_The Spaniards do carie their present vnto the
viceroy, who, hauing receiued it at the hands of
Omoncon, doth seale it and sende it vnto the king: our
men bee forbidden to goe foorth of their houses to see
any thing in the citie: and it doth intreat of other
particular things._
The same night our men did common amongst themselues, to see if it were
good presently to giue order to put in vre the thing they came for:
seeing that they might treat therof with the uiceroy, he being a man
that shewed vnto them so much fauour and good will. So in conclusion
they were all resolued, that straightwayes the next daye in the morning,
shoulde goe vnto him Michaell de Loarcha and Peter Sarmiento, and carrie
vnto him the present which they brought, and to haue with them to beare
them company Omoncon and Sinsay; and being presented, to request that
hee would appoint a day when they might goe and talke with him about
principall matters.
This accorde they put in execution according vnto their determination,
and the two souldiers went and carried the present as it was agreed. So
they came vnto the pallace, and hauing tarried till such time as they
opened the gates of the audience (which was with the ceremony spoken of
in the 22. chapter), it was tolde vnto the viceroy that the Castillos
were there and had brought a present, who incontinent saide that as then
he could not talke with them; but that the captaine Omoncon and Sinsay
should enter in with the present, and that they should returne vnto
their lodginges, for that he had a care to call them when that
opportunitie did serue, to intreat of all things to their pleasure. They
did as they were commaunded, and those who carried the present in, did
afterwarde giue our people to vnderstand all that had passed with them;
saying that in opening the present, there was a note thereof taken
before a notarie, and straightwayes commanded to bee put in againe,
where it was taken out before the sayde notarie and other witnesses; the
which being done 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 peece 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), beleeuing 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 where as 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 seeing 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 flaske; for that he would cause
others to be made by them; the which they did send, and afterwards
vnderstood that they had counterfeited the same, although not in so
perfect manner.
[Sidenote: All things good cheape.]
Then after a time, our people seeing that their beeing in that citie
seemed 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 buy 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).
[Sidenote: 111 idols in one chappell.]
The next day they went to see the gates of the citie, and all such
curious thinges as were to be seene 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 three of them that were placed in the
middest of all the rest, the one had three heads proceeding 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 sweete parfumes and smelles, but
in especiall before the three 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 foorth out of their
lodging without his 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 keeping in they suffered many dayes with much
sadnesse, and oppressed with melancholick humors, to see that their
purpose wherefore they went thether seemed to be long, and euerie day
was worse and worse. Yet notwithstanding they did passe it ouer in the
best wise they could, in committing it with heartie zeale vnto God, for
whose honor and glorie they did attempt that voyage, and prayed vnto him
for to mooue their hearts to consent that the religious fathers might
remeine 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.