Pedro Morejon

“ That which I would wish you to reflect vpon, is only the bad successe euen in temporall affayres which in the end befell to such persons that for worldly respectes, eyther forsooke theyr religion, or without care of theyr conscience behaued themselues to the discredit therof: and how on the contrary those that were constant therein, and carefull to frame theyr liues according thereunto, besides theyr happines in heauen, & honour vpon earth, through the Paternall prouidence of Almighty God, were euer in the end after some suffering sufficiently prouided for. ”

“ They do contemne all other Nations in the world in comparison of themselues, from whence proceedeth the small account they make of any strangers that come into theyr country. Pouerty doth not with them diminish Nobility, nor Gentility nor wealth gaine or increase it. The better sort do vse great cerimonies of honour and courtesy one towardes another: yea the common people as tradesmen and artificers must be vsed with respect, or else you shall obteyne nothing at theyr handes: neyther will they put vp iniury at any man without complete reuenge. ”

“ They yeeld no wheate nor rye, nor any such like graine, at least but very small: the chiefe thinge they beare is rice, which they bring forth in great aboundance: they haue the same kind of birdes and beastes that we of Europe, both wild and tame, though the Inhabitantes seldome eate the flesh of any vnlesse at sometimes it be of Venison. ”

“ And because there be some things in the discourse of this relation which proceding from an extraordinary feruour, are rather to be admired of all, then imitated of any that is not after an especiall manner moued by Almighty God, as we may prudẽtly iudge those persons were that did them ”

“ They haue diuers fashions very different from ours: with vs men weare hattes & women euer somethinge on theyr heades: they both men and women go bareheaded at all times, and in all occasions, both in the heate and could, in sunne and wind, in haile, in snow and raine: they mourne in white as we do in blacke, & blacke with them is worne in signe of ioy: we hould it good to haue white teeth, they thinke it otherwise, and therefore dye them black: we get on horse blacke on the right side, they on the left: we when in meeting we salute put of our hattes, they put of theyr shoes. ”

“ When they visit one another, he that is visited must not go out to meete the other that commeth to visit him, nor rise vp if he be set in any place, but rather contrary, if he be standing he sittes downe to receiue him. Our manner of musicke is not gratefull vnto them, our meates distastfull, our sweet odoriferous smels odious and abominable. They cure their sicke quite contrary to vs, giuing them raw meates, and salt and sower thinges to eate. In steed of kniues and spoones they vse two woodden stickes exceeding curiously, and after a farre neater fashion then we they vse to eate their meate. ”

“ Since those times to these, he hath euer beene accounted King our Emperor of Iapone that could by any meanes make himvelfe Lord of the Tenca, that is, of some few Kingdomes or Prouinces neere adioyning to Meaco, which is the principall Citty of all those countreys, as London is in ours; and so in our dayes there haue beene three who haue had the name and authority of Emperour one after the other, not by any right or title of election or inheritance, but obteyned by maine force, or other wrongfull meanes. The first of them was called Nobunanga who conquered six and thirty Kingdomes. ”

“ They are very carefull not to shew feare or cowardize in any case: they stand much vpon theyr grauity, and therefore they carry thẽselues alwaies very soberly & after a stayed manner: in so much that it is held a wondrous inciuility for any to make any great noyse, as shouting, hollowing, or the like, whether it be in publike or priuate, at home or abroad. ”

“ To bring vp theyr children to hardnes, as soone as they be new borne they wash them in some riuer, and when they be weaned from the nurse, they take them from theyr mothers, & bring them vp most commonly in exercise of hunting & the like: when they come to a certaine age they change the former & fashion of their apparrel, vsing therein very many cerimonies. ”

“ Their Bonzos which be those that teach and preach vnto them, as our preistes to vs, be deuided into ten or eleuen diuers Sectes, very contrary amongst themselues, though the most of them do agree in denying the prouidence of God, and immortality of the soule, the which they do to the end they may liue with more liberty, and more freely giue thẽselues to al kind of lewd licentiousnes. ”

“ The King of Arima also name dDon Protasio, and his brother Don Bartholomew Prince of Omura, a most pious and valerous Gentleman, diuers other Noble men; who all agreeing amongst themselues to the end of the whole world might vnderstand how sincerely they did beleeue and imbrace the fayth of Christ, in the yeare 1583. ”

“ Theyr common fare is hearbes, and fish, and ryce, of the which they also make a kind of wine, although theyr ordinary drinke be warme water into the which in feastes and banquets they put a certaine ponder much esteemed of them, the which is called Cha. Theyr buildinges for the most part be of wood, partly because they haue but little store of stone, and wood in great aboundance, especially Cedar ”

“ And it is the custom amongst them when they take from any one their Prouince or Estate, or change them to another, that al the gentlemen and souldiers that did depẽd vpon that person, do leaue that prouince togither with him, and either go with him, or else seeke meanes to liue in some other place, the tradesemen, artificers, husbandmen, and laborers onely remaining therein. ”

“ The second Taycosama, or Quambacù, who being a man very meanely borne, brought vnder his dominion fifty Kingdomes or Prouinces. The third is the Xogun who reygneth at the present, and hath raysed the persecution (whereof this booke intreateth) agains the Christians, and he as it seemeth is acknowledged as Lord of all the threescore and six Kingdomes of Iaponia. ”