Chap. III. the Empire 
The Chinefe tired with this foreign Power, which grew 
to infupportable Tyranny, as appears by what followed) 
murmured at it, and raifed Commotions throughout the 
whole Empire, but none of the Nobility dirred in it, 
riotwithftanding which they were delivered from the 
‘Tartarian Yoak in the following Manner. 
A certain Boy, born in the City of Fajangfuy in the Pro- 
vince of Nanking^ that had loft his Parents by the Plague, 
to efcape that raging Diftemper, as well as through 
Want of Bread, and in Hopes of bettering his Fortune, 
left his native Place, and retired to a Pagod, or idola- 
trous Temple, and put himfelf into the Service of the 
Bonzi^s, which are their Idolatrous Priefts : But they 
treating him fomewhat feverely, he ran away from them, 
and became a Herdfman ; and in Procefs of Time, 
being advanced to maturer Years, he lifted himfelf a 
Soldier amongft the Robbers before-mentioned, which 
were now grown to a formidable Body : And what 
contributed to his continual and gradual Advancement 
amongft them was, that one of their principal Com- 
manders was his Uncle, who finding him acquit him- 
felf well, took Care to raife him : And becoming him- 
lelf a General, he died fometime after, and was fuc- 
ceeded by this Nephew : Who had not been long Ge- 
neral before fhaving encreafed his Forces to his defired 
fufficient Number, and being aflifted by the Chinefe) he 
fo expeditioufty, vigoroufly, and fuccefsfully made War 
againft the Tartars^ that in the Space of feven or eight 
Years, he obliged them to evacuate the whole Empire 
of China. He fixed himfelf on the Throne, was pro- 
claimed Emperor, kept his Court at Nanking., and died 
after having reigned thirty three Years, aflTuming the 
Name of Hunguil, i. e. the Excellency of Arms. He 
was the firft of the Houfe of Minchao., (or Tamincha) 
which governed that Empire about two hundred and 
eighty Years. His Son fucceeded him in the Empire, 
and removed the Imperial Seat from Nanking to Peking, 
in order to be nearer the Tartars, upon whom he fell 
with all his Force, and pierced through all Tartary, de- 
ftroying all to which Side foever he turned his yi(ftorious 
Arms, and fparing Nobody, purfuant to the Refolution 
he had made if pofllble to extirpate all the Tartars', but 
finding none able to oppofe him, he returned to China, 
where after a long and peaceable Reign he died ; and 
his Defendants continued in the Throne till in or about 
the Year 1644, at which time the Reign of that Family 
ended in the Emperor Zunchi, who by his miferable 
End made Way for the Tartar to afeend the Throne. 
It is indeed remarkable, that the very, Family which about 
three hundred Years before had drove out the Weftern, 
was driven out by the Eaftern Tartars. 
Before we enter upon the prefen t Government and 
Revolution of the Empire, we lhall by the Way only 
hint, that the Tartars in the Reign of the Emperor 
Vanli, one of the laft of the Taiminchian Race, who 
died in 1620, aged 58, after a Reign of forty eight 
Years, made an Irruption into China, and were repul- 
fed by him: And that about the Year 1580, in the 
fame Emperor’s Reign, the Chriftian Religion began to 
be received in China. Francis Xavier attempted firft to 
travel thither from Japan, in Hopes of promoting the 
Kingdom of Chrift j but died on his Way in the Ifle 
of Sancham, a Place dependant on the Province of 
Canton. Then the Fathers Herrada, Marino Alfaro, 
and fome Francifeans, viz. Martin Egnatio, Rogero, 
Pafto, Ricci, and other Fathers, undertook this Work 
with the fame ardent Zeal ; but Father Ricci proved 
the moft fuccefsful of any of them, for having long re- 
fided at Macao, having ftudied the Religion, Laws and 
Cuftoms of that Empire, and being very well verfed in 
their Language, thefe compliftiments gained him 
the Efteem of the Emperor and the whole Court, and 
rendred his MilTion fuccefsful j he obtained a Grant of 
buying a Houfe and a Burying-place, as alfo Leave to 
fettle there, which was the firft Foundation of the fpread- 
ing of the Gofpel here. But the Lord’s Vineyard at 
Macao, was once very near an utter Extirpation by a 
cruel PerfecUtion, if the Hand of God had not flopped 
it by punilhing the Perfecutors, - 
of C HINA, 995 
After the Death of the Emperor Vanli, reigned hfe 
Son Taichan, a valiant Prince, who by raifing a great 
Army againft the Tartars, that began to be in Motion, 
difeovered his earneft Defire of heroically attacking them, 
but his Defign was fruftrated by his fudden Death, after 
a Reign only of four Months. He was fucceded by his 
Son Thienjki, who not in the leaft degenerating from 
the Valour of his i^nceftors, as foon as he was on the 
Throne, aftlfted by his Allies, beat the Tartars out of 
Leaotung, in which Province they had made an Irrup^ 
tion and maftered feveral CitieS) and after a Reign of 
about feven Years Duration died in Peace, and was 
fucceeded by his Brother Zungchi, a mild negligent 
Prince, who, fond of Eafe, repofed too great Truft in 
his Officers, who inftead of a faithful Service repaid his 
Credulity with Treachery, and after an unfortunate 
Reign brought their Mafter to a miferable End, which 
was followed by the Empire’s falling into the Hands of 
a foreign Family. 
“ The Caufes of the Revolution in China, and the 
“ utter Extintfion of the laft Race of Chine feFmpttovs, 
“ befides thofe alledged by our Author, are by feveral 
“ Writers obferved to be : That the Court (or the 
“ Emperor) was plunged in luxurious lazy Eafe *, his 
“ only Care being employed how to pafs his Days with 
“ the greateft Pleafure, with the beautiful Virgins 
“ which were feledted for his Ufe all over the whole 
“ Empire : For the Prince being abfolute, it was for- 
“ bidden to marry any young Women before they were 
“ proffer’d to him. This Courfe has ruined more Court'S 
“ than one, it naturally adminiftring Occafions for In- 
“ furredlions within, and Foreign Invafions, whilft the 
“ Emperors, drowned in ridiculous Pleafures and Di- 
“ verfions, never trouble themfelves with the Govern- 
“ ment, but entruft it in the Hands of worthlefs 
“ Eunuchs. Others add, that this Prince was alfo 
“ very covetous.” 
The Tartar was driven out of Leaotung and China 
by the above-mentioned Emperor Thknski, and befides 
made a Tributary to him ; but the Sparks of civil 
Diffention were not fo extinguiftied as to prevent 
their breaking out into a more raging Flame, which 
was kindled by the Chinefe Governors exorbitantly 
treating and plundering the Tartars and Tartarian Mer- 
chants, and not in the leaft ferupling the Practice of 
any Manner of Injuftice againft them, in order to ex- 
afperate that Nation, and oblige themfelves with the 
Opportunity of fiftiing in troubled Water. The Mer- 
chants and others that were abufed by the Governors, 
petitioned againft them ; but the Emperor and the 
Court turned a deaf Ear to all their Complaints. The 
Tartarian King, in Refentment armed himfelf, and at 
the Head of his Army difpatched a Letter to the Em- 
peror, before he had Recourfe to coercive Means, or 
backed his Words with his Sword. He laid before him 
the unjuft and partial Pradtices of his Governors and 
Officers ; and fet forth, that all the Remonftrances of 
his Merchants were flighed at Court ; defiring the Em- 
peror would be pleafed to punifti his Governors and 
exorbitant Robbers, and provide againft fuch perni- 
cious and corrupt Pradlices for the Future, and excufe 
him his annual Tribute, in order to reimburfe him the 
Military Expences he had been at j upon Refufal of 
which he declared, that he fliould be obliged to take 
fuch Meafures as the continual Complaints of the Vio- 
lence and Injuftice daily exercifed upon his Subjedts 
fhould oblige him to. The Emperor, inftead of ex- 
amining into this Affair, utterly difeharges himfelf of 
it, and leaves it to his Council j who, keeping him 
blind, play’d their Game according to their own Plea- 
fure, and without any great Oppofition fuffer’d the Tar- 
tar to fcize Part of Leaotung. After the Conqueft of 
which, he endeavour’d to fubdue the whole Province 
but was interrupted in his Career by a too vigorous Re- 
fiftance ; and the War betwixt the two Nations lafted 
a long Time, Viclory fometimes inclining to one, and 
at other Times to the other Side : But at laft the Strife 
ended in a Peace, in Favour of the Tartar, the Em- 
peror being obliged to leave him in the q^uiet Enjoy- 
tnent 
