Japan and the Japanese

CHAPTER XVII.
GREAT EARTHQUAKE. MISSION FROM CHINA. ARRIVAL OF A SPANISH
GALLEON. FRIARS ON BOARD HER. NEW ACCUSATIONS ON HER ACCOUNT
AGAINST THE JESUITS. CONNECTION OF THE JESUITS WITH THE TRADE TO
JAPAN. ARUEST OF MISSIONARIES AND CONVERTS. FIRST MARTYRS.
A. D. 1595-1597.
THE emperor, now at the height of his power and glory, was making
great preparations to receive an embassy from China, when
Japan was visited by a frightful earthquake, which almost ruined
his new city of Fusimi. The sea rose to an extraordinary height,
especially in the strait between Nipon and Sikokf, attended with a
terrible destruction of life and property. Nor did the mission from
China at all answer the expectation of the emperor, since the am-
bassadors demanded nothing less than the entire evacuation of
Corea, a demand which speedily led to a renewal of the war.
In 1596, a richly-laden Spanish galleon, from the Philip-
pines, disabled and driven by adverse winds to the coast of Japan,
was induced, partly by persuasions, and partly by a show of force,
to enter a harbor on the south coast of Sikokf, where she was immediately
seized by the local authorities as forfeited. The commander
of the vessel sent two of his officers to Miako to solicit a remission
of this forfeiture, which mission was charged to have nothing to do
with the Jesuits, but to consult only with the Franciscans estab-
lished in that city.
It had, however, no success. The prize seemed
to the emperor too valuable to be given up. Driven at length by
extremity to seek the aid of the Jesuits, the ship's company, after
being for some time supported by their charity, were shipped off by
their assistance to Manilla, all except four Augustine friars, a Do-
minican and two Franciscans, who remained in Japan as missionaries.
But, instead of getting any thanks from the inhabitants of Manilla,