Will your Majesty have considered the question of
whether it will be proper to give the usual additional pay in excess
of ordinary pay to retired officers who shall have served in their
offices in Flandes; and, before having those offices, the time set by
the ordinance that treats of it--even though it be not the additional
pay of Flandes, but that of Espana. By this method excellent soldiers
will be kept and your Majesty will be very well served.
It has been the custom to send presents and gifts at your Majesty's
cost from this place to the king of Japon and to certain private
persons, great vassals, and lords of the ports of that kingdom, every
year when a ship was sent to that country for the necessary commerce,
and the provisions which it sends to this country--inasmuch as it
is the fashion not to deliver an embassy or message without taking a
present. For some few years back we have neglected to send any. Some
religious persons zealous for the service of God our Lord, and for the
conversion of that nation and the salvation of its souls, and likewise
for the welfare of these islands, desiring to have them as our best
friends in all this archipelago, have considered and even say that it
is well known that those Japanese have considered the decrease of the
commerce, and attributed it to a disrespect for their friendship; and
that consequently they were bound by treaty to prefer now that of the
Dutch--whom they loved not a little, because they gave and continue
to give them rich presents from what they plunder, since these do
not cost them much.
Pages:
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264