The 1st January, 1614, being quite calm, was mostly spent at anchor.  The 2d, having a little wind, we set sail, and about eight o’clock fell in with the Expedition, homewards bound for England, laden with pepper, by which ship we wrote to our friends in England.  The 3d we came to anchor in the road of Bantam, end to our great grief found no lading ready for us, for which neglect I justly blamed those I had left to provide the same, while they excused themselves by alleging they did not expect us so soon back.  I questioned Kewee, the principal Chinese merchant, who came to visit me on board, as to the price of pepper.  He answered, that it was already known ashore I was homewards bound, and must necessarily load pepper; and, as my merchants had not provided any before hand, I might be assured it would rise.  He said the price was then at twelve dollars for ten sacks, but he could not undertake to deliver any quantity at that price.  I offered him twelve dollars and a half the ten sacks, but he held up so high, that we had no hope of dealing for the present.  Of the ten persons left by us in the factory when we departed for Japan, we found only five alive at our return, while we only lost one man between Firando and Bantam.

I went ashore on the 4th to visit the governor of Bantam, to whom I presented two handsome cattans, or Japanese swords, and other articles of value; and this day I bargained with Kewee for 4000 sacks of pepper at thirteen dollars the ten sacks, bating in the weight 3 per cent and directed the merchants to expedite the milling thereof as much as possible.  I employed the 5th in reducing the several English factories at Bantam under one government, settling them all in one house; also in regulating the expences of diet, that all might be frugally managed, to prevent extravagance in rack-houses abroad, or in hanger-on blacks at home, which had lately been the case.  I directed also that there should be fewer warehouses kept in the town, and that these might be better regulated, and the goods stowed in a more orderly manner.  Hitherto the multiplication of factories, having one for each voyage, had occasioned great expence, and had raised the price of pepper, as each outbid the other, for the particular account of their own several voyages, with great loss to the public.

The 6th was employed in re-weighing the pepper received the day before, most of the sacks being found hard weight, and many to want a part of what was allowed by the king’s beam; wherefore I sent for the weigher, whom I used kindly, entreating him to take a little more care to amend this fault, which he promised to do, and for his better encouragement I made him a present to the value of five dollars.  The 16th being Sunday, I staid aboard, and about 2 p.m. we observed the whole town to be on fire.  I immediately sent our skiff ashore to assist the merchants in guarding our goods.  The wind was so violent, that in a very short space of time the whole town was burnt down, except the English and Dutch factories, which it pleased God of his mercy to preserve.