CHAP. XIII.

Omoncon doth disembarke himselfe with our Spaniardes in the port of Tansuso, and are verie well receiued by the justice, and made verie much of by the order of the Insuanto of that prouince.

Within a little while after that the captayne of the sixe shippes departed for Chincheo, Omoncon and his companie ariued at the port of Tansuso,[13] hard by, vpon Wednesday, in the euening, being the fift day of July. This Tansuso is a gallant and fresh towne, of foure thousand householders, and hath continually a thousand souldiers in garrison; and compassed about with a great and strong wall; and the gates fortified with plates of yron; the foundations of all the houses are of lime and stone, and the walles of lime and yearth, and some of bricke: their houses within very fairely wrought, with great courts, their streetes faire and brode, all paued. Before that Omoncon did come vnto an anker, they sawe all the souldiers and the people of the towne were gathered together vpon the rockes that were ioyning vnto the port, all armed readie vnto the battaile, amongst whom there was a principall captaine, and three more of his companions, that were sent him by the gouernor of Chincheo, whom they do call in their language Insuanto, who had vnderstanding of the comming of Omoncon and his companie by the ship (aforesaid) he sent them thither before, that in his name should entertain them and cherish them all that was possible. When the ship entred into the port, Omoncon did salute the towne with certain peeces of artilery, and discharged all his argubushes sixe times about, and therewithal tooke in their saile and let anker fall. Then straightwaies the captaine whom the Insuanto had sent came abord the ship, who had expresse commission not to leaue the company of our people after that they were disembarked till such time as they came whereas he was, but to beare them companie, and to prouide them of all thinges necessarie: the which he did accomplish.

All these captaines and ministers of the king doo weare certaine ensignes for to be knowen from the common people, who are not permitted to weare any such; and they can not goe abroad in publike without the same, neyther will they if they might, for that by them they are obeyed and reuerenced, as well in the streetes as in any other place where they come: all such generally be called Loytias, which is as much to say in our language (gentlemen): the particular Ensignes to knowe the iustices. ensignes which they doo vse, bee broade wastes or girdles, embossed after diuerse manners; some of golde and siluer, some of the shell of a Turtuga or turtell, and of a sweete wood, and other some of iuerie; the higher estates hath them embrodered with pearles and precious stones, and their bunnets with two long eares, and their buskins made of satten and vnshorne ueluet, as we haue declared more at large in the first three bookes.

Then after, so soone as they were come to an anker in the port, the iustice did send them a license in writing for to come foorth of the shippe, as a thing necessarie, for that without it the waiters or guardes of the water side will not suffer them to put foote a land. This licence was written vpon a borde whited, and firmed by the iustice, whose charge it is to giue the licence. Then when they came a The first landing of the fryers. shoore, there were the souldiers that were appointed by the Insuanto in a readinesse to beare them companie, and did direct and leade them vnto the kinges houses of the sayde citie: the like hath euerie citie almost throughout all the kingdome, and there they did lodge them. These houses are very great, and very wel wrought and gallant, with faire courtes belowe, and galleries aboue: they had in them stanges[14] or pondes of water, full of fish of sundrie sortes.

The Insuanto had giuen order vnto the iustice of Tansuso, wherein he had ordained what hee should giue them to eate, and all other things that should be done particularly by it selfe, without lacking of any thing, and appointed the captaine, that hee with his souldiers should not depart from them not a iot, but alwayes to beare them company whethersoeuer they went, and not to depart till he had farther order from him: in accomplishing whereof they remayned with them that night in the kings house. The iustice of the citie when that he had lodged them, went himselfe in person to the waters side, and caused all their stuffe to be vnladen out of the ship, and caused it to be carried with great care and diligence vnto the fryers whereas they were.

The people of the citie did presse very much to see these strangers, so that with the press, as also with the great heate, they were marueilously afflicted: which being perceiued by the iustice, he gaue order that they might bee eased of that trouble, and caused sergeants to keepe the doore, and their yeomen to make resistance against the people. Yet, notwithstanding, though they did not trouble them so much, they ranged about the house and clymed vpon the walles to procure to see them, as a rare thing, for that they came from countries so farre off, and apparelled verie different from that they do vse or otherwise haue seene. So when that the night was come, the iustice of the citie did make them a banket according vnto the fashion of the countrie: and it was in this manner following.

They were carried into a hall that was verye curiously wrought, wherein were many torches and waxe candles The vse of their bankets. light, and in the middest therof was set for euerie one of the guests a table by himselfe, as is the vse and fashion of that countrie (which more at large shalbe declared), euerie table had his couering of damaske or satten very well made, the tables were gallantly painted, without any table clothes, neither do they vse any, for they haue no neede of them, for that they do eate all their victualles with two little stickes made of golde and siluer, and of a marueilous odoriferous woode, and of the length of little forkes as they doo vse in Italy; with the which they doo feede themselues so clenly, that although their victuals be neuer so small, yet do they let nothing fall, neither foule their hands nor faces: they were set downe at these tables in verie good order and in gallant chayres, in such sort that although they were euerie one at his table by himselfe, yet they might see and talke one with an other; they were serued with diuerse sortes of cates, and very well dressed both of flesh and fish, as gamons of bacon, capons, geese, whole hennes, and peeces of beefe, and at the last many little baskets full of sweete meates made of sugar and marchpanes, all wrought very curiously. They gaue them wine of an indifferent colour and taste, made Wine of a palme tree. of the palme tree (whereof there is no other vsed in all that countrie), our Spaniardes did vse it, as that which was made of grapes. All the time that the supper indured, there was in the hall great store of musicke of diuers instruments, whereon they played with great consort, some one time and some another. The instruments which they commonly do vse are hoybuckes,[15] cornets, trompets, lutes, such as be vsed in Spaine, although in the fashion ther is some difference. There was at this banket (which indured a great while), the captaine that was ordained for their garde, and the captaine Omoncon and Sinsay. When supper was done, they were carried into very faire chambers, wheras were faire beddes, where they slept and eased themselues.

The next day following, in the morning, was brought vnto them their ordinarie victualles, and that in abundance, as well of flesh as of fish, fruits and wine, to be dressed vnto their owne content, and according vnto their manner: they would take nothing for the same, for so they were commanded by the Insuantes. This was brought vnto them euerie day so long as they were there, and in the way when as they went vnto Chincheo. The same day ariued a captaine of fortie ships in the same port, and as soone as hee was a shore, hee went straightwayes vnto the pallace for to see the strangers: who being aduertised of his comming, came foorth and receiued him at the pallace gate, where as was vsed betwixt them great courtesie. The captaine came with great maiestie, with his guarde of souldiers and mase bearers before him, with great musicke of hoybuckes, trumpets and drommes, and two whiffelers[16] or typp staues that made roome, putting the people aside: also there came with him two executors of iustice, or hangmen, hauing each of them in their handes a set made of canes, which is an instrument wherewith they doo whippe and punish offenders, and is so cruell that who soeuer doth receiue sixtie strokes with the same, although he be a verie stout man and strong hearted, yet it will kill him, for that hee is not able to abide it. They doo beate them vppon the thighes and calues of the legges, causing the offender or patient to lye downe vppon his breast or stomacke, and commande their heades and legges to be holden. The iudges, captaines, and loytias haue ordinarily these officers before them, for to beate such as will not goe out of the way when as they doo passe the streetes, and such as will not alight from their horse, or come out of their close chayres when they doo meete with them.

When this captayne came vnto the pallace gate whereas the father fryers and their companions did receiue him, he was brought on the shoulders of eight men verie richly apparelled, and he in a chayre wrought of iuorie and golde, who stayed not till they came into the inner chamber, whereas he did a light from the chayre, and went straight vnder a cloth of estate, that was there ordinarily for the same purpose, and a table before him: there hee sate downe, and straightwaies arose vp, and standing he did receiue the strange guests, who did curtesie vnto him according vnto their fashion, which is to ioyne their handes together, and to stoope with them and their heads downe to the grounde: he gratified them againe with bowing his heade a little, and that with great grauitie. Within a little while after, he spake vnto them with great maiestie, bidding them welcome into his kingdome, being glad of their comming, saying that himselfe was come to see and cherish them, for that they should receiue no discontent, as y^e proofe shal shew. These speeches being finished, there was brought foorth certain peeces of blacke silke of twelue vares[17] long a peece. And his officers did put on the fryers shoulders each of them two, which was for either shoulder one, and was brought about their bodies and girt therewith; and the like was done in order vnto the Spanish souldiers, and vnto Omoncon and Sinsay, and to their interpreter. But vnto Omoncon and Sinsay was giuen vnto either of them a branch or nosegay made of siluer, which was set vpon their heads, which is accustomable honor that is done vnto such as haue done some great enterprise, or such like.

After that this ceremonie was done, they played vpon the instrumentes afore sayde, which came with the captayne. In the meane time of their musicke, there was brought foorth great store of conserues, marchpanes, and thinges made of sugar, and excellent good wine; and so being on foot standing, hee caused them to eate, and he himselfe from the chayre whereas he sate did giue them to drinke euerie one in order, without rising vp, which is a ceremonie and token of great fauour and of loue.

This being done, hee arose from the chayre vnder the cloth of state, and went and sate downe in that which was brought on mens backes, and with declining of his head a little he departed out of the hall and out of the house, and went vnto his owne house, whereas by the counsell of Omoncon and Sinsay within an houre after they shoulde goe and visite him, the which they did: hee receiued them marueilously well and with great courtesie, who maruelled at his great maiestie and authoritie, for that Omoncon and Sinsay, when they did talke with him, were vpon their knees, and so did al the rest: yet that which they did see afterwardes done vnto the Insuanto and viceroy was much more.

He gaue them againe in his owne house a gallant banket, of diuerse sortes of conserues and fruits, and excellent wine of the palme tree, and did talke and reason with them in good sort, and was more familiar than at his first visitation, demanding of them many thinges in particular, and beholding their apparayle and garmentes, with showe of great content and reioycing.