_Here is declared of some notable things that are, and
haue beene seene in these Ilands Philippinas._
[Sidenote: Witches.]
[Sidenote: The Indians would not go into heauen because there were
Spanish souldiers.]
They of these ilandes were accustomed to celebrate their feastes
aforesaid, and to make sacrifices vnto their idols, by the order of
certaine women which were witches, whome they do call in their language
Holgoi, that were had in as great estimation amongst them, as be the
priests amongst Christians. These did talke ordinarily with the diuell,
and many times in publike, and do diuellish witchcrafts both in words
and deeds: into whom it is to be beleeued that the diuell did enter, for
that straightwayes they did answere vnto all things that were demanded
of them, although for the most part they woulde tell a lie, or els such
wordes that might be giuen diuers interpretations of, and of diuers
vnderstandings. They did also vse to cast lottes, in such sorte as hath
bene declared in the first part of this history: they were great
Agorismers[70] or observers of times: in so much that if they begin any
iourney, and at the beginning they meete with a cayman, or lyzarde, or
any other sauage worme, they knowe it to be a signe of euill fortune,
whereupon they would straightwayes leaue off their iourney, although it
did import them very much, and returne vnto their houses, saying, that
the heauen will not that they shoulde go forwards on that iourney: but
all these lies and falsenes which beene taught them, and they perswaded
to, by the diuell, is ouerthrowne and taken away by the law of the
gospel (as aforesaide), and haue now amongst them many monasteries full
of religious men, of the order of Saint Austen, Saint Francis, and of
Iesuits. According vnto the common opinion, at this day there is
conuerted and baptised more then foure hundred thousand soules, which is
a great number: yet in respect of the quantitie that are not as yet
conuerted, there are but a few. It is left vndone (as aforesaid) for
want of ministers, for that, although his maiesty doth ordinarily send
thither without any respect of the great charge in doing the same, yet
by reason that there are so many ilands, and euerie day they doo
discouer more and more, and being so far off, they cannot come vnto them
all, as necessitie requireth. Such as are baptised, doo receiue the
fayth with great firmenesse, and are good Christians, and would be
better, if that they were holpen with good ensamples: as those which
haue beene there so long time are bounde to doe: that the lacke thereof
doth cause some of the inhabitantes so much to abhorre them, that they
would not see them once paynted vpon a wall. For proofe whereof (and for
to moue such as haue power and authoritie to put remedie in the same, I
will declare vnto you here a strange case, the which royally did passe
of a trueth in one of these ilandes, and is verie well knowne amongst
them: that is, there chanced to die an ilander, a principall man amongst
them, a few dayes after that he was baptised, being very contrite for
his sinnes the which hee had done against God before he was baptised;
and after hee died. So after by the diuine permission of God he
appeared vnto many of that ilande, whom he did perswade forthwith to
receiue the baptisme, with reasons of great efficacie, and declared vnto
them (as one that had experiencd the same) the rewarde of that good
deede which without all doubt shoulde bee giuen vnto them, if they would
receiue the same, and liue after conformable and according vnto the
commandements of Christ; for the which he told them and said, that
forthwith so soone as he was dead, he was carried by the angels into
glorie, there whereas all things were of delite, pleasure, and content,
and did communicate onely in the sight of God, and that there was none
that entred therein, neither coulde enter, except hee were baptised,
according vnto the preaching of the Spaniards, of whome and of others
that were like vnto them, there was infinite number. Therefore if so be
that they would go and inioy of those benefites and delights, it is
necessarie that first they should be baptised, and afterwards to obserue
and keepe the commandements that be preached vnto them by the fathers,
that are amongst the Castillas, and therewith he vanished away, and they
remained treating amongst themselues concerning that which they had
hearde, and was the occasion that some of them forthwith receiued the
baptisme, and that others did delay it, saying, that because there were
Spaniard souldiers in glory, they would not go thither, because they
would not be in their company.
[70] The Spanish word is "agoreros", soothsayers or superstitious
persons, from _aguero_, an omen.
All this hurt is done by one peruerse or impious man, and with one euill
ensample, the which amongst many good, as you haue in those parts; but
in especiall amongst them in particular, it ought to bee reprehended and
punished seuerely with rigour.
[Sidenote: Siuit.]
[Sidenote: Honie.]
[Sidenote: Sinamum.]
[Sidenote: Linseed oile.]
These ilands, at the first discouery of them, had the fame to bee _mal
sanos_, or vnholesome, but since experience hath shewed and prooued it
to the contrarie. It is a countrie maruellous fertill, and yeeldeth very
much rice, wheate, goates, hennes, deere, buffes, kine, and great
stoare of hogges, whose flesh is so sauorie as the mutton they haue in
Spaine: there be also manie cattes that yeelde siuet, great stoare of
fruites, which be very good and sauorie: great aboundance of honie, and
fish, and all solde at so small price, that almost it is solde for
nothing. Also there is great stoare of synamon, but no oile of oliues,
but that which is carried thither out of the Nuoua Espania: they haue
much oyle of algongoli[71] and of flaxe seede, the which they doo spende
ordinarily in that countrie, so that the oyle of oliues is not missed
with them.
[71] More properly spelt "ajonjoli", the Spanish name for "sesamum
orientale", or oily-grain.
[Sidenote: Cloues, saffron, pepper, nutmegs, cotton, and silke.]
[Sidenote: Powder, saltpeter, iron, steele, quicksiluer, brasse,
copper.]
There is great stoare of cloues, saffron, pepper, nutmegges, and many
other drugges: great stoare of cotton and silke of all colours, the
which is brought vnto them by merchants of China, euerie yeare a great
quantitie, from whence commeth more then twenty shippes laden with
peeces of silkes of all colours, and with earthen vessell, powder,
saltpeter, iron, steele, and much quickesiluer, brasse, copper, wheate,
flower, walnuts, bisket, dates, linnen cloth, counting chestes[72] very
gallantly wrought, calles of networke, buratos, espumillas,[73] basens
and ewres made of tinne, parchment lace, silke fringe, and also of
golde, the which is spunne and twisted after a fashion neuer seene in
all Christendome, and manie other of great curiositie, and all this
aforesaide is solde verie good cheape. Likewise such things as the
ilands do yeelde are sold very good cheape, for you shall haue foure
roues[74] of wine which commeth of the palme tree for foure rials of
plate (the which for lacke of that made of grapes is very good), twelue
haneges of rice for eight rials of plate, three hennes for one rial, a
whole hogge for eighteene rials, a whole buffe for foure rials, a deere
for two rials, and yet it must be both great and good, foure roues of
sugar for sixe rials, a botiia[75] of oile made of algongoli for three
rials, two baskets of saffron for two rials, sixe pounds of pepper or
cloues for one riall, two hundred nutmegs for one rial, a roue of
synamum for sixe rials, a kintal[76] of iron or steele for tenne rials,
thirtie dishes of very fine earth foure rials, and all other things
after this rate.
[72] Escritoires.
[73] These words are both used for a fine gauze or muslin, of which
ladies' veils are made in Spain.
[74] The original word is _arroba_, containing from three to four
gallons.
[75] A jar.
[76] Quintal, a hundredweight.
But amongst all other notable thinges that these Spaniards haue seene in
those ilands, and in the kingdome of China, and other places whereas
they passed, there is one thing which hath caused them most to maruel
at, and to haue it most in memory; which is a tree, ordinarily called
palma de cocos, but doth differ from that which beareth the dates, and
with great reason, for that it is a plant so full of mysterie and
profite, that there hath come a ship vnto these ilands, and the said
ship, and all that was in her to be sold, with ropes, cords, masts,
sailes and nailes, were made of this tree, and the merchandice that she
brought was mantels made of the rind of the saide tree, with great
subtiltie and fine works. Likewise all the victuals that was in the said
ship for the sustentation of thirtie men that came in her, yea their
water was of the same tree.
The merchants that came in this ship did certifie of a truth, in all the
Iland of Maldiuia from whence they came, they haue no other sustainment,
but onely that which this tree yeeldeth: they do make houses hereof, and
tyles for to couer the same, the fruit doth yeeld a meollio or curnell,
which is very sauory and healthfull, the sauor thereof is much like to
greene hasell nuts, and if you do cut the branch there whereas the coco
commeth forth is the principall fruite, and euery one of them hath
ordinarily a pinte of water, the which is very sweet and delicate: al
the said substance doth returne into the trunke of the tree, whereas
they doo bore a hole, and thereat they do draw out all that water, which
is much: and mingling it with other thinges they make thereof good wine,
the which is drunk in al those ilands and in the kingdome of China. Of
the same water they make vineger, and of the meollio kernell aforesaide,
oile verie medicinall, milke like vnto almon milke: hony and suger very
sauorie. These and many other vertues hath this palme, whereof I haue
declared part, for that they are notable, and do cause admiration vnto
all men that passe into those partes: I doo leaue to declare the rest
because I would not be tedious. Nigh to the cittie of Manilla, on the
other side of the riuer, there is a towne of Chinos that be baptized,
such as haue remained there to dwell to inioy the libertie of the
gospel. There are amongst them many handicrafts men, as shoomakers,
taylors, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and other officers, and some
merchants.