Anjiro and Japan

Hi all,

This is not a normal post, not a normal thread. This, from the depth of my soul, is a cry for help.
Will you dare give me a hand and take me out of the darkness in which I've fallen?

Right. So I am looking for, and haven't found much beyond Wikipedia, about Anjiro, the Japanese companion to Francis Xavier, who was his guide in Japan.
He looks absolutely fascinating, a samurai on the run to the end of the world, but I can't find anything decent about him.
It's for my podcast, any help pretty please?
 
According to this doc:

Original in Portuguese said:
O Japão dos seus conhecimentos, situava-se, pois, nesta ilha, uma das três principais do arquipélago. Na viagem de regresso a Malaca, Angiro terlhe-á fornecido também dados interessantes sobre a sua terra e seus conterrâneos. Fontes documentais garantem que Angiro, ao que parece, já relacionado com portugueses, havia assassinado um homem e, sendo perseguido pela lei, andava fugindo quando Jorge Álvares o recebeu num porto do Japão.

Que teve bom acolhimento testemunha-o o próprio Angiro: «El qual Jorge Alvarez me truxe consigo y me hizo mucho gasalhado trayendome en su voluntad, para me entregar al Padre mio Maestro Francisco, de quien es grande su amigo». Iniciado na doutrina cristã e aprendendo um pouco de português na viagem de regresso, Angiro iria ser um valioso colaborador do Padre Mestre, porquanto era desejo deste levar a luz da fé àquelas partes da China e do Japão.

Translation said:
The Japan of his knowledge was situated on this island, one of the three main islands of the archipelago. On the return trip to Malaca, Anjiro would had given him interesting data about his land and it's people. Documental sources ensure that Anjiro, apparently, had already had contact with the Portuguese, he had murdered a man and being pursue by the law was running away when Jorge Álvares received him in a port in Japan.

Testified by Anjiro himself: "Jorge Alvarez brought me with him and much he made for him bringing me in his will to deliver me to the Priest, my Master Francis, of whom he was a great friend." Initiated in the Christian doctrine and learning a little of Portuguese on his way back, Anjiro would be a value collaborator of the Main-Priest, for it was his wish to bring the light of the faith to those lands of China and Japan.

This document states this:

Mas antes de partir tuvo lugar un encuentro providencial con unos mercaderes portugueses de mucho crédito: le dieron noticia de unas islas muy grandes que se llamaban Japón, donde se haría mucho fruto en acrecentar la fe católica más que en ninguna parte de la India, por tratarse de «gente deseosa de saber en gran manera». Con los portugueses venía un japonés, llamado Angiro. Venía a buscar al Padre Francisco por las noticias que sobre él le habían dado aquellos mercaderes. Estos le habían recomendado que viniese a encontrarse con el misionero. Sentía sobre sí el japonés el peso de pecados de juventud y deseaba obtener el perdón de Dios. Al no haber encontrado al Padre Francisco en Malaca, tornó al Japón y a punto estuvo de perder la vida en una tormenta que se desencadenó ya a vista de tierra. Volvió del Japón en el mismo navío y esta vez sí lo encontró. Hablaba razonablemente el portugués y se entendieron perfectamente. Ab ungue leonem. «Si así son todos los japoneses -dedujo el Padre Francisco- tan curiosos de saber como Angiro, paréceme que es gente más curiosa de cuantas tierras son descubiertas».

Hacía escasos años que los portugueses habían llegado a las costas de Japón y era muy poco lo que se sabía en Europa sobre aquel remoto país. Fue todo un descubrimiento para el insaciable misionero navarro. La muestra era excelente. Angiro iba frecuentemente a la iglesia, escribía los artículos de la fe cuando los oía en la doctrina, asaba a preguntas al Padre Francisco. No pudo llevarle en su nao a la India, pero quedó en venir muy pronto. Japón, un nombre que subyugó al Padre Francisco, un horizonte completamente diferente. Angiro fue su guía.

El Padre Francisco no era un explorador y menos un comerciante, ávido de nuevas noticias; era un misionero. Por eso le preguntaba a Angiro: «Si yo fuese con él a su tierra, si se harían cristianos los del Japón». La respuesta era tan misteriosa como incitante:

Los de su tierra no se harían cristianos luego, diciéndome que primero me harían muchas preguntas y verían lo que les respondía y lo que yo entendía, y SOBRE TODO, si vivía conforme a lo que hablaba; y si hiciese dos cosas, hablar bien y satisfacer a sus preguntas, y vivir sin que me hallasen en qué me reprender, que en medio año, después que tuviesen experiencia de mí, el Rey y la gente noble y toda otra gente de discreción, se harían cristianos, diciendo que ellos no son gentes que se rigen sino por razón.

(...)

Lo que iba sintiendo en su alma sería sometido al discernimiento de espíritus enseñado por el Padre Ignacio y de él brotaría la firme determinación. Entretanto enseñó el portugués al joven Angiro, lo fue catequizando y le hizo traducir al japonés su doctrina cristiana, pues sabía «muy bien escribir letra de Japón».

(...)

Google Translation said:
But before leaving, a providential meeting took place with Portuguese merchants of great credit: they informed him of some very large islands which were called Japan, where they would bear much fruit in increasing the Catholic faith more than in any part of India, for Be "people eager to know in a great way". With the Portuguese came a Japanese, called Angiro. He came to seek Father Francisco for the news that had been given him by those merchants. They had advised him to come and meet the missionary. He felt the burden of youth sins on himself and wished to obtain God's forgiveness. Having not found Father Francisco in Malacca, he returned to Japan and was about to lose his life in a storm that was already unleashed in sight of land. He returned from Japan on the same ship and this time he found it. He spoke reasonably Portuguese and understood each other perfectly. Ab ungue leonem. "If all the Japanese are," Father Francisco said, "as curious to know as Angiro, it seems to me that these people are more curious than how many lands are discovered."

It had been a few years since the Portuguese had arrived on the shores of Japan, and little was known in Europe about that remote country. It was a discovery for the insatiable Navarrese missionary. The sample was excellent. Angiro frequently went to church, wrote the articles of faith when he heard them in the doctrine, and asked Father Francisco questions. He could not bring him to India, but he was soon to come. Japan, a name that subjugated Father Francisco, a completely different horizon. Angiro was his guide.

Father Francisco was not an explorer but a merchant, eager for new news; Was a missionary. That is why he asked Angiro: "If I went with him to his land, if the Christians of Japan would become Christians." The answer was as mysterious as it was provocative:

Those of their land would not become Christians later, telling me that first they would ask me many questions and see what I answered and what I understood, and above all, if I lived according to what I spoke; And if I did two things, to speak well and to satisfy their questions, and to live without being found to reprove me, that in half a year, after having had experience of me, the King and noble people and all other people of discretion, They would become Christians, saying that they are not people who are governed only by reason.

(...)

What he felt in his soul would be subjected to the discernment of spirits taught by Father Ignatius and from him would emerge the firm determination. In the meantime the Portuguese taught the young Angiro, he was catechized and made him translate his Christian doctrine into Japanese, for he knew "very well to write letters from Japan".

(...)

At the Colegio de Goa he had three Japanese boys from Malacca, of good manners and great ingenuity. Especially one, named Paulo, previously Angiro, who had learned to speak, read and write in Portuguese in eight months. I was doing the Exercises and I was already very well educated in matters of faith. Father Francis had a great hope, and she all in God, that would make many Christians in Japan.
His plan was extremely bold.
I am determined to go first where the King is, and then to the Universities where they have their studies, with great hope in Jesus Christ our Lord who will help me.

This was all I could find in a quick search but I will keep digging and if I find more things about Anjiro I will post here.

Hope this stuff helps you Tanc.
 
According to this doc:





This document states this:





This was all I could find in a quick search but I will keep digging and if I find more things about Anjiro I will post here.

Hope this stuff helps you Tanc.
Thank you! I had found similar stuff but was hoping to find a bit more meat... I shall keep digging, thanks for the help!

Currently working on something else, but I'll look through some Japanese text in the afternoon.

If you wan something specific, send me a PM.
I will, thanks so much!
 
Top