In The Third PART Of Our Collection, Various Other Relations
Of Japan Will Be Inserted." - E.
[Footnote 53:
These are appended in the Pilgrims, vol. I. pp. 406 - 413,
to the observations of Mr. Richard Cocks, already given in conjunction
with the voyage of Captain Saris. - E.]
No. I. Letter from Mr Richard Cocks, dated Firando, 10th December,
1614.[54]
To this day, I have been unable to complete my old books of accounts,
owing to the dispatching of our people, some to one place and some to
another, and owing to the rebuilding of our house, and afterwards buying
a junk, and repairing her. She is now ready to set sail for Siam, having
been at anchor these ten days, waiting for a fair wind to proceed on her
voyage, at Couchi, a league from Firando, where your ship rode at your
departure from hence. She is called the Sea-Adventure, of about 200 tons
burden, in which Mr Adams goes as master, with Mr Wickham and Mr Edward
Sayers as merchants, in consequence of the death of Mr Peacock, slain in
Cochin-China, and the probability that Mr Carwarden has been cast away
in his return from thence, as we have no news of him or of the junk in
which he sailed, as I have at large informed the worshipful company.
[Footnote 54: This letter appears to have been written to Captain
Saris. - E.]
Since your departure from Japan, the emperor has banished all jesuits,
priests, nuns, and friars, from the country, shipping them off for
Anacau [Macao] in China, or Manilla in the Philippine islands, and has
caused all their churches and monasteries to be pulled down or burnt.
Foyne Same, the old king of Firando, is dead, and Ushiandono, his
governor, with two other servants, cut open their bellies to bear him
company, their bodies being burned, and their ashes entombed along with
his. Wars are likely to ensue between Ogusho Same, the old emperor,
and Fidaia Same, the young prince, son of Tico Same, who has
strongly fortified himself in the castle of Osaka, having collected an
army of 80,000 or 100,000 men, consisting of malcontents, runaways, and
banished people, who have repaired from all parts to his standard, and
he is said to have collected sufficient provisions for three years. The
old emperor has marched against him in person, with an army of 300,000
men, and is at the castle of Fusima. The advanced parties of the two
armies have already had several skirmishes, and many have been slain on
both sides. The entire city of Osaka has been burned to the ground,
excepting only the castle, so that Mr Eaton had to retire with his goods
to Sakey,[55] yet not without danger, as a part of that town has
likewise been burnt. So great a tempest or tuffoon has lately occurred
at Edoo [Jedo,] as had never been before experienced at that place.
The sea overflowed the whole city, obliging the people to take refuge on
the hills:
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