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.

§. VI. Of the Gouernment of China: Of the Mandarins; the China Comple∣ments and manifold nicities.

NOw I haue touched the state of the Mandarins, it offereth it selfe to speake of the manner of Gouernment in particular; But I confesse vnto your Worship, that the multitude of Offices which they haue is so great a frame, that I was not able to vn∣derstand it, to reduce it into order. Onely I will say in generall, that they haue many good things belonging vnto Gouernment, but not the execution: finally, it is a Gouernment of [ 10] Gentiles,* 1.1 with a thousand faults. There are no great store of Lawes, but commonly they decide Controuersies of their owne heads, and make Lawes in their Iurisdiction after their pleasure, eue∣ry one diuerse. And heere your Worship may imagine, that the Gouernment in the practise cannot bee very iust, since euery one that can tell how to make a good theame or exercise, are not sufficient to bee Law-makers: And it is very ordinarie among them to direct all things to their owne profit, whereby of necessitie, they commit many absurdities and wrongs, and take all that they can get:* 1.2 Bribes are vsuall, and men vse these more then any thing else: And though one of them know this fault in another, they all dissemble as being in the same fault, that others may winke at them.* 1.3 And though they seeke to hide it one from another, yet it is like the se∣cret of Anchuelus. [ 20]

The Mandarins are many in all Cities, but very extraordinarie in the Courts of Nanquin, and Paquin. For in this Citie of Paquin, besides the Mandarins of Armes, whereof no great account is made, and are more in number then the rest; and besides those which alwayes repaire thither, vpon the businesses of all the Prouinces:* 1.4 Those that properly belong to this Citie and Court, are aboue two thousand and fiue hundred: who all, or the most part heare Causes ordinarily twice a day; so that wee cannot imagine what businesses occupie so many Mandarins, nor what is the Iurisdiction of euerie one. The most principall which are in all the Kingdome and heere, are sixe, Presidents of sixe Councels, being the chiefest of the Kingdome. There is one, which is the greatest,* 1.5 to whom belongeth the gouernment of all the Mandarins of the Kingdome, to aduance them to higher Offices that doe deserue it, and as much as they deserue, to chastise and to de∣grade [ 30] those which badly performe their Office: which because it is a place so great and honou∣rable, the Chinois call him, The Mandarin of Heauen: who proposeth all these things to the King, as to promote, to aduance, to disgrade the Mandarins, and the King confirmeth them: So that all the Mandarins how small soeuer they bee; that are in all the Kingdome, are appointed by the King. The second hath the charge of all things belonging vnto Ceremonies, as well hu∣mane of Courtesies▪ and ceremonies in all royall Acts, as in making the King, the Prince, and in marrying of them, &c. And all that which belongeth to the worship of the Sacrifices of the Dead, and others which the Kings offer to Heauen and Earth. There is another chiefe of the Councell of Warre:* 1.6 another of the Kings Treasure, which taketh the account of the Kings rents: another Councell is of the Workes, as of the Kings houses, prouision for all things neces∣sarie, [ 40] for the Walls of the Cities, &c. There is another of Chastisement, whereunto causes cri∣minall and sentences of Death doe belong.* 1.7 Aboue these (sixe) there is onely one Degree, which are absolutely the greatest, before whom whatsouer the King doth in any thing is consulted of. Although it bee true, that these be rich and opulent in the conceit of the Chinois, yet none of them in any thing may compare with any of the meanest Lord of title,* 1.8 of our Countrey. The wages which they haue of the King is small: the attendance which they haue, is of base people, and of small countenance, yet they are much respected and obeyed: And the common people kneeleth vnto them, as to the Mandarins. The common chastisement which all the Mandarins doe giue,* 1.9 is to whip them with peeces of Canes, of foure or sixe fingers broad and thicke, where∣with oftentimes they dye, when it is layd on soundly. Whipping is as common as it is to [ 50] whip Children in the Schoole: And sometimes for nothing they giue a dozen stripes, as well to the Plaintiffe as to the Defendant, and therewith they end the Suites, and they stay to giue none other sentence, but say: Giue him twentie stripes.

* 1.10Vsually when the Mandarins of any State goe through the streets, men goe before them cry∣ing, or making a noise with Instruments, for the people to giue place. And in particular Cities, when a great Mandarin passeth through the streets, all men hide themselues and goe into houses, and the Handicrafts-men cease from their worke, and that in such sort, that I saw once in a Ci∣tie in a street of great trafficke, a Mandarin appeare, and in a moment euery bodie got away, euen the very Dogges, with exceeding great silence: so greatly they bee reuerenced of all men. And many carrie Chaines trayling them before them, and other Instruments. But in the Courts [ 60] (though the Mandarins bee greater) the people runne not away, they doe no more but giue way that thy may passe. In the Courts many Mandarins, though they be great, ride on Horsebacke, and others in Chaires: but besides them, all goe in Chaires carried on mens shoulders, which ac∣cording to their Offices are two, or foure, or eight.

Euery Prouince hath a Visitor, which publikely visiteth the same euery yeere, and taketh in∣formation of the Mandarines. There are secret and priuie Visitors. Sometime one is sent:* 1.11 But it is no vsuall thing, and as I haue heard, it is long since it was left off. I speake this, because I alwaies heard when I was in Spaine, that the Chinois vsed this manner of Visitation.

The Visitor onely may giue sentence of death. They be not cruell in punishments by death.* 1.12 Onely the King vseth some cruell execution: and namely this King that now raigneth, which is a very wicked man. One of them is that which lately hee caused here to bee executed vpon eight men, by the great frosts of Winter, for no great offence for so cruell a punishment,* 1.13 and as they say, falsely imputed; And this it was: Hee caused their neckes to be put through a thicke [ 10] planke, which taketh a great part of the head, and they set the plankes to stand vpon Formes, so that the man standeth vpon his feet day and night in the middest of the street, with men to watch him. Hee condemned them to this punishment for three moneths: but they died before fifteene dayes, with their legs all rotted, and burst with standing alwaies on foot: I my selfe saw them stand on this fashion, which pitied me extremely. I neuer saw nor heard of any other cruell punishments; though, as I haue said, often times the Mandarines kill them with whip∣ping, which is a very cruell thing.

The Chinois are very curious in writing of newes, which vsually they set out in Print, and in a very short space disperse them through all the Prouinces.* 1.14 There are alwaies Bookes where∣in all the Mandarines of the Kingdome are written, as well their names as their Countries: [ 20] And because they be changed euery foot from one place to another, they blot out and put in the names as soone as they know them, with great facilitie.

One thing among the rest is (wherein they bee very dutifull and prolixe) in their manifold courtesies, which are of many sorts,* 1.15 according to the estate of him with whom they haue to doe. The vsuall fashion is when they visite one another, the stranger is set on the most honou∣rable hand (which in some places is the right hand, and in the Northerne Prouinces the left) and putting one hand in the sleeue of the contrarie arme, which is very long and wide, they lift vp their hands so fastned together, then bending their (head and) body downe to the ground, say∣ing, Zin zin, which is of no signification but an interiection of vrbanitie, their bowing veneration they call, Zo ye: they change places to repay courtesies. After this the Guest sitteth downe in * 1.16 the [ 30] Chaire of the Master of the house, and the Master of the house another besides that which the Guest hath, and each of them setteth them in their due place, which is the strangers Chaire in the highest place, distant from the wall, and the Chaire of the Master of the house is set in the midst of the lowest place, one ouer against another. After this (when they haue ended their salutations) they straightway cause a drinke to be brought, which they call Cha, which is water boyled with a certaine herbe, which they much esteeme, for this is a want of ciuilitie and courtesie: and at the least they must drinke of it twice or thrice. He bringeth forth some Fruit or Sweet-meat, and a Spoone to take it vp. If the Guest stay any time, straight without faile they will bring out some thing to eate, but with some preparation, answerable to the occasion and person: whereon they eate very little, vnlesse it be at the ordinary houres of feeding, and then they eate somwhat more.

[ 40] When they visite one another (vnlesse they be very great friends and familiars) a Boy goeth alway before, which carrieth a Libell or Booke of visitation, which they call Paytre, which is as much as, A Paper of visitation: And this name neuer faileth, for alwaies they vse it: wherein his name with modest epithets (as many perhaps as Visitors) are written, according as the quality is of them that visite, and those that are visited; so is the manner most different whereafter they write the same: to wit, with more humility, either as our better, or as an equall, or as an infe∣riour, as a scholer, or as a master: for as the relations are many and particular, so the fashions and manners which they vse are diuers. Of these things, and of all that hereafter I shall say touching this point, I will send you the examples in their owne papers of visitations, which great Man∣darins, and ordinary men brought vnto vs, setting down in our tongue vpon euery letter the de∣claration [ 50] thereof. And I doubt not but your Worship, our most deare Fathers, and Brethren, and as many others as shall see the same will reioyce thereat. And when that Paper is brought, they carrie newes into the house to him that is visited, which prepareth himselfe to receiue his Guest, which commeth within a while after. When they be not people which they see euery day, they vse not ordinary apparell in their visitations, but they haue garments, proper for this purpose, of a farre different fashion. And if by chance one come so apparelled, and another be not, he sayth, that he durst not salute him, nor receiue him before he had put on his apparell, so he getteth him away in great haste to put on his apparell, and then they begin to performe their complements.

When the Guest departeth, hee alwaies goeth before, and at their going out of the doores they vse salutations, and offers of courtesie; according to the qualitie of the Guest,* 1.17 and the Ma∣ster [ 60] of the house, so he bringeth him more or lesse way, or vnto the street: or if he goe so farre, he stayeth till he take his Chaire, or his Horse, and then lifting vp their armes and sleeues vnto their heads they take their leaues and depart one from the other. When they are departed, the Visitor and hee that is visited, each of them send a Boy to giue one another thankes, one for his visitation, the other for his good entertaynment and friendly vsage. If hee that is visited be not

at home, they leaue the Paytre at his house, which is a token that hee came to visite him. Hee that is visited is bound to requite his visitation presently, or the next day, if he bee a man of Worship, or if they bee equals, within three or foure dayes: which payment is performed after the selfe same manner: and if hee finde him not at home, it sufficeth to leaue the Paytre there. If hee that requiteth the visitation bee a farre greater person then the first which visited him, (as if he be some great Mandarin) hee which first visited him, returneth the next day in person with a paper, wherein hee giueth him thankes that he came to his house: and if they see one another, he giueth him thankes by word of mouth.* 1.18 When the man which visiteth is of great Worship hee sendeth word a good space before with a Paytre: and the Master of the house commeth forth to receiue him, and to bring him into the house. All their Houses and Lodgings, haue alwayes an head and more honourable place (which is the highest part) where alwayes they place the [ 10] Guest.* 1.19 Likewise in their writing they vse a great difference, according to the estates, Dignitie and Age: and in their Letter, the greater the Mandarin is, they vse the greater Letter: those that are equall, or inferiour vse a very small letter: likewise they obserue the same order in spea∣king to euery one according to his qualitie. When they meet in the streets, the ordinary courtesie, is, to put their hands into their sleeues, & closing them together to hold them vp, & to vse a com∣mon speech, which they haue for this purpose. When a couple enter into new acquaintance, they doe yet more,* 1.20 and that is, they kneele downe, and touch the ground with their head so often, and with so great ceremonies, that I dare not speake of them, lest I should neuer make an end.

* 1.21When they send Presents, they write downe all things which they send in a paper, as they doe their speeches, with words of Honour: whereof I send likewise examples to see, of very [ 20] graue persons which sent vs Presents. And whether the partie receiue the Present or not, or on∣ly a part, he alwayes sendeth backe another paper with certaine red lines (as herewith is to bee seene) with a Letter which sayth: I thanke you much: And when he receiueth the Present, hee alwayes giueth some money to the youths that bring it: and hereby he remayneth bound to an∣swer him, with another Present as great at the least: And herein they be very precise, especially persons that are not of the greatest account. A thing which I finde very strange, and which doth put vs to much trouble, to be driuen equally to answer those Presents which the greater Manda∣rins doe send vs, for they alwayes desire some thing of our Countrey, and here we are very poore.

They send vs somtimes from Macao some Clockes of sand, or Houre-glasses, some Kniues, some [ 30] cases of tooles for Surgeans, and other things: for they much esteeme all things that come from our parts: and with these things, which in our Countries are little or nothing worth, heere wee procure friends, which stand vs in exceeding great stead to conferre with them of our holy Faith, and of the saluation of our Soules.

Besides their Presents and visitations, they haue Gossippings and Banquets, whereunto very vsually they inuite one another.* 1.22 When these be very solemne, they set euery Guest two tables for himselfe, one of Flesh and Fish, &c. another of Fruits and sweet Meats. When they be not so so∣lemne, one table for euery man, or two at euery Table: they prouide for these Guests great diuer∣sitie of meates well dressed and seasoned, which they bring soft and fayre one after another, that they may be hot. When they inuite one to a Banquet, they send sixe or seuen dayes before a pa∣per,* 1.23 [ 40] wherein they inuite him against such a day. If hee cannot come, he sendeth another paper, wherein he saith, I excuse my selfe: If he excuse not himselfe, he is resolued to come. This paper is sent with many words of courtesie, & with much honour. On the day appointed in the morning, hee sendeth another to inuite him againe for the selfe same day: and at the appointed houre, hee sendeth another to pray him to come: and then hee goeth: If any of these messages should fayle hee would not goe. When he is gone to the Banquet, they vse many other ceremonies: But the most adoe is, about their places, so that it is long before you can place them, and allot out the roomes how they shall sit, because they euer seeke, or at least make shew that they seeke to giue the chiefest roome to others.* 1.24 They feed not as men vse to doe in our Countrey: neither seemeth it that the Feast is made to feed, but onely they taste of some small thing for fashion sake; and [ 50] they drinke very sippingly in small Cups of Porcelane, each of which will contayne fiue or sixe Thimbels-full of Wine; and heerein and in deuising, they spend fiue or sixe houres at a Banquet, and goe home an hungred. And thus it happeneth vnto vs; although wee seeke to excuse our selues from them as much as we can, because wee lose much time, vnlesse it bee some great Man∣darin, who we feare would take it euill, if wee should deny his request. When the Banquet is en∣ded, the next day euery one of the Guests sends his Boy with a paper, wherein hee thanketh his Hoast for his good cheare.

* 1.25Heere your Worship may see, wherein the Chinois spend the one halfe of their life. For the greatest businesse they haue, and that wasteth most of their time, is in Visitations, Banquets, and sending of Presents. And the time wherein they most of all vse the same, is their New-yeere, [ 60] which lasteth fifteene dayes: their Birth day, which all of them keepe with great solemnitie: or when they goe foorth, or come home on a Iourney. And to end the whole yeere, I send you some Papers of visitation of all these things (whereof they haue sent many vnto vs) that your Worship may see (though you vnderstand not the outward Letter) the manner and fashion of

this people, how farre different Salutations, manners and fashions, we send you from the plaine∣nesse of our Europe, and especially of our Companie, But for the present, wee all thinke it neces∣sarie to eate after this fashion, and to vse their customes, to obtayne more free accesse vnto them, and to winne them to Christ.

There is a Turke heere, a dweller in this Citie, which aboue fortie yeeres agoe, brought one or two Lions to the Father of this King: who,* 1.26 partly because hee knoweth no Learning nor Sci∣ences, and partly because hee sought not to apply himselfe to the habite, customes, and manner of China, there is none that will deale with him, nor come neere his house: And through the grace which God hath giuen vs, and because they see vs apply our selues to their Apparell, Fa∣shion, [ 10] and Courtesies, all the grauest Mandarins come home to our house to visite vs, and doe vs the fauour, to hold vs publikely for their Friends: which they vse not to doe, to their owne Countrey-men, of our qualitie and condition: praysed bee our Lord alwayes, Amen.

I will not omit to declare the great pleasure, wherewith these learned Chinois heare the great consent of the things and ceremonies, of our holy Faith in Europe, and that wee haue Bishops, and, as we call them heere, Mandarins, and superiours in Spirituall things: and aboue all, they reioyce exceedingly to heare of our Pope,* 1.27 that being so great a personage they preferre a Lear∣ned and Holy man by way of Election, and not by Succession, and likewise the obedience and subjection which other Kings doe yeeld vnto him; and that there haue beene many (as wee told them) who being chosen Popes, refuse it in good earnest, and by no meanes will accept the [ 20] same: and that we haue all things which concerne the Law of God and good manners, set downe in writing, with all other Bookes concerning him, or his Ministers.

And although that which I haue spoken hitherto of our high Priest, is a thing very apparent and true, and wee deliuered it for such, and they so vnderstand it: yet oftentimes they haue gi∣uen vs occasions of laughter. The first was, That when wee told them, that some refused so great an Office: straight-way they aske, where you say that they refuse it, is it not euident that their excuse will not bee accepted? As who should say, if they would accept of it, who is there that would make an excuse? And thus they say, because they doe so themselues:* 1.28 for when great Of∣fices are bestowed vpon them, eftsoone they offer vp a Petition, making a thousand excuses to the King not to receiue them: and they desi••e nothing lesse, neither can any thing happen so [ 30] grieuous vnto them, as to accept their excuse. But vsually they be not admitted: though some∣times they bee, to their great griefe of heart, as I my selfe haue seene: But to excuse themselues, or to refuse with some danger, is the vse so common, that they will not fayle to doe so: for if they should not doe so, it were more certayne that they should goe without the Office. The se∣cond thing that made vs more to laugh, is, that many of them tell vs, that if wee would returne into our Countrey, without doubt they would make vs Popes: The reason (though not openly) which they yeeld, is, that wee haue a great aduantage aboue other men of our Countrey, to wit, that wee haue seene, and studied, and vnderstand their Bookes; because that they onely, in their opinion, can make a man perfect, and generally seene in all things. Such is the high conceit and reputation which they hold of their Bookes.

[ 40]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gouernment good if well executed. Lawes lawlesse
• * 1.2

  Bribes.
• * 1.3

  Dance in a Net naked.
• * 1.4

  Court Manda∣rins.
• * 1.5

  Chiefe Man∣darin, or of Heauen.

  See or these af∣ter in the di••∣course of Ric∣cius and Tri∣gantius.

  The second.
• * 1.6

  The third, &c.
• * 1.7

  Counsell of State, or the Colai.
• * 1.8

  Their wealth and wages meane.
• * 1.9

  Whipping.
• * 1.10

  State and pompe.
• * 1.11

  Visitors.
• * 1.12

  Punishment by death rare.
• * 1.13

  The great frosts of Win∣ter in Paquin.
• * 1.14

  Bookes of newes.
• * 1.15

  Complements of courtesie and entertain∣ment. That which is in a little letter is added out of Trigautius.
• * 1.16

  When they salute in the street, they turne to the North, side to side: at home to the head of the house, which is a∣gainst the doore, North∣ward also their Temples and Halls for en∣tertaynment being made with the doore to the South. Cha or Chia a drinke made with a certaine herbe.

  Paytre or visi∣ting paper. These Libels consist of 12. pages of white paper a palme and hal••e long, &c. see Ric. pag. 66.

  Salutation or visitation-garments.
• * 1.17

  Taking leaue.
• * 1.18

  Head place of the house.
• * 1.19

  Great Letters for great per∣sons.
• * 1.20

  First acquain∣tance.
• * 1.21

  Sending Pre∣sents.
• * 1.22

  Banquetting.
• * 1.23

  Inuitations.
• * 1.24

  Feasts to taste and bride it.
• * 1.25

  Chinois Com∣plemental and almost all complement. New-yeere.
• * 1.26

  A Turke dis-re∣spected.
• * 1.27

  The Hierarchy applauded by Chinois.
• * 1.28

  Ridiculous ni∣cetie.