Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/141

 Miaco kept concubines, hee would haue put them all to death, had not the gouernour of Miaco promised, that hee would vnder-*take to keepe them from offending any more in that kinde. Wherefore hee caused all the Bonzij euery moneth to bee sworne, that they should liue honestly vpon paine of death: as also hee hath sworne the heads or superiors of all their religious houses vnder paine of death, to giue vp their names whom they most suspect of the foresayd crime. Hence it is, that all of them (if you regard their outward estate) liue in extreme feare.

The fift is, for that hee suffreth none of his souldiers, nor his great lordes to liue in idlenesse. If there be no warres for their imployment, hee occupieth them in building of stately palaces, and in raising new fortresses, or in repairing and strengthening of olde, and also in performing other notable workes, to the ornament of Iapan, and to his owne lasting honour. So that at this present neere vnto Miaco there are thirtie thousand men imployed about the building of one castle; and in the citie of Bozacca aboue an hundred thousand: which imployments afforde them neither place nor time to practise any rebellions.

The sixt is his altering of gouernments: for hee remooueth his gouernours from one extreme part of Iapan to another.

The seuenth, for that vnto his souldiers (besides the ordinarie pay continually allotted vnto them for their seruice) in time of warre hee alloweth victuals at his owne costes. Wherof it commeth to passe, that hee effecteth whatsoeuer hee thinkes good by their meanes.

Neither hath hee hitherto waged any warre, wherein his enemie was not vanquished, according to his owne desire: this late warre of China onely excepted, which farre surmounted all his forces. Howbeit in the kingdome of Coray hee maintaineth as yet great garisons, as well to keepe his honour, as to constraine the Chinians to sue for peace.

The eighth is, in that hee curbeth and restraineth persons of ambitious and aspiring mindes, who (as hee coniectureth) after his death might worke some inouations in the common wealth, or disturbe the kingdomes.

The ninth is, because hee hath on no side within foure or fiue dayes iourney of Miaco, any mightie or industrious captaine or gouernour.

The tenth and last is, for that hee hath brought his yeerely reuenues to two millions of gold.