ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1565. 



come by everlasting salvation, nothing els woorth the 

 hearing. Whereunto they adde other subtleties, as in 

 going gravitie, in countenance, apparell, and in all out- 

 ward shew, comelinesse. Whereby the Japans mindes 

 are so nousled in wicked opinions, & doe conceive 

 thereby such trust and hope of everlasting salvation, 

 that not onely at home, but also abroad in every 

 corner of the towne continually almost they run over 

 their beades, humbly asking of Amida and Xaca, 

 wealth, honour, good health, and everlasting joyes. 

 Thus then, deare brethren, may you thinke how greatly 

 they need the helpe of God, that either doe bring the 

 Gospell into this countrey, or receiving it brought unto 

 them, doe forsake idolatrie and joine themselves with 

 Christ, being assaulted by so many snares of the devill, 

 troubled with the daily dissuasions of their Bonzii, and 

 finally, so injuriously, so hardly, so sharpely vexed of 

 their kinred and friends, that except the grace of God 

 obtained by the sacrifices and prayers of the Catholique 

 church doe helpe us, it cannot be chosen but that the 

 faith and constancie of many, if not of all, in these first 

 beginnings of our churches, will greatly be put in 

 jeopardie. So much the more it standeth you upon 

 that so earnestly long for the health of soules, to com- 

 mend specially these Japanish flocks unto our Lord. 



We came to Sacaio the eight and twentie day of 

 January : Aloisius Almeida first for businesse, but after- 

 ward let by sicknesse, staied there some while, but I 

 parting the next day from thence came thirteene leagues 

 off to Meaco the last of Januarie. Of my comming all 

 the Christians tooke great comfort, but specially Gaspar 

 Vilela who in 6 yeres had seen none of our companie 

 at Meaco : his yeeres are not yet fortie, but his gray 

 haires shew him to be seventie, so vehemently is his 

 litle body afflicted and worne with extreme cold. Hee 

 speaketh Japanish so skilfully after the phrase of Meaco 

 (the which for the renowne of this people and royal 

 seat of the king is best accounted of) that hee doeth 



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