od quite over the tops of the
houses, as it whirled up the burning timbers of the several houses
previously thrown down, hurling fire through the air in great flakes,
very fearful to behold, and threatening an entire conflagration of the
town; and I verily believe, if it had not been for the extreme quantity
of rain, contrary to the usual nature of tuffoons, that the whole town
had been consumed. This terrible wind and prodigious rain were
accompanied the whole night by incessant flashes of lightning and
tremendous peals of thunder. Our ship rode out the gale in the roads,
having out five cables and anchors, of which one old cable gave way,
but, thanks be to God, no other injury was sustained, except that our
long boat and skiff both broke adrift, but were both afterwards
recovered. We afterwards learnt that this tuffoon did more damage at
Nangasaki than here at Firando; for it destroyed above twenty Chinese
junks, together with the Spanish ship which brought the ambassador from
Manilla.

On the 12th, two merchants from Miaco came to our English house, to whom
I shewed all our commodities. They laid aside two pieces of broad cloth,
one black and the other _stammel_, the best they could find, for which
they offered seven _tayes_ the yard. They also offered for out _Priaman_
gold eleven tayes of silver for one of gold. But they went away without
concluding any bargain. This day, one of our men named Francis Williams,
being drunk ashore, struck one of the servants of king Foyne with a
cudgel, although the man had given him no offence, and had not even
spoken to him. The Japanese came to our house making great complaints,
and was very angry, not without cause, and told me he would complain to
his king of the bad usage he had received. He had three or four others
along with him, who had seen him abused, and who said the aggressor was
just gone off to the ship. I gave them fair words, desiring them to go
on board and find out the man who had committed the offence, and they
should be sure of having him punished, and for that purpose I sent
Miguel, our _jurebasso_, on board along with them. He did so, and
pointed out Williams as the culprit, who stoutly denied the accusation
with many oaths, but the affair was too notorious, and the master
ordered him to be seized to the capstan in presence of the complainants,
upon which even they entreated for his pardon, knowing that he was
drunk. But the fellow was so unruly, that he took u