By these courses and meanes, wee are in good hope that firme peace will bee established in all these kingdomes, and also that a fit way will be prepared, for the conuersion of all the great lordes vnto Christian religion.
A briefe note concerning an extreme Northerne prouince of Iapan called Zuegara, situate thirtie dayes iourney from Miaco, which argueth the Isle of Iapan to be of greater extension Northward, then it is ordinarily described in maps, or supposed to be: together with mention of a certaine nation of Tartars called Ieza inhabiting on the maine to the North of China, neuer heard of in these parts before: taken out of an Epistle written 1596 from Iapan by Fryer Luis Frois vnto Claudius Aquauiua, &c. Printed in Latine at Mentz in Germanie 1599.
Not many dayes ago was baptized a certaine honourable
personage called Iohn Vongui the sonne of Taigarandono, who is
gouernour of a certaine princedome situate on the borders of
Iapan towardes the North, being distant from Miaco thirtie dayes
iourney.
And after a fewe lines it followeth.
The Isle of Mateumai. This Taigorandono being the most Northerly gouernour in all Iapan hath traffique with the Iezi, who are a nation of Tartars, which from the maine continent resort vnto the Isle of Mateumai, being about twelue or fifteene leagues distant from the foresayd Northerly princedome of Zuegara; where they sell fishes, the skinnes of beasts, and certaine herbes of the sea vsed by the Iaponians for foode, with other such like commodities.
Iezi a nation of Tartars dwelling on the continent to the North of China vsing cloth. On the other side the said Iezi Tartari buy of the Iaponians, cloth to make them garments, with weapons and other instruments. These Tartars (they say) are a most barbarous kinde of people, of a browne colour, with long haire on their heads and beardes like the Moscouites: they liue by hunting and fishing, and neglect husbandry. This Northerly princedome of Zuegara (as the sayd gouernour reported to our Fathers) aboundeth with excellent grapes both black and white, which without the labour of man grow naturally in all places, and he promised the Fathers to bring some of these vines to Miaco, that they might be planted there.
