2
under the Emperor Hanazono II, when certain Loochooans brought a present of a thousand strings of cash to Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the ruling Shôgun. In those days very little copper money was coined in Japan, and the greater part of the currency consisted of Yunglŏ (Yeiraku in Japanese) cash purchased from China by shipments of gold-dust, so that the offering was no doubt highly acceptable. From this time onwards the Loochooans frequently traded to Hiôgo, and we find mention made of another embassy in the year 1580, during the supremacy of Hidéyoshi, or, as Europeans usually style him, Taikô sama. The relations between Loochoo and the province of Satsuma wore always of a most friendly character, and vessels came annually to Kagoshima laden with presents. But about the beginning of the 17th century a Loochooan Minister named Jana, who was desirous of getting into favour with the Ming dynasty, at that time still rulers of China, persuaded the King to stop all communication with Japan. The Prince of Satsuma, Shimadzu Iyéhisa, who bore the title of Mutsu no kami, despatched a messenger to demand an explanation, but Jana treated the envoy with such disrespect that Iyéhisa’s anger was aroused, and he started for Sumpu (the modern Shidzuoka) where Iyéyasu was then enjoying the sweets of retirement after having subdued all his enemies, to obtain permission to use force in bringing the Loochooan King to his senses. Full power having been granted to him to take whatever measures he might judge necessary, he proceeded on his expedition in the month of March 1609, with a large fleet of war-junks. The bravery displayed by his troops was such that in a few months time they took the capital by assault, and making the king prisoner, returned in triumph to Kagoshima, where the unfortunate prince had to undergo a confinement of three years’ duration as an expiation for his offence. It appears from the annals that the Chinese did not discover this until after the king’s return, so that they were unable to assist their vassal.
From this date the kingdom of Loochoo became subject to the princes of Satsuma, the Shôguns not caring,
