her selfe to the Tonos officers As she was going she met with those who had put to death her husband and the other two she presently stayed to heare what they would say and their proposition was the same which they had made to the rest to which she replyed I was baptized being but two yeares old and haue perseuered in the Christian Religion seauenty more can you imagin that I meane to forsake it now They left her for the present because it was night but the next day they came againe and receiuing the same answer led the good old woman to the place where they had beheaded her sonne Alexius told her that she must either change her Religion or dy the same death She imbraced the latter and kneeling downe with a cheerfull countenance first recommended her selfe to our Lord then offering her head to the sword died with the sweet names of Iesus and Mary in her mouth The wife of Lucas being thus dead the persecutours exercised their cruelty vpon the children of Alexius one of the which Thomas was ten yeares old an other fiue and the third an Infant borne three or foure daies before the Fathers death as yet vnchristened This bloody office was committed to a seruant of the house who by order of Figendonos Ministers cut of their heades All these Christians had been baptised by our Fathers except the little girle which was baptized in her owne blood A rare case in Iaponia which caused great admiratiō both for the infantes littlenesse and the cause of such a murder The death of Isabell Mother of Damianns and Beatrice his wise with their foure Children IN the yeare of our Lord 1622 Damianus being put to death and all his goods confiscated his wife with all her family was kept prisoner in her owne house hauing continually a double guard vpon her and a cord about her necke which was so tyed that she might neuerthelesse stirre about and dispatch her ordinary businesse The keepers weary of that tedious office did extreamly molest her by vrging her to forsake the Christian faith but she alwaies the same not the least daunted with the miseries of pouerty and long imprisonment answered onely this that she would be her husbandes companion as well in death as life ready to suffer all trouble and vexation for the loue of Iesus christ At two yeares end order came for the beheading of Beatrice and her children which they vnderstanding did euen leap for ioy only poore Isabell whose sentence was not come hung downe the head and shewed such manifest signes of true sorrow that the messenger acquainted the Tonos Lieutenant with it and he presently commanded she should dy with the rest At these happy tydinges the good old woman was reuiued and putting one her best apparell as the rest had done prepared for death Paul a child of eleuen yeares whilest the rest were making themselues ready with great ioy was very sad and pensiue by reason that some as he vnderstood were gone to beg his pardon but at length word was brought that no pardon would be granted Then might you haue seene in the face of this manly child a picture of his ioyfull hart so did he on the sudden pull vp his spirits and with marueilous alacrity make ready for death They departed al together from their owne house cheerfully bidding adieu to their friendes who met them vpon the way signified by their teares how loath they were to leaue them being no more to meete in this life Thus they imbarked being come within sight of the Iland Nacaie where Damian and his companiōs had suffered two yeares before Beatrice began to offer vp praiers of thankes giuing to the diuine Maiesty for the benefit bestowed vpon her husband and willed the rest for that end to recite with loud voices such praiers as they knew by hart By the way they met with the wife and Children of Iohn who were going also to shed their blood for the loue of Christ O happy encounter Who can expresse the reciprocall ioy the cordiall greetinges the zealous exhortations of these noble Christians There was no lamenting of each others hand fortune but mutuall encouragements to constancy and perseuerance which with vnited hartes and tongues they begged of the diuine goodnesse ioyning their two deuout quires in a consort of melodious praiers Thus cutting the waies with their oares and pearcing heauen with their voices they arriued at Gigoco a place of the Iland Nacaie Here the sixe first went a Land and Beatrice to giue her children good example was the first to kneele downe which she did with a marueilous courage manly spirit then lifting vp her handes to heauen and praying a while offered her head which with one stroke was deuided from her body Paul would be the next after his mother and was already vpon his knees but the cruell hangman seeing him girt in such sort with a towell as might hinder his blow bad him vnty it which he without the least signe of feare rising vp did very dexterously and then speedily falling downe vpon his knees againe as greedy of death with handes stretched forth to heauen whither he was taking his flight most deuoutly called vpon the holy names Iesus Maria and at the second stroke of the hangman lost his head and got a laurell Iohn the second sonne onely nine yeares old stood all this while on the right hand of his mother learning as well by her example as that of his elder brother how to play his part Wherefore knowing that his grandmother had chosen the last place and thinking it no pride to precede his sisters in such an occasion full of sweet deuotion well befitting his tender yeares bowed his knees to the ground and receiuing a mortall blow flow with his blessed soule to heauen No sooner were these three dead but the bloody butchers by exercise of cruelty growing more cruell tooke the younger sister by name Isabel onely leauen yeares old in most barbarous manner throwing her downe vpon the dead body of her mother cut her in peeces with their Cimitaries So did the mother become an Altar for the pretious sacrifice of her innocent daughter and the blessed child restore her blood and life to the fountaine from whence it sprung Magdalen the elder sister and eldest of the foure yet not aboue the age of thirteene yeares was so strengthened with the vigour of Gods holy grace that no cruelty could abate her courage wherefore drawing neare to her mothers body she knelt downe close by it with some holy enuy it may be to her sisters happy lot and imploring the assistance of Christ Iesus and the Virgin Mary was beheaded and crowned with glory at the same time Now had the good old Isabel obtained the first part of her desire which was as she said to see those dearest pledges out of daunger and safely placed in heauen the second was to beare them company of which she was
other incommodities of the time The Father did his part to make sweet and easy the difficulties of the way by exhorting them to patience and constancy But aboue the rest was admired the courage of Leo who hauing had his leggs all squeesed with the torment outwent them all neuer shewing so much as the least signe of paine or feeling They had not gone farre when they met with an other Christian called Iulian Fiemon who declaring his profession made suite to be of the number and ledde to prison who obtained his petition to the no small comfort of the rest who hoped Almighty God would increase aswell their courage as their number Come at last to Xindai they were put into the common iayle by order from the Gouernour Suò being nine in number The Father desired much to haue spoken with the Suò to haue vndeceaued him but neither he nor any of the prisoners could euer obtainè to see him Before Father Diego and his came to Xindai many had been put to death with seuerall torments brought from seuerall parts The first who suffred in Xindai were Marke Cafroy and Mary his wife inhabitants of a certaine place calied Omura His officers comming vnto those parts certaine frindes of Marke not acquainting him affirmed to the persecutors that Marke and his wife were no more Christians they satisfied with this were already gone their waies when Marke and his wife vnderstanding how the businesse had been carried and therefore thinking thems lues bound to disclame from the imputation laied vpon them by discouering themselues and professing their faith openly before he officers left their house and gooes to the charge of certaine slaues and tooke a long iourney to ouertake the persecutours professe their faith though with losse of their liues Which they did accordingly neither could they be drawne from it by any meanes of persuasion They placed them both in publicke starke naked for the space of a whole day but this abating nothing their courage they were sent to Suò in Xindai who straight gaue order they should be burne aline being first ledde through all the streets of the towne with a trumpet before them declaring that these were so condemned for their obstinate professing of Christiā faith Whilst they were thus leade vp downe the towne towards the fier they met with new assaults life being profered them so they would yet relent but Marke answered in the name of both that no torments should euer take them frō the faith of Christ Thus came this happy couple vnto the place of execution where Marke bound to a stake with the sacred names of Iesus and Maria imprinted in his hart and lips rendred vp his soule a middest the flames the first of February 1624. Whilst Mary on the other side in the height of her torments melted into a shower of comfortable teares sweetly thanking the diuine goodnesse for hauing bestowed vpon her infinit benefits and this aboue the rest most deare vnto her For the confession of the same faith two more were burnt the Father and the sonne on seuerall daies the Father was called Andrew Camon and the sonne Paul Sancuro For the same cause another called Peter Chinzo gaue his head his body afterwards being cut into smale peeces On the 12 of February foure more were put to death Iohn Anzai a Physitian 60 yeares of age his wife also farr in yeares an other kinsmā called Andrew Icyomon and a seruant of Iohns called Lewis Andrew and Lewis were beheaded and their bodies after hacked in peeces But Iohn and Mary ranne a more difficult and glorious course First were they assaulted in their owne houses with threats and promises proceeding from their carnall friends and a bloody tyrant But Suò seeing his hopes deluded caused thē to be put into a great riuer which passed through the towne but many waters could not extinguish their Charity They suffred this torment with a merry countenance though in the deepest of Winter and a most bitter frost Now and then would they thrust them ouer head and eares bidding them deny their faith but all they could get from them was an absolute deniall So that dispairing to obtaine any thing this way they tooke them out of the riuer and naked as they were set them one horsebacke and led them through the Citty with a trumpet before thē declaring the cause of their punishment At the end of euery street they made thē comed wne from their horses and asked them a new whether they would deny their faith they persisting in the negatiue buckets of cold water were powred vpon them Thus passed they with incredible constancy through the whole Citty till they came to the chief street there being bound to the gates for in Iaponia euery street is shut in with railes they were exposed to the cruelty of all who cast so great aboundance of frozen water on them that nature yeelding they died in the midst of their torment with a deniall in there mouths loaden more with merits then with yeares leauing the Christians with comfort the Gen ils with confusion to lee such courage in an age so decrepit After these were beheaded Simon Ficoyemone Monica his wite and a son of theires whose name we know not These were put to death in Ioioma by commaund from the Lord of the place for professing Christian faith In Vsuquino one called Gaspar Ichniemon suffered the same death for the same cause It is now time to returne vnto F. Caruaglio his Companions whom we left in prison these vpon the 16 of February which is the last of the Iaponian yeare were taken out of iayle and led to a riuer which runs through the towne neare vnto which was a certaine lake paled about being round and filled with the water of the same riuer some two foote deep Here the prisoners being stripped naked and tyed each one to the stakes which were round about were compelled to sit downe in the water and there remained for the space of three hoares Meane while the tormented persons vsed no other language but this Iesus Maria Praised be the B. Sacrament Blessed be God for euer and 〈…〉 F. Diego encouraged them al not only by words but by example sitting in the water like a body of marble that felt nothing and when he left of exhorting his eyes modestly composed and as it were vanished in a profound contemplation left not of to preach Those who were present at this spectacle impior with compassion perswaded all they could those afflicted persons to abandon Christ but their answere was that they were ready rather to endure ten thousand torments Hereupon they turned their rage vpon the Father vomiting forth against him many iniurious threats doing him seuerall assrouts which he indured with incredible patience still animating his fellow patients Three houres being ended because the tyrant would not haue them die there they were drawne forth but in such pittifull plight that hardly could they moue a
ioynt being stark with cold and halfe frozen they cast themselues vpon the sands on the riuer side Onely F. Diego forcing himselfe sat downe with his legs a crosse which was his vsuall posture at home and his hands ioyned vpon his breast his head bowing downe and so put himselfe into an act of praier with no smale wonder to the Gentils to see a man in that plight enioy such calme and peace of mind Two there were Mathias Sifyoie and Iulian Iemon who died assoone as they came out of the water Whilst they were vpon the sands comes a message frō the Gouernour to the Father that he and his companions should be deliuered if he would only exhort them to deny their faith The Father scorning the proposition made them see that the frozen water had nothing quenched the flames of diuine loue burning in his breast and therefore answered couragiously that he would rather exhort them to ensure a world of torments then buy their liberty at so deare a rate the messenger returned to the Gouernour with his message who raging with spite sēt an other to assure them they should be burnt aliue without the least sparke of compassiō They all answered with one voice that they could not receaue more happy tidings hereupon after many persuasions to smal purpose they were commanded backe to prison warned to prepare themselues for a hotter element So they were curried back with guards vpon them the bodies of the two already dead being cut in pieces and cast into the riuer The people cryed out amaine against F. Caruaglio which he endured with no lesse ioye then patience Being in prison it is incredible what calamity they endured vatill the 22 of February the fourth day of the Iaponians new yeare but all was deuoured with inuincible courage preparing themselues with a kind of greedines for the expected fier The 22 day in the morning the yeare 1624 they were drawne out of prison not to end their liues in fier as they expected but in a contrary element for about noone they were led to the place aboue mentioned and there stript naked were tyed as before to their seuerall stakes At first they made them stand vpright in the water knee deep then forced them to nt downe so that the water came vp to their breast and changed their posture frō time to time to encrease their paine The blasphemies and iniurious speeches of the people were intollerable falling chiefly vpon the Father The language of those who suffered was the same that before Iesus Maria c. and thus they perseuered immoouable till the euening Then begā the waters to freeze aswel by reason of the cold as the wind which entred on euery side and the snow which fell from aboue in aboundance so that the torments of these seruants of God was encreased from all parts They soone perceined that their time approached and therfore with most amorous wordes and inflamed Charity taking leaue of one an other they set themselues to implore the helpe of God giuing him thankes for the bestowed benefits and beseeching the most B. Virgin to obtaine succour for them from her sonne Iesus in this last period F. Diego redoubled his encouragements when Leo Gognemon began to faint and struggle with the pangues of death which the Father perceiuing turning to him in particular cryed out yet awbile yet awhile we shall quickly haue an end at which wordes Leo receiuing new strength seemed to ioy in his torments and calling vpō the holy names of Iesus and Maria gaue vp his soule vnto his Creatour The next were Antony Sazaymon and Mathias Xoiano who already dead F. Caruaglio not knowing so much and calling vpon him he answered to the Fathers call euen after death as was obserued by those who were next about him Meane while comes a Gentill and offers to deliuer out of the torment any that would relent viewing aboue the rest Mathias Taroyemone his especiall friend but all answered with a resolute Noe so that soone after there expired in the fourth place Andrew Nigemon with the sweet names of Iesus and Maria in his mouth In the same manner finished his course Mathew Mangobioye who was the fifth and Mathias Tonoyemon the sixt who drawing towards an end called vpon the Father saying farwel Father farwell I am at the last to whom the Father depart in peace and so he died without further ceremony with the happy names of Iesus and Maria hanging in his lipps It was now fiue of the clock in the euening and therefore the people retired leauing yet aliue the Captaine of the rest F. Diego Caruaglio but he was not abādoned of certaine Christians who remained by till he died they affirme that a little before midnight the generous Champion of Christ with incredible constancy repeating againe and againe the hopefull names of IESVS MARIA ended the period of his life and labours The constancy of the Christians was commēded euen by the Gentils especially of F. Diego who in more then ten houres torment was nener seen so much as to tremble for cold the inward fier burning in his soule conquering the outward cold which afflicted his body famous aswell for the newnes of his torment as the many lost perswasions spent to withdrawe him from his faith For the Tyrants commonly vse no persuasions to honours knowing by experience that it is labour lost and this was the first time that this torment was practised in Iaponia All these seruants of God passed to a better life the 22. of February the other two aboue named on the 18 of the same Moneth 1624 by order of Idate Massamune gouernour of those quarters In the morning the dead bodies were taken out of the lake chopt in peeces were cast into the riuer excepting the heads of 4 that of F. Diego which some Christians found means to haue and keep them with greater veneration F. Diego was a Portughese borne in Conimbra he entred into the Society at 16 yeares of age the yeare 1600 he went to the Indies with intention to passe to Iaponia he suffred much vpō the way and after fiue yeares went to Macao there he staied till he had finished his courses of Philosophy and Diuinity and the yeare 1609 he entred his so much desired Iaponia He imployed the first yeare as the custome is with extraordinary diligence to learne the language this done for two yeares he cultiuated Christianity in the Ilands of Quamacusa thence departing he went to Meaco and to the Country of the Cami but soone was chased thence with the rest out of Iaponia towards Nangasachi and Macao the yeare 1614 where he preached the Ghospell In the beginning of 1615 he was sent into Cochinchina in company of F. Frācis Buzoni to found a new that mission where he laboured with extraordinary zeale but by a speciall prouidence the yeare following he came back into Iaponia He spent the first yeare in Omura with excessiue zeale and Charity in the
began with the wines and children of those whom two yeares before he had put to death by order of the Ienca their cause being not yet ended and he spared neither the maid-seinants nor little intants as it will appeare by the following relation The death of nine Christians of the house and family of Gabriel who had lodged F. Camillus Conitanstius of the Society of IESVS Two yeares agoe a Christian called Gabriel suffereth death in the Citty of Firanâ—o for hauing lodged F. Camillus Constanstius of the Society and euer since both his mother and the rest of his family had liued in daily expectation of their turne their cause yet hanging and they committed to the custody of their neighbours No sooner did the persecution begin but the family of Gabriel was giuen for lost whereupon the Gentiles began to looke to them more narrowly and to abridge them of their former liberty One of the neighbours the second man of the street went to visit Grace the mother of Gabriel and told her after an vpbraiding manner that the persecution raised at that present was a punishment sent by tenxo Daygun the chiefe Cami of Iaponia The holy woman resented exceedingly this blasphemous speech and boldly replyed that she wondred very much he would offend her eares with blaspheming God his holy law and that he might haue done much better in exhorting her to suffer with patience the neere approaching death for the honour and seruice of the only true God then by recounting the fables of the false Idolls to increase her affliction wherfore she desired him if he wished her well to speake of something else And the Paynim thus checked spoke not a word more During this time the Christians of that Citty gathered together in a particular house offered vs many feruent prayers to Almighty God begging of his goodnesse force of spirit and constancy or all but especially for the prisoners Linus the brother of Gabriell was much tempted but he allwaies answered that he would follow the steppes of his Father who had perseuered in the law of Christ vntill the end Some daies before the seruants of God receiued the senteÌ„ce of death they inuited to dinner the principall Paynims of the street and humbly craued pardon of them for some sharp answers which they had giuen earnestly beseeching them to speake no more vnto them of leauing their faith The Physitian of the Tono was the first man of their friendes who had newes of their death wherfore he went to them in a friendly manner acquainting them with what had passed told them that if they would change their mindes he would make meanes that the Tono should recall his sentence Linus made answer in name of the rest thanking him for his good will and told him that all the torments in the world should neuer make them abandon their Religion This newes came soone after to be knowne of the Physitians man who out of meer compassion went bewailing their case and spreading the newes about the Citty There was presently such flocking of friendes and acquaintance to visit them that the chiefe officer of the streete thought fit to turne them all backe for feare of an vprore About midnight came two of the Tonos seruants who confilcating all their goodes carryed them away scarce leauing so much as the cloathes vpoÌ„ their backes Then did the condemned Christians with a loud voice begin ioifully to recite diueise praiers and when the standers by would haue hindered them they answered that their temporall goods being taken away they had no reason to deprius them also of the spirituall riches of the soule their onely substance and possession then remaining The confiscatours admiring their speeches let them go on for the present but hauing sent away all the goods they bound Linus and all the rest sauing Marie the Grandmother of Gabriell and the sonne of a seruing woman who was so little that one of the officers carryed him away vpon his backe Vpon the 3 of March being sunday they were lead forth many Christians meeting them vpon the way who in taking their last leaue with many teares recommended themselues to their prayers earnestly desiring them when they came to heauen where they should be out of all danger that they would be mindfull of those who remained behind subiect to so many dangers and miseries Amongst the rest came one of Graces daughters with her husband of whom she tooke her leaue with a cheerfull countenance and great peace of mind charging them to remaine constant in the Religion in which they had been brought vp from children and promising to pray for them in heauen In like manner did Linus speake to the other Christians with such a pleasant smiling countenance that he made shew of nothing lesse then going to suffer death Finally they arriued at a place distant from Firando a quarter of a league where they found foure boates expecting them in two of which were carried the nine Christians who were to suffer death and in the other two the executioners of that iniustice When they were imbarked Grace tooke a paire of beades from about her necke and cast them a land to her sonne in law Then lifting vp a little Crucifixe in her hand this alone quoth she will serue my turne and with saying to she adored in the sight of all him who comforteth and giueth strength to those that suffer for him and with humble renerence kissed his holy image After this the watermeÌ„ began to launch forth and the deuout seruants of God accompanying the noise of the oares sometimes with singing pious hymnes sometimes reciting seuerall prayers aloud arriued at Coccidomari the place appointed for execution There they all tooke their places and Linus the only man of the company shewed himselfe a man indeed thanking the executioners for his death with a marueilous courage and vndaunted mind Then began they to recomeÌ„d themselues to God Almighty in which action they remained a great while In this time the youngest daughter of Grace of the age of eleuen yeares onely was so farre from being afraid either of death or those whom she saw ready to inflict it that turning to her mother with a great courage ô mother said she how much are we beholding to these seruants of the Tono who haue brought vs hither and will now send vs to heauen I pray you let vs thanke them and be exceeding ioyfull The first tharknelt downe was the good old woman Mary who lifting vp her handes and praying a while then calling vpon the holy names of Iesus and Mary was beheaded by one of her owne kinsmeÌ„ who according to the custome of Iaponia least she should dy by the haÌ„ds of some basefellow or other did himselfe with great respect and reuerence cut off her head at a blow she being about ninty yeares of age The second was the noble Linus of the age of 21. yeares The third his sister Mary of the age of 18. The