Note 6 — Relation of 1627–28

“The affairs of this kingdom of China are in a condition of perfect peace. A rumor was current many days ago that the Tartar king, the fear of this empire, was dead.6 As he had many sons, and had conquered many lands from his other neighbors, the sons will be kept quite busy for some few years in coming to terms with one another, and in dividing and maintaining what their aged father left them. A few days ago, a mandarin related to Father Nicolas Longobardo7 that he had seen in the palace an [184] image of a woman with two small boys and an old man. It must be David who was playing the harp for them. It is not an idol of the Chinese, for the image is about a thousand years old, and was a present from foreigners in the time of Tam-Chao, when our holy law entered China, as your Reverence will already know from the stone which was found, and the painting of the old man on linen, a figure which resembles us. This point needs investigation, in order that we may know what it is with greater certainty.” The father continues, making mention of an earthquake that happened in China.