1690.

Siu no Bu O.

of his age. During his reign there was a great famine in China, which lasted seven years, like that famous Egyptian famine mention'd in holy Writs. He was succeeded by twenty-seven Princes of his family, who reign'd in all 631 years, so that the Empire remain’d in this Family for 644 years. The last Emperor of this family was a great tyrant, for which reason the Princes his subjects rais'd war and rebellion against him, and having reduc'd him to great streights, he set fire to his Palace, and burnt himself with his family and domestics, leaving the Empire to the Conqueror.

Siu no Bu O, that is, Emperor Bu of the family of Siu, or according to the Chinese Uu Vam of the family Sjeu, who came to the Crown 462 years before Synmu, and 1122 before Christ. He reign'd seven years, and was succeeded by thirty-seven descendants of his family, in which the Empire continu'd according to the Japanese Histories 868 years, that is to the year before Christ 255, and 206 years after Synmu. Under Soowoo, and according to the Chinese pronunciation Sjoovam, the fourth Emperor of this family, in the 22d year of his reign, which was the year before Synmu 367, before Christ 1027, upon the eighth day of the fourth month, was born in Siaka's Birth. India the great heathen prophet Siaka, who for his incomparable qualities was afterwards call'd Fo, or Fotoge, that is, the God, and by the Chinese Sitsjun, that is, the great and perfect. His doctrine was soon spread by his disciples into several parts of the East-Indies. He died seventynine years old, in the year before Synmu 289, before Christ 949. Thus far what I had to observe concerning the second and doubtful Aera of the Japanese.

Chap. II.

Of the Ecclesiastical Hereditary Emperors of Japan in general, of their Succession, Residence and Court; as also of the Chronology of the Japanese.

1690.

He third and last Epocha of the Japanese Third Aera of Monarchy, which is that of their Oo Dai the Japanese. Sin Oo, or Ecclesiastical Hereditary Emperors, begins with the year before Christ 660, being the seventeenth year of the reign of the Chinese Emperor Kaiwo, or as the Chinese pronounce it, Huivam, (who was the seventeenth Emperor of the family of Sjeu). From that time to the year of Christ 1693, one hundred and fourteen Emperors, all of the same family, sat successively on the Throne of Japan. They value themselves Japanese extremely upon being the eldest branch of the family of Emperors, Tensio Dai Sin, that most sacred founder of the Japanese Nation, and the lineal issue of his first-born son, and so down. Uncommon respect, and a more than human veneration, is on this account paid them by their subjects and countrymen. But before I proceed to the History of their succession, lives and actions, it will not be amiss to give some preliminary account of their sacred Persons and Court, as also of the Chronology of this Empire, whereby the succession of the Emperors must be calculated.

whose

Offspring.

And here it must be observ'd in the first place, that Titles of the these Ecclesiastical hereditary Monarchs, tho' they are Ecclesiastical Heirs of the Throne and Government of their divine Emperors of Japan. Predecessors, yet they have not inherited the Title of Mikotto, a Title which is sacred only to the divine and half divine Beings of the first and second Succession. They are call'd Mikaddo (which is a diminutive of Mikotto) as also Dai, and Oo, and Kwo and Tai, all which signify an Emperor, a Prince and great Lord. They are

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Their right to the Throne.

Respect shewn

them.

Instances of the great care they take of

themselves.

likewise call'd Tensin, that is, Sons of Heaven, and many more Titles of the like Nature have been given them. In common conversation they are frequently call'd Dairi, which name properly denotes their whole Court, on which account also he is sometimes call'd Kintsiusama, that is, the Head, or Lord of the Ecclesiastical Court. When he speaks of himself he assumes the Title of Tsin, and when he signs that of Maro.

But to come nearer to our purpose. It was about the time mention'd above, that the Japanese, who had been till then without any settled Form of Government, either Monarchical or other, following a course of Life not unlike that of the Patriarchs, where the several Families liv'd under the command and authority of their Fathers, or else obey'd to the most prudent among themselves; 'twas I say, about that time, they agreed to submit to the Government of one Prince. It is not improbable, but that the Chinese, who came over from time to time into Japan, as they were bred up themselves under a Monarchical Government, had no small share in persuading the Japanese to prefer the same. In this posture of affairs, surely no body had a better claim to the supreme Power and Authority, than a Prince lineally descended of the first born issue of the Family of Tensio Dai Sin, who, by the very Law of Primogeniture, seem'd to be naturally entitled to the Sovereignty ascrib'd to that Founder of their Nation, whose Holiness and Virtues he inherited besides.

Even to this Day the Princes descended of this Family, more particularly those who sit on the Throne, are look'd upon as Persons most holy in themselves, and as Popes by birth. And in order to preserve these advantageous notions in the minds of their Subjects, they are oblig'd to take an uncommon care of their sacred Persons, and to do such things, which examin'd according to the Customs of other Nations, would be thought ridiculous and impertinent. It will not be improper to give a few instances of it. He thinks that it would be very prejudicial to his

Dignity and Holiness to touch the ground with his feet; for this reason, when he intends to go any where, he must be carried thither on Men's shoulders. Much less will they suffer, that he should expose his Sacred Person to the open air, and the Sun is not thought worthy to shine on his Head. There is such a Holiness ascrib'd to all the parts of his Body, that he dares not cut off, neither his Hair, nor his Beard, nor his nails. However lest he should grow too dirty, they may clean him in the Night, when he is asleep, because they say, that what is taken from his Body at that time, hath been stolen from him, and that such a theft doth not prejudice his Holiness or Dignity. In ancient times he was oblig'd to sit on the Throne for some hours every morning, with the Imperial Crown on his Head, but to sit altogether like a Statue, without stirring either Hands or Feet, Head or Eyes, nor indeed any part of his Body, because by this means it was thought that he could preserve peace and tranquility in his Empire, for if unfortunately he turn'd himself on one side or the other, or if he look'd a good while towards any part of his Dominions, it was apprehended that War, Famine, Fire, or some other great Misfortune was near at hand to desolate the Country. But it having been afterwards discover'd, that the Imperial Crown was the Palladium, which by its immobility could preserve peace in the Empire, it was thought expedient to deliver his Imperial Person, consecrated only to idleness and pleasures, from this burthensome duty, and therefore the Crown is at present plac'd on the Throne for some hours every morning. His Victuals must be dress'd every time in new pots, and serv'd at table in new dishes: Both are very clean and neat, but made only of common clay, that without any considerable expence they may be laid aside, or broke, after they have serv'd once. They are generally broke, for fear they should come into the hands of Laymen, for they believe religiously, that if any Layman shou'd presume to eat his food out of these sacred dishes, it would swell and inflame his mouth and throat. The like ill effect

1690.

1690.

Their Succession.

Their Court.

is dreaded from the Dairi's sacred habits, for they believe that if a Layman shou'd wear them, without the Emperor's express leave, or command, they would occasion swellings and pains in all parts of his body.

Assoon as by the demise of a Mikaddo the Throne becomes vacant, he is by the Ministry of this Ecclesiastical Court put into the deceas'd's place, whom they think the nearest Heir, without regard had to Age or Sex. Hence it is, that often Princes under age, or young unmarried Princesses ascend the Throne, and there are also instances, that the deceas'd Emperor's Relict succeeded her Husband. If there be several Pretenders to the Crown, and it doth not appear plainly, who it is that hath the nearest Title, the Difference is adjusted in an amicable way, according to equity, and the supreme power deliver'd successively, to each of them for some years, in proportion to the degree of kindred, they bore to the deceas'd Mikaddo. Sometimes the Father resigns the Crown successively to one or more of his Children, that he, and their Mothers, whilst yet alive, may have the pleasure to see them upon the Throne, of which perhaps after their demise, they would stand excluded. All this is done at Court with as little trouble as possible, and a Mikaddo may die, or resign, and another be put into his place, without any body's, but the Courts, knowing of it, till the affair is over. However it happen'd sometimes, that those of the Imperial family, who thought themselves entituled, to the succession, but were excluded, maintain'd their right by force of arms, endeavouring to turn out the Dairi, whom they thought unlawfully possess'd of the Throne. Hence arose wars and dissensions very prejudicial to the Empire. The Princes of the Empire espous'd different Interests, and these quarrels seldom ended but with the entire destruction of one the contending parties, follow'd by a cruel extirpation of whole families.

The Dairi's whole Court is of the family of Tensio Dai dsin, and 'tis on account of a birth so eminent and noble,