[Footnote 54:  This was Osaca, which is eighty leagues from Bungo.—­Purchas.

Osaka, in a straight line, is about ninety marine leagues, or 276 English miles, from the coast of Bungo.—­E.]

[Footnote 55:  The second letter, addressed to his wife, breaks off here.—­E.]

I continued thirty-nine days in prison, hearing no news of our ship or captain, and knew not whether he were recovered or not, neither respecting the rest of our company.  In all that time I expected continually to be crucified, as is the custom of Japan, as hanging is with us; for during my long imprisonment, the Portuguese and jesuits gave many false accounts against us to the emperor, alledging that we were thieves, who went about to rob and plunder all nations, and that if we were suffered to live it would be to the injury of the emperor and his nation; for then no nation would come there without robbing, but if justice were executed upon us, it would terrify the rest of our nation from coming there any more.  They thus persuaded the emperor daily to cut us off, making all the friends at court they could to back them.  But God was merciful to us, and would not permit them to have their will against us.  At length the emperor gave them this answer:  “That, as we had done no hurt to him or any of his subjects, it was contrary to reason and justice to put us to death; and if our country and theirs were at war, that was no reason why he should punish us.”  They were quite cast down by this answer, seeing their cruel intentions towards us disappointed, for which God be praised for ever and ever.

While I remained in prison, the emperor gave orders for our ship to be brought as near to the city where he resided as possible, which was done accordingly.  Then, on the one and fortieth day of my imprisonment, I was again brought before the emperor, who asked me many more questions, which were too long to write.  In conclusion, he asked me if I wished to go to the ship to see my countrymen, which I said would give me much satisfaction.  So he bad me go, and I departed, being freed from imprisonment.  I now first learnt that our ship and company were come to the city where the emperor resided; whereupon, with a joyous heart, I took a boat and went on board, where I found our captain and the rest recovered from their sickness.  At our meeting they saluted me with tears, having heard that I was long since put to death.  Thus, God be praised, all we that were left alive came again together.

All our things were taken out of our ship, all my instruments and other things being taken away, so that I had nothing left but the clothes on my back, and all the rest were in a similar predicament.  This had been done unknown to the emperor, and, being informed of it, he gave orders to restore every thing to us; but they were all so dispersed among many hands that this could not be done.  Wherefore 50,000 ryals were ordered to be given us, which the emperor