An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China deliver'd by their excellencies, Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking : wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously describ'd / by Mr. John Nieuhoff ... ; also an epistle of Father John Adams their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation ; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher ; English'd, and set forth with their several sculptures, by John Ogilby Esq. ...

Who was that famous Presbyter Iohn, and whether there ever were such an Emmperor

NOw therefore, as the Kings of Egypt were at first call'd Pharaohs, and afterwards Ptolemyes; those of Mauritania, Seriphii; those of the Persi∣ans, formerly Xerxes, Artaxerxes, and now Sophi; so the Name of Pres∣byter Iohn hath now for a long time denoted the Dignity of some Christian Prince whose Dominions are plac'd, by consent of the most knowing Persons, not amongst the Ethiopians, or in any part of Africa, as some falsly suppose, but in the Continent of Asia; yet in what Place he Rul'd, is not exactly known. Now some Writers affirming that they were the Kings of Cathay,* 1.1 have thereby rendred the Matter more doubtful, seeing it hath been discover'd in these lat∣ter Years, that all Cathay belongeth unto China, and that there is no City or Territory call'd by this Name, that is now found without the Bounds of China. And in this all the Fathers of our Society, who have continu'd in China for ma∣ny years, do agree, who are Persons very well skill'd in Geographical Know∣ledge; as Matthew Riccius, Nicholas Trigautius, Alvarus Samedus, Michael Boi••, Martin Martinius, Iohn Gruberus, and Iohn Adams, that great Mandorin of the King∣dom of China; and lastly Benedict Goes of the same Society, who by order from his Superiors travell'd from the Kingdom of Magor purposely to find out Cathay by a Land-Voyage. I believe that it is not far wide of the Truth, that besides that portion of Land, which by the Name of Cathay was found by the Fathers of our Society within the Limits of China, there is another Quarter of the World much larger, conterminate on the North and West unto the Em∣pire of China. But seeing that all that Region without the Walls of China, is a Desart almost of two Months travel, incultivated, and destitute of Inhabitants, it is probable that the Region of China, in latter Times, as being very much manur'd, and abounding in all things, might properly be call'd Cathay: And that the Desart at this day call'd Kalmuk, and the Regions confining on it with∣out the Walls, in former Ages had the Name of Cathay the Desart; in the ad∣joining Kingdoms of which, that same Presbyter Iohn, of whom even now we treated, Rul'd in the days of our Ancestors: Marcus Paulus Venetus termeth it The Empire of the Great Cham; the Holy Scriptures, (as Arias Montanus will have it) Gog and Magog; concerning which, thus writeth Sybilla:

Heu tibi Gogque, Magogque, aliisque ex ordine cunctis, Marson atque Angon tibi quot mala fata propinquant!

Now that this is the Scythian Cathay, is shew'd by the Arabick Geographer, throughout the four entire last Climates, where he describeth it to abound in Men, Animals, and Minerals, flourishing with Christians, meer'd and inclos'd with the vast extended Skirts of Caucasus, call'd Iagog and Magog. Thus the Ara∣bian Geographer in his ninth Part, Climate 5. Line 21. his words are to this effect, as I have translated them out of the Arabick: From the Mansion Gerrada, to the City Tahamet, on the South Quarter are four Leucae (whereof one maketh twenty five Miles) from the City Geerada even unto the Mountain which is call'd Caucasus, is seven days travel. And this Mountain encompasseth the Regions of Iagog and Magog. It hath such craggy and difficult sides, that none can ascend it, and if any one doth attempt it, he can never arrive at the top, being obstructed by continual Snows congeal'd into Ice; which because they are never dissolv'd, represent the similude of a Mist, or thick Cloud per∣petually

fix'd on the top of the mountainous Caucasian Rocks. On the other side the Moun∣tain are many Cities of Iagog and Magog. And it often hapneth, that the Inhabitants of this Region, out of a certain curiosity, ascend some part of it, to discover what is on the top of the Mountain, and what is beyond, but many never return, either ••ecause they are devour'd by wild Beasts, or taken by the Transmountainers; but some that have return'd safe, relate, That in the Region on the other side of the Mountain in the Night are many Fires, but in the Day nothing else but a thick Cloud mix'd with Darkness is discover'd. Also in the seventh Part of the same Climate, Line 34. he adds, In these Regi∣ons many Christians or Nazaraeans do inhabit. And in the eighth Part, Line 18. he saith, That a great quantity of Gold is gather'd out of these Mountains, and divers sorts of Precious Stones, and that there is a great Monarch that Ruleth over these Coun∣tries: All which are agreeable to the Empire of the Great Cham, as Marcus Pau∣lus Venetus, an Eye-witness, in his first Book, Chap. 64. delivereth in these words: Departing from the Province of Egriaia towards the East, the Way leadeth unto Tenduc, (it is better to read it Tanchut,) [Now Tanchut is a Kingdom of Tartary, which comprehendeth many other Kingdoms, as the Kingdom of Lasa, or that which the Tartars call Barantola, the Kingdoms of Nethel, Tibeth, Maranga, and others, as I shall shew anon, together with the Desart Kalmack, which is bound∣ed by the Wall of the Chineses: and most Geographers confound this Kingdom with Cathay] in which are many Cities, and Tents, where also that great Emperor, term'd, Presbyter Iohn, so famous throughout the whole World, was wont to reside. But now that Province is Tributary to the Great Cham, having a King of the Progeny of Presbyter Iohn: and although there are many Idolaters and Mahumetans, yet the greatest part of the Province embraceth the Christian Faith, and these Christians are the Chief in this Province; especially there is a certain Nation in the Province call'd Argon, which is more subtle and eloquent than the other People; here are also the Regions of Gog and Magog, which they term Lug and Mongug; in these Places is found the Stone Lazuli, that ma∣keth the best Azure: In these Mountains also are great Provinces, Mines of Silver, and various sorts of wild Beasts. All which aptly consent with the Description of the Arabick Geographer before alledg'd. Also he thus writeth concerning the Altitude of the Mountains Iagog and Magog, in his first Book, Chap. 27. Hence if you travel to the Eastern Quarter, you must ascend for three whole Days up the steep Rocks of Caucasus,* 1.2 until you come to a most high Mountain, than which there is not an higher in the World; and there also appeareth no Bird, by reason of the Cold, and the over high Elevation of the Earth, which can afford no Food unto Animals. And if at any time Fire he kindled there, it becometh not light, it being obstructed by the over-much coldness of the Region, neither is it of that activity as in lower Places. And a little after he saith, This Region is call'd Belor, always having the face of Winter stamp'd on it. Thus far Marcus Paulus. All which agree unto that Mountain, which they call Langur, the highest Mountain in the Kingdom of Lasa; concerning which Father Iohn Gruberus, who travell'd through it on foot, relateth, that you cannot travel through it in Summer without danger, both by reason of the great subtilty of the Air, which hardly admitteth a Passenger to breathe, and also because of the Vapor of a certain poisonous Herb, which by its scent killeth both Man and Beast. And about this Kingdom of Belor, viz. the ancient Seat of the Sacae, the Arabian Geographer placeth the principal Kingdom of Presbyter Iohn in Cathay; as the Tractate written by Rabbi Abraham Pizol doth also clearly demonstrate: The Nubian, or Arabick Geographer calleth it Begarger, in which he saith there is situate a very great City; his words are these: In the Eastern part of it is the Kingdom of Begarger, the great City of which is call'd Centaba, fortifi'd with twelve

Iron Gates. Rabbi Pizol with Paulus Venetus calleth it Belor, in which he saith the Kingdom of Thebeth was lately discover'd; his words are as followeth: The Kingdom of Belor is very great and mighty, according unto all Historians that have written of it; there are many Iews inhabiting in it, principally in the Eastern and Nor∣thern Quarters: And there are moreover other Eastern People not long since discover'd, call'd by the Natives Thebeth, having a most splendid and magnificent City exceeding all others in magnitude, there being not the like under the Canopy of Heaven, in which all good things are found. Which indeed can be no other than the City Chaparangue, situ∣ate in the Kingdom of Thebeth, concerning the Monuments of which, in rela∣tion unto our Religion, there left by the Christians, Father Anthony Andradas, a Portuguese, of the Society of Iesus, relateth Wonders; who when he had heard that the Inhabitants thereof were professed Christians, he took a Voyage into the same from the Kingdom of Mogor, Anno 1624. full of labor and difficulty; in which also having discover'd the Fountains or Heads of Ganges and Indus, he observ'd many things most worthy of Consideration and admiration, as I have it confirm'd by Ioseph, a Christian of the Mogors Country, who at the time of this my writing, with Father Henry Roth, Moderator of the new Converted Christians in the Kingdom of the Mogor, is yet at Rome, strong and lusty, al∣though eighty five years of Age, who related unto me every Particular.

There is in the most high Mountains of Thebeth, that are perpetually co∣ver'd with Snow, a great Lake, the Receptacle of the greatest Rivers of India, from which Indus, Ganges, Ravi, Athec derive their Currents: Hence the River Ganges hath its original, falling down from the most high Rocks into a low Valley: Indus, and the other Rivers, make their Outlets through the foot of the Mountains, as is evident from the Map. Now he affirmeth this Kingdom to be one of those of Great Cathay, that are contain'd both without and within the Walls of the Chineses, although the Relation be not in every respect con∣formable unto that perform'd by Benedict Goes of our Society, which he un∣dertook by order of his Superiors, as we shall see anon.

And in these vast Regions of Cathay I find by the Relation of Paulus Venetus, that most Potent Emperor Presbyter Iohn to have had subject unto his Domini∣ons seventy two Kings, partly Christians, and partly Heathens; although the si∣militude of the Kingdoms in those vast Regions, and the Names arising from the various Revolutions of those Nations, the Tumults of War, and the other changes of Affairs, together with the different Denomination, hath caus'd such and so great a Confusion, that to this very Day no Person hath been able to free himself out of this intricate Labyrinth; for some make him the same with the Great Cham, others call him Ascid, by Original a Persian; so Almachin, in the third Book and fourth Chapter of his History of the Saracens: Every King, saith he, of Pharanga (so they call the City of Sogdiana) is call'd Ascid, as the Roman Emperor is call'd Caesar, and the King of the Persians, Cosrai. And there are some, that rather by a new Name with the Ethiopians, more truly than by the old, term him Iuchanes Belul, that is to say, Precious Iohn: Others, by no improbable Conjecture do assert, That in honor of the Prophet Ionah, who is highly respected amongst them, all that Govern'd the Empire were so deno∣minated. But yet in these Western Parts of the Latin Church he is termed Iohn, with the addition of the word Presbyter, not because he was a Priest, but by rea∣son that after the Mode and Custom of a Chief Arch-bishop, he had a Cross carried before him, by which he declar'd himself a Defender of the Christian Religion. Whence Scaliger supposeth him to be so call'd from the Persian word

Prestegiani, which signifieth Apostolical; which the Western People misunder∣standing, for the word Prestegiani they write Presbyter Iohn; I will add his words: In truth (saith he) I have very often admir'd, that a Nation altogether igno∣rant in Navigation, should be so potent both at Land and Sea, as to extend the Bounds of their Empire from Ethiopia even unto China: for from those very Times we have had a knowledge of that Emperor, but that under the Name of Prestegiani, in the Persian Tongue, which is almost common over all Asia, as the Latin is with us in the West, signi∣fieth Apostolical; by which Name it is manifest they understand a Prince that is Chri∣stian and Orthodox; for in the Persian, Prestegiani in the plural Number signifieth Apostles, and Prestegini, Apostolical, as Padischa Prestegini, an Apostolical King; in the Arabick, Melek Arresuli; in the Ethiopick, Negus Havarjavi. That the Empire of the Ethiopians was extended far and wide in Asia, is evident by the Ethiopian Crosses which are seen in Iapan, China, and other Places; yea, and the Temple of St. Thomas the Apostle, situate in the Region of Malabar, is wholly Ethio∣pick, as the Crosses, the Structure, and many other things, yea, and what you will most wonder at, the very Name. Thus far Scaliger.

From which Discourse we may well collect, That certain Colonies were sent out from Ethiopia into India, China, and other Parts of Asia, which propaga∣ted the Christian Faith in those Parts, which we now endeavor to shew: but in that he saith Presbyter Iohn was originally an African, or that being forc'd out of Asia, he should set down in Ethiopia, and there Rule and Govern, is altoge∣ther improbable, and without any foundation, as we shall see anon. Now that this African and Asiatick Emperor were diverse, is consented unto by the greater part of the best Authors. And the Empire of the Asiatick flourish'd for many Years, until it fell unto one David, who, as Paulus Venetus relateth, being over∣come or vanquish'd by a certain Commander nam'd Cingis Cublai, his Uncle, in a great Battel (who was elected Emperor by the Scythians, and in stead of Presbyter, began to be call'd Uncam, or Naiam) unto the great loss of Christianity, put an end both to the Glory of the Empire, and the Name of Presbyter Iohn, as we have shew'd in the History of Marcus Paulus Venetus. I shall now de∣clare by what mistake the Name of Presbyter Iohn was given unto the Emperor of the Abyssines or Ethiopians.* 1.3 At that time in which the Portuguese by a Mari∣time Voyage sought after new Quarters of the Earth, the Name of Presbyter Iohn was very famous through Europe; for he was reported to be a most po∣tent Emperor, Lord of many Kingdoms, a Christian by Religion; but in what Place he Rul'd, was altogether unknown: Therefore when Peter Couillan was sent by Iohn the Second King of Portugal, first through the Mediterranean Sea, and afterwards by a Land-Voyage, to find out this Prince, he heard in the Asiatick India, unto which he had arriv'd, that in that Ethiopia which is beneath Egypt, there was a certain Prince very powerful, who profess'd the Christian Religion; he therefore betook himself to him, and when he had found many things there with him, which were conformable unto the constant Fame that was reported amongst the Europeans, he believ'd that that was the Presbyter Iohn so call'd. He therefore was the first Person who began to call the Emperor of the Abyssines by the Name of Preste Iean, that is, Presbyter Iohn: Others also in succeeding times, who travell'd into Ethiopia, imitated him, and easily intro∣duc'd the same Error into Europe. All which is Learnedly shew'd by Father Balthasar Tellez, in his Ethiopian History, which he hath compos'd in an elegant and polite Portuguese Style: unto which also subscribeth Alphonsus Mendes, the most wise Patriarch of Ethiopia, and the great Light of our Society, in an

Epistle prefix'd unto the Work of Father Tellez concerning the Ethiopick Affairs. Therefore when we speak of Presbyter Iohn, we understand not the Emperor of the Abyssines; for besides that his Empire is situate very far distant from that of the Presbyter Iohn of Asia, it is evident from the Chronology of the Empe∣rors of Ethiopia, which is to be seen in the Vatican Library, that there is no mention of transplanting out of Africa into Asia, or out of Asia into Africa; yea, Damianus a Goes, in his Book of the Manners and Customs of the Ethiopians, doth expresly deny him to be call'd Presbyter Iohn, or that he was ever so ter∣med; which is also asserted by the Ethiopian Priests above cited: but we un∣derstand that Great Prince of Asia, of whom we have spoken in the precedent Discourse.

And certainly at this very day there remaineth some Footsteps of this for∣merly Great Presbyter Iohn, in the Kingdom of Tanchut, which the Tartars call Barantola; the Saracens, Boratai; and the Natives, Lassa; as the Fathers of our Society, Albert Dorville, and Iohn Gruberus (who travell'd through it as they re∣turn'd from China into Europe, Anno 1661.) sufficiently testifie, who relate incre∣dible things concerning the superstitious Adoration of this Prince.

Now there are in this Region two Kings,* 1.4 the first whereof hath a regard to the Administration of the Political Government; and the other, whom they term God, or The Celestial Father, or else The Great Lama, or High Priest, and Pope of the Priests, remaineth in the innermost Recesses of his Palace, and re∣ceiveth Adoration and Worship from all his People, as a Deity; and they have him in such high Veneration, that they foolishly persuade themselves, that the very Filth of his Body, and his Excrements, are extremely conducing to the curing of all Distempers; whence they do not only compound and mix them with their Medicines, but also blush not to carry them about in a Box, fastned to, or hung about their Necks. And by reason that Mortality cannot evade or escape the Bonds of Death, his Worshippers, that he may not be said to perish as other Persons, (the Devil their Tutor suggesting it to them) have found out the following Stratagem or Device: They make Inquisition throughout all the Kingdom to find out a Lama as like as may be unto the for∣mer; whom when they have gotten, they advance him by a clandestine and secret Machination or Plot unto the Throne of the Eternal Father, as they call it, pretending the feigned Deity, upon the account of his likeness to the former, to have been rais'd from the Dead, who is now said to have been rais'd seven times. The Reader may fully understand in the following Discourse, the Rites and Ceremonies by which the foolish People do Adore him with a per∣petual Veneration: And they report, that these Ceremonies and Worship had their original from no other Person than that Prince which Authors usually term Presbyter Iohn; whom they are certainly persuaded to have Rul'd in the Kingdom of Tanchut, which is now included under the Dominion of the King∣dom of Lassa: for as formerly they went in Pilgrimage from all Parts of Tar∣tary unto him, as unto an Oracle, so at this very time they cease not from all Parts to flock unto this ridiculous God and Father, the Head of the Lamae, to obtain his Benediction; so that Anno 1629. that great Tartarian Monarch of the Chineses, as soon as he had subdu'd the Empire of China, according to the Custom practis'd by his Ancestors, was solicited by the Magistrates of Tartary, to do Homage to the Great Lama, that is, The Priest, as to the Supreme Bishop or Pope of the Religion of the Tartars; and the Business was brought unto that accomplishment, that the Emperor, through the Advice of his Council,

was resolv'd to meet with the Great Lama, now coming towards him even un∣to the Walls of the Empire of China, in a Progress almost of two Months space, if Father Iohn Adams, an intimate Associate of the Emperor, out of an extreme hatred unto the thing, had not shew'd himself averse and opposite, and that by the allegation of many weighty Reasons: which Persuasions of the afore∣said Father took so good effect, that the Emperor was so far from vouchsafing to go forwards out of the City to meet him, that he would hardly give him any farther entrance or admission than the Garden of the Palace of Pequin; and at length, after the usual Mode, being Presented with divers Presents, dismis∣sed him unto his own Kingdom, wholly neglecting all those accustom'd Cere∣monies that were usually perform'd; and he that was suppos'd to have con∣ferr'd great Prosperity and Happiness by his Approach and Benediction, brought the contrary Effects with him; for that ridiculous Archpriest, after his departure, incurr'd the Curses and Malediction of all Persons, as being the seeming Cause of Famine, Pestilence, and War.

But to return to our purpose;* 1.5 I say therefore, That 'tis very probable this Presbyter Iohn resided in the Kingdom of Tanchut: for he and his Successors Ruling far and wide in Asia, and worthily promoting the Christian Faith, those Preachers of the Word of God, either being call'd, or of their own accord, out of zeal to advance the Christian Faith, or which is more likely, being com∣pell'd by Fear, and flying from the aforesaid Places, in the time of that horrid Persecution which began under the Empire of Dioclesian and Maximianus, in which on the Confines of Syria, Egypt, and the adjacent Places of Ethiopia, the Followers of the Christian Doctrine were every where enquir'd and sought after, to be put to most cruel Torments; they sat down and Planted themselves in the middle of Persia, Bactria, and Turchestan: and then it is altogether proba∣ble, that by degrees, after long Exilement, arriv'd in the utmost Regions of Asia: and lastly, Anno 600. in the time of the Empire of Heraclius, persidious and debauch'd Mahomet then rebelling, new Colonies were continually trans∣planted into the aforesaid Regions of the East. For it is manifest, that the Sy∣rian or Babylonian Priests giving place to the fury of the Infidels, ceased not in succession of time to propagate the Christian Religion, as the alledg'd Syriack In∣scription doth clearly shew, where Iidbuzad Bishop of China is call'd the Son of Noah, a certain Priest of the City of Balech in the Kingdom of Turchestan, as is manifest from the Syriack words above-cited, and here again repeated, viz-Anno 1902. Iidbuzad Priest and Vicar of the Bishop of the Regal City of Cumdan, Son of Noah a Priest, Native of the City Belech in the Kingdom of Turchestan.

Now that Turchestan is the same Region which the Persians call Usbec, the beginning of Great Cathay, and the City Belech seated in it, is clear from the Arabian Geographer, Part 8. Climate 4. Line 34. where treating concerning the Turchestians, a peculiar Province of the Corafini, he placeth the Situation of the City Belech not far from Samarcande, the Regal Court of Great Tamberlain, for∣merly a most famous City: his words are these, as they are Translated by me out of the Arabick: Now this is the eighth Part of the fourth Climate, and containeth a portion of the Region of Corasina from Karman even to Kasaralkamat fifteen Miles; hence to Samarcande, six Miles: and it is the Road of those that pass from Samar∣cande unto the City of Belech: Whence it is plainly manifest, that Iidbuzad Vicar of the Bishop, term'd a Syrian by Original or Descent, was of the Country of Turchestan or Corasine: And it is evident from the Syro-Chinesian Inscription of the Stone, that many of the Region of the Pagodes, and other Countries of Asia, penetrated into China

for the advancement of the Gospel: All which we leave farther to be enquir'd after by the curious Reader. And thus much shall suffice concerning the Transplanting of the Colonies in the Kingdoms of Presbyter Iohn, and in China.

Moreover, those who suppose that most of these Evangelical Persons first arriv'd in India out of Syria, Egypt, and Ethiopia, and having converted that Country by their Labors to the Faith of Christ, afterwards sent out some Colo∣nies from amongst them into China, by reason of the frequent Commerce which at that time was maintain'd by a Maritime Voyage between the Indians and Chineses; have much more of certainty than any others for their Opinion. And of this Expedition I shall give a clear Account in few words.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Presbyter Iohn, where he inhabited.
• * 1.2

  Belor a most high Moun∣tain.
• * 1.3

  Why the Em∣peror of the Aloyssines is called Presby∣ter Iohn.
• * 1.4

  The King of Barantola adored as a God.
• * 1.5

  Where Pres∣byter Iohn re∣sided.