In these entertainments, which were surprising to all the assistants, they passed into another hall, where there were many gentlemen richly habited, and of good mein.  At the moment when the Father entered, all of them bowed with reverence; which action they repeated thrice, and so very low, that they touched the ground with their foreheads, as the Japonese are very dextrous at that exercise.  And this reverence, which they call Gromenare, is only performed by the son to the father, and by the vassal to his lord.  After this, two of them separating from the company, to testify their general joy at the sight of him, one of them spoke in this manner:  “May your arrival, holy Father Bonza, be as pleasing to our king as the smiles of a babe are to his mother, who holds him in her arms; which certainly will be, for we swear to you by the hairs of our heads, that every thing, even to the very walls, which seem to dance for joy at your desired presence, conspires to your good reception, and excites us to rejoice at your arrival; we doubt not but it will turn to the glory of that God. of whom you have spoken so greatly at Amanguchi.”  This compliment being ended, these young lords were following the Father; but the child of whom we made mention, and whom Xavier led by the hand, made a sign to them, that they should go no farther.  They mounted on a terrace bordered with orange trees, and from thence entered into another hall, more spacious than either of the former.  Facharandono, the king’s brother, was there, with a magnificent retinue.  Having done to the saint all the civilities which are practised to the greatest of Japan, he told him, “that this day was the most solemn and auspicious of all the year for the court of Bungo; and that his lord the king esteemed himself more rich and happy to have him in his palace, than if he were master of all the silver contained in the two-and-thirty treasuries of China.  In the mean time,” added the prince, “I wish you an increase of glory, and an entire accomplishment of that design, which brought you hither from the extremities of the earth.”

Then the child, who had hitherto been the master of the ceremonies to the Father, left him in the hands of Facharandono, and retired apart.  They entered into the king’s antichamber, where the principal lords of the kingdom were attending him.  After he had been received by them with all possible civilities, he was at last introduced to his audience in a chamber which glittered with gold on every side.  The king, who was standing, advanced five or six paces at the first appearance of the Father, and bowed himself even to the ground thrice successively, at which action all the company were in great amazement.  Xavier, on his side, prostrated himself before that prince, and would have touched his foot, according to the custom of the country, but the king would not permit him, and himself raised up the saint; then taking him by the hand, he caused him to sit down by him on the