responded with a second notification, and so they thought it best to
leave unobstructed the entrance to Nangasaqui, and to go to Firando,
where they joined five Dutch vessels--including the "Leon Rojo,"
which had been abandoned.

As has been ascertained, these heretics plundered on the coast of
Manila eighteen Chinese ships, besides the two which on their return
to Japon they [the "Leon Rojo" and the "Fregelingas"] had carried
with them as they were, loaded, and the three which the ships coming
from Bantan [the "Leon Negro" and the "Galeaça"] had despoiled. This
robbery caused much commotion in Japon. The brother of the ruler of
Firando governed that state at this time, because of the absence of
the latter, who had gone to court. He accordingly placed guards upon
the Dutch ships as soon as they arrived, and commanded that no one
should go to them or buy anything from them until the emperor should
know of their arrival, which he reported immediately. The Hollanders,
paying no attention to these orders, began to unload their cloth
until they filled the warehouses of their factory, leaving the
surplus in the ships. Much of this cloth was wet, because, as I
said above, their vessels [the "Leon Rojo" and the "Fregelingas"]
and that of the Chinese had been shipwrecked. As this was the rainy
season, it was impossible to dry it; and thus, to their great sorrow,
much was lost. They secretly sold everything that they could before
there should come from the court any order that might be to their
disadvantage. They made a large sum of money, and then in all haste
they loaded a great number of the boxes of silk upon the "Leon Negro,"
which they put in readiness for whatever might happen. They then
despatched their messengers to Macao [_sc_. Meaco], the court of the
emperor, to whom they presented four fine pieces of bronze artillery,
which he prized very highly. They sent also thirty thousand taes