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.

§. VII. Of their Women: Of the Tartars Conquest, Acts and Expulsion. The greatnesse of the King, and neighbouring States. Of the Queenes Eunuches.

I Will conclude this Letter with two points: the one concerning the Women, where∣of I haue little to say: and the last is of the King, and of his Palaces and Seruices.* 1.1

Euery man (as I said before) may keepe as many Wiues as hee will, and so they doe: which is the cause of many tumults, quarrels,* 1.2 and disorders in their houses a∣mong their wiues, and among the Sonnes of diuers Mothers: and therefore when wee tell them, [ 50] that in our Countrey no man marryeth but one Wife, they neuer are satisfied in praising it in words, though neuerthelesse they doe not follow it, nor put it in practise. And the discontent∣ment which the Women haue among themselues, and with their Husbands for this occasion, is like to prooue a great encouragement vnto them, to make them desirous to receiue our holy Faith, and to perswade their Husbands to embrace the same, seeing that it doth not permit any more but one lawfull Wife onely.

Of their other Conuersation, Customes, and other things, wee know nothing,* 1.3 neither is any thing to bee learned: for they keepe house all their life time, and goe out of doores exceeding seldome to visite either their Mother or Sisters, or nearest kinswomen, for they goe not to any else, no not in thought: And therefore as they haue no conuersation, (but alwayes to keepe [ 60] home) I can speake nothing of their behauiour. Their Apparell seemeth vnto mee honest and comely: (for sometimes I haue seene the Wiues of Officers, and of the poore people,* 1.4 for many of them doe goe abroad.) In some parts of the Countrey wee haue met many women vpon the high way, in short garments, like to the men of our Countrey, without any difference, saue on

their heads, and their feete: for all the rest is all one kinde of Apparell; but these are the com∣mon people onely: One of the greatest ornaments that the Women haue, is, to haue verie little feete, and they are so little, that they goe verie badly, and alway they seeme to goe as though they would fall.* 1.5 I could not know the cause, nor the Chinois themselues know not the originall occasion, why this is counted for a beautie: albeit some say, it began not for a comelinesse, but onely with a purpose to cut off all occasion from them of going abroad.

* 1.6The Chinois haue beene very carefull in their Histories, and therefore they haue histories of their Kings of aboue foure thousand yeeres. And if credit bee to be giuen to that which their Bookes report, touching those times, and is gathered by diuers of their Histories; There are ma∣ny more yeeres from the Flood to our dayes (whereof they also haue some knowledge in their Bookes) then the most followed and allowed Calculation among vs,* 1.7 which tr••ate of that mat∣ter, [ 10] doe allow of: for they say, it is sixe thousand yeeres at the least. They say that they haue continued Histories. But I leaue this, because I haue not well conferred the truth and founda∣tion of the Chinish histories. At the least it is certaine, that they haue knowledge of their mat∣ters, and certaine Kings within a little after the Flood, whensoeuer it was. They had many an∣cient Kings,* 1.8 which were verie good men, which it may bee were saued in the law of Nature, because the heroicall workes of Vertue, which they report of them were great, and there is no record that they worshipped Idols, but some, that they worshipped the Lord of Heauen and Earth. There were some that sought not to leaue their lawfull Sonnes to bee their Heires, be∣cause they thought them not fit for Gouernment, but choose the wisest and best man, that they could finde, and left the Kingdome vnto him. [ 20]

This Kingdome in old time was diuided into many small Kingdomes, vntill by little and little it was vnited. It is some foure hundred yeeres (as I said before) since a Tartar King pos∣sessed it whollie, and two hundred, since a Bonzo or Religious man of China recouered it. This Mahumetan Tartar King, left some tokens of himselfe in things that he did. Hee left in Nan∣quin,* 1.9 certaine Mathematicall instruments of Copper, the like whereof for goodnesse peraduen∣ture are not in all Europe, at least not better.

* 1.10The Chinese Bonzo which expelled him out of the Kingdome, was a very valiant and wise man, and there bee many Histories of his wisedome, and sentencious sayings, and iudgement in hard matters: and the manner and forme of Gouernment, which hee ordayned in this King∣dome,* 1.11 which continueth inuiolable, doth greatly declare the same. Hee made new Offices and [ 30] gaue new Names to all of them: An vsuall thing when one house beginneth to Raigne, to change all, euen the name of the King, as also of all Offices, and also of many Cities. I omit the diuision of the Gouernment into so many heads, and so good distribution, that it seemeth (and so the Chinois say) it is like to continue thousands of yeeres, so that no man of the same Kingdome is able, nor hath any power to make any Rebellion of importance. For those which in former time reuolted, were the Vice-royes of the Prouinces, and other great Mandarins, in whose power were the Gouernment, the Souldiers, and the treasure. But hee diuided it in such sort, that those which had power ouer the Souldiers,* 1.12 should haue no money at all, neither should the pay of the Souldiers depend vpon them: and those which keepe the Treasure must haue no su∣perintendencie and dominion ouer the Souldiers. Others which were mightie and rich, hee [ 40] impouerished and diuided their Authoritie and Reuenues among many; and so there is no man that can call himselfe Great. I remember that I had read in a Booke, set out in the Spanish tongue, of the great power of certayne Captaynes, and because the King did not trust them, hee sent one of his house to will them to come vnto him.

All which relation, with many other things which hee reporteth of the prouidence of the King, how hee diuideth his Authoritie among diuers Princes, is not so in truth, neither in truth, neither is there any apparence thereof, neither haue the Captaynes much authoritie, nei∣ther are they very rich: for though they haue many people, yet the gouernment of them is diuided into diuers heads, so that they can hardly assemble to raise any Rebellion, especially, be∣cause [ 50] they remaine alwayes in the Kingdome, and neere about the King.

* 1.13The Reuenue of this King, without doubt, is exceeding great, and vntill wee haue gotten it out of their Bookes (wherein euery thing is set downe very particularly) I will not presume to publish the same, not as though I knew not that it is so, since whilest a man knoweth more of this Kingdome, he doubteth lesse: Yet because I feare for all this that it will bee hard to make one be∣leeue the same, which knoweth it not of a certainty; making the Accounts not very large, his Reuenues are one yeare with another an hundred Millions in Siluer,* 1.14 Gold, Rice, and an infinite number of other things: although the greatest part is Siluer. And he that considereth the great∣nesse of the Kingdome, and that euery man payeth Tribute to the King of their Persons, Lands, Trees, and other things (without carrying any Tribute out of the same) that which I speake wil [ 60] not seeme excessiue.* 1.15 But as his Reuenue is very great, so his Expenses are many. For those which in this Kingdome doe liue at the Kings charge are many, to wit, all the Mandarins to whom the King giueth Wages, all the Souldiers, all the Kinsfolkes of the King, his Eunuches, and an infinite number of people, whereby his charges are exceeding great, although alwayes there re∣mayneth

a good deale for him to lay vp: and there is no doubt but hee hath it in store in excee∣ding great quantitie.

Many small Kingdomes round about acknowledge the King of China, and pay him Tribute,* 1.16 as Corea, and others, whose names I know not, on this Northerne part: and on the side of Ma∣laca and Macao, many others. And sometimes on these Northerne parts they trouble him somewhat, in robbing and killing of people. It may be that your Worship, or some bodie else may demand, why the King of China being so great, subdueth not these small Kingdomes that lye about him to deliuer himselfe of trouble? I answere, that he wanteth no abilitie:* 1.17 but I will say one sure thing, a Paradoxe to the people of our Europe, which is, That neither the Chinois, nor their King doe seeke, nor dreame of dilating their Empire more then it is.* 1.18 And this their [ 10] resolution is such, that although they would giue them all these Kingdomes, they would not take them, & much lesse if they were farther off. For they hold it for one of the greatest miseries (especially the Mandarins & graue sort of people) to go out of their Kingdome to any other part.

There is one of the best Examples hereof that may be giuen: which fell out of late,* 1.19 and that was, that as by the danger which might grow to his Kingdome, if the people of Iapon should winne the Kingdome of Corea, which is joyned to China by the mayne Land, as they began to doe; the Chinois ayded the Coreans with many men: and the people of Iapon by the death of their King called Quabacondono, did wholly aband••n it. The Kingdome remayned in the power of the Chinois, and so continued two or three yeares. After which they whol∣ly gaue it ouer, without any other greater respect, then that there were none that were [ 20] willing to goe thither to gouerne it, nor that the King had any need to annexe it vnto his Estate. And without doubt, it seemeth that he would doe the like with any other, although they would put it into his hands. And touching those Kingdomes which pay him Tribute, there is no great account made, whether they come or no▪ and their continuall comming, is more for the profit of those which come, then that the King doth desire it. And therefore the Philippine Ilands which in former times paid Tribute to the Kings of China, were made none account of when they ceased to pay it.

This King hath one lawfull Wife (as other men haue) in choice whereof they haue regard to nothing else but to her good qualities and externall beautie, for there is no Nobilitie to be [ 30] sought for. Besides her hee hath a great number of Concubines chosen after the same manner, whose Sonnes (if the lawfull Wiues Children faile) inherit the Kingdome, which commonly falleth out, and such is he which now is King, and he which is to succeed him.* 1.20 When any of these women be once entred into the Kings Palace to bee his Wife, there is no name which may bee compared vnto her in being kept close; for they may not only not goe abroad, no nor bee seene of their Father, Mother, or Brethren. They haue little or none authoritie, but such as they ob∣taine of the King. Also the seruice of the King, of the Queene, and of his Concubines, is all by Eunuches, a seruice doubtlesse vnworthy of a King.* 1.21 All these Eunuches (without any excepti∣on) are of the most base people which are in all the Kingdome, whose Fathers (because they can∣not keepe them when they were young) doe make them Eunuches, in hope that one day they [ 40] shall get into the Court to serue the King: the manner is farre different from some which are in Europe: for these bee like those which the Turkes vse.* 1.22 Because their Fathers doe this for po∣uertie, it followeth that they haue no excellencie, for they haue no meanes to learne it, and they are little or nothing Learned.

They elect and choose these Eunuches from time to time to supply such as die, and this first yeare that I was here, they chose aboue three thousand, for which purpose there assembled a∣boue twentie thousaind (as they say) out of which number they made their choice. The Ele∣ctors were a verie great Mandarin (to whom, as I said before,* 1.23 the Kings priuate businesse belongs) and another Eunuch of the eldest and most priuate. The Examination and Election consisteth in two things, which are a good Countenance and a good Tongue: for proofe whereof, they make them pronounce two words, wherein those that haue not a readie Tongue doe stumble. [ 50] When they are chosen, and gone to the Court, they diuide them in diuers Offices:* 1.24 yet at their first comming, they are appointed to waite vpon the old Eunuches as Boyes, which make good triall of their patience, and obedience: and he that after certaine yeares sheweth himselfe to∣wardly, they begin to employ in greater matters.

Of these Eunuches, the King hath his Musicians and Mathematicians, who, to bee briefe,* 1.25 I say, haue no sound vnderstanding in th••se things at all, but only for complement or superficially: yet some of them are bound to watch all night, and to looke whether any Comet doe appeare, or any such like thing in the Skie, to enforme the King thereof: and to performe other like Of∣fices. They are vsually verie couetous, and as they are base,* 1.26 if they rise to bee priuate with the [ 60] King, some of them be proud and vncourteous. They serue the King as slaues, obeying his will which way soeuer he inclineth. The King chastiseth them verie sharply for euery light offence: especially the King that now is, which is a very wicked man. He hath caused many to be whip∣ped to death, for some small matter wherein they haue offended him. Yet there are some of them good and di••••r••et, which the King vseth for dispatching of his businesse, and other matters

of weight. Though the ordinarie wages which they haue of the King bee small, yet it serueth them well to liue of, and therefore they goe verie well apparelled in many Robes of Silke verie finely wrought of diuers colours, and the manner of their Cap and Apparell differeth from all o∣ther peoples. There are of them in number, as they say, aboue sixteene thousand of them in the Kings palaces. Hereby your Worship may see what Examples and Education the King of China obserueth, which spendeth all his time with these and with women.

Although it be the custome of these Kings, to shew themselues from time to time to certaine of the greatest Mandarins: yet they neuer suffer the rest of the people to see them, nor to speake with them;* 1.27 and when he speaketh with any bodie, they enter not into the place where hee is; but the King commeth forth to a certaine place. If there be any Nation among whom the Law [ 10] of Nations hath no place in many things it is this: for as they haue no commerce with other Nations, so they haue not the Law which is common to all men. And therefore they admit no Ambassadour in China, vnlesse it be by the way of giuing some Present, the King not acknow∣ledging any; neither doe they thinke that there is any in the World, which is able to deale with their King by way of an Embassadour.* 1.28 And if they bring any Message (as the Iapons brought within these few yeares, who came to intreate of certaine agreements, by no meanes they are admitted to the sight of the King; neither doth he giue them audience: but some Mandarin doth accompany them: and the entertaynment which they giue them, and honour which they shew to all strangers which come vnto them is verie small. But as for the most part they haue no great conceit of strangers, so their entertaynment is like to their conceit. Whosoeuer he be that [ 20] commeth into their Countrey, they shut him vp in a verie homely house, not suffering him to goe abroad.

* 1.29The Kings Palaces are verie great; and albeit in the excellencie of Architecture they bee not comparable to those of our Europe, yet they much exceed in the hugenesse of Building. They haue three wals foure square, the circuit of the first may be as bigge as the wall of a good Citie. Betweene the first and the second wall, there is a wall which enuironeth the greatest part of the House, and here are many Houses of the Eunuches of the lowest sort, which exercise Mechani∣call Arts, or the like, as Porters, &c.

Betweene the second and the third wall there are many pieces of the Kings House, which is not joyned altogether, but in diuers parts there be diuers Roomes, built for diuers purposes, one [ 30] answering to another. These parcels of Buildings which are here (which are euerie one as long as the Careere of an Horse, and very high) haue no vnder Roome, but a great Building raised vp with foundations of great Brickes, as broad and long as all the Building, wherein there are Gates of Marble stone very wel wrought to passe from one place to another. This house or Foun∣dation is about eight fathomes high little more or lesse. Aboue these are guilded Galleries, Taras∣ses, Hals, and Chambers, which on the out-side shew verie gallant (which is as much as can be seene; for no man can get in to see them.) The greatest part of them is of Timber, with many gilded Embossements, and many other pleasant Pictures. The Roofes are verie well made. The Tiles are of a farre better fashion, in mine opinion, then ours, and so euen ioyned together that that they seeme to be all one piece:* 1.30 they are all anneled with yellow, which is the Kings Co∣lour. [ 40] To conclude, I say, that it seemed vnto me in multitude of Houses and greatnesse a stately thing.* 1.31 Also betweene these wals the Riuer runneth which I spake of: and to passe from one to another there are many faire Bridges of Marble made of very great stones: betweene these wals was one of the two fourth parts of the House, on which the fire from Heauen fell downe within these few yeares,* 1.32 and consumed it: and with the blowes of the stones which fell downe many verie great Houses were broken downe to the ground (as sometimes I beheld my selfe) and they remayned with many signes of fire on them. They say, that when this fire fell from Hea∣uen,* 1.33 the King commanded his Sonne to kneele downe, and beseech The Heauen to be mercifull vn∣to him, for he himselfe was too wicked, and that the Heauen would not heare him. Within these wals are many Lodgings of the grauest Eunuches, who like Fellowes of Colledges liue many in one [ 50] House,* 1.34 euerie one hauing his priuate Chamber. Heere betweene these wals are Mounts and Groues and other recreations whither the King repaireth to recreate himselfe. And the space of these wals is very great, for when I went to the Palace to teach the Eunuches which were in that place to trimme the Clocke, I passed before I came to their Lodging eight great Palaces, and on the other side there were many more. The Lodgings of the Eunuches vsually are low and bad, for the Kings Seruants, yet very necessarie.

* 1.35Next after this followeth the third wal, where the King dwelleth, with his Wiues and Chil∣dren, and those which where his neerest seruants, whereinto no man entreth but they. And ther∣fore albeit I haue heard that it is a very beautiful thing & very much worth the seeing, as in very deed it sheweth to be: yet I cannot giue any Relation of any thing concerning the same in par∣ticular. [ 60] Only this I say, that when I was in the House of the Eunuches that were the Mathe∣maticians, I went sometimes vp into a Towre, from whence I might see the tops of the Hou∣ses, the Groues, and Orchards, and me thought that I neuer in my life saw so great a frame of Building, although I haue seene many in mine owne Countrie. And therefore there are alwaies

a great number of Officers of all Offices, some making new Buildings, and others repayring the old. The King neuer goeth abroad, especially this King,* 1.36 and his Ancestors some one time and no more, vnto a Temple which they haue builded to The Heauen, and the Earth, where euerie yeare they offer Sacrifice. And therefore I know not with what pompe hee goeth abroad: But like as in his seruice he hath no men of qualitie, it cannot bee such as our Kings vse in their going to Church:

There is a barbarous custome among the Kings, that when the Prince is aduanced to the King∣dome, within a short time after, all the rest of the old Kings Sonnes are to depart out of the House to certaine places appointed for them, which vnto the third Generation are serued like [ 10] Kings, but they neuer come more in the presence of their Father, Mother, nor elder Brother:* 1.37 and therefore there is great lamentations of their Mothers at their departure. The Posteritie of these doe alwaies remayne as Kinsmen, and with the name of the Kings Kinsmen. To all these (which are very many) the King giueth sufficient mayntenance, which is no great matter. They neuer beare Office; and deale with other people, and marrie with them, without doing themselues much good or none at all in being the Kings Kinsmen, nor purchase any speciall authoritie there∣by. Other Kinsfolkes of the King, married with the Sisters, Daughters, or Cousins of the King, or Queene, although they haue sufficient to liue vpon, yet haue they exceeding small authoritie, and haughtinesse. And herein, nor in any thing may they compare with the Mandarins.

Here came to visit vs one married with the Sister of this King that is now, in a Chaire with [ 20] three or foure Boyes to wait on him. Another came oftentimes married with the Sister of the Wife of the Prince that is to inherit, on Horse-backe with one Boy only attending on him; and hee entreth into the Examinations that hee may proceed Doctor and become a Mandarin: So litle is the benefit that groweth vnto them by the Consanguinity or Affinity of the King which are joyned vnto him thereby.

Here the time faileth me, though neither matter,* 1.38 nor desire to giue contentment to your Worship, and the rest of my most deare Fathers and Brethren, neither doth nor shall euer faile me. And therefore if I shall vnderstand, that they take this in good worth, I will giue Relati∣on of that which shall fall out here by the helpe and grace of our Lord, to whom I humbly be∣seech all of them to commend mee.

[ 30] I send here withall two Maps of this Kingdome of China,* 1.39 which came to my hand after I had written this Letter, and Relation. I sought to translate all that which is contayned in the China Letters; which is all the Rent which euery one of these Prouinces payeth to the King of China; and to make a description of all the Houses which euerie Prouince hath, and how many people, and many things else: But your Worship may beleeue that by no meanes I had leysure: and therefore I send you only the figure, and another yeare (if it please our Lord God) I will send you the same with the declaration thereof.

All the rundles and squares which are therein are Cities, or Fortresses of many Inhabitants, both of them walled about. There is no Towne here set downe that it is not walled: the others are many more.

[ 40] The Riuers are well distinguished. The great lines are the limits of the Prouinces: the other small lines, and of little circuit are the Iuridisdictions of some one principall Citie.

We print here another Map of all the World of our manner with C••••nish Letters, which be∣••••use wee want time to declare the Letters, I send not till the next yeare, which then we will send if our Lord grant vs life.

I send you many other Papers, that your Worships may see the fashion of the Letters of these people of China, and what Characters wee committed to memorie. From Paquin, beeing the Court and Royall Citie of the King of China, the ninth of March, 1602.

[ 50] [ 60]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Palace.
• * 1.2

  Polygamie li∣tigious.
• * 1.3

  Closenesse of Women.
• * 1.4

  Apparell.
• * 1.5

  Small feet.
• * 1.6

  Histories of their Kings.
• * 1.7

  Knowledge of the Flood.
• * 1.8

  Moralitie made a King, and Nature made a Man∣darine contrary to innumera∣ble Scripture, &c.
• * 1.9

  Mathematicall Instruments.
• * 1.10

  The China vin∣dex.
• * 1.11

  New Lords, new Lawes.
• * 1.12

  Rebellion pre∣uented by the policie.
• * 1.13

  Reuenue.
• * 1.14

  100. Millions. others say, 150.
• * 1.15

  Expences.
• * 1.16

  N••ighbour Kingdomes. Corea or Corai.
• * 1.17

  A Paradoxe.
• * 1.18

  Contentednes.
• * 1.19

  Corea ioyned to the Conti∣nent of China.
• * 1.20

  Queenes closenesse.
• * 1.21

  Eunuches.
• * 1.22

  The yard and all cut away.
• * 1.23

  Their numbers and choice.
• * 1.24

  Seruice▪
• * 1.25

  Ignorance▪
• * 1.26

  Couetousnesse
• * 1.27

  The common people neuer see nor speake with the King. Law of Nati∣ons contem∣ned.
• * 1.28

  Emb••assages.
• * 1.29

  Royall Palace.
• * 1.30

  Yellow is the Kings Colour.
• * 1.31

  Riuer and Bridges.
• * 1.32

  Fire from Heauen.
• * 1.33

  No peace to the wicked.
• * 1.34

  Mounts and Groues.
• * 1.35

  Third part••∣tion.
• * 1.36

  King a home Prisoner. Temple of Heauen and Earth.
• * 1.37

  Barbarous v∣sage of the Kings Chil∣dren.
• * 1.38

  Kings Affinitie and Consan∣guinitie, little worth.
• * 1.39

  Maps of China.