[Footnote 35:  Macow, or Macao, a town of the Portuguese near the continent of China.  Miguel, the jurebasso, servant to Mr Adams, was suspected of double-dealing in this affair of the fugitives:  the circumstances I omit.—­Purch.]

The 18th we had a total eclipse of the moon, which began about eleven p.m.  The 19th, about the same hour, a fire began in Firando, near the young king’s house, by which forty houses were burnt down; and, had not the wind fallen calm, most of the town had been destroyed.  Had not our Englishmen bestirred themselves lustily, many more houses had gone to wreck, for the fire took hold three or four times on the opposite side of the street to our house, which they as often extinguished, for which they were very much commended by the king and other principal people.  Old Foyne came to our door on horseback, and advised us to put all our things into the godown, and daub up the door with wet clay, which would place them in safety.  Captain Brower likewise, and some of his people, came very kindly to our house, offering to assist us either by land or water, if needful.  It could not be known how this fire began, but there were reports among the Japanese that there would soon be a still greater fire, which had been predicted by the devil and his conjurers.  I pray God it may not be done purposely by some villainous people, on purpose to rob and steal what they can lay hold of during the trouble and confusion.

The 20th I went to visit Captain Brower at the Dutch house, to return thanks for his friendly assistance the night before.  Towards night, Hernando the Spaniard and Edward Markes returned from Nangasaki, where they could not procure sight of any of our fugitives, though they were still at that place.  A Portuguese or Spaniard at Nangasaki, in high authority about sea affairs, told Markes we should never have our men back; but that if all the rest of our people would come, leaving the ship empty, they would be well received, and would be still more welcome if they brought the ship with them.  The Japanese, who had been sent by king Foyne along with our people to look for our runaways, would not allow Markes to stir out of doors for a night and half a day after their arrival at Nangasaki, he going abroad himself, and Hernando lodging at a different place, whence I suspect there was some fraudulent understanding between the Japanese and Hernando, and have now lost hope of ever getting our men back.  I blamed the jesuits, and the old king agreed with me, and told me he would take care that no more of our people should be carried to Nangasaki, except they stole the ship’s boats, as the others had done, of which I gave notice to Mr James Foster, our master.  Foyne at this time issued an edict, strictly forbidding any of the Japanese from carrying away any of our people, without previously making it known to him and me.