Hifiom of the Indies 



told vs,that when he was in c/#<*,being led into divers 

 Tribunall feates,from Ma#derm to Mmderin$\sy were 

 long in putting his name in writing in their Cbapas^ 

 yet in the end they did write it after their maner , and 

 fo ridiculoufly, that they fcarce cameneere to the 

 name: and this is the falhion of letters and writings 

 which the Clrinoti vfcd. That of the laffwoti appro- 

 ched very neere , although they affirme that the No- 

 blemenof lap f on that came in to Europe > did write all 

 things very eafily in their language, were they of our 

 proper names: yea, I have had fome of their writings 

 {hewed me , whereby it feemes they fliould have fome 

 kinde of !etters,althotigh the greateft part of their wri 

 tings, be by the characters and figures^as hath bin (aide 

 of the Cbinois. 



CHAP. 6. 



HeJfathers of our company fay, that they have not 

 feene in China , any great fchooles or vniverfities 

 of Philofbphie, and other naturallfciences^ beleeving 

 there is not any , but that all their ftudie is ia the Max* 

 dArin tongue , which is very ample and hard, as I have 

 faid : and what they ftudie, bee things written in their 

 owne tongue 3 which be hiftories of fe<3s,and opinions, 

 of civill Iawe$,ofmorallproveibes,of fables, and many 

 other fuch com pofitions that depend thereon. Of di 

 vine fciences they have no knowledge, neither of na 

 tural! things,but fome final! remainders of ftraied pro- 

 pofitions, without art or methode, according to e- 

 verie mans witte and ftudie. As for the Mathema- 

 tikes 5 they have experience of the celeftiall motions, 

 and of the ftatres. And for Phificke, they have know* 



ledge 



