Part 22

The captaine hauing great confidence in this people and of their good dispositions, he determined after certaine daies that he had bin there, to leaue fiue of his companions and the rest of the Indians his friends, that they might returne vnto the prouince of Zuny with all their bagage: and hee himselfe, with the other four that remained, would go more at quiet to discouer certaine very rich mynes, of the which he had true notice. So according vnto his determination he departed with the guides he had, and hauing trauelled toward the northwest fiue and forty leagues, he came vnto the sayde mynes, and tooke out of the same with his owne hands rich metals, and very much siluer: the mynes had a great and brode veine, it was vpon a rocke whereas they might go vp to it with great ease, for that there was a way open to that effect: nigh thereunto were certain townes of Indians amongst the mountaines, who shewed friendship vnto them, and came foorth to receiue them with crosses in their hands, and other signes and tokens of peace: nigh vnto the same they saw two reasonable riuers, vppon whose bankes there were many vines full of excellent good grapes, great walnut trees, and very much flaxe, like vnto that of Spaine, and it was tolde them by signes, that on the other side of the saide mountaines there was a riuer of 8 leagues brode. But they could not vnderstand how nigh it was, yet did they make demonstration that it did run his course towards the North Sea, and vpon both sides thereof was situated many townes, and of so huge bignes, that in comparison those wherein they were, were but suburbes in respect.

So after the captaine had taken all this relation hee departed towardes the prouince of Zuny, whither he had commanded his other companions to goe, and at their comming thether in health, which was by an other excellent way, he found therwith his other fiue companions: the father fryer Bernardino with the souldiers that were determined to returne backe againe (as aforesayde), for as yet they were not departed from thence for certayne occasions. Unto whom the naturals of the countrie had giuen good intertaynement and all thinges necessarie, and that in abundance: and afterwardes did the like vnto the sayde captaine and vnto them that came with him, and went foorth to receiue him with demonstration of great ioy, and gaue them great store of prouision for their iourney pretended, requesting him to returne againe with breuitie, and to bring with him many Castillas (for so they doo call the Spaniardes), and they would giue them all to eate: for the which (the better to accomplish the same) they had sowed that yeare more wheate and other graine, then they had done in any other yeare past.

At this present the sayde religious fryer and the rest of the souldiers did ratifie their first determination aforesaide, and concluded to returne vnto the prouince from whence they came, with the pretence before spoken of, and there ioyned with him in that iourney, Gregorio Hernandez, who was standert bearer in that attempt.

So when they were departed, the captain, who remained but with eight souldiers, did fully resolue himselfe to prosecute his begun pretence, and to take his course vp alongst the north riuer: which being put in execution, and hauing trauelled about sixty leagues towards the prouince of Quires aforesaid, twelue leagues from thence towards the orient they came vnto a prouince called Gubates, whereas the Indians receiued them with peace, and gaue them great store of prouision, and also notice that not far from thence there were certayne rich mynes, the which they founde, and tooke out of them glystering metals and very good, with the which they returned to the towne from whence they departed.

They iudged this prouince to haue nigh vpon fiue and twentie thousande soules, all well apparelled with painted mantles of cotton, and shamwayes skins very well dressed. There are many mountaynes and woodes of pine cedar trees, and their houses of foure and fiue stories hie. Heere had they notice of an other prouince that was but one daies iourney from thence, which was called of the Tamos, in the which was more than fortie thousand soules, but when they came thether the inhabitants would not giue them any victuals, neyther permit them to enter into their townes; for the which, to auoyde the danger wherin they were, being but a few souldiers (as aforesaid) and some of them sicke, they determined to depart thence towardes the countrie of Christians, the which they put in execution the beginning of Iuly in the yere 1583, and were conducted by an Indian that went with them, who carried them by a contrarie way and different from that they came, downe alongest the riuer side, which they called of the Vacas, by reason that there was great store of kine all alongest the same. By the which they trauelled one hundred and twentie leagues. From thence they came vnto the riuer of the Conchos there whereas they first entred, and from thence vnto the vale of S. Bartholomew, from whence they departed to begin this discouerie. And when they came thether they vnderstood that many dayes before were arriued there in health, frier Bernardino Beltran and his companions, and were gone from thence vnto the village of Guadiana. In this towne the captaine Antonio de Espeio made a certaine and true information of all this aforesaide, the which presently he sent vnto the Earle of Corunnia, viceroy of that kingdome: and he sent it vnto his maiestie, and vnto the lords of the royall counsell of the Indians, that therin they might ordaine that which seemed them best, the which they haue done with great care. I beseech the Lord God, if it be his pleasure that it may go forwardes in such order, that so many soules redeemed by his precious bloud be not condemned: whose wits and vnderstanding do farre exceed those of Mexico and Peru, as by the information of those that haue delt with them appeareth, wherby we may presume that with great facilitie they will imbrace the law of the gospell, and leaue the idolatrie that the most part of them do vse, which God for his mercies sake permit, so it may be for his glorie and exalting of the Catholike faith.

I haue bin tedious in this relation, more than a commentarie doth require, but I haue doone it by reason it is a newe thing and little abrode as yet, and it seemeth to mee not to giue discontent vnto the reader. And now me thinketh it shall bee well that I doo returne vnto my matter first begunne, and to proceede and go forwardes in the voyage and description of the new worlde, returning vnto the citie of Mexico, there where as I did digresse for to declare the discouerie 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 degrees, and ninetie leagues from the citie of Mexico: in al which way there be many townes inhabited with Indians and Spaniards.

[Sidenote: The sea of Ladies.]

Being departed from this port, they sayle towards the southwest, till they come into twelue degrees and a halfe, to seeke prosperous wind to serue their turne, which the mariners do cal Brizas, and are northerly windes, which are there of such continuance and so fauourable that, being in the moneths of Nouember, December, and Januarie, they haue no neede to touch their sayles, which is the occasion that they do make their voyages with so great ease. So that for that, and for the few 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 seeing anie lande: at the end whereof they came to the ilandes of Velas, which by another name are called De los Ladrones; there are seuen or eight of them; they doo lye north and south, and are inhabited with much people, in the order as you shall vnderstand.

These ilands are in 12 degrees, but there are different opinions of the leagues that are betwixt the port of Acapulco and those ilands; for vnto this day there is none that hath vnderstood the certaintie thereof, for that their nauigation lieth from the east vnto the west, whose degrees there haue bin none that euer 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.

[Sidenote: White people as bigge as gyants.]

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, and hath lifted them both from the grounde with so great ease, as though they had bin two children. They go naked from top to toe, 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 number, in respect of those that weare nothing before them. The weapons which they do vse be slinges, and 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 costume that euer hath bin heard of or seene 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 freely enter into the houses of such as are married, and be there with their wiues, without being punished for the same, although their proper husbands should see them: they doo carrie in their handes a staffe or rodde, and when they do enter into the married mans house they do leaue it standing at the doore, in such sort, that if any do come after they may plainly see 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.

[Sidenote: Without king or gouernor.]

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, and 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 leave 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 them that were aboue hatches: yet went they not away scotfree, for that our people with their hargabushes did paye them in readie monie their bold attempt.

[Sidenote: Iron more esteemed than siluer or gold.]

These people do more esteeme yron than siluer or golde, and gaue for it fruites, nnames,[68] patatas, fish, rise, ginger, hennes, and many gallant mattes very well wrought, and all almost for nothing.

[68] The Spanish word is "ñames", in all probability meant for "yams".

These ilandes are verie fertile and healthfull, and very easie to bee conquered unto 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 known what ceremonies and rites they do obserue; for that there is none that doo vnderstande their language, neither hath any beene 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 them, the which do draw very nigh vnto some that they do vse.

These ilandes are south and north with the land of Labrador, which is nigh vnto the new found lande, and not farre distant from the ilande of Japon. 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 theeues), for that they are very bolde and subtile in their stealinges, in the which facultie the Egyptians, that are in our Europa, may go to schoole with them for the verie facultie thereof. 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 keepe the sterneborde side, and not to suffer any of them to enter therein; and being as one amased to see so many canoas that came thether (the which be small barkes or botes made all of one peece) one of them diued downe vnder the water, till he came there whereas the marriner was (vnmindfull of any such matter should happen) and vpon a soddaine, without seeing the other, he snatched his sword out of his hand, and went vnder the water againe therwith; the marriner made a noise, and declared the knauerie that the ilander had done vnto him, whervpon there were certaine souldiers that made their hargubushes ready to shoot at him when he appeared from vnder the water. This ilander perceiuing it, came foorth and swimmed aboue the water, shewing his handes, and made signes that he had nothing in them, 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, and 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 theeues, 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 departe 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._

[Sidenote: Archipelago.]

[Sidenote: The Island of Luzon, and citie of Manilla.]

[Sidenote: Great mountains of pepper, cloues, and ginger.]

From this Iland of Ladrones nauigating towards the 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, and the officers of his maiestie: therein is a bishop and a cathedrall church. This citie standeth in fourteen degrees and 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, and north and 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, and other ilandes, whereas they gather a great number of cloues, pepper, and ginger, of the which there are great mountaines full. The first that discouered these ilands were Spaniards, which came to them in the company of the famous Magellanes, and made no conquest of them, 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,[69] 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.

[69] A native of Biscay.

So when all things were in a readinesse for to depart on their voyage (the which was done with great breuitie) they ordained for generall of all that fleete 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, and 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 seeing themselues with little helpe and small resistance for to go forwards with their conquests, 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 unto 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 intreate them very well and sent them vnto their owne country of Spaine, and 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 fleete, for gouernor of all that should bee discouered, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, who did accomplish all that his maiestie had commanded, and made the discouerie thereof in such order, as in 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 ilands were subiect vnto the king of China, vntill such time as hee did deliuer them vp of his owne free will, for such reasons as were spoken off in the first part of this historie: and that was the occasion that when the Spaniards came vnto them, they were without lorde or heade, or anie other to whome they shoulde showe 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 beastes, killing, spoiling, and captiving one another, the which was a great helpe 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 them 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 keepe it, which in conclusion the debt would grow to be so great, that, to pay the same, he is forced to yeeld 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 amongest them many thousands baptised, vnto whom the king hath shewed great mercie, in sending vnto them the remedie for their soules in so good time: for if the Spaniards had stayed any more yeares, they had beene all Moores at this day, for that there were come vnto the Ilande of Burneo 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.

[Sidenote: The diuell was worshiped.]