in which the sailors go ashore, raise a toast to the local lord and his people, discover sake and what we know today as tatami mats…
“I went a shoare attended vppon by Marchauntes and principall officers, and delivered the Presents to the kinge, amountinge to the value of 140 pound or thereabouts, which hee receaved with verie greate kindenes, feasting me and my whole Companie, with diverse sortes of powdred wilde fowle and fruites, And callinge for a standing cupp (which was one of the Presents then delivered him) hee caused it to be filled with his countrie wine, which is distilled out of Rice, and is as stronge as our Aqua Vitae. And albeit the cupp held vppwarde of a pinte and a half, notwithstandinge taking the Cupp in his hand, hee tould mee hee would drinke it all of for a health to the king of England, and soe did my self, all his nobles doing the like. And whereas in the roome where the kinge was, there was onelie my self and the Cape Marchaunt (the rest of the companie being in another roome) the king commaunded his Secretarie to goe out vnto them, and see that everie one of them did pledge the health. The kinge and his nobles did sitt at meate crosselegged vppon Matts after the Turkie fashion; The matts ritchlie edged, some with cloth of goulde, some with velvett, satten, and damaske.” (pp. 151, 152)
We will rejoin the Log in a few days. This is the ship’s log written by John Saris, Master of the Mission and Captain of The Clove.
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