been a simple and unaffected old man, not averse to merry-making, but firm, and, says Saris, “famed to be the worthiest soldier of all Japan, for his valour and service in the Corēan wars.”[8] Old as he was and good-humoured as he appeared, we see something of the sterner side of his character in certain remarks of our diarist. Almost immediately after their arrival the English sailors began quarrelling and drew from him a reproof which, though gentle, was a sufficient hint; and we are told, at a later date, when his dog “Balle” was accidentally killed by the English cook, that “if this had happened in the time of Foyne Sama, who esteemed this dog much, it might have cost us all our lives” (i. 248). The readiness with which he welcomed and encouraged foreign trade is creditable, and proves that he understood, at all events in some degree, the benefits which his small principality might derive from it. He died in 1614, about a year after the establishment of the English factory. The young king had not the force of character of his grandfather. Though generally keeping on fair terms with the English, his temper was capricious, and he was probably too indolent not to be ruled by his own ministers, some of whom appear to have been all-powerful. The principal nobles and ministers at Firando were: Bongo Sama or Nobesane, Foyne’s brother, and consequently great-uncle to Figen a Sama; Tonomon Sama, and Genta or Gentero Sama, Figen a Sama’s brothers, of whom the first acted as viceroy in the absence of the king, and the second resided as hostage at the shogun’s court and was in favour there; Sangero Sama, a natural son of Foyne; Oyen Dono[9] and Semi Dono, the royal secretaries; and Taccamon Dono, the chief justice, “our enemy”, as Cocks calls him (ii. 3).

The Dutch had already been settled in Firando for some years. In July, 1609, their ship the Red Lion arrived in that port and, favoured by Foyne Sama, they succeeded in obtaining from the shogun leave to establish a factory and to send one or more ships annually from Europe. It was not, however, till two years after this that another small ship, the Brach, arrived, and two commissioners were sent up to pay the usual visit to the court. One of these was Jacob Speck,[10] afterwards head of the Dutch factory and the contemporary and rival of Cocks. At the court at Suruga they were met by William Adams, whose influence with the shogun was used to such good purpose that they received most favourable terms for trading in the country, while two embassies of the Portuguese and Spaniards, which were present about the same time, failed to obtain the full privileges they sought.[11] The head of the Dutch factory, when Saris landed, was Hendrik Brower; and at the very first mention of his name by Cocks, the jealousy which was smouldering in the hearts of the two nations shows itself: “Captain Brower went along by the door but would not look at us, and we made as little account of him.”[12]

The first business for Saris to transact was the hire of a house, to serve for a factory, from Captain Andassee, “Captain of the China quarter”, the Chinaman who appears all through the diary by the name of Andrea Dittis; his next was to prepare to visit the court of Iyéyasu, only waiting to be joined by William Adams, for whom he had sent and who arrived on the 29th of July. They started on their journey on the 7th of August, leaving Cocks to manage affairs at Firando, and travelled by the same regular route over which Cocks was afterwards so often to pass: down the inland sea to Ozaka, and thence by land to Suruga[13] where Iyéyasu resided, and afterwards proceeding to Yedo to visit Hidétada, son of the latter and actual shogun, to whom his father, according to a not infrequent custom, had transferred the title in 1605. It is needless to repeat here the interesting details of this journey, which are to be found in Saris’s own narrative in the pages of Purchas. For our present purpose it is enough to state that the travellers returned to Firando on the 6th of November with ample privileges for trade.[14] One request was however refused, viz. the right to bring into Japan and sell the goods of Chinese prizes which might be captured as a punishment for rejection of the English trade. This is only one of several instances that are recorded of Iyéyasu’s fairness to all foreigners alike and of his refusal to mix in their quarrels. It was also understood that, on the arrival of a ship from Europe, a present was to be carried to the shogun; and for trade with neighbouring countries a goshon or licence was requisite for each junk that sailed.

“Now touching a factory to be left there,” says Saris, “I had on the twenty-sixth [of November] assembled my merchandizing council, where, upon these considerations, viz. the encouragement we had received in the Moluccas by private intelligence; the Dutch factory already planted here in Firando; the large privileges now obtained of the Emperor of Japan; the certain advice of the English factories settled in Siam and Patane; the commodities resting unsold upon our hands appointed for these parts; and the hoped-for profit which further experience may produce, it was resolved that a factory should be left there, viz. eight English, three Japan jurebasses or interpreters, and two servants, who were appointed against the coming of the next ships to search and discover the coast of Corea, Tushmay, and other parts of Japan and countries thereunto adjoining, to see what good might be done in any of them.”[15] The eight Englishmen who were thus appointed members of the English factory, were: Richard Cocks, captain and cape- (or head-) merchant, William Adams, Tempest Peacock, Richard Wickham, William Eaton, Walter Carwarden, Edmund Sayers, and William Nealson.

Richard Cocks[16] was probably a native of Coventry; at all events he was familiar with that city (i. 172), and had friends there (i. 229). His name appears in the charter of incorporation of the East India Company, 31 Dec. 1600; and in the earlier list of “names of such persons as have