Japan and the Japanese

PERSECUTION COMMENCED. 97
Desirous to outdo his predecessor in everything, he converted
Osaka, which had, till lately subdued by Nobunanga,
been under
the rule of a bonze, into a great city, and he built in its neighborhood
a great stone castle. To this city, made his capital, the Jesuit
seminary, originally established in the now ruined Anzuquiama, was
removed, another being also set up in the neighboring city of Sakai.
The king of Naugato was even induced to allow the ^introduction of
missionaries into his territories. The king of Bungo having appealed
to Faxiba for aid against his neighbors, the converted general Con-
dera, the chief commander of his cavalry, whom he sent to Ximo,
not only rescued the young king Joscimon from his enemies, the
kings of Chicugen and Saxuma, who had taken his capital, and
ravaged his territories, but succeeded also in bringing up to the point
of baptism that fickle and inconstant prince, who had long been a
great trial to the missionaries, as well as to his pious father, Civan,
who, having given up to him the reins of government, had been treated
thenceforth with very little
respect. The result of this interference
also was to reduce the whole of Ximo to the power of the emperor,
who now reigned supreme over Ximo, Sikokf, and all the western
part of Nipon, though still obliged to pay a certain deference and
respect to the pretensions and power of the local kings and princes,
whom, however, he required to be frequent attendants on his court,
and to leave their wives and children there as hostages, and whose
authority and consequence he all
sought by means to diminish.
Peace thus reestablished, everything seemed to favor the spread
of Catholicity, when, all of a sudden, and in the most unexpected
manner, in the month of July. 1587, the emperor signed an order
for the banishment of the missionaries ; and because Ucondono
would not renounce his religion (at least such was the ostensible
cause), stripped him at once of his place and his property. Father
Cuello, the vice-provincial, was ordered to assemble all the mission-
aries at Firandp ; and, in obedience to this order, they collected
there to the number of about one hundred and twenty, only Father
Gnecchi remaining concealed at Osaka, and one brother in Bungo.
But when the emperor commanded them to embark on board a
Portuguese vessel about to sail, they resolved not to obey. A few
indeed went on board and sailed for China ; but the greater part
remained, a message being sent to the emperor that the vessel could
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