Japan and the Japanese

106 JAPAN. A. D. 15881593.
heaven has favored you. The same religious men, who are, for the most part,
uatural-born subjects of the great prince whom the Indies obey, and who gc
through the earth with a truly heroical courage to teach men to know and to
adore the Author of nature, have also informed me of the distinguished favora
with which your majesty has uniformly honored them, and have begged me
to convey to you their thanks, which I willingly do, conjointly with my own ;
and that, indeed, is the particular object of this embassy, with which I have
charged the Father Alexander Valignani, who lias the honor to be already
known to you. After rendering to your majesty his humblest thanks for
your past favors, he will supplicate you, in my name, to vouchsafe to con-
tinue them ; and I dare to assure your majesty that subjects for your favors
cannot be found who will merit them better. Favors to them I shall esteem as
favors to me, and shall bike every opportunity to acknowledge them as such.
I have charged my ambassador to present 3'ou with two Arabian genets, with
their housings and harness, two swords, and two guns of a new fashion, two
webs of tapestry embroidered with gold, and two complete suits of wrought
steel armor, a dagger, which serves also as a
excursions.
pistol, and a tent for country
" At Goa, this year of Redemption, 1587.
" DOM EDWARD DE MENESKZ."*
The presents seemed greatly to please the emperor, by whom
they were carefully examined. A signal being given, Valignani
was led up the steps of the throne to the emperor's feet, whom, on
bended knee, he saluted, after the European fashion, by kissing
his hand, a privilege to which all the members of his suite were
admitted in succession, the ambassador being meanwhile seated in
the third compartment among the grandees of the court. Tea was
then served to the emperor in a gilded cup, which, after sipping
from it a little, he sent to the ambassador, who, at the same time,
received, by way of present, a hundred silver platters and four silk
dresses. Presents were also distributed among the members of his
suite. The emperor then retired, first directing his nephew to en-
tertain the ambassador at dinner, which he did, but with more of
ceremony than good cheer. The guests consisted of three members
of the imperial family and eight
other
great lords, all
eating,
each from his own little table or salver, in profound silence, many
persons of inferior rank standing about them. The ambassador's
suite were entertained at the same time in a separate apartment.
* This letter, with the reply in the next chapter, is given by Froer, from
whom Gasman has copied them.