are imposed upon them by the magistrates. From this have resulted
great discontent and scandal in all ranks of this commonwealth, and
particularly among serious persons therein, both ecclesiastical and
lay--who, being moved by zeal for the service of God our Lord, and of
his Majesty, and for the prosperity and preservation of these islands
and the citizens and natives thereof, have made representations of
the many difficulties resulting from the aforesaid grant, not only
in sermons which have many times been preached in regard to this, but
likewise by information and declaration to the judges and ministers of
his Majesty, that they might aid in procuring relief therein, as it
is a thing so important for the royal service. For the establishment
of the said college and seminary was accomplished at a time when
the king of Japon so rigorously prohibited the preaching of the holy
gospel in his kingdom, as is explained in the said royal decree; and
[his resentment] had reached such an extreme that, when ambassadors
were despatched in the past year to negotiate on behalf of these
islands for friendship and good understanding with the said king,
he showed himself to be so ill disposed against them that he did
not allow the said ambassadors to enter his court during the eight
months and more which they passed in his kingdom, seeking an audience
in order to give their message and embassy. According to the letters
and relations received, his resentment was the result of having found
certain religious in his kingdom in secular clothes, and of having
learned that they had been brought from these islands to his land in
disguise and secretly. On this account, and in order to prevent them
from entering Japon, he has ordered all Spaniards who are in his said
kingdom to leave it, and has forbidden and discontinued traffic, and
he will not consent that Japanese ships come to these islands, as they
used to come, to bring provisions and other military stores for the
royal warehouses; this can only result in the ruin of this country,