This caused him so much fear and consternation
that he gave up his journey entirely. Many of these things will not
be readily believed. Some of them I did not see, but credible persons
from where they occurred report them as well authenticated.
The persecution of Christians in Japon is more bloody than it has
ever been before, and has become as bad as could be imagined. It
will suffice to say that in the city of Nangacaqui thirty bars of
silver, each one containing about four ducados, are publicly offered
to whomsoever may discover a religious. But just as tender plants,
because of the cold of winter, take deeper root in the soil, these
religious, because of their difficulties, plant themselves more firmly
in the faith and bear more plentiful fruit. This has already been
demonstrated. Indeed, during the last year more than fifty Japanese
have nobly given their lives to the service of Jesus Christ; and
almost two thousand adults have for the first time received the water
of holy baptism, through the efforts of our fathers alone. These
fathers, like good pilots, have not been dismayed by this great
tempest On the contrary, there have been thirty-two members [of the
Society] distributed throughout Japon, holding fast to the helm of
this little craft, toiling lest the sea should swallow it up in so
furious and destructive a tempest. Not less valor has been shown in
this matter by the chief pilot, Father Francisco de Vera, whom our
father general sent as visitor of Japon from one of the provinces of
India.
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