Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 264

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Historie of the Mightie Kingdome of China.

MAY,

this judge of the poore doth command the father to sustaine and main- taine him in his owne house all the dayes of his life, if that hee bath wherewithall: if not, or that hee is fatherlesse, then the next rich kinsman must maintaine it: if he hath none such, then doth all his parents and kinsfolkes contribute and pay their parentes, of give of such thinges as they haue in their houses. But if it hath no parentes, or they be so poore, that they cannot contribute nor supply any part thereof: then doth the king maintaine them in verie ample manner of his owne costes in hospitalles, verie sumptuous, that he hath in euerie citie throughout his kingdome for the same effect and purpose: in the same hospitalles are likewise maintayned, all such needie and olde men, as haue spent all their youth in the wars, and are not able to maintaine themselves: so that to the one and the other is minis- tred all that is needefull and necessarie, and that with great diligence and care and for the better accomplishing of the same, the judge doth put verie good order, and dooth appoint one of the principallest of the citie or towne, to be the administrator, without whose licence, there is not one within that hospital that can goe foorth of the limittes: for that licence is not granted vnto anie, neyther doo they demaund it, for that there they are prouided of all thinges necessarie so long as they doo liue, as well for apparell as for victualles. Besides all this, the olde folkes and poore men within the hospitall, doo bring vpp hennes, chickens, and hogges for their owne recreation and pro- fit, wherein they doo delight themselues. The judge doth visite often times the administrator by him appointed. Likewise the judge is visited by another that commeth from the court, by the appoint- ment of the king and the counsell to the same effect and to visite all such hospitalles as bee in the prouinces limited in his commission, and if they doo finde any that hath not executed his office in right and iustice, then they doo displace them, and punishe them verie rigo- rouslie by reason whereof all such officers have great care of their charges and liue vprightly, hauing before their eyes the straight ac- count which they must giue, and the cruell rewarde if to the con- trarie. The blinde folkes in this countrie are not accounted in the number of those that of necessitie are to bee maintayned by their kinsfolkes, or by the king: for they are constrayned to worke, as to grind with a querne wheate or rice, or to blowe smythes bellowes, or such like occupation, that they have no neede of their sight. And if it be a blinde woman, when she commeth vnto age, she doth vse the office of women of love, of which sorte there are a great number in publike places, as shall bee declared in the chapter for that pur