TESTIMONIES OF COREA a.d. 



1591-92. 



tants in nation, language, and strength of body (which 



maketh the people of China to dread them) be different 



from the Chinians, yet because they pay tribute to the 



king of China, and exercise traffique with his subjects, 



they doe after a sort imitate the Lawes, apparell, customes, 



and governement of the Chinians. They border on one 



side upon the Tartars, and other nations, with whom 



sometimes they have peace, and sometimes warre : but 



with the Chinians they have continuall peace. They are 



speciall good bow-men ; but at other weapons, because 



they have but few, and those bad, they are nothing so 



skilfull. Wherefore they are not comparable to the 



Japonians, who by reason of their warres are continually 



exercised in armes, and are by nature more couragious 



and valiant, being furnished with yron-peeces, with lances, 



and with excellent swordes. Onely in shipping they are 



inferiour to the Corayans and Chinians, by reason of the 



hugenesse of their Ships which they use upon the sea. 



Wherefore, if they were to joyne battels by sea, there is no 



doubt but that both the foresayde Nations would be too The people of 



hard for them. But now because they knewe nothing of ^'^^f'^ ^^^ 



the comming of the Japonian armie, or for that they ^^^J^^^^ i^ 



doubted that their sea-forces were the stronger, or els shipping, then 



because God was determined to punish them, he suffered the^ of Japan. 



them to be destitute of all the defence of their shipping, 



so that the Japonians without any resistance landed upon 



their dominions. 



Now the fame of Augustines victory causing the armie 

 notably to increase, and the Mariners, and many others 

 which caryed burthens (as they were trained up in warre 

 from their childhood) bearing armes, while the Corayan 

 captives supplied their baser offices : so great a terrour 

 possessed all the people of Coray where Augustine came, 

 that all the castles and fortresses which hee passed by were 

 forsaken by their garisons, and all men fled for refuge to 

 the principall city. And while other commanders and 

 Christians sent from Ceuxima and Nangoia shaped their 

 course for Coray, Augustine had pitched his campe neere 

 XI 433 2 E 



