They haue much siluer, but not so fine as that is of our Indians, likewise great abundance of rice and flesh, and in some parts wheate: and although they haue all this, with many fruits, and hearbs, and other things which be their ordinary victuals, yet are they not so well prouided as are their confines or neighbors, and no default in the lande, for that it is verie good and fruitefull. But that the naturall people do giue themselues verie little vnto the tilling and sowing thereof, for that they are more affectioned vnto the warres then vnto that: and this is the reason that many times they do lack prouision and victuals, which is the verie same reason that the naturall people and others do report of them. In the Iapones are 66 kingdomes. There be in these ilandes three score and sixe kingdoms or prouinces, and many kings, although it may be better said, rulers or principals, such as the Spaniardes found in the Ilands of Luzo: for which cause, although they be called kings, yet are they not, neither in their contractation nor rent, for they haue verie little in respect of the multitude of people. The king Nobunanga, who died in the yeare 1583, was the most principall and greatest lord amongst them all, as well of people as of riches: who was slaine by a captaine of his, and punished by God by this meanes for his luciferine pride, for that it did farre exceede that of Nebuchadonozor, and was come vnto that point that he would haue beene worshipped for a god: for the which he commanded to make a sumptuous temple, and to put in it thinges that did well declare and showe his follie: of the which that you may see how farre it did extend, I will declare here onely that which he did promise vnto them that did visite his temple.
A luciferine pride. First, the rich men that came vnto the saide temple, and did worshippe his picture, should be more richer: and those that were poore, should obtaine great riches: and both the one and the other, that had no successors to inherite their goods, should also obtaine them, and also long life for to enioy the same, with great peace and quietnesse.
The second, that their life should be prolonged to eighty yeares.
The third, that they should bee hole of all their infirmities and diseases, and shall obtaine full accomplishment of all their desires with health and tranquillitie. And the last he commanded that euery month they should celebrate a feast for his birth day, and therein to visite his temple, with certification that all those that did beleeue in him, and in that which hee promised, should without all doubt see it accomplished, and those which in this life were faultie and did not doo in effect his commaundement, in the other they should goe the way to perdition. And the better to accomplish this his will, he commaunded to be put in this temple, al the idols in his kingdomes that were most worshipped, such as to whom frequented most pilgrimes: the which being done, he presently forbad that not one of them all should be worshipped, but he onely that was the true Fotoque and vniuersall god, the author and creator of nature.
[This foolishnesse did this proud king a little before his miserable death, and many other more, that I do leaue out, for feare that I should be too tedious in this itinerario. There did succeed this proude king in the kingdome his sonne, called Vozequixama, who for that he is very yong, at this day it is gouerned by a worthy captaine called Faxiuandono.][87]
[87] The whole of this paragraph included in brackets, is inserted by the translator from the French of De la Porte.
All men that are borne in this land are naturally inclined to warres and robberies, and it is vsed ordinarily amongst themselues, alwayes he that hath most power and strength doth carry away the best part; and yet he doth enioy it with little securitie, for that as the prouerbe saith "he findeth a last for his shoo, or the length of his foote is found," and another commeth (when he thinketh least off) and carrieth away their spoile with victorie, reuenging iniuries the one for the other, without being requested thereunto: which is the occasion that they are neuer without ciuill warres, and that seemeth to bee the influence of the clime of that land. This, and the continual exercise in armes and in robberies, hath giuen them the name of warriers, and do terrifie all their borderers and neighbors.
They vse many weapons, but especially hargabusses, swords, and lances, and are very expert in them. On the firme land of China they haue done many suddaine robberies and thefts, and haue gone thorough therewith at their pleasure: and would haue done the like at the Ilands of Luzon, and vsed for the same all meanes possible, but yet it fell out contrary vnto their meanings, and returned their backes full euill against their wils, with their hands vpon their owne heads.
On a time they came vnto the Illocos, who with the fauour of the Spaniards (whose vassals they are) did defende themselues worthily: that the Iapones thought it best to returne vnto their houses and to leaue their begun pretence, with determination neuer to put themselues in the like perill, for that they had lost many of their companie. Not many yeares since there happened vnto them the like disgrace in China: there went tenne thousande of them to robbe and steale, and at their going on lande, they did sacke a cittie with little hurt and smal resistance, who with the content of that pray, forgot themselues and did not preuent the harme that might chance vnto them: the Chinos being offended did compasse them about in such sort, that when the Iapones remembred themselues, they were in that case that they were constrained to yielde vnto their enimies, who at their willes did repay themselues very well of the iniurie receiued, and a very good warning vnto all those that shall heare thereof, to flie from putting themselues into the like trance: so the Chinos were very wel reuenged of the iniury by them receiued.
The faith of Christ is very well planted in some of these ilands, by the good diligence and trauell of the fathers and Iesuites, but in particular by that which was doone by Master Francisco Xabier, one of the tenne companions of the father Ignacio de Loyola, a founder of the saide religion: hee trauelled with great zeale in the conuerting of the saide Ilands, and that which was a great helpe vnto the same was his holy doctrine and apostolike life, as vnto this day the Iapones doo confesse, attributing vnto him (next vnto God) the goodnesse that hath come vnto them by receiuing the baptisme, whome the fathers of that companie haue followed in all pointes, such as remained after his death, as also such as haue gone thither since that time.