MEMOIRS AND OBSERVATIONS 1 1Geographical, ]! Natural, Fhyfical, IJ Civil, Mathematical A \ and Mechanical 5 J [ Ecclejiaflical. Made in a late . JOURNEY Through the Empire of CHINA, And Publiflied in feveral Letters. Particularly upon the Chhuje Pottery and Vamiihing 5 the Silk ar.d other .ManufSaures; the l’earlFitting ^ the Hiftory of I’iants and Aniniah; with a Defcription of their Cities and Fublick Works , Number of People, their Language, M,oners and Com¬ merce; their Habits.Occonomy.andGoverntnent. The Phil jfophy of Unfiictui. The State of Chrillisnity, and many other Cuiious and Ufefd Remarks.' ! By .LOUIS LE C0M7E Jefuitj Confeffor to the Dutchefs of Burgundy, one of the Royal Mathemati¬ cians, and lately Milton ty in the E-fit: rn Countries. Tremflettei fnm the Paris Zditm, and iHufinlti with Figures. The Third Edition Corrected. hONCOff: Printed tor Benjamin Took, at the Middle Temple-Gate in Beetjinet. 1635- A N INTRODUCTION TO THE Englifh Tranflation, Directed in A LETTER to Sir G. M. Baronet, and W. M. Efquire, Members of Parliament, A MONG the various Productions of thePrefs, none feem (in your Clear Judgments) more delightful and in- ftrudive, than the Relations of-Voy¬ ages and Travels; I mean thofe written by Men of Capacity and Sincerity, which lye in a fmall Compafs; for molt Books are either Romances, Novels, or Hypothefes; Panegy- ricks. Satyrs, or Burlefques (the one too com¬ monly taken for Truths, as the others for He¬ roic ks) which come forth either to eafe an Hy- pocondriack Spleen; or elfe to flatter Ambiti¬ ous Powers, to raife.Private Fortunes, or favour Particular Factions: Thofe venomous Sorts of Ai Vermine. The Introduction. Vermine that infeft Humane Societies, and fpread fuch Poyfons, as few Antidotes can reach, 'unlefs fetch’d from abroad, which fometimes raife the Pulfe, and give the Blood a more generous Tin- dure; the World (like a Machine) being belt underftood, and manag’d, by taking it to pieces, viewing and comparing thefeveral parts together; from whence juft Impreftions may be taken with the greateft and moft perfed Idea’s; fo the Greek Majter Painted his Ulyjfes. The Knowledge of Forreign Countries feems to be the Nobleft School for the enlarging and cultivating the Mind of Youth, who being gene rally confin’d by Education and Culfoms at Home (which few 7 ever liv’d to Surmount and Conquer) to a narrow Sphere of Thought, are for the moft] part pufPd up,and choak’d for w ant of a free Air and a large Profped; hence it is that fo many become unfit for Publick Bufinefs and Adion, or| even comn on Converfation,fading into Diforder: upon little Contradidions, and ftarting at every Thing that lies out of their way. Imperitum ej Animal Homo , ft circumfcrilatur Natalis Soli Ju Fine, fays Seneca. Such a One the great Home, drew his Telemachus. The Globe is compared to a true Glals, ini which may be feen the different Faces of Na¬ ture, with the teveral Arts and Myfteries of Go 1 vernments. Every Climate affords new Scene wherein a Man may learn, that the Harmony o the Univerfe con lifts in a wonderful Variety which (as the Emperor of Siam once repartee’ The Int " Him. upon the Jefuits) Teems to have been fet out by the mod glorious Creator and. Governour of ail Things for his own immortal Praife. Therefore ’tis in vain for the Collegium de propaganda Fide, and the Roman Catholick Courts, to labour on Earth, or expetd from Heaven a general Unifor¬ mity in the Religion and Manners of Mankind, no more than in other Cudoms, Diets, Habits and Commodities; However, their Mijfmaries ought not to be difcouraged in their Underta¬ kings, for the Improvements of Geography, Na¬ tural and Civil Hi (lory, Commerce, &c. bring Honour and Profit diffident to reward their Pains, in cafe their Adventures upon Religion turn to no Account. The fame Immenfe Fou-er always has, and ever will.be worfhip’d in different Forms, under various Figures and Idea’s. It feems to be a general Error amongd us, that many wife Nations adore meer Stocks and Stones, without any refpeft to. the Supream Divinity. Of all the Kingdoms of the Earth China is the mod celebrated tor Politenefs and Civility, for Grandeur and Magnificence, for Arts and Inven¬ tions; which the Romifh Prieds are fo fenfible of, that they pafs there under the Characters of Phyfipians, Painters, Merchants, Adrologers, Me¬ chanicians, &c. and are receiv’d as fuch in the Courts of Aft a, which are too fine to differ openly the propagation of a drange Religion; as fome of the molt pious Millenaries (over-heat¬ ed with the Naked Truth) often find to their own Deftruitjqn; Specially when the Brack - A 3 mans The Introduction. mans y the Talapoins, and the Bonzes begin to grow j Jealous of their Mafquerades, and to fee thro’ ; their Difguifes. But, you may perhaps demand (becaufe you do not ufe to take things upon meer Recommen¬ dations without further Enquiry and •Examina¬ tion) why the Bookfellers Ihould venture to print in Englifh thefe Memoirs of China, feeing we j have already fo many Relations of that Country? To which they give this Anfwer, wr.That moft of our Accounts of China are either Fabulous, or Copies, and not comparable to this Original of theirs: Befides, that vaft Empire is fo Fertile and wonderful in all refpedts, that it will always furnilh frelh Materials for Difcoveries, let the Travellers be never fo fagacious and induftri- ous; few of whom will be found to defervefuch a Character, unlefs thofe lately fent at the French King’s Expence, with a Stock of excellent In- flruments, and with a fufficient Fund for making ufeful Observations; amonglr thele our Author was one of the Chief, and therefore the Reader may expedt more from him, than what is al¬ ready extant in the printed Works of his Pre- deceflors. Marco Paulo , Nicolo di Conti , Galeotto Pe- rera *, Gafpar cle Cruz , Ferdi- * See Rr-mufii Vi- na f, c j Mendez Pinto , Gonzalez de Mendoza , Anthony de An- 3 vol fol. drada , Manuel de Faria Soufa , \ The htroduHlon. and Spur into Knight Errantry, fo familiar and even congenial to the Italian hut much more to the Spanijh and Portuguefe Writers, that a tftoufand Don jQ'uixots with all Cervantes Satyr will never be able to reform them ; yet a Criti¬ cal Reader may glean many pretty things from them. The Accouuts of fome Learned Jefuits (wbofe Order hath feen more of China then all the re;-!: of the Europeans) feem to be more judicious and authentick; efpecially if we indulge them a little in the Story of their Religion. Among thefe we ought to mention with relped the Inge¬ nious Fathers, Ricci , Trigault, Semedo , Martini , Rhodes , Boym , Grader , Adam Schall (whole Let¬ ters are very conftderable) Father Grejlon , Father Rougemont , with many other Mijfionaries of the Church of Rome, from whom Kircher took all his Materials; and Monfieur Thevenot in that part of his Colldlions relating to China , has only abridg’d fome of their Diaries and jour¬ nals. The Relation that Linfchoten gives of China is not equal to the other parts of Aha, .which he him- felf faw ; the fame may be faid of Mandeljh. The Dutch Impreikon of Nieuhof , and the Tarijian of Magaillans , are defervedly moft in efleem for their Chinefe Obfervations, as well by their Exa&nefs and Sincerity, as the choice of things they relate; the one being Secretary to a Solemn Embafly from Batavia to Pekin, and the other Refident above Thirty Years in A 4 many The introduction. I many of the Provinces of China , where he made it his bufinefs to correct the Errors, and fupply the Defects of all the Writers before him; but he did not live to publifh his own Work, which afterwards came forth by Order of Car¬ dinal d’Eflrees. As for our Countryman Ogilby, he only copy cl and compil’d, without any difcretion, from Pur¬ chase Kircher, and Nieuhof; but of all the Copifts, the Commentator upon Magaillans has (hewn the bed Judgment, fo that indeed he might pafs for an Original Mafter-piece, having fill’d up the Pou humous Fragments of that excellent Father with fidelity, and accuratenefs. In the Year 1674. Andraas Mullerus Publilli- ed his Hebdom. Obfervat. de Rebus Sink is. Colon. In it there is 1. an Epitomy of the Hiftory of China , both of the mod Ancient and Modern; 2. A Conjecture, that the Knowledge of God has been time out of Mind in China ; *3, A Lift of the Kings, as I guefs, out of Mendoza and .Martini; 4. A Reprefentation B Ses , ~ !l c : '” L ' ri of the famous Chine/e Herb , Eg. 7. ajfo his M- called Genjeng , lo precious,that magtft. Boian. Pag. they pay thrice thev Weight of Tide ofSx the Silver for it; 7. A Memorable Conjunction of the Planets, fuppofed to be at the time of Noah’s Flood; 6 . A Specimen of a Geographical Commenta? ry upon Paulas Fenetus his Oriental Hiftory: 7. Of the Weekly diftribution of Days, ana their I The Introduction. their Denomination taken from the Planets, ba- ing us’d amongft the Chinefe themfelves. In 1678. Mr. Well of Butleigh writ a Dif- courfe to prove the Chinefe Language to be the moil Ancient, and that Primitive one fpoken be¬ fore the Confufion of Babel; in W'hich Trad: he occasionally touches upon many Cuftoms of China, Dr.. Hook , in 1686'. was pleas’d to give his Sentiments upon the Chara- der and Language of China , ^ to which we refer the Reader. There are great numbers of other Writers upon China among the Religious Mijftonaries , but they have rarely followed the Rule of Truth in their Relations of the State of Religion in that Kingdom (To difficult is it for Men to be honeft in their own Trades and Callings) often forging falfe Miracles, multiplying Converfions, and compofing fuch Legends , as they thought moll agreeable, without ever promulging the true Golpel, or propagating the Catholick Laith ; which hath been very ingenioufly own’d by a famous Biihop of Malaga , by Monfieur Arnaud , and many other worthy Clergy-men of the Church of Rome, who confels that fome Orders of their Communion have prepar’d and preach’d feveral Syllems of Chriftianity according to the Climates they travell’d; fo in China the fubtle Jefuites have adapted their Model to the Philo¬ sophy of Confucius , feldom or never Teaching the Crucifixon and Godhead of Chrift, and fre¬ quently 1 The Introduction. # quently allowing the Worlhip of Pagods. Some I of thofe Politick Apoftles tramck wholly in Chi -1 nefe Merchandize, others turn Mandarins , and| become Minifters of * State, I whereby they get Riches, In-1 tereft and Power, not only)! to drive away the reft of the | Religious Orders , but all Chri* | ftian Strangers whatlbever, | that are not in the Secrets off * See the Theatre Jefuitico, printed at Ctmim'ore in Fol. Al- fo the Morale Pra¬ tique des Peres Jefu- ites in 8 Vol. 8C par¬ ticularly the fecond and third Parts. their Empire. jf ’Tis computed that fince the Year 1580, a-i* bout 630 Jefuits, and 200 Priefls of other Or -1 ders, have been fent out of feveral Parts of | Chriftendom to China ; half of which never lan- ^ ded in that Kingdom, and but very few of them i ever return’d, being taken off either by Difeafes, or intercepted by the butch in the Straits of Sundj, and Malaca , or elfe executed by the Ci¬ vil Powers for difturbing the Publick Peace- however, I cannot but admire the indefatigable Induftry and Policy of the Church of Rome in the Schemes and Projects, flie lays, for reducing the w'hole World under her Dominion; which may be a Leflon to the reft of Chriftendom to be more unanimous and crafty, if they intend to Hand their ground againft fuch a Church Mili¬ tant^ as commands all the Catholick Legions, and obferves a Difcipline fit for Conqueft. But tis high time to come nearer the Letters here publiflf d, the Author whereof was well prepar’d, and very willing to make ObfervaD Tlx IntroduBion.' ons-, Natural, Mechanical, Aftronomical, and Civil, notwithftanding the Duty of his Religi¬ ous Employment: He is pleas’d to begin his Jour¬ ney where Father Tachart , and Monjieur Loubere (whofe Voyages from Brefl to Siam have been already Tranllated into Englilh) left off theirs, and fo carries on the Itinerary to Pekin by way of Letters, rather than Diary. ’Tis well known the French Court hath been very curious of late (fas ejl & ab Hofie doceri) to improve Aftronomy, Geography, Natural Hi-, ftory, Commerce, and indeed all fuch Arts and Sciences, (to the fliame of fome of their Neigh¬ bours) as prove more ferviceable to Elumane Life, and Empire, than all the Scholaftick Cob¬ webs, Logical Quibbles, Metaphyfical Phan- tomes,or Poetick Chimes. Fox & prtctered Nihil. Upon the firft Foundation of this mighty French Monarchy, ’twas thought neceflary to fet up, and encourage divers forts of Domeftick Manufactures, and to difcourage all Foreign; to open Publick Schools for Navigation, Forti¬ fication and the other Parts of Mathematicks, to found and endow feveral Academies; and of late to eftablifh Millions for the remote Quarters of the World:. out of all thefe, many able Perfons have been difpatch’d away under Royal Penfions to the moil diftant Places of the World, there obferve the Heavens, Air, Water, and Earth; I comparing their feveral Remarks in the Acade- wy, and Obfervatpry at Paris; of which we have The IntroiuBm. n have already many admirable Collections extant t in all * Volumes (Tome off great ufe to adjuft the Longi-. tude) from the Cape of Good ^ Hope, the Coafts of Malabar,' Cormandel, Siam, Borneo, Ma-'i lac a,. Pegu, Manille , Macao,l Canton, Nimpo, Nankin, Can-} cheu, Feuken, and Pekin; Be-; Tides from the Ifles of Cayenne,- Panama, and more are expe-i 4 Obfervations Phy• fmues & Mathema- tiqaes tnvoyees de Si¬ am. Avtc la Refle¬ xions de MeJJieurs de l’ Academic, £■>- Notes du Pere Goiiye. Paris 1688. in 8e. Obfervations pear fer- mir a I’HiJloire Natu¬ re lie, & a la perfecti¬ on de r Afirommie, dr de la Geographic En- . , wyfa des indes & de fted. from California, and the j la Chine. Awe les o f L c ' Refections, &c. Paris OOUtn OeaS. | 169 1. in 4". i Recueil if Obfervations ftites en plufums Voyages fat Ordrs de fat ilajcfle, &C. 1653. in Pol J The Perfons generally fent are skilful in the Mathematicks, in the Art of Defigning, in Na¬ tural Philofophy, and are always well provided at the Kings Charge with Materials fit for fuch fort of Obfervations;, as Compares, Needles, Loadftones, Dials, Telefcopes, Microfcopes, Le¬ vels, Sextants, Quadrants, Pendulums, Baro¬ meters, Thermofcopes, Hygrometers, Burning Glafles, Pencils, Anatomical Inilruments, Tools for Drawings Surveying, Collecting, Prefer- ving, &c. The Prieahood it felf hath not thought it be¬ low the Dignity of their Sacred Function to ac¬ cept 1 - fometimes of thele Employments; and therefore *tis that we have qf late fo many excel lent Pieces in this kind from Men of Holy Or . ders § the Introduction. I s tiers, who have apply’d themfelves to fueh fort of Studies, as will render them renown’d in the .Regifters of Arts and Sciences, as well as in thofe of Martyrs and ConfefTors. Father Thomas has been pleas’d to promife his own Obfervations, and other Memoirs upon the undelcribed Countries of Corea, and that part of Tartary lying between the Cbinefe Wall, and Mufcovy; through which Caravans are faid to pals yearly between Mufco and Pekin, in the fpace of four Months; for the Longitude of the Cities in China are found by many Altronomical Obferva¬ tions, made there, and compar’d with thofe at the Parifian Obfervatory, not to be fo far Eaft- ward by many Degrees, as commonly placed'in our Globes and Charts. Father Ferlieft, Father Grimaldi, Father Couplet , Pereira, Richaud , Fontanay, Father Beze, Noel, Rouchet, Gerbillon , and fome other Fathers Mijfonaries, have Treafures of Obferva¬ tions and Draughts made by themfelves and their Fellow Travellers in the Oriental Regions; The Priefts employ’d of late Years in the Milli¬ ons, being of a higher Rate in Knowledge than formerly. Father Gerlillon , and Father Pereira were both employ’d by the prelent Emperor of China , in the Year 1688. to treat of Peace with the Am- balladors of the Czar of Mufcovy at Siringa, diftant about 1200 Miles from Pekin to the North-Weft of it. They fuller’d very much in the Deferts of Xamo, and could not pafs through Tartary The Introduction' ' Tartary by Reafon of the Wars between Two! great Kans^ Eruth and Halla. | * The Year following they! * See the Letter of accompanied the Chine]e Am-! ferlliSnT taflidors to Nipde,, diftanti objerv. phyf & w«- about 900 Miles to the Nortlf r emat ' p ,r 7 »V °f Pekin. Both thefe Two! Compare alfo M. Wit- c n . . , >T . 1 fen's Map of Tmar j. Cities of Siringa, and Nlpchetl belong to the Mufcovites , who; were in War with the Chinefe , about the Cityi qf j facca. I The Performances of Monfieur Richer , M. Varin , Des Hayes , and De G/w, in the African and American Plantations, deferve our Notice; where 'Monfieur Surian (Phyfician at Marfeilles) and Friar flumiere have defign’d and defcrib’d very elegantly’the Vegetables and Animals; Neither is that noble Prefent to be pafs’d by which our Author made the Royal Academy, of the Pictures of Chinefe Plants from the Life, together with a large new Map; which I fup- pole to belong to Dr. Claudius , mention’d by Father Tachart in his fir ft Voyage to Siam. Befides all thefe, we may exped feveral curi¬ ous and ufeful Remarks from the South Seas, of Father Moralez , Father Van-Hamme , Father Ruggi, and others; who are now fettled upon the Ladrones , and the Hies of Solomon , with a Stock of neceflary Inftruments and other Ma¬ terials, requifite in the making of Obfervati- ons. An Account of Borneo is alfo promis’d by a Portuguefe Mijfton. | T be htrocln&ion. I No lefs commendable is the late Undertaking \ in France for the drawing a moll exadt Chart | of that Kingdom from the Aftronomical Ob- lervations of Signior Caffini, Monjieur de la Hire, Picard , and others, made in the Ports and in¬ land Parts; whereby it appears that the Limits of that Country have been extended much too far towards the Weft, South, and North. By thefe Ways and Means Lems the XIV. will deferve to be honour’d, and even Confe- crated in future Ages; fuch Colours will give him Life and Beauty to all Pofterity, and per¬ haps may lhade the Deformities , which the Poet paints in Clotars Court. We in England ought not to defpair, • but that Heroick Arthur , who juftly vies with the Grand Monarch in the Fame of War, will alfo contend with him for the Glory and Empire of Learning , and difpute every Art and Science , as the Ground in Flan¬ ders ; ^hich peradventure will equal, if not furpafs, the Praife of Arms. Then let the Britijh Flomer fing his Apotheofis with the fame Charms, as in the Prince, and King. I am fure there is a vaft Wit and Genius in our Miniffr)\ capable of the greateft Enterprize, Nil defperandum-. -and tho’ at prefent a. fatal Stop is put to the Growth and Propagati¬ on not only of Letters , but Mamifaftures a- mongft us, and the Treafure of Chriftendom Hows daily to the Banians and Gente'es; yet a jire'h Circulation and a new Life is in Nature, if The Introduction. if we have but Spirit and Vertue to move in the right Channel. * But ’tis time to clofe up this tedious Preface, which I thought neceflary to fpin out in the fame Method that I formerly obferv’d iq^mj Introduction to the Voyages of Sir John Nark- borough , Captain Wood, Tafman , and Marten ; Not out of any Vanity or Inclination for Seri- bling or of being ftyl’d an Author; nor out of Expedition of Applaufe or Reward (my Station in the World being below Envy, and juft above Contempt; but purely out of goot Will and Complaifance to the Bookfellers (to whom I wilh a profperous Sale; and that I might own my felf to be one of your Admi rers, > And Gentlemen , Tour nw(l hmille Servant! THq The Author’s Preface. J Know not of the two which to Maine mofi, him that pablifhes hafty indigefled Relations of his Travels, or the Reader that runs ’em over Jlightly and htedlejly. The Bufivefs of Writing Voyages is not altogether fo 'light a Task ns mofi are apt to fancy, it requires not only Wit and Judgment to manage it fuccefsfully, but lihwife Sincerity, Exathefs, and afimple infinuating Style ; and ■Learning befidesffior as a Painter,to beaMafter in his Art, ought to know the Propriety and Force of all forts of Colours, fo whoever undertakes a Defcription of the People, Arts and Sciences, and Religions of the New World, mufi have a large flock of Knowledge, and in a manner, an Univerfal Genius. That’s not all neither, he mufi have been an Eye- Witnefs of mofi of the AB'ions and Things he reports, hi mufi be skill’d in the Ctftoms and Language of tie Inha¬ bitants, he mufi have correfpcnded with thofe of the befi Fafiikn among them, and been frequently in Converfatm with their principal Officers: In a Word, to enable him to fpeak with certainty and affiurance of the Riches, Beauty and btmigth of an Empire, he mufi have taken an a Anal Survey op the Multitude of its SubjeBs, the Number and Situati¬ on of toe Cities, the Extent of its Provinces, and all the remarkable Rarities in the Country. . I confefs indeed this is fimethmg more laborious and expenfive than to frequent the Company of the V irtuofi at Home, or fupinely tumble over the Hiftory of the World by the Fire fide, and yet after fo much Fatigue, Travellers of all Men are the leafi efieemed upon the jcore of their Writings. There / a Set of idle People that amufe themfelves with what pafies daily before their Eyes, and are little ajfecled with News from remote Parts of the Globe. ’Tts grown a Maxim with others to reject all Foreign Stories for Fa¬ bles j thefe value ■ themfelves upon their Incredulity, and au juch flritt Friends to Truth y that they never acknow - ledge any. Another fort again, throw away a Book of B ' tbit The Author’s Preface. j this kind for a Miracle, or fame extraordinary Accident ,\ my thing out of the way (beyond their common Prejudices) that they find in it, as tho’ Nature having exhaufied d J her Treafures upon our Portion of Earth, could produce no- 1. thing uncommon elfewhere, or as tho’ God's Power were (| mm limitted in the new Eafiern Churches than among us. And fome there are that run direBly counter to thefe, who enquire after nothing but Wonders, fatisfed only with what raifes their Admiration $ they think all that’s Natu¬ ral fiat and infipid, and if they are not rouz’d up with afionijlnng Adventures, and continual Prodigies, drop a- jleep over the beft-pennd Relation ; now to humour fitch Creatures, one had need to cafi the World into a new Fi¬ gure, and give Mankind other Shapes. ’Tis certain, fo many different Tafies are not all to be pleas’d ; hence Tra¬ vellers when they come home are as hard put to it to gain a patient Hearing from their own Country-men, as they wen at firfi going abroad to make themfelves be underfiood by Strangers. But indeed they are not always worth hearing, the Emptinefs or Irregularity of their Relations, or elfe the Fein of Paffion and Prejudice running through the whole, that turns a Hifiory into Slander ; but above all, the Bold- nefs wherewith they Jham the moft ridiculous T&s upon us for credible Truths, jufily difiafie Men of Sen$and ren¬ der fiufpeBed the more prudent and fincere Authors. Tho’ ordinarily it falls out,that thofe Travellers who impofe upon other People, were firfi deceived themfelves j how many . are there, who do but jufi touch at aftrange Country, and imagine to be immediately informed of all that belongs to it ; they fiep ajhore, and fcoure about like famijh’d Men, greedily catching at all that comes in their way,and fo cram their Journals with idle popular Chat: Upon thisOccafion o Spaniard faul pleafantly of a certain Author, that infled of intituling his Book, A Relation of all the confide' rable Rarities in the New World, heJlrnld rather ham called it, An Account of what the Rabble of both In¬ dies, the Moors, Cafres, and Slaves faithfully reported The Author's Preface. to me, in thofe Conferences which I duly held with them. Others, perhaps, are more referved, and then ’tis ]Ten to One thep are naturally bent to magnife every thing j and redly when a Man has rambled five or fix thou - fiend Leagues, out of pure Curiofity, ’twouldfret him after all to meet with nothing but what he has fieen fifty times over in Europe, then without a fipecial Caution erne is apt to fiet too mighty a CharaBer and Efieem upon the Climate, the Cufioms and the Wit of the People, and what at the Bottom is mofi barbarous becomes mofi ravifiing: Now in writing to others what we admire before-hand our fielves , the Idea’s are heightned in the Deficription,and in the end grow monfrous, and all this to tickle the Riader for- fiooth, or our own Vanity, with being Firfi in a Relation. I have known fiome very fcrupulous this way in appearance, but in effeB no lefis wide of the Mark than their Neighbours , who ftedfiafily believe themfielves honeft in their Ajjertions, but mofi unluckily make an ill Choice of Terms and Modes of Expreffm: To fipeak intelligibly, we read every Day one or other that tells m of certain Kingdoms in the Iuaies, much after the rate that we talk of thofe in Europe; The Metropolitan Cities,the Counties,the Government of Frontier P laces,tfie Palace, the Minifiers of State,the Generals of Ar¬ mies,and a Hundred other Terms of that fiamp,prefently we think our fielves at another Paris, Verfailles,cr inour formi¬ dable Armies ; and when allcomes to all,this fame Louvre of a Palace is neither better nor worfe than a ramblm, ill- contrivd, wooden Building ; the Courtiers a Crew of firry Wretches half naked ; the Vice-Roys, it may be, have fifteen or twenty petty Villages under their Government,fiatterd up and doiisn in the Woods,and fo of the refi. Undoubtedly thefe Terms that reprefent fuch grand Ideas to us,are very impro¬ perly ufed to fignifie fuch pitiful Kingdoms, that have al- mofi nothing common with ours,but the Name,’tis my opinion 'we ought to manage them warily and skilfully,lefi we fhould lie in telling the Truth. But when the Country we treat of has in good earvefi fimething noble and ftngular in it, we B 2 are The Author’s Preface. j ar'eftill after to miftcarry, then we are not content barely to drfiw Efteemfirom our Readers, we covet their Admiration too; in this cafe a Mm muft ftand upon his guard againft his own Evidence, and deal with it juft as thofe modeft Perfons who in their Judg¬ ment retrench half the merit their own Imagination fuggefts to 'em, left they fhottld over-value themfelves. Upon the whole, we / ought not to be fo violently prepojfeffed againft Relations of Voya¬ ges,as to put good and badunder the fame Condemnation-,for as on one hand it were indiftcreet to take up with all that come■ out with¬ out Choice,Examination or DiftinBion ; fo on the other handftis asfoolifh an AffeBation to rejeB indifferently the Accounts of Travellers whofe Difintei-eft,Condition, andCapacity recommend their Credit. For my part,notwithftanding I have conftantlyche- rifh'd a fteddy AffcRionfor Truth, I durft riot venture to put to¬ gether an entire Story of all that came to my Knowledge during a long abode in the Empire of China, apprehending left the want of other Qualifications necefjary in fuel a worfjtould hardly be ; attend for by that fmgle Venue ; neverthelefs, not knowing well ■ how to contain my felf altogether at my return from fo far a Coun¬ try,and being lef sable to forbear publifloing the Progrefs of Reli¬ gion in the Eaft.l confefs I have been extreamly delighted in com- municatingmy fclf on that SubjeB to fcveral Perfons of Quality, wellaffcBsd 10 our Holy Faith, andbeing under an Obligation to render an account of my Voyage tofome, or.in obedience to the cx- prefs Commands of others ; or laftly to make a Return for the Ci¬ vility andgoodOffiCes done me by the reft,I wrote thefollowingLet-' tors (being an Abridgment of thofe particular Conventions they have honour'd me wiih)wbich comprehend in great part the prefe'nt ft ate of China, I conceiv’d in publiftting this Collection,not as. a regular univerftal Account of that vaft Empirefttt as Memoirs and Heads for a general Hiftory,tbey might not be unferviceablci to thofe who might one time or other take up fitch a Defign ; mean' time I may well fear that the fame things which feem’d tolcrablei ■ in Difcourfe,wifi not pafs fo currantly upon a nearer view. Faults arc ever eafieft difeovefd in writing, and that loofe Irregularity- which makes up the Plcafure of Ccnverfation,will hardly be forgi-. ven here: But to conclude, a Man that has endeavour’d ten Ye art together to forget his Mother Tongue,and to load his Memory with barbarous Wards and uncouth Ideas,whatever he may i:ave loft at- nother way, ought to be allowed the privilege of writing ill, after ( wehavecut the Line four or five times, metbinkj our Style jliould not be canvaftby the Critick.s,and,for ought I kyiow,Pohtenefts in.d Mijfionary would be lefts edifying than Negligence. 4 LhtJTaum&.aj 1 EUuiT cmzianzr XAli TU Mr Contains $Capitals lA^SXi&Cmdnms^Caf^&m 'OKI&N Contains SCafnhls.48 ! - CapdzLGtiesS.GHtsjisJPannliis ipCities 370555Families 2 Churches Cities. jgSp8}ffFamiHcsaCblMjt Jities 503200 Females ZiChurAe itfySg.CaUeJgeaniz Churches ■j^Hendc&jjOKdoria IsXfsims rjTUjubncies, j8. Churches in. the iFefelehciesaJuLJiBfswns. balihj-tfi£GraciousJfpainbneni HOlfAN Contains 8Capitols joo Cities, ]03 zn-theTiBsujcs aniS5 IjytcyrajmContmJisjo Capitals oj’lhzKny. j, ether Churches aw Gbcs, ;8ffzgCFajmHsj Church. JBfsions " P 3 Cities, ii33SoFemiIm l Chmtii asjnany JGfsions. 'anZllejiclencU.. - CHEKLAM Contains jj Capitals jJormerly3F^ulenois SJRfsions - ^^^■•‘tmtamssCapibUStia gTJCHBEN Contains 8Capitals. 63 Cities 324213$ Families.J qitaksi contains 31CapitcJs.tjy gtoiurs.sSgSggEumEessOarJa’ji^ Cities.jti/flzgFamilies, 3 CbTleehjejor hreejinyaip Fouik, Cities 3863jgFamiliesFzgFamilies,jClnrc& QtrEYCHETr contains 8 Capitals 2 Tt efi e hme szyonbrics hAifsims SEfswns. 3FepeUnaesemi^gMifswns^ 30 Cities^sopFajmlies : - TheXKPrtinineestxnaaniniah tgy. Capitals. Vftt Cities, lesiSu 23 sjFortijyaLTonm 1008383 Families. 58gtSj833feri 200 CkmcTus^iimMat/u-stiyA iondorCBriittel for 3 cnja.ni, ThoheattheMiMelcmpletn in. Fleetstreet. .. A Letter to my Lord Pontchartrain, Se- ■ cretary of State to bis Mojl Chriflwi Mijefty. . , The Voyage from Siam to Peldn; My Lord, • - S H O’ Travellers at their Return are very fond of telling their Story, and I am pretty well allured that a Relation from ' ’China can’t fail of being at once both" ufeful and entertaining: yet could I never once en¬ tertain the Thoughts of writing a formal Account of' my Voyage thither. That Subjeft indeed is'worn fo thread-bare/that People have little Curiofity a£ ter New Relations; and indeed the World isfuf- ficientl)- “nken up With theBufmefs of the Times: The Wars, i Negotiations, and Defigns now carry¬ ing on in Europe, take ’em off from enquiring.into the Affairs of remote Countries, ' ' '.' Es ?-W'm % The Voyage from Siam to Pekin. But you, My Lord, (whofe Underftanding is as extenfive as your Zeal, and who no lefs rejoyce at Victories obtain’d by ChrilVs Doctrine over Idolatry, than at thofe by our Arms) will, I dare hope, give us his Miniflers a patient Hearing. I have already had the Honour to be heard by you on this Subjedfc at fpare Hours, and I may fay, that next to thofe Divine Helps which fupport us in all our Labours, nothing could more encourage our Induftry, than that Goodnefs with which you are pleafed to coun¬ tenance it. The Project of fending Miffionaries skill’d in the Mathematicks, into the utmoft Parts of the World, was thought fo glorious to his Majefty’s Reign, and fo advantageous to Religion, than his Miniflers have ever ufed their bed Endeavours to further it. Monfieur Colbert not only obtain’d his Majefty’s Approbation, but alfo his Orders for the preparing neceffary Inftruments, for a confiderable Number of Mathematicians, bound for China, fome thro’ Mufcovy and Tartary, others thro’ Syria and Terjia, and the reft on board the Veffels belonging to the Eafi-India Company. His Death put fome flop to this great Defign, but the Marquis de Lottvoh no fooner lucceeded him in the Super-intendency cf Arts and Sciences, but he did by Order from his Majefty, command our Supe¬ riors to look out Men, whofe Zeal and Capacity render’d them able for fuch an Undertaking; and for them he procured all forts of Inftruments, and furnilhed them with Money, Letters of Commenda¬ tion, and in ftiort, all that might contribute to the fuccefs of the Enterprize. Monfieur de Seignday judging that thefe new Millions needed the fupport of the Admiralty, defi- red they might be intruded to his Care; but tho’ Monfieur de Lonvois gave up to him' the Manage¬ ment The Voyage from Siam to Peking 3 rnent of them; yet he did not wholly abandon them, but largely and bountifully contributed to the Ihort- ning their Journey thro 3 Toland, RuJJia, Siberia, and the greater T'artary, to the Eaftern Ocean. Thus, My Lord, has Providence led three great Men to forward fo Noble a Work, the perfecting of which it has left to you. The feveral Reafons which induced them to it, will, no doubt, be as prevalent with you, who are no lels denrous of the Honour of Religion, the Glory of our King, and the Advan¬ tage of his SubjeCls, and no lefs careful in your Em¬ ployments, with refpedt both to Arts and Sciences, and Trade and Navigation. Your Protection has hitherto been fo Benevolent to thofe zealous Miffionaries, that they cannot doubt of a happy fuccefs. But befides this Acknowledgment, they are bound to give you an exaft Account of their Actions, their Travels, and the Ufe they have made of his Maje- fty’s Bounty. Thefe Memoirs, My Lord, I offer to,you on their BShalf. The King, about Ten Years lince, commanded fix of his Subjects, Jefuits, for China , with the Cha¬ racter of his Majelly’s Mathematicians, that by teach¬ ing thefe Sciences, they might take opportunity to promote the Gofpel. I was one of them, and fet fail with the reft in the beginning of the Year 168 j. in the fame Ship, on Board which was Monfieur Chan- mom-, fentby his I^ajeftyon an Extraordinary Etn- baffy to the Court of Siam. Our Voyage thither was very fortunate, but the Sealbn forbad our going' farther, and we were detain¬ ed cheremear a Twelve-month, till the time of Year proper for our Defign. The King of Siam, a Pretender to Affrology, de¬ filed to be a fharer in our Aftronomical Obfervati- or.s. He admired above all our exadtnefsin foretel- B 4 ling 4 The Voyage ftom Siam to Pekin. ling an Eclipfe of the Moon, which made him enter¬ tain Thoughts of keeping us at his Court. But ha¬ ving informed him what our Orders were, he con- fented that four of us ihould depart for China, provi¬ ded Father Tachanl fhould return to Frame, to requeft the King for more Mathematicians, and that I the whilft ihould remain with him. Accordingly he went for Europe, and I continu’d at Siam, while the Fathers Fontancy, Gerbillon, de Vi f- elelon, and Bouvet, took Ship for Macao, a fmall Ci¬ ty, fituate on the Point of an Bland on the Coafls of China, where the Tmugmze have a For- tiefs. Father Tachanl arriv’d fafe at Paris, with the Sia- mte Ambaffadors: But thofe who fail’d for China, were in a few days after their departure, furpriz'd by a Temped, which put a flop to their Voyage ; they were in a flout Veflel of Monfieur Constance’^, but it fuffer’d fo much in the Storm, that in a little time it began to be leaky. The Shipwreck being inevitable, it was thought better to If rand on the Shoarwith fome hopes of life, than by loofingup againft the Wind to keep the Sea, and founder in a defperate Condition. So before Night they reach’d an unknown Land. The Ship often run upon Shoals, but did not fplit, and with muchado they got to the Leeward of an Iiland near Cajjomet, a Province of the Kingdom of Siam, bor¬ dering upon that of Carnbuja. The Captain then defpair’d of proceeding in his ’Voyage, being fallen under a Wind, which accord¬ ing to the Seafon was like to keep the fame Corner forfeveral Months, and hindred him from doub¬ ling the Cape of Camboja, efpecially fince the Ship was very much difabl’d. The Voyage from Siam to Pekin. 5 The Miffionaries more concern’d at this Lofs of time, than at the danger they had efcap’d, refolv’d upon returning to Siam by Land, defigning there to go on board an English Veffel bound for Canton, which was to fail about the beginning of Attguft. They en¬ ter’d the Woods, in hopes to meet with a Town, and fome Guides that might conduct ’em; but they foon loft their way, and encounter’d no lefts Perils at Land than they had before met with at Sea. The great Rains had caus’d a Land-flood, fto that walking bare-foot thro’ the Fields which were overflow’d,an innumera¬ ble quantity of Leeches and Musketoes,fto troublefom to Strangers, were their continual Torment. On the other hand,great number of Serpents, Tigers, Buffles and Elephants, of which the Forefts are full, kept them in continual Apprehenfion. But their greateft Mifery was want of Food ; for the little Victuals they had brought out with them be¬ ing foon fpent, they had been ftarv’d,had not Provi¬ dence directed ’em to a ftnall Village. Not that the Inhabitants cou’d afford them much help, being thenfclves unprovided of all things; but they con¬ ducted them back again to their Ship, where they arriv’d after a Fortnight’s Wandring, half dead with Wearinefs and Hunger. As for me,I was almoft in as ill a Cafe: I had got MonfiturConftance to place me in a Convent of Tala- po/»j,(fo are their Priefts call’d) of whom not one had yet been prevail’d with to acknowledge Chrift, tho’ their Converfion might bean effectual Means to bring about that of the whole Nation. I knew nothing more likely to do it, than free Converfation with them, and conforming my felf to their Dreffes, and to that aufterity of Life which they exercife. This Method pro v’d effectual at Madura', which made me conclude, that I had reafon to hope for the like Suc- :efs nr S But the Confpiracy of the Malais and Macaf- 6 The Voyage from Siam to Pekin. MacaJJars, which happened at that time, gave Mon- fieur Cor.fiance fo much trouble, that he had not the leifure to think of me. The King, who counte-tan- ced the Chriftian Faith, and his Minifter who was its chief fupport, with all thofe who profelfed it, were in danger of being murthered in one Night,had not our Redeemer faved us from that Peril j but the Plot was difeover’d, and the Criminals brought to a condign Punilhment. This Accident was the Caufe that the Fathers came back by Sea to Siam , before I was very far en¬ gaged in the new Life I defignd to lead; and at their earneft follicitation I yielded to embark with them, when the Seafon ihould permit, which I did the more willingly, becaufe it was about the time that Father taebard was to return with a Recruit of Miffionaries and Mathematicians. On the 17 th of June , in the Year 1687. we failed for Nimp, a confiderable City and Haven in Chtki- am, a Province of China] for we thought it not fit to go to Macao, as was defigned the Year before ha¬ ving been informed, that we ihould be no wercome Guefts to the Portuguese. I fcarce believe, My Lord, that you are over curi¬ ous of knowing how we Peered our Courfe. Thofe Journals wholly made up of Eafi, Wefi, North, and South, and a thoufand barbarous Words, which feem only proper for huffing and he&oring the Winds, can fcarce be reliihed by fo nice a Palate as yours j which yet are very ufeful to Seamen, and thofe who make Navigation their Study, would not find fucha Style unpleafmt. But I fhall take another opportu¬ nity of giving you an Account of it, in offering you fome Geographical Memoirs. Permit me then to wave this for the prefent, and to fpeak only of what concerned our felves. j (he Voyage from Siam to Pekin. 7 Altho’ th(| King of Siam gave exprefs Orders fo r our good Tfeatment, God was pleas’d in his Wif- dom to give us an occafion of exercifing our Pati¬ ence. We were on Board a fmall Chineze Veffel, called a Somme by the Portuguese, without any (hel- ter againft the Weather, and fo ftreightened for want of room, that we could not lie at length : Placed near an Idol, black with the fmoak of a Lamp conti¬ nually burning in its Honour, and (which was our great Eye-fore) worshipped each day with a Diabo¬ lical Superftition. The Sun was directly over our Heads, and we had fcarce any Water to quench our immoderate Third, which the exceffive Heat of the Climate brought upon us. Three Meals of Rice were our daily Allowance,tho’the Captain,I confefs, often invited us to eat fome Meat with him • but that being always firft offer’d as a Sacrifice to the Idol, we looked on it with more Horror than Appetite. In this manner we (pent above a Month, endeavour¬ ing, by our Patience and our Prayers, to infpire chofe Idolatrous People with an efteem for our Holy Reli¬ gion, our little skill in their Language not permitting us to doit by declaring its moll (acred Truths. ’Tis true, we fome times, with the help of an Inter¬ preter, attempted to convoke them of the Abfurdi- ty of that Worlhip their Eaocation had unfortunate¬ ly engaged them in. One day efpecially they flock¬ ed about us; the difputegrew foinething lharp; and at length became fo hot, that we were forc’d to give it over. All Seamen are generally very obllinate; and ours took great Offence at what we had faid of their Idol, and a (liort while after came towards us, with threatning Looks, arm'd with Lances and Half- Pikes. We impatiently expected the event, but found at laft we had no caufe to fear. The Mariners had arm¬ ed thanfelves only to prepare for a Proceffion, in 1 Honour 8 The Voyage from Siam to Pekin. Honour of their Idol; perhaps to ap^eafe the An- doms that have not called upon thy Ne tradas Beftiis Name ; hut defend thofe who worflnp animas confitentes thee, and deliver not unto their Ene- tibi, Pfal. 73. tnies thy Servants , who come hither from the Extremities of the World to ctmfefs thy Holy Name, and to jhew forth thy Praife. Thefe Prayers were accompanied with the Tears of the whole Con¬ gregation, efpecially with thofe of Father lntorcetta , who having been fo happy as to fulfer Chains, Prifons and Banifiiment for his Saviour’s fake, was moll fit to obtain the Blefling we begged for. The Emperor was no fooner returned to Pekin , but Father Verbkfl informed him that we were his Brethren, who by our Skill in the Mathcmaticks, might be ufeful to his Majefty. To which he an- fwered, If it was fo, he faw no Caufe why he fhould ex¬ pel us out of his Dominions. He fummoned his Privy Council, to which the Princes of the Blood are ad- mitted,and with their Advice and Confent, Decreed we fhould all be honourably fent for to Court. An Order to that Effed was fent to the Lipou, (the fame Tribunal which had prefen ted the Writ again!! us) and by them tranfmitted to the Viceroy of Ham- cheii: So that by an efpecial Providence, he who had endeavoured to turn us lhamefuliy out of China, was himfelf obliged to introduce us,' and that with more Advantage, than, had he been our Friend, he could have procured us. His Vexation was the great¬ er,! becaufe without doing us any Harm, he had run th& rifque of incurring the Emperor’s Difpleafure by his falfe Informations. It was indeed no little Mor¬ tification to him j and it was a Fortnight before he won d 24 T’hz Voyage from Siam to Pekin ., 1 would acquaint us with our good Fortune. In the mean while,the ftay we made at Nimpo gave us an opportunity of improving our Acquaintance with th t Mandarins. ' Some fent usPrefents, others invited us to their Houfes, and all in general were very kind to us. . We endeavour’d to make ufe of this opportunity for their Converfion from Idolatry, hut it is hard for Souls wholly bury’d in Flefh and Blood, to favour the things which are of God. How¬ ever, the Governourof the City made one Hep to¬ wards it, which gave us great Hopes: It was this: They had for five Months time been afHided with a continuul Drought, fo that their Rivers, and the Channels they cut out into their Land to water it, were now quite dry, and a Famine much appre¬ hended. The Priefts had offer’d numberlefs Sacri¬ fices, and the Mandarins left nothing undone which they thought might appeafe the Anger of the Gods. They had often ask’d us what Methods we us’d in Europe in fuch Cafes; and being anfvver’d, that by Humiliation, Penitence, and the Fervency of our Prayers, we mov’d Heaven to Compaffion ; they hop’d by the Hke means to procure their Idols Pity; but ahs, they call’d upon Gods that have Ears and can¬ not hear : At lafr tire Governor was tir’d with his fre¬ quent Difappointments, and refolv’d to Worlhip the Only God, whom all Nature obeys. Having under- ftood that in our Houfe we had a pretty handfome Chappel, in which we every day celebrated the Sa¬ cred Myileries of our Religion, he fent to us to know if we would permit him to come in State, and joyn Iris Prayers with ours. We anfwer’d, we defir’d no¬ thing more than that he fhould Worlhip as we did, and that all the City would follow his Example; and aifur’d him moreover, that if he begg’d with Faith and Sincerity, he fhould undoubtedly obtain. We prefently went to work to put our Chapel in order, The Voyage from Siam to Pekin. 1 5 land make all things ready to folemnize his'coming, [when to our great furprize his Secretary came to tell jus, That his Lord would be with us the next day very early, being neceffitated to meet at Eight the lame Morning at a neighbouring Hill, where with feme Mandarins , he was to offer a Sacrifice to a Dragon. In anfwer to this unexpected Melfage, we order’d our Interpreter to wait on him, and make him fenfible, that the Chriliians God was a Jealous God, who would not allow of his paying to any 0- thersthe Honours due to HimfelF alone ; that his Gods were Statues or Creatures, that had no power to help themfelves nor him ; and that we humbly crav’d him to defpife thofe idle Fancies, fit only to amufe the credulous fenflefs Vulgar, but far beneath a Man of his Senfe and Merit; and to truft in the Only God of Heaven, whom his Reafon alone muft convince him to be the True One. I really believe he was almofl perfwaded, but he had engag’d him- felf to the Mandarins, and for fome worldly refpeCt, clurft not break his Promife; fo he worfhipped his Idols, whom, doubtlefs he had no Faith in, and with¬ drew from the Only True God, of whofe Being he was inwardly convinc’d. Then, My Lord, mov'd with Indignation at their Blindnefs, and the Devil’s Tyranny, fome of us thought of imitating what St. Francis Xavier had done on fome like oceafion, by erefting a Crofs in the City under thefe Couditions: Firft. that we would prevail with Heaven to grant the Rain they flood in fuch want of: And fecondly, that if we did, they fhould pull down their Idols, and own That God who fhould have been fo favourable, as to grant them their Requeft. Our Minds were diffe¬ rent, as was our Zeal: Some full of lively Faith, I which the miraculous and continual Support of Pro¬ vidence, thro’ the feveral Perils we had encounter’d, 2 6 floe Voyage from Siam to Pekin.' had infpir’d them with., could not queftion the Suc- cefs of fobold, but Holy an Undertaking: Others not fo Zealous, but perfuadad that Prudence ought to be our Guide, where the Infpiration is not Evi¬ dent, were of Opinion nothing Ihould be hazarded which failing might expofe our Religion. So we were content to mourn within our felves, and beg of God not only that he would give them Rain, but that Celeftial Fire alfo, which Our Saviour hath brought into the World, and defires all Nations may be inflam’d with. While we were thus bufy’d in promoting the Inte- reft of our Religion, the Viceroy was no lefs in thinking how to execute the Orders he had receiv’d from Court. He left our Journey as far as Ham- then, to the Governour’s Care, who provided Boats for us, and commanded an inferiour Mandarine to attend us, that we might lack'for nothing. We per¬ form’d ; t in five days time, without meeting with a- ny of thofe Accidents which Strangers there are fub -1 jed to when they are thought to carry things of va¬ lue with them. The Chriftians at Hamcheu were lavilh in the Expreffions of their AfFedion to us, they came in Crouds to the River, whence we were carry’d as in Triumph to their Church, with more Kindnefs perhaps than Prudence. For they had, un¬ known to Father Imercetta, provided for each of us an Elbow-Chair, born by four Men, and attended by as many, into which we were forc’d to fuffer our felves to be fet, not knowing what they meant, for our little Skill in their Language did not permit us to learn it from themfelves. Having lock’d us in, we were forc'd to make our Entry as they would have it, which was in this manner. A Mufick of ten or twelve hands, with fomc Trumpets, led the Van; next came fome Horfe and Foot, the former bearing feveral Standards and Flags, and the latter amid The Voyage from Siam to Pekin, ty with Launces and Pikes; and next to thefe four Of¬ ficers who fupported a large Board varnifh’d with Red, on which thefe Words were written in large Golden Chara&ers. Doctors of the Heavenly Law, fent for to Court. We came in the Rear, furrounded by a throng of Chrifhans, and Gentiles, whom the No¬ velty of the Show had drawn thither. In this un- eafie P^np we went thro 3 the whole City, being a long League in length, vex’d that we had not fore- feen their Indifcrerion, and refclv'd to reprimand them for it. Father Intorcetta waited for us at the Church-door, whence he carry’d us to the Altar. There having nine times bow’d our felves to the Ground, and return'd Thanks to the Good God, who thro’ fo many Hazards, had, in fpight of our Enemies, brought us to the Promifed Land, we re¬ turned to the chief of the Chriftians. We delired the Father to acquaint them, that we were not un¬ thankful for their Love,nor ill fatisfied with their Zeal for God’s Glory, but that the fplendid manner in which they had receiv’d us, was no ways conformable to a Chrifti- , * Hi in Curris Sp¬ an’s Humility; * That the Heathen ln E ‘ lu “ > Nosau- might, indeed , celebrate their Triumphs ^j U omme 0 with fuch earthly Pomps and mundane Vanities , but that a Chrilliailh glorying jv as in the Name of the Lord. They return’d no Anfwer, but all on | their Knees implor’d our Blefling. Their Fervency, accompany’d with a meek and devout Look, in which the Chinefe do, when they will, exceed all o- ther Nations, wholly difarm’d our Wrath j we wept for Joy and Compaffion; and I proteft. My Lord, that one Moment made us a large amends for all the Troubles we had undergone. But how great was our Blifs when we were at li¬ berty to receive the Carelfes of Father Intorcetta , whom God had made ufe of to procure our Admit- 28 The Voyage from Siam to Pekin. tanceinto that Empire. We already bore him - a Ve¬ neration due to the Glorious Name of ConfeiTor, which his Imprifonment and Sufferings at Pekin had intituled him to; but his Goodnefs, Meeknefs,' and Charity entirely won our Hearts, and made us refpect him, as the true Pattern of a perfect Miffionary. Th; Character we bore of Perfons fent for to Court,a Cha- rafter no lefs than that of Envoy, oblig’d us to villi and be vifited by the chief Mandarins. The Viceroy our Enemy was afham’d to fee us; he fent us word, that thro’ the multitude of Bufinefs he had then oc his Hands, he could not find leifure to wait upon us: But the General of the Tartars receiv’d us with all Civility, and among other Demonftrationsoflii: Kindnefs, made us a very confiderable Prefent. However, when we were going, the Viceroy, who was afraid left he fhould be inform’d againlt, fern fome Chairs to carry us to the Imperial Barge provi¬ ded for us j he order’d fome Trumpets and Hautboys to attend us, prefented us with ten Piftols, and gave us an efpecial Order from Court, intituled a Cam-In, in purfuance to which all Places we pafs’d through were to find us Boats well Man’d, while we went by Water, or 62 or more Porters in Cafe the Froft obli¬ ged us to go by Land, and each City to give us about half a Piftol,the fame being allow’d to the chief Man¬ darins, who are reputed to have their Charges born by the Emperor, tho’ this will not amount to the tenth part of their Expence. Befides, he order’d a Manda¬ rin to accompany us, and fee all due Refpeft paid us. We would gladly have avoided it, but were forc'd to go thro’ what we undefignedly had engag'd in. The Barge we were on board was a fecond Rate, containing in breadth fixteen Feet, and in length Se¬ venty, and proportionable in height. Befides the Cook-room, the Mailer and his Family’s Apartment (for they have no other Dwelling) that of his Crew, ad T!:e Voyage from Siam to Pekin. 2 p end another for our Men, there was a pretty large Parlour where he dined, and three Rooms in which iix Perfons might eafily lye, all which were Var- niili’d, Gilt, and Painted. The way of our Travel¬ ling was this: As foon as Anchor was weigh’d, the Trumpets, and Hautboys founded a March, then they took their leave with a kind of Cheft, wherein were three Iron Barrels, which made a greater Re¬ port than fo many Muskets; they were difeharged one after another, and between each the Mutick founded, and fo continued playing for fornc time. Whenever we met a Mandarin s Barge,or fomeTown in our way, this was repeated; as alfo when Night or a contrary Wind obliged us to come to an Anchor. This to a Mandarine had not only been a great'Ho¬ nour, but a very entertaining Confort: As for™, we thought it a very inharmonious one, whofe tedi- oufnefs made us pay dear for our Honour. We had befides a Watch every Night to guard us, the manner of which was this: About.Eight at Night, ten or twelve Inhabitants of the Town, nearefl: to the place we anchored in, appeared in a Row on the Shore, then the Mader came upon the Deck, and thence made them a fair Speech, con¬ cerning the Obligations they lay under of preferring all that belonged to the Emperor, and watching for the Mandarins Safety, who themfelves did fo for drat of the State. Then he defeended into Particulars of all the Accidents they were liable to, fire. Thieves, and Storms, exhorting them to be Vigilant, and telling them they were refponlible for ail the Mifchief which might happen. They anfvered each Paragraph with a Shout, and then retired to their Watch-houfe, only one Century was left mere, who continually druck two Sticks one againd ano¬ ther, and was hourly relieved by others, who made the fame Noife, that we might know they did not D fall 2 o The Voyage from Sum to Pekin. fall afleep, which we would gladly have permitted them to do, on condition we might have done fo our felves. But this is the Cuftom when any Man- ila-r'm travels by Water. How uneafie ioever all thefe Ceremonies might be, I muft confefs, that I never met with any way of Travelling lefs tirefomethan this; for after Thirteen Days Voyage we arrived at Yamcheu, on January the 3d, as frelh as if we had not ftirr’d out of ourHoufe, There we found Father Aleonifa , a brmcifcan , Sub- Vicar to the Bifhop of Bajilea, and Father Galiani, a Jefuit, who were come thus far to meet us; the one frme which feemed to difagree with the Sanctity of our Religion. How ? anfwered he. Do you oppofe the Emperor’s Will ? To this a Father returned, My Lord, P 3 Oar ■; 4 T/ 1 s Manner of our (Reception Our Lives are the Emperor's, he may take them aw a] when he plcafes, hut nothing in the World ts able to make ns aha the leaf tittle of our Belief. My Orders, faid he, are not to difpute it with you, hut to ask you for the Tetition, which, according to Cttftom, you are to prefent to him upon this Occafion. The Emperor, hy an mprefidented Goodnefs, would gladly perufe and correB it himjelf if it flsottld need any amendment: But he commands you to keep this Favour fecret. All that is prefented to the Emperor, ought -to be indited in Terms fo nicely conformable to the . Laws and Cuftoms of the Country, in refpedt of his Quality who fpeaks, and of theBufinefs he treats of, that the penning of it is no little trouble,' efpecially for a Stranger. An improper Expreffion, a Word, nay a Letter mifplaced, is fufficient to undo a Man¬ darins, and feveral have loft their Places for being guilty of the like Faults, either thro’ Inadvertency or Ignorance. ' The Emperor, well skill’d in all thefe Formalities, queftion’d our Capacity in that refpedt, and would truft no body but himfelf; fo that by an incredible Goodnefs he took the pains to compofe it, that it might ftand the moft critical Examination. Some Days after, the fame Gentleman came with feveral new Queries. He enquired particularly into the Motives of the late Dutch War, and into the famous railage of the Rhine. For in truth, faid he, whr.t has been told the Emperor is net to he believed. Ttrhaps the River is neither fo broad, fo deep, nor fo ra¬ pid as is reported ; and, perhaps, the Dutch had form l private Reafsr.s not to oppofe your King s Conquefts with mere vigour. Then, .Madam, did we wifh for a more perfect Knowledge of ids Language, that we might repre- fent to him the great Soul, the good Fortune, and the unfhaken Valour of Lewis the Great, to vvhofe Soldiers nothing is impoffible while they fight in his I by the Em [wow, &c. 5 5 | his View, and are animated by his Example. The [Father, who was our Interpreter, told him however, las much as would perfuade him, that none but fuch [a Hero could frame and carry on the like En- I terprifes: He was aftonifh’d at our recital of them, land rofe immediately to go and report it to his ! Prince. As he was going out he turned to us, faying, Gentlemen, All I have heard is indeed wonderful, but what mj Eyes behold feems no lefs furprizing: Who could think that thefe Fathers who have dwelt here fo long, who are of a different Nation, and never [aw you bfore, jliould look )on you as their Brethren ; that you Jliottld treat them like yours, and that you jhould be as kind to each other, as if you had been acquainted all your Lives. 1 really am extreamly taken with Cha¬ rity, a?td can no longer doubt the trath ef what you pro- fefs. So open a Confeffion might give us fome hopes, that He was not far from the Kingdom of God: It is true he believed, but alas, of what ufe is that Belief, when we-have not the Courage to .aft accordingly, but toinhance our Guilt. If we had come thither Incognito, the Mandarins would have had nothing to fay to us j but it be¬ ing in purfuance of an Order from the Upon, which, as I have already hinted, is one of the mod noted Courts of Juftice in the Empire, the Viceroy of the Province we came from, remitted us into their Hands, and we were, according to Cuftom, to be delivered up by them to their Sovereign. Wherefore as foon as the Morning ended, and they had leave to fit, we were fummoned before them, with Orders to carry thither all our Mathematical Machines and Inftruments, of which they already had an Inventory. The Emperor, who would not have us do any thing without his Advice, was acquainted with it, D 4 and 3 6 Tbs Manner of our (Reception and fent us word it was not fitting we Ihould fliew our Inftruments, and that we might, if we thought fit, decline making a Perfonai Appearance. We went thither however, being feveral times invited in a moft obliging manner, and not judging it con¬ venient by a blunt Refufal to offend fo considerable a Body, which befides was our Judge, and already but too great an Enemy to our Religion. Some Mandarins deputed by their Prefident for that purpofe, made us a very civil Reception; They defired us to fit down, and prefented us with fome Tea before they had drunk any themfelves; a Re¬ flect they do not pay even to Ambalfadors, as Fa¬ ther Pereira, a Portngueze, affured Us, who had been prcfent at an Audience they had lately given to thofe of Portugal. This Vifit was indeed but for Form’s fake, to the end they might inform the Emperor of our being fafely arrived to - Town, according to His Majefty’s Commands. So that after fome Complements on each fide, we were defired to attend the next Day at the Palace, when they would difcharge us. We went thither accordingly at the appointed time, and having ffaid during fome Hours in a large Court, where the Mandarins ufually wait, who have any bufinefs there ; their Prefident or Chief Ju- ftice, brought us the Anfwer to an Addrefs he had according to Cuftom prefented on our Account. This Anfwer was written on a fmall varnifhed board, wrapped up in a piece of Yellow TafFety: The Contents were, That we might ufe our Ltftru- fxtnts, and fettle in what fart of the Empire we plcafed, according to the firfi Orders from Court, when we were Jem fir thither. And that in the mean while, the Lipou would deliver us up to the other Fathers, who were to in¬ troduce' us into the Emperor s Prefence, when His Majefy ficuld think ft. Vet by the Emperor , &c. 37 Yet that Prince’s Intentions were not that we Ihould leave Fekin, but on the contrary, he would have kept us all there, and lodg’d us in his Palace. He had expreffed himfelf fo clearly on that point, that we had need of all the Intereft and Dexterity of Father Pereira, to divert the Storm. That Father, who was then Superiour of all the Miffionaries, moved with Companion, that fo many Vineyards were ruined for want of Husbandmen, judged we might be moreufeful in the Country. Fie knew befides what an averfion we had to a Courtier’s Life, which he might eafily learn from our continual Com¬ plaints againft it. Thefe, and feveral other Ileafons induced him to intreat the Emperor that he would not oppofe it, and his Zeal infpired him with fuch effectual Me¬ thods, that the good Prince at laft confented: But, laid he, it Jhall be on condition -we divide the Spoil? I’ll take two at jour choice, and you fball difpofe of the other three * What can you fay againfi this, I tjuityou the better half? We had not yet had the Honour to attend his Im¬ perial Majefty, for the Formalities I laft mention’d were to precede our Audience: But the Upon had fcarce delivered up their Charge* when two Eunuchs came to the College to warn the Superiour, that he Ihould attend with his Brethren in a Court of the Palace which was appointed. We were inftruaed in the Ceremonies ufual on fuch Occafions, which was done with little trouble, being already half lick’d into a Chinefe Form. Firft then, We were carried in Chairs to the firft Gate, whence we went on Foot thro’ eight Courts of a prodigious length, built round with Lodgings of different Architecture, but all very ordinary, except t ofe large fquare Buildings over the Arches thro’ hich we paffed from one Court to another Thofe indeed were ftately, being of an extraordinary thick- nefs, 3 % The Manner of our Reception nefs and proportionable in breadth and heighth, and built with fair white Marble, but which was worn rough thro’ Age. Thro’ one of thefe Courts ran a finall Rivulet, over which were laid feveral little Bridges of the fame Marble, but of a whiter Colour and better Workmanlhip. It were hard, Madam , to defeend into Particulars, and give you a pleafing Defcription of that Palace, becaufe its Beauty does not confift fo much in being compofed of feveral curious Pieces of Architecture, as in a prodigious quantity of Buildings: And an infinite number of adjoyning Courts and Gardens which are all regularly difpofed, and in the whole make a Palace really Great, and worthy of the Monarch who inhabits it. The only thing which furprized me, and feemed Angular in its kind, is the Emperor’s Throne. The belt Defcription of it, which my Memory will af¬ ford me, is this: In the midft of one of thofe great Courts ftands a fquare Balls or folid Building, of an extraordinary bignefs, whofe top is adorned with a Baluftrade,much after ourfalhion; thisfupports ano¬ ther like unto it, but framed Taper-wife, over which are placed three more, ftiil lofing in bulk as they gain in heighth. Upon the uppermolt is built a large Hall, whofe Roof being covered with gilt Tiles, is born by the four Walls, and has many rows of varnilh’d Pillars, between which is feated the Throne. Thefe vaft Bafes^ with their Baluftrades made of White Marble, and thus difpofed Amphitheater-wife, when t'ne Sun fhines, dazle the Eyes of the Beholder, with the luftre and fplendor of the Gold and Var- -nilh, and afford a, moft beautiful Profpedi, efpeci- ally fince they are placed in the midft of a fpacious Court, and furrounded by four ftately rows of Build* ing: So that were its Beauty inhanced by theOrna- . , ments TkeThr&ne of the. Emperour oj- China Seituated,in the Middle of thefreatestChurt ofluLTalla ,and raisedvponfne hoses of White Marble. > * ■ by the Emperor, See. 3 9 ; snents our Modern Architecture, and by that No¬ ble Simplicity which is fo much valued in our Build¬ ings, it would doubtlefs be as magnificent a Throne as ever was raifed by Art. After a quarter of an Hour’s walk, we at length came to the Emperor’s Apartment. The Entrance was not very fplendid, but the Anti-chamber was a- dorned with Sculptures, Gildings, and Marble, whofe Neatnefsand Workmahfhip were more valuable than the Richnefs of the Stuff. As for the Prefence Cham¬ ber, the fecond Mourning not being over, it was {fill difrobed of all its Ornaments, and could boaft of none but the Sovereign’s Perfon, who fate after the Tartars Cuftom, on a Table or Sopha, raifed three Feet from the Ground, and covered with a plain white Carpet, which took up the whole breadth of the Room. There lay by him fome Books, Ink, and Pencils; he wascloathed with a black Satin Veil, furred with Sable; and a row of young Eunuchs plainly habited, and unarmed, Rood on each Hand clofe legged, and with their Arms extended down¬ wards along their fides; which is looked upon there as the moll refpectful Pofture. In that State, the moil model! that even a private Man could have appear'd in, did hechufe to be feen by us, defiring we Ihould obferve his Dutifulnefs to the Emprefs his departed Mother, and the Grief he conceived at her Death, rather than the State and Grandeur he is ufually attended with. Being come to the Door, we haftned with no little fpeed (for fuch is the Cuilom) till we came to the end of the Chamber oppofite to the Emperor. Then all abreall we flood fome time in the fame Pofture the Eunuchs were in. Next we fell on our Knees,and having joyned our Hands, and lifted them up to our Heads, fo that our Arms and Elbows were at the fame height,we bowed thrice 40 The Manner of our Reception thrice to the Ground, and then flood again as before: The fame Proftration was repeated a fecond time, and again a third,when we were order'd to come forward, and kneel before His Majefty. The gracious Prince, whofe Condefcenfion I can¬ not enough admire, having enquired of us of the Grandeur and prefent State of France, the length and dangers of our Voyage, and the manner of our Treatment by the Mandarins: Well, faid he, fee if I can add any nm Favour to thofe I have already conferred upon you. Is there any thing you mould defire of me ? you may freely ask it. We returned him humble Thanks, and begg'd he would permit us, as a token of our iincere Gratitude, to lift up each day of our Lives our j Hands to Heaven, to procure to his Royal Perfon, and to his Empire, the buffing of the True God, who alone can make Princes really happy. He feemed well fatisfied with our Anfwer, and permitted us to withdraw, which is performed with¬ out any Ceremony. The great Refpeft and Dread which the Prefence of the moft Potent Monarch in Afia infpired us with, did not yet awe us fo far, but that we took a full view of his Perfon. Indeed, leaft our too great freedom herein fliould prove a Crime ( for in what concerns the Emperor of China, the leaft Miftake is fuch ) we had firft obtain’d his leave. He was fomething above the middle Stature, more Corpulent than what in Europe we reckon handfome; yet fomewhat more {lender than a Chinefe would wilh to be, full Vifag’d, disfigur’d with the Small Pox, had broad Fore-head, little Eyes, and a fmall Nofe after the Chinefe Falhion; his Mouth was well made, and the lower part of his Face very agreeable. In fine, tho : he bears no great Majefty in his Looks, yet they Ihew a undance of good Nature, yet his Ways and hy the Emperor , &c. 41 Aftion have fomething of the Prince in them, and Jhew him to be fuch. From his Apartment we went into another, where a Mandarine treated us with Tea , and prefented us as from the Emperor, with about a hundred Piftols. The Giftfeemed but mean, confidering whom it came from, but was very confiderable in refpedt to the Cuftom of China , where it is the Maxim of all Great Perfons to take as much, and give as little as they can. On the other hand, he loaded us with Honours, and ordered one of his Officers to wait on us to our Houfe. I confefs, Madam, that a Man muft be wholly in- fenfible to all the Concerns of this World, not to be moved with a fecret Complacency, at the having fuch RefpeA paid him by one of the miglnieft Prin¬ ces in the World. But one muft not judge of us on that account, by what is ufual with the Men of this World, in the like Occafions. The trueft Caufe of the Pleafure we receive from the Favour of Princes, is Self-Intereft. It is well known, that their Carefles are ever beneficial j and a Courtier would never be fo over-joyful at a kind Look or Expreffion from his King, if he did not ex- J ieft forne more folid Bounties would follow : But as or us, whom our Vows and Millions forbid to have fuch hopes, we look unconcernedly on all this World ; fo that part of it can never move or con¬ cern us. It is true, God is fometimes well pleafed to fee Religion refpected in the Perfons of his Minifters: He often ufes thofe Methods to ftrengthen the Faith of New Converts, who need fuch natural Supports to fortifie them againft Trials and Temptations $ nay, it breeds even in the Gentiles a difpofition to embrace Chriftianity. Thefe thoughts made us take more delight in thofe Tokens of the Emperor’s Favour; or 4 ^ The Manner of our (Reception | or to fpeak more properly, made us find them left difagreeable. Your Highnefs is, perhaps, aftonithed to fee the Sovereign of an Idolatrous Nation, fo openly coun¬ tenance our Religion, and would gladly know what Motives had induced him to it. His Kindnefs for fuch Strangers as we, proceeds, doubtlefs, from the great Efteem he has long fmce had for theMiffionaria at Veken. Befides the commendation of their Learn¬ ing, he has always found them tincere, honeft) very Zealous and Affectionate to him, ever ready to obey his Will,where their Faith did notforbidthem,harm. lefs to a degree, he never could give over admiring, and ever defirous to proclaim the True God. He is above all fo well perfwaded, that this is the foie End of all their Enterprizes, that he takes a fecret Delight in contributing to the Propagation of the Faith, thinking he can no other way better recompence thefe Fathers Earneftnefs in his Ser¬ vice. And fo Father Verbkfi, on his Death-Bed, wrote a Letter to him, in part of which he thus expreffed himfeif; Dread Sir, I die contented, in that I have fpev! almoft all my Life in year Alajeftys Service ; But 1 l>$ yctrr Aiajcfiy, will be fleajed to remember when 1 an deal, that my (Duly Aim, in what I did, was, to gain hi tlx greatest Monarch of the East, a Protector to the weft H> ty Religion of the I f aid. Perhaps, Madam, you may have feen certain Li¬ bels (for I know not what to call them eife) which reprefent our Society as a fort of Men poffeffed with Avarice and Ambition, who undertake thefe long! and painful Travels, only to enrich themfelves by a 1 Sacrilegious and Scandalous Traisick. Your High¬ nefs may expect thatColumny, (the infeparable Com¬ panion of a Spirit of Sedition and Hereiie) not fii- tisfied with Perfecuting our Religion in Europe, iheuid bj the Emperor , &c. 43 come even to the utmoft Parts of the World, to Han¬ der thofe who endeavour to fettle it there, as pure as we received it from our Fore-fathers; and you will not be forry to hear, how that very Idolatry which we deftroy, cannot forbear witneffing our good In¬ tentions, and that if China faw what Pictures are drawn here of her Miffionaries, Ihe would hardly know them. But it is not before your Highnefs they need an Advocate. Among the feveral things which happened then at Tek'm, nothing was more Sorrowful, and at once more Honourable to us, than the Funeral of Father Ver- bkft, which his Imperial Majefty had ordered to be put off till the laft Devoirs had been paid theEmprds Dowager. Father Thomas a Jefuit has defcribed this Ceremony at large. I dare hope an Extrad of what he has wrote will not be unwelcome to you, both be- caufe it will give you fome inlight into their Cuftoms on the like Occalions, and that you will thereby grow better acquainted with a Man whom his Me¬ rit has made known to all the World. Be pleafed then to accept of it as follows. It feemed good to Divine Wifdom, to take to himfelffrom this Mortal Life, Father Ferdinanlo Ver- biefi, a Firming, and to bellow on him the Recom- pence of Saints. Our Miffionaries Affedion cannot eafily be expreffed, but much harder would it be to reckon by how many exemplar Vertues, and conliderable Services he has merited their Efteem and Gratitude. Befides ffiveral other good Qualities, theGreatnefs of his Soul is particularly to be admired, which has never failed him in the moll cruel Perfections, f» that he was ever Triumphant over the Enemies of the Faith! The Survey of the Mathematicks was at firll proffered him, which Dignity he accepted of, ia 44 The Manner of our (Reception | in hopes it would enable him to fet on foot our Milt ons, which were then wholly laid afide. He obtained a Toleration for Evangelical Pallor: who after a long Banilhment, had their Ghurch; reltored them. He (tilled fome Perfections in the Birth, and others he prevented, which threatna the tender Flocks. The Mandarines nofooner kne» him, but they had a refped for him ; and the Em peror entertained fo good an Opinion of his Capa city, that he kept him above a quarter of a Ye;; near his Perfon, and during that time, fpent thra or four Hours every Day with him in private, dif courfing of feveral Sciences, efpecially Mathema ticks. In thefe Converfations our zealous Mifftonary en¬ deavour’d to bring him into a liking of our Religi¬ on : He would explain to him its mod ftupendioui Myfteries, and made him obferve its Holinefs, is Truth and Necefltty; infomuch, that the Emperor ftruck with his powerful Arguments, often owned, That he believed aGod.: His Ma jelly allured him of it, by a Writing under his own Eland, wherein he faid, among other things, That all the Religions of his Empin feemed to him Vain and Superflitiom, that the Idols win nothing, and that heforefaw Christianity would one isji be built on their Ruins. A Chincfe Doctor having in ons of his Books taken the liberty to place the Chrillian Religion among the feveral Herelies China was infect¬ ed with, the Emperor upon the Father’s Complaint, ftruck out thofe Lines himfelf, telling him the whols Empire Ihould know what he had done. Father Vtrbhfi s Intereft was fuch, that at his In- ftigation the old Inftruments which ftood on the Platform of the Obfervatory were pulled down, to make room for new ones of his contriving. He gave directions for the Calling of BrafsGuns, which laved the States from Ruine. He applied himfelf to , by the Emperor , &C. 45 feveral other Works, to ferve the Publick, or fatisfie the Emperor’s Curiofity j and one may fay, that on this laft Account, he has fearched into the moft rare and ingenious Inventions that Arts and Sciences have ever offered us. The whole Court looked upon him as the wifeft Man of his Age, but above all, was charmed with his Modefty. It is true, no Man ever was more Mild and Tradable than he ; humbling himfelf be¬ fore every one, while every one ftrove to exalt him : Infenfible to all the Things of this World, except where Religion was concerned; for then he was no more the fame Man,and as tho’ he had been animated by a new Spirit, his Looks, his Words, his Adions, all wereGrcat, and becoming a Chriftian Hero. The very Emperor dreaded him at fuch times, and was not ealily perfwaded to admit him into his Prefence; He will fly out, would he fay, into fome Undecency, which I muTl be forced, tho unwillingly, to refent. This Holy Boldnefs proceeded from a lively Faith, and a great Confidence in God. He defpaired of nothing, though humanly impoflible ; and would often fay. We mufi never forget Two of the Chief Max¬ ims of Christian M reality: Firf, That let our Projects be never fo well laid, they will certainly fall if God leaves us to our own Wifdorp. Secondly, That it were in vain the whole Univerfe fliould arm it felf to defray the Work of God ; nothing is powerful again}} the Almighty , and every thing projpers that Heaven approves of. So he ne¬ ver entred on any Enterprife without imploring its Help, tho’however he'left no Means untried that Reafon and Chriftian Prudence offer’d him. Thus did his Zeal each Day increafe in Strength and Purity: The Eftablilhment of our Faith wholly employed his Thoughts, and whatever Occupation elfe he was put upon, proved a Torment to him. He avoided all idle Viiits and Converfations,and could E not 46 The limner of our Reception f not endure to fee People finely only for Curiofities 1 fake: He never fo much as read the News that came si from Europe, which at fuch aDiftance we are ufually io greedy of; only he would hear the chief Heads, provided you will fpeak them in a few Words. He would fpend whole Days and Nights in writing Let¬ ters of Confoiation, Infirudtion, or Recommendation for'theMiffionariesj in compofing divers Works for the Emperor or Chief Lords at his Court; and in compiling the Kalendar, calculating with an indefa¬ tigable Induftry, the Motion of the Stars for every Year. This, and the Care of all the Churches, fo impaired his Strength, that in fpight of the firength of his Conlfitution, he fell at lafi into a kind of Confunv ption, which yet did not hinder his framing great Defigns for the Advancement of his Religion. He had taken fuch exact Meafures for the fettling of it in the moft remote Parts of China, in the Eaftern Tar- m>y,and even in the Kingdom of Kovia j that nothing but his Death could have prevented the execution of fo well contriv’d a Project. Nor is his Character as a Private Perfon lefsllluftri- ous. For at his firft Admittance into our Order he was a true Monk, ftriet in the Performance of its Rules, very obfervant to his Superiours, and loving* Study and Retirement above all things which he per- lifted in, even among the multitude of Bufinefs, in the midft of which he would be as fedate as a Her¬ mit in his Cel!. His Confcience wa? nice to extremity, fo that no Man could take more care than he did to be always ready to make his Appearance before him who can efpy Faults even in Saints and Angels. To preferve his Innocence, he never went out without a fevere Cilice or an Iron Chain, and ufed to fay, It was a Shame for ajefuit to be clothed in Sliks, and in the LiverJ by the Emperor, See. 47 Livery of the World, and not to wear the Livery of Chrift. His Soul was naturally great, and when others Ne- ceffities wanted a Supply, his Charity was boundlefs. But he was hard-hearted to himfelf, courting Pover¬ ty even in Plenty, to that Degree, that the Emperor who took great Notice of him, often fent him Stuff with exprefs Orders to wear it, and be morefumptu- ous in his Apparel. His Bed, Table, and Furniture were indeed too mean for. a Mandarine ; but he ever preferred his Station in the Church before that in the State. He has often protefted, he would never have accepted of that Office, had he not hoped by Teem¬ ing to the Gentiles the Head of the Chriftians, to have thereby born all their Envy, and been themoft expofed to their Malice, and the firft facrificed in cafe of Perfection. This Hope made him be fatisfied with his Condi¬ tion, and his Writings expreffedfuch an ardent defire of dying for Jefm Chrift, that nothing but Martyrdom was wanting to his being a Martyr; yet he might in fome meafure be reckon’d fuch, fince he begg’d it of God with that groaning of Spirit, which is a conti¬ nual Suffering to thofe that cannot obtain it, Reckon me, 0 Lord, did he often cry out, among thofe who have defired, hut never could fed their Blood for thee. T have, indeed, neither their Innocencj, their Vertue, nor their Cou¬ rage, hut thou may si apply their Merits to me, and (which will make me much more agreeable in thy fight) thou canfi cloath me with thy own. Linder that Veil of thine Infinite Mercy , 1 dare offer my life as a Sacrifice to thee. I have been fo happy as to confefs thy Holy Name among the Feople, at Court, before the "Tribunals , under the weight of Irons , and in the Darknefs of Frifons, but what will this Confef- fiton avail me, unlefsfigned with my Blood? Full of thefe exalted Thoughts, and already Ripe for Heaven, by the Pra&ife of every Chriftian Ver- E 2 tue, 48 The Manner of our (Reception j tue, he was ieiz’d with a Sicknefs, of which he died. 1 It began with a Faintnefs and an univerfal Decay of Nature, which grew into a Confumption. The Em¬ peror’s Phyficians kept him up fome time with the help of Phyfick, efpecially Cordials, in which the Chinefe have a wonderful Succefs; but his Fever in- creafing, Art at length was forc’d to yield to Nature. He received the Sacraments with a Zeal that infla¬ med all that were prefent; and when he yielded up the Ghoft, they were equally (truck with Devotion and Sorrow. The Emperor, who the Day before had loft the Emprefs his Mother,felt a double Grief when he heard the News. He ordered the Burial to be put off till the Court went out of deep Mourning.; and then he fent Two Lords of the higheft Quality to pay him on his behalf the fame Devoirs which Private Men ufually pay to their Dead. They kneeled before the Coffin, whichwasexpofedinaHall, bowed feveral times, remaining a long while with their Faces to the Ground, and wept and groaned heavily, for that is the Cuftom. Then after thofe,and feveral other Ex- preffions of their Sorrow, they read aloud his Enco¬ mium,which theEmperor himfelf had compofed, and which was to be fet up near the Corps. It runs thus: We ferioufly confider within our [elves, that Father Fer- dinando Verbieft, has of his own goodwill, left Europe to come into our Dominions, and has font the greatefi fart of his Life in our Service ; we muft fay this for him , “That-during all the time that he took Care of the Mathema- ticks, his FrediBions never failed, but always agreed with the Motions of the Heavens. Beftdes far from negleBing our Orders, he has ever approved himfelf ExaB, Diligent, Faithful, Uunalterable , and Confiant in bis Labour, till he lad finfhed his Work. As foon as we heard of his Sick¬ nefs, we fent him our Vhyficitm, and when we knew that a dead Sleep had taken him away from us, our Heart was wounded by the Emperour , See. 49 wounded weth a lively Grief. We give two Hundred Golden Crowns, and feme Pieces of Silk as a Contribution to the Charge of his Funeral: And it is our Pleafure, that this Declaration bear Witnefs of the fincere AffeBion we bore him. The Prime Mandarins and feveral Lords at Court followed their Sovereign’s Example. Some wrote Speeches in his Praife on large pieces of Satan; which were hung up in the Hall where the Body lay in State; others fent in Prefents, and all. mourn¬ ed for his Lofs. At length the Day for his Funeral, being agreed upon, which was the nth of March, 1688. every body was willing to contribute fome- thing towards the Ceremony. The Emperor in the Morning fent his Father-in- law, who is alfo his Uncle, with one of the chief Lords of his Court, attended by a Gentleman of the Bed-chamber, and Five Offers of his Hoqftold, to reprefent his Perfon; wh-' ..a began by falling down before'the Corps, and wept a pretty while 5 during which, all things were difpofed for the Proceffion. The College is fituated near the South-Gate, whence you go to the North Gate, by a Street built in a ftrait Line, about a Hundred Foot broad, and a League long, which toward the middle is croffed by another exa&ly like it, one end of which leads to the Weftern Gate, being within Six Hundred Paces of our Burying Place, which the Emperor Vanli for¬ merly bellowed on Father Ricci, but was taken away during the late Perfection, and not reftored till now by a fpecial Favour from the prefent Emperor. Thro’ thefeTwo Streets the Funeral paffed, in the follow¬ ing Order. Firft came a Trophy Thirty Foot high, varniflied over with Red, on which was written in large Gol¬ den Characters, the Name and Titles of Father Vtr- biefi. This was, as it were, the fore-runner of the E 3 enfu- 5 o T be Manner of our (Reception „ |! enfaing Pomp,which began with a great Crofs,hung with Flags, and carried between Two Rows of Chri¬ ftians, all cioathed in White, holding in one Hand a lighted Taper, and in the other a Handkerchief to wipe off their Tears. The Gentiles are ufed on fuch Solemnities to filed feigned Tears; but the Chrifti- ans Lofs made them Hied real ones. Next, fome di- ftance off, followed in the fame Order the Picture of the Virgin Mary, in a Frame, round which were pieces of Silk neatly plated in feveral manners,inftead of Carving ; and then St. Michael ’s Reprefentation was born with the like Ceremonies. And I may fay, that the Chriftians who walked on either fide, de¬ voutly praying, infpired even the Heathen with a Veneration for thofe precious Tokens of our Faith. Immediately after came the Father’s Encomium of the Emperor’s own Compofing, written on a large piece of yellow Sattin; a Crowd of Chriftians furrounded it, and Two Rows of thofe who had been invited, followed it in a refpeCtful manner. At length appeared the Corps, in a Coffin made of or¬ dinary Wood, but varniili’d and gilt after the man¬ ner of the Country, carried by Sixty Bearers, and attended by the Miffionaries, the Deputies from Court, and a Throng of Lords and Mandarins , who clofed up the Proceffion. It took up above a Thou- land Paces, the Streets all the way were lined by an infinite number of Spectators, who with amazement beheld ourChriftian Rites triumphing, even in their Capital City, over Pagan Superfiition. When we were come to the Burying Place, the Miffionaries in their Surplices read the Prayers of the Church before the Mandarins, The Body was be- fprinkled with Holy Water, and perfumed with In- cenfe in the ufual manner; then it was let down into a very deep fquare Vault, enclofed with Four good Brick Walls. It was like a Chamber under Ground and by the Empemir, See. 5 t ^r.d 3 in the Scripture Phrafe, became to him an Eva- lafiing Habitation. Having pray’d near it fome time, we remain’d on our Knees to hear what the Empe¬ ror’s Father-in-law- had to fay to us; which was this: Father Verbieft has been con ftder ably ferviceable to the Emperor and the State ; of which his Imperial Majcsly being fenfble , has [rat me with thefe Lords to make a Pub- lick Acknowledgment of it on lus behalf, that all the World may know the fingnlar Affection His Majefiy dul ever bear him while he lived, and the great Grief he has. received bp his Death. We were fo moved with the difmai Ceremony, the Chriftians continual Lamentations,our own great Lofs, and the Emperor’s furprifing Bounty, that we were not able to reply. Every one melted into Tears; but that Prince, who expe&ed another Anfwer from us, was obliged to prefs us for it, when at length, Father Pereiva thus fpoke on our Behalf : My Lord, our Anguijhwas not fo.much the catffe of our Silence, as the Emperor s unparallel’d Goodnefs ; for what can we fay or think, when we confider that fo great a. Monarch tijes us who are Strangers, Unknown, Ujelefs, and perhaps trou- blffometo him,as if we had the Honour to be in his Service ? Were we his Children he could not love us more } he takes care of our Health, of tur Reputation, of our Life: He honours our very Death not only with his Elogies , his Li¬ berality, the Prefence of the mofi noble Lords of his Court, but (which never can enough be prized ) by his Grief. What Return, my Lord, can we then make, not to fay to all his Favours, but to that alone which your Highncfs has been pleafed to deliver ? We will only humbly beg ycur Grace would acquaint his Majefiy, that we Weep that cur Tears may fiuw the Greatnefs of our Sorrow, but that we remain filent, becaufe we can find no Words fuff.cient to e:<- prefs our Gratitude. The-Emperor was informed of what had paffed, E 4 and 5 1 Tn Manner of our Reception, See. and forne Days after the * Chief * whica aiifmcrs Court of Rites, prefented a Petiti- braids." tg * ° °n> That his Majefty would fuffer them to Decree fome new Honours to that illuftrious Father’s Memory. The Emperor not only granted it, but willed them to conlider, that a Stranger of fo extraordinary a Merit, was not to be look’d upon as an ordinary Man. In the very firft Meeting they ordered Seven Hundred Golden Crowns fhould be laid out on a Tomb for him, and the Encomium which the Emperor had wrote ihould be engrav’d on a Marble Stone, and that fome Man¬ darins fhould be once more deputed to pay him their ! laft Devoirs in behalf of the Empire. Then they dignified him, that is, gave him a higher Title than any he had enjoyed during his Life. While the Emperor was paying him Honour on Earth, the Holy Father, no doubt, prayed for him in Heaven:. For it is very obfervable, that that Prince never was more inquifitive about Religion, than at that time. He fent one of his Gentlemen every Mi¬ nute to the Fathers, to enquire about the Condition of Souls in the other World, about Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, the Exigence of a God, his Providence, and the means neceffary to Salvation: So that God feemed to move his Fleart after an extraordinary man¬ ner, and to affed it with that Anxiety which ufually precedes our Converfion. But that happy Moment was not yet come. However, who knows but Fa¬ ther VerbieJF s Prayers, and the Care of feveral zea¬ lous Miffionaries who have fucceeded him, may ha¬ sten the Execution of thofe Defigns which Provi¬ dence feems to have on that great Prince ? I atn molt refpeftfully. Madam, TonrHighnefs mott humble, mofi obedient Servant, L.J. LET- 55 LETTER III. to His Highnefs the Cardinal f/Turflemberg. Of the Cities, Houfes, and Chief Buildings of CHINA. My Lord, A MONG the federal Empires into which the World has hitherto been divided, that of Chi¬ na has ever obtained fo confiderable a Place, that a Prince cannot be wholly ignorant of what concerns it, without neglecting a point of Knowledge necef- fary for thofe in his Place and Condition. This, My Lord, was no doubt, the Motive that induced your Highnefs to enquire fo particularly into the State of that Country, and to defire an exaCi Account of the Number and Bignefs of its Cities, the Multitude of its Inhabitants, the Beauty of its Publick Buildings, and Figure of its Palaces. By this it plainly appears, that the vaft Genius you have for Bufinefs/does in no wife lelfen the Acute- nefs of your Judgment in the fublimeil Arts, and efpecially in Architecture, of which, the molt excel¬ lent Works raife by your Directions at Modave, Sa- verne, Berni, St. Germans, and above all, in the famous Cathedral of Strasfurg, are fo many Inftances. It having been my Bulinefs to run over all China, where in Five Years time I have travelled above Two Thoufand Leagues, I can perhaps fatisfie your High¬ nefs with more eafe than any one befides. I fhall therefore prefent you with a Defcription of what feemed to me moll remarkable. Pekin,'that is the North-Court, is the chief City of China, and the ufual Seat of its Emperors. It is \ 54 0 / the Cities , Houjes , and fo named to difiinguilh it from Nankin, the South- Court,another very eonfiderable City, fo called from the Emperor's Reliding there in former Ages, it be¬ ing the fined, the rnofl commodious,and belt fituated of the whole Empire; but the continual Incurfions of the Tartars , a Warlike and very Troublefome Neighbour, obliged him to fettle in the mod Nor¬ therly Provinces, that he might be always ready to oppofe them, with the numerous Army he ufually keeps near his Court. Pekin was the Place fixed upon, being fituate in the 4cth Degree of Northern Latitude, in a very Fertile Plain, and not far from the Long Wall. Its Neighbourhood to the Sea on the Eafi, and the great Canal on the South, afford it a Communication with feveral fine Provinces, from which it draws moft of its Subfiftance. This City, which is of an exaft fquare Form, was formerly Four long Leagues round, but the Tartan fettling there, forced the Chinefe to live without the Walls, where they in a very Ihort while built a new Town, which taking a greater Compafs in length than breadth, does, with the old one compafs an ir¬ regular Figure. Thus Pekin is made up of Two Ci¬ ties 5 one is called the Tartar’s, becaufe they permit none elfe to inhabit it; and the other the Chinefe, as large, but much more inhabited than the other. Both together are Six great Leagues in Circuit, al¬ lowing 3600 Paces to each League. This I can aver to be true, it having been meafured by the Emperor’s fpecial Command. This, My Lord, will feem ftrange to thofe who are acquainted with Europe only, and think Pam the larged, as it is doubtlefs the fined City in the World; yet the difference between them is great. Paris, ac¬ cording to the Draught Mr. Blondell has made, by Order from our Magidrates, on the Account of a, Chief Buildings of China. 5 y Defign they have to furround it with new Walls, con¬ tains in its greateft length but 2joo Paces, and * confequentiy, tho’ we * In the Draught /hould fuppofe it fquare, would be but iocoo Paces round; fo we froca i ' pr