e town to be on
fire. I immediately sent our skiff ashore to assist the merchants in
guarding our goods. The wind was so violent, that in a very short space
of time the whole town was burnt down, except the English and Dutch
factories, which it pleased God of his mercy to preserve.

Being ashore on the 20th, I procured two Chinese merchants, named
_Lackmoy_ and _Lanching_, to translate the letter which the king of
Firando in Japan had given me to deliver to our king, James I. It was
written in the Chinese character and language, which they translated
into the Malay, and which in English was as follows:

_To the King of Great Britain, &c._ "Most mighty king, I cannot
sufficiently express how acceptable your majesty's most loving letter,
and bountiful present of many valuable things, sent me by your servant
Captain John Saris, has been to me; neither the great happiness I feel
in the friendship of your majesty, for which I render you many thanks,
desiring the continuance of your majesty's love and correspondence. I am
heartily glad at the safe arrival of your subjects at my small island,
after so long a voyage. They shall not lack my help and furtherance to
the utmost, for effecting their so worthy and laudable purposes, of
discovery and commerce, referring for the entertainment they have
received to the report of your servant, by whom I send to your majesty
an unworthy token of my gratitude; wishing your majesty long life. Given
from my residence of Firando, the sixth day of the tenth month. _Your
majesty's loving friend, commander of this island of Firando in Japan,

FOYNE SAM-MASAM."_

My interpreters could not well pronounce his name, Lanching saying it
was _Foyne Foshin Sam_, while Lackmoy said it was written as above. This
comes to pass by reason of the Chinese characters, which, in proper
names, borrow the characters of other words, of the same or nearest
sound, and thereby occasion frequent mistakes.

The 22d, such houses as had escaped in the former fire of the 16th, were
now burnt down; yet the English and Dutch houses escaped, for which we
were thankful to God. On the 26th, a Dutch ship of 1000 tons arrived
from Holland, called the Flushing. At the island of Mayo, the company
mutinied against the captain, whom they would have murdered in his
cabin, had it not pleased God that a Scotsman revealed the plot when the
mutineers were already armed to carry it into effect, so that they were
taken between decks wi