_A Portugall of the cittie of Macheo doth discouer the
euill intent of the captaine general: he giueth the
Spaniards warning thereof by a letter without seale,
by the which they remedie the danger that was so nigh
at hand: they are called before the Aytao of the
cittie, and he declareth vnto them such matters as
haue passed with him, and the licence that was
graunted for some of them to go vnto Machao, and the
other vnto Luzon._
Being vnderstood by a Portugall, a good Christian of the towne of
Machao, of such things as the captaine generall did imagine against the
poore religious fathers that were in Canton, and their companions the
souldiers, of whose holy zeale he was fully certified, and being greeued
at the very soule that one Christian shoulde hurt and harme another: and
more in the disturbing of the saluation of soules, hee determined with
himselfe to giue them aduice therof with all speed that was possible, as
in effect hee did by sending them a letter without anie name: wherein he
gaue them to vnderstand that the captaine generall, by meanes of the
interpreters, did pretende that they should be sent thither wheras he
might apprehend them, and send them vnto the king of Portugall, or else
to doo some hurt vnto their person, with some false information, and
willed them to be wel aduised, and to keepe themselues from the deceit
ordained.
The letter being seene, and wel aduised of all that was therein
contained, they determined to giue notice thereof vnto a Chino, a verie
friende of theirs, and perfite in the Portugall tongue: whome diuers
times they proued by experience, and founde him a very honest man, and
one that had doone them friendshippe: who promised them that before many
houres, he would bring al things to light, and to know whether that were
true or not.
So with this desire he went there whereas the iudge did sit in audience,
and was there as one that knew nothing, vntill such time as he saw come
thither one of the interpreters with a petition in his hand, and
presented it vnto the supreme iudge, who was the Aytao, and which being
read by a scriuener, hee prouided that all things should be granted and
doone, that was therein contained. This petition the Chino aforesaid
saw; and after that the interpreter was departed with contentment, and
found that in the same petition he did request (in the name of the
Spaniards) of the iudge to giue them leaue for to go vnto Machao, which
was more for their purpose then to go vnto the Ilands Philippinas, which
was granted by the iudge, and lacking nothing but to seale or signe the
petition, but was delated vntil the euening, by reason of certaine
businesse that chanced at that present: but sure it was the ordinance of
God, for that if it had beene signed, they must needs of force haue
accomplished the same, without any replication. So with this certaintie
he went straightwayes vnto the Spaniards, to whom the interpreter had
told that by petition he had asked licence for them to go to the Ilands
Philippinas from whence they came; but the iudge woulde not graunt vnto
that, but for to go vnto Machao, which was neerer hand, who commanded
them to accomplish the same without any replication, vppon paine that
they should be carried thither perforce.
The Spaniards asked councell of the Chino their friende, what meanes
might be taken to auoide the danger that the interpreter had begun to
bring them in, and was alredie gone to conclude the same. The Chino said
that he was fully perswaded that the Aytao loued them well, and that he
vnderstood hee did them great fauour and courtesie to graunt vnto the
petition the which the interpreter did present in their name. But
notwithstanding for so much as it was not signed, there was remedie to
bee had, if that they woulde present another which hee would giue them,
and go presently vnto the Aytao and present the same, and say when they
giue it him, that they woulde go vnto Luzon and not vnto Machao, and
that he himselfe would go with them for the good will he bare vnto them,
if it were not for the great paine that is put vppon all them whosoeuer
that shall speak for any stranger, without licence of the iustice, or is
called and ordained for the same. So they being fully perswaded in this
conclusion, with the petition made and all ready, there entred in at the
gate wheras they were, a seruant to the Aytao, who in the behalfe of his
master came to cal the Spaniards to come before him, for that he would
see and talke with them before their departure. They straightwayes went
forth in his company, and came vnto the gates of the cittie, after they
had gon a good wayes in the suburbs: and there they were staied till
such time as another came and brought their licence, written vpon a
table (in such sort as in other places it hath beene told you). So when
they had passed the gate, they passed thorough a long street, in the
which they saw so great riches, and of so great curiosity, that the
father Costodio with great admiration said, I haue beene in the
principallest citties of all Flanders and Italie, and in all them I haue
not seene so great curiositie and riches as in this streete alone: and
according vnto the report of them all, hee had great reason to maruell
thereat. So they comming vnto the end of this streete, and in sight of
another gate, they sawe that the souldiers which kept and garded the
same, did shut them in their presence with great hast, and let fall a
percullis of yron before the gate, and demanded to see their licence at
a window out of the saide percullis: and when they had it, although they
saw with them the seruant of the Aytao and the interpreter, yet would
they not open the gate vntill such time as it was acknowledged and newe
firmed by another iudge; the which being done, they presently did open
the gates and did conduct them vnto the house of one which is to be
compared to a iudge of the court, and called in their language Tequisi,
that he might go with them to the Aytao, for so it was commanded and
ordained. Unto this Tequisi they gaue their petition that they had made,
without giuing the interpreter to vnderstand therof, requesting him by
signes and some words which they had learned of the language that he
woulde giue it to the Aytao, and to procure that hee might accept and
grant that which by the same they did demand. But when they gaue it him,
it caused great alteration in the interpreter, for that they told the
iudge that he was a theefe and a traitor, and how that he had sold them
to the captaine general of Machao, and how that hee had presented a
petition in their name: howe that they would go thither, and not to the
iland of Luzon, where all their desire is to returne, and this hath he
done by gifts that the saide captaine general hath promised to giue him,
if that he do accomplish his desire. The Tequisi when he heard this, he
forthwith departed with vs from his owne house, towards the house of the
Aytao which was hard by, and as he went by the way he read their
petition, and sawe that it was different to that which the interpreter
had giuen before vnto the Aytao, he being present: whereat he made a
stay and began to consider of the same, as also of that which the
Spaniards had said vnto him at such time as they gaue him their
petition, for by the signes and tokens they made, as by their semblant
in speech, it seemed to him that they were marvellouslly indigned
against the interpreter; but he did not wel vnderstand them, for that
they could not plainly declare it in their language, till such time as
hee found the contrarietie that was in the petitions, and the turbation
of the interpreter, whom presently hee called vnto him, and asked him
what the matter was? Hee trembling for feare, answered and saide, that
hee vnderstood that the father Costodio (whome all the rest doo obey as
their head, and with whom he alonely did communicate), that it was his
pleasure, and gaue order to go vnto Machao, and that hee was certaine
that all the rest were of that opinion, wherein he thought he had done
well, and therefore he presented that petition in asking licence,
whereby they might doo it liberallie, with this discharge. And againe
the Spaniards seeing how he was terrified, and how that he requested
them so humblie they would not proceed any farther with their complaint,
wherewith the Tequisi was satisfied, who said vnto the Spaniards being
in the gallerie of the Aytao his house, that they shoulde tarry there,
and hee entred in with the petition in his hand. So within a while after
they were commanded to enter into the hall there whereas the iudges
were, and had seene the petition and had comoned about the same. And at
their entring into the hall whereas the Aytao was, there were signes
made vnto them that they should kneele downe, the which they did almost
twenty paces before they came to the table that was before him: hee had
in hande the petition that Tequisi had giuen vnto him, and although that
he had read it before, yet did he returne and looked againe vppon it,
and asked which were they that would go vnto Machao. The father Costodio
signified himselfe and frier Iohn Baptista his companion; and said, that
they, for that they were old and timorous of the sea, they would go
thither for that it was nearer hande, and howe that the rest that were
not of such yeares, neither so timorous, they woulde returne vnto the
iland of Luzon from whence they came, and there dwell with other of
their brethren and friends that were there. The interpreter, whose euill
conscience did accuse him for the euils which he had done, was so
timorous, that all men might see plainly his default, and without al
doubt the iustices are so right in executing the same, that if their
complaint had gone forwards, they would haue punished him and his
companion, and that very cruelly: but the religious friers woulde not
consent that the souldiers shoulde declare against them, although their
will was good, but thought it a sufficient punishment to see in what
affliction the poore men were in, and tooke pittie on them.
The Aytao was desirous to see their images and book, which was the
chiefest occasion wherefore hee sent to call them; and when he saw them
he receiued great content, and called the father Costodio to come nigh
vnto him, and asked the signification of some of them, such as seemed
vnto him most strangest, and being satisfied thereof, hee commanded the
frier Costodio to reade on one of these bookes, hee harkening vnto it
with great attention, and as one amased to see those letters, and the
forme of them so farre different vnto theirs, which are all in manner of
caractes, as hath beene told you. So after that they had passed away the
time a while in this, hee saide, that those which woulde go vnto Machao
shoulde put themselues on the one side, and they that woulde go vnto
Luzon on the other: the which being doone hee tooke his leaue of them
verie louinglie, and saide that hee would giue them the licence which
they did aske at all times whensoeuer they woulde, and although hee
coulde not grant it them without first to consult with the vizroy of
Aucheo, yet he would doo it within tenne dayes, and then those which
woulde go vnto Macheo might presently depart, and those which would go
vnto Luzon, he would send them vnto Chincheo, that from thence the
gouernour shoulde cause them to be sent in the first passage that goeth
with merchandice.
This Aytao was very peaceable and humaine, who hauing compassion on the
Spaniards, for that they seemed vnto him to be good men, he commanded to
bee giuen to them, ouer and aboue the kings alowance, a hogge, and rice,
and other kind of victuals. So herewith they went vnto their lodgings
with content, and also the interpreter, who thought that hee was newe
borne againe that day.