Nangasaqui to this prison of Omura, in company with two religious of
St. Dominic and three of our Japanese servants. They took us through
some of the streets of Nangasaqui and finally embarked us for this
place, handcuffed and with chains about our necks. It was daytime,
and all the city turned out to see the spectacle and to take leave
of us with cries and tears. Father Fray Thomas, of St. Dominic,
and father Fray Apolinar, of St. Francis, with six Japanese, had
already been here for some time. Here we are in great concord, just
as if we were of the same religious order. And although there is no
lack of suffering, because the house affords us but poor shelter,
and although at times the guards will not allow anything to come in
from outside except the little given us as rations (which is just
enough to starve on), yet at times it is ordered by the Lord, in His
fatherly care, that in the gifts sent us by the devout we have more
than we could desire. Above all, suffering for the love of God, and the
expectation of the happy fortune that may befall us, makes it all easy
to us and hardships a source of joy. I am most content with the favors
received, and, although I fear that because of my sins--because I have
not worked in this vineyard as I should have done, and because of my
great ingratitude for the many mercies that the Lord has bestowed upon
me--I have been driven from Japon as useless, still I console myself
that I have come to be manacled and imprisoned in the service of God,
which is no small mercy. I also trust that His Divine Majesty, who in
awarding these crowns sometimes does not consider the merits of men,
but in His infinite mercy bestows them generously, will consider it
right to reward this poor beggar as well as these holy religious that
deserve more than I. I beg that your Reverence, _in visceribus Iesu
Christi_, will help me to give due thanks to the Lord, _quod dignus
factus sim pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati_, [13] and to obtain for
me my profession for this novitiate with holy sacrifices, etc. From
this prison of Omura, March 5, 1619. From your servant in the Lord,

_Carlos_, a prisoner for Christ."

This ends the letter of Father Carlos. I have nothing to add to it
except that this Domingo Jorge, whom he mentions therein, was burned
alive, in November, in Nangasaqui, because he sheltered preachers
of the holy gospel in his house. Brother Leonardo, a Japanese who
had been imprisoned for three years