DOGS OF CHINA AND JAPAN 



king of Firando, and which was kept, apparently at the 

 king's request, in the English factory. 



April 4, 1617. " Thomas the cook, lefte to attend on Mr. 

 Totton, being a harebreand felloe, threw a kitchen knyfe at 

 Balle, the kynges dogg, which we kept in the English howse, 

 and stuck hym to the hart that he fell downe dead presently. 

 He hath beaten many of our Japon servantes, and had lyke to 

 have kild one of our neighbors servantes the other day. He 

 ys not the man I took hym for, and wrot the Worll. Company 

 in his behalf e more than he deserveth. Yf this had hapned 

 in the tyme of Foyne Samme, who esteemed this dogg much, 

 yt might have cost us all our lives. I sent our jurebasso to 

 exskewse the matter to the kyng, who sent me word he 

 esteemed that the English man did it not of purpose, and 

 therefore willed me not to punish hym, for the deede being 

 donne could not be undon, etc." * 



Special efforts were made by the Company to open up trade 

 with China. Writing in 1627 fro m Batavia, the Company's 

 factors remark : " The third part of the East India's trade, 

 Japan and China, is more than all the rest, and seemeth 

 offered only to the English. These mighty monarchies 

 abound with riches, are civilized peaceably to respond with 

 all. Their clothing is silk, passable in summer, but in 

 winter they are forced to bombast or wear ten coats one over 

 the other," Considerations concerning the trade to China 

 were to be " our next step." The factors then recommended 

 the Court of Directors " to provide European toys for presents 

 to these princes to procure rarities that others have not, to 

 impress conceit of greatness in the vulgar ; a wild mastiff 

 dog, because not common, has his attendants and is fanned 

 from flies with as much observance as a principal personage." 

 The factors complain that many of the dogs shipped to the 



* " Diary of Richard Cocks," vol. i, p. 247, Hakluyt Society. 

 176 



