Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/314

 298 INTERCOLONTIAL COMMERCE. the name of Zipangii ; but it was not until the year 1.5i3, forty-five years after their arrival in India, that the Portuguese, from the accident of one of their ships trading to China being shipwrecked on its coasts, discovered it. * During forty-three years, they made incredible progress in propagating the r'hristian relio-ion, and carried on a most beneficial commerce with it. In the year 158G commenced the first persecution of Christianity. In the year 1590, above 20,570 Christians are described as having suffered martyrdom. After some cessation the persecution was renewed in the year 1597« After this it seems to have ceased for forty years, until kindled in the year 1637, by the base and unmanly machinations of the Dutch, who took advantage of an. intercepted correspondence be- tween the Christians of Japan and their friends in Portugal to exclude their rivals from the empire. *' It was then," says Kempfer, *' that the empire of Japan was shut for ever both to 3'et shut up, nor the princes or petty kings thereof kept to so strict an obedience and submission to their emperor as they now are. The Japanese were at liberty to travel with- in their own country and abroad whenever they pleased, w were called by their business or commerce. Foreign na- tions could then frequent the empire in vvhat manner they pleased, and put into what harbours they thought most ex- pedient." — Ilifto}-!/ of Japaii, Yo], I. p. 310.
 * " The empire of Japan/' says Kempfer, " was then not