Selected quad for the lemma: country_n
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A26841
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The history of the court of the king of China out of French.; Histoire de la cour du roy de la Chine. English
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Baudier, Michel, 1589?-1645.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing B1165; ESTC R13758
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39,916
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119
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THE HISTORY of the COURT of the KING OF CHINA Out of French London Printed by H. B. for Christopher Hussey at the Flower de Luce in Little Brittain 1682. TO THE Truly Worthy and ever-honored IAMES QVINE Esq SIR VEry much to be commended in my opinion is that Custom amongst the Courtiers and best educated Persons of China whereby instâ—ad of oral Complements they use to deliver unto their Friends written Protestations of a sincere and cordiall Amity to remain as a Testimony against them if they shall afterwards fall short in performing as ocâ—asion requires the Dâ—voirs of a veritable Friendship The Esteem I have for this Practice so usuall amongst them has excited me in these few Lines to assure you of the entire Respect and Veneration I have for the Amity wherewith you have been pleaâ—ed to honor me and at the same â—ime to present â—ou witâ— this little History of tâ—e Chinâ—se Court which having â—râ—nslated into our Language and finding the Subject such that I need not be ashamed of having bestowed my time therein I have thought fit to câ—mmunicate to the Publick under the auspicious Protection of your ever-honored Name Nor was it possible for me to choose a more suitable Patron for this Narraâ—ive of the Grandeurs of a Court where Learning and Vertue are had in singular Recommendation than your noble â—elf whose profound Science Heroick vertues and generous Nature would easily induce me did not the Principles of Christianity forbid me to believe a Pythagorean Metempsychosis to think you animated with the Souls of all the greatest Heroes and most eminent Scholars whose Fame is at this day celebrated in the Universe For if the Heroick Generosity of your Spirit represents to me a Caesar and an Alexander your extraordinary Eloquence does at the same time tempt me to think you a Demosthenes and a Câ—cero I mighâ— herâ— accordâ—ng to the usuall Custom of Dedications make a large Enumeration of these many great and vertuous Qualitiâ—s that gain you a most particulâ—r Esteem in the Hearts of all those that have the honor to â—e acquainted with you but knowing how offensive this would be to that Modesty which you have made your inseparâ—blâ—â—ompanion and being conscious â—lso of minâ— own Inability to give to such high Endowments the Encomium they deserve I here put a stop to my Pen which is ambitious to honor it self with celebrating your Praises Receive then Sir this little Present which I take the boldness to offâ—r to you as a pledge of the unfeigned Zeal I have for your Service and believe me that I shall nâ—ver think my self any longer worthy to live than I shaâ—l be ready to embrace all Occasions of verifying what I here protâ—st that I am SIR Your most entirely devoted and most affectionatâ— Servant A. G. Page 57 Line 19 in some Copies for Judgment read Punishment THE HISTORY Of the COURT of the KING of CHINA THE Kingdome of the Sinae whose Customs have been related unto us by the antient Historians is called by those of the Countrey Taybinco by their Neighbors Sancley and by the Europaeans China It is situated in the Extremity of Asia being on the East and South washed by the Waves of the great Ocean on the Wâ—sâ— bounded with the higher India and having on the North the Scythians and Massagetes for its Neighbors The Circuit thereof is nine thousand five hundred and sixteen Dias or Miles of the Countrey amounting in our account to three thousand Leagues the Diameter or Leâ—gth thereof being eighteen hundred Leagueâ— In this vast and immense space are contained fifteen fair and great Provinces five hundred ninety and one Cities fifteen hundred ninety and three Towns and an infinite number of Villages Fifteen of the Cities are Mâ—tropolitan or Principal of the Realm superbly and commodiously built on fair Sea-ports or the fertil Banks of great navigable Rivers The Provinces are Paguie Canton â—oquien Olan Cinsay Susuam Tolanchie Cansay Oquian Auchâ—o Honam Xanton Quincheu Chequcan Saxii or Sancii They are governed each of them by the wise Administration of a Vice-roy except Paguie and Tolanchie which are immediately under the Care of their Soveraign and the Advice of his Councel For in them he resides as lying neerest to the Tartars their ancient Enemies that the Royal presence as the Sun of the State may dissipate the Mists and Clouds of Troubles which would obscure the Glory thereof The Goodness of the Countrey is envied by all the rest of the earth Men breath there the Air of the Eastern world Wine Corn and Fruits are there exceeding plentiful the fâ—rtil Land producing them thâ—â—e a yeâ—â— Wooll Cottons and silks arâ— thâ—â—e in very great quaâ—â—ity Pâ—rfumes â—re there gaâ—hered Metals are there found Gold and Silver do there abound Diamonds do there sparklâ— â—earls are there fisht up the Sea obeys â—heir Navigations It is watered by great Rivers and the Chinâ—sâ—s may disdain and slight the Succor of other men and the Commodities of their Provinces They are also enclosed and shut up as it were in another World Nature hath furnished them with great Mountains which lock them in and Art by the care of King Tzinson has drawn a Wall five hundred Leagues long of a very great height and above five and twenty Paces thick which finishes that Enclosure which Nature seems to have left on purpose that knowing their own Strength they might make themselves a World apart although History sayes that the Incursions and Ravages which the Tartars made upon them on that side advanced the Project therâ—of and caused them to hasten thâ— Work The principal Laws under the sage conduct whereof they live in the midst of an assuâ—ed Râ—pose accumulated with all sorts of Felicities are First that the Scepter of the Chinesâ— Kingdome can never fall to the Distaff the Males only and not the Females being capable of sâ—cceeding to the Crown Secondly that no person of the Countrey presume to go out of the Ports thereof into any forreign parts without the express Leave of the King himself and not of any of his Officers and that no other from without be admitted or may enter thereinto without the same Licence Thus they keep inviolable the Purity of their good Customs and with the aid of this great Wall hinder Strangers from entring into their Realm and their Vices from their Court which are elsewhere the Domesticks of Courtiers If by chance any Forreigner slips in amongst them he is soon discovered by every one For to this purpose they have long since established a Custome amongst them which is to crush and â—latten the Noses of their Children at the time of their Birth so that all the Chineses are â—lat-nosed whereby a Stranger in their company has his Countenance wholly different from theirs Thirdly that State-employes are conferred on none but such as are very capable of them and enduâ—d with rare and excellent Qualities That no man be esteemed Noble if he be not