TESTIMONIES OF COREA ad. 



1594. 

 maintaine themselves in an honest and meane estate : 

 in which regarde they all rest contented, and willingly 

 submit themselves. 



Another is, in that he hath brought the husbandmen and 

 pesants (by whose assistance & wealth all the pety-king- 

 doms were after a sort susteined) unto such extreme 

 poverty, that they have scarce wherewithal! to keepe life 

 and soule together : as likewise hee hath bereaved them 

 of all kinde of weapons. 



The third is, because hee hath most streightly forbidden 

 all contentions, seditions, frayes, and skirmishes. For 

 whosoever be found culpable of this crime, they dye 

 every man of them on both parties. If any escape by 

 flight, their kinsefolks are punished in their stead ; and 

 for lacke of them, their servants ; and for defalt of both 

 their next neighbours. If many were guilty, many are 

 punished and suffer death: but hence it commeth to [III. 861.] 

 passe, that many innocent persons are constrained to 

 die. And this severitie is the cause, why there are 

 at this present so seldome frayes and contentions in 

 Japan. 



The fourth is, that in administring of justice hee is 

 most upright, without all respect either to his owne 

 kindred, or to his ancient captaines, or the blood royall, 

 or any of the Bonzii, bee they never so famous : and 

 being once advertized of a crime, hee pardoneth no man. 

 And albeit himselfe is exceedingly addicted to women, yet 

 will he permit none of his subjects to have any con- 

 cubines. For which cause not many dayes agoe, hee 

 banished a Bonzio of great wealth, being in alliance and 

 dignitie most neere unto himselfe. And being informed 

 that all the Bonzii of Miaco kept concubines, hee would 

 have put them all to death, had not the governour of 

 Miaco promised, that hee would undertake to keepe them 

 from offending any more in that kinde. Wherefore hee 

 caused all the Bonzii every moneth to bee sworne, that 

 they should live honestly upon paine of death : as also 

 hee hath sworne the heads or superiors of all their 



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