1590.

contemne other

Sangiam) leaving an example unto the rest of his associates, how they should likewise doe their best to plant the religion of Christ in that nation. This man was seconded by others, who used all meanes, and left no practise unattempted, that they might bring these good beginnings unto a prosperous issue: howbeit they were greatly hindered by reason of an ancient custome in China, in An ancient regard whereof they doe not without great difficulty and custome worthy ye observation. circumspection admit any strangers into their dominions, except those which having a long time executed the office of ambassadours doe ordinarily every third yeere present themselves before the king: in the admission of whom likewise there is marvellous care used, that they may not easily espie and become acquainted with the affaires of the Realme. Heereunto may be added, that the Chinians The Chinians are great contemners of other nations, and most constant nations. observers of their owne lawes and customes: in all which respects it came to passe, that there was woonderfull labour and diligence employed above thirty yeeres together, onely to get an entrance, untill in the yeere one thousand five hundred fourescore and three, two fathers of the foresayd society, that had pretty skill in the letters and language of China, utterly despairing of mans helpe, and depending upon the providence of almighty God, obtained licence of the Tutan or Vice-roy to build them an house and a Church in the City of Xauquin, which by reason of the commodiousnesse thereof is the seat of the Viceroy himselfe. This worke being begunne, the sayd fathers of the society, for the novelty thereof, were a few yeeres right well entreated by the Magistrates: insomuch that two others out of India had free and easie accesse unto them, one couple remaining still in their foresayd house at Xauquin, and the other two taking their journey for the inner provinces, to convert more people unto the faith: who notwithstanding afterward, other Magistrates not approoving of their attempts, were constrained to retire. Nowe the time wherein the foresayd fathers abode at Xauquin

1590.

(being more then five yeeres) certaine of the common
people were restrained from
from false superstition to
Christian religion, and seventy persons were baptized.
But the enemy of mankinde, who omitteth none oppor-
tunity for the hinderance of Christian religion, suggested
into the mindes of the Chinians (being, as I sayd, of
their owne nature, a people estranged from the traffique
and acquaintance of other nations, and alwayes being
too suspicious of strangers) that they should
exhibite letters of supplication unto the Caien and the
Tutan their principall Magistrates, to have the fathers
expelled out of Xauquin: which Magistrates repairing
unto their foresayd house and Church entered consul-
tation how they might bannish them out of the sayd
City of Xauquin: in which thing verily they used
great moderation, not any way offending or exasperating
the mindes of the fathers, but onely signifying that
they had regard unto the estate of their Common-
wealth. For the Tutan or Vice-roy calling the fathers
unto him, and (to let passe other accidents) using
courteous and familiar conference with them, declared
by many arguments, that their habitation in the City
of Xauquin was not convenient, especially sithens so
many Magistrates resorted unto that City, who would
take great offence at the presence of strangers.
For
the which cause he perswaded them to accept some
part of the money which they had bestowed in the
building of their house, and so to returne either home
into their owne countrey, or unto the port of Macao.
Howbeit, such was the instant supplication of the
fathers, and so woorthy of compassion, that the Tutan
or Vice-roy, in the extreame and mediterrane borders
of the province of Coantum, assigned unto them a new
habitation at the city called Xaucheo, commending them
also to a certaine Magistrate, who was come from the
same place to salute him. Thither therefore the sayd
fathers, not without great sorrow and griefe of the
Christians, hied themselves, and as we are informed by

their last letters, they have even now layed the founda-
tion of their first building, and have also written that
they are like to live much more peaceably and con-
veniently for the propagating of Christian religion.
These be the first beginnings of Christianity in China,
where, even as in other places of the Christian Com-
mon-wealth, the seed is to be sowen with great labour
and teares, that acceptable fruits may be
be reaped with
gladnesse.

LEO. It is even as you have sayd (Michael) and nowe for this your pleasant and eloquent discourse we do acknowledge our selves much bounden unto you.

1579.

A Letter written from Goa, the principall City [II. ii. 99.] of all the East Indies, by one Thomas Stevens an English man, and sent to his father, M. Thomas Stevens: Anno 1579.

Fter most humble commendations: These shall be to crave your dayly blessing, with like commendations unto my mother; and withall, to certifie you of my being according to your will and my duety. I wrote unto you taking my journey from Italy to Portugall, which letters I thinke are come to your hands, so that presuming thereupon, I thinke I have the lesse need at this time to tell you the cause of my departing, which neverthelesse in one word I may conclude, if I do but name obedience. I came to Lisbon toward the end of March, eight dayes before the departure of the shippes, so late that if they had not bene stayed about some weighty matters, they had bene long gone before our comming: insomuch that there were others ordained to goe in our places, that the kings provision and ours also might not be in vaine. Neverthelesse our sudden comming tooke place, and the fourth of Aprill five ships departed for Goa, wherein besides shipmen

X

1579.

and souldiers, there were a great number of children which in the seas beare out better then men, and no marvell, when that many women also passe very well. The setting foorth from the port I need not to tell how solemne it is with trumpets, and shooting of ordinance, you may easily imagine it, considering that they go in the maner of warre. The tenth of the foresayd moneth we came to the sight of Porto Santo neere unto Madera, where an English shippe set upon ours (which was then also alone) with a few shots, which did no harme, but after that our ship had layed out her greatest ordinance, they straight departed as they came. The English shippe was very faire and great, which I was sory to see so ill occupied, for she went roving about, so that we saw her againe at the Canarian Iles, unto the which we came the thirteenth of the sayd moneth, and good leisure we had to woonder at the high mountaine of the Iland Tenerif, for we wandred betweene that and great Canaria foure dayes by reason of contrary windes: and briefly, such evill weather we had untill the foureteenth of May, that they despaired, to compasse the Cape of Good hope that yeere. Neverthelesse, taking our voyage betweene Guinea and the Ilands of Capo Verde, without seeing of any land at all, we arrived at length unto the coast of Guinie, which the Portugals so call, chiefly that part of the burning Zone, which is from the sixt degree unto the Equinoctiall, in which parts they suffered so many inconveniences of heats, and lacke of windes, that they thinke themselves happy when they have passed it: for sometimes the ship standeth there almost by the space of many dayes, sometime she goeth, but in such order that it were almost as good to stand still. And the greatest part of this coast not cleare, but thicke and cloudy, full of thunder and lightening, and raine so unholesome, that if the water stand a little while, all is full of wormes, and falling on the meat which is hanged up, it maketh

it straight full of wormes. Along all that coast we often times saw a thing swimming upon the water like a cocks combe (which they call a ship of Guinea) but the colour much fairer; which combe standeth upon a thing almost like the swimmer of a fish in colour and bignesse, and beareth underneath in the water, strings, which save it from turning over. This thing is so poisonous, that a man cannot touch it without great perill. In this coast, that is to say, from the sixt degree unto the Equinoctiall, we spent no lesse then thirty dayes, partly with contrary windes, partly with calme. The thirtieth of May we passed the Equinoctiall with contentation, directing our course aswell as we could to passe the promontory, but in all that gulfe, & in all the way beside, we found so often calmes, that the expertest mariners wondred at it. And in places where are alwayes woont to be most horrible tempests, we found most quiet calmes which was very troublesome to those ships which be the greatest of all other, and cannot go without good windes. Insomuch, that when it is tempest almost intollerable for other ships, and maketh them maine all their sailes, these hoise up, and saile excellent well, unlesse the waters be too too furious, which seldome happened in our navigation. You shall understand, that being passed the line, they cannot straightway go the next way to the promontory: but according to the winde, they draw alwayes as neere South as they can to put themselves in the latitude of the point, which is 35 degrees and an halfe, and then they take their course towards the East, and so compasse the point. But the winde served us so, that at 33 degrees we did direct our course toward the point or promontory of Good hope.

You know that it is hard to saile from East to West, or contrary, because there is no fixed point in all the skie, whereby they may direct their course, wherefore I shall tell you what helps God provided for these men. There is not a fowle that appereth, or

1579.