of those later times who for to conquere strange countries did separate themselues so farre from their natural that they lost their owne countries at home But these of this kingdome being forewarned as y e prouerbe saith Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum By the hurt of another c. they haue found by experience y t to go forth of their owne kingdome to conquer others is the spoile and losse of much people and expences of great treasures besides the trauaile and care which continually they haue to sustaine that which is got with feare to be lost againe so that in the meane time whilest they were occupied in strange conquests their enimies the Tartarians and other kings borderers vnto them did trouble and inuade them doing great damage and harme And more considering that they do possesse one of the greatest best kingdomes of the world as well for riches as for fertilty by reason whereof and by the great aboundance of things that the country doth yéeld many strange nations do profite themselues from them and they haue néed of none other nation for that they haue sufficient of all things necessarie to the mainteining of humane life In consideration whereof they called a generall court of parliament whether came all vizroyes and gouernours and other principall men of all the fiftéene prouinces and there they did communicate to put remedy in this great inconuenience in the best manner possible Then after they had wel considered of the same with great care diligēce taking the iudgement particular of euery one in generall by common consent they found it requisit for their quietnes profite a thing most conuenient for the common wealth to leaue al y t they had got gained out of their owne kingdome but specially such countries as were farre off And from that day forwards not to make any wars in any place for that from thence did procéed a knowne damage a doubtfull profite and being altogether conformable they did request the king that was at that present that he would cal home al such people as he had in other kingdomes bordering there about vnder his obedience perswading him that in so doing he should remaine a mightie prince more richer more in quiet and in more securitie Then the king perceiuing the request and petition of his kingdome subiects and being fully satisfied that this perswasion was requisite to be put in execution he straightwayes set it a worke and commanded vpon great penalties that al his subiects and vassals naturall that were in any strange countries that in a time limited they should returne home to their own country and houses and likewise to the gouernours of the same countries that they should in his name abandon leaue the dominion and possession that he had of them excepting such as would of their owne good will acknowledge vassalage and giue him tribute remaine friends as vnto this day the Lechios other nations do This law was then established and is inuiolablie kept to this day in the which it is first commanded that none whatsoeuer vpon paine of death shall make or begin warre in any part without his licence Also on the said penaltie that no subiect of his shall nauigate by sea out of the kingdome without the said licence Also that whosoeuer will go from one prouince to another within the said kingdome to traficke in buying and selling shall giue suerties to returne againe in a certaine time limited vpon paine to bee disnaturalled of the country Likewise that no stranger whatsoeuer shal come in by sea nor by land without his expresse licence or of the gouernours of such ports or places whereas they shall come or ariue And this licence must be giuen with great consideration aduising the king therof Al which lawes haue béene so inuiolablie kept and obserued that it hath béene the occasion that this mightie kingdome hath not come to notice and knowledge but of late yeares All the which that is said séemeth to be true for that it is cléerely found in their histories and books of nauigations of old antiquitie whereas it is plainely séene that they did come with their shipping vnto the Indies hauing conquered al that is from China vnto the farthest part thereof Of all the which they indured possessers in great quietnes till such time as they ordeined the law of abandoning of their owne good will as aforesaid So that at this day there is great memory of them in the ilands Philippinas and on the cost of Coromande which is the cost against the kingdome of Norsinga towards the sea of Cengala whereas is a towne called vnto this day the soile of the Chinos for that they did reedifie make the same The like notice memory is there in the kingdom of Calicut wheras be many trées and fruits that the naturals of that countrie do say were brought thither by the Chinos when that they were lords and gouernours of that countrie Likewise in those dayes they were of Malaca Siam and Chapaa other of their borderers Also it is to be beléeued of y e Ilands of Iapon for that there are many tokens of the Chinos vnto this day the naturals of the country are much after the fashion of the Chinos and many particular things that do giue vs to vnderstand and some lawes that are obserued and kept in China But now in these dayes the gouernours of the sea ports do dispence with the law that forbiddeth y e going out of the kingdome by certain giftes which is giuen thē by merchants to giue them secret licence that they may go and traficke in Ilands bordering there about as vnto the Philippinas whither come euery yeare many ships ladē with merchandise of great riches of the which is brought many times into Spaine Likewise they do trauaile vnto other parts and places wheras they vnderstand they may profite themselues Yet they do not giue any such licence vntill they haue giuen suerties to returne within one whole yeare The desire of gaine hath caused them to traueile to Mexico whither came the yeare past in anno 1585. thrée merchants of China with very curious things neuer staied till they came into Spaine and into other kingdomes further off Likewise the said iudge and gouernours doo giue licence vnto strangers in the order aforesaid for to enter into their ports to buy sel but first vpon examination and charge that they should haue a great care not to demand any licence but to the same intent Then haue they their licence with a time limited and with condition that they shall not procure to goe about their cities neither to see the secrets thereof And this is giuen in writing vpon a whited table which is set vpon the fore partes of their ships that when they come to an anker in any port it may be séene of the kéepers and guards that they sinke them
may preuent wars which be offered by princes adiacent vnto him or anie other whatsoeuer But in especiall with the Tartarians with whom they haue had continuall wars many yeare Although at this day that the Tartarians doo feare him very much in such sort as he thinketh it best to kéepe him for his friende and doth acknowledge vnto him a certain maner of vassalage And although at this present and long time since he hath bin and is without any occasion of wars that should come vpon a sodain yet hath he the selfsame care diligēce of preuention as though he had many grieuous enimies to defend himselfe from or to offend them as you shall perceiue in this that followeth For besides that he hath in euery prouince his president counsell of war captaine generall and others ordinarie to take vp people and ordaine their campes squadrons as well by sea as by land to serue at all assaies when that occasion shall serue So likewise he hath in euery city captaines and souldiers for their particular garde defence and doo range watch to set their garde in order both day night as though their enimies were at the gates This military order they do vse and maintaine in such sort that no nation knowne may be compared vnto them Although speaking generally according vnto the relation of certaine spanish souldiers that were there and did many times sée them there be other nations that do excéed them both in valiantnesse courage and worthinesse of mind They haue at the gates of all their cities their squadrons who let the entrie and going out of any whatsoeuer except he haue licence of the iustice of that citie or towne brought them in writing the which gates they do shut and open by order and licence of their captaines which is sent vnto them euery day written in whited tables and their fine vnto it These gates are the force of all the cittie and thereon is planted all the artilerie they haue nigh vnto the which gate is ordinarily the house whereas they are sounded or made At night when they do shut their gates they do glew papers vpon the ioinings of them then they doo seale the papers with the seale that the gouernour or iudge of that cittie doth weare on his finger the which is done by himselfe or by some other in whom he hath great confidence and trust and they cannot open them againe in the morning vntill such time as it bee séene and acknowledged that it hath not béene touched since the night that it was put on So that if any haue any iourney to ride verie early in the morning he must go forth of the citie ouer night before the gates be shut and remaine in the suburbes for out of the cittie it is not possible to goe vntill the gates be open which is not till the sunne be vp ordinarily They do not vse any castles nor forts but great bulwarkes and gun bankes whereas they haue continuall watch and doo change by quarters according as wee do vse and the officers with a great number of souldiers do range throughout the city and bulworkes and commonly the captaines be naturall of those prouinces whereas they haue their charge giuen them in consideration that the loue they haue to their countrie doo binde them to fight to the death for the defence thereof And for that there should be more quietnesse and rest in the cities it is not permitted that any do weare weapons defensiues nor offensiues but onely such souldiers as haue the kings pay neither do they consent they should haue them in their houses neither vse any in trauaile by sea nor lande Besides all this the king hath in the citie of Taybin and Suntiem whereas hee is resident and in such cities lying there about a great number both of horsemen and footemen alwaies in a readinesse for to go with him into any place for the safegarde of his person in time of necessitie The souldiers of this kingdome are in two sorts and manners the one sort are such as bee and are naturals of the citie whereas they haue their charge and these be called in their language Cum in this place the sonne doth succéed the father and for lacke of an heire the king doth prouide one in the dead mans place Euery one of them hath his name written vpon the post of his doore and the place appointed whither he shal go when occasion shall serue enimies being against that cittie or towne The other sort of souldiers are strangers and are consorted for yeares or monethes to serue These be they that ordinarily make their watches musters and ioyne companies for the receit of the captaines these be called in their language Pon. These goe from one place vnto another whereas they are commanded to go One captaine and ancient hath charge of a thousand and a meaner captaine with his ancient a hundreth that doo depend vpon the other So that for to knowe the number of people that is in a great campe it is done with great ease in accounting the ensignes of a thousand men which are easily knowne Euery chiefe or petie captaine of these hath his house vpon the cittie wal and his name put on it and there he dwelleth so long as the warres indureth These captaines euery moneth do exercise their souldiers in marching and putting them in order sometime with quick spéed and other times more slower and to giue assalt and retyre as they are taught by the sound of the drum this they do vse continually in the time of peace as wel as in the time of warre Also how to vse their weapons which are ordinarie hargabuses pikes targets faunchers brushebilles holbards dagars and armour The horsemen do vse in the warres to carrie foure swords hanging at their saddell bowes and doo fight with two at once with great dexteritie and gallant to behold These do accustome to go into the wars accompanied with many seruants and familiar friends on foote all wel armed after the gallantest manner that possible they may These footemen be marueilous full of pollicie and ingenious in warlike or martiall affaires and although they haue some valor for to assalt and abide the enimie yet doo they profite themselues of policies deuises and instruments of fire of fire workes Thus do they vse as wel by land in their wars as by sea many homes of fire full of olde iron and arrowes made with powder fire worke with the which they do much harme and destroy their enimies The horsemen do fight with bowes and arrowes and lances and with two swordes as I haue saide before and some with hargabuses They cannot gouerne their horses very wel for that they haue but one péece of iron that is crosse in their mouthes that serueth for a bridle and for to make them stay they pull but one raine and with clapping their hands together and making of a noise before them They
vnderstanding the earnest request wherâ—with those of the Ilands did aske the ambassage howe much it did import to haue it as a man then elected for gouernor of those Ilands a matter that touched him very much did put the king and his counsell in memorie of the same and in conclusion they answered that hee should foorthwith depart with the souldiers that were prouided for those parts for that it was coÌ„uenient so to be doone by reason of great necessitie that they had of them in the said Ilands and as for the ambassage for that there was no such great necessitie nor haste it should be intreated of at more leasure when that the counsell wil aduertise themselues of al that shalbe conuenient touching that matter that they would consult and confer with his maiestie that he may as the right owner of them command that which shuld be to the seruice of God and his benefite So with this answere the said gouernor departed It happened that in the moneth of August in the yeare following before that this gouernor was ariued at the Ilands there came newe letters from thence of supplications requesting with greater instance that which before at other times they had requested sending with their petition the whole relation of the entrie of Frier Martin de Herrada prouinciall of the Augustine Friers and his companions into the kingdome of China and of such things as they had seene and heard of as may be séene at large in the said declaration which is in the second part of this booke This being séene by his maiestie he was resolued to send the ambassage which so many times they haue requested this chanced at that time that he began to go vppon Portugall a time of trouble but yet a great token that it was the will of God in whose hands as the wise man saith are the hearts of kings For the appointment of one for to go on this ambassage the king did remit it vnto his roial counsel of the Indies whose president was Don Antonio de Padilla y meneses who had communicated with me diuers times touching matters of that kingdome of Mexico whereas I was alwayes resident euer since I was seuentéene yeares of age and by reason of matters that was committed vnto me out of that country was the occasion that I did vse to visit him the oftener the which large conuersation and the good wil that hée did beare me did perswade him that I could put in execution the ambassage of his maiestie for that his will was that some religious person should do it and they being fully perswaded that my good will and desire was for the saluation of those soules and in all respects willing to serue his maiestie all the which with the knowledge that I had of that large nauigation and the qualitie of that countrie and people was a great helpe to the accomplishing in effect the will of his maiestie and desire of those that dwelt in Philippina So after this charge being committed vnto me and his maiestie readâ—e to depart on his voiage for Portugal as aforesaid he did remit my dispatch vnto the lords of the royall counsell who were at that time the Liceneiado gasca de salacaâ— and doctor Gomez de Santisteuan the Licenciado Espadero The Licenciado don Diego de Zuniga the doctor Vaillo the Licenciado Euao the Licenciado Gedeon de Hinonsosa By whose commandement I depart from the court vnto Syuell where as order was giuen that all such things should be prouided that I should carrie vnto the king Whereas I was procuring the same certaine dayes and for that they were many the which I should carry it was not possible by any meanes that they should be made readie against the departure of the fléete Then the Licenciado Gasca de Salacar aforesaide who was at that present resident in the coÌ„tractation house of Syuel gaue his maiestie to vnderstand thereof who was at Badaioz occupied in matters touching the kingdome of Portugal as aforesaid and requested him to giue order what his pleasure was to be done therein who commanded that the fleete should depart and that I should stay till such time as all things were made and concluded that I shoulde carrie with me for the king of China as in ample manner as hee had commanded And when that all things were in good order that they should cause â— sâ—ippe or galeon to bée made readie wherein I should make my voyage â—or to ouertake or méete at the newe Spaine such shippes as euerie yeare dooth depart for the Ilands Philippinas which is at Christmas time this commandement was delayed vntill the beginning of Lent as well for that the thinges were manie that shoulde bée made and coulde not be dispatched in the time as also for a generall sicknesse that was amongst them in Spaine called the Cattarre or murre Then after that all thinges were in order by the commandement of the Licenciado Gasca hée deliuered vnto me the kinges letter and all other thinges The which for that they were manie and againe I haue beene tedious in this Chapter I doo not declare it for that the prudent lector may of himselfe conceiue if hee doo weigh the magnanimitie of the Catholike king that dooth sende them and the mightinesse and richnesse of him to whome it is sent of the which we haue declared enough in this small historie I would I could particularly declare it vnto you as also the copie of the letter that his maiestie did send vnto that Heathen or Gentile king a thing worthie of the author but for that it came not to effect neither had I anye licence of him that all oâ—elye might grant it and againe in place whereas I could not aske it therefore I dare not for that I will not excéede the limits of fidelitie which I owe vnto my prince But it is sufficient that the letter and the present sent by his maiestie vnto the king of that countrey was to no other intent but to procure him and all his subiects to acknowledge the true God and to exhort them to receiue our catholike faith and to giue them to vnderstand the error wherein they are and how ignorant they are of the knowledge of the true God the creator of hâ—auâ—n and earth and of all the creatures of the world visible and inuisâ—ble sauiour and redéemer of all such as with a true knowledge doo beléeue in him and obey his holy lawe declared by his worde and confirmed by his deuine tokens and other thinges in effect So being dispatched I prosecuted my iourny and order till I came vnto the kingdome of Mexico whereas I found a certaine inconuenience touching a matter néedful in that voiage whereof his maiestie in the commission he gaue me willed me to be well â—duertised and if it were néedfull to giue him notice thereof before I did passe any farther The vizroy of that kingdome who was the Earle of Coruma thought it good that I
depart vnto the rest of the fléet And for that they looked euerie day for the death or imprisonment of the rouer the better to informe himselfe hee determined for that it was so nigh hand to go and sée the Generall of the fielde in Pagansinan and carry with him Sinsay one that was knowne both of the one and the other by whose meanes they might treate of such things that best accomplished the confirmation of the peace and friendship betwixt the Chinos the Spaniards as also of the death or imprisonment of Limahon With this resolution the one departed vnto Pagansinan whereas they ariued the same day and the others vnto Manilla whether they went for victuals CHAP. IX Omoncon is well receiued of the Generall of the field and lodged in Manilla with the gouernor whereas they doo conclude the going of the fathers of Saint Augustine to China WHen that the Generall of the field vnderstood wherfore the comming of Omoncon was hee did entertaine him with great curtesie and after that hee had giuen him to vnderstand in what extremitie he had brought the rouer which was a thing impossible for him to escape except it were with wings hee did counsell him that for the time till hee brought his purpose to effect which could not be long that he would go vnto Manilla which was not farre from thence and there to recreate and sport himselfe with the gouernor and other Spaniards that were there for that hee alone was sufficient to accomplish his preteÌ„ce without the comming thither of the kings fléete neither for to remoue out of the port whereas they were in securitie And for his going thither he should haue a shippe of his the which did row and was for to bring victuals and other prouision and he shoulde go in the company of the Captaine Pedro de Chaues that was bound vnto Manilla and promised him that within few dayes he would giue him the Rouer aliue or deade which vnto the iudgement of all men coulde not bée long Omoncon considering that this offer might come well to passe did put it straightwayes in vre did imbarke himselfe in the company of y e captain sent his ship wherin he came alone by sea because it was big drew much water the which was constrained to turne backe againe into the part from whence he went by reason of stormie windes and wether and was no impediment in the other with Ores for that hee went alongst the shoore and was shrowded with the land from the force of the wind so that in few dayes they arriued in the port of the cittie of Manilla whereas they were well receiued and feasted of the gouernor Omoncon remained ther certaine dayes after the which he séeing that the siege did long endure and that his staying might cause suspition of his death and againe that the whole fléete did tarrie his comming to his intelligence of the rouer being fully perswaded and certaine that hee coulde not escape the Spaniards hand they had him in such a straight that they would without all doubt sende him vnto the king aliue or dead as they promised him hee was determined to returne vnto China with the good newes that he had vnderstood with a determinate intent to râ—turne againe and carrie the rouer after that they had him prisoner With this resolution in the end of certaine dayes he went vnto the gouernor certifying him of his pretence whereby he might giue him license to put it in execution The gouernor did like wel of his pretence and did promise him the same the which the generall of the fielde did offer vnto him and which was so soone as the rouer should be taken prisoner or slaine to sende him vnto the king without any delay or else to put him whereas he should be foorth comming and to giue them aduertisement to send for him or come himselfe and did offer him more that for his voyage he should be prouided forthwith of all things necessarie without lacking of any thing Omoncon did giue him great thankes for the same and in recompence therof did promise vnto the gouernor for that he vnderstoode and had intelligence of the fathers of S. Augustine that his honor and his antecessor and the Adelanâ—ado Miguel Lopez de Legaspi had desired many times to sâ—â—d vnto the kingdome of China some religâ—ous men to intreat of the preaching of the Gospel and to see the wonders of that kingdome and howe that they neuer coulde put this their desire in execution for that those Chinos which came thither although they did offer them whatsoeuer they would demand fearing the punishment that should be executed on them according vnto the lawes of the kingdome he did promise him that he would carrie them with him vnto China such religious men as his honour would command and some souldiers such as would go with them hoping with the good newes that hée carried to runne in no daunger of the Law neither the vizroy of Aucheo to thinke euill thereof and for a more securitie that they should not be euill intreated hee woulde leaue with him pledges to their content The gouernor reioyced verie much at this his offer for that it was the thing that he and all those of the Ilands most desired of long time since and did straightwayes accept his offer saying that he did clearely disâ—harge him of his pledges for that he was fully satisfied of his valor and worthines and that hee would not doo the thing that should not be decent vnto his person and office The gouernor being verie ioyful of these newes did therewith sende for the prouinciall of the Augustine friers who was elected but fewe dayes past his name was Frier Alonso de Aluarado a man of a sincere life and one of them that was sent by the Emperor in the discouerie of the newe Guinea vnto whome hee declared the offer that the Captaine Omoncon had made vnto him whereat he reioyced so much that being an old man hee would himselfe haue gone thither to which the gouernor would not consent in respect of his age and other particularities but entred in counsel who were best to go and to finde one that were fitte to execute that which they had pretended which was as wée haue saide to bring in and plant in that kingdome the holie Catholike faith they determined that there shoulde go but two religious men by reason that at that time there was but a â—ewe of them and two souldiers in their companie The religious men shoulde bee Frier Martin de Herrada of Pamplona who left off the dignitie of Prouinciall and was a man of great learning and of a holy life and for the same effect had learned the China tongue and manie times for to put his desire in execution did offer himselfe to bee slaue vnto the merchants of China onely for to carrie him thither and in companie with him should go Frier Hieronimo Martin
die but be banished for euer out of the kingdome with precise band y t they their wiues children al that should come of them should for euer liue on those Ilands that are now called Iapon which were at y t time desert without people This sentence was executed the offenders did accept the same for mercie So they were caried to y e said Ilands wheras when they saw thēselues out of their naturall countrie without any possibility euer to returne againe they ordained their cōmon wealth as a thing to last for euer directing all their lawes which were for their conseruation gouernment contrarie vnto the Chinos from whence they came But in particular they made one wherin they did prohibite for euer their descendents to haue any frindship with the Chinos did admonish them to do them all the euill that was possible which is obserued kept vnto this day inuiolable shewing thēselues their contraries in all they may euen in their apparell spéech customes for the which there is no nation so abhorred of the Chinos as is the Iapones so that they are payd their hatred with the like And although at that time the said Iapones were subiectes and tributaries vnto the king of China and so continued long time after now at this day they are not but do all harme that may be vnto those of that kingdome They haue much siluer but not so fine as that is of our Indians likewise great abundance of rice and flesh and in some parts wheate although they haue all this with many fruits and herbes other things which be their ordinary victuals yet are they not so well prouided as are their cōfines or neighbors and no default in the lande for that it is verie good and fruitefull But that the naturall people do giue themselues verie little vnto the tilling and sowing thereof for that they are more affectioned vnto the warres then vnto that and this is the reason that many times they do lack prouision and victuals which is the verie same reason that the naturall people others do report of them There be in these Ilandes thrée score sixe kingdoms or prouinces and many kings although it may be better said rulers or principals such as the Spaniardes found in the Ilands of Luzō for which cause although they be called kings yet are they not neither in their cōtractation nor rent for they haue verie little in respect of the multitude of people The king Nobunanga who died in the yeare 1583. was the most principall and greatest Lord amongst them all as well of people as of riches who was slaine by a captaine of his and punished by God by this meanes for his luciferine pride for that it did farre excéede that of Nabuchadonozor and was come vnto that point that he would haue béene worshipped for a God for the which he commanded to make a sumptuous temple and to put in it thinges that did well declare and showe his follie of the which that you may sée how farre it did extend I will declare here onely that which he did promise vnto them that did visite his temple First the rich men that came vnto the saide temple and did worshippe his picture should be more richer and those that were poore should obtaine great riches and both the one and the other that had no successors to inherite their goods should also obtaine them and also long life for to enioy the same with great peace and quietnesse The second that their life should be prolonged to 80. yeares The third that they should bee hole of all their infirmities and diseases and shall obtaine full accomplishment of all their desires with health and tranquillitie And the last he commanded that euery month they should celebrate a feast for his birth day and therein to visite his temple with certification that all those that did beléeue in him and in that which hee promised should without all doubt sée it accomplished and those which in this life were faultie and did not doo in effect his commaundement in the other they should goe the way to perdition And the better to accomplish this his will he commaunded to be put in this temple al the Idols in his kingdomes that were most worshipped such as to whom frequented most pilgrimes the which being done he presently forbad rhat not one of them all should be worshipped but he onely that was the true Fotoque and vniuersall God the author and creator of nature This foolishnesse did this proud king a little before his miserable death and many other more that I do leaue out for feare that I should be too tedious in this Itinerario There did succéed this proude king in the kingdome his sonne called Vozequixama who for that he is very yong at this day it is gouerned by a worthy captaine called Faxiuandono All men that are borne in this land are naturally inclined to warres and robberies and it is vsed ordinarily amongst themselues alwayes he that hath most power and strength doth carry away the best part and yet he doth inioy it with little securitie for that as the prouerbe saith he findeth a last for his shoo or the length of his foote is found and another commeth when he thinketh least off and carrieth away their spoile with victorie reuenging iniuries the one for the other without being requested thereunto which is the occasion that they are neuer without ciuill warres that séemeth to bée the influence of the clime of that land This and the continual exercise in armes and in robberies hath giuen them the name of warriers and do terrifie all their borderers and neighbors They vse many weapons but especially hargabusses swords and lances and are very expert in them On the firme land of China they haue done many suddaine robberies and thefts and haue gone thorough therewith at their pleasure and would haue done the like at the Ilands of Luzon vsed for the same all meanes possible but yet it fell out contrary vnto their meanings and returned their backes full euill against their wils with their hands vpon their owne heads On a time they came vnto the Illocos who with the fauour of the Spaniards whose vassals they are did desende themselues worthily that the Iapones thought it best to returne vnto their houses and to leaue their begun pretence with determination neuer to put themselues in the like perill for that they had lost many of their companie Not many yeares since there happened vnto them the like disgrace in China there went tenne thousande of them to robbe and steale and at their going on lande they did sacke a cittie with little hurt and smal resistance who with the content of that pray forgot themselues and did not preuent the harme that might chance vnto them the Chinos being offended did compasse them about in such sort that when the Iapones remembred themselues they were in
in the Spanish tongue I haue for the increase of the knowledge of the subiectes of Englande and specially for the illuminating of the mindes of those that are to take the voyage next in hande to Iapan China and the Philippinas translated the same worke into english and committed it to print passing ouer Paulus Venetus and sir Iohn Mandeuill because they wrote long agoe of those regions which labour to say trueth I haue vndertaken at the earnest request and encouragement of my worshipfull friend Master Richard Hakluit late of Oxforde a gentleman besides his other manifolde learning and languages of singular and deepe insight in all histories of discouerie and partes of Cosmographie who also for the zeale he beareth to the honour of his countrie and countrimen brought the same first aboue two yeares since ouer into this court and at this present hath in hande a most excellent and ample collection of the sundrie trauailes and nauigations of our owne nation a matter long intended by him and seruing to the like beneficiall and honorable purpose which I hope will shortly come to light to the great contentation of the wiser sort In the meane season hauing nowe at length finished according to my poore skill and leasure this my translation I thought best to dedicate and commende the same to your worshipfull patronage as the man that I holde most worthie of the same and most able of our nation to iudge aright of the contentes thereof and to correct the errors of the author whensoeuer you shall meete with them beseeching you to accept in good part the trauaile and good meaning of the translator and so wishing vnto you health increase of knowledge with fortunate and glorious successe in your further couragious attempts I leaue you to the protection of the almightie From London the first of Ianuarie 1589. Your worships alwaies to command Robert Parke The Printer to the Christian reader WHereas good courteous Reader in this historie describing the kingdome of China with the countries there adiacent thou shalt finde many times repeated and that in some things too gloriously the zeale of certaine Spanish Friers that laboured in discouerie of the saide China and the declaration of certaine myracles but falsely reported by them to haue beene wrought togither with examples of diuerse their superstitious practises which happily may giue offence vnto some in reading thou must vnderstande that this is to be rather imputed vnto the first writer of this historie in spanish than to any fault of mine for the Spaniardes following their ambitious affections doo vsually in all their writinges extoll their owne actions euen to the setting forth of many vntruthes and incredible things as in their descriptions of the conquestes of the east and west Indies c. doth more at large appeare Notwithstanding all which our translator as it seemeth hath rather chosen to be esteemed fidus interpres in truely translating the historie as it was though conteyning some errors then to be accounted a patcher or corrupter of other mens workes But howsoeuer either our first authour or the translator haue shewed themselues affectioned sure I am that the knowledge of thiâ— kingdome will not onely be pleasant but also verie profitable to our English nation and by playing the good Bee in onely accepting herein that which is good I doubt not but the reading of this historie will bring thee great contentment and delight Vale. The Historie of the mightie kingdome of China in the which is contained the notable things of that kingdome touching that which is naturall CHAP. I. The description of the kingdome and the confines that it hath belonging THis great and mightie kingdome of China which we do meane to treat of in this Historie hath béene discouered by cléere and true notice within this tenne yeares by Spanyards that were dwellers in the Ilands Philippinas that are three hundreth leagues distant from the said kingdome Notwithstanding that long time before there was relation giuen by way of the Portingall Indias by such as dwelt in Macao and did traâ—â—ke to Canton a citie of the same kingdome of China But this was by relation so that the one nor the other could satisfie for that there was founde varietie in that which was true till the yeere of 1577. Frier Martin de Gorrada prouincial of the Augustine friers who were the first discouerers of the said Ilands Philippinas and ministred first the holy baptisme amongst them with his companions frier Hieronimo Martin Pedro Sarmiento and Myghell de Loarcha chéefe officers of the citie of Marrila in the said Ilands by the order and commandement of Guido de Labassares gouernour thereof did enter into the saide kingdome of China Led and gouerned by a captaine belonging to the king of the said kingdome called Omoncon Of the comming of this Omoncon vnto the Ilands Philippinas and of his hardines to carrie the aforesaid vnto the firme land he being commanded to the contrarie vpon paine of death and how he was receiued and great courtesie shewed and of other things verie curious you shall â—inde in the second part of this historie where as is the substance and whole relation of all that was brought vnto the king of Spaine You shall vnderstande that this mightie kingdome is the Orientalest part of all Asia and his next neighbour towards the Ponent is the kingdome of Quachinchina whereas they doo obserue in whole all the customes and rites of China The greatest part of this kingdome is watred with the great Orientall Ocean sea beginning at the Iland Aynan which is hard by Quachinchina which is 19. degrées towards the North and compassing towards the South whereas their course is Northeast And beyond Quachinchina towards the North the Bragmanes do confine which are much people and verie rich of golde siluer and pretious stones but in especiall Rubies for there are infinit They are proude and hawtie men of great corage wel made but of browne colour they haue had but few times warre with them of China in respect for that betwixt both the kingdomes there are great and mightie mountaines and rockes that doth disturbe them And harde vnto this nation ioyneth the Patanes and Mogores which is a great kingdome and warlike people whose head is the Gran Samarzan They are the true Scythas or Massagetas of whom it is affirmed that they were neuer ouercome by any other nation they are a people well proportioned and white by reason they dwel in a cold countrie Betwixt the West and the South is the Trapobana or Samatra a kingdome very rich of gold pretious stones pearles and more towards the South are the two Iauas the great and the lesse and the kingdome of the Lechios and in equall distance are the Iapones yet notwithstanding those that are more indifferent to this kingdome are the Tartarians which are on the selfe firme land or continent and are alonely deuided by a wal as shalbe declared in the 9 chapter
is apparelled they do set him in y e best chaier that he hath then coÌ„meth vnto him his father mother brethren sisters children who knéeling before him they do take their leaue of him shedding of many teares making of great moane euery one of theÌ„ by themselues Then after them in order commeth all his kinsfolkes friends and last of all his seruants if â—e had any who in like case do as the other before This being done they do put him into a coffin or chest made of verie swéete wood in that countrie you haue verie much they do make it very close to auoid the euil smel Then do they put him on a table with two bankes in a chamber verie gallantly dressed and hanged with the best clothes that can be gotten couering him with a white shéete hanging downe to the ground whereon is painted the dead man or woman as naturall as possible may be But first in the chamber whereas the bead bodie is or at the entrie they set a table with candles on it and full of bread fruits of diuers sorts And in this order they kéepe him aboue ground 15. daies in y t which time euery night commeth thether their priests religious men whereas they sing praiers and offer sacrifices with other ceremonies they bring with them many painted papers and do burne them in the presence of the dead bodie with a thousand superstitions witchcraftes they do hang vpon cordes which they haue for the same purpose of the same papers before him many times do shake them make a great noyse with the which they say it doth send the soule straight vnto heauen In the end of the 15. daies all which time the tables are continually furnished with victuals wine which the priests their kinsfolkes and friends that do come to visite theÌ„ do eat These ceremonies being ended they take the coffin with the dead bodie carrie him into the fields accompanied with all his kinsfolks friends with their priests religious men carrying candles in their hands wheras ordinarily they do burie theÌ„ on a mountaine in sepultures that for the same purpose in their life time they caused to be made of stone masons worke that being doone straight waies haâ—d by y e sepulture they do plant a pine trée in y e which place there be many of them they be neuer cut downe except they be ouerthrowne with the weather after they be fallen they let them lie till they consume of theÌ„selues for that they be sanctified The people y t do beare him company to the graue do go in very good order like a procession haue with them many instruments which neuer leaue playing till such time as the dead is put into the sepulcher And that burial which hath most priests musicke is most sumptuous wherin they were woont to spend great riches They sing to the sound of the instrumeÌ„ts many orations vnto their Idols and in the end they do burne vpon the sepulcher many papers whereon is painted slaues horse gold siluer silkes many other things the which they say that the dead body doth possesse in the other world whether he goeth to dwell At such time as they do put him into y e graue they doe make great bankets sports with great pastime saying of a truth that looke what soeuer they do at that time the angels saints that are in heauen doe the like vnto the soule of the dead that is there buried Their parents familiars and seruants in all this time doo weare mourning apparell the which is verie asper for that their apparell is made of a verie course wolle weare it next vnto their skins girt vnto them with cords and on their heads bunnets of the same cloth with verges brode like vnto a hat hanging downe to their eyes for father or mother they do weare it a hole yeare and some two yeares if his son be a gouernor with licence of the king he doth withdraw himself many times leauing the office he hath the which they estéeme a great point of honor haue it in greaâ— account and such as are not so much in aliance do apparell theÌ„ in died linnen certaine monethes Likewise their parents and friendes although these doo weare it but for the time of the buriall CHAP. IX Of their ceremonies that they vse in the celebrating the marriages THe people of this kingdome haue a particular care to giue state vnto their children in time before that they be ouercome or drowned in vices or lasciuious liuing The which care is the occasion that in this countrie being so great there is lesse vice vsed than in any other smaller countries whose ouer much care doth cause them many times to procure to marrie their children being verie yoong yea and to make consort before they bee borne with signes tokens making their writings and bandes for the performance of the same in publike order In all this kingdome yea and in the Ilands Philippinas it is a customable vse that the husband doth giue dowrie vnto the wife with whom he doth marrie and at such time as they doe ioyne in matrimonie the father of the bride doth make a great feast in his owne house and doth inuite to the same the father and mother kinsfolkes and friends of his sonne in lawe And the next day following the father of the bridegrome or his next parent doth the like vnto the kinsfolkes of the bride These bankets being finished the husbande doth giue vnto his wife her dowrie in the presence of them all and she doth giue it vnto her father or mother if she haue them for the paines they tooke in the bringing her vp Whereby it is to be vnderstoode that in this kingdome and in those that doe confine on it those that haue most daughters are most richest so that with the dowries their daughters do giue them they may well sustaine themselues in their necessitie and when they die they doo giue it that daughter that did giue it them that it may remaine for their children or otherwise vse it at their willes A man may marrie with so manie wiues as he can sustaine so it be not with his sister or brothers daughter and if any doo marrie in these two degrées they are punished very rigorously Of all their wiues the first is their legitimate wife and all the rest are accompted but as lemanes or concubines These married men doo liue and kéepe house with his first wife and the rest he doth put in other houses or if he be a merchant then he doth repart them in such villages or townes whereas hee doth deale in who are vnto him as seruantes in respect of the first When the father doth die the eldest sonne by his first wife doth inherite the most part of all his goods and the rest is reparted in equall partes amongest the other children
such as are poore widowes and driuen by necessitie cannot sustaine themselues they may for the supplying of their want sell their children and binde them to perpetuall seruitude the which is permitted in such sort that there are amongst them rich merchants that deale in no other thing and all the maiden children that they buy so bee brought vp with great care and taught to plaie and sing and other things appertaining vnto pleasure Then after when they are of yeares they carrie â—hem vnto the houses aforesaid ordained for common women The first day that they doo dedicate her to this ill office before shée is put into this common house they carrie her before a iudge which the king hath ordained for euerie house appertaining to any cittie or towne appointed to bée their kéeper and sée that there bee no euill rule kept amongst them and this iudge dooth place her in the house himselfe and from that day forwards her master hath no more to doo with her but to go euerie moneth vnto the iudge to recouer his tribute which is a certaine summe set downe by the iudge by agréement made betwene them both he appointeth besides this the time when hée shall be paide for her and for that was spent in her bringing vp and teaching These women be very much haunted and passe away the time maruellous pleasantly by reason of their singing and playing which they doo with great cunning and according vnto the report of the Chinos they apparell themselues with great curiositie and paint themselues They haue amongst them many blinde women that are frée and not bonde these are trimmed dressed and painted by others that haue their sight and such as haue spent all their youth in these houses can not goe foorth so long as they liue as is commaunded by a lawe publike least by their dishonest demeanure they should be an occasion of some harme and an euill example to others Whatsoeuer proâ—ite dooth remaine vnto these women when they haue payed their maister they giue vnto the Iudge their superiour who doth keepe it faithfully and carefully and giueth a good account thereof euerie yeare vnto the Uisitors And afterwardes when these women waxe olde it is repaâ—ed vnto them againe by order of the said Iudge But it is bestowed in such sort that they shall not lacke neither haue vrgent necessitie But if it so fall out that they should lacke they will giue them a stipend to maintaine them onely for to dresse and trimme the blinde women or else they will put them into the kinges hospitall a place ordeyned for such as can not helpe themselues The men children which they buy and are solde to supplie their necessitie in the order aforesaide of the women they put to learne some occupation and after that they are expert therein they doo serue a master in the same trade for a certaine time the which being expired their masters are not only bound to giue them their libertie but also to prouide them of wiues and to marrie them prouiding also for them houses and necessaries wherewith they may get their liuing Which if they doo not of their owne frée will they are compelled by Iustice to doo whether they will or no. And they for a token of gratefulnesse must come vnto their masters the first day of the yeare and other dayes appointed and bring him some present The children of these be all frée and subiect to no bondage for the benefite â—oone vnto their father for their bringing vp CHAP. XXI The fashion of their ships aswell of those that passe the seas as of those that doo roade riuers which are manie and great and howe they doo prouide themselues of fish for all the yeare THere is in this kingdome a great number of shippes and barkes with the which they sayle all a long their coastes and vnto Ilandes neere hande and into their riuers the which doo runne cleane through the most part of all their prouinces and there dwelleth so much people vpon these riuers in shippes and barkes that it séemeth to be some great Citie there is so many of theÌ„ that they do esteeme that there is almost as many people that dwell vpon the water as vpon the lande They make them slightly and with small cost for they haue in all partes of this countrie great aboundance of tymber iron and other thinges necessarie for this vse but in especiall a kinde of glew wherewith they doo â—awbe and trimme their shippes that is much more tougher and stronger then the pitch which wee vse which after it is layde on sticketh fast and maketh their shipping as harde as stones the aboundance whereof and the great number of shipwrightes and againe for that there is not on the lande roome enough for the people to inhabite being so many in number causeth them to build so great a number of shippes and barkes They vse their shippes and barkes of many fashions euery one hath his proper name Such ships as they haue to saile long voiages be called Iuncos but for the warre they make huge mightie vessels with high castles both on the prowe and sterne much after the fashion of them that come out of the Easterne seas and vnto those with which the Portingales sayle into the east India They haue these in so great number y t a generall may ioine together in 4. dayes an armie of more than 600. Those which they do commonly vse for burden and to lade are made much after y e same fashion greatnes and smal difference there is betwéene them but that they are lower both before at the sterne There is an other sort of lesser vessels are much like vnto pâ—nases haue foure great ores on ech side whereat row sixe men at euery ore foure at the least These are excellent good to rowe in and out ouer their hard hauens or into any place where is litle water they do call theÌ„ Bancoens There is an other sort that is more brode than these which they call Lanteas carie eight ores on a side with sixe men at euerie ore Of these two last sorts of vessels pirates rouers at the sea do coÌ„monly vse for in those seas there be very many for that they be very nimble to fly to giue assalt as occasion doth serue They haue an other sort of vessels y t are long like vnto a galley but more square being very brode néede little water they do vse theÌ„ likewise to transport merchandise froÌ„ one place to an other they are swift run vp the riuers with smal force of the armes Many other sorts of barks they haue besides the aforesaid some with galleries windows painted and gylt but chiefely those which the Uiceroyes and Gouernours doo make for their recreation Of those sortes of shipping afore sayd which they call Iuncos the king hath in al his prouinces great armies and in them souldiers with their Captaines to defend
the coastes that as well all ships of their owne Countrie as those that doo come from other places to traficke with them may goe and come in safetie and not bee spoyled and robbed of the roauers that be there abouts In the riuers there are pynases well equipped appointed for the same purpose And the king doth out of his rentes pay all these ordinarie souldiers and that with great liberalitie The pitch wherewith they doo trimme their shippes as we haue sayde is founde in that kingdome in great aboundance it is called in their language Iapez and is made of lyme oyle of fish and a paste which they call Vname it is verie strong and suffereth no wormes which is the occasion that one of their shippes dooth twise out last one of ours yet dooth it hinder much their sayling The pumpes which they haue in their shippes are much differing from ours and are farre better they make them of many péeces with a whéele to draw water which whéele is set along the shippes sides within wherewith they do easily clense their shippes for that one man alone going in the wheele doth in a quarter of an houre cleanse a great shippe although she leake verie much Many men be borne and brought vp in these shippes and barkes as is aforesayde and neuer in all their liues haue béene on lande and doo knowe none other occupation wherewith to liue but that which they doo inherite of their fathers which is to goe in one of these shippes or barkes carrying and recarrying of merchandise from place to place or to ferrie people ouer the riuers They haue in them their wiues their children and haue like neighborhood amongst theÌ„ on the riuers as in their cities and townes of whom they stand in little néed for they do bring vp within their ships all things necessarie for their sustenance as hens duckes pigeons and other foules good to be eaten and if they do lacke any thing they haue it in victualing houses shops which they haue amongst theÌ„ on the same riuers in great abundance and of other superfluous thinges such as may bee founde in a citie they are well furnished as of many sorts of silkes amber and muske and other things more curious then needefull They haue also in their shippes pots with little orange trées and other fruits and gardins with flowers and other herbes for their recreation and in the wide shippes pooles of water wherein they haue great store of fish aliue and yet doo dayly fishe for more with nettes This kingdome is the best prouided of fish of any that is knowen by reason of the great number of these barkes as also because they haue many fisher men at Sea and in the riuers that continually fish with nettes and other engines for the same purpose and doo carrie the same fishe in infinite number aliue into their pooles fiue hundreth leagues vp into the lande by the riuers which they doo with great ease in shifting the water euerie day and doo féede them with thinges fit for the nature of the fish The chiefe and principallest time of fishing in this countrie is in three moneths of the yeare which is Februarie March and Aprill at such time as are the spring tides which do bring the fish out of the mayne sea into the riuers and there they do spawne and leaue their young then these fisher men who doo liue by that facultie doo take them and put them into their pondes and féede and nourish them in the ships till they come to bignesse to be solde Unto these fishermen repayre many barkes from diuerse partes of the Countrie to buye their fishe and doo bringe with them wicker baskets lyned with a certaine thicke paper for that purpose and annoynted with oyle so that the water can not goe out wherein they doo put their fish and do shift them euerie day and feede them as aforesaide All people doo buye of this fish although they bee verie small and leane and doo put them in their pondes which euerie one hath in his house as common vse in all that countrie is whereas in a small time they waxe great fitte to be eaten They doo féede them with a paste made of cowes doung buffes doung and pigins doong Likewise they doo throwe of these small fishes into the moâ—tes of their Cities which is the occasion that they are so full of fish But all that bréede in them do appertaine vnto the Gouernors or Iudges of the cities so that none without their expresse commandement dare fish for them These Gouernors and Iudges doo vse much to recreate themselues vppon the riuers and haue for the same purpose barkes made close chambers in them verie curiously wrought with windowes and galleries likewise hanged with rich clothes and many other thinges for their contentment and pleasure CHAP. XXII A curious order that these Chinos haue to bring vp ducks in great abundance and with small cost and of a pleasant and ingenious order of fishing which they vse THe great number of people that is in this countrie and not permitting any idle people to liue therein is the occasion that it doth stirre vp the wits of poore men being constrained thereunto by necessitie the inuenter of manye thinges to séeke new inuentions to get their liuing to relieue and supply their necessities So that many of this kingdome séeing the whole countrie so throughly inhabited tilled that there is not one foote without an owner they do take them vnto the riuers which are verie great and there they do make their dwellinges in ships and barkes as is aforesaide where they haue their whole families vnder borde to defende them from the sunne and rayne and inclinations of the heauens There they do vse the occupation that they do knowe or that which they did inherite of their father and many misteries to liue by verie strange whereof the most principall is to bring vp in some of their barkes so great quantitie of duckes that they sustaine a great part of the countrey therewith and the vse thereof is as followeth They haue cages made of canes so bigge as the vpper most holde of the barke in the which may be foure thousand duckes at once They haue in certaine places of these cages made nestes where these duckes do almost euerie day laye egges the which they take and if it be in the sommer they doo put them in buffes doong or in the doong of those duckes which is verie warme where they leaue them so many dayes as experience hath taught them that they will come foorth Then they doo take them out of the doong and do breake them one by one and take a little ducklin the which they do with so great cunning that almost none of theÌ„ doth perish which is y t which causeth great admiration vnto some that go to sée it although they bée but few for that it is an auncient custome vsed of long time in that countrie
which being séene by the roiall councell and considering with what title they entred into that kingdome did not onely make voide the sentence and woulde not confirme the same but did send commandement vnto the vizroy to set them at libertie and to returne fréely back againe vnto the India from whence they came and that hee shoulde furnish them with all things necessarie in aboundance til they were entred into the same although in this time the ambassadors of the king of Malaca who were in the court did still perseuer in their malicious intent In which commandement although it were true all that which the foresaide ambassadors did testifie and that they for feare of death did confesse it yet it is sufficient that they entred into this kingdom the title of ambassador whereby they should receiue any harme But nowe let vs returne tâ— our purpose So after this ambassador hath refreshed himselfe of his iourny and receiued many banquets and orations of the Gentlemen of the court vpon a day appointed he goeth to speake with the king accompanied with all the Gentlemen of the court and with the president of the councell who doth giue him audiâ—nce in one of the thrée rich hals aforesaide at all times as his businesse doth require So when that all his busines is dispatched and gratified with many gifts he returneth backe againe from whence he came and looke with what curtesie they did receiue him at his comming the like they doo vnto him at his returne But if an ambassador doo come from any common wealth of the said kingdome they doo not giue him the intertainement abouesaid but cleane contrarie thereunto for that he dooth enter into the citie accompanied onely with the iustice whose charge it is to lodge him in such houses as the king hath ordeined to the same effect and to giue him all that is necessarie taking of him the summe and effect wherefore he doth come and he doth giue relation thereof vnto the president of the councell and the president doth giue the king to vnderstand therof then doo they appoint the day of audience with this condition that when he dooth go thither hée must go on foote or else on horseback without a bridle with onely a halter on his horse head in token of humility and acknowledging to be a subiect The day of his audience he commeth forth obseruing the order and condition aforesaid accompanyed with the iustice And when hée doth come into a great place which is right against the pallace of the king he staieth there till an officer of the king doth come vnto him who is master of the ceremonies and hee dooth cause him to procéede forwards and doth shew him the place whereas hee must first kneele downe with his handes ioyned togither in token of adoration or worship and all the time of this ceremonie his eies must bee fixed on that part where as they say the king is In this sort hee goeth onwards his way making in it other fiue adorations like vnto the first vntill such time as he do come into the first hall of the pallace which is at the staires heade whereas the president is set with great maiestie and doth represent the kings person who after that hee hath hearde the effect of his ambassage dooth sende them away without answering one word at that time but after that hee hath giuen the king to vnderstande hée dooth sende him answere by that iustice who hath the charge to lodge him and to prouide him of all things necessarie for the time that hée is in the court CHAP. XXIIII Of the ambassage that the king of Spaine did send vnto the king of this kingdome and the occasions that did moue him thereunto as also wherefore it was declared FOr to conclude this small historie in the which I haue declared in summe all such things as I haue vnderstoode of this kingdome of China vnto this I meane such as I might wel set forth leuing a great number more of the which I haue particular note some for that they are vnknowne and others for that they will cause admyration because they haue not béene séene And according vnto the counsell of the wise they should not be intreated of vntill that time that experience dooth make them more credible And againe I doo hold it for a lesse euill to be reprehended for breuitie as some haue béene then to bee prolix and tedious in the declaring although it bee hurtfull vnto this worke from the which I doo take away much that I might put in Nowe letting all passe I will in this last chapter declare of the letter present and ambassage wherewith the king of Spaine did sende mee in the yeare of our Lorde one thousande one hundred and fourescore for that in company of other religious men of my order I should passe from his mightie kingdome of Mexico to China and to present it vnto the king of that countrie in his name of all the which I will declare that which I doo vnderstande and know not excéeding the limits of fidelitie by reason that the ambassage was not ended nor no conclusion in effect of that which was pretended but doo hope in the deuine maiestie and with the care and diligence that is put therein by the king of Spaine shortlie to haue a conclusion of that they desire for the which the letter and the rest was sent Béeing considered of by the Spaniards such as were dwellers in the Ilands Philippinas which by another name are called the Ilands of the Ponent or West the thinges of great valour and riches as of golde and silkes and many other thinges which is brought from the kingdome of China and out of their ports and how those which brought it did sel it for a small quantitie in respect as they did estéeme it and being certified by the saide Chinos of many other things which were in the firme land wherof some of them haue béene made mention in this historie being mooued with the conuerting of these soules and with the profite that might come of traficke that they might haue with the Chinos it was concluded by the gouernour and principals of the Citie of Manila with the iudgement of the prouinciall of the order of saint Augustine and of many other religious men that were both graue wise such as were the first that in those parts did preach the Gospel and did baptise a great number of the dwellers therein and did many other thinges of the which I might say much if it were to my purpose and that my part were not therein so that I say it was concluded amongst them to sende vnto the Catholike king graue personages vnto whome intire credite might be giuen for to giue relation what they vnderstoode of that kingdome and also of the euident necessitie that all those Ilands that were his had for their conseruation to holde to friendes the Chinos their borderers whereof might growe vnto them great
benefites and profites and likewise to request him if it were his pleasure to sende an ambassador to y e king of that kingdome the better to confirme their friendship to carrie with him some things which be vsed in his countrie which would be maruellous well estéemed of the Chinos be a way vnto the preaching of the gospel and bee a beginning that a farther contraction may growe betwixt the Christians and the Chinos of the which shall follow the aforesaid profite vnto other countries by the great quantitie of things as well of riches as of other curiosities that shalbe brought from theÌ„ce After they had well considered with great deliberation who should be the person that they shoulde send vpon so long a iourney for to request his maiestie of the aforesaid in the ende they did agrée vppon for to desire the prouinciall of the Augustine friers who was called Frier Dilho de Herrera a man of great learning and of great experience touching matters of those Ilands for that hee was one of the first discouerers of them they requested him for the loue of God and the good seruice to his maiestie and the benefite that might come thereby vnto these Ilands that he would take vpon him to go with this petition for they were fully perswaded for that he had trauailed so manie places of those Ilands as also for his office and vocation there was none that better coulde put in effect their desire and perswade with his maiestie the great importance of that ambassage and manie other things necessarie touching the gouernement of those Ilands This determination was liked well of them all and that they had chosen well in sending of the prouinciall who incontinent departed from the Ilands in a shippe that was pepared for Noua Hispania which was in the yeare of Christ 1573. At his inbarking hee was accompanied with the gouernour and all those of that citie of whom hee was maruellouslie well beloued for his holinesse and good condition Desiring him with all diligence to procure to returne with as much breuity as was possible vnto those ilands whereas they so much loued him and had néede of his presence He did promise them to make all the spéede possible and in paiment of the trauel that he did take vpon him for the benifite profite he requested them al that they would pray vnto God to giue a good voyage they promised him to doo it the which they did performe with particular care Then did the master command to weigh ankers and to set saile which was in the moneth of Nouember the same yeare and with reasonable whether they arriued at the new Spaine and came vnto the cittie of Mexico and from thence they went and embarked themselues in the North seas who with prosperous winds the xiii day of August the yeare following they ariued in San. Lucar debarameda in Spaine and caried me in his company From thence the day following we departed from Syuel from whence wee departed forthwith toward Madrid whereas his maiestie was at that present and we came thither the fiftéenth day of September in anno 1574. the same wéeke that they had newes of the losse of the Goleta Wée went straightwayes to kisse the kings hands and caried the letters which we brought from his gouernor and citie by whom both we and the letters were receiued with his accustomed benignitie and did heare the petition with great satisfaction for that the desire was holy and profitable and told vs that he would command his counsell to vnderstand in the same with a particular consideration and with so much breuitie as the thing required and gaue vs thankes for the great trauell and long iourney which we tooke vpon vs in his seruice for to giue him notice of the discouering of this great kingdome and of other things touching the Ilands Philippinas He straightwayes commanded that we should be prouided for of all things necessarie for our sustentation for the time that we should there remaine and that we should go and giue account of all things for the which we came thither vnto the counsel of the Indies who was Don Iuan de Obando vnto whom his maiestie did recommend the consideration to be done with great care and to consult vpon the same After that they had comuned with the roiall counsell of the Indies touching that which should be requisite and conuenient which was done as it appeared in effect for that they gaue vs facultie in a few dayes after of all things that was requested from the said Ilands except that which did touch the ambassage vnto the 〈◊〉 of China as a thing of greater importance and requested lonâ—â—r time to consider of the same so that they did referre it till they â—â—d a better occasion So that with this resolution and with fortie religious men and manie commissions from his maiestie touching the good gouernement of that new kingdome wee departed from Syuell in the moneth of Ianuarie the yeare following in 1575. whereas I remained by his order and for certaine respects But the aforesaid Prouinciall did imbarke himselfe with his fortie religious persons and departed in the moneth of Iuly with a faire winde and merrie passage till they came vnto newe Spaine and from thence into the South sea vntill they came in sight of the Ilands whereas the wether did alter and they were forced by the furie thereof to ariue at an Iland inhabited with Gentiâ—es by whome they were all slaine and none escaped but onely an Indian natural of the Ilands which wee carried from thence in our companie for Spaine He afterwards came vnto Manilla and gaue them to vnderstand how they were all slaine and how the Gentiles did teare all the papers and commissions in péeces and of all that happened to them This being knowne by the gouernor and by the rest that dwelt in the Ilands after that they had done the rytes with the funerall griefes as iustice required in such a case they finding themselues in the same necessitie that before they were in by reason of the losse of the aforesaid Prouinciall and his companions and also of the letters and prouisions sent from his maiestie they forthwith in the same determination did write new letters in requesting that which in part the king had granted although they had no knowledge thereof they did also therein write touching the ambassage that they did request for the king of China adding therunto new occasions wherby they should be moued to do them so much fauour as to send the ambassador afore requested which was a thing of great importanâ—s for all those Ilands When that these letters came in conformitie with the others before sent the king did ordaine for gouernor of those Ilands a Gentleman who was called Don Gonsalo de Mercado y Ronquillo a man of great valor discretion one that had serued the king as wel in the Peru. as in Mexico with great fidelitie who
shoulde returne vnto Lysborne whereas the king was at that instant and to giue him to vnderstand of the difficultie that was found in a meeting that the vizroy had caused to bee made of the most grauest personages of all that kingdome about the prosecuting of that ambassage With this resolution I departed from that kingdome and returned for Spaine and left the present in Mexico in the power of the kings officers till such time as order was giuen what shoulâ— be done therewith I found his maiestie in Lisborne whereas I did deliuer him the letters that were written touching the same matter and did declare vnto him my iudgement touching the meeting aforesaid who incontinent did take the â—harge vpon him to seeke occasion for to put in effect his most christâ—an intent and zâ—ale the which I doo beléeue he hath procured and will by al waies possible and that very shortly we shall sée in that kingdâ—me planted the Catholike faith and their false idolatrie banished And I hope in God it will bee very shortly for that there be within that kingdome religious men of the order of saint Augustine and barefoote friers of saint Francis and of the order of Iesus or Iesuits who are called there the fathers of Saint Paule of whom there is placâ—d fiue or sixe in the citie of Xauquin whereas the vizroy doth dwell and hath erected a couent in that citie euer since the yeare 1583. with a Church whereas they doo say masse ordinarily And it is said of a truth that they haue got license of the saide vizroy for to passe fréely thorough out all the whole kingdome of China But if it bee so you must thinke that hee did it after that he had consulted with the king and doone by his authoritie otherwise I am perswaded he durst not grant any such liceâ—se At this present dooth there go out of Spaine by the order and commandement of his maiestie and his royall counsell of the Indies a companie of religious men of the order of saint Dominicke for to aid and helpe the rest that are there to conclude this enterprise from whom can procéed nothing but that which tends to great effect by reason of their great zeale learning and the better if that they doo ioyâ—e togither in charitie as seruants to one Lord and master and as they which are boundâ— to doo all one worke By which meanes with the fauour and helpe of Almightie God putting to their diligence and industrie they shall easily conquest their hearts good willes shall frustrate the diuell from the possession that so long time he hath possessed in that kingdome and râ—duce them to their true Lord by creation and redemption It will not bee a small helpe the manie and euident tokens which the Chinos doo giue of desire of their saluation For as it is said that they haue read in their bookes that from the Occident shall come the true and perâ—ite law to diâ—ect them to heauen where they shalbe angelâ— And they séeing that those religious people which are câ—me into their kingdome doo come from the Occident they are perswaded without doubt that the law that they doo declare vnto them is the truth by which meanes shall redowne vnto them great goodnesse They are greatly affâ—ctioned vnto the commandements of the Catholike faith and vnto the catechisme which is translated into their language and is abrode in manie parts of that kingdome which is the occasion as the fathers of the companie that are in the citie Xuquien dooth write that many principal persons are conuerted vnto the catholike faith and others being holpen by the heauens and encited by the ensample of them doo demande the holy baptisme which is left vndone because they will not cause any vprore in the countrie And againe when they shall better conceiue thereof they may receiue it with more firme faith God for his mercie cause to go forwards and with his deuine fauour this good worke for his honour and glorie and exalting his holy faith and that so great and infinite a number of soules redéemed by his pretious blood might be saued and to put in the hart of christian kings to procéed forwards in that which he hath begun putting alwaies in their breasts a greater augmentation to the concluding of the same and to put apart from him all such perswasions as shoulde cause him to leaue it off which the diuell will procure by all the wayes and meanes that he may But against God and his diuine will there is neither power nor wisedome The end of the first part The second part of the historie of the mightie kingdome of China that is deuided into three parts The first containeth such thinges as the fathers frier Martin de Herrada prouinciall of the order of Saint Augustine in the Ilands Phlipinas and his companion fryer Geronimo Martin and other soldiers that went with them did see and had intelligence of in that kingdom The second containeth the miraculous voiage that was made by frier Pedro de Alfaro of the order of S. Francis and his companions vnto the said kingdome The third containeth a breefe declaration by the said frier and of frier Martin Ignacio that went out of Spaine vnto China and returned into Spaine againe by the Orientall India after that he had compassed the world Wherein is contained many notable things that hee did see and had intelligence of in the voiage The Argument of the first part Wherein is declared the cause that moued Frier Martin de Herrada and Frier Geronimo Martin and such souldiers as went in their companie for to passe from the Ilands Phillipinas vnto the kingdome of China in the yeare 1577 and of the entrie they made therein and what they did see there for the space of foure monethes and sixteeâ—e daies that they remained and of what they vnderstood of al things that happened vnto them till they returned againe vnto the Ilands from whence they went all the which are notable and strange CHAP. I. The Spaniardes departe from Mexico vnto the Ilandes Philippinas where they had intelligence of the mightie kingdome of China GOuerning in the kingdom of Mexico don Luys de Velasco who was viceroye and lieftenant in that place for the Catholike king don Phillip king of Spaine was coÌ„manded by his maiestie to prepare a great armie in the south sea and to leuie â—ouldiers necessarie for the same and to send them to discouer the Ilands of the west those which that famous captaine Magallanes did giue notice of when he did compasse the world in the ship called the Victorie The viceroy with great care and diligence did performe the kinges commandement This fléete and armie being prepared readie which was not without great cost hee caused them to depart out of the port at Christmas time in the yeare of 1564. and sent for general of the same fléete and for gouernour of that countrie which they should discouer the worthie Miguel
Lopez de Legaspi who afteâ—warde died in the said Ilande with the title of Adelantado a yeare after that the fathers Fryer Martin de Herrada and Fryer Geronimo Marin and their companies did enter into China So after that our Spaniardes hadde discouered the sayde Ilandes and some of them populared to the vse of his Maiestie but in especiall that of Manilla which is fiue hunâ—red leagues in circuit in the which is situated the citie of Luson and is also called Manilla and as the metropolitane of all the Iland whereas the gouernours haue ordeined their place of abiding euer since the first discouery They haue also founded in that citie a cathedrall Church and erected a bishopricke And for Bishops of the same his maiestie did ordaine the most reuerend fryer don Domingo de Salazar of the ordâ—r of preachers in whom was comprehended some holinesse good life and learning as was requisite and necessarie for that prouince and was consecrated in Madrid the yeare of 1579. At this present there be thrée monasteries of religious men in that Iland the one of the order of S. Austen and were the first that by the coÌ„mandement of his maiestie did enter into this Ilands preaching the law of the gospell which was great profit vnto those soules yet great trauaile vnto them and cost many of them their liues in dooing it the other monasterie is of barefoote Fryers of the order of S. Francis of the prouince of S. Ioseph who haue béene great examples with great profit vnto them of those portes The third are of the order of S. Dominicke or preachers who haue done their dutie in all things so well as the other These thrée orders were alonely in those Ilands for certaine yeares till now of late time haue gone thither Iesuites which haue bin a great aide and helpe vnto their religion When these Spaniardes were come vnto these Ilands they had straightwaies notice of the mightie kingdome of China as well by the relation of them of the Ilands who tolde vnto them the maruels thereof as also within a fewe daies after they did sée and vnderstand by ships that came into those ports with marchants that brought marchandise and other things of great curiositie from that kingdome did particularly declare the mightinesse and riches therof all which haue béen declared vnto you in the first thrée bookes of this historie This beeing knowen vnto the religious people of S. Austin who at that time were alone in those Ilands but in especiall vnto the prouinciall Fryer Martin de Herrada a man of great valour and wel learned in all sciences who séeing y â— great capacitie or towardnesse which the Chinos had more then those of the Ilandes in all things but in especiall in their gallantnesse discretion and wit he straightwaies had a great desire to go thether with his fellow to preach the gospell vnto those people of so good a capacitie to receiue the same who with a pretended purpose to put it in vre effect he began with great care studie to learne that language the which he learned in few daies did make therof a dictionarie TheÌ„ afterwards they did giue great intertainmeÌ„t presents vnto the marchants that came froÌ„ China for to procure them to carie theÌ„ thether many other things the which did shew their holie-zeale yea they did offer themselues to bee slaues vnto the marchants thinking by y â— means to enter in to preach but yet none of these diligences did take effect till such time as the diuine maiestie did discouer a better way as shalbe declared vnto you in this chapter following CHAP. II. A rouer of this kingdome of China called Limahon doth make himselfe strong at the sea and doth ouercome an other rouer of the same countrie called Vintoquiam THe Spaniards did enioy their new habitation of Manilla in great quietnesse vâ—ide of all care of any accideâ—t that might disquiet theÌ„ or any strange treasons of enimies for to offende them for that those Ilandes were in great quietnes and in obedience vnto the Christian king Don Phillip and in continuall traficke with the Chinos which séemed vnto them a sufficient securitie for the continuance of the quiâ—tnesse they liued in And againe for that they vnderstoode that they had a law amongst them as hath bin told you in this historie y t it was forbidden to make any wars out of their owne countrie But being in this security and quietnes vnlooked for they were beset with a mightie great Armada or fléete of ships by the rouer Limahon of whose vocation thâ—re are coÌ„tinually on y â— coast the one by reason that y e country is full of people wheras of necessitie must be many idle persons and the other principall occasion by reason of the great tyranny y t the gouernorâ— doo vse vnto the subiects This Limahon came vpon theÌ„ with intent to do theÌ„ harme as you shal vnderstand This rouer was borne in the citie of Trucheo in the prouince of Cuytan which the Portingals do cal Catim He was of mean parentage and brought vp in his youth in liberty and vice hee was by nature warlike and euill inclinâ—d He would learne no oâ—cupation but all giuen to robbe in the high waies and became so â—xpâ—rt that many came vnto him and followed that trade He made himself Captain ouer theÌ„ which were more then two thousand wâ—re so strong y t they were feared in all that prouince where as they were This being knowen vnto the king and to his councell they did straight way coÌ„mand the viceroy of the prouince wher as the rouer was that with all the haste possible he should gather together all the garrisons of his Frontyers to apprehende and take him and if it were possible to carrye him aliue vnto the Citie of Taybin if not his head The Uiceroy incontinent did gather together people necessarie and in great haste to followe him The which being knowen vnto Limahon the rouer who saw that with the people he had he was not able to make resistance against so great a number as they were and the eminent danger that was therein he called together his companies and went from thence vnto a port of the sea that was a fewe leagues from that place and did it so quickly and in such secret that before the people that dwelt therein could make any defence for that they were not accustomed to any such assaultes but liued in great quietnesse they were lordes of the port and of all such ships as were there into the which they imbarked themselues straightwaies wayed anker and departed to the sea whereas they thought to bee in more securitie than on the lande as it was true Then hee séeing himselfe lorde of all those seas beganne to robbe and spoyle all shippes that he could take as well strangers as of the naturall people by which meanes in a small time hee was prouided of mariners and
other thinges which before hee lacked requisite for that new occupation He sacked robbed and spoyled all the townes that were vpon the coast and did verie much harme So he finding himselfe verie strong with fortie shippes well armed of those he had out of the port and other that he had taken at the sea with much people such as were without shame their handes imbrued with robberies and killing of men hee imagined with himselfe to attempt greater matters and diâ— put it in execution he assaulted great townes and did a thousand cruelties in such sort that on all that coast whereas hee was knowen he was much feared yea and in other places farther off his fame was so published abroad So he following this trade and exercise he chanced to meete with an other roouer as himselfe called Vintoquian likewise naturally borne in China who was in a port voide of any care or mistrust whereas Limahon finding opportunitie with greater courage did fight with the shippes of the other that although they were thréescore ships great and small and good souldiers therein hée did ouercome them and tooke fiue and fiftie of their ships so that Vintoquian escaped with fiue ships Then Limahon séeing himselfe with a fléete of nintie fiue shippes well armed and with many stout people in them knowing that if they were taken they should be all executed to death they therefore setting all feare a part gaue themselues to attempt new inuentions of euill not onely in robbing of great Cities but also in destroying of them CHAP. III. The king of China doth arme a fleete of shippes against the rouer Lymahon who withdraweth himselfe to Tonzuacaotican whereas he hath notice of the Philippinas THe complayntes increased euerie day more and more vnto the king and his counsell of the euils doone vnto the Chinos by this rouer Lymahon For the which commandement was giuen straightwaies vnto the Uiceroy of that prouince whereas he vsed to execute his euill that with great expedition he might be taken for to cut off this inconuenience who in few dayes did set foorth to sea one hundred and thirtie great shippes well appointed with fortie thousand men in them and one made generall ouer them all a gentle man called Omoncon for to go seeke and foâ—lowe this Rouer with expresse commandement to apprehende oâ— kill him although to the executing of the same he put both shippes and men in danger Of all this prouision Lymahon had aduertisement by some secrete friends who séeing that his enemies were many and he not able to counteruaile them neither in shippes nor men determined not to abide the comming but to retire and depart from that coast so in flying he came vnto an Ilande in secrete called Tonznacaotican which was fortie leagues from the firme land and is in the right way of nauigation to the Ilands Philippinas In this Iland was Lymahon retyred with his armie a certaine time and durst not returne to the firme land for that he knew that the kinges fléete did lie vpon the coast to defende the fame And although he did send foorth some ships a robbing yet did they not doo any thing of importance but rather camâ— flying away from the mightie power of the kinges From this Ilande they did goefoorth with some of their ships robbing and spoyling al such as they met with marchandice other things that they carried from one Ilande to an other and from the Iland vnto the firme comming from thence amongst them all they caused to take two ships of China which came froÌ„ Manilla and were bound to their owne countrie And hauing then in their power they searched them vnder hatches and found that they had rich things of golde and spanish ryalles which they had in truck of their marchandice the which they carried to the Ilandes They informed themselues in all points of the state and fertilitie of that countrie but in particular of the Spaniardes and how many there were of theÌ„ in the citie of Manilla who were not at that present aboue seuentie persons for that the rest were separated in the discouering and populing of other Ilands newly found and vnderstanding that these few did liue without any suspition of enimies and had neuer a fort nor bulwarke and the ordinance which they had although it was very good yet was it not in order to defend themselues nor offend their enemies hee determined to goe thither with all his fléete and people for to destroy and kill them and to make himselfe lorde of the saide Ilande of Manilla and other adiacent there nigh the same And there he thought himselfe to be in securitie from the power of the king which went séeking of him And so as he was determined he put it in vre with as much expedition as was possible CHAP. IIII. This rouer Limahon goeth to the Ilands Philippinas and commeth to the citie of Manilla THis Rouer Limahon determining to goe and to take the Ilands Philippinas and to make himselfe lord and king ouer them all but first to kill the Spaniardes which hee thought easely to be done for that there was so fewe And there he pretended to liue in securitie without feare that before he had of the kings great fléete for that it was so farre distant from the firme lande So with this determination hee departed from those Ilandes whereas hee was retyred and went to sea and sayling towardes the Ilandes Philippinas they passed in sight of the Ilandes of the Illocos which had a towne called Fernandina which was newe founded by the Captaine Iohn de Salzedo who at that instant was in the same for lieutenant to the gouernour Foure leagues from the same they met with a small galley which the said Iohn de Salzedo had sent for victuals There was in her but 25. souldiers besides y e rouers so that with the one the other they were but a fewe in number for that as they thought they did trauaile in places of great securitie and without any suspition to mâ—ete enemies So soone as Limahon had discouered the galley hee cast about towardes her and with great ease did take her and did burne and kill all that was in her and pardoned one of them This being done he did prosecute his voyage according vnto his determination and passed alongest but not in such secret but that hee was discouered by the dwellers of the towne of Fernandina who gaue notice thereof vnto the lieutenant of the gouernor aforesaide as a woonder to sée so many shippes together and a thing neuer séene before at those Ilands Likewise it caused admiration vnto him and made him to thinke and to imagine with great care what it might bee hee sawe that they did beare with the citie of Manilla and thought with himselfe that so great a fléete as that was could not goe to the place which they bare in with for any goodnesse towardes the dwellers therein who were voide of all
those that dwelt in the Citie of Manilla of the fame that the Rouer Limahon did publish abroad in all places where as he went howe that he had ouerthrowen and slaine the Spaniardes and being of them well considered that if in time they did not preuent the same it might be the occasion of some great euill that afterwardes they should not so easely remedie as presently they might and those which were their friendes and subiectes in all those Ilandes giuing credite vnto that which the Rouer declared might be an occasion that they should rebell against them by reason that the naturall people were many and they but a few for that vnto that time they had sustained themselues onely by the fame to be inuincible With this consideration they entred into counsell and did determine to ioyne together all the people they could and being in good order to follow and séeke the Rouer for that they vnderstood of necessitie he must abide and repayre himself in some place nigh there aboutes for that he durst not goe vnto China for feare that he had of the kings fleete and fearing that they should vse such policies as hee hath vsed they might come on him vnwares and destroy him as he had done others And séeming vnto them that although they could not destroy him altogether yet at the least theyshould be reuenged of the harme that they had receiued thereby to giue to vnderstand that the fame y t he hath giuen out of himselfe was a lie and should be an occasion for to remaine in their old securitie also had in better estimation and opinion of the dwellers there abouts as also to cause great friendship with the king of China for that it is against a traytor and one that hath offended him This determination they put in vre and effect according as the time would permit in which time they had certaine newes howe that the Rouer was in the riuer of Pagansinan and there did pretende to remaine These newes were very ioyfull vnto the Spaniardes Then the Gouernours commanded to be called together all people bordering there abouts and to come vnto the Citie where as hee was Likewise at that time he did giue aduice vnto such as were Lordes and Gouernours of the Ilandes called Pintados commanding them to come thither with such shippes and people as they could spare as well Spaniardes as the naturall people of the countrie All this was accomplished and done with great spéede the people of the countrie came thither with great good will but in especiall those of the Ilandes of the Pintados After the death of Martin de Goyti who was slaine in the first assault of the Chinos as aforesayde in the Citie of Manilla the Gouernor did ordaine in his roome for generall of the fielâ— in the name of his maiestie Iohn de Salzedo who with all this people and with those that were in the citie went foorth leauing the gouernor no more ayde theÌ„ that which was sufficient for the defence of the citie the fort that they had new made which was verie sâ—rong and carried in his company two hundred fiftie spanish souldiers two thousand fiue hundred Indians their friends All which went with great good will courage to be reuenged on the iniurie receiued or to die in the quarrell All which people were embarked in small ships and two foygattes that came from the Ilandes there borderers for that the shortnes of time would not permit them to prouide bigger shipping neyther should they haue found theÌ„ as they would for that at such time as the inhabitants therabouts did sée the rouer in assâ—lt against the citie they did set fire on a small galley and other bigge ships that were in the same port and did rise against the Spaniards beléeuing that it had not béene possible for them to escape so great and mightie a power although since the first entrie of the Spaniardes in those Ilandes they were verie subiect The Generall of the fielde with the people aforesaide did depart from Manilla the thrée twentith day of March Anno 1575 and ariued at the mouth of the riuer Pagansinan vpon tenable wednesday in the morning next following without being discouered of any for that it was doone with great aduice as a thing that did import verie much Then straightwaies at that instant the generall did put a lande all his people and foure péeees of artilerie leauing the mouth of the riuer shutte vp with his shipping in chayning the one to the other in such sort that none could enter in neyther yet goe foorth to giue anie aduice vnto the Rouer of his ariuall hee commaunded some to goe and discouer the fléete of the enimie and the place whereas hee was fortified and charged them verie much to doo it in such secrete sort that they were not espied for therein consisted all their whole worke The Captaines did as they were commanded and found the Rouer voyde of all care or suspition to receiue there any harme as hee found them in the Citie of Manilla when he did assault them This securitie that hee thought himselfe in did proceede from the newes that hee had from his friendes at the China that although they did prouide to sende against him yet could they not so quickly haue any knowledge where hee was neyther finde out the place of his abiding and againe hee knewe that the Spaniards of the Philippinas remained without shippes for that they had burnt them as you haue heard and that they had more néede to repayre themselues of their ill intreatie the yeare past then to séeke any reuengement of their iniuries receiued The Generall of the fielde being fully satisfied of his negligence and voide of care and giuen to vnderstande of the secretest way that was to goe vnto the fort whereas the Rouer was he commaunded the Captayne Gabriell de Ribera that straightwayes he should depart by lande and that vppon a suddaine he should strike alarum vpon the enemie with the greatest tumult that was possible Likewise hee commanded the Captaynes Pedro de Caues and Lorenso Chacon that either of them with fortie souldiers should goe vp the riuer in small shippes and light and to measure the time in such sort that as well those that went by lande as those that went by water should at one instant come vppon the fort and to giue alarum both together the better to goe thorough with their pretence and he himselfe did remaine with all the rest of the people to watch occasion and time for to ayde and succour them if néede required This their purpose came so well to passe that both the one and the other came to good effect for those that went by water did set fire on all the fléetâ— of the enemie and those that went by lande at that instant had taken and set siâ—s on a trench made of tymber that Lymahon had caused to bee made for the defence of
his people and the fort and with that furie they slewe more then one hundreth Chinos and tooke prisoners seuentie women which they founde in the same trench but when that Lymahon vnderstoode the rumour he tooke himselfe straightwayes to his fort which he had made for to defend himselfe from the kinges nauie if they should happen to finde him out and there to saue his life vpon that extremitie he commaunded some of his souldiers to goe foorth and to skirmish with the Spaniardes who were verie wearie with the trauaile of all that day and with the anguish of the great heate with the burning of the ships and the trench which was intollerable for that they all burned together The Captaines séeing this and that their people were out of order neither could they bring them into any for that they were also weary although y e general of the field did succour theÌ„ in time the which did profite them much yet did they sound a retraite did withdraw themselues with the losse of fiue Spaniards and thirtie of the Indians their friends and neuer a one more hurt Then the next day following the Generall of the fielde did bring his souldiers into a square battle and began to march towards the fort with courage to assalt it if occasion did serue thereunto hee did pitch his campe within two hundreth paces of the fort and founde that the enimie did all that night fortifie himselfe verie well and in such sort that it was perilous to assalt him for that he had placed vpon his fort thrée péeces of artilerie and many bases besides others ingins of fire worke Seing this that his péeces of artilerie that hee brought were very small for to batter and little store of munition for that they had spent all at the assalt which the rouer did giue them at Manilla the Generall of the fielde and the captaines concluded amongst themselues that séeing the enimie had no ships to escape by water neither had hee any great store of victuals for that all was burnt in the ships it was the best and most surest way to besiege the fort and to remaine there in quiet vntill that hunger did constraine them either to yéeld or come to some conclusion which rather they will then to perish with hunger This determination was liked well of them all although it fell out cleane contrarie vnto their expectation for that in the space of thrée monethes that siege indured this Limahon did so much that within the fort he made certaine small barks and trimmed them in the best manner he coulde wherewith in one night hee and all his people escaped as shall bee tolde you a thing that séemed impossible and caused great admiration amongst the Spaniards and more for that his departure was such that he was not discouered neither by them on the water nor on the lande What happened in these thrée monethes I doo not here declare although some attempts were notable for that my intent is to declare what was the occasion that those religious men and their consorts did enter into the kingdome of China and to declare of that which they said they had séene for the which I haue made relation of the comming of Limahon and of all the rest which you haue heard CHAP. VIII Omoncon captain of the king of China commeth to seeke Limahon and doth meete with Spaniards IN the meane time that the siege indured at the fort as you haue vnderstood there went and came certaine vessels which brought victuals and other necessaries from the cittie of Manilla which was but fortie leagues from the mouth of that riuer of Pagasinan as hath béene tolde you It happened vppon a day that a shippe of Myguel de Loarcha wherein was Frier Martin de Herrada Prouinciall of the Augustine Friers who was come vnto the riuer Pagansinan for to sée the Generall of the fielde and in the same shippe returned vnto Manilla to hold Capitulo or court in the saide Ilande and port of Buliano Seuen leagues after they were out of the mouth of Pagasinan they mette with a shippe of Sangleyes who made for the port and thinking them to bée enimies they bore with them hauing another shippe that followed them for their defence and had no more in them but the saide prouinciall and fiue Spanyards besides the mariners This shippe of Sangley séeing that hee did beare with them woulde haue fledde but the winde woulde not permit him for that it was to him contrarie which was the occasion that the two shippes wherein the Spanyards were for that they did both saile and rowe in a small time came within Cannon shot In one of the shippes there was a Chino called Sinsay one that had béene many times at Manilla with merchandise and was a verie friend and knowne of the Spanyards and vnderstoode their language who knowing that shippe to be of China and not to be a rouer did request our people not to shoote neither to doo them any harme vntill such time as they were informed what they were in that same shippe This Sinsay went straight wayes into the fore shippes and demaunded what they were and from whence they came and bing well informed he vnderstoode that he was one of the ships of warre that was sent out by the king of China to séeke the rouer Limahon who leauing the rest of the fléet behinde came forth to séeke in those Ilands to see if he coulde discouer him to be any of them and the better to bee informed thereof they were bounde into the port of Buliano from whence they came with their two shippes from whome they woulde haue fledde thinking they had béene some of the rouers shippes Being fully perswaded the one of the other they ioyned togither with great peace and friendshippe the Spanyards straightwayes entred into their boate and went vnto the shippe of the Chinos and carried with them the aforesaid Sinsay for to be their interpreter and â—o speake vnto the Chinos In the saide shippe came a man of great authoritie who was called Omoncon who brought a commission from their king and shewed it vnto the Spanyards and vnto the father Prouinciall in the which the king and his councell did pardon all those souldiers that were with Limahon if that forthwith they would leaue him and returne vnto the kings part and likewise did promise great gifts and fauour vnto him that did either take or kill the aforesaid rouer Then did Sinsay declare vnto him of the comming of the rouer vnto the Ilands and all that happened in the siege of the Cittie as aforesaide and howe they had him besieged in the riuer of Pagansinan from whence it was not possible for him to escape The captain Omoncon reioyced very much of these newes and made many signes of great content and did embrace the Spanyards many times and gaue other tokens wherby he diâ— manifest the great pleasure he receiued and woulde therewith straight-waies
who also was verie well learned and of the Cittie of Mexico the souldiers that were appointed to beare them companie were called Pedro Sarmiento chiefe sargeant of the Cittie of Manilla of Vilorado and Miguel de Loarcha both principall men and good Christians as was conuenient for that which they tooke in hand These fathers did carrie them for this purpose that if they did remaine there with the king preaching of the Gospell then they shoulde returne with the newes thereof to giue the Gouernour to vnderstande of all that they had séene and happened vnto them and likewise vnto the king of Spaine if néede did so require This offer of the captaine Omoncon and the appointment which was made by the gouernour and the prouinciall was knowne throughout al the Citie and after that they had made great reioycings and feasts for the same it was approued of all men that those that were named were principall persons as aforesaid and were fully certified that there should nothing be neglected of that they did commaunde them neither let passe any occasion for that it was that which they did all desire but in particular for the â—eruice and honor of God and for the benefite and profite that shoulde redowne vnto them all by the mutuall contractation betwixt the one nation the other and also giue the king to vnderstande of so good newes as this is The Gouernâ—â— did straightwayes call those persons that were named and appointed to come before the captaine Omoncon and tolde them what was determined the which they did accept with great ioy and gaue great thankes and the gouernor in token of gratitude did giue vnto the Captaine Omoncon in the presence of them all a gallant chaine of golde and a rich robe of crimson in graine a thing that hee estéemed verie much and much more estéemed in China for that it is a thing that they haue not there Besides this they did ordaine a reasonable present for to sende vnto the gouernor of Chincheo he that dispatched Omoncon by the commandement of the king to go and séeke the rouer also another present for the vizroy of the prouince of Ochian who was at that present in the citie of Aucheo And for that Sinsay shoulde not finde himselfe agréeued who was a merchant well knowne amongst them and perhappes might bee the occasion of some â—uill and disturbance of their pretence they gaue vnto him also another chaine of golde as well for this as also for that hee was euer a sure and perfite friend vnto the Spaniards Then straightwayes by the commaundement of the Gouernor there were brought togither all such Chinos as were captiue and taken from Limahon out of the fort aforesaide at Pagansinan and gaue them vnto Omoncon to carrie them free with him and gaue likewise commaundement that the Generall of the fielde and all such Captaines and souldiers that were at the siege of the forte shoulde giue vnto him all such as did there râ—maine binding himselfe to paye vnto the souldiers to whome they did appertaine all whatsoeuer they should be valued to be worth all the which being done he commanded to bee put in a redinesse all that was necessarie for the voyage and that in ample manner the which was doone in a short time CHAP. X. Omoncon departeth with certificate in what perplexitie he left Limahon the rouer and doth carrie with him the Fathers of S. Augustine THe twelfth day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1575. being sunday in the morning the aforesaid Gouernor and all that were in the cittie did ioyne and go together vnto the monasterie of saint Augustine where was deuout prayers made vnto the holy ghost and after they had all of them requested of God so to direct the voyage that it might be to the honor and glorie of his deuine maiestie and to the saluation of the soules of that kingdome whome lucyfer hath so long possessed Omoncon and Synsay did take their leaue of the Gouernour and of the rest giuing them thankes for their good entertainement that they made them and did promise them in recompence thereof to bee alwayes their assured friends as shall appeare by his works and to carrie them whome he did request of his owne good will with securitie as vnto himselfe that he would first suffer wrong himselfe before any should bee doone vnto those whom he had on his charge The Gouernor and all the rest did thankfully accept his new offer giuing him to vnderstand that they were fully perswaded that his word déede should be all one and therewith they tooke their leaue of them and of the religious men with the two souldiers their companions not lacking teares to be shed on both parts Then did they al imbarke themselues in a ship of the Ilands which was made readie for the same effect and went out of the port in the company of another shippe with merchants of China that were at Manilla into the which Sinsay put himselfe with all their victuals for to carry it vntill they came vnto the port of Buliano whereas was the great shippe of Omoncon wherin they should make their voyage which was that which was forced to returne backe againe by reason of foule wether they aryued at the same port the sunday following for that the winde was somewhat contrarie and had lost the shippe that carried their victuals but after founde her at an anker in the port for that she was the bigger shippe and sailed better they founde also in her two Spanish souldiers whom the generall of the fielde had sent from Pagansinan for that from the place whereas he was he did sée the saide ship to enter into the port with commandement for to carrie them vnto him This did cause vnto the religious men and souldiers a suspition that the generall of the fielde woulde procure to stay them vntill such time as he did sée the ende of the siege of the fort which euerie day was looked when they would yeelde for that they shoulde carry with them Limahon the rouer a liue or dead Uppon the which almost euery one gaue his iudgement that it were better to depart without obeying his commandement neither to take their leaue of him but to prosecute their voyage so much desired for they thought euerie houre of their staying to bee a whole yeare fearing that euerie thing woulde be an impediment to disturbe their intent and purpose but better perswading themselues knowing the good condition and great Christianitie of the generall of the fielde whom Frier Martin had alwayes in place of his sonne for that he was Neuew vnto the Adelantado Legaspi the first gouernor and discouerer of the said Philippinas whom he brought with him from Mexico being but a childe they were agréed to go vnto him and shewe their obedience and to take their leaue of him and of all the rest of their friends that were in the campe So with this determination they put
their shippe into the riuer Pagansinan which was but seuen leagues from the saide port They had not sailed thrée leagues but a contrary winde so charged them that they were constrained to returne into the port from whence they came and there concluded amongst themselues to send Pedro Sarmiento in the barke wherein came the two souldiers aforesaid for that it was little went with Oares they might with lesse daunger enter into the riuer of Pagansinan rowing vnder the shoâ—re and that hee in the name of them all should conferre with the generall of the field and so take his leaue of him and of all the rest of their friends whome they did request that they would not forget them in their prayers to commend them vnto God to bee their aider and helper in this their pretence so much desired of them all and gaue him great charge to bring with him the interpreter that they shoulde carrie with them which was a boy of China that was baptised in Manilla and could speake Spanish very well he was named Gernando This Pedro Sarmiento came thither and did accomplish all that was commended vnto him verie faithfully but the Generall of the field was not therewith satisfied neither the Captaines and souldiers that were with him for that the father friers were very wel beloued of them for they deserued it so they dâ—termined to send for them and to request them to come thither and sée them being so nigh as they weâ—e They being vnderstood by the Friers not without the suspition aforesaid and séeing that they could not excuse to go vnto them to accomplish their commandement and gentle request they departed out of Buliano with a faire wind for that the storme was done although the sea was a little troubled and therewith they ariued at Pagansinan whereas they were well receiued of the generall of the fielde and of all the rest with great ioy and pleasure Their suspition fell out cleane contrarie as they thought for that the Generall of the fielde woulde not stay them but did dispatch them with al spéede possible and did deliuer vnto them at the instant all such captiues as the gouernour had commanded and the souldiers that had them did with a verie good will deliuer them séeing to what intent it did extende and also the interpreter with all other thinges that was necessarie and requisite for the voyage and writ a letter vnto Omoncon who remained in Buliano that hée woulde fauour and cherish them as he did not thinke to the contrarie and did ratifie that which the gouernour had promised him for to send the rouer aliue or deade after they had ended their siege by one meanes or other He also requested of Frier Martin de Herrada that hee would carrie with him one Nicholas de Cuenca a souldier of his company for to buy for him certaine things in China who did accept the same with a verie good wil and promised to intreat him as one of his owne and haue him in as great regard and therewith they departed and wâ—nt vnto the port of Buliano from whence they came taking their leaue of the general of the field and of all the rest of the campe with no lesse â—â—ares then when they departed from Manilla He sent to beare them company til they came vnto the port the sergeant maior who caried with him a letter vnto the captaine Omoncon and a present of victuals and other things and other two letters the one for the gouernor of Chincheo and the other for the vizroy of the prouince of Ochian wherein he doth giue them to vnderstand how that he hath burnt al the fléete of Limahon and slaine many of his companions and howe that he hath besieged him so straightly that it is not possible for him to escape neither indure long without yéelding of himself and then either aliue or dead he would send him as the gouernor of Manilla had writ promised These two letters were accompanied with two presents wherein was a basen and an ewre of siluer and certaine robes of spaniâ—h cloth the which the Chinos doo estéeme very much as also other things of great valew that they haue not in their country crauing pardon because he did not send more The occasion was for that he was in that place and all his goods in the cittie of Manilla The same day with a faire winde they came vnto the port Buliano whereas they founde Omoncon abiding their comming and receiued all such things as the sergeant maior did carrie him in the name of the generall of the field and rendred vnto him great thanks and made a new promise to accomplish that offer made vnto the gouernor CHAP. XI The Spaniards do depart with the captain Omoncon from the port of Buliano and ariue at the firme lande of China THe desire was so much of this father frier Martin de Herrada to be in China as well for to preach in it the holy gospel as also for to sée the wonders that haue béene reported to be in that countrie that although he was dispatched by the gouernor and generall of the fielde yet hee thought that their voyage would be interrupted and therefore to see himselfe frée from this feare and suspition so soone as he came vnto the port of Buliano to the captaine Omoncon hee requested him with great vehemencie that he would straightwayes set saile for that the winde serued well for their purpose Then Omoncon who desired no other thing but thought euery houre that he tarried to be a whole yeare commanded forthwith the mariners to make all thinges in a redinesse to set saile and to bring home all their ankers and ride apicke râ—die to depart after midnight the which was done as hee had commanded So vppon a sunday at the breake of day being 25. of Iune they tooke a Spaniard souldier into their company who was called Iohn de Triana and vsed him in their seruice for that hee was a mariner So at the same time after they had praied vnto God to direct their voyage they set saile with a prosperous winde there was with the Friers souldiers and men of seruice twentie persons besides the Chinos that were captiues and the people of the Captaine Omoncon They were not so soone off from the coste but the winde abated and they remained becalmed certaine dayes but afterwards they had a lustie gale that carried them forwards The Chinoâ— doo gouerne their ships by a compasse deuided into twelue partes and doo vse no sea cardes but a briefe description or Ruter wherewith they doo nauigate or saile and commonly for the most part they neuer go out of the sight of land They maruelled very much when that it was told them that comming from Mexico vnto Philippinas they were thrée monethes at the sea and neuer sawe land So it pleased God that although it was verie calme and little winde stirring that we made but little way yet
vpon the sunday following which was the thirde of Iuly we had sight of the land of China so that we found all our voyage from the port of Buliano from whence we departed vnto the firme land to be one hundred and fortie leagues twenty leagues before they came in the sight thereof they had sounding at thrée score and tenne and fourscore fathome and so waxed lesse and lesse vntill they came to the lande which is the best and surest token they haue to be nigh the land In al the time of their voiage the Captain Omoncon with his companie shewed such great curtesie and friendship to our men as though they had béene the owners of the saide ship and at such time as they did imbarke theÌ„selues he gaue his own cabin y t was in the sterne to y e friers and vnto Pedro Sarmiento and to Miguel de Loarcha he gaue another cabin that was very good coÌ„manded his company in the ship that they should respect them more then himselfe the which was in such sort that on a day at the beginning of their voyage the fathers founde them making of sacrifice vnto their Idols and told them that all which they did was a kinde of mockage and that they shoulde worshippe but onely one God and willed them to doo so no more Who onely in respect of them did leaue it off and not vse it after in all the voyage whereas before they did vse it euerie day manie times Besides this they woulde worshippe the images that the Friers did carrie with them and knéele vpon their knées with great shew of deuotion who nowe hauing sight of the firme lande in so short time and passed that small gulfe so quietly which was wont to bee verie perilous and full of stormes they did attribute it vnto the orations of the Friers their companions and souldiers The like curtesie was shewed vnto them by Sinsay who was the seconde person in the shippe and hée that did best vnderstande that Nauigation and voyage So as they drewe nearer the land they might discouer from the sea a verie gallant and well towred Cittie that was called Tituhul whereas the king hath continually in garrison tenne thousande souldiers and is vnder the gouernement of the prouince of Chincheo So the next day following wee came vnto a watch towre which was situated vppon a rocke at the entrie into a bay who had discouered our shippe and knew the standart or flagge to bee the kings and made a signe vnto seuen shippes which were on the other side of the point which was part of a company ordeined for to kéepe and defende the cost which were more then foure hundred Straightwayes the Captaine of the seuen shippes came foorth to knowe what we were and what chanced shalbe told you in this chapter following CHAP. XII The Captaine Omoncon is come to the prouince of Chincheo but before he doth come vnto an anker he dooth passe some trouble with another Captaine of the sea THis Captaine Omoncon when he saw that the ships did make towards him hee cast about his shippe and passed alongst by the watch towre making his way towards the towne where he was a natural subiect and nigh at hand being but two leagues from the point which being perceiued bythe generall of that bay which was in a râ—dinesse who imagined by his working that it should be some shippe of euill demeanor and their enimies without any delation hee issued forth from behind the point with thrée ships that did row with Oares verie swift and gaue them chase cutting them off from their pretence and when he came nigh vnto them hee shot at them to make them to amaine the which Omoncon would not doo for that hee supposed as afterwards hee did confesse that hee should be some man of little estimation and not the generall of the coste But as he drew nigher vnto him hee did know him by the flagge he bare on the sterne in the foist wherein he was himselfe with his souldiers straightwayes caused to amaine his sailes and tarried for him The generall did the like and stayed behinde sending a boate for to bring the captaine vnto him and to declare what he was and from whence hee came Omoncon did forthwith imbarke himself into his boate without any resistance but rather with feare that hee should be punished for that hee did flie from him The generall when hee saw him did straightwayes know him and in that the fathers did vnderstand by signes hée was verie glad of his comming and gaue him good entertainment This generall was a goodly man of person and was verie well apparelled and did sit in a chaire in the sterne of his ship the which was all couered to kéepe away the sunne hee commanded the captaine Omoncon to sit downe by him vpon the hatches without chaire or any other thing who did obey him although first hee did refuse it with great modestie as not woorthie to haue that honour which was not estéemed a little After that he was set he gaue him to vnderstand in effect of all his voyage and successe and in what extremitie he left Limahon and also howe that hee carried with him the Friers and other Spaniards which went to carrie the newes and to intreate of peace with the vizroy of Aucheo vnto whome and vnto the gouernor of Chincheo hee carried presents sent from the gouernor and generall of the fielde of the Ilands Philippinas When the generall had heard this relation he commanded the â—oate to returne and to bring them before him that hée might sée what manner of men they were of person and the vse of the apparell and likewise to satisfie himselfe of other desires that came into his mind by that which Omoncon had saide of them The fathers and their companions did obey the commandement and did imbarke themselues in the boatâ— although it were with some feare and came vnto the shippe whereas the generall receiued them with great curtesie after his fashion and shewed them a good countenance and tokens that he very much reioyced to sée them and the vse of their apparell they ware But after a while hee commanded that they shoulde bée put vnder hatches which was the occasion to augment the feare they conceiued when they were sent for and the more when they saw that they were commanded to be shut vp in a cabin with the interpreter that they brought with them This being done they were in great care howe they might vnderstand the Generals pretence and at a close doore that was before the cabin whereas they were vppon a sudden they might sée that all those that were in the shippe did arme themselues in great haste and the captaine Omoncon amongst them then they heard bases and hargubus shot with a great noise of people which did verie much alter them in such sort that they looked euery moment when they should come and cut of their heads Whilst that our
he sealed it vp and sent it vnto the Citie of Taybin vnto the king and his counsell and therewith that which the Gouernour of Chincheo did sende him as shall be tolde you for that they haue a rigorous lawe in that kingdome that dooth prohibite all such as haue any office of gouernement to receiue any present of what qualitie so euer it be without lycence of the king or of his counsell vpon paine to be depriued of bearing anie office all the dayes of their liues and to bee banished and condemned to weare red bonnets as wee haue declared the effect thereof This is conformable vnto that which the gouernor of Chincheo did in the presence of our people at such time as they went to take their leaue of him for to goe vnto Aucheo which was that in their presence they commanded to take foorth all that they brought him in present and shewing it vnto them péece by peece He asked if it were that which they had brought and they aunswered that it was the same although it was with troubled mindes beléeuing that it was to checke them because it was so small in respect of their mightinesse he asked them if there lacked any thing they answered no then straightwayes he commanded to put it againe whereas it was taken out in their presence and before a notarie and witnesses the which being doone was mailed and sealed and so sent vnto the viceroy of Aucheo in their companie and saide that hee could not receiue it without the licence aforesaid So our souldiers séeing that they could not be suffered to enter in with the present they tooke it for a great discourtesie and disfauour and therewith departed vnto their lodging to giue the fathers to vnderstande thereof who liked not well thereof but yet they concluded amongest themselues to suffer for a while and to commit vnto God the direction thereof as it best may be for his holy seruice The next day following the viceroy did send to visite them and to aske of them a sword a hargubush and a â—laske for that he would cause others to be made by them the which they did send and afterwardes vnderstood that they had counterfeited the same although not in so perfect manner Then after a time our people seeing that their beeing in that citie séemed to be long and like to be longer they did procure to driue away the time in the best manner they could and went abroad into the citie and did by eyther of them that which they thought best Whereof they found great abundance and of so small price that they bought it almost for nothing They bought many bookes that did intreat of diuerse matters which they brought with them to the Ilands as appeareth more at large in the chapter for the same The next day they went to sée the gates of the Citie and all such curious thinges as were to be séene so farre as they could learne or vnderstande which were many But amongst them all they sawe a sumptuous temple of their Idolles in whose chiefe chappell they counted one hundred and eleuen Idols besides a great number more that were in other particular chappels all were of carued worke verie well proportioned and gilted but in especiall thrée of them that were placed in the middest of all the rest the one had thrée heads procéeding out of one bodie the one looking on the other in full face The second was the forme of a woman with a childe in her armes the third of a man apparelled after the forme and fashion that the Christians doo paint the Apostles Of all the rest some had foure armes and some had sixe and other eight and other some marueilous deformed monsters Before them they had burning lamps and many swéete parfumes and smelles but in especiall before the thrée aboue specified But when that the viceroy did vnderstande that our people did go viewing the Citie gates and temples and perceiueth that they that gaue him the notice did suspect it that it was to some ill intent therewith he straightwayes commanded that they should not goe â—oorth out of their lodging without â—is licence and likewise commanded the Captaine that was their garde not to consent thereunto as he had done and likewise that none should carrie them any thing for to sell for he that did it should be punished with whipping Yet notwithstanding they had euerie day verie sufficient necessaries for their personages in such ample wise that there did alwayes remaine and not lacke In this closenesse and kéeping in they suffered many dayes with much sadnesse and oppressed with melancholick humors to sée that their purpose wherefore they went thether séemed to be long and euerie day was worse worse Yet noâ—withstanding they did passe it ouer in the best wise they could in coÌ„mitting it with heartie zeale vnto God for whose honor and glorie they did attempt that voyage prayed vnto him for to mooue their hearts to consent that the religious fathers might remaine in that countrie for to learne the language as they had begun many daies before by which meanes their soules might be saued and clearely deliuered from the tyrannie of the diuell who of truth had them in possession So after many dayes that they had remained in that close estate as aforesaide they determined for to goe and talke with the viceroy and to bee fully resolued either to tarry or returne from whence they came They straightwayes did put it in vre and what ensued thereof you shall vnderstande in the chapter following CHAP. XXVI The Spaniardes talke with the Viceroy and not being suffered they do write to him a letter and he doth answere it by word of mouth with other particular matters IT hath béen declared vnto you that the same day y t the Spaniardes did talke with the viceroy he asked them if they had brought any letter for their king they answered no he tolde them that he would write vnto the court and hauing answere they should be fully satisfied of their pretence and demaund But they séeing that his aunswere was long a comming and great delaye made therein and that they had them as halfe prisoners they determined to go and speake with the viceroy to be fully satisfied of his determinate will pretence and to haue some order eyther to goe vnto the court or to remaine in that citie or else to returne vnto the Ilands and there to tarrie the time till it pleased God to open a gate in that kingdome wherein might enter his holy gospell With this their pretended purpose they did perswade with their captaine to permit them so much libertie as for to go and speake with the viceroy who for that hee bare them loue and good will did consent therevnto So they went but when they came thether they that kept the gates would not consent y t they should enter which was the occasion that they returned vnto their lodgings verie sad and sorrowfull
to them y e holy gospell which was the right way vnto the saluation of their soule Unto all the which they gaue attentiue eare although with little desire to see the experience as appeared for that the chiefest matter in effect they did let passe and asked of them in what order they left the rouer Limahon and whether hée might escape or not and other questions touching the same matter which endured a good while without touching of anie other matter in effect The Spaniards answered as they thought and supposed that at that time it could not be but that he was either taken prisoner or slaine Then did the Insuanto conclude his spéech in saying vnto them that they should returne vnto their owne country to the Ilands and at such time as they did bring Limahon they woulde conclude all things touching the friendship they requested as also for the preaching of the gospell So with this last resolution they tooke their leaue and went vnto their lodging with pretence not to speake more of that matter for that they sawe it booted not after they had giuen their censure and againe as they vnderstood it was by speciall order from the king and his counsaile and therewith they beganne to put all thinges in good order for their departure the which they greatly desired for that they saw little fruite to procéede of their great labour and trauell as also to sée themselues cleare of that manner of prison in the which they were not to go forth of their lodgings without expresse licence So from that day forwards they did procure with all haste for to depart and gaue the vizroy to vnderstande thereof who answered them and saide that they should comfort themselues and receiue ioy and pleasure and that he would dispatch them so soone as the visitor of that prouince was come to Aucheo which would bee within tenne dayes for that hee had written vnto him that he should not dispatch them vntil his comming for that he would sée them From that day forwards hee commaunded that sometimes they should let them to go forth abrode to recreate themselues and that they should shew vnto them some particular pleasure or friendship So one of them was carried to sée the mustering of their men of warre which they haue in a common custome throughout all the kingdome to doo it the first day of â—he newe moone and is sure a thing to be séene and they do it in the field which is ioyning vnto the wals of the citie in this manner following There were ioyned togither litle more or lesse then 20. thousand souldiers pickemen and hargabus shot who were so expert that at the sounde of the drum or trumpet they straightwayes put themselues in battle aray and at another sound in a squadron and at another the shot doo deuide themselues from the rest and discharge their péeces with very gallant and good order and with a trice put themselues againe into their places or standings this being doone the picke men came foorth and gaue the assalt altogether with so good order consort that it séemed vnto the Spaniards that they did excéed al the warlike orders vsed in all the world and if it were so that their stomaâ—ks and hardinesse were equall vnto their dexteritie and number of people it were an easie thing for them to conquer the dominion of all the world If it so chance that any souldier should lacke in his office not repaire to his place appointed he is straightwayes punished very cruelly which is the occasion that euerie one of them hath a care vnto his charge This their musâ—â—r endured foure houres and it was certifiâ—d vnto the Spainiards that the same day and houre it is done in oll citties and townes throughout all the whole kingdome although they are without suspection of enimies Fiue and twentie dayes after that the Insuanto had giuen the resolute answere vnto the Spaniards came the visitor thither and the whole citie went forth to receiue him who entred in with so great maiestie that if they had not knowne who hée was they could not haue béene perswaded but that he had beene the king So the next day following the Spaniards went to visite him for dueties sake as also for that he had a desire to sée them They found him in his lodging where he began to make visitation of the cittie In their courtes were an infinite number of people which came thither with petitions and complaintes but in the halles within there was none but his seruants and sergeants When that any came for to present his petition the porter that was at the entrie made a great noise in manner of an .o. est for that it was a good way from the place whereas the visitor did sit then commeth forth straightwayes one of his pages and taketh the petition and carrieth it in vnto him At this time it was told him how that the Castillas were there hee commaunded that they should enter and talked with them a few words but with great curtesie and all was touching the imprisonment of Limahon without making any mention of their departure or tarrying So after a while that he had beholded them and their apparel hee tooke his leaue of them saying that by reason of the great businesse he had in that visitation he could not shewe them any curtesie neither to vnderstande of them what their request and desire was but gaue them great thankes for their curtesie shewed in that they woulde come to visite him Hee was set in the same visitation after the same manner and order as they founde the gouernor of Chincheo and the vizroy with a table before him with paper ynke and other thinges readie to write the which according as it was giuen them to vnderstand is a common vse in all y e kingdome vsed with al Iudges whether it be for sentence of death or other matters of iustice as hath béene told you many times before Thrée dayes after the visitor was come thither the Insuanto departed for his owne house with order that with all spéede possible he should ordaine shippes wherin the Castillias should returne vnto the Philippinas Likewise the same day all those that were there assembled by the order of the vizroy departed vnto their owne houses And the Spaniards were commanded for to sâ—ay vntill the full of the moone which should bee the twentith of August and that day they shoulde take their leaue of them for on that day amongst them it is holden for good to beginne any thing whatsoeuer Wherein they doo vse great superstition and doo make many banquets as vppon newyeares day as hath béene tolde diffusedly The day before y e departure of y e Spaniards there came some in behalfe of the vizroy to inuite them and made them banquet in the order and fashion as at the first although this for that it was at their departure was more sumptuous wherein was
that place in another Ilande called Laulo for to put themselues in a newe course different and contrary vnto that which they brought when as they came vnto that kingdome for that the Chinos had by experience prooued that in those monethes the windes were more fauorable then in other monethes and for the most part North and Northeast winds al that night they remained in that Iland and the next day following they sailed vnto another Iland which was called Chautubo not farre distant from that of Laulo This Ilande was full of little townes one of them was called Gautin which had fiue fortes of towers made of lime and stone verie thicke and strongly wrought they were all foure square and sixe fatham high and were made of purpose for to receiue into them al the people of those little townes to defend themselues from rouers and théeues that daylie come on that coast These fortes were made with battlements as we do vse with space betwixt them and for that the forme and fashion of their building did like them verie well they were desirous to sée that if within them there were anie curious matter to bée séene wherewith they bent their artilerie towards them and went a shoore But when they which had the gard◠and kéeping off did sée them comming they did shut the gates and woulde not consent that they shoulde satisfie their desire for any intreating or promises that they could make They verie much noted that although this Ilande were rockie and sandie yet was it tilled and sowed full of Rice Wheate and other séedes and graine There was in it great store of Kine and Horse and they vnderstoode that they were gouerned not by one particular man to whom they were subiect neither by any other amongst themselues nor of China but in common yet notwithstanding they liued in great peace and quietnesse for that euerie one did content himselfe with his owne Uppon sunday in the afternoone they departed from this Ilande and sailed their course all that night and the next morning they ariued at another Iland called Corchu which was twentie leagues from the port of Tansuso from whence they departed The Spaniards séeing what leasure they tooke in this their voyage they requested the Captaines to commaunde the marriners that they shoulde not enter into so many portes or harbors for that they had no certaintie of the weather and not to detract the time but to take oportunitie before that contrarie weather do come for to saile in that order it seemed more for recreation then to achiue or obtaine a voyage The Captaines answered and requested them to haue patience for that in making their iournies as they did they doo accomplish and follow the order set downe by the vizroy and Insuanto who did expressely commaunde them with great charge for to direct their Nauigation by those Ilands with great deliberation and consideration because they might in safetie and health ariue at Manilla The same day the North winde beganne to blowe verie strongly in such sort that they thought it not good to go forth of that harbor as well for that aforesaid to be commanded to the contrarie as also for that the Chinos are very searefull of the sea and men that are not accustomed to ingulfe themselues too farre neither to passe anie stormes Néere vnto this Iland there was another somewhat bigger which is called Ancon wholly dispeopled and without anie dwellers yet a better countrie and more profitable for to sowe and reape then that of Corchu The Spaniards being at an anker there vnderstood by the Chinos that in times past it was very well inhabited vnto the which ariued a great fléete belonging to the king of China by a great storme were all cast away vpon the same the which losse and destruction being vnderstood by another generall that had the guard of that cost suspecting that the dwellers thereof had done that slaughter he came to the shore and slew many of the inhabitants and caried all the rest in their ships vnto the firme lande who afterwards would neuer returne thither againe although they gaue them licence after that they vnderstoode the truth of that successe so that vnto that time it remained dispeopled and full of wilde swine of the broode that remained there at such time as they were slaine and caried away as you haue heard This Iland and the rest adioyning thereunto which are very many haue very excellent and sure ports and hauens with great store of fish These Ilands endured vntill they came vnto a little gulfe which is fiue and fortie leagues ouer and is sailed in one day and at the ende thereof is the port of Cabite which before we haue spoken off and is neere vnto Manilla So when that winde and weather serued their turne they departed from the Iland of Ancon and sailed til they came vnto another Ilande called Plon whereas they vnderstoode by a shippe that was there a fishing howe that the rouer Limahon was escaped wheras he was besieged at Pagansinan the manner and forme of the policie hee vsed therein shalbe told you in the chapter following CHAP. XXXI They haue news how that the rouer Limahon was escaped and howe that he was in an Ilande there hard by some gaue iudgement to go and set vpon him but they resolued themselues to the contrarie and follow the voyage to Manilla BEing at an anker in the Iland of Plon tarrying for a wind to followe their voyage with great desire to come thither whereas they might vnderstande what had happened vnto Limahon at the same time entred into the saide harbor a shippe with fishermen they beléeuing that hee had béene one of the Ilands they went vnto him and asked of whence they were and from whence they came and what newes they coulde say of Limahon who was knowne vnto them all either by some harme that they had receiued or else by report of others that had receiued hurt These fishermen gaue them particular and whole relation by the which they vnderstoode that Limahon was fledde and not perceiued by the Spaniards he escaped in certaine barkes the which he caused to be made very secretlie within his forte of such timber and bords as remained of his shippes that were burnt the which was brought in by night by his souldiers on that side of the fort which was next vnto the riuer and were not discouered by the Castillas which which were put there with all care and diligence to kéepe the mouth that no succour might come in to helpe them And towards the land there whereas he might escape they were with out all suspection they were so strong and did not mistrust that any such thing shoulde bee put in vre as afterwards did fal out the which was executed with so great policie and craft that when they came to vnderstande it the rouer was cleane gone and in sauegard caulking his barkes at the Ilande of
religious men of that kingdome of the which priestes there are a great number in euerie towne this priest went diuerse times vnto the monasterie of the Fryers and did common with them of the creation of the worlde and other things which did open the way that they might declare vnto him thinges appertayning vnto God vnto the which he did harken with great good will And after that hee had declared vnto them in particular the mightinesse and secretes of this mightie kingdome of China whose conuersion they so greatly desired he very inquisitiuely asked of them matters touching the Christian faith of whome within a fewe dayes after he desired to be baptised for that he would be a Christian being instructed before in many matters touching our catholike faith Our religious men did accomplish his desire the which was an incredible ioy vnto all the dwellers of the Citie and a content vnto himselfe So after that he was made a Christian hee remayned in the monasterie amongest the other but yet would he neuer eate any other thing but colde herbes and he séeing that all the religious men did arise vp at midnight to mattens and discipline themselues spending the greatest part of the night in prayer before the holy sacrament hee did not faile one point but did imitate them in all their dooings with outwarde showes of a verie good will All the which did incyte the Fryer Costodio and al the rest of his companions to put in execution their great desire they had according as it hath beene tolde you Whereupon he went once againe vnto the gouernour to intreat him by faire meanes that which before they had comoned with him of and that he would procure some order or meanes that those religious men might go to the kingdome of China to preach the lawe of God offering himselfe to be one of them with protestation that if he would not giue them leaue they would procure to goe without it with that authoritie the which hee had of God and of his superiors for to teach and instruct these poore Infidels their neighbors and this should be done with the first oportunitie they might finde or haue But neither this nor yet the example of that good Chino which was newe christened was sufficient to perswade the gouernor to consent vnto their request but peseuering in his first opinion he answered and said that it was too timely and that the friendship which they had with y e Chinos as yet was very small And how that the fathers of S. Austen had manie times attempted the entrie into that kingdome and yet neuer could obtaine their desire And howe that the Chinos that did carrie them did deceiue them and left them in certaine Ilands till such time as they heard farther newes of the Rouer Limahon and of the returne of the Captaine Omoncon who did carrie them with the good newes of the straight siege in the which they had the rouer and yet for all that they commanded them to returne from Aucheo without giuing them anie licence to remaine in the countrie to preach the holy gospell and nowe to attempt the same was but to giue occasion vnto the Chinos euerie day to mocke and make a iest of the Spaniardes and willed them to staye till such time as it were the will of God to giue way vnto the same which could not be long This Fryer Costodio vnderstanding the answere of the Gouernour perseuering still in his first opinion and did not goe about to séeke any meanes to accomplish their desire for the entring into the firme lande hee straightwayes beganne secretly to procure by all meanes possible to attempt and accomplish that iourney although it were without the order and consent of the Gouernour when that it might not be doone otherwise the which incontinent they beganne to put in vre for that the Fryer Costodio and Fryer Steuen Ortiz who was a religious man that for the great desire he had did learne the China tongue and at that time did speake it resonablie they both together did giue to vnderstande of their desire and pretence vnto a deuout souldier of their religion and one that they made great account of who was called Iohn Dias Pardo who often times had made manifest vnto them and saide thae he had a great desire to doo some especiall seruice vnto God although it were to hazarde his life in the same who at that instant did accomplish his desire and did promise them to beare them companie vnto the death So with this conformitie they went straightwayes altogether to speake with a Captaine of China that was in the same port in a shippe of his owne who many times did repayre vnto their couent to aske of them thinges appertayning vnto God and the heauens with showe of a very good vnderstanding who vnto their iudgement did consent and accept all with great pleasure and delight Unto this captayne they did giue to vnderstande the effect of all their desire requesting him of his ayde and helpe in the prosecuting of the same Who straightwayes did offer himselfe to accomplish their request and to carrie them vnto China so as they woulde then giue him some thing for to bestowe amongest his marriners The souldier Iohn Diaz Pardo did promise to giue them all that they would aske and gaue them in earnest certaine ryalles of plate And for that all thinges shoulde bée doone in good order and in such sort that the Gouernour nor any other shoulde haue any suspition or knowledge it was ordayned amongest them that the Captaine of China should with all spéede dispatch himselfe and depart to the port of Bindoro which is twentie leagues from the citie of Manilla and there to tarrie for them and to carrie in his companie the Chino that was new baptised as aforesaid The captaine made haste dispatched himselfe and departed vnto the port appointed within a fewe dayes after the father Costodio and his company with the souldier his friend did followe thē But when they came thether they found the captaine Chino in an other mind in such sort that neither gifts nor faire intreatie was sufficient to perswad him to performe that which he had promised in Manilla but returned vnto them their earnest before receiued affirming that for any thing in al y e world he would not carrie them for that he knowe very well if hee should so doo it would cost him his life and goods The newe baptised religious Chino séeing that wept bitterly with discontentment to sée how the diuell had changed the minde of the Captaine for that in that kingdome the holie gospell should not be preached The father Costodio did resolue himselue to returne vnto Manilla and there to abide a better oportunitie as in effect they did whereas they remayned certayne dayes till such time it happened as followeth Upon a day the Gouernour sent and called vnto him the father Costodio and requested of him that
great ioy to sée them and to shew them the courtesie that was commanded him by the viceroy in their prouision or commission But by reason that the great number of people that would come to sée them should not be troublesome vnto theÌ„ he would passe ouer hâ—s content in séeing them for their better coÌ„moditie they shall depart in the same barke wherein they came vnto the port of Aytim wheras were certain ships that were bound vnto Luzon and that he would command they should be receiued into the said ships and to be carried with as much spéede as was possâ—ble and for the accomplishing of the same hee kept the commission of the viceroy and gaue an other commission vnto the gouernor of the port whether as hee sent them in the which he coÌ„manded to be accomplished all that he had promised The Spaniards although they would very gladly haue séene the citie of Chincheo and the mightinesse thereof yet did they accomplish that which the gouernor did coÌ„mand without anie reply for that they considered that it should come then better to passe So they came vnto the said port the next day folowing in the morning whereas they did remaine in the barke doing as they did at Chincheo sent their interpreter with the commission vnto the gouernor who presently after he had read the same sent coÌ„manded that the Spaniards should come a shore and come and sée him who did accomplish the same although with no lesse trouble than in other places by reason of the people that came to sée them The gouernor intertained them with great loue and faire words and before they departed from him he sent to call a captaine of one of the ships y t was there bound vnto Luzon and asked of him when he would depart from that place who answered within ten daies then the gouernor commanded that he should carrie them in his ship and to giue them the best intertainment that was possible who promised him to accomplish the same therwith he tooke his leaue of them and sent them with the said captaine who offered them all the fauour friendship that was requisite He presently carried them vnto his ship who after he had shewed theÌ„ the whole coÌ„moditie therof he made theÌ„ a colation or banket with great friendship They remained in this port more than fiftéene daies wheras they suffered very much colde and séeing that the ship wherein they were appointed to go was not redie neither any order for them to depart in many daies considering the great desire they had to be amongst their owne nation to take their ease and hauing knowledge of an other ship that was ready would depart they altogither went vnto the gouernor who was set in audience said vnto him with a loud voice as is vsed in al that countrie y t the captaine whom he had coÌ„manded to carrie them vnto Luzon was not readie to depart neither any signe that he would in many daies that he would giue them licence and command a captaine of an other ship that was there readie to depart and went vnto the same Iland of Luzon that he might carrie theÌ„ because they were so ill at ease and suffered so much colde that they felt great griefe When the Gouernor heard this he was very angry with great choler he commaunded one of his officers that was there with him to go presently bring before him that captaine vnto whom he had coÌ„mitted the carriage of the Spaniards y t which was accomplished and that in so short time that it caused great wonder who when he came before the gouernor had so great feare that he knew not whether he was in heauen or in earth The gouernor straighwaies asked him what was the occasion that he did not depart within the tenne daies as he had sayde The Captaine answered that they had had no wether neither at that present wherewith they might nauigate He asked him againe and saide séeing that the weather and time would not serue how is it that there is an other ship readie to depart The captaine at this demand did faulter in his spéech and answered friuolous wordes wherefore the Gouernor commanded that he should be whipped in his presence for the lie which he had tolde and as they were pulling off his apparell for to execute the commandement the Spaniards hauing pitie compassion of him for that he séemed to be an honest man they fell all vpon their knées at the gouernors féete and requested him to pardon his offence who did presently consent therunto with a good will and commanded to let him alone but he spake vnto him very sharpe wordes such as so farre foorth as the Spaniardes could perceiue by the semblance both of the one and of the other that was as much griefe vnto him as though he had béene whipped Then presently he commanded to call the captaine of that ship that was readie to depart and deliuered vnto him the commission that he had giuen vnto the other with a great penaltie and charged him to carrie the Spaniards vnto the Ilande of Luzon and charged him to bring a testimoniall from thence how that he had carried them in very good order and in saftie and left them at the place that they desired This Captaine vnderstanding what had passed with the other and because he would not sée himselfe in the like perplexitie did accept the commandement and thought the time long of his departure from thence and did promise them more than they did demand and made hast to depart â—ut of the hauen because hee would not be called backe againe CHAP. XV. The Spaniardes depart from China and go to Luzon they do passe some stormes at the sea the marriners doo call vpon the diuell by lots the religious men do reprehend them in the end they come to their desired port whereas they are receiued with much ioy THe second day of Ianuarie departed out of the port of Aytim with a prosperous wind the shippe wherein was imbarked the Spaniardes and two other which were their safe conduct but by reason it was winter the faire winde indured but a while yet came they that day vnto the Ilande of Amoy which was sixe leagues from the firme lande and there they stayed one day The next day following they went to sea to prosecute their voyage whereas they were taken with so terrible and foule weather that the ship did driue they knew not whither and many times in daunger to be drowned This storme indured four dayes although more stronger at one time than at an other in the which storme was separated the thrée ships the one from the other in such sort that euerie one tooke his way procuring to saue themselues as commonly in such cases is vsed without hauing any care the one of the other and God was so pleased that the ship wherin the Spaniards were and one of the other two entred into a
do beléeue will be pleasant to the reader and is intituled A Commentarie of the new world in the which is contayned many curious matters as you shall perceiue after the reading thereof and is declared in substance and effect by the relation of the father that did passe and sée them all who was named fryer Martin Ignacio a religious man of the order of S. Francis who after that he had compassed the whole worlde came hither to Rome with Martin Simion bishop of the Iland of Pepper in the orientall or east Indias with whom I haue had communication diuers times and is a Chalde borne and of the citie of Niniuie in Babylon and made bishop by the patriarke of Babylon The end of this booke A Commentarie or short discourse of all such notable thinges as be betwixt Spaine till you come vnto the kingdome of China and from China vnto Spaine returning by the Orientall or east Indias after that they had almost compassed the whole world Wherein is contayned all the rites ceremonies and customes of the people the riches fertilitie and strength of many kingdomes and the description of them Made and set forth by the Author of this book as well by that which he hath seene as also by true relation that he had of the religious and barefoot Fryers of the order of Saint Francis who trauailed the same the yeare 1584. CHAP. I. A Commentarie of the new world SAint Lucas de Barrameda and the Citie of Cadiz from whence ordinarily goeth foorth all such fléetes and shippes that go vnto the occident or west Indias are distant the one from the other onely fiue leagues and in thirtie seuen degrées of altitude from whence vnto the Ilandes called the Canarias is two hundred and thirtie leagues and alwayes doo Rut to the southwest and is ordinarily sailed in eight or ten dayes The seas are rough which causeth great waues for which cause it is called the gulfe of the Ieguas These Ilands which in ancient time were called Fortunadas are at this day called by the Spaniards y e Canarias which is deriued of Canes or dogs for that there was in them at such time as the Spaniardes did discouer them great quantitie of dogges very bigge fierce and braue There are of them seuen Ilands which are called Gran Canaria Tenerife Palma Gomera Yerro Lancarote and Forte Ventura and are in altitude twentie eight degrees lacking very little and haue in them many particular thinges of which I will declare some of them in briefe In the Iland of Tenerife at the farther part therof towards the north west there is a mountain called El Pico de Tereyra which vnto the iudgement of theÌ„ who haue séene it is the highest in all the worlde and is plainely seene before you come to it thrée score leagues so that a ship going from Spaine vnto those Ilandes doth discouer that mountaine first None can ascende or go vp that mountaine but in the moneths of Iuly August for that all other moneths of the yeare there is very much snow on it although in all those Ilandes it doth neuer snowe and to mount the height thereof is three daies worke on the top of the same there is a round plaine place and being thereon at such tune as it is faire weather and the seas calme and in quiet you may sée all the seuen Ilands and euerie one of them will séeme but a small thing in respect yet some of them are distant from that more than fiftie leagues it hath as much more in coÌ„passe as that In the two monethes aforesaid they do gather in the toppe thereof all the brimstone that is brought from that Iland vnto Spaine which is much in quantitie This mountaine belongeth to the duke of Maqueda by particular gift of the king In one of these seueÌ„ Ilands aforesaid called the Hierco there is a continuall woonder which in my iudgement is one of the greatest in all the worlde and worthie to be knowen amongest all meÌ„ wherby they may exalt the mightie prouidence of God and giue him thankes for the same This Iland being the greatest amongest the seuen is a countrie very asper and vnfruitfull and so drie that there is no water to be found in all the Iland but on the sea side and that in fewe places but very farre distant from the inhabitance of that Ilande But there naturall necessitie is remedied by the diuine prouidence of heauen as aforesaide and by a strange meanes which is there is a great and mightie trée vnknowen and the like hath not beene seene in any part of all the whole world whose leaues are narrowe and long and are continually gréene like Iuie vpon the which trée is séene continually a small cloud which neuer augmenteth nor diminisheth with the occasion that the leaues continually without ceasing doth distill drops of water very cleere and fine which doth fall into certaine sesâ—ernes which the inhabitantes of the townes haue made for the conseruation thereof to remedie their necessities and to sustaine thereby not onely themselues but also their cattell and beastes and is sufficient for them all yet doo they not knowe the originall and beginning of this continuall and strange miracle One hundreth leagues distant from these Ilandes towards the right hand there is an other thing of little lesse admiration then the other y t we haue spoken of which is that many times there is séen an Iland which they cal S. Borandon Many being lost at the sea haue chaunced vpon the same Iland do say that it is a very fresh and gallant Iland with great abundance of trées and sustinence inhabited with Christian people yet can they not say of what nation or language The Spaniards many times haue gone with intent to séeke it but neuer could finde it which is y e occasion that there be diuers opinions touching the same Some doo say that it is an inchanted Iland and is seene but certaine daies assigned or appointed others say that there is no other let or impediment for the finding therof but because it is so little and is continually couered with great cloudes that there runneth from it riuers which haue so great a current that it maketh it difficult to come vnto it My opinion is if it be any thing worth y t being true that which so many haue spoken of this Iland according vnto the common opinion which they haue in all the seuen Ilands of Canaria it can not be without some great mysterie for he which can cause it to be all in a cloud the swift current of the riuers to be an impediment to the finding therof can find remedie for the inhabitants to come forth if it be so for them y t be without at the sea not to go into it yet can it not be for theÌ„ within the Iland but at some time there should haue some come soorth by
chance and haue bin séene of some there abouts declared vnto theÌ„ y e secret of y e mysterie froÌ„ whence I do gather that either this Iland is imagined or inchaunted or else there is in it other some great mysterie for the which to giue credite vnto it or to varie from the truth it shal be wisedome not to proceed any further but to conclude in y t which toucheth y e Ilandes of Canarias aforesaid The clyme and temperature of them all is excellent good and hath abundance of al necessary sustenance for mans life There is gathered in them verie much wheate and other séedes and wine there is also made verie much sugar there is nourished and brought vp great store of cattell and that verie good But in especiall Camelles whereof there is great store Also all kinde of sustenance is better cheape there then in Spaine All these Ilandes are inhabited with Spaniardes whereas they doo liue verie pleasantly amongest whome at this day there be some that be naturall of the Guanchas aforesaid who be verie much Spaniarde like The principall of all these seuen Ilandes is the Gran Canaria in the which is a bishoppe and a Cathedrall Church and counsell of the inquisition and royall audience from the which dependeth the gouernement of all the other sixe Ilands CHAP. II. They do depart from the Ilands of Canaria for the Ilande of Santo Domingo otherwise called Hispaniola and do declare of certaine things in the way thitherward AFtâ—r that the fléetes or shippes had taken refreshing in the Ilandes of Canarias aforesayde they departed from thence sayling by the same Rutter vntill they come vnto an Ilande called the Desseada which is fiftéene degrées from the Equinoctiall eyght hundreth and thirtie leagues from the Canarias all which is sayled without séeing any other land they are sayling of the same ordinarily eight and twentie and thirtie dayes This Iland Desseado was called by that name by reason that the gulâ—e is great and so many daies sayling that when they do sée it is that after that they haue verie much desired the same so that Desseado is as much to say as desired This Iland hath nigh about it many other Ilandes one of the which is that which is called La Dominica which is peopled and inhabited by certaine Indians who are called Caribes by such as do nauigate that way which are a kind of people that doo eate humaine flesh they are very expert archers very cruell they do annoint their arrowes with a deadly earth so ful of poison that the wound the which is made therewith can not be healed by any humaine remedie This Ilande is in fiftéene degrées It is verie little and not of much people yet notwithstanding it hath béene the death of many Spaniardes both men and women such as haue come thither in shippes not knowing the daunger thereof haue gone a shore for fresh water or else to wash their lynnen and vppon a soddaine vn looked for haue béene be set by the Indios who haue slaine them and after eaten them and they say that it is very sweete flesh and sauorie so that it be not of a Fryer for of fryers by no meanes they will eate nor would not after that happened vnto them as hereafter followeth There was a ship that was bound vnto the firme land and did arriue at that Ilande in the which went two religious Fryers of the order of Saint Francis and hauing no care as aforesayde but very desirous to be a lande they went a shore without any feare or suspition of any harme that might happen vnto them and being at a riuer side sporting themselues with great recreation by reason of the freshnesse thereof easing themselues of the long and painefull nauigation which they had comming from the Ilandes of the Canarias vnto that place when the Caribes did sée them without any feare vpon a soddaine they descended from a mountayne and did kill them all without leauing any person aliue Many dayes they made great feastes and bankets eating of those bodies which they had slaine some sodde and some roasted as their pleasure was So on a day they would amongest them eate one of the fathers who was very faire and white but all that did eate of him in a little space did swell marueilously and did die madde with great gaspings that it was woonderfull to sée so that from that time they remaine as warned neuer for to eate any more of the like flesh Of these euils they haue committed an infinite number and haue at this day with them many Spaniardes both men and women whose liues they pardoned for to serue their vses or euilles because they were verie young of the which they say that some haue fled away They go naked like vnto the Indians and doo speake their language and are almost conuerted vnto their nature This great inconuenience might be remedied if that it did please his maiestie to command some generall that were bound vnto the firme land or vnto the new Spaine to make abode there a fewe dayes and to roote â—ut and make cleane that Ilande of so euill wicked people which were a good déede and they doo well deserue it and to giue libertie vnto the poore Christians that are there captiue a great companie of them And it is saide of a truth that some of them be of good calling There can none goe a lande on this Ilande but straightwayes they are discouered by such ordinarie spyes as they doo put to watch And if they do sée that those which doo come a land are many in number and that they can not hurt them they doo remaine in the highest part of the mountayne or else amongest the thickest of woods and bushes till such time as the shippes do depart which is so soone as they haue taken fresh water or fire wood They are great traytors and when they sée oportunitie they giue the assalt in the manner as hath béene tolde you and doo very much harme Nigh vnto this Ilande Dominica towardes the northwest is the Ilande of S. Iohn de Puerto rico the which is in eightéene degrées it is fortie and sixe leagues long and fiue twentie leagues brode and in compasse about an hundred and fiftie leagues There is in it great store of kyne verie much sugar and ginger and yéeldeth very much wheate It is a lande of verie much golde and is not laboured nor taken out of the earth for lacke of people it hath verie good hauens and portes towardes the south and towardes the north onely one the which is sure and good in respect whereof the Spaniardes did giue the name vnto the whole Ilande Puerto rico taking the name of the port or hauen In it there is foure townes of Spaniardes a bishoppe and a cathedrall church and he that is prelat at this day is the reuerend father don fryer Diego de Salamanca of the order
came vnto them hee would kisse their handes and if hee were on horsebacke hee had the like preuention and woulde alight and doo the like By whose example the naturall people of that countrie doo remaine with the same custome and is obserued and kept in all that countrie vnto this day and with so great deuotion that in what towne so euer that any Ecclesiasticall or religious man doth enter the first that doth sée them before they enter therein doo runne vnto the Church and ring the bell which is a token knowne amongst them all that a religious man is comming so that foorthwith all the women go forth into the stréete whereas they do passe with their children in their armes and bringe them before the religious men that they should blesse them although he be on horseback and do passe a long thorow the towne In all this countrie there is great aboundance of victuals and fruit that the mony being of so small estimation by reason they haue so much a ryall of plate is no more woorth there then a Quartillo in Spaine you shall buy there a verie â—â—ire heafor for twelue rials of plate and fiftie thousand if you will at the same price and a calfe for sixe or eight rials of plate a whole shéepe for foure rials and two hennes such as you haue in Spaine for one riall and of Ginny hennes otherwise called Turkey cockes and in Spanish Pauos you shall haue an hundred thousande if you please for a riall and a halfe of plate a péece and after this rate all other sortes of victuals whatsoeuer you will buy although they be neuer so good wine and oyle is very deare for that it is brought out of Spaine not for that the countrie will not yéeld thereof and that in great aboundance as hath béene séene by experience but they wil not consent to it for diuers respectes There be thorough out all the whole kingdome many hearbes that are medicinall and the Indians very much experimented in them and do always cure with them in such sort that almost there is no infirmitie but they haue a remedy for the same and do minister it by reason whereof they do liue very healthfull and do die verie seldome but of leanenes or when the radicall moistnesse is consumed They vse little lettings of bloode and lesse of compounded purgations for that they haue amongst them other simples which they bring out of the fielde wherewith they do euacuate their humors applying them vnto the pacient They bee for little trauell and doo passe with little meate and verie seldome sléepe but on a matte vpon the ground but the most part in the fields in the open aire which as wee haue saide hurteth not neither themselues nor yet the Spaniards But now to speake in few words that which requireth a great discourse many words and yet notwithstanding not expresse well that which might be said of this mightie kingdome I will conclude in comparing it vnto the most greatest and richest of all that is now knowne in all the world except that of China of the which in this historie hath béene mentioned so many thinges and shall be more spoken off when as we shall come to intreate of it for that wée will intreat of the new Mexico as I haue promised in the fift Chapter and because it is a new thing I do beléeue it wil be of great content CHAP. VII Of the new Mexico and the discouering thereof and what they do know of it IN the said Chapter I said that in the yeare 1583. there was discouered fifteene prouinces the which the discouerers therof doo call the newe Mexico vppon the firme lande of Nueua Espania and I did promise to giue notice of the discouering thereof the which I will do with as much breuitie as is possible for that if I shoulde difusely declare all that they did see and knowe it were requisite to make of it a newe historie the substance thereof is that in the yeare of our Lord 1581 hauing notice there of a religious man of the order of saint Francis who was called Frier Austen Ruyz who dwelt in the valley of saint Bartholmew by the relation of certaine Indians called Conchos who did communicate with others their neighbors called Pasaguates who said that towards the parts of the North trauelling continually by lande there were certaine Ilandes very great and neuer knowne nor discouered by the Spaniards who being remoued with great zeale of charitiâ— for the saluation of those soules did aske licence of the Counte of Corunnia Uizroy of the saide Nueua Espania and of his owne superious for to go togither and to procure to learne their language and knowing it necessarie to baptise and preach vnto them the holie Euangelist hauing obtained the licence of the aforesaide persons taking with him other two companions of the same order with eight other souldiers who of their owne good wil would beare them company he departed to put in execution his Christian zeale and intent who after a few dayes that they had trauelled they came into a prouince which was called of y e Tiguas distant from the mines of saint Bartholmew from whence they began their iourney two hundred and fiftie leagues towardes the North in the which by a certaine occasion the naturall people thereof did kill one of the Friers companions who as also the souldiers that went with him séeing and perceiuing the successe and likewise fearing that thereof might happen some other greater danger they determined with a common consent to returne vnto the mines from whence they departed with consideration that the company which went with him were very fewe to make resistance against such successes as might happen being so farre distant from the dwellings of the Spaniards and from their necessarie succour The two religious men which remained did not onely refuse their determination but rather séeing good occasion to put their good desire in execution and so much ripe Mies or dainties for the Lordes table and séeing they could not perswade y e souldiers to procéed forwards in the discouering thereof they alone remained in the said prouince with their Indian boyes and a Mestizo that they carried with them thinking that although they did remaine alone yet were they there in securitie by reason of the great affabilitie and loue wherewith the naturall people did intreat them So when the eight souldiers came vnto the place that they desired they straight wayes sent the newes of al that happened vnto the Cittie of Mexico vnto the vizroy which is distant from the mines of Saint Barbora one hundred and thrée score leagues But the Friers of S. Francis were very much agréeued for the remaining there of their brethren and fearing least they should be slaine for that they were there alone they began to moue the hearts minds of other souldiers that were in the company of another religious Frier of that order called
of the newe Mexico CHAP. XI Departing from the citie of Mexico they go vnto the port of Acapulco in the south sea whereas they doo imbarke themselues from the Ilandes Philippinas they passe by the Ilandes of theeues and do declare the rites and condition of that people FRom the citie of Mexico they go to imbarke themselues or take shipping at the port of Acapulco which is in the south sea and is eleuated from the poole nineteen degrées and ninetie leagues from the citie of Mexico in al which way there be many townes inhabited with Indians and Spaniards Being departed from this port they sayle towards the south west till they come into twelue degrées a halfe to séeke prosperous wind to serue their turne which the marriners do call Brizas and are northerly windes which are there of such continuance so fauourable that being in the moneths of Nouember December and Ianuarie they haue no néede to touch their sayles which is the occasion that they do make their voyages with so great ease So that for that for the fewe stormes that happened in that passage they do cal it the mar de Damas which is the sea of Ladies They sayle alwayes towards the west following the sunne when as she departeth from our hemispherie In this south sea they sayle fortie daies without séeing anie lande at the end whereof they came to the Ilandes of Velas which by an other name are called de los Ladrones there are seuen or eight of them they do lye north and south and are inhabited with much people in the order as you shall vnderstand These Ilands are in 12. degrées but there are different opinions of the leagues y t are betwixt the port of Acapulco those Ilands for vnto this day there is none that hath vnderstood the certâ—â—ntie thereof for that their nauigation lieth from the east vnto the west whose degrées there haue bin none y t â—uer could measure Some say this iourney hath a thousande and seuen hundred leagues others a thousand and eight hundred but the opinions of the first we vnderstand to be most certaine All these Ilands are inhabited with white people of comely faces like vnto those of Europa but not of their bodies for that they are as bigge as gyants and of so great force and strength for one of them hath taken two Spaniardes of a good stature the one by one foot and the other by the other with his handes hath lifted them both from the grounde with so great ease as though they had bin two children They go naked from top to too as well women as men yet some of them were woont to weare an aporne made of a deares skinne before them of halfe a yeard long for honesties sake but they are but a fewe in nuÌ„ber in respect of those y t weare nothing before them The weapons which they do vse be sâ—inges darts hardened in the fire and are with both the one and the other very expert throwers They do maintaine themselues with fish which they do take on the coast and of wild beasts which they do kill in the mountaines in ouertaking of them by swiftnesse of foot In these Ilands there is one the strangest custome that euer hath bin heard of or séene in all the whole world which is that vnto the young men there is a time limited for them to marrie in according vnto their custome in all which time they may fréely enter into the houses ofsuch as are married and be there with their wiues without being punished for y e same although their proper husbands should sée them they doo carrie in their handes a staffe or rodde when they do enter into the married mans house they doo leaue it standing at the doore in such sort that if any do come after they may plainly sée it which is a token that although it be her proper husband he cannot enter in till it be taken away The which custome is obserued and kept with so great rigour and force that whosoeuer is against this lawe all the rest do kill him In all these Ilands there is not as yet knowen neyther king nor lord whom the rest should obey which is the occasion that euery one do liue as he list and at his pleasure These Ilandes were woont to haue warre the one with the other when occasion did force them as it happened at such time as the Spaniardes were there in the port of the said Iland there came abord their ships to the number of two hundred small barkes or botes in the which came many of the inhabitants thereof to sell vnto them of the ships hens nuts called cocos patatas and other thinges of that Iland and to buy other such things as our people did carrie with them but in especiall yron vnto the which they are very much affectionated and vnto things of chrystall and such like of small estimation But there grew a great contention amongest them which people of what Ilande should first come vnto the shippes and was in such order that they fell vnto blowes and wounded the one the other maruellously more liker beastes than men of the which there were many slaine in the presence of the Spaniards and would neuer leaue off their contention a good while till in the end by way of peace they consented a conclusion amongest themselues but with a great noyse which was that those of one Iland should go to the larbord of the ship and those of the other Iland should go to the starbord with the which they were pacified and did buy and sel at their pleasure But at their departure from our people in recompence of their good intertainment they threw into the ship of their dartes hardened with fire with the which they did hurt many of theÌ„ that were aboue hatches yet went they not away scotfrée for that our people with their hargabushes did paye them in readie money their bold attempt These people do more estéeme yron than siluer or golde and gaue for it fruites nnames patatas fish rise ginger hennes and many gallant mattes very well wrought and all almost for nothing Thâ—se Ilandes are verie fertile and healthfull and very easie to bee conquered vnto the fayth of Christ. If that at such time as the ships doo passe that way vnto Manilla they would leaue there some religious men with souldiers to garde them till the next yeare and might be doone with small cost It is not as yet knowen what ceremonies and rites they do obserue for that there is none that doo vnderstande their language neither hath any béene on those Ilandes but onely as they haue passed by which is the occasion that they cannot be vnderstood The language which they doo vse to any mans iudgement is easie to be learned for that their pronunciation is verie plaine they call ginger asno and for to say take away your hargabush they say arrepeque
The pronunciation of their wordes is neither in the nose nor in the throte It is vnderstood that they be all Gentiles by certaine signes and tokens that our people haue seene them do and that they doo worship Idols and the diuell vnto whom they do sacrifice such as they do take in the warres of their borderers It is thought that they doo descend of the tartares by some particularities that is found amongst theÌ„ the which do draw very nigh vnto some that they do vse These Ilandes are south north with the land of Labrador which is nigh vnto the new found lande and not farre distant from the Ilande of Iapon It is knowen for a trueth that they do deale with the Tartares and that they do buy yron for to sell it vnto them The Spaniards did giue name vnto these Ilandes as they passed by the Ilandes of Ladrones which is of théeues for that they are very bolde and subtile in their sâ—ealinges in the which facultie the Egyptians that are in our Europa may go to schoole with them for the verie facultie therof I will declare vnto you one thing that happened in the presence of many Spaniardes the which did cause them greatly to maruaile which is there was a marriner commanded by the captaine of the ship to kéepe the sterneborde side not to suffer any of them to enter therein and being as one amased to sée so many Canoas that came thether the which be small barkes or botes made all of one péece one of them diued downe vnder the water till he came there whereas the marriner was vnmindfull of any such matter should happen vpon a soddaine without séeing the other he snatched his sword out of his hand went vnder the water againe therwith the marriner made a noise declared the knauerie that y e Ilander had done vnto him whervpon there were certaine souldiers y t made their hargubushes ready to shoot at him when he appeared froÌ„ vnder y e water This Ilander perceiuing it came foorth swimmed aboue the water shewing his handes made signes y t he had nothing in theÌ„ which was the occasion that they did not shoot at him So after a while that he had beene there resting of himselfe he returned and diued vnder the water againe swam so farre as he thought that the bullet of the hargubush could not reach to hurt him and finding himselfe in securitie he tooke the sword from betwixt his legges whereas he did carrie it in secret and beganne to florish with the same mocking our people whom he had so easily deceiued This kind of stealing and many others which they had done and that with great subtiltie is the occasion that they beare the names of théeues and all the Ilandes whereas they doo dwell doo beare the name thereof the which they will easily pardon if they might ordinarily finde where as they might execute their inclination CHAP. XII They depart from the Ilandes of the Ladrones and come vnto them of Luzon or Philippinas by an other name and doo declare the particular thoughts of those Ilandes FRom this Iland of Ladrones nauigating towards y e west almost two hundred leagues till they came to a mouth called of the holy ghost they straightwaies doo enter into the Archipelago which is an infinite number of Ilands almost all inhabited with their own naturall people But many conquered by the Spaniardes eyther by force of warre or friendship Four score leagues from this is the citie of Manilla which is vpon the Iland of Luzon there whereas ordinarily dwelleth the gouernor of all those Ilandes the officers of his maiestie therein is a bishop and a cathedrall church This citie standeth in fourtéen degrées a quarter and round about the same there are so many Ilandes that vnto this day there is none that euer could number them they do extend all of them northwest and southwest north south in so much that the one part stretcheth vnto the straight of Sincapura which is fiue and twentie leagues from Malaca and the other part vnto the Malucos other Ilandes whereas they gather a great number of cloues pepper ginger of the which there are great mountaines full The first that discouered these Ilands were Spaniards which came to theÌ„ in the coÌ„pany of y e famous Magellanes made no conquest of theÌ„ for that they knew better to nauigate then to conquer by reason whereof after they had discouered and passed the straight which vnto this day beareth the title of his name and came vnto the Ilande of Zubu whereas they did baptise certaine of the inhabitance and afterwards in a banket the same Ilanders did kill him and other forty of his companions which was the occasion that Sebastian de Guetaria a naturall Biskin borne for to escape with his life did put himselfe in a shippe that remained of the voyage which afterwards was named the victorie and in her and with a few people that helped him with the fauour of God he came vnto Siuell hauing compassed the whole world from the Orient vnto the Ponient a thing which caused vnto all men great admiration but in particular vnto the Emperor Charles the fift of famous memorie who after he had giuen many gifts and fauours vnto the said Sebastian de Guetaria hee gaue order that a new armie should be made ready and to returne againe in demande of the said Ilands and to discouer that new world So when all things were in a redinesse for to depart on their voyage the which was done with great breuitie they ordained for generall of all that sleete one Villa Lobos commanding him to go by the Nueua Espania This Villa Lobos arriued at the Ilands of Malucas and at those of Terrenate at other Ilands ioyning vnto them the which Ilands were laid to gage by the aforesaid Emperor vnto the crowne of Portugal In these Ilands they had great wars by meanes of the Portugals and séeing themselues with little helpe and small resistance for to go forwards with their conquest they left it off and went to the most part of them with the aforesaide Portugals vnto the India of Portugall from whence afterwards they sent them as prisoners vnto the said king of Portugall as offenders that had entred his Ilands without his licence who did not onely leaue to do them any harme but did intreat them very well and sent them vnto their owne country of Spaine gaue them al thinges necessary for their iourney and that in aboundance Then certaine yeares after Don Philip king of Spaine being very willing that the discouering shoulde go forwards which the Emperor his father had so earnestly procured sent and commanded Don Luys de Velasco who was his vizroy of the Nuoua Espania that he would ordaine an army and people for to returne and discouer the said Ilands and to sende in the said fléete for gouernor of all
that should bée discouered Miguel Lopez de Legaspi who did accomplish all that his maiestie had commanded and made the discouerie thereof in such order as the first relation of the entrie of the fathers of the order of Saint Austen into the China dooth more at large appeare Of ancient time these Ilandes were subiect vnto the king of China vntill such time as hee did deliuer them vp of his owne frée will for such reasons as were spoken off in the first part of this historie that was the occasion that when y e Spaniards came vnto them they were without Lorde or heade or anie other to whom they shoulde shewe duetie but hee which had most power and people did most command so that this and that there were so many of equal power was the occasion that ciuill warres continued without any respect of nature kinred or any other duety but like vnto brute beasts killing spoiling and captiuing one another the which was a great helpâ— vnto the Spaniards for to subiect that countrie with so great ease vnto the king and called them the Ilands Philippinas in respect of his name They did vse amongst them to make captiues and slaues such as they did take in vnlawfull wars and for trifling matters the which God did remedie by the going thither of the Spaniards for you should haue a man with fortie or fiftie other friends in his company or seruants that vpon a sodaine would go and set vpon a small village of poore people and vnprouided and take and binde them all and carrie them away for slaues without any occasion or reason and make theÌ„ to serue them all the dayes of their life or else sell them to other Ilands And if it so chanced that one did lende vnto another a basket or two of Rice the which might bee woorth a ryall of plate with condition to returne it againe within ten dayes if the debter did not pay it the same day the next day following he should pay it dooble and afterward to double it euery day so long as he did kéepe it which in conclusion the debt would grow to be so great that to pay the same he is forced to yéeld himselfe for captiue and slaue But vnto all such as were captiued in this order or in such like the king of Spaine hath commanded to giue libertie yet this iust commandement is not in euery point fulfilled and accomplished because such as should execute the same haue interest therein All these Ilandes were Gentiles and Idolaters but now there is amongst them many thousands baptised vnto whom the king hath shewed great mercie in sending vnto theÌ„ the remedie for their soules in so good time for if the Spaniards had stayed any more yeares they had béene all Moores at this day for thâ—t there were come vnto the Ilande of Barneo some of that sect that did teach them and lacked little for to worship that false prophet Mahomet whose false peruerse and corrupt memory was with the Gospell of Christ easily rooted out In al these Ilands they did worshippe the sunne and moone and other second causes figures of men and women which are called in their language Maganitos at whose feastes which they do make veâ—y sumptuous with great ceremonies and superstition they doo call Magaduras But amongst them all they haue in most veneration an Idoll whome they called Batala the which reuerence they had for a tradition yet can they not say what should be the occasion that he should deserue more then any of the rest to bee had in so great estimation In certaine Ilands not farre off called the Illocos they did worship the diuell and made vnto him many sacrifices in recompence of a great quantitie of gold hee had giuen vnto them but nowe by the goodnesse of God and the great diligence put and done by the fathers of the order of saint Austen who were the first that passed into those parts and liued worthely and also by the friers of saint Francis which went thither tenne yeares after all these Ilands or the most part of them are baptised and vnder the ensigne of Iesu Christ and the rest which doo remaine and are not is more for lacke of ministers and preachers then for any obstinacie of their parts There is nowe gone thither certaine fathers of the order called Iesuits who will be a helpe vnto them with their accustomed zeale and labour And nowe goeth thither many other religious men very well learned and apostolike of the order of saint Dominicke who will doo their indeuour to conuâ—rt them vnto Christ as it behooueth Christians to do CHAP. XIII Here is declared of some notable things that are and haue beene seene in these Ilands Philippinas THey of these Ilandes were accustomed to celebrate their feastes aforesaid and to make sacrifices vnto their Idols by the order of certaine women which were witches whome they do call in their language Holgoi y t were had in as great estimation amongst theÌ„ as be the priests amongst Christians These did talke ordinarily with the diuell and many times in publike and do diuellish witchcrafts both in words and déeds into whom it is to be beléeued that the diuell did enter for that straightwayes they did answere vnto all things that were demanded of them although for the most part they woulde tell a lie or els such wordes that might bee giuen diuers interpretations of and of diuers vnderstandings They did also vse to cast lottes in such sorte as hath bene declared in the first part of this history they were great Agorismers or obseruers of times in so much that if they begin any iourney and at the beginning they méete with a Cayman or lyzarde or any other sauage worme they know it to be a signe of euill fortune whereupon they would straightwayes leaue off their iourney although it did import them very much and returne vnto their houses saying that the heauen will not that they shoulde go forwards on that iourney but all these lies and falsenes which béene taught them they perswaded to by the diuell is ouerthrowne and taken away by the law of the Gospel as aforesaide haue now amongst them many monasteries full of religious men of the order of saint Austen saint Francis and of Iesuits According vnto the common opinion at this day there is conuerted and baptised more then foure hundred thousand soules which is a great number yet in respect of the quantitie that are not as yet conuerted there are but a few It is left vndone as aforesaid for want of ministers for that although his maiesty doth ordinarily send thither without any respect of the great charge in doing the same yet by reason that there are so many Ilands and euerie day they doo discouer more more and being so far off they cannot come vnto them all as necessitie requireth Such as are baptised doo receiue the fayth with great firmenesse and are good Christians
and would be better if that they were holpen with good ensamples as those which haue béene there so long time are bounde to doe that the lacke thereof doth cause some of the inhabitantes so much to abhorre them that they would not sée them once paynted vpon a wall For proofe whereof and for to moue such as haue power and authoritie to put remedie in the same I will declare vnto you here a strange case the which Royally did passe of a trueth in one of these Ilandes and is verie well knowne amongst them that is there chanced to die an Ilander a principall man amongst them a few dayes after that he was baptised being very contrite for his sinnes the which hee had done against God before he was baptised and after hee died So after by the deuine permission of God he appeared vnto many of that Ilands whom he did perswade forthwith to receiue the baptisme with reasons of great efficacie and declared vnto them as one that had experienced the same the rewarde of that good déede which without all doubt shoulde bee giuen vnto them if they would receiue the same and liue after conformable and according vnto the commandements of Christ for the which he told them and said that forthwith so soone as he was dead he was carried by the Angels into glorie there whereas all things were of delite pleasure and content and did communicate onely in the sight of God and that there was none that entred therein neither coulde enter except hee were baptised according vnto the preaching of the Spaniards of whome and of others that were like vnto them there was an infinite number Therefore if so be that they would go and inioy of those benefites and delights it is necessarie that first they should be baptised and afterwards to obserue and kéepe the commandements that be preached vnto them by the fathers that are amongst the Castillas and therewith he vanished away and they remained treating amongst themselues concerning that which they had hearde and was the occasion that some of them forthwith receiued the baptisme and that others did delay it saying that because there were Spaniard souldiers in glory they would not go thither because they would not be in their company All this hurt is done by one peruerse or impious man and with one euill ensample the which amongst many good as you haue in those parts but in especiall amongst them in particular it ought to bée reprehended and punished seuéerely with rigour These Ilands at the first discouery of them had the fame to bée Mal Sanos or vnholesome but since experience hath shewed and prooued it to the contrarie It is a countrie maruellous fertill and yeeldeth very much Rice wheate goates hennes deere buffes kine and great stoare of hogges whose flesh is so sauorie as the mutton they haue in Spaine there be also manie cattes that yeelde siuet great stoare of fruites which be very good and sauorie great aboundance of Honie and fish and all solde at so small a price that almost it is solde for nothing Also there is great stoare of Synamom but no Oile of Oliues but that which is carried thither out of the Nuoua Espania they haue much Oyle of Algongoli and of Flaxe sâ—ede the which they doo spende ordinarily in that countrie so that the Oyle of Oliues is not missed with them There is great stoare of Cloues Saffron Pepper Nutmegges and many other drugges great stoare of cotton and silke of all colours the which is brought vnto them by merchants of China euerie yeare a great quantitie from whence commeth more then twenty shippes laden with péeces of silkes of all colours and with earthen vessell powder saltpeter Iron stéele and much quicke-siluer brasse copper wheate flower walnuts bisket dates linnen cloth counting chestes very gallantly wrought calles of networke Buratos Espumillas basens and ewres made of tinne parchment lace silke fringe and also of golde the which is spunne and twisted after a fashion neuer sâ—ene in all Christendome and manie other thinges of great curiositie and all this aforesaide is solde verie good cheape Likewise such things as the Ilands do yéelde are sold very good cheape for you shall haue foure roues of wine which commeth of the Palme trée for foure rials of plate the which for lacke of that made of grapes is very good twelue haneges of Rice for eight rials of plate three hennes for one rial a whole hogge for eightéene rials a whole buffe for foure rials a deere for tâ—o rials and yet it must be both great and good foâ—re roues of suger for sixe rials a â—otiia of Oile made of Algongoli for thrée rials two baskets of saffron for two rials sixe pounds of pepper or cloues for one riall two hundred nutmegs for one rial a roue of synamum sixe for rials a kintal of iron or stéele for tenne rials thirtie dishes of very fine earth foure rials and all other things after this rate But amongst all other notable thinges that these Spaniards haue séene in those Ilands and in the kingdome of China and other places whereas they passed there is one thing which hath caused them most to maruel at and to haue it most in memory which is a trée ordinarily called Palma de Cocos but doth differ from that which beareth the dates and with great reason for that it is a plant so full of mysterie and profite that there hath come a ship vnto these Ilands and the said ship and all that was in her to be sold with ropes cords masts sailes and nailes were made of this trée and the merchandice that she brought was mantels made of the rind of the saide trée with great subtiltie and fine works Likewise all the victuals that was in the said ship for the sustentation of thirtie meÌ„ that came in her yea their water was of the same trée The merchants that came in this ship did certifie of a truth in all the Iland of Maldiuia from whence they came they haue no other sustainment but onely that which this tree yeeldeth they do make houses hereof and tyles for to couer the same the fruit doth yéeld a Meollio or curnell which is very sauory and healthfull the sauor thereof is much like to gréene hasell nuts and if you do cut the branch there whereas the Coco commeth forth is the principall fruite and euery one of them hath ordinarily a pinte of water the which is very swéet delicate al the said substance doth returne into the trunke of the tree whereas they doo bore a hole and thereat they do draw out all that water which is much and mingling it with other thinges they make thereof good wine the which is drunk in al those Ilands and in the kingdome of China Of the same water they make vineger and of the Meollio kernell aforesaid oile verie medicinall milke like vnto Almon milke hony and suger very sauorie These and many other
guarde them in the which they sawe so manie curious thinges and of so great riches that they iudged it to bée the best countrie in all the world So when they came vnto the citty with so small trouble and werinesse by reason of their long iourney and euill intreatings by the souldiers they were presently carried as might be sayde from Herode to Pylate and escaped not one day but they were carried to the publike audience or else before some particular Iudge This citie was very fresh both within and without and full of many orchards whereas were an infinite number of fruite with gardens stanges of water and other thinges of great recreation This citie is thrée times so bigge as Siuell and compassed about with a mightie strong wall their houses are very great and well wrought their stréetes are excéeding faire brode and long and so straight that from the one end vnto the other they may sée a man In equall distance the one from the other there are built many triumphall arkes which is an ordinarie and common thing vsed in the cities of that kingdome vpon their gates there are little towers wheron is planted all the artilerie that they haue for the defence of the citie as hath béen said all the which is inuironed and compassed about with a riuer which is great and faire on the which is ordinarily sayling an infinite number of barkes and brigandines and is of so great depth they may come lye harde vnto the wall yea ships of great burden On the one side of the citie there is a little Iland of great recreation vnto the which they do passe by a very faire bridge the one halfe made of stone and the other of timber and is of so great a length that on the part that is made of stone the father fryer Ignacio did tell thirtie Innes or victualing houses wheras was to be bought not only flesh and fish but also great store of marchandice of great estimation and valure as amber musk e péeces of silke and cloth of golde CHAP. XVI The Spaniardes are sent vnto the citie of Hucheofu doo declare what happened there vnto them FRom the citie of Saucheofu they were sent vnto Hucheofu the which is more principall and great than the first alwayes hauing with them in companie and garde the number of souldiers aforesaid sometimes they trauailed by lande and sometimes by water whereas they saw so many rich thinges which in respect to them all that they had séene vnto that time was nothing Of the which although I haue had particular relation of many of them I leaue off heere the declaring thereof for that of an Itinerario or commentarie I will not make a historie But principally for that many of them doo séeme to be incredible and will be more vnto those that haue not had any notice of the mightinesse of this kingdome In the discourse of this their iourney the cities and townes they sawe were many and verie bigge and all compassed with strong walles and at one of them there was a mightie riuer on the which was edified more than fiue hundreth engynes or whéeles and they were made with so much art that alonely with the violence of the streame of the riuer that dooth force them they water all the groundes there abouts for the space of two leagues and more without any other helpe or humaine force In this citie they were certaine daies in visiting and complementes after the which they were commaunded to goe vnto Canton of the which in the two relations before is made particular mention So when they came vnto the Citie they were carried vnto the prison of the Thequixi which is whereas are put such as are condemned to die the which they plainely perceiued There they remayned verie manie dayes and the most part of them were carried vnto the tribunall seate of the Iudges in companie with others that were condemned to die At this time there was in the citie the Tutan who was the viceroye of the prouince and the Chacu who is the generall visitor and that was at such time as was doone great Iustice for to cleare the prisons whereas were thousandes of men and some that had béene there more than tenne yeares There was some day at that time that in the presence of our people were brought foorth to be iudged two thousand prisoners some to the death and others to be whipped and other to be banished with other kinde of penalties according vnto the disposition rigor of their lawes That day wherein they make capitall audience they vse particular ceremonies as shooting of certaine péeces of artilerie and to shut the gates of the citie not permitting anie to enter in neither go foorth till such time as that act and Iustice be finished and many other things as hath béene declared in the first part of this historie The Spaniards being in the citie at this time of so great calamitie it so fell out that the same time there was a gentleman of Portingall called Arias Gonsalo de Miranda chiefe captaine of the citie of Machao very deuout vnto religious men and a friende vnto Spaniardes who vnderstanding the great trouble and danger wherein they were hee tooke order by all meanes possible to set them at libertie and had so great care therein that hee went through with his intent in such sort that they were deliuered out of pryson and from the great feare in which they were and all by the intercession of this gentleman who did vse so good persuasions for the loue he did bears vnto them that he made voyde the euill opinion they had against them and with compulsion to reuoke the rigorous sentence of death pronounced against them I do not here in particular treate of such thinges as happened vnto these religious men the seruants of God as well in the prison as on their iourney for that they were many and to declare them is requisite a long time and to make a new historie And although in the bookes before haue béen declared the riches of that kingdome and all thinges in particular yet for the better certification I thought it good and not without purpose to declare in the chapter following some of thâ—se which the father fryer Martin Ignatio did communicate with me vsing in the treating thereof so much breuitie that it shall séeme rather an Epilogo then a new relation And for a more verification of the truth whereby better credite may be giuen thervnto séeing that the persons who did sée it doo agrée in that which shall be here declared and againe for that the saide father and his companions did sée more thinges than the others whose relations be alreadie set downe The occasion wherefore they put confidence in them and to let them sée and vnderstand many secretes was for that they were sentenced and condemned to die for without all doubt if they had vnderstood that they should haue returned out of
the kingdom they should neuer haue séene them for they haue great care that any other nations should know their secrets their manner of gouernâ—ment and liuing CHAP. XVII Here it doth intreat of the mightinesse goodnesse riches and fortitude of the kingdome of China THis kingdome is vnder the tropike of Capricorne and stretched foorth on the sea coast south west and northeast more than fiue hundreth leagues it hath on the partes south west the kingdome of Cochinchina and on the north east it dooth confine on Tartaria a kingdome which dooth compasse the most part of the lande on the other part to the northwest there is an other mightie kingdome of white people which is beyonde the kingdome of Persia it is called Catay there be in it Christians and the king thereof is called Manuell It is sayd of a truth that from the furthest part of this kingdome vnto Ierusalem is sixe moneths trauaile by lande the which they vnderstoode by certaine Indians which came from that kingdome by Persia whose testimonials were made in Ierusalem sixe moneths before wherein was declared how that they had trauelled by Arabia felix and passed the red sea The other fourth part of this kingdome is compassed with a verie asper and high mountaine which is fiue hundreth leagues vpon a right line but nature had left certaine places open towards the northwest which might be fourscore leagues little more or lesse towards the sea of Iapon which is towards the Septentrion The great riches of this countrie and the great number of people that be therein did supplie the same as in the first part of this historie is more at large declared And for that the king of this countrie séeing himselfe oppressed and troubled by the mightie Tartaro seemed that easily he might defende himselfe from him in shutting vp of those gates which nature had left open betwixt the mountaines he did shut it vp with the death of many thousande of people for that hee vsed therein great tyrannie which afterwardes was the occasion of his owne death This mountaine with the supply by man is the famous wall of the kingdom of China that is of fiue hundred leagues long yet you must vnderstande it in the manner aforesaide the better to giue credite thereunto for alonely fâ—ure score leagues were made by mans handes with great industrie and there is vpon it an infinite number of bulwarkes which maketh it the more fayrer and stronger But yet not so strong as is the other four hundreth and twentie leagues which were made by nature Nigh vnto the same there is a great desert full of ditches and lakes of water which is the occasion that this kingdome hath béene conserued for more than two thousand yeares as doth appeare by their owne histories which they holde to bee verie true All is imparted into fiftéene prouinces with that of Aynao and euerie one of them hath a principall Citie of the which it beareth the name In the middest of this kingdome there is a great lake out of the which proceedeth many great and mightie riuers which runne through all the kingdome and are so big that there sayleth vp and downe in them barkes sregats brigandines and many other vessels of an other kinde of making This great abundance of water is the occasion that it is so sertile and so well prouided of all thinges and againe the most part of their cities and townes are situated on the riuers side so that by them the one prouince doth communicate with an other carrying the one vnto the other great store of marchandice and other thinges of great curiositie and is done with little cost for that all things are done very good cheape This sea cost of this kingdome is the biggest and the best that is knowen in all the world there is vpoÌ„ it fiue prouinces which be these of Canton Chincheo Liampon Nanquin and that of Paquian which is the furthest towardes the northwest in the which is resident the king and his counsel with all his court ordinarily and the most part of the men of warre that it hath for that this prouince doth confine vpon the Tartaros their enimies Some will say that the kings ordinarie dwelling there is for that it is the best and most fertilest of all the kingdome But I beleeue according to the saying of some of the Chinos that he doth it not but because it is so nigh vnto Tartaria and to finde himselfe there whereas hee may supply all necessities which might happen vpon a soddaine by his enimies In these riuers there are certaine Ilandes the which are very profitable vnto all the kingdome for that there is nourished brought vp in them great store of deare hogges and other beasts which is the occasion that the cities are so well prouided and serued But one of the things which causeth most admiration to theÌ„ that go to this kingdome is to see so infinite a number of ships and barkes that be in euerie port thereof and are so many that there hath béene a man in the citie of Machao that hath layde a wager that alonely in the riuer of Canton there be more ships and vessels than in all the cost of Spaine One thing I may affirme that I haue heard declared by persons of great credite that haue béene in that kingdome but in especiall of the father Ignacio whom I do follow in this Itinerario that it is an easie thing in any one of these fiue prouinces that be vpon the sea cost to ioyne together a thousande ships of warre and all of them as they say in Spaine dedicated for that purpose The occasion why there be so many is alreadie declared in his proper chapter There are diuers opinions touching the greatnesse of this kingdome but the most are conformable with the father fryer Martin de Herrada who like a good Geomatrician and Mathematician went nighest the pricke This opinion is declared in the first part of this historie whereunto I referre me and in that which toucheth in particular things of that kingdom for that it is there declared at large as it was taken out of their bookes But one thing I cannot let passe but declare for that it séemeth woorthie to make thereof a particular memorie and I vnderstood it by the mouth of the said father Ignacio which is that he doth affirme it to bee certaine true approued that euery day in the yeare one with an other besides wars and the plague the which in this countrio they remember not to haue any neither do they find written in their histories for 2000. yeares neither by famin nor any other accidentall occasions to consume the people yet doth there die many thousands of people both smal great in al the fiftéen prouinces of this kingdome which is no small griefe vnto theÌ„ who with a christian zeale doth consider this heauie tribute of so many soules that the diuell doth recouer eueriâ—
that case that they were constrained to yéelde vnto their enimies who at their willes did repay themselues very well of the iniurie receiued and a very good warning vnto all those that shall heare thereof to slie from putting themselues into the like trance so the Chinos were very wel reuenged of the iniury by them receiued The faith of Christ is very well planted in some of these Ilands by the good diligence and trauell of the fathers and Iesuites but in particular by that which was doone by master Francisco Xabier one of the tenne companions of the father Ignacio de Loyola founder of the saide religion hee trauelled with great zeale in the conuerting of the saide Ilands and that which was a great helpe vnto the same was his holy doctrine and apostolike life as vnto this day the Iapones doo confesse attributing vnto him next vnto God the goodnesse that hath come vnto them by receiuing the baptisme whome the fathers of that companie haue followed in all pointes such as remained after his death as also such as haue gone thither since that time So that vnto them may bee attributed the thankes for the mollifying of such adamantine hearts as are those of y e natural people of these Ilandes whose wittes although they be good and subtill are naturally knowne to be inclined vnto warres robberies and doing of euill and at this day being Christians they do followe their euill inclinations yet notwithstanding by the good doctrine and ensample of the saide fathers they are much better Christians then those of the Orientall or East Indians I do not set downe here the number of those that are baptised in these Ilands for that there are therein diuers opinions as also for that the fathers of the name of Iesus or Iesuits doo distinctly declare in their letters The Portugals say that in respect of the number of people that are to bée conuerted the number that are baptised are very fewe and that there are many that are not for lacke of ministers and preachers the which may easily be remedied in commaunding to go thither more religious men of other orders for to aide and helpe the saide Iesuites the which shoulde be vnto them a particular content and comfort as I doo beléeue as hath béene seene by experience in all partes of the Indians whereas haue come religious men vnto places of their doctrine for that the quantitie of people is so great that are in these Ilandes that although there shoulde go thither many laborers of the Gospell and all the orders of religious men the one shoulde not be a let or hinderance vnto the other and they shoulde all of them finde enough to occupie themselues especially if that the successor of Nobunanga were conuerted with his subiectes All the men of these Ilands are well set and well proportioned and go well apparelled although not in so good order as those of China they liue verie healthfully and long by reason that they doo vse verie fewe diuersities of meates they doo not suffer amongst them any Phisitians and doo not cure themselues but with simples They haue amongst them many priests of their Idols whom they do call Bonsos of the which there be great couents Likewise they haue amongst them great witches who do ordinarily talke with the diuell and are not a small impediment for thē to receiue the lawe of God in that kingdome The women or wiues of these Iapones do kéepe themselues very close and very seldome go forth of their houses in the which they do resemble those of China much as hath béene said yet haue they many wiues for that by their lawes it is lawfull for them to haue as they please can sustaine yet are they so prudent that they do restraine themselues and liue in great peace Both men-seruants and women-seruants do serue their masters as though they were slaues they may kill them at their pleasure without incurring any penalty of their lawes a thing far different from any good policie Many other things more could I declare of this kingdome the which I do let passe for the reason aforesaid and againe for that the fathers of the company of Iesus haue intreated thereof at large and vere truely Not farre from these Ilands of Iapon they haue discouered of late certaine Ilandes which are called of the Amazones for that they are all inhabited by women whose ordinary weapons are bowes and arrowes and are very expert in the same they haue their right brest drie the better to exercise their bow Unto these Ilands in certaine monethes euery yeare goeth certaine shippes from Iapones with merchandice and they bring from thence such as they haue there in the which time the men do deale with the Amazones as with their own proper wiues for to avoide dangers that might happen amongst themselues they deale in this order following After that their shippes are aryued there goeth on shore two messengers for to giue aduice vnto the quéene of their arriuall and of the number of men that are in their shippes who dooth appoint a day when they shall all come on shoare the which day shee doth carrie to the waters side the like number of women as they bee of men but the saide women doo first come thither before the men doo disembarke themselues and euery one of them dooth carry in their hande a paire of shooes or a paire of slippers and on them their owne seuerall marke and do leaue them on the sands at the waters side without any confort or order and presently departe from thence Then the men come on shoare and euery one take the first paire of shooes that he commeth vnto and put them on then presently the women come forth and euery one of them carryeth with her him who hath fallen vnto her by lot to put on her shooes and maketh him her guest without any other particularitie although it chanceth vnto the most vilest of them all to méete with the quéenes shooes or otherwise to the contrarie So when the monethes are expired set downe by the quéene in the which are permitted the men aforesaid they doo depart euerie one leauing with his hostis his name and the towne where hee dwelleth for that if it so fall out that they bee with child and be deliuered of a sonne that hee may bee carried the yeare following vnto his father but the daughters do remaine with them This is very doubtfull to bee beléeued although I haue bin certified by religious men that haue talked with persons that within these two yeares haue béene at the saide Ilands haue séene the said women and that which causeth me more to stand in doubt is for that the fathers of the companie that dwell at the Iapones haue not in their letters made any particular mention of them therefore let euery one giue credite to this as liketh him best CHAP. XX. They haue notice of certaine kingdomes borderers vnto these
Ilands of Iapon and it treateth of some thinges of them according vnto the truest intelligence that hath come from those parts of certaine miracles that happened in the kingdome of Cochinchina that were notable FRom the Cittie of Machao which is inhabited by Portugals and situated on the skirt of the firme lande of China in two and twentie degrées the aforesaide father Ignacio did trauell for Malaca passing by the gulfe of Aynao which is an Ilande and prouince of China and fiue leagues from the firme lande and from the Philippinas one hundreth and fourescore It is a very rich prouince and of great prouision and in the straight that is betwixt them and the firme lande there is great fishing of pearles and Aliafar and those which are there founde do in many killats excéede them that are brought from Bareu which is on y e coast of Arabia or those that are brought from Manar which is another kingdome from whence is brought many vnto that of China This prouince of Aynao is very good and strong and the people thereof very docible and well inclined From this Ilande to the kingdome of Cochinchina is fiue and twenty leagues and from Machao one hundreth and twentie fiue it is a mightie kingdome and is in sixtéene degrées of altitude and the one part therof is ioyned with the firme land of China The whole is deuided into thrée prouinces The first dooth enter forty leagues into the lande and hath in it a mightie king The second is more farther within the land and he that is Lord thereof is a king of greater power then the first and ioyning vnto the sun more towards the Septentrion is the thirde the which is more greater and of more riches whose king in respect of the other two is an Emperor and is called in their language Tunquin which doth signifie the same Unto him be subiect y e other two kings yet notwithstanding his mighitinesse and called emperour hee is subiect vnto the king of China and dooth pay him tribute and parias It is a countrie very well prouided of victuals and as good cheape as in China There is great stoare of a wood called Palo de Agnila and of another woode called Calambay and both of them are verie odoriferous Great aboundance of silke and gold and of other things very curious all these kingdomes are at a very point to be reduced vnto our faith for that the principall he whom they giue title of Emperor hath sent diuers times to Machao and vnto other parts whereas are Christians and haue requested to send them persons both learned and religious for to instruct them in the law of God for that they are all determined to receiue it and be baptised and do desire it with so great feruentnesse that in manie citties they haue the timber ready to build edifie churches and in a redinesse all other kind of necessaries for the same There was in Machao a religious man of the order of barefoote Friers of saint Francis who vnderstanding the great and good desire of this king did send him by certaine Portugal merchants that did trade into his countrie a cloth whereon was painted the day of iudgement and hell and that by an excellent workeman and also a letter wherein hee did signifie vnto him the great desire he had with some other of his companions to go into his kingdome to preach the Gospel The which being receiued by the said king and informed the signification of the picture and of the religious man that sent it him he reioyced very much with the present and did send in returne of the same an other that was very good vnto the same religious man and a letter of great curtesie did accept the offer that hee sent in his letter and did promise that all that went thither shoulde haue good entertainement and that he would presently make them a house next vnto his This religious man although hâ— had a desire to put in execution the kings will yet at that time hee coulde not by reason that he had but few companions the which the king did vnderstande and caused him to sende vnto the bishoppe of Machao thrée or foure letters requesting him to send him the saide religious men with certification that hauing them there both hee and all the rest of his kingdome woulde receiue the faith of Christ and the holy baptisme vnto the which letters they did alwaies make answere with promises that he would send them vnto him but after because they did not accomplish the same the king did complaine of him vnto certaine Portugall merchants with great griefe saying this your bishop of Machao doth greatly lye for that I haue requested him by foure letters to send me religious men for to preach the law of the gospell he consenting vnto my wil did neuer accomplish nor performe his word Unto this day they haue not accomplished this desire for the great lacke they haue of such ministers as they doo demande are requisite in those parts and cannot supply their want and necessitie except they should leaue them vnprouided that bee already baptised They doo driue them off with faire words promises that with as great breuity as is possible their desire shalbe satisfied And this was the answere that was giueÌ„ in Machao vnto certaine messengers or ambassadors that were sent by the aforesaid king for the same demand the which was required with great instance The which messengers for their comfort for his who sent theÌ„ did carry with theÌ„ al such Images as they might haue but specially that of the crosse in which form likenes as hath bin informed they haue made in y e kingdome an infinite number and set them in all their stréets high-wayes houses wheras they are worshiped reuerenced with great humilitie as well for that it is in an ensigne of Christ whose faith they do desire to receiue as also for a notable miracle which happened in that kingdome worthy to make thereof a particular mention the which I will set downe here in such sort as the ambassadors aforesaide did declare in publike before the inhabitants of Machao when as they came to demande religious men for to instruct them in the gospel There was a man naturally borne in this kingdome who for certaine occasions went forth of the same and came dwelt amongst the Portugals who séeing the Christian ceremonies and being touched with the hand of God was baptised and remained certaine yeares in the same towne giuing outwâ—rde shewes to bee a good Christian and one that feared God at the end thereof hee changed his minde and determined to returne vnto his owne countrie and there to liue according vnto that which he had learned of the Christians the which he beléeued to doo with ease without any gainesaying or contradiction Whereas when hée came thither hee did obserue all such things as a Christian was bounde to
and very dangerous for ships that passe thorough it for very few times it is without stormes or some other greater danger as it happened vnto a verie great shippe in the mouth of the straight in the presence of Frier Martin Ignacio the which in verie little space was swallowed vp with the sea in it more theÌ„ thrée hundred thousand ducats in merchandice that was within her although the successe thereof our people did attribute it more vnto the iust iudgement of God than vnto the storme for that according as they were informed they had committed grieuous offences at the time when she sanke for being very nigh with his shippe in the which he went and many other more they felt not neither had any suspition of any danger From this straight to go vnto Malaca you coast alongest the sea fiue and twentie leagues all which coast is full of great mightie and thicke woods by reason whereof as also for that it is not inhabited there are many tygers elephants and mightie great lysards and other furious beastes The citie of Malaca in our pole articke is eleuated from the equinoctiall onely one degrée of ancient time it was the most principallest citie of all these kingdomes and resident therein a mightie king a Moore but after it was conquered by the Portingals who in these wars did wonderfull things of great force courage they did driue foorth all the Moores out of the same and out of all the borders and made of their Mezquita or temple which was a singular péece of worke a high church as it doth remaine vnto this day there are also thrée monasteries of religious men one of S. Dominicke an other of S. Francis and the third of the companie of Iesus or Iesuites It is a verie temperate countrie being so nigh the equinoctiall line the reason is for that euery wéeke ordinarily it rayneth thrée or foure times which is the greatest cause of health in all that countrie and thereby is made woonderfull fruitfull and with great abundance of prouision but particularly of fruites for there is great store and some sortes neuer séene in Europe amongst the which there is one y t is called in the Malaca tongue Durion and is so good that I haue heard it affirmed by manie that haue gone about the worlde that it doth excéede in sauour all others that euer they had séene or tasted it is in forme like vnto a mellon whose ryne is somewhat harde and hath vpon it little white prickes which séemeth like haire and within the fruite be partitions which be of the colour like vnto maniar blanco and of so good sauour and tast as it Some do say that haue séene it that it séemeth to be y t wherwith Adam did transgresse being carried away by the singular sauour The leaues which this trée yéeldeth are so bigge that a man may couer himselfe with one of them which mee thinketh is but coniecture or defining but there is Cannafistola for to lade fléetes very bigge and good and of a singular effect one of the notablest things in this kingdome is a maruellous trée of an admirable vertue the which putteth foorth so many rootes of so contrarie vertue that those which grow towards the orient be good against poyson agues and many infirmities that do war against humaine life those rootes that growe â—owards the west be ranke poyson in effect all cleane contrarie vnto the first So that it seemeth here to be founde two contraries in one subiect a thing which in philosophie they were woont to count impossible This citie is of great contractation for that there come thether all the kingdomes that we haue spoken of and from many other more that are nigh thereabouts but in particular a great number of great ships from the Indians Canton Chincheo and froÌ„ many other places likewise the Iapones carry thether their siluer to sell those of the kingdome of Syan carry many things very curious but especially cloues and pepper of the Iland Malucas and those of Burneo bring much sanders nutmegs and those of Iaba Pegu bring the wood of aguila and those from Cochinchina Cham bring great store of wrought silke drogges and spicerie and those of Samatra or Trapouana much golde and wrought things fine cloth of Vengalas Coromandel All these and other thinges make this citie famous and plentifull as also very much enlarged of the Portingals that go thether ordinarily euery yeare and traficke there CHAP. XXIII Of some kingdomes of the newe worlde and of particular things that haue beene seene in them and treateth of the citie and riuer of Ganies OUer against this famous citie of which so many thinges may be spoken of is that mightie kingdome and Iland of Samatra called by the ancieÌ„t cosmogrosers Trapouana which is as some say the Iland of Ophir whether y e fléet went which king Salomon sent of which there is particular mention made in the scripture in the third booke of the kings cap. 9. 10. and in the Paralipomenon cap. 9. that went returned againe ladeÌ„ with gold rich tymber for to adorne the temple of Ierusalem and of many other curious things whose memorie doth remain vnto this day amongst the naturall people although diffusedly But not so much as those that haue it out of the holy scripture neither so true This Iland is vnder the equinoctial line so that the one halfe doth extend vnto the pole artick the other halfe vnto the poole antarticke It hath in longitude 230. leagues and in latitude three score seuen leagues and is so nigh vnto Malaca that in some parts it is lesse than ten leagues In this kingdom there are many lords rulers yet he y t hath the greatest part thereof is a Moore and is called Achan it is one of the richest Ilands in al the world for y t it hath many mynes of fine golde of the which although there is a law y t they cannot take out of theÌ„ more than is necessarie yet there is great abundance carried from thence to Malaca Turkie and many other places There is gathered vpon this Iland great abundance of pepper and beniewyn of Boninas in great quantity out of whose trées whereof there is great woods there come foorth so swéet a smel that it seemeth an earthly paradice and was wont to be smelled twenty leagues at sea for which respect the ships that saile that way do come so nigh the lande as they may to haue the comfort of that smell There is also much Camphora and all kinde of spices by reason wherof there commeth vnto this kingdome to traficke many Turkes that come in ships and foystes out of the red sea Also there doth traficke thether those of the kingdom of Sunda Iaua the great and Ambayno and others that are there nigh vnto them Unto this Iland came certaine Portingals to buy and sell whereas they were
a kingdome that hath great abundance of prouision and lacke of things of contractation or marchandice which is the occasion that they are little knowen Trauailing a little forwardes is the kingdome of Coromandel whose chiefe citie is called Calamina and nowe vulgarly Malipur and is there whereas was martyred the happie Apostle S. Thomas And they say that at this day there remaineth some of his relickes by whom God did many myracles The naturall people therefore haue a particular memory vntill this day of that saint This citie at this day is populared with Portingals and with the naturall people there is in it a church wherein is comprehended the house whereas was and died the holy Apostle this countrie belongeth vnto the king of Visnaga who although he be a Gentile he hath great reuerence and respect vnto the house of the holy Apostle and for particular deuotion he doth giue euerie yeare a certaine charitie There is in this citie two couentes of religious men the one of the companie of Iesus and the other of the order of S. Francis From this citie of Calamina to that of Visnaga there wheras the king is it is fiue and thirtie leagues by land This king is mightie and his kingdome very great and full of people and hath great rentes They say that onely the rent he hath of fine gold is worth vnto him thrée millions of the which he spendeth but one onely and doth keepe euerie yeare two millions in his treasorie the which according vnto the report fame is at this day with many millions He hath twelue principall or chiefe captaines and euerie one of them hath the gouernement of an infinite number of people hath great rent for the same for he that hath least rent hath sixe hundred thousand ducats yearely Euerie one of them are bound to giue the king to eate and all the people of his house one month in the yeare so that by this account the twelue captaines which are the lordes of the kingdome and as wee might say dukes doo beare his cost all the whole yeare The million the which he doth spend is in giftes and in extraordinarie thinges The king hath in his house what with wiues seruants and slaues nigh about fourtéene thousand persons and in his stable ordinarily a thousand horse and for his seruice and garde eight hundreth Elephants of whoÌ„ he doth spend euerie day eight hundreth ducats The garde of his person is â—oure thousand horsemen to whoÌ„ he giueth great wages He hath also in his house thrée hundreth wiues besides a great number of concubines they goe all gallantly apparelled and with rich iewels of the which there are of great estimation in y e kingdome they do almost euerie three daies change newe colors of apparell They do ordinarily vse colors of precious stones such as are called in spaine ojo de gato cats eies They haue great store of saphires pearles diamonds rubies many other stones y t are in that kingdome in great abundance Amongest all these wiues there is one that is as legitimate whose children doo inherite and if it so fall out that she is barren the first that is borne of any of y e other doth inherite which is the occasion that they neuer lacke a successor in that kingdome When the king of this kingdome doth die they do carrie him foorth into a mightie fielde with great sadnesse and mourning apparell and there in the presence of those twelue péeres a fore saide they do burne his bodie with wood of Sandalo which is of a great smell with the which they do make a great fire After that the bodie of the king is burned and consumed they throwe into the same the wiues that hee best loued with seruants and slaues those that he most estéemed in his life time the which they do with so great content that euery one dooth procure to be the first for to enter into the fire and they that are last do thinke themselues vnhappie All these do say that they go to serue the king in the other life whereas they shalbe with great ioy This is the occasion that they goe with so good a will to die and carrie with them the most richest and festiuall apparell they haue Of this is gathered that they do beléeue the immortalitie of the soule for that they doo confesse there is an other life and that thither they do returne and liue for euer without ende They are people that would be conuerted with the like facilitie vnto the holy gospell as their neighbours if there went any thether to preach Thrée score and tenne leagues from this citie there is a Pagode or temple of Idols whereas is a rich faire euery yeare it is a very sumptuous building and edified in a place so high that it may be séene many leagues before you come vnto it It hath ordinarily foure thousande men of garde who are paide with the rent of the temple the which is rich and verye good There is nigh vnto the same many mynes of golde and precious stones and that is taken out of them is rent vnto the temple There is in it a prâ—est of the Idolles whom they call in their language brama and is as the high priest in that countrie All the people of the land do come vnto him to vnderstand the doubtes of their manner of liuing and he doth dispence with them in many things that be prohibited by their lawes y e which he may do according vnto the sayd lawes and manie times he doth dispence with certaine of theÌ„ But here one to be laughed at which is that when a woman cannot suffer the condition of her husbande or is wearie of him for other occasions she goeth vnto this Brama and giuing vnto him a péece of golde which may be to the value of a ducat in Spaine he doth vnmarry theÌ„ and setteth her at libertie that she may marry with an other or with many if she please in token of this she is giuen a marke with an yron vpon her right shoulder so that with that alone she remaineth at libertie and her husband cannot do vnto her any harme for the same neither compell her to returne againe to his company There are in this kingdome many mynes of verie fine diamonds and are had in great estimation and very well knowen in Europe There hath béene found in them a stone so fine and of so great value that but few yeares past the king did sell the same vnto an other mightie king his borderer called Odialcan for a million of golde besides other thinges of value that hee gaue him ouer and aboue It is a healthfull countrie with very goâ—d and fresh ayres rich of prouisions and of all other necessaries not only for the humaine life but also for curiositie and delightes that be therein It is in fourtéene degrées towardes the pole artico All the people therein are faint hearted and cowards and for
of this booke These Tartarians haue had many times wars with them of China but at one time as you shall perceiue they got the whole kingdome of China and did possesse the same for the space of 93. yeares till such time as they of China did rebell and forced them out againe At this day they say that they are friends one with another and that is for that they bee all Gentiles and do vse all one manner of ceremonies and rites They doo differ in their clenes lawes in the which the Chinas doth excéede them very much The Tartarians are very yealow not so white and they go naked from the girdlested vpwards and they eate raw flesh and do annoint themselues with the blood of raw flesh for to make them more harder and currish by reason whereof they doo so stinke that if the aire doth come from that part where they be you shall smel them afar off by the strong sauor They haue for certainty the truth of the immortalitie of the soule although it be with error for they say that the soule doth enter into other bodies and that soule that liued well in the first bodie doth better it from poore to rich or from age to youth and if it liued euill to the contrarie in worse The sons of the Tartarians do very much obserue and kéepe the commandement in obeying their parents for that they doo wholly accomplish the same without failing any iot of their will vnder paine to be seuerly and publikelie punished They confesse one God whom they worship haue him in their houses carued or painted and euery day they doe offer vnto it incense or some other swéet smelles they do call him the high God do craue of him vnderstanding health They haue also another God which they say is son vnto the other they do call him Natigay this is their God of terestriall things They haue him likewise in their houses and euery time they go to eate they doo annoint his face with the fattest thing they haue to eate that being doone they fall to eating hauing first giuen their gods their pitance They are a kinde of people that verie seldome doo fable a lie although their liues should lie thereon and are verie obedient vnto their king but in speciall in their warres in the which euerie one doth that he is appointed to doo they are led by the sound of a drome or trumpet with the which their captaines do gouerne them with great ease by reason that they are trained vp in the same from their youth And many other things are amongst them in the which they do resemble them of China who if they did receiue the faith of our Lord Iesu Christ it is to be beléeued that the Tartarians would do the same for that they are taken for men very ducible and do imitate verie much them of China CHAP. II. Of the temperature of the kingdome of China THe temperature of this mightie kingdome is diuersly by reason that almost the whole bignesse thereof is from the South to the North in so great a length tâ—at the Iland of Aynan being néere vnto this land in 19. degrées of altitude haue notice of some prouinces that are in moâ—e then 50. degrées and yet they do vnderstand that beyond that there bée more vpon the confines of Tartaria It is a strange thing to be séene the strange and great difference betwixt the colours of the dwellers of this kingdome In Canton a mightie citie whereas the Portingales had ordinarie traficke with them of China for that it was nigh vnto Macao where as they had inhabited long since and from whence they do bring all such merchandise as is brought into Europe There is séene great diuersities in the colours of such people as doo come thither to traficke as the said Portingales do testifie Those which are borne in the citie of Canton and in al that cost are browne people like vnto them in the citie of Fez or Barberie for that all the whole countrie is in the said paralel that Barberie is in And they of the most prouinces inwards are white people some more whiter then others as they draw into the cold countrie Some are like vnto Spanyards and others more yealow like vnto the Almans yelow and red colour Finally in all this mightie kingdome to speake generally they cannot say that there is much cold or much heat for that the Geographers do conclude and say it is temperate and is vnder a temperate clime as is Italy or other temperate countries wherby may be vnderstood the fertilitie of the same which is without doubt the fortresse in all the world may compare with the Peru and Nuoua Espannia which are two kingdomes celebrated to be most fertill and for the verification you shall perceius in this Chapter next folowing wherin is declared such things as it doth yéeld and bring forth and in what quantitie And yet aboue all things according vnto the sayings of fryer Herrada prouinciall and his companions whose relation I will follow in the most part of this hystorie as witnesses of sight vnto whom we may giue certaine credite without any exception They say that the countrie is so full of youth that it séemeth the women are deliuered euerie moneth and their children when they are little are extreame faire and the countrie is so fertill and fat that it yeldeth fruit thrée or foure times in the yéere which is the occasion that all things is so good cheape that almost it séemeth they sell them for nothing CHAP III. Of the fertilitie of this kingdome and of such fruits and other things as it doth yeeld THe inhabitants in this countrie are perswaded of a truth that those which did first finde and inhabite in this lande were the Neuewes of Noe who after they had traueiled from Armenia wheras â—he Arke stayed wherin God did preserue their grandfather from the waters of the flood went séeking a land to their contentment and not finding a countrie of so great fertilitie and temperature like vnto this wherein was all things necessarie for the life of man without comparison they were compelled with the aboundance thereof for to inhabite therin vnderstanding that if they should search throughout all the world they should not finde the like and I thinke they were not deceiued according as now it is to be séene and what may be considered in the proces of this chapter of such fruits as the earth doth yéeld And although there is declared here of such as shall suffice in this worke yet is there left behind a great number more of whose properties as well of herbes and beasts which of their particulars may be made a great volume and I doo beléeue that in time there will be one set forth The great trauell and continual laboure of the inhabitants of this countrie is a great helpe vnto the goodnes and fertilitie thereof and is so much that they do neither
three townes are inhabited with Portugals and the farthest is the prouince of Cambaya subiect vnto the grand Tartar or Mogor by an other name Two and fortâ—e leagues beyond that is the cittie called Diu whereas is a very faire and good fortresse of Portugals with a very great hauen and sure whose name doth extend thoroughout all Turkey Two hundred and seuentie leagues beyond that is the Citie of Oromuz on the â—oast of Persia and in the same hath y e saide Portugals an other fortresse much better then that of Diu and more inexpugnable it is the biggest in al the Indians but not of so great name as that of Diu. In this cittie of Oromuz they gather nothing else but salt and that in great aboundance yet notwithstanding it is replenished of all that may be imagined for that there is brought thither from Persia and Arabia great prouision and many other curiosities They say that from this place they may easily go to Uenice taking their way to Aleph and to Tripoli in Soria All this coast of the Indias vnto Persia is inhabited with many and mightie kingdomes in the which there an infinite number of people one of them is that of Odialon the which is very rich and of much people and all Moores Nigh vnto this is another called Disamaluco harde by the kingdome of the great Tartar which in their language is called Mogor the which next vnto that of China I doo thinke is the greatest in all the world as may be collected in that which is declared of the mightinesse thereof both in ancient and latter histories On the other side of Oromuz is the kingdome of Persia whose king is Xactamas or Ismael Sophi great Soldan of Egypt descending by lyneall desent from the Soldan Campson Gaurio whom Selim Emperor of the Tartaros did ouercome in battell nigh vnto Damasco in the yeare 1516. All those of this kingdome are Moores although they the Turkes are as the Christians and heretikes for that the Persians do follow the interpretation of the lawe of Mahomet of certaine Alieâ— or doctors And the Turkes go a different way and do follow others This contractation and different interpretation of the lawe is the occasion that betwixt the one and the other there is ordinarily cruell warres and it is the great mercy of God for that the Turke may not haue any space to come and do euil vnto his Christians or if he do come he shalbe ouertaken with the Persians his enimy the Sophi and intrapped with all the euill they can do vnto him who that although he be a Moore and of the sect of Mahomet yet he is a friend vnto Christians CHAP. XXVII Of other kingdomes and notable things that are vntill you come into Spaine and to conclude the compassing of the world NEere vnto the straite of Oromuz is Arabia Felix where as all the inhabitants are of the sect of Mahomet and doo follow the same interpretatioÌ„ that the Sophi doth So running a long by Arabia you come straight vnto the red sea or Arabico the which hath foure hundred and fiftie leagues of Longitude and in some partes it is of a mightie depth the water thereof seemeth to bee red although taking it out thereof it is white the cause thereof is for that the ground vnder the water is of the same colour By reason whereof when as the sun doth shine thereon it séemeth red and thereby it hath got the name the which it hath vnto this day By this sea and by that of Basora the great Turk doth carrie much spiceriâ— silkes and cloth of golde and all riches out of the Orientall Indias the which may easily be disturbed but the way how is not for this place nor time On the other side is the land of Abexin which is that of Prester Iohn a kingdome although it is very great yet it extendeth very litle on this coast From this kingdome or poynt going to the southwest is six hundreth leagues to Mazaubique whereas there is inhabitance of Portingals All this coast is blacke people gentiles and Idolaters and is in fiftéene degrées in altitude towardes the south and in the same maner are all the rest that are inhabited from Mazaubique vnto the cape of Buena Esperansa They are without memorie of the preaching of the gospel if that God for his mercy doe not take pitie on them and put into the heartes of some to goe thither and to procure the remedie of so infinite number of soules So after the sayd father had informed himselfe of all that is sayde and of many other thinges more which is left out for to euitate tediousnes till such time as of them may bee made a particular historie hee departed from Goa and Cochin towardes Portingall and passed by the Ilandes of Maldiuia which are many all are inhabited with Moores nigh vnto the which they doe enter the poole Antartico crossing the equinoctiall from the coast of Arabia from thence they sayled with a faire winde till they came right against the Iland of sainct Lorenso which is very great for that it hath two hundreth seuentie and fiue leagues of longitude and fourescore and tenne of latitude All inhabited with much people very quiet and ciuill the faith of Christ was neuer preached amongest them yet I doe beleue that if it were they would quietly receiue the same Passing from this Ilande they came vnto the Cape of Buena Esperansa y t which is another very good Iland whose inhabitants and dwellers are much like to those of saint Lorenso it is in the temperate Zona nigh vnto the straights of Magellanes This Cape of Buena Esperansa is called by another name the Cape Tormentorio it is fiue and thirtie degrées large from the pole Antartico And from Cochin vnto this Cape they put one thousand thrée hundred fiftie and eight leagues that way which they do ordinarliy Nauigate When they doo passe by this cape they were wont to haue great and strong winds They go from thence to the Iland of S. Elena which is beyond the Cape forwards fiue hundred and seuentie leagues It is not inhabited with people but ful of swine goats and great aboundance of partriges and in all the coast is great store of fish the which is taken with great ease it is but a little Iland and hath circuit no more then fiue lâ—â—gues From this Ilande they do Nauigate foure hundred leagâ—es vntill they come vnder the Equinoctial vpon the coast of Guinea returning vnto the pole Artike in foure and forty degrées in altitude which was almost at the same place from whence he departed at his going foorth after hee compassed the world They passed in sight of the lande and from thence they sailed forwards and sawe other land vntill they came vnto Lisborne hauing after they had crossed the equinoctiall sayled a thousand foure hundred and fifty leagues
So that after the aforesaid father frier Martin Ignacio had made his account of all that he had trauelled from the time he departed from Siuel til he returned vnto Lysborne in compassing the world he found that it was nine thousand and forty leagues by sea by lande besides many other leagues that he trauelled in China and in other parts of the which hee dooth make no account All these leagues are full of mightie kingdomes and al or the most part of them are subiect vnto the tyranny of lucyfer God for his infinite mercy conuert them and take pittie on them as hee did when that he came from heauen vppon the earth to die for all put into the heart of the king of Spaine that amongst other good workes the which with his most Christian zeale dooth intend and do for to procure this which will bee so much vnto the glory of God and great desert of honor vnto himselfe the which he may do very commodiously being as he is at this day Lord of all the Indies and of the biggest part of all that newe world This petition is worthy that all we Christians doo desire of God for that his holy name in all the world may be praised and exalted and the sonnes of Adam who for their sinnes are so dispersed and forgotten of God and first beginning they may go and inioy the happy and glorious kingdome for the which they were created FINIS Excellent â—lummes Excellent white sugar good cheape Honie wax Excellent good silke Great store of flaxe and hempe CottoÌ„ wool wheat and barlie rie oates Great abundance of rice Chestnuts All kind of beasts Excellent furres Muske Great store of buffes Deere hogs and goates Great store of wildfoule Foule soâ—de by waight A penie Reubarbe and other medicinall hearbs Foure hundred of Nutmegs for sixe pence Cloues sixe pound for 3 pence the like of pepper Sinamom 25. pound for two shilings Mines of gold and siluer other mettals Iron and steele 4. shilling a quintal Siluer is more worth then gold Great store of pearles 243. kings The mightie city of Causie The China is in compas 3000. leagues and 1800. â—eagues long The mightie citie called Suntien or Quinsay A wal of 500 leagues long Great abundance of wool and good cheape Shooes and bus kines of veluet Great abundance of Marters furres An il vse and custome A good custome to auoid inconueniences Ingenious people WagoÌ„s with sailes Cloth of gold tissue silke Porâ—â—an All occupations bee in streetes by themselues The son inherits his fathers occupation A strange image A mysterie of the trinitie S. Thomas preached in this kingdome The martyrdome of saint Thomas A false myracle They cast lottes They throw their gods vnder their feete A hogs head for a sacrifice Another kind of lots Inuocation to the diuell The diuell telleth lies Strange opinions Marueilous barieties The first inuention of â—â—re Strange opinions The inuention of plough and spade The first king of China The soule is immortall Strange ob sequies They make their sacrifices in the night Great superstition Gallant colours for religious men Gallant bels The eldest sonne is prohibited to take orders A straung kindof buriall They that haue most daughters are most richest They may marrie with many wiues Honest women A straung kind of marriage A good order to auoid idle people I would the like were with vs. A very good order A mirror for vs to looke vpon Vitey the first king of China Which is foure yeardes quarter and halfe The first inuention of garments and dying oâ— colours No women to be idle A strange kind of hâ—â—rb A citie of a daies iourney long Foure curious halles Punished for taking bribes The rent of the king Puregold Fine siluer Pearles Precious stones Muske and amber Rice Barley Wheate Salt Mayz Millo Panizo Other graine Peeces of silke Raw silke Cotton wool Mantels Great care for to defend their countrie Uerie ill horsemen The number of souldiers in all China The souldier is roially paid The number of footemen horsemen They haue no neede of other nations Straight lawes Councellers must be expert in sciences Euery prouince hath his viceroy Captaine generall A very good propertie of Iustices A very good order A very good consideration An occasion of amitie betwixt neighbours Cruell tormentes A more cruelâ— torment A great care to do true Iustice. Ceremonies in performing of their oth Thirteene prisons in euery great cittie Uictualing houses in the prisons and shops Adulterie is death Paper made of the filme of canes Pens made of canes Any good thing gratified The order of their commencement in schooles The first inuenting of armor Artilerie 1300. yeares before vs. A strange kind of courtesie Where Limahon was bornâ— One rouer robbed an other One hundred and thirtie great ships of warre with fortie thousand men They do more estâ—eme honoâ— than losse of ships or men A good praise of others The captaine generall of the king of China Omoncon promiseth to carrie the friers vnto China A good pretence The Friers names that weÌ„t to China A token that fine cloath is esteemed They departed towards China Their compasses diuided into 12. parts They leaue the worshiping of one Idol to worship another They call the Spaniards Castillias Ensignes to knowe the Iustices â—e first lanâ—ing of the Fryers The vse of their bankets Wine of a palme tree A thing to keepe away the sunne The people of the countrie weare no weapons but the souldiers Chincheo hath seuentie thousand housholds A thousand ships in one riuer They haue no vse of castles Earth quaks in this countrey Rich marchandice Triumphant arches Great maiâ—stie He offered 500. shippes of warre Note the spaniards â—nsolencie A citie of three hundred thousand housholds A city bigger theÌ„ the other and requireth three daies to go from one gate to an other Seuentie leagues compasse The wall of the Citie is fiue fadam high fourâ— broad The citie double mooted A strange â—eremonie Comedies vsed amongest them Tomblers The argument of theâ—â— comedie All things good cheape 111. Idols in one chappell People in great subiecâ—ion Suspition of euill The vse of their mustering Souldiers are punished Their mustering is one throughout the whole kingdome SuperstitioÌ„ To keepe away the sun Sâ—range sacrifices Mine kine and horse The Chinos are fearefull of the sea From the Philippinas to the China is two hundred leagues The papists and â—hâ— Infidels â—eremoniâ—s much alike The Spaniards rise at thei midnight mattens and whip themselues They were in great perill The Friers vsed certaine coniurations for that S. Antonie was a sleepe Marke the Friers conâ—fession of Images The Chinos most vpright in all their iudgements and in execution of iustice The vizroies commission A sacred thing no doubt of it A prophesie Canarias Fortunadas The names of the Canarias Much snow Great quantitie of brimstone Thedropping from a tree doth seruethe whole Iland with water Opinions of this Iland