Diary of Richard Cocks, Volume 1 Cape-Merchant in the English Factory in Japan, 1615-1622, with Correspondence

In this vivid journal, the English factor Richard Cocks records the daily life of the fledgling East India Company outpost on the remote island of Firando between 1615 and 1622. His entries reveal a mixture of commerce, culture, and clash as merchants negotiate with Japanese officials, contend with language barriers, and watch the Dutch encroach on every profitable cargo. The diary captures the optimism of a venture that hopes to open a bridge to China while coping with an unfamiliar climate and precarious supply lines.

Beyond the ledgers, Cocks writes with a personal eye‑opener about the people he meets – from samurai guards to curious townsfolk – and the strange customs that colour each transaction. The narrative also sketches the uneasy partnership and fierce rivalry with the Dutch traders, whose lower prices and entrenched privileges constantly threaten English survival. Accompanied by selected letters, the volume offers listeners a rare, ground‑level view of a historic episode that ended in abrupt abandonment, leaving a lingering sense of what might have been.