Read Ebook: Diary of Richard Cocks Volume 2 Cape-Merchant in the English Factory in Japan 1615-1622 with Correspondence by Cocks Richard Thompson Edward Maunde Sir Editor

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 291 lines and 62581 words, and 6 pages

We envited the Hollanders to dyner with Cacazemon Dono, Stroyemon 236 Dono, and Jentero Donos secretary; and had the dansing beares.

He took it in very good parte, and gave us frendly speeches and made us colation.

And I rec. a letter from Firando from Mr. Eaton, dated the 18th and kept till the 22th ultimo, wherin he writes that the King of Firando or his offecars have let the Japons cary 3 of our men to Nangasaque to sell them to the Spaniardes; and that the Japons are kept presoners in our howse still; and that Torazamon Dono sent hym word he should geve them meate and drink, which he retorned answer I had left order to the contrary.

to Dayeynanga Samma, the Emperours sonne.

to Sacky Bingo Dono, his governor or secretary.

We did this in respect she is Queene of Firando and now greate with childe, and within short tyme to goe from hence for Firando, she not having byn theare as yett.

And soe we went to Hollanders to dyner, and they came to us to supper, we having in thafter nowne vizeted the pagod of Ottongo Fachemon, the god of war, which out of dowbt is the devill, for his pickture sheweth it, made in forme as they paint the devill, and mounted upon a wild bore without bridell or saddell, and hath wings on his shoulders, as Mercury is paynted to have.

And I sent Capt. Camps, viz.:--

And Cacazemon Dono and Stroyemon Dono came to vizet me, the first bringing me a present of wallnuttes and a salt salmon.

And Capt. Camps came and brought the articles which we ment to present to the King of Firandos brother and to Torazemon Dono, wrot in Japons, the coppies whereof we keepe; in which we laid open all our grevanses, having remeaned soe many yeares in Japon and setled our selves at Firando, when we might as well have made choise of any other province in Japon, and now to be soe misused to have som of our people kild and others extremly misused; and, lastly, others carid away captives to 244 be sould to our enemies; which yf it were not remedied, there was noe staying for us in Japon. Unto which Torazemon Dono answered that all should be amended and our people retorned, and that the King of Firando, his master, knew nothing therof. But I dowbt all will prove words, as hitherto we doe finde it. Yet Torazemon Dono sent word he would now procure our dispach to content.

And late at night Yasimon Dono, Gonrok Donos clark, came to vizet me, as he said, unknowne to his master, and tould me his master thought much in that we and the Hollanders did vizet Chawno Shozero Dono at Miaco and came not to hym, his howse being in the same streete, right over against the other, and he, as he thought, in frenshipp with both our nations. Unto which I answered that I did not know his Lordshipps howse was in that street, nether that he was in Miaco; but, to the contrary, was enformed he was at Fushamy; and therefore desired pardon yf I had offended therin; and that I ment to vizet his Lordshippe 245 before I went from hence, as I made accompt Capt. Camps would doe the like; only I was ashamed we had noe good thing to present his Lordshipp withall, and to goe emptie handed to a personage of his quallety was not good. But he answered me that was all one, whether we carid a present or noe; only he knew we should be welcom and our visetation taken in good parte; but I should not say he came to me.

Also Torazemon Dono, with the other gentelmen at play yistarday, envited per Capt. Camps, did envite them selves for to morow to an other Japon play to me, which I could not deny. Soe I envited Capt. Camps and the Duch to it, with the Hollandes host, and Jno. Yossens sonne, and the children and others of Capt. Adams, our host.

? Hizen, in Kiushiu.

Iyo, in Shikoku.

There was an earthquake this evening about 9 a clock at night, which shook much for a small tyme.

And, as I am enformed, there will be warrs shortly in Japon betwixt themperour and his uncle; for themperour sent to hym to com and doe his obesance, as other subjectes doe, or else he would take his revenews from hym. But he retorned answer he owed hym noe such service, and that yf he went about to take his inheritance from hym, he would defend it by armes. Soe that 10 princes are sent to hym to turne his mynd; yf not, then warrs will ensue.

We could doe nothing about procuring our dispach this day, per means of the tempestious wether.

Also this night, about 10 a clock, was an earthquake, but not of much contynewance.

And about midnight was a fire in the towne, and much hurleburly.

And as Capt. Camps and I were about to goe to thank the nobles for our dispach, word was brought us we might departe when we would, and leave som one behind us to receve the present themperour ment to geve us, for that as yet it was not ready; which truly is the greatest wrong or indignety that eaver hitherto was offered to any Christians, and I think is donne of purpose per meanes of the King of Firando, whose mother is a papisticall Jesuist, and he and the rest of his bretheren and sisters papisticall Christians. Soe that I think it is impossible 251 that we shall eaver have good entertaynment in his cuntrey. God send me and the rest of our nation well out of it.

Also we gave these presentes following in our house:--

Kanagawa.

Shinagawa.

Capt. Camps had a letter in Japons how Cornelius died within 3 daies after he arived from Osacky to Firando, and that the shipp departed to Molucas.

Odawara.

Hakone.

Numadsu.

Kambara.

Ejiri.

Okabe.

Kanaya.

Fakuroi.

Hamamatsu.

Arai.

Yoshida. 256

CORRESPONDENCE.

Right worshipfull,--

The 12th of June we came to an ancor in the haven of Firando, in Japan, where the kinge of the place receaved us very kyndlie; Mr. Adams not being theare, but had heard of our coming per meanes of a letter sent from Sr. Thomas Smith, which caused hym to leave order with his host to send a post to hym at our coming, which he did, and our Generall wrot hym 3 severall letters, yet he arived not at Firando till the 29th of July. And the 7th of August our Generall departed for the Japan court, Mr. Adams accompanyinge hym. And it was the 6th November before he did retorne for Firando, it provinge a tediouse jorney. Yet he obtayned all priveleges that he did demand. God grant the trade may prove as benefitiall as hetherto our succeadinges have byn suckcesfull. The only crose hath byn the runinge away of 7 of our marreners in the abcense of our Generall, viz. John Bowles, Christopher Evans, Jno. Sars, Clement Lock, and Jno. Totty, Englishe men, and Jasper Malconty, and one Jaques, Flemyngs; but Bowles and Evans were the instigators of the rest. They stole away the skiffe and went for Langasaque, and there took sanctuary in the papist churches, and weare secretly convayed away for the Phillipinas per the 258 Jesuistes; but the skiffe we recovered againe.

Mr. Adams is of the opynion that, yf eaver the northeast or northwest passages be fownd out, it must be from these partes, and offreth his best services therein, the Emperour promisinge his best fortherance with men or letters of recomendacions to all prinses, and hath entrance allready into an iland called Yedzo, which is thought to be rather som parte of the continent of Tartaria. Mr. Adams hath drawne out the plot of Japan, with parte of that iland and Corea and other bordering places, and sendeth it to your Worships per this conveance.

Yt is certen that the Hollanders had taken this discovery in hand 259 before now, but that they have soe many irons in the fyre allready with their wars in the Molucas against the Spaniardes.

I am sory that I canot instantly write your Worships of much benefitt to be made in these partes; yet I see both the Spaniard, Portingale, and Duche look out very sharplie about matters of trade. And, yf they doe good, I hope in tyme we shall doe the lyke, in havinge care and usinge dilligence, for out of dowbte heare is greate store of silver in these partes, and, could we gett any greate quantety of broad cloth to vent, it wold prove a greate matter, allthough at low rates; but as yet they are soe adicted to silks, that they doe not enter into consideration of the benefitt of wearinge cloth. But tyme may altar their myndes, and in the meane tyme we must seeke out other matters benefitiall, as I have formerly said other men doe; and, for my owne part, soe long as I stay in these partes in your Worps. service, I will use my best endevour.

At Firando in Japan, the 30th November, 1613. Your Worps. duringe lyfe at comand, RIC. COCKS.

RICHARD COCKS TO RICHARD WICKHAM.

January the , 1613, Firando in Japan.

Mr. Wickham,--It being generally agreed upon that yow make a voyage for Edow, Sherongo, and those partes of Japan, with such a cargezon of goods and merchandiz as I should think fyttinge, beinge assisted with Capt. Adams, for the better dispaching your busynes with the Emperour, with whome yow know he hath good 260 entrance and no other employments for hym at present; yet, those matters of the Emperour being past, I pray yow detayne hym not theare, but will hym to make as much speede as he can back for Firando, where there will be necessary use of hym.

And being arived in those partes, my opynion is that yow take up your lodginge in the best merchantes howse in the towne, where yow may have a gadonge fyrefree, to prevent the danger therof, which is not unknowne unto yow this cuntrey is much subject unto. And to live under the roofe of a naturall Japan is better then to be in the howse of any stranger, be he Duch, Spaniard, Portingall, or of any other nation whatsoever. And the better mans howse yow lye at, the more creditt it will be for yow, and the more securetie yow will live in what occation soeaver happen. I my selfe speake this per experience, as havinge made proofe thereof. And have an espetiall care not to trust any man with the Companies goods without makinge ready payment, for I am informed these cuntrey people are not to be trusted, nether will any marchant of accompt seeke to bye upon creddit. And for others, they are to be refused.

And in my opynion it will be your best course to make choise of som one man in those partes, to assiste yow in makinge choise and receavinge of your moneyes, a thinge much to be regarded in these partes per meanes of the greate deceate is used therein. And no dowbt yow may procure such a one for a small matter. And make much of frends, when yow have them, and use these cuntrey people kyndly both in word and deede, for fayre wordes will doe much and as soone are spoaken as fowle, and allwais good will com thereof; for these cuntrey people are not to be used nether with bad wordes nor blowes, no not soe much as servantes entertayned for necessary uses; but rather put them away, yf they be not to your lykinge, and make choise of others.

And to use any speeches to perswade yow from gamnynge I thinke it is 261 needlese; for I hold yow no gamster. Yet, notwithstandinge, the admonition of a frend is not to be rejected. And, to say the truth, many inconvenyences happen and fall out per meanes of gamnynge, although it be but to passe away the tyme for trifles; and therefore it is not amisse to forsweare gamnynge.

Yt is good to use both Duche, Spaniardes, and Portingalls kyndly, as also all other strangers; and learne from them what yow can, but make them not partakers of your secretes or pretenses.

And for sales or dispach of your comodeties, I know yow will use your best endevour for our employers benefits; and therefore I will sett yow no stynted rate or price, but wishe yow to sell away as tyme shall serve at all prises, to turne all into ready money, before any other shipinge com out of England, that it may not be said we lye still and doe nothinge but eate and drink without takinge care for any thinge. I hope yow will not let the Duch goe beyonde yow in this poynt.

And for the two parcelles of comodeties left in the custody of Andreas, alias Gendoque Dono, of Uringo, and Quedoquea Stibio Dono, att Edow and Shrongo, yow are to take acco. of it beinge parte of your cargezon.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet