1 
E. Ys BRANTS I D E s’i travels 
time the Streets were crouded with all Sorts of Pro- 
ceffions, with their Idols, which were carried in various 
Shapes, and the Lama‘s marched by them with Incenfe- 
Pots, and Strings of Beads the Drums and Kettle- 
Drums beating, Trumpets founding, and other Mufick 
playing, was endlefs. The carrying of thefe Diabolk 
cal Images, followed by a great Train of People, as 
well as a vaft Number of Lamars or^ Monks, which 
preceeded them, lafted three Days, during which Time 
all the Shops were fhur, and all Merchandizing forbid- 
den, on Penalty of fevere Punifhmenrs. During this 
Time alfo the Streets were crouded with People of 
both Sexes, but more efpecially Women, who rode on 
ATes, or Chaifes with two Wheels, cover’d all round, 
only before left open. The Servant Maids which fate 
behind, fung, fome of them, whilft others blew on a 
Sort of Horn-Pipe j and fome Ladies fate publickly 
taking a Pipe of Tobacco. The Women never appear in 
Publick thro’ all except in the Province Peking 
only, and more efpecially the City, which is inhabited 
by Tartars', the Chinefe being obliged to live all about 
the City Wall, and the Suburbs, where all the chief 
Markets, and publick Places of Sale are. 
Some Days after this, the Emperor fent two Manda- 
Yyns to defire me to be ready to receive my Audience 
of Leave the next Morning two Hours before Day : 
And accordingly three Flours before Day, three Man- 
daryns came to me on Horfcback, and we rode to the 
ufual alighting-Place ; whence being conduced to the 
third Court, and defired to fit down, I was entertain- 
ed with a Sort of Bean Decocdion or Coffee, ufually 
drank here in the Mornings. In the fourth Court ap- 
pear’d all the principal Officers in their richefl: Robes, 
dreffed after the Eajl Tartarian^ or Mongalian Mode. 
At break of Day I was introduced into the iourth 
Court, and feared amongft the Mandaryns^ who, ac- 
cording to the particular Rank of each of them, were 
placed on the Eaft and South Sides of the Court. Af- 
ter waiting half an Hour, we heard the Emperor ap- 
proaching, accompany’d with an agreeable Confort of 
Fifes, and a Sort of Lutes. This was not the Hall in 
which I had my former Audience, but here was a 
Throne eredfed, and hung with yellow Damask, on 
this Occafion. On each Side of it were two great 
Drums, curioufly gilt and painted, each of which be- 
ing two Fathom and, a half long, they lay upon a Stool 
made on Purpofe for them.. After the Emperor was 
feated, by his Command, the Herald which Itood be- 
fore the Throne, went to the Prefence-Chamber Door, 
directed himfelf to the Lords which face without in the 
Court, and uttering fome Words with a flirill Voice, he 
thrice fucceffively cry’d. Bom down, bozv to the Earth. 
Whilft this was three 1 'imes done one after another, the 
Bells were rung, the Drums v/ere beaten, the Lute was 
touched, and three Pipes, made for that Purpofe, were 
very loudly founded. Then two principal Lords were, 
by the Emperor, fent to acquaint me, that it was his 
Majefty’s Pleafure, that I fhould approach nearer the 
Prefence \ accordingly they led me by the Hand, from 
the Place where I was, being about eight Fathom di- 
ffant from the Throne, where my Retinue were left fit- 
ting : And I fate down on one Side, about three Fa- 
thom from the Royal Throne, betwixt two great Lords, 
which were Wannes m Princes, and by Birth Eartarians \ 
and after having paid a relpedlfui Compliment to the 
Emperor, his great Bell was rung, and the large Drums 
on each Side v/ere beaten, which made as great a Noife 
as a Volley of Guns ; the Flutes were alfo played on, 
and the beforementioned Pipes nine times founded: 
Upon which I was deiired to fit down ; which having 
done, a Difh of Coffee or Bean Decocffion, was pre- 
fented to me, which I accepted, and drank up. And 
after I had difpatched the Affairs of their Czariffi Ma- 
jefties, with the Emperor, I rofe up, and having paid 
my Compliment to him,' he alfo arofe from his Throne, 
and went out at the Weft-Door to his Apartment. 
The Emperor’s Life-Guard itood in this fourth Court; 
they were cloathed in red Callicoe, printed with red 
Figures as big as a Rixdollar ; they wore fmall Hats 
adorn’d with yellow Feathers, that being the Imperial Li- 
very Colour. They were arm’d with Scimiters by their 
Sides, and fine Lances, with Colours fixt to them', and 
flood ranked at a Diftance from the Throne, on each 
Side of the Court, where alfo .flood eight white Sad- 
dle-Horfes for Shew. In the third Court of State, were 
alfo placed four extraordina.fy large Elephants, one of 
which was white. They were all covered with rich 
Gold embroider d Cloaihs ; and all tneir Trappings, 
as Bridles, Cruppers, ^c. were covered with Silver, and 
gilt ; and on their Backs was placed a very fine carv’d 
wooden Caftle, or Gallery, fpacious enough for eicrht 
Perfons to fit in. In this Court alfo flood [the Emperm’s 
Waggons with two Wheels, and ' his Chaifes, all hung 
with yellow Damaik Curtains : Befides all which, there 
were there placed feveral Stands, or Stools, for Drums, 
Kettle-Drums, Idolatrous Inftruments, Cfr. ’ 
Being got out of the Caftle, I mounted one of the 
Emperor’s Waggons and was drawn to my Apartment 
by an Elephant ; on each Side of which ran ten Per- 
fons, with a thick Rope in (heir Hands, faftned to each 
Side of the Elephant’s Mouth, by the Help of which 
they lead and govern him : On his Neck alfo fate a 
Man with an Iron Hook in his Hand, which alfo con- 
tributes to hold him in and guide him. He went but 
at his ordinary Rate, which put his Leaders to run as 
fwiic as poffibly they could in order to keep Pace 
with him. 
6. A fev/ Days after I was invited by the Jefuits, 
with tne Emperor’s Leave, to vific their Cloyfter; 
purfuant to which, two Mandaryns, according to order, 
attended on, and cond tided me thither. I was then 
introduced- into the Cloyfter, which was encompaffed 
with a high Stone Wall, and provided v/ith two exqui- 
fite regular Stone-Gates after the Italian Manner. On 
the left Side of the Entrance, under Shelter of a Roof, 
made for that Purpofe in the Court, fland the cceleftial 
and terreflrial Globes, of an extraordinary Size, each 
being about a Fathom Diameter, From hence we pro- 
ceeded on to the Church, which is a very beautiful 
Italian Building, furnifli’d with a large Organ, made 
by Father Thomas Pereyra : And the Church itfelf, fui- 
table to the Roman Catholick Ufage, was richly adorn’d 
with fine Images and Altars ; and was withal large 
enough to contain two or three thoufand People. On 
the Pop was a Clock and Chimes. Having feen the 
Church, the Fathers brought me into the Mufeum^ 
which was compleatly furniffied with all Sorts of Euro^ 
pean Rarities. After which they conduded me to an 
Apartment on one Side of it, where being asked to 
fit down, I was treated with all Sorts of Confedions 
and Preferves : Nor did we forget, according to their 
Cuftom, to drink the Fleakhs of all the Chriftian Prin- 
ces of Europe, in rich Wines : And after a confiderable 
Stay, I rode to my Apartment, very well fatisfy’d with, 
the Entertainment of thefe Fathers. 
About this time, two Mandaryns came from the Cham 
to invite me to take the Diverfion of feeing the City : 
Accordingly I mounted with my Retinue, and thefe Man- 
daryns conduded me to the Emperor’s Elephant-Stable, 
where flood 14 of thofeBeafts, one of which was white : 
Having thus feen them, that was not enough, but they 
muft fhew feveral Tricks, and at the Command of the 
Mafter of the Stable, they roared like a Tiger, fo 
difraally loud, that their very Stable feemed to tremble : 
Others lowed like an Ox, neighed like a Horfe, and 
even fung like Canary-birds ; but which was moft furpri- 
fing of all, fome of them imitated a Trumpet. Aftep 
this they were obliged to pay their Refpeds to me on 
their four Knees ; to lie down firft on one Side, then 
on the other, then to rife up. When they lie down, 
they firft ftrike out their Fore-legs forward, and then 
throw out their hind Legs backward, and by this Means 
lie with their Bellies fiat upon the Ground. One of 
thefe was not broken, and, by Reafon he was very un- 
ruly, he was loaden with heavy Chains on two Feet, 
and, for the whole time he had flood there, had not 
been rem.oved from his Place ; and a great Pit v/as duo" 
before his Stall, that in cafe he broke loofe, he fliouid 
fall into it, and be prevented from coming into the 
Court to do any MUchief. All thde Elephants were 
extraordinarv 
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