historical essay 1 Endeavoring a Probability That the LANGUAGE Of the Empire of CHI N A is the Primitive laIsOuage. By John Wehb of Butleigh in the County of Somerfet Efquire- LONDON, . , Printed for Nath.Broo^ at the Angel in Grtfham Co Hedge, i6$$s — D. 9 * - / 6 ? . Licenfed By Authority. CHARLES T he Second, SIR, E W D I S C 0 VE* RI E S ma\e the Lives of P R I N C E S famous , Their POSTER ITT powerful Their Subje&s rich . Mofi prudently therefore doth YOUR MAJESTY vouch* f ife to encourage them, Which raif - etha Spirit in the Hearts of Your People to prof ecute the fame. It be* ing fully verified in Your Majefty, what was faid unto that famous Em* 4 % perour The Epiftle f eroiirofCHl N A , HIAVOUUS, The vertue of 3 K I N G is like the Wind , his Snbje&s like Corn, which incline all to that part, whereunto they are moved by the Wind. This E SSAY in all humble fubmijfion involves Y 0 *V R RQY- A L Prote&ion , it pretends to ad- vance the DISCOVERY of that GOLD E N-M INE of Learning, which from all ANTI QfV ITY hath lain concealed the PRIMI- TIVE TONGUE 5 whether Religion, Famous Examples of the Wifedom of Old , Folitique Rules for Government -fir what ever elf e ad- vantageous to Mankind be ref pe Sled. \ And wherein no doubt, fo great My-' Series are involved , as nothing hitherto in all the Learning of the ' World can either excel or equal. Hence it is, thatfo many Wri- ters, in almoji all Ages fince the '■ Birth Dedicatory. Birth of CHRIST have one way or other treated thereof : fame af- ferting the Teutonique to he it fome the Samaritan } others the Phaenician } divers Churchmen pleading as well for the Chaldaean, as Hebrew. With what fnccefs l queftion not , my intention being) not to difpute what in Poflibility can - not , but what in probability may be the Firfl Speech. Neither is it my purpofe with' others to infifton vulgar Traditions, or licentious Etymolo- gies of Wovds'jweak^and frail Foun- dations to fupport fuch a Weight , but fix my Balls upon Sacred Truth, and credible Hiftory. Scripture. teacheth , that the whole Earth was of one Language until the Confpi- racy at B A BEL j Hiftory in- forms that C HI N A was peopled, whilfl the Earth was fo of one Language, and before that Con- lpiracy. Scripture teacheth that A 3 the The EpiftJe the Judgment of Confufion of Tongues, fell uponthofe only that were at BABEL: Hiftory in- forms, that the C H I N O I S be - ' ing fully f Hied before , were not there \ And moreover that the fame LANGV AGE and CHA- RACTERS which long preceding j that Confufion they ufed y are in ufe with them at this very DAY* whether the Hebrew, or Greek Chronology be confulted. The Scripture is infallible , my principal Authors, fide Sacerdotum data , profefs Integrity, as having of very late Daies, by long.ftudy compiled the Hiftory ofC H I N A, from the Antient Records thereof ever fince the time ^NOAH. The Foundation then not failing , my Superftru$ure moft probably ftands y So much the firmer as that how valid foever tranficnt Words are, written Records be of far more cerr tai$ Dedicatory. \a in Credit, As YOVR Serene M A J E S TY right well kiiows* YOVR MAJESTY may happily fay , 1 have daringly en- ga^ed in a bold Undertaking. But difficult things GREAT SIR are as foon effiefted^as eafy , if the true way be obferved. However to err in a matter wherein fo many of greateft Learning have erred : YOVR MAJESTY pleafmg to pardon me^l need not blufht. The LORD GOD of Hea- ven and Earth, blefs, guide, and prefervc YO V, in all Your Coun- ; cells and ma\e Y 0 V Religious i like Jaus } Wife like Yuus ; Vi&o- , rious like Hiavouus, whoje con - j quering fword crowned Him with > vi&ory over ?nore Nations, than j Alexander of Macedon ever faw , or heard of j Like Xunus beloved ■j of all YOVR People: And make , *11 YOVR People as publiquely minded The Epiflle Dedicatory. minded , as* Their People the CHINOIS, Whereby YOVR MAJESTY and ROYAL POSTERITY JbaU reigrt hap- pily to Eternity ; and Y 0 %) R Kingdoms enjoy Wealth and Pro- fperity throughout all Ages. SIR, Your Sacred Majeftics BvtIe ^ a ^May Ever moft Loyal i66t* J Ever moft Lowly . ; .fljl Subject and Servant^ Jehu Webb. -Ajl f.xac. t MAPP of QfChffF, hetw fa it tifully Conte f/r Pm a i ir . or oil qfitjrouL Totirig by a Father Xftfly rosLcLonf in that Cluj/' t A N ESSAY Towards the PRIMITIVE Y what manner of Policy, the verall Nations and People of the world were governed before the Flood, no certain memory is re- maining , nor any record to which we may give jult credit, extant > either of the wars or peace, or other a&ions that were then performed. But that they had Kings, Rulers, and fet Forms of Go- vernment, undertook noble Enterprifes, made Invafions, fabdued Countries, managed with great advice the affairs of war, and atchieved many things worthy of admiration, there is no caufe to doubt. For , their exceeding long lives, having, toiheir ffrength of body, added the experie^e ofeight hundred or nine hun- dred years, 'fault uecelTarily increase their Wife- £ dom# An Ejjay towards the dome and conduct, and render their underta- kings (had they been communicated to pofte- rity ) far more excellent, than whatever can be related of after-times. And though Mofes pafleth over this firft Age in fo fhort a narrative as feven brief chapters - , and, writing an hiftory of and for jthe Church, mentioneth no farther, the affairs and nations of the world, than was meet for the Church, that of the Israelites efpecially,to know, accor- ding as if was likely they (hould have then, or after, more or lefs to doe with them i much ne- verthelefs may be collected from him in relati- on to the condition of that time. For, we find that the men of thofe days were mighty andTamous; his words Gen. 6. v, 4. being, 7 hey rt ere mighty men , which were of old men of renown. We may fiile them Hero's, fuch as either through their valour brought almoft impoffible and ad- mirable attempts to an unexpected and defired iilue - , or fuch as by their vertue were the Au- thors of profitable Arts and Sciences, and re- duced Mankind t6 civil and fociable conver- sion. But it is not to be denied, that then there were mighty men in regard of bodily itaturc al- fo, whom the Scripture calleth from their greatneis and terriblenels Rephaim and TLmim . from their pride Analqm j from their ftrength tn Gibborim-) from their Tyranny Nephilim ", from their naughtinefs Zamzummim fuch were Og and Go Hah after the Flood. But howfoever the bodies of thefe men were compofed, cer- tain it is, that before the Deluge, they divided • (as '■■■“ . ~ -V I: ' I r! >i I Primitive Language. g (as we by the Civil Law are now wont to doe) their goods atnongft their children i afligning their Real eftates to the eldeft of their {bns, ana their Perfonal to the younger. For ,Adam gave nnto Cain Lands to Till, unto Abel Sheep to Feed. Pofferity being multiplied, they fell imme- diately to the building of Cities, fortifying of Caftles, driving of Cattle, committing of Slaugh- ters, and whatever elfc the intereft of their wilfulnefs perfwaded them unto •> Thefe things being done by them as well for neceffary habi- tation, as for ftrength and fafety to fecure them- felves, and opprefs others. That they did build Cities, no doubt is to be made => for if Jabal was the tirli that dwelt in Tents, Where Ihould the reft dwell, faith Heylin , but in Citties, Towns, or Villages ? And that the firft of Cities was built by Cain, as alfo that he called it after the name of his Son Enoch-, the Scripture teach- eth Gen 4. v. 17. which was either erefied by him, to crofs that cu.rfe of his wandring to and fro or toarme him againft others, whom his guilty conference caufed him to feare =, or to be a receptacle and ftorehoufe of thofe fpoiles, which by force and violence, Jofeplm tells us, Jof. Am he took from others, when the earth was bar- Judith. ren to him, and would afford him nothing . c - 3 ‘ Probable it is, that the City was called Enoch 3 becaufe,thecurfe not fufferingthe Father to ftay . in any place, he was enforced to commit an hafty inheritance to his fon, and leave him to ftnifh and govern the fame. To this manner of life, in regard of general B 2 ufe. An E \jfty towards the ufe, Ceveral Arts were invented i One finds out i the making of Tents, in which leading a wan- | dringlife, his robberies might be the more con- I cealed,andhis flocks and hcardsthe better fed. I Another the forging of iron ufefull for the ma- ; kingofarms, and weapons of war i and what elfe they could of that kind. Another , Mufique: ; whereby the affe&ions being enflamed, they were ftirred up unto thofe things, in which > they placed their greateft happinefs. So that as this race of men, adfed all things not by reafon, but luft s frequent contentions, private ^ quarrels, and open war, could not but of ne- ceflity arife amongii them : and, though they might be well enough able from themfelves to defend themfelves i the other party, the chil- dren o [Seth neverthelefe lived no more fafely amongftthem, than filly fheep amongft raging wolves. They were as great Idolaters, if not greater then thofe of the after-age to which they gave example > for, degenerating, faith JoJepbittJ' rom the ancient inftitutions of their fore-fathers, they neither obferved the fervice of God, nor humane Laws. But were fierce and cruel, full oflnjuftice, Oppre(Iion,Murther, Rapine, Pride and Ambition, all concomitants of war, and prelages of ruine to infue. Which Ambition and Pride had, as it feemeth, a very early influ- ence upon the Leaders of the fucceeding Age, otherwife they could not poflibly have imagined that they ihould make themfelves a name, by 1 the b hiding offuch a work at Babel , as they eu- terprifed to ere&inor fo foon have known | < what Primitive Language . 5 what war meant, as that, ere they were well warrae in their new feats, to invade one ano- ther. For, the iffues of jjfur, and theilTues of faith Sir W. Raleigh^ fell inftantly at con- tention for the Empire of the Eaft . par.'i.pa. As for fruits of Peace* they had Theology, 144. Prophefie, Aftronomy, Aftrology > had Weights and Meafures •, and Cam as Jofephus relates, firft aligned proprieties in poffeflion of Land, be- fore as common as the Ayre and Light: there- fore Meum and 1mm was even in thofe times. Concerning their manner of diet: many are of opinion, that they eat no flefh, but fed on ve- getable aliments, thofe at the lead of the race o(Setb, who obeyed the command of God. And this may be colle&ed from the very Text, Be- baldt I have given yon every bearb bearing f ted, which is upon the face of all the earth '■> and every tree in thee which is the fruit of a tree yielding feed toyoujt f ball be for meat > Gen . I. v. 29. which plainly fheweth, they were utterly prohibited the eating offlcfh. Neither doe we read, that this prohibition was taken off, till immediately after the defeent of Noah from the Ark, when either, becaufe the Deluge had impaired or in- firmed the nature of vegetables, God giving him an augmentation of his words, faid, Every moving thing that livethf tat be meat for you \ even as the greenhearb have I given you all things , Gen. $.v. 3. And though it may be fuppofed,the firft men would not keep fheep, except they made food of themi very learned expofitors will tel! us. that it Was partly for their skins, with which they .lothed tbemfclves •, partly for their milk B 3 with 6 ©r. T.Br. mFjeitd. fyijj.&p. 141 . if Vojf. 1 vnuny.y An fcffay towards the with which they fuftained them, and partly for offerings which they facrificed unto God. As Dr. Brown in hi SFfeitdodoxia Epidemic# hath de- livered. They enjoyed the ufc Of Letters: for Jofepbitf aftefteth, that Adam having prophefied two u- niverfal Deftru&ions, one by fire, another by water, his pofterity ereCted two pillars, one of brick, another of ftone, in both Which they writ their inventions of Aftronomyj But, notwith- standing he thus witneffeth, yet Whether thofe of Adams pofterity that erected the (am e pillars invented fhe Letters they ehgraved on them* he faith not:whereby we may conjecture, that* admitting the engravements were madebeSei& or Enoch , the Characters neverthelefs were more ancient, and by fome other found out •, bf which haply we (hall have fomewhat more to fay. However, of thefe Epigraphs the Scripture {eemeth not to be altogether filenf, for we read, Judg*, 3 . v. 2 6. And EkttdeJcaped while they trit- riedj and faffed beyond the Quarries , and rf cased unto Seirath. Now 7ft: VofJiu s tells us, that f thisTranilation receding from the tiae fignihea- . tion of the Hebrew word, puts- Quarries for Sculptures. But the Seventy have rightly ren- dred it TO ' j for there, faith he, was that (tony Pillar which the Hebrews believe SethCc t up, as Jofcphus aileadgeth , who writes that even in his time the fame Pillar remained in a place called Sy 'iada. Some aferibe the invention of Aftrohomy to Seth, asalfo the firft naming of the feven Pla- nets ; Others to Enoch , who, they fay,nauch fur- thered. Trimitive Language . thered this Science, and who (faith Eupolemon) was by the Greeiy called Atlas, to whom they attribute the invention thereof. Trades alfb they had and Occupations : Cain was a Plough-man, Abel a Shcpheard. Arts and Sciences, as was faid before, as well mili*- tary as civil for Jubal invented mufical inftru 1 - ments, and Tttbal-Cain the working in metals, and making of Armour, which fome think to be Vulcan by the neernefs of name and occupa- tion. They lived in all manner of wealth, pleafurcs, delights,licentioufncfs,and fenfualityi and Naamab is reputed the hrlt inventrefs of linnen and woollen, and ot vocal Mulique, and feemeth to have been the Venus-, or Helena ra- ther, of thofe times;, all the world wandring in love after her, if we may credit the Hebrew Dodtors. Heylin telleth us, the like may be fuppofed in jjeyl all other myfteries and Arts of living, though p.4. there be no exprefs mention made of them in thofe early days. In regard therefore that Sci- ences were then in fuch manner multiplied, though Mi?/exrecordeth them hot i divers are of opinion, notwirhftanding we read not in Genefis of any kind of fhipping before the build- ing of the Ark, that the knowledge of Naviga- tion was not wanting to them, it being fo lin- gular an Art j fo neceffary for the life of man, and by the natural and daily ufe of fwimming, fo eafily to be found out. Which Conjecture hath fome ground of likelihood, confidering that Adam according to the very probable, though commonly received Opinion, was, by B 4 hi? An Ejpty towards the his Creation learned in all manner of Arts . A s alfa, that although in their removes for peo- pling of the world, they might either by fwim- ming,or by bridges, or on rafts, pafs convenient- ly over rivers i yet neverthelefs over Seas out of one part of the world into another, or from Continents into Iflands they could notpoffibly ! tranfport themfelves without {hipping, and i fome skill in Navigation. And if any fhould object, that, had they had (hipping,othejs might have been Caved in them, befides Noah and his family; it may he anfwered, that the Ark of Noah was covered j for the Text faith, And No.ah removed the covering of the Ar\, &c. Gen. 8 . v . 1 3. that is fas we are to conceive ) part there- of, and fb much as ferved to look forth, from whence homight fee round about, which by the window he could not doe, it opening one way only. Whereas the other Chipping being Open veflels, could not live during fuch conti- nually violent rains , and downfalls of water, which like Hyracane r, or Spouts , Cataratta Cali came tumblingfrotn the clouds s but muft in- evitably perifh, Befides, 1 hey were eating and drinking, marrybvj and giving in marriage , untill the day that Noah entred into the Arp, Mat. 24 * v. 38. And therefore took no care, and could have no time to make any ftores ready, or be viftualled for fo long a feafon as. the flood la- ded, or till provifions were fprung up and to be had again. Add efpecialy hereunto, that God had paffed his decree, that all Mankind, and all living Creatures, upon the face of the earth, Noah and his family, and ' fhofe ij Primitive Language. p thole with him in the Ark excepted, fho'uld be deftroyed. That the world was throughly peopled be- fore the flood, that great and univerfal De- luge, which God, for the fins of men, was pleafed to bring upon the whole world, doth cleerly manifeli. For why, faith Heylin, fhould all the earth be buried in that fea or waters, if all the Earth had not been peopled, and all the people of it guilty of oppreflion in the fight of God ? And certainly, faith Sir. W. Sir W.R.a, Raleigh-, feeing all the world was over-flowne, there were people in all the whole world which offended. But, that the whole world was peopled by Adam and his off-fpring before the flood, that Scripture which commandeth^^w to be fruitful and multiply , and to rrplenijh' the Earth , Gen.i.v. 28. doth, I conceive, asplainly and evidently manifeft, as that by vertue of the like bldling conferred in the felf fame words on Noah) Gen p.v.i. it was to be peopled by Noah and his blue after the flood.* For if fo many Millions of men, as we fhall fhortly hear, Ninut , ZoroafteT) SemiramU , and Staurobates , led after them to the field (and they left not all* their Kingdomes emptyj were born within three hundred years after the Deluge : What numbers might they confift of, that one thou- fimd fix hundred fifty fix years brought forth, preceding the fame > If, in like manner, all Afia the greater, and the leE, with Greece , and the Iflands thereof, all JEgypt , with Mauritania and Lyjia , were within the aforefaid time after the flood fully peopled ; And if we believe Be- 1 to An EJjay towards the rofus , then not only thote parts of the world, but (within one hundred and forty years afte if the flood) Spain , Italy and France were alfo planted s much more then may we think, that in one thoufand fix hundred fifty fix yeares be- fore the flood, the world was throughly re- 4 plenifhed with people. From the firfi: promife made to Abraham , unto the departure of jfrael out of JEgypt, be- ing four; hundred and thirty years, after the : Apoftles account, Galat. 3. v. 17. were born of Abrahams own body, comprehending men,wo- men, and children, faith IVillety fifteen hun- A. wi//.; M dred thoufand. And reafon will grant, that,ha- Excd. 12. ving the fame blefling promifed, as great in- create fhould be given to the fons of Adam , as the tens ofNoab. Confideriug withall that the (acred ftory doth not particularly recite all the progeny of all the men in thofe days, but that , only which teemed chei fly necelfary for under- ftanding the fucceflion of things and times. And it is abfurd to thntk, that men during fuch long lives, and in fuch perfect health fhould not beget very many children, and have • frequently two and three at a birth. When in this our Age we have known a woman, the wife of one Edrvard Jones by name, a Wa- terman yet living in Wejlminfter, to have brought him forth eight children within the compafle of two years, at the firfl: birth two, at the fe- cond as many, and at the laft four . And when within this laft Century from Robert Honjwood of Charing in the County of Kent Efquire, and Mary his wife, fhe, that is fo famous for bal- ancing P rimitive Language. 1 1 lancing her falvation with the breaking of a glals, lawfully proceeded three hundred fixty feven perfons within dels than the fpace of • eighty years. Taking notice alfo, that, long be- fore the flood, Polygamy being univerfally con- tracted toftrength of body and length of days, no degrees of kindred or conlanguinity^were obferved. And when death forbearing the fa- ther, made no place for the fon, till he had be- held living nations of his own body. Therefore we have caufe to doubt, that the people wan- ted world, rather than the world people or, as Sir W.Paleigh, the world could not contain them, rather than that they were not fpread throughout the world. Infomuch that if God had not abridged the life of man after the Flood, and decree‘d his age to be ordinarily no more than feventy years, whereby women are become incapable to beare children ^above thir- ty years at moll, and made therm all fubje& likEwifeto infinity of difeales, there muft either haveenfued fome other univerfal deltrudiion to have exftirpated them all again, or eife they could not have had fo much as room to have breathed in - , their numbers would have been fb iufini te, many ages lirice. For, fuppoiing the women before the flood to have been generally fruitful, as no doubt . they were, and that they continued child-bear- ing long, of which in regard of the length of their lives, as little queflion is to be made, fitting aflde how many children foever they might have at a birth, though in JEgfpt evert lince the flood, it hath been ufual with them tq 3 An Effay towards the to bring forth two, three, five, and, as 7 ’rogus Fompeius faith, fbmetimcs Seven at a birth. It feems not impoffible, confidering the encreafe of the Honyrvoods , but that, by ord inary means, in the revolution of one thoufand fix hundred fifty fix years, fuch numbers might be multipli- ed, as would not only plant the whole world, but alfo many more worlds befides, if any fuch were. For, finding that from two perfons in I almoft eighty years were produced three hun- dred fixty feven •, if we admit from Adam and Eve in the interval of the two firft Centuries after the Creation to have proceeded but four hundred , and allow one* fourth part only of this number to be apt for generation > that is, one hundred , or fifty married couples : then if each of thefe couples have but every two years one, they wil bring forth in 50 years more than twelve hundred and fifty fouls. And by thus proportioning one fourth part of the num- ber begotten, to every fifty years of time, which, in regard of their long lives , and prefumed ftrong conftitutions, could not be any impedi- ment to procreation » it is mod cleare, molt certain, that in the fpace of fixteen hundred years the laft generation will amount unto two thoufand, nine hundred, thirty three millions of millions i three hundred eighty four thoufand, (even hundred fixty fix millions i ninety fix thoufaud and four hundred perfons •, the odd fifty fix years, how advantagious fbever in the laft place, being wholly laid afide. For, if the product of thofe be added , it will encreafe their numbers unto above ten millions of mil- lions Primitive Language. 13 lions. So that eitheT that firft age was as much or more fubje£t to Plagues, Peftilences, Fa- mines, Wars, Loffes, and Calamities, as after- times i or elfe, either the world could not con- tain fuch prodigious multitudes i or they mull devoure one another for want of food and habi- tations. For, granting the Terreftrial Globe to be all habitable Earth , no Seas intervening and dividing it into twelve equall parts i it will be found, allotting to each divifion two hundred and fifty millions of people, that three thoufand millions will fully plant the fame, and make it more wonderfully populous than this extream part of Afla , whereof we are to treat. But being, (carcely the one half of it only is habitable, and Sea poflefTeth the reft > fifteen hundred millions will more than enough fuffice. Whereby it is ^temonftrable, that, if for fetling of Plantations multitudes of people be requirable, the whole Earth was throughly planted before the Flood. But how innumerable fcever their numbers appear to be, by the )uft judgement of God upon them for their manifold offences, they were, by thefirfl of the univerfall deftrudlions , Water-, all de- ftroyed. The Scripture is very manifeft and plain herein, And behold , I, even I ('faith the Lord ) doe bring a flood of waters upon the earth , to de~ (troy all flefh , wherein is the breath of life , from under Heaven , and every thing that is in the Earth fhalldie , Gen.d. v. 17. Againe, Gen. 7. v. 19. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the Earth, a ttd all the high hills that wen under the *4 Sir VT.Kit hi (l. par. I, ?. 88 . fluf. de a- nim.com- parat. Simler. Crtel. Ft ac aft or. apud Me it ', Cent, An EJfay towards the the whole Heaven were covered. Now this drown- ing of the world, hath not been quite drown’d in the world » for, even by prophane Authors it is remembred . To omit Others, Lucian in his Dea Syria- relatcth the opinion of the Hiera* politans , but a little corrupted from the narra- tion ot Mtfesi fo plainly doth he attribute to his Deucalion the Ark, the refort andfafeguard of the lyons, bores, £erpents,andbealts, the repair- ing of the world after this drowning thereof, which he afcribeth to the perjury, cruelty, and o- thcr abominations of the former people. Berojut not as in Arnnm that brat of a Monk, but as in Abydenu* that ancient Hiftorian , cited by ' Lujlbiwsi as I find in Sir W. Ralei?!^ adirmeth, that Saturn gave warning to Siflithrus of this Deluge, and willed him- to prepare a great Vef- fel or fhip, wherein to pat convenient food, and to fave himfelf with his kindred and acquain- tance j which he builded, of length five fur- longs, and of bredthtwo. After the retiring of the waters, he fent out a Bird which retur- ned i after a few days he fent her forth again, which returned with her feet bemired j and be- ing fent out the third time came no more. Plu- tarch alfo hath written of this Dove, fent by Deu- calion out of the Ark, which re.turningwas a fign of tempefi •> and flying forth, of faire weather. At Berne in Switzerland in the year 1460. in a Mine from whence they drew out Metal-Ore, at fifty fathom deep, a fhip was digged up, i a which were forty eight carcafes of men, with Merchants goods : At Sbotefbsm in Norfolk^ within the lands ofSir William Doy 'ie Knight, in Trimitivt Language. 15 in digging of a Well, at a confiderable diftancc from the Sea, at fixteen fathom, innumerable quantities of Oyfters, Cockles, Perywinckles, and fuch other forts of fhell-fifh, whole and unbroken, were found : and in Cbefbire within the forreit of Vaii^ere^ in fearching for Marie, at lixty fathome, at fevcnty fay fornc, huge and mighty trees, as black and hard as Ebony, were taken forth. Now, What ftiould thefe difcoveries, and others of this kind where- of Hiftories are full, fignifie ? but to declare un- to pofterity, that not only the Continents of all the Earth, but Iflands of the Sea alfo, and all the other parts of the world, as well as Afia* were drowned and overflowne : and that the inhabitants of them in like manner peri- fhed. When then the world was wholly inhabited before the flood, it muft conlequently follow, that feverai difperfions and plantations were then made, as either the numbers of the people encrealed, or the neceflity of providing victu- als for themfelvcs.and families enforced i as ftrong a motive, faith Heyiin , tofuch difperfi- Htyl.Cofia. onsas the Confufion of ‘Tongue s was afterwards, fag. 7 . The difference is , That , that which necef- fity would have done in long traCt of time, the Confufion of Tongues did at aninftant. And if any fhould imagine the unity of their Language did hinder their difperfion, we confefs it fome hinderance atflrfl, but not much afterwards : for though it might reftrain. their difperfion, it could nor their Populofity, which necefTarily reqmreth tranforigration, andemflCon of Co- lonies. An Effay towards the lonies. In regard therefore of fuch fevtfrall difperfions, the different affections of the people and general corruption of the Age j for, The whole earth was corrupted , Gen. 6.v. il. Heylitt makes no queftion, but jhat they might have different Languages and forms of fpeech , at leaft as to the Dialect and Pronunciation, al- though the Radicals of the Language might remain the fame. But though, befides what hath been already faid, that expreflion of the Builders of Babel, Let us make us a name , left wee be fatter ed abroad upon the face of the whole Earth , Gen. n. v. 4 . feemeth to imply, that there were difperfions preceding the flood j ‘for how elfefhould they in fuch newnefs of time apprehend, they might befcattered abroad , un- lefs they had learned from their fathers by hear- ing them relate, that the people had been dif- perfed into feveral Plantations before > and therefore would provide, that whatever be- came of others, they might prornife themfelves a name, and be remembred by the work they made,into what part of the world foever they fhould chance afterwards robe difperfed. Ne- verthelefs I cannot find, the leaft authority to prefume, that the language fpoken by our firft Parents, admitted any whatever alteration ' either in the Form or Dialed and pronunciati- on thereof, before the Confufion of Tongues at Babel s but that it ‘was in this firft Age before the flood, and afterwards untill the time of that Confufion, the common and general (peech , and therefore primitively called (faith Cceleftine) lingua human*, the Humane primitive Language. ty Tongue. Monfieur V' Efpagne in his Efiay of the J . D’ -e/* wonders of God, tells us, That the Language Adam continued alone in the world, there be- ing none other for the fpace Of fourteen ge- nerations •> this Unity continued till the nativi- ty of Pbaleg the Son of Heber. And Crinefm faith, All men living in the time before* and Linrp.j;. at the Confufion it fdf, did not only agree in uniry of Words, but alfo in unity of Lip, that is , in the manner of Pronunciation. Where- fore we may certainly conclude, that Aforf/i car- ried the Primitive Language into the Ark with him, and that it continued pure and uncorrupted amonglt his fucqeedirtg generations until the Corfagon of Tonguet at Babel , till when, T.be whole Earth rraf of one Language and one Lip y Gen. ii.v.i. cleer ly manifefteth. Now whether this Language may be yet re- maining in any part of the Universal World, is the main fubjed of our enquiry. In order to which, we are to contider, in what part of the World the Ark hrlt retied what Colonies were planted either before Nimrod and his Troops came into the Valley of Shin -tar , or the Cnnfitfi- on ot lonnies happened s And whether yea or no, thofe Colonies fo planted were liable to the curfeof Confoundc.d Languages, being through their abfence, not guilty of the Crime commit- ted at Babel. Concerning then the place where the Ark might reft after the Flood: AU'th'at the Scrip- ture faith of it, is, that the Ark relied upon the Mountains of Ararat^Gen. 8. v. 4. But in what Country tiiefe Mountains are, that it faith nor. Q Joffm An Effay tow ardsjhe Jnfcphns will have thefe Mountains of Arardt 4 to be the hills of Armenia, borrowing his dis- covery from Berofus , cited by him in thefe words, Fertur &mavigi) bn jut pars in Armenia apud mon - tern Cord) xorttm fhperejfe’y &quoJ'dam Bitumen inde abrafum fecum reportare , quo maxime vice amuleti ! loci hujus homines uti J'nlent i and it is reported faith he, that a part of this veflcl is yet remain- ing in Armenia upon the Cordiaan Mountains, and that divers doe {crape from it the Bitumen, and carrying it away with them, ufe it elpeci- ally inftead of an Amulet. Nicholas Vamafcenus calleth this Mountain of Ararat, Baris. But Sir IF. 'Raleigh after having by feveral arguments fully proved , that the Ark of Noah did not reft in any part of Armenia, and that the Mountain J of Ararat was not any one of the Gordiaan Mountains, or Baris, there being no fitch hill in Armenia, or in rerum naiura , as Baris con- cluded. That Ararat is not any one hill ft> called, no more than any one hill among thole Mountains which divide Italy from France, is called the Alpes Or any one of thofe which part France from Spain, the Pyrcnian. But as thefe being continuations of many Jhills, keep one name in divers Countries, fo all that long ledge of Mountains which beginning at the Coaft of Lycia runs through Armenia, Mefopo- tamia, Ajjyria, Media , Sitjiana, Parthia , Cara - ' mania. Aria, Margiana , BaUria, Sogdiina , and 'Taropamifm, having all thefe Kingdoms on the North or South-fide of them, are of one gene- ral name. And that as Pliny giveth to this kdgofhigh hills, even from Cilicia to. Paropa- . . mifus x frhnitive Language . t$ inifuf y and Caucafus , the general name of ‘tan- rusy fo was Ararat the general name which Mo- fa gave them, the diverfity of appellations no .otherwife growing, than by their dividing and bordering divers Regions , and divers Coun- tries. As in like manner we do call that, that doth generally go by the name of the Medi- terranean Sea, fometimes the Tyrrhene , Ionian , Adriatiqne, and JEgean > fometimes the He’U- Jpont, Pont us, Propontis, and B'Jphorus, according to the feveral Countries it paffeth by, and the feveral Coaftsit walheth. And therefore feeing that Mofes teachethus, that all thofe people, which under the condud of Nimrod entred the Valley of Shinaar, came from the Eaft, And as they went from the Eaji , they found a plain in the land of Shinaar , and there they abode , Gen. I l.v.2. We may I fuppole, faith he, without controver- fierefolve, that the Ark of Noah refted and took ground upon thofe Mountains of faurusy or Ararat , as Mofes calleth them , which lye Eaftward Irom Shinaar, between Eaft-I»dL*aud Scythia i and not on thofe Mountains of the North-weft, betwixt Mfpotamt.ty and Arme- nia major ,■ as Eerofus firft faigned, and moft Writers following him have iince miT_ taken. Goropins Becanus in his Indo-Scythia main- tains, that the Ark refted on the top of Mount G«r. Bet Caucafus , in the confines of fart. aria , Verfu, and I>ldo Jf- India , ulingmany arguments for his opinion } as 4 amongft others the exceeding populoufnefs of the Eaftern Countries, but relying principally upon the aforefiid Text of Scripture. With him C 2 jrl:yiii% 20 An Eff ty towards the Htyl.cofm. Heylin joynes iflue* faying, c If then they came ‘from the Ealt to the land o t Sbinaar, as the ‘Text faith plainly that they did, it might well c be, that they came from thofe parts of Afia$ 1 on the South of Caucafus, which lye Eaft from ‘ Sbinaar, though fomewhat bending into the e North, impofliblc they fhould come from the ‘ Grrrdwan Mountains in the greater Armenia^ c which lye not onely full North from Sbi - c naar, but many degrees unto the Weft, The ftrft thing mentioned in Scripture, that N'ab did after his coming forth of the Ark, having facrificed and returned thanks to God for his dtliverane or that if Noah or Sem had been there amongft them, they would not have difwaded them from that foolifh enterprife. And therefore I fhould yather be of their opinion which think, that Noah fixed himfclf in thofe parts, which lay neereft to the place where the Ark took land, and having planted as far Eaft ward as he thought convenient, fent out the furplufage of his people* under the conduct of one or more of thefe Un- dertakers, directing them perhaps to the land of Sbinaar , where himfelf had dwelt before the flood. For, in regard there is none of thofe, though mod diligent men, who have written of the Plantations of the world upon this dif- perfion, that either fpeak of any Nations plan- ted by Noah himfelf, or Sem and Japhet , or of their fetling in the Colonies of any one of their Defcendents * it is to me faith Heylin again, a veryflrong argument, that they came not with the reft to the Plains of Sbinaar, but tarried fill in thofe habitations, wherein God had planted them. Furchus thinks, that hefore the flood Noah lir Vurch.Vil- ved in Syria (which probably his Author might grim age, miflake tor Serica) but whether there, or in the tib.up.6j, i anc | 0 p Sbinaar , or wherefoever elfe * Jofepbus affirms, that he forfook his native Country, and with his Wife and Family travailed into anor ther Region, where he built Ark. Now, though what became or him, or ther he re- ~ ' moved Yriwitive Language. 23 moved is uncertain. Neverthelefs it is moft fure, faith Wiile.t, that he neither joyned with Nimrod , nor his company, nor ever ingaged Getu * u with them s and although the Scripture raa- keth no mention of the reft of his Adis, yet no doubt is to be made, but that he exercifed hirm felf in Planting of Religion, and doing moft ex- cellent works for the benefit of Mankind , of which Mofes omitteth to fpeak, as alfo of the proceedings of the Godly fucceeding Fathers, becaufe he hafteth to the liory of Abraham. That Noah ftaid behind and came not with the reft to the Valley of Shinaar , Gorofm al- fo is cleerly of opinion > who in like manner ^’< 5 . alferteth, that it is for certain, about Ararat firfti afterwards in the Plains of Shinaar , men after the Deluge feated themfelves, and ftom either of thofe places were difperfed into feveral parts of the world. And if any fhall think the contra- ry, faith he, that none remained behind, but all ■*. went together to Shinaar , he will of great folly accule the fecond Parent of Mankind, that he (hould have fo little of the common fence of men in him, as to make them all leave allured •habitations, for uncertain dwellings s fecure hou- fes, for open fields =, free ways, for encumbred palfages and known Meadows, for unknown paftures. By the verfes of Sibylla alfo, which not only Jofiphitf, but likewife Eufeb'm^ St. Hierome, 722- and others word for word remember, it ap- pears that all came not together to Shinaar. Tlivruv IfjioQuvav oprayffl avS^arr ay orugvor awioj'#- fin/To iviivii t'4nAoT P7& y 3‘ of whom Zorojjhr out of his own Kingdom of Bidrij, brought into the field againft Ninus the Monarch of AJJyrh, an Army of four hundred thou fa nd fighting men i which manifefteth, faith Hey l in 3 that BaCiria was as foon peopled, as Primitive Language, T as any Country fince the general Deluge. For, it could not have poflibly been, that Zoroajter fhould have railed fo mighty an Army in the time of Ninus, who was in fuceeffion but the third Mo- narch from Nimrod , had Baciri 4 been Ranted, but by a Colony lent out from Sbinaar . The 0 - ther Staurobates being King of India beyond Indus, was invaded by Semiramis with an army confiding of three Millions' of footmen, one million of horfemen,befide other mighty Forces both for Land and Sea fervice •, whereof, faith Sir W. Raleigh, if we believe but a third part, it si r w.R.a fhall fuffice to prove, that India was the firft bifi.far. Planted and Peopled Countrey after the Flood. 1-99' For Staurobates encountred her with an army exceeding her numbers, Staurobates avitisma - joribus , quam qua erant Semiraniidis coyiis ^ Stau- robates drawing together of his own people greater forces then thofe of Semiramis (faith Z)i- od or w Siculus ) defeated her. Now though confidering the great Troops that Nimrod might bring with him to Babel 3 as by the building of the City and Tower may appear , the numbers which Semiramis levied might eafily grow up, {he heing the Wife of Ni- nus y the Son of Belus , whb was the Son o {Nim- rod , it was impoflible nevertheless, that the army of Staurobates fhould exceed hers, had his numbers of Indians been encreafed, but by Co- lonies fent into thofe parts, folate as the difper- fion at Babel and Confufion of ‘Tongues, unlefTe God had raifed his Army out of Stones, or by fome fuch miracle. For, not any multiplication natural (to ufe Sir W. Kal&gb's own words) u could vi An Effay towards the could in fuch time produce fo many bodies of Men, as were in the Indian Army vi&orious o- ver Semiramis. When then India beyond Indus was in the time of Staurobates fo fully peopled bythofe that remaining with Noab never came down to Sbinaar'-, we need not doubt, but that they had then patted farther alfo i and as their numbers encreafed, or defire of new feats invi- ted them, made removes, and fent out Colonies to the more remote parts ©f Afta, till at length they fetled in the remote!! CHINA. Which Country that it was originally peopled by fbme of the pofterity of Noah before the enterprife at He yl.Cofm. Babel , Heylin conceives may probably be conclu- fag. 870. ded. But of this hereafter. In the mean time, I might add for a farther evidence, that thofi' that have written the adions of Alexander of Macedon , allure us , that he found more Cities and Sumptuofities in that little King- dom of Torus , which lay fide by fide vfith the River Indus, than in all his other Travailes IJ.pa.M an d Undertakings. But hereof we have as yet from Heylin fome- whatmore today. He then in enumerating the old Inhabitants of India , relateth i that they were originally depended from the Sons of Noah , before they left thfe Taftern parts, to go towards the unfortunate Vdlley of Shinaar. W/e could not elfe have found this Country fo full of people in the days of Semiramis , as that Staurobates to oppofe her, could raifc of natural Indians only, an army confining ot greater forces than that fhe ' led, and had compounded of feveral Nations to the number of four millions and upwards. A matter tli Vtimitive Language* matter exceeding all credit , though neither could make up a fourth part of that number, if the Indians had been no other, thanfome one of thofe Colonies, which were fent from Babel y or rather a fecond or third fwarme of thofe for- mer Colonies, which went thence under the command of the firft Adventurers. For, that any of the hrft Adventurers, who were prelent at the huilding ofthe Towerof Babel, travailed fofar Eaft, is not affirmed by any, who have la- boured, in the learch of their Plantations. So ffiat I take it for a matter undeniable, that the plantation of India preceded that of Babel , though by whom made, there is nothing to be faid for certain. Yet, faith he, if I might have liberty :o exprels my own conceptions, I am inclinable :o believe, that all the Eaftern parts of Perfia, with CHINA, and bo h the Indiast were peopled \y Wo of the Sons o/Sem, m went not with the reji owe Valley of Shinaar. For, ctherwife I can ee no realon, that the pofterity of Japhet } tt\o\j\d ^ant the greateft part ofthe lelfer A ft, a, and the whole Continent of Europe with the Ifles there- )f, and that the Sons of Cham lhauld Ipread hemfelves over Babylonia, PaUJline y the three 4rabia's^ and the whole Continent of Africa > :he pofterity of Sem heing Ihutupina corner )f the greater Afa y hardly fo big as fome of the 5 rovinces taken up by the other Adventurers. \nd therefore that an equal latitude maybe al- owed totheSons of Sew, I think it not impro- >able to hx them in thefe Eaftern Countries, preading themfelves this way, as they, grew in lumbers, before the ref of the Adventurers went to, fok ! --V, 2y 2 8 Kirch . Cb.lll.par. t.pag.xz6 An Effay towards the fetJ^out new fortunes at the ‘toner of Babel. Thus 0 far Heyliti. Who hath fet no left than four con- il fiderable remarks, as to our prefent enquiry i after the Plantations made before the dift i perfion at Babel y in this one and the fame Para- graph. • t But here I meet with an objc&ion, that Aiha^ < vafins Ktrcherus in his China iUufirata aflerts, : China was peopled by the pofterity of Cham y af- ' ter he came out of JEgypt, and therefore could, 1 not be planted by any of the Sons of S-em^ or 1 before the Cotfufion at Babel. In aufwer where- 1 unto, I muft take leave to give you Ktrcherus his own words - , by which you will find fo (len- der authority for his Alfertion, that you will ad- mire rather, how itlvas poflible fo learned a man could ever fancy fuch a conceit. For, his princi- pal, yea verily tn manner his only argument is, that becaufe the JEgyptians, who were defen- ded from ufed Hieroglyphicks, therefore the Ctm n es did defeend from Cham , becaufe they ufed Hieroglyphicks alfo. Whereby you mjy oblerve, that if the Mexicans want their Ance- (tors, they may repair to Ktrcherus , and he will prefently inform them, that they came from fbme of the pofterity of Cham becaufe they in like manner as had the /Egyptians, have Hiero- glyphicks in ufe. But why to confirm his opi- nion, did he net tell us, that the Hebrews were of the feed of Cham, becaufe they like wife as well j as the /Egyptians vyere circumcifed ? However hearehim, Certe ut a d credent/ urn indttcar , m j gni mnmenii a gumentum , f:mt vetercs ifii finevfinm characieres Hieroalyphtccrum in omnibus annuli j. 1 Certain Primitive Language. 29 Certainly, faith he, tHat I am induced to believe this, thole ancient Charaders of the Chimes in all things imitating Hieroglyphicks, are an argu- ment of great validity. But Sir IV. Raleigh will politively allure you, shw.R.»l, that the Chinoes had Letters in ufe long before bifi.par.u either the JEgyptians or Phoenicians : Semed) Will^^* maintain, that they had the fame Charaders £ el *™ e ) which they ufe at this day, and which were ab- ci n . far.i. traded from thofe Hieroglyphicks, divers years c ■ before Kircberus brings Chants Plantation into China : Veffius can aflert, that they have had the igvojg it ufe of Letters longer by far than any people that ottat. ever were : And Martinm makes appear ere w «*»*p.44* long, that for Antiquity in the ufe of Letters, China excclls all other parts of Aga i as alfo u.kinimj that veteres ifii Sinengum characieres Hieroglyphic o- l.u p.zz* rum in omnibus Egyptians feared to utter, as the izj. ’ Jews did their 7 'etragrammaton the other was the Ion of this Trej-Megijhis , and for his wifdom by his father called Catb > but which of thele two it was that taught the. Egyptians theufe of Letters, Writers much differ > and no lefs alfo about Trimitive Language . 31 about the Age in which they lived. For Ifaach^ fon and others, place them about the time that Abraham was called out of Haran or Charran in- to the land of Canaan i others fuppofe the firft and raoft ancient to have been Jofeph the (on of Jacob '•> others again, that he was Mo/er himfelfi and Sir W. Rawleigh with fome Hiftorians find them not to have fiourifhed until the days of Mo/es i when as the Chinois had enjoyed their now letters at leaft five hundred years before. It was Sew that inhabited the Countrey of A- Jofep.Ant. fa beginning at Euphrates^nd extending to the llb ' u Indian Ocean fea , faith Jofephus r To the pofte- rity of Sem befel the parts of Afia from lnd faith G. J. ‘ ac ’ Vojfms. And with thefe Raleigh , Heylin , and Ayn- Aynfaor. f worth agree, as you have heard. Whereas Cbam in Geti^io. and his offfpring polfeifed the South of Afia and Africa , as the fame Authors alfert. Neither could Cham be Zoroafter , it is a fancy, Shiv.R.»l. faith Sir W. Raleigh , of little probability. For bift.par.u Cham was the paternal Anceftor of Ninus , the father oiCbus , the grandfather of Nimrod , whole foil was Eeluf, the fat her of Ninus , which Ninus (lew Z oroafier in Battria , as Hiftoriographers una- nimoully accord. Wherefore, and tor that Cbam never removed out of Adgypt after his (ettlcment there, into BaVtria '■> Cbam could not be Zoroafter King of the Raftrians , nor from thence ever tranf- ferr Colonies into China , as Kkcherus would per- [ fwade. But in all probability , China was after , the Flood fir ft planted either by Noah himfclf, or { \ fome 3 * An t-JJay towards the fbme of the Tons of Sent , before the remove tb ! Shinaar- For, fuch Principles of Theology , as amongft the Cbinnis , we (hall fhortly hear of, could not proceed from the wicked and idola- trous race of accurfed Cham-, but from thofe only that wer e,de civitate Per, of the City of God. The molf remote parts then of the Eafterq World , being planted before the difperfion af babel i and until the Confufim of longues ■> the whole Earth being of one language and onelipp, it muff indifputably fucceed, tint Noah and who- foever remained with him, which came not with the reft to the .valley of Shinaar, and confequently by their abfence thence, had no hand iu that vain attempt, could not be concerned in the Confufion there, nor come within thecurfeof confounded Languages but retained the PRI MITIVE Tongue, as having received it from No alp , and like wife carry the fame with them to their feve- ral Plantations , in what part of the Eaft foever they fetled themfelves , afwel as Nimrod and his Troops brought it with them t oSbinaar. And G Been. h cnee it is, that Goropins faith, Bccaufe the Cimme ~ indof. fog. rians were not at the Confufion of Babe!, there- 534. fore there is no queftion to be made, but that their Language was the PRIMITIVE. id. par m Hence the fame Author , Becaufe. thofe that 3 were left behind to plant Margiana, were not at the building of the Tower, it moll b'e neeeftarily acknowledged, in regard ihe Language was not confined to any , but general to all, afwel unto thofe at Shinaar , as all people elfewhere, that the ANCIENT Language, which before the Confufion was common to the univerfal World, remained F rimitive Language. 3 3 remained with thofe of Margiana> Hence Sir W. SirW.Kal-^ Raleigh , it is conjedfured , that thofe of the race of Sem which came into Cbaldeea, were of Nint 1 ® rod's Troop, and removed with him thither: yet, in regard they were no partners-m the unbelie- ving workof the Tower, therefore they did re- tain the hrft and moft antient Language , - which thefirft Age had left to Noah 5 and Noah to Sent and his Iflucs Hence Heylin alfo,That fome Plan- Heyl.tefm 1 tations had no reference to the Confifton of p.7* ! 'longues , being made before it, on the fending out of fuch Colonies,as were neareft to the place, where the Ark did reft. But how general foever the confentis, what needeth prophane teftimo- nyjwhen facred Hiftory plainly teacheth us, That the Language of Lhrfe only that were at Babel Was confounded, and not of Thofe that .Wereab- fent thence, and not guilty of that misbelieving work. The words of the holy Penman, Gen . 1 1 , , fc.5,6,7,8. are. And the Lord came dawn to fee the City, and the. Tower ywhich the Children of men build - ed, And the Lord Jaid , Behold , tjoe ’people is one, and they have all one L angftage, and this 1 hey begin to do 5 and now nothing will be ref rained, from them-, which, they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down , and L HE RE confound T HEIR Language , that THET may nn under}} and one and thers Speech. So the Lord fcattercd 7 /if M, abroad from * THENCE upon the face rf all the Earth , and they left off to build the City. Which can admit no' other conftrudf ion , than that the Language of 7hfe , that were THERE, that is, at that place in Babylonia , not in India or ‘clfcwhere was confounded. So in like manner D THE iR 34 dn Effiy towards the THEIR Language, i.e. 7 heir Language that were with Nimrod , and of this Weftcrn Colony * not the Language of Noah, and his Plantations in the Eaft. Again alfo, That THEY, to wit, thofe children of men , that built the Tower ; not thofe generations that had no hand in building of the fame, might not underfiand one anothers Jpeecb. Furthermore, the Lord Mattered THEM abroad from THENCE, ” Which , faith Sir par.i. pag." jp, Raleigh , hath no other fence , but that the .>04. „ j_ or j f cattere( i THEM, viz* thofe that built ’ ’ this To wer, for thofe were from THENCE ( to wit, Babel ) ” difperfed into all the Regions ”of the North and South, and to the Weft ward. ' The Eaft being inhabited before. Eut let us confider the Context. The Scene was the valley o f Sbinaar j They found a plain in the land of Sbinaar , and they dwelt there. V.2. The Offenders were Nimrod and his Troops } And they faid , Go to, let us build us a City and a ‘tower, rvhoje top may reach unto Heaven , and let us make us a name , lejl we be featured abroad upon the face of the whole Earth, ver. 4. The fear of a Judgment brought a Judgment upon them. And as the Of- fenders were thofe only a t Shtnaar, fo the Lan- guage of thofe only at Sbinaar was confounded. Goto , let us go down (faith the Lord) and there confound their Language , that they may not Under - fland one anothers feech. v. 7 The punifhment be- ing juftly infli&ed , where only the offence lay, and upon thofe folely that had offended. No man fhall anfwer for anothers fault; it is both the Law and Gofpel. 1 he foul that fnmeth , it shall die , Ezech, Vrimitive Language. Ezcch. i8-v. 2o. For ire mug ali appear before the judgment fe.it ofChrijt , that every one may receive the things done in his body , according to that he hath done-, whether it he good or had \ 1 Corinth.cap.5. v * Io. And I mud not omit that the marginal notes of our BiWe, for the more ctear expofition of the Text we are upon, refer us to the Wife* dome of Solomon , cap. io. V.5. where it is writ- ten \ Moreover , the Nations in their wicked confpi - racy being confounded , Shee Q Wifedome ^ fund out the righteous , and preferved him blamelej s unto God , and kept him Jtrong againji the tender companion of his fan. Whereby, though it may be conceived, that in the particular, this alludes unto Abraham his facrihcing of Jfaac, yet in the general, it is mod evident, mod certain thereby , that fhof only that had offended in the confpiracy of the building of the Tower, had their Language con- founded , and were convidfed by that Judg- ment. Thus from Scripture and approved f-Iidory hath been made appear, "that the Ark reded i ri the Eads That Noah planted not far from the place, where it took ground i and from thence by himfelf, and his off-fpring, that abode with him, peopled the Eadern parts of the World, together with China'-, and that thefe Plantatiohs were un- dertaken arid fctled before the remove to Sbinaar? and Cmfufion of Tongues , by thofe that never came at Bethel', and could not therefore be inga- ' gaged in that prefumptuous work- But who they I were of his off-fpring that Noah kept with him, whether of the Pons of Jo&an , or of all the red a .'certain number ( Cham and his iffiae only excep- D 2 ted } 3 * An Effay towards the Sitw.Ral- ted^canhot, faith Sir IV.RaleigbJbe kuown.Never- Mft.far. i. thelefs we are not to doubt, but that their nutrH P'X-ioi. jj erS werc fo great , as not only fufficed to huf* band thofe Plantations that Noah hadfetled, but alfo to (end forth Colonies elfewhere-as oceafion required. The Scripture alfo plainly declareth, That the curfe of Confounded Languages fell upon thole only that were preftnt upon the place at Babel , and perfonally adted in that ungodly defign there. And therefore we may warrantably conclude* •That either the PRIMITIVE Language is to be found among!! thole Plantations that were made before the BabylonianEnterpiiCe, by thole that were abfent thence , and had not offended therein ", or elfe it cannot be appropriated to any Nation now extant in the World, or at this day ■ known. For, as the people at Babel 3 that had folely offended , were therefore from Shinaar fcattercd throughout all the other parts of the nn-inhabited Earthy lb only the Language which they brought with them thither, was there for their offence confounded j and, asds conceived, divided into feveral other Languages, parting at this day amongft us by the name of MOTHER - Tongues, which that they were leventy twoin number, he that hatha mind to pleafe himfelf with believing it,foall not difpleafe me. Hejl.Cojnt. No w here, Htylm is fo courteous,as to befriend me with an Obje&ion. That admitting it for granted, that thofe who ftaid behind with Noah, lpake the fame Language which was common to the Fathers before the Flood ( be it the Hebrew or what elfe foever it was.) there feems no rcafon to ~ the Trimitive Language. the contrary, but that it might in time be bran- ched into (everal • Languages or Dialeds of the fame one Language , by the Commerce and En- tercourfe which they had with Nations of a diffe- rent fpeech. To which, is thus anfwered. That, not only Comtnerce and Intercourfe, but alfo Time andConquell may poflibly caufe the alte- ration of a Language, yet in regard that Con- quells are of divers kinds , and Intercourfe and Commerce of different natures , fuch alteration cannot be effected by every manner of Commerce and Conquefts. For, on the one fide, where an Invader enters a Country with a refolution wholly to difpolfefs and expel the Natives, it inevitably follows, that the fpeech of that Country, mult, being fubdued, receive fuch an abfolute change, as that no other, than that which the Conqueror brings with him can remain, And thus we hnd,it fucceeded at the conqueft of the Land of Canaan by the Ifraelites'i who generally, expelling the Canaaniies, introdu- ced their own Language ( whatever it were) and extirpated the former. Where alfo an Invader hath made fuch a full Conquelt, as that he can clear, or (as I may fay) drive the Countrey, and carry away the whole body of the Natives into captivity, there, no doubt is to be made, but that the Language of the vanquilhed mud undergo a manileil alteration. And thus we find that in fo (hort a time as the captivity of Babylon , thofe of Judah had in fuch manner lofi their fpeech , as at their return home, they could not underhand, the Book of their own Laws, but by an Interpret f?r. Nehem.cap.&.v.’j.S. An Bjfay towards tbe But on the other fide, where the Invader en- ters, to poflefsnew dwellings , and plant himfelf and peoples when he neither carries the Natives ^Ifewhere into captivity, nor utterly expels them, the old Language of that Countrey (fannot be extirpated •, but may be altered, and by the mix- ture with new commers after long tra£f of time, become generally a new kind of fpeech. Thus the invafions of the Hun?, Goths, and Lmgobards, and their Conqyefts , brought a new Language into Italy. And thus the Goth? and Vandals , Sa- racens and Moor? into Spain. So likewife where a forein Enemy , put of an ambitious defire of Fame ^nd Glory, and for eternizing his name in- vades a Countrey,and having obtained a vi&ory, upon a certain tribute condefcended unto by the Natives, for acknowledgment of fubjedtion , ae- quitteth it again, there it is impoflihle, the fpeeqji pf that Countrey fhould be changed. For, it can- not be imagined, that the Kingdom of Porus , in- to which Alexander the Great no (boner leaped, than leaped out of it again , could by fuch a con- quer!, have the Language thereof, either altered pr corrupted. In like manner, the conquefts of the French in Italy , no more altered the Italian Tongue, than our Invafions of Scotland , did the Piltijb, or Scottish fpcech. There is moreover another kind of Conqueft, where the Vidlor takes up the Manners and Cu- flomesof the vanquifhed , and tranfpojteth into, his own Country the Language, Arts, and Sciences pf thofe that he hath overcome. For the Eotnans together with their vidfory over Greece , brought home with them, Sculpture, Painting , and the Language Primitive Language. Language of that People alfo \ which Flat arch in the life of M. Cato telleth us, moft of the Romans ftudied. Yet we find not, that the Latine Tongue was corrupted , but rather refined thereby '■> and if it were refined, then it was altered, for every refining is changing. But, this fome will perhaps fay, is dire&ly contrary to what is objected : for, here in this cafe, not the Language of thevan- quifhedby the Conqueror , but the Language of the Conqueror by the vanquifhed comes to re- ceive an alteration. After the fame manner, by their conquefts in Afia, the Romans learned luxu- ry and riot, to wear lilk , and live effeminately , the Afiatiques in the mean time compofing them- felves to the antient temperance, frugality and dilcipline of their Lords and Mafters the Romans. Thus alfo we find, that the Macedonians long be- fore, when they had conquered Perfia, became not only in Language and Attire , but alfo in Di- fciplina and Cullomes Persians rather , than the Ttrftans-, Macedonians. And this oftentimes hap- peneth, as all Hiftory informs , where the Con- queror is either barbarous , or not in fuch a de- gree civilized, as thofe that are fubdued by him a Or elfe efflated by fuecefs , wholly gives himfelf over to licentioufnefs, difdaining the manners of his native Countrey. Asfor3i»we, it may, having efpecially Com- merce its attendant, prevail fomewhat herein. For, we our felves can fcarcely now underhand the Language that was ufed in the days of Chau- cer. And yet neverthelefs we know, that the La - tim Tongue, hath from C as a.lfo. becaufc P timitwe Language. they Puffer not their unexperienced youth to tra? vail abroad into other Countries, the old Runiqut or Gotbique Tongue in manner yet continued, and is by divers of the Inhabitants understood, when in all the Septentrional World hefides, it is Utterly forgotten and extindf. But what (hall we fay of the Bajquifh or antient Language of Spain ? which notwithftanding all the Invationsof the Carthaginians , Romans Goths^ Vandals ■> Moors re? rnaineth yet pure in 2 i '/fcay , whatever Commerce and Intercourfe foever that Countrey hath in all times enjoyed. Infomuch that the Inhabitants upon one fide of the River running from the mountains of Ordunia to Rilboa , and which car? ries the Iron-mills , fpeaking the MOTHER Language, underhand not one word, unlels by an Interpreter , what thofe on the other fide of the Same River fay. W/’hat of the Injh Tongue ? which Countrey, although we have kept under fubjediion by lawful conqueft, near hve hundredj years, fetled many Plantations therein , and per- rnitted continually free Commerce , yet neverthe- lefs the natural Language of the Countrey conti- liueth throughout molt parts of that Kingdom pure and untainted at th.is day. And which is re? paarkable, if a child born of E nglijh Parents there, and as curioully overfeen as poflibly a child can be from hearing of the Native Irish (peak, chance to hear but one word of that Language, he will fooner remember the fame , and be apter to re- peat it again , than he (hall any one word of En- glish , though twenty times fpoken before him. What of the old British Tongue > fince that through all the conqucfts of the Romans , Saxons , Vanes-, 4 2 An Effay towards the '] Danes , and Normans , and after unlimited conver- t to iation with moft Nations of the World, it hath it pafled currant, and is yet remaining in Wales. In \ like manner, the Arabique continueth incorrupt in the hilly parts of Granata ; and the antient Efifotiqae in the high,wooddy, and more moun- tanous parts of Epirus. By all which it appeareth. That not any kind of Conquefi can wholly alter or extirpate the natu- ral Language of a people, except by generally ex- pelling the Natives , or tranlplanting them clfe- where. And that Commerce and Intercsurfe where a mixture of feveral Nations is wholly permitted, may in long tra& of Time -produce an abfolute alteration > but where tolerated on the Sea-coafts or confines of a Country only, can neither alter a Language , nor branch it into feveral Dialedf s of the lame, but may polllbly in thole places corrupt jt, whilft the Inland parts neverthelds enjoy purely their MOTHER Tongue. ; When then it is reputed ridiculous to hear that Adant fpake Dutch in Paradice : And when we conGder, thatth e Hebrews have no furer founda- tion to ere& their Language upon , than only a bare Tradition of their own, which we all know is fo infamous a t\Hiftorian> asWifemen neither report after it , nor give credit to any thing they receive from it : As alio that the Samaritans by , their often removes were but a mungrel people,! and in regard of their continual commerce with i Nations of a different fpeech i and the many florms and tempefts of Wars and Conquefts, which they were always fubjedtto, have but a mungrel Language ; for though it hath, as is not Yrimitivc Language, 43 to be denied, Come proper and peculiar words of its own, neverthelefe it oftentimes ufeth the An - b'tque , and in forming ofNouns and Verbs, fome- times follows theHcbrew,fometimes the Chaldean > wherewith it is of great affinity. And though they may have had, as they pretend, the Pentateuch of Mofes written in a ftrange Character , the Samaritan ? as they call it,yet their having had it in their cuftody contributes not an lota to the Anti- quity of thejr fpeech,or that it ffiould have ancient- ly been the PRIMITIVE Tongue, in regard thole Characters not much differ from the modern He- braiqne, unlefs where either by the negligence of the Scribe, or variety of the Copies , fomediver- tity appears i as our famous DoCtor Brian Walton , late Biffiop of Cbejier in his Introduction to the B-Waft* reading of the Oriental Tongues hath very lear- nedlyobferved : And when in like manner we confider, that it cannot with any probability oT * Truth be refolved, that the Phoenicians , who are generally fuppofed to be the wicked off-Cpring of accurfed Cbam y the principal Actors, and Offen- ders inthat daring confpiracy at Babel, fhould enjoy fo great a priviledge, as to carry away with them, and be infranchifed to that Sacred Lan- guage, which even in the time of innocency was fpoken between God and Man : Why may we not reflect upon the C H I N O I S ? For we (hall make appear, that They were primitively plant- ed in CHIN A, if not by Noah himfelf,by forne pf the Iffue of Sent , before the remove of Nimrod to Shinaar, and the Conf/cfion of "Tongues at B tbel > Their Language to be thefelf fame at this day, as when they were firft planted ajnd began to be a Jl peoples An tjfay towards the people - , Their Country never fubjedf to any fuch conqueft , as could prejudice , but rather dilate their language Their Laws in all times to have prohibited forein Commerce and Inter - courfe •, and Their dominions ever (hut up againft ((rangers , never permitting any to (et footing within T heir Empire, unlefs by way of Embafly folely i nor differing Their own Natives totra- , vail abroad without efpecial licence from their Emperour : So jealous have they evermore been, left Their Language andCuftomes (hould be cor- rupted. Conhdering which, together with their infinite multitudes of People, and perpetual flou- rifhing in Peace, and all Arts and Sciences, whilft every Nation almoft throughout the whole Uni- verfe befides , have more than once in time been over-run and conquered *, it may with much pro- bability be aflerted, T hat the Language of the Em- pire of CHIN A,is, the F R IMlflVE fongue y , which was common to the whole World before the flood '■> and that it could never be brancMfedintp feveral Languages , or Dialecis of the fame one Language, by the Commerce and Intercourfe which they had with Nations of a different (peech^when they never had Commerce or Intercourfe with any. Nor were ever known to thefe parts of the World ( fcarcely to their adjoyning Neighbours) till about an hundred and fifty years finge , by the Tortugalf and Spaniards they were difco- vercd. But I find St. Hierome , and others that follow him,obje&, That the Hebrew was the PRIMI- TIVE Language, in regard that all the proper names of men before the Deluge , ^nd immedi- ately Trimitlve Language. Mely after the fame appear to be naturally He- brew. And that it was neceflary the Sacred Scrip- ture ftiould be delivered in that Language, which Adam and the relt ufed before the Hood* To which the anfwer is obvious i that the Names might be hrft impofed in the PRIMITIVE Language , and that it was an eafie matter for the fucceeding Ages* underdandingby Tradition what they meant, to traasferrthem into the He- brew Tongue 1 , whereby alfo the Names of men might equally anfwer to the Names ef places. Which otherwife they could not do - , for through- out the whole courfe of the Books of Mofes and v Josbuab it is manifeft,that the names of the Places and Cities of Canaan, the antient names, I mean, by which they were called before ever the Ifiae- liies came to dwell in them, were Hebrew names* Neither was there anymore neceflity , that the (acred Oracles of God fhould be written in the fird and mod perfect fpeech, than for C H R I S T to be born of the moll honorable and richeft Pa- rents, and live in the mod fplendid and delicious manner. For, that the World might know, man is not to attribute any thing to his own merits or greatneft, but that God giveth all his Cf ace gra- tis, he hath ever chofen humble' and lowly Mini- ders of his Grace. Thus of Abr abam the (on of an Idolater, and maker of Idols, he made choice, to be the fird founder of Circumcihon. And lo ordained, that CHRIST himlelf, when he was to be born fhould fcarcely have a roof to fhelterhim, when he newly came out ofhis .Mo- thers womb , from the inclemency of the Air. And when CHRIST cvneto redeem wsfrom 45 4 6 An Bjjay towards the ' fin and death, he eledted not thofe,to preach Ki§ j Gofpel throughout the World, that were of the Schools of the Philofophers, or of Vemofthenes or Cicero , but made choice of rude men , of a rude manner of life, Filhermen,and Boatmen to be the Heralds for proclaiming of his Vidtory. Neither was it any King or Monarchy but an Abjett, who Was calf forth and expofed to the mercy of cruel Waves, and cruelty of mercilefe Crocodiles , that delivered the Israelites from their llaveryinJE- gypt. And if we run throughout all, throughout all we ihall find, thofe to have pleated God molt, that are wont to difpleafe men molt. There is no reafon therefore any Ihould think that fo contra- ry to the dodfrine of God, either the Typical Law or th e fulfilling of the Lava Ihould be given in that Language which all others excelled. But, as the fulfilling of the Latv , which rclateth chiefly to the . Gentiles ^ w T as written in the Greeks Tongue i be- caufe that Language being, as it were , then ge- nerally known, the Nations might by reading it* the fooner be converted, and brought within the (heepfold of C H R I S T So no doubt, the Typi - i cal Larv^ wherein the Church of the Ifraelites was folely concerned, was written, not in the PRI- MITIVE, but for their better inftrudfion,in j the oldHebrew Tongue, which Abraham brought, 1 not out of Cbaldstafiut learned in the land ofC<*- naan , whereby it became the Language of his Pofteriry, and by them was vulgarly lpoken , un- til, asfome will have it, their Captivity. And this the Scripture doth in diredt terms tefiifie; when upon the calling of the A Egyptians it is laid. In that day shall five Cities in the hnd of TtLgypt Primitive Language. fieahjbe language ofCanaan?andfaear to the LORD of Hojh. Ifai. 19. v.l8» By which we are taught, that the 1 Egyptians ftiould not only be brought to offer the fame facrifices and oblations to the LORD, as the Ifraelues did, but fpeak the fame fpeech with them alfo, which was the Language of the land o {Canaan. From whence we will at prcfent depart , to enter upon our travail into CHINA. MART'INV S Martinm in his famous Chi- M- Mart* nique Atlas? after his much celebrating of Afia ill Ml.snt* general, for having been the place of our tirft Pa- rents, and Paradife , and original of all things, proceedeth to the Antiquities of the Empire of CHINA, in particular, after this manner. But of Afia it felf, faith he, there is no part ( at lcaft fince the univerfal Deluge ) more Noble, more Antient, or more fertile than this extreme part thereof, whether Politique Government, the ufe of Letters, or Induftry be rcfpe&ed. For, the Hiftory of it by the Chinois themfelves even from all Antiquity written, comprehendeth alnaoft three thoufand years before the birth of CHRIST, as more evidently by the Epitomy and Chrono- logy collected out of their Annals appears. Ever fince which time they are faid to have had Let- ters, Moral Philofophy, and Mathematical Scien- ces efpecially ? which both their more than An- tique obfervations of the Stars, and thofe Laws of Government written in moft antiently anti- ent Volumes •, and at thefe very times extant, more than fufficiently fhew and declare. In the Epiftle Dedicatory of his Atlas he premifeth thus, In thefe Mapps , I prefent unto your view F An Effay towards the • the fcituation and limits of the moll vaft Einpire of the Chinois , equal almolt unto all Europe. It hath ever (nice the Flood oCNnab , been inhabited by a moll induftrious and civil people, but hither- to wholly inacceffable to Strangers, until now at laft for the falvation of Souls , after great trouble and anxiety thofe cf my Society, faith he, have gained entrance thereinto. if.Vofs.de Jfaacus VoJJius \ of whom our famous Dr .Vsh- .vftati c er late Archbilhop of Armagh , gi^es focleara Mun. pag.* tellimony, that we are obliged to acknowledg c him a mod learned man ) in his dilfextation of the true Age of the worlds ! having difcourfed of thofe Nations, that are the greatell pretenders to Antiquity, as the Hebrews , Samaritans , Chal- deans. and JEgyptians , brings up the Chinois in the rear, and of them delivers his teftimony after thefe words. Let us now come to thofe, that not fo much by their own, as the name of their neighbours are called Chinois. I mean, faith he, the Serians. A race of men by far the mod skilled in letters of all the people that ever were. They preferve a continued Hiftory compiled from their monuments, and annual exploits of four thoufand five hundred yeares. Writers they have more aiitient than even Mrfes him- felf. Ever lince their beginning to be a Nation,' they have never been corrupted by intercourfe With Grangers, nor ever known what wars and contentions meant •, but addi&ed only to quiet- nefs, delight, and contemplation of Nature, have run through the lpace (plufqttam ) o f more than four th u) and years ^ unknown indeed to other Na- tions, but enjoying to themfelves their own fe- licity at pleafure.- Now, i Primitive Language . 49 Now, in regard Voffius names them StrUm, I M. Marti am compelled before proceeding farther toccr- Atl SlKi titie , that this outmoft Region of the known ^' I# World, which Martinm calls the extrreme part of Afia^ is by foine called Serica , Sina, or China by others , by the “Tartars Cathay and Mangin^ and which every man wonders at, not any of all thefe names , is at all known unto the Chino is themfelves n that of Mangin excepted, the Tartars having ironically in derition put that upon them, as (coding at their being over arrogant and proud of their civilities =, tor Mangin in the Tartarian Tongue fignities barbarous people. But the Chinois call their Empire Chunghoa , and Cbungktte 0 either name , faith Martinm ■> being impofed for the excellency 'thereof . 1 This exprel- ling the middle Kingdome ( they fuppoling themfclves to be feited in the middle of the World ) That tlgniries the middle Garden or Flower rather. Bat how much thefe mylleriou's reafons of Names may import their Language to be the PRIMITIVE Tongue , I fhal-ldeave i]nto Martinm , Goropw , and others , ere our difeourfe brings us to a period, to acquaint you. ■ • But feeing Martinius referred us to his Epito- M.MarH my of the Hiltory of China, we ate hot to negledl him therein. Illudprd certo compcrtttm^ Shlemjem 1 didilm h H jioridm non mid! turn a Elastic o abeffe^ qitippe quster mille circiter annis vulgar emChriJti Epoch am pr£gredi tur . It is tor certain, faithhe. That the Chinique Hiftory that mentioneth the Deluge reacheth not far from the Flood of Noah, for it precedcth ;he birth of CHRIST accor- E ding 50 An Bjjiy towards the ding to the vulgar computation about three thoufand years. Now, for that we are to make great ufe of A Tartinw his Authority, I conceive it not imper- tinent to let you know , that he profeffeth, after his having lived many years amongft the Cbinois , to have with great care and long ftudy epitomiz- ed their Hiltory from their Original Annals, and innumerable their other Books , yet extant even at this day amongft them from their firft beginning to be a Nation. And to have brought it down with all clearnefs and integrity to the incarnation of CHRIST, and fincc, to thele times alfo, though that part thereof, we are not fo happy , as to have yet made pub- lique. M Mart. * n ^is their Hiftory from the time of the S tit.Hift. Flood, he very much enclineth to repole an affu- zpift.ad red confidence , telling us in his Epiftletothe Ltd. Reader, That the fidelity thereof is fo much the more warrantable, as that the Cbmo'is for them- felves only writ the fame i either contemning or not knowing forein Nations, fo that, feeing they .. neither regarded to ple^fe Strangers x nor boaft of their own actions, they had no occafion to de- liver untruths or report Fables. So much the lefs becaufe they have no Nobility either for Antiqui- ty of birth or time to flatter. Every the pooreft man amongft them , ifdeferving it by his learn- ing, being capable of the higheft preferment. Hence it proceeds, faith he, that about their Hi- ftory there are no controverlies or difputes with them,. no difference in the fucctflion of their Em- perors, nor genealogies of their Royal families, of primitive Language. 5 £ bf which neverthelefs amongft us fo little care is taken, that every Chronoldger almolt differeth from another. . • Now, though M minim hath this opinion of fi * : f ; the fincerity of their Annals finite the titne of the flood \ yet as to the Age preaiding the fame,the Chinois themfelves give little or no credit to what is related in them , during their Govern- ment by the heads of Families, but from the time they began to be ruled by a Monarch , of which, opportunity ferving, we fhall take farther notice, and atprefent advife you only. That whereas by their Hiftory it appears Fotriin who was their flrft Monarch began his reign over them, about three thoufand years before the birth of CHRIST, after the common Chronology, Martiniiis tells us, that the credit thereof muff reft at their own doors, for a matter of fuch mo- ment he will not take upon him to decide } in regard it confents not with the judgment of otlr Chronologers i that aflign a much Lfs fpaccof time from the Flood of Noah. Yet neverthelefs, M faith he, the opinion of the Cbinois feems not on s/« . 7-uft] every fide to be rejedfed : Several of the Chr©- Ub.i.pify nologers of Europe favour it i the Seventy Inter- preters make for it,fo alfo Sam fdtenUs and others, neither doxh theRoman Marcyrologe, or com- putation of the Greeks much dilfent there- from* But hearken untoVoJJim(Martlnms conferiting Jf Vof, it with him jMlrand.i artis & nature opera rp& ex hi- * a-Muti jlisregni c ignition? ad nos perlata j nntjivi ejf bujiu ' loci rec infers. Ej filtetn refer emu* qux de anvis & ”/* aniiquitate genii s com erimns , S rwn itan-’r tern- E 2 pit A ^2 An EJfay towards the pus biftoricHm inapt annis .ante nation CbrtftttM 2847- The wonderful works both of Nature and Art, which, faith he, by the difeovery of this Empire, are arrived at our knowledge, this is no place to mention. We (hall relate at leaft what we find of the A^ and Antiquity of the Nation. TheHiltorical time therefore of the Serians be- gins two thoufand and eight hundred forty (even ye.ars before CHRIST was born. This (aid, and. having afterwards computed from thefaid time, the feveral reigns oftheir Emperors accord- ing to their feveral families, he thus concludes, A principo itaqiie regni Serum , ufque ad finem pr he doth neverthelefs affure us , that the- matters related ofthem, are very coherent with their Succeflions. His words being '> Ad ognl modo , benebeviafia error e ml temporal f bijioria di quejlo Imperatore e fc^uenti , ecerto cbe hcofe vanna coberenti con h lorofuccefjioni. He tells us al(b,that thele three Emperors are by the Cb'mois reputed Saints , of whom they relate many things , and that certainly there is no doubt to be made, but that they were great Philofophers , and much enclined to moral vertue. But in regard Martinius in his Tartarian War premifeth, that he hath in his Atlas oiChina de- duced and taken their Hiftory from their own antient Records ever fince the time of Noah. We therefore beginning alfo at the Deluge , will now return to their Antiquity. Of the Deluge their Writers make much men- tion, but of the original and caufe thereof* as can yet be found , they give not any account. Which therefore whether it were that of Noah, or fome other peculiar to the Cbinois , as the Ogf~ gian antiently in Atiica , or the Deucalionian m j bejfaly appears not. For which a manifeft rea- fon may be given , becaufe they have always re- puted themfdves to be the only greaf people of Ki th « VJ 54 Jtf.Man. Sin.Htft-. Lip-i-fr. 3P- An Ejfay towards the the World •, and that it contained either few or no other Nations hdides themfelves, and thofe generally fo contemptible, as that they held them fcarcely worthy the conquering , muchlefs en- quiring after what fuccefles or calamities befel them. And therefore with our Authors , I am very much refolved to believe, that, that flood which happened in China in the time of Jaur their {event h Empeerpr, was the univerfal flood. For our Chronologers of Europe referr the flood of Noah to the very reign of this Emperor, and the Chinois themfelves in their Annals relate, that during his government great numbers of People flocked into their Countrey *, and that at the fame time it was drowned, and overflown with waters, which were brought in by the De- luge, Eas Author Simons ait diluvio invoUtas^ faith Martini^ in the life oijaus. Confidering which together with the coherence of Time , this De- luge that thus drowned China could certainly be noo.ther, than that , that drowned the whole World befides. And the flocking in of thofe peo- ple thither in fuch numbers, feemeth much to confirm the fame. For thereby is evidently dis- covered as wel the great fears, that generally at laft, poflfeffed all Nations , as the hopes they had by their flying out of the low and champarn Re- gions ad joyning, to avoid and efcape the threat- iiing danger, upon the great and high mountains, that run throughout, and as it were furround, the Chmiqm World. But let us fee hpw our Author proceedeth. And becaufe that under this Emperor mention is. made of the gathering together of waters, f “ ' * vfhich\ Primitive Language. which the Hi ftory of China calleth the Deluges and that the European Chronologers from more certain grounds ( from the computation of Mo- fes he might as wel have faid) reduce the flood of Noab tothz time of this Emperor. I could, faith Martinitu , eafily grant that all the Hiflory of the Churns to this very time, is either fabulous, or comprehends thofe things, which happened be- fore the flood, whereof the memory might hap- pily bepreferved in the Ark. For that many o- ther things , which appertain alfo to our faith, were vindicated from oblivion, and utter deftru- dfion even in the fame place , is the opinion of learned men. He farther tellethus, Thatthis extreme part of Afia , whereof we treat , was for certain inhabited before the flood. But by what means the memory of things could be preferved there , when all mankind was wholly deflroyed, if we have not recourfe to the family of Noab, is to me, faith the fame Author unknown. Hear Id. pag. him. Hanc enim , qua deferibo , extremam Afiam , ante Diluvium habitatam fuiffe pro certo babeo , ve~ rum quo patio fuerit rerum fervata memnria , hum i- *no genere omnhfi aNoe ti c a jam ilia dijcejjer/s^penitus deleto , mihi non liquet. And if it fhould be object- ■ ed, They might receive the memery of their acti- ons more antient, than the flood by Traditions that Tradition alfo mull be acknowledged either- from Noah himfelf , or fome of his. fons to havq proceeded. Of all the Provinces of China , Xeufi for Anti- quity hath the preheminence s in regard the hrft of Mortals, that ever fet footing in China after the Deluge, planted, and took up their hrft E _4 feats. $6 M.Mari. JlI.SlV. t*l‘ 43* 3F.Vieuh. VAtnh.Or. par. i. pag. % 44 « An Effay towards the feats within this Province. To which purpoft: Martinets in his Chorography thereof affirms s That by- juft right this moft noble Province of Xenfi? may with all others the chiefeft of this extreme part of Af a, for greatnefs and Antiquity contend i for, from times of old, it hath been the feat of almoft all the Chinique Emperors, even from the very original of the Cbinois , until the exit of the family of Hana, which happened two hundred lixty four years after the nativity of CHRIST. that this Province alfo , was thefirft, as by their moft antient Annals appears, which was inhabited by the firft Planters of Chi- na i and that from the Weft drawing more into theEaft , 7 hey came thither fhortly after the ge- neral Deluge of the World, I am % faith he, from many and thofe moft convincing arguments cer- tainly perfwaded. Obfervein like manner, what Jean Nieuhoff in the late Embaftfage of the Oriental Company of the United Provinces of the Netherlands to the Emperor of China relateth. This Province of Xenff faith Nienhoff-, is ft) famous , that for gran- demand Antiquity, it may by juft right dilpute with all the Provinces of the Higher Afia > for the Emperors of China , have from all times fince the llniverfal flood , kept their Imperial refi- dence therein , until the reign of the Family of Hana. if Xcnfi then be the moft antient Coun- trey of the upper Afia , as Nieuh ff pofitively af- ferts i and if of the upper Afiafiiahylon be a Coun- trey, as all Geographers unanimoufiy affirm., it follows indifputab’y , that Xenfi is more antient ihan Bjhylon, andconfequently received a Colo- ny Primitive Language, ny into it , before Nimrod and his Troops came into the valley of Shinaar. Now if the credit of their Annals before the flood, Ihould be fufpe&ed by us , as they are by the Chinois themfelves before the reign of their Emperor Folms , we may probably conceive that Fuoncuus whom they report to be their tuft Go- vernor, was the very Conductor of that Colony, that after the Deluge, and before the Confufwn of Tongues Hrft came and planted China. Neither M. Marti is authorit y wanting for the fame. Indidem licet cnn'jicere omijjis arguments aliis , Fuoncitum & So - cios a ctffationeDilutiii , imo ante ‘Turns Babylonic£ molitionem ad Sinas venijje j From whence it may be lawful, faith Martinm , to conceive, fetting other arguments afide, that Turnouts and his Af- fociates from the ccffation of the flood , yea, be- fore the Enterprife of the Babylonian Tower, came into China. When then China was planted from the ceifation of the flood, it could not bur be much more peopled, ere the Tower was fet in hand , and far more before the Confufwn of ‘ Tongues . For Authors are of opinion, that in re- gard ot the vail greatnefs of the Foundations, and iueftimable quantities of materials requira- ble for the railing of fuch a prodigious work, in fuch a lew and moorifh a Countrey, as Babylonia could not but as then be, Nimrod and his Confe- SirW.fuL derates confumed forty years , before the judg- inent of confounded Languages dilfolved their ^’ l0 work, and difperfed them. But from thtfe his refervaiions , it may be much fufpedfed , that Martinius in his own thoughts, had an higher opinion of this people, thafl 5 * Voff.de vftat. Afan.pxg, 45 - Jofep.Ant pfui. lib.l M$«4* An Effay towards the than he deemed fitting to be vulgarly made known. And hence happily it is , that Vofjins faith, Cborogrrfpbice Series interpret , vir mhiime , ineptus, mullo moderatius degentis bupt s virtutibus fcripfit , qitam fenfit The Interpreter of the C^z- niqiee Chorography, a man that very well under- flood himfelf, writ far more moderately of the perfections of this people, than he thought. And therefore had Martinius , having in manner from his cradle to his grave ftudied their Antiquities, written what he thought, and declaring his mind plainly, vouchfafed us thofe other Arguments he hath concealed, much more na doubt might have been difeovered towards the clearing of what enfueth. For, whether Puoncuus was the Ringleader of this firfi Colony or not, it may be very much pre- fumed, that Noab himfelf both before and after the Deluge lived in China. Jofepbtts attefreth, , that Noah having warning of the Hood given him from God, feeing his perfwafions to repentance and amendment of life, could work no effedf up- on the Corruption of the Age, and fearing by the violence of the times to perilh for his zeal, depar- ted from his native foil, and with his wife and children travelled into another Countrey. Sece- dti^s cum fuis in aliam regionem migretuit , faithJo~ Jephus. Now, why might not this other Region into which Noab retired be China ? And that confluence of people ( which you lately heard of ) refort thither, out of defire upon the report of his piety to hear him preach , the better to be prepared againft the approaching ruine ? For it feems they repaired thither not only in regard of Primitive Language, 5 £ the flood , but alfo excited by the Fame of the vertues of Jans and his uprightnefs, throwing themfclves upon his protection as into their fa- thers bofome,in fuch numbers that the then C/bi- niqne Empire fcarcely fufficed to contain them. From whence we may moreover obfave, that the greater the thronging in of their numbers was,the greater probability there is, they throng- ed in thither, in hope to have themfelves from the Deluge. Confidering efpecially , that the Cbiniqtte Hiftory recordeth, their Countrey was at that time defiroyed by waters , and therefore fitarjiuius is clearly of opinion, that thefe were either the waters of Noahs flood , which for a long time after kept the plains and lower places pf this extreme part of Afa overflown, or China. was drowned by a peculiar inundation. Hear him. Ego malim credere , a Noetica wundatione fx- ferjlitesin cxirem* bujus Af autfeculiari ehivk Situs inun~- datos. But that this Deluge in China was not a peculiar, but the univerfal Deluge , he himielf hath verily perfwaded. Hear with him Sernedo A Cem alfo , maintaining , P enflmo a!cui cbe quell' acqne R, e Uel erano reliquie del diluvio , That feme believe thefe cin.par.u waters werethofe that remained of the Deluge,f"*£ ,22 > though of their original 8c encreafe th cCbinique Biftory is filent. UeztVofius likewife confidently 3- Vo S- affirming, Secundum enim nofirum calcnlmn dilu- a hum Sericum ex ace cum Noachico convenit i for ac- cording to our calculation, faith he, th t Sedan Deluge agrees exactly with the flood of AW/. And it is not to be omitted, that Jaus,timt being opportune, Betting in hand to clear the Countrey €o An Tiff ay towards the of the Incumbrances which the flood had made, caufed the Channels and mouths of the Rivers choaked up , as Martinins conceivcth , by the rnudandfand which the violence of the Rains of the Noet ique inundation had brought down, to be opened, and with banks and trenches brought; within bounds, about which either through the want of skill in thofe that he emplbyed,or hands in that newnefs of the World to aflifl him , long time was confumed 3 and not until after many years, during the reigns of his two next enfuing Succeflors brought to perfection in the end. For the Cbinois attribute extraordinary Merit unto Thus for the AdjnjHng of thefe Waters , as they call it. It being then thus, Why might not thafo- ther Region into which Noah withdrew, be Chi- na ? And this Jans* or X aus (Tor I find the word both by Martiyiius , Kircherus , and others in- differently ufed ) be that Janus (the middle Let- ter N added only, gives us the very name, and to cut off the middle Letter, yea, the middle Sylla- ble oftentimes in the proper names of men is and ever hath been ufually in the Eaflern Languages done ) be that Jams , I fay, whom moft Authors maintain was Noah ? The Hiltory that relateth _ to him, is by Nieuhnjf , but Martinius chiefly, fet fAmbor down hi t ^ e life of Tans-, arid Tome eircumfiances far.z '.pag. attending it in the reign of his Predeceflors i ro5. and which as in the moft compendious manner, M ‘ I have thought fitting to prefent unto you, by f the way of Parallel, thus. Firft, Noah had his name from the Comfort his father hoped to receive by him : and Jans bzd * his Yrimitive Language , his name of the Hr.ftinejl his father hoped (hould proceed from him. Secondly , Noah was fo juft and righteous a man, as that he furmounted all others ofhis Age: And Jaus fo excelled in piety and vertue, as that he furpaffed all others ofhis time. Thirdly, Noah was a Preacher, and taught the ways of God. And Jans was a Divine, and or- dained facred Rites, and prayers unto God. Fourthly, Noah was an Husbandmamand Jaus prefcribed rules of Husbandry to his people. Fifthly, In the days of Noah the whole World was drowned, and in the days of Jam the whole World was drowned. - Sixthly, Before the flood of Noah , was a Con- junction of all the Planets in one Sign » and be- fore the flood of Jaus was the like Conjunction of all the Planets. Seventhly, The fon of Noah, Cham , was a re- probate, and therefore by Noah made a fervant to his brethren •, and the fon of Jaus , Chus, was a reprobrate, and therefore by Jaus excluded from fucceflion in the Empire. Eighthly and laftly,the Deluge of Noah happe- ned in the year before CHRIST two thoufand two hundred ninety fours and the Deluge that deftroyedC7;is for he began his reign there, in the year before CHRIST two thoufand three hundred fifty leven. Before the time of Mofes the name o ijehomh, or rather Haiab, as Bayly in his Practice of Piety obfcrves, was never known unto the Ifratlites. And thofe are not wanting that fuppofe, that , ' v name 62 Tmcb. Pil- grimage, lib.i.fctg. 138. /ynfzoor. w Exod. An EJJay towards the name was. derived from this Jans. However the Samaritans , as I find in Pure bos , begin their Chronicle after this manner. In the name of jW;,the God of Ifraeh there is none like to Jab our God , one Jebova , God af Gods , Lord of Lords, a great God ftrong and terrible. Jab is my llrength andfong, faith Mfes in prayling God for the prefer vation of Jfrael from the dan- ger of Pharaoh , Exod. 15.V.2. Wherefore it is not un-obfervable that the very firft utterance that an Infant at his birth yeeldeth is,j* ^yaja > as if the Lord had ordained , either that we fhould be born with his name 3 ah in our mouths , which name is generally aferibed to him, when fome notable deliverance or benefit, according to his former promife comes topafs, becaufe he is the beginning and Being of beings, and giveth to all , /zfe, artd breath , and all things , Adi. 17. v. 25. orelfe, that in our fwathliug eloathes we (hould have fomething of the PRI- MITIVE Language, till afterwards con- founded, as we are taught to fpeak. Butbyjd the Chinois intend E xcelkns. And how long foever the Chinois lived undife covered to other Nations, itfeems, thatofold, they were not to the IJraelitcs unknown , as may be colledled from thofe words of the Prophet Ifaiab , Eccc ijli a longinquo venient . ecce qttoque illi ab Aquilone , & ab Occ.ifu , denique ijii a terra Sbueontm i Behold, thefe (hall come from far : and lo, thefe from the North and from the Weft, and thefe from the land of Sina.lfai. 49. v. 12 . But When you (hall find fo many reciprocally mu- tual cuftomes between them, whether Theo- Yrimitive Language . 6 3 logy, or Morality , or what ehe be refpe&ed, as throughout our Eflay (hall be mani'fefted , you will, without all peradventure, afiureyourlelves, that the Chinois immediately proceeded from one and the fame Hera Noah , as the Hebrews ori- ginally did, rather than that they feem to have been antiently to one another known. We may therefore conclude, That if either fym- pathyof Qualities;, Affinity of names, Coherence of Times Concurrence in events i Qr moft me- morable predictions be of validity in the cafe : we have at laft, after fuch curious enquiry by all Writers upon this fubjeCt , and the Plantations of the World after the Deluge, found outj what became of Noah after he departed out of his na- tive Ccuntrey, and that he lived in China. Where after his defeentout of the Ark, he might betake himfelf immediately to his husbandry and plant- ing, in a r ich, if notthericheft foil of the whole llniverfe. And diredt his Off-fpring unto {uch parts of the Earth, as either himfelf formerly at tirft before the flood had lived in, or knew moft agreeable to their inclinations, and for their bell advantage. Without ever ranging over the World from Armenia to Arabia Ycelix , thence in- to Africa , afterwards into Spain, and then into Italy , as Annins in his Bcnfus , and thofe that fol- low him, have feigned ( Noah. was an hus- bandman, no wanderer : faith our learned Ra- leigh.) Or without making him to be Sahazins or Zagrcns , Prometheus , Hercules , Ogfges , Deuca- lion, Triton , and I know not who all men, in all places, at all times, a sGorcgiui would have him. ^4 An EJpty towards the But we mud not leave Martinius behind us, in regard efpecially that how refolved foever he may appear in other matters, we find him confidently jpolitive in and concerning this. Obferve him therefore, Mibivero religiofumnonfit, Yaum bunc wfiruni e undent cum Jano dicereb itd nominum& temporum affinitate fuadente, qui Janus mult is Noe fuijfe enditur. But I may, faith he, without fear aflert , that this our Taus , was the fame with Janus , the affinity of names and times fo per- 1 i'wading, which Janus, is by many conceived to have been Noah. Yet how clear foever this Tefti- mony is, let us moreover examine what Authors have faid of Janus , arid by what Character they have found him to be Noah i fetting afide their general content, to which our Janus fo ah'folute- ly correfponds,that they call him Bifrons , as fee- ing and knowing the Ages both before and after the flood. Of the Antiquity then of Janus, Fab'm Tift™ S/fW.Ral. as x find him*cited by Sir W. Raleiab giveth this i.pag,$i. tcltimony. Jam state nuLaer at Monarchic quia ntortalibus peftoribus nondum beef era t ulla regnandi cupiditas &c. vinum & far primus popnlos docuit Janus ad facripcia : primus enim Aras & PomccriJ, & Sacra docuit * ‘ In the time of Janus , faith he, 'there was no Monarchy, for thedeitre ofrule 'had not then folded it felf about the hearts of 'men. Janus firfl taught the people to facrifice 'wine and meal: he firft fet up Altars, and in- 'teituted gardens andfolitary groves, wherein ' they ufed to pray j with other holy rites and ceremonies. Now let us conflder how far our Janus may l be Primitive Language. be concerned herein > Sane fires abeogpftas retie. M.Mattc expeadas , omnesnon modo Sinenfes, fed orbit fere^-jft' totius optimos quofq j rcges virtute pariter & gloria vel " ' vicit , vel tequavit. Verily, faith Martinius, if his ali- ens be truly weighed, as well in vertue,as glory, he either equalled or excelled, not Only all thofe of China, but all whatever the beft Kings, that almoft ever were in the whole World. He lived in the zeal of Charity •, fowed the feeds of Pray-^ r ™ ^°. er j confulted frequently the higheft Divinity i xod. trampled vanity under his feet, gave himlelf to Fallings and Prayers to free his Subjeds from calamities s and undertook all things with ad- mirable prudence and conduct. But, as near as polfible , we are to obferve th cChinirue phrafe, M with a celeftial piety., and lingular wifeaome he S in.uifi. was endued, all welcomed him, as the approach- lib. u ing Sun i and by all was expeded with as much delire, as the thirliy fields exped clouds and rain: He was powerful but aded juft things only. Noble and rich, but not proud s moderate in ha- bit > temperate in diet s loved limplicity in faluta- tionsand titles, P*ich houlhold-ftuff he defpifed. Pearls and Diamonds contemned 5 Venereal en~ ticings not vouchfafe an ear unto - , adorned hou- fes did not inhabit in •, but wearing woollen gar- ments, with the skins of Deer defended himfelf from cold. But, is not this intended , may hap- pily lome fay, by jult Noah , whom J fephus calls the Prince of the jews, father, than pious Jans, { the Prince of China ? Ve religicfo pJtius viro , qttamEtbnico Irrtperatore dicta putes', ofa man in ho- ly Orders rather, than an Ethnick Emper bur^Oo j may think them ‘to befpoken , faith Martinius. : F However 66 An Effty towards the However we have not 'ended yet, and fcarcely can end, his merits are famed to be fuch. For, he was of furpafiing diligence, eafie of acccfs to all, never offended with the importunity of anyi much lefs with any incivility, which through ignorance was committed in his prefence.' He readily heard the differences between his people, and decided them himielf s his patience was not to be overcome, hisaffe&ions not to be moved in treating of Affairs, and in a cool temper with a compaffionately moderate voice gave judgment on Malefadiors. And though it is true that Monarchy was then in ufe amongft the Chinois , ( For Fabius Fitter could not know more , than was then known, and perhaps might think the Terreftrial Globe contained no other Countries , than what were arrived at the Romans knowledg ) the deftre ne- vcrthelefs of rule, the World being an Infant and harmlefs, had not then folded it felf about the hearts of men. For our Jams either weary there* of, or contemning it retired, and confining him- felf to a folitary grove , lived there in the con- templation of Heaven and Heavenly things* and. from the motions of the Coeleftial bodies made fuel) obfervations , as that his Subje&s after- wards became fully inftru&ed by him , not only in the Injhtutitn of Gardens , and Groves for their devotions, butalfoin planting and husbandry of whatever kind was requifite for the benefit of mankind. , Being returned from his fblitude ( and whe- , ther under this folitudemay not lie concealed, , his going into the Ark, Time is to reveal , it be- - . i»g Y limit ive Language . ing queftionable enough. For^Pofihjec, faith Mar - tiniti r, i. e. after his having given us the relation of the abatement ‘bf the waters ) our Jamts brought the Cbinique Empire into a better, yea, a new and another kind of fotm,than formerly it had, ordaining Sacred Rites , Temples , and Sa- crifices •> conihtuting Laws both civil arid cri- minal, and appointing fevcral Tribunals of Ju« ftice, for the greater eafe as well of the Subjects, as their Governours in fucceeding times , which continue in full force even at this day. Infum, he prefented all things as vertue required. With fuch a natural aptncls, as if goodnefs had beeri born With him ^orrinia virtute atq-> indolt qitadamfi- bi congenita exeqttebatur^ being my Authors words. Whereby he tilled China with his Jutland pious deeds , and all Ages with his memory •, for he lives a reputed Saint amongft them at this" day. He difinherited his fon Chits > for being ( mark I pray ) Loquax & contentiofus , a Prat let and hub- born, faying one thing , a&ing another, feem- ingly vertuous, really vitious. After this, he deliberated of his own accord voluntarily, to make , whilft living, a relignatiou of Iris Government, and would havefurrendred the fame to the care of one Sungoiis , who though of high elteern for hisabilities , pretending ne- verthelefs that the charge was too Weighty for him, rejeded the fame. And thereupon our Ja- nus refigned his Dominion to Xunrts , a right pi- ous, but poor Countryman \ who like Ntima be- ing invited to the Scepter from the plough, lives as yet no lefs famous for his vertues amongh F 2 i v &4 An Effay towards the the Ch'mois , than Nirna amongft the Roman*, but for his valour much more. I cannot forbear to remember two principles of his j firft, no father could be fo wicked to whom his fon owed not obedience i nor any man fo impious, but by in- ftrudt ion and benefits might be induced to lead an honelf and vertuous life. Now Martinius and Nienboff by their late fearch find jaus to have entred upon his Go- vernment over China about fixty three years be- fore the flood , though Semedo .in his time will fcarcely allow him twelve. But whether twelve or five times twelve , they compute, that he lived both before and after the Deluge , from which that Noah only with his wife, and his Ions, and hisfons wives efcaped, nothing i's more cer- tain. And therefore who thisT^w, Jans, or Janus could be, Noah excepted, is not to be un. derfiood by me, unlefs happily any fliall fay, that the general Deluge. happened long before the year of the World onethoufand fix hundred fif- ty fix, which I conceive no fober man , if he be not Samaritanized will prefume to think. For the Samaritans indeed by diminifhing the gene- rations of Jared , Methiifalab , and Lainech come fhort of the Hebrew computation before the flood, and exceed it much more in the Genealo- gies of the Patriarchs after the flood. . We are here to obferve likewife, that on fuch a fubjedl as we now treat of, where the adiions of an Antient people , before thele days unto the Europeans, or more truly, faith Martinius , unto t: the univerfal World unknown , are to be entjui- 'J n . red into, the more modern Authors are the molt - warrant- Primitive Language. 6$ warrantable. For heretofore their Hiftories were reputed meer Fables , even by men of judgment , intomuch as Lodovicus 'Vives ( living about the time of their firftdifcovery ) writes, that he won- ders how any man could fpend his time about fuch trifles. Although their Hiftories be true , Hillcri now at laft in this our Age , the calamity ' of the Cbinois , hath given us knowledgof the Chinois. As the fame Vojjius hath it. In what part of the World Noah built the Ark, the Scriptures are altogether lilent i nor hath any approved Author, Goropius Beca»us fet aftde, written thereof. Only this we are allured F 3 of, 79 w.Kttl. An Ejjay towards the pf, that the Ark was built, not in the North* prNorthweft, but in that part of the World which lay Eaft from Shim ar : And to my under- ftanding, faith Sir W. Raleigh, not far from the . place, where it refted after the flood •, for Noah did not ufe either Maft or Sail(as in other Ships} and therefore did the Ark no otherwife move, than the hulk or body of a Ship doth in a calm Sea. Alfobecaufe it is not probable, that during thofe continual and downright rains there were any winds at all •> therefore was the Ark little moved from the place, where it was fafhioned r . and fet together. For it is written, Gcdtnade* ypindtopajs upon the Earth , and the waters ceafed. pen.8. v. i. From.whence it may be gathered, that during the fall of the waters, there was not any ftorm or forceable wind at all , which could drive the Ark any great diftarice from the place, where it was firft by the waters lifted up. Thus far that Noble Gentleman. Goropius Becanm in his Indo-Scythiad oth in maintenance of his opinion , that the Ark took ground upon the mountains of Caucafus , fup- j>ofe, that Noah built the Ark near thofe moun- tains, becaufe on thofe hills are goodly Cedars : and that to this place Noah repaired both to fe- parate himlelflfrom the reprobate Giants , who rebelled againft God and Nature, as alfo becaufe he would not be interrupted in building of the Ark ^ to which alfo he addeth conveniency of Rivers to tranfport the Jirnber , which he ufed without troubling any other carriages. Where- by G or ofuts appears you fee very careful to fup- ply Noah with ncccffaries for fo great a work 5 and Primitive Language. J i and confidering his giving fo near a conjecture, as he doth, at the place where the Ark might reft, he had great reafon to fortihe the fame, with as many circumftances, as the quality of that Clime would admit. But having difeovered fitch manifeft foot- . ftepsof the Refid en ce of Noah inCbina'->aftex he withdrew from the corruption of the World, as that they far outweigh whatever fuppolal to the contrary i we muft now wave Caucajhs, and confidently affiqm , that no Countrey in the ha- bitable Earth could better furnilh Noah , with all manner of conveniences , and every fort cf ma- terials proper for the building of fitch a Machine than China. For, if the Ark were made of Pine- trees, as the Geneva tranllation renders the word Gopher, then Kircherttx will affine you, fuch Pine- ^ K irc - h trees are in China , that eight* men can fcarcely Cb.m.p'n* fathom them, and that thirty eight men may 4 - p.r8s. ftand within the body of them. If according to the Rabbins of Cedar , then Purchas will tell p U rch. r iu you, that their ftore is Inch, as the Chinois ufe C e-grim age, dar for funeral coffins and Tombs. If as the Sep- tuagint of fquare timber , or as the Latine of 4:j8 ' fmooth timber, then Nieubojf affirms , that of zWj.Nieuh, kind of trees for Carpenters work, fuch plenty! r Amb: or . and of fuchfeveral forts is to he found within t ar ’ 2 -f-% Q that Empire , that the number is beyond admi- ration incredible. And as for conveniency of Rivers to tranfport the Timber, though without the ufe of other car- riages , it could never be brought to be put in work, either by Noah or his Affittants;, Caucasus muft with Gorepws his good favour give place. F ^ to I par A. f a $' 32. An Effay towards the tp China j for therein may be numbred no lefs, th-sn an hundred and eleven Rivers, fome of them refembling Seas rather,- than navigable ftreams i fh.UI. par that, faith Kircb.erus , there is fcarcely a held 4. p.165. * but is watered by them } whereby the whole Eon M.Mart. pire is almoft every where paflable by boat , faith Mlsin. Mart'mius. -Whereas Caucafus can boat! of the ^/^^^pring-heads only of three, thofe neverthelefs pag.ipS. very famous ones, Indus , j Hydajfes 3 and Ztcr£~ drus i and though Oxus is faid to have his fpring on the Nqrth-fide of Caucasus , ^s thofe other on the South s the mountains notwithstanding are fo inacceffible, as no timber could any way by r : , whateyer humane help be tranfported from that chfill. ’ P ar ^' ^ Ut Kvcberus hy a late difcovery finds In- far.2 for according to the peremptory ’command, was to make the Ark, and pitch it within and without, with pitch. Gen. 6. v. 14, Sir W.Kal, whereof Sir W. Rdl^gb taking good notice, and Hft.par. 1. we jj knowing the command being fo pofitive, was not to be neglected, faith, ” That the pitch ” which Noah ufed, is by fome fuppofed to have ’’ been a kind of fiiwmen, whereof there is great ” quantify about the valley of Sodome, and Gnmor- y ra } now the dead Sea pr 4 &baltcj, and in the Region f-P4* P rimitiye Language. *? Region of Babylon, and in the Weft India. But I muft with all refped neverthelefs to fo cele- brated an Author , (ay 5 that the neareft of thele places from the Caucafian mountains of A* rarat is diftant about feven hundred leagues, chid therefore fomewhat too far', as I conceive at leaft, fo fNaah to tjanfport fuch quantities of Bitumen » as he was of neceflity to ufe upon fo important an occafion. Now , of the great (lore of pitch that China affordeth , no more allured teftimony can be given, than t heir multitudes of Shipping, and infinite number of Pine-trees i but that kind of pitch which thefe trees produceth, and which is to usfo welcomes the Chinois have in little efteerru But ufe and ever did, a bituminous or pitchy fubftance found in great abundance every where throughout I heir Countrey, which they make up, as we do morter with the oyl of a cerr tain fifh , and therewith calk and drels their Ships. This pitch of 'theirs, as Gonfalez Mendoza G in his Hiftory of China relates, is not only more hid. del chi. tenacious than ours^but alfo breedeth few worms Hb.-i.pag. ( a matter of no fmall importance in thofe Seas ) and makes the timber endure like ftone. So that one Ship of theirs will out-laft two of ours , and did they not build them thin, would lalf much longer. Neither doth Goropius acquaint us , how Noah ill thofe barbarous and defolate upland Countries confining Caucafus , came by workmen to aflift him i for himfelf and family, without the help of Angels , or the like miracle, could never of themfelves have accompiilhed fuch a Fabrick. Whereas the natural ingenuity of the Chinois V might An Effay towards the might not only give him afllftance, but advife al- fo, in what manner to put in work the directions that God had given him for building of the Ark * which if it were made in that part of the World which lay Eaft from Shinaar , as raoft certainly it was , then no Countrey under the Sun can be found more Eaftward from thence than Chi- ns- The Vines which grow about Mount Canes- fits-) are much celebrated both by Sir W. Raleigh and G ampins, they ufing them as a principal argu- ment, for the refting of the Ark there. But if e- ver in any part of the habitable Earth the Vine j Sem 8 rew naturally, it is in China in the Province of Rel. del % en fi Specially i but in Xan ft , faith Mar twins, cin. far.i. are the molt delicious grapes of all others in Cbi- c - 1- na j where in the City of Yingyang their never ^4tl*siu' enou §h by them extolled Emperour Jans refi- <"£*3P*4 I * ^ e< ^* that, as Sir W. Raleigh obferves of Noahy he needed not to travail far to feek^ont tbeVine » when it grew at his very door. But though they have Vines in all abundance, and fuchasyeeld mo ^ d e bcious fruit, the Chinds neverthelefs de- ^^ p gg.lpSfethe wine thereof, and drying up the grapes, for Rayfins make a wine of Rice , no lefs gene- rous and noble than ours, ftieping therein the flefli oi Kidds, I know not, faith Martinius , with what Art prepared. It is highly efteemed by the Ebvms, hath an excellent body , is very ftrong, and grateful to thetaftand pleafant. They make it not of ordinary Rice i but a certain kind of it peculiar to their Countrey, which ferveth on- ly to make this liquor. And as for that , that Goropins faith, the Ark relied Primitive Language* refted upon the mountains of Carte afu r, becaufe of all others it is the higheft mountain in the World, it is no argument at all i unlefsit could be made appear,tbat, as it is feigned of the Argof, the Ark had fence to diredt it felf, or Neab a rud- der to fteer it thither. It may as well befaid, that it took ground on the Pike of Tenarif-> which is conceived neither to yeeld to Gancafus, or any other whatever hill in theUniverfe for height. This we are certain ©f, that the Arkreft- ed on the Mountains, and reafon granteth it was fuch a Mountain, as, were it more orlefshigh, after the abatement pf the waters, the A*k firft touched upon > and fetling afterwards as they declined , firmed on the fame. And therefore nor Scripture por reafon will allow, it fhould be the higheft of all others. However, if need require, China will afford us mountains ofinacceftible altitude i for Ktrcke- A Kir. ch< rtfs tells us, That this Empire is adorned with w | ar ^v innumerable hills •, fame of them being in regard *’’ 1 of their immenfe height cloathed with perpe- tual ferenity, others again covered with a conti- nual obfeurity of hovering clouds. The greateft and higheft efpecially,the Chinois have in fa great veneration, as that they are tranfported with no ftudy niore , than a vain obfervation of them, fuppofing all their felicity and fortune to confifi in them. And why? becaufe the Dragon, whom they make the Lord of felicity inhabites them. But in regard many things are now done where- of the original capfeis hardly tobeconjediured, I fljoutd , were it lawful for me to interpofe herein, conceive rather, that this their impu- , ' ' An EJfay towards the ting alLthcir happinefs and prolperity to their mountains, might at flrft proceed from the feli- city and good fortune they attained , by their Anceftors being at the tim^-of the flood prefer- ved in the Ark upon Cuch mountains i great deli- verances having in all times , amongft allNati- ons, by feveral ways , with reference neverthe- lefg to theoccafion been commemorated. Thus thelfraelites obfcrved the Paffeover, in remem- brance that their forefathers were pafled over, and faved, when all the firft-born of JEgypt were flain. And I forget not to have read, Thatfome are of opinion, the Nem£an Games were by the Grecians folemnized, becaufe Hercules flew the Netntan Lion , though others with more autho- rity aflert , they were folemnized in regard of the prefervationof Adrajlus and his Army, that in their march towards Thebes had all .perilhed in the foreft of ' Nernta, if they had no been pre- (erved by Hypfipbile who direfted them to fountain of water there. And thofc alfo are not wanting, that fuppofc the Lupercalia were infti- tuted by the Romans in honour of Pan , when more probably they were inftituted in memory that their Founders Romulus and Remus were fa ved by being fuckled and brought up by hup a the wife of Faujlulus. And that, from the prel'erva- tion of their Anceftors, as we faid, this fuperftiti- on of the Chinois may proceed, is not altogether unwarrantable , but attended with a moll: re- markable circumftance. For by their Hiftory it appears,thatat the time when China was drown- ed, fome people were faved upon the mountain Feu neer the City of Kaocheu in the Proving of a Vrim'ftive Language* yy Of Ghtantvng. Which from Martinius you may M.Mort* receive thus. Feu mons ad ortnm urbis tantte alti - 5* ,S *”* tudinis, ut hmc eluvionis Sinic£ tbnpore , vertice fuper aquas emimijfe velint , w eoque homines aliquot falvosperftitijfe & incolumes. Hear the fame con- firmed by Nieuhoff alfo, Si nous v out ions croire le Chinois , «0«r dirions que Kaocheu, feptiemt ville de i’ Amb.Or. Gjhtantung , avoifme unemontagne, nommee deFeu 0 far.i.f,tf* qtiipour fa hauteur incomparable fervit d’ Afyle , & deport a. plufieurs hommes durant le deluge j If we may credit the Chinois , they will tell us, faith he, that Kaocheu thefeventh City of Quantufig, hath adjoyning to it a Mountain called Feu , which being of incomparable height ferved for. an Afy- lum and Port to feveral men during the Deluge* Now, why might not thefe, thus faved,be Noah and his family, though no mention of the Ark be made, or its taking Port there ? Confidering, that They only efcaped the Deluge i that the Cbinique Deluge was the fame with Noah' s i and that by what means the memory of things,both before and at the flood, fhould bepreferved a* mongft the Chinois, when all mankind was whol- ly deflroyed , without having recourfe to Noah and his family, is unknown. &ut my conjedure is fcarcely delivered, when an obje&ion is eaft ia my way. For it is now faid , That if Noah lived in Chi- na before the flood , how could the Ark reft up- on the mountains of Ararat , as the Scripture faith pofitively, it did » when Caucasus being a mountain of Ararat is drftant from China at leaft four hundred leagues, and when the Ark having ■f neither Sails to carry it s Oars to row it, nor cur- rent ? 8 ' An Ejpty tow&rds the rent to drive it, could, as hath been faid, hull up and down only, as on a ftanding pool ? And there- fore it may be much more probable, that Noah both lived and huilt the ; Ark not far from the Mountains of CaucaJjis , whercit took ground, as Sir W. Raleigh , and Goropittr have fuppofed. , Tothisisanfwered, That in the Province of Ly- cu y a Region of Afia minor near the Mednerra- nean Sea, that ledge of Hills begins, which Mofei calleth Ararat , now-known by the name of T au - rus , and which running through the leflcr and greater Afiia^ notfarfrott trCaucafui meets with the Mount Imaus. Now , though the Antient Writers could trace the courfc of this Mountain no farther, yet later obfervations follow it to the Wall of China »and find, that the main body of it, having held on an even courfe from Weft ‘toEaft, and there dividing , one ridge bounds China on the \Veft, and the other continue! h on the North thereof, even through Corea until it encounters with the Eaft Sea there. And this not only all the modern , and therefore perfect Geo- graphical DefcriptiOns of this extreme part of Afia will teftifie, but hereof Heylin alfo,Who hath been as diligent in the fearch thereof, as any, tfeyl.cafm. fhafl allure you : his words being i ” China is £.864. ” bounded on the North With AUay ^ and the Eaft- ” ern Tartars , from which feparated by a conti- ” nued chain of Hills , part of thofe ( mark f ” pray ) of Ararat. Whereby it appears, that as Ararat had its Caucafus , Co China had her Ararat , upon which the Ark might reft, as upon the mountains of Ararat , the Scripture faith pofi- tively it did. And it is not un-obfcrvable , the Scripture Aejl.Cofm. fag. 7 p5. A.Kin.Ch, M.par.i. fag.\6. M.Mart. Atl.Sin.p.x J.Nieuh. f Amb.On fat.i.pAi. Ort.p. io 6 Primitive Language. 79 Scripture teacheth us, that the Ark retted, not^ on the mountain in the lingular , but on the mountainiof Ararat in the plural. A manifeft argument that Ararat was a general name , and had reference to the whole ledge of Hills, not to any particular mountain To called. As we even at this day both in difcourfe and writing ule in the fame fence to fay, not the mountain, but mountains of Naums i not the Pyr in whac manner they ought to condu6t and carry on their Plantations by degrees. Hence as it was with our forefathers, fo by us in the fetling of Co- lonies, it is ftill obferved * to follow always the Sun , wherefoever it is free, and may without danger be done , left otherwife the condu& ©f Nature fhould feem without caufe to be refifted by us* Thus with Raleigh , Noah , at firft when he came down out of the Ark after returning thanks to God for his deliveranee,might become an hufi bandman, no wanderer Nimrod be fix years in* travailing from the place, where the Ark refted to Sbinaar i and India the fooner inhabited by the way thither, whereby the vaft numbers of the army of Staur abates, with which he encoun- tred Semiramis , might havefufficient time to be propagated , and confequently exceed hers. Thus, with the fame Author ,Goropius and Heylin t . the Ark might reft not far from the place where Noqh lived,, without calling fometimes the North, Primitive Language* North, fometimes the South winds to help, as Goropius doth > and Noah be fetledinthe Eaft* and have well peopled all thofe parts, which lay neareft to him, before hefent Nimrod aud his Troop abroad to fearch for other habitations. Thus with Raleigh alfo, might the Tons oRJoVian left behind with Noah , Orderly and quietly be planted in the feveral Regions of India beyond Ganges . Whereas otherwile, being, as is concei- ved, they were not born, till after the Corfkfum of “l ongues, they could not poffiblypafs from Babel with their families, flocks, and herds of cattle into foch remote parts , through die interjacent: Kingdoms, fully, peopled, and after the difperfiori long before they could be of Age to wander, all full of wars and tumults.Thus with Heylin might China be planted before the reft of the Adven- turers went to feek new fortunes at the Tower of Babel . Thus, with Martinius might Jans without (cruplebe A/W;,rhis extreme part of * wherof we write, be for certain inhabited before the flood i the Hiftory of Chim prefer ved in the Ark } and the people thereof arrive to the per- fection of Arts and Sciences, fo early as they did. Thus, with JFtUet might Noah without difpute be exercilcd in planting of Religion, and doing molt excellent works tor the benefit of Mankind i Thus , with Nicuboff might Xenfi be or juft right the molt antient Province of Afia, and in memory thereof theEmperours of China keep their Imperial refidence therein, ever finite the univerfal Flood, till the reign of the family of Hana. Thus, with Heylin and Martirntu both, might China unqueftioinb'y be peopled frqjnt §3 An Ej ffa) towards the the ceffation of the Deluge, before the Entef^ prifeof Babel , and Confufton of Tongues. And thus may the Language of the Empire of China be preferred to all others. And hereby we find , that Sir IF. Raleigh had great reafon to affert , That thefe Eaftean parts of the World were the firft peopled Countries after the flood , and planted before Noah fent Nimrodmd his followers abroad upon new diR h'cyt.Csfm. eoveries. And that Heylin might upon good Mp* grounds conceive, that China was primitively planted by fome of the Polterity of Sem before the Undertaking at Babel' ’ Which may~probably ” be concluded, iaith he, from the extreme popu- ’’ loufnefs of the Countrey , the many magnifi " cent Cities, their Induftry and Ingenuity in all ” Arts and Sciences , not to be taught them by \r w r ° tbeir neJ g hb0L ’ rs more ignorant in thofe things sin Hi/i' ’’ than themfelve. Et fane tot'rn Indix pofulos Si lib.6.p , 237 flis circumjacentes mere barbarox incultofque dixe- rij, ft cum Sinis ootnparentur : And verily , faith Martini us, you may lay, that all the people of In- dia confining China aremeerly rude andbarba- rous 5 in comparifonof th eChinns. Andtherea fon, wherefore the farther Eaft fhould be the more civil i Sir IF. Raleigh hath long fince told us,is,becaufe it had Noah himfelffor an Inftrudf- er. But unto thofe Excellencies of th tChinois, we (hall add their Antient Theology alfo. CHINA of all Kingdoms the mod vaft and grcateft,is, according to the late Geography en> vironed on the Eaft with the Oriental Sea, on the North feparated from T artaria antiqui , the Realms of Nistcbe , Nmlhan > and part of Jangia A Kirch, cb. ill. Vlrimitive Language. ,8 3 ty a vaft wall , of which had the Antients had knowledg, they would without doubt have ce- lebrated amongft their other Wonders of the World. Ou the Weft it is furrouflded partly with a ridg of moft high hills , partly with the * fandy defart of Zarho, and feveral Kingdoms > and on the South the Meridional Ocean with the Kingdoms of Punching , Cochin-China , Lao, and others bound it. SenieJo faith , it is as big as Bp jin, t rance-, Italy, Gernlany , the Low-Countries , a. stml Great Britain , and all' the Illands belonging to it. According to .Mart mitts , it extends in Longitude about thirty degrees, from the Head or Ptomou- M,M*rk tory oi the City. of Ningpo (called by th tFortu- aitLsin. gals Liampo ) as far as to the Amafaan or parna-HW'** fian mountains. The greateft Latitude is from, the eighteenth degree to. the fortieth fecondof the North Hemisphere, whereby, the figure of it, as ha jh it , tendeth to afquareforra, being four hundred and fifty German Leagues J.Niedhs length, and three hundred and thirty in bredth. I'nmb.Or. But in all this mighty Continent are no fuch t ar ‘ l 'P A £ wafte grounds or un-habitable Defarts as in 41 * other Countries , but full of goodly Towns and Cities. The Provinces of this Empire are fifteen, and in almoft every one of them, more men fit for War to be found, than in all England and Scot- land. Infomuch , that if the firft bleffing con- ferred on Mankind both before and after the flood of Encreafe and Multiply, (jcn.i. v.28. Gen. ?• v.i. wasev^rto this day confpicuous in any Nation uuder Heaven, it ismanifeftly vifib'ein this. For, by the Rolls in which the-number df Q 2 People 8 4 AnBJfay towards the People is regiftred, appears, that there^ are there- in' ten Millions, two hundred eight thoufand five hundred fixteen families » and fifty eight Millions, ninehundred fourteen thoufand , two hundred eighty four fighting men *, befides, the Royal family , Magiftrates , Eunuch’s, Garrifon-' Souldiers, Priefts, women and children , which are not numbred in the Regifters of the Provin- ces. Thus Nieub off cafteth up the account, from whom Martinius and Kircherus do not much va- ry. And therefore we need not wonder, that the Portttvals at (heir firft arrival in China, beholding fuch fwarms of people in every place, demanded,- ' : j if their women there brought forth nine or ten k . 'children at a birth. ch iiLpar. *' Andleaftfuch multitudes (hould be deftitute. A-p*g- 167,-*# habitations, there are within the Empire one hundred and fifty Metropolitane Gities, furpaf- fmg a Hot hers in magnificence and reputation 5 and of a letter degree , twelve hundred twenty ' 'fix, all fortified- with Walls and-difches j befides (jaftles, Fortrettes, Burgoifes, Towns, Hamlets* Villages, of which there is no number. So that at the end of every mileatleafi, new and new habitations appear. All the Cities nevertheless are built after one form , viz . of a fquare figure, and he that hath feen one of them , may eafily comprehend the manner of all the reft. The hou- fesare for themoftpartof Timber, and gene- rally of one ftory high, whereby as they avoid the wearying of themfelves in afeending by flairs, fo they take up much ground , what they want in height being fully rccompenced by the length. They are , without rude , but within ‘ v adorned Frimitive Language . adorned with all manner of fplendour and mag- nificence. Thus Kirchem. But our Heylin more particularly proceedeth, n !y icof m . finding Chhia to be provided with five hundred j ninety one Cities, fifteen hundred ninety three walled Towns, eleven hundred fifty four Caftles, four thoufand two hundred Towns unwalled, and fuch a number of Villages , that the whole' Countrey feemeth to be but one City. Befides, their dwellings on Shipboard , wherein whole families refide, and where they buy, fell, are born, live and die. In fuch numbers, as that the queftion may well be , faith Kifthzrns , whe- ther more people live aboard their Ships , or in a.Kirch. the Countries and Cities , thofe cfpecially that are on the Sea-coafts. And of Shipping fuch 5 ^' 2i0s multitudes they have, that the Rivers feem to be nootherwife covered with them , than the land with houfes •, whence the Cblnois ufe, by way of Proverb to fay , tha t their Emperour is able to make a Bridge of Ships from China to Malaca , which are five hundred Leagues afunder. And leaftany that tow the Veffels in courfe of Trade, fhould he obftrudted or retarded in their paffage, neither any Tree is fuffered to grow, or other impediment permitted within five foot of the water-fide, And the fame order is obferved for the better commoding of the highways to the ufe of Travellers. But I cannot moreover defift from Kir chews his farther defeription thereof. It is, faith he,. of fuch greatnefs of Power, that in the circumference of the Earthly Globe, a more mighty Monarchy, and more populous cannot comparable there- G \ i nto Bg An EJfay towards the unto befound. TheKingdomof China alone, we may fee fo adorned with innumerable, and thofo mod fiourifhing Cities, that if we fhouldfay, it were one entire Province, we fhonld hardly fay amifs. It is fo furnilhed with frequent Towns, Caftles, Villages , and places dedicated to their fpperltjtion => that if that wall of- three hundred leagues in length, memorable in all Ages , were extended from Sea to Sea, all China throughout f bow great, how large foever , might notunde- fervedly be faid to be one City,in which is found fuch infinite plenty of whatever is necefl'ary for the life of mankind > as that , that which the • wife induftry of Nature hath here and there a- ; rnonft other Kingdoms of the World dilper- led , may all be fummarily feen to be contain- V ed within this one only. I could acquaint you alfb, that the revenue of their Emperour amounteth yearly unto one hun- dred and fifty millions of Crowns, and how it is aaifed, anddifpofed of > but I forbear, more im- portant matters as to our prefent difquilition, palling on me to proceed upto their Theology of old , before they became infected with Idolatry. T-'^ieuh. Amohgft all the Nations of the Uuiverfe , the Chinois have mod avoided to be guided by the 54,' ‘ light of Nature, & leafi erred in the rules of their Religion » For, we know with what prodigious follies, the Dependents of Cham and Japhet, thp \ Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians heretofore huffed ^ their Divine Worfhip. When the Cbinois on the contrary, have , from immemorable times ever acknowledged one only God, whom they name the Moimca of Heaven. And we may find, faith " Nieuboff, Trimitive Lanonaae. o o Nicuhojf , by their Annals for more than four thoufand years, that in this particular, there were never Pagans that lefs offended. Whereby the reft of their Adtions are the more conformable to that which right reafon requires. And here- with Nicbolaus Irigantifcs in hisChriftian Expe-c 'hi. Exp. dition into China fully confents. apudsi». But let us fee what Mar thins will afford us - Of the Great and firff Author of things, faith he, sin ^a t " > there is amongft ail the Cbinois a wonderful fi- xrE i.p.u. lence , for, in fo copious a Language God hath not fo much as a name •> oftentimes neverthelefs they ufe the word Xangti , by which they fignifie the Supream Governour of Heaven and Earth. ThisNumen, we may fay, was the fetragtamma - ^ ^ ion of the Cbinois '> T>eus Optimus Maximus be- ing, as is generally conceived, profelfed and ado- red by them of old under the name of Xangti. Huic etrim ut fupremo nnminifacra facicbant , fun- deb ant q tie preces , mills ad religionem exciendam fi- mulacris autfiatuisufi quippe qui rumen ubique prafens verier antes-, illud extra fenfus omnes pofitum, nulla crederent imagine pojfe mortalium oculis re-> prafentari. For unto him as to the fupreme God they offered facrifices and poured forth their prayers, ufing neither Statues nor Images for fih> ring up their devotion i for in regard adoring an Omnipotent and Incomprehenfible Deity , they believed he was not by the refemblance of any thing to be reprefented to the eyes of Mortals, Now by whom could this people be inftru&ed tn fuch divine principles as thefe, hut by Noah or gem } For certain we are that the Hebrews who defc ended from Noah and S?m held it unlawful Q ^ tQ An Effay towards the to ufe the name Jehovah , except within the Sanr c^uary, when the.Priefl bldffed-the People , ac- cording to the Law , in Num. 6 .v. 2 3. And that they were not'to mal{e unto Him any gr avert Image, or any Hkenefi of any thing , that if in Heaven above , or that is in the Earth beneath , or that is in the water under tlpe Earth i we find in Exod. 2o. V. 4 . But Martinws will conduct us farther yet. In thefe our days they worfhip a certain Numen y which what it is, they verily know not. As, the Athenians , I (nay add, had an Altar dedicated unto the unknown God , which as the Apoftle initrudeth us, was God that made Heaven and Earth. Aci. ij.v .2 4. But that of old, faith Mar- tiniw , the Chinois profeffed the true God , from iheDodrine delivered them by Noah , there is ho doubt to be made. OUm vero quin verttm Deum agnoverint , ex doVtrina Noe tradita dub'utm n'jbis nullum eft > Being his words. ^ They have an opinion, that many go erring in ' ‘ the mountains that never die , and fly like Spi- rits afcending up to Heaven, when theypleafei which Martinius inclines to conceive is ground- ed on the Hiflory of Enoch and Elijah. ‘ They were not without fome knowledge of CHRIST , as the Eooks written by their Philo- ifopher Confutm , Ailed the Flato of th zChinois ismanifeft', he being an Author of as fublime and profound Authority with them, as either Flato or Artftotlc with us - , and indeed more an- tient. Confutium pr£vidffe VERBV M carnem futurmn , idqne non dttbiafepr£cepiffe y quin & an- num hi Cjclo Sinico , qtpfuiurum ejjet cognovijfei Confutm 3 Yrimi t ive Language . 8 £ fonfntius i faith our Author, forefaw that the WORD fhould become flefh, and ndt only con- fidently taught it , but knew in what year of the Chinique Cycle it fhould come to pafs. ( The Cy- cle of China to remember it by the way, con- tained fixty years , as the Olympiad of the Greeks did four . ) And it is memorable, that their Emperour that reigned at the birth of CHRIST HJib.io* would not be called Ngayut , as his name was, P a £^ 1 ^ but Fingufi which fignifits Pacificns > by a won- derful Providence of God , that at the time that CHRIST the true Facifiqite King came upon the Earth , the Emperour of China fhould be called Pacifiqne alfo. I find in Purchase hat Nkolao di Conti related, Pur. Pit- that when the Cbinois rife in the morning , they g rim *g»* turn their faces to theEaft, and with their hands joyned, fay, God in Trinity keep us in his Law. But ^ c ‘ oylti in regard it dothnot fully appear that from An- pud Ka- ' tiquity they have ufed the fame, and that Marti- mug n'w is filent therein 3 we fhall not infill upon it. To return therefore to Corifutins , hisufual faying, and wherein he concluded, -the higheft perfedion to confiii, was, Ale facias ujli , quod path nolis-f which is the Law and the Prophets. And as you would that men l hould do to you , do ye alfo to them likervife. Luk.6-v.3l. Mat. 7. v. 12. 'And though he flourifhed before CHRIST above five hundred years, many of his off-fprinfj never- thelefs , are yet remaining and live in Threat ho- nour, at this day i which is worthy oLfervation it being not to be faid again of any family in any place under Heaven except in China ; where in-! deed' 9 0 llLib.i. An EJfay towards the deed many more like inftances may be founds that efpecially of the now Princes of Corea, they being lineally defcended from Kicius , who in the year one thouland one hundred twenty two be- fore the Incarnation of CHRIST, had for his eminent learning , that Kingdom given him iq reward by Yam the firft Emperour of China, of the family of Cheva- Whereby it appears that the Pofterity of Kicius , have in a continued fuc- ceflion enjoyed the Kingdom of Corea , two thou- sand feveq hundred and ninety years. Themoft learned Philofbphers amongft the Chmois , make the Chaos the beginning and origin nal of all things out of which the higheft Im- material or Spiritual Being created that , that is material. They hold alfo , that the World was created in the winter Solftice the Heavens firft, the Earth next , then living Creatures, laftly, Man. After the fame manner, as Mofes hath de- livered. Cen.I, That the World fhal I be diflolved into the Chaos, from whence it came, and that before the diflolution thereof, there (hall be great pertur- bation of all orders, apd a 11 things \ with mighty Wars, infurre&ions of Kingdoms , and from thence publique calamities (hall arife throughout the univerfal Globe, they are clearly of opinion. Now, how fully they accord with the words of our Saviour herein. Matt h- 24. f.6,7. declares. Add unto thefe, that in their Books they fre- . quently aflert, rewards to be decreed for vertue, ■■■ t' iu and punifliments lor vice. But this (eerps only to relate unto the condition of our prefeut life y for that they have any knowledge of the Judg- ment M.Mart. Sitt.hift Vrimitive Language, p* tJknt hereafter, from Martinms appears not. The Antiquity of their 7 heology not conducing them fo far. Yet neverthelefs 1 find inTrigantius j.hzt X.Trig.ht from all times they have made no quefiion of the cbrift.Erp. immortality of the Soul, fpeaking often of the^ M ^ s, ”‘ dead, as living in Heaven, but of the punilhments ' of wicked men jn Hell, not a word. The name of Jujiice they confine not to that m.mah vertue which is a conftant and perpetual will of s iH.wft. giving every man his due.But allow it fuch a lati- lib.i.f. 96 , tude that every a&ion confentaneous to reafon is thereby ligpified. A true Maxime i for whatever is agreeable to reafon , we may juftly fay to be juft. And by the name of Piety they underhand ! not the love only of God, their Parents,or them- felycs,but of all men univerfally. For , as they define Juftice to be the law and conveniency of i doing well » fo Piety , the means and rule of lo- ving well. A Divine Principle , for we are tp love our neighbours as our felves ; according to that in Mctttb. 22 .v.^p. Now, this high Divinity of T heirs admits a particular reflexion. H. Grotius in his difeourfes of God and his Providence, as lfind him En? glifhed by Barksdale, pag. 1 8, and\ in fuch manner, ^ g ^ as may moft conduce to good government, con- cord, peace, and quietnels in families, and to the cin.par.u iexercifeof vertue: Infomuch he telsus, thatfor^.iS. , great an Empire feemeth to be bat, as it were, one well governed Convent* Their firft form of Government, until the time of their Emperours was paternal, as is written of- Abraham and Lot. But no credit is given to whatever their Hiftory relates^during this form M.Marti of rule. For the Chinois themfelves,. as hath been £»«. bijl. laid, fufpeft the credit of their Annals before the^ a, f^T 1£ reign of their -Emperour Volmis , as containing thofe things, that are for the moft part ridiculous and falfo. Their firft Emperours were ele&ive, but about the year before CHRIST two thouEnd, two hundred, and Ceaven, which according to the Hebrew or vulgar computation, and which with our Ch'mique Authors we follow, was forty four yeares before the Confufion of Tongues, they began to rule by hereditary right } and for nume- rous fuccefllons after the flood w T ere not Idola- ters, but Adorers of the true God of Heaven and Earths and were Priefts alfo, and offered facri- ficestohim; as no queftion from the Example of Noah they^ad learned i and as the Patriarchs Abraham , Ifaac^ and Jacob were afterwards ac- cuftomed to do. For, it was not lawful, faith Martiniut 94 Parch. Pil- grimage, lib.l.pag. * 7 * 2d. Mart. Stn.HiJl. lib.i.p.u. Bayl. Pr. oj piey.p.ip, ao. M.Mitrt. Sin.HjJ}. lib.i. p. 48. y of Ant. y ud. lib. 1. An EJfay towards t bt Martirtius , for any to officiate in facris but the Emperour > nor for any to be inverted with the (acerdotal dignity, but he that fwayed the fcep- ter, fo highly have they ever reverenced their facred matters. Neither was Idolatry known un to them, till after the birth ofC H R I S T, when for many Ages preceding, the Whole World had followed Idols i for, the Offspring of Cbam de rive their Idolatry even from the time of Noab > and the lfrdelites themfelves had deferred God above one thoufand years before. But CorrHptio optimi pefjima, for after the Cbinois fell into. Ido- latry, neither Babylonians , ^Egyptians , or Greeks were ever more fuperftitious, nor ever had more Deities, than they. Carting off their antient Theology, they enter- tained that error of the Eternity of the World i With which, as Martinius informeth us, together with the worfhip of Idols, they were, in the fixty fifth year after CHRIST, infedled by an Indian Philofopher that crept into China , as Xaveriw the Jefuit to propagate the Gofpel a- t-mong them, did of late times. But as the Jews at this day hold it a fin to pronounce Jehovah y fo, therr prefent Idolatry notwithftanding, the Chinois at this day bold it hainous for any, but their Emperour to facrificeto Xangti \ infomuch that they put thofe to death that attempt the: fame. But this their antient knowledgof, and conftant perfeverance in the worfhip of the true God requires as yet, a more ferious confiderati- on •> For we find in Jofepbus that Noab at his coming forth of the Ark offered a facrihce of Thankl'giving unto God for his deliverance, but read! Primitive Language. 91 read nothing more of any foch worfhip,till the dayes of Abraham i who we are taught, was bf God himfelf peculiarly chofen, and called there- unto i Gen. 1 2 . And who, faith the fame Jofepbw , firft of all did moll manifeftly preach and prove, tharthere was but one God, Governour and Ma- ker of all things. When as in China one God, by whom all things are governed and preferved, was not only adored, during all that time from Noah unto Abraham s but alfo hath continually from Abraham to this very day, been adored a- mongft them i their Literati efpecially. So that had this extreme part of «4Jh»beendifcoveredin the time of St. Auguftine, he might have alfigned far larger bounds to his City of God , and the ! tents of Sem , than otherwife he hath done. That which Arijiotle hath delivered of the People of Afia , is verified in the nature of the Clnnois : We Ettropecans exceed them in point of ^ valour, They us in fubtlety of invention. They are wife, politique, and upon fuddain emergen- cies moll acute and refolute, Laborious alfo they are and induftrious, and fuffer not any one thing that is ufeful to be loft. For notwithltanding their great abundance of all precious commodi- ties, they collect and keep together the molt vileft and bafeft rags whatsoever, the bones of Dogs, Hens feathers, Hogs hairs, yea all forts of molt filthy and ftinking excrements, and make good merchandize of them. Their Hnenefs of in- genuity is oftentimes perverted \ for, they take great pleafure to outwit, and craftily cozen o- thers. But they are profeffed enemies to floth and idlenefs, and where the leatt hope of gain ap- pears, 9 ^ An Effij towards the td.fag.fi pears, they think no pains too great to obtain it. They are healthful audftrong, very agile, nimble, anjfof a lively fpirit, and in ibme places contend with jiuropaans for whitenefs of complexion, and are mnch conformable, to them, if the flat nofe, thin beard, prominent and long eyes, and broad face be excepted. All both men and women delight in long and bjack hair on the head. The women generally are low offlature, but in coun- tenance both generous and elegant. The chief grace and beauty of a woman they attribute to the frnalnefs of her. feet. Wherefore, asfoonas they are born, they fwaddle and bind them with fillets fb ftreightly, that they can never after grow. Infomuch that fome of them in bigueG' fcarcefly exceed Goats pr Calves-feet. A ridicu- lous verily and ftrange folly in fuch a polite^eo- ple v to whom if an Helena were brought, they would arraign her of deformity if her teet were greater. So that their women endure willingly that kind of torment, that they may appear the more amiably pleafing to .the men. The Hrfl Arts of the Chinois were the Mathc- matiques, Aftrology, and Aftronomy , of which that they might receive the Elements fromlW- ab, I conceive none will fufpedt , the progeny of Seth before the flood having made fuch progrefs M.Mart. therein, as that by writing they communicated stn. hift. J to posterity what they had fouud out concern- W.i, f-17. ing them. Inde conjl at J'cientiampritnam apud Sinai Mathematic am fnijje^ atque aN»e ad pofteros qitafi per mantts propagatani » whereby it appears, faith Martinius , that the hrfl: fcience amongft the Chinois was the .Mathematical, and from NoaJ> CO Primitive Language . to thefr Pofterity delivered as it were by hand. They delight in no Art more, than Agricul- U. tib.% 1 tureaud Planting, nor ever from all Antiquity didsand are to admiration expert therein. Info- much that without prejudice to other Nations it may be affirmed truly, they exceed all people in the VVorld, and are foindefatigably diligent, la- borious and expert therein , that throughout all the Cbiniqtie Empire, there is fcarcely one hands bredth of ground to be found unmanured or barren, that either by Nature is,- or by Art can ae made fertile. And therefore no Wonder that ! l'ucIi multitudes of people are fully fupplied with all manner of Provifions: Nor that they fhould \ K fo expert, fince that Noah was an husband- man and taught them. The ninth part of the -and is the EmperourV, for, upon fettling any j. new Colony they always made an equal diviiion > allotting to every family alike proportion* which they fubdivided again into nine parts, whereof that in the middelt was the Emperours; Where- by as thefafetyof theEmperour lay in the hearts of his Subjects, fohis lands alio lay in the hej(rt of Theirs. Their Phyfick confifts in the knowledg of Plants and Herbs, of all other undoubtedly the moft fate and fecure , and moft agreeable to the conftitutionsand complexions of Mankind. And they are fo’learned and expert herein , that they M.Marti fay one of their Emperours having in thefpacg of one day found out fixtyfeveral fortsof poy fonous iimples , in the lame daylikewife found out , as many other Herbs , as were Antidotes H agahiif III. par. a, p.i6p «.U An Ejjay towards the againfl them * whom therefore they call the ' Prince and Author of Phyficians at this day* But our Europeans, find their profit tooeafieby coilfulting Galea, to trouble themfelves with fo . great ftudy, as this kind of pradiee requires. rii a.' Ours talk, ‘theirs, cure , faith Martinins. Their phyficians, faith Kircbems alfo , being learned by Tradition ( traditional pradice, are his Authors, jtfartinius words ) are famoufly skilful in the knowledgof Palfes, whereby the caufes, effeds, and fymptoms of Difeafes are admirably difeo- veredby them, and agreeable remedies accord- RffX/t i n &ly a PP^ e( ^‘ They never write any receipt, but an. par.i. give the Medicine themfelves unto the Patient whom they vifit,and Whom at their coming they never ask where his pain lieth , whether in his' head, fiomack, or belly, but fed his pulfeonly With both their hands leaning on a pillow, err fome fuch other thing > and fo obferve the mo- tion of it, for a good while, and from thence de- 1 clare what the Patient aileth y the learned Phy- ficians leldom failing therein. Poetry is of high Antiquity atnongft them.But it is far different from that, that is in ule with usy For, they fluff not their works with Fables , Fi- ^ dions, and Allegorical conceits, fuch as when the aL’.^.p. m. ^ ut ] 101 - s poetical rapture is over, himfelf under- flands not. But in Heroic ^ verfe chant forth in^ Arudions for their Princes to govern juftly, their Minifters of State to rule under them uprightly y and their Subjcds to obey them loyally ; and in fuch manner compofed withal y that they infule t terrour into the bad , and are a fpur to the good • to live vertnouily and well. Other Poems they • .. lavi jil. Mart. Sin.hijt. .ft VrimUive Language. have which arc the fubjed bfNaturalPhilofophyi and others again, which treat of Love, not with To much levity neverthelefs,as oars , but in fuch chafte Language , as not an undecent and offen- five word to the mbit chafte ear is to be found in them. And which is more, they have no Letters ^ Stm - Whereby to exprefs the Frivy parts, nor are they Hel.de L to be found written in any part of all their Books, cin.par , L which cannot be Laid of any Language under the ea P- 11 * concave of Heaven, belrdes. Now, why may not this more than remarkable filence proceed, out of the deteftation of that fh'ame, which Ndab received by the difeovery of hisnakednefs, as a reproach .throughout T heir generations to be for ever bu- ried in oblivion ? And be the caufe alfo , why Wine made of grapes ihould be odious to them? So that heretofore the Jefuites Were enforced to have the wine which they ufed in their Ceremo- ny of the Mafs from Macao at exceeding charge, labour, and no lefs peril ■, left, as it were, it ftiouid be difeovered. But , now they pfocufe it from Xanfiy to adminiiler in fuch Provinces, where o- therwife it is not to be had. It is obfervable like- M. Marti Wife, that he, who during the feign of Funs , found out the way to make wine of Rice , was ‘ ‘ 5 f banifhed for his induftry =, and though leverc punilhments wete by publique edict decreed a- I> ‘ : gainli all thofe that either made or drank it, vie- Vcrthelefs from this kind of liquor they could never be induced to refrain, fuperifition might perfvvade them to defpife the One -j no Policy could compel them to forbear the Other / i.Sm, As for Moral Philofophy, their Anceftorshad u thefe live Cardinal Vertucs, Futy, Jttfcise , Pdi’bj. Cia -P ( ' r M n 2 tti 1 ***- l'oo An Effay towards the Prudence , Fidelity in fuch high efteerh, as that all their moil antient and fundamental Laws were framed out of them , neither are they in lefs ac- count amonglt them at this day, than in times of old. We will take leave to repeat them, as they in their own Idiom exprefs them, thus, Gin , T, Li, Chi , Gin, they fay, fignifiCs Piety , Humanity, Chari- ty * Reverence, Love , Companion , which after this manner they explain ,7 o efteem ©nesfelf lefs •than others i 7 ‘o be affable j To fuccour thofe that are afflidfed i To help thofe that are in ne- ceflity » To have a tender and compafliorlate heartiTo bear good will towards all men •, Toufe all this more particularly towards their Parents. T, according to their do&rine is Juftice , E- qualuy , Integrity, Condefcention in all things rea- sonable and jufti hereby the Judge is, 7o give ■every man his own. The rich man, To take heed he prefume not on his wealth , and To give fome part of it to the Poor i 7 o adore, as Martinius hath it, the Supreme Emperour of Heaven and Earth Net to be contentious •, Not to be obftr- nate > Not to oppofe what is juft , and conform- able toreafbn. Li , as they expound it , is Policy , Caurtefe, to honour and reverence others as is fitting, which theyfay, confifteth, Ik the mutual refpedf one . man is to bear another i In the mature confide- tution and circumfpedf ion which is to beufed in managing of affairs > In the modefty of outward deportments In obedience to Magil!ratess7« be- ing gentle to young men , and refpedfiul to old. Chi, after their Philofophy 5 denoteth fra- " ' dense triwitive Language. iot deuce, W i fedora \ the which they place. In read- ing of Books, In ftudying ofSciences , In being perfect in the liberal Arts In the knowledg of mattersof Antiquity, In the good intelligence of modern affairs s In obferving well' what is paft, thereby the better to regulate the prefent and future occalions s In difcerning right from wrong. Sin , they fay, is Fidelity, Verity, it confifteth in a fincere heart , and real intention => To do only that which is good i To imitate what isjuffs To make their words aad works, and that which is hidden within, to that which appeareth out- wardly, agree. As they have thefe five Cardinal qualities, fo they reckon up five principal degrees of Humane Society, The King and Subject > the Husband ar.4 Wife j Father and Sen '•> Elder and Erunger Bro- thers and one Friend to Another. The King is to obferve towards his Subjects, Love, Vigilat.cy, and Clemency : and the Subjects towards the King , Loyalty , Reverence, and Obedience. The Husband. towards his Wife, Love , kind ufage, and uni m : She towards her Husband , Fidelity , Rejpeft, and Com- placency. The Father towards his Children , Lore and Compaffion s They toward their Father , Obe « dience and Piety. The Elder Brother towards the Lounger, Love, and Infraction \ The Lounger to- wards the Elder , ( that is, to all their Brothers that are Elder than they ) Obfrvance and Kejfed. Friends towards o;ze Another , Love, F aithfulnef, and Sincerity. And as for degrees of leffer ranck m.m.wk appertaining to vifits , entertainment of guert s, civil and model! behaviour, and whatbdongeth, H 3 ' to- ' %0i An Effay towards the to the decent compofure of the body, they enu- merate no lefs,than three thoufand, of all which in their Books, they treat molt largely. And for better propagation of Learning their gmperours eredfed Vublique Schools , and Acade- mies, that their Subje&s might be inftrudfed, in whatever Arts and Moral Vertues *, whereby from their childhood growing up to the elegan- cy of moft excellent abilities i they were indued with obfervance to their Elders , and duty to- wards their Parents •, who with all the moft fub- miflive reverence, were ever jand (till are honou- red by them j not only during their lives, but af- ter death likewife i fo that no People under the Sun with more regret, and greater ceremony condole the lofs of their Parents, than the Chi- A. sem. hois* Never for three years together after their Xeije la deaths, ftirring out of their doorsmever fitting in Cin.par. i. a chair, but on a little ftooh never lying on a bed- €a ?' /lead, but the floor •, never drinking any of their wine, eating flefb, ufing any baths y or, if you will believe them , lying with their wives s nor ever 5 duiing that time tranfadfing any publiguef Affairs, whatever Office of State they are entruft- ed with, even from the Emperour to the mean- eft degree of Magiftrates. This being done by Martinius, that from the refpeift which t ^ ie ^ v ’ n g g lv e unto the dead , their children 578. * may learn in what manner living Parents arc to be refpe&ed. As if their rirft Founder had taught them , Jrlonoiir thy father and thy mother, that thy days may he long npen the land, which thy Lord thy Godgtveth thee. Exod'2e.v.i 2. And certain it is, that throughout their whole Empire, they are • generally Y rim it ive Language, 10 3 generally known to live along and- happy life. A^em.Fjl. We read, that there have been thofe ampngft* ^ them , whofe bones were twelve or thirteen Cu* ' bits long, and that they lived one thoufand years and more •, which if Co-, it mull be before the flood. But in regard this feems to fpring from Tradition only, if according to Nieubojf it 'be looked upon as a vapour of the Chino is, and that with him we admit it into the rank of Fables, , yet the reafon that he gives for its untruth, doth pag'.izz, not hold good againft it. For, he faith, the Holy Scripture tells us, that not one of the men of the flrft Age of the World lived unto a thoufand years. Now that there were Giants both before and after the flood is manifeft, fo, by the Laws of their Forefathers, our Chinois were not to wed any of the fame name , which to this day they obferve : Again , as the C.hinois j have been accuftomed to have two forts of wives, ^ e lM a matrimonially wedded wife, and a Concubine, Cin.par.i. both of them accounted lawful s fo, the had two forts of wives, a wife married with nup* tial ceremonies, and a Concubine, both of them ^*4 reputed lawful. As the wife of Tbefe was as Mi- ftrefs , and the Concubine as an hand-maid or fervanfi fo, the Concubine of ‘Ibofe was in fub- jedrion to the true wife, and as a fervant upon fe- veral cccafions ferved her. Alfo the children by both wives were held legitimate in either Nati- on. As likewife when the Concubine had brought forth a fbn, the wife might, if (he pleaf- ed fend her away, as S arab did Hagar , Gen. 2j. v. ic. But in China, where allthefe rituals are (fill obferved, the Child (fays behind, acknow- ledging only for his mother , his fathers lawful wife. The Widows of the Cbimqtte Gentry are ge- ^ nererally inacceffable to a fecond marriage. And their Virgins that by an untimely death have loft their Lovers, forfaking all worldly pleafuresre-. tirc commonly into the defart mountains, lead- ing in them a moft deplorable and lamentable life, never by any allurements of their Parents or Friends to be reclaimed, until either Lions or Tigers intomb them in their bowels. But al- though as well their Virgins , as Widows are thus chaftly refQlvcd. Barrennefs in wedlock neverthelefs. l o$ An EJJay towards the gA.Mart, Ml. Sin. p.6z. A*Sem. Kel.de let Cittpar.\. cap.16. neverthelefs , is , by them as with the Hebrews placed in the number of their chiefeft calami- ties, not only by their Kings and Rulers, hut al-. fo by the meaneft of the people. And to be en- forced to depart, with the inheritance belonging to their Anceftors, is, they conceive the greatcli mifery that can befal them. We read of Solomon , that he prayed to God, to give him an underftanding heart, i Keg. 3. v. 9. How nearly the Firfr and Antient Emperours of China may example this, let their Hiftory declare* For, being now upon their marriages, I fliall on- ly inltance the prayer of a Chinois imploring a blefling upon his. In the Province of Honan, faith Martiniusy one called Tetriang being to be marri- ed, is thus reported to have invoked Heaven * l require not Kiches , nor Pleafuret , neither therefore would. It dkg a wife, but pray for good children only* And by his wife he had three Tons, which all pro- ved moft learned Philofophers , and juft Gover- nors. His memory remaineth not only in their Annals, but by a llately monument ere&ed to his honour. As for interrment of their dead, the Chinois have always ufed to bury every one in the place of the fepulture of his Progenitors, be it never fo remote from that Territory where he dies * which happeneth oftentimes to their Rulers, who being not to be advanced to the Govern- ment of any place , within that Province where- they were ‘born, are fent to command in feveral Other parts oftheEmpire*and therby many times departing this life out of their own Countrey, are upon that occalion brought home 3 and b.u^ Trim Hive Language. toy ied therein. As the body of Jacob was tranfla- :edoutof JEgypt upon the fame account , Gen. |o. v.y. and buried in the fame fepuleher, where- n thefe five Abraham , Ifaac, Sarah-, Rebekab , and Leah were laid , himfelf making the fixth , the arft Letters of all their names being contained in :hat one name of I S R A E L. fo iikewife were the bones of Jofepb carried up out of ALgyp, and inhumed ip Sychem in the land of Canaan , Exo. 13. v. 19. where in like manner the other Pa- triarchs were buriedi Att.y. v. 1 6. And even by the modern Jews this caftome is obferved at this; day from a conceited opinion s s ” That if an r.Goiwin ” Ifraelite be buried in any ftrange Countrey out Ant.Jtil, ” of the promifed land , he (hall not be partaker !’’ (o much as of the Refurrcdfion , except the ” Lord vouehfafe to make him hollow paffages un- ”der the earth, through which his body by a con- tinual volutation and rolling may be brought ,T into the land of Canaan.W hcrefore from Italy, and other places where they are tolerated, I have heard, that oftentimes they fraight whole Ships with cofhns of dead hodies, which are trans- ported to the Ports of Syria, and thence convey- ed into Juddta , and there interred. Furthermore, the Chinois obferve the New and Full Moon-days with great ceremony, and rec- kon the year by the Moon like the Hebrews ' , near- ly relating to whom, they have many more ob- servances and inlfitutions cullomary with them, Amongft others the like Commandments, which they print, and fet up op the polls of thei^r doors cinparA* towards the Street As not to kill not tojteal \ not cap.zp, to lie } to Imiour Father and Mather , &c. Semedo ' - - indeed^. JM-Marx. Jtl.SfH. w iqS An Effay towards the indeed thinks thefe not antient, but that fron^ all Antiquity, till their falling into Idolatry, they were not to make the refernblance of anything in point of adoration Martinius hath fully allu- red us. And how antient foever the reft be, upon every day of the New and Full Moon , a little, before Sun-rifing , at one and the fame hour , • they make lolemn publication of them , in all the Cities, andallthe ftreets throughout their whole Empire. In the Province of Suchuen the lame Martiniur relates a memorable thing to have hapned, For they write, faith he, that a certain woman, walk-*' ing by the fide of the river Cbecung, which runs by the City of Kuting , perceived a reed in the water,, from whence a voice proceeded, and tak- ing it up found an infant lying therein ( for the reeds or Canes in China-are about the bignels of Tittle velfels) which fhe carried home and brought up, and which not long after was called Telang, and in thofe parts that tend into the Weft, gave beginning to the Kingdom of Telang. And was not Mofes found after the fame manner in an Ark ofbulrulhes, taken up and educated by the daughter of Tbaroih ? And what an high Prince-* 'dome be afterwards attained, we all know. What Ihould I fay of the conversion of the Chinois ? It inchants their familiars rather, than delights them. What of their Entertainments > , They are itately and magnificent, and performed fo filently, and in fuch goodly order, -as is not by any pen to be exprelfed. What of the education of their Children? It makes all thofe admire that fee them, being not brought up to wanton* • . neA Primitive Language . 1 09 riels of Ipeech, oftentation in habits, alluring en- ticements, to liberty and pleafures - , but unto duties befeeming their fex and condition » not knowing what either arrogancy or impudency means. So that their daughters not bring porti- ons to their husbands j but their Husbands pro- vide all things whatfoever that are needful for rhem. What of their fervants ? When every one, even the meaneft, with due refpedt and awful filence, knows how to do 5 and doth it. What of fhedifpofition of their Natures generally? Since, enjoying all kind of the moft wealthy commodi- ties, by which they might infinitely enrich them- felves, they fell them at inconfiderable prizes, defiring food and raiment only, as Jacob did, Gen. 28. v.20. We might acquiefce here, and now infill no longer on particulars, thefe being fufficient to declare, that China is the molt antient, and in all probability, was, the firlt planted Countrey of the World after the flood. But in regard it is much to be prefumed that as wel Afi a as Europe is extremely indebted to this induftrious Nation i from which as from the fountain they have drained all their chiefefx Arts and Manufactures, fomwhat more of their ingenuity is yetremaining to be laid. For th eCbinois invented and have had M.Matt. in ule amongft th.m, the Loadllone and compafs p for Navigation , above eleven hundred years before the birth of CHRIST. An undoubted' argument that the ufe thereof being fo long time fince found out by the Chiwis , hath from them in mine opinion, faith Martiniw , been brought into other Coun treys. The i io An Bjpty towards the id-Ub.%. The making of paper the belt undoubtedly-of. f^.334- the World , was invented by them , above an ' i hundred and eighty yeares preceding CHRIST, before which time they ufcd the barques and leaves of trees ^ and until they had invented ink T With a bodkin or ftile of iron dextroufly formed their Letters. They writ alfo many things oi> Lamins or platesof mettal,and alfo on veflels of molten mettal, of which there are fome yet re-: maining, Which are held in no fmall efteem by the owners, and all that Tee them. But now they j Sem. u fo paper, which is of fo many forts, and in jfo R. e l.dela great abundance, that I am perfwaded, faith^- cin.p*. i* ntedo , Cbirti in this exceedeth the whoje univerfoy tap. 6. an( j j s exce eded by none in the goodnefs thereof. The making of Ink is amongft their Literati % Atl.Sihi liberal Art, as all things elfe that appertain to f- 10 7* learning i and it is made by them of thefmoke of oyle, after the fame manner pol&bly, as we dp wafhing colour of the fmokeof wood '•> and being notjiquid but folid, they prepare it much after the like way, as our Painters do colours •, for they grind it on a fmooth hone, diffolve it in water, and then ufe it, not with a pen but penfil made of the flocks of an Hare, fo that whereas antient- ly, ( as was remembred ) they writ withaflyle ofiron, they may now in regard of their penlrl be faid to paint rather, than write their Char- acters. This Ink is ufually brought into Europe-, and the Letters, which we fee, formed thereon, ( for it is caft out of an oblong or parallelogram mould J are verfes in praife thereof, the work- mans name being added. • The Art of Printing which had its original - ' f , . among- Primitive Language, i i i among them about the fiftieth yeare after M.Mart* ' CHRIST, we owe unto their ftudies akfo. Their manner is thus, they cut their Letters ' ^ with an inftrument of iron, as we do woodprints, upon a piece of Pear-tree, or Tome fuch other fmooth wood, lightly gluing the written copy thereon, whereby their booKs are free from all Errata’s. They are very dextrous at it, and will cut an whole fheet, as foon as a Compofer with |j us can fet one, and one man will print oft fifteen hundred in a day. This commodity they have alfo, that they may be laid by for as many imprefc fionsas they pleafe, and in the mean time print off, no more copies, than they find fale (of , both which advantages are wanting in our manner of Printing. On? of their Emperours fiy the means ofChy- j x ; eu j, t miftry, found out that thrifty and frugal way of VAmb.Or. killing of men, by the invention of Guns and par.x. fag. Gunpowder. But the tjme when , I find not in any Author. Their ftore of Powder is very greats in the ufe of their Guns they have little skill and left delights but in making Fire-works aremoft curioufly artificial, reprefenting Trees, Fruits, Battless with what not other rarities. About ■which at the fblemnity of the New year, we . • have feen , faith Trigantius , at Hanking more Powder fpent in oue moneth, than for two years M p u j sii# would ferve for continual War, h&.i.pM. The Manufatff ure alfo, of making and dying of Silk was invented and taught unto women by the wife of their Empcrour Jms. And it is an honour to the Chinoir> and worthy their repu- tation, faith Nlanin'm , that, that kind of Manu- f * fudture, H 2 An Eff.ty towards the M-Mart. fadfurc, 35 from the original (pring , was, into I/” 1^38 A ^ a ^Europe denied and brought from Chi- na. A.Sem. js.el.de la Citt. par . i cap. 4. I had almoft forgotten their Potters myftery^ the manner of their making of Porcelain diflies, cups, vafes , and the like utenfils s which the richeft Cabinets of the greateft Princes not of Em- rope and Afia only, but throughout the whole World alfo, glory to enjoy i and for which the Chinois are molt Angularly famous. It is indeed, faith Settiido, the foie velfel in the Univerfe for neat and delightful cleanlinels i and therefore the Chinois rejedt to be lerved in plate , there be- ing fcarcely to be found amonglt them , no not fo much as in theEmperours Palace, a velfel of filver of auy confiderablebigneis, but generally all they ufe are Porcelain. It hath been commonly reported, that they make their Porcelain of Egg-lhells , or the (hells of Sea-hfli beaten to powder, which they call up in an heap within the bowels of the Earth , and therein let it lie an hundred years at leaft, before the matter will be ripe for making of thofe utenfils. Which many ages even to this prefent have vulgarly received for a truth, hath never- thelefs by learned men been -much fufpedted al- wayes, and now, the fame may be worthily laughed at. The Porcelain then of the belt fort is made at a place called Sinktefinti in the Province of Kiang- f a r.i.t a £.fi, and in other Towns thereof likewifebut not u7 ’ .fo good s the principal Magazine or Mart of it, and from whence it is difperfed throughout all China, is the Town of Vnenicn within the fame v ' Province* y .Hieuh 1‘Amb.Or. Trimitive Language* ' it Province, being diftant from Sinkleftmo about fov- ty leagues. It Teems very ftrange , that in all the precin&s of Kian^fi there cannot any earth be found proper to make the fame, but they are en- forced to fetch it from the Province of Nanking , not far from the City of Hoeicheu , where nei- ther can they make it , which Teems no lefs itrange , though there the material abounds. Some attribute thecauTe thereof to the quality of the water, others to the quality of the wood, or temperature of the fire, hut whatfoever it bej certain it is , that the Earth- whereof they make their Porcelain, is taken out of the mountains of Hoang , that environ the Taid City of Hoeicbeu, where they form it into fquare lumps, of the weight of three Catteos £ which make about four pounds of our weight, allowing fixteen ounces to the pound ~\ and in value half a Condrin [ or fifteen pence fterling 3 which are tranfported to Sinklefmo , and thofe other places they make it at, by ordinary Mariners , who for avoiding alt fuch deceits , as are commonly incident to the : carriage and felling of Comodities and Merchant I dize, are obliged to take an Oath not to imbezil • any, at leaft thofe, that are marked with the Era- • perours Arras. As to the nature of the Earth it f is very meager or lean , but fine and fhining like Sables, which they temper in water to reduce ic i into the falhion of thofe little fquare lumps, ;• Whenlikewife at any time the Porcdain breaks, t they ftamp and pound the broken pieces , and it, again make other utenfils thereof, which never- ill thelefs have nothing of the lufhe, brightnefs and x b;auty of the former. They prepare the earth' Si i; I stud \ 1 114 An EJJay towards the and fa{hion it almoft after the lame manner, a3 the Italians do, for making of their difhcs at Faenza , or, as the Hollanders for their white Pot- ters-work. The Cbinois are extremely quick and agile in giving perfe&ion to thefe veflels , and very expert in enriching them with glorious co- lours, diaphanous and tranfparent. They repre- fcnt upon them all forts of Animals, Flowers, and Plants, with an inimitable grace and propri- ety. They are fo jealous alfo of this their Sci- ence, that one may looner draw Oyl out of an Anvile, than 'the leaffc fecrct of it from their mouths. Infomuch , that he paffeth amongft them for one of the greateft Criminals, that re- veals this Art to any,but his own children. They make ufe of Indigo or IVoad ( which groweth a- bundantlyin the Southern Provinces of the Em- pire) when With blew they would *paint their Work. They are faid like wife, to prepare their earth different ways * and that fome make vef- fels of it , as they receive the fame , and as it comes hrfk to hand i and that fome again quite contrary dry it, until it be as hard as a flint, then beat and pound it in mortars or mills, which done they fearce it , and with water knead it like like dough, and thereof form their veffels, into whatflgure they pleafes which for a long time they expofe to the winds and Sun ,- before they bring them to the Fire. Now , when they are * Font- throughly dried they put them into % furnaces 4 teau xd of timber well flopped, whereto for fifteen days voitbien together they keep continual fire, which expi- j lies, red, they alfo let them fland therein as many i days more, to the end they may cool gently, and L J| j CmM m trimtive Language. { 15 Be !e(s apt to break i for experience hath taught them, that when they take them hot out of the Are, they break like glafs. The tire muft be made of very dry and light wood , otherwife the fmoke blackens, and renders them cloudy, and dulls the n’oblenels of their glofs , which is not made or proceeds but from a ftrong , equal and proportionable heat. The thirty days being paft, the Superintendent of this myllery comes to o- pen the furnaces, and after having viewed thofe that are made 5 takes by way of Tribute the htth part for the Emperour , according to the Law elhbliflied in the Country. , But whatfoever elfe in relation to their indu- ftry, we have femembred, or omitted their in - 1 Amb ' Qr ° genuity in making of floating Itlands ,is not lilence to be buried. Theftrubture of which is fo‘ graceful and natural, asthatone would ima- gine them to be Iilands indeed. Thefe moving Machines are made of thofe reeds, which the Portugal s call Bamboes , and which are bound to- gether unto little joylis with cords, but fo arti- ficially and neatly, that no moifturc can ev^r of- fend the inhabitants, whodwell inCabbins buik and raifed upon the fame. All which are made of planks, mates', and fuch other light materials, and their flreets are fo well ordred , that one Would conceive them to be little Villages, and fo me are fo great, that they contain two hundreef families. Upon thefe they commodiouily tranf- port theif Wares and Mcrchandizes-and fell then' to thofe which live upon the banks of the River Crocens. And for removing of them, they ufc no Sails, but cither by ltrength ot aim tow I 2 thetey i6 An EJJay towards the them, or let them drive with the water , to the place where they intend to traffique ; where when arrived , they fix great flakes into the River, to which they fallen their Iflands, during the time of their riding there. Much might be faid of their Archite&urei for Palaces and Publique works efpecially, which are ftupendiCus and prodigious-tather, than mag- nificent and great. But being a particular difeourfe is more requifite for this , we fliall for- bear, and at prelent , -from giving any other ac- count thereof, ddifl. That the Dependents of Cham were great Mailers in the knowledg of Arts and Sciences, is not to be denied. For we read, That Mofes was learned in all the tvifdom of the ^Egyptians. Adl.7.^.2 2. Which being fpoken for his praife, and by way of Emphafis , argueth the learning of that People to be very great. Now, though much cannot be faid in what particulars their wiledom did really conlifl '■> yet what manner of Learning the Chinois certainly had, as much at leaft as conduccth to our purpofe, you have briefly heard That their knowledg in Divine mat- ters,of the true God efpecially, was taught them by Noah , MartiniM hath politively alfured us, there is no doubt to be made. And we may al* molt boldly fay, that the circumftances are fo 'many, and of fuch weight, for Noah's living both before and after the flood in China i that more, and more valid cannot be produced to make good,/? fa era excipias , any aflertion of whatever hind. But how great foever the confequence thereof is,, to nuke our Elfay probables Argu* . men ts II 7 frimitive Language. ments of no lefs validity , together with the confcnt of Authors have made appear-, that China was peopled ere Nimrod and his Troops undertook the work for building of the Tower of Babel , and before the Confufion bf ’Tongues hapned. Wherefore having thereby, ac- cording to the Scripture fixed the PRIMITIVE Language in China i let us in the next place en- quire, whether this Language may, by the Com- merce and Intercnurfe, which the Chinois have had with other Nations, be altered ; or by the Conquefts they have undergone, forgotten utterly and extirpated. BUT firft it will not be impertinent, toiet you know, the manner obferved by their Ancc'ft- ors of old, for the peopling and enlarging of their Dominions, whereby what eufueth will the more clearly be underftood - , and whereby they will be found not as tbeOff-fprings of Cham and Japhet , through the greedy third: of prey, cruel defire of revenge, and facred ambition of rule, to have ufually invaded their confining neighbours. But by juft and peaceable planta- tions, to have fetled themlelves throughout the now China. For, as Martinius faith, It is not to M.Mart. be imagined, that in thofe times their Empire Sin.Bif. extended over all China, as now, for it fcarcely ^ comprehended as then, an indifferent part of the prefent Magnitude. For , as the firft Planters thereof coming from the Weft, began to inhabit the Province of Xenfi, in that part which licth moft towards the Weft, (o the heads of their feveral families by degrees fought out new feats from thence*, For a after the Province of Xertft, I 3 the 1 1 8 An Ejfay towards the the next Hanm , Yeking, Xantung began to be inhabited. Which Provinces Imperial Dominion being thence forward eftablifhed among the Clnnois , were all governed by a lingle perfon. The form of the Government was juft all the Provinces which lay alongft the great river of Riang towards the North, acknowledging one Emperour,and to his Authority and rule of their own .voluntary accord fubjedling thcmfelves. But under Turn, who was the third in fiiccefc (ion from Jam, and who brought the Empire to an hereditary Dominion •, all thofe Countries alfo, that lie on the South of that River were Purveyed, and Geographical deferiptions made of irhem.The people of themneverthelefs were a?, yet but few, and fubmitted not to the fetled Mo- narchy ofC&itfjr.But afterwards when the Empc- rotars bad oftentimes many Tons , excepting him that was Heir apparent, and to fucceed s the reft were either created Royallets of fbme particu- lar Territory, or elfe, by now and then leading forth of Colonies, fought out new habitations, and planted thofe Southern parts. After this man- ner then fetting up new Kingdoms, the people being delighted with the vertue of their Princes, their inventing, inUituting, and encouraging hu- mane Arts, Husbandry especially, and others of the like kind, readily obeyed. Thus by degrees • all China , farr and wide , in every part, as now, became to be inhabited s and as it was out of one body and one Olf-fpring peopled, fo at length it giew into one body and form of Em- pire. Having throughly fetled themfelyes at home, || their : Tritnitive Language, 1 15 ? their numbers multiplying, they began tolook abroad, and after their ufual cuftome by fending forth of Colonies planted the Peninfula of Corea , with the Iiland of Japan , which glories of her defcentfrom them;, fo Java , Ceilan , or, as Mar- t'mins obferves, Sinlan rather , becaufe hr It peo- s,„, /, : ji ‘ pled by th tChinois. As alfo the Iiland of St .Lau-hb.e.p.tg, rence , of which there can be no more allured te- • ftimony, than that it is hill polfelfed by the Chi- mis, efpecially in the road of St. Clara ; where the Inhabitants are white people, and at this very day fpeak the Cbini r jiie Tongue ; as to the Sea' men putting in to that harbour is well known. And not only thefe , but likewife moft of the Oriental Illands are of their Plantation. For, having Shipping , and the ufe of the Com- pafs , whither might they not tranfport them- felves? j In the Continent likewife,that Sizm,Camhnya^ and the adjacent Regions drew their original from the Cbivois is evident. From whence it pro- ceeds that they ufe the Chiniqne Letters, yea, and exprefs the denominations of numbers, not by Figures but Characters, as'the Cfmois do. And I could almoft b«apt no longer to ad- mire at the llately Structures of Mexico > or how Cujco came to be fuch a regular City •, nor won- der at the ingenuity , magnificence and govern- ment of thole people, feeing M animus isdilpo-^ fed to conceive , that from Chink they had their ^.35^ beginning alfo. I could be of opinion, faith he, that beyond Corea having with their Ships pene- trated the Straits of Anian likewife, the Cbinois frequented America , that part efpecially which l y licth 3 20 Jn EJfay towards the lieth towards the Weft. And that, that people happily had their original from them. For their complexion, the manner of wearing their hair, and the Air of their faces, maketh it very proba- ble to me, of certainty neverthelefs I can fay nothing thereof. ButG. Hondius in his original of the Ameri- cans is confident of it , and by many rational ar- guments very probably proves the fame. For, as f .Uonl. it he faith, it muft of neceftlty be , that fuch well Or. Amer. orc } re d manner of living, Arts, Buildings, Policy, z ,.*4 , f 22 3 Writing, Books, great induftry and inclination to all kincTof learning, asamongft thole of Peru and Mexico may be ©bferved was derived from a more polite people than thpfe, by whom the reft of America was planted. Which polite people , are afferted by him to be the Ghinois. Now, in regard my difcourfe tends to another end, I fhall unto what Hondius hath learnedly pleaded for ' them, in relation to thofe of Mexico , add only, that their publique minds , manner of Oratory, with their grave, fuccindi, and wife fayings , do in great likelihood confirm them to he originally extra&ed from China. The Architediure of the Mexicans , as alfo of the Peruvians , is by him, much infilled upon ■> becaufe for the ftupendi- oufnefs and vaff dimenfions of the Hones it e- qually correfponds with the works of China, ^hereunto I fhall likewife fay, th^t whereas the ornaments of the Temple at Mexico , than which a more (lately was fcarcely ever feen , confided chiefly of Dragons and Serpents , variously and with much ingenuity compofed i, it is manifelr, that the Pagodsand R.ega'1 Palaces in China, are Primitive Language. 1 2 f all with the fame fort of enrichments, and in the fame order generally adorned i the Dragon be- ing the Standard Royal of the Chiniqut Empire, That fuch like ornaments in buildings were ufed by other people , either in the Eaft or elfewhere, I have notread in any Author, which hath of- tentimes made me very folicitous from whence the Mexicans fhould have theftgthey being grace- ful, great and noble, but I could never land it out, until the late hiftories of the Chinois came to my perufal , which have clearly fatisfied me, that the manner of them is peculiarly proper to China , was brought from thence, and in memory and for the honour of that Monarchy continued by the Mexicans. As for Feru , whereas Hondius will have it tot be peopled by the Chinois , tranfported thither under the condudf of Mango the hrft of the I«- gas about four hundred years fince, I conceive, theyhaddifcoveredit, and therein fetlcd them- felves divers Ages before. For, although Mango, with his followers might at that time to avoid the fury of a prevailing Enemy forfake his native Ceuntrey, and landing in Per#, eredt that Em- pire', nevertheless confidering,that the Spaniards at their entrance, found the maflive monuments there, to bear fuch a decayed Afreet, as that they demonftrated a far higher Antiquity, than the date afligned and that it was ever cuftomary with the Chinois , to fend forth the furplufage of their numbers to fhift for themfelves , and feek out new habitations i fuch callings might in their waudring throughout the South Sea ( moft of the Oriental Iflands being formerly inhabited 153 An Eff ay towards the by their Off-fpring ) fall with the coaft of ?ot» and finding it rich and delightful , poflefs^hem- , felves thereof, and fettle there, until Mango with his company arrived, & united them all under his own Sovereignty, as Hofjdm hath delivered. The rather, in regard that after their native Country was cleared of that prevailing Enemy, which mod Writers, though erroniouily call the Cathay - ant , of whom, ere long , the Chinois voluntarily freed all the Mauds, and all their forein Plantati- ons from obedience to them, and refted content- ed with thofe bounds, which God and Nature had primitively bellowed on them. And herein their contempt of vain glory is very ohfervable, for how powerful foever they are , were, or might have been, if thirli of Dominion had provoked N. trig, it them, I never yet heard any of them all boaft a( pulsin' extent or greatnefs of their Empire, faith Tri- lib.up.sg.gMtiMi And this now brings us to their War. M.Mart. The firfl: War ever read of in the World was sin.hift- made in China , happening in the Province of Pe- hb. w here,on the mountain fan , near the City now called Tenkjng , their Emperour Xinmngus the Succeffor of Foh'm , was, they fay, flain about the year before the birth of CH RIST two thouland, fix hundred, ninety feven i which ac- cording to the Vulgar computation makes it be- fore the flood about four hundred years. It was civil , and of this kind I find many, and mofis bloody contefts to have been amongft them » but managed with fuch Heroick valour , andlirata- • gemical policy, as far furmounts all Macedonian , f unique or any other known condudt in the • World. Thefe Wars proceeded principally from P rimitive Language, 125 » the afpiriug minds of the Royalets in the South- 's srn Plantations , who were oftentimes many in 1 one andthe fame Province, and ruled abfolutely s under the Sovereign, as fo many petty Kings s '•though they paid Homage and Fealty to hint, 1 much according to the fame manner, as Dukes and J Earls do, for the eftates they hold of the Empe- ' rours and Kings in Europe. y But after they were by little & little encreafed ' in power, fumptU in ajfinesarmis taking up arms 'againft their own kinred and affinity, they i,™‘ 6 *$'■ ^troubled the whole Empires out of Ambition 243,* 1 chiefly to reduce the Province in which they ‘governed, and were at firft fetled, under the 1 immediate command of themfelves, and their ^ own ifliie without dependauce upon a fuperiour, f And Sometimes moreover attempting to ufurp '’upon the Monarchy it felfs when either they found their Sovereign was but weak in Councel, > or haddif-cbliged his peoples till in the end ' they were all brought under abfolute fubjedfion J to the Monarch, and their Countries annexed to * the Imperial Crown, as they are at this day : But fuen civil difputes, you will happily lay, 3 could caufe no change of Language, no more •than the like contents did between Judab and * JJra:l , being they were inteftine, and made a- f mougfr the Natives themfelves of one Linage^ 'and the fame fpeech. For, it is not to be found ‘ that ever foreign forces, were by afiy the rnoft * ambitious ot all Royalets called in , or when t worfted invited to aflifl them with their Aides. e And thus the Irijh Tongue notwithfranding the 1 Domeflique v/ars , that aUnoft perpetually Suc- ceeded I 24 An EJJay towards the ceeded between the leveral Kings of that Ifland, in the times of old, and notwithftanding Danes , Norvegians, and Scots were frequently waged by them to oppofe the prevailing party, remained uncorrupted, and fo continueth at this prclent time. Now, though thefe examples, and feveral others of the like kind, may didate to our realbn, hat by fuch wars,as thefe, their fpeech could not be altered i neverthelefs I mull fay, that you will find, what through their long continuance, fometimes without intermiflion for three hun- dred years together, what through the living of the people without reftraint in the mean while, and becoming by Degrees thereby as rude and barbarous, as the Regions they inhabited were rough and mountainous, thefe civil dilcords in China , did produce fome difference in the Language of thefe Provinces, where the greateft fury of the war fell. But what this difference is, and in what Provinces it doth differ , and in which without change or alteration it remains pure and perfed, we fhall in its proper place, not forget, particularly to remember. Hejlin affirmeth, that it is not lawful for the fcyi.Cofm. King of C]%w to make any war but meerly De- TagM6. fcntive j and fo, faith he, they enjoy a perpetual peace. For, in regard war is equally deltrudive to the vidors and vanquished, Princes, People, Treafure being alwayes confumed thereby s the Chtnois are of opinion, That nothing is more' unworthy their Emperour, than to enter into armes unconftrained s nothing more inglorious, than to feek for glory in the daughter of his fcibjeds > nor more inhumane, than men by men tQ Primitive Language. 125 0 be cut in pieces. And hence without doubt it 3, 7 Yigantm tells us, that although he fearched Ja.tngM diligently into their Annals, from tour.thoufand /ears unto his time to inform himfelf what rein conquefts had been made by them, yet he :ould never find mention made of any : and that hough oftentimes alfo, he ferioufly difeourfed ,vith divers of their Literati about them, they ill refolved him, that they neve r made, nor ever iad been inclined to make any fuch. And there- fore we are not to wonder, that we hear fo ittle of their invafions For,the wars excepted, »vhich Martinius by a more full and free liberty rf ftudy, hath of late found out to have been undertaken by their Emperonrs Cbingus and Hiarouw their Hiftory, as to fuch expeditions, appears to be very lilent. Cbingus firnamed Xrn was the firft that by general confent was declared fupreme Monarch H'£\Cbina\ and the Hrlf Emperour of the Fa- , nily of i from whence Martinius conceives :he name China originally proceeded. This ' Prince having compelled feveral Royal&tsoi , the fouthern Provinces to fubmit wholly to his * obedience, and thereby wonderfully enlarged 1 the Chinique Empire i extended his arms into , remote parts, and both by Tea and land ©ver-ran , ill India , as far as Bengala , Scori , and Camhoya. ’ &t which time being about two hundred and y :orty years before CHRIST the name and } ame ot the Chinois firft became known unto . orein Nations, to their adjoining neighbours ’ :he Indians efpccially s among whom it after- ’ ivards ftuck, and from them the Perttvals at 0 12 6 Ah EJfdy towards the their atchievements in India gained intelh'gchc ! of China. He made war upon the "tartars like wife, and by his vi&ones in a fhort time enforcec them to abandon their habitations, and fiy intc the more remote Regions of the North fo 2 3 8 fafet y- jt. Kirch. And this Chirigm it was, that tofecurehi ch. ill. far.. Empire from the eruptions of that people, 5^.£.2i7.' ire( £ e d that llupendious and wonderful work a the wall touched on before. This Wall beginnin at the fea-eoaft in Leotuttg. , extendeth throng! China unto Lyncao a City of Xenfi-, feited on the banks of the river Crocm s and except where oppofed by the horrid and inacceflible moun tains enclofeth not one, but four entire Provin- ces, or Kingdoms rather, within its circuit. The whole length of it, the windings according to, the different Icituation of the places confidereds for on this fide of China in regard of the moun tains level ground appears very rarely, is three tc hundred German Leagues, or twelve hundred n English miles ( accounting as Martinius doth fifteen German Leagues to a degree) being for- tified with Gfftles and Towers inconvenient places, with Ports near them to iflue forth as neceffity requires. The heigth of it is thirty Cubits, the bredth twelve and fometimes fifteen, ( the Chinique cubit being left than our foot by one only eigth part of an inch ) having a Parapet on each fide, lor the greater fecurity of thole that pafs thereon. In the building thereof three and being ofa great and 34s excelCemind, as if the fame of Alexander of Ma- cedon had arrived at his Court, defigned to bring il the whole World under his fnbjedtion. Eut fear- ing left Come of the Royalets might, during the abfence of himfelf and forces, attempt to raife new ftirs, as finee his family began to reign they had i he devifed (everal Laws to re (train them. Ordaining, that for the furure the Lands grant- ed them in right of favour by the former Impe- :( rial Decrees, fhould at their deaths be equally di- - r vided, as in Gaiel-kind , amongft their children :r lawfully begotten j whereby in time they became :f reduced to fuch penury, as utterly difabled them, ill t either a§ An Effty towards the either to maintain the dignity of their Ariceftors* or pradife againft their Sovereigns^ as antiently they had done. He ordained alfo, that upon the jDeceafc of any of them without lawful Iffue, their lands fhould efeheat unto the Grown from whence they had Originally been alienated. Having then by thele and the likeconftituti- ons provided for the fafety of his Empire at home , he relolved upon Wars abroad , and by his Lieutenants fubdued many Kingdoms of dia-> to the Cbinique Empire , in that part efpeci- ally which lyeth towards the South from Ganges inclulive to the Kingdom of Bengala. But taking afterwards the field in his own perfon , he brought under his Dominion Pegu , the Kingdom of the Laios, with Cambay a 5 Cotbin-Cbinx , and taany other .Countries arid Illands. And to vindicate himfclf and Subjeds upon trie Tartars^ that were their ahtient and natural Enemies, aud ever ready upon all advantages to infeft their borders, as the Scots fometimes did ours in hope of fpoilei invaded their Countries with three mighty Armies conduced by his Generals i and having put them almoft all to the fyvord,and made about the year before CHRIST one hundred and twenty an abfolute Conqueft of them even to the North-fea, divided Cathay a- riiongft Iris Captains and fouldiers in recompencc of their valour. But thefe by little and little in long trad of time forgetting the manners and cuftoms of Chi' na, by perpetual commerce and converfation With the Tartars degenerated, and took up their euftomes i fo that in the end, though nevertheless after Trimitive Language. 12$ after many Centuries of years, they began to in- vade their native Countrey. For about the year of our Redemption twelve hundred and fix, till when ( fuch ordinary commotions excepted as ufually attend great Monarchies ) the Cbinois had lived in continual peace and tranquillity thefe Catbaians conquered China. But how ? They fpent almoft, faith Heylin , as much time in the conqueft thereof, as they did in the pof- ^.871; fe (Hon of it. For after they had reigned therein ninety years only ( (event y faith Martinms ) they were totally expelled again, and were no lofers thereby. For, inftead of compelling the Cbinois whilft they had them under obedience [ to fubmit to their Laws and Cuftoms, they , themfelves fubmitted to the Rites and Manners , of thole, whom they had for that time fubjedf- ( ed j applying diligently themfelves to underhand | and learn, the Language, Conditions^ Arts, and t Manufactures of the Cbinois , which at their . expulfion they carried into Cathay with them. . As the Romans did the Greeks tongue into Italy, | after the Conqueft of Greece and as by their l victories in Aft* (the difference alwaies between e civility and riot cdnfdered ) they brought to )[ Rome Effiminacy, Luxury, Prodigality, which . Were in ufe chiefly in that Countrey. This was the moll (evere misiortuhe , that ever till that time b'cfel the Cbinois , after the prefeription of fo many hundreds of Ages to an • indifturbed felicity, conlidering neverthelefs that . |B the Cathaydns had a defire by their induftrious jj recovery of them , to maintain the Arts and Sci'eaceS of their Progenitors, it could not pro- .. & dues 130 An Ejfay towards the duce ary great alteration in the manners of the Cbinois , much lefs in their MOTHER Tongue. Here again we may obferve i that as the fyra- elites from their firli coming into the land of Canaan , lived in the height of all profperify, faying fome civil contentions hapning between thofe of Judab and her fellow Tribes, never. kneW'what the fury of a Conquerour meant, till after they had overwhelmed themfelves in Ido- latry : So the Cbinois from their firft beginning to be a people, having lived in all worldly happi- nefs, the like intefiine broiles between their families excepted , never underftood what the rage of a forein vidor imported, till they alfo had drowned themfelves in the worfliip of Idols. Both famous Examples , that innovations in Religion are alwaies attended with dreadful judgments. M.Mart. But let us not omit the accompt, which Mar- Bell. tart, tinius gives concerning this Invafion. In this fag.i.fol. trad of time the Weftern "tartars forgetting their antient vigour of mind, and warlike fpi- rits, which the pleafures and delights of China had mollified, being alfo weakned by fo long a peace, became of a fweeter temper, and received a deep tindure of the Nature and dilpofition of the Natives of that Countrey. But though I find him thus rendred into Englijh^ hearken to him nevertbelefsin his own words. Interca Sinicis deliciisfrdpi , S miens indmrttnt mores, &paulatim fortiuidinem Eartaricam dedifeentes , nimih debt- litati -pace-, Si/ue evaferunt j So that you fee the tartars became Cbinois-) not the Cbinois-) tartars i whereby Primitive Language, 1 3I whereby it is moll manifeff, that neither their Language nor Cuftoms could be prejudiced by this Conqudl. Now you cannot but take notice, that Marti - vius calls thofe People the Weftern Tartars , which our Writers, and divers others cal lCa~ tbayans i and though they have extremely erred thereby, yet nevertheless rather, than on the fuddain Ifhould fcem to contradict fo general an opinion, 1 have thus far followed them thifre- in-, for Cathay is no other Countreyjthanthe^^^, fix Northern Provinces ot China, as Mangin the Atl.sin nine Southern - , which were fo named bythefe/^. 28, Tartars , upon this invafion of Theirs i and which Fatilus Venettis being perfonally prefent in this War a'ccordingly lb calleth. And no won- der faith Martinins , for by the Tartars and Moors that ufe to bring tribute every three years to the Chiniqm Emperour, they are called Mangin and Cathay at this day. ^ Add hereunto that Jacobus GoliUs in his treat- ^4 it am ife of Cathay tells us, the Cathayans and Chinois 4 e E.egnci are all one p'eople, and their cultoms& Language Cath.p^. have been one and the lame throughout all ages. *• Hsylin telleth us, that not long atter they had freed themfelvcs from this Enemy , Tamerlane with air army of Tartars entred China, and hav- ing won a battle, and taken the King prifoner, trpon fotne acknowledgment of Tribute releafed him, and quitted the Countrey again, as on the like fuccefs Alexander the Great did the King- dom of Portir. But Mart units politively maintain- JJtyag.u eth, that Tamerlane never invaded, nor ever was in China } much lefs conquered or brought & 2 &' a 3 3 An Ejfay towards the it under tribute, ut perperam quidam feripfermh as Tome, faith he,have falily written', for he flour-* ilhed about the year one thoufand four hundred and fix v at which time Taicbangus Emperour of China, and the fecond of the Taimingian race ( the Tartars being before beaten out of his Kingdom) governed peaceably all the Provinces included within the compafs of that vafl Wall formerly mentioned. f e ™' Until the time the Chinois were in fuch man- cin.far.t ner fabdued by the Tartars , divers of the Roy- cy.zz. . alets had enjoyed their Principalities, but their victorious Emperour Humvtt having wholly expelled the enemy , totally fupprefled them hkewife •, and about four hundred years fince, united all China , as now it is, to the abfolute obedience of one foie Monarch \ and not only re-eftablilhed in the territories of thofe Royalets the antient manner of the Chiniqm Policy i but alfo adding thereunto many new Laws, brought thereby the whole Empire into that form of government , wherein it ftand'eth at this pre- fent. By this union the Chinois enjoyed the like Hal- cyon dayes, yea generally, far more the Rojalets being extirpated, than their Fore-fathers had t . done, for many generations together s until the t'AnibOr P e0 P^ e afteran incurfion of the Tartars of Niucht , piir.'2.\ pitg* about the year one thoufand fix hundred thirty 115. fix falling into rebellion, and not many years afterwards taking Peking, where their Empe- rour Zuncbinius , having firit with his own hands killed his wife and daughter, in defpair hanged himfelf in a garden of his Palace j Vfangueius his Primitive Language. ^ his furviving General called in the Nieuchean Tartars to his affiftance •, who fliortly after fet-. ting up for themfelves, crowned Emperour of China , Xunchius a child ofaboutfix years of Age, the fon of Zungtens King of Nitiche '■> which Zungteus from his infancy had fecretly and urn known been brought up in China \ where to- gether with their weakneffes , he had learned the manners , fciences , doctriiie , Letters an'd Language of the inhabitants^ wherefore he much loved, and was no lefs beloyed again by all the Clnnois. Whofe miferies endured in this War, from their»own Countrinaen the Rebels efpecially, as in all places it evermore happens where Rebellion once gets the upperhand, are almoft inexpreffable. But how calamitous foever their condition was, manifeft it is, that they received no pre- judice in their MOTHER Tongue or Learn- ing of old. For the Tartars upon fubjecting and -C fetling the China Empire under their own dominion, neither altered the Policy, nor an- tient form of government s but permitted their Literati to govern the Towns and Provinces as before, and left unto them the promotions, and examinations of their Characters, as formerly they were accuftomed to enjoy. At which ex- aminations, as the Doctors of the Chaire in the Univerfiries with us, with much more diligence and rigour neverthelefs, and indeed with great feverity s they appofe and make trial what Pro- ficients thofe that ftand Candidates for prefer- ment are become in their Literature and Cha- racters of their Language, in the ftudy of which K 3 by ?34- A EJf a y towards the by their bock? wr itten, not only their Learning, but ajfo the Elegancy oftheir Speech confifteth. So that, if in nuking their compofitions upon fuch Thearos. as the Exainipator gives them, 'A. Sem. * he y not the Character mqft exactly tr U e, Rel. it'u ( being not ft phantaiiical as th cEvroptans, to Cm. pifau he weary of tharold words, but tiling all poflible f° 8, means to preserve them in their ancient purity ) they are difrniJQfed without taking £heir degrees, how excellent foever otherwife their compofures be i with liberty nevertheless to return again for their promotion at the next examinations, which are cotnmonly held at every three years end. i . l But qf the ratification of theft proceedings, and likewifeof their antient manner of govern? J.Kieuh. ment by the far tar s, Nieubricfm his own words 1‘ Amb.Qr. faa\\ more folly fatisfieyoq. llstiicbangpremni par.ij -la politique Cb'moife, ni la ancienne forme dri go- f£ >ia 3’ vernement\ mais fermhent aux Pbilofopbes ,de /’ Empire de gottverner les Villes , & les Provinces comm * auparavant, ct laijferent les promotions ef examens desUttres a V accoktammee.Thc fame is by Martinius confirmed, faying, they changed nothing in their politique government i nay, they permitted the ufual cuftomsof thePhilo- fophers of China., to govern the Towns and Provinces i they left alio the fame examens as ££ Mliit were ufed for the approbation of learned men. Bell, tart. ^' s own words being. Stylttm Politicos Smice <• modwncHe gubernationis omnino non mutirunt imo Sinicis Pbilofopbis , ttt antes, ngendas Vrbes sc Provincias conccjferunt ’■> examina Literatorum, ft antes, rdiqiieamt. And fo far, it feems, the Cbino'u Vrimitive Language. 135 Chinois are from having their antienf confuta- tions altered by this Conqueft, that he telleth us likewife, they have already induced the . Tartars to forfake fome of their barbarous ’^£-3* cuftomes, which for many ages together they had ufed, NOW therefore as their Conquers will not, fo the Commerce and Intercourfe, which they have had with Nations of a different (peech, and which is the main part of Heylins objection, cannot, give change unto their Language, much lefs branch it into feveral languages, or Dia- lers of the fame one Language. For by their Fundamental Laws, the Chinois are neither per- mitted to go into the Countries of ftrangers, nor admit any ftrangers into their own. Inur c£teras leges , ijia caput ohtimat , qua omnis extero- rum in China a dim intercluditur Among their a. Kir. ch other laws, the chiefeft, Caitb^Kiirfberus, is that, M.par.z. by which all accejfsof ftrangers is prohibited in'tpP* 1 ^ °S China. And fuch ftridf care is taken for the execution of 'this law, that it jsalmoft impoflible fqr* any ftranger to remain concealed amongft them, becaufe'his very fpecch, if nothing elfe, will betray him to be a fore inti -> and when detedfed, he 'islmmediately apprehended , put to torments, and if he efeape with life, never fuffered to return out of the Countrcy again, Over the doprof every houfe, faith the fame Kirch er us , is affixed a Table, or Efcutcheon- wherein the number of men living therein, together with their condition is fet down i to the end that the Lau-ye ( the Vortugxls ftile them Mandarines., we may call them Prefcdts or their K 4 Mag^ ? 3 6 An EJfay towards the Magiftrates) to whofe r office • the knowledg thereof belongs, may, by a memprable politique way, underhand how many men every City containcth, afwel for avoiding feditions , as colleding of Tributes. Therefore, it ought not to feem a wonder to^ny, as the fame Author obferveth, if that Grangers by what means fo- rever at length getting into China , are immedi- atly deteded, their hofts being under grievous' ' punifhments obliged to difeover them. And though the Jefuites have of late times obtained permiflion to refide therein, whenfoe- ver neverthelefs their fupreme Moderator in- tends to fend any Novice thither, he is in the Ifland of Macao firft diligently intruded, both to fpeak and write the Clrinique Language, leaft being difeavered for want thereof, he fhould before arriving at their Refidency, be impriso- ned , and the Society thereby put to infinite trouble and expence to procure his liberty, as oftentimes eyen tince toleration granted them they have been. By which toleration they have ^ 7 fo far prevailed upon the Natives, that were it not for Poligamy, that vafx Empire might long r ' ere this time haye been converted to Chrifii- anity. Heyt.cofml Nor i s ^ n jy thus criminal, for Grangers to come into China \ but alfo, faith Htylin , for any Cbinois to go out of the fame, all politique means being endeavoured by them to prevent inno- vation in their manners, by which the old being A c f)M Re . n . e gkded, and laid afide, th,cir antient way ot de la Cm. government might be disturbed, and the fifety Mr.i.c.zpVof^their face endangered. And we read that ’ ‘ ' . this til : Ytlmitive Language. 137 this in part at leaft the Hebrews were command- ed to obferve, for the fame reafon *alfo. For wheidoever any Nation or People, by intro- ducing new , alter their antient cuftoms , the deftrudtion of that People or Nation not far off approacheth.Thus the Commonwealth of Rome by taking up prodigality and voluptuoufnefs , inftead of her antient temperance and fobriety, loft her liberty. And thus the Chinols themfclves, as you (hall fhortly hear, became fubjedt to the Tartars. Howbeit it feemeth, that the extreme jealoufy of their cuftomes is not 'the foie caufe of thele reftraints, but leaft by permitting liberty of In- tercourfe the wealth and weaknefs of their Empire (hould be difcovered '■> for though their conquefts and civil broiles renders them ejfere ftata getite. beVicofa ,' c di valare^ ( to ufe Semedd s words ) 'to have been antiently a valiant and warlike Nation', now neverthelefs , by their 3 furfeiting on continual peace, and long enjoy- ment of all variety of pkafures, no, people under heaven the like, they are become generally effi- minate -, and in regard no preferment is to be hoped for, but by becoming excellent in their learning, they all unanimoully, as it were, apply ' thcrmfelv'es to the ftudy thereof. Sp that the foldiery are no otherwife accompteid of with them, than the hafeft fort of people are with us. But in regard whatever is prohibited, is com- monly moft defired;, ftrangers, their Laws not- withftanding, found out a way to creep in amongit them. For confidering that upon an Em bally made by the Tartars about the year JH.Jdart. Sin. Hi ft. lib. 2 . p. < 5 $. 1 38 Ej/Vy towards the forty eight before C HR I ST, in tender of their perpetual fubmiffion to the Chinigue Empire, Embaffadors might be received •, feveral people under the pretence of the like addreffes have oftentimes fince gained admittance into the Countrey, and made fome trading therein, pri- vately neverthelefs, and not other wife, as Marti- nis informs us. For whereas China , faith he, is fo fhut up againft ftrangers, that no accefs is eafily allowed to any,favingEjmbafTadors; Turkj-, Laios , Samar chandians-y and thofe of 7 ibeth by land, and the Siamites with Camboyans byfea, come int,o China* where, under colour of Em- J. ninth, bafly, they negotiate private commerce. Obferve t’ Jmb.or. herewith what Nhuboff relate th i No man can (ar.z. p.8. enter China except Embaffadors , unlefs with refolution to end his dayes therein, fo ftrong is the opinion of this people, who for many Ages have been perfwaded, that they fhall be betrayed and fold to fome forein Prince. They cannot traffique with their neighbours without licence from their Emperours s and if they be neceffi- tated to fend Embalfadors into other Kingdoms, they hafdly find any that will undertake the charges and whofoeye'r accepts the fame, is no more or. lefs lamented or 'bewailed by his Rela- tions, than if he were going to his grave. So hateful is the knovvledg of ftrange countries, and converfation with ftrangers to them. Either they know not forcin Nations , or contemn them, Saith Martinis. But the Chinois considering, that thefe Em- baffies are but feigned, and that to efpy and corrupt them rather , than for any fubmiffion 1 • *in. Hi ft. in Epift. ad Led. Off Primitive Language. 15 ^ 1 ;r amities fake fuch addrefles are made, give hem reception accordingly ( as fron} Martinius , ' l Sem edo, 7rtgautm, and feveral miflivesof their f Society vye have colle&ed ) after this manner. ; 50 (oon as the Embafiado* either by land enters !' .ipon their confines, or from Tea puts in to any of their ports, a guard is fet immediatly upon :> him, by which ( fqme few being allowed for his ^fplendour and ofientation fake to accompany •’’him ) he is brought unto the next Mandarine i J who, the place from whence he came known, J, afiigncs him to the Pallajpe for him, and his Retinue to refide in, placing good guards upon • them, leaft any (hould enter or comel'orth with- ^out his licence, all manner of neceflaries, afwel for prpviiions as carriages, how long foever they ” ftay within the Countrey, being provided for j them at the p oblique charge. The Mandarine t takes a memorial alio of rheir goods , which ‘ with incredible expedition by a Currier ( for at v every ten furlongs Ckinois , which make fome- ‘ what lefs than three of out English miles, they ’ continually place one ) is fent to the Emperour : at his Court, with the name of the Emhalfadour, 1 from what Countrey and Prince he comes, what ' number of followers attends him , and what ' Prefcnts and other things he brings •, fignifying > likewife the great defire that the Embafladour : hath to make his addrefs unto the Imperial 1 Court. If by the predfe day, according to the limitation in their laws, no anfwer appearcth from the Emperour, then the Embafladour is presently font away again re infecla . But if the Emperour granteth his accefs,then the Manda- An Ejjay towards the tine takes great care, that not any of them be 1 fuffered to pafs into the inner parts of the Em- : pire, butdiredfly to the place where the Empe- rour refidefh, and therefore fends him and his Attendants unto the next Mandarine , under guards nevertheless like Captives, though time' out of mind they have been their Friends and Allies, nOt permitting them to fee any thing, much lefs converfe with any man throughout their whole journey} and at nights, like brute beaffs in ftables, they are, trndei: I know not how many locks and keys, fhut up in the Palaces appointed for them tolodg in. And thus they are conducted from Mandarine to Mandarine after the fame manner ( as we pafs beggars in England from one Conftable to another ) until they arrive where theEmperour refxdes. Where commonly after fome fhort attendance, the EmbafTadouir is led, not before the Emperour, for he neither feeth, nor fpeaketh with him ; but the Councel of Kites : who by the Royal order treat With hifri, and receiving his Frefents give hint his difpatchi 3nd of the reft of his Mer- chandize which he brought, if the Emperour defireth any thing, he fendeth to fee and buy it. At his departure the Embaffadour is rewarded with much more in value by far than hepre- fented. This done, and returning to his Palace, power is given him to vend the remainders of his goods, which either hjmfelf orthofewith him, brought with them to the Court ; or left behind at the place where the reft of their com- pany, or Caravan rather, as may be faid, were kept at their firft coming to the Coun trey. For, Primitive Language ♦ 141 r difeovered to the reft of the World, or feen jy them rather, much lefs molefted with inva- lons, or corrupted with the accefs of foreiners. for, from Trigautm-y Kircberus tellethus, Tha t^'K-hch. Mature leaft any entrance fhould be permitted ck-M-par. urto any to come within China , hath, tofhe 4 ’^ 'forth, and North-weft ( befides the Wall of bree hundred German Leagues ) enclofed it vith a vaft and endlefs defart of land > on the Hall and South fo mounted it with the moft langerous and yet unknown currents of the Haft and South Ocean, withobfeure rocks and unfaithful *42 An EJfay towards the unfaithful harbours , as that without rriahifeft fliipwrack, what through the violence and cruelty of the Winds, what through the moft impetuous ebbings and flowings of thefea, the fhores art “ fcarcely approachable. And leaft from the TVeJl any (hould obtain entrance, behold Nature hath obftru&rd the pafles and avenues that way intc it, with an unapproachable, inacceflible, and tc , this day impenetrable enclofure of mountain? harbouring fo many, & fuch cruelly wild Beafts and deadly flinging Serpents, as that, with 3 certain body as it Were of garrifon fouldiers (he hath fo armed it, as from this 'part no mor- tal man can ever hope for paflage. But through all thefe obftru&ions of Naturt and Policy •, both Policy and Nature have con tributed the means , whereby not in leairnec Greece or pleafant Italy , but in the remote an<= hitherto unknown China , are now at laft fount out, the true Indigenes , that ever fince the floo« Of Noah, being born and bred within their owt Countrey, never permitted or admitted conver fation with forein people. But living contented ly at home, in all abundant profperity, unde, their own vines, and under their own Hg-trees their fwords being turned into ploughfhares and their fpears into pruning hooks, have con fumed at leaft four thoufand years withou commixture or commerce with other JNations Htyl.Cofm . From their demeanor towards ftrangers Heyli, calls them an unfociable people ;■ but whethe they were unfociable thereby or not, certain it i that their peace and fafety confined therein guamdiit ignoti ceteris vixere mortalibw , tarn dh fuel Primitive Language . 143 futrefitlices ; as long as they lived unknown to f v - the reft of mankind* fo long they lived happy, Gith Vo fit us. For by once only infringing thefe Mun.fag^ Laws, and granting liberty of Trade to the T^r- 4^* tars of Niuche , though but in Leotung a Province in the very utmoft North-Eaft corner of their Empire, that war by degrees, and that rebellion took rile, which by afterwards calling in thofe 1 'tartars , as was laid, is likely to prove their fatal and final ruin. So dangerous and deftrudtiveit is, to alter the antient and fundamental confti- tutionsof a Kingdom. Thus hath been fully manifefted, that Com - \inerce and Conquefi , the two principal Agents in all fublunary mutations, have had no influence ito extirpate, alter, or change either the Laws, |Cuftoms,or Language of China. Neither hath iTiwie it felf, which challengethj fo great a Pre- rogative in thevicilfitudeof things, had, through ithe revolution of all Ages, fincc the general iDeluge, power fufficient tofupplantthem. But leaft this may feem to be fufpedted, Martinius i forgets not positively to affirm, That the fame icultoms both at home and abroad i the fame Letters ^ and the fame fafhion of habit, as of old* they all ufe throughout their univerfal Empire, how far foever it extends even at this day, Hear M.Mart. t him in his own words, Omnes enim domi forifque^' 11 morihus , omnesiifdem Uteris , & eodem corporis i in univerfoy qua patet , imperio etiam hodie utumur. 'Vnde conjectari poieji , quanta fit animorwn in iis conjunaio, qui adeo nulla in re funt inter fe diverfiw Whereby may be conjedtured, faith he, how great a conjunction of minds there isamongft them. j. An Ejj.iy towards the them, that not fo much as in any one thing they differ among themfelvfcs. THE objection made by DoCtor Heylin be- ing now thus fully anfwered, our fobjeCt re- quires, to give you feme accompt of the Lan-; guage arid Letters of the Cbinois i which ( even that little, that hitherto is arrived atoUirknow- ledg ) in regard of their great Antiquity, & uri- alterable triage will be found fufficiently enough, to make our Effay probable at leatt. Arid about this I (hall no longer detain you, thari that I tnay therewith bring my difeourie conveniently to a period. Not that language I mean of the Southern and other Colonies, which by riurfing up the people in barbarity, through the ambi- tious negligence of the Royalets , is differently pronounced, and from whence it comes to be Laid, that many Provinces in China have a dif- ferent fpeech. But their true MOTHER and N AT URAL Tongue, which from all Ages hath been ufed by them in their firft plantations, and antient Demeafns of the Crown, and which by their Characters originally compofed to the fame, is fpoken genuinely perfect unto this day. ‘Irigautm and Semcdj call it §nonhoa^ or the language of the Mandarines in regard of the Elegancy, and commodioufnefs thereof^ Mar- tinius the language of the Literati, not fo much becaufe the pronunciation of it is learned by the Natives from their Cradles, as is by fome con- ceived i but for that it is fpokcri purely and elegantly over all China by their learned men, according to their written Characters. Now conlidering, it appears from Bifhop • fFaltatj Primitive Language . I45 Walton i that nothing is more expofcd to muta- tion than Languages, which are in perpetual flotirig, as all the commonly known languages orient.tniK of the Eaft cleerly demonflrate \ and that the u. life of language dependeth upon Letters and Infcriptions : tor not any thing can more allure us of the alteration and change of the Hetntrian and Latins Tongues, and that they differ at this day, from what they were in times of old, then aeir antient Epigraphs, as is thus delivered by aim, §hu.ntum He t riff c a &• Latinabodierna atiliqna recejjernnt , ex wfcriptionibns & tabiilis Eugubinis Hetrufcjs Uteris antiques exaratisf&' ex cafltintnis rojlratis, qit.is nemo adbuc explicavit^cuivis confiat. Therefore in regard written records are fuch certain evidence, it is my intention in this ferutiny to appeal for the uncorruptednefs ofthe anguage of China to their Characters, which have remained in writing on record, throughout all times fince their beginning to be a people i and not oblige you to rely wholy upon their aeech, whatever nevertheless hath or fhall be aid, to make good, that it continues the fame at this day, as primitively it was. And lince we are to carry oh our Effay in an' lie diltorical manner only, we think it improper o launch forth into any other kind of probtes jeh ivhatfoever, though f by the way ) you are to anderftand, that whatever arguments of Worth irfc produced by any Authors for any language !0 d|o prove the Primativenefs thereof, may probably nuch more agree to this 3 of Which we fhall' lave occalicn to fay fomewhat more hereafter. \nd if wc fhould lay, that the learned Author fc & 1^6 An Effay towards the of the Philofophical Language lately piiblifhed hath founded his chiefly on the Principles of This , we fhould not happily fay amifs s though for the formofhis Character, he hath followed rather the Gotbiqtte or JLunique'pf old. THAT the World and Letters are eternal,.: Pliny is of opinion. Now, if thereby he meant, that Letters are as antient as the World , his meaning, perhaps, might not be far from Truth. But, that Language or fpeech, was, before the World had form •, the Scripture warrants. Fof,' j we read i Dixit, & fattum ejl , not faVtum ejl & dixit : God faid before he created, not, created /i f-x in before he (aid. Which flie weth, faith Ainfworth y j’ how God created things by his word', faying, and it was s commanding, and it was created s Pfil-33‘V-6, C ). and 148. v. 5. So that if we are to underffand the Text, Gen.i.v.^. according to the- Letter as he doth s Speech was before either things, or creatures were made i and confequent- ly is, of more divine Antiquity , than either the world or men. That the PRIMITIVE Language was not a itudied or artificial fpeech, nor taught our Firfi Parents by Art and by degrees as their Generations have been , but concreated with , them, is certain. For, we read that God no foon- er queftioned Adam, then Adam anfwered him. ^ And the Lord God called unto Adam , and faid unto him, iVbere art then .? And he J'aid 1 heard thy voice in the garden, and I was af raid , becattfe I was nailed, and I bid my felf. Gen 3. v. 9,10. Where- by we are affured, that as the Creation of man himfelf was admirably perfect j fo his language was Primitive Language. 14 ? was originally plain and meek 5 nothing of that being found in either, which necellity afterwards compelled the poflerity of the Confpirators at Babel, tor their greater reputation to (tile Art ? becaufe God having given them over to them- felves, they had no other way left to compofe and regulate their Adtions, then what either their ingenuity or experience by enforced and premeditated means afforded them. And feiiig it is prefumed that Adam by his creation knew whatever might be advantagious for mankind, I fee no reafonbut we may conceive, that the hrft Characters, that were ever framed to language were of his invention } for, that they were found out in the very infancy of the world, is, faith shw.XaL Sir W. Raleigh queftionlefs, and the World was hift.pnr.u never more an Infant, than in the daies of Adam. 0 He that gave names to all things, knew belt how to invent Characters for all things, whereby in ’their proper natures, thofe names fhould be communicated and continued to his OiF-fpring. In like manner, having letters there is no doubt to be made, but that they had books alfo for fome part of the books of Enoch , containing the courfe of the ffars, their names and motions, is faid to be found after the flood in Arabia Falix , within the dominion of the Queen of Saba ( faith Origin, as loco citato quoted by our Hiffo- rian ) of which T ettnllian afiirmeth, that he had feen and read fome whole pages. And as little quelfion there is to be made, but that the letters with which in hone and brick either Seih or E- Hocb, or both engraved the Secretiora of their inventions, were lagniticative and hieroglyphic L % saU AnEffay towards the cal ; fuch we may fay, as were invented by Adam for the benefit of them and their pofterity. For, though in feveral Authors we find they ufed Letters i yet that they or either of them firit found them out appears not in any Author. Seing then, they are only faid to be the firit that made ufe of them, whereby it is manifelt they followed but a former prefident, the glory of the invention remaines abfolutely unto Adam , unlefs any man will go about to yeeldthe honour thereof to Cain 0 or the firit of his ilfue, before either Seth i)r.Br for, having told us, that many conceive Hieroglyphicks were the Primi- tive way of writing, and of greater Antiquity than Letters, and that thereby the Language confifting-ef things they fpake unto each other by common notions of Nature, he concludes faying, ” This indeed might Adam well have ’’fpoken, who underftandirrg the nature of ” things, had the advantage of natural expreL ” fions. That afterwards likewife in fucceeding times, as if they alfo took example from thofe en- graven icnts, they began to write their learning in Cyphers, and Characters, and Letters bearing . the form of fkal'ts, Birds, and other Creatures, K aleigh alfo maintained. And it was the belt evafion for all thofe that futfered from the Con- fufion o f Babel f faith Doctor Brown, p p-j With Sir Walters opinion herein, that, that ertmagel. Bnrchas from Hiurnius the Chaldean relates,* //^.j,/.82ifeemeth fully to confent, laying, that the Pbt- rimms! Yriwitive Language, ;< 142 tiicians before the Ifraelites departed out of JEgypt ufed Hieroglyphical Characters, which he thinketh they learned from Abraham y the fame which Seth and Enoch ( mark I pray ) had before ufed. As alfo, tha tMojes received the hrft Alphabetary Letters in the Table of the Deca- logue, and from the Hebrews the Phoenician s'y who could not want fufficient time to learn and imitate them, for Mcfes ffourifhedan hundred years before Cadmus wandred into Greece. Which Sir IV. Raleigh from Ettpolemtis and Ar tab anus Sirnc/^/* confirms, telling us, that Mofes found out Letters, Hijt.par.i. and taught them to the Jews, of whom the^* 26 ' Phoenicians their neighbours received them, and the Greeks oi the Phoenicians by Cadmus. In Eh- febiu$ likewifeit appears, that Mofes hrft taught parat.Eva. the ufe of Letters to the Jews, and that the^.iS- Phoenicians learned them from the Jews \ and the Grecians from the Phoenicians, Godwin attefteth, ‘J'.Godwin If then afw el before the flood, as long after it, figniheative Characters only were in ufe-, for ' ‘ ' Ci ** r without all peradventure that famous Infcripti- on at Perfepolis in Perga eonfifts of fuch Cha- j racters - , and although it differs, its true from the received Hieroglyphical way, being compofed of the form of Triangles feveral wayes tranf- verted o?zly. Yet we cannot but allow, in regard the people in thofe early dayes framed the Characters to their Language correfpondent to the fancy of their imaginations but that they fnuft be made according to the more or lefs ingenuity of the People that fo framed them. And fhould it be ejected that this Infcription ifeems foto exceed all Antiquity, that fome L 3 fuppofs I '5 0 An Effay towards the \ fuppofe it may be written before the flood \ it may . be anfwered, that though the world then had . but one Common language \ nevertheless according to the divers humours, and capacities of the.'Ptcpplet, as hath been faid, for they could not jbe. all alike ingenious, the then Characters might not be generalbutdoubtleft different. For, the Language was of God, who is not given to mutability > the Characters were of men, that are wholy inclined to variety. And if until the dayesof Mo/er,- Alphabetary Letters were not known, which by violence of Conqucrours, mixture with forein Nations, liberty of Commerce, long tradf of tin>e, delire of Novelty, and Lveral other waies are aptly difpofed to alteration and corruption. In vain do we fearch for the P R I M I T I V E Language to remain with thofe Nations whofe Languages confift in Alphabets. .For it cannot in reafon be imagined, that Letters could be brought at tirlf into fuch a tiudied order, and methodical way i but accidentally .as it were at random invented after a plain and iimple manner, conformable to the fpeech ■, as all other Arts from fmall be- ginnings and ruder notions have grown to perfection in time and by degrees , many Ages and long experience being required to perfect any invention of whatever kind. And it thofe „ Infcriptions reported by Pampsnms Mela , and i.ZJU dh’vy to have been found at Jtyfa , w i t netting that it was built before the flood -.and that Cepha or tap. 1 3. Cephetts reigned there, and on which were in- graven the titles of him, and his brother Phi- ncus ^ together with a memorial of the grounds and Trimitive Language. 1 5 I and principles of their Religion, had been com- municated to pofterity in the proper Character, nothing could have more allured us hereof. For, our learned Selden ufed to profels, that for adjuftation of time and action, he more valued one Antique Inlcription,than an hundred arguments Of the Schooles. Wherefore it is much to be lamented, that rhofe worthy Gentle- men both of our own Nation and others, that at fuch hazard and charge have travailed into the remote parts of Afia, trom whence all An- tiquity is derived > have negledfed to exemplifie feme at lead of thole many Infcriptions, which remain frequently difperfed in that part of the World, and which are fuch, if what hath been related to me be true, as that they will very probably confute feveral Pretenders to this Title. But not intending to difputc of this* Certain it is, that there hath hardly been ever any People fo barbarous, or Nation fo unciviliz- ed, which to manifell their Conceptions amongft themfelves - , have not had their Characters either in a fignifkative or Alphabetary manner as the experience of times and places teach us. By the Alphabetary kind, as with us, and other nati- ons, afwel in the Ealt , as other parts of the World, the Vulgar come vulgarly to know whatever aCtion is performed: But by the figni- hcative, thofe efpecially I mean, that involved myftically the whole conception of fome certain matter, the Vulgar came to know nothing, but what vulgarly befitted them for to know. Thus, not to mention others, the JEgyptians, fyacbmaneS) and Humans of old , made ufc of L 4 FLiero- I $ 2 Ejf/^y towards the Hierogfyphicks to keep their Arcana Iheojogi# & Imperii fealed up, as it were, in the breaits of their Priefts and Minifters of State only, And thus the Chin is invented their hr ft CharaCt ers, J. Kir ch* n d formed them from all things that are obvj- lii.p.i > 6 . ous to lights as Beads, Eirds, W'ormes, Fifties, f;p 7 * Herbs, Branches of Trees, Ropes, Thread?, Points, Circles, and the like s with this diffe- rence neverthelefs, that whereas the JEgyptians, and the reft invented their Hicroglyplncksto conceale their Arcana from the peoplp , the Chinois on the contrary framed their Characters to communicate their Concept a to the people. Tor, as the Characters of Ihefi were invented for declaring precifely the conceptions of tingle wdrds, andliames only, no other mydery being included in them: So, the Hieroglyphicks of ftp. 134. 7 ho/e didnotexprefs tingle words or names, but involved senigmatically entire Ideal conceptions. Whereby the difference between the Hiero- glyphicks of the jE^ptians and Characters of the Chine, is . is evident f and that they are not in omnibus tmitli, as Kir chews would perfwade. But with what oti}er differences are between them, or whether in any manner they may feem to correfpond , we intend not now either to trouble you, or our felves. f^AmbOr f hi E Invenfour of the hrd Characters of par. 2.' ' China , was Fohius their hrd Emperour, who 105. according to the time that is given to tl e begin- ning of his rejjp*' might be contemporary with M Mart. Enos. for, as' iflth been faid , Martiniui and §in, uiji. Voffius aftirm, that the Hiftarical computation lib. i, pi ijjEthe Chin s begins from that year wherein l!r ‘ ' ' ■ ' ■* “ Eobim Primitive Language. 15 3 \Fobm entred upon his government, which was an the two thoufand eight hundred forty feventh year before the birth of CHRIS T. Now that year before the birth of CHRIST anfwersto the live hundred fifty third year before the De- luge, and Enos died in the year of the World eleyen hundred and forty , which preceded the Hood five hundred and lixteen years, whereby fohiKs might be contemporary with Enos thirty feven years , according to the Chtmis hiftorical accompt/and as by our vulgar Chronology is evident. The mold accurate Chronography of Jttcn. e th tCbinois-, by the calculation of Mojes, precedes mun.p. 18, the deluge feaven or eight Ages^ faith VoJJius. But I hud Xircberus very much to dilTent here- A%Kir e>c / u from. For, he faith, that the Cbinois as from HI. par. 6. their Annals and Chronography may be eolled:- ed, place the firft invention of their Tetters almolt three hundred years after the Deluge, ot which their firft King, Fobius by name, was the firft Inftitutor as by the book of thefuc- beffion of their Kings appears. Now, this variance arifeth, becaufe Kirch ecus for his calculation ufeth not the fame Europaan y but a different Chronology from the reft. For whereas Frigamius , Martinius , Semedo , with Nieuboff , deduce their computation from the vulgar JEra of C H R I S T, by which according to the original Hebrew Text, the flood hapned in the year of the World one thoufand fix hund- red fifty fix i Kircberus on the contrary takes his from the JEra aflerted^jy-J^c VoJJius , whereby according -to the Seventy^ the flood is made to happen in the year of the World two thoufand if. ViJTius tie vf tat. 154. An Ejjay towards the thoufaod two hundred fifty fix i the difference being fix hundred years. And by this compu4 tation indeed, we (hall find, that the firft Letter! of the Chineis came to be invented by Fobius § two hundred forty four years before the Co«> fufion of Tongues •> and confequently not much lels than three hundred years after the DelugeJ a sKircberus hath alleged, the precife time bein| f two hundred eighty feven years. For VoJJiujK [ make good his Chronology affirms , that thi f difperfion at Babel fucceeded at the birth o]f Bhaleg, which, faith he, was five hundred thirty!' 1 one years after the Flood: Quam fad am effm Man. png, diximus ante&pojl nativitatem Phalegi annisfoftf V’ ■ diluvium^i. being his words. But although by this it more than manifelfly f 11 appeareth, that jCbina had letters , and waif planted two hundred forty four years beforef the Babylonian Confufon , and that thereby thlf Cbinois could not beobnoxious tothecurfeol Confounded Languages s neverthelefs ( except their Letters, as Semedo conceiveth, were borr with them, and together with their Theology.^ taught them by Noah ) that alfo they were people, and confequently had a Language, long/ before they could have letters in ufe, rcafon/: muff grant, and V off us will not deny. For he”' intormeth us, That hisSerians, ( our Chinois f '* i n their Annals record, that in the more antient f rimes which both preceded, and immediately/ fucceeded the univerfal Deluge,their Countrej f was inhabited, though they will not for certair , affirm the fame, but willingly rather acknowledg / theii- errour therein. But if in them it be ar ■ errou.r Primitive Language. 15.5 rrour, then is Vofflut himfelf mod eminently uilty of the lame errour, for , he hath long nee delivered his judgment, that by his calcu- ition, the Cbinipue deluge correfponds exadfly ith the flood of Noah. But unlefs China were copied, it could not, according to his own po- tion be drowned. For, with great vehemency e difputes, that thofe Countries that were not ahabited, perifhed not in the Deluge. Hear im, Vt vero diluvii inundation em ultra orbis abitati terminox producamm , nulla jubet ratio , ^un.^ag. no prorfus abfurdunt dicere , nbi nulla bominum 5^ , edes, illic etiam viguiffe effeUus poena foils homi~ ibus infliCt a \ But that we ffiould draw, faith the Inundation of the Deluge without the mits of the habitable Earth, no reafon enjoy ns, ea verily, it is abfurd to fay, that where men ad no habitations, there alio the effect of the uniffiment, infli&ed on men only, ffiould take lace. So that his argument Hands thus \ That lountrey which was not peopled , was not rowned by the flood ■> But China he himfelf ffirms was drowned by the flood Therefore China according to his own affirmation was peopled before the . flood. Either then the Cbi- ioix are not in an errour for fo recording, or 'fojflus is in an errour for fo affirming. But China vithout all peradventure was inhabited before he flood, and consequently drowned, and there- fore both the Chinois and Vofflus are in the right. \nd he himfelf hath furthermore and very ately acknowledged. That the Chronology of China, by the Mofaical accompt, precedes the flood feven or eight Ages. Mark ..fin leli ID 121 * 5 ecame hereditary ) formerly to take notice, and sdirebtly aufwerethto the end of the reign of Kunw-, who hrlf ordained this order to be perpe- jbally obferved, and who upon the carting off of thus, fucceeded Jans, as is already faid. Audit onfirmeth alfo, what Mamnius aflerteth , That ' (here is hardly any Nation in the whole World o be found comparable to the Chinois for their 20 . 4 ertainty in Chronology. Qua cur a non ullatn acile Mtionem Sinis in Qrbe rehquo parent invenias - > icing his words. And likewife, left it were not afficient for him once only to affertit, he*f- rms the fame again, faying , Qua in re mirabile T] ,. r n /• 1 ■ t .L Id. par. 12 . inarum Jernper Jtudium emicuit , wherein the wonderful care of the Chinns hath evermore ex- celled. Which Vcgius iu like manner attefteth, requently calling the fame accuratiffimi Chrono - rapbia, certifiima Cbronologia , the mod certain Chronology, the moft exad Chronogvaphy . We well know, thofe are not wanting , that hake Nimrodto have arrived at Sbinaar in the lear one hundred and one after the Flood, and he Confufion to have been at Tbaleg's birth i but although it is not to be beleevedi as VoJJius .faith, u.fag. 17. hat the building of the Tower , the Confufion of (ensues, and difperfion of the people fhould be nade, before fcarcely one Age after the Deluge Sirr V.Rah Vas expired ; and though, as Sir W. Raleigh tells hift.par.i.- |rs, ”,Thcfe men] do all by miracle , and f a S- 99 . ibeget whole Nations without the help of ill ’’Time > i6o An tjjiy tow arch the v Time s neverthelefs let it be as improbable' and the time as much abridged as it will, even by! this computation alfo^ the ClafTique Hiftory of the Cbinois begins fourteen years before the C m* fufion of To?2guff happened* It was in the year after the univerfallnunda* tion one hundred and one, at which time Pbaleg was born. Gen. mv.16. that the divilion of the Earth, if underllood to be at the birth of Pbalegi was made by Noah among his grand-children 8c that done^ that they then went from the Eaft- ern parts unto the valley of Stwz^rjArch-bifhop VJher is of opinion. Whereby it manifeftly t>r. ujher feems, that from their removal out of theEaft,' attH.fag . 3 until the curfe of confounded Languages, what in regard of their tranfmigration, what of the pr^digioufnefs of their work, a conliderable (pace oftimeinterlapfed, but what that interval might be, he lilently pretermits. And therefore, if you confult the JErd, that fome marginal notes upon our Bible, Comping Sir IF. Raleigh-, and the mod: learned Antiquaries' follow, which gives one hundred thirty one SirW al y earsbefore Nimrod came to Sh'maar v and their Hiftot.par. ^ accor ding to Glycas, as cited by Raleigh, you i.fAg, ioo. add thereunto forty years more to be contained about bringing the Tower to an height before the Confnfion enfued thereupon, you Will readily find, that the Hiftory which the Cbinois efteem fo authentique commenceth thirty years before the difperfion at Babel, following A"rch-bifhop Vfbers accompf-, and by this other JEra obferved by Raleigh and the red it will appear, that the ' fame hiftory takes beginning eighty four years’ btfbrd i ^Primitive Language. i6i before the Confujion of Tongue s-^hc which in man- ner accordeth rightly alfo,with what Trigautius Syllaba^ Elementum. Saith^ 1 '^'" Trigautius. Their Idiom is very fuccindt, infomuch that as in multitude of Letters they (urpafs all other Kirch, ■ Nations of the World •, fo likewife in paucity Q>. m.par. of words they yeeld to all. For the number of 1 * P* u * their words fcarcely exceeds lixteen hundred. All of them alfo end in vowels, fome few ex- cepted which terminate in M, or N, and they are, all Monofyllables and Indcclinables a as well Nouns, as Verbs, and fo accomodated to their j life, that many times the Verb ferveth for a R_el.de U Noun, and a Noun for a Verb, and an Adverb Cm. far.u likewife, if need require ^ whereby there is not much pains requited to put. them together in M 2 Syntax 1 ^4 An Ejjay towards the Syntax: And for the famereafon we are allured by Sewedo alfo, that their Language is more eafy to be learned, than the Latine , the Gram- mar ofily whereof taketh up all our younger years. Hear him, Conebe fi facilita per ejfere Iht- diata pin che la Latina la cui fula Grammatical piglia gli amii dell' eta puerile. Now thefe being his words, it feetned very ttrange to me to find, that in the Elfay towards the Phil fpbical Lan- guage, pag. 45 2, it is faid, that upon the accompt of the great iEquivocabienefs Alvarez Semtdo affirms the Cb'mque Jongue to be more difficult, than any other Language of the World, quoting Jiijior. China Par. 2. Cap. 2. But, the truth is, the Author is too learned to commit fuch an error himfelf, and therefore deferved a more careful Tranfcriber •, for thofe words are neither in the place quoted, nor in any part of Smew’s whole relation. Who, on the contrary, will likewife ere we conclude, not from cafual hear-fay, but his own long experience, receiving what he writ, not from the ears of others but his own eys, at tell, that upon the very felt' fame accompt pretended it furpaffeth for fweetnefs all other Languages at this day known. It depends not, moreover, upon Letters dif- >\Kir(. pofed into an Alphabetical form like ours, aor th_ m. f,u. have they in their Language any words ‘com- ^ /‘IS?. 226 pounded of Letters and Syllables i but every iingle Character importeth a lingle word or name, whereby they had need of as many Cha- racters, as there are things, by which they would deliver the conceptions of thdr minds. For example, if any fhould go abolufo render Gale- pins Yriwitive Language. 165 pine into their Idiom, fo many and different Characters he ought to have, as there are dif- ferent words therein. Neither do they ufe Declenfions or Conjunctions, feing all thefe are involved in the Characters themfelves. So that it behoveth that man to be endued with a good memory, that mtendef h to attain, but even unto an indifferent perfection in the Cblnique Learn- ing. Infomuch that he that by long fludy, throughout in manner his whole life time, ar- riveth to the higheft perfection therein, as alfo amongtt us whilft living we ftill learn, obtaineth defervedly the prime honours and dignities of the Empire. And as they are more or lefs learn- ed, fo are they lefs or more efteemed. From G.MeuL whence it proceeds, as Mendoza affirms, that HifiM in none how miferably poor foever they be, but ch,n - ltb -‘h learn at lead to read and write, it being infamous ?*£* x 4 0, amongff them to be illiterate. . ~ It may neverthelefs not undefervedly feem admirable unto any man, faith Kircbems, why fo many, and°fuch Characters, which in their ■ Onomafticon, called Haipien , to wit, the Ocean are numbred at fixty thoufand, fhould be in- volved ‘as we faid in fo few words, which that it may be manifeft we are to know, that the words of the Chiniqwe Language, as we- lately fhewed, hardly exceed fixteen hundred. We may with Sewei/o-diftinguiih them. Their Lan- ’ guage hath not in-all, faith he, more than three hundred and twenty vncaboli [ words, I fuppofe unaccented and unafpefated and of parole [_ words which though really the fame, differ in the afpiration and accent only ] one thoufand M 3 t\yo 1 66 An EJJay towards the two hundred twenty eight. But as every of thefe words hath many and divers fignifications, fo,unlefs by the different accents they are not to be underflrood.For,one word fignifies fometimes / Kirch ten ’ & f omet imes twenty feveral things, intelli- eh.ill.par. gible only by the different pronunciation of the <5^.235, Accent. Whereby in regard of the double fence, a 3 < 5 » their Language to ftrangers is very difficult, and not without great labour, intentive fludy , and with a thousand reflexions to be learned by them. So that, it is one thing to know the Chi- niqke Characters, another,to fpeak the Chiniqut Tongue. For anyfrranger that hath a good me- mory, and diligent care withal, may attain to the height of Learning by reading of the Books of China , although he can neither fpeak the Lan- guage, nor underftand what the Natives fpeak to him. From whence may be collected, that as the Frenchman writeth, not as he fpeaketh, fb the Chinou fpeaketh not, as he writeth. And we know , that even at this day , in all generally,! s well antient, as modern Language, there is be- tween the reading and fpeaking a difference ei- Sr. Trig, it ther more or lefs. However, as for that in China , Ch,Exp. ‘irigantius tells us , That all the' difference be- apud S in. tween t j ie fpeaking and writing cpnfifts in the ' connex j on 0 f t |-, e words only. Cf.Nietth. But hereof Nieuhoff will particularly inform l' Amb. or- you, There is no Language, faith he, that hath ?* r ;2.j>ag. fQ. man y words of a double fence as the Chinupteh 'fohich is apprehenfible by the different cadency v of the voice. Thei'ncoifimodity received there- by is very gi eat for one cannot write any thing, that is read to hi min this Language, jior ofhim- t : ' Cdf Trimitive Language, 1 6 j felf underhand a word, unlefe he have recourfe to their Bopks, to know the double fence there- of by the Characters, whereby he may readily find it out •, when in fpeaking f he cannot con- ceive what the Native meaneth. So that, one is not only obliged to have the words repeated,but likewife either with Ink to have them fet down in writing, or if that be wanting, with water on the Table, or Come other thing exprefled. This double fence may in fome naeafiire he apprehend- ed by five different cadencies or principal Tones, which are hard to be diftinguifhed neverthelefs, in regard of their fweetnefs: One word often- times receiveth ( amongft ftrangers efpecially ) five feveral meanings through this variety of Tones. And there is not one word alfb, which hath nQt one of them , and likewife twenty or thirty fignifications, according to the diverfity of the Afpirations , which the Natives learn from their cradles, but is very difficult for a ftranger to attain. And with the reafon thereof 'TrigaHtius (ball ere long acquaint you. Jacobus Golius conceives the Language of Chi- na to have proceeded hot (o much from chance ® j f and neceflity, as from meditation and Art. But U g.caih,jz being it is defiitute of all thofe troublefbme aides fag.-j. that are brought in to the afliftance of Art i for they have no Rules either for Grammar, Logick, ^ g, ;w . or Rhetortck, but what are dictated to them by Kel. At l* the light of Nature,, though greater Eloquence, ci».far.u than amongft them hath fcarcely been ever f ^ ,u * read. Therefore being it is fo nakedly free from thofe fuperfluous guides which we are conftrained to fearch after in learning what- • ' ’ Mi evei r_6S An Effay towards the ever other Language - , we may well conceive, that it was at tirft infufed or infpjred, as the PRIMITIVE Language was into our firft Parents, and fo.from (hem received, rather than otherwife invented and taught th tChinois. And whereas fome fancy, that it is in many refpedfs very imperfect, and exceeding eguivpcal i yet in regard no Author of credit extant, hath given us lb much as in general terms, any the leaf! L notice of any fuch imperfections, I may fay, ■ • that if any fuch imperfections fhall be found therein, they relate in regard of the high Anti- quity unto Artificialnefs only. For, without all peradventureit is a perfectly natural fpeech, and [ was a Language before the World knew, as to this particular at leaf, what that, which we now call Art, meant. And as for the double fence of the words, thofe that have long lived in China . , thofe that have diligently ftudied the fame, and - who are mod concerned, and can bed tell, (hall give you full fatisfntionindue place, that this axjuivocablenefs makes it not only a fweet, but alio a compendious, pleafant, and graceful Lan- guage, not naturally defective. But Golius himfelf (hall prefently atted it, verily, faith he, their Language in this is truly fingular, andit is almod incredible, that all their words are not only Monofyllables, and guilt- lefs of Grammatical differences but ,allo of i fuch very great affinity between themfelves, that, not. otherwife, than by a mod tine variety of pronunciation fcarcely perceptible by other people, they are dillinguifhed. And that throughout all Ages their fpeech hath been . 1 ■' ' ; ’’ one Primitive Language. 1 6c? nc and the felf fames he formerly allured s. ; Now had he withal faid , that their CharaCt- rs were artificial, much Rhetorique needed not p have perrwaded us intoabeleef thereof s in egard their firft, confiding of Beads, Birds, j'lants, Fifhes , aud the like, could not be made pithout fome knowledge in Veftgn. Whereby Ifo this Art appears certainly to be, if not more,' t lead; as antient,as Hieroglyphicks. And as for :-iofe which they ufe at prefent , though it is rue, that according as they are written, either t a fet or running hand , they yeeld a deviation i figure : neverthelefs they are grounded on le Maihematiques s for, they be compofed of erpendicular , rectangular, parallel, and circular nes, as we dull fhortly prove, being now oblR ,ed thereunto. The Characters of the Chinois are twofold, An- ient and more Antient s or , the Originals and heir Abftradts^The more Antient are thofe firft >r grimier Characters of theirs, which we find to >e of fuch great Antiquity , what Chronelogy oever is followed s and which upon efpecial oc- ions only , are now in ufe amongft them. And . he Antient are thofe, which from the other were bftraCted , and bearing the very fame fignifica- ion in their fpeech, are throughout their whole empire in general ufe at this day. Now the firft oxfrimur, which, becaufe their ab- traCts are of above three thoufand feven hundred years continuance, we have for better diftinCtion rake, called their more Antient Characters, con- >iftcd of ilxteen fevcral kinds, taken frjom the va- rious i 170 An Efay towards the rious flyings, goings, creepings, turnings, wind > ings, growings, encreafings, decreafing of vola tile and reptile things, after the formerly men tioned fignificative manner. Kirchertu thus fet them down. A.Kirch. The Hrft, from Serpents, and Dragons, ant cb.m. far. their various complicatures. 6. p.228j- The fecond , from things belonging toHul & Ct banclry. The third, from the Wings of Birds, accord ing to the pofition of their Feathers. The fourth, from Shell-fifhand Worms. The fifth, from the Roots of Herbs. The fixth, from the Prints of the feet of Birds The feventh, from Tprtoifes. The eighth, frorrj the Bodies of Birds. The ninth, from Herbs and Water-flaggs. The tenth, from * But they feem #0 b derived from Ropes or Threads. The eleventh, from Stars. The twelfth, from Bit it is a Chara 6 . er wherein of old their Edidfcs , Charters, an' Letters Patents were written. , The thirteenth, from The fourteenth, from - — — But the Chara# ersexprefs Red, Joy, Knowledg, Ratiocinatioi Light, Darknefs. The fifteenth, from Fifties. - The fixreenth, and laft from But . feems our Author finding, that his Society kno 1 ! not as yet, how to read this kind of them,thinli it needlefs we ftiould know , from whence Anti tjuity compofed the fame. Of Thefe ( befides what others of their Philc .. v ‘ ' fephe i Vrimitive Language. iji hers invented ) each of their firft fix or feven iperours found out one, Fobius the firft fort, M.Mart. nt Imperator Sinicos Characteres repent ,quos loco \orumadbibuit, fed ipfisnodis intricatiores '■> The ' ,u P' 2i ° ie Etnperour accidentily deviled the Cbinique aradiers, which he ufed in the place of Knots, : more intricate, than the Knots themfelves. \-cherus-, as was faid, not unaptly , in regard their involvings, tells us,he took them from pentsand Dragons* as Jans, the leventh fort m Tortoifes, and their feveral poftures : Sep~ A.Khch. a char atierurn forma, ex tejlitudinibus conjlru- par, , fignatur literis H1KLM, quos invent Tan 6 ‘?- 2 3 0, <•, the feveuth form of Charadfrcrs framed m Tortoifes, which King Tans invented, is red with the Letters H I K L M. Which a' re countermarks to demonftrate how exadfr ly y correfpond, with thole they nowule.* In ry one of thefe Charadters fix things were to :ontidered, the Figure, Sound, life, Signifir ;a« i,Compofition and Explication. ■'Jow, it cannot but be here obferved, Mairti- ;r faith, that their Etnperour Fobius intro du- i his invention of their Charadters in the pllace £nots * whereby it may be colle&cd , thait as Americans afterwards, in their Hiftories , by ; ippoes , and the Laplanders and Samoeds at. this : r , in their Exorcifms , by Knots s, fo the Cbi~ k more amiently exprefled the concep- ins of their minds by the like way. And to Is purpofe I find , in our Aut’nor , tha t not ch before Fobius hisdayes one, Stilus govi irne- iCbina-, and that he, inftead oft' Character*! and liters, firft found out knots of Kopes,for eafing • of id.pag.l'j. Wj 172 An EJJay towards the of the memory, and taught them the right w of ufing them in Schools. Furthermore, it appears by Martiniut , that th have a certain fort of Characters in ufe at tl day, which were invented long before the rei of Fohm. For, Ibienboangw 0 who was thd next governour after Fmncuui , and, who fi .civilized, and brought them into order, invent * that double fort of Letters, from which by joy ingthem together, the Cbinois afterwards, abc the year before CHRIST according to t vulgar computation two thoufand fix hundr and feventy, framed their Cycle of fixty yea The firlt fort confifts of ten Letters, which tfc call Cam the fecond contains the twelve hoi of the day, which not by numbers, but particu Charadfers they exprefs and lignite. From! connexion of thefie lame characters, they fupp to know, not only the name and quality oft year, but alfo of the whole year, and every c thereof, the fecret motions of the Heavens, a thteir influences upon terreftrial bodies and 1 tural things. A.Ktu.Ch, J> oflerirres vern Sing, rerum experientia dociior C!i>n mi H nain in t anta Anwnahwm Flam arum congerie confufiomm vidermt , charaU^res bujufm variefiguratos^cerris punaorum Jimarumque du but nrs for any Latine word we underhand nots ich evidently declares, that he amongd them, t knows the mod Letters is modlearned, as ' :h us, he is the bed Latinift , that isbedac- linted with his Didionary, or he the greated tolad that hath read or dudied mod. The 1 of their Charaders lignihes God ( their ngti happily may be intended ) as the Cha- g. Merc. ier of the Crofs gives beginning to our A\~Atl. in tbet>faith Mercator , in his Atlas. Cbj*. 6 72. Now «7 4 An Ejfay towards the Now to form all this multitude ofLettei they ufe nine ftrokes or touches with thcp only? yet Co difpofed neverthelels, that by a ding,dimini(hing , or turning of a ftroke,th make other new and different ones, and of d ferent fignifications. For example, the ftreig line marked A , fignifies One > being croil with another line, as.at B, it expreffeth Te made with another at the bottom, as at C, it c notes the Earth > and with another at the tt as at D, it ftandeth for a King i by adding touch on the left fide between the two fi ftrokes, as at E, it is taken for a Pearl i butt! which is marked with F, fignifies Creation Life i and laftly by the character upder G, intended Sir. A B C D E F G That their Charadfers,for Contradfs,Polici Pleadings, and fuch like tranfa&ions betwc party and party, are written with a runni hand, anfwering to that which our public Notaries ufei and that for their Manufcri and printed Books another more fct forir A.sem. obferved > as alfo that fome of them are m< it.el.de u difficult, and require more ftudy to be underfto'l cin.pAr.1,1 than others, I need not mention ’> the Chara ers effentjaJiy being ftill the fame. But muft : omit the great Antiquity they carry, LeLetv che ufano-yfur chefiano cos} anticbe , come le git msdcfima^ercbi conforms alls Itira mmorie Hiji Trimitive Language* 175 e 5 le riconof : oho dapih tre mila Jette cento anni , fino a qnejto del 1 640, ?iel quale fcriviarrfo quejia latione > The Letters which they ufe, faith Se- edo, feem to be as antient, as the People them- Ives, for perte&irociceof them may be taken orn their Hiltorical Records, for above three .oufand feven hundred years , accounting to ie prefent 1640 , in which this our Reiati- 1, faith he, was written. Now, as trom him is pt to be colleded i how many more, than three .oufand feven hundred years, his words da pik iay imply, Co in regard they relate not to their fit or primier Characters, but thole particularly hich they now ufe , and to the time chiefly hdn they came to be reformed , we have no :ed to infill upon them. Though the formerly entioned plufquam of VoJJUk, purpofely infcrt- 1 that it may be obferved to this end , compre- :nds no lefs, than five hundred years. Where- re following his alfignation precifely, I fay, it is lainly maniteft thereby , that not only the re- aring of their grimier Chara&ers to a more impendious method, than formerly they were, apned two hundred thirty four years alter the ood i but alfo that ever fince that their reduce- ,ient, their Letters have continued without any teration, and are the felf fame at this inftant me, as when primarily they were reduoed.Inlike miner Kircherus throughout the fixth part ofhis ,hina tyujlrata molt certainly demonftrates, that /e ry particular Letter of them,bears at this very me the felffame fignification in their Language 5 the peculiar primier Character, from which it /as abilra£ted,antiently did, And both Martinw/ \j6 An Effiy towards the and Niettbojf very late Writers, & by Co much th;< , more unqueftionable, have long fince declared that their primier Characters were invented al molt three thouland years before the birth oil CHRIST. And indeed , that the Inven tion of them long preceded their Refer mation , not any man can poflibly doubt conlidering. efpecially, letting what hath for merly been faid afide, that being they wer< deviled by feveral perfons , -fucceeding orf another in feveral Ages, they mull: of necelfif take up many years of times before likewifi their polterity could gain fo much experience as to perceive the great diforder attending fuel a mate of Animals and Plants, divers years alfi •mult necelfarily elapfe, and at laft the bringing of them, being fo numerous, into their prefen form, in regard of the frequent confultations mature deliberations, and manifold tranfcrip tions, could not in like manner be perform^ ataninltant. Therefore, without all peradveb ture, their hrlt Letters mutt be much mot antient by far than thofe which they now ufe as Niettbojf and M irtirim have alferted: Buti you incline rather unto Kircberw-, and the com • putation which he follows, then it appears there by, that their Primer Characters were hrltfoum out, no lels than two hundred forty four year before the Coyfufwt of longues ,but at what time or in what Age their Emendation fucceed^d is not to be gathered, either from him otVofliui The CbiAois give willingly great fums of nac ney for a Copy of their antient 'Characters we formed,, and they value a good writing of thei • no\ Primitive Language. ijj flow Letters far more than a good paintings whereby from being thus etieemed , they come o be reverenced, Infomuch that they cannot :ndure to fee a written paper lying on the ground, but finding it immediately take it up,& ;arry the fame to the Childrens Schools, where n an appointed-place for keeping the like papers, hey remain, tili afterwards at certain times they 9urn them , notout of Religion as the Turks, mt only out of the love they bear to Letters. From Semedo wc have fomewhat more today, II Linguaggto 1 e vario , percbe fono varii li Reg- i, delli quali boggifi compnne qnejia Corona , & an- c .ip 6. ' jeamente non eran fool, md p'ffcduti da' Barbaric qme tntte le Provinck Aufiraik & ale une Settentrk - \alr, The Language is different, faith he, be- [anfe.the Kingdoms are different , of which at his day this Empire is compofed , and antiently lid not belong unto this Crown , but vyere poK effed by Barbarous people, ,as all the Southern hovinces, and fome of the Northern. By which t is evidently manifeft , that in thofe Countries (vhich did . antiently belong unto this Crown, the pecch doth not differ but remains pure and um* corrupted. . , ,, , . j. And hence it is that Martinim throughout hie [ 4tlas of C/abz,;, when giving us the Chorogra- phical deferiptions ot their antient Imperial countries, delivers not. fo much as one only vord of any whatever difference they have in peech. Whereas when deferibing thofe other of Njorthern Provinces together with the South- ern, that not until thefe later Ages of the World J^ere wholly reduced to obedience of the Em- H pirc 3 ’ i j 8 An Ejfay towards the pire, and brought into civil order ■, he not only acquaints us with their various Language , but alio in what manner, and by what means they came to vary therein. For, being as he frequent- ly calls them, rude and uncultivated men,Moun-* taineers and iierce people , and having been at iirft but few, and no care taken of them , till the main Colonies were peopled , could not after- wards when their numbers were multiplied, be readily brought to fubmit to the Supreme So- veraignty i but for many generations through the dilloyalty of their Governours flood Out, and oppofed the fame, as hath been already faid. sftfbrf * Now, the Provinces which from all Antiquity 6. have belonged to the Imperial Crown of China-, are generally thofe that lie on the North of the Kiang , where their firfl Plantations were fetled. For Martinm informs us , that the old limits of their Empire extended unto that Sea, which we may term the Eoan. But that as then it was fo cak led, we are not to conceive. On the North Tartu- ria Antiqua, on the South that great River, which they call the Son of the Sea, bounded it. This Ri- ver commonly called Kiang , running from Well to Eafl, divides the whole Empire as now it is. Nonhand South China, being thefometime! ag. 3 . boundary thereof. He further tells us, that it wa: ofold divided into twelve Provinces by the Em- perour Xnnus. Then into nine by his SuccefToui Tint’. r, before the birth of CHRIST above twc thoufand, two hundred years ; for at that tim< it contained the Northern parts only > from al- mofl the fortieth degree of Latitude to the thir- tieth, where the great River Kiang gave bourn unt Primitive Language . typ ntothe Provinces. Afterwards by little and ttle the Southern parts were biought under tbjedfion, and from barbarity reduced to the binique policy. Then atlaft was the whole mpire of China divided into fifteen mighty rovinces. Whereby it manifeftly appears, that their Lan- uage continues in its antient purity at this day, ot in a nook or corner , as the old Spanijh in if cay i nor in the hilly or mountainous parts of le Countrey, as the Arabiqm in Grandta \ or as te antien tEpirotique in J£pir«r>but throughout all aeir firft Plantations , and Countries which did ntiently belong unto the Crown, which Marti - ius hath told us, extend from almolt the fortieth egree of Latitude to the thirtieth, where the reat River Kiang boundeth them. But, obferve the opinion of M. Cafaubon con- M.Cafaul, crning the difference of their Language. Icon- 4 :fs, faith he, that in fome fort there may be a di-^' * erfity in the fpeech of the Provinces of China : ot any man neverthelefscan poffibly think, that his diverfity could happen , until there were :veral Provinces , but much more rather, that he diverfity proceeded from the difference of he Regions , and the Governments of them. Vhich is not to be denied-, for, we cannot fup- iofe, but that their fpeech might come to be dif- erent, either according to the temperature of he Air, or as the fcituation of the Province was nore or lefs mountanous , which naturally cau- ith greater or leffer rudenefs in the pronuncia- ion of a Language i or elfe according to the' are inGovernment , as they were lefs or more N’ 2 trained ? ® 0 Ej/^y towards the trained up in civility, and kept within due order 4 , 1) ig.in Ujr.Eip iipt’d Sin. VS- Ij-.MCHll, 'lylddU t ft.lib.i, WV- whieh accordingly prefcrveth Language in itsf purity and perfection. In like manner the coia- dudt of the Plantations , might be of great con- cernment therein, as when- either the new Plant- ers arofe from the Hrft fwarm, or were of a fe- cund or third caftling from other places - , whilft the head Colony, as may belaid , or main body of the Monarchy retained and enjoyed purely their genuine or natural fpecch. Wherefore ad- mitting that inthofe Northern and Southern Regions the Language doth differ, as much per- haps as oar Southern, Weftern, and Norfheril- Englijb , for it will fcarcely appear to differ much more, yet it is hill one and the fame fpeech. Do we not grant, that the GmJ^was one Language, though there were five feveral DialeCis thereof? And the Language of the Ephiraimites, Hebrew, or Canaanitlfb , though they could flot pronounce Shibboleth ? Otherwife he that lifpeth or ftam- mereth, which is a dcfeCI in Nature, not corrup- tion of fpcech, may be faid to have loft his M O* T HER Tongue. But let the Vulgar Idiom of the Cbinoisbe as different as it wil',they have not any one Book written therein, no more than we in our Northern or' Weftern DialeCb , but all their Books are written in their true ORI- GIN A L Language , and the Characters of F a S' them are, and ever have been one and the fame throughout then whole Empire. Mendoza makes mention of this difference alfo,and therewith fomewhat acquaints us wherein it doth coniift ELtelleth us then, that if is admirably ftrange-, that though in tl e Domnins; Frimitive Language. 18 Dominions of this Empire, they have fever.il kinds of fpeech, neverthelcfs all. generally un- derhand it by the Letters, not Words, But the reafon is, faith he, becaufe one and the fame figure, and one and the fame Character, is :ommon to all in the figniheation of one and :he fame thing, although it be diverily named n the fpeech i as for example, the Character for a City is univerfally known throughout "heir Empire, though in fome places they call it Lemnbi , aud in others F#, the like hapning in ill other nouns. Now, this proceeds not only in regard their Language is ^equivocal through ;he divers fignifications of the Letter according :othe Accent i but alfo becaufe they have pecu- liar words for particular things according to :he refpedive dignity and quality that the :hing fpoken of, carries in their fpeech i as Semedoj Niettboff \ and Kircberus have told us, tnd as from Martini us you will very fuddenly aear. And therefore Mendoza ought to have leclared what kind of City the Cbmois intend ay Leombi for, what manner they mean by Fit will appear ere long. And of all of them the words are perfed Cbinois , and after the purity of their Idiom pronounced accordingly. As in ike manner with us, though in the North of England they call that a Dove-cote , which in the south is called a Piceon-hottfe, the names never- thelefs are good Englijb > So alfo Engs is as true Latine for a Svyord as Gladius and ’as&olw as pure Greeks for Vrbanitas as But to our purpofe Chen is as uncorrupted Cbiniqne for a City as Fit. and Hien as either } the diverfity N 3 $f iSa Ati Effay towards the M.Mart. 'of Terms proceeding from the different digni- At ^ n ‘ ties they bear. For, thus faith Martinius , The ^ a0 * Cbimis call not the greater Cities Fk, but Chat, apd thofe leffes: ones which are under their jurifdidlion Hien. They call a Royal City alfo Kingsu, for as the fame Author hath it, it is to be obferved, that Kingsu is the common name of dignity for their Regal Cities, but not for any one properly and lingularly fo called. But to what degree of Cities Leombi anfwers, I cannot find , unlds happily it might be naif- Up h 8 ta ken for Ningpq, a Port Town, which theffer- iugals as Martinius informs me, are wont by fomewhat a corrupt name to call Liampo. Whereby it is oblerveable that by one only word they exprefs that, which we are enforced , to fignifie by divers. As thus alfo, for to fay Xel'leU am0n gft us Europeans the manner of taking Cm. par. i. an Y thing, either with the whole hand, or with feme particular fingers thereof, wearealwaies obliged to repeat the Verb lake, amongft the Cbinois it is notfo, for each word fignifies the verb, and the manner likewife. For example, to take with two lingers: 7zo , to take with all the fingers; Cbua , with the whole hand turn downwards : Toie, with the hand open turned upwards So alfo with the verb, Jr, whereas we fay , He is in the houfe i He is eating i or He is fleeping : They have a word, wherewith at once they exprefs, both that He is and the manner how He is. We to fay ihe foot of a Man , the foot of a Bird, or the foot of any Beaft, are alw'aies needfitated to fpecihe it with the fame word foot •> but the ' ■ ' " ‘ ‘ • ‘ ' 1 ‘ ‘ Cbinois Primitive 'Language, i$3 Chinois do it with one fingle word i as Kio, the foot of a Man: Chua, the foot of a Bird : ibi , the foot of any Bead whatfoever. The Natives of China (peak generally as from their Infancy they are taught, without obferving any Accents at all \ whereby in divers places the People, like our countrey Pealants, as they afterwards attain to a more or lefs habit of ci- vility and learning fpeak finer, or broader, and with a fuller mouth than others. For, it may be collected from Martinius , that he among the Chinois that is not well read in the Language, and underftands not the Chara&ers rightly, ore 076. loquentem ruflico, fpeaking in a ruftical manner, delivers his mind harfhly i whereas he that is learned in them pronounceth his words with a grace genuinely. ToT hefe the Language js familiar i from Jhoje not fo welcome or com- mendable. Thus in the Province of Cbekjang, that which ^ Atl g . the Literati after the elegant manner of the piJ ^ U Q.' ‘ fpeech incorruptedly call Kingsu , the vulgar fort ’ of people fpeaking after the common way lefs exactly, call Kings ai \ from whence inP. Vcnetus the name Qnhifai fpringeth. So likewife in Fokjen where they fpeak clownilhly they ufually change N, into L, as Lankjn for Nanking and the hke. For thus Martinius alio , in his dc- 5 fcription of Nankin. The Portugal s , faith he, vulgarly call it Lankin receiving the errourfrom the Fokjens-, with whom they chiefiy trade i for thefe being very rude in fpeaking by a moll common vice of their Countrey are wont to change every N into L. After the fame man- N 4 oer i $4 An Ejfay towards the "tier, as in theEaftof England they fay a Cbitn - M.Mwt. Jtl.Stn, $. 121 , Nej, and in the Weft a ChimLey \ or as with us in fevera’ parts of Somerjetlbir ? , S, is changed into Zi as2uch tor Such •, and F, intoV, asVather for Father and the like. Where alfo many of the People, the farther Weft efpecially, fpeak i foconfufcdly in the mouth, that he, that is not acquainted with their Idiom, can hardly un- derhand either what they mean or fay ', though toeverthelefs, that which they fpeak is Englfh. Thofe people of Fokim are the only they al- rnoft of all the Cbinois , that adventure to go to fea and trade •, and that non objlante the Laws of the Empire maintain fret Commerce and Intercom, fe with forein Nations i whereby they ufe not all, faith Martiniw , one and the fame fpeech, but in fevaral Cities it differs, infomuch that hardly and with difficulty one underftands another, the polite elocution of the Literati common to all rhe other Provinces, being lefs known and ufed here, than in any place elfe. But in Jenping and the territories belonging to it ( for every Province hath feveral, as great as fome of our European Kingdoms) which was planted by a Colony from Nanking, the Inha- bitants fpeak as the Literati , which in regard they live amongft fuch rufticks is aCcompted A.Stm_Xd lingular -in them. Now, Semcdn in celebrating de la cin.p. t [ le chiniqtte fpeech will allure you, that at Nankin^ it is fpoken purely. His - words being, Man no "pin del fo art cbedelC afpro, e fe ft par/a p erfett ament e, come d’ or dinar io fi ode in Nankin, lufwga l Hrlito '■> Their Language, faith he, is more fyyeet than karffi, and if it be fpoken per- o.. w . . , • fedtly, l. p. iz8. I . cap. 5, Trimitive Language. i i£t ly, as it is ordinarily at Nankin, it flattereth he attention ofthe Auditors, or is very delight' .il to the Ear. As our English Tranflation hath By all which it appears , that from thediffe- ent appellations given to one and the fame Cha- aCter, and the divers pronunciation of their lharaCters in divers places , though the words re the very fame, the diverfity of their Language >roceedeth.T hereforc to maKC an end of this dif- erence at once for alii The natural roughnefs of ue Regions, attended by the ambitious proceed- igsot th eRojalets, in thofe Provinces where hey domineered, caufing a rough nature in the lhabitantsmade them live like Barbarians, and aeak accordingly i whilft the pure Language f their Anceftors lay negleded , and their mo- llify trampled in the dirt. But what through heir beginning to be reduced to the Imperial )iadem by Chingus firft, and afterwards by Hi*- ouus about an hundred and forty years before he birth of CH R I ST > what through their inal reducement and union to the Crown , by he vi&orious Humvk^ as was faid , their antient .anguage hath taken root again, & fpreads it felf hronghoutall thofe united Provinces, though ach of them neverthelefs hill retains'their fo udely ingrafted fpeech,as being by longtime be- ome habitual and natural to them , and not in loflibility on the ludden to be eafily either rehned >r reformed. So that with Semed.iwe may confi- lently fay, it is fo far from being loft, that though he Language in thofe Provinces by their re- volts became different, it returns again by their Union 186 An Effay towards the Union into one only throughout the whole Cbrt *. S em. nique Empire. Per'o la lingua della dm venne ef ; Cin’^ari /^ re una f°l a t cbiamino Quonboa , o lingua di. f ;r * Mandarini \ perche ejji con I'ijlejfo pajfo col quale wij duceviano il lor governo in altri Regni , intro* \ du&evano ancbe la lingua : e cofi hoagi cone per tut » toilpaefej come il Latino pertuttal’Europa ’■> anzt \ fill univerfalmente , confervando ancbe ciafcuno la fita natural favella.-, Therefore , faith he, the Language of China comes to be one only, which they call ghtonhoa, or Language of the Marw darins \ for with the fame pace as they introdur ced their Government into thole other King-, doms, they brought in their Language alio j and fb it runs throughout the whole Countrey at this day , as the Latine throughout all Europe- but more unzverfally , every one likewife keep- . ing their natural, or clownifh manner of Ipeech. F Amir. Or . a£ Nieuhoff calls it , by which the Inhabitants o: * one place fcarcely underhand one another, a; was inftanced in the Province of Fokien , unlef: they have recourfe to their Books and Charad- ers which are all one and the fame, wherebj they readily comprehend the fence and meaning of him that fpeaketh. Hence it is, that we Euro- N. trig. endeavour wholly to perfed our felves in cfj. Exp . the Language of the Literati , becaufe it is more apid S in. eahe and more general for thereby faith Tri- hk-i-frzZ. g aut i us ^ Strangers mayconverfe with the Na- tives in any Province. Hence it is, that the ftylc they write, is far different from that they fpeak > although, faith Semedo , ( and mark him, I pray ) the words are the fame, fo that when one goeth about to write, he had need to recoiled his wits, frt far. 2 . fag.xy] A.Sem. Ilel.de l» Cm. par. i, cap. 6. Primitive Language . 187 >r he that will write according as commonly ley fpeak, may worthily be laughed at. Hence it G.Mend . , that Mendoza telleth us, the Language of the h ’fi : del,a hinois , is, as the Hebrew , hetter underhood by c,ndtb ’ 1 ' writing then fpeaking, theCharaders beihgdi-^' 1 inguilhed by points 5 which ferve not fo com- lodiouily for fpeech. And hence it is, that 7 >z- amius , giving us another reafon for it, faith, I do a pu/ihi. erily beleeve , that the caufe thereof is s for that Ub. 1. p.37 :om all memory of Ages,this people have endea- ored to write elegantly rather than fo to fpeak, ifomuch that all their Eloquence even to thele ur dayes confihs not in pronunciation but writing only. Hie porr.o Jcribendi modus , quifinr ■tilis rebut Jingttlos uppingimus charactered etfi me- iori£ fit permokjhts , tamen adfert fecum infig- em quandam nojirifque inauditam commoditatem , cc. But al though this way of writing, whereby ze are , faith he , tofet down a particular cha- ader for every thing, be extremely troublefome □ the memory, yet it brings with it a certain fa- aous and incredible advantage to us, in regard f the univerfality of the Letter. Which incredi- >le advantage, that as well the whole World, as 7 cEurop£anr may enjoy, our learned Hr. John VuVfns by the propofal of a Real Character hath nadeafair overture lately, and ifothers would s willingly contribute their ftudies , as he hath ngenioully begun » for no humane invention, iut Divine creation can make any thing perfed >n thc-fudden we might no longer complain )f the unhappy confequences that fucceeded the ionfufioji at Babel , nor China glory that fhe a- one fhu.il evermore triumph in the full fruition of An Ejjky towards the ofjthofe abundant felicities that attended man- kind, whilft one common Language was fpoken throughout the World. SI Now, though it is not to be denied but that Language precedes Letters, for we fpeak before ' wc can either read or write, neverthelefs it rauli, be granted withal , that we could neither writll nor read, unlefs Characters had been framed to Language. And Charaders were at firft framed to Language, not only that by them, the adions of the refpedive people might be commemora- ted, but alfb that by fuch commemoration the Language it felf fhould be preferred toPofterir ty. Therefore the certainty of Language con- fills not fo much in the fpeaking and pronoun- ing, as in the reading and writing: notin the words but Letters.For thus,he that is wel read in thcOriental tongues, we declare to be a greatLin- guift, as being learned in the fpeech of theEaft- ern Nations. By which it manifestly appears , as Bilhop Walton formerly afferted, that by Inlcrip- tions the truth of Language isdilcovered.Now Nieuhnffyoffhts -, and others have allured us, that the Chmois can and will in maintenance of the truth oilheirs produce faithful witneffes,Antient Records written from Age to Age in not Alpha- betary, but lignificativeCbara&ers, fuch, as the World in the Infancy and Nonage thereof had in ufe, & CuchzsMartiniur^emedo^ our Cbinique I authors have generally affirmed, are the fameat| this very day, as when primitively they were in- vented : which eminently convinceth that their| Language remains as pure and uncorrupt at this ; prefent in thofe Charaders , as when they firli began to have a Language. But Primitive Language, 189 But the Reverend Bifhop proceeds farther, ind pofitively, as formerly cited, concludes, iying, Jdcirco lingu £ omnes^ qnas libri Jcripti 1 communi clade non fervant, viciffitudini , tttom- na hutnana-, femper ohnoxi£ font, & fingulis :hHs infignem mutationtra jubeunth Wherefore ill Languages that written books have not areferved from common ruin, are, as all hu- mane things, ever obnoxious to change, and in every Age undergo a notable mutation. Whereby it is more manifefily evident ( And to this end efpecially he thus delivered his judg- ment ) that fuch Languages which have been prefcrved in written books are not flibjedt to :hange. And therefore, finding from thofe ^ r - ^ Authors that living many years in Chinn , have chrifi.Exf, not only been eye witneffes, but alfo day and apud sin. night moft ftudious in their Antiquities ( Mar- lil, ' l -P a g3 iinius profelling that for* ten years together, except for his fet prayers, he never took any Epical book in hand but 7 heirs') finding I (ay from Lefter. uch unquefiionable Authorities^That the Ckinois have been a people ever fince the flood of Noah , ind before the Confufion of Tongues s That their Language hath continually in all times , from their firitbeginning to be a Nation,been preferved in written books - , That the Characters where- with thofe books be written, are the felf fame. Which from all Antiquity were extra(fted from their Original Hieroglyphicks : That in thofe Chara&ers their Language hath ever fince cbnfified, and according to them, is at this prefent day fpoken purely : And That by the km: Characters their Language is generally igO An Ejfay towards the and univerfally underftood throughout the whole Cbinique World, We may lately con- clude that the MOTHER or NATURAL Language of the Empire of Cbinay perdures in its Antient purity without any change or alteration. And I muff- not omit, that feveral books yet live amongft them, written in their hrft and : original Hieroglyphicks, which ftill remaining- A. Kirch, in their Libraries, are underftood by all their chjll. par. Literati , though they are no longer uled, except ^iSem^Rel 1 * 1 ^ ome Inscriptions, and Seals inftead of Coats 1 de let Cm. Arms. Among thefe fort of Books is extant far.uc,6. one called Teking of great Antiquity, as taking M.Mart. beginning with Fobius, and of as great efteem /ft” 16 ^ or r ^ e it contains. This Book feems ,l ‘*‘ ' much to confirm the opinion of thofc, that would have the Infcription at Yerjefolis more 1 antient than the flood. For, as 2 bis in Perfia confifts only in Triangles fever al wayes tranf- verfed : So That in China confifts only of ftreight lines feveral wayes interrupted. It treats dpecially of Judicial Aftrology, Politique Go- vernment, and occult Philofophy. But fome may perhaps fay, that with the change of their Antient Theology, the Cbinoif might change their Language alfo. But this Argument is of no validity at all s for, it may as well be faid, that the Israelites becaufe they fet up the Golden Calfe in the Wilderuels, loft their natural Tongues or at leaft when under Jeroboam, ten whole Tribes making a defedfiou followed the like Idolatry. But to come nearer home, every man knows, that our felves changed rrimitive Language. ipi ur Religion in the time o£ Edward the fixth i etnot any man knows, that thereby our fpeech sceived an alteration. Befides the Cbimis did ot fo totally fall from their Antient Theology, ut that ( as hath been faid ) they have Xangti , heir being infe<£f ed with Idolatry notwith- trig. it landing, in as great veneration at this day, b antiqno j alio their Literati not only not^* vorlhip, but likewife have no Idols , ftill ado- ing one only Deity, by whom they beleeveall hings here below are goverqed and preferved *> ,nd they ufe the fame Language now, as when hey firll were taught to adore one God only, vhich according both to frigautius and Nieuboff s above four thoufand years fincc. NOW, in regard that thofe who have writ- ten of the PRIMITIVE Tongue, may be abferved to recommend unto us iix /principal guides to be directed by , for the difcovery thereof i viz. Antiquity , Simplicity, Generality , Mode ft y ofexprejjion , Utility .yxA Brevity , to which by fome is added Conjent of Authors alfoi We having already fpoken fufficiently , as to the Antiquity , will confider in what degree the Language of the Chinois may correfpond with the reft of thefe Remarques, and then fubmit our felves to cenfure. Firftthen as to Simplicity , our Chinique is a Language that conflfts ( and it is lingular there- in J all of Monofyllables, not one DilTyllable, or Polyfy liable being to be found in it > nor hath it any Vowels or Confonants 5 but a peculiar Hieroglyphical Character for what ever can be conceived, either in the mind, or may be obvious to \p 2 An Effty towards the to the fence. And if in this our EfTay you have 2V( in met with fome words of many fyllables , note Exp.chrijl neverthelefs that every fyllable is a particular mpud S/'w. word, but becaufe that divers fyllables are taker hb.i.p.z6. to fignific one only thing, thofe which we have had occalion to mention herein , are by us con- nexed alter the manner of our fpeech in E ttrspen And although the Cbinois have as many Charadfj ersas there are things , they know neverthelefs fo well how to joyn them together, that they ex-1 ceed not above feventy or eighty thoufand, as you have heard. M.Man. Neither doth their Language confilt , faith sin.bifl. Alartiniusy as ours, of any certain Method, or orc ^ er °* Alphabet, but every thing hath a figure.’ by which it may be differently exprefled trorr others, compofed by no Art or Rule, and as it were by chance attributed to the fubjedf-mat- ter i and fitted, as 1 may add, to the Infancy and Simplicity of Time, Furthermore the Cbi- nois are never put to that irkefome vexation ol Searching out a R adix for the derivation of any of their words , as generally all other Nations are but the Radix is the word , and the word the Radix , and the fyllable the fame aifo, as 1 ri r gautius hath long iinee affirmed ', which per- fwades a facility in their fpeech not to be parab leld by any other Language, and that the true, genuine, and original fence ot things feems to remain with them. Bcfides they are not trou- bled with variety of Declenfions, Conj ugations, Numbers, Genders, Moods, Tenfes, and the likt Grammatical niceties, but are abfolutely free from all fetch perplexing accidents, having n£ v other F limit ive Language. 19 3 tKer. Rules inufe , than what the light of Na“ :ure hath dictated unto them - , whereby their Language is plain, eafie, and fmple, as a N A- rilRAL fpeech ought to be. And it is worthy 3bferv3tion, that, whereas, in point of Theolo- gy, they of all other people have been leaf! guid- ed by the light of Nature i in point of Language, :hey of all other people have been mob, yea, on- .y guided by the light of Natdre. But it was Na-’ :ure that from God taught them their Language, and it was the God of Nature, that by Noah taught them their Theology. Moreover,the Letters’, then which nothing can be more certain, teliiiie , that it is fine it 'la vocum beregrinarHm mixtura-,w'nhout any mixture otfor-* ein words. The Hcbruitians would have us accept the fame account of the Hebrew v and therefore well knowing how fuper/litiouily our Divines for the molt part are atie&ed towards the Hebrew Tongue, and that they will not allow if to be the Language of Canaan, b utthe Original Speechiwe leave them to enquire , Whether the Language of the C.bi?tn is ( whofe twelfth fort of their h r ft or Primier Charafters , feem in no mtean degree tocorrefpond even with the how Hebrew Let- ters jm'ry not ‘be the really true, pure, and anti- ent Hebrew Tongue, which they fay was loll in the time of the Captivity, or as others rather be- fore the entrance of the Jf-aelites from JEgypt into the land of C inaan- . for, f let their Lan- guage be what you pleafe ) if it became utterly lorgotten, in the feventy years their Captivity eniured, much morequeftionlefs might it be cor» rupted in the fome Centuries of years during O thsit a £4. An Effay towards the their affliction in JEgypt. When the Taskmafteis that Pharaoh and his Councel fet over them were JEgyptians ■> the Text being plain, that, Iheydid fet over them ‘Iasktnajiers to affliti them with tbeir burthens , Exod. I. v.ii. andhLxo&.^.x.i^. When to encreafe their afflictions thcmore, they lived j difperfedly over all the land of JEgypt, So, faith Mojes, the people were fcattered abroad throughout alt the land of JEgypt, to gather ftubble in Jlead tfjlrarv. Exod. 5. v. 1 2. When that Text alfo, Speafnow in the ears of the People , and let every man borrow of bis neighbour , ana every woman of her neighbour Jewels if fiver, and Jewels of Gold , Exod. 1 1. v. 2. fheweth, that not only they hved promifcuouf- ; ly among the JEgyptians but hkewifeufed the 1 Egyptian Tongue, how elle could their neigh- bours ( JEg ypti an s faith Ay nfworth ) underhand what they d diked to have, unlefs either they fpake the language of the JEgyptians , or the JEgyptians theirs, whatfoever it was ? And when they went up from thenee accompanied with a mixt multitude i And a mixed multitude went up alfo with them . Exod 1 2.2.38 Which were JEgyptians and other Nations, faith Ayn- fwonh 3 but the Chaldee Paraphraft many ftrang- Jrnfu'.in ers, whofe numbers TFillct finds to be not fewa tLxo.n.arid than five hundred thoufand perfons, that having: Vrill't in eit her lived in Gsjhen with the Ifraelites , or draw- HxA i2. mg together with them from the feveral parts oii Jkgypt accompanied them from thence, being moved by the works of God to go out of JEgypt with them. And in regard thefe had fo great an influence upon them, as in fo fhort a time after, tc' corrupt their ways by making them to murmur Primitive Language . 195 gainftGod, and luft after flefh. Numb. ii. It aay riot be improbable , but by their long and anftant continuance amongtt them , they right contribute much to the corruption of leir Language in like manner > they being rea- lly prone, as by their frequent Rebellions it ap* ears, to entertain any thing , how pernitious lever to their fucceeding generations, , . Cluverius as I rind in Af. Cafaubon , ufeth it as ’ n argument in oppofition to the Antiquity of lie Hebrew Tongue, that almolt a thouland rords may be colle&ed therein, which to molt r many Languages at lealt are common. But ow many foever Cluverm hath collected thofe ireign words to be , I Hiall now remember one nly, Opbir ^ from whence Solomon had his Gold, retious Stones, Ivory, and other Rarities;, in re- ard efpecially Writers fo much differ concerning .Some taking the fame for pure Gold it felf s O' hers fuppofing it to be that Region of America^ vhich is commonly called Peru , and Of which' here being two, the North and the South v hey will have them to be joyntiy Called Par- aimwvid that gold, the gold of Pariuim : Others, ■ep b aU or Sopbila in JP.tbiopia\ Others again an iland in theKM'.S’e^and Others HiJpamola.Now hat which hath caufed this diverfity of opinions', rid that the place hath hitherto been unknown, s,the nriftaking o i Opbir to be Hebrew, when ndeed it is an JEvyptkjueor CoptiqUe word , and monglt the Egyptians of old was the name for Wirf, and no other placd whatfoever. But if this mixture of words may be brought Q bar againfr the Hebrew , what judgment {hall A.Kirc. Ch . lll.pttr.z, M. 5 S,5P An EJfay towards the b'e given in behalf of that people, which have e> ver fince the univerfalflood ufod a fpeech,that hath' not any one wprd thereof common to other Lan- guages •> fuch Countries as have been fubdued, or fuch Colonies perhaps as have been planted by : them excepted ? And if ever our Europeans (haW become throughly ftudied in the Chinique tongue, it will be found, that not only the Chinois want words toother Languages common, but alfo that they have very many whereby they exprefs themfdvesin fuch Elegancies , as neither by He- brew, or Greeks , or any other Language how ele- i gant foever can be expreffed. Beiides, whereat ; the Hebre rv is harfh and rugged, the Chinique ap - 1 pears the moft fweet and fmooth Language, of al ( others throughout the whole World at this da) 1 known. 1 And as if all things confpired to prove fhh ‘ the PRIMITIVE Tongue. We may ob J fervc,how forceably Nature druggies to demon- 1 ftrate fo much.The very firft expreflion we mak< < of life, at the very inftant minute of our Births, is 1 as was touched on before, by uttering th cCbimqu 1 word Ta. Which is not only the foil, but indeec the foie and only expreflion, that Mankind fron Nature can juftly lay claim unto. The Language of China as hath been fhewee alfo.eonlrfteth 3II of Monofyllables,& in ourjn fancy, the hrft Notions of fpeech we have are al Monofyllables •, asT«,forEathersMu,for Mother Fu, for Brother j the like happening in all othe teams, until by hearing and obferving what 0 thus in our confuted Language fay, we alter acl cordingly, adding now and than » Letter or Syl Yrimitive Language . ipj able by degrees i whereby in the end we are wrought to plain words. For, it is not by natural nftinft, but by imitation, and as weareinliruft- ;d that we arrive at fpeech , that is, in fimplc ’erms and words to exprefs the open notions of hings, which the fecond aft of Reafon com- ooundeth into propolitionSjand thelaft into forms ^Ratiocination. The Cbinois have not the Letter R, nor can y.-MW,. ever by any poffible means be brought to exprefs P Amb. Ort pr pronounce the fame, whatever labour or dili-.^* 1 * ^ gence is ufed by them. And when our Children 3 ‘ attain to riper Age i as if Nature abhorred the Cnrfufion-, what care and pains do we take, what opportunities not lay hold of, by praftifingand Repeating to make them pronounce this Letter, till education after long conteft prevailing they arrive thereat ? Thus from our Births to our In- fancy , and from our Infancy to Riper Age , till Na- ture is compelled to yeeld by the enforced pow- er ofinftruftion, unto corrupt fpeech, wegene- , rally throughout the Univerfe appear in our I Language direft Cbinois . But peradventurehere likewife fome will be ready to fuggeft, that the Language of China is not plain and eafy, but difficult, not to Grangers only, but the Natives alfo, in regard of the divers Accents and great Equivocation of the words proceeding from them-T° which is anfwe- red, that let the difficulty be fuppofed as great as thought may think, or Art can make, it relates unto Grangers folely and therefore cannot in the leaf! degree refleft upon the Primitivenefs of the fpeech > becaufe when the whole World O 3 had ' g. > |pS An Bffay towards the had one common Language > throughout the whole vyorld none were Grangers to that Lan- guage;, but all people univerfally underftood and fpake the fame, being born Natives thereof, and learning- it from their Mothers breads* as the natural Chinns now do or as any other Nation ever did theirs. It was the Confufiohrf tongues-, that firft made ftrange- Languages, and Strangers tothem, whereby they became dif- ficult to be attained. But- afterwards, when either curiojaty invited, or neceiTity compelled men to learn them, Art entred to adt her part therein, and by methodical wayes, and orderly Rules fweetned difficulty, and induced her to fobmit to diligence, which after much ftudy neverthelefs - prevailed » and finally got the Upper hand. And this China it felf fhall- witnefs, for Pr. Jacobus Pantoya finding it ablolutely necefTary for propagating of the Gofpel, to know the true Idiom of the Language, framed our Europe ait tfiufical motes UT, RE, MI, FA, SOL, LA, to. anfwer in pronuntiation unto the elevations and cadencies ellfervable in the Cbinique Accents which are thefe, A - — - \ r U O Kirch. The firft Accent a anfwers to the Mufical • tV-par* Note V "I : but the Chimcfue found or pronun- j* ciation, denotes the fame , and it is the firft pro- ducing an equal voice. The fecond, anfwers to RE, and a- inongftthe^ww, it is as much to fay, as a clear la. •. w , / *. ; - - * equal Primitive Language. 199 ,’qual voice : or as Gnl'm hath it a word directly ind equally caft forth. addn 77 The third \ anfwers to MI s expreffirig with Keg'cath. them of China, a lofty voice: more firongly pag.4, delivered, but more flat in the pronunciation *han the former. The fourth /” anfwers to FA, and Chimquely fignifies, the lofty voice of one who is going forth - , that (peaks, in contrary to more free- ly and in an higher Tone - , or as if it proceeded from one that puts a queftion. The fifth u anfwers to SOL, and thereby in 1 the Language of China , the quick or hafty voice of one that is comming in, is intended. The laft, 0 5 as alfo, ) denote a plain ■ voice. - By this invention the Society came to be much aided in overcoming the difficulty of the fpeech And by the help of thefe notes ftrangers learn the Language, but with what labour, and by how many reflexions, is ealier in thought to be imagined, than by the pen, faith Kirckerus, to be exprefled. So that it is cleerly manifell this difficulty relateth unto Foreiners particu- ’ larly > for the native Chinois , as the fame Au- thor affirmeth, never obferve any Accents at all, but from their cradles, as almolt all other Nations, are accuftomed to the pronuntiation of their MOTHER Tongue, although their Literati not only in a cm exercito, but in aVtuflg- nato , both in the Pradtique and Theory, know and teach every Letter to be pronounced truly, according to the refpedfive Accent due to it. \yhich more fully adjufts the firnplicity and O 4 purity 20Q An Ejjay towards the puiity of their .Language •, and the ftrid care they take to preferve the fame. % Now, as this difficalty is great unto lirangcrs, who alw-ayes in attaining whatever fpeech en- counter much; So they are abundantly re- cotnpenced , and more advantaged, in other refpects ; not only in regard as you lately heard, of the incredible commodity they receive, by laying the labour of learning divers Languages, Whillt in China it felf the idiom varying, and in the adjacent Kingdoms the languages being (different, fhey all agree in writing; but alio injregard of the many Elegancies ayiling from the double fence of the words, on which the (difficulty is grounded. For this /Equivocablenefs is accounted the Elegancy of their Language, which copfifts, as was faid, in the written Cl}a- ^ Tfi .^tader rather, than the vocal woid, and there- fore to furnifh Ibit, the Cbinois negleding ti'pitd SirtJ-Jbis, all their negotiations of what kind (beuer hb \.p.z~- a' r e tranfaded, even all their moll familiar | >Kr " P; ^ r Mndfages fent, by way of memorial in writing, ^‘- 7 not by word of mouth. And from this Elegancy it is, that thofe of Japan though they have of late times invented forty eight Letters, for thp difpatch of their ordinary affairs, by the con- nexion of which they exprefs and declare vyhai> ever they pleafe. Yet neverthelefs the Cha- raders of the Cbinois in regard of the excellent terms, and phraffs their Language affords, either f toiffe Sewdo s wordsj for . delivering of their minds with refped, fubmiflio.n, or in ap- plaufe of anothers iSeries, are itill in fuch rc- gudf, and &> great efrimatioi} amongft them, 1 '• v **' " " - as Primitive Language. 201 is that thofe forty eight letters, howfoever they be more commodious to exprefs their con- ceipts are little regarded in comparifon , hut by way ofcontempt accounted , and called the wo-? Mayn't mens Lettes. As Clorijio. Barri a late Italian Wri- c’ 0 chin-Ch iter in his Cochin-China afferts. . cap.6. Secondly Generality, Whereunto naay be faid, M. Mart, it is a matter exceeding all admiration, that a Atl ' people whole numbers o t f. all forts confifts of^* 5 * uot fewer than two hundred Millions of foules * whofe Empire contains of Continent at leaft two millions, five hundred ninety two theufand fquare mjles.fhouldnnderftand one and the lame Character , and that the felf fame Charade r Ihould be in ufe atnongft them, either in M.S. or printed Books, for more than three thoufand feven hundred years. Certainly it feems impolfi- bleitlhould be thus, and certainly thus it is, with- put fome peculiar care of Divine Power. Neither are their Characters underltood throughout their whole Empire only, how far and wide foever it now extends, and by thole people generally that were, in time either Colo- ch.iu.par, pies ol theirs, or conquered by them, as the Ja* 2.3$; font an s , Goreans , Laios , thofe of T onchin, and Sumatra, with the Kingdom of Coch'mrCbina, but feveral other bordering Countries and Illands 140,14 if* a'lo, although in (peaking them, they underftand one another no mor.c than Greeky doDutchmen. Bee a ufe reading the Characters depravedly, they pronounce them in a different manner, alio atqve m.Mm, alio ah iis legantur mod)\, as Martinius hath it, AtLSin. which more confirms, that thofe people that?* l 47« read and pronounce the Letters truly , fpcak the Language 2 An EJfay towards the Language purely •, and that could thole foreign Nations read them rightly, they might not only {peak the Chiniqut Language perfectly , but alfo underltand one another plainly, in regard the fpeecheontinueth incorruptedly in the Charact- er. I And hence it is that Mendoza tellethus, that in China letters miflive ready written and acco- modated to all affairs, are publiquely to be fold by every Book-fcller in bis (hop, whether they be to be fent to perfons of Honour , or inferiour de- gree, orfor to fupplicate, reprehend, or recom- mend, or any other intents whatever occafion requiresy'although it be to challenge one another to the held , fothat the buyer hath no more to do, than ro fubferibe , leal and lend them to the place intended at his plealure. But their way of writing, is different from all other Nations of the World. For , whereas the J&brews, Chaldean?, Syrian?-, Arabian? , and JE~ gyptians write from the right to the left, and the Greeky, Latin?, and other people of Europe, from the left to the right. Tire Chinais draw their CharaCtersfrom the top downwards, as by An- tiquity Hieroglyphicks were accufomed to be written, Their firft perpendicular line neverthe- less beginning on the right hand of the page. And in their Writing they obferve fuch equal diftances, that there cannot be any thing more exaCt. Thirdly, ModeftyofExpreflion for it much reflects upon the Hebrew , as to the Antiquity thereof efpecially, that theie are in it many lom- what obfeene words } whereas by all learned men, it is preliimed that the PRIMITIV Hi Lan- Primitive Language, 203 Language, wasanharnilefs and in nothing im- modeft fpeech => but as innocent as the time in which it was atfirft iiifufed into Mankind. Verba fariem honejta ( qu alia in omnibus Unguis ahqu-a ) M.Cafaub, objieit Nyjfemts, the Hebrew hath words fcarcedy ^ honelt, faith Nyjjehus, in his objection again!! it/ *’ as in M. Cafaubon , who had he been acquainted with the Cbinique Tongue, might have fpared his Parenthefs. For Semedo will allure you , that th tChinois with great advantage exceed in this, f6r they are molt model! in whatever they write, ^f^*/ and very rarely in their Verfes ( Which in all cin.par.u other Languages are more or lefs lafcivious ) is cap.u. aloofeword to be found s and what is more, they have not any Charadter whereby to write : the privy parts , neither are they found written in any, or in any part of any, of all their Books*. Aud from what caufe happily this may proceed, hath been remembred before. Under this head we may alfoadd, that the Hebrews are very famous for their honorable terms towards others , and humble towards tkerafclves. As Jacob faid unto his ErotherE- fau,Let my Lord? 1 pray thee, J>afs over before bis jervant. Gen. 3 3. v. 14. 7 by JcrVant our father is in good health , faid the Brothers of Jofepb to him. Gen. 43. v. 28. And, thy ferv ants jb all bringdown the gray bayrs of tby Jervant our father with forrow to the grave. Gen. 44.V, 3 1. For which the Cbinois A-Sem: are no lefs famous alfoThe fon fpeaking to his fa- RelM la fher, faith, his Toungfim, though he be the eldeft & Cm. par. fnarriedsthe fervant to his Matter llylc-th himfelf^' 12 ” - Slave. In fpeaking one with another , they al- ways do it with expreflions of Honour , as among!! 204 An Effay towards the amongftus, Sir, your Worfhip, and the like. Be- fides, even to inferior and ordinary people, they give an honorable name •> as , a fcrvant, if he be grave, they cal\,f be great Mafier of the Houfe > and we are taught, that Jofeph termed his Steward, 2 be Ruler of bis Houfe , Gen. 43. v. 1 6 . We read likcwife, that Abraham called his wife Siller, fay- ing,^ is myfifier , Gen. 2 o. ver. 2. And, Ta\e no care my fjter , faid old Tobit to his wife, fob* 5 . v. 2o. And if a Cbinois fpcaks unto a woman, though (he be not of any kin to him, he calls her, Sijler-in-law. In like manner the Hebrew is much celebra- ted, for the myfterious fignifications of the pro- per names of men, in which Prophetical pre- dictions were contained, and which Goropiuf in his Indo-Scytbia , faith, the firft Hebrews , might either by interpretation from the PRIMI- TIVE Language, or new impolition aflign un- to them. But though Mofes might receive by Tradition from his Anceftors, that in the FIRST fpeech , names were thus myftically impofed i neverthelefs 5 that by Divine Revelation he might forecord them alfo , there is no doubt to be made. Asi that Adam fignified Red Earth , out of which he was created. Eve, that £he Ihould be the Mother of all living : Lamech , that he was to be the firft, that Ihould infringe the Rites of Ma- trimony inftituted by God, in having two wives ; 1 PWeg, that in his days the Earth Ihould be di- vided. Now, what thefe Scripture names may fignihe in th tChinique Tongue ', or whether yea or no, they have any luch } or how the pamgsofthe fathers of their firft Families be- fore Trimitive Language* . 205 fore they came to be governed by a Monarch may correfpond to them, I leave unto tbe CbiniqHe Lit terati. For, to have acquainted you with the af- finity between the names of Noah, and Jans fuf- ticeth us. But I am not to forget, that, as in the PRI- MITIVE, fo likewife in the Language of China the proper names of men have myfterious ftgnifications in them, Martimus in his Hiftory and Atlas will afeertain you. For, their fixth ! Emperour was called Cous as foretelling the eminent vertue he fhould be endued withall 1 ; Tans at his attaining the Crown changed his | name and would be called Z/ar, as giving his fubjedfs to underftand thereby, what a warlike and valiant Prince, they £hould find him to be : ^ Ngayus would at his coming to the Throne take upon him the name of Pingus,i. e.Pacificus^zs if infpired that CHRIST the true Paci- fique King fhould during his reign be born : And Cb'mgns was called Xius, which name the CbU nnis afterwards found too truly impofed \ for he obferved no moderation in any thing, being fometimes vertuous, fometimes vicious, equally Valiant-and cruel. Befides not only of their Kings and Great Purch: ?iU men, but alfohf all the people generally, both S” ma X e ’ the names and jttmames are fignificant i their " furnames are ancient and unchangeable , and * there are not of them a thoufand in s\\ China i n. Trig.de but their other names are arbitrary at the plea- chnfi.Exg. fure of the Father. What fhould I fay of the Stn - naylierious names of their Empire, having U touched upon them before, feeing irigant’ms tells u /( . us 3 ‘ An tjjay towards the us, that it was of old called ‘Ity.m-, as being un- bounded and without limits i then Yu y as the place of reft and quietnefs > afterwards Hia, as much to fay, as Great » then again Sciam , as enriched with all things $ then Cbeu , a place of perfection \ but pretermitting others , Hm - figniftes the milky way in Heaven. For, from all 5 Antiquity it hath been cuftomary with them, when any new famzly came unto the Crown, according to the myftical fignification of the proper name thereof, to give a new name unto the Empire. Fourthly, the Utility \ for, the Language of China affordeth us, the Acknowledgment of one only true God •, Theology taught by Noah s Predidions of CHRIST in exotique Regi- ons many Centuries of years before his Incarna- tion: devout Ejaculations, fuch, as cannot ( Oh thefhame ! ) among Chriftians without difficulty be found i eloquent Orations, fuch, as nor Greeks nor Roman oratory exceeds •, Warlike Strata- gems, fuch, as Hannibal and Fabitts were, and the greateft Captains are to learn: Valour 1 giving place to none-, Phyfick not to be paral- lel by any i Agriculture furmounting all : The Mathematiques •> Mechaniques i Morality s I cannot have words for all unlefs from China. But if ex nngm Leonem } from the claw the greatnefs of the Lion may be judged i then, for Policy in government, Rules for Magrftrates’, ] Lawes for People, not executed negligently like ours (in Europe) as if no matter whether yea it cr no they were ever made, neither Empire, nor i Kingdom, nor Commonwealth ever or at this ? day I Primitive Language . 207 iay known, can be brought to ftandincom» petition with the Monarchy of China. Whereby, fince her dominion became fucceflive r the inconfiderable duration of the Weftern 'Tartars fet afide) fhe hath enjoyed the fame in a continued fucceffion of Monarchs of her own blood, three thoufand eight hundred fifty one years, accompting to the year of CHRIST one thoufand fix hundred forty four, at which time the now Tartars took pofeflion of her Throne. Fifthly, andlaftly the Brevity. Laftta Breviti I la fa equtvoca^ ma per I'iftejfa caufa compendiofa j The Brevity of th cCbinique Language makes it aequivocal, but for the fame reafon compendious, d e u an. faith Semcdo. Whereby we may obferve, thatf*r.i.c,6. the iEquivocablenefs which is (aid to be fo dif- ficult and troublefome to ftrangers, is even by Grangers themfelves celebrated => and in regard of the compcndioufuefs molt acceptable and pleafingly welcome to the Chinois , who are very particular affedtors of brevity in fpeech.Infomuch that our Author i*s of opinion, that th^y were either imitators of ( which becaufethey are far more antient they could not be) or imitated by the Lacedemonians. And elfewhere he conceives, that Lycmgui had his Law for prohibiting the accefs of ftrangers into his Commonwealth from China. Wheretore, and in regard that Plutarch finds him to have been in India , and to have con- ferred with the Gymnofophifts there, we may prefume to'think, that Lycttrgus during hisrorien travails was in China likewile, and adorned his Laws not only with thofe cuftomes of theirs, but alfs 300 An tjfay towards we alfo federal others the like , as they are by Flu - tarck in his life recorded, though nothing in relation thereunto can otherwife be collected out of the Hifiories of the Greekj. And why? For that the Lawgivers of the Antients, Lycurgus, j Solon and the red, atnongft the Grecians’, as alfo Nutnz among the Romans were too politique, and ambitious of glory, to proclaim from whence really they derived their knowledge whilftone muft have his JEgeria , another his Pytlnonefs » fo Mahomet had his Dove, & Fohius his Dragon, who ; becaufe his Chinois reputed the fight of that ! jf.Mart. Creature to be a great Omen of Felicity, per- v & tn.bift . fwaded them into a beleef, that he took the in- ■ ]ib, i.p.22. vention of his Chara&ers , and their ufe, from 1 the back of a Dragon, as it came out of thewa-' ter, that by a Prodigy the greater eltima- tion might be fet upon his new Art. And in 1 like manner, mod Law-givers have fathered 1 their Laws upon one Deity or other, the more to confirm the people in an awful reverence of them, and. their indi nations. But if the Brevity of a Language be a remarque of the PRIMITIVE Tongue, as it is aifert- ed to be s the Chinique feemeth tofurpals all o- ther Nations of the World therein. For as there- by, the iEquivocablenefs is enriched with com-' pendioufnefs , fo is thecompendioufnefs beauti- fied with gracefulnefs and fweetnefs, beyond in' a manner all Example. To which purpoieSe/Wa proceeds, faying, conejjer lingua eo si limit at a ^ e tanto dolce , che quafi fupera tutte I'altre che conofeu- that by being fo fuccindf a Language , it is fo fweet,that it exceedeth, as it were all others than We Primitive Language. 305 ? ye know. And that we might not acquiefce in iingle tcftimony, Nieuboff aflureth us alfb, La Irie-jete de cette Langue ejifi agreabk , quej ofereis I'Amb.Or. irefque Itty donner le primier rangentre totttes ctllesf ar.a.f.ij* jtdnoHs Jont conues jufques aprefent •> the Brevity )f this Language is To graceful, that I dare al- nolt give it, faith he, the hrft rank amongft all hofe that are at this day known. Now to give a Language the fir ft or primier ank, as to fuccind Sn>eetneft> and graceful L evity is a great ftep towards the granting of it o be, the PRIMITIVE Language » Con- idering which , together with the exemplary Utility i remarkeable Modefty •, admirable Gene - •ality’t great Simplicity, and high Antiquity ■» we nay from thefe Arguments almoit dare to af- arm,that the Languag&ofthe Empire of China S the PRIMITIVE Language. But,having moreover found Noah to have lived both before and after the Hood inC/?i«<».and that 7 foirfpeech hath trom all Antiquity been in one and the fame Charader preferved in books to this day i which itfuch aplej, as can be drawn up and entred,for no other Nation under Heaven, fince the Crea- tion of the World befidess we may more than almoft dare to affirm, that the Chinois have obtained a ful and final decree , for the fettlement ' of this 7 heir claim to the F I R S T of Lan- guages without all farther difpute. Now, as for confentof Authors to ftrengthen our Affertion. It may be demanded, what con- fent of Authors He had , that firft found out there were Antipodes s or He that firft difeovered „ the Ciriulation of the blood ? Thofe thatfoab- id An EJfay towards the folutely pin their bcliefe upon the fhouldersof fuch content •, are, wc may fay, like ftiecp •, whi» ther one leads, the reft all run, without weighing whether the right or wrong way be taken i fo that many times they bring not only themfelves, J but alfo their followers into errours, who by their prevarication the more encreafe them. But whatconfent of Authors can be expc&ed > The 1 Scripture teacheth. That the whole World was j drowned s Noab and his family being favcdl " only : Authors confent, that at the fame time j China was drowned \ (bme few only efcaping i on a mountain there. The Scripture , That Nim- 1 1 rode ame from the Eajl to the valley of Shinaar: r Authors , That in the E aft divers Nations were 1 planted before Nimrod attic to the valley of 1 Shinaar . The Scriptur 4 That from the flood ! ' ; until the Confufion of Tongues, the whole Earth f £ was of one Language; Authors , That from <■' the flood until that Confufion , that Language & was univerfally common, as well to Ihoje-, that 1,1 were in the Eajl, as Ibofe, that were at Babel. The Scripture^ That the Language of 7k/eon!y that were at Babel > was confounded : Author /, ■£ That the Language of Tbofe, that were before planted in the Eaji Was not confounded. And ^ all of them unanimoufly confent, that China was m planted before the Confufion of longues i and that 1 y at this day the Chinois ufe the fame Language, , and have the fame Lcttcrs,aswhenat tirltthey i -jit were plahted, and became a People. We have for many years heard many difeourfes of this extreme part of Afia > many relations ha ye been publifhed thereof j aRd many learned n frimitwe Language . 2 1 1 men conceived thofe relations to Be fabuloux > (hfpe&ing as it were the Providence of God, that any people fhould live upon the Earthly Globe, in fo great happinefs, in fo great felicity, fo many thoufands of years unknown. But of late, what through the unconquerable patience of that contemning all difficulties and perils, have adventured to conquer Idolatry, and advance the ftandard of JESUS CHRIST * what through the opportunity, that hath been given to others alfb, by the late Conqueft of the Tartars , to hold free commerce in China i we now at laft have obtained, though fcarcely twelve months fincc, the true and authentique Hiftories of that Empire. Scarcely twelve , moneths fince I fay, wherefore perhaps, as yet they are not fo much as turned over by thofe that have procured them. Let them be read, perufed, and ftudied, and then it will be found, i Authors have fo f^r cqnfcntcd j That if the Cbinique Tongue be not the PRIMITIVE, I I might,formy own particular, confent with that great Di&ator of learning H . Crotius , ’’ That , ’’the firft fpeech which men ufed before thc^‘^® £SW Deluge, remains now property in no place, (ilI> ' ” only the Reliques thereof may be found in all ” Languages. But finding our no lefs learned Biffiop and many other famous" men, altogether unwilling I fhould fubmit thereto i> and that Grotins was not acquainted with our late Chinique writers, I will now at laft take leave to be pofitive, that more, and with more certainty cannot for the fpeech of whate ve r other Nation under Heaven, be faid j and that there is P 3 ffl 512 An Ejfay towards the , c£C. Co great confent already both of facred Scripture, and unqueitionable Authors , that we may well conclude, until as full confent, and as great cer- tainty be produced for any other, the Language of the Empire of CHINA is the P R. X M l- T I V E Language. ERRATA. P Ag.5./i».27. For words, read viands. $.9.1.12. r. the whole world. Id.t.i %.r. in the whole world, p. 16.I.19. r. Plantati- ons before, as themfelves were lent from elfewhere. Ibid, l.n, read procure, p.24.1. }.r.cnlum.p.28.l.32.r.ad hoccredendum.p.^i, I.14. r.Judsa. p.tf.I.i.r.thit although thofe. p.49.1. rp,.r.Chungque. Ibid, l.i6.expre(\cth.p^i.l.i‘i.T.F°hius. and To in pag.^.tf.gi.pag. 59. /.24.r.a/c««i.p.65./.i9.r.jsrich.p.64./.2.r.referved. Ib.l. 2o.r. Fa- bius PiHor.p.6y.l.i2.r. proCeaited,p,72.l.4.r,Zar^dras.p.yy.l,^.r.ut bunc folum eluvionis.p. 82,lm,uIt.r.Tangiu.p .83. 1 . 21. r. in length. £.87.1.6. r.Frigautius, and lo elfewhere. £,88.1.19. r. ex dotirina a Hoe.p.102.1.5. r. their Emperours of old erefted. £ag.io6. Z.15. Ye. . i»ang.p.i09./.ri.r.Natives.£.iti./.27.r. Hankjng.pag. 112.1.24. r. which though many.I bj.ult. r. Vcieniart.p, 1 1 3.1.1. & 20. r. Sink* tejimo. p. 114.I.16. r.Indico, p.115.1, 93, r.Croceut.pag, 123./. 31. r.alltheRoyalcts. £.124.1.18. r.thofe Provinces. £ag. 125. I.14. r. free liberty of converfation and ftudy. Ib. I'm. i6.f.hiavouui.pag. I28.I. l6.r. Cochin-China. p.l^.l.l^.r.Kirckerus.p.i^^J,!^, r.Je- des. £.170.1.2. r. decreafings. £. 177.!. 314: .of the Northern. £.182. /.26.r.tumed downwards. In the Margin. Fag.yS. For, J. Hieuhojf >par .1. pag.n.r .pig.!.? ag.U4.r. Forneute a beis biert btucbes.pag.j^i For, Id.r.M.Mart.BellJartar.pag.i. ■i [■ F