Indians being deceiued of him and seeing also such effects to come certainly to passe as he hath told them before beleeue him in all other things and honour him in many places with Sacrifices of the bloud and liues of men and odoriferous Spices And when God disposeth the contrary to that which the Deuill hath spoken in Oracle whereby he is prooued a Lyer hee causeth the Tequinas to perswade the people that he hath changed his mind and sentence for some of their sins or deuiseth some such lye as liketh him best being a skilfull Master in such subtill and craftie deuices to deceiue the simple and ignorant people which hath small defence against so mightie and craftie an Aduersarie And as they call the Deuill Tuyra so doe they in many places call the Christians by the same name thinking that they greatly honour them thereby as indeed it is a name very fit and agreeable to many of them hauing laid apart all honestie and vertue liuing more like Dragons then men among these simple people Before the Inhabitants of the Iland of Hispaniola had receiued the Christian Faith there was among them a Sect of 〈◊〉 which liued solitarily in the Desarts and Woods and led their life in Silence and Abstinence more streightly then euer did the Philosophers of Pythagoras Sect abstaining in like manner 〈◊〉 the eating of all things that liue by bloud contented onely with such Fruites Herbes and 〈◊〉 as the Deserts and Woods ministred vnto them to eate The Professors of this Sect were 〈◊〉 Pâ—aces They gaue themselues to the knowledge of naturall things and vsed certaine secret â—â—gicall Operations and Superstitions whereby they had familiaritie with Spirits which they aâ—ured into their owne bodies at such times as they would take vpon them to tell of tâ—ings to come which they did in manner as followeth When any of the Kings had occasion to call any of them â—ut of the Desarts for this purpose their custome was to send them a portioâ— of their fine Bread of Cazabi or Maiz and with humble request and suite to desire them 〈…〉 them of such things as they would demand After the request granted and the place aâ— day appointed the Piaces commeth with two of his Disciples wayting on him where the one bringeth with him a Vessell of a secret Water and the other a little Siluer Bell When hee commeth to the place hee sitteth downe on a round seate made for him of purpose â—here hauing his Disciples the one standing on the one hand and the other on the other euen the presence of the King and certaine of his Nobles for the common people are not admitte◠〈◊〉 these Mysteries and turning his face toward the Desart he beginneth his Inchantâ—â—â—t and calleth the Spirit with loude voyce by certaine names which no man vnderâ—â—â—ndeth but hee and his Disciples After hee hath done thus a while if the Spirit yet 〈◊〉 his comming hee drinketh of the said Water and therewith waxeth hot and 〈◊〉 and inuerteth and turneth his Inchantment and letteth himselfe bloud with a thorne maruâ—â—â—â—usly turmoiling himselfe as we read of the furious Sybils not ceasing vntill the spirit be come who at his comming entreth into him and ouerthroweth him as it were a Greyhound should ouerturne a Squerell then for a space he seemeth to lye as though he were in great paine or in a rapte wonderfully tormenting himselfe during which agonie the other Disciple shaketh the Siluer Bell continually Thus when the agonie is past and he lyeth quietly yet without any sence or feeling the King or some other in his stead demandeth of him what he desired to know and the spirit answered him by the mouth of the rapte Piaces with a direct and perfect answere to all points Insomuch that on a time certaine Spaniards being present at these mysteries with one of the Kings and in the Spanish tongue demanding the Piaces of their Ships which they looked for out Spaine the spirit answered in the Indian tongue and told them what day and houre the Ships departed from Spaine how many they were and what they brought without failing in any point If he be also demanded of the eclipse of the Sunne or Moone which they greatly feare and abhorre he giueth a perfect answer and the like of tempests famine plentie warre or peace and such other things When all the demands are finished his Disciples call him aloud ringing the Siluer Bell at his eare and blowing a certaine powder into his nostrils whereby he is raised as it were from a dead sleepe being yet somewhat heauy headed and faint a good while after Thus being againe rewarded of the King with more bread he departeth againe to the desarts with his Disciples But since the Christian faith hath beene dispersed throughout the Iland these diuellish practises haue ceased and they of the members of the Diuell are made the members of Christ by Baptisme forsaking the Diuell and his works with the vaine curiosity of desire of knowledge of things to come whereof for the most part it is better to be ignorant then with vexation to know that which cannot be auoided Furthermore in manie places of the firme Land when any of the Kings dye all his houshold seruants aswell women as men which haue continually serued him kill themselues beleeuing as they are taught by the Diuell Tuyra that they that kill themselues when the King dyeth goe with him to heauen and serue him in the same place and office as they did before on the earth while he liued and that all that refuse so to doe when after they dye by their naturall death or otherwise their soules to die with their bodies and to be dissolued into ayre and become nothing as doe the soules of Hogges Birds Fishes or other bruite beasts and that onely the other may enioy the priuiledge of immortalitie for euer to serue the King in heauen And of this false opinion commeth it that they which sowe corne or set rootes for the Kings bread and gather the same are accustomed to kill themselues that they may enioy this priuiledge in heauen and for the same purpose cause a portion of the graine of Maiz and a bundle of Iucca whereof their bread is made to be buried with them in their graues that the same may serue them in heauen if perhaps there should lacke seedes to sowe and therefore they take this with them to begin withall vntill Tuyra who maketh them all these faire promises prouide them of greater quantitie This haue I my selfe seene in the top of the Mountaines of Guaturo where hauing in prison the King of that Prouince who rebelled from the obedience of your Maiestie and demanding of him to whom pertained those Sâ—pultures or graues which I saw in his house he answered that they were of certaine Indians which slew themselues at the death of his Father And because they are oftentimes accustomed to bury great quantities of wrought gold with
our house and the Ice melted in our Cabins and the water dropped downe which was not so before how great soeuer our fire was but that night it was cold againe The eighteenth it was faire cleare weather with a South-east wind then our Wood began to consume and so we agreed to burne some of our Sea-coles and not to stop vp the Chimney and then we should not need to feare any hurt which we did and found no disease thereby but we thought it better for vs to keepe the Coles and to burne our Wood more sparingly for that the Coles would serue vs better when we should sayle home in our open Scute The one and twentieth it was faire weather with a West wind at that time taking of Foxes began to fayle vs which was a signe that the Beares would come againe as not long after we found it to be true for as long as the Beares stay away the Foxes came abroad and not much before the Beares come abroad the Foxes were but little seene The two and twentieth it was faire weather with a West wind then we went out againe to cast the Bullet and perceiued that day-light began to appeare whereby some of vs said that the Sunne would soone appeare vnto vs but William Barents to the contrary said that it was yet two weekes too soone The three and twentieth it was faire calme weather with a South-west wind then foure of vs went to the ship and comforted each other giuing God thankes that the hardest time of the Winter was past being in good hope that we should liue to talke of those things at home in our owne Countrey and when we were in the ship we found that the water rose higher and higher in it and so each of vs taking a Bisket or two with vs wee went home againe The foure and twentieth it was faire cleare weather with a West wind then I and Iacob Heemskerke and another with vs went to the Sea-side on the South side of Noua Zembla where contrary to our expectation I first saw the edge of the Sunne wherewith wee went speedily home againe to tell William Barents and the rest of our companions that ioyfull newes but William Barents being a wise and well experienced Pilot would not beleeue it esteeming it to be about fourteene dayes to soone for the Sunne to shine in that part of the World but we earnestly affirmed the contrarie and said that we had seene the Sunne The fiue and twentieth and sixe and twentieth it was misty and close weather so that wee could not see any thing then they that layed the contrary wager with vs thought that they had won but vpon the seuen and twentieth day it was cleare weather and then wee saw the Sunne in his full roundnesse aboue the Horizon whereby it manifestly appeared that wee had seene it vpon the foure and twentieth day of Ianuary And as we were of diuers opinions touching the same and that wee said it was cleane contrary to the opinions of all old and new Writers yea and contrary to the nature and roundnesse both of Heauen and Earth some of vs said that seeing in long time there had beene no day that it might be that we had ouerslept our selues whereof we were better assured but concerning the thing in it selfe seeing God is wonderfull in all his workes we will referre that to his almightie power and leaue it vnto others to dispute of but for that no man shall thinke vs to be in doubt thereof if wee should let this passe without discoursing vpon it therefore we will make some declaration thereof whereby we may assure our selues that we kept good reckoning You must vnderstand that when we first saw the Sun it was in the fift degr and 25. min. of Aquarius and it should haue staid according to our first ghessing till it had entred into the 16. deg and 27. min. of Aquarius before he should haue shewed there vnto vs in the height of 76. deg Which we striuing and contending about it amongst our selues could not be satisfied but wondred thereat and some amongst vs were of opinion that we had mistaken our selues which neuerthelesse we could not be perswaded vnto for that euery day without sayle wee noted what had past and also had vsed our Clocke continually and when that was frozen wee vsed our Houre-glasse of twelue houres long whereupon wee argued with our selues in diuers wise to know how we should finde out that difference and leaue the trueth of the time which to trie wee agreed to looke into the Ephemeridâ—s made by Iosephus Schâ—la Printed in Venice for the yeeres of our Lord 1589. till A. 1600. and we found therein that vpon the foure and twentieth day of Ianuary when the Sun first appeared vnto vs that at Venice the Clocke being one in the night time the Moone and Iupiter were in coniunction whereupon we sought to know when the same coniunction should be ouer or about the house where wee then were and at last wee found that the foure and twentieth day of Ianuary was the same day whereon the coniunction aforesaid happened in Venice at one of the clocke in the night and with vs in the morning when the Sunne was in the East for we saw manifestly that the two Planets aforesaid approached neere vnto each other vntill such time as the Moone and Iupiter stood one iust ouer the other both in the signe of Taurus and that was at sixe of the clocke in the morning at which time the Moone and Iupiter were found by our Compasse to be in coniunction ouer our house in the North and by East-point and the South part of the Compasse was South South-west and there we had it right South the Moone being eight dayes old whereby it appeareth that the Sunne and the Moone were eight points different and this was about sixe of the clocke in the morning this place differeth from Venice fiue houres in longitude whereby we may ghesse how much we were neerer East then the Citie of Venice which was fiue houres each houre being 15. degrees which is in all 75. degrees that we were more Easterly then Venice by all which it is manifestly to be seene that wee had not fayled in our account and that also wee had found our right longitude by the two Planets aforesaid for the Towne of Venice lieth vnder 37. degrees and 25. minutes in longitude and her declination is 46. degrees and 5. minutes whereby it followeth that our place of Noua Zembla lieth vnder 112. degrees and 25. minutes in longitude and the height of the Pole 76. degrees and so you haue the right longitude and latitude but from the vttermost point of Noua Zembla to the point of Cape de Tabin the vttermost point of Tartaâ—ia where it windeth Southward the longitude differeth 60. degrees but you must vnderstand that the degrees are not so great as they are vnder the Equinoctiall Line
and easie for that these eighteene leagues of Land betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama is more painefull and chargeable then 2300. by Sea whereupon some would say it were a meanes to drowne the Land one Sea being lower then another As in times past we finde it written that for the same consideration they gaue ouer the enterprize to winne the red Sea into Nile in the time of King Sesostris and since in the Empire of the Othomans But for my part I hold such discourses and propositions for vaine although this inconuenience should not happen the which I will not hold for assured I beleeue there is no humaine powerable to beate and breake downe those strong and impenetrable Mountaines which God hath placed betwixt the two Seas and hath made them most hard Rockes to withstand the furie of two Seas And although it were possible to men yet in my opinion they should feare punishment from heauen in seeking to correct the workes which the Creator by his great prouidence hath ordained and disposed in the framing of this vniuersall world Leauing this discourse of opening the Land and ioyning both Seas together there is yet another lesse rash but very difficult and dangerous to search out Whether these two great gulfes doe ioyne in any other part of the world which was the enterprize of Fernando Magellan a Portugall Gentleman whose great courage and constancie in the research of this subiect and happy successe in the finding thereof gaue the name of eternall memory to this straight which iustly they call by the name of the discouerer Magellan of which straight we will intreate a little as of one of the greatest wonders of the world Some haue beleeued that this Straight which Magellan had discouered in the South Sea was none or that it was straightned as Don Alonso d'Arsile writes in his Auracane and at this day there are some that say there is no such Straight but that they are Ilands betwixt the Sea and Land for that the maine Land ends there at the end whereof are all Ilands beyond the which the one Sea ioynes fully with the other or to speake better it is all one Sea But in truth it is most certaine there is a straight and a long and stretched out Land on either side although it hath not yet beene knowne how farre it stretcheth of the one side of the straight towards the South After Magellan a Shippe of the Bishop of Plaisance passed the straight Don Guitieres Caruaial whose Maste they say is yet at Lima at the entrie of the Pallace they went afterwards coasting along the South to discouer the Straight by the commandement of Don Garcia of Mendoca then Gouernor of Chille according to that which Captaine Ladrillero found it and passed it I haue read the discourse and report he made where he saieth that he did not hazard himselfe to land in the Straight but hauing discouered the North Sea he returned backe for the roughnesse of the time winter being now come which caused the waues comming from the North to grow great and swelling and the Sea continually foming with rage In our time Francis Drake and Englishman passed this Straight After him Captaine Sarmiento passed it on the South side And lastly in the yeere 1587. other Englishmen passed it by the instruction of Drake which at this time run along all the coast of Peru. Euen as Magellan found out this Straight vpon the South so some haue pretended to discouer another Straight which they say is in the North and suppose it to be in Florida whose coast runnes in such sort as they know no end thereof Peter Melendez the Adelantade a man very expert at Sea affirmeth for certaine that there is a Straight and that the King had commanded him to discouer it where in he shewed a great desire he propounded his reasons to proue his opinion saying that they haue seene some remainders of Ships in the North Sea like vnto those the which the Chinois vse which had beene impossible if there were no passage from one Sea vnto another Moreouer hee reported that in a certaine great Bay in Florida the which runs 300. leagues within the Land they see Whales in some season of the yeare which come from the other Sea One of the most admirable secrets of Nature is the ebbing and flowing of the Sea not onely for this strange property of rising and falling but much more for the difference there is thereof in diuers Seas yea in diuers coasts of one and the same Sea There are some Seas that haue no daily flowing nor ebbing as we see in the inner Mediterranean which is the Thyrene Sea and yet it flowes and ebbes euery day in the vpper Mediterranean Sea which is that of Venice and iustly giueth cause of admiration that these two Seas being Mediterranean and that of Venice being no greater then the other yet hath it his ebbing and flowing as the Ocean and that other Sea of Italie none at all There are some Mediterranean Seas that apparantly rise and fall euery moneth and others that neither rise in the day nor in the moneth There are other Seas as the Spanish Ocean that haue their flux and reflux euery day and besides that they haue it monethly which commeth twice that is to say at the change and at the full of euery Moone which they call Spring-tides To say that any Sea hath this daily ebbing and flowing and not monethly I know not any It is strange the difference we finde of this subiect at the Indies for there are some places whereas the Sea doth daily rise and fall two leagues as at Panama and at a high water it riseth much more There are other places where it doth rise and fall so little that hardly can you finde the difference It is ordinary in the Ocean Sea to haue a daily flowing and ebbing and that was twice in a naturall day and euer it fals three quarters of an houre sooner one day then another according to the course of the Moone so as the tide fals not alwaies in one houre of the day Some would say that this flux and reflux proceeded from the locall motion of the water of the Sea so as the water that riseth on the one side fals on the other that is opposite vnto it so that it is full Sea on the one side when it is a low water on the opposite as we see in a Kettle full of water when we mooue it when it leanes to the one side the water increaseth and on the other it diminisheth Others affirme that the Sea riseth in all parts at one time and decreaseth at one instant as the boyling of a Pot comming out of the centre it extendeth it selfe on all parts and when it ceaseth it fals likewise on all parts This second opinion is true and in my iudgement certaine and tried not so much for the reasons which the Philosophers giue
shewed in the Pictures And hauing so setled themselues they did chuse Tenuch for their chiefe Gouernour and Lord to gouerne them as a person especially chosen thereto and fit for it hauing in him all parts and abilitie to exercise Lordship And they appointed the other chiefe Gouernours that they should be Agents and Captaynes Gouernours vnder him And after some yeeres were passâ—d of their dwelling in that place and the people multiplyed the Citie likewise was named Mexico so named and deriued of the Mexicans calling it the place of setling of the Mexican people And when the people were some what multiplyed like bold and warlike people they tooke beginning of couragious mindes in preuayling ouer their Neighbours and so shewed themselues in force of armes whereby they subdued and made tributarie to them two Townes next adioyning to Mexico named Colhuacan and Tenaincan as likewise is set forth in the pictures the which doings passed in the time of the gouernment of the chiefe Lord Tenuch which was the space of fiftie one yeares at the end whereof he died Concerning the Pictures of blew in the margents of this Historie it is to be vnderstood that euery seuerall space or partition doth signifie one yeare and they bee the numbring of yeares it is to be vnderstood that euery seuerall space or partition signifie the one seuerall yeare and so they accounted numbred euery yeare seuerally proceeding by the number of rundles or pricks therein contained beginning at one and proceeding to thirteene rundles And from thence they began againe at the beginning in their accompt from one point or rundle and so accordingly they did proceede in numbering againe till they came to thirteene And although that in the partitions or spaces seuerally there be diuers seuerall figures yet the principall accompt of numbering is that accompt of the pictures or rundles therein contained And although the names of the yeares that they giue to euery partition from the number of the first point till the thirteenth be to some purpose yet for to aduertise the Reader thereof here is made by it selfe a declaration of the names with their interpretations In the order and rule of the partitions which are numbred for yeares that partition where there is a branch with a foote like a flower it doth signifie a bitter and vnfortunate yeare which the Mexicans had and did feare saying that their predecessours time out of minde did giue them warning that such yeares which befell euery two and fiftieth yeare were dangerous and vnfortunate and bitter yeares because that in such yeares there were floods generally and likewise darkenesse of the eclips of the Sunne and vniuersall earthquakes And likewise in such yeares they made great sacrifice and ceremonies to their gods and gaue themselues to repentance and did abstaine from all vices against the very day and houre of such a yeare In the which day generally they put out all their lights and fires till that day were past and being passed they kindled new lights being had out of a Mountaine by a Priest This is a weeke of yeares after the Mexican computation all coloured blew the Mexican names written ouer in red the first of which they call Setuchtli that is one Conie the second Omeacalt or two Canes the third Yeytecpatl three Flints the fourth Macuilituchtli which signifieth foure houses the fifth Criquacenacatl that is fiue Conies the sixth sixe Canes the seuenth seuen Flints the eight eight Houses the ninth nine Conies the tenth ten Canes the eleuenth eleuen Flints the twelfth twelue Houses the thirteenth thirteene Conies A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T This Picture presents the number of 51. yeares that is the time of Tenuchs reigne in this wheele or square which as all the like representing yeares are in the originall picture coloured blew The pictures of men signifie the ten Lords or Gouernours before mentioned their names are inscribed in the originall pictures which here we â—aue by the letters annexed directly to a following glosse A. Acacitli B Quapan C Ocelopan D Aguexoâ—l E Tâ—cineuh F Tenuch G Xominitl H Xocoyol I Xuâ—caqui K Atotl L Tenochtitlan representing the armes which they vsed in the conquest of that place which they so intituled is M the Tunal painted greene growing out of a Rock N the Eagle O their setling or habitation P the people of Colhuacan Q Tenayncan both which Nations R Tenuch conquered by force of â—rmes as appeareth S their subiection or bringing vnder T is the blue square and Saint Andrewes crosse The former relation doth more fully lay open these things A B C D G H I E F In this figure is represented the raigne of their second Lord or King Acamapich A is the time of his reigne 21. yeeres B Acamapichtli the successor C His target and arrowes instruments of warre by force whereof he subdued these foure townes or peoples figured D Quaunahuac G Mizquic H Caitlahuac I Xochimilco E is the same Acamapichtli as a conqueror F by foure faces and ensignes shewing the men of those foure Townes to each of which is added like ensigne subdued This picture therefore doth in figures signifie that which we in letters thus IN the yeere 1377. in the said Gouernment and Lordship succeeded Acamapichtli And during his Lordship he subdued and conquered by force of armes the foure Townes contayned and named in the pictures here before which are these Quauhnahnac Misquic Cuitlaâ—aac and Xochimilco the which were tributaries to him acknowledging their subiection In the yeeres that the said Acamapich liued in the said Lordship his inclination and vse was to haue many wiues the which were daughters of all the principall men of Mexico by whom he had many sons which were the beginning and increase of many Caciques and Captaines and warlike people by meanes of whom the Citie of Mexico was enlarged and augmented in great might as is signified hereafter in the discourses by the pictures with their declarations The two pictures with their titles names of Acamapich be one same thing to diuers effects for the first sheweth his beginning and succession of the said Lordship and the second sheweth the yeere after his succession in the said Lordship when hee began to conquer and subdue the said foure Townes And in the said Lordship he had his course one and twentie yeeres at the end whereof the said Acamapich dyed and departed this present life the which said departure was in the yeere 1398. A B C D H I K L M E G F A 21. yeeres B Towne and People of Toltitlan C Quauztitlan D Chalco H Tulancinco I Xaltocan K Otunpa L Acolma M Tezcuco E The Cutter hath set letters to diuers figures whereof I can giue no interpretation and such is this except perhaps it signifieth that in his seuenth yeere he began his conquests For I doe here interpret diuers in which the Spanish is silent if the coniecture seeme easier F is
for another Friar The answer of Mangu Chan not wel vnderstood and deliuered by a drunken Interpreter Caracarum ten daies iourney from the Court of Mangu Chan toward the North as appeareth Ch. 36. Chap. 31. Of Pascha of Mentz in Lotharingia and William Bouchier the Goldsmith a Parisian Building in request They also reckon by Moones in East India Crac is a strong fortresse of the Templâ— is in the holy Land Chap. 32. Of Theodolus the Clerke of Acon how hee deceiued Mangu Chan and was imprisoned of 〈◊〉 Frier Andrew went from Cyprus by Persia. Blasphemous flattery The Golden Tablet of the Emperor of the Tartars Vastacius King of Pontus Or Erserum Sergius an Armenian Monke Chap. 33. Oâ— Mangu Chans holyday and how his principall wiâ—e and his eldest sonne came to the Diuine ceremonies of the Nestorians and oâ— their filthy â—â—wsingâ— The cold much preuayleth The 13. of Ian. Cotota Caten the principall Wife of Mangu Chan. Baltu the Son of Mangu Chan. * Vnum bucâ—eranum * Cosmos of Mares Milke Vid. sup Ianuary 20 Of the Fast of the Nestorians and Armenians and of their Processions vnto the Court of Mangu Chan his eldest Son and Wiues Saint Sâ—rkis Lent Mangu Chans Court visited with Processions How they diuine by the sholder blades of Rommes burnt blacke In M. Ienkinsons Voyage among the Tartars ye may reade of such a Diuination Threshold-Superstition They doe the like in Florida Baltues Court who was eldest Son of Mangu Chan. The Court of the third Lady The Armenians and Nestorians are ashamed to shew Christ fastned to the Crosse. Mangu built a Church The Court of the fourth Lady Drunkennesse not reproueable among the Tartars Chap. 35. How Lady Cota was cured of Sergius the counterfeit Monke Liâ—ence is granted him to carrie the Crosse aloft Rubarbe and the Crosse Miracle-workers with credulous Superstition Holy water not knowne in the East Sergius the Armenians Lye Sorcerie of foure swords The Crosse carried aloft Chap. 36. A description of the Countries about the Court of Mangu Chan and of their manner of writing and their money Chap. 3. Al Riuers bending towards the South and North runne towards the West Chap. 15. Su-Moal the Water Tartars to the East liuing vpon fish Kerkis Orangai Pascatir on the West Chap. 19. Mutezuma commanded the like in Noua Hispania * A description of Apes or else an embleme or Apish fable and perhaps by the Chinois inuented to sell their wares the dearer Most precious Purple Cataia vpon the Ocean Taute and Manse who dwell in Ilands whose Sea freezeth in the Winter Cataia paper money The manner of writing in Cataia like that of China The people of Thebet· Their manner of writing in Tangut and Iugur The money of the Rutenians Chap. 37. Of the second fast of the people of the East in Lent The Monke is reproued for the multitude of those that came vnto him Monkes Manichaean blasphemie of the Creation Snow-water or water of Ice exceeding naught No fish eaten in Lent Hypocriticall feast-fast Chap. 38. A Description of the worke of William Bouchier and of the Palace of Mangu Chan at Caracaâ—um into which Citie they entred on Palm-sunday Two moneths iourney The Description of a most artificiall siuer Tree The description of the Palace The Sunday in the Passion he goeth towards Caracarum They enter Caracarum on Palme Sunday Mangu Chan departeth from Caracarum Chap. 39. The manner how the Nestorians make the Sacramentall Bread The Christians confesse themselues and receiue the Sacrament of Frier William in the dayes of the Lords Supper and Easter The Christians desire the Sacrament Confession Theft excluded the ten Commandements perhaps these fellowes were of those Borderers minde which thought K. Henry had put it in the Decalogue The Patriarch of the Nestorians remayneth at Baldach Chap. 40. William Bouchier is sicke the Monke giueth him Rubarbe the Priest Ionas is sicke Frier William administreth the Lords Supper vnto him and anionteth him beeing readie to dye Hee reproueth the Monke for his Sorceries The Priest Ionas is sicke and dyeâ—h The Nestorians know not Extreme Vnction nor Confession He that is presenâ— with one that dyeth cannot come into the presence of the Prince for the space of an wholâ— yeare Bold blindnes The Monke vseth Diuinations Chap. 41. The description of the Citie of Caracarum they are examined Mangu Chan sendeth hâ—s brethren against diuers Kingdomes the Monke biddeth the Saracens farewell The Wife of Mangu Chan dyeth The Countrey of the Hassasines or Mulibet Chap. 16. Some of Cataia rebell Ascension day Arabucha the yonger brother of Mangu Chan. Ignorant zeale a betrayer of the Faith a cause perhaps of Tartarian Saracenisme One of the Wiues of Chan dyeth The Tartars do more by deceit then by force Chap. 42. They are often examined wherfore they came Mangu desireth to make comparison of Diuine things The most learned speech of Frier William with the Idolaters The Saracens acknowledge the truth of the Gospel The godly conference of Frier William with the Seruants of Mangu Chan. Mangu Chan desireth to haue a comparison made concerning diuine things betweene the Christians Saracens and Idolaterâ— His Answere Mangu Chan wil haue them returne Whitsunday Eeuen How Idolatry began first in the World The Proclamation of Mangu Chan. The murmuring of the Idolâ—ters agâ—inst Chan· The beginning of the disputation concerning the Christian Religion with an Idolater We ought first to speake of God The heresie of the Manichees in Cataia as a sprout from the Magi infecting all the Easterne Philosophie and Religions A Pythagorean child God is Omnipotent God knowes all things God perfectly good The Saracens answer that the Gospell is true The Sect of the Iugurs Chap 43. The day of Pentecost he is called before Mangu Chan who confesseth the faith of the Tartars he speaketh of his returne by Baatu he craueth leaue to stay there whiâ—h is not graunted A token of fauour The faith of the Tartars He speâ—keth of the Fryers returne Baatus greatnesse Hee craueth leaue againe to stay in the Tartars Countrey but it is not granted He departeth from the presence of Mangu Can. Chap. 44. A description of the Tartarian Sorcerers and of their diuers and vnlawfull behauiour Chiefe Priest of the Tartars Some of them know Astronomy Eclipses They fore-tell lucky and vnfortunat daiâ—s for the performance of all buâ—inesse whatsoeuer They cause all things senâ— to the Court passe betweene fires Friar Andrew and his fellows The ninth day of the Moone of May solemnly kept euery yeâ—re They are called to the birth of children and fore-tell their destinies and are also â—ent for when any are sicke The false accusations of the Sorcerers The Bishop of the Nestorians in Cataia A lyer and a murtherer from the beginning The Reuenge of Mangu Chan vpon his Wife being a murtherer The Sorcerers trouble the Ayre with their Charmes The Sorcerers raise vp deuils Chap. 45. Great Solemnity Mangu Chans Letters to
My Lord I said not so but if it pleased your Highnesse I will tell you the words I spake Then I recited what I had spoken and he answered I thought well you said not so for it was a word which you should not speake but your Interpreter hath ill interpreted it so hee reacheth foorth his staffe towards mee whereon he leaned saying Feare not I smiling said softly If I feared I had not come hither Then he demanded of the Interpreter what I had said So he repeated my words vnto him Afterward he beganne to confesse his Faith vnto me Wee Moallians saith he beleeue that there is but one God through whom we liue and dye and we haue an vpright heart towards him Then said I God grant you this for without this gift it cannot be And he demanded what I said so the Interpreter told him then he added further That as God hath giuen vnto the hand diuers fingers so he hath giuen many waies to men God hath giuen the Scriptures to you and ye Christians keep them not Ye finde it not in the Scriptures that one of you shall dispraise another Doe you finde it said he No said I but I signified vnto you from the beginning that I would not contend with any I speake it not saith he touching you In like manner yee finde it not that for Money a man ought to â—â—cline from Iustice. No Sir said I and truly neither came I into these parts to get Money nay I refused that which was giuen me And there was a Writer present there who gaue testimony that I had refused a Iascot and certaine pieces of Silke I speake it not said he for that God hath giuen you the Scriptures and yee keepe them not But he hath giuen vs Sooth-sayers and we doe that which they bid vs and we liue in peace He dranke foure times as I thinke before hee disclosed these things And while I hearkned attentiuely whether hee would confesse any thing else concerning this Faith he beganne to speake of my returne saying You haue stayed a long time heere my pleasure is therefore that you returne You said you durst not carrie my Embassadours with you Will you carrie my message or my Letters And from that time I could neither haue place nor time to shew him the Catholike Faith For a man cannot speake before him saue what he pleaseth vnlesse he were an Embassadour But an Embassadour may speake what he will And they alwaies demand whether he haue any thing else to say But he suffered me to speake no more but I must heare him and answere Interrogatories Then I answered That if he could make me vnderstand his words and that they were set downe in writing I would willingly carrie them to my power Then he asked me if I would haue Gold or Siluer or costly garments I said we receiue no such things but we haue not expenses and without your helpe we cannot get out of your Countrey Then said he I will prouide you all necessaries throughout my Countrey will you any more I answered it sufficeth me Then he demanded how farre will you be brought I said Let our Passe bring vs into the King of Armeniaes Countrey if I were there it were enough He answered I will cause you to be conueyed thither and after looke to your selfe And hee added there are two eyes in one head and though they bee two yet there is one aspect of both and whither the one directeth the sight the other doth You came from Baatu and therefore you must returne by him when hee had thus said I craued licence to speake Speake on saith hee Then said I Sir wee are not men of warre wee desire that they haue dominion of the world who would more iustly gouerne it according to the will of God Our office is to teach men to liue according to the will of God for this purpose came we into these parts and would willingly haue remained heere if it had pleased you but seeing it is your pleasure that we returne it must bee so I will returne and carrie your Letters according to my power as yee haue commanded I would request your magnificence that when I haue carried your Letters it might bee lawfull for me to returne vnto you with your good liking chiefely because yee haue poore Seruants of yours at Bolac who are of our language and they want a Priest to teach them and their children their Law and I would willingly stay with them Then answered he Know you whether your Lords would send you backe to me Then said I Sir I know not the purpose of my Lords but I haue licence from them to goe whether I will where it were needfull to preach the word of God and it seemeth to mee that it were very necessarie in these parts whereupon whether they send Embassadours backe or no if it pleased you I would returne Then hee held his peace and sate a long space as it were in a Muse. And my Interpreter willed me to speake no more and I carefully expected what he would answere At length he said You haue a long way to goe make your selfe strong with food that you may come lusty into your Countrey And he caused them to giue me drinke Then I departed from his presence and returned not againe If I had had power to doe wonders as Moses did peraduenture hee had humbled himselfe SOoth-sayers therefore as hee confessed are their Priests and whatsoeuer they command to bee done is performed without delay Whose office I describe vnto you as I could learne of Master William and others who reported vnto me things likely to be true They are many and they haue alwaies one Captaine or chiefe Priest who alwaies placeth his house before the great house of Mangu Chan neere within a stones cast Vnder his custodie as I said before are the Chariots which beare their Idols The others are behind the Court in places appointed for them And they who haue any confidence in that Art come vnto them from diuers parts of the World Some of them are skilfull in Astronomie specially the chiefe of them And they fore-tell to them the Eclipse of the Sunne and the Moone and when it shall come to passe All the people prepare them food so that they need not goe forth of the doore of their house And when there is an Eclipse they play vpon their Timbrels and Organs and make a great noise and a loude crye when the Eclipse is past they giue themselues to feasting and drinking and make great ioy They foretell fortunate and vnlucky dayes for all businesse or affaires Whereupon they neuer leuie an Armie nor vndertake Warre without their direction And they had long since returned into Hungarie but their Sooth-sayers doe not suffer them They make all things which are sent to the Court passe betweene fires and they haue a due portion thereof They also purge all the
houshold-stuffe of the Dead drawing them betweene the fires For when any one dieth all things whatsoeuer appertayne to him are separated and not mingled with other things of the Court till all be purged by the Fire So did I see it done to the Court of that Ladie which died while wee were there Whereupon there was a double reason why Friar Andrew and his fellowes should goe betweene the fires both because he brought presents as also for that they belonged to him who was dead to wit Ken Chan. No such thing was required of me because I brought nothing If any liuing creature or any thing else fall to the ground while they thus make them passe betweene the fires that is theirs They also the ninth day of the Moone of May gather together all the white Mares of the Herd and consecrate them The Christian Priests also must come together thither with their Censers Then they cast â—ew Cosmos vpon the ground and make a great Feast that day because then they thinke they drinke Cosmos first as it is the fashion somewhere with vs touching Wine in the Feast of Saint Bartholmew or Sixtus and of fruits in the Feast of Saint Iames and Christopher They also are inuited when any child is borne to foretell his destinie They are sent for also when any is sicke to vse their Charmes and they tell whether it bee a naturall infirmitie or by Sorcerie Whereupon that woman of Mentz whereof I spake before told mee a wonderfull thing On a certaine time very costly Furres were presented which were layd downe at the Court of her Ladie who was a Christian as I said before And the Sooth-sayers drew them through betweene the fires and tooke more of them then was their due And a certaine woman vnder whose custodie the treasure of her Ladie was accused them thereof vnto her Ladie wherevpon the Ladie her selfe reproued them It fell out after this that the Ladie her selfe began to be sicke and to suffer certaine sudden passions in diuers parts of her bodie The Sooth-sayers were called and they sitting farre off commanded one of those Maidens to put her hand vpon the place where the griefe was and if shee found any thing shee should snatch it away Then shee arising did so And she found a piece of Felt in her hand or of some other thing Then they commanded her to put it vpon the ground which being layd downe it began to creepe as if it had beene some liuing Creature Then they put it into the water and it was turned as it were into a Horse-leach and he said some Witch hath hurt you thus with her Sorceries and they accused her that had accused them of the Furres who was brought without the Tents into the fields and receiued the bastinado seuen dayes together there and was thus tormented with other punishments to make her confesse and in the meane space her Ladie died Which shee vnderstanding said vnto them I know my Ladie is dead kill mee that I may goe after her for I neuer did her hurt And when shee confessed nothing Mangu Chan commanded to suffer her to liue Then the Sorcerers accused the Ladies daughters Nurse of whom I spake before who was a Christian and her husband was the chiefe among all the Nestorian Priests so shee was brought to punishment with a certaine Maide of hers to make her confesse And the Maide confessed that her Mistresse sent her to speake with a certaine Horse to demand answeres The woman also her selfe confessed some things which shee did to bee beloued of her Ladie that she might doe her good but shee did nothing that might hurt her Shee was demanded also whether her husband were priuie to it shee excused him for that he had burnt the Characters and Letters which she had made Then shee was put to death and Mangu Chan sent the Priest her husband to the Bishop which was in Cataia to be iudged although he were not found culpable In the meane time it fell out that the principall wife of Mangu Chan brought forth a sonne and the Sooth-sayers were called to fore-tell the Destinie of the child who all prophecied prosperitie and said he should liue long and be a great Lord after a few dayes it happened the child died Then the mother enraged called the Sooth-sayers saying you said my sonne should liue and loe hee is dead Then they said Madam behold wee see that Sorceresse the Nurse of Chirina who the other day was put to death shee hath killed your sonne and behold wee see shee carries him away Now there remayned one sonne and a daughter of that woman growne to full age in the Tents and the Ladie sent presently for them in a rage and caused the young man to be slayne of a man and the maide of a woman in reuenge of her sonne whom the Sooth-sayers affirmed to be killed of their mother not long after Mangu Chan dreamed of those children and demanded in the morning what was become of them His seruants were afraid to tell him and he being troubled the more demanded where they were because they had appeared vnto him in a Vision by night Then they told him So hee presently sending for his wife demanded whence shee learned that a woman should giue sentence of death without the priuitie of her Husband And he caused her to be shut vp seauen dayes commanding to giue her no meat But the man who who slew the young man he caused to be beheaded and the head to be hung about the womans necke who had kild the Mayde and made her to be cudgelled with burning Fire-brands through all the Tents and after to be put to Death Hee had also put his Wife to death but for the Children he had by her And he went out of his Court and returned not till after one Moone The Sorcerers also trouble the Ayre with their charmes and when the Cold is so great naturally that they cannot apply any remedy then they search out some in the Campe whom they accuse that the cold comes through their meanes so they are put to Death without any delay A little before I departed thence one of the Concubines was sicke and languished long and they mumbled their Charmes ouer a certaine Dutch Slaue of hers who slept three dayes Who when she came to her selfe they demanded what she had seene And she had seene many persons of all which shee iudged they should all shortly dye And because she saw not her Mistres there they iudged she should not dye of that sicknes I saw the Maydes head yet aking by reason of that sleepe Some of them also call vpon Deuils and gather them together who will haue answers from the Deuill in the night vnto their house and they put sodden flesh in the middest of the house and that Chan who inuoketh beginneth to say his Charmes and hauing a Tymbrell smites it strongly against the ground
face of the whole world vnto vs is this Whosoeuer shall heare the Statute on their owne Land let them yeeld Water and Patrimonie and let them deliuer power to him which contayneth the face of the whole World But whosoeuer will not heare the Precept and Statute but shall doe otherwise let them be rooted out and destroyed Now we send to you touching that Satute and Precept If yee will yeeld Water and Patrimonie on our Land it is meet that thou Pope thy selfe in thine person come to vs and to him which contayneth the face of the whole Earth and if thou wilt not heare the stable Precept of God and of him which contayneth the face of the whole Earth wee know not God knowes It is meet that before thou commest thou sendest Messengers and that thou signifiest to vs whether thou commest or no whether thou wilt compound with vs or be Enemie And send an Answere of the Precept quickly to vs. This Precept by the hands of Aybeg and Sargis we haue sent in the moneth of Iuly the twentieth day of the Moone In the Territorie of the Castle Sitiens THe Copie of the Chams Letters to Baioth-noy By the Precept of the liuing God Cingis-cham the Sonne of God sweete and venerable saith that God is high ouer all hee is God immortall and vpon Earth Cingis-cham is Lord alone Wee will that this come into euery place to the hearing of all to the Prouinces obeying vs and to the Prouinces obeying against vs. It is therefore meete that thou O Baioth-noy excite them and make it knowne to them that this is the commandement of the liuing and immortall God that thou also incessantly make knowne thy desire touching this and notifie my commandement in all places where a Messenger may come And whosoeuer shall gainsay thee shall be hunted and his Land shall be wasted And I assure thee that whosoeuer shall not heare this my Mandate shall bee deafe and whosoeuer shall doe according to this my iudgement knowing peace and not doing it shall be lame Let this my Ordinance come to the knowledge of all Whosoeuer shall heare and neglect to obserue it shall be destroyed and slaine Manifest this O Baioth-noy And whosoeuer desireth the profit of his House and will serue vs shall bee saued and honoured And whosoeuer shall contradict studie thou to correct them at thine owne pleasure Vnto Lewis the French King were sent certayne Messengers from a great man called Ercalthay and there was present Frier Andrew of Lontumel a Dominican who knew Dauid the chiefe of them hauing seene him in the Armie of the Tartars These brought Letters in Persian and Arabike Letters They reported also that a great King of the Tartars called Cham was become a Christian with most of his followers And now the said Ercalthay had receiued Baptisme and was come forth from Cham with a great Armie to aduance the Christian Faith and to destroy the Aduersaries thereof and much desired the French Kings loue They thought also that the said Ercalthay would the next Easter besiege Baldach These told the King also of the Tartarian Affaires Whereupon he sent Messengers with Letters and Iewels to Ercalthay with a Tent or Chappell of Scarlet fairely embroydered with the Storie of the Passion with Ornaments thereto and things fitting for Diuine Seruice with a piece of the wood of the Holy Crosse exhorting him to proceed in the Faith The Messenger were the foresaid Frier Andrew with two other Friers and two Clerkes Transcripts of all were sent into France CHAP. III. Relations touching the Tartars taken out of the Historie of R. WENDOVER and MAT. PARIS with certayne Epistles of the same subiect ANno 1239. the Tartars inhumane Nations which had made great slaughters and had with hostile forces inuaded the borders of Christendome in the greater Hungarie were vanquished and most of them slaine beeing encountred by fiue Kings Christians and Saracens herein confederate After which the King of Dacia and the King of Hungarie caused the Confines before by the Tartars brought in manner to a Wildernesse to bee inhabited by Christians which they sent thither Of which out of Dacia alone went more then fortie ships Anno 1240. the detestable people of Satan to wit an infinite number of Tartars brake forth from their Mountayne-compassed and Rocke-defended Region like Deuils loosed out of Hell that they may well be called Tartarians as Tartareans and like Grashoppers couering the face of the Earth spoyling the Easterne Confines with fire and Sword ruining Cities cutting vp Woods rooting vp Vineyards killing the people both of Citie and Countrey And if they spared any they vsed them in the fore-front of their battels to fight against their Allies that if they were therein faint or fayned themselues at their backes might kill them if otherwise it was without reward They are rather Monsters then men thirsting and drinking bloud tearing and deuouring the flesh of Dogges and Men clothed with Oxe-hides armed with Iron Plates in stature thicke and short well set strong in bodie in Warre inuincible in labour infatigable behind vnarmed drinking the bloud of their beasts for Dainties c. These Tartars of detestable memory are thought to be descended of the ten Tribes which went away forsaking the Law of Moses after the golden Calues whom Alexander the Macedon sought to inclose in the Caspian hils to which labour exceeding humane power hee inuoked the assistance of the God of Israel and the tops of the hils ioyned together and the place became inaccessible and impassible And though it be doubtfull because they vse not the Hebrew Tongue nor Law of Moses nor are gouerned by any Lawes yet is it credible that as their hearts then in Moses gouernment were rebellious Reprobately-sensuall and Idolatrous so now more prodigiously their heart and Language is confounded and their life immane and beastly inhumane They are called Tartars of a certayne Riuer called Tartar running alongst their hils Anno 1241. that inhumame and brutish lawlesse barbarous and sauage Nation of Tartars horribly spoyling the North and North-east parts of the Christians caused great feare and horrour ouer all Christendome For they had now brought in manner to a Wildernesse Frisia Gothia Polonia Bohemia and both Hungarias the most part of the Princes Prelates and people beeing fled or slaine as by this Letter appeareth TO the Beloued and alway worthy to be beloued Lord our Father in Law the Illustrious Prince the Duke of Brabant H. by the grace of God Earle of Loraine Palatine of the Saxons his humblest seruice The perills foretold in holy Scripture now breake forth because of our sinnes For a certaine cruell and innumerable people sauage and lawlesse inuadeth and possesseth the Confines next bordering to vs and are now come to Poland many other Lands being passed and peoples destroyed Whereof aswell by our owne Messengers as by our beloued Cousin the King of Bohemia we are fully certified and are inuited
very artificially wrought Among these some are so great that they contayne ten paces in length fastned to the earth as if they lay vpright neere vnto the which little Idols are placed which seeme to giue reuerence to the greater and both are much reuerenced The Religious men seeme to liue more honestly then other Idolaters abstayning from certaine things as Lecherie and other things although Lecherie seemes no grieuous sinne for they say if a woman seekes for loue to a man he may vse her without sinne but not if he seekes first to her They reckon the whole circuit of the yeere by Moones In these Moones they obserue fiue or foure or three dayes wherein they kill no Beast or Bird nor eat Flesh as is the vse with vs on Friday Saturday and Vigils The Lay-men marrie twentie or thirtie wiues as they are able to maintayne yet the first is accounted the more worthie and more legitimate The husband receiueth no dowrie from the wife but hee himselfe assigneth conuenient dowrie in Cattell seruants or money according to his abilitie If the wife become hatefull to the husband it is lawfull for him to diuorce her from him as he pleaseth They take for wiues their Kins-women or Mothers in law Marco together with his Father and Vncle remayned a yeeres space in this Citie for the dispatch of certaine affaires From the Citie Campion you goe twelue dayes iourney to the Citie Ezina bordering vpon a sandy Desart towards the North contayned in the Prouince of Tanguth Many Camels are there and many other beasts and Hawkes of diuers kinds The Inhabitants are Idolaters liuing of the fruits of the Earth forbearing merchandise §. IIII. Of Carchoran the Originall proceedings and exploits of the Tartars of Priest IOHN and his discendants Customes of the Tartars Of Bargu Erginul Xandu the Cans Citie and Palace of Muske of strange Sorcerers and austere Monkes ALl the Prouinces and Cities aforesaid Sachion Chemul Chinchitalas Succuir Campion and Ezina pertayne to Tanguth Hauing passed ouer the foresaid Desart you come vnto the Citie Carchoram which is in circuit three miles strongly rampierd with earth for they want stone Neere it is a great Castle and in it the Gouernors faire Palace This was the first place neere which in old times the Tartars assembled themselues And now we will declare how they began to raigne They dwelt in the North parts to wit in Ciorza and Bargu where are many and great Playnes without Cities and Townes but goodly Pastures Riuers and waters They had not a Prince of their Nation but payed tribute to a certayne great King named as I haue heard in their language Vmcan which in some mens opinion in our tongue signifieth Presbyter or Priest Iohn To him the Tartars gaue yeerely the tenths of all their beasts In processe of time the Tartars so encreased in multitudes that Vmcan was afraid of them and thought to disperse them into seuerall parts of the world And therefore when any rebelled he sent three or foure of an hundred of the Tartars into those parts so diminishing their power and the like he did in his other occasions deputing some of their principals to that purpose They seeing their ruine intended and loth to be separated one from another went from the places where they dwelt to the Desart towards the North where by remotenesse they might be safe and denyed to Vmcan their wonted Tribute It hapned that about An. 1162. the Tartars hauing continued some time in those parts chose a King among themselues a wise and valiant man named Cingis Can. He began to reigne with such iustice that he was beloued and feared of all as a God rather then a Prince insomuch that his fame brought all the Tartars in all parts to his subiection And hee seeing himselfe Lord of so valiant men would needs leaue those Desarts and commanding them to prouide Bowes and other weapons began to subdue Cities and Prouinces in which Conquests hee placed such iust Gouernours that the people were not offended The chiefe of them hee carried alongst with him with great prouisions and gifts Seeing therefore that he was aduanced to so great glorie and power he sent Embassadors politikly to Vmcan to intreate that he would bestow his daughter vpon him to be his wife Which he taking in very euill part answered with indignation and reiecting the Embassadors of Cingis said doth my seruant demand my daughter Get ye out of my sight and tell your Master if he euer make such demand againe I will make him die a miserable death But King Cingis leuying a great Armie went forth with an hostile minde and incamped in a certaine great Plaine named Tanduc sending vnto the King and signifying vnto him that he should defend himselfe But he comming with a mightie Armie descended to the Playnes and pitched his Tents within ten miles of the Campe of the Tartars Then Cingis commanded his Astrologers to shew him what euent and successe the battell should haue They cutting a Reed lengthwise in two parts set the pieces themselues into the ground and wrote vpon the one Cingis and on the other Vmcan and said vnto the King In the meane space while we reade the Coniurations it shall come to passe by the Idols power that these two parts of the Reed shall fight together And whose part shall ascend vpon the other that King shall obtayne victorie in the battell The multitude therefore running together to behold that spectacle the Astrologers beganne to mumble their prayers and reade their inchantments when presently the parts of the Reed being moued fought together vntill at length the part of Cingis ascended vpon the part of Vmcan Which being seene the Tartars assured of the future victorie were encouraged to the battell and Vmcan being slayne the Victorie and Kingdome and Vmcans daughter remayned to Cingis Cingis raigned sixe yeeres aâ—ter this in the which hee got many Prouinces and lastly when he endeuoured to winne a certaine Castle called Thaigin and came somewhat neere being shot in the knee with an Arrow he died and was buried in the Mountaine Altai The first King of the Tartars was called Cingis the second Cyn Can the third Bathyn Can the fourth Esu Can the fifth Mangu Can the sixth Cublai Can whose power is greater then all his Predecessors hauing inherited theirs and adding by Conquest in manner the rest of the World For he liued neere sixtie yeeres in his Gouernment The name Can signifieth Emperor All the great Cans and Princes of that bloud of Cingis are carried to the Mountaine of Altai to be buried wheresoeuer they die although one hundred dayes iourney from it And they which carrie the Corpse to the buriall kill all those that they meet in the way saying goe and serue our Lord the King in another life They kill also the better Horses When the bodie of great Cham Mongu the Predecessor of Cham Cublai was brought vnto
thirtie Prouinces which haue a faire Palace in Cambalu in which is for euery Prouince a Iudge many Notaries These haue power to choose Gouernours of the said Prouinces and present their names to the Can which confirmes them These also haue the charge of the Treasure to exact and dispense the same Their office is called Singh that is The second Court subiect to none but the Can yet reputed lesse noble then the former that being a martiall State §. VI. The Cans prouisions for Embassadors and for Posts against Dearth for High-wayes for the Poore in Cambalu for Astrologers Tartars Wine Fuell Religion Opinions Behauiour Court-neatnesse POLOS proceeding from Cambalu Westward Of Pulisangan Gouza Tainfu Pianfu Thaigin Cacianfu Quenzanfu Sindinfu Thebeth Caindu Caraian Carachan Cardandan and Vociam WIthout the Citie of Cambalu many publike wayes conduct to the neighbouring Prouinces and in euery one of them alway at the end of fiue and twentie or thirtie miles are Lodgings or Innes built called Lamb that is Post-horses with great and faire Palaces Chambers furnished with Beds and other Prouisions meete to entertaine great Men yea to lodge a King the prouisions laid in from the next adioyning places where about foure hundred Horses are in readinesse for Messengers and Embassadors which there leaue their ridden Horses and take fresh And in mountaynous places where are no Villages he sends People to inhabite ten thousand at a place where these Lamb are built which till the ground for their prouisions and this continueth vnto the furthest limits of the Empire so that in the publique wayes throughout the whole Empire about ten thousand of the Kings Innes are to bee found And the number of the Horses appointed for the seruice of the Messengers in those Innes are more then two hundreth thousand a thing almost incredible to tell so that in a little while with change of Men and Horse intelligence might flie to the Court. And if any wonder how so many men and beasts should be prouided for hee must consider that the Moores and Gentiles haue many women and store of children some hauing thirtie sonnes which follow them armed and for victuall they sow three seeds Rice Panike and Mill which yeeld an hundred fold they make not bread but boile these with Milke or Flesh. Wheat will not so encrease with them nor suffer they any ground which will beare to lye vntilled And their Cattell alway increase that each of them carries with him six eight or more Horses into the field for his owne person These Horses also take turnes that of the foure hundred aforesaid two hundred are in the stables readie the other two hundred at grasse by monethly courses Their Cities adioyning to Riuers or Lakes are appointed also to haue ferry Boats in readinesse for the Posts And Cities adioyning to Desarts are sessed at Horses and prouisions thorow those Desarts but haue contribution from the Can. In cases of great import the Poste rides with a Gerfalcon Table and is trussed so that he will ride two hundred miles in a day or two hundred and fiftie sometimes also they ride the night Foot-posts running by with lights if the Moone shine not They winde a Horne that the fresh Horses may be brought forth for them to mount presently and hauing their bellies and heads girded runne as fast as the horse can and those which are able to endure this excessiue riding are of great reputation There are also betweene the said Innes other habitations three or foure miles distant one from another where there are a few houses wherein Foot-posts dwell hauing all girdels full of shrill sounding bells These are alwayes readie and as often as the Kings Letters are sent vnto them conuey them speedily to the next habitation who hearing the sound of the Foot-post comming afarre off expect him and receiuing his Letters presently carrie them to the next watch and so the Letters passing through diuers hands are conueyed without any delay vnto that place whither they ought to come And it commeth often to passe that the King vnderstandeth newes or receiueth new fruits from a place ten dayes iourney distant in two dayes as fruits growing at Cambalu in the morning the next day at night at Xandu But all the mentioned Postes are free from all exaction of Tribute and receiue a good recompence of their labours from the Kings Rent gatherers besides Some also are appointed to examine these Posts monethly and to punish their faults He sends yeerly vnto diuers Prouinces subiect to his Empire to inquire whether any harme be done to the Corne by Tempests Locusts Wormes or any other plâ—gue And when he hath notice giuen him that any Prouince or Citie hath sustained any damage he remitteth Tributes to that people for that yeere and sendeth Graine for victuâ—ll and for Seede out of his owne Garners For in the time of great plentie the King buyeth abundant store of Corne and keepeth it with great care of Officers three or foure yeeres in Garners that when there shall be scarcitie of Corne in one Countrey that defect may bee supplied out of the Kings Store-houses Hee selleth his graine for the fourth part of other mens price and alway prouideth that his store-houses be stored Likewise when any muâ—ren lighteth among Cattell hee sends them other Cattell which he hath for Tenths in other Prouinces And if a thunder-bolt hath stricken any beast of any Herd or Flock he will haue no Tribute thereof for three yeeres be the Herd neuer so great nor custome of a Thunder-stricken ship thinking God is angrie with them which are so stricken Likewise that Trauellers may find the way in all places capable to beare Trees He hath caused Trees to be planted a little distance one from another neare vnto the principall wayes and in Sandie and desart places he hath caused to set Stones and Pillars for that purpose and Officers are appointed to looke to these things Hee plants Trees the rather because his Astrologers tell him that planting Trees lengthens the life They make excellent drinke in the Prouince of Cathai of Rice and diuers Spices which in the taste thereof excelleth the sweetnesse euen of Wine And they who drinke more greedily therof then reason iudgeth to be fit or the nature of the drinker requireth sooner become drunke then if they had drunke Wine Throughout the whole Prouince of Cathai certaine blacke stones are digged out of the Mountaines which put into the fire burne like wood and being kindled preserue fire a long time as if they be kindled in the Euening they keepe quicke fire all the night And many vse those stones because that though they haue store of wood yet is there such frequent vse of Stoues and Bathes thrise euery weeke that the wood would not serue It is not amisse also hauing spoken of his Prouisions abroad to mention his care for the poore of Cambalu When he heares of any honourable
marrieth and at such time as he marrieth them they are lodged in some of the Cities that he best liketh where they are well prouided of all things necessarie for their maintenance as sonnes to the King But they neuer see the Kings face any more after they are married All the Embassadours that come to China with Embassages from Kings or Princss receiue of the King great rewards and fauours and they giue him Cap and signes of Lothia whereby he hath great priuiledges in the Countrey They may whip and punish the Chinaes themselues so that they touch not any Louthia small or great for to meddle with these would breed great inconueniences This was the cause that Fernando Perez of Adrade going for Embassadour to China that the Chinaes did rise against him and hee escaped with his hands on his head losing some ships because hauing done vnaccustomed Iustice in China and vpon the Chinaes and they forbearing him he would stretch his hand to the Louthias The goods of the Embassadour and of his is free from customes and to him and to his they giue lodgings to dwell in and all things necessarie while they are in the Countrie No man no not a Louthia may disturbe him in any thing nor any thing of his One Lothia would haue whipped one of Siam for hauing carried a message to the Prison to certaine Portugals that were in Prison One of the Officers said vnto him that was present that he was of Siam of the Embassage wherefore being satisfied therewith he let him goe in peace desiring him he would not doe so againe With the Chinaes being so great as at the beginning we said and declared the King hath such meanes and industrie in the gouernement thereof that euery moneth he knoweth all that passeth through all the Realme and he knoweth it in this manner All matters of Iustice and of Warre and all annuities with all that is worth the knowing in euery one of the Prouinces is referred by the Louthias and by other persons to the Ponchasi and the Ponchasi maketh a relation of all by writing to the Tutan The Tutan is bound to send a Post euery moneth to the Court which carrieth the information in writing to the King of all things that passed in that moneth They count their moneths by the Moones and they are to be dispatched in such sort that at the beginning of euery Moone the Posts from all the Prouinces are to bee at the Court that the first day of the Moone it may be presented to the King as relations of all things happened in euery Prouince And although some Prouinces are farre distant from the Court that the Posts cannot come within a moneth to the Court notwithstanding in such manner they agree that euery Moone the King is to haue the relation of euery Prouince though the one be of more time then another because of the one Prouince being farre and the other neere The manner of the Posts is as among vs they carrie a Horne which they winde when they come neere to any Towne that they may haue a Horse ready in euery Towne within a certaine distance They are bound when they heare the Horne to haue a Horse ready for him which is done with such diligence as all the other seruices of the Officers And where hee is to passe a Foord as soone as he windeth his Horne with great speed they carrie him a Boat as I saw once going to the Citie of Cantan in a Towne that was in the way called Caaman Sometimes it hapneth by the malice of some Louthias when they haue any interest in it to keepe some things concealed that the King knoweth not but woe to them if the King come to know it for they are grieuously punished as wee shall see in a case hereafter following Being in India and also in China I was enformed that sometimes the King of China doth send some men of great confidence disguised through diuers parts of China that they might see how his Officers did serue him And if there were any nouelties or changes whereof they made him not priuie or some things that were necessarie to prouide § V. Of the Portugall commerce with the Chinois of the seuere Iustice executed vpon certaine Magistrates for wrongs done to the Portugals BEcause we spake many times before of Portugals captiues in China it will bee a conuenient thing that the causes of their Captiuitie be knowne where many notable things will be shewed Yee are to know that from the yeere 1554. hitherto the businesses in China are done very quietly and without danger and since that time till this day there hath not one ship beene lost but by some mischance hauing lost in times past many Because as the Portugals and the Chinaes were almost at warres when the Armies came vpon them they weighed anchor and put for the Sea and lay in places vnsheltered from tempests whereby the stormes comming many were lost vpon the coast or vpon some shelues But from the yeere 1554. hitherto Lionell of Sosa borne in Algarue being chiefe Captaine and married in Chaull made a couenant with the Chinaes that they would pay their duties and that they should suffer them to doe their businesses in their Ports And since that time they doe them in Cantan which is the first part of China and thither the Chinaes doe resort with their Silkes and Muske which are the principall goods the Portugals doe buy in China There they haue sure Hauens where they are quiet without danger or any one disquieting them and so the Chinaes doe now make their merchandise well and now both great and small are glad with the trafficke of the Portugals and the fame of them runneth through all China Whereby some of the principall of the Court came to Cantan onely to see them hauing heard the fame of them Before the time aforesaid and after the rising which Fernando Perez of Andrade did cause the businesses were done with great trouble they suffered not a Portugall in the Countrey and for great hatred and loathing called them Facui that is to say Men of the Deuill Now they hold not commerce with them vnder the name of Portugals neither went this name to the Court when they agreed to pay customes but vnder the name of Fangin which is to say People of another Coast. Note also that the law in China is that no man of China doe sayle out of the Realme in paine of death Onely it is lawfull for him to sayle along the coast of the same China And yet along the coast nor from one place to another in China it selfe it is lawfull to goe without a certificate of the Louthias of the Countrey whence they depart in which is set downe whither they goe and wherefore and the markes of his person and his age If he carrieth not this certificate he is banished to the Frontiers The Merchant that carrieth goods carrieth a
not out good or launching a ship to the Sea it goeth not well and some euill came to it they runne to their Gods and cast them in the water and put them in the flame of the fire sometimes and let them scorch a little and spurning them often and tread them vnder foot and giue them rayling words till their businesse be ended and then they carrie them with playing and feasts and giue them their Offerings They hold for a great Offering a Hogges head boyled they offer Hennes Geese Duckes and Rice all drest and a great pot of Wine After they present it all to the Gods they set his portion apart which is to put in a Dish the small points of the Hogs eare the bils and the points of the clawes of the Hennes Geese and Duckes a few cornes of Rice very few and put in with great heed three or foure drops of Wine very heedfully that there fall not many drops from the Pot. These things so set in a Bason that they set them on the Altar to their Gods for to eate and they set themselues there before the Gods to eate all that which they bring They worship the Deuill also which they paint after our fashion and say that they worship him because he maketh those which are good Deuils and the euill he maketh Buffes or Kine or other beasts And they say that the Deuill hath a Master that teacheth him his Knaueries these things say the base people the better sort say they worship him because hee shall doe them no hurt When they will launch any new ship to the Sea their Priests being called by them come into the ships to doe their Sacrifices with long side Garments of Silke They set about the shippe many flags of Silke they paint in the prow of the ship the Deuill to the which they make many reuerences and Offerings and say they doe it because the Deuill shall doe no hurt to the ship They offer to the Gods Papers with diuers Images painted and other of sundry kinde of cuttings and they burne them all before the Idols with certayne Ceremonies and well tuned Songs and while their singing doth last they ring certayne small Bels and among all they vse great store of eating and drinking In this Countrey are two manner of Priests the one that haue their head all shauen these weare on their heads certayne course Caps like vnto Canopie cloth they are high and flat behind higher before then behind a hand breadth made like a Mitre with Pinacles their wearing is white Coates after the Lay-mens fashion These liue in Monasteries they haue dining places and Cels and many pleasures within their wals There be others whom commonly the people doe vse for their Burials and Sacrifices these weare their haire and blacke silke Coates or of Searge or Linnen and long like the Lay-men hauing for a token their haire made fast in the Crowne of the head with a sticke very well made like a closed hand varnished blacke None of these Priests haue Wiues but they liue wickedly and filthily The first day of the yeare which is in the new Moone of March they make through all the Land great Feasts they visit one another the chiefe principally doe make great Banquets How much these people are curious in the rule and gouernment of the Countrey and in their common Traffique so much they are beastly in their Gentilities in the vsage of their Gods and Idolatries For besides that which is said they haue many Gentilicall Lyes of men that were turned into Dogges and afterward into men and of Snakes that were conuerted into men and many other ignorances I entred one day into a Temple and came to an Altar where were certaine stones set vp which they worshipped and trusting in the little estimation they held their Gods in and in being men that would be satisfied with reason I threw the stones downe to the ground whereat some ranne very fiercely at me and angry asking me wherefore I had done that I went mildly to them and smiling said to them because they were so inconsiderate that they worshipped those stones They asked me wherefore should they not adore them and I shewed them how they were better then they seeing they had the vse of reason feete hands and eyes wherewith they did diuers things that the stones could not doe and that seeing they were better they should not abase and esteeme so little of themselues as to worship things so vile they being so noble They answered me that I had reason and went out with me in company leauing the stones on the ground so that there is likelihood and shew of their becomming Christians And it maketh also much to this purpose their not making any difference of meate as all the people of India doth And seeing that among all the meates they esteeme the Porke most it is almost impossible for them to become Turkes Notwithstanding there are two verie great inconueniences to make any Christians in this Countrey The one is that in no wise they will permit any noueltie in the Countrey as in some sort it may bee seene in the matter of the Moores So that whatsoeuer noueltie that is in the Countrey the Louthias take order presently how to represse it and it goeth no further Whence it happened in Cantan because they saw a Portugall measure the entries of the Gates they set presently Watches that none should come in without licence nor goe vpon the Walls The second is that no strange person may enter into China without leaue of the Louthias nor be in Cantan which doe giue him a certaine time to bee in Cantan The time of the licence ended presently they labour to haue them depart Wherefore because I and those which were with me were one moneth longer in Cantan they set vp written bords that none should keepe nor harbour vs in their houses vnder payne of so much till wee held it our best cheape to goe to the Ships To the abouesaid is ioyned the common people to bee greatly in feare of the Louthias wherefore none of them durst become a Christian without their licence or at the least many would not doe it Therefore as a man cannot be seeled in the Countrey hee cannot continue Preaching and by consequence he cannot fructifie and preserue the fruit There was notwithstanding one way how to Preach freely and fruit might be made in the Countrey without any dogge barking at the Preacher nor any Louthia doe him hurt any way which is if hee haue a licence for it of the King And it might bee obtayned of a solemne Embassage were sent with a solemne present to the King of China in the name of the King of Portugall religious men going with the Ambassadour to obtayne the licence to goe about the Countrey shewing themselues to bee men without Armes And how our Law is no preiudice to his Dominion and
and in their Caps Pecocks Feathers Behinde these Louteas come such as doe beare certaine Tables hanged at staues ends wherein is written in Siluer letters the name degree and office of that Loutea whom they follow In like manner they haue borne after them Hats agreeable vnto their titles if the Loutea bee meane then hath be brought after him but one Hat and that may not be yellow but if hee be of better sort then may hee haue two three or foure the principall and chiefe Louteas may haue all their Hats yellow the which among them is accounted great honour The Loutea for warres although hee bee but meane may notwithstanding haue yellow Hats The Tutanes and Chians when they goe abroad haue besides all this before them led three or foure Horses with their Guard in Armour Furthermore the Louteas yea and all the people in China are wont to eat their meat sitting on Stooles at high Tables as wee doe and that very cleanly although they vse neither Table-clothes nor Napkins Whatsoeuer is set downe vpon the boord is first carued before that it be brought in they feed with two Sticks refraining from touching their meat with their hands euen as we do with Forkes for the which respect they lesse doe need any Table-clothes Neither is the Nation onely ciuill at meat but also in conuersation and in courtesie they seeme to exceed all other Likewise in their dealings after their manner they are so readie that they farre passe all other Gentiles and Moores the greater States are so vaine that they line their clothes with the best silke that may be found The Louteas are an idle generation without all manner of exercises and pastimes except it be eating and drinking Sometimes they walke abroad in the fields to make the Souldiers shoot at Pricks with their Bowes but their eating passeth they will stand eating euen when the other doe draw to shoot The Pricke is a great Blanket spread on certaine long Poles he that striketh it hath of the best man there standing a piece of Crimson Taffata the which is knit about his head in this sort the winner is honoured and the Louteas with their bellies full returne home againe The Inhabitants of China bee very Idolaters all generally doe worship the heauens and as we are wont to say God knoweth it so say they at euery word Tien Tautee that is to say The Heauens doe know it Some doe worship the Sunne and some the Moone as they thinke good for none are bound more to one then to another In their Temples the which they doe call Meani they haue a great Altar in the same place as we haue true it is that one may goe round about it There set they vp the Image of a certaine Loutea of that Countrey whom they haue in great reuerence for certaine notable things he did At the right hand standeth the Deuill much more vgly painted then we doe vse to set him out whereunto great homage is done by such as come into the Temple to aske counsell or to draw lots this opinion they haue of him that he is malicious and able to doe euill If you aske them what they doe thinke of the soules departed they will answer that they be immortall and that as soone as any one departeth out of this life he becommeth a deuil if he haue liued well in this world if otherwise that the same deuil changeth him into a Bufle Oxe or Dog Wherefore to this Deuill doe they much honour to him do they sacrifice praying him that he will make them like vnto himselfe and not like other beasts They haue moreouer another sort of Temples wherein both vpon the Altars and also on the walls doe stand many Idols well proportioned but bare headed These beare name Omithofon accounted of them spirits but such as in heauen doe neither good nor euill thought to bee such men and women as haue chastely liued in this world in abstinence from Fish and Flesh fed only with Rice and Salates Of that Deuill they make some account for these spirits they care little or nothing at all Againe they hold opinion that if a man doe well in this life the heauens will giue him many temporall blessings but if he doe euill then shall he haue infirmities diseases troubles and penurie and all this without any knowledge of God Finally this people knoweth no other thing then to liue and die yet because they be reasonable creatures all seemed good vnto them we spake in our language though it were not very sufficient Our manner of praying so well liked them that in prison importunately they besought vs to write for them somewhat as concerning heauen the which we did to their contentation with such reasons as we knew howbeit not very cunningly As they doe their Idolatry they laugh at themselues The greatest fault we doe finde in them is Sodomie a vice very common in the meaner sort and nothing strange amongst the best Furthermore the Louteas withall the people of China are wont to solemnize the daies of the new and full Moones in visiting one each other and making great banquets for to that end as I haue said doe tend all their pastimes and spending their daies in pleasure They are wont also to solemnize each one his birth day whereunto their kindred and friends doe resort of custome with presents of Iewells or Money receiuing againe for their reward good cheere They keepe in like manner a generall Feast with great Banquets that day their King was borne But their most principall and greatest Feast of all and best cheare is the first day of their new yeere namely the first day of the New Moone of Februarie so that their first moneth is March and they reckon the times accordingly respect being had vnto the reigne of their Princes as when any deed is written they date it thus Made such a day of such a Moone and such a yeere of the raigne of such a King Now will I speake of the manner the which the Chineans doe obserue in doing Iustice. Because the Chinish King maketh his abode continually in the City Pachin his Kingdome so great the shires so many as before it hath beene said in it therefore the Gouernours and Rulers much like vnto our Sheriffes be so appointed suddenly and speedily discharged againe that they haue no time to grow nought Furthermore to keepe the State in more securitie the Louteas that gouerne one shire are chosen out of some other shire distant farre off where they must leaue their Wiues Children and Goods carrying nothing with them but themselues True it is that at their comming thither they doe find in a readinesse all things necessarie their House Furniture Seruants and all other things in such perfection and plentie that they want nothing Thus King is well serued without all feare of Treason In the principall Cities of the shires be foure chiefe Louteas
not one of these hath as long as hee liueth any charge or gouernment at all They giue themselues to eating and drinking and bee for the most part burley men of bodie insomuch that espying any one of them whom wee had not seene before wee might know him to bee the Kings Cousin They bee neuerthelesse very pleasant courteous and fayre conditioned neither did wee finde all the time we were in that Citie so much honour and good entertainment any where as at their hands They bid vs to their houses to eate and drinke and when they found vs not or wee were not willing to goe with them they bid our seruants and slaues causing them to sit downe with the first Notwithstanding the good lodging these Gentlemen haue so commodious that they want nothing yet are they in this bondage that during life they neuer goe abroad The cause as I did vnderstand wherefore the King so vseth his Cousins is that none of them at any time may rebell against him and thus bee shutteth them vp in three or foure other Cities Most of them can play on the Lute and to make that kinde of pastime peculiar vnto them onely all other in the Cities where they doe liue bee forbidden that Instrument the Curtizans and blinde folke onely excepted who bee Musicians and can play This King furthermore for the greater securitie of his Realme and the auoyding of tumults letteth not one in all his Countrey to bee called Lord except hee be of his bloud Many great Estates and Gouernours there be that during their office are lodged Lord-like and doe beare the port of mightie Princes but they bee so many times displaced and other placed anew that they haue not the while to become corrupt True it is that during their Office they be well prouided for as afterward also lodged at the Kings charges and in pension as long as they liue payed them monethly in the Cities where they dwell by certaine officers appointed for that purpose The King then is a Lord onely not one besides him as you haue seene except it bee such as be of his bloud A Nephew likewise of the King the Kings Sisters sonne lyeth continually within the walls of the Citie in a strong Palace built Castle-wise euen as his others Cousins doe remayning alwayes within doores serued by Eunuches neuer dealing with any matters Their festiuall dayes new Moones and full Moones the Magistrates make great banquets and so doe such as bee of the Kings bloud The King his Nephew hath name Vanfuli his Palace is walled about the wall is not high but foure square and in circuit nothing inferiour to the walls of Goa the out-side is painted red in euery square a Gate and ouer each gate a Tower made of timber excellently well wrought before the principall Gate of the foure that openeth into the high-street no Loutea bee he neuer so great may passe on horsebacke or carried in his seate Amidst this quadrangle standeth the Palace where that Gentleman lyeth doubtlesse worth the sight although wee came not in to see it By report the roofes of the towers and house are glased greene the greater part of the Quadrangle set with sauage Trees as Oakes Chesnuts Cypresse Pine-apples Cedars and other such like that wee doe want after the manner of a Wood wherein are kept Stagges Oxen and other beasts for that Lord his recreation neuer going abroad as I haue said One preheminence this Citie hath aboue the rest where wee haue beene and it of right as we doe thinke that besides the multitude of Market-places wherein all things are to bee sold through euery streete continually are cryed all things necessarie as Flesh of all sorts fresh-Fish Hearbes Oyle Vineger Meale Rice In summa all things so plentifully that many houses need no seruants euerie thing being brought to their doores Most part of the Merchants remayne in the Suburbs for that the Cities are shut vp euery night as I haue sayd The Merchants therefore the better to attend their businesse doe choose rather to make their abode without in the Suburbs then within the Citie I haue seene in this Riuer a pretie kinde of Fishing not to bee omitted in my opinion and therefore will I set it downe The King hath in many riuers good store of Barges full of Sea-crowes that breed are fed and doe dye therein in certaine Cages allowed monethly a certaine prouision of Rice These Barges the King bestoweth vpon his greatest Magistrates giuing to some two to some three of them as hee thinketh good to Fish therewithall after this manner At the houre appointed to Fish all the Barges are brought together in a circle where the Riuer is shallow and the Crowes tyed together vnder the wings are let leape downe into the water some vnder some aboue worth the looking vpon each one as hee hath filled his bagge goeth to his owne Barge and emptieth it which done hee returneth to fish againe Thus hauing taken good store of Fish they set the Crowes at libertie and doe suffer them to fish for their owne pleasure There were in that Citie where I was twentie Barges at the least of these aforesaid Crowes I went almost euery day to see them yet could I neuer bee throughly satisfied to see so strange a kinde of Fishing ⸪ PEREGRINATIONS VOYAGES DISCOVERIES OF CHINA TARTARIA RVSSIA AND OTHER THE NORTH AND EAST PARTS OF THE WORLD By English-men and others THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. The beginning of English Discoueries towards the North and North-east by Sir HVGH WILLOVGHBY RICHARD CHANCELLOR and others of the Muscouie Trade as also Voyages by Russia ouer the Caspian Sea and thorow diuers Regions of Tartaria §. I. The first Voyage for Discouerie with three ships set forth vnder the charge of Sir HVGH WILLOVGHBY Knight in which he died and Moscouia was discouered by Captaine CHANCELLOR IN the yeere of our Lord 1553. the seuenth of the Raigne of King Edward the sixth of famous memorie Sebastian Cabota was Gouernour of the Mysterie and Companie of the Merchants Aduenturers for the discouerie of Regions Dominions Ilands and places vnknowne Certaine instructions were agreed on by him and the said Companie subscribed by Master Cabota the ninth of May the Kings Letters also procured vnto remote Princes in diuers languages and a fleet of three Ships set forth at that time vnder the command of Sir Hugh Willoughby Knight Captaine generall which went in the Bona Esperanza Admirall a ship of an hundred and twenty tunnes hauing with her a Pinnace and a Boat William Gefferson was Master of the said ship The Edward Bonauenture was of an hundred and sixty tunnes and had with her a Pinnace and a Boat in which went Richard Chancellor Captaine and Pilot Maior of the fleet and Stephen Burrough Master The Bona Confidentia of ninety tunnes had with her a Pinnace and a Boat of which Cornelius Durfoorth was Master The Captaines and Masters were sworne to doe
matters of China which wee saw in our two moneths libertie were infinite The King of China most resideth at Pequin for so he sweareth at his Coronation There are certaine streets seuered in this Citie by themselues wherein are houses called Lag nampur that is The Schoole of the poore in which Orphans which know no father are taught to write and reade and mechanike trades to earne their liuings Of these Houses they haue aboue two hundred and as many more of poore Nurses which giue sucke to Children exposed or cast foorth by their Parents which are punished if they bee knowne and after they are weaned are committed to the former houses And if any by naturall defect are vnable to learne a Trade they apply him to that whereto he is able as those that are blind to Mills two to grind and one to â—ift and so in other cases Besides no Trades-man may keepe shop without licence which is not granted but with imposing on them some of these poorer The Miller is to giue meate and drinke to each of those blinde persons and clothes and fifteene shillings yeerely which when hee dieth he may giue for his soule that no poore should perish according to the fourth precept of Amida For Creeples which cannot goe they place them with makers of Frailes Baskets and other handiworkes and those which cannot vse their hands haue great Hampers giuen them and Baskets to serue for Porters to carrie what men buy from the Markets to their houses such as haue neither hands nor feet to vse are placed in great houses like Monasteries where are many mercenary women which pray for the dead halfe of the Offerings remayning to them the other halfe to the Priests If they be dumbe they place them in a house like an Hospitall where they are sustayned with the Fines imposed on Regraters and scolding women For common women which are diseased they haue other houses where they are cured and prouided for at the costs of other common women each paying a monethly fee. The Dowries or Ioynters of conuicted Adulteresses are bestowed on the Hospitals of female Orphans that honestie may gaine by dishonesties losse Other honest poore men are maintayned in other streets at the charges of Sollicitors and Lawyers which maintayne vniust Suits and of partiall bribed Iudges For the prouision of the poore I haue further heard read out of their Chronicles that Chansiran Punagor Great Grandfather of the King now reigning desiring to doe God seruice being blinde after a sicknesse which he had ordayned that in euery Citie there should be store-houses of Wheat and Rice that if any dearth should happen there might be a yeeres prouision and the poore should not perish and to this purpose he applyed the tenth part of the Kings Customes They say that God recompenced this his charitie with restitution of his sight which continued fourteene yeeres after till his death This is still obserued and the number of those Store-houses is said to be fourteene thousand At Haruest the old is diuided to the Inhabitants as they haue need which after two moneths are to lay in as much new and sixe in the hundred more that the store be not diminished But if the yeere proue barren it is diuided to them without gaine and that which is giuen to the poore which haue not to satisfie is paid out of the Kings Rents of that place as the Kings Almes And all the rest of the Royall reuenues are diuided into three parts one for maintenance of the Kings estate and for the gouernment of the Kingdome the second for the defence of the Countrey for Ports Fleets and the like the third is put vp in the Treasurie at Pequin with which the King by ordinary power may not meddle being deputed for defence of the Kingdome against the Tartars and other warres with confining Kings this part of the treasure is called Chidampur that is The wall of the Kingdome For they say that if such occasions happen the King shall not lay tribute whiles that lasteth not shall the people be vexed as in other Countries where such prouidence is not vsed Indeed I feare to particularize all that we saw in this Citie lest the Reader should doubt or mutter at the raritie measuring things by that little they haue seene and iudging by their owne curtalled conceits the truth of those things which mine eyes haue seene But high capacities haughtie spirits and large vnderstandings that measure not other states by the miseries and meannesse before their eyes will perhaps be willing to heare things so rare which I hold the more pardonable in others to doubt of forasmuch as I verily confesse that I my selfe which beheld them with mine eyes am often amazed when with my selfe I recount the greatnesses of Pequim in the admirable estate of that Gentile King in the splendor of the Chaens of Iustice and of the Anchacys of gouernment in the terror and dread caused in all by their Officers in the sumptuousnesse of the Houses and Temples of their Idols and of all the rest therein For only in the Citie Minapau which stands within the wall of the Kings Palace are 100000. Eunuchs and 30000. women 12000. men for his Guard and 12. Tutans which is the greatest dignitie and commonly called the Sun-beames as the King is called the Sonne of the Sunne whose person they represent Beneath these 12. are 40. Chaens as Vice-royes besides the inferiour dignities as Anchacys Aytaos Ponchacys Lauteaas and Chumbins all which in the Court are aboue 500. and none of them haue lesse then 200. men depending the greater part of which are Mogores Persians Coraçons Moens Calaminhans Tartars Cauchins and some Bramaas the Naturals being little esteemed as effeminate and wanting valour how wittie soeuer in Arts and husbandrie The women are white chaste more giuen to labour then the men The earth is fertile which their ingratitude rather ascribes to the merit of their King then the prouidence of God Some Priests also barter with them vpon Bills of exchange to bee repayed an hundred for one in Heauen which Letters they call Cuchimiocos Other Priests are of another Sect called Naustolins which denye the Soules immortalitie and therefore teach to take their pleasures in this life Another Sect is called Trimecau which holds that a man shall so long lie in his Graue as hee hath liued aboue ground after which by the prayers of their Priests the Soule shall returne into another creature seuen dayes and then seeke for the old bodie left in the Graue to carrie it to the Heauen of the Moone where it shall sleepe many yeeres till it be conuerted into a Starre and there remayne fixed for euer Another beastly Sect called Gizom holds that Beasts onely shall enioy Heauen in recompence of their penance and trauels here sustayned and not Men which follow their lusts except they leaue to Priests at their death to pray for
publike audience the cause of their comming and being heard to giue them their answer according as they had determined for the which vpon a day appointed they met all together but not the Vice-roy in the house of the Cagontoc and commanded to come before the Castillos who did accomplish their request with a great good-will for that they vnderstood that they were called to entreat of their matter either to tarrie or depart So when they came thither they were commanded to enter into a mightie Hall whereas they were all set in verie rich Chayres with great grauitie and maiestie The Insuanto seemed to bee the chiefest amongst them but whether it was for that hee was the principallest next vnto the Vice-roy or as it was told them for that it was hee that sent Omoncon in the chase of the Rouer Limahon they knew not but so soone as they were entred into the Hall they were commanded to draw nigh there whereas they were all placed without bidding them to sit downe neither did they vse any particular circumstances or courtesie The Insuanto tooke vpon him the charge and demanded of the Spaniards by meanes of the Interpreters what was the occasion of their comming into that Countrey The Spaniards answered as they thought and supposed that at that time it could not bee but that Limahon was either taken prisoner or slaine Then did the Insuanto conclude his speech in saying vnto them that they should returne vnto their owne Countrey to the Ilands and at such time as they did bring Limahon they would conclude all things touching the friendship they requested and also for the Preaching of the Gospell So from that day forwards they did procure with all haste for to depart and gaue the Vice-roy to vnderstand thereof who answered them and sayd that they should comfort themselues and receiue joy and pleasure and that hee would dispatch them so soone as the Visitor of that Prouince was come to Aucheo which would bee within ten dayes for that hee had written vnto him that he should not dispatch them vntill his comming for that he would see them From that day forwards he commanded that sometimes they should let them goe foorth abroad to recreate themselues and that they should shew vnto them some particular pleasure or friendship So one of them was carryed to see the Mustering of their men of warre which they haue in a common custome throughout all the Kingdome to doe it the first day of the new-New-moone and is sure a thing to bee seene and they doe it in the field which is joyning vnto the walls of the Citie in this manner following There were joyned together little more or lesse then twentie thousand Souldiers Pike-men and Harquebusse shot who were so expert that at the sound of the Drum or Trumpet they straight-wayes put themselues in battle aray and at another sound in a squadron and at another the shot doe diuide themselues from the rest and discharge their Pieces with very gallant and good order and with a trice put themselues againe into their places or standings this being done the Pike-men came foorth and gaue the assault all together with so good order and consort that it seemed vnto the Spaniards that they did exceed all the warlike orders vsed in all the world and if it were so that their stomacks and hardinesse were equall vnto their dexteritie and number of people it were an easie thing for them to conquer the dominion of all the world If it so chance that any Souldier should lacke in his Office and not repayre to his place appointed hee is straight-wayes punished very cruelly which is the occasion that euery one of them hath a care vnto his charge This their Muster indured foure houres and it was certified vnto the Spaniards that the same day and houre it is done in all Cities and Townes throughout the whole Kingdome although they are without suspection of enemies Fiue and twentie dayes after that the Insuanto had giuen the resolute answer vnto the Spaniards came the Visitor thither and the whole Citie went foorth to receiue him who entred in with so great Maiestie that if they had not knowne who hee was they could not haue beene perswaded but that he had beene the King The next day following the Spaniards went to visite him for duties sake as also for that hee had a desire to see them They found him in his lodging where he began to make visitation of the Citie In their Courts were an infinite number of people which came thither with Petitions and complaynts but in the Halls within there was none but his Seruants and Sergeants When that any came for to present his Petition the Porter that was at the entrie made a great noyse in manner of an Oâ—est for that it was a good way from the place whereas the Visitor did sit then commeth foorth straight-wayes one of his Pages and taketh the Petition and carryeth it vnto him At this time it was told him how that the Castillas were there hee commanded that they should enter and talked with them a few words but with great courtesie and all was touching the Imprisonment of Limahon without making any mention of their departure or tarrying So after a while that hee had beheld them and their apparell he tooke his leaue of them saying that by reason of the great businesse hee had in that visitation he could not shew them any courtesie neither to vnderstand of them what their request and desire was but gaue them great thankes for their courtesie shewed in that they would come to visite him Three dayes after the Visitor was come thither the Insuanto departed for his owne house with order that with all speed possible hee should ordayne Ships wherein the Castillas should returne vnto the Philippinas Likewise the same day all those that were there assembled by the order of the Vice-roy departed vnto their owne houses And the Spaniards were commanded for to stay vntill the full of the Moone which should bee the twentieth of August and that day they should take their leaue of them for on that day amongst them it is holden for good to begin any thing whatsoeuer Wherein they doe vse great superstition and doe make many banquets as vpon New-yeeres day The day before the departure of the Spaniards there came some in behalfe of the Vice-roy to inuite them and made them banquet in the order and fashion as at the first although this for that it was at their departure was more sumptuous wherein was represented a Comedie which was very excellent and good whose argument was first declared vnto them All the which they did represent so naturally and with so good apparell and personages that it seemed a thing to passe in Act. There was not in this banquet the Vice-roy but those Captaynes which were there the first time and another Captayne vnto whom was giuen the charge to
bring the Spaniards vnto Manilla who was called Chautalay a principall Captayne of the Prouince When the banquet was ended they were carryed with great companie from the Hall whereas the banquet was made vnto the house of the Cogontoc who was the Kings Treasurer dwelt there hard by of whom they were maruellously well receiued with louing words and great courtesie in saying that he hoped very shortly to see them againe at such time as they shall returne with Limahon and that as then their friendship should be fully concluded and would intreat with them in particular of other matters This being done he gaue vnto them a Present for to carrie vnto the Gouernour of Manilla in recompence of that which was sent vnto the Vice-roy the Present was forty pieces of Silke and twentie pieces of Burat◠a Litter Chaire and gilt and two Quitasoles of Silke and a Horse Likewise hee sent the like Present vnto the Generall of the field and to either of them a Letter in particular these things were put in Chists which were very faire and gilt Besides this he gaue other forty pieces of Silke of all colours for to bee parted amongst the Captaines and other Officers that were at the siege of Limahon with three hundred blacke Mantles and as many Quitasoles to be parted amongst the Souldiers Besides all these he gaue vnto the Friers each of them eight pieces of Silke and vnto the Souldiers their companions foure pieces of each of them and to euery one his Horse and a Quitasol of Silke their Horses were very good to trauell by the way This being done the Cogonroc tooke his leaue of them and willed them to goe and take leaue and licence of the Vice-roy and the Visitor that they might depart for that all things were in a readinesse for their Voyage the which commandement they did straight-wayes accomplish being very well content and satisfied of the great fauours and courtesies the which they receiued both of the one and the other Likewise of the Tococ is Captaine Generall whom they also did visit and tooke their leaue The Spaniards departed from the Citie of Aucheo vpon a Tuesday beeing the three and twentieth of August in the sight of all the people of the Citie who came forth to see them with so great presse and throng as they did when they first came thither into the Countrey they were all carried in Litter Chaires yea their very slaues for that it was so commanded by the Vice-roy the Friers were carried by eight men a piece and the Souldiers by foure men a piece and all their Seruants and Slaues were carried by two men a piece Looke so many men as was to carrie them there went so many more to helpe them when they waxed wearie besides foure and twentie that carried their Stuffe There went alwayes before them a Harbinger for to prouide their Lodgings and with him went a Pay-master whose charge was to ordaine and prouide men for to carrie their Litter Chaires and to giue them for their trauell that which is accustomed and to pay all costs and charges spent by the Spaniard After that they departed from Aucheo they made of two dayes Iourney one which was the occasion that they came to Chincheo in foure dayes At their entring into the Citie they found a Seruant of the Insuanto with order and commandement that they should proceed forwards on their Iourney and not to stay in the Citie but to goe vnto the Port of Tansuso whither he will come the next day following They obeyed his commandement and made so much haste that in two dayes they came vnto the Village of Tangoa whereas they had beene before and particular mention made thereof In the same Village they were lodged well entertayned and had great good cheere from thence they went in one day to Tansuso which was the first Port wheras they did dis-imbarke themselues when as they came from the Ilands vnto that firme Land the Iustice of the Towne did lodge them in the same House whereas they were first lodged and did prouide for them of all things necessary and needfull and that in abundance till the comming of the Insuanto which was within foure dayes after for that hee could not come any sooner although his desire was for that it was very foule weather The third of September the Insuanto sent and commanded the Spaniards that they should imbark themselues for that it was that day the conjunction of the Moone although at that time the ships were not fully in a readinesse They obeyed his commandement and the Insuanto himselfe went to the water side in whose presence came thither certaine Religious men of their manner and after their fashion they made Sacrifice with certaine Prayers in the which they craued of the Heauens to giue good and faire weather and a sure Voyage and fauourable Seas vnto all those that saile in those ships This Ceremony being done which is a thing very much vsed in that Countrey the Spaniards went vnto the Insuanto who was there with great company and Maiestie he entertayned them very friendly and with cheerefull words making an outward shew that he bare them great loue and that their departure was vnto him a great griefe Then he requested them to giue him a remembrance of such things as was necessary and needfull for their prouision for the Sea for that he would giue order for the prouiding of the same the which hee did and was with so great abundance that they had for the Voyage and remayned a great deale to spare He then commanded to be brought thither Cates to eate and drinke and gaue it them with his owne hands as well the one as the other he himselfe did eate and drinke with them which is the greatest fauour that can be shewed amongst them The Banket being ended he commanded them in his presence to goe aboard their ships because that was a luckie day and also to accomplish that which the Vice-roy had cōmanded which was that he should not depart from thence vntill they had first seene them imbarked The Spaniards obeyed the commandement and tooke their leaue of the Insuanto with great courtesie and reuerence and with outward shewes that they remayned indebted for the great courtesie good will that they had receiued and therwith they departed to the waters side towards the Boat which was tarrying for them As they passed by the Religious men that before we spake of they saw a great Table set and vpon it a whole Oxe with his throat cut and hard by the same a Hogge and a Goate and other things to be eaten the which they had ordained for to make Sacrifice which they doe vse in the like Affaires They being imbarked in the Boate they were carried aboard the Admirall which was the ship appointed for them to goe in then presently they beganne to stirre the ship from one place vnto another with certaine
the Mandarines which come this way aske vs why we stay amongst these Mangines that is Rusticks and Barbarians We must say they leaue the Barke and pierce to the pith and marrow of the Kingdome if we would see the China splendor and politie He writes for Labourers Bookes Images and Pictures for consolation of new Conuerts the Ethnicks worship that of the Virgin and call her Scin mu nian nian that is holy Mother and Queene of Queenes and ends with imploring the patronage and intercession of all the heauenly Quire specially of the blessed Virgin the Apostles the Angels guardians of China to obtaine of the holy Trinitie happy successe to their endeuours c. But wee will returne to our best acquainted in China Ricius whom we left newly arriued at Nanquin The case was now altered at Nanquin they went on foot without impediment to their lodging which was in a huge Monastery called Cinghensu in which is great resort of guests which there hire lodgings being built in the centre of the Citie The Iaponians were now beaten from Corai and Quabacondono was dead which had so terrified that vnwarlike Nation He heard that they had heard of his going to Pequin and that the Corai warre was the frustrating of his designes in that vnseasonable time The President was verie glad of his comming and exhorted him to buy a house there and sends two of his followers to looke out for one Scarsly had he and Chiutaiso gotten home to their lodging when the President followeth to visit them which hee did with the solemnest Rites And when they were set in the Hall the Abbot came to offer them the wonted potion kneeling to all three to the President hee was bound as supreme gouernour of Temples and the President inuited the Father to spend two or three daies in his house to see the Fire-workes which that full Moone the first of the yeere would bee to bee seene which strange deuices of lights that and the following nights which he did and beheld that which without wonder cannot be beholden the Nanquiners herein exceeding as may be thought the whole world When it was reported that the President had visited him all the Maiestie of Magistrates did the like yea some whom he had not visited The President of the Court of Criminall Causes and the President of the Treasury which is the second Tribunall came with rites gifts as also did others yea hee which a little after was the High Colao at Pequin which all vrged him to buy a house and he now went thorow all Streets and Palaces without gainesaying which he knew from a vision hee before had had thereof and procured a house which the President helped to furnish So much admiration and respect had the opinion of Europaean science acquired to him these being to the China wits baits for the Gospels fishing Now first did they heare that the Earth was round for they conceited the Heauen round and the Earth square that the Centre drew all heauie things to it that the Vniuerse was inhabited round that there were Antipodes that the Earths interposition caused the Moones eclipse some saying that the Moon opposite to the Sunne was dazled or amazed others that there was a hole in the Sunne against which the Moone opposed lost her light that the Sunne was greater then the Earth and that the Starres also this was out of measure paradoxicall the like was the soliditie of the Orbes and their number the fixed posture of the Starres the Planets wandrings the eleuation and depression of the Pole according to the various Climates and likewise the inequalitie of the daies without the Tropikes Geographicall Maps in plano and Globes Meridians Parallels Degrees the Line Tropikes Poles Zones Spheres Sun-dialls they had not at all vnderstood with other points of Europaean learning A Doctor of theirs confessed himselfe ashamed For said hee you may thinke of me as wee doe of the Tartars and barbarous out-lawes for you begin where wee end which hee spake of the studie of eloquence which takes vp our childhood their whole life They numbred fiue Elements Metall Wood Fire Water Earth one of which they said was procreated of the other the Aire they did not acknowledge for one because they see it not placing a vacuum or emptinesse where wee place the aire as incredible it was that the fierie Element was the highest and that Comets and Exhalations were there with fired Father Matthew writ a booke of the Elements in their language much applauded and often by them reprinted Diuers became his Schollars one sent from his Master in Hanlin Colledge in Pequin the chiefe place for China learning to be admitted into which is a great dignitie Hee was very wittie and without any Master attained the first booke of Euclide and exacted of Father Matthew Geometricall demonstrations And when hee added some things of Christianitie you need not saith he confute that Idolatrous Sect it is enough to teach the Mathematikes For these Bonzi would also be Philosophers and Mathematicians They said the Sunne hid himselfe by night behinde a Hill called Siumi rooted in the Sea foure and twentie miles deepe And for the eclipses they said that the God Holochan caused that of the Sun couering it with his right hand and that of the Moone with his left Not at Pequin alone but at Nanquin also is a Colledge of China Mathematicians of better building then Astrologicall Science They do nothing but bring their Almanacks to the rules of the ancients when they mis-reckoned they ascribed it to irregularitie of nature not theirs deuising some prodigious euent to follow These at first were afraide that Father Matthew would haue depriued them of their dignitie and freed of that feare they visited him friendly and he them where hee saw a strange sight There is an high Mountaine on the top whereof is an open Plaine or Floore fit to contemplate the Starres In this open space one euery night is appointed to watch and obserue if any Comets or other alterations be in the skie thereof to giue the King notice and what it portends In this place of cast mettall are Mathematicall Instruments admirable for their greatnesse and neatnesse the like whereof wee haue not seene in Europe They haue continued there in all chance and change of weather neere two hundred and fiftie yeeres without damage Of them were foure greater the one a huge Globe distinguished by degrees with Meridians and Parallels as great as three men can fadome it stood on a huge Cube of brasse likewise vpon his Axel-tree in the Cube was a little doore sufficient for it to passe when need was On the vtter superficies was nothing grauen neither Stars nor Regions whereby it appeares that it was either vnfinished or purposely so left that it might serue both for a Celestiall and a Terrestriall Globe The second was a huge
Ethike Oeconomike Politike this Booke for the foure parts is called the Foure Bookes These nine are the ancientest China Bookes whence the others most what are taken and contayne most of their Characters And the ancient Kings enacted that they which professe Learning should take the foundations of their Learning from those Bookes not only to learne the proper sense of the Text but to bee able on the sudden to write fitly of any sentence for which cause that Tetrabiblion is learned without Booke Neyther is there any Vniuersitie or publike Schoole as some of ours haue affirmed the Masters or Professors whereof haue vndertaken to read and expound those Bookes but euery one gets a Master at home at his owne choice and cost of which there is a huge multitude In this Science are three Degrees bestowed on them which offer themselues to be examined and are iudged meete That Examination is almost wholly in Writing The first Degree is conferred in euery City in that place which is called the Schoole by some learned man designed to that Office by the King who is by that place called Tihio the Degree is termed Sieucai A threefold Examination is premised First at his comming to any City of his Prouince all that stand for that degree in that City and the confining limits thereof resort thither and are examined by those Masters which are set ouer the Bachelours till they haue attayned further Degree mayntayned by the Kings stipend In this Examination euery one is admitted perhaps foure or 5000. assembled to that purpose The second is by the foure Gouernours of the City for none are admitted to Gouernment but the Learned which present out of all that number 200. of the better Writers to the Tihio and he in a third Examination chuseth 20. or 30. of the best which he entituleth Bachelors their Ensignes are a long Gowne a Cap and Boots which none else may weare in all places they are much respected as in a ranke aboue the vulgar Citizens and enjoy also diuers Priuiledges being in manner subject only to the Masters aforesaid and the Tihio other Magistrates scarsly medling with them This Tihio not only hath authority ouer these new created Bachelors but ouer those which were made before to re-examine them and these according to their writing hee diuideth into fiue rankes the first he rewardeth with some publike Office in the City the second with some inferiour honour the third he neyther rewards nor punisheth the fourth he causeth to be publikely whipped the last he degradeth and maketh againe Plebeians The second Degree is called Kiugin and may be compared with our Licentiates and is conferred but once in three yeares and that in the Metropolitane City about the eight Moone with greater Majesty And the degree is not conferred to all but to a certayne number of the worthiest according to the dignity of each Prouince Pequin and Nanquin haue each 150. Cequian Quamsi and Fuquian 95. others fewer Only Bachelors but not all are admitted to this Examination the Tihio sending out of each City or Schoole 30. or at most 40. of the best which number yet ariseth in some Prouince to 4000. of those Examinates or Probationers for this second degree A little before the eighth Moon which often fals in September the Pequin Magistrates present to the King 100. of the most esteemed Philosophers in the Kingdome who thence pricketh or nameth thirty for each Prouince two to take charge of the Examination of these Candidates One of these two must bee of the Hanlin Colledge the Collegians whereof are most famous thorow the Kingdome The King doth not name them till that nicke of time when they must presently packe to their Prouince diligently guarded also that they speake with none of that Prouince till the Act or Commencement be past In the same Prouince also are chosen the best Philosophers to assist these two Examiners In euery Mother City is a huge Palace built for this purpose compassâ—d with high wals with many stations for the Examiners separate from noyse and foure thousand Cels or Studies besides in the midst of the Palace wherein is a stoole and table for one man that none may see or confer with any other When the Examiners sent by the King and those of the Prouince are come thither they are presently shut vp in their stations before they can speake with other men or with each other during all the Examination time Night and day meane-whiles the Magistrates and Souldiers guard the Palace from Colloquies Three dayes the same thorow the Kingdome the ninth twelfth and fifteenth of the eighth Moone from morning to night are appointed for their writing the doores being shut A light refection prouided the day before is giuen to the Writers at publike cost When the Bachelors come to the Palace they are thorowly searched whether they haue any Booke or Writing with them and are admitted only with the Pensils which they vse in writing their Plate Paper and Inke these also and their Garments searched to preuent all fraud which found causeth the twofold punishment both of losse and sence When they are admitted the doores shut and sealed the two Royall Examiners out of the Tetrabiblium propound three Sentences for so many Theames to euery of them and foure out of the fiue Bookes of Doctrines for so many other Theames These seuen Writings must bee made for elegance of words and weight of Sentences according to the Precepts of China Rhetoricke neyther must any Writing contayne aboue 500. Characters Two dayes being passed for the Examinationn of these the next day out of the Chronicles or other three Cases of Politie are propounded wherein each which three Theames or Writing expresse their minde or Libel-wise admonish the King what were fittest to be done The third day three Law Cases such as happen in the Magistrates Offices are propounded for each thereof to expresse his Sentence These in great silence each in his appointed Cell hauing written their Theames subscribed with their owne their Fathers Grand-fathers and great Grand-fathers names and sealed so that none but men appointed may reade them offer them to certayne Officers which before the Examiners see them cause them to bee transcribed by certayne thereto appointed which Copies to be distinguished from the Originals are written in Red Inke without the Authors names the Originals laid vp safely that none might by the hand or name know the Authour In this Examination the Assistants first reiect the worst present vnto the two Examiners twice so many as are to be chosen Licentiates as if one hundred and fifty are to bee chosen three hundred are tendered to passe their last scrutinie who first lay by the best so many as are to bee elected and thence take the first second and third and set them accurately in order and then conferre them with the Originals thence taking the names which they
Husbands house the street-fall of houshold attends her yet is all prouided by his costs which sends money some moneths before as a gift to her for that purpose Euery mans Birth-day is festiually celebrated with Presents Banquets and iollity especially after the fiftieth yeere explete at which time they are reckoned amongst old men and then euery tenth yeere The Children then procure Emblemes of their friends and Epigrams and some write Bookes That day is also festiuall in which they are of age to take the Mans cap which is about twenty yeeres till that time wearing their haire loose But the first New and Full Moone of the yeere is most generally festiuall each man then hauing ingeniously deuised Lights or Lamps made of Paper Glasse or other matter the house seeming by the diuersified Lights to bee on a light fire They runne vp and downe also with great stirres in the night with Dragon-fashioned Lights and make great shewes of Powder-fire-workes The Chinois are white but neerer the South more browne with thinne beards some hauing none with staring haires and late growing their haire wholly blacke eyes narrow of Egge forme blacke and standing out the nose very little and scarcely standing forth eares meane in some Prouinces they are square faced Many of Canton and Quamsi Prouinces on their little toes haue two nailes as they haue generally in Cachin-china Their women are all low and account great beauty in little feet for which cause from their infancy they bind them straight with clothes that one would iudge them stump-footed this as is thought deuised to make them house-wiues The men and women both alike let their haire grow without cutting but Boyes and Girles till they are fifteene yeere old are cut round leauing a locke onely on the crowne after which they let it grow loose ouer their shoulders till twenty The most of the Priests shaue head and beard euery eighth day When they are men they binde vp their haire in a Cap or Coife made of horse or mans haire or in a silken Cawle and in Winter of woollen on the top it hath a hole where the haire comes forth and is tyed in a neate knot The women weare not this Cap but binde vp their haire in a knot and make it vp with a dresse of Gold Siluer Stones and Flowers They weare Rings on their eares but not on their fingers The men and women weare long garments The men double them on their breast and fasten them vnder both the arme-holes the women on the midst of the breast They weare wide long sleeues but the womens wider the mans straighter at the wrists Their Caps are artificially wrought Their Shooes are much differing from ours the men weare them of Silke with diuers workes and flowers exceeding the elegance of our Matrons Shooes of Leather none but the meaner sort weare and scarcely admit they Leather soles but of Cloth The Caps of their Learned are square of others round Euery one spends halfe an houre at least in combing and trimming his haire They winde also long clouts about their feet and legs and therefore weare their Breeches loose They weare no Shirts but a white Coat next the skinne and wash often They haue a seruant to carrie a Shadow or great Sumbrero ouer their heads against the raine and Sunne the poore carrie one for themselues For Names besides the sur-name of which is spoken the Father giues one to the Sonne for females haue no name but the Fathers sur-name and called as they are borne first second third in order of the Sisters by this name they are called by the Father and Elders others call them likewise from that order amongst the Brethren as is said of Sisters They in their writings call themselues by that which their Father gaue them but if others either equall or superiour should so call them it were both vnciuill and iniurious When a Boy goeth to Schoole his Master giueth him another name which is called his Schoole-name whereby onely his Master and Schoole-fellowes may stile him When he hath his Mans cap put on and marrieth a Wife some more honourable person giueâ—h him a more honourable name which they call the Letter by this any man may call him but those which are subiect to him And when he is now at the full growth he receiueth of some graue person his most honourable name which they call Great whereby any may call him present or absent but his Parents and Elders still vse the Letter-name If any professe a new Sect his Instructer calls him by a new name which they call of Religion And when one visites another he will aske what is his Honourable name to stile him thereby and we were therefore fayne to take a Greater name then that which we receiued in Baptisme for them to call vs by They are studious of Antiquities much value old Triuets of Bell metall Pictures in blacke and white Characters and writings sealed with the Authors seale for there are many Counterfeiters The Officers haue all a Seale proper to their place giuen by Humvu which they vse only sealing with red colour and if they lose the Seale they lose the Office and are besides seuerely punished and therefore they carry it with them in a sealed and locked Boxe and neuer leaue it out of sight at night keeping it vnder their Pillow Graue men goe not on foote thorow the streets but are carryed in a seate closed except they list to open the fore-part whereas Magistrates seates are euery way open Matrons seates are altogether closed but easily knowne from mens by the fashion The Law forbids Coaches and Litters Some Cities are in the midst of Riuers and Lakes in which they haue very neate Boates to passe the streets And because they goe more by water then ours therefore there Shipping is more conuenient and elegant But the Magistrates built by publike cost are as commodious as Houses with diuers Lodgings a Hall Kitchin Cells so neate as seeming Great mens houses rather then Ships and therefore they make their solemne Banquets a Ship-board passing along the Riuers and Lakes for further pleasure All within shines with Ciaram or shining Vernish in diuers colours and the Carued workes gilded in places with combined sweetes to the Eyes and Nose They honour their Masters more then with vs so that if a man haue beene anothers Scholler but one day in any Art hee calls him Master euer after and neuer sits in any meeting but at his side and doth him all honour Dice-play and Cards are common with them Chesse also with the grauer persons not altogether vnlike ours but their King neuer remoues but to the foure next roomes and the Bishops haue their Queenes They haue also which they call Poulder paunes which goe before the Knights and follow the Paunes They haue a graue Game in a table of three hundred roomes
King and fiue thousand others standing for their Doctorship of which about three hundred onely are chosen Wearyed with his Ecclesiasticall Fasts also and labour of building a Church hee fell sicke and dyed May 11. 1610. hauing much propagated the Gospell by his writings and furthered it by his Mathematickes For all Sects haue beene there more encreased by Writing then Preaching Hee dyed leauing much sorrow to his friends and care also in that China scrupulositie how and where to interre him It was the counsell of their friends to put vp a Petition to the King whereupon they resolued and Pantogia by Doctor Leos helpe thus Petitioned in behalfe of Ricius his Corps I Iames Pantogia subiect of the Kingdomes of the great West Offer a Supplication in behalfe of another Forrainer now deceased I humbly beseech your great Clemencie for a place of Buriall that your Royall beneficence may extend to all euen Strangers of remotest Regions I Iames Pantogia am a Stranger of a most remote Kingdome but mooued with the vertue and fame of your most Noble Kingdome haue in three yeeres sayle with much trouble passed hither aboue sixe thousand leagues In the eight and twentieth yeere of Vanlie for so as wee they account their yeeres by the Kings raigne in the twelfth Moone I with Matthew Ricius came into your Court where wee presented some gifts and haue since beene sustayned at the Kings charge The nine and twentieth yeere of Vanlie in the first Moone we Petitioned your Maiestie for a place of residence and haue many yeeres enioyed the Royall bountie In the eight and thirtieth yeere of Vanlie the eighteenth day of the third Moone Ricius dyed I a Client of the Kingdome of the great West remaine a fit subiect of pitie The returne into our Countrey is long c. And I now after so many yeares stay suppose that wee may bee numbred to the people which followeth your Royall Chariot that your Clemencie like that of Yao may not contayne it selfe in the Kingdome of China alone c. So proceeds he to set foorth the good parts of Ricius and with a long supplication to begge a place of Buryall some Field or part of a Temple and hee with his fellowes should obserue their wonted Prayers to the Lord of Heauen for thousands of yeeres to him and his Mother This Libell was written with peculiar forme Characters Seales many Rites herein necessarily obserued Before any bee offered to the King it must bee viewed of some Magistrate and they got this to bee allowed by one which is Master of Requests which sent it presently to the King They must also haue many Copies thereof to shew to those Magistrates to whom it appertaines which they did one of them affirming That Ricius deserued a Temple also with his Image to bee there set vp This message hee sent them by another for when they fauour a cause they shew great strangenesse The King commonly answers the third day except hee mislike for then he suppresseth and sends it to the Magistrate that had presented it who shewes which of the sixe is the peculiar Court which iudgeth of these things This being sent to the Rituall Tribunall Their answer is sent to the King within a Moneth which there is a short space and repeating the Petition verbatim and the Kings command to the peculiar Office answers what the Law sayth in that case and concludes the Petition to bee agreeing to Iustice and earnestly pleades and sues for confirmation The King sends this answers to the Colao which subscribed his approbation which being sent againe to the King hee subscribed with his owne hand Xi that is Fiat or bee it done which the third day after was deliuered them The Iesuites hauing so speedie and prosperous successe bethought of gratifying their friends which had furthered this designe with Dyals especially to the Colao which vsed Pantogia very kindly and writ to the Gouernour of Pequin to looke out a place fitting Three or foure were offered to their choyse one of which much pleased them It was aboue a quarter of a myle from one of the Citie gates built by an Eunuch who now was condemned for some crime and left his Palace which hee had heere builded with the expence of aboue foureteene thousand Duckats which in China is a great summe in that cheapnesse of all things farre beyond European computation should fall into the hands of spoylers the goods of Eunuches in this Kingdome vsually becomming his which first can catch them hee consecrated his Palace and made it a Temple maintayning therein one Priest Such Palaces many of the Magistrates haue neere to the Cities as retyring places and Tusculanes for their Muses The portraiture of this whole House with the Garden and other appurtenances Trigautius hath set foorth in Picture being after the China building with the doore Southwards and so running a great length into the North with foure great Halls one beyond another in the middle parts and on each side Chambers and other Roomes beyond all the Garden the pillars of Timber bearing vp the roofe the walls and pauement of Bricke The outmost of these Halls was conuerted into a Temple or Idoll-Chappell in which was a great Altar of Stone and Bricke cunningly fretted paynted red a colour forbidden to priuate Houses and vpon the middest thereof sate a huge Monster of Earth gilded from top to toe of massie quantitie The Chinois call it Ti cam the God as they fable of the Earth Treasures as Pluto in the Poets In his hand was a Scepter on his head a Crowne not vnlike those vsed by our Kings On each side stood foure ministers of the same matter on both sides of the Roome two great Tables and on each of them fiue Kings or great Officers of Hell On both the wals were painted the same Officers or Iudges sitting on their seuerall Tribunals giuing sentence on wicked men euery one according to the condition of his Court. Before them stood many Deuils more terribly formed then with vs. The paines of Hell also were so deciphered that could not but strike terrour to the beholders some rosted in yron Beds some fryed in scalding Oyle some cut in pieces or diuided in the middle or torne of Dogges or otherwise tortured The first those Iudges examined the faults which they said hee saw in a certayne Glasse Those which hee found guiltie were sent to the other Iudges according to the qualitie of the crimes One of these was Iudge in Cases of Transmigration which sent the soules of cruell men into Tygres of vncleane persons into Swine and the like or if their crimes were smaller into the poorer sort There was a great Ballance in one of the Scales a man laden with sinnes in the other one of their Hypocriticall Prayer-bookes which counterpoysed the other Scale and freed the Sinner There ranne through the midst of Hell a discoloured Riuer which carried away many For
Master tooke one and I the other and made resistance against them as well as we could but the rest of our men ranne to saue themselues in the ship and as they ranne one of them fell into a Clift of Ice which grieued vs much for we thought verily that the Beares would haue ranne vnto him to deuoure him but God defended him for the Beares still made towardes the ship after the men that ranne thither to saue themselues Meane time wee and the man that fell into the Clift of Ice tooke our aduantage and got into the ship on the other side which the Beares perceiuing they came fiercely towards vs that had no other Armes to defend vs withall but onely the two Halberds which wee doubting would not bee sufficient wee still gaue them worke to doe by throwing Billets and other things at them and euery time we threw they ranne after them as a Dogge vseth to doe at a Stone that is cast at him Meane time wee sent a man downe vnder Hatches to strike Fire and another to fetch Pikes but wee could get no Fire and so wee had no meanes to shoote at the last as the Beares came fiercely vpon vs wee strooke one of them with a Halberd vpon the Snowt wherewith shee gaue backe when shee felt her selfe hurt and went away which the other two that were not so great as shee perceiuing ranne away and wee thanked God that wee were so well deliuered from them and so drew our Sled quietly to our House and there shewed our men what had happened vnto vs. The sixe and twentieth the Wind was North and North North-west with indifferent faire weather then wee saw open Water hard by the Land but wee perceiued the Ice to driue in the Sea still towards the ship The seuen and twentieth the Wind blew North-east and it snowed so fast that wee could not worke without the doore That day our men killed a White Foxe which they flead and after they had rosted it ate thereof which tasted like Conies flesh the same day we set vp our Dyall and made the Clocke strike and wee hung vp a Lampe to burne in the night time wherein we vsed the fat of the Bearâ— which wee melt and burnt in the Lampe The nine and twentieth the Wind still blew North-east and then wee fetched Segges from the Sea-side and layd them vpon the Sayle that was spread vpon our House that it might bee so much the closer and warmer for the Deales were not driuen close together and the foule weather would not permit vs to doe it The thirtieth the Winde yet continued North-east and the Sunne was full aboue the Earth a little aboue the Horizon The one and thirtieth the Winde still blew North-east with great store of Snow whereby wee durst not looke out of doores The first of Nouember the Wind still continued North-east and then wee saw the Moone rise in the East when it beganne to bee darke and the Sunne was no higher aboue the Horizon then we could well see it and yet that day we saw it not because of the close weather and the great Snow that fell and it was extreame cold so that we could not goe out of the House The second the Wind blew West and somewhat South but in the Eeuening it blew North with calme weather and that day we saw the Sunne rise South South-east and it went downe South South-west but it was not full aboue the Earth but passed in the Horizon along by the Earth and the same day one of our men killed a Fox with a Hatchet which was flayed roasted and eaten Before the Sunne began to decline wee saw no Foxes and then the Beares vsed to goe from vs. The third the Wind blew North-west with calme weather and the Sunne rose South and by East and somewhat more Southerly and went downe South and by West and somewhat more Southerly and then we could see nothing but the vpper part of the Sunne aboue the Horizon and yet the Land where wee were was as high as the Mast of our ship then wee tooke the height of the Sunne it being in the eleuenth degree and fortie eight minutes of Scorpio his Declination being fifteene degrees and twentie foure minutes on the South-side of the Equinoctiall Line The fourth it was calme weather but then wee saw the Sunne no more for it was no longer aboue the Horizon then our Chirurgion made a Bath to bathe vs in of a Wine-pipe wherein wee entred one after the other and it did vs much good and was a great meanes of our health The same day wee tooke a White Foxe that oftentimes came abroad not as they vsed at other times for that when the Beares left vs at the setting of the Sunne and came not againe before it rose the Foxe to the contrarie came abroad when they were gone The fifth the Winde was North and somewhat West and then wee saw open water vpon the Sea but our shippe lay still fast in the Ice and when the Sunne had left vs wee saw the Moone continuall both day and night and neuer went downe when it was in the highest degree The sixt the Winde was North-west still weather and then our men fetcht a Sled full of Fire-wood but by reason that the Sunne was not seene it was very darke weather The seuenth it was darke weather and very still the Winde West at which time wee could hardly discerne the Day from the Night specially because at that time our Clocke stood still and by that meanes wee knew not when it was day although it was day and our men rose not out of their Cabins all that day but onely to make water and therefore they knew not whether the light they saw was the light of the day or of the Moone whereupon they were of seuerall opinions some saying it was the light of the day the others of the night but as wee tooke good regard thereunto wee found it to bee the light of the day about twelue of the clocke at noone The eight it was still weather the Winde blowing South and South-west The same day our men fetcht another Sled of Fire-wood and then also wee tooke a White Foxe and saw open water in the Sea The same day wee shared our Bread amongst vs each man hauing foure pound and tenne ounces for his allowance in eight dayes so that then we were eight dayes eating a Barrell of Bread whereas before wee ate it vp in fiue or six dayes we had no need to share our flesh and fish for we had more store thereof but our drinke failed vs and therefore we were forced to share that also but our best Beere was for the most part wholy without any strength so that it had no sauour at all and besides all this there was a great deale of it spilt The ninth the Wind blew North-east and somewhat more Northerly and then we
should misse our time For the cold was so great that our Clocke was frozen and might not goe although we hung more waight on it then before The fourth it was faire cleere weather the Wind North-east and then we began euery man by turne to digge open our doores that were closed vp with Snow for we saw that it would be often to doe and therefore we agreed to worke by turnes no man excepted but the Master and the Pilot. The fifth it was faire weather with an East-wind and then we made our Springes cleane againe to take Foxes The sixt it was foule weather againe with an Easterly Wind and extreame cold almost not to bee indured whereupon wee lookt pittifully one vpon the other being in great feare that if the extreamitie of the cold grew to bee more and more wee should all dye there with cold for that what fire soeuer we made it would not warme vs yea and our Sacke which is so hot was frozen very hard so that when wee were euery man to haue his part we were forced to melt it in the fire which wee shared euery second day about halfe a pint for a man wherewith we were forced to sustayne our selues and at other times wee dranke water which agreed not well with the cold and we needed not to coole it with Snow or Ice but we were forced to melt it out of the Snow The seuenth it was still foule weather and we had a great storme with a North-east Wind which brought an extreame cold with it at which time wee knew not what to doe and while we sate consulting together what were best for vs to doe one of our companions gaue vs counsell to burne some of the Sea-coales that we had brought out of the ship which would cast a great heate and continue long and so at Eeuening we made a great fire thereof which cast a great heat at which time wee were very carefull to keepe it in for that the heate beeing so great a comfort vnto vs we tooke care how to make it continue long whereupon wee agreed to stop vp all the doores and the Chimney thereby to keepe in the heate and so went into our Cabins to sleepe well comforted with the heate and so lay a great while talking together but at last we were taken with a great swounding and dazeling in our heads yet some more then other some which we first perceiued by a sicke man and therefore the lesse able to beare it and found our selues to be very ill at ease so that some of vs that were strongest start out of their Cabins and first opened the Chimney and then the doores but he that opened the doore fell downe in a swound vpon the Snow which I hearing as lying in my Cabin next to the doore start vp and casting Vinegar in his face recouered him againe and so he rose vp and when the doores were open we all recouered our healths againe by reason of the cold Ayre and so the cold which before had beene so great an Enemy vnto vs was then the onely reliefe that wee had otherwise without doubt we had dyed in a sudden swound after that the Master when we were come to our selues againe gaue euery one of vs a little Wine to comfort our hearts The eight it was foule weather the winde Northerly very sharpe and cold but we durst lay no more coales on as wee did the day before for that our misfortune had taught vs that to shunne one danger we should not runne into another The ninth it was faire cleare weather the skie full of Starres then we set our doore wide open which before was fast closed vp with Snow and made our Springes ready to take Foxes The tenth it was still faire Star-light weather the winde North-east then wee tooke two Foxes which were good meate for vs for as then our victuals began to bee scant and the cold still increased whereunto their Skinnes serued vs for a good defence The eleuenth it was faire weather and a cleere ayre but very cold which hee that felt not would not beleeue for our Shooes froze as hard as hornes vpon our feete and within they were white frozen so that we could not weare our shooes but were forced to make great Pattents the vpper part being Sheepe-skinnes which we put on ouer three or foure payre of Sockes and so went in them to keepe our feet warme The twelfth it was faire cleere weather with a North-west winde but extreame cold so that our House walls and Cabbins were frozen a finger thicke yea and the Cloathes vpon our backes were white ouer with Frost and although some of vs were of opinion that wee should lay more coles vpon the fire to warme vs and that we should let the chimney stand open yet we durst not doe it fearing the like danger we had escaped The thirteenth it was faire cleere weather with an East winde then we tooke another Foxe and tooke great paines about preparing and dressing of our Springes with no small trouble for that if wee stayed too long without the doores there arose blisters vpon our Faces and our Eares The fourteenth it was faire weather the winde North-east and the skie full of starres then we tooke the height of the right shoulder of the Rens when it was South South-west and somewhat more Westerly and then it was at the highest in our Compasse and it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 20. degrees and 28. minutes his Declination being 6. degrees and 18. minutes on the North-side of the line which Declination being taken out of the height aforesayd there rested 14. degrees which being taken out of 90. degrees then the height of the Pole was 76. degrees The fifteenth it was still faire weather the winde East that day wee tooke two Foxes and saw the Moone rise East South-east when it was sixe and twentie dayes old in the signe of Scorpio The sixteenth it was faire cleere weather the winde East at that time wee had no more Wood in the house but had burnt it all but round about our house there lay some couered ouer with Snow which with great paine and labour we were forced to digge out and so shouell away the Snow and so brought it into the house which wee did by turnes two and two together wherein we were forced to vse great speed for wee could not long endure without the House because of the extreame cold although we wore the Foxes skinnes about our heads and double apparell vpon our backes The seuenteenth the winde still held North-east with faire weather and so great Frosts that wee were of opinion that if there stood a Barrell full of water without the doore it would in one night freeze from the top to the bottome The eighteenth the winde still held North-east with faire weather then seuen of vs went out vnto the Ship to see how it lay and being vnder
could with our Shallop and did tench her in some places but neither calkeâ— her nor pitched her Then did wee take her and bring her downe close to the Shippe and there shee did stand all night On Munday the thirtieth day in the morning we went to worke to cut the Ice with Axes and Pick-axes to get our Shippe for all about the Iland was nothing but Ice and no place to ride free neither with Shippe nor Boate. That night it pleased God that wee got her out and came away rowing with our Oares but she was exceeding leake and our Shallop too and which was worse we had neuer a Rudder to stirre our Ship withall Wee rowed all that night among the Ice The first and second dayes of Iuly we continued also rowing vp and downe among the floting and driuing Ice with little hope of recouering our Countrey The third of Iuly we had a gale of winde at North and a great current setting to the Southward Then made we fast our Ship to an Iland of Ice and went to worke and to stow her things within boord to make her stiffe for wee had neuer a whit of balast in her Then did our Carpenter make what shift he could to hang our Rudder hauing nothing conuenient in our Ship to make Gudgins nor Pintels Then were we forced to breake open our Masters Chest and to take all the Iron bands off it to make fast two Pick-axes for two Pintels and to binde our Rudderâ— withall So as it pleased God that night we hanged our Rudder hauing but two Pintels and a Cable through the middle of it to keepe it to with two tacks Then were we in good hope to get cleare of the Ice because wee had some steerage though it was but bad for before we durst beare but little sayle our Ship being so leake and her stemme so sore beaten with the rocks and Ice and hauing no steerage but were forced to rowe with our Oares till wee were all sore and weary The next day about tenne of the clocke in the morning the winde came to the West North-west and was faire weather so we steered away East and by North to get vs out of the Bay And at noone the watch being out which was the third watch that we had after we came out of the Countrey for before continually we did watch all to keepe our Shippe cleare of the Ice as neere as we could we began to Pumpe our Shippe but could not make her sucke in a thousand stroakes if she had stood but one halfe houre vnpumped Then were wee forced to vnromage our Ship to see if we could finde our leakes We soone found a great many of leakes but not that which caused vs to Pumpe so sore At the last we found it close abaft our forefoot where her keele was splintred in two or three places where the Sea came running in so fast that it was not possible to keepe her free with both our Pumps and wee could not come to it to stop it for it was vnder the timbers Then did wee take our maine Bonnet and basted it with Occom and put it ouerboord right against our leake which eased vs some foure or fiue hundred stroakes in an houre Then vpon consultation had among our selues wee resolued to shape our course towards Newfound Land to see if we could get any place to mend our Ship hoping there to meete with some English or French men At this time we had one of our men very sicke and another had his hand very sore splitted and most of vs all were so sore with rowing and pumping that we were scarce able to stirre but that we must perforce The fift of Iulie wee shaped our course for New found Land with the winde at West South-west The one and twentieth the winde was at South South-west and we fell with the Land being nothing but broken Ilands Then we stood to the Westward being in the latitude of 49. degrees and an halfe The two and twentieth was faire weather and the winde very variable and about sixe of the clocke at night the winde came to the West North-west Then we steered in among the Ilands to see if we could finde any harbour to mend our Shippe for she was very leake When we were come in among them we found nothing but broken Ilands and a great current which did set from Iland to Iland and had no ground at an hundred fathoms That night we were very sore intangled with sunken Rocks and in great danger of casting away our Ship hauing very thicke weather wherefore we kept to and fro all that night The foure and twentieth of Iuly in the morning we spied some dozen Shallops which were fishing some two leagues from vs. Then wee made what way wee could toward them c. We remained in this Bay of Fogo in repairing our Shippe and refreshing of our selues vntill the two and twentieth of August Then taking our leaues of our kinde and louing friends with giuing them most heartie thankes for their goodnesse towards vs we put forth to the Sea and with an indifferent and reasonable good passage we arriued safely in Dartmouth in Deuonshire and sent word to London vnto our owners of the losse of our Master and his three companions and of the dolefull successe of our Voyage the foure and twentieth day of September 1606. The rest of this Iournall from the death of Master Iohn Knight was written by Oliuer Browne one of the Company CHAP. XVII The fourth Voyage of IAMES HALL to Groeneland wherein he was set forth by English Aduenturers Anno 1612. and slaine by a Greenelander Written by WILLIAM BAFFIN WEdnesday the eight of Iuly 1612. in the morning I perceiued the Sunne and the Moone both very faire aboue the horizon as I had done diuers times before At which time I purposed to finde out the longitude of that place by the Moones comming to the Meridian Most part of this day I spent about finding of the Meridian line which I did vpon an Iland neere the Sea hanging at the extreames of my Meridian line two threeds with Plummets at them instead of an index and sights Thursday the ninth day very early in the morning I went on shoare the Iland being a faire morning and obserued till the Moone came iust vpon the Meridian At which very instant I obserued the Sunnes height and found it 8. degrees 53. minutes North in the eleuation of the Pole 65. degrees 20. minutes By the which working by the doctrine of sphericall triangles hauing the three sides giuen to wit the complement of the Poles eleuation the complement of the Almecanter and the complement of the Sunnes declination to finde out the quantitie of the angle at the Pole I say by this working I found it to be foure of the clocke 17. minutes and 24. seconds Which when I had done I found by mine Ephemerides that the Moone came to
the Meridian at London that morning at foure of the clocke 25. minutes 34. seconds which 17. minutes 24. seconds substracted from 25.34 leaueth 8.10 of time for the difference of longitude betwixt the Meridian of London for which the Ephemerides was made and the Meridian passing by this place in Groenland Now the Moones motion that day was 12. degrees 7. minutes which conuerted into minutes of time were 48. minutes 29. seconds which working by the rule of proportion the worke is thus if 48. minutes 29. seconds the time that the Moone commeth to the Meridian sooner that day then she did the day before giue 360. the whole circumference of the earth what shall 8. minutes 10. seconds giue to wit 60. degrees 30. minutes or neere there abuut which is the difference of longitude betweene the Meridian of London and this place in Groenland called Cockins Sound lying to the Westward of London This finding of the longitude I confesse is somewhat difficult and troublesome and there may be some small errour But if it be carefully looked vnto and exactly wrought there will be no great errour if your Ephemerides be true But some will say that this kinde of working is not for Marriners because they are not acquainted to worke propositions by the table of signes and an instrument is not precise enough to finde out the houre minute and second For the losse of one minute of time is the losse of 7. degrees of longitude I answere that although the most part are not vsed to this worke yet I know some of the better sort which are able to worke this and the like propositions exactly And those which yeâ— cannot and are desirous to learne may in short space attaine to such knowledge as shall be sufficient for such things And how necessary it is that the longitude of places should be knowne I leaue to the iudgement of all skilfull Marriners and others that are learned in the Mathematicks This afternoone it was agreed by the chiefe of our Company that our Master Iames Hall should goe in the smaller Ship farther to the Northward The foresaid Thursday in the euening he departed out of the Patience into the Harts-ease to get forth of the Harbor which our Master called Cockins-ford in remembrance of Alderman Cockin one of the Aduenturers which place is in the latitude of 65. degrees 20 minutes And the variation of the compasse is 23. degrees 58. minutes to the Westward That euening was very calme and we towed our Shippe forth with the Shallops and Ships Boat But within an houre or two after we were got into the Offin the winde being at North it blew a great storme which continued all that night The foureteenth our Master turned the Ship vp to the Riuer againe toward the Riuer where the supposed mine should be But the tyde was so farre spent that we could not get to Sea but were constrained to Anker in a roade at the South side of the Riuer some three leagues from the Patience in which place are many good Rode-steeds to be found Thursday the sixteenth day the winde was at North-west and blew so stiffe a â—ale that we could not get to Sea that day That night eighteene of vs went into the Ilands to looke for some Deere but found none But we perceiued the foote-steps of some great Beast which wee supposed to be of some great Elke the foote was as bigge as any Oxe foote Tuesday the twentie one the weather still continued in such sort that wee could not by any meanes get to the Riuer where the supposed Myne should bee Wherefore our Master bare roome for Ramelsford being a Riuer Southward of another called Cunninghams ford some twelue leagues And we came to an Anchor at the entrance on the Southside of the Ford about seuen of the clocke Wednesday the two and twentieth day about nine or ten of the clocke the Sauages came to barter with vs being about fortie of them and continued about an houre and an halfe At which time our Master Iames Hall being in the Boate a Sauage with his Dart strooke him a deadly wound vpon the right side which our Surgean did thinke did pierce his liuer We all mused that he should strike him and offer no harme to any of the rest vnlesse it were that they knew him since he was there with the Danes for out of that Riuer they carried away fiue of the people whereof neuer any returned againe and in the next Riuer they killed a great numbâ—r And it should seeme that he which killed him was either brother or some neere kinsman to some of them that were carried away for he did it very resolutely and came within foure yards of him And for ought we could see the people are very kinde one to another and ready to reuenge any wrong offred to them All that day he lay very sore pained looking for death euery houre and resigned all his charge to Master Andrew Barker Master of the Harts-ease willing him to place another in his roome Master of the small Ship Thursday the three and twentieth about eight of the clocke in the morning he dyed being very penitent for all his former offences And after we had shrowded him wee carried him in the Shallop to burie him in some out Iland according to his owne request while he was liuing After we had buried him we went in the Shallop to seeke for the mine which we had expected so long All that day we rowed along toward the North passing by a Cape called Queene Sophias Cape That night we staied at an Iland some three leagues short of the Riuer Friday the foure and twentieth in the morning wee rowed along and came to the place which is on the South-side of the entrance of Cunninghams Riuer And we found diuers places where the Danes had digged it was a kinde of shining stone which when our Goldsmith Iames Carlile had tried it was found of no value and had no mettall at all in it but was like vnto Moscouia slâ—ddâ— and of a glittering colour That day after we had dyned wee rowed vp that Riuer some foure leagues where diuers of our company went vp into the Mountaines and found a Valley more pleasant then they had seene in the Countrey That euening we returned and came to the place where the Danes had digged their supposed Mine and tooke some of it in our Boate to carry with vs and returned toward our Ship That night we rowed and sailed and the next morning about nine of the clocke we came to our Ship Saturday the fiue and twentieth being Saint Iames his day in the forenoone we came to our Shippe lying on the South side of the Riuer called Ramels Riuer And as soone as our Master found that the people came no more to trade with vs he determined to depart with the Shippe into the Kings Ford to the Patience
being about a flight shot off where we saw one great Canow or Boat which had about fourteene men in it being on the furthest or North-west point of the Iland and from vs somewhat more then a Musket shot Then I called vnto them vsing some words of Groenlandish speech making signes of friendship They did the like to vs but seeing them so fearefull of vs and we not willing to trust them I made another signe to them shewing them a Knife and other Trifles which I left on the top of the Hill and returned downe to their Tents againe There wee found some Whale Finnes to the number of fortie or fiftie with a few Seale skinnes which I tooke aboord leauing Kniues Beades and Counters instead thereof and amongst their houses I found a little bagge in which was a company of little Images of men one the Image of a woman with a child at her backe all the which I brought away Among these Tents being fiue in number all couered with Seales skinnes were running vp and downe about thirtie fiue or fortie Dogges most of them muzled They were of our mungrell Mastiffes being of a brinded blacke colour looking almost like Wolues These Dogges they vse in stead of Horses or rather as the Lappians doe their Deere to draw their sleds from place to place ouer the Ice their sleds are shod or lined with great bones of fishes to keepe them from wearing and their Dogges haue Collars and Furniture very fitting These people haue their Apparell Boots Tents and other necessaries much like to the Inhabitants in Groineland sauing that they are not so neate and artificiall seeming to bee more rude and vnciuill ranging vp and downe as their fishing is in season For in most places where wee came ashoare we saw where people had beene although not this yeere but where their Habitation or their abode in Winter is I cannot well coniecture This Iland lyeth in the latitude of 62. degrees 30. minutes and in longitude West from London 72. degrees or neere thereabouts being sixtie leagues from the entrance of the Streights here the Compasse doth varie 27. degrees 30. minutes and a South-east Moone foure degrees East maketh a full Sea it doth ebbe and flow almost as much water as it doth at the Resolution and here the floud commeth from the Eastward although our Master was of opinion to the contrarie The tenth day in the morning at sixe a clocke we set sayle the winde at North which continued not but was very variable till noone and then it came to North-west we hauing sayled along by the shoare about some nine leagues and an halfe North North-west the Ice lying so thicke in the offen that wee could not well get out of it then perceiuing a good Harbour betweene two small Ilands and the Mayne wee went in with our ship where wee moored her and stayed till the twelfth day at Euening In this place it is high water on the change day at nine of the clocke or a South-east Moone maketh a full Sea the latitude of this place is 62. degrees 40. minutes and the floud doth come from the Eastward although our Master was perswaded otherwise as well in this place as at Saluage Ilands for being among Ilands euery point hath his seuerall set and eddie But I going to the top of the Iland plainely perceiued the Ice to come from the South-east and from the North-west on the ebbe In this place is no signe of people as we could perceiue The sixteenth day lying still in the Ice the weather being very close and hasey as it hath beene these six dayes and being neere a great company of Ilands in the afternoone the winde being at West North-west wee stood in amongst these Ilands and in the euening we moared our Shippe to one of them in a small coue the better to defend her from the Ice In this place wee stayed all the seuenteenth day and vpon the eighteenth being Sunday about eleuen a clocke we set sayle being almost calme making the best way wee could to get forth Here are a great company of Ilands each hath his seuerall set and eddy that the Ice doth so runne to and fro and with such violence that our Shippe was in more safetie further off then in this place the latitude of the I le we rode by is 63. degrees 26. minutes and longitude West from London neere 72. degrees 25. minutes the Compasse hath variation 27. degrees 46. minutes and at a quarter of an houre after nine on the Change day doth make a full Sea This Euening and the next morning wee had a faire steering gale of winde at South-east wee standing along by the Land it beeing all small broken Ilands to a point of Land about twelue leagues in distance from the I le wee put last from which Point I called Broken Point it being indeede a point of broken Iles. On the nineteenth day by twelue a clocke at noone wee were about foure miles from the Point before named fast inclosed with Ice very faire weather and well we might haue called this Point Fairenesse or Faire Point for from this day till the thirtieth day the weather was so faire and almost or altogether calme that in few places elsewhere finer weather could not be and till the seuen and twentieth at night wee were so fast inclosed vp with Ice that at some times one could not well dippe a paile of water by the Ship sides while wee were thus fast in the Ice vpon the one and twentieth day I saw both the Sunne and Moone at one time as indeede it is vsuall in faire weather This one and twentieth being faire weather as afore is said and I seeing both the Sunne and Moone so faire I thought it a fit time to make an obseruation for the longitude But the two and twentieth day being very faire and cleare and also calme being almost as steedy as on shoare it was no neede to bid me fit my Instrument of variation to take the time of the Moones comming to the Meridian hauing also my quadrant ready to take the Sunnes almicanter it being indifferent large as of foure foote semiâ—â—amiter haue taken the variation of my needle as precisely as possible I could which was 28. degrees 20. minutes West and if any be desirous to worke the same they may but my worke was as followeth The Sunnes almicanter at the instant when the Moone was on the Meridian was 26. degrees 40. minutes and the Sunnes declination for that time 23. degrees 6. minutes By which three things giuen I found the houre to be fiue a clocke 4. minutes 52. seconds 1. third 4. fourths or 76. degrees 13. minutes 16. seconds of the equinoctiall afternoone and according to Searles Ephemerides the Moone came to the Meridian at London at foure a clocke 54. minutes 30. seconds and after Origanus the Moone came to the Meridian at foure a clocke 52. minutes 5.
seconds at Wittenberge the same day Now hauing this knowne it is no hard matter to finde the longitude of this place sought For according to the Moones meane motion which is 12. degrees a day that is in time 48. minutes and to this account if she be on the Meridian at twelue a clock this day to morrow it will be 48. min. past 12. So I hauing the time found by obseruation at this place viz. 5. houres 4. minutes 52. seconds 1. third 4. fourths but in this I neede not come so precise and at London at 4. houres 54. minutes 30. seconds which substracted from the former leaueth 10. minutes 22. seconds 1. third 4. fourths now the Moones motion that foure and twentie houres was 22. degrees 38. minutes which conuerted into time is 50. minutes 25. seconds 20. thirds then the proportion standeth thus If 50. minutes 25. seconds 20. thirds giue 360. degrees what shall 10. minutes 22. seconds 1. third 4. fourths giue the fourth proportionall will be 74. degrees 5. minutes which is West of London because the Moone came later by 10. minutes 22. seconds and by the same working by Origanus Ephemerides the distance is 91. degrees 35. minutes West of West But whether be the truer I leaue to others to iudge in these workings may some errour be committed if it be not carefully looked vnto as in the obseruation and also in finding what time the Moone commeth to the Meridian at the place where the Ephemerides is supputated for and perchance in the Ephemerides themselues in all which the best iudicious may erre yet if obseruations of this kinde or some other at places farre remote as at the Cape Bonasperanze Bantam Iapan Noua Albion and Magellan Straits I suppose wee should haue a truer Geography then we haue And seeing I am entred to speake of celestiall obseruations I will note another which I made the twenty sixt of April being outward bound at Sea by the Moones comming in a right line with two fixed Starres the one was the Lyons heart a Starre of the first magnitude the other a Starre in the Lyons rumpe of the second magnitude as followeth The circumference or outward edge of the Moone being in a right or straight line with those two Starres before named at the instant I tooke the altitude of the South ballance which was 2. degrees 38. minutes because I would haue the time but in this it is good to waite a fit time as to haue her in a right line with two Stars not farre distant and those not to be much different in longitude because the Moon will soone alter the angle or position and such a time would be taken when the Moone is in the nintieth degree of the eclipticke aboue the horizon for then there no paralell of longitude but onely in latitude but who so is painefull in these businesses shall soone see what is needefull and what is not my obseruations were as followeth Lyons heart Right assention 46. deg 28. min. 30. sec. Lyons rumpe Right assention 163. deg 23. min. 00. se. Lyons heart Declination 13. deg 57. mi. 30. sec. Lyons rumpe Declination 22. deg 38. min 00. se. Lyons heart Longitude 24. deg 29. mi. 45. sec. Lyons rumpe Longitude 5. deg 53. min. 45. sec. Lyons heart Latitude 00. deg 26. min. 30. sec. Lyons rumpe Latitude 14. deg 20. min. 00. sec. Lyons heart Almicanter 33. deg 40. min. 00. se. Lyons rumpe Moones Paralax 00. deg 47. min. 46. sec. North. Moones Latitude 03. deg 20. min. 00. sec. North. Moones Almicanter 37 deg 00. min. 00. sec. North. Latitude of the place 56. deg 43. min. These notes I haue set downe that if any other be desirous to trie they may spend a little time therein my selfe haue spent some therein and more I would haue spent if leisure would haue permitted but finding it not to my minde I haue not here set downe my particular worke the working of this obseruation I receiued from Master Rudston But if it had pleased God we had performed the action we were bound for I would not feare but to haue brought so good contentment to the Aduenturers concerning the true scituation of notable places that small doubt should haue beene thereof but seeing so small hopes are in this place I haue not set downe so many obseruations as otherwise I would We lying here inclosed with the Ice with faire calme weather as before is said till the seuen and twentieth day at euening at which time we set sayle the winde at South-east an easie gale all the eight and twentieth and nine and twentieth dayes we made the best way through the Ice we could but the nine and twentieth day the Ice was more open then it had beene these ten dayes before and at noone we saw Salisbury Iland it bearing due West from vs. The first of Iuly close foggie weather with much raine the winde at South South-east by noone this day we were some three leagues from the Land but hauing much Ice by the shoare we stood along the Iland to the Northward and the next morning wee were faire by another small Ile or rather a company of small Ilands which after we called Mill Iland by reason of grinding the Ice as this night we made proofe thereof at noone being close to this I le wee took the latitude thereof which is neere 64. degrees Here driuing to and fro with the Ice all this day till seuen or eight a clocke at what time the Ice began to open and seperate The Ice as is said beginning to open we had not stood along by the I le on the East side thereof an houre but the Ice came driuing with the tide of floud from the South-east with such swiftnesse that it ouer went our Shippe hauing all our sayles abroad with a reasonable gale of winde and put her out of the streame into the eddy of these Iles. This Iland or Iles lying in the middle of the channell hauing many sounds running through them with many points or headlands encountering the force of the tide caused such a rebound of water Ice which ran one way and the streame another our ship hauing met the Ice with the first of the floud which put her so neere the shoare that she was in the partition betweene the Ice which the eddy caused to runne one way and the streame the other where shee endured great distresse but God which is still stronger then either Ice or streame preserued vs and our Shippe from any harme at all This continued till towards a high water which was about one a clocke then with no small trouble we got into the channell and stood away to the North-west ward After we had past some distance from this Iland wee had the Sea more open then it was since we put first into the Straits and sailed all the next day through an indifferent cleare Sea with the winde at South-west but towards eight a clocke
there went a ship from Calloa in Lima to the Philippines which sayled two thousand and seuen hundred leagues without sight of Land and the first it discouered was the Iland of Lusson where they tooke Port hauing performed their voyage in two moneths without want of winde or any torment and their course was almost continually vnder the Line for that from Lima which is twelue degrees to the South he came to Manilla which is as much to the North. The like good fortune had Aluaro de Mandana when as he went to discouer the Ilands of Solomon for that he had alwayes a full gale vntill he came within view of these Ilands the which must bee distant from that place of Peru from whence hee parted about a thousand leagues hauing runne their course alwayes in one height to the South The returne is like vnto the voyage from the Indies vnto Spaine for those which returne from the Philippines or China to Mexico to the end they may recouer the western windes they mount a great height vntill they come right against the Ilands of Iapon and discouering the Caliphornes they returne by the coast of new Spaine to the Port of Acapulco from whence they parted So as it is proued likewise by this Nauigation that they saile easily from East to West within the Tropicks for that their Easterly windes doe raine but returning from West to East they must seeke the Westerne windes without the Tropicks in the height of seuen and twentie degrees The Portugals proue the like in their Nauigations to the East Indies although it be in a contrarie course Let vs now speake of that which toucheth the Question propounded what should be the reason why vnder the burning Zone we saile easily from East to West and not contrarie wherein we must presuppose two certaine grounds The one is that the motion of the first Moouer which they call Diurnall not onely drawes and mooues with him the celestiall Spheares which are inferiour vnto him as wee see daily in the Sunne the Moone and the Starres but also the Elements doe participate of this motion insomuch as they are not hindered The Earth is not mooued by reason of her heauinesse which makes it immoueable being farre from this first motor The Element of water mooues not likewise with this Diurnall motion for that it is vnited to the Earth and make one spheare so as the Earth keeps it from all circular motion But the other two Elements of Fire and Aire are more subtill and neerer the heauenly Regions so as they participate of their motion and are driuen about circularly as the same celestiall bodies As for the Fire without doubt it hath his spheare as Aristotle and other Philosophers haue held but for the Aire which is no point of our subiect it is most certaine that it mooues with a motion Diurnall which is from East to West which wee see plainly in Comets that mooue from the East vnto the West mounting descending and finally turning in the hemispheare in the same sort as the Starres moue in the firmament for otherwise these Comets being in the region and sphere of the ayre whereas they ingender appeares consum'd It should be impossible for them to moue circularly as they doe if the element of the aire doth not moue with the same motion that the first motor doth For these elements being of a burning substance by reason they should be fixt without mouing circularly if the sphere where they are did not moue if it be not as we faine that some Angell or intellectuall Spirit doth walke with the Comet guiding it circularly In the yeare 1577. appeared that wonderfull Comet in forme like vnto a feather from the horizon almost to the middest of heauen and continued from the first of Nouember vntill the eight of December I say from the first of Nouember for although in Spaine it was noated but the ninth of Nouember according to the testimonie of Writers of that time yet at Peru where I was then I remember well we did see it and obserue it eight dayes before and all the time after Touching the cause of this diuersitie some may delate vpon it particularly I will onely shew that during those fortie dayes which it continued wee all obserued both such as were in Spaine and we that liued then at the Indies that it moued daily with an vniuersall motion from East to West as the Moone and other Planets whereby it appeares that the sphere of the aire being its Region the element it selfe must of necessitie moue after the same sort We noted also that besides this vniuersall motion it had another particular by which it moued with the planets from West to East for euery night it turned more Eastward like vnto the Moone Sunne and Planets of Venus We did also obserue a third particular motion whereby it moued from the Zodiacke towards the North for after some nights it was found neerer vnto the Septentrionall signes And it may be this was the reason why the great Comet was sooner seene by those that were Southerly as at Peru and later discouered by them of Europe for by this third motion as I haue said it approached neerer the Northerne Regions Yet euery one may well obserue the differences of this motion so as we may well perceiue that many and sundry celestiall bodies giue their impressions to the sphere of the ayre In like sort it is most certaine that the ayre moues with the circular motion of the heauen from East to West which is the first ground before mentioned The second is no lesse certaine which is that the motion of the ayre in those parts that are vnder the Line or neere vnto it is very swift and light the more it approacheth to the Equinoctiall but the farther off it is from the Line approaching neere the Poles the more slow and heauie this motion is The reason hereof is manifest for that the mouing of the celestiall bodies being the efficient cause of the mouing of the ayre it must of necessitie be more quicke and light where the celestiall bodies haue their swiftest motion Alonso Sanches was of opinion that this motion of the ayre was not a winde but the ayre moued by the Sunne This is learnedly spoken yet can wee not deny it to be a winde seeing there are vapours and exhalations of the Sea and that we sometimes see the Brise or Easterly windes stronger sometimes more weake and placed in that sort as sometimes they can hardly carry all their sayles We must then know and it is true that the ayre moued draweth vnto it the vapours it findes for that the force is great and findes no resistance by reason whereof the Easterne and Westerne windes are continual and in a manner alwayes alike in those parts which are neere the Line and almost vnder all the burning Zone which is the course the Sun followes betwixt the two circles of Cancer and Capricorne
of December they made their first Feast which was the principall of all others and for that cause they called it Capacrayme which is to say A rich and principall Feast In this Feast they offered a great number of sheepe and Lambes in Sacrifice and they burnt them with sweet wood then they caused Gold and Siluer to bee brought vpon certayne sheepe setting vpon them three Images of the Sunne and three of the Thunder the Father the Sonne and the Brother In these Feasts they dedicated the Inguas children putting Guaras or Ensignes vpon them and they pierced their eares then some old man did whip them with slings and annoynted their faces with bloud all in signe that they should be true Knights to the Ingua No stranger might remayne in Cusco during this moneth and this Feast but at the end thereof they entred and they gaue vnto them pieces of the paste of Mays with the bloud of the Sacrifice which they did eate in signe of confederation with the Ingua as hath beene said before It is strange that the Deuill after his manner hath brought a Trinitie into Idolatry for the three Images of the Sunne called Apomti Churunti and Intiquaoqui which signifieth Father and Lord Sunne the Sonne Sunne and the Brother Sunne In the like manner they named the three Images of Chuquilla which is the God that rules in the Region of the Ayre where it Thunders Raines and Snowes I remember that beeing in Cuquisaca an honourable Priest shewed me an information which I had long in my hands where it was prooued that there was a certayne Guaca or Oratory whereas the Indians did worship an Idoll called Tangatanga which they said was one in three and three in one Comming then to the Feast of the second moneth which they called Camey besides the Sacrifices which they made they did cast the ashes into the Riuer following fiue or sixe leagues after praying it to carry them into the Sea for that the Virochoca should there receiue this present In the third fourth and fift moneth they offered a hundred blacke sheepe speckled and grey with many other things which I omit for being too tedious The sixt moneth is called Hatuncuzqui Aymorey which answereth to May in the which they sacrificed a hundred sheepe more of all colours in this Moone and moneth which is when they bring May from the fields into the house they made a Feast which is yet very vsuall among the Indians and they doe call it Aymorey This Feast is made comming from the Chacra or Farme vnto the house saying certayne Songs and praying that the Mays may long continue the which they call Mamacora They take a certayne portion of the most fruitfull of the Mays that growes in their Farmes the which they put in a certayne Granier which they doe call Pirua with certayne Ceremonies watching three nights they put this Mays in the richest garments they haue and being thus wrapped and dressed they worship this Pirua and hold it in great veneration saying it is the Mother of the Mays of their Inheritances and that by this meanes the Mays augments and is preserued In this moneth they make a particular Sacrifice and the Witches demand of this Pirua if it hath strength sufficient to continue vntill the next yeere and if it answeres No then they carry this Mays to the Farme to burne whence they brought it according to euery mans power then make they another Pirua with the same Ceremonies saying that they renew it to the end the Seed of Mays may not perish and if it answers that it hath force sufficient to last longer they leaue it vntill the next yeere This foolish vanitie continueth to this day and it is very common amongst the Indians to haue these Piruas and to make the Feast of Aymorey The seuenth moneth answereth to Iune and is called Aucaycuzqui Intiraymi in it they made the Feast that is called Intiraymi in the which they sacrificed a hundred sheepe called Guanacos and said it was the Feast of the Sunne In this moneth they made many Images of Quinua wood carued all attired with rich garments and they made their dancings which they doe call Cayo At this Feast they cast flowers in the high wayes and thither the Indians came painted and their Noblemen had small plates of Gold vpon their beards and all did sing we must vnderstand that this Feast falleth almost at the same time when as the Christians obserue the Solemnitie of the holy Sacrament which doth resemble it in some sort as in dancing singing and representations And for this cause there hath beene and is yet among the Indians which celebrated a Feast somewhat like to ours of the holy Sacrament many Superstitions in celebrating this ancient Feast of Intiraymi The eight moneth is called Chahua Huarqui in the which they did burne a hundred sheep more all grey of the colour of Viscacha according to the former order which moneth doth answere to our Iuly The ninth moneth was called Yapaguis in which they burnt an hundred sheepe more of a Chesnut colour and they doe likewise kill and burne a thousand Cuyes to the end that neither the Frost the Ayre the water nor the Sunne should hurt their Farmes and this moneth doth answere vnto August The tenth moneth was called Coyarami in the which they burnt a hundred white sheepe that had fleeces In this moneth which answereth to September they made the Feast called Situa in this manner They assembled together the first day of the Moone before the rising thereof and in seeing it they cryed aloude carrying Torches in their hands and saying Let all harme goe away striking one another with their Torches They that did this were called Panconcos which being done they went to the common Bath to the Riuers and Fountaines and euery one to his owne Bath setting themselues to drinke foure dayes together In this moneth the Mamacomas of the Sunne made a great number of small Loaues with the bloud of the Sacrifices and gaue a piece to euery stranger yea they sent to euery Guaca throughout the Realme and to many Curacas in signe of confederation and loyaltie to the Sun and the Ingua as hath beene said The Bathes drunkennesse and some Relickes of this Feast Situa remayne euen vnto this day in some places with the Ceremonies a little different but yet very secretly for that these chife and principall Feasts haue ceased The eleuenth moneth Homaraymi Punchaiquis wherein they sacrficed a hundred sheepe more And if they wanted water to procure raine they set a blacke sheepe tyed in the middest of a Plaine powring much Chica about it and giuing it nothing to eate vntill it rayned which is practised at this day in many places in the time of our October The twelfth and last moneth was called Aymara wherein they did likewise sacrifice a hundred sheepe and made the Feast called Raymicantara Raquis In this moneth which
rest This collation was likewise all carried away by the yong men as great Relicks This done the foure that arriued first were placed in the midst of the Ancients of the Temple bringing them to their chambers with much honour praising them and giuing them ornaments and from thence forth they were respected and reuerenced as men of marke The taking of this collation being ended and the feast celebrated with much ioy and noise they dismissed all the yong men and maides which had serued the Idoll by meanes whereof they went one after another as they came forth All the small children of the Colledges and Schooles were at the gate of the court with bottomes of rushes and hearbs in their hands which they cast at them mocking and laughing as of them that came from the seruice of the Idoll they had liberty then to dispose of themselues at their pleasure and thus the Feast ended ALthough I haue spoken sufficiently of the seruice the Mexicans did vnto their gods yet will I speake something of the feast they called Quetzacoalt which was the god of riches the which was solemnised in this manner Fortie dayes before the Marchants bought a slaue well proportioned without any fault or blemish either of sicknesse or of hurt which they did attire with the ornaments of the Idoll that he might represent it forty dayes Before his cloathing they did clense him washing him twice in a lake which they called the lake of the gods and being purified they attired him like the Idoll During these forty dayes he was much respected for his sake whom he represented By night they did imprison him as hath beene said lest he should flye and in the morning they tooke him out of prison setting him vpon an eminent place where they serued him giuing him exquisite meates to eate After he had eaten they put a chaine of flowers about his necke and many nosegaies in his hand He had a well appointed guard with much people to accompany him When he went through the Citie he went dancing and singing through all the streetes that he might be knowne for the resemblance of their god and when he beganne to sing the women and little children came forth of their houses to salute him and to offer vnto him as to their god Two old men of the Ancients of the Temple came vnto him nine dayes before the feast and humbling themselues before him they said with a low and submisse voyce Sir you must vnderstand that nine dayes hence the exercise of dancing and singing doth end and thou must then dye and then he must answer â—n a good houre They call this ceremony Neyola Maxiltleztli which is to say the aduertisement and when they did thus aduertise him they tooke very carefull heede whither he were said or if he danced as ioyfully as he was accustomed the which if he did not as cheerefully as they desired they made a foolish superstition in this manner They presently tooke the sacrificing rasors the which they washed and clensed from the bloud of men which remained of the former sacrifices Of this washing they made a drinke mingled with another liquor made of Cacao giuing it him to drinke they said that this would make him forget what had beene said vnto him and would make him in a manner insensible returning to his former dancing and mirth They said moreouer that he would offer himselfe cheerefully to death being inchanted with this drinke The cause why they sought to take from him this heauinesse was for that they held it for an ill augure and a fore-telling of some great harme The day of the Feast being come after they had done him much honour sung and giuen him incense the sacrificers tooke him about midnight and did sacrifice him as hath beene said offering his heart vnto the Moone the which they did afterwards cast against the Idoll letting the body fall to the bottome of the staires of the Temple where such as had offered him tooke him vp which were the Marchants whose feast it was Then hauing carried him into the chiefest mans house amongst them the body was drest with diuers sawces to celebrate at the breake of day the banquet and dinner of the feast hauing first bid the Idoll good morrow with a small dance which they made whilst the day did breake and that they prepared the sacrifice Then did all the Marchants assemble at this banket especially those which made it a trafficke to buy and sell slaues who were bound euery yeere to offer one for the resemblance of their god This Idoll was one of the most honored in all the Land and therefore the Temple where he was was of a great authoritie There were threescore staires to ascend vp vnto it and on the top was a Court of an indifferent largenesse very finely drest and plastered in the midst whereof was a great round thing like â—nto an Ouen hauing the entrie low and narrow so as they must stoope very low that 〈◊〉 enter unto it This Temple had Chambers and Chappels as the rest where there were conuents of Priests yong Men Maides and Children as hath beene said and there was one Priest alone resident continually the which they changed weekely For although there were in euery one of these Temples three or foure Curates or Ancients yet did euery one serue his weeke without parting His charge that weeke after he had instructed the children was to strike vp a Drum euery day at the Sunne-setting to the same end that we are accustomed to ring to Euensong This Drum was such as they might heare the house sound thereof throughout all the parts of the Citie then euery man shut vp his merchandise and retired vnto his house and there was so great a silence as there seemed to be no liuing creature in the Towne In the morning when as the day began to breake they began to sound the Drum which was a signe of the day beginning so as trauellers and strangers attended this signall to begin their iournies for till that time it was not lawfull to goe out of the Citie There was in this Temple a Court of reasonable greatnesse in the which they made great dances and pastimes with games or comedies the day of the Idols feast for which purpose there was in the middest of this court a Theatre of thirty foote square very finely decked and trimmed the which they decked with flowers that day with all the art and inuention that might be being inuironed round with Arches of diues flowers and feathers and in some places there were tied many small Birds Conies and other tame beasts After dinner all the people assembled in this place and the Players presented themselues and plaied Comedies some counterfeit the deafe and the rheumatike others the lame some the blinde and without hands which came to seeke for cure of the Idoll the deafe answered confusedly the rheumaticke did cough the lame halted telling their miseries
and griefes wherewith they made the people to laugh others come forth in the forme of little beasts some were attired like Snailes others like Toades and some like Lizards then meeting together they told their offices and euery one retyring to his place they sounded on small flutes which was pleasant to heare They likewise counterfeited Butterflies and small Birds of diuers colours and the children of the Temple represented these formes then they went into a little Forrest planted there for the nonce where the Priests of the Temple drew them forth with instruments of musicke In the meane time they vsed many pleasant speeches some in propounding others in defending wherewith the assistants were pleasantly intertained This done they made a Maske or Mummerie with all these personages and so the Feast ended the which were vsually done in their principall Feasts CHAP. VI. Ciuill Customes and Arts of the INDIANS taken out of ACOSTAS 6. Boooke I Will first shew in what sort the Mexicans counted and diuided their yeere their moneths their Kalender their computations their worlds and ages They diuided the yeare into eighteene moneths to which they gaue twentie dayes wherein the three hundred and threescore dayes are accomplished not comprehending in any of these Moneths the fiue daies that remaine and make the yeare perfect But they did reckon them apart and called them the dayes of nothing during the which the people did not any thing neither went they to their Temples but occupied themselues onely in visiting one another and so spent the time the sacrificers of the Temple did likewise cease their sacrifices These fiue dayes being past they began the computation of the yeare whereof the first moneth and beginning was in March when the leaues began to grow greene although they tooke three dayes of the moneth of February for the first day of their yeare was as it were the six and twentieth day of February as appeareth by their Kalender within the which ours is likewise comprehended and contained with a very ingenious Art which was made by the ancient Indians that knew the first Spaniards I haue seene this Kalender and haue it yet in my custodie which well deserueth the sight to vnderstand the discourse and industrie the Mexican Indians had Euerie one of these eighteene moneths had his proper name and his proper picture the which was commonly taken of the principall Feast that was made in that moneth or from the diuersitie of times which the yeare caused in that moneth They had in this Kalender certaine daies marked and distinguished for their feasts And they accounted their weekes by thirteene dayes marking the daies with a Zero or cipher which they multiplied vnto thirteene and then began to count one two c. They did likewise marke the yeares of these wheeles with foure signes or figures attributing to euerie yeare a peculiar signe whereof one was of a House another of a Conie the third of a Reede and the fourth of a Flint They painted them in this sort noting by those figures the yeare that did runne saying of so many Houses of so many Flints of such a Wheele happened such a thing For we must vnderstand that their wheele which was an age contained foure weekes of yeares euerie weeke containing thirteene yeares which in all made fiftie two yeares In the midst of this wheele they painted a Sun from the which went foure beames or lines in crosse to the circumference of the wheele and they made their course euen as the circumference was diuided into foure equall parts euerie one with his line hauing a distinct colour from the rest and the foure colours were Greene Blew Red and Yellow euery portion of these foure had thirteene separations which had all their signes or particular figures of a House a Conie a Reede or a Flint noting by euery signe a yeare and vpon the head of this signe they painted what had happened that yeare And therefore I did see in the Kalender mentioned the yeare when the Spaniards entered Mexico marked by the picture of a man clad in red after our manner for such was the habit of the first Spaniard whom Fernando Cortes sent at the end of the two and fiftie yeares which finished the wheele They vsed a pleasant ceremonie which was the last night they did breake all their vessels and stuffe and put out their fire and all the lights saying that the world should end at the finishing of one of these wheeles and it might be at that time for said they seeing the world must then end what neede is there to prouide meate to eate and therefore they had no further neede of Vessels nor fire Vpon this conceit they passed the night in great feare saying it might happen there would be no more day and they watched verie carefully for the day when they saw the day begin to breake they presently beat many Drums and sounded Cornets Flutes and other instruments of ioy and gladnesse saying that God did yet prolong the time with another age which were fiftie two yeares And then began another wheele The first day and beginning of this age they tooke new fire and bought new Vessels to dresse their meate and all went to the high Priest for this new fire hauing first made a solemne Sacrifice and giuen thanks for the comming of the day and prolongation of another age This was their manner of accounting their yeares moneths weekes and ages ALthough this supputation of times practised amongst the Mexicans be ingenious enough and certaine for men that had no learning yet in my opinion they wanted discourse and consideration hauing not grounded their computation according vnto the course of the Moone nor distributed their months accordingly wherein those of Peru haue farre surpassed them for they diuided their yeare into as manie daies perfectly accomplished as we doe here and into twelue moneths or Moones in the which they imploied and consumed the eleuen daies that remaind of the Moone as Polo writes To make the computation of their yeare sure and certaine they vsed this industrie vpon the Mountaines which are about the Citie of Cusco where the Kings Inguas held their Court being the greatest sanctuarie of those Realms and as we should say another Rome there were twelue Pillars set in order and in such distance the one from the other as euerie moneth one of these Pillars did note the rising and setting of the Sunne They called them Succanga by meanes whereof they taught and shewed the Feasts and the seasons fit to sowe and reape and to doe other things They did certaine sacrifices to these Pillars of the Sunne Euery moneth had his proper name and peculiar Feasts They began the yeare by Ianuarie as we doe But since a King Ingua called Pachacuto which signifies a reformer of the Temple began their yeare by December by reason as I coniectuâ—e that then the Sunne returneth from the last point of Capricorne
which is the tropike neerest vnto them I know not whether the one or the other haue obserued any Bisexte although some hold the contrarie The weekes which the Mexicans did reckon were not properly weekes being not of seuen daies the Inguas likewise made no mention thereof which is no wonder seeing the count of the weeke is not grounded vpon the course of the Sunne as that of the yeare nor of the Moone as that of the moneth but among the Hebrewes it is grounded vpon the creation of the world as Moyses reporteth and amongst the Greekes and Latins vpon the number of the seuen Planets of whose names the daies of the weeke haue taken their denomination yet was it much for those Indians being men without bookes and learning to haue a yeare seasons and feasts so well appointed as I haue said LEtters were inuented to signifie properly the words we doe pronounce euen as words according to the Philosopher are the signes and demonstrations of mans thoughts and conceptions And both the one and the other I say the letters and words were ordained to make things knowne The voice of such as are present and letters for the absent and such as are to come Signes and markes which are not properly to signifie words but things cannâ—t be called neither in truth are they letters although they be written for we cannot say that the picture of the Sunne is a writing of the Sunne but onely a picture and the like may be said of other signes and characters which haue no resemblance to the thing but serue onely for memorie for he that inuented them did not ordaine them to signifie words but onely to noate the thing neither doe they call those characters letters or writings as indeede they are not but rather ciphers or remembrances as those be which the Spherists or Astronomers doe vse to signifie diuers signes or planets of Mars Venus Iupiter c. Such characters are ciphers and no letters for what name soeuer Mars may haue in Italian France or Spanish this character doth alwaies signifie it the which is not found in letters for although they signifie the thing yet is it by meanes of woâ—ds So as they which know not the thing vnderstand them not as for example the Greekes nor the Hebrews cannot conceiue what this word Sol doth signifie although they see it written for that they vnderstand not the Latine word so as writing and letters are onely practised by them which signifie words therewith For if they signifie things mediately they are no more letters nor writings but ciphers and pictures whereby we may obserue two notable things The one that the memorie of Histories and Antiquities may be preserued by one of these three meanes either by letters and writings as hath beene vsed amongst the Latines Greekes Hebrewes and manie other Nations or by painting as hath beene vsed almost throughout all the world for it is said in the second Nicene Counsell Painting is a Booke for fooles which cannot reade or by ciphers and characters as the cipher signifies the number of a hundred a thousand and others without noting the word of a hundred or a thousand The other thing we may obserue thereby is that which is propounded in this Chapter which is that no Nation of the Indies discouered in our time hath had the vse of letters and writings but of the other two sorts Images and figures The which I obserue not onely of the Indies of Peru and New Spaine but also of Iappon and China It is difficulâ— to vnderstand how the Chinois can write proper names in their tongue especially of strangers being things they haue neuer seene and not able to inuent figures proper vnto them I haue made triall thereof being in Mexico with the Chinois willing them to write this proposition in their language Ioseph Acosta is come from Peru and such like whereupon the Chinese was long pensiue but in the end hee did write it the which other Chinois did after reade although they did vary a little in the pronuntiation of the proper name For they vse this deuise to write a proper name they seeke out some thing in their tongue that hath resemblance to that name and set downe the figure of this thing And as it is difficult among so many proper names to finde things to resemble them in the prolation so is it very difficult and troublesome to write such names Vpon this purpose Father Allonso Sanchez told vs that when hee was in China being led into diuers Tribunall Seates from Manderin to Manderin they were long in putting his name in writing in their Caphas yet in the end they did write it after their manner and so ridiculously that they scarce came neere to the name and this is the fashion of Letters and Writings which the Chinois vsed That of the Iapponois approached very neere although they affirme that the Noblemen of Iappon that came into Europe did write all things very easily in their Language were they of our proper names yea I haue had some of their Writing shewed me whereby it seemes they should haue some kinde of Letters although the greatest part of their Writings bee by the Characters and figures as hath beene said of the Chinois An Indian of Peru or Mexico that hath learned to read write knowes more then the wisest Mandarin that is amongst them for that the Indian with foure and twentie Letters which hee hath learned will write all the words in the World and a Mandarin with his hundred thousand Letters will be troubled to write some proper name as of Martin or Alonso and with greater reason he shall bee lesse able to write the names of things hee knowes not So as the writing in China is no other thing but a manner of painting or ciphering WE find among the Nations of New Spaine a great knowledge and memorie of antiquititie and therefore searching by what meanes the Indians had preserued their Histories and so many particularities I learned that although they were not so subtill and curious as the Chinois and those of Iappon yet had they some kind of Letters and Bookes amongst them whereby they preserued after their manner the deeds of their Predecessors In the Prouince of Yucatan where the Bishopricke is which they call de Honduras there were Bookes of the leaues of Trees folded and squared after their manner in the which the wise Indians contained the distribution of their times the knowledge of the Planets of beasts and other naturall things with their Antiquities a thing full of great curiositie and diligence It seemed to some Pendant that all this was an Inchantment and Magicke Arte who did obstinately maintayne that they ought to be burnt so as they were committed to the fire Which since not onely the Indians found to be ill done but also the curious Spaniards who desired to know the secrets of the Countrey The like hath happened in other things for
makes the Iesuits preuaile in China 328 Monster of the Sea a stupendious one 997 Monstero seene in Mexico 1021 10 Monsters of Brasse 266.20 Monstrous Statues 267.1 Monsons 307.50 Monsul the Country 105.40 Months of the Mexicans 1135 30 Month of the Mexicans of twenty dayes 1050.10 Months of Peru which of theirs answere to which of ours 1045 1046 Moone seene continually after October the 24. where 494.40 Moone the Chinese keepe the Change solemne 392.40 Moone accounted Heauen 277.1 Moone at the Full welcommed with Fire-workes 394 Moone the yeare reckoned by it in Tanguth 77.10 In Iapon 323.20.40 In China 199.10.344.30 The Tartars reckon by it 28.50 Moores some in China 207.10 Slaues trade into China 362.1 Moores giuen to coozenage 285 40 Morauyon the Riuer in the West Indies the head course and mouth 868.20 Mordwit Tartars most barbarous 442.40 Hee worships and sweares by for his God that which he meets first in the morning ibid. Kils his best Horse when his Friend dyes why ib. Mâ—rdouits the Countrey receiues Christianity 232.1 Morses or Sea-horse-fishing 465 20. His description and manner of killing him 472 Morses roare and make a noyse 557 10. They cast their teeth ibid. Their manner of fighting 558 30. They come not on land while any Ice is neere the shoare 559 One brought aliue into England docible 560.50 Morses teeth where taken 214.1 The vse of them 417 49 Mortar vnknowne to the Indians 1056.10 Mortar made of Pumice-stones 651.40 Motezuma King of Mexico his grauitie seemes to refuse the Kingdome 1018. Is elected his valour and extreme pride 1019 His prodigality seuerity and policie would bee worshipped as a God is foretold of his ruine his Visions and Prodigies 1020. Taken by the Spaniards pag. 1023 40. Forsaken of his Subiects slaine 1025. See also pag. 1121 1125. c. Mother and her Daughters 478 50 Mothers kindred married withall in China 394 Mosco the City and Countrey 214 20. Described 225 Mosco the City the way from thence to Vologda 224. From thence to Boghar in Bactria 231 30 Mosco the City the beginning and description of it Scituated in the edge of Europe and Asia 418 40. Burnt by the Tartar ibid. Greater then London ibid. The miserable spectacle at the burning 439.50 Claymed by the Tartar Mosco greater then London 214 20. Stands in 55. degrees 10 minutes 415 Mosco City the gouernment 427 20. Taken in by the â—oles Lost againe 780.1 The way by land from thence to Emden 743.50 The distance from Vologda 744.1 747.10 Mosco the Riuer looses his name in the Occa 231.30 The Riuer hallowed and the manner 455.40 Giuen to sicke folkes ibid. Moscoby the people 280 30 Moscumbia a Lake 261.1 Moses foure last Bookes not read in the Russian Church and why 452.30 Mosul the Prouince where 69.50 Mosul the City now Seleucia 110 50 Mourners are a trade in Ormuz 71 60 Mourners beare no Office in China 327.40 Mourning the time of forty dayes in Russia 741 Morning Religion in China 345 1 Mourning in China with course Woollen next the skin 182.10 Mourning in white 368.1 It holds for three yeares in China ibid. And why 393.30 The manner of it They change their Habits Vtensils Paper and names ibid. See pag. 393.30 Mourning Garment in Spaine is blacke Bayes in China white linnen 368.1 Mount Hackluyt 730.10 The Latitude and Variation ibid. Mountayne the highest in the world where 74.20 Mountayne remoued by a Shoâ—maker A Holyday in memory of it 70.40 Mountaynes wonderfull in Island 648.10 In the middle Region or burning Mountaynes vnder the Torride Zone make it more temperate habitable 936.1 Moxel a Tartarian people 12.30 Nothing iealous ibid. Moxul or Mosul the seuerall people in it Their Silkes 70.1 Muc a people of Catay 23.40 Their manners ibid. Mules vsed to packes in China 295 20 Mules for the Streets in China 342.20 Mulibet or Hasassines in Cathaya 39.20 Mullas what 313.30 Multitude their inconstancy and folly 790.10 50. c. Mummeries of the Mexicans 1049 Munday the Russes begin Lent vpon 217.60 Munition House of the Kings of Mexico 1129 Murfili or Monsul the Countrey 105.40 Murthers ordinary in Russia Murders of the poore not accounted for by the Nobility in Russia 435 10 Murse is a Prince in Tartarian 233 20 Mus or Meridin the Nation 70 10 Musauites a Name of the Iewes 311.1 Musicke in China and their seuerall Instruments 181.10 Crano ibid. Musicke of China the manner 383.2 Musicke of the Chinois meane 371 1 Musicke of the Mexicans 1065.1 Musicke to comfort the dead 277 40 Musihet Mountaynes 16.1 Muscouia Merchants first setling 463.10 Their Patent 464.10 Muscouy Company their Names Patent and Priuiledges of trade in Russia 754. 760. They pay no Customes They are to sell by whole sale and not by retaile ibid. To sell their Wares themselues ibid. Wrecks at Sea not to be taken of them 755.1 English houses in the Cities Their packs not to be opened Iustice to bee done them by lot Disturbers of them to be punished 755. See also 758 760 Muscouie Merchants their losses at Sea 709. 712 Muscouia Merchants and East India Company ioyne in a Voyage 468.30 The Muscouia Company loose by it ibid. They dissolue and deliuer ouer the trade 469.30 Muscouia Company of Merchants their last Patent from the Emperour 802. c. Denied to trade for Furres 805.50 Muscouian Emperour his stile ordinary 215.10 At large 221.10 His Letters to King Edward 221. He is Heire generall to the Laity 216.10 And Abbots 218. Sits ordinarily in Iustice 228.1 Medleth not with Religion ibid. His treasure ibid. His broad Seale is the George 221 40. His Court on high dayes furnished with Merchants clad like Nobles 249.50 His huge plate ibid. His Presence Chamber and Dining Roome All men there in white and couered 214 His Seruice all in Gold He sends bread to euery guest in particular and the Ceremony and state of it He changes his Imperial Crowne thrice in a meale 215.10 See also in pag. 224.40 225. Serued by Dukes 225 His forces all Horsemen no Husbandmen nor Merchants Their Armes vndiscipline their hardy bodies and their hardy Horses ibid. Giues no pay 216.1 The reason of that 225.60 Their Law and Suites 216.40 Without Lawyers ibid. Triall by Combat 216.60 In case of debt 217. They hang none for the first offence 217.20 Very deceitfull and extreame poore ibid. Their Religion and Superstition 217.30 229. Most superstitious in their Grecian Rites ibid. Their fashions in the Church Their ignorance in the Lords Prayer Creede and Commandements ibid. Call vs halfe Christians ibid. Their Prayers As bodi pomele ibid. 229.10 They vse the Sacrament in both kinds ibid. 229 Their Oblations of Candles and Money ibid. They haue a Testimoniall to Saint Peter laid in their Coffin 218. Their foure chiefe Saints 218.1 Their strictnesse in Lents 218.10 Their Seruice at â—hurch thrice a day 218.10 Their Nationall vices 218.10 20. 225.
or penaltie of nine fold The maâ—kes of the heards of Cattell Bargu Meditae Strange Falcons This is either a coniecture or by relation hardly credible Night walking Spirits Ergmul Cathai Wilde Oxen of the bignesse of Elephants Muske Beautie preferred before Nobilitie and riches Feasants Egregaia Gog and Magog The Citie Sindicin Idifa Cianganor Fiue sorts of Cranes Xandu Hunting with Leopards A goodly house of pleasure A solemne Sacrifice Mares milke The Kings Magicians Shauings Austeritie Heère begins the second Booke of Marco Polo of which I thoght good to aduertise the Reader as for the Chapters the Latine and Remusio so differ that I haue leâ—t both and obserued our owne diuisionâ— Cingis or Chingis Can. Naiamâ— rebellion Caydu Cublaiâ— person described His Wiues and Concubines Vngut His children Temur The greene Mountaine Two Lakes Cambalu * The long storie of this rebellion is omitted Taidu Palaces The equalitie of the streets Suburbs large Burial without the Citie Haâ—lots of the Suburbs The number of the horse-men of the Courtiers The Guard Solemn feasts The order of them that sit downe Threshold threshing The Noblemen that carry dishes couer their mouthes The ceremonies while the King drinketh Consorts of Musicke The birth day of Cublai New Moone feast The presents of the men of Dignitie subiect vnto him The like Custome is still vsed by the Mogull as also the New-yeares day The twelue Barons The prayers of diuers Religions New-yeres day The white colour accounted ominous New-yeares gifts See Sir T. Roe of the presents to the Mogull The Kings Elephants The Feast A tame Lion The office of the Prouincial Hunters Tame Leopards and Lions Eagles The Masters of the Game Hawking 1â—000 Falconers The Kings Horse litter Toscaol The markes of the Hawkes The number and order of the Pauilions The huge price of Armelines and Sables Hunting forbidden Barke or Paper money Cambalu the Mint of money Postes and Innes The Romans also had publike Stables as appeares by Constantine Zos. l. 2. and Palladius who in three dayes would ride from the Confines of the Empire to Constantinople Soc. l. 7. c. 19. Foote-postes Die Post bâ—den Their Priuiledges Prouisions against dearth Fatherly Royaltie Hence perhaps the walk from Lahor to Agra was occasioned Their Rice-wine Coales taken out of mines a thing strange to Polo an Italian but common with vs called Sea-cole because they are brought by Sea from New-castle c. Aeneas Syluius and the China Iesuites haue told wonders of these black stones a wonderfull diuine bounty indeed to this Land and specially to this Citie Cans charitie to the Poore The Tenths paid to the Can. Weekly labour for him The Deuill an Angell of light Astrologers Tartarian computation of times Their Religion * Shattendo identi Opinions of the soule Their Customes Court reuerence An admirable Bridge Ramusio hath giuen a picture London more The Citie Gouza Parting of the way Tainfu Armes Dor and his Damsel-court The King of Achen and the Mogol doe likewise in part Caramoran Carianfu Quenzanfu King Mangalu Cunchin Achbaluch Mangi Mangi Sindâ—nfu Quian The greatnesse of the Prouince of Tebeth The subtill deuise of Trauellers Iustine in his 18. booke mentioneth the like of the Cyprians Aelianus V.H. the 4. booke chapter 1. Whose glorie is in their shame Corall money Eight Kingdomes of Tebeth Caindu Gadderi Cloues Ginger Cinamon The Inhabitants are Idolaters and Bawdes Money of Salt The Riuer Brius yeelding Gold The seuen Kingdomes of Caraian King Sentemur The Citie Iaci. Money of Stones Raw flesh Carazan Riuers yeelding gold di paiola that is washed in vessels from the sand earth Great Dragons The taking of them * Poyson and Dogs dung A wicked custome Cardandan Vociam The rarenesse of Siluer Golden couerings for the teeth * Strabo in his third booke mentioneth the same to be done with the Spaniards in some places Apollâ—nius reporteth the like custome with the Leâ—usâ—f â—f the Brasilians Tallies of contracts The deceitfull medicine of the Magicians * This by relation for they vse not to carry aboue three or foure His stratagem Fight flight of Elephants Market in a dis-habited Playne Change of gold and siluer Vnicornes or Rhinocerotes Mien The pietie of the Tartars towards the dead Bengala Oxen as bigge as Elephants Eunuches Cangigu The Kings many wiues Embroidred Gallants Amu. Tholoman Cintigui Cloth made of Barkes which are now vsed in Congo Great and hardie Dogs Sidinfu Cingui Pazanfu Cianglu The Salt of Canglu Great Peaches Ciangli Tudinfu Singuâ—matu Caramoran Fanfur King of Mangi which is now called China Chinsan Baian another Argus in the signification of his name Quinsai the Kings Court. The flight of King Fanfur * This name Mangi and China are so different that they may seem diuers Regions But the Reader is to obserue that China is a name to the Chinois vnknowne and that Kingdome hath appellations diuersly diuersified either from the Familie reigning which now is called Ciu and the Kingdome Min and Min Ciu are not farre from Mangi and by the Tartars when they reigned it was called Han and before Cheu which both put together make Han Cheu without any great dissonance from Mangi Or else by generall appellations common to all ages c. See our following relations of Ricci and Trigantiâ— Coiganzu The Salt of Conigangui * Terraglio Paughin Caim Phesants Tingui Salt pits Cingui Iangui Head of 27. Cities M. Polo Gouernour of Iangui Nanghin Mangani a kind of Engines It hereby appeares that they had not the vse of the Cannon Singui Quian Cayngui Hand-made Riuer Cinghianfu Tinguigui Singui Physicians and Philosophers Rhubarbe Quinsaâ— the Earthly Citie of Heauen O how much better is the heauenly Citie on Earth in grace more then most incomparable that heauenly Citie of Heauen in glorie ap 21. 22. The situation 12000. bridges The Ditch Ten Market places The high street The mayne Chanell The Markets Peares of ten pound Trades of diuers sorts A saucy Citie The Quinsaian Citizens and their conditions Great neighbourhood Pleasures Stone wayes Astrologers Funerals Warders Clocks Hospitals Larums Nine Viceroyâ—â— in Mangi 12000. Cities and their garrisons Fanfurs Palace Feasts 1000. Women in 1000. chambers Great Parke The Sea Gampu 1600000. housholds in Quinsai Reuenues of Quinsai the appurtenances twentie three Millions of Duckats and 200000. Customes Tapinzu Vgâ—iu Gengui Zengiaen Gieza Concha Fugiu Mâ—n eaters Quelinfu Hayrie Hens Vnguem Sugar Cangiu Zaitum Tingui where Porcelane is made Here begins the third book of M. Polo Ships of India Zipangu De magnis maiora golden fâ—bles and make difference betwixt his owne Relations and those which he had at the second hand although it be true of much gilding in Edoo sup l. 4. c. 1. 3. This punishment the Mogol vsed to Corsâ—roons Captaines and in many things you shall see Sir T. Roe and our Mogol Relations agree with these of Polo the Mogol being of Tartar originall Note for China
The commodities of China Fruits of all sorts Flesh for food Passages by water Store of shipping and water dwellers Horses Fish Wilde beâ—sts Cotton Sale of cloth Metalls Porcellane Glasse Buildings Hard Timber and Reeds Sea-cole Rhubarb China Muske Salt Sugar Home-waxe Paper Their drinke Cha Chia or Cia Sandaracha a rich Varnish Spices Chap. 4. Of their Arts in China This is not to be vnderstood of Temples c. as may appeare by Nanquin Temple c. Printing Antiquitie and manner of it Another way Painting grauing founding Bells Musicall Instruments Want of Hour-glasses Clocks and Dials Comedies Seales Various substance esteemed lâ—berall Inke-making Pensils in stead of Pens Fannes Cap. 5. Monosyllable Language as also our proper English is almost wholly 70000. Characters Equiuocations Fiue Accents Hardnesse of China Speech Eloquentia fine eloquio Many Nations and Languages haue the same Characters Court Language Their writing Morall Philosophie Confutius His heroike honours Mathematikes Phoenomena Colledges Eclipses Physicians Confutius his fiue Bookes Tetrabiblion No Vniuersity Degrees Tihio the Proposer Sieucai a Bachelors degree or as Master of Art with vs. Ornaments Their Priuiledges The second degree Kiugin as Licentiates or Bachelors in Diuinitie if we compare them with ours Examinâ—rs Palace of examination Dayes of Examination Theames giuen Seuen writings Care to auoid corruption Creation and Priuiledges Third degree as of Doctors called Cinfu Colai First and second place gloriou Ambition will be highest or nothing Military degrees Threefold tryall Chap. 5. Polo hath related the Conquest of Mangi by Cubla Can whose successor and perfecter haply of that Conquest was Temur or Tamor sup 83. 126. about 100. yeares before Tamerlane yet it seemes they were not fully subiect for Mandeuile serued in the warâ— of Echiant Can against Mangi sup 135 till Tamerlane of whom seâ— sup 154. But to ascribe it to Tamerlane and to end the Tartars Reigne at 1368. argues small skill in History of the Tartars Tamerlane then beâ—ng but young if so soone borne The time how euer is 〈◊〉 â—â—â—-reckoned Magistrates Quonfu and Lau Ye or Lau Sie Mandarin a Portugal name Kings Reuenues 150. Millions How dispensed Bookes of Officers 1. Li pu or Court of Magistrates 2. Ho-pu 3. Li-pu 4. Pimpu 5. Cumpu 6. Himpu The President or Ciam Ciu. Cilam Colai or Counsell of State Choli and Zauli Magistrates extraordinary See Pantoia Colledges Han lin Yuen Cause of the remouing the Seat Royall from Nanquin to Pequin Prouinciall Gouernment Pucin-su Naganzasu Tauli Diuision of Prouinces Regions or Shires Ceu and Hien Title fu mistaken Cifu Cihien and Ciceu Appeales Tutam Cia yuen or Chaen Militarie commands Magistrates fees Robes and Ornaments See in Goes Cap. 4. Vmbelle Conâ—entednes Philosophers Empire Beautie of Order No Office aboue 3. yeeres Appearing at Pequin Seuere Iustice 4000. Iudges iudged 1. Couetous 2. Cruell 3. Remisse 4. Rash. 5. Vngouerned Care to preuent rebellions factions and bribes Strangers Weapons Brawles Succession and royall kindred Cap. 7. Courtesie in mutuall veneration and circumspect behauiour to others Side-reuerence Respect of persons See Thaosos Epistle sup 344 Visiâ—ing one another Tedious courtesie China banquetting Feeding Hot drinke The Stone vnknowne in China which so tormenteth Europeans both in the Kidney Vreters Bladder this last depriued me of my honorable Patron and best friend B. King Anno 1621. and Anno 1622. Master Bifield my neighbour the painefull Minister at Thistleworth dyed of a Stone which I weighed and found a miracle in Nature much aboue 32 Ounces whiles these our China relations are in the Presse therefore here mentioned My selfe also hauing stone passions am therefore not stonie in compassion The Guests courtesie to the Host. Sipping oft not drinking one draught King obserued Petitions New yeere New Moone Birth-day Kings colour yellow Sun-like Dragons The Palace and gates Kings gate Time Title Widowes Old men Arches Pequin Funerals of Kings Honour of Magistrates * As in the doulia and latria of Saints worship and that of God Honour of parents See in Pantoia of Funeralls and mournings Mourning by booke Buriall Marriages Sur-names few In England antiently were few or none See Cam. Remaines Affinitie and conâ—anguinity Portion Birth-day Virilis pileus Candlemas Fire-workes Cap. 8. Chinois persons descriâ—ed Women Haire Rings Apparell Name-ceremonies Women haue none Fathers name Schoole-name Letter-name Grâ—â—t name Religious name Greater thâ—n Christian name Seales of Magistrates Seats in which they are carryed on mens shoulders Boates ships Masters respect Games Chesse Theft punishment Chap. 9. Obseruation of times Two fold Almanacke Impostors Diuinations and telling of Fortunes Strength of imaginations Deuils consulted Dreames of Dragons Geologers Augurie Cruell vices and vnnaturall Chinois Child-selling Child-killing Pittilesse pitie Transmigration of soules Selfe-slayers Eunuches Whip-killing Slauish feare Kings kindred China suspicions Strangers contemned Souldiers base Studies of Alchimie and long life Chap. 10. China Gods What pitie is it that Lutherans and Caluenists may not aswell be saued without the Pope as these Idolaters without God and Christ and worshipping that which by Nature is not God God supposed the souâ—e of the world Persians had no Temples Two Temples Royall King high Priest Magistrates inferiour Obite Confutius Temple and Rites Temple of tutelar Sprrits Tribunall Temple Oath of Magistrates Fiue combinations Second Sect began A.D. 65. Democritians Sythagorâ—ans Likâ—nesse of Popish riâ—es and those of China in opinion oâ— â—esâ—iteâ— Many and costly Temples Steeples Bells Images Their Priests many and miserable Monasteries Innes Râ—demption of wilde creatures See Pâ—nâ—â—s Riuer faire Fasters Nicu or Nuns Third Sect. Lye of Lauzu Leus Legend See before of Leus Hill neere the great Lake Way to fooles Paradise Ciam Prelate Multiplication of Sects This is also testified by Mons. de Monfart Many Mahumetans in China Christians See sup in Pinto 269. See sup pag. 115 Siaâ— Chaifamfu Iew at Pequin his report Israelites dispersion Iewes at Hancheu 1. Tim. 4.8 Io. 4.23 24. 1. Cor. 1.21 17. 1. Cor. 2.1 2 3. Haiton c. 1. Tâ—m 1. l. 4. c. 1. 2. 3. The Chinois iealous of Strangers Benefit of this Map in confuting others Coray no Iland * Perhaps this is Sciansi n These leagues seeme doubtfull Pequin o This note of degrees is false if the Iesuits be true and I thinke rather â—he guesse of the Portugall Interpreter then that there was any such note in the Map For the Chinois were scarsly so good Cosmographers to obserue degrees p Sciantum q Honan· r Or Quicheu Nannuin Iacâ—â— Conâ—â—ellâ—tionum Trig. Epist. Note of Souldiers Peeces Pantoia mistaken perhaps the Printers fault Pictures Prouinces and their names * Three or 4. to the South-west Degrees Quian * Mandeuile oâ—hers speake of the irregularitie of Caramoran P. Pil. l. 4. c. 12. §. 2. Riâ—ij Expedition l. c. 13. Atrium Kings Throne reuerenced and guarded Elephants * See the like sup 23. Rites to the Throne Kings politike pietie Their libertie and allowance