Translation by the author of a description of the triumphal procession of the Keicho Mission across Rome, from Donatus, Fra Gregorius, 1615. Relatione Della Solenne Entrata Fatta In Roma Da D. Filippo Francesco Faxicura, Con Il Reverendiss. Padre, Fra Luigi Sotelo, Descalzo Dell’ Ordine Min. Osser. Ambasciadori Per Idate Massamune, Re Di Voxu Nel Giapone Alla Santità Di N.S. Papa Paolo V, L’anno XI del suo Pontificato. Roma: Giacomo Mascardi. 8-page pamphlet.
Cover/Frontispiece:
Report
Upon The Solemn Entry
Made Into Rome
By Don Filippo Francesco
Faxecura
With the Most Reverend Father
Brother Luis Sotelo,
Discalced of the Order of the Minim Observants,
Ambassadors for Daté Masamune
King of Oshu in Japan
To the Holiness of Our Lord Pope Paul V
In the Eleventh Year of His Pontificate*
(Borghese Coat of Arms)
Rome: At the Press of Giacomo Mascardi
(1615)
Reverse of Frontispiece:
It is printed, as will be seen, for the Most Reverend Great Pontifex
at the Sacred Apostolic Palace, Bearing Faithful Duty for Caesar.
It is printed. Brother Gregory Donatus, Most Reverend Roman,
for Father Brother Hyacinth Petronius, Member of the Magistracy of the Sacred Roman Apostolic Palace, Preaching Order
REPORT
We certainly have, noblest readers, a great occasion to rejoice, with due respects to our ancient [authorities], and together together (sic) to praise wholeheartedly, and to bless the great Majesty of God, who, being through the infinity of his piety well pleased to increase so very powerfully his holy faith, and the Catholic truth all the way to the remotest parts of the earth, by grace, and moved by us to such great consolation, so as often to see that we do well, with great pleasure of soul, visible, clear, and manifest signs of his immense mercy, that he has used, and always uses in the conversion of so many idolatrous peoples, and immersed in their unbelief, who, the more remote from us they are, the greater he is glorified by them, and we are the fuller of great delight, given that one of the greatest of these [idolaters] desires that, having become a Christian, he see (and if possible in his own lifetime) the whole world reduced to a single flock, and obedient to one Shepherd.
Again I say that our ancient antecedents did not have similar fortune, [to have someone] no less hungry for this than we, and [as] curious; and bitten by this burning thirst, and [that his] desire be so inflamed to find and to have news of such a land, and a people that (thanks to the grace of God are at present found to be) scarcely, and with many doubts perceive the single fragrance. Concerning which thing, the Tragic Philosopher Seneca, recognizing how human industry would have one day discovered all these lands unknown to him, wished to sing the following verses:
…Venient annis
Saecula seris, quibus Oceanus
Vincula rerum laxet, et ingens
Pateat Tellus, Typhisque novos
Detegat Orbes, nec fit Terris\
Ultima Thule…[i]
[“There will come and age in the far-off years when Ocean shall unloose the bonds of things, when the whole broad earth shall be revealed, when Tethys shall disclose new worlds and Thule not be the limit of the lands.”]
Our age, therefore, having been made suitable for this blessing, every day increases in us such joy, since not only through letters, as has been for a long time in the past, but with our very eyes we see great Lords of these places, Ambassadors coming for their King, and to give obedience to their highest Shepherd, and the Vicar of Christ our Lord; which Ambassadors have come from parts so far away and so opposite from our Hemisphere, with such long and dangerous navigation across the Ocean, arriving at the port of Acapulco in New Spain, that is two thousand leagues distant from Japan, who are truly worthy of much admiration, and deserving to be commended and favored with such great honors as are those who have come from such great Princes and have passed across such great places, and particularly [honors] from Our Lord Pope Paul V, who may God keep fortunate for a long time.
From that part of India called Japan, where reigns Idate [Daté] Masamune, King of Oshu, there departed two Ambassadors of that aforesaid King, that is Don Philip Francis Hasekura, Japanese Knight, and the most Reverend Father Fra Luis Sotelo, of the Order Minor discalced of the City of Seville, who was the leader of the whole voyage and most faithful counsellor; and this departure was made in the company of certain Knights of Honor and others to be recorded in their place, on 28 October, 1613, the day of the Glorious Apostles Simon and Judah, and after long sailing, they found themselves come to Spain on the 10th day of November 1614 and then on the 20th day of the month of December following they were in Madrid, being received by the Catholic King Don Philip, [who lavished them with] many receptions, many courtesy, even personal one, paying all their expenses, all the time they remained there, very splendidly, and treated them with much magnificence. And the same was done for them throughout the many places of Spain.
They departed from Madrid on the 22nd day of August, 1615, and sailed across the Mediterranean Sea, making port in Genoa on the 11th day of October, of which the Most Serene Republic having learned, it immediately ordered a Palace [be provided] for their convenience, which was decorated and provided with all those conveniences, and supplies, appropriate to the grandeur of these Lords and to the great personages whom they wished to receive. But because of the haste that these Lords had, unwillingly [they had] to continue their sailing for Rome, since they had good weather, so contented themselves that night to stay in the Convent of the Annunciation of Saint Francis, were they were visited by the principal men of the City, making them many caresses and infinite offers, the following day they embarked, and after seven days reached Civitavecchia, on the 18th, the day of Saint Luke the Evangelist.
Pleased with this arrival the Governor of the City, named Lord Captain Severolo, as the most affectionate servant of the Most Illustrious Lord Cardinal Borghese, having been advised of their arrival, accepted them kindly, providing for them as suited his sense of duty. Landing amidst all this [kind provision], notice soon came to Rome, by means of Doctor Scipione Amati, and the Reverend Fra Juan Sotelo [brother of Luis] with letters of support to His Holiness, and to the Most Illustrious Cardinal Borghese.
A field carriage was sent by the aforementioned Lord Cardinal, for the persons of the Ambassadors, and three others from their family, with other mules of the Palace, and saddle-horses beyond those, and together with those were ordered two of his gentlemen with the aforementioned Doctor Amati, who succeeded in presenting letters of greeting and afterwards invited them in the name of the Most Illustrious Cardinal to a banquet on the following evening, at Santa Severa, the fortress, and the location of the Apostolic Archbishopric of Santo Spirito, where once they arrived, the soldiers of that place, drawn up in their ranks, made them a salute with many volleys of Arquebuses, and others in the fortress with many volleys of Artillery. In this place there were many honorable agreements and favors, and although the aforementioned service was sufficient, the Most Reverent Monsignor Campori, Commander of Santo Spirito did not omit to order many things from his own household as a greater supplement, which paid off their debts, they invited them to settle for the following day at Palidoro, a place very close to Sant Spirito, where was usual they were treated courteously, then all of them mounting carriages going towards Rome, they were met by one Carriage ordered by the Most Excellent Ambassador of Spain, Don Francis di Castro with some of his gentlemen inside, and in another of the Most Illustrious Cardinal Zapata, and in this company arrived at Rome on the 25th day of October.
The abovementioned Most Excellent Ambassador of Spain had ordered another of his carriages of the City to the Aracoeli where he had heard they had moved, but the Japanese Ambassadors suddenly learned that they were to be conducted secretly with all their retinue to the Palace at Monte Cavallo before the Pope, where they proceeded humbly to kiss his feet. His Holiness received them with a most kindly expression, where he conducted through interpreters many courtesies with inestimable happiness, and the satisfaction of the said Ambassadors.
Having departed from that place, they came to visit the Most Illustrious Lord Cardinal Borghese, and then the Most Excellent Lord Princes of Sulmona, both nephews of Our Lord, with Doctor Amati to serve as an interpreter where, being courteously received, after many compliments were exchanged, they went back to the Aracoeli, a church near the Campidoglio of the Order of the [Friars] Minor who go shod, being there in the monastery the Palace already made for the greater convenience of the Pontiffs, when they stay near San Marco, and this was ordered for their lodgings, all decorated as might be suitable in rich paraments of silk, provided with most sufficient silverware in the sideboard, with suitable service, and sufficient, and with all the goods that they might desire.
In this place, because it is connected with the monastery, and because of all that had passed, they were greeted by all those Reverend Fathers with great joy, and by a goodly party of those [fathers] were accompanied into the Church, where were lit many torches. There they found the glorious image of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary placed above the great altar, painted by Saint Luke, with organs sounding with great festivity to accompany said devotions, making such an impression as to so greatly please the Ambassadors that the same evening they wanted to return there again, and to pray with more leisure at the various places within the Church.
The 29th of the said month was set as the day to make the solemn entry by means of carriage, after dining and going secretly out of the Porta Angelica, where they were to make their entrance, and continuing through the Piazza of Saint Peter’s, through the Borgo, through Ponte, Castel Sant’Angelo, through Banchi, Parione, Valle, Cesarini, Altieri, and the Campidoglio, they were conducted to the Aracoeli. Through all these places and streed there were congregated the most infinite number of people, and a very great number of coaches, and carriages, full of Gentlemen and Ladies, the windows nearly all decorated with beautiful drapes, and cushions, that were full of Gentlewomen, and the Roman nobility, private men and titled men alike.
The order of the cavalcade was this, having been organized by the Lord Giovanni Battista Alaleone. Going in front was the trumpeter of the Guard of the light Cavalry, after which followed the said light Cavalry, to the number of fifty, and after them their Captains, the Lord Mario Cenci, and the Lord Curtio Caffarelli.
There came after these on horseback the families of the Most Illustrious Cardinals, and the Most Illustrious Ambassadors, Gentlemen, and other noble Romans, as also Frenchmen, and Spaniards, in pairs of two, dressed with great pomp.
There followed the Tamburri [drummers] of the Chief Regions of Rome, to the number of fourteen.
At an equal distance there came after these, five trumpeters on horseback, that played often, and roused the people with great festivity.
After these there came riding many Very Noble and Most Illustrious Lords, Knights, and Titled Gentlemen, very prettily dressed and decorated.
Upon white hackney horses, there came then one by one, between two noble Romans, those members of the family of the Ambassador, and the first seven of these, between Grooms and Pages, were dressed in silken jackets of various uniform colors, with large sleeves, and long, all the way down to their shoes, also made of silk, having one weapon, in the manner of a scimitar along the flank, and another in the shape of a dagger nestled in their sashes, under the left breast, and these are their names:
Simon Sato Curanojo
Tomè Tannoquiugi
Thomas Iagami Cannoyagiemon
Lucas Yamaguchi Canjuro
John Sato Tarozayemon
John Faranda Caniamò Peringhiri
Gabriel Yamasagi Cansque Peringhiri
After these came in the same order four Japanese Knights of Honor, two dressed in the same manner as the abovementioned, but more richly, two others were in black, with one skirt coming down to the feet, and another to the knees, both of silk, having on the head a cap of black ormesine, in the shape of a raised purse, with two corners, and with them the Majordomo dressed in the Italian manner, and these are:
Don Thomas Taquino Casioye
Don Peter Itamisomi
Don Francesco Nomano Fampe &
Don Alonzo Conderaique Guegi
Gregory Matthias the Majordomo
According to the way these things are done in Japan, when the Ambassador follows, there next went two pairs of footmen, all dressed in one mode, but in the style of those coming earlier, or little different, their jackets were worked in yellow and green silk, in the form of tiny checks. They were also on horseback, and each one of them carried in their right hands a weapon of a sort found in their country: the first pair had a weapon on a pole, with an edge and a spine like a knife, and in their left hands a weapon on a pole, something like a cross all decorated with bunches of red silk, and gold; the right hands of the second pair held an large umbrella of green silk, lowered, and the left a weapon on a pole with an edge and a spine, shaped like a scimitar, which arms they held erect, having also like the othere the other short-arms. These are their names:
Gregory Tocurò
Thomas Squeichiro
Jacob Moseaye
Nicolas Juan Quiuzo
These having passed, on the right hand of the Most Illustrious Lord Marc’Antonio Victorij Nephew of Our Lord came the person of the Ambassador Don Philip Francis Hasekura surrounded by the Swiss Guards of the Pope, and by his own Palafrenieri. He [the Ambassador] was dressed in the manner mentioned above, but with very rich Indian drapery, and divided into many compartments of work, figured with animals, birds, and flowers worked in silk, gold and silver upon white. He wore a collar ruffled in our own manner, and a cap, which he removed, and with a jovial expression and a smile together rendered salutes [with it] to the people very courteously, so that they honored him with acts of reverence, as they also did to those of his court.
There followed on horseback the two interpreters dressed nobly in the Spanish style, one called Doctor Scipione Amati, interpreter of the Spanish language, and a Roman, the other Alfiero Francesco Martinez Montagno, interpreter of the Japanese language.
Finally in a coach of the Most Illustrious Lord Cardinal Borghese there came the Most Reverend Padre Brother Luis Sotelo, companion of the Embassy, for the abovementioned King of Oshu, with other Fathers of the Order Minor, following in many carriages and coaches.
As the embassy passed the Piazza of Saint Peter’s, the Swiss Guards of the Pope saluted them with many volleys of artillery, and in passing the bridge of the Castel Sant’Angelo, where there was a concert of excellent instruments, they shot off another salute of a great number of volleys of mortars and artillery, [and] above the Piazza del Campidoglio where the cavalcade ended, above the center balustrade the trumpets of the Most Illustrious Lord Gabriel Falconio, Senator, and above the balcony on the right hand was a very fine concert of instruments, and in another the trumpets of the Most Illustrious Lords of the Conservatory. Once they had gathered in this place the Ambassadors dismounted and going up to the door of the Convent they were there received in the name of his Holiness by Lord Giovan Battista Costaguto, Chief Forrier [Courier?] of Our Lord, with all the necessary compliments.
These Japanese are by their nature formed of a little less than medium stature, these are of olive complexion, but I believe that such a color is not natural, but given that their voyage took them to the torrid Zone, because the place of the Indies [where they come from] being near the Arctic Circle, frigid places do not produce other than whites. They have eyes that are small and short, and noses that are a little raised in the middle, but dilated at the end. Their heads they shave particularly, usually leaving only the hair of the temples as long as possible, which they strictly gather and tie at the nape of the neck with a cord of silver, reducing it to a single knot, in such a way that [their hair] looks similar to the coccola [tonsure?] of certain friars. They carry two weapons, and the clothing as has been stated above.
On the day following these solemnities, the Pope was present to celebrate the mass of All Saints, as usual, in the new Church of Saint Peter, whence the said Ambassadors and their family were conducted to hear the mass in the usual coach of the Most Illustrious Cardinal Borghese, given for their use, in company with his Most Reverend Father Brother Luis and others of the family of the Pope, who had him in their particular care, and having arrived at the gate facing Santa Marta again, the Lord Giovan Battista Costaguto greater Courier of Our Lord received them there, and guided them to adore the most holy Sacrament, they then came to the place where they were to celebrate the mass in the presence of the Pontiff, and here, upon a covered dais, and swathed in rich draperies, they remained with great devotion and marvel to the very end, then they returned by the same road to the Aracoeli.
On the 3rd day of November it was decided to give obedience for their King before the Holiness of Our Lord Pope Paul V. Around the twenty-first hour they set forth from the Aracoeli in the coach, all dressed in black, as were also all his family, which followed in other coaches, except his four footmen, who went on foot, close to the carriage, carrying behind them the chest of clothing, in which they must appear before the highest Pontiff. [When the Ambassador] reached the Palace of Saint Peter, in the chamber in front of the Hall of Audience, he took off his black clothing, and dressed himself in the neat, colored costume made in the form of chequers, divided with work in white and blue, the sort of garb he would wear only when he wanted to present himself to the King, and having arrived in the Hall of Audience where Our Lord was seated under a baldachin, the Most Illustrious Lords Cardinal being present, he entered into the first of the square of benches making three genuflections, one at the entry to the square of Lords Cardinal, the second in the middle, and the third in front of the feet of Our Lord, where, bowing, he kissed the feet, presenting the letters of the King, already since Spain translated into the Latin language, and then, having made a genuflexion to Our Lord, the said Ambassadors came on foot to the benches of the Lords Cardinal, and remained kneeling while they commenced reading the letter, and then through the order of Our Lord they rose to their feet, and remained there until was completed the reading of the letter by the Most Reverend Monsignor Strozzi, which among other things contained many offers, that the said King told to his Blessedness, and testifying how the Most Reverend Father Luis, had preached with great profit fourteen years continuously in those parts and that he would be delighted to be sent some number of Religious, particularly Franciscans.
After the letter was read, there was delivered a very elegant oration by Father Master F. Gregory Petroccha of the Order of Minor Observants of Saint Francis, Overseer of Studies in the Convent of Aracoeli which, when finished, was answered by the same Monsignor Strozzi in the name of the Pontiff, and this done, the Ambassador and the Padre his companion, returned to kiss again the feet of his Holiness, and obtaining thereby permission for all his family to kiss his feet, which having been kissed, and Our Lord having left, there went out in order all the Most Illustrious Lords Cardinal present to make reverence, who were to the number of twenty-six Cardinals.
When all the abovementioned things were completed, [the Ambassador] left the Palace, and entered into Saint Peter’s where the Most Holy Sacrament was worshipped
in the Gregorian Chapel, and having prayed, he was guided to the Altar of the Apostles, then, under the confession of Lord Giovan Battista Alaléone, Master of Ceremonies of Our Lord, and thence having gone out of the Church where there was gathered a great number of people to see him, he entered the usual coach of the Cardinal with the usual cortege, and accompanied by all his family he returned to the Aracoeli where he has contined to be supplied, entertained, and served, by the order of his Holiness, by his own family.
At the present he takes care to visit the Most Illustrious
Lords Cardinal, and Ambassadors, as is
The usual practice.
(decorative motif of vases and a cherub-like grotesque)
[i] From Seneca’s Medea, ll. 375-379. It is a different edition from that translated here by Frank Justus Miller in the Seneca’s Tragedies Loeb Edition of 1938, since the line breaks fall differently and Typhis (a volcano monster) is replaced by Tethys (a sea goddess).