each side at equal distance stand twelve of his best Friends and nearest Relations on both sides are great multitudes of Spectators This cruel Execution is oftentimes inflicted upon many without any cause for they judge those liable to the same punishment that have any Relation to the Criminal Francis Cairon tells us of a passage that happen'd about Jedo during his residence there A Noble Man commanding a Lordship of the Emperor forced his Tenants to pay him more Rent than the Emperor had order'd by which means he inrich'd himself But the people not being able to bear the burthen any longer they joyn'd together and went to the Council complaining of the Lord of their Manor which they strictly examining he was found Guilty and Condemn'd with all his Family to be their own Executioners ripping open their own Bellies He had a Brother a Servant to the King of Fingo two hundred forty seven Leagues distant to the Westward from Jedo an Unkle in Satsuma twenty Miles farther a Son by King Conocoumy a second Son who dwelt Eastward from Jedo one hundred and ten Leagues serving the King of Massama his third Son in the Imperial Castle Inquano his youngest Son being Marry'd to a wealthy Merchants Daughter in Osacca Two of his Brothers being of the Emperors Life-Guard All these were forc'd in one day and hour for their Brother or Fathers foremention'd offence in a miserable manner to rip up their own Bowels The manner of cutting their bellies Which Executioners work is perform'd thus First they cast up how many hours it may be ere the Messenger of Death brings the sad news to their remotest Relations which being the utmost time appointed no Reprieve beyond both the nearest and farthest on one day and just at noon obeying the strict sentence they become their own cruel destroyers But one of them a Merchant in Osacco prevented self-slaughter being struck with so great a terror that he dy'd immediately after the tidings and his onely Daughter who would have made her self away though not Condemned had she not been carefully look'd after starving her self dy'd on the eleventh day But how the Women escap'd in these destroyings of Families he is silent in ¶ CAsper Villela in his Letter from Firando dated the 13 of October 1557. says thus concerning this manner of punishment Those that are to be ript open have two choices left them either to cut their bellies or fight to death When the King Condemns any to this Execution he sends a Messenger to him who acquaints him with the day on which he must die the Condemned Person never flinches nor seeks to make an escape but humbly requests that the King would be so pleas'd that he himself might perform his Majesties Command which if granted he takes for the greatest honor which at that time he is capable of At the appointed hour he attires himself in his best Rayment and so rips up his own Bowels but if the King order his Death by the common Execution then he puts himself in a posture of defence guarding his House with his Children Friends and Servants the King's Officers coming at the expected hour with a strong Party begin the Assault and Battel with discharging of Arrows then drawing nearer they come to pushing of Pikes and chosing up with their Swords entring the Kings Party being always too strong cruelly massacres him and his whole Family and the rest of his Relations that were not there nor engag'd are all stigmatiz'd with a hot Iron This severe Law neither exempts the highest nor the lowest but Lords and Peasants Citizens and Soldiers suffer thus without mercy all alike This false Witnesses have or any that are taken in a Lye before a Magistrate inflicted upon them insomuch that most Punishments amongst the Japanners are sanguinary The Kings that are convicted of speaking Treason against the Emperor are onely banish'd to Faitsinchina Description of the Faitsinchina ¶ THis Faitsinchina is a small Isle about a League in circumference lying Easterly from Jedo to the Offin fourteen Leagues whose Cliffy Borders are so steep and the Sea fathomless that they want Cable to Anchor there so that no Vessel can come near the Shore safe but after this manner When the Weather is calm and the Water smooth they venture in small Vessels who drawing near the Rocks some of the boldest and activ'st of them tying Cords about their Middle leap from their Vessel lighting among the Cliffs not without great danger and climbing to the top where they have Crains or the like Engines planted for that purpose with which they hoist up their Vessels some Fathoms above the Water A strange contrivance to preserve Ships so that they impend in the Air where they seem as at safe Anchor being free from the beatings of Waves and Weather which else would immediately bilge them upon the unhospitable Shore where many were lost ere this Invention was found This spot of Ground is for the most part barren little of the Isle fit for Cultrature boasting onely a few Mulberry-Trees Banishment of Japan Kings Here the greatest Persons suffer under Exile where without all hope of any return or ever to be redeem'd they live in a miserable condition for in every angle of the Isle stands a strong Tower where Souldiers keep Watch and Ward which Monethly if Wind and Weather serve are reliev'd nor are they longer to remain lest by their continuance they may grow acquainted with the Royal Prisoners and be inveigl'd by Bribes or otherwise to help or at least connive at their escape These though Kings have no Princely Fare onely a little Rice Roots of Trees wild Herbs and some other unsavory Food which they cook themselves and that which adds more to their misery is bad Drink and unwholsom Water Their Houses are onely poor Huts too sleight Defences to keep out Wind and Weather And also they are set hard Tasks to Spin and Weave so many Pieces of Silk yearly the Growth of the Place their own Silk-worms furnishing them with Materials The Emperor's Court was formerly in Surunga But our Ambassadors stay'd not long in Surunga where formerly the Japan Emperors used to keep their Court and afterwards the Emperor's Brother but since Toxogansama's Brother ript up his own Bowels they remov'd the Court from thence which was the chief occasion of the deserting and desolation of this City for most of the Inhabitants went from thence to settle in other Places The City is much ruin'd On one side of the City stands a large Castle whose Ruines manifest sufficiently its former greatness and splendor The Metherland Ambassadors enter Jesare and find there an antient Man who told them that Spex had formerly been there ¶ LEaving Surunga they travell'd to the Village Jesare where they Lodg'd all Night Here they found an old Man who told them that the Ambassador Jacob Spex thirty years before their arrival Lodg'd in his House passing through
as their true and lawful Wife which onely sits with her Husband at Table whilst the rest are like Servants The Children also which he gets by his Concubines at his Death get but very little of his Estate for those that are born of his lawful Wife inherit all Which Custom is also deriv'd from China where the Emperor before the Tartar made himself Master of that Empire Marry'd besides his Empress thirty other Women being the most beautiful that could be found in all his Dominions of China all which remain'd in the Palace till the Emperors Death when his Successor after the Burial of the deceased Emperor Clothing the thirty Women in rich Apparel carry'd them to his second Palace there placing every one on a stately Throne whereon sitting with their Faces cover'd thirty Chinese Princes chosen by the Emperor entred the Hall every one of them taking one of the said Women by the Hand and instantly Marry'd them Strange kind of Marriage observ'd by the Japanners The Chineses and Japanners observe chiefly that the Brides and Bridegrooms differ not much in their Age Estate and Extract The Betrothed are in the Morning early carry'd in costly Coaches drawn either by Oxen or Horses from their Houses out of the City accompanied with all manner of Vocal and Instrumental Musick to a high Hill attended by a great number of People and sometimes are so crowded that they are forc'd to have Soldiers with them to clear the Way After the Bridegroom's Coach follow several Wayns loaden with Presents with which he buys the Bride Which Manner they have likewise brought out of China for there the Man gives to the new marry'd Woman divers Marriage Goods which she delivers to her Father or Mother as a requital for the bringing of her up so that the chief Riches increase from the number of their Daughters and chiefly when they are beautiful The antient Babylonians bringing their Daughters to Market at a certain time of the year sold them to those that proffer'd most the Price was set according to their Beauty those that were handsomest yielding the best Rate and ordinary Faces were sold for lesser Sums yet the homeliest also went off for the Money which was bestow'd for the fairest was given as Portions for the hard-favor'd so that they in stead of being bought they purchas'd Husbands for themselves Far more shamefully did the Phoenician Maidens order their affairs when they went into the Temple of Venus to proffer their Virginities to sale and with that Money so gotten bought them Husbands The same Custom was observed by the Cyprian Maids who for Money prostituted themselves so long to Strangers till they had gotten Wealth enough to purchase Marriage with some of their election Nay the Armenians had a Law according to which the Maids in the antient Temple dedicated to the Goddess Anetis whose Image was made of Massie Gold should at a set time prostitute themselves in common to all Men after which there were none but desir'd her in Marriage that had been so consecrated to the same Goddess The antient Indians brought their Daughters into the Company of fine Youths that they might chuse one out of the number which in Strength swiftness in Running Wrestling and well-timberdness of Body exceeded the other The Cathaians observe the same manner but upon inviolable promises that she will be burnt with her Husbands Body if he chance to die before her The Indian Women also leap into the same Funeral Fire and those that out of fear do not go in to be burnt with their Husbands are accounted dishonest The Laxamatees near the Lake Meosis may not Marry before they have slain an Enemy and also the Carmani may not betroth themselves before they have brought an Enemy's Head to the King Roman and Greek Brides must bring Portions but in Japan the Bridegrooms The antient Romans and Greeks maintain'd quite another Custom than the Japanners for with them the Brides were to bring Portions to the Bridegrooms wherefore the Roman Consul gave the Daughters of the famous Generals Cneius Scipio and Martus Curius their Portions out of the Treasury because being poor they could not be Marry'd according to their Birth The like did the Athenians to the Daughters of the valiant Heroe Aristides But Solon and Lycurgus both Greek Law-givers commanded strictly That no Bride should bring Money into the Bridegrooms Pocket The Germans took no Marriage to be lawful unless the Man produced his promis'd Estate Which Law was also observ'd by the Biskiners The Egyptians never Marry'd for Estates for if the Woman brought any Riches to the Man then he according to their Laws was to be her Slave Moreover the Lacedemonians durst not seem to Marry for Money wherefore those were severely punish'd that at Lacedemon Courted Lysander's Daughters and after the Decease of their Father forbore their Suit which the Judge interpreted thus That they had not Courted the Persons but their Money Just so it is in Japan where the Man Marries not onely a Bride without a Portion but must give her divers Goods for Marrying of him Which Custom is likewise Extracted from China where the Bride brings no Money to her Bridegroom though she carry all manner of Housholdstuff to his House as Stools Chairs Umbrello's and other things sufficient to fill up a small Street for it is all bought with the Money which the Bridegroom hath given her Iapanische traugeprauge Ceremonie van haer TROUWEN Ceremonie of theyr Merridge How they are Marry'd Before the Idol with a Dogs-head stands a Bonzi or Japan Priest on his right-hand the Bride and on his left the Bridegroom both holding lighted Torches in their Hands the Bride lights her Torch by one of the eight Lamps which stand round about the Tent but not without great mutterings of the Bonzi which done the Bridegroom lights his by the Brides whereupon a joyful shout is made all with a loud voice wishing joy to them whilst the Bonzi gives them his Blessing The antient Romans and Greeks us'd Torches at their Ceremonies of Marriage made of Pine-branches which were carry'd before the Brides in the Night by five Youths But among the Greeks the Brides Mother carry'd it Moreover the Blessing which is spoke by the Bonzi is of a very antient Extract for the Israelites observ'd that Custom when the concern'd Parties in Beth-hillula that is A House of Praise flock'd together and sung joyful Hymns before the Bride and Bridegroom the chief Priest taking a Cup full of Wine said Blessed art thou O Lord our God which hast created joy and mirth give love to the Bride and Bridegroom a Brotherly inclination peace and quiet dwelling I pray O Lord let there immediately he heard in the Cities of Juda and in the Streets of Jerusalem the voice of the Bride and Bridegroom The voice of joy and the Nuptial Bed is sweeter than any Feast and Children more acceptable than the pleasing harmony of delightful Songs
THE EMBASSAYS TO THE EMPEROURS OF JAPAN Cum. prerelegien Remarkable Addresses BY WAY OF EMBASSY FROM THE East-India Company OF THE UNITED PROVINCES TO THE EMPEROR of JAPAN CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR SEVERAL Territories Cities Temples and Fortresses THEIR Religions Laws and Customs THEIR Prodigious VVealth and Gorgeous Habits THE Nature of their Soil Plants Beasts Hills Rivers and Fountains WITH The Character of the Ancient and Modern JAPANNERS Collected out of their several Writings and Journals BY ARNOLDVS MONTANVS English'd and Adorn'd with a Hundred several Sculptures By JOHN OGILBY Esq His Majesty's Cosmographer Geographick Printer and Master of the Revels in the Kingdom of IRELAND LONDON Printed by the Author and are to be had at his House in White Fryers M.DC.LXXI De LAND REYSE van OSACCA tot IEDO 〈◊〉 Groote Steeden 〈◊〉 Kleyne Steeden 〈◊〉 Casteelen 〈◊〉 Dorpen 〈◊〉 Vlecken 〈◊〉 Heerlyckheeden 〈◊〉 Toorene en tempels 〈◊〉 De Cyffers syn de 〈◊〉 Lâ—â—â—tâ— van de Brâ—â—â— De WATER REYSE van NANGASACQUI tot OSACCA De LAND Râ—YSE van OSACCA tot IEDO A MEMORABLE EMBASSY TO THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN The Earth and Sea constitute a round Globe FRom the round Shadow which darkens or eclipseth the Moon the different Rising and Setting of the Celestial Luminaries and the various Elevation of the Zenith or Vertical Point infallibly demonstrates That the Earth and Sea making one Body presents exactly the Figure of a Globe Which though the Surface of this mighty Ball be rough and gibbous many parts thereof swoln into Rocks and high Mountains others sunk into depressed Valleys yet make an even and smooth Circumference for the highest Tops and lowest Descents are nothing in comparison to the Magnitude of this vast Body but seem less than Warts on the Hand or small Furrows in a Plough'd Field Incircling this our Terrestrial Orb at an unmeasurable distance sparkle the innumerable Lights in the immense expansions of the Firmament The Description of Heaven and Earth About the Earth the Air spreading it self into three Regions dispenseth from the middle all sorts of Meteors with their several Effects upon us The lowest Storie variety of Birds and flying Fowls make their Receptacle the Sea and Rivers Fish inhabit but the Earth and Sea and all Creatures there residing the Creator left solely to the gubernation of Man under whose Command they remain so inverting the Authority of Power placed the Microcosmus over the Macrocosme the little World to Rule the great The distribution of the People upon the Earth But since the Fall of Adam his Generations persisting more and more increasing their enormous sins and louder-crying offences brought Gods just Judgment upon them who therefore destroy'd the Old World by an Inundation or general Deluge onely preserving eight Persons who descending from the Ark the Waters being ceased a new World began in which by degrees their numerous Progeny so multipli'd that they were forc'd to Plant fresh Colonies still more and more remote from the Foot of the Mountain where they first settled But nothing more help'd to the well and equal re-peopling of the desolated Universe than the confusion of Tongues which happen'd in the Worlds Infancy at Babel where all the Children of that Generation resolving to settle not minding farther Discoveries pitch'd upon the fertile Plains of Shinar Here must be say they the Center of our growing and intended Empire this our begun this our stupendious Work whose aspiring Tower looks down already upon the Clouds and hereafter threatens to scale the Skies shall be the mighty and all-commanding Head of our Imperial City which extended over these Plains we will inhabit and with our Lives and Fortunes guard and maintain But they in their vain Design and presumptuous Project were suddenly baffled by Divine Providence who in stead of setling scatter'd them over the face of the Earth for when they were at the busiest and in the heighth of their expectation labouring to finish this marvellous Structure thus the Almighty disappointed their whole endeavours all Tasks were suddenly thrown aside each mistaking not understanding one another in which confusion their onely comfort was to meet with any that spake with them the same Language These using one Tongue gathering in a Body stuck together and in several Companies fled to strange and unpeopl'd Regions where Planting they flourish'd and suddenly grew up to be several great Kingdoms Since call'd Europe Asia and Africa the then onely known Countrey So this their total rout and flying to all the Angles of the Universe proved for the better each by this means being sooner suppli'd so extending by degrees their fresh Colonies to the utmost and Maritime Coast Yet however one Party after this dissolution remaining still upon the Spot which though they utterly sleighted their begun Tower leaving it to ruine and decay yet went on chearfully with their chief City where Nimrod first taking the Title and supreme Authority upon him sat in his new erected Throne first Monarch of the Assyrian Empire Besides him many absolute Princes were thus in process of time establish'd in their several Dominions and the whole World seem'd to be once more totally replenish'd When the restless Nature of Man either unsatisfi'd with what he hath atchiev'd or spurr'd on by ambition or urgent necessity to enlarge their Bounds for their supernumerary Swarms gave the beginning to the Iron or turbulent Age War and Hostility raging every where in which those prevailing grew high and mighty those conquer'd low and humble continual vicissitudes and fluctuations of People Kingdoms subverted in Republicks and Common-wealths weary of such Government turn'd again into Monarchies The weakest Party put to all extremities and worst of exigencies by the pursuing Enemy were enforc'd all Land deni'd them venturing for refuge into the wide Ocean were soon swallow'd up some driven they knew not whither lighted on uninhabited Countreys there beginning new Plantations and perhaps by such Fugitives the new World never heard of by antiquity became of old to be peopled and by that means grown since to such vast Empires as our late Voyagers have discover'd Here it will not seem amiss to give you an account according as all Writers have it how this our Old World was peopled viz. Asia and Africa and who were the Fathers or chief Captains giving Denominations to the People and setling them in their several Plantations beginning with Holy Scripture The Offspring of Japhet Noah and his three Sons Japhet being the eldest his Offspring spread themselves over Asia and Europe Moses recounts these to be the Sons of Japhet Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech and Tiras Gomer as they say first settled his Colony along the Caspian Sea where Strabo and Pliny place the Cemerians the Sons of Gomer being Ashkenaz Riphat and Tagorma Planted other Colonies Ashkenaz laying the Foundation of the Kingdom of Media which others contradict supposing that he settled in the lesser Asia others the Countrey of
Hessen or Saxony but out of what Records we know not and Eusebius where ere he hath it calls Ashkenaz the Father or first Prince of the Gothes whil'st the Modern Jews make him the Planter of the Teutonick Nations or High-Dutch and the transplanted Seed of Riphat into more Northern Regions gave Denomination to the Riphean Mountains beyond Scythia which afterwards took in Paphlagonia From his third Son Togarma sprang the Togarmians who sat down on the North-side of Canaan beyond Cappadocia but it appears by the Chalde Paraphrase that Togarma peopled Germany and the Jews affirm that the Turcomany or Turks are also sprung from the Togarmians whereupon still the Turkish Emperor is by them call'd Togar But Magog Japhets second Son inhabited Coelesyria Mada and the Territory of Media Javan the third was Father to the Ionians who in process of time growing great with other conjoyn'd Nations call'd themselves Greeks their Countrey Grecia From these the Latines drew their original whereupon at first a great part of Italy was call'd Greece and still several Names of Italian Cities do undeniably shew the Extract of the Latines from the Greeks which the antient Writers affirm by making Javan to be the Bifronted Janus signifying Father both to the old Greeks and new Latines descended from him The Sons of Javan were four Elisha who Planted in the Islands of the Mediterranean Sea Tarshish from whom Tarsus in Cilicia bears the Name and Kittim a Place in Cyprus where between the two utmost Points Thronus and Dades in the Entrance formerly stood the City Kittim and still the Point Dades bears the Name of Cape Chiti Dedanim Javans youngest Son possess'd that part of Eperia where the City Dodona was renown'd famous for the Oracle of Jupiter Dodoneus presaging by tinckling Brass Instruments or Cymbals and also from the oraculous Oak it self which as they say spake from its hollow womb giving Responses From Japhets fifth Son sprang the Tubaleans afterwards call'd Syrians Others according to Josephus set themselves down in Spain so believ'd because the antient City Setubal in that Kingdom retains Tubals Name Meshechs Progeny steer'd their Coast towards Arabia The Antients differ in no thing more than settling the Habitations of Tiras Japhets youngest Son Josephus affirms him to be Father of the Thracians in whose Countrey Pliny and Mela delineate the River Atira Others transplant him to the European Sarmatia according to Ptolomy sprinkled with the Stream call'd Tyras and at present Nester Some make Tiras the Builder of Tyre in Phoenycia again some of the Duringians and others of Thurium a very antient City in the entrance of Tarentine The Progeny of Shâ—m Thus far Japhets Successors next Sems that is to say Elam Ashur Arphaxad Lud and Aram did overspread Armenia Persia India and the farther Eastern part of Asia But especially Elam is acknowledg'd to be the Father of the Elamites from whence the Persians proceeded extinguishing by their firm establishment of their sole Dominion the first Name of Elamites Ashur Founded within the built City Nineveh the Assyrian Power formerly the Heathen Histories bring these down from Ninus Concerning Arphaxad Moses saith thus Genes 10. And Arphaxad begat Salah and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons the name of one was Peleg for in his days was the earth divided and his brothers name was Joktan And Joktan begat Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah and Obal and Abimael and Sheba and Ophir and Havilah and Jobah all these were the sons of Joktan And their dwelling was from Mesha as thou goest unto Shephar a mount of the east These are the sons of Shem after their families after their tongues in their lands after their nations Benedictus Arias Montanus ascribes particularly these Distributions to every one of the Children of Joktan that is to say to Almodad the People of Themeotes according to Ptolomy and Mela transplanted into the Asiatick Sarmatia to Sheleph the Selebians to Hazarmaveth the Sarmatians to Jarka the Arachosians to Hadora the Hircanians to Uzal the Oxiaenian Bactrians to Dikla the Scythians within the Mountains of Imaus to Obal the Obolites between the top of Caucasus and Paropanisus to Abimael the Imaenses where the renown'd Imaus hath very high Precipices to Sheba the famous Saces yet others think it more advisable to bring the Sabeans to Sheba bordering on the Persians Ophir call'd The Territory of Ophir whether Solomon every third year set forth a Fleet to fetch Gold from thence Yet after all the Distributions and Sprinklings of Mankind over the surface of the Earth much of it confirm'd by many Authors and also by sacred Writ our Modern Geographers and late Travellers hardly make out scarce two Parts of three of the Terrestrial Globe to be yet inhabited all the Antartick and most of the Artick Regions an unfrequented Desolation and Africa and Asia full of unpenetrated Desarts and inaccessible Mountains and many Isles Of which several were discover'd by the Antients and since by our Moderns not thought worthy the labour of Cultivation amongst which our Japan lay a long time Fallow till by a necessitous Calamity a few miserable Exiles being as they say banish'd from their Countrey were enforc'd to Plant there which from such poor beginnings and unwilling undertakers hath insensibly by degrees in few Ages shot up from nothing to be a most Potent and formidable Empire But before we proceed any farther in this our intended Design concerning a Description and Relation of Japan of which the Hollanders are most able to give the best account it seems not amiss raising our selves a little from our Seat to look round about and by an easie Prospect take a brief and general Survey not onely of the new Art of Navigation but also of those famous Navigators that boldly first adventur'd to unloose though thought unpossible before the Virgin Zone of this our Terraqueous Globe so not onely finding undiscover'd Parts of the East but also a new Western Indies abounding in Gold and Silver as the other in Silk and Spices besides giving us a farther account of a third Continent though yet unknown equivalent to either of the former The Compass by whom found The Loadstone or Magnet whose several Vertues and wonderful Operations being well known through many Ages yet that it was a Terrella or little Earth having Poles respecting the North or Southern Points of the Firmament having imaginary Meridians and Parallels being the greatest wonder and of most use was not found untill Flavius Melvius a Neopolitan discover'd it about two hundred years since to the great benefit of Mankind and perfection in Navigation before which without Compass or Chart the poor Seaman when stressed with Weather the Sun and Stars his onely Pilot Night and Day muffl'd in Clouds he crept along the Shore which was the constant practice or emboldned by the signs of fair Weather ventur'd farther into the Offin their
growing upon their Heads A strange Relation of the Gengues by Father Frojus whom their Master the Devil oftentimes commands to climb to the top of a steep Mountain where they are to expect him at the appointed time Thither they flock in great Numbers and coming to the Place the Evil Spirit according to his Promise appears to them about Noon but most commonly towards the Evening passing oftentimes backward and forward through the whole Assembly of the Gengues who soon after inspir'd with mad desire to follow this their wicked Seducer where-ever he goes though through Fire and Brimstone where he vanishes they throw themselves after which is always at the steep Precipices of the Mountain thus desperately destroying themselves falling down Headlong Which thus happen'd to be discover'd An Old-Man being thus Possess'd and mad to follow the Devil his Son used all means to disswade him yet he would not hearken but thither he went his Son going with him then both scaling the top of the Mountain the Spirit appear'd to them Habited Richly like some Great Person whom the Father Worshipp'd falling on his Knees in a most submissive and humble manner but the Son drawing his Bow shot at the Spectrum which suddenly vanishing turn'd into a wounded Fox which running away he trac'd by the drops of Bloud discolouring the Grass where on the edge of the Precipice Reynard vanish'd but he looking down after him saw abundance of Bones and Skeletons of Dead-men which there broke their Necks so conquering Hell by violence running headlong to the Devil Japan Soothsayings and Conjurings whence proceeded But the fore-mention'd Charms and Conjurations Fortune-telling and other Diabolical Arts used by the Japan Janambuxi Jammaboos Harbore-Bonzi and Gengues have their Original from Asia The Japanners have learn'd these Necromantick Arts and cunning Delusions from their Ancestors which brought them from the Places of their first Original Above two thousand Years ago the Black-Art was us'd through all the Eastern World being perform'd after divers ways and manners Who knows not That in Asia they use for the performing of the foremention'd purposes Water Drinking and Looking-glasses Oyl Rings Fire Children and Birds What was more common to those that would know Future Events or regain Lost or Stoln Goods than to run to the Conjurers or Fortune-tellers which Office the Priest generally perform'd Conjuring with a Bason Sometimes they us'd a Bason full of Water in which they threw several Pieces of Gold and Silver and also Precious Stones mark'd with peculiar Letters Then standing over this Bason muttering their Charms and Incantations calling upon an Infernal Spirit at last asking what they desir'd to know and according to his Demands a Voyce as it were from under the Water made Responses to his several Questions With a Cruse At other times these Jugglers also use a Cruse filling it with clear Water and placing lighted Wax-Candles round about Then calling upon Satan they inquir'd of him concerning those things of which they desir'd to be satisfied Then standing still a Child or great-bellied Woman went to the charm'd Cruse so taking a view of the Shadow which the Water presented by which Appearance the Spirit answer'd their Desires With Glasses Looking-glasses also serv'd them as Instruments to the performing of their Diabolical Arts Glasses a known Cheat. wherein after they had ended their Charmes they saw such Shadows by which they were answer'd to their several Demands The Emperor Didius Julianus us'd the like Glasses Julian the Apostate seeing several things in them that happen'd to him afterwards With Fountains The Greek Writer Pausanius tells us of a Fountain before the Temple of the Goddess Ceres in which Fountain by a small Cord they us'd to let down a Looking-glass wherein if those that were Sick did look and saw a Dead Corps there was no hopes of their Recovery but if a live Person they were certain to live and recover With Oyl and Red-lead When they are desirous to know Future Events then they take Oyl with some Red-lead mixing them both together Then they take a stripling Youth painting his Nails therewith and holding them in the Sun which makes such Shadows that by them they know what they desire Wit a Gold Ring They also take a Gold-Ring and shaking it in the Water judge by its Motion what they desire to be inform'd of With Stones Sometimes throwing three Stones in standing Water by the manner and position of the Circles they answer the Question propounded With Water Varro a Learned Roman tells of a Youth skill'd in Magick that in a Response of a great Question read fifty Verses out of the Water foretelling but in ambiguous sense the various Successes of the long War betwixt the Romans and Mithridates King of Pontus With Wheaten-Cakes Near the Lacedemonian City Epidamnus was a Pool sacred to Juno to which to be resolv'd of doubtful Matters they us'd to resort where they threw in Wheaten Cakes made for that purpose which if they sunk were a good Omen but if they floated up and down they look'd thereon as a Sign of ill success With a Pot. It was also very common to put a Roll upon their Heads on which a Pot of Water then muttering certain Words if the Water boyl'd over that signified good but if it stirr'd not bad luck But discovering of Thieves finding Lost or Stoln Goods and the like which the Japan-Priests the Janambuxi and Gengues pretend so much to was common two thousand Years ago through all Asia Amonst many other of their Experiments this was most us'd by the Ancients With an Ax. They strike an Ax into a round Post so deep that it sticks then amidst their Mutterings they name the several Persons who are most suspected but at the first mention of the guilty Person the Ax trembles or leaps out of the Post With a Sieve Our Foolery of the Sieve and Shears is also much approv'd amongst them for a most certain Discovery of a Theft And as we use for a Charm St. Peter and St. Paul they repeat these non-sensical Words Douwima Touwima Entimemaus With an Asses Head They also do Wonders as they believe with an Asses Head broyl'd upon the Coals And the like Vanity concerning Predictions they observe with a Cock With a Cock. which thus they perform In a smooth Floor they lay so many single Letters cut in Paper that make up their Response with the Negative and Affirmative laying on every one of these a Barley-corn and scattering a few others promiscuously betwixt them then they bring a Cock fresh and fasting who falls to work picking up the Corns as his Choice directs him which done they gather up the Letters from whence the Corn hath been taken and of those by setting and spelling of them several ways they make a Judgment With Mandrakes What did they not ascribe to the Mandrake-root by throwing
Silk when they are ready the Drummers beat and the signal being given they start the Race being betwixt a Man and a Horse they thus perform The Man holds the Horse by a single Rein drawn out with which he must not straiten nor hold in the Horse who runs at his full speed and the men by him when drawing near the Goal the foremention'd Posts and Cord the Horse and he must leap over at once together which done with equal dexterity he gains the propos'd Reward or Prize which if he fail making a feeble or no performance he not onely looseth the glory of the Victory but also all manner of Court-Preferment ¶ BUt as to what concerns the Dayro he is the onely true and lawful Heir of Japan and was formerly held in such Veneration by the Japanners that they honor'd him as a god and by this his great respect he kept the Empire a long time in Peace and Quietness till Anno 1550. During the Dayro's Government Japan never tasted the inconveniencies of a Civil War which after his removal from the Throne Civil Wars were terrible in Japan the reasons thereof brake out in that nature that scarce any Countrey in the World was ever a greater Stage or Blood-shed The salvage cruelties which they us'd against one another in that grand Commotion are unexpressable the Conquerors turn'd their new-gotten Provinces top-si-turvey killing not sparing Infants in the Cradle destroying and burning both Towns and Villages of which some to this day lie bury'd in their own Rubbish by which they sufficiently testifie the Destructions which were made by their Civil Wars in which Japan was turmoil'd above fifty years The occasion and beginning was thus The Dayro who is accounted so holy that the Sun must not shine upon him nor his Feet touch the Earth nor his Hair or Nails ever suffer'd to be cut which Custom hath been in use from many Ages to this day had a hundred and eighteen years ago two Sons of which the second according to an antient Law supply'd the place of Captain-General to be ready on all occasions to quell all manner of Insurrections either by substitute Kings or Subjects The eldest expected after his Fathers Decease to possess the Throne during whose life he held no Command Their Mother out of her affections to both prevail'd so far with the Dayro that the General-ship should be so divided betwixt both the Brothers that they might Command their Forces Alternately each his Trienial But the youngest when the time came that he should Resign his Commission to his eldest Brother refus'd and privately chose several Princes of Japan for to assist him if need should require by which means he Fortifi'd himself so strongly that he car'd for no Forces whatsoever no not his Father himself who immediately chose another General granting him Commission not onely to subdue but kill his Rebellious Son Soon after several of his Substitute Kings raising all their Forces brought a mighty Army together in the Field with which they went on so successfully that in short time they utterly defeated and destroy'd the Rebel and all his Forces Insurrection against the Dayro This was the first Rebellion and Insurrection that was made against the Dayro but by the death of his Son the War was no way finish'd For the conquering General taking that opportunity as having all the Forces under his Command after the Decease of the Dayro made himself Emperor of Japan Against him the young Dayro arose notwithstanding the new Emperor allow'd him all his former Revenues and shew'd him the same Respect as had formerly been shown to his Father At last the Dayro march'd towards the new Emperor whom by means of a chosen General by the Japanners call'd Cubo he defeated and slew This Conquering General not regarding the miserable end of the new-slain Emperor aim'd also at the Crown making himself absolute Master of all the Forces The Inland Wars in Japan are very cruel From hence proceeded a bloody War Kings and Princes dividing the Countrey appropriating Territories and Provinces to themselves which was not done without much trouble for by this means not onely Countrey against Countrey and City against City but also petty Villages had peculiar Wars one with another those which were Conquer'd were sure not to find the least mercy for they neither spar'd Houses nor Temples nor indeed poor Infants consuming and destroying all by Sword and Fire so that in short time whole Cities lay bury'd in Ashes Mioxindeu◠opposeth Cubo This new Cubo overcoming all at last setled himself on the Imperial Throne which was but for a small time for when he thought himself surest not thinking of the least Insurrection Mioxindono whom he had entrusted with all his Forces joyn'd in conspiracy with Dajondono Lord of Nara who had gotten an Army as we said before of twelve thousand Men which they drew up close to Meaco Soon after Mioxindono accompany'd with a strong Life-guard enter'd the City under pretence to congratulate the Emperor for some prime favors which he had pleas'd to shew him And to that purpose that he might the better bereave the Emperor of his Life privately and without disturbance he invited him to a Banquet in the Cloyster of the Bonzi near Meaco where he intended to put in Execution his bloody Design But the Emperor Cubo scenting the business suspected it the more because he had information that the Army was drawn up near Meaco made all things in readiness for his escape who being on the Way was perswaded and call'd back by some of his Council telling him that they could not perceive any such danger in the business accounting it ignoble for an Emperor to flye from a Prince which was his own Subject But in the interim Mioxindono entred the City Meaco with all his Forces and drew up towards the Palace but before he committed any hostility he sent to the Emperor Cubo demanding to send him the Heads of some of his Nobles whose insupportable Greatness as he pretended stood in his way which if the Emperor would grant a Peace should immediately be concluded and he would suddenly withdraw his Forces and depart from the City The Herald brought a Letter in which was written the Names of those Grandees which Mioxindono would have Executed An antient Courtier being sent from Cubo receiv'd the Paper which not without many reproaches to the Rebels he tore to pieces and returning again to the Emperors Presence One of the Emperors Courtiers stab himself drew out a Stilletto with which he desperately Stabbing himself fell dead on the Ground at the Emperor's Feet The Revenge of a Son taken for his Father After the same manner six more made away themselves But the Son of the old Courtier seeing his Father weltring in his own Bloud on a sudden ran out amongst the Rebels where having wounded and kill'd several of them he himself was slain Whilst
to Quobacondono but coming amongst the Emperor's Guard he was stopt and commanded to return if he did intend not to incur his Majesties displeasure but he neither regarding their advice nor fear what they threatned from the Emperor said Should I leave my Prince though he be forsaken by every one No now is the time for me to manifest my Love Duty and Loyalty There is no Touchstone like Danger to prove a Friend by Who will not help those that are in Prosperity and who forsakes not a Friend in Adversity He is not worthy the name of a Friend that in his assistance will undergo the worst of Fortunes and smile at Death it self which having said put Spurs to his Horse and Riding post by midnight found the young Emperor who exceedingly rejoyced to see one so kind and faithful to him but that he might not prejudice so good a Nature as to bring Sacandono to his utter ruine which would not ought avail him he seriously perswaded him to return But soon Taicosama had information of all this and had it not been for the good Service of his Father he had undoubtedly perish'd in his prime Quabacondono is shaven and changes his Name But Quabacondono since his departure from Fissima Lodg'd one Night in Tamamizu where he was forc'd according to the Japan manner to have his Beard and Head shaven and his Name exchang'd for another for in stead of Quabacondono he call'd himself Doi that is I will clear my self by Reason At last coming to the Cloyster Coja he was conducted in by Mocusico one much esteem'd by the Bonzies In his Way thither he met with several of his Retinue disguis'd like Beggars that they might not be known by any of Taicosama's Guard All these express'd their grief with tears not daring to utter their minds in words Ten of his chief Favorites went him into the Cloyster where being but meanly Treated he told them saying Not long ago I could have given you Provinces and Kingdoms my Fall hath been the undoing of many And now for my self of all my Pomp and Magnificence I have scarce so much left as to keep you and me alive O inconstant Fortune thou hast rais'd me on purpose to the heighth of Greatness and Glory that so my Fall might be the greater and I more wretched Is liept close Prisoner These Complaints he had free liberty to utter in the fatal Cloyster Coja for no other priviledge was allow'd him insomuch that he could not speak nor deliver the least Note to any Person whatsoever and the business was so far gone that he lost all hopes of ever obtaining his Liberty Mocusico Conjures for Quabacondono Mocusico the Head of the Monastery repair'd to his Idols and with Charms performing peculiar Ceremonies with great zeal begg'd of the gods that Quabacondono might once more be restor'd to the Imperial Dignity but none ever were slower in their assistance than these their deaf deities for it happen'd that this came to Taicosama's Ears who the sooner resolv'd on Quabacondono's Death which fell out on the fifteenth of August Anno 1595. Quabacondono and all his Company are commanded to rip up their own Bowels Thus chearing him up with future hopes they kept him a while from laying violent hands on himself when soon after Taicosama sent a Messenger to command him and his Company according to the Japan manner to rip open their own Bowels No sooner had they receiv'd their Condemnation but they all prepar'd themselves to die The first that cut up his Belly was Quabacondono's Page being a Youth of nineteen years of age who whilst he was struggling with Death Quabacondono after he had embraced him chopp'd off his Head which he set in a Charger on a Table The like he perform'd to two more of his Servants The next that was to do the cruel Office on himself was the Bonzi Biuscirtus whose Grandmother was sent by Taicosama to Quabacondono's Court as a Spie and because she had carry'd her self well in that business her Son Biuscirtus he commanded to be sav'd but he refus'd the Emperor's mercy saying with an undaunted courage to him that brought the Order I scorn to take any thing from that Bloodhound that should deserve my thanks for I will rather chuse to die with Quabacondono than to live in slavery under such a grand Tyrant this said he desperately stabb'd himself but suffering much under the agony of a lingring Death Quabacondono gave him present ease by chopping off his Head which was no sooner done but with the same Weapon he stabb'd himself One onely remaining slew himself with his Masters Scymiter The Execution was no sooner finish'd but the Bonzies performing their Office consum'd them together in one Funeral Fire Taicosama destroys all the Confederates of Quabacondono But Taicosama rested not thus but following his Blow hunted and destroy'd all those his Friends and Intimates that had been Abettors with Quabacondono in this Conspiracy The first with which he began were three Persons of great Quality that were fled to a Cloyster of the Bonzies The next was Scirabingo who made the Kings to Sign the Oath of Allegiance to Quabacondono for which Crime he was judg'd to suffer a cruel Death But none was more lamented than Chimura who had done Taicosama great Service both in War and Peace but because he had held private Correspondence with Quabacondono he was also condemn'd to be his own Destroyer Chimura's Son hearing of his Fathers Misfortune who was then in Saicoure wrote to him That a Wise-man might easily look Death in the face especially if he suffer'd innocently and that it was no trouble to leave this World for a far more happy Life which would last for ever And thither he was resolv'd to accompany him as his Father for he would not live after his Death of whom he had receiv'd Life So whilst he expected to hear the sad Tydings he call'd for a Chest of Scymiters out of which chusing the best he girded it about his Waste In the interim the News of his Fathers Death and Taicosama came to him together the Emperor proffering him Life notwithstanding he was Chimura's Son who ought according to the Japan Laws for his Fathers Crime to suffer Death But the Youth return'd Taicosama Thanks telling him That he was bound in Conscience to take Revenge of the horrible Slaughter committed on his Father Chimura and seeing no possible Means to effect such his Design he would rather die than live wanting satisfaction for his Fathers Death Thus said he immediately deserted the Court and went to Meaco where going into the Temple there offering his Devotions to the Idol Fotoco ripping up his Belly he Sacrific'd his Life before the Altar Not long after Taicosama particularly order'd Chimura's Consort to be Beheaded in the Temple of Amida Cruel Persecution of Taicosama against the Wives and Children of Quabacondono ¶ IN this cruel
Guardian And also gave order That few Nobles should come in his Chamber and his Physicians should not stir from his Bed-side and if possibly they could to study for some Medicines to preserve his Life Causes a great sorrow Upon this parting all the Courtiers began exceedingly to lament seeing their Emperor by whom every one expected to be preferr'd carried away never after to be seen alive The Noise and Cry was so great within that it was heard without the Castle whose Gates were strongly guarded but this coming to the Peoples Ears gave supition that Taicosama was dead The report of his death occasions great Uproars among the People The Report of which spread up and down the Countrey like Wild-fire Whereupon the Thieves sally'd out from their several Recesses robbing and pillaging whom ever they met and in some places the People began to Mutiny not much unlike the Roman Tumults whilst the Cardinals are about the Election of a new Pope But the chief Insurrection here was in Osacca Meaco and Fissima insomuch that the Great Council were too weak to quell the Rebellion This Rumor of Taicosama's Death was credited the more by the Common People because the Council had guarded the Fort of Fissima round about with new Soldiers and Listed Forces in all Parts wheresoever they could get them How it is found not to be true Ten days together this Belief continu'd But the Emperor in this interim growing somewhat better sent two of the Council to Osacca with Orders to get the Castle finish'd that was to be built there with all expedition and also gave to the several Princes design'd to go from Fissima thither divers Bags of Rice and great Sums of Money About the Out-walls of this Castle The Castle of Osacen a strange Fabrick containing three Leagues in Circumference a thousand Men wrought daily all which were paid off every Night Within stood above seventeen thousand Merchants and Artificers Houses which were all pull'd down in three days time and every one commanded upon forfeiture of their Goods to carry away their own Rubbish and to clear the Ground Which done a new Field was alotted them to build new Houses on according to a Platform stak'd out by Surveyors and whosoever was backward in Building should lose his Ground where none might raise a House under two Stories high These Orders once publish'd the Work went on day and night insomuch that a new City and Castle appear'd at once This Building stopp'd the Rumor that went of the Emperor's Death for every one might well judge that the Council would not take so great a Work upon them Taicosama is trouble for his Son Fidery ¶ MEan time on the third and fourth of September Taicosama seem'd more and more to recover so that he spent his time in the firm Establishing of the Empire on his young Son Fidery But on the fifth of September his Sickness began again to increase Grows worse whereupon all the Gates were strongly guarded to the end the noise of the Emperor's Death might not be spread amongst the Common People Thenceforward the Distemper increas'd daily till the fourteenth of the same Month on which day he lay a considerable time without any appearance of Life so that he was judg'd by all his Attendants to be dead But at last fetching a deep Sigh he came to himself Is distracted yet in few Hours after lost his Senses so that he began to talk idly but they might understand by his distracted Expressions that the Establishment of his Son Fidery did still trouble him of whom he spoke till his last gasp Dies which was Anno 1508 the sixteenth of September being sixty four years old and after fifteen years Reign having succeeded Nobunango slain before Meaco by the Prince Aquechi Aquechi aim'd first at the Crown This Prince being encourag'd by his many Victories aim'd at the Crown but being treacherously slain by a Day-laborer left the place for Taicosama who knew exceeding well to take the advantage of such an opportunity Nobunanga had three Sons The eldest Voxequixama lost with his Father the Battel and his Life The second Oxiacen Fongedonu was distracted And for the youngest Son being but three years old Taicosama took upon him the Authority pretending to be his Guardian and to rule the Empire in his behalf and for his advantage till he attain'd fitting years to Govern but soon after tasting the sweetness of Power and Sovereignty he got so many Forces together that Nobunanga's Son was forc'd to be contented with the Kingdom of Mino and deliver up his just Title of the Imperial Crown to Taicosama Taicosama's death is kept private ¶ ONgosschio and the Council kept the Emperor's Death very private binding all those that knew of it by Oath not to divulge it but a blabbing Courtier forgetting his Oath accidentally told it and as a Reward for his Garrulity was immediately Crucified This his Punishment kept all others so in awe that every one held his Tongue and lock'd up the Secret yet not long after it was discover'd Ongosschio and the Council clash In this small time the Council fell at variance with Ongosschio whose Design of getting the Empire they all observ'd Whereupon they consulting together against him decreed That he should not be Guardian over Fidery any longer but should return and satisfie himself with his eight Kingdoms The Councellors seeing the Government lay too heavy upon them chose four Eminent Princes more to their Assistance and being thus strengthned they seem'd not in the least to fear Ongosschio who was not idle during their new Election It is the Custom among the Japanners that Noblemen upon several Accidents change their Names Japanners oftentimes change their Names according to which Ongosschio was call'd Jyavasu and Giciasu but putting off those three he exchang'd the same for Daifusama which Name we will observe in his following Story Taicosama is made a god ¶ ANd now as if free from fear or danger they were busie in Creating Taicosama a God The Temple and his Image being ready for that purpose his Corps was Interr'd in a Vault with all Funeral Solemnity and his Name chang'd into Xin Fachiman as he had before design'd This Exchanging of Names when Men are Registred amongst the number of the Deities was formerly very common both with the Greeks and Romans For Romulus was call'd Quirinus Juno Matuta Leucothoe Albunea Melicerta Palaemon Leda Nemesis Circe Marica Nersilia Hora Rhea Mother of the Gods Idaeda Dindymeda Philena Pissinuntia Cibele Berecynthia To Create Princes for Gods for their Valiant Exploits and Noble Atchievements took not its Original in Japan but was a Custom above two thousand Years since which the ancient Father Lactantius Firmianus witnesses Lactant. de Fals Reâ—g lib. 1. ca. 5. saying Those whom the ignorant and foolish People call Gods worshipping them none can be so weak as not to imagine them
to have been Men. If any shall ask Why are they believ'd to be Gods Because they were the Greatest and Powerfullest Kings and are for Commemoration Consecrated for a Reward of their Valiant Acts or for their Bounties or Noble Arts found and invented by them and because belov'd by their Subjects St. Augustine tells us That the great Gods which Cicero calls by peculiar Names Aug. de Civic Dei l 8. c. 5. as Jupiter Juno Saturn Vulcan Vesta and several others which Varro endeavors to make Governors of the World are all found to have been Men. Moreover Diodorus Siculus says Diod. Sic. Hâ—st lib. 1. That Julius Caesar was for his valiant Atchievements in the Wars call'd a God His Successor Augustus promoted him above the Stars Of which Manil. Astron lib 4. Marcus Manilius the Latin Poet saith thus Himself makes Gods and a fresh Numen treats The Stars admire Hero's should take their Seats Amongst them but not we who understand Augustus the Worlds Lord did so command Pliny in his Panegyricks sung before the Emperor Trajan Plin. Panegyr Consecrated Heaven to his Predecessor Augustus Nero made Claudius a God on purpose to mock him Titus made Vespasian a Deity and Domitian Titus the one to be the Son of a God as the other a Brother Common amongst the Ancients to make Men Gods It was common amongst the Greeks to Worship deceas'd Heroes for Immortal Deities As the Lacedemonians did Agamemnon General of the Army that lay ten Years in Siege before Troy and with him his Brother Menelaus the Spartan King The Arcadians reverenc'd Aristaeus because he taught them first how decay'd Bee-hives might be supply'd with fresh Bees Far more strange things did the Lybians as Arsenius Monembasiensis witnesseth Monemb Apophthegon who worship'd Psaphon for a God that was a Man of mean Condition but had a peculiar Art to teach Birds to speak of which he learn'd some to say The Birds make a God Psaphon is a God which when they could perfectly do he let them fly one after another These Words being often heard in the Air were at last so taken notice of that many People flock'd together from all parts of the Countrey to hear them And to win a firm belief to his Design he spar'd no labor still teaching fresh Birds the like Words which having taught them he let fly The Carthaginian General Hanno having had private Information thereof endeavor'd by the same Art to be esteem'd as a God But he Aelian Hist li. 24. c. 30. as AElian witnesses bestow'd his Labor in vain for having not taught them perfectly they in stead of saying Hanno is a God when they were let loose sung their own natural Notes The Argives honor'd Perseus as a God for his Noble Exploits The Epidaneans worshipp'd Aesculapius because he had found out many Mysteries for Curing of Distempers which not long after the Greeks follow'd and at last also the Romans which after built him a Temple without Rome The Athenians ador'd the Soothsayer Amphilochus Liv. lib. 45. whose Temple as Livy relates though very ancient yet was pleasant to behold being surrounded by Fountains and Brooks of Fresh-water Moreover most of the Athenian Kings are Registred among the number of the Gods In like manner they chose Triptolemus for a Deity because he first invented Plowing and Sowing and Euricthonius because he was swallow'd up by the Earth with a Chariot and four Horses Cicer. de Nat. de Or. li. 3. Erechteus they promoted with his Daughters above the Stars because the Father obey'd the Oracle at Delphos presaging the Victory to the Athenians against the Thracian Eumolpus if the King did Sacrifice one of his Daughters and the Virgin because she died willingly for her Countreys sake in the Village Hyacinthus was made a Goddess Theseus also having fought valiantly against Taurus which was Minos the King of Creta's General had a Temple erected in the middle of Athens in which his Bones were worshipp'd The same Honor was done to Codrus because he went in Beggars Weeds into the Peloponnesian Army there wrangling with the Soldiers till he was kill'd that by his Death the Conquest might fall on the Athenians side as the Delphian Oracle had foretold Curt. lib. 7. Therefore Augustus says The Athenians worshipp'd Codrus as a God because he went and sought his own Death for his Countreys good The Thebans ador'd their King Liber he being the first that press'd Wine out of the Grape And besides Liber his beautiful Ino with her Son Melicerte because they both leap'd from a high Rock into the Sea This Custom is still held in use amongst the Japanners they being taken there for Saints who for the Honor of Amida Xaca or any other of the Japan Gods hanging great Stones about their Necks drown themselves as we have before related Furthermore there were formerly few Kings and chiefly over Egypt Persia and India which if they had us'd no Tyranny were either in their Life-time or at least after their Death worshipp'd as Gods Cleo Shield-bearer to Alexander the Great says thus in Curtius's History The Persians worship not onely their Kings for Gods with great Zeal but very circumspectly for Hercules and Bacchus themselves were not install'd amongst the Gods before they overcame the Malice of their Maligners Strange Customs us'd by the Romans when they made Gods The Romans made strange Preparations when they gave the Heavens to their Deceas'd Emperors They built a Funeral Pile like a Tent adorning it with Gold Ivory and costly Pictures and being sharp on the top they plac'd a Crane upon it building it as it were with three Stories which they stow'd full of rich Gums and sweet Perfumes Under the lower Story stood a rich and stately Bed of Silk with Coverings of Purple embroyder'd with Gold on which lay the Image of the Emperor The Consuls Knights and other Persons of great Quality attended the Bier to the Funeral Pyre singing Eulogies and shewing great Reverence to the same The Tent was set round about on Fire and the Smoke and Flame thereof made the Crane fly up directly into the Air and thereby was judg'd to carry the Soul to the Gods whilst the Flame purified the Body from all Corruption This done the Senate made a firm Law That the Emperor from that time forward should be honor'd as a God ¶ BUt to return from this Digression Whilst the Council and Daifusama were busie to make Taicosama according to his earnest desire a Xin Fachima or God of War they fell at variance amongst themselves The Council strengthning their Party by chusing four more to their assistance and Daifusama travelling as we said before to Quanto The Difference in short time grew to that height that it could no ways be decided but by the Sword Whereupon both Parties rais'd all the Force they could possible The Council studied at last to stop all the Ways towards Meaco and Listed many
so to be After their departure Spex took some Wax-Work along with him which in his Journey thither he had bespoke and went on to Fissima where Segerszoon and John Cousins were arrived with their Goods Here meeting one another They meet again they went all aboard of a Bark in which they Sail'd to the Suburbs of Osacca where the Wind blew so hard against them that they were forc'd to Land not being able to get further They travel to Saccai to observe trade In the mean time they went on to the City Saccai famous for Trade being three Leagues from Osacca to enquire out the manner of their Dealing and very happily met there with Melchior Zantfoort who suffering Shipwrack on that Coast staid in this City where he had narrowly observ'd all their Customs of which he inform'd Spex who gave them such satisfaction that they no way repented their Journey thither They come to Firando Thence from Cussima the Suburb of Osacca they went on their way and on the nineteenth of September Anno sixteen hundred and eleven they came to an Anchor before Firando where they were honorably entertain'd by old Foyesamma and the young Governor Donnesumi and after the reading of the Letters deliver'd written by the Council in Surunga and Jedo and especially the Emperors the two Waiters were immediately Commanded from the Netherland Ship call'd The Brake then lying in the Harbor The Governor of the Countrey of Firando is the cause of the Trade of the Netherlanders in Japan Foyesamma obliged the East-india Company exceedingly in this Embassy for he not onely provided Spex and Segerzoon with a Gentleman to recommend them at Court but also Anno 1603. fitted out a Jonk at his own Cost and Charge to carry Quackernaek and Melchior Zantroort who lost their Ships on the Japan Shore to Patane there to declare the benefit of the Japan Trade to the Netherlanders This Voyage cost Foyesamma about two thousand Pieces of Eight Afterwards Anno 1609. when the first Ships being the Red Lyon with Arrows and the Griffin that came from Batavia to Firando he furnish'd the chief Merchants which sought for a free Trade by the Emperor with a Galley of fifty six Oars which was out two Moneths and return'd so sadly Weather-beaten that she was soon after broke up Mean while the foremention'd Ships left great store of Pepper at Firando which Foyesamma bought in at the dearest Rate because Saphedonne the Emperor's Governor in Nangesaque should not ingross the Pepper-Trade to himself so that no other Merchant durst proffer any Price for it but Foyesamma losing above twelve hundred Pound thereof the Charges and Damage which he suffer'd for or by the East-India Company was very great Neither were his Losses repair'd though he receiv'd the year before out of ten Chinese Jonks above four thousand weight of Pepper in Presents Presents made to the Governor of Firando The Netherland Council at Firando taking this into consideration that Foyesamma might not be discourag'd for his great Favors and his noble Undertaking they thought it fit to present him with some rich Presents though their small Cargo could scarce allow of the same yet they were as bountiful as they could and gave the old and young Governor and his Unckle such Gifts that they were all kindly received And this was the second Embassy which the Netherlanders sent to Daifusama the Emperor of Japan Why Daifusama promoted the Foreign Trade Daifusama first call'd Ongoschio and at last Goyssio Samma was exceedingly pleas'd with such foreign Courtesies He also endeavor'd by means of the Outlandish Trade to enrich and employ his Subjects and therefore all Strangers were protected by the Emperor and secur'd from all Affronts yet not long after a bloody Persecution of the Christians began in his Empire Persecutes the Roman Christians The Jesuit Cornelius Hazart mentions several Martyrs as Johannes Gorosaimon Simon Giffioje Magdalena Agnes Melchior Bujandono Damianus Leo Xiquigemo Michael and Martha besides several Children which were either beheaded burnt or Nail'd on Crosses Moreover as to what is related concerning Fayaxinda his Wife Martha Daughter Magdalena and his young Son Jacob besides Adrian Tacafaxi Joanna Leo Canyemon and Paulus Danyemon I leave to the pleasure of the Reader to believe Father Hazart relates their Martyrdom thus Hazarts Relation of some Martyrs ¶ HAlf a Mile from Arima stands a House in a Valley built on eight Pillars cover'd with Straw and the Walls of Wood. On the seventeenth of October Anno 1613. they were led out of the City at which time it was present death to be a Christian and yet twenty thousand Christians came together and divided themselves into several Companies carrying lighted Torches and wore red Caps walking six and six in a row in the same manner as they go in Procession in Rome and Antwerp strowing the Paths which they pass'd with Coral and Bays to the honor of all the Saints The Martyrs went forth from amongst the Company into the foremention'd House where every one embrac'd a Wooden Pillar but whilst the Executioner was tying them fast one after another to the Posts Leo Canyenon none knew how got upon the top of the House and call'd from thence with a loud voyce saying Brothers this day appears the power of Faith in Jesus Christ whilst we gladly endure the Flames which can scarce devour our Bodies but we shall be rais'd out of the Ashes to be preserv'd at the day of Judgment from everlasting Fire in a most blessed Life Brothers be constant to the Law of God and account him above your lives and fortunes Thus having finish'd his Discourse he descended and suffer'd himself to be ty'd to the eighth Pillar When they were all bound the Jesuits Commander Gasper shew'd them the Picture of Jesus ty'd to a Post and miserably Whipp'd in the Synagogue and calling upon them said Look how much you resemble our Saviour when he suffer'd under Pontius Pilate This is he for whose love you die who exprest his affections before-hand when he dy'd for you to live in him that arose alive from death He will crown you in Heaven with glorious Crowns The Executioners staid for the finishing of Gasper's Speech then setting the Stakes about the Straw-house on fire the Martyrs standing about three Foot from it that so they might roast by degrees Mean while the Strings with which Magdalen Fayaxinda's Daughter was made fast being burnt she fled not from the Fire but went and took many glowing Coals placing them on her Head like a Crown The Cord of Jacob's young Son was also burnt and he ran to his Mother Martha who bid him call upon Jesus Maria. Thus much in short of what Hazart relates with many Circumstances of Words and Deeds describ'd at large Daifusama persecutes the Roman Christians But it is very well known that Daifusama did persecute the Christians very severely and by strict Edicts commanded all his
Polycrates his Daughter dream'd the Night before her Father went away to wit that she saw him taken up into the Air and wash'd by Jupiter and dry'd again by the Sun which Orcates perform'd in crucifying Polycrates when the Heavens pour'd down upon him and the Sun scorch'd him in such a manner that his Fat dropp'd and ran down by the Cross Plutarch in Vit Herod in Coll. In like manner did Alexander the Great crucifie the Physician Glaucus and two thousand Tyrian Slaves and Xantippus the Athenian the Persian Artyacta They perform'd this bloody Office themselves purposely to delight the Spectators who satisfi'd their Eyes by beholding them shrink up their Bodies working of the Sinews and Veins and pleas'd their Ears with the doleful cries of the miserable Wretches dying by degrees The Germans and Gauls us'd this kind of punishment to Traitors and Rebels But nore were more expert at it than the Africans and amongst them the Carthaginians oftentimes so using their Generals if they came off vanquish'd notwithstanding they had fought valiantly nay sometimes though they came home Victors for if any thing of misdemeanor could be found against them they died without mercy Divers ways of Crucifying But they do not observe in all Places one manner or way of Crucifying for first the Crosses differ'd in shape and when great numbers were condemn'd they oftentimes made Trees serve for that purpose At other times they us'd single Poles on which they Nail'd their Hands and Feet one over another Others were made of two Pieces of Wood or more sometimes both Pieces are of an equal length joyn'd together exactly in the middle so that the hindmost part of the Crucifi'd comes just to the Place where it is joyn'd and his Hands and Feet being stretch'd out are made fast by four great Nails The Church Histories tell us That the Apostle St. Andrew suffer'd in that manner Tertullian adds hereunto the Actions of Jacob Tertul. de Bapt. c. 3. which laid his hands across when he blessed Ephraim and Manasseh whereby he signifi'd that future blessedness should accrew to Mankind from the Cross of our Saviour At other times the Crosses were made of two unequal Poles the longest of which being set in the Ground and the shortest fastned towards the top so that a small part of the longest appear'd above the other on which was Written the Crime for which they suffer'd or else they carry'd the occasion of his Death on a Board before him to the Cross or by a Cryer made it known to all the Spectators Some Crosses had more than two Pieces of Timber for besides the upright and thwart Poles there was a crooked Piece of Wood in which the cross Pole rested or on the upper end of the longest were two Pieces of Timber nail'd cross one above another or else from the middle Piece hung two other Pieces of Timber downwards or else the long Pole had two Sticks nail'd across one above and the other below on the uppermost of which they made fast their Arms and on the undermost the Feet This last was in use amongst the Japanners How the Japanners make them fast But in stead of nailing they ty'd them sometimes laying the Cross down on the Ground and there raising that and the Crucifi'd up together At other times they first made the Cross fast in the Ground setting three Ladders against it on the middlemost of which the Sufferer ascended being pull'd up on both sides by Ropes made fast to his Hands Sometimes they tie the Condemned to a cross Pole by his Hands and then by two Ropes with a Pulley hoise him up to the top The Japanners also torture their Crucifi'd after another manner than the Romans Greeks Syrians Persians Africans and other People The Romans and Greeks caus'd them to be Whipp'd with Scourges full of sharp Rowels either ty'd to a Pillar in the Court-house or else all the Way till they came to the Cross The like relates Philo how that the Roman General Flaccus caus'd a great many Jews in Alexandria to be nail'd to the Cross which had before in the open Court been miserably Whipp'd And Curtius relates Curt. l. 7. That Alexander the Great resolutely caus'd the Sogdian Arimazes to yield up and withdraw from their invincible Rock with thirty thousand Soldiers of which he took the chiefest Commander and Crucifi'd him at the Foot of the Rock How the Japanners Crucifie Moreover others strip them stark naked as they were born but the Japanners tye them on two cross Pieces of Timber with their Clothes on This Custom was also us'd by the Romans though but seldom Concerning the Apostle St. Andrew Abdias Hist Apol. l. 3. the Historian Abdias relates That the Vice-Roy Aegeas in Edessa gave strict command to the Executioners not to nail him to the Cross but to bind him that he might be the longer dying for at other times they use great Nails whose number was left to the pleasure of the Executioner most commonly they drove one through each Hand near the Wrist and the Feet near the Leg but at other times they strike several through their Hands which they doe chiefly when they fear that the Nails will not hold Cruelty us'd in Crucifying but slip through the Hands by which the whole weight of the Body hangs The Martyr Agricola being made fast with divers great Spikes died under the Executioners hands This cruelty seem'd less barbarous than that when they made a great Fire under the Cross so burning the Malefactor or choaking him up with the Smoak This kind of Death thousands of Christians suffer'd while they were persecuted above three hundred years Tertul. Apol. Cult wherefore according to Tertullian they generally went by the Name of Takkebos-Men because they were burnt by the Boughs of Trees on the Cross The same Death the Martyr Polycarpus died Euseb l. 4. c. 17. It is remarkable what Eusebius Writeth concerning him when the Executioners would nail him to the Cross he said Let me stand loose in the Fire I shall be able by Gods assistance to endure it with patience whereupon they onely bound him to the Cross without Nailing It was accounted also a merciful Death to the Crucifi'd to let Lyons Tygers Bears and other Beasts of Prey eat them from their Feet upwards which manner of cruelty Nero us'd to the Christians But commonly the Heathen endeavor'd to make them undergo a long and lingring Death therefore sometimes tying them with their Heads downwards Nailing their Arms athwart underneath and their Feet on the upper part of the Cross The Martyr Victorinus being thus Crucifi'd by order of the Emperor Nerva Martyrâ—l Sep. 5. Mai. 3. liv'd three days and Timotheus and Maura nine admonishing one another to be constant in their Faith so that they oftentimes dy'd of Hunger whilst the Blood slowly dropping from them occasion'd great faintness and at last death nor did their tyrannous rage
Destruction Daifusama seeks to settle the Crown on his own Family And whilst he was busie with this his bloody Design being over-grown in Age he was exceedingly troubled for his Successor And though he had promis'd to Taicosama by an Oath and Seal'd it with his Blood That Fideri when he attain'd to the age of fifteen Years should possess and enjoy the Imperial Throne yet now forgetting all ties of Oaths or other Obligations he resolv'd to dispatch him out of the way notwithstanding he had married his Daughter or else he could not deliver the Scepter to Conbosama and so establish the Crown in his own Line This Plot requir'd to be hid under some fair Pretence Whereupon seriously debating the matter he at last accus'd Fideri That in the last Civil War he had chosen to be on the side of the Opposers and had privately conspir'd to take the Government from him and that he took an Imperial Authority upon him before he was Crown'd Emperor and also endeavor'd to take away his Father-in-law's Life Besieges Fideri with a great Army These Complaints and Accusations he sent before whilst he with all his Endeavors rais'd a mighty Army in the Kingdom of Surunga Fideri kept his Court in the Castle Osacca Thither Daifusama march'd with his new-rais'd Forces and Besieg'd Fideri Three Months did he valiantly withstand all their fierce Assaults but at last growing too weak sought upon reasonable Articles to deliver up the Castle Fideri's Request deny'd But the Emperor would not hearken thereto for he desir'd nothing more than the Life of Fideri And he understanding his bloody Design said How was it possble that a Father-in-law could thus forget all Natural Affections and desire to make his own Daughter a Widow and his Grandchildren Orphans The cries of the Innocent would move a stony Heart to have compassion If Daifusama judg'd that he was not just and faithful and did not deserve to wear the Imperial Crown notwithstanding it was his Father Taicosama 's Will and Pleasure and though he was the just and lawful Heir to the Throne yet he would freely resign up his Interest and be contented with the least of the Japan Kingdoms nay a mean Lordship Why should he thirst after Blood Why persecute his own Relations If Daifusama fear'd any Rebellion he might easily keep Fideri so low that he should never dare as much as think of enjoying the Japan Empire Why Daifusama resolv'd to kill Fideri These mild and courteous Entreaties Daifusama regarded not for he saw it apparent that if he left him alive the Crown would fall to him he being now come to full Age and the rather because Fideri was exceedingly belov'd amongst the Common People every one acknowleding him as the true and lawful Successor of his late Father Taicosama Therefore he resolv'd to dispatch him or else his Family would be in danger to lose the Japan Scepter Fideri sent his Consort Daifusama's Daughter to her Father humbly to beseech him to spare Fideri's Life who would immediately become his Vassal but she was not permitted to have Audience Storms the Castle Osacca Daifusama had by this time pull'd down the Out-walls of Osacca and thrown them in the Moat and rais'd a Platform therein notwithstanding it was three hundred and ninety Foot broad and three and thirty deep The upper Breast-work made strongly of Clay and Plaister'd on the out-side was some Rods distant from the other Next those Walls which he had undermin'd fell to the Ground and through a Gap made by Storming he broke into the Castle Takes the outmost Castle But in the inclos'd Place where several Palaces were built he met with some Resistance yet the Opposers being over-power'd were forc'd to yield This made Daifusama absolute Master of the outer Castle But now his Career was stopp'd at the second Moat being of the same depth as the outermost but only two hundred and fifty Foot broad The chief Bridge over that Inner Lake hath Rails of massy Gold the Gate is also cover'd with Golden Plates Over this Bridge Daifusama sought to force his way Storms the inner Castle which with little difficulty he did because the Besieg'd neglected to make resistance Takes it The Gate being broke open made room for the Enemy which had soon taken hold of Fideri had he not suddenly hid himself on the inner Mountain inclos'd with Walls and of a noble Aspect by a Palace whose Roof is cover'd with Golden Tyles into which he fled with his Mother Consort and a considerable number of the Prime Nobles Daifusama's cruelty to his Son-in-law Daifusama had by this time secur'd them in the inner Palace and to the end he might destroy all those at once which oppos'd him from setling the Crown on his own Stock he caus'd great Heaps of Wood to be laid round the Palace which being lighted immediately set on fire and burnt the Court with Fideri and the Chief of the Japan Nobility to Ashes so that not the least appearance of any of them was ever seen more After this all those were to suffer which had at any time been familiar or had any Correspondency with Fideri This cursed Tragedy was acted in Japan Anno 1616. ¶ NOt long did Daifusama enjoy the benefit of his bloody Tyranny for dying within ten Months Daifusama dies he left the Japan Crown to his Son Conbosama His Son is made Emperor The beginning of whose Reign became remarkable by two eminent Passages not easily to be forgotten Horrible storm and flood in Japan The first was a mighty Storm which began and so increas'd more and more every Hour that in the Havens the Ships broke their Cables and driving on the Shore were split in pieces Those at Land also were not free from danger the Wind blowing up great Trees by the Roots casting down pieces of old Walls shaking the Houses and Temples and tumbling them down on a sudden In the Streets the Houses often falling down one against another slew those which stood there for shelter Several in the Countrey were lifted up from the ground and carried a good distance from the Place whereon they stood The Sea also rag'd with impetuous Billows that clogging the Rivers with the Surges the Water finding no vent overflow'd the Banks so drowning the adjacent Countreys Where the Rivers were inclos'd with Banks those were all broke by the swelling Waters The Sea beat with such violence against its bordering Coasts that it wash'd away whole Towns and Villages and the Salt Water flow'd into the Countrey for several Miles together After these Tempests and violent Motions of the Wind and Water follow'd another Mischief no way inferior to these Persecution against the Christians being a Bloody Persecution against the Christians rais'd by the Emperor through the Advice of a Japan Councellor call'd Safioie which made it his onely endeavor to destroy the Christians The Reason pretended to
Riogoses King of Ximo who also coming off with great loss paid dearly for his Insurrection But Xumitanda Promotes the Jusuits after having erected forty Churches or Chappels for the Jesuits and banish'd Paganism from his Dominions insomuch that a little before his death not one Heathen was to be found in the Province Omura according to the annual Observations kept by the Jesuits in Japan dy'd Anno 1587. Far less trouble did the King of Arima find when besides those of Bungo and Omura he also embrac'd the Christian Religion Those were the three Kings which Anno 1582. sent to his Holiness at Rome the Ambassadors Munico Ito Michael Cinga Julianus Nacaura and Martinus Fara as we have already related at large The Japan Ambassadors which went to Rome prov'd very beneficial to the Jesuits ¶ COncerning the return of these Japanners Linschot saith thus The Japanners went to Sail from the Haven of Lisbon in the Ship St. Philip which in its return home was taken by the English Admiral Drake and was the first Ship that was lost in the East-India Expedition about which were several opinions at that time because the Ship was by the King of Spain's Name and whilst I was at Goa they came thither Cloth'd in Cloth of Silver and Gold in a most costly manner after the Italian fashion and were receiv'd with great joy by the Jesuits who had finish'd that their great Design to that purpose Publishing a Book in Spanish containing the Voyage and Travels of the Japanners as well by Water as by Land and their several Receptions by the European Princes Going from Goa to Japan they occasion'd no small admiration in their Countreymen the Jesuits desir'd this as they pretended for two several Reasons First To make the Japanners the willinger to embrace the Christian Faith and also that they might be Eye-witnesses of the glorious and excellent Cities which none could possibly perswade them to believe But indeed the chief reason was to make their Order famous and also to get a Mass of Treasure thereby for they kept most of the Presents that were given to the Japan Princes for themselves and they obtain'd likewise an Order from the Pope and the King of Spain that no Portugal nor any other Christian might settle in Japan without their License so that the Jesuits turn'd out other Friers keeping onely a few Priests and Portugal Artificers without which they could not possible be To others of what Estate or Degree soever their admission into the Countrey was on this Proviso That as soon as ever their business was finish'd they should depart but if they were minded to stay longer they should buy that liberty for Money of the Jesuits for they were most Eminent and Powerful in all places of Japan where the Doctrine of Christ was Preached They make the Japanners believe what they list they are honor'd by them like gods and Saints They also obtain'd leave of the Pope that they might out of their Order chose a Bishop over Japan notwithstanding it is against the Law of their Order He that was sent to perform this Office was coming from Portugal but dying by the way another was Elected in his place in short the Jesuits endeavor to get all things here under their Command Thus far Linschot The manner how the Jesuits spread the Christian Religion in Japan ¶ IT is also worthy our Observation how the Jesuits spread the Catholick Religion over most part of Japan Xaverius began first telling them of the Creation of the World and how God had Created all things and that the Son of God in the fulness of time had taken upon him Mans Nature and Dy'd on the Cross was Bury'd rose again and Ascended up to Heaven from whence he will come to Judge the Quick and the Dead This Doctrine Translated out of Portugal in the Japan Tongue Xaverius read the easier to the Japanners because it was written in Portugal Characters Cosmus Turianus and Joannes Ferdinandez Preach'd most of the Miracles which Christ wrought and taught the Auditors to make Crosses with the right-hand and to begin at the Head In the Name of the Father and so Sign themselves down to the Breast In the Name of the Son and then from the left shoulder to the right In the Name of the Holy Ghost They also instructed them to Pray on Garlands of Roses telling them over knob by knob and saying Jesus Maria. A strange way how the Japanners became Christians Paul of the Holy Belief us'd a Picture representing the Image of the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus sitting in her Lap which he held before the King Cangoxima to the end to make him loathe the Heathenish Idolatry Other Jesuits shew'd them that the Angel Michael was the Guardian over Japan unfolding to them the occasions of Thunder and Lightning gapings of the Sky Rain-bows Storms Hail Snow and such like Meteors grounded on Nature ¶ THe Italian Joannes Baptista Montanus relates in a Letter written from Bungo Anno 1564. That when he set foot on Japan being sent thither by Cosmus Turrianus to the King of Bungo who had above a year and a half desir'd to have a Priest he was courteously receiv'd by him yet the King remain'd still amongst the Sect of the Bonzies None taught the Japanners better than the Jesuit Montanus which deny'd the Mortality of the Soul but shew'd a great respect to all Christians Moreover Montanus relates what course he took in Converting the Japanners in Bungo First He contradicted with strong Arguments the Japan Religion shewing them that it was impossible to attain Salvation thereby When they understood this then he told them That one God had Created all things of nothing and made Men according to his own Image to govern all But the wicked that run headlong and wilfully to the Devil had no share therein and that our Sins had brought Death upon us and how Men were still inclin'd to wickedness acting against the Laws of God and Man nay against God himself and since our Sins provok'd so Omnipotent a God they deserv'd Everlasting Punishment But the second Person of the Holy Trinity had taken upon him Mans Nature in the Virgin Mary to the end he might in Mans Nature which could onely suffer die for our Sins a most cruel Death and by reason of his God-head prepar'd for us after this transitory Life an Everlasting Being where there is the fulness of all Joys Then he explain'd them the Laws Customs and Mysteries of Baptism and at last answer'd the Bonzies to their several Contradictions which they made against the Christian Religion Trojus converts the Japanners after a ridiculous manner Trojus hung a Cross about the Necks of those that were Baptiz'd giving every one a string of Beads and a Consecrated Piece of Wax on one side the Name Jesus surrounded with a Thorn Crown on the other the impression of three Spikes a great Box full
Ground heats and causes the Water to boyl as if a Pot hung over a Flame But that Opinion is not grounded on Reason for it is the nature of Fire being inclos'd in Caves under Ground to break forth with great rage if it hath the least vent Here also it is to be observ'd That the Fire dries up the Water or the Water extinguishes the Fire so soon as the one gets the Mastery of the other So that without contradiction the force of the Fire must either dry up the flowing Waters and consume the Earth underneath to Ashes or else the Water which has pass'd through it so many Ages must needs have quench'd the Fire For who will believe that Water and Fire are of one force and power under Ground and so agreeable in Nature that the one should not extinguish the other Moreover where is there any scalding Waters by burning Sulphurous places yet if it be any where it must be there The Italians reckon little less the fifty boyling Waters but not one of them by which any fire hath been found The Mountains Vesuvius Aetna Hecla and others which continually belch out hideous Smokes into the Air and sometimes horrible Flames yet produce no manner of hot moysture The best reason of the hotness of the waters But the wisest Philosophers judge the occasion of the heat in Sulphurous Waters to proceed from the swift motion with which it pours down from steep descents into the Crevises of the Earth and so still running forwards that it becomes hotter and hotter for experience learns us that a quick motion occasions heat This reason seems to our stupid judgments to be nearest the truth yet we must herein acknowledge a great ignorance and a Bridle for our understanding which seems to be wanting and stops as amaz'd at such mysteries Who can disclose the reason why the Fountain near Matilga a City of the Garamantes hath from Noon to Midnight Water boyling hot which from Midnight to Noon is as cold as Ice as Augustin Isidorus and Pliny witness why the Fountain Consecrated to Jupiter Hammon as Diodorus Salinus Amianus Lucretius Plin. lib. Hist 5. cap. 5. Wonders of waters and Pliny thus relate changeth also hot and cold of which Ovid saith Horn'd Hamon's Water in the Morning hot And at the Evening boyling like a Pot Yet from what reason to the Learn'd unknown Grows Chill like Snow and cold as Ice at Noon Who will dive with his judgement into the Mysteries which the Territories of Epirus manifest by a strange Fountain which not onely lights a Torch when held to it but also puts out one that is lighted What man will find out the reason that a Lake in a Jewish Plantation if Isidorus deserves to be credited drys up Sabbatical River or rather stands still every Sabbath day And why the Fountain of the Hill Anthracius when it overflows signifies Plenty and by its scarcity of Water as is to be seen by Pliny foretels Famine Those that are tortur'd with Singoks water Apostatize ¶ BUt to return to those miserable Wretches at Singok who when they began to pant for Breath by reason of their unsufferable Pain were deliver'd up to Chirurgeons to prolong their Lives to enable them to more sufferings for so soon as they recover'd any strength they were sure again to be brought to Singok They spent most part of August in this cruel Persecution insomuch that all those which resolv'd to be constant became Apostates except one Youth who scarce had attain'd the eighteenth year of his age was the onely person that dy'd under the hands of the merciless Torturers Horrible cruelties inflicted on the Japan women The Women generally suffer'd more than the Men for besides dropping Singoks Water upon them they drove the Maids stark naked along the Streets forcing them to creep on their Hands and Feet and causing them to be publickly ravish'd The Widows they stripp'd of their Clothes provoking their Sons to commit Adultery with them some Women they held fast by their arms and legs under Stone-Horses so committing all the outrages of Sodom they forc'd the Children to pour Singoks Water on their Parents and the Parents on the Children standing close together betwixt Stakes drove round about them some of the Women suffer'd no less by shame than other by torture their Privities being stuft full of Flax and Hemp with which also they ty'd up the young Mens Members and the Daughters were forc'd to set fire of the heaps of Wood which were to consume their Fathers Several hundreds went in companies ranging up and down in the Woods all Stigmatiz'd on their Fore-heads every one being commanded on pain of death not to give them any sustenance Tortures with water In several places near the Sea-side many Inclosures were erected in which they lock'd up whole Families which at low Water sate dry but at the time of Flood above half way in the Salt-Water these having leave to eat and drink Of Children with their Parents liv'd generally twelve or thirteen days Moreover the Parents were hoodwink'd whilst their Children which were miserably tortur'd night and day cry'd Fathers and Mothers take pity of us forsake the Christian Religion it is impossible to endure these cruel Torments which doleful cry took such deep impression into some of their hearts that for meer grief they dy'd Several had their Nails par'd off Inhumane cruelties others had their Arms and Legs boar'd thorow with Drill-Irons which occasion'd great pain also they fill'd some of their Bellies with Water which they pour'd into them through a Tunnel then being laid on their backs on the ground the Executioners stamp'd upon them so vehemently that they made them disgorge the same through their Mouths Noses and Ears After these kind of Cruelties they us'd another more barbarous placing the Martyrs on a Bench bending their Arms across on their breasts they made their bodies fast behind to a Post and then drove betwixt the Nails of their Hands and Feet sharp Spikes which tortures they renew'd five six or more days together Moreover they plac'd some Women in a large Coope full of Snakes and Serpents which crept into their Privities eating up their Bowels Hanging them up by the legs an intollerable pain for the Japanners But amongst all the tortures the most cruel was hanging them by their Legs on a Gallows with their Heads down in a Well over which a Gibbet was plac'd and at the end thereof a Block was made fast through which a Rope was drawn and ty'd to the Legs of the sufferer who being thus ty'd was let down with his Head into the Well so low that his Feet appear'd just on the top thereof In the Heads of those that hung several Wounds were cut cross-wise to the end the bloud might by degrees drop out and not overwhelm their hearts some liv'd five six nay more days before they gave up the Ghost Francis Caron relates
her in above forty or fifty Sedans Which being curiously Varnish'd and In-laid with Gold are carry'd in good order two Fathom from one another both sides thereof attended by Footmen and Pages in handsome Liveries The Sons which she bears succeed their Father in his Dominion but if she die without Male issue it generally falls to another Family on whom the Emperor pleaseth to beslow it for no base Son begotten on a Concubine can Inherit Delightful places in womens Palaces In the Womens Palaces nothing is wanting that Art or Cost can procure for their Delights there being pleasant Ponds well stor'd with Fish fine Decoys for Wild Fowl Gardens full of Trees and all manner of Plants and fragrant Flowers wherewith the Beds and Walks are made exceeding Delightful to behold There are also daily Comedies Presented and both Vocal and Instrumental Musick heard from Morning to Night so seeming to be in an Earthly Paradise to which no man can have access but onely her nearest Relations and that but very seldom Degrees of Ladies and Maids of Honor. Upon the least Misbehavior or Offence their Waiting-Maids and Servants are in danger of their Lives so that they must be very Circumspect in all things and chiefly the Women to be in no company with Men These Women serve their Lady and Prince with the greatest Humility and Submission that can possibly be exprest every one of them know their Office according to which they are Cloth'd so that some wear Red Clothes with green Girdles and Head-Attire others Yellow Apparel and about their Middle a Violet Girdle and Ribbons for their Head others again wear White Coats and Red Girdles yet all agree in being richly Embroyder'd with Gold every Order or Degree commonly consist in sixteen Maids of Honor over which is the Mother of the Maids who keeps them all in good Decorum None of all these but is of a Noble Extract and exceeding well brought up Every one of them receiv'd into Service before their fifteenth Year when they attain to eight and twenty or thirty then their Prince bestows them in Marriage to one or other of his Courtiers and those that stay above they are generally made Overseers of the rest Japan Nobles spend great sums of money ¶ BUt their Countrey Governors notwithstanding they have great Revenues have also extraordinary ways for Expence for besides the Charges of the Women they must defray others far greater viz. the Emperor maintains a strange Custom amongst his Peers by which his Pomp increases and fear of their Insurrection vanishes which proves very fatal to the Princes The business thus Keep their Courts half the year in Jedo The Emperor keeping his Court in Jedo all the Kings and Princes residing to the North and East from Jedo must exactly on the set-time take up their Habitations in the Emperors sight for six whole Moneths so to add a Lustre to his Imperial Greatness and are also at his pleasure either to loose or keep their Dominions At their coming and going they give great Presents to the Emperor When the half-year is expir'd then those Princes from the West and South part of Japan repair thither also so that half of the chief Nobility in Japan are continually at the Emperors Court Those their Charges are Augmented the more because every King Prince Duke or Baron will strive to exceed one another in State during their Residence there So that they generally come with as great a Retinue of Guards Servants Souldiers Horses Gentlemen and others as possibly their conditions can bear the meanest Lord keeping a thousand Servants in his Palace at Jedo They also spend much Money on their Buildings in Repairs or Inlarging them The Liveries which they give to their Pages and Footmen and the sumptuous Banquets with which they Treat one another cost them also very dear How the Emperor oppresses his Subjects that they cannot rebel against him ¶ ANd though most of them spend all their Revenues yet the Emperor still oppresses them by fresh Taxes that being poor they cannot be able to resist him Commanding them to build here new Castles there inlarge a Fort yonder a strong Hold all at their own Cost and Charge whereby every one knows partly what it will amount to It is to be admir'd if thus Commanded how each will strive to out-do the other in Building larger costlier and with more speed not sparing any Charges towards the promoting of the Work Rerenue of the Princes By this means and several other the Revenues of the Nobility are commonly wasted which consist not in Custom or other Imposition but in the Ground-Rent of the Houses which they yearly raise either more or less according to the bigness of the Building Are known to the Emperor Each House must at a set time provide a man to serve their Lord. Moreover because Japan produces Copper in one place Gold Silver Iron Tin Lead Rich-Wood Purcelaine Hemp Cotton Silk Camphire Rice and other Commodities in another Every Lord hath out of the several Products particular Revenues which the Emperor knows to a Peny for he keeps a trusty Steward of his own in every Lords House without whose knowledge none of these Lords can act any thing The King keeps wise men to advise him It deserves no small wonder that the Noblest Princes amongst others of their Retinue keep some particular Persons of an exceeding quick apprehension and brave understanding who are daily to observe and freely to disclose all Errors committed by their Prince with whom they are continually and chiefly at Feasts and other Merry-meetings noting down all what is worthy of Praise in his Lord or deserves Laughter Their names The Princes whose Jurisdictions spread themselves far and near call their Lands by the name of their Residence They all have three Names for in their Infancy they have a Child's Name in their Manly years another and when grown they assume a third Their Sur-name they put before the other because they preserve and detain that from their Predecessors Strange custom of the Japanners who murder themselves at the death of their Lord. ¶ WHen a Lord dies generally ten twenty nay thirty rip up their own Bellies to die with him The number of these Self-Murderers is either more or less according to the Ability of the Person Many of them oblige themselves to it in their life-time for when they have receiv'd any Favors from them after an humble return of Thanks they say Most Noble Lord the number of your Faithful Subjects is great How have I deserv'd to receive such Honor From whence doth this Requital proceed This Body which already is yours I give you and promise to die by a violent Death so soon as you give up the Ghost To the Confirmation of which the Lord drinks to his Servant in a Bowl of Wine after which the Servant at the Death of his Master cannot recall his Promise for all
same as the Castilian and Portugal What is his Name Who did ever see him Where hath he convers'd Whereby do you believe your God to be the True God Difference of Religion ¶ IT plainly appears by the Religion of the Japanners that they embrace the Errors of the most foolish Heathens Rom. 1.23 changing the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man This foul Doctrine was embrac'd by the Anthropomorphites in Christendom about the time of Arius and the Nicene Council The first Teacher was Audius deriv'd from Mesopotamia a Man who liv'd a very lend Life yet in short time got many on his side and remaining a little while by the Church at last forsook it and rais'd a new Opinion which much puzzl'd the Ancient Fathers and chiefly they were contradicted by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria Fâ—rb Inst Theol. 1.36 and Epiphanius at Salamina but Epiphanius disputed so indifferently that he gave no satisfaction to the Learned And indeed against this foolish and fleshly Opinion of God the Learnedst Heathens have disputed Lact. de Irac c. 11. Lactantius relates of the ancient Philosopher Pythagoras That he believ'd God to be a Spirit without a Body Plato affirms That God is the greatest Good above all things in Nature he himself being full of all Perfection In Somis Scip. wanting nothing And Macrobius saith Plato when he would speak of God durst not say what he is concluding That he cannot be known of Man what he is For God is call'd Suprema Ratio Ens Entium and is also the first Original of all things Here is added the Relation of the great Orator Cicero De Nat. Deor. in these Words In his Book of the Laws saith Plato I can better say what God is not than what he is Do you ask me what or how God is I will use Simonides for my Interpreter of whom when the Tyrant Hiero ask'd the same Question he desir'd one day to think upon it and on that day asking him again he requir'd two days so still increasing the number of the days Hiero wondering at it ask'd why he did so Because said he the longer I study the more difficult I find it to resolve Seneca also writes thus to Lucilius God is close by he is in you So say I O Lucilius a Holy Spirit is within us Ad Luciâ— that takes an account of all our good and bad Actions This Spirit according as it is treated by us so it deals with us but none is a good Man without God The opinion of the learnedst Heathens concerning God The Learnedst of Heathens acknowledg'd in God the greatest Perfection which consisted in three things To the first belong'd his Eternity which can be measur'd by no Time being a Life without End So that the Heathens observ'd by the Light of Nature how it was with God to see to that which he was not before or not to see after that which he was once Secondly They ascrib'd to God a Freedom against all Power because he hath an irresistible Power which is as Mighty and Omnipotent as God himself Disown God to be a substance Lastly They believ'd that his Godly Nature suffer'd no Connexion to or with himself for where there is such a Connexion there must needs be something equal or alike to connect but in God is no want of any such connected Assimilation for if there were then the Cause of such Want must precede the Connexion and consequently be before God but God is the First Causer of all things And on these grounds they could find that God was not Substantial and Frail much less consisted of Soul and Body Which if the Learn'd Anaxagoras Master of the famous Socrates had not understood he would not have call'd God a Spirit and said That all things proceeded from the Power of an Everlasting Spirit The contrary opinion of the Japanners But the Japanners go not so high notwithstanding the inexpressible Goodness of God and their own Consciences should lead them to an Everlasting Being yet they ask foolishly for a visible God that converses with Men on the Earth Byleveld's Answer ¶ BUt to return to our Story Byleveld gave Sicungodonne this Answer The Castilians and Portuguese acknowledge a Trinity as well as the Hollanders but they represent him in the shape of an Old a Young Man and a Dove which the Hollanders hold to be abominable For they acknowledge God to be an endless Spiritual Being of whom none may or can make any Likeness neither by Images or Imaginations of the Heart Moreover God hath given himself divers Names in the Greek and Hebrew Tongues but the Hollanders call him God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And because he is an Incomprehensible Spirit he can be seen by none from whence it always proceeds that a Man can no way see his own nor anothers Soul Yet the Invisible God is Visible in the Works of his Creation Preservation and Governing of all things Also Gods Son took upon him the Nature of Man in a Woman when he was born in Bethlehem travell'd through Palestine did great Miracles there and at last not far from Jerusalem died a cursed Death on the Cross to redeem and save those from everlasting Damnation that believ'd in him all which is written down in two Books the first written by the Prophets in the Hebrew Tongue the other by the Apostles in the Greek These Prophets and Apostles were great Saints to whom God gave the Spirit of real Truth And these Books were translated out of their Original Tongues into Dutch by Persons experienc'd both in Greek and Hebrew Sicungodonne ask'd further Sicungodonne's other Questions Do your Feasts agree with the Portuguese and Castilians How are they call'd Do the Hollanders keep Fast-days Are they not taught by Priests and Ministers as the Spaniards What are those Priests Have they a yearly Income out of the Countreys Revenue Do they meddle with any State-Affairs Is the Prince of Orange under any Bodies Jurisdiction or Governs he Holland alone Captain Schaep answer'd Schaep's Reply The Hollanders said he keep the first Day of the Week like the Spaniards on which every one rests from their Labor and goes to Church to hear Divine Service Only on some extrordinary Occasion Fast and Prayer-days are order'd to be kept that the Inhabitants may humbly beg of God for his merciful Assistance Besides at such an accident they abstain not from Meat and Drink but take it and give Thanks to God for it Distinction of Diet is never observ'd by them Moreover the Holland Teachers are call'd Ministers which are Men that from their Infancy have been brought up to learn the Latin Greek and Hebrew Tongues and in Publick Churches Preach to the People out of the foremention'd Books which every one may peruse that thereby it may appear if their Doctrine agree with them They are paid but of the
Rows on which appear strange deform'd Creatures artificially made of Rushes some representing the shape of Elephants Dragons and Tygers others half Men and half Beasts Rhinocerots every ones Back representing a Seat like a Throne on four Square Pedistals curiously Painted some of which Seats are fill'd with Sandal-Wood to burn the Corps These Pleited Monsters are made fast with Ropes one to another by which they are drawn forward through thousands of people Out of one of the foresaid Houses along the Rail of Red Rushes comes forth the Siam Bishop and sets himself down on one of the artificial Tygers Behind the Bishops the Sons of the King of Siam get upon the back of one of the Elephants The youngest Son rides just before the Chariot whereon the Corps of his deceased Mother lies his Elephant being made fast to it by Cords of fine Linnen full of Gold Rings at least an Inch thick The Corps it self stands on a Throne eighteen Foot high which rests on a Chariot six Fathom long Every thing represents either Art or Splendor for the Chariot and the Throne whereon the Corps stands is cover'd with thick Golden Plates and adorn'd with Imagery Inlaid with Mother of Pearl and green glittering Glass The Coffin sharp on the top and standing upon one end is of Massie Gold Emboss'd with Rubies and Diamonds The artificial Elephants Tygers Rhinocerots Dragons and other deformed Creatures are drawn along with the Corps by all sorts of People but distinguish'd by their several Caps Behind the Deceased Queen follows the King of Siam Riding on a She-Elephant Capparison'd in white Linnen adorn'd with great Tassels of Gold he that leads the Elephant holds a Golden Hook beset with Precious Stones The King Apparel'd in White hath a great Hat on his Head made fast under his Chin the end of Which hangs over his Shoulders Behind the King sits a prime Lord with his Head and Body bent forward which reaches him a Hanger of an Inestimable value And lastly When the Corps with all the Riches is thrown into the Flame after some time the Ashes of the Queen and the melted Gold are gather'd out of the Fire the Ashes preserv'd in a great square Tower Plated without with Gilt Tin but the melted Gold serves to make an Image representing the deceased Queen which when made is put into the Temple and Religiously Worshipped When the Siammers must be Shav'd And after the Queen is Burnt the Siammers may let the Hair of their Heads grow for as long as she was yet standing on the Earth they were necessitated to Shave their Heads every Fortnight An exceeding strange adventure that happen'd at the Funeral of the King of Siam's Daughter ¶ WIth such a Siam Idol the Temple in Saccai is adorn'd but to give you a somewhat nearer Relation concerning the Original of this Inestimable Image it will be necessary to add hereunto the strange adventure that happend on the three and twentieth of February and the following days Anno 1649. which the Governor John Van Muiden at that time residing in Judia the Metropolis of Siam as Agent for the Netherland East-India Company being an Eye-witness relates thus I was says he with the rest of the Netherlanders by the Interpreters call'd to Court to see the Splendid Funeral of the King's Daughter Born by his Royal Queen But because the Messengers came somewhat too late the Corps was already carry'd to the Funeral Pire but going thither we got upon a Scaffold which by the King's Order was built for us not far from the Fire In the middle of the Market-place in Judia in sight of the Royal Palace stood five Turrets rais'd of high Masts hung round about with Gilded Mats four Towers more of the same height and shape made an exact Quadrangle In the middle of the four was another Erected much larger and higher for whereas the four were but twenty Fathom high the middlemost was thirty all Plated with Gold and Emboss'd with Precious Stones Dazelling the Eyes of the Beholder Within the biggest Tower stood an exceeding costly Altar rais'd six Foot from the Ground on which the Corps of the King's Daughter was to be Burnt and was now brought thither after it had been Embalm'd and stood six Moneths in State in her Fathers Court. The Corps its self was Apparel'd in Majestick Robes with Gold Chains Arm-lets Neck-Laces of Pearl and other Precious Jems on her Head she wore a Crown of Gold the Body sat up-right in a Praying posture in a Chest of Massie Gold an Inch thick her Hands folded together and her Face up towards Heaven Then the greatest Mandarines or Siam Lords with their Ladies stept to the Corps and every one shewing a very mournful Countenance were all Clothed in fine white Linnen without any Gaiety Very rematkable Funeral and Strew'd an Handful of Flowers or Perfumes on the Deceased after which the Golden Chest with the Corps was set on a high Throne Erected on a stately Chariot and Presented before the chief Peers and Ladies of the Land whereupon the Princesses make first a doleful cry then wringing their Hands and Shreeking aloud calling also several times together on the Name of the Deceased shew all the Postures of a hearty sorrow Mean while the Chariot which was drawn by the Prime Nobility began to approach the foresaid five Towers Before the Corps the King 's eldest Son the Deceased's eldest Brother Rode on an Elephant On both sides his two second Brothers whose Elephants were Caparison'd in White every one having a long Scarf in their Hand whereof one end was made fast to the Coffin so seeming as if they drew the Body along On both sides of the Chariot also walk'd fourteen of the King's Children on Foot Clothed in fine White Linen and a green Bough in their Hand Just behind the Chariot follow'd all the Princes and their Princesses in great State On both sides of the Way through which the Chariot pass'd stood stately Scaffolds each standing twenty Fathom from the other on which the meaner sort of Mandarins or Lords sate who when the Corps came before them threw several Suits of Clothes amongst the throng of People and also Oranges stuck full Ticols and Masees which is a sort of Siam Silver Coyn the first valu'd at about two Shillings and the last at six Pence The concourse of People was so exceeding great that many were throng'd to death But so soon as the Chariot stopp'd before the middlemost of the five Towers the Corps was taken down by the primest Lords and not without great Ceremony whilst the Musicians Sung and Play'd all manner of doleful Tunes was placed on the Altar in the fifth Tower and surrounded with Sandal and Agor-Wood sprinkled with the sweetest Perfumes and best of Essenses Princesses that must either cry or be beatâ—n where that Custom is us'd Then the whole Train of the King's Children and prime Lords return'd to Court but the Princesses stay'd
two days and two nights with the Corps where sitting round about the Altar they may not during that time stir a foot from thence but must cry continually without ceasing to which every one uses her utmost endeavor thereby to express her exceeding forrow for if otherwise they forget this Ceremony they are immediately without regard of their Quality miserably beaten with short thick Cords by Women order'd by the King for that purpose On one side at some distance from the five Towers stood a brave Scaffold cover'd with thick gilded and oyl'd Paper on which the chief Priests of Siam sat Praying for the Deceased sometimes ceasing they gave Alms amongst the common People as abundance of Clothes Pots Pans Beds and other Houshold-stuff and also Carpenters Tools Axes Saws Augers and the like But besides this prime Scaffold there were several less for the ordinary Priests whose numbers amounted to above a thousand which were also employ'd either in Praying or distributing of Alms amongst the People In a spacious Place round about the five Towers stood twenty more out of which after Sun-set for fourteen days together rare and artificial Fire-works were shown The King burns his Daughters Corps The five and twentieth of February the whole Train that attended the Funeral two days before appear'd again in a far more splendid manner The King himself being present Rode on a young Elephant to the Altar on which the Corps stood where dismounting he set fire on it with a lighted Toâ—ch which suddenly grew to that heighth that the Flame took hold of all the five Towers and burnt not onely his Royal Daughters dead Body but all those Riches with which she sat in the Gold Chest when after some hours the heat gone and the Place grown cool he caus'd a search to be made amongst the Coals for the Bones Strange wonder of a piece of Bloody Flesh Ashes and melted Gold himself holding a Golden Urn in his Hand and receiving the gather'd Bones into it when a piece of raw Flesh all bloody which the Fire had not consum'd was found at which the King being exceedingly amaz'd ask'd his Council Oja Sabartiban which stood next to him and help'd him to gather the Reliques that were left what he thought concerning it Sabartiban answer'd Most mighty Lord your great understanding easily apprehends the meaning the business being so very apparent The King struck with a consternation ran immediately like a distracted Person to his Palace saying Now I see it plainly what I so long doubted namely that my Daughter was poyson'd Wherefore he suddenly seised on all the Women not excepting any that ever Serv'd the Princess in her Life-time and committed them all to safe Custody nay he took all those in his whole Dominions that at any time convers'd with her The eight and twentieth of February he began his scrutiny three hundred Ladies of Honor and other great Persons of Quality which had ever been in Company with the King's Daughter whilst she was living were driven through a huge Fire that according to the Siam Law they might be try'd if they were guilty or not which they knew by the Flames hurting or preserving them This Trial was perform'd not without great Charms and Incantations yet all of them passing safe through the Fire without receiving the least hurt were again set at liberty Mean while there was great suspicion that the youngest Daughter to the former King for the present King had in a Rebellion bereav'd his Predecessor both of his Life and Crown might have committed the Fact because being this King's Concubine she had sometime shew'd her self very much dissatisfi'd because he shew'd such exceeding kindness and great respects to his eldest Daughter and regarded not hers who also acknowledg'd him for her Father and indeed the suspicion grew the greater when the King was inform'd that this his Concubine was observ'd to laugh whilst every one present at the Funeral bewail'd the death of the Deceased For this jealousie the Princess with a great Train of her Ladies of Honor was forc'd also to go through the Fire all of them passing through without being hurt except the Princess who was very much burnt on both her Feet therefore she was immediately loaden with Silver Fetters and committed to a Prison where none were suffer'd to speak with her On the second of March she had publick Audience before all the Mandarins or Lords where whether out of fear of exquisite tortures or terrifi'd with the King's anger she freely said If the King will promise upon Oath that he will immediately Execute me and keep me no longer alive to be a scorn and derision to the World there will need but little trouble to find out the mystery of his Daughters death The Mandarins which remembred the former Condition and State of this Princess when her Father was King of Siam were no less amaz'd at her noble courage than inwardly prick'd with compassion to find out a means for her Deliverance but the fear they had of the present King quenched all such motions They reported that which she had said to his Majesty who immediately promis'd upon Oath that the Princess after real confession should not live an hour to be despis'd by the World Upon which she confessed That not without help of her Nurse she had prepar'd a Poyson which was so Charm'd that one piece of his or her Flesh that took it should not be consum'd by Fire whene're the so poyson'd should be burnt This Compound by a mistake the King's Daughter greedily swallow'd which thus prepar'd was intended for her Father that the death of so bloody a Tyrant who like a Villain treacherously took the Scepter out of my Fathers Hand that was lawful King of Siam and oppress'd the true Royal Family might satisfie my Revenge for my Fathers Death and to deliver those of Royal Blood from insupportable slavery No sooner was this Relation of hers carry'd to the King but he caused a great piece of Flesh to be cut out of the Princesses Side which he forc'd her with great threatnings to eat up and whilst she was swallowing the last Bit some of his Executioners appointed for that purpose fell upon her with drawn Swords and left not off till they had chopp'd her into a thousand pieces which they afterwards threw into the River Judia Not long after the Princesses Brother Son to the depos'd King of Siam was also Executed he being in the former Insurrection spar'd alive because he was suppos'd to be frantick but at his Death appear'd the contrary he also subtily contriving with his Sisters to destroy the King and make himself Master of the Crown and had not the Business been untimely betray'd he had no small hopes to repossess his Fathers lost Kingdoms Strange Image in Siam When the fore-mention'd Funeral Ceremonies were ended the King caus'd an Image to be made on which he bestow'd not onely all the melted Gold in the middle
them also many Mysteries of the depths and shallowness of Waters and the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean But especially they discoursed at large of Earthquakes because they frequently infest Japan sometimes shaking it like a Skiff toss'd by the Waves at other times lifting it up and down and swallowing whole Villages Towns Cities nay great Tracts of Land leaving in their steads unfathomable Pits all which wrought strange effects in the Japanners But they were much more concern'd even to admiration when the Jesuits told them before-hand the Moneth Week Day Hour and Minute when the Sun or Moon would be Ecclypsed the first by the Moons passing before the Sun the second by the interposition of the Terrestrial Globe betwixt the Sun and Moon Japanners are desirous of Learning These Discourses concerning Lightning Thunder Clouds Rain Hail Fountains Floods and other natural Motions and Meteors delighted the Japanners the more because they are much addicted to learn knowledge of Mysteries Johannes Fernandes relates That they came daily to his House spending the time in asking all manner of Questions concerning God and his Divine Works The fourth Reason may be known by the Bonzies The fourth Reason of the happy and prosperous success of the Catholick Religion in Japan may be drawn from the Bonzies who not onely taught wicked and abominable Doctrine but lead also very debauch'd and vicious Lives What Lodowick Frojus writes in a Letter from Firando to the Indian Jesuits concerning their abominable Religion Their wicked Religion may serve for a pattern He tells us of a Gentlewoman that was ninety years old who had paid her Devotions in several of the Japan Temples and bestow'd great Revenues upon some of them this Bounty of hers was requited by the Bonzies with a Paper Coat which they esteem'd very highly for the Life of Amida was at large written therein and it was accounted an extraordinary and peculiar favor to purchase such a Coat with a great sum of Money for the Woman dying in the same was immediately transported to the happy Place of Amida's Residence without suffering any pain to cleanse her from her former offences But Johannes Fernandes being fetch'd to a sick Person of kindred to the foremention'd Gentlewoman discoursed with her laying open the vainness of the Paper Coat against which he us'd so many arguments that she tore and burnt it The other wickednesses of their Religion appears by murdering themselves to the honor of Amida Their Cruelties Xaca and Canon The Bonzies live very debauch'd And no less abominable were the Lives of the Bonzies whose Debaucheries Drunkenness Whoring Murdering and other outrages were known to most People nay they accounted it no sin to Rob upon the High-ways and go a Pyrating upon the Sea oftentimes venturing to set upon whole Towns and Villages burning the Houses to the ground and putting the Inhabitants all to the Sword not so much as sparing the poor Infants for which their Cruelties the Emperor Nobunanga burnt their Cloysters and as many as he could get of the Bonzies caus'd them to be nail'd on Crosses to die a lingring Death This made the way clear for the Jesuits who told them they were come above six thousand Leagues over the Sea to Japan to no other end but to teach them the right Road to Salvation The fifth Reason is the alliance of the Japan Religion with the Catholick At last the little difference which was between the Japan Religion and the Catholick made an easie way for the Jesuits to settle it And certainly there was a great resemblance of the Japan Religion to the other according to which the Dayro in Meaco governs himself not much unlike the Pope at Rome Moreover the Japanners have an infinite number of Cloysters full of Priestesses and Nuns who punish themselves for their sins and account Marriage unlawful in some of their religious Orders They are perswaded that the more largely they shew their Charity to the Cloysters the sooner they shall go to Amida's happy dwelling so that their Bounty in those particulars makes them equal in their future happiness for the Heirs of the Deceased with Gifts and Presents beseech the Bonzies to deliver them by their means from their Pain They all Read their Prayers by Beads Concerning matters of Religion none may Judge but the Dayro and a Cloyster They account it great Piety in any to visit the Tombs or Shrines of the Japan Saints These were the chiefest Reasons why the Catholick Faith went on so successfully in Japan which nevertheless for divers causes before-mention'd met with such oppositions that at this day there is scarce one Christian to be found in the Countrey Nobunanga Taicosama and Daifusama as we have already mention'd begun to persecute them but being continually busi'd with Civil Wars amongst themselves they found their hands so full that their Cruelties gave some little intermissions The first Persecution of the Christians But when Conbosama took possession of the Imperial Throne he feard none since Fideri was burnt with the chiefest of the Nobility by his Father Daifusama Thus suspecting no manner of Insurrection Anno 1617 he began anew to raise Persecutions endeavoring totally to subvert Christianity and utterly root out all its Professors with the greatest torturing that could be thought on therefore when to be nail'd on Crosses and run through the Sides with two Lances seem'd too easie a Death and to be beheaded was far easier Therefore he resolv'd to make them feel a more painful and lingring Exit and that he perform'd by roasting them to death in this manner Christians are Roasted First a great Post was driven into the Earth placing several Pyles of Wood about it and onely leaving a Gap or Passage open towards that Corner from whence the Wind blew through which those that were to suffer pass'd to the Stake to which they were bound by the Hands with a Rope of twelve Foot long and about the same distance the Wood lay about the Post excepting onely where the Gap was left to the end the Wind might blow away the Smoak that the Martyrs might not suddenly be choaked up and so die sooner and easier than those bloody Persecutors desir'd so that they were roasted by degrees and died if it were possible a thousand Deaths in one undergoing the miserablest torture that could be imagin'd Burning of Men very antient This kind of burning of Mankind had a long time before been us'd in the World but never in so cruel a method as in Japan The Holy Scripture tells us of Juda that he condemn'd his Daughter in Law to be burnt because she had committed Adultery Gen. 38.24 of which Moses saith thus Bring Thamar forth and let her be burnt The Rabbin Jews affirm that Thamar was the Priest Melchisedech's Daughter and therefore for her Uncleanness was to be burnt by order of the holy Law Levit. 31.6 which saith If a Priest's Daughter play
the Whore she polluteth her Father therefore she shall be burnt with fire But the Rabbin Jews are very ignorant in their reckoning of Time in which they commonly make great mistakes as taking Thamar to be Mechisedech's Daughter not onely without testimony but also against apparent truth for there is above two hundred years difference betwixt the Age of Melchisedech and Thamar Anno 2490 after the Creation Abraham and Melchisedech met one with another and Judah committed Adultery with Thamar a hundred and ninety years after that meeting Luther is of opinion that Judah perform'd the Office of a Priest amongst the Canaanites Luthers opinion concerning Thamars burning and that a Daughter in Law was held to be as an own Daughter and therefore Thamar was condemn'd to be burnt being a Priest's Daughter But most judge the chief reason of her condemnation to be for committing Adultery being found with Child when she was promis'd to Shelah Judah's third Son According to the Laws of several People all Adulterers were condemn'd to die and chiefly the Roman Emperor Opilius Macrinus burnt all those alive that were accus'd of that Crime The Antients worshipp'd Fire ¶ IT is worthy our labor to set down the great Reverence the Antients shew'd to the Element of Fire When the Royal Consort and Daughter of Julianus the Emperor appear'd in State they always had holy Fire carry'd before them The Roman Emperors also themselves ever follow'd such a Fire which Custom they learn'd of the Persian Mace-bearers The Romans when any Marriages were solemniz'd made the Bride and Bridegroom touch Fire and Water which they set on an Altar Nimrod by some call'd Ninus the first of the Assyrian Monarchs commanded Fire to be worshipp'd as a god in Ur a City in Babylon so call'd from that kind of religious Worship Hieron Quaest in Genesis St. Jerome relates and besides him the Rabbins Salomon Jarchy and Moses Gervedensis That Abraham was condemn'd to be burnt because he would not worship the Fire in Ur according to the Chaldeans example and when he stood in the midst of the Flame Divine Providence preserving him he fled to Canaan But St. Jerome looks upon the Story as not authentick but one of the Jews Fables Persians worshipp'd Fire The Persians also according to the testimony of Julius Firmicus Maximus Tyrius Hilarius and Isidorus fell down daily on their Knees worshipping Fire as an Image of God Concerning whom also the famous Historiographer Socrates relates a strange Story That Maruthas Bishop of Mesopotamia Socrat. Hist â—â—7 c. 81. being dispatch'd from Constantinople to Isdigerdes King of Persia got exceedingly into his Favor for his great Holiness and obliging Carriage which the chief of the Persians could no ways digest but look'd upon with great envy Isdigerdes us'd daily in his Chappel to worship Fire under which they digg'd a Cave and privately hiding a Man in it order'd him to call to the King as he was kneeling before the Fire telling him That he would certainly lose his Kingdom if he shew'd favor to the Christian Bishop This voyce Isdigerdes took as an Oracle and thereupon resolv'd to put away Maruthas notwithstanding he had cur'd him of an intolerable pain in his Head But Maruthas discovering the Cheat to the King soon after obtain'd free priviledge for the Christians in Persia Ammianus Marcellinus farther adds Ammian Mart. l. 23. That they reported the Fire was faln from Heaven preserv'd on everlasting Hearths Strabo the Greek Geographer averrs Strabo l. 15. That the Cappadocians built several Temples for their consecrated Fires in which about the middle they erected an Altar and set the Fire upon it Rabbi Benj. in Jouthasins Rabbi Benjamin in his famous Hebrew Book of Travels on which several Learned Men have Commented says That he Sail'd from Haanlam now call'd Zeilan to the Asiatick Isles Chenerag inhabited by such Idolaters as were call'd Dug-Bijim where he found their Priests to be the greatest Sorcerers in the World The Greeks and Romans worshipp'd Fire But these were not all for the Egyptians Greeks and Romans also worshipped Fire Amongst the Greeks the chiefest were the famous and Learned Hippasus the Metapontine and Heraclitus the Ephesian wherefore the greatest Offerings were not sacrificed without Fire by the Heathens Lastly the Vestal Virgins in Rome and the like in Greece at Delphos and Athens as its Priestesses tended the Everlasting Fire The Northern Tartars and also the Lituanians worshipp'd Fire for a Deity and Alexander Gaguinus affirms That the Lituanians Alex. Gaguin de prise Lituan Relig. till they embraced the Christian Religion in Anno 1230. continu'd the same sort of Worship The Chaldeans Medians and Assyrians offer'd Sacrifice to Fire presaging by the Flames thereof future Events Those Priests that belong'd to the Temple of Diana Echatana whose care it was to look after the consecrated Fire were not permitted to have any conversation with Women The antient Britains worshipp'd Minerva their Temple being famous for an unquenchable Fire that wasted not into Ashes but into Stones Corps by whom and why burnt ¶ THe Massagetes and also Thales one of the Learnedst among the Grecians maintain'd that the Custom formerly us'd in most Parts of the known World which was to burn dead Corps was to be esteem'd wicked because the Fire being the greatest of the gods was corrupted by dead Bodies But others maintain'd the contrary holding it best to cleanse and purifie the Body by the Flame that so it might neither rot nor occasion any noisomness or stench which Opinion was held by most of the Eastern People as also amongst the Germans Spaniards Gauls and Britains Plin. l. 8 c. 〈◊〉 But this Custom of burning the Dead was a long time after entertain'd by the Romans for which Pliny gives this Reason because their Enemies would oftentimes dig the dead Bones out of the Graves carrying them away as Trophies which to prevent they follow'd that fashion of the Germans and Indians but whether that were the true reason or no sure we are that the first among them recorded to be burnt was the Consul Sylla which he himself commanded fearing to be serv'd in like manner as he had done to his Competitor Marius whom he digg'd up out of his Grave After the Romans had once throughly entertain'd this Custom Pliâ— l. 12. c 18. none were equal to them for the magnificent preparations of Funeral Pyles furnishing the same with the sweetest Perfumes for which they bestowed great sums of Money The Emperor Nero according to the foremention'd Pliny burnt more Perfume with the dead Corps of his Empress Poppea than all Arabia Felix could produce in one year When Germanicus's Lady travell'd with the Ashes of her burnt Husband through Calabria Apulia and Campania to Rome the Inhabitants of those Places through which they pass'd came to meet them all Cloth'd in Black and the Nobility in Purple every one burning according to