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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52346	An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China deliver'd by their excellencies, Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking : wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously describ'd / by Mr. John Nieuhoff ... ; also an epistle of Father John Adams their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation ; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher ; English'd, and set forth with their several sculptures, by John Ogilby Esq. ...; Gezantschap der Neerlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie aan den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China. English	Nieuhof, Johannes, 1618-1672.; Goyer, Pieter de.; Keizer, Jacob de.; Kircher, Athanasius, 1602-1680. China monumentis. Selections. English.; Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Schall von Bell, Johann Adam, 1592?-1666.; Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie.	1673 (1673)	Wing N1153; ESTC R3880	438,428	416

remain'd unexplain'd hitherto by reason of the want of Men in China that are vers'd in those Characters and for that very cause was sent into Europe by the Portuguese Fathers of our Society to be explicated by Persons skill'd in the Syrian Language I first of all undertook the Interpretation thereof and that with good success discharging the same with equal fidelity and diligence Now it is Engrav'd on the Margins of the Stone in the ancient Syriack Characters that are term'd Estrangelo and it containeth the Year the Names and Offices of those Apostolical Men and Promoters of the Divine Law that were then in China when the Stone was erected Father Emanuel Dias in a certain Letter written in the Portuguese Tongue Dated from Maccao August 23. 1625. taketh notice of this Stone and of the Inscriptions mention'd His words translated are these In the Province of Xensi in China where now Trigautius resideth a certain Stone of about twenty four Hands breath was digg'd up in which is manifestly apparent that above a thousand two hundred and forty three years since there were Christians with shaven Crowns that Preach'd the Mystery of the Trinity and Incarnation and that the Kings of China conferr'd many Favors on them Doctor Leo desir'd to have the whole Matter Printed first transcrib'd by the Mandorins that were Christians to shew all the Mysteries contain'd on the Stone that the same might more plainly appear At present we only endeavor that the Matter may come to the knowledge of the Emperor God prosper all to his own Glory Father Francis Hurtado from the Province of Nancheu also confirmeth this and addeth That in the same Year a Passage was open'd into the new Provinces of the Empire of China viz. Xensi Xansi Fohum which last is conterminate with Couchinchina and easily admitteth of Strangers And thus proceeding says Unto these were annexed ten or twelve Lines in Syriack which I could not Interpret also the Priviledges granted by the Kings of China to the Priests of that Law were adjoin'd The Version was made word for word out of the Chinese Language There were also other Translations but they all agree in the Essential Matters It is Recorded in the Books of the Kings of China that the Christian Faith arriv'd amongst the Chineses above 994 years since and that this Inscription was made 140 years after its entrance Thus Father Emanuel Dias But in other Letters of a more later Date from Maccao 21 Novemb. 1627. we find it thus written concerning this City Some years since there was found a very long and ancient Writing Engraven on a Stone in the Chines●● and Chaldean or Syrian Language from whence it is evident That the Law of our Lord and Saviour arriv'd amongst the Chineses about a thousand years since Anno Dom. 636. Now the Stone was erected and inscrib'd Anno 782. that is a hundred and forty six years after the Preaching of the Gospel there by which a great Conversion unto the Faith was wrought Churches were built and Bishops constituted The Kings that Govern'd at that time are reckon'd about eight whose Names are express'd in that Stone and who ●ll of them favor'd the Christians Now the Preachers of this Law came out of Palestine and other adjoining Places It containeth the chief Misteries of our Faith which are manifest from the Inscription All which are largely evident from the foremention'd Testimonies of Father Boim Martinius and Daniel Bartolus which were collected from the Study of the Colledge of our Society But I think it will be worth our time to produce this Syrian Inscription in the same Strangelick Characters in which it was express'd in China together with the Interpretation especially seeing the Fathers of our Society in China therefore sent it hither into Europe in a particular Folio Printed in China by the Masters of that Language for a better Explanation of it For this being Explain'd I hope it will so come to pass that both the Day the Names the Country and the Offices of the Preachers of the Divine Law and finally our Design will the more evidently be discover'd The Inscription of the Syriack Names is two-fold one of them Sculp'd on the Margin the other on the Foot of the Monument And because this latter containeth the Year of its Erection we shall begin the Thred of our Exposition from it The Syrian Inscription is as followeth Adam Kasiso Ucurapiscupo Upapasi di Zinstàn Bejume Abo dabohotho Mor Ha●an Iesua Kataliko Patriarchis Besanath alf utisaain utarten dia vanoie Mor libuzad Kasiso Ucurapiscupo de Cumdan medinah malcutho bar nihh napso Milis Kasiso dm● Balehh Medintho Tahhurstan Akim Lucho hono Papa dicta bou beh medaharna●ho dpharukan Ucaruzuthon dabhain daluat malche dizinio Adam Meschamschono Bar Iidbuzad Curaphiscopo Mar Sargis Kasiso Ucurapiscupo Sarnischua Kasiso Gabriel Kasiso Varcodia cun Urisch ahito de Cumbdan u Dasrag This the Explication of it Adam Priest or Presbyter and Archbishop and Pope of Zindostan or the Region of China where note that Stan in the Indian Language signifieth A Region whence are deriv'd Indostan Turkistan or Turchestan and the like Names that signifie the same even as the following German Names Friesland and Franckeland signifie the Regions of Frisia and Francovia and other innumerable words of the like kind all which are compounded of the German word Land which as the Indian word Stan is the proper Name of a Region or Place Which I though fit here to alledge that the Reader might not be ignorant why China is call'd Zindostan in the Days of the Father of Fathers the Lord Hanan Iesua or Iohn Iosue Catholick Patriarch you must understand either the Patriarch of Alexandria or of Antioch or of Babylon who are properly call'd Universal or Catholick Patriarchs in the Year 1092. according to the Grecian Compute The Lord Iidbuzad Priest and Vicar-Bishop of Cumdan City of the Kingdom so they phrase the Metropolis Son of Milis Peace be to his Soul Priest of Belehh a City of Tahurstan you must read Turchestan Pope so they term the Chief in any Ecclesiastical Order erected this Table and the Administration or Government of our Savionr is Inscrib'd in it and also the Preaching of our Fathers who resided with the Kings of China Adam the Deacon Son of Iidbuzad Episcopal Vicar Mar Sargis Presbyter and Episcopal Vicar Sarnischua Presbyter Gabriel Presbyter and Archdeacon Head of the Churches of Cumdan and Dasrag And these are found in the Folio Printed in China which are also seen Insc●lp'd on the Stone But before I proceed any farther I must clear one Difficulty which occurreth about the Year of the Erection of this Stone for the Year of this Stone in the Chinesian Inscription is found so different from that of the Syriack that not a few Persons being perplex'd with the diversity alledg'd their Doubts unto me concerning the true and faithful Interpretation of the Monument for the Portuguese Version out of

Design and that in taking accurate Maps and Sketches not onely of the Countreys and Towns but also of Beasts Birds Fishes and Plants and other Rarities never divulged as I am informed heretofore But now to remove some Obstructions and to clear the way that Posterity may not be bereav'd of the Fruit of these my Endeavors I find my self highly necessitated to relate what passed in this Undertaking with as much candour and brevity as the Work may possibly require But before I engage my self it seems also not amiss to set forth briefly the Division of the universal Globe and likewise the Etymology or Derivation of the word China the Condition of the Soil and the Extent thereof and lastly the ten Provinces of the fifteen into which that County divides it self and the Towns and Cities through which we did not pass The Terraqueous Globe comprehending Sea and Land Rivers and Lakes stands divided by modern Geographers into two Semi-Orbs viz. the Old and New World The Old contains Europe Asia and Africa the New America not much less in Extent to all those vast Regions discovered before named so from Americus Vesputius a Florentine but indeed first found out by Christopher Columbus a Genoese furnished out for so great an Expedition by Ferdinand and Isabel King and Queen of Castile and Aragon in the Year 1492. But five years after Americus Voyaging made his Approaches higher into those unknown Confines and so got by a lucky Hit or something in his Name the Honor of Denomination of the Moiety of the World from the prime Discoverer to whom so great a Glory belonged since vulgarly called The West-Indies not improperly the East being by Sea found by us about the same time Under our new World may also be comprised those vast Southern Coasts and Straights of Magellan first lighted on by Ferdinandus Magellanus in the Year 1520. in his Circumnavigation of the Universe which forty five years after Sir Francis Drake and next Sir Thomas Bendish Englishmen made a farther Inspection into and in the Year 1600. Oliver van Noord a Hollander pass'd but of later years a Spaniard Ferdinand de Quier out-shot them all by a more ample Discovery than all the former Asia not to make mention of any other Divisions of the World being impertinent to the following Discourse stands bounded on the North by the Tartarick Sea on the East with the great Indian Ocean called Eous and on the South with the same on the West with the Arabian Gulph and the Slip of Land situated betwixt this Gulph and the Mediterranean Sea the Extent of which from the Hellespont as far as Mallassa the utmost Town of Traffick in India consists of 1300 Dutch Miles the breadth from the Arabian Gulph to the Cape of Tabin 1220 Dutch Miles All Asia which the Ancients divide into Asia the Great and Asia the Less modern Computors part into five Divisions Persia the Turkish Empire India to which they cast in the adjacent Isles Tartary and China What concerns the Name of China or the farther part of Asia much Time and Pains have been spent and taken by several Historians both old and new as also by the Natives of the Countrey and Foreiners to give the true Derivation thereof and the several Names by which China has been formerly call'd to whom I shall refer my self to satisfie the curiosity of the Reader in this particular That these are the People whom Ptolemy calls Chineses both the Constitution of the Countrey and the Name by which it is known at this time may suffice to prove the truth thereof for that which in Spanish is writ China in Italian is called Cina in High-Dutch Tschina and in Low Dutch and Latin Sina The difference in the pronunciation of the word China and Sina betwixt us and the Spaniards is not much but in regard it falls somewhat hard to those People to pronounce the Ch they therefore make use of the Greek Letter χ. The Tartars call this Kingdom Catay and sometimes Mangin but this Name rather denotes the Inhabitants themselves then the Countrey for Mangin signifies in their Language a wild and unciviliz'd People and with this word the Tartars often deride the Chineses This Countrey was likewise formerly called Catay by Marcus Panwelz a Venetian who was the first Discoverer thereof in part But the most known Name by which that Kingdom is call'd at present by those of Europe is China The reason why that Kingdom has been called by so many several Names may be supposed to be this from an ancient Custom observed amongst them That whosoever gets the Sovereignty over them Presents the Kingdom with a new Name according to his pleasure Amongst the rest we read that formerly this farther part of Asia or China was called Thau Yu Tha Sciam Cheu as also Han Thau which signifies Boundless broad Yu Rest Tha Great Sciam Curious Cheu Perfect Han The Milky-Way Long before the Conquest of China by the Tartars in their last Invasion and the Deposing of the Emperor of China viz. when the Sovereignty of the Kingdom was in the Family of Ciu China was called by the Chineses Min which signifies Perspicuity or Brightness Afterwards they added to the word Min the syllable Ta and called it then Tamin or as some write Taming which signifies The Kingdom of great Brightness For above 300 years this Kingdom bore the Name of Tai●jven and at this time is called by the Tartars who possess the Kingdom under the Great Cham Taicing But though this Kingdom of China doth often change its Lord and Name the Chineses however have Time out of mind called it by two other particular Names as Chungchoa and Chungque the first whereof signifies The Middle Kingdom and the other The Middle Garden The reason why the Chineses gave their Kingdom these Names may be suppos'd to be this in regard that formerly they did verily believe that the Heaven was round the Earth four-square and in the middle Point thereof lay their Kingdom Wherefore when they first saw the Maps of Europe they took it very ill that their Kingdom was not placed in the middle but in the farther part of the East And therefore when Matthias Riccius a Iesuit had in China made a Map of the whole World he so ordered his Adulation that the Kingdom of China fell to be in the middle But most of the Chineses do now acknowledge this their great Error and blush convinc'd of so much Ignorance And though the Chineses themselves have thus called their Kingdom by several Names according as the Family which Govern'd over them hapned to change yet their Neighbors that live upon the Confines take no notice of their Alterations neither follow the Chineses therein for those of Couchenchina and Siam call this Kingdom Cin the Islanders of Iapan Than the Tartars Han and the Turks Saraceners and other Western People Cataium Some conceive that this Name is originally from Sioni in

of the Toutang with the Mandorins Taycoetsin and Thiapang with Orders to bring the Ships within half a Mile of the City and there to lie till such time as the said Commander who was not to know for several Reasons of the Arrival of the Hollanders had taken his leave and was gone During which time Waggenaar was Presented with several Rarities in token that the Hollanders were receiv'd as Friends in requital whereof he gratifi'd their Kindness with Guinee Linnen Bottles of Rose-Water and several other Returns The next day the Ships being come higher up the River several of the Company would have gone ashore to refresh themselves but were prevented by the Vice-Roy's Ships of War which lay there to watch the Designs of Waggenaar Afterward came the Mandorin Haitonu Aboard with several Attendants to conduct Waggenaar Ashore and when he had been civilly Treated he desir'd him that he would prepare himself to go to the Court but just as he was taking Horse there came two Mandorins to him with an unexpected Message putting several strange Questions to him viz. Why Waggenaar was desirous to speak with the Vice-Roy and what his Business was and whether he had brought any Letters or Presents for the Great Cham at Peking and for the Mandoring Toutang at Canton adding withal wherewith he ended his Discourse That the Portugueses were the occasion of all this misunderstanding But that which seem'd most pleasant they declared That if the Hollanders would appear before the Vice-Roy in Person they must ●e very liberal to all that were about him Whereupon Waggenaar made answer That he was not willing to Bribe the Vice-Roy or his Courtiers to take the Letters and Presents of his Lords and Masters contrary to his and their Inclinations but yet he would give a good Sum of Money to him that should procure a Free Trade for this Year at Canton During this Conference the same Haitonu returns with Advice to Waggenaar That he must not appear before the Vice-Roy who notwithstanding would read his Letter Hereupon Waggenaar delivers him the Letter and not long after an Answer was brought him by the Vice-Roy's Interpreter which was to this effect That in regard the Hollanders had not brought with them any Letters nor Presents to the Emperor at Peking though sufficient Advice had been given thereof to the Hollanders at Batavia and highly recommended unto them therefore it was to his great sorrow that he could not suffer them to have any Speech with him Now when Waggenaar saw that he could not effect any thing with him he departed from Canton with both the Yachts and return'd back to Batavia nothing being done In the mean time these barbarous People were not asham'd to demand ten thousand Toel of Silver onely to render the Letter and Presents acceptable to the Vice-Roy before any Conference could be had about driving a Trade with them Now according to the Proposal of the General Iohn Maatzuiker and the Council of India the Governors of the East-India Company at Amsterdam concluded and order'd an Embassy to be sent from Batavia to the Grand Tartar Cham at Peking Whereupon Peter de Goyer and Iacob de Keyzer both Merchants were chosen Ambassadors at Hurkos with a suitable Train of fourteen Pesons namely two Merchants six Waiters a Steward a Chirurgeon two Interpreters one Trumpeter and one Drummer Beside these they took two Merchants more with them who during their Voyage to Peking were to take care of the Traffick at Canton namely Francis Lantsman as Chief and Henry Gramsbergen his Companion two Yatches were appointed to Transport them from Batavia to Canton and from thence to the Imperial City of Peking The Presents which the Ambassadors took with them for the Great Cham consisted of several rich Piece-Goods as Cloth Kersies and other Woollen Manufactures of fine Linnen Mace Cinamon Cloves Nutmegs Coral little Trunks of Wax Perspective-Glasses Looking-Glasses great and small Swords Guns Feathers Armour and several other Wares The Contents of their Credentials were to this purpose that the chief end and design of this Embassy was to make a good Agreement and firm League with the Emperor of Tartary and China that there might be a Free Trade driven throughout his whole Kingdoms betwixt his Subjects and the Hollanders and that the same might be confirm'd under the Hand and Seal of both Parties Having put Aboard the Merchandises Presents and other Necessaries for our Voyage the Ambassadors went Aboard on the 14. of Iune 1655. with all their Followers we set Sail that same Night with a South-East Wind from the Coast of Batavia steering our Course Northerly But before I relate what hapned to us upon our Voyage after we came in sight of the firm Land of China I will give you an Account in brief of this famous and eminent City a Draught whereof I toook before my Departure from thence and is thus here represented in the adjoyning Print This City Batavia so call'd from the Netherlands ancient Name is situated in the Island of Great Iava and so fruitful in all manner of Cattel and Corn that the Learned Scaliger extoll'd this Island for one of the most fruitful and comprehensive Places in the whole World for from hence comes not only Pepper Ginger Cinamon and other Spices in great abundance but also all manner of tame and wild Cattel which are Transported from thence to other Parts It produces also all manner of Gems Gold-Mines Precious Stones and rich Silks in great quantities but yet so subject to stormy and tempestuous Weather that they are seldom free from Commotion'd Skies The ancient Natives of this Island are originally sprung from the Chineses who for the most part fearing the Incursions of the Tartar fled out of their own Country and setled themselves here in Iava and other adjacent Isles which they chose for their security against their Enemies The Natives of this Island who call themselves by the Name of Iavaners are generally of a middle Stature and round Visag'd most of them go naked having only a Cloth about their Middle to cover their Secrets They are counted the most civiliz'd People of all the Indians but yet they are great Gluttons Proud Deceitful Impudent and not to be trusted when they have Pass'd their Words for when a King of Iava had falsifi'd his Word and his Promise and was handsomly rebuk'd for it he return'd for answer That the Tongue of a Man was not made of Bone as if he had said It ought to be more pliant to the flexibility of the Mind and various Resolutions They are also represented to be Cruel Blood-thirsty and hardly appeased when once offended as also that they were wont to eat the dead Bodies of their Friends As to their Religion they are all of them Mahumetans or Idolaters according to the several Perswasions of their Kings who are many in this Isle where Paganism as the most ancient was spread universally and most of them were Idolaters

a high Wall about it with three stately and broad Gates between each of which were very large Courts The Ambassadors immediately caus'd the Emperor's Presents and all their own Goods to be brought into their Lodgings where they found all things in good condition without the least loss or damage At Night came two Tartar Commanders with twelve Soldiers by the Emperor's Order to guard the Gates of their Lodgings and take care that the Command of his Imperial Majesty might be duly observ'd and the Ambassadors supplied with all things convenient The next Day early in the Morning appear'd the Mandorin Pinxenton with two other Commanders who were likewise come thither from Canton as also the two Agents of the Canton Vice-Roys who had their Residence in this Court. Not long after came some Lords of the Imperial Council attended with the Chief Secretary Thouglovia who was a Chinese by Birth and a very civil Person having likewise in their Company two other Mandorins call'd Quanlovia and Hoolovia the last whereof was Secretary to the Council though a Stranger to the Chinese Language After they had pass'd some Complements to one another they acquainted the Ambassadors that they were come to bid them welcom in the Name of the Emperor and his Council and to enquire after their Healths and the number of their Followers the quality and quantity of their Presents and lastly concerning the Person and Place from whom and from whence the same were properly sent Whereupon the Ambassadors deliver'd a List to the Mandorins consisting of twenty four Persons who all of them belong'd to the Embassy wherewith they were satisfi'd But in regard these Commissioners could not well understand nor apprehend this Form of our Government because the Tartars and Chineses know no other than Monarchical neither could they tell what the Name of Prince signified the Ambassadors had no little trouble to work them into a good Opinion of our State therefore they were forc'd to make use of the Name of the Prince of Orange as if they had been sent by his Highness concerning whom they ask'd several Questions and among the rest Whether the Ambassadors were ally'd to their Prince for they have a Custom That no Foreign Ambassadors are to bow their He●ds before the Emperor's Throne unless they be such as are a Kin to him that sent them as the Ambassadors of Corea and the Liquese Islands who came hither the last Year were the Brothers and Kindred of those Kings that sent them without which they would have no great Credit and Reputation with the Emperor To which the Ambassadors reply'd That they were not in the least ally'd to their Prince for besides that the Governors of their Country knew nothing of this Custom so likewise such Persons as were related to their Prince were employ'd at home in the most considerable Charges But these Gentlemen were of opinion That the Dignity and Majesty of the Emperor would be much lessen'd if he should give Audience to such as were not so related to their Prince They then ask'd the Ambassadors What Offices do you bear in the Court of your Prince How runs your Title in your own Language How many Men have you under your Command And how do you live To all which Questions the Ambassadors return'd particular Answers They ask'd likewise Whether all the Presents they had brought with them came directly out of Holland Whereupon the Ambassadors told them That some of those Goods came out of Holland as the Cloths Looking-glasses Corral Perspective-glasses all manner of Arms and the Furniture for Horses but the rest were added by the Governor-General of Batavia by Order of the Council for the Indian Government in Holland Hereupon arose another Question namely What manner of Place Batavia was and what manner of Man the Governor The Ambassadors reply'd to this That the Governor-General in regard of his Command might be compar'd with the Vice-Roys of Canton And in regard the Hollanders were not subject to any King nor their Country a Kingdom therefore he could not have the Title of Vice-Roy but only be call'd by the Name of Governor-General as one that had the Command over other Places and Countries And as for Batavia that they said was a Place which for its conveniency was appointed for a Rendezvouz for all Ships which should come out of Holland and other Parts and consequently held for the Chief City of the Netherlands in India The Ambassadors having satisfied the Curiosity of these Persons in giving such a full Answer to all their Demands they took leave and presented to each of the Ambassadors fifty Toel of Silver But not long after these Gentlemen one after another came again to ask after some Particulars The first came by Order of his Imperial Majesty and his Council to fetch the Credentials which were carried to him in great State being put into a large Silver Dish cover'd with three Pieces of Scarlet Another came to see our Arms about which they were very inquisitive to know how and where they were made The third ask'd what manner of Arms the Hollanders us'd in their Wars and against whom they had warr'd He ask'd likewise particularly Whether we had War or Peace with the Portuguese and with those of Maceao and whose Country lay nearest to China The Ambassadors having fully answer'd all these Questions they departed but return'd at least six or seven times and ask'd among the rest after the Quality of the Ambassadors At last they ask'd Pardon for the trouble they had given them saying That they had done it by the Emperor's Order who was always very inquisitive in things of this nature After the Chief Governor of this Imperial City had been made acquainted with the Report of the Commissioners he sent the next day two Gentlemen to the Ambassadors with expr●●s Order that they should appear with the Presents before his Majesties Council but it proving a very rainy day the Ambassadors left the Presents might be spoil'd desir'd to be excus'd from coming till another time yet it would not be granted notwithstanding all their Endeavors For though the Ambassadors went to Court without the Presents they were not admitted till such time as they had brought them for the Emperor was resolv'd to see them that day As soon as the Presents were come they were admitted and order'd to sit down without shewing any manner of Respect to that great Assembly The Chief Commander sate at the upper end of this Assembly upon a broad low Bench with his Legs across like our Taylors in Europe Next him on his Right-hand sate two Tartar Lords and on the left hand a Iesuit Father Adam Schaliger a Courtier in Peking almost fifty Years living in great Honor and Repute he was as he told us born at Cullen and went shav'd and cloth'd after the Tartar Fashion a very comely old Man with a long Beard All the Lords who were at this Assembly sate one among another without any Splendor

die and his eldest Son taking it ill thas Yvus should be preferr'd before him in regard he took it for granted that the Scepter did by hereditary Right belong unto him he endeavor'd to seat himself in the Imperial Throne by force of Arms But what Stratagems Policy or Force soever he us'd all prov'd vain ●or he could not prevail the generality of the People adhering cordially to Yvus in regard they judg'd him most deserving of the Crown which accordingly was setled upon him though not without some trouble This Yvus was the Founder of the first Chinese Imperial Race which he caus'd to be styl'd Hiaa and the last of the elected Emperors for when the Royal Chair after his Death became void his Son was unanimously admitted to succeed him and from that time the manner and custom of Election was chang'd into an hereditary Succession from Father to Son This Royal Race or Family which had its beginning in the before-mentioned Yvus in the Year 2207 before Christ's Birth sway'd the Imperial Scepter four hundred forty one years in a continu'd Line of seventeen Emperors who succeeded each other in the Government of China This Race being extinct for want of Issue arose the Family of Xanga whereof the Emperor Tangus in the Year 1766 before Christ's Birth was the first who call'd it Xanga from a Lordship of the same Name he possessed This Family produc'd twenty eight Emperors who sat upon the Throne successively for six hundred years and upwards to the Year 1122 before the Birth of Christ. This Line being extinct in the before-mention'd Year there arose a third call'd Cheva whose Founder was one Faus who at the beginning of his Reign changing his Name call'd himself Uvus that is A Warriour Thirty seven Emperors proceeded out of this Family and all successively sway'd the Scepter which ending the Year 246 before Christ's Birth the fourth Race call'd Ciua stood up whose Founder was nam'd Chingus but altering his Name was call'd Xius This Race which gave its Name to the whole Empire as I have already related was yet but of short continuance there having sprung but three Emperors from thence who Reigned forty years and extinguishing about the Year 206 before the Birth of Christ the fifth Race call'd Hana got into the Throne the Founder whereof was one Leupangus whose Successor in a direct Line held the Sovereignty of the Empire of China till the Year 264 after Christ's Birth This Family being brought under the sixth Race call'd Cyna stept into the Throne and Govern'd till the Year of our Lord 419. within which compass of Time there were no less than five Kings at once who were all call'd Utai and wag'd very cruel Wars one against another for above four hundred years At last having miserably worried and weakned each other they were all subdu'd by the seventh Race call'd Tanga which seized upon the whole Empire and Reigned with his Posterity till the Year of Christ 618. No sooner was this Race of Tanga at an end but the eighth call'd Sunga succeeded in which the Government continu'd till the Year of our Lord 1278. when the Tartars after a long and tedious destructive War with this Family ●unga for seventy three years conquer'd the whole Empire extirpating the whole Family and set up a new one call'd Ivena which Reigned over the Chineses till the Year 1368. But in the same Year appear'd a Priest call'd Chu who with the assistance of his Country-men expell'd the Tartars and setled himself in the Throne assuming the Name and Style of Hunguvus which signifies The Warlike Soldier from whom sprung the Race of Taicinga which held the Crown two hundred and eighty years but at last was brought under and wholly rooted out in the Year 1644 by the Tartars who once more conquer'd and over-ran the whole Empire and erected a new Generation of Royal Blood call'd Taicinga under its first Founder Xunchius who was born Great Cham of Tartary And thus having led you as it were by the Hand to the Tartar Government it will not be amiss to shew you as briefly as the Subject will bear as well the cause as the manner of that terrible Devastation which not only extirpated the same Family but brought the whole Country to the slavish Subjection of their unciviliz'd Barbarism The Tartars who for Antiquity go beyond all other People in Asia and from whom many and several Nations are sprung did in the Year 2158 before Christ's Birth make very bloody Wars against the Chineses wherein they were sometimes Conquerors possessing the Land and at other times conquer'd and driven out again Now it is to be observ'd That under the Name of Tartars I understand here those People that have their Habitations on the North side of that most renowned and famous Wall in former times built against the Invasions of those Barbarians and reaching from East to West three hundred Dutch Miles in length For what cause or reason these People have born for so many Ages so much Malice and Hatred to one another as appears by the bloody Wars they have made the Chinese Histories make no mention But others who would seem to be curious and understanding Inspectors therein ascribe it to the difference of Customs and Manners of these two Nations for as parity of Manners is a conceal'd beginning and introduction of Friendship so on the other Hand a difference therein is the original and true occasion of Enmity Now how much the Tartars and Chineses differ in their Customs and Manners will easily be made appear by the daily Employments and Actions each of them affects from the Cradle The Chinese is of an affable and peaceable Disposition addicted to Husbandry and loving all good Arts and Sciences But the Tartar on the other Hand delights in nothing so much as Hunting being very cunning and deceitful lusting after War and of a very loose and uncivil Comportment It is true both endeavor to shun Idleness but with Intentions very incoherent the one to live temperately and honestly but the other only to range abroad in a wild and beastial Barbarism It cannot be denied but that the Tartars and Chineses have wag'd War one against another for many Ages yet I dare be bold to say we read of none so terrible as those in this our Age for thereby the Tartars have not only made themselves Masters of all the said Empire but extirpated the last Royal Line that there is not any Vestigium or Trace left of them in being In short that the occasion of this last War may be the more fully and clearly understood I shall relate unto you the two first Conquests of China by way of Proemium You must first then take notice That the People of West-Tartary after they had brought under their Power almost all Asia which is the fruitfullest part of the inhabited World fell upon the Empire of China about the Year 1206 before Christ's Birth which was continu'd as is

Law which Governs the Kingdom of China Hereupon the Law of God was promulgated through all the ten Provinces of China the Kingdom enjoy'd a flourishing Peace all the Cities were fill'd with Churches and the People prosper'd under the Evangelical Felicity 8. In this Year call'd Ximlie which is all one with The Year of our Lord 699. the Bonzii Followers of the Pagods making use of their Strength with a huge clamour aloud blasphem'd our holy Law in the Place which is call'd Tum Cieu in the Province of Honan and in the end of another Year call'd Sien tien which answers to the Year of our Lord 713. certain private Men in Sieno the ancient Place of Venvam the Commentator will have it to be Siganfu in the Province of Xensi were so audacious as to rail against our holy Law with Mocks Flouts and opprobrious Language 9. At this time there was one of the Chief Priests a Bishop as it should seem by Name Iohn and another Man of great Virtue and Eminency by Name Kie Lie with other Nobles and Persons belonging to them no less honor'd for their Fame than respected for their contempt of worldly Affairs who began again to revive and Preach their most excellent Gospel and to tie together those Threds which by the malice of the Devil had been broken And the King Hiuen cum chi tao who began his Reign in the Year 719. commanded five of his Principal Officers that they should go in Person into that Happy House meaning the Church and erect Altars Then the Pillar of the Law which for a short time had been laid groveling began anew to rise and flourish In the beginning of the Year Tien pao being the Year of our Lord 743. King Ota Ciam Kuen gave strict Command to Cuolie fie an Eunuch in extraordinary Favor and Power with him that he should carry the true Effigies of the five Kings his Predecessors and Grandfathers and place them in the Church whither also he should send an hundred Measures of Precious things for celebrating the Solemnity the Author Kim Lim saith in honor of the said Kings 10. In the third Year Tien pao being the Year of our Lord 745. there was in Iudea others say India one Kieho a Priest who was conducted into China by the help of the Stars and looking upon the Sun this was a Ceremony of those who are admitted to speak with our Emperor he was forthwith brought into his Presence But the Emperor Commanded that the Priests Iohn and Paul with others of that Profession and the so eminently virtuous Person Kieho should betake themselves to the Palace Him Kim to worship and perform other holy Acts of Devotion At this time his Royal Grants were kept in Tables in the Church according to order richly adorn'd and glittering with red and blue and the empty space was fill'd with the Royal Plume ascending and reaching even to the Sun His Favors and Donations are compar'd to the heighth of the Mountains of the South and the abundance of his Benefits equal to the depth of the East Sea Reason cannot but well like a thing so approv'd and worthy to be remembred Therefore the King Sa Cum nen men or Ven min who began to Reign in the Year 757. commanded Churches to be built in Lim suu seu and five other Cities by a new Proclamation This King was of a most acute Ingenuity under whom a Gate of Happiness was open'd to the whole Kingdom and hereby all the Royal Affairs of State were Administred and prosper'd with applause rejoycing and felicity 11. The King Tai cum nen vu coming to the Throne in 764. and enjoying the benefit of good Times manag'd all the Affairs of the Kingdom without any difficulty At the Feast of Christ's Birth every Year he sent certain excel-cellent Perfumes in a thankful remembrance and assign'd Princely Provision of all kinds in honor of the Ministers of that holy Law Surely the Heaven gives beauty and perfection to the World which therefore produceth all things with so liberal a Hand This King imitated Heaven and therefore knew it was fit to nourish and preserve his own 12. The King Kien cium xim ven vu in the Year 781. us'd eight ways of rewarding the Good and chastising the Bad. He set forth new Orders for restoring and promoting the Gospel His Government was full of Excellency We Pray to God for him not blushing thereat He was eminent for Virtue Peaceable and Learned He lov'd his Neighbor abounded with Charity to help all and was a great Benefactor to all then living This is the true Way and the Scale of our holy Law to cause that the Winds and the Rain return at their wonted Seasons that the World be quiet Men well Govern'd Affairs orderly dispos'd such as yet are on Earth live well and those that are deceased enjoy Rest and Peace To have these things in readiness and be able to give an Account thereof proceeds really from our holy Faith and are Effects of the Strength and Power of our most sacred Gospel 13. The King gave to the Priest call'd Usa and one of the Chief Preachers of the Law these Titles Kin ju quam lo tai fu being an Office in the Court and Sou fum cie tu fu lei being an Office without the Court and Xi tien thum Kien another Office also but the Explication thereof we have not found in the Exemplar He gave also to the said Priest and Preacher of the Great Law a Vestment of blue Colour which the Italians call di color pavonazo This Priest was inclin'd to Peace rejoyc'd to do good to others with all his Endeavors striving to do Acts of Charity He came into China from a remote Country and Place call'd Vam xi ciu chim being Heathenish which is the same as the far distant India He perfectly taught several Sciences and his Acts were famous through China for above three Generations At the beginning he waited upon the King in his Court and afterwards his Name was Entred in the King's Record or Chronicle 14. The Governor Fuen Yam call'd also Co cu y and enobled with the Title of Chum Xulim at first only minded his Military Affairs in the Parts of Sofam but the King So cum commanded Ay su or Y su that he should promote Co cuy with more favor than the rest it seems the King commanded Ay su to make him a Councellor for although his Captain lov'd him extraordinarily yet he did not like his ordinary method of proceeding for as the Chineses speak An Army is the Teeth and Nails the Eyes and Ears of the Commonwealth He knew how to distribute his Revenues and not hoard them up at home He offer'd to the Church a Precious thing call'd Poli made of Glass as it seems the People of this Place name it Cim reguen others Lintiguen Besides he bestow'd Tapestries of these Parts interwoven with Gold call'd Cie Ki repair'd the Churches in such manner

the Chinese Tongue and the Italian Translated from the Portuguese place the Year of the Erection of this Stone in the Year 782. after the Birth of Christ but the Syriack Inscription fixeth the time according to the Compute of the Grecians at the Year 1092. which how different it is from the other Accompt is easie to be discover'd by any one Now that all these Particulars may be the better reconcil'd and this Knot also unloos'd I thought it requisite first to set down word for word the Translations of the aforesaid Inscription Thus the Portuguese hath it No nosso Potentado do Grande Tam segundo Anno deste Kien Cium que eram do Senhor 782. no mes de Autuno no settimo dia dia de Domingo foy allevantada esta pedra sendo Bispo Nim Ciu que governa a Igreia China Thus the Italian Nel nostro Potentato del Gran Tam secondo Adno di questo Kien Cium che erano del Signore 782. nel mese di Autunno nel settimo giorno giorno di Dominica fu inalzata questa pietra essendo Vescouo Nim Ciu che governa la Chiesa della China The Italian Version is thus In our Dominion of the Grand Tam the second Year of this Kien Cium which was of our Lord 782. in the Month of Autumn on the seventh day upon the Sunday this Monument was erected Nim Ciu being Bishop who is over the Church of China The Interpretation of both of them is this In our Potency of the Great Tam viz. the King in the second Year of this Kien Cium which was the Year of our Lord 782. in the Month of Autumn on the seventh day being the Lord's Day this Stone was erected Nim Ciu the Bishop Governing the Church of China The Syriack Inscription BISNAT ALF VE TISSAIN VE TARTEN DIUNOIO That is In the Year 1092. according to the Grecian Accompt Now seeing the Eastern or the Greek Church doth agree for the most part with the Latin in the Compute of their Years it is demanded after what manner these Years may be reconcil'd I answer therefore That this Monument was Mark'd or Sculp'd with a two-fold kind of Computation of the Years us'd by the aforesaid Promulgers of the Christian Law viz. One being the Ecclesiastical Accompt of the Years of Christ which the faithful Christians 〈◊〉 where use in China the other was a Politick or Civil Year which was common to the Syrians Chaldeans Arabians Egyptians and almost to the whole East which that you may the better understand you must observe that the Years of the Grecians of which the Books of the Maccabees make mention are the same with those that are otherwise call'd by the Chaldeans The Years of the Sele●cians Syro-Grecians or Syro-Macedonians but by the Hebrews The Years of Contracts and by the Egytians The Alexandrian Years or The Accompt from the 〈◊〉 of Alexander by the Arabians they are term'd Dhul Karnain which is as much as to say Of Alexander holding of two Horns and they therefore call him so either as Christmannus will have it because that he subdu'd both the Oriental and Occidental Parts of the World or as I suppose more probably from Iupiter Ammon who was figur'd with the Head of a Ram whose Son Alexander would be esteem'd or in relation unto the he-Goat unto which Daniel compareth him or lastly they are call'd The Years of Philip which I have shew'd above to be call'd by Albategnius Tarich Alkupti and the Epocha of those Years beginneth 12 Years compleat after the Decease of Alexander the Great as St. Hierome observeth out of Eusebius on Daniel cap. 9. who is follow'd herein by Ribera Torniellus and others Now although before Iulius Caesar these Years seem to have had another form and another beginning of their Month yet notwithstanding by the common Supputation they take their Entrance from the Calends of October The Names of the Months are either Greek or Syro-Chaldean in other respects they agree with the quantity and form of the Iulian Year only that the Intercalary Day is added in this Epocha or Accompt unto the Month Sab●th which is answerable unto our Month of February These things being noted beforehand we place the beginning of the Grecian Empire by the consent of Eusebius Scaliger and others in the Year current before the Year of the Christian Epocha or Accompt 310. in the 117 th Olympiad according unto the Chronicle of Alexandria for it is agreed upon by all that Alexander the Great died in that very year in which the 114 th Olympiad began in the latter end of the Month Hecatombaeon as Plutarch writeth viz. before the Christian Accompt 322. for Christ was born in the third year of the 194 th Olympiad consider'd exclusively therefore the years of the Kingdoms of the Grecians beginning or taking place from the year of Christ 310. going on do differ so that the year 310 of the Kingdom of the Grecians beginneth from the first year of Christ whence it cometh to pass that if you add 310 unto the year of Christ propos'd the beginning year of Alexander will arise in the very year of Christ that is current or going on and if you substract 310 from the year of Alexander the year of Christ remaineth in which that year of Alexander is discover'd and finally if the year of Alexander be substracted from 310. the number remaining will shew the year before the Christian Epocha or Accompt in which the year of the Grecians began or in which the Aera or Compute of Alexander had its beginning which Compute the Arabians and Egyptians call Tarich Dhul Karnain This being thus demonstrated if you substract 310 which is the difference between the year of Christ and the year of Alexander from the Grecian or Alexandrian year 1092. that is Engraven in Syriack Characters on the Stone there will remain 782. which is the year of Christ Insculp'd on the Stone in Chinesian Characters exactly answering to the Syro-Grecian or Alexandrian year A Paradigma of the Compute or Accompt Alexander the Great died according to Plutarch Olymp. 114 A. After whose Death as St. Hierome witnesseth twelve years being compleated the Alexandrian Epocha began viz. Olymp. 117 B. N●w Christ was born the third year exclusively viz. Olymp. 194 C. The Stone was erected in the Alexandrian year 1092 D. And in the year of Christ 782. E. This being thus laid down substract the number B. from the number C. and you have the difference of the aforesaid Olympiads viz. 77 Olympiads which being reduc'd into years each Olympiad consisting of four years the Product will be 308. and unto those add the two years compleated of the Olympiad in which Christ was born and they will make 310. which being substracted from 1092. there remaineth E. the number of the years of Christ in which the Stone was erected Wherefore with good advisement they Engrav'd this two-fold Computation of Time upon this Stone that so such

People do Adore him with a perpetual Veneration And they report that these Ceremonies and Worship had their original from no other Person than that Prince which Authors usually term Presbyter Iohn whom they are certainly persuaded to have Rul'd in the Kingdom of Tanchut which is now included under the Dominion of the Kingdom of Lassa for as formerly they went in Pilgrimage from all Parts of Tartary unto him as unto an Oracle so at this very time they cease not from all Parts to flock unto this ridiculous God and Father the Head of the Lamae to obtain his Benediction so that Anno 1629. that great Tartarian Monarch of the Chineses as soon as he had subdu'd the Empire of China according to the Custom practis'd by his Ancestors was solicited by the Magistrates of Tartary to do Homage to the Great Lama that is The Priest as to the Supreme Bishop or Pope of the Religion of the Tartars and the Business was brought unto that accomplishment that the Emperor through the Advice of his Council was resolv'd to meet with the Great Lama now coming towards him even unto the Walls of the Empire of China in a Progress almost of two Months space if Father Iohn Adams an intimate Associate of the Emperor out of an extreme hatred unto the thing had not shew'd himself averse and opposite and that by the allegation of many weighty Reasons which Persuasions of the aforesaid Father took so good effect that the Emperor was so far from vouchsafing to go forwards out of the City to meet him that he would hardly give him any farther entrance or admission than the Garden of the Palace of Pequin and at length after the usual Mode being Presented with divers Presents dismissed him unto his own Kingdom wholly neglecting all those accustom'd Ceremonies that were usually perform'd and he that was suppos'd to have conferr'd great Prosperity and Happiness by his Approach and Benediction brought the contrary Effects with him for that ridiculous Archpriest after his departure incurr'd the Curses and Malediction of all Persons as being the seeming Cause of Famine Pestilence and War But to return to our purpose I say therefore That 't is very probable this Presbyter Iohn resided in the Kingdom of Tanchut for he and his Successors Ruling far and wide in Asia and worthily promoting the Christian Faith those Preachers of the Word of God either being call'd or of their own accord out of zeal to advance the Christian Faith or which is more likely being compell'd by Fear and flying from the aforesaid Places in the time of that horrid Persecution which began under the Empire of Dioclesian and Maximianus in which on the Confines of Syria Egypt and the adjacent Places of Ethiopia the Followers of the Christian Doctrine were every where enquir'd and sought after to be put to most cruel Torments they sat down and Planted themselves in the middle of Persia Bactria and Turchestan and then it is altogether probable that by degrees after long Exilement arriv'd in the utmost Regions of Asia and lastly Anno 600. in the time of the Empire of Heraclius persidious and debauch'd Mahomet then rebelling new Colonies were continually transplanted into the aforesaid Regions of the East For it is manifest that the Syrian or Babylonian Priests giving place to the fury of the Infidels ceased not in succession of time to propagate the Christian Religion as the alledg'd Syriack Inscription doth clearly shew where Iidbuzad Bishop of China is call'd the Son of Noah a certain Priest of the City of Balech in the Kingdom of Turchestan as is manifest from the Syriack words above-cited and here again repeated viz-Anno 1902. Iidbuzad Priest and Vicar of the Bishop of the Regal City of Cumdan Son of Noah a Priest Native of the City Belech in the Kingdom of Turchestan Now that Turchestan is the same Region which the Persians call Usbec the beginning of Great Cathay and the City Belech seated in it is clear from the Arabian Geographer Part 8. Climate 4. Line 34. where treating concerning the Turchestians a peculiar Province of the Corafini he placeth the Situation of the City Belech not far from Samarcande the Regal Court of Great Tamberlain formerly a most famous City his words are these as they are Translated by me out of the Arabick Now this is the eighth Part of the fourth Climate and containeth a portion of the Region of Corasina from Karman even to Kasaralkamat fifteen Miles hence to Samarcande six Miles and it is the Road of those that pass from Samarcande unto the City of Belech Whence it is plainly manifest that Iidbuzad Vicar of the Bishop term'd a Syrian by Original or Descent was of the Country of Turchestan or Corasine And it is evident from the Syro-Chinesian Inscription of the Stone that many of the Region of the Pagodes and other Countries of Asia penetrated into China for the advancement of the Gospel All which we leave farther to be enquir'd after by the curious Reader And thus much shall suffice concerning the Transplanting of the Colonies in the Kingdoms of Presbyter Iohn and in China Moreover those who suppose that most of these Evangelical Persons first arriv'd in India out of Syria Egypt and Ethiopia and having converted that Country by their Labors to the Faith of Christ afterwards sent out some Colonies from amongst them into China by reason of the frequent Commerce which at that time was maintain'd by a Maritime Voyage between the Indians and Chineses have much more of certainty than any others for their Opinion And of this Expedition I shall give a clear Account in few words CHAP. II. Of Cathay and its proper and genuine Situation ALthough in the preceding Discourse we have produc'd divers Passages out of various Authors both Latins Grecians Iews Arabians and Persians concerning the Situation of Cathay yet here notwithstanding for the better elucidation and clearing of the Matter we shall declare by divers Voyages and Travels purposely alledg'd for that end what at length this Kingdom of Cathay is and where situate It is not only evident by the diligent search of the Fathers of our Society that China is the greatest part of Cathay but also it is most apparently prov'd out of Marcus Paulus Venetus for he saith That the most vast City of Cambalu or as the true pronunciation of the Tartars hath it Cambalek was the Regal Seat of the Great Cham. The Fathers of our Society say That it was no other than the modern Imperial City of China which they call Pequin or Pekin and that the vastness of the Walls made in a Quadrangular order and the incredible bigness of the City do more than sufficiently demonstrate the same Now Marcus Paulus writeth That the City of Cambalu situate near the great River was anciently very Splendid and Regal for Cambalu signifieth The City of the Lord The Great Cham remov'd this City to the other side of the River for he