A.D. 



1590. 



Note the ex- 

 traordinary 

 honor vouch- 

 safed by the 

 great King of 

 China upon 

 his learned 

 graduates. 



Mora// 

 philosophy. 



Natura// 

 philosophy. 



Excellent 

 astronomers 

 in China. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



unto a most severe and exact censure, whereby they are 

 to be examined at the Kings Court onely, and that also 

 every third yere next insuing the sayd yere wherein 

 graduates of the second degree are elected in ech province, 

 and, a certaine number being prescribed unto every 

 particular province, they do ascend unto that highest 

 pitch of dignity, which is in so great regard with the 

 king himselfe, that the three principall graduates do, for 

 honours sake, drinke off a cup filled even with the Kings 

 owne hand, and are graced with other solemnities. Out 

 of this order the chiefe magistrates are chosen : for after 

 that they have attained unto this third degree, being a 

 while trained up in the lawes of the realme, and in the 

 precepts of urbanity, they are admitted unto divers 

 functions. Neither are we to thinke that the Chinians 

 be altogether destitute of other artes. For, as touching 

 morall philosophy, all those books are fraught with the 

 precepts thereof, which, for their instructions sake, are 

 alwayes conversant in the hands of the foresayd students, 

 wherein such grave and pithy sentences are set downe, 

 that, in men void of the light of the Gospell, more can 

 not be desired. They have books also that intreat of 

 things and causes naturall, but herein it is to be supposed, 

 that aswell their books as ours do abound with errors. 

 There be other books among them, that discourse of herbs 

 and medicines, and others of chivalry and martiall affaires. 

 Neither can I here omit, that certaine men of China 

 (albeit they be but few, and rare to be found) are 

 excellent in the knowledge of astronomy, by which know- 

 ledge of theirs the dayes of the new moone incident to 

 every moneth are truely disposed and digested, and are 

 committed to writing and published: besides, they doe 

 most infallibly foretell the eclipses of the Sun and Moone: 

 and whatsoever knowledge in this arte we of Japon have, 

 it is derived from them. 



Leo. We doe freely confesse that (Michael) sithens 

 our books intreating of the same arte are, a great part 

 of them, written in the characters or letters of China. 



362 



