A TREATISE OF CHINA a.d. 



1590. 



inviolable law among the Chinians, that Magistrates, upon 

 the death of their parents, must foorthwith renounce their 

 authority, and three whole yeeres, for the performance of 

 their fathers exequies, .must betake themselves unto a 

 private kinde of living : which also is most duely put in 

 practise by the Senatours of the Kings owne Councell. 

 For albeit a man be right gracious in the eyes of his 

 Prince, yea, and such an one, as upon whom the adminis- 

 tration of the Realme doeth principally depend ; yet 

 having heard of the death of his parents, that is, of his 

 father or his mother, he hies himselfe immediatly home 

 to solemnize their funerals : insomuch that if the king 

 would retaine him still in his office, he should be esteemed 

 by the people, as a transgressour of the lawes and customes 

 of China : which accident (as it is recorded) in ancient 

 times fel out even so. For whenas a certain king most A memorable 

 familiarly used a certaine Senatour of his about the stor ^ 

 managing and expedition of publique affaires, and under- 

 standing well how necessary the helpe of his foresayd 

 Senatour was, would gladly, after the death of his father, 

 have retained him still in his office : yet a certaine other 

 man, being a welwiller unto the Chinian lawes, could in 

 no case abide it, but checking his Prince with sharpe 

 rebukes, objected the transgression of the law against 

 him. The king waxing wroth menaced present death 

 unto the man : but when the party being no wit danted 

 with the terrour of death, persisted still in his sayings, 

 the king changing his determination dismissed the 

 Senatour to mourne for his father, but as for his repre- 

 hender he advanced him unto an higher dignity. 



Linus. I perceive (Michael) that drawing to an end of 

 these dialogues, and being weary of your long race, you 

 begin to affect brevity : yet let it not seeme troublesome 

 unto you to speake somewhat of the religion of China, The religion 

 which onely thing seemes to be wanting in this present f Chlna - 

 dialogue. 



Michael. I confesse indeed that I endevour to be 

 briefe, not so much in regard of wearisomnesse, as for 



37i 



