JAPAN. 251 



the decline, tliey even fcnt from that town 2350 chefls of 

 iilver. 



The Dutch introduced thenafelves into Japan about the year 

 1600, eilabliflied their firil fadlory at Firando, and obtained from 

 the emperor a patent for a free commerce. The deep enmity 

 between them and the Portuguefe foon began to fnew itfelf, and 

 each nation took every poffible means to fupplant its rival. In 

 the year 1636 an opportunity offered. The Dutch happened to Conspiract. 

 take a Portuguefe fhip, in which were found certain letters from 

 a captain Mo7'o to the Portuguefe miniftry at Lifboriy wherein he 

 bad laid a plan for murdering the emperor, and reducing the 

 empire to the i)owcr of his countrymen. Moro was a Japanefe 

 by birth, chief of the Portuguefe in Japan, and very zealous for 

 the Chrillian religion. The letters were carefully tranfmitted to 

 the emperor. Moro was empaled, and burnt alive. After a little 

 time an edi6l followed, v/hich entirely baniflied every foreigner 

 from the empire, with the moft rigid prohibition of their ever 

 entering it again. A perfecution was raifed againlt the Ghriftians, P£RSEcuTIo^f, 

 I>erhaps the molt horrid that ever w^as known ; it lalled fortv 

 years, and thoufands periflied by the moft dreadful torments ; it 

 was computed that above a third of the people of the empire 

 were profeflbrs of Chriftianity. The punifliments thofe mi- 

 ferable creatures underwent are not to be related, the inventions 

 of Hell itfelf muft have been put to the ftretch. If any one has 

 the ftrange curioiity of being acquainted with them, he need 

 only turn to Ogih/s Hiftory of Japan*, which he will probably 

 fhut with the fame horror as I did. Let me only add, that the 



* p. 253. 

 K k 2 boiling 



