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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51184	Remarkable addresses by way of embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Emperor of Japan Containing a description of their several territories, cities, temples, and fortresses; their religions, laws, and customs; their prodigious vvealth, and gorgeous habits; the nature of their soil, plants, beasts, hills, rivers, and fountains: with the character of the ancient and modern Japanners. Collected out of their several writings and journals by Arnoldus Montanus. English'd, and adorn'd with a hundred several sculptures, by John Ogilby Esq; His Majesties cosmographer, geographick printer, and master of the revels in the Kingdom of Ireland.; Gedenkwaerdige gesantschappen der Oost-Indische maatschappy in 't Vereenigde Nederland, aan de Kaiseren van Japan. English.	Montanus, Arnoldus, 1625?-1683.; Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie.; United Provinces of the Netherlands.	1671 (1671)	Wing M2486A; ESTC R218646	565,250	480

THis Spacious and Wealthy Isle by the Natives call'd Nippon and formerly by the Spaniards Argantana and in the Year of Christ Twelve hundred according to that Famous Author Paulus Venetus Chryse and Zipangry hath on the East-side California Its bordering Countreys and New-Granada but at a vast distance an Ocean of a thousand Leagues spreading betwixt Westward but far off it looks upon the Isle of Corca and Great China Hugh Linschot reckons the nearest Promontories or Head-lands stretching from China to Japan to be eighty Leagues distance The North opposes the Land of Jesso and the Straights of Anian and beyond all the Coast of America The South verges on the Philippines Mindanao Gilolo and the Molucco Isles And Latitude It extends from thirty to forty Degrees Northern-Latitude so that the longest day is fourteen Hours fifteen Minutes and the shortest nine Hours forty five Minutes Their highest Sun appears 15 Degrees at Noon short of the Zenith The Air differs not much from the Temperature of the Islands Sardinia Rhodes Cyprus Candia and Sicilia and like that of the main Land of Portugal and Spain and as moderate as Arabia Syria Persia and China Division of the same ¶ JApan is divided into five Provinces Jamaystero Jetsengo Jetsesen Quanto and Ochio besides the Isles Saykok and Chiccock Maffeus calls Saykok Ximum making that seven Provinces but Francis Cairon being an Eye-Witness deserves more to be credited He affirms That several Kings Govern there and also in Chiccock one King and three Vice-Roys That part of this Countrey that is call'd corruptly Japan boasts two Metropolitans Miaco and Jedo Maffeus also tells us That this hath fifty three Kingdoms amongst which he names Miaco and Amangutium saying Miaco consists of twenty three and Amangutium of thirty Kingdoms but of late all these petty Kingdoms are fallen into the Lap of one Sole Monarch or Emperor who keeps his Magnificent Court at Jedo But Japan also besides Saykok and Chiccock lies surrounded with several lesser Isles as Hiu Tacaxuma Iquicuchi Canga Firando Meacxima Oeno Cocyque Beroe Oqui Murgan Avans Mettogamma Meho Mianisinu Sando being full of Silver Mines Vulcans Isle and Vulcania often ejecting hideous Flames to the Sky lying to the West beyond the Straights of Diemon which washes the Isles Chiccock and Tacaxuma The Territory of Ochio ¶ OChio the North-East Territory of Japan borders on the vast Wildes of Jesso For the Inlet or Bay which divides them runs not up above forty Leagues there ending stopt by the Mountains of Ochio Description of the great Countrey Jesso ¶ THe Extent of Jesso being Mountainous and abounding with costly Furs is yet unknown although the Emperors of Japan were much concern'd taking great pains about the Discovery thereof to that purpose imploying several Persons at his own Cost and Charges who made search over Rocks and Mountains and almost inaccessible Places explor'd vast and wild Countreys very far but found no end though they diligently inquir'd of the People who being Salvages could give them no Account further than where they dwelt So after long Toyl and Trouble they were forc'd to return without any Effect of their Design as we said before The Jesuit Lodowick Frojus in his Letter of the eight and twentieth of February 1565. to the Indian Fathers writes thus concerning the Inhabitants of Jesso Against the Northermost Part of Japan about three hundred Leagues from Meaco is a very large Countrey full of Salvage People The Inhabitants of Jesso are horrible People which are Cloth'd in Skins of Wild Beasts Hairy all over their Bodies having exceeding great Beards and long Whiskers or Mustachioes which they turn up with Sticks made for that purpose when they drink They covet and are very desirous of Wine also Valiant in War and therefore much fear'd by the Japanners If by chance they receive any Hurts in an Encounter their onely Application is Salt Water with which they bathe and wash the Wound so drying it up On their Bosoms they wear Looking-Glasses which serve them as Shields or Breast-plates Their Swords they tye about their Heads in such a manner that the Hilt thereof hangs on their Shoulders They onely Worship the Moon Aquita a great City stands in the Territory of Genuaen bordering Jesso Hither the Natives come in great Numbers to Trade and also the Aquitans Travel to them but not in such Multitudes because they are oftentimes cut off and murder'd by the Inhabitants Error of the Geographers concerning Japan ¶ THe Maps of the World our Terrestrial Globe have till of late plac'd nothing beyond Aquita but the Ocean though long since confuted by Hugh Linschot proving upon the testimony of the Jesuit Frojus who deserves to be more credited as having resided a long time in Japan than some of our Geographers who set down by hear-say the Largeness and Extent of Japan without any Proofs or Testimony whereas it is made manifest That Japan extends it self much further than commonly drawn Moreover Francis Cairon Ambassador to the Emperor of Japan at Jedo witnesses That the Largeness of this Countrey is not known to the Inhabitants themselves Mistake of Maffeus and Cluverius Therefore Maffeus is much mistaken when he sets down the length of Japan to be two hundred Leagues and its greatest breadth but thirty And Cluverius in his Geography reckons the length to be an hundred and fifty Leagues and the breadth seventy Hazarts ignorance concerning the Description of Japan But none more errs in this than the Jesuit Cornelius Hazart in his History of the Island of Japan which that we may the better answer hear his own Words Japonien or as others call it Japan by the Inhabitants Nippon is a Territory lying in the farthest Point of the East being the outmost Borders of Asia which to prove he quotes Isaiah cap. 18. ver 2. For although to the West to the Frontiers of China Vide Isaiah is no more than fifty Leagues says he and to the City Amacoa two hundred ninety seven and on the South having so vast an Ocean no known Countrey being beyond Japan may certainly be call'd The Worlds End And standing divided into so many small Islands that a Geographer of our times calls it also A World of Isles the chiefest of which are Niphon Ximus and Xicocus consisting of sixty six several Kingdoms The Isle of Niphon reckons fifty three boasting also many stately Cities of which the Metropolis is Meaco The Island Ximus hath nine and several handsom Towns amongst which Usuquin Funai and Cangoxima The Isle Xicocus accounts no more than four Kingdoms Which being taken together Japonien is as big as all Italy Though this his Style be ridiculous yet his Ignorance and so strangely false Description is so much more that he ought rather to be pittied and laugh'd at as one distracted than to be answer'd but that we are bound in Conscience to undeceive his believing Readers Hazart's false

set forth Bartholomew Diazio who Coasting Africa reach'd at last the great Southern Point which indeed was the Work if he had understood it and made right use thereof but there being disanimated by mutinous Mariners and stress of Weather giving a bad Epithet to the great Point calling it Cabo Buyig or Cabo Boyie because there he was stopt and soon after forc'd to return yet his wiser Master understanding it better Cape of Good Hope why so call'd nam'd it Cabo de Bona Esperanca that is The Cape of Good Hope A strange Voyage of a Franciscan Monk But whilst Diazio Rid before the great Southern Cape a Franciscan Monk call'd Anthonio his intimate Friend incited by a strange curiosity Landed there and ventur'd alone to seek his Fortune in so vast and unknown a World I tell this Story though not so pertinent because of the wonder that one Man should be so hardy to venture his single Person to travel through Countreys so full of Heat Drought and Desarts and Peopled with such as he could neither understand nor they him but thus he went not onely through all Africa but a great part of Asia reaching to Jerusalem there paying his Devotion he return'd to Lisbon giving the King an account of his miraculous adventures Upon this the King bethought himself of a less chargeable way than Rigging a Fleet which could onely discover the Coast to which end he employ'd Pedro de Cavillano and Alphonso Payva both skilful in the Arabick A wonderful Journey of two Portuguese as private Pilgrims to make Inspections of those Countreys which were yet to them unknown They first came to Naples then touched at Rhodes after visited Egypt and saw Grand Cair from thence to Jerusalem here paying due Tears to the holy Sepulchre they parted travelling several Ways Payva for Ethiopia where he died and Cavillano to Ormus so to Calicut in India Here he receiv'd Messages from the King his Master not to return till he was able to give him a good account of Africa Thus commanded he ventur'd into Ethiopia where the King of that Countrey became his great admirer much taken with his Person and Parts inviting him to dwell in his own Court and offering him if he would Marry a Lady of great Fortune and Noble Extract From the Emperors Palace he made means to send a Letter to the King of Portugal in which he inform'd him at large both of the Asiatick and African Countreys and amongst the rest described the City of Calicut and gave a Character of the Inhabitants who he said were of a swarthy and of an Olevaster Complexion scarce knowing ought of humanity or civil address unaffable irreligious and ignorant of all Moral Vertue they are proud of going naked from the Middle upwards onely above their Elbows they wear Armlets of Pearl and a Simiter in a Belt hangs thwart their Shoulders and about their Middle they wear Skirts or long Bases of Purple-Silk richly embroider'd with Gold Here the Female Sex are allow'd Polygamy one Woman may Marry as many Husbands as she pleases and those which enjoy the greatest number are esteem'd there the most Noble so there is no priority to their Children by Birth none knowing well their own Father but either they are all Co-heirs or else her Sisters Children Inherit That the Natives of Ethiopia were all Blacks and a kind of Christians but mix'd with an allay of Judaism and Mahumetan and how the Emperor maintain'd a great standing-Army to defend his Dignity and Territories which were very vast Emanuel King of Portugal is earnest to make farther Discoveries of Africa and India Soon after this Information King John died in the Year 1495. Emanuel succeeding him and willing to go on with the Work of Discoveries advised with his Peerage what was best to be done in so high a Concern His Council consisting more of private than publick Spirits who aim at Grandeurs and the general good first looking upon the difficulty danger and great Charge then considering as to the Honor and Profit they had gotten enough by the Discoveries in Africa already and it were meer madness to take upon them more than they were able to perform for sending fresh Ships and new Colonies to Plant remoter Countreys would weaken the Kingdom and disable their Navy neither would these new-found Lands turn to any other account more than to maintain those that settled there these and the like they alledged The publick-spirited Party which were and are commonly the fewest in all great Consultations convinced them in all their Arguments saying That they had no cause to complain of the Honor and Profit which the Nation had already gotten in their first Discoveries but that it should rather encourage them to proceed The King's Treasure being better suppli'd and the whole Nation much employ'd and more enrich'd by this their foreign Trade and should they neglect what they had so happily begun and undertaken they would not onely lose their Expence and Pains but the whole Affair would in time by degrees moulder away to nothing And if we should wave such honorable Enterprises as these who would attempt discourag'd by our example any Business that had the least face of difficulty or danger Thus the business being highly debated the King hearkned onely to those of his Council who advis'd according to his judgment and inclination and with all diligence speedily set forth four Ships well appointed with Soldiers Sea-men and all other Necessaries making Vasco de Gama their Admiral adding his Brother Paulo and Nicolao Celio for his assistance who set Sail on the tenth of June Anno 1497 follow'd with great sorrow cries and tears of the Adventurers Wives Children and their nearest Relations being possess'd with a prejudice that the Voyage was so long and dangerous that they should never see them again Having weigh'd Anchor first they directed their Course to the Fortunate Isles from thence to the Hesperides and having clear'd Cape de Verd they steer'd more Easterly till he lost all sight of Land and lay engag'd in the wide and open Sea three Moneths together when in ten Degrees of Southern Latitude Land appear'd towards which he made with all possible speed and soon anchor'd in the Mouth of a pleasant River where Landing he found some of the Natives whose Hair was short and curl'd and they of a swarthy Complexion were naked who never knowing what belong'd to Commerce nor having seen any Strangers before they made but small Traffick with them onely trucking Spikes and several sorts of Nails for Cattel and Fruit. Gama call'd this Place St. Hellens Bay and the River falling in it St. James River SEFALE From hence having refresh'd themselves they Sail'd on but making little way being ruffl'd often with foul Weather hollow Seas and a contrary Current still running Westward yet at last they reach'd the Confines of Zanguebar which he so call'd from the Name of that Saint and soon after cast Anchor

handsomely having such a numerous Army to come off so basely with so much loss and dishonor which had he the like he would give the Emperor another manner of account or never return alive This the Emperor taking notice of thought fit to employ such a brisk Undertaker and raising a second Army joyn'd him in Commission with his first General who was a soft man yet well belov'd of the Souldiers who when they were thus forc'd to Retreat as they had been before and leave their Siege Rallying up their scatter'd Forces in the foremention'd Plain some distance from the City This Prince coming near the former General as he and the rest of the Captains were consulting how to dispose of their shatter'd Forces the old General said thus boldly to him But whatsoever becomes of us thou shalt be sure to keep the promise which thou madest so bravely to the Emperor never to return alive from Batavia and as he spake ran him through the body and the rest of the Captains and Officers about him fell upon his Lifeguard and Followers leaving eight hundred massacred upon the Spot Since this beating of so powerful an Enemy and such a numerous Army that in probability the Hollanders would scarce have been a Breakfast for being by Divine Providence thus totally dispatch'd they have since enjoy'd such a serene Tranquility that now Batavia is become the greatest and flourishing City of all the European Plantations in the East From hence his Excellency Lord Blockhoff Anno 1649 on the 28 of June as we said before began his Voyage being employ'd Ambassador to the Emperor of Japan Steering first through the Straights which washes the Head-Land of Samutra call'd Sunapara and the Isle of Banca and in eight days ran the length of Paulo Tymon having that Coast on his Starboard Description of Pubo Timon ¶ THe Isle makes out a most delightful Prospect rising from the Shore like a copped Hill the ascent interwove with winding Valleys full of fresh Fountains vested with several sorts of shady and Fruit-bearing Trees The North-East Point of this hath a small adjacent Isle the Straits betwixt which makes a pleasant Passage and a safe and convenient Landing-place on Tymon Description of the Heth Betel Here grows wild and to be gather'd every where the so much esteem'd Herb Betell on the vertue of which the Indians believe their whole Regiment of Health depends so that scarce one is to be found that hath it not in his mouth chawing night and day which to take off the bitterness they commonly commix with Arera and Chalk the better sort compounded with Calphur de Buaneo Aloes and Musk Which they say hath these Operations first That it makes the Breath Sweet keeps White Fastens and Consolidates the Teeth it Corroborates the Stomach making good Digestion and chearing the Spirits adding Strength and Vivacity to the whole Body They take him to be a very ill-bred and uncivil fellow that offers to presume come before and speak with the Governor e're he hath perfum'd his Breath with it This Plant hath most Efficacy and grows best under a temperate Climate The Leaves are not unlike that of an Orange but sharper runs up imbracing Poles like our Hops Some choose the ripe and golden colour'd Leaves as the best others those that are quite wither'd In the first chawing it renders a reddish Juyce like blood which they spit out but what comes after they swallow If the Leaves be kept close and not much handled they will keep their vertue a great while with which the Javanners load whole Fleets of their small Vessels transporting it from thence home to their no little profit near the Shore it is cheap but up in the Countrey being scarcer is much dearer Description of Polu Cecir de Terr ¶ FRom hence they went on in their intended Voyage and on the twelfth day rais'd Pulo Candor a small Isle next Pulo Cecir de Terr so distinguish'd from Pulo Cecir de Mere lying Easterly to the Offin but Cecir de Terr verg'd with a white Sand lies before the main Continent of Cambodia The power of the Cambodian King and is much frequented by the Japanners Portuguese and Couchicinessers and Malayers The King of this Countrey Cambodia hath his Residence in a Palace Fenc'd in stead of Stone with Woodden Pales Guarded with sixteen Elephants who faithfully make good their appointed Stations all Fortifi'd with twenty four Guns made prize from several Villages belonging to Goa and many other places that formerly suffer'd Shipwrack on his Coast They are Painted blue and stand Mounted on black Carriages How the Embassadors are receiv'd The publick place of meeting where the King sits Inthron'd in full State and Glory is built like an Arch but signifies his Court and Temple cover'd and adorn'd with Gilt and Carv'd Work their Floors all Matted where stand three great Idols and three little ones The Embassadors that make their Addresses coming for Audience are plac'd amongst the Okina's five and twenty being sent from the King to receive their Embassy and make Report to his Majesty the Embassadors by an Interpreter deliver their Message to the Cha-bander he to one of the Okinars the Okina with his hands lifted above his head to the King Japanners in Cam●odia The Japanners which were eight Families driven from their Abode for what reason we know not setled in this Countrey and held in much esteem by the King because they assisted him in a Grand Rebellion against his Son who Conspired to depose and destroy his Father and settle himself in his Throne Strange Rock Leaving Cambodia they crost over to Chiampa and four days after they pass'd by St. John de Fix being a steep Mountain whose Spiry top resembles a man large as the Colossus Hereon the night following being the 15 of August the Embassador himself Lord Blockhoff departed this Life being Inbalm'd his Bowels inclos'd in an Urn or small Chest was with all Solemnity and Honor as if a Funeral discharging their Guns and the like thrown over-board From thence with their single Embassador Andreas Frisius though sad they went on and passing by Pulo Cambier and Catao they rais'd in view the Island Aynam and soon after Macao where they were cumber'd with abundance of Fishermen which seem'd to cover the whole Sea Description of Macao The City Macao or Mavaw stands scituated on a small Isle or Isthmus being joyn'd with a neck of Land to the main Continent of China lying in twenty degrees north-North-Latitude The middle of this narrow piece of Land a great Arch seems to bestride stopping all passage with shut-up Gates to go thorow which all Portugueses are prohibited and whatever Merchandize and other Commodities carry'd in and out pay Toll and Customs to the Emperor of China but the Mandariens granted the Portuguese to Plant Henpeoao and suffer'd them in Myacaco to Erect their City which they built with strong Walls and Fortifi'd

Island Branco well known at a great distance by its steep and chalky Cliffs after that we descry'd the Flat Coast of Loemon known by its two Promontories on the North-East and South-West end Then we Steer'd our Coast North-East where happen'd several great Calms and terrible Thunder and Lightning A considerable time we kept in sight of China about five or six Leagues from the Shore after that we had Sail'd close by the Islands of The two Sisters Formosa and also by The three Kings there appear'd as commonly doth in those parts before a Storm the dreadful signs of an ensuing Tempest Signs of bad weather About the Cape of Good Hope appears commonly a small black Cloud before a Tempest which was here a Rain-Bowe onely of two colours hoop'd in with two more the outmost the largest the Master being thus warn'd furl'd his Sails lower'd his Yards and dropt all his Anchors and so in a manner moor'd his Vessel by which time it blew so hard from the North-East bringing along a high and rough Sea which oftentimes rak'd over us from Prow to Stern that all our Ground-Tackle though very good seem'd not strong enough to keep her from Driving Thus we lay plying the Pump Shipping often so much Water as was ready to beat down the Decks so that we every Minute expected death and that which was worse the Wind shifting eight Points towards the North-West furrow'd fresh Billows athwart which beat over our Broad-side Thus having suffer'd four and twenty hours the utmost of the Perils when utterly despairing not able to hold out any longer it pleas'd God that the Weather broke up and the Storm ceasing after a short refreshment we joyfully weigh'd Anchor and proceeded on in our Voyage And now being got about an hundred Leagues from the Island of Meaxuma we saw with admiration a great number of py'd Fowls black and white by the Portuguese call'd Allcatrasses which prey'd there on Fish Before this Island lieth an obscure Cliff and the Isle presenting it self in four Cantels or Divisions being cut thorow in the manner of a Cross On the South-West end of it are two round Hills the other Islands are known by several Rocks resembling Organ-Pipes Here Sayling two Leagues along this Coast to the height of one and thirty degrees from thence Steering our Course to Cabexuma which is surrounded by many Rocks we discover'd the Mountain of Amacusa and the utmost Point of the Island Cavallos known by the tall Pines that Crown the high-High-Land At some distance off from the shore lies a Ridge of Rocks which as a Bar breaking the violence of the Waves agitated with Wind make within a smooth and safe Harbor Then we found the Bay of Nangesaque by joyning our Land-Marks together being a Tree and the Roof of the great Church where we Anchoring Hoysed out our long Boat and so Landed in Japan This is our second Discoverer of any note giving the most exact account of the nearest and best way to Japan But two years before the return of Pais from his foremention'd Voyage John Hugh Luschot setting Sail from the Haven of Maccaw intending his Voyage for Japan He relates thus Linschot's Voyage to Japan The 19 of June we Weigh'd Anchor from before the Island des Outcas lying on the West side of the Entrance towards Maccaw leaving the great Isle of Thieves to Lee-ward which hath another longer Island full of Woods to the Northward of it and the like shape presents the Isle Tonquiau being naturally fortifi'd with ten Cliffs like Bulwarks but on the North-East side opens a convenient and safe Harbor We wav'd Lamon standing off to Sea at a great distance because many Pirats lay lurking up and down shelter'd under those Coasts their design especially to seize Portuguese Vessels therefore we Steer'd directly towards the Chabaquon-Head a High-Land appearing a far off from the Coast of China afterwards we Sail'd the length of the Red Stone Varella a Rock so call'd and well known by its colour which appears above Water and may be seen beyond Port Chinogoa Soon after we Stemm'd the Isle Lequeo Puqueno whose steep Coasts are about sixteen Leagues in length under twenty five degrees North-Latitude where we Sail'd against a Current of troubled white Shells but after 15 Leagues we found ease Then rose the Seven Sisters Isles so call'd from their so much resembling one another the first appears with a sharp Spire or rising Point in the middle and at the foot on the West Angle a Rock opens like a Column or Pillar on the North-East mark'd with a black Cliff The Seven Sisters out of sight we rais'd the long Isle Ycoo full of black or sable Trees from whence we lay North-East Sailing betwixt that and Tanaxuma through a Channel clear from all danger of Rocks and Shelves At the Mouth of which appears a Mountain like Vesuvius or that of Aetna which vomits upwards hideous Smoke and dreadful Flames mixt with Stones the Ruptur'd Bowels of the Mountain which ejected with no little Fragor sometimes fills the adjacent Shores Sea and Land with terrible Affrights and wonderful Consternations But Tenaxuma an Isle eight Leagues long hath on the West a good Harbor fortifi'd naturally with Rocks the Low-Land full of rising Hillocks cover'd here and there with black Pines Eight Leagues Northerly beyond this appears the Coast of the mighty Empire of Japan but in the mid-way Steering to Jebuxy we lay a good while becalm'd yet nevertheless the eleventh day after we set Sail from Macow we arriv'd in Japan But besides all these Voyagers and the many Discoveries and Plantations of the Portuguese and Spaniards in either Indies at last the Hollanders being thrust into an exegency of dangerous consequence and forc'd by an overcoming necessity also became Navigators and undertook to save themselves from utter ruine that Work by a business which happen'd thus At first and in the infancy of their Trade They onely contented themselves with making short Flights and trafficking to their neighboring Confines as France England Denmark Norway and other Places in the Northern Ocean with which naturally delighted and tasting the sweetness of Profit they ventur'd farther to Spain and Portugal then growing more bold enter'd the Straights seeking through the Midland Sea at Legorn Genoua and Messina what by their several Trades might be more beneficial Here whilst the Portuguese and Spaniards made such wonderful Discoveries they fixed and well satisfi'd sat down and went no farther The first reasons why the Hollanders undertook the Voyage to the East-Indies and afterwards to Japan But after the War was proclaim'd by Spain against the United Provinces King Philip issuing out strict Commands that all Goods that heretofore were Exported from his Harbors or Imported from the Hollanders whether the Growth of either Countrey or otherwise should not onely be confiscated and made seizure of but great Mulcts and other Punishments inflicted upon all them that durst or were so

them also many Mysteries of the depths and shallowness of Waters and the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean But especially they discoursed at large of Earthquakes because they frequently infest Japan sometimes shaking it like a Skiff toss'd by the Waves at other times lifting it up and down and swallowing whole Villages Towns Cities nay great Tracts of Land leaving in their steads unfathomable Pits all which wrought strange effects in the Japanners But they were much more concern'd even to admiration when the Jesuits told them before-hand the Moneth Week Day Hour and Minute when the Sun or Moon would be Ecclypsed the first by the Moons passing before the Sun the second by the interposition of the Terrestrial Globe betwixt the Sun and Moon Japanners are desirous of Learning These Discourses concerning Lightning Thunder Clouds Rain Hail Fountains Floods and other natural Motions and Meteors delighted the Japanners the more because they are much addicted to learn knowledge of Mysteries Johannes Fernandes relates That they came daily to his House spending the time in asking all manner of Questions concerning God and his Divine Works The fourth Reason may be known by the Bonzies The fourth Reason of the happy and prosperous success of the Catholick Religion in Japan may be drawn from the Bonzies who not onely taught wicked and abominable Doctrine but lead also very debauch'd and vicious Lives What Lodowick Frojus writes in a Letter from Firando to the Indian Jesuits concerning their abominable Religion Their wicked Religion may serve for a pattern He tells us of a Gentlewoman that was ninety years old who had paid her Devotions in several of the Japan Temples and bestow'd great Revenues upon some of them this Bounty of hers was requited by the Bonzies with a Paper Coat which they esteem'd very highly for the Life of Amida was at large written therein and it was accounted an extraordinary and peculiar favor to purchase such a Coat with a great sum of Money for the Woman dying in the same was immediately transported to the happy Place of Amida's Residence without suffering any pain to cleanse her from her former offences But Johannes Fernandes being fetch'd to a sick Person of kindred to the foremention'd Gentlewoman discoursed with her laying open the vainness of the Paper Coat against which he us'd so many arguments that she tore and burnt it The other wickednesses of their Religion appears by murdering themselves to the honor of Amida Their Cruelties Xaca and Canon The Bonzies live very debauch'd And no less abominable were the Lives of the Bonzies whose Debaucheries Drunkenness Whoring Murdering and other outrages were known to most People nay they accounted it no sin to Rob upon the High-ways and go a Pyrating upon the Sea oftentimes venturing to set upon whole Towns and Villages burning the Houses to the ground and putting the Inhabitants all to the Sword not so much as sparing the poor Infants for which their Cruelties the Emperor Nobunanga burnt their Cloysters and as many as he could get of the Bonzies caus'd them to be nail'd on Crosses to die a lingring Death This made the way clear for the Jesuits who told them they were come above six thousand Leagues over the Sea to Japan to no other end but to teach them the right Road to Salvation The fifth Reason is the alliance of the Japan Religion with the Catholick At last the little difference which was between the Japan Religion and the Catholick made an easie way for the Jesuits to settle it And certainly there was a great resemblance of the Japan Religion to the other according to which the Dayro in Meaco governs himself not much unlike the Pope at Rome Moreover the Japanners have an infinite number of Cloysters full of Priestesses and Nuns who punish themselves for their sins and account Marriage unlawful in some of their religious Orders They are perswaded that the more largely they shew their Charity to the Cloysters the sooner they shall go to Amida's happy dwelling so that their Bounty in those particulars makes them equal in their future happiness for the Heirs of the Deceased with Gifts and Presents beseech the Bonzies to deliver them by their means from their Pain They all Read their Prayers by Beads Concerning matters of Religion none may Judge but the Dayro and a Cloyster They account it great Piety in any to visit the Tombs or Shrines of the Japan Saints These were the chiefest Reasons why the Catholick Faith went on so successfully in Japan which nevertheless for divers causes before-mention'd met with such oppositions that at this day there is scarce one Christian to be found in the Countrey Nobunanga Taicosama and Daifusama as we have already mention'd begun to persecute them but being continually busi'd with Civil Wars amongst themselves they found their hands so full that their Cruelties gave some little intermissions The first Persecution of the Christians But when Conbosama took possession of the Imperial Throne he feard none since Fideri was burnt with the chiefest of the Nobility by his Father Daifusama Thus suspecting no manner of Insurrection Anno 1617 he began anew to raise Persecutions endeavoring totally to subvert Christianity and utterly root out all its Professors with the greatest torturing that could be thought on therefore when to be nail'd on Crosses and run through the Sides with two Lances seem'd too easie a Death and to be beheaded was far easier Therefore he resolv'd to make them feel a more painful and lingring Exit and that he perform'd by roasting them to death in this manner Christians are Roasted First a great Post was driven into the Earth placing several Pyles of Wood about it and onely leaving a Gap or Passage open towards that Corner from whence the Wind blew through which those that were to suffer pass'd to the Stake to which they were bound by the Hands with a Rope of twelve Foot long and about the same distance the Wood lay about the Post excepting onely where the Gap was left to the end the Wind might blow away the Smoak that the Martyrs might not suddenly be choaked up and so die sooner and easier than those bloody Persecutors desir'd so that they were roasted by degrees and died if it were possible a thousand Deaths in one undergoing the miserablest torture that could be imagin'd Burning of Men very antient This kind of burning of Mankind had a long time before been us'd in the World but never in so cruel a method as in Japan The Holy Scripture tells us of Juda that he condemn'd his Daughter in Law to be burnt because she had committed Adultery Gen. 38.24 of which Moses saith thus Bring Thamar forth and let her be burnt The Rabbin Jews affirm that Thamar was the Priest Melchisedech's Daughter and therefore for her Uncleanness was to be burnt by order of the holy Law Levit. 31.6 which saith If a Priest's Daughter play

so satisfied for Queen Elizabeth took such a liking to Forbisher's Design that she gave him a Vessel of three hundred and sixty Tuns with two Ketches and stor'd them with six Months Provision The twenty sixth of May Anno 1577. Forbisher set Sail from Harwich On one of the Islands of Orkney he went ashore but found all the Inhabitants fled from their Huts in the middle of which they had their Hearths without Chimneys On one side were the Peoples Lodgings on the other a place for their Cattel and in a Corner lay some dried Fish and a few Oats After having Sail'd six days since they left the Haven of the Orkneys he met for a whole Month with several great Trees which without doubt had by extraordinary Floods been wash'd up and so carried into the Ocean This was the less dangerous because he had continual day-light At last Forbisher Landed on the North of America The Northern Americans are very wild in sixty eight Degrees where he found a Gigantick People with long Hair who endeavor'd subtilly to murder him they being exceeding Salvage Their Clothes made of Wild-Beasts Skins of which the Tail hangs between their Legs Their Tents made of Whalebone are cover'd with Hides and the Entrance faces the South They use Bowes Arrows Slings and two sorts of Skiffs whereof the biggest carrying seventeen Men is made of several pieces of Wood joyn'd together and on both sides cover'd with Leather The little ones are also cover'd with Leather and not unlike a Weavers Shuttle in the middle of which is a Hole for one Man to sit who ties the upper Covering of the Boat about his Middle and with one Oar makes exceeding swift way through the Water The Soil is very barren of any kind of Fruit or Grain only it feeds abundance of Deer Hares Wolves Sea-Bears and Hogs not unlike a Wolf The raw Flesh of these Beasts serves the Inhabitants for Food It seems that this Countrey is exceedingly troubled with Earthquakes for in many places were seen pieces of Hills and in other places whole Mountains that were strangely rent from one another The fourth of August Forbisher returning came safe on the seventeenth of September into Milford-Haven and brought besides his Ballast of glittering Stones a Salvage Man his Wife and Child who signified so much to them that the Mans Name was Calichoe the Womans Egnoge and the Child 's Nutive yet though notwithstanding they were fed according to their Custom with raw Flesh they liv'd not long after being brought from their Countrey Besides Forbisher Arthur Petreus and Charles Jackman discover'd some Coast higher Davises Voyage belonging to Nova Zembla And John Davies Sailing North-West to sixty one Degrees entred a Channel which to this day bears denomination from him but it is not known how far it extends After that Hudson's Hudson ran into an Inlet or Bay beyond Davises Straights and found a great Sea in the Heart of the North-America Thomas Button Steering after Hudson Button's also directed his Course Westerly and discover'd a great Inland Sea in the Heart of the North America lying in fifty seven Degrees Thomas Jacobson's King Charles the First also fitted out two Sail under the Command of Thomas Jacobson Anno 1631. and Sailing into Hudson's Straights he Steer'd Southerly to fifty Degrees but there stopping return'd with no other Success than calling that vast and barren Countrey of America lying between Hudson's Straights and Button's Inland Sea New Britain All these besides Peter Jackman have sought for the Straights of Anian Sailing Westerly through the Northern America William Barenson'● But William Barrenson thought to find the Passage behind Russia and Tartary and so through Anian to reach the Empire of Japan which that way is judg'd to be but twelve hundred thirty five Leagues from Holland On the fourth of June 1594. he set Sail with four Ships and got through marvellous great Flakes of Ice to the height of eighty seven Degrees where they saw several Bears either swimming towards their Ship or running over the Sholes of Ice They found also very many and large Sea-Calves Sea-Calves what Creatures being Amphibious Creatures living both in the Water and on the Land They have a Mouth like an Ox out of which stick two Tusks each half a Yard long which are accounted as good as Ivory Their Skins of so great a hardness that no Sword Pike Battel-Ax or other Weapon whatsoever can pierce it nor kill them unless hit in the Temples of the Head The time began to expire when William Barrenson Steer'd his Course through the Waygates by him call'd the Straights of Nassaw Sailing close by the Promontories and Capes of Nova Zembla when he discover'd a Cross plac'd on a high Point where Landing he found several Mens Footsteps and six Sacks of Rye-Meal A Musquet-shot further stood another Cross by three Houses built after the manner of the Norwegians In these they saw only some Tubs of Salt Meat The fifteenth of August the three Ships which had Sail'd more Easterly came to their Admiral Barrenson having been much cumber'd and troubled by the Ice but since gotten through the Straights of the Waygates and Sail'd sixty Leagues into the Tartarian Sea which was very salt full of Whales and the Bottom not to be reach'd by our Line And although this was all they did in that Expedition yet they hop'd for a good Event Hemskerk's Voyage The States of the United Netherlands taking the Business in hand fitted out the Year after the first Voyage seven Sail under the Conduct of William Barenson and Jacob Hemskerk In seven Weeks time they got into the Waygates where fifty four Men went ashore and travelling two Leagues up into the Countrey found a Track of Foot-steps of several Men Hedges loaden with Train-Oyl and Furs and a Hill whereon were plac'd several hairy Images before which lay Ashes and the Bones of burnt Deer which without doubt had been kill'd there for Offerings After that Hemskerk receiv'd certain Informations b●●● Skiff from Pitzore loaden with Sea-Calves Teeth Train-Oyl and Geese being to load in the Russia Ships which Sail through the Waygates and Tartarian Sea by the River Oby to the City Ugloita in Tartary where they Winter The Pitzoreans signified moreover That the Waygates would be froze about ten Weeks after that time At last nine of the Sea-men that went up into the Countrey met with twenty Samoyedes going five and five together They being ask'd concerning the Scituation and State of Nova Zembla inform'd them That beyond a Promontory lying about five days Journey from thence towards the North-East was a great Sea which spread it self towards the South-East several hundred Leagues So without making any further Discovery the Fleet return'd home after a Voyage of four Months and sixteen Days Thus having had no better Success for two several Expeditions the States of the United Netherlands prepar'd a third Fleet promising great Rewards