This day all the Japon lords or tonos went to vizet the Corean ambassadors, carrying them greate presentes, a matter strang to see, except it be they be set on per the Emperour to withdraw them from favoring the King of China, etc.
September 23.—I sent an other letter to Mr. Wickham with the coppie of translation of King Englandes letter, to have Jean Dono to write out two more.
Capt. Adames retorned from the Court with answer from the councell that the Emperour would geve our Englishe nation no larger previlegese then other strangers have, only to sell our merchandiz at Firando and Langasaque. The reason he doth it is for that his owne merchants of Japon shall have the profit of seling within land before strangers, as also that, under culler of buying and seling, noe pristes may lurk up and downe his cuntrey to alter religion as heretofore they have donne. Of the which I advised Mr. Wickham in an other letter, to thentent he use diligence to sell somthing, for that we shall not be sufferd to stay long after the Emperour is departed.
September 24.—I went this mornyng to Safian Dono to confer about our matter of procese with scrivano, which he desired might stay till he came downe to Langasaque, which should be shortly. Also he tooke notis of what merchandiz we had to sell, and wrot a letter to Gonrok Dono to take all lead for the Emperour and pay us ready money.
Torazemon Dono came to vizet me, telling me that Semi Dono was at Court all this day to sue for his master the Tono of Firando to retorne for his howse or cuntrey, being very sick; but could have no answer. He said the Kyng (or Tono) of Xaxma retorned for his cuntrey yisterday, and to morow the Tonos of Umbra and Goto have lycense to departe.
Ther is 2 noble men taken and brought to Court, their castell being overthrowne, wherin was fownd store of war-lik provition of poulder, shot, guns, and armor, but for what pretence I canot understand.
September 25.—I wrot Mr. Wickham an other letter, in answer of his rec. the night past, to make sales of silk, yf it be possible.
Yisterday, Oyen Dono, Codgskin Dono, and other of the Emperours councell went to Miaco to vizet the Coreans, with a present from themperour, so that we could doe nothing tuchng our dispach. But this mornyng Capt. Adames went to Court about it, with our jurebasso, and at night left our writeings with them to alter or amend them at their pleasure and geve us ij goshons for Cochinchina and Syam.
Mr. Wickham wrot me he had sould a small quantety of silk at 218 ta. pico.
September 26.—I wrot an other letter to Mr. Wickham to sell 10 or 12 chistes more of silk, although it weare at 215 tais pico to delivr it at Firando; for that money we must needes have to send in this shipp, at what price soever we sell; and, now our prevelegese are lost, we must not stay heare to procure sales; and we knew well ther were no merchantes beloe, so that now the tyme to goe thorow or never.