The Right Honourable CHARLES Earl of ORRERY. The Rev. Mr. Henry Ott, M.A. Sir Adolphus Oughton, Bart. P The Right Honourable THOMAS Earl of PEMBROKE. Mr. John Padmore. Sir Gregory Page, Bart. Thomas Pellet, M.D. F.R.S. Henry Plumtre, M.D. F.R.S. Plumtre, Esq. * His Excellency Mr. Stephen Poyntz, His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Court of Sweden. R His Grace CHARLES Duke of RICHMOND. Edward Ratcliff, Esq; Richard Richardson, M.D. John Roberts, Esq; Tancred Robinson, M.D. F.R.S. * Edward Rudge, Esq; F.R.S. S The Right Honourable TALBOT Earl of SUSSEX. Jeremy Sambrooke, Esq; Isaac de Sequeyra Samuda, M.L. F.R.S. William Sherard, L.L.D. F.R.S. Mr. Shipton, Surgeon. Mr. Samuel Skinner, jun. Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. P.S.R. & C.M. William Sloane, sen. Esq; William Sloane, jun. Esq; F.R.S. The Rev. Mr. Soley. Thomas Spicer, Esq; Secretary to the Presentations. *Sir Conrad Sprengell, Knt. F.R.S. Ferdinand Sprinall, of the Inner Temple, Esq; Oliver St. John, Esq; F.R.S. John Stanhope of Eccle's-hill, Esq; George Stanley, Esq; F.R.S. Mr. Thomas Weston, Master of the Academy of Greenwich. Mr. Samuel Windor, jun. John Woodward, M.D. P. Gresh. F.R.S. Francis Woolaston, Esq; F.R.S. Ꮓ Mr. Zinck. Philip Henry Zolmann, Esq; THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE Ermany was as yet engaged in war with the Ottoman Porte and the most Christian King, when the Swedish Embassy, which I had the honour to attend as Secretary, was dismiss'd by the Persian Court. It agreed best with my inclination to under take a farther journey, and I chose rather to lead the restless and troublesome life of a Traveller, than by coming home to subject myself to a share in that train of calamities my native Country was then involved in. Therefore I took my leave of the Ambassador, and his retinue, (who did me the honour to attend me a mile out of Ispahan) with a firm resolution to spend some years longer in seeing other Eastern Courts, Countries and Nations. I was never used to receive large supplies of money from home: 'Twas by my own industry I had till then supported myself, and the very same means maintain'd me afterwards, as long as I staid abroad, and enabled me to serve the Dutch East-India Company, though in a less honourable employment. This off-spring of Japhet enjoys, more than any other European nation, the blessing of Noah, to live in the tents of Shem, and to have Canaan for their servant. God hath so blessed their valour and conduct, that they have enlarged their trade, conquests and possessions throughout Asia, to the very extremities of the East, and there hath never been wanting among them a succession of prudent and able men, who have promoted their interest and welfare to the utmost of their capacity. But to come to the point. It was by the gracious leave, and under the protection of this honourable Company, that I have often obtain'd my end in the Indies, and have had the satisfaction at last to see the remote Empire of Japan, and the Court of its powerful Monarch. 'Tis the present state of this Court and Empire, which I herewith offer to the publick, before my other works, which I have lately promised in the Preface to my Amœnitates Exoticæ. I can assure the Reader, that both my description and representations of things, though perhaps less elegant and perfect, are yet strictly agreeable to truth, and without embellishments, such as they occurred to me. I must own, that as to the more private affairs of the Empire, I could not procure full and ample informations enough: It is known, how difficult a matter it is for a foreigner to do it in any Country, and I found by experience, that it is much more so in Japan. Ever since the Roman Catholick Religion hath been extirpated, the Dutch and Chinese Merchants in a manner imprison'd, " and the whole Empire shut up to all Commerce and communication with foreign nations, the natives must be extreamly cautious and reserved in their behaviour with regard to those foreigners, who are permitted to trade and are tolerated among them. Those in particular who are more immediately concerned with our affairs, are all obliged, by a solemn oath, not to discourse with us, nor to discover any thing to us, of the condition of their Country, the Religions therein established, the private transactions at Court and in the Empire, and other things, and they are so far necessitated to be upon their guard, as by the same oath they are tied down to watch and to betray one another. For a farther confirmation, this oath is renew'd to them every year. In so low a condition is at present the credit of foreigners in Japan: The Dutch, who are suffer'd to trade there, have found it by long experience, and are of opinion, that it is impossible for them to procure any information concerning the present condition of the Empire, forasmuch as they have neither |