Arai Hakuseki and Giovanni Battista Sidoti

Arai Hakuseki’s manuscript of Record of Things Heard From the West (西洋紀聞) in his own handwriting.（National Archives of Japan, Cabinet Library Jap. 32551 3-1）-- The date of Sidoti’s death and Records about Chosuke & Haru --

It was in the winter of Shotoku 4 that an elderly slave couple, Chōsuke(male) and Haru(female), who had once served an apostate Christian prisoner (his name may be Kurokawa Jyuan, or Francisco Johan in his native Language) , surrendered themselves to the office, saying, “We were previously taught the (Christian) Law by our master during his life-time, but we didn’t consider it right to betray the Great Prohibition of the country.  But after long years elapsed, we encountered the person who had come here for the Law after traveling ten thousand of miles from abroad in spite of the dangerous risk, and then was captivated at last.  Seeing this person, we feel ashamed of being frugal of (mundane) short life. Fearing of going through hell for a long time, we have received the Law from him, and are Christians now. If we don’t confess these things, it would look like a treachery to the benevolence of the country. As we have confessed our faith, you should punish us according to the Law of the country.”  The husband and wife were separated and confined for the time being. On March next year, the Roman (Sidoti) was investigated through the help of a translator who accompanied the Dutch Envoy, and was sent into prison on the grave charge of secretly giving Christian Law to the couple concerned.  And it came to pass that he (Sidoti) cried loudly the names of the couple from the bottom of his heart encouraging them incessantly to confirm their faith and not to change their fortitude until death. …….On October 7 of this year, the husband slave became sick and died at the age of 55 according to the report. Since the middle of October the Roman had also suffered from sickness and died at midnight on the 21th of the same month. His age may be 47.  (Translated by Yutaka Tanaka)

Note about the exact date of Sidoti’s death

 Japanese historians agree that Sidoti died in 1714. The reason why some commentators in the past wrongly thought that he died in 1715 is partly due to Arai Hakuseki’s error in his hand writing. He writes “It was in the winter of Shotoku 4 that an elderly slave couple…..” (at the beginning of the above citation), and , “On March next year, the Roman (Sidotti) was investigated through the help of a translator who accompanied the Dutch….”According to Hakuseki’s diary, he met the Dutch Envoy to Edo (Tokyo) at Asakusa on March 3 in Shotoku 4 (1714).  So “On March next year” is Shotoku 4 (1714) and not Shotoku 5 (1715)

 

Note about the exact translation of "受戒"

Previous (second-hand)literatures say that Chosuke and Haru were baptized by Sidoti.
 "受戒" is originally a Buddhist term which literally means "to receive Law or Commandment”, that is “to become monk” or “to become a devoted believer (in the case of lay persons)”.
According to Kobinata Diary, they were former Christians forced to apostatize before they met Sidoti. (小日向志：又此夫婦、同宿受庵より教誡をも受けしものなれば、転びけれども永く山屋敷に禁固せられたり)　So it was more probable that they returned to Christian Faith by confessing their crimes of apostasy before Siodoti than that they were baptized by him.

Original Japanese Texts of Arai Hakuseki’s manuscript of Record of Things Heard From the West (西洋紀聞) in his own handwriting 

 正徳四年甲午の冬に至て、かのむかし其教の師の正に帰せしものの奴婢なりしといふ夫婦のもの〈此教師は、黒川寿庵といひしなり。番名はフラソシスコ=チュウアンといひしか。奴婢の名は、男は長助、女ははるといふ〉、自首して、「むかし二人が主にて候もの世にありし時に、ひそかに其法をさづけしかども、国の大禁にそむくべしとも存ぜず。年を経しに、此ほど彼国人の、我法のために身をかへり見ず、万里にしてここに来りとらはれ居候を見て、我等いくほどなき身を惜しみて、長く地獄に堕し候はん事のあさましさに、彼人に受戒して、其徒と罷成り候ひぬ。これらの事申さざらむは、国恩にそむくに似て候へば、あらはし申す所也。いかにも法にまかせて、其罪には行はるべし」と申す。まつ二人をば、其所をかへてわかち置かる。明年三月、ヲゝランド人の朝貢せし時、其通事して、ローマ人の初申せし所にたがひて、ひそかにかの夫婦のものに戒さづけし罪を糺されて、獄中に繋がる。ここに至て、其真情敗れ露はれて、大音をあげてののしりよばはり、彼夫婦のものの名をよびて、其信を固くして、死に至て志を変ずまじぎ由をすすむる事、日夜に絶ず。……此年の冬十月七日に、彼奴なるものは、病し死す。五十五歳と聞えき。其月の半よりローマン人も身病ひすることありて、同じき二十一日の夜半に死しぬ。其年は四十七歳にやなりぬべき。