We hebben in 't nasien der papieren bevonden dat den 16^en September verleden 7 onse lantsluijden (die zedert 1653 in Corea hadden gevangen geseten, en waervan ons eerst in den jare1666 kennisse toegekomen is) door bestellinge der Japanse Regeeringh uijt hare gevanckenis op 't Eijlant Dezima bij UE. verschenen zijn, die daer nae ook geluckelijck op Batavia bij ons bennen aengelant, 't welke een saeke is waervan UE, soo vertrouwen niet versuijmt zullen hebben te hoof wesende, de Majest. te bedancken of soo 't niet en ware geschiet, soude 't noch moeten gedaen worden, doch alsoo gemelte saeke ongemeen en van seltsame voorval is, hebben hier verstaen dat die niet behoorde bij een gemeene danksegginge door d' Opperhoofden gedaen te berusten, maer dat UE. bijsonderlijk uijt onse name en van onsentwegen de Keijserlicke Majest^t soudet bedancken, om daer mede te betuijgen het zeer groot genoegen dat we daerinne geschept hebben.

Alsoo de H^ren Meesters in 't vaderlant met d' overcomste der gewesen Corese gevangenen in bedencken zijn gebracht of wel aldaer eenigen handel vallen mocht tot voordeel van de Comp^e, dat wij hier na de bekomen bescheijden van diezelve luijden en die wij wijders van die gelegentheit hebben, vermenen weijnich te zullen beschieten, soo om de armoede des lants als d' afkeericheijt diese hebben van de vreemdelingen en d' onwilligheit om die in haer lant toe te laten, sonder noch te spreeken van der Tartaren en Japanderen onwil om gemelten handel te gedoogen, die alle beijde in gemelte landt groot van respect en vermogen zijn, en ook dat aende goede havenen al vrij wat getwijffelt wort, soo sullen UE. nochtans dienaangaande tot meerder seckerheijt en gerustheijt in die sake ons laten toekomen UE. gevoelen, sonder acht te nemen op onse voorverhaelde aenmerckingen maer op de rechte geschapenh^t der saeke zelfs, sonder den Japanderen achterdocht te geven even als of dat een saecke was die bij de Comp^e in bedencken quam, maar eenelijek daer van discoureerende als tot voldoeninge van UEd^le nieuwgierigheit, en ook niet directelijk maar bij omwegen, dan wel bequamelijck sal connen geschieden en UEd. voorsichtigheijt toevertrouwt wort om dan sulk bericht bekomen hebbende ons zelfs en de H^ren onse M^rs daer van te dienen, waerop ons zullen verlaten.

Missive from Batavia to Nagasaki, May 20, 1669.

When checking the papers, we have found that the last 16th of September 7 of our countrymen (who were imprisoned since 1653 in Corea, and of which reached our knowledge only in the year 1666) through orders of the Japanese Government from their prison on the Island Dezima, appeared before your Nobleness, who, after that, also luckily have arrived with us in Batavia, which is a matter of which your Nobleness, as we trust, not have omitted to thank, being at court, His Majestesty or, if such did not happen, should it still be done, however being mentioned matter of rare [strange] occurrence, have understood here, that this didn't belong to a common gratitude done by the Chiefs, but that Your Nobleness expressively on our behalf, and because of us, would thank the Imperial Emperor, to express the very pleasure it created for us.

As well as the Lords Masters in the motherland with the coming over of the Corese prisoners have been giving thoughts if any trade there could fall to the benefit of the Company, that we here, after the received documents of the same folks and which we have further of the location, are in the opinion that little could be planted there [meaning that only little trade could be done] because of the poverty of the country as well as the aversion these have of the foreigners and the unwillingness to allow them in their country, without mentioning the Tartars and Japanderen unwillingness to condone the mentioned trade, which are both in mentioned land great in respect and power, and also that we doubt reasonably about the good harbors, so will however do send Your Nobleness for further certainty and reassurance in this matter, Your Nobleness' feeling, without consideration on our previous remarks but on the pure condition of the matter itself, without giving the Japanese suspicion like as if that being a matter which just occurs with the Company, but on one side indicating that this is for the satisfaction of Your Nobleness curiosity, and not directly but in an indirect manner, that could be done appropriately and Your Nobleness caution is being entrusted, to have received such a message, ourselves and Lords and Masters servicing from that, whereupon we rely on that.