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a.d.
1579.
A DISCOURSE OF CHINA
Physicians.
Confutius his Bookes.
Tetrabiblion.
No University.
Degrees.
Their Physicke Rules differ much from ours; they examine the Pulse alike. They succeed well in their Prescriptions, which usually are Simples, Herbs, Rootes, and the like. They have for it no publike Schoole, but each learnes it of his owne Master, yet in the two Royall Cities Degrees of this Art are given after Examination, but cursorily and without any respect acquired by his Degree, because all may practise which will. Neyther doth any study Mathematickes or Physicke, which is in any hope of the Ethike glory, but such as want of wit or meanes hath deterred from studies more sublime. Contrariwise, that Ethike Science is the Ladder of China felicity. Confutius brought into order the Bookes of foure former Philosophers, and wrote a fift himselfe, which five Bookes hee called Doctrines: in which are contayned Morall and Politike Rules, Examples of the Ancients, Rites and Sacrifices, divers Poems also and the like. Besides these five Volumes, out of Confutius and his Disciples are brought into one Volume, divers Precepts without order, Similes, Sentences Ethike, Oeconomike, Politike: this Booke for the foure parts is called the Foure Bookes. These nine are the ancientest China Bookes, whence the others most what are taken, and contayne most of their Characters. And the ancient Kings enacted that they which professe Learning, should take the foundations of their Learning from those Bookes, not only to learne the proper sense of the Text, but to bee able on the sudden to write fitly of any sentence, for which cause that Tetrabiblion is learned without Booke. Neyther is there any Universitie or publike Schoole (as some of ours have affirmed) the Masters or Professors whereof have undertaken to read and expound those Bookes; but every one gets a Master at home at his owne choice and cost (of which there is a huge multitude.) In this Science are three Degrees bestowed on them which offer themselves to be examined and are judged meete. That Examination is almost wholly in Writing. The first Degree is conferred in every Citie in that place which is called the425
