REPORTS OF JAPAN a.d. 



.565. 

 falleth downe to worshippe the devill, his sonne speedily 

 shooting an arrow at the spirit so appearing, strooke a 

 Foxe in stead of a man, so suddenly was that shape 

 altered. This olde man his sonne tracking the Foxe so 

 running away, came to that pit whereof I spake, and in 

 the bottome thereof he found many bones of dead men, 

 deceived by the devill after that sort in time past. Thus 

 delivered he his father from present death, and all other 

 from so pestilent an opinion. 



There is furthermore a place bearing name Coia, very 

 famous for ye multitude of Abbyes which the Bonzii 

 have therein. The beginner and founder whereof is 

 thought to be one Combendaxis a suttle craftie fellowe, 

 that got the name of holinesse by cunning speech, although 

 the lawes and ordinances he made were altogether devil- 

 lish : he is said to have found out the Japanish letters 

 used at this day. In his latter yeeres this Sim suttle 

 buried himselfe in a fouresquare grave, foure cubites 

 deepe, severely forbidding it to be opened, for that then 

 he died not, but rested his bodie wearied with continuall 

 businesse, untill many thousand thousands of yeeres were 

 passed, after the which time a great learned man named 

 Mirozu should come into Japan, and then would he rise 

 up out of his grave againe. About his tombe many 

 lampes are lighted, sent thither out of diverse provinces, 

 for that the people are perswaded that whosoever is 

 liberall and beneficiall towardes the beautifying of that 

 monument shall not onely increase in wealth in this 

 world, but in the life to come be safe through Comben- 

 daxis helpe. Such as give themselves to worship him, 

 live in those Monasteries or Abbyes with shaven heads, 

 as though they had forsaken all secular matters, whereas 

 in deede they wallow in all sortes of wickednesse and 

 lust. In these houses, the which are many (as I sayd) in 

 number, doe remaine 6000 Bonzii, or thereabout besides [II. H. 85.] 

 the multitude of lay men, women be restrained from 

 thence upon paine of death. Another company of Bonzii 

 dwelleth at Fatonochaiti. They teach a great multitude 



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