DIARY
OF
RICHARD COCKS.
DIARY OF RICHARD COCKS.
THE JOURNALL OR DAILYE BOOK OF ALL ACCURRANTES HAPPENYNG, BEGUN AT FIRANDO, IN JAPON, PER ME RIC. COCKS, LE 1TH DAY OF JUNE, 1615, STILO VETRI.
June 1.—We bought 5 greate square postes of the kinges master carpenter; cost 2 mas 6 condrins[47] per peece. And I delivered unto Nicholas Martyn one small bar gould, cost eight riall of eight[48] and a half, is six taies eight mas, for which he is answerable. Also I delivered a great bar gold, poz. fowre taies and fowre mas and two condrins, rated at fiftie and five taies as yt cost; and is to send to Gapt. Whowe, the Capt. Chinas[49] brother, at Langasaque;[50] to geve in a present at a christning, as apereth per advice.
Also I paid, per Mr. Nealson, for washing linen, two mas 6 condrins.
And late within night Mr. Wickham arived here in company of Damian Marines, and brought word the junck was at Goto, they being put from Liquea[51] to have proceaded on their voyage for Syam; but, being at sea, the unruly companie would have gon for Cochinchina, and so Mr. Wickham standing against it, remembring our former losse theare (as I gave hym in comition), they retorned back for these partes. Capt. Adames hath wrot me that the boateswaine and carpenter are in most falte, being mutenouse knaves, etc.
June 2.—Capt. Adames and Ed. Sayer wrot me 2 letters from Goto of 30th May; and Mr. Adames sent me a bag of potatos, and Ed. Sayer sent me a pece lik lynen (or rather silk) and the lyke to Mr. Eaton and Mr. Nealson. And Mr. Wickham gave me a jar of potatos. And Damian Marines brought me a dish of plantians and another of pottatos, etc. I receved a letter from Jno. de Lievano, the Spaniard. And Mr. Wickham went and visited Bongo Dono,[52] and carid hym a present of 2 pec. Liquea cloth and a dish of pottatos; and tould hym how matters stood about our junck, and withall asked his counsell, whether it were best to let our junck stay at Goto to be trymbd, or else to bring her for Firando. And his opynion was (as many others are the lyke, and among the rest my selfe) that it is best to bring her for Firando, for divers occations.
We had news to day that Ogosho Samme hath taken the fortres of Osekey and overthrown the forses of Fidaia Samme.[53] Others say that most of the forses of Fidaia Samme issued out of the fortrese, and sallid out 3 leagues toward Miaco, but were encountred by the Emperours forses and put to the worse, many of them being slaughtered and the rest driven back into the fortresse, etc. Bongo Dono sent a bark this day to Crates[54] to bring him the certenty of the newse.
June 3.—I thought good to note downe that a padre or Jesuit came to the English howse and said his name was Tomas and a Bisken by nation, and gave it out he was a merchant; and others gave hym the name of Captain. Yet I knew what he was, having seen hym in this howse before, etc. He beged a littell alloes[55] of me, which I gave hym, as I did the like when he was here before. For you must understand that these padres have all the gifte of beging, and allwais answer: “Sea por l’amor de dios.” This is a generall note to know them by, for they cannot so counterfet but that word will still be thrust out. This padre, Tomas (or Capt.), tould me that they stood in dowbt that the King of Shashma[56] would destroy Langasaque and bring all these partes beloe Shiminaseque[57] under his subiection, as being geven him by Fidaia Samme; but I believe it not, for now word is com on a sudden that all the streets must be made cleane, for that the King of Shashma is expected to be heare this night, he being bound up with great forces.