Part 7

At their going foorth out of the hall they found the captaine that did dine with them, and with him many other gentlemen that tarried their comming for to beare them company vnto their lodging; going before them many seruants, that did carie the raw meate that was vpon the other tables ouer and aboue that which they did eate on, the which was done for great maiestie, and a ceremony verie much vsed in that kingdom, so many times as they do make any banquet.

So when they came vnto their lodging they founde that the Insuanto had sent them a very good present, in the which was for euery one of them four peeces of silke, and counting chestes with other thinges, and certaine painted mantels for the seruants and slaues. So after they had taken their leaue of the captaines and gentlemen that did beare them companie home, they beganne with great ioy to put all thinges in order for their iourney the next day following.

CHAP. XXI.

_The Spaniards departe from the citie of Chincheo, and commeth to that of Aucheo, whereas the vizroy did tarrie their comming._

The next day in the morning, before that the Spaniards were stirring, there was within the house all thinges necessary for their iourney, as well of little chaires as of horses and men for to carrie them and their stuffe, the which they did with so good a will (as aforesaid) that they did fall out and striue amongst themselues who should be the first that should receiue their burthen. So all things being in good order they departed, hauing in their companie the same captaine and souldiers, that vnto that time had beene their guard, vntil they came vnto the cittie of Aucheo whereas the vizroy was. This iourney was vnto them ioyfull, as well for to entreate of matters touching their comming, and to be resolued what they shuld do, as also to depart out of Chincheo whereas they passed much trouble, by reason of the great number of people that came for to see them, who neuer would be satisfied, and y^t was in such extremity that some dayes at tenne of the clocke in the night the streetes round about their lodging were full of people, and onely to see them, which caused great trouble and heate with their rumor and presse amongst them. This day, by reason they vnderstood that they should depart, the prease and multitude of the people was so great, that although they had tip staues before them to beate the people away and to make roome, yet was it almost night before they could get out of the citie, so that they were constrained to remaine in a towne there hard by all night, where as by the commandement of the gouernour they were verie well lodged, and their supper made readie in verie good order, as it was in seauen dayes together, till such time as they came vnto Aucheo, without taking for the same, or for anie other thing necessarie for their sustentation, anie price or value. There went continuallie before them a post with a prouision from the gouernour, written in a great borde wherein was declared who they were and from whence they came, and commanding that there should bee prouided for them all things necessarie in abundance, vppon the king's cost, which was the occasion that so much people came for to see them, that in the high waies they were many times disturbed; so with great trouble, the thirde day they came vnto a citie which was called Megoa,[27] which was sometimes the head gouernement, the which was of fortie thousand housholds, but a great part thereof was dispeopled; the occasion thereof they told vs (and was), that about thirtie yeares past the Iaponese, who brought for their guides three Chinos, who doo nowe dwell in Manilla and are become Christians, and came vpon that cittie (to reuenge themselues of an iniurie that was done vnto them), the which they put in execution with so great secrecie and policie, that they made themselues lords of the citie without any daunger or hurt vnto themselues; for that fiftie Iapones, men fit for that purpose, did apparell themselues in Chinos apparell without being knowne, and came vnto a gate of the cittie, whereas the souldiers that had the charge thereof were voide of all suspition of any enimies that woulde come, which was the occasion that their armor and weapon was not all in a redinesse. And within a little while after that followed two thousand, that did disembarke themselues in a secreat and vnknowne place, and came in verie secret order because they would not be discouered, and did beset that gate of the cittie whereas their companions were which they sent before; who so soone as they saw them nigh at hande, drewe out their weapons the which they caried hid vnder their apparell, and set vpon the souldiers (that were voide of feare and vnarmed) with so great furie and force that they being amazed were easilie slaine, so that they were lords of the gate, whereas they left verie good guard, and followed their victorie and made themselues lordes of the cittie without any daunger vnto their persons, and did possesse the same certaine dayes, and did sacke the same in spite of them all, with great harme and losse vnto the inhabitants thereof, vntill such time as the vizroy of Aucheo did leuie an armie togither of three score and tenne thousande men, and went vpon them with courage for to be reuenged on the iniurie receiued with the death of all the Iapones; but they seeing that they coulde not defend themselues against so manie, in one night they left the cittie and went vnto their shippes, whereas they had left them in verie good order, and carried with them the spoile of the cittie, leauing it beaten downe and dispopulared the greater part thereof, in which sort the Spaniards founde it, and the iniurie receiued so fresh in their minds as though it had beene doone the day before.

[27] Hing-hoa.

In this citie they were lodged in the king's house, the which was of verie great and faire buildings; there was giuen them to dine and suppe in very good order, and with aboundance. So soon as they came thither, the friers remained in their lodgings, but Pedro Sarmiento and Miguel de Loarcha went to visite the gouernor, vsing the Spanish curtesie with him, and he receiued them with great ioy and curtesie. After they had taken their leaue and returned vnto their lodgings, the gouernor sent to visite them El Tyu, who is the auncientest of his counsaile, who was with them a good while verie friendly, and offered his seruice in all thinges that were needfull, and so departed to his house maruellously well accompanied.

The gouernor sent vnto the two souldiers that went to visite him, ech of them two peeces of silke.

At their departure from this cittie, trauelling towards Aucheo, they passed ouer a mightie great ryuer, by a bridge all made of stone, the goodliest and greateste that euer they had seene, whose greatness did cause wonderful admiration, so that they stayed and did measure it from one end to another, that it might be put amongst the wonders of that country, which they tooke a note of. They found that it was one thousand and three hundred foote long, and that the least stone wherewith it was built was of seuenteene foote, and many of two and twentie foote long and eight foote broad, and seemed vnto them a thing impossible to be brought thither by man's art, for that all round about so farre as they could see was plaine ground without any mountaines; by which they iudged them to be brought from farre. When they were passed that bridge, they trauelled al the rest of the day till night vpon a causie that was very broad and plaine, and on both sides many victualling houses, and the fieldes sowed with rice, wheate, and other seeds; and so full of people as in the streetes of a good towne or cittie.

So when they came into the suburbes of the citie of Aucheo, they founde order and commandement from the vizroy what should be done, as more at large shalbe declared vnto you in the chapter following.

CHAP. XXII.

_The entrie of the Spaniards into the cittie of Aucheo, and how the vizroy did entertaine and receiue them._

After they had travelled more then halfe a league in the suburbs of the cittie of Aucheo, they met with a post that came from the vizroy, who brought order that they should remaine in a house that was appointed for them in the said suburbs, and there to be lodged for that night, for that it was late and they could not come vnto the house appointed in the cittie for them, or else peraduenture to giue content vnto many that had great desire to see those strangers, for that they must passe thorough the cittie, and better to bee seene in the day then in the night. So soone as they were alighted, there came a gentleman to visite them, sent from the vizroy to bidde them welcome, and to know howe they did with their iourney, and also to see that they were well prouided for that night of all things necessarie, and that in aboundance. After all the which being done, he told them that the viceroy did verie much reioyce of their comming; and for that it was late, and the cittie farre off, it was his pleasure that they shoulde bee lodged that night in the suburbes vntill the next day, then will he giue order that they may enter into the cittie with the authoritie conuenient vnto their persons. After this gentleman came other captaines to visite them, and brought with them great store of conserues, wine, and fruit; which is a common custome amongst them when that they go in the like visitation, and it is carried by their seruants in little baskets very curiously wrought, or else in barrels made of earth all guilt. Within two houres after their comming thither, there came another messenger from the vizroy, with many men laden with capons, hens, geese, teales, gamons of bacon, and conserues of diuers sorts, and of great abundance, sufficient for one hundreth men to sup that night and for their dinner the next day.

The next day in the morning very early, there came much people vnto their lodging, sent by the vizroy, and brought with them two rich chaires for to carrie the fathers in, and the curtines tied up that they might the better be seene, and for their companions verie good horses, sadled after the fashion which they doo vse. They forthwith made haste for to depart, and although they made great speed, yet were they a good houre and a halfe before they coulde come vnto the gates of the citie, and seemed vnto them that they had trauelled two leagues in the suburbes; the which was so well peopled, so faire houses, and many shoppes full of merchandise, that if it had not beene told them, they would not haue beleeued it to be the suburbes but the cittie it selfe.

Before they came vnto the gates, they passed a mightie riuer three times, ouer bridges that were great and verie faire, and the riuer so deepe that great shippes came vp the same, but their mastes stooping downe to passe vnder the bridges. This cittie is the richest and the best prouided that is in all the kingdome; it is the heade cittie of all the prouince, verie rich and fertill, and manie townes belonging vnto it, and but eight leagues from the sea, and hath mightie riuers wherein great shippes come vp to it as aforesaide. At the enterie of the citie they founde many gentlemen that were there at the gate tarrying their comming, who after they had saluted the one the other after their fashions, without anie staying they trauelled forwards on, thorough a great and broad street that went directlie vnto the vizroy his pallace; vpon both sides of the streete, from the gate forwards, was placed one by another full of souldiers with their officers and ancient, euerie one with his weapon in his hands, as pickes, hargabuses, swords and target, all apparelled in one liverie of silke, and a bunch of fethers vppon their crestes. They all stoode still and kept their places, and would not consent that any should crosse the way in the streete, whereas they went accompanied with the gentlemen.

They had no leasure to tell the souldiers; but they sawe that from the gate vntil they came vnto the vizroye's pallace on both sides, which was a good way, to be full of them, and all richly apparelled and of one colour. The people that were at the windowes and in the streete, betwixt the houses and the soldiers, were so great a number that it seemed to bee doomes day, and that all the people in the worlde were there ioyned together in that streete.

So when they came vnto the pallace, which was two houres after day, the gentlemen that were their guides did cause the Spaniardes to enter into a roome which was hard by, till such time as the gate was open, for that it is open but once a day, and so continue no longer time then the audience endureth, which is done by the uiceroy once euerie day, and that is but a small time. But first before he doth enter into audience, there is shot off foure peeces of artilerie, with a great noyse of trompettes, drommes, and waites; and there is no day that passeth without audience, as our people did see by experience so long as they were there, and were likewise informed of others. The houre being come, and the ceremony doone as aforesaide, the gates were opened, and there was in the court many souldiers apparelled in the same liuerie that those were of in the streete.

From the middest amongst them came forth a gentleman, who was, as it was told them, the captaine of the garde of the viceroy, who came with great grauitie and authoritie towards the place whereas our people were, and after they had saluted the one the other, he made signes vnto them that they should go towardes the gates of the pallace. When they were within the first court, the which was great and wrought with mightie pillers, there was a great number of souldiers, and many sergeants that entred into an other great covrt, and mounted vp a paire of stayres that was on the one side, whereas all the people were with great silence, sauing the captaine of the garde, who went with our people till they came to the gates of the hall whereas was the viceroy, at which gate he staied with his head discouered, and made signes vnto ours that they should doo the like, and to tarrie there till such time as hee had aduised the viceroy of their comming, and he to command them to enter.

CHAP. XXIII.

_The Spaniardes haue audience of the viceroy of Aucheo, and are visited of some of the principall officers, who declare vnto them certaine thinges of that citie._

Then straightwayes came foorth of the hall a man apparelled in a long robe, of good personage, and asked of the Spaniards if they would speake with the viceroy, and they answered, yea: then asked he again from whom they came and by whom they were sent; they answered y^t they were sent by the gouernor of Philippinas, who was seruant vnto the mightiest king in all Christendome. When he had this answere he returned againe into the hall, and within a little while after he came forth and bad them come in, but gaue them to vnderstand that in entring into the hall wheras the viceroy was y^t they should kneele downe, and talke with him in that order till he commanded to the contrarie; if they would vse this ceremony that then they should come in, if not that they shold returne back againe. They who were certified thereof by the gouernor of Chincheo did not stand therein, but saide y^t they would observe the order giuen vnto them. Therewith he went in, who seemed to be the master of ceremonies, making a signe that they should follow after him and doo that which he willed them to do.

At the entring in at the doore they stayed a little, and then kneeled downe right oueragainst there whereas the uiceroye sate in a chaire verie high like vnto a throne, with a table before him, and was in so darke a place that almost they coulde not see his face verie well. On the one side of him there were some like unto heraldes of armes, with sceptres in their handes, and on the other side two men of a gallant comlinesse armed with corselets made of skales of golde downe to the cafe of their legges, with bowes in their handes of golde, and quiuers at their backes of the same. Both the one and the other were vpon their knees. There was vpon the table before him paper and all thinges necessarie to write, which is an ordinarie vse amongest them at all times when there is anye publike audience, and on the one side of the borde a lion made of blacke woode, which was (as after they vnderstoode) the armes of that prouince. So straightwayes he made signes unto them to drawe neare, which they did, and kneeled downe a little from the table which was whereas the master of ceremonies did will them. In this sort they beganne to talke with him by their interpreter, and tolde them the occasion of their comming into that citie and kingdome, and from whom and vnto whome they were sent. But hee made signes vnto them that they should arise, the which they did with a verye good will, and did perseuer in their intent. But the uiceroye did cut them off before they coulde make an ende, and asked if they had brought any letter from their king vnto the king his lorde, whome they would goe to see and talke with? but when they answered no, hee straightwayes took his leaue of them, saying that they were welcome, and that they should depart vnto their lodginges and to take their ease, for that afterwardes they should haue occasion to declare their minds vnto him, and hee would giue them their answere, for that the king was farre of, and it requireth a long time to come whereas he is, but he would write vnto him, and according vnto his commandement he would make them answere. And therwith he tooke the letter, and the memoriall of the present, and commanded in his presence to put about the neckes of the friers, in manner of a scarfe, to eyther of them sixe peeces of silke, and vnto the souldiers their companions, and vnto Omoncon and Sinsay, each of them foure peeces, and to euerye one of their seruantes two a peece, and to giue vnto the two fryers and the souldiers, Omoncon and Sinsay, euerie one of them two branches of siluer, which is a thing vsed in that countrie vnto them that haue doone some woorthie deede, as hath beene tolde you before.

So with the silke about their neckes, and with the branches in their hands, they returned out of the hall and downe the staires the way they came, and so through the court into the streetes, from whence they saw them shut the court gate with so great a noyse as when they did open it. From thence, at the request of Omoncon and Sinsay, they went vnto the house of Totoc, who is the captaine generall of all the men of warre, and vnto the house of Cagnitoc, who is the chiefe standard bearer: their houses were nigh the one the other, very faire and great. They found them with as great maiestie as the viceroy, and in the same order, with a table before them, and had on ech side of them armed souldiers kneeling on their knees. Yet did they not vse our men with the curtesie that the viceroy vsed, to cause them to stand vp, which was the occasion that straightwayes they made a showe that they would depart and be gone, complayning of Omoncon and Sinsay for that they did carrie them thether, and tolde them with anger that the gouernour of Manilla did intreate them in a different sort, who was there resident for the mightiest prince in all the worlde, and they but easie marchants; neither was their going thether to be equalled vnto the benefite that they came thether for. This discontent the which they receiued, was the occasion that they would not go to make any more visitations, although the sayde Omoncon and Sinsay, for their owne interest, would haue carried them to the houses of other officers and gentlemen of the court. But they made signes vnto those that were their guides to direct their way vnto their lodgings, for that they would goe to eate somewhat and to take their ease, the which was ordayned in a great house of the kinges, there whereas ordinarily the iudges doo sit to heare matters of iustice.

[Sidenote: A citie of three hundred thousand housholds.]

[Sidenote: A citie bigger then the other, and requireth three daies to go from one gate to an other.]

[Sidenote: Seuentie leagues compasse.]

So at their comming thether they founde all their stuffe in good order, and their dinner marueilous well prouided, and the whole house hanged and trimmed as though it had beene for the kings owne person, with many wayting men and souldiers, those which did gard them both day and night, and hanging at the doore two tables or bordes (commanded by the viceroy), wheron was written who they were that were there lodged, and from whence they came, and wherefore, and that none whosoeuer should be so hardie as to offer them any wrong or disturbance, vpon paine to be for the same offence seuerely punished. In this house they were more in quiet than in anie other place whereas they had been, neyther did the people giue them so much trouble, by reason of the great care which the iudges had in putting order for the same, by the commandement of the viceroy; yet was it the greatest towne and most populed of all that prouince (although in other prouinces there be that be much bigger), and is affirmed that the citie of Taybin or Suntiem (there whereas the king and his court is resident) hath three hundreth thousande housholds, and yet there is a bigger citie in the kingdome, called Lanchin, which requireth three dayes to go from one gate to an other, and is in compasse more then seuentie leagues, the which is not far distant from Canton, that which the Portingalles hath great notice of. But of certaine there is very much spoken of the mightinesse of this citie, and I my selfe haue heard reported and affirmed to bee of a trueth, by men of authoritie that haue beene in the citie of Canton, religious fryers of the order of Iesus or Iesuites, to whom ought to be giuen credite.

[Sidenote: The wall of the citie is fiue fadam high and foure broad.]

This citie of Aucheo hath a verie faire and strong wall made of stone, which is fiue fadam high and foure fadam brode, the which was measured many times by our people, for that they had a gate out of their lodging that did open to the same. This wall is all couered ouer with tiles to defende the rayne water fro hurting of it, which could not to the contrarie but receiue damage, for that there is no lyme vsed in the whole wall. They haue not one castle in all this citie, neyther is there any vsed in all that kingdome; for all their force and strength is in their gates, the which be made very strong, with a double wall within verie broade, betwixt the which are continually many souldiers, such as do keepe watch and ward both day and night.

[Sidenote: The citie double mooted.]