The 10th Three Others Were Executed In The Same Way With The Former,
Being Beheaded And Afterwards Cut In Pieces, For Stealing A Woman Long
Since From Firando And Selling Her At Nangasaki.
When any are to be
executed, they are led out of town in the following manner:
First there
go two men, one having a mattock and the other a shovel, to dig the
grave, if that be allowed to the criminal. Then a third person carrying
a small table or board, on which is written the crime of the party,
which is afterwards affixed to a post on the grave in which he is
buried. Next comes the party to be executed, having his hands bound
behind him by a silken cord, and having a small paper banner, much like
one of our wind-vanes, on which the offence is written. The criminal is
followed by the executioner, having his cattan or Japanese sword by
his side, and holding in his hand the cord with which the hands of the
criminal are bound. On each hand of the executioner walks a soldier
armed with a pike, the head of which rests on the criminal's shoulder,
to intimidate him from attempting to escape. In this manner I saw one
man led out to execution, who went forwards with a most wonderful
resolution, and apparently without fear of death, such as I had never
seen the like in Europe. He was condemned for stealing a sack of rice
from a neighbour, whose house was burning.
The 11th there arrived three Chinese junks at Nangasaki, laden with
silks. The 19th the old king begged a piece of poldavy from me; and
though a king, and famed as the bravest soldier in Japan for his conduct
in the wars of Corea, he had it made into coats, which he wore next his
skin, some part of it being made into handkerchiefs. The 20th, a soma
or junk arrived at Nangasaki from Cochinchina, laden with silk and
benzoin, which last was exceedingly clear and good. The 29th Mr Adams
arrived at Firando, having been seventeen days in coming from Sorongo,
while we had waited no less than forty-eight days for his coming.[12]
After receiving him in a friendly manner, I conferred with him in the
presence of our merchants, as to our hopes of trade in this country. He
said the trade was variable, but doubted not we might do as well as the
Dutch, and gave great commendations of the country, to which he seemed
to be much attached.
[Footnote 12: The first messenger, for not making haste with the letters
to Adams, was banished by the angry king. - Purch.]
On the morning of the 30th, an officer of the young king was cut to
pieces in the street, as it was thought for being too intimate with the
young king's mother; and one of the officer's slaves was slain along
with him, for endeavouring to defend his master. This day there came two
Spaniards to Firando, who were acquainted with Mr Adams, to request a
passage in our ship for Bantam. They had belonged to the crew of a
Spanish ship, sent from New Spain about a year before to make
discoveries to the north of Japan, and coming to Jedo to wait the
monsoon which serves for going to the northward, which begins in the end
of May, the crew mutinied against their captain, and every one went
away whither he listed, leaving the ship entirely unmanned. On receiving
this account of the Spaniards, I thought it best not to let them enter
my ship.
On the 3d of August, king Foyne sent to know what was the size of the
present from our king to the emperor, as also the number of people I
meant to take along with me to the court, that he might provide
accordingly for my going up in good order, in regard to barks, horses,
and palanquins. This day likewise I caused the presents to be assorted,
for the emperor and those of chief consideration about him, of which
presents respectively the values were as follow: -
Sec.7. Journey of Captain Saris to the Court of the Emperor, with his
Observations there and by the Way.
The 7th August, 1613, being furnished by king Foyne with a proper
galley, and having taken leave of him, I went aboard ship to put all
things in order for my departure.[13] This galley rowed twenty-five-oars
of a side, and was manned by sixty Japanese; and I fitted her out
handsomely in our fashion, with waste cloths, ensigns, and all other
necessaries. Leaving instructions with the master of the Clove and the
cape merchant, for the proper regulation of the ship and the house on
shore during my absence, and taking with me ten Englishmen and nine
other attendants, as the before-mentioned sixty were only to take charge
of the galley, I departed from Firando on my voyage and journey for the
court of the Japanese emperor. We rowed through among various islands,
all or most of which were well inhabited, and had several handsome towns
upon them, one of which, called Facata, has a very strong castle built
of freestone, but without any cannon or garrison. The ditch of this
castle is five fathoms deep and ten broad, all round about the walls,
and is passed by means of a drawbridge, and the whole is kept in good
repair. The tide and wind were here so strong against us that we could
not proceed, for which reason I landed and dined at this town, which was
very well built, and seemed to be as large as London is within the
walls.
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