_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.]
Upon these gates they haue much ordinance, but verie ill wrought (I
meane such as were seene by our men); yet they do say that in other
places they haue excellent good and verie curiously wrought. The whole
wall is full of bartilmentes, and thereon written the names of such
souldiers as are bound to repayre thether in the time of necessitie. At
euerie hundreth paces they haue lodginges, the which are very huge and
great: there whereas in the time of necessitie doo remaine and dwell
their captaynes, so long as their troubles doo indure. All the wall is
fortified with two great mots or ditches, the one within and the other
without, the which they doo fill at all times when they please by
sluces, which they haue from the riuer for the same purpose, and doo
serue of water almost all the houses in the citie, whereas they haue
their stanges for the most part full of fish. This mightie citie is
situated in a great plaine, and compassed round about with mightie
rockes and mountaines, which is the occasion that it is not so
healthfull; and the inhabitants saye, that it is by reason of the
mountaines, and many times it is ouerflowen in the winter by spring
tides from the riuer. And in that yeare that this doth happen, it doth
destroy and ruinate a great part of the city, as it was at that time
when our people did see it, for y^t in the winter before they were
troubled with these great tides, which did them much harme.
Now to returne to our purpose, you shall vnderstand that in the kinges
house aforesaide, our people remained all the time that they were in
this citie, wheras they were made much of, and visited by the principall
of the same, but in especiall of the viceroy, who the verie same day did
send to inuite them for the next day following, who made vnto them a
famous banket, as you shall vnderstand in this chapter following.