§. V. Of their Superstitions, Cruelties, feares of Magistrates, of the Kings kindred, of Strangers and Souldiers. Their Deities and three Sects: [ 40] Priests, Nunnes, Monasteries, Le∣gends, Lyes.

NO superstition is so generall in the Kingdome, as the obseruation of luckie and vnluckie Dayes and Houres,* for which purpose yeerely is Printed a two-fold Table of dayes by the Kings Astrologers, in such plentie that euery house is full of them. In them is written on euery day, what may bee done or not, or to what houre yee must forbeare businesse, which may in that yeere happen. There are others more dangerous Masters, which make a liuing by this Wizardly profession of selling lyes, or prescribing fit houres: wherby many differre the beginning of Building, or Iourneying till their appointed day or houre come:* & then [ 50] how vnfitting soeuer that prooueth with crosse weather, they set on neuerthelesse, though it be but a little little onset, that the worke might thence appeare to take beginning. The like super∣stitious obseruation they haue of the moment of the Natiuitie, which they precisely set downe, diuers professing by Astrologie, or by superstitious numbers, or by Physiognomie, or Palmestrie,* or Dreames, or words in Speech, or posture of the body & by innumerable other wayes to fore∣tell future Fortunes▪ many Gipsie-juglings vsed to such impostures, as by a stalking Knaue which shall professe his Fortunes exactly told him by the professor, or by learning out of printed Bookes which describe euery Citie, Street and Familie, what hath hapned as an argument of the truth of that which they say shall happen. Yea, their credulitie breeds such strong imagination,* that [ 60] some being foretold of a Sicknesse such a day, will then fall sicke of conceit.

Many also consult with Deuils and familiar Spirits, and receiue Oracles from the mouth of Infants, or of Beasts, not without fraud. They are superstitious in chusing a plot of ground,* to e∣rect a dwelling House, or Sepulcher, conferring it with the head, tayle and feete of diuers Dra∣gons, which liue (forsooth) vnder our earth, whence depends all good or bad Fortune.* Diuers Page  396 Learned men busie their wits in this abstruse Science, and are consulted when any publike Buil∣dings are raysed.* And as Astrologers by the Starres, so these Geologers by inspection of Riuers, Fields, Mountaines and scite of Regions, foretell Destinies; dreaming by setting a Doore or Window this or that way, conueying the rayne to the right or left hand, by a higher or lower roofe, honour and wealth shall accrue to the House. Of these Impostors the Streets, Cities, Courts, Shops, Markets are full, which sell that which themselues want, good Fortune to all Foole-fortunate buyers: yea, Women and blinde folkes professe it, and some find such Chapmen of the Learned, Noble, King and all, that they grow to great riches by others little wits. All dis∣asters publike or priuate are attributed to Fate, and ill scite of some Citie, House or Palace. The noise of Birds,* the first meeting in the Morning, Shadowes caused by the Sunne in the house, are [ 10] their Fortune-guides.

*For other vices, some will make themselues Seruants to rich men, to haue one of the hand-maydes become his Wife, so multiplying issue to bondage. Others buy a Wife, but finding their family becomne too numerous sell their Sonnes and Daughters as Beasts, for two or three pieces of Gold (although no dearth prouoke him) to euerlasting separation and bondage, some to the Portugals. Hence is the Kingdome full of Slaues, not captiued in warre, but of their owne free-borne.* Yet is seruice there more tollerable then else-where; for euery man may redeeme him∣selfe at the price payd for him, when hee is able; and there are many poore which with hard labour sustayne themselues.* A worse euill in some Prouinces is theirs, which finding themselues poore, smother their new-borne Babes, specially Females, by an impious pietie and pittilesse pitie [ 20] preuenting that sale to Slauerie,* by taking away that life which euen now they had giuen. They pretend hereunto also their Metempsychosis, dreaming that the Soule of that Infant shall the soo∣ner passe into some more fortunate body: and are not therefore ashamed to doe this in others presence, yea not the meanest of the communaltie. Many more inhumanely kill themselues, ei∣ther wearie of a miserable life,* or willing after death to bee reuenged of some enemy, whiles to the Enemy of mankind many thousands yeerely Sacrifice themselues, by Halter, Drowning, and Poyson.* Another immanitie in the Northerne Prouinces is vsed vpon Male Infants, whom for hope of Palace preferments their Parents make Eunuches; of which in the Kings house are ten thousand, a dull and blockish kinde of vnkind vnmanly men. Their Whippings also take away more liues,* then the executions of sentences to Death; their Reedes slit two ells long, a fin∣ger [ 30] thicke and foure broad, at the first blow breaking the skinne and flesh on the hinder part of the thighes: to preuent which many bribe the Magistrates, of whose domineering ful∣nesse of power they liue in perpetuall feare,* where calumnies and lyes are so rife: which Chi∣na perfidiousnesse made the Kings come so guarded abroad and vnknowne, and now not to come foorth at all.

The Kings kindred are now growne to sixtie thousand, and daily increasing become a bur∣then to the publike,* and daily increase in idlenesse, impotence, numbers, the King being very jea∣lous of them, and setting Guards, besides their perpetuall exile from Pequin and Nanquin. No maruell if Strangers be no better trusted in China, where the Natiues and Bloud are suspected: out of whose Bookes they scorne to learne, and repute them little better then Beasts: and the [ 40] Characters whereby they expresse them are taken from Beasts. How Legats are held as priso∣ners in publike houses is else-where deliuered. Commanders of Souldiers, which guard places are guarded and watched, and not trusted with the pay of their Companies: neither is there any more base then the Souldiery,* most Slaues or condemned persons, for their owne or their An∣cestors euils: and when they are free from exercises of warre, they become Muletters, Porters, and of other base Offices. The Captaynes onely haue some authoritie. Their armes are worth∣lesse for offence or defence, and onely make a shew, the Captaynes being also subject to the Ma∣gistrates whippings.* Their Alchimisticall vanitie, and study of long Life, with precepts and huge bookes of both, I omit. The founders forsooth of these Sciences haue gone body and soule to Heauen. The making of Siluer hath made many spend their siluer, wits and credit, cheated [ 50] by professing Artists; and the great Magistrates (few in Pequin free) are taken vp with the o∣ther Study; some shortning their life to make it longer. They write of one of their Kings which had procured such a potion of immortalitie, whom a friend of his was not able to disswade from that conceit, enraged, by his sudden snatching & drinking his prepared potion: which he seeking by death to reuenge, the other answered, how can I be killed, if this draught cause immortalitie? and if I may, then haue I freed thee of this errour.

Touching the China Sects, I read in their Bookes, that the Chinois from the beginning wor∣shipped one God,* which they call the King of Heauen, or by another Name Heauen and Earth. Beneath this Deitie,* they worshipped diuers tutelare Spirits of Mountaynes, Riuers, and of the foure parts of the world. In all actions they held Reason to bee obeyed, which light of Reason [ 60] they confessed they had from Heauen. Of that supreame Deitie and his administring Spirits, they neuer had such monstrous conceits as the Romans, Greekes, Aegyptians, whence the Iesuites hope that many of them in the law of Nature were saued. Their Sects are reckoned three: The first of the Learned, the second of Sciequia, the third Laucu. One of these is professed by all Page  397 which vse their Characters. That of the Learned, is most proper to China and most ancient and all their Learned learne it in the course of their studies. Confutius is the Prince therof. This Sect hath no Idols, worships one God, beleeuing all things to bee conserued by his prouidence. They wor∣ship in inferiour sort the Spirits. The best of them teach nothing of the Creation: rewards and punishments, they confine in this life to a mans selfe or his posteritie. Of the immortalitie of the Soule they seeme to make no doubt, for they speake of the deceased liuing in Heauen▪ but of Hell they make no mention. The later Learned deny both, with the soules immortalitie: yet some say, that the soules of good men are corroborated with vertue and made able to hold out, o∣thers dying with the body.

[ 10] The principall opinion seemeth borrowed of the Idoll Sect, fiue hundred yeeres agoe; which holds that this whole Vniuerse consists of one matter,* and that the Creatures are as so many members of this huge body, so that euery one may attayne to the similitude of God being one with him; which we confute out of their owne ancient Authors. Though the Literate acknow∣ledge one supreame Deitie, yet they erect no Temple to him,* nor any other place proper to his Worship, nor any Priests, persons or rites peculiar, nor haue precepts thereof, nor any which pre∣scribeth, or punisheth defect of Holies; nor any which priuately or publikely recite or sing ought to him. Yea they affirme, that the Office of Sacrificing to the King of Heauen and his worship belongs to the King: and if any should take on him that Office, hee should vsurpe the Kings, and be thereby a Traytor. For this purpose,* the King hath two stately Temples in both [ 20] Royall Cities, one dedicated to the Heauen, the other to the Earth: in which sometime hee vsed to Sacrifice, but now in his place certayne Magistrates haue succeeded, which there sacrifice ma∣ny Oxen and Sheepe, with many Rites. To the Spirits of Mountaynes, Riuers, and of the foure Regions of the world, onely the chiefe Magistrates Sacrifice, nor are the people admitted thereto. The precpts of this Law are contayned in the Tetrabiblion and fiue Bookes of Doctrines; nor are any other Bookes allowed, but onely some Commentaries thereon.* Nothing in this Sect is more of note then their yeerely Obits, or parentations to their deceased Parents, com∣mon to all from the King to the meanest, obseruing their dead Ancestrie as if they were liuing. Neither yet doe they suppose that they eate of the meate which is set them, or need it, but they haue no better meane to expresse their loue.

[ 30] The Literate haue a costly Temple to Confutius in euery Citie, by Law appointed,* in that place where the Schoole is, and adjoyning to the Magistrates Palace, which is set ouer the Ba∣chelors or Graduates of the first degree. In a principall place of that Temple his Image is e∣rected, or else his Name in golden Cubitall letters, written in a curious Table. Hither the Ma∣gistrates assemble euery New-moone, and Full, also the Bachelors, with wonted kneelings, Odours and Wax-lights▪ to acknowledge their Master. On his Birth-day and on other set times, they offer festiuall Dishes, thankefully confessing his learned workes, whence they haue attayned their Degrees and Offices, but pray not to him nor looke for ought from him; but as is obserued of their dead Parents.* Other Temples also are seene of the same Sect to the Tute∣lare Spirits of each Citie, and to the Magistracie of each Tribunall, wherein they solemnly [ 40] binde themselues by solemne Oathes, to obserue Law and Iustice, when they first enter into their Office. In these they offer Dishes and Odours, but in differing Worship: for in these they ac∣knowledge, there is a Diuine power to punish the perjurious, and reward the good. The scope of this Literate Sect, is the peace and good of the Common-wealth, and of Families, and of each persons; their precepts agreeing with Nature and Christianitie.* Fiue Relations or Societies are obserued by them, comprehending all duties of humanitie; of Father and Child, of Husband and Wife, of Master and Seruant, of elder and younger Brethren, of Fellowes and Equals. They con∣demne Single life, permit Polygamie, and in their Bookes largely explaine that precept of Chari∣tie, to doe to another as a man would be done to. They deny this to bee a Sect, but a certayne Acada∣mie instituted for the gouernment of the Common-wealth; and because it prescribes not, nor [ 50] prohibiteth any thing touching the Life to come, many adjoyne the other two Sects to this.

The second Sect is called Siequia or Omitose, and by the Iaponians, Sciacca and Amidabu.* Both haue the same Characters, and the same Totoqui or Law. It came to the Chinois from the West, brought from the Kingdome of Thienscio or Scinto, now called Indostan, betwixt Indus and Ganges, about the yeere of Christ 65. It is written that the King of China, warned in a Dreame, sent Legats thither, which brought Bookes and Interpreters from thence, the Authors of them being dead. And therefore I see not how truely the Iaponians affirme that Sciacca and Amidaba pierced thither, and were Natiue of Siam. The Authors of this Sect,* haue taken some things out of our Philosophers. For they hold foure Elements, and manifold Worlds and transmigration of Soules, and other things. Somewhat it seemes to acknowledge the Trinitie fabling of three [ 60] Gods becomming one; it acknowledgeth iust rewards to the good in Heauen, to the bad in Hell. It extols Single life, so as it may seeme to reject Marriage.* They leaue house and friends and trauell into diuers places Begging. The Rites of this prophane Sect, haue great affinitie with our (Romish) Ecclesiasticall: the Singings of men saying their seruice may seeme nothing to differ from our Gregorian; they haue Images also in their Churches; their Priests Garments are alto∣gether Page  398 like ours, which with an Ecclesiasticall terme wee call, Pluuialia. In their Seruice they often recite the name Tolome, which themselues confesse to be ignorant of. But they denie eter∣nitie in their Heauen and Hell, ascribing a new birth after I know not what reuolutions of time, in some other of their conceited Worlds, then and there to be penitentially purged; with other fooleries. They prohibite to eate of liuing creatures, but few impose on themselues this absti∣nence, and they finde easie absolution from this and other sinnes, if they giue to the Priests, who professe to deliuer from Hell by their Prayers or Recitations, whom they will.

This Sect came in at first with great applause, as clearely professing the Soules immortalitie: but nothing more disgraced it, then that that King and these Princes which first embraced it (which the Literate often obiect) died miserably with violent death, and publike losse and mis∣fortune followed. By writing of many Bookes they haue entangled it in inextricable Laby∣rinths.* [ 10] The notes of Antiquity appeare in the multitude of their Temples, and most of them sumptuous: in which huge Monsters of Idols of Brasse, Marble, Wood, and Earth are seene; with Steeples adioyned of Stone or Bricke, and in them huge Bells, and other ornaments of great price.

The Priests of this Sect are called Osciami, they shaue their head and beard, against the fashion of the Countrey: some trauell, as is said, some leade a very austere life in Mountaines and Caues, but the greatest part which amount to two or three millions, liue in Monasteries, sustayned with their antiently-giuen Reuenues, and Almes, and also by their owne industry. These Priests are accounted, and iustly, the most vile and vicious in the whole Kingdome, sprung of the basest ple∣beians, sold in their childhood to the elder Osciami, and of Slaues made Disciples, succeed their Masters in Office and Benefice, a course which they haue found for their propagation. For, few [ 20] are found which voluntarily by desire of sanctitie doe adioyne themselues to those Monkes. Ig∣norance also and illiberall education makes them liker their Masters, few of them learning Let∣ters or ciuill rites; and daily growing worse. And although they haue no wiues, they are much addicted to women, and cannot but by grieuous penalties be kept from them.

The Colledges of the Osciami are diuided into diuers Stations, in euery of which is one per∣petuall Administrator, to whom his seruants or as many as he brings vp, succeed. They acknow∣ledge no Superior in those Cells, but euery one in his owne Station builds as many Lodgings as he can (most of all places, in the Court) which after they let to strangers, so that they are rather Innes then Monasteries,* as full of tumults as empty of deuotion. Although they bee of base e∣steeme, yet are they employed to Funerals and other Rites, by which wilde beasts, and fowles, [ 30] and fishes are set at liberty, by the professors of this Sect with opinion of great merit. In this our age this Sect hath much reuiued, and many Temples are built and repaired, by Eunuches, Women, and the rude vulgar, and especially by the Ciaicum, or Fasters, which all their liues ab∣stayne from Flesh, Fish, (Egges, and Milke) and worship a multitude of Idols with set prayers at home, and are by hire to be called to any other mans. Nunnes also obserue the same Monasti∣call rules,* being single and shaued; they call them Nunnes, nothing so many as the Monkes.

The third Sect is called, Lauzu, deriued from a Philosopher which liued at the same time with Confutius,* whom they fable to haue beene carried 80. yeeres in his parents wombe before he was borne, and therefore called, Lauzu, that is, the Old Philosopher. He left no Bookes of his Opi∣nion, nor seemes to haue intended any new Sect, but certaine Sectaries, called Tausa, made him [ 40] the head of their Sect after his death, and wrote diuers elegant Bookes gathered out of diuers Sects. These also liue single in their Monasteries, and buy disciples, base and wicked as the for∣mer. They weare their haire as the Lay-men, differing herein, that where they weare their haire tyed on a knot, these haue a Cap on the crowne of Wood. Some also are married, and say ouer their Holies in their owne houses. They say, that with other Idols they worship also the Lord of Heauen,* whom yet they imagine Corporeall, and to haue suffered many things. They tell, that the King of Heauen which now raigneth, is called Ciam, and he which before ruled was named Leu. This Leu came one day to the Earth riding on a white Dragon, and Ciam a Wizard enter∣tayned him with a Feast,* where whiles Leu was eating, Ciam gat vp on the white Dragon, and [ 50] was carried to Heauen, and excluded Leu from that soueraignty; only he obtayned of this new King, that he might rule ouer a certaine Mountaine in his Kingdome, where they say he still li∣ueth: thus confessing (as the Greekes of Ioue) themselues to worship an Vsurper and Traitor. Besides this Deity of Heauen, they acknowledge three others, one of which they say, Lauzu is, hauing some dreame also, as the former of the Trinitie.

They also speake of places of rewards and punishments, but differing from the former: for they promise a Paradise for soule and body together, and haue Images of some in their Temples which haue so gone thither.* To obtayne this, they prescribe certaine exercises of sitting in di∣uers postures, set Prayers, Medicines by which the life is lengthned, if not made immortall. Their Priests exorcise Deuils, and driue them out of houses, by painting horrible shapes of them [ 60] in yellow Paper on the walls, and making horrible cryes as if themselues were become Deuils. They arrogate also to bring downe or to stay Raines, and other publike and priuate fortunes, most impudent impostors, either Lyars or Magicians. They assist the Kings sacrifices in those Temples of Heauen and Earth (thereby acquiring much authority) being Masters of the Musike therein: Page  399 and are called to Funerals, to which they goe in precious vestments with diuers musicall Instru∣ments, making a pompous-procession showe thorow the streets. The like pompes they vse at the streets ends on certaine times, hired by the dwellers.

They haue a Prelate called Ciam; which dignity he transmitted to his posterity 1000. yeeres since by hereditary successions,* and seemeth to haue taken beginning from a Magician which li∣ued in a Caue of Quiamsi Prouince, where his posterity still continueth. Their Prelate liueth most commonly at Pequin, obserued by the King, and admitted into the inmost Palace to conse∣crate and hallow the Roomes suspected to bee hanted by ill spirits. Hee is carried in an open Chaire, and with other pompe competent to the chiefe Magistrates, and is allowed by the King [ 10] a great Reuenue. But I haue learned of a Conuert that these Prelates now are so ignorant that they know not their owne Charmes and Rites. Hee hath no power ouer the people, but the Tansus (Priests) and their Monasteries, many of which are also Alchimists.* These three Sects haue diuersified themselues into 300. in seeming, daily encreasing and growing worse and worse. Humvu ordayned that these three Lawes should be kept for the good of the Kingdome, onely the Literate to rule; whence it comes that they seeke not to ruine each other. The Kings make vse of them all for their purposes, often repairing the old, and building new Temples. The Kings wiues are more prone to the Idoll Sect, and maintayne whole Monasteries without the Palace, and buy their Prayers with Almes. The Idols are not onely in Temples in this Kingdome, but in priuate houses in peculiar places, in streets, ships, Palaces, they are the first things you see, and yet put they little confidence in them. Their wisest men seeke to mixe all three Sects together, [ 20] and so whiles they embrace all, are of none, and proue Atheists.