August 8.—About midnight I had news brought me that the ship without is a Hollander, and com from Molucos, and that her mast is cut over board, and the ship much broaken. So I sent Ed. Sayer in the morning to the Duch howse to
know the certen news, and sent out our foy fone to helpe to toe her in, shee being but a littell distance without and the wether calme. And presently after a French man, chirurgion of the Son, came to me in secret, and tould me that this shipp without was an English shipp, and one of iiij which the Hollanders have lately taken at Molucos, not without slaughter of many men, and the rest taken prisoners, and sent this small shipp to bring news hither of it, I think of spite to scorne thenglish nation. And, as they say, an other great Holland shipp, called the Black Lyon, is without, and com from Bantam. Yt is to be esteemed they have taken our shipp which should come from Bantam, and dowbtfull they did the like the last yeare by the Adviz which Mr. Wickham went in.
After nowne our foy fone retorned from the Dutch Capt. Speck, telling our jurebasso Co Jno. that yt was an English shipp they had taken by order of war, and therefore had noe need of our helpe to bring her in. And this tyme Co Jno. tould me that out of dowbt it was the ship Adviz that Mr. Wickham went from hence in the last yeare, and that he saw som negros in her which were heare the last yeare. Soe herupon I went to Oyen Dono, the kinges governor, and tould hym what past, desiring hym to speake to Tonomon Samma, the kinges brother, to let me have a bongew to goe abord this shipp betyme to morrow, to take notis what she is, and whether the Hollanders take them selves enemies of thenglish or no, and in what manner they have taken this shipp, to thentent I might goe to themperour to have justice.
August 9.—I sent an expresse to Langasaque with letters to Andrea Dittis and Jor. Durons, that I am to goe to Edo to aske justice aganst the Hollanders, and that yf the Chinas will goe up about that matter I will assist them in all I may.
The Hollanders brought in our shipp in a bravado, and
shot affe many guns out of her, and out of their other two. But I had forgotten to note downe how I went to Tonomon Samma, the kinges brother, to desyre hym to let me have a bongew to goe abord thenglish shipp which the Hollanders had taken, to be a witnesse before themperour what answer they made. But he would let me have no man, saying as yet no shipp was com in, nether had he heard any thing of the matter till now. Soe I retorned and sent out Mr. Osterwick, with Mr. Nealson and others, to look upon her, to see yf they could know her or no. But they mett her coming into the roade, and soe returned; only they spoake unto them and bad them welcom, and much good might she doe them.
But sowne after (two severall tymes) Capt. Speck sent his jurebasso unto me to certefie me he was sorry for what had happened, and that the shipp and goodes were at my devotion. I both tymes retorned hym thankes: they had pocession, and therefore might make their benefite. Soe in the end he came to thenglish howse, accompanied with Capt. Barkhout and Sr. Albartus, using many complementall wordes, offring the shipp and what was in her at my comand. But yow must understand they had well emptied her befor, having byn ij nightes and a day abord of her before. I made them answer, I was sory for that which was happened, and wished it had not byn soe, and that yt had byn enoffe for them to have taken our shipp and goodes without bringing in of the shipps in such a scornfull sort. He made me answer, they were not in the falt, but them which sent the shipp, nether they in falte, for that they did nothing but what their masters comanded them. “Why then”, said I, “yt seemes your mastars comand yow to be comune theevs, to robbe English, Spanish, Portingalles, Chinas, Javas, and all others whatsover, without respect, and to synk a French shipp going thorow the straites of Sonday, becauce they should not carry news into France of the
abuce yow had offered them.” These speeche did somthing move them; soe they answered me that hitherto they had held frendshipp with us, and still would do, till their comanders gave them order to the contrary, and then they would doe as they thought good. Unto which I answered they might showe them selves frendes to thenglish, yf they pleased, ether now or hereafter, but for my parte I did not care a halfe peny whether they did or noe. And soe they departed.
August 10.—We had a councell this day, wherat assisted me Ed. Sayer, Wm. Nealson, and Jno. Osterwick, where it was debated whether it were fiting to send up to themperour, to complaine against the insolentie of the Hollanders in presuming not only to take our shipps, but openly to bring them in to our disgrace. Wherupon it was concluded that I my selfe should take that long and troblesom voyag in hand, and that Mr. Wm. Nealson should accompany me, as well to look out and cleare debtes above, and bring reste downe, as also to carry up with us such matters as the factory afforded, and to buy stuffes to geve presentes to themperour and his nobles (at least, yf they would take them), or els to make sals therof, yf they were refuced. Also it was ordayned to send away a post, both by water and land, after Capt. Adams, to enforme hym of the theevery of the Hollanders, to the entent he should retyre hym selfe from them and stay my coming, and not goe with them before the Emperour.
Soe we dispached a swift bark of 5 ores away, not dowbting but they will sowne overtake them, for that our host Tozayemon Dono of Sackay arived heare this day, and left hym at Shimonaseak two daies past, and I make acco. our bark will be at Shiminaseak.