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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04408	A briefe relation of the persecution lately made against the Catholike Christians, in the kingdome of Iaponia diuided into two bookes. Taken out of the annuall letters of the fathers of the Society of Iesus, and other authenticall informations. Written in Spanish, and printed first at Mexico in the West Indies, the yeare of Christ M.DC.XVI. and newly translated into English by W.W. gent. The first part.; Breve relacion de la persecucion que huvo estos años contra iglesia de Japon. Part 1. English	Morejon, Pedro, 1562-1634?; Wright, William, 1563-1639.	1619 (1619)	STC 14527; ESTC S106448	116,621	360

increase of Christianity therein and some yeares ago others of other holy Religious Orders as of S. Dominicke S. Frauncis and S. Augustine haue gone thither also to the same in●ent whereby their holy endeauours many thousandes of soules haue beene deliuered out of the darkne of superstition and Idolatry and brought vnto the light of Christes onely true and Catholike Religion And in such prosperous manner did they go on assisted by the help of God and all of them in concord of hart and vnity of faith that there was no smal hope that the whol country would within a short time haue beene eyther all or the most part thereof conuer●ed to the Christian faith vntill now of late the raising of the persecution whereof this ensuing relation doth intreat hath been a great hinderance and impediment therunto as you wil easily perceiue by perusing thereof from the which I will now no longer detayne you THE FIRST PART OF THE RELATION OF THE PERSECVTION RAYSED IN THE YEARE OF OVR LORD M.DC.XIIII Against the Christians of Iaponia Wherein all the Priests and Religious persons were banished thence togeather with diuers other Christian Iaponians with the Martyrdome of some for their constant perseuerance in the profession of their Fayth Of the beginning causes and occasion of the Persecution CHAP. I. THE Church and Christiany of Iapon which now 66. years agoe was first founded by the Blessed Father Frauncis Xauier of the Society of Iesus and euer since then hath beeue principally conserued next after God by the labours and good endeauours of the Fathers of the same Society hath suffered many great and greeuous persecutions euen as the Primitiue Church did in the first beginning thereof Some of these Persecutions haue been particuler only in some Countries or Prouinces subiect to certeine Lordes or petty Kinges and these haue beene so many and so continuall that scarce euer the Christians haue beene without some molestation in one part or other as may appeare by the history of that Country written at large by Father Luis de Guzman of the Society of IESVS Others haue been generall caused by the Lords of the Tenca who were the Monarchs of al Iapone not only banishinge the Fathers of the Society destroying their Churches and houses and taking away from them all that they had but also banishing likewise the Christians of the country together with their kinred freinds and familiars confiscating their landes and goods and sinally bereauing the also of their liues 2. But neuer hitherto hath any beene eyther so generall or so rigorous as that which Minamoto Iyeyasu who at this present is the Xogun or Cubosama King and Lord of al Iapon did raise now two yeares agoe in the yeare 1614. For that if heretofore the Fathers were banished out of some one country or prouince they still found refuge in some other part or place of the kingdome and although Taycosama the predecessor in gouerment to him that now reigneth did twise cast downe and destroy all their Churches and commaunded them to depart his kingdome yet alwayes had they a Church standinge on foote in Nangasaqui a port towne in Iapon for the vse of the Portugall merchants who traffique thither and vnder colour of that they not onely remained there but also from thēce went secretly into many other prouinces of the kingdome and did great good amongst the Christians who likewise were neuer before vsed so hardly as at this time they be For that the Xogun in this persecution hath not onely caused all the Churches to be burned and razed to the ground and giuen expresse charge that no Priest nor preacher of the Christian religion whether he be a stranger or free-denizen should remaine therein but also hath cōmaunded that all the Christians do leaue their faith and religion vnder paine of banishment out of the kingdom or being put after many torments to some cruel kind of death Vpon this occasion there haue happened many accidents worthy of memory to the great honor and glory of Almighty God and very like to those of the primitiue Church as in the discourse of this Relation wil appeare 3. The causes and reasons of this so rigorous sentence and proceeding of the Xogun and of the execution thereof be diuers some of old and some of new Of old is the hatred of the Diuell who hauing had peaceable possession more then a 1000. yeares of al that kingdome and seing that now of late by reason of the preaching teaching holy life and instruction of the Fathers many thousands of soules were daily drawne from Idolatry and superstition to the knowledge and seruice of the true and euerliuing God their onely Lord maker creator and redeemer and that very probably within smal time if they were permitted he should be altogether dispossessed of the tyrannical dominiō he had so long exercised vpon them did therefore al his endeauours to hinder their prosperous proceedings especially for that already besides many thousandes that were departed this world there were then liuing more then two hundred and fifty thousand Christians so zealous feruorous in the seruice of their Lord and Sauiour that besides their diligence to learne and know all the duties of good Christians and their care in keeping obseruing gods precepts and commandements many of them did animate themselues to attaine to a higher perfection and to follow the Euangelicall Counsailes of Virginity Chastity voluntary pouerty recollection and religious life 4. This I say made him bestir himself and moue the Bonzos his Ministers to hate the Fathers bitterly and to procure their disgrace by al means possible the which was not very had to do because themselues did see that their credits with the people was much decreased since their comming into the country as also their gaines greatly diminished For which cause within short time after the entrāce of the Fathers to auert the minds of the people from them they published that they were Diuels in humane shape sent from hell to hinder the happy successe of the Iaponian Sectes that the kingdomes wheresoeuer they entred went presently to wracke that they did eate mans flesh and the like But all these reportes being found out in short time to be wholy false and vntrue reproachfull slaunders and forged calumniations they changed their note and begun another tune protesting in their Sermons that it ought not to be endured that a few poore straungers as the Fathers were should be permitted to procure with so great diligence endeauour as they did the destruction of their Idols Temples and Sectes that had beene alwaies so highely esteemed of all their ancestours and to bringe into their country another new law and religion and customes wholy opposite and contrary vnto those which so long time had beene professed and practised therein complayning moreouer that those that were made Christians in many thinges were more obedient vnto the Fathers then vnto their owne Princes naturall Lordes and that for their

Gentiles there to hate and exterminate the pictures and images of our Blessed Sauiour and his Saintes togeather with all other thinges appertayning to the promotion of Christian piety as he hath moued your Persecutors here vtterly to abandon and abolish them It shall not I say be needfull for me to signify these thinges vnto you for that I do assure myselfe that your selues in the reading thereof will easily obserue these and many other thinges greatly worth the marking as the great feare and care of the gentiles least any reliques of the holy Martyrs should remaine to be reuerenced by the deuouter sort of Christians theyr extraordinary diligence to make those that were constant in theyr fayth to dissemble at least a little while in the exterior profession thereof theyr false and slaunderous calumniations of the Catholike religion theyr feares suspitions and iealosies of preists and religious persons concerning matters of State all of them thinges common to them and to the Gentils of former times that persecuted Gods Church as also to the Heritikes of all ages and in especiall to these of ours That which I would wish you to reflect vpon is only the bad successe euen in temporall affayres which in the end befell to such persons that for worldly respectes eyther forsooke theyr religion or without care of theyr conscience behaued themselues to the discredit therof and how on the contrary those that were constant therein and carefull to frame theyr liues according thereunto besides theyr happines in heauen honour vpon earth through the Paternall prouidence of Almighty God were euer in the end after some suffering sufficiently prouided for And now because I do imagin that many of you hitherto haue not had much notice of the Kingdome of Iapone and lesse of the affayres therof it being a country so farre distant remote from ours as perhaps few or none in the world more at least as it is accessible and by reason thereof you will not so easily vnderstand some thinges that will occurre in the reading of this relation I haue therefore thought it not amisse preifly by way of a Preface or Introduction to set downe some few things concerning the same that may help to giue you some litle light therein If therewith or by the reading the relation it selfe you shall receiue but so much contentment as I tooke paynes in the translating thereof yea or but any confort or other good at all I shall thinke any labours very well bestowed desiring no other thinge in requitall thereof but only to be remembred in your best deuotions and made partaker of those afflictions that it shall please our Blessed Sauiour to giue you grace to suffer for his sake and so humbly beseeching Almighty God to send you eyther a speedy end of them or else much patience to endure them as long as it shall be his holy wil and pleasure to permit them with all dutifull respect I take my leaue euer remayning Your seruant in Christ Iesus W. W. THE PREFACE TO THE READER AMONGST other coūtryes which were vnknowne to vs of Europe vntill in this later age they were discouered by the Spaniardes Por●ugalls one is Iapone vnder which name be conteyned diuers Ilandes lying in the east Ocean of the great Kingdome of China chiefe prouince of Asia from whence the ●earest of them is distant some ninescore ●nglish miles and about foure hundred and fifty from Nona Espan̄a a principall part if the West Indies conquered and inhabited by the Spainish Nation These Ilandes are deuided one from the other by litle crikes 〈◊〉 armes of the sea and amongst them there be three which do farre exceed the rest vnto the which the others are subiect and in 〈◊〉 manner do adhere The greatest of these three which is called Niphon doth lye from East to West and is 700 m les in length an● 180. in breadth and it deuided into three 〈◊〉 fifty little Kingdomes or Prouinces an● therein is the noble Citty of Meaco th● chiefe and head of all Iapone The second called Ximo extendeth it selfe from Nort to South and hath in it nine Kingdomes 〈◊〉 The third Scicoco is deiuded into four● Prouinces and lyeth Eastward from the second All these Ilandes be for the most par● full of hilles and mountaines much subie●● vnto could and raine whereupon it proce●deth that for the most part they be nothing fertile rather subiect vnto barrennes The● yeeld no wheate nor rye nor any such li●● graine at least but very small the chief thinge they beare is rice which they brin● forth in great aboundance they haue th● same kind of birdes and beastes that we of Europe both wild and tame though the ●habitantes seldome eate the flesh of any ●●lesse at sometimes it be of Venison Theyr ●●mmon fare is hearbes and fish and ryce 〈◊〉 the which they also make a kind of wine ●●though theyr ordinary drinke be warme ●●ater into the which in feastes and banquets ●●ey put a certaine ponder much esteemed of ●●em the which is called Cha. Theyr building●s for the most part be of wood partly because they haue but little store of stone and ●ood in great aboundance especially Cedar ●●d partly by reason the country is much subiect vnto earth-quakes yet be there many ●oodly houses and stately pallaces of excellent ●orkemanshippe and rare Architecture The people are more swarty of complexion then the Spaniardes be almost like the tawny Mores and something lesse of stature commonly then those of our nation be They are for the most part of pregnant siuely ●ittes of exceeding memory of stoute ●ouragious mindes and wonderfull patience in occasions of aduersity Commonly they be ●aughty and high minded very desirous of honour and estimation They do contemne all other Nations in the world in comparison of themselues from whence proceedeth the small account they make of any strangers that come into theyr country Pouerty doth not with them diminish Nobility nor Gentility nor wealth gaine or increase it The better sort do vse great cerimonies of honour and courtesy one towardes another yea the common people as tradesmen and artificers must be vsed with respect or else you shall obteyne nothing at theyr handes neyther will they put vp intury at any man without complete reuenge They are very carefull not to shew feare or cowardize in any case they stand much vpon theyr grauity and therefore they carry thēselues alwaies very soberly after a stayed manner in so much that it is held a wondrous inciuility for any to make any great noyse as shouting hollowing or the like whether it be in publike or priuate at home or abroad To bring vp theyr children to hardnes as soone as they be new borne they wash them in some riuer and when they be weaned from the nurse they take them from theyr mothers bring them vp most commonly in exercise of hunting the like when they come to a certaine age they change the forme fashion

of their apparrel vsing therein very many cerimonies They haue diuers fashions very different from ours with vs men weare hattes women euer somethinge on theyr heades they both men and women go bareheaded at all times and in all occasions both in the heate and could in sunne and wind in haile in snow and raine they mourne in white as we do in blacke blacke with them is worne in signe of ioy we hould it good to haue white teeth they thinke it otherwise and therefore dye them black we get on horse blacke on the right side they on the left we when in meeting we salute put of our hattes they put of theyr shoes When they visit one another he that is visited must not go out to meete the other that commeth to visit him nor rise vp if he be set in any place but rather contrary if he be standing he sittes downe to receiue him Our manner of musi●ke is not gratefull vnto them our meates distastfull our sweet odoriferous smels odious and abominable They cure their sicke quite contrary to vs giuing them raw meates and salt and sower thinges to eate In steed of kniues and spoones they vse two woodden stickes exceeding curiously and after a farre neater fashion then we they vse to eate their meate Whereas we write from one side of the paper to the other they write from the ●oppe to the bottome of the leafe making their liues downeward In all Iapone there is but one only language the which yet is so exceeding copious and of that variety that it may seeme to be many by reason that for almost euery thinge they haue very many wordes whereof some do signify it when mention is made thereof in contemptible manner others when in honorable sashion some are to be vsed onely by the common people others only by those of Nobility or Gentry some are only for men others only for women theyr manner of writing is very different also from their speach and theyr writing letters from theyr writing bookes theyr characters or letters are of a fashion farre different from ours and of that nature that with one only letter they signify sometimes a whole word sometimes many words In times past there was but one only King in all Iapone who was Monarch therof and obeyed and reuerenced exceedingly of all and liued with wondrous state and maiesty and him they called the Dayri or Vo but these Dayries giuing themselues at length by occasion of the great peace and quietnesse they enioyed to sloth and idlenes and to all kind of voluptuous pleasures and delightes about 500. yeares ago were by two principall captaines that rebelled against them dispossessed of a great part of the Kingdome they making themselues kinges of all they could get and maintaine by force of armes and afterwardes others moued by theyr example did the like so that within short time the Dayri although he still remayned with the title of vniuersall Lord of all Iapone yet had he small or no iurisdiction at all only a power to giue titles of honour and dignity according vnto mens desires or desertes the which he enioyeth to thi day without any gouernement at all scarce hauing meanes to maintaine himselfe in honorable fashion Since those times to these he hath euer beene accounted King our Empe or of Iapone that could by any meanes make himselfe Lord of the Tenca that is of some few Kingdomes or Prouinces neere adioyning to Meaco which is the principall Citty of all those countreys as London is in ours and so in our dayes there haue beene three who haue had the name and authority of Emperour one after the other not by any right or title of election or inheritance but obteyned by maine force or other wrongfull meanes The first of them was called Nobunanga who conquered six and thirty Kingdomes The second Taycosama or Quambacù who being a man very meanely borne brought vnder his dominion fifty Kingdomes or Prouinces The third is the Xogun who re●gneth at the present and hath raysed the persecution whereof this booke intreateth against the Christians and he as it seemeth is acknowledged as Lord of all the threescore and six Kingdomes of Iaponia These Emperours as absolute Lords and owners of all the country do dispose of al thinges as their pleasure and therefore for their owne greater security as soone as they haue gotten the gouerment by force or other meanes into their handes they deuide the kingdomes or prouinces vnto diuers of their freinds with obligation that they shall serue them in time of war with a certaine number of men at their owne charges and expences and these againe do deuide their prouinces amongst their freindes with the like obligation to be ready to serue them in all occasions reseruing to themselues sufficient for the maintenance of their house and family so that all the whole country doth in such maner depend of the Emperour that he giues and takes rayseth and pulleth downe enricheth and impouerisheth whome and when and how he pleaseth And it is the custom amongst them when they take from any one their Prouince or Estate or change them to another that al the gentlemen and souldiers that did depēd vpon that person do leaue that prouince together with him and either go with him or else seeke meanes to liue in some other place the trade semen artificers husbandmen and laborers onely remaining therein Those that be the Lords or petty kinges of particular prouinces or kingdomes as also all other principall personages as gouernors of townes and Citties besides the obligation aboue mentioned are bound at the begining of euery yere betwixt the ninth twentith day of the first moone for their acount is by Moones and after a different manner farre from ours to go vnto the Emperors Court to do him homage and acknowledge their obedience towards him and togeather therwith they must alwaies offer him some thinge of good value by way of present whereby he draweth to himselfe the greatest part of all the wealth of the contry by meanes thereof togeather with his owne reuenews which amount to two milliōs or more euery yeare be groweth in short time to be exceeding rich potent strong and so powerfull that none almost dare withstand or contradict him in any thing no though he make himself a God as diuers of them haue procured to be accounted and esteemed And indeed most of these that be adored amongst them as Gods were eyther kinges famous for their valour in warre and feates of armes or else Bonzos singularly noted for their learning and eloquence or strict rigorous course of life These last they call Totoques the other Camis of whom they aske only earthly goods tēporall blessings and benefittes as of the Totoques they do onely the selicity of the future life The principall or cheife of all these be two the one named Xaca the other Amida whome they worship and inuoke with great reuerence and deuotion Their

Bonzos which be those that teach and preach vnto them as our preistes to vs be deuided into ten or eleuen diuers Sectes very contrary amongst themselues though the most of them do agree in denying the prouidence of God and immortality of the soule the which they do to the end they may liue with more liberty and more freely giue thēselues to al kind of lewd licentiousnes Besides these Gods som do adore the Heauens the Sunne and Stares others Oxen Stags and other baser creatures Not farre from Meaco they haue a sumptuous Temple dedicated to the Lisard which they reuerence as the God of learning wisdome and eloquence Many there be that do adore the Diuel who doth appeare vnto them in sundry formes and likenesses and makes them considently beleeue that all thinges do depend of him and that they prosper or haue ill successe according to the deuotion they beare and shew to him And in this miserable blindnes was al that whole contry vntil the yeare of our Lord 1549. in which the Blessed Father Francis Xauier a Preist of the Society of Iesus and one of the ten Companions of the holy Father Ignatius Loyola of happy memory who was the first Founder of that worthy Religious Order did enter thereinto to preach vnto them the Gospel of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the which he did vpon this occasion There was in a certeine port towne of Iapone called Cangoxima in the kingdome of Saxuma a wealthy substantial man named Angier who in his youth had committed some enormous crime and finding afterwardes his conscience much burdened and tormented therewith vsed all meanes possible he could inuent or that the Bonzos could imagine to aduise him to obteyne some remedy therefore and procure the peace and quiet of his mind but hauing after experience made of all the remedies that any of the Sectes of his country could affoard foūd that his affliction did still endure he was euen almost out of hope of euer obteyning ease or remedy vntill it happening afterwardes that the Portugalls comming with some ships vnto Cangoxima to traffique about merchandise were an occasion of raysing a new hope in him for he falling into familiar acquaintance with some of them and after much other talk hauing had by theyr meanes some notice of Christian religion as also of the great Sanctity and holinesse of life of Father Francis Xauier who at that time was famous in all the East Indies thought with himselfe that perhaps by his meanes he might find some salue for the soare of is wounded and afflicted conscience And therupon resoluing to go and seeke him out he left his house wife and family freinds kinsfolkes and country and taking with him onely a seruant or two he wēt with the Portugals after many dangers past at sea of stormes tem●estes soule weather and the like he arriued at length at Malaca a towne of great trade and traffique in the East Indies and there by good fortune to his great content he found the Father whom he sought and from thence went with him to Goa the chiefe Citty that the Portugalls possessed in all those countryes where hauing found by following his direction as much ease and comfort of his mind as he did wish for and desire and being sufficiently instructed in all the mysteries of Christian Religion he was baptized by him and named Pablo de la santa Fe that is Paul of the holy Faith Hauing thus obteyned his desire and being after some time to retourn againe into his country the Blessed Father Xauier whose whole desire was to propagate the fayth of Christ to the honor and glory of Almigty God and for the saluation of mens soules would needes accompany him carrying with him other two of the Society the one a Priest called Father Cosmo de Torres the other a lay brother whose name was Iohn Fernandez both of them Spaniardes borne and so they all departed from Goa in the moneth of April 1549. and at the end of May they came to Malaca from whence they arriued at Cangoxima in Iapone about the middest of August where being welcommed and well receiued of the freindes kinred and acquaintance of Paul the new conuerted Christian and hauing with much labour and iudustry learned a little of the Iaponian language they began to preach the Christian fayth publikely to all with the good leaue and liking of the Lord or Prince of the countrey who hoping to haue some benefit by the comming of the Portugalls into his countrey was content to giue way to the Fathers and let them preach but afterwardes perceiuing that some of the Portugells leauing his Porte went vnto another not farre off called Tirando in the Kingdome of Tigen he withdrew his fauour from them and by instigation of the Bonzos made a Proclamation that vnder payne of death none of his subiects should leaue their former Sectes to imbrace the Christian religion Whereupon Father Xauier after he had in vaine vsed all possible diligence to mollify the King and suffered diuers incommodities and iniuries with exceeding patience taking his leaue of those Christians that were already made which amounted to the number of an hundred or there aboutes he went vnto Tirando together with his two companions where being now somewhat more expert in the Iaponian tongue then they were before setting themselues to preach partly thereby and partly by the rare example of their liues they moued more in a few dayes to imbrace the sayth of Christ and to receiue the holy Sacrament of baptisme then they had done in a yeare before at Cangoxima Father Xauier did perswade himselfe that if he could get vnto Meaco which was the cheife Citty of Iapon the place where the Cubosama who was then the chiefe King of all the country did keepe his Court that there he might do more good and sooner come to giue notice of Christ and his religion to the principall persons of the Kingdome then in any other place and therefore hauing commended the care of the new conuerted Christians in Cangoxima to Paul the Iaponian and those of Tirando to Father Cosmo de Torres he and brother Iohn Fernandez tooke their iourney towardes Meaco and about the beginning of October they got vnto Amanguchi a goodly Citty at that time for since it hath beene burned sacked and destroyed euen in the hart of all Iapone almost three hundred miles distant from Tirando whither being come they were carried vnto the king or Prince thereof vnto whom they declared in the best manner they could the principall mysteries of Christian religion he neither shewing liking nor dislike of any thing they sayd and afterwardes they did the like in the publike streets and market places of the Citty wherein by reason they were but meanely apparreled according to the custome of religious men and spake the Iaponian language but very brokenly they were not only derided and mocked of all but also iniured and handled very hardly by some