Page 347

Vefcription afC HI5\(A. 
was refolv'd to meet with the Great Lawa, now comingtowards him eveli 
to the Wails of the Empire of Cbina, in a Progrefs almofl of two Months fp
if Father Jobn Adams, an intimate Affociate of the Emperor, out of anextc
hatred unto the thing, had not fhew'd himfeif averfe and oppofite, and 
by the-allegation of many weighty Reafons : which Perfuafions of the aft
faid Father took fo gbod effeJ, that the Emperor iWas 1b far from vouchfa
to go forwards out of the City to meet him, that/te would hardly give him
farther entrance or admidion than the Garden of the Palace of Pequin; 
at length, after the ufual Mode, being Prefented with divers Prefents, difi
fed him unto his own Kingdom, wholly negle&ing all thofe accuflom'd C
monies that were ufually perform'd; and he that was fuppos'd to have c 
ferr'd great Profperity and Happinefs by his Approach and Benedi&i 
brought the contrary Effe&s with him; for that ridiculous Archprieft,0
a 
his departure, incurr'd the Curfes and Malediaion of all Perfons, as being
feeming Caufe of Famiie,  Peftilence,,and War, 
But to return to our purpof'e; I fay therefore, That 'tis very probable 
Ptesbyter John refided in the Kingdom of Tanchut : for he and his Succefl
Ruling far and wide in fia, and worthily promoting the Cbriftian Faith, ti
Preachers of the Word of God, either being call'd, or of their own acci 
out of zeal t4 advance the Chrftiao Faith, or which is more likely, being
cc 
pell'd by Fear, and flying from the aforefaid'Places, in the time of that
ho 
Perfecution which began under the Empire of Dioclefian and Maximianus, in
which on.the Confines of S)ria, 8ypt, and the adjacent Places of Etbiogia,
the 
Followers of the Cbriflian Doarine were every where enquir'd and fought after,
to be put tomof cruel Torments; they fat down and Planted themtflves in 
the middle of perfia,  atria, and Tuaibeftan : and then it is altogether
proba- 
ble, that by degrees, after long Exilement, aitiv'd in the utmoft Regions
of 
.4fia: and lafily, Anno 6oo. in the time of  he Empire of Heracliuw, perfidious
and debauch'd Afabonaet then rebelling, new Colonies were continuallytranf.
planted into the aforefaid Regions of the Eaft  For it is manifeftA that
the Sy* 
r/an or Babylonian Priefts giving place to the fury of the Infidels, ceafed
not in 
fucceflion of time to propagate the Chriflian T?.eligion, as the alledg'd
Syriack In, 
fcription doth clearly thew, where Iidbuz7ad Bifhop of China is call'd the
Son 
of Noah, a certain Priefi of the City of JBalecb inthe Kingdom  of Turcbejfan,
as 
is manifeft from  the Syriack words above-cited, and here again repeated,
04.W 
dnno 19 oz. Iidbuzad !Piefl and Vicar of the !Biqbp of the  egal City of
Cumdan, 
Son of Noah a Prief, Natiwe of the City !Belecb in tbe K .igdom of Turcheflan.
Now that Turcbeflan is the fame Region which the i'erfians call Usbec, the
beginning of Great Catbay, and the City Delecb feated in it, "is clear
from the 
Ardbian Geographer, Part 8. Climate 4. Line 34. where treating concerningche
Turcbeflians, a peculiar Pr, 
City felecbnut far from S 
merly a mot famous City 
put of the drabick .: Now 
portion of the kegion of Cora 
hence to Samarcande, fix 
cande unto the City of Bele 
the Bilhop, term'd a SyrianI 
or Corafine : And it is evid 
many of tbh egief tbe Pa