t off by the Chinese with a great
amount of silver, and so they returned to their homes satisfied.

Finally, the best captains joined together to act upon this matter. But
their efforts were quite unsuccessful, because, when they entered
further into the interior of Tartaria than was safe, the Tartars,
awaiting a good opportunity, fired into them on all sides, wounded and
killed the most celebrated Chinese captains, and destroyed almost all
of the army that was there last year, 1619. It is a common saying in
China that all the brave people died at this time, and that if now
the Tartar should come he would meet with no resistance, and that
he could easily make himself master of everything. It is estimated
that the total number killed, part of whom died by the sword,
part from unbearable cold, part from hunger, and part from lack of
other necessaries, reaches three hundred thousand. But this loss is
insignificant to a people who are so numerous as the Chinese are today.

At the beginning of that year, 1619, the king of these Tartars--who is
even now styled king of Paquin, just as if he had already conquered it
[6]--sent to the king of China a memorial of complaints against the
Chinese, reciting in it reasons for his revolt (for it must be supposed
that he was formerly in a certain way subject). These reasons I will
briefly state. 1st, because some years ago the Chinese had killed his
grandfather; 2d, because, when he was at war with the northern Tartars,
the Chinese aided them against him; 3d, because the Chinese had often
gone into his country to plunder, and had captured some people,
and, when he had made complaints of this injury to the mandarins
of Leatum, they had contented themselves with degrading [_acortar_]
the delinquents, whereas they well deserved death; 4th, because the
Chinese had broken up a marriage for which he was making arrangements
with the northern Tartars, a rupture which he deeply felt; 5th, because
the Chinese had destroyed the grain-fields that his people had near the
great walls, the strong ramparts that divide the two kingdoms, and had
driven off a great quantity of stock that his people also had there;
6th, because the Chinese had induced other Tartars, his enemies, to
write him some very offensive letters; and, 7th, because in different
wars the Chinese of Leatum had aided his enemies, although this was
without the knowledge of the king of China. Wherefore he asked that
the Chinese king shoul