Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/128

 *domes of Arima and Omura, and all the force of our Christianity: and he told Don Protasio when he was with him once before, that he would make him a great man in China, and that he would remooue these lordes, and deliuer their gouernments vnto lordes that were Gentiles; which would be the ruine of all this Christianity; neither should wee haue any place wherein to remaine. For, as it is the custome of Iapan in the alterations of estates and kingdomes (which they call Cuningaia) to remooue all the nobilitie and gentry, and to leaue onely the base-people and labourers, committing them to the gouernment of Ethnicks, wee shall hereby also leese our houses; and the Christians shall be dispersed with their lords; whom sometimes he handleth in such sort, that he giueth them nothing to susteine themselues, and so they remaine with all their followers, as men banished, and vtterly ruined.

The second Testimonie containing the huge leuies and preparations of Quabacondono, as also his warres and conquests and the successe thereof in the kingdome of Coray Together with a description of the same kingdom, and of their trafficke and maner of gouernment: and also of the shipping of China, Iapan, and Coray, with mention of certaine isles thereunto adjacent, and other particulars very memorable. Out of the Epistles of the aforesaid Father Fryer Luis Frois dated 1591, and 1592.

ABout this time Quabacondono determining to put his warre against China in execution, assembled sundry of his nobles and captaines, vnto whom he declared his intent; who, albeit they were all of a quite contrary opinion, yet all of them without any pretense of difficulty approued his determination. For he had giuen out that he would not abstaine from this warre, althongh his owne sonne should rise from death to life and request him; yea whosoeuer would mooue any impediment or difficulty in that matter, hee would put him to death. Wherefore for certaine moneths there was nothing in all places to be seene, but prouision of ships, armour, munition, and other necessaries for the warres. Quabacondono making a catalogue of all the lordes and nobles his subiects, willed euery one of them (not a man excepted) to accompany him in this expedition, inioyning and appointing to each one, what numbers they should bring. In all these kingdomes of