My Intent Is To Present Others With Their Acts, And Myself With
Prayers, That All May Be Amended." - Purchas.
* * * * *
It is now almost three years since I wrote your worship any letter.
The
purpose of this is to inform you of the unlooked for and unruly
proceedings of the Hollanders against our English nation, in all these
parts of the world, not sparing us even in this empire of Japan,
contrary to the large privileges granted to us by the emperor, that the
Japanese should not meddle with or molest us. But these Hollanders,
having this year seven ships great and small in this port of Firando,
have, with sound of trumpet, proclaimed open war against our English
nation, both by sea and land, threatening to take our ships and goods,
and to kill our persons, as their mortal enemies. This was done by one
Adam Westarwood, their admiral or lord-commander, as they call him, and
was openly proclaimed aboard all their ships. They have even come to
brave us before our own doors, picking quarrels with us, and forcibly
entering our house, thinking to have cut all our throats, yet only
wounded two persons; and, had it not been for the assistance of the
Japanese our neighbours, who took our parts, they had assuredly slain us
all, as there were an hundred Hollanders to one Englishman. Not
contented with this, they took our boat when going about our business,
in which was one Englishman, whom they carried prisoner to their house,
threatening to put him to death; and indeed he was in imminent danger,
among a crowd of drunken fellows, who threatened to stab him with their
knives.
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