PURCHAS HIS PILGRIMES
Rebellion prevented by the policie.
Revenue.
King, as also of all Offices, and also of many Cities. I omit the division of the Government into so many heads, and so good distribution, that it seemeth (and so the Chinois say) it is like to continue thousands of yeeres, so that no man of the same Kingdome is able, nor hath any power to make any Rebellion of importance. For those which in former time revolted, were the Vice-royes of the Provinces, and other great Mandarins, in whose power were the Government, the Souldiers, and the treasure. But hee divided it in such sort, that those which had power over the Souldiers, should have no money at all, neither should the pay of the Souldiers depend upon them: and those which keepe the Treasure must have no superintendencie and dominion over the Souldiers. Others which were mightie and rich, hee impoverished and divided their Authoritie and Revenues among many; and so there is no man that can call himselfe Great. I remember that I had read in a Booke, set out in the Spanish tongue, of the great power of certayne Captaynes, and because the King did not trust them, hee sent one of his house to will them to come unto him.
All which relation, with many other things which hee reporteth of the providence of the King, how hee divideth his Authoritie among divers Princes, is not so in truth, neither in truth, neither is there any apparence thereof, neither have the Captaynes much authoritie, neither are they very rich: for though they have many people, yet the government of them is divided into divers heads, so that they can hardly assemble to raise any Rebellion, especially, because they remaine alwayes in the Kingdome, and neere about the King.
The Revenue of this King, without doubt, is exceeding great, and untill wee have gotten it out of their Bookes (wherein every thing is set downe very particularly) I will not presume to publish the same, not as though I knew
not that it is so, since whilest a man knoweth more of this Kingdome, he doubteth lesse: Yet because I feare for all this that it will bee hard to make one beleeve the same,402
