i82 CHINA. 



Divine vengeance on the faithlefs party) : " We, embafladors 



" extraordinary of the two empires, having been fent to fettle 



*' the bounds of both dominions, and eftabUfli a fohd and per- 



*' petual peace between both nations, which we happily exe- 



*' cuted in the conferences held by us in the feventh moon of 



*' the 28th year of Kang-ht, near the town of Nip-cbu, by 



" dit1in(5tly fetting down in writing the names of the countries 



<' and places where the two empires join each other, have, by 



<' fixing the bounds of both, and orderiiig in what manner fuch 



*' difputes as may fall out for the future are to be treated of; 



" have mutually received an authentick writing, in which is 



" contained the treaty of peace, and have agreed that the faid 



" treaty, with all its articles, fliall be engraven on ftone, to be 



*' fixed in the places appointed by us for the bounds of both 



*' empires, to the end that all who pafs by thofe places may be 



*' fully informed thereof, and that this peace, with all its con- 



Oath of <' ditions, may be for ever inviolably obferved. But fhould any 



Observance. 



" one have the thought only, or lecret defign, to tranrgrefs 



*' thefe articles of peace, or breaking his word and faith, fliould 



" violate them out of private intereft, or from the defign of ex- 



*' citing new troubles, and rekindling the fire of war, we pray 



" the fupreme Lord of all things, who knows the bottom of 



*' men's hearts, not to fuffer fuch people to live out their days, 



" but to punifii them by an untimely death." 



ARomanForm. I MAY here remark the obfervance of two very antient ciif- 



toms in the execution of this treaty ; the one in the manner of 



the oath, which agrees with that in ufe among the Romans^ of 



which Polybius has left us the following form, made on the oc- 



6 cafion, 



