THE Kingdome of the Sinae whose Customs have been rela­ted unto us by the antient Hi­storians, is called by those of the Coun­trey Taybinco, by their Neighbors San­cley, and by the Europaeans China. It is situated in the Extremity of Asia, be­ing on the East and South washed by the Waves of the great Ocean, on the W [...]s [...] bounded with the higher India, and ha­ving on the North the Scythians and Ma­ssagetes for its Neighbors. The Circuit thereof is nine thousand five hundred and sixteen Dias or Miles of the Countrey, amounting in our account to three thou­sand Leagues, the Diameter or Le [...]gth thereof being eighteen hundred League [...]. In this vast and immense space are con­tained fifteen fair and great Provinces, five hundred ninety and one Cities, fif­teen hundred ninety and three Towns, [Page 2] and an infinite number of Villages. Fif­teen of the Cities are M [...]tropolitan or Principal of the Realm, superbly and commodiously built on fair Sea-ports, or the fertil Banks of great navigable Rivers. The Provinces are Paguie Can­ton, [...]oquien, Olan, Cinsay, Susuam, To­lanchie, Cansay, Oquian, Auch [...]o, Honam, Xanton, Quincheu, Chequcan, Saxii or Sancii. They are governed each of them by the wise Administration of a Vice-roy, except Paguie and Tolanchie, which are immediately under the Care of their Soveraign and the Advice of his Coun­cel: For in them he resides, as lying neerest to the Tartars, their ancient E­nemies that the Royal presence, as the Sun of the State, may dissipate the Mists and Clouds of Troubles, which would obscure the Glory thereof. The Good­ness of the Countrey is envied by all the rest of the earth: Men breath there the Air of the Eastern world: Wine, Corn▪ and Fruits are there exceeding plentiful▪ the f [...]rtil Land producing them th [...]e a ye [...]: Wooll, Cottons, and silks ar [...] th [...]e in very great qua [...]ity: P [...]rfumes [...]re there ga [...]hered, Metals are there found, Gold and Silver do there a­bound, Diamonds do there sparkl [...] ▪ [Page 3] [...]earls are there fisht up, the Sea obeys [...]heir Navigations: It is watered by great Rivers, and the Chin [...]s [...]s may dis­dain and slight the Succor of other men▪ and the Commodities of their Provinces. They are also enclosed and shut up as it were in another World, Nature hath furnished them with great Mountains, which lock them in, and Art by the care of King Tzinson has drawn a Wall five hundred Leagues long, of a very great height, and above five and twenty Paces thick, which finishes that Enclo­sure, which Nature seems to have left on purpose, that knowing their own Strength, they might make themselves a World apart: although History sayes, that the Incursions and Ravages, which the Tartars made upon them on that side, advanced the Project ther [...]of, and cau­sed them to hasten th [...] Work.

The principal Laws, under the sage conduct whereof they live in the midst of an assu [...]ed R [...]pose, accumulated with all sorts of Felicities, are

First, that the Scepter of the Chines [...] Kingdome can never fall to the Distaff▪ the Males only, and not the Females, be­ing capable of s [...]cceeding to the Crown.

Secondly, that no person of the Coun­trey [Page 4] presume to go out of the Ports thereof into any forreign parts without the express Leave of the King himself, and not of any of his Officers; and that no other from without be admitted, or may enter thereinto without the same Licence: Thus they keep inviolable the Purity of their good Customs, and with the aid of this great Wall hinder Strangers from entring into their Realm, and their Vices from their Court, which are elsewhere the Domesticks of Courtiers. If by chance any Forreigner slips in a­mongst them, he is soon discovered by every one: For to this purpose they have long since established a Custome a­mongst them, which is to crush and [...]lat­ten the Noses of their Children at the time of their Birth, so that all the Chi­neses are [...]lat-nosed: whereby a Stranger in their company has his Countenance wholly different from theirs.

Thirdly, that State-employes are con­ferred on none, but such, as are very ca­pable of them, and endu [...]d with rare and excellent Qualities. That no man be esteemed Noble, if he be not Vertuous. That the Children of great Personages cannot be admitted to the Employes of their Fathers, nor partake the Glory of [Page 5] their Reputation, if they do not equal or surpass them, fixing thus Nobility to the Person, and not to the Blood.

Fo [...]rthly, that the Children of Mer­chants and Artificers, how rich soever they be, cannot rise any higher than to the exercise of their Fathers Trade, ex­cept some rich Endowment of Mind so far advantages some one of them above other men, that he is able usefully to serve the State and Publick: Then by the express permission of the King after long Study and many painful Exercises he is made a Loytias, that is, a Gentle­man with the lustre of a pompous Solem­nity, whereof we shall speak in its place.

Fif [...]hly, that Idleness is punished as a capital Crime, and for to banish it out of the Realm, they forbid under great Pe­nalties the giving of Alms to those, that shall demand it: For poor maimed or s [...]ck persons are sent to their Relations, whom the Law constrains by force to tax themselves, and make a Purse for the furnishing of those poor afflicted ones with Food and other Necessaries: But if their Relations are poor, the Kings Purse, and publick Charity nourishes them in Hospitals, and other Houses, [Page 6] founded for this purpose; but the Blin [...] and Lame, who can work, eat not th [...] Bread of the Poor, they are forced to ge [...] their Living by turning at Mils, and do­ing other Works, the Wages whereo [...] supplies their Necessi [...]i [...]s.

Now this great Realm, under the conduct of so good Laws, is governe [...] by one Soveraign King, who resides or­dinarily in the Province of Paguie or Pagule in the City of Taybin or other­wise Suntien, which signifies in their Language the City of Heaven: Marcu [...] Paulus Venetus calls it also Quinsay, so great, that it fills with admiration the mind of those that read the Extent thereof; and being but a small Pattern of the Kingdom, shews manifestly what the Piece is: Its Diameter o [...] Length is as much as a man on horse­back can well travell in one day, for it requires so much time to go from on [...] Gate to the other: Its Breadth is hal [...] its Length, and its Circuit very vast: The Suburbs, which are many, con­tain all together as much as the Town. The Chineses have heretofore raised in this City upon the pressing Necessity of an important War, an hundr [...] thousand Foot, and as many Hor [...] [Page 7] I was present in the yeer 1616. when a Flem [...]sh Iesuit, newly arrived from China, related to the King in the Lou­vre the marvels of this Royal City, he a [...]irmed the Length thereof to be twice as much, as from Paris to Pontoise: the Rarities, which he recounted thereof, are conformable to History: Himself appeared in the Kings Closet, clothed in the Chinese Garb, the Fashion where­of was pleasant and agreeable. Three Royal Palaces are built in this great Town, one in the entrance towards the East, another in the midst thereof, and the third at the farther end to­wards the VVest. The King of China has chosen the first for his abode, of so vast a Greatnesse, that to view the Particularities thereof will take up no less, than four whole Dayes. It is en­compassed with seven Walls, so great and spatious, that in the Distances be­tween them are easily kept ten thou­sand Souldiers, which make the ordi­nary Guard of the Palace. The number of fair Chambers, rich Wardrobes, and costly' Closets amounts to above five hundred. There are seventy nine Halls, all richly built, and of admira­ble Artifice: four whereof make what [Page 8] is most remarkable in this Palace. The first is made of cast Metal, curiously wrought, with a great number of Sta­tues: The second has the Floor and the Cieling made of Silver, of a rich value: The third is of massy Gold, excellently enamelled. But the Lustre, Glory, and Value of the fourth far ex­cels the three others: it is filled with many Jewels of price: therein shines a Royal Throne, set all over with Dia­monds, and so great a number of Car­buncles, that with the other pre [...]ious Stones, they dart forth such Brightness, that the Hall is as light in the darkest Night, as if it had many Torches lighted therein: This fourth is called the Hall of the Kings Treasure, which is there also kept. In these four Halls [...]he King gives Audience to the Am­bassadors of forreign Princes, and measures the Honor, he will do them, by their Reception in these Halls. For those of the lesser Princes, his Tribu­taries, are received but in the first Hall: the more eminent in the second: those of great Kings, who acknowledge him not, in the third and fourth. He keeps also his Court in these Halls, and gives Audience therein to the Principal Officers of his Crown.

[Page 9]The Queen Mother Maria de M [...] ­dicis, a Princ [...]ss, who was the Honor and Admiration of her Age, the Lustre of whose rare and incomparable Ver­tues spread the Glory of her Name in the most remote Regions of the Earth, sent him in the year 1616. a stately Present of rich Tapestry, and her ex­cellent Piety had for her Aim in this Present the Glory and Honor of him, who had caused her to be born the greatest Princess in the World: for she did it, to the end this Prince might give fre [...]er Access to those, who wen [...] into his Kingdom, to withdraw by the light of the Gospel deceived Souls from the false worship of Idols, and put them in the way of their Salvation. He, that had the charge to present it, which was the Fl [...]ming, of whom we have spoken, assured me, that the King of China would cause a rich Hall to be built expressely according to the di­mensions of the Tapestry, where he would cause it to be extended, and would esteem it the richest Moveable of his Palace: for China, which has found before us the fairest Inventions of Arts, has not yet that of rich Ta­pestry. But this superb Palace affords [Page 10] the King the Delights of walking. There are therein very curious Gar­dens, enamelled with all sorts of Flow­ers, watered with Fountains of clear water, where the sweet Murmurings of their little Bubbles allure an assem­bly of pretty Birds, who by a naturall Concert of agreeable Musick in the fair Allies thereof charm the Troubles and Cares, that [...]ollow Royalty, and spring [...]p under Crowns. The number of Wo­men, which he entertains, make his most ordinary Company; He pleases himself by beholding in their beautiful Faces more Roses and Flowers, than the Parterres of his Gardens do pro­duce. On the sides of his Gardens are many goodly Orchards, which bring forth all sorts of delicious Fruits, and farther on are extended great Woods, some trimmed, and others growing up to a great height, where he sometimes takes the pleasure of hunti [...]g. They are in severall places compassed with many large Ponds, covered all over with River-Fowl, amongst which the Swans, who under their white F [...]athers have a Skin hideously black, appearing fairest in the Eyes of the Prince, ta­ci [...]ly teach him this wise Lesson, that [Page 11] the fair Appearances of the World and of the Court cover many Defor­mities, and conceal many Per [...]idies. The Kings of China have often ex­perienced this: The Divisions of their State, and the Troubles thereof, which lasted one and forty yeers, the Trea­sons & Massacres, which were committed even upon the Persons of the Kings un­der the unfortunate Reigns of Yanthei, Laupi, G [...]itgey, Quiontey, and Sontey, are veritable Proofs thereof in their Histories.

This is the cause that at this day they live very retiredly in their great Pala­ces, and instead of Pages and Gentle­men Attendants are served only by Women, with whom they ordinarily converse, giving them the Care of their Nourishment, and trusting them with the Conservation of their Health: not but that their persons are guarded by Men. There are, as we have elswhere said, ten thousand armed men in Guard without the Royal Palace, not counting those who are at the Gates, and on the Stairs of the same Palace, as also in the Hals. For the Chinese Princes have not been exempted from the malice of Wo­men. King Tronson, taken with the sin­gular [Page 12] Beauty of his Fathers Widow, found by his pursuits in the vain Enjoy­ment of his Love the loss of his Life: This fair Queen, named Caus [...], and who was the Cause of Misfortunes to a whole State, weary of the Inquietudes of the World, and Vanities of the Court, abandoned them after the De­cease of the King her Husband, for to give her s [...]lf up, being removed from them, to the Calm and Repose, where­in the Soul, enjoying it self, finds its Good and Felicity: She shut her self up in a Monastery of Chinese Nuns, in which the Devil under the worship of Idols makes himself be adored by the fairest women of the East: there laying at his Feet the Crown, she had upon her Head, she vailed her self like the rest, and lived in the simplicity of this Order. Tronson her Son-in-Law, who was a greater Adorer of her Attractions, than she was of the false Deities, is adver­tized thereof: He follows her, giving [...]s thereby an Example, that Kings, as well as other men, live in their Belo­veds: He entertains her at the Grate, caresses her, perswades her to quit her Vail, and put again a second time the Royall Crown upon her Head. Cause [Page 13] hearkens to him, believes him, and com­ing sorth from the Monastery, shews, that the Devotions of women are fre­quently like to Crystal Glasses, which are broken with the first knock: She is married to him. But what Good can proceed from this unconstant Change and Backsliding from the World to the Cloister, from the Cloister to the World? Certainly a woman, volunta­rily unfrockt, is a dangerous Animal in a State or Family. Cause reassumes the Ambition, which she had trampled un­der foot, and that she might reign alone in the Name and during the Minority of her Son, causes King Tronson her Hus­band to be slain. Then being Mistress of her Will, as well as of the Realm, she abandons her Reason, her Honor, and the glory of her Majesty to her la­scivious Passions: She becomes the Wife of many Husbands or Gallants▪ There was not any great man about the Court, to whom her Embraces were not permit­ted, [...]ay even proffered. This debau­ched Life of a Princess, who ought to be an Example of Vertue in a State, gives offence to every one, as being a publick Scandal. To cover it in some measure, she marries again; but that she [Page 14] may continue her Enormities, she takes a man of no Quality, who permits her every thing. Vices follow one another: From Lubricity she proceeds to Cruel­ty: Her Children, more careful of her Honour, than her self, testify only by their Regrets the Displeasure, they con­ceive at her ill Conduct: She causes their Throats to be cut, to make way for a Nephew of hers to the Crown of China, who serves h [...]r for a Support, and Upholder in her Lubricities, in which she reigns forty years, a Reign too long for so wicked a woman. In fine the Chineses grow weary of those Disorders: they send to search out a N [...]tural Son of her Husbands, Crown him, an [...] acknowledg [...] him for their King. He, named Tantzon, seized this impudent Woman, brought her to Try­al, and put an end to her detestable Lif [...] by the hand of the Executioner. This was the end of the Princess Cause, who had caused so many Disorders in the State, and was in fine the Cause of her own shameful Destruction.

But the Kings of China have for some Ages past lived extremely retired in their stately Palaces. There has been such an one, as never came forth in pub­lick, [Page 15] but on the Day, that he was Crow­ned King, and took the accustomed Oath. If the People at any time see them, ' [...]is through an interposed Glass. They say, they do thus to conserve the Royal Dignity, and the Respect due th [...]reunto, and moreover to pre­vent such Treasons, as might be contri­ved against them. This manner of li­ving thus sequestred diminishes not the Love and Reverence, which the people owe to their persons: for the Gover­nors and Magistrates well know how to keep it up, and make them observe it: and moreover in the principal Provin­ces of the Realm, where the Vice-royes make their Residence, they are accusto­med to hang up in a publick place a rich Tablet of pure Gold, w [...]erein the Ef­ [...]ies of their King is represented to the life, vailed with a Curtain embroidered with Gold.

The Loytias, who are the Knights, and the Officers of Justice go every day [...]efore it to pay their Respects in a so­lemn and submiss manner, giving the Publick this Example of an exterior Re­verenc [...] towards their Soveraign, w [...]ich often-times excites an interior Love. On their solemn Festival Dayes, which they [Page 16] celebrate every new Moon, this Tablet is unvailed, the people see it discove­red, and every one runs thereunto, to o [...]fer up their Submissions.

In the perpetual recess therefore of these delectable Palaces, the Monarchs of China have ordinarily scar [...]e any o­ther Conversation or Company, but Women▪ For besides those, that serve them, which are in very great number, they have thirty Concub [...]es, the fairest, that can be found in their Re [...]lm, and on [...] only Queen, whom they espouse, and make Companion of their Scepter. Th [...]y w [...]re heretofore accustom [...]d, who [...] they had an intent to marry, to invite to a Royal and solemn Feast all the Knights and great [...] Lords of [...]he Court, and command [...] them to br [...]ng with them their Sons a [...]d Daugh [...]ers. They were very diligent in obeying this Command, hoping, they might place in the Throne of China some one of their Daughters, and therefore advantaged their Beauties by all the Ornaments of Arti [...]ice. The Feast being ended, these Virgins were placed in a great Hall according to the Order of their Birth, and not to the De­gree of their Quality. Then the King, if he were not married, or, if he were, [Page 17] the Princes his Sons came into this Hall to entertain the Ladies, and to choose from amo [...]gst them those, the Graces and Perfections of whose Beauties were most capable to captivate their Affecti­ons by the sweetness of their Charms. The Inf [...]n [...]aes, Daughters of the King, did the same amongst the young Knights, that w [...]r [...] at the Fea [...]t: They had the Li­berty to choose [...]ut of their Number him, whom they judged most deserving, to be their Husband. But▪ all mundane things passing away, and more espcially those of the Court, this Custome is ex­tinct. The Kings of China do now all marry with their Kindred, observing on­ly the first Degree of Proximity, and sometimes the second. After that the King has th [...] [...]aken his Wife, he chooses thirty Misses, which the Law of his [...]eligion permits him to keep. These a [...] ordinarily the fairest in his State, who not being capable to arrive at the Honor of being his Wives (he marrying but one) glory nevertheless in the Enjoyment of his Embraces. They know, that the Children, which they shall hav [...] by him, will be legitimate, and tha [...] after his Death they shall be honorably provided for, and married [Page 18] to the Greatest of the Court. For he makes his Will in his life time, before ever he falls sick, in which he assigns them Legacies, and names for their Husbands thirty of the Principal Knights of the Court, that are unmarried. Af­ter he is dead. and his Funeral Solem­nized, his Successor in the Crown causes these thirty wo [...]en, who have served his Predecessor, to be magnificently ap­parelled, and adorned with all sorts of precious Jewels, and to be placed in rich Chairs in the middle of this fourth Hall, whereof we have spoken before, their Faces being vailed, so as they cannot be known. Then he calls into the Hall the thirty Knights, whom the deceased King has named by his Will, who, ac­cording to the order of their Age, or of their Nomination in the Will, come one af [...]er another, a [...]d [...]ake by th [...] hand one of these Women, thus vailed, and conduct her without discovering her Face to their Houses, where they see, what Fortune has given them, and soon prove, whether the Legacy, left unto them by their dec [...]sed Prince, be agree­able or disagre [...]able: for from that time [...]hey take them for their wives.

The other Ladies of the Court are [Page 19] married, not according to their De­sires, or the blind Passions of Love; but according to the Will of their Parents, who know how to choose for them Men, whose Age and Merit is not un­sui [...]able to their Youth and Quality. It is the Custom of China, that the Hus­bands endow their Wives at their ta­king them: for the Women bring them nothing, but their Beauty and Vertues. They pay down the promised Money, before they espouse them, who give it to their Parents, as a small Acknow­ledgment of the Care, they have had in their educating them. Thus it seems, that the Injustice of this Law forces men many times to purchase bad Mer­chandise, when in their Marriages they meet with indiscreet Dispositions, and unequal and perverse Humors. But a­nother Law sweetens this Displeasure, if they conceive any thereat: for ha­ving bought them, they are p [...]rmitted to sell them again. Which nevertheless happ [...]ns but very seldom: for the Wo­men of China are so vertuously educated, that they give their Husbands more cause to cherish them, than to put them out of their Families. The Merit of their Vertue has brought unto our [Page 20] Countrey the Glory of the Reputation of those Women, who are separated so many thousand Leag [...]es from us, and inhabit the Extremi [...]y of the World: for an Example u [...]to vertuous Ladie [...], that the Renown of their Perf [...]ctions shall never be extinct. The Vertue of these Chinese Ladies, growing up with them, is rendred perfect by Time: for from their tender Age they are bred up to the Love of Vertue and hate of Vice. They are perpetually kept in, and in­cessantly employed, to the end that Idle­ness, the Nurse of Vices, may not soften their Minds, and precipitate them into some Disorder. This Care to [...]ducate them thus is expressely enjoyned to their Parents by a Law, inviolably ob­served for many Ages in the Kingdom of Chin [...], established by the first King, who swayed the Scepter thereof, named Vi [...]ey. This Prince, knowing, that the Idleness of women had caused many Debauches to spring up in the World, which had ruined Common-wealths, overthrown whole States, and did in his time a [...]flict many Kingdoms, or­dained under great Penalties, that the Wives of Artificers should work at their Husbands Trades, and those of other [Page 21] men should be employed in the works of the Needle, and spinning of Flax. This Law was so strictly observed, that he would have even his own Wise obey it. Thus the women of China continu­ally work, and the Queen her self, who at this day wears the Crown of that Kingdom, is perpetually employed in spin [...]ing of Gold or Silk, or making some [...]ich Ne [...]dlework, which serves for an Ornament to the Altar of their vain Idols. This is the Re [...]son, that there are s [...]arce ever seen [...]ny women in their Streets, they are all employed within doors. If any of the Court-Ladies go abroad (which happens very seldom) it is to visit their neer Relations, when they are dangerously sick. They go in covered Chairs, carried upon Arms, where through little Grates, delicately made of Gold or Silver, they see with­out being seen. Another Invention of the Kings of China, who loved the Chastity of their women; serves not a little to retrench their Ramblings and vain Gaddings. They enacted, that the Mothers should endeavor to streigh­t [...]n the Feet of ther Daughters in the Cradle, to the end they might not grow, perswading their credulous Sex, that [Page 22] the Beauty of a woman consists in ha­ving little Feet, and in effect they so firmly believe it, and so violently squeeze them in their t [...]nder Age, that they are thereby incommodated, and in a sort [...]amed, which is yet another Reason, why they so willingly keep their Housés. It would be very difficult to perswade them the contrary to this Opinion, and to withdraw their Minds from this foolish Cruelty of thus rack­ing their Feet in their tender Age: for if any one of them should have the Face of an Angel, and the Foot indiff [...]rently great, sh [...] would think her self the most deformed Creature in the World. It is true, that this vain Belief of esteem­ing those women fair, who have very little Feet, is not a thing only of this Day in Asia: some Oriental Regions have hereto [...]ore followed it with as much Passion.

Aelian in his various Histories ( l. 13. c. 33.) relates, that the fair Rho­dope of the Town of Naucratium, bath­ing her self one day in the liquid Crystal of an agr [...]able Fountain, had left h [...] Cloths on the Banks upon an heap of Roses, which her Woman had gather­ed, when an Eagle, who was searching [Page 23] after his Prey, took up one of her Shooes, and carri [...]d it away. This Bird, who has been believed to be the Messen­ger of War, and to carry the Thunders of Heaven, was then an Envoy of Peace and Love. For mounting up into the Clouds, he flew on very far even unto the City of Memphis, which is now called the grand Caire, where he let fall the Shooe at the Feet of the King, who at that time reigned in Aegypt. This Prince, judging the form of the Foot by the Shooe, which was extremely little, and by the Foot the Perfection of the Lady, believed her fair enough to merit the being crowned Queen of his Stat [...], and Companion of his Scepter: He sent men on every side to inform themselves, who the Lady was, from whom an Ea­gle had carried away a Shooe. They found her (this Fortune was too great to be avoided by concealing her self) and brought her to their Prince, who took h [...]r for his Wif [...].

Thus the Orientall Beauties are small­footed▪ and from this follish Opinion the wi [...] Politicia [...] [...]f China have dr [...]wn this Be [...]ht, to kee [...] thereby their Wives within their Houses, T [...]ey are neatly clothed in Silk, and Cloth of [...]old; [Page 24] Pearls, Diamonds, and whatsoever the Avarice of man hath [...]ished out of the Waters, or digged out of the Mines, is in as much use there, as in Europe. Their Habits do in some measure resemble those of th [...] Spanish Ladies, and their rich Head-attires are not borrowed, they are made of their own Hair deli­cately braided, and interwoven with little Tresses of Gold, and elevated on the Top of their Head in the fashion of a Crown, closed or girt about with a Fil­let covered with Jewels. All this Pomp, although it depends on the Vanity of the World, agrees nevertheless with their Chastity: for they have alwaies had, as we have elsewhere said, the Glory of being very chast.

The Kings of China scarce ever [...]dy without Issue Male: the number of Wives, whereof we have heretofore spo­ken, sufficiently furnishes them with Heirs to their Crown. The first, that is born of any one of them, is the lawful Successor of the State: the others are e­ducated, as are all the Princes of the Royal Blood, in Towns remote from the Court, which the King assigns them for their Appennage, where in superb Pala­ces they live with all [...]orts of Pleasure [Page 25] and Delight. But they are forbidde [...] upon pain of Death to go forth of these Palaces, or ever to come unto the Court, except the King summons them thither: The most remote cannot come forth of their Palaces without incurring the same Penalty. These Prohibitions ne­vertheless diminish not the Respect, which is due to their Persons. The Governors of the Province and of the Towns are obliged to go and visit them every Festival day, which is the first Day of every new Moon. The [...]ame, as also the Magistrates, passing on horse­back before their Gate, are obliged in reverence to dismount, and if they are in Chairs, to come forth, and go on foot, without Train and Pomp, till such time as they are past the House, the Gates whereof, to the end no one may be ignorant of it, are painted with the Princes Livery. Thus the State of China, without the least trouble of Ci­vil Wars, enjoys the sweetness of Re­pose: and the Princes of the Royal Blood live far from the Inquietudes of the Court with the security of their persons in the midst of all sorts of Plea­sures and Recreations, respected and honored like Demi-Gods, the Care of [Page 26] the affairs of the Province, where they live, never troubling in any sort the Calm and Tranquillity, which they en­joy.

The Courtiers of the King of China are all Loy [...]as, that is to say, Knights: They are of two sorts: some advanced by the Merit of Learning; others by the Valor of Arms: and there is not seen amongst them any man, whom the blind Temerity of Fortune, or the Wind of Court-favor hath elevated to this Dignity. T [...]ey asc [...]nd only by th [...] Steps of Vertue, which conducts [...]ome in this manner. Th [...] Visitors Generall, whom th [...] King, by the advice of his Councell, [...]ends from three ye [...]rs to three y [...]ers through the Provinces of his Realm, have nothing so much re­commended to them, as to look after the young men, that are educ [...]ted in the Colledges, for to render them capable to serve the Publick: They examine them, choose the best Wits, and having found them sit to be employed therein, on the behalf of the King make them Loy [...]ias, that is to [...]ay, Knights, give them both the Priviledges, and Marks thereof. These are a Girdle of Gold and Silver, and an [...]at adorned with [Page 27] [...]wo Brooches of Gold in the fashion of [...]alm, having two Labels hanging down [...]ehind, like unto those, which are at [...]he Miters of our Bishops. They make [...]hem take the solemn Oath, which is, [...]aithfully and carefully to serve the King and the Publick in the Charges, wherewith [...]hey shal [...] be honored; that they shall not in [...]he exercise thereof take any present from [...]ny person whatsover, but shall content [...]hemselves with the Pension, which t [...]e King shall give them, sufficient to serve [...]heir N [...]cessities, and the Splendor of their Dignities. The Pomp and Magnificen­ces, which are had on the Day, that [...]hese new Knights are made, testify a publick Joy, that Vertue is elevated to [...]he Charges of Honor, and that the Em­ [...]ire is served and governed by well-qua­ [...]i [...]ied Personages. Then these Loytri [...]s depart with the new Marks of their new­ [...]y-received Dignity, and go to Court, where they visit the President of the Kings Councel, and the other Ministers of S [...]ate, by whom they are received and caressed. Their Names are immediate­ [...]y registred in a Book, which serves for [...]his purpose: They are commanded to [...]eside at Court, expecting till some Em­ployes fall void, wh [...]reof they may be [Page] provided. During this time they compleat themselves, and add to their Acquisition of Learning the Practice of conversing with men, r [...]ndring themselve [...] capable to do well. When then Occasions are offered to provide for them some are sent Governors into one Province, others Lieutenants into another and some are made Soveraign Judges▪ The other sort of Loytias or Knights ar [...] made of Grace (say the Chineses) and b [...] the Will of the King, who are the Treasurers of the Realm, and old Captains that have done worthy S [...]rvice. But see not any extraordinary Favor in thi [...] second Creation of Knights: For al [...] though these are not made by Examen as are the others, who are learned what Grace is done to them, to giv [...] them, what their Valor has well merited in the midst of the ordinary Peri [...] and Hazards of War? The Law also o [...] the Court of China ref [...]ses none [...]he Recompence of his Valor: the lea [...]t privat [...] Souldier may pretend unto it, and obtain it. Should they [...]ee in China a Souldier, lamed in the Trenches, reduced t [...] beg Alms through the Streets of th [...] Towns, they would impute it as Crime to him, that should suff [...]r it, an [...] [Page 29] [...]he Realm would be esteemed unwor­ [...]hy to have men, which might serve it at [...]ts Necessity. These last Knights are never advanced to the Governments of Provinces or Towns, the Law of the State gives them to those, that are lear­ned, who in their Realm are esteemed above all things in the World. These Loytias or Courtiers are ordinarily clad [...]n Silks of divers Colors, covered with Robes and Cassocks: The Governors, and those, that have the principal Em­ [...]loys of State, have their Cassocks from [...]he Girdle downwards embroidered with Gold and Silver: They all wear [...]ong Bonnets, and have on the top of [...]heir Head a Tuft of long Hair, curi­ [...]usly plaited and enterwoven with Gold. Superstition, the Mistress of their Minds, [...]as advised them to make use of this sort of Perruke: They believe, that at their Death they shall be taken up to Heaven by this handful of Hair. Their Preists, prouder than the rest, wear none of [...]his Lock, but have their Heads quite [...]haven: For they preach, that they have [...]ower enough by the Merit of their Con­dition to ascend of themselves unto Hea­ [...]en without being forcibly and violent­ [...]y drawn up by the Hair. But they [Page 30] labor in vain both the one and the o­ther: Heaven receives no Idolat [...]rs, whether they wear long Hair, or have their Heads shaven. These Courtiers▪ wear also the Nails of th [...]ir Left hand extreamly long for the same Reason, as they do their Hair, as if it were only Scrambling-work to get up to Heaven. Surely the Court has been the Abode of many Fools, and the Spirits of Courti­ers forge there strange and ridiculuous Fancies. This difference have I obser­ved in their Histories, that these men with long Nails and sharp Talons do not rake and scrape so much, as those of o­th [...]r Countries, that have them shorter. Their Language is extremely polite, and wholly different from that of the other people of China. Their ordinary Dis­course, when they are together, is not, [...]s elsewhere, of frivolous and foolish Matters, nor of the shameful Ra [...]coun­ters and filthy Practices of a Bawdy-house; but of Politick and Civil Affairs: They propose Questions of State, dis­course of the Means of preserving a Realm, relate such, as have served for the Augmentation of it, and confirm their Discourses by some Example, drawn from their History. Their De­portment [Page 31] is grave, and their Counte­nance [...]erious. When they go forth in publick, they are carryed in Ivory Chairs: They keep their Eye alwaies fixed upon one and the same Object with the Severity, taught them from their Infancy: Their Guards and Servants are round about them, and their Friends follow them: There are led after them many Horses of State, and many Para­fols are carried to defend them from the Heat and Inconvenience of the Weather. If they are already provided of any Charge or Government in the State, ma­ny Officers of Justice go before to make them way: Some carry great Reeds, hardned in the Fire, to punish those, whom in their way they shall find con­vinced of any light Insolence. One of the Company carries before his Breast a Tabl [...]t, fringed round about with Gold, wherein is written in great Letters the Power of him, that goes in this Pomp. W [...]en these Courtiers meet, they sa­lute one another in this manner: They stretch forth their Arms, bending them in the manner of a Bow, then interlace the Fingers of their two Hands one with­in the other, and make a profound Re­verence, accompanied with some honest [Page 32] Complement, as this: Could I as easily m [...]et [...]ith Occasions of serving you, as I do with your Person, I should sincerely [...]estify, how much I am yours, and should live the most contended man in the Court. They say also very often: I [...]ish you all sorts of F [...]licities, not so much, as your Vertues me­rit (for that would be impossible, the World [...]ot having enough) but as much, as man can enjoy. This Complement finished, they are long in a courteous Contest, who shall part first, to continue his way. Per­sons of meaner Condition, as are simple Citizens, use to salute one another in this manner: They close their left hand, cover it with their Right, and then lay­ing them both upon their Breast, bow very low, in sign of Respect, and by some honest Complement desire him, whom they salute, to believe, that their Amity consists not only in the exterior Ceremony; but also that it hath its prin­cipal Seat in the H [...]rt, where they swear inviolably to preserve it: This said, [...]hey pass on, and continue their way. Certainly there is no Nation, how rude and barbarous soever it be, which has not received and cherished the Laws of Courtesy. And those, who at this Day rudely reject them, are brutish Spirits, [Page 33] who have nothing of man, but the Ex­terior. When the Distance of the pla­ces, where they are, hinders their Com­plements or Discourse by mouth, they do it by Letters missive with the Polite­ness of the Chinese Court: They gild all the Margin of their Paper, which is v [...] ­ry [...]ine, and made of the Rind of Reeds: they limn it, and write in the middle, what their Affection or Courtesy di­ctates unto them: They put the Letter, without closing it, into a Purse, made of the same Paper, curiously gilded and Painted, close it, and seal it. These Missives, thus gilt, are sold by the Book­sellers of the Court, even ready writ, so that there is nothing to do, but to sign them, and the use thereof is so fre­quent among the Courtiers, that at their visits they give them to one ano­ther for a greater Assurance of Friend­ship. For the Complements, which are made by Words, have no other Support but the Wind, and those, which are made by Writing, remain for a Pledge, of what is promised. Thus by the Rules of Courtesy, a [...]d a strict observance of the Laws of the Realm, th [...]s [...] Chinese Courtiers live in Calm and Repose, and their Discretion has ba [...]ished from the [Page 30] [...] [Page 31] [...] [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34] Court the Temerity of ill-grounded Quarrels, and the Fury of Duels. Not but that the Insolence, which has brought other Vices to th [...] Court, has conserved its place there by inducing thos [...], who are most susceptible of its Counsels, to injure others by word: Which happens sometimes amongst them, when th [...]y cast forth Reproaches, which seem as ridiculous to us, as they are sensible to them, their Offensiveness being groun­ded upon the Oracles of their Religion: for one of their Prophets threatens the Disturbance of their Tranquillity in words of this import, That a Day will come, that they shall be subject to men, ha­ving long Beards, Aquiline Noses, and great and Cat-like Eyes. Thus these men, described in this manner, being in their Opinion odious unto them, when they will reproach any one, they call him, Cats-Ey [...]s, which is amongst them the greatest Injury, wherewith they can attack the Honor of an honest man.

When in the Commerce of the Court their Ambition pursues any affair, they will know the Event thereof, before it happens, and to this end they cast t [...]eir ordinary Lot, which they use in this manner. They have two little pieces [Page 35] of Wood, like unto two Nut-shels, tied together by a Thred, and after they have invoked the Assistance of their I­dol, they [...]ast them before it: and if th [...]se Pieces of Wood meet both with their hollow part upon the Ground, they hope from thence in their affairs the Accomplishment of all their Desires: but if on the contrary they are turned with the hollow side upward, they vo­mit forth all sorts of Injuries against their Idol, and begin again to cast their Lot: if it continues not to fall well, they take their Idol, beat him, souse him in the Water, and often scorch him at the Fire, and con [...]inue their Lot till such time, as 'tis favorable to them. Then they take again their Idol, em­brace him, and put him with all sort of Honor upon the Altar, sing Hymns to him, and offer him Wine and the most exquisite Viands, they can find. Cer­tainly in the madness of these Chinese Courtiers we do in a manner see the Portraiture of the Impiety of some o­thers, that live in a better Religion, who in the Disorder of their Affairs ac­cuse the innocent Heaven, as a Party to their Misfortunes. These Chinese Courtiers have also another manner os [Page 36] Lot: They put in a Vessel many little Sticks, in every one of which is written a Letter of their Alphabet, and after they have well shaken the Vessel, they cause one to be drawn out by the hand of a little Child, they look, with what Letter it is marked, and search after­wards in a Book the Leaf, beginning with that Letter, read it, and interpret, what they find written therein, to the good or bad Success of their Designs. Thus every where Men are men, and in all places the Court is a Sea, where Am­bition steers her Course, and plies both Oars and Sails for the Accomplishment of her Designs, and, for to arrive there­unto, spares no sort of Invention, how sinister soever.

Their Devotion, which has no Ob­ject, but Wood and Stone, carved and fashioned into Idols, is Court-like, that is, Cold, done in a customary manner, and in the Languors of a soft Negli­gence: and their Sacrifices are in some sort the Image of the Love, proper to Courtiers. They retain the best part, of what they immolate, and give their Gods, what they would refuse them­selves: If they cut the Throat of an Heifer, or kill a Boar, they give the Altar [Page 37] only the Tips of the Ears. If they sa­crifice Fowls, they offer there the Claws and the Bill, and eat all the rest: Great Vessels of Wine are there presented, but they drink it themselves, after they have cons [...]crated and poured forth on­ly some few Drops thereof: For at Court all is for themselves, and scarce any thing for Heaven. History accuses them of Unfaithfulness in their Promi­ses: It sayes, they measure the continu­ance of their Faith only by their proper Interest, and keep it no longer, than it contributes thereunto: And indeed what Good can be expected of Men and Courtiers, who are alwayes in Delights. Th [...] Fertility of the Land, the Sweet­ness and Temperateness of the Air, the Tranquillity of the State, the Affluence of Riches, and above all the Falsity of their Idolatrous Religion plunges [...]nd bemires them in all sorts of Pleasures, the capitall Enemies of Vertue. The least voluptuous amongst them are these learned Loy [...]ias, whom their Condition, and their ordinary Em­ploy in the most important Affairs of State, keeps alwayes in Business, which, being incompatible with Vices, the Of­spring of Idleness, stifles them in their [Page 38] Birth. When these Courtiers go into the Countrey they make use of Coaches, which sail upon the Land as well, and almost [...]s swif [...], as Ships upon the S [...]a: To shew, that the Wind guides and governs all at Court: And if in China the Coaches of the Nobility go with Sails, the Spirits of Courtiers are else­where driven by the Wind: For if the World be nothing but Vanity, the Court, which is the Quintessence there­of, sells, gives, follows, and adores the Wind.

The King of China is served and fol­lowed by such Courtiers; but his Coun­cell makes the soundest and best part of his Court: For Kings cannot be with­out it, which is (when good) the Con­servation, yea, the Augmentation of their States, and without Counsell the most puissant Monarchies are ruined and destroyed by the weight of their own Grandeur. The King of China chooses his Counsellors from amongst the learn­edst, most experienced, and wisest of his Realm. [...] the Choice and election of them Favor has no Vote; Merit and Vertue only speak for them: For this Prince practices as fully, as any o­ther Monarch of the Earth, the Advice [Page 39] of the wisest of Kings, whose Counsell to his Equals is, Not to admit into their Councels ill-qualified, ignorant and stub­born Spirits, who are [...]urr [...]ed, whitherso­ever their Passions driv [...] them. The Councellors of State in Chin [...] ought, be­sides the Probity of their Life, and the Integrity of their Manners, to be learn­ed in the Laws of the Kingdom, to have taken the Degree of Loytias, to be skil­full in Morall and Naturall Philosophy, and well versed in Judiciary Astrology. Their Religion expressely requires this last part: because (saith it) those, who are at the Helm of the State, ought by this Science to have an Eye to the Fu­ture, to foresee Tempests and Storms, to avoid Rocks, to preserve themselves from Shipwrack, and happily to steer the Ship of the Common-wealth. They are thirteen in number, twelve Coun­cellors, whom they call Auditors, and a President, who is with them, what the Chancellor is with us. The Coun­cell is held in the Royal Palace; the Hall, where they assemble, is suitable to the Pomp and Magni [...]icence of the Chinese Monarch, there are erected therein for the performance of their Functions twelve stately S [...]ats, six of [Page 40] Massie Silver, and six of pure Gold: In the midst of which under a Canopy of Cloth of Gold, adorned with two wreathen Serpents, woven of Gold, which are the Royal Arms, shines one of fine and Massy Gold, enriched with Jewels, wherein sits the President of the Councell, or Lord High Chancellor of the Realm. Certainly this august Furniture of these Councellors of State is worthy the Matter, wherewith they are concerned: for if Counsell be some­what divine and sacred, as inspired by GOD, we must not think it strange, that in China it is accordingly reveren­ced. These men, thus magnificently seated, give the best and soundest Ad­vices for the Glory of their Prince, the Good of hi [...] Stato, and the ease of his People: Their unblameable Life, and the Wisdom of their Minds furnish them with Lights worthily to serve their King. It is also from such men, that one learns the wise Maxims of good Government, and not from Councellors, that are disquieted by Avarice, diver­ted and corrupted by Delights, puft up and swoln with Ambition: For who is he, that would search for a living Spring in a silthy Bog, or that would draw foul [Page 41] Water to drink, sayes a wise Councellor and Chancellor of Antiquity. When any one of these Statesmen dies, he, that is next in Order of Reception, takes possession of his Place according to the Law, so strictly observed in China: That the Services of every one have the Recompence, that their Condition can pre­tend to. They ascend then from one Degre [...] to another, it not being necessary to demand therefore the Permission of their Prince. But for to supply the last Place, the Councell chooses the most experienced and wisest man of the King­dom: If he be absent, they send for him; being arrived, they present him to the King, who confirms, or disallows his Election; but the last scarce ever hap­pens. The new chosen Councellor in this manner takes his Oath between the Kings hands: That he will render Iustice to every one according to the Laws of the Kingdom, and that in the Administration thereof, as also in the Nomination of Go­vernors, or Iudges of the State, Passion or Affection shall never supplant with him Vertue and Merit: That he will not re­ceive any Presents: That he will with all diligence preserve the Peace of the King­dom, and that he will advertize the King [Page 42] and his Councell, of whatever shall come to his knowledge, prejudiciall to his Service. After this solemn Oath, he is put in possession of his Place in one of the thirteen Seats in the Councell-Hall. The Royal City celebrates the Solemni­ty ther [...]of, all the Realm keeps Holy-day, and the People rejoyce thereat with Sports and Publick Feasts. And surely the Passengers have Reason to rejoyce, when wise Pilots are called to the Go­vernment and Steerage of the Vessel: For a King, who is swayed by Counsell, has need only of wise and well-advised men, who may counsell him without Passion. The President only of this Councell had the Priviledg [...] to speak to the King, when he does, 'tis alwayes on his Knees with a singular Respect: When he is sick, then the ancientest Au­ditor of the golden Seats performs his Offi [...]e. Happy indeed are the men of Chin [...], who live in a Kingdom, where Vertu [...] receives its Honors and its Re­compence: B [...]t much more happy woul [...] they be, if the Worship of the tru [...] GOD conducted them to eternall Feli [...]ity by the means of a better Re­ligion, [...]han that, which deturns them from it. Now although the Kingdom [Page 43] of China be of a very great extent, as we have already said, nevertheless the Kings Councell is advertized [...]very Moneth of all, that passes in the Provin­ces thereof, the most remote from the Court. The Vice-royes or Governors are obliged to give them by the Post con­tinual Advice thereof. The President of the Councel, having r [...]ceived it, gives an account thereof to the King, and very exactly informs him of all, that passes in his Realm: And if the Disorder of any Province obliges the Councell to send thither some one of the Court, it is done with incredible Expedition, and that Secrecy, which is very often requisite in State-affairs. He, that is sent, departs without being known, arrives there In­cognito, informs himself of all, that has past, and afterwards, if it be necessa­ry, makes himself known, and shews his Power. Moreover these Councellors of State, not by Dozens as elsewhere, but twelve in number, keep the first and uppermost Ranks in the Realm: For there b [...]ing in China neither Dukes, Marquesse [...], Earls, nor other like Persons of this Illustrious Quality, the Law of the Countrey removing from the Court all the Princes of the Blood, they re­ceive [Page 44] in their Places the Honors and De­voirs, which should be rendred unto them: They are visited with very great Respects, they are spoken to on the Knee, and every one payes them an extraor­dinary Veneration.

By the Advice of these wise Counsel­lors of State, the King commits the Char­ges of his Realm to those, whom Vertue and Merit has rendred most worthy thereof. These Charges or the most e­minent of them are six in number. The first is that of Vice-roy of the Province, who in their Language is called Comon: He is Supreme M [...]gistrate, and repre­sents in his Government the Royal Per­son of his Master. The second is the In­suanto: He is after the Comon Governor of the whole Province, as is in our Coun­treys a Lieutenant General for the King. Now in every Town of the Province re­resides a Governor, called Tutan, who besides the Care, he has to govern the Place, intrusted to him, is obliged also in the exercise of his Charge to report to the Insu [...]nto the principal Affairs of the Place, where he commands; the Insuanto advertizes the Comon, and the Comon gives Advice thereof to the King and his Counc [...]l. The third is the Po [...]chasi or [Page 45] Superintendant of the Treasures, who has under him many smaller Officers, and a compleat Councel: He payes with the Money, which is sent him, all the Officers of the Province, and consigns th [...] Surplusage into the Hands of the Tu­tan. The fourth is the Toioc, who is Captain G [...]neral of the Men of War, that are in the Province, as well Ho [...]se, as Foot. The fifth is the Anchasi, or Lord Chie [...] Justice, as well in Causes Civil, [...]s Criminal: To him belongs the last Decision o [...] all Differences, brought be­fore him by Appeal from the inferior Judges. The sixth is the Ay [...]ao, or Pre­sident of the Councel of War, whose principal Office consists in levying of Souldiers both by Land and Sea, in fur­n [...]shing and providing with Necessaries the Garrisons, that are upon the Fron­tiers of the Realm. Besides this, it be­longs to him to take an account of the Strangers, that arrive in his Province, to question them very exactly, to know, whence they are, and on what De­sign they are entred into the Realm, and diligently to advertize the Vice-roy of all. These Charges have in them the bright [...]st Lustre and Glory of the Realm, and every one of these above-named [Page 46] O [...]ficers hath under him ten Auditors, chosen out of those, who are adjudged to be the most prudent and most experi­mented in Affairs, who [...]ase them and aid them in the expedition ther [...]of. These Auditors are in the Function of their Charges in very great Considera­tion through all the Countrey: They assemble ordinarily in the House of the Comon or Vice-roy in a superb Hall, de­stinated for holding the Councel: Five of them sit on the Right hand of him, that presides, and the five others on his Left hand: Those, that are on the Right hand, are the ancientest, and have Place above the others; besides which their Habit also makes their Difference from the others: for they wear Girdles, gar­nished with Gold, and Hats of a pale co­lor; whereas those of the Left hand wear only Silver in the Garnishment of their Girdles, and have blue Hats. But both the one and the other, as also the Pre­side [...]t, wear before their Breast and on their Shoulders the Arms of the King, which are two Serpents in embroidery of Gold. This Mark is so necessary to them, that without it they dare not go abroad, nor perform any Exercise of their Employs. History crowns these [Page 47] Judges and Officers of China with the Praise, merited by the Vertues, which it recounts of them, and particularly takes notice of the admirable Patience, where­with they are endued: They hear (sayes it) very patiently the Parties, even in the Heats of their Passions: and the con­fused Tumul [...] of many, even of those, whom the Vehemency of Affairs causes to speak with Disorder, troubles no [...] in them this fair Vertue of hearkning without Choler to those, that are trans­ported therewith. And their Speech is accompanied with so incredible a Sweet­ness, as makes them appear gracious even to those, whom they condemn. Such are the O [...]ficers and Judges of China, whom Vertue and Experience, not Mo­ney and Ignorance, advance to the Dig­nities of the Realm.

Besides these six principal Officers there are many others, inf [...]rior and sub­ordinate to them; as the Cantoc, who is the great Standard-b [...]arer; the Pothin, who is the second Tr [...]asurer; the Po­chinsi, or Keeper of the S [...]als; the Avi­zatzi, or great Provost▪ three Judges of the Court, who are named in their Em­ployes H [...]gtag, Tzia, and Tontay, who give Audience in their Houses once a [Page 48] week, and before the opening of their Gates for that purpose, cause three pie­ces of Canon to be discharged, to make known, that they are going to take their Seats: imitating in the Gravity of their Seats of Justice the Wrath of the Thunders of Heaven, which serve not only for an Advertisement to the innocent, but also to strike Terror and Dread into the culpable. They have under them a great number of Provosts for the Exercise of Justice: but they are not so absolute in their Judgments, but that they have over them another Judge, who may reform them. This Judge is called Hondim, which signifies in the Chinese Language the Repairer of Evil: It is also his Business to repair it by his Decrees, if the other Judges have done any by their Sentences. There is also at Court the Tompo, and by the Ex­ample thereof his Office is erected in the remote Towns. His Duty is to make provision for Victuals, and to set the Price thereof. The Quinchay, which sig­nifies in their Language Golden Seal, is an Officer that never departs from the Court, unless some important Affair ob­liges him thereunto: He makes publi­cation of the Edicts of Peace, and others [Page 49] of like Natu [...]e, established by the King.

This is in generall the account of the Chinese Officers: let us now consider in particular the manner, how they worthily perform their Employs. As soon as they are invested therein, they depart to go and exercise them: The Charges of their Journey are at the Kings Expence, so is their House in the place, where they are to make their abode: Which is so vast, that all the Officers of Justice dwell therein, for the convenience of the Publick, and the ready Execution of Judgments. The Salary, which they have besides this▪ is sufficient for all their Expences, where­with they ought to content themselves: For to take any Present from the Parties, the Law, so rigorously observed in the Realm, very expressely prohibits them under great Penalties, as also it doth the Parties to give any, who are not p [...]rmitted to see the Judges in their Houses: for to have Justice of them, they m [...]st rend [...]r themselves at the ac­customed Audi [...]n [...]es.

When the Judg [...] is in his Se [...]t, the Ushers go to the Door of the Hall, and there with a loud Voice nam [...] him, who [Page 50] comes to have Justice, and also tell, what he demands: The Party presently enters, kneels down before the Judge, proposes his Demand: or, if it be by Writing [...], gives it to the Clerk, who reads it: The Judge without delay or­dains, what is just, and does himself write his Judgment with red Ink, to a­void the Faults, committed by the Clerks, the Inconveniences from which Faults proceeding are in other places sufficiently proved to the Damage of the Parties. These same Judges are obliged to go fasting to hold th [...]ir Au­diences, and if their In [...]irmity demands some Support in their Weak [...]esses, they are only permitted to use Conserves in the manner o [...] a M [...]dicin [...]: but should they take any Wine b [...]re their Au­dience, th [...]y would be no [...] punished, than if they had been guil [...]y of commit­ting some violent Injus [...]ice. The Judg­ments are executed from p [...]int to point without any fraud: In all matters th [...] Judg [...]s proce [...]d alwai [...]s by Wri [...]i [...]g and if the Affair be important, [...]hey d [...] themselves w [...]ite the A [...]ts and D [...]po [...] ­tions of the Witnesses: W [...]i [...]h is [...] caus [...], t [...]t few men compl [...]i [...] of [...]ei [...] Justice, and that there are v [...]ry fe [...] [Page 51] Appeals to the superior Judges. They number in their Jurisdictions the Houses of the Places, that resort thi [...]her, they set them by Tens in a Tablet, hung up at the Last of the Ten, in which the Names of the Inhabitants are written, with the Ordinance of the King, which enjoyns all persons▪ of what Quality and Condition soever they be, to reveal incontinently to th [...] Justice, what they shall see committed by any of their Neighbors against the publick Good▪ and even against that of the Delinquents, that the p [...]nishment [...]hereof may be speedily inflicted. But if any one of the Ten goes a Jour [...]ey, quits the Coun­trey, Town, or Stre [...]t, he must ten dayes before his Departure ring a Bell, or a Coppe [...] B [...]son, [...]hrough all the Quarter, to the end tha [...], if he ows any Money, his Creditors may know of his Departure, o [...] if any one has lent him oug [...]t, they may come to demand it: but if he will depart unknown, his Neighbors ought to wa [...]ch over him: for in his absence [...]he Judges constrain them to pay for him.

But there are very few persons, which become Bank [...]upts: The Laws, strictly observed in China, punish them rigorously: [Page 52] They give them Times for payment: The first Failure is punished by scourging; if they satisfie not at the second time, their Chastisement is doubled; if they are Affronters to the third, they are whipt, till they are bloody, and are kept perpetually in Prison. Which causes, that, when any one is unable to pay his Debts, he im­plores the Aid of all people to be quit thereof, and if he cannot bring it about in this manner, he gives his Liberty, and sells himself to his Creditors, to avoid the smarting Stripes of the Whip. Now when any Judge appears abroad (which is very seldom, their Custom being to be very retired, by which means, they say, they are less diverted, and better preserve their Authority) he goes accompanied with all the Offi­cers of Justice: whereof the two first, who go in a breast, carry upon their Shoulders two long Maces of Sil­ver, for a Sign, that they are Officers of Justice; two others follow them, having each of them in their Hands a long and strait Reed, which they car­ry upright, shewing thereby, that they ought to do right Justice, and that such will be done by the Judge, whom they [Page 53] attend; these are likewise followed by two Officers, who carry also Reeds, which they draw upon the ground with long red Girdles, these are the Rods, wherewith they scourge such Criminals, as they meet with; the two following carry two white Tables, wherein are written the Name of the Judge, his Office, and his Quality: The rest of the Train are Persons, that follow and accompany the Magistrate, to do him Honor. This Pomp and Formality of Justice is not a vain Ostentation of these Officers, they live as they speak, and are such, as they appear, endued with Vertue, exact and upright in their Employs, and of unblameable Lives. But Men are Men, and not Gods, who cannot de [...]lect unto Vices; and the Pro­bity of a Magistrate, being in an un­constant and mutable Life, may be the same, although this happens seldomer in China, than elsewhere. The King and his Councell have provided for this Inconvenience necessary Remedies, which punish those, that offend, and keeping the other in aw, make them con [...]ain themselves in their Devoir. The Employs of such▪ Officers are but of three years duration, which being [Page 54] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] [...] [Page 53] [...] [Page 54] expired, they must before certain Judges, named Cha [...]nes, render an account of th [...] Administration thereof, Neverthe­less the King sends e [...]ery yeer Visitors through the Provinces of his Kingdom, named Lenthis, persons faithfull to his Service, ver [...] well experienced in the Af [...]irs of the World, and of signall Honesty. This Delegation is done so secretly, that it is known only to the King, and the President of his Councell, who causes the Secretary of State to dispatch Letters thereof, leaving a Blank for the Name of the Person, that is sent, and the Province, to which he goes. There is put in the Letters this Clause, necessary for the absolute Power of the Visitor, That in what place soever the Iudge or Loytias should come, bringing the present Letters of Provision, he should be ob [...]yed, as the King himself. These Letters being sealed, the President puts in the Name of the Visitor, and of the Province, whereunto he is sent: He, having received them, departs so secret­ly from the Court, and travells so in­cognito, [...]hat no one knows who he is, or whi [...]her he goes. He arrives thus unknown in the Province or Isle, which he is to visit, goes through the Countrey, [Page] travells from one Town to another, and informs himself with all manner of Care and Diligence of the Deport­ments of the Officers from the Vice-roy to the meanest Auditor, not letting himself, during the Labor of [...]his exact Information, be known to any one. When he has finished it, and believ [...]s, that he has su [...]icient Proofs of the Pro­bity of some, and ill Demeanor of others, he goes to the Capitall Town of the Province, and there expects the Day, that such Officers ass [...]mble in Councell, which is onc [...] a Moneth at the house of the Vice-roy, or, in his absence, at the Tutan's. And when they are assembled, he comes to the Gate thereof, and com­mands the Usher to advertize them, that there is at the Gate a Judge, who will come in, for to declare unto them a Command of the Kings. The Vice-roy, who conceives, what the Business may be, causes the Gates to be opened, descends from his Seat, and accompanied with his Offic [...]s, goes to receive him, as Superior: Who enters, carrying in his hands the Letters of Provision. These P [...]ents strike Terror into a part of the Ass [...]mbly, and the guilty Judges shew already upon their pale Faces the [Page 56] Marks of their Offences: The Patents are read aloud: Which being done, the Vice-roy rises from his Seat, makes many low Reverences and Submissions to the Visitor, which is done likewise by all the other. Then he takes his Seat in the most eminent place, and in a grave and serious Harangue declares to them the Cause of his Coming, the Care, he has taken, in making his Visit through the Province, and exactly and truly informing himself of their De­meanors: He crowns with a thousand praises the Vertue and Probity of those, that have done well, promises them to make report thereof to the King and his Councell, assuring them of the Re­compence, which their good Serv [...]ces merit, and in the mean time instals them in the most honorable Places of the Councell of the Province. After that these deserving Persons have thus received from his mouth and hand this Honorable Testimony of their Vertue, he publickly r [...]proaches those, that he has found culpable, with the Filthiness of their Traffick in the Sale of Justice, shews them the Shamefulness of their Oppressions, and reckons them up par­ticularly the Number of their Misdeeds. [Page] The Effect follows close this shamefull Reproa [...]h, he fulminates against them the Sentence of Condemnation, deprives them of their Employs, and despoils them of the Marks thereof, takes from them in the face of all the Councell the Girdle, and narrow-brim'd Hat. If their Faults merit a greater punishment, he leaves the Judgment thereof to his Soveraign Prince and his Councell: For the Law of China prohibits all Judges from condemning any one to Death, without the King be first ac­quainted therewith, and judge, what is sitting to be done. But ' [...]hus Justice is exercised in China upon those, that deny it to others. In this manner Reward being wholly apparent, yea, certain for Vertue & Judgment for Vice, the greatest part of men [...]mbrace [...]hat, for [...]o enjoy its Crowns, and shun this, for to avoid the Evils, it brings along with it: and th [...] Re [...]lm of China enjoys [...]ll sort ofFelici [...]ie [...]

This wise [...]olicy is practised in China, for to keep the [...]nhabitants within th [...] Bounds o [...] their Duty. But R [...]alms▪ lik [...] humane Bodies, are not only ass [...]il [...]d by interior E [...]emies. S [...]rang [...]rs and [...]se without may ruine them: [...] as M [...]ns Body is killed by Sword and Spea [...], [...]s [Page 58] well as by those Diseases, which have their Source and Cause within the same. This causes the Soveraign Monarch of China to furnish his Holds with good Garrisons, to cover, when there is need thereof, the Field with armed men, to keep constant Guards at the Sea-Ports, and to oppose against forr [...]ign Violence the best and resolutest Troups of his State, who know how to defend it against the Designs and Attempts of an Invader. Let us see first the Vigilance and Great­ness of his Forces by Land, and after­ward we sh [...]ll give you an account of his Strength at Sea. Every Province has its Councel of War, consisting of the va­liant [...]st and most experi [...]nced Warriors of the Realm: These dispose of the Soul­diers according to O [...]casions and Oc­currence [...], and cause them to be so ex­actly paid, that they lose nothing of their Due: for the Treasurers, who keep the Kings C [...]ff [...]rs, are charged to refuse them nothing. Towns are not prese [...]ved by Bastions, nor defended by strong Tow­ers. The Monarch of China practises the Advice of that generous Gre [...]k, who said, That the best Defences of a C [...]y con­sisted in the Valor of the Ci [...]izens: They have nevertheless very good Wals, en­compassed [Page 59] with deep Ditches, which they fill with Water at their pleasure by the Current of the Rivers. The best For­tifications, that can well defend them, are the good Garrisons, that are put therein, which keep a very exact Guard, not permitting any one to go in or out, without Leave in writing from the Ma­gistrate, or Governor, that command there. They are careful in shutting their Gates, they seal up the Locks, and open them not, till the Sun is up▪ that they may know their Seals. Their Artille­ry, which is excellently good (the use whereof was first known to them, before it ar [...]ived to us) is usually placed upon the same Gates. The Captains are Na­tives of [...]he Provinces, which they guard, to the end that the N [...]ural Love of their Countrey, joyned with the Duty of their Charge, may augment their Cares for the Co [...]servation of the Places. They lodge upon the Wal [...] of the Towns, where their H [...]uses are built on purpose, for to be continually in their Ex [...]rcises: they do th [...]m without any Co [...]adicti­on, wit [...] any [...]esistance of the I [...]habi­tants of [...]he Town [...] which they guard: for [...]he [...] of [...] S [...]ate has taken [...]rom them the Means of revol [...]ing, forbid­ding [Page 60] them to bear Arms, or have them in their Houses upon pain of Death, permitting it only to those, that are in [...]he Kings Pay, who succeed in this Qua­lity from Father to Son. They are di­stributed into Thousands, whereof e­very Hundred has its Captain and An­ [...]ient, and all these are commanded by on [...] Chief, as is with us the Colonel of a Regiment. They use often Exercise, to [...]eep the Souldier in breath, and hin­der Idleness from rusting his Arms, or abating his Courage. Their Arms are Harquebusnes, Pikes, Staves headed with iron, and Hatchets. The Horse use o­ther Arms: the Trouper, when he goes to battle, carries at the Pommel of his Saddle four Swords, two whereof he takes in his hand, when he sights, and uses them with admirable dexterity: Arrows and Lances are also in use with them. They are wont to be environed with a Troop of Servants, that are about them, when they go to battle, who are nimble, and well armed. Their Valor consists in Craft, and S [...]ratagems of War, in which they more employ their Wits, than they do their Courages in charging the Enemy openly. They are very bad Horsemen, and manage their [Page 61] Coursers with the Whip and the Voice' having instead of a Bit only a piece of Iron, which they put cross their mouths. Their Arms are light, and their Courages heavy.

Their Cavalry also makes not the best part of the Forces of China, which are so great, that they would suffice for the guard of many Realms. It is true, that the vast and great Provinces, where they are established, contain, each of them in its Dimension, the extent of a Kingdom. That of Paguie, where the King makes his ordinary abode has for its Conservati­on one and twenty hundred and fifty thousand Foot, and four thousand Horse. That of Canton has an hundred and twen­thousand Foot, and fourty thousand Horse. That of Foquien fifty eight thousand nine hundred Foot, and two and twenty thousand four hundred Horse. Olam seventy six thousand Foot, and five and twenty thousand five hundred Horse. Cinsay, eighty thousand six hundred Foot, and no Horse: because the Situ­ation of the Countrey is mountainous and rocky. Oquian has likewise no Horse: the Guard thereof consisting only in an hundred and twenty thousand six hu [...] ­dr [...]d Foot. The Province of Susuam I as [Page 62] eighty six thousand Foot, and thirty four thousand five hundred Horse. That of Tolanchie, neighbouring on the Tartars, with whom the Kings of China have of­ten had great and bloody Wars, is guarded and strengthned with eigh [...] and twenty hundred thousand Foot, assisted by two hundred and ninety thousand Horse, both the one and the other be­ing the best and stoutest Souldiers of the whole Kingdome. Cansay has fifty thou­sand Foot, and twenty thousand two hundred and fifty Horse. Auchco is guarded by eighty six thousand Foot, and forty eight thousand Horse. Honan by fourty four thousand Foot, and eigh­teen thousand nine hundred Horse. Xan­ton has seventy six thousand Foot and ten thousand one hundred and fif [...]y Horse▪ Quinch [...]ue fourty eight thousand seven hundred Foot, and fif [...]een thousand three hundred Horse. Chequ [...]an thirty four thousand Foot, and thirtee [...] thou­sand Horse. And Sancii, the least of all the Provinces, has fourty thousand Foot, and six thousand Horse. All whi [...]h For­ces amount in the whol [...] to five Millions eight hundred and sev [...]nty thousand eight hundred Foot, and five h [...]ndred forty eight thousand Horse. This [Page 63] Multitude of armed men might, if they were valiant, conquer the rest of the ha­bitable Earth. But History places their Courages much below the Europae [...]ns. The most redoubted Commanders of former Ages, who conquered many Realms in Asia, triumphed over Africk, and struck Terror into Europe, had not in their Armies any thing neer the number of the Chinese Garrisons: And truly I should suspect the History thereof, and esteem it fabulous, did it not prove the Verity of its Relation by the great number of the Towns, and the vast Extent of a Realm, which might contain therein fifteen well-peo­pled Kingdoms, every Province of China being equal to a great Monarchy. But these dreadful Chin [...]se Forces banish Troubles from their State: For we take Arms, that we may have Tranquillity, and War is often made for the obtai­ning of Peace. The Garrisons of the S [...]a-ports, and the Guards, which ly in the Chanel for securing the Merchants, are not in this number. The King main­tains many well-armed Ships of War, which are very vigilant i [...] his Harbors, and on his Seas, to preven [...] th [...] [...]esc [...]nts or Robberies of Pirates. These Vessels [Page 64] are of divers sorts: some are very great, wich they call Ioncos ▪ others are less, and like to our Fregates, and are named by them Bancoens; some are larger than these, and have many Benches, every Bench has eight Oars, and every Oar [...]ight Rowers: These they call Lanteas.

Now for to d [...]fray the Expence of so many Souldiers, to pay the Salaries of the Officers of Justice, and of the Ex­chequer, and to furnish the Royall Pa­lace with all, that is necessary, the So­veraign Prince of China needs a great and puissant Revenue: He levies it up­on the Men, the Houses, the Corn, the Mines of Gold and Silver, the precious Stones, the Pearls, the Porcelane, the Wool, the Cottons, and the Silks. The Men of the fifteen Provinces are a great part of them exempt from all Tribute: as the Loytias, Judges, Officers, and Souldiers; and yet the number of those, that pay, is not small. For the Province of Paguie contains two. Millions seven hundred and four thousand Tributaries: That of Canton three Millions and six hundred thousand: Foquien two Mil­lions four hundred and seven thousand: The Province of Aucheo two Millions [...]ight hundred and forty thousand: [Page 65] That of Olam two Millions two hundred thirty four thousand: That of Cinsay three Millions three hundred and eighty thousand: Susuam two Millions and fifty thousand: Tolanchie six Millions and ninety thousand: Cansay two Mil­lions three hundred and five thousand: Oquian three Millions and eight hun­dred thousand: Honan twelve hundred thousand: Xanton nineteen hundred forty four thousand: Chequean two Mil­lions two hundred fourty four thousand: Quincheu two Millions and three hun­dred thousand: And Sancij sixteen hun­dred seventy two thousand five hundred Tributaries. Each of these Tributaries payes every yeer two Mases: the Mase may be in value ten Sols French, so that the annuall Revenue, arising to the King of China, may be fourteen Millions two hundred fifty three thousand one hundred sixty seven Crowns of France. Besides this, the other Tributes do much advance his Revenue. The Gold-Mines pay him every yeer in Gold, from seven­teen to two and twenty Carats fine, four Millions two hundred fifty six thousand nine hundred Taes, every Tae being of the Value of an Italian Crown. The Silver-Mines yield him in sine Sil­ver [Page 66] three Millions an hundred fifty three thousand two hundred and nine­teen Taes: Those of Stones fourteen hundred and seventy thousand Taes. The Fishery of Pearls brings into his Coffers two Millions six hundred and thirty thousand Taes. The Tax upon Odors, as Musk and Amber, is worth a Million and [...]ive and thirty thousand Taes: That, which is upon Porcelane, brings ninety thousand Taes: This se­cond Tribute making in all eleven Mil­lions five hundred eighty four thou­sand French Crowns: so that the Re­venue, hitherto reckoned, amounts to about six and twenty Millions of Crowns. But the third Tribute upon Corn, Salt, Wool, Cottons, and Silks, is yet more worth than all this. This puissant and opulent Monarch gives to his Subjects a great Quantity of Land, depending upon his D [...]mean, on Condition, that they render unto him a part of the Pro [...]its thereof, which serves for the necessary Provisions of his Royall Pa­lace, and for those of [...]he Officers of his Realm. Those, who are appointed to collect this Tribute, gather every yeer sixty Millions an hundred seventy one thou [...]and eight hundred and thirty [Page 67] Measures of White Rice, which is the most ordinary Food of the Men of China, and their Neighbors: Twenty nine Millions three hundred ninety one thousand nine hundred eighty two Mea­sures of Barley: Thirty three Millions one hundred an [...] twenty thousand and two hundred Measures of Wheat: Twenty Millions two hundred and fif­ty thousand Measures of Rie: Twenty five Millions three hundred and fourty thousand four hundred Measures of Salt: Twenty four Millions of Measures of Millet: In other Grains and Pulse fif­ty four Millions of Measures. Silk, wrought into Cloth, furnishes him with two hundred and six thousand Pieces of the most curious work, every piece be­ing 14 Ells long: That, which is un­wrought, brings him 540 thousand pound weight. He has in Cotton 300 thousand pounds weight the work of Coverings for Beds yields him 8 hundred thousand & 4 hundred Pieces of the most exquisite: Raw Silk also gives him the weight of four thousand pounds: the Manufacture of Cotton brings him six hundred seven­ty eight thousand Pieces of this Stuff, each fourteen Ells long: Raw Cotton yields him three hundred and four thou­sand [Page 68] six hundred forty eight pounds weight: The Value of which Incomes, augmenting the Sum of the Tribute in Money, causes the annual Revenue of this great Empire to amount to an hun­dred and twenty Millions of Crowns.

This great and superb Treasure of the King of China, collected from his Subjects, and the excellent Prudence, wherewith he governs his State, and manages so rich a Revenu [...], have made him take for his Arms two golden Ser­pents, entwined one within the other: and the immense Extent of so vast and fertil a Kingdom, abounding with all sorts of Felicities, has caused him to put among his Titles the Style of Lord of the World and Son of Heaven: And truly since the Countrey is a World in Great­n [...]ss and Goodness, he has Reason to call himself the Lord thereof. Kings are in eff [...]ct doubly the Sons of Heaven, not only by the benefit of their Creation, as are other men, but also by the excellent Priviledge of their Soveraignty, whi [...]h is the living Image of the celestial Pow­er. But the Monarch of China in the Vanity of his deceitful Religion, and the false Worship of his Idols lives as a Son of the Earth. Nevertheless the [Page 66] Greatness of his Treasures, the Puissance of his Forces, the Fertility of his Coun­trey, and the Extent of his State, have carried the Pride of his Spirit to that de­gree of Insolence, as to contemn all the rest of Men, and to esteem only those of China, He sayes often, and the same Vaunting is in the mouth of his Sujbects, That the Chineses have two Eyes, the Eu­ropaeans one, and that all the other men of the Earth are blind.

Notwithstanding this Fault, which is common to many Princes, the Ami­ty and Alliance of so opulent and puis­sant a Monarch merits well to be sought for by other Soveraigns. His Neighbors esteem and desire it: The Tartar, his capital Enemy, requests it, and the King of Spain has judged it pro­fitable for the Good of his States, and the Glory of his Majesty. So when these Princes send Ambassadors to him for this purpose, or for to treat of some impor­tant Affair, he r [...]c [...]ives them, honors them, and causes all sort of good Recep­tion to be shewn them. When they en­ter into the Realm, the Governor of the [...]lace, through which they pass, assi­ [...]ted by all the Loytias and Captains of [...]he Countrey, goes to meet them, for to [Page 70] testify unto them by [...]loquent Harangue the welcomness of their Arrival. I [...] they come by Sea, although there [...] but a very little Distanc [...] from the Har­bor, where they land, to the Town, ye [...] are they not at their Landing permitte [...] to set foot to ground: They are receive [...] in Chairs, very richly embroidered wit [...] Pearls, covered with Curtains of Clot [...] of Gold, which eight men carry on thei [...] Arms, whereof there are some kept i [...] the principal Towns, set apart for th [...] only use: For the Law of China say [...]s Let a forreign Ambassador be rec [...]ived an [...] honor [...]d in the same manner, as the Prin [...] should, by whom he is sent, if he came in [...] the Realm. When they are a [...]rived, the [...] are lodged in an House, m [...]de for the [...] built like a Palace, royally furnished and provided with all things necessary where they are served and treated at [...] Expences of the King, as likewise all [...] long their Journey, where they are a [...] so at the Kings Expences guarded [...] attended by a thousand Souldiers. T [...] morrow after their Arrival, the Gove [...] nor, who was to receive them, goes vi [...]it them, and after many suitable Co [...] plements, asks [...]hem the Subject of th [...] Ambassy, and having learnt it, d [...] patches [Page 71] a Curier to the principal Town of the Province, to advertize the Vice-roy thereof. The Vice-roy dispatches the same Currier to the Court, and writes thereof to the King and his Coun­cel, who send the Ambassadors a Safe­conduct for their Journey. Having re­ceived it, they set forwards towards the Court, attended by the number of Soul­diers, wh [...]reof we have lately spoken: they are maintained, and have their Expences defrayed by the Kings Trea­surers, and whereever they pass, all sort of Honor is rendred them. Whe [...] they arrive at the Royall City of Taybin, the ordinary Re [...]idence of th [...] Court, the Kings Co [...]c [...]ll▪ attended by the prin­cipal Knight [...], go to meet them: The Presid [...]nt of this Royall Councell makes a Ba [...]d apar [...] with the Train and Pomp of a King. If th [...] Am [...]assadors come from great Monarchs, this great Pre­sident go [...]s on their Left hand: if they come from lesser Pri [...]ces, h [...] takes the Rig [...]t, and in this ra [...]k accompanies them [...]o the House, prepared for them, the Fur [...]iture wher [...]of, and the Prepa­ra [...]ion for the Ent [...]tai [...]ment of the A [...]bassadors, are truly b [...]s [...]eming the Grandeur and Magnificie [...]ce of the King [Page 72] of China. By the way he discourses them of the Rancounters of their Jour­ney, and the State of their Health, an Interpreter, who is with them, assisting him, that understands not the Language. When they are arrived before the Pa­lace, where they are to lodge, the Pre­sident takes his leave of them, and at his Departure gives them Power from the King, to create a number of Loytias or Knights, and to deliver many Pri­soners, condemned unto Death, for an assurance of their Welcome unto that Court. The Law of China exempts them from all sorts of Inconveniences, that is to say, that whatsoever Crime the Ambassador commits in the State▪ his Person cannot be any way therefore punished. He passes some dayes in his Palace, before he has Audience, to the end that the Repose, he [...]inds there, may free him from the Wearisomness, con­tracted by his Journey. During this time he is treated by the great [...]st of the Court, who let him see the best Com­panies thereof, and the Magni [...]icence of their Feasts: After this a day is a [...] pointed for him to come to Audience [...] The King, assisted by his Councell, an [...] by the Principall of his Courtiers, gives [Page 73] it him in one of those superb Hals, whereof we have spoken b [...]fore: There he treats of the Subject of his Ambassy, and after he has received an Answer thereunto, returns laden with Presents towards the Prince, who sent him. His Return is as pleasant, as his Arrivall▪ he is attended by the same Troops of Souldiers, maintained in the same man­ner at the Kings Expences, and where­ever he passes, he receives the sam [...] Courtesies and the same Honors.

But all the Ambassadors, that arrive in Chin [...], are not received in the same ma [...]ner: for those, that [...]ome from Princes, or Republicks, their Tribu­tari [...]s, are rec [...]ived according to their [...]o [...]di [...]ion, and as Dependents of the Re [...]m. When they arrive, one only Ju [...]ge receiv [...]s them, lodges them, and main [...]ai [...]s them at the King's Charge. At the Court th [...]ir R [...]ception is suitable th [...]eunto: The Judge, who receives them, a [...]ks them the Subject of their Journ [...]y, they t [...]ll it him, he advertizes the P [...]sident of the Councell thereof▪ and the President acquaints the King, who appoints them a Day of Audience: But when they go thereunto, 'tis on [...]oot, or if their Indisposition permits [Page 74] not that, they ride on an Horse without a Bridle, having only an Halter for a Mark of Humility and Vassallage: They have no other Company, but the Judge, that received them, with whom they take their way to the Royal Pa­lace: When they come before it, they attend in a great Place a certain Officer of the Kings, that is a Master of Cere­monies, who from a sufficient Distance makes them a Sign to come on, and [...]hews them the Place, where they must begin to put themselves on their Knees, to joyn their Hands, and lift them up on high in sign of Adoration, and to direct their Eyes towards the place, where they are told that th [...] King [...]s: Thus they approach to the Palace, and enter thereinto, after they have made five other Reverences, or rather [...]ive Adorations: They arrive at the [...]irst Hall, being the least of the Palace, where the President of the Councell, Majestically seated, and not the King, whom they see not, gives them Au­dience, after which he s [...]nds them back without making them a [...]y [...]nswer, till such time, as he has spok [...]n thereof un­to the King: Then his Majesti [...]s Will is sent unto them by the Judge, [...]hat had [Page 75] the care to conduct them. Thus they return, as they came, without any kind of Honor, as being in some sort Subjects to the Stat [...] of China. For such Prin­cipalities or Republicks, as send them, were heretofore Provinces of the Realm, but being too remote at such time, as the Chineses withdrew themselves with­in the Enclosure of the Mountains, which with that great Wall of [...]ve hundred Leagues long lock th [...]m up, they gave these Provinces to tho [...]e, who do at this day possess them, upon condition of Tribute and Homage.

But if any Ambassador of a Soveraign Prince brings Presents to the King of China, and that the Law and Custom of the Countrey obliges him to expect the Safe-conduct from the Court in some Port, or some Town of the Realm, the Governor of the Place, where they stay, receives in the mea [...] time the Present. But he looks up [...]n it in the presence of a Notary, and some Witnesses, seals [...]t, and sends it [...]ealed to the Court with [...]hat, which is given to himself: As it hapned some yeers since to the Ambassa­dors, sent by Philip the second, King of Spain, into China. For it is expressely forbidden under great Penalties to all [Page 76] persons, who have Employ in the State, to receive any Presents from any per­sons whatever, though they be even their neerest Relations. But thus are received in China the Ambassadors, who go to treat with the Prince of that Coun­trey. Which shews, that th [...] Chin [...]ses are polit [...], and have as good Qualities, as any other people of the Earth.

They have also amongst them Lear­ [...]ing, and good L [...]tters, which are the true Ornaments of the Mind, and the Light, which enlightens men in the ob­scure Intricacies of the greatest Affairs. They cause their Children to be instru­cted therein from their Youth in the Colledges, ordained [...]or this purpose. The Characters, which they use, have somewhat of the Hieroglyphicks of the ancient E [...]yp [...]ians: for each of them sig­ni [...]ies an en [...]ire word, and sometimes a Period: As for example, they call the Heaven Guan [...], which is a Word of five Letters, and nevertheless they write it wit [...] o [...]e only Character, thus delinea­ted.

They call a Town Leombi, and [...]his Word is expressed also by one only Letter, or rather [Page 77] Figure, which is as followeth,

For which Cause they have a great number of Letters or Cha­racters, wholly diff [...]rent, amounting [...]o about [...]ix thousand. Their Kingdome contains divers Idioms and differen [...] Lang [...]ages, nevertheless they all under­stand one another by Writing: For al­though one and th [...] same thing be diffe­ren [...]ly named in several Provinces, it is nevertheless written in one and the same manner through all the Countrey: As a Town, which (as we have said) is called Leombi at the Court, is in other places called Fu, and is every where written in the manner, described by us. The People speak the common Language of the Countrey; but the Scholars, and Courtiers, who are all so, have one, wholly p [...]culiar and familiar to them­selves: They call it M [...]ndarin, which is, as the Latin amongst our learned men. There are found very f [...]w men in China ▪ how mean soever their condition be, but can at least read and write: For in their Countrey the Adornments of the Mind are in singular esteem, and Vertue is greatly honored, and diligently rewar­ded. They have Printing in perfecti­on: It was found out amongst them, be­fore [Page 78] the industrious German Iohn Gut­t [...]mberg taught us the use thereof in the yeer 1458, which was the first b [...]gin­ning th [...]r [...] of in Europe. The first Stamps were made at Men [...]z: and the first Book, that came under the Press, was the learned Work of the great St. Au [...]ustin, entitled Of the City of GOD: Conrad [...] the G [...]rman carried it fr [...]m thence into Italy and other places. Before all this then it had been brought from China by Merchants, that traffiqued in that Coun­trey, who, coming into Arabia Felix, passed the Red Sea: They were after­ward in Russia and Muscovia, where they left Books, printed in China in the Cha­racters of the Countrey, which were brought into G [...]rmany, and coming to the knowledge of Guttemberg, furnished him with a Pattern, by the imitation whereof he framed his Stamps. For the Chineses maintain, and there is appa­rence, that it is so, that all the rest of the World is indebted to them for the Invention of Printing. It is very true, that there are found Books, printed a­mong them above five hundred y [...]ers, be­fore Printing was known to the Inhabi­tants of Europe. The Paper, whi [...]h they use, is very fine: They make it of [...]he [Page 79] Rind of Canes or Reeds. Their Pens are the same Reeds, cut, and pointed at the End after the manner of Painters Pen [...]ils. The [...] writ [...] from the Right hand to the Lef [...], and draw lines from the Top to the Bottom. Through all the Cities of the Kingdome there are Royal Colledges for the edu [...]ation of Youth, and in the Boroughs th [...]re are Schools, wh [...]re at the Kin [...]s Expences is taught to read and write, so tha [...] the meanest persons cause th [...]ir most tender Youth to learn these hon [...]st and useful Ex [...]rcises. They teach gratis in the great Colledges Natural and Moral Phy­losophy, Astrology, the Laws of the Realm, and many other fine and curi­ous Sciences. The Reg [...]nts are there very learned, and the Scholars very stu­dious: They know, that th [...]ir great La­bors shall not be without Crowns: that the Study of Letters by the good Qua­lities, wherewith they imbellish their Minds, are S [...]eps to mount up to the great Employs of the Court and King­dome: For in the Court of China are not s [...]n any Ignorants, and to be so in that place is a very great Infamy. The Visi [...]ors, appointed by the King, visit often enough these Colledges, examine [Page 80] the Scholars, and honor with many Re­compences those, whom they [...]ind dili­gent in their S [...]udies. This is the Cause, [...]hat this great Realm abounds with men of Me [...]it, and that their Minds, pusht on by de [...]re of Glory, which they cannot fail of, labor diligently in th [...]ir Studies, and give to the Publick the Ben [...]fit of their rare Works. The Libraries of China are full of such Piec [...]s: The Cu­riosity of Christians has brought them even into Europe, Heaven permitting it, to the end that the Glory of their Au­thors may not be con [...]ined within the Enclosure of the Mountains, and of the Wall, that shuts in China. The Libra­ry of the Vatican at Rome, and that of the Royal Monastery of St. Laur [...]nce in Sp [...]in, have many fair Chinese Volumes, wher [...]of some treat of Astrology, of Mo [...]al Philosophy, of the number of the Heavens, of the Motion, and Influences of th [...] Planets, of the Properties of Stones and Metals, of the S [...]crets of Physick: Others contain the Laws of the Realm, the Revenue ther [...]of, the Art Military, the Means of well governing Navies, and many other Sciences, the Glory and U­tilit [...] whereof accumulate [...]hina with ma­ny [...]elicities; and has furnished the men [Page 81] thereof with the Precepts and Means of governing the State, that they possess, free from the S [...]orms and Tempe [...]ts of Civil Wars, wh [...]reby many others are shipwracked. For we find in their Hi­stories, that for above two thousand years they have conserved and maintai­ned their Monarchy against the Trou­bles, which might be stirred up within and about the vast Extent thereof.

But the Vertue of the Chineses is not without Divertisement, and the long Repose, which they enjoy, with the a­bundance of Riches, brings forth De­lights amongst them, and conducts their Life in the Charms of Pleasures. The most ordinary, which robs their serious Employs [...]f a part of the Time, that ough [...] to be dear to them, are su­perb and magni [...]icent Feasts, where they are deliciously treated: They manage and make them in this mann [...]r. They give every one of the invited, how great soever the Number of them be, [...]is [...]a­ble apart, where he eats alone: These Tables are of a very rare Arti [...]ic [...], the Wood thereof is exquisite, and the Work [...]gular: They are inlaid with Fillets of Gold or Silver, so dextr [...]usly en [...]erlaced, that they r [...]pres [...]nt the [...]i­gures [Page 82] of Birds, of Landschapes, of Hunt­ings of div [...]rs sorts: For the Arti [...]icers of China in the excellency of their Art are wonderfully industrious, and bear the Bell from all other people of the World. They cover not these Tables with any Tabl [...]-clothes, the Cleanliness and Neatness of the Chineses in their Eating has no need thereof: They spread upon them Carpets of Damask, or like Stuff, hanging down to the ground: They place upon the four Corners of the Table severall little open Baskets, woven with Threds of Gold and Silver, some full of divers Flowers of Sugar, re­presented to the Natural; others bear an agreeable diversity of severall Beasts, made also of Sugar, as Elephants, Lions, Stags, and Hinds: some are filled with Birds of the same Stuff. In the middle of [...]he Table are placed exquisite Viands, wh [...]ch make a part of the good Cheer of the Invited: These are ordinarily all sorts of Fowl and Venison in Plates of Silver and fine Porcelane: They eat nea [...]ly, and take their Meat wi [...]h Forks of Gold or Silver, not touching it any way with their Hands. The Wine, w [...]ich they ordinarily [...]ill, is made of Palm, delicious to the Ta [...]t, and less [Page 83] offensive to the Head. The Tables are placed in a Circle, to the end that th [...] Invited may see one another. While they thus make good Cheer, many Mu­sicians and Players on Instruments ban­quet their Hearing with the Sweetness of their agreeable Concerts; some o­thers repres [...]nt to their Eyes the Ran­counters and Inventions of some pleasant History: Their Fea [...]ts are never with­out a Comedy, which is excellently well performed, the Persons are very dex­trous thereat, and the Habits, which they use, wholly sit for the Representa­tion. The last Course is of all sorts of Fruits, and Comsits in great abundance, the use wh [...]reof is very common in China. The Courtiers and other men of China often pass thus their time in the Enter­tainment of these delicious Feasts. But particularly on the Day of the great Feast of their Religion, which they cele­brate the first Day of the Moon of the Moneth of March, they give [...] to their Senses all the Pleasures, that they de­mand: They cloath themselves superbly, and adorn themselves with the richest Jewels, that they have; They plant at their Gates great Trees, like to the May-poles in our Coun [...]r [...]ys, and hang [Page 84] the Fronts of th [...]ir Houses with many Pieces of [...]ilk and Cloth of Gold; They crown the Streets with many triumphal Arch [...]s; they illustrate the Night with an in [...]inite number of Lights, which they hang at these Trees; They banquet and feast without c [...]asing.

These Exc [...]sses are yet greater, when the Courtiers, or oth [...]r Grandees of the Realm treat their Equals, or feast any Ambassadors of a Soveraign Prince: then their Magnificence appears in its greatest Splendor. The Invited h [...]s many Tables for himself alone, the Number whereof amounts to twenty: He eats at the first, and all the others are laden with all sorts of raw meat, as Tame an [...] Wild Fowl, Venison, Gam­mons of Bacon, and many others. Af­ter the Feast is ended, the Servants of him, who treated, take them off, and carry them before the Invited unto his House, where they leave them with great Ceremonies. The Friends or Kindred of the Family perform the Civilities of the House: For the Master of [...]h [...] Feast absents himself, and through Decency, according to the Cus [...]om of the Coun­trey, is not to be found: Those, that are entrusted by him, who are never­theless [Page 85] Persons of Quality, conduct the Invited unto their Places, where they are seated in rich Chairs under a Canopy of Velvet: And before they begin to eat, they take every one a Cup, fill it with Wine, and having made many great Reverences, go to the Windows, where in a place, from whence they may see the Heaven, they of [...]er them to the Sun, make a great discourse in manner of a Prayer, and request of this fair Planet (that can give them nothing but the Light, whereby they see to drink) con­stant Prosperities for the Invited, and that the Amity, which they intend to contract, may be beneficial and favoura­ble to them both. Dissolute Feasts are tempestuous Se [...]s, where amidst the De­lights of the Body the Vertues of the Mind are oftentimes shipwrackt. Where­fore he, that has left▪ unto men the Rules of good Conduct, advises them rather to go unto the House of Mourning, and the Accompanying of Funerals, than to the Pleasures of sumptuous Banquets: Because that in those they have before their Eyes the Por [...]rait of mans End, which ofte [...] ca [...]se [...] in them an [...] [...] of their Vani [...]ies; but these▪ b [...]i [...]ching their Minds, rob [...]hem of t [...]mselves, [Page 86] and make them forget their Condition. It is true, that the Chineses have, besides many others, this laudable Quality, that they are no less skild in politickly ma­naging their State, than in ordering, as they exc [...]llently do, the Pomp and Mag­nificence of a superb Feast: although their licentious Religion forbids them not the entertainment of the Delights and Pleasures, that are Enemies to solid Ver­tue.

These men, who say, that they have two Eyes, and who (as we have already told you) look upon the greatest part of other men as blind, are themselves so dim-sighted, as to hold for Gods Pieces of Wood and Stone, fashioned into I­dols by their own hands. For in the Court, as well as in other places of the Realm, they adore the Works of Pain­ters and Gravers: They keep in their Houses Idols, w [...]ich they venerate with a particular Worship, and have Re­course to their vain Assista [...]ce in all [...]heir Affairs: Their Temples swarm there­with, there are some, that contain above two hundred upon divers Altars, amo [...]gst which that of the D [...]vil has alwai [...]s its Place, and receives equal Venerations and Sacrifices: not but that the Chineses [Page 87] know, that he is the obstinate Enemy of Mankind, and the Author of the Crimes, that are committed in the World, but they honor him so, that he may not hurt them, and not through any expectation of his Assistance. Besides these dumb Divinities, they revere and pray unto a great number of men, already dead, who have in their Realm surpassed others in th [...] Valor of Arms, in the Light of Learning, or in the Sanctity of an au­stere and recluse Life in the Solitudes of their Religious Monasteries: They call them Paus [...]os, that is, Blessed, in the number of which th [...]y put also ma­ny Women, and of the one and the o­ther they venerate three with a singular Devotion. The first is called Sichie, who came (as they say) from the Realm of Tranth [...]jico, which lies towards the West, brought into China the Rules of Religious life, and was the [...]irst Inven [...]or of [...]loisters, and of Religious Orders, that live in Community without being married. He had his Beard and Head shaven, his Followers are also shaven, and all the Chines [...] Monks [...] forth the Glory of his Name, and eleva [...] the Merit of his Vertues above a [...] [...]he o [...]her Saints. The second Subject in this Rank [Page 88] of singular Sanctity is a Woman, called Canine: She is also worthy of her Name▪ for the Devotion, which is born to her in China, does with an importune Bi­gottery gnaw the Spirits of the simpler Ladies. They say, that she was Daugh­ter to King Tzonton, who desiring to marry her to a Prince, as well as her Sisters, who were all Children of this Monarch, she would never consent there­unto, alledging for her Reason, that she had vowed unto Heaven a perpetuall Chastity. The Father, offended at h [...]r Refusall, revenges it on her, that made it, deprives her of her Liberty, encloses her in a great House in the form of a Monastery, and through contempt makes her employ her Time in vile and abject matters, causes her to carry Water and Wood, and to cleanse a great Gar­den, which depended on that place: She does it, and labors therein with a sin­gular Patience. But Heaven, to which she had made a vow, and for the Love of which she was thus contemn [...]d, sola­ges (say the Chin [...]ses) her Pains, dismisses from its fair Va [...]lts its [...]ppy Inhabi­tants for to comf [...]rt her, and sends many Animals to succor her: the Saints of Heaven came to draw water for her; [Page 89] the Apes served for her Servants; the Birds [...]leans [...]d the Alleys of this Gar­den with their Bils, and swept them with th [...]ir Wings; the Savage Beasts descended from a neighboring Moun­tain to carry h [...]r Wood. The King her Father, seeing her one day thus served by these new Domesticks, believed her to be a Witch, and resolved to purge by Flames the Crime of her En [...]hantments: whereupon he caused this House to be set on Fire. She seeing, that this [...]ine place burnt for her sake, would have kil­led her self with a long silver Bodkin, that held up her Hair, which she set to her Throat: but on a sudden there fell a Shower of Rain, that quenched the Fire: then she quitted her Design, retired unto the Mountains, and hid her self in the Caves thereof, where she continued her Penance. Heaven, which protected her thus, would not leave unpunished the Cruelty of her wick [...]d Father: It struck him with a Leprosy, and abandoned his living Body to the Worms, that gnawed him, and made him suffer many Tor­ments: Canine had a Revelation thereof, Charity makes her quit her Solitude, for to go and succor her Leprous Father. As soon as the King saw her, he cast [Page 90] himself at her Feet, craved her Pardon, and adored her: She, judging her s [...]lf unworthy of Adoration, would have resisted it, but not being able to do it by reason of [...]he feebleness of her Body, a Saint of Heaven came and set himself be­fore her, to repair the Fault, and to let her understand, that the Adoration was performed to him alone. At the same time she returned to her Cave, and there finished her Life with equal Sanctity. The Chineses hold her for a great Saint, and pray u [...]to her ordinarily to obtain the pardon of their Faults. The third is a Wom [...]n, named Neome, who, they sa [...], [...]ss [...]ed from a very illustrious Fa­mily of the Town of Cuchi, in the Pro­vince of Oquiam: And as her Father would have violated the Vow of Chasti­ty, which she had made, and have con­strained her to marry, she fled away, and retired into the D [...]sart of a little Isle, which is over against Ingoa, where she lived very holily, and wrought a great number of Miracles: of which they re­late this, as the most remarkable of them all. They say, that a great Captain, named Campo, Admirall of the Navy of the King of China, went one day to wage War for his Master in a neighbor­ing [Page 91] Kingdom: He came with his Fleet to surge at Boym: When they would de­part from thence, the Mariners could by no means weigh up their Anchors, astonished whereat th [...]y all look into the Sea, and see Neome sitting thereupon, who detained them. The Generall calls to her, and prays her, as divinely inspired, to counsell him, what he had to do: She answers him, that, if he would triumph over his Enemies, and conquer their Realm, he should take her along with him, because those, with whom he was to [...]ight, were great Ma­gicians: He takes her into his Ship, weighs Anchor, sets Sail, and a few dayes after arrives on the Coast of his Enemies Countrey. As soon as they perceive the Fleet of China, these Ma­gi [...]ians have recourse to their Charms, cast Oyl into the Sea, and by their Illu­sions so dazle the Eyes of the Chin [...]ses, that their Ships seem to them all on Fire. N [...]ome, who was without doubt an ex­cellent Enchantresse, by her powerfull Countercharms undoes all, that they had done. Thus seeing, that their Ma­gick was weak, and their Arms unequall to those of China, they yi [...]lded them­selves, and underwent the Quality of [Page 92] Vassals, and Tributaries to the King of China. Campo, whom the History marks for a judicious man, and a very wis [...] Politician, enters into some doubt of the S [...]ctity of Neom [...], and believes her to b [...] a Sorceress [...]: To clear this, he asks of her some M [...]rk of her holy Vertue, to carry as a Present to the King his Master, and prayes her to make a dry Stick, which he had in his h [...]nd, to become gre [...]: She took the S [...]ick, pronounced over it c [...]rtain secret words, rendred it green and budding, and more­over of a very odoriferous smell, and thus deliv [...]red i [...] [...]o this Captain, who, bli [...]ded with the same Superstitions, as the other Chineses, attributed the Prosperi [...]ies of his Voyage, and the Suc­cess of his Arms to the Sanctity of Neome, whose Name has ever since been sin­gularly honored in China, and particu­larly by those, that go upon the Sea, who bear her Image on the Stern of their Ships, and pray unto her, as t [...]e Divinity, which presides over the Waves, commands the Sea it self, and appeases Tempests and Storms.

The Sun and the Moon are also Sub­jects of their Adoration: they revere them, as the Sources of Light, and [Page 93] Causes of Generation here below; but they believe a greater Divi [...]ity, that rules over them: for when th [...]y s [...]e, that the one or other of these Planets suffers an Eclipse, they say, that the Prince of H [...]aven has condemned them to death, and that the Fear of Punish­ment thus tar [...]ishes their Light. Then they pray this Soveraign Prince to shew them Mercy, and not to extinguish these celestial Torches, which are so necessa­ry for their Life: th [...]y say, that the Sun is a man, and the Moon a woman. Their B [...]lief holds Heaven for the Creator of all, that appears to our Eyes, and of things invisible: they express it thus by the [...]irst Letter of their Alphabet, such as we have mark [...]d before, and affirm, that above t [...]es [...] celestial Vaults there inhabits an immortal Governor, whom they name L [...]o [...]on Tzant [...]y, that is, Go­ve [...]or of the [...]reat GOD: they qualify him unc [...]ea [...]d, incorporeal, eternal, a [...]d a pur [...] Spi [...]it, they adore him with an ex [...]ordinary veneration, and attri­bute to him th [...] care o [...] Supreme mat­ters: with whom they plac [...] a [...]other of th [...] same nature, called by them Ca [...]s [...]y, wh [...] has r [...]ceived from the [...]irst the Go­vernment of that part o [...] Heaven, which [Page 94] regards the Earth, and holds in his pow­erful hand the Life and Death of men. This second hath under him three De­puties, all three Spirits, as the two first: They call them Tanquam, Teiquam, Tzuiquam▪ These are aiders and assi­stants of his great Ministery for the things of this lower World. For the first, which is Tanquam, is an aquatick Divinity, or rather the Fountainier of the World, He has the charge of Rains, and his greatest exercise is to furnish the Earth with Water. Teiquam descends lower towards our inferior Region: He presides over the Birth of Men, commands in Wars, orders Husbandry, and causes the Earth to produce the Fruits, which nourish the Men and Beasts, that inhabit it. Tzuiquam is their great Neptune: He employs his Time in intending over the Seas, re­tains or drives forward, as it pleases him, the fury of the Waves, commands the Tempests, and has a particular care of those that pass the Seas: Thus all the people of the Marine adore him, the Fishers offer sacrifice, the Seamen make Vows unto him, and the Sailors at their return from their Voyages make Playes, and rep [...]esent Comedies to the honor of his Name.

[Page 95]Now amidst the abominations of this false Worship of the Chin [...]ses are dis­cerned some Traces, and ancient Marks (though half effaced) of a better Re­ligion: For in the diversity of their Images they have one, which they hold in singular reverence: Its Form is hu­man and Majestick: Out of its Shoulders grow up three Heads, equal and alike, which incessantly behold one another, for to let us understand, that they have but one and the same Will. This may be taken for some Remains of the Mystery of the most holy Trinity, which the blessed Apostle St. Thomas heretofore preached unto them: when going to the Oriental Indies, where the Martyrdom, which he suffered, crowned his Life with an immortal Diadem, he passed through China, as is reported in the ancient Writings of the Armenians: but finding the Chineses wholly taken up with Wars, he passed on farther, after he had briefly explicated to them the Verities of the Gospel. In the same Temple, where this Image with three H [...]ads is adored, they venerate Pictures, which are not unlike to those of the twelve Apostles. The Christians, who observed these Representations, asked the naturāll [Page 96] Chineses, what men these twelve Apo­stles had been, and had no other answer, but that these twelve Personages had been great Philosophers, who had so ar­dently embraced. Vertue in this World, that after their Death it had elevated them up to Heaven, and made them An­gels thereof. For a third Testimony, that they have heretofore had some Ray of Christian Verity, they venerate also in the same number of sacred Pictures the Image of a Woman, perf [...]ctly fair, that bears a Child in her Arms, which they say, she brought forth without vi­olating h [...]r Virginity, and whose Con­ception and Birth were not soiled with any Sin: they know no more thereof. The double Cloud, of Ignorance of the holy Books, and of the Si [...] of Id [...]latry, has hid the rest from th [...]m. Never [...]he­less all these Marks, explica [...]d by the eloquent Mouth of some pious and f [...]r­vent Christian, might reproach them with being no more, what they have been, and would be no u [...]pro [...]itable Means to render succes [...]ul the Cares, which should be employed [...]or their Sal­vation: Besides that the excell [...]ncy of their Wits, capable of Reason, would give a freer Access thereunto: and even [Page 97] their Oracles would lend an helping hand to such Workmen for the effectua­ting their good Designs: for they have a Prophecy, that saith: That from th [...] West must come the true Faith, which shall lift them up [...]o Heaven, for to be th [...]r [...] made Angels.

Certainly the Court of China woul [...] be unto us an agreeable Abode in th [...] Conversation of its Courtiers, learned and endued with a very excellent Wit, and amidst the honest Recompences, which are there given to Vertue; but the false Worship of Idols, and the a­bominable Superstitions, w [...]ich are there committed, force us to quit it. It is then time to depart thence, to turn our Thoughts another way, and to besto [...] our Labors upon a more holy Employ­m [...]nt. We shall do it with the Divine assistance of him, that has conducted our Works, after we shall have acquainted you with the Ceremonies which are used at the D [...]cease and Funerals of the Soveraign Pri [...]ces of this gr [...]at Monar­chy. When their King is dead, th [...]y wash his C [...]ps with Aromatick waters, perfume his Royall Habits, and cloath him in the most sumptuous manner, that ever he was in his Life, they s [...]at him in [Page 98] his Throne, to the end all his Court may come to pay him their last Devoirs, and to bewail his Loss. The first, who present themselves, are the Prince's Children, if he had any: after them the Queen his Wife, and the neerest of his Relations: they all put themselves on their Knees before his Body, abide there some time, and then retire with Tears in their Eyes, and Sighs in their Mo [...]ths. The Chancellor, or President of his Councell, accompanied with all the Councellors of State, pays there the same Funerall honors: all the Courtiers and Domesticks of the Royal House, being also on their Knees before the Deceased, bewail the Loss of their Lord. This sorrowfull Ceremony being performed, they take the Body from the Throne, and strip it of its precious Habits, they put it in a Coffin (It is the ordinary passage of the Pomps of the World, from their Grandeur to Death) mad [...] of rich and odoriferous Wood, closed in such a manner, that no Air can enter thereinto: they put it upon a Ta­ble in the middle of the Royal Cham­ber, adorned and hung the most sumptu­ously, that is possible; they spread upon it a white Linen Cloth, hanging down [Page] to the Ground, upon which the Portrait of the deceased King is drawn to the Life: the Autichamber is also superbly adorned, and therein are set many Ta­bles, with a great number of Funeral Lights, amongst which is served up a great quantity of Viands for the Priests and Religious of China, who come to sing after their mode, to pray, and off [...]r Sacrifices for the Repose of him, who is dead in eternall Inquietudes. To these vain Devotions they add many Sorceries, they put upon th [...] Coffin a great number of little painted Papers, a part whereof they burn, the rest they tye to the Bier with little Cords, they shake and move them incessantly with such dreadfull Cries and Howlings, that it is difficult to hear them without Terror: They say, that by this frantick fashion of suc­coring the Dead, they send the Soul of the dec [...]ased Monarch into Heaven, to the number of those, that are happy. This Tintamarre or Spirituall Chariva­ry of the Priests of China endures the space of fifteen Dayes, after which they conduct the Body of the King to the Grave: The Procession is in this manner: Before the Body go all the Chinese Priests and Religious, that are found in the [Page 100] Court: they carry in their hands lighted Tapers: The Kindred of the Prince follow the Corps, severely clad in Mourn­ing: they have great Cassocks of wool next their [...]l [...]sh, and are gi [...]t about their Reins with Cords; their Head is simply covered with great broad-brim'd Bon­ne [...]s of wool, like to our Hats a-la-Mode, such as are worn in our Countreys a­bout the end of this present yeer 1625, which is strictly observed: For in China Mourning consists not only in the Meen, [...]t pas [...]es beyond Tears and Sighs, which proceed only from Decency: The grea­ter Persons, to observe well the Mourn­ing for the Death of a Father or Mother, deprive themselves of their Offices: and [...]he Vice-Royes in the like sorrow remit into the Kings hands the Governments, that they had received from him: To do otherwise there, would be no less shamefull and impious, than it would be in our Countries for a Son to laugh, dance, and rejoyce publickly at the Death of his Father. The Councell with the honorable Marks of their Dig­nity go immediately after these: and all the Officers of the Royal House and of the Court assist thereat in order, and according to the rank of their Employs. [Page] In this Pomp the Body of the deceased King is conducted to the Grave, but not interred without Train: they burn at the putting him th [...]rein the Pictures of many Slaves, of a great number of Horses, of an heap of Gold and Silver, and of some Pieces of Silk, which, they believe, follow the Departed into the o­ther World. In truth, if these Burn­ings in e [...]igie are Marks of the foolish Superstitions of the Chines [...]s, they are also Signs of the sweetness of their Dis­positions, more humane, than those of some Barb [...]rians their Neighbors, and of some people, which have been ours, who at the interm [...]nt of their Princ [...]s really burnt their Wives, and the Men, who had served them, and prodigally cast into the fire the Gold, Silver, and Jewels, which they found in their Cof­fers. This light Burning being [...]inished, and the Pictures reduced into Ashes, they descend, and close in a little Earth him, who command [...]d a World of Men and Land; who might have crowned his Head with fifteen Diadems: For the Provinces of China, which make this number, are in greatness and goodness so many Realms: and in doing this, they bring unto Dust the greatest and [Page] most glittering Pomp of the World. And certainly since that all things of the Court and of the Earth are nothing but Dust, and that of Dust have the fair [...]t and noblest parts of the Universe been formed, when Men, who are the Kings of the World, go down to their Grave, we put Dust to Dust. For a Lesson un­ [...]o Soveraign Monarchs, that in their superb Thrones the Royal Crown and Mantle cover only a piece of animated Earth, and an heap of living Dust, ex­cept they have a great Courage, a ge­nerous Soul, and a pious Disposition: Then by these Royal and excellent Qualities, they will draw their Names out of the Dust of oblivion: and if by the common Law of Nature, the Body, which is but Dust, descends into the Dust, the Spirit, which was never Dust, will go to receive in Heaven the im­mortal Crowns, which are the Rewards of magnanimous and pious Kings.