365 



and are nearly illegible. Some of the old Dutch 

 families have vaults here, in which the remains 

 of their relatives are to this day deposited, iu pre- 

 ference to being taken to the English burial ground 

 at the back of the liill- 



The oldest record of mortality that I could find 

 bore the date of 1598. It is a tombstone remark- 

 able for pointing out the place of sepulture of the 

 second bishop of Japan, and lies in the centre of 

 the church opposite the door, or principal en^ 

 trance. The inscriptioQ, tho' much worn, is still 

 legible i it is as follows ; 



HIO JAGET DO 

 MINVS PETRVS 

 SOCIETATiS 

 JESV SECVN 

 DVS EPISCOPVS 



JAPOISENSIS 

 OBllT AD ERE* 

 TVM SINCAPV 

 HA MENSEFE 

 BRVARIO AN 

 NO 1598. 



The principal thing observable in this plain in- 

 scription is the studied division of the words: for 

 the information of the fairer sex. 1 shall subjoin 

 the epitaph in its natural order, end give a tran- 

 slation of the same. The Latin runs thus ; " Hie 

 jacet Dominus Petrus ; Societatis Jesu, Secundus 

 Episcopus Japonensis, ^biit ad Fretum Sincapuy^ 

 ra Meu=>e Februario, onno !658;' which import^*, 

 when rendered into English, that - Herelies(the 

 body oO Lord (Bishop) Peter, of the Society of 

 Jesuits (and) the second Bishop of Japan. He 



. Till* tlwuld be -ITL'M, boi the sculptor lai turned the F. into E. 



