It Is Very Certain That They Have Got Possession Of Several
Fortresses At The Moluccas And Other Parts; Yet, To
My certain
knowledge, the natives in these parts are more inclined towards the
Spaniards, although at the first they were
Glad of the arrival of the
Hollanders, having been disgusted by the intolerable pride of the
Spaniards. But now they have time to reflect, that the Spaniards brought
them abundance of money, and were liberal though proud; while the poor
Hollanders, who serve there both by sea and land, have such bare pay,
that it can hardly supply clothes and food; and their commanders
allege, that all the benefits derived from conquest or reprisals, belong
to the states and the Winthebbers, as they call them. It is hard to
judge how all these things may end.
Were it not for the misbehaviour of the Hollanders, I am of opinion that
we should procure trade with China, as we only demand leave for three
ships to come and go there, and merely to establish factors there to
transact our business, without bringing any Jesuits or padres, whom
the Chinese cannot abide to hear of, because they came formerly in such
great numbers to inhabit the land, and were always begging and craving,
to the great displeasure of the pagans. I am however in good hope of
success, as our English nation has acquired a good fame and character
since our arrival, which I am given to understand has come to the ears
of the emperor of China, who has heard how we have been received by the
emperor of Japan, having large privileges allowed us, and also that we
have at all times held the Castilians in defiance both by sea and land.
I have been informed of these things by the Chinese who come hither, and
that the emperor and other great men of China delight to hear accounts
of our nation. I had almost forgotten to mention, that some China
merchants lately asked me, if we were allowed to trade with China,
whether the king of England would prevent the Hollanders from robbing
and spoiling their junks? Which question was rather doubtful to me, yet
I answered that his majesty would take measures to prevent the
Hollanders from injuring them.
We have lately had news that a tuffon or tempest has done vast injury at
Jedo, a city of Japan as large as London, where the Japanese nobility
have very beautiful houses, now mostly destroyed or greatly injured. The
whole city was inundated, and the inhabitants forced to take shelter in
the hills; a thing never before heard of. The palace of the king, which
is a stately building in a new fortress, has had all its gilded tiles
carried away by a whirlwind, so that none of them could be found. The
pagans attribute this calamity to some charms or conjurations of the
Jesuits, who were lately banished: but the Japanese converts to popery
ascribe it to the vengeance of God, as a punishment for having banished
these holy men.
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