I Haue had much trouble to giue thee this Authour, both for his Language, being Portugall (which for this, and some other parts of this worke, I was forced to get as I could) and for the raritie of his Relations, seeming both in themselues so stupendious, and not seconded in many things, that I say not [ 10] contraried, by other Authours. Besides his booke came not out, till himselfe was gone out of the world. I answere, that Ricius the Iesuite his Relations came not to vs, till himselfe was likewise gone; and that that might rather plead not onely for the Maturitie, but the sinceritie, by that Cassian rule, Cui bono; for whom should a dead man flatter, or for what should hee lye? Yea, hee little spares his owne companie and Nation, but often and eagerly layeth open their vices: and which is more, I finde in him little boa∣sting, except of other Nations; none at all of himselfe, but as if he intended to expresse Gods glorie, and mans merit of nothing but miserie. And howsoeuer it seemes incredible to remember such infinite par∣ticulars as this Booke is full of, yet an easie memorie holdeth strong impressions of good or bad: Scribunt in marmore laesi, is said of one; and of the other, Omnia quae curant senes meminerunt. Nei∣ther [ 20] is it likely but that the Authour wrote Notes, which in his manifold disaduentures were lost otherwise, but by that writing written the firmer in his memorie, especially new whetted, filed, forbushed with so many companions of miserie, whom in that state, Haec olim meminisse juuabat; their best mu∣sicke in their chaines and wandrings being the mutuall recountings of things seene, done, suffered. More maruell it is, if a lyar, that he should not forget himselfe, and contradict his owne Relations; which som∣times he may seeme to doe in the numbers of the yeere of the Lord; yea, and other numbers: but his leaues were left vnperfect at his death, and those numbers perhaps added by others after: and besides, mine owne experience hath often found figures mistaken from my hand, which being by the Compositor set at large,* 1.1 haue runne at large by ten times so much; and girt in otherwhiles as narrow with the tenth place dimini∣shed, or one figure set for another. And none but the Authour, or he which knowes the subiect, can ea∣sily amend that fault, being so great by so small and easie a lapse. The graduations of places I doe con∣fesse [ 30] otherwise then in the Iesuites, and as I suppose not so truely as theirs: for I thinke that he neither had Arte * 1.2 or Instrument to calculate the same, but contented himselfe in the writing of this Booke to looke into the common Maps of China, and to follow them in setting downe the degrees, and so the blind led the blind into errour; no printed Map that I haue seene being true. And perhaps the Chronicler to whom the papers were brought vnfinished might out of those Maps doe it; erring either of ignorance, or (which we haue often seene in Cards of remote places East and West) purposely, to conceale from others that which they haue found sweet and gainfull; the Mariner and Merchant not looking with the gene∣rous eyes of the ingenious, ingenuous Scholer.
For his repute at home; it was dedicated to King Philip the Third of Spaine, which impudence would not haue obtruded (if altogether a tale) on such Maiestie; licenced by the Holy Office, and prin∣ted [ 40] at Lisbon; translated into the Spanish by the Licentiate, Francisco de Herrera Maldonado, Canon of the Church Riall of Arbas, and dedicated to a Clergie-man Senerin de Faria, Printed 1620. at Madrid (and small credit it had beene to the House of the Farias, that one of them should publish in Portugall, and in Castile to another should be dedicated, a friuolous tale and deuised foolerie.) I adde also the Authours stile so religious, and his often protestations: his credit, as Herrera reporteth with King Philip the Second, who spent much time in discourse with him about these things. I might adde the Spanish Translators Apologie at large, and out of him Fr. Andrada the Portugall Chroni∣clers testimonie.
If this moue thee not to beleeue, yet beleeue thus much, that I haue no minde to deceiue thee, but giue [ 50] thee what I found, onely much contracted, and not going all the way with our Authour, whose originall Booke is aboue one hundred and fiftie sheets of paper in folio, but contented with his China and Tarta∣ria Relations: that also too much, if not true. And yet I would not haue an Authour reiected for fit speeches framed by the Writer, in which many Historians haue taken libertie; no, if sometimes he doth mendacia dicere, so as he doth not mentiri; that is, if he be so credulous to beleeue, or so improuident to proffer to others faith, probable falshoods related by others (as I will not sweare but of himselfe hee might mistake, and by others be mis-led, the Chinois here might in relating these rarities to him enlarge, and de magnis maiora loqui) so as he still be religious in a iust and true deliuerie of what himselfe hath seene, and belye not his owne eyes: the former is rashnesse and distastfull, the later is dishonest and detestable. Once, the Sunne Rising hath found many worshippers, but the Westerne Sunne is neerer night: [ 60] and neerer obscuritie and meannesse are our Westerne affaires then those China Raies of the East; and wee were Backes and Owles not to beleeue a greater light then our selues see and vse.* 1.3 All China Au∣thours how diuersified soeuer in their lines, yet concurre in a centre of Admiranda Sinarum, which if others haue not so largely related as this, they may thanke God they payed not so deare a price to see them; and for mee, I will rather beleeue (where reason euicts not an ••••ectione firma) then seeke to see