r."]

Letter from Dasmarinas to the Ruler of Japan

Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, [44] knight of the order of Santiago, governor
and captain-general in these islands, great archipelago, and districts
of the West, for the king, our sovereign, Don Phelipe the Second, king
of Castilla, Leon, Aragon, the two Sicilies, Jerusalem, Portugal,
Navarra, Granada, Cerdena, Corcega, Murcia, Jaen, the Algarves,
Aljecira, Jibraltar, the Eastern and Western Yndias, and the islands
and mainland of the Ocean Sea; archduke of Austria; duke of Borgona,
Bravante, and Milan; count of Abspurg, Flandes, Bretana, Tirol, etc.:
to the very exalted and powerful prince and seignior, Quamboc, after
all due respect, wishes health and perpetual happiness. Faranda Mango
Schiro, a Japanese vassal of yours, [45] and a Christian, arrived in
this city, bringing me news of your royal person, at which I rejoiced
exceedingly; for, because of your greatness, and the worth and prudence
with which the God of heaven has endowed you, I am much affectioned
unto you. Some days ago Faranda gave me a letter, which--although it
seemed to be in its form and authority, and even in the gravity and
style of its language, a document despatched by so great a prince--yet,
since the messenger was below the rank and quality requisite to the
royal name of him who sends him, and of the one to whom he is sent,
and the importance and greatness of the embassy, I have doubted, on the
one score; and on the other, because he is a man so common and poor,
and coming in an ordinary merchant vessel, which came hither for the
purpose of selling provisions and other articles. Because this took so
long in coming hither, I have doubted whether these letters were not
written by this man himself or by another, for some individual end, so
that by this means, he might receive more attention here. Furthermore,
as I have no accurate interpreters thoroughly acquainted with both
the Japanese and Spanish languages, as has been likewise declared to
me by the letter and embassy, I am in doubt also of the true sense and
purport of the words of the letter. I think that if the king of Japon
wished to write me, he might, since he has in his kingdom the fathers
of the Society of Jesus and other Spaniards, send me at least a copy
of his letter in my own language, through their medium. I can say
with truth that I have not even been able to read or understand _in
toto_ the letter or embassy presented me by thi