As yet Gonrok Dono is not come to Firando, and God knoweth when he will; for, as it is said, he stayeth at Nangasaque to put to death many Japon Christians for haboring of papist pristes secretly, and till he com the King of this place will not suffer us to goe to the Emperour with our presentes, which maketh us stand in dowbt whether he secretly take part with Gonrok Dono and the papistes our enemies against us and stayeth us of purpose till the Spaniardes and Portingales have preveled against us at Emperours court. For the kinges mother is a papist Christian, and the king hym selfe and all his bretheren are christened. This maketh us to stand in dowbt of the worst. Yet, yf it be trew, we canot remedy it; for we canot departe from hence without the kinges leave and one of his men to goe with us, nether dare any bark carry us away without his comition. Soe that God He knoweth what our affares in these partes will com to in the end. And that which maketh me more afeard then all the rest is the unreasonablenesse and unrulynesse of our owne people, which I know not how it will be amended, as I have spoaken more at lardge in my other letter, and yet it is every day lyke to be worse then other for ought I can see. God of His goodnesse send me into a place where I may have to doe in merchantes affares and not to meddell with men of warr, yf all be as unruly as these are. And soe,
ceasing from trowbling your Wors. any ferther, I rest, as allwaies,
Your Wors. most humble servant at comand,
Ric. Cocks.
To the Right Honored Knight, Sr. Thomas Smith, Governor of the East India Company, and to the Right Worll. the Comittis deliver in London. Per the shipp Swan, per way of Jaccatra.
[177] India Office. Original Correspondence, vol. viii, no. 997.
Richard Cocks to the E. I. Company.[178]
Firando in Japon, the 7th of September, 1622.
Right worll. Ser and Sers,—