The voyages and adventures of Fernand Mendez Pinto, a Portugal, during his travels for the space of one and twenty years in the Kingdoms of Ethiopia, China, Tartaria, Cauchinchina, Calaminham, Siam, Pegu, Japan, and a great part of the East-Indiaes with a relation and description of most of the places thereof, their religion, laws, riches, customs, and government in time of peace and war : where he five times suffered shipwrack, was sixteen times sold, and thirteen times made a slave / written originally by himself in the Portugal tongue and dedicated to the Majesty of Philip King of Spain ; done into English by H.C. Gent.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of an Edifice, scituated in the midst of the river, wherein were the hundred and thirteen Chappels of the Kings of China; with the publique Granaries established for the relief of the poor. (Book 36)

TO give an end to the matter, whereof I intreat, which would be infinite if I should re∣count every thing in particular, amongst the great number of marvellous buildings, which we saw, the most remarkable to my seeming was an inclosure, seated in the midst of the river of Batampina, containing some league in circuit in an Island, and invironed with fair hewed stone, which on the out-side was about eight and thirty foot high above the water, and on the in-side even with the ground, being encompassed with two rows of ballisters of lattin, where∣of the outermost were but six foot high, for the commoditie of such as would rest them∣selves there, and the innermost were nine foot high, having six Lyons of silver standing upon huge bowls, which are the arms of the King of China, as I have said elsewhere. Within the in∣closure of these ballisters stood in very goodly order an hundred and thirteen Chappels after the fashion of Bulwarks all round, in each of which was a rich Tomb of Alabaster, placed with much art upon the heads of two silver Serpents, which in regard of the many boughts where∣in they were entertained seemed to be snakes, though they had the vis••ges of women, and three horns on their heads, the explication whereof we could not possibly learn. In each of these Chappels were thirteen branched Candlesticks with seven great lights a piece in them, so that to compute the whole, the candlesticks of these hundred and thirteen Chappels amount to a thousand, four hundred, thirty and nine. In the midst of a great place, invironed round a∣bout with three rows of winding stairs, and two ranks of idols, was a very high tower, with five steeples diversly painted, and silver Lions on the top of all: Here the Chineses told us were the bones of those hundred and thirteen Kings, that had been transported thither from these Chappels below: And it is the opinion of these brutish people, that these bones, which they hold for great reliques, do feast one another at every new Moon; in regard whereof these Barbarians use on that day to offer unto them a great Charger full of all kind of fowl, as also Rice, Beef, Pork, Sugar, Hony, and all other sorts of victual that one can name; wherein their blindness is such, as in recompence of these meats, which the Priests take unto themselves, they imagine that all their sins are forgiven them, by way as it were of a plenory indulgence. In this tower likewise we saw an exceeding rich Chamber, covered on the inside all over from the top to the bottom with plates of silver. In this Chamber were the Statues of those hundred and thirteen Kings of China all of silver, where in each of them were the bones of each several King inclosed; Now they hold, according as they are made to believe by their priests, that these Kings thus assembled together converse every night one with another, and pass away the time in sundry sports, which none is worthy to see, but certain Bonzes, whom they term Cabizun∣des, a title amongst them of the most eminent dignity, such it may be as the Cardinals of Rome. To this beastly ignorance the wretches adde many other blind tales, which they are assuredly perswaded are very clear and manifest truths: Within this great inclosure we counted in seven∣teen places three hundred and forty bells of cast mettal, namely twenty in each place, which are all rung together on those days of the Moon, wherein they say these Kings do visit and feast one another. Near to this tower in a very rich Chappel, built upon seven and thirty pillars of fair hewed stone, was the image of the goddess Amida, made of silver, having her hair of gold, and seated upon a Tribunal fourteen steps high, that was all overlaid with fine gold; Her face was very beautiful, and her hands were heaved up towards Heaven, at her armpits hung a many of little idols not above half a finger long filed together, whereupon demanding of the Chineses what those meant, they answered us, That after the waters of Heaven had overflowed the earth, so that all mankind was drowned by an universal Deluge, God seeing that the world would be desolate, and no body to inhabit it, he sent the goddess Amida, the chief Lady of honour to his wife Nacapirau from the Heaven of the Moon, that she might re∣pair the loss of drowned mankind, and that then the goddess having set her feet on a Land, from which the waters were withdrawn, called Calemphuy, (which was the same Island, whereof I have spoken heretofore, in the streight of Nanquin, whereof Antonio de Faria

went on land) she was changed all into gold, and in that manner standing upright with her face looking up unto Heaven, she sweat out at her armpits a great number of children, name∣ly males out of the right, and females out of the left, having no other place about her body whence she might bring them forth, as other women of the world have, who have sinned, and that for a chastisement of their sin, God by the order of nature hath subjected them to a mise∣ry full of corruption and filthiness, for to shew how odious unto him the sin was that had been committed against him. The goddess Amida having thus brought forth these creatures, which they affirm were thirty three thousand, three hundred, thirty and three, two parts of them females, and the other males, for so say they the world was to be repaired, she remained so feeble and faint with this delivery, having no body to assist her at her need, that she fell down dead in the place, for which cause the Moon at that time in memory of this death of hers, whereat she was infinitely grieved, put her self into mourning, which mourning they affirm to be those black spots we ordinarily behold in her face, occasioned indeed by the shadow of the earth, and that when there shall be so many years ran out, as the goddess Amida brought forth children, which were, as I have delivered, thirty three thousand, three hundred, thirty and three, then the Moon will put off her mourning, and afterwards be as clear as the day. With these and such like fopperies did the Chineses so turmoil us, as we could not chuse but grieve to consider how much those people, which otherwise are quick of apprehension, and of good understanding, are abused in matter of Religion with such evident and manifest untruths. After we were come out of this great place, where we saw all these things, we went unto another Temple of religious Votaries, very sumptuous and rich, where they told us the Mother of the then reign∣ing King, named Nhay Camisama, did abide, but thereunto we were not permitted to enter, because we were strangers; From this place through a street, arched all along, we arrived at a Key, called Hichario Topileu, where lay a great number of vessels, full of pilgrims from di∣vers Kingdoms, which came incessantly on pilgrimage to this Temple, for to gain, as they be∣lieve, plenary indulgences, which the King of China, and the Chaems of the Government, do grant unto them, besides many priviledges and franchises throughout the whole Country, where victuals are given them abundantly, and for nothing. I will not speak of many other Temples, or Pagodes, which we saw in this City whilest we were at liberty, for I should ne∣ver have done to make report of them all, howbeit I may not omit some other particulars, that I hold very fit to be related before I break off this discourse; whereof the first were cer∣tain houses, in several parts of this City, called Laginampurs, that is to say, The School of the poor, wherein fatherless and motherles•• children, that are found in the streets, are taught to write and read, as also some trade, whereby they may get their living, and of these houses, or schools, there are about some five hundred in this City; Now if it happen that any of them through some defect of nature cannot learn a trade, then have they recourse to some means for to make them get their living according to each ones incommodity; As for example, if they be blind they make them labour in turning of handmils; if they be lame of their feet, they cause them to make laces, riband, and such like manufactures; if they be lame of their hands, then they make them earn their living by carrying of burdens; but if they be lame both of feet and hands, so that nature hath wholly deprived them of means to get their living, then they shut them up in great Convents, where there are a number of persons that pray for the dead, amongst whom they place them, and so they have their share of half the offerings that are made there, the Priests having the other half; if they be dumb, then they are shut up in a great house, where they are maintained with the amerciaments that the common sort of women, as oyster-wives, and such like, are condemned in for their scolding and fighting one with another; As for old queans, that are past the trade, and such of the younger sort as by the lewd exercise thereof are becom•• diseased with the pox, or other filthy sickness, they are put into other houses, where they are very well looked unto, and furnished abundantly with all things necessary, at the charge of the other women that are of the same trade, who thereunto pay a certain sum monthly, and that not unwillingly, because they know that they shall come to be so provided for them∣s••lves by others, and for the collecting of this mony there are Commissioners expresly depu∣ted in several parts of the City. There are also other houses, much like unto Monasteries, where a great many of young maids, that are Orp••ans, are bred up, and these houses are maintained at the charge of such women as are convicted of adultery; for say they it is most just, that if there be one which hath lost her self by her dishonesty, there should be another, that should be maintained by her vertue. Other places there are also, where decayed old people are kept

at the charge of Lawyers, that plead unjust causes, where the parties have no right; and of Judges, that for favoring one more th••n another, and corrupted with bribes, do not execute justice as they ought to do; whereby one may see with how much order and policy these peo∣ple govern all things.

* 1.1In the prosecution of my discourse it will not be amiss here to deliver the marvellous order and policy, which the Kings of China observe in furnishing their States abundantly with pro∣visions and victuals, for the relief of the poor people, which may very well serve for an example of charity, and good government, to Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths. Their Chroni∣cles report, that a certain King, great Grandfather to him that then raigned in China, named Chausi-Zarao Panagor, very much beloved of his people for his good disposition and vertues, having lost his sight by an accident of sickness, resolved to do some pious work, that might be acceptable to God, to which effect he assembled his Estates, where he ordained, that for the relief of the poor there should be Granaries established in all the Towns of his Kingdom for wheat and rice, that in the time of dearth (which many times happened) the people might have wherewithall to nourish themselves that year, and to that purpose he gave the tenth part of the Duties of his Kingdom by a Grant under his hand, which when he came to signe accord∣ingly with a golden stamp, that he ordinarily used because he was blind, it pleased God to restore him perfectly to his sight again, which he enjoyed still as long as he lived; By this ex∣ample, if it were true, it seemed that our Lord Jesus Christ would demonstrate, how acceptable the charity that good men exercise towards the poor is to him, even though they be Gentiles, and without the knowledge of the true Religion; Ever since there have been always a great many of Granaries in this Monarchy, and that to the number of an hundred and fourteen thou∣sand. As for the order which the Magistrates observe in furnishing them continually with corn, is such as followeth; A little before reaping time all the old corn is distributed ••orth to the in∣habitants, as it were by way of love, and that for the term of two months, after this time is expired, they unto whom the old corn was lent, return in as much new, and withall six in the hundred over and above for waste, to the end that this store may never fail: But when it falls out to be a dear year, in that case the corn is distributed to the people without taking any gain or interest for it, and that which is given to the poorer sort, who are not able to repay what hath been lent to them, is made good out of the Rents, which the Countries pay to the King, as an alms bestowed on them by his special grace. Touching the Kings Revenues, which are paid in silver Picos, they are divided into three parts, whereof the first is for the maintenance of the King, and his State, the second for the defence of the Provinces, as also for the provisions of Maga∣zines, and Armies, and the third to be laid up and reserved in a Treasury, that is in this City of Pequin, which the King himself may not touch, unless it be upon occasion for defence of the Kingdom, and to oppose the Tartars, Cauchins, and other Neighbouring Princes, who ma∣ny times make grievous war upon him. This Treasure is by them called Chidampur, that is to say, The wall of the Kingdom, for they say, that by means of this treasure, being well im∣ployed and carefully managed, the King needs lay no impositions upon the people, so that they shall not be any ways vexed and oppressed, as it happens in other Kingdoms for want of this providence. Now by this that I have related one may see, how in all the great Monarchy the Government is so excellent, the Laws so exactly observed, and every one so ready and careful to put the Princes Ordinances in execution, that Father Navier, having well noted it, was wont to say, that if ever God would grant him the grace to return into Portugal, he would become a Suter to the King for to peruse over the rules and ordinances of those people, and the manner how they govern both in time of war and peace; adding withall that he did not think the Romans ever ruled so wisely in all the time of their greatest prosperity, and that in matter of policy the Chineses surpassed all other Nations of whom the Ancients have written.

Notes

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