historicalgeogra00psal

)
The Preface.
1»itL But before I enter upon this Subje^y
'tis convenient I Jfjould premife fome few
things. Since then ( as I before obferved
there are fuch various Accounts^ and all different
from what I [hall give yon^ this is na
reafon for me to expeH greater Credit ^ hut 1
leave it to the unbiafs'd judge to prefer which
fie pleafeth 3 for 'tis not fo much my concern
to be reputed fincere^ as 'tis really to befo. But
here I muft entreat you diligently to obfervt
what followethy becaufe the reputation of my
Booh, depends much upon it. In thefirfl place
there are feveral things in their Story which
yoH are obligd to fnfpeBy becaufe they contra^
diB one another in thofe matters which every
Relator ajfures you he has been an Eye-witnefs
cfty pnce then their Tale is fo inconfijlent^
theH is very little in it that you ought to de^
pend upon. But that I may expofe fome of
their FalJIooods^ I wilt flrengthen what I affert
by the authority offome Englifli Merchants
trading to China, whofe Relations are much
the fame with mine ^ but vajlly different from
theirs. As for example : Candidius, and o*
thers^ in their Account of Formofa, tell us^
there is neither Monarchical nor Democratical
Government in the Jfland 5 that there is no
Law nor Punijhment againjl Theft, Adultery^
or Murther, and fuch black, Crimes 5 but every
Man judgeth and revengeth in his own Cafe :
For injiancey
Ifiunds^
if a Man rob me of a hundred
I may fieal from him as much by way
'of