CHAP. XIII.

Here is declared of some notable things that are, and haue beene seene in these Ilands Philippinas.

They of these ilandes were accustomed to celebrate their feastes aforesaid, and to make sacrifices vnto their idols, by Witches. 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 The Indians would not go into heauen because there were Spanish souldiers. 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.

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.

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: Siuit. there be also manie cattes that yeelde siuet, great stoare of fruites, which be very good and sauorie: great aboundance Honie. of honie, and fish, and all solde at so small price, that almost Sinamum. 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] Linseed oile. and of flaxe seede, the which they doo spende ordinarily in that countrie, so that the oyle of oliues is not missed with them.

Cloues, saffron, pepper, nutmegs, cotton, and silke. 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 Powder, saltpeter, iron, steele, quicksiluer, brasse, copper. 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.

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.