which they carried to Nangasaqui and deliuered vnto the Fathers of the Society 13. A sister of these glorious Martyrs of Christ that was present at their death gaue notice vnto their Father Clement of all that had passed therein desiring both him and her Nephew Peter to perseuere constant in their fayth imitating so worthy an example telling them withall that if they did shew feare and cowardize that besides the falling thereby into disgrace with God they could neuer after shew their faces euen before men Peter was alwaies very constant and although his Grand-father Clement had shewed fraylty as we signified before now he was very sory for it and asked pardon both of God and men telling withall the Iudges that he was a Christian and desired to giue his life for Christ as his sonnes and daughter-in-law had done but they being satissied with what he had already done gaue him leaue to go at liberty and liue as he listed himselfe 14. I will conclude this Chapter with two other thinges by which al may perceaue the constancy and feruour of the Christians of this Kingdome of Bungo There was a worthy Souldier much importuned by his Lord by meanes of other persons that he would accomodate himselfe vnto the tyme for the present and because he loued him very well and was loath to loose so faythfull a seruant seing others could not preuayle he went himselfe in person to perswade him The souldier vnderstood thereof and leauing behind him his sword dagger which otherwise they alwaies vse to weare he went out of his house to meet him and said My Lord I am resolued not to leaue to be a Christian because I hope in this religion to be saued If your Lordship come to perswade me the contrary it will be but lost labour and if you please you may cut off my head for it and therewith all he held out his necke for him to cut it off And he remayning in that manner a little sonne of his of no more then nyne yeares ould came out of the house and did the same that he saw his Father do and after him his Mother and Grand-mother with the selfe same resolution wherewith the Noble man was so astonished that although he were a Gentill and noted for his cruelty yet did he fall a weeping being ouercome with so great cōstancy returned backe vnto his house though after some few daies for feare of the Xogun he commanded the valorous Souldier to depart out of his Country to the which he willingly obeyed sory he had not obteyned the crowne of Martyrdome going himselfe and all his family to Nangasaqui 15. Another good Christian called Titus a substantiall man was in like manner persecuted by his Lord who seeing his great constancy commanded him to send him his sonne a child of nyne yeares old called Matthew He sent him presently and within two dayes after feigning as though he had killed the child with tormentes because he would not leaue to be a Christian he sent vnto him for his daughter Martina who was of 14 yeares and imediatly he sent her Within a while there came another message vnto him from his Lord that Martina was also put to a most cruell death that if he were yet so insensible that with al this he would not be moued to obey he should send his other sonne called Simon who was 16. yeares old and after that he sent for his wife called Marina and the valorous Christian sent them all most willingly saying that he had rather loose wife children life and all then the grace of God or leaue his religion and his wife and children al of them went with great content to offer themselues in sacrifice The Lord put euery one of them by themselues a part and then set vpon them both with intreaties and with threates but being not able to preuayle any thing at all with them first they powred very could water all ouer Marinas body to her daughter Martina they gaue no meate at all in three daies together and Simon the elder sonne they beat most cruelly and wrong his handes behynd him all of them notwithstanding this perseuering very constant still The Lord seeing himselfe so ouercome sent word to Marina that seeing her Children knew not what religion nor saluation meant she should make them leaue the Christian fayth and with that he would hould himselfe content and pardon both her and her husband She answered that she had offered to God both her owne and her childrens liues and so she could not giue them any such counsayle They had consiscated Titus his goodes before all this happened and for the finall resolution his Lord sent him word by a Brother of his owne with armed men that if he did not desist from his obstinate pertinacy it should cost him his life and one of his sonnes also at least the which was no ill newes to them but rather being much ioyed at the Message they all offered themselues most willingly to loose their liues for Christ but the Lord seeing their valour courage and constancy changed his determination pardoned them and gaue them liberty to liue as Christians Of other three that were put to death for the fayth of Christ in Facata and Aquizuqui CHAP. X. THE Fathers of the Society had two Churches and houses in the Kingdome of Chicuyen besides others which they visited now and then and one in Facata which Simeon Condera Lord of that Kingdome and one of the most valerous Captaines of Taycosama did buyld for his buriall place and another in Aquizuqui built by his brother Michael Sayemon douo both of them great fauourers and patrons of Christianity in Iapone 2. After the death of Simcon Condera Chicuyendono his sonne succeeded in the possession of that Kingdome and fauoured the Fathers Christians much who were many and some of them of noble parentage And although he were much molested and sollicited by the fauorites of the Xogun and especially by Sasioye that he should not permit Churches nor Fathers in his country yet did he still winke at them during his vncle Sayemondono his life who was alwaies a valerous defendour of the Fathers and Christians But after his death when the Xogun and his sonne put the Christians out of their houses and seruice in the yeare 1612. he being much more importuned then before because he would seeme to comply with them and withall conserue the Churches from being ruinated he sent word vnto the Fathers by foure Gentlemen of his house that he had beene a long tyme sollicited from the Court not to permit them in his Kingdome and that he did alwaies excuse himselfe in that his Father was a Christian and had buylded that Church and because he bore them good will by reason he saw they came from the furthest partes of the world for no other respect or interest but only to preach their religion he had alwaies hitherto resisted but now that the Xogun
in the sackes was so great that most of them or all did fall sicke therof 15. In Ozaca was the same affliction and persecution as in Meaco and the constancy of the Christians there no lesse then in the other place Those that went abroad about any busines left at home in writing how they were Christians that if there were any torments to be inflicted for being so they would returne presently to suffer them Others that were abroad when the newes was told them of the persecution left presently their businesse for the same end Some young youthes were most cruelly whipped by their parentes for being Christians and shut vp without any meate at all for a long tyme. Then arose a report that vpon a certaine day at such an houre the Christians should be put to death in such a market place Whereupon diuers of them did begin to giue all that they had vnto the poore and vpon the day appointed before the hour came there were more then three hundred come and expected in the place and many more there would haue beene had they not beene then by force deteyned by their freindes and kinsfolkes Fifty and eight were put in sacks in the manner afore rehearsed so carried through the streetes vnto a great bridge vpon the riuer where they were left fast bouÌ„d and diuers persons appointed to keepe them the rest were beaten away with cudgells yet as they went they did not cease to make publike profession of their fayth saying We are Christians 16. Amongst those that were put in sackes there were some Gentlemen of good worth who had thrust themselues into the thronge among the common people because they would not be fauoured nor exempted and a Nephew of the chiefe Lord of the Kingdome of Aua whose name was Iohn Xirey mon and his wife Magdalen no lesse noble then he she being then very great with child haâ—ing been banished a yeare and a halfe before thither for then fayth were both of them there also in the market place among the other Christians 17. That very night certaine Gentills came and asked that those that were put in sackes might be giuen vnto them and that they would be their suerties but the Christians refused their courtesy because it might be thereupon suspected that they had yealded to something that they ought not to haue done at length they let go the ordinary people and put 24. of the better sort into diuers prisons 18. In a towne neere vnto Ozaca the Gentills did take a Christian and because he would not deny his fayth they first pulled of all his clothes bound him to a piller and for two dayes together they burned him by little and little with dry reedes and straw the which they vse insteed of torches so that he could not dy of it because they would not do him the fauour to make him dye for Christ as he desired and being not able to ouercome him with all they could do to him they banished him together with other of his kinred that were Christians 19. The fury of this persecution did endure for ten daies space and at the end thereof there came from the Court letters in which the Xogun did declare Sangamidono for a Traytor and comanded that he should imediatly be banished into the Kingdome of Omi and that he spared his life in regard he had beene his Captayne so long tyme. And this was the reward of all his malice against the Christians And it was afterwards proued that that very day in which he pulled downe the Churches that very day was his Castle of Ondauara seized on all his landes and liuinges which were very great confiscated The Gentills themselues some of them did note how soone he was punished for his cruelty For conclusion of this Chapter I thinke it will not be amisse to relate a witty and pleasant prognostication which as they say was made in Meaco at this tyme by a Gentill one of their Southsayers For he casting a figure vpon this manner of proceeding neuer seene before of putting the Christians into sackes said these words The sackes be of Rice Rice is a seed that multiplyeth very much asigne that though they presse the Christian neuer so much they will greatly multiply The Gentills made a lest at it but some Christians thought that perhaps there was a greater mystery therin then was imagined Of some in Meaco Ozaca and Fuximi that were banished for Christian religion and others imprisoned CHAP. VII THE Christians of Meaco and Ozaca remayned prisoners a moneth But how great their valour courage and deuption was therein may well be gathered out of a letter which one of them wrote vnto a Father of the Society in this forme Vpon the eight day of this Moone they brought me vnto this prison with my wife and three Children I beseech you remember me in your holy Sacrifices and obteyne for me by your prayers of Almighty God perseuerance We are not vnmindful of those good consideratioÌ„s which you taught vs and although we be miserable sinners yet we do our endeauour euery day to communicate spiritually remembring our selues of the holy Sacrifice of the Masse We do also giue thankes dayly vnto Almighty God for his exceeding benefitts We feare no persecution nor esteeme our liues in any thing at all and this strength which we find and feele within our selue we acknowledge it for Gods fauour and the fruit of your care in teaching vs and we giue you thanâ—kes for all I vnderstand that all our companions stand very stedfast in their fayth of the which we are exceeding glad we are not forgetfull of them neyther day nor night And so once more desiring you would comend vs to Almighty God and giue vs your blessing I end 2. After this came the Xoguns sentence in which he comanded that all the prisoners with their wiues and Children should be banished to Taugaru which is at the end of al Iapone a very cold Countrey ouer against Tartaria and scarce inhabited and that those Gentlewomen which liued all together in one house in Meaco should be sent with other seauen or eight to Nangasaqui to be banished from thence out of Iapone and that those whose names were blotted out of the Catalogue should be compelled to follow some of the Sectes of Iapone There were ioyned together from Meaco and Ozaca vpon the 13. of Aprill threescore and thirteene who were deliuered vnto two Captaines to be carried into banishment but they seeing them to be so many and that some of them were knowne to be worthy and noble Captaines were afraid to take the charge of them so long away and therefore they intreated Itacuradono that eyther he would comand irons and fetters to be put vpon them or els some marke with fire to be made in their for heades wherby they might be knowne and taken againe in case they fled away from them Itacuradono laughing at them said It
he wrot vnto the Xogun how thinges passed in Arima whereupon not longe after there came order from him that Arimadono should go vnto the Kingdome of Fiunga which was but bad newes for him For whereas he hoped with the forsayd deuises to haue gotten a better Estate then that which he had before now he found that it fell out cleane otherwise and it was Godes punishment vpon him for his cruelty against the Christians for he lost his old estate which was very good and the subiects thereof very trusty and faythfull vnto him and that which was giuen him was nothing so but very dangerous and euen in the middest of all his enemies 10. This change and the many misfortunes which happened vnto him in his iorney both by sea and land loosing some shipps with a great quantity of his goodes and some of his seruantes also those only that were Gentills perishing and those that were Christians escaping encouraged them very much seeing how manifestly God Almighty began to punish his Infidelity and that the meanes which he tooke to conserue his estate was the principall to ouerthrow it and that he by whose counsell he had done so great mischiefe and wickednes to wit Safioyedono should be the man that wrought his vtter vndoing and perdition 11. The Kingdome of Biyen and a good part of that of Bungo doth at the present belong to Nangaou Yetchudono one of the most noble and wise Princes of Iapone who although a Gentill yet was very well affected to the Fathers of the Society to whome he and his sonne Naiquidono gaue a house and scituation many yeares ago in their Citties of Conzura and Nagatzu also leaue to preach and make as many Christians as they could by which meanes there were many noble Christians in his Kingdōs He was many tymes himselfe very neere being a Christian at the perswasion of Don Iusto whose most inward freind he was And although he was not so happy as to obteyne it yet his wife Dōna Gratia did as may be seene in the 9. Chap. of the second booke of the History of Iapone This Lady who was the daughter of Coreco Aquehi a great Lord that killed the famous Nobunanga was very wise and of an excellent wit and desired very much to heare the reasons and grounds of Christian Religiō much moued therto with that which her husband Yetchudono had related vnto her thereof but it was impossible that any man should get into her pallace nor for her to go out to that effect by reason that the noble Ladyes of Iapone be very closely kept in her husband was more rigorous in this point then any other 12. Yet so it happened afterward that Taycosama togeather with her husband and all the Princes of Iapone being in the warres of Satzuma in the yeare 1587. she found meanes to go out of her house to see the Temples of the Gentills of Ozaca and from thence she went secretly and disguised with many of her women to the Church of the Fathers of the Society that was in that Citty She tooke great pleasure and particuler contentment to see it and asking many doubtes and questions by meanes of her seruantes because she would not discouer her selfe about the Sects of Iapone concerning Christian religion she not only remayned very well satisfied but also exceeding desirous to heare the sermons of the Catechisme and because she had no other meanes she sent euery day some of the best intelligent more ancient of her women vnto the Church who hearing the Sermons did relate thē vnto her in the best manner that they could All the doubtes difficulties arguments that offered themselues vnto her against those thinges of Christian religion she heard she put downe still in writing to know the solution therof and being fully satisfied at length in all matters God Almighty giuing her an extraordinary light in the mysteries of our fayth she was baptized by a Christian Gentlewoman because it could not possibly be done otherwise that attended vpon her with wonderous contentment to her soule great aboundance of deuotion and extraordinary plenty of comfortable teares And although she neuer had any Priest or other religious person to giue her instructions yet did God Almighty togeather with her Name communicate speciall grace vnto her Her deuotion patience and humylity was extraordinary euidently appearing in all her actions and seene in her letter and messages 13. To the end she might write vpon occasion vnto the Fathers about her soules affayres and vnderstand their letters she secretly learned without the teaching of any both to read and writ after our manner of Europe much differing from theirs She caused some of her Children also to be baptized and fifteene or more of her women and maydes for which she receaued som vnkindnes ather husbands hands who yet when after her death he came to know that she both liued and dyed a Christian although he neuer knew the manner of her conuersion he shewed therefore great fauour alwaies vnto the Fathers and euery yeare did cause her aniuersary funeralls to be celebrated And although he were much molested by the Xogun and his Fauorites and of the Bonzi who neuer left intreating him to haue no Churches nor the Fathers in his Country yet neuer was he moued nor would giue any eare vnto them vntill the yeare 1611. in which Father Gregory Cespules whome he loued and esteemed very much departed out of this life For then vpon his death he tooke occasion to deliuer himselfe from the importunities of the Xogun his fauorites and so he then wished the Fathers that they would go vnto Nangasaqui whither he sent vnto thē the wood of their Houses and Churches not doing the least hurt or domage in the world vnto any of the Christians 14. When in the yeare 1614. he vnderstood how Don Iusto his great freind had left and lost his estate for his fayth religion he comended him very much for it and said If Don Iusto had not done in this occasion as he hath done he should haue blemished all the noble actions of his life For a magnanimous man both in prosperity and aduersity ought still to be the same without any chang or mutation at all 15. He sent diuers tymes vnto Nangasaqui to visit him and vnto a Father of the Society with whome he was acquainted he signified that he was very sory for the Xoguns manner of proceedinges and that Father sending vnto him a treatise in which were answered the false calumniatiōs made against the Christian religion by the enemies thereof he answered that he was well satisfied of all those thinges but that it was necessary to haue patience for a tyme. Notwithstanding all this to giue contentment to the Xogun he commanded that in his Country the common people should be examined as they were in other places among which there were some that shewed not such constancy as they ought to haue done Amongst
the destruction of his Idolls 19. Comming therefore from the Country of Arima he complayned vnto Quambacu that the Fathers had perswaded Arimadono to take from him certaine ChristiaÌ„ Gentlewomen which he meant to haue brought to him for bad intents and purposes He extolled very much their beauty comelines of person and the like protesting that the Fathers were much more obeyed in that Country then his Highnes and that it was intolerable that a strange religion should be permitted to florish so much within the Kingdome of Iapone and that Don Iusto went vp and downe solliciting all the could that the Temples and Idolls might be vtterly destroied the Bonzi banished and the people made Christians by maine force alledging also what he had seene and knowne done in Tacazuqui Acaxi Bungo Arima other partes Quambacu with this complaint was much moued vnto wrath coÌ„manded the Fathers to be banished the Churches ouerthrown and that all the Lordes should eyther leaue their Fayth or loose their landes liuinges and estates The principall Combat was now against Don Iusto to whome some friends of his carried the message and vsed many perswasions vnto him to accomodate himselfe vnto the tyme. He answered constantly that he was ready to giue his life and liuing for Quambacu but much more for the fayth of Christ and that therefore if they loued him they should not so much as mention any such matter any more There was none there that durst carry this answere backe to Quambacu whereupon he rising vp said I will my selfe tell him so much vnto his face and I will carry my sword also with me that his Maiesty may with it cut off my head for this cause if he please Whereupon Quambacu comanded that he should be banished and he accepted it with outward signes of great internall ioy This only was a griefe vnto him to see so many gallant men as he had attending on him al vnprouided and reduced to pouerty vpon this occasion for it is the custome in Iapone that the Lord or maister being banished all that hould liuinges or landes of him do imediatly loofe them all But neyther this nor the teares of his friends nor the perswasions of many Princes and Lords could moue him any thing at all So did he now depart from the Court alone with disgrace where a little before he had entred with great honor and triumph and liued in great esteeme and reputation His parentes wife children and kinred left vpon this newes the Fortresse and Estate of Acaxi and did retire themselues vnto a poore village of the mountaine Country where his Father Darius made an holy end of this miserable and mortall life and he himselfe went secretly to seeke the Fathers of the Society who because they would not leaue the Country and Christians desolate lay hidden priuately in the Iland of Amacasa where when he came he made the spirituall Exercise with very great deuotion and therein a Generall Confession of all his life since his first being a Christian ioyfull to see himselfe now freed from the world and greatly desirous to begin a new religious life And Almighty God did so ordaine that the Lordes and Nobles of the Court did euen striue among themselues to receiue giue intertainement to the Captaines and Gentlemen that had beene his followers who afterward were occasion of exceeding great good and of the spreading of the ChristiaÌ„ fayth in many Kingdomes More then a yeare did Don Iusto liue in pouerty and obscurity Quambacu then seeing that he could not ouercome his constancy nor with honor restore him to his former place and dignity he commanded the Lord of the Kingdomes of Canga Noto and Yetehu who had been Don Iusto his equall a smal tyme before that he should keepe him in his Country and giue him necessary allowance for his maintenance Six and twenty yeares he liued in those Kingdomes with an inuincible courage and constancy of mind and rare exemplar life alwaies prepared to giue his life for Christ And that which deserueth admiration is that being so stout of mind and full of mettall as he was and seeing that other persons that were nothing in respect of him did rise to great estates dignities and that only because he was a Christian did liue in perpetual disgrace and continuall danger also yet did he neuer giue so much as once a signe of any sadnes nor euer made complaint thereof but being euer merry laughed at the world although Figendone gaue him siue and twenty thousand Gocus of rent euery yeare which do equall almost our Ducates of Europe wherewith he liued in good and honorable fashion After Quamâ—acu his death he buylded three or foure Churches in those Kingdomes hauing alwaies with him some of the Fathers of the Society with Figendono his leaue who was the Lord of those Countries whose loue and affection he had gayned in such sort that publikely he would not sticke to say that there was no meanes to obtaine saluation but in the Christian Religion the which in short tyme increased so much in those Kingdomes that it seemed to florish there the most of any place in all Iapone many of the inhabitantes being newly conuerted and baptized and very many that were banished from other places for their fayth being called thither by Don Iusto his meanes and honorably prouided for and maynteyned there by Figendonoes order and appointment And one of these was Don Iohn Naytodono together with his sonne Don Thomas for that after he had lost the KingdoÌ„e of Tamba wandred through many Kingdomes he was at length intertayned and much esteemed by Don Augustine who gaue vnto them both very great rentes and reuenewes in his country and they with their great zeale and exemplar life did much helpe and further the Christians thereof vntill at length in the yeare 1601. Canzuyedono Lord of Fingo after Don Augustines death and ouerthrow did rayse a cruell persecution against the Church in which they both of them suffered exceeding much For after many intreaties and perswasions to make them leaue their fayth he confiscated their landes houses and liuinges commanding them vpon paine of their liues not to go out of the Country and that no body should receaue them into their houses nor sell them any meate nor buy any thing for them taking away also their Children from them comanding and threating to keep them vntill they paid a great suÌ„me of money so that they were compelled to make themselues little houses or Cabbines of straw wherein they and their wiues family liued for the space of sit monthes at the end whereof seeing their constancy he tooke from them all he pleased and then expelled them out of the Country almost naked In this tyme they both of them wrote most feruorous letters worthy to be read vnto the rest of the Christians animating them to constancy and perseuerance manifesting therein also their owne desires to
dye for Christ Don Iusto hauing intelligence of their miseries and afflictions delt with Figendono who knew them very well to send for them and giue them entertainement Almighty God so disposing it to the end that as they had beene companions in their fayth in baptisme zeale and examplar life so they should also be in banishment which is a kind of prolonged martyrdome Of their receauing at Manilla and of the death of Don Iusto CHAP. XVII THIS was their estate when the third and last tempest was raysed against them as I mentioned in the VIII Chapter wherein they were by the Xoguns order sent to Nangasaqui there they liued with meruailous example vntill the end of October spending their tyme in pyous actions and workes of Charity Don Thomas and others made the spirituall exercise there Don Iohn could not by reason of his sicknesse with such deuotion as they seemed rather religious persons then such as they were After Don Iusto his death there was found a paper written with his hand of the good motions heauenly comfortes consolations which God had bestowed vpon him at diuers times At his being in Nangasaqui diuers Gentill Lordes did send to visit him desiring to deale with the Xogun to send for him to the Court and Fideyori Taycosamaes Sonne desired much to haue him for his Captaine Generall of Ozaca but he made small account of all these offers saying he would not change his banishment for all the world It is certaine that before he tooke shipping he kwew he should dy very soone so that in the 150 dayes which passed betwixt the sentence of his banishment and the tyme of his taking shippe he alwaies was expecting death and that with such quietnes and ioy as if he had beene then in his chiefe prosperity in so much that Yetchuydom Lord of the Kingdome of Bugen his great freind hauing vnderstood thereof although he were a Gentil sayd Yea marry Sir with this Don Iusto doth seale 〈◊〉 the rest of his worthy deedes and excellent exploites and if he had not done so he should haue disgraced himselfe and obscured them 2. Their Iorney by sea was not 〈◊〉 little troublesome vnto them they neuer hauing beene acquainted with Sea voyages before and carrying with them besydes so many women and Children But letting this passe as soone as in Manilla notice was giuen of their arriuall there was a generall ioy in all desiring to giue them all intertainement possible and in particuler the Gouernour thereof Don Iohn de Silua who had heard much of Don Iusto sent a Galley well appointed and therein some persons of account to giue him the welcome and to offer him all courtesy The wynd being contrary it was three or foure daies ere they could come to land When they landed all the great Artillery was shot off to welcome them and all the whole Citty and the religious persons thereof went vnto the Sea shoare the meet and receiue them as holy Confessors of Christ accōpanying them vnto the Pallace where the Gouernour and Iudges did imbrace them with all kindnes congratulating their comming thither and the courage they had shewed in suffering so much for their fayth as they had done offering vnto them both in their owne behalfes and in the kinges whatsoeuer should be necessary or conuenient for them Don Iusto in most courteous manner gaue them thankes for the great fauour and honor they had done to them they being altogether vnworthy thereof as not hauing beene so happy to giue their liues for Christ and so taking their leaues of them they were accompanied by the Cittizens vnto the Colledg of the Society of Iesus passing in the way by the great Church and by the Monastery of S. Augustine at the intreaty of the Clergy and Religious persons who came out of their gats to receiue them with musicke and solemnity The like was done the day following by the Fathers of the orders of S. Dominicke and S. Francis all kind of persons desiring to shew their forwardnes in honoring and entertayning them 3. Don Iusto liued only fourty dayes after his arriuall at Manilla and in that tyme he was often visited by the Gouernour by the Archbishop by the Religious men and all the principall persons of the Citty all of them conceiuing a great loue and affection towardes him and making no lesse esteeme of him then his worthinesse deserued But he taking small delight in any thing of this world desired nothing so much as a house a part where freed from visitation and complementes he might without distraction attend to the chiefe busines of his soule saying he feared very much least God would pay him in this life for that small seruice some did imagine he had done him It seemeth that Almighty God did meane to proue this his worthy souldier as he did his seruant Iob and that he would honor him both in life death in signe of the great crowne he would giue him in heauen for his great courage and constancy in his fayth For that eyther through the chang of ayre clymates or differences of meates or through the incomodities he had endured in his banishment and nauigation very contrary both to his nature yeares and complexion he fell sicke of a continuall feuer accompanied with a bloudy flux the which in small tyme brought him to his end 4. He knew presently that this disease was mortall and so he began to prepare himselfe for death and sayd vnto his Confessour Father I perceaue that I growe towardes my end although I make no shew of it because of not discomforting my family I am very well content and comforted therewithall it being Gods holy will and pleasure especially among so many religious persons and in so Christian a country as this is I pray you render many thanks in my behalfe vnto the Lord Gouernour the Archbishop Iudges Religious men and al the rest for the courtesy fauour and honor they haue done me As for my Wife Daughter Grandchildren take no care for I take none at all they and I am banished for Christes cause I do much esteeme the loue they haue alwaies borne me and that they would accompany me hither I hope that Almighty God for whose sake they are now in a strang country will be a true Father vnto them and so they shall haue no want of me He made a Testament such another as holy Tobias did comending vnto them perseuerance in their fayth and obedience vnto the Fathers and that if any of them did not well the rest should aduise and counsaile them and tell the Fathers of them and if they did not obey they should be depriued of their inheritance and of the name of his house Family This done he receaued the holy Sacramentes with great deuotion and after he was annealed he said often tymes I desire now to go to enioy my Lord and Sauiour and so he gaue his soule vnto his Creator about