Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. V. Foure Buildings incredibly admirable in Pequin, and diuers of their superstitions: their Hospitals and prouisions for the Poore. The Kings reuenues [ 20] and Court; their Sects.

BVt nothing seemed to me more admirable, then the Prison, called Xinanguibaleu, that is, the Prison of the exiled, whose compasse contayneth about two leagues square,* 1.1 as well in length as breadth, walled high and ditched deepe, with draw-bridges hanged on Iron cast pillars very great. It hath a high arch with two towers, whereon are six great watch-Bels, at the sound whereof the rest within answer, which are sayd to bee one hundred. In this Prison are continually three hundred thousand men from * 1.2 sixteene to fiftie yeers of age, all con∣demned to banishment, for the fabrike of the wall betwixt Tartaria and China; whom the King findes maintainance onely, without other pay.* 1.3 After they haue serued sixe yeares they may goe [ 30] out freely, the King freely remitting their sentence in satisfaction of their labour. And if in the meane time, they kill an enemie, or haue beene thrice wounded in sallies, or performe any worthy exploit, he is also freed. There are * 1.4 two hundred & ten thousand employed in that ser∣uice, of which yeerly in those that dye, are maimed or freed, one third part is set off, and supplyed from that Prison, which was builded by Goxiley the successor of Crisnagol, the founder of the wall, brought thither from all parts of the Realme, and sent to the Chaem of the wall at his appoint∣ment. These prisoners are sent from other prisons, being loose, saue that they weare at their necke, a board of a spanne long and foure fingers broad, inscribed with their name, and sentence of exile, such a time. In this Prison are two Faires yeerely, one of which wee saw,* 1.5 kept in Iuly [ 40] and Ianuarie, franke and free without payment of tolls; to which are thought to assemble three millions of persons: the Prisoners being meane-while shut vp. The Prison hath three Townes, as it were, with streets and Officers, besides the Chaems lodgings, fit to entertaine a King. There are also all necessaries sold. Their are groues, and tankes of water for washing, Hospitals also and twelue Monasteries, with rich houses, wanting nothing that a rich and noble Citie should haue: the Prisoners hauing their Wiues and Children with them, the King allowing a competent house for them.

Another building about as great as that, was the Muxiparan, or treasure of the Dead,* 1.6 compas∣sed with a strong wall and ditch, with many stone Towers and painted pinacles: the wall on the top in stead of battlements, was compassed with Iron grates, close to which were set great store of Idols of different figures, of Men, Serpents, Horses, Oxen, Elephants, Fishes, Snakes, [ 50] monstrous formes of Wormes, and creatures neuer seene; all of Brasse and cast Iron, and some of Tinne, and Copper; a sight more admirable to the view, then can be imagined. Passing by a bridge ouer the ditch, wee came to a great Hill, * 1.7 at the first entrie all enuironed with thicke grates of Latten, floored with stones white and blacke, so shining that a man might see himselfe therein, as in a glasse. In the midst of that Hill stood a marble pillar of sixe and thirtie spannes high, all seeming to bee but one stone; on the top whereof stood an Idoll of siluer with a womans face, with both hands griping a Serpent spotted with blacke and white. And further, before the gate (which stood betwixt two high towers, borne vpon foure and twentie bigge stone pillars) stood two figures of men with Iron maces or battle Axes, in their hands, as guarding the passage, one hundred and fortie spannes high, with dreadfull countenances, called Xixipitau Xalican, that is, [ 60] the Blowers of the House of Smoake. At the entrie of the gate, stood twelue Halberdiers,* 1.8 and two Notaries at a table, which writ downe all that en••red. After wee were entred, we came into a large street set on both sides with rich Arches, with infinite bells of Latten hanging thereon, by latten chaynes, by the moouing of the ayre yeelding a great sound. The street was almost halfe

a league long, and within those arches were two rankes of houses, like as it were great Churches with gilded pinacles,* 1.9 and painted inuentions, in number as the Chinois affirmed three thousand, all from the bottome to the roofe full of Sculls of dead men. Behind those houses was a hill of Bones, reaching to the roofes of the houses, of the same length of halfe a league and very broad. Wee asked the Chinois, if any account were kept thereof, and they answered, that the Talagre∣pos which had the gouernment of those houses, had registers for them all, and that euery house yeelded two thousand Taeis rent,* 1.10 left thereto by the deceased for their soules discharge, the King hauing therof the fourth part, and the Talagrepos the rest for expences of the Fabrike; the Kings fourth part was spent on the exiled Prisoners of Xinamguibaleu.

* 1.11Wee walked thorow the street, and in the midst saw a great hill round encompassed, with two rewes of Latten grates; in the midst whereof was a brazen Serpent, aboue thirtie fathoms in her [ 10] circles, well proportioned, notwithstanding that incredible massinesse. This monstrous Snake which the Chinois call the Serpent deuourer of the House of smoake, had set in his head, a Ball or Bullet of cast Iron of two and fiftie spannes circumference. Aboue twentie paces further, was the figure of a Man in brasse, of Giantly limbes and proportion, who sustained with both his hands another bullet, which (eying the Serpent with an angry visage) made as though he threw it at him. Round about that figure, were many smal gilded Idols on their knees, with hands lifted vp to him as in admiration: and in foure wyres of Iron enuironing, were one hundred and sixtie two siluer Candlestickes, each hauing sixe, seuen, and ten nosles. This Idoll gaue name to the whole Fabrike, and was called Muchiparom, who was, sayth the Chinois, the Treasurer of all the bones of the dead, and that Serpent comming to rob them, hee threw that bullet in his hands, [ 20] and made her flee to the darke bottome of the house of smoake, where God had cast her for her badnesse: And that three thousand yeeres before hee made the former throw, and that three thousand yeeres after, he shall make another, and so each three thousand yeeres another, till the fifth which shall kill her: after which all these bones shall returne to their bodyes, to remayne alway in the house of the Moone. This their Bonzos preach, and that those soules shall bee hap∣pie, whose bones are thither brought, so that no day passeth in which two thousand bones are not brought thither. And they which are too farre distant to haue their bones brought, send a Tooth or two, which with their almes will doe as much good as the whole: so that I suppose there are teeth enough in those houses to lade many ships.

A third building wee saw without the walls, sumptuous and rich, named Nacapirau, which [ 30] signifieth, The Queene of Heauen; which they meane not of the Virgin Marie, but thinke that as temporall Kings are married,* 1.12 so also is the Heauenly, and that the Children which hee get∣teth of Nacapirau, are the Starres; and when the starres seeme to shoute or fall in the ayre, that then one of those Children dye, all his brethren weeping so many teares, that the Clouds are therewith filled, and water the earth, and make it fruitfull, as being the almes which God giues for the soule of the deceased. Wee saw heere one hundred and fortie Monasteries, of their wic∣kedly Religious men and women; in euery of which, were sayd to bee foure hundred persons, which come to sixe and fiftie thousand; besides seruitours, which haue not yet vowed the pro∣fession, as those within, who goe in sacred habite of red with greene stoles, their beards and heads shauen, with beades about their neckes, for their prayers, but aske no almes, hauing sustenance of [ 40] their owne proper.* 1.13 In this Edifice of Nacapirau, the Tartarian King lodged, Anno 1544. when hee layd siege to this Citie, as shall after bee deliuered; wherein for a diuellish and bloudie Sacri∣fice,* 1.14 he commanded 30000. persons to be slaine: fifteen thousand of which were Women, or girles rather, the Daughters of the chiefe men of the Kingdome, and Religions, professed of the Sects of Quiay Figrau, God of the Motes of the Sunne, and of Quiay Niuandel, God of the Battells, and of Compouitau, and of foure others, Quiay Mit••••, Quiay Colompom, Quiay Muhelee, and Muhee Lacasaa, whose fiue Sects, are the chiefe of the two and thirtie. Within this building wee saw diuers memorable things. One was a Wall against the other, almost a league compasse, borne vp with stone arches, and in stead of battlements, arounded with Latten grates, and at euery sixe [ 50] fathoms, Iron workes on pillers of Brasse fastened one to another, whereon by chaynes hung in∣numerable bells, making a continuall strange noyse, with the motion of the ayre.

At the great Gate of this second wall, in terrible shapes, stood the two Porters of Hell (as they call them) Bacharom and Qugifau,* 1.15 with Iron Maces in their hands, terrible to looke on. Passing vnder an Iron chayne, fastened to the brests of these Diuels, wee came into a faire street long and wide, compassed with painted arches, on the top whereof were two rankes of Idols all that length, in which were aboue fiue thousand Images, wee knew not of what matter, being all gilded, with Myters on their heads of diuers inuentions. At the end of this street, was a great square Hill set with blacke and white shining stones, the whole square compassed with foure rewes of Giants of mettall, each of fifteene spannes, with Halberds in their hands, and gilded [ 60] beards.* 1.16 At the end of all stood Quiay Huiaon, God of the Raine, set vp against a bastion or bor∣der, seuentie spannes long, and his head so high, that it reached to the battlements of the tower, (which were aboue twelue fathoms) by his mouth,* 1.17 eyes, nostrils, and brests, casting out water, which the people below gathered as a great relique. This water came from the top of the tower

by secret pipes. Wee passed vnder his legges, which stood as a great portall, and came to a large house like a Church, with three Iles on marble pillars, and on the walls on both sides, many I∣dols great and small of diuers figures, all gilded, set on their bases in good order. At the end of this house on a round of fifteene steps, stood an Altar made in fashion of a Throne,* 1.18 and thereon the Image of Nacapirau, like a goodly woman, with her hayre loose, and her hands lifted to hea∣uen, all of gold so burnished, that it dazeled the eyes. About that tribunall in the foure first steps, stood twelue Kings of China crowned in siluer. And beneath, were three rewes of gilded Idols on their knees, with their hands lifted vp, many siluer Candle-sticks hanging about them. Go∣ing thence, wee came to another street of arches like the former; and from thence by two o∣thers [ 10] of rich buildings, to a great hill, in which were eightie two Bells of mettall very great, hanging by chaynes from Iron beames sustained with Iron Columnes. Thence wee went to a strong Gate 'twixt foure towers, in which stood a Chifu with thirtie Halberdiers, and two Notaries, which tooke the names of all passengers, to whom wee gaue thirtie Reis for entrance.

The fourth remarkable and famous building, was in the Riuer of Batampina, in an Iland about a league in compasse, walled round with stone eight and thirtie spannes aboue water,* 1.19 within fil∣led with earth, round encompassed with two rewes of Latten grates; the vttermost sixe spannes high for people to leane on, the inner of nine, holding siluer Lions with balls, the Armes of the China Kings. Within these grates in good order,* 1.20 were placed one hundred and thirteene Chap∣pels, [ 20] in manner of round Bulwarkes; in each of them, was an alabaster Sepulcher seated on the heads of two siluer Serpents, with faces of women and three hornes on their heads. In euery of them were thirteen Candlesticks of siluer, with seuen lights in each burning. In the midst of a spa∣cious place compassed with three rewes of grates, with two rankes of Idols, stood a high Tower with fiue steeples of diuers paintings, and on their tops, Lions of siluer; in which tower the Chinois sayd, were the bones of the one hundred and thirteene Kings, worshipped by them for great reliques. These bones say they, euery New Moone, feast one with another, whereup∣on the vulgar at those times, offer to them infinite store of Fowles of all sorts, Rice, Kine, Hogges, Sugar, Honey, and other prouision; which the Priests receiue, and deceiue them in recompence, with as it were Iubilees, of plenarie Indulgences, and remission of sinnes as they [ 30] beleeue.* 1.21

In this Tower wee saw a rich house all lined with siluer plates, from the top to the bottome,* 1.22 in which stood those one hundred and thirteene Kings statues, and the bones of each King in his owne statue; and they say, that by night these Kings communicate and passe the time together, which none may see but the Cabizondos, (a higher degree of Bonzos, as that of Cardinals with vs) which fables they beleeue for very certaintie. In this great circuit wee told three hundred and fortie Bells of mettall and cast Iron, in seuenteene places, by twentie in a place, which all sound on those New-moone feasts abouesayd. Neere to that tower, in a rich Chappell built on seuen and thirtie columnes of stone, stood the Image of Amida made of siluer,* 1.23 with the hayres of gold, on a Throne of foureteene steps, all wrought with gold, the hands eleuated to Heauen: [ 40] beneath her shoulders, hung (like lines of beades) many little Idols, as big as the middle finger: and the secret parts were couered with two great Oyster-pearles, garnished with gold: They being demanded the meaning of this mysterie, sayd, that after the generall Floud in which all mankinde was drowned, God sent Amida from the Heauen of the Moone,* 1.24 (being great Cham∣berlaine to Nacapirau his wife) to restore the destroyed world; who setting heere feete in Ca∣lempluy before mentioned, being lately freed of the waters, shee turned it into gold, and there standing on her feet with her face in heauen, a great quantitie of Creatures issued from downe her arme; downe her right hand Males, and Females downe the left; hauing no other place in her bodie whence to bring them foorth, as other women of the world, whom for sinne God hath subiected to filthinesse of corruption, to shew how filthy sinne is. After shee had finished [ 50] this trauell or child-birth of 33333. Creatures, (as they number) one third part Males, and two parts Females; shee remayned so weake, hauing no bodie to prouide her any thing, that with dizzinesse shee fell to the ground dead without recouerie. Whereat the Moone in condoling her death couered her selfe with sorrow, which are those shadowes wee see from the earth; which say they, shall remaine so many yeers as she produced Creatures (33333) & then the Moone shall put off her maske of sorrow, and the night shall bee after as cleere as the day. Such and other like mad stuffe did they tell, which might make one wonder, and more to weepe, that the Deuill should gull them with such manifest lyes, being otherwise so vnderstanding a people.

From this Hill we went to another Temple of Nuns, sumptuous and rich,* 1.25 in which they told vs was the Mother of this King, Nhay Camisama, but would not let vs enter being strangers. [ 60] Thence by a street of Arches, wee went to a hauen called Hicharioo Topileu, where was store of strange shipping of diuers Kingdomes, which come continually to that Temple for a plenarie Iubilee, which the King with many priuiledges hath granted them, and dyet on free cost. To speake of other Temples and matters of China, which wee saw in our two moneths libertie were infinite.

The King of China most resideth at Pequin, for so he sweareth at his Coronation. There are certaine streets seuered in this Citie by themselues,* 1.26 wherein are houses called Lag nampur, that is, The Schoole of the poore, in which Orphans which know no father are taught to write and reade, and mechanike trades to earne their liuings. Of these Houses they haue aboue two hun∣dred, and as many more of poore Nurses which giue sucke to Children, exposed or cast foorth by their Parents (which are punished if they bee knowne) and after they are weaned, are commit∣ted to the former houses. And if any by naturall defect are vnable to learne a Trade, they apply him to that whereto he is able, as those that are blind to Mills, two to grind, and one to ••ift; and so in other cases.* 1.27 Besides, no Trades-man may keepe shop without licence, which is not granted but with imposing on them some of these poorer. The Miller is to giue meate and drinke to each of those blinde persons, and clothes, and fifteene shillings yeerely, which when hee dieth [ 10] he may giue for his soule, that no poore should perish, according to the fourth precept of * 1.28 Ami∣da. For Creeples which cannot goe, they place them with makers of Frailes, Baskets, and o∣ther handiworkes:* 1.29 and those which cannot vse their hands haue great Hampers giuen them, and Baskets to serue for Porters to carrie what men buy, from the Markets to their houses; such as haue neither hands nor feet to vse, are placed in great houses like Monasteries, where are ma∣ny mercenary women which pray for the dead, halfe of the Offerings remayning to them, the other halfe to the Priests. If they be dumbe, they place them in a house like an Hospitall, where they are sustayned with the Fines imposed on Regraters and scolding women. For common women which are diseased they haue other houses, where they are cured and prouided for, at the costs of other common women, each paying a monethly fee. The Dowries or Ioynters of con∣uicted [ 20] Adulteresses are bestowed on the Hospitals of female Orphans, that honestie may gaine by dishonesties losse. Other honest poore men are maintayned in other streets, at the charges of Sollicitors and Lawyers which maintayne vniust Suits, and of partiall bribed Iudges.

* 1.30For the prouision of the poore I haue further heard read out of their Chronicles that Chansi∣ran Punagor, Great Grandfather of the King now reigning, desiring to doe God seruice (being blinde after a sicknesse which he had) ordayned that in euery Citie there should be store-houses of Wheat and Rice, that if any dearth should happen, there might be a yeeres prouision, and the poore should not perish: and to this purpose he applyed the tenth part of the Kings Customes. They say, that God recompenced this his charitie with restitution of his sight, which conti∣nued [ 30] fourteene yeeres after till his death. This is still obserued, and the number of those Store-houses is said to be fourteene thousand. At Haruest the old is diuided to the Inhabitants as they haue need, which after two moneths are to lay in as much new, and sixe in the hundred more, that the store be not diminished. But if the yeere proue barren, it is diuided to them without gaine: and that which is giuen to the poore which haue not to satisfie, is paid out of the Kings Rents of that place,* 1.31 as the Kings Almes. And all the rest of the Royall reuenues are diuided into three parts; one for maintenance of the Kings estate, and for the gouernment of the King∣dome; the second for the defence of the Countrey, for Ports, Fleets, and the like; the third is put vp in the Treasurie at Pequin, with which the King by ordinary power may not meddle, being deputed for defence of the Kingdome against the Tartars, and other warres with confi∣ning [ 40] Kings; this part of the treasure is called Chidampur, that is, The wall of the Kingdome. For they say, that if such occasions happen, the King shall not lay tribute whiles that lasteth, not shall the people be vexed, as in other Countries, where such prouidence is not vsed.

Indeed I feare to particularize all that we saw in this Citie, lest the Reader should doubt▪ or mutter at the raritie,* 1.32 measuring things by that little they haue seene, and iudging by their owne curtalled conceits the truth of those things which mine eyes haue seene. But high capacities, haughtie spirits, and large vnderstandings, that measure not other states by the miseries and meannesse before their eyes, will perhaps be willing to heare things so rare; which I hold the more pardonable in others to doubt of, forasmuch as I verily confesse, that I my selfe which be∣held them with mine eyes, am often amazed, when with my selfe I recount the greatnesses of [ 50] Pequim, in the admirable estate of that Gentile King, in the splendor of the Chaens of Iustice, and of the Anchacys of gouernment, in the terror and dread caused in all by their Officers, in the sumptuousnesse of the Houses and Temples of their Idols; and of all the rest therein. For only in the Citie Minapau which stands within the wall of the Kings Palace are 100000. * 1.33 Eunuchs, and 30000. women, 12000. men for his Guard, and 12. Tutans, which is the greatest dignitie, and commonly called the Sun-beames, as the King is called, the Sonne of the Sunne, whose per∣son they represent. Beneath these 12. are 40. Chaens as Vice-royes, besides the inferiour dig∣nities, as Anchacys, Aytaos, Ponchacys, Lauteaas, and Chumbins, all which in the Court are aboue 500. and none of them haue lesse then 200. men depending, the greater part of which are Mogores, Persians, Coraçons, Moens, Calaminhans, Tartars, Cauchins, and some Bramaas; the [ 60] Naturals being little esteemed as effeminate, and wanting valour, how wittie soeuer in Arts and husbandrie. The women are white, chaste, more giuen to labour then the men.

The earth is fertile, which their ingratitude rather ascribes to the merit of their King, then the prouidence of God. Some Priests also barter with them vpon Bills of exchange to bee re∣payed

an hundred for one in Heauen, which Letters they call Cuchimiocos. Other Priests are of another Sect, called Naustolins, which denye the Soules immortalitie,* 1.34 and therefore teach to take their pleasures in this life. Another Sect is called Trimecau, which holds, that a man shall so long lie in his Graue as hee hath liued aboue ground; after which, by the prayers of their Priests, the Soule shall returne into another creature seuen dayes, and then seeke for the old bo∣die left in the Graue, to carrie it to the Heauen of the Moone, where it shall sleepe many yeeres, till it be conuerted into a Starre, and there remayne fixed for euer. Another beastly Sect, cal∣led Gizom, holds that Beasts onely shall enioy Heauen,* 1.35 in recompence of their penance and tra∣uels here sustayned, and not Men which follow their lusts, except they leaue to Priests at their death, to pray for them.

[ 10]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prison of the exiled, to the Tartarian wall, almost eight leagues com∣passe.
• * 1.2

  Or 18. to 45.
• * 1.3

  Multitudes of Prisoners and men employed in the wall.
• * 1.4

  Before hee sayd 200000.
• * 1.5

  Huge Faires.
• * 1.6

  Another ad∣mirable Fa∣brike.
• * 1.7

  Terreyro, and so after.
• * 1.8

  Fire-blowers of Hell.
• * 1.9

  3000 H••uses full of skuls.
• * 1.10

  China Charnel or Purgatorie.
• * 1.11

  The Deuils banner tryum∣phant in stu∣pendious Ser∣pents; then which neither figure nor creature hath beene more a∣bused to super∣stition as glo∣rying of that his conquest, Gen. 3. though a stronger then he repre••ented by the brazen Serpent, Ioh. 3. hath taken the old Serpent and led captiu••tie captiue, and brake the Ser∣pents head, which heere seemes inten∣ded with Eth∣n••ke vanitie.
• * 1.12

  The third strange Aedi∣fice of Nacapi∣rau the Iuno of China.

  140. Monaste∣ries.
• * 1.13

  Tartarian cru∣eltie.
• * 1.14

  Nunnes sacred to diuers Gods
• * 1.15

  The Porters of Hell.
• * 1.16

  Iupiter or God of Rayne.
• * 1.17

  Encostado à bumbordāo.
• * 1.18

  Golden statue of Nacapirau.
• * 1.19

  The fourth glorious Edi∣fice.
• * 1.20

  113. Chappels, and their con∣tents 1469. Candle∣stickes.
• * 1.21

  Indulgences.
• * 1.22

  Rich siluer Temple.
• * 1.23

  Lady Amidas I∣mage.
• * 1.24

  Amida Cham∣berl••ine to Nu∣capirau, as ••ris to Iuno: a tale perhaps d••ui∣sed from that Raine bow co∣uenant, Gen. 9.15. as that which follow∣eth from Gen. 3.16.
• * 1.25

  A Nunnerie.
• * 1.26

  Hospitals for children.
• * 1.27

  How the poore children are placed to Trades.
• * 1.28

  Span. Aminto.
• * 1.29

  Prouisi••ns for all sorts of poore.
• * 1.30

  Prouision a∣gainst sterility, and for the poore. See sup. cap. 4. §. 6.
• * 1.31

  Royall reue∣nue how dispo∣sed.

  The Iesuites al∣so say, the King cannot at pleasure di∣spense it.
• * 1.32

  Not to com∣pare China with what we see here.

  Admiranda Pe∣quini.
• * 1.33

  Minapau the Kings Palace: the number of Eunuches perhaps is mistaken by the Printer: the Span. hath 10000. one ci∣pher l••sse. Yet Pantoia saith, that yeere when hee writ, were chosen 3000. out of 20000. and in the Palace were 16000. Eunuchs.
• * 1.34

  Sects in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cuchimiocos. Naustolins. Trim••cha••.
• * 1.35

  Gizom.