e no authority ouer the people, but all the gouernment of those
cities wherein they dwell concerneth the Magistrates, who notwithstanding
haue the sayde Princes in high regard and honour, and doe visit them twise
in a moneth, and salute them kneeling vpon their knees, and bowing their
faces downe to the earth: and yet they communicate nothing vnto them as
touching the administration of the Common-wealth. These are they which may
properly be called the Peeres or Princes of the Realme of China: for they
deriue their houses and reuenues vnto their posterity, and so are these
royall families continually preserued. But to returne vnto the king
himselfe, hee is most chary in obseruing the Chinian lawes and customes,
and diligently exerciseth himselfe in learning so much as concernes his
estate, sheweth himselfe dayly vnto his chiefe Magistrates, and communeth
of matters appertaining to the publique commodity of the Realme. [Sidenote:
Twelue chariots.] His palace is of woonderfull largenesse and capacity, out
of the which he very seldome takes his progresse; and whensoeuer he doeth
so, there are twelue chariots brought foorth, all of them most like one to
another both in workemanship and in value, that no man may discerne in
which the king himselfe is placed. [Sidenote: The idolatrous religion of
the king.] He followeth in religion especially the opinions of the
Magistrates, attributing diuine power vnto heauen and earth as vnto the
parents of all, and with great solemnity sacrificing vnto them. He hath
diuers most sumptuous Temples dedicated vnto his ancestours, whereunto
likewise he ascribeth diuine honour, and yet ceaseth hee not to fauour
Priests of other sects, yea, hee erecteth Temples vnto their Patrons,
endowing them with most rich reuenues; and so often as any vrgent necessity
requireth, he enioynes continuall fastings and prayers vnto them: and after
this sort he doeth in a maner patronize all the idolatrous sects of his
Realme, and shewing himselfe ready to embrace any false religion
whatsoeuer, be liueth in sundry and manifolde kindes of superstition.
[Sidenote: The ciuill gouernment of China most agreeable to the instinct of
nature.] Out of all the former particulars by me alledged, you may easily
coniecture that the administration of kingdome of China doeth, for the most
parts agree with the instinct of nature, authority being committed, not
vnto rude and vnskilfull persons, but vnto such as haue beene conuersant in