The reason which moved
the emperor to order that they be not martyred is because he fears
that through the martyrdom many heathen Japanese would be converted,
if they were to see those who are martyred dying unwavering in their
Christian faith. Accordingly, in the month of May in the past year of
one thousand six hundred and thirty-two there arrived in this city of
Manila a Japanese ship with more than a hundred Japanese, with their
wives and children. They were exiled Christians who had been told in
their own country that if they abandoned the faith not only would they
not be exiled from their fatherland, but that they would be cared for
at the expense of the emperor. They chose to set out as exiles, fathers
parting from their sons, wives from their husbands, and children
from their parents, to preserve the faith of Jesus Christ, trusting
solely to the providence of God. They arrived at this city of Manila,
having suffered ill-treatment and disease. As soon as they had landed
and been received by the Christians of this city, they all began--men,
women, and children--to sing _Laudate Dominum omnes gentes_, and other
psalms, so that it would have moved stones to pity.
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