorrow because of the impetuous violence of the Streams and the many blind Rocks which skulk under Water on which in stress of Weather they often suffer Shipwrack The Chineses to avoid this Danger according to their Custom have built here an Idol Temple by the Water-side which is always first visited by such as intend to pass this Way where they offer what they have to be protected in their Voyage by the indulgence of this their favouring God The City lies surrounded on one side with high and delightful Hills and on the East side over the Water has a Suburb which is very populous rich and well built in the middle of the Water stands a Tower artificially built upon a small Rock according to the old fashion of the Chineses That this was formerly a noble City full of stately Buildings the many great Ruines signifie there yet remains an indifferent Wall about it but within nothing but Ruine and a heap of Stones We pitch'd our Tents near unto the Walls where we had a fair Reception by the Magistrates and Governor who brought several Presents for the Ambassadors Table which were accepted by the Ambassadors being not put upon the Emperor's Account After they had Saluted each other and discours'd of several Affairs they were most nobly receiv'd by the Ambassadors who Treated them with so much Respect that they were highly pleas'd and promis'd to requite their Kindness upon all occasions which done they took leave and return'd again to the City In the Morning early we weighed from thence and had not long been under Sail but we drew near a Mountain which the Tartars for its strange shape and form call Five Horses Heads Upon the Pinacles of these Hills which are envelop'd with Clouds we saw here and there several strange as well small as great Edifices standing some of them were entire others decay'd and ruinous built time out of mind But that which seem'd most remarkable was the Situation of those Buildings which were erected upon such high and steep places altogether inaccessible that none could imagine a possible Way for these People to carry up their Materials We were very desirous to have had a nearer view of these Houses and Inhabitants there but we found by experience after some small trial of clambering up that our Attempts were in vain We were no sooner past this Mountain of the Five Horses Heads but we fell among other Rocks and steep Ascents which we made a shift to escape though with great danger the River being full of lurking split Ships lying under Water therefore the Inhabitants call these Rocks The Five ugly Devils At last we got safe to the last Country of Suytjeen where the Mountain of the Five Horses Heads shews it self very wonderfully to the Eye at a distance but much more the tops of the Hills of Suytjeen which stand in such order upon the River as if Art and not Nature had plac'd them there Amongst these Mountains lie several pleasant Vales in most delightful Prospect being well replenish'd with Fruit-Trees and Herbage Upon the fourth of April we came in sight of the famous City of Namhun the third Chief City of this Province and immediately went Ashore This Metropolis lies about forty Miles from Xaocheu and is the outward Frontier of the Province of Quantung which we had thus travers'd from South to North. The Governor and Magistrates of this City having notice of the coming of the Ambassadors sent a Letter full of Complements to assure them of a cordial Welcom Not long after they address'd themselves in Person who after that the Ceremony of Complements had been reciprocally return'd earnestly desir'd of the Governor and Magistrates that good order might be given for the speedy furthering of their Iourney to Peking which they promis'd should be done The Ambassadors to requite their Civilities Treated them nobly for which they return'd their Thanks and having taken their leave went back in the Evening to the City The next day the Ambassadors with all their Followers were invited by the Governor to a most splendid Dinner who sent them his Gentlemen to meet them at the Gate of the City and conduct them to his House where he waited their coming with the rest of the Magistrates and some of the chief Commanders of the Army The Entertainment was every way answerable to the Quality of the Persons as well of the Guests as the Inviters The Governor and the Magistrates sat all at one side of the Table that the Sewers might the better remove the Dishes and Chargers without any disturbance to the Company which were not Serv'd up all at once according to the custom of the Chineses but only two at a Course which was the single Allowance for one Person And when the Steward who waited always at the Governor's Elbow had given the Word every one fell to what he most fancied and when he observ'd a cessation at the first Course he made a Sign and immediately the Dishes were shifted which was done at least sixteen times observing the same order as at first During the Feast there was both Vocal and Instrumental Musick the better to Entertain the Invited to their satisfaction A little before the Banquet was brought in they arose and recreated themselves in the Garden till the Dishes were plac'd and then
for no Trees will grow in this part of the Country They boast likewise of store of Windmills whose Sails are made of Mats The great Product of the Country consists of Rice which the Peasant stands oblig'd to look after very narrowly lest it perish upon the Ground by too much Moisture or too much Heat and Drought so that their Eyes are continually upon the Crop otherwise it suddenly withers to nothing or a small Increase The Windmills therefore are to draw out the Water in a moist Season or to let it in as they think fit to keep their Hopes from burning up in a dry and hot Season so that by this means the Chineses enjoy twice a Year a plentiful Harvest By the Ruines of the Wall and great Edifices this City appears to have been formerly a very famous Place rich and populous but was totally destroy'd in the late War by the Tartars Amongst other Edifices which are yet standing is a most famous Idol-Temple without the Wall on the North-side of the City built after the fashion of the Chineses The Royal Channel runs quite through the Country up to the very Walls by which means they water their Grounds in a dry Season This part of the Country is also full of Draining-Mills to be us'd upon occasion Upon the 28. we came to the famous Sea-Town of Hoaigan which is reckon'd for the eighth Capital City of this Province of Nanking It lies on the East-side of the Royal River about thirty English Miles from Pancien in a flat and Morish Soil through the midst thereof runs a Wall seeming to make two distinct Towns but another Wall which surrounds both Divisions takes away the distinction and renders it one intire City That part which lies toward the South is call'd Hoaigan and the other toward the North-East Yengehing The former of these has stately Suburbs well built and full of People On one side of this City we saw the Fields full of Tombs and Grave-stones In this Capital City the Vice-Roy keeps his Court in great Splendor and State he has full Power over the seven Southerly Provinces and only owns the Emperor for his Supreme Head His Office is to look after the Grand Cham's Revenue consisting chiefly in Provisions of Rice c. which when got in is afterwards Transported to Peking in his Majesties own Vessels On the North-side of the City we saw three great Torrents of Water the first of which and nearest to the River Hoai is very dangerous and by its Inundations has often done great harm To prevent this River from overflowing the adjacent Countries they have rais'd and made two great Sluces with strong Banks on both sides which confine him in his highest Tide In the Suburb of Hoaigan stand two Toll-houses in the one the Custom is paid of all Goods and Merchandises which pass this Way in the other of the Ships which belong to the Subjects and with some part of this Money they maintain their Dikes and Sluces for the defence of the City against the sudden and violent Ruptures of Water Though this City be built upon a Morish Ground yet the Country about it is very fruitful in the product of Rice and Corn The City is well built and full of wealthy Citizens Not far from hence lies a famous Mountain which shoots to the Sky by the Chineses call'd Yocheu upon which stands a stately Temple with Cloysters to Lodge those who daily Offer to the Idol of the Place The Chineses come from several Parts with Presents to this their God suppos'd the Protector and Defender of their Country This Province of Nanking abounds with strange Mountains for in the Country of the second Chief City Fungyang near the seventh small City Xeu upon a Hill call'd Cukin was found a great lump of massie Gold said to be soveraign in several Distempers Some will have it because this Gold cures so many Diseases that Chymists made it In the same Country near to the City of Hintai there is a notable Mountain call'd Moyang and known by the Name of The Shepherdesses Hill because as they say a very fair Virgin formerly kept her Flocks there The whole Country of this Hoaigan has several Rivers running through it and is also replenish'd with many Lakes Amongst other Pools you have here the great Pool of Xeho which toward the North is situated next to the great Indian Sea and waters various Parts of this Country which abounds with Fish Towards the East of the Chief City lies also a great Pool call'd Hung producing great store of Reeds which serve them for Firing Wood being very scarce through the whole Province No sooner were the Ambassadors arriv'd before this Capital City but they sent for Horses Palakins and Litters to go and salute the Vice-Roy and the Magistrates but because the Weather was foul the Governors sent a Messenger to the Ambassadors to thank them for their intended Visit desiring to be excus'd from giving them the like trouble The Mandorine Pinxenton according to his wonted custom gave us a very Noble Dinner upon that Day In the Evening came Father Gascomer a Iesuit who lived in the City to salute the Ambassadors aboard their Vessels and to bid them welcome into those Parts He was very pleasant and civil but did so admire at our arrival as if we had dropt out of the Sky being very inquisitive to know whither we were bound and upon what account we came thither The Ambassadors shew'd themselves courteous and civil to him giving him a handsom Entertainment for his Visit. He seem'd to be a very open-hearted Person and made protestation of a particular Inclination and Affection to our Nation offering the Ambassadors his House if they pleas'd to accept thereof or any other Service he could do them He gave them likewise darkly to understand That upon their Request and Desire of Free Trade in China or any thing else they would meet with great opposition at Peking from the Portuguese who would do their utmost to hinder it as we found afterwards in the Sequel of our Business The Ambassadors were very thankful to this Good Father for his kind and faithful Admonition who thereupon took leave wishing us a prosperous Voyage We staid not long in this City but departed the next day early in the Morning and in our Passage we saw on both sides luxurious Fields well manur'd as likewise a great Company of small Boats lying up and down in this Royal Channel About Sun-set we came to a famous Village call'd Siampu at the entrance whereof lies a very great Sluce through which we past This Village is situated betwixt the Royal Channel and the Yellow River and is of a very great length handsomly adorn'd with Temples and fair Houses on both sides of the Water It has some Privileges belonging to it as also a Toll-house where the Toll-masters appointed by the Emperor reside to receive Toll of all such Goods and Vessels which pass out
of the Yellow River into the Royal Channel or out of the Royal Channel into the Yellow River or such as are brought out of the Province of Honan and other Parts and are carried up higher or lower One of these Toll-masters shew'd himself far more scrupulous than all the rest searching all our Vessels except those two in which the Ambassadors were to see what was in them for he could not believe that they were all laden with Goods belonging only to the Emperor We Lodg'd all Night in this Village and set Sail early in the Morning and came that Night to another Village call'd Neynemiao into which we were let by two great Sluces one after another The Inhabitants told us as indeed appear'd by the Ruines that in this Village formerly stood a great Castle which protected three Rivers as the Yellow River on both sides and the Royal Channel behind it But the Tartars who made it their business to destroy all Inland Places of Strength had likewise pull'd down this Castle We Lodg'd there all Night and the next Day at Sun-rising we set Sail again and came into a part of the great Yellow River which is so thick and muddy that it is scarce passable This River is call'd by some The Saffron from the yellowness of the Water at a distance it seems to be a thick Morish Plash but when you come upon it the swiftness and great force of the Stream declares a running River whose Current hath so much violence that no Boats are able to Sail against the Stream but are Tow'd up by a great number of Bargemen In some places this River is half a Mile broad and in some more but in length it reaches above eight hundred Miles The Chinese Sailors when employ'd here make this Water fit for use and very clear by flinging Allom into it which sinks â—he Mud to the bottom Upon the first of Iune we came to the little Town of Tanjenien which is the fourth small City under the Iurisdiction of the Chief City of Hoaigan It is situate on the side of the Yellow River and fenc'd with a broad strong Earthen or Mud Wall replenish'd with handsom Buildings and full of rich Inhabitants who drive a very great Trade The Country round is very fruitful in the product of Pears Apples Prunes Cherries and the like We bought here some Provisions for the Kitchin at a very reasonable Rate These Parts likewise abound in Quails Pheasants and other sorts of Fowl We made no long stay here but departed before Night and Sail'd at least three Days upon this Yellow River before we came to any considerable Place at last upon the fourth of the same Month we drew near to the small Town of Tsisang situate in a very delightful Soil and at the Foot of a high Hill This Town has no remarkable Buildings nor Walls only one strong Castle but yet of great Trade and has many rich Inhabitants who Traffick much with their Shipping At the entrance into the Town stands a stately Temple upon a steep Summit seen in Prospect at a great distance We saw likewise upon this Yellow River which is continually plow'd with all manner of great and small Vessels not far from the Town several floating Islands which were so artificially contriv'd that the best Artists in Europe would scarcely be able to make the like of the same Stuff being a common Reed which the Portuguese call Bamboes twisted so close together that no Moisture can penetrate Upon these Reeds the Chineses set up Huts and little Houses of Boards and other light Materials in which they live with their Wives and Children as if they had their Dwellings upon the Firm Land Some of these Floating Islands are large enough to contain at least 200 Families and those that live in them subsist for the most part by Commerce and Trafflck in all manner of Commodities which they carry from Place to Place upon the River being hurried down with the Stream and tow'd up again by toilsom Bargemen Wherever they intend to make any stay they fasten their Floating Town with Poles fix'd in the Ground They keep and feed aboard their Island all manner of Tame Cattel but especially Hogs Wheresoever they come they continue lying for some Months before they remove and though they are People of several Languages yet they make up one common Tongue whereby they understand one another for throughout all China there are several Dialects each Province having a particular one yet there is also one common Language which they call the Mandorins or Court-Tongue being spoke here both by the Grandees and their Followers After some hours Sailing we came into another Royal Channel call'd Iun issuing out of the Yellow River toward the West through the whole Province of Xantung We were to pass through this Channel to the City of Peking The Province of Xantung into which we enter'd is much enriched by this artificial Channel running through it for all Goods and Commodities which are Transported out of China for Peking must pass this Cut. This great broad and Navigable Stream begins at the ninth small City Socien upon the side of the Yellow River and reaches to the City Cining and from thence to Lincing there breaking into the River Guei This Channel hath at least sixty Stone Sluces to force back the Water which in some places runs very low and would not be Navigable were it not for these Water-works On each Sluce eight Men attend to help through with the Vessels who are maintain'd at the Publick Charge As soon as we came into this Channel we were presently in the Province of Xantung and upon the sixth of Iune came to a famous Village call'd Kiakia But before I give you a Description of this Province I shall continue my Method and first relate unto you the Confines thereof and the number of great and small Cities c. The Province of Xantung is the fourth in number under the Northern Countries and is wash'd on the South East and North by the Sea and on the West-side is environ'd with Rivers insomuch that you may come by Shipping if you please On the North of Xantung lies the Province of Peking and on the South that of Nanking separated by the Yellow River the remaining part is encompass'd with the Channel Iun and the River Guei This part produces abundance of Corn Rice Beans c. The fruitfulness of this Country is such that one years Harvest as they say supplies the Inhabitants sufficiently for ten Years with Provisions All manner of Poultry is wondrous plentiful and sold for very little because the People there take great delight in Hunting The Rivers Pools and other Waters abound with extraordinary good Fish which you may have for a very small Price I my self purchasing ten Pound for a Halfpeny The Country produces likewise store of Silk another sign of her Fertility and abounds in all manner of Fruit-Trees especially Pruines which they dry and
likewise discharg'd by our Host. The next day we departed from Cining and after a few Hours Sailing we past by a Village call'd Nanwaig lying on the Bank of this Royal Channel where this and the River Luen meet and mingle their Waters The Tartars and Chineses told us strange Stories of this River amongst the rest That if you fling in nine Sticks six would drive toward the South and three toward the North. We seem'd much to admire at the Report but scarcely believ'd it till we made the Experiment our selves by flinging so many Sticks into the Water which convinc'd us of the truth of what had been told us But neither the Tartars Chineses nor other Inhabitants were able to give us any account of this Wonderful Mystery of Nature This I tried over against an Idol-Temple call'd The Royal Serpent concerning which the Chineses told us several Wonders Upon the 19. of the same Month we came to a small City call'd Xantsui being the 23. under the Command of the Chief City Yengcheu This Place lies abont thirty Miles from Cining on both sides of this Royal Channel and is guarded at each end with a strong Castle The Country round about lies often under Water by the overflowing of the Yellow River which sometimes rises to that heighth that it drowns and carries away whole Towns and Villages The next Morning we set Sail from Xantsui and by the way we saw several fair Villages and Corn-Fields on both sides of this Royal Channel as also several strong Sluces which did not a little hinder us in our Passage for between Xantsui and Lincing we past through 58 Sluces Not far from Xantsui stands a famous Idol-Temple call'd Teywanmiao which is held in such great esteem amongst them that they reckon it for one of the chiefest in all China It is built very high with strong Walls of gray Stone and gallantly adorn'd after the Chinese fashion The top of this Temple is cover'd with Yellow glaz'd Tiles and the Walls are also colour'd after the same manner so that when the Sun shines it glisters like Gold all over Upon the twentieth of Iune we came to Tuncham the third Chief City of the Province of Xantung built in a foursquare form and environ'd with Walls and Bulwarks the Streets thereof are large and well-built In the middle of the City stands a high and curious Fabrick with four brave Arches having strong Walls and Bulwarks with several Gates leading into it On the North-side runs a broad Water which encompasses the City over which is a Wooden Bridge of 137 Foot long by which they pass into the North part of the City On the South-side are stately Suburbs which in respect of the Inhabitants and the greatness of their Trade may very well pass for another City It is well built with goodly Houses and Idol-Temples Toward the East the Inhabitants shew'd us a very large Iron Tomb which they told us was erected at least 700 Years ago for some Great Lord whose Memory the Chineses had in much Honour having done his Country some signal and remarkable Service and for which he lost his Life in the Wars Round about this City the Land is very low and flat but wondrous fruitful in the product of all things necessary for Humane Sustenance No part of China produces so much Silk as this the Inhabitants thereof living chiefly by this Manufacture wherewith they Trade into other Countries Here the Inhabitants told us is sometimes found a Stone in the Maw of the Cows which the Chineses call Nieuhoang which signifies The Yellow of the Cows This Stone is about the bigness of a Goose Egg outwardly it seems to be of a soft chalkie substance only of a yellowish Colour and is by some thought to be the Bezoar Stone The Chinese Chyrurgeons highly commend it and use great diligence for the procuring of it they write That it is of a cold temper and very sovereign in fainting and swooning Fits In the Country of this Chief City near to the eleventh small City call'd Laotung lies amongst the rest a Hill call'd Mingxe which signifies The Stone of Noise Upon the top of this Hill as the Inhabitants related to us stands a Column of 100 Rod high which as soon as touch'd with the Finger sounds like a Drum from which Noise the Hill derives its Name The Chineses also told us That near to Quonching the seventeenth small City of this Chief City is a Pool call'd Ho wherein formerly the King of Guei kept and fed his Cranes with great care and delight The Chineses in this Country as likewise through all China feed this Bird in their Houses as they do also the Stags which being Creatures of long life they fancy to themselves that in having of them to breathe upon them they shall likewise live long We continu'd all Night in our Vessels before this City and set Sail the next Morning and past over the Pool Nanyang which abounds with Fish and that Night came to the City of Lincing which lies about thirty Miles from the City Tungchang and is situated on both sides of the Royal Channel We lay at the end thereof where that and the River Guei separate the Province of Xantung from that of Peking and mingle and unite their Waters We were no sooner arriv'd at this City but the Governor appear'd upon the Wall near the Place where we lay with our Vessels to welcom and receive the Ambassadors with all manner of kindness Pinxenton and the other Mandorins went first ashore to him whereupon the Governor sent for some Chairs for the Ambassadors who follow'd the Mandorins and were most civilly receiv'd by him intimating that he could not entertain them at his Court because they had not yet appear'd before the Emperor at Peking The Ambassadors sent some Presents to the Governor who for the same Reason refus'd them Because this Lincing lies at the end of the Yellow Channel near the River Guei and so consequently a very commodious Harbor for Shipping all manner of Goods and Wares are brought from all Parts of China to this City for which they must pay Custom there and for this reason the Emperor has three Commissioners resining in that Place to receive his Dues This Navigation occasions so great a Trade in Lincing that it exceeds the other eighteen small Cities which belong to the Chief City of Tunchang in Number of People Plenty of all manner of Things Gallantry of Buildings and Greatness of Commerce neither gives she place to any Inferior City in the whole Empire On both sides of the Royal Channel near to the City stand two strong and large Castles one against the other which are no small Strength to the Place by which no Vessel whatsoever can pass without paying their Duties In this Channel are likewise just before the City two strong and heavy Sluces to force back the upper Water which runs from the River Guei and is sometimes two or three Foot higher
than the Inland Water On the North side of the City lies a Wooden Brige of nine Arches over which â—ou may pass conveniently from one part of the City to the other in the middle whereof is a Draw-Bridge to let through such Vessels as have paid their Custom The City is well-built and is adorn'd with several stately Temples it lies in a flat sandy Soil and is surrounded with an Earthen Wall the top whereof is cover'd with Stones it is also very large and well Peopled We had here great abundance of all manner of Fruit amongst the rest some well-relish'd Pears which keep a great while Without the Wall on the North-side of the City stands a most famous Temple with a high Tower exceeding rare in the manner of Building You climb up to the top of this Tower by a Pair of Winding Stairs which are not built in the middle of the Tower but between two Walls The fashion or form of this Tower consists of eight Corners and nine Rounds or Stories each thirteen Foot and a half so that the whole height of the Tower is above 120 Foot and according to the heighth a proportionable thickness The outward Wall is made of the same Mould that the China Dishes are of and full of Fret-work the Walls within are polish'd Marble of several Colours and so smooth that you may see your Face as in a Mirrour The Galleries or Rounds which are nine adorning the Structure are of Marble cut in Figures or Images and have hanging at their Corners very fine Copper Bells which when the Wind blows amongst them make a very pleasant jingling murmur The Lights or Windows belonging to these Galleries are full of gilded Bars which when the Sun shines upon them return Beams as bright as they receive Upon the top of the Tower stands a Figure signifying the Goddess of the Place to whom this Structure is Dedicated This Image is made of Plaister-work thirty Foot high and wrought with Gold and Silver Round about this Tower stand several great and small Images which are so curiously wrought that they may be reckon'd amongst the greatest Curiosities in China Pinxenton left his Wife and Children in this City of Lincing but he himself continu'd the Voyage with us to Peking Here also died one of our Trumpeters nam'd Verman who was buried in an Idol-Temple with the consent of the Magistrates who seldom suffer any Strangers to be interr'd in their hallow'd Ground Having got through the River Iun we entred into the Guei which divides the Province of Xantung from Peking whose Head springs on the West-side of Gueihoei the fourth Chief City of the Province of Honan running from thence with many Meanders and Turnings toward the East betwixt the Provinces of Xantung and Peking disemboguing into an Arm of the Sea about ninety Miles from this City We Sail'd Eastward up this River and arriv'd upon the 25. at the City of Utin which is accounted the fourteenth small City of the great Tunchang thirty Miles from Lincing situate upon the South-side of the River Guei upon the utmost Confines of the Province of Xantung and handsomly vested with a four-square Wall Upon the North-side of it are large Suburbs close built with stately Houses The great Edifices and other eminent Ornaments of this City were all ruin'd by the conquering Tartar and the Inhabitants most miserably abus'd a great many of them being put to the Sword and others carried away Captive as those that were left related unto us with great reluctance The Situation seems delightful being pleasantly varied with the prospect both of Hills and Vallies and luxurious in the product of all manner of Fruits The River Guei running close by this City abounds with Fish and serves to water the Fields in a dry Season to the great increase thereof I find my self again necessitated before I proceed in my Relation to describe the Condition Confines and the Number of great and small Cities through which we pass'd in this Province of Peking Peking which is reckon'd the first of the fifteen Provinces exceeds all the rest in Dignity because of the Imperial City of Peking where the Emperor resides at present and from whence it hath Denomination for the Chinese Emperors especially those who Commanded since the Incarnation setled their Abodes in this City The Race of Taming first transferr'd the Imperial Court from Nanking to Peking the better to oppose the Inroads of the Tartars but though the Imperial Residence was thus remov'd to Peking yet to this day the Court of the Emperor and all Soveraignty and Magistracy stands firm in the same manner at Nanking as at Peking though all the Royal Palaces were totally destroy'd by the last Invasion The East of this Province is border'd by an Arm of the Sea which divides the Islands Corea and Iapan on the North-East lies the Province of Leaotung toward the North the great Tartarian Wall and toward the West the Province of Xangsi where a long ridge of Hills call'd Hengi separates these Countries The Yellow River which runs through Xansi parts this Province toward the South from that of Honan and toward the South-East of the River Guei unites this with the Province of Xantung And though this Province of Peking lies in the Latitude but of 42 Degrees yet the Cold and Frost is so great and intense there that oftentimes for four Months together all the Rivers and Waters are frozen up in such a manner that they commonly ride their Horses on the Ice all which time the Vessels lie fast frozen in and Winter-bound The Frost begins commonly in November and seldom is gone till March twenty four Hours freezes up all which is not thaw'd in many Days The Country lies low but is dry and healthful though very barren in comparison of the other Provinces because of the great sandy Places and Wildernesses but in respect the Court keeps there and so draws great store of People and Traffick this natural Defect is much repair'd This place produces store of Corn but little Rice which the Courtiers and their Followers devour In this Province are white rough Cats not unlike the Malteeza Dogs with long Ears which are there the Ladies Foisting-hounds or Play-fellows they will catch no Mice being too much made of There are other Cats that are good Mousers but they are very scarce and had in great esteem They have here a convenient way of Travelling by Land in a Waggon with one Wheel which only holds three Persons one in the middle and on each side one Formerly this Province was divided into several Parts and had particular Names as Ieu Ki and many more It contains eight Capital Cities each of which Commands over several small ones insomuch that one Capital City alone with the lesser under its Iurisdiction is in effect a whole Province They reckon in this Province a hundred and thirty five Cities great and small which are Wall'd and Fenc'd for the number of the
others of the Court in very rich Habits to our Lodgings about two a Clock in the Afternoon with Lanterns to conduct the Ambassadors who were only attended by six of their Followers the rest being order'd to stay at home When they came to the Court they were first conducted through the outward Gate and afterwards over a Quadrangle with a well-built Gate and plac'd upon the second Plain of the Court where we sat all Night in the open Air upon the bare Stones till Morning when his Majesty was to appear upon his Throne We were no sooner seated but the Ambassador of the Great Mogol accompanied with five Persons of Honor and about twenty Servants came and plac'd himself next to our Ambassadors as did also the Ambassadors of Lammas and Suytadsen next to whom also sat several great Lords of the Empire And because we were to continue in this Posture all Night in expectation of his Majesties appearance in the Morning early upon his Throne I shall defer a while acquainting the Reader with what pass'd upon that most glorious Day and in the mean time give you a Description of the Forein Ambassadors who were also with us in this Emperor's Court. The Ambassador of Suytadsen who may be properly call'd South-Tartars deserves here the first and chiefest Place being he was most in esteem in this Court and preferr'd before the rest I could not certainly learn his Business but only as they told me by guess That the King of Suytadsen Sent him with Presents to the Great Cham according to the Custom of their Country the Frontier People and Borderers using to pay such Homage to this their Grand Lord. The Mogol Ambassador of whose Business and Request we have already made mention had a very rich blue Silk Coat on so richly embroider'd that it look'd like massie beaten Gold which hanging down almost to his Knees was girt about his Waste with a Silk Girdle with great rich Tassels at both ends he wore neat Buskins of Turky Leather and a large Turbant of several Colours The Empire of the Great Mogol who had sent this Ambassador to the Great Cham comprehends properly the Northern part of East-India or the Country situate between Mount Caucasus now call'd Delauguer and the Sea beetweeâ— the River Ganges and Indus This Empire call'd Mogol had its Name from the Tartar Kings who formerly made themselves Masters of it and is divided into several Kingdoms though some of them belong to other Princes The chiefest Kingdoms over which the Great Mogol properly Commands are Cambaya Dely Sanque Mandro and Bengala This great Prince commonly keeps his Court in the City of Dely. All the Countries over which the Great Mogol Commands are very fruitful in the product of all manner of Cattel and Fruits as Rice Corn Wax Silk Sugar and Cotton and all sorts of Spices which are brought from thence in great abundance Upon the Mountains are found the Onyx Stone Diamonds and other Precious Gems It is held for certain that this Great Mogol can bring into the Field in a very short time three hundred thousand Fighting Men and five thousand Elephants Most of the Inhabitants are Mahumetans and other Idolaters In those Parts there are also abundance of Iews who drive a subtle Trade amongst them and some Abyssine Christians allur'd thither by a profitable Commerce The Ambassadors of the Lammas was Cloth'd in Yellow his Hat much like a Cardinals with broad Brims at his side hung a Crucifix which these Church-men commonly carry about with them by which they say their Devotions after the manner of the Roman Catholicks Those of Lammas are a sort of religious People who had liv'd a long time in China but the last Emperor of China before the Tartars conquer'd it had banish'd them his Country from whence they went and settled themselves in Tartary where they had the free Exercise of their Religion Now these banish'd People had sent this Ambassador to the Great Cham with Request that they might have leave to return and Exercise their Devotions as formerly What success he had in his Business I could not learn but his Reception at the Emperor's Court was very Friendly and Civil Now I shall proceed to relate what pass'd during our stay in the Emperor's Palace At the Court-Gate in which we sat expecting the Dawn we saw first three black Elephants gallantly adorn'd after the Chinese manner standing there for the greater State as Centinels They had well girded upon their Backs gilded Towers artificially built and beautifi'd with Carv'd Works and Figures The concourse of People was here so great as if the whole City had been throng'd together in this one place the Gates were also kept with an incredible number of the Emperor's Life-guard all of them in very rich Habits after the Tartar fashion By day-break all the Grandees who likewise repair'd thither over Night came gazing and looking upon us with great admiration as if we had been some strange Africk Monsters but they demean'd themselves very civilly without giving us the least Affront About an hour after a sign was given at which all started up on the sudden as if there had been an Alarm when the two Tartar Lords who usually were sent to the Ambassadors came and conducted them with their Followers through another Gate into a second Court-yard guarded round with Tartar Soldiers and Courtiers and from thence to a third Court which was the innermost where the House of the Emperor's Throne stood and the Lodgings for the Great Cham his Wife and Children This Court which contains four hundred Paces in the square was lin'd on all sides with a strong Guard all of them in rich Coats of crimson-colour'd Sattin On either side of the Throne stood a hundred and twelve Soldiers each whereof bore a several Flag and likewise wore colour'd Habits sutable to his Ensign only they had all black Hats with yellow Feathers Next to the Emperors Throne stood twenty two Gentlemen each with a rich yellow Skreen or Umbrello in his Hand resembling the Sun next to these stood ten other Persons each holding a gilt radiant Circle in his Hand resembling the Sun next to these stood six others with Circles imitating the Moon at the Full after these were standing sixteen other Persons with Half-Pikes or Poles in their Hands hung full of Silk Tassels of several colours near to these stood thirty six more each holding a Standard curiously adorn'd with Dragons the Emperor's Coat of Arms and other such Monsters after the Chinese fashion In this manner were both sides of the Emperor's Throne guarded and adorn'd besides an infinite number of Courtiers all of them in very rich Habits of one Colour and Silk as if a Livery which added very much to to the Splendor of the Place Before the Steps leading to the Emperor's Throne stood on each side six Snow-white Horses most curiously adorn'd with rich embroider'd Trappings and Bridles beset with Pearls Rubies and other Precious
the greatest part of a Morning in Combing and Dressing their Heads When they go abroad they skreen themselves from the parching heat of the Sun with large Quittesolâ—â— in Italy call'd Umbrella's which are carried over their Heads but the ordinary sort of People make use only of Fans The Country Women in China wear Breeches which they tie about their Knees And some that they may lose no time go commonly Spinning about the Streets Fields or other Places which arises to such Profit that thereby onely a great number of Families make shift to get a competent Subsistence CHAP. VII Of some Superstitious Customs Fashions and other Errors in use amongst the Chineses IN this following Chapter we shall treat of some Superstitious Fashions and Erroneous Customs which are in use among the several Sects of the Chineses And first we shall take notice That they are generally very much inclin'd and addicted to observe Times and Seasons and have so great an esteem for Sooth-sayers Fortune-tellers Astrologers Star-gazers and the like that they believe whatsoever they foretell insomuch that they govern all their Transactions according to the Sayings of those People whose Advice is taken and follow'd in their Affairs from time to time their Books much like our Almanacks being in general request besides which there are other Books of their Writing which treat of far deeper and conceal'd things So prevalent is this Science among all sorts of People that there is a vast multitude of Masters that teach it who have no other livelyhood but what they get by directing those that come to them the Day and Hour in which they may with great hopes of Success go about any Business And indeed they are so infinitely possest with an opinion of the Knowledge and Wisdom of these Men that they never undertake a Iourney go about to erect a Building or do any thing else of consequence but they first consult with them about it and observe to a Tittle whatsoever they direct so that neither Rainy Stormy or Tempestuous Weather such as would even fright a Satyre can hinder them from beginning their Iourney upon the Day prefix'd for the same though they go but out of sight of their own Dwellings or if they are to Build they will dig a little way into the Ground or make some entrance or beginning into the Work let the Weather be never so bad that it may be said they began upon that Day which was foretold them should be successful to their Undertaking Over and above these humorous Niceties they are great Observers of the Day of any ones Birth by which they confidently undertake to predict to them the good or bad Fortune likely to befal them through the whole Course of their Lives and in truth this inclination of their Nature is the cause that no People in the whole World are more easie to be deluded with the fallacious Fancies of such as assume to themselves the Title of Wizards and Sooth sayers whose Cunning hath devised various Ways to cheat the Ignorant and to make them pass for Oracles In the former Chapter we treated of their Sepulchres and the ordering thereof wherein they are not more careful than curious in making choice of the Place for that purpose which they make to resemble the Head Tail and Feet of a Dragon which sort of Creature they fancy to live under Ground Upon this doth not only depend as they firmly believe the good and bad Fortune of particular Families but the very well-being of Cities Countries and of the whole Empire And therefore when any publick Building is to be Erected the Learned in this mysterious Art are first consulted with concerning the good or bad success that will follow upon it that they may thereby chuse the better Lot There are abundance of People here who not able to restrain their licentiousness though in the meanest degree of Poverty sell themselves for Slaves to the Rich upon condition that they may take to Wife any of the Maid-Servants But note That whatsoever Children come of these Marriages become Slaves for ever Othere there are who being well to pass and of ability purchase them Wives for their Money but when their Families increase in number and Means begin to fail they sell their Sons and Daughters for two or three Crowns apiece not caring what becomes of them afterwards nor ever taking notice of them though they are made Slaves for ever and may be put to what Employment the Purchaser thinks good Many of this kind are bought up by the Portuguese and the Spaniard and carried out of their native Country into Forein Parts where they live in perpetual Slavery during their Lives without any hope of Redemption This cannot in Civiliz'd Nations be accounted other than a piece of Heathenish Barbarism But yet they commit a far greater and more horrid Inhumanity which is this In some Provinces they drown the young Infants especially Females for no other reason but that they mistrust they shall not be able to maintain them but be forc'd to sell them to unknown People This liberty they take to themselves from a belief That the Souls of the Deceased transmigrate into other Bodies and therefore they would seem to infer That this their Cruelty is necessary at leastwise convenient and so no ways dreadful unto them averring That they do the Children great advantage in taking away their Lives for by that means they deliver them the sooner out of a miserable Condition to settle them in a better And therefore the poor Children are not made away clandestinely or in private but aperto sole openly before all People But this unnatural Cruelty is not all there is yet more inhumanity practis'd amongst them for some out of despair of Good Fortune or because they have sustain'd great Losses will voluntarily lay violent Hands upon themselves others if they cannot find a means to revenge themselves upon their Enemies will kill themselves thinking thereby to do them a mischief for as 't is said great numbers both of Men and Women destroy themselves every year either in the Fields or else before the Doors of their Adversaries by strangling drowning or poisoning themselves Another sort of Barbarism they are guilty of in the Northern Provinces towards young Children which is by Gelding them whereby and no otherwise they are made capable of Service and Preferment in the Emperor's Palace And these they call in their Language Gelubden besides whom none are admitted to wait on the Prince and which is more the whole Government of the Empire is in their Hands and Management There are at least ten thousand of these Gelubden in the Palace who originally are all mean Persons without Learning c. brought up in perpetual Slavery by reason whereof and their ignorance they are of a dull and heavy Disposition and unfit for any Business of Concern The Magistrates have in effect an Arbitrary Power over the Subject whom they oftentimes condemn unheard The
would take up too much time and make this Book swell into a larger Volume than was at first intended therefore to pass them by we will proceed to give an Account of the fashion of their Ships Of Ships THe Royal Ships and those of the Governors of Provinces exceed the rest and are built after such a manner that few or none will scarce give credit to the Account I shall give of them unless they had seen them our Vessels in Europe being in no wise comparable to those for they lie upon the Water like high Houses or Castles and are divided on both sides with Partitions In the middle is a place like a Hall furnish'd with all manner of Houshold-stuff as Tables Chairs c. The Windows and Doors are made in the fashion of our Grates wherein in stead of Glass they use the thinnest Oyster-shells they can get or else fine Linnen or Silk which they spread with clear Wax and adorn with several sorts of Flowers and this keeps out the Wind and Air better than any Glass Round about the Ships are made Galleries very commodious for the Seamen to do whatever business they have without prejudice to the Rigging The outside of the Ship is Painted with a certain sort of Gum call'd Cie which makes it glitter and appear very glorious at a distance but within it is most curiously Painted with several Colours very pleasant and delightful to the Eye The Planks and Timber-work are so curiously rifted together and jointed that there is little or no sign of any Iron-work In length they differ not much from those in Europe only they are lower and narrower and the Passage up into them is by a Ladder twelve Foot long the Stern of the Ship where the Trumpeters and Drummers stand is like a Castle When any of these Ships of the Governors meet one another at Sea they Salute and give place according to their Qualities which are writ in great Letters behind their Ships so that there never happens any Dispute about Precedency When it is a Calm at Sea and little or no Wind stirring to fill their Sails which are made of Mats there are certain Men appointed to Tow the same At such time also and as a farther help they are very dexterous in the use of their Oars wherewith they can Row without pulling them out of the Water The Ships which carry the Fish call'd Saull and the Silks to the Imperial Court are so extraordinarily curious and rich that no others can compare with them for they are gilt within and without and Painted red and such is their esteem that all other Ships strike Sail and give place to these whensoever or wheresoever they meet them In the Province of Nanking near to the Chief City of Sucheu may be seen several Pleasure-Boats or little Ships which the Inhabitants keep only for their Pleasure they are very richly Gilt and Painted and may more properly be compar'd to Houses than Ships Some of the Chineses are so profusely in love with them that they will spend their Estates aboard these Vessels in Eating and Drinking There are a vast and incredible number of Ships and Boats that pass daily from one Place to another by which means there is so great Accommodation by Water that Men may pass from the City of Maccao to the City of Peking except one days Iourney by Water Also Men may travel by Boat from the Province of Chekiang through the whole Province of Suchue from East to West And to say the truth there is hardly any considerable City but what has access to it by Water for the Natives have with Art and Industry digg'd Channels through most of the Provinces and let in the Rivers on purpose to carry their Goods and themselves by Water by reason of the extraordinary Hills and Desarts which they meet with in a Passage or Iourney by Land of all which we have already made mention in our General Description of China In the Province of Fokien are such an innumerable company of Vessels that the Inhabitants proffer'd the Emperor when he intended to make War upon those of Iapan to make him a Bridge of Boats which should reach from thence to the said Island of Iapan The Courts of the Governors of Provinces IN each Chief City are at least fifteen or twenty great Houses belonging to the Governors which is regard of the Magnificence of their Building may compare with Kings Palaces In other less are eight or nine great Houses and in every small City four which are all alike in fashion only they differ in largeness according to the Quality of the Governor At the Front of each Palace are three Gates whereof the biggest stands in the middle adorn'd on both sides with great Marble Lions Next to this Plano or Court-yard Pail'd in Painted with Gum which they call Cie In this Plano stand two small Towers or Pyramids curiously adorn'd and furnish'd with several Musical Instruments upon which certain Persons play as often as the Governor goes out or comes in Within the Gate is a large Hall and generally every great Palace hath four or five where the Governor gives Audience to any that comes about Business to him on the sides of this Hall are several small Apartments inhabited by inferior Officers Here are also two particular Rooms for the Reception of Persons of Quality that come to visit the Governor when you are past these two Rooms you come to three Gates more which are seldom open'd but when the Governor sits upon the Bench of Iudicature The middlemost of these Gates is very large through which Persons of Quality are only suffer'd to go other People pass through the Gates on each side Then you come to another large Plano at the end whereof is a great Court built upon Pillars call'd Tang and here the Governor administers Iustice on Both sides thereof the Courtiers and inferior Officers have their Dwellings who never remove with the Governor but live there continually in regard they are maintain'd at the Charge of the Country Next to this is an inward Court but far exceeding the former and is call'd Sutang which signifies Private and in this Court only may the nearest Relations converse with the Governor To these Places appertain also several Gardens Orchards Ponds Rivers Warrens and the like as well for Pleasure and Ornament as Profit And here observe That the Emperor furnishes the Governor not only with these Palaces but likewise with all manner of Houshold-stuff Provisions and Servants at his own Charge And when a Governor which is yet more remarkable happens to depart to the Rule of another Province or else to lay down his Employment which falls out commonly every half year it is allowable for him to take all the Houshold Goods with him and then the Court is to be furnish'd anew for the succeeding Governor In Cingtu the first Chief City of the Province Suchue famous for Trade there liv'd formerly a
clear and the other muddy although any Person take of the Waters and mingle them yet nevertheless they immediately part and divide each receiving presently their former Colours Near to Iungping is a Spring whose Water is so hot that it will boil an Egg. Near to the City Hiqoy is a Hill call'd Caotung upon which are several warm Baths and hot Springs Near to Iungcheng is a Hill call'd Gailo upon which is a very deep Well which serves the Inhabitants by observation of its rise or fall for a sign of a fruitful or barren Year There are several other Springs and Waters in many other Places of China which are very remarkable for their Qualities and have great esteem among them because they have had sufficient experience of their Vertues wherewith we shall no longer detain the Reader but proceed to what follows CHAP. XIII Of Hills and Mountains VEry curious and indeed nice even to Superstition are the Chineses in the choice of Hills for they say and believe all their Fortune depends upon it being places inhabited as they imagine by Dragons unto whom they attribute the cause of all their good Fortune And for this cause when any of them intend to erect a Tomb which is generally done among the Mountains by rich People they diligently examine the shape and nature of the Hill for its situation and are very sollicitous to discover a happy piece of Earth and such they esteem so which has the resemblance of the Head Tail or Heart of a Dragon which once found they imagine that according to wish all things shall go well with their Posterity And this Fancy is so generally prevalent with them that there are many who profess the Art of telling Fortunes by the form of Hills In the Description of Hills and Mountains I shall not only mention their largeness heighth c. but likewise their Nature Shape Form and the Beasts that live upon them The Mountain Lungciven near to Kungyang is about two Miles and half big Suming near to Xaohing fills a place of seven Miles and a half Lofeu near to Polo is in its circumference eighteen Miles and a half Tiengo near to Pinkiang is thirty one Miles in extent so also is the Mountain Quanghia near to Nanking The Heng near to Hoenyuen is fifty Miles large The Yen begins at Iotyen and teaches sixty three Miles in length At Kinhoa near to Yu lies the Mountain Kiming which is the largest in extent of all the Mountains of China The Ximus near to Taigan is three Miles and a half high It is said that upon the top thereof at the first Crowing of the Cock the Sun may be seen to rise The Tientai is five Miles high The Vempi in the Province of Queicheu reaches with its top above the Clouds At Sintien lies the Mountain Pie which is the highest of all Hills and reaches far above the Clouds Near to the City Xefan lies the Mountain Tafung which seems to touch the very Skies Near to Cangki is a very high Mountain call'd Iuntai which they entitle The Throne of Heaven The Hocang is so high that it ascends ten thousand Foot above the Earth and never any Rain or Snow was seen to fall upon it The Kiming near to the City Yn requires nine days Travel to the top of it In Quangsi near the City Ieyang lies the Mountain Paofung whose top reaches to the very Clouds and yet hath a Stone House built upon it There are very many other wonderful Hills and Mountains in the Provinces of China which we shall omit to mention for brevity sake and shall proceed to speak of their Shapes and Nature The Hills of Umuen show as if they hung in the Air. In the Province of Quangsi is a Hill which bears the shape of an Elephant The Mountain Utung resembles the shape of a Man standing upright with his Head bowing downward Near to Paoki is a Hill call'd Chincang whose concave parts are such that before stormy Weather or Thunder it will rore in so fearful a manner that the noise may be heard two Miles Near to Sinyang is a very high and pleasant Hill whose top against Rain is always cover'd with a Cloud Near to Pingchai lies the Mountain Pequi of which it has been observ'd that the melting of the Winter Snow upon its top is a sign of a plentiful Year but if it continues all Summer unmelted it is a bad sign Upon the Mountain Kesin near to the Garrison-Cities it is extraordinary cold Near to Nanking is a great Hill nam'd Quanglin which in the fairest Weather is always so very much cover'd with Clouds that it is hardly to be seen at any little distance Near to Xaicheu lies the Mountain Lingfung upon which if any Rain do fall in the day-time a great flame of Fire appears in the Night but in dry Weather there is seen no such appearance The Mountain Hoo is call'd The Fiery Mountain because in the night-time certain Lights appear upon the same as so many burning Candles Country People speak them to be a sort of Glow-worms which creep out of the River by Night and shine after this manner Near to Munghoa lies the Mount Tienul call'd The Ear of Heaven famous for a notable Echo The Mountain Quan is stor'd with brave Hawks and Kites which the Great Ones use for their Recreations The Chinese Historians relate That near to Sinfung lies a very great Hill upon which such wild Beasts and Men live whose likes are not to be found in any other Place Upon the top of the Hill Fungcao as is said the incomparable and seldom seen Phenix hath her Nest under which is found an extraordinary Precious Stone In the Province of Xensi upon the Mountain Holan is a great Race of wild Horses and upon that of Liniao breed several wild Oxen Tygers and other Creatures In the Province of Chekiang upon the Mountain Cutien an incredible thing to be told are Tygers who have left off their fierceness the nature of the Soil being of that Quality that if any are brought thither wild from other Places they become tame in a short time the same thing happens to Snakes Near to Cinyven in the Province of Iunnan is the Mountain Nilo where is great abundance of Tygers and Leopards In the Province of Suchue near to Cungkiang upon a Mountain call'd Toyung are Monkies which very much resemble a Man Near to the City Changcheu lies the Hill Cio upon which is said to lie a Stone of five Rod high end eighteen Inches thick which of its self rolls and moves up and down against foul Weather Near to Lioyang upon the Mountain Yoinea which signifies The Mountain of the Rich Woman is to be seen a Statue of a very beautiful Woman not made by Art but grown there naturally Near to the City Iengan in a certain hollow place of the Mountain Chingleang is to be seen a whole Herd of strange Idols to the number of above a thousand
Belly Cholick Flux c. but Persons of a hot Constitution ought to use it moderately it being apt to inflame the Blood Most of the Provinces of China abound as well in all manner of Eatable as Medicinal Herbs We will descend a little to Particulars In the Province of Xensi near to the chief City Kingyang grows a Herb call'd Kinsu which for its resemblance to a Tuft of yellow Hair the Chineses call The Golden or The Gold Thred of Silk-Worms it is of a bitter taste and rather of a cooling then warming Quality it cures all manner of Scurf of the Body Here also grows another Herb call'd Quei good against Melancholy and occasioning joy and gladness of Heart if taken inwardly Near to Cingcheu in the Province of Quantung lie some Islands wherein grows an Herb call'd Lungsiu which makes Horses strong and swift if they eat of the same Also near the same City grows The Herb of a thousand years so commonly call'd but they farther affirm of it That it is immortal and never dies The Water wherein the same has been infus'd being drank makes white Hair black and is very good to prolong Life There are besides these several other incomparable Herbs which are us'd amongst them for the cure of Distempers of all sorts In the Kingdom of Tanyeu grows a certain Herb very high amongst the Rocks which will not burn when flung into the Fire and there kept for some time only it will turn a little red but as soon as out of the Fire presently recovers its pristine and natural colour yet although it resist Fire it immediately turns to Dirt being put into Water In the Province of Quantung near to Kiunchen grows the Herb Chifung so call'd because it shews which way the Wind blows the Seamen say they can discover by the same what stormy Weather they shall have before they go to Sea In the Province of Quangsi near to Chincheu the Inhabitants make a kind of Cloth of a certain Herb call'd Yu which is esteem'd far before Silk and much dearer But in the Province of Queicheu near to Liping they make Cloth of an Herb very like Hemp and call'd Co which is very commodious in Summer The Chinese Physicians say That upon the Mountain Tiengo grow above a hundred sorts of Simples all of very soveraign Vertues But amongst all others China is famous for an Herb call'd Thea or Cha and whereof the Natives and other neighboring People make their Liquor call'd Thea or Cha taking its Name from the Herb. There is a very great difference in the manner of preparing and using this Liquor between the Chineses and those of Iapan for that the Iapanners beat the Leaves to a Powder and mingle it with boiling Water in a Cup which they afterwards drink off But the Chineses put the Leaves whole into a Pot of boiling Water which having lain in steep for some time they sip off hot without swallowing down any of the Leaves but only the Quintessence thereof extracted Others prepare it with Milk and a little Salt mingled with Water which is not so well approv'd but however prepar'd it is not only drunk in China and other Parts of India but is much us'd likewise in divers other Countries and the general consent of all People that they find much good by it enhances the Price and makes the same be sold here at a very dear Rate In Xensi near the City Hacheu is great store of Hemp but no Flax grows in all the Empire In Kiangsi near the City Kienchang grows a sort of Rice so far exceeding the rest for goodness that the Emperor himself sends for his own Stores from thence and for its excellency the Chineses call it Silver-Cron In Xensi near the City Kingyang grows another sort of Rice us'd by the People to purge the Body and cause Urine In the Province of Chekiang upon the Mountain Tienno near the City Hangcheu grow Mushroms in great abundance which are dispersed into all Parts of the Country and will keep good a whole year either dried or Pickled This Country produces abundance of Cottons the Seed whereof was brought thither about five hundred years since And though this Fruit doth likewise grow in other Parts at present as in Arabia upon the Islands of Cyprus Maltha in Sicily and in Egypt I think it not amiss since it is one of the most profitable Commodities for Trade in China to give this brief Description thereof It grows upon a Stalk almost three Foot high cover'd with a reddish Bark and full of Prickles dividing it self into several Branches The Leaves are not much unlike those of the Vine and divided into three Parts which for bigness may be compar'd with those of the Mast-Tree It bears a Flower which is yellow on the outside and red in the middle from which proceeds a round Fruit about the bigness of an Apple wherein when it is ripe the Wool lies conceal'd which is afterwards gather'd sold and dispos'd of to several Uses The Leaves of the Cotton-Tree are generally alike onely here and there some are smoother softer and more even than others In some places of China Beans may be seen growing upon Trees a sort of which near the City Changchang are reputed good against Poison The Province of Quantung produces abundance of Osiers which seem to be no other than Ropes twisted together by Nature of which there are whole Mountains full in this Province which are put by the Inhabitants to divers Uses and in regard they are very tough and will not easily break they make sometimes Cordage thereof for Vessels but their best use is to make soft Mattresses upon which most of the People the Grandees and the Emperor himself lay themselves naked when they go to sleep Very neat and clean is this Furniture and withal very cool in the Summer and though the Mattresses be only spread one the bare Floor yet they look upon it as a fit place to lie on having been no otherwise accustom'd The whole Island of Hainan is full of these Osiers especially of the best which the Portuguese call The white Rota Of Flowers THere are several rare and well scented Flowers which grow in these Parts that are unknown to those of Europe In the Province of Suchuen near to Chungking grows a certain Flower call'd Meutang in high esteem amongst them and therefore call'd The King of Flowers It differs very little in fashion from the European Rose but is much larger and spreads it Leaves farther abroad It far surpasses the Rose in beauty but falls short in richness of scent It has no Thorns or Prickles and is generally of a white colour mingled with a little Purple yet there are some that are yellow and red This Flower grows upon a Bush and is carefully cherish'd and Planted in all Gardens belonging to the Grandees for one of the most choice Flowers In the Province of Huquang near the City Tan is a great Cataract
before hinted for above seventy three years with so great animosity that at last in the Year 1278. the whole Empire was subdu'd by them The Tartars after this so total a Conquest setled a new Linage of their own Country in the Throne call'd Ivena whose Offspring for nine Generations brought forth successive Emperors who Govern'd the Empire peaceably one after another The Tartars having thus long peaceably enjoy'd the whole grew at last to degenerate through the Pleasures and Plenty which they found there so that by degrees they forgot themselves and pedetentim Inch by Inch as it were inured themselves to the Chinese Customs and Manners neglecting their Places of Strength and Forces till at last in stead of warlike Soldiers they were grown effeminate Chineses And though these Tartar Princes did Govern with great Care and Prudence yet the Chineses could not forget the great and horrible Slaughters of their Ancestors whose bleeding Carcases lying as it were before their Eyes excited them to Revenge and being likewise inwardly stimulated with a desire of Liberty they had now already gotten the same in their thoughts which was yet far off and with great hazards to be sought for although the People were every where ready to revolt and shake off the Tartar Yoke yet there was not one of the Grandees or Men of Eminency durst lead the Dance or break the Ice But what Providence ordains to be done shall never want Means to be effected as will plainly appear by the sequel for while the Great Ones durst not and the Commons with a Leader could not do ought at last a poor despicable Fellow appear'd whose Name was Chu and the Servant of a Priest This Chu who took compassion of the miserable State of his oppressed Country-men and a displeasure in his own despicable Fortune being of a high lofty and ambitious Spirit left his Cloister and Cell in which he had liv'd for some years upon a high Mountain and betook himself to a secular Life amongst Robbers and Highway-men among whom in a short time he became the vilest and most wicked not fearing to act what some Spirits would tremble at the thoughts of so that for his great courage and boldness they began to look upon him as the Person that should deliver their oppressed Country This Imagination of his Associates elevating his Valou and being withal of a fluent and voluble Tongue very quick of Apprehension and of great Understanding he never fail'd of Courage Conduct nor Success so that in a short time he grew so considerable in Power and Credit amongst the Rabble that chusing him their Leader he was able to bring some thousands into the Field Being gotten thus into a Posture not only to defend himself but to offend his Enemy he resolv'd to shew himself in the Field for the deliverance of his Country from the Tartar Vassalage under which they groan'd and thereupon began to forsake his Holes and Fastnesses upon the Mountains and to appear with his Army upon the Plain the Fame whereof once noised made his Forces increase daily in number among whom with his good Conduct and Courage he so prevail'd that he won their Hearts so that they thought nothing too much to do for him And to shew as well his Providence as Valour he caus'd the Hills and Mountains to be plough'd and manur'd to keep himself and his Army from starving in case he should be overpower'd by his Enemy and forc'd to retreat thither again Chu at last encourag'd by these fortunate beginnings draws his Army together makes towards the Enemy and fights them who not expecting such an Onset were soon beaten and afterwards overcome in several Fights in which he was still victorious yet notwithstanding the Soldiers fury and rage of War he still spar'd the native Chineses promising to restore them to their ancient Privileges and Liberties if they would forsake the Tartars and adhere to Hun by these Means and his continual Spies which he had every where to give him Intelligence he discover'd the Designs of the Destroyers of his Country whom he so closely pursu'd that they were at last forc'd to quit the Country and leave it to the ancient Inhabitants which Redemption was effected in the Year 1368. When now Chu from a mean Servant had thus rais'd himself by driving those insulting Tartars out of the Empire he erected in that Year a new Race which he call'd Taicinga and changing his own Name according to Custom he call'd himself Hunguvus that is A great Warriour He was no sooner setled in the Throne but the People out of all the Provinces came to acknowledge and Salute this their Deliverer the whole Country being overjoy'd that they had once again got one of their own Natives though of mean Extraction to be their Head and Governor for it is the natural temper of that People to hate and vilifie all Foreigners but highly to esteem of their own Country-men humbly requesting of him that he would take care as a Native of China with such Prudence to Govern and Protect the Chinese Throne that they might not be necessitated hereafter to call in a Foreiner Hunguvus thank'd them for their Affections and taking into his own Hands the whole Soveraignty seated himself in the Imperial City of Nanking where he behav'd himself with so much Honor that in a short time he so setled the Affairs of his Empire that the People liv'd under him in great security and freedom But this Settlement he knew would not long continue unless he provided to secure all from abroad therefore to prevent future trouble from his now vanquish'd Foe and that the Tartars whom he had thus driven out might not rally and make Head again he follow'd his Advantages and Conquests and with a considerable Army entring Tartary overcame them in several Battels and so ruin'd their Country with Fire and Sword that they were forc'd to lay down their Arms with a Promise to pay him Tribute These were those Tartars who after the Overthrows given them as before related fled into the Country of Ninche And indeed after those of Ninche had made their Peace with the Emperor they brought yearly their Presents unto him as his Subjects and Friends and were permitted to Trade in his Dominions as his Vassals and since that time have never had any thoughts of War but rather were fearful to give any Offence left they should draw thereby any ill will upon themselves and so fall into new Troubles for in the last Wars they were reduc'd into most miserable Extremities And thus we see the Vicissitudes of Fortune and uncertain Events of War in those Tartars who were not long since Masters of China but now are become Vassals and Subjects to that Empire to whose Prince they seek for Friendship and Protection In this Posture stood the Affairs of these Countries for a long space of time till these People of Ninche increased so very fast in Power and Multitude that they
setling of good Garrisons in all Places march'd back in triumph to Peking where he was receiv'd with great joy And now having thus subdu'd the Rebels and made all things to become peaceable and quiet he bends all his Thoughts to accomplish the Match between the Emperor his Nephew and the Daughter of the King of West-Tartary and to that end he takes a Iourney thither in Person and through his crafty Behaviour at last obtain'd his Suit and also Licence for the Exportation of a great number of Horses The Wedding was kept in very great State for the Tartar Kings maintain in Marriage the same Customs with those of Europe Matching only with the Daughters of the highest Quality whereas the Chinese Emperors were wont to chuse only for Beauty making no difference between a Person of Quality and one of a mean Extraction for if the Face do but please them they mind not the Quality as a testimony whereof most true it is that the Father of the last Chinese Empress maintain'd himself by making Shoes of Straw But to return to the three Vice-Roys who were made by the Tartars Governors over the three Provinces of Fokien Quantung and Quangsi and sent with three Armies to reduce Quantung drive out the Emperor Iunglieus and pacifie the Disorders in the Southern Provinces They took their Iourney through a Country which the Tartar Emperor had given to some Tartars for the native Chineses by reason of their Conspiracy were all put to the Sword to inhabit and cultivate the same they requested of the Vice-Roys that they might accompany them upon the Way for in truth these People ever had an aversion to Husbandry loving their Arms better than the Plough or Spade But two of the Vice-Roys deni'd their Request without leave from the Emperor the third only call'd Kengus being of a high and lofty Spirit permitted them to follow him so they abandon'd the Country and exchang'd their Spades and Ploughs for Boughs and Arrows following their Country-men with great joy As soon as the Emperor heard of it he writes a Letter to Kengus with express Command to send them back to their Husbandry but Kengus taking no notice thereof suffer'd them to continue their March with him whereof the Emperor having a second time notice in a great Rage sends to the chief Tutang or Governor of the Southern Provinces who held his Court at Nanking either to imprison or kill Kengus The Tutang forthwith obeys the Emperor's Order for after the three Vice-Roys were arriv'd at Nanking and had been nobly Treated by the Tutang he pulls out his Letter and Order shewing them to Kengus who knowing that no Excuse would be admitted goes immediately and hangs himself however his Son who accompanied him in the Wars succeeded him in his Place by Order of the Emperor After this the other two Vice-Roys through the Provinces of Xantung Kiangsi and Nanking at last arriving at Quantung with an intention according to their Commission to reduce that Province and to force Iunglieus to flie thence and indeed no sooner was the Report of the coming of these three Armies spread through the Countries but most Places submitted freely only the Chief City of Canton or Quancheu endur'd a long and hard Siege and made great and valiant opposition yet was at last taken by Treachery in the Year 1650. all the Inhabitants being put to the Sword and the City levell'd with the Ground After the taking of Canton all the adjacent Cities and Places sent Ambassadors to the Vice-Roys with Promises of Submission if they might have their Lives spar'd which was freely granted them Then the Vice-Roy march'd with his Army to the City Chaiking where the Emperor Iunglieus kept his Court at that time who hearing of his coming durst not stay for him but left the City and Province and fled to that of the Dominion of Quangsi but being narrowly and closely pursu'd he was necessitated to betake himself to the Confines of the Kingdom of Tungking where what became of him is not since that time certainly known In the Year 1651. died the faithful Uncle of the Tartar Emperor to the great grief and lamentation of all People for he was a Prince of great Valour Prudence and Experience and to whose happy Conduct the Conquest of China is chiefly to be attributed Not only the Tartars but the Chineses themselves lov'd and fear'd him for his Understanding in Martial Affairs and his otherwise civil Comportment and Integrity And as good Men always die too soon so was he hardly cold but great Divisions hapned in the Court by means of one of the Emperor's Brothers call'd Quintus who would take upon him the Guardianship and Direction of the young Emperor against the wills and minds of all the rest for they were of opinion that the Emperor Xunchius being now arriv'd at the Age of sixteen years was sufficiently qualifi'd to take upon himself the Management of all the Affairs of the State But ambitious Quintus alledg'd that the Emperor was not yet of an Age capable to take upon him the great and weighty Affairs of the Empire and therefore insisted that the Direction and Management of Affairs might be committed to him till the young Prince should attain his full Age But finding that he was generally oppos'd by all the Grandees of the Court and that it was impossible for him to attain his Ends he at last concurr'd with the Opinions of all the rest and the young Cham of Tartary is Crown'd and the whole weight of the Government unanimously thrown upon his Shoulders which he manag'd with such Iudgment that in a short time he gave sufficient proof of his Abilities and not only his desire but intention to do Iustice insomuch that when some dangerous Counsels which his deceased Uncle had in his Life-time given came to break out he caus'd his dead Body to be taken out of the Tomb and be most shamefully misus'd and the Tomb to be broken in pieces nor ended he there for those of his Uncle's Relations who were privy and consenting to the said Counsel were likewise handled with extreme severity Thus far have I spent in setting forth particularly how and in what manner the Robber Licungzus first over-ran China and after his Expulsion how the Tartars at last conquer'd the same Now you are to remember that contemporary with Licungzus was another Thief call'd Changlianchus the remaining Transactions of whose Villany whereof we have already in part made mention I shall now relate And indeed when I call to mind the Cruelties committed by this Monster in Mans shape I am as one deprived of his Senses for his Actions were so dismal and horrid that whoever hears of them will be fill'd with stupefaction and amazement This Robber Changlianchus plunder'd and ruin'd several Provinces putting the Inhabitants to unspeakable Tortures to make them confess where they had hid their Wealth and Goods he was greatly delighted to put out Peoples Eyes and to see
seeking Rapine from all People to furnish themselves for maintenance of their Rebellion at home Whereto his Majesty express'd his credit by telling me That two years since upon their Proffer at it he had deny'd them Entrance into his Country and that he knew not how they had now obtain'd it signifying that 't was either through negligence or surreptitious dealing in his Officers which I interpreted to him to be the Bribing those of Canton however since there was a Licence sent for their coming to Court the best was to admit them because it would seem light now to revoke it only he should be cautious how he granted them any Commerce in his Country for wheresoever they once got footing they immediately so fortifi'd themselves that there was then no expulsion of them nor preserving the adjacent Parts from being infested with them The Emperor was very well pleas'd at my Information and said it should be remembred in its proper Season A few days after their arrival here I was Summon'd by the Mandorins to be present in the Tribunal in the Hearing and Debating the Hollanders Proposals and to give my Iudgment upon them At their appearing there were twenty of them the two chief being Peter de Goyer and Iacob de Keyser whom the Tartars call'd Compim that is Captain and shew'd them a fair Respect they Saluted me very civilly after the European fashion calling me by my Name which they had learn'd in Canton or Couchinchina Here they presently produc'd many Boxes and Fardels which they open'd before the Mandorins and Tartars and took out their Contents but being ask'd concerning every Species whether it were of Holland or any other Country either because I was present or to justifie themselves by the truth they openly acknowledg'd of what Place every Particular was so that all things being seen and Examin'd scarce one of ten was found to be of Holland it being easie to perceive they were most of them Indian Commodities yea the Cloth which they pretended to be made in Holland and whereof they had a hundred Pieces was really no other than Indian Bafta's Then Demand being made of the length of the Voyage from thence hither they said it did require sixteen Months affixing the time spent in Sailing from Place to Place where they gather'd up Goods All the Friends and Servants of the Kings of Canton were diligent Attendants unto the Dutch perpetually praising and extolling them and proclaiming the great Benefit which the Mandorins would receive by Commerce with these Men by which it was apparent that those of Canton had undertaken the management of this Embassy which they perform'd with all their Power as if it had been their own proper Business At length they flock'd about me to hear what I would say and I thus deliver'd my self in the Chinese Language Most certain it is that these Hollanders are Europeans who have now no King to Govern them because they have cast him off they have one only Prince that Commands their Armies and he who Commands now is a Child about six years old nor is it he who sends them hither but as they confess by the Advice and Counsel of their Mandorins they came first into India and afterwards into China The Traffick they bring with them is for the most part that I say not all of the Growth of other Countries and not their own But as I intended to have proceeded a Messenger coming for me from the Emperor I was forc'd to break off only adding That my Native Country was near theirs so that I very well knew their Manners and understood their Language whereby I had discover'd from them that in the Schedule which they deliver'd to the Mandorins and in the Memorial to the Emperor they had made a far different Relation from what they now have had I been either absent or ignorant of them And though they found one President acting much in favor of them yet seeing me sit near him they suppos'd me to have some Authority in the Court which made them to forbear so much and when I arose to go out they all stood up and the two Captains proffer'd me their utmost Service When I came to the Emperor the first Observation I made to him was the Calculation of the time of the Hollanders Travels for being demanded Whence they came to this Employment they answer'd From Holland for a second Experiment of that Success whereof they had fail'd two years since They had confess'd sixteen Months for their Voyage from Holland to China and allowing other sixteen Months for their Passage from China to Holland therein were thirty two Months for their Passage forward and backward whereto adding eight Months which have been spent between their arrival at Canton and this Court the whole amounts to forty Months whereby it is manifest that they could not go hence home and there wait for a Commission and Presents to return hither with them and all in the space of two years as had been pretended so that by this Lye the Emperor might judge what credit was to be given them in other Matters The Emperor was somewhat amaz'd at this Argument but approaching near as if I had some Secret to whisper to him I alledg'd a second which much more astonish'd him thus If these People get footing in any Place upon pretence of Commerce immediately they raise Fortresses and plant Guns wherein they are most expert and so appropriate a Title to their Possessions I admire how they come to be led through the Emperor's High-ways between Canton and this Court and to be suffer'd to view all Places which may be most advantageous to them for supposing they have a Design to Invade the Kingdom of Cayo if they come to that Island which is call'd The Golden Mountain standing in the middle of the great River where it empties it self into the Sea and should there build a Castle they would Command that Passage and be capable of all Supplies from Sea in despite of this whole Country and thereabouts are four great Cities which who could preserve from their Incursions if they should Settle themselves upon the aforesaid Place which they would be able to defend with a hundred Men though it would put your Majesty to the Charge of keeping two or three thousand Men in Pay to attend their Motions and the like danger there would be in what Place soever should be allotted them for Abode Let not the Emperor take it ill that I do thus freely declare the sense of the Danger I apprehend him to be in for I stand before my bounteous Lord and Master to whom I am oblig'd to declare any thing that may prevent his ill the fear whereof breeds no little anxiety in my Heart The Emperor stood musing for a small space and then signifi'd his clear apprehension of what I deliver'd and presently ask'd me if the Muscovites were of the same Temper whereto I answer'd quite contrary That they were a
Law which Governs the Kingdom of China Hereupon the Law of God was promulgated through all the ten Provinces of China the Kingdom enjoy'd a flourishing Peace all the Cities were fill'd with Churches and the People prosper'd under the Evangelical Felicity 8. In this Year call'd Ximlie which is all one with The Year of our Lord 699. the Bonzii Followers of the Pagods making use of their Strength with a huge clamour aloud blasphem'd our holy Law in the Place which is call'd Tum Cieu in the Province of Honan and in the end of another Year call'd Sien tien which answers to the Year of our Lord 713. certain private Men in Sieno the ancient Place of Venvam the Commentator will have it to be Siganfu in the Province of Xensi were so audacious as to rail against our holy Law with Mocks Flouts and opprobrious Language 9. At this time there was one of the Chief Priests a Bishop as it should seem by Name Iohn and another Man of great Virtue and Eminency by Name Kie Lie with other Nobles and Persons belonging to them no less honor'd for their Fame than respected for their contempt of worldly Affairs who began again to revive and Preach their most excellent Gospel and to tie together those Threds which by the malice of the Devil had been broken And the King Hiuen cum chi tao who began his Reign in the Year 719. commanded five of his Principal Officers that they should go in Person into that Happy House meaning the Church and erect Altars Then the Pillar of the Law which for a short time had been laid groveling began anew to rise and flourish In the beginning of the Year Tien pao being the Year of our Lord 743. King Ota Ciam Kuen gave strict Command to Cuolie fie an Eunuch in extraordinary Favor and Power with him that he should carry the true Effigies of the five Kings his Predecessors and Grandfathers and place them in the Church whither also he should send an hundred Measures of Precious things for celebrating the Solemnity the Author Kim Lim saith in honor of the said Kings 10. In the third Year Tien pao being the Year of our Lord 745. there was in Iudea others say India one Kieho a Priest who was conducted into China by the help of the Stars and looking upon the Sun this was a Ceremony of those who are admitted to speak with our Emperor he was forthwith brought into his Presence But the Emperor Commanded that the Priests Iohn and Paul with others of that Profession and the so eminently virtuous Person Kieho should betake themselves to the Palace Him Kim to worship and perform other holy Acts of Devotion At this time his Royal Grants were kept in Tables in the Church according to order richly adorn'd and glittering with red and blue and the empty space was fill'd with the Royal Plume ascending and reaching even to the Sun His Favors and Donations are compar'd to the heighth of the Mountains of the South and the abundance of his Benefits equal to the depth of the East Sea Reason cannot but well like a thing so approv'd and worthy to be remembred Therefore the King Sa Cum nen men or Ven min who began to Reign in the Year 757. commanded Churches to be built in Lim suu seu and five other Cities by a new Proclamation This King was of a most acute Ingenuity under whom a Gate of Happiness was open'd to the whole Kingdom and hereby all the Royal Affairs of State were Administred and prosper'd with applause rejoycing and felicity 11. The King Tai cum nen vu coming to the Throne in 764. and enjoying the benefit of good Times manag'd all the Affairs of the Kingdom without any difficulty At the Feast of Christ's Birth every Year he sent certain excel-cellent Perfumes in a thankful remembrance and assign'd Princely Provision of all kinds in honor of the Ministers of that holy Law Surely the Heaven gives beauty and perfection to the World which therefore produceth all things with so liberal a Hand This King imitated Heaven and therefore knew it was fit to nourish and preserve his own 12. The King Kien cium xim ven vu in the Year 781. us'd eight ways of rewarding the Good and chastising the Bad. He set forth new Orders for restoring and promoting the Gospel His Government was full of Excellency We Pray to God for him not blushing thereat He was eminent for Virtue Peaceable and Learned He lov'd his Neighbor abounded with Charity to help all and was a great Benefactor to all then living This is the true Way and the Scale of our holy Law to cause that the Winds and the Rain return at their wonted Seasons that the World be quiet Men well Govern'd Affairs orderly dispos'd such as yet are on Earth live well and those that are deceased enjoy Rest and Peace To have these things in readiness and be able to give an Account thereof proceeds really from our holy Faith and are Effects of the Strength and Power of our most sacred Gospel 13. The King gave to the Priest call'd Usa and one of the Chief Preachers of the Law these Titles Kin ju quam lo tai fu being an Office in the Court and Sou fum cie tu fu lei being an Office without the Court and Xi tien thum Kien another Office also but the Explication thereof we have not found in the Exemplar He gave also to the said Priest and Preacher of the Great Law a Vestment of blue Colour which the Italians call di color pavonazo This Priest was inclin'd to Peace rejoyc'd to do good to others with all his Endeavors striving to do Acts of Charity He came into China from a remote Country and Place call'd Vam xi ciu chim being Heathenish which is the same as the far distant India He perfectly taught several Sciences and his Acts were famous through China for above three Generations At the beginning he waited upon the King in his Court and afterwards his Name was Entred in the King's Record or Chronicle 14. The Governor Fuen Yam call'd also Co cu y and enobled with the Title of Chum Xulim at first only minded his Military Affairs in the Parts of Sofam but the King So cum commanded Ay su or Y su that he should promote Co cuy with more favor than the rest it seems the King commanded Ay su to make him a Councellor for although his Captain lov'd him extraordinarily yet he did not like his ordinary method of proceeding for as the Chineses speak An Army is the Teeth and Nails the Eyes and Ears of the Commonwealth He knew how to distribute his Revenues and not hoard them up at home He offer'd to the Church a Precious thing call'd Poli made of Glass as it seems the People of this Place name it Cim reguen others Lintiguen Besides he bestow'd Tapestries of these Parts interwoven with Gold call'd Cie Ki repair'd the Churches in such manner
Design and that in taking accurate Maps and Sketches not onely of the Countreys and Towns but also of Beasts Birds Fishes and Plants and other Rarities never divulged as I am informed heretofore But now to remove some Obstructions and to clear the way that Posterity may not be bereav'd of the Fruit of these my Endeavors I find my self highly necessitated to relate what passed in this Undertaking with as much candour and brevity as the Work may possibly require But before I engage my self it seems also not amiss to set forth briefly the Division of the universal Globe and likewise the Etymology or Derivation of the word China the Condition of the Soil and the Extent thereof and lastly the ten Provinces of the fifteen into which that County divides it self and the Towns and Cities through which we did not pass The Terraqueous Globe comprehending Sea and Land Rivers and Lakes stands divided by modern Geographers into two Semi-Orbs viz. the Old and New World The Old contains Europe Asia and Africa the New America not much less in Extent to all those vast Regions discovered before named so from Americus Vesputius a Florentine but indeed first found out by Christopher Columbus a Genoese furnished out for so great an Expedition by Ferdinand and Isabel King and Queen of Castile and Aragon in the Year 1492. But five years after Americus Voyaging made his Approaches higher into those unknown Confines and so got by a lucky Hit or something in his Name the Honor of Denomination of the Moiety of the World from the prime Discoverer to whom so great a Glory belonged since vulgarly called The West-Indies not improperly the East being by Sea found by us about the same time Under our new World may also be comprised those vast Southern Coasts and Straights of Magellan first lighted on by Ferdinandus Magellanus in the Year 1520. in his Circumnavigation of the Universe which forty five years after Sir Francis Drake and next Sir Thomas Bendish Englishmen made a farther Inspection into and in the Year 1600. Oliver van Noord a Hollander pass'd but of later years a Spaniard Ferdinand de Quier out-shot them all by a more ample Discovery than all the former Asia not to make mention of any other Divisions of the World being impertinent to the following Discourse stands bounded on the North by the Tartarick Sea on the East with the great Indian Ocean called Eous and on the South with the same on the West with the Arabian Gulph and the Slip of Land situated betwixt this Gulph and the Mediterranean Sea the Extent of which from the Hellespont as far as Mallassa the utmost Town of Traffick in India consists of 1300 Dutch Miles the breadth from the Arabian Gulph to the Cape of Tabin 1220 Dutch Miles All Asia which the Ancients divide into Asia the Great and Asia the Less modern Computors part into five Divisions Persia the Turkish Empire India to which they cast in the adjacent Isles Tartary and China What concerns the Name of China or the farther part of Asia much Time and Pains have been spent and taken by several Historians both old and new as also by the Natives of the Countrey and Foreiners to give the true Derivation thereof and the several Names by which China has been formerly call'd to whom I shall refer my self to satisfie the curiosity of the Reader in this particular That these are the People whom Ptolemy calls Chineses both the Constitution of the Countrey and the Name by which it is known at this time may suffice to prove the truth thereof for that which in Spanish is writ China in Italian is called Cina in High-Dutch Tschina and in Low Dutch and Latin Sina The difference in the pronunciation of the word China and Sina betwixt us and the Spaniards is not much but in regard it falls somewhat hard to those People to pronounce the Ch they therefore make use of the Greek Letter χ. The Tartars call this Kingdom Catay and sometimes Mangin but this Name rather denotes the Inhabitants themselves then the Countrey for Mangin signifies in their Language a wild and unciviliz'd People and with this word the Tartars often deride the Chineses This Countrey was likewise formerly called Catay by Marcus Panwelz a Venetian who was the first Discoverer thereof in part But the most known Name by which that Kingdom is call'd at present by those of Europe is China The reason why that Kingdom has been called by so many several Names may be supposed to be this from an ancient Custom observed amongst them That whosoever gets the Sovereignty over them Presents the Kingdom with a new Name according to his pleasure Amongst the rest we read that formerly this farther part of Asia or China was called Thau Yu Tha Sciam Cheu as also Han Thau which signifies Boundless broad Yu Rest Tha Great Sciam Curious Cheu Perfect Han The Milky-Way Long before the Conquest of China by the Tartars in their last Invasion and the Deposing of the Emperor of China viz. when the Sovereignty of the Kingdom was in the Family of Ciu China was called by the Chineses Min which signifies Perspicuity or Brightness Afterwards they added to the word Min the syllable Ta and called it then Tamin or as some write Taming which signifies The Kingdom of great Brightness For above 300 years this Kingdom bore the Name of Taiâ—jven and at this time is called by the Tartars who possess the Kingdom under the Great Cham Taicing But though this Kingdom of China doth often change its Lord and Name the Chineses however have Time out of mind called it by two other particular Names as Chungchoa and Chungque the first whereof signifies The Middle Kingdom and the other The Middle Garden The reason why the Chineses gave their Kingdom these Names may be suppos'd to be this in regard that formerly they did verily believe that the Heaven was round the Earth four-square and in the middle Point thereof lay their Kingdom Wherefore when they first saw the Maps of Europe they took it very ill that their Kingdom was not placed in the middle but in the farther part of the East And therefore when Matthias Riccius a Iesuit had in China made a Map of the whole World he so ordered his Adulation that the Kingdom of China fell to be in the middle But most of the Chineses do now acknowledge this their great Error and blush convinc'd of so much Ignorance And though the Chineses themselves have thus called their Kingdom by several Names according as the Family which Govern'd over them hapned to change yet their Neighbors that live upon the Confines take no notice of their Alterations neither follow the Chineses therein for those of Couchenchina and Siam call this Kingdom Cin the Islanders of Iapan Than the Tartars Han and the Turks Saraceners and other Western People Cataium Some conceive that this Name is originally from Sioni in
done In this Island grows the Leaf Betel in great abundance much in request amongst the Iavaners who fetch whole Boats-full We made no long stay here but as soon as we had got our Provisions Aboard we set Sail to pursue our Voyage and on the 1. of Iuly came in sight of the large Continent leaving Couchinchina North North-West and about Noon we hâ—d the heighth of 20 Degrees and 6 Minutes we Sail'd along the Coast which was very pleasant This Couchinchina is part of the Kingdom of Gannan which is one of the neighbor Countries that are situated out of the Kingdom of China but yet belongs to the Chineses for under this Gannan is situated the Kingdoms of Tungking and Kianchi or Couchinchina both which were formerly call'd Nankiao The Emperor Haionus who was of the Family of Hana being a valiant Prince conquer'd first of all these Countries which he Planted and afterwards Govern'd the Inhabitants thereof according to the Laws and Manners of the Chineses This same Emperor was also the first who nam'd these Countries and the Inhabitants Kiaoch but afterwards the Family of Tanga call'd them by the Name of Kiaochians But it seems that the Chineses never made any account of these Countries in regard that the Inhabitants according to the Saying of the Chineses were wild and uncivil in their Conversation but others say they did it more out of fear because they knew very well that the Inhabitants far exceeded them in strength of Body and were desirous rather to live conformable to their own Laws and Customs and have their own King than submit their Necks under the Yoke of the Chineses At the beginning of the Reign of the Family of Taiminga for the space of 290 years these People were brought under the Lash of the Emperor Hunguus But this Country was afterwards made over to a petty King call'd Chin who soon was made away by his three Governors who were of the Family of Ly and so possess'd themselves of the Realm When the Emperor Iunglos observ'd the troublesom Condition of that Kingdom he caus'd two of the Governors to be put to Death but the third escap'd by flight and the Emperor afterwards reduced the Kingdom of Gannam into a Province but he had no sooner laid down his Arms but the Fugitive Ly began to appear again in the Field and made himself Master of the Kingdom which done he speedily sent Ambassadors to pacifie the Emperor At that time Sivanteus was Emperor a peaceable Man and more a Slave to his Pleasure than a Prince of his Countries This Emperor being weary of all these Mutinies and Troubles made over again this Country to this same Ly and install'd him as a petty Prince upon Condition that he should send to him every three years an Ambassador with great Presents And in this manner these Parts were divided from the Empire of China about the Year 1428. But these Countries notwithstanding all this grew very troublesom being full of Divisions so that at last they came to be divided into three Parts the first was call'd The Kingdom of Laos the second The Kingdom of Tunking and the third Couchinchina which at present are no other than part of the Provinces of Quangsi and Iunnan The Inhabitants of these three Kingdoms Laos Tunking and Couchinchina follow the Religion of the Chineses They likewise use the Chinese Characters but yet differ very much in Speech and Pronunciation from them These Countries are very fruitful in every thing belonging to the sustenance of Mankind among other innumerable Trees and Fruits there grows a Bean which makes an Oyl or Iuyce by the Portugueses call'd Rosamalia From hence comes likewise in great abundance the Eagle-Wood which is of a Purple colour and is known to the Spaniards by the Name of Lacca and us'd in China to dye and colour Silk-Stuffs It produces likewise good store of Linnen Silk and Cotton Among other sorts of Monkies here is also found one call'd Singsiing the manner of taking them in the Woods is to set Wine before them with which they being Fudled fall asleep and so are taken napping their Blood makes an excellent Purple Dye Upon the 14. we came in sight of the Island Maccoa and kept us by the heighth of 21 Degrees and 10 Minutes in the Evening we Anchor'd and the next Morning we set Sail. We saw lying upon the Shore several Boats but not one would come Aboard notwithstanding all the Signs we made to invite them so wondrous fearful they are of the Pyrate cokesing them who at that time held the Coast in continual Alarm and whom they undoubtedly took us to be Two days we Sail'd under this Island thence passing by the most famous and wealthy City of Maccoa and though we came not near it yet I shall relate what I have understood from others concerning the Magnificence of this Place whereof you have a Draught as it was taken at Sea Sailing thus by the City of Maccao we came to an Anchor under the Island of Goyers so call'd by the Name of Peter de Goyer Opon the 18. of the same Month we arriv'd about Sun-set only in company with the Yacht Koukerken for we lost the Yacht Bloemendael in the Storm upon the Coast of Couchinchina which came not till 48 days after us to Canton very safe into the Harbor of Heytamon and dropt our Anchor in the middle of the Bay at six and a half Fathom Water This Place is exceeding pleasant and most commodious for Trade on the Water side delightful Hills and Dales behind as is to be seen by the anâ—â—xed Print We were no sooner at Anchor but a Barque full of Soldiers Boarded us who in the Name of the Governor were sent to ask the occasion of our coming Hereupon the Ambassadors sent Hendrick Baron Ashore to acquaint him by word of Mouth with the occasion of our Arrival who when he came on Shore was conducted into his Bed-chamber where he was received very courteously and Treated by him who ask'd why the Hollanders did return and whether they were not about two years since expresly forbidden to come to Canton Six days after on the 24. came two Mandorins from Canton to view the Credentials they brought to the Great Cham and to that purpose they sent for the Ambassadors to the Governors House Hereupon the Ambassadors with all their Followers made up the River and came about Noon to the Village of Lamme where they went Ashore and were from thence conducted by the Master of the Ceremonies to the Governor's Palace At their Entry they found the Governor sitting at a high Table in the Hall betwixt the two Mandorins Guarded with Soldiers who civilly treated us and were serviceable unto us After Complements passed the Ambassadors shew'd their Credentials at a distance against which the Mandorins had nothing to object and then Chairs were set for the Ambassadors to sit down which being done the Mandorins and Governor began to ask
our Trumpets sound in the Hall with which he was exceeeingly pleas'd and also seem'd much to admire our Arms And because this Tutang who held his Residence and Court in this Chief City had the Command over the Provinces of Kiangsi Fokien Hucang and Quantung and consequently was not much inferior to a Vice-Roy and that the Ships of our East-India Company bound from Iapan to Taiwan often supply'd themselves here with much fresh Water for the Province of Fokien is all Maritime lying opposite to the other Island of Formosa therefore the Ambassadors concluded to offer him some Presents but he refus'd them with great Civility alledging That the Tartar Government would not permit any Presents to be receiv'd from any Foreign People till they had made their Appearance at the Court before his Imperial Majesty He likewise added That he did not refuse them out of a Chinese Dissimulation but only to observe the Custom of their Country and assur'd the Ambassadors that in their Return from Peking all manner of Friendship should be shewn them This Cancheu in regard of the great Income and Revenue arising yearly from the Trade that is driven there is one of the Chief Cities in the Province of Kiangsi and Commands over twelve small Cities It lies about sixty Miles from Canton close to the side of the River Can which takes its source near to the eighth small City call'd Xuikin and flows from thence Northward up to Cancheu The City is four-square as Nankang and is surrounded with a high Stone Wall about two Miles compass There are four Gates also to this City which are call'd after the four Winds We lay all Night in our Barques before the Western Gate The Streets of the City are handsomly Pav'd On the East-end stands a high well-built Tower from the top of which you have a full Prospect of the City and adjacent Countries which are wondrous pleasant The Burgers Houses and Dwellings are built in good order among which are some very large ones well furnish'd but the Palace of the Governor exceeds all the rest Among other stately Edifices this Place abounds in curious Idol-Temples very richly adorn'd with Pictures and Graven Images but there is one especially whose Top stands higher crowning all the rest which may be reckon'd among the chiefest Temples in all China and is call'd Kuil Kiasti Miao Miao signifying A Church and Kuil Kiasti being the peculiar Name of the Idol they here worshipp'd At the Place where the two Rivers Chang and Can meet and conjoin cross the Stream lies a long Bridge of Boats cover'd over with Planks At the end of the Bridge stands a Toll-house for the receipt of Custom Upon the 18. of April we pass'd by the ruinous and deplorable City of Vanâ—â—ngam This City lies close to the side of the River Can on the right hand in a very fruitful and pleasant Soil The Tartars were so cruel to this Place in the last War that they left nothing standing that was any ways remarkable It appears to have been a wondrous delightful Place very accurately built and full of Inhabitants The Country round about this City produces twice a year great store of Fruit to the Husbandman And not far from hence lies a Hill which has Silver-Mines but the Chineses are forbidden by their Laws to dig for any Silver On the East-side of this City is a Mountain call'd Chao whose Top reaches up to the Clouds and though of this vast heighth yet from the bottom to the top there grow all sorts of Trees and Herbs which made us a delightful Prospect at a distance We left immediately this miserable Town and came to an eminent Village call'd Pekkinsa whose Situation is most pleasant and where a good Trade is driven in all Naval Materials to the great benefit of the Inhabitants At a great distance before you come to this Village you see several Cliffs which have been so wonderfully cut and order'd by Art and Labor that the very sight thereof fill'd us all with admiration but the last War has much defac'd the beauty of them and there is now only left the Ruines whereby to judge what a brave Ornament they were formerly The very destruction of these artificial Rocks sufficiently declares what vast Devastations befel the whole Empire of China in the last War of the Tartars who did not only ruine the greatest Cities Towns and Villages but neither suffer'd any Ornaments to continue eminent in the Country for not any Place of note escap'd the fury of those barbarous People except the Imperial City of Peking which the Tartars favor'd after they had taken it where yet are to be seen most rare and exquisite Curiosities whereof we shall make mention hereafter In regard of the extraordinary strangeness of these Stone Cliffs made by Art I took the Altitude of one of them which had suffer'd least prejudice by the Tartars and found it at least forty Foot The like artificial Rocks are to be seen in the Emperor's Court where the Great Tartar C ham often refreshes himself in the heat of Summer We departed at last from this Village Pekkinsa and came late in the Evening to the small City Taiko which is the second small City under the Iurisdiction of the ninth Chief City Kiegan and situate on the side of the River Can. Upon the 29. of April we came unto the most famous City of Kinungam call'd by som Kiegan which is the ninth Prime City of this Province of Kiangâ—i It lies about forty Miles from Taiko being built upon the Western side of the River Can not far from the Place where those terrible and dreadfâ—l Cliffs call'd Xepatan discover themselves and is defended with tall Battlements by the help of which she was enabled to make resistance against the Tartars when beleaguer'd by them Here were also formerly many stately Structures but they are now generally ruin'd and destroy'd by the Enemy some few Idol-Temples only remaining Over against the City lies an Island where stands a curious Temple of modern Building hung round about with great and small Images The Country round about this City is full of Hills and Dales in which are said to be Gold and Silver Mines but the Chineses are prohibited by their Laws to dig for any only they are permitted to take what of either they can find upon the sides of the Rivers These Parts are also pregnant and delightful for in this Country which is seldom known in other Places there is no want of Water either Winter or Summer nor too much Drought Near to Ganto the fifth small City under the Iurisdiction of Kinungam a mighty high Mountain call'd Nucung lifts her Head towards the Clouds and is as remarkable for bigness as any in those Parts Most of the Chinese Rivers are very dangerous being so precipitate that all Vessels are liable almost to continual Attaques and sudden surprizals of Rocks Banks and Shoals in ambush so that the Masters ought to
River Kiang call'd Sanglo Not far from Tonglieu near the River side rises a Mountain call'd Kieuhoa or The Nine-headed Mountain much like the Sun-Flower when hanging down the Head Two Miles from this Tonglieu we saw in our Passage the tenth Chief City Ganking the most famous City of this Countrey which abounds in Wealth and Trade because no Goods are brought out of other Parts to the Chief City of Nanking but they must first pass by this The Country though Hilly yet abounds with most sorts of Provisions and is plentifully supply'd with what they want from the adjacent Markets by the River Kiang Toward the Evening we came to Tungling the third small City under the Command of the Metropolis Chicheu which is situated most delightfully being surrounded with variety of Woods Hills and Dales This City though but little is well built and encompass'd with Walls having in the Front a Land-lock'd Harbor for Vessels to shelter in stormy Weather which very much enriches the Place The Corner of this Port is Guarded with a strong Castle which not only defends the City against any hostile Invasion but also serves to protect the Harbor and Vessels that ride there Whilst we were taking a view of this Place the Inhabitants told us that not far from thence on a Hill was a very rare Echo Out of curiosity to hear this Novelty we clamber'd up the Hill and there sounded our Trumpets where we heard their Notes return most distinctly to our great admiration Near to this City rises the Mountain Hing so nam'd from the Apricocks which grow thereupon in great abundance Having satisfi'd our Eyes with the view of this Place we set Sail the next Day and came on the third of May to a Castle call'd Upun near the River Kiang not far from the following City of Ufu being built four-square and begirt with a large Stone Wall Amidst this Fortress is a strong well-built Temple with a high Roof whose inside is curiously adorn'd with Pictures The same Day we arriv'd at Ufu the second small City under the eleventh Metropolis call'd Taiping lying with our Vessels close under the Walls of the City This Town is situate in an Island of the River Kiang the Suburbs of it are very populous and full of Commerce Upon each Angle of this Island are strong Block-houses but are neither Mann'd nor have any Guns mounted on them This City is cri'd up through all China for Arms the Inhabitants being most dexterous and exquisite in making all manner of Military Utensils they are likewise very skilful in making Lamps of all sorts Upon the fourth we pass'd by the third Chief City call'd Teytong which some also call Taiping lying upon the side of the River Kiang in an Island there made by the same Stream The Country about this Island is in some places very Rocky and full of Hills in others again as smooth but in both exceeding fruitful On the South-side of this City we saw at a distance a high Mountain by the Chineses call'd Tienmuen which signifies Heavens Gate because the River Kiang runs through here between two small Hills of this Mountain as through a Gate Sailing forward we observ'd lying in the River over against this City another Island call'd Hiao all of one intire Stone In this Rock were several Holes and Concavities wherein bred abundance of Night-birds the Isle from thence denominated Hiao Not far from hence toward the South-East is a large Lake or Pool call'd Tanyang which as well as the River Kiang divides it self and waters the whole Countrey of this Chief City which very much enriches the Grounds round about making them satisfie the greedy Husbandman We understood by the Chineses that this had been a stately City well built and full of Trade but the Tartars totally ruin'd it in the last Wars Three gallant Towers we saw upon the River side as we Sail'd along by which we might understand in what a famous Condition this Country had formerly been Upon the same Day we came in sight of that renowned and Royal City of Nanking which is justly call'd the Chief City of the Province of Nanking we came to Anchor in the Harbor and lay with our Vessels before the Gate Susimon which signifies The Water-Gate The Ambassadors went the next Day to visit the three Governors of this City being carried in Palakins or Sedans and their Followers waited upon them on Horseback They were conducted thither in great State by the Agent of the young Vice-Roy of Canton who resided in this City and by two Mandorins who came from Canton in the absence of Pinxenton who lay still behind The chief Governor shew'd the Ambassadors his Withdrawing-room and made them after accustomary Complements to sit down next to him He was a Chinese born in the City of Leoatung but of a very civil behaviour The Ambassadors shew'd him a Letter of the Presents which were design'd for him but he would not receive them they having not yet seen the Emperor After they had discoursed a while with this first Governor they took leave and went to the second also a Chinese and born at Leaotung who shew'd himself no less courteous than the former He caus'd the Ambassadors to sit down with almost the same Complements and receiv'd the Letter with great Civility from them which nominated his allotted Presents but he being illiterate himself gave it to one of his Commanders to read and on the former account refus'd to accept of them From hence they went to the third who dwelt in the Wall of the old Imperial Palace he sent for the Ambassadors who came to him in his Chamber where his Wife was with him The Apartment was four-square with Benches round about cover'd with Silk and a Stove to warm the Room in Winter in which they burn Reed Wood being there very scarce This Governor was by Birth a Tartar a young well-set Man but understood not the Chinese Language therefore his Sons were Interpreters His Wife a proper and comely Dame spoke more than her Husband and seem'd very inquisitive about Holland She was not dismay'd at our strange Arms but like a bold Virago drew on t our Swords and discharg'd our Pistols which much delighted her The Room was presently fill'd with Tartar Gentlewomen who belong'd to and waited upon this Lady and brought a great Silver Kettle full of Thea mingled with Milk and Salt placing it in the middle of the Chamber and serving it about with Wooden Ladles to all the Company The Thea thus mingled they drink in Wood but the clear Thea made onely with Water they drink in little China Cups and other Drinks as Chinese Beer and Zamsou made of Rice in Silver The Ambassadors after they had been thus civilly receiv'd and treated took leave and went with the Canton Agent to visit a Tartar Gentleman who was newly arriv'd from Peking He was a young lusty Man and had his Lodging in an old ruinous Court which also
Complement and invite them to Dinner but they civilly excus'd themselves however my self and the Secretary accepted of the Invitation and were very handsomly receiv'd and Treated next Day by him with some of the better sort of Chineses who were pleas'd with our Company and to signifie that they were Christians strook upon their Breasts and Cross'd themselves This Iesuit was a very free gallant and open Spirit earnestly desiring that we might have free Commerce in China He came often to see the Ambassadors and Presented them with several Provisions for the Table inviting himself to Dinner at the same time The Ambassadors were very desirous to have writ from hence to Iapan but were inform'd that that Passage was forbidden the reason said to be this The unshorn Chineses had complain'd three Years before to the Emperor that the Chineses of Snitjien and Amei who belong'd to the famous Pyrate Coxinga had done them some Injury in Iapan so that they desir'd the Emperor to right them who thereupon order'd that they should go no more to Iapan These unshorn Chineses are those who will not submit to the Government of the Great Cham nor cut their Hair after the Conqueror's fashion for when this Emperor had conquer'd all China he issued forth a Command That the Chineses should wear their Hair after their manner all cut off except one Lock behind which caus'd some thousands of the Chineses who are very proud of this Ornament to sacrifice their Lives to the rigor of the Laws rather than part with one single Tress Having spent about a Fortnight in receiving and giving of Visits we departed from this famous City upon the 18. of May early in the Morning The Ambassadors had made use by the Way of ordinary Barques and Boats till they came to this Place but now they were accommodated by the Governors with the Emperor 's own Vessels to carry them on this their Iourney These Vessels were very large and commodious all Gilded and Painted with Dragons open-mouth'd and looking fiercely On one end of these Imperial Bottoms was a place for Musick to recreate the Passengers on the Way but the Ambassadors desir'd to spare them that trouble and appointed that Place for some Chinese Soldiers that came with them from Canton to Lodge in They have severe and corporal Punishments whoever dares presume to Paint any Yellow or Golden Dragons on their Vessels or any thing else without leave this Colour being made use of only by those whom the Emperor 's particular Favor admits to that high Honor. Two great Imperial Vessels were appointed for the Ambassadors the Chinese Officers as Pinxenton and the two Mandorins had also two others and the Canton Soldiers were put Aboard with the Ambassadors who were likewise accompanied by several Persons from Nanking After we had taken leave of the Governor and Magistrates of the City of Nanking we set Sail and pass'd by the Ship-Bridge of fourteen Arches On the farthest Point of the Walls of the City about two Miles from the Water-Gate call'd Suisimon where we first arriv'd with our Vessels there stood a very famous and eminent Idol to which the Mandorin Pinxenton with the whole Fleet appli'd themselves and Offer'd up to this Daemon or Genius of the Place Swine Goats and Cocks Blood to the end we which they verily believ'd might have a safe and prosperous Voyage The Sacrifice was perform'd after this manner The Swine and Goats were first kill'd and cleans'd and afterwards laid upon the Altar on the side of this Altar stood several little Images and behind the Altar the chiefest Image which is held for the Protector and Defender of this Temple and to whom it was Dedicated The Cocks which I saw Offer'd were kill'd and their Blood kept and sprinkled upon the Images which afterwards they wip'd clean During the Ceremony of the Sacrifice the Priests upon their Knees made several Grimaces and Mutterings to themselves as if they and the God had been in some earnest Contract or Dispute great Tapers burning all that while After this Sacrifice we Steer'd our Course Eastward and Sail'd down the River Kiang with great speed having the Stream with us so that in the Evening we came to a famous Village call'd Wanksien where we stay'd all Night and in the Morning early we set Sail and came upon the 20. of Iune to the City of Iejenjeen which some call Loho This Iejenjeen being the sixth and last small City of the Capital City of Nanking lies about sixty Miles from Nanking on the North-side of the River Kiang whose Streams run into the large and open East-Indian Sea Here came several Beggars Aboard us to shew their Tricks amongst the rest there were two who knock'd their Heads with so great force one against another that we look'd every moment to see them fall down dead upon the Place and in this Gesture they continu'd till the Company had bestow'd their Charity on them for unless they give them something they never cease rencountring Head till they kill each other which has often hapned I saw likewise in this City another Beggar kneeling down and seeming to mutter something to himself after which he strook his bare Head against a round black Stone with so much fore and violence that he made the Earth to shake under him Several other such Feats they use to win remorse from Strangers This small City of Iejenjeen situate near to the River Kiang is very delightful though but small within the Walls which are not very high but strong and thick It is built mighty close and adorn'd with several Temples and Idolatrous Edifices and has likewise a populous and well-built Suburb and much Trade by which its Inhabitants are much enrich'd Whilst we stay'd in this City the Interpreters told us That the famous Pyrate Coxinga had Landed some Forces with an Intention to have surpriz'd this Place and to have brought the same under his Subjection but through the care of the Inhabitants he not only lost his Design but also a great number of his Men and was forc'd to retreat to his Ships with shame and confusion yet to shew his Malice and to revenge himself upon the Citizens he burnt several of their Vessels which lay at an Anchor before the City and carried away others with him to a considerable number They also told us that about twenty Miles from this Place there were five great and fruitful Islands in the same River Kiang in which this Pyrate had chosen to harbor and shelter his Ships in stormy Weather Having lain all Night before this City we set Sail early in the Morning and the next Day we found upon the North side of the River Kiang near to a Castle call'd Ruancheu a large Stone Sluce at the Head of a Channel the Work onely of the Spade forc'd quite through the Country to get into the Yellow River so to avoid the trouble of Sailing round about out of one River into another These Artificial
a high Wall about it with three stately and broad Gates between each of which were very large Courts The Ambassadors immediately caus'd the Emperor's Presents and all their own Goods to be brought into their Lodgings where they found all things in good condition without the least loss or damage At Night came two Tartar Commanders with twelve Soldiers by the Emperor's Order to guard the Gates of their Lodgings and take care that the Command of his Imperial Majesty might be duly observ'd and the Ambassadors supplied with all things convenient The next Day early in the Morning appear'd the Mandorin Pinxenton with two other Commanders who were likewise come thither from Canton as also the two Agents of the Canton Vice-Roys who had their Residence in this Court. Not long after came some Lords of the Imperial Council attended with the Chief Secretary Thouglovia who was a Chinese by Birth and a very civil Person having likewise in their Company two other Mandorins call'd Quanlovia and Hoolovia the last whereof was Secretary to the Council though a Stranger to the Chinese Language After they had pass'd some Complements to one another they acquainted the Ambassadors that they were come to bid them welcom in the Name of the Emperor and his Council and to enquire after their Healths and the number of their Followers the quality and quantity of their Presents and lastly concerning the Person and Place from whom and from whence the same were properly sent Whereupon the Ambassadors deliver'd a List to the Mandorins consisting of twenty four Persons who all of them belong'd to the Embassy wherewith they were satisfi'd But in regard these Commissioners could not well understand nor apprehend this Form of our Government because the Tartars and Chineses know no other than Monarchical neither could they tell what the Name of Prince signified the Ambassadors had no little trouble to work them into a good Opinion of our State therefore they were forc'd to make use of the Name of the Prince of Orange as if they had been sent by his Highness concerning whom they ask'd several Questions and among the rest Whether the Ambassadors were ally'd to their Prince for they have a Custom That no Foreign Ambassadors are to bow their Heâ—ds before the Emperor's Throne unless they be such as are a Kin to him that sent them as the Ambassadors of Corea and the Liquese Islands who came hither the last Year were the Brothers and Kindred of those Kings that sent them without which they would have no great Credit and Reputation with the Emperor To which the Ambassadors reply'd That they were not in the least ally'd to their Prince for besides that the Governors of their Country knew nothing of this Custom so likewise such Persons as were related to their Prince were employ'd at home in the most considerable Charges But these Gentlemen were of opinion That the Dignity and Majesty of the Emperor would be much lessen'd if he should give Audience to such as were not so related to their Prince They then ask'd the Ambassadors What Offices do you bear in the Court of your Prince How runs your Title in your own Language How many Men have you under your Command And how do you live To all which Questions the Ambassadors return'd particular Answers They ask'd likewise Whether all the Presents they had brought with them came directly out of Holland Whereupon the Ambassadors told them That some of those Goods came out of Holland as the Cloths Looking-glasses Corral Perspective-glasses all manner of Arms and the Furniture for Horses but the rest were added by the Governor-General of Batavia by Order of the Council for the Indian Government in Holland Hereupon arose another Question namely What manner of Place Batavia was and what manner of Man the Governor The Ambassadors reply'd to this That the Governor-General in regard of his Command might be compar'd with the Vice-Roys of Canton And in regard the Hollanders were not subject to any King nor their Country a Kingdom therefore he could not have the Title of Vice-Roy but only be call'd by the Name of Governor-General as one that had the Command over other Places and Countries And as for Batavia that they said was a Place which for its conveniency was appointed for a Rendezvouz for all Ships which should come out of Holland and other Parts and consequently held for the Chief City of the Netherlands in India The Ambassadors having satisfied the Curiosity of these Persons in giving such a full Answer to all their Demands they took leave and presented to each of the Ambassadors fifty Toel of Silver But not long after these Gentlemen one after another came again to ask after some Particulars The first came by Order of his Imperial Majesty and his Council to fetch the Credentials which were carried to him in great State being put into a large Silver Dish cover'd with three Pieces of Scarlet Another came to see our Arms about which they were very inquisitive to know how and where they were made The third ask'd what manner of Arms the Hollanders us'd in their Wars and against whom they had warr'd He ask'd likewise particularly Whether we had War or Peace with the Portuguese and with those of Maceao and whose Country lay nearest to China The Ambassadors having fully answer'd all these Questions they departed but return'd at least six or seven times and ask'd among the rest after the Quality of the Ambassadors At last they ask'd Pardon for the trouble they had given them saying That they had done it by the Emperor's Order who was always very inquisitive in things of this nature After the Chief Governor of this Imperial City had been made acquainted with the Report of the Commissioners he sent the next day two Gentlemen to the Ambassadors with exprâ—â—s Order that they should appear with the Presents before his Majesties Council but it proving a very rainy day the Ambassadors left the Presents might be spoil'd desir'd to be excus'd from coming till another time yet it would not be granted notwithstanding all their Endeavors For though the Ambassadors went to Court without the Presents they were not admitted till such time as they had brought them for the Emperor was resolv'd to see them that day As soon as the Presents were come they were admitted and order'd to sit down without shewing any manner of Respect to that great Assembly The Chief Commander sate at the upper end of this Assembly upon a broad low Bench with his Legs across like our Taylors in Europe Next him on his Right-hand sate two Tartar Lords and on the left hand a Iesuit Father Adam Schaliger a Courtier in Peking almost fifty Years living in great Honor and Repute he was as he told us born at Cullen and went shav'd and cloth'd after the Tartar Fashion a very comely old Man with a long Beard All the Lords who were at this Assembly sate one among another without any Splendor
conducted them from Canton to Peking in the Name of the Emperor to the first Feast at Providore Lipu's House which was most Noble and Splendid To the same Banquet or Entertainment were also invited the Ambassadors of the Great Mogol Suytadsen and Lammas Our Ambassadors sate on the same side of the Table with him of the Mogol and the other two over against them with their Followers next unto them The Dinner consisted of two Courses The first Table was full of Fruits and dry'd Sweet-meats and the second of boyl'd and Roasted Mutton Beef and other Meat For each of the Ambassadors and for two of their Followers a particular Table was cover'd with thirty Silver Dishes full of rare Fruits and Sweet-meats The Emperor's Controller who likewise appear'd at this Feast representing the Person of his Majesty sate alone upon a broad Side-board with his Legs across like a Taylor on his Shop-board next him sate two other great Lords who took order to see the Ambassadors well entertain'd The Servants who brought the Meat to the Table and waited all Dinner-time were no ordinary Persons but of good Quality and cloth'd all in Cloth of Gold Before the Ambassadors sate down they were oblig'd to turn themselves toward the North and bow three times as if the Emperor had been present and as they had done when they were before the Imperial Throne The Banquet being taken away the boil'd and roasted Meats were brought to the Table but only in three Dishes and so ill dress'd that we hardly durst venture to taste of the Cookery of the Tartars Dinner being almost ended the Emperor's Steward call'd his Servants and gave them all the Dishes which stood before him only he reserv'd one Dish being a roasted Rib of a Camel of which he eat so heartily as if he had been fasting all that Day This splendid Treatment finish'd the Ambassadors according to the Custom of the Country were to put up what they left into their Pockets to carry home It was a pleasant Sight to see how these greasie Tartars stuffed their Pockets and Leather Drawers of their Breeches with fat Meat that the Liquor dropt from them as they went along the Streets so greedy were they in eating and carrying away that they were more like Peasants than Courtiers After Dinner the Waiters brought up several Gold and Silver Pots full of Zamsou and pouring it out into woodden Dishes or Cups gave round to the Company drinking of it lustily themselves They told us that this Drink was distill'd from new Milk and came out of the Emperor's Cellar and that this great Favor and Kindness was done to us because we came from so remote a Country and so we must drink away Sorrow And though this Liquor was almost as strong as Brandy yet the Ambassadors were forc'd to pledge the Steward several times and to take what was left home with them but they gave it away to the Soldiers and others who stood at the Gate who were better pleas'd with it This Dinner being thus ended the Ambassadors as formerly must once more in thankfulness for this their splendid Reception return to the Emperor's Palace to perform their Obedience which being likewise dispatch'd they retir'd to their Lodgings sufficiently weary with the Ceremony of that Day The next Day being appointed for the second Treat came the Under Tatang or Rix-Providore to visit the Ambassadors in their Lodgings and ask'd them among other Questions whether it were true That the Dutch could live under Water for three Days and three Nights together for thus had our Enemies especially the Portuguese Iesuits reported of us as also as has been said before that we had no Country but liv'd as Pyrats on the Sea The Ambassadors satisfi'd him in every thing and told him That they came thither to settle a continu'd Trade and Commerce in China as they did in several other Kingdoms wishing that their Business might be effected To all which the Tutang reply'd That he desir'd nothing more and would endeavor to further and promote the same with all his power Thereupon the Ambassadors acquainted his Highness That as yet they had done very little in their Business To which he answer'd That at present it could be no otherwise but if so be they would once more come and Salute the Emperor before they were admitted as Friends and Subjects he would then assure them that the Hollanders should be allow'd to Trade freely in all the Emperor's Dominions that they needed not to put themselves to any great Charge and that a few Presents would effect their Desires The Ambassadors having been thus kindly and nobly receiv'd and treated upon the first day as has been said went the next day at Noon to the second Imperial Banquet where likewise repair'd the Ambassador of the Great Mogol who sat over against our Ambassadors with some other Mandorins and Prime Persons of the Empire They observ'd in short That the second Providore was more kind and open-hearted to the Mogol Ambassador and to the Moors and other Guests than to them whereat they very much wondred and ask'd the Interpreter what the cause might be who intimated That this great Lord had not yet been Presented by them as he ought Concerning which Omission the Ambassanor took speedy order little suspecting such neglect for they knew not but that Pinxenton and the Canton Mandorins had Presented all the Grandees as they ought according to their Qualities having receiv'd enough from them for that purpose at Nanking but mistrusting that they were trepann'd as well by the Servants as by the Masters they enquir'd civilly how all their Presents had been dispos'd of which they in plain terms refus'd to give an Account of alledging That they durst not name those Persons of Honor to whom they were Presented lest it should come to the Emperor's knowledge for this reason and because our Business with the Emperor was not yet dispatch'd as it ought the last Banquet was deferr'd till the 14. of October Upon that Day the Ambassadors appear'd with all their Followers to partake of the last Treatment And now the second Providore having been likewise Presented by them they were receiv'd by him with all manner of seeming Respect and Affection so great an alteration had the same wrought upon him that his Carriage and Language were both of another piece and colour all soft and melting Having sat about an hour at the Table and drank once or twice about they were afterwards Presented in the Name of the Emperor with these following Presents after this manner On the side of the Hall where the Ambassadors were receiv'd and Treated stood two long Tables upon which the Gifts were spread in great order First of all they deliver'd the Present for the General Iohn Maatzuiker which the Ambassadors receiv'd kneeling with both their Hands after which they and all their Followers were call'd by Name and had each their Presents deliver'd to them likewise upon their Knees Lastly
lives in Princely State being serv'd and waited on with extraordinary Pomp and Splendor but has no Command in the least over any of the Inhabitants neither may they depart from that City without the King 's special Licence In this Government are found no old Laws as among those of Europe no Imperial Edicts which had their original from the ancient Romans but those that are the first Founders of their own House and have by Conquest or otherwise resum'd the Government make new Statutes according to their pleasure This is the reason why the Laws which were in use before this last Invasion of the Tartars and are in part observ'd to this day by the People are of no longer standing then the Emperor Humvuo whose Race for his most heroick Actions in the Expulsion of the Tartars was call'd Tamin which signifies Great Courage This Emperor made several Laws and confirm'd others made by his Predecessors Their Emperor is commonly call'd Thiensu which signifies The Son of Heaven and this Name is given him not that they believe he had his Original from thence but because they believe he is better belov'd by being preferr'd to so great a Dignity above all other Mortals for his eminent and natural Vertues and because they adore and worship Heaven for the highest Deity so that when they name The Son of Heaven 't is as much as if they said The Son of God However the Commonalty call not the Emperor Thiensu but Hoangti The Yellow Emperor or The Emperor of the Earth whom they name Yellow of colour to distinguish him from Xangti which signifies The highest Emperor Two thousand six hundred ninety seven years before Christ's Birth their first Prince Reign'd who bore the Name of Hoangti and because of his extraordinary Vertues and valiant Deeds the Chineses have ever since call'd their Emperors Hoangti None are chosen or employ'd in the Government and Management of Publick Affairs but such as are held capable and have the Title of Doctors of the Law Men of great Learning and eminent Parts for whosoever is preferr'd in China to Places and Offices of Trust has given a clear testimony of his Knowledge Prudence Vertue and Valour neither the Favor of the Prince or Grandeur of his Friends standing him in any stead if he be not so extraordinarily qualifi'd All Magistrates both Civil and Military are call'd in the Country Idiome Quonfu which signifies Men fit for Council They are also call'd sometimes by the Name of Lavie which signifies Lord or Master The Portuguese call these Magistrates in China Mandorins it may be from the Latin word Mandando by which Name the Officers of that State in that Country are also receiv'd and understood by us of Europe And although I said at the beginning that the Government of this Kingdom or Empire consisted of one single Person yet it will appear by what has been said and what shall follow that the Government has also some Commixture with that of Aristocracy for although that which the Magistrate concludes and fully determines must afterwards be ratifi'd by the King upon Request made to him yet he also finisheth nothing himself in any Business before he is thereunto first desir'd by his Council It is also very certain That it is no way lawful for the King to confer any Office Dignity or Place in the Magistracy upon any unless he be first requested by one in special Authority But yet he hath Power to present his Courtiers with some special Gifts and this he often does according to an old Custom whereby it is free for any one to raise his Friends at his own Charge The Publick Taxes Assessments Impositions and Revenues are not brought into the King's Treasury neither may he dispose thereof at his Pleasure but they are deliver'd either in Money or Goods into the Treasury and Granary of the Empire which Income dischargeth the Expence of the King's Family consisting of Wives Concubines Sons Favorites and the like There are two distinct Councils in China one whereof not only officiates in Affairs of State at Court but has likewise the Care of the Kingdom The other is made up of Provincial Governors who Rule particular Provinces and Cities A Catalogue of which Officers fills up five or six large Volumes Printed every Month and to be sold at Peking where the Court resides In these Books are mention'd only the Names of Provinces and Cities and the Qualities of those who for that end are employ'd in the Magistracy through the whole Empire These Books are always re-printing in regard so vast a number of Alterations happen daily for some die others are laid aside and new ones chosen in their Places or else preferr'd to higher Offices so that there is hardly an hour but some Change happens amongst them The Grand Council divides it self into six other great ones The first is call'd Pu or The Council of State for they nominate and chuse all the Magistrates of the whole Nation these as they are most powerful have also the greatest Parts Persons able to judge of whom they confer such Dignities for they must be all qualifi'd with Philosophical and other Learning that come to any Place in the Magistracy the general Maxim there being To prefer none but meerly upon Merit and whosoever happens to be degraded for any Misdemeanor they never admit him to his Place again The second call'd Hopu hath the Management and Inspection over the King's Exchequer pays the Armies and other Charges of the Kingdom The third they name Limpu this takes care of the common Offerings Temples Priests the King's Women Schools and publick Places of Learning to see that all things be done in order likewise orders their Holy-days and the Obediences which are to be perform'd to the Emperor upon certain Times and Occasions also disposes and confers Titles of Honor upon such as deserve them takes care for the encouragement of Arts and Sciences sending and receiving of Ambassadors and the writing of Letters into all Parts The fourth Council is call'd Pimpu or The Council of War to whom is left the management of Peace and Military Affairs wherein however they are not to conclude any thing without the consent of the Emperor They dispose of all Places and Offices in the Army and confer Titles of Honor and Dignities accordingly upon such as behave themselves bravely in Conduct and valiantly in Battel The fifth Council call'd Cumym has the care about Buildings committed to it and also appoints Surveyors to look to the Repairs of the Edifices and Palaces belonging to the Emperor his Favorites and Magistrates they also look after the building of Vessels and the equipping of Fleets The sixth Council call'd Humpu Examines and Iudges all criminal Causes and appoints their Punishments All Affairs of the whole Kingdom are dispatch'd by these six Councils wherefore they have in each Province and City Officers and Notaries by whom they are inform'd of all Transactions which happen in each
And to that end and purpose in the first place you are to take notice That the old Chinese Characters or Letters differ very much from those in present use for at first the Chineses characteriz'd their meaning in a kind of hierogly phick shape as of four-footed Beasts creeping Creatures Fishes Herbs Boughs of Trees Ropes c. which were variously made and contriv'd as the Fancy of the User thought meet But after-Ages by a long series of time and a constant practical use thereof finding a great confusion in such a vast number of differing Creatures and Herbs imitating the form of some of the Ancients in their Characters made or added some little Points and Lines about them to distinguish them one from another and by that means reduc'd them into better order and a less number and those are the Letters they use at present Of the old Chinese Characters there are to be seen seventeen sorts The first and most ancient was invented by the Emperor Tohias and compos'd of Dragons and Snakes most strangely interwoven one within another and cast into several forms For this reason the Book which the same Emperor Tohias writ of Astrology is call'd The Book of Dragons but at this time those Characters are quite worn out of use in the Countrey The second sort is fram'd out of several things belonging to Husbandry and us'd by the Chinese Emperor Xinnung in all Treatises concerning Tillage The third sort consists of the several parts of the Bird Fumhoan and was invented by the Emperor Xanhoan who has likewise writ a particular Book of Birds in these Characters The fourth sort of old Characters is compil'd out of Oysters and small Worms The fifth of several sorts of Roots of Herbs and in this kind of form the ancient Chineses have writ several Books The sixth sort is drawn from the Claws of Cocks and Hens and other Fowl and invented by King Choam The seventh is compos'd of Tortoise-shells and had for their first Founder the Emperor Yoo The eighth is shewn in small Birds and Parrots The ninth in Herbs and Birds The tenth is of Co invented only for a token of remembrance The eleventh is of Stars The twelfth of several other Letters serving for Privileges and Immunities To the thirteenth belong the Letters Yeu Can Chi Cien Tao The Characters of the fourteenth sort are call'd the Letters of Rest Mirth Knowledge Darkness and Clearness The fifteenth sort is of Fishes The sixteenth sort is not yet known to us in Europe nor indeed to any besides themselves and not to all them neither The seventeenth sort is us'd in sealing up of Letters and writing of Superscriptions That the Reader may more clearly understand the matter I will set down some of the old Characters with those now in use As for Example the Character number'd with the Figure 1. signifi'd with the ancient Chineses a Mountain or Hill at present as the number 2. does express The Sun was demonstrated formerly by a round Circle or Ring with a Speck in the middle as the number 3. declares but now it is express'd as in number 4. A Dragon was formerly depicted with the Figure as is express'd in number 5. but now as it is by the Figure number 6. A Scepter with one Eye as is express'd in number 7. signifi'd formerly the King's Name but now it is shewn with the Figure as in number 8. A Bird Hen or Cock were formerly express'd in full shape and posture as is mention'd in the numbers 9. and 11. but at present those Creatures are describ'd as in number 10. and 12. But the Chineses at present use no more such Characters to express the form of any such things but only some certain Lines and Marks which however different in form in some sort obscurely resemble the Characters of the Ancients which represented the shape of things For a clearer demonstration of the Character in use at present among the Chineses I have thought good to insert one of the Figures mark'd with the Letter M. Out of nine several Lines or Marks the Chinese Characters of these Times are compos'd so that by adding or omitting of one Line or Mark another signification properly arises for example a straight Line as by the Figure a upon the left side of this Print signifies One or The First with a Line drawn through it as at b denotes Ten and with a Line underneath it as at c it signifies Earth with another put over the down-right Line as the Figure d it speaks King with a Point on the right side as by the Figure e it signifies A Pearl but such a Point on the left side as at Figure f signifies To Live Lastly with a Point upon the head of it as at Figure g it signifies Lord. Now though all the Subjects of the Empire use several Characters in their Language yet in speaking there seems to be little or no difference in them all their words sounding alike notwithstanding the difference of form and signification in Writing and this is the reason that there is no Language which has so many double-meaning words as the Chinese being only distinguish'd by some sound or expression in use amongst themselves Out of the double signification of these words there arises a great Inconvenience for no Person can transcribe any thing out of that Language which is read unto him nor can any Book be understood by hearing another read it because the double meaning and various sound of the words cannot be distinguish'd by the Ear and are only to be known by the sight or not otherwise to be understood so that it often happens in common Discourse that they are necessitated to put their Minds in Writing else one cannot understand the other what he means though he speaks very clear and plain This double meaning is in some sort taken away by five several sounds now in use which yet are very hard to be distinguish'd so that many times very great mistakes happen between those that have not been us'd to these sounds from the very Cradle An Italian telling a Chinese That in Europe there were Ships to be seen as big as Mountains he gave the word wherewith he would have denoted A Ship the same sound that expresses A Tyle upon the House The Chinese taking it according to the sound seem'd to admire very much his Saying and at length began to laugh at him as though he had told them incredible things asking him withal To what use they put a Tyle of such bigness and saying That it must have been a very large Oven that could bake such a Tyle By which appears how necessary it is and withal how infinitely troublesom it is both to Strangers and Natives to learn these differences of Sounds and Pronunciations or to be ignorant of them The Iesuits therefore who are sent to propagate the Gospel in China have found out five Points of five Marks which they put over every word and thereby know
If any Person embraces a new Sect or Opinion the Doctor who introduces him bestows upon him a new Name and therefore the Iesuits have a higher Name given them than what they receiv'd in Baptism All manner of Antiquities are of great value and account among them such as old Vessels made of Chalk Wood Marble or Copper but especially Pictures that are well Drawn as also the Characters and Writings of famous Pen-men writ upon Cloth and Linnen and these two last they reckon as most precious All the Magistrates wear a distinct Badge or Mark to be known by as to their Offices and Employments which they preserve with great care for if they should unhappily lose it they would not only be turn'd out of their Employments but also be severely punish'd therefore whenever they go from home they nail it up in a Chest and seal it with their Seal Men of great Places and Dignity never go on foot but are carried on Mens Shoulders in Chairs made close round about so that they cannot be seen by such as walk the Streets unless they draw open one of the Curtainsâ— and this difference there is between them and the Magistrates who are carrieâ— in open Chairs The Women are also carried in close Chairs but something different from those of the Men. Coaches Wagons and Sledges are not to be us'd in that Country but only at Peking where the Court resides as I have already said The School-masters there are in higher esteem than in Europe and though a Scholar has been under the Tuition of a Master but one day yet he calls him Master as long as he lives and respects him as such according to the Custom of the Country in giving him the upper hand Neither is there among the better sort any kind of Gaming but among the Vulgar Cards and Dice are sometimes us'd The Nobles and other Great Persons divert themselves with this Recreation They play upon a Board which has a Hole in the middle and three hundred little Houses circularly plac'd about it with two hundred Pegs the one half whereof is white and the other black which being divided betwixt the Play-mates each strive to force the others Pegs into the Hole and to get to himself all the Houses for herein consists the winning or losing of the Game but although he cannot attain all yet if he can get the most Houses he still wins the Game With this sportive Diversion the Magistrates themselves are much taken and spend much time at it and if they play with Iudgment sometimes they spend a whole hour or more before they make an end of one Sett And such is the Humor of this People that whosoever are very skilful herein are highly honor'd and respected though they are excellent in nothing else Marriages are solemniz'd here with great State and although the Parties are oftentimes Betrothed to each other in their Nonage or rather Infancy by the Parties of both sides who never ask their Childrens Consent till all is concluded and agreed yet such is their Obedience and Submission that they comply with their Desires in this Particular There is great variety of Customs in this Business for Persons of Quality for the most part Marry with their Equals only for Wealth and Honor reserving besides what Concubines they please which also is allow'd for others to do and of these the handsomest of Face and Body carry the precedency and are ordinarily bought for a hundred Crowns and sometimes for less The Commonalty and inferior Degrees of People buy themselves Wives and sell them again when they please but the Emperor and his Children neither look after the Birth nor Extraction of the Person but only to the comely Shape and extraordinary Beauty of the Face The Emperor has one more select and peculiar Consort who only is call'd the lawful Wife and is his Empress yet he is also Married to nine others who are of a more inferior Condition than the first and likewise to thirty more of a third Degree who are all call'd his Wives There are several other Women that belong to him but they are only stil'd Queens which is a Title below that of Empress Amongst all this variety of Women such of them as are fruitful and bring him Children are most highly respected and belov'd by him but she more especially that bears the first-born Son in regard he is to succeed his Father in the Imperial Throne And this is not only observ'd by the Emperor and the Royal Family but all the Grandees through the whole Empire by that Pattern set an Estimate on their Wives according to their fertility The Empress which is his first and lawful Wife sits only with him at the Table while all the rest attend her and are not permitted to sit down in her Presence but must stand at her Elbow as ready upon all occasions to serve her It is generally observ'd through all China That none may intermarry with a Wife of his own Name though there be no kind of Relation between them but they may freely and legally couple if they be of differing Names notwithstanding any vicinity of Blood whatsoever by which means it comes to pass that a Father will marry his Child to the nearest Kindred of his Wife Whatever Houshold Goods any Maid or Woman is possess'd of in her own Right before Marriage must not devolve to the Bridegroom but he purchases them of her the day before the Wedding yet she is oblig'd to bring with her a Nag bridled and sadled four Maid-servants and two Boys But the Bridegroom is to furnish the House with Provisions of all sorts and during the Treaty of Marriage he presents the Bride with several sorts of Silks and Linnen in return whereof as an acknowledgment of a grateful disposition and in token of an inviolable Love she sends him a rich Suit of Cloth of Gold or Silk The Bridegroom in the next place gives to the Father of the Bride 100 Toel of Silver and 50 Toel to the Mother which Ceremony perform'd and Presents on all sides given and accepted they proceed to the Consummation of the Marriage After which the Bridegroom first solemnly Treats and Feasts the Bride and her Friends eight days together at his House and then the Bride re-invites the Bridegroom and his Friends and Feasts them for three days together in great State and Splendor Yet notwithstanding all this Feasting the next day after the Marriage the new married Woman is not neglected to be attended home to her Spouse by the chiefest of her Kindred and Friends who all the way are waited upon by the best Musicians they can get They are not so full of Circumstance and Ceremony in the foremention'd things as they were heretofore remiss in the punishing of Theft or other notorious Crimes for they us'd not to put any to death for simple Stealing unless to accomplish their Villany they us'd Force and Violence If any taken the second time were
Picture While these Ceremonies are performing one or two of the Sons of the Deceased stand on one side of the Coffin in their white Mourning with great modesty and shedding tears plentifully Behind it sits the Mother with the Daughters and others of the Relations in Mourning also but they are so reserv'd in their manner of Lamentation that they have a Curtain drawn before them that so they may not be seen In the Hall stand two Trumpeters and at the great Gate of the Court within two Drummers over the Gate hangs upon a Board a long Scrowl of Paper even to the Ground wherein is to be read who it is that is deceased and what he had done in his Life-time for the Service and Benefit of his Country It often hapneth that the Children keep their Bodies three or four Years unburied in their Houses in all which time they are never offended with any Scents proceeding from the same the reason whereof may be their extraordinary skill in Embalming and closing the Crevices of the Coffin and so long as they keep them thus above-ground they set before them Meat and Drink daily as if they were living During all which time the Sons take not their Places but sit upon a long Bench cover'd with White and as a further Testimony of their obedient Sorrow they sleep not upon Beds but upon Matrasses of Straw spread upon the Floor near the Cossin abstaining likewise all that while from Flesh or any compound Meats or drinking Wine or using any Baths and that which is yet more to be taken notice of they forbear to accompany with their Wives in any way of Natural Affection And this for the generality is voluntary but what follows is forbidden to wit They may not go to any publick Invitations abroad nor so much as be seen in the Streets for so many Months but if their Occasions be such as call them out of doors they are carried in a close Chair cover'd over with Mourning Although formerly to the commendation of the Country these things were perform'd yet in this present Age few or none are found amongst them that are so strict in the observation of these Ceremonies Upon the day appointed for the Funeral all the Friends meet who are invited by another Book to accompany the Corps of their Friend to his Grave The Solemnity is order'd and perform'd after the same manner as the Roman-Catholicks make their Processions at certain times of the Year Several Images of Men Women Elephants Tygers Lions and such like Beasts made all of Paper and Painted with several Colours are carried before the Coffin and at last burnt at the Grave among whom also go some that carry Incense in large Copper Vessels and Wax Torches burning The Priests and others that belong to the Idol-Temples follow after these with Drums and Pipes After whom next in place is the Coffin most curiously beautifi'd and adorn'd born up by at least forty or fifty Persons all very richly Habited Behind the Coffin come the Sons on foot but seeming to support themselves with Sticks in their Hands as if Grief and Sorrow had brought them into a weak Condition Then follow the Women in close Chairs cover'd with White so that they cannot be seen If sometimes it happen that the Fathers die when their Sons are from home the Funeral is deferr'd till their Return and notice thereof sent them which as soon as they receive they immediately put on Mourning upon the very Place where they are and then hastens home with the first opportunity to perform the Ceremonies in order as we have related But this is not all for a Son is oblig'd by virtue of the Laws though he is in the highest Office of the Kingdom and one of the Colaos to return home and there to Mourn for the space of three entire years in which time he is totally forbidden to return to his Charge Yet this is only to be understood of Mourning for Parents and not for other Friends Nevertheless the Soldiers and Military Officers are not subject to this Law If it chance that any dies either in Travel or Employment out of his native Country he to whom the Charge and Care of his Funeral is committed uses his utmost diligence to procure the dead Body to be brought back that it may be buried in the Grave of his Ancestors in the preserving whereof they are very curious insomuch that none else are admitted to be Interr'd there And therefore every Chinese who is able erects a Vault with a Tomb over it without the Walls of the City in the Suburbs to remain for a Burial-place to him and his Posterity it being dissonant to the Grandeur of Noble Persons to have their Sepulchres within the City They are generally of Marble sometimes of other Stone contain'd in a portion of Ground according to the Greatness of the Person and commonly Wall'd about within whose circumference some make several little Rooms which together with the said Wall are surrounded with artificial Groves of Cypress-Trees Upon the top of the Grave lies a large Stone rarely adorn'd with curious Images Engraven round about it and upon its Surface are Engraven the famous Actions of the Deceased They whose Wealth raises them to the highest pitch of humane Felicity and enlarges their Pleasures beyond the limit of a Satisfaction in this Life such as the Gelubden bestow vast Sums of Money upon their Tombs building them little inferior to Palaces with several Apartments within and Triumphal Arches standing before them In the Province of Xansi upon the Mountains are several of these famous Sepulchral Monuments Near to the City Taming is a very noble Piece of Antiquity in this kind built by the Emperor Cavus about 4000. years since as they report So likewise near to the City Cinon upon the Mountains are built very sumptuous Tombs as well of Kings as of other Great Lords I my self saw some of these Sepulchres very artificially built upon some solitary Hills which were not the Products of Nature but to make the Work the more stupendious and considerable were cast up with the Spade and rais'd to almost an incredible height In the middle of Wall was a Gate through which we entred into the Sepulchre to which belong commonly three such Doors and ascended by easie Steps up to the Mouth of the same which was Plaister'd on the insides and had Benches about it At certain times of the Year the surviving Friends come and visit these Graves bringing store of Provisions with them and then express their Sorrow afresh shedding Tears and using other Lamentations for the loss of their dear Friends nay some of them do with such reality of Grief and Affection oftentimes take it to heart that they will by no means be drawn thence but desire to be reckon'd among the Dead Without the City of Nanking heretofore the Court and Imperial Chamber of the ancient Princes but not far distant from the Walls grows a very
certain Great Prince or Governor of the Family of Taminga who in Power and Imperial Title could only be said to give place to the Emperor for in all things else he liv'd like a King This Kingly or Royal Person had a large and stately Palace which was at least four Italian Miles in compass adorn'd with four Gates and stood in the middle of the City before it toward the South lay a large broad Street full of costly and artificial Triumphal Arches Near to Hinghoa the seventh Chief City of the Province of Fokien at the foot of the Mountain Chinyven runs a large Water call'd Chung on the side whereof stands a large Palace containing ten Courts In this Palace is a great Wonder taken notice of for infallibly there is heard a noise against Wind or Rain like unto the sound of a Clock of which although diligently enquir'd after no natural reason can be given Concerning the incomparable stately and costly Structure of the Imperial Palace of Peking I have already given a particular Description in my former Relation CHAP. XII Of Rivers Waterfalls Lakes c. HAving spoken at large of the chiefest things which the Hand or Industry of mortal Man has produc'd we shall now proceed to particularize such things wherewith Nature has abundantly furnish'd the Chineses out of her rich Store Under which Name I comprehend Rivers Pools Aquaducts Hills Wells Earth Plants Trees Animals of all sorts and the like which are mention'd in the following Chapters First of all There are in China two famous large Rivers namely Kiang and the Yellow River The River Kiang which is also call'd Yangeukiang signifying The Son of the Sea divides all China into a Northern and Southern Tract It flows from West to East and receives several Names according to the Provinces through which it runs It was first call'd Minkiang from the Mountain Min whence it hath its source These Mountains stretch themselves Westward of the Province of Suchue very far toward Prester Iohn's Country and come towards the North not far from the Chief City of Guei After it is got from this Mountain rushing forward with great violence it divides it self into several Branches which turn and Wind through most of the Provinces From the City of Sincin it is call'd Sinkiang afterwards receiving a great many Rivulets into its Bosom it runs before the City of Sui into the River call'd Mahu From the City of Liucheu it receives the Name of Liukiang and running from thence to the City of Chunking joyns with the great River Pa and embraces its Name Being gotten beyond the City of Queicheu it falls into the Province of Huquang and regains not far from the City Kingcheu the old Name of Sinkiang Thus far it runs with many crooked Meanders and a great force of Water through Vales terrible Rocks and dreadful Precipices which the Natives knowing do avoid and shun with great dexterity Being past the City of Kincheu it begins by degrees to run more gently and falls toward the North into the Mere or Lake call'd Tungting from whence it takes its course before the Chief City in the Province of Kiangsi and from thence to the Sea Foum which is above a hundred Dutch Miles and all this way it runs so gently that Vessels may with ease Sail against the Stream and the ebbing and flowing of this River is observ'd so far up in the Country that it is in a manner wonderful to relate especially at the New or Full-Moon In this place it is at least two Miles over watering and making fruitful the whole Province of of Nanking And lastly being pass'd the Cities of Nanking and Chinkiang it falls into the Ocean it self through a great Mouth in which lies an Island and City well Guarded and provided with Soldiers and Ships The Yellow River by Strangers so call'd from the colour of the Water occasion'd by the yellowness of the Ground is nam'd Hoang in the Chinese Language and seems at first to be very Morish but the swiftness and great force of its running makes it appear quite contrary for with so incredible a swiftness doth this River run that no Ships are able to Sail up against its Stream but are Tow'd along by the main strength of a great number of Track-men which may proceed from its being contracted within so narrow Bounds for in some places it is but half a Mile broad and in others little more but in length it extends above eight hundred Miles By this it appears that this River next to that of Kiang is the biggest and most famous of all China and though it is naturally no other than a Foreiner that has invaded the Country yet doth it not stand in fear of their Laws which will not permit a Foreiner to live among them but as their Revenger insults over them by often laying their Country under Water in a most lamentable manner The Hills Quenlun from whence it has its source are in my opinion the Amazion Hills being situate not far from the Kingdom of Laor or Tihet and that which is more the very Situation of those Places and Countries do demonstrate that from the same Hills the Rivers Ganges in Cengala Mesor in Laor and several other famous Streams which water the Parts of Sion and Pegu have their rise for the Chineses believe and so report That there are very many great Rivers Southward which take their rise from these Hills But to return whence we have digress'd After this Yellow River is pass'd beyond the vast Territories of Sifan and Taniju which doth not in the least belong to the Empire of China it runs before the City Lingao not far from another call'd King in the Province of Xensi in the Empire of China to the place where the Great Wall made to prevent the Invasions of the Tartars reaches toward the East which it likewise washes Then it runs with great fury as well toward the North as the East by one side of the vast Wilderness call'd Samo at least two thousand Furlongs and then turns toward the South where it passes through the Gate Se which is in the Wall and so divides the two Provinces of Xensi and Xansi Thence it runs into several other Provinces whereof I have formerly made mention in the Description of our Iourney to Peking The Water of this Yellow River is very thick and muddy the Pople report it will not grow clear in a thousand years and therefore when they speak of any difficult Undertaking they use as a proverbial Speech among them to say When the Yellow River is clear But notwithstanding this Report of theirs it is well known that the Sea-men which frequent this River have an Art to make the Water clear by flinging Allom into it which being dissolv'd therein makes the Mud sink to the bottom Of Water-Shoots and great Falls of Water IN the Province of Xansi near to Pingiao is a great Fall of Water which makes such a noise
and Pomegranates But in that of Huquang only one sort which the Chineses call The Winter-Gold-Apple because they are ripe in the Winter and are sweet of taste There is in Fokien the best sort of them which differ not much in bigness from the Apples in Europe but are like unto the Muscate Grape for taste and smell This Fruit dry'd and confected in Sugar will keep a whole year and is a very delicate Sweet-meat In the Province of Chekiang drops from the Trees a certain fatness whereof they make very white Candles much better than those of Tallow for they neither foul the Fingers when put out nor are of an ill smell The Tree is very large and in its Leaves and shape is not unlike the Pear-tree in Europe It has white Blossoms as the Cherry-tree after the Blossom follows a round Berry as big as a Cherry but with a brown and thin Skin under which lies a white Substance which when the Fruit is ripe and the Skin bursts is seen and then they gather the Berries and boil them in Water which when hot smell like Flesh but when cold it feels like Tallow The Leaves of this Tree are very fat on which the Sheep and Cows feed and therewith become fat in a short time In the Province of Xantung grows the Apple call'd Sucu which dry'd as we do Figs in Europe will keep good a whole year together and is as a Delicate sold in all Parts of China It is bigger than the ordinary Apple in this Country and of a deep red colour the Kernels do not lie in the middle but stand upright on one side being uncertain in the number for in some there are found ten fifteen or more according as they are in largeness while in others there are none at all It is red within and pleasant of taste when ripe Here also are some Apples green of Skin and hard and are eaten after the manner as the Apples in England This last sort of Fruit grows no where but in China In the Province of Suchue grows the Fruit Lichi which being ripe as a Rarity is brought to the Emperor's Court. The greatest quantity thereof is found in the Southern Parts of Fokien The Portuguese at Macao call it Lichas. It grows upon very high Trees whose Leaves are like those of the Laurel Upon the tops of the Branches grows the Fruit in Clusters as Grapes but is very like for fashion unto a small Heart and about the bigness of an Acorn with a rough Shell as the lesser Pine-Apple but not so thick being easily pull'd off with the Finger It s Kernel is full of Iuice white of colour pleasant of taste and smells like a Rose and being ripe receives a purple Colour It is a very pleasant sight to view the Trees then shewing as if they hung full of small Hearts so that with great reason may this be call'd The King of Fruits being both so pleasant to behold and taste Through the whole Empire of China there grow no Pine-Apples but only in this Province There is also another sort of round Fruit call'd Kungyen that is Dragons-Eye not much unlike the former only it is somewhat smaller and rounder being for the bigness much like our Cherries in Europe but harder of Skin This Fruit is dry'd and sold every where in Markets but it is much better eaten fresh from the Tree Here also grows the Fruit Muiginli that is The Plum of the fair Woman being round and exceeding the Damas Pruine for bigness and goodness In this Country grows likewise in several Places a certain Fruit call'd Duriones which though of an ill taste are yet very wholesom It is dry in Operation causes Sweating and is good against the Wind and Dropsie provided it be eaten moderately for otherwise it will over-heat the Liver Most Men at first fancy this Fruit to smell like rotten Egs but after they have once eaten of it they change opinion esteeming it to be the sweetest that ever they did eat of The Grandees make account of this Fruit as a great Delicacy and think they can never have enough of it The Leaf or the Herb Betel which we spoke of before to be so chew'd by them has so great an aversion to this Fruit that it spoils and rots the same if it lie near unto it insomuch that if at any time any Person eat too much of that the Betel is a present Remedy against the same In Quantung is a certain Fruit call'd Musa The Tree whereon it grows is very delightful as well for height as its large spreading Arms and call'd by some The Indian Fig-Tree The Leaves are nine handfuls long and two and a half broad the one side of a brown Colour and the other Green It shoots forth several Branches upon which hang the Figs which are of several kinds for some are yellow long pleasant of taste and well scented others green long and well tasted but both hard of digestion nevertheless it breeds good Blood and cures the Cough And the Bark of the Tree is good against Agues and other Distempers CHAP. XVI Of Animals AS kind Nature hath abundantly provided and bless'd China with all manner of Trees Bushes Herbs and Fruits so it has made the same no less fruitful in the product of all sorts of irrational Creatures as Beasts Fishes Fowls c. Of Four-footed Creatures THe Sheep in China are like those of Persia and Tartary having long and thick Tails which they drag after them weighing forty or fifty Pound their Flesh is very sweet Near the Garrison of Tieki is great store of Cows having very long thick and curl'd Tails which the Chinese Soldiers wear for Ornament in their Caps in stead of Feathers Near to the Cities of Cingcheu and Tengcheu there is found in the Maw of a Cow a Stone call'd Nienhoang which signifies The Yellow of the Cow by reason of its Colour It is of several sizes and sometimes as big as a Goose Egg And although it be not altogether so firm and close as the Bezoar Stone and consequently lighter yet is it by the Chineses valued and esteemed much before it It seems outwardly to be Chalk and is much commended for several uses In the Province of Quantung is a Creature which the Chineses call The Swift Cow for it is so nimble of foot that it can run more than three hundred Miles in a day In Cincheu is a certain Beast very like a Cow having Horns much whiter than Ivory which is an exceeding great lover of Salt and therefore when at any time the Huntsmen go abroad to take any of them they carry Bags of Salt with them which they lay as a Bait and on this they will feed with such greediness that they rather suffer themselves to be kill'd than leave off their so dearly beloved Prey In the Province of Kiangsi and especially in the City of Nanchang the Inhabitants feed their Hogs as well within the City as
Night with Lights and catch abundance of them Near the City Fuencheu is the Mountain Vanhu which is reputed the highest of all Hills and this Name was given to it because ten thousand People in the time of the Inundation of the World got upon the top of this Mountain to avoid the danger of drowning Near to Tingcheu is a Mountain call'd Kin upon which are three Pools which turn Iron that is flung into them into Copper immediately There are several other strange Pools Springs and Wells to be found in China some whereof are very soveraign for the cure of several Distempers of the Body On the West side of the City Caifung in the Province of Honan lies a Pool call'd Kinning which the Imperial Race of Sunga caus'd to be digg'd for the disciplining and training up Sea-men to make them expert in Sea-Fights which was very much us'd by the Emperor Taicungus This Pool is so very pleasant that round about the same are built several brave Palaces of the Grandees besides divers Idol-Temples CHAP. XVIII Of the Chinese Kings and Emperors which have Govern'd in China before and since Christ's Birth BEfore I make mention of the Wars between the People of China and the Tartars I shall speak in short concerning the Genealogy of the Kings and Emperors who have Reigned there before and since the Birth of Christ. First then observe That before Christ's Birth between the Years of the World 2207. and the Year 2952. eight hundred succeeded one another in the Government of that Empire which took not the same by Inheritance but after the death of one another was elected by plurality of Voices But after that time the Government became Hereditary and the next Heir to the preceding King succeeded after his death The first eight Elective Kings were Fohius Xinnungus Hoangtius Xaohavus Chuenhious Cous Yaus and Xunus All the Transactions during the Reign of these eight Elective Kings and the following Imperial Races before and after the Birth of Christ are not in the least doubted but firmly believ'd by all the People in regard the Histories of those Times are faithfully transferr'd to Posterity by the then Chronologers for it has been a constant and without doubt a most laudible Custom amongst them that the new Emperor doth appoint and order some of the most Learned Philosophers to write the Deeds and Actions of his Predecessor at large without fraud or flattery Out of this voluminous Work which comprehends in general all the great Transactions of the whole Empire the Chineses for ease of Memory have made an Extract or Epitome of the most remarkable Passages But as to what pass'd before the eight elected Emperors the Chineses themselves are very doubtful because the Books of those Times are full of ridiculous Stories as well relating to the Age of the People as the Years of the Governors for according to the phantastick belief of those Writers the World must have been created some thousands of years before the Flood But before I proceed to the Lives and Actions of these eight Emperors I shall in a few words declare what Kings and Princes are feigned to have had the Rule over China before the Government of Fohius the first of them The Chineses feign That the first Man whom they also own for their first Governor was call'd Puoncuus and had his Original out of a confus'd Lump as out of an Egg though some of the more Learned in Europe are of opinion That Cainan or Kenan the Son of Enos was the first Man that with his Followers Peopled China and that from him they all had their rise They also add That this Cainan was preferr'd to the Government when he was five hundred years old and that after him the eight Elect Emperors Govern'd those Countries and Inhabitants as hath been and shall be more fully related Yet they tell us That after the decease of this Puoncuus one Tienhoangus succeeded in the Government of whose Time a certain Chinese Historian speaks thus 〈◊〉 that time the Spirit of Heaven cover'd the Face of the Earth and by degrees introduc'd good Manners and taught the People being then very decible Civility and Morality but especially when the great Dragon was kill'd which had molested the whole World by mingling Heaven and Earth together after his Death every thing receiving a more illustrious form and Dignity After him they say succeeded one Thâ—angus who was very skilful in the Course of the Stars distinguish'd the Day and Nights by Name and ordering every Month to consist of thirty Days When he was deceased they write That nine other Princes succeeded but they are altogether ignorant both of their Names and Actions After these nine follow'd according to their Legend Ginhoangus with nine more of his Family He divided the Country into nine Parts whereof one was given to the People to inhabit and the other eight he appointed for Husbandry and by this means he brought the People who at first as wild and unciviliz'd liv'd dispers'd to bring their Habitations near together though yet they had no Houses His Reign they say was a Golden Age for the Earth brought forth Fruit of it self without much Labor This Prince cared for his Subjects with more then a Fatherly Love who on the other hand honor'd and serv'd him as dutiful Children obey their Father After him follow'd one Yeus who instructed the People that had long liv'd in Holes and Caves of the Mountains to make Huts and little Edifices of Wood to defend themselves against the fury of wild Beasts for till this time they were ignorant of most things useful for the support and sustenance of Life for they had not so much as heard of Husbandry nor knew how to strike Fire wherewith either to dress their Victuals â—r to refresh the Body but they liv'd only upon wild Herbs and Fruits and devour'd the raw Flesh of wild Creatures and drank their Blood going for the most naked or at the best wearing only the undress'd Skin of some wild Creature they had kill'd about some part of their Body After the death of this Yeus Sujus Reigned who was very skilful in Astrology He taught that there were five Elements as Metal Wood Earth and Fire which last he observ'd in the Air. He was also the first that made the discovery of Fire by rubbing one piece of Wood against another There was no kind of Money or Coyn either Silver or Gold in his Days but they exchang'd Commodity for Commodity by way of Barter Thus far their hardly-believ'd Histories proceed which whether true or false shall be no Task for me to discover but leaving them as they are I shall return to speak of the eight Elect Emperors before-mention'd the first whereof was Fohius whom the Chineses call'd Thiensu that is The Son of Heaven and by this Title they still call all their Emperors They say and haply believe it that he was brought into the World by his Mother
loss of it The Tartars by this means being put to a stand having enrich'd themselves with Booty destroy'd some thousands of poor Creatures with the Sword and burnt down their Dwellings to the Ground retreated back to their old Quarters in the Province of Leaotung During these Troubles the Emperor Vanlieus died in the Year 1620. After whose Death his Son Taichangus a valiant and prudent Prince succeeded who by the Conduct of his Affairs in a short time gave sufficiently to understand what good Services his Country was to expect from him had he not been unfortunately cut off by an untimely Death in the fourth Month of his Reign To whom was Successor his Son Thienkius a gallant Person and no ways inferior to his Father for Vertue and Courage This Monarch finding the unsetledness and danger of his Affairs made it his chiefest Concern to contract Friendship and support his Government with the Favor and Affection of his Neighbors for he had taken notice by experience how much the Empire of China had suffer'd by living always at great variance with the Tartar Kings of Ninche which border'd upon him In the first place therefore he endeavor'd to win the Favor of the King of Corea who had formerly sent to his Grandfather a Supply of twelve thousand Men to aid and assist him in this War but they being most of them kill'd and wounded he doubted lest this might make him take part against him and joyn with the Tartar for prevention whereof and to satisfie the King in every scruple he immediately sent an Ambassador to him to return him thanks for those great Succors he had sent and withal signifying his extraordinary Grief and Sorrow for the great loss which had fall'n upon the afore-menâ—ion'd Aids in that War but that he hoped in a short time to retaliate upon the Enemy the Wrongs they had done to him and his Kingdom And that his Embassy might be the more grateful he likewise sent several rich Presents and promis'd him his Assistance where and whensoever he should have occasion to make use of it But this friendly Message look'd not only for verbal Returns for it was design'd as a Motive to procure more Succors from him which without doubt he had reason to endeavor in regard the People of this Island of Corea which lies very near to Iapan have out of the Neighborhood far greater Strength than the Chineses And now craving leave for a little digression which may not be impertinent in regard there has been often mention made of this Island of Corea and the Inhabitants thereof I shall describe the same in short and all that is worth observation in the same It is unto this day doubted by those of Europe whether Corea be an Island or firm Land but according to the opinion of the best Writers it is a hanging Island surrounded with Water on all parts except the uttermost part which is joyn'd to the firm Land for though Trials have been made to Sail round about yet it could never be done as some People seem to affirm to us from their own experience though some there are that affirm the contrary But this Error proceeds from a mistake of a certain great Island call'd Fungina situaâ—e to the Southward of it to be Corea However it be this truth is most certain that all the Chinese Writers affirm Corea to be firm Land and joyning to the Kingdom of Ninche in Tartary Another mistake may arise from the varieâ—y of the Name given to it for the Chineses call it Chaosien therein following the Iapanners though by us of Europe it is call'd Corea Toward the North it borders upon the Kingdom of Ninche on the North-West it has for Confine the River Yalo the rest is surrounded and wash'd with the Sea The whole Island is divided into eight Provinces or Counties The middlemost and accounted the first bears the Name of Kinki wherein is situaâ—â— the Chief City of Pingiang the Court of the Kings The second toward the East is call'd Kiangyven but heretofore Gueipe The third situate toward thâ— West is now known by the Name of Hoangchui but was formerly call'd Châ—â—sien the Name at this day proper to the whole Island The fourth situate â—â—â—ward the South now call'd Civenlo was formerly nam'd Pienhari The fiâ—th also Southerly but inclining to the East is call'd Kingxan The sixth toward the South-West is Changing The seventh toward the North-East has the Name of Pingan In these Counties are several populous and rich Cities which for fashion and strength differ very little from those in China and built for the most part four-square The Country is very well Peopled throughout the whole having but one Form of Government not at all differing in Habit and using one and the same Form both of Speech and Writing Their Religion is the same with those of China holding the transmigration of the Soul out of one Body into another They all adore one Idol call'd Fe whereof I have already made mention The Bodies of their dead Friends they bury not till three years be fully elapsed and then they put them into very fine Coffins after the manner of the Chineses glu'd up so very close that no scent can strike through They give a greater liberty to their Women than the Chineses for they admit of them into any Company whereas the other will hardly suffer them to stir abroad Here also the Son or Daughter may Marry whom they think fit without asking the consent of Father or Mother which is quite contrary to the use of the Chineses and indeed all other civiliz'd People This Island is very fruitful in the product of all manner of Fruits necessary for the sustenance of Life especially of Wheat and Rice whereof there are twice a year plentiful Harvests Here also are made several sorts of Paper and curious Pencils of Wolves Hair which the Chineses and other neighboring People as well as themselves use in Writing Here grows likewise the Root Guiseng and as is reported are several Gold-Mines But notwithstanding all these Advantages of natural Commodities wherewith this Place abounds yet the Inhabitants thereof drive no Trade with any other forein People but only those of China and Iapan And thus much shall suffice to be spoken of Corea we will now return to give an Account of the sequel of the Wars The Chinese Emperor after his Embassy to the King of Corea to prevent the further Invasion of the Tartars and the better to oppose them muster'd several Troops rais'd for his assistance out of the fifteen Provinces or Kingdoms of the Empire and sent very great Armies towards Leaotung And the better to furnish such vast Armies with Provisions he caus'd an extraordinary great Fleet of Ships to be Equipp'd in the famous Port of Thiencin which were wholly employ'd to carry Provisions by Sea from all parts of China for their supply by the exact performance and observing whereof they had no want of any
had taken fresh Courage there hapning a very great and sudden alteration in the Tartar Affairs for one Vangus a Priest who had formerly been a Commander in the Army set the whole Country in an uprore and having rais'd a great number of Men and modell'd them into an Army he went and took the City of Kienning with several other Places and put all the Tartars therein to the Sword which good Success immediately caus'd such Chineses as had formerly fled into the Mountains for safety to come down and joyn with him to help to recover their Country At the same time one Changus by Name and a Tartar born being Vice-Roy of two Provinces had the Command likewise of the Province of Chekiang who hearing of the Insurrection in Fokien march'd immediately thither with his Army and finding no opposition at the mouth of the Mountains where he suppos'd the Chineses would have block'd up his Passage which a few Forces would easily have done he cries out with a loud voice The Day is my 〈◊〉 and the Rebels are fled So marching over the Mountains without any opposition he lays Siege immediately to the City of Kienning into which the Priest Vangus was retreated with most of his Army The City endur'd a long Siege for several Months and was of such Strength that it could not be taken by Storm which had been often attempted by the Besiegers to their great damage and loss of Men wherefore at last they resolv'd to get it by Famine rather than lose any more Men by Storming whereby he had already very much weakned his Army but that being recruited with fresh Men from Peking and having made a considerable Breach in the Wall by their Ordnance they resolv'd to Storm it once more and the Success answer'd their Desire for the Commanders within the Place being divided among themselves there was not such care taken as ought to have been for the resisting of the Assault by which means the Besiegers getting in at the Breach immediately cut out their Way and put all to the Sword neither Man Woman nor Child excepted so that dirum dictu there were kill'd in and before this City above three hundred thousand People and the City it self afterwards totally destroy'd and not one Stone left standing upon another After the dreadful destruction of this City the whole Province of Fokien submitted to their Power and for the future none but Tartars were made Commanders over the Militia and Governors of Cities But notwithstanding all this great and prudent foresight which was us'd the Tartars were not able to keep all quiet for it hapned that the Governor of the Province of Kiangsi nam'd Kinus revolted and made new work for their Arms the occasion whereof is said to be upon some difference which hapned between Kinus and the other who supervis'd the Civil Affairs of the same Province the manner thus They being invited to an Entertainment where a Play was Acted during the Meal as the Custom is in China and the Players Dress'd in Chinese Habits and not after the fashion of the Tartars Kinus who was born in the Province of Leaotung where they very much resemble the Tartars in their Customs and Manners and therefore put a very great confidence in the Inhabitants minding the same said to the other Governor Doth not this Habit shew much better than the Tartar Fashion The other answer'd nothing at present yet thought himself oblig'd in Duty to acquaint the Emperor by Letter with this Saying for he fancied that by these words Kinus was designing some Novelty in his Head to the disturbance of the Publick Peace and imagining he bore the greatest affection to those whose Habit he chiefly commended Kinus who wanted neither Courage nor Ingenuity had Brib'd the Secretary of this Governor by whom he was inform'd from time to time of all was writ to the Emperor against him and being acquainted with the Contents of the aforesaid Letter he went immediately with a Company of Soldiers into the Governor's Court and there kill'd him on a sudden before he was aware Having done this he falls off from the Tartars with the whole Province of Kiangsi and declares for the Chinese Emperor Iunglieus at which the Inhabitants were not a little overjoy'd only the City of Cancheu which was Commanded and Govern'd by a very faithful Tartar was not to be brought over to countenance the Revolt which hapned very well for the Tartar for the standing out of this single Place alone was of such consequence that the Tartars as I shall relate hereafter did victoriously recover the whole Province of Kiangsi and Quantung and brought them once more under Subjection The General of the Militia in the Province of Quantung call'd Licungzus was likewise at the same time revolted from the Tartars and had deliver'd up that part of the Country to the Emperor Iunglieus whom also the Southern Part own'd for the Emperor of China And for the better prosecution of the Design against the Tartars the General Licungzus endeavor'd to joyn his Forces with those of Kinus to fall both together at one and the same time upon them and drive them out of the Kingdom which undoubtedly had taken effect accordingly had not the resistance of the Governor of the City Cancheu hindred them for the same Governor was no sooner inform'd that Licungzus was likewise revolted from the Tartar and upon his March with his Army but he sends to him this deceitful and politick Letter Till now I would never submit to Kinus because I could never believe that he would be able to withstand the Forces of the Tartars but seeing that you most valiant Prince also turn your Arms against him I cannot conceive what Safety and Protection I can henceforward expect from him therefore I hold my self oblig'd to follow your Standard and you shall no sooner appear with your Forces before this City but I will deliver it up into your Hands After the Governor had dispatch'd away an Express with this Letter he sent another to the General of the Tartars who lay with his Forces in the next Province to Fokien to assist him with what Strength he could well spare which were sent and by him convey'd into the City by Night so that no notice could be taken of his Design Licungzus in the mean while not suspecting any Treachery intended against him boldly but carelesly went up to the City and found the Gates thereof standing open so that without delay he entred and immediately found himself assaulted on all sides by the Tartars who lay in Ambuscade waiting for his coming and was forc'd to retreat with great loss Licungzus himself as is suppos'd was kill'd in the Fight because he was never heard of afterwards This Defeat brought the Affairs of the Emperor Iunglieus into great disorder and confusion yet nevertheless Kinus won afterwards several Battels for him against the Tartars and when he heard of the Defeat of Licungzus went himself and Beleaguer'd
concluded to form themselves into a distinct Commonwealth and to send some of their People as Colonies to inhabit other Parts Thus at last they divided the whole District of Ninche into seven Principalities or Governments who for a while agreed among themselves without any grand Disturbance or pretence of Warring with each other but at length upon some occasion Quarrels arose which broke forth into a long War wherein the Victors assuming to themselves absolute Principality turn'd their Commonwealth in the Year 1600 after Christ's Birth into a Monarchy and call'd it The Kingdom of Ninche This Ninche which is properly East-Tartary and as yet very little known to those of Europe is bounded on the North and North-East with another Tartar Kingdom call'd Niulhan towards the East lies the Kingdom of Yupi likewise under the Tartar Yoke and surrounded with the Sea between Iapan and East-Tartary on the South it borders upon the Island Corea and by the Great Wall it is divided from the Province of Laotung but more towards the West separated by the great River Linhoang flowing between this Kingdom of Ninche and Kilangho The antiquiety of this People appears in the mention made of them in the Race of Hana which began in the Year 206 before Christ's Birth They are known to the Chineses and Neighbors by the Name of Kin which signifies Gold and commonly are call'd The Lords and Masters of the Golden Mountains it being a common opinion That China is full of Gold-Mines which we will not dispute but dare knowingly affirm That it has Rivers upon the sides whereof great store of Gold is taken up daily It is to be observ'd that the Tartars of several Parts have at divers times Warred on China but the People of Ninche above all have always been their greatest Enemies having during the Reign of the Race of Sunga given so great Overthrows to their Forces and made such Depredations upon their Land that they were forc'd to flie out of the Northern Provinces into the Southern the Ninchians having subdu'd and brought under their Subjection the Provinces of Laotung Peking Xensi Xensi and Xantung and without all doubt at that time would have conquer'd the whole Empire if the neighboring Tartars of the Kingdom of Samarcand who envied their great Success after the Conquest of a great part of Asia had not through the Western and Southern Provinces fall'n into the Empire of China and put a stop to their Victories by their irresistible Armies which was the occasion of a cruel and bloody War between them These Tartars of Samarcand drove those of Ninche not only out of China but pursu'd them into East-Tartary their own Country whereof they took a considerable part from them And since that time the Samarcandians who possess'd the Northern Provinces out of which they had beaten the Nincheans have made many and sharp Wars against the Emperors of the Southern China and at last subdu'd the whole and erected a new Race call'd Ivena as is before said which continu'd till it was brought under by the same Hunguvus The Chineses out of a natural Emnity to the Tartars say in derision of them That they live in Holes and Caves under Ground which is not so for they keep in very strong and well-wrought Tents which they use in stead of Houses being for the most part made of Silk or Stuff and so curiously Painted that they shine in the Sun like Looking-glasses and keep out the Rain so that none drops through Of these Persons of Quality have several which yet are so contriv'd that they seem but one In some parts of which the Wife and Children remain in others the Servants and some are for necessary uses as Kitchins and the like They relate That during the Reign of the Race of Ivena there were a hundred and twenty four Cities in this East-Tartary but whether there are so many now I cannot affirm in regard the Tartars themselves in China were not able to inform me All their Towns and Places are in a manner movable which the Latines call Horda with which and the Cattel and Families they remove from place to place changing according to the Season of the Year and pitching where the best Accommodation is to be had The Clothes of the poorer sort are made of Skins but the richer go clad in Silk and Cotton though there grows neither in the Province of Ninche but such among them as Trade come and buy it of the Chineses or exchange other Commodities for it as Skins of Wolves Foxes Beavers Otters Sables and the like The Men wear long Coats down to their Heels with narrow Sleeves and about their Middle is a broad Girdle with a Cloth fastned to it wherewith they wipe their Faces At their sides hangeth a Knife and two little Puâ—ses wherein they put Tobacco which is taken by them with great delight insomuch that the noblest Visitants are Treated with the same it being brought them lighted by a Servant of the House On the left side they wear a Hanger or Zable with the Edge turn'd forward and the Hilt behind insomuch that when they are on Horseback they can draw their Zables with great dexterity by laying the right Hand behind over their Backs upon the Hilt without holding fast or so much as touching the Scabbard In the Summer-time for coolness they wear Hats of Straw but in Winter Caps which come down over their Ears with an Edging of Fur about it The Soldiers wear commonly Iron Helmets upon their Heads differing very little in fashion from such as are us'd in Europe only they have no Fence for the Face In stead of Feathers they wear either a Horses Mayn or Tail dy'd red Their other defensive Arms are Iron Breast-pieces not made of one Piece but of several Plates fastned together with Nails so that they make a hideous noise when they are upon their March but especially the Horse Their offensive Arms are a Bows Arrows and Hanger for Guns or Muskets are not in use amongst them The Horse-men are generally clad in Black to make them look terrible having Boots on made of Horse-leather with thick Soles but no Spurs There are among them very few Foot-Soldiers for being generally good Horse-men they turn all their Forces into Cavalry who when they march observe this Order First two Horse-men with Colours upon their Backs Next to these follow two other Horse-men with Colours Then comes the Commander in Chief over the Cavalry After him five others the middlemost whereof carries the Emperor's Standard Then march all the rest of the Troop in order five a breast The Chineses have a high estimation of the Tartars for strength because therein they exceed them although they fall far short in the same to those of Europe They are whitish of Complexion not talkative but silent and well compos'd bred up to Arms from their Cradles which makes them such excellent Soldiers But at shooting with the Bow at a Mark they are