in the happie danger of being partakers of the like crownes haue speciall cause to behold with ioie this Iaponian Palme-tree of Christian Fortitude translated and planted on English soile The victories of Martyrs recorded in writing be encouragemēts vnto martyrdomes that the Christian souldier as Saint Gregorie saith eo minus in certamine trepidet quo ante se positos tot virorum fortium triumphos videt so much the lesse doubt of the glorious successe of this combat in that he beholdes the manie conquests of triumphant Chāpiōs displaied to his sight And although you doe not want other examples of great force yet these may seem more potēt besides other respects because they are more recent Their sacred blood newlie issued out of the fornace of their ardent breast doth yet still freshlie euaporate diuine loue and by how much neerer they are to our daies by so much the more efficaciouslie they applie to vs their flames They were members of the same Church professours of the same Religion practisers of the same deuotions according not only the substance but also euerie circumstance which yet be variable with the time and we haue Preachers of all the same Religious Orders that were their guides leaders in those victorious combats The vexations we endure compared with theirs will seeme more tolerable and if they should grow to greater excesses we haue here cōfortable pledges to make vs sure the Faith we professe is able to conquer the most superlatiue rage of the world As from the vttermost coastes we receaue newes of rare crueltie so likewise from thence is brought the rare prize of the valiant woman Here we learne that many waters cannot extinguish her charity nor any frosts benumme harts inflamed therewith The fires of pouertie of disgrace of torment that rage without be not of equall force with the burning of her faith within Nor continuance of sharpe afflictions can be so extended by lēgth of time as to outreach her longing to suffer for her crucified Lord. O fire of heauen ô desire of Martirdome possesse our harts penetrate into our spirits consume the drosse of humane pretences quench in vs the flame of other loues O that to die for Religion that to suffer for Christ that the crowne and purple of martyrdome were the summe of all our wishes the marke of all our ambitions our meditation in the day our dreame in the night that we were in all our prayers still seeking to obtaine it in all our actions still ayming to deserue it in all our cogitations still longing to enioy it O let vs without partiality often view ourselues in this admired mirrour thereby to take away all dissimilitude from them in life whō we desire to paralell in the felicity of their death Of the Temporall State of Iaponia and the present condition of Christian Religion ALthough the Xogun of Iendo Lord of Iaponia hath deposed together with his gouernment the dignity of Xogun vpon his sonne he himself stepping to a greater yet hath this bred no alteration in things touching Christian religion as we hoped for at the change of the Gouernour For the Sonne equall to his Father in the hatred of Christians hath bene the death of many and the number exceeds that of former yeares since from the Moneth of December 1623 vnto Nouember of the yeare following a hundred threescore and fiue Christians haue ended their liues by seuerall torments Eight of which were Religious of S. Dominicke S. Francis and of the Society the rest Lay people Men Woemen and Children which shall be the subiect of our discourse This Persecution rose first in Iendo the head-citty now of Iaponia and the court of Xogun but soone after so dilated it self that no corner was exempt from it where any Christians were to be found Great store were slaine many cast into prison and others into banishment Some hid themselues others abandoned their owne houses fearing to suffer shipwracke of their faith in company of Gentils And many there were who like braue and valiant champions stood it out euen in the middest of a peruerse nation animating some weaker members which are euer found in a great body with the conuincing example of true Magnanimity in the suffrance of most exquisite torments It cannot be expressed what feare and trēbling occupied the harts of many when this tempest rose the more for that euery day new Ministers were apointed by Xogun himself who by all possible meanes of threats and torments sought to extort Religion from the harts of Christians Their industry in ferreting out Religious persōs and hindring their entrance into Iaponia was more then ordinary These oppositions and no marueile haue made our haruest lesse plentifull since some only thousāds haue bene baptized by the hands of ours and others who forward this noble enterprise But we hope for plenty and abundāce in tyme to come the soyle being moist and fatned with the blood of so many glorious Martyrs And to begin with the persecution raised in the Citty of Iendo in which together with forty seauen Christians F. Hierome de Angelis Brother Simon Iempo of the Society of Iesus and F. Francis Galbe of S. Francis Order gaue vp their liues you may note that though for this dozen years and more through the implacable hatred of the Emperour persecution hath still been in force against Christian Religion throughout the whole Empire yet in the Cittyes subiect immediatly to the Tenca Nangasachi only excepted there was a kind of silence or conniuency touching matters of Religion not that it was lawfull to preach or make publique professiō thereof vnder peril of death or banishment but that the Magistrats did either dissemble or neglect to looke after those who embraced Christianity Whilst we lay vnder this shadow of peace the Emperour vnexpectedly by occasion of the new dignity conferred vpon his sonne reuiuing his inuiterate hatred against Christians and especially their Preachers thought it a fitt occasion to destroy the ghospell by renewing the lawes of Iaponia amongst which there is one capitall against Christian faith the preaching whereof and the vsurping of the Empire are held in effect for the same things The Magistrats of Tenca demaunded whether or no it were necessary to insinuate the same by way of Proclamation to other Prin es the Xogun answered no for that it would be sufficient they should see how Christians were handled in Iendo to make them exercise the like in the Citties subiect to their gouernment neither was he deceiued in his opinion For no sooner came it to their knowledge that fifty Christians had been broiled aliue by commaunde from the Xogun but streight waies euery Prince beganne to bestirre himself in his owne dominions banishing imprisoning putting to death such as would not renounce the faith of Christ In the Citty of Iendo were resident F. Hierome de Angelis of the Society of Iesus and F Francis Galbo of the Order of S. Francis greatly fructifying
Christiās and thirty peeces of gold which mount to fifteene hundred crownes Thus was the accuser rewarded but with so many maledictions that euen the Gentiles themselues cursed him for it and wished he might not long enioy it The names of some of the aboue mentioned martyrs according to the order they stood beginning from the Citty 1. Iohn Faramondo 2. F. Hierom de Angelis 3. F. Francis Galbe 4. Leo Taqueua gonsichi 5. Fanzabusi Quaxia 6. Chosaiemon 7. Brother Simon Iempo 8. Peeter Xixabuco 9. Iohn Matazaiemon 10. Michael Quizaiemon 11. Là urence Cagichi 12. Mathias Iazaiemon 13. Laurence Caeuzaiemon 14. Matthias Quizaiem 15. Thomas Iosaeu 16. Peter Santario 17. Peter Sazaiemon 18. Matthias Xegigemon 19. Ignatius Choiemon 20. Simon Muam 21. Dois Ioccunu 22. Isaci 23. Bonauentura Quidairi 24. Iohn Xinocuro 25. Hilary Mangazaiemon 26. Francis Quizaiemon 27. Saximonoia Iinxichir 28. Iohn Chosaiemon 29. Roman Goniemon 30. Emanuel Buyemon 31. Peter Quiheiemon 32. Quizaburo 33. Peter Choiemon 34. Andrew Disuque 35. Raphael Quichaiemon 36. Quizichi 37. Antonio The names of the rest are yet vnknowne vnto vs. A breife Relation of the life of F. Hierom de Angelis and of Brother Simon Iempo of the Society of IESVS F. Hieronyme de Angelis was an Italian borne in Sicily he entred into the Society at 18. yeares of age being yet a scholler he obtained licence to embarke himselfe for the East Indies with a desire to haue passed into Iaponia in cōpany of F. Charles Spinola Eare they arriued into that no lesse dreaded then renowned Promontory of Buona Speranza they were forced to giue back and take land in Brasile where hauing remained some time they tooke their way into Portugall and by the way were taken by English Pyrates and brought into England on the way the ship being in full speedo F. Hierons chaunced to fall into the sea The heretiques made no great hast to helpe him but Allmighty God stretched forth his hand and so ordained that the Father who fell in at the fore-decke passing quite vnder the ship came vp aliue at the sterne and was freed from so great a daunger In England he was for some time prisoner as supposed a Spaniard Thence he was sent to Lisboa where he tooke the degree of Priesthood and then embarked himself for the Indies and remaining in China till the yeare 1602 finally passed into his desired Iaponia After a yeares studie spent in learning of the language he was sent by Superiours into Cami and made Superiour of a house of the Society in Fuximi Here he made his aboade for some yeares taking infinit paines as well in cultiuating and conseruing the auncient Christians as in making new Hence was he called by obedience to Surunga the Courte of Daifù there to found a residence for men of the Society He went couragiously and treading vnder foot all difficulties oppositions he founded a Residence which was the first of the Society in those parts He endeauoured the same ar Iendo But the day appointed for the buying of a house such a persecution was raised that he was forced to retire back to Surunga where he remained till all were generally banished out of Iaponia then by order of obedience he left his Residence and went to Meaco Thus banished with others he went to the Citty Nangasachi and hauing obtained leaue to liue disguised in Iaponia he gaue the bridle to his owne zeale and like a fiery dart passed through al those Kingdoms Prouinces penetrated farther to preach the Ghospell sleighting all paine and perill for so worthy and end Neither was the fruit inferiour to his labours When he went there was not in all those Kingdoms aboue a thousand Christians in Cami but afterwardes they grew by thousands he alone for his part hauing baptised ten thousand in the time of his aboade besides many thousandes more baptised since which may be attributed to the industry of this infatigable workeman who was the first Priest setting only aside the countries of Massamune where a F. of S. Francis Order laboured for a while who carried the light of the holy Ghospell to Fidandono Caguicasu Monganu Nambu Sungara all Prouinces of the great Kingdome of Oxu and thēselues equal to kingdoms more ouer he penetrated into the kingdoms of Yechigo Deua Sādo Masumai or Yezo which is farther then Iaponia He was the first that visited comforted those prime Cōfessours of Christ who the yeare 1614. were banished into Sungaru the last skirte of Iaponia ouercoming all daungers difficulties of a most longe an edious iourney His paines besides those which neceslarily accompany the conuersion of so many may be the better conceiued if you consider the nature of these vast and laborious Prouinces The coldes are intolerable the mountaines frequent and insupetable couered ouer with deepe snowes the waies lie oft times betweene craggy and high mountaines and therfore a Iaponese borne in any other kingdome will neuer come there at least to make his aboade And yet was our Father rauished with this feate conquering with the burning zeale of soules the frozen climat of the country There was a cruell tempest against the Christians in the Citty of Xindai The good Father streight made thither and there more then euer put forth his feruour fortifying them with the Sacraments and other spirituall helps according to their need The Christians might not all goe to him without daunger of discouery and hazard of their liues and therfore in a disguised weed he appointed them certaine place towards the euening where he met them like some ordinary passenger and there sometimes standing sometimes walking as occasion serued he tooke their confessions and gaue them by vertue of the Sacrament force and vigour to stand it out manfully In this Prouince he made his aboade from the yeare 1615. till the year 1621. And then by obedience was commaunded to go to the Citty of Iendo there to receiue the crowne of his labours Here he procured to haue a house though it cost him deare for the paines he tooke to conforme himselfe to the place time and companie so plucked him downe that he seemed quite an other man for whereas before he was fresh and ful faced he nowe became leane and altogether extenuated He remained in the Citty the space of two yeares for the incredible benefit of many Yet could he not refraine from his former missions but found a way into the Kingdoms of Iazu and Cai where numbers were conuerted by the labours of this great seruant of God His zeale was accompanied with many other parts and graces which made him gratious to all With a certaine pleasant affability he came so neere the humours of the Iaponesi that he wonne the hartes of all He embraced all with a smiling countenance and a harto that seemed to leape out of it selfe into others He was often with the sicke yeelding them all comfort and assistance in their necessities Finally to cut of many
his name written in a little scrole accompanied with all the rest of the Christians on foot Before behinde on euery side were many officers to hinder that none should approach to the condemned persons And thus with displayed banners they marched in triumph through the streets of the Citty of Iendo where the Faith of Christ did now ly bleeding Out of the Citty in the way leading to Camai appeared fifty pillars or great stakes planted in the place of Iustice The three first next vnto the citty were som what separate from the other forty seauen but all were compassed about with sagots placed in such a distance that the fier beinge kindled those who were tyed to the stakes were distant from the flame neare about an armes length The number of people who came to behould this spectacle was without number For a spatious field and a neere bordering mountaine was quite couered ouer There were among them many principal men of note and Peeres of the Kingdom whom other occasions had called to Iendo not without a particular prouidence of God to the end they might be eye-witnesses of so rare an example and see what strength our holy Faith giueth vnto them that professe it The generous Champions of Christ beinge come to the place appointed were straight bound vnto their stakes those three onely excepted who were on horse backe whome they forbad to come down from their horses There should you haue seene them with their eyes lifted vp to heauen and their hartes panting which the loue of God on whome their hopes were fixed and from whome they expected succour in this last passage F. de Angelis preached which incredible feruour demonstrating that the onely Faith of Christ for which they dyed was true and inuiolable all other being falle and counterfet The same affirmed with his accustomed zeale Brother Simon Iempo now tyed vnto his stake who all the way as he came cealed not to exhort those whome he met to imbrace and constantly defence the holy faith of Christ. True it is there went forth of prison fifty one condemned to be burnt but I haue onely mentioned fifty because that vnhappy one no sooner was come to the place of Iustice but he was let goe by the Officers as hauinge giuen signes of a relenting courage and a hart eisloyall to his Redeemer The cause of their death was written in a great table hanged on high in these ensuinge wordes These men are Christians At length sire was put vnto the heapes of woode and there was heard a voice of all ioyned in one ecchoing forth those happy names of Iesus and Maria. It is not to be spoken with what inuincible courage they suffered this horrible torment For there was not one among so many who so much as shrunke complained or gaue the least token of sorrow by any outward expression This incredible fortitude wrought such admiration in the beholders that the Gentiles themselues began to mutter to one another that it was aboue the reach of nature since men condemned for their deserued crimes dy with quite different expressions The Fathers who stood by on horsebacke looked on with eyes of marble and hartes impregnable rendering many thankes to God but no way dismaied which the Iudges looked for leauing them for no other end after the rest but to fright them with this bloody spectacle therby driue them vnto a new resolution But so farre was this happy death frō breeding frightes in the minds of these goodmen that two others of the standers by a man and a woman inslamed and encouraged at the sight thereof ranne in hast when the flames were at the highest vnto the Tribunall seare of the Iudges cryinge amaine that they were also Christians and professours of the same Faith for which the forty seauen dyed yet could they not obtaine to be cast out of hand into those burninge flames which was the top of their desire who burned within with flames of diuine loue but were by order of the Magistrate carried bound into prison where those that saw them had a continuall moouing obiect before their eyes declaring what power Gods Law hath vpon the hartes of men and what vigour is bestowed from heauen vpon those who desire exactly to performe his will vpon earth The aboue mentioned hauing breathed out their immaculate soules the three on horseback were taken downe and tyed each one to his stake The first next vnto the Citty was Iohn Faramond after him in order F. de Angelis and the third F. Francis Galbe Eare the fire was kindled the three valorous Champions tooke their leaues for a moment to meete after in eternity animating one an other with great zeale affection and F. de Angelis did not cease to put Iohn in minde of the breuity of the torments and the eternity of glory which they expected The sior began to dilate it selfe and mount with fury so that the seruants of God were seene onely by glimpes to sustaine with incredible courage those deuouring flames F. Hierom was first seen turning himselfe towards the Citty in act of prayer for a while and afterwardes to that part whence flames came stifliest vpon him seconded with the wind as well to shew that he feared them not as to haue occasion to speake vnto the people who were there in greatest number and from thence forward he stood vpright on his feet preaching with incredible zeale till the flames preuailing separated his happy soule from his body then falling he light vpon his knees and so remained A litle after Faramond was seen to embrace a cruell flame which came into his bosome as a thing much and long desired and after that immoouable ti ' his stake breaking carried him prostrate vpon the ground But F. Francis who expired the last remained vpon his feet euen after death leaning vnto his stake which he neuer abandoned in the time of so cruell torment Thus ended this Tragedy It is not easily conceaued what different affections were stirred vp in the spectatours at this strange obiect yet all generally agreed that their constancy was worthy of highest praises and aboue the rest they iudged remarquable the magnanimity of F. de Angelis who might well seeme to be their captaine both in life and death The bodies burnt some more some lesse were left in the field with continuall watch vpon them for the space of three daies but the Guarde was no sooner gone then the Christians tooke away the bodies of the two Fathers Which being perceiued so straight order was taken that they could not get the rest as they had determined This execution was performed by Order from the new Xogun the 4. of December and the day after in an eminent and conspicuous place at the sound of the trumpet was recompensed the principall Actour who had accused them the cryer pronouncing that to those who should do the like like reward should be giuen that is a faire house of one of the dead
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
yeare 1617 he made his profession of 4 vowes and was sent into Ofu he visited three seuerall times the Christians sent into banishment into Sungaru the last shire of Iaponia He went twice to Iezo and was the first Priest that euer saied Masse there He truailed ouer the kingdoms of Oxu and Deua taking the paines we haue else where specified speaking of F. de Angelis in the like occasion He was the first that resided in Aquita Xemboun where he planted in a manner what there was of Christianity here he had his part of a persecutiō raised against Christiās in which many were sent into banishment who perswading him to retire and to saue himself for the good of many he could neuer be induced to abandon his flock which likewise befell him at this time in the Country of Massamune He was infatigable in aduauncing and setting forward Christian Religion and to conclude he was endowed with extraordinary humility charity affability and other like vertues after 30. yeares spent in the Society and 15. in the mission of Iaponia abounding with merits he gaue vp his life for Christ the 46 yeare of his age In the countrey of Camofidadono one of the principall Lordes of the kingdom of Onu diuers Christians were sent into banishmēt others taken and some also newly conuerted shewed how fraile and weake mans nature is three hundred and threescore persons of age receiued baptisme before the persecution which proued to be so terrible that F. Iohn Matthew Adam of our Society had much a doe to hide his head or find sustenance necessary for life Of the persecution in the kingdome of Deud and the death of three Christians WHilst in the yeare 1623 the Xogun put so many Christians to death in Iendo there chaunced to be present in the court Yoxinobu Xataquedone Lord of the greatest part of the kingdome of Deua who fearing the displeasure of the Xogun gaue order vnto Fanyemon his chiefe Gouernour to make diligent inquiry after such Christians as were to be found in his estate and proceede with all rigour against them The Gouernour complyed so exactly with his charge that in a short space he cast into prison aboue two hundred and the greatest part persons of accoūt The first was a gentleman called Iohn Catauneme who being assaulted with all kind of stratagems persisted notwithstanding so constantly and preached Christian faith with such feruour to the standers by that they confessed themselues for conuinced and kept back from imbracing it with only feare This man had a little sonne of 7. yeares old whom he brought vp in this manner to make him constāt in his faith Be sure would he often say that thou vnder goe any death whatsoeuer rather then deny thy faith one day among the rest eare he was taken prisoner looking vpon his chile well saied he art thou resolued rather to be burnt aliue by the hande of the Iustice then to deny thy faith You Father replied the little one what doe you resolue vpon in the like case Why I would burne saith the Father So would I too answered the child I le try saith the Father whether thou be like to resist when occasion shall require Come hither take this burning coale into thy hande and keepe it till I bid the cast it away The childe opened his hand and the Father sayed in it a red hot coale which the child held in his hand till his Father bad him cast it downe though it had already burnt the skinne and singed the flesh His Father demaunding whether he found it hot One answered the child resolute to let himselfe bee burnt aliue as I am hath no great difficulty to hold a ceale in his hand for so short a space I his came to be knowne of both Christians and Gentills these were confounded and those encouraged to see so stronge an example in so weake a subiect With whole troupes of his friendes and kinsfolke was Iohn Fot Cauas Quiemon importuned for the space of 20. dayes who exhorted him at least in wordes to deny his faith But he true vnto Christ answered he would not doe it for all the gold in the world they called him mad-man but all in vaine wherefore despairing to preuaile with him they let vpon Lucy his wife who no lesse constant would not be drawne from her resolution with the consideration of goods children or her owne life and therefore Iohn being led to prison with his two sonnes she was left vnder guarde in her owne howse together with her lesser children as the custome was in the beginning of this persecution obserued towards woemen of quality One of these called Thomas being vnder age and therfore to haue stayed with his mother vsed so many stratagems that at length he found meanes to accompany his father to prison where he became a voluntary seruant of those imprisoned Confessours who were about some forty in number nor could any euer forbid him this worke of charity An other Christian called Alexius Moiemon being diuersly tempted assured them that not only the whole Citty of Cubota bet neither the Teno Ioxinoba though he came in person should be able to remoue him one inche from his faith He was not alone in this resolution but had many followers of which two were beheaded Lewys Tarogt and Mathew Xichyemon these two were in the seruice of a noble man in Iendo when the Christians were put to death and by him greatly solicited to deny their faith which he not obtaining put them out of his seruice giuing them warning not to goe to the kingdome of Deua but they desirous of a crowne of martyrdome went straight thither and obteined their desire and became with dying for Christ of seruants freemen the 7. of Febr. 1624. A certain young maide called Monica of 25 yeares of age was no lesse molested shee had serued some later yeares the wife of Sataquedone who as is mentioned else where not being able herselfe to receiue baptisme perswaded most of her seruants therunto of which Monica was one baptised by F. Diego Caruaglio Her mistresse though a gentill being sont into banishment for the lawe of Christ Monica was forced to leaue her and betake herselfe to the Citty of Cubota where she had many of kindred She grew so much in deuotion that to the end they might not importune her to marry she cut off her haire to giue her selfe more fully to Christian piety The Gouernour vnderstanding that she was Christian endeauoured by meanes of his owne wife to draw her back but Monica stood it out couragiously till one day the Gouernour in presence of many bid her resolue either to deny her faith or loose her head her answere was by stretching forth her neck and saying that her faith was dearer vnto her then her lise and in the saying her head was stroken off in the Citty of Cubota the yeare 1620. Notwithstanding all the troubles there haue been baptised in this kingdome three
hundred persons of age Of Christianity in the countries of Cami. IN these countries eight of our Society are resident six Fathers and two Brothers hauing charge of many Christians putting their hāds to seuerall missions of diuers kingdomes as well of Goquinat and others neare about as of Cugoco and Scigeco This yeare eleuen hundred threescore and two persons of age haue receiued baptisme who vnderstanding the newes of persecution made their recourse vnto God more diligently then euer by frequenting the holy Sacraments and other spirituall exercises and in particular by keeping in seuerall places the praier of the quarante houre In Ozaca there was an order that all Gentils who had Christians in their houses should dismisse them where vpon the poore Christians were put to their shifts suffering great extrean ity it being the depth of winter as well in their owne persons as in their poore children not findinge where to shelter themselues and oftentimes not permitted to lodge vpon the high waies for feare of displeasing the Xogun so that they were often constrained to take vp their rest in the midle of the open fieldes exposed to the violēce of extreame cold Their onely comfort was when they met together entertaining one an other as if they had been brothers and drowning their owne miseries wi h comfortable speeches and mutuall encouragements drawne from the person of their Redeemer When they met with any of our Fathers their sighs were a preludium to their tongues and their teares pleaded their cause before their wordes Yet God prouided a houle for his seruants which belonged to one of the chiefest Christians of that citty called Paul whither they all went and were prouide not only with spirituall helpes but euen with temporall For this worthy Paul hauing sent his wife childrē into the country stayer himselfe behind with two of our Fathers he helping to the vttermost of his forces their temporall necessities the Fathers employing themselues for their spirituall good arming them with the Sacraments with exhortations and the like and in particular encouraging them to stand resolutely in defence of their faith Yet they began to feare least the presence of the Fathers should encrease their persecutiō and that for many reasons so that the Superiour resolued to goe a good way out of towne and liue in a certaine little cotrage out of the way A certain Christian called Paul as rich in faith as he was poore in fortunes was extreāly set vpon by the Gentils and not permitted to goe vpon the waies such was their fury to make him deny Christ but he that was accustomed to this kind of sport hauing here to fore been banished for the Law of the true God tooke thence occasion to preach and denounce him with greater feruour In the territory of a certaine Gouernour called Anabu Auagi many Christians haue behaued thēsolues brauely among the rest a certain Physitian called Thomas who hauing been formerly banished for his faith now againe with more cōstancy then euer giuing the nay to his friends and kinsfolke was sent the second time with all his family into banishmēt to shew how deeply the name of Christ was printed in his hart These afflictions endured with all rigour foure monthes and more relenting nothing in the hart of the Citty though somewhat appeased in the Boroughes an Villages neare aboue Certaine Christians of the kingdom of Fococo eight daies iourny from Oxora haue greatly edified the Christians of these partes taking a long iourney to prepare themselues for this persecution by confessing and communicating There hath no wanted matter for other Christians to shew their valour and constancy for those namely of Sachai Fuximi and Meaco where a certaine Gentleman had the greatest parte of his goods confiscated and was himselfe sent into banishment whom not longe after aboue two hundred followed banished for the same cause from Sachai In Fuximi and Meaco notwithstanding the persecution two hundred persons of age haue been conuerted diuers in the afforesaid places gaue back and began to yeeld who afterwards with publicke demonstration of true repētance haue made satisfaction Neere vnto Coquinai the persecution hath caused some losse yet far greater hath been the gaine In a kingdome neere vnto Izzu the tempest of persecution carryed all before it by reason of the neernesse to Iendo yet the Christians though otherwise of late standing resisted manfully many enduring banishment and other calamities A Father of our Society was sent in Mission who gathered together the dispersed flocke a hundred and fifty of age hauing receaued Baptisme before the persecution began Another of our Fathers went to the kingdome of Ouari who set many on foot againe whom persecution had made stagger In a certaine place of this kingdeme called Ichinomiya Almighty Gods prouidence was particular in the conseruation of a handfull of Christians The Gentiles conspired together to worke them frō their faith but they both men woemen and Children resolued rather to dy then doe any misbeseeming a Christian The Gentils hauing tryed many waies to batter the Christians constancy all others failing tooke this as most expedient They sent vnto the Christians all their creditours to exact payment on a certaine day or otherwise to haue them deny their Faith which if they did their debtes should be pardoned them It was done accordingly but the good Christians though poore and labouring men for a great part to holpe out one another that euery one found meanes to pay his debts The Gentils raging here at begā to threaten them death but they more meeke then euer went and offered vp to their Masters all that was remaining saying they had now neede of nothing more since they hoped to dy for Christ. Thus did they conquer and not onely become victorious themselues but succoured also the necessities of other Christians who were banished for Christ which they did with inuincible Charity towards those particularly who had been cast out of the kingdom of Mino many of which had left their houses their goods and all their possessions In the kindom of Xefat the rigour was not so great onely there came out of a proclamation forbidding any one te let his house to Christians About this time there fell sicke in the fame place Cagiuata Fayemone a Christian of account who made knowne in the extremity of his sicknesse how much he esteemed the faith of Christ No sooner was he fallen downe but he called for a Confessarius and in the progresse of his disease all his thoughts were ēploved in making acts of Contrition piery which to a certaine seruant of his seemed excessiue and therefore said his Master was out of his witts but Fayemon answered that he knew full well what he did and that saluation could not be bought with too much diligence It happened finally that the force of his ficknesse put him besides himselfe and then turning towards the standers by he cryed out Who is there what meaneth this Is it
who together with all the Nobility plyed him for thirty daies together neither did those onely who were present try their skill but the absent also by letters and large promises of great preferments about the Princes person so he would relent The braue young Champion had no sooner read the first letter tending to this purpose but straight he toare in pieces all the rest of the packet and threw them into the fier At which the messenger amazed bad him looke what he did for that the letters were of great importance and that he might doe much better to change his Religion to whom Francis imposing silence badd him keepe his Counsell for some body els His Father in law did also his best to withdraw him and among other perswasions threatned to take his wife from him vnlesse he yeelded at which Francis smiling replyed that neither wife nor all the world could yeeld should seperate betwixt him and his Religion Meane while the valorous Champion had recourse to his ghostly Father arming himselfe with the holy Sacramēta for greater enterprises At his returne from the good worke newes was brought him that Matthias Xobora Scizaimō was taken and laide in irons for the Confession of Christ at which felicity enuying he begun to exclame with ioy ô happy thrice happy Matthias and taking pen and paper writt him a letter full of spirituall comfort with extraordinary feeling Scarce was the letter made vp and sent when behould foure souldiers gentlemen sent from the Tono to know the present state of his mind which they soone perceiued to be the same and made their report accordingly Herevpon the Tono gaue order that when it grew darke three others should goevnto him and dispatch him out of the way vnlesse he changed his mind The three went at the time appointed and hauing beset the house they came in vpon him and demaunded if he would yet change his mind that therby he might greatly gratify the Tono wheras his obstinacy might peradnēture cause him a deare repentance and no lesse then death At the sound of death Francis turning to them told thē he could neuer looke for more welcome tydings and if they should happē to be the Messēgers thēselues he would receiue them not as men but as Angels from heauen and so saying for reuerence kneeled downe before them The Gentils were out of themselues at so vnaccustomed a manner of proceeding and to comply with their commaund from the Tono tould him plainly they were come to take his life from him and that therefore according to the fashion of Iaponia be might cut vp his owne belly This replied the valient Champion of Christ is forbidden me by the law of Christ but if you haue order to take my heade here it is I will not refuse it Only if you please I le goe first to take leaue of my Mother which was graunted him Then going by certaine secret doores he found her in her chamber and with incredible tokens of ioy he brake forth into these speeches Behould Mother the neure is come which I haue so often and earnestly begged from heauen I am euen now to giue my blood for Christ helpe me to thanke Almighty God for so great a fauour and in token you sorgiue all the faults and offences which I haue committed namely against your selfe giue me your last benediction and with this cast himselfe vpon his knees The poore Mother with eyes drowned in teares tooke him in her armes and embraced him and with a countenance cheered vp answered God blesse thee deare sonne and giue thee grace and strength necessary for so great an enterprise I confesse there is no losse in this world so sensible for in thee I loose all my support and comfort yet I am ouerioyed to see thee dy for Christ. Blessed be his holyname for his benefits bestowed on vs both and this in particulars with that came in his wife and all the standers by burst forth into lobs and teares to see them take their leaues Francis alone stood vndaunted and left her for a pledge the loue of Iesus whom he desired for a last fauour she would alwaies keep in her hart and rather dy then falsisy her faith This done he returned to the roome where he was expected and stretching forth his necke was beheaded for his Religion the 16. of February 1624 in the 24 yeere of his age Francis Sintaro was borne in the kingdom of Cai of noble parentage he was baptized at 16 yeares of age and as he grew in yeares so grew his loue and feare of God he receiued and lodged our Fathers in the kingdomes of Quinocuni and Aqui where he allotted a part of his house his chiefe delight was in seruing Masse and discoursing of heauenly matters his conferences of spirituall and dinine thinges was commonly with teares hauing a tender and most pious hart his zeale of soules was in credible and therfore he spared neither cost nor labour to assist all as well Christians as Gentiles and being gratious and fluent in discourse and conuersant in the Iaponian sect he was heard with exceeding content and no small fruite of many When he had of our Fathers in his house he would call the Christians round about and incite them to Confession and where by night any of ours went to heare Cōfessions he was the man that would accompany them he often fasted and disciplined himself but especially in time of Lent at which time and many others he depriued himselfe of the company of his wife therby to giue himself more freely to his praiers and deuotion So great was his desire of dying for Christ that he was often minded had not our Fathers for iust reasons opposed themselues to put himselfe Prisoner with certaine Religious persons to the end he might be put to death in their company The death of Matthias Xobora Schizaimon MAtthias serued a nobleman who put him in trust with most of his important affaires and therfore in time of these troubles laboured by all meanes both by threates and faire meanes to make him leaue his faith and not preuailing he gaue order he should be bound which Matthias ēdured most willingly for Christs sake A whole day and night was he tyed last vnto a stake by the necke handes and elbowes with sharp small cordes a torment of that nature that many dy vpon it the cordes entring into the flesh to the very bone But all this preuailed litle with Matthias which his Master perceiuing he caused in stead of cordes a great piece of wood to be put about his necke like a yoke for oxen vsually applied to the most famous delinquents and thus was he held the space of 4 daies with his friends and kindred about him to perswade to change his profession All this not taking effect his Master sent a note to the Tono to let him vnderstand what pasted who straight gaue sērēce he should be crucified The Ministers of Iustice going for this
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
his life he was to giue in his last euidence and declaration of his faith he put of his shooes and stockings that so he might goe with all possible reuerence vnto that place where in he was to dy for Christ. Being now euen at the goale where vnto they so willingly made hast the 3 sonnes stoode with eyes fixed vpon the heauens when their Father bad them giue attentiue eare vnto what he should tell them You must then vnderstand said he that you are but earth and that all things contained in this wide vniuerse were created as helpes for man to the saluation of his soule which at this instant you are to offer vnto God who therefore hath created you that he might confer vpon you the blisse of eternall saluation He added heere vnto diuerse other edificatiue speeches when one of the Tonos sonnes a youth of tender yeares arriuing there the officers that he might speake no more tooke occasion to stop their mouthes in such sort that they could not vtter any word The young youth who came purposely to be present at this spectacle was desirous to see how well their Simitars would cut and therfore the officers would not put the condemned persons to death as they were accustomed to doe but in a more inhumane barbarous and cruell fashion to wit taking their blow from aboue the right arme in such sorte that the weapon issue forth vnder the lefte or contrary not vnlike vnto the fashion in which our deacons weare a stole and to giue more content vnto the yoūg Barbarian they tyed euery ones right hand vnto a stake and thus prepared they came forth first Leo and then his sonnes whilst the Barbarous Paynim recreated himselfe with his attendants to see how sharpe those swords or Simitars were which with one blow pearsing both flesh and bones would cut the body from side to side and in an instant deuide a man in two Leo was 60 yeares of age Andrew 25 Thomas 23 and Iohn twenty as well the Father as his sonnes were borne in a part of the kingdom of Bungo called Togi They dyed on the 28 of May 1624 by commaund of Inaba Friocodono Lord of Vsuqui a Principall place of the kingdome of Bungo THE TABLE OF the Temporall state of Iaponia and the present condition of Christian Religion Pag. 1. The exercise of the Christians in prison pag. 10. How the aboue named fifty Christians were burnt aliue by commaund from the Xogun pag. 13. The names of some of the aboue mentioned martyrs according to the order they stood beginning from the Citty pag. 20. A brief relation of the life of F. Hierom de Angelis of B. Simon Iempo of the Society of IESVS pag. 22. How foure and twenty Christians were put to death for the confession of Christian faith in the Citty of Iendo pag 28. Of other seauenteene Christians burnt aliue in the Towne of Iendo for professing Christian Religion pag. 31. A relation of the persecution raised in the beginning of the yeare 1624. in the Countries of Massamune in which aboue 24. Christians were put to death together with F. Diego Caruaglio of the Society of IESVS pag. 32 Of the persecution in the Kingdome of Deua the death of three Christiās pa. 54. Of Christianity in the Coūtry of Cami. pag. 58. The death of Francis Ioyama Sintaro in the Citty of Firoxima pag 68. The death of Mathias Xobora Schizaimō pag. 73. The death of Ioachim Curoyemon in Firoxima pag. 75. The death of Iohn Tananguia Cufroi pag. 76. Of the persecution of Christians in certaine places of the Kingdom of Figen p 86. The persecution of the Christians of the Citty of Firando and the terntory belonging to it in which eight and thirty suffered death pag 95. The death of nine Christiās of the house and family of Gabriel who had lodged F. Camillus Constantius of the Society of IESVS ibid. The death of fiue other Christians in Vsucca pag 104. The death of Isabell Mother of Damianus and Beatrice his wife with their foure children pag. 107. The death of Mary wife to Iohn Sucamoto and her foure sonnes pag. 122. The death of Michaell Iamando Fiemon and Vrsula his wife with three of their children pag. 115. The death of Catherine wife to Iohn Yuqumoura pag. 120. The death of Thomas Mattaicht p. 125. Of foure others put to death for Religion in the Precincte of Firando pag. 126. The death of Calisto Cambo a Christian of the Ilands of Goto pag. 131. The death of Michael Sori and Quinzaiemon in the Ilands of Goto pag. 134. The death of Thomas Nacangaua Mangosuque and Ioseph Gonzalo who suffered in Omura pag. 136. The death of Father Michael Caruaglio of the Society of IESVS and of foure other Religious men of the holy Orders of Saint Dominicke and Saint Francis who suffered for preaching of the holy Ghospell pag. 140. The state of Christianisme in Tacaco pag 153. The residence of Amacusa and missions of the Kingdome of Fingo pag. 155. The residence of the Kingdome of Chigugen and missions thereof pag. 157. The residence of the Kingdome of Bungo pag. 161. The death of Leo Mizaqui Xinyemon and of his three sonnes pag. 165. FINIS