Pilgrimage, Book 5 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Of the Islands of Iapon, and their Religions.
THe Iesuites hauehave not more fixed the eyes of the World vponupon them in the Westerne parts, then they hauehave fixed their owne eyes on the Easterne; here seeking to repayre, with their vtempered Mortar, the ruines of their Falling Babylon: there laying a new foundation of their after-hopes: here, by their Politicke Mysteries and Mysticall Policies, endeauouring to recouer; there, by new Conquests to make supply to their losses: here, for busie intruding into affaires of State, suspected by their owne, hated by their aduersaries; there, by seeming to neglect Greatnesse, and to contemne Riches, of the mightiest are not feared, while others beleeue, obserue, and admire them.
Both here and there they spare not to aMat. 23.15.compasse Sea and Land, to winne Proselytes; eueryevery of their Residences, or Colledges, being as so many Forts to establish this new Romane Monarchie, but with vnlike aduantage, encountering there with Reason (or rather with the carkasse of Reason) attended with Ignorance and Superstition, whose Owlish eyes cannot endure the enterview of Truth, though darkened with those Cloudes, wherewith they ouer-cast it: Here with Truth, yea, the Soule of Truth, true Religion; whose Shield of Faith; and Sword of the Spirit, these (the stronger part of those strongest Gates of Hell) cannot preuaile against. A Spanish Faction of Spanish humour and successe, more easily conquering a world of the naked Americanes, and esseminate Indians, then keeping all they had in Europe. Such are the armes of the one, and the preaching of the other.
Yet would I faine be thankefull to the one and the other bBenefit by the Spaniard and Iesuite., the first for furthering Geographie with knowledge of a new world; the other, for making a possibilitie of a better world to some, whereas otherwise there was a generall desperation of all.
Neither are the wounds of Popish superstition so absolutely mortall, as the Ethnike Atheisme; the one hauing no foundation at all; the other shewing the true foundation: although their Babylonish slime euen heere supplieth the roome of better matter, besides their stubble, hay and wood built vponupon it. Better a mixed Truth, then a totall errour: and a maymed CHRIST, then none at all. But howsoéuer they bee beholden to them for their Diuinity, it were inhumanity in vsus, not to acknowledge a beholdingnesse to them, for that they giuegive vsus in the knowledge of many peoples, although in all their Discourses this caution is necessary, not to yeelde them a Catholique and vniuersall credite, where we any way may spie them dawbing the walls of their pretended Catholike Church. In relating their Miracles, and such like, wee will remember they are Iesuites: in other things not seruiceable to Rome, wee will heare them as Trauellers, when lying doth not aduantage them, nor hurt vsus. But as the Labours of the Iesuites may euerie where breed shame to our negligence in a better quarrell: so in Iapon it is most of all admirable, that the furthest part of the World should be so neere to their industry. And that you may at last bee acquainted with Iapon, wee will borrow of them to pay your hopes, by their long introduction suspended.
Maffaus (who hath translated and set forth more then thirtie of those Iaponian Epistles) in the twelfth Booke of his Indian Historie, doth thus describe it. Besides other lesse, three principall Islands beare the name of Iapon; which the cMer…ator thinkes Iapan to b… he Aure… … which agreeth not with Ptolomey.l.7.c.2. who placeth it vnderunder the Line.fi…st and greate…t most peculiarly challengeth, containeth in it three & fift… Kingdomes or Principalities, the chiefe Citie whereof is Meaco: The second is X…m…m, diuided into nine Seg…iories: The third, Xicoc, quartered into foure Lordships, so that there are in all of this Iaponian Dominion, threescore and six Shires, of petty Kingdomes. The space of land is measured two hundred leagues in length, in bredth somewhere ten, in other places thirtie, betweene the thirty and thirty eight degrees of Northerly Latitude: Eastward from China. The soile is not very fertile, subiect to much snow, the air… holsome. The bowels of the earth are stored with diuers mettals; the trees are fruitfull, and one dA strange Tree.wonderfull, in that it abhorreth moisture, and if haply it be moistned, it sh…aketh & becommeth withered: which they remedy by plucking it vp by the rootes, and after it is dried in the Sun, to set it in drie sand; if a bough be broken off and nailed on againe, it groweth. They hauehave two high mountaines, one of which casteth forth flames, and in the top thereof the diuellvseth to shew himselfe in a bright cloud …o some, that (by long fasting) hauehave prepared themselues to this sight: the other, called Figeniana, is by some leagues higher then the clouds. They much esteeme a tall personablenesse: they plucke off the haires on their head: children before; the common people halfe way; the Nobilitie almost all) leauing but a little growing behinde: to touch which were to offer great indignitie to a man. They can indure much hardship: an infant new borne in the coldest of winter is presently carried to the Riuer to be washed: their education is hard: yet are they neat: they vse forkes (as the Chinois) or stickes, not touching the meate with their fingers, and therefore neede no naperie: they sit on carpets, and enter the roomes vnshod, their tables are a hand high, some eighteene inches square, curiously wrought, to each guest one, and changed at eueryevery new seruice or change of meate, Quabacondonus, against a solemne and festiuall entertainment of his Father, prepared a hundred and thirtie thousand of these tablets. Their houses are most of wood, because of often Earthquakes: and some of Stone. Temples and Monasteries they hauehave for both Sexes: and more had, till Nubunanga destroyed them. Their language is one, & yet exceedingly diuersified according as they differ in State or Sexe: or as they speake in praise or dispraise, vsing a diuers Idiom. They vse Characters in writing and printing, as in China. Their swords are of a most excellent temper. Their customes differ in many things from other men. eCustomes in things indifferent are comely or vncomely, pro more loci.Blacke is a festiuall colour, white a Funerall: their meates, drinkes, perfumes, are as dissonant to ours. Their teeth are coloured with blacke, as beauties liuery borrowed of Art, which wee by Art would auoide. They mount on the right side of the Horse. They sit, (as wee rise) to entertaine a friend. They giuegive to the sicke persons, salt things, sharpe, and rawe: neuer let bloud: wee contrary (as in other rites) either to other ridiculous. All their Nobles are called Toni: amongst whom are diuers degrees: all of them holding their all in capite, to finde so many Souldiours to the Warres, at their owne costs. Genenerally the whole Nation is witty: pouertie is a disgrace to no man. Reproches, Thefts, periuri…s, Dice-play are hatefull: very ambitious they are in all things, respectiue to their credit, full of courtesie each to other, neuer bralling, no not at home with their houshoulds. The Inconstancie of that State learneth them by vse to prepare for, and to welcome, eueryevery State. They are exceedingly subtle, hypopocriticall and double-dealing: they are also of cruell disposition, not to their enemies alone, but sometimes will assay the goodnesse of their blade and strength of their arme, on some innocent bodie; and in case of distresse, they esteeme it a credit to preuent the sentence of lawe by bloudy execution done on themselues, vvhichwhich they vsually doe in ripping vp their breastes a crosse, a seruant or friend attending to smite off his head: and if it bee a man of any sort, his friends and followers in like manner with their owne hands plucke out their bowels to testifie their louelove. The Gouernours hauehave absolute rule ouer their inferiours: yea, in eueryevery priuate Family the authoritie extendeth to life or death. All …apon sometime obeyed one Prince called Vo, or Dairi, who at length addicting himselfe to his priuate delights, and putting off the burthen of ruling to his officers, grew in contempt: and at last eueryevery one …e…ed on his owne prouince, whereof you hauehave heard there are threescore and six, Leauing the Dairi a bare title, and a Heralds Kingdome to giuegive termes of honour at his pleasure, whence he raiseth great reuenue, otherwise subiect (excepting his Title) as are all the rest, to the Lord of Tensa (so they call the noblest Kingdome adioining to Meaco) This fCos. Tur…ian.Vo or Dairi descendeth by succession from the auncient Kings, out of which he is chosen, and is honoured as a God. He may not touch the ground with his foote, which if hee do…, hee is put by the place: neuer goeth out of his house, seldome is seene of the people. He fitteth in his seate with a bowe and arrowes on one hand of him, on the other a Dagger. If he should kill any, or if hee shew himselfe an enemy to peace, he is depriued as well as if he had troden on the ground. All great men hauehave their factors with him to procure new titles of honour, the onelyonly fewell of his greatnes.
They hauehave another generall officer or chiefe Iustice, which denounceth Warre, and in peace, giueth sentence on matters in controuersie. But these are but the instruments of the Lords of Tensa, as are also the Bonzij. These are their Religious, among whom one is supreme in cases spirituall, by whom all their old holies are ordered, and all new are confirmed or dashed. The Tundi, (which are as their Bishops) are by him consecrated and confirmed, although their nomination be by lay patrons. He dispenseth with them in diuers priuiledges and immunities: he inioyeth great reuenue and soueraintie, and is aduanced hereto by money and kindred. The Tundi giuegive Priestly orders, and dispense in smaller matters, as eating flesh on daies prohibited.
They hauehave many Sects, some reckon them twelue; all truely agreeing, in disagreeing with Truth: some of them Epicure-like denying Gods prouidence, & the soules immortalitie. They hold that a man hath three soules, which one after another come into, and depart out of the body. Few of their Bonzij will openly teach this Doctrine, but labour to hold the people in awe. Amida & Xaca they preach, as Sauiours, & to be worshipped. Some of their Sects doe beleeue an eternall life, and promise it to all such as call vponupon these supposed Deities, as Saints which sometime ledd so austere a life, for the sinnes of mankinde, that for a man to vexe his minde, or macerate his body for his owne sinnes, would not onelyonly be superstitious, but offensiue and derogatorie to their merits. And here the kinde-hearted Iesuite gMaffaeus., is panged with a fit of Charitie to yoke the Lutherans with them; as if the sufferings of IESVS were but the superstitions of Amida, as if either the sufferings of man, imperfect, borrowed, dutie, could be, or the sufferings of God could not be meritorious; or as if the I utherans denied Christian contrition (whose affect is Indignation, h2. Cor. 7.11.effect (selfe-reuenge) as they doe Popish confession and satisfaction. These Gods they call Fotoques. Other Gods of a lesse mould they call Camis, which hauehave their charges and peculiar offices, for health, children, riches, &c. as among the elder (that I trouble not the queasie stomackes of the later) Romanes.
These were Kings and Noble-men, or Inuenters of Artes, of whom they hauehave as true tales as Homer or the Legend yeeldeth. Taicosama that died iAn. Dom. 1598 Fran Pasius: Lud. Frois.a few yeares since, (the first which in these many later ages tooke the Title of a King, which, together with the crowne, he receiued of the King of China) ordained before his death, that his body should not be burned after the wonted manner, but closed in a Chest, and, in a sumptuous temple for that purpose built kAl. Valignam.his image should be enshrined and worshipped with the Title of Scinfaciman, or New Faciman, the name of their Mars or warlike God: which was also done. Thus he, which in his youth had vsed to cut wood and carry it into the Market to sell for his daily fustenance, for his valure promoted in militarie honours, at last became the greatest Monarch that Iapon had seene in eight hundred yeares, and not contented with humane greatnes, would aspire to that diuine, whereof hee himselfe had beene a derider in others. His name before was Faxiba, called after, Quabacondonus, the highest Title next to the Dairi, and signifieth the chiefe of the treasure: next borrowing a kingly Stile from China, would (mad folly) on his deathbed bequeath Godhead to a man, and immortalitie to a carkasse: when hee could no longer hold out his pride, cruelty, and other wicked courses, which made his presence dreadfull, his memory detestable. Nabumanga was his predecessour in his state and impietie, arrogating diuine honour to himselfe lL. Frois.but destroying the Temples of their Gods, together with their Temple-keepers, the Bonzij. This appeared at Frenoiama, a famous Vniuersitie of those Bonzij, nine miles from M…aco, wherein eight hundred yeares past, a Iaponian King had erected three thousand and eight hundred Temples, with houses adioined for the Bonzij: allowing to their maintenance the third part of the reuenue of the Kingdome of Vomen. Hence proceeded their orders and gouernement in affaires both of state and Religion, being a Seminarie of Lawes and Superstitions. But these temples in time diminished to eight hundred, and the Bonzian discipline as much …mpatred, and altered from austeritie (in some) to wantonnes, (in others) from Artes, to Armes. The Bonzii tooke part with Nechien, enemy of Nabunanga, who enraged hereat made truce with the one, to destroy the other. The Bonzij not preuailing by their suing for peace, fortified themselues for Warre in the Temple of Quanon their God of health and long life, much frequented with Pilgrims from all parts; much solemnized with their pompous processions (like in all parts if ye beleeue the Iesuite to their Corpus-Christi-solemnitie) which grew the more famous for that these were but the preamble to the like pompe in the Gibon-Feastiuall at Meaco. But all preuailed not with Nabunanga, who destroyed both Temple and Priestes with fire and sword, burning foure hundred other temples for company, in the yeare 1572. At Meaco hee burned twenty of these Bonzian Cloisters of the greater sort, besides fourescore lesse, and in one of them threescore Bonzian women or Nuns, whose Deuotion was employed in begging for the reparation of the Temple of Daibud. Amongst the rest, as the Grecians had their Mercury with his Caduceus, so the Iaponians hauehave their I…za with his Trident, to conuay soules departed into their allotted eternall residences: The Bonzij his Chapleines by lots enquired whither they should remoue him, he commanded it, and they with great solemnitie performed it, but out of a place, which then escaped, to another mOut of the Frying-pan into the fire.wherein, and where with he was burnt. Facusangin was another Bonzian Academy adorned with many Colledges which he destroyed. Xinguen the King of Cainochun shaued his head and beard: and professed himselfe a Bonzi, & not only attired himselfe in their habite, but thrice a day did performe their superstitions, hauing six hundred Bonzij to his followers. He writ to Nabunanga, intitling himselfe the Patrone of those Religions: the other in his answere stiled himselfe the Tamer of Diuels, and enemie of Sects. But after that he would bee a God, soone did he cease to bee a man; the immortall God, hating corriuals, by his owne subiects destroyed his life, riches, and memory. These Bonzij are for the most part gentlemen whom their Parents (hauing many children) for want of maintenance thrust into Cloisters; Shauen (as you hauehave heard) and Shauers couetously pilling and polling the people of their money by many deuises, as by selling them scrolles to keepe them (by the Diuell) from hurt of Diuels after death: borrowing of money heere, nBal. Gag…s.to repay with great interest in the Future world; giuing the Creditor a bill or scroll of their hands for securitie: by telling of things stollen or lost, (which they doe by Inchantments calling a Diuell into a Child, who being so possessed, answereth their questions) by selling their blessings, and curses like Balaam. Some by vow (the most) liue vnmarried: as the Bonzian women.
Another Sect, called Ianambuxos, before their admission into that order liue two thousand or more together on a high mountaine, for the space of threescore daies macerating themselues with selfe-inflicted penance; the Diuell in diuers shapes meanewhile appearing to them, and after this they are receiued into that damnable fellowship, distinguished by white stockes hanging downe their neckes, curled haire, and blacke hats, and so wander from place to place, giuing notice of their comming by a little Bell. Another Sect called Genguis dwell on some high Hill, blacke of complexion, and (as is supposed) horned, marry wiues of their owne kindred, passe ouer great riuers by the diuels help; who on a certain hill at times appointed appeareth to them; of whom by the name of Amida hee is worshipped. In another hill hee was wont to appeare to his deuoutest followers, whom then he would leade as they thought to Paradise, indeede to destruction, they say that a sonne, not able to perswade his father from this passage to Paradise, secretly followed him with his bow and arrowes, and when the Diuell appeared shot and wounded a Foxe, whom hee followed by the bloud to a lake wherein hee found many dead mens bones. They hauehave another Vniuersitie in Iapon called Coia, whose Bonzian students are of the Sect of Combendaxis, supposed the Inuenter of the Iaponian Letters. He in his old age digged a foure-square Caue, into which he conuayed himselfe, affirming that he then died not, but after some millions of yeares would returne in the daies of one Mirozu, which then should bee a most worthy King in Iapon. About his sepulchre burne many Lampes sent thither from diuers Nations, with opinion that such as enrich that monument shall themselues here bee enriched, and in the other life by Combendaxis patronised. In the Colledges here liue six thousand of those Shauelings: from whom women are restrained vponupon paine of death. At Fat…nocha…ti, the Bonzij oA Conni-catching Tricke.trained vp witty and proper youthes in all trickes of subtiltie and guile, acquainting them with Genealogies of Princes that so they might counterfet to be the sonnes of such or such great men, and borrowing money on that credit might enrich their wicked Colledge: till the sleight being found, they were killed of the inhabitants.
There be that worship the Sunne and Moone, who hauehave an Image with three heads, which (they say) is the vertue of the Sunne, Moone and Elements. pCos.Tur.These worship the Diuell, in visible shape appearing to them, with many and costly Sacrifices.
Some hold Xacas booke in such Veneration, that without it they hold it impossible to be saued. Other Bonzij hauehave beene in other ages in high reputation of holines, but qCaspar.Vilela.one especially, not a hundred yeers since, the Author of the Sect called Icoxos: the ruler or Generall of which Sect is openly wicked, but so adored of the people, that if he but looke on them they will salute him with teares of ioy, praying him that all their sinnes may bee pardoned, and therewith giuegive him no small quantitie of their Gold. His yearely festiuall is so honoured with thronging of the people, that in the entry of the Cloyster many are troden vnderunder foote, which yet is of the blinde people accounted a happinesse, many willingly yeelding themselues to be killed in that presse. And in the night, whiles his praises are sung, there is a great howling and lamentation. Nequiron was Author of the Sect F…quexan. But of other their superstitions you shall heare more in the next Chapter.