on.
Nobunaga accordingly took counsel with his retainers as to whether he
should allow Christianity to be preached or not. One of these strongly
advised him not to do so, on the ground that there were already enough
religions in the country. But Nobunaga replied that Buddhism had been
introduced from abroad and had done good in the country, and he
therefore did not see why Christianity should not be granted a trial.
Organtin was consequently allowed to erect a church and to send for
others of his order, who, when they came, were found to be like him in
appearance. Their plan of action was to tend the sick and relieve the
poor, and so prepare the way for the reception of Christianity, and then
to convert everyone and make the sixty-six provinces of Japan subject to
Portugal."

The _Ibuki Mogusa_ gives further details of this subject, and says that
the Jesuits called their church _Yierokuji_, after the name of the
period in which it was built, but that Nobunaga changed the name to
_Nambanji_, or "Temple of the Southern Savages." The word _Namban_ was
the term usually applied to the Portuguese and Spaniards.

During the next ten years Organtin and other missionaries worked with
considerable success in Kioto under Nobunaga's immediate protection.
This period is also remarkable for the conversion of the Prince of
Bungo, who made open profession of Christianity and retired into private
life, and for the rapid progress which the new doctrine made among the
subjects of Arima-no-Kami. This good fortune was again counterbalanced
by the course of events in the Goto Islands, where Christianity lost
much ground owing to a change of rulers.

Ten years thus passed away, when the Christian communities sustained
great loss in the disgrace of Takayama, who was banished to Kaga for
taking part in an unsuccessful intrigue against Nobunaga which was
headed by the Prince of Choshiu. Takayama's nephew, Ukon, however,
declared for Nobunaga, and the latter gave a further proof of his
friendly feeling toward Christianity by establishing a church in
Adzuchi-no-Shiro, the castle town which he had built for himself in his
native province of Omi.

In 1582 a mission was sent to the papal see on the part of the Princes
of Bungo and Omura, and Arima-no-Kami. This mission was accompanied by
Valegnani, and reached Rome in 1585, returning five years later to
Japan.

In the following year Nobunaga was assassinated and Hideyoshi, who
succeeded him i