ur, a fire began in Firando, near the
young king's house, by which forty houses were burnt down; and, had not
the wind fallen calm, most of the town had been destroyed. Had not our
Englishmen bestirred themselves lustily, many more houses had gone to
wreck, for the fire took hold three or four times on the opposite side
of the street to our house, which they as often extinguished, for which
they were very much commended by the king and other principal people.
Old Foyne came to our door on horseback, and advised us to put all our
things into the _godown_, and daub up the door with wet clay, which
would place them in safety. Captain Brower likewise, and some of his
people, came very kindly to our house, offering to assist us either by
land or water, if needful. It could not be known how this fire began,
but there were reports among the Japanese that there would soon be a
still greater fire, which had been predicted by the devil and his
conjurers. I pray God it may not be done purposely by some villainous
people, on purpose to rob and steal what they can lay hold of during the
trouble and confusion.

The 20th I went to visit Captain Brower at the Dutch house, to return
thanks for his friendly assistance the night before. Towards night,
Hernando the Spaniard and Edward Markes returned from Nangasaki, where
they could not procure sight of any of our fugitives, though they were
still at that place. A Portuguese or Spaniard at Nangasaki, in high
authority about sea affairs, told Markes we should never have our men
back; but that if all the rest of our people would come, leaving the
ship empty, they would be well received, and would be still more welcome
if they brought the ship with them. The Japanese, who had been sent by
king Foyne along with our people to look for our runaways, would not
allow Markes to stir out of doors for a night and half a day after their
arrival at Nangasaki, he going abroad himself, and Hernando lodging at a
different place, whence I suspect there was some fraudulent
understanding between the Japanese and Hernando, and have now lost hope
of ever getting our men back. I blamed the jesuits, and the old king
agreed with me, and told me he would take care that no more of our
people should be carried to Nangasaki, except they stole the ship's
boats, as the others had done, of which I gave notice to Mr James
Foster, our master. Foyne at this time issued an edict, strictly
forbidding any of the Japanese from