Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/139

 castles and places of defence in their owne possession, yet because they want people to tille the ground, and to doe them other necessary seruices, they cannot chuse but forgoe all that which they haue woon. Moreouer the common high wayes are so pestered with theeues and murtherers, that vnlesse the Iaponians march in whole troopes all together, they are suddenly oppressed with swarmes of Corayans issuing foorth of the woods.

Many of the Corayans also haue retired themselues vnto the neighbour-islands, from whence with numbers of great ships, to the mighty losse of the Iaponians, they assaile their small and weake ones, and haue already sunke many of them. Wherefore all the Iaponian lords which remaine in Coray haue written vnto Quabacondono, that his army must for a certaine time in no wise remoue from the place where it is, for auoyding such imminent dangers as in proceeding further it may incurre. Vpon these aduertisements, Quabacondono, being ready to take his iourney to Coray, to deuide the whole kingdome, was hindered from his purpose, and sent most friendly letters to all his nobles, willing them to be of good cheere, for that he would not deale about altering of their estates, till 3. yeres were expired: whereupon they were eased of exceeding great care and grief. For albeit there is no great trust to be giuen to his words, yet we hope that this yere he will not meddle: what he wilt doe after-*ward, God knoweth. In Coray at this present there are aboue 200000, Iaponian souldiers, who at the commandement of Quabacondono are diuided throughout the whole kingdom.

Augustine lieth vpon the very extreame frontiers of China: but because the Chinians are seperated from the kingdome of Coray with a mighty riuer of 3. leagues broad, and abound with great ships, and haue planted innumerable troopes of men vpon the shore, the successe of the warre remayneth most doubtfull and vncertaine. Neither doe wee know whether the Iaponians will proceede any farther this yeere or no.

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The third testimony of Coray, signifying (amonst other notable and politicall obseruations) the later success of the warres of Iapan against Coray: and to what end Quabacoñdono still mainteineth garisons in that kingdome. Out of the Epistles of Father Organtino Brixiano, bearing date from Iapan Anno 1594.

The whole Empire of Iapan is now in the handes of this king