d grant them even a mat for their shelter, the
persecutors hoping by this means to bend them to their will. Although
the confessors of Christ undergo great suffering, they do so with joy
and invincible constancy. Others who were not banished were deprived
of their employment, to force them to abandon their resistance. Many
fled for this reason, leaving the most populous city in Japan almost
depopulated, although it still contains confessors who ennoble it. [67]

"On the twenty-ninth of July of this year (1627) they burned alive at
Omura, together with another who wished to accompany them, a Dominican
father and three domestics, who had been kept in close captivity since
the year 1626. This persecution was begun because, having confiscated
the property belonging to the Franciscan fathers in Nangasaqui,
they found a list in which those fathers enumerated the servants and
houses which each one possessed in the land of Omura; and because they
had sent a ship with a cargo of flour to Manila, in order to bring
religious to Japon on its return--although those of Omura were more
than twice advised by the religious of Nangasaqui to consider that it
was against the Japanese law, and that by so doing they were exposing
themselves and others to the risk of destruction, by furnishing pagans
and renegade Christians with a pretext to persecute them, especially
the religious at the port from which the ship sailed. Twenty-five of
the constant ones were murdered--of all ages, men and women--some
for having displayed their constancy, and others for admitting
religious into their houses. Among others who died by burning alive,
one, a good laboring woman, was especially distinguished, whom,
because she was discovered to have admitted religious to her house,
they exposed to public shame, taking her in this manner for more
than twenty leguas round about. Finally, she was burned alive, ever
displaying the most remarkable constancy. The same fortitude was shown
by three men, whom they buried up to their shoulders. Another who saw
some one being burned alive, displayed no less courage; for, filled
with fervor, he voluntarily plunged into the flames, where he was
entirely consumed. All these were martyred at Omura for their faith,
or for receiving religious into their houses. More than forty were
executed for sending the said ship, and even now the punishment is
not concluded. Thus that Christian community, one of the earliest in
Xapon, is greatl