when
the king of Japon so rigorously prohibited the preaching of the holy
gospel in his kingdom, as is explained in the said royal decree; and
[his resentment] had reached such an extreme that, when ambassadors
were despatched in the past year to negotiate on behalf of these
islands for friendship and good understanding with the said king,
he showed himself to be so ill disposed against them that he did
not allow the said ambassadors to enter his court during the eight
months and more which they passed in his kingdom, seeking an audience
in order to give their message and embassy. According to the letters
and relations received, his resentment was the result of having found
certain religious in his kingdom in secular clothes, and of having
learned that they had been brought from these islands to his land in
disguise and secretly. On this account, and in order to prevent them
from entering Japon, he has ordered all Spaniards who are in his said
kingdom to leave it, and has forbidden and discontinued traffic, and
he will not consent that Japanese ships come to these islands, as they
used to come, to bring provisions and other military stores for the
royal warehouses; this can only result in the ruin of this country,
on account of the lack which this may cause in its armament, trade,
and maintenance. If the king of Japon, who has already ordered that
religious cannot dwell in his kingdom, by not consenting to allow
Spaniards in it, as has been said, should get word that Japanese
are being educated and instructed in the said seminary, to go and
continue the said preaching, it is certain that he must experience
even greater displeasure and annoyance, and adopt more strenuous
measures to stop all communication and passage from these islands to
his said kingdom. As a result, the Spaniards will suffer the greatest
need through the want of provision which is brought to these islands
from there. It might even be the cause that he would unite with
the Dutch enemy, whom he admits peacefully into his said kingdom,
and that they would come with a great number of troops and vessels
against these islands, and cause great losses to them, as we have no
forces sufficient to resist them successfully. On this account it is
expedient to use prudent measures and acts, and not to continue this,
which in all certainty, and evidently, as is generally known by all
the religious orders and serious persons of this city, must result in
harm to the