CONFESSION IN JAPAN. 



letter that carne from thence, which saith thus: &quot;There are LlB - v - 

 in Ocaca very great and high and stiep rockes, which have 

 prickes or poynts on them, above two hundred fadome high. 

 Amongest these rockes there is one of these pikes or poyntes 

 so terribly high that when the Xamabusis (which be pil- 

 grimes) doe but looke vp vnto it, they tremble and their 

 haire stares, so fearefull and horrible is the place. Vpon 

 the toppe of this poynt there is a great rod of yron of three 

 fadome long, placed there by a strange devise ; at the end 

 of this rodde is a ballunce tied, whereof the scales are so 

 biggo as a man may sit in one of them. And the Goquis 

 (which be divclls in human shape) commaund these pilgrims 

 to enter therein one after another, not leaving one of them; 

 then, with an engine or instrument which mooveth by meanes 

 of a wheele, they make this roddo of yron whereon the bal- 

 lanco is hanged to hang in the aire, one of these Xamabuzia 

 being set in one of the scales of the ballaunce. And as that 

 wherein the man is sette hath no counterpoise on the other 

 side, it presently hangeth downe, and the other riseth vntill 

 it meetes with and toucheth the rodde; then the Goquis 

 telleth them from the rocke that they must confesso them 

 selves of all the shines they have committed to their remem 

 brance, and that with a luwde voyce to th end that all the 

 reste may heare him. Then presently hee beginneth to 

 confesse, whilest some of the standers by do laugh at the 

 shines they doe heare, and others sigh ; and at every shine 

 they confesso the other scale of the ballance falles a little, 

 vntill that having toldo all his shines it remaines equall with 

 the other, wherein the sorrowfull penitent sits; then the 

 Goquis turnes the wheele and drawes the rodde and bal 

 lance vnto him, and the Pilgrime comes foorth ; then enters 

 another, vntill all have passed. A lapponois reported this 

 after heo was christned, saying that he had beono in this 

 pilgrimage, and entred the ballance seaven times, where he 

 had confessed himsulfe publikely. lie saidc, moreover, that 



