which may be seen a great distance off at Sea In these Temples the Bonzies worshipp'd that great God which formerly not onely Created the Sun Moon and Stars but also the fifteen lesser Deities which some Ages since convers'd upon the Earth The Prime God commanded the Substitute Gods that they should make a Brazen Egg in which they were to enclose the four Elements Water Earth Air and Fire and also the four principal Colours Red Yellow Blue and Green Out of this Egg the four Elements and Colours being tempred ran together in such a nature that the visible World appear'd The World thus created Man was wanting Not long after a Woman growing in the Shell of a Callabash had no Soul which the Chief God pittying made a Stier come to the Callabash who through his Nostrils blew Breath into the Callabash which came to be a Soul in the growing Woman who then coming forth was familiar with the inferior Deities by which means Mankind not onely increas'd in number but also in wickedness differing more and more from their Heavenly Extract growing still worse and worse mocking at Thunder Rainbowes and Fire nay they blasphem'd the great God himself whom when the Interpreter nam'd he bow'd his Head to the Ground whereupon he call'd his inferior Deities about him telling them That he resolv'd to destroy and ruine all things kick the Sun Moon and Stars out of the Firmament mix the Air and Water together and make a round Globe in which the four Elements should be all resolv'd into their former Mass And chiefly he commanded the Idol Topan to make Thunderballs to shoot through the Air and fire all the Kingdoms with Lightning which was no sooner said but it was done the whole World on a sudden lying together like a heap of Rubbish so that none were saved except one Man and his Family that had entertain'd and duely worshipp'd the Gods The Chief and Supreme Deity took care in this general Ruine for the innocent Man locking him in a deep Cave before which he put a great Shell that the Water might not run into the Pit or Cave Japanners acknowledge the Fall of Adam and the Hood Who doth not observe by this Discourse that the remotest Heathens acknowledge though darkly the fall of Adam and the Flood in which Noah and his nearest Relations were sav'd The Romans and Greeks also represented the same in their Golden Silver Copper and Iron Ages and also with Deucalion and Pyrrha strangely preserv'd from a Deluge The foremention'd Japan Interpreter judg'd that the Portuguese Castilians English and Hollanders had also their Original from the Man that was secur'd in the Cave against the Flood the Reasons of which his Discourse were grounded on these Arguments When said he the Supreme God destroy'd all things yet Nipon that is Japan Mangy so they call China and the Kingdom Lechy bordering on China were preserv'd therefore the Inhabitants differ much from those of Europe because they have not such great Heads nor such Camosie Noses hollow Eyes broad Eye-brows and well compact Bodies as the Japanners Strange Relation of the Japan Interpreter Moreover the vertuous Man got out of his Cave when the Idol Canon call'd back the Seas to their respective Bounds and Topan gather'd the scatter'd Thunderbolts together and setled himself in the Province Koejelang where he got several Children which intermarrying grew to a considerable number But when these Generations increas'd so fast the Gods which were commanded up to Heaven ask'd leave of the Supreme Deity that they might return again to the Earth and there be familiar with Men Einholung der gesanten zu mia t Inhalen vand AMBASSADEURS The Reception of the AMBASSADOURS which being granted them they descended into a pleasant Wood where whilst they were consulting how they should best take the Venison the Inhabitants of Koejelang joyning their Heads together said These are the Gods which drown'd our Forefathers let its take Revenge for so hainous a Crime And considering which way it might best be done they judg'd that the readiest would be to set Fire on all parts of the Wood which in few Hours consumed all the Trees Some of the Gods that went to escape from the Flame were cut to pieces by the People that had encompass'd the Wood others were burnt yet seven of them getting up to Heaven complain'd of that execrable Plot to the Chief God who being exceedingly enrag'd at so great a piece of Villany immediately commanded an Angel whom he impower'd to punish them for their Crime The Angel no sooner descended but he drove the Offenders out of the Province Koejelang to the Boyling Waters at Singock in which they are continually tortur'd without the least respite or cessation Holland Ambassadors reception at Mia ¶ MEan while the Holland Ambassador proceeded forward on his Jourhey and Ferried over from Quano to Mia where he had no sooner landed the Emperors Presents but the Governor of Mia with a considerable Train of People came out of the City to receive and conduct him Just without the Gate several Copper Basons were hung on cross Poles on which the Japanners tabering made a great noise Moreover several Norimons or Sedans were carried towards the Water-side every one guarded with a considerable number of Soldiers At the foot of a high Rock stood the Ambassadors four Trumpets each of them sounding a Levit. The Governor Obirham Giantodono had no sooner gotten sight of the Ambassador but stepping out of his Sedan he went to meet him and bow'd himfelf after the Japan manner to the Ground Behind stood some of the Guard with Musquets others with Pikes and Halberds Lastly the Ambassador going from hence soon after arriv'd at Jedo where having staid some time and dispatch'd his Business he had leave to go for Nangesaque again Description of a Whale ¶ NEar Firando he found the Whale-Fishers which go yearly to Corea to catch Whales The bigness of these Sea-monsters is to be most admir'd their Pizzles being generally fourteen Foot long which they hide in their Bellies When they couple they rage with Lust holding their Bellies together and embracing one another with their Fins above an Hour at a time after which according to Julius Caesar Scaliger Dist c. 13. sect 150 they bear their Young ten Months The ordinary Whales are commonly a hundred and twenty Foot long and their Heads are the third part of their Body On their Noses are two round Holes at which they suck in abundance of Water and spout it out again an exceeding height Their Eyes are three Yards long and a Foot and a half broad Their Ears with which they hear any small noise are less without than within they open their Mouths five Fathom wide their Tongue eighteen Foot long and ten broad rests on eight hundred Supporters full of downy Hair The Whale-catchers seldom find any thing in their ripp'd-up Bowels more than some handfuls of Sea-Spiders and
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
false either out of their own ill nature or else their ignorance in the Dutch Tongue And the more because they knew the strictness of the Japan Magistrates who pass the Sentence of Death for the least untruth The Tears which flow'd from their Eyes express'd sufficiently their exceeding Joy and the sudden News made them doubtful to credit it Yet they bow'd their Heads to the Ground after the Japan manner and thank'd Sicungodonne and Sabrosaymondonne for their kind Inclination toward them during their Imprisonment Must leave Elserak's Retinue But whilst the Dutch Prisoners were wish'd Joy by their Countreymen of their Liberty Elserak was call'd back by Sicungodonne and after some Discourse return'd to his Retinue being commanded that the ten Prisoners should walk before in the Streets and for some private Reasons not go amongst his Attendants Schaep and Byleveld entertain'd by Elserak But Elserak invited Schaep and Byleveld to Supper with him and coming to his Inn he receiv'd them with all Friendship At the Table several Discourses pass'd of what had hapned to them on their Voyage and since they were taken Prisoners at Namboe After Supper Schaep and Byleveld return'd to their Companions in their new Lodging whither they were remov'd to make room for Elserak and his Retinue who on the next day invited his two Guests again giving them Clothes and Bedding which they had great need of in Winter Receive order to stay in their Inn. And whilst they were thus busie an Interpreter call'd Sioske came in who commanded the Captain and Merchant to return to their Lodgings and to keep in there till Elserak had made his appearance at the Emperors Court Which Order was sent from Sicungodonne and Sabrosaymondonne so that they immediately obey'd In the Evening they heard that Elserak had been at Court and was return'd home But because Sioske told them That after two Hours time they should again see Elserak which Promise failing and Elserak himself sending them no word concerning his Success at Court they were in great fear that the Business had met with some new hinderance or other Hollanders are again very much troubled which trouble increas'd because they heard not any thing thereof all the next day doing how it stood with their Releasment or the Ambassador Elserak A great Earthquake at Jedo ¶ THey were possess'd with these melancholy Thoughts when on a sudden the Earth was shaken the Timbers and Roofs of Houses tumbling down to the Ground the Walls falling one towards another and much harm in those places where the Motion was greatest Moreover there are reckon'd three sorts of Earthquakes The greatest is a Gaping which often swallows up Houses Villages whole Countreys and Islands The great Lakes and bottomless Waters in Japan hide under them formerly famous Places and People and thereby testifie enough how this Empire is plagu'd by such Evils For the second the Learned reckon that which shakes the Earth heaving it up and down and shakes that which is on the top thereof in such a manner that all things tremble and fall down The third and smallest is when the Ground moves to and again like a Boat on the Waves Such a one was this that hapned at Jedo whilst the Hollanders were there The fore-running Signs thereof It hath also often before as well as now been observ'd That a little before the Earthquake the Air was very calm the Winds being lock'd in the Bosom of the Earth The Air is also colder than at other times it us'd to be in that Season of the year which hinders the breaking forth of the Winds There likewise appear'd a long thin Cloud in the Sky The Sea rag'd exceedingly notwithstanding there was no Wind stirring All Pools and sanding Waters stunk very much and the Water it self tasted of Brimstone This the Learned Gerard Vossius ascribes to the Fire which is under Ground and lies hid in deep places under Mountains Islands and Seas by which the Earth also is shaken many Miles together so that not only Cities Villages Territories but whole Countreys are totter'd and turn'd topsie-turvey by it This Fire vomits out many sulphurous and burning Vapors which Experience hath taught us because the Earth often rending asunder in Earthquakes sends forth hideous Flames The Fountains also smell sulphury because the Spirits ascending mix themselves with the Water By this Sign Phracides Master to Pythagoras the Lacedemonian foretold of an approaching Earthquake which he judg'd would be terrible Plin. lib. 2. cap. 79. because the Waters tasted exceedingly of Brimstone Hereto is added That the Countreys in which Burning Mountains are found are most subject to such Damages Josephus Acosta relates the like of America and our daily Experience of Campania Sicily and other Places wherein Mountains either vomit forth continual Smoke or hideous Flames confirms this Opinion Burning Mountain in Japan About eight Leagues from Meaco near a great Lake lies the Mountain Siurpurama which sends forth horrible Smokes and Flames that ascend into the Sky and below several Sulphurous Streams Sicily is at the present less troubled with Earthquakes than formerly because the Vent or Hale of Mount Aetna being burnt wider and wider affords a freer Passage to the Vapors and the Fire Before the burning of the Mountain Vesuvius where Pliny died a great Earthquake hapned It is also obferv'd by the Japanners That the Mountain Saperjama burns vehementest after an Earthquake ¶ THe eighth of December the imprison'd Hollanders were inform'd by the Interpreter Phatsyosamon That Elserak was that day to appear before the Japan Emperor and his Council and that then they should have their free Liberty But no sooner was Phatsayosamon gone but the Hollanders had order to dress themselves Hollanders appear in the Emperors Castle Their Landlords Son conducted them along without telling them whither or what they were going about So passing from Street to Street through Jedo they came at last to the Emperors Castle which is surrounded with four Moats over which they pass'd through ten stately Gates and coming within next to an Arch whereof the Floor was cover'd with Mats they receiv'd order to stay till they were call'd to appear before his Imperial Majesty Soon after they saw the two Interpreters Tosaymon and Manikebe coming thither and also amongst other Courtiers a Gentleman call'd Pochycennemondonne who shew'd them a great Wooden Portal through which they should be carried to the Emperor Owysamma Magnificence of it And whilst they staid waiting at the foresaid Place they saw with admiration a great many Lords Civility of the Courtiers Secretaries and other Nobles which continually pass'd to and fro shewing such Reverence one to the other that they exceeded the most Complimental People in that kind At last Pochycennemondonne brought the Hollanders over a broad Court pav'd with Free-stone through the Portal which he had shewn them before a rich gilded Gallery where they were commanded
the usual Prizes for Diet and Lodging and Ware-house room but he desir'd that he would please to lend him a thousand Taile upon Interest to build and furnish his House again his Habitation being thrice Burnt down in four Year But Indiik deny'd his Request pretending that his Journey because of the scarcity of Provisions would amount to a great deal of Money so that he knew not whether he should have enough for himself but yet to obliege him he presented him with three Pieces of Perpetuanaes which were spoiled in the Dye Departs from Jods Indiik after having been Nobly Entertain'd left Jedo on the fifteenth of April accompany'd by his Landlord to Cawasacca after which he Lodg'd at Toska Odauro Missima Kaneya and Fannama where he Ferry'd over a Bay of the Southern Ocean to Arei then Lodg'd in the Village Accosacci and Miaco in which City the Hollanders were very nobly Entertain'd in a new Inn Comes to Miaco here he staid till midnight the Water being so low that he could not Ferry over Mean while the Goods and Horses were Ship'd Aboard two hours before day Indiik came to Quana and the five and twentieth of April to Miaco Description of the Fiery Mountain Siurpurama ¶ HE left eight Leagues beyond this City near the great Lake the famous Burning Mountain Siurpurama afterwards Inspected by the Holland Ambassador Seldere This Mountain is of an excessive height Vomits forth Smoke and Flames The Smoke alters its course according as the Wind blows and beats down sometimes in such a manner that it not onely makes the adjacent Countreys at Noon-day seem'd Clouded with Night but also Smothers Men and Beasts Next this Mountain is another but not so high three Sulphurous Streams come flowing from them which sometimes over-flowing rushes into the Vallies making a great Smother and noise which also filling seek their course another way often warning down great Pieces of Rocks and Stones All these three Streams running down on the Champain spreads it self a Mile and a half in length but much more in breath The Countrey round about the Mountains is so excessive hot that none can stand long there but it will burn their Feet Description of the Sulphur of which Gold Silver and other Mettals are made ¶ THis Sulphur taken for a fat yet fine Matter made in the under Grounds producing with mixt Quicksilver Copper Silver Gold and other Mettals The chiefest Philosophers affirm That there are two sorts of these Vapors that lie hid under ground the one being dry and more Earthy than Watery the Earthy Vapors afford Materials for Free-Stone and the other of Sulphur and Quicksilver being mixt both together make Silver Gold and all manner of Mettals Moreover let it not seem strange to any that those Vomitings of the Mountains often send forth firm Bodies as Stones and pieces of Rocks because those kind of Vapors are very thick and often Smother the Miners or if they escape with Life are afterwards troubled with extreme Sickness These Vapors also are sometimes Waterish and mixt with Earth for if they were all Water they could not melt and if all Earth they could not cleave and stick so hard together This Sulphur is the Food of that Fire which burns on the top of Siurpurama and it Represents an undeniable testimony of Fire under the Ground by which the Earth is warm'd as much underneath as the Sun by its Beams heats it on the top Blefken's Voyage to Island ¶ But besides Siurpurama are reckon'd amongst the Burning Mountains Hecla in Island Burning Mountain Hecla an Eye-witness Dithmar Blefken describes Hecla thus On the North of Island lies Hecla by the Sea-shore and Vomits up sometimes besides terrible Flames blackish Water and Flint-Stones Anno 1568. the twenty ninth of October this Mountain gave such a terrible blow that it made the whole Countrey of Island shake at which every one expected utter Ruine the noise ratling in the Air as if a thousand Pieces of Canon had gone off the Flames seem'd to Fire the Skie the Ground trembled and the Smoke so darken'd the Island that sometimes they were not able to distinguish one thing from another sometimes the Flames chang'd the darkness into light The boyling Sulphurous Waters flowing above six Leagues space over the Countrey Burning Mountain on Ternata ¶ No less terrible was the breaking forth of a Mountain on Ternata A Fleet under the Command of Paul van Caerden coming to an Anchor there saw the Fire as it were burning above the Clouds after which follow'd a great Smoke that turn'd it self round in the Air. The first Ships that Sail'd from Holland Near Panarucan under the Command of John Johnson Miller and Cornelius Houtman were not a little afraid when they came near the City Panarucan because of a Mountain that sent forth dreadful Flames and made great Claps like Thunder America according to Joseph de Acosta hath several Burning Mountains Arequipa particularly one call'd Arequipa very Sandy and two days Journey high In Mexico near the Village de Los Angelos lyes another Los Angelis whose Foot carries thirty Leagues in Circumference and from an unmeasurable high top both at Sun-rising and setting casts out abundance of Ashes and Smoke which last rising upright spreads it self in the Air like a Plume of Feathers till at last it vanishes after which appears a thick black Cloud Some Leagues distant lyes another call'd Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Hist Nat. b. 3. l. 24. on which are continually Lightnings seen and Thunders heard But the Mountain Guatimala exceeds them all Guatimala whose spiring top shooting up to the Clouds is seen a great distance off in the South-Sea The three and twentieth of December Anno 1586. it vomited forth whole Rivers of Fire and burning Matter which afterwards descending was found to be nothing but Ashes and burning Stones and thus it continu'd six Months Mean while the Earth also was so shaken that it turn'd the City Guatimala topsie-turvey and buried in its Ruines thousands of People About the same time De Los Râ—yes the Mountain near de Los Reyes threw up so much Ashes that flying about the Countrey it turn'd the Day into Night insomuch that for several Miles none could go out of their Houses Acosta relates Ignorance of a Spanish Priest That a Spanish Priest thought to get Gold out of one of the Burning Mountains in America for which purpose he caus'd Iron Pots and Kettles to be made to catch the several Matters that came flowing from it but they no sooner touch'd the Flame but they melted In Sicily the Mountain Aetna now call'd Mongibelle hath been famous Aetna lying on a Promontory near the Mid-land Sea An Eye-witness Thomas Fazellus describes it thus AEtna says he hath on the South and West sides of it great inhabited Villages planted with extraordinary good Grapes and all manner of other Fruit-Trees The Ground pav'd with
But before we go on farther upon our Japan Discourse and how the Hollanders first settled their Staple in that Countrey sending triennial Embassies from Batavia their chief Residence with great Presents it will not be unfit to relate one Embassy which was the onely one that ever we heard of addressed from thence to any Prince or Potentate whatsoever for they taking so much State upon them though they receive all with great Pomp and Civility never make any return St. HELENA Description of the Isle This Island so call'd by its first Discoverers the Portuguese from the Saint on whose Day it was found being the 21 of May lies in the Main Ocean 16 Degrees and 15 Minutes Southern Latitude about 510 Leagues from the Cape of Good Hope 350 from Angola and 510 from Brasile being the nearest Continent to this Isle is about seven Leagues in Circumference appearing high above the Water defended every where from the violence of the Sea by steep Rocks like a Wall with Bulwarks and is naturally Hilly but cut quite through with many Valleys amongst which are two exceeding pleasant as the Church Valley so call'd from a small Chappel built there on the North-side of which is an easie and delightful Ascent to the High-lands towards the South is the Vale of Orange so call'd from the great plenty of that Fruit which besides Lemons Pomegranates and the like grow there in great abundance that they may Lade six or seven Vessels with them yearly On the West-side of the Chappel is good Anchorage but they must lie near the Shore to keep them from Driving for from betwixt the declivings of that Rocky Coast the Wind comes often down with great violence and sudden gusts The Air. The Air of this Island is very temperate and wholsom insomuch that the Sick which are brought out of the Ships on Shore there soon recover their health The Valleys are not more than moderately hot the Mountains temperately cold being continually fann'd with cooling Breezes and the Air is refrigerated frigerated with five or six Showres in a day the Sun shining as oft betwixt and though the Soil be naturally dry and barren yet it is replenish'd with many Springs of sweet and wholsom Water especially the Church Valley through which descending from the High-lands glide several pleasant Streams down to the Sea for the great accommodation of those that Anchor there and put in forfresh Water yet besides this they have two other from whence they supply their wants This Isle destitute of Inhabitants may ascribe its plenty of wild Gattel to a Portuguese Merchant who in the Year 1512 coming to Anchor here and observing the pleasant Situation and the solitariness thereof which then agreed well with his disposition being something inclin'd to Melancholly and having been formerly much cross'd in his Fortunes wearied with business and the cunning practises of those he dealt withall settled himself in this solitary Place putting ashore those Sheep Swine and Poultrey he had aboard which increased in a short time to a Miracle insomuch that they suppli'd whomsoever touch'd there with plenty of fresh Provision and especially after King John of Portugal issued out strict Commands prohibiting all his Subjects from setling there This Soil though naturally as we said before very dry and thirsty is much fertiliz'd being moistned by many Springs and showry Weather so that it bears variety of Fruits especially Pease and Beans of which great store are found growing every where which when ripe falling sowe themselves making such plenty Here are also whole Groves of Orange Lemon Pomegranate and Fig-trees which are always loaden with ripe green Fruits and Blossoms and great Shades of Ebony and Rose-trees the Wood is not easie to be wrought because of its knottiness The Valleys are like Kitchin-Gardens full of Parsly-Beds Porcelin Sorrel and several other Herbs good for the Pot and also for many Distempers especially the Griping of the Guts a Disease very incident to such as frequent these Parts The Woods and Hills abound with all manner of Beasts as Goats Deer some as big as Stags and also wild Swine of several colours but very difficult to be taken When the Portuguese first discover'd this Countrey they found not any kind of Beast or Fruit-bearing Trees all which they transported Stocking and Planting of them there which since have so spread themselves that both the Hills and Dales are satiated with them without any art of Husbandry Here are also Partridges Pigeons Peacocks and Pheasants which cannot be taken either by Snares or Nets but onely by Shooting No Beasts or Birds of Prey Serpents Toads or Frogs have here their receptacle but ugly Spiders and Flies some green like Grashoppers The Cliffs on the South-side of this Island entertain thousands of gray and black Sea-Pies or Mews also speckled and white Fowls some with long and some with short Necks which lay their Eggs being of a good relish in the Rocks These kind of Fowls the Netherlanders 1608 in a Voyage to the East-Indies call'd them by Irony Mad-Pies being so tame and gentle that they took them with their Hands or knockt them down with their Sticks Here the Sea-water which beats against the Rocks remaining in a frothy foam upon them whitened with the Sun becomes pure Salt and Salt-Petre Here are also Mountains which produce Bolus and a fat gray Earth call'd Terra Lemnia such as comes from Lemnos In the South-east part of this Island is a Mountain whose Earth being of a brightish brown Dyes a good Red and also one in the East which yields a pure mixt colour being brown above and white below The Sea near this Island abounds in Fish but must be taken with Hooks and not with Lines or Nets because of the foulness of the Ground Carps but of another colour than those of Europe Eels about the thickness of a Mans Arm and of a good taste Crabs Lobsters of better râ—llish than those in England and also very good Mussles which stick so fast to the Rocks that they must cut them off This Isle though thus flourishing lies still uninhabited for they say that the King of Portugal would permit none of his People to settle there or appropriate to themselves but to be left free and open to relieve those that Sail that way Here they Landed and after they had refresh'd themselves they shew'd the young Princes the Sport of Hunting the wild Boar with which they were much delighted The Japan Ambassadors arrive at Lisbon From thence at last helpt with fair and detarded with foul Weather they Landed at Lisbon where they were receiv'd magnificently by the Cardinal Albert Austria Governor and Duke of Bragance From thence they proceeded through Guadalupe Talavera and Toledo to Madrid They come to Madrid and Majorca where Philip King of Spain entertain'd them with much splendor and kindness and shew'd them his Court the Escuerial and also his Treasury then full his Plate-Fleet being newly
from thence went directly to the Emperors Court at Meaco These as we said before were the onely Addressers employ'd in an Embassy from thence into Europe or any other part of the World Since which time the Hollanders have Traded to Japan to their great benefit especially since the Portuguese upon the account of the Jesuits Conspiracy were prohibited to Traffick any longer in that Countrey which in brief was thus The Jesuits are banish'd from Japan because of a Plot. ¶ THe Jesuits having laid a Plot to deliver up the whole Empire of Japan to the King of Portugal and having well digested the same sent him inviting Letters promising that if he would send them eight stout Vessels well Mann'd they no sooner mould be arriv'd but that several Kings and many thousands of the People their Converts should be all at once ready to Declare for him which would so much overpower the Emperors remaining Party that if he then prov'd stubborn and would not yield they should be able to force him to his subjection But this being discover'd The Portuguese age banish'd from Japan the Portuguese were presently banish'd and excluded for ever from Japan in the Year 1641 the Jesuits and principal Confederates being all put to death suffering condign punishment So the Trade lay in a manner open to the Hollanders which they being almost solely employ'd in made so great an advantage thereof that they were able every three years to send Gratulatory Embassies with several rich Presents to the Emperor The Hollanders Staple at Firando The first Staple they settled in that Countrey was upon Firando a small Isle which on the East-side Coasts with Bongo by some call'd Cikoko on the North with Taquixima on the South faceth Goto both also wash'd by the Sea the West respecting the Main Ocean The Haven of Firando better accommodateth Japan Vessels than the Hollanders which being of greater Burthen draw more Water especially the Mouth of the Haven being narrow and their Ships large is very dangerous but within they lie safe being Land-lock'd round about which breaks off all force of Winds and Waves whatsoever and though it blow to the heighth of a Heuricane yet they Ride still in smooth Water De Logie op FIRANDO The Store-house of the East-India Company there The Store-house which was first order'd there for the Company consisted of four Low Rooms and five Upper Chambers for the Reception of their Goods besides Kitchen Larder and other Offices lying close by the Haven with a Key and Stairs to the Water but being built of Wood which in short time grew dry and rotten it could not preserve their Merchandise either from Fire foul Weather or Thieves Therefore in Anno 1641. they began to build one more large of Stone which the Emperor not rellishing supposing they might convert it into a Fort of Defiance The Netherlanders remove from Firando to Nangesaque commanded them to desist and at the same time remov'd them to Nangesaque A strange Idol Near Firando at an In-let of the Sea stands an Idol being nothing but a Chest of Wood about three Foot high standing like an Altar whether many Women when they suppose that they have Conceiv'd go in Pilgrimage and offering on their Knees Rice and other Presents with many Prayers imploring That what they go withal may be a Boy saying O give us a Boy and we will bear him though a big one But before the Hollanders left Firando they sent their Merchandise in small Vessels to Nangesaque where they had then a Factory and there found in the Year 1694. a Hollander call'd Melchior Sandwoord who Sailing with the Fleet from Mabu through the Straights of Magellan losing his Company had suffer'd Shipwrack on that Coast thirty Years before Thus the Hollanders being remov'd from Firando keep their Staple ever since at Nangesaque Netherland Ambassadors sent from Nangesaque to Jedo THe Ambassadors that were dispatch'd from Batavia to the Emperor of Japan June 28. Anno 1641. receiv'd peremptory Orders to Land only at their ple Nangesaque and to go from thence to the Imperial Court at Jedo The Chief in Commission for this Imployment was his Excellency the Lord Bloccovius who had joyn'd to him as an Assistant Andreas Frisius a great Merchant All things in readiness and rich Presents prepar'd they put to Sea their Fleet consisting of three Ships and one Ketch The Governor himself and several others conducted them aboard and weighing Anchor from them falling to Leeward lay that night before Batavia Description of Batavia This City of old call'd Calappa since Jacatra and now Batavia hath its last Denomination from the Batavians which were a People driven out of their own Countrey before the Birth of our Savior by their Neighbors the Hessens The Batavians from whence extracted What Tract or Land they formerly inhabited then known by the Name of Catti settled in the Lower Countreys as Germany between the two Hornes or the Arms of the Rhine which now happens to be the United Netherlands So that in Commemoration and to keep up the Honor and Antiquity of their ancient Name and first Original they call this their New City and Head of their East-Indian Government Batavia Description of Jacatra When first Cornelius Matcleif Anchor'd at this place Anno 1607. it was call'd Jacatra being a mean Village the Houses being all built after the Javan manner from the Foundation of Straw the Town having no other Fence-work but Ranges of Wooden Pales like our Parks Power of the King of Jacatra The Royal Palace it self was a great Huddle of Deformity consisting of many Rooms one within another the whole Materials that built it being nothing but complicated Reeds Bulrushes Pleated Sedges of which Work and Contrivance they were then proud But the King about that time had a Design to Fortifie this his pitiful Metropolis with a Stone-wall His Royal Navy consisted of four Galleys in which beneath his single Bank of Oars sat his Soldiers or Life-Guard which attended his Commands upon the Decks This Prince who drove there the onely Trade in Pepper though by his Subjects restrain'd not to dispose of more than 300 Bags Yearly a Commodity of which the Hollanders knew very well the Advantage struck a League of Amity with them annexing Articles of Traffique to which they both agreed which the King being of an inconstant and covetous Nature observ'd so little that he rais'd both the Prizes and Customs whenever he pleas'd So that the Hollanders conceiving themselves neither certain in their Trade nor safe in their Persons rais'd a Fort there for their better Security of Commerce and Defence English and Netherlanders fall at variance before Jacatra HEre also at the same time the English drove an equal Trade not inferior to the Hollanders who clashing in their Commerce striving to ingross the Commodities one from the other there arose an irreconcileable Difference between
affirm and no end Furthermore says he as the Japanners account themselves most apprehensive and also full of Fancy so they believe they are in their serious Affairs not inferior to any Nation of the World upon which account they are so elevated in their own opinion that meeting any Stranger they give him onely a scornful glance and with their Hand a goâ—by as if too mean for their Conversation They very well distinguish good and evil which apperas by the Bonzi who committing all sorts of debauchery in private yet are so conscious of it that these Hypocrites Wolves in Sheeps Clothing seem to be the onely Saints Thus far Cosmus Turrensis De Logie voor NANGASACKI op t Eylandt Schisma The Lodge before NANGâ—â—AQUE on the Iland Schisma Description of the East-India Companies Store-house at Nangesaque ¶ IT will not be amiss in short to describe the chief Staple and Residence of the Netherlanders in Japan near Nangesaque The Portaguese when first they were allow'd to setle there rais'd this Fort or Building out of the Water but after being driven out of Japan and the Netherlanders commanded to remove from Firando they were allow'd to supply the empty and deserted Lodge of the Portuguese This Lodge for by that Name it is known through all Japan lies on a small Island divided by a River of forty Foot wide from Nangesaque which they cross going over a Draw-Bridge which by reason of Floods that happen is an hundred and fifty Steps long This Island or Fortress is defended each way round from the Water with a strong wooden Pail Within in a convenient Place the Governor hath a stately and well-furnish'd Residence Near the Gate of the Draw-Bridge stands their Sale-house or Office where they Vend their several Commodities On the other side stands a pleasant Garden beautifi'd with all sorts of Flowers Two Streets cross-ways lead through the whole Work on each side of which are convenient Store-houses fitted for receiving and Packing theiâ— Merchandise Near an Inlet of the Sea is the second Gate where there is a handsom pair of Stairs to carry down or Land their Bales of Goods The middle of the Lodge shews a plain and open Court built round with Houses whither the Merchants resort bringing thither to Sell and Barter these following viz. White raw Silk Pansjens Peelinx Gielems Chions Gasen Sumongus Flanels Merchandise Vended at Nangesaque colour'd Brokaeden Sattins China Fabitas Damasks Chiowerens Hempen-Cloth Sit-Clothes Sowing-Silk Silk Pee Namrack Japan-Wood black Sugar Cambodia-Nuts Caiman-skins red Leather Aloes Capox Wax white Sugar-Candy Steel Cotton Sublemact Cassia Lignum Spanish-Green Porcelin-colour Camphire Calemback Musk Chinesie-Wares Deer-skins Cow-Hides Paper Pepper Elephants-Teeth and Ager-Wood all these are brought by the Chinesies to Nangesaque Other Nations bring more variety Concerning that Factory of the Netherlander Trade at Nangesaque the Emperor sent these his Royal Mandates Indorsed to the Governors of the City This Edict was receiv'd Anno 1665 and Dated thus In the twelfth Year of Quane Emperor of Japan to our Officers at Nangesaque Sengok Gammatane Camy and Sackibibare Andano Camy This was Sign'd by five of his Privy-Counsellors Congao Camy Bongona Camy Inhano Camy Sannickino Camy and Oyemo Camy But now let us go on with our Embassy The Netherland Ambassadors go from Nangesaque to the Japan Emperor ¶ THe 25th of October 1649 their Excellencies Andreas Frisius and Anthonius van Bronkhorst set forth after Noon attended with a Train of twenty Netherlanders three Bonzies three Interpreters and thirty three Japanners who being equally divided into three Vessels took their leave of Nangesaque This City by the French and Portuguese call'd Nangesaqui by the Italians Nangasachi stands on the Island Bungo otherwise Cikoko Without the Bay about six Leagues from Nangesaque in their Way to Jedo lies a Fisher-Town call'd Duvos Description of the Japan Fishers Those that Fish here and also in most Places of Japan wear Boots but to the middle of their Leg like Buskins and have Wicker-Baskets in their Boats whick keeps their taken Fish alive They have several manners of Fishing and use a kind of Casting-Net with a long Line of Twigs at the same Their manner of Fishing They have also another way of Fishing and chiefly for Pilchards and Sitang a Fish which always lies near the Ground at the bottom of which Nets they lay their Baits But before we proceed any farther from Nangesaque let us take a short view of the Situation thereof Description of Nangesaque ¶ THis City stands in thirty Degrees Northern-Latitude near a convenient Harbor fitter for the Reception of Merchant-Vessels than any other Port or Haven in Japan It is both great and populous but without Walls or Fortifications as most Cities in Japan are Their Towns and Churches The Steeples and Turrets which appear very high above the ordinary Houses give the Town a stately and delightful Prospect especially towards the Sea where they have an open view of the Streets where are many magnificent Buildings The City is divided with several Streams and joyn'd together with as many Wooden Bridges Every Street is parted by a Gate The Streets are unpav'd and therefore in rainy Weather very foul and cloggy every Street hath a great Gate which is shut every Night and guarded with a Watch so that growing late there is neither Theft Murder nor any other Outrages committed The Houses of Nangesaque how built Their Houses are commonly uniform but the Materials which they Build withall differ according to the ability of the Builder They use commonly Wood but the poorer sort raise their meaner Habitations with Walls of Rice-Straw Loam'd over with Clay which closes so well that it easily keeps out Rain and Wind yet the richer sort Plaister their Partitions raising the Foundation four Foot high from the Ground with Planks cover'd over with thick Mats curiously sew'd together They are but sleight built four-square Why they build them not high and for the most part as broad as high which to prevent the ruine by Earthquakes that are frequent in that Countrey they raise them no higher Their Roofs are almost flat but something sloaping jetting out beyond the Wall four Foot like a Pent-house under which is an Entry or Passage that leads to their Gardens which are adorn'd with artificial Rocks Gardens and still flourishing Trees which in a pleasant Prospect they view from their Dining-Rooms The foremention'd Cantilivers defend those that walk the Streets both from the Sun and Rain like our Pent-houses these and the whole Roofs are of Planks clinch'd one over another which carries off the Rain easily On these stand Troughs and Tubs fitted to receive the Water to be ready against accidental Fires They dwell all in the first or lower Story for the second and uppermost is so low as scarce fit to lay their Lumber in The Towns and Cities are very subject to
Fire Their greatest and smallest Villages being being thus built all of Wood suffer much and sometimes unvaluable Losses by Fire therefore the richer sort and those that are able build apart Stone Ware-houses where they lay up those Goods and Commodities they most prize Whatever Houses are burnt down they immediately build up again in the same manner of Wood which the Forrests plentifully supply They seldom use Stone because if over-thrown by Earthquake they become a great heap of Rubbish which they would not be troubled to remove The Noble-mens Buildings are very stately The Gentry or better sort have large and fairer Houses where the Husband and Wife have their several Apartments in which they live asunder when they please and also Rooms for his Employment and for Address and Entertainment Their Dining-Rooms are set forth with Cupboards of Plate Cups and Dishes that they shew glorious like a Goldsmith's Shop and Gilded giving a more various pleasure to the Eye than our choicest European Pictures But the Walls of these Halls and Parlors The Japan Structures after what manner in stead of Hangings are cover'd with Paper Painted with Imagery the Sheets being so curiously glew'd that no Man can discern where they are conjoyn'd Strange Shutters Some of these Halls have artificial Shutters which opening show little Closets and small Retirements but these Doors or Places to be open'd are so neatly Wrought that none can perceive but it is a firm and perfect Wall but over the half-Pace or uppermost part of the Hall stands a large Picture done to the Life under which a Pot always supply'd with sweet-smelling Flowers gather'd fresh from their own Gardens The chief Housholdstuff of the Japanners Along the Walls to sit upon in stead of Chairs and Stools they have Chests curiously Varnish'd after their Indian manner and Dishes which they esteem precious standing upon them to drink their beloved Chia in Besides all this they hang up upon their Walls their Scymiters and other Arms which they use in Battel This is the best and richest Furniture which they have belonging to the Grandees and Persons of most Quality the poorer sort garnish their meaner Habitations Japan Houses how in the out-side each according to their degree and ability But the Frontice-pieces of their Houses are but plain and ordinary yet they are uniform and in a direct Line their Streets being but narrow and short of which they reckon up eighty eight How many Streets there are in Nangesaque reckoning as many Gates being Lockt up every Night and at each a strong Guard with Lights attending where none may pass None go through the Gates in the Night unless he bring a Sign'd Warrant from the Governor without which neither Doctor to his Patient nor a Widwife to a Woman in Labor though upon Life and Death are admitted to go through Nay more if any of these Streets happen to be on Fire In the time of Fire one Street may not help another they must not expect any help from others but save themselves by their own care and diligence for neither cries nor tears nor loud complaints of those ready to be destroy'd and consum'd to Ashes prevail'd not in the least nor move their Neighbors nor Governors to open and bring them assistance in this miserable condition so that oft it happens that the whole Ward Men Women and Children are burnt together in one Funeral Pyle This sad Fate had like to have happen'd to some Hollanders lodging in one of these Streets twenty Houses all burning at once and many People destroy'd in the Flames before their Eyes who when they saw no hopes that the Gates would be open'd and they must suddenly with the rest endure the fiery trial brake by force through a back-side having a Wooden Fence so escaping that dreadful Conflagration It often chances that though their Locks and Keys keep out neighborly assistance yet they keep not in the Fire but that breaks through and many times destroys not the next Ward onely but the whole City leaving it prostrate smoaking in its own Ruines which suddenly as we said before they re-build in the same manner the adjacent Forrest being ready to furnish them with several sorts of Wood and Timber and the like Materials for that purpose Gardens about Nangesaque This City also lies surrounded with large and pleasant Gardens so delightful that the Eye seems never enough satisfi'd with viewing where all manner of Fruit are much improv'd growing very prosperously especially the Chinesie Apple transplanted thither and all sorts of Pears where they have Walks shaded with Cedar Their Cedars whose lofty Crowns seem to salute the Skie the single Bodies of which make Columns for their Temples and Main Masts for their Ships of the greatest Burthen or Sovereigns of the Sea The Inhabitants of Nangesaque their Shape and Apparel The Inhabitants are whiter than other Indians but sallow to those of Europe have strong and well-compacted Bodies and are healthy of Constitution their Noses are flat and Camosi'd their Eyes little especially the Womens Both Sexes are almost Habited alike wearing long Garments but shorter than the Chinesies the corners of which Coats they take up before with their Hands carrying the right Lappet under their left Arms and the left under the right which thus they fasten with a Girdle their Tunick thus ty'd up the left corner affords them a Pocket in their Bosom which keeps their Notes and Letters on the left-side hangs down from their Girdle a long two-handed Scymiter Sumptuous Apparel of the Japan Ladies Their prime Ladies and high-going Dames wear stately gorgeous Dresses their Hair is curiously sleeck'd and neatly turn'd up and their Gowns are much fuller and more flowing in thick and looser Folds than meaner Women the Stuff not onely rich and costly but Embroider'd all over with Gold with a large Silken Scarf about their Necks which meets athwart over their Bosoms a Needle-wrought Girdle rich with Silver and Gold doth compass and keep in their well-shap'd Bodies on their left Hand a great Fan with a long Handle Painted with several Birds and Flowers richly Gilt and Varnish'd under their upper Garment or Gown which as we said before is so richly Embroider'd they have seven or eight Silk Petticoats every one a degree longer than the other the longest trailing after them upon the Ground But all these Clothes upon them are neither burthenous nor troublesom though this be their daily Dress yet they seldom come abroad nor appear publick in their Houses but in the Evenings if fair Weather they take the Air a little with their Husbands by Day in close Sedans or else by Water in a Tilted Barge But ere we convey the Ambassadors further through Japan it seems not amiss to take a short Survey the better to give you a Description of this Large and Potent Empire A short and brief Description of Japan ¶
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
the cleansing of the Graves of his Deceas'd Friends and Relations A dangerous way for the Netherland-Ambassadors ¶ THe Ambassadors Frisius and Brookhurst parting from the Village Faccone soon after encounter'd with a steep and craggy Mountain where getting to the top they ran exceeding great hazard in descending the same the Path not being above two Foot broad and full of Stones having a steep Hill rising on one side and a Precepice on the other that a weak-brain'd Person was not able to look down without danger of being taken with a Dizziness for one of the Ambassadors Train looking upon the Descent was taken suddenly with a Vertigo and so dropp'd over the Pummel of his Saddle that he fell from his Horse where he had miserably perish'd but that holding fast by the Reyns his Horse dragg'd him up where he soon after recover'd They enter the City Oudauro and in the Evening they reach'd Oudauro a stately City one side thereof being adorn'd with a sumptuous Palace surrounded with Stone Walls having also many Spires which are seen at a great distance The Japanners residing here relate An Earthquake in Oudauro That a few Years before a terrible Earthquake had shaken the Countrey exceedingly all thereabouts besides what damage the People sustain'd by the loss of their Houses Steeples and Churches also swallowing up a strong Castle the Ground gaping very terribly so devouring the Fort and the Hill whereon it was rais'd which stood in the same place where the new Castle is now built It is no wonder in Japan for whole Cities or Countreys to be swallow'd up or turn'd topsie-turvey A Japan City swallow'd up and shuffled into Ruins and Rubbish At the Foot of the Mountain Faccone stood formerly a famous City which in few Hours both Men Beasts and Buildings was swallow'd up together in one destruction in place whereof onely a great and almost fathomless Lake appear'd by which the Netherland-Ambassadors pass'd The Opinion of the Japanners concerning Earthquakes Concerning the Reason of these Earthquakes or from whence they proceed the Japanners themselves are of several Opinions Most of them hold and affirm That a great Sea-monster or Leviathan beats the Shore with his Tail every blow of which shakes the Neighboring Countreys The Ancient Greek and Latin Philosophers differ also much concerning the Reason of Earthquakes which are the most terrible of all Humane Afflictions Concerning which hear Plato and Seneca in their own Words the first in his Athenian Antiquities Plato in Timeo A terrible Earthquake hapned which a Day and a Night mov'd the Ground towards a Brook which is now call'd the Mediterranean Sea in which were all your Ancestors swallow'd up Sonec Nat. Quest and also a whole Isle then call'd Atlantis Seneca saith You see whole Countreys remov'd out of their Places Main Continents divided into scatter'd Isles So the Sea also parted Calpe from Abile Barbary from Spain and likewise Sicily from Italy As we hold England from France Ireland â—â—om Wales In our time several whole Countreys and Fields have been so shuffled that the Boundaries and Situations were never found again This happens says he by Winds inclos'd in the Bowels of the Earth which pen'd up like a Cholick striving for vent rumbling up and down in getting passage it not onely shakes but tears up the Superficies They say of old That Ossa and Olympus were but one Mountain but since divided as now they stand by an Earthquake Moreover Pliny tells us Plin. Lib. 1. cap. 91 92. That the steep Mountain Cybotus with the City Curite and also the famous Cities Supylum and Tantalis in Magnesia Galanis and Gamales in Phenicia the Mountain Phegium in the Moors Countrey the Cities Pyrha and Antissa in the Lake Meotis Elice and Bura in the Corinthian Bay were all drown'd and swallow'd in like manner Pausanius relates That Elice and Bura sunk thirty seven Years before the Birth of Alexander the Great The Reasons of Earthquakes are adjug'd to be several Also of the Cause of Earthquakes the Variety and several Manners of its Aguish Fits Writers differ much Democritus tells us That abundance of Rain soaking through the Crannies and Porous parts of the Earth swelling its Belly like a Dropsie rises and recoyls towards the Superficies to disembogue it self but wanting vent beats seeking a Passage against the upper Ground which causes that Trepidation Thales held That the Earth being a floating Ball danc'd upon the then more troubled Waters the cause of its Shaking But the more Modern Opinion which seems most likely is That these Shakings of the Earth arise from a Sulphureous and Nitrous Matter which either by Fermentation or some other Accident taking Fire in the Bowels of the Earth blows up like the springing of a Mine which sudden Bounce in like manner shakes all Parts about it and opens the way that in a Train it explodes other like Combustible Matter And after as many times it happens it makes Breaches whence Flashes of Fire breaking forth tear the Surface of the Earth The right opinion of Aristotle concerning Earthquakes The most Learned agree That these Tremblings rather arise from imprison'd Winds in the vast Caverns of the Earth whose former Passages being stopp'd by accidental falls of Earth and Internal Ruins seek a Vent else-where Or whether it be that the Winds descending nearer the Center finding no way back or whether the thirsty Earth being in Nature dry sucks up abundance of Moysture which either by Subterranean Heat or the piercing Warmth of the Sun-beams are rarified into more stirring Vapors which wanting room for its Activity breaks through the very Adamantine Dungeons of the Earth which violent Ruptures shake the Superficies being also torn and rent in like manner Thus holds Aristotle also demonstrating the same with several Philosophical Arguments saying and proving by Experience That the greatest Earthquakes happen always in serene and calm Weather which falls out in September and March when commonly the Air is most turbulent these Meteors seeming to have left the middle Region of the Air and got into the middle Bowels of the Earth Which he makes more apparent saying That the Earthquakes never cease till the Winds break forth through the erupted Earth again And that those Countreys that have most Excrescencies being more Mountainous and nearest the Sea are oftner troubled with this dire and sad Infliction whereas the Champaign and Inland Countreys scarce ever hear of a Terrene Trepidation The differences of Earthquakes Some Philosophers reckon up three sorts of Earthquakes others seven The first is That the Earth tosseth like a Boat upon the Sea which subverting quite overthrows so many fair Buildings The second seems like a Knocking or great strokes under the Ground which makes the Superficies recoyl and fall inclos'd Vapors then seeking a Passage The third a Ripping and Renting of the Earth into yawning Graves in which are swallow'd up
and buried oftentimes whole Cities But he that Dedicated his Description of the World to Alexander the Great reckons four more The first is a double Trembling that meets and dashes Terrene Billows one against another The second a Breaking of the Ground in all parts The third onely a Rumbling under Ground The fourth shuffling the Earth in a wonderful manner which turns all things topsie-turvey How long they continue Concerning the continuance of Earthquakes sad experience hath taught us that some will last forty days together without little or any intermission according to the easiness or difficulty of the vents which keeps in longer or shorter the shut up Commotions The signs before the Earthquakes There are also several signs that are fore-runners of these miserable effects for growing near as we said before the Air is generally very calm because those Vapors that commonly disturb the Air are confin'd in the close Bowels of the Earth and if any Cloud appear it seems like a thin stroke or white Line athwart the Sky which happens commonly after Sun-set and in fair Weather But the Sea is troubled swelling very much without any apparent cause of molestation and the Water that had been fresh in standing Lakes grows Salt and Brackish Pliny H st 19. Pliny relates That Pheraecides a Grecian Philosopher after he had taken such Water out of a Pit foretold the Lacedemonians of the Destruction of their City then threatned by an approaching Earthquake Another sign is that the Reptilia or all creeping Animals that live under ground forsake their dark Recesses and frighted seek up and down for other abodes The Sun no Clouds appearing grows dark and shines pale and dim The events that follow on an Earthquake The Earthquakes themselves amaze the beholders in such manner that they often bereave men of their Senses for who would not be astonish'd and for ever after stupifi'd into folly or frenzy Stange inconveniencies in Japan occasion'd by Earthquakes to see Houses Towns Cities nay whole Kingdoms turn'd into one Sepulchre great and new Islands thrown up in an instant in the Sea Mountains remov'd and seeming routed to run several ways the sollid and firm Continent turn'd into a crue of segregated Isles and other Lands the Sea quitting them are joyn'd to the main Land Fire and Streams of burning Sulphur are vomited out of the Earth and burning Coals Ashes and heaps of Rubbish spread over Sea and Land for the space of many Miles common Roads turn'd into Rivers then the sickness and mortality that happens after falling on-those that escape from the dire infection of noysome Parbreaks belch'd from the Earth of which dreadful Calamities no Nation suffer more than the Japanners ¶ ANd that we may have a better sence of the miserable condition of those that suffer in this worst of extremities take a brief account from Eye-witnesses of two that happen'd nearer our own doors The first happen'd about 160 years ago at Bononien Horrible Earthquakes at Bononien the second in Ragusa near Illiria Philippus Bernaldus a learned Person liv'd Anno 1505. in Bononien where on the last of October about eleven a Clock at night a horrible noise awaken'd him and all the City soon after Chimneys and Walls tumbled to the ground yet in few hours it beginning to cease they were a little comforted but three days after about the same hour in the night it broke forth with such violence that the Inhabitants expected nothing but their utter ruine hideously roaring and thundering underneath and rouling like a troubled Sea above the Earth great and small Buildings falling with dreadful cracks into a heap of Ruines darkness increasing made the terror the greater Half of Prince Bontivoly's Palace fell with such force tumbling down added so to the Earthquake that it shook the whole City The Walls of St. Jaques St. Peter and St. Francis Churches were rent from the top to the bottom the Steeples and Pinnacles and other Towers coming all down headlong at one blow not one Chimney in the whole City or Suburbs left standing yet by degrees after the great violence abated every night some sudden trepidations gave them new alarms of fresh terror therefore the Inhabitants forsaking their own houses liv'd in Tents in the Corn Fields at least a moneth after most of whom fell into Burning-Feavers of which many dy'd After the second Earthquake began a third which also beginning in the night lasted forty days doing great mischief after the unvaluable damage they had suffer'd before Moreover Boroaldus relates That his friend Falcus Argelatus was struck with such a Consternation that loosing his Senses in a desperate manner cut his own throat who not performing speedily the work he frantickly ran up a pair of Stairs and threw himself headlong out of a Window and broke his own neck whereof he dy'd An Earthquake at Ragousa Not long since Ragousa was in like manner terribly shaken by an Earthquake This Trepidation began on the sixth of April 1667. in the morning between eight and nine of the Clock it being a clear and Sun-shiny day In the twinkling of an eye the whole City was shaken the Legier George Crook being sent by the States of the United Netherlands to take his Residence at Constantinople had also a house at Ragousa which tumbling down kill'd him his Wife Minister Child and two Servant-Maids Jacob Van Dam who was President for the Netherlanders at Smirna was in the same house but in a lower Room He with six others got under a Stone pair of Stairs he was no sooner out of his Lodging scarce half Cloth'd but it tumbled down with three Stories more darkness struck them with fresh terror after which when growing clear Van Dam came forth from his shelter and went to Crook's House where calling as loud as he could and hearkening if possible he could to hear any body answer him he concluded that they lay all swallow'd under the Rubbish and Ruines Neither durst he tarry long there seeing the Walls totter fearing he might suffer under the like Calamity never standing still till he got quite out of the City all the way terrifi'd with imminent danger Stones and pieces of Timber still falling in a terrible manner both before and behind him the ground trembling under him and gaping in several places about him that hundreds of swallowing Gulfs appear'd in the Streets Thus he with six more of his Company with much trouble and terror scap'd out of Rogousa losing one by sudden death in the way but when they had clear'd themselves of the Town the Countrey prov'd no less difficult and dangerous great heaps of torn up Rocks and Rubbish filling the Paths so that they being put to a stand could find no way to get farther whilst looking behind them they saw the City in several parts of fire and three Store-houses of Powder a dreadful thing when e're they catcht would utterly destroy the miserable remainder of
Recess under a Mountain where he spent his time in Study Writing many Books and as the Chineses say Instructed eighty thousand Disciples but out of this number he selected first five thousand five hundred and out of them drew one hundred and at last he reduced that hundred to ten which he made great Masters of this so much follow'd Science And then dying he left them a great Legacy He dies being all those Books that he had Written in the Cave and that there should be no dispute hereafter concerning the Contents of these Written Volumns he Seal'd them and Indorst with this positive Superscription Thus I Xaca have Written the Truth His Opinion concerting the transmigration of the Soul Amongst others of the Pythagorean Assertions he maintains That the Soul is transmutated eighty thousand times into several Bodies and Shapes and that under six vile transformations they committed all sorts of wickedness and impiety and at last turn'd into a white Elephant by the Indians call'd Lothan hoe Laenses then they attain'd to the City of rest and everlasting happiness but before they come thither they Flye with Birds Graze with Oxen Crow with Cocks Swim with Fishes Creep with Serpents and grow with Trees Hermias a Learned Christian Of this their Opinion the Learned Hermias saith thus When I view my Body I am afraid thereof for I know not by what Name to call it whether a Man a Dog a Wolf Stier Bird or Serpent for they say that I exchange into all these several Shapes which live either on the Earth or in the Air and in the Water neither wild tame dumb prudent or foolish I flye in the Air I creep on the Earth I run I sit and sometimes I am enclos'd a Prisoner in the Bark of a Tree The Japanners and the Chineses which are of Xaca's Religion believe that the Soul changes into Trees or Plants A strange Story of a Tree that spake Philip Marimus in his Japan Voyage relates That in Cochinchina Anno 1632 a Tree of an hundred and twenty Foot high and a proportionable thickness was by a Storm blown down to the Ground which a hundred Men could not move whereupon being conjur'd as they say by one of their Exorcists to know the reason why it could not be stirr'd it answer'd I am a Chinse Pince my Soul having been transmigrated into several Bodies a hundred Years at last is setled in this Tree from which as an Oracle I am to tell you of Couchin China that a woful War is ready to fall upon you under whose pressure you shall suffer extremely This Story whether fabulous or an Illusion of the Devil is believ'd both through all China and Japan insomuch that ever since they put Dishes of Rice to the Roots of great Trees that the Souls dwelling within may not languish by long fasting and therefore they feed Animals and living Creatures also that they may not suffer by Hunger Within Camsana if we may credit Bollandus stands a Cloister of the Bonzi Of a Clovster in Camsana Bolland Vit. Sanctor A. â— L. â—an 15. C. 4. near which is a Hill shaded with pleasant Trees thither one of the Priests carry daily at a set time two great Baskets full of all manner of Food when drawing near the Hill he Rings his Bell at the found of which is summon'd all sorts of Creatures that in an incredible number come flocking from their several Shelters and Recesses to which he throws his Alms and so scatters that they are generally satisfi'd which done in the same manner he Rings them back again and they fairly retreat to their respective Receptacles These Animals they believe are animated with the Souls of formerly famous Persons which reside in several Creatures analogizing in their different kinds and natures with the humor and disposition of those Hero's when alive From whom the Japanners have the Opinion of Transmigration It is without contradiction that this Learning of Transmigration took original in Egypt And from them Plato and Pythagoras receiv'd that Doctrine which they Preach'd into Greece the Seminary then of Philosophy which at last spread through several Angles of the World The Gothes had it in the North the Germans and Gauls in the West and at the same time the Chineses and Japanners in the East who receiv'd it from the Indian Brachmans The Brachmans also affirm amongst a world of strange Fancies that some Men for their Crimes after Death become aerial Spirits fantastick Shapes unsubstantial Bodies wandering up and down so long till they have suffer'd enough to expiate their Offences These Spirits are not permitted to Eat the least Blade of Corn Herb Grass nor any thing whatsoever but onely what they receive by Alms to which purpose they throw Meat to Daws and Pies nine days together after their Friends departed Souls that so the wandring of their deceased Relations may pick up something with them These Spirits sometimes also appear in humane Shapes but are not to be fear'd because they are harmless The Brachmans believe there is a Hell Moreover the Brachmans also acknowledge a Hell by them call'd Jamma Locon from whence the Souls after great punishments are released and appear again in the World in several Shapes But besides their Jamma Locon they make mention of a deep dark and dismal Pit by them call'd Antam Tappes which as they say is full of Thorns Vultures and Ravens with Iron Beaks and Claws Mastiff-Dogs Stinging-Wasps and Hornets which heavily afflict and torture the Wicked condemn'd to that Dungeon in a most horrid and petulant manner without any cessation and that which is worse their punishment as they say never ends And also a Life after this They also hold two Conditions of such as are Saved entring into happiness some of them travel to an inferior Heaven call'd Surgam where no sins are committed nor death suffer'd to enter yet the Dewetas for so they call those that after death are believ'd to go to Surgam when their time of residence there is expir'd travel from thence Soul and Body again conjoyn'd but what becomes of the Body in their return the Brachmans have not well made out onely they affirm That some come back to the World and are regenerated and born again and those Feast on all manner of Delicacies and enjoy fair Women but without Issue But this they have not well anvill'd out neither for some they say never remove from Surgam but bear Children there which they number amongst the Stars this they hinted from the antient Astronomers that often as we do sometimes discover new Stars in the Firmament Their Opinion of Heaven But those which worship and obey Wistnou keeping themselves from all Offences are transported to Weicontam where God sits on a most glorious Throne But they say there are two Weicontams calling one Lela Weicontam which is a most pleasant and delightful Heaven but the first onely call'd Weicontam From thence none
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
Matters concerning Religion and giving Titles of Honor of which the Japanners are very covetous buying their Nobility with great Sums of Money His Riches from whence he hath them from whence it proceeds that the Dayro though he possesses neither Lands nor Customs yet is accounted amongst the richest in Japan for the Chiefest Princes continually have their Envoys at his Court and in Person come yearly to visit him with great Presents that thereby they may obtain newer and greater Titles of Honor which make them in higher respect and esteem amongst their Subjects His Women and delightful Recreation The Dayro also hath twelve Wives besides a great number of Concubines Each Wife hath a costly Palace which standing six in a row face each other Against the Evening the Meat is prepar'd in those twelve Palaces in new Earthen Pots and both Vocal and Instrumental Musick delighting the Ears of those present But to that Palace where the Dayro is carried thither they bring all the prepar'd Dishes and eleven of his Wives walk thither amongst the Musicians and Ladies of Honor to wish Joy to her with whom the Dayro doth intend to sleep that Night and all things which delight the Eye Ear and Palate are there prepar'd for his Entertainment Bringing up of the young Dayro When the Dayro hath a Son by one of the twelve Women he immediately chooses eight Young and Beautiful Women out of the Noblest Families who being accounted worthy to be Nurses and Foster-Mothers to so great a Lord as the Dayro's Son receive with great Ceremony Titles of Honor and Dignity which the foremention'd twelve Women and nine prime Lords give them This done a sumptuous and costly Banquet is prepar'd on the next day they choose forty out of the eighty to which they shew more Honor than before and yet greater Favor is shown to ten which are taken out of the forty the which ten they reduce to three and shew them far more Respect than either of the former But on the third day they elect one out of the three which they settle with such State and Ceremony in her place that it is scarce to be express'd all the Dayro's Court being as it were in an uprore their Feast and other various Pastimes being over Strange election of a Nurse the new Nurse receives greater Titles than any of the eighty before had done And thus being thought worthy to Suckle the young Dairo Milk is squeez'd out of her Breast into the Infants Mouth which Ceremony being ended the Child is put into her Arms. Farther relation of Frisius his going by water ¶ But the Netherland Ambassadors Frisius and Brookhurst left Saccai and the Dairo's Temples and Sail'd towards the South-Sea along the Coast by Ammanasacoi and the Village Fiungo formerly a stately City where the Emperors sometimes kept their Court but since exceedingly ruin'd by Fire Then leaving Swria on their Star-board they Sail'd along the Shore and pass'd by Takessima Akas Firmensi and Muro where they Landed in their Journey and after having been nobly Treated in the Town Japan Baths they refresh'd themselves by going to a Bath much esteem'd and us'd by the Japanners as formerly by the Jews Greeks Persians Romans and several other Nations and chiefly the Romans And also the Romans who set a great esteem upon their Baths in Rome being an incredible number of them so that there were not onely publick Baths but scarce any one Person of Quality but had one for his own Conveniency and if the Baths any where decay'd or grew foul Officers were appointed for their cleansing Afterwards the Emperors spent great Sums of Money on their Baths and the more because the Romans had great need of them they having little Linnen to shift themselves withal so that they had them not onely for Pleasure but also for Necessity to wash off their Sweat and other gather'd Dirt the bottoms and Walls of those Baths were generally anointed with Perfumes the Water coming into some of them through Silver and Golden Pipes Marcus Agrippa built an hundred and seventy Baths all which were free for any one to Bathe in but not in the night The Emperor Adrianus commanded that none should Bathe before eight in the Morning except in time of sickness Alexander Severus took off that Roman Law of not Bathing in the Night and not onely permitted it but provided Oil for the Lamps in the Baths Antonius the Philosopher parted these places that the Men and Women should not come together In like manner amongst the Carthaginians the common People were lock'd out of the Noble-mens Baths But this distinction was not observ'd by the Romans who one among another flock'd thither insomuch that the Emperor himself often Bath'd amongst the Vulgar Rout as Titus Vespasianus relates The concourse of the ordinary Baths was sometimes so great that the Attenders of them being quite tyr'd out took the Seed of wild Lupines which occasions the Head-ach throwing it in the Fire so to drive the multitude from thence with the stink thereof ¶ THe Netherland Ambassadors leaving the foremention'd Places on their Starboard steer'd between the Islands Jessima and Wota and sail'd close by the City Oussimato And here we cannot pass by without a particular Observation of what is often seen in this Voyage viz. a Fight betwixt the Scorpion and Pismires of both which Vermine the Japan Barques are generally very full Nay the Scorpions in some Countreys increase so exceedingly that the People are necessitated to quit their Habitations Plin. lib. 8. cap. 30. Pliny relates That a great Province of the Moors Cinamolgi lies waste by reason of the abundance of Scorpions Nicander reckons In Theriacis That there are eight sorts of these Animals all which have a Sting sticking out of their Tails wherewith they offend others and defend themselves If according to the Arabians they wound the upper part of the Body a Swelling appears and a continual rising of the Stomach but if they sting the lower part of the Body the Belly swells immediately with Wind. If it be a Man that is hurt he is troubl'd with a continual Priapismus and the Poyson congeals in his Groins De Loci Affect lib. 3. on 6. Gallen tells us That a Person stung by a Scorpion met him accidentally whose whole Body was as cold as Ice and yet seem'd to drop with Sweat This Animal preys on Flies and sucks up the fattest Moisture of the Earth And according to Aristotle is accustom'd to kill their Dams so soon as they are able to shift for themselves Yet they are not mischievous and hurtful in all places for there are some in Italy and Egypt which afford good Food The sting of a poysonous Serpent is cur'd by a House-Mouse cut open in the middle and laid upon the Wound and also a roafted Locust drunk up in Wine likewise a Barb and a Crey-fish Moreover it is a testimony of Divine
keep two of them for himself and give order what shall be done with the rest The Presents which are to be given to the Emperor his Councel and other Persons of Quality are by times as the Hollanders Landlord and Interpreter think fit divided at Jedo because thereby they may raise the value and esteem of them and an Inventory thereof deliver'd to Sicungodonne who looking it over alters it divers times Moreover Goods requir'd by the Japan Lords there hath been chiefly desir'd by Jaabaminosamma Lord of Odoura an Astronomer three Pieces of white Velvet and two costly Perspective-glasses the Councellor Botsokey a green Thrum Blanket the Councellor Matsondeiro Issinocamy five Pocket Looking-glasses one Reading-glass and three Spectacles the first Councellors Son Jusiensamma a Piece of English Dy'd Damask one Piece of white Velvet and three Pieces of black Cloth-Serge Mito Siovangosamma the Emperor's Uncle five Strings of red Coral and three pair of Spectacles of all which give to every one their desir'd Commodities The Emperor's Presents For the Emperor we have sent with you besides rich Pieces of Plush Padaways two great Copper Globes a rare Looking-glass and a live Casuaeris Description of the Bird Casuaeris This Bird is taken on Banda and much bigger than a Crane hath brown Feathers but neither Wings Tongue nor Tail his Breast is arm'd with an Oval Shield exceeding hard his Neck like that of a Turky onely that his moveable Combe being red and blue hard and stiff of the thickness of a Mans Finger stand upwards athwart his Head his Feet yellowish are most like unto those of an Ostrich The most to be admir'd in it is his devouring and evacuating that which he hath eaten swallowing not onely all that comes before him but also glowing Coals which come cold from him again Wagenaer arrives at Nangesaque Wagenaer arriving at Nangesaque took possession of Bouchelion's Place who going Aboard of the Fly-boat call'd The Evening-Star set Sail on the second of October Anno 1656. for Batavia After which Joffiesamma the new Governor of Nangesaque went to visit the Governor Wagenaer in the East-India Store-house on the Island Disma where he took great delight in the Garden behind the Store-house being planted after the Dutch manner Mean while Wagenaer prepared himself to Complement the Emperor the Governor giving him his own liberty when he pleas'd to go so that he concluded to set forth on his Journey the seven and twentieth of December Is forc'd to put off his Journey because of the foolish opinion of the Japanners concerning Day◠But the Interpreters having a Custom to make the Hollanders Requests known to the Governor Sacquemondonne the chief Magistrate their Journey was put off Sacquemondonne telling them that the twenty seventh of December was by the Japanners accounted amongst the unlucky Days Which Opinion hath long reign'd amongst the Heathens The Romans and Greeks accounted those fatal Days on which their Countrey or City suffer'd any mischance yet some of them despised this foolish Fancy for Lucius Lucullus led his Army against Tigranes on the sixth of November by the Romans accounted unfortunate to begin any weighty matter upon yet it so fell out that Lucullus with small Forces routed a great Army The Macedonians reckon'd the Moneth of June to be fatal notwithstanding Alexander the Great sleighted that idle Opinion when in June he encountred with the Persian King Darius Ventidius also was no way daunted to venture against Pacorus the Parthian on the same day whereon Crassus with a great Power of the Romans had been defeated by the Parthians But Sacquemondonne had another opinion concerning the Times he thereby seem'd to be careful of Wagenaer and thought it convenient to put off the unfortunate Day till the tenth of the Japan Moon which agrees with the last day of the European December But the Governor still putting it off from time to time Wagenaer did not set out of Nangesaque till the ninth of January 1657. Wagenaer's Journey for Jedo leaving the Government of the Island Disma to John Odgers and Meindert Mestecker Left Orders concerning the Netherland Store-house ordering them to take care that the Store-house should be carefully look'd after to keep out the Rain and other Water from spoiling the Goods that the Book-keepers should keep no Fires in their Chambers so to prevent all danger that might happen having understood before his departure that a great Fire had been at Jedo that the Chinese Jonks which come to Coxenga with Fleets consisting of thirty Ships at a time from Anhay and Chincheu to Japan may easily be prohibited because they had dealt like Enemies with the Japanners by Sailing to the Manilla's by which means the East-India Company would reap great benefits for when the Chineses come often thither then the Japanners raise their refin'd Copper Bars and their Camphire to a high rate The Camphire Trees grow most in the Japan Province Satsuma Is forced to stay at Osacca Whereupon Wagenaer taking Shipping arriv'd in twelve days at Osacca where in two days he provided all things necessary for his Journey by Land but when ready to set forth he receiv'd Order to stay in his House the Day approaching on which the former Emperor died which was kept very strictly through all Japan After that Wagenaer having already hir'd eighty five Footmen and six and forty Horses to carry the Presents and their other Luggage to Jedo had leave to depart Japanners Marry many Women ¶ AS the Japanners with great state and sorrow keep the Day of the Emperor's death so likewise their Ceremonies of Marriage are perform'd in as great state and splendor with unexpressible joy It is the Custom in Japan as in most Parts of Asia to Marry several Women which Custom the Japanners have brought from China where a Man is not bound to one Woman This unlimited lasciviousness took place in Asia many Ages since And who knows not that the Persians and Medes nay the Israelites themselves and mongst them the wisest of Kings Solomon were given over to that wanton Lust Where a Woman hath many Husbands But if this Crime deserves to be punish'd then we may condemn the foul Custom observ'd by the antient Arabs Nebatheans and Britains namely that one Woman was common to a whole Family to which when any one went he set his Stick up at the Door as a sign that at that time none might come in and concern himself with her on punishment of Adultery Some Moors as also the Garamanties and Liminiri Lay with the Women by the hundred and after five years the Children begotten out of such a mixture were distributed every man taking one which was most like him The Troglodites gave the betrothed Brides first to be known to the Bridegrooms nearest Relations and Brothers Of some People about their Marriage Yet though the Japanners take as many Women as they will yet they hold one
Throne where he found the Emperor standing upright and looking more earnestly on the Presents and chiefly on the Bengael Oxen than on Wagenaer who lay with his Face flat on the Ground but he lay not long before he was commanded to rise and return to the Hall from whence he came where staying with his Retinue a Person of Quality came to them and ask'd in the name of the Councel that two Hollanders would come into the open Court that there they might shew to the Councel amongst which the Emperor was also present how they might Harness the Oxen put them into the Care and drive them for the Emperor taking great delight in them would see them Draw every day and also besides the other Presents the rich Alcatiff wove of Gold and Silver was very acceptable to him so that the Emperor spent two hours time in viewing the Presents and the Bengael Oxen after which Wagenaer had leave to depart which word being brought by Joffiesamma Wagenaer thank'd him for his quick dispatch with the Emperor The next day he deliver'd the remaining Presents to the Councel and Magistrates of Jedo and to the other Persons of Quality to whom the East-India Company are us'd yearly to present all of them receiv'd whate're was brought to their Houses by their Servants none of their Masters ever appearing Joffiesamma gave the Ambassador timely notice that the Emperor had chosen two new Councellors that Year Inoube Cattwatsisamma and Itacera Auwanna Cammisamma therefore they ought no ways to be forgotten whereupon they also had Presents given them What the Journey to Jedo cost the Hellanders This Journey cost very dear being occasion'd by many inconveniences for not onely did their Voyages by Water last longer than ordinary by reason of contrary Winds but also their Journey by Land because of the flabby and rainy Weather Moreover they were forc'd to stay in Jedo thirty days where all manner of Provisions ever since the Fire were very scarce and sold at an exceeding dear Rate and were necessitated to Present the new Councellors which was more than they expected Those that remain'd Joffiesamma advis'd them to carry back to Nangesaque judging it not convenient to sell them it Jedo because it would occasion discontent and envy amongst the Japan Nobility and chiefly if one should be more kindly us'd than the other The Hollanders said he should make the Inventory of their Presents at Nangesaque and bring no more to Jedo than what they intended to give away But Wagenaer inform'd Joffiesamma that some years ago the Hollanders receiv'd express Orders that besides the usual Presents they should bring also some Merchandise to sell partly to give to new elected Lords and partly to accommodate other Persons of Quality asking for them for Money which Answer satisfying Joffiesamma he permitted that Wagenaer should sell the remaining Goods who made use of this liberty and sold the Goods for 550 l. Moreover he judg'd it fit for the future to make the Inventory of the Presents at Nangesaque according to Joffiesamma's advice and the rather because that for the time to come they could be no more instructed by Sicungodonne to whom till then the Hollanders left the dividing of the Presents Mean while this antient Interceder for the Hollanders seem'd to have a great respect for them he being exceedingly pleas'd that they had brought him his desir'd Commodities as Pitch the best Dutch Sail cloth and Garden-Seeds for which he paid according to what they demanded He requested that as soon as possible some European Medicines might be sent him which Wagenaer promis'd faithfully to perform And Sicungodonne told them that he would promote all things that might be advantageous to the Hollanders in their East-India Trade in Which he could do much he being a great Favorite at Court and very intimate with the Councellor Enimosamma through whose hands the greatest Concerns of the Japan Empire pass'd Japan Nobles are bad Pay-masters But as for the Money which the Japan Nobility were in arrears since the Fire which was then two years the Hollanders had no news of it notwithstanding a Japan Secretary call'd Nimon employ'd by Wagenaer several times demanded it for it availed not The Debtors being most of them Persons of great Quality it was dangerous to Dun them also a Servant scarce durst bring such a Message to his Master except he be in a very good humor indeed But amongst other Nobles Oenemidonne deny'd that he had bought any Goods neither could the Interpreters be perswaded or hir'd by Wagenaer to demand Payment of him they pretended to be indispos'd and not in a capacity to ask for Debts Yet Wagenaer sent him a Letter to put him in mind which he receiv'd and promis'd to pay but when sent to according to his promise he deny'd himself his Servants telling those that came that he was gone up into the Countrey Wagenaer receives order to fetch the Emperors Presents in return for his from the Court. Till this time the Emperors Presents which he return'd the Hollanders us'd to be sent them to their Inn but now they receive Order that they should come to Court to fetch them and there likewise have leave for their departure Whereupon Wagenaer went to the Court on the nine and twentieth of April and stay'd an hour in the Waiting-Hall when by Hootye Auwanno Sicungodonne's Successor he was led to an exceeding costly Chamber and within twenty Paces before four of the Councel behind which sat several Persons of great Quality Auwanno gave order to an Interpreter to ask in the Emperor's and Councels Names these following Questions What is propos'd to him there In case the Hollanders ever heard that the Spaniards in the Manilla's or the Portuguese in Goa had any treacherous Design upon Japan if they should come to have timely notioe of it whether or no they would make it known to the Governor of Nangesaque that they might prepare for Resistance with which they would exceedingly get into the Emperor's favor who would requite such a Courtesie by granting them a free Trade without any molestation in Japan Moreover Auwanno added hereto That the Hollanders for the future should be very careful that they Boarded no Chinese Jonks that Traded to Japan so by Robbing them to make the Seas dangerous the Emperor as yet knew nothing of the Jonks that not long since had been taken by them but if they did not give over Pyrating the Hollanders would be sure to repent it for his Imperial Majesty would no ways suffer that the Chineses who were peaceable Neighbors should be disturb'd in their Trade Wagenaer's Answer Wagenaer reply'd The Hollanders do account themselves highly obliged to the Japan Empire therefore they would do all things that might be advantageous to Japan and whenever they had the least knowledge that the Spaniards and Portuguese should Plot against it they would certainly make it known at Nangesaque Concerning the Chinese
Pebble-stones falling from the Hill in abundance In some places Fountains spring up in others flow delightful Rivers which the Fire often swallows or stops up with heaps of burnt Stone There are also great Mill-stones found in the hanging of the Mountain which were cast up Anno 1537. in a terrible Fire The uppermost part of this Mountain smokes continually and sometimes Flames break through it seen above a League in compass the inner parts are consum'd by the Fire a little below the top lyes Snow continually which melts not in the hottest Summer but when the Flames strike downwards it floweth over and pours down into the Valleys like a boyling Stream In the foremention'd year the highest part of Aetna fell into the Hole so that at present it gapes wider but is not so high as formerly The Hole from whence issue the Smoke and Flames emits a continual thundering noise from its fathomless Bottom and the other little Vent-holes always roar Philippus Cluverius says That he saw Stones ejected thence above sixty thousand Paces off and that it also spoil'd a Way with its burning Sulphurous Streams of four Leagues long destroying all things before it Moreover Vesuvius Vesuvius in Italy is also very well known which sometimes boyls over in that manner that it fires Campania Amongst other times this Mountain burnt very terribly the sixth of October Anno 473. the Ashes thereof flying as far as Constantinople The Roman Empire for several years together according to Joseph Scaliger kept a Fast-day in remembrance of that dreadful Conflagration ¶ IT is very well worth bur Labor to make an Inquiry Why those Countreys in which Burning Mountains are found are generally very fruitful as appears by Campania in which Vesuvius vomits continual Smoke and Fire Sicily famous as we said before for Mount Aetna and Siurpurama in the Japan Kingdom Voari The nature of the Earthy Fire It seems without contradiction that there is Fire under Ground which spreads it self through the Bowels of the Earth no otherwise than the natural warmth of a Mans Heart diffuses it self through all his Body This Truth appears plainly because the Earth commonly smokes in the Winter time and the Snow which falls on the Ground that is newly Plowed melts instantly From the Water and Earth Vapors or Mists are drawn up by the Sun and Moon into the Air where being cleansed they fall down again in Hail Rain or Snow which never sink above ten Foot deep into the Ground The Heat of the Sun warming the moist Earth makes the Soil fruitful but the Fire in its Bowels yields no small help thereby as it were thrusting up the Seed and Plants The warm Fountains that spring out of the tops of the Mountains Warm Fountains are no despicable Testimonies for the Water being driven upwards by the Heat forcing its way spouts out not unlike a Still in which the purer Spirits or Moisture goes upwards and through a Pipe come dropping from it or like the Fumes which rise from the Stomach up into the Brain where gathering Substance Nature discharges them through the Mouth or Nose Warm Baths in Japan and other places Also the warm Lakes or Baths do greatly testifie that they are heated by a Fire inclos'd in the Earth for if it were otherwise how could the Japan Water at Singok be of such force that being pour'd on the Body it should scorch the Flesh to the Bone How could the Italian Pool near Parma as Fallopius relates draw Flames to it so that the Water being set on Fire cannot be put out but by throwing Cloth over it or else by a stiff Gale of Wind Sulphur Mountain in Japan It deserves peculiar observation That Siurpurama without ever ceasing should for so many Ages together pour down Sulphurous Streams between decay'd Stones that all the Ground thereabouts is chang'd into a kind of Sulphur Italy about Mutina gives us a sufficient Testimony hereof If the Pits out of which they dig Sulphur are fill'd up with Earth it will in the space of four years be converted into Sulphur Necessity of the Earthy Fire Lastly This Earthly Fire is necessary for the making of Minerals which being boyl'd by the Heat thereof are molted and cleansed The same Fire occasions also Earthquakes wherefore sometimes upon the sinking of the Ground which consum'd underneath falls in terrible Flames break forth To conclude By the abundance of Earthquakes and richness of the Soil may easily be conjectur'd That Japan hides great store of Sulphur in the Bowels of the Earth which there serves for the Food of that Subterranean Fire Indiik's further Journey ¶ BUt Indiik leaving Siurpurama on his Larboard came the fifth of April to Meaco where by his Landlord he immediately made his Return known to the Governor Mackino Sandosamma which presented Indiik with some Silk Coats and gave him leave to depart After which he was carried by the Master of the House where he lodg'd to see a Comedy wherein the Japanners are very neat and exact The Players richly attir'd represent on the Stage all the Transactions of Mankind so well that they are no ways inferior to any of our European Comedians and indeed Indiik would have judg'd better of them could he have understood the Japan Tongue But Indiik having deliver'd a hundred Japan Silk Coats to his Landlord to keep for the East-India Company and seen the great Temple of Dayboth and also several other Temples left Meaco and lodg'd in Fissima where taking Shipping he came to Osacca From the City his Landlord with a great Train of Friends and Servants His Voyage conducted him in two Pleasure-Boats to the Mouth of the River Osacca where the Barque which had the Hollanders Goods aboard lay at Anchor The Wind blowing fresh from the West they could not make Sail. Mean while the Pleasure-Boats lying on each side of the Barque the People went aboard her and made merry with the Japan Wine which they had brought with them to drink at the Ambassadors departure His Journey through Bungo The third of May weighing Anchor on the eleventh with Rowing and Sailing they pass'd by Simonisicci and came to Cokero where Indiik staying a Night hired Horses and Men to travel through Bungo by Land to Nangesaque Description of the Bath at Orismo After he left Cokero he came on the fourteenth day to Orismo where he took great delight in a Stove or Bath which was cover'd with a very handsom Roof The Water came running through Copper Cocks into the Bath from a Brook so hot on one side that none can put in their Fingers without scalding But that which is no less strange and a remarkable Privacy in Nature is that the same Brook on the other side flows extreme cold in one Channel with the hot Water When they prepare a Bath the Master thereof first lets the hot Water run in which he afterwards tempers with the cold as those that
bathe require This Mystery of Nature is grounded on the Earthy Fire by which the Waters being heated in deep Pits spring upwards like a Fountain But some Rivers have several Avenues and narrow Passages under the Earth and so often lose their heat before they come to the top when as others detain their warmth because they flow through wide Channels nearer the Subterranean Fire from whence they rise up directly It therefore happens though very seldom that two Fountains of which one produces warm the other cold Water occasion'd by the foremention'd Reason flow in one Channel because each by its swift Course detains its own Property And so it is with the Brook that in Orismo affords Water for the Bath Baths very ancient and several It appears that the Japanners make use of the Profit which Nature bestows on these Waters according to the Custom of several other People after divers ways For though Bathing was customary in former Ages yet every Countrey observ'd a several way therein The ancient Biscayners took not Water but stinking Piss with which they wash'd their Gums and naked Body The Scythians us'd Women which pour'd Water on Mens Bodies and after painted them with red Stones The Dardanians and Illyrians permitted a Man to Bathe but thrice in his Life-time viz. at his Birth Marriage and Death The ancient Germans made use of a River in which they swam every day though sometimes they went before Meals into a Bath which was formerly observ'd by the Romans as at this day by the Turks Two remarkable Wonders in the Bath at Orismo It will not be amiss to make some inquiry why any one that before he bathes himself makes warm but having bathed it comes cold from him which happens because the Body before bathing is cold but warm'd by bathing makes the Urine cold It is also a strange Mystery that those that when they go to bathe are no ways thirsty by bathing become exceeding dry and on the contrary those that are desirous to drink when they go in shall have no mind at all to it when they come out The Reasons whereof may proceed hence viz. Thirst is occasion'd by Drought wherefore those that begin to bathe when adry the Body draws through the Pores by the inward force of the Vital Spirits the thinnest Moisture by which the Drought is quenched But those that do not go thirsty into the Bath force out their Drink by sweating so that the Body within becomes dry and occasions Thirst The Romans at first had dark and pittiful Baths but when by their Power they had made great Conquests they became Teachers of all Magnificence which amongst other things they express'd in their Baths the erecting and ordering of which Riches of the Baths amaz'd the Eyes of the Beholders A Roman says Seneca thought himself very poor if the Walls of his Bath were not made of Alexandrian Marble and adorn'd with Numidian Ledges a Thesian Stone inclos'd the Water the Floor consisted of pure Silver imboss'd with Pearls and Diamonds and the Edifice rested on stately Pillars being hung round with Pictures drawn by the Hand of the most excellent Masters Moreover they were attended by Barbers Chyrurgeons Men to rub them and help them out and in some to keep their Clothes and other Servants ¶ GReat delight the Holland Ambassador took in this strange Bath at Orismo But at length going forward in his Journey he was nobly entertain'd in the Provinces of Facata and Figen the Lords of which Countreys provided Horses and Men for him causing all the Streets of the Cities through which he pass'd to be clean swept against his coming The Governor of Oenewarimet rode out of the City to meet and fetch in the Ambassador in this order In the first Rank march'd five Japan Soldiers which the Governor follow'd on Horse-back holding a Standard in his Hand behind him came the Emperors Overseer and Warden one after the other under two Umbrelloes made fast on long Sticks each carried by three Men These were follow'd by three Chariots guarded on both sides with Japan Horse and Foot in the middlemost whereof the Holland Ambassador was carried De Stadt OUNEWARI CASTEEL The Citty Ounewari with the Castle Indiik arrives at Nangesaque ¶ THe sixteenth of May Indiik came safe to Nangesaque and found the Servants of the East-India Company on the Island Disma in good health Soon after the Watch on the Nomoan Hills told the Governor of Nangesaque that they descry'd two Sails not far from the Shore Whereupon Indiik having leave to send some small Vessels to discover the Ships sent Ernest Hoogenhoek with three Sloops who saw that it was the Frigat Graveland and the Fly boat call'd the Vinke which were Steering for Nangesaque They brought a Letter with them written the eighteenth of May 1661 in the Fort Zelandia sign'd by Frederick Cojet John Oetjens of Waveren Thomas of Ypre and David Harthouwen The Contents these A Letter from Cojet concerning Coxenga's Onâ—et upon Formosa Coxenga coming with three hundred Sail extraordinarily Mann'd through the Lakjemonian Straights Landed in Formosa the thirteenth of April and instantly made himself Master of the whole Island The Fort Provincia yielded upon the first Assault of the Chineses The Hollanders that liv'd up and down Formosa are all cruelly murder'd The City near the Castle Zealandia lies in Ashes in several places but plunder'd in all The Fort Zelandia was closely besieg'd From the Hector Frigat which engag'd with several Jonks and was blown up by her own Powder none were sav'd The Ships Graveland and Mary found themselves unable to engage with Coxenga's Fleet wherefore they fled from them The Ships de Vink and Immenhorne come hither from Kelang if they should want Provisions or by their Enemies be forc'd to put to Sea again they shall come to Japan to fetch all things that you can send to our Assistance with Provisions as Rice Meal and Japan Wine for our Store in the Castle begins to grow very scarce Indiik immediately made this sorrowful News known by an Interpreter to the Governor of Nangesaque whilst the Ships Graveland and the Vink came to an Anchor before Disma The Governor desir'd to have the whole Business of Formosa in Writing And that he might have a true Account thereof Indiik order'd that the Merchant Nicholas Loenius the Minister Mark Massius and the Captain of the Graveland should come ashore and relate the whole Circumstance Chineses Storm the Fort Zelandia Indiik understood moreover That Coxenga fired day and night from a Platform with twelve Demiculverins against the Fort Zelandia and that already Waveren's House was shot down and a great Breach made in the Wall yet the Besieg'd remain'd not in his debt for Cojet sallying out with a Select Party made himself Master of the Platform and the twelve Guns two of which he carried into the Castle and the rest he made useless and that