celebrated with great Ceremonie The third is to send to know the Brides name and last of all the Bride-groom sendeth the jewels to the Bride that is a ring and eare-pendants c. The day before the Bride is to be received they send from the Brides house the Houshould-stuffe and Furniture that is given with her making a procession with them which is to be done about noone that all may see it The men that carry it go two and two each of them bearing a piece of houshold-stuff of the same kind that the other doth whether it be Tables Chaires Chests Curtains Bed or what other thing soever The day following in some Provinces the Bridegroome goeth in person on Horse-back with his Father and neerest kindred to receive the Bride who is carried in a sedan with great pompe and state In other Provinces especially towards the South the Bride-groome sendeth the sedan toward the evening they have some very curious ones made only for this purpose richly adorned with silk and the doore to be locked on the outside and a great deale of company to waite upon her with lights set in wooden frams like lanthornes The mother after the Bride hath finished the usuall compliment at parting putteth her into the sedan and locketh the doore and sendeth the key before to her sonne-in-laws mother and so she departeth along with the company who go all before her excepting the maid-servants which her Father giveth her who go by her side When she is come to the Bride-groomes house the mother-in-law unlocketh the sedan and taking out the Bride delivereth her to the Bride-groome Then they go both together to the Chappell or Oratorie of their Idols where are likewise kept the Images or names of their Predecessours There they make the ordinarie reverence of bowing themselves foure times upon their knees and presently they go forward into the inward Hall where their parents are sitting in Chaires to whom they make the same reverences then the Bride retireth with her Mother-in-law her wayting maids and the woman that did negotiate the marriage to the womens apartment where she hath a particular chamber for her selfe and her husband into which as is abovesaid no other man may enter no not their Father or elder brother so that if the Father would chastise the son for any fault which is ordinarie there for their Fathers to do although their sonnes be married if he can get into his wives chamber he is safe for the Father may not enter there nor speak with his daughter-in-law except on some occasions which are dispensed with So carefull a watch do they keep on that precious Gemme of Honour The Bridegroome when he doeth not retire stayeth with his Father kindred and friends c. Who spend many daies together in continuall feasts and banquetting when the first month is over the Bride returneth home to her Fathers house which they call Queinim that is retiring to rest The sonnes do all equally inherit although they be but halfe-Brothers and not begotten on the lawfull wife having regard in this only to the Father The sisters have no more than what is given with them at their marriage If the Father die before he hath married his daughters the brothers are obliged to bestow them in marriage and the sonnes that are already married if the Father in his life time divide his estate among them are bound to maintaine their sisters till they are married Neverthelesse in China there are some families especially of the Nobilitie where the eldest sonnes do inherit the Majorasgo or the most considerable part of the land if they have any that is so entaild although they have other brothers And these children are called Que Cum Chu Hui Heupè Chei Hei. CHAP. 16. Of the Funeralls and Sepultures of the Chinesses ALthough the Chinesses in many things especially those which concerne the government of their life have been of the same opinion with the Europaean Philosophers yet they are very different from them in that which belongeth to Death For the others have taken little or no care about the Sepulture of the body whereas these esteem nothing more using in their life time all possible diligence to leave every thing ready and in order for it and their sonnes do in nothing more shew their pietie and obedience than by putting it in execution after their Fathers death It is a generall custome of the whole Kingdome not to bury any one barely in the earth although it be a child of two daies old Every one is to have his Chest or Coffin according to his qualitie and abilitie Wherefore the rich men although the Chinesses are very thrifty and parcimonious do in this exceed all extreames seeking out wood for that purpose of the greatest price and esteem that they possibly can The Eunuches are the most excessive this way because they have no children to inherit their wealth giving many times 500 or 1000 Crowns for Bords to make a Coffin though in realitie these are not so much worth For it happeneth many times that going to a Merchant that selleth this commoditie the Merchant setteth them a price asking them five or six hundred Crownes but telleth them withall that if they will have Bords of a thousand Crownes he hath not any at present but that he hath expected some a great while and looketh every day when they should arrive and if his Lordship hath not extraordinary hast praieth him to send some few daies hence and he shall be accommodated Here the Merchant hath no more to do but to change the paper which is pasted upon those Bords and with it the price and when the Eunuch returneth he findeth bords of such price as he desireth When the Chest is made with all sort of exquisite ornament on the outside as of gold Charan and other gallantries they keep it in their house and many times in the same chamber where they lie with much satisfaction and contentment As contrariwise if being in yeares they have not already made it they are alwayes ill satisfied and discontented and truly it is a great trouble and charge to the Sons if they have ancient Fathers and their Funerall Chest be not yet prepared This is the usuall manner of the whole Kingdome but because they have taken their religion from the Pagods of India they have also entertained some of their Ceremonies and superstitions who are buried after three severall manners and that before they die by the course of nature in the earth in the water and in the fire as they do to this day in Giappon some throwing themselves off from high places others drowning themselves in rivers with stones tied about their necks and others other wayes which we will not here treat of The Chinesses are not so valiant to do this while they are living but being dead if they are so poor that they cannot make them a Coffin they burne them and bury their ashes In the Province of Sucheú
glutton of play soundeth as ill as any other vice which we abhorr here CHAP. 15. Of their Marriage IN the Kingdome of China as doth plainly appear by their books and Chronicles formal Marriages and indissoluble after contract have been in use above 2400 yeares and in ancient time they used certain particular Ceremonies at the celebration thereof one of which was giving the hand But these have been changed by time some being taken away and many others added Alwaies from that time to this there hath been among them two kinds of Marriage one a true one with a matrimoniall contract for their whole life between the two parties and then the woman is called a wife and treated as such and received with extraordinary Ceremonies The second is rather a Concubinage permitted by their lawes in case they have no children by their wife especially sonnes but now it is grown so common that although some do forbear having them upon the account of vertâ—e yet it is very ordinary among rich men to take Concubines although they have children The manner is very different from the true and legitimate Marriage for although they contract after some sort with the Father of the maiden and that they treat one another as kindred yet in truth she is bought and sold and many times by a Person that hath no relation to her but only that he bâ—ed her up for that purpose for there are many in China which breed up young maidens and teach them Musick and dancing and other perquisites of womens breeding only to sell them afterwards for Concubines at a great price Yet however it is not accounted a Matrimony nor hath it the solemnitie of Marriage belonging to it nor any obligation of perpetuity but the man may put her away and she may marrie with another there being no law which prohibits it in case she be wholly withdrawn from the company of the first The manner of treating them is very different They eat apart by themselves in their own chambers and are in subjection to the true wife and serve her in some things as her Servants The children which they beare do not do them reverence as to a mother but they pay it to the true wife whom also they call mother Hence it is that if the Concubine die that bore them they are not obliged to three years mourning nor to deprive themselves of entrance into the examinations nor if they govern to quit their charge which as you shall hear hereafter is to be done at the death of their parents Therefore although he be an only sonne he is not obliged to these duties but only when his Fathers lawfull wife dieth although she be not his true mother When the Husband dieth the government of the estate and family falleth to the lawfull wife and to the children whether they be by her or by the Concubine But when the lawfull wife dieth it falleth to the Concubine and her children if she have any Sometimes it falleth out that they take a Concubine and keep her only till she bring them a sonne for if the lawfull wife will not suffer her to stay assoone as the child is born they send her away or marry her to another the child which staieth behind never knoweth her who bore him acknowledging only for his Mother his Fathers lawfull wife It happeneth also many times that a man taketh an excessive affection to his Concubine and then all goeth amisse but only in what belongeth to the outward observance which must not be changed Widows may marry if they will but they that are women of qualitie seldome or never do it no although they be young and have no children They are to live in their Father in laws house and are for this reason much esteemed In the legitimate Marriage for the most part they observe an equalitie of estate and condition but in their Concubines they have regard only to their naturall endowments They may not marry with any of their kindred on their Fathers side in no degree whatsoever nor with any of the same Sir-name but they may marry with their kindred on the Mothers side if they be in a remote degree but that is not so exactly observed A young maid will hardly marry with a widdower which they call patching up the house and the bed They never marry although they be never so great friends without a Mediator or one that goeth between both parties wherefore they chuse whom they please there being as well men as women who perform this office The Bride-groom never seeth the Bride before he entreth the doore to take her for his wife there Fathers marry their sonnes ordinarilie very young promise them in Mariage even from little children sometimes before they are borne which promise these punctually performe although their Fathers die before the time or one of the parties fall from his honour or estate c. excepting both parties voluntarily agree to break off the contract if by chance the sonne for some respects will not stand to the contract made by his father they compel him by law to perform it In China before the Father die there is no formall portion given either to sonne or daughter among the meaner sort of people the ordinarie custome is not absolutely to buy their wives as some say but the husband giveth a certain quantitie of mony to the Father of the maid with which to buy her clothes and ornaments for her head suitable to her qualitie This summe is alwaies of the largest for that purpose but the Fathers save as much out of it as they can what remaineth being to accrue to them Hence it is that some have said that the Chinesses buy their wives there being not wanting some ground for this beleefe for to this day they agree with the Father of the maid for so much money which if it be not given them they wil not part with their daughter Among the Nobility there is no talk of giving any money but the Father of the Bride is obliged to comply with what the stile and custome of that Kingdome requireth each according to their abilitie and commonly that which he giveth is all necessary Furniture for her apartment excepting the bed which although all things are very cheap in that Country will sometimes cost fifty Crowns He giveth her four or two maid servants to wait upon her and some money and of all this more or lesse according to his ability But land or possession they almost never give unlesse the Brides Father be very rich or that he would match her to some principall Person and that only in case he have no sonnes After the contract is performed between their Fathers then there follow many curtesies and compliments as first the Bride-groom sendeth the Bride a present of things to eate as flesh wine and fruit Secondly a day is chosen for their Marriage which when it is resolved on by advice of Astrologers is
Nation for those of strange Countries is as it were a presage that that Country will at length be brought into subjection to that other of whose fashions and manners they are so enamoured and we might for proofe hereof if there were occasion name some particular Countries among us These fashioned garments have been conserved for so many yeares and reach from the neck to the feet being all open before These are for their under garments and are made for to sit closer to their bodies Their upper garments are large and wider in compasse And because they use no buttons they lap them before one side over another as our Clergie men doe their Cassocks Their sleeves are very wide and the whole garment without any trimming A piece of white Taffatâ—e of the length of ones hand serveth them for a band when it is foule they take it off and put on another This is only to be understood of the Literati or learned men and the people of quality for the common sort of people are not suffered to weare it The young men weare indifferently all sorts of colours but the Ancient men do weare alwaies the most modest The common people for the most part are cloathed in black as all sorts of servants who are bound not to alter that colour Those who are Governours or have Governed upon occasion of Feasts do weare garments of the finest red The rich men change their garments at all the 4 seasons of the year and the inferiour sort although poore twice a year at winter and summer and upon this occasion many pawn that garment which they weare in one season to furnish themselves with a garment for the next Because their haire is their chiefe gallantrie we will speak here a word or two concerning it Their youth till seventeen years of age leave the shortest part of their haire hanging loose the other they combe back to the top of their head where they tie it up in a knot After that age they weare a net of horse-haire which is like unto our Cawles under which they gather up all their haire not suffering one haire to hang out on the top of this they all weare caps the Literati square caps the rest of the people round they are all made of silk or else of hors-haire which by reason of the workmanship come often to be more costly than the other They are alwaies to be black unlesse it be in the winâ—er when they weare them of felt are always gray or else of the naturall colour of the wooll At the first time any one putteth on this Cawle it is done with a particular solemnitie as we were wont anciently at the first putting on of the cloake or sword For shoes they know no other materialls but silk of all sorts and colours for the rich and for the poore cotton they are differing from ours in shape and in the cost which is bestowed upon them having many little works wrought on them with the needle Skins are used only for bootes which are rarely seen there The richer and better sort of the people weare hose of Damaske or Sattin or any sort of white silk the rest of white Cotton They weare breeches generally both men and women This is the habit of this ample Kingdome being as large almost as all Europe which hardly keepeth constant to its owne fashions in any of its smallest Provinces The women are decently habited with the same coaâ—es if I may so call them which the men use wearing them close about their necks Even the ordinary sort of women are very curious in dressing their heads adorning their haire with flowers as well naturall as artificiall having in this art a competition with nature and with the varietie of colours the forme and figure of them they do as happily deceive the eyes of the beholders as the grapes of Zeuxes did the sparrowes or to expresse it better as the curtaine of Parrhasius deceived Zeuxes The women of the better quality use gold and silver the Courtesans or publique women are not suffered to weare them and it is a distinction to know them by what they are that they are not allowed to weare any ornament on their heads contrary to the custome of other Countries nor to have their houses within the walls The rest of their under-garments are the same both in men and women only their shoes are so little that one might reasonably doubt whether so small feete could belong to a humane body growen to a full stature The reason of this is that from their very infancy they swathe their childrens feet so streightning them to hinder their growth and not as we say in Europe because they are not suffered to goe and although it be the common opinion that it is a great part of beauty to have little feet yet the more understanding Chinesses do hold this effeminacy to be a very great folly It tooke its originall from one of their Queenes who having ill-shapen feet to mend that naturall defâ—â—t did swathe them to bring them to a better forme so that what was necessitie in her if it may be called a necessitie to mend such feet as might have served well enough without it it came to be a gallantrie in all women by imitation of her so much ought Princes to avoid the making of themselves Authors of ridiculous novelties The retirement of the women is very great There is not a woman to be seen in the streets although in yeares or never so blamelesse in her life neither are men suffered to visite them at their houses That part of the house where they inhabit is as it were a sacred place for their sakes It is enough to tell any one who entereth unwillingly That there are women there to make him stop presently The men-servants may enter thither only while they are little boyes Into the very chamber where they are not so much as their kindred are allowed to come unlesse they be the younger brethren of the husband of very small age no not the husbands father with so much punctualitie that if upon some particular occasion he would chastise his son for although they are married their fathers do chastise them if they see cause he retireth presently to his wives apartment which is an inviolable Sanctuary the father being not to enter thither If the women go out to visite their parents they are carried in Sedans close shut and this is the custome of all their women even to those of the most ordinary qualitie If they go on pilgrimage to any of their Idolls and that it be necessary that they go part of the way on foot they cover their faces with a vayle If they go by water in the Barks with their Parents and kindred as I saw once above 200. upon occasion of a Pilgrimage they passe one before another without speaking a word beleeving that the least overture that women give to the conversation of men is a large
hold him for a Saint and a Master and Doctour of the whole Kingdome and whatsoever is cited of him is esteemed as an Oracle or sacred thing but also in all the Cities of the Kingdome he hath publique Temples built to his memorie where at set times he is worshipped with very great ceremony and in the year of the examinations one of the principall ceremonies is that all the graduates go together to do him reverence and acknowledge him for their Master Of those that are descended from him he that is the neerest of kin hath a competent revenue and enjoyeth the title of Chuheu which is as much as Marquis or Duke The Governour of the City where he was borne out of respect and favour to him is alwaies one of his family and finally all those of his linage assoone as they are borne have a particular priviledge from the Emperour and are respected by all in regard of their predecessour Confusio This custome continueth to this day although it be 1800. yeares since he died But returning to the Bookes which he published they are these following The first is called Yekim and treateth of his naturall Philosophie and of the generation and corruption of things of Fate or Judiciary Prognostication from these and other things and from naturall principles Philosophizing by way of numbers figures and symboles applying all to moralitie and good government The second is called Xukim containing a Chronicle of the ancient Kings and their good government The third Xikim and is of ancient poesie all under metaphors and poeticall figures concerning the naturall inclinations of mankind and also of diverse customes The fourth named Likim treateth of rites and civill ceremonies of the Ancients and also of those that belong to Religion and divine worship The fifth is called Chuncieu the which treateth also of the History of their Countrie and containeth a collection of examples of severall ancient Kings good and bad to be imitated or avoided There are also foure other bookes which were made by Confusio and another Philosopher called Mensiù In these nine bookes is contained all the naturall and morall Philosophie which the whole Kingdome studieth and out of these is taken the point which is proposed to read or compose on in their examinations for degrees Upon these bookes they have severall commentaries and glosses But there is one of them which by the law of the Kingdome they are commanded to follow nor are they allowed to contradict it in their publique Acts and hath almost the same authority with the text These nine bookes are held as it were sacred and in them and their Glosses and commentaries consisteth the great endeavour of their studies getting them by heart and endeavouring to understand the difficult places of them forming diverse senses upon them whereby to govern themselves in the practise of vertue to prescribe rules for the government of the Kingdome according to those wise dictates and Maximes they finde there And because their examinations are very strickt and rigorous they not being suffered to bring along with them to those examinations not only any booke but also not so much as a fingers breadth of paper it being no easie thing to be very ready in all these bookes the order is That the first examination of Batchelours be upon the last foure and that of Licentiates to be upon the same foure as also upon one of the other five for this reason none is obliged to be very perfect in more than one of those sciences which he doth professe and upon that the point is to be given him But to speak more distinctly to their learning although in their books it is not delivered so clearely and orderly I say they consider in the universe three things that is the heavens earth and man and so accordingly they divide their learning into three members that is into the science of the heavens the science of the earth and the science of man including in the two first all naturall knowledge and in the third all morall In the science of the heavens they treate of the beginning of all naturall things of the Creation of the Universe and of the Formation of man himselfe of universall causes of generation and corruption of elements and elementary qualities answerable to the planets of celestiall motions and relvolutions of the foure seasons of the year of the stars and planets of Iudiciall Astrologie of spirits good and bad what they are and other like matters In the science of the earth they treate of the varietie that is seen in her by reason of the 4. seasons of the yeare of the productions of things and their differences of fields and possessions and their divisions in order to Husbandrie and Agriculture of the situation of the 4 parts of the world of their position and other particulars concerning them of the choise and building of Coemeteries and burying places for their dead in which they are very superstitious In the science which treateth of man they teach all their moralitie and that which belongeth to man in a sociable and politick capacitie who imitating the order manner and proprietie of heaven and earth as the universall Parents liveth in communitie with the observing their five morall vertues which are Pietie Iustice Prudence Policie and Fidelitie They treate also of morall matters and of the respect which they have to the five orders of persons into which their Common-wealth is divided that is Father and Sonne Husband and Wife King and Subjects Elder Brother and Younger Brother and Friends among themselves All their moralitie is divided into two members The first they call Divine Moralitie which treateth only of ceremonies rites and sacrifices which they make to heaven earth the planets parts of the world good and bad spirits of the heaven and earth mountaines rivers tutelary spirits soules of the dead Heroes and famous men c. The second is their Politick and civill Moralitie This is divided into Ethiques which ordereth the manners and actions of mankinde as they are considered in relation to their owne persons and into Oeconomie in order to the government of their families and into Politiques in relation to the Government of the Commonwealth the publick good and conservation of the Kingdome The Government of a single person doth put him in a way to the good Government of his familie and the good Government of a familie to that of the Kingdome as for example A father which doth not well Governe his house how should he governe a City or Province and he that knoweth not how to governe and correct himselfe according to the duty of his single person how should he be able to regulate his familie So that they lay the first foundation of mortalitie in the good manners and behaviour of each particular person from whence proceede well govern'd families and publick Governments well administred Under the same member of the science of man they comprehend the Liberall and all other
if they are able is performed with a great deale of expence if not they leave the Chest standing at home till they are better able which is some times whole years first They give notice of the funerall to their friends by sending a Thiè to each as at the first Who being assembled come presently to the place above mentioned First of all are carried the Pageants which are severall great statues of men Horses Elephants Lyons Tigers c. They are all made of painted paper and adorned with gilding Besides these are carried severall other machines as Triumphant Chariots Pyramids and such like things every thing being set out with various works in silke and flowres and roses of the same materialls all which is to be burnt if the Person be of great qualitie For otherwise all these are but hired and none of them is burnt After these Pageants followeth the multitude of people which come to looke on then come all their friends cloathed in mourning after these the Bonzi singing out their prayers and sounding their Cymballs after them come another sort of Bonzi who weare beards and long haire and leading a single life live in communitie These go playing upon severall musicall Instruments After these follow another race of Bonzi of a different sect These are shaved and go along also saying their prayers After these come the more intimate friends after them follow all the kinsmen after these come the sonnes and grand-sonnes of the deceased Person cloathed in a very austere mourning bare footed with certaine staves in their hand fashioned like those which pilgrimes carry so short that they are little above two palmes long and so they go along hanging their heads downe Immediately after these cometh the Coffin which if it be made of precious wood is uncovered that it might be seen else it is varnished over and richly adorned with gold and Charan It is placed on a very large Machine carried sometimes by 30 40. or 50. men which is still the greater state the more they are Above it is fastened a Baldacchin◠or cloath of state which covereth it all over head having his rich Tassels and strings hanging downe by the sides Neere to this on both hands are carried many lights in great woodden frames made like lanthorns behind the Coffin are carried the women crying and lamenting in sedans fast locked and covered all over with mourning accompanied in the same manner by their female-friends and kindred When they are come to the place of Sepulture they performe severall ceremonies both before and after the Coffin is buried And a sumptuous banquet which they make for all those that accompanyed the hearse is none of the worst ceremonies among them And this is one of the occasions wherein they make use of those faire houses they build in those places When they are returned home then followeth the time of mourning and the ceremonies that are then observed which are these that follow The first and most universall is to cloath themselves in the coursest and heaviest mourning the colour thereof is white not only in these Kingdomes but also in Giappon Corea and many other neighbouring Kingdomes and as it seemeth to me this white colour was not chosen at the beginning for its one sake but came in as it were by consequence for they themselves cannot give any reason why their prede cessours chose it and on the other side they know that it is a cheereful colour and as such they weare it at certain times the reason therefore of it seemeth to me to be because in China they make no cloath but of Cotton Silk and Hemp. Of Silk and Cotton there is no course cloath to be made but of Hempe indeed there is such as would make one afraid to see it And because in its naturall colour it is more unsightly and horrid than when it is died and coloured they on purpose chuse to have it so whence it being naturally white by consequence white came to be the proper colour for mourning This Mourning lasteth three whole years during which time the sons do never sit on a chaire but on a little fourm or stoole covered with Mourning they eate not at a Table nor lie on a Bed-stead but the bed is laid on the floore they drink no wine eate no flesh nor use any Baths which are very common among them They go not to Banquets nor do they go out of their doores but in a Sedan close shut and covered with mourning They abstain from their own wives as they say at least if there be any examinations in that time they go not to them they may not hold any publick office and if at the time they do actually exercise any their Father or Mother chance to die although he be viceroy or Colao he must leave his office and attend to bury them and to make their obsequies and when the Mourning is ended they returne to their charges and offices againe and sometimes to greater This time is accounted so sacred among them that it admitteth of no dispensation except it be in their captaines and officers of warre And because one of the Province of Cantone seemed more desirous of his government than to observe his Mourning and computing his time resolved to spend the rest in his journey which he wanted to makeup his three years when he came to the court and petitioned for his office it was promised him upon this condition that he should returne home to his house and fully accomplish his time of Mourning and then he should come againe to court and make his demand The number of three years they say is to give thanks to their Parents for the three yeares of their infancie during which time they were carried more in their armes than on their own legges And therefore in those three yeares in token of reverence they may not innovate or alter any thing in the house from that order which the Father kept in it For a wife they mourne but one year There is a Slighter Mourning of five months and three daies according to the neernesse of their kindred and relation Friends for their friends observe only Three daies of Mourning They have all Mourning garments lye ready by them there being so many occasions to weare them This is the manner of their Mourning and Buriall of the Persons of the greatest quality which is encreased and diminished according to the condition and qualitie of the Person At the Funeralls of the Kings and those of the royall Familie the Ceremonies are much greater and that they might the better be conceived I will set down what passed in the year 1614. at the Funerall of the Queen-Mother where I my selfe was present CHAP. 17. Of the Funerall of the Queen-Mother THe Queen-Mother died on the ninth day of the second Moon which is the last of our March in the yeare 1614. presently all the Court put on Mourning not only the Nobilitie but even the common people
his knees to his wife till she hath brought him a child assoone as she is delivered this obligation ceaseth although there are still a great many other constraints and inconveniences upon them which is the reason that no man of Qualitie will be the Kings Sonne-in-law For this reason the usuall custome of chusing twelve is now left off and if the King do earnestly invite any person of Qualitie or Litterato of reputation to be his Sonne-in-law as it hath sometimes fallen out he excuseth himselfe with all the skill and friends he hath for if the Princesse take a dislike against her husband as it often happeneth she gives him affliction enough for all his life CHAP. 24. Of the Nobilitie of China THe Nobilitie of China at this day is much changed from what it was anciently when by reason there were many Kings and Soveraigne Lords they matched into one anothers families and the Kings themselves made many noble men whom they used to employ as also their neerest kinsmen in charges and governments of the greatest importance and by this means their families continued on foot for many years At this day the most of the Nobilitie have been raised by their learning to the highest honours from a low condition many of them having been the Sonnes of Artizans and Handicrafts-men as also for want of learning their families decline and grow againe into povertie so that it is rare thing to see a family last to the fift generation for as the first beginners being forced by necessitie and stirred up by a desire to advance themselves study and take paines to obtaine their degrees and consequently Governments and other Preheminences So the rest who follow and are borne rich and bred up in delights and wantonnesse suffer themselves to be carried away with the pleasures of living high and the vices which accompany it study little and spend much so that in a short time they finde themselves reduced to the first condition of their Ancestours Notwithstanding there is some shadow and resemblance left of the ancient Nobilitie and it may be reduced to five orders not mentioning those common people who are of no account The first Nobilitie is of the King Prince the Kings Children and the Royall family which is preserved in this manner The Prince succeedeth his father in manner above-said To his Younger Sonnes the King assigneth a habitation out of the Court in such a Province or City as shall seem best to him with Palaces Furniture and Servants suitable to his high qualitie and lands and revenues which he purchaseth for him in the same place as also a competent pension out of the Kings exchequer He that dwelt in the Province of Xensi where I lived for sometime had as I was informed 360000 Crownes per annum and the title of a King conferied on him and all the Officers of the Province were obliged to pay him respect suitable to his Title whence every first and fifteenth day of the Moone they went to do him reverence in like manner as is done at Court to the King there being nothing wanting to him to make him an absolute King but only Authority and Jurisdiction of which he had nothing at all neither over the people nor in the government the King reserving all that to himselfe neither hath he libertie to go out of the City and Territorie where he hath his residence The Eldest Sonne succeedeth his Father in his estate and goods the rest marry and make severall Families which stil grow lesser although they be great and the King giveth them an allowance competent for them and as they are removed still to a further degree from the Kings bloud so likewise their pension diminisheth till it cometh to fourescore Crowns a yeare and there it stoppeth there being none so remote from the Royall Stemme that hath not at the least this Revenue Yet neverthelesse all this is to be understood only if those that are descended from him have certaine conditions that are required of them for if these be wanting they have nothing given them at all The First condition is that they be Males for if they be Females there is no account made of them and the Father marrieth them to whom and when he will but not to Princes of the bloud neither may the Sonnes marry but with Women of other Families and he is to marry them at his own expences The Second condition is that the Sonne be lawfully begotten on the true wife not only bastards being excluded but also the Sonnes of their concubines if they have any The Third is that assoon as his Sonne is borne he do give a memorial to the King to give him a name which is to be registred in the roll The Fourth is that having attained the age of 14 yeares he give another memoriall to the King praying him to give order that he may receive halfe his pension which he after receiveth every year at set times The Fifth that when he cometh to age to be married there be another memoriall given to the King wherein is required leave for him to marry and then he receiveth the whole pension which is assigned him These are the Princes of the Bloud descended from the King by a right male line These are not to live in the two Courts of Pekim and Nankim nor in all the Provinces indifferently but only in some certaine places and are so numerous that they are beleeved to amount to 60000 and are all maintained by the King But they have this advantage that they may help themselves by their industrie in buying and selling and playing the Merchants For the government of them and to present their memorialls to the King to decide their controvesies and to punish them if there be cause they have a particular Mandarine that is proper to them But if they have any suits with others who are not of the bloud Royall such causes are under the cognizance of the ordinary justice who may reprove them but hath not the power to punish them but if any of them commit any notable disorder he giveth notice thereof to the King who for such occasions hath a Castle in the Province of Kiamsi encompassed with a very high wall whither he confineth them during life The Second Order of Nobilitie is of the Titulati or Noblemen that have Titles conferred upon them who notwithstanding are but the shadow of what they were in former times These are divided into foure orders The First they call Quecum a new Title and are only foure Families who were raised by the King Humvu and are descended from foure valiant Captaines who served the said King against the Tartars They are as it were Dukes and Captaines-Generall of the Militia and do assist in that Qualitie at certaine military actions of great importance when they are done in the Cities where they inhabit but they never go to the war The Second are Heus The Third Pe. The Fourth Chi Ho Ei
their parents sustaining them while they are in health and taking care to have them cured while they are sick serving them while they live and honouring them with funerall obsequies when they are dead Y according to their exposition is Iustice Equalitie Integritie condescention in things reasonable and just In this manner the Judge is to give every man his owne The rich man To take heed he be not proud of his wealth and To give some part of it to the poore To worship heaven To respect the earth Not to be contentious Not to be obstinate To yeeld to what is just and conformable to reason Li they say is Policie Courtesie to honour and reverence others as is fitting which consisteth In the mutuall respect one man is to beare another In the mature consideration circumspection which is to be used in the ordering of their affaires In the modestie of their outward deportment In obedience to the Magistrates In being affable to young men and respectfull to old men Chi signifieth Prudence and Wisdom the which they place In reading of bookes In learning of Sciences In being perfect in the liberall arts To be learned in matters of Antiquitie To be well versed in the knowledge of moderne affaires To observe well what is past thereby to better regulate the present and future occasions To discerne right from wrong Sin they say is Fidelitie and Veritie It consisteth in a sincere heart and a reall intention To do only that which is good To imitate what is just To make their works and words agree and that which is hidden within to that which appeareth outwardly According to this distribution of their doctrine they reduce the Common-wealth to five orders of persons correlative to one another in what concerneth the observance and duty of each that is the King and the Subject Father and Sonne Husband and Wife Elder Brothers and Younger Brothers and Friends one to another The King is to observe toward his Subjects Vigilancie Love and Clemencie and the Subjects toward the King Loyalty Reverence and Obedience The Father toward his Children Love and Compassion They toward their Father Obedience and Pietie The Husband toward the Wife Love and Union She toward her Husband Fidelitie Respect and Complacency The Elder Brothers toward the Younger Love and Instruction The Younger toward the Elder that is to all their brothers that are elder than they Obedience and Respect Friends toward one another Fidelitie Truth and Sinceritie This is the manner of living which they observed in ancient times and in the golden age when their lawes were few and they that gave Obedience to them many being all founded upon the light and principalls of nature as is yet to be seen in their books expressed almost in the same termes they are in ours when men took no pleasure in governing but retired from the Court and left their government if they saw the people were not profited by their authoritie and example or that Kings did not moderate themselves by their admonitions and so withdrew themselves to their owne possessions which they tilled with their owne hands as I have already touched in another place But after that Ambition and Avarice prevailed over vertue and private Interest had blinded Honour and Generositie this manner of living began to decay and lawes to encrease the new Princes changing some moderating others and adding many especially Humvù the first of this familie which raigneth at present who finding the Kingdome by having been some years under the Tyranny of the Tartars to have changed many of their ancient customes for those of strangers wholly altered the form of government and reduced the Kingdom which was formerly divided among many Princes into fifteen Provinces and one Sole Monarch whence he was constrained to make new lawes having notwithstanding alwaies regard unto the ancient ones Moreover the Chinesse have their Commandements and in some Provinces they print them very well and stick them up on the posts of their doores towards the street I believe they are not very ancient and have some correspondence with our Decalogue as Not to kill Not to steale Not to lie To Honour their Father and Mother c. And in this point of Honouring their Parents we have much to learne of the Chinesses as also all other nations who in my judgement are all exceeded in this by China Many excellent ancient things about Honouring their Parents are to this day growne out of use not in their speaking and writing but in the execution of them wherein they are now too negligent But there are others which although anciently they were better ordered yet are to this day in force and vigour enough and are exactly observed from the King even to the meanest Plebeian not only in sustaining their Parents making much of them and having a speciall care of them and so much the greater by how much the elder they are but by respecting of them also with an incredible reverence and submission and this what degree age and condition soever their children are in The King himselfe on certain daies of the year visiteth his Mother who is seated on a Throne and foure times on his feet and foure times on his knees he maketh her a profound reverence bowing his head even to the ground The same custome is also observed through the greatest part of the Kingdom and if by chance any one be negligent or deficient in this duty toward his Parents they complaine to the Magistrates who punish such offenders very severely Nor is the respect lesse which they beare their Masters and Tutours And if Alexander could say that we owe more to our Masters who instruct us than to our Parents who beget us it seemeth to me that in China only this duty is understood and discharged as it ought to be for besides the respect which during their whole life they professe to their Masters they are never wanting at certain times to make them presents and when they are advanced to degrees and offices they conferre on their Masters very considerable benefits and favours The Old men also in this Kingdom have their place and advantage the Chinesses honouring them no lesse than they were anciently esteemed among the Lacedemonians When they meet together although there be some of the company who are of greater Nobilitie if they have not a dignitie or office for these alwaies keep their place the Old men have the precedence and the young men upon all occasions pay them great respect The Magistrates do them honour publickly especially when they are not only Old in years but also in vertue and good life having lived without scandall and reproach and particularly if they have never been cited into any Court not accused of any crime which among them is taken for a Testimony of very great probitie and goodnesse hence came their proverb which saith Xin Pu Kien Quonzieu Xita Pao that is The man who hath never seen a Mandarine
fetcht back into prison from whence he flew into eternall libertie And this was the first lay-man who died there in prison for his religion his corps was granted to his Father to bury it but without any Ceremony at all The second who dyed in prison was called Hierome Vem he was taken in our house coming thither to assist us he also died of pure sufferance His wife presented many Memorialls to the Mandarines that he might be brought home to recover his health but all was in vaine At length she had recourse to Xin who understanding that her husband was a Christian gave her no other answer but this You see what good you get by the religion they professe and with this answer left her disconsolate and quite out of hope not long after her husband died with so much the more glory by how much the lesse he had of humane help in that sicknesse he so patiently endured for the love of Iesus Christ and the maintenance of his religion The death of these men did stirre up in the rest of the Christian prisoners a holy envie and a new fervour to suffer for Christ neither were the Christians without wanting to shew themselves true followers of that persecuted religion They divided the prisons among them so that every day the Christian prisoners were visited and succoured as much as might be and had also notice given them of the designes and proceedings of Xin and the other Mandarines neither were they content with this but relieved also the wives and children of the prisoners pawning sometimes their houshold-stuffe that they might not want wherewithall to do it Captain Ignatius Cin although he was but newly converted to the faith yet was as forward and eminent in this work of Charitie as could possibly be desired as also three other families with the hazzard of being made infamous for ever namely that of Lucius Ciam Captain of armes that of Andrew Hiam a smith and that of Francis a guilder where I cannot but admire the great charity of the said Andrew who having received some crownes from Father Vagnone for the reliefe of the prisoners made no use of them but by the daily pains and labour of himselfe and his sonne made provision every day for two prisons restoring afterwards to the Father the mony he had put in his hands There were also certaine devout Christian women who making a purse out of the fruit of their labors bestow'd it in the prisons according to the necessities of the prisoners there was also one who being himselfe a prisoner spared still something out of the penny which was given him every day for his maintenance and when he had made up a small summe he divided it among the most necessitous of the prisoners with so much the greater liberalitie by how much the industry of that Charitie was more subtle At the beginning when the Fathers were first apprehended there were not wanting certain wicked persons who feigning themselves to be ministers of justice went from house to house to disturbe the Christians on purpose to draw mony from them and if in searching every corner of the house they happened to finde any Images they threatned to accuse them to Xin This lasted till a Mandarine who had notice of this roguery apprehended many of them and caused them to be well Bastinadoed and one of them for no other cause but that he had inform'd against a man to the Tauli that he was a Christian. Neverthelesse there were some accused before Xin only for being Christians he accepted the accusation and remitted it to the Court Criminall whither the highest offenders are sent They were rigorously examined and after that declared innocent with a foule staine upon Xin both of injustice and ignorance Neither was the infamy lesse which he received by the words of two great Mandarines The one of them called Hò in a great assembly of Letterati asked him For what reason he had imprisoned the Fathers and he answering Because they preached a law contrary to theirs the other replied Why do you not then imprison so many others who follow laws much more contrary to ours than that of the Fathers is They have not said Xin any accusers And these Fathers replyed Hò Who accuseth them to your Lordship He knew not what answer to make him but seeing himselfe thus confuted lest there should be a laughter raised at him he withdrew himselfe out of the Assemblie The other who was President of the Tribunall of warre sharply reproved him that without reason he had so mis-used the Fathers who had committed no fault nor had ever offended him And although Xin did endeavour to justifie himselfe yet the President threatned to accuse him to the King for a disturber of the peace of the Kingdome and in effect he dispatched a Courrier to Pekim with a stoute Memoriall against him which neverthelesse he did afterwards re-call by reason that many Mandarines did interpose themselves in the businesse but he would never after maintain any friendship with so unjust a person Very admirable at the same time was the Charitie of a new Christian of Pekim who had taken the degree of Batchelor who having understood of the Fathers imprisonment ranne to Nankim and although he had never seen them he went to visit them and much assisted them in their necessities and not only invited but also perswaded severall of his friends to do the like who extended also their Charitie to the other Christian prisoners And for this cause only he remained there many months he accompanied the Christians to the Tribunalls healed their stripes encouraged and comforted them all to which the quality and reputation of so grave and learned a person did very much conduce He undertooke also to dispute with a Mandarine who had written a declaration against the Fathers in favour of Xin and used such powerfull perswasions to him that he changed his resolution and brought him to favour the Fathers so farre that he did publiquely praise and extoll them In the mean while our adversary seeing that the Kings answer was delayed used his utmost endeavour to gaine the Colao to his party who was otherwise not much averse to us and at length perswaded him to present a Memoriall to the King by the hands of an Eunuch whom he had already prepared for the businesse with a very great bribe to procure the Kings order upon it The Eunuchs passed this pitition so secretly among themselves that without showing it to the King they brought it againe to the Colao requiring him in the Kings name to draw up an order for our banishment the which he did in this manner For as much as we are informed by the Collaterall Lypu of the third Tribunall of Pekim that there remain in this our Court certain strangers who do expect our good leave and dispatch and the said Tribunall hath besought us that we would send our orders to the Provinces that they should send