The history of that great and renowned monarchy of China. Wherein all the particular provinces are accurately described: as also the dispositions, manners, learning, lawes, militia, government, and religion of the people. Together with the traffick and commodities of that countrey / Lately written in Italian by F. Alvarez Semedo ... Now put into English by a person of quality, and illustrated with several mapps and figures ... To which is added the history of the late invasion, and conquest of that flourishing kingdom by the Tartars. With an exact account of the other affairs of China, till these present times.

  • Semedo, Alvaro, 1585-1658.
Date:
1655
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of that great and renowned monarchy of China. Wherein all the particular provinces are accurately described: as also the dispositions, manners, learning, lawes, militia, government, and religion of the people. Together with the traffick and commodities of that countrey / Lately written in Italian by F. Alvarez Semedo ... Now put into English by a person of quality, and illustrated with several mapps and figures ... To which is added the history of the late invasion, and conquest of that flourishing kingdom by the Tartars. With an exact account of the other affairs of China, till these present times. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Chap.i. The Hifiory of CHi:Njl. without mettle, and little worth. Coaches were formerly muchinufe with them, and growing out of fafliion there, we tooke them up, being * firft ufed, in Italy and Spain,in the yeare 1Since they have only ufed Chaires and Sedans, finding them of lelTe pompc and expence, and of greater convenience •, wherefore to this day in all their journtes they ferve thcmfelves with litters carried by Mules, or Chaires borne by 4, or 8, men,according to the quality of the perfons. Thofe which they ufe moft in Cities are in forme not unlike unto ours* Thofe in which the women are carried, are bigger, more convenient, and more beautified •, and aUo the manner of carrying them is different. In the two Cities of Fenckin and Nanckin, where there is a greater correourfe of all forts of people, they have in all publick places a good quantity of Horfes and Mules, with handfome furniture,and very well fitted with bridles and faddles, ftand- ing ready to be hired by fuch perfons, as are defirous, with more eafe and leffe expehce, to travcll up and downc the City upon their occa- fions. In the Northern provinces^ they have but little fifh/(except it be at the Court; which, for being fuch, wants nothing,). The reafon is, becaufe in thofe parts there are no: many Rivers^ .- yet they caufe great ftore of fifli to be brought from the Southern Provinces, (which very much a- bound therein, taking them on the fea coaff s, in lakes, and in pooles in great plenty) dried and accommodated in diverfe manners, fo much as is fufficient* In the River of Nanckm there is every yeare a filhing for the Kings ufe; and till that be done, there is a prohibition upon a rigorous penalty.for any other perfon tofifii: and the voyage being between five and fourty and threefcore dales journy, yet it is brought f refh and fwcet, without faking it. Troutes are not there to much efteemed as With us;buc Sturgeon every whit as much; which, when it is fold at the deareft, doth not exceed five-pence the pound.* By wnicn you may perceive the cheap- neffe of all other things. ^ Among fruits* Cherries, and Mulberries have there no efteeme,Tot their taft is not very good *, they ufe the greateft part of thofe fruits we have in Europe; but they are not comparable to ours, neither in quantity nor quality, except it be the Oranges of Cam/ie,which may well be called the ^ems of Oranges: and arc by fome efteemed to be, not fo much Oranges as Mufcatell Grapes. difguifed in that forme and habit. The Southern provinces have the beft fruit of alllndia-, ^QxtxcvdzilyCantone-fot they have Anans^MAngha^^Bananas^ Giachas,B>LGiambaii, & above all,there arc fome fruits proper to them of a particular excellency, fuch as in Can^ tone are?the Lick^ (fothe PortughefsczXXthcm-jhntthcChinefes^ Lici.) Thefe on the outiide are of an Orange colour, and when they are ripe doe very much beautify the trees they grow on. They are made like chaft- nurs, in the' forme of an heart: when the fhell is pilled of, which is only contiguous to it, the fruit remaines like a pearl in colour, very plea- fing to the fight, but more to the tafte. There is likewife a fruit called Longms^ named by the chinefes^ Lu¬ men^ that is, Dragons eye, they are in figure and greatneffe not much un¬ like a fmall nut, but the Pulfe is very little, and differentbut between B 3 ^ the