_The Spanyards departe from Mexico vnto the Ilandes
Phillipinas, 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 Philip
king of Spaine, was commanded by his maiestie to prepare a great armie
in the South Sea, and to leuie souldiers 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 fleete 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
fleet and for gouernour of that countrie which they should discouer, the
worthie Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, who afterwarde 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 hundred 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 order 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 three monasteries of religious men in that
iland, the one of the order of S. Austen, and were the first that by the
commandement of his maiestie did enter into this iland, 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. Joseph, who haue beene 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 three orders were alonely in those ilands for
certaine yeares, till now of late time haue gone thither Jesuites, which
haue bin a great aide and helpe vnto their religion.
When these Spaniardes were come vnto these ilands, they had strightwaies
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 see and vnderstand, by ships that came into
those ports with marchants, that brought marchandise and other things of
great curiositie from that kingdome, and did particularly declare the
mightinesse and riches thereof: all which haue been declared vnto you in
the first three 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, Frier Martin de Herrada,
a man of great valour and wel learned in all sciences, who seeing y^e
great capacitie or towardnesse which the Chinos had more than those of
the Ilandes in all things, but in especiall of 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
vse and effect, he began with great care and studie to learne that
language, the which he learned in a few daies, and did make thereof a
dictionarie. Then afterwards, they did giue great entertainment and
presents vnto the merchants that came from China, for to procure them to
carie them thether, and many other things, the which did shew their
holie zeale; yea, they did offer themselues to bee slaues vnto the
marchants, thinking by y^t meanes to enter in to preach: but yet none of
these diligences did take effect, till such time as the diuine maiestie
did discover a better way, as shalbe declared vnto you in this chapter
following.