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THe next day the Chinese Necoda disimbarqued all his commodities, as the Nautaquim had enjoyned him, and put them into sure rooms, which were given him for that purpose,
and in three dayes he sold them all, as well for that he had not many, as because his good for∣tune was such that the Country was at that time utterly unfurnished thereof, by which means this Pirate profited so much, that by this Sale he wholly recovered himself of the losse of the six & twenty Saile which the Chinese Pirate had taken from him; for they gave him any price he de∣manded, so that he confessed unto us, that of the value of some five and twenty hundred Taeis which he might have in goods, he made above thirty thousand. Now as for us three Portugals, having nothing to sell, we imployed our time either in fishing, hunting, or seeing the Temples of these Gentiles, which were very sumptuous and rich, whereinto the Bonzes, who are their priests, received us very courteously, for indeed it is the custome of th••se of Iappon to be ex∣ceeding kind and courteous. Thus we having little to do, one of us, called Diego Zeimoto, went many times a shooting for his pleasure in an Harquebuse that he h••d, wherein he was very expert, so that going one day by chance to a certain M••rsh, where there was great store of fowl, he killed at that time about six and twenty wild Ducks; In the mean time these peo∣ple beholding this manner of shooting, which they had never seen before, were much amazed at it, insomuch that it came to the notice of the Nautaquim, who was at that instant riding of horses, and not knowing what to think of this novelty sent presently for Zeimoto, just as he was shooting in the Marsh, but when he saw him come with his Harquebuse on his shoulder and two Chineses with him carrying the fowl, he wasso mightily taken with the matter, as he could not sufficiently admire it: for whereas they had never seen any Gun before in that Coun∣try, they could not comprehend what it might be, so that for want of understanding the se∣cret of the powder, they all concluded that of necessity it must be some Sorcery; Thereupon Zeimoto seeing them so astonished, and the Nautaquim so contented, made three shoots before them, whereof the effect was such▪ that he kill••d one Kite, and two Turtle Doves; In a word then, and not to lose time, by endeering the matter with much Speech, I will say no more, but that the Nautaquim caused Zeimoto to get up on the horses croupper behind him, and so accompanied with a great croud of people, and four Hushers, who with Battouns headed with iron went before him, crying a••l along the streets, Know all men, that the Nautaquim, Prince of this Island of Tanixuma••, and Lord of our heads, enjoyns and expresly commands▪ That all persons whatsoever, which inhabit the Land that lies between the two Seas, do honour thi•• Chenchicogim, of the further end of the world, for even at this present and for hereafter he makes him his kinsman, in such manner as the Jacharons are, who sit next his Person; and whosoever shall not do so willingly, he shall be sure to lose his head. Whereunto all the people answered with a great noise; We will do so for ever. In this pomp Zeimoto being come to the Pallace gate, the Nautaquim alighted from his horse, and taking him by the hand, whilest we two followed on foot a prety way after, he led him into his Court, where he made him sit with him at his own table, and to honour him the more, he would needs have him lodg there that night, shewing many other favours to him afterwards, and to us also for his sake. Now Zeimoto conceiving, that he could not better acknowledge the honour which the Nautaquim did him, then by giving him his Harquebuse, which he thought would be a most accep∣t••ble present unto him; on a day when he came home from shooting, he ••endred it unto him with a number of Pigeons and Turtle-doves, which he received very kindly, as a thing of great value, assuring him that he esteemed of it more, then of all the treasures of China, and giving him withall in recompence thereof a thousand Taeis in silver, he desired him to teach him how to make the powder, saying, that without that the Harquebuse would be of no use to him, as being but a piece of unprofitable iron, which Zeimoto promised him to do, and according∣ly performed the same. Now the Nautaquim taking pleasure in nothing so much as shooting in this Harquebuse, and his Subjects perceiving that they could not content him better in any thing, then in this, wherewith he was so much delighted, they took a pattern of the said Har∣quebuse to make others by it, & the effect thereof was such, that before our departure (whichwas five months & an half after) there was six hundred of them made in the Country; nay I will say more, that afterwards, namely▪ the l••st time that the Vice-roy Don Alphonso de Noro••ha sent me thither with a present to the K••ng of Bungo, which happened in the year 1556. those of Iap∣pon affirmed, that in the City of Fucheo, being the chief of that Kingdom, there were above thirty thousand; whereat finding my self to be much amazed, for that it seemed impossible unto me, that this invention should multiply in such sort, certain Merchants of good credit as∣sured me that in the whole Island of Iappon there were above three hundred thousand Har∣quebuses, and that they alone had transported of them in the way of trade to the Country of
the Lequios, at ••ix several times, to the number of five and twenty hundred; so that by the means of that one, which Zeimoto presented to the Nautaquim in acknowledgment of the honour and good offices that he had done h••m, as I have declared be••ore, the Country was filled with such abundance of them, as at this day there is not so small an h••mlet but ••ath an hundred at the least; for as for Cities and great Towns they have them by thousands, whereby one may perceive what the inclination of this people is, and how much they are na∣turally addicted to the wars, wherein they take more delight, then any other Nation that we know.
We had been now three and twenty dayes in the Island of Tanixumaa, where very conten∣tedly we past away the time, either in fishing, fowling, or hunting, whereunto these people of Iappon are much addicted, when as a vessel belonging to the King of Bungo a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in that Port, in the which were divers men of quality, and certain Merchants, who••as ••oon as ••h••y were land∣ed went to wait upon the Nautaquim with their presents, according to the usual▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Country: Amongst them there was an ancient man, very well att••nd••d, and unto whom the rest carried much respect, that falling on his knees before the Nautaquim, presented him with a letter, and a rich Court••lass garnished with gold, together with a box full of ve••••iloes, which the Nautaquim received with a great deal of ceremony: Then having spent some time with him in asking of certain questions, he read the letter to himself, and thereupon having remained a prety while as it were in suspenc••, and dismissed the bearer thereof from his pre∣sence, with an express charge unto those about him to see him honourably entertained, he cal∣led us unto him, and commanded the Truchman that was there by, to use these words unto us, My good Friends, I intreat you that you will hear this letter read, which is sent me from my Lord and Vncle, and then I will let you know what I desire of you; So giving it to a Treasurer of his, he commanded him to read it, which instantly he did, and these were the contents of it, Thou right eye of my face, Hyascarangoxo, Nautaquim of Tanixuma, I Or∣gemdoo, who am your Father in the true love of my bowels, as he from whom you have taken the name and being of your Person, King of Bungo and Facataa, Lord of the great House of Fiancima, Tosa, and Bandou, Chief Soveraign of the petty Kings of the Islands of Go∣to, and Xamanaxequa, I give you to understand, my Son, by the words of my mouth, which are spoken of your person, that some dayes since certain men, coming from your Country, have assured me, that you have in your Town three Chenchicogims of the other end of the world, men that accommodate themselves very well with those of Japan, are clothed in silk, and u∣sually wear swords by their sides, not like Merchants that use traffique, but in the quality of persons that make profession of honour, and which by that only mean pretend to render their names immortal; Moreover I have heard for a truth, that these same men have entertain∣ed you at large with all matters of the whole Vniverse, and have affirmed unto you on their faith that there is another world greater then ours, inhabited with black and tawny people, of whom they have told you things most incredible to our judgment, for which cause I infinite∣ly desire you, as if you were my Son, that by Fiangeandono, whom I have dispatched from hence to visit my daughter, you will send me one of those three strangers, which I am told you have in your house; the rather for that you know my long in••isposition, accompanied with so much pain and grief, hath great need of some diversion: Now if it should happen that they would not be willing thereunto, you may then assure them, as well on your own faith, as on mine, that I will not fail to return them back in all safety; whereupon, like a good Son that desires to please his Father, so order the matter that I may rejoyce my self in the sight if them, and so have my desire accomplished. What I have further to say unto you, my Ambassadour Fingeandono shall acquaint you with, by whom I pray you liberally import to me the good news of your person, and that of my daughter, seeing she is as you know the apple of my right eye, whereof the sight is all the joy of my face. From the house of Fucheo the seventh Ma∣moque of the Moon. After that the Nautaquim had heard this letter read; The King of Bun∣go, said he unto us, is my Lord, and my Vncle, the brother of my mother, and above all he is my good Father, for I call him by that name, because he is so to my wife, which is the rea∣son that he loves me no less then his own children, wherefore I count my self exceedingly bound unto him, and do so much desire to please him, that I could now find in my heart to give the best part of my Estate for to be transformed into one of you, as well for to go unto him, as to give him the content of seeing you, which out of the knowledge I have of his dis∣position, I am assured he will value more then all the treasures of China; Now having thus
acquainted you with his desire, I earnestly intreat you to render your selves conformable there∣unto, and that one of you two will take the pains to go to Bungo, there to see that King whom I hold for my Father, and my Lord, for as for this other to whom I have given the name and being of a kinsman, I am not willing to part with him till he hath taught me to shoot as well as himself. Hereupon Christovano Borralho, and I, greatly satisfied with the Nautaquim's courtesie, answered him, that we kiss••d his Highness hands for the exceeding honour he did us in vouchsafing to make use of us, and seeing it was his pleasure so to do, that he should for that effect make choice of which of us two he thought best, and he should not faile to be suddainly ready for the voyage. At these words standing a while in musing to himself, he look∣ed on me, and said, I am resolved to send him there, because he seems not so solemn, but is of a more lively humou••, wherewith those of Iapon are infinitely delighted, and may thereby cheer up the sick man, whereas the too serious gravity of this other, said he, turning him to Borralho, though very commendable for more important matters, would serve but to enter∣tain his melancholy in stead of diverting it. Thereupon falling into merry discourse and jest∣ing with those about him, whereunto the people of Iapon are much inclined, the Fingeandono arrived, unto whom he presented me, with a special and particular recommendation touching the assurance of my person, wherewith I was not only well satisfied, but had my mind also cleared from certain doubts, which out of the little knowledge I had of these peoples humours, had formerly troubled me. This done, the Nautaquim commanded two hundred Taeis to be given me for the expence of my voyage, whereupon the Fingeandono and I imbarqued our selves in a vessel with O••rs, called a Funce, and in one night having traversed all this Island of Tanixumaa, the next morning we c••st anchor in an Haven, named Hiamangoo, from whence we went to a good Town, called Quanquixumaa, and so continuing our course afore the wind, with a very fair gale, we arrived the day ensuing at a very sweet place, named Tanora, whence the morrow after we went to Minato, and so forward to a Fortress of the King of Bungoes, cal••ed Osquy, where the Fingeandono stayed some time, by reason that the Captain of the place (who was his Brother in law) found himself much indisposed in his health. There we left the vessel in which we came, and so went by land directly to the City, where being arrived about noon, the Fingeandono, because it was not a time fit to wait upon the King, went to his own house. After dinner having rested a little, and shifted himself into a better habit, he mounted on horsback, and with certain of his friends rode to the Court, carrying me along with him, where the King was no sooner advertised of his coming, but he sent a Son of his a∣bout nine or ten years of age to receive him, who accompanied with a number of Noble-men, richly apparelled, and his Ushers with their Maces going before him, took the Fingeandono by the hand, and beholding him with a smiling countenance; May thy entrance, said he unto him, into this house of the King my Lord, bring thee as much content and honour as thy chil∣dren deserve, and are worthy, being thine, to sit at table with me in the solemn Feasts. At these words the Fingeandono prostrating himself on the ground; My Lord, answered he, I most humbly beseech them that are in Heaven above, which have taught thee to be so cour∣teous and so good, either to answer for me, or to give me a tongue so voluble, as may express my thankfulness in terms agreeable to thy ears for the great honour thou art pleased to do me at this present, for in doing otherwise I should offend no less, then those ingratefull wretches, which inhabit the lowest pit of the profound and obscure house of smoak: This said, he offered to kiss the Curtelass which the young Prince wore by his side, which he would by no means permit, but taking him by the hand, he led him to the King his Father, unto whom, lying sick in his bed, he delivered a letter from the Nautaquim, which after he had read, he commanded him to call me in from the next room where I staid attending, which instantly he did, and pre∣sented me to the King, who entertaining me very graciously. Thy arrival, said he unto me, in this my Country is no less pleasing to me, then the rain which falls from Heaven is profita∣ble to our fields that are sowed with Rice. Finding my self somewhat perplexed with the no∣velty of these terms, and this manner of salutation, I made him no answer for the instant, which made the King say to the Lords that were about him, I ••magine that this str••nger is daunted with seeing so much company here, for that peradventure he hath not been accustomed unto it, wherefore I hold it fit to remit him unto some other time, when as he may be better acquaint∣ed, and not be so abashed at the sight of people. Upon this Speech of the Kings I answered by my Truchm••n, that whereas his Highness had said that I was daunted, I confessed that it was true, not in regard of so many folks as were about me, because I had seen far many more,
but that my amazement proceeded from the consideration that I was now before th•• feet of so great a King, which was sufficient to make me mute an hundred thous••nd years, if I could live so long▪ I added further, that those which were present there seemed to me but men, as I my self was, but as for his Highness, that God had given him such great advantages above all, as it was his pleasure that he should be Lord, and that others should be meer servants, yea, and that I my self was but a silly Ant, in comparison of his greatness, so that his Majesty could not see me in regard of my smalness, nor I in respect thereof be able to answer unto his demands. All the Assistants made such account of this mad answer of mine, as clapping their hands by way of astonishment, they said unto the King, Mark I beseech your Highness how he speaks to purpose; verily it seems that this man is not a Merchant, which meddles with base things as buying and selling, but rather a Bonzo, that offers sacrifices for the people, or if not so, sure∣ly he is some great Captain that hath a long time scoured the Seas. Truly, said the King, I am of the same opinion, now that I see him so resolute; but let every man be silent, because I purpose that none shall speak to him but my self alone, for I assure you that I take so much de∣light in hearing him talk, that at this instant I feel no pain. At those words the Queen and her daughters, which were set by him, were not a little glad, and falling on their knees, with their hands li••••ed up to Heaven, they thanked God for this his great goodness unto him.
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